Friday 27 November 2015

Book Week Scotland

For the first time I have been part of this through the public Library, I have been out to the primary schools in my catchment and I have had the joy of reading picture books to the primary ones! they are five years old and occasionally six, full of wonder and wide eyes. I got welcomed to every classroom, and listened too so well I could have kept reading for hours. Most were sad to see me go and I got hugs and cuddles, smiles and gasps, and despite being under the weather I would not have changed it for the world.
I was promoting the Scottish Children's Book Awards, I read a winner from a previous year (one time robot rumpus another the day Louis got eaten) and one of the current awards if the teacher wanted, or I read both previous ones :-). I do the book awards for the older groups in the school but have never had much to do with the youngest ages, this was changed this year with 7 different classes of P1's which varied form 5 at the smallest group (part of a composite class of P1-3's) up to 23 which was half of the larger schools classes of P1's.
I have plans to go back in the new year to follow up on this week and maybe to get more reading time in :-) I do love reading to small folk.

My next week is now taken up sorting the 'Grand Opening' out for the Newly refurbished Thurso Library. I hope to have photos for my next blog.
The catering is fluid until we get all our replies in and then we may have to juggle a bit. I have a cake to sort out and projector, and just so much in my brain it is leaking out my ears today, not helped by still not being totally well and by the nurse this morning deciding I could get my pneumonia job today because I was there! And to top off my day I forgot my glasses so I am holding my head back to 'see' the keys better and not typing in a good sitting position for health and safety. Very wrong and not my normal solution.

Saw this in my feed and thought this was a fab idea, not very useful for our Scottish weather but for a more southern city or big town I adore this idea, I would love to see this in Kew Gardens and the like! showing children how structures with books in them are not fixed or limited. much fun.

Finally have my Mentor and we are planning our first meeting in the next few weeks, a face to face one to start us off, which I am thrilled about.So I aim to put a bit about my Fellowship journey into my blog as I post to help show its development and to show others that it isn't as hard as we thought (or so I hope).
One final comment from my week of travels and reading, I took this picture in Canisbay Primary Car Park, looking towards John O Groats and the Orkney's with a grey sky and bright sunshine, and joy of joys a most bright rainbow.
Hope your week also have rainbows with any grey sky!

Friday 13 November 2015

how did it get so late?

I am sure it was spring when I last looked up from my desk.

Life is so not planned, I have been busy and life has been busy and family had been busy. I make no excuses, I have been busy. I am currently doing a blended learning course from the future learn folk which is amazing, and throwing so much at me so fast. Ideas that are firing off right left and centre. On of these was the google hangouts space that allows you to create and keep in touch over any devices as long as you google! Wow I brought up my google to play with and noticed in the list of what else they have poor lonely blogger and couldn't work out how long since I blogged last.

My world is as full as always, I have been working on various CPD events, I am getting my fellowship running better and am supporting where needed to my mentees. I am still the chair of the local branch of the cilip Scotland and have great plans and ideas to bring that more into focus. I have been overseeing a big library refurbishment that has had my boss talking about it being a new flagship library and still have my new build that I watch the cranes work, out my windows, on.

Family is odd as ever, Husband is working close by so no long distance phone calls and worrying about how far he is which is a blessing, just wish he would steal less bed cover! Oldest job hunting. Youngest off at college and actually going for a job interview today (fingers crossed) and hoping to get a flat, very soon, for himself. Middle child gave up at end of first year at uni and is currently working in Milan. No I have no idea what that one is up to either!

Last night we had Storm Abigail, which has caused some amusement to us in the north as we tend to just go 'hum bit more blowy than normal, never mind!' Personally I think they are trying to head off any more Hurricane 'Bawbeg's from happening, we still get the wind but no more vaguely naughty names attached. Also how great we start with Abi - 'Gale' and even pull that one from future abuse!

This is a shot of the Teenage section in the refurbished library before we finished and opened! I love how the contrast between the dark wood doorway and quiet room I took the shot from and the bright sunny space for teens and the fab surfing picture and bright new books waiting for the teenagers to come and borrow them.

I will be blogging again and have so much to put up that I shouldn't forget in a hurry, keep well and an early happy Christmas just in case my work load goes south again soon.