Spring may show up in May

Posted on May 18, 2011 by Suzanne Schultz Pick

I’ve been seeing these ducklings each day when I walk home from the gym and the library. I have a normal routine right now of walking in with Steve, hitting the gym (jogged 20 minutes straight last Friday which is a huge accomplishment for me), visiting the library for a coffee (sometimes soup too) in the cafe, then walking back home through the park.

I have a ton of books checked out from both the City Library and the Central Library for my YA research. I even went as far as to purchase the first two Gossip Girl novels and the first Clique novel on Amazon because it was cheaper than buying them for my Kindle. I did get The Summer I Turned Pretty for my Kindle though because I read the sample (love those samples) and really liked it. Of course this means I have to go back to my Unfinished Book Reviews to keep track of the ones I have picked up and the ones I still need to take a look at.

Along with my book research, I may be able to get back around teenagers again soon. I got a call today about registering to be a substitute teacher. Being from the States and having no Qualified Teacher Status in England, this is about all that I’m capable of doing in the classroom right now and I’ll have to provide all my required paperwork to get myself set up. This is going to be a good reason to get my UK driver’s license sorted so I can have some kind of ID to match my new address. This place may not even take just bank statements and tax forms that show I live here. (Fingers crossed that they do though.)

Anyway, that’s my state of the world now. I’m trying to work on my writing here and there when I’m home. I’ll be glad to go back to work outside of the house too. The sun’s finally come back out and I want to go out and enjoy it!

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My first week without school

Posted on May 9, 2011 by Suzanne Schultz Pick

Well, I’m all done with library school. It’s been years since I’ve not been in school somehow with teaching or studying (or both). Now I’m free to job search, write, go to the gym, read and hang out with Steve. Important things that surpass homework.

We went to the Life Centre on Saturday and saw the Wallace and Gromit exhibition. I only know a bit about the show but the exhibition was fun with lots of still scenes set up, like the one in the photo above. We also went into the Planetarium there and watched a live show that they have once a month with an expert who taught us what starts to look at, when and where. Steve and I had both been to a planetarium once before as kids, but not in a long time so it was interesting. We also went on the 3D Undersea motion ride. As you can see in that link, the whole Centre is very kid-oriented but we’re big kids at heart and we enjoy it just the same. @ScienceatLife

Today I took my walk into town with Steve as I like to do. The weather has been so nice and the flowers are in bloom. I love getting up in the morning and enjoying it. I’ve still been going to the gym (I’m at a 12.29 minute mile now – my goal is a 10 minute mile). I find new foods to eat on my Foodie Blog and I read and write in the park for a while with my take-away coffee before heading home. I’ll have to pick up with my book reviews soon too.

Yes, it’s a nice life and refreshing to not have homework to be bothered with right now.

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X is for X Buses

Posted on April 29, 2011 by Suzanne Schultz Pick

In Gateshead-Newcastle, we have lots of busses. The X route busses from Go North are the ones we use a most of the time. Since I’m still getting use to public transportation here, I’ve still not braved a bus ride by myself.

Go North East is the leading bus operator in the North of England. Its fleet of 660 buses and coaches provide local services in and around Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, Northumberland, Durham, Teesside, Sunderland and the surrounding areas.

A to Z Blogging Challenge

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W is for Walks

Posted on April 28, 2011 by Suzanne Schultz Pick

Newcastle Walks are something essential to the region. There are plenty of parks, countrysides, and nature to be seen. It’s hard to realize that in all those times we spend in the car, we never see the world around us.

Daily walking tour provided by Newcastle City Guides. ‘A Taste of Newcastle’ starts on Wednesday 1 June 2011 until Friday 30 September 2011. The tour starts at 10.30am Monday to Saturday from Newcastle Tourist Information Centre. Local walks are also available on Sunday afternoons and Wednesday evenings April to October.

A to Z Blogging Challenge

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V is for Valley

Posted on April 28, 2011 by Suzanne Schultz Pick

Team Valley is the area in Gatehead where lots of businesses reside. It’s where Retail World is located, and the nearby Sainsburys. This is the view we get walking around the neighborhood. It was most impressive when we went to see the Angel.

Team Valley is a traditionally heavily industrial area of Gateshead in Tyne and Wear, England. More recently it has become home to the ‘Retail World’ retail park, which makes up just a small percentage of the entirety of the Team Valley Trading Estate. Many large international companies are based in the area’s trading estate and it is rapidly developing as a business park rather than the heavily industrialised area it used to be. There are currently approximately 1400 companies on the estate, and each day approximately 25,000 people travel to Team Valley.

A to Z Blogging Challenge

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