This Week...Changes...New Phases of Life

I've had one of those weeks you sometimes just have to live through and endure. On Monday I was told that all the teaching assistants at my school would have to reapply for our jobs as the school was cutting 50 hours a week TA time- this in reality is 2 full time jobs or, as few of us have full 25 hour a week jobs, it could mean several people get put on zero hours (which basically seems to mean that you still have a contract but obviously no pay and they don't have to make redundancy payouts). I love my job and really want to keep it; the pay is not good but I really believe it's important to give the kids the best education possible and I want to be part of that. So, as the deadline for applications was Friday, I have had to put a lot of time into that this week, which, combined with not enough sleep due to the stress, has left me pretty worn out. Anyway the application was done on time and now it is a matter of interviews in a couple of weeks- horrible as I am directly against my friends for jobs!

In the meantime life goes on...

Yesterday my wonderful husband John took me away to Plymouth so that we could see the Illusionist and Menatlist Derren Brown at the Plymouth Pavillions. It was an amazing show. As Derren requests I won't give anything away to spoil the fun for anyone else, but, if you get the chance to see it, then I'm sure you won't be dissappointed. It is a three hour, packed show: the pace never slackens and it is non stop entertainment. The best show I've ever seen...

Instead of travelling back from Devon to Cornwall late at night, we stayed over at a hotel. It was the first time in 18 years we've been away together so this was something special. I think it marks the start of a new phase in our lives. Kieran, 16, left school on Friday (though he should be returning to 6th form to do A levels in September) and Tom, 18, left 6th form on Thursday (though he is hoping to go to University in October), and as they are now young adults they can take the responsibility of looking after their younger brother Sean for the odd weekend.

I'll be posting more about Plymouth later..
So until next time
Gillian