Testing The Teaching Territory (Sponsored Post)

I met my husband at a house party near Swansea. Turned out he wasn't from around there but lived in the heart of Hampshire, which caused great fun for our developing romance as every weekend we took it in turns to travel to see each other. I was in the second year of university at the time and halfway through my final year, we had to start thinking about what would happen when I graduated.

Where would we live and work?

We decided on a halfway point, meeting in the middle metaphorically and literally right from the word go. Reading was a good place for him because of the proximity to London and the dotcom boom, and it was only just under two hours back home again for me to see my family who I'd lived with for the previous 23 years.

And so in the March before I finished my degree, I started looking for jobs in Reading. The very first job I applied for I received an invitation to interview for, and consequently got the job. I was the first person on my degree course to get a job and I happily started in the following September.

Right, now for the ridiculousness of the situation. Prior to having the interview, my (then) boyfriend had been living in Reading for three months and during that time I had visited it half a dozen times. Before he moved there, I'd never been to Reading. I applied for the job not knowing where the school was. In fact, I called a taxi to take me to the school and it drove across the main road, turned left and left again and we were there. The fare cost £2.70. That's how close it was to his flat and I had no idea. I moved to a city I didn't know, to work in a school I didn't know, and completely changed everything in my life.

For the three years we lived there I was beyond homesick and couldn't wait to come home. I hadn't done my research you see? And despite loving the school I worked in, I knew nothing of the town or the area, it was as far removed from my home town as it could be. I should have visited it properly first and researched the way of life there, and the schools in the area. I did like living there, the proximity to London and easy access to most major cities was a bonus, but it lacked the seaside and lush landscapes that I was used to, the hustle and bustle was extreme.

I do recommend that teachers branch out and explore working in different areas of the country; it gave me the best experience and working in areas closer to London really opened up a range of cultural experiences. The key is to researching the area first though.

Kent County Council Schools have realised that before teachers make life-altering decisions like I did, that it's wise to test out the area first and see which lifestyle opportunity suits. They have launched a competition on Facebook to provide teachers with the opportunity to see what it would be like living and teaching in Kent.

Kent is often referred to as Garden of England with beautiful countryside and coastline, but at the same time provides easy access to London and the Continent. That close to the capital city of the U.K. provides a wealth of career opportunities to choose from one of the largest local authorities in the country. Kent County Council Schools are committed to attracting new, experienced and talented teachers and the competition on Facebook allows for teachers interested in living and working there to find out about the county by potentially experiencing an all expenses weekend away in the county.


Entrants are invited to submit a story on My Perfect Kent Day, for a chance to win a weekend with all expenses paid in Kent. The stories will be shortlisted and introduced to a public to vote for the favourite one. The story that receives the most votes will win.

I wish I'd had that opportunity before I moved to another county!

Sponsored Post

The Scent Of Christmas

Christmas is a special time of year for me and I love the whole festive season. I can't wait to get the decorations out and dress up the house with sparkling lights and shiny decorations everywhere; the main living areas are alive with colour and twinklinh fairy lights. To add to this sensory overload, it's the one time of year that I use scented candles to add the slightest hint of cinnamon, nutmeg, pine, velvety wine and all the other warm Winter smells.

Potters Crouch is a company who create scented candles and these are like the Hotel Chocolat of candles; exquisite.

"Each candle is handmade, hand–labelled and hand–finished in our 300 year old converted barn nestled in the heart of the English countryside in Hertfordshire…

We believe our candles are superior to any others crafted in the UK as we only ever use the finest of ingredients and original scents created exclusively for us. With our added special ingredients we are also able to offer you candles with a superior burn time of approximately 50 hours…"

I was sent two of the seasonal candles: Festive Spice and the aptly named Christmas.

festive spice

Festive Spice has an orange, mulled wine and eastern spices scent to it and is finished with small green and red crystals on the top. Christmas has spices blended with pine forests and rich orange scents with gold crystals on the top. These additional decorations really make the candles seem that little bit extra-special along with the labels which have come from hand-drawn prints.

I can't wait to crack them open come December, and with fifty hours burn time each, they're bound to last for the festive season.

The Potters Crouch Christmas candles are available individually for £8.50 or in a set of five (with three other fragrances) for £35.50.

I was sent these for the purpose of this review, my opinion is honest and unbiased.

Monday 12th November 2012 – 'Picasso or Monet?' (317/366)

This is the first time I've actually asked The Boy to paint something specific rather than let him paint randomly (or exploring brushstrokes as I probably should refer to it!). I said to him, "Could you paint mummy a garden please?" and this was the end result without any prompting!

I particularly love the blades of grass with mud underneath, and the 'petals' on the sun.

"When I Dream Of Christmas" (Book Review)

Christmas is such a special time of year for young families; the excitement is almost tangible, the cold Winter days are filled with laughter and squeals of delight as the magic weaves its way through each new exploration. Our house is no different to anyone else's, stories are delivered through elf-filled films and books with Santa delivering presents galore.

Every family has their favourite books and we are no exception. I've discovered a new book which is an absolute delight to share with The Boy.

In the same style of When I Dream Of ABC the book covers a different element of Christmas, and Winter in general, on each double page. These associations (like sledging, holly, carol singers, Christmas cards) are depicted in beautiful, full-colour illustrations on one page and explained in a humorous prose on the opposite page.

I really like the range of Christmas associations covered in a fun and friendly manner, it's definitely a Christmas treasure to keep for years to come. The cover of the book is embossed with 'snow glitter' and the pages inside are thick and glossy.

'When I Dream Of Christmas' is available from Top That! Publishing for the excellent price of £6.99

I was sent this item for the purpose of this review, my opinion is honest and unbiased.

CBeebies CD (Review & Giveaway)

During half-term I dropped The Boy off for his normal nursery session and drove away singing to the CD. It was half a mile before I realised I'd been singing the theme tune to Rastamouse. Hastily I turned on the radio trying to regain my credibility.

Earlier today I could hear The Boy singing in the living room, I listened carefully and could hear him beautifully singing the tune to Woolly and Tig, getting every word correct.

[Read more…]

Slow Cooked Gammon In Coke

Since I've had my Morphy Richards Slow Cooker (48701 'Sear & Stew') I have been far more happy to cook meat than I ever was before. The fact that it can be used on the stove to sear the meat, then transferred to the slow cooker, and even placed on the table as a serving dish means it's quick and convenient to use. My husband reports it is also one of the easiest things to wash up as well!

For a vegetarian, it means that cooking meat is easy: minimal handling is necessary, a few extra flavours are popped in and the meat-eating members of my family (all the men bizarrely) are over the moon with the results. I tend to buy quality joints from the reduced section in the supermarkets and then freeze them until needed, and I've picked up some real bargains. This gammon joint was less than £2.00!

Ingredients:

  • Gammon joint
  • Half a can of coke (about 150ml)
  • Mushrooms
  • Leeks
  • Salt and pepper
  • Stock cube
  • Cornflour
  • A knob of butter
  1. Place the inner pot on the hob and melt the butter. Add the leeks and mushrooms and sweat them for a few minutes until the leeks turn almost translucent. Stir in the stock cube.
  2. Cross the fatty side of the gammon and sprinkle on salt and pepper, this will help it to crisp up.
  3. Put the gammon into the pot on top of the mixture and sear each side for thirty seconds-a minute, turning once each side is done. This helps keep the 'juices' in the meat as it's cooking.
  4. Transfer the pot to the slow cooker and pour in the coke. Place the lid on top and leave to cook on medium for five-six hours or high for four hours.
  5. Once cooked, remove the gammon and set aside to rest for a few minutes while transferring the pot back to the hob. Add a teaspoon of for flour and stir in with a wooden or plastic spatula. This will thicken into a gravy to use with the gammon.
  6. Serve with the usual roast vegetables!

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Linking up to Mediocre Mum's Slow Cooker Sunday

366 #45

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