June - brrrrr. It has been a very cold start to the winter. We have been lighting the fire in the mornings and it warms the living area really well. the good part of a cold winter are the views; we have great views of the mountains on the horizon and the highest ones have quite a reasonable covering of snow. The shortest day has now passed so hopefully the mornings will start to get a bit lighter sooner. We have also had quite a bit of rain; when I have a look at the weather for Portrush I realise it almost the same as the temps forecast for here in winter. the school mid winter holidays have just started and unfortunately for bike hire, the weather forecast for next week is rain.
The next school term starts on the 16th July, when I start job number10. This time it is permanent. I am strating as a tutor at a local education centre which caters for students who have been expelled from school, as well as offering courses for long-term unemployed etc. It is run bt an education trust and it tries to cater for the needs of the local community. It will be a bit strange, after a year of temporary jobs of various sorts, going into a job that is permanent. I will still get school holidays and I will be able to cycle to and from work (approx an hour by bike each way). I will also no longer wear teacher clothes. I will also get to do outdoor activities with the kids as well as doing some academic work. The maximum number of kids is 8 on the Alternative Education course. I am looking forward to a new challenge and being part of a very different side of education.
Next week we are going out for 'mid-winter' dinner with 6 others. The restaurant is putting on a christmas menu, with turkey etc and we are doing secret santa.
We have started racing again in the winter league of our bike club. Today the route took us through valleys with snow on the high ground in the distance and clear skies with lovely sunshine. Hopefully winter will progress with lots of sunshine and some warmth during the day when the frosts melt away.
