Bad Weather Magnets

We arrived just over a year ago to delightful 15 degree weather (Celsius) in late February, when snowstorms were still very well in the making back home in Canada. This "honeymoon" period lasted for roughly a month. Spring rolled around and with it came the showers. The problem? The showers never really seemed to want to leave, as the UK recorded it's wettest summer. Lucky us, we got to be a part of it. This weather (for us) lasted until we made our way to Portugal for some actual seasonal weather (aka summer).

Upon our return, the weather was once again uninspiring. Not necessarily bad, but again nothing to write home about either. We cruised through fall, with much less fanfare than the so called "wettest summer ever". Winter finally rolled around. It seemed that it was just like fall, but slightly colder. Being the bad weather magnets we are, the UK had a few tricks up it's sleeve. Thrown at us was a slew of days with freezing temperatures, little bits of snow, and strong winds, dubbed "the big freeze". Now being Canadian and having survived winters for a number of years now, we told London to bring it on. We were by no means unprepared, or bundled up to the same extent as our Aussie friends, but we did notice that the cold here is of a slightly different nature. The extreme dampness in the air (probably left-over from the summer) seems to creep into every nook and cranny, sending chills through one's body. Coldest winter in almost 20 years. Enough snow to shutdown major airports for a couple of days. School children being told they couldn't go play outside because it was too cold, too icy, too snowy.

With the start of spring here on March 1st, optimism was high regarding a turn around in the weather. But alas, the big freeze has returned, wreaking havoc on residents all over the UK.
Bad weather magnets.

Here's to summer.

T.

Happy New Year!

We've gone a solid two months (and one week) without posting any material whatsoever on our blog. Although we are slightly disappointed that our "streak" is coming to an end it's definitely for the better.

What do you include in a blog post, that is meant to "make up" for the past two months. I guess we'll begin with wishing everyone a happy new year, as this is indeed our first post in 2013 (pathetic, I know). It's not that we've been too lazy to write, on the contrary, work has us busier than ever writing lesson plans, assessments, reports, and marking books, and then doing that thing we're acctualy meant to do, teach. Something British teachers seem to enjoy less of than their Canadian counterparts, as so much "busy" work is expected from teachers, that the educational system is slowly suffocating otherwise passionate, vibrant, and eclectic teachers. So that whole thing has been keeping us quite busy.

We did however get quite the sweet deal in terms of vacation, as we were enjoying a one week (half term) break three weeks after having arrived from home. We filled that week with various exploration expeditions of London and surrounding areas, including visiting Oxford (the highlight of our week off). A couple of museums, markets, and lunches out later, the break was quickly coming to an end. But fear not! This half term is only 5 weeks long, meaning that in 3 1/2 weeks time we'll be off work for another 2 1/2 weeks. More intricate plans have been made for this time off, as we've learned our lesson of waiting until the last minute to make them.

The first day of spring was on the 1st of March here in the UK, and with mother's day coming up this weekend what could possibly provide a better occasion to celebrate fresh starts, new beginnings, and a celebration of a metaphorical re-birth (maybe new year's). Happy new year!

Oh the weather outside is frightful...

Twenty-five to forty centimeters is what is predicted today for the Montreal region. So far, in near whiteout conditions, with wind blowing up to 60 km/h, we've only received roughly 10 of those predicted centimeters. Driving is absolutely treacherous; slippery conditions not helping the fact that drivers cannot see much beyond 10 meters ahead of them.

I'm presently waiting, at Gare Centrale, to board a Toronto bound train. So far, I've been waiting a half hour in line, to board the train. Boarding was to begin at 9:30 with the train scheduled to depart at 10:10. It's 10 o'clock now, with no sign of progress towards the boarding of this train. Every 10 minutes, the boarding time gets pushed back, 9:30, 9:40, 9:55, and now 10:05. With any luck we'll be on board by 10:15, only arriving to Toronto one hour late.

Hopefully Toronto's Pearson airport is more prepared for this snowfall (it shouldn't be as bad as Montreal), as V (the birthday girl) flys in today with the fam. Although the place they would potentially be stuck in is slightly nicer than where I'm at now.

T.

Not packed...

Not packed...we are flying home tomorrow morning. Planning to leave the house by 7 in the morning because it takes forever to get to Gatwick...That way we should arrive at the airport with a few minutes to spare...fingers crossed...
The last few weeks flew by but have also been super busy...stressful, and frankly, I'm over it.
Here are some things that just really got to me this week:

6 weeks of hard work from my little Art Club elves...down the pooper...Friday morning I arrive at school...perky...my last day of work..yay!!! I walk into the hall where all the exciting Christmas bazzar activities will be held after school...That same hall that my kids have been decorating; painting GIANT ornaments, stockings, and a fire place...linking enormous chains and cutting out heaps and heaps of beautiful snowflakes...The hall that I spent hours decorating after work so that it would be ready and pretty...while cutting my finger open on a huge pair of super sharp scissors because I was tired and fed up of cutting out ornaments...All this work...GONE...not present at all...not even a little bit...just gone...The giant fire place...gone...the giant painted and sparkly ornaments...gone...stockings...gone...candy canes...gone... :(
After asking each and every staff member, posting a giant missing sign in the staff room...cleaning staff...head teacher...nothing...Most disappointing thing...
"Miss...where are all our decorations? Should we get them and hang them up?"....

...All in all B...S...

Getting sick...I know...we work with snotty little bundles of joy...but the concept of sneezing and coughing into your elbow does not exist in this country...The other day I personally witnessed a year 2 boy (6/7 years old) walk by MY comfy, swivel, teacher chair...the ones that have the soft pillow-like backing...and wipe his nose as he was walking by from one end to the next before quietly sitting down on the carpet...HOW?! How am I expected to stay healthy...NO amount of vitamins will protect me from my sneezers, coughers, and anti hand washers...with 30...30 children in each of my classes there is literately NO way to protect myself...therefore I have been sick as a dog all week...I see it as my turn to sneeze all over the place....

So no...I'm not packed...not even close...BUT really happy to be going home...a few bottles of wine should help...I also need to shower and paint my nails...Big day tomorrow...I think I have a few bunches of clothes on the bed...my yes...no...and maybe piles...Thanks Y ;)...

Can not wait to see all my favorite people tomorrow...here are your last virtual hugs and kisses for now...get ready for some tight squeezes.


V.

12/12/12....

Once in a lifetime. The last time this century. What more could one ask for in terms of inspiration for a blog post. But there's only so much inspiration one could gather from the date (which in this case isn't much).

With only four sleeps left until we're back in the land of moose and igloos, anticipation, excitement, and nervousness are beginning to creep up on us much like it always seems to do. I feel like we still have so much to deal with here before leaving for a 'short' vacation of 4 1/2 weeks, that we've adopted the strategy of let's not deal with anything right now and wait until the last minute (sort of). The major issues have been dealt with;
Pounds exchanged for Canadian Dollars (CHECK)
Finding someone to take our flat for a month (CHECK)
Take time off work (CHECK)
Ensure that there is some work for when we get back (CHECK)
Laundry (CHECK)
Clean the flat (not even close)
Organise a goodbye for now shindig (not really)
Pack (nope)

With work the next two days, accomplishing anything on our list might be slightly ambitious (and we all know how that turned out for me once already). That leaves possibly some progress to be made on Friday night, and Saturday to accomplish everything we NEED to finish before we leave. Can we do it? Without a doubt, that's not the issue. It's simply how and what we need to do in order to get there. Happy 12/12/12 everyone! A bientot.

T.