Becoming a 'Jersey Girl'.

So...yesterday I went to work with Will.We had an early start but as a concession to me we didn't get up until 4.45 am!I cannot remember the last time I was up before the sun but it has been awhile. So, why? You may ask.Well, I am to become a 'Jersey Girl', if only temporarily for a month or so. 'Jersey Girls' is the cafe and shop at Stanthorpe Cheese, where you can taste and buy the cheese Will makes and also have a Ploughman's Lunch or cheesecake if you so desire.The owners have gone away for a month and I will be just filling in at weekends to cover their absence. I went yesterday to see what it was like and try and get upto speed on the patter and  tasks I may be called upon to perform.Will and I got there at about 6.00 am just as the Sun was coming up. I helped him with his cheese making at first until the shop opened at 10.00.I thought it was a busy day but it is apparently busier at weekends! (Eek!) I learned how to make milkshakes, and began to learn to use the coffee machine. Oh heck! How can I remember it all, latte, flat white, long black, cappuccino, espresso?Even worse was the till! I used it once but had someone looking over my shoulder. The till scares me to death!One of the first customers in looked at me strangely and then said,"I know you, you're Mr Allen!""I am" I said, it was the mum of one of the children in the class I was teaching yesterday. Actually the mum of the boy who has separation anxiety."Oh, I wish you were at school today, " she said, "Mrs Green is off again.""I'm learning how to be a 'Jersey Girl' " I said "so that I can help out at weekends."I don't know how I am going to remember everything, what to say about the cheeses let alone answer customers questions.One customer asked "What is the difference between a double and a triple brie?" Thankfully they did not ask me for if they had I would have probably just ducked down behind the counter and hid.I was much happier cleaning tables, taking coffees and milk shakes out to people and washing up and loading the dishwasher...but I won't be able to do that all the time.I start properly on Saturday...I am utterly terrified!

Hope comes late!

So...I was woken by my phone ringing at 6.45 am."Are you free to do a relief day at Stanthorpe State Primary today?"I spoke before I really came to my senses..."Yes," I said."It's a Y1/Y2 class, (it was Toerag's and Fidget's class) and it is an 8.45 start."...and they hung up.I then came to my senses....'What was I doing?!'It was not what I had expected from today and I hadn't a clue what I was going to do. I normally have a bit more time to get used to the idea, put my arm floats on and paddle out a bit deeper rather than be thrown straight in at the deep end.The phone rang again."Oh, I forgot to say the planning will be at the office.""Thank you," I said.The planning was at the office when I arrived an hour before they start paying me. There were even worksheets printed out.The planning looked straight forward but the afternoon session was free for me to do my own thing..."We are doing a bit of visual art this term. Something to with shadows or shapes and bright colours. Feel free to be creative."I knew just the thing!I met Dusan for the first time. He has always been off on my previous visits recovering from an operation. His Dad wheeled him in, before school started, in his wheelchair and sat him at his desk. I introduced myself and Dusan showed me the scar on his leg where he had had his operation. Dad said that he had done too much walking at school yesterday and wanted him to use his chair at breaktimes and not the special walker which he used in class. It was fine by me. Dad left."How was your day yesterday?" asked Dusan, making polite conversation."Good" I said, "How was yours?""Oh, not bad," he said.Toerag didn't turn up at roll call and there was no Hope...but then Hope arrived late. I was expecting Toerag to turn up late too but he didn't...the day was looking up.Fidget was there of course, sporting a new short haircut. In fact, there were a few short haircuts about and I soon learned that the school had 'visitors' (head lice) from a note that Fidget handed to me from his mother saying that she had checked his hair and he was clear...he was almost clear of having any hair actually so the lice had no chance on Fidget's head.The day went smoothly and everyone listened and behaved well. Donald kept kneeling up when he should have been sitting." I am a bit concerned," I said, "is there something wrong with your bottom? Should I call a doctor?"He sat down. Later Madeline was kneeling up."Do you have Donald's Disease?" I asked....She sat immediately...it was all I needed to say now.Fidget missed some of his morning break as he was finishing his work off with me.At 12.30 I had all the non- religious people traipse in again."Read them a story" said the planning...but I couldn't be bothered so I  told them they were going to do a life drawing of me...and I sat in a chair for half an hour while they drew me.Here is some of their work.

My little visual art activity with bright colours and shadows, (I did silhouettes) went very well, I think and I was able to pop this up on the wall at the end of the day...I am back with them again in early June. 

Home again.

So...we are back at Frogknot after our lovely weekend away by the river.We managed to stay oblivious of the Eurovision result until we watched the replay yesterday evening. It was all very tense and looked very likely that Australia were going to win (well, Dami Im  certainly sang her heart out) but we were all glad that Ukraine won as it was our favourite song.Back at Frogknot the chooks are all present and correct after being left alone for three days. They didn't say whether they had missed us but there were three eggs waiting for us in the nesting box.

In lockdown!

So...the Eurovision Song Contest Final is over but we don't know the result. The live show from Stolkholm was shown from 5.00 am this morning but we are going to watch the replay this evening so are all avoiding news websites, Facebook even messages until we watch it later. We have quarantined ourselves in the house and are shunning social contact with others. We are in lockdown.

Woods and Waters.