Mo chéad lá.

Monday 18th:School starts next week so I am in this week to get ready. On Monday next the staff come back (many were in today) without pupils, Tuesday week is Australia Day and the next day the kids come back. It feels for me that August has been moved to January. Offers for University places were even made today.
I arrived in school to see that there were books and furniture in the middle of two classrooms and a teacher wondering when her room would be ready. Great-normality! So I had to get on the phone to find out when the painters were coming, but first had to find out who to phone. Then the data cabinet and server had to be relocated but where to? More phone calls but from the secretaries office as the new furniture for the principal's office had not arrived. More phone calls about that. Then decide wher and got a price for the reloacation of the data cabinet and all the wires etc. but couldn't give the go-ahead until I found out where the money wouuld come from. Did that and the job was started today and will be finished tomorrow. Then four pallets of boxes arrived which were the books and requesites for all the children and teachers- all individually boxed. The pupils are charged a flat rate and everything is got through the school. All pupils get the same so there is no re-using of books from last year. The downside is that there is wastage of second-hand books but the upside is that from the first day each pupil has absolutely everything. All the boxes were laid out in the GP Room by myself and the secretary (Margaret) for collection, next week, by the parents. Met the caretaker (Trevor) and four of the teachers and had a good old chat with them all. Did I mention that there is a building project? well there is and I had another first-I saw a builder in short pants! I noted that he was not wearing a high-vis vest nor a helmet-no Health and Safety raids here. Mary Hallisy would love it here. There was no electricity in one section of the building due to the extension, all the normal stuff that happens in Ireland during an extension and refurbishment. I loved every minute of it and can't wait for tomorrow. There is going to be so much stuff that I am unfamiliar with this coming year, that I am enjoying every moment of the 'familiar'.