6/24/2004
Housework
My achievement for yesterday was to tidy up enough to actually find all the clothes that need to be washed before we go to camp. My ambition was somewhat higher than that, and involved actually washing said clothes, and also cleaning the house a bit, because I haven't done any housework for ages and it was very dirty. Well, today I've vacuumed more or less all the house, including Jonathan's office, which I don't normally dare to do anything with. And I've washed all the clothes, and they are drying slowly. And I've packed quite a bit as well. I'm out at work from about 8 till 7.30 tomorrow, so I really did want to get some done today.
Jonathan had a day off today, so he took the children out with him on some errands this afternoon, then dropped them at Beth and Alex's to play when Beth got home from school. And by the time he went out I had cleaned the house, and was starting to think I might actually do something with the children today, rather than leaving them to play by themselves. Ho hum.
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My achievement for yesterday was to tidy up enough to actually find all the clothes that need to be washed before we go to camp. My ambition was somewhat higher than that, and involved actually washing said clothes, and also cleaning the house a bit, because I haven't done any housework for ages and it was very dirty. Well, today I've vacuumed more or less all the house, including Jonathan's office, which I don't normally dare to do anything with. And I've washed all the clothes, and they are drying slowly. And I've packed quite a bit as well. I'm out at work from about 8 till 7.30 tomorrow, so I really did want to get some done today.
Jonathan had a day off today, so he took the children out with him on some errands this afternoon, then dropped them at Beth and Alex's to play when Beth got home from school. And by the time he went out I had cleaned the house, and was starting to think I might actually do something with the children today, rather than leaving them to play by themselves. Ho hum.
6/23/2004
We've been to school today!
Mandy, who leads the puppet team I am part of at church, is also involved with another puppet team which goes into local primary schools to do assemblies. Today it was the turn of our local school, where lots of C's friends go, so we went along to watch too. It seemed like a good idea when I thought about it on Sunday. but as the time approached I became more and more nervous. When I told C last night we were going to go to school today, she thought I meant she was actually going to start school, and the look of horror on her face was a picture. But when she realised it was just to watch the puppets and come home again, she was very excited, and insisted on dressing this morning in a school-type gingham dress and a royal blue sweater the same colour as the school uniform.
We arrived there at about 9.00, so of course all the other parents were bringing all the other children, and we saw lots of people we knew. Various people I spoke to, both staff and parents, assumed we were taking C to start school, and I guess a good few of the the ones I didn't speak to did as well. I needed to meet up with Katya and Vikka's mum Heather, to hand M over to her to go to playgroup with Vikka, and a member of staff near the door pointed me in the right direction to find them, and then I checked with the school secretary that it would be OK to watch the puppets and she showed me to the hall.
As the children filed in, quite a few of them who knew us, waved surreptitiously, and I pointed out to C that children were being told off for running and talking and fidgeting. The puppet show itself was very good, and well received by the children, although the teachers sat stiffly on their chairs throughout. After all the children had gone out, the headmistress came in and Mandy introduced us. We had already met, when we went to look around the school just before C's third birthday, when we started thinking seriously about schooling options, and I found her very intimidating then. So it felt very odd to fess up that we had rejected her school in favour of teaching our daughter ourselves. I still found her very intimidating, although I suppose she was quite pleasant really, and she said that if we ever changed our minds we should feel welcome to send C there. I guess she had to say something of the sort.
We were home again by 10.00, and I was feeling quite stressed by it all, and I think C was too, because she completely lost it over something very trivial. And I've been grumpy and horrid all day, which made me think she would have been better off being told off for running or talking than for all the things she really has been told off for today!
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Mandy, who leads the puppet team I am part of at church, is also involved with another puppet team which goes into local primary schools to do assemblies. Today it was the turn of our local school, where lots of C's friends go, so we went along to watch too. It seemed like a good idea when I thought about it on Sunday. but as the time approached I became more and more nervous. When I told C last night we were going to go to school today, she thought I meant she was actually going to start school, and the look of horror on her face was a picture. But when she realised it was just to watch the puppets and come home again, she was very excited, and insisted on dressing this morning in a school-type gingham dress and a royal blue sweater the same colour as the school uniform.
We arrived there at about 9.00, so of course all the other parents were bringing all the other children, and we saw lots of people we knew. Various people I spoke to, both staff and parents, assumed we were taking C to start school, and I guess a good few of the the ones I didn't speak to did as well. I needed to meet up with Katya and Vikka's mum Heather, to hand M over to her to go to playgroup with Vikka, and a member of staff near the door pointed me in the right direction to find them, and then I checked with the school secretary that it would be OK to watch the puppets and she showed me to the hall.
As the children filed in, quite a few of them who knew us, waved surreptitiously, and I pointed out to C that children were being told off for running and talking and fidgeting. The puppet show itself was very good, and well received by the children, although the teachers sat stiffly on their chairs throughout. After all the children had gone out, the headmistress came in and Mandy introduced us. We had already met, when we went to look around the school just before C's third birthday, when we started thinking seriously about schooling options, and I found her very intimidating then. So it felt very odd to fess up that we had rejected her school in favour of teaching our daughter ourselves. I still found her very intimidating, although I suppose she was quite pleasant really, and she said that if we ever changed our minds we should feel welcome to send C there. I guess she had to say something of the sort.
We were home again by 10.00, and I was feeling quite stressed by it all, and I think C was too, because she completely lost it over something very trivial. And I've been grumpy and horrid all day, which made me think she would have been better off being told off for running or talking than for all the things she really has been told off for today!
6/22/2004
Conversation in the bath:
C: I wonder if Dorothy and her friends will get back to the Emerald City.
Me: (tired) Mmmm...
C: It always works out OK, doesn't it.
Me: Yes, those stories have happy endings
C: Do all stories have happy endings?
Me: No, some don't. A story of someone's life would have them dying at the end, wouldn't it?
C: What about Tooth?
Me: Tooth?
C: You know, na-na, NA-NA, NANANANANA...
Me: Oh, you mean Jaws!
And I laughed so much that M wanted to join in, and she thought it was the NANANANA that was funny, so she started NANANANAing at the top of her voice.
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C: I wonder if Dorothy and her friends will get back to the Emerald City.
Me: (tired) Mmmm...
C: It always works out OK, doesn't it.
Me: Yes, those stories have happy endings
C: Do all stories have happy endings?
Me: No, some don't. A story of someone's life would have them dying at the end, wouldn't it?
C: What about Tooth?
Me: Tooth?
C: You know, na-na, NA-NA, NANANANANA...
Me: Oh, you mean Jaws!
And I laughed so much that M wanted to join in, and she thought it was the NANANANA that was funny, so she started NANANANAing at the top of her voice.
6/21/2004
Salvador Dali Melting clocks are not a problem in
your reality. You are an unschooler. You will
tolerate a textbook, but only as a last resort.
Mud is your friend. You prefer hands-on
everything. If your school had an anthem, it
would be Dont Worry, Be Happy. Visit my blog:
What Type of Homeschooler Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
I laughed out loud at this. But on reflection it's perhaps not what sort of homeschooler you are but what sort of person you are. Jonathan and I both came out as unschoolers, but basically we are quite chaotic, scatty people who respond to the moment in our own lives, and perhaps we loosely follow a curriculum only to avoid passing on all of our chaoticness to our poor undeserving children.
Midsummer's Day - First Fruits
It looked like today was going to be another washout, but we ended up spending the afternoon in the garden in the warm sun and had a picnic tea by a moorland stream. The girls enjoyed playing on their new swings while I pulled up lots of weeds. Then I picked two ripe strawberries, half a dozen smallish potatoes and about ten mange touts. Admittedly, it's a long way from self-sufficiency, but it's very satisfying nonetheless.
Our neighbours Katya and Vikka came round after school with their Mum. We played in the garden for a bit then we walked up the lane to the moor for our picnic. C and K found a few early bilberries to eat on the way and we found a lovely spot by the stream to eat our sandwiches. When they had finished eating, C and K went exploring and found some little caves, and they came back full of excitement at their adventures. Didn't take the camera, of course. Perhaps next time.
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It looked like today was going to be another washout, but we ended up spending the afternoon in the garden in the warm sun and had a picnic tea by a moorland stream. The girls enjoyed playing on their new swings while I pulled up lots of weeds. Then I picked two ripe strawberries, half a dozen smallish potatoes and about ten mange touts. Admittedly, it's a long way from self-sufficiency, but it's very satisfying nonetheless.
Our neighbours Katya and Vikka came round after school with their Mum. We played in the garden for a bit then we walked up the lane to the moor for our picnic. C and K found a few early bilberries to eat on the way and we found a lovely spot by the stream to eat our sandwiches. When they had finished eating, C and K went exploring and found some little caves, and they came back full of excitement at their adventures. Didn't take the camera, of course. Perhaps next time.
6/20/2004
Somewhere along the way I seem to have lost track of Sunday as a day of rest.
At church a while ago we decided it would be good to find out a bit more about each other, so every week or two, somebody has a five minute slot when they can tell the congregation something about themselves. Today was Jonathan's turn, and, organised as ever, he was preparing it between 8.30 and 9.30 this morning, so it seemed like more of a rush than usual to hustle everyone out of the house for 9.45.
When we came back I cooked dinner, and Jonathan was outside making progress towards the climbing frame. The children were pottering in the workshop with him, and building things from little scraps of wood. Mum and Dad came for lunch and I cooked roast beef in honour of Fathers' Day, then when I'd cleared up it was almost time for the Asplands (Steve, Mandy, Callum and Bethan) to come round for music practice. We duly played and sang for a bit, which was good, then time for tea and Mandy and I went out to puppet practice, then when I got home it was 9.00 and I felt like I hadn't sat down all day. I guess it doesn't help that I was up a couple of times in the night with M. Must try to go to bed earlier tonight.
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At church a while ago we decided it would be good to find out a bit more about each other, so every week or two, somebody has a five minute slot when they can tell the congregation something about themselves. Today was Jonathan's turn, and, organised as ever, he was preparing it between 8.30 and 9.30 this morning, so it seemed like more of a rush than usual to hustle everyone out of the house for 9.45.
When we came back I cooked dinner, and Jonathan was outside making progress towards the climbing frame. The children were pottering in the workshop with him, and building things from little scraps of wood. Mum and Dad came for lunch and I cooked roast beef in honour of Fathers' Day, then when I'd cleared up it was almost time for the Asplands (Steve, Mandy, Callum and Bethan) to come round for music practice. We duly played and sang for a bit, which was good, then time for tea and Mandy and I went out to puppet practice, then when I got home it was 9.00 and I felt like I hadn't sat down all day. I guess it doesn't help that I was up a couple of times in the night with M. Must try to go to bed earlier tonight.
6/19/2004
Harden Moss sheepdog trials
Following on from the success of our visit to Honley Show last week, today we went to the 93rd annual sheepdog trials at Harden Moss, about three miles from here. I found dogs being whistled at and chasing sheep surprisingly compelling to watch, and the children enjoyed it too. The venue itself is quite high up, with a huge view over quite a lot of West Yorkshire, and as a long-established venue, it had a concrete viewing stand, so we could get a good view of the proceedings as well. So we sat on the top level looking down over a sea of cloth caps and border collies, while we munched our bacon butties, to the accompaniment of the Honley Yorkshire Traction brass band, and turned our collars up to keep out the intermittent wind and rain.
There were also a few other things to see. M stroked a very silky bearded collie, which was a big step for her. We would love to get a dog, but since our cat died last summer, M has become frightened of anything furry, whether dog or cat or even small fluffy bunny. Perhaps she's growing out of that now.
A local beekeeper had a glass-fronted sealed hive with him so we could look at the bees doing their thing, and he was very pleased to talk about them and answer our questions. The Stickmakers Guild had a marquee where men were making crooks and walking sticks out of all sorts of wood, with ramshorn handles, or decorated with animals, or incorporating a compass or a whistle. And there was a fell-running race and two best-looking dog competitions (one for competitors in the trials and one for pet dogs), so all in all it was a good trip out.
Didn't take the camera to the Deep Shog Trials, but here are some other photos from today.
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Following on from the success of our visit to Honley Show last week, today we went to the 93rd annual sheepdog trials at Harden Moss, about three miles from here. I found dogs being whistled at and chasing sheep surprisingly compelling to watch, and the children enjoyed it too. The venue itself is quite high up, with a huge view over quite a lot of West Yorkshire, and as a long-established venue, it had a concrete viewing stand, so we could get a good view of the proceedings as well. So we sat on the top level looking down over a sea of cloth caps and border collies, while we munched our bacon butties, to the accompaniment of the Honley Yorkshire Traction brass band, and turned our collars up to keep out the intermittent wind and rain.
There were also a few other things to see. M stroked a very silky bearded collie, which was a big step for her. We would love to get a dog, but since our cat died last summer, M has become frightened of anything furry, whether dog or cat or even small fluffy bunny. Perhaps she's growing out of that now.
A local beekeeper had a glass-fronted sealed hive with him so we could look at the bees doing their thing, and he was very pleased to talk about them and answer our questions. The Stickmakers Guild had a marquee where men were making crooks and walking sticks out of all sorts of wood, with ramshorn handles, or decorated with animals, or incorporating a compass or a whistle. And there was a fell-running race and two best-looking dog competitions (one for competitors in the trials and one for pet dogs), so all in all it was a good trip out.
Didn't take the camera to the Deep Shog Trials, but here are some other photos from today.
6/17/2004
Had a slow morning, as the children were just playing nicely, and I let them get on with it for a bit, then we sat down and did a little writing and maths and stuff. We just managed to make it to the library before they shut for lunch today. Catie has read all the early readers I had stored up for her, and is desperate to read more, so we borrowed some which I hope she'll enjoy. In the early afternoon we read some of our library books. I tried to get M to sleep by reading to C while cuddling M, but the person nearest to falling asleep was me, so we gave up on that, and went to do some sticking (for a half-finished project that you'll probably see when it's finished) before Beth and Alex came round to play, and my Mum and Dad came round too.
C's been quite grumpy and shouty today, and M's been more tantrummy than usual too. For once I've not been yelling back at them though, so at least I haven't been making it worse. But C was so grumpy at Beth, I was threatenting to send Beth straight home again, and not surprisingly C managed to pull herself together after that. They all sat round the table and did some drawing quietly, then played a pairs game, then their Mum went home for a bit and I went to cook tea in the kitchen, and they started playing Peter Pan, which involved lots of charging round the house and shouting, and, I discovered later, lots of getting things out and moving them around and generally making a mess. Still, C was surprisingly helpful at putting them away. M was tired and fell asleep quite early, so I had a bit of time to read to C before she went to bed. We're reading Ozma of Oz at the moment, and enjoying it, but that man had a very wild imagination. It's a pretty strange read.
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C's been quite grumpy and shouty today, and M's been more tantrummy than usual too. For once I've not been yelling back at them though, so at least I haven't been making it worse. But C was so grumpy at Beth, I was threatenting to send Beth straight home again, and not surprisingly C managed to pull herself together after that. They all sat round the table and did some drawing quietly, then played a pairs game, then their Mum went home for a bit and I went to cook tea in the kitchen, and they started playing Peter Pan, which involved lots of charging round the house and shouting, and, I discovered later, lots of getting things out and moving them around and generally making a mess. Still, C was surprisingly helpful at putting them away. M was tired and fell asleep quite early, so I had a bit of time to read to C before she went to bed. We're reading Ozma of Oz at the moment, and enjoying it, but that man had a very wild imagination. It's a pretty strange read.
6/16/2004
C had a day trip to York yesterday with my Mum and Dad. They went on the bus and the train, which was quite exciting in itself, then they spent most of the day at the Castle Museum , which I loved as a child, so Mum was really looking forward to going there with C. I think it was a bit over her head, but I guess she'll have got something out of it, and it's only an hour to York from here, so we can go again any time.
Today I got to the end of my veggie patch - all dug and weeded. Obviously the weeds are already coming up again, but I got a real sense of achievement. Next job is to get the herb garden sorted. When we had the garden done, it was left as a steeply sloping very rocky bed which was going to be no use for anything. So we had a retaining wall built along the lower edge, and we've recently added a whole lot of soil, of rather mixed quality, which some neighbours were getting rid of, to fill up the space. I've got part way through flattening that out, and then it will be ready to plant some herbs in.
M wanted to go to Mum and Dad's house this afternoon, so we had an enjoyable couple of hours pottering around there. Their garden is nice and shady, and much more sheltered than ours, so it was very pleasant to be in. And I did some weeding for Mum, for a change. On the way back M was tired and was falling asleep in the car, so C and I were singing The Wheels on the Bus, loudly, to keep her awake. C made up a new verse, which amused me: The babies on the bus, they suckle their Mummies, suckle their Mummies, suckle their Mummies...
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Today I got to the end of my veggie patch - all dug and weeded. Obviously the weeds are already coming up again, but I got a real sense of achievement. Next job is to get the herb garden sorted. When we had the garden done, it was left as a steeply sloping very rocky bed which was going to be no use for anything. So we had a retaining wall built along the lower edge, and we've recently added a whole lot of soil, of rather mixed quality, which some neighbours were getting rid of, to fill up the space. I've got part way through flattening that out, and then it will be ready to plant some herbs in.
M wanted to go to Mum and Dad's house this afternoon, so we had an enjoyable couple of hours pottering around there. Their garden is nice and shady, and much more sheltered than ours, so it was very pleasant to be in. And I did some weeding for Mum, for a change. On the way back M was tired and was falling asleep in the car, so C and I were singing The Wheels on the Bus, loudly, to keep her awake. C made up a new verse, which amused me: The babies on the bus, they suckle their Mummies, suckle their Mummies, suckle their Mummies...
6/14/2004
I hoped home-educating would be like this
I've had a really lovely day today. M went to Montessori this morning, and had a lovely time, and the directress told me she was very impressed with how well she was concentrating.
C and I came home and looked at the caterpillars, and where there was a row of caterpillars on a leaf yesterday, today there is a row of shed skins, which C correctly identified. And her other observation was how much poo there was in the bottom of the tank! We started a notebook to write these and other nature observations in. I did all the writing and made up most of the words, as I just wanted her to get the idea of making and recording observations.
Then she wanted to read to me lots, so I let her until she was starting to struggle with easy words because she had read so much. So I read to her a bit then we got out the cuisenaire rods and tried to find how many ways we could make ten. Then she'd had enough of using them as maths manipulatives so she made 3D models with them - a mother and a baby in a pram about to go through a doorway. Mum and Dad came round and Dad and C made pyramids with the rods for a bit.
At lunchtime we collected M and had an almost useless trip to the shops. Both the shoe shop and the library were closed for lunch, but the building society was open, so I paid in some cheques.
After lunch M wanted to do painting and C was happy to join in too. I struggle a bit with painting because although C enjoys it, her painting hasn't really developed since she was about two, and all she does is splodge colour onto the page. Her drawing is coming on well, but I just don't know how to lead her on in painting. I never was much good at it myself. Anyway, paint was splodged and fun was had for quite a long time.
Then we went out for a walk, as I wanted to collect some elderflowers for champagne, and, if I have enough, cordial. It was quite windy today but other than that it was a lovely day for a walk (and not as hot as it seems to have been elsewhere - we were in jumpers) Fortuantely C didn't ask any searching questions about the three lads who were skinning up at the waterworks. I collected some lovely elderflowers, but didn't have time to do anything with them today.
Jonathan came home from work about 9.30, and the children were both still awake, so he got to say goodnight to them, which is unusual on days he works in Manchester. M is a real Daddy's girl at the moment - every picture she makes she says is for Daddy, her first question this morning was " Where's my Daddy?", and only Daddy is allowed to brush her teeth. It's very cute, and she's been Mummy's girl for such a long time, it's quite nice to have a break!
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I've had a really lovely day today. M went to Montessori this morning, and had a lovely time, and the directress told me she was very impressed with how well she was concentrating.
C and I came home and looked at the caterpillars, and where there was a row of caterpillars on a leaf yesterday, today there is a row of shed skins, which C correctly identified. And her other observation was how much poo there was in the bottom of the tank! We started a notebook to write these and other nature observations in. I did all the writing and made up most of the words, as I just wanted her to get the idea of making and recording observations.
Then she wanted to read to me lots, so I let her until she was starting to struggle with easy words because she had read so much. So I read to her a bit then we got out the cuisenaire rods and tried to find how many ways we could make ten. Then she'd had enough of using them as maths manipulatives so she made 3D models with them - a mother and a baby in a pram about to go through a doorway. Mum and Dad came round and Dad and C made pyramids with the rods for a bit.
At lunchtime we collected M and had an almost useless trip to the shops. Both the shoe shop and the library were closed for lunch, but the building society was open, so I paid in some cheques.
After lunch M wanted to do painting and C was happy to join in too. I struggle a bit with painting because although C enjoys it, her painting hasn't really developed since she was about two, and all she does is splodge colour onto the page. Her drawing is coming on well, but I just don't know how to lead her on in painting. I never was much good at it myself. Anyway, paint was splodged and fun was had for quite a long time.
Then we went out for a walk, as I wanted to collect some elderflowers for champagne, and, if I have enough, cordial. It was quite windy today but other than that it was a lovely day for a walk (and not as hot as it seems to have been elsewhere - we were in jumpers) Fortuantely C didn't ask any searching questions about the three lads who were skinning up at the waterworks. I collected some lovely elderflowers, but didn't have time to do anything with them today.
Jonathan came home from work about 9.30, and the children were both still awake, so he got to say goodnight to them, which is unusual on days he works in Manchester. M is a real Daddy's girl at the moment - every picture she makes she says is for Daddy, her first question this morning was " Where's my Daddy?", and only Daddy is allowed to brush her teeth. It's very cute, and she's been Mummy's girl for such a long time, it's quite nice to have a break!
6/13/2004
We had to be at church early this morning as we were playing the music, and we didn't have time to set up and practise yesterday. We are generally a bit late for church, and someone even made a joke in the service about us being late, on the very day we were there over an hour early! Music went well today, we didn't make any major mistakes or have huge feedback problems or anything like that. The funniest moment was when we were just about to play some songs while people went up for communion when M toddled over to tell me she needed a wee, but I managed to catch the eye of one of the teenagers who was happy to take her.
For lunch we had left over Indian takeaway. Jonathan had specifically ordered a mild chicken korma for the children to share and they polished off most of it between them. OK, it was very mild and sweet, but it's a start.
Then I managed to get out in the garden for a bit. I've now dug and weeded more than half of the remaining bit of veggie bed, so with any luck I'll get it finished tomorrow. Mum came round and planted some of the veggies that have been sitting on the windowsill waiting for somewhere to go: pumpkins, courgettes and cabbages. It has been very windy here today, as it often is, and the plants are getting blown about a bit, so Mum's put up little wooden windbreaks to try to protect the strawberries. C found some cabbage white caterpillars on an old broccoli plant I was pulling up, so I stripped all the leaves off it, and put them with the caterpilllars in an empty fishtank on the windowsill, so we can watch them grow.
No music practice this afternoon, so we went to Callum, Bethan, Mandy and Steve's house instead of them coming here (we usually practise here because we've got a bit more space). They've just got a big new trampoline in their garden which was, of course a huge attraction, then when Mandy and I went out to puppet practice, the Dads took the children for a walk to Royd Edge, which was apparently lovely
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For lunch we had left over Indian takeaway. Jonathan had specifically ordered a mild chicken korma for the children to share and they polished off most of it between them. OK, it was very mild and sweet, but it's a start.
Then I managed to get out in the garden for a bit. I've now dug and weeded more than half of the remaining bit of veggie bed, so with any luck I'll get it finished tomorrow. Mum came round and planted some of the veggies that have been sitting on the windowsill waiting for somewhere to go: pumpkins, courgettes and cabbages. It has been very windy here today, as it often is, and the plants are getting blown about a bit, so Mum's put up little wooden windbreaks to try to protect the strawberries. C found some cabbage white caterpillars on an old broccoli plant I was pulling up, so I stripped all the leaves off it, and put them with the caterpilllars in an empty fishtank on the windowsill, so we can watch them grow.
No music practice this afternoon, so we went to Callum, Bethan, Mandy and Steve's house instead of them coming here (we usually practise here because we've got a bit more space). They've just got a big new trampoline in their garden which was, of course a huge attraction, then when Mandy and I went out to puppet practice, the Dads took the children for a walk to Royd Edge, which was apparently lovely
6/12/2004
Honley Show
Today we all went to Honley Show. I love agricultural shows, and Honley is one of the nicest I've been to, not so small that you've seen it all in a couple of hours, and not so big it's overwhelming.
We looked at the rabbits and guinea pigs, mice and a rat (and C enjoyed holding a couple of mice) we watched a bit of showjumping, shire horses and donkeys, saw sheep, goats and cows, including lots of little Dexter cattle, lots of dogs, a birds of prey display, and a tentful of poultry. There was a big handicrafts tent, with some excellent work, and we watched a woman demonstrating spinning. We listened to a brass band, and an old-fashioned fairground organ, watched a bit of a dry stone walling competition and clambered on some tractors.
We went with our friends Steve, Callum and Bethan, and met up with Jax and also bumped into quite a few other people we knew, which was nice. The weather was variable, but we were prepared, and it didn't actually rain. All in all, an excellent day out.
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Today we all went to Honley Show. I love agricultural shows, and Honley is one of the nicest I've been to, not so small that you've seen it all in a couple of hours, and not so big it's overwhelming.
We looked at the rabbits and guinea pigs, mice and a rat (and C enjoyed holding a couple of mice) we watched a bit of showjumping, shire horses and donkeys, saw sheep, goats and cows, including lots of little Dexter cattle, lots of dogs, a birds of prey display, and a tentful of poultry. There was a big handicrafts tent, with some excellent work, and we watched a woman demonstrating spinning. We listened to a brass band, and an old-fashioned fairground organ, watched a bit of a dry stone walling competition and clambered on some tractors.
We went with our friends Steve, Callum and Bethan, and met up with Jax and also bumped into quite a few other people we knew, which was nice. The weather was variable, but we were prepared, and it didn't actually rain. All in all, an excellent day out.
6/10/2004
I'm starting to think there's a conspiracy against me getting my garden dug. If I go in the garden with the children, I spend most of the time walking back up the garden to take M to the loo, if I go out in the evening I get eaten by midges, if I plan to get up early, M spend two hours crying in the night, for no reason anyone could discover, and if I take the children round to a friend's and leave them there for an hour so I can get some gardening done, it rains, for the first time in weeks, but only for the hour that I have available, and then it stops.
I had to go to the dentist this morning, as I have a wisdom tooth that's giving me some trouble. The dentist didn't seem too alarmed by it, which was good. I've decided they would be better called empathy teeth rather than wisdom teeth. I can't see how having them can make you wise, but they can certainly help you empathise with the pain the little ones go through getting their teeth.
After that, we went shopping to Marsden, a lovely little Pennine town, with a nice toyshop, a good healthfood shop (but with a useless assistant in today) and a nice little cafe where C insisted we have lunch. They both ate most of their food but M confirmed her reputation as the world's slowest eater, and I couldn't face staying there longer for pudding, so they had ice cream in the car on the way home.
This afternoon I got as far as getting a pile of books out to read to them, and I did start on them, but then the phone kept ringing, so then the children wandered off, and I gave up trying to read, and they just played for a bit. One of the phone calls was Beth's mum phoning from school to say would we like to come round and play when they got home, so we walked round and fed the ducks on the way, including three ducklings, and we saw a heron, and picked some wildflowers. When we got there, we found that Beth had gone upstairs to get changed and had fallen asleep, but she was soon woken up, and M and Alex had a lovely time playing with some of his new birthday presents, especially the ELC marble run
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I had to go to the dentist this morning, as I have a wisdom tooth that's giving me some trouble. The dentist didn't seem too alarmed by it, which was good. I've decided they would be better called empathy teeth rather than wisdom teeth. I can't see how having them can make you wise, but they can certainly help you empathise with the pain the little ones go through getting their teeth.
After that, we went shopping to Marsden, a lovely little Pennine town, with a nice toyshop, a good healthfood shop (but with a useless assistant in today) and a nice little cafe where C insisted we have lunch. They both ate most of their food but M confirmed her reputation as the world's slowest eater, and I couldn't face staying there longer for pudding, so they had ice cream in the car on the way home.
This afternoon I got as far as getting a pile of books out to read to them, and I did start on them, but then the phone kept ringing, so then the children wandered off, and I gave up trying to read, and they just played for a bit. One of the phone calls was Beth's mum phoning from school to say would we like to come round and play when they got home, so we walked round and fed the ducks on the way, including three ducklings, and we saw a heron, and picked some wildflowers. When we got there, we found that Beth had gone upstairs to get changed and had fallen asleep, but she was soon woken up, and M and Alex had a lovely time playing with some of his new birthday presents, especially the ELC marble run
6/09/2004
There are not enough data points on our timeline. Today C was asking how old our house is (built about 1800) "But when was that? Was it before Robin Hood?" No, not by a long way... So we got onto 1066 and all that (including that fact that we drove through Stamford Bridge last Saturday), the Domesday book, and a bit about medieval England, but that still doesn't really help with 1800.
We went swimming today, and C had a lovely time playing with a couple of other HE'd kids there, then we spent the rest of the afternoon in the garden. I got the paddling pool out for the first time this summer, and they played with it a bit. And I think M's extra sleeping the past couple of weeks has now fully recharged her batteries. She went to playgroup, swimming, then ran about the garden all afternoon, and still only fell asleep about 9.00.
I've nearly got the whole veggie patch weeded and dug (better late than never) and I wanted to go out and do some more this evening, but despite smothering myself in citronella, I was being eaten alive by midges, so I had to give up on that idea. Perhaps I'll get up early in the morning. Or perhaps not.
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We went swimming today, and C had a lovely time playing with a couple of other HE'd kids there, then we spent the rest of the afternoon in the garden. I got the paddling pool out for the first time this summer, and they played with it a bit. And I think M's extra sleeping the past couple of weeks has now fully recharged her batteries. She went to playgroup, swimming, then ran about the garden all afternoon, and still only fell asleep about 9.00.
I've nearly got the whole veggie patch weeded and dug (better late than never) and I wanted to go out and do some more this evening, but despite smothering myself in citronella, I was being eaten alive by midges, so I had to give up on that idea. Perhaps I'll get up early in the morning. Or perhaps not.
6/07/2004
M went out to Montessori this morning, so C and I did some science with air resistance, paper planes and parachutes etc, which she was very excited by.
Our friend Geoff, who keeps his ponies in our field, put up some new posts and wire to keep said ponies in, and after he had gone, C and I wandered down to inspect the work. It's now possible to get right down to the bottom where the stream is, and where the bilberries grow, without having to encounter the ponies (which is good, because I'm a bit frightened of horses, and the children are worse)
This afternoon we were mostly in the garden, with frequent trips into the house to cool off. It is rare it get too hot to go out here, as there's almost always plenty of wind, and I might have been all right if I had been just sitting about, but I had lots of gardening to do. C finally got her computer time, and spent a couple of hours playing Magic School Bus in the Rainforest, while M was exploring real creatures outside.
This evening our friend Neil has come to visit - he's working in the north this week, and called in to see us, so I'd beeter get downstairs and be sociable.
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Our friend Geoff, who keeps his ponies in our field, put up some new posts and wire to keep said ponies in, and after he had gone, C and I wandered down to inspect the work. It's now possible to get right down to the bottom where the stream is, and where the bilberries grow, without having to encounter the ponies (which is good, because I'm a bit frightened of horses, and the children are worse)
This afternoon we were mostly in the garden, with frequent trips into the house to cool off. It is rare it get too hot to go out here, as there's almost always plenty of wind, and I might have been all right if I had been just sitting about, but I had lots of gardening to do. C finally got her computer time, and spent a couple of hours playing Magic School Bus in the Rainforest, while M was exploring real creatures outside.
This evening our friend Neil has come to visit - he's working in the north this week, and called in to see us, so I'd beeter get downstairs and be sociable.
6/06/2004
We all went to church this morning. Some missionaries the church has supported for a long time were back visiting from Bolivia, so they talked for a bit about what they get up to, and showed some photos etc. on the OHP. Afterwards about half the congregation went back to someone's house to listen to more of what they had to say (and to have lunch and sit about in the sun chatting). C listened to a bit of what they had to say in church, and we found Bolivia on a map.
We were back in time for Jonathan to spend some time getting stressed by our new climbing frame, but he has made some progres in construction. I tried to tidy the house a bit, but I was being followed around by two small entropy generators, so I got quite frustrated and ordered them outside. I did manage to get a very small amount done in the garden, but then M managed to flick some sand in her eye, so I took her inside to wash it, and just as I finished, the phone rang, so I sat down with M on my lap, and the next thing I knew she was asleep. Not a method of inducing sleep to be recommended - apply sand to eyes so she has to close them because they hurt.
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We were back in time for Jonathan to spend some time getting stressed by our new climbing frame, but he has made some progres in construction. I tried to tidy the house a bit, but I was being followed around by two small entropy generators, so I got quite frustrated and ordered them outside. I did manage to get a very small amount done in the garden, but then M managed to flick some sand in her eye, so I took her inside to wash it, and just as I finished, the phone rang, so I sat down with M on my lap, and the next thing I knew she was asleep. Not a method of inducing sleep to be recommended - apply sand to eyes so she has to close them because they hurt.
6/05/2004
Bridlington
Today we've had a long day out to Bridlington. We didn't leave early enough to avoid the coast road traffic unfortunately, but arrived in time to have a bit of a play before lunch. M, who was terrified of the sea last summer, had a fantastic time paddling, running in and out of the sea and grinning her little head off. We had sandy fish and chips on the beach, then set to digging and building. Jonathan, never one to do things by halves, had brought a garden spade, which made the digging of a deep moat much easier, and our friend Fiona did a good job of a castle with crenellations and a spiral path up to the top. And the children helped a bit too.
We gradually met up with people we knew, so that by the time we got to the point of our trip to Brid, at 4.15, we were there with Katya, Vikka and family; Beth, Alex and family; my cousin Sarah and her family, and Katya's friend George and his family. We got on a boat and went on a trip up the coast to Bempton Cliffs, an RSPB reserve, where we saw LOADS of nesting seabirds - razorbills and guillemots, gannets and shearwaters and plenty of puffins. They told us it was good weather conditions for seeing porpoises, but we didn't see any. Even so, it was an excellent trip. The geography of that part of the coast is really interesting: Jonathan and I, southerners that we are, were startled to see a bit of the north of England made of chalk. We were on the boat about three hours altogether, and our children did really well, although my wrists were aching from clinging on to M's coat to stop her leaning out too far. C was taking in quite a lot of what was going on, and kept pointing out puffins to us, and M just loved looking at the sky full of birds.
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Today we've had a long day out to Bridlington. We didn't leave early enough to avoid the coast road traffic unfortunately, but arrived in time to have a bit of a play before lunch. M, who was terrified of the sea last summer, had a fantastic time paddling, running in and out of the sea and grinning her little head off. We had sandy fish and chips on the beach, then set to digging and building. Jonathan, never one to do things by halves, had brought a garden spade, which made the digging of a deep moat much easier, and our friend Fiona did a good job of a castle with crenellations and a spiral path up to the top. And the children helped a bit too.
We gradually met up with people we knew, so that by the time we got to the point of our trip to Brid, at 4.15, we were there with Katya, Vikka and family; Beth, Alex and family; my cousin Sarah and her family, and Katya's friend George and his family. We got on a boat and went on a trip up the coast to Bempton Cliffs, an RSPB reserve, where we saw LOADS of nesting seabirds - razorbills and guillemots, gannets and shearwaters and plenty of puffins. They told us it was good weather conditions for seeing porpoises, but we didn't see any. Even so, it was an excellent trip. The geography of that part of the coast is really interesting: Jonathan and I, southerners that we are, were startled to see a bit of the north of England made of chalk. We were on the boat about three hours altogether, and our children did really well, although my wrists were aching from clinging on to M's coat to stop her leaning out too far. C was taking in quite a lot of what was going on, and kept pointing out puffins to us, and M just loved looking at the sky full of birds.
6/04/2004
I don't often blog about work, but this was interesting. I started my day with a bit of a disagreement with the locum Health Visitor about extended breastfeeding. It was the first time I'd met her and I had been late starting work because I was delayed by a herd of cows on the road, so I didn't want to have a big fall-out over it, but it wasn't a good start to the day.
She had come to have a word with me about someone who had had post-natal depression after her first child, and now, after her second, was struggling again. When I met the woman later in the morning we had a good chat about a familiar situation - she is a mum struggling with a change in roles, trying to do the best for her children with breast milk, cloth nappies and home grown veg, surrounded by scornful relatives who want to fill the children with sugar. I should say at this point that most of my family are very accepting of our non-standard choices, but it is still easy to feel alone in that situation.
Jonathan forgot it was half term and tried to take M to playgroup this morning. This afternoon they went to the theatre to see Cloudland a play adapted from a book by John Burningham, and apparently suitably surreal. Then he dropped the children off round the corner (Alex being well again today) and went off to a work party in Manchester to celebrate his company being bought.
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She had come to have a word with me about someone who had had post-natal depression after her first child, and now, after her second, was struggling again. When I met the woman later in the morning we had a good chat about a familiar situation - she is a mum struggling with a change in roles, trying to do the best for her children with breast milk, cloth nappies and home grown veg, surrounded by scornful relatives who want to fill the children with sugar. I should say at this point that most of my family are very accepting of our non-standard choices, but it is still easy to feel alone in that situation.
Jonathan forgot it was half term and tried to take M to playgroup this morning. This afternoon they went to the theatre to see Cloudland a play adapted from a book by John Burningham, and apparently suitably surreal. Then he dropped the children off round the corner (Alex being well again today) and went off to a work party in Manchester to celebrate his company being bought.
6/03/2004
M went out this morning to play with her little friend Alex round the corner. Alex's Mum was going to bring both of them round here after lunch to play for the afternoon, so she could get some work done, but I had a call just after midday to say that Alex wasn't well, so I went to fetch M.
While M was out, I played Connect4 and Uno and Pontoon with C, but she seemed to be having a lot of trouble making the numbers join up today, so then I read to her until the phone rang.
C wanted to play with her computer this afternoon, but she's been really whingey and nagging, and just plain naughty, and I just didn't want to reward that behaviour, so we did some craft and sticking, involving lots of glitter, at the kitchen table. Mum and Dad came round for a bit, and M needed to go to sleep, so I left C reading to Dad (a bit less random than Dad reading to C) while I put M down.
Then I read to C some more and we've now finished The Land of Oz. Jax, have you got the next one? It took me a while to get into it, but I was quite gripped by the end, but it is a very strange book. I expect C's made-up games will take on even more surreal plots and characters in the next few weeks.
The last few paragraphs are about 'the riches of content', and I read it, then commented a little on it, and M piped up "I've got a tent, Mummy and Daddy have got a tent!"
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While M was out, I played Connect4 and Uno and Pontoon with C, but she seemed to be having a lot of trouble making the numbers join up today, so then I read to her until the phone rang.
C wanted to play with her computer this afternoon, but she's been really whingey and nagging, and just plain naughty, and I just didn't want to reward that behaviour, so we did some craft and sticking, involving lots of glitter, at the kitchen table. Mum and Dad came round for a bit, and M needed to go to sleep, so I left C reading to Dad (a bit less random than Dad reading to C) while I put M down.
Then I read to C some more and we've now finished The Land of Oz. Jax, have you got the next one? It took me a while to get into it, but I was quite gripped by the end, but it is a very strange book. I expect C's made-up games will take on even more surreal plots and characters in the next few weeks.
The last few paragraphs are about 'the riches of content', and I read it, then commented a little on it, and M piped up "I've got a tent, Mummy and Daddy have got a tent!"
6/02/2004
This morning Vikka, our neighbours' three-year-old, came round to play for a couple of hours so her Mum could have some one-to-one time with their five-year-old. I felt I needed to keep a closer eye on her than I do on my two, but I mostly just sat and watched them playing. Dolls and tea parties inside for a bit, then major mudpies outside.
This afternoon M wanted to play games so we played pairs, snap and dominoes (which she calls Dominics, after a young acquaintance of hers!) Her other good toddlerism of the day was when she wanted to play panic, which alarmed me for a moment until I realised she was pointing at the piano. Then we were going to go out but M was looking a bit tired, so I thought I'd have a go at making her go to sleep. Today's strategy - sit on the sofa and read a book without pictures in to C. It worked within a couple of pages, and nearly three hours later I decided I really ought to wake her up for tea!
So C and I had a cosy sofa time together. We are reading The Land Of Oz, a sequel to the Wonderful Wizard, and we worked on her pom-pom - I wound a bit while she held the book for me, then she wound a bit, and I read.
I kept M up till 9.30 this evening in the hope that she won't wake me too early tomorrow after her enormous sleep today, but she was really ready for bed again earlier than that. She's been having a lot of daytime sleep recently, which is quite unusual - perhaps it has to do with all the mental energy she's currently expending learning about stuff.
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This afternoon M wanted to play games so we played pairs, snap and dominoes (which she calls Dominics, after a young acquaintance of hers!) Her other good toddlerism of the day was when she wanted to play panic, which alarmed me for a moment until I realised she was pointing at the piano. Then we were going to go out but M was looking a bit tired, so I thought I'd have a go at making her go to sleep. Today's strategy - sit on the sofa and read a book without pictures in to C. It worked within a couple of pages, and nearly three hours later I decided I really ought to wake her up for tea!
So C and I had a cosy sofa time together. We are reading The Land Of Oz, a sequel to the Wonderful Wizard, and we worked on her pom-pom - I wound a bit while she held the book for me, then she wound a bit, and I read.
I kept M up till 9.30 this evening in the hope that she won't wake me too early tomorrow after her enormous sleep today, but she was really ready for bed again earlier than that. She's been having a lot of daytime sleep recently, which is quite unusual - perhaps it has to do with all the mental energy she's currently expending learning about stuff.
6/01/2004
Megan being very two
We're working on the basis that trying to give her whatever she wants will make for a quiet life and eventually she will become a bit more rational. I don't remember C ever being so two, but it did help that she was a bit more articulate - sometimes M knows very well what she wants but I can't understand what she's saying. Dressing is a tricky point of the day - sometimes I feel completely exhausted by the time we get to breakfast. Yesterday she found a skirt and some trousers she wanted to wear, and a vest, but no top. Fine. Then she wanted to add a dress, but I drew the line at that because I thought it would be too tricky for going to the loo. And then she was cold, so she went back for a top. And she couldn't find the socks she wanted, so she ended up wearing about three different pairs through the day.
On Tuesdays she has to get dressed quickly to go to nursery so I can go to work, and that can be a sticking point, but at the moment, if I sing Teddy Bears' Picnic to her repeatedly she will get dressed.
Mealtimes can be tricky too, especially since she's learned her colours. Yellow is her favourite colour, so she's usually happy with the yellow plate or bowl, but her opinions on cups change frequently. And she has to get her own cutlery out of the drawer, even if it's identical to the cutlery I got out. And she's generally not a fussy eater, but she'll demand that a certain food be put on her plate just because C is having some of the same, then decide immediately that she doesn't like it. And if we have visitors then she decides where everyone will sit at the table.
All that was just to elaborate on my previous post in response to Jax's comment, but in fact I just love two year olds, and especially this one, obviously, but it was looking at her and enjoying her two-ness that made me think we probably should have another child, so we can have a two-year-old all over again. There are certain crunch points in the day, it's true, but she's bursting with curiosity and full of questions. Mostly Wassat? and Wa-dooey? (what are you doing?) but I can almost see the connections forming in her mind as she uses the answers to expand her understanding.
And she's bursting with enthusiasm for everything - vacuuming, shopping, going in the car, and full of laughter and fun from the moment she springs out of bed in the morning till the moment she zonks out, usually snuggled up next to her sister in the evening. She's enthusiastic about learning anything and everything and I really hope I never spoil that for her. She does seem to be quite strong-willed and I hope we can help her to channel her will to work for her as she gets older, and see it as an asset.
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We're working on the basis that trying to give her whatever she wants will make for a quiet life and eventually she will become a bit more rational. I don't remember C ever being so two, but it did help that she was a bit more articulate - sometimes M knows very well what she wants but I can't understand what she's saying. Dressing is a tricky point of the day - sometimes I feel completely exhausted by the time we get to breakfast. Yesterday she found a skirt and some trousers she wanted to wear, and a vest, but no top. Fine. Then she wanted to add a dress, but I drew the line at that because I thought it would be too tricky for going to the loo. And then she was cold, so she went back for a top. And she couldn't find the socks she wanted, so she ended up wearing about three different pairs through the day.
On Tuesdays she has to get dressed quickly to go to nursery so I can go to work, and that can be a sticking point, but at the moment, if I sing Teddy Bears' Picnic to her repeatedly she will get dressed.
Mealtimes can be tricky too, especially since she's learned her colours. Yellow is her favourite colour, so she's usually happy with the yellow plate or bowl, but her opinions on cups change frequently. And she has to get her own cutlery out of the drawer, even if it's identical to the cutlery I got out. And she's generally not a fussy eater, but she'll demand that a certain food be put on her plate just because C is having some of the same, then decide immediately that she doesn't like it. And if we have visitors then she decides where everyone will sit at the table.
All that was just to elaborate on my previous post in response to Jax's comment, but in fact I just love two year olds, and especially this one, obviously, but it was looking at her and enjoying her two-ness that made me think we probably should have another child, so we can have a two-year-old all over again. There are certain crunch points in the day, it's true, but she's bursting with curiosity and full of questions. Mostly Wassat? and Wa-dooey? (what are you doing?) but I can almost see the connections forming in her mind as she uses the answers to expand her understanding.
And she's bursting with enthusiasm for everything - vacuuming, shopping, going in the car, and full of laughter and fun from the moment she springs out of bed in the morning till the moment she zonks out, usually snuggled up next to her sister in the evening. She's enthusiastic about learning anything and everything and I really hope I never spoil that for her. She does seem to be quite strong-willed and I hope we can help her to channel her will to work for her as she gets older, and see it as an asset.
