Endings and Beginnings

I have a new bedroom. After five weeks of hard work it is finally finished, and it is beautiful! I love it. I've gone from what felt like a cramped and cluttered hole to waking up in luxury and it just doesn't feel like my room! It leaves only one room in my little flat that hasn't been redecorated since I moved in and it is now shouting at me to be done. I guess I need to start saving.

The new bedroom has prompted all sorts of fresh starts for me. I have got back on track with WeightWatchers and I am starting to see losses again. I am clearing out cupboards and have been ruthless about throwing out a large part of my video and cassette collection (I bet the bin men love me!). I have had a new cupboard built in the front room which is big enough to hold the snake's vivarium. It is enormous so has swallowed a lot of my (now sorted) clutter. And of course the snake is home. It is lovely that he is back here finally and it seems only fair that his last days are free from the noise of a classroom. Having said that he seems robust and healthy just now and his no food fad seems to have passed. He certainly had no problem getting outside of his welcome home mouse!

All of this has left me feeling optimistic and ready to tackle the pile (literally) of organising that I still have to face in school. I am in a new classroom and I now is definitely the right time for a fresh start.

A Little Relief

The snake ate yesterday. He was a bit tentative at first but the mouse soon disappeared. I'm still not convinced that this means everything is OK, but it is at least a good sign. Perhaps it really was coincidence that he was off food the last two times I tried to feed him. Anyway, I feel a little better now and I have made a decision; I am going to bring Galahad home in the summer holidays.

He has done very well during his time in school. Lots of children have learnt a huge amount from looking after him. Now I think that it is only fair that he lives his last days in peace and quiet, away from prying eyes, grasping hands and noisy classrooms. It is time I retired him and if he is at home I can keep a more careful eye on him.

I feel quite sad - after six years, Snake Club is over.

Grey Days and Weekends

The Under Toad was strong today. I could feel it in the fine, soaking drizzle that descended on the afternoon. But it was more than that. Today was not a good day to be out of bed!

It is an odd feeling when a day changes direction. This morning was fine, even the weather was reasonable, but by mid-morning the shift had happened. I had another bout of dizziness, and it came on really fast. I was fine going down the stairs but on the way up I felt like I was going to fall over. It was so bad that all I could do when I got to the classroom was sit with my head on my knees. It was the quietest the kids were all day, although the fact that my ears went funny at the same time might have contributed to the quiet! I felt less dizzy as the day went on but it didn't really go completely until the evening.

After school I went to do Snake Club as usual. The minute I picked up the snake he felt wrong; too light and weak in the muscles. We offered him a mouse - a big one, since he refused food last time it was offered and he was likely to be hungry. He refused it. That's 4 weeks now without food.

He was milky, so it might just be that he refused the mouse because he is preparing to slough, but that never used to stop him. Galahad has always been a voracious eater. His refusal of food added with the fact that he felt weak makes me think that this might be the beginning of the end for him. He will be 19 years old in July; a very good age for a corn snake. I have to prepare myself for the possibility that he is dying. I managed to hold my emotion in check and I got though Snake Club, but at 4 o'clock that was it, the Under Toad broke through.

Yes, today was a bad day. I am hoping that the weekend is better.