Been shopping

Dress 3. Nice colour underneath but the bow does no favours at the waist from side view!

Dress 2 : so-so, bow does no favours at the waist from side view!

Dress 3. Sparkly bits on the top half.

New shoes, only mine are black as in the photos:

All sans-make-up and on a very bad hair day!

Which is most flattering? Cost doesn't come into it as they all cost about the same!

Another countdown.

Can't wait to escape the cold!

Eventful day.

Been busy today.
Did a bit of lesson planning, started reading the Open University course Beginners Italian, L195. I'm a course tester for this course. First impressions are that it will be a good course for complete beginners. Today I've looked at the alphabet, numbers and a conversation about ordering drinks in a bar (very important that!). Next week we have a go at using Lyceum (had no luck with getting that up and running yet). We even get to do a bit of Blogging and use a forum on VLE (I think it stands for Virtual Learning Experience? Or maybe Environment?!), but it's not much like Blogger. I prefer Blogger. Lots to learn about VLE, I'm sure I'll soon get used to it.

Managed to hold an MSN Live webcam conversation with my mum who is over in Venezuela (hi mum!). The sound was terrible (we likened it to a busy pinball machine) but it was great to see each other and be able to type as we watched each other. Sam and Katie were so excited to be able to see their nan that they couldn't take turns in the hotseat and ended up arguing and pushing and shoving in the background! Sorry mum! Don't forget you can keep up to date with us on Flckr too (see link on left).

Have just downloaded Skype and we will give that a try tomorrow.

Spanish accents?

Anyone know how you type Spanish accents into a blog?

New courses!

http://ousavped.blogspot.com/2006/10/science-faculty-committee.html
Volcanoes etc, and Archaeology for me!

US Trip Planner has begun!

Here it is, in its infancy, my U.S. travel planner!

Exams are over. Onto new things.

Well, exams are finally over, I think I did enough to pass both and will hopefully have my BSc by Xmas after 6 years of studying.

I am currently enjoying the freedom to follow whatever path I fancy. That has been a trip down the A229 to Springfield library for a pile of new books. I've got some on geological hazards, background reading for SXG390 which I am thinking of taking next year. I've also got some glossy book on the U.S.
Now that the bulk of my studies are over I am going to start planning my dream holiday - touring the U.S. most likely in a hired RV (that's motorhome to us Brits) possibly as soon as 2008. There's alot I want to see, probably alot the kids and hub will want to see, I wanna make sure I make the most of any time we spend there I am going to be doing alot of note taking on wanna-see places, handy websites and books, distances etc. All this to be done on a new website or blog, starting this half term holiday. Can't wait! Watch this space for more details.

Yikes!!

I've covered all the learning outcomes from all the S320 books but one. Haven't memorised them of course, but all that remains is the recapping of index cards and past exam paper practice.

Still have the horrible vision block of SD329 to cover and alot of rereading of the other blocks, but that will have to be crammed after the S320 exam. At least there'll be a weekend to do that in because the SD329 exam is on the 16th.

Onward......

We went to a party last night and for the 4th time this week I have had comments on my weight loss. Two comments at work, one from my mum and one from a friend last night who said he could see it in my face and bum!
It's spurred me on to lose a bit more. I only want to lose another 10 pounds or so, that'd get me to 11 stone, pretty good for my height (5ft 7) I think. I can vaguely remember being 10 and a half stone when Sam was one years old, but I was only 24 then. At 37 I don't think I can expect to be that weight again!

But first I have to get these exams out of the way. I need to eat when I revise for hours! It's my fuel!

S320 revision is ticking along nicely, I just have 2 more books to look at, then I can recap all my index cards. SD329 is going nowhere, 3 blocks out of 7 done and I'm struggling to remember just these three. I might call it quits and just hope for a bare pass. Thanks to those who voted as to what I should do. You voted that I stick it out and I shall.

Hub is taking the kids out for an hour so I must revise.....but I have the beginnings of a cold and my head feels like a ball of fuzz and my eyes are burning. But I'll try.

Good luck with revision to all my OU buddies. It'll soon be over. Keep at it!

Chuffed. Horrified.

Yes, it is possible to be both at the same time.

Chuffed because two people at work have commented today on my weight loss (my size 14 trousers are getting a bit loose now, hurrah!). One noticed it in my face which is nice because my face shape has changed for the worse since I was in my early twenties. Those chipmunk cheeks and the double chin are shrinking!

Horrifed because S320 exam day is two weeks tomorrow! SD329 exam day was 2 weeks yesterday. My potential revision days are being gobbled up by unexpected arrangements like trip to paediatrics for son, shopping trip for special night out this weekend, and my mum's birthday. Not that I resent any of these, I just wish the world could stop for the next two weeks so that I can revise in peace!

I've just spent almost 2 hours revising the HIV virus and feel quite happy that I've mastered the most important bits like the immune response, how HIV replicates and evades control by the immune system. This course is so interesting that I am toying with the idea of SXN390 so that I can go off and research more stuff to do with infectious diseases (also has the benefit of no exam).

On the other hand yesterday I attempted to revise vision and perception and feel like I know nothing.

I can feel my stomach getting in knots. I am really tired, go to bed really late thinking I will fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow, but can't sleep soundly, I'm eating and eating and eating (and forgetting to drink my water) and it's affecting my work. I'm not on the ball when approaching exams are in my mind and I don't give my best. I'm teaching tomorrow morning and have to be on the ball.
The sensible thing to do would be to toddle off to bed right now, perhaps with a Baileys as a night-cap? I'll try it. It might just work. G'night all.

Not a nice feeling

Have you ever been 99% sure that you'll fail an exam? Not a nice feeling. I have been looking at some past exam papers and would be lucky to get 30%. With just 8 revision days (if I'm lucky) and 9 blocks to revise before the 11th I am starting to get slightly stressed. It's not that I am revising everything and making it hard work, I am only revising according to the learning objectives, but still SD329 continues to baffle me.

The more I struggle with it the more I hate it. The more I worry about it the more grumpy I am with my kids, and that's not fair. This isn't meant to impact their lives! They are very tolerant but they shouldn't have to be. I'm their mum first and foremost.

For the first time ever I am seriously considering not turning up at that exam (so the OU loses funding and I waste a couple of hundred quid, but I retain my sanity if I decide to do this sooner rather than later). Means I don't get my BSc by Xmas, but I don't need it now that I've decided I don't want to become a 'real' teacher. It was just something I wanted to prove that I could do. Because I should have done it when I was 18, when I had no real commitments.

If I do take the exam and fail I won't resit it, so is it worth trying?

Cast your votes (and reasons!) now please? I'll go with the majority 'cos I don't seem able to make the decision myself, quitting goes against my nature, but it is getting very tempting.

Next best thing to fossil hunting is...

...retail therapy, and I got me some today :o)
It was only good ol' Primark but they do some decent trousers for work (black, wide pin stripes) and loads of trendy gear for Katie (9 going on 14). Sam wouldn't dream of wearing anything from there! Managed to get him red, green and royal blue T shirts with the Nike logo on the front, he liked them.
That was my reward for, let's see, 18 hours revision in 10 days. Doesn't sound alot but when I think most of it is squeezed into 3 days in the week that's some revising!

Today it was cell-mediated and antibody-mediated immune responses, pathogen adaptations, hypersensitivity, autoimmunity, cytokines and immunosuppression for S320.

Plus a quick recap of the structure of the ear on the school run for SD329. Tonight is more on the ear, all the in-depth tricky stuff. In fact it's a bloomin' amazing body part!

Having eaten three-quarters of a Morrison's tub of flapjacks since yesterday morning I really ought to dust off the treadmill and give it a pounding for 20 minutes. Two pounds on since I came back from holidays, that's what revision does for you (I thought it was what holidays were supposed to do to you too!)

Time to clear away dinner and wake hub up for another night of shift work.

If you know anyone who's thinking of shift working, don't let them do it! It really isn't good for them, mind, body or soul. Lee's put up with it for 19 years and it gets harder for him by the year. He has just 4 hours sleep (want more, but can't seem to sleep longer) and feels like a zombie for the other 20 hours in a day.

Fossil hunting.

We used to go to Charmouth in our campervan during October half term, so I could blow away the cobwebs on the beach and do a spot of fossil hunting, which I find incredibly relaxing and good for the soul.
Not possessing a campervan anymore, and it being too cold for a tent I decided to look online for a cottage or static caravan. Not only were they rather expensive (compared to where we stay in Spain) but hub reminded me that he has no holiday left and that his long weekend between shifts won't coincide with the kids and me being off school. Rats. Time to look closer to home. Haven't had any luck finding anything much at Folkestone, not a sausage at Herne Bay nor St Margarets Bay. I do recall someone saying that there were fossils to be had on the Isle of Sheppey. Definitely need a good reason to go there, perhaps this is it!

What I've been doing this week.

(in no particular order)

Work. Laying down class rules, reinforcing them, reinforcing them, reinforcing them! No rule-following, no treats! Patience, patience, patience!!

Ate...far too much junk, Put on 2 pounds since I started revising.

Revised, loads. Exhausted. Ready to sleep at 8pm last night, to hub's disgust.

Wondered repeatedly whether I can face/hub can tolerate another year of study to hopefully turn a BSc into a BScHons that I don't actually need.

Planted grass seed in the garden. Woo, exciting!

Talked to hub about my dream of touring the US in an RV and actually got as far as pricing a trip. Yikes, $6000 for 3 weeks hire of an RV, then there's the flights and spending money!
Nagged offspring to keep on top of their homework.

Wished I hadn't made my hair appointment for the end of the month. Why does it grow so fast in the summer? Why do grey hairs seem more noticeable when it's ages til your next colour?!

Bought 3 flash memory pens.

Backed up all important stuff from PC and lappie. Deleted a load of 'stuff', defragged both, but cross to find both are still being tempremental (sp?)

Ebayed more 'stuff'.

Wished I was in Spain.

Wished the nights wouldn't draw in so quickly.

Well earned break!

After 4 hours of revision I think I deserve a little blogging time :o) Hope my fave bloggers have all updated theirs as I'm off to do a bit of blog reading as well as posting on my own!

Just sent a few holiday photos to hub at work so he can print them. I do like my digital camera, but I miss having an album-full of photos (my printer is rubbish so I don't tend to print any off).
Here's a selection of my faves:

Ojen viewpoint.







Happy times :o)