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!