Claire - finally.... i know....

So loves!

I'm finally getting around to posting - sorry for the delay! Life has been so hectic around here, so it's been difficult to get to posting. The kids keep me so busy! There is always an outing to plan, a field trip to help Richard organise, a party to quiet down, or one of my ducklings to council with whatever the woe of the week is. That said, they really are quite darling, and I adore them to bits. Of course, they do give me quite the headache sometimes. I had to write them up for the first time just before Halloween because they simply wouldn't listen to me that Wednesday night, having downed two litre bottles of White Lightening (cheap tramp cider) in a 30 minute period. One of them actually got so pissed out of his mind that he pissed on his roommate's clothing and papers at 5 in the morning. Great! So that's been a whole thing. But they're dealing with it, and they've worked passed it, and they're going to be fine for now. I'm just going to guess that they won't apply to room together when they get back to Skidmore... ;)

Lets see, what else. Oooh! I went to Edinburgh, did I tell you that? I can't remember who I've told what, but I'm guessing I didn't update on this front. I went while the kids had their half-term break, and it was a lot of fun. Dave and I went up on the train (in 1st class even!) and spent the weekend. Before we left I looked up to see if there were any knitting stores so I could get some fun Scottish yarn to bring back with me, and what do you know, but there was a cool knitting event going on in the Scotish Royal History Museum - so I convinced Dave to let me go for a while! It was great, and I got to knit a little stuffed gingerbread man that they had people do and then they'll sell them off to raise money for charity - how great is that?! So that was fun, and I got some more yarn to make some little mittens, and some new needles, since all my knitting supplies are at home in the states. The rest of the time we spent wandering, and eating, a bit of shopping, and then having many cups of tea. It was a lot of fun, and a much needed break from the kiddies.

And lets see, what else? Well, I've been missing you all like crazy. I know you may think otherwise by my lack of updating and my inability to keep in touch like I usually do, but you should all know that I miss you all so very much, and I think about you all the time. I have several pictures of the group all around my room, and sometimes it's all I can do to keep from getting misty when I think of you. Yes, I've become a big sap, and it's all your faults. :-) I'm still trying to figure out what I'm doing after this position is over, and re-going through all the post-college scariness of finding a job and a life and such, and I wish I could have you all here, or be there with you while I'm sorting it out. I know I'll get there in the end - it's just a bit frightning on the way there, and I'm just not quite as good at it all without having you guys there.

In any case, I have mail for you all, but I am in need of addresses since I left my address book at home, and many of you have moved anyway. Feel free to email or facebook message me, as to prevent creepy stalker men from finding you.

Andddd, what else? Basically I'm busy as all hell organising things for the kids and taking them on all their trips. However, I had an appraisal a couple weeks ago, and they said they absolutely love me! I met standards on a couple points, and exceeded expectations in all the rest! It's great to know that I'm doing well, and that they appreciate all the hard work I'm doing. I know I'm doing far more than people have in the past, but of course that's my slightly obsessive nature coming through, so that I feel I'm just doing barely what needs to be done to do my job, where they see me doing far more - which I'd say is a good way to err in the situation. So, we'll see where this goes from here. I'm not sure what's going to happen, but one of the head honchos from Chicago is around for a few more days, so I'll see what I can do.

And on that note, I'm just rambling with nothing in particular to say, and I'm super tired, so I'm going to go to bed. But now I've updated, and although it's nothing too exciting, you all have letters coming to you soon, so there will be more exciting stories to come.

Love you all, so very very much,

xxxx