November 2005

well, we have had a lovely weekend. It is nice to have a haven of tranquility [rofl!!]. however, when weekends are your haven, the passing of the days really does seem swift - tempus fugit and all that.

We had another execrable night with BB. god only knows why, and in the end, i was at wits end so Chris went with her into spare room, and SB slept with me. Some confusion this morning, as church had a remembrance service at 9, rather than usual 10 o clock, so the peal of bells [and they outdid themselves as it was great] made me think i’d slept till 10 when we were supposed to be making brekkie.

So hurried SB downstairs to make brekkie - the Egyptian pastries, and that went well. We discussed egyptian way of life, who would have made them etc, and enjoyed eating them.

SB did some webland, and we all got ready to go swimming. Another good swim. both girls love it. SB developing another method of near-drowning - trying to swim backwards!!

I made a chickpea pasta for lunch - we were all ravenous so devoured it in record time, even SB.

Whilst SB bounced around shouting 1-10 in English and German, BB and i played with the hammer shape sorter. She really enjoyed popping them out and back, and SB came and helped us. SB spotted the red one was a pentagon [so obviously a knowledge of shapes - and in fact had told me off whilst making pastries ecause i said I was putting honey on one of the corners, and circles don't have any corners.]

BB napped, and we discussed the remembrance day. We looked at the history of britain modern book, and the DK really interesting bits of history. SB just didn’t really get war, and why people died, and why they just didn’t move to another country or all not fight. Didn’t press any points, but said that many daddys had gone to try and save the country and way of life for thier families, so that their children could grow up safe. Many died, and so we remember their bravery, but also a reminder that war is dreadful, people die, and that we should try to avoid it. We also chatted about rationing, evacuees, poppies and winston churchill - whose image she recognised from a previous scoot through the modern section. I popped family history in along the way.

SB spent the rest of the afternoon engrossed with playdough, making a farmyard and a complicated story to go with it. I intermittantly helped and also prepared the veg for tea - a thai style curry with the odds and ends we had got. BB woke up, and I found the other shape sorter, so she had great fun with that. It was nice to have the 3 of us pottering in the kitchen, doing different things, but together. [chris weeding again - we were going to plant garlic with him, but SB not keen]. good that SB and BB are getting better at playing together - even if SB has a habit of ’showing’ BB what to do so much that she doesn’t always get a look in.

Served the curry with rice, and again wolfed down. SB even had seconds - unheard of. Some more playing, watching a video and then bed. please let BB sleep better tonight.

Thought for the day: I wish I could do this every day.

You’re The Giver!
by Lois Lowry
While you grew up with a sheltered childhood, you’re pretty sure
everyone around you is even more sheltered. Suddenly, from out of nowhere, you were
tapped on the shoulder and transported to the real world. This made you horrified by
your prior upbringing and now you’re tormented by how to reconcile these two lives.
Ultimately, the struggle comes down to that old free will issue. Choose
wisely.

Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

I guess I might have to read it??

In a blogring way, we cooked Sarahs aubergine and chickpea casserole for tea - very nice, and now see she is planning beetroot rissoto.

I think Chris and I are too tired. Work is very full on - and I guess will always be so, so I feel that I am full on in every aspect of my life, with little opportunity to catch my breath and just waste time! BB not sleeping, and my dreadfulness at going to be early combine to make me permanently sleep deprived as well. I notice that Chris and I get short with SB at times when we wouldn’t have done before. I shouted today, and have felt dreadful since, as it was just about putting her coat on - not life shattering at all. She had refused, I said fine, we got to the car and she was complaining she was cold, so I shouted. Sigh.

Chris and I need to work on this, as SB doesn’t respond well to being shouted at, and it is usually entirely unneccesary, just a release of our frustration. With my working, she is always keen to stay up as late as she can push it to play with me, and I can’t help but want to play with her. This, though, is also not helping, as I think she is sleep deprived too, and much more likely to wail at the slightest thing, therby setting mine/Chris’s teeth on edge, etc etc - you see how this goes. I think, as soon as I’ve got the things at work vaguely running, I can try not to stay late - I’m often back at 7ish on Tues and Thurs, so that we avoid those being late nights, and potentially try and leave a bit earlier on the Mon and Fri to be back by 4:30 - 5ish if i can.

Anyway, to today. I got up late - another poor night, not helped by SB going to bed so late, that i stayed up unneccessarily later etc etc! We went to stagecoach [and I shouted about coats]. SB always reluctant to go, though enjoys it whilst there, and we haven’t renewed to go next term. We might try it or something similar again when she is older. I am not totally happy with stagecoach anyway, as I think they teach the children bad singing techniques - ie louder and false american with smiles, rather than concentrating on tunefullness. However, thought she would love it - how wrong! While SB there, me and BB had a nice walk around the nearby country park - good for my cobwebs, and giving BB her own time.

the weather was so lovely I promised SB we could eat outdoors for lunch - so we did, warmly wrapped. Chris had made potato and leek soup - yummy.

I the afternoon, I read SB a magazine and a story whilst BB fed and then dozed and she did spiral drawing. We then spent quite a long time painting and did blow painting and stamp painting. a rather imaginative under the sea picture with handprints as seaweed and the fish/shell stamps. she even drew a safe path for divers.

She then coloured in a picture for a present for me. BB woke up so we had a fair bit of playing all together. Mostly with the stacking cups and the moving tortoise, with SB also using the spacehopper to bounce up and down the hall - to BB’s bemusement.

Later I read most of the Roman Usborne time traveller to SB, and we had a look for Italy and Rome on the globe, discussed empires vs kingdoms, capital cities, slaves and the rather horrible roman games! We did a page of thinking skills in maths 1a. I am feeling guilty about the lack of formal maths at the moment, so will try and gradually creep it in. Yep, I know not autonomous, but then I don’t pretend to be autonomous, just generally child led, but would feel more comfortable with a ‘normals’ set up in addition.

Tea was the well received aubergine and chickpea casserole, and then some story reading and general looking at our globe before bed, and the magic faraway tree at bed.

To tell the truth, I am wondering whether we are a bit slack to be home educators, as SB such a bright spark that part of me thinks we should really be managing to do normals, and let the rest be child led. Somehow, we don’t. its not a worry so much now, as she isn’t even compulsary ed age, and I do think formal education is pushed far too early, and yet….. [everything we did today bar stagecoach was truly autonomous]

but sb not asleep.

Beans had fun at muddlepuddle and then afterwards round at Merry’s. Chris will no doubt blog or edit.

When we all got in, we actually did a lot. I told some stories and then SB and I played a geography game followed by hungry hippos and number 1o number bonds. BB was potterng around playing with musical toys. We then had a lot of fun all together, taking it in turns which child to throw/jiggle and swing.

SB then wanted to write a letter to her friend R in Leeds, and aso drew her a picture. Oh, and she also drew the beans we have growing and their roots - which are the first things to appear. 1 has a long root, one a tiny blip and the other nothing.

No wonder bedtime was so late and she is still awake! I am shatterd as a long and hard week at work. B edtime soon methinks!

what I forgot to blog, is on tues SB inisted that they buy some flowers for me!! Lovely. Isn’t it great to have someone who will buy you flowers.

full on day at work [so drinking last of limoncino] however, have come home, ate Chris’s yummy tea [must try Sarahs aubergine and chickpea recipe], read 2 chapters of story of the world, played ta with BB and tickle games, SB has read a red nose reader to me. SB has been to nursery and ballet today and has proudly shown off some of her nursery artwork. they are now in bath. I should be helping, but have used up the last of my energy with that short burst on getting home.

We are going with SB to bolshoi ballet next Wed to see sleeping beauty - so thats great. Have had to turn down an invitation to meet the Princess royal - tough call [??].

feel sad over the denmise of Muddlepuddle lists, however the early years should arise like a phoenix. Also, as Merry says, the camps and friendships go on. Thanks Muddlepuddle for setting us on the path of home edding.

i’ve got to try and blog in the time it takes SB and BB to have their bath - 5 or 10 mins probably!! i’m going out to night, so dressed up, and having a nice meal.

BB a disaster last night, and thought I’d managed a lie in when I got up - 8:30!! Oh well.

Spontaneous learning pre breakfast when SB brought out some getty and dubay to do. practised the V mainly. I would help if she didn’t go off in the wrong direction to start with. We drew as many v things as we could think of. Moved on to drawing and then colouring in the Pudsey bear for nursery. She did a really good drawing - so will flickr it [surprise]. She also wrote her name nicely on the bottom, and then had a dicky fit that her middle name didn’t fit, so turned over the paper and wrote her first 2 names - mirror writing! Even with taking a picture of them both, she just couldn’t see that they were any different. hmm.

After breakfast she watched a Hoobs video, and we did a lot of playing with BB. BB is enjoying trying out the shape sorter - unfortunately the technique of ramming with as much force as possible in nearest hole is not particularly successful, but she was happy with the ‘if you don’t succeed, stuff it through the door at the side’!

While BB was supposed sleeping, Chris and SB made the Xmas cake [and its still cooking!] BB woke up fairly instantly, and squiggled about in the pantry. [SB is down from the bath, naked and soaking- 8 minutes]

I went outside to take some sunny pictures - mainly of pond reflections and fish, and was soon joined by both SB and BB. SB dancing around being a pond fairy, and BB catching up with Josie in the ‘I can now throw myself in’ stakes [she didn't]. SB and I discussed pond reflections, mirrors etc, and what happened when the fish popped up - which the fish did a fair bit as SB threw in about 2 weeks worth of food. So we went back in and had lunch.

More playing with both SB and BB - side by side, as SB didn’t want BB to actually play with her as she was in a convoluted imagination game with elephant finger puppet cat and eagle. BB and I played hammering and beads mostly, and a fair bit of Ta. BB fell asleep, and I read a number of story books to SB, and she read outloud 2 spot books - with assistance on the longer words. We also read the first people by Usborne. Otherwise for maths we have talked about shapes and patterning, and done some counting and finger adding and taking away.

Whilst I cooked tea - nothing exciting, just pasta - SB wrote a letter to Nanny and drew a boat - a normal one on one side, and then turned over to draw an egyption one. It did look a bit like a felucca too. We played memory cards and my bastardised happy families rummy. BB was generally jolly and babbled and fiddled about.

SB now making patterns with the connect 4. Time to feed BB and then go!

Well Stringbean anyway, though of course Butterbean does her ‘Smiley chuckle-y baby’ thing to anyone who looks at her for more than a few microseconds On Monday it was the lady in the farm shop, yesterday it was various people - the ‘library ladies’, the lady in the dance shop, in Woolies, in the cafe, in Waitrose…… I think its’ the confident way that she starts up chatting to people, and telling them something in that ‘well it’s important to me so you must be interested’ kind of 4 year old way, and she si always really polite whenever she asks for anything when we are out and about.

So the lady in the dance shop was regaled with tales as soon as we walked in about how Daddy (? !) lost her ballet sock, bemoaning how she had got cold legs in the wind to the assistant in Mackays when we went in to buy some emergency tights, the checkout girl in Superdrug got run down on BB’s teeth as we got toothbrush for her in there. The woman in Wololies got all sorts of things, mostly about her new wellies and how they matched her umbrella, how she wanted a ‘Princess dress’ she saw the various dressing up dresses and has always coveted the Patch of Puddles gilrs for theirs :-). In the cafe she really politly asked for a cake and glass of milk, as well as regaling them with tales of new wellies, toothbrushes, SB being asleep ( ‘ she likes to wake up at night’…)

Ah well it makes out and abouting entertaining.

So what else happened in the last couple of days. Mornings at the moment seem to start for SB with a bit of Cindy/Barbie and dolls house playing, really is into hat at the moment. Need to relocate the Cindy box somewhere else in the room as it is near the door and the entrance just gets littered with Cindy bits. Looked at couple of her science books and made a ‘tin can telephone’, talkeda bit about how the sound travels from one to the other. She had the idea that the sound would travel down the middle of the sting like pipe, but said that wouldn’t work as there was no hole. So we played about a bit and talked about sounds being made / transmitted by vibrations. Sat a read a few of the Usborne Farmyard Tales books, where she made a good stab at quite a few of the words. She doesn’t seem that bothered heself about reading stuff, but if you ask her to do bit she normally likes to have a go. She seems to be in that ‘on the cusp’ of it point at the moment. Did some easy stuff and some writing in one of her workbooky things

After lunch we made a trip out to a local ‘Farm shop’. It’s not really a farm shop - it’s located at local plant nursery. The greenbrocers in the village shut earlier in the summer and then this place opened -possibly in response - they seem to have aqquired the old till from the GG. So far seem ok, I did get some dodgy chestnuts from there last week so she knocked a bit of the bill yesterday.

So we hit the road in the ‘Bean mobile’ - the tandem with trailer attached for BB out the village one way for the Fruit stall at the orchard, where they have good variety of apples, quite a few old ones, that you don’t see often and if you do tend to be expensive, then back through the village to the aforsaid farm shop. Where SB chatted to the lady about BB, insisted we buy things like parsnips and green apples (made a change from today when she kept on about sweets at every turn) and generally did the charming thing. Cycled back home, a tad cold by then, but just enough pedalling to blow out the cobwebs, and SB absolutley loves going out on the tandem.

Home for tea, warming up, a few books and then SB hit the CBeebies website until Helen came back from work (and a rather horrible ‘quick’ visit to Tescos on the way home)

Helen made a nice Beetroot Rissoto for tea (she had it in a restaurant once), SB turned nose up at first, but then ate it all once she was fed it :rolls:

Tuesday

‘Library day’, which somehow, after we have breakfasted, dressed, located all the books, faffed about etc. always seems to take up the morning until it’s time to go out. SB did the aforesaid wooing, listened to story time (much the biggest there now as all the others her age are now in school). BB sat and watched/listened for quite a bit as well, had to be prised, along with couple of other girls from the sticking and colouring afterwards

Home, BB to nap, reading library books with SB, lunch out for the above shopping and wooing which took up the rest of the day. Noticed that SB can spend ages looking at books etc. by herself, I do wonder if she is trying to read some of the words to herself? but probably not Had mean to make the Christmas cake but didn’t get round to it. It takes about 4 hours to cook so one for the morning I think.

and its time to get up. i think I am going to stop being vaguely hopeful about BB’s sleep, as whenever I do, she turns back to snack monster!! Anyway, with the 10am peals calling to the faithful, I rejoined the world. SB had been playing nicely with her barbies and my sindys.

We did manage to go swimming, and had a good splash around. SB very confident at swimming a width, and now keeps her legs up more, so just looks like she has a doggy paddle stroke rather than always on the cusp of drowning! We practised various ways of swming together - so now if we have to plunge off a boat, we can swim to shore together [rofl! - as a trained lifeguard, I don't think I would have planned the stroke we have both decided on - her holding my shoulders and kicking to the side while I do breast stroke] We applied for swimming lessons. BB doesn’t float any more - a reduction in her natural buoyancy since she has become more active. She loves the water though, and enjoys kicking and is fearless and unfazed on going under.

After lunch we did some DK science explorer - taking further the discussions we had had on electricity while getting changed at the swimming pool, and any other bit that took her fancy. She wants to make electricity. Hmmm, may start with a brainbox thing and do circuits.

We read some books - usbourne time traveller castles, and the first quarter of the London through the ages - but this degenerated somewhat into a game with me being her cat - no, i don’t know quite how, but we played cat and owner for a while! With BB waking up, SB did some Hama while me and BB played, and then came and joined us. BB rolling a ball to and from, and doing some hammering. Also a game she finds hysterical of standing on her own and then leaning forward until she falls over into my arms!

SB read 2 letterland books to me, and I read her a barefoot book on dun and ice in return. We planned what sweets we should make for Christmas, did a lot more role playing with her being the cat, and finally both to bed - a bit earlier than normal at 7.30, as Chris and I both tired, and SB whinging about trivia, so we decided she must be tired too.

Ooh, and Dad has offered to help paint SB’s room, and Chris’s dad the bathroom. SO thats good!

Caramelized Red Onion Relish

2 large red onions — peeled and very thinly sliced
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup dry red wine
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Combine onions and brown sugar in heavy nonstick pan. Cook, uncovered over med.-high heat about 25 minutes or until onions turn golden and start to caramelize. Stir frequently.
Stir in wine and vinegar. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low and cook for about 15 minutes until most of the liquid had evaporated. Stir frequently.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pack in clean hot jars, leaving 1/2″ head space. Process half pints in boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Makes 2 cups.
Source: “Small Batch preserving by Ellie Topp and Margaret Howard”
Copyright:
“2001″

sounds like a book for me to buy!

We actually had a nearly decent night sleep - wonders will never cease! BB not so fidgetty, though I can’t actually do a feed count, as all nights merge into one!

SB went to Stagecoach this am, for lets go and fly a kite and chim chimeny. She now agrees it is about sweeps not sweets as they had a sweep prop!! [And we had been discussing sweeping chimneys with our fire - including the fact that children used to have to do it, but not that the boys got testicular cancer and died].

Whilst she was engaged, BB and I had fun. we played peekaboo, chair climbing and stair climbing practice. Standing practice and Ta games. Cuddling, tickling and lots of giggling. I do like this age! BB good at standing unaided, and several times took one tentative step as well.

I did then start the grape and lemon jam [which i have done on and off all day]. The recipe calls for seedless grapes, but our victorian vine is obviously seeded, so I spent ages deseeding 2kg of grapes. SB did not help, as said it was too messy [??!!??], but she did measure out the sugar in cups and do the stirring.

In the afternoon, we planted about 1/4 of the bulbs together, and played a very prolonged game of mummies and babies - I was the little girl of 13, and she was my 15 yr mother! She very sweetly called me darling all afternoon, which I rather liked. Looking at the veg beds [in desperate need of attention!] some of the Runner bean pods were big and dried enough to pick and shell. The plan is to save seed for next year. We imagined we were jack and the beanstalk though, so buried a few! After having a discussion about how they grow, we have repeated the beans and damp kitchen roll experiment.

While I finished off the jam - which actually is a sweet/sour type eastern marmalade really - SB and BB played beautifully together in the pantry - well SB I think might have been keeping her prisoner, but there was no wailing, and SB was being very attentive, so I was encouraging! I realised I had miossed a few seeds, and they came to the top in the initial boil, so next time wont seed at all!

Various neighbours have had fireworks. I really do miss living on the top of a hill in Leeds and seeing the city’s fireworks all around! SB and I were counting the time to the next firework - and she is reliable to 59, so not bad. we did a bit of playing with numbers - adding and subtracting while waiting too. Tea, bath and bed!

Now I am hungry - shall I forage or ask Chris???? Hmmm.

We have done a fair amount of life and discussion home ed, but not a lot of bloggable! SB been interested in the history behind fireworks night - particularly as it follows on from Elizabethan stuff. She has been writing lots of things - with me or chris spelling the words for her, and is very excited that she has some ringbinder files - for the photocopy for writing, latin and ‘things’ as she put it. She’s also making up lots of stories and songs - both for herself and for me and BB. She has been to ballet - and continues to enjoy it.

We have been lighting our fire in the evening - SB very much enjoys our ‘ancient fire’ and is now keen to tell everyone how to make it and keep it going. i’m sitting here with candlelight and the fire in a very warm room. have just watched the gunpowder plot [whilst blogging] - very enjoyable. The light is on in the conservatory - so it looks quite magical. the vine leaves are loosing the chlorophyll, but back to the veins - so very pretty. must photo.

BB can now stand up unaided, and today did her first step - woohoo!!! crash landed against Chris’s leg. I am so happy to have seen it rather than be told about it. She is an armful of delight. I think her and SB are enjoying playing together - which is nice.

Tonight, seeing both my daughters laugh, giggle, cuddle and tickle [ok and strop!] i just wanted to blog again how lucky we are, and the joy they bring to Chris and I, who just over 5 years ago thought we may never have children. I think its something in those trusting, happy eyes that does it.

We have lots to do this weekend - not sure how we will get through. The dafodil bulbs, garlic and shallots need planting, and ideally the broad beans need to be sown. We should make the xmas cake and the grape jam, and possibly the onion chutney. i’d like to go swimming as well.

At some point, I would like to repaint SB’s bedroom [since we've got the paint] and put up new bunk. Also Mum bought paint to cover the lurid bathroom - so would like to do that too. the rest of the Ivy and the wisteria need trimming. We need to write wills, put BB’s baby bond somewhere [can't believe we haven't done either of those]. And at some point to some Home Ed!! Where shall I find the time?

Great fun playing with girls. They went first thing to have their photos taken at nursery - so much sorting out clothes to wear.

We then all played together for a bit doing stacking cups with SB and BB, SB dancing round the room to make BB giggle. I read a few story books.

SB wanted to do some baking - she couldn’t decide between making lemon curd or scones, but eventuallly settled on scones. Yummy scrummy. She is getting really good at baking - mixed the flour and margarine to beautiful breadcrumby texture. I am gradually translating recipies into cups on the whole, as she can then do them without so much assistance, and feels very proud.

After lunch - and a short veg infront of a german 3 little piggies video, we finished by painting and decorating the papier mache halloween monster head - somewhat late, and its no longer a monster, though I’m not quite sure what it is instead.

A bit more general carousing, tickling etc etc and BB joining in too with lots of giggling. Read some greek legends again - SB really into these - and then it was time to go out. my friend Katrien is going back to belgium, so we went round for a meal. SB enjoyed playing with her 3 boys - well the older 2 anyway. they had some convoluted imagination game going by the end involving her being a baby princess whose parents had died, and they were her warriors protecting her!

You Belong in London A little old fashioned, and a little modern. A little traditional, and a little bit punk rock. A unique woman like you needs a city that offers everything. No wonder you and London will get along so well. What City Do You Belong in? Take This Quiz Find the Love of Your Life (and More Love Quizzes) at Your New Romance.

You belong in London. You like chique things and
you love very expensive things.

In What City Do You Belong?
brought to you by Quizilla

must be true!! I did enjoy living in london for 8 years, and when I visit, I am homesick for it, but I actually never want to live there again!

An accomplished diplomat who can virtually do no wrong, you sometimes know it is best to rely on the council of others while holding the reins.

There are some words which I have known since I was a schoolboy. “With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censored, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably.” These words were uttered by Judge Aaron Satie — as a wisdom, and warning. The first time any man’s freedom is trodden on, we’re all damaged.

Jean-Luc is a character in the Star Trek universe. This The Next Generation fan site has an outline of his career.

now this suits me!!

whiskey doesn’t like rain - and today has been using the front doormat as a litter tray - and prob over the weekend too, as 3 poops = YUK!!! Chris and I had been trying to find the source of the smell this eve, and the scratching sound gave it away! [we don't use the front door btw]