Author Archives: HHaricot

kentwell Hall in Long melford is the home of the annual great tudor recreation, this time for only 2 weeks and 3 weekends. We were part of the reenactors on the second week, so arrived on the saturday to look round as punters first before we became players on the sunday. FrB has never seen it, so it did make sense. Howver, although I though wer pretty much had everything packed and ready on the friday, DH felt there was loads to still do on the sat, so i decamped with the girls in one car, and waited for him to arrive [7 hours later!]
We went in and met the rather nice gateman and the players and made our way round the house. I loved the rufflers, and then we met gentry and cooed at new babies before going past the yew hedge and meeting 2 maids known to us. now, my blog is still not talking to flickr, so will have to wait to add photos. I thought the people in the brewhouse were particularly good at explaining what they were doing and why . we went out and had our packed lunch before going back in and to the barnsward. Met lots of people we knew, always hard to go round as a punter! met up with thebabs and had cider in the alehouse and had a good chat before watching parade and dancing going on. Looked fab. Was impressed and then stayed hidden so not chased off site as became a part at flag down.

Sat night was the annual boat race night, and a lovely evening on the frontsward. I did notice as the week went on, more and more people eating in the stableyard, and although i see that that is easier now service is there, i do miss the sight of everyone eating on the barnsward!

So, I loved being a dyer! it is a great station full of lovely people, and it also has really interesting things to do, and so totally bought by the dyeing bug and the interest on seeing what colours might appear! Am really hoping to be a dyer next year as well . Have to say that unfortunately had a migraine on last weekend, but SB did the breakfast, and it didn’t hold me back, and on the last day i think the kentwell lurgy was lurking, so felt rubbish by the end! but the dyers is fab .

DH appeared to enjoy being a builder, nice ppl with him, and got to do something practical that he could see was useful – i rebuild a tumbling down hovel! he did end up leaaving one day to race back to see his dad in hospital, but luckilly his dad was better than he thought. In fact he even stayed in costume for the ceilidh

SB was in the stillroom, and worked hard therre, and lots of people came up to me to say how hard she worked, how helpful she was, what a lovely girl she is etc and I felt very proud and happy . She was very happy with the extra bits of kit she had – hatpins and snips etc and also making her purple potions. in the evening she was lovely to help me with getting dinner and washing up, all done with good grace, so then she could go and play with friends in good conscience. She had a bit of a rough ride with the group of friends she has known for years which was a surprise, and not particularly nice to watch or deal with, but i think she did deal with it with dignity. Luckilly she also has other friends to value her.

FrB was a bit of a hard one to keep tabs on, and was in the pottery, but did a lot of wandering off station, and unfortunately did get us all into trouble by breaking rules, despite me telling her v carefully not to do it. sigh! however, I did my best to get her some good experiences, such as invited to low board at the gentry, to be able to have a go at spoon carving etc and making her life straightforward. Most people on the manor knew who she was, as despite not always doing what she is told, she is a lovely girl and the pleats on her red bodied petti were lovely!

BB adores kentwell, and she had a great time as always. she was v helpful for me, as we were stationed near, and since FrB had decided not to be helpful! she enjoyed the barnschool and the potters, and hopes to be with the carvers next year for at least a part of it. she was helpful on the dyers too, and learned to make skeins with the reel, found bark chippings for us, and made us giggle

So , there you are, a fab time at Kentwell. Now I have recovered, looking forwards to next year! and have to my sewing list a cloak each for sb and bb, a long apron for me, a big drapy jacket for me since i didn’t get to have a gown, and finish dh doublet.

well, this was my issue! trying desperately to keep sewing despite a 2 week migraine to get all the clothes ready for Kentwell, including a new doublet for DH. The week was pretty crazy busy for the girls. In home ed history, we have finally got to 1066 and the battle of Hastings. Am beginning to wonder whether we will get as far as the civil war let alone anything more modern! hmmm, thinking of civil wars, there are things like twotr first too! argh!

However, this week was a bookish week. DH mum is still staying with us. this is the second week as unfortuately DH dad really hasn’t been well since FrB came, and is gradually having a few more problems. Lovely to be able to have MIL with us though whilst PIL is in hospital. ALl hoping he isn’t in there for much longer. Many of our friends at Kentwell for the first week, so wed4ed didn’t go ahead, and instead I took the girls to the raptor centre after they had done their morning work so that we could see the birds fly. BB was really unhappy that the reptile part was shut, however they did all get to fly an owl, which was rather fantastic!

Friday was orienteering and getting the last bits and pieces packed for Kentwell. Finally, ready for FrB to go and find out what all the fuss is all about!

yes, yes, I know, I have again skipped the working week! home ed was done, things learnt etc etc. What’s more i did the home ed photo day however… I will crack onto the weekend and add photos when I have flickred as well behind and life moves on.

This weekend was the village fete, and the girls spent saturday mostly baking and decorating. we had 5 cupcakes in a commonwealth flag theme, and also chocolate cakes. the girls entered some glass art and their aboriginal art pictures as well.

Having dropped off the entrants on sunday, we went to a local national trust working watermill grinding flour, which the girls found quite interesting. they then paddled in the watermill pool, and BB swam, despite us having no towels or dry clothes – you are only young once

We got back to the craft fair to view the entrants, and see where we were placed. FrB had first for her cow, SB third for cupcakes… And to our huge delight, FrB won a cup

Monday was a much looked forwards visit to Knebworth House for a writing event. Although initially we hadnt planned bb to do much writing, she did and really loved it. they all got to look around the house and then end up in the library to think about creative writing. it started with an ‘it was a adark and stormy night’ . The rainedrops, manor borns and fishes were there too. SO after the morning of a tour and a creative writing ghost story challenge, then they got to play outside. There was a fantastic water play area so they all got pretty wet! Wonderful day, so thanks to M for organising it so far in advance.

Tuesday was bookish in the morning and then chemistry in the afternoon. I’m not exactly sure what they were doing, but it certainly looked very pretty when i got home!

Weds will get its own blog post, as it is our typical home ed day 2014

Thursday was a clarinet and oboe lesson for the girls, and then multisports. Our friend B took the kids in for sports with her own, and then they all went to the water park afterwards – yes more water! – as DH was putting up our tent for Kentwell. B will stay in it the first week, and we will the second, so lots of tent for little effort . The usual guides and scouts in the evening as well.

Friday was a great day into London, they had a bus tour ride, a boat ride along the river Thames, visited the sights – trafalgar square, tower bridge etc and I was hoping DH or one of the girls might blog it, since I wasn’t there!

[photos to follow]

Each year I spend one day taking a few more photos and planning to write up in more detail one day, our typical day of the year! Traditionally a May thing, I realised we had got to June, so I had better get going to it. SO like most of the typical year posts, it didn’t start bright and early in the morning. We are perhaps not a bright and early morning family

We started with all 3 girls doing conquer maths. Conquer maths has been a really good fit for all of them. SB loved singapore maths, but having got to 6B before going to france, she came back ready for something else. SInce it had suited BB we signed up all 3 girls to it. I have a suspicion that FrB is doing far too easy a level [which she denies] as she is doing a year below her maths, whilst SB is half way through the KS4 maths. we are in no hurry for her to do her gcse maths, but at this rate she may be doing it in the next year or 2.

Sticking with an all 3 girls theme, they all moved onto English next, and there was some jollity that at least for 2 of them, this was about suffixes or prefixes. BB has liked the collins English, and has nearly finished the 3 first books. FrB is on those for 10 year olds now as I insisted the easier books were far too easy and she needed to move on! SB is galore park-ing it. Since SB’s takes longer, the 2 other girls did both the grammar and the spelling books – with encouragement!

After this FrB did some oboe practice, and SB then did her clarinet practice. FrB said she was preparing an animation sketch for the sylvanians in the dining room, but I happen to know she was mostly playing with them FrB and BB have quite a lovely time playing with the sylvanians!

I went out and picked some fruit from the garden to eat – mostly strawberries and raspberries, and we had a punnet of blueberries – yum! SInce we had some abominable squirty cream in the fridge, the kids squirted their fruit. for lunch we had toasted sarnies. I love that we have little nanny’s toasted sandwich maker as it makes me happy to look at it

After lunch we dual tasked and baked fruit scones and cheese scones, and also read and wrote about William and the battle of Hastings in our history journal. I have a number of books we read with this, but the usbourne ones are excellent! The girls take turns reading sections and then decide what they want to put into the history journals. Bb decided she had done a lot of writing, so told me what to write and drew a pic of harold getting an arrow in his eye. She plans to put in the conquering/ran out of conkers joke as well. FrB put in a ‘funny imagined speech’ allegedly by william 1, and sb chose a variety of elements. SInce they can’t share books and write at the same time we had FrB and BB writing whilst SB made the cheese scones, and then whilst she wrote, the other 2 made fruity scones. Works for us!

SO, scones cooked and tested – yum! and the history journals completed, we went outside to sit by the pond. BB was having a go up and down her ramp on skates, and SB also had a go, whilst bb changed to skateboard – very brave! we settled to aboriginal dot art as our crafty thing after much deliberation, using the pretend oil pastels from djeco. Alfie the tortoise got a bath as it was gloriously sunny, and i did a bit of fruit garden tending.

Winding down our home ed, SB, FrB and I played the game forbidden island, whilst BB went minecrafting. The girls then all had judo, where they got to collect their certificates, so I got to sit in on the lesson.

perhaps not the most exciting home ed day in the world, but it works for us!

OK OK, I have missed out the home ed during the week. I know it happened! I can’t really remember what, and will come back to here to update when raided the phone and camera for photos and slot in a post! i do know that we had a weds4ed, so that will def have to have a slot!

However, on Friday we went down to my parents for a visit. Nice straight run there and no hold ups on the M25 – always nice and we got there late evening for tea and bed. the next day we went to the nearest town so the girls could enjoy bowling with grandad, and then had an early fathers day meal at Frankie and Bennies – which we all really enjoyed. Rather amazingly BB won the bowling! it was a close run thing, and DH thinks he will have the rails up next time he plays . Mum and I did some sneaky shopping in M and S and then cheered them on

After lunch we went to West Wycombe caves and the Hellfyre club. It is quite different to places we have visited, and BB and SB interested, but forgot that FrB is ultra sensitive to creepy. It really isn’t that creepy, but she was quite quick to come out and have an icecream Told them all the history tho, and it is pretty cheap visit and quite interesting for a short hop!

SUnday we went to Waddesdon manor, home of the de rothschilds. it was fantabulous! luckilly National trust – we have really made use of our national trust cards this year! It is sort of designed to be a pseudo french chateau, and having visited lots of mediaeval castles, i thought we were due a more modern look! The house was really interesting, and the guides informative. We loved nosing in the rooms. FrB has really got the hang of talking to all the guides and experts. She had visited a rotshchild residence in the south of france and was comparing and contrasting. After the house we had a picnic in the gardens before going onto the play area, where the girls spent quite some time having fun . We finished in the stableyard looking at a roman mosaic imported from Israel. [oh and the had an icecream as it was a really hot day!]

We had a lovely weekend at mum and dad’s thankyou [will add pics as available]

I have to admit to writing this 4 weeks away, and being not at all certain of the week! certainly the usual things will have happened – ballet, swimming, judo, cubs/guides and the girls clarinet and oboe lesson. I know roller skating was an option on the monday pm, but all the girls were still too tired from our fortnight away and had a stay at home day. I am fairly certain there was either botany or chemistry on the tuesday afternoon. Prob botany, as they had some plants that they were to hide patches on the leaves to see what the difference was and then do chromatography the next time to look at chlorophil components.

Weds was a home ed weds meet up, always good to have everyone! We did crayon art – sticking crayons to card and melting them with hairdryers on a slope. then we put silhouettes over the top. they were remarkably effective even if they were quite messy! For science I did some more of the kitchen science mooc. we were working out how we could measure the amount of vit c in a litre of apple juice. quite cleverly done, using the power of redox! there was some musicality too – always good and photos will be added!

Thursday the big girls had their clarinet and oboe lessons and BB had young engineers. They made compasses and learned about pivots and force. She had a great time and has been really absorbed by young engineers and it has really suited her.

[photos to follow]

The holiday wasn’t over yet though! still a further week of fun and excitement. The children and DH ran away with the circus! Well, they camped in Norfolk as part of a home-ed circus skills camp. I managed to go to the first day, but then i had to go back to work It was EVER SO miserable leaving them there to go home.

They got to spend the first day trying out various different circus skills, and BB had a dramatic fall from tightrope and managed to scrape all her shin. they didn’t quite have an adequate enough first aid kit, which surprised me, but luckilly I had some dressings at the tent. BB however, was pretty brave and did manage to carry on. luckilly she had already tried aerial – which she had enjoyed – as she then decided she couldnt really do it due to the hurty shin. SB chose to specialise in hoops and then acrobatics. FrB decided to specialise in the aerial. She also did some work with the poi. It all looked so fabulous, and so likely to be a wonderful week it was hard to leave! The kids did all have a great time, and DH took some pics of the circus show they put on.

Various of our home ed friends were there too, so had a fabulous time altogether.

We have some friends that live in a fabulous house at the end of civilisation with a field that can put up tents that are small and low lying and react well with wind! i think most of us now have tents specifically for their field and every whitsun bank for an eternity they have a party. This year lots and lots of friends could make it, including those that now are ridiculously far flung and ultra remote on tiny scottish islands!

So we had a lovely time, chatted to lovely friends, ate lovely food and generally felt loved and happy aren’t we so lucky to have this family group of friends . Kids ran around and were crazy, got totally wet doing a stream walk, had a fab time in their individual groups.

When you write this in Latin, it becomes clear that the Normans were Vikings… ANyway, we went to LIndisfarne. it was a grey drizzly day to start with, and BB was a bit nervous about the causeway, absolutely sure we were going to be trapped on a remote island, and even seeing how inhabited the island was didn’t really reasure her!

We went to Lindisfarne Abbey and the museum, contemplated the lindisfarne gospels, the history of st cuthbert and the attacks of the Viking raiders on northumbria [hence title] . that morning we had read about viking raids in our english history project, so all tied in rather nicely. We also walked around the coastline a bit, found a geocache and the kids and dh scrabbled to a little island. however my hip had been too hippish, so didn’t want to fall off the rocks!

having looked at Bamburgh castle all week, this was our final destination on the Saturday. It has a fantastic history of occupation from Saxon times onwards [covered in history] It is very imposing and dominates the skyline frm beach and islands. It is privately owned but open to the publuic. the inside has an eclcetic collection of ‘stuff’ accumulated over time and it has a central norman keep [see those pesky vikings won out!] with accumulations of architecture subsequently! They were setting up for a viking living history event which unfortunately was starting the following day . ANyway, a good wander round, very interesting, and a FABULOUS teashop . The kids got to sit in a recreated anglo-saxon throne – they liked being queen

We did a shop in nearby seahouses and then the next day headed for Yorkshire, stopping at the iconic angel of the north on the way.