ok it didn't ALL suck...

My very good friend Amy spend the week with her family in Ohio. She returned today (well yesterday right before midnight) and we were determined to catch up!

She brought me some kiddie electrolyte drinks to replace all the goodness my body had been losing and a beautiful beaded id badge holder for school. She is so sweet.

I had just started to feel better so I sugested as it was a gorgeous sunny day that we head out to try to find a park - Freedom Park - not to far from where we live. I'm so glad we did, it was beautiful walking around the lake and sitting watching people go by. I just love the doggy water fountain!

The in the evening, I felt like i wanted to try to eat and came up with the idea of going to a British Pub my friend Lindsay had pointed out to me a while back. It is called Big Ben and it was awesome, the menu was VERY British, we had roast beef and yorkshire pudding and Amy had fish and chips. I had apple crumble and Daniel had bread and butter pudding.The fish was HUGE!


It was lovely to have a taste of home! So I am a lot cheered up and hoping to sleep well before school nice and early!

First Spring Break but no woo hoo!

I always think of F.R.I.E.N.D.S when I think of Spring break, when Ross's then girlfriend Elizabeth is going on Spring Break and Joey is like is is just spring break or spring break! woohoo! Or something to that affect.

Well my first Spring Break sucked.

It started off well. Monday was a teacher work day because of all the snow, but after leaving school we went out for lunch and caught the movie 'the wrestler' at the cinema.

Rounded off the day with Dancing with the stars, which seems so much more fum when there is no rush to get to bed afterward.

Tuesday was a lazy day, a lot of sleeping and slobbing around.

Wednesday was errand day, posted a package, got the oil change done on my car, and the evening was fun, got to see a play at Daniel's work for free called 'Shear madness'. It is set in a hair salon and is a whodunnit type thing. The audience gets to join in and ask questions of the suspects.

Then began the sickness I can only describe as a stomach bug. And it is still going on today (Sunday)

I'm dreading going back to school. I was so looking forward to this break. The first break since Christmas. (America doesn't beleive in half terms) I don't feel rested, I feel drained and down.

The next break will be when school is out. For summer.

In good news, Daniel had his first paycheck.
Happy Easter....my chocolate drought is over for now, not that I can enjoy it.

Pour on water

Wow. what a week. I don't know where to begin.

On Friday morning I found out our house in the UK had caught on fire. The fridge freezer motor overheated. The damage is bad and it will take 4 - 5 months to fix it. I need a whole new kitchen, all the carpets are ruined, everything is smoke damaged. We are so so glad no one was hurt. We have tenants in there right now. It seems our loss of rent is covered by the insurance company. This is a blessing. I'm a little surprised that we have to pay for rubble to be removed and for the carpets to be replaced! I'm not sure why our buildings insurance doesn't cover this. Maybe it is covered under contents.
I also had a rough week at school but I hesitate to go into details here..

I have to say my friend Amy was amazing at the weekend. She took us to see a show, Aida (Elton John, Tim Rice) and the center where Daniel is now working. Right this minute he has just begun his first shift. I'm hoping he is loving being back in the theatre. I know he is very good at his job. I hope and pray he has wonderful co workers and really feels accepted.



Amy also took us to tea at an awesome bakery/soup place called Panera. The yahd hot cross buns and Amy got us some. They were so yummy. A taste of home!


And she bought us flowers, chex mix and crystal light to cheer us up. For you UK readers chex mix is like a mix of crackers and cereal, like a savoury snack. Crystal light is a powder sachet you mix with water to get fruity water! It is very popular over here.

So. I'm trying to hard to be positive. I'm so looking forward to spring break, a week and a half to go!

Mother's Day

Pretty Feet

Wow I can't beleive I haven't blogged since March 1st!!

Lets see if I can catch you up to speed.

Tuition is going well, I enjoy it most of the time, we get to spend really good quality time with the kids in our group.

Daniel is still waiting to begin work. We have been counting down on our white board that lives on our fridge! It's about 9 days to go!!

I got my first ever manicure and pedicure and I am hooked! I went with my friend and colleague Amy who we have been hanging out a lot with lately. It was difficult to keep still at the point where she was exfoliating the underside of me foot! I choose a deep purple color and I felt very pampered. We are going to try to do it once a month! Afterwards my hands and feet were so smooth and soft. I'm glad I went!

My friend Amy also manged to get the wine cork to go inside the bottle when she was trying to open it, don't ask me how!



Things are a little tense as the school board that I work for has anounced huge budget cuts and 400 jobs are to be cut too. I don' t know yet how this will affect us. They will begin with teachers who are not up to standard on their observation evaluations (which of course, I am!)
I dont want to go home yet. I don't want to see my American friends lose their jobs. Nothing to do but wait. And apparently we won't hear until JUne 15th, 5 days after our kids leave for summer vacation.

I have no idea if my echange program has any kind of deal with the board as to how many teachers to employ, of if they get funding from my program.

We have also signed the tax treaty so I am due some money back from that too.

All in all, things are good.

My Grandma is doing better, though did get a sick bug while still in hospital.

Daniel's job

ok Bryher here you go!

Daniel will be working at The Blumenthal Performing Arts Center. He begins March 23rd. Yes it is 3 weeks away but much better than going through application after interview etc.

http://www.blumenthalcenter.org/default.asp?blumenthal=41 is the website

He will begin as an usher in the theatre with the idea being he will become a team leader once they have seen him do his thing. This means he will manage a floor of the theatre during a performance.

This is all i know so far!

Pancakes....or crepes.....

We just HAD to celebrate shrove Tuesday (though we did it Wednesday) even though it is not a known about celebration or even in the USA. They do lent but shrove Tuesday just doesn't exist here. I was insistent we were not going to make American pancakes (the thicker, kinda like huge scotch pancakes) but that we would make the crepe style we usually have at home. It went very well! I have given up chocolate! I did it last year too.

Jiffy lemon just doesn't exist so we used fresh lemons, sugar, syrup, chocolate sauce etc. Daniel was the chef ( I only bought all the stuff) and so we made them from scratch. We made them again on Saturday for breakfast too!



It was pay day Friday and I got a new handbag (from a thrift store)! I've been needing one that isn't made from cloth and is a bit smarter for when we go out. Here it is.....



I fell in love with this journal but gave it to my friend Amy for her birthday which is today.




I also made this for her...it has been a long time since I altered anything. I managed to get some good deals in Michaels, like 8 12 x 12 papers for $1! I am now looking for a balnk journal so i can scrap our New York Christmas photos. Especially as I will be more alone in the evenings when Daniel is working I would like to start a scrap project!



He starts March 23rd, my extra tuition job starts tomorrow, and it is Mondays and Fridays. I;m both excited, becasue I feel like I can make a difference, and nervous to how it will go in the beginning. We have about 300 children signed up. It is for children who are elligble for free or reduced lunch.

Hopefully today we will be seeing Amy to celebrate her birthday. If she is feeling better, she has been unwell with strep throat. I also need to get in some groceries.

Have a great day

Katie xx