Tuesday:
I submitted two assignments/exercises last week when sick. One, I uploaded the cover sheet twice and didn't include the actual assignment (which I had done). The other, I didn't even realise there was a part two until the teacher emailed me that I'd only done half the work. So, lesson is, don't try to do thinking work when you have the flu! If you have a choice. I have resubmitted both now but I don't know if they are up to my usual standard. I still feel rubbish.
I had a three hour workshop this afternoon that counted as a big part of my assessment for one subject. Digital Repository Management - I had to scan in some photos and documents, make a high quality archive version, a lower quality downloadable version, convert .wav files to .mp3, convert multiple .tif files to one .pdf, stuff like that. Not hard, but unfamiliar to me before this subject. Luckily we had a manual that we could refer to! I think I did ok. But it was a late day, got home exhausted well after my usual dinner time. Tim made yummy butter chicken which I was almost too tired to eat.
Aiden says he doesn't feel sick any more, but his cough has got worse. A nasty deep barking sound. I'll take him to the doctor tomorrow.
Showing posts with label exam. Show all posts
Showing posts with label exam. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 27, 2018
Sunday, November 19, 2017
Exam week
Monday:
My weight this morning was 75.2 kg, up 0.1 kg from last week. I consider 0.1 kg maintenance rather than a gain, that is half a glass of water, but obviously I need to keep an eye on it. I've "gained" 0.1 kg two weeks in a row! I am not actively trying to lose right now (while sick and stressed, and after 3 months of dieting) but I do not want to undo what I have achieved.
I had another phone role-play exam this morning, where I pretend to be library staff and the teacher pretends to be a customer/other staff. I'm good at customer service and I know the subject matter because I study, but I still get gut-twistingly nervous. Literally spent 10 minutes on the toilet with cramps, panicking that I was going to get back to my desk too late and miss the call. I was the same before opening night when I did theatre. Once the performance starts I'm fine.
Several people asked me to buy them tickets for Jasmine's dance concert yesterday. One who had not paid me yet for her families' tickets called 10 minutes before the show started to say they had a sick child and couldn't come. I doubt the sick child needed both parents' care, why couldn't one parent plus other child come to the show? Or they could have called a little earlier so I could make other arrangements! Luckily I knew someone who wanted to come but couldn't get tickets and who lived very close, so I called them and left the spare tickets at the desk for them, they had made other plans so could only come for part of the show but at least they saw Jasmine's first routine and the tickets weren't totally wasted. If I sound ungenerous about someone with a sick child - well some people you just run out of generosity for! That is $73 I'll never see again. And I have to bitch about it somewhere.
I didn't mean to have a nap today but I lay down on my bed "for just a few minutes" after lunch and fell asleep straight away. My throat is still sore too. A bit better each day though.
We are getting alternating rain and warm sunshine at the moment. The garden is loving it - particularly the weeds! We haven't finished mulching the new garden beds at the back and the once bare earth is now a sea of purslane. We've had a few things from the vegetable patch: zucchini, cucumber, lettuce and beans, plus herbs. The only things that refuse to grow are the peas, they don't die but they sit there the same size as when I planted them out as seedlings two months ago. Snow peas and garden peas - three punnets of seedlings at two different times weeks apart. No idea why, I haven't had trouble with peas before. Everything else is rampant.
My weight this morning was 75.2 kg, up 0.1 kg from last week. I consider 0.1 kg maintenance rather than a gain, that is half a glass of water, but obviously I need to keep an eye on it. I've "gained" 0.1 kg two weeks in a row! I am not actively trying to lose right now (while sick and stressed, and after 3 months of dieting) but I do not want to undo what I have achieved.
I had another phone role-play exam this morning, where I pretend to be library staff and the teacher pretends to be a customer/other staff. I'm good at customer service and I know the subject matter because I study, but I still get gut-twistingly nervous. Literally spent 10 minutes on the toilet with cramps, panicking that I was going to get back to my desk too late and miss the call. I was the same before opening night when I did theatre. Once the performance starts I'm fine.
Several people asked me to buy them tickets for Jasmine's dance concert yesterday. One who had not paid me yet for her families' tickets called 10 minutes before the show started to say they had a sick child and couldn't come. I doubt the sick child needed both parents' care, why couldn't one parent plus other child come to the show? Or they could have called a little earlier so I could make other arrangements! Luckily I knew someone who wanted to come but couldn't get tickets and who lived very close, so I called them and left the spare tickets at the desk for them, they had made other plans so could only come for part of the show but at least they saw Jasmine's first routine and the tickets weren't totally wasted. If I sound ungenerous about someone with a sick child - well some people you just run out of generosity for! That is $73 I'll never see again. And I have to bitch about it somewhere.
I didn't mean to have a nap today but I lay down on my bed "for just a few minutes" after lunch and fell asleep straight away. My throat is still sore too. A bit better each day though.
We are getting alternating rain and warm sunshine at the moment. The garden is loving it - particularly the weeds! We haven't finished mulching the new garden beds at the back and the once bare earth is now a sea of purslane. We've had a few things from the vegetable patch: zucchini, cucumber, lettuce and beans, plus herbs. The only things that refuse to grow are the peas, they don't die but they sit there the same size as when I planted them out as seedlings two months ago. Snow peas and garden peas - three punnets of seedlings at two different times weeks apart. No idea why, I haven't had trouble with peas before. Everything else is rampant.
Wednesday, November 8, 2017
Chainsaw
Thursday:
I thought I was over the flu (or whatever it is) but continued to feel tired and needing a nap every afternoon. Exercise or anything strenuous made me feel dizzy and sick. Yesterday I felt worse, and Jasmine was home sick with it - so now the whole family has had it! - and today am worse again and stayed home from TAFE. It wasn't a good day to try to sleep, the council are doing some gardening just across the road - with chainsaws! And a woodchipper. Not kind on a headache.
I emailed my cataloguing teacher to ask for today's lesson and homework. I'd been increasingly worried about the exam I did last week considering I was coming down sick at the time, but turns out I got 100%! So I'm very relieved and happy about that. I was slow, but thorough, so that is ok.
The weather forecast for the weekend wasn't good, so we've postponed our pool-warming party again. Maybe we should have waited until summer in the first place, but we had some really hot days! Then cold and rainy. Now it's gone back to around 22C, quite nice but not really swimming weather.
OMG will they please shut up with the chainsaw already!!
I thought I was over the flu (or whatever it is) but continued to feel tired and needing a nap every afternoon. Exercise or anything strenuous made me feel dizzy and sick. Yesterday I felt worse, and Jasmine was home sick with it - so now the whole family has had it! - and today am worse again and stayed home from TAFE. It wasn't a good day to try to sleep, the council are doing some gardening just across the road - with chainsaws! And a woodchipper. Not kind on a headache.
I emailed my cataloguing teacher to ask for today's lesson and homework. I'd been increasingly worried about the exam I did last week considering I was coming down sick at the time, but turns out I got 100%! So I'm very relieved and happy about that. I was slow, but thorough, so that is ok.
The weather forecast for the weekend wasn't good, so we've postponed our pool-warming party again. Maybe we should have waited until summer in the first place, but we had some really hot days! Then cold and rainy. Now it's gone back to around 22C, quite nice but not really swimming weather.
OMG will they please shut up with the chainsaw already!!
Monday, November 6, 2017
Dragon
Tuesday:
We had a visit from a dragon today. I was out gardening and I had just edged around our resident blue-tongue lizard Grumpy (I wasn't scared of him, I just didn't want to disturb him) who was out getting some sun, when I saw a flash of extremely fast movement go up the rock wall and over the lip of the pool. So I walked around to the other side (no sudden movements) to see a water dragon clinging to the wall, unsuccessfully hiding from me.
It's a mineral pool, so it's not exactly drinking quality but shouldn't hurt him/her. It is good to know that despite us ripping just about every original plant out of the backyard and being a construction site for a year, the wildlife is still happy to live here.
I did an exam this morning, I do that subject online and it was multiple choice so I got my results straight away - 100%! It's worth 50% of the total for that subject - Copyright. So yay.
I thought 100% was pretty good, but then Jasmine came home and said she got 103% in her Spanish exam by getting everything right plus some bonus marks. Snotty kid.
We had a visit from a dragon today. I was out gardening and I had just edged around our resident blue-tongue lizard Grumpy (I wasn't scared of him, I just didn't want to disturb him) who was out getting some sun, when I saw a flash of extremely fast movement go up the rock wall and over the lip of the pool. So I walked around to the other side (no sudden movements) to see a water dragon clinging to the wall, unsuccessfully hiding from me.
It's a mineral pool, so it's not exactly drinking quality but shouldn't hurt him/her. It is good to know that despite us ripping just about every original plant out of the backyard and being a construction site for a year, the wildlife is still happy to live here.
I did an exam this morning, I do that subject online and it was multiple choice so I got my results straight away - 100%! It's worth 50% of the total for that subject - Copyright. So yay.
I thought 100% was pretty good, but then Jasmine came home and said she got 103% in her Spanish exam by getting everything right plus some bonus marks. Snotty kid.
Thursday, November 2, 2017
Tired
Thursday:
I had my second cataloguing exam this morning. I think it went ok. Afterwards, my teacher told me about another cataloguing job going (a paid job this time, not a short-term internship, which I haven’t heard about yet), but it’s way over the other side of the city and would be about two hours travel each way. No way I can manage that within the kids’ school hours! I might investigate whether there is any option for working from home, but that defeats part of the purpose of working, for me. I’ve been home by myself too long.
I was feeling crushingly tired last night and went to bed early. I wasn’t worried, I’m usually tired in the evening. But today I was exhausted all day. Walking up stairs was like climbing a mountain, I could hardly keep my eyes open in class (not great in an exam!), fell asleep on the train on they way home and then napped at home until it was time to take the kids to gymnastics. Takeaway for dinner. I assume I’m coming down with something, hope it’s not too bad.
Speaking of sleeping in class, that girl Jessica still spends most lessons face down on her desk. When she is awake, she can be quite argumentative, often about random things nothing to do with the work, like politics. But mostly she sleeps. This afternoon she snoozed through the teacher’s explanation and while we were working on an exercise. Then we went around the class giving the answers. She was prodded awake but obviously she had no answers to give! She hadn’t even turned on her computer. After a moment the teacher moved on. I still wonder why on earth she is there! Why does she come to class? And why do the teachers put up with it? I suppose they may know something I don’t, that excuses her behaviour.
Lauren was having a bad day. She’s the other girl up for the internship. In the morning exam, right near the end, she knocked over her water bottle. She and Jake next to her had to scramble to keep everything out of the puddle, and it took her three trips to the bathroom at the other end of the hall to get enough paper towel to clean it up. But at least it was only water. At lunch, I was sitting with her and a couple of other people when she spilled her salad (with dressing) onto herself. And in the afternoon class she suddenly said she was getting a really strong smell... she investigated her backpack and found that her bottle of hand sanitizer had ‘exploded’ in her words. She wearily dragged herself and her bag off to the bathroom. Some days maybe you just shouldn’t get out of bed.
Speaking of which, time for sleeping.
I had my second cataloguing exam this morning. I think it went ok. Afterwards, my teacher told me about another cataloguing job going (a paid job this time, not a short-term internship, which I haven’t heard about yet), but it’s way over the other side of the city and would be about two hours travel each way. No way I can manage that within the kids’ school hours! I might investigate whether there is any option for working from home, but that defeats part of the purpose of working, for me. I’ve been home by myself too long.
I was feeling crushingly tired last night and went to bed early. I wasn’t worried, I’m usually tired in the evening. But today I was exhausted all day. Walking up stairs was like climbing a mountain, I could hardly keep my eyes open in class (not great in an exam!), fell asleep on the train on they way home and then napped at home until it was time to take the kids to gymnastics. Takeaway for dinner. I assume I’m coming down with something, hope it’s not too bad.
Speaking of sleeping in class, that girl Jessica still spends most lessons face down on her desk. When she is awake, she can be quite argumentative, often about random things nothing to do with the work, like politics. But mostly she sleeps. This afternoon she snoozed through the teacher’s explanation and while we were working on an exercise. Then we went around the class giving the answers. She was prodded awake but obviously she had no answers to give! She hadn’t even turned on her computer. After a moment the teacher moved on. I still wonder why on earth she is there! Why does she come to class? And why do the teachers put up with it? I suppose they may know something I don’t, that excuses her behaviour.
Lauren was having a bad day. She’s the other girl up for the internship. In the morning exam, right near the end, she knocked over her water bottle. She and Jake next to her had to scramble to keep everything out of the puddle, and it took her three trips to the bathroom at the other end of the hall to get enough paper towel to clean it up. But at least it was only water. At lunch, I was sitting with her and a couple of other people when she spilled her salad (with dressing) onto herself. And in the afternoon class she suddenly said she was getting a really strong smell... she investigated her backpack and found that her bottle of hand sanitizer had ‘exploded’ in her words. She wearily dragged herself and her bag off to the bathroom. Some days maybe you just shouldn’t get out of bed.
Speaking of which, time for sleeping.
Monday, October 23, 2017
Milestone
Monday:
This morning I weighed 75.9 kg, another 0.7 kg lost. Under 76 kg is a big milestone for me. I remember quite clearly that when my weight was on the way up, sometime after getting married (when I got down to 69 kg) but I'm not sure when exactly, 76 kg was the point where I really started to feel uncomfortable with how I looked. I'm not going to say I hated myself or any part of my body, but at that point I went from just wanting to lose weight to really feeling fat. Weight loss went from a casual desire to one of the big issues of my life, something to struggle with nearly every day since. Getting back under that is awesome, and having someone notice my weight loss yesterday a bonus!
I am terrible at taking selfies, but this is me today.
I had another phone role-play exam this morning, this one about helping a customer find fiction to read ('I really liked Bridget Jones's Diary, do you have anything else like that?). I was a bit nervous already, I like written exams but not face-to-face (or in this case .... mouth-to-ear?), I get performance anxiety, but it went ok. I hadn't realised that the preparation I'd done on the weekend was only for a practice example, but I was given time to prepare the real thing before the phone chat.
My father-in-law's partner Jo didn't come to dinner last night. She's had four weeks of chemo and radiotherapy, with two to go, and is starting to feel pretty sick from it. Des tries to stay upbeat but I think he is pretty worried. I sent food home with him but I don't know if she'll be able to eat it. Cancer is a real bastard.
We've been keeping an eye on the weather forecast as we want to have a pool-warming party now that it is finished and landscaped, but the temperature has tended to plummet on the weekends. We're heading into Christmas season when everyone is very busy so we've just made a decision and are having the party in a couple of weeks, before everyone's time gets booked up. We'll heat the pool and just hope we don't get a storm or something! Warm/hot weather would be nice, please weather gods.
And I get two more weeks before everyone sees me in a swimming costume...
This morning I weighed 75.9 kg, another 0.7 kg lost. Under 76 kg is a big milestone for me. I remember quite clearly that when my weight was on the way up, sometime after getting married (when I got down to 69 kg) but I'm not sure when exactly, 76 kg was the point where I really started to feel uncomfortable with how I looked. I'm not going to say I hated myself or any part of my body, but at that point I went from just wanting to lose weight to really feeling fat. Weight loss went from a casual desire to one of the big issues of my life, something to struggle with nearly every day since. Getting back under that is awesome, and having someone notice my weight loss yesterday a bonus!
I am terrible at taking selfies, but this is me today.
I had another phone role-play exam this morning, this one about helping a customer find fiction to read ('I really liked Bridget Jones's Diary, do you have anything else like that?). I was a bit nervous already, I like written exams but not face-to-face (or in this case .... mouth-to-ear?), I get performance anxiety, but it went ok. I hadn't realised that the preparation I'd done on the weekend was only for a practice example, but I was given time to prepare the real thing before the phone chat.
My father-in-law's partner Jo didn't come to dinner last night. She's had four weeks of chemo and radiotherapy, with two to go, and is starting to feel pretty sick from it. Des tries to stay upbeat but I think he is pretty worried. I sent food home with him but I don't know if she'll be able to eat it. Cancer is a real bastard.
We've been keeping an eye on the weather forecast as we want to have a pool-warming party now that it is finished and landscaped, but the temperature has tended to plummet on the weekends. We're heading into Christmas season when everyone is very busy so we've just made a decision and are having the party in a couple of weeks, before everyone's time gets booked up. We'll heat the pool and just hope we don't get a storm or something! Warm/hot weather would be nice, please weather gods.
And I get two more weeks before everyone sees me in a swimming costume...
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
Internship
Thursday:
I got my results back from my cataloguing exam - 99%! One little mistake. But still pretty good! I know one other person got 99%, I don't think anyone got 100%.
While we were having a short break in the middle of the lesson, one of the head teachers came in and called me and the other girl who got 99% (Lauren) out into the corridor for a chat. The State Library had asked for some recommendations for an Internship there (unpaid, about 5 weeks long part-time) doing specifically what we were just tested on, so after consultation with the teacher of the class she chose the two of us. But there is only one position and two of us - and I don't know if they are also looking elsewhere or just at our TAFE - so I don't know if I'll get it.
It is my dream job so of course I want to go for it, it would be wonderful to get real-world experience in the work I actually want to do (not just returning books to shelves). And who knows where it could lead? There are a couple of potential issues though.
Firstly it is in the city, so with nearly three hours travel time a day plus the hours I'd be working there, when would I get my TAFE work done? We're about to hit the last five weeks of semester so I have a stack of assignments to do and exams to study for as well as weekly tasks. The quality of my work might suffer. Not to mention time for exercise, grocery shopping, talking to the kids and husband, sleeping, gardening etc. But I know lots of people deal with that, and it's short term so I'm prepared to give it a try.
The second issue is more of a worry. I have RSI - repetitive strain injury - from computer use. I manage it by moderating my time at desk-work but it still flares up if I'm not careful. I can just about cope with my TAFE work. Or, say, cataloguing part-time for the state library. But both at once? I'm quite scared I will end up in a lot of pain by the end of the semester. And the pain doesn't go away as soon as I stop. I would have to be super-careful, cutting out blogging and forums and anything non-essential, and doing lots of stretching.
But I'm going to go for it.
If you are one of those who think everything happens for a reason, then maybe I didn't get that other job because this one was around the corner.
I got my results back from my cataloguing exam - 99%! One little mistake. But still pretty good! I know one other person got 99%, I don't think anyone got 100%.
While we were having a short break in the middle of the lesson, one of the head teachers came in and called me and the other girl who got 99% (Lauren) out into the corridor for a chat. The State Library had asked for some recommendations for an Internship there (unpaid, about 5 weeks long part-time) doing specifically what we were just tested on, so after consultation with the teacher of the class she chose the two of us. But there is only one position and two of us - and I don't know if they are also looking elsewhere or just at our TAFE - so I don't know if I'll get it.
It is my dream job so of course I want to go for it, it would be wonderful to get real-world experience in the work I actually want to do (not just returning books to shelves). And who knows where it could lead? There are a couple of potential issues though.
Firstly it is in the city, so with nearly three hours travel time a day plus the hours I'd be working there, when would I get my TAFE work done? We're about to hit the last five weeks of semester so I have a stack of assignments to do and exams to study for as well as weekly tasks. The quality of my work might suffer. Not to mention time for exercise, grocery shopping, talking to the kids and husband, sleeping, gardening etc. But I know lots of people deal with that, and it's short term so I'm prepared to give it a try.
The second issue is more of a worry. I have RSI - repetitive strain injury - from computer use. I manage it by moderating my time at desk-work but it still flares up if I'm not careful. I can just about cope with my TAFE work. Or, say, cataloguing part-time for the state library. But both at once? I'm quite scared I will end up in a lot of pain by the end of the semester. And the pain doesn't go away as soon as I stop. I would have to be super-careful, cutting out blogging and forums and anything non-essential, and doing lots of stretching.
But I'm going to go for it.
If you are one of those who think everything happens for a reason, then maybe I didn't get that other job because this one was around the corner.
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
Great day
Thursday:
Today was a great day. I had my cataloguing exam and I'm sure I aced it. And I enjoyed doing it! I had studied hard and was well prepared. I find the work something like solving a Sudoku or crossword puzzle, mentally challenging but in a good way with a sense of achievement when it's done. I am hoping for 100%, but I know it's likely I'll get something wrong that will have me saying 'doh' when I see it!
In my afternoon class I got my official result back from the face-to-face exam a few weeks ago. The teacher did give me great feedback at the time, but it was nice to see 'excellent' on the page!
And the third thing, chronologically first, was a big drop in weight overnight. When I weighed myself this morning I wasn't sure I believed it and had to weigh myself again to check. After three weeks of almost no loss, my weight had been going down each day this week but today a whole 0.7 kg drop. That gets me down to 76.2 kg! I have been eating more carefully but also exercising hard. I started up 'Dance Central' on the Xbox again, an hour each day of dripping sweat.
I'm sleeping much better and I'm feeling good.
The only thorn in my side is the ongoing pool heater drama. We need to get a final inspection certificate to say the pool is fully completed, safely fenced etc etc. We had fixed any interim issues, like the height of the fence, long ago. But then our neighbour complained about the potential noise from the heat pump, before it had even been turned on. And although once he heard it he said it was fine, that official complaint is out there being a nail in the wheel of progress. It's been going back and forth between us, the pool company who installed the heat pump, and the certifiers (who are very very slow to respond to anything). This has been going on forever! They came out to do their final inspection on 29 August, more than six weeks ago. I'm going to ask our neighbour to put it in writing that he is ok with it, and I also need to check that it is far enough from the boundary fence. Endless phone calls and emails back and forth.
Anyway, I'm not going to let that get me down. It will work out in the end. And I'm happy today!
Today was a great day. I had my cataloguing exam and I'm sure I aced it. And I enjoyed doing it! I had studied hard and was well prepared. I find the work something like solving a Sudoku or crossword puzzle, mentally challenging but in a good way with a sense of achievement when it's done. I am hoping for 100%, but I know it's likely I'll get something wrong that will have me saying 'doh' when I see it!
In my afternoon class I got my official result back from the face-to-face exam a few weeks ago. The teacher did give me great feedback at the time, but it was nice to see 'excellent' on the page!
And the third thing, chronologically first, was a big drop in weight overnight. When I weighed myself this morning I wasn't sure I believed it and had to weigh myself again to check. After three weeks of almost no loss, my weight had been going down each day this week but today a whole 0.7 kg drop. That gets me down to 76.2 kg! I have been eating more carefully but also exercising hard. I started up 'Dance Central' on the Xbox again, an hour each day of dripping sweat.
I'm sleeping much better and I'm feeling good.
The only thorn in my side is the ongoing pool heater drama. We need to get a final inspection certificate to say the pool is fully completed, safely fenced etc etc. We had fixed any interim issues, like the height of the fence, long ago. But then our neighbour complained about the potential noise from the heat pump, before it had even been turned on. And although once he heard it he said it was fine, that official complaint is out there being a nail in the wheel of progress. It's been going back and forth between us, the pool company who installed the heat pump, and the certifiers (who are very very slow to respond to anything). This has been going on forever! They came out to do their final inspection on 29 August, more than six weeks ago. I'm going to ask our neighbour to put it in writing that he is ok with it, and I also need to check that it is far enough from the boundary fence. Endless phone calls and emails back and forth.
Anyway, I'm not going to let that get me down. It will work out in the end. And I'm happy today!
Friday, September 22, 2017
Exams
Friday:
I've had two oral examinations in the past two days (I mean one-on-one exams with a teacher, not dental work) and I was so nervous. I don't mind written exams, but having a teacher stare at you waiting for the specific answer they need... you never get used to that, even at my age.
I had one role-play in class (I'm the librarian, the teacher is a customer with a research request), we did a practice last week and I was a bit awkward so I practiced all week - thought up scenarios and went over and over everything I needed to say. And I nailed it! I remembered everything, spoke smoothly, friendly yet professional, my teacher said I was excellent. All the rehearsing paid off!
Then I had a weird one today over the phone while at home, for one of my online subjects. I was given some brief scenario notes but wasn't very clear on what was going to happen, so I didn't get to do any specific practice (except making sure I knew the course content, obviously). The teacher half-heartedly pretended to be a customer for part of it but mainly just asked me questions. I did stumble on one bit that I didn't know - until the teacher gave me a hint that I wasn't supposed to know how to do that bit (being only a junior nobody in the library) so I reassured the 'client' that I would get the problem solved and said I would refer it to a more senior staff member and follow up to make sure it was done. I think I did pretty well overall, certainly passed, maybe not quite as 'star pupil' as the other one but good.
Now I have four assignments to finish over the two weeks holiday, and a tricky written exam first week back that I need to study for. But I'm going to take a proper break from study over this weekend before I start on those. I need a rest.
I've had a bit of nausea on and off since I started Duromine, only mild after the first couple of days and I was prepared to put up with it. But the past three days were really bad, strong nausea for a lot of the day. I'd do a huge burp and feel a bit better but it would soon be back. Very unpleasant. It may have been exacerbated by stress, and Tim did have nausea when we all had the flu a couple of weeks back, but I think probably the Duromine. I don't know why it suddenly got bad. For most people it's the other way round - you can start with bad side effects but they reduce or go away completely after a while. I decided to stop taking it for a day or two and see how that goes, I didn't take one today. On the forums, some people had success with reducing side effects by taking a little break. I hope it works, I don't want to stop Duromine yet as I've been having good results, but the nausea was too much. Also, while nauseated I was nibbling dry carbs to settle my stomach so I wasn't sticking to my healthy diet anyway - and I certainly wasn't exercising - so it was kind of defeating the purpose.
Today I wasn't as bad, but still felt queasy straight after breakfast, and then again in the afternoon when I hadn't eaten for about three hours but worse after I did eat... I'm not seeing any pattern. I had a little nap in the afternoon.
I didn't notice being any hungrier today, but there was a psychological difference. A little voice whispering "You didn't take an appetite suppressant today, so obviously you're not 'on a diet', so why don't you just eat some junk food even if you don't really want it?" Shut up, annoying voice, I'm not listening!
Tomorrow is going to be really hot, so I've put the pool heater on today to warm up the water again and we can swim tomorrow! It will be a nice start to the school holidays.
I've had two oral examinations in the past two days (I mean one-on-one exams with a teacher, not dental work) and I was so nervous. I don't mind written exams, but having a teacher stare at you waiting for the specific answer they need... you never get used to that, even at my age.
I had one role-play in class (I'm the librarian, the teacher is a customer with a research request), we did a practice last week and I was a bit awkward so I practiced all week - thought up scenarios and went over and over everything I needed to say. And I nailed it! I remembered everything, spoke smoothly, friendly yet professional, my teacher said I was excellent. All the rehearsing paid off!
Then I had a weird one today over the phone while at home, for one of my online subjects. I was given some brief scenario notes but wasn't very clear on what was going to happen, so I didn't get to do any specific practice (except making sure I knew the course content, obviously). The teacher half-heartedly pretended to be a customer for part of it but mainly just asked me questions. I did stumble on one bit that I didn't know - until the teacher gave me a hint that I wasn't supposed to know how to do that bit (being only a junior nobody in the library) so I reassured the 'client' that I would get the problem solved and said I would refer it to a more senior staff member and follow up to make sure it was done. I think I did pretty well overall, certainly passed, maybe not quite as 'star pupil' as the other one but good.
Now I have four assignments to finish over the two weeks holiday, and a tricky written exam first week back that I need to study for. But I'm going to take a proper break from study over this weekend before I start on those. I need a rest.
I've had a bit of nausea on and off since I started Duromine, only mild after the first couple of days and I was prepared to put up with it. But the past three days were really bad, strong nausea for a lot of the day. I'd do a huge burp and feel a bit better but it would soon be back. Very unpleasant. It may have been exacerbated by stress, and Tim did have nausea when we all had the flu a couple of weeks back, but I think probably the Duromine. I don't know why it suddenly got bad. For most people it's the other way round - you can start with bad side effects but they reduce or go away completely after a while. I decided to stop taking it for a day or two and see how that goes, I didn't take one today. On the forums, some people had success with reducing side effects by taking a little break. I hope it works, I don't want to stop Duromine yet as I've been having good results, but the nausea was too much. Also, while nauseated I was nibbling dry carbs to settle my stomach so I wasn't sticking to my healthy diet anyway - and I certainly wasn't exercising - so it was kind of defeating the purpose.
Today I wasn't as bad, but still felt queasy straight after breakfast, and then again in the afternoon when I hadn't eaten for about three hours but worse after I did eat... I'm not seeing any pattern. I had a little nap in the afternoon.
I didn't notice being any hungrier today, but there was a psychological difference. A little voice whispering "You didn't take an appetite suppressant today, so obviously you're not 'on a diet', so why don't you just eat some junk food even if you don't really want it?" Shut up, annoying voice, I'm not listening!
Tomorrow is going to be really hot, so I've put the pool heater on today to warm up the water again and we can swim tomorrow! It will be a nice start to the school holidays.
Thursday, July 20, 2017
Bell curve
Friday:
Two weeks ago we were told the pool should be finished over the following two weeks... guess what? No prizes for guessing correctly. Nothing yet. Except the final invoice arrived, to be paid on the day it's finished. I certainly won't be paying before then!
I heard bad-ish news from my TAFE, I was only doing two subjects face-to-face this semester and one of them has been cancelled due to low numbers so I have to do it online along with most of my other subjects which were being taught at times I couldn't get to class. Leaving me with only one face-to-face. As well as being better for learning, I like being there in person for the social aspect! I've made some friends, I get out of the house, I get to interact with adults. Do you know I've spent most of the past 15 years at home, mostly alone or with small children? I'm an introvert so I do like being alone, but not for 15 years. So I'm a bit sad I'll only have one day, one class, with real people.
I was checking online updates to TAFE when I found something curious. My score in the most difficult exam has been changed from 40/50 to 48.5/50! At first I thought a question must have been marked wrong originally but my friend Cathy said her mark has changed from 23 to 37! That is more than one question. I don't know how bell curves work but maybe the whole group struggled so much they changed the grading system?
I saw my exercise physiologist this week and she gave me a whole lot of new resistance exercises to add to my routine, I've been doing pretty well with the walking but not much else. And I saw the dietician again. Kind of pointless because I already have all the information, I know what I should be doing but I just don't do it. But we had a nice chat. I don't plan on seeing her again but I will see the physio in a month (I get 5 subsidised sessions in total, after that I have to pay).
My sleep has been really terrible. I've worn the CPAP again the past two nights (couldn't wear it for a week due to head cold and runny nose), once for four hours (actually asleep maybe half of that) last night kept it on for two hours without being able to get to sleep at all and gave up. I'll keep trying. It's frustrating lying there awake when the stupid thing is supposed to help me sleep. Well, actually it's supposed to keep me breathing while I sleep. I'm trying very hard to look at the machine in a positive way (when it's on), feeding me life-giving oxygen. Like I'm in a stasis pod on a space ship.
Being tired makes me hungry. It's the usual vicious cycle: I'll sleep better when I lose weight and I'll lose weight when I sleep better.
Friday afternoon - weekend time! No plans except the usual family gathering. Should get out in the sunshine again, I'm doing that more.
Two weeks ago we were told the pool should be finished over the following two weeks... guess what? No prizes for guessing correctly. Nothing yet. Except the final invoice arrived, to be paid on the day it's finished. I certainly won't be paying before then!
I heard bad-ish news from my TAFE, I was only doing two subjects face-to-face this semester and one of them has been cancelled due to low numbers so I have to do it online along with most of my other subjects which were being taught at times I couldn't get to class. Leaving me with only one face-to-face. As well as being better for learning, I like being there in person for the social aspect! I've made some friends, I get out of the house, I get to interact with adults. Do you know I've spent most of the past 15 years at home, mostly alone or with small children? I'm an introvert so I do like being alone, but not for 15 years. So I'm a bit sad I'll only have one day, one class, with real people.
I was checking online updates to TAFE when I found something curious. My score in the most difficult exam has been changed from 40/50 to 48.5/50! At first I thought a question must have been marked wrong originally but my friend Cathy said her mark has changed from 23 to 37! That is more than one question. I don't know how bell curves work but maybe the whole group struggled so much they changed the grading system?
I saw my exercise physiologist this week and she gave me a whole lot of new resistance exercises to add to my routine, I've been doing pretty well with the walking but not much else. And I saw the dietician again. Kind of pointless because I already have all the information, I know what I should be doing but I just don't do it. But we had a nice chat. I don't plan on seeing her again but I will see the physio in a month (I get 5 subsidised sessions in total, after that I have to pay).
My sleep has been really terrible. I've worn the CPAP again the past two nights (couldn't wear it for a week due to head cold and runny nose), once for four hours (actually asleep maybe half of that) last night kept it on for two hours without being able to get to sleep at all and gave up. I'll keep trying. It's frustrating lying there awake when the stupid thing is supposed to help me sleep. Well, actually it's supposed to keep me breathing while I sleep. I'm trying very hard to look at the machine in a positive way (when it's on), feeding me life-giving oxygen. Like I'm in a stasis pod on a space ship.
Being tired makes me hungry. It's the usual vicious cycle: I'll sleep better when I lose weight and I'll lose weight when I sleep better.
Friday afternoon - weekend time! No plans except the usual family gathering. Should get out in the sunshine again, I'm doing that more.
Tuesday, June 13, 2017
Last exam
Tuesday:
I had my last exam for the semester this morning, I was well prepared and I expect high marks. I now get a three and a half week break before next semester, except I have to go all the way into the city again tomorrow to get my timetable for next semester which is a bit of a bugger. There is a special compulsory session for it. I did knock on the head teacher's door today just in case, to save myself a trip of over an hour each way, but she wasn't there. Oh well, my schedule is a bit complicated due to my part-time-ed-ness. I'll probably end up doing some of the second semester classes along with the ones I missed from first semester, with the new intake of students.
Anyhoo, while I was there today another student remembered what part of Sydney I'm from (the TAFE is right in the city so we come from all over) and mentioned there are jobs going at the public libraries here, one full time and one part time. Or possibly more than one of each, I suppose, they could be interviewing for a few. I hadn't been looking for work yet, being only a third of the way through the course, but this is too good to miss, being local and part time. It is an entry level position (library assistant, shelving books and helping customers) so I will eventually be overqualified but it would be a great foot in the door and a way to get experience. The job description specifically says that "working towards" qualification is fine. If I get it I will have to drop back my studies even more and take longer to finish but I think it would be worth it. I mean, the whole point is to get a job eventually. Of course there is no guarantee I will get it!
The application requires two referees which is tricky. Since I left full time work 15 years ago I've raised children, written a book, earned a degree and half another qualification, and set up my own business as a freelance editor. None of which give me a "supervisor". Luckily I did do a short editing stint for a government department and I should still be able to contact my supervisor from that, she was also the president of the local editing society which I was active in so I think she would remember me. That was four years ago. The only other referee I can think of is getting one of my current teachers to do it! I think that will be ok. I just have to give a phone number (obviously with their permission) they don't have to write a report.
Hmm, I need interview/work clothes! What do aspiring librarians wear? Glasses obviously. Cardigans? Flat heels thank goodness. Beige twin set with pearls....
I had my last exam for the semester this morning, I was well prepared and I expect high marks. I now get a three and a half week break before next semester, except I have to go all the way into the city again tomorrow to get my timetable for next semester which is a bit of a bugger. There is a special compulsory session for it. I did knock on the head teacher's door today just in case, to save myself a trip of over an hour each way, but she wasn't there. Oh well, my schedule is a bit complicated due to my part-time-ed-ness. I'll probably end up doing some of the second semester classes along with the ones I missed from first semester, with the new intake of students.
Anyhoo, while I was there today another student remembered what part of Sydney I'm from (the TAFE is right in the city so we come from all over) and mentioned there are jobs going at the public libraries here, one full time and one part time. Or possibly more than one of each, I suppose, they could be interviewing for a few. I hadn't been looking for work yet, being only a third of the way through the course, but this is too good to miss, being local and part time. It is an entry level position (library assistant, shelving books and helping customers) so I will eventually be overqualified but it would be a great foot in the door and a way to get experience. The job description specifically says that "working towards" qualification is fine. If I get it I will have to drop back my studies even more and take longer to finish but I think it would be worth it. I mean, the whole point is to get a job eventually. Of course there is no guarantee I will get it!
The application requires two referees which is tricky. Since I left full time work 15 years ago I've raised children, written a book, earned a degree and half another qualification, and set up my own business as a freelance editor. None of which give me a "supervisor". Luckily I did do a short editing stint for a government department and I should still be able to contact my supervisor from that, she was also the president of the local editing society which I was active in so I think she would remember me. That was four years ago. The only other referee I can think of is getting one of my current teachers to do it! I think that will be ok. I just have to give a phone number (obviously with their permission) they don't have to write a report.
Hmm, I need interview/work clothes! What do aspiring librarians wear? Glasses obviously. Cardigans? Flat heels thank goodness. Beige twin set with pearls....
Friday, June 9, 2017
Uncle Max
Friday:
My Uncle Glenn (dad's younger brother) called this afternoon to say my Uncle Max (his and my dad's elder brother) died today. It took me a few moments to sort out in my head who he was talking about. Went I was very little I saw him occasionally as he lived just down the road from my grandparent's farm, "next door" but quite a hike for short legs; his five boys were all considerably older than me so I didn't visit there much. I have one clear memory of Uncle Max being there when I walked down to see if the younger two boys were available to play with. That is really my only memory of him! When he and Aunty Dawn divorced he moved away and later remarried. Uncle Glenn says he was at dad's funeral two years ago but I don't remember seeing or speaking to him - after 40 years we probably didn't recognise each other! Or maybe he spoke to me and I don't remember. Dad visited him regularly and passed on any news. He had been in ill-health for years and he was 86 so his death wasn't unexpected.
Funny story (I think) about Aunty Dawn who continued to live there, when I visited dad once a few years ago I went into the local store which she ran (tiny town, about 120 people, with one general store and one pub) and thought the lady looked vaguely familiar so I asked "Are you my Aunty Dawn?" and she said "I don't know, am I?" I thought that was an odd way to answer! I explained who I was and she said she was, indeed, Dawn Lockwood.
I am at the pointy end of the semester of study, I now only have one exam left, all other assignments and exams done. I was quite worried about the exam this morning, by far my most difficult subject, and I'd think I had it but then do some more questions at home and get a lot of them wrong! Pretty sure I had it mastered in the end. I hope. We'll see when I get the results.
My other stress is the continuing saga of the tiler, doing the paving next to our almost-pool. Or not doing the paving, in actual fact. It's been seven weeks now, when I chose him partly because he could do it straight away. Excuses have included sickness, sprained ankle, running out of tiles (twice) and now the weather. It is mostly done, but I am in some doubt as to whether it will ever be finished.
The fencing has been approved by council (verbally, still need paperwork) which means we can finish the pool, surfacing the interior. When it stops raining in a week or so.
I've had a cold or mild flu all this week. Hopefully that is over now.
Long weekend this weekend!
My Uncle Glenn (dad's younger brother) called this afternoon to say my Uncle Max (his and my dad's elder brother) died today. It took me a few moments to sort out in my head who he was talking about. Went I was very little I saw him occasionally as he lived just down the road from my grandparent's farm, "next door" but quite a hike for short legs; his five boys were all considerably older than me so I didn't visit there much. I have one clear memory of Uncle Max being there when I walked down to see if the younger two boys were available to play with. That is really my only memory of him! When he and Aunty Dawn divorced he moved away and later remarried. Uncle Glenn says he was at dad's funeral two years ago but I don't remember seeing or speaking to him - after 40 years we probably didn't recognise each other! Or maybe he spoke to me and I don't remember. Dad visited him regularly and passed on any news. He had been in ill-health for years and he was 86 so his death wasn't unexpected.
Funny story (I think) about Aunty Dawn who continued to live there, when I visited dad once a few years ago I went into the local store which she ran (tiny town, about 120 people, with one general store and one pub) and thought the lady looked vaguely familiar so I asked "Are you my Aunty Dawn?" and she said "I don't know, am I?" I thought that was an odd way to answer! I explained who I was and she said she was, indeed, Dawn Lockwood.
I am at the pointy end of the semester of study, I now only have one exam left, all other assignments and exams done. I was quite worried about the exam this morning, by far my most difficult subject, and I'd think I had it but then do some more questions at home and get a lot of them wrong! Pretty sure I had it mastered in the end. I hope. We'll see when I get the results.
My other stress is the continuing saga of the tiler, doing the paving next to our almost-pool. Or not doing the paving, in actual fact. It's been seven weeks now, when I chose him partly because he could do it straight away. Excuses have included sickness, sprained ankle, running out of tiles (twice) and now the weather. It is mostly done, but I am in some doubt as to whether it will ever be finished.
The fencing has been approved by council (verbally, still need paperwork) which means we can finish the pool, surfacing the interior. When it stops raining in a week or so.
I've had a cold or mild flu all this week. Hopefully that is over now.
Long weekend this weekend!
Monday, May 29, 2017
Presentation
Tuesday:
We had a productive weekend. I spent most of Saturday studying, got all my work for the previous week mastered. Our tiler has now sprained his ankle, but he finally sent a substitute so there were a few guys here working on that - they got it mostly finished but ran out of tiles (again) so there is one tiny corner not done and then they have to seal it. I was given the impression they would be back on Monday, but no sign of them (of course). We've paid for more than enough tiles but I think the tiler hoped he wouldn't need to get them all and could keep a bit of the money because they've run out twice. [Just contacted him, he's ordered more tiles and will be back to finish at the end of the week, yet another 'end of the week'...]
On Sunday we did some work in the garden, moving the dirt away from the fence and adding a bit more Perspex behind the heat pump, we finished doing everything needed to get the fence approved (very strict laws in Australia about fences around pools). I have contacted the approval guy and am waiting to hear back from him. Once that it approved we can finish the last stage of the pool and fill it with water. Of course now the temperature has plummeted, it is freezing here (two more days until Winter) we will have some kind of "pool party" when it's finished but I don't think anyone will go in the water, even heated! And I'm getting ahead of myself - it probably won't be finished until next spring anyway the way things have gone so far!
I slept really poorly on Sunday night, my left wrist was quite sore from all the digging and woke me, and then I was a bit stressed about my big presentation on Monday, and also Tim had to get up very early for a flight to Canberra for the day so of course that woke me too. And after 15 mins doze when he was gone I had to get up because Aiden had his drumming lesson before school. I was so tired and dopey I rushed out of the house to catch my train and only when caught in peak hour traffic on the way to the station did I realise I was half an hour early!
The presentation was in the afternoon, I'd prepared carefully and I think it went well. Three other people also did theirs in the same lesson and mine was at least as good (I think). But in my morning class we had an oral quiz that was originally supposed to be this week, then changed to next week, then there was a problem with that and after some discussion trying to find a time we could all attend the teacher asked if we could move it back and do it that day. We all said yes but I didn't feel well prepared; and I hate oral quizzes, I get stressed and freeze up when people look at me although I'm fine with a written test.
The teacher tried to make it as relaxed as possible, we all grouped together and she asked questions and we could jump in and answer whichever ones we were comfortable with while she kept track. But I wasn't as quick to jump in as some others even when I knew the answer so the teacher directed a question specifically to me and of course it turned out to be one I wasn't completely sure about! I stumbled through it and knew she wanted more from me but had a brain freeze and didn't answer fully. Unfair - everyone else basically got to choose their own questions! I hated being on the spot like that. After that I kept jumping in to answer everything until the teacher told me I'd answered enough so I shut up and let other people answer. It's worth 10% of the total mark for that subject and I have no idea how I (or anyone else) was scored. In the end the whole subject is pass/fail but my marks matter to me!
I only have two weeks left of semester, one assignment (which I've nearly finished) and three exams to go.
We had a productive weekend. I spent most of Saturday studying, got all my work for the previous week mastered. Our tiler has now sprained his ankle, but he finally sent a substitute so there were a few guys here working on that - they got it mostly finished but ran out of tiles (again) so there is one tiny corner not done and then they have to seal it. I was given the impression they would be back on Monday, but no sign of them (of course). We've paid for more than enough tiles but I think the tiler hoped he wouldn't need to get them all and could keep a bit of the money because they've run out twice. [Just contacted him, he's ordered more tiles and will be back to finish at the end of the week, yet another 'end of the week'...]
On Sunday we did some work in the garden, moving the dirt away from the fence and adding a bit more Perspex behind the heat pump, we finished doing everything needed to get the fence approved (very strict laws in Australia about fences around pools). I have contacted the approval guy and am waiting to hear back from him. Once that it approved we can finish the last stage of the pool and fill it with water. Of course now the temperature has plummeted, it is freezing here (two more days until Winter) we will have some kind of "pool party" when it's finished but I don't think anyone will go in the water, even heated! And I'm getting ahead of myself - it probably won't be finished until next spring anyway the way things have gone so far!
I slept really poorly on Sunday night, my left wrist was quite sore from all the digging and woke me, and then I was a bit stressed about my big presentation on Monday, and also Tim had to get up very early for a flight to Canberra for the day so of course that woke me too. And after 15 mins doze when he was gone I had to get up because Aiden had his drumming lesson before school. I was so tired and dopey I rushed out of the house to catch my train and only when caught in peak hour traffic on the way to the station did I realise I was half an hour early!
The presentation was in the afternoon, I'd prepared carefully and I think it went well. Three other people also did theirs in the same lesson and mine was at least as good (I think). But in my morning class we had an oral quiz that was originally supposed to be this week, then changed to next week, then there was a problem with that and after some discussion trying to find a time we could all attend the teacher asked if we could move it back and do it that day. We all said yes but I didn't feel well prepared; and I hate oral quizzes, I get stressed and freeze up when people look at me although I'm fine with a written test.
The teacher tried to make it as relaxed as possible, we all grouped together and she asked questions and we could jump in and answer whichever ones we were comfortable with while she kept track. But I wasn't as quick to jump in as some others even when I knew the answer so the teacher directed a question specifically to me and of course it turned out to be one I wasn't completely sure about! I stumbled through it and knew she wanted more from me but had a brain freeze and didn't answer fully. Unfair - everyone else basically got to choose their own questions! I hated being on the spot like that. After that I kept jumping in to answer everything until the teacher told me I'd answered enough so I shut up and let other people answer. It's worth 10% of the total mark for that subject and I have no idea how I (or anyone else) was scored. In the end the whole subject is pass/fail but my marks matter to me!
I only have two weeks left of semester, one assignment (which I've nearly finished) and three exams to go.
Sunday, April 2, 2017
Last exam
Monday:
I had my last exam for the term today. I think it was fine. I've got results back from two assignments, both "satisfactory" (you only get satisfactory or not satisfactory, but the comments were good).
Pouring rain. Was soaked to the skin getting home, even with an umbrella. I'm supposed to go over and chat to both neighbours about the side fences being raised, but it's pissing down out there! Tomorrow is soon enough. Not that it's likely to not be raining, but maybe it won't be so hard.
My weight this morning was 79.5kg, I continue to bob up and down within half a kg or so. It wasn't exactly a diet-friendly weekend.
On Saturday we went to see Shen Yun - a Chinese dance company, my birthday present to Tim. They were good, but it turns out they are heavily political, supporters of Falun Gong which is a persecuted religious movement in China. Some of the dance routines involved the evil Chinese government beating innocent Falun Gong supporters with sticks. Not included in the advertising for the show!
Before the show we had lunch by the harbour, then went to a Zumbo patisserie. Zumbo is an Australian celebrity chef, specialising in cake and desserts, he was a guest judge on MasterChef and had his own TV show briefly (it flopped). The food was nice, but we wished we didn't get a dessert each - two between the four of us would have been plenty. So much sugar! We brought home the other halves but they didn't survive the journey very well. Mostly ended up with a puddle of sweet goo.
Sunday we had family over for Dungeons and Dragons and dinner. Our oven is broken at the moment and I don't have as many free days as I used to to sit at home all morning and wait for a tradesman, so I used the slow cooker and it really is a lot slower than the oven! Five hours on high was barely enough for the casserole, would have been better with much longer. Hopefully the oven will be fixed this week. It's just the weather for casseroles and roasts.
I had my last exam for the term today. I think it was fine. I've got results back from two assignments, both "satisfactory" (you only get satisfactory or not satisfactory, but the comments were good).
Pouring rain. Was soaked to the skin getting home, even with an umbrella. I'm supposed to go over and chat to both neighbours about the side fences being raised, but it's pissing down out there! Tomorrow is soon enough. Not that it's likely to not be raining, but maybe it won't be so hard.
My weight this morning was 79.5kg, I continue to bob up and down within half a kg or so. It wasn't exactly a diet-friendly weekend.
On Saturday we went to see Shen Yun - a Chinese dance company, my birthday present to Tim. They were good, but it turns out they are heavily political, supporters of Falun Gong which is a persecuted religious movement in China. Some of the dance routines involved the evil Chinese government beating innocent Falun Gong supporters with sticks. Not included in the advertising for the show!
Before the show we had lunch by the harbour, then went to a Zumbo patisserie. Zumbo is an Australian celebrity chef, specialising in cake and desserts, he was a guest judge on MasterChef and had his own TV show briefly (it flopped). The food was nice, but we wished we didn't get a dessert each - two between the four of us would have been plenty. So much sugar! We brought home the other halves but they didn't survive the journey very well. Mostly ended up with a puddle of sweet goo.
Sunday we had family over for Dungeons and Dragons and dinner. Our oven is broken at the moment and I don't have as many free days as I used to to sit at home all morning and wait for a tradesman, so I used the slow cooker and it really is a lot slower than the oven! Five hours on high was barely enough for the casserole, would have been better with much longer. Hopefully the oven will be fixed this week. It's just the weather for casseroles and roasts.
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