September Song

Rossini's in Shipley, Happy Anniversary to Our House, Outdoor dining in Tollerton

September Song

Sally and I went out for a meal, ostensibly to celebrate 25 years living in the house we do, but mainly to try out a new restaurant within walking distance: Rossini’s in Shipley. An Italian family ran a restaurant (D’Atonino’s) in the same building for many decades and the relaunched place has a similar menu but fancy new décor and of course plenty of Covid safety arrangements. It was lovely. And it was good to be out and about in the evening as summer begins to fade. Time to trim the beech hedge, put a fancy new number on our gatepost and get in some final walks before the weather turns too cold….

New (Academic) Year, New Term, New Start

For nigh on 33 years, September was always the beginning of a New Term in my teaching career. Time to check the stapler, Sellotape, hole punch, paper supplies, exercise books…. I can imagine this year’s New Start excitement will be complicated by feelings of uncertainty and nervousness as many pupils will be returning to school for the first time in weeks…. Bear in mind that some pupils (children of key workers) and many teachers have been working throughout the whole period of lockdown/semi-lockdown/are-we-locked-down-or-not…. I know from experience, though, that all teachers, all support staff, all the many adults who contribute to the UK education system and all students (from the age of 4 to 19) will do their very best to make something happen. Children will arrive with something in their brains and hearts and they will leave at the end of each day with more.  (PS I don’t believe anyone needs to “catch up” – they just carry on from where they are – “catching up” is a media-constructed myth that presupposes education is a straightforward one-size-fits-all-linear experience. Spoiler alert – it ain’t.) Here’s to Autumn and the Falling Leaves of Golden-Brown-Wisdom and the Harvest season….. and the season of my Birth Day….

Walk to Gilstead, Steps in Northcliffe woods, Tai Chi in Roberts Park (I hesitate to identify me)