Welcome to my first blog post! I don’t exactly know what I’m doing or why, but here goes…
At night I have lots of weird and wonderful (some downright disturbing!) thoughts whizzing around my brain, causing major insomnia. I’ve decided to start a blog for a few reasons, but mainly so I can get some of these thoughts out of my head and onto the screen. So it’s a kind of therapy if you will. If you like reading my ramblings, great! Tell me! If not, I’d rather you keep your opinions to yourself! “If you haven’t got anything nice to say” and all that!
So…a bit about me, if you know nothing (though I suspect only my friends will read this and even then, they’ll probably only pretend to have read it, whilst secretly thinking, or possibly openly stating, that I’ve gone nuts!) The truth is, I suspect that I probably am a little bit crazy (but then, isn’t everyone to some extent? What is normal anyway?!) I have a few OCD tendencies: I don’t like doors to be left ajar; I count things that really don’t need to be counted and I like stationery to be arranged in particular ways…okay, clearly already verging on fruitcake! I also have an annoying habit of easily veering off topic! (Not sure if you would have noticed that already!)
Anyway, my name is Emma and I’m British, not English, as my Dad (a proud Welshman) would moan, but I was born and raised in Nottingham, in the Midlands, therefore I am not Northern, nor Southern, I am from the Midlands and the East Midlands at that! The North-South divide is a contentious issue in England, if you were unaware!
I have been married to Ian, a true Aussie “Outback Jack” for four and a half years, but we met over a decade ago when I was backpacking Down Under. We are polar opposites, which can make for a pretty fiery relationship at times, which we have both questioned the sanity of on many an occasion. Ultimately though, we have been through a lot together and are willing to do what we can to make it work. Who said marriage was easy?!
We have a boisterous, but lovable, staffy called Cassius (Cass for short, which causes gender confusion!) who has just turned eight and a crazy, cute as a button daughter, Mia, who arrived two and a half years ago and turned our lives upside down! She is my reason for being, a true blessing! She has already helped me through some really low points and her laughter and singing brighten up every day for me, no matter how bad I’m feeling.
We emigrated to Australia from the UK eight months ago and have been living in Toowoomba (no, I’d never heard of it before moving here either! Not exactly on the backpacking trail!) for 6 months now. We spent years dreaming about our new life in the sun, strolling to the beach every day for a dip…but at a two and a half hour drive to the coast, we were closer to the seaside in Nottingham! Bloody typical! Moving across the other side of the world has been HARD!!! Those tales are for another post, but I feel like I’m just starting to come out of the fog and feel like me again!
I’m a teacher by trade and when I tell people they nearly always say “primary?” I must just have that look about me, whatever that look is?! But no, secondary school for my sins and languages at that! Yep, totally nuts! When I say what I do, most people say “I couldn’t do your job” and then proceed to tell me how easy I have it, what with all the holidays and finishing at 3pm every day! Clueless. I used to get really wound up, but now I just nod and smile…mainly because I’ve just escaped from the hardest job I have ever done! I LOVED the kids and the actual act of teaching, but hated all the crap that went with it. It’s thankless the majority of the time, I never mastered the work-life balance and teachers are met with such unfair derision by society at the minute, it makes me really sad. If people think it’s such a cushy number, why is there a teacher shortage?! Because people are great at spouting off, with nothing to back it up, that’s why!
So I used emigration as my chance to have a career break and spend some valuable time with my daughter. I’m doing a bit of tutoring to try to avoid destitution, but my dream job would be a travel writer. Picture it: jet setting across the world, free as a bird, making witty comments here and there and getting paid for it! Reality check: who gets a job like that and how?! Plus I have slightly more than your average carry-on luggage these days – I have yet to see a family with kids travelling light at the airport! But the main obstacle to that dream is: I can’t afford to go anywhere right now! Moving stripped our accounts bare, so unless there’s a market for reviews of parks or soft play centres, I am certainly not in business!
True to form, my short introductory post has become an essay! But, you know what? I think I might be able to go to sleep now! The verbal diarrhoea has splattered onto the page (nice use of imagery, right?!) and I feel cleansed! Thank you for reading (if you made it this far!)
Say cheese for the playgroup family photo! (Unfortunately Mia was not in a sunny mood this afternoon – a bad case of the “just woken up grumps”! Cringe!
You’re an amazing writer Emma
Thank you, Dani. That’s very kind.x
Loved reading this Emma, made me smile
Thanks Claire, I’m glad!x
Great read Emma sweetie xox
Thanks Katie!x
Loved reading this!
As for saying teaching is sometimes thankless. You were a true inspiration to a somewhat gobby 16 year old. Everytime I said I couldn’t do something you were always there proving to me I could. I probably didn’t say it when leaving school because I was wrapped up in a world of cheap vodka, prom dresses and boys! But thank you!
Thanks Stacey! Weren’t we all at that age?! Loved my first GCSE group, a challenging, but fun, intro to teaching!x
Well done Emma. I hope it helps. No idea how to subscribe but let’s see if I get a notification when you put your next post up xxx
Thanks mate. Here’s hoping…x
Loved reading your blog Emma, you’re doing a fantastic job, and I look forward to reading many more blogs in the future. Xx
Thanks Faye.x
Still awaiting your first novel ‘Doing a Bowden!’
Baby steps Carey, baby steps!x
Fabulous :-)!! You’ve got a real gift there!! Looking forward to reading more!! XxX
Thanks mate!x
Ok well first off I made it that far lol. Although I have yet to meet u face to face my dear sister u have to be a pritty amazing woman to put up with my brother lol jokes Ian I luv ya big bro. I think u r doing a fantastic job at keeping things together and Mia is such a beautiful well spoken little girl u should both be very proud I think she is the its bits as they say
Aw, thanks hon!xx
Lovely Emma, i look forward to the next post,hearing of your adventures 🙂 Keep well, much love x
Thanks Gemma!xx
Can’t wait for the adventures! x
Me too!
Hey Em, taken you long enough, I thought you would have done this before now 🙂 enjoyed reading it, laughed the most at you drifting off topic, lived with that for over 20 years, and still means we never actually finish one conversation. Looking forward to the next instalment. Haven’t worked out yet how to follow your blog but will once I do ️xxx
Alright alright…finally got my arse into gear Loulou! I’ll try not to leave it so long til the next one!
I enjoyed reading your blog Emma. Yes I knew a lot of it but you write in a fluent entertaining style. As rewarding as spending time with a youngster is, you still need to satisfy your need for creativity on an an adult level and your new venture may just help with that. Of course I fully endorse what you say about teaching. Saw an ad for teachers for the first time in ages on TV last night! Glad the tutoring is going well.
Thanks Dianne!x
I love your Facebook updates so this was brilliant…. So funny 🙂 xxx
Thanks mate! One of my oldest friends, so you knew me before I knew how to write anything!☺️
J’aime beaucoup
I haven’t known you that long but we clicked straight away. I miss you so much xxx
Hi to Ian, Mia and Cass too
Miss you so much too Anneeeeee!xx
Excellent stuff! I knew you’d be good at this and glad you’ve done it. Now, get writing the next one! ☺
Thanks hon. You were one of the people who made me think this was a good idea (so I’ll be sure to apportion appropriate blame if it goes wrong!) ha ha!x
I love this. Reminds me of our car journey chats and I miss them!
Can’t wait for more felt like I was just getting in to it.
Hope it helps. Keep it up.
X
I miss them too! To be honest, I could have gone on for hours (you know me! ;)) but thought I should try to keep to a post, not a novel at this stage!xx
Great read! Looking forward to the next instalment already! Xxx
Thanks hon!xx
I absolutely loved this, it really took me back to year 11 French, with us both going off on a tangent about my Mum being the owner of boardworks and all sorts! I must say, a tear was brought to my eye when you said you LOVED the kids, I know this is me you’re talking about (who else!?). You’ve definitely always been a bit of a fruit loop but that’s what made you an amazing teacher! I’m very happy to see you’re still hilarious as ever! I’m looking forward to the next one already!xxx
Oh Jodie, thanks! I have the BEST memories of you guys – loved my GCSE classes! I think you HAVE to be a bit mental to teach, or it definitely sends you that way if you’re not already!xx
Great read Em xx you have a real knack for words and i really enjoyed reading (even though i did know most of it) look forward to your next blog ☺
Thanks mate! Got lots of thoughts pending, don’t worry!x
Thank you for sharing this blog with us! Yes I am your friend and I have known you now for over 20 years but there’s always something new to learn about you Emma! I have loved reading this blog and I look forward to reading many more and if it helps you out along the way… Then great!
Katy ️xxx
Ps. You SHOULD write a book of your life/adventures!
Thanks hon! Love you!xx