Sunday 11 March 2012

I have been OFSTEDED. Last weekend I worked ridiculously long hours that upped the average for all mankind forever more. I did the same on Mon and Tue and was very very anxious throughout. I can not tell you how we did as the government need a fortnight to write and read the report first. I can tell you that I am smiling. This weekend I did a couple of hours work on Friday night after leaving work at 6, and plan to do a couple of hours tonight, but have had a huge 8 hours off in between, which is wonderful, and I have sat in the sun and read the paper. And done the ironing, cleaned the kitchen, done some washing and caught up with home admin that I need a PA to do. I also went on a bike ride ( shock!) and watched TV ( gasp!). One lovely thing about OFSTED week is that I have been out for lunch twice at the end of it, once with the lovely Bethan as her treat and once with the lovely Pippa to actually spend time socially rather than being constantly working together. Both days I went to the Flying Boat, the new and popular cafe in Hamble which is doing a roaring trade. I won a party there which we took during half term, the girls invited 10 friends each and did a make your own pizza party, it went really well and I recommend Ian and the Flying Boat to you all! If you want a party for your children with a difference, he does make your own pizza or cupcake decorating parties and is very good with children, a natural teacher.

Yesterday on my DAY OFF, I also took the girls to the Science day at the Uni, where we watched the amusing Ian B Dunn in his Science and Magic show, an entertaining and inspiring introduction to science for any young mind. I bet he is not an OFSTED inspector! Actually, it is my ambition to be an OFSTED inspector after I retire from being Secretary of State for Education. I will have to go with the upping of the retirement age to fit in all these ambitions, damn it!

For free, I have had 3 sessions of 'bowen technique' - attracted by the name, both Rob and I have trotted along to see Ancki in Hamble, who is a trainee Bowen therapist. The technique seems to involve lying down a lot in her treatment room and then now and again she wiggles a bit of you. I think that just lying down would be a valid therapy that I would be pleased to put my name to.

I feel very very grateful to have a lovely family, the girls are doing well in everything they do and although we have the odd argument they generally live in a fairly harmonious way. H was complimented yesterday by one of her Tri coaches for being delightful to train, never moaning and always hard working. She has got a place at St Anne's school for September, so we embark upon a new stage of life, getting ready for having a girl at secondary school, at a girls' catholic secondary school at that, not what I would have thought we would choose, and well outside of my own experience. I think she will love the 'academic' side of secondary school and we had better start saving for the uniform! I am just about to book the girls in to take part in the club triathlon and aquathlon and a couple of other local tris for H. A thinks two will be enough for her first year competing.