My January aims last year- How I did!

Back in my January post last year Fun goals and aims for 2019 , I talked about my English Heritage membership and wanting to try and visit some EH places.
I thought I'd share where I have been so far.

The piece in question...

AIM 1:
Piano: Learn Chopin's Waltz in C# Minor.
I have dabbled with learning it before- as a teen and a point last Summer but I would really like to learn to play the whole piece confidently and, if possible, from memory as to be able to perform it to the children at school for example.

RESULT:  Well, I did work at learning it and I am MUCH better at it- I can play most of the first two pages from memory but I didn't keep up with this so I haven't learnt or perfected the middle section of this piece. One to continue with.

AIM 2:
Composing/arranging:
Last Summer, one of my aims was to arrange 'Another Day of Sun' from Lala Land for my flute quartet which I did and it was super to have something to arrange and satisfyingly finish it. Alas, the quartet is not now a quartet so we are yet to perform it but I still did it.  Therefore, instead, I would like to arrange Hedwig's Theme from Harry Potter for my flute trio.  I would also like to arrange Clara's theme from Doctor Who and Princess Leia's theme. from Star Wars because I love this tune!

RESULT:   I HAVE done some more composing and arranging.  Maybe not as much as I would have liked but certainly I've done so more than usual.
This year, I wrote THREE Christmas songs for school- Mary, Christmas, Christmas AND Caesar wants a census.
For school last January, I did an arrangement and mashup of Baby Shark and another famous animal-themed tune which was incredibly successful- the kids at school loved it and at the borough Recorder Festival, after my 52 children performed it, I was asked by several schools if they could have a copy of it.  In addition, I arranged 'Singing in the rain'and  Portsmouth point for Drumming Club and Recorder Club combined.

For our school orchestra, I arranged several pieces  and wrote a brand new piece called Montpelier waltz.
Outside of school,  for my flute trio, I arranged You raise me up for flute trio and it has been performed at 3 gigs already.  I also rearranged Moon River for flute duo for another paid gig as we needed some duos and it worked really well- also been played at two more gigs.
I've actually written a new flute trio this month especially for my trio, which will be debuting at our Chelmsford Cathedral recital on Friday 21st February (should you be in the area)

So, quite a successful year compared to the previous year I would say! 

AIM 3: 
Flute:  Learn Hypnosis by Ian Clarke properly. for flute and piano. 
I was lucky enough to be taught by Ian Clarke when I was at university, at a time when not so many people had heard of him- in fact, I am honoured enough, in the composer's words, to be player no.11 in the world of his piece, Zoomtube, but I've never really learnt one of his easier pieces, Hypnosis.  I would like to learn it.
If you would like to hear some of his amazing pieces, you can hear extracts on his website:  http://ianclarke.net/page3.html 

RESULT:
Er- not done!  I DID learn to play Beverly by Ian Clarke but not even looked at Hypnosis! FAIL! I have bought a few new other flute pieces so maybe I'll give those a go!

AIM 4:
Visit English Heritage Properties:
When CBC and I visited Audley End House in September, we joined English Heritage as it was only an extra  £28 compared to our admission price of £20 for 15months of membership and we thought it would be good to join EH and visit some interesting historical places for a year.   We had a lovely time there and on the 30th December, we visited Dover Castle which was wonderful and put us £22 closer recouping our £48 membership cost- that means £6 more to recoup! 
So, I've been perusing the EH guide and have decided I would like to visit the following places that are achievable from where we live:

• Deal Castle  
• Down House
• Walmer Castle
• Eltham Palace
• Framlingham Castle
• Lullingstone Roman Villa.

You can find more out about these places here.  You never know, we may also visit some other places too!

RESULT:

Well, we visited ALL the above except for Framlingham Castle and a few more...
1. Audley End- Price £20.00
2.  Dover Castle- Price £22.00
3.  Landguard Fort- £5.80
4.  Eltham Palace- £17.00 (plus free entry for my sister £17.00 with free admission voucher)
5. Walmer Castle and Gardens £13.50
6. Deal Castle-£8.40
7. Down House- £14.00
8. Corbridge Roman Town £8.70
9. Ashby-de-la-Zouch castle £6.90
10.  Battle of Hastings battlefield £12.30
11.  Lullingstone Roman Villa £8.10
12. Chesters Roman Fort, Corbridge £7.20

We definitely utilised the cost of our EH membership and forgot to cancel the Direct Debit so I guess we have another year of EH to explore then:
Places I want to visit still:

• Pevensey Castle
• Wellington arch
• The Jewel Tower
• Framlingham
• Orford Castle
• Dover Castle again
• Lullingstone Roman Villa
• Tilbury Fort
• Carlisle Castle
• Birdoswald Roman fort
• Housesteads
• Aydon Castle
• Belsay
• Prudhoe Castle

My image from the Doctor Who exhibition

AIM 5:
Doctor Who cosplay:
I've had a few little Doctor Who dressing up tasks that I have had kicking around for a while and I would like to stop procrastinating and just get on with them:
The first is finish skirt for Clara Oswald cosplay for Sleep No More.  I bought a great scalloped skirt with an incredibly similar pattern for about £4 and a blue fabric pen to colour it in. I wish, oh I wish, I hadn't bothered as it is an incredibly tedious process which is going to take hours than it has already but I've started so I must finish!!!

 Also, to complete this outfit, I wish to Finish the Sleep No More t-shirt. I bought a navy t-shirt and a pleated navy top in a charity shop for £3 and £2.75 respectively which I want to try and turn into a one t-shirt  with a collar so I really just need to find a way to get on with that!

I have some Shrink plastic and I would also like to make a couple of sweetie brooches for a Romana City of Death cosplay I've had the elements for for years but not actually put together so I would like to make that happen too.

RESULT:
WIN!  Thanks to the wonderful Ang Almond who helped me out with the above Clara cosplay with her amazing skills AND another cosplay, I managed to complete this AND another one.  I have a few more Cosplans this year which I would like to have a go at if possible!



AIM 6:

Visit an Escape Room:
I've been hearing about these fun escape rooms for a while now and I think they sound like great fun so I would like to do one of these.  Actually, this may be a bit of a cheat since my sister has already talked about us doing one of these at half term.

RESULT:
Well, as I intimated above, we DID have an escape room planned- My Dad, Stepmum, sister and I went to the 'Escape from Oz' room at the Panic Rooms, Grave End in Kent which was great fun- to our shame we DIDN'T escape! In the Summer, we reunited the same team with CBC this time and N, my sister's new boyfriend who we met for the first time that day to do the escape room! It was called The Don and it was a mafia themed challenge. I LOVED it!!!
Definitely want to do more soon. I hear there's a Doctor Who one in Oxford AND the Gravesend place has a new Alice-themed one!

AIM 7:

Walks:
Walk along the front  in Southend.  I've heard from a friend that it is a lovely walk along from Leigh-on-Sea to Shoebury so I'd like to try this.

RESULT:

We did the aforementioned walk at the end of August or possibly September. We walked from Thorpe Bay to Leigh which was great although we chose THE windiest day- it was really hard to move!
In addition, we did a great walk near where we lived which was circular and helped us to discover some beautiful scenery near where we lived.  We did a few other fun walks to Essex Wildlife Trust reserves and went on a Seal-watching boat ride a few miles from home.  We also did a massive 10 mile walk (felt very hard in the scorching heat) from home to a village with a village fete which was fun on the last day of our Summer holidays.

There's definitely more local walks I'd like to try.

And a few honorable mentioned:

There are, of course, many things I would like to do in terms of resolutions like GO to BED at a reasonable hour, finally commit to one church instead of dithering over it so much and ensure I avoid buying as much as possible in plastic but more on that another time.

The Bed time thing was a FAIL- I seemed to get worse.  I have been going to one church though I don't think I have fully committed to it but I have done well on the avoiding of plastic.

Maybe, I'll come up with some aims for this year soon!

Fun goals and tasks for 2019

Hello there!
Happy New Year to you!  I hope you had a wonderful Christmas-tide and new year.  I did and I am mighty sad that the holiday is stampeding towards its conclusion.  I don't go back till Monday but CBC is regretfully back on Thursday which I am pretty gloomy about.

I seem to get through weekends recently with very little forward planning (although performances and rehearsals have featured greatly!) and I would like to feel that I have achieved more.  Hazel has been a great inspiration on this front with her blog posts.   I thought it might be nice to have a few aims for this things I might achieve during my weekends. I don't want to make this a huge list as that is a bit daunting so here are just a few fun things I'm planning.

Piano: Learn Chopin's Waltz in C# Minor.
I have dabbled with learning it before- as a teen and a point last Summer but I would really like to learn to play the whole piece confidently and, if possible, from memory as to be able to perform it to the children at school for example.

Composing/arranging:
Last Summer, one of my aims was to arrange 'Another Day of Sun' from Lala Land for my flute quartet which I did and it was super to have something to arrange and satisfyingly finish it. Alas, the quartet is not now a quartet so we are yet to perform it but I still did it.  Therefore, instead, I would like to arrange Hedwig's Theme from Harry Potter for my flute trio.  I would also like to arrange Clara's theme from Doctor Who and Princess Leia's theme. from Star Wars because I love this tune!

Flute:  Learn Hypnosis by Ian Clarke properly. for flute and piano. 
I was lucky enough to be taught by Ian Clarke when I was at university, at a time when not so many people had heard of him- in fact, I am honoured enough, in the composer's words, to be player no.11 in the world of his piece, Zoomtube, but I've never really learnt one of his easier pieces, Hypnosis.  I would like to learn it.
If you would like to hear some of his amazing pieces, you can hear extracts on his website:  http://ianclarke.net/page3.html 

Visit English Heritage Properties:
When CBC and I visited Audley End House in September, we joined English Heritage as it was only an extra  £28 compared to our admission price of £20 for 15months of membership and we thought it would be good to join EH and visit some interesting historical places for a year.   We had a lovely time there and on the 30th December, we visited Dover Castle which was wonderful and put us £22 closer recouping our £48 membership cost- that means £6 more to recoup! 
So, I've been perusing the EH guide and have decided I would like to visit the following places that are achievable from where we live:

• Deal Castle  
• Down House
• Walmer Castle
• Eltham Palace
• Framlingham Castle
• Lullingstone Roman Villa.

You can find more out about these places here.  You never know, we may also visit some other places too!

My image from the Doctor Who exhibition

Doctor Who cosplay:
I've had a few little Doctor Who dressing up tasks that I have had kicking around for a while and I would like to stop procrastinating and just get on with them:
The first is finish skirt for Clara Oswald cosplay for Sleep No More.  I bought a great scalloped skirt with an incredibly similar pattern for about £4 and a blue fabric pen to colour it in. I wish, oh I wish, I hadn't bothered as it is an incredibly tedious process which is going to take hours than it has already but I've started so I must finish!!!

 Also, to complete this outfit, I wish to Finish the Sleep No More t-shirt. I bought a navy t-shirt and a pleated navy top in a charity shop for £3 and £2.75 respectively which I want to try and turn into a one t-shirt  with a collar so I really just need to find a way to get on with that!

I have some Shrink plastic and I would also like to make a couple of sweetie brooches for a Romana City of Death cosplay I've had the elements for for years but not actually put together so I would like to make that happen too.

Visit an Escape Room:
I've been hearing about these fun escape rooms for a while now and I think they sound like great fun so I would like to do one of these.  Actually, this may be a bit of a cheat since my sister has already talked about us doing one of these at half term.

Walks:
Walk along the front  in Southend.  I've heard from a friend that it is a lovely walk along from Leigh-on-Sea to Shoebury so I'd like to try this.

There are, of course, many things I would like to do in terms of resolutions like GO to BED at a reasonable hour, finally commit to one church instead of dithering over it so much and ensure I avoid buying as much as possible in plastic but more on that another time.

What fun intentions might you have for your weekends?
xx

Tasks for the holiday

I have some plans for the holiday which include a few weeks in Northumberland and my musical camp and we may make a last ditch attempt to get to France but there are some tasks that I would really like to do and I thought that making a list might make me achieve them...

• Get my annual Christmas song composed for school.
• Write a script for KS1 Christmas play which can be performed as classes for different sections to rehearse alone so Year 1 won't moan about wanting to do their own thing.
• Finish Flute Quartet version of Another Day of Sun from Lala Land.
• Convert my burgundy eye dress into a shirt.
• Make 10 birthday cards.
• Write and send off letters to all my penpals
• Have lunch with L and T and go out for a walk with them to Hyde Hall.
• Swim at least 8 times, at least once in Hexham, Haltwhistle and finally find the pool in our new town.
• Make it to church every Sunday no matter where I am.
• Get back into the habit of reading my Bible daily.
• Make the shrink plastic brooch I have been planning for ages.
• Compose an original piece for my flute quartet.
• Learn part of the Undine Flute Sonata or Mercandante Flute concerto.
• Adapt Paganini Variations from Flute and Tuba  to Flute and Alto Flute.
• Get remaining music onto shelves in the study.
• Get fish painting and Lake District Tube map framed.
• Cook a new recipe.
• Swim in the sea.
• Find seaglass.
• Descale the shower heads.
• Actually have a bath in my main bathroom.  Our showers are so nice that I haven't got around to having a bath!
• Go for a cycle ride or two.
• Read at least 10 books.
• Cook my Mum dinner.
• Make sure I spend a day with my niece.
• Harvest tomatoes and at least 1 courgette!

I'll try to review this at the end of the holidays and see how well I did.  I don't want it to be an onerous task but it would be nice to be able to actually meet some of the targets.

xx

New beginnings

 Today was the first day of school.  It was an INSET day so thankfully there were no children to contend with straight away (they're back Thursday).    Even though I dread going back, it's always lovely to see everyone.  I am extraordinarily lucky with my school- the staff there, on the whole, are really closeknit, considerate, genuine, kind and helpful and that really does make a difference.  It's one of the reasons I chose this school when I was seeking my first teaching appointment.  I was offered jobs at 3 schools and I chose this one.  The day was fairly easy-we had a Child Protection training(always a bit harrowing, but necessary), health and safety, education visits session diary sessions and then some class prep time.  It felt weird, it's the first time I haven't been attached to a class.  As music teacher, I am a seperate entity now-my base is the music room.  As we did diary dates and everyone chose their Christmas party slot, parallel teachers got together for discussions, sharing of plans, distribution of LSA time etc, I did feel a little wistful.   However, I got on with things- sorting yet more paperwork I had forgotten about, rearranging the musicroom again.

 I've been thinking of my aims for this year and I really want to ensure that:
a)  I make a real focus on assessment and keeping a manageable, informative, useful form of assessment.  I've always had quite a few methods of assessing my children during the lessons and keeping records and feeding back to the children, but I want to hone it and have it kept in a more organised way that can be shared by others.
b) I am really patient and thoughtful in the way I speak.  To make sure that I am calm, efficient, inspiring and that any bad behaviour does not cause me to get stressed and cross.
c)  I want to trial more work on notation and reading skills.  My children read rhythms but I haven't focused so much on formal melody notation.
d)  To not moan when I've had a difficult lesson, when the little darlings have frayed my nerves.  My colleagues don't need to know it!
e)To file the audio recordings of my lessons at the end of each day, uploading, naming and grouping so I have a manageable easy approach to it rather than doing after 2 weeks and ending up with stacks to sort!
f)  Though I already do 4 regular clubs with one adhoc one, to introduce a regular extra-curricular opportunity for the younger children.
g)  To write my own Christmas play/musical for KS1.
h)  To compose at least 3 new songs a term.
i)  I need to protect my ears- I spend a lot of time with sound.  I value my ears and I haven't been valuing them.
j)  To create a summer production for children outside of choir.
k) To enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

Can you think of any good targets for me?

 I found this a nice cool outfit for school today.  The top is actually a dress that is too short to wear in public.  It does look like I've draped a net-curtain over my shoulders but ah well!  
The skirt is a vintage Windsmoor one which is very very tight!  It's supposed to be a size 10- lies lies lies!  I've finally found peeptoe shoes that don't hurt with these George shoes!  When I was trying them on (same time as the Dalmation ones) I asked a girl what she thought of them and she said they looked quite old-fashioned.  I smiled to myself when she said that, because that's what I liked about them!
The umbrella necklace was a Christmas present and the earrings from the market in Monsegur, the belt is Peacocks I think.  I like this type of outfit more, it makes me feel ladylike!

 I do find it funny that I'm back at school and the sun is shining beautifully!  It's always like that.  Tomorrow we've got more INSET and then prep time.  I'm slightly worried about my lack of printer in the music room- how will I print???!?! Luckily, Thursday morning is my non-contact time!  Luckily me eh?

I've also agreed to teach Tudor dance to the year 4's this half term instead of music - well as part of their music, as we end up writing our own pavanes in the next unit of work! I'm very excited about this prospect!

I think that's enough rambling!

Tell me something you are aspiring towards this year- what aims do you have?

The book 2011 edit

It’s reached that new year moment where folks the world over are making resolutions late or reflecting on them, and Kezzie is making her final book list of the year! It feels like a new year tradition now!
Here are the majority of the books I read (not counting all the short kiddie ones read for Guided reading and a few others forgotten)

1. Cora Harrison: I was Jane Austen's best friend

2. Michael Morpurgo: Waiting for Anya.

3. Budge Wilson Before Green Gables.

4. Mary Ann Scaffer and Annie Barrows. The Guernsey Literay and Potato Peel Pie Society.

5. Elizabeth Aston Mr Darcy's daughters

6. Nancy Goudie Treasures of Darkness.

7. Eleanor H Porter Pollyanna grows up.

8. Terry Pratchett The unadulterated cat.

9. Anne Perry The face of a stranger.

10. Aleksandr Orlov A simples life.

11. Ted Hughes The Iron woman

12. Joseph Galliano (editor) and various famous types. Dear Me: A Letter to My Sixteen-Year-Old Self

13. J.K. Rowling Harry Potter and the deathly hallows

14. Anne Perry Half Moon Street

15. Elizabeth Gilbert Eat, Pray, Love

16. Joan Aiken The Youngest Miss Ward

17. Gavin Pretor-Pinney The cloud collector's handbook.

18. Noel Streatfield. Party shoes

19. Tony Wilmott Birdoswald Roman Fort (English Heritage Guidebooks)

20. Maria Von Trapp The Sound of Music- the story of the Trapp family singers

22. Georgette Heyer Cotillion

23. Alison Prince My Story Henry the VIII's wives

24. Michael Morpurgo Kaspar- Prince of cats

25. David Almond. Skellig

26. Alexander McCall Smith Espresso tales

27 Michael Morpurgo Cool!

28. Frances Pascall Sweet valley high confidential: 10 years on

29. Anthony Horrowitz Scorpia Rising

30. Julia Quinn On the way to the wedding

31. Kate Morton The House at Riverton.

32. Alexander McCall Smith 44 Scotland Street.

33. Kate Morton The forgotten garden.

34. Vikram Seth An equal music.

35. Christina Jordis Bali Java in my dreams

36. Lorna Hill Masquerade at the Wells

37. Lorna Hill Return to the Wells

38. Gillian Cross Facing the demon headmaster

39. Alexander McCall Smith Love over Scotland. (44 Scotland street series)

40. Robert Mandelburg The Case of the Curious Campaign - a whodunit of many mini-mysteries.

41. Lorna Hill Ella at the Wells.

42. Piers Moore Ede Honey and Dust: Travels in Search of Sweetness

43. Sue Finden Casper- the travelling cat

44. Pamela Aidan An assembly such as this. The Fitzwilliam Darcy Gentleman trilogy part 1.

45. Georgette Heyer These old shades

46. Louis Sachar Marvin Redpost:Class President

47. Louis Sachar Marvin Redpost: A magic crystal

48. Louis Sachar Marvin Redpost: A flying birthday cake.

49. Edward Eager The Time Garden.

50. Don Richardson Lords of the Earth:

51. Pamela Aidan Duty and Desire: The Fitzwilliam Darcy Gentleman trilogy, part 2

52. Pamela AidanThese three remain - Fitzwilliam Darcy Gentleman trilogy

53. Isabel Wolff A vintage affair

54. Louis Sachar Marvin Redpost: Kidnapped at birth.

55. Lorna Hill No castanets at the Wells.

56. Lorna Hill Jane leaves the Wells.

57. Daniel Mason. The Piano tuner.

58. Lorna Hill Rosanna joins the Wells

59. Lorna Hill Principal Role

60. Philip Ridley Krindlekrax

61. Timothy Whuffenpuffen

62. Angela Brazil The Jolliest term on record.

63. Charles Dickens The Christmas books: A Christmas carol, The Chimes, The cricket on the hearth

64. Carola Dunn Death at Wentwater court

65. Carola Dunn The winter garden mystery.

66. Carola Dunn Requiem for a mezzo.

67. Keri Smith How to be an Explorer of the World

I've loved most of the books I've read but particular favourites include the Pamela Aidan Darcy books and the Daisy Dalyrimple books are exciting because there are still another 18 or so for me to read (I've always enjoyed devouring whole series!) , I've adored all the Alexander McCall Smith books and the Kate Morton books were a revelation!

Possibly the most boring was the Dickens- it just seemed a bit rambly but I want to read some of his longer books next year!

67 books isn't bad for a year, (or so I thought until I read that Alex had read 371- HOW????) so what should I do next year?  Aim for something in particular or just see how it goes?

Suggestions on a postcard in the comments box below please!

New year celebrations and targets! End of 2011, beginning of 2012

Happy New year blogging buddies!!!!  I had such issues with computer, that several posts I thought I'd posted didn't actually publish. So I guess, the Happy Christmas one isn't worth publishing now!!!    I never actually think about these properly and then I forget what I've thought about.  Also Lauren of Someone like you made a good point that it you can get disappointed if you fail at them!  Also, on a daily basis, I strive to improve things about me, so I need to actually work on things!  I do love the fact about blogging that it somehow makes me think about things more!

Great things about 2011
2011 has seen many great things happen:

• I performed a concerto with my orchestra for their 75th anniversary.
• I began a drumming club at school.
• I achieved a Distinction for my LTCL Music teaching diploma.
• I blogged lots.
• I read lots of lovely new blogs and got to meet lovely new bloggers including gaining a lovely new penpal!

• I declared my hat obsession to the world.

•  I cycled lots!  Completed the London to Brighton ride and then cycled Brentwood to Cambridge.  bought my lovely bike, Celeste!

•  I visited the home of my ancestors, Greece! And learnt lots of Greek vocabulary. 
• I went back to my all-time favourite place Hay-on-Wye in Herefordshire and canoed on the same wonderful river Wye which I longed to do.  I capsized for the first time ever and I didn't die!!
•  I fulfilled a life-ambition and played Maria in the Sound of Music.

So much more than that, but I can't think right now!  So many blessings unnumbered!
Resolutions for 2012:

1.  I will have a tea-party in which I try to cook lemon drizzle cake and lots of other exciting items in my lovely Christmas present book- the vintage tea party.  I will also try to make my own fascinator- which it gives instructions for!!!! Therefore, my birthday will not be a total last-minute disaster!

2.  I will try to go to Lindy-hop classes once a week when I don't have loads of rehearsals on!  CBC and I both love doing it, but when we go, because of musical committments, we don't even manage to go once a month!

3.  I will compose at least 4 new songs or pieces of music.  Only done a couple this year.

4.  I will try to discuss my feelings a little more articulately.  I am awful at this and I know that this is really important!

5.  I will go abroad on holiday and get some sun so I don't constantly catch every bug that children bring in!  Marrakech, here I come!

6.   I will read some more classic books:  Great expectations (Dickens), Treasure island (Er- Louis Stephenson?), (I'm wanting to say War and Peace but I'm scared!)

7.  I will read the entire Bible- I am so rubbish that though I've read most of it, I've never read the whole thing in one year (er- Lamentations, I've avoided it!)

8.  I will get my Guided reading preparation done before the night before.

9.   I will learn to cook something new and exciting for dinner from a recipe! I have several recipe books that I have not used.

10.  I WILL sort out and tidy my house properly and be ruthless with what I cull, though disposing of it in an entirely environmentally friendly way (Like Mrs Thrifty's 30 day house detox).  Then I will actually maintain the state of tidiness!

11.  I will learn to speak some Arabic (for Marrakesh!!) 

12.  I will see my family more than I have done this year- it is shameful to have only seen my 2 year old niece 4 times or so in a year.

13. I will do lots of cycling including at least one epic expedition! 

14.  Super secret target alla Stephen style!

So, 30 things with meaning and purpose and hopefully achievable!  What do you reckon, are they ok resolutions!

Happy new year everyone- 2011 has been a great year for me in many respects, one important addition has been all my new blogging buddies- it is an absolute pleasure to know you and to be inspired by you!!!
And another lovely year with my lovely CBC and his family!