Whether you school, home educate your kids, both or haven't decided yet, whether you have children, or not, or not yet, please consider signing the following e-petitions.
Please sign this Home Education Petition;
"We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to uphold that parents have the primary responsibility for the upbringing and development of their child, to not undermine parents legitimately fulfilling their fundamental duties, and to assume that the best interests of their child is the basic concern of parents unless there is specific evidence to the contrary. In particular, the government should ensure :- • No right of access to the family home without evidence of a crime • No right to interview a child alone without evidence of risk of serious harm • No CRB checks or registration for parents to look after their own children, or to informally look after those of their friends, family etc • No licensing / registration / assessment / monitoring of methods by which parents fulfil their duties without evidence that they are failing to do so, and with specific recognition that education “otherwise” than at school is a perfectly legal option to fulfil their duty regarding education • No undermining of parents as being in the best position to determine how to meet their child’s needs, according to their age, ability, aptitude, and any special needs they may have • Greater focus on applying existing resources and procedures to cases of children known to be at risk, rather than dilution of these resources by routinely monitoring whole sections of the community • Compliance with the fundamental presumption of innocence unless there is specific evidence to the contrary."
And this petition to abolish Ofsted;
"We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to abolish Ofsted. There is no proof to show that Ofsted has done anything to raise standards in Schools since its inception. Its work serves to demoralise Teachers, and put unecessary stress on Schools. As an organisation it judges schools and places unrealistic demands on them, without providing any support with meeting these demands. It is forcing schools to waste valuable time and energy pursuing a paperchase in order to provide the illusion of meeting its unmeetable demands. It is essentially an information providing service for parents, and a stick with which to beat the Educators of this country. It does not accept criticism, refuses to enter into a constructive dialogue with those that it judges, and takes no interest in the views of this country's most experienced Educators. It is an expensive waste of taxpayers' money and it should be abolished"
Unfortunate spelling mistake in that one.
"Ofsted - big, bland and bureaucratic?" by BBC's Mike Baker
In news around the manor today, the boiler that was "serviced" by British Gas last week (I use the word "serviced" loosely as they just do a safety check not the full service and clean down that we used to have when having a local firm service it annually (until they mysteriously closed down, a director disappeared as did a s**t load of money - including some of ours as M is too gullible and paid a bill I'd already paid because they told him he hadn't paid yet)) has been making a horrible whiny sound as if the fan is not reset properly but the service call line tells us not to call as they are too busy with emergency calls, and the dishdrawer that was also revisited (note the prefix) by a service engineer is still doing the suddenly starting itself off thing.
Also I have finally got the laminator out to laminate things that I wanted to keep and I have lost the "My mummy is like sunshine" post-it note I'd discovered in her room one time. I am very sad about it.
Edited to add: After much searching, I found it :-).
Showing posts with label Being Unhappy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Being Unhappy. Show all posts
Sunday, 29 November 2009
Monday, 2 November 2009
Over the past week we have . . .
Made a toy to her own design and entirely by herself with me not seeing the bunny until it was finished (Design and Technology). Made from recycled fabric and stuffing she then asked me to take this photograph to submit it for a Blue Peter entry. The entry she managed by herself and looked up the criteria on the website by herself (IT), wrote by hand her evidence (writing) and packaged up photos and paper, sealing the envelope also by herself so neither M nor I saw what she's written. I'm a bit worried she's not covered off all the criteria she should have done.
Been delighted to get an airdry clay pig, created especially for Chloe and carefully painted for Chloe by her friends over the summer. She reflected on how lucky she is to have so many lovely friends. I echoed that sentiment on my own behalf.
We've been to Latinetc for Latin, Music Theory and Science. Due to it being half term, everyone had time to go into the playing field for parachute games (in French!) with much laughter:
We spent a very enjoyable afternoon into early evening at new friends trialling the Big Bubble kit I'd bought for camp. I had intended to trial it at Latinetc but it turned out it needed washing up liquid and the environmentally friendly stuff just doesn't give good bubbles. Was relieved to find it works with earth destroying Fairy. Now I need to purchase more Glycerine as they only provide enough in the pack for one use :-(.
She cried in the car about Music Theory as she didn't understand it. She was fixated on the staves being strings (as in guitar tabs the lines represent the guitar strings). I promised to help her the next day, but remembered when dropping her off at AL's house, so delegated and AL's mum kindly helped explain the treble clef. When I got home she did her homework, getting the bass clef words wrong (finding the words in the music), so revisited her understanding getting her to write on the keys of her kiddie keyboard and now she loves Music Theory!
C and Rubes enjoyed an hour long snorkelling session at our local pool. I grumbled to Beccy about the state of the pool. The passageway exiting the ladies changing rooms has had the drain gaffer taped since the beginning of term, which is an improvement as when it hadn't been gaffer taped it was an accident waiting to happen as if you stepped on the drain it skedadled away leaving sharp tile edges exposed. They spent millions refurbing the reception area but nothing was spent where I think it really needs it - the drains and the changing rooms. One of the advantages of switching her swimming to mornings is that it is cleaner and hasn't yet acquired that ammonia smell from people letting their kids urinate on the floor. C&I always wear flip flops.
Photo evidence. Will see if it is repaired before Christmas.
After snorkelling, Rubes came back to ours and they spent the entire day sewing. Ruby made bride and groom outfits with a bridesmaid outfit too. C is unable to smile because she cut her lip with her own fingernail (side effect of having guitar as your instrument - long fingernails on your right hand) when getting changed at the pool.
She went dressed up as a pumpkin to a bonfire party at Beccy's. Marcus made the pumpkin soup. It was delicious but led to a stupid argument when I said I couldn't cook and carve the same pumpkin as getting hte flesh out is too difficult. M said I could - he has a recipe where you scrape the pumpkin and make the soup, putting it back into the pumkin as a tureen. He hasn't actually made that though. Roll on next year. We usually hide in our back room from all the scary trick or treaters. Has to be said I don't like Halloween at all and would happily abolish it, or rename it Pumpkin Night, which is the only pleasurable part about it.
Outfit, of course, was too itchy;
So she opted for thermals underneath, which, given it was an outside party, was just as well:
She rediscovered a ceramic pumpkin mask she'd made last year;
We have also been to a Ceilidh which was lots of fun but meant the next day I rested up in bed until 5:30pm so as to be mobile enough to drive. I had strained my back painting the windows the weekend before and the dancing proved to be inadvisable (though lots of fun at the time). Beccy has lent me some magnets that are held under clothing. She says they help. I will try them but they require granny knickers (the magnets velcro inside the top band) that I don't possess (so you all know far more about my choice of underwear than you ever thought you would or should!). So I need to go on a big knicker purchasing trip.
Sunday again I was careful all day as I needed to go out in the evening. Being in pain puts me in such ill humour. I was very horrible to M as he was drifting through the day not doing anything productive and I was frustrated by not being able to do anything myself. The house is a state and I had been assured a man was coming to do skirting boards in the bedroom, so I thought M could use the rainy, stay at home Sunday to move the bed. He questioned the sense of doing it now when he hasn't got a date for the skirting board man, I wanted it done as there is a lot of other furniture to shift and other things need doing in there too that will be easier with the room empty (eg rescuing my heart pendant that flew down under the floorboards via the space that would be blocked by skirting boards had we any). I got upset (possibly hormonal as well as in pain, we'll see) realising that the agreement with the skirting board man perhaps wasn't as agreed as I'd been led to understand. For example the radiator cover - I'd said to M I wanted a brass radiator cover infill, not the mdf ones. He'd said at that time he'd clarify that with the carpenter as he hadn't stated brass. It transpired he didn't say radiator cover at all. I hate being lied to or deliberately misled and got very upset and said I just wanted a nice house and if I had my own I could just get it nice the way I wanted, to which he responded that I could get a job and buy my own house. I don't think retelling the rest of the exchange would do either of us any favours, me the least. I lost it somewhat and got personal :-(.
The bed has now been moved.
I still don't feel happy as I've achieved what I wanted by having a total uncontrollable breakdown and I wish he'd just want to push forward on these things as I do. He doesn't even notice it all.
In any event, the bed will now stay there as when the bedroom is finally done, I am getting a new bed - a two singles together type as I think I'll sleep better on my own mattress than sharing a mattress with him. If I sleep better perhaps my mood will improve. It's worth a try eh?
Been delighted to get an airdry clay pig, created especially for Chloe and carefully painted for Chloe by her friends over the summer. She reflected on how lucky she is to have so many lovely friends. I echoed that sentiment on my own behalf.
We've been to Latinetc for Latin, Music Theory and Science. Due to it being half term, everyone had time to go into the playing field for parachute games (in French!) with much laughter:
We spent a very enjoyable afternoon into early evening at new friends trialling the Big Bubble kit I'd bought for camp. I had intended to trial it at Latinetc but it turned out it needed washing up liquid and the environmentally friendly stuff just doesn't give good bubbles. Was relieved to find it works with earth destroying Fairy. Now I need to purchase more Glycerine as they only provide enough in the pack for one use :-(.
She cried in the car about Music Theory as she didn't understand it. She was fixated on the staves being strings (as in guitar tabs the lines represent the guitar strings). I promised to help her the next day, but remembered when dropping her off at AL's house, so delegated and AL's mum kindly helped explain the treble clef. When I got home she did her homework, getting the bass clef words wrong (finding the words in the music), so revisited her understanding getting her to write on the keys of her kiddie keyboard and now she loves Music Theory!
C and Rubes enjoyed an hour long snorkelling session at our local pool. I grumbled to Beccy about the state of the pool. The passageway exiting the ladies changing rooms has had the drain gaffer taped since the beginning of term, which is an improvement as when it hadn't been gaffer taped it was an accident waiting to happen as if you stepped on the drain it skedadled away leaving sharp tile edges exposed. They spent millions refurbing the reception area but nothing was spent where I think it really needs it - the drains and the changing rooms. One of the advantages of switching her swimming to mornings is that it is cleaner and hasn't yet acquired that ammonia smell from people letting their kids urinate on the floor. C&I always wear flip flops.
Photo evidence. Will see if it is repaired before Christmas.
After snorkelling, Rubes came back to ours and they spent the entire day sewing. Ruby made bride and groom outfits with a bridesmaid outfit too. C is unable to smile because she cut her lip with her own fingernail (side effect of having guitar as your instrument - long fingernails on your right hand) when getting changed at the pool.
She went dressed up as a pumpkin to a bonfire party at Beccy's. Marcus made the pumpkin soup. It was delicious but led to a stupid argument when I said I couldn't cook and carve the same pumpkin as getting hte flesh out is too difficult. M said I could - he has a recipe where you scrape the pumpkin and make the soup, putting it back into the pumkin as a tureen. He hasn't actually made that though. Roll on next year. We usually hide in our back room from all the scary trick or treaters. Has to be said I don't like Halloween at all and would happily abolish it, or rename it Pumpkin Night, which is the only pleasurable part about it.
Outfit, of course, was too itchy;
So she opted for thermals underneath, which, given it was an outside party, was just as well:
She rediscovered a ceramic pumpkin mask she'd made last year;
We have also been to a Ceilidh which was lots of fun but meant the next day I rested up in bed until 5:30pm so as to be mobile enough to drive. I had strained my back painting the windows the weekend before and the dancing proved to be inadvisable (though lots of fun at the time). Beccy has lent me some magnets that are held under clothing. She says they help. I will try them but they require granny knickers (the magnets velcro inside the top band) that I don't possess (so you all know far more about my choice of underwear than you ever thought you would or should!). So I need to go on a big knicker purchasing trip.
Sunday again I was careful all day as I needed to go out in the evening. Being in pain puts me in such ill humour. I was very horrible to M as he was drifting through the day not doing anything productive and I was frustrated by not being able to do anything myself. The house is a state and I had been assured a man was coming to do skirting boards in the bedroom, so I thought M could use the rainy, stay at home Sunday to move the bed. He questioned the sense of doing it now when he hasn't got a date for the skirting board man, I wanted it done as there is a lot of other furniture to shift and other things need doing in there too that will be easier with the room empty (eg rescuing my heart pendant that flew down under the floorboards via the space that would be blocked by skirting boards had we any). I got upset (possibly hormonal as well as in pain, we'll see) realising that the agreement with the skirting board man perhaps wasn't as agreed as I'd been led to understand. For example the radiator cover - I'd said to M I wanted a brass radiator cover infill, not the mdf ones. He'd said at that time he'd clarify that with the carpenter as he hadn't stated brass. It transpired he didn't say radiator cover at all. I hate being lied to or deliberately misled and got very upset and said I just wanted a nice house and if I had my own I could just get it nice the way I wanted, to which he responded that I could get a job and buy my own house. I don't think retelling the rest of the exchange would do either of us any favours, me the least. I lost it somewhat and got personal :-(.
The bed has now been moved.
I still don't feel happy as I've achieved what I wanted by having a total uncontrollable breakdown and I wish he'd just want to push forward on these things as I do. He doesn't even notice it all.
In any event, the bed will now stay there as when the bedroom is finally done, I am getting a new bed - a two singles together type as I think I'll sleep better on my own mattress than sharing a mattress with him. If I sleep better perhaps my mood will improve. It's worth a try eh?
Sunday, 1 February 2009
Saturday, Sunday
Saturday
I finished reading "Goodnight Mr Tom" - and cried. Clo says she doesn't like to see me cry even if I tell her it's only because of a silly story. I don't cry easy.
I'm not sure she's ready for it. I've told her what the story is about - which somewhat spoils it, so I'm happy for her to decide not to and read it in a couple of years when she's older and forgotten the story. I've told Marcus to read it and he "wants to know" too. It will be interesting to see what he thinks of it as he prefers things like Seth Hunter's "Time of Terror" (his current read - and he's trying to find out who Seth Hunter really is).
Whilst I'd been reading, Clo did more of the Mission into Space book. We had such frustration on Friday night as she couldn't get the right answers to some questions. I then told her how to work it out and still she couldn't get the right answer. I then did it for her and I got it wrong too. Again and again I looked and couldn't see where I'd gone wrong so had decided to leave it for another day. Clo had obviously decided Saturday morning was the other day.
The tips section at the back provided this:
It wasn't until I counted back 100 days, each and every day counted back one at a time that I was convinced that I was right and the book was wrong. Then realised why.
Can you see it?
The eejits who developed the calendar didn't move all the dates for the next month along such that the first day of the following month was in the column after the last day of the previous month. Look at September into October and January into February. Then whoever worked out the answers used this to count back 14 weeks and hence got the answers wrong.
So what did we learn? That you shouldn't take for granted that what is in the book (or on the screen or verbally told to you) is right and that you should check out and trust your own answer. Also the mission would have failed due to an oversight of a silly mistake on a calendar - so check and double check information we are provided with. And finally, I was prepared (nay, wanted) to hurl book into the bin in disgust but C really, really likes it and wanted to keep working through the problems so persistence is, I suppose a virtue.
It's not the first time I've found books to be wrong. I reminded Clo of the school text book that had polar bears eating penguins. Marcus' contribution was that maybe the penguins in the text book are like the ones in Madagascar. That fine documentary programme, Madagascar.
I ranted for quite a while before deciding I was hungry so we had bacon and egg sandwiches for brunch. Very unhealthy I know and I was mindful of an HE-ing GP friend who asked me on Friday if I eat bacon. I felt awful at having to admit yes. I bet our actual GP eats bacon.
I then grumped about the house. Specifically about two funny stairs you have to step over and down into a well (that used to be a platform) before rising the flight to the first floor. He wanted to leave them there and I wanted them gone.
They have now been dismantled. Yay!
M took C on their bicycles into town and I met them at Waitrose where they'd done an expensive shop. Not letting them go shopping together again for a long while! Lots of delicious steak for dinner that cost twice at least what I'd normally be prepared to spend. 'twas very yummy though.
We all watched Carrie's War with dinner. Then Clo read "Escape from Germany" by Penny McKinlay. It is part of the WW2 set from School link that arrived last week. Although it says age 9-14 it is a really easy read with large print so accessible for good younger readers. It's the issues that are probably best understood by the older readers, not the complexity of the text that makes the 9-14 age be recommended. (Can't bear that recommended age range thing anyway - what did happen to that No to Age Banding Campaign?)
Sunday
We had lunch at the cafe at our local free range pig farm. Marcus has not been before so he enjoyed Chloe showing him around the whole farm - and it was blummin' cold! Three piglets, goats, chooks, rabbits, parakeets, cats, a dog, horse and pony.
Home and Marcus did a loft check - I though I'd heard birds up there last week but Marcus found 4 dead mice. The bait does work. He then made a loft hatch cover for the higher loft hatch. We have a suspended ceiling and the hole in the higher original ceiling has no cover. This makes that room colder and when you need to go into the loft, you get showered with dust when lowering the hatch in the suspended ceiling. Unfortunately, when you fold the ladder back up and hook it into place, the edge of the ladder lifts one side of the new cover up slightly so it's not a sealed fit. Nothing is ever straight forward around here. I'll get some insulation material to cover and will have it overhanging so it will be fine without having to build the sides of the new cover up higher such that the ladder nestles into it.
Clo wanted to eat some chocolate so finally broke open a chocolate piggy bank she'd been given for Christmas. She agreed to start eating it if we took a picture first:
I finished reading "Goodnight Mr Tom" - and cried. Clo says she doesn't like to see me cry even if I tell her it's only because of a silly story. I don't cry easy.
I'm not sure she's ready for it. I've told her what the story is about - which somewhat spoils it, so I'm happy for her to decide not to and read it in a couple of years when she's older and forgotten the story. I've told Marcus to read it and he "wants to know" too. It will be interesting to see what he thinks of it as he prefers things like Seth Hunter's "Time of Terror" (his current read - and he's trying to find out who Seth Hunter really is).
Whilst I'd been reading, Clo did more of the Mission into Space book. We had such frustration on Friday night as she couldn't get the right answers to some questions. I then told her how to work it out and still she couldn't get the right answer. I then did it for her and I got it wrong too. Again and again I looked and couldn't see where I'd gone wrong so had decided to leave it for another day. Clo had obviously decided Saturday morning was the other day.
The tips section at the back provided this:
It wasn't until I counted back 100 days, each and every day counted back one at a time that I was convinced that I was right and the book was wrong. Then realised why.
Can you see it?
The eejits who developed the calendar didn't move all the dates for the next month along such that the first day of the following month was in the column after the last day of the previous month. Look at September into October and January into February. Then whoever worked out the answers used this to count back 14 weeks and hence got the answers wrong.
So what did we learn? That you shouldn't take for granted that what is in the book (or on the screen or verbally told to you) is right and that you should check out and trust your own answer. Also the mission would have failed due to an oversight of a silly mistake on a calendar - so check and double check information we are provided with. And finally, I was prepared (nay, wanted) to hurl book into the bin in disgust but C really, really likes it and wanted to keep working through the problems so persistence is, I suppose a virtue.
It's not the first time I've found books to be wrong. I reminded Clo of the school text book that had polar bears eating penguins. Marcus' contribution was that maybe the penguins in the text book are like the ones in Madagascar. That fine documentary programme, Madagascar.
I ranted for quite a while before deciding I was hungry so we had bacon and egg sandwiches for brunch. Very unhealthy I know and I was mindful of an HE-ing GP friend who asked me on Friday if I eat bacon. I felt awful at having to admit yes. I bet our actual GP eats bacon.
I then grumped about the house. Specifically about two funny stairs you have to step over and down into a well (that used to be a platform) before rising the flight to the first floor. He wanted to leave them there and I wanted them gone.
They have now been dismantled. Yay!
M took C on their bicycles into town and I met them at Waitrose where they'd done an expensive shop. Not letting them go shopping together again for a long while! Lots of delicious steak for dinner that cost twice at least what I'd normally be prepared to spend. 'twas very yummy though.
We all watched Carrie's War with dinner. Then Clo read "Escape from Germany" by Penny McKinlay. It is part of the WW2 set from School link that arrived last week. Although it says age 9-14 it is a really easy read with large print so accessible for good younger readers. It's the issues that are probably best understood by the older readers, not the complexity of the text that makes the 9-14 age be recommended. (Can't bear that recommended age range thing anyway - what did happen to that No to Age Banding Campaign?)
Sunday
We had lunch at the cafe at our local free range pig farm. Marcus has not been before so he enjoyed Chloe showing him around the whole farm - and it was blummin' cold! Three piglets, goats, chooks, rabbits, parakeets, cats, a dog, horse and pony.
Home and Marcus did a loft check - I though I'd heard birds up there last week but Marcus found 4 dead mice. The bait does work. He then made a loft hatch cover for the higher loft hatch. We have a suspended ceiling and the hole in the higher original ceiling has no cover. This makes that room colder and when you need to go into the loft, you get showered with dust when lowering the hatch in the suspended ceiling. Unfortunately, when you fold the ladder back up and hook it into place, the edge of the ladder lifts one side of the new cover up slightly so it's not a sealed fit. Nothing is ever straight forward around here. I'll get some insulation material to cover and will have it overhanging so it will be fine without having to build the sides of the new cover up higher such that the ladder nestles into it.
Clo wanted to eat some chocolate so finally broke open a chocolate piggy bank she'd been given for Christmas. She agreed to start eating it if we took a picture first:
Monday, 29 December 2008
Homeward Bound
Well in a roundabout fashion.
Marcus was working throughout the Christmas and New Year period but the director had decreed anyone doing so had to spend a day in the Gatwick office. Which is not his home office, he has an office in the nearest company building to where we live. The director said other people based near Gatwick have to go in and so all others within the department also had to. Which is totally bonkers and a complete waste of corporate resources - money and his time which could be better spent in doing work rather than travelling. It's not as if he never hikes down there on a twice or thrice weekly basis anyway. He doesn't mind so much if there is a meeting to attend or people to see, but to have to spend two hours travelling in each direction just on the sayso of some ***** is irking to say the least.
He is not as wound up about it as I am. I'm fed up with the long days he does already so am doubly pee-d off now.
Anyway, his direct line manager said to go in on the way back from where we were spending Christmas which saved us the having to drive back on Sunday night.
So Clo slept in the car on the way to Gatwick, missing us being passed by a car that was an insurance write off in an accident I had about 10 years ago.
Dropped him off at the office and we went through Crawley and then decided Crawley looked like a dump (apologies to people if I missed the nice bits) so went to Horsham instead. Parked in a very expensive carpark but fortunately found a Starbucks, went to it to unfortunately read a sign in the window saying it was temporarily closed due to power cut. Just typical. Then a manager popped his head out to say they should be open in 5 mins. So we waited, got in and ordered, ate and Clo then flopped about not really wanting to do anything until it was time to collect Daddy. I wasn't about to spend many hours in a coffee shop so I bribed her with visiting Jones the Bootmakers' sale. The sales are no better than in previous years. She wanted to go in Next as well, so we battled in there and was faced with an array of badly organised clothes - looked like a jumble sale. There is a reason why things end up in the sales. So I said as much and we left. The water feature was broken and lots of rubbish strewn everywhere made Horsham look unkempt. We were quite flat until we walked up towards the museum and found a discount bookstore, which was so nice and clean with a friendly assistant that we spent a lot of time and money there. Came out with two bags of books. Including a lovely Tuthankhamun Pack to follow on from our visit to the museum with Mum and Keith.
Found Horsham Museum, which is a fantastic little (not so little - it has 26 rooms) town museum. We did explore all of it but sadly we were too tired to really learn anything or absorb anything from it. Would happily return should I be in the Horsham area. The building itself is fascinating and they have an eclectic collection on display.
Returned to the carpark and paid the ticket with 5mins to spare before it went into the next payment band before driving back to collect Marcus. The drive home was brilliant. Much quicker than it would usually be.
Marcus had yet another bizarre conversation with his mum who apparently has asked her friend's daughter's partner Fred to ring the company and complain that they should recognise him more and treat him better. Fred is a customer and is also an engineer so his word carries weight. [*rolls*]
I can't think Fred really has.
Wonder if anyone has ever had a mad elderly parent ring their workplace?
I'm laughing as it's so mental. Marcus finds it depressing. He's worried he could have another 20+ years of conversations like this.
Marcus was working throughout the Christmas and New Year period but the director had decreed anyone doing so had to spend a day in the Gatwick office. Which is not his home office, he has an office in the nearest company building to where we live. The director said other people based near Gatwick have to go in and so all others within the department also had to. Which is totally bonkers and a complete waste of corporate resources - money and his time which could be better spent in doing work rather than travelling. It's not as if he never hikes down there on a twice or thrice weekly basis anyway. He doesn't mind so much if there is a meeting to attend or people to see, but to have to spend two hours travelling in each direction just on the sayso of some ***** is irking to say the least.
He is not as wound up about it as I am. I'm fed up with the long days he does already so am doubly pee-d off now.
Anyway, his direct line manager said to go in on the way back from where we were spending Christmas which saved us the having to drive back on Sunday night.
So Clo slept in the car on the way to Gatwick, missing us being passed by a car that was an insurance write off in an accident I had about 10 years ago.
Dropped him off at the office and we went through Crawley and then decided Crawley looked like a dump (apologies to people if I missed the nice bits) so went to Horsham instead. Parked in a very expensive carpark but fortunately found a Starbucks, went to it to unfortunately read a sign in the window saying it was temporarily closed due to power cut. Just typical. Then a manager popped his head out to say they should be open in 5 mins. So we waited, got in and ordered, ate and Clo then flopped about not really wanting to do anything until it was time to collect Daddy. I wasn't about to spend many hours in a coffee shop so I bribed her with visiting Jones the Bootmakers' sale. The sales are no better than in previous years. She wanted to go in Next as well, so we battled in there and was faced with an array of badly organised clothes - looked like a jumble sale. There is a reason why things end up in the sales. So I said as much and we left. The water feature was broken and lots of rubbish strewn everywhere made Horsham look unkempt. We were quite flat until we walked up towards the museum and found a discount bookstore, which was so nice and clean with a friendly assistant that we spent a lot of time and money there. Came out with two bags of books. Including a lovely Tuthankhamun Pack to follow on from our visit to the museum with Mum and Keith.
Found Horsham Museum, which is a fantastic little (not so little - it has 26 rooms) town museum. We did explore all of it but sadly we were too tired to really learn anything or absorb anything from it. Would happily return should I be in the Horsham area. The building itself is fascinating and they have an eclectic collection on display.
Returned to the carpark and paid the ticket with 5mins to spare before it went into the next payment band before driving back to collect Marcus. The drive home was brilliant. Much quicker than it would usually be.
Marcus had yet another bizarre conversation with his mum who apparently has asked her friend's daughter's partner Fred to ring the company and complain that they should recognise him more and treat him better. Fred is a customer and is also an engineer so his word carries weight. [*rolls*]
I can't think Fred really has.
Wonder if anyone has ever had a mad elderly parent ring their workplace?
I'm laughing as it's so mental. Marcus finds it depressing. He's worried he could have another 20+ years of conversations like this.
Friday, 3 October 2008
The Last Day of Preparations
F R E T
Bake cakes
S T R E S S
Paint another mosaic picture - a snail this time.
P A N I C
She did do guitar practice and had an excellent 121 tennis with Alex before Club Night, then home briefly before Badgers.
Marcus said he'd tidy the dining room and I'd told him to do the carrier bag sweep but he decided he had to sort things out properly. So of course it wasn't done by the time I wanted it done. Which sent my stress levels super high such that some of the things I'd wanted done had to be abandoned and it still messed up the timings such that it was gone 1am when we went to bed.
Heard on radio that the The Zimmers are about to launch their album, "Lust for Life". Will be buying that one from The Zimmers Online as they'll hopefully receive more royalties that way. I just seem to have trouble with internet connection atm.
Leek and Potato soup for dinner.
Bake cakes
S T R E S S
Paint another mosaic picture - a snail this time.
P A N I C
She did do guitar practice and had an excellent 121 tennis with Alex before Club Night, then home briefly before Badgers.
Marcus said he'd tidy the dining room and I'd told him to do the carrier bag sweep but he decided he had to sort things out properly. So of course it wasn't done by the time I wanted it done. Which sent my stress levels super high such that some of the things I'd wanted done had to be abandoned and it still messed up the timings such that it was gone 1am when we went to bed.
Heard on radio that the The Zimmers are about to launch their album, "Lust for Life". Will be buying that one from The Zimmers Online as they'll hopefully receive more royalties that way. I just seem to have trouble with internet connection atm.
Leek and Potato soup for dinner.
Tuesday, 2 September 2008
Baking and Biking
First day of term and Beccy was able to have Clo for the day!!!!!!!!!!!
Rubes does the HE drama in town so I aimed to do the Chloe drop off there once it's finished. Clo cycled and I alternately walked and ran. I am so unfit! I wore for the first time the pedometer Marcus gave me for my birthday and it has show I travelled 4.61km! (It does seem to take me a while to use presents. Not sure why.)
I left my daughter with Beccy and Ruby to have a fab day until 7pm baking cakes (doing sums in the icing sugar - Beccy wrote the sum and they could lick their finger to write the answer in the sugar and therefore get a fingertip of sugar as a consequence), off road biking for 3 miles (I got her to hose her bike down when I'd got it home as it was caked in mud - she then discovered the jet of water from the hose could make the pedal spin like the wheel at the water mill) and general play including back on Questionaut again (I think we can safely say she really likes it). Whilst she was enjoying all this, I made my way home via the opticians to collect the remainder of my contact lens order, the dentist to move Clo's dental check up as we're in Helmsley that week (and discovered our existing dentist has left and we now have a new one - (Becs - Magdalena is no more!)) and a hairdressers to see if they had any appointments free (which they did at 2:30pm). Much easier running errands on my own.
So walked home (no need to run with no child to keep up with), had a quick bath, had lunch and then had a super quick Brompton folding and unfolding lesson from Marcus so I could cycle to town for the hairdressers appointment. It was very pleasant in the hairdressers. I didn't get asked if I'd been on holiday lately and the small talk was not intrusive nor seemed false. I did knock a glass of water over mind you. It was very quick as the clouds had been approaching and I didn't want to be cycling home with newly done hair in the rain, though she may have been rushing as I was in danger of causing more damage! It has been years since I've been to a hairdressers. I think the last time was for Marie and Jon's wedding 7 years ago and since then I've managed on mobile hairdressers who come to the house every 6 months. 'course I had to remortgage the house just to pay for it. *imagine a goggle-eyed smilie here 'cos it cost a heart stoppingly amount of money!!!*. Perhaps I should have enquired how much it was going to cost when I booked.
M's mum then called just as I got back in and promptly ruined his afternoon. Complaints today are back to the home educating as it's not right C spends so much time with me (who knows what I do to Clo all day long? does she think we're neglectful parents?) and camping is dangerous as she could get abducted or we could be mixing with people who steal things and are on drugs.
Oh and C should get used to being sat at a desk all day long, day in day out as that's what she'll have to do for the rest of her life. I'm sorry. I want more for my daughter than that. My ambitions for her are that she is happy in whatever she chooses to do in her life, that no opportunity is closed to her and that she has the ability to maintain herself to the lifestyle she chooses to live.
And she complains that he spend more of his money on my family for birthdays and Christmas than he does on her. Not sure that we do actually but apparently Clo told her we'd bought Granny a bowl for Christmas that cost £60. Bizarre thing is that I'm not sure C is a reliable source of info on this sort of thing as I'm pretty convinced last Christmas we bought a bowl for Marcus' mum and a picture frame for my Mum and Keith. And I'm not sure that we got my dad anything at all. Why do some people use monetary evidence as "proof" of love? I find it quite upsetting.
She wonders why we don't want to live in Canada or visit more often. That stretch of water is mighty handy let me tell you . . .
Rubes does the HE drama in town so I aimed to do the Chloe drop off there once it's finished. Clo cycled and I alternately walked and ran. I am so unfit! I wore for the first time the pedometer Marcus gave me for my birthday and it has show I travelled 4.61km! (It does seem to take me a while to use presents. Not sure why.)
I left my daughter with Beccy and Ruby to have a fab day until 7pm baking cakes (doing sums in the icing sugar - Beccy wrote the sum and they could lick their finger to write the answer in the sugar and therefore get a fingertip of sugar as a consequence), off road biking for 3 miles (I got her to hose her bike down when I'd got it home as it was caked in mud - she then discovered the jet of water from the hose could make the pedal spin like the wheel at the water mill) and general play including back on Questionaut again (I think we can safely say she really likes it). Whilst she was enjoying all this, I made my way home via the opticians to collect the remainder of my contact lens order, the dentist to move Clo's dental check up as we're in Helmsley that week (and discovered our existing dentist has left and we now have a new one - (Becs - Magdalena is no more!)) and a hairdressers to see if they had any appointments free (which they did at 2:30pm). Much easier running errands on my own.
So walked home (no need to run with no child to keep up with), had a quick bath, had lunch and then had a super quick Brompton folding and unfolding lesson from Marcus so I could cycle to town for the hairdressers appointment. It was very pleasant in the hairdressers. I didn't get asked if I'd been on holiday lately and the small talk was not intrusive nor seemed false. I did knock a glass of water over mind you. It was very quick as the clouds had been approaching and I didn't want to be cycling home with newly done hair in the rain, though she may have been rushing as I was in danger of causing more damage! It has been years since I've been to a hairdressers. I think the last time was for Marie and Jon's wedding 7 years ago and since then I've managed on mobile hairdressers who come to the house every 6 months. 'course I had to remortgage the house just to pay for it. *imagine a goggle-eyed smilie here 'cos it cost a heart stoppingly amount of money!!!*. Perhaps I should have enquired how much it was going to cost when I booked.
M's mum then called just as I got back in and promptly ruined his afternoon. Complaints today are back to the home educating as it's not right C spends so much time with me (who knows what I do to Clo all day long? does she think we're neglectful parents?) and camping is dangerous as she could get abducted or we could be mixing with people who steal things and are on drugs.
Oh and C should get used to being sat at a desk all day long, day in day out as that's what she'll have to do for the rest of her life. I'm sorry. I want more for my daughter than that. My ambitions for her are that she is happy in whatever she chooses to do in her life, that no opportunity is closed to her and that she has the ability to maintain herself to the lifestyle she chooses to live.
And she complains that he spend more of his money on my family for birthdays and Christmas than he does on her. Not sure that we do actually but apparently Clo told her we'd bought Granny a bowl for Christmas that cost £60. Bizarre thing is that I'm not sure C is a reliable source of info on this sort of thing as I'm pretty convinced last Christmas we bought a bowl for Marcus' mum and a picture frame for my Mum and Keith. And I'm not sure that we got my dad anything at all. Why do some people use monetary evidence as "proof" of love? I find it quite upsetting.
She wonders why we don't want to live in Canada or visit more often. That stretch of water is mighty handy let me tell you . . .
Tuesday, 26 August 2008
We have highs,
we have lows.
Clearly an excellent day would have to be followed by an absolutely terrible day.
Although it turned out to be hormone related (why C hasn't learnt by now to just steer clear of me on days like this I don't know), I had reduced C to tears by 11am, by mimicking her whiny voice - which she apparently says she doesn't sound like at all - err, yes you do to me. and asking her to find something she could productively occupy her time with that didn't involve me.
So she decided to make me a costume for Saturday's pirate party. With fabric and her sewing machine. Got part way through that project before realising she needed my help - which I didn't want to do. It's not in my skillset and I know I would get frustrated by it so don't even want to start.
So she decided to make a skull and crossbones flag with fabric pens but got cross because she couldn't draw it to her exacting standards and I wasn't allowed to print off an image she could trace around - see, I did get involved here too! I also got involved as she was doing the being cross in front of me. [please note it wasn't me being cross here!].
So she decided to bake muffins. I said she couldn't because again, that will involve me for both preparation and clearing up afterwards.
So she wanted to make a parrot for the party. Out of paper mache. Same issue as with the muffin baking.
She didn't want to read, draw or do anything that she could just get on with by herself, except watch television and I'd stopped that as she'd watched over 2 hours whilst I was working my way through a mountain of washing up. She flopped about a fair bit, with this heavy sigh punctuating the air every now and again. I wouldn't have minded the flopping if she could have done it in her own room. But no. She had to be with me, irritating me.
I couldn't even wish she was schooled as she'd still have been with me.
So I said that next year I would pack her off somewhere for a week where she could do climbing, abseiling and all sorts of fun activities to give me a break. She really, really doesn't want to.
Last summer she did some gym days and a tennis activity day and I got that time to recoup. This year I hadn't organised anything as she didn't need them or really want them. I've only just realised I do.
It hadn't been helped by a week of being ill and not sleeping at night, followed by the smoke detector running out of batteries at 3am on the first night I didn't cough myself awake.
I did play Labyrinth with her. Twice.
Clearly an excellent day would have to be followed by an absolutely terrible day.
Although it turned out to be hormone related (why C hasn't learnt by now to just steer clear of me on days like this I don't know), I had reduced C to tears by 11am, by mimicking her whiny voice - which she apparently says she doesn't sound like at all - err, yes you do to me. and asking her to find something she could productively occupy her time with that didn't involve me.
So she decided to make me a costume for Saturday's pirate party. With fabric and her sewing machine. Got part way through that project before realising she needed my help - which I didn't want to do. It's not in my skillset and I know I would get frustrated by it so don't even want to start.
So she decided to make a skull and crossbones flag with fabric pens but got cross because she couldn't draw it to her exacting standards and I wasn't allowed to print off an image she could trace around - see, I did get involved here too! I also got involved as she was doing the being cross in front of me. [please note it wasn't me being cross here!].
So she decided to bake muffins. I said she couldn't because again, that will involve me for both preparation and clearing up afterwards.
So she wanted to make a parrot for the party. Out of paper mache. Same issue as with the muffin baking.
She didn't want to read, draw or do anything that she could just get on with by herself, except watch television and I'd stopped that as she'd watched over 2 hours whilst I was working my way through a mountain of washing up. She flopped about a fair bit, with this heavy sigh punctuating the air every now and again. I wouldn't have minded the flopping if she could have done it in her own room. But no. She had to be with me, irritating me.
I couldn't even wish she was schooled as she'd still have been with me.
So I said that next year I would pack her off somewhere for a week where she could do climbing, abseiling and all sorts of fun activities to give me a break. She really, really doesn't want to.
Last summer she did some gym days and a tennis activity day and I got that time to recoup. This year I hadn't organised anything as she didn't need them or really want them. I've only just realised I do.
It hadn't been helped by a week of being ill and not sleeping at night, followed by the smoke detector running out of batteries at 3am on the first night I didn't cough myself awake.
I did play Labyrinth with her. Twice.
Thursday, 12 June 2008
Another Tent!
Tuesday
We had Ruby once she'd finished at Drama. HE Drama is really cutting into my swap day as it doesn't finish until 11am and the swap cannot start until afterwards.
Ruby left at school kick out time as Paula was giving them a lift home (Paula lives on the same road as Beccy and her daughter goes to our village school) so the girls didn't manage to finish watching "Annie" - Rubes has never seen it before and as Chloe keeps singing the songs she wanted to know where the songs came from.
Chloe then wanted to go in the paddling pool and I read more "What Katy Did" whilst she proceeded to make the hot tiles fizz by putting water on them. I burned my thumb badly on the steam from the kettle when making a cup of tea - hazardous business teamaking!) so read whilst having my thumb wrapped in a teatowel in icy water.
When she had become too cold and I had had enough of reading aloud, I decided to go out into the sunshine and prune the laurel hedge in the front garden. Clo helped me by standing on the offcuts in the compost bin to squidge it all down. Funny child liked it:
Wednesday
First thing she decided to do when she woke up was make an eco-friendly aeroplane. We were given a comprehensive presentation on the features of the plane but the key points is that it is powered by air and has a vegetable plot on one wing and a flower garden on the other:
We needed to make a gas mask box in preparation for Friday. The instructions were not great and we don't have large enough sheets of card. So wondered if I could find a box of the right dimensions in the utility room - an lo and behold we did. It's only very slightly the wrong size.
This led to getting books out to look at photographs of children with their gas mask boxes - and realised the instructions produce a box the wrong way round. Anyway, it will do the job. Read the WW2 pages in the Britain History Encyclopedia book she has (gift from Jen and Steve - thank you) which included a box about the swastika being the reversal of the mark of good fortune as used by Hindus and Buddhists. She then spent a while drawing it in both directions. Not as easy for a 7 year old as you might think.
After lunch we popped round to Bina's to play on their new trampoline and admire the new tent palace. It's a very nice tent, a Vango Zambezi 500DLX Tent. Marcus nearly suffered from chronic tent envy when I showed him the pics but after perusing tent websites for nearly an hour declared that although it is an excellent tent, our Outwell suits us better. Phew! We particularly like the large skylight (has a blind too) and the brows over the doors and windows.
Toilet tent tucked behind the tree. Being used as an outside privy at the moment until the downstairs loo is installed in the house. Which can't happen until the kitchen window is turned in French doors:
You can just about see the size of the skylight in the tent if you peer past all the children:
In amongst all the house refurbishment and remodelling, Bina's girls have done some good mapping and weather projects and I also liked their history scrolls. They are each made their own scroll and are adding pictures and key words to each period in history as they find out about things.
Then we had to leave as she had Drama and Singing. After which Chloe took the hour before Springwatch to finish writing up her science experiment with the potato clock:
The message is clear even if phonetically spelt :-)
After she'd written a note for Beccy and Ruby saying we had popped out to take Marcus to the "stachon", I got her to read the note back and she picked up that "station" was mis-spelt but couldn't remember how she should spell it. So in typical Michelle fashion I gave her the spelling and one of another word that follows the same principles and then one that looks as though it should but doesn't. So, on the wall we now have written "station", "nation" and "ration". It's a tricky old language isn't it?
Thursday
Up late which gave no time for anything other than ask Marcus to point out Northumberland and The Netherlands to her on the maps on the landing whilst I brushed my teeth. There has been a misunderstanding about where we are going on holiday . . .
Italian - a free lesson which is very nice of Deb. She feels we've been shortchanged as the last few lessons have not been the full half hour. Which is true but I still think we're getting value out of it. Very nice to get a free lesson though :-).
Then on to Stitch and Sew. The girls made bean bags this week. Not the large ones you can sit on (which really upset Clo the other week when she realised!), but little ones. They are excellent. Clo's is obviously the one on the far right:
Dashed back to have lunch with Marcus before he was due to go on an audio call. Then played Castle Keep many, many times until I begged to stop. She won more than I did - it's a good game. Then we played a Pirates of the Caribbean game from her National Geographic magazine (old copy) until I had had enough and she did some cross stitch before we had to leave to go swimming.
Got slightly held up by bumping into the dad of one of Chloe's peers that I've known since they were babies. He is still very down as his wife left him and the kids after Christmas and although he greatly wants her to, she shows no indication of returning home (and is continually affirming the opposite). It's terribly sad all round and I was wanting to be as supportive as possible whilst still not being late for swimming. I think he feels that he is surrounded by lots of happily-marrieds and it's all fallen apart for him. Did point out that couples are not always "happily married" all the time but think he needs professional counselling really rather than a roadside chat with me.
Anyway, ran down the lane to the pool, Kirsty (on the reception desk) shooed us straight through to get Clo to the poolside in time. I wasn't swimming today as the burn I sustained to my hand has a very fragile skin covering on it, that is off in a few places where it has got knocked. I am keen to keep the skin layer on as it will hurt a lot more if it all comes off. Clo had been upset over lunch when I said I didn't think it would be a good idea for me to go in as she says she can't stay in by herself. She is a law abiding little soul and if the signs say under 8's must be accompanied at all times in the water, then she feels obliged to do as the sign says. Marcus and I both feel this is a ridiculous rule and she is safer than a 10 year non swimmer so reassured her that she would be fine and that we didn't think anyone would tell her off if she stayed in the baby pool after her lesson waiting for A-L to arrive in the water with Deb.
Whilst she was in the lesson I popped upstairs to pay and then Clo's instructor had bought her new goggles so paid her separately for them. Her lesson over, her instructor said she could play in the baby pool so she played with the torpedo toy waiting for A-L. I then needed the loo so told her I was just popping off and she was quite happy to be left.
On my way halfway down the stairs bringing me back to the poolside all the alarms started sounding and staff ran out full pelt of the offices either side to the poolside. My first thought was a kick to the stomach - "the first time I leave her on her own in the water and she drowns" thought. So with that sick heavy feeling in the stomach I went through the doors and saw a young man half in, half out of the water - he looked completely lifeless to me - looked over to the baby pool and Clo standing transfixed, staring at him. Wanted her out as quick as possible and took me 3 goes of saying her name before she unfroze and looked at me. I told her to get out now and she did, bustled her into changing rooms, then realised I'd left all our bags at poolside. Left her in the company of a couple of older ladies who were about to go for a swim as she started crying (more out of being scared as she was confused about what was happening), ran in got bags and ran out again. Staff were then stopping people leaving the changing room and everyone was asked to leave the pool area and return to the changing rooms. It was just horrible. One of the young man's friends was banging the walls and doors and crying loudly as he was led towards the male changing rooms which scared Clo all the more, and even A-L who hadn't seen any of it as they had only just got into their costumes and were showering before entering the pool, was upset. I got very upset (daft woman not being able to keep it together!) and the lovely lady who looked after Clo for me when I went on the bag dash was very comforting. Got Clo dressed (sans knickers - they'd accidentally got left behind!) and we had to wait for quite a while until the ambulance had taken him away. A-L's instructor is very young and was very shaken up by it - it's her first experience like that and she was in the water near him when it happened. He is one of a special needs group and possibly has asthma and heart problems - and had swum a length. Clo of course had been on her own - had been happily watching her instructor teaching the group after her lesson and then heard shouting and looking over the man was on the side - she says "his friend was hitting his willy". I said this was an odd thing to do but she said she thought he was doing it to see if he was joking or not (Clo went through a pretending to be dead in the swimming pool stage which wound Sheila up big time) as if your willy is being bashed you can't pretend to be dead but she didn't think he was dead as his arm was moving slightly.
Anyway, truly ghastly experience. I feel so guilty for being so glad when I realised it wasn't Clo that the alarms were ringing for. Deb wouldn't let me drive so we walked to hers and had tea there. Clo mostly ok with coming over for cuddles every now and again. Then at home Marcus was crap and not supportive and managed to upset her rather than cuddle and reassure - just because he'd had a difficult and busy day. Though as Clo pointed out he didn't have someone nearly die in front of him and his response was that no but a number are possibly considering suicide. Really, really crap. (though I think now writing this he may be coming down with something). She needed a bath as hadn't showered at the pool and so I did that with her and then she did some cross stitch with Springwatch. I went to bed with her and she wanted me to stay and cuddle her - which I did but of course fell asleep myself. Hoping she'll sleep through the night.
I do feel that it's just typical that the first time I leave her alone in the pool something really dramatic happens. Bet she won't let me leave her next week.
[edited on 19/6/08 to add: the lad was transfered to a London hospital and has largely recovered - though is awaiting a pacemaker to be fitted. If the poolside staff had not reacted as quickly as they did and got the defibrillator to him it would have had a very different outcome. He had gone and they brought him back.]
Other bits:
This week she's really got into crafting. With needlework and knitting being picked up again. The scarf may even be finished for this winter :-)
Possibly my favourite piece she's produced recently is "Doodlerun". He/she started as a random doodle that took on life and was then coloured in. The eyes are surprisingly good. I suggested developing a cartoon out of it but when we talked through how an animation is made she felt it was too much like hard work and declined. She remembered watching the Paul McCartney Special Feature on "The Making of "Tropic Island Hum" and "Tuesday"" and said it would involve a lot of drawing. I still think Doodlerun could have had some mileage ;-)
We had Ruby once she'd finished at Drama. HE Drama is really cutting into my swap day as it doesn't finish until 11am and the swap cannot start until afterwards.
Ruby left at school kick out time as Paula was giving them a lift home (Paula lives on the same road as Beccy and her daughter goes to our village school) so the girls didn't manage to finish watching "Annie" - Rubes has never seen it before and as Chloe keeps singing the songs she wanted to know where the songs came from.
Chloe then wanted to go in the paddling pool and I read more "What Katy Did" whilst she proceeded to make the hot tiles fizz by putting water on them. I burned my thumb badly on the steam from the kettle when making a cup of tea - hazardous business teamaking!) so read whilst having my thumb wrapped in a teatowel in icy water.
When she had become too cold and I had had enough of reading aloud, I decided to go out into the sunshine and prune the laurel hedge in the front garden. Clo helped me by standing on the offcuts in the compost bin to squidge it all down. Funny child liked it:
Wednesday
First thing she decided to do when she woke up was make an eco-friendly aeroplane. We were given a comprehensive presentation on the features of the plane but the key points is that it is powered by air and has a vegetable plot on one wing and a flower garden on the other:
We needed to make a gas mask box in preparation for Friday. The instructions were not great and we don't have large enough sheets of card. So wondered if I could find a box of the right dimensions in the utility room - an lo and behold we did. It's only very slightly the wrong size.
This led to getting books out to look at photographs of children with their gas mask boxes - and realised the instructions produce a box the wrong way round. Anyway, it will do the job. Read the WW2 pages in the Britain History Encyclopedia book she has (gift from Jen and Steve - thank you) which included a box about the swastika being the reversal of the mark of good fortune as used by Hindus and Buddhists. She then spent a while drawing it in both directions. Not as easy for a 7 year old as you might think.
After lunch we popped round to Bina's to play on their new trampoline and admire the new tent palace. It's a very nice tent, a Vango Zambezi 500DLX Tent. Marcus nearly suffered from chronic tent envy when I showed him the pics but after perusing tent websites for nearly an hour declared that although it is an excellent tent, our Outwell suits us better. Phew! We particularly like the large skylight (has a blind too) and the brows over the doors and windows.
Toilet tent tucked behind the tree. Being used as an outside privy at the moment until the downstairs loo is installed in the house. Which can't happen until the kitchen window is turned in French doors:
You can just about see the size of the skylight in the tent if you peer past all the children:
In amongst all the house refurbishment and remodelling, Bina's girls have done some good mapping and weather projects and I also liked their history scrolls. They are each made their own scroll and are adding pictures and key words to each period in history as they find out about things.
Then we had to leave as she had Drama and Singing. After which Chloe took the hour before Springwatch to finish writing up her science experiment with the potato clock:
The message is clear even if phonetically spelt :-)
After she'd written a note for Beccy and Ruby saying we had popped out to take Marcus to the "stachon", I got her to read the note back and she picked up that "station" was mis-spelt but couldn't remember how she should spell it. So in typical Michelle fashion I gave her the spelling and one of another word that follows the same principles and then one that looks as though it should but doesn't. So, on the wall we now have written "station", "nation" and "ration". It's a tricky old language isn't it?
Thursday
Up late which gave no time for anything other than ask Marcus to point out Northumberland and The Netherlands to her on the maps on the landing whilst I brushed my teeth. There has been a misunderstanding about where we are going on holiday . . .
Italian - a free lesson which is very nice of Deb. She feels we've been shortchanged as the last few lessons have not been the full half hour. Which is true but I still think we're getting value out of it. Very nice to get a free lesson though :-).
Then on to Stitch and Sew. The girls made bean bags this week. Not the large ones you can sit on (which really upset Clo the other week when she realised!), but little ones. They are excellent. Clo's is obviously the one on the far right:
Dashed back to have lunch with Marcus before he was due to go on an audio call. Then played Castle Keep many, many times until I begged to stop. She won more than I did - it's a good game. Then we played a Pirates of the Caribbean game from her National Geographic magazine (old copy) until I had had enough and she did some cross stitch before we had to leave to go swimming.
Got slightly held up by bumping into the dad of one of Chloe's peers that I've known since they were babies. He is still very down as his wife left him and the kids after Christmas and although he greatly wants her to, she shows no indication of returning home (and is continually affirming the opposite). It's terribly sad all round and I was wanting to be as supportive as possible whilst still not being late for swimming. I think he feels that he is surrounded by lots of happily-marrieds and it's all fallen apart for him. Did point out that couples are not always "happily married" all the time but think he needs professional counselling really rather than a roadside chat with me.
Anyway, ran down the lane to the pool, Kirsty (on the reception desk) shooed us straight through to get Clo to the poolside in time. I wasn't swimming today as the burn I sustained to my hand has a very fragile skin covering on it, that is off in a few places where it has got knocked. I am keen to keep the skin layer on as it will hurt a lot more if it all comes off. Clo had been upset over lunch when I said I didn't think it would be a good idea for me to go in as she says she can't stay in by herself. She is a law abiding little soul and if the signs say under 8's must be accompanied at all times in the water, then she feels obliged to do as the sign says. Marcus and I both feel this is a ridiculous rule and she is safer than a 10 year non swimmer so reassured her that she would be fine and that we didn't think anyone would tell her off if she stayed in the baby pool after her lesson waiting for A-L to arrive in the water with Deb.
Whilst she was in the lesson I popped upstairs to pay and then Clo's instructor had bought her new goggles so paid her separately for them. Her lesson over, her instructor said she could play in the baby pool so she played with the torpedo toy waiting for A-L. I then needed the loo so told her I was just popping off and she was quite happy to be left.
On my way halfway down the stairs bringing me back to the poolside all the alarms started sounding and staff ran out full pelt of the offices either side to the poolside. My first thought was a kick to the stomach - "the first time I leave her on her own in the water and she drowns" thought. So with that sick heavy feeling in the stomach I went through the doors and saw a young man half in, half out of the water - he looked completely lifeless to me - looked over to the baby pool and Clo standing transfixed, staring at him. Wanted her out as quick as possible and took me 3 goes of saying her name before she unfroze and looked at me. I told her to get out now and she did, bustled her into changing rooms, then realised I'd left all our bags at poolside. Left her in the company of a couple of older ladies who were about to go for a swim as she started crying (more out of being scared as she was confused about what was happening), ran in got bags and ran out again. Staff were then stopping people leaving the changing room and everyone was asked to leave the pool area and return to the changing rooms. It was just horrible. One of the young man's friends was banging the walls and doors and crying loudly as he was led towards the male changing rooms which scared Clo all the more, and even A-L who hadn't seen any of it as they had only just got into their costumes and were showering before entering the pool, was upset. I got very upset (daft woman not being able to keep it together!) and the lovely lady who looked after Clo for me when I went on the bag dash was very comforting. Got Clo dressed (sans knickers - they'd accidentally got left behind!) and we had to wait for quite a while until the ambulance had taken him away. A-L's instructor is very young and was very shaken up by it - it's her first experience like that and she was in the water near him when it happened. He is one of a special needs group and possibly has asthma and heart problems - and had swum a length. Clo of course had been on her own - had been happily watching her instructor teaching the group after her lesson and then heard shouting and looking over the man was on the side - she says "his friend was hitting his willy". I said this was an odd thing to do but she said she thought he was doing it to see if he was joking or not (Clo went through a pretending to be dead in the swimming pool stage which wound Sheila up big time) as if your willy is being bashed you can't pretend to be dead but she didn't think he was dead as his arm was moving slightly.
Anyway, truly ghastly experience. I feel so guilty for being so glad when I realised it wasn't Clo that the alarms were ringing for. Deb wouldn't let me drive so we walked to hers and had tea there. Clo mostly ok with coming over for cuddles every now and again. Then at home Marcus was crap and not supportive and managed to upset her rather than cuddle and reassure - just because he'd had a difficult and busy day. Though as Clo pointed out he didn't have someone nearly die in front of him and his response was that no but a number are possibly considering suicide. Really, really crap. (though I think now writing this he may be coming down with something). She needed a bath as hadn't showered at the pool and so I did that with her and then she did some cross stitch with Springwatch. I went to bed with her and she wanted me to stay and cuddle her - which I did but of course fell asleep myself. Hoping she'll sleep through the night.
I do feel that it's just typical that the first time I leave her alone in the pool something really dramatic happens. Bet she won't let me leave her next week.
[edited on 19/6/08 to add: the lad was transfered to a London hospital and has largely recovered - though is awaiting a pacemaker to be fitted. If the poolside staff had not reacted as quickly as they did and got the defibrillator to him it would have had a very different outcome. He had gone and they brought him back.]
Other bits:
This week she's really got into crafting. With needlework and knitting being picked up again. The scarf may even be finished for this winter :-)
Possibly my favourite piece she's produced recently is "Doodlerun". He/she started as a random doodle that took on life and was then coloured in. The eyes are surprisingly good. I suggested developing a cartoon out of it but when we talked through how an animation is made she felt it was too much like hard work and declined. She remembered watching the Paul McCartney Special Feature on "The Making of "Tropic Island Hum" and "Tuesday"" and said it would involve a lot of drawing. I still think Doodlerun could have had some mileage ;-)
Wednesday, 4 June 2008
Imagine a half deflated puckered balloon.
From the neck down.
Tuesday was rather traumatic. I have been in need of a makeover. No. Not a makeover exactly, but a reversal of a decline. Well. Maybe not even reversal. That sounds a bit optimistic. Maybe slow down the decline.
So starting from the bottom up (literally) I dispatched myself to Rigby and Peller for proper fitting, which was awful but good. Full lengths mirrors on 3 sides of a cubicle and harsh overhead lighting is so not flattering. Wasn't helped by the girl in the next cubicle needing new underwear as she had lost weight. The good bit is that I do feel properly fitted. I once went to 3 different John Lewis stores in one week and got 3 different sizes. So long as you can bear to disengage your brain and let yourself be literally taken in hand by another woman to find the best fitting bra, it gives good comfortable results.
Anyway, was so depressed after that experience (I could do away with those mirrors) and spoke to Marcus who (after I'd told him it's the fault of his cooking and he said it's down to me doing no exercise) told me to go get a coffee. Which I did and a chocolate croissant. But only ate two thirds before feeling guilty and so buried under a napkin and moved it to an adjacent table. Fortunately it was taken away before I could get it back :-)
Drank some coffee and saw this:
Which reminded me that we should love ourselves before we can expect others to love us. Need to work on that.
It got better after that as I was then onto trousers/skirts and tops. Next need a haircut and some waxing and hopefully I won't feel quite so frumpy.
Feel guilty for spending Marcus' bonus money and not even enjoying it.
Then picked Clo up from Beccy's and she grumped about what was for dinner and the day ended on a not so good note. I went to bed early as was absolutely shattered.
Wednesday
Collected our Delta ground anchors from the post office (they seemed to perform quite well in the storms of the past bank holiday weekend), took Marcus to the station, Chloe got dressed (into her red checked trousers she has loved for more than half her lifetime. They are aged 3-4 years and she plans to keep wearing them until they are shorts.), she rolled about on the floor for a bit,
Looked at the background of removing hats at funerals, were not able to find out why a funeral director walks (they would say "pages") in front of the hearse for a little before getting in the car, briefly chatted about how different cultures have different funeral customs.
Baked shortbread biscuit swirls,
Found a possible Muddlepuddle Camp or just a holiday camp location: Clippesby Hall
Lodges, Cottages & Family Touring and Camping Park. Has swimming pool but no statics although there are apartments and cottages or people could hire one of these Snail Trail Volkswagen Campervans (just the best campervans! I love the look of them!).
Had lunch (pasta and pesto with creme fraiche for me), read two chapters of "What Katy Did Next" and went to Drama & Singing.
Made a potato clock:
It worked!
We're scientists! It's a science kit that actually works! So elated she was that (after getting me to set the clock as she couldn't manage it and was beginning to get very cross with it), she set up a science corner and decided to write up her experiment:
Which would seem to entail copying the information from the leaflet. Can't imagine she understands what she's writing but hey, if it floats her boat . . .
Had dinner (Clo didn't like it - neither did I but I still ate it), watched Springwatch, collected Marcus and a McD's box for Clo, Clo to bed, M and I watched The Apprentice. Blogged it. G'night.
Tuesday was rather traumatic. I have been in need of a makeover. No. Not a makeover exactly, but a reversal of a decline. Well. Maybe not even reversal. That sounds a bit optimistic. Maybe slow down the decline.
So starting from the bottom up (literally) I dispatched myself to Rigby and Peller for proper fitting, which was awful but good. Full lengths mirrors on 3 sides of a cubicle and harsh overhead lighting is so not flattering. Wasn't helped by the girl in the next cubicle needing new underwear as she had lost weight. The good bit is that I do feel properly fitted. I once went to 3 different John Lewis stores in one week and got 3 different sizes. So long as you can bear to disengage your brain and let yourself be literally taken in hand by another woman to find the best fitting bra, it gives good comfortable results.
Anyway, was so depressed after that experience (I could do away with those mirrors) and spoke to Marcus who (after I'd told him it's the fault of his cooking and he said it's down to me doing no exercise) told me to go get a coffee. Which I did and a chocolate croissant. But only ate two thirds before feeling guilty and so buried under a napkin and moved it to an adjacent table. Fortunately it was taken away before I could get it back :-)
Drank some coffee and saw this:
Which reminded me that we should love ourselves before we can expect others to love us. Need to work on that.
It got better after that as I was then onto trousers/skirts and tops. Next need a haircut and some waxing and hopefully I won't feel quite so frumpy.
Feel guilty for spending Marcus' bonus money and not even enjoying it.
Then picked Clo up from Beccy's and she grumped about what was for dinner and the day ended on a not so good note. I went to bed early as was absolutely shattered.
Wednesday
Collected our Delta ground anchors from the post office (they seemed to perform quite well in the storms of the past bank holiday weekend), took Marcus to the station, Chloe got dressed (into her red checked trousers she has loved for more than half her lifetime. They are aged 3-4 years and she plans to keep wearing them until they are shorts.), she rolled about on the floor for a bit,
Looked at the background of removing hats at funerals, were not able to find out why a funeral director walks (they would say "pages") in front of the hearse for a little before getting in the car, briefly chatted about how different cultures have different funeral customs.
Baked shortbread biscuit swirls,
Found a possible Muddlepuddle Camp or just a holiday camp location: Clippesby Hall
Lodges, Cottages & Family Touring and Camping Park. Has swimming pool but no statics although there are apartments and cottages or people could hire one of these Snail Trail Volkswagen Campervans (just the best campervans! I love the look of them!).
Had lunch (pasta and pesto with creme fraiche for me), read two chapters of "What Katy Did Next" and went to Drama & Singing.
Made a potato clock:
It worked!
We're scientists! It's a science kit that actually works! So elated she was that (after getting me to set the clock as she couldn't manage it and was beginning to get very cross with it), she set up a science corner and decided to write up her experiment:
Which would seem to entail copying the information from the leaflet. Can't imagine she understands what she's writing but hey, if it floats her boat . . .
Had dinner (Clo didn't like it - neither did I but I still ate it), watched Springwatch, collected Marcus and a McD's box for Clo, Clo to bed, M and I watched The Apprentice. Blogged it. G'night.
Friday, 4 April 2008
For that reason I can't see your product selling and I'm out.
Spent the morning doing not very much at all and then running about to get dressed before L and kids arrived for the day at just past 11am.
She had heard that a friend of hers has just had a stillbirth and as L is heavily pregnant herself feels guilty for still being pregnant, and now obviously wants her baby to be born asap. All very normal feelings and its so sad all round. So a sad start to the visit and other than saying that it's important to acknowledge the other person's loss, you don't need to say much more than "I'm really sorry to hear what happened", which is so much better than avoiding the topic and saying nothing at all, there isn't anything anyone can do to help. The hospital should have passed on information about SANDS and they have lots of support, including information on how to discuss it with the other children. L is very worried about how it will be after she has her baby too as they meet up for joint HE activities. Inevitably it will cause upset and heartache.
Lunch and then the children had an egg hunt in the garden and Clo got grumpy because she couldn't find her egg. Then the kids did some fantastic "Dragon's Den" presentations. Excellent stuff and very, very funny. "Selling for £10 and the costs to make are £9.99" being one example and the Chloe's taking 32% of the business "which is 15% each". Talked about turnover, costs and profit margin. Wish I'd camcordered it. Then it was getting a little wearing for L and myself (as we can't chat if we have to be dragons) and L said they had to come up with new uses for existing things they could find. At which point that was too hard so they went off to make ice lollies instead.
They set the timer for 20 minutes and thought that when the buzzer went the ices would be ready. Which of course they weren't. I had some popsicle things in the other freezer so offered them but then arguments over flavours. Lots of bickering which was very wearing.
Tried to get the big 3 to play Blokus (with just 3 colours) which was marginally successful but Clo couldn't think because of all the chatter so got grumpy again.
Then L and ignored the kids and played Blokus and Carcassonne whilst the kids played happily (we think - we were ignoring them! No blood appeared to have been spilt at least) before they went home.
Clo and I then boiled up some lettuce for the tadpoles and she then selected some printouts for her Frog Diary, which she is writing in as I type this.
She had heard that a friend of hers has just had a stillbirth and as L is heavily pregnant herself feels guilty for still being pregnant, and now obviously wants her baby to be born asap. All very normal feelings and its so sad all round. So a sad start to the visit and other than saying that it's important to acknowledge the other person's loss, you don't need to say much more than "I'm really sorry to hear what happened", which is so much better than avoiding the topic and saying nothing at all, there isn't anything anyone can do to help. The hospital should have passed on information about SANDS and they have lots of support, including information on how to discuss it with the other children. L is very worried about how it will be after she has her baby too as they meet up for joint HE activities. Inevitably it will cause upset and heartache.
Lunch and then the children had an egg hunt in the garden and Clo got grumpy because she couldn't find her egg. Then the kids did some fantastic "Dragon's Den" presentations. Excellent stuff and very, very funny. "Selling for £10 and the costs to make are £9.99" being one example and the Chloe's taking 32% of the business "which is 15% each". Talked about turnover, costs and profit margin. Wish I'd camcordered it. Then it was getting a little wearing for L and myself (as we can't chat if we have to be dragons) and L said they had to come up with new uses for existing things they could find. At which point that was too hard so they went off to make ice lollies instead.
They set the timer for 20 minutes and thought that when the buzzer went the ices would be ready. Which of course they weren't. I had some popsicle things in the other freezer so offered them but then arguments over flavours. Lots of bickering which was very wearing.
Tried to get the big 3 to play Blokus (with just 3 colours) which was marginally successful but Clo couldn't think because of all the chatter so got grumpy again.
Then L and ignored the kids and played Blokus and Carcassonne whilst the kids played happily (we think - we were ignoring them! No blood appeared to have been spilt at least) before they went home.
Clo and I then boiled up some lettuce for the tadpoles and she then selected some printouts for her Frog Diary, which she is writing in as I type this.
Saturday, 8 March 2008
Had the tea. Need the sympathy.
I do try not to criticise the school system to schooled children's parents or the nursery sector (did anyone else watch whistle blower on Tues?) to parents who send their children to nursery. I think I'm quite good at finding positives in other people's choices for their children.
But we've had a bad morning. And I'm still so upset and down about it.
Chloe's behaviour has been extraordinarily awful. Last night at 11pm when I said I really thought it was bedtime as they'd both had long days and if they slept now they'd be able to get up earlier in the morning and have longer to play before Fran had to leave to drive back to Cornwall. Chloe had a temper tantrum. Quite the example of the spoilt only child brat tantrum (and reminded me of my rages as a child - and I wasn't an only child but as I've said, I'm feeling very down and unhappy).
This morning they got up at just gone 6am. I rose at about 7:15am. We'd had a lovely evening the night before and we'd agreed breakfast and a walk down to the reserve so they could stretch their legs before their 5+ hour car journey. Marcus didn't serve breakfast until gone 11am and then there was an interminally long circus show they'd prepared for with a Chloe tantrum because Marcus hadn't got the camcorder ready - when she had especially asked him earlier to make sure he had it ready to use and he'd said yes.
Then I think Chloe felt the longer she could keep the show going the longer she could keep Fran here. And as her afternoon with A-L got cancelled as Tim was ill, she was tired, and got really angry with me. She was screaming at me that she hated me and she used both her hands to pinch my nose as hard as she could so that it brought tears to my eyes. Her temper was quite scary and I know she didn't mean to get that angry and she is very apologetic and sad that she did - she said she had all these feelings and didn't know them and they all came up like a volcano.
I was already upset as M had just left the coffee and whiskey glasses and hadn't cleared those last few remaining things off the table (that I couldn't clear away when I went to bed as he was still using them) before going to bed last night (I had done all the rest) so was feeling that I'm the only one who tries to keep this place half way livable in and no one else cares about it.
The other thing is if I were Michael I would go home and it would reinforce their impression that Chloe is being ruined and home educating her is not in her best interest.
I know that schooled children have temper tantrums and rages too. I do know that - I was schooled and I had them, so it's nothing to do with her education.
But of course, I am aware she hasn't presented the best case for home educating so I feel an abject failure.
A-L was then brought here instead of her going there as we were just getting over the major upset (Michael and Fran had rapidly left for home) and I was talking to her mum about it and I shouldn't have as she has already informed me that she feels the best place for all children to go is school, and I said I know schooled children can have tantrums (her own daughter can too :-)) and so she had to concede that [the tantrum] it's not that she doesn't go to school but she does feel she needs separating from me - and that I should make her have sleepovers. (Clo likes waking up in her own bed or waking up not in her own bed but with one of us in the same building as her and so we've stopped trying sleep oversor trying to persuade her to as she really doesn't want to and I don't think she needs to be forced to do something she doesn't want to (a few times she has stayed at home with other family members with us away and has been fine with that as she is still waking up in her own bed.)
Apparently all the children she knows have had sleepovers from very young and Chloe needs to else she won't be able to go away for camps and things.
So am even more depressed now.
But we've had a bad morning. And I'm still so upset and down about it.
Chloe's behaviour has been extraordinarily awful. Last night at 11pm when I said I really thought it was bedtime as they'd both had long days and if they slept now they'd be able to get up earlier in the morning and have longer to play before Fran had to leave to drive back to Cornwall. Chloe had a temper tantrum. Quite the example of the spoilt only child brat tantrum (and reminded me of my rages as a child - and I wasn't an only child but as I've said, I'm feeling very down and unhappy).
This morning they got up at just gone 6am. I rose at about 7:15am. We'd had a lovely evening the night before and we'd agreed breakfast and a walk down to the reserve so they could stretch their legs before their 5+ hour car journey. Marcus didn't serve breakfast until gone 11am and then there was an interminally long circus show they'd prepared for with a Chloe tantrum because Marcus hadn't got the camcorder ready - when she had especially asked him earlier to make sure he had it ready to use and he'd said yes.
Then I think Chloe felt the longer she could keep the show going the longer she could keep Fran here. And as her afternoon with A-L got cancelled as Tim was ill, she was tired, and got really angry with me. She was screaming at me that she hated me and she used both her hands to pinch my nose as hard as she could so that it brought tears to my eyes. Her temper was quite scary and I know she didn't mean to get that angry and she is very apologetic and sad that she did - she said she had all these feelings and didn't know them and they all came up like a volcano.
I was already upset as M had just left the coffee and whiskey glasses and hadn't cleared those last few remaining things off the table (that I couldn't clear away when I went to bed as he was still using them) before going to bed last night (I had done all the rest) so was feeling that I'm the only one who tries to keep this place half way livable in and no one else cares about it.
The other thing is if I were Michael I would go home and it would reinforce their impression that Chloe is being ruined and home educating her is not in her best interest.
I know that schooled children have temper tantrums and rages too. I do know that - I was schooled and I had them, so it's nothing to do with her education.
But of course, I am aware she hasn't presented the best case for home educating so I feel an abject failure.
A-L was then brought here instead of her going there as we were just getting over the major upset (Michael and Fran had rapidly left for home) and I was talking to her mum about it and I shouldn't have as she has already informed me that she feels the best place for all children to go is school, and I said I know schooled children can have tantrums (her own daughter can too :-)) and so she had to concede that [the tantrum] it's not that she doesn't go to school but she does feel she needs separating from me - and that I should make her have sleepovers. (Clo likes waking up in her own bed or waking up not in her own bed but with one of us in the same building as her and so we've stopped trying sleep oversor trying to persuade her to as she really doesn't want to and I don't think she needs to be forced to do something she doesn't want to (a few times she has stayed at home with other family members with us away and has been fine with that as she is still waking up in her own bed.)
Apparently all the children she knows have had sleepovers from very young and Chloe needs to else she won't be able to go away for camps and things.
So am even more depressed now.
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