Smoke Signals.

It's only the first day back and already it feels as if we've been in school forever. Only 5 weeks and 4 days to the Easter holiday. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy my job but we always seem to be working at such a pace and trying to keep track of so many things. All my children, except for 1 who is ill, have returned full of energy, too much in some cases and I've had to rein a few of the boys in. Tomorrow being Shrove Tuesday we just have to make pancakes. We're going to do this as a whole class, looking at the ingredients and everyone mixing them in turn. I couldn't face the logistics of 31 children safely watching the pancakes being fried so we will do PE while my teaching assistant cooks the pancakes and then we'll all taste the results. At least I'm not planning to do what a colleague once did, (though I was tempted), her children mixed the batter, then unknown to the children she microwaved some pancakes she had made at home. The children do do proper hands-on cooking but that's in small groups of 4 with 2 parents helping.

It's been bright and sunny today and the lengthening days mean no more driving to and from work in the dark. It looked as though there was going to be a spectacular sunset but just at the crucial moment a big grey cloud bank rolled in.

When I got home Romas was outside creating smoke signals with a bonfire he had built to burn the last of the brambles he'd been pulling up for me. He's a useful garden helper , being young and strong he can get so much of the heavy or back breaking work done for me. I don't mind paying for jobs done properly and willingly.

My bonfire/ bramble dump area is actually on my neighbour's land so I like to get stuff disposed of quickly rather than let it become an eyesore and give cause for complaint.