first week teaching

The first week of teaching has been and gone and I am only just feeling slightly more relaxed after the most manic of days where I have been running from pillar to post wondering what an earth I am doing.
Day one it poured with rain, in a strange way it suited my apprehensive mood and I felt more at home trudging in with a bag of materials than if the sun was shining. It certainly is a more structured way of delivering which I am enjoying as I like to get my hands dirty and watch ideas move quickly, it may take me longer though than I realise to get in to the pace. Trying to organise my syllabus, teach, set homework ! has, as my dad would say been a challenge, but I am getting there slowly, though performing from 2pm to 7.30pm has taken some getting used to !
I had my first faculty meeting, I had to stand up and be greeted in a huge converted school hall as a newcomer with eight others, waving seemed odd a bit like the queen, but appeared to be the protocol, my colleagues in Illustration cheered from the balcony, there are 13 of us in total I think and a kind, funny bunch of people who love a beer, it cannot be bad! More about Illustration to come later. I have a note on my desk "Welcome to the Party !" I think its going to be a good one.
Mike has been wonderful and I know without him the adjustments would have been so much harder, he has not ceased to amaze me with his calm way of getting us bank accounts, installing the internet, buying a car, ordering utensils which make our lives a little easier and waiting with anticipation as the packages get delivered by the delightfully happy UPS girl.
I now know what it's like to have a wife ! I am lovingly taken to work and duly picked up in the evening , Mike has been to the supermarket and a beautiful meal is cooking as we arrive home, what more can a girl wish for! It will all change when my bike arrives and I can pedal to work.
I am writing this at 3.30am in the morning as I am unable to sleep, the rain is lashing against the windows, a severe weather warning was issued last night , it has arrived with the classic booming and crashing which I love , days get very hot, the wind picks up and then the storms come, strangely in the calmness in between , the dawn chorus has begun ............