Escapisms

SO I have had an exhausting few days.

NASA was visited on Thursday which was a 10 hour round trip. It was blooming hot but I am glad that I went. It was funny; it started to spit with rain as I was coming into Huston again. Typical I thought! I got to see the last space ship (or part of it) that went to space and came back (was it Apollo 17 - you can tell I took it all in really well!) I touched a lunar rock and saw loads of other mock ups of space ships that astronauts train on before they head up to space. I was hoping to see where the rockets blast off from - even if from a distance but didn’t.

I then went to Sea World in San Antonio on Friday for the day. My god doing a theme park in 106 degree heat is REALLY not that much fun. As most of the kids are back at school though I was lucky as I didn’t have to queue for rides and I got to go on the front row of all of the roller coasters that I went on which really makes it all that more thrilling. Some of them were well high though and I sat next to one bloke on one of them who could not believe that I was a teacher and was going on roller coaster rides - "teachers sure have changed since my day" he said! I saw the Shamu show and all that jazz which I had done before at Sea World in San Diego back in 2001 but fancied going again. I got TOTALLY soaked on a water ride. I saw others who had been clever and taken a towel with them. I thought I was well prepared by having everything in plastic bags inside my rucksack but had neglected to think of being showered by a waterfall and coming out the worst. Soaked RIGHT through with no change of clothes - nice! The ride home was a little uncomfy as I had not dried out! Saw dolphins and stroked one saw sharks in a tank and so on and saw Nemo and Dory and the one with the scar from the film which was great! My new swish camera has taken some pretty good photos and there is a great one of a coral reef that looks like it should be a screen saver - if it comes out as well as it is on the small screen perhaps Ill email it to you to show you.

Audrey and I went to the cinema and out for lunch today. The film was HILARIOUS I laughed and laughed and laughed and I will recommend it to those of you that are old enough to actually see it! (To those of you that are not clicked on, my emails are being sent to some of my former pupils too!!) We also went shopping and had an ice cream. I didn't get too much stuff as I am going to an outlet mall tomorrow - heaven only knows how I am going to get all of it home - new HUGE suitcase or not!!

We are going out to supper to a Mexican restaurant at some point before I go - yeah that would be interesting seeing as the old allergy to bell peppers has not died down! I am sure that there will be something for me to eat without it - like plain tortillas. I am babysitting / spending quality time with the children on Tuesday evening whilst Audrey and Terry go to Hannah's parents evening. We are going to the Oasis for lunch which is a beautiful restaurant over looking Lake Travis that we went to the last time that we were here. Also we are going into Hannah's school for lunch - only if she behaves though - the teacher in me is coming out there! We were meant to be going to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory but I have stopped that as a certain young lady has not been suitably behaved all the time that I have been here to merit me taking her on her own. (She is also reading over my shoulder so I had best stop!) I have promised to play with her in the pool and do various other things instead so I am hoping that she forgets about the movie thing.

Anyway - not such a long one today, can’t believe it is nearly all over and I am hitting reality with a BANG on Friday evening and preparing for the recruitment agencies on Monday morning. HELP ME!!!!!

Hope all is well with you, those still at Regis have a great start of term, I shall be thinking of you all and I have to say I think a small part of me will be wishing that I will still be with you as I sit here by the pool soaking up the sun, reading my book and drinking beer . . no sorry, diet coke. . . I of course don't drink beer :)!!  Those ex Regis new Year 7's - scary! I know you don’t go back till Monday so I look forward to hearing from you next week to find out how big school is all going.

Love and hugs to one and all
Em, Sparksy, Miss Sparks
xxxx