Life is interesting. I was really wondering what to do now my househusbanding bit has come to an end and thought because of my physical disability I would have a job getting into teacher training to be a mathematics teacher but this is not the case. Also, for at least the last year because the Subject Knowledge Enhancement Courses have changed the entry requirements I have actually got enough mathematics modules from open University to apply, get my mathematics enhanced, sounds interesting, and then go on to a Teacher Training course. I haven't actually been ready to do this until now because of my househusband duties but now I can am putting in my application form for three Teacher Training providers as well as applying to do observation of mathematics lessons in three Darlington secondary schools because the Teacher Training providers want this to happen before they will consider anybody for interview. One of them specifically told me that I have to find out for myself whether I will be able to do the job in terms of the computer usage and if I can there is no barrier whatsoever to applying but it still remains the case that secondary schools may not employ a mathematics teacher no matter how badly they need one if they feel he or she cannot use the computerised planning system because of physical handicap. I really do not think there will be a problem with this because a lot of planning is done on Microsoft Word and not only that the voice recognition program Naturally Speaking is much better at working in Internet programs and programs that are on a network whereas in the past it was very unreliable. It is looking good folks, I always like to address my aspirations in that way and my tail is up and there is a chance I may be able to start this January but it depends on whether I can get CRB clearance in the next few weeks as well as doing my lesson observations. There is a chance that I could apply and say that I will be doing this in the near future and I may go down this route but I will see. It feels strange that I am looking outwards into the community and society in terms of working in them both rather than being preoccupied with a home life and family. Good stuff!

Last Saturday with the family I had a golden gorgeous walk in hazy sunlight through the Durham Woods. The leaves are finally turning and many were floating in the River Wear which had an undecided look about it because there has not been much rain but just enough to keep up a good flow. Again I took the family on a mystery walk which was so mysterious even I did not know where we were going. I handed over the reins of direction to Miles but took them back again quickly when he led us into blind alleys whilst navigating through one of the Durham University campuses. Mystery yes, blind alleys no! The centre of Durham was full of bright and beaming people and there was an atmosphere of good cheer which is always nice. The reorganisation of the marketplace in my view has been very successful enabling lots of people to hang out there if they wish, as well as buskers getting their bit in as well. Fiona had quite a strong cold unfortunately which always affects her sinuses but her legs and lungs were as strong as ever. Again, as with Miles, I often wonder how much of a greater effect on them their colds would be if they did not get out doing strenuous walking and staying fit and healthy. Walking is a good way to go folks!

Well, Miles has finished doing his exams for this year. It started last Tuesday when he had a three-hour paper to do in the Thistle Hotel in Middlesbrough. He was very excited not least because he has thoroughly prepared as usual but come 5:30 p.m. when he finished he was so excited that he kept on gibbering away about all of the questions reciting bits of the paper to me and his answers as well has his possible answers as I drove him to the skate park in Redcar. That got my head buzzing and I was way too excited when we got there! It took a bacon butty and a Pot Noodle to calm me down. He did his second three hour paper yesterday and was much more level about the whole process. He expressed a lot of enjoyment just about the hotel and the design of the building which reflects his interest in urban environments motivated by his continuing development of his Lego skills. Whilst I think it is good to retain the child within he did something yesterday I was pleased with when he simply abandoned me to my book before the exam started and went and introduced himself to the other budding mathematicians most of which reacted in horror when he started bubbling away about the questions which he thought were going to come up and and how easy or hard they may be. One of the guys took a real shine to him and they had a good discussion. Must tell him that it is good to not hide his light under a bushel but also don't burn too brightly because people may feel scorched.Mmm. It was great to see all of these people most of which were over 50 improving their lives with education. I got talking to a lady who was doing an exam in Environmental Science as part of her job. At the end of the exam I spoke to her husband who told me that she had done another exam two weeks earlier. The firm she worked for in Teeside takes the education and training of their employees very seriously which is most excellent. Well, his academic year is over and it is interesting that he only has seven more exams to do and then he will have graduated completely. There was not much pressure on him really because he has averaged over 90% in both of his courses this year and in order to get a 2.1 he just has to get 70% or over in the exams and those scores will enable him to progress to where he thinks he wants to go which is Masters and then PhD or maybe even straight into PhD. I call that the "poor route" because he will be a student until he is around 25. If he went straight into secondary teaching he would make it a lot more money. I suspect in the near future it will be any female in his life that puts him on the track towards fulfilling his potential completely as a human being which isn't just about career fame and fortune.