CATCH UP TIME

Well I really should be doing some housework but I've had quite a few emails and comments asking if I'm back at college yet and, if so, how it is going...so here's an update.

I managed to get all my latest assignments handed in on time. The History has been marked and, thankfully, I passed it. Some of my fellow students had referrals which means they have to work on it further and then resubmit it. We've been warned that we have to "up our game" and that referrals will be more common now...fingers crossed that my Literature and Sociolgy are ok as we'll be starting our NEXT assingnments soon.

We are now into the GENDER module. This means in Sociology we are exploring Feminism and Masculinity. I never knew there were so many different kinds of Feminism and trying to distinguish one from another with all their different concepts is quite difficult. I don't think I'll be doing any of this though...

when I'm doing assignments I'm more likely to be doing this!

In History and Literature we are exploring the IDEALS of the gender during the 18th & 19th century. The Yellow Wallpaper and The Color Purple are the two books we will be covering in Literature.....I think there will be another Compare and Contrast essay for our next assignment! I did enjoy our History lesson this week...we were looking at the way gender was displayed in various 19th century paintings. Really interesting...so much so that during half term myself and my two fellow Sudbury students are hoping to spend a day at some Art Galleries in London.

The after school club I take starts again next Thursday. The aim is to get some of the less able children to Key Stage 2 Level without letting them realise that they are acturally learning Maths! I'll have more children in my group this year (including the VERY disruptive one from last year) so I'll be busy thinking up fun maths games for them to play. I've been over to the school this week to see what resources they have and I think for next week we will play Skittles.

Plenty of counting and adding and lots of fun!

I must admit I've been a bit of a 'fair weather' photographer lately. We've had so much rain and it's been far to dreary to go out walking....I've not walked by the river once this year yet! The only photos I've taken this last week are of indoor Hyacinths and indoor African Violets.

Over eating at Christmas, sitting down at college, sitting down studying and lack of exercise are doing terrible things to my waistline!

Oh well....back to the housework...that should burn up a few calories!

THURSDAY THOUGHTS

"Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself."
~Chinese Proverb~

I'm doing a lot of thinking at the moment.........

In 'student mode' I'm thinking about the next Literature Assignment I have to do.."Compare and contrast the presentation of childhood in works by William Blake (Songs of Innocence and Experience) and George Eliot (Silas Marner)".

In 'teacher mode' I'm thinking..." I wonder how the Maths Afterschool Club will go this afternoon?"

In 'gardener mode' I'm thinking I really need to get into the garden and finish clearing away the frost-bitten plants.....
I'm also thinking...."how on earth have these roses still managed to bloom?


despite the cold temperatures...........................

at the same time as the Winter Jasmine's started flowering"...............In 'hungry mode' I'm thinking ...."I need to cut some soldiers to dip in my boiled egg!"

But most of all I'm thinking......................

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL MY AMERICAN BLOGPALS

BACK TO SCHOOL AGAIN!

I've on numerous occassions mentioned the crossover of seasons in the garden. I still have quite a few Summer flowers in my garden and only the other day posted a photo of an Azalea in bloom at Wisley. Well, even more astounding than that, as we walked through Wisley's rockery and pond area..........

what did we spy but this......YES a SNOWDROP in bloom in October!!!!
Incredible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Trinity of Rooms Of My Heart has passed this lovely Friendship Badge on to all of her Blogfriends......
In turn I'd like to pass it on to all my regular blog pals......Yes that's YOU!

I've also had this Halloween Treat passed to me from Anne M of Under The Sea.

The award originated at Hootin' Annie's, and the idea of these awards is to pass them on to new, random visitors to your blog. As I don't do specific tagging on this blog...but if your a newbie blogpal then this one's for you. Of course if regulars would like to pass it on to their random visitors please do.

I'm back to college today....how quickly the half term went. I managed to get the rest of my assignments finished yesterday thank goodness! We will now be moving from the Key Concepts stage to Childhood.....looking at the subject from a sociological and historical viewpoint plus how childhood has been portrayed through the eyes of various authors in literature.

If you don't hear from me for a few days I may well be under a pile of books!!

I hope at some point to post the rest of my Wisley photos...not many left now!

I WANDERED LONELY... SPOUTING POETRY

Last week in our Key Concepts part of our Literature lessons we moved on to poetry. I've always enjoyed reading poetry but we've been told we must read it out loud to really get the benefit of the rhythm......I must admit I have got quite carried away with this but must remember to keep my windows closed (or speak quieter) as yesterday evening I realised I could hear giggling outside....a crowd (two) of school children were listening....I wonder if they realised the sexual significance of this......

"she being Brand" -new by E E Cummings~


As for RHYMES...I thought a rhyme was a rhyme....it seems it's not as simple as this. There are male and female single rhymes, triple rhymes, incomplete rhymes, half rhymes and internal rhymes.....

I'll make sure the windows are closed tonight while I continue my wandering.......this lonely cloud looks a bit like a headless buxom beauty to me...what does it look like to you?

I'll be doing some wandering of a different kind today as I'm going to Sutton Hoo with the local primary school as a helper. The weather forecast isn't too good....no blue skies like in the photo above....I'm taking my camera and hope that I can take some photos without getting my camera wet. We are also forecast very cold nights on the way and heading towards 0C. I think I'll be hunting out my winter woolies soon!

P.S. In yesterday's post I referred to the bee as a "HE".......Melanie kindly commented Your bee is a "her" not a "him". "Him" bees have much larger eyes that meet on the top of their heads. "Her" bee eyes are smaller, one on each side of the head.

I never realised that before and shall enjoy in future being able to tell the HEs from the SHEs.

Many thanks to Old Wom Tigley too....in his comment he gave me a website and I'm pleased to report the ladybird is not an Harlequin but a Kidney-spot ladybird. It's the first time I've seen one and thanks to Tom my mind is now at rest.

Oh and if you've not already seen it....please drop by Mark's for a very REVEALING POST...LOL

And finally Akelamula has given me this award..... Many thanks Akela {{HUGS}}

Yes Folks Christmas is looming just beyond the horizon; it will be a difficult one for me this year but Mick and I adored Christmas and so my decorations will be going up as usual and the festive spirit will flow! This award originated at Santa's Community Blog and can be passed on to as many other bloggers as I'd like. According to Santa, the Spirit of Christmas Award:

"Quite simply it is those that have a generous and giving nature. Those who care about others. Those who have a kind word to say or a broad shoulder to lean on in the times that others need that. Those who display the "Spirit of Christmas".

You need to go HERE to collect the code....and in true Christmas Spirit I pass it on to you all....except the BAH HUMBUGGERS that is!

IN A JAM?

At this time of year I don't worry about deadheading the Fuchsias; I leave the berries on for the birds and love the different shapes and shades of deep claret they have. Do you eat or have you used Fuchsia berries in cooking? I think it depends on the variety you grow as to how sweet they are. I found this recipe for jam on the British Fuchsia Society's site.

600 g ripe fuchsia berries

200 g sugar

juice of half a lemon

2 tbs pectin.

Heat sugar and water until the sugar dissolves, let it cool and add the cleaned berries and lemon juice. Heat to boiling point with the pectin and boil until a jelly forms. Pour into heated jars and seal.

I've also read of the petals being candied and used in ice-cream. Fuchsia boliviana berries were once popular with the Incas and I understand can still be found sold in markets South America. Is this true?Please share your experiences....this could be a free food source I've missed!!! Better still...can you make wine with them????

It's a miserable day here; cold and wet...just perfect for doing homework and research as I won't be tempted by the great outdoors. We had an interesting lecture yesterday. Richard Reddie the author of the book Abolition

came to speak to us as part of the Bicentenary of the Abolition Of The Slave Trade Act. It was really informative and I had never realised how many of our cities and financial institutions owed their existence to the Slave Trade. Certainly something that was glossed over in the History lessons I had at school.

HAVING A BAD BRAIN DAY!

I'm falling so behind with my blogvisiting.....hopefully after a while my poor brain will get used to all this THINKING and I'll get myself into some sort of regime. At the moment I've been trying to get up really early and visiting as many of you as I can.....apologies to those that I'm missing.

My childhood was very strict and my parents of the "Children should be seen and not heard" and "Do as I tell you not as I do" ilk; in school we accepted verbatim what the teacher's taught us and in my relationships before I met Mick I always "knew my place"; so it's quite a shock to suddenly be asked to form my own opinions about Sociology, History and Literature. To be asked by a teacher/tutor "What do you think" and to be able to answer honestly without thinking "Well what do you WANT me to say" seems so alien. I guess I'll get used to it after a while.

It's making the homework very difficult; as much as I know I should write my own view of things I'm constantly screwing my work up and aiming it towards the nearest rubbish bin convinced that my thoughts may be WRONG!

At least the Literature Homework is just to do some creative writing concentrating on creating atmosphere or character....that can't be too difficult....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I HOPE!

HISTORY AIN'T WHAT IT USED TO BE!

Had my first history tutorial today. OMG I thought I knew what History was, I learnt it at school didn't I? I remember SOME of it well.... all those Kings and Queens of England from Anglo-Saxon to Windsor. The battles and wars; important events all those dates 1066 Battle of Hastings, 1666 Great Fire of London. The Romans in Britain till 410AD, the Egyptians, the Greeks etc etc. I sent hours listening to the teachers, scribbling away in my notebook...spending endless hours of homework learning hundreds of dates and the names of Henry VIII's wives.

Well History now isn't like that......History is MADE by Historians in an attempt to understand about the past by studying and analysing historical sources...like artifacts and documents....and examining these sources for validity and bias and organizing in order to shed light on human experience. Of course the result is dependant on the interpretation of the Historian so half the time they probably won't agree anyway if the interpretation is based on differing resources. AGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!

This is probably old news to many of you but it was certainly a new approach to History for me. Re my Sociology homework..."What is Sociology"...I rewritten this at least 3 times now! and I've yet to THINK about the difference between Crime and Deviance.

And my History homework?

Wistful look out the window..................oh the pansies are flowering...

and I see a Dragonfly....

maybe I'll skive off for a while take a well earned break and take some photos.


BTW it's now thought that the Battle of Hastings may have taken place in 1067 and wasn't in Hastings at all!

ONE LITTLE OLD MAID AT SCHOOL AM I !

Well so far so good...at least I haven't been frightened off yet! I won't bore you all every time I have a college day with all the details but as it was my first full day I'll give you a brief run down.
S. turned up bang on time to give me a lift and after picking up J off we went. Luckily the traffic wasn't too horrendous and we managed to find a place in the carpark without much ado. Only £1.40 for the day which wasn't too terrible. We quickly hoofed it to the college; keeping an eye on our watches all the time and made it in through the front door with minutes to spare. We asked at reception which room we needed to go to and were told 103. Up the stairs we went....keeping a lookout for loos on the way...but 103 was empty! OH DEAR!!! Further along the corridor was a notice board.....Humanities 109...so off we go to Room 109...the class was full and rather embarrassed in we walked. "We're the students from Sudbury" I say to the tutor......"You're in the wrong room" he says "go upstairs to the office" OH DEAR!!! So off we stride again...we're late by now! We find the office and after lots of ermming and ahhing were told to ask at Reception...but that's where we started. OH DEAR!!! So off we trudge again trying to find our way back down stairs when who should we bump into but the two tutors we met last week. "Follow us" they said "it's in room 033". On the way we pick up a few other students who had got equally lost and finally got to Room 033. Door LOCKED! OH DEAR!!! "I guess it must be in Room 044" says one of the tutors "Where's that?" OH DEAR!!! We trudge through a further maze of corridors...looking at room numbers......036...037...038...LOOS! (mental note)....039.....040...041....042....043.....EXIT. OH DEAR!!!! After retracing our steps one of the students spotted Room 044......PHEW!!!! We went in and found ourselves seat...a quick look around at the students who were already there (how they found it I don't know).........apart from about 5 of us they all looked as if they'd just stepped out of school. OH DEAR!!!! And besides myself I'm sure there's no one else over 40 (including the tutors). OH DEAR!!!
After handing out timetables and making sure we knew we had to get our student ID's at some point the tutors left and in came Ms.W. R. (I must get used used to using first names) our Sociology tutor (younger than me too!).
Over the course of the morning (which included a short tea break) we discussed what Sociology is, it's history, influences on behaviour etc etc and learnt about Durkheim's Research into Suicide! Quite interesting actually. The word MACRO came up......Yippee I know that!!!!...I've dabbled at MACRO photography! NO...........WRONG.....MACRO in this case is one of the approaches to the relationship between society and the individual....the notion that society shapes the individual as opposed to MICRO (the notion that the individual shapes society).
I think the most difficult thing to get used to was the fact we had to speak up, share our views, discuss. Not like my schooldays of sitting and just listening to the teacher and accepting everything verbatim.
After lunch...didn't actually eat but downed a coffee.....we had a different tutor Mr. C J. who until Christmas will be teaching us Study Skills....effective reading, note taking, essay writing,making a bibliography and ORAL PRESENTATIONS!! (Don't like the sound of that!!!!) plus how to use study time effectively etc etc. Anyway that's the first of many Sociology and Study Skills tutorials out the way...still got the first Literature and History during the week.

I DID ENJOY IT THOUGH!!!!!

I have plenty of reading to do, I must sort out the notes I took and then write a few paragraphs in my own words about what I feel Sociology is.
My brain was in a whirl last night so I didn't do any blogvisiting at all....I'll try and catch up with you all today or at least soon!

It would be strange for me to do a blogpost without a photo so here's one of MY MACROS!

Once again many thanks for all the supportive comments and emails.

ALL'S WELL

I decided to walk down to the course and made sure I left in plenty of time. I'm glad I did as I'd forgotten how difficult it is to cross the roads before 9am due to the traffic. It took me a full 5 minutes to get across one road! Even so I arrived far too early but it gave me a chance to visit the Ladieswhich I was in desperate need of despite have "been" at least 20 times before leaving home! I then had a solitary sit in the park to compose my thoughts... all the time wondering whether to hop on this bus and do a runner....LOLI entered Room 1 at 9.20....nobody there!!!!! Oh dear!!! Gradually some other students wandered in all looking as nervous as I............... The numbers rose to 7....not boding well for a Sudbury based Course......sure enough when the Tutors turned up we were told that course would have to take place in Bury St Edmunds......the numbers DROPPED even more at this news. I'd already decided that come hell or high water I'd do the course even if it meant a dent in my finances and long bus journeys but 2 of the other students S. and J. said they were going to car share and were more than willing to take me to and fro! A deep sigh of relief on my part as it means I don't have to leave home till 8.45.......by bus I'd have to leave just after 7am.....and I'll get home so much earlier too; giving me far more time for blog visiting studying.

Today was mainly an Induction Day; telling us the what and whatnots; whys and wherefores and letting us know all about joining the Students Union, what books we'd need etc etc.

The first book we're advised to read is Silas Marner.......GOT THAT!

We will be covering William Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience.........we don't actually need a copy of this but as I've already got one (thanks Miri and Fran...a gift from them years ago when I mentioned I liked Blake)....I'm sure it will come in handy especially as there's a cassette with it................
The college itself will be providing selected extracts from many of the sources we need to cover and the rest of the books I would need buy Manda already has from previous courses she's taken.......WONDERFUL!!!!!!!
I've managed to get pens, paper, folders and all my other stationery needs from our "CHEAPO" shop in Sudbury.......under £6 for this lot.
So now I'm raring to go.....................over the course of the weekend I'll read all this "bumf"it really is a different language; modules, key concepts, criterias,theoretical perspectives, analysis, aspects of socialisation...and on and on and on..........

And not one word about where the Student Bar is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But before I even start on that; Leanne is coming over and staying the night...she's buying me a Chinese and I'm sure I can dust off a bottle of red wine.......................so in true student fashion.....I'll be CHILLING!

WHAT HAVE I LET MYSELF IN FOR?

I was so good last night and went to bed early....by 2am though I was pacing the floor full of angst and trepidation at the meeting today. Knowing how I'd baulk at the idea of walking into a room full of strangers I made sure I arrived early so that I'd be one of the first. I knocked on the Reception door and asked the young lady where I should go. "Oh dear" she said "I think you have the wrong day, you shouldn't be here till the 14th!". This didn't bode well for me; if a senior moment means I've even got the date of a meeting wrong how on earth am I going to cope with studying!!!! Thankfully the receptionist didn't just fob me off but said that she'd check with the college in Bury St Edmunds. Starting to feel quite a fool I waited while she tried to get through on the phone...then wonder of wonders....in came 2 more people for the meeting! It turned out there had been an administrative cock-up error and the course tutor was in fact on her way......relief!!!!!

By the time the tutor turned up there were 7 of us; I was definitely the oldest and when one of the women started talking about a political argument she'd had the other day with some friends I thought "OMG how am I going to fit in here...the nearest I've been to a political argument in the last 10 years is deciding whether to buy brown bread or white!" Another lady said that she'd decided to do the course because she'd applied for 13 jobs but her age had gone against her; as she was only in her late 30s it made me realise what a struggle I'm going to have as far as future employment's concerned..The tutor arrived, nice lady and very enthusiastic which started to rub off on me. She explained what the course entailed.....telling us about the different modules and the dissertation we'd be expected to do..GULP!...and then went on to tell us about former students who were now at University taking various Degrees......"WHOA" I thought "HANG ON".....let me just get through and pay for this first! She explained that there would be further costs involved as we'd have to buy various books (EBay and Amazon here I come!) but at least I've heard of George Elliot, William Blake and Shakespeare's Othello....(unlike Big Brother's winner Brian who thought Shakespeare was the director of the film Romeo and Juliet).

Despite all my worries I've enrolled, though there is one small hiccup...if the number of students enrolling doesn't reach 14 by the 14th September the course can't be held in Sudbury and we will have to go to the college at Bury St Edmunds....this would make things difficult for me due to the cost and timings of public transport...luckily one of the ladies has kindly said she is willing to give me a lift (naturally I'd give her something towards petrol) but I'd have to be prepared that illness or her dropping out of the course would affect me. Still no point worrying about that now....it may not happen.....but I do really hope that the course will take place in Sudbury rather than have to rely on someone else.

I must thank all my bogpals for their comments and emails wishing me good luck. They are so appreciated and helped get me through the door. When the course does start I know that I'm going to get quite "brain tired" and I don't want it to be money down the drain so I'm really going to have to throw myself into it 100%...it does of course mean that for a while I'll be a part-time Blogger (how some of you work/are carers, study AND blog I don't know...Claire springs to my mind....what a wonderwoman she is)...I also may have to throw in a few more Pay Per Posts....I hope you'll all bear with me!

I had a lovely surprise on my doormat when I returned home......Mark The Greenfingered Photographer has sent me some Corncockle seeds..........they are beautifully packaged with great instructions and I'm looking forward to them flowering next year....

The front of the card has one of Mark's own photographs on it.....believe me my photo of it in no way does it justice. Mark takes some wonderful photos and he is to blame for my quest to photograph dragon and damselflies. He has made some calenders which he is selling online...if you're looking for calendars for yourself or as gifts it really would be worth dropping by his site.

Manda dropped in to let me know how her first "official" day back at work went and to see how I'd got on myself. Only first day back for the schoolchildren and she's already had to give out her first Bad Behaviour Slip!!!! Manda helps to run an "After School Club" (Homework Club) and last year 5-11 year-old children from After School Clubs across the UK were asked to draw their favourite family members and to say why they loved them. Some of the entries have now been published in a bookand Manda is thrilled that her group has a section...and some of her students work is now immortalised forever..........

Must go now there are Corncockle seeds screaming at me from the garden.....