Thursday

F started off her day wanting to produce some instructions for Pixel Chix for her grandma, so she dictated and I typed (in pink, of course) and then printed off what she'd dictated. She filled in the drawings.

Then we went off for a walk, mainly to check out the last remaining water in what was the deepest part of the winter stream. It stopped flowing a couple of weeks ago I think, but we thought there'd still be a bit of water there. We had a nice walk noticing various seasonal changes and chatting. We got there and found there was indeed still a small puddle about 4 ft across and nearly a foot deep. We examined it a bit and dipped a jug in and found mainly water boatmen and a few eggy looking things. It was really interesting walking along the stream bed and seeing what was underneath it all.

F was very much in a clambering mood, so our planned 'short walk' turned into quite a long time out. She ended up practising her climbing on the steeper part of the stream bank - I'm hopeless at climbing, especially downwards, so I just stood on the side and variously tutted and admired and encouraged. I sometimes find myself quite in awe of how she manages the effects of her hemiplegia - this was one such occasion as she took her time and climbed rather assuredly down, explored the bit of the stream that could only be accessed that way, then climbed back up, this time carrying a bundle of small branches! I imagine a non-hemiplegic child would have done it faster but my goodness, she did it without a slip or a moment of panic or anything, stopping when she needed to, choosing her footing and holds. It's extraordinary really, given that when she goes downstairs she generally has to put both feet on each step, not trusting her right foot ahead taking the weight, and her right hand can't do a pincer grip, only a sort of fist grip really.

The acquisition of the bundle of branches was apparently for her next mission, which was dam-building. So we spent a happy 40 minutes or so finding various branches and twigs - some chainsaw work had been done down there recently so there was quite a bit to be found - and she went back and forth constructing the dam. I stayed up on the side and threw bits to her.
Made me think of future Forest School and Climbing Wall Classes for her - both of which are available within the next year...

On the way home we continued our recent flirtation with wild/foraged food, by taking a bit of the huge Chicken of the Woods from a tree in the lane behind our house. Back home, F had some trampoline time, then a quick bath. I fried up some of the Chicken of the Woods and we ate a bit. It was OK, quite a good mushroomy taste but a bit gristly textured - probably should have picked it younger. Interesting to try it though.

F and I watched some of Timewatch: Stonehenge and then she played on Pixel Chix moviemaker for a while before watching Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death together.
Very enjoyable day.