(This post was priginally started 29/01/10 - ooops)
My Uncle Bob died a few weeks ago (aged 81). But the funeral wasn’t until this week, for various reasons. So me and the girls headed of the wild marshlands of North Kent for the funeral. Didn’t quite manage to leave as early as I wanted , but still there in plenty of time as managed not to get stuck on the M25 or the Dartford bridge.
The most noticeable thing was the lack of a coffin, as Uncle Bob had left his body to medical science, so there was obviously no body to be buried/cremated. This was slightly odd. Though my Dad (Bob’s brother) found it a bit upsetting, because it seems to have been a bit of a tradition in that branch of the family to have the body back to the house before the funeral - for people to pay their respects I guess. It’s seems an important thing for my Dad to have been able to see the body but of course this wasn’t possible.
The funeral service was fine in a funeral service kind of way. Girls were good - but I suppose they have had plenty of practice with 3 funerals in the last 7 months SB made a good fist of singing the hymns. Though the organist did seem to be playing them somewhat on the slow side. And we had an alternative version of the words written by the vicar for the church to the tune of John Browns Body. Though reading the Wikipedia article on it, that seems a fair tradition for the song. Though the girls did wonder why I might be crying a bit at one point
After the service it was back to the house to catch with various bit of thr family. Mostly cousins of one sort or another. A few of my Dad/Bobs cousins were there, my Cousin Marilyn with whom Uncle Bob had lived for the last few years. her 4 kids and various of their kids. Here is most of the kids, bar the youngest baby who was asleep some where (as to why SB had her hand up un front of her face…..):
The generations are a bit out of sync. Aunty Ethel, Marilyn’s Mum was about 15 years older than my Dad, and Marilyn had kids a lot younger than me, and then her eldest son had his first baby at about 18 - so her eldest grandchild is already about 15.
Favourite entertainment seemed to be playing on his stair lift
Headed off home, though I was rather tired and had to stop at the services for a caffeine shot. Girls decided they were hungry and SB had the most enourmous teacake in the world
Goodbye Uncle Robert, though not so well in the last few years, after stroke and things he still had a sparkle in his eye.
On Friday it was another history presentation session at a local HE group. Theme of Normans and Medieval - so just a few Centuries to choose from
Decided her on the Normans. Originally there was some idea about SB and BB re-enacting the battle of Hastings, which might have been entertaining …. But BB decided she didn’t want to do it. So then SB decided to build a model of a Motte and Bailey castle. Would probably have been better to have had this idea a bit sooner.
Spent much of Tuesday morning looking at Motte and Bailey castles in books and websites . And settled on a model of a small wooden one as might have been built early after the invasion.
So something like this was the idea:
Made a base from two sheets of cardboard PVA-ed together:
Started with a circle, cut out increasingly larger ones, stuck them down to make the base of the mound.
That was mostly it for Tuesday, IIRC the was some music practice and we had swimming lessons. Had meant to do some more afterwards, but it didn’t happen.
No time on Wednesday, so it meant we had to do the rest on Thursday. The plan had been to use paper mache to finish the mound etc. But no time for that to dry. So I suggested using car body filler as that sets quickly.
So we marked out and cut more cardboard to make the land around the Motte and SB stuck it down.
Then I mixed up some filler, and SB applied it. Sticking a few stones in for extra effect.
Had some lunch and then it was dry for painting.
Which was done in time for a break and a snack before Gym class. (we went early as we had to go to the pet shop so SB could by her present for BB
So that just left the castle wall and buildings to do Luckily, soon after us getting home H arrived home as well, so we had a joint effort. H made the building shells for SB to paint and roof.
I got on with making palisade fences etc. (SB had a go, but she dislikes getting hot melt glue on her fingers).
Having a break for dinner and Dr Who in the middle. It was about 10.30 pm when me and SB finished off by painting the palisade fences.
And we had a castle
The kitchen was a disaster zone (cardboard, glue, hay,paint, dinner preps etc.), but the castle was looking cool H managed to make some fairy cakes to take to the group as it was BB’s birthday
On Friday H woke BB up to give her a present of a DS game before she went to work. BB woke up said that you and fell back to sleep for another 20 minutes We tootled off to the HE session. We had a retelling of a couple of Robin Hood tales, The Black Death, SB’s castle, Structure of Feudal Society, and a bit about Stokesay Castle. Which were all very good. SB did a good presentation, about her castle, remembering to say most of the things she had wanted to say. Everyone was very impressed with the model.
When we got home, SB gave BB her present - a dog collar and lead. The collar goes round the waist by the way. B was very pleased (she likes playing being a doggy games) So they went around play doggy games until H came home and BB finally got to have the rest of her presents.
Though we had had given her rather more help than intended because of time factors , she did a lot herself with just a bit of help. Along with history, some model making techniques, there was a good chance to investigate the appropriate use of different adhesives
PVA, a good strong bons, good for larger areas or where you can wait, but not much ‘grab’. UHU type glue - good grab, pretty quick drying. Hot melt, good for where you want things stuck firm quickly. But mind the fingers
It was a fun project, but a bit more time would have been better. I think SB was impressed with how much you can get done when you need to.
Dinner, more Dr Who and Birthday (bought) cake finished off the day.
Thursday was Tots and Nots. Bit late getting going in the morning, but SB managed to get a piano pratice in before we left just a little late. Once we got there SB was straight into Philosophy Club - apparently this week it was about the difference beteen hearing and listening. Me and BB sat and made a cardboard cutout digger that Gina had provided the materials for. Sat and read with BB, played with Megablocks and playdough, had snacks, some playing etc., SB did a poem activity with Katy and some of the other kids. Recorders all round with Gina. Had intended to leave early enough to get home for a bit for SB to do a bit more preperation for her presentation for the next days HE group. But she wanted to do French as well so we ende up staying on for that.
Went straight onto gym via Pets a Home for cat food and Monster nibbles. Had the traditional ‘whats the best deal on catfood this time ‘ activity since they always seem to have a couple of brands or another on a BOGOF or somesuch. This time, one of ou preferred brands was on a BOGOF that menat that buying multiple small packets was cheaper than buying a big sack. So me and SB pondered those for a bit.
Then we looked at fish, ahhh-ed over hamsters and other small furry things, found suitable treats/nibbles for Monster, put BB off from trying to buy uneccessary rabbit tat. Off to drop SB at gym and then me and SB headed off into town for a little bit of shopping (went into Millets for boot laces, BB came out with a fluffy fleece jacket….) Sainsburys and then to the playground.
They are extending the gym, and the upstairs viewing balcony is mostly closed off. So me and BB have stopped staying at gym and watching SB as there isn’t much space. But it will soon be too dark to be going to the park and things so not sure what we will do if they haven’t reopened it soon.
Home for a boring dinner of pasta (not organised enough in the mornign to have anything else) and me and SB sat and sorted out final things for her presentation - some photos for a slideshow and questions for a quiz she wanted to do.
Viking and Saxon History
Another HE group, in another town. They have been doing monthly history session, where any kids that want to present something on the theme of the session. They started earlier in the year, but last month was the first one we got to and this was the first one that we have presented at. SB was inspired by a Making Viking Bread’ article in the latest issue of the Young Archgeologists Club magazine, so we used that as the focus. Though we couldn’t find the magazine last weeend and had to look up a recipe on the web.
H made the bread and butter with the girls last weekend. So we took that. We took photos which SB wanted to display whilst she talked about how she made the bread.
She did very well at explaining what she did I thought, thought had to be reminded to speak up enough so people could hear. After that her and BB did a True or False quiz with soem questions relating to the food viking ate. BB was being the ‘glamorous assistant’ and showing the answers.
Though it was a bit of a comedy moment really as they hadn’t practised this. SB had coloured coded the True and False cards for BB green and purple, but BB didn’t quite have the hang of it
We handed round the bread and butter which all went down well
Other presentations included a Story and soup, models of viking longhouses, about the battle of Hastings, the tale of Beowulf.
After the presentations was lunch and playing outside/chatting before hometime.
Home for a bit of playing and pottering about. They both got into a good Bob the Builder lego game so I left to quietly too it.
Then it was off out to BB’s football skills session and home to get dinner ready, followed by a bit of flopping in the sitting room. Me and SB did a bit of her Meccano remote controled car before bedtime.
Tune in next month for the next thrilling instalment of ‘Daddybean does Blogging’
Well, I guess with Helen away most of the week in Italy ata conference it was never going to be a normal week, but still. I had vagur idea that I would try to keep the week fairly empty, have a relaxed time, get some housey jobs done etc. But was not to be.
Funeral
Monday was my Uncle Robert’s funeral, and we were all going. My Dad has stopped driving now, as it is just too painful for his arm to steer the car. A tad annoying really when you onky functioning arm stops functioning properly. So I hired an MPV to take us all , plus my neice Liana down to the funeral.
I relalised on the Sunday, that I didn’t really have anything to wear, at least in the legwear stakes. So headed to Tesco first thing on the way to get car to find something. Ended up with a suit, which was fine, except that in the shop it just looked black/grey next to all the others. In the daylight when I it was a more browny colour, nice enough, but not quite what I had intended. Ah well.
Funeral was, in the context of funerals, good. Some affecionate and moving speeches from a Son-in-law and a couple of other people who knew him well. Some proper hymns to have a good sing to (if you are going to go to church I really think you need to have some proper hymns to sing) and a few hugs and tears. SB managed fine. BB mostly sat on the floor of the pew and coloured, but she was tired, and started to complain of being hot etc. in the church. But didn’t want to go outside with Helen, but fell a sleep after a bit.
The coffin was wrapped in a big picture of a steam train, and the organist played the theme tune to Thomas the Tank Engine at the commital at the crematorium - get the theme here
He was a good man, with a strong faith. It does seem sad that after waiting years for a grandchild they probably had given up on getting, he only got to spend a couple of years with her. If you are somewhere else now Uncle Robert, I hope it is as good as you would have hoped it was.
After refreshments I had to take Stringbean over to Birchanger Services where I handed her over to Michelle. She was going to stay with them for 2 nights whilst she did a Sailing training course. I then headed back to my Aunts house for a bit. Took Helen to the tain station so she could go and stay in some posh hotel room at Heathrow. Eventally the remnants of the party headed back to our house, where we all went to bed pretty much straight away.
Tuesday
More driving about.
Took hire car back, did a bit of shopping, had hair cut, sat in cafe and drunk coffee, read The Gruaniad without any children - bliss Home to find Butterbean has been spending Grandads money. Take parents and liana back to their house. stay there until time to take BB to her football class. True to form she did manage to somehow knock her head within the first 10 minutes - so ws of woith an injury having a cuddle.
But did convince her to go back and do some more . She almost finished the rest, but stopped part way through the short game they have at the end. She doesn’t like this bit as she can hardly ever get the ball, and if she does it gets tackled away fro her in no time. So basically runs around a bit and then gets bored
Had dinner at the cafe there, a bit of TV and then bed for her. SB rang up from the Old Manor, upset becuase she had bashed her toe (a classic SB-ism) and wanted to come home. This wasn’t really that practical as they are an hours drive away and there was just me, and anyway I expected her to get over it and she did it sounds like. I guess this is something you need to learn to deal with really.
Wednesday
Out again. via the Park and Ride, where we met the Patch of Puddle gang on the bus, and then were reunited with SB in town. We were going to The Cloth Place, a project by Big wide Talk, the took over 2 floors of a lovely old building, that was a shop. Filled it with all sorts of cloth things - animals, vegtables, food, various props, and the kids get to use it how ever they want as long as they don’t hurt each other and repsect the stuff. I forgot the camera but borowed Michelle’s. She has been more organised than me and posted some piccies.
It was great fun Afterwards we had a picnic in the park, including a good strop by BB as she chose a drink, and then wanted to change it after it had all been paid for and I said no. We then went to the Archaeology museum, which I’ve not been to before. And had an interesting hour there.
Then back on the bus to head home, SB to brownies and general flopping abolut until dinner and bedtime.
Thursday
Yup out again. Kids all tired, and not wanting to get up. Off to Tots and Nots, only really went becuase it was the 3rd and last of three sessions that SB has done on philosophy. They were finishing early as they were off to the Coth Place again. Then into the car, and the hour or so’s drive to my parents to leave them with BB. A short time there, then off again to take Sb to gym. They have started building work there and there isn’t much space on the balcony anymore so rather than be hot and squashed I popped into town, a little bit of shopping and another peaceful coffee
Home dinner, played a game with SB, a bit of TV and bed.
Friday
Not out
SB has commented that she gets given stuff to do while we do something else (!). With all the other boring stuff of life that get in the way and never seem finished (housework, washing etc. etc.) I find myself ending up putting stuff off with them, so decided not to spend today tidying the house (sorry H) and spent mucho time with SB whlst BB was awayPottered about in the morning, a modicum of housework, reading and playing a game with SB, plenty of music practice. SB cooked lunch, where she learnt how to cook scrambled egg on toast. Then we spent all afternoon working on a project she has been wnting to do for the last few weeks. I won’t say what as it might give the game away for someone, but involved much sawing and nailing and gluing.
Once we had finished what we could, we needed to get a couple of bits, so off to the DIY shop. Then we decided to find somewhere to ahve dinner for a treat. Realised that we don’t go out in the evening much and din’t really know what was around that would have things SB might like. But found a pleasant Italian place, and a dinner with just the two of us, which was also rather pleaant.
Home, to SB’s bed time and me trying to blog a bit of the week, which I’ve managed just about - shock!!
Shortly we are off to get BB, then this afternoon it is the carnival procession. SB is on the Brownies float and I think she might be doing a ballet display. Helen should be back homw sometime this afternoon as well
For a couple of years, the first Monday of the month has been a HE sports session, with sessions for younger and older kids, with the cut off age around 7-8. But the older session didn’t really get enough support anymore, so that has been dropped (just as SB has started doing them…..) . The re-jigged session now has Streetdance for older ones, followed by a younger ones sports session.
So it was off to that Monday morning. SB enjoyed the Streedance, BB enjoyed the sports, so that was good. SB has taken some stuf in her bag to potetially do after Streetdance, but mostly played outside the hall with some of the other kids, who she doesn’t really know so well as they ahve tending to do things aimed at the older kids. Not quite the normal attendees, so we didn’t have our usual playmates for a post sports park trip. I’d brought the bikes, so we went to the playground (busy as sunny and warm and the last day of school holidays by the looks of it for some kids) and then they cycled around the park paths. Where we discovered a little stream lake bit with some rather over fed ducks and geese who weren’t very interested some peanut butter sandwich leftovers.
Home, where SB did something of a booky nature (probably one of the VR or NVR books) before it was time to get ready and go out to Ballet. I managed to do passable pig tails in her hair.
Jax sent a fortuitous email that reminded me we were supposed to be going out on a trip the following day
Tuesday
Was a HE trip to Ecotech, which was advertised across multiple East Anglian groups and so popular they there is a second one this week. It was a fair drive for us, but managed to get out pretty much on time (which was generous in terms of travel time). Combined with quicker journey than expected we even had enough time to pick up a few bits in the next door supermarket before joining the group.
After an intro, we split up, out group did an activity building model wind turbines first.
It was fun, though for an activity that they must run loads of times I felt it was not as well run as it could have been. Maybe he was a bit unsure of dealling with such an age range of children.
We tested and modified our various versions. The kids got to choose how they arranged the blades, Our first one didn’t work at all. I was an even pattern, though not with them eqully spread.
After a bit of reorganising and it worked:
THere was also a bit of fiddling about with the angle of attack of the blades with one of the other turbines. Bottom line was that the number of blades didn’t seem to make a lot of difference.
After this we had lunch (we had packed lunch, but the cafe seemed fine a reasonably priced)
After lunch we headed out side. Those seven and older could go up the inside of the turbine tower - 305 steps (the only one the public can go up it seems).
SB went up, BB wanted me too stay, even though there were plenty of people she knew staying down, so I didn’t.
So whilst SB was up the tower, we pottered around the bottom, looked around the organic veg garden, where the kids all got Rhurbarb leaves, BB’s lasted about 10 mins before she had mangled it too much. Waved at those up in the tower, a sat in the shade in the Willow den.
They finished up with a session on recycling, but we had to head off to get back.
We made it nicely in time. BB has started doing a Little Dribblers football skills course at the sports centre, which she was very excited about (after years of traipsing around after SB she is pleased to be doing her own things now.. Once the instructor realised that she didn’t really have much idea what she was doing, and wasn’t very good at listening to what she was supposed to do she was fine. It’s a 4-8 yo class, so a couple were they same age I’d guess as her, though a bit more skilled football wise She felt a little left out as they all their football kit, so that has been rectified via Ebay for next week. I do find it a bit of a shame that all these things get so gender differentiated so early. There was only one other girl there, probably 7-8 and obviously been playing football a bit. Can’t believe there aren’t more young girls who would like to have a go if offered.
Anyway, SB was pleased as she finally got to go and have something from the sports centre cafe, which BB has been doing whilst SB has her swiming lesson. SB watched a bit of BB, and then did some Getty and Dubay handwriting practice. Then me and BB waited whilst SB did her swimming.
Got home to find H already home (unusual for a Tuesday) and glad that dinner just needed warming up to be ready.
Thursday.
Was back to Tots and Nots which haven’t attended for a while due to the possibility of Chicken pox and needing to be careful becuase of family gatherings before and at Easter.SB did a long piano practice before we left, which made us a bit late. SB made a fold out thing showing how the Union Jack is made from the different flags for each country, BB made a shield and sword which she then used to run around chasing people with Both got to do some recorder lesson with Gina, SB did a little piano, then we had lunch there before heading off to another new thing.
A new ‘multisports’ session started up earlier in the year, the replace one that ran before for 8’s and up, seeing as the older sports has stopped on Monday, SB wanted to try this. Shame that it is right the other side of town, so we had to drive 20 mins to get there. SB enjoyed the session, played a bit of hockey, did some basketball skills, though we had to leave just as they were to start a game, to head off to another town for SB’s Gym class. (of course it’s back the way we had come…)
Friday
Was planning on not going anywhere, but realised we had something to take back to the Red Cross. Which sadly has temporarily moved from a 10 minute drive to a 30 minute drive. SB did some of her verbal reasoning book, and some music practice before we went out. We headed via a Citylink depot to pick up some Amazon parcels. Then over to the Red Cross. Since we were out and SB had been complaining of needing new trainers we went shoe shop hunting. Had feet measured in Clarks, of course in typical fashion they only had hardly any she liked in her size (one in fact, and that was one with the funny bit in the heel with a toy in which she doesn’t like). The sales assitant also seemed to have a problem accepting that she didn’t want anything too girly - most had too much pink or purple, or where excessivley ‘boy-ey’ red and black, shiney silver etc which she doesn’t like either. Can’t help thinking that a they need to arrange to have a better system - there have been a number of times we’ve not bought shoes there just becuase the available selection was so limited. Though I do see you can now order shoes on thre website to try on in store.
However, BB was pleased as she got some ‘Croc’ type foam Doodles there which she really loves.
Headed off home stopping in another town, where we found some reduced price trainers in Millets for SB, and some Sandals in the cheapy shoe shop, didn’t find any suitable Crocs though.
Home where they sat and read various books from the Amazon Order before dinner.
We’ve had a few car conversations on the way to various places. SB heard and advert for the National Lottery, so we had a discussion about how that worked, why you were unlikley to win the jaclpot and what she would spend £6 million on. An expensive trampoline and a dog apparently to start with. Also somehow got onto what happens to all the male chicks and chickens that aren’t needed.
Thursday we were going to go to Tots and Nots in the morning, but we had had a rubbish night, with both kids waking up, bed moving etc. and Stringbean still not quite right and seeming very tired. We also had something on in the afternoon and I thought that it might all get a bit much
So we abandoned that plan. I’d started reading some more of Inside the Beagle with Charles Darwin, which we had started the night before. We spent the next 2+ hours ! reading the book and talking about various bits Butterbean sat and listened a bit, pottered around with Lego, looked at some books of her own etc. Lots interesting discussion about sailing boats, navigation, time, clocks, fossils, variation, species, islands, evolution, scientific evidence (which is why we spent so long). SB can happily read such books, but often prefers you to read them to her.
By the time we had finished we were hungry so had breakfast and the rest of the morning soon went with SB doing maths (until she got stuck in a sort of Limbo land where nothing much seemed to be happening, perusing a couple more books, while BB did some more fimo-ing and I got dinner ready to put in the oven.
Then a quick lunch and out. We were just in time, which then turned out to be plenty of time, as the time for the session said 1.30, but it was starting a 2, the time before was for setting the stuff up.
The session was about Forensic Science, normally the leader of the session spends all day doing this in school and we had a couple of hours - so it was obviously a bit contracted. Though the younger ones wouldn’t have coped with longer session though.
Basically, we had an introduction to some forensic techniques and did things like make paster casts of prints, took our finger prints (a little bit of chalk dust on the finger tip, push onto Sellotape, stick it to a piece of acetate sheet - look at with a hand lens.
She showed us a simple DNA extraction from Kiwi fruit. Whizz up the kiwi with a bit of water and salt (to break open cell membranes). Strain the mixture through a cloth, and a bit of detergent to the mix, then carefully pour in a little methylated spirits to make a layer on top. you can see a some white stuff in the methylated spirit that is DNA.
Then they had to investigate a crime.
There was a sheet of suspects with a bit of info about them. We had to look at 5 sets of evidence and try to wrok out who did it. Footprint, fingerprint, car paint, DNA, clothes fibre. We didn’t manage to get round them all (spent too long peering at fingerprints). But we did the footprint:
The car paint left on a wall:
And the fingerprints:
By which time it was time to go home, both kids were seeming a bit tired. SB in particular looked a bit pale and washed out when we got back. So they vegged a bit once we got home before dinner. BB of course slept in the car so didn’t go to sleep til too late.
Friday
My parents were coming round, so tried to get a bit done before hand. SB did some maths, and read some bits out of her Encylopedia of Knowledge (or some such) which she had for xmas, and we tried to tidy the playroom. Was supposed to do some music but we had a phone call from H to say her Sis and family were stopping off on the way home from Centre Parcs. About 20 minutes later they appeared
So they arrived and the kids were all off playing. A bit later my Mum and Dad appeared. A little while after lunch H got home as well Once Sis and family had gone on their way, SB played kiddie Monopoly, can’t really remember what else might have happene. Parents stayed for dinner, then off to bed for children
A couple of weeks ago, Stringbean did some animation stuff with some other HE children at another families house.
One of the things they did was some Lego animation. We have the raw images here, but they were burnt on CD with a MAC and Windows can’t read them , and I’ve not got round to installing utility to read them, so that we could convert them into a movie
But the host family have and here are the results:
Library day, as usual somehow the time before we go always seems to slip past. Though I did manage to get some Dhal going in the new slow cooker beforehand. BB grumpy becuase I said she couldn’t get anymore books out as she had too many out we couldn’t find. She had dressed very trendily, as she wanted to wear shorts , so said she needed to wear tights (which she doesn’t really like much). So we hard shorts over tights.
Off to the library, where I managed not to confuse the library ladies at all over anything, some piratey stories, where we wondered why pirates always managed to blind each other in one eye. Did a piratey craft, B didn’t get books out, Sb got a couple, and also she donated them one of her xmas books which doubled up on one she already has (It’s volunteer run, it’s not a proper county library, so these books stay as the stock of the local library).
So we were out prety quick.
A short walk to the other half - HE family we know, where the kids made some oatcakes, including some experimental sweet ones.
For oatcakes they tasted prety nice (not a great fan of them), we chatted about this and that, including the 6 week holiday they are taking to New Zealand in February - rather jealous of that. Playing tends to be a bit erratic with C, but they mostly got on well and had a good play once settled down, once they got a argumentative with each other it was out in the garden for a running about, scootering and chicken harrassing.
They found a newly laid egg, which pleased them, and SB helped clean out some of the straw.
Then it was home for a bit, SB finished rerading a book she started in the library, I sat a played with BB for a bit, and then she strung some new beads she got at christmas, and then spent ages playing some game with the beads, where they all seemed to be different characters. Snacking, finished some dinner preps, before you know it it’s time to go to swimming lessons.
Home from swimming to find Helen already home the Dhal smelling nice nice to have dinner pretty much ready (sapped some rice from the fridge, stirred fried up some veg with some spice, prety yummy). BB did a bit of letter writing and making words in a Thomas the Tank Engine book whilst waiting.
Which meant that got kids into bed at pretty much proper times
Oh, and as for the post tilte, talk of Oatcakes reminded me of the ‘How oats and barley grow’ song. We have ona car CD, always annoys me. ’Not you, nor I, nor anyone knows, how oats or wheat or barley grow’.
Yes they do, we actually know rather a lot a bout how plants grow ! chunter chunter
Unusually both the girls ended up in different places today.
Someone was trying to organise an animation workshop with someone from the university, using the UNI equipment, but in the end that didn’t happen. But another HE family said they have them round as they had been doing some animation recently and has stuff set up. So took SB to their house, where she quickly settled down to making a flip book (apparently it’s a horror one :rolls:).
Drunk a bit of tea, chatted and had serious house envy. They live in a lovely, built for them modern house, split level kitchen living area, glass wall, curves, high celings all that sort of Grand Designs sort of thing.
I swopped SB for another girl who decided she wanted to come to the dogs while her mum stayed and animated and we headed off. A popular event, must have been 50-60 people all told. The police showed of the equipment they have on their vest nowadays,
talked about the dogs, answered lots of questions. Showed one of them attacking another policeman
and showed another dog that they use for finding explosives sniffing ou hidden little bottles around the room.
THe dog would sit and wait patiently once it found something, becuase all it was really interested in was playing with it’s ball after as a treat
BB enjoyed it and seems to have prety much lost her fear of dogs, was not fazed by a big black Alsatian barking and attacking a man in the middle of the room.
Headed off back to see what SB had been up to. She’d finshed the flap book, done her own design for something to go inside a Zoetrope, and done some Lego stop motion animation. They’d not had time to finish off the latter into a movie, so we got a CD of the images, though the computers here don’t seem to be seeing any on there. A quick more bit of tea and my lunch and playing before heading home. Another parent though had the best ‘chivving up the children’ line.
“Come on R and R, don’t you want to go to Africa”
(They were leaving right then to catch the plane to go out to South Africa, where one of them harks from).
Dragged the kids away from playing, SB “I wish we lived in a house like that” to head home to catch up with Helen. Which you can read about below
It was quite pleasant only having one child with me for a bit really for a change.
Started the day with a bit of online shopping, new waterproofs for SB, socks, mitts etc. some waterproof walking boots for SB as an alternative for her to wellies (managed to pick up some Clarks shoes for her on sale for £15 last week, so was goign to get some other boots for her with the saved money, and got the boots for £15 as well, bargain ) some shoes for me and other bits and bobs.
Got an phone call later from the second place, their order system had had some kid of fit and missed out sizes on some things and mixed up others (a pair of 36″ waist boots anyone) :-)
Managed to get children breakfasted and dressed in 45 minutes, and SB managed a bit of piano preactice, so we got out in time to get into City 1 for a Home Ed group trip to a Pizza Express restaurant. They talked a little about the pizza making process, (for some reason I was a bit disappointed to find they don’t make the dough and tomato sauce on site - I doubt making a big batch in a factory is much different to making a big bacth in the kitchen, nor is it likley to be any different in any other big pizza chain), showed us how to make the dough into a base - SB was pretty good at that.
Then we got to make up pizzas which they then took and cooked. They had a system of numbered hats so they could number the returned pizza boxes. It mostly worked, though a couple were mixed up. Had a little look rouind the kitchen area (pretty small as they basically just make up the pizzas in there) - 4 minutes to cook a pizza in their ovens.
Kids seemed to find the big walkin fridge and freezer most interesting.
Then it was back to collect the pizzas. Not sure there was a massive educational value to the trip (making pizzas isn’t exactly something new to them) but I guess they got to see behind the scenes a bit and have a bit of fun with their friends. And it was free (a bit of a promo for them I guess), so we got free pizza for lunch Then headed off into town for a bit of real, in a proper shop, shopping
Ambled down the road a found a bench to munch pizza on. They are apparently looking cheerful :-)
Finally found SB a new hat that she liked (another bargain as it turned out when we paid that it was much reduced as was aold stock from a couple of years ago) Though it was an adult hat, that only just fitted SB, so maybe that’s why it didn’t sell. But BB a fleece like the one I got SB last weekin a different pattern it’s just a fleece really, but for some reason it seems especially nice according to SB (BTW, any YHA members you get 10% off in Millets). BB doesn’t get that many clothes bought for her as we have so many from SB, so when she gets something she gets so excited about it. I finally found some slipper-boot things that I liked, and we looked at various gloves, but none where waht SB wanted.
Went through the market and found gloves (she wanted some thin alternatives to her thick gloves) as did BB - fit her perfectly, which is unusal for a littlie like her (more excitement). A quick hit on M&S, and then it was time for a coffee break (SB had spied a Costa, and she knows they do nice cakes…) I’d said we could have a snack in a cafe if they were good whilst going round the shops. Quite surprsingly !! they were on the whole (a bit restless in M&S), probably becuase we were on the hunt for particular things, and tried not to faff around too much. And I had the buggy, which I can stick BB in.
A pop into Lakeland on the way back to the carpark, where a bit tired children meant I wasn’ tempted to buy anything unnecessary (it’s an odd mix really I think of decent quality kitchen stuff, and all sorts of useless tat and gadgets).
As an aside, wondering what is the best rolling pin. I used to have a marble ones, which was good, though heavy and coould be too heavy for rolling somethings, but the weiht meant it rolled things out without a lot of effort.Have been using one we bought for SB to use and it’s really not big enough and is hard work rolling out things, I’ve bought a plain simple cyclindrical wooden one for now, but I’m tempted by one of the silicone ones like the Sil-Pin. The kids one is cute
Just about got back to the carpek before it rolled into the next hour, and toolted home.
Kids where much more a of a pain at home (why is the default seemingly into argue about something, even when there is no need?). SB found a white board lurking, so wanted to draw on that, I didn’t feel like going and finding any suitable pens, but SB went and found some, so theyns drew cats and things and argued over pens (plenty of them) cloths (how often do you need the cloth?) and who knows waht else. I sat a read a few random books to them when I got fed up with it and had revived myself a bit with tea. But before we knew it it was time to head off for SB’sswimming lesson.
Out, back, Helen was home from work , chips for tea, watched Merlin, children in bed.
Kids had a fun time at a Roman Workshop this afternoon, back home awaiting arrival of Helen so we can head off up to the Babs for the weekend.
But mostly I’m being fed up with mess and chaos around the place, with the way it seems to get messy a millions times quicker than it can get tidied away, with it seeming to suck up much of my time and energy without actually seeming to get better - tidy one room and it seems to sidle off and just pop up elsewhere, with feeling that it’s ages since I did much fun stuff with the girls at home. With it taking 3 times as long to find or do things and then getting grumpy withg the girls.
Unlike Monday, children managed to get dressed etc. quickly enough and early enough without too much faffing for us to get away almost on time, with me not to grumpy ;-) to head to City 1 for Tots and Nots. Quite a bit fitted into the session - some crafting - making little rockety things from foam sheets & sparkly pipe cleaners, wax crayon on card over painted with black paint - then scratched through to make patterns. Though SB proceeded to scratch all her paint off which I didn’t quite see the point of.
Someone else did a little session showing how a tune can focus soundwaves so you can hear things better, and both girls did some recorders (SB did two sessions) with our tame HE-ing music teacher. Rest of time filled with random playing.
Headed off promptly but at what I thought would be slighty late time to head to Town 1 for gym. BB has started pre-schoolers gym session at the same place that. It’s just a free play type session - they have structured sessions as well, but not at a time we can do. They have various soft play type things out, ladders and benches to climb up, but they can also go and clamber on the gym equipment, jump in the big foam pit etc. Slighty odd to have all the littlies runniung aruound whilst Louis Smith or one of the others their in the British Squads does their stuff at the other end though.
While BB and me do this, SB sits on the side (though grumbles a bit) and reads, does something out of a workbook or whatever. Today she was moslty reading the Castle Diary: The Journal of Tobias Burgess I think.
After that headed into town for a modicum of shopping - picking up a new phone from Argos (being able to check and reserve things online makes it all so easy) though of course BB wanted to ‘buy something’ and they both decided they liked the ideas of remote controlled cars. Treated the girls to a cake in Starbucks on the way back to the car as we had a bit of time spare.
Then back to the gym for SB’s gym session. This is much improved for me as they have found some volunteers to run the tea bar, so I can get a cup of tea whilst waiting. Buy the time it finished I was glad to be completing the last bit of the triangle to get home.
Chips for tea whilst catching up on the second series of Robin Hood. Before bed, SB wrote her letter to a child from a school in Kenya that one of the local Home ed groups is rasing money for. One of the parents is from Kenya, the school was set up by the headteacher for children who cannot aford to pay for school, many of them are orphans and live at the school as well. At the session a couple of weeks ago, they reported back from a visit to the school earlier in the year and brough letters that some pupils had written, so we all took one to reply too. So SB has written a nice reply, Helen said she made a really good effort with it. Will take it with us when we go to the group to morrow (in City 2 for a change, though hope to get back to City 1 for a HE group Celidh in the evening)
BB was saying how she was going to keep some of her flapjack (her swiming lesson treat from the cafe) to give to SB, and saying how last time she forgot and ate it all. As she explained it:
The battery in my head ran out and then my brain forgot it
SB being a ‘Dead Spirit’, lacks a certain cuteness compared to last years Witch and the Angellina Ballerina Firefly from a couple of years ago.
The mask has a heart you can squeeze which squirts blood over the face
BB was cute though as a ‘Little Ghost’
This morning SB faffed about quite a bit, whilst doing some maths, handwriting and some of the Wizard Whimstaff spelling book she seems to be enjoying at the moment. Various phonecalls and people came and went dropping off the repaired Yaris and collecting the hired A Class (slightly bemused that the vagaries of insurance company contract arrnagements meant that the car was reapired 40 miles away and the hire car came from 70 miles away, but there you go). The A class was a nice enough drive, though seemed to be a lot of body roll. But the Yaris was much the better buy for the requirements we had. So H can rest easy there
After lunch we sorted out the Halloween outfits, carved Pumpkins, walked to the chemists, made the well loved here, Pumpkin and Toasted Sweetcorn Soup for dinner, and waited for H to come home. She had abit of a long and slow journey home, so once she was in it was pretty much straight out the door for Trick or Treating. A bit nippy, not so many Pumpkins out as last year (maybe ‘cos half term and holidays?), but some people make a real effort, and round here, everyone seems to repect the ‘only call at houses with Pumpkins’ thing annad it’s all good natured.
One house had some wonderfully carved Pumpkins:
We were pretty cold by the time we got back, so nice hot bowls of soup were welcome, prised childrens hands off of bags of sweets and packed them off to bed. Tired parenst of course still haven’t gone to bed yet
We were supposed to be heading off first thing to one of the National Schools Film Weekshowings, but my mum had rung up on Sunday to ask about coming over this week as my Niece (L), who is 19, is over staying at theirs and they wanted to come over. Arranged for them to come over today, and only realised late in the evening what we supposed to be doing (I was a bit vacant about this week as I wasn’t doing stuff with them last week and hadn’t yet checked whaqt was happening this week yet - everything being on Google Calendar - need an Internet linked fridge with a screen on the door…) . So we didn’t go to the film.
SB got out her Wizard Whimstaff spelling book and did some of that first thing, also a bit of maths IIRC, once they were dressed and stuff we launched into trying to tidy the playroom,which still hadn’t quite recovered from the Deependers visit on Saturday).
Well, it did get reasonably tidy, I could vacuum the floor anyway, but my grump levels were pretty high by the end and we had had much wailing and bemoaning from BB - ‘I can’t tidy anymore’, ‘I’m bored of tidying’ etc. etc. (it’d probably be easier not to ahve her doing it, but it’s the principle I guess. But it seemed to take a loooong time.
And then my parents and L arrived - to much excitement from the girls. We haven’t seen L since I think Christmas about 4 years ago. She has lived in Ireland but has decided to move over to UK. She is staying at my parents house before she moves into a house she is sharing with friends.
So spent the rest of the day, chatting, kids bouncing about, playing games etc. Helen managed to get home pretty early even though she had extra work to do. Unfortunately we missed SB’s ballet class as we forgot about it until midway through the lesson which was a rather annoying. One of those - why didn’t that pop into my brain half an our ago moment We always seem to end up missing a couple of sessions of classes becuasae of being away or whatever, so like to make all the others. Probably not helped by there being no Brownies this week as they are having a joint roller skating trip with the other pack on Wednesday. So chatting and playing continued until after dinner (a rather yummy, beany shepherds pie) and then children where chased into bed.
It was lovely to see L again (she’s the same age as H was when we met - seems very young now), I had a conversation with SB about what age you have to be to be a grown up, she seems to have decided on it being 20.
Parents then blobbed out and have stayed up to late for no good reason….
Well, I’ve been meaning to blog on and off, but some how haven’t.
Last Saturday I took the girls round to the library to get medals and certificates for the Team Read summer reading thing. Quite a few there, as well as a couple of bods from the Library and the Parish council there was Fran Williamson, who won Bronze and silver medals for swimming in the Paralympics this year. So kids got to handle proper Olympic medals as well. It was combined with a gather to celebrate 5 years of the library (it used to be a county library, now it is run by volunteers). So there was cake and stuff as well.
Presentation was fine, except that once they started to call out the children to collect their certificates a lot of adults there started chattering. So much so that you couldn’t really hear the names being called out clearly at all. It also seemed to show lack of respect to the children, I though it was very rude. If the tables had been turned and the children where seeing adults being presented……
As always with our library, they manage to mess up the simplest of things They had some bits and bobs (hats, bags, T shirts) to give out to some children, so they drew some names out. They had 2 T shirts to give away to teenagers who had completed it. There were 3 teenagers who had done so, they had 3 cards with names on, one teenager was actually there. They managed of course to select the two cards for the two who weren’t there…
SB and BB managed to get picked to be 2 of 5 kids photographed (above) with Fran Williamsonand the cake and where in one of the local papers this week, which SB was excited about seeing. BB managed not to pull maniac photo face which was good.
The youngest boy in the photo has a 4 yo sister (children of the Homedad who had the occasional mention on the blog a few years ago) who has just started school (August born, so only just 4 at that) seems very little, I can’t for one moment imagine BB at school in a couple of months time. It just seems much too young. It seems that the girl isn’t actually liking it much and would much rather be at home with mummy, to which of course I responded that that seemed perfectly I understandable. Of course someone did say that ‘well, they’ve got to get used to it’ etc. So that of course had to have an ‘Oh no they don’t’ response. Mostly I only really mention HE if someone brings it up, but sometimes you just need to challenge assumptions and remind people there are other ways.
Been a bit of rearrangement of Monday since before the summer, SB still doing ballet (3.40 - 4.25), but this is now followed by Brownies, which she started this term. Rather annoyingly there is a 30 minute gap between the two (the venues are right next to each other) which is short enough to mean it isn’t worth going home, but seems long enough when you have to go back out to the ballet class to pick her up to wait for Brownies to start. OK at the mo when we can go in playground, but in winter will need to ask ballet teacher if we can waitin the hall I guess. So it leaves me feeling a bit like a yo-yo, and SB hungry by the time we get dinner
The added spice is that the Punto now has no MOT so only one car on the road at the mo, and the HE sports sessions started up again today. Luckily Helen is working just down the road from there on Mondays, so 7.45 (eeek!!) saw us all in the car. Dropping Helen at work we popped in to the supermarket to buy some stuff for breakfast/lunch. Said they could have doughnuts for breakkie 8-), but then in the car the decided to eat the Wotsits and Quavers they had bought to ahev with lunch - so a nutritious energy packed breakfast before doing sports then
BB tried out the sports session today (guide age is 4-7 for the younger group) stayed in there almost to the end, though she had SB with her, showing her what to do and helping her. Don’t think she’d have been up to doing it all by herself though yet. But seemed keen to do it again, she was so pleased to be doing the same thing as Stringbean. SB was going to try out the older group as well, but decided not to after all, I think she decided she’d rather run around and play instead So there was some rather noisy and raucous playing, with some grown up HE talk then headed off to the park for a bit. Helen’s text to say she was finsihing work came at the same time as the Deependers were departing, so that was good timing.
Home via Tesco’s just in time to start the above Ballet/Brownies yo-yo. BB fell asleep in car, watched something or oher and did some Fimo-ing with Helen. While waiting for Brownies to start, had a bit of a conversation about what the Scouts etc. are, the Guides, relationship between the two, why maybe the guides etc. have stayed girl only whilst the Scouts etc. accept girls as well now. She did say that she liked the idea of doing wild things with boys ! AS an aside, it’s be interesting to see how the Cubs activities compare to the Brownies.
Children all in bed at appropriate times tonight, so getting things back to normal, I was going to go to bed at sensible time, but haven’t managed it. Have blogged though And have discussed possible science activities with Helen for the Wednesday group
Much faffing about (plus my watch being 10 minutes slow for some reason) saw us get to the library a bit late for story time, but they sat and did the crafty bit (which is always a bit simple for SB - it’s aimed at pre-schoolers, but she likes doing it so waht the heck). Spent quite a while there sitting on the floor reading books to Butterbean whilst Stringbean read an Usborne Puzzle book. The ’library ladies’ got slighty flummoxed by the computer again whilst checking out the books, it beeped and said that one of the books was already checked out to us and couldn’t be renewed (which it wasn’t, we’ve never had it out I’m sure anyway). They peered and ummed and ahhed a bit, I suggested that maybe there had just been a slip on the scanner or something and it had got checked out twice. Anyway after a bit more peering and clicking it was checked out. I always do have the urge though to walk round and just sya look ‘click this, or that or whatever’. But it’s run by volunteers, so we just smile and get mildy entertained by it all
Headed home, with BB wailing most of the way, though I’ve forgotten what the issue was. BB had come up with an idea for an experiment, seeing if a lollipop dissolves. Not yet having lollipops, SB started off with her own idea for seeing if sugar dissolved in different things. So her and BB got different things - juices, coke, veg oil, washing up liquid etc. to dissolve it in. They moved onto salt, and then a Sodium Percarbonate (’oxygen’) bleach powder. They enjoyed seeing what happened, coke fizzing, things going murky, thre bleach powder in washing up liquid interested SB most, it made a thick gel, which thrn turned foamy (presumably as Oxygen was released) hey spent a fun half hour or so fiddling about.
OK,what's next?
I do get the urge to take control and direct these sort of things - to do a ‘proper’ experiment. The science teacher in me I guess, but did manage to let them get on with it. SB does have a goode idea about how to control an experiment - a ‘fair test’ as they tend to call it in the school science books. Things like using the same amount of liquids, only changing one thing at a time etc. but at times like this she just gets distractedby the fun of it all
Had lunch of beans on toast, whch prompted another fuss from BB as it wasn’t Tomato soup Eventually ate the beans, but wouldn’t eat the bread becuase it wasn’t white bread. Told her she wouldn’t have afternoon snacks unless she ate it. She stuck to her guns and had nothing else until about 4 pm when she realised that she wouldn’t get flapjack at SB’s swimming lesson unless she ate it, so it soon went
After lunch we went and bought Chupa Chups lollies for the experiment - shop assitant was a bit bemused when we said they weren’t for eating but for a science experiment. SB realised that they weren’t all the same flavour, and that might affect things, but we carried on anyway as we had them now.
Set them up 2 lollies each, one in boiling water, one in cold water and left them to see what would happen. Not surprisingly the ones in hot water dissolved first, SB was correct to worry about the different flavours, the Coke flavour one dissolved noticeably faster than the Fruit/Cream flavour one. They were interested by the way a coloured layer formed near the bottom of the jar. And excessively pleased when I let them finsish off by eating the last bit of the lollies in cold water
Ready to go.
Going - Hot water on the left.
Comparing Progress
Gone - Hot water on right here
End result - Cold water
End Result - Hot Water
BB surprised me a bit by showing how well she can copy words. Sometimes we forget she is almost 4.
I’d said we could go up the road on the skates, where there is a gently sloping cul-de-sac that SB likes to skate down, we got ready, and then as soon as we were ready to go out it started raining (and then rained for the rest of the day really)In the rest of the afternoon SB did some handwriting, some Singapore maths, and read some of Penrose the Mathematical Cat. She read a couple of her library books as well.They attempted to tidy the playroom, though BB grumped some more about this ‘I’m too tired, I can’t do it, I need help’ wail, gnash, to which my reponse is to wave the mythical bin bag at her They got it a bit tidy and then watched a bit more Jane and the Dragon, which seems to eb the favourite at the moment, before SB’s swiming lesson. It’s a pain goign out then (the lesson is at 5.30 as it makes for a long day, but at least BB doesn’t fall asleep so eaily now on the way to or fromas she did last year. We watched SB a bit - she is getting better at her strokes, did some good back stroke. Then BB enterntained herself by jumping around on the floor tiles from one red tile to another (mostly creamy tiles with some reddish ones).
Fell asleep when putting BB to bed and only woke up when Helen had got home from workand came up with Sb for her to go to bed. Ooops !
SB made a good fist of singing the hymns. Though the organist did seem to be playing them somewhat on the slow side. And we had an alternative version of the words written by the vicar for the church to the tune of John Browns Body. Though reading the Wikipedia article on it, that seems a fair tradition for the song. Though the girls did wonder why I might be crying a bit at one point 
Luckily, soon after us getting home H arrived home as well, so we had a joint effort. H made the building shells for SB to paint and roof.
I think.
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