School Concerts

It seems two minutes since I was happy that Half Term was here and now it's time for the Easter break. Yippee! Hurray! Thank goodness.

This week's not been too bad though - work's been a bit rough but the extra curricular things have made it bearable. Both my children had school concerts to appear in. My daughter was a georgeous ladybird in a comical version of Little Red Riding Hood and was word perfect and had a very red face. My son was in the choir and the samba band in his school concert and both were wonderful.

What was great was the amount of work put in by the young people and the teachers. As well as huge quanitities of natural talent there was enthusiasm, commitment, team work and a lot of fun. At a time when young people get a slamming in the press and certain newspapers would have us think that no teacher ever does anything beyond the call of duty, it is great to remember the thousands of kids and staff in schools making an effort and having a great time.

It gives me hope!

Drifting with the snow

Today I had lots of plans. Despite having heard the weather forecast for the last 3 days tell me it was going to snow heavily I didn't change them - mistake! My daughter's school is shut, my son is on a skiing holiday and has less snow in Austria than in my back garden and my husband has trudged the three miles to work looking like a yeti.

Should I complain? Not really. I've rearranged all my appointments for another day, eaten hot buttered toast, drank a huge mug of hot chocolate (fairly traded organic of course) and am still snuggled up in my fleecy robe. Not only this but I have spent a good deal of time watching the snow on the jasmin bush outside my window as it builds, builds, builds and then falls off in great sloppy dollops. Suddenly the plans are not so important. What is really crucial is the snow ball fight I plan to have with my daughter, the hours watching my garden transform into a glorious landscape of brilliant soft snow and the feeling of getting warm and dry after bulding 'Melinda the Snow Girl' (a promise made in a moment of weakness).

This is transcendance, this is a glimpse of the glory of God, this is a chance to say, 'stuff all those things I meant to do - today I connect with something more elemental today I will have fun!!'

I hope if you are in a snowy place today that you are safe and warm and that you have some fun.