It wasn't

warm in work today. Got there at 9.30 this morning to discover that both boilers had been switched off, in order for some lovely heating engineers to create a Frankenstein boiler - one functioning boiler cobbled together from the bits that worked from the individual ones. With a chilly breeze blowing and some bugger leaving the external door by my office open it was brass monkeys in there today.

Initially hid in the Boss's office with another colleague whilst I utilised his digital projector to show her how to do some data stuff that she is picking up for me whilst I am absent. I had asked if it was OK and he had said yes.

Then retreated to my office and was relieved to find that the ancient electric wall mounted heater did actually work. After the initial burning off of 8 years of dust, it did the trick and I was warm for the remainder of the day.

A very productive day. Passed the data baton on. Spoke to another colleague about things that need doing. Was reassured about their understanding of my need to sleep, wake, rest on my own terms in readiness. Marked full set of Year 11 work, full class of Year 8 work, updated marksheets, entered report grades and did some other bits.

The joy of a school without children (and, indeed, most of the adults). Bliss. No interruptions, completely focussed. Something quite disconcerting about the bells ringing though, but Pink Floyd blasting out soon solved that problem.

Going in again tomorrow - 2nd set of Year 11s, 2 sets of science exercise books. Retrieve a pile of coursework to bring home to annotate. Job done. If I have another day like today, I will be where I wanted to be by the end of half term and therefore the start of my 'sick leave' from Monday can be with a clear conscience that I will have done as much as humanly possible.

Tomorrow I will arrange to see my Doctor...the painkillers are running out and I know she calculated that deliberately! Canny lady. I will not leave without the unfit for work note - of that I am certain - I barely made it out last time without a fight.

This evening, after receiving an email from the Sky at Night team, I went shopping at The North Face for base layers, gloves, socks and a fleece. Wasn't cheap, but to be fair, there were lots of price reductions AND I got student discount. Yay for my Student Card.

Not looking forward to the long drive up to Kielder, but am giving myself all day on Friday to do that so I can break it up, have rest stops and such like. Fully intend to arrive at hotel, take some photos if clear skies then go to bed and crash out. Saturday is going to potentially involve about 6 hours of observing, plus all the setting up, preparation, briefings and suchlike. I will sleep well on Saturday night, hopefully meet up with a blipper on Sunday morning, then take it steady coming home. I am looking forward to it all, just glad that the timing of it is as it is, as I should be at a low pain point for a few days...relatively speaking...