No worries it happens! Seems to be if the plant takes longer than about 10 minutes to make. Thanks so much for all your encouragement!! :-)))

Thanks guys for all your comments - I was also very relieved :-) and no Sandy I haven't seen the new blog but will definitely check it out thanks for the info! :-)

Thanks Naomi - missed you too - I think the key for me is to try to post less often but more regularly so I don't end up feeling like blogging is taking over my life! Really glad to be back too and looking forward to another year reading about your experiences and getting your insight into mine :-)

Thanks David it's encouraging to hear that's how you started out too! Lol the chances of us getting ipads are very slim indeed. Perhaps a projector is what I should aim for! Will definitely show it to the learners and may there be many more to come :-) Dave - I'm glad I started again too - it got a bit overwhelming - I think the key is probably to pace myself and try to post less but more regularly! Sounds like you're going to have a lot of fun with your gardening - a school wiki sounds interesting. We've just lost funding for our VLE so trying to think of cheap alternatives for my groups at the moment. Thanks for the encouragement :-)

Thanks David - it's very encouraging to hear about your experience. It's not so much the intensity of the courses that concerns me. It's putting a range of learners from those who cannot read or write the alphabet to those who can discuss politics or the environment in the same class. I realise differentiation is important but with such a diversity of needs I felt the classes would quickly descend into little more than workshops. The loss of class cohesion was what worried me. However, we now have reached a compromise whereby the first batch will be Early Entry 2s, Early Entry 3s and E1s (pre-starter, starter and beginner for the EFLers) which will certainly require differentiation but is much more manageable! Definitely looking forward to trying it out though as, like you say, there's definitely a different dynamic to an intense course. Thanks for stopping by. Really nice to "see you" again after such a long break! :-)

Thanks so much Jason - your comments have made my day! Will check out that next tutorial soon - the first one was really empowering - as was the creative process. There's not many people out there who would share as much as you do so freely and with so much enjoyment. Please don't ever underestimate the impact you have and once again thank you! :-))) Adam well that is a compliment. I know how many Bradfordians feel about the city so I'm glad I helped make the phrase seem a little less paradoxical ;-p I've been to Ilkley a few times - I think it's really pretty. I love the moors and rocks up by the Cow and Calf. I think the whole area is seriously underrated and that's long before you get to Haworth and Bronte country! But I can see how repeated disappointment led to less than good memories. Still I have a lot of hope for Bradford. Thanks for stopping by :-)

Hey thanks and thanks for the instant response and encouragement - it's nice to know my absence was noticed. Blogging got a bit overwhelming on top of everything else ( we are also currently renovating a house which takes every spare second, evening and weekend ) I've been catching up with your blog and very excited about some of your latest ideas, posts and videos. Very much looking forward to this year and hope to see you around. Thank you :-)

All credit goes to that session with Charlotte :-) I would never have come up with it on my own! No... I finish teaching next week... I am still in quite a bit though throughout the summer :-/ How about you?

Aahh I wish... would love to but haven't been organised enough this year! Looks like it's going to be good though :-)

Naomi! It's like you read my mind. My follow up post is how we did this together. Missed you too... and the rest of the blogging world. Had a hectic few weeks but it's exams now so got a bit of time to blog and read around :-) Thanks so much for sticking with me despite my inconsistent posting!!

Thanks David :-) I love hearing the stories learners come up with. Especially ones that think they have no imagination. For example one group produced a ticket that gave them free access to their exams - it ended well - they all passed :-p

Hey Naomi, Once again I find myself reading your comments and being impressed by just how original and refreshing your encouragement always is :-) It makes such a difference! :-))) Anna

Hi Sandy Very welcome... thanks for linking back ;-p I think your blog is such a good idea! I would never have come up with the lesson if I hadn't spent a few minutes looking at that ticket image on your blog. It's my favourite thing when an idea sparks like that and your blog provides the perfect stimulus :-) Thanks for your lovely comment. Anna

Hi Mike Thank you... I genuinely did gain such a lot from your encouragement and down-to-earth comments. Yeah still struggling with the volunteering idea but I've got a few more contacts that I'm going to try tomorrow so we'll see how it goes. Will try and keep an update running on how I get on with sticking to my goals ;-p Had a much better time with them this last week so feeling more optimistic again. Thanks! :-)

Thanks Naomi... yours and others' understanding has certainly been a lot more significant for me than I ever expected. You're welcome re the link - right post at the right time - certainly for me :-) Yeah gotta love flickr and the generous people who share their photos!!

Thank you David... I can see a lot of potential in it as well :-) I've had a set back today whilst ringing the volunteering organisations in Bradford. They've said in the current job climate they can get graduate volunteers so don't need/want my learners :-/ However, I'm sure I can find something/someone/somewhere so am going to keep pursuing it for a bit. Thanks :-)

Thanks Alan... it's amazing how much talking through everything on-line really did help. Wow you made me think about my post from a different perspective and I will update it. Thank you :-) Your wry point of view and supportive comments have been amazing throughout my blogging journey, short as it's been so far, and I'm very grateful. I often don't comment when I haven't got anything original to add... which is quite often ;-p but am still usually fascinated/concerned/diverted by what that person had to say. So thanks simply for reading and caring and obviously for commenting on this post ;-p