Sleep is a beautiful thing.

That's what I'm talking about!

It's been a week of sleepless nights (on top of feeling worried and blue). The graph above shows last night's epic sleep, including a wonderful double gap between 01 and 02 because of the extra hour we gained last night! I feel so much better today!

Enjoy your Hallowe'en, if you keep it, dearies!

A blue week...

This week I've been feeling decidedly blue. Meh. Less-than. Under-the-weather.

This is most unlike me.

I tend to be quite sunny and happy and relaxed and grateful (fear not, I'm still grateful!).

Blue may be one of my favourite colours, but it's rarely a descriptor of my mood.

Except this week.

I feel sad and ugly and fat and lonely and useless and oh-so-very-tired. I feel like a rubbish friend / girlfriend / sister / daughter / blogger / you name it, and just feel a little lost.

I'd love a hug and / or a good long chat. But I'm being anti-social (why burden anyone around me?) and I'm not actually sure what is wrong. I feel like I've lost something but I can't fathom what.

But fear not, gentle reader. This evening I am going to cook myself a yummy and healthful supper, watch the delightful sparkles on Strictly, and then have a bath and an early night. Tomorrow I shall go for a walk and call my mummy, as well as attacking the to do list. It's going to get better. Right?

PS All prayers / good thoughts appreciated. I want to feel like me again.

Splat!

That sound, friends, was the sound of me crashing into half-term break.

I have done next to nothing this week, and it's been exactly what I needed. But now it's time to get back into everything. The next half-term contains an awful lot of stuff - busy school life, busy social life, an inspection and a 30th birthday.... As much as I'm a little sad that I spent much of this break snoozing, playing games, watching TV and snoozing some more, I know the downtime I've banked will do me good in the days and weeks to come....

How are you, lovelies?

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness....

Ah, autumn.

The last of summer has definitely left us here, and we are wholly, emphatically, awesomely deep into autumn. The air is chill, the trees are bare (or getting there), and the nights are drawing in. I love this season! The only bad thing is probably the fact that it makes me want to hibernate a little, and for the next few weeks that's just not an option. You see, there are three 'crunch' times for a teacher (well, four, including exams - but mercifully they are not on the immediate horizon). The three would be parents' meetings (and the preparations for them / reactions to them), reports (and the preparations for them / reactions to them), and inspections (and the preparations for them / reactions to them). I'm currently deep in all three. It's crazy busy here - I have a thirty point to-do list today (seven down, so I'm shooting this off while I eat my breakfast, before hitting the next bunch of prep/work/chores). Manic would generally be the word.

But I am still grateful it's autumn. I'm grateful for a lovely boy who gives me cuddles when it's all a bit much. I'm grateful it's half-term break in a week, so I might actually get some decent sleep under my belt.

And I'm *so* excited for Naomi and Al's wedding next weekend! You GO girl!

Life is good. If slightly crazy in pace just now.

Lately....

I've been reading more, and spending money on books instead of snacks! I loved The Kite Runner (so sad!), giggled my way through I Lick My Cheese, and am now romping through Strictly English.

I've been blogging more - and loving catching up on other peoples blogs too. I love the friends and acquaintances I have in the blogosphere, so it's always great to make time to read what people have been up to.

I've been cooking more and experimenting with recipes. I'm really looking forward to half-term break for some real cooking time.

I've been walking more. London is beautiful at this time of year!

I've been getting more organised. Our life is busy, yes, but so are the lives of lots of people. I'm working hard to get the life/work balance right. And in that order. Yes, work is very important, but it's my job...it's just a part of my life. Also important are my lovely Matthew, my family, my friends, my health....and I need to make space for everything.

I've been planning for December - with Christmas and my thirtieth both on the horizon, I want it to be a really lovely month!

I've been enjoying Strictly Come Dancing (for my American/Canadian friends, that's the Brit version of DWTS), and fell asleep during the X Factor (which I think I'll give a miss now).

How about you?

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

Mlle Wilson, Steph, and I at Mlle Wilson's hen do last weekend. Brilliant fun, *lots* of silliness. Love you ladies!

Oooops, I've done it again....

So.

Over the summer I radically overhauled my lifestyle. I went to the gym, I walk, I cut out naughty snacks, I stepped away from the second glass of wine.

And I felt great.

I lost about a stone, I felt healthier, I trimmed off an inch of my waist, I felt good.

Then September arrived.

I didn't go to the gym once. I snacked (14-16 hour days can do that to me). I went to the pub. I put the stone back on. With a few extra pounds for good measure.

:(

(sorry to revert to an emoticon, but it kind of sums things up!).

I looked at myself in the mirror over the weekend, and at the trousers which were feeling loose a month ago, but now feel tight, and I knew it was time for a change.

More fruit, more gym, more walking (thanks, Moonwalk training), more veggies, more water, more sleep.

Less snacking, fewer takeaways (usually I have one a month - in the last six weeks it's been more like one or two a week), less alcohol.

I need to feel better and get healthier.

Wish me luck, please.

One month in

So, the new school year is a month old, and as per usual the massive change in pace has come as a huge shock to the system (hence the sporadic blog posts - everything bar school tends to hit the skids a little for the first four weeks). Now, however, I'm starting to feel like I have a (tenuous?) grip on things. I know my classes quite well (and they're getting to know me!) and the timetable is starting to flow, rather than constantly surprise. Of course this is now the time that other elements (marking, reports, parents meetings) kick in, but it's good to be feeling more in the swing of things.

The autumn weather here in London is proving as chop and change as ever....one day is humid and misty, the next it's cold and rainy, and on the third day it's sunny and 22 degrees. Makes choosing an outfit for school quite the challenge!

My new class (a.k.a. the badgers) are a great bunch once more - full of stories and jokes and enthusiasm. They all seem to be settling into the rush of school well, and they are definitely keeping me on my toes! I am also enjoying teaching further up the school - history and English are two of my favourite subjects, so it's great to feel stretched.

So, school is going well. A few other things have slipped though. More details on that tomorrow...

Moonwalk 2011

So, every year I try to do something for charity. Be it a 5K waddle or lopping my hair short for a good cause, I love a chance to give back. Next year, I'm kicking it up a notch. Because next May I'll be taking part in the Moonwalk 2011 - walking 26.2 miles through London in the middle of the night. I am excited and terrified in equal measure. All the money raised goes to 'Walk the Walk', a breast cancer charity, and a cause that's very close to my heart.

More details can be found here. I also have a fundraising widget on the left-hand side of my blog - if you can donate, I would be so grateful.

Enjoy your weekend!

I am...

I am happy.

I am comfy.

I am clean and fresh from the shower.

I am tired.

I am busy.

I am a little nervous about hosting a school VIP at a dinner on Tuesday.

I am sitting on the couch.

I am watching The X-Factor.

I am excited to be taking part in the Moonwalk 2011 (more on this soon!).

I am blessed.

I am daydreamy.

I am yawning a lot this evening.

I am looking forward to choir on Wednesday.

I am contemplating pizza.

I am lucky.

I am so pleased I got to spend Mlle Wilson's hen night with her and all the other lovely ladies.

How are you?