I haven’t done that one (I don’t think we have any 30 credit modules any more) but my Masters in Ed includes 2 modules on inclusive education. I’ve been interested in debates on inclusion since I was 8 years old, when my twin brother was sent to a boarding school for visually impaired children.
Do you teach now?
The birthday card I sent airmail on 1st April to my granddaughter in New Zealand arrived today- That's quite some feat and I wonder what it saw on its travels?!
Today we got confirmation that our holiday flights to Japan have been cancelled so other half is currently on the phone arranging a refund with the agents. At least them cancelling it has made the process easier.
I’ve been out for my daily walk (bought steak bakes for lunch in the corner shop) and now should really get some work done.
My son is going to be interviewed for TV today...by a Japanese show called Unbelievable...and he's even going to be paid for it! Some of you may remember the story that made the news last autumn...at the time he was in all the papers and on TV news as he was the guy who found someone's wallet in the road and managed to reunite it with its owner by making small deposits (1p) into the owners account with his phone no as reference. Anyway someone Japan has heard about it now and wants to do a reconstruction. Strange world we live in! https://metro.co.uk/2019/10/15/man-got-lost-wallet-back-thanks-1p-bank-transfers-good-samaritan-10923151/
My son is going to be interviewed for TV today...by a Japanese show called Unbelievable...and he's even going to be paid for it! Some of you may remember the story that made the news last autumn...at the time he was in all the papers and on TV news as he was the guy who found someone's wallet in the road and managed to reunite it with its owner by making small deposits (1p) into the owners account with his phone no as reference. Anyway someone Japan has heard about it now and wants to do a reconstruction. Strange world we live in! https://metro.co.uk/2019/10/15/man-got-lost-wallet-back-thanks-1p-bank-transfers-good-samaritan-10923151/
Oh yes - I remember!
How exciting!
I wish wish wish we had a ‘good news’ TV channel to tune in to. There are so many good people out there and they are not reported on nearly enough.
I think we've managed to get the best possible resolution from not being able to go on our summer holidays
- the ferry company cancelled the sailings, and because they did it rather than us, (and they were being kind) we got the money back
- one of the places we were going to stay (in Netherlands) gave us a voucher. it's valid for a year and if we don't use it, we get the money back
- the other place we were going to stay (in Germany, but a Dutch company) have said we'll get our money back completely, though we were expecting them to also send us a voucher.
The holiday places are actually open for business, but we can't get there. Plus although they are open as a site, many of the facilities (such as children's playgrounds) are shut or restricting access, so even if we did go it might not have been as much fun as we wanted it to be
Excellent stuff - I love good news stories! I remember Gracious Rebel's son's story - lovely to hear it's getting international coverage! Also excellent re: Wet Kipper's cancelled hopefully postponed holiday.
I have a bit of good news too: I've been invited for a video interview next Friday for a job at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. I'm trying not to get too excited about it, but I can't really say I'm succeeding; if I were to get it, I could start flat-hunting (and get out from under my sister's feet).
If you're of a praying turn of mind, now might be the time ...
Today we got confirmation that our holiday flights to Japan have been cancelled so other half is currently on the phone arranging a refund with the agents. At least them cancelling it has made the process easier.
I’ve been out for my daily walk (bought steak bakes for lunch in the corner shop) and now should really get some work done.
We should be somewhere in central Europe on a rail holiday at present but my health problems earlier in the year prevented that. We lost one deposit, were granted a two-year voucher and the rest covered by insurance. All before COVID-19 really flared.
Late June through July is the monsoon season in Japan and can be very oppressive. A friend, who is used to Australian summers, found himself in hospital with heatstroke when travelling there a couple of years ago. He commented that the humidity had really caused it creep up on him even though temperatures were not as hot as he's used to. We found western Japan to be very warm and humid even in early June as the rainy season began to build up.
AIUI, the northern parts of Japan (Hokkaido?) are a lot more temperate, so I guess it depends where you go!
I think a lot of people in the UK are going to have to make do with a holiday here this year - not that that is necessarily a Bad Thing, but some popular resorts/beauty spots are not too keen on the idea of mass invasions overwhelming them with traffic, litter, and human excrement...
Although a lot of the attractions are hoping they will be allowed to open in some form, especially in seaside resorts, so they can actually make some money in what is left of the summer season.
We usually holiday in the uk; walking holidays, camping, that sort thing. Last year it was a narrow boat. We haven’t been abroad for about 6 years and that was the second time in 20 years of marriage (though my husband has travelled on business, including Japan several times). The Japan holiday was a family treat and planned for July as my youngest had his GCSEs and would finish school before the end of term making it more affordable. We might leave it for 2 years now until he has his A level exams.
I quite fancy a boat on the broads.
For a summer holiday one really needs a summer. It is currently a little before 3 in the afternoon, I have a light on and the CH cranked up. Outside everything is enveloped in a thick haar - essentially cloud base at ground level.
Hope it goes well with the interview @piglet. Everything firmly crossed.
Yesterday I went for a walk and bumped into one of my gym going friends. Good to stop for a chat, even if most of it was about her pretty alarming health issues. Then on to my favourite wine and cheese shop to pick up a bottle. As she'd had less customers than expected yesterday she was giving away her left over bread. I came away with a very nice rye sourdough and some ciabatta. It was good to speak to two different people in the space of twenty minutes. Much as I enjoy my husband's company, he know each other so well we can more or less guess what we're going to say next.
Today I went and dropped off a card and some chocolates for my mum and then went for a walk on a local common. Very busy, but we found a quiet spot for a picnic. We caught the bus back. First time I've been on one since the beginning of March. It was rather fuller than I would have liked, so lots of handwashing when I got home.
Good point about talking to people - I rarely speak to anyone these days (except my sister or cousins, on the phone) apart from the local Co-Op staff, or the occasional passing neighbour.
Although a lot of the attractions are hoping they will be allowed to open in some form, especially in seaside resorts, so they can actually make some money in what is left of the summer season.
Another good point. The effect The Plague is having on the tourist industry world-wide is simply catastrophic.
Having in the past worked as a volunteer on a steam 'heritage' railway, I guess that they, especially, are feeling the pinch. Some, at least, have been running a few (legal) non-public trains, just to keep in practice, in the hope that relaxed restrictions will allow people to visit soon...
One of our favourite heritage railways was in your neck of the woods (sort of) - the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch. It always seemed to be fairly packed whenever we went on it, but it was also used as transport for local school children, so if we hit the wrong time of day during term-time, it would be full of kids.
I've been very remiss in my amblage: I didn't go out yesterday, as my brother and s-i-l arrived with a grocery consignment, and by the time they'd gone it was time to start cooking supper. BF's right about talking to people - their visit on a Friday is the highlight of our week!
As Firenze pointed out, the weather here today is dreich, to say the least - you can barely see the end of your nose, so I'm unlikely to amble today either, which is something of a bummer.
Yes, the RHDR is not too far away from me, and, in fact, was the first steam railway (apart from British Railways, of course!) that I visited. It was on my 6th birthday, back in 1957, when the line's founder and owner, Captain Howey, was still very much alive, and in charge!
The school train AFAIK still runs daily during term-time, though it may, of course, have been affected by lockdown. In more recent times, it's been diesel-hauled.
Sorry to hear of Alba's haar. It's been quite a warm day here, though now clouding over, but there may be more Sun Shine tomorrow.
No, the school train stopped running five years ago as the numbers using it had dropped to a low number. They now go by bus - a shame. I went on the railway when I was small, c.1960 and again in 1972.
They might even have Heating, too. I believe the railway held back a specially tatty rake od carriages for the school run ... In any case, the diesel loco used may not have provision for train heating.
The Bure Valley Railway in Norfolk, also 15-inch gauge, does have heated carriages. Don't know about "Ratty".
I have also applied for a job. A flipping amazing job - translator / corrector for an NGO that consults on sustainable development and fighting poverty. It's a mixture of language work and admin. Please cross everything. Salaried translation jobs are like hen's teeth so I suspect I'm not the only applicant.
If we visit my parents, the RHDR is audible from their garden. Our major local heritage railway did run trains last weekend for testing and moving things around, and invited people to watch from a suitable position. They will want to make sure things are working as they have a useful sideline in testing work for railway companies.
I have had a 'fun' afternoon cleaning and defrosting the fridge-freezer. Now cooking haggis of all things for tea. (The Dragonlets do actually quite like it!)
Good luck, jobseekers.
A pottering sort of day, I had a walk, did a yoga class, then did some gardening and spent the rest of the afternoon spinning wool whilst watching a David Olusoga’s programme on slavery. Lunch was bacon, eggs and mushrooms and now my husband is making chicken ramen (hopefully with tea stained eggs).
Must celebrate international gin day.
Our major local heritage railway did run trains last weekend for testing and moving things around, and invited people to watch from a suitable position. They will want to make sure things are working as they have a useful sideline in testing work for railway companies.
Some of us might be able to make a guess as to where that is ...
[..] I have had a 'fun' afternoon cleaning and defrosting the fridge-freezer. Now cooking haggis of all things for tea. (The Dragonlets do actually quite like it!)
Is that with all the 'lost' items at the back of the fridge? I hear there's quite a mixture of things that goes into haggis!
[..] I have had a 'fun' afternoon cleaning and defrosting the fridge-freezer. Now cooking haggis of all things for tea. (The Dragonlets do actually quite like it!)
Is that with all the 'lost' items at the back of the fridge? I hear there's quite a mixture of things that goes into haggis!
There's very little that a Scotsman with a mighty enough mincer cannae put in a haggis.
I remember going on the RHDR. But I also remember, before that, going on a much smaller steam railway along the Undercliffe at Folkestone. The sort you sit astride. Reputedly driven by Lord Radnor. It disappeared, leaving only a trace of the route.
The birthday card I sent airmail on 1st April to my granddaughter in New Zealand arrived today- That's quite some feat and I wonder what it saw on its travels?!
Thanks Mrs Beaky - it gives me some hope I may yet receive my card from my brother in the US. I think mail to NZ is taking so long because our borders are allowing so few people in and there are few flights coming here.
While out walking the other day I remarked to Mr S that I missed hearing the Lonesome Whistle blowing from the local heritage railway - you can hear it from our garden sometimes. The locomotive repair yard at the bottom of the valley seems to have been working all through The Plague, but that doesn't make such an attractive noise...
Mr S is still battling to get the costs of our cancelled holiday to Portugal refunded - we refused a voucher, as who knows whether we'll ever get health insurance once he hits the big 7-0 on July 8th?
All appendages crossed for Piglet, LVER and all other jobseekers <votive>
Both of us are three score and ten plus, and the insurance hasn't been difficult, despite a major medical event in the past. We have the trip cancellation insurance with the credit card company and the medical with the company that provides house and car insurance. The cost has been quite reasonable and worthwhile for us. This is in Canada, and may be different elsewhere, of course.
We went on the RHDR 31 years ago. I’m normally a good traveler, but it’s not the smoothest of rides and I felt quite travel sick.
We didn’t know that I was pregnant at the time.
It might explain why Lord P has become a bit of a railway buff, combined with a (paternal) family involvement with the W&L (Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway).
A very hot day here but I’m managing my pulse in the heat better now. Went for a walk first thing, then it was Zoom church and we had a lovely chat afterwards with various different people in our breakout room. Lunch was a mix of Polish sausages, Turkish cheeses and baguette from the corner shop and then we had a family game of boules in the garden. Soon we will be having family board games.
As my pulse seems better today, I might have some gin later.
We had some fab espresso martinis the other week, helped by the fact my husband has a semi-professional espresso machine. Today it's been G&Ts during the family quiz. We've just been out to play frisbee, and may well have another G&T shortly. But first caffe latte from said espresso machine.
The neighbours on both sides have been having parties in their backyards. We have acquired a sausage that has somehow come over the fence from one side. As vegetarians/vegans we're ignoring it and hoping a local fox will spot it tonight,
Merluza a la Gallega for dinner: the hake was fine, but the potatoes were wonderful. Next time I may just simmer the spuds in white wine/chorizo/garlic and forget about the fish.
I've had a very nice day: as it was only trying to rain (and not really trying very hard) I set some laundry going, and went for my usual amble. When I got back, S. was heading out to Queensferry to meet my nephew, his fiancee and son for further amblage and ice-cream, so off we went. We also met my niece (who lives near there) with Harvey the cockapoo, so it was a nice wee family day out.
However, the road along the front was absolutely hoaching, and nobody seemed to be observing any safety measures at all - precious little social distancing and not a mask in sight. I put my mask on to go into the ice-cream shop*, but honestly felt a bit of a berk, as the only other person in a mask was the bloke behind the counter.
We had a lovely walk along the front (the rain seemed to have given up), but S. really didn't feel very comfortable about it.
* It's the first time I've worn it, and it was the first time I'd been in a shop since the middle of March, which felt a hit odd.
@Piglet we did the same yesterday at SQ, must have just missed you ?
unless you saw a 10-yr old girl (my daughter) run into the road in front of a cyclist, as she struggled to cope with social distancing from people (and a DOG) coming the other way and someone coming out of a shop at the same time
Comments
Do you teach now?
I’ve been out for my daily walk (bought steak bakes for lunch in the corner shop) and now should really get some work done.
How lovely to have some Happy News for a change...
Oh yes - I remember!
How exciting!
I wish wish wish we had a ‘good news’ TV channel to tune in to. There are so many good people out there and they are not reported on nearly enough.
- the ferry company cancelled the sailings, and because they did it rather than us, (and they were being kind) we got the money back
- one of the places we were going to stay (in Netherlands) gave us a voucher. it's valid for a year and if we don't use it, we get the money back
- the other place we were going to stay (in Germany, but a Dutch company) have said we'll get our money back completely, though we were expecting them to also send us a voucher.
The holiday places are actually open for business, but we can't get there. Plus although they are open as a site, many of the facilities (such as children's playgrounds) are shut or restricting access, so even if we did go it might not have been as much fun as we wanted it to be
I have a bit of good news too: I've been invited for a video interview next Friday for a job at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. I'm trying not to get too excited about it, but I can't really say I'm succeeding; if I were to get it, I could start flat-hunting (and get out from under my sister's feet).
If you're of a praying turn of mind, now might be the time ...
We should be somewhere in central Europe on a rail holiday at present but my health problems earlier in the year prevented that. We lost one deposit, were granted a two-year voucher and the rest covered by insurance. All before COVID-19 really flared.
Late June through July is the monsoon season in Japan and can be very oppressive. A friend, who is used to Australian summers, found himself in hospital with heatstroke when travelling there a couple of years ago. He commented that the humidity had really caused it creep up on him even though temperatures were not as hot as he's used to. We found western Japan to be very warm and humid even in early June as the rainy season began to build up.
I think a lot of people in the UK are going to have to make do with a holiday here this year - not that that is necessarily a Bad Thing, but some popular resorts/beauty spots are not too keen on the idea of mass invasions overwhelming them with traffic, litter, and human excrement...
I quite fancy a boat on the broads.
(And possibly some form of SatNav, so you don't fall over a cliff...).
Yesterday I went for a walk and bumped into one of my gym going friends. Good to stop for a chat, even if most of it was about her pretty alarming health issues. Then on to my favourite wine and cheese shop to pick up a bottle. As she'd had less customers than expected yesterday she was giving away her left over bread. I came away with a very nice rye sourdough and some ciabatta. It was good to speak to two different people in the space of twenty minutes. Much as I enjoy my husband's company, he know each other so well we can more or less guess what we're going to say next.
Today I went and dropped off a card and some chocolates for my mum and then went for a walk on a local common. Very busy, but we found a quiet spot for a picnic. We caught the bus back. First time I've been on one since the beginning of March. It was rather fuller than I would have liked, so lots of handwashing when I got home.
Another good point. The effect The Plague is having on the tourist industry world-wide is simply catastrophic.
Having in the past worked as a volunteer on a steam 'heritage' railway, I guess that they, especially, are feeling the pinch. Some, at least, have been running a few (legal) non-public trains, just to keep in practice, in the hope that relaxed restrictions will allow people to visit soon...
I've been very remiss in my amblage: I didn't go out yesterday, as my brother and s-i-l arrived with a grocery consignment, and by the time they'd gone it was time to start cooking supper. BF's right about talking to people - their visit on a Friday is the highlight of our week!
As Firenze pointed out, the weather here today is dreich, to say the least - you can barely see the end of your nose, so I'm unlikely to amble today either, which is something of a bummer.
The school train AFAIK still runs daily during term-time, though it may, of course, have been affected by lockdown. In more recent times, it's been diesel-hauled.
Sorry to hear of Alba's haar. It's been quite a warm day here, though now clouding over, but there may be more Sun Shine tomorrow.
It's been a few years since I last travelled on the line. In all fairness, the buses must be a lot more comfortable than the Spartan carriages...
The Bure Valley Railway in Norfolk, also 15-inch gauge, does have heated carriages. Don't know about "Ratty".
Which led to Deep Joy (not) after a journey back to Ravenglass in a typically light (ahem) Lakeland monsoon rain shower...
If we visit my parents, the RHDR is audible from their garden. Our major local heritage railway did run trains last weekend for testing and moving things around, and invited people to watch from a suitable position. They will want to make sure things are working as they have a useful sideline in testing work for railway companies.
I have had a 'fun' afternoon cleaning and defrosting the fridge-freezer. Now cooking haggis of all things for tea. (The Dragonlets do actually quite like it!)
A pottering sort of day, I had a walk, did a yoga class, then did some gardening and spent the rest of the afternoon spinning wool whilst watching a David Olusoga’s programme on slavery. Lunch was bacon, eggs and mushrooms and now my husband is making chicken ramen (hopefully with tea stained eggs).
Must celebrate international gin day.
(Sorry.
Hear hear! <votive>
There's very little that a Scotsman with a mighty enough mincer cannae put in a haggis.
Thanks Mrs Beaky - it gives me some hope I may yet receive my card from my brother in the US. I think mail to NZ is taking so long because our borders are allowing so few people in and there are few flights coming here.
Mr S is still battling to get the costs of our cancelled holiday to Portugal refunded - we refused a voucher, as who knows whether we'll ever get health insurance once he hits the big 7-0 on July 8th?
All appendages crossed for Piglet, LVER and all other jobseekers <votive>
Mrs. S, relieved to be retired
We didn’t know that I was pregnant at the time.
It might explain why Lord P has become a bit of a railway buff, combined with a (paternal) family involvement with the W&L (Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway).
As my pulse seems better today, I might have some gin later.
The neighbours on both sides have been having parties in their backyards. We have acquired a sausage that has somehow come over the fence from one side. As vegetarians/vegans we're ignoring it and hoping a local fox will spot it tonight,
However, the road along the front was absolutely hoaching, and nobody seemed to be observing any safety measures at all - precious little social distancing and not a mask in sight. I put my mask on to go into the ice-cream shop*, but honestly felt a bit of a berk, as the only other person in a mask was the bloke behind the counter.
We had a lovely walk along the front (the rain seemed to have given up), but S. really didn't feel very comfortable about it.
* It's the first time I've worn it, and it was the first time I'd been in a shop since the middle of March, which felt a hit odd.
unless you saw a 10-yr old girl (my daughter) run into the road in front of a cyclist, as she struggled to cope with social distancing from people (and a DOG) coming the other way and someone coming out of a shop at the same time