The Best Things in Life are Free

No, I'm not talking about the song by Janet Jackson and Luther Vandross (not as good as the one sung in the musical film), I'm talking about real life.

Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day.  Blue sky, fresh, refreshing breeze and white fluffy clouds.
Free.

My little dog came up and snuggled in beside me on the couch.  Uncritical adoration shining out of its little demented brown eyes.  (I say demented, because I farted just as it snuggled in, and it didn't seem to care)
Free.

My beloved gave me a peck on the cheek as I climbed out of bed to go to work.
Free.

We teachers here in NZ had another day of action, where we refused to teach our year 9s (11 year olds), and the Ministry can't/won't dock our pay.
Free.

Pest Free

Actually it meant that we had an abundance of Free periods all through our day, and the school was Free of the little pests. (Not all, but many)
Twice Free.

Eat more Lettuce

I decided yesterday that my gut had expanded enough to warrant some action.  So yesterday (and for at least the next 2 months) I was/will be Fat Free, Alcohol Free and Sugar Free.
Guilt Free.

Three of my year 10 girls decided to skip my class and have a wander around the school.
Sense Free.
I know the title of this little post is The Best Things in Life are Free , but as these girls cause more mayhem than the rest of the class put together, believe me it was for the Best.  My class was then Free of disruption and I was Free to actually get some real teaching, learning and, Praise Be to the Everlasting Deity of Education (Not Anne Tolley), some assessment done.

I really hope this isn't the God of Education

So as I lay my (not so weary) head down on the pillow last night, I was Free from Care.

Until this morning, when I have to start worrying about timetabling, exam arranging, room allocation, new course implementation, report writing, report generation and as always, relief supervision.

Sunshine

It's 7:30 in the morning, the sun is blazing in our dining room windows.  All I can see is blue sky, so the storms we've been experiencing over the last week seem to have abated.

If the weather stays as nice as it is, I guess I'm destined to spend at least 2-3 hours weeding.  As I've mentioned before, my beloved does not hold with "Chemical Gardening", so it's all manual back-breaking work.  The god-botherers would probably say that it's good for my soul.

Maybe (The debate about the existence or non-existence or even what the hell is a soul can keep for later)

But it's not good for my back. 
I'll give the lawns their first exposure to Yates' Turfix to knock back the dandelions and other broadleaved weeds. (Curiously, my beloved does not object too much about this, maybe because none of her prized plantings are in any danger)

Look, it was an accident OK?

One little mistake, 2 years ago.  I forgot to wash out the sprayer before I changed to a fungal treatment.
It certainly proved the efficiency of Glyphosate. 
My beloved was not amused.



After Glyphosate

 After gardening who knows?

Maybe down to the Library.  I've got 2 or 3 books on reserve, and I hope they're ready.  One of the joys of these two weeks is the opportunity to actually read in peace, without that vague feeling of guilty "I should be doing something more productive and work-oriented" that creeps in during a normal working week.
Maybe down for a coffee, or a stroll along the Petone esplanade, or a wander through the Bays.

That is what is so delicious about the holidays. 

NO BLOODY PLANNING.

Nothing is fixed, all is free, like the wind blowing through what little hair I've got left, like the direction fart gas drifts after the event, like the flight of a bumble bee in the strong spring sunshine, like the potential in a new born baby.

We shall see.

Have an absolutely bloody nice day.

I'm pretty sure I will.