Half term (Fluffy waits for the backlash from the folks who thinks she gets too much holiday)

I have had a busy and interesting week. Last weekend was of course the bank holiday weekend so I got to spend an extra day with Sam. We had visitors on Sunday and as it was chucking it down we stayed in and played board games which was great fun. We went out to do some shopping and had a meal out on Monday. Then Sam disappeared off to work on Tuesday morning and I planned to enjoy my few days of freedom.
Unfortunately, the naughty car failed its MOT so I was without it all day Tuesday while the nice man fitted some new brake discs and pads. They're not cheap, are they? Once I was safely reunited with the car I decided it needed a trip up to Lincolnshire to visit my folks.
My dad cooked lovely quiche for dinner on Wednesday which we ate with some salad. Pastry was a mystery to him for years; he could cook almost anything you cared to mention but just couldn't get pastry right. He's certainly cracked it now though. It's taking a bit of getting used to that now he's no longer a teacher he's not on holiday when I am, but of course I had the option of popping down the road to my mum's during the day while he was out at work.
So on Thursday Ali and I got up nice and early (although later than planned) and I drove us to Alton Towers, pausing on the way to marvel at the cheapness of petrol in Nottinghamshire compared with Essex, and to get stuck in roadworks for a bit. It's a shame the chavs in the other lane didn't see fit to pause when all the other cars did; we saw a lovely slo-mo shunt that did no damage to the car in front but caused the chavvy bumper to come detached.
Alton Towers was good fun - Ali had never been before. We went on Nemesis, Air, and Oblivion, as well as some of the smaller rides. Oblivion was ace; as we got off we looked at each other and went straight round to join the queue to go on it again. My brother really is very good company, and I was glad he was unafraid of trying new things, in fact he screamed much less than I did. I'm looking forward to taking him on holiday this summer.
On Friday I headed back south, as far as Ely to spend the weekend at Sam's. We have been very good and eaten lots of salad, which I think will be a trend this summer. Now I have a blender I can make delicious smoothies too, so both Sam and I should be able to lose a little extra poundage we've put on over the last year or so.
Back to skool tomorrow, but it's my favourite time of the academic year. The exam groups have left so apart from the odd revision session it's just the younger ones, so I'll have plenty of time to plan some good lessons on the more interesting parts of the syllabus. I might even find an excuse for taking some classes outside. There's usually enough going on that the summer term passes quite quickly, and then of course comes the reason I became a teacher - August!