Crazy Cat Lady Chapter 2 - Groundhog Day

crazy_cat_lady

Morning all :coffee::hello:
Sorry I didn't get on yesterday - I ended up being in work all day. Turns out that the previous occupant of the classroom I'm moving to didn't think that it would be worth clearing anything out so I had a serious amount of decluttering to do before I could unpack any of my own stuff. Then by the time I got home it was a case of just wanting to drown my sorrows and I didn't feel much like talking to anyone. The results were ok, but I am a bit disappointed because some coursework was marked down during moderation. It has had somewhat of an impact on final grades, but more than that I feel as though I've let the kids down because I told them that their coursework was better than the moderator thought it was. I'm quite sad about it because I feel as though I deserve some of the blame. Mind you - I have been doing coursework marking for the whole 11 years I've been teaching and I have never, ever had any of my marks changed and the feedback isn't really helpful. So of the 5 courses we teach, 3 have had coursework marked down and 2 didn't. I'm still really upset about it but I suspect that will turn into anger before too long.
Not much else to report from yesterday really - I was in work for 6 hours then sitting being a bit miserable as well. With a bit of crochet on top. I'm still sitting in my nightie this morning feeling sorry for myself, although I have actually completed all of my marking reports for the exams so I have gotten something done. DS had his friend stay over last night so we're all a bit tired today - I doubt that much else other than tv and crochet will get done today. I've been awake since 5 so I may well need a nap as well. Lazy bones.

crazy_cat_lady

Morning all :hello: :coffee:
I confess to spending most of the weekend feeling sorry for myself and in a bit of a huff about the exam results. The anxiety in me won't just accept it and move on unfortunately - I'm going over every tiny detail, and every conversation I ever had about the coursework. There are a couple of positives though, in that I'm good at recognising my own moods and I can accept that it's ok and normal to feel rubbish sometimes, and that I just need to ride it through - which is exactly what I've done. I used to feel so hopeless when I was down, and I used to think people were laughing at me etc. Now I know that it's just a normal response to unpleasant things and I need to allow it to happen and accept it. I feel a bit better today so maybe I can pull myself round a bit. I also bagged 2 nsd's out of the last 3 so I'm not comforting myself with eating out or buying things like I used to. Comforting myself with crochet and lots of tv :rotfl:
Mind you, I did go out shopping with the kids on Saturday afternoon for a couple of hours. DD's uniform had arrived in at the suppliers so I got to go and part with £75 of my hard earned cash on something that looks and feels like it cost about £1 to make :cool: While we were that close to the city centre we went in and did a couple of things - I needed to take a couple of bras I'd bought for dd back (I had stupidly guessed her bra size at 32B and when I took her for a proper fitting turns out she's a 30DD :eek: she's 12 for goodness sakes) and we needed to get her some white bras for school. Believe me, that is not an easy size to get hold of at a cheapish rate so I've ended up spending a fortune on lovely undies for her - while I survive in my £6 bargain bras from Arseda. We also did the £land challenge - I won this week getting coloured pencils for school, dd got cleanser and ds got chocolate. Also got ds PE shoes and dd school shoes (finally). All that is left for me to get now is a couple of jumpers for ds and some felt tip pens for me. I think. Thank goodness I did all of that exam marking because this summer really has cost me a fortune.
DH is also struggling with his anxiety at the moment as well. He doesn't manage it as well as I do, I wish I could help him more. He's sleeping at funny times, doing a lot of pacing about and finding the absolute worst case scenario in everything. With him being like this it's a case of try and play it cool and see what happens. I'd hoped that we could do something as a family but that may not be the case. It will depend if and when he gets up and how he's feeling when he does surface. I genuinely don't know what he has to be anxious about, but I also know that anxiety doesn't work like that...
This time next week I'll be back at work so I think I need to make sure that I make the most of this week. Lots of rest, and planning and getting everything in place.

mumblingtaff

Just one more week off CC - where did it all go?

crazy_cat_lady

Morning all :coffee: :hello:
I know MT - this holiday really seems to have flown over and I don't feel anywhere near ready to go back to work. I think there are going to be a lot of questions about the coursework marking and how many marks have been taken off, and now I'm second in department I'll have to help deal with that. Thing is, I protested over and over again about the way we were running the controlled assessment and kind of want to say that I told them all so - but I can't do that. I just need to toe the line and try and smile By the way, I have found your new diary and subscribed. :T
So, as I confidently predicted yesterday, dh wasn't well at all. We didn't see him for most of the day thanks to his anxiety. He's back at work today so I'm just hoping he can force himself up and get back into routine. We didn't do anything in the end - I had a nanna nap on the sofa for a couple of hours, fed bestie's cats while she's on holiday and did lots of crochet. I also managed to read a book that I'd bought ages ago and has just been sitting waiting for me to pick it up. I'd forgotten how much I enjoy reading - but balancing that with my love of crochet is difficult.
Today, I've done barely anything. Cup of tea, breakfast, washed a load of towels, washed the dishes and then sat. I'm going to pop to Pets at Home in a bit for some cat food as I have vouchers to use. Also need to put the rubbish out and hoover. No cleaner this week as it was bank holiday yesterday and I'm already noticing the difference - so I'm going to make the kids do a quick 20 min tidy up as well just to try and stay on top of it.
Not too much else to report but I am going to make a to do list as I get more done that way.
Feed bestie's cats
Hoover
Dry washing
Put recycling out
Go to PAH
Pop to M&S and spend my £5 voucher
Check through my work timetable for next year and try not to panic
Look in the loft for the anniversary card I bought for dh
Record all food and drink on myfitnesspal
That will do!
Have a good one :j

Narola1976

You never fail to amaze me just how hard you work! You just keep giving and doing no matter how you feel; I really am in awe of you. I wish I could be like you...that's all I wanted to say

erin_transport

Hear hear
You're doing a sterling job. Keep going.

Eager_Elephant

crazy_cat_lady wrote: »

I needed to take a couple of bras I'd bought for dd back (I had stupidly guessed her bra size at 32B and when I took her for a proper fitting turns out she's a 30DD :eek: she's 12 for goodness sakes) and we needed to get her some white bras for school. Believe me, that is not an easy size to get hold of at a cheapish rate so I've ended up spending a fortune on lovely undies for her - while I survive in my £6 bargain bras from Arseda. .

Just been posting on my diary about my DD and her bra fitting yesterday, DD is now a 36C:eek:

I think a lot of girls are now more curvy than they were years ago - its a bummer when you cant get cheaper bras for them though.

You are just like me CCL, last time DD had a proper bra fitting (a year ago) I brought her bras from M&S at £20 for 2 whereas I get mine from a supermarket:rotfl:

This time DD has decided she doesn't want M&S bras and wants funky ones so purchased 1 pack from M&S (I feel guilty as they were the ones who fitted her) and then hotfooted it to Primarche for some lovely patterned ones (plus white for school).


So sorry the exam results weren't what you hoped for, I think controlled assessments are a funny old thing as surely a lot is dependent on the assessor etc.
Can the mark be challenged at all or are the exam board correct?

crazy_cat_lady

Narola1976 wrote: »

You never fail to amaze me just how hard you work! You just keep giving and doing no matter how you feel; I really am in awe of you. I wish I could be like you...that's all I wanted to say

erin_transport wrote: »

Hear hear
You're doing a sterling job. Keep going.

Thank you both for your kind words and taking the time to post to me. I truly appreciate it.

Eager_Elephant wrote: »

So sorry the exam results weren't what you hoped for, I think controlled assessments are a funny old thing as surely a lot is dependent on the assessor etc.
Can the mark be challenged at all or are the exam board correct?

There has been some discussion about requesting a mark review for the coursework. It costs the school money but we will need to meet with the Head and see what he thinks. I sway between really wanting to do it, and then thinking it could be made worse. You're right, it's quite subjective but it's something I've always been quite good at to be honest.

So, I didn't get back on to report in on my to-do list on Tuesday, but I did get it all done. I ended up spending all afternoon doing school work and feeling a bit more prepared to go back next week. I have no doubt that I'll have forgotten all about the holidays next week.

I've spent the last couple of days in the Lake District visiting a friend who is on holiday there. I really love it out there - beautiful and peaceful and like a different world to where I am every day. Don't think I could live there though, I'd miss my home comforts too much. Wifi, decent supermarkets and shops, and dual carriageways :rotfl::rotfl: but it is lovely for a couple of days and a break from real life. And I got to experience it with one of my best friends as well. Unfortunately her neighbours at the place we stayed decided last night was good for a party, so nobody got very much sleep at all and it ended up with my friend having to get the site manager out of bed at 4am. It kind of spoilt today, so all that we could do was just laze about before I could be bothered to drive home. The kids are in horrific moods and I think that we're all just looking forward to a decent night of sleep to be fair.
Then tomorrow is the last day of the hols (weekends don't count) so I'm hoping for something relaxing.
I've had such a lovely holiday this time round - it was worth every stressful minute of the exam marking because I've been able to do lots of really good stuff and not have to worry about paying for it because the cash has been there. We've managed 3 short breaks away, all of the school uniform, visit to a theme park, swimming, trampolining and a couple of lunches too. It's been fab (apart from the exam results and the messed up Lakes booking) and I have lots of happy memories. So when exam time ticks round again then I will try and remember that the good far outweighs the bad. Yes, it's stressful but it helps me to enjoy the holidays and make good, happy memories with the family.
Ooh, and I got a skip, decluttered the house and found a cleaner.
It's all good.:D

crazy_cat_lady

Good morning :coffee:
I'm pleased to report a good night's sleep last night so I feel a bit more human today. Just sitting on my bum and having a cup of tea before I get going. I'm putting my to-do list on here again today because I'm far more productive when I'm accountable.
Washing
Dishes
Get cat litter
Sew blanket up
Feed bestie's cats (last day today as she's home later)
Send a couple of emails chasing missing exam payments
It's not much so far but there are little things I need to get done that I keep putting off. I'm not sure what today's plans actually are but I'll speak to the kids once they're up and about. See if they fancy doing anything.

crazy_cat_lady

Oh. My. Goodness.
I've just done something terribly expensive and impulsive, but I had the money to do it. I've just bought a new sofa. :cool: You may have remembered me mentioning my beloved purple sofa on occasion, which I got as a hand-me-down from my mam a few years ago. It is approaching 20 years old, is incredibly comfortable and has definitely seen better days, but I haven't wanted to get rid because I love it so much.
DD wanted to go to a shopping outlet this afternoon and we ended up in N3xt, which is where the purple sofa came from. And a sofa caught my eye that looked about the same size and comfort level as the purple one. I mentioned it to dd, but it had no price on it. So she went and got an assistant who told me it was reduced from £1350 to £945. The kids loved it, but I was a bit unsure and made an excuse that we didn't know if there were any feet for it. She went off and told me that she could sell it to me for £810. I still had that left over from exam marking so I've bought it. It feels like such a massive impulse buy - but the kids are chuffed, and I will be too if it turns out to be half as good as the purple one. Plus it's not a hand me down as the last 3 sofas I've had have been. Maybe it's about time... I do feel incredibly guilty about it though.

Anyway - we weren't going to do anything at all today so I was getting annoying jobs done.

crazy_cat_lady wrote: »

[STRIKE]Washing[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]Dishes[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]Get cat litter[/STRIKE]
Sew blanket up in progress
[STRIKE]Feed bestie's cats (last day today as she's home later)[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]Send a couple of emails chasing missing exam payments
[/STRIKE]

I also did another couple of annoying jobs - updating our voting preferences online, making a phone call I'd been putting off etc. The kids decided they didn't want to do anything today and so I was in the process of sewing up the blanket (200 wool ends :mad:) when dd came and asked if she could go to the beauty bargains shop at the outlet place. So we went there and apart from her beauty bargains and the sofa we also got a new pair of trousers for dd, some books, a pair of sunglasses and yet more fidget spinners for ds. Safe to say it wasn't a nsd :o:o