Changed plans and new plans.

So...the choir reunion weekend was cancelled at the last minute due to unforeseen circumstances and will be rescheduled at a later date....the silver lining being, I suppose, they will now have more time to practise their ukelele playing.Will and I have been busy the last two days. The 'chook' shed is pretty much ready so we have made a start on clearing an area at the back of the house behind the 'chook' shed for another shed to house Roxy and Jaxy and a whole host of stuff that is presently under the verandah at the back. This large shed's roof area will collect water for the garden and hens.Will pumped up the tyres on the old VW which had not perished and the tyres on the trailer. Clearing out the trailer we discovered it was home to about 6 bush rats which scurried off in various directions when we disturbed them.(Thankfully none appeared to come into the house and last night the traps remained empty.)Today we did a dump run and a guy at the dump asked Will what he was doing with 'Beige Beauty' that we have got parked down the hill by Garth Lane. He is interested in a 'bush basher' so we came back and emptied that out of all the rubbish of that car and went back to the dump to dump that.We also drew up plans for our new laundry, shower, loo and bath turret and measured out in the garden where it will actually be. It will mirror the two existing circular garden beds and will house a shower downstairs, a mid level composting toilet area and steps around the outside will lead up to an open-air bathroom on the top level. The water from the washer, shower and bath will feed into 'soaker hose' spread around the vegetable gagardenWill has already been promised 5 chickens, 2 silkies, 2 wyandotte hens and a wyandotte cockerel which we will collect after the Easter weekend. 

 

Still no Hope!

So...I actually had a good night's sleep last night, perhaps the best night I have had since we moved up to Frogknot.We were in bed before 9.00 pm but were both woken at about 1.00 am by a rhythmic tapping sound. It was a 'morse code' mouse caught in the big mouse trap. Will got up and moved it outside and we went back to sleep, he quite quickly, me within an hour. I woke when he got up at 4.00 and heard him go and then went back to sleep until the rat trap clattered at 5.15 with another intruder. I put it outside next to 'morse code' mouse and got back in bed.I didn't go into school as early as I did yesterday. I am only paid from 8.45 until 3.00 so what's the point of getting there at 7.45? I was there for 8.00 though. Heck! That's even earlier than I ever used to get to school.I had learned a lesson about the key so didn't make that mistake again. I got stuff ready and familiarised myself with the day's planning, then went off to get some paper to mount some pictures for a display I wanted to put up.The Business Services Manager is always the friendliest face I see so I went and asked her."Where can I get some black sugar paper to mount some pictures?"She looked blank."Any black paper will do," I said thinking perhaps sugar paper was just British.She directed me to the Teacher Aides room and there I found two in mid gossip."I'm looking for some black paper to mount some pictures for a display."I felt a bit like I was speaking a foreign language. One of the ladies led me to another room where she pulled out some sheets of black paper that were rolled up."Will this do?"It wasn't what I wanted but I said "Yes, that will do.""How much do you want?" She asked."Oh, enough to back 22 A4 size pictures," I said.She actually went pale and clutched the paper closer to herself as if it were the One Ring to bind them all."Could you cut strips of it ?" She asked."Look, it doesn't matter. I will just edge the papers in black like I did the labels last night. I couldn't find any coloured pencils either. Where are the pencils?"" Oh, the teachers buy them themselves.""The teachers have to buy their own colouring pencils? " I said, incredulously. "Do you know at the last school I worked in in the UK I had everything I needed and wanted?""It used to be like that here...but not any more," she said.I did find some pencils secreted away in one of the teachers draws so got them out to use. The teacher had written her name on each one of the pencils.I had been told to keep the door closed until the bell went otherwise the children will be in far too early, so I did but this morning there was a knock at the door.It was Fidget's mum.'Oh, heck!' I thought 'perhaps he had gone home and said how I made him cry.'I opened the door."Can we put his glasses on his desk?""Of course you can, " I said perhaps a little too effusively.I closed the door after them and there was another knock. This time it was A, the one with separation anxiety. He was the one the teacher was most worried about, not Toerag and Fidget. A came in perfectly yesterday and was clever, polite and well behaved and now here he was wanting to show me his puppy, a Jack Russell called Charlie. I was very pleased to meet him and was especially pleased that A liked me enough after one day to want to show him to me.The bell went and the rabble came in....except Toerag. For a few brief moments I was filled with hope that he might not be in today....but on calling the 'roll' there still was no Hope...and Toerag appeared at the end of it.The day on the whole was much better than yesterday. Toerag and Fidget played up a bit in the second hour...but let's face it they are six and have to sit on chairs at desks working for hours....It's not what I would make them do...but it is what I had yo make them do.I had taken all manner of plastic animals that adorn the 'Frogknot' pole from home and handed them out to those people who were being sensible. Toerag got to hold Fred the fly and Fidget held Lizzie the Lizard and it worked beautifully for an hour or so.At morning tea I didn't know I was to send someone to the Tuck Shop to collect the things that some of the children had brought in money for until a child came and said  "Where's my Tuck Shop snack?" so I rushed off to the only friendly face I knew, the Business Services Manager to ask what to do. She was taking me to the Tuck Shop when we met a woman who had just delivered all the stuff I was looking for to the correct children. I apologised and thanked her.We were walking back when the Business Services Manager said,"Do you want to work full time?""What do you mean?" I asked."Well, next year we might lose some graduates and would you be interested in a full time job?""Nah!" I said after a quick think, "I am happy doing supply. We need time to build a house. I would do a week or so if someone was sick but am not interested in working full time.""Oh well, that's OK," she said.She left me to go back to the classroom and I couldn't quite believe what had just happened. I'd only been there two and bit days.After break the reading session was better than yesterday as all the helpers turned up and I was able to give Toerag and Fidget to someone else....well, for about 10 minutes before they were sent away from their group and made to sit apart on the floor by the teacher aide.I collected them and set my two groups off on an independent task and worked with Toerag and Fidget again!For Science we went out for a walk looking at habitats....The grounds were dull, grass and more grass but we found some trees and I told them the amusing tale of when a squirrel ran up my leg looking for nuts in a London park. We saw three birds, plovers and a Willie Wagtail and then I spotted a lovely stand of trees in the distance so headed towards them Toerag was holding my hand and Fred the fly and Fidget was behind with Lizzie the Lizard. It turned out that the trees were out of the school grounds so we couldn't get to hem so we headed back. A woman was coming towards us and asked if she could take M...she could have been anybody but she was holding a clipboard so I gave her M.We just had time for another game of hangman before lunch...they beat me this time.I was sending them out for lunch when someone said "What about Tuck hop?"'Doh!' I sent two boys quickly to collect the box and they came back and I gave the things out....but E hadn't got her ice cream just a bag on which I had written in the morning that she had wanted an ice cream and I had sent it with her money in and here it was back empty and someone had written on it,'For lunch!'I took her to the Tuck Shop to sort it out and was told that ice creams were given out ;ater when they rang a bell."Oh, I'm sorry" I said, "I am just new here and I am learning so much.""It's OK" said the Tuck Shop ladies.On my way back I had the feeling I was being followed and I was, by a big burly man who looked like a wrestler. He actually said, as I turned round to look,"Yes, I am following you."He pushed past and showed me how to lock one of the doors that I'd had trouble with the day before. It was so simple that I felt quite a fool."I'm sorry," I said. "I'm new to all this.""It's OK." he said.I spent lunchtime sticking work in books and then the bell went.The last hour or so had been left up to me to do my own thing. I had bought them all a little fluffy easter chick and as I handed them out they had to name them then we went out and spent a good 45 minutes making homes for them in a small garden area. They absolutely loved it and I never once had to speak to Toerag or Fidget other than to say "That looks great, Well done".As we were walking back in little, bespectacled E looked at me and said"You're the best teacher.""I know." I said.They beat me again at hangman before hometime and I booed and hissed at them as they cheered."Listen" I said, "if you know your teacher is ever going to be away again say to her 'please can we have Mr Allen again?'""We might want Miss Schnitzel" said a cocky B.I can be cocky too..."You might but she won't be as good as me," I smiled.I actually got a hug from one of the boys on the way out...but it wasn't Toerag or Fidget.I was on Bus duty again."You shouldn't be doing this," said the teacher who also came to do it. "You only get paid until 3.00""Well, I haven't done any other duties," I said."Well, you're good," she said.After bus duty I put up the first display of children's work for  8 weeks in the class and left at 4.30.I like doing displays. I didn't do it for me....to look good. I did it for them. It wasn't one of my best but under the circumstances with no backing paper of decent pencils it will do.And now the weekend is here.....peace and quiet?.......No!........six ladies from the choir Will used to run in Brisbane are coming to camp for the weekend....with ukuleles!!!!!

No Hope!

So...my day began with the clang of the rat trap at 5.30 am. Will was already off making cheese so I had to get out of bed and put it outside and try to get back to sleep for one last hour. I failed miserably.I chucked the rat out about two kilometers from home on the way to school. I found the Business Service Manager and got the Supply Teacher's Handbook and a key to the classroom. There were supposed to be some worksheets that the teacher whose class I was in had asked the secretary to photocopy...but they were not ready and Admin didn't arrive for another 30 minutes.I went to the classroom and set about reading the planning and getting things sorted in my head and the 30 minutes later headed back to Admin to get a 'Roll' list (register) and the photocopying. I closed the classroom door behind me and then wondered if it was self locking....it was and my key was inside. Oh Joy!At Admin a spare key was found, the secretary eventually found me a 'Roll' list but had great difficulty finding it on her computer. The photocopying was not ready but I got a new battery for the clock in the classroom which was not working and I knew I would be relying on it greatly in the hours ahead.'Don't let them in until 8.45!' I had been told but I opened the doors at 8.40 and the bell went. I was still 5 minutes out on the clock.I did the 'What do you want to be when you grow up?' question again, not because I had to but because I was interested. There were a few vets, a couple of 'cops' (interestingly they were both the boys who were to make my morning HELL!). There was a scientist, an astronaut, a hairdresser, (who again was gobsmacked at being asked what she would do with my hair), two teachers, a BMX rider, a fireman, and a ninja spy! The later was called Julian."Hello my name is Julian. I'm a Ninja spy,"...it doesn't really work does it?You would think that in a class that contained Hope and Harmony all would be well, but in fact there was no Hope...she was ill...and it was indeed an omen.Then it was to work. The first teacher aide of many arrived and we set off looking through magazines and newspapers to find pictures or words related to words in each of their individual word lists. The teacher aide worked with three girls as directed by the planning and I had to sort out the rest. Already two boys were playing up, (I had noticed them yesterday in my brief 1o minute introduction) they shall be here known as Toerag and Fidget.I had been warned to keep Toerag and Fidget apart but there was only me and they could not work independently so I sat between them like the Berlin Wall and tried to get something constructive done. Heaven knows what the rest of the class was doing or if they were doing the right thing...I could not for one second leave Toerag and Fidget unattended.The place was a bomb site, even Beirut looked tidier after the worst of the bombing but Fidget and Toerag got four words done. The tidying up was epic but Moses parted the Red Sea and so I too got something worse than Beirut tidied up only using my voice, a grimace and waving my arms.It was snack time and then we were off to the library to meet the 'Words Their Way' Woman. I gave a huge talk about behaviour before we went and we left with me tightly gripping Toerag and Fidget at the front. We met a class coming out from a previous session all with paper and pencils. No one had told me we needed paper and pencils I mentioned this to a passing teacher aide who said she would kindle go and get some for me.Trish, the Words Their Way Woman was just what you would expect from someone who makes their living from giving advice and teaching tips. There was rather too much of Trish for the dress she was wearing but I'm no fashion guru."I'm a supply teacher and know nothing about this" I chipped in helpfully, "and the other class that is coming also has a supply teacher too."Trish rolled her eyes. "You would think they would have had these classes yesterday when the class teachers were here. It's costing them a lot of money to have me here. I've come from  Melbourne."As it turned out the other class teacher didn't even know she had to come to the session and was 15 minutes late.  She arrived with a couple of grandparents in tow who sat and watched too. The other class teacher to be fair, looked even older than the limping grandparents. It was a veritable farce. Trish was peeved to be short of time but soldiered on.It was the longest 45 minutes of my life. Trish wore lots of different hats and even pretended to be the Queen of England in a very battered blue shower cap that even I would have sent her to the Tower for. Toerag sat beautifully throughout (I gave him an Iron man sticker) and even Fidget was bearable...(but no sticker for him.)"Oh, that was good!, " I effused to Trish when it was over. "I'm sorry I missed the P.D (Personal Development)." Of course it was a huge lie but I carried it off with aplomb.It was Morning Tea and I went to get my photocopying and had a drink in the staff room. No one spoke to me but I saw the Prep teacher who I had last covered for so sat with her.The principal came in and opened a selection of cheeses and set about eating them with some of her staff....she was introduced to Trish for the first time which boggled my mind since Trish had obviously done staff training without the Head being  present!It was reading after break and other adults arrived to work with groups but the last adult I expected did not turn up so I was left with three groups one of which included Toerag and Fidget. I set two groups off reading independently and concentrated on reading with Toerag and Fidget but it was rapidly going downhill and Toerag and Fidget were taking things to a whole new level of annoyance, so I gathered the three groups back up and got out a story."Farting, farting, farting" said Toerag while Fidget rolled about blowing raspberries. Toerag undid my shoelaces and poked his finger through the hole in the top of my shoe...(Yes, they have a hole in but they are comfy and blue and I like them).I read 'There was an old fella who swallowed a bunny'...It kept things on an even keel until the other groups rejoined us.It was maths next...and the lesson on probability, 'Will' 'Won't' and 'Might'. Three children were working with another adult that had arrived and I had the rest of the class facing me at their desks like in Victorian times. The lesson was for an hour....but Lunchtime was in sight.I did my best though we never got to record anything in their maths books but we did some 'events' together (pigs will fly....'won't') before I put them in threes and got them to sort some events together.Guess who I was working with...yes, bad old Toerag and Fidget.With 10 minutes to go I finally snapped and grabbed Fidgets chair off him and made him stand up. He leant on his table but I slammed down the wodge of paper I was holding on his desk with such a bang that I was sure if she hadn't done already Elicia would surely have peed her pants with that bang....(she didn't).....and hissed at Fidget "And don't lean on the table!"He started to cry. Victory was mine. I wanted to do a lap of honour and pose like Usain Bolt but didn't.I cracked him....It had to be done. Even Toerag was shocked.The bell went for lunchtime."Listen guys," I said, "Let's have a better afternoon shall we?"They all agreed and sloped off but I stopped Fidget."Would you rather we were friends?"He nodded."Well,  what do you think you have to do?""Be respectful," he said, unexpectedly."Well......yes......er and what else?"........he couldn't cme up with what I was looking for..."Do the right thing." I said....." and sit still." I added to make the point clear."If you could choose one of my superhero stickers which one would you choose?" I asked."Superman" he muttered."Then be a superman this afternoon and he's yours now off you go."I spent the whole of lunchtime cutting out animals for our science lesson to make it far more engaging that what had already been planned and didn't even have time to eat anything.The afternoon went much better. We discussed habitats, briefly looked at the unhelpful picture the teacher had left for us and quickly moved onto choosing one of the animals I had spent all lunchtime cutting out and creating a habitat for it, ensuring it had something to eat, drink and a place to live.We got side tracked by a discussion on litter and they were all captivated at my performance of tiny mouse trying to get out of a glass bottle as I scrabbled helplessly at the whiteboard. Even all the Black actors in the Academy would have voted for my performance over Will Smith or Denzel Washington.Not content with that I then informed them that once trapped in the bottle they were then baked by the sun....I think everyone of them was open mouthed and moved.Monique put up her hand."Yes, Monique?""I saw a tiger die.""You saw a tiger die? Where?""At the zoo.""How did it die?"Monique was looking uncomfortable...and wishing she hadn't made the story up."Did it just drop dead because you were looking at it? I hope you asked for your money back. Fancy going to the zoo and the animals die in front of you. It's just not on."It was the Mr Allen Show, Live and Dangerous but I was on a roll and somehow the afternoon flew by.We finished with a game of hangman that left them crying for more."Can we play it tomorrow?""Only if you are good." I said. "I have been Mr Allen, thank you and good afternoon."And off they went....Fidget got his Superman sticker and Toerag gave me a high five.After school I had the ordeal of Bus duty....I am only paid until 3.00 but this went on till 3.30....it's a bit naughty.....and it was another bear garden....with all sizes of children."Hello, I'm Angel," said a girl holding out her hand to me."How delightful," I thiught, but she was no Angel...in fact far from it. "Pain in the Arse" is more like it.The other teacher with me read out the names of bus people....."Hope?......Hope?""There is no Hope." I said.

Preparation.

So...today I was back at school briefly to meet the class I am taking for the next two days and to find out what the teacher had planned. I went in at 11.50 just before the class went off for P.E (it was taken by someone else completely) and then the teacher could discuss her plans in her free time.There are 21, mixed year 1 and 2 children. There appeared to be a very small and immature child amongst them who looked even too young for prep but it turned out that this was a child who had come with it's mother while she was doing reading groups.There is a child on the autistic spectrum who swears, one with separation anxiety, a terrible fidgeter, a girl who lies and steals things and another who wets herself daily. There is a group of girls who won't come out of the toilets after morning break but apart from that 'they are a lovely bunch' said the teacher.The teacher couldn't give me her planning because the printer was playing up but said she would email it to me later. She went through it with me and it all sounded OK. I have various different people coming in to help at different times and to top it all tomorrow the class is joining with another for an hour to do 'Words Their Way' in the library. The session is being led, the teacher thinks (!) by an outside provider and it is being filmed (!). The other class teacher is also a supply teacher so we will both have no clue what is going on, but apparently we will just have to police.She has given me an hour on Friday afternoon to do my own thing.I looked about for some clue as to what their terms topic might be but there were no displays on the walls....(and this is week 8.)"Do you have a theme or topic you are studying at the moment?" I asked searching for inspiration."No," she said.No theme or topic? Heck, it really is a different world.I came home and was having kittens when the planning still had not arrived by 6.30 PM. Thankfully it came through at 7.00 and I set about printing it out while a rat was rattling about in the corner. I moved the rat trap into the vicinity and read the planning.It is detailed but doesn't light my fire, but when I am finished with it will probably use it to light 'our' fire. (Boom, boom!)I didn't understand the maths lesson whereby I have to present the children with events and they have to tell me if it 'will', 'won't' or 'might' happen. Thank goodness I live with an Australian who can help me with the weirdness of the Australian Education System."Will Mr Allen's hair grow again?" is one example I will supply them with as well as "cats will learn to bark" and " fish will start to catch people".I am not truly convinced I am barking up the right tree but it will make me chuckle the more ridiculous I can get.Science is 'habitats'. Yawn!...walking round the school grounds discussing healthy and unhealthy habitats. I think it is blatantly obvious that the whole place is an unhealthy habitat because I feel sick just thinking about it!Will needed to get to bed early as he is cheese making again tomorrow. Something must be up with the cows because he has ended up with far more milk than normal and so whereas Thursdays would normally be a short day, finishing off a cheese made the day before, he is having to do another full day of cheese making to use it up. I retired early too so as not to disturb him but am not fully 'au fait' with the planning for tomorrow. Sod it! After 27 years if I can't muddle my way through two days it's a poor do.Will is asleep now and I am wide awake typing this on my mobile phone. I have been sleeping very badly until just before Will gets up at 4.00 and then I am out for the count. But tomorrow I have to be up early. Heigh ho!At least the rats and mice are quiet. Oh no! I've left my planning on the table I hope they don't shred it for bedding!Ah, who cares?!

Further fencing.

So...today we returned unto the 'chook' pen to continue to repair and fix up the fences. We added a 'predator' skirt to the bottom of the fence around the first pen to hinder foxes from digging under the fence. Will tightened the wire on the fence around the second pen and added some more posts to strengthen it and finally we refitted the gate.We have done a lot in two days and Will says that the pens are looking better than they ever did. We need to raise the height of the fence slightly by adding another layer  of wire to the top of the present wire, add a new door to the 'chook' shed and cover the 'skirt with rocks and then we will be ready to get some chickens.