Monday 28th July 2013: Hawkshead, The Lake District

Roll up, Roll up for the Magical Literary Tour! (See what happened there ;-)

Twelve years after graduating with a degree in English Literature, I finally managed to visit some of the stomping grounds of The Romantics. After explaining to Rob that I didn't mean we had to start looking for Simon-le-Bon and Tony Hadley, we began our Magical Literary Tour. First Stop: Hawkshead.

We decided to pay Hawkshead Grammar School a quick visit which initially felt a little like a Busman's Holiday until I walked through the door and realised that education in eighteenth century Britain did not remotely look like education today. 10 hours of lessons; on wooden benches; full of males. I could only imagine what the National Union of Teachers would say about such a set up.

Wordsworth - you rebel you!

I also discovered that Hawkshead Grammar School's most famous pupil, William Wordsworth, was a bit of a rebel as there was graffiti at his desk where he had carved his name into the wooden bench where he studied. At least he only carved his name into the wooden bench. More often than not, I have taught in classrooms where the graffiti often involves expletives and a few poor spelling mistakes (this is very disheartening for an English teacher when a pupil spells the word 'phuck' on the back of someone else's chair).

Hawkshead truly personified the quaint, beautiful yet under-stated English village. Among the quirky shops and pubs which are shrouded and protected by the beauty of the mountains, there is a special sense of history about it. This adventure is really beginning to heat up!

A very proud moment at Wordsworth's desk

Friday 19th July 2013

I think the word is 'vindicated'.

For months I have blogged about Katie Hopkins and her public outbursts that make her either a) a narcissist or b) a complete snob. Finally, however, it seems the rest of the world has cottoned on and our outrage has been personified by the unlikely heroine that is...Holly Willoughby

I refuse to dedicate too much more of my blog time to this woman, however, I feel the need to share a couple of recent Hopkins' Outbursts so that you can chortle at this modern-day Winnie the Shrew.

Story One: According to Hopkins, "ginger babies are harder to love" 

Story Two: According to Hopkins, the acclaimed linguist, "If you have a Northern accent you sound more stupid".

That's me buggered then.

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It's my 35th birthday tomorrow and my leaving do tonight. The big question is... Will I finally get my Cath Kidston bag???

The other big question is, will I be sober enough to recognise the difference between a CK bag and an Aldi carrier?