I Think You’re Bonkers

Hell, is it only just 12?

Today so far we have: Made treasure maps, Dino’s been on Zoo Tycoon, Mimi’s had playdough out, I’ve repotted a buddleia and some mint, planted a few broad beans in 2 different places and fitted a blind in the upstairs bathroom. Phew, I’m knackered so I’m sitting down with a cuppa before making lunch. We need a treat today so I’m letting the kids have bread with choc/nut spread and I’m having bread and honey.  I might even let them do it themselves.

Look! It works and everything, goes up and down and you can close the slats and open them again. I’m dead chuffed, especially as it was from freecycle.

After lunch I want the kids to write on the maps (writing - tick) and maybe do some maths. I know I seem hung up on these but I feel that if I can get them reading, writing and doing simple number manipulation then that’s enough of a start so they can then go and find out and learn anything they want or need to. Right now they’re enjying writing for a purpose - effectively they want to send postcards and are hoping to get some back. Anyone want a card? There’s an email link on the side bar so you don’t have to use the comments box, please do email and l’ll add you to the (short) list we have at the moment and you could get a postcard before they run out of steam. Send one back and you might get more! 

Beavers. It was Dino’s penultimate old Beavers last night and he decided he wanted to tell his leader himself. So he did, very tactfully and it was announced that next week will be his last week there. He also won Smart Beaver - for looking smartest. He’s very proud.  

We’ve been trying to find Dino a Beaver group closer to home - tonight he went to see if he liked the closest one, there’s a back up if we need it.

But, he was welcomed by name at the door, assigned a *buddy* to make sure he was in the right place, knew where loos were etc. When I went to pick him up the first words were: "Can I come again next week?" But in the car on the way home he’s decided to overlap by 2 weeks, so he’ll go to his regular group tomorrow evening and then back to this closer one next week. Just to make sure he’s made the right choice.

As a group, it has a busy and friendly feel, very welcoming, good mix of kids (and a couple of girls). He thinks it’s better than his old group and is basically overlapping so he can leave *properly* and say goodbye gently I think.

My son is a lovely sensitive soul and I am so incredibly proud of him.

Wednesdays are turning into a mad busy day, why does everything we *need* to do end up being on the same day? Our favourite, and local home ed group runs from 11 until 1.30, then our counselling runs from 2 until 3 - so we take a picnic to home ed group and go straight from there. Then home for a brief wind down before madly getting ready for Dino’s new Beavers group and somehow fitting in tea along the way. Still, it means that the rest of the week is free for other things and seeing people if we want to. Sort of works out well.

Dino is trying out a new Beaver colony this evening. It’s 5 minutes away rather than half an hours drive, we could walk it if we absolutely had to, but I’d rather not. But the option is there if needed. So for the next couple of weeks Dino will be attending 2 Beaver colonies so he can settle in and see if he likes the new one. If not there’s another a little bit further away but still loads closer than the one he’s in. Hoping it’ll all work out so it’s a bit easier for me and Mimi and he can carry on going.

In other news - we’re loving The Sarah Jane Adventures on CBBC. Always did have a soft spot for Elisabeth Sladen, even if she did have weak ankles and was easily controlled by anything remotely alien. I think she looks better as she gets older.

Anyway, I’m going off at a tangent and we need to get moving to home ed group. 

The sky is blue but it keeps chucking rain at us. I mean really chucking, it’s like a hose on the windows and then it’s gone and the sky is clear and blue again. Oh and the rain is coming in sideways and it’s cold and hard, not hail but definitely cold and hard, stinging. Not nice.

So Dino has done a page in his handwriting copy book - very very easy but it helps his writing, and a page in his maths workbook. We’ve been talking about superheroes as well so this afternoon he’s going to  do a page designing and naming his *hero* with powers and costume. After they watch Jurassic park, after they clear up in here and the hoovering happens, and after lunch. Mimi has been on the puter designing Disney Princess outfits - bleurgh but it does help puter skills so I can tick IT. Dino wants Zoo Tycoon later and he might get it if he sorts out the floor in here.

Meanwhile in the kitchen bread is doing it’s dough thing in the bread maker and there is a large pot of seasonal soup on the cooker. Well, we got veg we don’t like in our veg bag on Friday so it’s swede, parsnips, onion, mushrooms, water, a stock cube and some seasoning - smells wonderful. Might shove in a handful of lentils to really get the internal wind going. **rubs hands and cackles in evil manner**

Right, back to website traffic encouragement,  lunch and housework.

This morning we did life skills (giggle) - we went to pay bills and get some shopping. Then got picked up by a friend to head out to one of those horrendous soft play places. I usually hate them but it wasn’t busy and we got to drink tea/coffee and chat about adult stuff - hardly saw the kids apart from "Can I have  a drink/snack/toilet/something to eat?" or "S/He did…."

They were very good actually, considering Dino used to go into melt down mode in those places about 18 months ago so we started avoiding them like the plague.  We had lunch there and both kids actually ate while sitting down. Then the ultimate test - leaving. Miracle! Both kids out with shoes back on and no melt downs! I’m very impresed and I’ve told them so.

Then we braved Lidl and tesco to stock up the cupboards, fridge and freezer. I managed to spend money on me again. I don’t often but Tesco had "leisure wear" on offer, so I have a nice soft pair of trousers (to replace the patchwork cotton ones that are creating holes faster than I can repair them - I think they’ve had it really) and a top - sort of hoodie sweatshirt thing. Top is rich plummy purple and the bottoms are a kind of dark charcoal.  Also picked up some fabrics bits cheap on the market with soap nut bags, tarot card pouches and maybe a bash at clothes in mind (I know, scary but you never know and I have very comfy but torn and threadbare trousers to demolish and use as a pattern - worth a try?)

All in all a good day. Staying home and have housework planned for tomorrow. 

In case anyone else was wondering - This is not us. Yes my car is a renault but it’s a Laguna, not a megane. Yes, my kids are indeed 4 and 7, but thankfully it’s not us. We’re fine.

This afternoon we went out to see friends for dinner and so the kids could play together. We popped into Tesco for milk and bread on the way and left the shopping in the car, parked outside her house. So we spent the afternoon there and about 6.45 started to think about heading for home.

As we got to the car it was obvious one of the back doors wasn’t shut properly so I told Dino off. Then got in and realised my jacket is missing, and one bag of shopping.  Someone has been in my car and stolen a battered fleece jacket with old sweets in the pocket, 2 litres of cows milk and 2 x 1 litre of goats milk.

Now if they’d taken the bag with the bread in they’d have got my phone and purse too. So I’m counting it as a lucky escape. But what sort of fuckwit steals a bag of shopping???  I’m annoyed at myself, relieved and fuming all at the same time.

The first of the NaNoWriMo reminder emails dropped in this morning. I don’t know if I’ll do it this year tbh, but I have a month or so to decide.

How come the 3 little buddleia cuttings I took from my parents garden are not thriving and the one from Kris’s garden is going great? The ones from my parents were carefully dipped in fungicide and then rooting solution and put gently into compost. The one from Kris’s was pulled up as a weed, left in the blazing sun to dry out (by accident - we were weeding and I forgot about it) Eventually the limp thing was shoved in some compost and left on her back doorstep for a week, might have been watered now and then.

So how come that one is growing and the others aren’t? Answers in the comments box please!

Must go put some broad beans in somewhere….. 

Last night I let Dino stay up to watch Up Close and Dangerous. When it finished I went to take him up to bed, slipped on some toy or other on the floor and turned my ankle. It hurt, a lot and I swore. Took arnica and carried on chatting - after limping upstairs to put the boy in his bed and hobbling back down again. Slept badly, waking up with twinges and aches in the ankle and lower leg.

This morning the ankle and knee are a little swollen and sore. I’m stumbling about all off balance. Still, it’ll heal in a day or so.

Dammit, I wanted to dig today.  I’ll just have to write, or chat, or browse aimlessly in between hobbling to the loo, to make tea or sort out food.

Kids still haven’t picked up the damned toys though, I think a bin bag might come out soon.