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

Comments

  1. I'm feeling your happy Christina, looking forward to your summer adventures. Two more weeks for us. You girl looks divine - what legs!! Jo x

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  2. All sounds good at the moment.. I'm really ready for the holiday (sooo tired!) but there's another few weeks to go here.

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  3. Your bike ride sounds lovely, what a great place you can enjoy. I always found those big moments at school awkard too. Some kids (and parents) seem to think they have to make a big song and dance about it all. Enjoy it all - it goes too fast! cheers Wendy

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  4. You sound ever so happy which makes me very happy. I was one of the sniveling Mom's and still am, yes they are supposed to be moving on and it should be joyous, for me it just moves too fast.
    Hugs and Happy Summer.
    Meredith

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  5. Sounds like you're ready for summer. Leaving is hard, but the excitement of what comes next always kept me on the bubbly side.

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  6. You are certainly ready for summer, your happiness is shining through the screen. Exciting times with the new job, let me know if you need a PA to come with you, I can be packed in seconds.

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  7. Absolutely love your teacher gift idea. Seems like I have missed a bit around here - well done on your new job. Can you share a little more about what you will be doing? Happy summer holidays to you all!

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  8. love your ideas for teachers gifts, I hate all this competition over teacher gifts where we used to live it was rife seeing who get the most expensive gift it made me mad the way some parents bragged and cause other children to feel inadequate it got so bad that one school banned gift giving

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  9. I'm sure you are really glad to be off for the summer. I wish I was! I'm planning to make my elderflower cordial this weekend - we seem to be a bit behind everyone else in the UK because of the horrible weather. I agree with you about the evening light in Scotland - especially on Skye. It's really beautiful. Annie looks lovely in her dress and your trainers.

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  10. What a happy post Christina, it sounds as if life is going so well. The littlest boy got to press the button to work a machine-operated lock the other day, he was thrilled. It does sound lovely where you live, and very handy for work. I used to live in the middle of Bristol and cycle to work. The best way to commute I think. I hope you and yours have a wonderful summer. CJ xx

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  11. All good things. I like your teachers gifts philosophy, that sounds good to me! I would like a bottle of cordial. Glad you got the other cordial sorted out too! I don't think that you are a cold fish, I think that you just realise the need and readiness for everyone to move on, doesn't mean that you have to forget the past! Hope that you love love love your new job, it sounds as though it is going to be very exciting!! xx

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  12. This is indeed a happy post! It's lovely to read about good things happening to people - and about how excited you are about your new job.
    I'm afraid I'd have been one of the sobbing mothers. Joe gets his free 15 hours at nursery in September and much as I'll be thankful to actually get some work time, it'll also mark the end of an era.
    The elderflower cordial looks wonderful. I'd be a very happy teacher if I received a bottle of that!
    S x

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  13. As a teacher, I like homemade gifts the best! And a homemade card gets me EVERY time! Outdoor laundry IS wonderful! I really like the "old-fashioned" feel to it and it's so environmentally green too.

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  14. Such a wonderful post, Christina! I'm so happy that your new job is going to be such a great fit, and that you have a whole summer of lazy days and lazy nights ahead of you. That's just the way summers should be! As for some of the parents being a bit choked up about their kids moving on from the school, I suspect it had more to do with the stark reminder that their children are growing up quickly more than it did with the actual change of schools.

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  15. hurray for the start of the holidays! x

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  16. Ooh, lovely to have the whole summer off work! I worked school terms only while my children were between the ages of 7 and 17. The best time of my life has been those summer days with them.
    There's a great fuss made about all the transition stages now, isn't there? I don't remember any nonsense back in 1971 when I left p7! I'm sure the teachers really appreciate the thought that goes into your home made gifts.
    Great about travelling with your new job - so exciting. The furthest I've got with work was Kosovo, which was pretty amazing, but Columbia sounds fantastic.

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  17. Hey Christina,
    I love that last sentence! And your daughter is the spit of you. She looks very teenage cool in her polka dots and converse. A very good look. I always make a cake for teacher. Or a cream tea, which seem to go down well. Teachers and nurses like cake. But then again don't we all!
    Leanne xx

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  18. That sounds like a good week. I never got all the tears when mine left Primary school either and used to wonder if I was totally unfeeling. Good to know I'm not alone. Annie looks fabulous in her spotty dress and your trainers!

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  19. That's very exciting about your new job! And what thoughtful presents for the teachers. My daughter still considers one of the saddest days of her life to be the last day of P7, she was just so happy in Primary school. Of course, having been severely ill for the past four years makes the nostalgic glow even stronger. I wish your daughter a very happy transition into Secondary. Enjoy your summer!

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  20. I can feel your euphoria. And like you I was never sad for my children to be moving on to pastures new. What a lovely thoughtful gift for the teachers. The elderflowers (like the strawberries and roses) have been fantastic this year and I have several bottles of cordial stashed in the freezer. Annie looks so cool in her dotty dress and trainers, definitely ready to dance the night away and have a ball. Your new job sounds wonderful. How's your
    Spanish or do scientists all converse in English?

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  21. Like you Christina, I was dry eyed at both my boys P7 leavers' assemblies. They were bursting out of primary school, ready for new challenges, and I was happy that I had two healthy, able boys who were looking forward to high school. Your elderflower cordial looks beautiful, I bet the teachers loved it! X

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  22. Very many congratulations on your new job! Have you worked with Richard before? Exciting times travelling to Colombia. A few good blog posts from that I hope :-) Here's to you having a great summer 'off' By the way...I love your handwriting on those labels. I have no idea what to get BigRs teacher(s)!!! xx

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  23. I must admit that I was choked up each time my kids left junior school to go on to secondary school, though it didn't affect me at all when they left secondary school. We've got another three weeks to go yet but I'm looking forward to having a few weeks without any routine.

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  24. Hi Christina! Congratulations on your new job. That's exciting news, and international travel too, how fantastic. It sounds like the end of term has been a relief for everyone. The cordial is beautiful. I'm so glad you like to give handmade gifts to teachers. As a former teacher myself, that warms my heart. The best gift I ever received from a student was a bag full of all kinds of berries. Good luck to Annie as she heads off to high school. She is looking so tall and grown-up in that photo. Exciting times are ahead!

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Thank you for visiting and leaving a comment, I love to hear from you, I really do. I sometimes reply by email but I am not all that reliable... Christina xx

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