The site I’m on at the moment is set in acres of land. We have an arboretum, as well as many trees dotted around including sweet chestnut, mulberry, apple, walnut, hazelnut, and fir trees taller than a 3 storey building. We have well-manicured lawns and flower beds. We have student accommodation, a shop, a bar, a café and a canteen where you can buy a hot 2 course meal. We have car parking. We have views over woodland and farmland, as well as the nearby town. On a good day, you can literally see for miles. It is close to my home, and I often go home for lunch to give the dog some company and a ‘comfort’ break. This site has history; teaching has been taught here for over 100 years. I have a dedicated PC and desk in an office, and plenty of cupboards for kit. The site is a ‘safe’ one. I’ve enjoyed 9 years here.

The site I’ll be going to has none of the above, and you can’t even get a hot meal. It is a soulless ‘new’ build in the town centre. Due to its location there are no grounds and no land; just the building, on a busy road. How nice. To get to the new site I’ll have to endure about an hour a day on public transport. If I’m on the other site that’s further away again, I’ll have to leave home around 7.30am to avoid traffic and ensure I can get a parking space. Public transport will take around 90 minutes each way and will entail a bus ride, a train ride, a change of train, and then a walk in all weathers up a steep hill. In total, I could spend 3 hours a day travelling; it’s simply not an option. At present I work to live, the above will have me living to work.

This could all be moot anyway. We’re having an inspection and if we fail, then many of us will be out of a job anyway. The move to the site further away will negate part of what I’m needed for so in theory at least, I could still lose my job. Forgive me if I’m not feeling the ‘gratitude.’

On the home front I had a nice day out with my sister on Sunday at the country fair. Man, she walks me to death! We enjoyed a nice lunch in the sun, and I got a few things off my chest which was very helpful. She enjoyed the day out away from her own problems, so it was good all round. She brought a hen and her baby chicks and touched almost every dog we came across. So many dogs… lol. The only one I cuddled was a Pyrenean mountain dog. He was so lovely! As I said; a good day out.