Thursday 23rd May

Having waved Mrs P off to work, the eldest to her exams and the youngest to school, I put my coat on to walk along the road to my invigilation. I’ve another double shift today. This morning’s exam requires only that students bring a black pen, a calculator and a ruler, and for the c60 pupils who are sitting the exam we need to provide 20 calculators and 25 rulers. Incredible that more than one in 3 students can’t turn up with the right equipment, and let’s be honest we’re not talking a complicated kit list here. The rain is coming down hard and sounds far worse than it is on the metal roof of the sports hall, until of course the rain starts leaking through! A strategically placed bucket helps to catch most of it. Fortunately the invigilators seem far more distracted than the pupils.

I lunch alone as the eldest is staying in school for a second exam this afternoon. It has been lovely lunching with her for most of the week and I miss her today. There are c120 in for this afternoon’s exam and being English it only requires a working black pen which most pupils do manage to turn up with. The rain has gone but now the wind sounds like it is trying to rip the roof off, though once again the pupils seem remarkably unmoved. Whoever designed the sports hall with this metal roof may well have had an eye on the cost, and not on the quality.

While cooking tea I do the ironing which seems like I’m almost multi-tasking. Maybe I’m turning from a househusband to a housewife; then again maybe I’ve just had too much time to think this week as I’ve been standing invigilating. The youngest is not impressed with the pasta dish I present for tea but allows for the fact that the warm bread provided should help him eat just a small amount. The next time I look his way he’s cleared his plate. Maybe I’m getting the hang of at least some parts of being a househusband.

Yours, on the turn.

Jay