My scooter arrived this morning, I am so excited I could scream. It is all assembled and only the battery is not attached as it is currently charging. I've sat on it and scurried around the living room and kitchen on it pushing it along with my feet like a small child on a trike, yes it really is that small and that light. The five hour wait for the battery to work is going to drive me mad but it is also raining at the moment so I'd have to wait anyway.
Yesterday we had a brilliant day out at Watford, yes I did say Watford.
Watford has a very large number of charity shops which house a very large collection of second hand books. I read like the devil especially when ill and can get through a book a day which can be extremely expensive so I trawl charity shops instead and as a result can get five or more books for the price of one new one. I know some people have a thing about second hand stuff but it doesn't bother me. I only buy books that are in excellent condition and always check the inside pages as well as the cover. When I get them home I wipe down the covers with alcohol wipes and I'm quite happy. Yesterday's outing gave me a haul of nine books, which is more than the two or three I usually find and added to my growing Agatha Christie collection by one book. I am trying to collect all Christie's works but many are now out of print so charity shops are my last hope of getting a copy, well that and second hand books shops. It also is nice to know the money I spend is going to do some good and not just line the pockets of a grasping publishing house.
After our trawl we had lunch in a Subway, which is delicious and healthier than a burger. I had a tuna melt packed with veggies and almost managed the lot, my appetite has definitely improved over this last week and once again I'm wondering if the stress of working is the problem rather than the meds themselves. It then started to rain so we high tailed it into the centre for a mooch around the shops. I very nearly bought a Tangine as I've always wanted to try one out but restrained myself thinking it would be a nice item to put on my Christmas list so that's what I'm going to do, along with a book of Moroccan recipes which also caught my eye.
As my scooter had yet to arrived I hired one from Shopmobility and they seem to have got some new models in, which were smaller than the types I'd had before. Compared to Milton Keynes, borrowing a scooter at Watford was a doddle. I rang to book but was laughed at by the receptionist who said they'd never had to turn anyone away and hardly ever had anyone book. Compared to the Milton Keynes shop though their stock is enormous so it is easy to see why they never run out. It left me wondering why the bigger centre should be the one with the least scooters. Also the Watford shopmobility has it's own floor of the car park which is secure and you have to show your badge before they let you in. I still had to pay the car park fees but it was so nice to know that my car was unlikely to be hit by any moron thinking it was a race track and that the people at shopmobility keep an eye on the car whilst there. Brilliant!
In the news I've been following the story of Megan and her maths teacher and like all teachers I am appalled. As teachers we have a parental responsibility to look after the children in our care but there still have to be limits and barriers. When a child is having a rough time at home and they trust you enough to confide in you then you of course listen and offer advice. This might be anything from just a 'why don't you talk ....' to referring them to someone who can help. What you most definitely do not do is take sides or get involved.
Now reading about this it sounds as though Megan has a pretty mixed up family with both her natural parents now married to someone else and a new baby brother to contend with. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying the parents did anything wrong or are in anyway 'bad' parents but it must be a lot for a fifteen year old to contend with. In those circumstance Megan would have been extremely vulnerable to anyone who showed her any sympathy or attention. Jeremy Forrest clearly has abused his position and when caught should go to jail. He will never teach again. However the most alarming part of this story is how slowly the school has been dealing with this case when suspicions were raised seven months ago. I know teachers are constantly falsely accused of bad behaviour by vindictive children and their parents, often because the child was given detention, but there is a difference between protecting the innocent and routing out the bad. With the evidence presented to them this teacher should already be suspended.
Well off to get lunch and then a trial run around the village.
Yesterday we had a brilliant day out at Watford, yes I did say Watford.
Watford has a very large number of charity shops which house a very large collection of second hand books. I read like the devil especially when ill and can get through a book a day which can be extremely expensive so I trawl charity shops instead and as a result can get five or more books for the price of one new one. I know some people have a thing about second hand stuff but it doesn't bother me. I only buy books that are in excellent condition and always check the inside pages as well as the cover. When I get them home I wipe down the covers with alcohol wipes and I'm quite happy. Yesterday's outing gave me a haul of nine books, which is more than the two or three I usually find and added to my growing Agatha Christie collection by one book. I am trying to collect all Christie's works but many are now out of print so charity shops are my last hope of getting a copy, well that and second hand books shops. It also is nice to know the money I spend is going to do some good and not just line the pockets of a grasping publishing house.
After our trawl we had lunch in a Subway, which is delicious and healthier than a burger. I had a tuna melt packed with veggies and almost managed the lot, my appetite has definitely improved over this last week and once again I'm wondering if the stress of working is the problem rather than the meds themselves. It then started to rain so we high tailed it into the centre for a mooch around the shops. I very nearly bought a Tangine as I've always wanted to try one out but restrained myself thinking it would be a nice item to put on my Christmas list so that's what I'm going to do, along with a book of Moroccan recipes which also caught my eye.
As my scooter had yet to arrived I hired one from Shopmobility and they seem to have got some new models in, which were smaller than the types I'd had before. Compared to Milton Keynes, borrowing a scooter at Watford was a doddle. I rang to book but was laughed at by the receptionist who said they'd never had to turn anyone away and hardly ever had anyone book. Compared to the Milton Keynes shop though their stock is enormous so it is easy to see why they never run out. It left me wondering why the bigger centre should be the one with the least scooters. Also the Watford shopmobility has it's own floor of the car park which is secure and you have to show your badge before they let you in. I still had to pay the car park fees but it was so nice to know that my car was unlikely to be hit by any moron thinking it was a race track and that the people at shopmobility keep an eye on the car whilst there. Brilliant!
In the news I've been following the story of Megan and her maths teacher and like all teachers I am appalled. As teachers we have a parental responsibility to look after the children in our care but there still have to be limits and barriers. When a child is having a rough time at home and they trust you enough to confide in you then you of course listen and offer advice. This might be anything from just a 'why don't you talk ....' to referring them to someone who can help. What you most definitely do not do is take sides or get involved.
Now reading about this it sounds as though Megan has a pretty mixed up family with both her natural parents now married to someone else and a new baby brother to contend with. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying the parents did anything wrong or are in anyway 'bad' parents but it must be a lot for a fifteen year old to contend with. In those circumstance Megan would have been extremely vulnerable to anyone who showed her any sympathy or attention. Jeremy Forrest clearly has abused his position and when caught should go to jail. He will never teach again. However the most alarming part of this story is how slowly the school has been dealing with this case when suspicions were raised seven months ago. I know teachers are constantly falsely accused of bad behaviour by vindictive children and their parents, often because the child was given detention, but there is a difference between protecting the innocent and routing out the bad. With the evidence presented to them this teacher should already be suspended.
Well off to get lunch and then a trial run around the village.
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