To blog or not to blog

That really is the question at the moment.

I SHOULDN'T be blogging because I have a backlog of things to do - but here I am. I just need to unburden myself a little and realise that blogging really helps me to do that. I'm sure that once I've hit the 'publish' button, I find the space to see what needs to be done next.

As you may be aware, we've found a house after a long time looking. We're able to start moving our things in as from now even though we're not moving properly until the end of the month. This means no mad dash last minute pressure to get out of our current home. However, I'm finding that the lack of pressure for me means that motivation is low. I've packed a few boxes and sorted a few bits out here and there but I need to do it in a more concentrated way. Believe it or not, I've spent more time reading up on how it SHOULD be done on the internet than doing it. And I've moved house enough times myself to have the knowledge already. But I'm definitely employing avoidance tactics. Get a grip, woman! Yes, yes, OK. I will. I will.

You may also know that I make chocolates...and this is one of the busiest times for a chocolatier, however small her enterprise might be. I made about a dozen eggs to take to the local English shop, where I sell my chocolates. I was really surprised to find that most of them have sold and I've had orders for another 9. I'm delighted, of course, but dismayed because I have so little time left to make them and also to prepare for the stall I've booked at the Saturday Market. That's this Saturday.

And my teaching? Well, it's exam week so I've been preparing texts and tests and reading through topics that have been submitted for the summer exams. The students are tired, that's clear, but my youngest class is soaking up their language learning like the proverbial sponge. I am constantly delighted when they demonstrate that their ability to put each week's learning together into longer and more complex sentences. On Monday, we'd been looking at vocabulary about buildings in towns and had a little town map showing where different places were. The preposition we were working on was 'next to' and I was asking questions like, 'Where's the swimming pool'  in order to get the answer, 'It's next to the school' - just imagine my delight when one bright spark gave me the answer, then said, 'Or - in front of the park; or opposite the cinema; or behind the supermarket!' And he set the standard for all the others - who followed with equal detail. Yey!!!!

So, today, for the first time in at least a week or more, the sun is shining and all seems much more settled in the outside world. I think I have a plan for the day. First hour - milk chocolate eggs. Then, walk the dog in the sunshine; next, dark chocolate eggs; next, empty the hall bookcase; next, make lunch; next, prepare for my classes this afternoon; next, collect children from school; next, teach; next; pack one of the lounge bookcases; next, another milk chocolate egg session and packing of the mornings eggs. It's a plan - an ambitious one but a plan.

And what is FR doing all this time? I wouldn't even like to start on his itinerary - it's as crammed as mine and includes going to a conference in France for five days on Sunday....though of course, this arrangement is my secret weapon in getting organised! When he returns on Friday, all will be sorted. Probably.

Enough procrastination, onwards and onwards again. As the Bard said, 'In delay there lies no plenty'. I know, I know. (But how true the following cartoon feels!!)

Thanks to Dave Walker.