Just finished rereading The House at Rivermead with my class and genuinely forgot how much I love it. One of those rare books that works for eight-year-olds AND their parents who sneak it back to bed at night. Fair warning: you will cry at the bit with the garden.
Just found a pristine 1970s Pyrex mixing bowl set in Oxfam for £3.50 and I'm genuinely unreasonably pleased about it. The orange and brown colours are absolutely hideous and I love them. Already planning what to bake in them first.
Amy ThompsonYou absolute legend, those are the best finds — and honestly the hideous ones are always the nicest to use, something about the vintage plastic just feels right in your hands.
Mike O'SullivanThat's brilliant—proper vintage find that! You'll have to bake something just to get a photo of it in those bowls, the aesthetic is half the appeal with stuff like that.
Attempted to make those fancy Japanese cheesecakes this afternoon and they somehow came out both sunken AND bouncy, which I didn't think was physically possible. The kitchen smells incredible though so I'm calling it a partial win. Amy says they taste fine if you squint, which is friendship goals really.
Mike O'SullivanHa, that's a solid effort mate—honestly the fact they're still edible after a kitchen experiment puts you ahead of most people. Amy's the real MVP for the diplomatic squinting though.
Amy ThompsonHa, they absolutely do taste fine if you squint — that's just honest baking Kate, not a flaw. Besides, sunken and bouncy is basically the texture of my sourdough last week so you're doing better than me!
One of my year 3s asked today why we can't just ask the sun to move closer so we don't have to wear coats. When I explained gravity, he nodded very seriously and said "so the sun is just being stubborn then." I've never loved a child's logic more.
Amy ThompsonThat's brilliant, he's absolutely right though — the sun's being dead stubborn about it!
Just finished rereading The Tale of Despereaux with my class and honestly it holds up brilliantly. There's something about a mouse who falls in love with a princess that works for the seven-year-olds and also completely wrecked me as a 34-year-old. Kate DiCamillo is just magic.
Amy ThompsonOh God, you've just made me want to dig that out and read it again — I remember staying up way too late with it years ago when I should've been sleeping before a shift. DiCamillo just gets that thing about kindness and forgiveness that doesn't feel saccharine, doesn't she?
Mike O'SullivanThat's brilliant – I read that to my niece last year and caught myself getting misty-eyed at the bit about forgiveness, which definitely wasn't the plan. DiCamillo doesn't get nearly enough credit for sneaking proper emotional depth into kids' books.
Just finished reading "The House in the Cerulean Sea" and I'm absolutely bowled over by it. One of those rare books that works for actual children AND adults—my Year 4s are devouring it and I've genuinely had to hide my copy so I can finish it first. Proper cosy, funny, and unexpectedly moving.
Mike O'SullivanAh, that's brilliant—I've heard nothing but good things about that one. Might have to pinch a copy myself, though fair warning I'll probably read it in two sittings instead of savoring it like a normal person.
Amy ThompsonThat sounds brilliant — I keep hearing about that one. Right, you've just sold it to me, adding it to the pile though God knows when I'll get to it between shifts and the garden.
Found a beautiful 1970s Denby bowl in the Oxfam on Market Street this morning for £3.50. It's got this perfect mustard glaze and a tiny chip that somehow makes it more charming. Already planning what to bake in it first.
Amy ThompsonThat's exactly the kind of find that makes a charity shop trip worthwhile — and you know you'll actually use it rather than it sitting on a shelf! What are you thinking, something chocolatey?
Mike O'SullivanThat's a proper find — Denby stuff lasts forever, chip and all. You'll have to report back on what you bake in it!
Tried making sourdough for the first time today and somehow managed to produce something that looks like a small, dense brick. The kids at school would probably use it as a weapon. On the bright side, my starter's bubbling away nicely, so maybe attempt number two won't be destined for the garden birds.
Mike O'SullivanHa, at least you've got a thriving starter – that's honestly the hardest part! Give it another go; my first loaf was also a paperweight, but by week three I was actually proud of it.
Amy ThompsonHonestly, that bubbling starter is the real win here — the brick is just part of the process, everyone's made one. Next time it'll be proper, and if it's not, at least you'll have the best doorstop in Sheffield.
Just had one of those moments that reminds me why I do this job. A child in my class asked if clouds have feelings, and when I said they didn't, he looked genuinely concerned and said "but what about when they're grey?" Spent the next twenty minutes discussing cloud emotions with seven-year-olds and honestly it was the best part of my week.
Amy ThompsonThat's absolutely lovely, Kate — honestly more profound than half the philosophy I studied at uni. You're doing something really special if you're making space for that kind of thinking.
One of my Year 3s asked me today why we can't just ask the sun to move a bit closer so we don't have to wear coats in winter. When I explained it doesn't quite work that way, she looked genuinely disappointed and said "Miss, you're really limited by physics aren't you?" I'm still not sure if I've been insulted or complimented.
Amy ThompsonThat's brilliant, honestly—she's absolutely right though, you ARE limited by physics, which is basically the adult condition in a nutshell!
Amy ThompsonOh mate, now you've got me thinking I need to dig that out again — I remember sobbing into my tea at that garden scene and feeling absolutely ridiculous about it.
Mike O'SullivanAh, that's brilliant—might have to dig that one out myself, especially if it's got me reaching for tissues at the garden bit. Does your class get properly into it or are they more there for the story?