Category: Pic of the week

Pic of the week

Its only the second year its happened, but I can see it becoming a tradition.

On Thursday, whilst on the bus to school, Sam excitedly messaged the family about his listening history for the year – Spotify had released there 2019 – Wrapped, whereby they share with your what you’ve listened to over the year.

It does make interesting reading.

Deacon Blue were my most listened to artist – we went to see them in Nov 18 and I then spent much of the first couple of months of the new year listening to them.

… and in positions 2, 3, & 4 were The Specials, OMD & New Order, all of whom I saw this year.  Aztec Camera were a slightly surprising entry as my 5th most listened to artist, but I have, on more than one occasion, listened to their “Love” album in its entirety.

I was a little surprised to see “Big Country” was my most listened to song, but then I realised most (all?) of my most listened to songs are on my running playlist, so get a disproportionate amount of plays. Perhaps its time to come up with a new running playlist for 2020?

One of the things I like about Spotify is the way it reminds you of long forgotten songs and artists. As a result of the above, I did listen to the whole of the Cocteau Twins “Treasure” album today – beautiful, powerful, fragile all at the same time, I suspect I will listen to them a lot in the months to come.

And, although it didn’t feature in my 2019 – Wrapped, Spotify was responsible for my best musical discovery of the year (first released in 1981, so I’m a little behind the times!): The Church – The Unguarded Moment.

Pic of the week 1/12/19

Its been a tough week.

I didn’t get the Head of Department post – that’s not what has grated, but the way in which the process was done. Having each been through a lesson obs, 3 interviews, and a presentation, none of the four candidates was offered the job. Instead CCF – the former HoD, but now Assistant Head, Teaching and Learning – decided she want to do the job again. She was part of the “process” – in fact, in my feedback from the Head, the only negative was about my lesson (lacked pace, and an error/confusion towards the end – I had got a minus sign in the wrong place) could only have come from her. Who then got the job.

And there’s more. She’s going to make the department nationally and internationally known – the central plank of my presentation. I can’t help but feel as though I’ve been mugged.

There has been quite a bit of back-peddling – “Oh, you are an excellent teacher, who does so much. We must find a roll for you etc.”  But a lot of damage has been done and it will take time to rebuild my trust in the school. I shall be interested to observe how my numerous leaders lead me over the next weeks and months.

Anyway, December has dawned. The pic above is Becky’s montage of November. A few more days to limp through, and then its hols.

And I say limp both metaphorically and literally.

On Friday morning I woke with a sore toe, the soreness disappointing fairly quickly, but I awoke on Saturday with it much worse. Dr Google diagnosed gout – all the symptoms are there, but I don’t think I’d be in the at risk group: I don’t (rarely) drink, don’t eat much red meat, am fit, not overweight …  But I have been stressed this week, and Wednesday evening I refereed a game 7.30 – 9.15pm and Thursday evening did my spinning – I probably did get a bit dehydrated over those two days, so this is probably the cause. It hurt a bit this morning – both yesterday & today I took ibuprofen which has helped. Let’s hope it cures itself with rest,  plenty of fluids and a calmer week to come.

Pic of the week 10/11/19

On Friday, Becky and I went to see the magnificent Orchestral Manoeuvers in the Dark, OMD, at the Bath Pavilion.

They were brilliant.

Up there with the best bands I’ve seen. Andy McCluskey is a real showman (and I hope to be as fit and mobile at 60 as he is), the light-show was great, the audience “up for it” but it was the music that stole the show.

One forgets how many hits they’ve had, and they belted them all out.

If I have to pick out a favourite OMD track, I think it would have to be Maid of Orleans, which they played about a quarter of the way into the set, straight after Joan of Arc.

But each time they started the next song you thought: “this is brilliant.”

A great night. A life affirming night.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Becky Peabody (@beckydotsandspots) on Nov 8, 2019 at 3:44pm PST

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Becky Peabody (@beckydotsandspots) on Nov 8, 2019 at 3:31pm PST

Pic of the week 27/10/19

No need to go around the world – in Friday we just had to pop up the A39 to Bath to see Lisa Stansfield.

It was a foul night – the rain poured and the wind howled, Bath Rugby were playing at home so parking was not easy, but by shortly after eight we were sat in the Bath Forum, waiting for the girl from Manchester.

She (and the band!) were great. Of course, she belted out the big hits: Around the World, and People Hold On, but many of her tracks were not as familiar to me as they might have been, but a few bells rung in my memory and the band were fantastically funky – not a million miles (although a good few!) from JTQ.

I must confess to a few doubts as the night drew closer – would it be worth it? She was, doubts were unfounded, a great night out.

Other news:

On Thursday passed his driving theory test.

Today (Sunday) he (Sam) snagged himself a full weekend ticket to Glastonbury, and I got myself a Sunday ticket.

After an autumn of rain – and two very wet & windy days on Friday and Saturday – today dawned to a beautiful, if cold, sunshine, a lovely day. Ran in double layers and gloves (needed them!) and spent some time this afternoon tidying the garden (a bit) and planting some daffodil bulbs. The nights are drawing in – clocks went back last night – it’s not yet 5pm and already the light is waning. Good job we are off to Girona tomorrow for a little bit of warmth and culture!

Here’s Lisa:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Becky Peabody (@beckydotsandspots) on Oct 25, 2019 at 1:39pm PDT

Pic of the week 20/10/19

It’s been a tough, tiring week. The pension crisis rumbles on at school – I do think that this is the most difficult thing I have ever had to do professionally.  Not only is it absorbing a significant amount of time (I reckon and extra half a day’s work a week) and head-space, just trying to accommodate the wants and wishes of circa 250 people is  so difficult. This Saturday was “video-gate”, when someone objected to the recording of the Head’s Q & A session.  All rather unnecessary, and another few hours lost for good.  I have made the decision to stand down as Common room Chair once the pensions crisis has run its course – I have lost the energy, ambitions and ideas I had for the role, and (sadly) I have lost a little bit of love for my colleagues.

On Friday I went on a school trip to Oxford – hence the pic of the Anthony Gormley statue. A reasonable day out, but a long way to go to look around a couple of colleges in the cold – the cold, that was my most noticeable element of the day.  Made me look forward all the more to our few days in Girona in ten days time.

Yesterday, Becky & Sam went to see Becky’s granny in Cornwall, she’s not been too good of late.

Today, I was swapped from my morning game in the Bridgwater district league to act as Assistant Referee in Somerset FA U16 v Dorset FA U16 – at age 50 I was the youngest of the three officials.  I think our combined age was more than that of either team on the pitch.

Half term in two and a half days – I can’t wait!

Pic of the week 6/10/19

My muse has deserted me of late, and I struggle to think of what to write.

Possibly because – whilst not quite overwhelmed – “the pension scandal” has come to dominate my time and thoughts over the last two weeks. A week last Friday I chaired a staff meeting to discuss ways forward and it would be polite to say the atmosphere was febrile. Whilst I appreciate that the ire and anger was not directed at me, I did feel like I was the lightning rod for the staff’s displeasure, and sat in front of 100+ angry people was not a pleasant place to be.

But everything looks better the next day. And even better a week or so down the line. The staff remain confused, upset and determined, and whilst it (our proposed withdrawl from TPS) still takes up a significant amount of time, I feel more rested and more on top of the other aspects of my work than this time last week.

The weather’s not been brilliant – its been a wet early autumn thus far – but today has been bright, if blowy. I enjoyed ref-ing Puriton v Huntspill in the Bridgwater Sunday league (terrible pitch, mind. (Puriton R.O.F) Narrow, and I think used for grazing sheep Monday to Saturday, and football only on a Sunday. A marked contrast from the carpet of Kingweston Pitch 1 that I was on yesterday.) and my game yesterday (U16A v Dorset Schools) two good games, no dissent, a perfect sorbet for the mind.

Mowed the lawn today, “vinegared” the front gravel (much to the annoyance of Becky) and failed to get Sam a Glastonbury ticket this morning.

Life rumbles on, but with a lighter step than a week ago.