Have spent the last two days tiling a floor (yes, really), and now have sore knees (despite knee pads) and have discovered some leg muscles I didn't know existed. I'm not exactly jubilant about my discovery, as I have only found said muscles because they hurt! Today, we just have grouting to do, and then we have the rest of half term to ourselves.

Tiling has made my hands really hard and flaky - very distressing! guess at least now they match my dry face and legs!

It's half term! School's closed today, so just did some sorting out of stuff, but no children! I'm now half way through my NQT year, and the past half term just seems to have flown by, and I'm far less stressed and much more confident than before, so it looks like I might actually have a more enjoyable half term than before because I've actually got some energy left. I think it's partly because I have some lovely people who look after me well at school, and my tutor group are regularly visited by our year head just to remind them that they are being watched - it helps me too, and I know that I have support there when I need it.

Apparently, I have changed quite a lot this half term, and I'm better with the way I speak to the kids, & I'm not afraid to tell them off when they do bad things like stick their heads around the staffroom door - how dare they interrupt my lunch?!!! I've also started to be more "witty" (well, that's how I like to think of it, even if others wouldn't agree), and say things that are 'quite good by girl standards' like hysterical and historical, which I'm still quite proud of... & pointing out that I know who David Essex is because that's the kind of thing my grandparents play in the car - well maybe that was a bit harsh, but it was funny; I thought so any way.

I will miss verbally beating people up over half term - I'm hoping that I don't get too out of practise over the next week, that would be very upsetting.

Well, it's just one more week til half term, which is nice, and then we're off down to Exeter for the week. Should be nice.

Had two days off school this week because I was really ill - on Saturday evening last week, I just started sneezing, and by Sunday evening, I had a full blown flu type thing. So, Monday I slept, and Tuesday I shuffled around the house feeling sorry for myself. It really was not nice! Back to school on Wednesday though. Tried to get sympathy there, but as usual, they just made fun of me!

Was going to do Year 9 assembly yesterday - it would've been good. But no one told me that they were going to watch a Shakespeare thing, and so they didn't have assembly. I think it's just because everyone's scared that I'm going to get a clap again, & they're jealous. Last time I did assembly, I got a clap; I bet I would've done yesterday too. It's not my fault Head of Year assemblies don't get claps too! Never mind. I'll do my assembly next week, and I'll still get a clap then, so everyone'll still be jealous.