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Prince Michael of Kent visits Tollington and Andover: Part 2

Addressing the students of Islington Arts and Media School...

Touring the Andover Estate before the rest of the entourage arrived...

 

 

Our own personal band, its great having such talented people attend and work for the church that can help at these events!

 

I want to call this picture 'The Two Curates'

 

 

'Goodbye and thankyou'. 

 

The security detail :) Actually Ed and Drew wishing they were...

 
 
 
 
 
 

  
 

 

1st Hair Cut

and about time too, you may say, approaching their 6th and 4th birthdays...

 

With no work yesterday, I had the pleasuring of witnessing and of course, photographing this important event. Mum you will be please to know they didn't touch a hair on Jojo's head! After this we read some books and did some songs, Sleeping Bunnies went down really well - always does with all kids...

Well we got through bunnies, frogs, cats, dogs, crocodiles, fairies, ladybirds, birds and ducklings and here are some photos from the duckling verses - where you can see them quacking with their hands (obviously), also this is song for all ages. Liss, Cass, and Jojo aged 5, 3 and 1 all got involved...

See those sleeping ducklings sleeping til its noon
Come lets wake them with our merry tune
They're so still, are they ill? 
Wake up soon.....

(Sing this first verse slowly it maybe the first and only chance to get all the children to be quiet at once all day)

 

Quack little ducklings
Quack, Quack, Quack 
Quack, Quack, Quack 
Quack, Quack, Quack 
Quack little ducklings
Quack, Quack, Quack 
Quack, and Stop!

(Send them all back to sleep for the next animal)

The Supply Nursery Nurse's Survival Guide...

Little did I know 10 years ago the day I took my very first supply job at Andover Early Years Centre that right now, I would be looking down on the building site of that knocked down nursery standing next to Prince Michael of Kent, or that I would have worked in 85 different child care providing establishments. I like to think that is one of the things I do well, go into a nursery and slot right in. 

First things first, what is a nursery nurse you ask? It is not to do with nursing, it is to do with nurseries and the job is also known as Early Years Educator, which is more accurate but well, old habits die hard!

So its 7:30, the school have given you the placement and you are on your way...

Top 10 tips to being a supply nursery nurse

1. Travel Help
Keep a map or phone with GPS and web access, TfL Journey Planner is your friend. Check out the route and pick the simplest. The last thing you need in a new area is complicated directions that will probably make your journey longer.

2. Bags
Your bag should contain: your smartphone (may need to call up agency, use internet to survive boredom on long journeys), ipod (again, to survive boredom on long journeys. My present placement is 1 hour away minimum and frequently longer). Oyster card (don't get stuck buying tickets in long queues at the station if you can avoid it). I.D (some schools require it), money / lunch.

3. Lunch
You can take lunch, but be prepared not all nurseries will have microwaves, indeed not all nurseries even have staffroooms. For this reason I prefer to take money and visit a local cafe just until I have sussed out the facilities and the friendliness of the staff. It ain't fun sitting in the staffroom for an hour with no one to talk to.

4. Important info
Once you find the school and sign in, your first questions should be:
Where are the fire exits?
Where are the toilets, children's and adults?
What is the timetable? (sometimes I leave this one, it makes things more entertaining throughout the day)
When are the breaks, how long are the breaks?
Are there any children I should be particularly aware of for any reason? (again, if left to chance this can make things more interesting and means you don't have any preconceptions. how ever it is useful to know if Mohammed is a child genius and as he knows the entire works of Mozart already Twinkle Twinkle maybe beneath him or Susie is prone to violent outbursts, or Julio does not speak or understand a word of English). 
What time will you need me till? (this rarely matches the time the agency have told you, usually they tell you 3:30 and the school say 4pm, I haven't yet worked out who is getting it wrong).

5. Names
If you can't remember names, just call them 'babe', you can also say 'darling', 'sweetheart' and 'honey' depending on personal preference, these are more likely to get responses from the children such as 'i'm not honey, I'm a girl'. If anyone complains point out you have had to learn 60 new names this week, its the best you can do. I think I have worked with and had to remember the names of over 2000 children, it gets hard and something has to give. 

6. The teachers are always right, even when they are wrong. Supply nursery nursing probably isn't the best career for someone who doesn't like to be bossed about and it is generally just to get to work with what ever you are asked, however stand your ground.
Some places do like to take liberties and might have you with too many children, for daycare the ratios are these: 
0 - 2 years = 1:3
2 years = 1:4
3 - 7 years = 1:8

I was asked not to return to one nursery after complaining about them breaking the ratios, I don't regret that, it is better for you to stand up for yourself and lose work at that school than risk losing your career from any consequence of them breaking the rules. Your agency should be supportive and find you another school, if not then change agency.

Be confident with yourself and the school will be confident with you.

7. Go the extra mile
If it is a school you like and you want to be asked back, it is good to go the extra mile. Impress them, do it anyway, schools communicated and if you have a good reputation with one school you never know where it might lead. One way that always goes down well is cleaning and tidying - teachers love it when the nursery nurse does a good job with the cleaning paints for example

8. Practical clothes 
This should have come earlier but here is now, don't wear a suit or white or designer clothes. It ain't cool, it ain't practical and it suggests you don't have a clue about what is involved in the care, development or education of young children. Unless of course you really don't mind your favourite designer clothes being puked, pooed or painted on. BTW Keep white vinegar at home, it gets rid of puke, poo, paint and blood. Amazing stuff.

9. Learn the most common books off by heart, they are a great fall back option when needed, most nurseries will have them too, such as 'We're going on a bear hunt' and 'The Hungry Caterpillar are my favourites.

10. Have fun, this is a must have of any top 10 list so I thought I would include it here. Some places are just lovely, some can be shockers but your day will go a lot quicker if you can enjoy it and have fun.

I haz a sad :(

On the morning after he died I bought myself to wash his bowl out, later on this note materialised courtesy of big bro Ali. Pretty well sums it up, its still strange to think we don't need to feed him and won't seem him in his usual sleeping places. Their are signs of him all over the place, his bowl, food, biscuits and of course the sleeping places. I get my cat fix on icanhazcheeseburger.com...

Saying Goodbye to Berry

Any of you who look more than occasionally at my blog have spotted the face and stories of our cat, Berry. Well very sadly we said goodbye to him yesterday after he died suddenly of a suspected blood clot. He just two weeks ago passed his annual check-up and was in good health right up to the last minute which although made it such a shock, has also been a comfort to know he didn't suffer at all.

We are such cat people, that our cats have all been a part of the family, and Berry was so much treasured by all of us. With that he has left quite a hole, the chairs are empty, no cat begging for biscuits or hugs. I firmly believe a house without a cat is a house without a soul. 

It was a funny day yesterday, it started off with me taking 2 hours and 20 minutes to get to work in the morning for a journey that should have taken 1 hour. The job itself is somewhat challenging and as I got the train in the evening to go to Rainbows I got the call from Dad to let me know about Berry. I was grateful to get to see him, he looked just as though he was asleep, before continuing on to Rainbows. 

After Rainbows I found out that I have been offered a job as a nanny in London, which I have accepted. The 14 month job hunt is finally at an end!! Obviously I have various temporary jobs throughout that time but this will be permanent. A big change, but I am looking forward to it!

Obviously I am not looking forward to a house without Berry Cat, but thanks Berry for the all the good times! You proved to me boy cats are not so bad after all!

Prince Michael of Kent visits Tollington and Andover

Sandy Millar and the Prince taking a stroll, having a chat... 

 

Meeting the head of IAMS

 

No idea what they are looking at, certainly wasn't me, but possibly this might be one of my favourite photos. Not sure why. It is though.

 

Ooops no, this is my favourite, at the top of one of the Andover blocks, looking out across the estate and Islington.

 

Surrounded by Balfour Beatty's work in progress...

So today a prince came to visit! Do you remember Andover Estate / Soul in the City? Yes well, Prince Michael of Kent came today to see it, as well as IAMS (Islington Arts and Media School) and St Marks Church. I was lucky enough to get a free pass to follow him and take lots and lots of photos.

Oh what joy feels my heart when someone says, 'take as many as you please, and we won't complain, not one little bit, not even when you use the flash!' 

So there I was one of the paparazzi, a welcome break from nursery nursing, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Wish the weather had not been quite sunny, sun combined with light coloured hair, not a good mix. Makes one rather look like an angel. But I am glad it didn't rain, that would have been a bit rubbish. 

The Prince started with meeting various people at St Marks, then walked down to IAMS, where he was met some of the staff and then 10 children in 10 different languages each greeted the prince individually. After that a bunch of kids sang for him, followed by two dance performances and the prince gave out an award for literacy. Plus two kids interviewed him. Very well organised. After this the prince drove back over to the estate and I with another photographer walked very fast and were quite pleased to get their first whilst the others were waiting for a car or something.

All in all it was a good day, and when I get round to it, I shall post a few more pictures to flickr. Hope you enjoy the ones above though!

 

The Prince and Sandy pose. Thank you and good night!

Sisters in the park

Recently when I found myself with a day off I was able to take advantage of the fact they  my nieces are homeschool and go and spend some time with them, we went to the local park.

 What can I tell you about these girls? They are such a delightful pair.

- Like most other girls in the world they have succombed to stereotypes and like to look pink and pretty.
- They play just lovely together, most of the time! Drawing or writing, Cass has watched her sister and copies her letters and has learnt to keep between the lines.
- They like to superimpose themselves in to their books and pictures. They are reading Angelina Ballerina? They will identify each character as being one of themselves and their friends. 'Thats LissaLou, thats CassCass, thats Joel, etc' They do that with pretty much everything. 
- They do not look much like each other at the moment, although neither did Heather and I at their age but I think you can still tell they are sisters...
- They love to read books and be read too, an ideal fit for the family they were born into where there is a huge love of books. 

With homeschooling everyone says 'what about the socialisation?' Believe me thats not a problem, these girls get plenty of socialisation. Their BFF's live just around the corner, they go to ballet class and other things like that and sunday school at church. Socialisation. Not a problem.

One advantage of homeschool, an empty park during the day. Joy!

 

 

 

When even autumn is dying off...

We really can't complain, really we can't I feel like we had a pretty decent summer, considering British weather an' all - and it lasted a long time, finally disappearing in october. But now it is that time when the best of autumn is disapearing and leaving behind the dredges

But the dredges always make for decent photos. Its those long shadows. And the white light.

 

And the canadian geese are not bad either.

 

In fact even the leaves look cool.

So whilst I am all caught up somewhere between Work, Guides, Rainbows, Interviews, Swimming, Photography, Church and occasionally eating and sleeping... I will enjoy the bits of nature that come my way - see how these leaves are holding on to the very last minute?

 

That reminds me, if you get on the Barking Overland at Leytonstone High Road towards Gospel Oak, and sit on the left hand side, around 4pm in the afternoon (this time of year) you can watch the most amazing sunset over the East London skyline. I've no pictures.  But I am sure you can visualise, it it is quite a treat to see!

Happy Bonfire Night!

Well it was thursday. on the 5th but lots of the displays have been today as well so hopefully not too late to remember the day Guy Fawkes nearly blew up Parliament.

Here are some photos of the fireworks party hosted by my sister and family in their backyard, in a part of London where it is legal to have bonfires...

 

  

 

 

The Autumn Garden

Last week it was my pleasure to go and hang out with my sister and friend, whose kids you have seen on this blog many times, over at my sister's house and their beautiful garden which embodies the spirit of Autumn in an beautiful way. 

So to say I was gutted when I realised I had my camera etc and forgotten the memory card was a bit of an understatement and to find out that my sister had an old memory card of the right size was a big relief

There was however one catch, at 250mb, it would hold about 30 pictures. So that was my challenge, to make the photos good to start of with and delete as I went along. It made post processing a lot easier but boy it was hard to not get carried away taking as many photos as I liked!

  

At the end of the garden stands a summer house, which they are using as an activity room for the kids, especially useful with the homeschooling. At the moment it is a grocery shop, complete with oven (in case you order a panini and want it warmed up), a shoptil which reads credit cards, shelves, and seating area.

 

 

This lovely little bell was lying abandoned on the grass when Heather and Alberto moved in to the house, happily Alberto has given it a proper home at the garden door and is a great way of calling people into dinner. 

Heather made this lovely dish which accentuates the amazing autumn colours. At 20 degrees the weather was warm enough for us to eat in the garden.