Petits Haricots

we went to Kentwell Hall for the great annual tudor recreation. it was fab. even dh enjoyed it this time [ a sottler]. there is still time to go, as another weekend for this event [where we will be parts again] and mini tudor events throughout the year.

SB started as gentry, but it wasn’t quite what she had imagined, so bella the fairy waved her magic wand and she became a still room maid, which she v much loved . BB had barnschoole in the morning, and then in the afternoon was a trainee pre-apprentice with the potters, which she also v much loved. i was in the cott again, but next year think i might try something different as i dont really feel i am learning any new skills, easy tho the cott is and convenient.

there were loads of school groups on the weekdays who appeared to be having fun, and i really enjoy talking to them. my fav is the weekends and general public days tho. it being my second year it felt good to know people, to talk and banter with other stations and generally feel like we belonged there. v happy that the girls and dh were happy too . one of my fellow goodwives in the cott and i worked out we worked together over 10 years ago! the evening dances and chatter were great too. . BB got her penmanship licence got to be king arthur in play for the gentry and won first prize at the fair for her wool sheep . there is a nice pic of me here.

looking forward to going back next weekend.

Having written a long comment, just thought i would remind myself of nice stuff we made to remember!
Agnes made a delish breaded frumenty – there was no grain this year so she experimented with bread, and it was scrummy we had with dried fruit that were warmed in butter and sugar the first day and stewed peach the second.
She and I also made flatbread this year on the skillet, that worked really well and the kids loved
i made a pease pudding into pease farts with some oats and egg to bind, cooked on the skillet, also yummy
Katy made a veg aigre-douce [sweet and sour to most peeps] that was fantastic and also a lovely egg custard tart [in the oven]
i found out bb likes pottage if turnip free
I like it best with lovage and beer
I loved knowing more people at kentwell, saying hello and chatting on various stations and making business with dyers – a blue apron in linen for bb [tho she says she needs a brown potters one!] and my sheep colour hat was popped in before i left! meeting friends from last year and making new ones. getting loads of kisses from a lovely little boy at the end of the week

Actually ‘in very truth’ mayhap I should return to this blog and write a lot more anon!

so SB – well, thankyou to Bess for the loan of the golden gown, SB looked fab [as did bess!] unfortunatley bess was on her own bar the 2 children as gentry, so think it was more stressful and less fun than SB had thought it might be, and when she swapped out to let someone else try the gown, she realised she really didn’t want to go back to it. I was all a bit worried as didn’t want to feel we were letting anyone down, so talked to ‘the magic fairy’ bella, who is the ‘sorter’ at kentwell, and whose word is law . she pondered and said she would see what she could do. the stillroom – where sb has also wanted to go – were happy to take her, and bess was lovely saying that being happy was the important thing, so off she went. SHe loved the still room, worked hard [i think] and really liked making salves. So a def positive there I love having her happily telling me what they had done. She was a bit preteen in the evenings – i guess getting to the age where we just aren’t cool to be with! but she was fab at getting my dinner and washing everyones dinner stuff – her kentwell family jobs.

BB found she liked pottage, and red lentil peasen, mostly. but she loved barnschool. they did some fab things – beetle dissection, watched a pigeon dissection, learnt her tudor numbers to 100, got her certificate for signing her name with quill pen and gen had a great time there.

then she adored the pottery, party because she loves pottery, and partly due to the fab potter who guided, befriended and coached her. thankyou v much cicely . because bb is better having eaten, we made sure she had stuff to eat in the privy place, and are still working out what to do instead of evening dinner, but as dh likes getting changed at the tent he can cook pasta there and bring back, and she also liked cereal. she loved it she enjoyed being in the play for the gentry [king arthur] a herb on the cart for the midsummer solstice festival and playinh 6 mens merrells with various people

getting back legs

we have loved wodensmeet these last couple of years and it has been really good for all of us. It has become clear over the last few months that it wasn’y quite working for all tho, and in the end our fab friends le ciel rouge have decided they want the hustle and bustle of a great social life at school, and so are having a last wild fling travelling on the continent before starting in september. Merry and her girls are also all slipping into school too. SB is off to France for 6 months, but has no desire to go to school in the uk currently [she will go to school whilst in France, and is looking forward to that] .

However it does mean that we will have a new ideas refresh, hopefully em and I and a couple of other families can meet up and work out a new something that will be fab. When SB comes back she will be the oldest tho, and hopefully this will still be OK for her. DH is trying to see whether he can get a teen group going for when she gets back.

Anyway, back to wodensmeet. I had promised BB an early trip to the park to see if she dared use the skating ramp – which she did, but not to the full heights, and we were joined there by merry with J and B when she came, and em;s e.

we got back and decided to just chill and let the kids play, tho SB and E did quite a bit of recordering. There was some board gaming, bouncing on trampoline, and most helped us make pizza dough.

unfortunately michelle from the manor born didn’t make it as had crazy frantic day, but zoe from le ciel rouge did after she left work, and she and her girls helped with the pizza making and all played a game of star munchkin before they too left.

bit of a sob for end of eras, as this has been such a lovely one! thanks guys for such a great run of fab wednesdays.

think they look like capers with tails

we have been letting alfie the tortoise into the rabbit pen on a sunny day whilst we were out in the garden, however, nightmare, he vanished! we let BB go off to cub camp not knowing, and hoping she would have a fab time. DH and i spent some time surrupticiously looking, but sb realised he was missing.

saturday SB and I had planned a girly shopping day she had money burning a hole in her pocket for a 3ds that she had been saving up for nearly 2 years! we had a fab time. was shocked to find myself in a top shop changing room after all those years – and it is way more expensive! so I bought her some clothes of entirely her choice at topshop, ark, miss selfridge, m and s [tho mostly 'essentials' ] Sh bought a 3ds – preowned, and a couple of games, and then some bits at accesorize. we ate lunch out – toasted ciabbatta – and then later had an iced frappaccino or iced mocha and cake we mooched around the market and watched strret performers. we had a fab day next time will eat at the italian

thankyou sb

SB got to chhose the film and dinner – so we had confessions of a drama queen [v girly!] and pizza. when she went up to bed she then had a wobble about leaving us to go to france so i snuggled her until she fell asleep – awwww

next morning sb did some home ed – mostly music theory – whilst i finished a shift for kentwell. we then played a boardgame together

and after lunch bb came home

and after telling us all about it and showing us the tray she had made, she persuaded me to go to the park

[ps we found alfie on tues]

This was a quieter week in some respects! monday was mostly a bookish day. Unfortunately SB dropped something on her foot so was limping too much to do the ballet and gym, but did get a lot of bookwork done. BB also did a fair bit of reading and some grammar when i came home.

Tues was the home ed pottery group in the morning for BB whilst sb carried on being bookish [she currently isn't doing pottery, but i think we should book a space for her and her french sister when they exchange over]. SB was determined to have a good book week! in pottery the theme was moulds, making a clay shape and casting with plaster – dh can’t think of the name though. Merry brought josie across for a sleepover in the afternoon, so bb was ecstatic a prolonged playdate as changing circs means josie going to school. [there are lots of friends going to school, it seems a bit scary and daring not to be TBH] BB and J do make fab friends . swimming in the eve aand ‘treat tuesday’ where kids troup to tesco and choose something yummy for pudding! [j liked this]

weds kfish from deependers came too and brought fortune as well. we grownups [including fortune here] did sewing companiably for kentwell. SB, k and l did some music theory [quite reluctantly] as the rest played in the sun – and in fact so did they, mostly . yes, i am sure we should /could have been more educational, but the sun was shining, and they all had a lovely time.

BB took J home [well, with dh] and sb did do music theory then in earnest both girls had judo.

thurs was multisports – a home ed group where a variety of diff sports played, and both girls enjoy it. their friends go too, so it is pretty sociable as well as athletic. thurs also was cubs for BB and guides awards night for SB. I saw here collect the award for the most crafty [as in doing crafts rather than sneaky] guide, and narrowly miss out on guide of the year [she was runner up] . v proud of her

friday was a very early start, as SB was going on a gcse geog fieldtrip, which she really enjoyed and said she learnt alot about. it was about rivers [and mud apparently] , and that is as much as i have got out of her!! meanwhile DH took bb shopping and to cafes, so she was happy too .

in the eve, BB left for cub camp – so v brave it is the first time she has slept away from home without one of us [incl SB] , and although she had some worries she was determined to go

the annual tudor recreation starts next weekend. we will be there. my elder daughter is again lady bridget de vere – there in the golden gown.

come to Kentwell, it’s educational and fabulous.

although not in the right order, the title is a nod to the fact that we have a second match for SB with en famille – woohoo! and this will go ahead. Clearly I am going to miss her soooo much, and right now can’t see my way past this! I will have to hope the French family send me lots of pics, and am going to see whether SB can keep a french blog whilst she is over there – ie must write in french, but can put up pics. dunno whether comments would need to be closed to follow en famille rules. The family look lovely, there are enough similar interests with her ‘French sister’ that they should hopefully get on well and enjoy the exchange, and the area will make skiing a possibility – something she is very excited about. We have emailed the family to get things started, and now have my fingers firmly crossed that it will all work out!

Now, i better go back a week to blog properly