Cl@r10r Ust@ R0g0

I'm still doing the rota.  It's a bit difficult, because the person who's ill - he's my fellow organist, and his wife also reads lessons, makes coffee and will be sidesman if necessary - I've eased their burden for the next few months, but I don't want to leave them off altogether in case it makes them feel sidelined.  But if he's fine and wants to do more, he can always take some of the jobs I've put myself down for in their place.

Today was Founder's Day.  The school was founded in 1565 which is rather splendid, because they've celebrated Founder's Day ever since.  Whole lots of Old Boys turn up, though not as many as usual because of the snowy weather and several cried off.  I don't know at what point you're invited, most of them are knocking on a bit.  They included a previous Head, Deputy Head, two other teachers and someone whom I really tried to persuade to be a governor but haven't managed yet.  He's so excellent that he's in demand elsewhere, I do understand - what a handicap being nice is.

Anyway, I was clearing snow off the windscreen at 8.30 this morning to go to the special assembly, and returned for lunch with the Old Boys (and girls).  I was meeting the Head later, so browsed in the library for a while and made notes of a book I'd like to give someone.  He came for me while I was jotting the name on my phone and was amused.  He and I think the same way about a lot of things, professionally - we do chat about the odd family matter, but tend to keep to school matters most of the time - it is such a pleasure to work with someone where there's mutual respect and liking.

I think that confidence has a lot to do with it.  If you are secure in your self-awareness, you will not feel threatened by someone who is good and ambitious, but encourage them.  If you have any insecurity yourself, you might not give credit where it's due or try to squash initiative.  I find this sort of thing very hard to work with, and there is no question of it here.  Very much the opposite, which means there is a strong and ambitious team who aren't afraid to come up with ideas and who will be given resources to carry them out if they put up a convincing case.

The school motto, by the way, is so hard to translate that an explanation has to be given with it.  Excuse the disguise, but I am easy enough to identify without giving the game away to the idle googler.

I've been working on the rota in between writing.  It's so dull that I have to give myself little treats every so often.  But it's done now.  I'll email it out and watch a DVD before bed.