December ... ing

Celebrating Alistair's 13th birthday. Another teenager in the house. He is still cute (until he opens his mouth and expels profanities) and gives the best hugs. As an additional birthday bonus, his long lost school iPad was finally discovered in one of his classrooms. Alistair loses everything that is not firmly attached to his body and even that is no guarantee. He has lost two pairs of school trousers.

Also celebrating my successful Senior Fellow (SFHEA) application "in recognition of attainment against the UK Professional Standards Framework for teaching and learning support in higher education". A bit of a mouthful. The application was a 6500 word reflection on my professional practice, including two case studies. If you follow me on Instagram, you'll have seen me wearing a  Harry Potter gown to receive an oration and the parchment for my recent Teaching Excellence Award. It is funny (not in a laughing kind of way) that the year that has worn me out so completely has been so successful. 

Counting the minutes to my annual leave. No slow winding down for the wicked. I finished with a bang and narrowly avoided a nervous breakdown. 

Listening to Caro Ramsay's "The Silent Conversation". This is the latest instalment of the Anderson & Costello series, set in Glasgow. I love this series. I remember sitting in class with the author, both of us studying towards the same Diploma in Forensic Medical Sciences. I went back to being a parasitologist, she continues to write excellent crime fiction.

Persevering with my running programme. My virtual coach who lives in my phone tells me I am making progress. Not as much as James, he completed his first hilly park run in 23 minutes 54 seconds. He tells me he wasn't at his best. 

Sewing a Tilly and the Buttons Lyra Dress, one seam at the time. I made a mess with the collar because I didn't pay attention so had to make a new one. I also had to learn to make button holes with a my sewing machine. Now I can't decide if I want pockets. I like pockets, they are useful but I don't like how the shape of the dress is distorted by filling the pockets with phone and keys and other essential stuff.

Mending my Sweaty Betty reflective running leggings. I paid a lot of money for those and I am a bit disappointed that the seams are unravelling so soon. The reflective pattern is also coming off and I now fully rely on my two high visibility reflective tops for my jogs in the dark. The dark is a bit depressing but it is almost the shortest day, a turning point.

Trying very hard not to expose ourselves to the dreaded SARS-CoV2. We are also all regularly sticking swabs down our throats and up our noses, then observe the swab sample move through the lateral flow test with trepidation. Thank goodness for free supplies of lateral flow tests. Pandemic routines. 

Choosing a Christmas tree. I asked for a potted one to return later but this wasn't an option. There was a six foot potted one which we could plant in our own garden. I didn't fancy that, I  much prefer fruit trees, a far better preparation for the apocalypse. 

Wondering when I'll feel like decorating said tree. It is in the back garden and I hope Jack doesn't pee on it.

Also wondering what Christmas will be like this year. My children think I am a bit of a Grinch but I think that's unfair.

Baking Swiss Christmas cookies. Well, trying to. It looks like we are short of butter, and just about everything else, too. Annie (now back from university) has commented on the sad state of our fridge and larder. We've been too tired to write a good shopping list lately and the supermarkets are disappointingly bare.

Enjoying and appreciating Annie's cooking. She made us sweet & sour tofu one night, then coconut lime chicken with pan fried gnocchi (we call them roastinis). She makes a good salad dressing!

Spotting a male black cap in our back garden, how exciting. This is not a bird I expect to see here in Glasgow, it being more of summer visitor to the South of England. Not sure how this one ended up here but it knows where to find food so maybe will be ok. 

Looking forward to unwind. 

But first I must find a painkiller, my hip is killing me today. Thanks for visiting xx