Phew....

I still have a job.

After setting up the boss this morning, I was expecting my P45!

The story goes like this:

Last Friday afternoon, I was walking down from our top field, having taken a pile of photos of our boys playing Sepak Takraw, a Malaysian sport. As I was walking down the steps, the Boss was attempting to walk up the grass embankment in his best work shoes (slippy soles). I watched, and laughed heartily, as he slid back down (whilst remaining mostly upright and laughing at himself a lot). I walked round the path, kicking myself for not being quick enough with the camera, thinking that in order to preserve the last vestiges of his dignity, he would use the steps to get up onto the field. But no! The collected gods of mirth and tomfoolery gave me a second chance as the Boss attempted a second attack on the hill. Snap snap snap went my trusty picture box. In my head I thought many things ...like "Can't believe he was stupid enough to try it again knowing I was stood there with my camera" and "End of term caption competition is sorted".

I duly went inside, showed a couple of people the picture and then said nothing more about it in school. Neil apparently had gone straight to the Head of ICT and to the girls in the office and asked to see the picture as he assumed I would be quick off the mark to publicly humilate him. But age brings wisdom, and wisdom guides a little caution and patience.

So, since Friday evening, colleagues have been offering their suggestions for captions to go with the photo, via my Facebook page. I think I ended up with 90 comments, about 60 of which were captions. Some of them were laugh out loud funny and three of them caused my beverage of choice at the time to be snorted back through my nose as I read them. It wasn't pretty but bloody hell, I've had fun reading them.

Last night I printed 60 copies of the picture and hand wrote the captions onto the copies. I stuffed envelopes, and labelled them up with a message that read "For your eyes only. Do not open until I give the signal. You'll know when that is." I got into school this morning and handed them out to those involved on the campaign trail, and a number of others who have been on the receiving end of Neil's interesting sense of humour previously. It's always good to involve people! It was meant to be - people managed to keep him out of the way until briefing - I'm surprised he didn't figure out that something was occurring as the staff room was full to busting this morning, with everyone poker faced and behaving sensibly. NOT. Briefing was chaotic and full of laughs, innuendo and silliness. The Boss received his 1st prize for winning the world cup sweepstake, and then it was my turn...
"Well, seeing as you have an envelope Neil, I think all the rest of us who have envelopes in the room should open them now..." At which point everyone held up their copies of the caption competition photo.

Perfectly executed - thanks colleagues!

Then I legged it over to the local primary school with Chris, Maureen and Hadi and had a lovely hour and a half having a tour and seeing all the little 'uns.

This photo was taken in the staff room upon our return, where once again I happened to have my camera on me and it seemed opportune timing that Neil was stood in front of the captioned photos, which had, in my absence, been neatly blu-tacked to the wall for him to read at his leisure.

Tomorrow morning I am going to take them down, laminate them and have them bound into a book.

He even expected a bit of sympathy from his daughter when she popped into school this afternoon, but she laughed and said it was really good!

(If you are interested, find me on Facebook and you can have a look at what went on).