Blog Chat - tell us what your fave blogging experiences have been

I set up my blog as a photo-journal, to document what have done, seen, made, found etc. Just to put things somewhere, really, rather than languishing on my camera card being forgotten. The sort of things I like to see on other people's blogs, too. Such as these oven dried tomatoes.

Walk to Work Week

I don't walk to work; it would take at least two and a half hours, but I walk to and from the tube both ends. So here's a little insight into my walks. I avoid the main road linking school and Waterloo, and instead take a probably longer but more pleasant, quieter and less fume-y route.

British Sandwich Week

I usually take a sandwich to school for my lunch, so here is today's; mature Cheddar cheese and baby plum tomato, on Polish rye bread.

World Fair Trade Day

Buying Fair Trade is much easier these days after the major supermarkets are on board, so here is a little selection from last week's shopping. Yes, I really do like bananas like that!

Yes, I really do like bananas like that!

Motivation

So, what keeps me going? I work hard because I do a job I love. Teaching has many challenges, more and more red tape these days, but if you teach a subject you are passionate about, as I do, you can balance that. I do get bogged down this time of year with 500+ reports to write and hoping I have prepared sufficiently the children for their exams, but I get to sing and play the piano every day, share my love and enthusiasm for music, hear children perform their own compositions, and am still recognised in the street and warmly greeted my past pupils (and, scarily, teach their daughters too) so I must be doing something right!

Our International Evening

I play hard, too. I love being in an orchestra or choir, with my own little bit of the jigsaw. I enjoy the challenge of learning new music and rehearsing, and the thrill of performing in a beautiful church for the concert.

All Saints church, Putney Common, with its wonderful Pre-Raphaelite windows by Burne-Jones, where we have many of our orchestral concerts.

Our little house in the West country is our most recent motivation. There is such a long way to go, and we face the prospect of planning applications, jumping through building regulations' hoops, dust, rubble and noise, but the prospect of a perfect getaway makes it all worthwhile.

And, ultimately, a long and happy retirement!

As ever, I say to myself every morning, "Don't worry, be happy!"

Local History Month - talk about your local area

Hounslow is near to Heathrow, and although close, we are circled by planes rather than have them directly overhead. We have Hounslow Heath on our doorstep, once frequented by the dastardly Dick Turpin, and now 200 acres of Nature Reserve. The Great West Road was the main route out to Bath, along Roman roads and Ley-lines.

We also have a barracks, now for the Welsh Guards, established in the 1790s when the threat of a French invasion was imminent.

We also have a fine hexagaonal Art Deco tube station, built in 1931, designed by the architects Stanley Heaps and Charles Holden, with a wooden panelled ticket office by Basil Ionides. It still has all the original tiling as well. It was the end of Piccadilly Line until the early 1970s, when the line was extended out to the airport.

Gadgets - What are you must haves? Dream gadgets? Or what makes your life easier?

I must confess to being a bit of a Luddite with regard to 'modern technology'! Having said that, I love my iPad, and wouldn't be without it, as I use it every day. Hello Kitty keeps it dust-free.

I don't have an iPod or MP3 player; as a life-long musician I have one hard-wired in my head, and can recall any music where and when I like. I am a very recent convert to the iPhone, having inherited Sean's when he upgraded. Before that I was perfectly happy with my ancient pink Sony Ericsson flip phone. This takes better pictures, though, and it is handy to be able to check email etc. on the go. Don't you love the cover?!

In the kitchen, I rely on my trusty soup maker, a wedding present from Glinda, whose life was transformed by hers. It's like using a kettle, really. Fill her up with chopped vegetables and stock, decide on smooth or chunky texture and switch her on. 30 minutes later, tasty and healthy soup for dinner!

And for my daily smoothie, a glass jug blender. My third one in about 4 years, though, perhaps I need an industrial one!