Author Archives: HHaricot

When I returned from my conference on the friday, it was with the knowledge that the weekend was going to be without SB, who was kipping on a ship with the guides and very happy about that so we had a plan of fun BB type things to do together, and perhaps a bit of walking , geocaching and gardening. This all got thrown out a bit as f-i-l was rushed into hospital and required resus whilst there. eventually discharged late on the mon [so no-one has any worry] we had a very worrying weekend, partic that fri and sat night. As soon as i got back, DH drove to the not-nearest hosp to join m-i-l and keep watch until about 2 am when f-i-l was settled enough for them to come home. SB was v distressed and unable to sleep initially, and finally collapsed about 1, and bb was awake still at midnight. We reassured SB and sent her off on her guides camp and kept her updated by phone as grandad settled.

SB did have a fab time at guides camp on the HMS Belfast. they went to ‘The CLINK‘ a gory dungeon type museum which she obviously loved, ate at wagamamas, slept on HMS belfast [which smelt as bad as a muck spread field - lovely!] and watched some of the marathon the next day – luckily without the bombs that there were in Boston. I was a bit worried about that. Came home exhausted but happy.

We changed our plans, had a good gardening weekend and games playing at home. DH ferried his mum about and spent a lot of time with his dad and was glad to see such an improvement happen quickly. BB and I played lots of games, including agricola. We did some butterfly spotting, sowed the french and climbing beans, her seeds have all germinated. we found a lost easter egg from the easter egg trail – which she quickly demolished! we also gave alfie a run about outside. we mostly chilled together and kept each other occupied. It was lovely, even if not what we had planned

i have nearly caught up! you may have noticed no ticksheet. this is because i didn’t take a pic quickly enough before they were wiped clear for this week! . SB was somewhere in the early 20′s and bb didn’t make her 20, but actually has done a huge amount of reading and also a fair number of fact book stuff, so might have been nearly there.

this last week SB went to a museum with the local home educators older group to do an english group writing stories and poems around art. She really enjoyed this 3 hour workshop and did more on it when she returned. i was impressed by improved spelling and handwriting . it has also been a week with all the clubs back, she thinks this will be the last term of gym, but she now has double ballet as has been entered for grade 5 ballet and grade 5 music theory this term, so needs to do a bit of work there! there was also multisports with the local home ed group for both girls and the conservation group for both girls. so with historyetc quite an out and abouty type week.

so historyetc this week was broadly 1750-1800 with the subjects of the american independance, the french revolution and cook’s voyages of discovery. since just crafts with the book were stifling our imaginations a bit, we are adding in painters and musicians of the time [tho i forgot to put on the cd] . so kfish started with brioche as baking the let them eat cake of marie antoinette and later led them in an outdoor reenactment of some vive la revolution! i had them drawing boston tea party or riting a pro pamphlet having discussed some of the factors leading up to it. zoe chose stubbs as her painter and we had some technical horse drawing and jax did mapwork around cook. lots of playing and chatting also.

we went up to SOTP for a lovely birthday part weekend as BB’s dear friend J wasn’t quite turning 8 . we travelled up after holiday orch concert, picking me up from work. the4 drive up was strightforrward and always happy to get there. we went wrong before holmfirth for a change.

the next day the girls spent the morning making a dinosaur pinata whilst BB and J rampaged about and let of steam the pinata looked good. we then all went bowling, were the adult sotp’s suprised themselves by their bowling skills and bb came first of the kids – so also v happy. i took way too many pics! Me and the other H weren’t playing but were mightily relieved that the game didn’t end before everyone had had their go, as apparently it is on a timer!

when we got back C admirably led all the kiddie games, which were much enjoyed and we adults had a pizza making chain gang and tried to disuade J from adding sweet chilli sauce to ALL the pizza! loved the dinosaur cake, and yes, choc buttercream is handy edible glue . fab party day, which did end very late with some games playing

the next day BB rampaged around with J, i chatted with older J’s, SB and M played with the pony and then went off to the sailing club. SB had taken her wetsuit so did some kayaking. we went home late in the afternoon after having a fab afternoon thankyou for the great weekend.

catchup panic!.it was a holiday orchestra week, SB did both intermed and senior strings on the viola, which she really enjoyed, and pushed her to want to play the viola a bit more. she also loved singing in the choir. we have loved the opportunity to do hoiday orchestra, even if i have rarely managed to make a concert – and this was no exception! she dressed in concert black this time, as she is growing up

on monday she did a musical theatre session with the deependers which she had also really enjoyed doing. it seems so long ago now that i may have completely forgotten what she did! but there was some using the body to make beat sounds with, racing around, singing, dancing acting etc and she loved it. she would like to do the whole week in the summer, but we already have a week holiday and we already have a pgl holiday and prob holiday orchestra again, and maybe sailing, and likely a visit from the cousins… life is soooo busy!

wodensmeet on wednesday was a bit of a relaxed affair, and we had the fishes over too we made some excellent bread rolls, but i blew the house ring main rather than successfully do science – oops! there was recordering , lots of chatting and sitting and nattering in the sun rather than working hard this time.
And my phone ran out of charge.

both sb and i meant ot get up early, and both of us failed miserably. we also both failed to brush our hair and spent the day tangly. i at least will shower and detangle this evening…

lots of music prac happened, clarinet and then piano with me for sb, and we had a go with mozart duets too, which was fun. i love doing the fun things but tend to get overly focussed on the necessary. trying to remember to do the fun too! BB and i didn’t do the planned cello, but did do a good piano, and thought of lots of games and sillies to get the hang of legerlines and which notes were which, as the book has kind of thrown her, and she thinks there are too many notes to learn for the piano. think we got somewhere tho. must always do little and positive!

Mostly today we have played starship munchkin. SB got this for her birthday and has loved it. BB was initially reluctant to play, but has found that as long as fairly quick, she loves it too result!! SO we played twice

BB has also got back into reading decline and fall of the roman empire, and jotting down the numbers. not entirely sure why…

it has been a terribly long winter! still snowing last week intermittantly, and may still snow again. However, the sun has been out on the weekend when I haven’t been at work. This means that I have finally sown some seeds. Due to the enormous cost that heating the greenhouse thus far would have been, and the lack of light in the house, I have abandoned peppers and aubergines for this year, tho we had a good harvest last year.

Today, I have sown: tomatoes – gardeners delight and golden sunrise, beetroot, florence fennel, sunflowers: sunspot and russian giant

an eclectic mix i will own! the propagator in the greenhouse isn;t yet connected to heat and hoping that will happen tomorrow. Planning to also sow then some peas, carrots mangetout and pak choi. all in modules as don’t trust the weather!

My daughters also been sowing: SB an array of flowers and herbs

and BB mostly salad leaves, edible flowers and things her tortoise Alfie will want to eat.

it is so woefully late that we haven’t got going with the garden – plan to remedy that this weekend! I have been mostly photoblogging as we have had my family here over easter and so not much time to write, and back t work. my bil brought his new wife [i am fairly sure they are married, tho he hasn't said and it seems rude to ask] who he met in china, so it is a bit of a culture shock for her coming over to the uk. she is a fair bit younger and it must be hard having just husband, who you havne’t spent much time with in the past just lots of internet time and his dead wife’s family to support you. eep. however, hopefully we are being welcoming and friendly and not too intimidating! we played lots of games, tried to cook her fav food [tofu] which she was happy with and assure her she was part of our family too. M and E [nephew and niece] obviously got a bit of adjusting to do, so lots of love given!

We had lots of crafts, lots of games and lots of chilling out with trying to avoid too much individual screen time! Alfie the tortoise had lots of attention which he likes. Mum and dad stayed longer with the kids so we had some evenings of setting world to rights and being family, which was lovely too. I love having family visit I do have to say that i also loved having the house back to just us at the end of everyone stay as well

So now just us. DH is moving on from the 40 bags out to 40 jobs and so has sorted out the medicine cupboard and the ‘pantry of pandemonium’ lol! it looks good now it does make me see how much painting we could be doing tho…

SB made Mary berry’s lemon pavlova for Easter tea v yummy tho couldn’t eat too much of it as so rich. V proud of her cooking skills as pretty much all her with me avail for troubleshooting