What was/is your job?

Is teaching social work?

There's a thread title!

What about yourself, jangly? As you want to know what we did/do, what did you do?

Yes harrigran I agree about jangly I once decided once not to write on any thread where she/ he? had a lot to say, as I got fed up with it. But actually it is impossible. You would have to give up GRANSNET altogether. I might even do it but boredom with retirement drives me back to the computer.

My best job was making candyfloss at a chip shop in Tintagel. Used to make them HUGE. Apologies to all the children whose teeth I ruined.....sorry .

Is trophy wife an acceptable job? Certainly not top management. Just asking....?

crimson says I'm the Voice of Reason. I'm boasting about that. I love my new job title.

..but you don't get paid for it.....if only ....

Iv'e cleaned bogs all my life jangly, that mundane enough ?

Hello, just joined and like the Gransnet site and pleased to be part of it.
I was a nurse and then midwife for many years having 3 children during that time.
Now retired 7 yrs ago and seem to be always busy, enjoying two grandchildren who after 3 yrs in Dubai have returned to UK and now moved nearer to us which is great!
Husband and I enjoy walking the dogs, walking with a group of good friends with whom we also wine taste and holiday occasionally.etc etc. Not to mention seeing plenty of family, travelling and helping out with a Charity.

Welcome to you MaggieP hope you'll enjoy your time on GN. It seems as though you're making the most of retirement. Walking and wine tasting - that sounds a lovely mix!

Hope you can walk straight after all that wine-tasting, MaggieP! Welcome!

Hello MaggieP nice to meet you.

I failed my 11+ and left school at 15 to be a hairdresser. Worked in top London salons in the 60s and loved it. Then decided to go back to school and did evening classes and eventually a degree in History and a PGCE to teach. Taught for 16 years and then set up my own business - an educational consultancy providing Professional Development for teachers. Mrs. Thatcher put paid to that with the introduction of a very restricted curriculum and 6years later moved into higher education and have been a teacher trainer for the past 20 years training primary school teachers and running professional development for teachers. Did my doctorate - driven by 11+ failure - wanted to prove them wrong. Semi-retired this year and set up educational consultancy business (again). I am just passionate about education and can't see myself ever retiring properly. Sending this fro holiday in Nice where I'm reading more books on teaching!

Welcome MaggieP you will enjoy yourself here i promise you,but you should have kept it quiet about the wine tasting,you'll be sorry !!! slurp-slurp

Hello MaggieP, nice to meet you! I think quite a few of us on here are wine tasters too.

Well, sue61, I think that proves once and for all what a stupid test the 11+ was!

Welcome MaggieP never a dull moment on here, cheers

Charlotta - Whatever do you mean by your remark. I have been out all day and just popped on here before going to bed just to see what's been going on.

And I saw that!!

Please don't think of leaving Gransnet because of me. I have never been horrible to you. I assure you I am not a man! I am a granny to two grandsons who are very dear to me.

I thought I had friends on here.

I don't think Harrigrqn meant it. Of course I'm a real person.

I really don't understand.

What's this thing about a MAIN JOB? Don't we women multi-task and do things differently. I had four threads of activity - all equally important and inter-related - Being a mum to three (and now a grandmother); Voluntary work, formal and informal types; Paid work (though often still expected to do things for nothing); education/personal development. I had a main thread of Education and Community through each strand but consider my career was like a carousel - round about and up and down with different 'mains' at different times.
For the last 24 years however I was always known as the 'Disaster' Lady.
Now I'm redefined again as a 'Company Director' for son-in-law's business because he has Adult ADHD (see other thread) & needs constant micro-management! Still it feels better than putting retired on forms.
Incidentally, you don't have to be an 11+ failure to feel a failure. From humble beginnings I got to a top University (they must have made a mistake!) and have always felt a failure, even after getting a PhD - & still do.

Of course I didn't mean it, I am ribbing jangly We have been on Gransnet for long enough to know there is a lot of tongue in cheek going on

I know Harrigran.

I don't wanna know Green!

I didn't start the flipping thread!

absent did.

Blame her.

(in case you take it seriously, which I know you won't)

I just stuck my oar in.

Like you do.

I did indeed start this thread and have been so impressed with all the things that people have done in their lives. My initial sentence has certainly been vindicated, if that were necessary, by posts that start "I was only…" when, in fact, they have been valuable contributors to society and are clearly sensible, capable women today. (That's come out slightly patronising and I didn't mean to be.)

jangly You know what I do for a living as it cropped up on another thread. I write and edit non-fiction, mainly cookbooks, but also on some other subjects. Like many jobs, it has its moments of satisfaction, even pleasure, but mostly it's just nose to the grindstone and, literally, slaving over a hot stove.

I have managed to fit in various volunteer jobs from time to time such as teaching English to non-English-speaking immigrants in their homes. Best lesson ever was when the whole family joined in the mum's lesson – granny, grandpa, dad and four or five children in one tiny bedroom – and we played Happy Families. The intention was to get please and thank you as automatic responses and, if you forgot, you missed your turn. It was also a way to learn words such as butcher, baker, etc. It was so successful that I left the pack of cards for them to play with and was waved off with everyone shouting thank you.

Thanks for all your good welcome wishes, I will raise a glass to you next time there is one in my hand!