Butterflies.

Still struggling with Blogger. The PC sits there ticking at me with a blank screen when I try my usual route which is rather irritating. Almost as irritating as waiting to talk to the student loans company to find out how I complete Romas' application for this year's loan. I had a helpful email directing me to a web site but when I got there I needed an special number ??? or if I had forgotten that I could give my secret answer. Only helpful if I knew what the secret question was. It's a good thing they don't record your comments while the cheery muzac is playing or the soothing tones of a recording tell you that they are very busy and you could go to the web site instead. I'm afraid my comments ranged from the not very polite to scathing sarcasm and finally inane babbling. When I finally spoke to a real person she helpfully agreed to resend my secret number and another secret question as well as sending me a paper form to fill in.

The weather today has mostly been rather stormy. Broken branches lie on my newly mown lawns and it feels quite cold. In class we have had great excitement over the last few days as our Painted Lady butterflies emerged form their chrysalises. Just 23 days ago they were 5mm long caterpillars that grew at an amazing rate before turning into chrysalises. It was a race against time to see if they would hatch before the half-term holiday which for the children started today (we have another morning of something? tomorrow). Of 15 caterpillars only 2 did not turn into a chrysalis and by the end of today 11 butterflies had emerged. It is wonderful for the children to be able to watch this happening. The other class haven't had any butterflies emerge, maybe due to the fact that their classroom is not as sunny as ours. So the children all came over to my class to have a look at our butterflies instead. (They have had much better bird watching opportunities as their hut faces bushes and large trees on one side and their many bird feeders are also visited by cheeky squirrels.)