...quarter to nine
It was quarter to nine on Friday morning, and I had a delicious feeling creeping up on me. Quite unexpected. Mmmm.
Why? Because it was the first Friday that I was officially not being a teacher one day a week. And it felt good.
I had got up early as usual and started doing some revisions on one of my books that are in the process of being published by Omnibus, and I would be going back to that later, but first I had a boy to get moving and some school shoes to buy, ready for the new school year.
I’d already waved my man off to work and put a load of washing in the machine, been for a walk and had my shower and a bite to eat.
Then, when I looked at the clock, this lovely warm feeling washed over me.
It was quarter to nine. And I didn’t have to feel guilty about not being at school.
I still had my son at home as he wasn’t due back at school until the following week, so it felt like an extra holiday day, but next Friday the day will be all my own. For writing. For being a writer.
Admittedly, writing was only one of the reasons I decided to take the plunge and drop down to a four day teaching week. I’ve mentioned before that circumstances mean that I need a bit of flexibility in my life right now, to deal with one or two other little things that are going on, without feeling like I’m letting my class or my team down if I have to take time off. Hopefully, I’ll be able to schedule the ‘little things’ to be happening on a Friday, or, at least work around it. And when there are no little things on the horizon, I get a free writing pass.
Happy dance.
It’s worked out well for the school, too, because instead of having a class of my own, I’m working in a support role across the school. I’m gong to miss having my own little brood to cluck around after, but I do get to catch up with some of the fledglings I’ve worked with before, which is always lovely. And I’ll be focusing on language and literacy which is my favourite part of teaching. With a bit of singing thrown in for good measure!
But on Fridays, I’m going to take the day as all my very own. I might be writing or editing, researching for new ideas, or staring out the window, daydreaming (the view beyond my writing room window is highly conducive to the daydreaming state, hence my desk faces the wall). I’ll definitely be taking a few long, thoughtful walks.
And savouring that delicious feeling.
...a view to dream about...