I promised a few weeks ago (over a month actually) that I would be posting a detailed list of my daily routine here at Capernwray. What you must understand is this is a brief (you won't believe that after you read it) overview of what happens around here. Of course there's a lot of things not listed here that take place, but here's a little sneak peek...

7:30am - Breakfast

8:00am - Start Work

8:00-9:00am -

Greet Graih (Head Housekeeper) - Catch up on important details of the day ahead of us

Check Fridge Temperatures (2 Fridges, 2 Freezers)

Turn on Hot Water and Coffee Machine

Set up coffee and water flasks for staff and student break

Check main floor bathrooms - refill toilet rolls and paper towels

Check cleaning store - make sure supplies are there for the students doing their duties

Fax Sheet order...bundle over 340 (dirty) sheets and pillowcases for pickup (Mondays)

Order cleaning supplies (Tuesdays)

Order sweets/pop for Beehive (Tuesdays)

Be available for, as the Brits call them, "sickies" that need attention

Make any Doctors appointments if necessary

Once water and coffee machines are heated, start filling flasks for break

Prepare trolley for staff break

9:00am -

Start laundry (usually just the dirty cleaning cloths used for duties, but sometimes towels or duvet covers as well)

Refill all toilet rolls and paper towels in the entire castle (25 bathrooms) and check soaps

9:40am - Fill Tea flask for staff break (can't do it any sooner otherwise the Tea gets too dark)

9:45am - 10:15am - Staff Break/Prayer in the Quiet Lounge

Turn on dishwasher

10:15am - Move laundry into dryers

10:20am - prepare Student Break in Library (along with 3 staff from Dining Hall)

Check my post box

10:40am - 11:00am - Student Break (Pour over 170 cups of Tea and/or Coffee)

11:00am - 12:00am - Clean up Student Break and re-setup the Library (put everything away, run everything through the dishwasher, and tidy up)

12:00pm - 12:30pm - 

Go to kitchen to refill sugars, milk, etc. for tomorrow's break. Say hello to the rest of the kitchen staff and find out what's for lunch and steal a sample if available.

Fold cleaning cloths

Catch up with Graih

12:40pm - Announcements for students
Example:
"Just a few announcements for you guys..."
1. Those of you with a bathroom duty, please return the H1 spray bottles to the cleaning store, they seem to be disappearing and we need them back. 
2. Tomorrow is Sheet Change day, please prepare your rooms really well for cleaning day and strip your beds.
3. Boys...I have a small request to ask of you guys. As you know, I go around to each bathroom and refill toilet rolls and paper towels every morning. My only request is that you please, please, please, just flush your toilets. I mean really, I go in there and my esophagus burns it smells so bad. This morning only 1 of your 8 toilets were flushed. I would really appreciate it! :)
4. On another note...we seem to have a missing load of laundry. So whoever replaced their laundry load with the one that was already in Dryer #2, please let us know where that load disappeared to.
5. Girls...Zumba today at 2:00, see ya there!
6. If I could please Corky, Suzie, Timmy, and Sandy right after announcement that would be great.
7. And lastly...Sunday Night is Rock Solid! Coffee Shop Team, please be here by 7:00 and for everyone else, it begins at 7:30.
That's all from me, thanks guys."
(All of these examples are quoted from actual events. These were really announced)
12:45 - 1:07pm - Finish any bits that didn't get done earlier

1:15 - Lunch

2:00 - Clean Guest Speaker's rooms

Fill out Maintenance Repair Slips for anything needing fixing around the castle

4:30 - Done!

I am blessed to be a part of worship here at school. Whether it's a Sunday morning, evening, or a random Worship night, it's a real privilege to lead worship with the student body.

Growing relationships here is definitely my favorite part of the job. When work has finished for the day, it sure is a lot of fun to spend time with the students and enjoy a body of believers all day, everyday.

Things sure are lovey around here...as lovey as it can be at Bible School. Valentines Day is a day away. There's been girls getting mail-ordered flowers, Valentine's cards being exchanged, gifts are being given, girl's night (with Jesus of course), and lots of hugs. It seems, the older I've gotten, the less I've cared about Valentine's Day. For some reason it's just not a holiday I would get very excited about. With that being said, you know I still throughly enjoyed the cheesy made-for-t.v. movies on the Hallmark Channel and ABC Family. Maybe it's never been a big deal for me because I've never had that special someone to love on that day.

I will always cherish what we receive from our parents. A single red rose from Dad, and a gift (like earrings or an extra Christmas gift that was saved) from Mom, and cards from both. It was the best to wake up, ready for school, thinking it's a normal morning, until we'd come upstairs and our gifts and flowers were waiting for us on the counter. Surprise! I loved that. Each year you didn't want to expect that it would happen again, just for the surprise when it did. The Valentines I've known thus far in life have only ever been celebrated with family...which I've loved.

Now, Elementary School is another story. Remember those days? Homemade Valentines Boxes and fun activities throughout the day. And in the last hour of the school day: learning stops, love is in the air, and you have your Valentines party! Our class would always make a big circle around the room with our desks, set out decorated boxes, and run around the circle passing out personal Valentines. Nothing better than to open up your box to see which friends 'like' you and which 'love' you, and how much candy you received. Oh, but most importantly: the person you had a crush on would always get the best Valentine, maybe even an extra candy. And if you're really lucky, maybe you'd even receive the special note with the "Check: Yes or No" question at the end.

Happy Valentine's Day.

P.S. - I received a dozen roses by post today! Thanks J, best surprise!