How long is not long enough?

Whenever I tell people that I am a secretary in a school, I guarantee that at some point they will say 'oh how lovely to have all those holidays'.  I'd be lying if I didn't agree!  I saw a colleague in the car park at Aldi yesterday and we both commented on how we couldn't believe we were more than half way through the long summer break.  Have you ever wondered what five and a bit weeks off feels like?

Week 1 - I haven't got to go to work!  I can do what I want, when I want and I don't have to dress up and look smart for almost six weeks.  I'm going to be super organised and get all my holiday shopping done early and pack well in advance.

Week 2 - I'm on holiday!  The sun is shining, I don't have to cook any meals for a whole week and I can't remember when I was this relaxed.

Week 3 - I'm home.  There's a pile of washing needing to be done.  Those swimsuits won't see the light of day for another 12 months - there's no hurry. 

Week 4 - Stop ringing me! I didn't realise just how many times my home phone rings when I'm not here to answer it.  And most of the calls are either silent 'unknown' numbers from call centres or someone offering to mend my broken Windows system/double glaze my house/sell me solar panels or the best one this week 'We've looked at an aerial view of your house on Google earth and we can see you have a problem with moss on your roof.' 'Moss?' 'Yes madam, it's green fluffy stuff that ruins your guttering'.  Sigh.

Week 5 - Oh no, I've only got a few days left and then I've got to go back to work.  I was planning to meet up with so many people, go to so many places and I've hardly done any of that.  How can I cram that all into the last week?  It's never going to happen. Lots of baking going on this week.  Inspired by Great British Bake Off and with our daughter's birthday happening this week, there's lots of excuses to experiment.

September 1 - It's here.  The day we have to go back.  The day we have to sit in the hall and listen while the Head goes on (an on) about exam results, mission statements for the next year, introducing new staff, blah blah blah.  How did my desk get so untidy when I haven't been sitting at it?  I'm sure I left that in tray empty.  What was my log in password?  More importantly - How many weeks until half term?

But wait - I have news to share.  News of a woolly variety.  Warm toes and too good to hide under trousers style.  Today I came home from Tesco's to find a parcel on the door mat.  A soft squidgy parcel.  One with Sian's name in the 'sender's details' box. Inside that was a brown paper bag with a pretty tag on it.  Inside that bag was the most brilliant pair of homemade socks that fit to perfection!

Aren't I lucky!  And how fortunate that the temperatures have dropped and I am justified in keeping them on for the day!  On that 'footnote' I shall finish this post.  There's Portuguese Custard tarts cooling on the rack (we have a weekend in Lisbon coming up which is the home of the Pastel de Nata so I need to get myself in the mood), water boiling in the kettle - time to put my feet up with a cuppa and a cake and admire my lovely socks.