Salzburg, here I come! Ya!

I just booked a flight to Salzburg

I leave on October 24. Now I just need the flight back from Graz. Going to take the train in and around Austria...hopefully see some Alps from Salzburg to Vienna, then to my final destination. Ahhh...voila done (now all the teachers here are saying this, A-Leash! "Voila done!" sounds wicked in an English accent). Booked from Graz back to London on October 31.


A note...I think the Enlightenment of Europe is seeing as much of it as I can. What a dream this has turned into.

Boudoir

A few pics of where I lay my head at night...

My favourite (new) chair:



My adorable Parisian print (and fancy new MacBook)...



The carry-all bookshelf...



Bedside table...



And small gallery of Les Filles...




Planning a weekend to Frankfurt tonight. What's October without Oktoberfest?

Creepy

Saw Devil last night with Jocelyn. It was the most terrifying movie I have EVER seen, hands down. I almost had to LEAVE the theatre, it was so bad. That said, it was really well done and I would recommend it. But be warned...it's an eye-covering, legs-drawn-up-to-the-chest, breath-caught-in-throat kind of flick.

Wait

the year was 91

There is something so magical about waiting. So pensive, so impatient, so halting...

yet so limitless, so imaginative, so contemplative. There is something hopeful about waiting...for today I'm loving the wait.

I hope you've seen...

theyearwas91.tumblr.com

for images like this:

the year was 91

and
hearblack.com

for equally beautiful images

(I need to get a proper camera.)

I hope you've heard...
Nick Drake

Lykke Li

I hope your Sunday is as peaceful as mine.

Lykke Li

There's been quite a bit in my ears today. Here's one last one...

Tonight by Lykke Li

I can't help but shake my head in amazement...
Remarkable how the smallest things matter so much

Closer

Remember in Closer when Jude Law finally realizes that Alice (played by Natalie Portman) isn't Alice at all? She used a pseudonym from a tile he stumbles upon in a church courtyard, devoted to English people who had lost their lives saving others. THIS courtyard (as in, the one I was in last weekend)...




And you'll never guess what I stumbled upon...



Cool, right?

It Passed Again

home-and-garden.webshots.com

Mid-September passed again.

I didn't notice.

Strange isn't it?

Perhaps I did, subconsciously. Perhaps it's why The Ghost was present in my thoughts a few days back.

Slowly though, thoughts of that life, My Past Life, are slipping away from everyday. I've learned there is a time for everything, however. And in time, and only in time, he will fade away. For now though, I'm quite glad that he still lingers there from time to time. Reminds me of times spent lying in grass in this small town park and the subsequent elation that came from fingertips touching after so many months of not. How could anyone want to forget something so sweet?

I'm certainly not ready to just yet.

Here's wishing you sweet thoughts today...

Memories of Quebec Avenue

One very hot day, I spent a little time in Laura and Jesse's backyard, pruning and weeding while she worked. It was delightful. Before I forget...some snapshots...



The backyard oasis...

What Teachers Make

Nathan sent this to me from over in Maui. Watched five times. Cried more the last time than the first.

Yes, I should be working, but lordy, sometimes it's good to just see and hear some good things now and then.

You be the judge.

Thank you thank you thank you for thinking of me :)

Stop and Think

via strobelightsandblownspeakers

via peaceloveandcheerios.tumblr.com

Wilco

Wilco is one of everyone's favourite bands. They're easy to listen to, you can sort of hum along to nearly all the songs, and they make me feel real nice.

Here's Jesus Etc.

Soak it Up

I'm going to have to start a new label: things I'm listening to. I'm just in love with finding new things to fill up my ears.

Have a great day.

Here is Houses. The first single from their new album, "All Night", is called Soak It Up. Enjoy.

New Arcade Fire

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You also need to check this out. It is called wearehunted.com, a website that highlights, "The 99 most popular emerging songs". You can listen to them all right there on one site and the genres range from blues to rock, rap to pop. It's pretty radical.

P.S. We hired a cleaning lady. That way, we don't fight over who does what and how dirty one leaves the bathroom over the other. Best investment ever: the cleaning lady. For 18 pounds a week, two of them come and clean the place from top to bottom. Since we don't have a vacuum (and my room is the only one that's carpeted), I think this just pays for itself. I've never felt so fresh and clean ;)

Our Best (English) Friend

Beckie is a fellow math(s) teacher. She's amazing at her job and is super supportive. She also drives us home pretty much everyday. We like her long time.

Last weekend she joined us for a little wine at the pub.

Proof of great weather

Today is yet another sunny day in England. Unreal, right?

Walk to school is just gorge.

It's Friday...funday...can't wait for the weekend.

Have a great day, Lovlies.

Tour de London

Went on a little walking tour of London. Take a peek...

Oh, this is the original wall built by Romans for something...you know my attention span when it comes to history. It's like a thousand years old. Awesome.

I do love benches.

The Globe Theatre. Right? Love this country.

Love the pub food :)

First Day of School

My classroom!

Progress Report

The roommates

I suppose you'll want to know how England is treating me. I wondered to myself if my lack of homesickness and enthralled feeling of acceptance and, well, HOME-y-ness had to do with the amount of work I've been doing as of late. I do usually have 12-13 hour days, but I think that has more to do with my internal pressure than the actual job pressure. I'll get to that in a bit.

You've worried about the weather. Well, up until today (tonight actually, since the ride from the car park was just fine before dinner), the weather has been quite amenable to me. It's sunny and bright, warm and perfect for the 30-minute walk to work. Granted, we don't walk as much as we had planned, since Enith from down the street drove us last week, but we are doing it this week. The walk is LOVELY. The countryside (well, it's a HEATH...sort of like a conservation area that just happens to run alongside a freeway) is GORGEOUS here. The grasses are green, forests are lush, and though we don't run into much in the way of animals, we do certainly see a lot of LIFE here.

We have a small garden out front (my father would go nuts: there is just enough room for the BINS [garbage]. He used to say that makes you look like a renter. Note to dad: EVERYONE here looks like a renter), and a large backyard. It's just gorgeous. Though we mainly use it for hanging clothes on the line (no dryer here either, unfortunately), we do at times sit out there and contemplate how good we have it.

The roommate situation is going swimmingly well, though I do question this at times. Ryan and I work together in the same department, with dichotomous strengths and weaknesses, and I wonder just how long the honeymoon period will continue. Only time will tell. For now though, life is pretty amazing at 9 Spring Vale North. Loves it!

Work is demanding. For the first time in my life, I have a job that requires my FULL attention for the ENTIRE time I am at it. I get to work at around 7:15 when we have a ride; 7:45 when we walk. The whole place is quiet until about 8:30, which is a half hour before classes start. I teach first period everyday, and I get five prep periods. I teach 20 classes per week (that's 4 per day, on average). Wednesdays I teach the whole day. The WHOLE DAY. It's exhausting. But I must say, invigorating. Though at times I wish I could hurl a child out the window...actually, that's not true, I really don't ever feel like that. At times I wish I could pull him out of class, sit him down, and talk to him about why he's being a SHIT...that's about as far as it goes. We deal with children with very difficult lives and though at times it is trying, I do adhere firmly to the philosophy that they all just want attention and acceptance (or hugs, as I like to sum up). I give them boundaries, set expectations, and keep my cool, and we'll all be okay. Right? Let's hope so anyway.

School day ends at half three (3:30) and we usually get home between 6 and 7. That's a LATE day, friends. Long, rather. It's a long day. But again, I'm invigorated. I've chosen this profession: it didn't choose me. And the kids keep showing up...I appreciate that.

I teach math (well, here they call it, "maths") to grades (here they call that "year") 7-11. I have a brand new Mac Book that won't let me blog on it, and my very own classroom. It's warm...it's cozy...it's calm. I do like it. Have I mentioned that? The kids are rowdy. They talk aloud, they misbehave, they often don't use proper English. But I like it like that.

Dartford is lovely. The town has about three health food stores, a HUGE bingo hall, countless (literally) pubs, and a really rich community. The farmer's market in the town centre on Saturdays draws in most locals, and it's so nice to be able to walk down the street and spot a neighbour or another teacher. We all live locally, so we run into each other frequently.

We are a family at school. Compared to what I've heard from others, this school is especially supportive. The staff work well together and pull for each other instead of being catty about things. There is talk about us getting hired on full time as real staff (right now we are considered casual employees and as such, get paid shite compared to the real teachers). We will find out more about that as the module continues. The end of this module is at the start of our October break (the last week in October). I'll be Austria-bound and I might just have a full time job (with resultant full time [high] pay) when I return. Nice-uh.

Speaking of which, I've spotted one (ONE!) Asian kid at my school. What a different world this is.

I have yet to prepare for my rugrats in one period tomorrow. I have a phone and the internet now at home...how lovely, but I do have to get to work, then get to bed.

Miss you all, my Lovelies.

Oh, Laura! I'll endeavour to get back to your email tomorrow. It's been a crazy day and I want to respond to you and your exciting Montreal escapades.

Geography Lesson

You may know this and you also may not...I'm geographically retarded.


I have no idea where I'd find Monaco and learned quite recently that the Nile was in Africa. Sigh. It's one of my downfalls, but I did borrow an atlas from...somewhere...recently and have been doing some research into where to spend my vacay this year.

I was thrilled (and a little appalled at my ignorance) when I saw that the south of France is RIGHT BESIDE Genoa. Nice. So here are the revised travel plans...

October: Austria
Christmas: south of France and to see family in Genoa
February: Greece
April: Spain.

And you'll never guess, but The Big Thai of 2011 is going to be The Big Ole. Nathan and I have FINALLY come together and are in the process of solidifying plans to travel together to Spain. I have two weeks off and apparently we can do quite a bit of sight seeing in that time.

Yeah!

I have to go...duty calls.

I hope you all had splendid weekends, Lovlies.

The Big Day

Leanne's wedding was a big deal for me this summer. I had been a part of planning (if you can call two to ten emails a day about wedding stuff, sent transcontinentally, while at work planning) and knew just about every detail by heart by the time the end of August rolled around. But seeing it all come together was remarkable. From the feather on her hair, to the giant hanging lanterns...from the barn-esque decor to the paper bulbs we picked up in Thailand, it was absolutely amazing to see her vision come to life. Every detail was thought of, including a chip wagon stocked with poutine in lieu of a midnight buffet. The wedding was PERFECT for the crowd, and EVERYONE had a smashingly good time. I have NEVER seen such a successful, beautiful wedding. Leanne, kudos to you for making your dream an absolute reality. I'm so impressed.

I'm sure my pics don't do it justice...but here's a look through my lens on that day.

We started the day with food, champagne, and curly, luxurious hair ;)



...added a little make up...



...as the men watched...



...and ended up all beautifully dressed. Leanne was GORGEOUS. I know you're supposed to say that about the bride, but she was so CHIC and yet so relaxed...it was going to be a great day.

Jacko...snapping some pics of his big sister

Yours Truly looking a little bit overserved.

"To have and to hold" emblem on the dance floor (it was touches like these that made the barn just remarkable)...

Leanne...getting ready to say her few words (and might I add that when she spoke, it was in this stunningly calm, poised voice. I had never heard her publicly speak, that I can recall at least, and I was blown away by her speech. Well done, Lan!)...

The Jackson brothers listening to their mom's speech.

NICE group shot. LOVES it!

Erin and Leanne

LOVE this picture...

Leanne and her fam...

The first dance.

And then she shared a dance with another little man in her life.

Hamming it up ...

...to Memphis Groove

When I said my speech, I looked at this wild woman for poise. Sounds counter-intuitive, right? I got really choked up whilst looking at my bride, my friend, my companion, let me tell you. It was really hard to say those words. Sooooo...I had to imagine someone in their underwear, and since we'd just seen Michelle's flower-bum display at the cottage (here), it was easy to be calmed by that hilarious memory.

Ryan. Swoon.

We top it all off with the Mother of the Groom. Living it RIGHT up.

"It's going to be a happy life.

Take care of it."

I know they will ;)