Indian coolness and the last week

Hello!

How's your week been?

Here's an outfit from a week ago! It's my lovely Phool dress which I picked up in the charity shop in Hexham and was gorgeous to wear on a sunny, warm day! I decided to add my Greater Plains belt which I bought in Cardigan, Wales.  Not much to say other than it was lovely to wear!

How has this week been?

It's been busy! Last week, I was at home on Monday night  but then out 3 nights- one at my Kensington  Orchestra then twice at Balinese Gamelan rehearsals.  The first of these was great as only about 8 people were able to attend which meant that I was able to consolidate a few bits I wasn't sure about.

We had a lovely day at school on Friday where it was Mental Health awareness day for children. Everyone came in wearing green which was very soothing and then the entire school went out to do a Mental health walk, raising money for 2 local mental health charities which help children including couselling.  Our PHSE lead did a super job and there was so much to organise.  There was a wonderful excitement in the air (particularly after SATS for the Year 6 children) and there was such a positive reaction from local people and parents.  I didn't take part in the walk as it was my PPA time (and my deputy head told me I needed to take my time) but I did make up a song which I taught to Year 3,4,6 which was on Mental Health and cut boxes for placards for each class.

As there were SATS last week and I have no music room obvs, I had to adapt my lessons somewhat which was mostly ok. Managed to get one Year 4 class to play glockenspiels with their fingers to avoid noise and in Year 2, managed to do a listening lesson which was fine apart from when I played an internet video which was unexpectedly loud! Turned it off asap but did get a visit from SLT to essentially say shut up!

Our lovely Viburnum plant is looking gorgeous this year, covered in delicate snowballs so I've cut one or two to put into little vases!

The Foxgloves are flowering early and they are beautiful!

Here's a little photo of the lovely Viburnam.

When I went to empty the school teabags onto my raised bed (51 this week), I was dismayed to have more of what I suspected to be Jerusalem artichokes coming up.  Must have left some in the ground last year- they took over the whole bed so I wasn't impressed as they didn't seem to give too much food last year. Dug up several monsters

After school on Friday night and after doing the teabags, I decided to go and do my favourite lockdown walk which I haven't done for ages.  The fields were looking wonderful with lots of cow parsley and buttercups plus a beautiful sunset. I felt so calm and relaxed- walking alone is really good for your mood!

Saturday was my Kensington Orchestra's concert. It was a great success- we performed Beethoven's 1st symphony, Mozart's overture to Cosi Fan Tutti and the world premiere of a Bassoon concerto by Elizabeth Winters.  It was also bittersweet, as our wonderful conductor since 2006, the amazing Tom Seligman, is not really able to be our full time conductor anymore since a) he's moved to Germany, b) is having a baby with his German partner and is very busy with work in Germany.  We are so lucky to have had him for so long, despite his conducting at the Royal Opera House and doing all sorts of other amazing projects.  It was unofficially his last concert with us though he hopes to come back when he can. We are all spoilt though as he is amazing in so many differerent ways. We all shared memories from our time in the orchestra with him. I am lucky because I've been there throughout his entire tenure (I joined in 2003)

We ate at a great All you Can eat Thai restaurant in between (£8.95 each) and I bought some great unpackaged vegetables and fruit from the market- Chicory, green beans, cucumber, vine tomatoes, beans, salad potatoes, strawberries.

Today, I had a fun orchestra rehearsal in Essex (another orchestra, another concert) in which I managed to successfully hum the 2nd horn part which made the conductor wonder where the invisible 2nd horn was hiding. It's a super popular programme- Dvorak's New World Symphony, Grieg's Peer Gynt suites (including the famous Morning and In the Hall of the Mountain King) and Strauss's overture to Die Fledermaus.  

When I got home, I went into the garden and picked a box full of rocket from my raised bed.  I LOVE that Wild Rocket is perennial- it just grows back by itself! Can't wait to eat it all Summer. I came in and cut it up into 4 boxes, alongside cucumber, carrot, chicory and then a box of Tuna, sweetcorn and Mayonnaise so I don't have to think about lunch all week and actually have something healthy and prepared. I am BAD at preparing lunch so this was a major achievement for me but necessary as I have SUCH  a busy week! 

I then picked the bolting Perpetual Spinach from the Raised bed alongside Chard and Onion Scapes and then prepared dinner for tonight and also for Wednesday night. 

I chopped and fried the Chard and Spinach, Onion scapes with an Aubergine, chicory, tomatoes

At the same time, I cooked red lentils in Vegetable stock with green beans and made a sort of Dhal with it. It was delicious and means I have a cooked dinner for Gamelan on Wednesday night and CBC also has a cooked and prepared health meal when I am not there as I know he won't eat otherwise.

Tomorrow night, we are going to Camden to watch a wonderful Nigerian Afrobeats gig at a Jazz cafe.  We will eat there so nothing to get ready then. On Tuesday night, I will have another Essex orchestra rehearsal so I will eat in Wetherspoons before it as otherwise I have to kill 1hour and 45 mins after school closing and the rehearsal starting and I discovered last concert, that Wetherspoons is cheap but interesting option which is quick and close to the rehearsal venue and somewhere I can chill out and read a book as there is no time to go home and back again.

Next Saturday is the Essex orchestra's concert in Brentwood and my work colleague is coming along and is going to stay at mine so we can have a big long walk on Sunday as she loves walking. CBC is at Duke of Edinburgh expedition so it will be nice to have company. About 6 other friends are coming to the concert too which is a nice change!!

Better get to bed!

Hope you are well!

xx