Sunshining

So it's officially summer. Have I written any poems this year? Have I finished a WIP? Have I stuck to my workout schedule?

The answer to all these questions, as you might have guessed, is a big fat no. But I'm not disappointed in myself, nor do I have any regrets. My life since the start of the year has been full of changes and events: new job(s), new people, new bank account, new goals.

My main job, at a secondary school, is over for the holidays and I had to say goodbye to a few people I had grown to like. It was particularly difficult when I knew some of them I would probably never see again, as they were leaving the school for good! Something like ten teachers have left and at least two of them I enjoyed talking to (I'm not really a sociable person so that was an accomplishment). We were like the awkward, quirky ones but now they're gone, it's down to me and this other teacher left to fill those boxes.

Ah well, here's to a great summer. I'll worry about where I'm going to get my autumn term lunch time banter in September.

Return of the cat-sitter

I felt like I had won the lottery when I was contacted a month after my first go as a cat-sitter, asking if I was able to look after another cat - still in my area but in the opposite direction to the trio of fur. I said yes at once: four days, one cat? Let the purring begin.

And then I met her. Oh my god. Clarice, Cleo and Willow were lovely cats (and Willow still has a special place in my heart) but they were all pretty huge. Extremely well fed, and just generally big domestic cats.

Bella was tiny.

Barely a year old with a face flatter than a frying pan, I struggled not to laugh with delight the first time I met her. She was so precious. And she loved to be stroked. And play with toys. Her favourite was this bright orange ribbon:

Those eyes.

I can't even caption the other photos, they sort of just speak for themselves. Although I will say that getting a new phone seemed to have improved my photography skills.

She looks tall but she is small.

*contemplates the meaning of life*

She was chasing a laser pointer.

Cutie over here

I can't wait to be asked to look after more cats!

Cat sitting

You guys, I love cats. So imagine my joy when my girlfriend introduced me to the most amazing website ever: catinaflat.co.uk. Once you sign up and prove yourself trustworthy (usually a DBS, and a phone call from the people running it, among other documentation), people in your neighbourhood can request that you take care of their cat while they're away. This can be anything from one day to... I don't know, however long the person is away for. And you get a bit of money for doing it, too!

My first opportunity to cat sit came about three months after I had signed up to the website and had lost all hope of ever being trusted with a cat. The owner was going away for two days and had chosen me (me!) to take care of her cats while she and her husband were gone.

Sorry, cats? Plural?

Yes. She had three. Clarice, Cleo and Willow.

The invigilator's diary

Tick... Tock...

During the month of June, I was given the task of being an exam invigilator at work. And oh, what a task it was.

Day one: I hate everything. Including clocks. Especially clocks.

Day two: I love everyone! French exams are a blessing (half an hour? Awesome!). Aw my classes miss me. They do care.

Day three: My back is dead. Like proper dead. But I'm now used to this life. Also... who am I?

Day four: If I stare hard enough at the students' ears, does this count as working?

Day five: Thank god it's Friday!!

Day six: Oh no, not this again. I won't survive the week.

Day ten: My brain is dead. My soul is dead. I am dead. ...Wait, it's half term now? YEEESSSSS