Tuesday 17th
Little Green Pig Creative Writing, last one of 2013 and some changes ahead too. Parents were invited to attend some presenting/sharing/reading at the end, which was really lovely - an absolute joy for me to see all the different approaches and some people somehow lighting up when they shared their work.
I was working very very intensively, so that was my main non-working bit of the day really. Arrrgh. Did have a short coffee break with M earlier, kept me going I guess.
Wednesday 18th
Work work work, then taking Freya and her friend L on the train over to Hastings to meet J's mum who was treating them to the panto and to pizza. Lovely thing to do, really wonderful! Christmassy treatness.
Anyway I was so behind on my deadline I had to work on the train both ways, before and after delivering the girls to the grandma.
They did have a lovely time though: Dick Whittington (have heard lots of detail about it), then spontaneously Freya's grandma offered them an ice skating session! So they did that too, then pizza!
Lovely time for them, am so glad of that.
Meanwhile, yes I carried on working and stressing.
Poor J's mum after bringing them back, found her route home was blocked off for some reason and had terrible trouble on a wet windy night and I know she doesn't like driving in the dark anyway. Poor thing, after giving them such a good time. Anyway she rang a couple of times and we tried to direct her with a bit of Googling etc. She got home OK but not a nice ending to the night for her.
L stayed over and we made ice lanterns to take to group next day. Freya and L were very good and there was, most importantly, no trouble.
Thursday 19th
Finally having finished my work though not as satisfactorily as I would have liked, arrrggghhh. Livewires was a lovely Christmas session, I didn't get to see what everyone was doing as there was only a short gap between getting ice lanterns lit (nobody has matches these days) and doing my demo paper decorations and suddenly having lots of people at my table wanting to do the folding and cutting. I had real trouble remembering which side to cut from etc. so not the smoothest of activities, but think that was mostly tolerated.
Then home for on the bus - ugh we saw a man pissing against a bus stop at Uckfield bus station. Broad daylight!
Back home short while then took Freya into town for Art, last session of term.
Back and forth picked her up, then later went back that way for meeting about Friday Club. Some issues have come up and it was time to talk about them. I think overall the meeting was positive - at the very least there is going to be more of a regular collective monitoring of it with regular meetings of parents, which I do think will be a good thing. I felt positive about the general willingness of parents to make it work and help, but on the other hand, some of what I'd learned has left me feeling quite depressed.
Friday 20th
Took Freya to Friday Club and this was an extra session related to the adults' meeting of the night before. They gave detailed consideration to questions such as "what do you like about Friday Club?", "What is difficult about Friday Club?", "How can we improve Friday Club?" etc.
It was a smaller group than usual and they all worked away at it. Hopefully we will get some guidelines from it, it has left Freya a bit subdued to see that some people see so many difficulties as she is pretty happy with it how it is. It's hard for both of us really, hopefully when we get some concrete guidelines we will feel better with them.
Arrrrrgh groups, social dynamics, people!
Arrrrrrrrrrrrgh
Anyway no work for me this weekend. Need to go shopping tomorrow morning, J's mum coming in afternoon.
Friday, December 20, 2013
Monday, December 16, 2013
Notebooks, minions, wet cat and washing machine
Very perfunctory, sorry!
Monday 9th
Freya had Geography in the morning, then staying on to play with N and L, then met her for a snack before her Aerial session. She is improving all the time in Aerial, rope work is hardest.
Tuesday 10th
We had a day at home, just us. Freya had presents to make - personalized handmade notebooks - so got going on that while I did a bit of decluttering and some work that had come in, then we watched The Borrowers. Had to do some handwashing due to our washing machine still being out of action, awaiting new belt, we hoped.
Wednesday 11th
Freya only had French, so she did some more of her presents in the morning whilst I worked I think. She finished them all.
She gave the first few out at French and while she was learning how to ask for various food and drink items in French I had a quiet cuppa with A, an oasis of calm in the hecticality.
Thursday 12th
In the morning we made biscuits, planning to ice them later - they were to be minions to be offered at a showing of Despicable Me, organized by Friday Club for wider home-ed community.
Then took Freya up to Dance, had a slight crisis of faith thinking it might not be on, but it was, the last one of term. Freya was able to give out more of her presents. I came home, had nice chats and a cuppa with CC while she sorted my kitchen out. Freya went with D and J from Dance to Art and I worked a bit then went to pick her up from Art, where she was starting drawing for a lino print. No Guides so just coming home. Back home we iced our biscuits - Freya did most of it - and made minion bags for popcorn too.
Friday 13th
Finally got paid so was able to start buying Xmas presents hooray! Took Freya up to C's where a party for blue noses was being held, and I came back to do more work.
Took the biscuits and bags and more of Freya's presents to Friday Club film show, where I think everyone had a nice time but I didn't stay as had still tons of work to do.
Saturday 14th
Took Freya to Drama, and she and L were taken by C from there to Guides special Christmas thing involving photo competition, cooking, crafts, etc. I worked and assisted J in attempting to mend the pesky washing machine. We got the new belt on, rotated drum manually to test and it fell off. Then tried it slightly differently positioned, rotated drum manually OK, ran slow spin cycle OK, ran most of a wash cycle OK then off it flopped. So a bearing or whatever and time to buy a new washing machine (it was about 13 yrs old).
Sunday 15th
Took Freya to Fencing, having only been once then missed 2 due to holiday and a sleepover. She likes it so far. Note to self: Fencing starts again 5th Jan, Geography again 6th Jan.
Poured with rain, cat came in so wet I wouldn't let her on my lap but she loves bags so I offered her a nice canvas one on my lap, which she was very happy with.
Then J's dad came and we went out for a meal at Pizza Express, very nice. Then he kindly took us to buy washer/dryer. Goodness these things are very modern looking now, quite a different beast. We found the one J had turned up in online research the night before and paid and it came today (Monday) and I think it will be A Good Thing. Shame about the money though.
Monday 16th
Took Freya to Geography, she was so tired after such a busy weekend, not enough downtime, not enough leisurely starts. Anyway I came home and worked and saw the new washing machine doing its thing, went out 4ish to pick her up and get her to Costa for a snack before Aerial. I went to library while she was there.
Monday 9th
Freya had Geography in the morning, then staying on to play with N and L, then met her for a snack before her Aerial session. She is improving all the time in Aerial, rope work is hardest.
Tuesday 10th
We had a day at home, just us. Freya had presents to make - personalized handmade notebooks - so got going on that while I did a bit of decluttering and some work that had come in, then we watched The Borrowers. Had to do some handwashing due to our washing machine still being out of action, awaiting new belt, we hoped.
Wednesday 11th
Freya only had French, so she did some more of her presents in the morning whilst I worked I think. She finished them all.
She gave the first few out at French and while she was learning how to ask for various food and drink items in French I had a quiet cuppa with A, an oasis of calm in the hecticality.
Thursday 12th
In the morning we made biscuits, planning to ice them later - they were to be minions to be offered at a showing of Despicable Me, organized by Friday Club for wider home-ed community.
Then took Freya up to Dance, had a slight crisis of faith thinking it might not be on, but it was, the last one of term. Freya was able to give out more of her presents. I came home, had nice chats and a cuppa with CC while she sorted my kitchen out. Freya went with D and J from Dance to Art and I worked a bit then went to pick her up from Art, where she was starting drawing for a lino print. No Guides so just coming home. Back home we iced our biscuits - Freya did most of it - and made minion bags for popcorn too.
Friday 13th
Finally got paid so was able to start buying Xmas presents hooray! Took Freya up to C's where a party for blue noses was being held, and I came back to do more work.
Took the biscuits and bags and more of Freya's presents to Friday Club film show, where I think everyone had a nice time but I didn't stay as had still tons of work to do.
Saturday 14th
Took Freya to Drama, and she and L were taken by C from there to Guides special Christmas thing involving photo competition, cooking, crafts, etc. I worked and assisted J in attempting to mend the pesky washing machine. We got the new belt on, rotated drum manually to test and it fell off. Then tried it slightly differently positioned, rotated drum manually OK, ran slow spin cycle OK, ran most of a wash cycle OK then off it flopped. So a bearing or whatever and time to buy a new washing machine (it was about 13 yrs old).
Sunday 15th
Took Freya to Fencing, having only been once then missed 2 due to holiday and a sleepover. She likes it so far. Note to self: Fencing starts again 5th Jan, Geography again 6th Jan.
Poured with rain, cat came in so wet I wouldn't let her on my lap but she loves bags so I offered her a nice canvas one on my lap, which she was very happy with.
Then J's dad came and we went out for a meal at Pizza Express, very nice. Then he kindly took us to buy washer/dryer. Goodness these things are very modern looking now, quite a different beast. We found the one J had turned up in online research the night before and paid and it came today (Monday) and I think it will be A Good Thing. Shame about the money though.
Monday 16th
Took Freya to Geography, she was so tired after such a busy weekend, not enough downtime, not enough leisurely starts. Anyway I came home and worked and saw the new washing machine doing its thing, went out 4ish to pick her up and get her to Costa for a snack before Aerial. I went to library while she was there.
Sunday, December 08, 2013
Mainly Christmas Camp
OoOps I am on catchuppery once again...
Sunday 24th November
Freya had her first Fencing session at the leisure centre - instead of the Wednesday 5.30 sessions at a local school, these are Sunday morning sessions and are the official Lewes Fencing Club. I like that there are juniors, teens and adults all there, divided into the age ranges, but all in same hall at same time, so visible continuity. She and M are both trying it, so far it seems good.
In the afternoon she went swimming with some friends also at the leisure centre.
Monday 25th
Geography for Freya followed by staying to play at N's. Meanwhile lots of work for me, then meeting her in town and taking her to eat something light before Aerial. Intriguing top of Tardis spotted in nearby fenced off yard, would love to get nearer but we can't work out how. She went on all 3 items of equipment at Aerial - trapeze, rope and silks. Not easy for her but I know she is very good at the long game and determination so time will tell what she can do with it.
Tuesday 26th
Creative Writing for Freya then J and I went to pick her up and we all went into Brighton to see Catching Fire, which I really enjoyed. Freya was brewing a cold and drank a litre and a half of water in the cinema.
Wednesday 27th
Kept Freya away from Forest School as she was full of cold and it was a damp sort of day to be spending 3 hours outside in. Did get her to French though and got a lift back with L's grandpa D, which was helpful. No fencing as she has changed to the Sunday one, so a different sort of Wednesday.
Had an ongoing ton of work to do and in fact all week I kept trying to stay up later to work and not managing it very well.
Thursday 28th
Freya had Dance, Art and Guides. I think I got taxi with her up to drop off at Dance and then back so I could work. She usually walks with D and J from Dance to Art. I then picked her up from Art to have a quick dinner and get to Guides and it was the last one in the alternative venue, which I'm glad about.
Afterwards more work for me, not quite making my deadline though, but it was self-imposed for invoicing purposes and I still technically made end-of-month, so think all is well with that in the end.
Friday 29th
Friday Club was a Photography workshop, focusing on street photography. It sounded really good from what I heard and saw afterwards. I think Freya went back to N's with L too. I picked her up at 4.30 after attempting more work blah blah.
Saturday 30th
Took Freya up to LAMDA Drama, think there is only one more this term, but she might miss it. Then she and I did some shopping for Sleepy Cat's birthday party, which was happening at 2pm at ours. I had said that it was fine for her to have friends over with their own companion animals of the Sleepy Cat type, if they stayed mainly in her room. So 9 girls plus lots of their small friends were in there eating tiny picnic food and playing games for an hour and a half. All seemed to go very well and Sleepy Cat had lovely presents including a house and an advent calendar, so he was thrilled. Gave them little party bags with small things in.
Some were then going on to Rollerdisco, so I took a few by taxi. It was K's first time so Freya kept her company most of the time.
Then home and Strictly, nice nice nice.
Sunday 1st
Time to pack and go off to Home-Ed Christmas Camp - 10 or so families, most of whom have known each other online (MuddlePuddle Yahoo group and then Early Years blogring mainly) and off, forever it seems. We first started meeting up with them in 2005 and made it to a couple of Kessingland holidays and a few of the Christmas Camps - this was maybe our 5th - plus meeting at other places including D and S's birthday or other parties over in Worthing most years. But we hadn't seen them for about 3 years at this point. This is the last one we went to and here's another one and this one was earlier in the year for Halloween and this was a camping one with a few of the same people
This one was at Coalbrookdale in Shropshire just by Ironbridge - there are 10 museums in the area, none of which we visited on this occasion!
Basically the group hires the whole Youth Hostel for the week, which works out pretty cheaply per person, and we cook and eat together, hang out, play games, chat, go out for walks, etc. The particular features of Christmas Camp usually include a "Christmas Day" when we have Christmas dinner, exchange Secret Santa gifts, the children put on a play and there's usually Christmas Carols and often a general talent show too.
So on Sunday we headed off by train, met up with Alison and L and they took us the rest of the way from Reading by car. We arrived just after dark and settled in. It was lovely to see everyone, but the first night I often end up going to bed early, especially if I've been working all hours. I was asleep by 11 I think and glad of it. Freya was also tired and a bit anxious about how it would all work out, having not seen people for a long time, so she was asleep just before me.
Monday 2nd
We made this a staying-in day at the hostel, and got up at a nice civilized hour and Freya was soon off with other older girls most of the time - they had set up a Teen Room (including 11s and up though) where they could go and they were rehearsing the play and some singing for the Talent Show off and on over Mon, Tue and Wed morning.
I did some crafting with paper to make some decorations, along with a lot of other people. Lovely Em taught me how to do a nice thing with paper and then I made a few and passed on the knowledge rather inefficiently to enquiring children as they appeared.
I did a bit of helping with washing/chopping veg for curry, onion bhaji mixing and washing up stuff. Love curry night at camp, though Freya not so keen but managed a few bhajis and rice. Think I had some wine and stayed up chatting for a while, though not massively late as was still very much enjoying the novelty of sleep availability plus no work.
Tuesday 3rd
This was our day to get Freya over the border to Wales as she feels that everyone she knows has been to another country except her, so it seemed a good chance to rectify this terrible inequality and deprivation. Katy S kindly gave us a lift to the station and we went by train over to Welshpool and had lunch in Wales: Welsh chips, Welsh soup, Welsh panini...
Sleepy Cat came too as you can see and didn't get left behind thank goodness. Imagine having to retrieve him from foreign parts without any passport or anything.
Alison picked us up at the station, which was much appreciated, and we were back at the hostel before it got dark so Freya could carry on joining in rehearsals for various entertainments. After dinner I played Settlers of Catan (expansion pack with ships and gold) with Barbara, Helen and E, really enjoyed the game, so much so that I have put on my Wish List - but have gone for Star Trek version! Cunningly alienating non-games lovers and games purists alike.
The game went on very, very late and Barbara won, all of which is not a bit surprising. Freya had really got overtired waiting though, despite attempts to prop her up with vegan mince-pie muffins. Very delicious, I think I might have had 3!
Wednesday 4th
"Christmas Day"!! Got up very late, helped mainly with washing up of large kitcheny items as was too late for chopping and prep, oops!
Lovely Christmas Dinner - veggie version was filo pastry parcels of a delicious mixture of veg including aubergine and courgette, and there were roast potatoes and parsnips, carrots and lots of other lovely veg. Was yummy! I didn't have room for pudding but later on (we had dinner at 3ish) I had 2 slices of Katy S's really good vegan mince tart made with apples in the mix and with orange and lemon in the pastry, a really nice thing, not that over-sweetness that some mince things have. Might have to try making one.
After dinner, we all went into the lounge and the children did their play, which was a crazy combination of various panto elements, mainly Little Red Riding Hood inspired and the ritual giving out of the Secret Santa gifts took place. I got a gorgeous cushion from Helen R and Freya got a lovely pencil case made by Beth, both of which are so soft and beautifully made, as well as being very useful (my sofa cushion has largely had it, so a bit of extra proppage makes all the difference especially when working). Our given gifts seemed to be welcomed too.
After the excitement of a room full of 40 or so people opening presents we all eventually settled down for the Talent Show in which anyone was welcome to perform. Freya joined a small group of girls singing accompanied by ukulele, they sounded nice. There were songs and instrument-playing, a great magic show by Maddy, an excellent comic song by Katy S and way too many jokes at the end by a seemingly infinite loop of children doing variations on a theme.
Carols too, some then and some later and Freya joined in with handbell playing.
Stayed up chatting and had wine, lovely day and evening.
Thursday 5th
We had to leave a day early due to commitments back home, so we were up and packed and out by 11.30 with Alison very kindly taking us to the station for our middayish train.
I was glad that lots of people were in the dining room when we left so I could say proper goodbyes with hugs - I love that group of people and they always make me feel so welcome, it's very comfortable and friendly. Really will try and see them again more often than leaving it 3 years.
Trains were a bit disrupted but mostly OK, we followed a rainbow for ages in and out of Birmingham.
We got back about 45 mins later than planned but still in time for dumping our stuff at home and going straight out again to the Lewes Castle temporary skating rink - you might think this involved ice but it was very much a non-ice experience. A very tiny plastic rink set up in the Castle gardens with people paying a fiver for fifteen minutes of stomping round on it. Crazy really! And it rained! Had booked it before we went so that Freya could go with friends but I don't think any of us were impressed, nor were N and co. when we bumped into them later after they had had their skate.
Did the late night shopping tramping around thing, including this year needing to deliver something to Guides, which caused emotional anguish for Freya in terms of not being sure how to deal with where she wanted to be, what she wanted to do, how to choose, how to say sorry, etc. Was quite a stressful evening as these things go, but OK overall, ended up by getting wraps and chips for dinner and taking them home.
Spent a lot of Thursday night putting Book Club together for the morning, I had made lots of notes but the actual prep took some time.
Friday 6th
Book Club! Fantasy genre books was our main theme and they had read The Hobbit and Howl's Moving Castle and a few had had a go at The Dark is Rising too.
Talked about what defines the genre, other features of the genre, characters, treatment of female characters (or absence!), humour, imaginary worlds, etc.
After our snack break, we did Secret Santa, with a great deal of 'can I be third/fifth/sixth to choose?' for some reason, which got very stressful. I was happy to let L choose being third as it had been her idea, but then it turned out half the group had very definite ideas of which order they wanted to go in most of which were incompatible with each other, ugh. However, once that stress was over, they all seemed to love the random gifts they had got. I gave them all light-up novelty balls as well and L and M had brought biscuits and I gave them all Lindors too, so it was all pretty festive.
Finished with riddles, a rune puzzle and charades.
Went to K's after for a cuppa.
Back home, curry and relaxing and QI and zombies hooray!
Saturday 7th
No LAMDA drama, so a long lie for all of us, except I think J had to get up to take delivery of some parcels as he has done some Xmas shopping online already, I've not started yet but I won't get paid till Wednesday I expect.
Bloomin' bleedin' washing machine has packed up so J spent a lot of time trying to get belt back on, which is horrible job, I helped too for a while. We got it on but as soon as started machine, drum rotated a few times then off it flopped, could hear it, so J has ordered a new belt and we can only hope...
Gave Freya a bath and hair wash and then she was off at 3ish for a sleepover with L and M at other L's in Btn.
I then had the very long hot bath I have waited about 3 weeks for, with bubbles and a bath bomb and a backlog of issues of the Radio Times! And wine and chocolate. Ha!
I emerged and cooked roast potatoes, sausage rolls, chilli sauce and green veg and J and I watched a film called The Quiet Earth, which was really quite bizarre, very much of its time, not bad really but just a bit 'so... er... what?' at the end. We also watched Misfits and Have I got News for you.
Sunday 8th
Had another good lie-in, I do feel I have caught up on a lot of sleep over the last week. Daughter returned just now, apparently didn't sleep until 7am for about 3 hours! Seems to have had nice time and they all went to the cinema with some others today too to see Frozen in 3D.
Hoping to watch last night's Strictly in a bit with a nice dinner, not sure what exactly it will be yet. I have the other half of last night's bottle of wine too.
Sunday 24th November
Freya had her first Fencing session at the leisure centre - instead of the Wednesday 5.30 sessions at a local school, these are Sunday morning sessions and are the official Lewes Fencing Club. I like that there are juniors, teens and adults all there, divided into the age ranges, but all in same hall at same time, so visible continuity. She and M are both trying it, so far it seems good.
In the afternoon she went swimming with some friends also at the leisure centre.
Monday 25th
Geography for Freya followed by staying to play at N's. Meanwhile lots of work for me, then meeting her in town and taking her to eat something light before Aerial. Intriguing top of Tardis spotted in nearby fenced off yard, would love to get nearer but we can't work out how. She went on all 3 items of equipment at Aerial - trapeze, rope and silks. Not easy for her but I know she is very good at the long game and determination so time will tell what she can do with it.
Tuesday 26th
Creative Writing for Freya then J and I went to pick her up and we all went into Brighton to see Catching Fire, which I really enjoyed. Freya was brewing a cold and drank a litre and a half of water in the cinema.
Wednesday 27th
Kept Freya away from Forest School as she was full of cold and it was a damp sort of day to be spending 3 hours outside in. Did get her to French though and got a lift back with L's grandpa D, which was helpful. No fencing as she has changed to the Sunday one, so a different sort of Wednesday.
Had an ongoing ton of work to do and in fact all week I kept trying to stay up later to work and not managing it very well.
Thursday 28th
Freya had Dance, Art and Guides. I think I got taxi with her up to drop off at Dance and then back so I could work. She usually walks with D and J from Dance to Art. I then picked her up from Art to have a quick dinner and get to Guides and it was the last one in the alternative venue, which I'm glad about.
Afterwards more work for me, not quite making my deadline though, but it was self-imposed for invoicing purposes and I still technically made end-of-month, so think all is well with that in the end.
Friday 29th
Friday Club was a Photography workshop, focusing on street photography. It sounded really good from what I heard and saw afterwards. I think Freya went back to N's with L too. I picked her up at 4.30 after attempting more work blah blah.
Saturday 30th
Took Freya up to LAMDA Drama, think there is only one more this term, but she might miss it. Then she and I did some shopping for Sleepy Cat's birthday party, which was happening at 2pm at ours. I had said that it was fine for her to have friends over with their own companion animals of the Sleepy Cat type, if they stayed mainly in her room. So 9 girls plus lots of their small friends were in there eating tiny picnic food and playing games for an hour and a half. All seemed to go very well and Sleepy Cat had lovely presents including a house and an advent calendar, so he was thrilled. Gave them little party bags with small things in.
Some were then going on to Rollerdisco, so I took a few by taxi. It was K's first time so Freya kept her company most of the time.
Then home and Strictly, nice nice nice.
Sunday 1st
Time to pack and go off to Home-Ed Christmas Camp - 10 or so families, most of whom have known each other online (MuddlePuddle Yahoo group and then Early Years blogring mainly) and off, forever it seems. We first started meeting up with them in 2005 and made it to a couple of Kessingland holidays and a few of the Christmas Camps - this was maybe our 5th - plus meeting at other places including D and S's birthday or other parties over in Worthing most years. But we hadn't seen them for about 3 years at this point. This is the last one we went to and here's another one and this one was earlier in the year for Halloween and this was a camping one with a few of the same people
This one was at Coalbrookdale in Shropshire just by Ironbridge - there are 10 museums in the area, none of which we visited on this occasion!
Basically the group hires the whole Youth Hostel for the week, which works out pretty cheaply per person, and we cook and eat together, hang out, play games, chat, go out for walks, etc. The particular features of Christmas Camp usually include a "Christmas Day" when we have Christmas dinner, exchange Secret Santa gifts, the children put on a play and there's usually Christmas Carols and often a general talent show too.
So on Sunday we headed off by train, met up with Alison and L and they took us the rest of the way from Reading by car. We arrived just after dark and settled in. It was lovely to see everyone, but the first night I often end up going to bed early, especially if I've been working all hours. I was asleep by 11 I think and glad of it. Freya was also tired and a bit anxious about how it would all work out, having not seen people for a long time, so she was asleep just before me.
Monday 2nd
We made this a staying-in day at the hostel, and got up at a nice civilized hour and Freya was soon off with other older girls most of the time - they had set up a Teen Room (including 11s and up though) where they could go and they were rehearsing the play and some singing for the Talent Show off and on over Mon, Tue and Wed morning.
I did some crafting with paper to make some decorations, along with a lot of other people. Lovely Em taught me how to do a nice thing with paper and then I made a few and passed on the knowledge rather inefficiently to enquiring children as they appeared.
I did a bit of helping with washing/chopping veg for curry, onion bhaji mixing and washing up stuff. Love curry night at camp, though Freya not so keen but managed a few bhajis and rice. Think I had some wine and stayed up chatting for a while, though not massively late as was still very much enjoying the novelty of sleep availability plus no work.
Tuesday 3rd
This was our day to get Freya over the border to Wales as she feels that everyone she knows has been to another country except her, so it seemed a good chance to rectify this terrible inequality and deprivation. Katy S kindly gave us a lift to the station and we went by train over to Welshpool and had lunch in Wales: Welsh chips, Welsh soup, Welsh panini...
Sleepy Cat came too as you can see and didn't get left behind thank goodness. Imagine having to retrieve him from foreign parts without any passport or anything.
Alison picked us up at the station, which was much appreciated, and we were back at the hostel before it got dark so Freya could carry on joining in rehearsals for various entertainments. After dinner I played Settlers of Catan (expansion pack with ships and gold) with Barbara, Helen and E, really enjoyed the game, so much so that I have put on my Wish List - but have gone for Star Trek version! Cunningly alienating non-games lovers and games purists alike.
The game went on very, very late and Barbara won, all of which is not a bit surprising. Freya had really got overtired waiting though, despite attempts to prop her up with vegan mince-pie muffins. Very delicious, I think I might have had 3!
Wednesday 4th
"Christmas Day"!! Got up very late, helped mainly with washing up of large kitcheny items as was too late for chopping and prep, oops!
Lovely Christmas Dinner - veggie version was filo pastry parcels of a delicious mixture of veg including aubergine and courgette, and there were roast potatoes and parsnips, carrots and lots of other lovely veg. Was yummy! I didn't have room for pudding but later on (we had dinner at 3ish) I had 2 slices of Katy S's really good vegan mince tart made with apples in the mix and with orange and lemon in the pastry, a really nice thing, not that over-sweetness that some mince things have. Might have to try making one.
After dinner, we all went into the lounge and the children did their play, which was a crazy combination of various panto elements, mainly Little Red Riding Hood inspired and the ritual giving out of the Secret Santa gifts took place. I got a gorgeous cushion from Helen R and Freya got a lovely pencil case made by Beth, both of which are so soft and beautifully made, as well as being very useful (my sofa cushion has largely had it, so a bit of extra proppage makes all the difference especially when working). Our given gifts seemed to be welcomed too.
After the excitement of a room full of 40 or so people opening presents we all eventually settled down for the Talent Show in which anyone was welcome to perform. Freya joined a small group of girls singing accompanied by ukulele, they sounded nice. There were songs and instrument-playing, a great magic show by Maddy, an excellent comic song by Katy S and way too many jokes at the end by a seemingly infinite loop of children doing variations on a theme.
Carols too, some then and some later and Freya joined in with handbell playing.
Stayed up chatting and had wine, lovely day and evening.
Thursday 5th
We had to leave a day early due to commitments back home, so we were up and packed and out by 11.30 with Alison very kindly taking us to the station for our middayish train.
I was glad that lots of people were in the dining room when we left so I could say proper goodbyes with hugs - I love that group of people and they always make me feel so welcome, it's very comfortable and friendly. Really will try and see them again more often than leaving it 3 years.
Trains were a bit disrupted but mostly OK, we followed a rainbow for ages in and out of Birmingham.
We got back about 45 mins later than planned but still in time for dumping our stuff at home and going straight out again to the Lewes Castle temporary skating rink - you might think this involved ice but it was very much a non-ice experience. A very tiny plastic rink set up in the Castle gardens with people paying a fiver for fifteen minutes of stomping round on it. Crazy really! And it rained! Had booked it before we went so that Freya could go with friends but I don't think any of us were impressed, nor were N and co. when we bumped into them later after they had had their skate.
Did the late night shopping tramping around thing, including this year needing to deliver something to Guides, which caused emotional anguish for Freya in terms of not being sure how to deal with where she wanted to be, what she wanted to do, how to choose, how to say sorry, etc. Was quite a stressful evening as these things go, but OK overall, ended up by getting wraps and chips for dinner and taking them home.
Spent a lot of Thursday night putting Book Club together for the morning, I had made lots of notes but the actual prep took some time.
Friday 6th
Book Club! Fantasy genre books was our main theme and they had read The Hobbit and Howl's Moving Castle and a few had had a go at The Dark is Rising too.
Talked about what defines the genre, other features of the genre, characters, treatment of female characters (or absence!), humour, imaginary worlds, etc.
After our snack break, we did Secret Santa, with a great deal of 'can I be third/fifth/sixth to choose?' for some reason, which got very stressful. I was happy to let L choose being third as it had been her idea, but then it turned out half the group had very definite ideas of which order they wanted to go in most of which were incompatible with each other, ugh. However, once that stress was over, they all seemed to love the random gifts they had got. I gave them all light-up novelty balls as well and L and M had brought biscuits and I gave them all Lindors too, so it was all pretty festive.
Finished with riddles, a rune puzzle and charades.
Went to K's after for a cuppa.
Back home, curry and relaxing and QI and zombies hooray!
Saturday 7th
No LAMDA drama, so a long lie for all of us, except I think J had to get up to take delivery of some parcels as he has done some Xmas shopping online already, I've not started yet but I won't get paid till Wednesday I expect.
Bloomin' bleedin' washing machine has packed up so J spent a lot of time trying to get belt back on, which is horrible job, I helped too for a while. We got it on but as soon as started machine, drum rotated a few times then off it flopped, could hear it, so J has ordered a new belt and we can only hope...
Gave Freya a bath and hair wash and then she was off at 3ish for a sleepover with L and M at other L's in Btn.
I then had the very long hot bath I have waited about 3 weeks for, with bubbles and a bath bomb and a backlog of issues of the Radio Times! And wine and chocolate. Ha!
I emerged and cooked roast potatoes, sausage rolls, chilli sauce and green veg and J and I watched a film called The Quiet Earth, which was really quite bizarre, very much of its time, not bad really but just a bit 'so... er... what?' at the end. We also watched Misfits and Have I got News for you.
Sunday 8th
Had another good lie-in, I do feel I have caught up on a lot of sleep over the last week. Daughter returned just now, apparently didn't sleep until 7am for about 3 hours! Seems to have had nice time and they all went to the cinema with some others today too to see Frozen in 3D.
Hoping to watch last night's Strictly in a bit with a nice dinner, not sure what exactly it will be yet. I have the other half of last night's bottle of wine too.
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Usual hectic stuff plus Livewires
Saturday 16th November
Freya had LAMDA drama in the morning, I sat in a cafe while she was there. Then I picked her up and she sat outside a cafe in the sunshine, whilst I did a bit of shopping - she saw a few people she knew. Then we went home. Later we went over to the Leisure Centre and she joined M and L and M for rollerdisco (first time this season) followed by sleepover at M's. All of which was good I think - they had pizza and watched some Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em and some Laurel and Hardy and played a game with Sleepy Cat. J and I watched some Misfits and a QI and ate chilli and roast potatoes.
Sunday 17th November
C kindly gave Freya a lift back from M's. In the afternoon we met a couple of other families at a showing of Dumbo at Junior Film Club. It was an amazing event, much additional content of various sorts was laid on, mostly on a circus theme, including us audience members having our noses painted red on our way in, an ear-spotting quiz, and an aerial circus skills show in which L and N played elephants, which was the main reason for our attendance. It was all good fun, but some of it before the film went on a bit long, it felt like there were endless layers to the event before we would be allowed to actually see the film. Freya and I had one of our misunderstandings too, so that was a less fun bit for both of us, but all was well in the end.
In the evening we caught up on watching Strictly and decided to watch the last few episodes of the last series of Doctor Who in readiness for The Big Day of the 23rd, so watched 2 that night and 1 or 2 most other nights after that.
Monday 18th November
Got Freya to Geography a bit late, went home and worked solidly and productively, went to meet her at half 4ish, took her to Costa, then she was trying out Aerial Circus Skills for an hour at 5.45. She liked it enough to want to go back, partly hoping she can eventually be in the same group as her friends. She amazes me, the things she tries that are hard for her. Anyway, she managed pretty well with a little bit of help with some aspects.
Tuesday 19th November
Creative writing was cancelled, so some of the girls went swimming instead. Back home I think Freya and I watched the first 2 episodes of I'm A Celebrity... LOL.
Wednesday 20th November
Rainy rainy day and Freya had Forest School - they took refuge in the polytunnel thing. Ran her a bath when she came home and C kindly took her to French in Brighton and back, then I took her to Fencing. She's going to try out a different Fencing group (tomorrow in fact so might be giving up Sunday lie-ins, the last bastion!). In the evening we made banana cake to use up some bananas, added choc chips and dried fruit soaked in orange juice, pretty good cake! Made two.
Thursday 21st November
Livewires - Between the Wars - I took some images (opening of Lewes Odeon 1934, introduction of television sets into homes, Penguin paperbacks, girls in 1920s dresses, airline advert, dance marathon photo, etc.) and bits of text about them, prompts for thinking, talking and writing. We took N as her brother was unwell - they usually give us a lift. I took one of the banana cakes to offer round and it all got eaten. There were some good activities/resources - particularly C's poems table, which I would have loved to have visited properly myself.
C took Freya and P took N, and I set off from there on foot but then got a lift from J. Freya was going to Dance (they did tango and a new bit of jive) and then to Art (she is making/decorating a box house for her 2 Blue Noses). I worked a bit then headed back into town at half five for picking her up at 6. We went to the pizza place again and then I dropped her at Guides at 7 and went to Waitrose and then the pub! At Guides they were choosing their next "Go For It" and played a guessing game. At the pub I was watching EastEnders and drinking a diet coke.
The Thursdays when we have Livewires (once a month) are very very long days, Freya is out of the house from 9.30 am to 9pm (remember 'home' education...?). I am usually able to go home for the middle bit but it's still a long old stretch.
I had planned to work an all-nighter that night but unsurprisingly I only managed 2.30am - what a lightweight I have become for work, with all this logistical hithering and thithering. It is quite a problem fitting in 40 hours a week on top of everything! Not that every week is a 40-hour one but this one should have been, if not more.
Friday 22nd November
Friday Club - Ice Skating in Brighton as the winter rink has gone up by the Pavilion. Lots of Friday Clubbers and siblings and adults too. Was lovely. I didn't go on, obv. because it's kind of slippy-looking. I did holding bags and retrieving items and passing things and encouraging WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT. It was nice to see everyone and we had 2 other families with us on the bus both ways too, so all very sociable.
Freya and I then shopped a bit in Lewes.
Came home, worked a bit, ordered and ate curry and watched Monsters University. Hooray!
Saturday 23rd November
Walked Freya up to Drama, then did some shopping, then home, gave her a bath, washed her hair, she was picked up by the once again very kind C to be taken to a party in Btn. I did some more work, and J made some garlic focaccia and Freya was delivered late afternoonish. I did gnocchi for dinner with a slightly spicy sauce, bit too spicy for Freya, oops, and we had plenty of J's bread with it and watched Strictly, then Doctor Who, which I loved!
Freya had LAMDA drama in the morning, I sat in a cafe while she was there. Then I picked her up and she sat outside a cafe in the sunshine, whilst I did a bit of shopping - she saw a few people she knew. Then we went home. Later we went over to the Leisure Centre and she joined M and L and M for rollerdisco (first time this season) followed by sleepover at M's. All of which was good I think - they had pizza and watched some Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em and some Laurel and Hardy and played a game with Sleepy Cat. J and I watched some Misfits and a QI and ate chilli and roast potatoes.
Sunday 17th November
C kindly gave Freya a lift back from M's. In the afternoon we met a couple of other families at a showing of Dumbo at Junior Film Club. It was an amazing event, much additional content of various sorts was laid on, mostly on a circus theme, including us audience members having our noses painted red on our way in, an ear-spotting quiz, and an aerial circus skills show in which L and N played elephants, which was the main reason for our attendance. It was all good fun, but some of it before the film went on a bit long, it felt like there were endless layers to the event before we would be allowed to actually see the film. Freya and I had one of our misunderstandings too, so that was a less fun bit for both of us, but all was well in the end.
In the evening we caught up on watching Strictly and decided to watch the last few episodes of the last series of Doctor Who in readiness for The Big Day of the 23rd, so watched 2 that night and 1 or 2 most other nights after that.
Monday 18th November
Got Freya to Geography a bit late, went home and worked solidly and productively, went to meet her at half 4ish, took her to Costa, then she was trying out Aerial Circus Skills for an hour at 5.45. She liked it enough to want to go back, partly hoping she can eventually be in the same group as her friends. She amazes me, the things she tries that are hard for her. Anyway, she managed pretty well with a little bit of help with some aspects.
Tuesday 19th November
Creative writing was cancelled, so some of the girls went swimming instead. Back home I think Freya and I watched the first 2 episodes of I'm A Celebrity... LOL.
Wednesday 20th November
Rainy rainy day and Freya had Forest School - they took refuge in the polytunnel thing. Ran her a bath when she came home and C kindly took her to French in Brighton and back, then I took her to Fencing. She's going to try out a different Fencing group (tomorrow in fact so might be giving up Sunday lie-ins, the last bastion!). In the evening we made banana cake to use up some bananas, added choc chips and dried fruit soaked in orange juice, pretty good cake! Made two.
Thursday 21st November
Livewires - Between the Wars - I took some images (opening of Lewes Odeon 1934, introduction of television sets into homes, Penguin paperbacks, girls in 1920s dresses, airline advert, dance marathon photo, etc.) and bits of text about them, prompts for thinking, talking and writing. We took N as her brother was unwell - they usually give us a lift. I took one of the banana cakes to offer round and it all got eaten. There were some good activities/resources - particularly C's poems table, which I would have loved to have visited properly myself.
C took Freya and P took N, and I set off from there on foot but then got a lift from J. Freya was going to Dance (they did tango and a new bit of jive) and then to Art (she is making/decorating a box house for her 2 Blue Noses). I worked a bit then headed back into town at half five for picking her up at 6. We went to the pizza place again and then I dropped her at Guides at 7 and went to Waitrose and then the pub! At Guides they were choosing their next "Go For It" and played a guessing game. At the pub I was watching EastEnders and drinking a diet coke.
The Thursdays when we have Livewires (once a month) are very very long days, Freya is out of the house from 9.30 am to 9pm (remember 'home' education...?). I am usually able to go home for the middle bit but it's still a long old stretch.
I had planned to work an all-nighter that night but unsurprisingly I only managed 2.30am - what a lightweight I have become for work, with all this logistical hithering and thithering. It is quite a problem fitting in 40 hours a week on top of everything! Not that every week is a 40-hour one but this one should have been, if not more.
Friday 22nd November
Friday Club - Ice Skating in Brighton as the winter rink has gone up by the Pavilion. Lots of Friday Clubbers and siblings and adults too. Was lovely. I didn't go on, obv. because it's kind of slippy-looking. I did holding bags and retrieving items and passing things and encouraging WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT. It was nice to see everyone and we had 2 other families with us on the bus both ways too, so all very sociable.
Freya and I then shopped a bit in Lewes.
Came home, worked a bit, ordered and ate curry and watched Monsters University. Hooray!
Saturday 23rd November
Walked Freya up to Drama, then did some shopping, then home, gave her a bath, washed her hair, she was picked up by the once again very kind C to be taken to a party in Btn. I did some more work, and J made some garlic focaccia and Freya was delivered late afternoonish. I did gnocchi for dinner with a slightly spicy sauce, bit too spicy for Freya, oops, and we had plenty of J's bread with it and watched Strictly, then Doctor Who, which I loved!
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Remembrance, J's birthday, Leaves, Children in Need
Saturday 9th
Walked Freya up to Drama in absolute pouring rain. She and L had planned to go shopping afterwards, and they did do a bit and mainly went to a cafe due to the weather. Bit of confusion about whether Freya was walking home on own, or getting bus or what. I took pictures of red things that leapt out at me.
Back home Freya had a bath - her hair is still untangled! Brushing it most days... and have coconut oil conditioner spray...
In the late afternoon, Freya went off to East Hoathly with some friends to see the bonfire and fireworks there. They had fun by the sound of it. J and I watched a not very good film and a few TV things.
Sunday 10th
Freya took part in the Remembrance Day Parade. I have never attended Remembrance Day wreath-laying and other such events before. It touched me. It was the sunniest day we have had for ages, and I thought about the old buildings in the town touched by the sun, all the young people they had seen being sent off and welcomed home or not.
J's mum came too, and we all walked home in the sunshine, took some more pictures of leaves and such things as colours were so vibrant.
At home J opened birthday presents from his mum, including Paul Hollywood's Bread book, which looks wonderful, so many delicious things in there. J's mum had also brought vegan cookies and ginger cake. Was a lovely day.
Monday 11th
J's birthday - we made him a chocolate cake, but it stuck to the tin in places, resulting in rather an uneven shape, tried to compensate with thick chocolate icing and HAPPY BIRTHDAY candles. It tasted great despite its anomalous form.
He opened his presents from us, a couple were still to come but he had a game and a CD and some ginger truffles.
Later we went to see Gravity in 3D in Brighton, which was good, enjoyed it. And then Terre a Terre for birthday meal, yum! Such good food!
Tuesday 12th
Freya went to play at N's till 2.30ish, then we had a bit of shopping to do in town, which meant we got home too late for the sort of afternoon we had hoped and planned for, so have rescheduled a WHOLE DAY AT HOME on 26th!
Wednesday 13th
Forest School for Freya - sunny but cold. Didn't make it to French. Watched Freaky Friday instead. Did make it to Fencing, bumping into J on the way, on his way home as we were going out.
Thursday 14th
Leisurely start to the day. Then Freya went up to Dancing, where they did Waltz Square? And then she walked down with D and J to Art, where she has done lovely blues on a box for Blue Noses, and especially beautiful wallpaper with heart-shaped white clouds. I am really glad she is doing regular art stuff, it just wasn't happening without an external element. Then I picked her up from Art and we bumped into L so were able to offer to get her to Guides later. Went to pizza place (I had bread, houmous, olives) and then retrieved L and they went to Guides.
Back home we baked tiny fruit turnovers for Children in Need.
Friday 15th
Children in Need session - and Friday Club is 1 year old today too, as the first ever Friday Club was for CiN last year. Friday Club has been brilliant for Freya and, I think, for a group of about a dozen girls who come to most sessions. Archaeology, Songwriting, Drumming, Climbing, Mindfulness, Art, Magazine Making, Canoeing, Book Club... and so much more.
Anyway, today they made cakes and iced them, then set up base in the High Street, from which they all went off, many wearing onesies, to offer cakes for donations. They all did really well and raised a total of £326.
Freya then went back to N's, with L too, till about 5.30 when I picked her up.
At home we watched CiN till 11pm, am going to bed soon, it's so chilly.
Walked Freya up to Drama in absolute pouring rain. She and L had planned to go shopping afterwards, and they did do a bit and mainly went to a cafe due to the weather. Bit of confusion about whether Freya was walking home on own, or getting bus or what. I took pictures of red things that leapt out at me.
Back home Freya had a bath - her hair is still untangled! Brushing it most days... and have coconut oil conditioner spray...
In the late afternoon, Freya went off to East Hoathly with some friends to see the bonfire and fireworks there. They had fun by the sound of it. J and I watched a not very good film and a few TV things.
Sunday 10th
Freya took part in the Remembrance Day Parade. I have never attended Remembrance Day wreath-laying and other such events before. It touched me. It was the sunniest day we have had for ages, and I thought about the old buildings in the town touched by the sun, all the young people they had seen being sent off and welcomed home or not.
J's mum came too, and we all walked home in the sunshine, took some more pictures of leaves and such things as colours were so vibrant.
At home J opened birthday presents from his mum, including Paul Hollywood's Bread book, which looks wonderful, so many delicious things in there. J's mum had also brought vegan cookies and ginger cake. Was a lovely day.
Monday 11th
J's birthday - we made him a chocolate cake, but it stuck to the tin in places, resulting in rather an uneven shape, tried to compensate with thick chocolate icing and HAPPY BIRTHDAY candles. It tasted great despite its anomalous form.
He opened his presents from us, a couple were still to come but he had a game and a CD and some ginger truffles.
Later we went to see Gravity in 3D in Brighton, which was good, enjoyed it. And then Terre a Terre for birthday meal, yum! Such good food!
Tuesday 12th
Freya went to play at N's till 2.30ish, then we had a bit of shopping to do in town, which meant we got home too late for the sort of afternoon we had hoped and planned for, so have rescheduled a WHOLE DAY AT HOME on 26th!
Wednesday 13th
Forest School for Freya - sunny but cold. Didn't make it to French. Watched Freaky Friday instead. Did make it to Fencing, bumping into J on the way, on his way home as we were going out.
Thursday 14th
Leisurely start to the day. Then Freya went up to Dancing, where they did Waltz Square? And then she walked down with D and J to Art, where she has done lovely blues on a box for Blue Noses, and especially beautiful wallpaper with heart-shaped white clouds. I am really glad she is doing regular art stuff, it just wasn't happening without an external element. Then I picked her up from Art and we bumped into L so were able to offer to get her to Guides later. Went to pizza place (I had bread, houmous, olives) and then retrieved L and they went to Guides.
Back home we baked tiny fruit turnovers for Children in Need.
Friday 15th
Children in Need session - and Friday Club is 1 year old today too, as the first ever Friday Club was for CiN last year. Friday Club has been brilliant for Freya and, I think, for a group of about a dozen girls who come to most sessions. Archaeology, Songwriting, Drumming, Climbing, Mindfulness, Art, Magazine Making, Canoeing, Book Club... and so much more.
Anyway, today they made cakes and iced them, then set up base in the High Street, from which they all went off, many wearing onesies, to offer cakes for donations. They all did really well and raised a total of £326.
Freya then went back to N's, with L too, till about 5.30 when I picked her up.
At home we watched CiN till 11pm, am going to bed soon, it's so chilly.
Friday, November 08, 2013
Minimal Catchuppery
Just a quick catch-up - days this week have gone to:
general hecticness of all the usual sorts including Drama, Creative Writing, Forest School, French, Dancing, Art, Guides and playing at N's and L's
one not-so-happy sleepover at ours involving syrup sneakage, subsequent spillage, consequent attempted washing of dressing gown, resulting wet floor and drippage in various locations, glass breakage, sofa cushion redistribution and much hoo-ha and not-so-very-quiet whispering in the small hours arrrrgggghhhhh.
one Lewes bonfire madness night, where I didn't have to go out for the whole thing, but actually it felt kind of odd not to, though I did see a lot of it when I went out to pick Freya up - she watched some processioning and fireworks down in Cliffe with her friend N and family
one easier sleepover at ours in which Piggy and Bun Bun had pizza, watched Despicable Me, played Cluedo and were good company
one Book Club that started with some quotations and affirmations to finish off our Growing Up theme, followed by Freaky Friday mime game, discussion of mystery books and then a possibly over-ambitious and hectic clue-solving activity, which proved confusing and tricky, but did have its highlights, especially K who persisted at a complicated code puzzle when everyone else had moved on, for the sheer satisfaction of solving it herself - they are a lovely bunch but there are a lot of them and it is tricky to ensure they keep listening to each other at times!
general hecticness of all the usual sorts including Drama, Creative Writing, Forest School, French, Dancing, Art, Guides and playing at N's and L's
one not-so-happy sleepover at ours involving syrup sneakage, subsequent spillage, consequent attempted washing of dressing gown, resulting wet floor and drippage in various locations, glass breakage, sofa cushion redistribution and much hoo-ha and not-so-very-quiet whispering in the small hours arrrrgggghhhhh.
one Lewes bonfire madness night, where I didn't have to go out for the whole thing, but actually it felt kind of odd not to, though I did see a lot of it when I went out to pick Freya up - she watched some processioning and fireworks down in Cliffe with her friend N and family
one easier sleepover at ours in which Piggy and Bun Bun had pizza, watched Despicable Me, played Cluedo and were good company
one Book Club that started with some quotations and affirmations to finish off our Growing Up theme, followed by Freaky Friday mime game, discussion of mystery books and then a possibly over-ambitious and hectic clue-solving activity, which proved confusing and tricky, but did have its highlights, especially K who persisted at a complicated code puzzle when everyone else had moved on, for the sheer satisfaction of solving it herself - they are a lovely bunch but there are a lot of them and it is tricky to ensure they keep listening to each other at times!
Friday, November 01, 2013
Nevill Juvenile, Mystery Party, Forest Unschool, Halloween
Saturday 19th
It was Nevill Juvenile Bonfire Night. Freya's friend L marches in it, alongside her grandpa, and this year was joined by all her family at one point. Freya and I always go up and try to spot them at as many different points on the convoluted looping route as possible, which is quite satisfyingly possible. We're not sure, we think Freya saw them 5 times, I might not have managed all of them. Maybe it was even 6 but anyway it was quite a lot of times and a lot of racing around parallel streets to catch them. I had expected it to be rainy and it wasn't, and they had an excellent David Cameron effigy, so all good. We didn't go up to the field for the fireworks but stopped on our way home to watch them from a distance, they were absolutely amazing.
Sunday 20th
I think I was working, can't remember if much else happened. I know we watched Strictly from the night before that evening. Oh I think Freya did some workbook stuff and started making her next magazine? Maybe...
Monday 21st
Took Freya to Geography in the morning, and she stayed afterwards, as often happens, with her 3 friends and they went swimming together - think it's the first time she has just turned up at Leisure Centre in a group of girls with no adult - they got asked why they weren't at school, but it sounded like the tone was curiosity rather than hostility. Picked her up at 4ish.
Had lovely feedback about Freya from Friday's Songwriting Workshop, very proud of her.They will probably have further workshops with Jo, who ran it, think they all enjoyed it and were engaged.
Tuesday 22nd
Sorted Freya's room out as far as we could without the boxes, which hadn't come yet, but I had ordered them on the Saturday, so at least they were imminent. Anyway we did pretty well and found the floor and rescued many Sylvanians from nooks.
Wednesday 23rd
Forest School, French, Fencing. Complete with Afternoon Cuppa at A's. Logistics were smooth because C gave us a lift, so a relatively stress-free Wednesday. Can't remember much about it though.
Thursday 24th
Freya had Dancing, but missed the first 15 mins due to epic taxi fail. She didn't go to Art or Guides, because we were all of us, with J's mum as well, going to Brighton for a meal and to see Bill Bailey's Qualmpeddler show (Review here but not Brighton). Had a lovely time, very funny and enjoyable show. J had booked it for us ages before, must do more of those sorts of things, it was a great night out.
Very late back though due to more transportation problems of various kinds including road closure and very crazy taxi driver eeeeeeek! Train in the end, poor J's mum was so late as she had to then drive from ours to Hastings too. But was still a lovely night out.
Friday 25th
Freya went off in C's car with others to a Friday Club Archaeology workshop at Bridge Farm, which would involve them getting muddy and wet, hoorah! She then went back to C's to change into party gear - onesies in fact - before they all went off with an extra L to M's party. M's party was great fun, Freya reported back later, and involved a murder mystery theme, a murder mystery game in character (Freya was a mad Nazi, it was set in the war!), a tower of chocolate profiteroles, watching Clue and many other giddy moments as a party should. She came home sometime after 10pm and was very sleepy soon after. I was tired too and went to bed straight after her.
Saturday 26th
Fairly relaxed day, took Freya to swimming with a smallish group, chatted a bit while I was there. Enjoyed Strictly in the evening. It's worrying me that I can't remember what I cooked for dinner, maybe it was pasta LOL why am I bothering to try and remember?
Sunday 27th
J had to work and I put a lot of time in to getting the knots out of Freya's hair as it had built up again and I had already had 3 goes at it during the week before. Bath, tons of conditioner, various tools that promise stress-free detangling, scissors, Radio 4 comedies/quizzes. Done with only minimal last-resort chopping. And now she/I/we must brush it every day and keep it nice (have we been here before...?)
Other than that I expect I was working, and I do remember I cooked a very rubbish dinner that night, a strange mish-mash of items, none of which were right in themselves, and even less so with each other. And poor Deborah left Strictly, woe. She loved it so much!
Monday 28th
We hosted a half-term "Forest Unschool" event, inviting several girls who used to go to Forest School and one who still does. The "hurricane" changed our plans from large-scale art piece and walk out on Downs to indoor fiddling with twigs and yarn, but it was a lovely few hours, chatting and knotting and weaving and fiddling. We had the Great British Year on in the background without sound, Autumn and Summer I think. A cosy afternoon.
Tuesday 29th
I took Freya to meet L and N at the station as K was taking them all on the train to Brighton to a (free!) writing workshop called "The Land of Lost Things" - "Share your stories about the objects, animals and people you have lost – whether it’s a favourite bag left on a train, a person you miss, or your 23-year old cat buried at the bottom of the garden. A fun and relaxed session of games and creative writing. Suitable for all levels and designed to get you inspired."
Afterwards they were all going back to N's house and staying all afternoon and having a sleepover.
All went well, think they had a lovely time.
Wednesday 30th
Picked Freya up from N's mid-morning. Tired!
Can't remember what we did the rest of that day. Oh, bit of going over Freya's drama script for LAMDA drama, and we scraped out our pumpkins.
Thursday 31st
Carved our pumpkins, then went up to C's house to join in a small-scale social afternoon there, which was lovely. I sat sewing bat wings onto a top for Freya for later and made little black fingerless gloves.
Left Freya there for her tea, came home, got rest of costume, went up again to deliver it as she was going Trick-or-Treating with L's family, then she and L were both going to go with N, D and J in another area too - all went well, she came back with a mad amount of sweets
. Then I came home again, put pumpkins out and then was up at door every 5 minutes or less for a while as about 150 kids came by, mostly in small groups. Best one was a boy pretending to be a parcel delivery service with a clipboard and a medium size cardboard box on the step... out of which sprang his mate! Fun! I do like Halloween or at least the fun part of it and the lovely pumpkins some people do. Mine was fiddly this year and I didn't enjoy it, felt like a bit of a chore, Freya did a lovely minions and hearts themed one.
It was Nevill Juvenile Bonfire Night. Freya's friend L marches in it, alongside her grandpa, and this year was joined by all her family at one point. Freya and I always go up and try to spot them at as many different points on the convoluted looping route as possible, which is quite satisfyingly possible. We're not sure, we think Freya saw them 5 times, I might not have managed all of them. Maybe it was even 6 but anyway it was quite a lot of times and a lot of racing around parallel streets to catch them. I had expected it to be rainy and it wasn't, and they had an excellent David Cameron effigy, so all good. We didn't go up to the field for the fireworks but stopped on our way home to watch them from a distance, they were absolutely amazing.
Sunday 20th
I think I was working, can't remember if much else happened. I know we watched Strictly from the night before that evening. Oh I think Freya did some workbook stuff and started making her next magazine? Maybe...
Monday 21st
Took Freya to Geography in the morning, and she stayed afterwards, as often happens, with her 3 friends and they went swimming together - think it's the first time she has just turned up at Leisure Centre in a group of girls with no adult - they got asked why they weren't at school, but it sounded like the tone was curiosity rather than hostility. Picked her up at 4ish.
Had lovely feedback about Freya from Friday's Songwriting Workshop, very proud of her.They will probably have further workshops with Jo, who ran it, think they all enjoyed it and were engaged.
Tuesday 22nd
Sorted Freya's room out as far as we could without the boxes, which hadn't come yet, but I had ordered them on the Saturday, so at least they were imminent. Anyway we did pretty well and found the floor and rescued many Sylvanians from nooks.
Wednesday 23rd
Forest School, French, Fencing. Complete with Afternoon Cuppa at A's. Logistics were smooth because C gave us a lift, so a relatively stress-free Wednesday. Can't remember much about it though.
Thursday 24th
Freya had Dancing, but missed the first 15 mins due to epic taxi fail. She didn't go to Art or Guides, because we were all of us, with J's mum as well, going to Brighton for a meal and to see Bill Bailey's Qualmpeddler show (Review here but not Brighton). Had a lovely time, very funny and enjoyable show. J had booked it for us ages before, must do more of those sorts of things, it was a great night out.
Very late back though due to more transportation problems of various kinds including road closure and very crazy taxi driver eeeeeeek! Train in the end, poor J's mum was so late as she had to then drive from ours to Hastings too. But was still a lovely night out.
Friday 25th
Freya went off in C's car with others to a Friday Club Archaeology workshop at Bridge Farm, which would involve them getting muddy and wet, hoorah! She then went back to C's to change into party gear - onesies in fact - before they all went off with an extra L to M's party. M's party was great fun, Freya reported back later, and involved a murder mystery theme, a murder mystery game in character (Freya was a mad Nazi, it was set in the war!), a tower of chocolate profiteroles, watching Clue and many other giddy moments as a party should. She came home sometime after 10pm and was very sleepy soon after. I was tired too and went to bed straight after her.
Saturday 26th
Fairly relaxed day, took Freya to swimming with a smallish group, chatted a bit while I was there. Enjoyed Strictly in the evening. It's worrying me that I can't remember what I cooked for dinner, maybe it was pasta LOL why am I bothering to try and remember?
Sunday 27th
J had to work and I put a lot of time in to getting the knots out of Freya's hair as it had built up again and I had already had 3 goes at it during the week before. Bath, tons of conditioner, various tools that promise stress-free detangling, scissors, Radio 4 comedies/quizzes. Done with only minimal last-resort chopping. And now she/I/we must brush it every day and keep it nice (have we been here before...?)
Other than that I expect I was working, and I do remember I cooked a very rubbish dinner that night, a strange mish-mash of items, none of which were right in themselves, and even less so with each other. And poor Deborah left Strictly, woe. She loved it so much!
Monday 28th
We hosted a half-term "Forest Unschool" event, inviting several girls who used to go to Forest School and one who still does. The "hurricane" changed our plans from large-scale art piece and walk out on Downs to indoor fiddling with twigs and yarn, but it was a lovely few hours, chatting and knotting and weaving and fiddling. We had the Great British Year on in the background without sound, Autumn and Summer I think. A cosy afternoon.
Tuesday 29th
I took Freya to meet L and N at the station as K was taking them all on the train to Brighton to a (free!) writing workshop called "The Land of Lost Things" - "Share your stories about the objects, animals and people you have lost – whether it’s a favourite bag left on a train, a person you miss, or your 23-year old cat buried at the bottom of the garden. A fun and relaxed session of games and creative writing. Suitable for all levels and designed to get you inspired."
Afterwards they were all going back to N's house and staying all afternoon and having a sleepover.
All went well, think they had a lovely time.
Wednesday 30th
Picked Freya up from N's mid-morning. Tired!
Can't remember what we did the rest of that day. Oh, bit of going over Freya's drama script for LAMDA drama, and we scraped out our pumpkins.
Thursday 31st
Carved our pumpkins, then went up to C's house to join in a small-scale social afternoon there, which was lovely. I sat sewing bat wings onto a top for Freya for later and made little black fingerless gloves.
Left Freya there for her tea, came home, got rest of costume, went up again to deliver it as she was going Trick-or-Treating with L's family, then she and L were both going to go with N, D and J in another area too - all went well, she came back with a mad amount of sweets
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Three-Thing Wednesdays and Four-Thing Thursdays and Logistics
Tuesday 8th
We had a day at home and did a bit of sorting in Freya's room but didn't get very far, need some Really Useful Boxes.
Wednesday 9th
Freya had Forest School, French and Fencing. Wednesday logistics are very challenging! She comes back from Forest School, potentially covered in mud, between 1.30 and 2 and we need to try to be on a bus to Brighton by 2.40 for French at 3.30, then coming back is even tighter, though no mud involved. So far the traffic has got us most times, but fortunately R, who runs Fencing, is very chilled about our mostly late arrivals and Freya doesn't miss too much. At Fencing they did some 'proper' one-on-one fencing, which looked great!
While she's at Forest School I usually work, and while she's at French I have a cuppa with A round the corner from French, which is a good catch-up hour. And while she's at Fencing I sit with M and we talk quietlyish. So apart from the logistics of journeying and providing snackage, mud removal and clothes changing, I don't have a bad Wednesday really.
Thursday 10th
A 4-thing Thursday, busy, took Freya to play at her friend K's house in Brighton for a couple of hours late morning, where she had a lovely time, I had a chat, then went to a cafe and wandered a bit, before picking her up to come back over to Lewes for Dancing. I completely forgot to be where I was supposed to be at some point soon after that, but quickly repaired the error with a bit of help! Then took Freya to Art at 4, where she carried on painting her chair, I came home again for a while, went out again at half five with her Guide uniform, picked her up at 6 and took her to have chip dinner on way to Guides at 7. She enjoyed Guides, think they did something with Lebekuchen.
This blog is largely turning into Logistics Log I note. Huh.
Friday 11th
Friday Club was on the subject of "What's Happening to Me?", with varying degrees of engagement and success I expect. Think it gave rise to some conversations about such things, which is good. Afterwards Freya embarked on a bus adventure with L and L - they had planned to take the bus from town up to L's - the first time for any of them going on a bus without an accompanying adult. They went to the stop and soon found that the bus wasn't going as a passenger had had an injury, and was being attended by an ambulance! So they had to be super-resourceful and work out/find out about other buses, etc. Which they managed very well, took the bus we often get and walked the rest of the way, arriving with an exciting tale to tell.
Think Freya had a good afternoon there at L's and both she and other L ended up being allowed to stay for an impromptu sleepover!
J and I had curry and I think we watched some Breaking Bad, still inching towards the end.
Saturday 12th
Last LAMDA drama before half term, Freya went directly from her sleepover, as L was going too. Think that is going OK. She has some lines to learn and we have the date of the exam in March.
Strictly Come Dancing was good, enjoying it.
Sunday 13th
J made some garlic focaccia - he'd made a less successful one the day before but Sunday's was good, with fresh rosemary too, delicious. Freya went swimming with lots of others and had a nice time. I did home-made beanburgers and some roast veg and chilli for dinner, with J's focaccia, was very yum.
Monday 14th
Freya had Geography and then stayed at N's again after, which was fun. I got some work done, October has been good for work so far.
Tuesday 15th
Freya had Creative Writing (Little Green Pig) and M came back for an hour or so afterwards. I got a bit more work done. We walked up the road with L and M too, who were going swimming.
Wednesday 16th
Freya had Forest School in the morning, got soaked and muddy, so ran her a bath when she came back, contemplated not doing but she needed it desperately, from a comfort point of view as much as cleanness. We still managed to get to French early, hooray! I went with M and had a cuppa at A's, for a good chat. Then we set off to get bus back to Lewes for Fencing, popped into Mr B's shop for first time, good to see him in his Kingdom! Late again for Fencing and the steep twitten that we have to rush down was slippery with rain so not much fun I thought. Controversial at Fencing, Freya had to wear the protection for females over 10, was not keen but braved it. It doesn't show from the outside as she feared I think. We stayed after to watch some epee fencing by the next adult and older children's group with the buzzers and lights, which was pretty exciting!
Thursday 17th
Another 4-thing Thursday - this time Livewires in the morning. The theme was Favourite Books - we took a 'draw like a favourite illustrator' activity and a video on the iPad of children talking about favourite books. In the end though, my table was mostly the home of 4-8 yr old boys doing drawings, which made a change for me. I took the coloured pencils we have that make nice bright ink colours when you wet them - like these. I joined in too, it's enjoyable to wet your finger and spread the colours around, blend them, etc. M had made a great Tolkien 'dungeons and dragons' style game and N had produced a Harry Potter quiz, there was also sewing owls and making a page about your favourite book to go in a Livewires book, was a good session, excellent theme.
K gave us a lift there and back, so dropped us in town and we got Freya a smoothie then got the bus most of the way to Dancing. M said that Freya could go with her, J and D, from there to Art, afterwards, which was very helpful. I came home and did a bit of work again before taking Freya's Guide uniform out at half fiveish, meeting her at 6, taking her for cheesy chips and delivering her to Guides early enough to change into uniform before starting at 7. Hope you are all noting down these times and travel and clothing arrangements and will be ready for the Ali's Logistics Test on Monday!
At Guides, Freya did her Promise, she was the first of her unit to do the new form. I wish I could have been there to see it but hadn't realized until too late that I was allowed, so we were a bit disappointed at not having done that how we would have liked, afterwards. But she says she will do Promise again in Senior Section, so perhaps I can be there then. I didn't go and see mum while Guides was on as I was just knackered as 4 things is probably my maximum daily coping amount (take note Logistics fans).
Friday 18th
Friday Club was a songwriting workshop, which Freya had been unsure about going to. I'm very glad she did go as the verse she made up for the song they did was much admired by friends and is very catchy (she sang it to me later) and the group chose it as the chorus. The words are:
Maybe you didn't hear
Maybe you shed a tear
Let me explain this, dear
Your thoughts were nowhere near
The Truth
So a good thing she went, I reckon, very proud of her.
She and L came back to ours together by bus, less of an adventure than the last unaccompanied bus trip, and in fact there was an adult they knew on the bus, so not so unaccompanied, but all good experience. L stayed for tea and they wanted to do a sleepover but can't always do impromptu ones I'm afraid.
We had a day at home and did a bit of sorting in Freya's room but didn't get very far, need some Really Useful Boxes.
Wednesday 9th
Freya had Forest School, French and Fencing. Wednesday logistics are very challenging! She comes back from Forest School, potentially covered in mud, between 1.30 and 2 and we need to try to be on a bus to Brighton by 2.40 for French at 3.30, then coming back is even tighter, though no mud involved. So far the traffic has got us most times, but fortunately R, who runs Fencing, is very chilled about our mostly late arrivals and Freya doesn't miss too much. At Fencing they did some 'proper' one-on-one fencing, which looked great!
While she's at Forest School I usually work, and while she's at French I have a cuppa with A round the corner from French, which is a good catch-up hour. And while she's at Fencing I sit with M and we talk quietlyish. So apart from the logistics of journeying and providing snackage, mud removal and clothes changing, I don't have a bad Wednesday really.
Thursday 10th
A 4-thing Thursday, busy, took Freya to play at her friend K's house in Brighton for a couple of hours late morning, where she had a lovely time, I had a chat, then went to a cafe and wandered a bit, before picking her up to come back over to Lewes for Dancing. I completely forgot to be where I was supposed to be at some point soon after that, but quickly repaired the error with a bit of help! Then took Freya to Art at 4, where she carried on painting her chair, I came home again for a while, went out again at half five with her Guide uniform, picked her up at 6 and took her to have chip dinner on way to Guides at 7. She enjoyed Guides, think they did something with Lebekuchen.
This blog is largely turning into Logistics Log I note. Huh.
Friday 11th
Friday Club was on the subject of "What's Happening to Me?", with varying degrees of engagement and success I expect. Think it gave rise to some conversations about such things, which is good. Afterwards Freya embarked on a bus adventure with L and L - they had planned to take the bus from town up to L's - the first time for any of them going on a bus without an accompanying adult. They went to the stop and soon found that the bus wasn't going as a passenger had had an injury, and was being attended by an ambulance! So they had to be super-resourceful and work out/find out about other buses, etc. Which they managed very well, took the bus we often get and walked the rest of the way, arriving with an exciting tale to tell.
Think Freya had a good afternoon there at L's and both she and other L ended up being allowed to stay for an impromptu sleepover!
J and I had curry and I think we watched some Breaking Bad, still inching towards the end.
Saturday 12th
Last LAMDA drama before half term, Freya went directly from her sleepover, as L was going too. Think that is going OK. She has some lines to learn and we have the date of the exam in March.
Strictly Come Dancing was good, enjoying it.
Sunday 13th
J made some garlic focaccia - he'd made a less successful one the day before but Sunday's was good, with fresh rosemary too, delicious. Freya went swimming with lots of others and had a nice time. I did home-made beanburgers and some roast veg and chilli for dinner, with J's focaccia, was very yum.
Monday 14th
Freya had Geography and then stayed at N's again after, which was fun. I got some work done, October has been good for work so far.
Tuesday 15th
Freya had Creative Writing (Little Green Pig) and M came back for an hour or so afterwards. I got a bit more work done. We walked up the road with L and M too, who were going swimming.
Wednesday 16th
Freya had Forest School in the morning, got soaked and muddy, so ran her a bath when she came back, contemplated not doing but she needed it desperately, from a comfort point of view as much as cleanness. We still managed to get to French early, hooray! I went with M and had a cuppa at A's, for a good chat. Then we set off to get bus back to Lewes for Fencing, popped into Mr B's shop for first time, good to see him in his Kingdom! Late again for Fencing and the steep twitten that we have to rush down was slippery with rain so not much fun I thought. Controversial at Fencing, Freya had to wear the protection for females over 10, was not keen but braved it. It doesn't show from the outside as she feared I think. We stayed after to watch some epee fencing by the next adult and older children's group with the buzzers and lights, which was pretty exciting!
Thursday 17th
Another 4-thing Thursday - this time Livewires in the morning. The theme was Favourite Books - we took a 'draw like a favourite illustrator' activity and a video on the iPad of children talking about favourite books. In the end though, my table was mostly the home of 4-8 yr old boys doing drawings, which made a change for me. I took the coloured pencils we have that make nice bright ink colours when you wet them - like these. I joined in too, it's enjoyable to wet your finger and spread the colours around, blend them, etc. M had made a great Tolkien 'dungeons and dragons' style game and N had produced a Harry Potter quiz, there was also sewing owls and making a page about your favourite book to go in a Livewires book, was a good session, excellent theme.
K gave us a lift there and back, so dropped us in town and we got Freya a smoothie then got the bus most of the way to Dancing. M said that Freya could go with her, J and D, from there to Art, afterwards, which was very helpful. I came home and did a bit of work again before taking Freya's Guide uniform out at half fiveish, meeting her at 6, taking her for cheesy chips and delivering her to Guides early enough to change into uniform before starting at 7. Hope you are all noting down these times and travel and clothing arrangements and will be ready for the Ali's Logistics Test on Monday!
At Guides, Freya did her Promise, she was the first of her unit to do the new form. I wish I could have been there to see it but hadn't realized until too late that I was allowed, so we were a bit disappointed at not having done that how we would have liked, afterwards. But she says she will do Promise again in Senior Section, so perhaps I can be there then. I didn't go and see mum while Guides was on as I was just knackered as 4 things is probably my maximum daily coping amount (take note Logistics fans).
Friday 18th
Friday Club was a songwriting workshop, which Freya had been unsure about going to. I'm very glad she did go as the verse she made up for the song they did was much admired by friends and is very catchy (she sang it to me later) and the group chose it as the chorus. The words are:
Maybe you didn't hear
Maybe you shed a tear
Let me explain this, dear
Your thoughts were nowhere near
The Truth
So a good thing she went, I reckon, very proud of her.
She and L came back to ours together by bus, less of an adventure than the last unaccompanied bus trip, and in fact there was an adult they knew on the bus, so not so unaccompanied, but all good experience. L stayed for tea and they wanted to do a sleepover but can't always do impromptu ones I'm afraid.
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