le brouillard

Around dusk the birds here start going crazy. As the sun dips low, they swoop down in huge clouds and squabble among their factions for the prime position in the belltower and rafters of the Eglise Saint-Leu. Great ungainly swarms of pigeons clamour with the synchronised fleets of starlings, who retire to the trees next to the church as dusk settles but don't shut up for hours. The odd bat flaps around too, sadly not en masse. I need to stand outside the church with my camera one day.

Yesterday was a wonderful day of eerie freezing fog. I took this picture of workmen putting up the Christmas lights. They're up on the high street, too, and on my road, and there are some snowmen lights ready to be lit up in December outside one of my schools. I can't wait! (Probably because Christmas lights mean my birthday's getting really close...)

As for work, it's getting routine now (which I suppose is a good thing?). As long as the kids don't start finding me boring. The Twin Total has gone up to 6 pairs now with the addition of Annalise and Gwendoline to my CP class (seriously, if there ever was a class that could melt an icy heart...) I've even sort-of managed to win over the less cooperative members of my CM2 (10-11yrs) class (hint: anything to do with football gets attention). In the younger classes I sort of play the comic relief foil to the teacher, but it would pretty much be career suicide if I exposed a more human side with the CM2 class.

And everything else? Bike rides, pub, beer, good conversation and friends, which well balance out the missing Bangor and going-back-to-uni-oh-god-i'll-have-forgotten-how-to-study anxiety. I don't think I ever want to leave.