10% frustration [helen typing - written for benefit of Karenb!]

Gym day today, so SB had a good workout in the morning. I’m so used to us being late, that i managed to be early!! Sad that she has only one more class to go. Must find somewhere when we move. only an hour between getting home and setting off for Home Ed viking workshop. SB insisted on me cutting out her coloured in henry 8th and armour to stick on. She did do it beautifully, while I chanted ‘eat’ like some demented mantra. We touched on a bit of who he was, as she asked – 6 wives, beheaded them, tudor [not roman - lol] castles, jousting etc on a freeform.

vikings – Managed to get out of the house – at last – and we weren’t desperately late for a change. this lady has only done school groups before, so at one point asked whether we were happy with that level of mayhem! I think she did really well as it was supposed to be for 7 up, but she had a very mixed age group. It was on runes and games, so learnt each others viking names and appellations – SB decided to be ‘the beautiful’, not a surprise! We looked at runes and matched them up, and wrote our names. At this point SB wandered off and played with the gears and trainsets set up for the littlies. She returned when they got to the games, and enjoyed pulling the oar – especially as the older lads kept letting her win! She decided she must be very strong. They weren’t mad enough to let her throw the rolling pin, instead she was the fetcher. She did get 2 goes at throwing the spear outside, so is now a warrior!! Def a good afternoon for her.

On returning we were supposed to be starting on her birthday party cake – she wants a carrot cake. Instead we did some more of the exeter maths bigger or less than, and too my eternal shame [LOL!!!] i haven’t yet made cards with the signs on that she can use, or sorted out bits to do with them. Better had tonight then.

She also made a freeform ‘something’ with the Ikea starter meccano-alike set. First time she has just made something up from imagination with it, so although it is unrecognisable as something, I am very pleased.

Chris came home, and so fed up with loony tunes school that he has cancelled returning thurs and friday. Must be really bad then, as he’s never done that before, and the money is needed. Cup of tea and teacake to the rescue!

So, finally started on carrot cake – trying to make it and tea [pasta and sauce, so not high cuisine] at the same time, when SB says we are making one for Jax and Big tomorrow. We haven’t got enough baking powder, light brown sugar or wholewheat flour. Aaargh. She was insistent, so this really is a bodge job. had some tartare powder and baking soda, and it says you can make baking powder from that, so I have [I hope!] Some bread flour – perhaps a bit stodgy, and some preserving sugar! Anyway, try it out on Jax tomorrow. Managed to mix things in the wrong order due to severe levels of distraction, so really will only work if a cooking miracle happens. I will be the only parent to have provided a homemade cake, so I will just feel superior, even if inedible! [ps, i mixed all the ingredients, so no cake superior to another, as rereading this it sounds like Jax getting poisonous variety]

The the 10% frustration bit- why do we have to have such a song and dance about actually eating???? She always ends up eating it all up. She does like it, but after 2 spoonfuls shes full, and wants to mess about instead. Antoher Aaarrrgggggggggh. Especially when she says in a sweet, enquiring voice ‘are you cross yet mummy?’

SO Chris is doing bath [and getting earbending at volume 11] while I breathe in seclusion if not peace.