November and December catch-up:

So everything since November 9th then

J's birthday week
J had some time off for his birthday, he had some good prezzies and he made some delicious garlic focaccia and we went to London to see the Kiefer exhibition, which was brilliant. We also met up with John for lunch and went round Tate Britain.
Whilst in London we picked up Alex of the Barts to come and stay for a couple of nights.
While she was with us, she joined Friday Club for the Children in Need session - they baked and sold lots of cakes and snacks, raising £408.66.
In the afternoon we watched The Desolation of Smaug in 3D (one of J's prezzies) and had some of J's birthday cake (chocolate fudge cake, which turned out really well, I think because I actually made myself stick to the recipe) with ice-cream. In the evening we watched Children in Need.
On the Saturday morning we all had a lie-in and then I accompanied Freya and Alex into Brighton, where we went on the Wheel, and then ice skating with a few of Freya's friends.  

We came home by bus and then watched Strictly with Alex's mum Kirsty who had come to pick her up, was nice to see her. Did burgers and awful soggy wedges for us all hooray.

Week after that was a more usual kind of week, I worked on my new planned writing/drama/script group, due to start the week after. And did various admin type tasks. Freya went to her usual things: Fencing, Maths, Geography, Aerial, Forest School, Dance, Art, Guides, Friday Club (theatre trip to London, where they saw this: Girls Like That - which I think Freya found a bit negative, seemed too much about how horrible or stupid people can be rather than how they could try not to be like that and how cool that would be). 
Thursday was particularly busy as we went to Magazine Meeting and had M back for lunch between that and Dance and I went to pub with C while Freya and L were at Guides painting jars and making candles. And she went to a party on the Sunday too, come to think of it.

Then last week of November, which was also a fairly non-specific type of week, though had Friday Club parents' meeting on Monday - but only 4 of us turned up, so not overly busy! Friday Club doing fine, at full capacity most of time, no major issues.
And my new monthly group - had 6 but hoping to be 8 or 9 girls after Christmas - played drama games and began working out some character stuff. Freya went back to M's afterwards and stayed for tea.
Oh had a run-in with someone related to Forest School, not at all nice, was fuming afterwards. The person has since apologized but it was a very crap Wednesday for me, also put pressure on Freya, so not reasonable at all. Still, that's over by a few weeks now and at least a sorry has been said.
Friday Club session was this:War Stories at Brighton Museum. I was the adult in charge and accompanied 7 girls on bus. Had 2 children collapsing during the workshop, with a virus - have heard of a few people affected by it - legs give way or lightheaded/dizzy. They had to go home, poor things.
Afterwards most of Friday Club went ice skating, was a lovely day for it. I had company with L, so a nice afternoon.

 

And on the Saturday L's birthday - a scavenger hunt in Brighton in 2 teams, good fun. Afterwards the kids played in the gardens till it was getting dark. Was nice to have a lift with C both ways, having done a lot of Brighton bus stuff recently.
And Sunday J's dad - for very belated birthday exchanges (his is 7th Nov so close to J's on 11th) and pizza.

December
We lost my Uncle Don, a nice geeky man, with history in radio engineering and an early adopter of computing. Later in life he loved his allotment and even more so the bell-ringing group he joined.

And we gained my half-brother and his wife's new little baby boy! Just so thrilled for them, they have not had it easy and now they have a gorgeous son.
And more of all the usual weekly things plus:
Panto and day out in Hastings - we took L over on train and met J's mum who took the girls to see Aladdin, whilst J and I had a wander on a lovely bright day. 

Then they went ice skating and we had pizza.
More ice skating for Freya at various times, with R and R and with Guides too (night-time).
Late Night Christmas Shopping in Lewes, Freya had M for sleepover. I was able to just sit in cafe for the duration, saw C for some of the time. Sleepover was a nice easy one.
Book Club (morning after sleepover so a good thing it was easy) - my turn. Theme of brave girls/heroines. Books were Summer and Bird by Katherine Catmull (two sisters on a quest to find parents, set in fantasy world, lots of symbolism around birds), Invisible Girl by Kate Maryon (homelessness, set in modern Britain) and Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell (girl alone on small island after her tribe has moved on, survival). We also looked at extracts from a range of other books.
And played Christmas Charades of course.
Afterwards it was Kay-B and Yaz-B's birthday Disco. Spent some of the time chatting with M and some dancing with CC and some sitting getting Mel and Hayley into trouble by suggesting they sing a duet LOL oops.
Got the bus with Mel, very reminiscent of MMs days, we sang Don't Go Breaking My Heart.
Also contributed a crossword and some listings for the local home-ed magazine.
Christmas Camp! with blogring people (well, originally). I was sad that I had to do so much work especially the first couple of days. Didn't get as far as playing a board game, but had some lovely chats and hanging out time with everyone. Really good week. Residual guilt that I was working when I should have been chopping, but will endeavour to improve next time.
Made a Secret Santa with yer actual embroidery on though:

Was lovely to see everyone.
Aerial Show - Freya was in the Aerial Show and did this:

Thought that was quite beautiful, was so sad not to have been there to see her - I had a horrible cold/cough thing and was scared of making it worse. K kindly recorded and M took some pictures too. Really appreciate it.
Friday Club had film club session, showing Nativity and The Snowman.
And that's it. Bit 'in brief' unsurprisingly.
And now we have tree up and lights, all thanks to J, I was ill. Lovely lights.