Netbooks!

Ever since seeing the launch of netbooks, I have wanted one! I am a bit of a self confessed gadget freak I have to admit and the thought of having a fully blown laptop small enough to take to school and on courses as well as when I go off to London or camping and not have to unplug, de-wrire and carry my full sized laptop with me, was something I have aspired to.

Last week, I saw one in action and had the chance to play with it and was very impressed. I have now bit the bullet and bought a very nice little Samsung NC10 netbook.
I have just about set it up and with the 160GB hard drive, I have been able to load most of the applications and files/documents that I need so I can now carry everything with me everywhere I need it!

Wonderful walking!

Just returned from a fantastic few days of walking in the Yorkshire Dales. I love it there! No boating holiday this half term, the need to simply 'get away' and clear my head was just too much. We left on Saturday and returned today having conquored Penygent and Whernside and almost reached the summit of Ingleborough but the wind and fog was just too much and we weren't able to stand as we approached the scree slope so gave up and returned to base.

Believe it or not, the views here are stunning as we descend Penygent!
....and here on the summit!
....and here as well - this time on a beautiful scenic drive!However, with this view to return home to each evening it more than made up for things!We did stumble across this. A fascinating project of Hydro Electric Power in Settle. They have an excellent website and blog here. We stopped and took loads of pictures as we happened to stumble across it at the very time the 'screw' was being installed - very exciting!

We also stumbled across the most amazing pub/hotel/restaurant. The Harts Head Inn at Giggleswick. The food was outstanding and so reasonably priced that we returned each evening for our evening meal. Highly recommended if ever passing through!

Tomorrow, back to school for prep!!

Counting down!

I know I've only just gone back to school from the summer but after a week of late evenings including one where the day lasted from 7.30 in the morning when I arrived in school to gone 10.00 in the evening when the Governors and Parent association meetings finished and having had no break whatsoever in between times - I feel I need a holiday! This week promises to be almost as bad with parents evenings on 2 nights and a course on another so I am looking forward to the half term in 2 weeks time.

Half term is a non boating affair this time with a caravan booked for a walking holiday in my favourite place - the North Yorkshire Moors.

In preparation for this, today I went shopping. A visit to Go Outdoors in Coventry allowed me to buy a new pair of walking boots...

...and a new sleeping bag!!

I also popped in to Castle Trains in Warwick to get a few more bits for my growing colliery scene in Little Foxwood.

Once finished I shall post some pictures of it.

Tomorrow - a huge pile of marking to get done as well as all next weeks planning!

BBQ and trains!

Still recovering from a serious lack of sleep from as a result of our annual end of season BBQ here at Brinklow. The evening was a huge success and a great time was had by all. A good couple of hundred people attended and over £100 was raised for the Warwickshire Air Ambulance through donations. As usual Eric, one of the harbour masters, sang and entertained us accompanied by Pip on her drum and Ray on his harmonica. Wea were also treated to some awesome singing by Pete and his brother Dave.

My City of Sheffield that blew up the other week has now been returned from Hornby - fixed under warranty and sounding better than ever.

I also have the first parts of my colliery that have arrived. Here is the headstock ready to be positioned and that scene created once the winding house and other bits have all arrived.

....and a couple of general pictures of some of my local rolling stock.

Education, education, education!

In the absence of anything 'boaty' to report on, (well, anything boaty and interesting at least,) I shall diversify this post to something education. Discussions this evening on 'The One Show' turned my thoughts to the topics of, 'who rules the classrooms these days?', 'should parents be held responsible for their chidren's actions?' and 'why is there so much youth crime?'

Well, one thing led to another and I have now joined the large number of educational professionals who have turned ta t'internet to express views and opinions and engage with others on relevant issues.

Headucate is the latest blog offering for teachers, social workers and others involved in the education and care of children - a profession that is rapidly expanding to include everything from surrogate parenting through to local policing!

The name 'Headucate' comes from the encouragement of educational professionals to think through and reason on educationally related issues and consider ideas and theories from the head rather than simply as emotional 'heart tuggers' or political 'vote winners'.