The life and times of a couple of little beans......
You are currently browsing the monthly archive for May 2007.
Got up to Stringbean telling me there was a bird in the house. There was indeed a bird, maybe a young Blackbird, fluttering about in the mad trapped in a house bird kind of way. Whilst I pondered what to catch it with, and open the back door, there was a ‘thud’ and it all went quiet. Couldn’t find it at first, but BB found it on the hallway floor.
Seemed pretty dead, must has flown into the window above the side door and killed itself. Girls thought it all rather interesting though.
it came under the category of essentials! Hoping for good weather this weekend. In end of week totally shattered mood - have already fallen asleep 2ce - once with SB, next time on sofa. should wander to correct bed!
Thanks to Jax for introducing us to numb3rs.
We all went with the not very local group yesterday to the open day of Boughton House - looking at how an estate works. weather so so! Very interesting.
The girls particularly loved the dogs I think, gun dogs and hunting dogs, sheepdogs etc. They stroked ferrets, grassnakes and slowworms as well as all the dogs, and also some owl chicks and an owl [all supervised!] SB was v good at asking questions, whether it be about dog training, bees, logging or sheep shearing! There was a good not quite enactment of the problems with the enclosures act - something not commonly done, and sparked a few conversations. SB was most happy to get a freshly logged mushroom! Good chris comment - you know the dog chap sounded scottish [yessss] well, thats because he came from scotland [duh!] Apparently chris meant their scottish estate! I chatted to what was prob the duchess about the wonders of home-ed whilst BB played with her dog.
Anyway, pictures to follow on flikr.
We got home and SB did her violin practice and read books. We britannia-ed at bedtime and read when the tiger came to tea.
Today BB has been to baby gym, they have shopped, and SB has been to ballet and done violin. not sure what else. We had lychees and asparagus for tea [separately] 2 treats! yummy. Game playing and more britannia and tut’s mummy at bedtime. we are with sir francis drake in the first, and about to enter the tomb in the second.
Madeleine McCann went missing from her hotel room in Portugal on 3rd May. It is believed she may have been abducted in order to be trafficked for adoption or abuse. Please publicise this photo on your blog or flickr accounts in the hope that someone may recognise her. She has a distinctive right eye flash which may help identify her. The international number for Crimestoppers is 
+44 1883 731 336
I’m not sure my blog has a wide readership at all. I’m not sure that this will help, but cynicism certainly wont. It’s simple to do so I urge you to do it too. Photo from flickr by searching for her name. First seen at Patch of Puddles Blog.
There is a new flickr group called missing children.
grruble grumble. chris took my fragile laptop to his parents and now keyboard? not working. i am using that dreadful on? screen keyboard.
girls watched cable there - a treat. i think sb did some maths and reading. when i and they got home we did violin. also read some egyptian stuff.
in the garden the coldframe lid has? been pushed or blown in and beheaded french beans - cry.potatoes coming up.
well, we have had a fun day, though it seems unusual not to have been outside much! When I got up [i know, I know, really late!] SB was copying out the caterpillar poem from first language lessons for the well trained mind [lesson 2!!]. She really wants to improve her writing, but it doesn’t come easily to her. SO we are doing writing and getty and dubay to help.
Hmm, trying to remember! SB certainly has done a fair bit of reading today. Ah, that’s right, she then got out an M and S body book and the DK pop out body book. SHe was particularly enjoying the fun facts. She has always had an interest in how the body works. I was reading to BB, who has been my little limpet today. SB also finished the polar bears magic tree house book - which she was very impressed with.
We had pancakes for lunch [rofl!] and then the girls did lots of playing with bricks. SB did a bit more writing, and BB and I sowed some melon and more runner and french beans. BB got a bit sleepy, so I read to her, and then she snuggled and fell asleep. SB did her gym practice - handstands, shoulder stands and trying backwards head over heels. SHe also did her violin practice.
I read the page of underground rivers from our lovely active geography of rivers book. We discussed the piccies, caves, what an acid was - remembered the coin in acid experiment! When BB had woken up, the girls played whilst i found the ingredients for the next experiment - making stalactites and stalagmites. Luckilly ours should be done within the week, rather than in years! SB did a line of writing on and off through the day. BB was keen to get out the gears, so we all ended up doing gears gears gears!
Fiona Nicholson (Chair of EO Government Policy Group) is in (or was, depending on when you read this) a debate with Tony Mooney on Sunday morning on Radio 5 at around 10.30 a.m.
me and blog me are getting more dissociated these days. SO I apologise about the humdrum nature of my blogging!
Anyway, as Chris said, I have had a tough week this week. Wasn’t helped by insomnia for part of the week, and on thurs, waking up at 2am convinced I had missed a call from work, so ringing in - to their bemusement. i spent 2 days interviewing. on the thurs we interviewed for 11.5 hours, with a sum total of 50 mins break spread out amongst that! I could have cried for some of the candidates. these are those that we didn’t shortlist, but everyone now has an interview at their first choice. i think when we do the specificity and sensitivity we will have good specificity, and reasonable sensitivity. Well, in our area [geographical and discipline] anyway.
[ps I am watching the eurovision while I type - which may cause neural disturbances!]
so today was a lovely rest. i have done bits with SB in the week -mostly games and reading, but violin hasn’t happened! As well as the magic tree house [and yes, you can borrow some books merry if you want!] i also got some leap through time books, one about pompeii which I think is partic fab. SB and I have read britannia at night, and she is working through reading sonlight tut’s mummy lost and found to me. i loved my present. I think there is real artistry in the gold shapes on the silver tinfoil. She has also done handstand practice [rofl] every evening.
So to today. I had my saturday lie in, both girls were reading books on the bunkbeds, and then stickering. SB did some maths. it was a revision adding /subtracting/ number bonds type bit, so she raced through it. BB and i were making walls and towers with bricks, and reading. SB also did some lovely brick building - though BB knocked down as fast as they went up! I read SB and BB another story from the barefoot mothers and daughters book. SB and I the read some of the Xray buildings book - starting with pyramids. [i might link some of these books!]
We had lunch and then spent most of the rest of the day outside working and playing in the garden. I failed to do some violin with SB. I weeded, chris and the girls spread much for the french and runner bean trenches, chris put in the canes. We looked at the fish, a waterworm and various garden beasties. SB and BB sowed some round carrots. Actually there is a half price seed sale on the thompson and morgan site! [cough]SO I bought some more seeds [cough]. SB was ecstatically happy with the round carrot seeds as she has wanted some for ages, as well as the dwarf french beans that can go in her plot! That’s my girl. She danced about with the packets in excitement! Actually, the carrots they sowed in their plot ages ago have started to come up, as have the runner beans [goodness knows where they will run too! might give each a cane!!]
Anyway, lots of outdoor play, handstands and headoverheels practice [BB also determined to learn!] races, climbing and messing about. After a grump about whether SB could be naked outside like BB [I sort of feel she is at the age of knickers, but admit that I don't have much of a defence here] we then cheered up with a hand of rummy together, and then all painted outside. SB did mirror paintings of butterflies and caterpillars. BB painted a caterpillar too.
We had a raucous bath as the girls insisted i got in too as my feet were dirty [they were]. Thank goodness for an enormous bath hey!! We even put the bubble machine on - not for long as BB wasn’t convinced by it. tea and more tut’s mummy and britannia [liz 1] and bed.
so, now well into the voting for eurovision -rofl still. Oh, and it turned out quite well for a not knowing what to blog blogpost!
its got to be
oh, maybe slovenia
Tuesday wasn’t very exciting. Didn’t go to the library since awaiting DHL yet again trying to deliver something - they failed again, something about the van maybe (it appeared the next day on the doorstep, so much for signing for it…..). This was another wodge of the Magic Tree House Books - so we seem to have plenty of those now for SB to read. (we also have some spare - Helen managed to bid on two lots on Ebay, and there was a bit of overlap with some other we had).
A long bath with lots of bubbles for the girls.
Some housework - not that it seems to show really. But we did put loads of washing away and tidy up the girl’s bedroom.
A bit more Maths. The girls got out the Happy Mais. Butterbean had started the other day spearing the bits onto cocktail sticks. They sat using up most of a box of cocktail sticks skewering Mappy Mais to Happy Mais Kebabs, then they set up a Kebab Shop 
yum yum, tasty. some reading was happening at some point as well, but then it normally does. cooking dinner for later whilst they did this.
Swimming lessons rounded off the day. Not entirely convinced of the worth of this at the moment, doesn’t really seem to be a lot of progress, though I suppose it’s happening - we haven’t been swimming much lately so don’t get to see her in action much I guess.. Lack of feedback I suspect. Thing is, last year at the end of each term, they would tell you if your child had passed the next level, you got a card with the various criteria marked, on whether they had passed, needed to practice it a bit more etc. and then move onto another class the following term if necessary.
Now they have a rolling process. Once a child passes the appropriate level, then they move onto another class (assuming there is a space), but until you do, there is no arrangement for feedback (well not yet anyway). It’s feeling somewhat unsatisfactory.
Late finish for Helen today, meant BB in bed when she got home and a long day for everyone.
Wednesday we went off to visit the Fitzwilliam Museum with a local HE group - no Helen, she had to work today 
. They had a session of about 1 1/2 hours with the museum staff, looking at pictures, amour and other things. apparently enjoyable, I didn’t get to see it as I had BB. Had coffee with a couple of other parents until the little ‘uns got restless and then took BB outside to run about. Climbed steps a lot (ekk! , got to the top, realized there was a sheer drop to the side….), played chase and boo around the sculpture. Wahted the lift for the building works which fascinated BB.
I like the detailing on this little shed hidden behind the main steps, someone had made the effort to cut a nice little ventilation holes, not just drill a few holes
Afterwards we lunched on the grass and then went for a visit to the Botanic Gardens. so I didn’t actually get to see inside the museum. Tried to do a bit of shopping but then it started to rain, so got the bus back to the Park and Ride. Girls had a bit of a picnic in the back of the car before coming home.
Thursday seemed to mostly disappear into BB’s Toddler gym followed by shopping - nothing exciting, Tesco’s , cat food (cue lots of looking at the fish), DIY, Staples - where did the time go?
Home to a bit of playing, dinner cooking, maths, ballet lesson (see below re the cycling) dinner eating and another late finish for Helen.
Friday. Bad start, SB came into our bed crying about something I’ve since forgotten, at about 5.30. soon followed by BB, who drunk milk and then was a total pain, jumping, climbing around the bed, wiggling and kicking, so gave up and took her down stairs where I dozed in front of breakfast TV and BB fell back to sleep 
Umm - lots of time doing maths, she had a bit of mental block re place value and how once you got ten units/tens etc. then it carried over onto the next column. So we played with cuisenaire rods and things . Did a bit more of First Language Lessons (well lesson 2 ….), it focuses on a poem Brown and Furry about a caterpillar, so we’ve read that a number of times, and talked about what it’s about. SB made a present for Mummy - an old container, wrapped and decorated and filled with M&Ms
We had an impromptu experiment outside to do with pendulums - aka the swings. she noticed that BB in the baby seat was going faster than her (the ropes are much shorter on the baby swing), so we investigated what happened when we changed the length of the ropes on the swing (shorter = faster if you wondered). They ran around and played for a bit whilst i did a few garden jobs. Greenhouse is looking good at the moment.
Another lateish finish for Helen, glad it’s the weekend now
….too the woman driving the green hatchback, who obviously was in a great hurry as she was also holding a mobile phone to her ear as well. Just because cycles look narrow doesn’t mean it’s ok to think you can try to squeeze them into a gap where they will just fit, you really can afford to wait the few seconds it will take for us to go past the parked cars. Esp. as once you’d started the maneuver you realize that you’ve now got a bike with a trailer behind it in your way, so you are going to have to stop anyway.
Stringbean has been riding her bike to places as much as she can the last few weeks, mostly she has ridden on the pavement, whilst I have ridden along on the road, alongside her, though we have ridden around on the roads on the quieter residential roads around the corner.
Today, we we going to her ballet lesson, the road most of the way has a little bit of traffic down it but not loads, some parked cars etc. so we tried it out with her cycling down the road to and from the lesson, my aim is to gradually get her used to roads, to other vehicles, judging their behavior etc.. Her in front, with me behind, towing Butterbean in the trailer.
It was fine, with me behind she doesn’t need to worry about what is coming up behind her, she can concentrate on her road position, on learning to pass parked cars safely, on watching for cars approaching from the front etc. and I’m always there to give guidance etc. as she is? along way from working out how to safely judge what approaching cars are doing, when it’s safe to proceed, when it’s time to wait and let the pass etc. Most car drivers were considerate and patient.
There is an article in the Grauniad re the DFES consultation, which probably needs a few letters writing to them regarding.
1. They start off by saying the consualtation is to:
find out whether rules need to be tightened over how children are taught out of the education system
Well, ISTM that this isn’t the point of them at all, seeing as the DFES are now saying that they don’t intend on any changes to legislation (for now anyway), the guidance is just about applying the exisiting law.
2. Tony Mooney pops up again, with the usual stuff about all the working class parents using HE as an easy way to not send their kids to school etc.
It’s not really that he is quoted as such, it’s just the way in which the view he espouses isn’t challenged in anyway - just like on the R4 news bit a while back, it seems that becuase he is ‘an inspector’ then his views must be correct. He really needs pulling up and being aked to provide some evidence for his claims.
There are other niggles too with the article, it feels a bit sloppy to me.
Re the recently announced DFES consultation, I’ve just been reading the draft guidelines. Not bad really.
Did you know that Muddlepuddle is listed in the ‘Useful Contacts’ bit - Annexe B - Mrs. Muddlepuddle ?
like daughter???
This has been appearing on various lists today, so just spreading the word. It’s the text of a letter from the DFES - sent to people who had asked to be kept informed.
The Department has recently decided not to pursue any changes to monitoring arrangements. Instead we are consulting on draft guidelines for LAs prior to their publication. This consultation launches today and will run for three months. The consultation document can be found at www.dfes.gov.uk/consultations.
If you wish to participate you can respond by email to homeeducationconsultation@dfes.gsi.gov.uk.
Best wishes
Elaine Haste
Elective Home Education
Department for Education and Skills
Butterbean and Stringbean are arguing over ‘eating’ the Kiwi Fruit skins left when I peeled one to go in my breakfast. (SB likes to scrape the remaining fruit out with her teeth).
:roll:? :roll:? :roll:? :roll:?
typing this round bb - so difficult!
I had a lie in. I’m not sleeping well, and tend to fall asleep 4am and wake wake up with BB at 6-ish and then where possible have a second shot at sleep. I am lucky that chris lets me do it, but it does take more time away form the children.
Whilst I was snoozing, both girls had a wild hama-fest. even BB did a lovely job with the midi beads. SB did me a pattern and put an M in it for mummy, and a lovely wrapping up [luov to mumee from SB]. BB also proud of hers, and we took a picture.
Both girls also did some colouring in and then some drawing. I read some apple tree farm books to BB, SB read some to herself and then some magic tree house to me. SB then did some violin practice - she declares this new violin is too heavy to hold!
BB did some playdough before lunch and I read to SB some of the rivers book described below. We did the ill fated experiment after lunch! Weather ed indeed!!
The girls then did lots of outdoor play and running about - getting v wet! Chris finished sorting out the greenhouse, so I moved loads of things there ready to get ready for the great ourdoors [toms for indoors, cucurbits, runner and french beans and sweetcorn] I gave them a good water and some rooster feed.
BB wanted to do happy maize [do you still have any Merry?], so she started on that, and SB did some fimo - she made a face pencil topper and some beads. When she did the hair with our garlic press [thanks merry!] BB also wanted a go. luckily BB made a nice colour rather than brown out of her bits squished together, and lot of hair!
The girls watched some TV and I hoed the onions and chris made tea. BB fell asleep and had to be jiggled awake - and why I have been blogging with her in my arms! oh, we joined up the princess hats!
obviously finishing this blog a bit later! SB had britannia and read me a story from usborne young readers for bed. i am getting mentally prepared to go back to work tomorrow. Have a presentation to write as well!
Anyone who hasn’t stated a castle day preference, either email me or go to the protected post below. Thanks
we have been doing some f the make it work rivers book we got from the library, and the first experiment is setting up a water cycle. So we set it up in the garden and although we got the water to condense, we didn’t get it to rain. I grumbled, and SB and I and BB all agreed we wished it would rain. Almost immediately it did - though unfortunately not in our experiment!
So I took the camera in - it was only spitting, and then went outside for the washing - by whcih time it wa a torrential rainstorm and they were all drenched. SB and BB wanting umbrellas and coats - duly provided! I then noticed 2 of our gutters are not doing the job properly - well one gutter and one downpipe. In trying to get the downpipe not to spray allowver the wall, I succeeded in increasing the amount of rain over me - in fact a waterspout,
So I have retired inside, girls are playing like loons outside. The sun is coming out, however, so had better go outside and spot rainbows. Chris is safely inside the greenhouse sorting out the staging.
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