Everyday Systems

Wednesday
Breakfast: scrambled egg on toast and peanut butter and banana on toast
Lunch: cheese sandwich, carrot, red pepper, humus and grapes
Dinner: roast veg and chickpeas with couscous

Thursday
Breakfast: peanut butter and banana on toast
Lunch: cheese sandwich, carrot, cucumber, grapes
Dinner: fried eggs, baked beans and toast

Today's meals are sponsored by bread...

And I wonder why weightloss is painfully slow. I think it's a combination of not always the most moderate evening meals, eating All the Things at the weekend and being too scared to weigh myself in the first few weeks back in the wagon so not actually knowing where I've come from.

Friday

Breakfast: porridge and a banana
Lunch: cheese sandwich, cucumber, cherry tomatoes and grapes
Dinner: fish fingers, fried potatoes, baked beans

Aaand another green week
This is quite a boring read at the moment, but I don't want to change anything if it's working so not going to stop recording.

Happy green week! It seems you've really managed to avoid the sweets at work more than last year.... or are you not in session at the moment? Or teaching online?

We are in school, in a real life building with real life children. Two more weeks until a one week break. There were rumours that it would turn into a two week break to try and stop our second wave, but not sure that will happen. So we just carry on like there's no pandemic going on (except for a whole bunch of handwashing and with everyone sitting in rows rather than groups).

However we are not supposed hang out with other adults, unless we are at least 2m away. So going to the main staffroom is not allowed, which helps in avoiding treats. Sharing food also not encouraged, so that also helps. I think there's been things in the little staffroom in our building a few times but after I'd already built up a solid green streak so I wasn't too tempted.

I think the other thing that is helping is that I don't really like wearing a mask so I avoid shopping.

It must be very challenging being in school at present, flying. Sounds like you are doing great with all the organising, social distancing and hand washing etc.. I know what you mean about shopping with a mask on. I find the mask puts me off, too. My nose tends to run when I wear one, and I sort of gasp for breath through my mouth...so uncouth.

Great to hear about your Green streak! Hurrah! Hope your weekend goes well.

It's not so bad. My class are a joy so that really helps. They are all polite and enthusiastic, being in the classroom with them is a delight and a great distraction from life outside school! Our leadership team are also supportive and reasonable, so we're doing ok.

I do however seem to be working more hours than ever before, not quite worked out why....

Just braved a mask for a wonder round the shops looking for shoes and fabric. I don't find it too bad once on, I think it's more the anticipation
The one I wore today did have very tight ear elastic though!

Monday
Breakfast: cheese, courgette, carrot and corn savoury muffins
Lunch: cheese sandwich, cherry tomatoes, grapes
Dinner: roast vegetable pasta with mozzarella, an apple

Spoke too soon about my class. Felt like I was telling them off all day today for talking or fidgeting or not paying attention. I think no school for six months and then a very long half term is taking it's toll! We all need a break!

Argh, you are a saint to teach them.....

Tuesday
Breakfast: fried eggs on toast
Lunch: cheese sandwich, cucumber, an apple
Dinner: leek and mushroom risotto with peas
Snack: peanut butter and banana on toast

And normal well behaved service has resumed. Plus I left work by 6! Yay!

Edited later, see below

Good job to get out of there at a reasonable hour!

Hmm, I need to change my green to a red I think.

I foolishly lay down after dinner, at 7pm. Woke up two hours later. Tried going back to sleep at 10:30... Gave up at 11:30 and had some peanut butter and banana on toast.

I felt really hungry and like the hunger was part of the reason I couldn't get back to sleep.

Now I've eaten and am a bit more rational, I could possibly have tried a drink first. Or just had a banana.

But I do feel a lot better so...
Just won't have a 7-9pm nap again!

Wednesday
Breakfast: porridge
Lunch: cheese sandwich, cucumber, apple
Dinner: chili beans and rice with sweet corn

Normal service is resumed. Had a church meeting from 7:30, which did a good job preventing unnecessary naps!

Thursday
Breakfast: porridge
Lunch: tuna and sweetcorn pasta, an apple, a yoghurt
Dinner: fish fingers, fried potatoes and baked beans

Friday
Breakfast: scrambled egg and baked beans on toast
Lunch: tuna and sweetcorn pasta, an apple, a yoghurt
Dinner: pizza, garlic bread, salad

That dinner was totally worth going shopping after work for. Yum. And cheaper than takeaway pizza. And now I don't have to spend my weekend shopping. Yay!

Sorry about the phone in the toilet! I think that is a risk that has either happened or almost happened to all of us! It almost happened to me last year and I have had a few close calls this year.

Congratulations on all your green days! That is really an amazing accomplishment. Your success is very inspiring.

Luckily my brother-in-law sent me his old phone so it ended up not being a completely disastrous mistake. My old phone is still in pieces in the airing cupboard but I think it's beyond redemption.

Monday
Breakfast: staffordshire oatcakes (they're like pancakes but made with yeast) with cheese
Lunch: cheese and lettuce sandwich, grapes, cherry tomatoes
Dinner: green lentil shepherds pie (can it be called shepherds pie if there's no meat?)

The "shepherds" pie was giant so I'll be eating that for a while! Had a big portion on Saturday, small portion yesterday and big portion today and I managed to fit the many other portions in the freezer.

Tomorrow I have parents evening (on the phone)... I'm not sure if I'll bring dinner to work. We should be finished by 6:30 so not that late for dinner, but I booked a break at 5pm and maybe I'll need something in the middle of 3 hours of phone calls...

Tuesday
My lovely headteacher gave us each a packet of biscuits to make it through parents evening.

I made it, half my biscuits did not

I don't feel too bad, it's only twice a year.

Wednesday
I think the chocolate/sugar floodgates have opened.
At least I'm admitting it?

I'm not optimistic about tomorrow either: parents evening part 2.

I think this situation is beyond the willpower of any normal person...parents’ evening must be so exhausting and stressful! Once this is over, you’ll get on top of the sugar madness. I feel I’ve just been through a similar thing. It’s scary how quickly those floodgates open and we are drowned by the cravings...

Hope the evenings went OK and you have a nice weekend.

Octavia, I know you are right, but it just seems like flyingpig's school is a CONSTANT source of temptations. I get frustrated with co-workers that are forever piling up junk in the break room and handing it out to teachers. It's like they WANT us to overeat?!

Well, I'd made it 7 weeks in school so it's not that tempting, but I think the combination of tiredness, hormones and busyness plus biscuits literally being handed to me was a recipe for disaster.

I think the treats at work are just a way to show that people care, and I do appreciate the sentiment. If I were more self-restrained I would just save them for a weekend but no such luck! I really do think my colleagues and school community are lovely though, and they are just trying their best to support each other in a weird time...

Anyway, the rest of the week was red. The weekend was lovely (PJ day on a rainy Saturday then a lot of walking on Sunday) and now it is the holidays!
I'm going up to my parents on Wednesday so I'm open to the end of the week being non-weekend S- we'll see.

Today though was
Monday
Breakfast: porridge and a banana
Lunch: bacon and sausage bap, butternut squash soup (so I had the soup at 4pm but I'm counting it as virtual plating as I had late dinner plans)
Dinner: pork dumplings, persimmon, kiwi

Went to a friend's house for dinner. First time driving in the dark for at least six months because who does anything in the evenings any more?! But we're currently in the lowest level of restrictions in the UK (there are three tiers, like a cake, I live in a tier 1 place) so making the most of being allowed in other people's houses before we can't again.

Tuesday
Breakfast: toast with peanut butter, a banana
Lunch: butternut squash soup, bread, a handful of walnuts
Dinner: pasta with roast veg and mozzarella, a little orange

It's felt distinctly weekendy so I'm pleased to have remembered all day that it is in fact only Tuesday.

Wednesday

I'm definitely having these few days at my parents as non weekend S days. My housemate has come with me so we're doing holiday things like going to cafes and having dessert.

I did just have a small slice of banana bread mid-afternoon (after a two hour walk) and ice cream after dinner. Tomorrow we're going to Bakewell, so hopefully we'll have Bakewell pudding (not tart.. the pudding is quite different... Not sure if Bakewell tarts are a thing outside of the UK).

Enjoy, we went to the Christmas markets in Bakewell last year, suspect they are cancelled this year.

Have you been to Chatsworth?

Jx

Thank you! I actually had a delicious brownie rather than Bakewell pudding, but my housemate had some and bought some tarts for later.

I have been to Chatsworth a couple of times, most recently in the summer when my parents had afternoon tea vouchers. Was a real treat, and my first mask wearing experience was walking round the house!

There was a craft fair open in Bakewell so maybe if the Christmas fairs can be ticketed or something they might run... But there are rumors that the area is going up a tier in lockdown soon so maybe not!

Sounds like you’ve had a lovely time. Feeling nostalgic, ‘cos my dad used to take me to Bakewell sometimes, just the two of us, or sometimes the whole family. We definitely had Bakewell tarts! I’ve been to Chatsworth too.

I hear that a national lockdown is probably coming from next week.

Hope you have a good weekend, Flying!

The rumours were true and all around here is now tier 2. Luckily I'm not actually staying in my parents' house as they have a self-catering holiday let annex type thing so we haven't had to leave early.

Looking forward ( ) to this afternoon's press conference... I don't think schools will close in a new lockdown though.

Trying to enjoy the last day "on holiday" and do a bit of ostrich head in sand while I can!

I'm so sorry Octavia and flyingpig - I hope people's mental health doesn't go too far in the loo with all these lockdowns.... (see? I can use "loo" too!)

Well I'm glad I got to have a holiday and see my parents (and got all three siblings in too!) before travel for non-essential purposes was not allowed!

School is still open so back to work as "normal" tomorrow.

Hopefully food goes better than the last lockdown...

Hope everyone is well.

Monday
Breakfast: porridge with banana and walnuts
Lunch: cheese sandwich, carrots, cucumber, hummus, grapes
Dinner: lentil "cottage" pie, an apple

Phew, green. Despite far too little sleep and far too busy a day. Surprisingly stressed out by all the people. Not the little people, but parents kept loitering.

Sorry you have to go back into lockdown! I saw that on the news recently. I am glad you got to see your family before it was enacted.

Congratulations on a green Monday, even though it was tough! Often it seems like if you just conquer Monday, you are off to a great start.

Yes, like Pinkie said - so glad you got to visit family before the new lockdown.

Tuesday
Wednesday

Thursday
Breakfast: porridge with walnuts
Lunch: tuna pasta with sweetcorn
Dinner: butternut squash soup, vegan sausages, soda bread

On Tuesday I ate my tiredness (sleep has not been my friend this week) and on Wednesday my dinner was too small... Rookie error. So daytimes were fine but the evenings not so much.

Yesterday (Thursday 5th November- bonfire/firework night) I had a dinner as close to what we always used to have on firework night as children- soup and hot dogs. It was lovely and filling. Then I kept myself busy in the evening- a chat with my housemate, then an online game with my siblings.

School is just weird now. We suddenly went from no face coverings to face coverings for adults in communal areas, at drop off and pick up and when working closely with a child. That and general lockdown blegh explains the lack of sleep, which explains the terrible Tuesday and Wednesday. Only one more day till the weekend.

We've been having to wear masks in our state for months and months - plus none of the kids get to go to school, probably for the rest of the year. I rip off my mask and hungrily breathe in fresh air every time I get outside. But lots of people wear masks even on walks and in their cars.

Yeah, masks in shops and other indoor places have been compulsory for ages, but the government just kept saying "schools are safe"...

Well, schools restarted and cases went up. Not quite that simple- colleges and universities also restarted and it got cooler/wetter so people went inside, plus I think people just got complacent.

So - new lockdown... And now that schools are one of the few places open and the only place left where mask wearing isn't compulsory indoors, we've stepped up our safety measures a bit...

We're very glad schools are still open - I feel for the teachers and children in your state, auto, but I do wonder how effective a lockdown with open schools will be.

Friday

Urgh...

Monday
Breakfast: baked beans on toast
Lunch: cheese sandwich, pepper, carrot, grapes
Dinner: lentil cottage pie, peas and sweetcorn

Well I'm not eating my stress so that's a winner...

Intersting about the schools and the mask. Our state mandated 5 days a week in-person school as an option as well as virtual but passed a mask mandate and our school district, in particular, has made mask-wearing indoors a requirement. From my understanding, not all school districts have done that.

Congrats on a green day and not eating your stress! That is a big win! Hard to do!

I'm not a huge fan of wearing a mask but you gotta do what you gotta do...
But projecting your voice while wearing a mask or visor is very strange!

I've learnt quickly to keep it off when talking to the whole class... however I try not to think too much about the fact noone else is allowed to see anyone and I have to be in a room with 30+ people all day!

Incidentally the children are not wearing masks. No mask wearing advised for under 11s....

Tuesday
... It's going to be a long week

Even toddlers in my state wear masks. Actually I have a great pic of my 11 year old wearing his mask as an "EYE" mask.

Wow, I'm pretty sure it's actually advised against for under 2s here. Quite a lot of children in my class do have masks, they've talked about wearing them, but I'm not sure where! Especially now- not like they're allowed inside anywhere.... Except school.

My granny wore her mask everywhere except over her nose/mouth when I visited over the summer. Mostly to wind up my mum though!

Quick, post before I eat anything else
Wednesday
Breakfast: peanut butter and banana on toast, yoghurt with strawberries and grapes
Lunch: cheese sandwich, carrot, red pepper, an apple
Dinner: cheesy leek and mushroom pasta, mango

Thursday
Breakfast: fruit loaf and butter, banana, grapes
Lunch: cheese sandwich, red pepper, carrot, an apple
Dinner: eggy bread, baked beans

And first confirmed covid case at school now...
We've known it was coming for a few days but getting the standard health/education department letter is still a bit alarming.

Friday
Breakfast: peanut butter and banana on toast
Lunch: cheese sandwich, grapes and mango
Dinner: fish fingers, roast potatoes, baked beans

And that was a loooooooong week

Very wet weekend- only left the house once to pop to the shops for milk and chocolate. I was practising for if I ever have to self-isolate.

Monday
All good until I ate the two chocolate bars I was trying to hide...

Tuesday
Breakfast: cheese omelette, banana
Lunch: cheese sandwich, red pepper, apple, a little orange
Dinner: chicken wrap, fries

So I did have a milkshake with my dinner, but got to find the wins where I can at the mo.

flyingpig wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 17, 2020 8:55 pm

I did have a milkshake with my dinner, but got to find the wins where I can at the mo.

Totally with you there! For me, a win at present is only eating chocolate SOME of the day...

Who knew how much I valued actually being able to talk to other adults at school? Now I barely can, it just feels so much more relentless.

Secondary schools round here are closing bubbles all over the place, but we're still completely open. Lucky us!

Lockdown joys....
Hope you manage to contain the chocolate as much as you'd like to Octavia.

Wednesday
Breakfast: porridge, a banana
Lunch: cheese sandwich, an apple, two little oranges
Dinner: aubergine curry and naan bread

Hang in there, flyingpig.....

Thursday
Breakfast: pancakes and strawberry sauce (frozen strawberries microwaved to oblivion), a banana
Lunch: cheese sandwich, an apple
Dinner: lentil cottage pie and peas

Sounds tough right now with the lockdowns. Intersting about the mask wearing being not allowed for certain ages. Here I see little kids wearing them sometimes, and I imagine at school as well.

Congrats on 3 Green days so far! Tommorow is Friday! Just one more day!

Friday
Breakfast: pancakes
Lunch: cheese sandwich, an apple, a little orange
Dinner: cheesy pasta with mushrooms and leeks

Hooray, it's the weekend!

Monday
Breakfast: peanut butter and banana on toast
Lunch: cheese sandwich, carrot, two little oranges
Dinner: cheesy scrambled eggs, red pepper and tomato soup, much toast

And another week begins.

Tuesday
Breakfast: toasted fruit loaf with butter
Lunch: cheese sandwich, carrot, you're little oranges
Dinner: way too much pizza and garlic bread

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

I can't be bothered to remember what I ate, but I have been green- yay
Work's been busy but just in a normal school life way so that's been nice.
Christmas is coming...
... Even though it'll be a weird Christmas, I'm sure.

Monday

I had a really bad night's sleep Sunday to Monday so I'm totally going to blame that for the chocolate cake and mince pie fail.

Last night, however, I slept from 8 till 6, so now I'm ready for a green day!

what a lovely night's sleep! I so love a great night's sleep.

Well the sleep was not the magical stress solution...

Tuesday

I was properly hunting for chocolate today.
We're having another wave of coronavirus stress at work (it seems to come in waves.. and again it's not really anything at the moment, but it's the potential chaos that's stressful!) Boo pandemic!

Wednesday
Thursday

The biscuit (cookies to all the americans out there) flood gates had well and and truly opened.

But I managed to wedge them shut again by
Friday

Onwards and hopefully upwards!
Only two weeks left of school till Christmas.

Well done on a green Friday. It's so true that it's not the fail that upsets the apple cart but what you do afterwards

Jx

Monday
Breakfast: peanut butter and banana on toast, half an orange
Lunch: tuna and sweetcorn pasta, cucumber, half an orange
Dinner: chili beans and cheese in a wrap

Tuesday
Breakfast: peanut butter and banana on toast
Lunch: butternut squash soup, toast, half an orange
Dinner: fish fingers, roast potatoes, baked beans

Everything I ate today was brown, yellow or orange

Wednesday
Breakfast: peanut butter and banana on toast
Lunch: cheese sandwich, cucumber, an apple
Dinner: scrambled egg in naan bread, baked beans

At least the cucumber was green?

Well the last week or so of term was an epic fail food wise. We were very close to having a covid case in our year group- all these near misses are very stressful, especially when it would have meant my colleague isolating over Christmas.

As it turns out, we're all essentially isolating over Christmas as we're back in another lockdown. Well, Tier 4. The restrictions only went up to tier 3 until yesterday! And we've been put up a tier per day for three days now, so maybe by tomorrow there will be 5 tiers. And we'll all be in tears...

I'm going to try and have some sensible healthy days next week before gorging on turkey. We have a far too big turkey in the freezer... My housemate loves turkey and was clearly worried that the friend I'd invited would eat it all. But now said friend can't come anyway... Anyone want any turkey?

So sorry flyingpig for all the restrictions the UK is experiencing. It really does sound even worse that what's been going on here. You probably don't even want to know what I've been reading about the unfairness and inconsistencies of who gets put in what Tier over there.... I'll spare you the grisly details.

My 11 year old says that he now feels like his face is a "private part" since he always has to have it covered up. He's also got a terrible mask rash, poor thing.

The numbers are scary round here (but not as scary as London) so I'm not thinking it's that unfair that we're in tier 4. My parents, however, live in a national park, half an hour drive from the nearest town and have some very angry neighbors now that they're in tier 3.

I braved the supermarket at 6am this morning. It was busier than it usually is at 9pm on a Friday when I often go, but not as busy as it is on a weekend morning. Glad I went that early. The news is miserable today- ports closed and no country letting any one from the UK in. Glad I'm not a lorry driver stuck on a motorway. The supermarkets are saying there will be citrus fruit and salad shortages. Hopefully that's all! Think I can survive without lemons and lettuce.

Monday
Breakfast: fruit, yoghurt, 2 mince pies (ok, technically sweet, but I don't add sugar to to the pastry)
Lunch: butternut squash soup, bread and butter
Dinner: green lentil shepherds pie, peas, two little oranges (make the most of my citrus fruits while I have them!)

Tuesday
Breakfast: fruit and yogurt, mince pies
Lunch: butternut squash soup, bread and cheese
Dinner: falafel and salad in pitta bread, an apple with peanut butter

I've eaten so little fruit and veg in the last few weeks, I'm making up for it now. Before the country runs out Although latest news is that they have made an agreement with France to open the borders to hauliers so sounds like Kent will stop being a lorry park soon... Things you'd never thought you'd say until 2020...

Oh my goodness! I just looked up pictures of what's going on over there.

But to show my total ignorance, how do those trucks normally get from Kent to France? Do they have a ferry or something?

Yes they are waiting for ferries. I just hope they make it home for Christmas.

Jx

automatedeating wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 23, 2020 3:17 am

But to show my total ignorance, how do those trucks normally get from Kent to France? Do they have a ferry or something?

Yes, the vast majority go by ferry from Dover (which is in Kent) to Calais. There are other ports too, but Dover - Calais is the shortest crossing. Apparently 10,000 lorries per day normally travel that way at this time of year. There is also a train (Eurotunnel) but most hauliers use ferries.

The French drivers will probably make it home by Christmas, but I don't think the Polish or Romanian ones will

Sounded like total chaos in Dover yesterday but it seems like the lorries might be moving now. Slowly.

Considering the difficulties in testing a few thousand lorry drivers, I don't hold out huge hope for the plans of mass testing secondary school pupils in January. And the government seems to have forgotten primary schools- they've not been mentioned for a while. I need to do some work but I don't know whether I should prepare real life lessons or online ones so I am determinedly ignoring it until after Christmas. I imagine they'll announce something about schools no more than two days before we go back, that seems pretty standard.

Wednesday
Breakfast: raspberry and banana milkshake, bagel and cheese
Lunch: mackerel on toast, cucumber, tomato, red pepper, grapes
Dinner: Thai salmon, green beans and rice, an orange, a mince pie (I'm finding allowing myself a tiny Christmassy treat per day is stopping me going crazy)

I think you are brilliant to hold off on lesson plans until you know more. I know it is a hassle with in-person teaching, but I really hope you get to stay face-to-face in January. In the U.S., I've heard several commentators say that keeping the kids out of school for over a year will end up being the biggest mistake history remembers. Widening the gap between successful and struggling kids, depression, suicide among teens, etc. But I guess we'll see. I no longer read the news, for mental-health protection. If it weren't for you, I'd be completely ignorant of those piles of lorries!

BTW, your meals yesterday sound so delicious - mackerel on toast and Thai Salmon! I had sardines on crackers yesterday. Yum!

Merry Christmas!

Thursday
I had a green day until the evening when I ate fudge while watching Home Alone. Because Christmas Eve.

Today I will eat whatever I want whenever I want!

Merry Christmas

Jx

Thank you!

I think this is my earliest post - Christmas green day ever

Monday
Breakfast: mince pies
Lunch: cheese, tomato and lettuce open sandwich, mackerel and cucumber open sandwich, two cheese straws
Dinner: pasta with cauliflower, peas and mushrooms in a cheese sauce, apple and mango

Got to be some benefits to not being able to see my family this Christmas- I guess sensible eating is one of them.

Tuesday
Breakfast: porridge (very small portion, ran out of oats) and a mince pie
Lunch: turkey curry with rice, a banana
Dinner: turkey soup and a turkey and stuffing sandwich

Still got portions of turkey soup/curry but no actual turkey by itself left.

Wednesday

Breakfast: half a bacon sandwich, a mince pie
Lunch: bread, cheese, a couple of chestnuts, cucumber, red pepper and a bowl of butternut squash soup
Dinner: turkey curry, apple, mango

Was having quite a productive day- finally started some work (decided to plan both in person and online, just in case) and went for a walk. Then the government made a load of school related announcements and I spent too long reading all about them and now I'm stressed out and very tempted to eat ice cream.

I should just leave the internet alone and do something nice!

Happy New Year!

Thursday
Decided to have New Year's Eve as a special day. Mostly ate normally just had brownies and ice cream after dinner.

Then felt ill and went to bed way before midnight. Slept right through all the fireworks and woke up 11 hours later.

Something I ate yesterday definitely didn't agree with me, so feel a bit bleh today but at least it made it quite easy to have today as a normal day...

Friday
Brunch: bacon sandwich
Dinner: salmon, thai rice, peas, apple and mango

Don't have any eating related new year's resolutions. Except not to eat the stress that I know is coming once school starts.

I am going to try to walk 1000 miles this year, but I've made a spreadsheet to track it and got some family attempting the challenge with me so probably won't share much here.

Saturday
I did consider keeping Saturday green (not generally a good idea, but I didn't feel like treats), but now there is major stress about primary schools reopening. Headline news in the UK. To try not to think about it, I baked. Only I was so stressed I messed up my baking.

So my meals were all good until I ate a generous helping of cream cheese icing, some dry crusty cupcake and then a cream cheese and smoked salmon sandwich (because I'd had too much sweet stuff) for dinner.

So much for my new year's resolution of not eating the stress...

My stomach doesn't feel great but I don't know if it's all the sugar or if it's worry.

Sunday

Blergh

Defo continued to eat my stress. But some of that stress has gone as my school is now closed to all except key worker and vulnerable children. Remote learning time...

I don't know if that was the right decision, but I'm glad a decision has been made and hopefully I will feel less anxious from tomorrow now I at least know what's happening this week.

Monday
Breakfast: porridge and a banana
Lunch: Salmon and cream cheese sandwich, butternut squash soup
Dinner: roast vegetable pasta

Well. All schools are now closed. So at least we feel justified for making the decision earlier and we had a whole day to plan whereas every primary school that didn't make that decision has 12 hours. Thanks Boris, you're our fave!

But, on the bright side, eating win! Instead of eating I went for two short walks. The entire rest of the day I was working. So much prep for "high quality online learning" that I'm not sure most of our families will be in the right frame of mind to attempt tomorrow!

I normally avoid politics, but this year I have seen this Boris fellow many times pictured in articles. What is the deal with his hair? At first I thought maybe he was just recovering from COVID, but now I'm wondering if that is his preferred style?

Boris' hair has always been like that. He's a sort of running joke, I'm not sure how he ended up as prime minister.

https://images.app.goo.gl/yc5XX9mZpZjo2brR6

He was more entertaining when he was not trying to guide us out of a pandemic.

A family member said this earlier today, sums up my feelings on the matter:

"It seems like he's walked the nation off a cliff and now on the way down is saying oh terribly sorry, but we must mind the edge."

Sorry, shouldn't get political but it has been a very stressful few days!

Tuesday
Breakfast: porridge and a banana
Lunch: pasta with smoked salmon, cream cheese and peas, red pepper
Dinner: falafel and salad in pitta bread

Well my work life balance is still stuck heavily to the work side. A few very long days and sleepless nights, but we made it through day 1 of Lockdown School version 2. This version has 30-50% of children in school plus new increased expectations of home learning.

I was in school today, and will be two or three days per week. Tomorrow is my first proper working at home day for this school closure. Tempted to get up just before I need to post my morning greeting video and stay in PJs as long as possible but I think I should get into a better routine than that!

Wednesday
Breakfast: omlette with cheese
Lunch: tuna sweetcorn pasta salad, two oranges
Dinner: green lentil shepherds pie, peas

Well, this lockdown is not causing me to stress eat. In fact, the opposite, I keep forgetting to eat. Toooooo much work. This too shall pass!

Thursday
Breakfast: pancakes
Lunch: tuna sweetcorn pasta salad, grapes
Dinner: turkey curry and rice

I actually ate lunch at lunchtime. May have eaten breakfast in the car on the way to work though...

Hope you're all ok state-side. Just when you thought things couldn't get any crazier!

Friday
Breakfast: porridge
Lunch: scrambled egg in a pitta bread, cheese
Dinner: vegan pizza, mozzarella sticks and potato waffles

Thank goodness that week is over! I think I only managed to keep it green because there was no time to find or eat chocolate!

Concerning your Thursday post, I must be the world's worst government teacher. My students had to tell me what happened.

Monday
Breakfast: peanut butter and banana on toast
Lunch: veggie sausages and beans on toast with cheese, grapes
Dinner: vegetable tagine and cous cous

Oh dear, Over! I nearly missed it in my "argh so much work to do" bubble, but I was still checking the news occasionally just in case the government said anything else about schools (which they did- that parents should report their children's schools to the school inspectors ... It backfired, parents sent thousands of emails praising schools. ). My brother was hooked watching it apparently, he stayed up really late and got up at 5am (because of the time difference)!

Tuesday

Lunch was too small. There were biscuits in the staffroom. I was very tired. There are no more biscuits. I didn't really enjoy my dinner. There was ice cream in the freezer. There is less ice cream in the freezer.

I am still tired.

I think the adrenaline of last week is dying down and now it's just the realisation that this awkward situation with half the kids in and half the kids out is going to be pretty long term. And pretty un-fun compared to in-person teaching. And that's just... Draining...

Wednesday
Ice cream again

Thursday
Breakfast: weetabix
Lunch: beans and scrambled egg on toast, cheese, mango
Dinner: aubergine and green lentil curry with naan, grapes

I love that the community supported its schools despite pressure to the contrary!

It's been nice! I feel slightly sorry for the inspectors though- they had to sort through thousands of emails and it wasn't even anything to do with them really!

I can't actually remember whether Friday was green I think it might have been ok but possibly some chocolate snuck in.

This week has started with
Monday
And today is going to be an S day.

Well... That was an interesting term at school!

It was so full of work that you'd think I wouldn't have had time to eat junk, but I found time.

So let's draw a line under that.

This week is a holiday so I'm using it to reset.

Monday
Breakfast: blueberry porridge
Lunch: cream cheese on crackers, cucumber
Dinner: tofu and veg stir fry with noodles

Today is pancake day. I am going to have some pancakes for breakfast (or maybe lunch, it's 11am and I'm still in bed ) and savoury pancakes for dinner (cheese/bacon/mushroom). I did get a lemon to have lemon and sugar pancakes but I think if I have that then this will be a red or S day...

Walking is not going too badly... I'm at about 100 miles, which is less that I need to get 1000 by the end of the year, but considering how wet/dark/cold/icy it's been that's ok.

Is your school term over for now? When does another one start?

That is pretty awesome about the parents emailing in praising the schools. I don't know how it is over there but here, our schools need support and love that they are not really getting and its great that your community recognizes what a great job the school and its teachers are doing.

We have three terms (Sept -dec, jan-easter, easter-july) but each has a week holiday (half term- oct, feb, may) in the middle- so already almost halfway through the holiday.

I have had some really wonderful parent feedback this half term- it's kept me going!

Going to count today as an S day for pancake day. I definitely had sweet pancakes but I didn't go crazy and I enjoyed them slowly while spending time with my housemate.

Tuesday
Breakfast: apple pancakes (the fluffy american kind)
Lunch: cream cheese on crackers, a kiwi
Dinner: cheese, bacon and mushroom pancake, lemon and sugar pancake and peaches and cream pancake (the crepe kind)

I'm SOO happy about your positive feedback from parents. That must really help propel you along during these difficult times.

Interesting about the terms! Thank you for explaining. Glad you are getting a break now. I am glad you are getting such good parent feedback. It's always nice but right now I bet it feels even more important.

Wednesday
Breakfast: apple pancakes
Lunch: bacon and cheese pancake
Dinner: tofu stir fry

Made me chuckle that pancake day (which is supposed to be to use up food) meant I had lots of leftovers.

Also had a lovely walk with a friend.

Oooo apple pancakes sound super tasty!

They were a bit disappointing to be honest, really thick so took ages to cook through and not as apple-y as I was expecting. Might have been because the apples were really old.. and I think I cooked them too much first so lots of liquid came out which I probably should have put in to the batter.

They were filling though, and no sugar.
I think if I made them again I'd save some of the apple to have on the top.

It was this recipe: https://www.healthylittlefoodies.com/apple-pancakes/

Ooo thanks for the link!

Thursday
Breakfast: pancake with banana and peanut butter, then one with jam
Lunch: pizza
Dinner: cheese, bread, butternut squash soup