Ups and Downs
Well, I handed in my Masters paper last night. This is it: last chance to pass. Everyone, cross your fingers - and toes, too - just for safety. Thanks!I also spent yesterday afternoon adding about 50% more lessons to one of the schemes of work I need to finish. It's good, I think. Lots of VAK and differentiation. So I can nearly check that box. Then on to the last scheme I have to finish, which will require only 3-4 additional lessons and some minor touch-ups. Finally, by the end of tomorrow, I have to finish planning my Autumn term of teaching for my Language college-level course. I teach the same course twice per week, so it's only planning enough for 2 hours per week. Plus, I've already planned 3 weeks worth... so the remainder shouldn't take more than the day, tomorrow, and then I'm on schedule to put my work away and not touch it for the rest of the summer holidays. Here's hoping!
Right, so predictably, just as I go and announce all my brilliant up-coming plans, everything goes into chaos once more. As it happens, our friends Kim and Corey were planning to visit us here in England during my October half-term break long before my family started making their plans. Though I tried to discourage my family from booking over our friends, it came down to a 'whoever confirms their itineraries first' sort of deal. My family were hours (days?) away from confirming this week... then I spoke to Kim. She told me that they are still thinking of coming, and so I tweaked plans with my family a little. As it is, by agreeing to meet them in Rome Riccardo and I were already going back on a decision to not travel any more this year (need to save up for a BIG move, after all), and originally, the only reason we were going to go was because Rebecca didn't really want to go to Rome (again), but Mom did. So we were going to meet Mom there so Rebecca didn't have to. Then my brother-in-law was able to get time off to come to Europe, and so he and Rebecca jumped onto the Rome trip because he's never been. So there were to be five of us going (plus baby), which would be fun, but for us the trip was no longer necessary. Plus, without us needing to go to Rome during my short half-term break, it'd leave more time to visit with my family (and our friends) here in England, because the whole Italy thing could be done and dusted before my holidays started...
Nothing is ever quite that easy.
As I said, Rebecca's been to Rome, and her motive for this Europe trip is to visit us. Mom, on the other hand, hasn't been to Europe before and seems to think this will be her 'on-and-only' chance, so she's been trying to cram as much sight-seeing in as possible - forgetting that Rebecca, and Riccardo and I for that matter, are more interested in visiting each other. So now it's looking like, due to differences in travel preferences, Rebecca and Mike are pulling out of the trip, too. Poor Mom. Gawd.
So now it's all up in the air. Whereas last week Riccardo and I were ready to book our Rome trip at the word, 'Go', we've now decided to postpone it until the new year. Whereas last week my family were minutes away from confirming their itineraries, now they may not come at all. Such disappointment.
And what's really annoying? Riccardo and I have lived here for 2.5 years, and will likely live here at least another year, but EVERYONE needs to come visit on the SAME bloody halfterm break!
Okay, that's me done venting. I still encourage visitors. It'd be a shame for everyone to give up on the highly coveted October visit, because it's looking now like we might be sitting here (both on holidays) for nothing. C'est la vie! Well, mine anyway.
Post a Comment