June

In June:

F went to home-ed drama group - 6 weeks of sessions finished now but on again in September. They were really good, led by a very talented, natural drama teacher. F enjoyed it and really got into it, with increasing confidence.

A couple of times we had friends over for dinner, a newish friend in early June and an old one in late June. The paddling pool came out, and then got broken on a rose bush a few weeks later when we were emptying it, so we now have a new one, which also seems to be broken but usable. We're hard on paddling pools here.

It was good to be over our illnesses and have F's friend E over for an afternoon, took them both for a walk down by the stream bed - the winter stream only stopped running at the beginning of June, it's interesting to look at the bed and walk on it only a couple of weeks after the stream ends.

Big Brother started and I enjoyed online time with BB mates returning for the season, celebrating the return of 24-hour live streaming!

Halfway through the month I fell over hard on the road and landed on my lip. Painful and horrid. Mostly better now but expensive dental work required over next month...

F started going to Forest School - is now halfway through 8 weeks of sessions in the woods, making fire, practising various woodland skills and crafts and generally having a lovely time up there for 3 hours each week. She is at an age now where she can do a lot more of these kinds of things, is ready to be away from me and able to understand and cope with whatever they are doing, concentrating better on rules and instructions, etc. It's lovely how naturally it has happened and that she didn't have to plunge into 15 hours and then 30 hours every week away from me. She has been happy going to C's or somewhere with C for a long time, but it's only the last six months that I've felt she was ready to confidently try workshops, etc. with strangers in charge.

We went to my mum's a couple of times - mum, F and I went on the Maidstone river boat trip and also went to Nanny McPhee 2, which we all very much enjoyed. F and I went for a swim in the lovely pool there too. Mum is doing OK, memory problems are her main issue now and she also now has an ovarian cyst so has to have a hysterectomy. Am really hoping she can get past that and continue her recovery, as health issues associated have caused a bit of a downturn. She has a referral to the memory clinic, which I'm very glad about. 

We went to local group every week, I like anything we can walk to! There were a few weeks when we had group things on every weekday - F was really thrilled, although it's my idea of hell for that to go on too long, but I did manage those weeks.

We went on home-ed trips to Raystede Animal Sanctuary and Battle Abbey - F was King Harold in a little line of Saxons.

F had her friend E over for a 2-night sleepover, which went really well. They had a lovely time, chatting and giggling, going in the paddling pool, playing DS, surfing down the stairs in a ready bed and playing Pictionary with me and J. They were no trouble either, requiring very little adult input most of the time, so I guess that will be happening again. They have a lot of plans for July and August, a whole 'Summer Festival' that they have discussed and e-mailed each other about, with various shows, sleepovers, parties, etc.