I can't sleep!

And since no one has posted on the blog in a few days, I thought I'd just let you know that I'm awake (thanks to the boy!) and have been for about 2 hours. It's now 5:30 a.m. So, I'll take this opportunity just to tell you what's been happening in my life lately. It's nothing exciting, but I just feel like talking to someone and no one is up now but me. So aren't you lucky?!
The week of October 28 was half-term, which means we had a week off school - thank God! We went back to work/school on November 5, and that same morning Her Majesty's Inspectors from the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) called to say they'd be dropping in on Wednesday morning for an inspection. On Tuesday and Wednesday last week I was in my classroom by 6:30 a.m. I wasn't planning on doing anything differently, but my lessons are all in my head and Ofsted like to see them on paper. You'll be happy to know that we were found to be "good with outstanding qualities". Not bad for an inner city school. We celebrated on Friday morning with mimosas in the staffroom. Also on Friday a job came up in the Times Educational Supplement for a management post at a swanky, posh private girls' school in Sheffield. I've decided to apply for it. Wish me luck.
So I've spent my time this morning looking for somewhere we can spend a weekend away before Christmas. I'd love to go to a German Christmas market, but flights are so expensive at Christmastime that we'll have to stay in the UK. There's a German Christmas market that comes to Leeds anyway, and that's just down the road. Last time we went I was pregnant, and I ate my way through the market. I started with bratwurst, then made my way to the beer tent where I had this fantastic macaroni and cheese with fried onions, and then a pretzel. Eventually I came to the chocolate covered fruit, where my friend Paula had a really rude-looking chocolate-covered banana.
Anyway, so now I'm looking at a weekend for us in London before Christmas. At Christmastime in the UK, every theater does a pantomime, or panto. I always thought of pantomime as a guy dressed in black and white with a painted face, pretending to get out of a box. But no, in the UK it's an audience participation play. It's usually a fairy tale like Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty. The audience gets to shout things at the characters ("It's behind you!") and throw things at the stage. I'm looking for tickets to the panto at the Old Vic in London. Ian McKellan (Gandalf from Lord of the Rings) is usually in it. John doesn't like panto but it's fun for the kids, so he'll have to get over it.
Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? I have, but I'm disorganized and I don't know what to buy my daughter. I had a heart to heart with her about Santa Claus the other day. Usually by this time she's written her letter to Santa, but no letter this year. So I asked her if she still believed in the big guy and she informed me that she does not, but is willing to play along for the sake of the boy. This makes Christmas easier for me, because I don't have to sneak a peek at her letter to Santa. I can just ask her. Only she doesn't know what she wants and I'm a bit stuck for ideas. I might go shopping later today and take her with me. Maybe something will jump out at her. The boy is all taken care of. He's 19 months old. He'll be happy with the box his diapers came in.
Well, now that you're all up to date on my oh-so-exciting life, I'll go make some more coffee. Nice talking to you!