Hope comes late!

So...I was woken by my phone ringing at 6.45 am."Are you free to do a relief day at Stanthorpe State Primary today?"I spoke before I really came to my senses..."Yes," I said."It's a Y1/Y2 class, (it was Toerag's and Fidget's class) and it is an 8.45 start."...and they hung up.I then came to my senses....'What was I doing?!'It was not what I had expected from today and I hadn't a clue what I was going to do. I normally have a bit more time to get used to the idea, put my arm floats on and paddle out a bit deeper rather than be thrown straight in at the deep end.The phone rang again."Oh, I forgot to say the planning will be at the office.""Thank you," I said.The planning was at the office when I arrived an hour before they start paying me. There were even worksheets printed out.The planning looked straight forward but the afternoon session was free for me to do my own thing..."We are doing a bit of visual art this term. Something to with shadows or shapes and bright colours. Feel free to be creative."I knew just the thing!I met Dusan for the first time. He has always been off on my previous visits recovering from an operation. His Dad wheeled him in, before school started, in his wheelchair and sat him at his desk. I introduced myself and Dusan showed me the scar on his leg where he had had his operation. Dad said that he had done too much walking at school yesterday and wanted him to use his chair at breaktimes and not the special walker which he used in class. It was fine by me. Dad left."How was your day yesterday?" asked Dusan, making polite conversation."Good" I said, "How was yours?""Oh, not bad," he said.Toerag didn't turn up at roll call and there was no Hope...but then Hope arrived late. I was expecting Toerag to turn up late too but he didn't...the day was looking up.Fidget was there of course, sporting a new short haircut. In fact, there were a few short haircuts about and I soon learned that the school had 'visitors' (head lice) from a note that Fidget handed to me from his mother saying that she had checked his hair and he was clear...he was almost clear of having any hair actually so the lice had no chance on Fidget's head.The day went smoothly and everyone listened and behaved well. Donald kept kneeling up when he should have been sitting." I am a bit concerned," I said, "is there something wrong with your bottom? Should I call a doctor?"He sat down. Later Madeline was kneeling up."Do you have Donald's Disease?" I asked....She sat immediately...it was all I needed to say now.Fidget missed some of his morning break as he was finishing his work off with me.At 12.30 I had all the non- religious people traipse in again."Read them a story" said the planning...but I couldn't be bothered so I  told them they were going to do a life drawing of me...and I sat in a chair for half an hour while they drew me.Here is some of their work.

My little visual art activity with bright colours and shadows, (I did silhouettes) went very well, I think and I was able to pop this up on the wall at the end of the day...I am back with them again in early June.