Despite my efforts to sleep, I’m up bright eyed and bushy tailed at 4am! I make constructive use of my time and get a whole heap of things done. Later, I get caught up watching the Champions League Semi-Final and am almost late leaving for work!
I really relish my train ride over the Harbour Bridge and I can’t wait to get back to get work! I’m so excited! I’m hoping my morning coffee is going to give me a much needed energy boost! I manage to get organised super quick with some free time on my hands to catch up with my colleagues before I go to class. It’s so good to be back! I have a new compact class with only 8 students but it’s quality, not quantity. They’re a lovely lot – I think we’re going to have a marvellous month!
The Feeder Programme rockets into orbit and those Raspberry Squares are a sure fire hit. Everyone has seconds ( but maybe that’s just because they’re hungry!) and there’s enough to go round to feed a whole team of teachers and the admin staff! I have noticed that everyone’s looking a bit leaner, it seems as though I’ve arrived back to feed them up, just in the nick of time!
I coast through to lunchtime, but then start to flag in a major way. I’m determined not to let jet lag get the better of me and soldier on with the help of more coffee! Despite the fact that I feel like I’m running on empty, I have a very productive afternoon. I’m planning to go for a run this arvo, but it’s not looking likely. I am so tired I can hardly walk, let alone run. I’m going to be smart and sensible and listen to my body. Rest and relaxation are the order of the day!
I have to pop home via the post office where I have two parcels to collect. It’s twice the surprise; first I receive a parcel I sent to a friend in the UK for Christmas, we thought it had gotten lost, but here it is, returned to sender! The second is my race pack for She Runs the Night. I’m pretty stoked, this time next week I’ll be running the night, and in my funky new singlet! The presents in the post continue, my mum has gotten very organised and sent me two of my best baking books The Great British Bake Off (How to Bake) and The Great British Book of Bakingfor an early birthday present. Happy day! As if all that wasn’t enough to tickle my fancy, the book that I ordered, The New Complete International Jewish Cookbook, has arrived. Now I can turn into a virtual Auntie Sandra and cook all my old-time favourites!
I swing by the supermarket and come home and sit on the sofa buried under a pile of Good Food magazines! It’s really nice to sit down for a minute. But not for too long. I have just enough energy to throw the Harissa Chicken Traybake into the oven. Thank heavens, it’s super quick and easy to prepare. We certainly enjoyed all that eating out on holiday, but there’s no taste like home. This dinner is hot, healthy and it’s home cooked with love. The fact that everything is chucked into, and cooked in one pan makes it an ideal midweek meal and it is so filling we don’t need to add any rice, couscous or even a salad!
It’s great to be back in the swing of things, now all I have to do is recapture a steady sleep pattern!
