Lazy weekend

Had a very lazy at-home weekend. Still having it now in fact as J has Mondays off every week.

Saturday was a lot of serious lazing involving Professor Layton, reading, lounging around and finally F and I tidying her room in the last hour of pre-dinner daytime, which needed doing as she had kept wanting to but not on her own, etc. I don't really mind tidying with her, we usually have good chats while we're doing it. She does do odd bits by herself, but it is more fun with company and she sometimes helps and chats if I'm tidying too.

Anyway we cleared and got rid of various junky items, put other things in places and rearranged all the things that live under her bed as she wants it to be more like a little house under there, but not to the extent of losing Ponyville, which is a vast multi-coloured plastic environment with about 10 different pony buildings or 'facilities' now. Can see why she wouldn't want to get rid of that (...yet).

So we rearranged items so that there's a house end and a pony end. Done.

Had nice easy dinner in front of Strictly Come Dancing. F stayed up late, and after she'd gone to bed J and I watched some Fringe and not sure what else.

Sunday

J had to work (overtime) so he headed off at normal time, I didn't get up till gone 10 and F and I pottered for a bit, then did some science, mashing up red cabbage to make indicator solution and using it to test 12 different household substances.

Pictures are here.

F did a bit of documentation including taking pictures with her DSi, and labelling them, also making notes in a book she is using a lot at the moment - she has divided it into sections for History, Science, English and Maths (I think), plus a 'Blog' (planning to do that monthly!) and a Word information section (where so far she has written down little explanations/reminders of the words 'serendipity', 'literature' and 'epilogue') and a Drawing section. Probably more or different names, but she's not here to ask.

The red cabbage science went really well, we both enjoyed it and took our time, nice when you haven't got to rush stuff to fit it in. We talked a lot about what we were doing and what we expected.

After that she had a short bath and I washed her hair, which just gets into such huge tangles at the moment, have to do lots of brushing with conditioner, which has to be negotiated a lot, could do with a good leave-in conditioner, that pear and apple stuff is rubbish compared with the coconut one we used to use. 

She was picked up by C to go off for a sleepover with E at half fourish. C is taking them to Monday group today and she'll be back for tea.

I made J and I a very nice dinner of roast potatos and parsnips, burgers, a grated carrot and red cabbage salad and a sort-of guacamole, with nice trimmings (houmous, beetroot, vine leaves, chilli jam). Had a short bath while the potatos were in.

We watched Armstrong and Miller and some Merlin (F has gone off that) and then watched an actual whole film. With subtitles even! From LoveFilm on the Playstation. It was good, would be intrigued to see if the recent American version has the same atmosphere or tone at all. There seems to be more Northern European culture around at the moment (from Wallander on TV to Icelandic authors) and I'm finding I rather like the feel of it.

It is lovely to be able to watch things like that without having to anticipate interruption. Still a huge novelty for me here.

Our week ahead is planned to include cake-making, a Winter Feast at Forest School (parents attending and all bringing food contributions for end-of-term celebration), the 2nd of our informal writing group sessions and some making of Secret Santa items to take on holiday.