Firsts, Fox Near Miss and Why My Nose Hurts

First number 1-using ready mix fast drying concrete. Ages ago I got a great tree branch from the common to use for display. Then I bought a big flower pot and some concrete. Then nothing happened for some time. Tonight my colleague and I followed the simple instructions, and concreted the branch into the pot. You have to put the water in first then add the concrete and I put slightly too much in, but it still started to set very quickly and hopefully the excess water will evaporate over night. We are going to turn it into a shared display of the family tree from the book 'Stickman' by Julia Donaldson which we have been reading. Poor Stickman goes for a walk, but suffers the indignity of being used as, amongst other things, a stick for a dog, part of a swan's nest, a boomerang and a flag for a sandcastle. He asserts himself each time saying 'I'm Stickman, I'm Stickman, I'm Stickman, that's me, and I want to go home to the family tree!' Eventually he ends up being put onto the fire ready for the morning-a real cliffhanger-but gets rescued by Santa who drops him off at the end of his rounds-phew!

First number 2-weaving! I may have done this at some point in my childhood but I don't remember it. A while ago I bought a great toy from the charity shop -a craft kit from the sixties called 'Junior Handicraft Outfit'. It was 'sold as seen' which seems to accompany some of my greatest buys. It has all sorts of goodies in it, but the best one is this miniature loom. It has two shuttles and a heddle (the thingammy you put the yarn back and forth through when setting up the loom. It has holes and slits and is lifted up and down to allow the shuttle to go back and forth and over and under. The space you make is called the 'shed'.) It took me an evening to make this piece. I love the way different treatments of yarn give such different textures and appearance to the finished cloth. 

 It feels very soft but as it is closely woven also quite firm. The possibilities of what to make are whizzing round my head in their usual manner with no thought to whether I have the time or not! I shall make a few pieces then decide. Perhaps a coat of many colours. (Not really!)

 This isn't a first, or why my nose hurts, but I love seeing these horses (belonging to the army) and was lucky to see them on Tuesday morning when I was on my way home for PPA, having done some jobs at school first. Just over the traffic lights from this spot tonight, I had a very near miss with a fox. He ran out in front of me from the left. As I saw him he saw me and it felt like we locked eyes. Unlikely I know but that is how it seemed. He made an about turn and I swerved to the right and we managed to avoid each other. Luckily the road is slightly wide there so there was room to swerve without going onto the wrong side, and no other cars were in the road at that moment. It was all so quick and I think I did a speedy check but I just didn't want to kill the fox. I wrenched the wheel so hard I bashed my leg! I hope he didn't then go on to run under another set of wheels.

As for my nose-with no explanation it started hurting two days ago-on the bridge, feeling like I had been hit, which I haven't. It has got worse over the last two days and is swollen and red. Not unsightly yet (I don't think!) but painful and with a feeling of pressure. Of course I have googled the possible causes and I am not alone. If it doesn't start to get better by the weekend I will go to the doctor. Or maybe not, because a girl in my class has already told me what is wrong. I was telling her about my painful nose, and she said, ''You know why that is don't you Sarah?'' 'No' I replied. ''It's because you're getting old, that's what it is.'' All said in a very wordly wise tone. It really made me laugh. 

(School update-Thanks for the supportive comments and fighting talk. Wish you were all here to come and show them! I (and my lovely colleagues) have worked hard this week to clear the clutter, make my room more organised and easier to use. This has meant some chucking out-three pieces of furniture-a shelf unit (partially broken), a computer table (which I may need to get back again as, amazingly enough, we are going to get a computer that can stay in the room and the kids can use) and a metal trolley (currently in my kitchen needing some more cleaning before I decide to keep or sell it) This, and moving around of a lot of furniture, plus the arrival of a new book display shelf, have made the room look less messy and more open. Tonight I was there at just gone six, finishing mounting some work for display when the head and the lady who observed me walked into the room next door. Then they came to have a look at my room. The comments were all very positive so that is something and I do feel a bit better about the whole thing. Also we are going to get our interactive whiteboards this week so that will be fun. So, no more moaning for the moment!)