Five on Friday


It's the end of my 11 week summer break from teaching and I start back to work today, so for this Five on Friday I thought I'd share some of the things I've been up to this week, during my last few days of freedom.
 
Watching | I've actually been watching some TV this week for a change, albeit via BBC iPlayer on the laptop.  I've been catching up with the current, and final, series of New Tricks. We watched the earlier series right from the time it was first broadcast, and we use to love it; it was 'not to be missed' TV for us.  We gradually stopped watching it; it just lost it's edge and it became a second choice programme, as in something that we'd watch it if there was nothing better on, and eventually there was always something better to watch.

I'm not really sure why I decided to start watching this final series again, but I have enjoyed it, even though all the original main cast members have left the programme, so I'll keep watching to the end of the series. 

Socialising | I'm still slightly amazed that I now have a social life and have things in my diary to look forward to, although if I'm truly honest I'd give it all up to have Ced back even if it meant a return to the long, tiring hours sitting by his hospital bed. 

Anyway, this week started with the band practice on Saturday and a catch up with everyone after the long summer break.  On Sunday I met up with six friends for a photography walk around the Cotswold Wildlife Park and on Wednesday night I joined other friends for our monthly curry night (which saw the diet take a bit of a bashing! Again!).  Looking ahead to this weekend, it's band practice again on Saturday and then a charity quiz night in one of the local pubs on the Sunday night.

Gardening | Last weekend I bought some plants from a wholesale plant nursery that had opened to the general public to raise money for charity.  Well this week I got round to planting up my purchases ... these Japanese Blood Grasses

and these Heuchera Crème Brulee.

Their next public sales day will be in April next year, by which time I'll have saved enough money to purchase the majority of the plants I need to complete the garden.  I've already started researching and making my list!
 
Cooking | I've done lots of bulk cooking to fill up the freezer, ready for easy home made meals when I come home tired after teaching all day and can't be bothered to cook.
As you can see from my spice tin above, now refilled, I've tried a couple of new curry recipes; both vegetarian ones this time.  I've also been cooking chilli, bolognaise sauce, macaroni cheese, and lentil and vegetable soup.  These meals, together with what's already in the freezer, gives me a good selection to take me up to half term at the end of October. 

ListeningWhen I was in the kitchen wrestling with the bulk cooking I caught up on the episodes I'd missed of the Undisclosed podcasts.  This is looking into the case of Adnan Syed who was the subject of the Serial podcasts I listened to last year, only this time in a lot more detail and uncovering all the problems with the original police investigation and subsequent court case.

Part of my brain thinks that it's wrong to treat the possible wrong conviction of someone as entertainment, but I have to hold my hands up and admit that I'm hooked on the story. 

Well that's what I've been up to this week.  It's all change now as I settle back into the teaching routine - at least the first week back is easy, as I always let them pick what they want to play so that I can assess the level we need to restart the learning from.

Thanking Amy for organising this weekly link.

Comments

  1. What a delightful wildlife park! Loved seeing the baby rhino! A photography walk there would be so awesome. The Japanese Blood Grass is very beautiful. Lovely list of Five! Have a great new school year teaching!

    ReplyDelete
  2. You were lucky to get the grasses and help the charity at the same time. Your spices look so colourful. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. I agree about New Tricks. Still really enjoy it but like you thought it was better in the early days. The characters were better and the humour seemed to be more incidental to the situations whereas now they seem to be exploiting the comedy angle deliberately. But I'll be sad when it ends for good!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Its been a long time since I watched New Tricks, it brought back some fond family memories of TV watching. How times have changed. Good luck with your first week back at work.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I like your photo of the Heuchera Crème Brulee. Such a pretty colour. I'll be interested to see your Japanese blood grass in next year's spring photos. We do get a lot of the British series but usually later - I agree with yours and everyone's comments about New Tricks - the original group just worked so well together. I thought Jerry got quite nasty in the newer series. I also watch Scott & Bailey, Law & Order UK and of course everyone watches Midsomer Murders (lol). I hope that all your students appreciate you. I know what you mean about wishing Ced back, that empty space of someone you love. Sending you a big cyber hug and some positive energy thoughts. Hope you have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Great idea to get ahead with cooking before the toils of a teaching day set in. Fab idea, I should take a leaf out of your book

    ReplyDelete
  7. Those were pretty flowers :) Good idea with the cooking of the meals! It does make it easier to stay on budget and not be tempted to stop and get something quick to eat if there are meals already cooked and just need to be heated up. I hope it is a good school year for you and your students! Like I said before, summer flew!!

    betty

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love your prep work for the week. Prepping before the start of the week always makes me feel like my head is on and ready to go. The spices in that picture look like such an amazing start to meals for the week! Beautiful colors! Aloha.

    ReplyDelete
  9. We were watchers of New Tricks too, but I just don't find it the same now all but one of the characters has changed. Hubby still watches the new ones though. Love the new plants you acquired. Best of luck with the job now it has started again.

    ReplyDelete
  10. We have really enjoyed this series of New Tricks as well, it seems to have really perked up again, it is good that it is going out with a bang isn't it! Thank you for joining Five On Friday! I hope that you have a great weekend! xx

    ReplyDelete
  11. A great five, I love batch cooking and having meals ready for busy school nights. The picture of the spices is fab! The grasses are lovely too! I hope your first day back went ok. Have a lovely weekend xx

    ReplyDelete
  12. Coming via Five on Friday today Hi! You have had a busy productive week! The plants are lovely and my what scummy baking!
    Enjoy your return to school!
    Christine

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hello. It's so nice to discover your blog via Five on Friday. Your new plants are lovely. And the curry recipe sounds yummy. Do you think you can share one of your curry recipes? I wish you a wonderful start to the new school year :)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts