258. Wake up call

3 clock in the afternoon and I suddenly remembered I had a day job! Which sent me into a panic and I started running around the house waving my arms frantically and shouting at everybody about everything and anything: the dishes, the dog, the neighbours' cats, the choice of music on the radio, the price of organic exotic food, the lawn to be be mowed ...

Miss Organiser kept quiet. But Baby thought it was the time to give her perfect teenager impersonation a go.

I had to remind her that she had asked permission to go to her first ever real party. And I had said I would speak to her father. 

So Baby kept quiet too.

My husband kept quiet too. He went for his afternoon siesta. The dog went quiet too and went outside and lied down on the lawn for a siesta in the sun.

I was still running around the house; this time looking for my school stuff: my bag, my books, my pens, my keys, my badge, my board markers ... I eventually found the bag: a flat empty thing gathering dust in a corner. 

I remembered emptying it in a desperate wish to get things organised. The result was I was left with an empty bag. I took the bag outside and shook it vigorously. At least I was taking this opportunity to clean it up a bit. 

This was good. This was positive. So I opened the computer and was pleased to find a test good to go. For good measure I added a tough exercice. 10 extra marks.

I polished up an other test paper in the same way and, thinking this was a really good way to start a non-existing term 3 (this is France, remember) I turned on the printer. 

'Your cartridges are not compatible so please use the (brand name) cartridges.'

I want to smash the printer but that would not be helpful and I suddenly realise that I had been to the printing shop and had been instructed me to go home and use an eraser on the electronic part of the cartridge. I could take the get a refund if that trick dod not work.

Had I done so?

No.

Did I regret it?

Yes.

Now it was Sunday and this was France and everything was shut. So I got an eraser and got the cartridges out and rubbed them hard to get rid of some invisible matter. 

Only the colour one recovered and so I printed some very colourful test papers. 

Only had enough time to open the school website and write for every slot for every period and for every student:

Test still on. Absolutely non-negotiable. Be ready.

I poured myself a very stiff drink and logged off.