Yesterday

Nipped to Huntingdon to look at house, some of the furniture the present owners want to sell, and then a nursery in the afternoon.

House Moving
Luckilly I still love the house. I say this because i have been panicking about the move and how much it is going to cost us. Wondering whether the right decision has been made to extend ourselves that far etc. In my head the decor has got worse and worse, the garden smaller, the road busier and the jobs more urgent. Looking at it made me realise theat yes, decor not really our taste, but perfectly OK, Garden is a good size though as it was such as sunny day, I could see there was a bit more shade than I’d have liked on veg patch. Jobs do need doing, but house not about to fall down. road is a bit busy, but liveable. It also struck me anew how much space there is in the house as well. SO feeling a bit reassured.

the vendors are lovely as well. i told them the absolute budget we had, and what we would like to get for it [dining room table and chairs, and superking bed] a small humming and it was agreed. We will pay by cheque after we have moved in. they have also thrown in a mantis-a-like tiller for the veg bed, a few old workbenches, bits of wood etc etc.

Cafe Pitstop – education!
At lunch in a cafe, SB impressed me by spontaneously counting up to 5 in German [foreign language] She also said Guten Morgen. So the intermittent Muzzy going OK – or is it me counting in German how many mouthfuls she needs to eat??

Nursery
in the afternoon we viewed the likely candidate for nursery. At least to start with we will send the girls to nursery 2 days a week. This is so chris can get some supply work and be know for reliability etc before reducing the days available. By next easter when SB has to stop nursery, I will hopefully have negotiated a 4 day week, and chris’s parents will be close, potentially giving him the option still of 1 def day and 1 by negotiation a week. I know it seems odd to say, when I am going to home-ed, but I feel nursery has been excellent for SB and she has blossomed there on the confidence and mixing front.

digression alert! If it were possible to easily flexischool without being bogged down by nat curriculum, and almost inevitable failure, I would be tempted by a 2 day a week for that. I can see why schools not keen to encourage that. We have a private school about 6 doors down when we move, with swimming pool etc, and I was wondering a bit further dwon the line whether some friendliness there may mean joining in for somethings? However with organising stagecoach, looking for a gym class and the local home ed community, I think it prob wont be necessary, as the problem may well be too much socialistion opportunities!

Anyway, the nursery was excellent, particularly the baby rooms for BB. No probs with nappies, breasmilk etc, lots of toys etc, a seperate sleep area, and it seemed v loving. Also set in a huge amount of garden. SB’s group has a veg patch as well. Now I know we will do it at home, but it still seems v well thought out. perhaps SB’s age seems a bit too ‘get ready for school’, but all the children seemed really happy, and they may have been spouting what they thought we wanted to hear. SB was happy as well with it. She asked about visiting BB, and there is free visiting to sibs unless they are asleep. Also, when she saw some easter card making in the 3′s room, and looked interested, she asked nicely if she could join in, and instantly the stuff was there for her to do [art]. She was happy to stay while we looked at some of the other resources. The vibe seemed really comforatble and friendly. SO its a yes.

Home and education
SB then wanted to go to a particularly good playpark in Godmanchester. Unfortunately she was asleep when we got there, and fairly unrousable, so we came home. At home [as she then stayed awake for *ever*] we tried out the studydog link provide by Sarah. We started at the beginning, even though SB beyond it, so that she would get into it. She seemed to enjoy it, so we will carry on for now. [english]

As you know, my mail annoyed me, but heavy duty playing with SB, tickling, giggling, rhyming and making up stories with the cardboard dress up fairies restored my good mood. As did a glass of red wine. Waitwotchering was ruined that day, and no weight loss so far.

At mo SB wailling [fake wails], as still not dressed, and chris and I said no more play until she started to get dressed. He has rung the solicitor on the no way jose front.

Impression of the day: very busy. SB a bit grouchy due to lack of sleep, so hard to juggle her and house sorting. Was a giggle watching her try to persuade a 70 year man to play barbies with her! [she didn't succeed, but his wife did] Underlying tension as want house sale to proceed. We haven’t done a great deal of ‘formal’ as opposed to ‘life’ HE recently, though lots of interactions where it is supported. SInce my new years resolution included not getting carried away, and playing being the key point to learn around, I guess I am keeping that one. Reading some of the other blogs makes me feel we are being a bit slack at times. but gut feeling is that we are right for SB!