end of term euphoria

This week marks the end of term. Today actually! I am thrilled because the end of term coincides with me finishing work for the summer. 

Other landmarks this week:

:: I have turned the jellied redcurrant cordial into redcurrant jelly. It was a bit of a struggle to get it out of the bottle. I had made the cordial with minimum sugar because I like my cordial tart but I do like my jelly on toast a little less sour so I boiled it up with more sugar and poured it to jars. It is now less firm but I hope it will not run of the toast.

:: I have been more successful making cordial. I made elderflower cordial for the teachers. I insist that teacher presents must be homemade, practical or delicious. Over the years we've made jam, biscuits, cordial, soap and stripy candles from leftover wax. Yes, life is busy but it is relaxing to make something and I know if I were a teacher, I would not want two dozen boxes of Hero's chocolates. The labels are not terribly fancy but the labels were unsuitable for my letter stamps, the colours ran and the writing was no longer legible.

:: I finished my maternity cover post and moved my few bits and pieces across the corridor to my new desk space, ready to start my new job in August. I am so so exited. My new job could be a dream job, I get to do all the things I like doing and second best of all, I'll be able to travel abroad. In my last academic post I got to go to meetings but the most exiting location was Coventry. There is of course nothing wrong with Coventry. In fact, I rather liked it, but it is just not the same as Colombia. That's Colombia in South America. Better still, I get to collaborate with Richard.

:: I watched Annie say good bye to all her P7 friends and teachers. She'll see most of them at the local High School. I know she'll miss two good friends who won't be joining the local school but they still live here. It was sweet seeing both classes join in a circle, join hands and sing Auld Lang Syne. Some of the children were howling, others were quietly saying good bye. Alistair gave one of his P7 buddies a hug. He promptly burst into tears. The buddy, not Alistair. I must have been one of few mums not all snots and tears. I just don't get it. We all live in a small neighbourhood and there is plenty of opportunity to catch up. The children are well ready to move on, too. If anything, joy should be the prevailing sentiment. Maybe I am a cold fish. Anyway, Annie had a busy few days: it was the P7 ceilidh on Monday and a P7 leavers disco this evening. Annie looks very grown up in her party frock I think. Please note my trainers. I might never see them again.

:: I enjoyed pegging out the laundry late at night. Evenings in Scotland are quite magic if the weather is ok. The light is of a special quality that is difficult to describe. I particularly like the light around 10 pm just now. I was outside at 10:30 pegging out the laundry. It was very quiet because the birds had gone to sleep.

:: Remember the little moorhen's nest I showed you a couple of weeks ago? We spotted the chicks today on our walk. I didn't have my camera but maybe we'll see them again another day. Before they get eaten by one of the many urban foxes.

:: James and Alistair learned hands-on how a lock works. We were walking past locks 23 to 25 of the Forth-Clyde canal and spotted a boat going 'up-river'. It is ever so fascinating. I tried to explain the workings of a lock before but it is quite mysterious for little boys. Alistair and James were allowed to re-open the gates of one of the locks. They may even remember the workings of a lock.

:: On Tuesday I cycled from one University campus to the other for a work meeting. I felt utterly blissed. All but the last quarter mile is along the river Kelvin, with only the faintest sound of city now and then. There were dozens of wild rose bushes along the way, smelling divine. The many green spaces is one reason why we love to live in Glasgow. If I didn't know better, I could have fooled myself into believing that I live in the countryside. Of course it is not nearly as nice in rainy weather.

That's it all for now. We'll be settling into a holiday routine now with lazy days and late nights. I am ever so happy. 

Have a great rest of the week! Christina xx