At this time last year I was reflecting on the general pain of an English winter and the habits of the people who live through it. Looking at the list at least I have done something about the things I can change. I am flying out to warmer climes when the school holiday starts.
Derwent water
Derwent in winter
Since last year my job has changed, I now am expected to spend half my time on pastoral work. Over the last ten days I am spending every minute of the day on pastoral work, dealing with staff, parents and students who are not coping with the time of year. The students express there anxiety by falling out with each other. The frightening thing is that large numbers of other students are forcing the children who have fallen out with each other to fight. They do this by following them around goading them to fight and then surrounding them and pushing them together. I have interviewed a lot of students who ended up fighting not because they wanted to but because they were forced to.
This year it is worse – we do not finish to the 22nd December,
Reflection of Derwent bridge from the far side of Ladybower reservoir