Frog

Many years ago well, when I was getting ready to turn 30, Jane and I discussed me going back to school and getting a teaching degree. I was not satisfied with my lot - I wanted to do more than work on a till for ever; I wanted to be challenged and did not feel that retail was the place for me to work.

Jane, my wonderful, supportive partner told me to follow my dreams. So, I went to college and did the Access to Teaching course, which was the equivelent of getting the A-Levels I needed to get onto a teaching degree course.

Then I applied for a Primary teaching degree, a Secondary teaching degree, and an English degree and got offered a place on all of them. We decided that as English was what I wanted to do, it made sense to do the English degree, then a PGCE - it was going to take the same amount of time.

I loved doing my degree. I met a great bunch of people and had some brilliant tutors - and the support and help of Jane. I ALWAYS get stressed when writing; I'm not sure why, but my confidence disappears and I get convinced that I should not be doing it. Jane helps me each time; she bolsters my confidence and makes me discuss whatever I am writing with her and one of us makes notes (normally Jane).

I got to needing to apply for my PGCE and floated the idea of doing a Masters instead. It is only another year, I said and then I can still do the PGCE; there are tens of thousands of English teachers graudate every year, so this would give me an edge. Of course, she said that if it was something I wanted, then of course I could do a Master's. Again, she was amazing. It must have been bloody awful to have to discuss vampires with me for an essay when she just doesn't get them.

THEN, I thought there might be a chance to get a PhD. I discovered an untapped branch of English that has SO many possibilities. Guess what Jane said?

She has done all of this while suffering from debilitating pain, due to a long term problem.

She is absolutely amazing.

Jane bought me this frog back when I was first starting. I set up in the back of the dining room to start with, but have migrated upstairs to the spare room as I have got more books and clutter.