Moving on

Cherryfudge

Another fun morning (and free lunch) with the holiday club. Three were loads of helpers today so it was easy. Tomorrow I'm on the catering team but don't get excited: it's pizza party time and I'm not in charge so it should be straightforward.

I did have a bit of a snooze when I got home, but wasn't nearly as tired as the other day, despite being late last night. I also texted my friend to say the job isn't right for me and had a sweet reply saying she sees me working with younger people.

Work this evening was the last two-hour stint for now in the department I've had for a couple of weeks. I've enjoyed that, but onwards! Tomorrow there's something or other else to be done.

I got half way to the supermarket on the way home and reasoned with myself that I didn't want to blow the calories I've burned on pastry, so I went home and had chicken instead. Then I rather spoilt it by eating chocolate biscuits left over from yesterday, but at least it's been a no-spend day and having the chicken to hand has meant DH hasn't been buying on ready meals, either.

Elsewhere on this forum, someone mentioned that Jane Badger is republishing old pony books on Kindle so I had a look and went right down memory lane. Today I found twenty two of my collection, and I think there will be more in the loft. I need to see what's actually there before I start spending on things I may already have! I had no idea they were being republished so I'm very grateful to the person who mentioned them. Meanwhile my library reservation of the complete Percy Jackson books (in one volume) has come through, so I'm on the second. in the series.

Cherryfudge

I'm so tired! I won't be up late.

The last day of the holiday club seems to have been a success. It was quite nice working with the catering team, though I slightly regretted not being in with the children.

When they'd all gone, we had the clearing up to do, along with my usual cleaning team duties. I finished around two thirty, then got home for a coffee and twenty minutes stretched out in bed, reading, to give my feet a break before work.

I had a three hour stint this evening, in a different building. At first I wondered how on earth anyone can clean it in the time, but I just about managed, apart from forgetting we finished at 7.30 on a Friday, not 8. The supervisor came round to lock up so I had to finish quickly!

I had planned to call in at the supermarket and get a pastry as a treat, but my favourites had run out and I didn't want to waste 400+ calories on the one I could have had free with a voucher. I remembered a couple of things I'd intended to get and also bought a lovely rosemary plant in a terracotta pot. It smells great. That was partly to console myself for a letter that arrived from pensions reminding me I'd left a post and could retire if I wanted as I'm over 55. Page two shows I'd get around £2,000 a year, so I'm not about to retire. I feel put out that I'd be earning a lot more were it not for the way that post had been managed, which turned it into something I couldn't cope with any more. However, that's not going to get me anywhere positive so I'm aiming for Plan B - be thankful I can still work, and train myself to do something I can do on my own terms and hopefully into older age.

So there's been a bit of spending:
Garden £2.99
Housekeeping  £5.29

Cherryfudge

I didn't wake till gone nine this morning, but am not too achy. Perhaps I'm getting fitter? I did gleefully notice a small but real weight loss despite having eaten pizza, too many biscuits and goodness knows what else over the last few days.

I spent quite a while on Duolingo this morning as I've got a free three days of 'Super', so I'm trying to make up for not doing much this week. At least I've got myself out of the danger zone so I'm unlikely to go down a league. What's more, I might even have improved my French a bit, though I was thinking about the intentionality of all this: I took up French mostly because I did it at school and was trying not to waste that and, in an odd way, to prove to a long-dead French teacher that I can do it despite her! However, I started Italian last year and would be much happier speaking that, so I might try that again if I have free attention span and brain power later. What's the point of being better at a language I don't really want to be using?

Jobs to do today: tidy the dining room so we can feed guests tomorrow. Do a pile of ironing. Practise the maths for Monday's class.

Sun_Addict

That’s why I chose Spanish because I’ve actually used it on holiday several times. I did French at school from age 8 to 16 and also German from age 11. I have used both in the past, the most recent being in Greece when the Greek shop owner assumed I was German and I didn’t want to disappoint him 😆 I started learning Greek because we go to Greece but all of a sudden it started going into a different alphabet and got really hard, I just wanted to learn a few words not go into great depth so gave up on it. 

Cherryfudge

Sun_Addict said:

That’s why I chose Spanish because I’ve actually used it on holiday several times. I did French at school from age 8 to 16 and also German from age 11. I have used both in the past, the most recent being in Greece when the Greek shop owner assumed I was German and I didn’t want to disappoint him 😆 I started learning Greek because we go to Greece but all of a sudden it started going into a different alphabet and got really hard, I just wanted to learn a few words not go into great depth so gave up on it. 

I always thought I'd like to learn both Spanish and German - far more useful than the French/Latin and Spanish if not already too confused combo offered at my school! Apart from me, my family were multilingual, so I always thought I would be too, if I could just find the key.  

My Dad spoke Arabic, picked up during his war time service in Egypt but couldn't read or write it. I often wonder what other people mean when they speak a language: multi-lingual colleagues from Africa and Asia seem to be able to communicate in a great selection. I suspect there's a balance between understanding and being understood - I understand a lot more French than I can express.

Anyway, I'm going to recommend an extend holiday in Greece for you, @Sun_Addict, so you can learn by immersion!

Floss

I think folk brought up with English as a second or third language have a better grounding in it than we do for our second or third languages, unless studied at degree level. They can also be much better at grammar!

Cherryfudge

I wonder whether the strong presence of English in films gives more exposure to it in other countries? How many French, German or Italian films has the average Brit watched in comparison? And again, many other countries learn multiple languages, which is supposed to increase the ability to learn them.

Sun_Addict

I think when you’re faced with being in a country where they don’t speak your language hastens your learning. We went to a part of France several years ago where no one spoke English. It was surprising how much of my French suddenly came back to me when it was forced. 

By coincidence my uncle was also in Egypt during the war.

Honeysucklelou2

Interesting thoughts about languages. My DD4 loves doing Spanish A level but is teaching herself Korean alongside. She uses Duolingo but also watches films in Korean to try and improve her pronunciation and understanding. I struggle to keep up with 1 extra language!

Cherryfudge

Sun_Addict said:

I think when you’re faced with being in a country where they don’t speak your language hastens your learning. We went to a part of France several years ago where no one spoke English. It was surprising how much of my French suddenly came back to me when it was forced. 

By coincidence my uncle was also in Egypt during the war.

It's interesting what we can do when we don't have time to think! On my first ever French holiday, with a girl from college when I was about 20, I was in a bank to cash a traveller's cheque. A member of staff asked in French if they could help us and in a complete panic, I came out with 'Est-ce qu'il y a personne ici qui parle anglais?' (Is there no one here who speaks English?) - which isn't quite what I meant to say, but bless her, she smiled very sweetly and said, in English, 'Yes, I do'. *

*I meant to ask if there was anyone who spoke English, of course! My friend was impressed, though. I was more stunned.