Category Archives: Butterbean

And then I had insomnia – sigh

Posted on March 11, 2006 by | 1 comment

SO lets gloss over a rather long night and get on with the day. Started in style with SB being sick – she was rather interested to note the brown bits were her pitta bread. Hmm. She is complaining a bit of tummy ache, but the amount of screeching and bouncing that has gone on today belies her claim for special treatment because she is not feeling well…

We have had a jiggle about of things in the playroom – and a second hand table takes the place of the cute little one, as this limits BB’s chances of ruining whatever SB is doing. So we started the day propery by playing UNO on it, a bit of beading and then SB got out her leappad and the phonics set. Whilst we did this, BB has got the hang of sitting and pushing along with her feet on her pushalong, so careered around the house – quite deadly to ankles!
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We then started making her plaster of paris box, that she chose herself [ok, eith some slight direction] from Tesco yesterday. She was very good at mixing and making sure it wasn’t spilled everywhere, and with the pouring, so we filled the mold and removed when set. It should be dry tomorrow to paint.

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A lot of legoing went on, and SB made a castle – well, she also made an alien and a tower, but BB got them! It looked a bit like the tower of london, so we discussed traitors and elizabeth the first in a low key way.

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Since I’d got the lego out to incorporate BB into the game, they then moved into some wierd imagination of SB’s game where shewas queen, and BB either a dog or a servant, and she threw things and BB brought them back – which she did, but much giggling between them – so great to watch – even if abandoned lego coating the floor in its usual lethal way!

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We then had a singing session – and BB is getting the hang of actions, and is particularly good at wind the bobbin up. in fact, she often asks for this song by gentle raaring and doing the winding action – very cute. I then read 3 of the barefoot book of animal tales – SB had particularly wanted a snake story, and the one in that is a good one. Because I was then voiceless without a cup of tea, she did some explode the code – only lesson 11 and the first book is finished – well done SB!

Chris stuck up the coathook for the kiddicoats, and Sb and BB were an adoring audience whilst I removed the lego minefield and took the opportunity to hoover – not that the carpet looked any nicer when finished. I need an Adymachine!

As soon as BB saw her coat she was quite clear it was time to go out, so she got kitted up and went for a pootle in the backgarden with Chris whilst me and SB opened the trial extension of education city and she did some more of the year one english – which she is enjoying. I would prob pay for it despite finances if you could just choose 2 years rather than one. Can’t remember the home-educators deal either?

Anyway, both children been in wild mode since just before tea, and having a bath now as I need peace and quiet – though monitor is on, and I’m trying to blog quickly to be done before SB gets down. I do enjoy this home-ed lark. Just wish i did more of it.

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean, DIY/ house renovation, General, history, literacy, photos, writing

Drop Dead Exhausted

Posted on March 10, 2006 by | 2 comments

When I looked at the clock at 6;20-ish, and realised there was only about 20 minues of the night I couldn’t account for I wondered what i was doing.

Well, SB seems to have insomnia. SHe drops off reasonably in the evening, and then wakes up – this time at 11-ish with coughing – and just couldn’t get back to sleep again. She was really upset about this, and tried to keep here eyes shut and breathe slowly and pretend to be asleep, but it wasn’t working. We put a story tape on and I cuddled and soothed her until she fell asleep at approx 2.30. I just had chance to breathe a sigh of relief and wonder how soon I could roll SB of my arm when BB set off. Chris went to her, so she screeched even more loudly, and woke SB – aargh!

I fed BB on and off for the next 4 hours.

I can’t go on in this way, over the last 3 nights things have got worse and worse. SO tonight we are going to shut all doors between BB and everyone else, so that SB hopefully not woken by her. If she wakes, Chris is going to confort her in guest room with all doors shut, and i a going to pretend not to hear her, not to get wound up about feeding her/cuddling and just hope. SB can sleep or not with me at that point.

SO we got up late, I didn’t see Merry’s message, when organising Chris, 30 mins just vansihed somewhere so we were late and chaotic. really sorry Merry. We did all get to puddlers though, and although we hadn’t managed to bring anything, tammy had done fantastically, so lots of recycled sculptures got made. SB and I made a windmill and a crown, and she then made a tin thing for my Dad’s birthday.
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BB loved the fun Blox and the dough to roll out.

IMG 0720 BB loved the dough!
Merry – unfortunately for me – now stocks those Ideal Blocks! So will be taking her money for one of those, as have fancied them since Alison [portico] first posted a link to them! SB is going to use some of her birthday money to by the princess pegboard. All the children had a great go with the ideal blox/fun blox. the other Dad there thought he might buy some for himself!
Its OK, SB, I'll buy a set!

We then went to spend some of SB’s birthday money – for me a totally shoot-me-now scenario as we surveyed the shelves of sheer pink! Hopefully for the next few years we can persuade her catalogue is best – and restrict the catalogues! in the end she got a beanie puppy in a plastic kennel, and a make your own jewelry box from plaster of paris kit. She also got a dr suess book from wh smiths with a book token.

oh, I did buy a game of UNO at the same time, so we played that this evening as well as read her new book.

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean, General, numeracy, Out and About, Ponderings, science, socialisation, Stringbean's HE

After the sleepin!

Posted on March 8, 2006 by | 1 comment

well, we all needed it. We decided to have a relaxed day. So we have mostly pootled about and played games.

SB has got quite keen on Set, so we played that until BB couldn’t help but be overinterested! We then made some bracelets and necklaces with a bead kit she got for her birthday. The first one she made was for BB – what a lovely sister!

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We did do some reading together – but mostly me doing the reading! Clifford the big red dog – well it was better than spongebob. She also had a look at what I believe. lots of playing with happy street – so much for her having outgrown it! We did some hama stars – apparently for Merry’s girls – SB obviously thinks they don’t have enough hama in their house – rofl!

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BB and I did a lot of playing. She had a go threading bobbins on a string – more succesfully than I thought she would be, also happy stereting, and playing with dolly. She whipped away all the bead bracelets she could get hold of, and had a go at maxi hama too. SB and BB played together beautifully throughout the day [if rather noisily].

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SB says she wishes she had a twin or an older sister to play with. She would quite like Violet – should she be on offer! She compared my dismal reproductive status with that of the puddles and the porticos quite dsipassionately. I had to point out that 2 was rather normal, even if the age gap was bigger than she would have liked. So we had a bit of a discussion about how old you had to be to have a baby, and why people didn’t have one all the time :rolls: so did subfertility before we did how conception stuff works.

Today I also sowed some seeds, but SB declined, so tomato gardeners delight and alicante; peppers Meek and Mild poblana, inferno and big banana; manegetout oregon sugar pod [in root trainers]. Had a hissy fit at the not budgeting that has been going on – so failing at frugality in the last month. I guess birthdays and Melrose together weren’t helpful. Must claw back! [especially since buildings insurance of 630 due - aargh]
We will play a game of her choice now when she comes downstairs before bedtime, so should be a nice day.

playing buckaroo

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean, gardening, General

Still chocolate/wine deficient!

Posted on March 7, 2006 by | 5 comments

And another poor night from the little beans…

So Chris got up with them this morning. SB used her puff up paints on a T-shirt bought for the job. Must get thankyou’s done and out. She did only get them on real birthday not party though! Then to the library for story time and some cutting and sticking whilst I got a few tasks sorted at home.

Chaos as the beans returned and i did the readingnew library books stint! I think a my little pony annual followed by spongebob was way beyond the call of duty though! BB fell asleep, so we decided it was games time. SB chose walk the plank and the around the world game . She then wanted to do some knitting. I honestly looked at the instructions very closely in the galt first knitting box, and I honestly did not understand a single word! You what? was the best term. SO we had a go at the french knitting, and although she could do this, a few times round and it got a bit boring. So a go at explode the code – she really wasn’t in the mood, but we persevered for a bit and then gave up. Instead we organised the seed potatoes for chitting. We got the Thompson and morgan favourite half dozen, sarpo axona and a trial one.

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After this I was so grumpy i couldn’t bear to think before the room tidyed and hoovered, so thats what we did! and then all played happy street – which although SB growing out of, BB growing into. SB then went off to swimming lessons – which she loves.

Me and BB had a great time with an uniterrupted hour! We played with the happy street, the hammer shape sorter for a bit, some chase. SHe loved having a bang and a crash on the piano – MUST do some music with SB. With her books, she was saying boo on opening the flasp – how cute! And she has really mastered the backwards bottom/sit-on-lap thing! We then played with the little pony fuzzy felt that karen B doesn’t want to be sent on. She really enjoyed it, and concentrated for a long toddler time. We also had lots of cuddles and snuggles and general rousting about today, which was good.

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i posted my johari, but not my nohari – motly cos so few people did it – though thankyou to those that did. 100% say I am unhappy. I am not erally sure how to sort that out either. Its like my daily emotions are over a pool of unhappiness. there are some obvious things that are getting me down, and others i blame. I’m not sure whether i am right or just labelling things. I can’t quite work out how to sort things without upsetting applecarts or potentially worsening things either. Sigh. I am hoping this is a ‘this too will pass’ thing, and as I get more confident in my role at work, and far less stressed [it is dificult to be more stressed TBH] that at least i wont carry that around with me all the time, and will then enjoy home more. Hmmmm

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean, gardening, General, geography, literacy, Ponderings, SB-PE, writing

An out and about day.

Posted on March 6, 2006 by | 3 comments

Well, we did have a late start. both beans were up, but we prents had seen too much of them in the night. So SB started with cbeebies on TV and cbeebies on ‘puter. Chris had drawn an outline of the flower bed on an old slate roof tile. SB was entrigued, so spent quite a while drawing a house with chalks on one. She pointed out at some lenght it was an old time picture – due to the slate and chalks! BB had a go too.

We did have a good look at the science experiment from yesterday – the flowers, and we were all pleased with that. We didn’t manage to get dressed in time to pop in on home dad though, as they had gone out, and then it was too close to lunch. Instead SB and i looked at the Usbourne flip flap castles, and the 1001 things to spot book. We also did the next page of her active readers book.

After lunch, we went to Chris’s parents. they had the electricians around, which was unfortunate as that meant we were all in the kitchen – though TBH, this is where we often are anyway! SB made a william morris box and then did a painting for Chris’s parents. She had wanted to do another science experiment today with Nana, so I brought along the usbourne air experiments, and they built a convection snake. It was rather large to work really well, but was at least convincing. She then relaxed in front of cbeebies some more. I think the disturbed night had everyone worn out!

Later in the week Chris is going back for their old dining room table that we can put in the playroom. This means SB [and me] will be able to do jigsaws/games without BB rampaging through and totally destroying them. This will be good, as we have to sneak in things like that when she is asleep.

i am feeling grumbly – and since I am hols, there is no good reason to be feeling this way. Maybe I am wine or chocolate deficient?

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean, General, history, literacy, Out and About, science

The Weekend

Posted on March 5, 2006 by | 2 comments

Some additions by Chris – 12.50 am

Friday was mudpud. Chris may add a bit, but it was maps and things. I think they had a good time!

Yep we had a good time, though my activity with symbols etc. didn’t get used much, but the jigsaws got done. Unusally for MP there was no gluing and sticking, which must be a first. SB did Merry’s co-ordinates thing, played with Amelie, Fran and Maddy loads with the playdough. They were making some wonderful playdough biscuits which kept increasing in price, to somethign like a zillion squillions or something. she didn’t do Tammy’s comapss making as Fran was goign to show her she said but they didn’t get around to it. so of course once in the car we had a big fuss about this :roll:

Stopped of at Tesco’s on the way home for so food, and looked for some cheap games, but nothign much left . Looked also for soem tops for SB, but unimpressed, found a couple of cheap fleece tops and a long ans short sleeved top she liked – but most were horrible – these funny things which look like you got about three layers on, with all sorts of various straps over the shoulders – and other fashionable (I suppose) sorts of styles. It’s just not the sort of thing we would like to dress SB in anyway – somehow it just doesn’t seem appropriate, and anyway, I think she’d fidn them annoying, and we’d have arms through all sorts of holes.

Bit of late to bed as SB wanted to wait up for Helen to come home, but she was home much too late (past 11pm) so once we got back She painted a card for Sam and couple of pictures. took me ages before I could convince her to have her dinner. By the time I had them both in bed it was about all I could do to flop out in a heap.

Saturday was Sam’s party. SB had a lovely time, and particularly enjoyed the snakes and lizards, though not so impressed by the spiders. She would like to see them again. would we dare do it for a mudpud friday??

She was late mostly due to me, [Chris – :roll: – they didn’t come back until about 5 minutes before my ‘very last minute to leave – SB did comment on how short the party was..] as I took a bunch of flowers to ‘homedad’ and wife [though he isn't homedad any more!] as they had had a rather unexpected and rapid homebirth! Fantastic says I – she is not quite so sure!! Anyway, baby fit and well, but diff to prise SB away. Earlier still she had looked at the new webland, and done some education city science. We also redid the Bicarb volcano experiment, this time with blue colouring

Me ‘n BB went to have a lovely afternoon with a work colleague [my boss!] and her family, and also another work colleague and wife. It was really nice. BB was a charm, pootling about and smiling at everyone. When SB arrive after Sam’s party she went straight to the park with 2 of Suzanne’s children, and they had a blast. We didn’t actually get that long at the playground as they carried on walking up to then river – talked about locks Her princess party dress not quite what was best for the park! Indeed not it was very cold she only had socks on and no hat and gloves, but she managed ok – got hat and scarf donated by another grownup. Suzanne had cooked a lovely meal for both parents and children – so fantastic for all. Her youngest introduced SB to the concept of a happy meal, after she had misidentified nearly everything – to his complete bewilderment!

When we got back, SB and I played snakes and ladders, and I read her 3 Brittannia stories. We did skip a saints one, as she is bored of saints! [actually, they are rather saint heavy at this historical moment!]

Sunday. I had thought we would look at some snakes/lizard books, but we didn’t! Trying to get memory in order here! Failed. Anyway, we did a lot of tidying up, as the house looked like an utter bombiste. organised one of the bookshelves and the games cupboard as well. So not soooo awful!

We did some face painting. I painted SB as a piggy [her request] and she painted me as a princess [mine!] BB was forcibly painted by SB as a clown – but only red cheeks and a yellow line on forehead. Moved onto doing the coloured water/white flower science experiment. SB did some explode the code 1 – nearly at the end! i played with BB, reading her her most favourite book – thats not my monster!

Most of the afternoon was spent in the garden. We are very late getting inour fruit trees, and hope they will be ok. Anyway, clearing the bed and playing with the girls – hopefully got some nice snaps too! SB wanted to help, but the forking over was a bit difficult. when we plant should be better. Otherwise she mostly played imaginative games on the climbing frame and hide and seek [with me]. BB is very good now at that little tykes cube frame/slide. She also showed enthusiasm for getting up onto the TP one – argh! She was quite happy on the little rocking horse too. Both BB and SB played football!!!

we did some singapore maths 1A on ordinal numbers and the ‘teens’ Although SB proficient at counting in the teens, we haven’t really looked at the hundreds and tens thing for a bit, so I think this was a section that could do with some practice.

Finally SB painted her ladybird flying thingy from her party bag – rather cool Tammy! and BB, shattered by the fresh air had a long munch and a nap – bang in the wrong place for teatime etc etc. Both girls have been asleep so far, so lets hope they stay that way. Lat 2 nights BB has been in bed with us, so snack-attack city, and SB also joining us. Could do with a good night!

SO a good day al round – and I am on annual leave next week. A lot to fit in – Chris parents want him to move furniture, so a visit there. SB’s birthday money bruning a hole in her pocket – so need to shop. I would like to visit little nanny if poss. And I actually would like to have a relaxing time for some of it!!

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean, gardening, General, geography, literacy, music, numeracy, Out and About, SB-PE, science, socialisation, writing

Pocket Money

Posted on March 3, 2006 by | 10 comments

Nothing to report really, Beans at nursery, I had some work, Ballet lesson, poor Helen absolutley knackered on return from work and went to bed with SB at about 8pm.

I was throwing BB around a bit before bed , which as ever she enjoyed, but SB felt she was missing out, she insisted I ‘mess her about’. Which is what she calls it. Of course she is getting a bit big for it really , but we managed a bit. after I’d put her to bed she came down complaing and crying that the duvet was all wrong……. :roll:
Anyway, decided really that it’s time for SB to have some pocket, seeing as she is now grasping the concept of money really, and understands that differen coins etc. have different value – she did well at counting out the 5ps, 2ps and 1ps to buy 35 p of sweets the other day.

so home much do you reckon? I imagine it would be spent on some sweets, the odd magazine, and odd bits of tat. I’d be interested to see how she repsonds to the idea of saving up to get something.

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Posted in Butterbean, Stringbean

Totally devoted to you

Posted on March 1, 2006 by | 3 comments

hmm, well glad to come home from work yesterday as certainly earnt my keep. Nice that SB still awake when i got home. Nicer still that BB didn’t wake up all night.

So to today, SB started the day with an early CBeebies fix. BB and me had a roistering marmalisation session in the bed. She bounding all over me to make sure I was fully awake, having a good tickle and giggle – a good way to wake up!

So, we started off with breakfast and reading baba yaga and the new zealand story form usbornes stories from around the world. brekkie over and some messing about with lego for both the girls.

SB keen to do the final tesco science tube thing I bought a while back, so we settled down to that. She likes ‘speriments. First we did was the best. We put 15 coppers in a bowl and tipped salt on top [it said sprinkle, SB somewhat enthusiastic] and the cover completely with vinegar. it has to be the absolutely quickest way to get coins clean. I hope someone is doing the chemical equations int heir head, cos they’re not given in the bumpf -which would be a negative. Afer 20 mins add shiny iron nail and watch it copper plate. [except we left it a bit longer, and other reactions seemed to happen]. we did the volcano one a number of times, a number of different surface tension experiments. This had great easy experiments, but no real explanations.

SB then did some explode the code whilst i settled BB off to sleep. We had a bit of a treat in sarnies from the bakery accross from us – yummy! After that SB started on her sewing a foam bag kit she got for birthday. She got the hang instantly – considering we have never done swing before, and it was soon ready for the key ingredient – sticking!

BB woke up while she did this, so we had a good play, lots with the cooker, lego and she’s really attached to the ‘thats not my monster’ book from the library, so we read it alot. She is very good at shouting mummy and Daddy, a reasonable bye bye and ook. When SB’s sticking got far too interesting, we went and watched Chris pruning the grape [rather late]. BB thought the leaves dropping were rather lovely, and had a great poddle about. SB finished her sticking – it is certainly a decorative bag, so also came into the conservatory to help with the pruning.

After a bit of a fuss, she did some of the msising writing bits in the explode the code, and whizzed through some singapore maths 1a simple addition and subtraction. I think she has grasped this so well that we shall just nip on to the next section on ordinal numbers, not doing any of the practice unless we hit a bit that takes some thinking about. in our mental maths mess about, we are doing multiplying in 2, 3 and 5 [though not to great numbers, 2 and 3 to 12, and 5 to 20] and also sharing numbers 12 and less in 2,3,4. So I think we should try and get the two areas nearer together! SB has decided she wants to be on the same books as Maddy, so they can do it togeether [does this sound like homeschooling to anyone?]
She remembered we hadn’t done 2 of the experiments, so we did those, and then after she went on and on about a website we used to do, I realised it was education city, so got a trial and she got stuck in. I read BB more books, and she moved my finger over all the textured bits – cute! She also had a great play with the hammer it shape sorter. My fingers have recovered!

by dinner time, we were all tired. TBH, I could have done with a restful day, but really enjoyed being full on and there, as with recent jaunts have felt more part time than normal. Since we missed pancake day yesterday, we did it today. Sb had sundae day, as she doesn’t like pancakes – possibly more sprinkles than icecream though! We vaguely did the religion. BB ate anything offered.

After her bath, I had promised SB a game, and she chose 3D snakes and ladders [fantastic!] Unfortunately I won fairly instantly having gone up the long ladder, so we had a rematch and I lost. Angelina ballerina stories and a Winnie the pooh CD and all was quiet! Chris settles BB with a bottle when I read SB stories, so alternate nights BB sleeps without a night feed – a bit wierd for me I must say, but she is happy, so I guess weaning has begun.

oh, and aaarrrghhh to the apprentice. I think even I could have done a better job

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean, gardening, General, history, literacy, music, numeracy, science, Stringbean's HE, writing

The many faces of Butterbean

Posted on March 1, 2006 by | 2 comments

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Posted in Butterbean, photos

Getting back into the swing.

Posted on March 1, 2006 by | 9 comments

Short and sweet here I think.

Other than breakfast etc. don’t think anything much happened before heading out to the library. As ever? handing the books is wasn’t straight forward. Some of the books om SB’s card that we took out last week weren’t appearing on her list of books out – though they were down as being on loan.? We have another book which has gone AWOL in the house and we’ve run out of renewal-ability. So that had to be marked down as ‘lost’ except it isn’t they call it something else and we get another 3 months to find it without fines racking up. Sigh….

A bit of story time, a bit of colourign and sticking, making a pancake in a frying pan, as ever we were the last to finish as SB can’t be dragged away from? bit of sticking easily. Then again she is the oldest by? a long way now of course, all her same age? compatriots are in school I assume.

Home, followed by putting coats on again to go back as we left the craft work behind…… luckilly it is about a minutes walk away.

Home, rapidly gave BB some food, otherwise she tends to want/need? a sleep around 12, falls asleep and misses lunch. So she had? nibble of bread and cheese and then fell asleep in her highchair. So me and SB lunched and I read the aforesaid Mr Men books, with pauses for? quick gander at the Grauniad ‘I’ve read two, i’m just having? little rest and drink of coffee….’

Rough order of play for rest of day was some Maths ‘Match and Sort’. I wonder how long we will keep referring to it as that ? – ‘Match and Sort was the first ‘workbooky’ thing she did many moons ago (and loved). It was easy stuff for her really, just addition within 10? – tiem to move her one a bit, her subtraction is ok, might try a bit of simple multiplication seeing as she was sort of thingking about that in the car the other day. SB watching a DVD for a bit a German cartoon series called ‘Little Hippo’ – in German, BB coming into the garden with me for she pottering around, me ditto a bit, taking some piccies of her. Finshed pruning the Wisteria. Sat in the conservatory for ,little bit once we got cold, thinking that vine must be pruned pronto before it starts into growth again – maybe tomorrow. A bit more ‘work’ from SB – Expode the Code. did one of her simople crafty things from her birthday A pre-swim snack time, swmming lesson for SB, home, chips for tea, ready for bed, BB asleep, Helen home just in time before SB due to go, so she got? bit longer up.

Helen on call, had? very long day and home late, so off to bed at? sensible time. Me not so sensible….

I liked this photo though – even though it’s not quite focussed on the right place.

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Posted in art and crafts, Books, Butterbean, language, literacy, numeracy, photos, socialisation, Stringbean's HE