Author Archives: HHaricot

I had planned to go out and do an autumn walk, or go to a national trust place, but actually, BB and I mostly chilled. I really needed a low key weekend, and feel much better for it tho do actually wish we had gone out to the national trust. will take the cousins there next weekend perhaps.

SO saturday I made chutney with my helper BB who actually was pretty useful . We did some home ed together – the things she saves for me French and collins grammar book. They went pretty easily TBH. She then did some glass bottle painting whilst I was stirring and more stirring. Good use of diet coke bottles.

And we both felt that we were in need of lots of cuddles and snuggles, and had a ticklefest and rootiepooties and generally v happy Sunday was also a snuggly day we did some piano and had a bit of a waily moment over nets in maths, but having used our polydrons it was magically easy again always fab to have just the right resource at the right moment!! We read our letters from SB, and wrote a card to her. Played a few games – sata and biberbande.

Alfie the tortoise and a good wash and scrub – much as he hates it – and he looks nice and shiny. It also perked him up as he has been racing around since then. we found a length / weight chart for tortoises – see below – and had some fun getting friends to weigh and length their torties too. A bit of legoing – mostly me wthing and finding and not allowed to actually do anything

Day finished snuggling some more watching atlantis and then david attenborough in africa. He is getting to look preciously old, the kind of age where you take a deep breath knowing your time with a loved one is short. I have never met him, but he has had such an effect on me and mine.

lovely chilled weekend DH and I finished the day with star trek movie

Well, there isn’t really an update because it is going to be 2 more weeks before we speak to SB. A whole 3 weeks in total . That is a long time. En famille is tough on families left behind. Had a letter from SB though lovely lovely. I love reading it, hearing her words, making me smile. Deep breath! Hope she enjoys her 2 weeks out of school on holiday. Hoping her French family do send us some pics ( please)

I love charts and graphs and sb was a victim of this in her first year and I did loads of heights and weights! I have found a new outlet for this a height and weight chart for tortoises. So after Alfie had his bath – which he hates – he then had a weight and line up. He is lighter than average for his length but away from the 2sd mark. Not being Gove I understand averages tho will make sure growing along curve now we have started measuring.

Our new bathroom has not only involved updating and replumbing a lot of the hot and cold water system, but also a relook at the central heating controls. When we moved in, we were surprised that whatever we did to the thermostat heating was an all or nothing affair. Surprised that is until Dh took the controls apart and realised it hadn’t been wired into the system! The heating controls tho are old fashioned and pretty inaccessible so Dh has moved and upgraded them

Oh and here is what the plumbing to the loft looks like – shiny

It is going to be hidden by a stud wall, and the shower is going to go in front. Also a stud wall on the other side of the bathroom as easier apparently than making good. will loose perhaps 10cm from room by these 2 combined, but should be OK. I was hoping for the bathroom to be finished before christmas camp, but a bit concerned now, as all the preliminary work has taken so long. But it is definitely best to build our bathroom on a solid footing

I have done my best to not stink the house out making chutney by keeping all the doors closed and the kitchen windows open. It is a labour of love making chutney, but yummy scrummy . SOme of our last courgettes have become marrows, the perfect thing to use in marrow and ginger chutney other ingredients being carrots, onions – so easy to grow, and the spices, sugar and vinegar.

my recipe is from oded schwarz book The Preserving Book which i have had for many years

so here are the ingredients, and a photoblog devoted to chutney

and done

I did make a mistake and used pepper rather than mustard seeds, but it tastes delish

this has been a bit of a busy week for everyone. Lots of out and abouting for BB, so less diy builders mate [and indeed building] going on. Monday started with a brilliant glass class with a not to distant home educator who makes a career out of glasswork, and runs workshops every so often. Both BB and DH had a fab time and made some excellent projects. They were v happy to see the manorborns there too, who came home with them. Well, DH was, it seems BB was being a bit grumpity sorry. I was happy to see them tho when I got back from work

Tuesday was art group in the morning, tho no pics yet to show of it, hopefully some will come in the end BB def enjoys this. then some general work/book stuff and swimming in the eve.

Weds was our Weds4ed, which is still setttling into a groove. Poor k from the deependers really wasn’t well, but welcome – tho a stay in bed would prob have been better for her. Also, unfortunatel R wasn’t well, so E didn’t come with her family much missed, both as people, and as the animation station and this weeks art provider . So I hurriedly got out the things to redo an art project I have done before, but only BB had done it. That went pretty well, and there were some great pics done, and quite a bit of thought and individuality with the brief – just as I like it

We boiled up walnuts in their husks to make walnut ink, which we then did calligraphy with at then end of the day when the ink was ready. Much hilarity as the calligraphy for A in chinese looked like BoT when BB did it , but was impressed she could find the calligraphy card as this was a bit ad hoc

K had brought a discussion scenario on being in a crash on the dark side of the moon. the kids did well at working out all together which order they wished to put the things they had. They really did it well together despite some initial reluctance. BB was pretty reluctant, but got stuck in, and I was proud to hear her put matches at the bottom, as you need oxygen for them to light – go BB

after the first art session, the group divvied into minecrafters and not minecrafters. Those with a passing interest made more minecraft into 3D with small in the conservatory, and I had the non minecrafters in the kitchen and made mini applie pies – exceedly good ! They were all hoovered up for afternoon snack.

after lunch the science worked – yippee!! we made chemical rockets using vit tablets and although I didn’t actually get a perfect pic, you can see that something has happened. This finished rockets in the young engineers, but talking to the gang, i think and they fancied a side swipe into chemistry and a reminder of various gases and how to test for them – nice and easy stuff. so perhaps will do that next time.

some games were played – biberbande, chess, and B shew his new raspberry pi, and quite a number of the kids had some interest in watching him and cheering him code in python [3 cheers for jax knowing what to do as well ]

we adults finished with chatting in the conservatory whilst the kids minecrafted or played other board games. Although minecraft isn’t to everyones taste [child and adult alike] those that do enjoy it get a lot from being able to play next to each other sharing the same worlds.

Crazilly, after judo, we had agreed to go with BB to the nearby towns michaelmas fair. Argh! she enjoyed it – tho missed having SB to go on things with. DH went on one with her . SHe did hook a duck 2ce to come home the proud owner of a minion, which she hasn’t let out of her sight.

thurs was multisports with the local home ed group, and I think fri was collapse in exhaustion But we did get a lovely letter from SB, which I am very happy about, and BB was particularly proud to get a letter all to herself as well.

SO, a proper busy week [for us]

we have been v definately trying to completely tailor our/my free time around BB, what she likes, what she wants to do, who she wants to see etc. Having been under the weather during the week, i was keen not to ‘give in’ at the weekend, however desperately I wanted a rest!

SO in the morning we pootled around together, did a bit of piano, played biberbande etc and got ready for a cubs day. Her pack and many others met up for a half day of ourdoor activities and games. It is such a shame that it rained so much, because although she had fun, i imagine she would have had even more fun if not looking like a drowned rat by the end! [and she had raincoat and all the gear] . i got bonus points for having dry clothes for her at the car and even more for stopping for chips at a fast food place for her as we were en route to TB house.

we arrived in the dark and driving rain, but to a lovely welcome the kids all got sorted happily together, watched some atlantis, played some minecraft, chattered as getting ready for bed. We 3 adults got a game set out, and BB unfortunately had a going to bed crisis. V proud of my friends for helping me deal with it quietly and non fussily, even if it meant going to a different house to download prev episodes of atlantis for bb – thankyou x x x. and so we played our game settlers of catan with knights and cities expansion. I am not so keen on settlers asa rule cos you can be really stuck from the start, but actually the expansion really changes the dymanic, so considering putting it on my xmas wish list

we went to bed at 4am – how ridiculous!! and then got up earlier than we could have done with but had a lovely day. the kids went swimming, was tempted but though so tired i might just drown I am getting to old for all night games playing!

the various games – kids played on psp2, minecraft, biberband etc and we played an expansion filled agricola – but only in part. loved meeting TB wider family – 2 brothers as well as mum. kind of puts context around your friends, and I like that
TB’s mum had us round for afternoon tea – delish thankyou . I was proud of BB, for giving the curry a try and actually eating quite a bit, and also good manners at the high tea [high five emoticon]

we had a great time, and were sad to go – always a good sign thankyou for having us x x