My month In numbers

November has brought with it the annual family debate; what is the correct temperature for the central heating to be on?  My husband insists it is somewhere between 18 and 20.  Whenever I walk past the thermostat I turn it up to somewhere around 22.  He suggests that if I feel chilly, I should put on a cardigan.  I ignore this and turn the dial a notch.  My ideal temperature in numbers - 22.

 

50 years of Dr Who this month.  This is the programme I used to watch whilst hiding under the table when the daleks came on.  Oh come on, I was only young, they were very scary.  Even when they showed you how to make one on Blue Peter with egg boxes and tin foil, it didn't make me feel any better.  I remember going to see the film of Dr Who with my mum and desperately wanting a reversible anorak like the one worn by one of the characters. Can't remember anything about the film, but I do remember that anorak! Bearing in mind I was scared of the daleks when they were on a small tv screen, it was a bit of a risk taking me to see them larger than life on a cinema screen. I bet mum made us sit at the end of the row in case I needed to be taken out quickly if it got too terrifying!

 

Now, anyone that knows me well will know I am maths-phobic. Whoever invented the Excel computer programme is my friend for life as it does all the things my poor little brain can't. So please be impressed that my next number is a percentage.  50% of our family got new jobs this month. 50% of that 50% have already started theirs up in Edinburgh and the other 50% will be starting in the new year in London. That particular one has decided her current work wardrobe is unsuitable for her new role and will need to go shopping between now and then. Handy that the new job is in Oxford Street where the worlds largest Topshop is located eh?

 

I only went out for 1 meal this month and entertained at home once. I went to a wine tasting and tried 6 different wines. I 'accidentally' forgot that you aren't supposed to drink all the samples but spit them out.  2 friends had birthdays so 106 candles would have been lit.

 

Number of scrapbook pages made - zero. I feel sure that Karen will be turning up any moment to make me sit on the naughty step or sending me for therapy.  Actually, she is a lovely lady so she's more likely to turn up at my door with a plate of lemon meringue cupcakes and a sympathetic ear to try and work out how she can help me find my mojo.  But I've not been un-creative - I made 2 floor cushions, 1 quilt block for the friendship quilt and 2 samples. One of which does not stand up to close scrutiny.  I'm trying to persuade myself that it's imperfection adds to it's charm ...

 

 I also made some Christmas bunting with 9 pennants for my desk at work.  Now, I'm not normally one for personalising my work space and my wall has boring worky stuff on it. I did once smuggle a Brad Pitt calendar in but was asked to take it down as it was sending out the 'wrong message' to impressionable young girls. It wasn't just me, my friend's George Clooney one had to go too, not to mention the Johnny Depp edition. There was a lot of huffing and puffing that day, I can tell you.  I really don't think that a close up of Brad in the glory days of Thelma and Louise was going to seriously impact on our Year 10's.  For a start, in their eyes he's ancient! I digress.  Whilst chatting to our librarian she showed me a red snowflake she had made at a crotchet class. I mentioned shamelessly hinted how lovely a string of them would look on the partition between me and reception.  She gave me the snowflake and I pinned it up. Every time she walks past, she says she'll be bringing in more very soon.  I told her it would co ordinate beautifully with my decorations and she's promised to make me more.  So, in a moment of guilt at the thought of someone else spending time making something for my desk, I thought I ought to do something myself.  Ta Da .... 

(bunting on show at home before I take it into work on Monday)

However, I have a sneaky feeling that having introduced a little festive decoration into my work life for the first time ever, it is only a matter if time before tinsel, flashing lights and singing reindeers appear.  

 

At work we spent 30 mins re-learning the proper use of semi-colons. Honestly, just because we work in a school they are so pernickety about us using proper grammar and punctuation.  I mean, everyone knows the most important way to use one is to make a winky smiley face ;-) English is a really difficult language isn't it? Full of rules, and just when you learn the rules you learn the times that you can break the rules. Anyhow, needless to say we are now throwing semi colons into everything we do; it's become a bit of a contest to see who can get the most in. We're sending quite lengthy emails, just to make our sentences longer to get an extra one in.  Which goes to prove that if you work around children long enough, you will eventually revert to being one! 

 

Now for the communal count ... Drum roll please ... Number of Christmas cards received - zero

Numer of items on a Christmas list -    (Now I have ' making a list, checking it twice' going round my head) 18 on my 'for other people' list and ummmm 2 on my 'for me list' I clearly need to give this a little more thought!

So that is my Month in Numbers which is linking up to Julie's blog, whose month included women with moustaches and men with sonic screwdrivers.