History repeats itself

Progeny are back in Wincanton Road this weekend staying with Godmother of the best sort. They have been to the Sound of Music, worn gladrags, travelled and giggled, and hit Primark . They send earnest texts about Birkenstocks. Number one daughter has left behind spouse , mother in law and sleepless nights, number two, spouse the naughty step and all things organic. Its so Dr. Johnson, bless him.

Pegs and Jif lemons

Just an experiment to see if I can get the hang of uploading on dial up

Facing up

I thought I might have upset the Street Credibility of my offspring by signing up to Facebook some weeks ago, and then ticking all the wrong dialogue boxes and joining a network in Sheffield when I live in the North Riding. Has this YO14 part of the world got a network. Son in London by the sea has just asked me to be his friend .

Wine Bar

Aged Parent, flooded out, is still on her Royal Progress around the North of England staying with a daughter at a time. Not having ready access to her very own Bank, Building Societies and Post Office, she is having to work very hard and without benefit of Calculator, to keep her paperwork up to date. She eagerly awaits B.... St........s. She knows to a day the date they should be due. She will not phone Calcutta. She has been with them for 60 years.
Today she has walked , with sholley to the local branch of her very own Bank. She asked to see the Manager or the Chief Accountant. I held my breath. She was shown straight in, helped up the steps, and was away for at least 10 minutes as I sat on the leather sofa, chatted to a friend waiting for another aged one, and heard an aged client moan to the teller behind the toughened glass that the service was not what it was.
Aged parent said you would never have known it was a Bank Manager. She had no stockings on, only sandals, and need a Hairdo."Did she do her job, did she do as you asked?" I asked nervously. "Oh! Yes" said Aged Parent.

Memory keepers daughter

A good title for a book is secret to its success in terms of marketing, sometimes. This book, which I was told , is the current favourite of the Richard and Judy book club, has kept me reading to the end because I was trying ,all the way through, to work out where the title came from. It is another Anne Tyler sort of book, you like at the time and then you have forgotten it. A Chinese meal of a book. I prefer my other august or August read 'The sea lady' by Margaret Drabble. I always read her novels because she spent seaside holidays in a house just around the corner from Casa Bridteacher. I like her descriptions of beach and sea, as they are often my beach and sea. Not in this case, I havent worked out where it is set, and nor do I mind , as the story is provoking and irritating, delicious and satisfactory. MEMORABLE

Filey Floods

Last Tuesday spouse and I felt as if we were role playing a Famous Five adventure, as we stopped torrents of water from overwhelming the back door of our jolly house. We lifted the inspection hatch to the drains with a spade and diverted the river Styx or so it seemed. Now we have a new excitement called 'sandbags' lovingly arranged in a Heath Robinson way around the back porch, a contingency plan, a super idea, what a lark.

The misery of other people however is more Waterland than Enid Blyton, and the pictures on the BBC of ordinary but disrupted lives only serve to make me thankful.

Hull Floods

The Hull Daily Mail through its Website have kept Bridteacher well informed of recent events. Thank you to all the folk who have sent in their own photos of the Hull Floods.

Newsagents in this outpost of Gods own county no longer sell the familiar and well loved tabloid. When I was a child, I thought the Daily Mail was the familiar evening paper delivered daily , and wondered why our family got it in the evening when others seemed to get it with their bacon and egg.

Here in the once Roman Signal Station town we do not even get,here in our postcode, the 'Look North ' on BBC 1. Our 6 o'clock news is followed by a regional news with Carol Malia, beloved of husband of Bridteacher. Yes I am at Second Home with the Geordie news and tales of the Sage and the Stadium of light, but miss the real Home news.

Slugs

My French Beans(Barlotta from own seed) have been eaten , as has a complete row of Kale seedlings , no loss , I don't like Kale much. The garden is looking verdant and lush, yes even drunk ,when I look at the angles of some of the stems. HOWEVER we cannot sit out , it has not really stopped raining for 10 days.The greenhouse sits at 60 degrees C, the tomatoes are stalled and only the chickweed doesn't care.
Mother of Bridteacher has been evacuated from Sheltered Posh Flat in Beverley, to Hullteacher because of flooding to the ground floor of House.
A few slugs are nothing in comparison.

Return of the native

Went in to school today for half a day Supply.It was perfect-I got to do that wonderful drive again, the clouds , the fields, the huge puddle now a lake at the new Hunmanby Gap roundabout site for the Reighton By-pass, and the car to myself. I had forgotten how therapeutic a journey alone can be. School was good too. I realised how my life had actually tangented others, as huge year 6 boys welcomed me back . Now as I wash up the dinner things and look out at the garden, where my crop of spinach beckons the pan I realise I dont have to go to work tomorrow. I am still a teacher, I will always be a teacher, I like children, I like the feeling of not having to go anywhere but my garden until next time the phone rings.

The Early Birds

The drive to the 24 hour Supermarket was a breeze this morning . No traffic at all until the outskirts of Scarborough, then a Police Car. Checked the speedometer.No worries a steady 30mph.
I divert to record that on the journey back from nephews December wedding in Sheffield, some speed camera in Howden recorded a massive 36mph on this Bridteacher, who is now careful to the point of tedium for those driving behind me.I just cant lose another 3 points from my licence. As the sole driver in this marriage I am expected to manoeuvre old red Volvo in all the Supermarket carparks in the Riding and Tescos in Westborough is not easy unless you want to be a 10 minute push from the door.
So at 5 this morning I was really enjoying the drive to town, Mayblossom gleaming, Queen Annes Lace frilling and all the lights at green, especially the Hillstart one at Cayton Bay. Straight into a wonderful parking space, I dont think I have ever been so near to the doors.
What a shame on the Tuesday after the Bank Holiday the doors don't open until 8 o'clock.

RT Kendall

Spent Saturday at seminas given by RT Kendall in Scarborough. Good that 'Churches together in Scarborough' had the vision to go ahead with the aptly named 'Springtide'. Spouse and I were very encouraged and challenged by the teaching we received. We certainly don't want to be 'yesterdays man and woman'.Look forward to what will happen next. We are ready.

Bridteacher(retired)

Spouse is recovering from a heart attack . Here are the positive outcomes

1. A great view of the River Humber from the 8th floor of the Hull Royal.
2. Spouse is now eating wisely.
3. We do not feel bad resting after lunch with a dose of Midsummer Murders.
4. Spouse has at last started gardening again seriously-the pond has been emptied and removed, the greenhouse has been disinfected and cleared out, the dandelions are now coming out by the roots instead of a few leaves.We are enjoying time together discussing our opposing views on suitable plants for a garden the size of a Science lab.
5. I have retired.
6. We have a bus pass, and can get as far as Hawes at no cost.
7. We got a reduction at the Stephen Joseph for our tickets for 'The Tempest'.
8. I have found a use for a spreadsheet, the drug regime for Warfarin etc looks really good and impressive and spouse has no need to realise that it was really easy, as it is the formulae that need the expertise.

Relief

I felt as if I had lost something really precious when I switched to the new blog and couldn,t find the old one. The word 'refresh' came to mind and there it was. the miracle of memory. I did my first internet course ten years ago , and this is the first time I have ever used the 'r' word.

Grease

I want to know what to do with a near full pot of Goose Grease. My Pommes de terre a la Lawson were ok, we all felt less full of trans fatty acids than usual on the Birthday of our Lord BUT WAS IT WORTH IT. I feel so guilty now. Use within three weeks. I dont feel it's right to cook roast potatoes every few days just use the stuff up. It gave us all indigestion, and an after taste. We prefer light olive oil or my new favourite, rapeseed oil.
From the depths of my memory I have dragged a picture of my mother putting goose grease on brown parcel paper and then putting the paper down my vest, underneath my Liberty Bodice, something to do with health. I will ask aged parent.

Sparklehorse

I give their website a 5 for everything

All hallowes eve

I am celebrating All saints Day tomorrow. It is when the Christian church remembers saints who 'have gone before '. Our faith community believes that true believers are all saints, belonging to the crowd or host of witnesses. I have been thinking of Mary and Robert Fuchs , neighbours of ours when we lived in London in the seventies and eighties. One day I will really tell of their tangent to my circle. If I ever have to thank anyone for helping me to grow in my own faith, it will be that hungarian couple. They lived completely by faith , and shared all they had, time, food,washing machine, encouragement,advice and support in prayer. It will be documented. I have just read the astonishing book "The torn veil" by Gulshan Esther, still in print after over 20 years. Mary and Robert's story was just as astonishing. How many of us can say we have met people who were truly Christlike, and why have we not written it down.

Scarborough Choral Society

A treat was missed by hundreds yesterday. Eldest child and I went to Westborough Methodist Church to listen to the choral society's offering to the year of Mozart celebrations. Choir about 50 , audience about 40. Evening fantastic. Soloist Rachel Jagger talented and charming. Where are you , MUSIC LOVERS OF THE EAST COAST? Are you all watching 'Come dancing' or having a bevy or three in the sitting room with a DVD. You were not on the streets of Scarborough, only teenage laddettes, wearing bra tops, were out and about.

I dare say that now that Simon Cowell has discovered Choral singing , it will get as popular as ballroom dancing again. Remember you heard it here first.

Excellence cluster

Was there ever such a stupid phrase as 'excellence cluster'? This week has been an insight into the minds and pockets (of other peoples money) of the suits that run the LEA. Guess what, the new initiative for raising standards and stretching minds involves having a week where everyone in year 6 does Egypt all week. We will have the expert help of some whiz kid suits*, whose funding is for a week with us. I will run that by you again, as I have just remembered that for two of those days the wks* will be preparing a feast of academic and hands on treats lovingly prepared in the kitchens of various and varied resource banks of their own choosing. We in yr 6 have a box labelled Ancient Egypt, and seventy years experience, cunning and the ability to 'wing it' whilst reading Terry Deary in the loo, and have taken 1 hour after a busy day to cook up our delights.
I have been wondering if anyone from my past remembers those sessions in a Wimbledon middle school when we had IDE.That afternoon a week of mixed ability mayhem, all using the learning styles that they enjoyed and challenged them, doing pottery, drawing , interviews, dancing , and serious research of the book kind ,Encyclopedia Britannica not on line. All in an ants nest of INTER DISCIPLINARY ENQUIRY and resulting in the 1970 's version of ICT. This was a display in a classroom set aside just for the purpose. It would say 'Egypt' on the door for a term, until replace by something like 'Colour'. Models were lovingly arranged on tables and labelled with neat ink and white card. Booklets were placed on bookstands, best handwriting and pencilled illustrations in tiers to catch the eye. Children would show others what they had learned, Ancient Egypt was still Ancient Egypt, only the science has been updated since. Cine films would loop for an excited audience. Photos of the visit to the BM to see the real artefacts would be copydexed to black sugar paper. Those two hours in the queue with most of London, after school, with 30 children aged 13 is what I call a school trip. A freewill trip. Cost nothing. Children paid their own tube fares and entrance to the exhibition. Museum attendents calling out 'whose with this lot then?' as they all pointed to miniskirted miss and shout 'she is', in that queue ,to see the gleaming gold of that mask was something none of them will ever forget. Now husband , then boyfriend, remembers meeting us after his day in the city, a real suit, astounded that 4 purple could all be as tall as he.

Wandering off, going sentimental, searching for the nostalgia of the past. Yes and No. I have heard it all before, it is not new, only the names have changed. Multiple intelligences, VAK, mindmaps, emotional literacy; these are only words . I remember now how we thought IDE was the new black.

The bigger puddle

Dear David Hockney,

Your latest series of paintings of the countryside around here has intoxicated me . How did you think of making wheel ruts pink or finding so many shades of green for the spring Tunnel ? I am looking forward to seeing them for real . I know I wont look out of place in the Annely Juda gallery(Half-term) as I will wear my Turquoise boiled wool coat (you would love the colour). I have been thinking that my lump sum next year could willingly go on 'The Bigger Puddle' but it would only buy a dandelion in the left hand corner.So glad you have come to live amongst us. When lived and taught in London I missed our skies. Sometimes I would go and sit on the swing in the garden of my landlady and watch the sky, but it was so noisy and full of aeroplane trails. I did find a place , the viewing gallery in the Shell centre, and took the lift up there as often as I could, it was quiet. Now I drive home from school up Woldgate following the romans, filtering through lanes to Bartindale following the route of prehistoric man past Argham, and think the skies would have amazed all our forbears in just the same way. They were not very different from me and you.

Yours sincerely

Bridteacher

Cheap Thrills

Last day tomorrow, not counting weekends, so I can report that the highlight of the the six weeks for me, was yesterday, as sibling 'Hullteacher ' calls me to the Buddleia to view the moth we have been hoping for . The day flying Humming-Bird halk moth is a breathtaking sight, better than the all the holiday DVDs, the Sparrow halk last week in the garden, the cloudspotting over the North Sea, the Hockney views of the wolds, and the half price tickets on the clothes in Cinnamon (Burgess Hill).