just another morning here » general

Ignore the diet day

Sarah — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 21:13:12 +0000

We’ve been counting calories fairly seriously here since the beginning of January, and being quite successful so far at losing a bit of weight … but anyway, I decided that I needed a monthly ‘ditch the diet’ day, and today was it

We had a fairly standard Saturday yesterday with orchestra, suzuki violin group, and then a choir concert to facilitate; Steve and I watched a vampire film somewhere inbetween all that. Abbie had a friend to stay, because Anna was away at a SWMS strings residential for the weekend. Oh, and we finished moving the remnants of Steve’s house improvement leftovers out to the garage, having sold the folding camper …

So, anyway, today after church in various places we did some homework (yes, me too), and watched another film before heading up to meet Anna at Kilve where she’d been staying. It was great to hear the results of the residential – some fabulous music performed by some very talented youngsters. We’ve not really heard much SWMS music, especially not any standard classical stuff, so it was interesting from that point of view – and very very impressive.

Anna had had a wonderful time and she even volunteered information about it on the way home ! We stopped for dinner on the way back and blew the calorie counting with curry and a rather large dessert – and now home we have a glass of wine and are sitting in front of the third film of the weekend. Yum

Back to the discipline tomorrow though … the next ignore the diet day is at the end of February!

Holy is his name

Sarah — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 22:56:55 +0000

We were at evensong tonight; I often go on a Thursday and Friday anyway but Steve joined me this evening because Josiah had told us that he had a little solo. Just one line but he sang it beautifully … listen for the running down ‘holy is his name’ at about 1min09s.

Magnificat with little solo by Josiah (mp3)

In other news – I didn’t get shortlisted for a job that I really wanted. Perfectly happy where I am though so no worries really, just marginally disappointing and very annoying to not even get an interview. Kids all fine; Anna went out busking with school/choir tonight and had a nice time, Abbie is planning birthday events despite the fact that she’s had a birthday treat already, Josiah’s just chugging along with choir and school. Steve’s thinking of new ways to make a million, as usual … and Suzie is enjoying having a new catflap to the big wide world outside. She still comes to give me a cuddle every morning though – and hasn’t brought me any special gifts yet thank goodness!

I played the piano for my school’s tree decorating assembly today which was fun as ever, and we went out for a team Christmas meal this evening; I love Christmas, I really do. People think I’m mean for not really doing decorating at home, or presents at home, but I don’t think my children are going to suffer that much, honestly

Half term happenings

Sarah — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 21:37:19 +0000

My half term is always too short. The children, jammy things, have two weeks, so are revelling in their second week off while normal people are back at school.

We didn’t do much during the week, but it was nice to have a break. On Monday it chucked with rain all day, so it didn’t really matter that I worked during the day, at school. Josiah chose to come with me and finished off a fair bit of homework that he’d left during the week before half term. We left the girls here supposedly to do homework, but I don’t think they were very productive. Fitted in some haircuts at lunchtime too.

Tuesday started early at the dentist’s, then Josiah had a laserquest birthday party to go to. I worked a bit more at school, and took the girls and their homework with me this time! In the afternoon I collected Joe from the party for a violin lesson, then deposited him back at the party again! We went out to see the Sound of Music in Exmouth with Abbie plus a friend in the evening; Anna was playing cello in the pit orchestra, and a couple of people that we know through orchestra were in the production, so that was an enjoyable evening.

Wednesday was cupboard-sorting day; the rest of the family had been promised dinner out if they helped me sort the cupboard in my classroom. It was in a terrible state, after not really having been sorted well when I ‘moved in’, and having had a year of people chucking things back in it quickly and not necessarily tidily (I’m the worst culprit!) so it desperately needed doing. Now it is very tidy and I am very proud of it, no longer will I be throwing things into it willy nilly! We went out for Chinese down the road before the girls went off to Panto rehearsal.

On Thursday I caught up with a friend and her lovely baby; the children slept in! We took Suzie to the vet to get weighed … made an appointment for the all important spaying/chipping, too – Suzie is desperate to get outside a bit more so she will be very pleased when we can let her go. She is quite a lovely cat and often waits on the lounge windowsill for us to get home, etc – we all love her to bits
I digress. Thursday afternoon was yet more sorting out; this time sorting out boxes and boxes of ECO’s music at Richard’s house. Anna had another evening playing in Exmouth after that.

Friday was about the only nice day weatherwise, and we had to spend it driving Anna and a friend to Harrow House in Swanage for a SWMS residential. When we got home we lazed around for a bit, and then in the evening we went out for a nightcache, which was fun as usual. We met another cacher and his dog at the start of the trail and did the whole thing together. Hot chocolate and an early night after that.

On Saturday we had orchestra as usual. In the afternoon we carved our pumpkin. Not sure whose idea it was to make it into a Cyberman but it became a bit of a serious project, with heated discussions about how best to do it! Steve ended up in charge and went for the simplistic approach – it turned out fairly well

I was just concerned about getting as much flesh out of it as possible, for pumpkin pancakes (they were delicious) and pumpkin pies as well! Then Abbie went off to a party at a friend’s house, and I helped Josiah to pack.

Sunday morning started early – we had to take Josiah to Plymouth for 7am to catch a ferry for his French trip. He’s gone to Chateau de la Baudonierre with around 60 other children from his school. Haven’t heard a dicky bird so far – no news is good news though! The rest of Sunday was spent with Abbie after we picked her up from her friend’s house. We ended up having lunch at BSRS and then also ended up agreeing to her having an early birthday present in the form of a three day course this week. Not entirely sure how that happened! Anna came home in the evening having had a fabulous time at her residential, but I haven’t seen her since …

And then it was back to school for me today. The girls had most of the day at home before going over to/out with friends for Halloween activities. The rest of their week will be pretty much taken up at the stables (Abbie) and with maths revision and music practice (Anna). Josiah will be back on Saturday

Spiral of crisps

Sarah — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 17:35:54 +0000

All tuck shops should be arranged like this, apparently

Move along, move along

Sarah — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 21:51:20 +0000

Nothing to see here. We are in ‘just keep swimming’ mode; keeping going until we hit half term. Only two weeks to go.

This half term …

Joe has: lost one trainer and thankfully found it again two weeks later; made it into the A team for rugby so been playing in matches every week; joined hockey club; sung a lot.

Abbie has: had far too much homework, done a fair bit of horsing around, and made a couple of lovely meals for us in Home Ec lessons.

Anna has: played in Oliver! then auditioned for more musical theatre stuff; taken part in a school production of ‘The Witches’ even though we didn’t see her in it because she was ill on the night; enjoyed being ‘in charge’ of the cello section at ECO, but not done enough music practice or worked hard enough on schoolwork…

Steve and I have: just kept facilitating all of the above plus lots that I didn’t mention; taken on two new mechanics at the workshop; and had a surprisingly positive start to a second year of teaching. Steve also bought himself some new CDs – Mary Chapin Carpenter. I’m laughing about this because if you could cross Amy Grant with Nancy Griffith you would pretty much end up with MCC’s music! He is now getting country music recommendations from Amazon

So it’s not all bad, but we are all fairly exhausted!

Protected: Any improvements?

Sarah — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 22:15:39 +0000

Another ECO season opener concert

Sarah — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 20:10:10 +0000

I’ve spent the day with 100 or so lovely children at Crealy today, after the first rehearsal of the term yesterday. ECO were playing for our annual ‘Season Opener and Fun Day’, which is always a fairly relaxed concert with plenty of breaks for the Crealy attractions. We were a bit squashed in to a fairly noisy area of the park, but we soon drowned out the noise, and I think everyone had a good time. Particularly pleased with this pic of Josiah

In other news, Oliver! is happening, so Anna has been rushed off her feet playing bassoon for that; she’s really enjoying the experience, her first time playing in a professional band.

Luckily for her, the girls had a brief reprieve with two days off school on Friday and then tomorrow – the fire alarm system at their school is broken so they’re at home until it’s fixed! I gave them housework to do on Friday and school have set them work for tomorrow so they won’t have too much time to kill.

Josiah sang his first service of the year this morning before joining us at Crealy; he’s changed sides in the choir again which will no doubt confuse me when I make it in for evensong later in the week.

My first week with children at school was a bit of a whirlwind but I think everything went ok. This term I’m teaching two days in the Early Years class and then three days in my Key Stage 4 class so I have lots to juggle but I think I’m going to enjoy it. I’ve been going into work very early each day and then not working at home in the evenings which seems to work well for us all round. Steve is here to sort things out and do the morning school run, and then I don’t feel guilty about ignoring the kids because I’m here for them in the evenings. So far so good, anyway.

Last few hours of laziness!

Sarah — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 10:12:07 +0000

And so another summer holiday comes to an end. The children celebrated by picking the penultimate day of the holidays to work collaboratively on a junk ‘den’ in the garden, which kept them busy for most of the day yesterday, and they slept in it overnight! Shame they didn’t do it earlier in the summer break really, they could have had more nights out there!

Anna came home from Greenbelt having had a great time as ever, and yet again I’m saying ‘next year’, in a lazy fashion … really MUST go again as a family next year! Well, obviously if we did, Anna would want to disown us and go off on her own, but that would be ok

Last night we had the first of our SWMS mentor sessions. Enjoyed meeting Caroline Diffley and chatting through Anna’s music together – not quite sure where it’s all going to go yet, obviously, and the challenge to practise was the resounding theme of the discussions! We’ve booked tickets to see the SWMS Graduates’ Showcase next week so it will be interesting to hear them perform and see where SWMS has taken them. Anna’s induction day is Sunday; as usual she has to rush off to get to another rehearsal afterwards as she’s playing in the band for Oliver! the week following.

We’re all trying to psych ourselves up for being back at school tomorrow but not really managing – instead ending up just eking out the last few hours of laziness! I have grand goals of how to manage my time better this year, but I’m just slightly daunted by the prospect of having a new class two days in the week, who I don’t know at all. Things are changing dramatically at work for Steve, plus his dad’s going on holiday at the end of the month so it’s going to be a roller coaster half term at least. I need to plan a New Year getaway to look forward to …

General mooching and Suzie adoration

Sarah — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 17:53:43 +0000

Everyone is home now, although they do keep trying to escape for the odd night here and there. If one kid is away, another one usually fills the space with a friend. We’re enjoying just being at home and having lots of time to chill. Steve and I are working a bit but not *too* much

They all had a wonderful time in their respective places: Abbie and Joe chattered incessantly all the way home from Mill on the Brue, and clearly loved every minute of it. Likewise Anna has been full of her Romania experiences. I can’t persuade any of them to actually write it down for me though

Suzie quite likes having them home, and has transferred her affections to the girls and is sleeping in their room at night, much to Steve’s disgust. She’s getting bigger, hungrier, and more adventurous; we lost her out of the first floor window yesterday, onto the conservatory roof – no-one knew until we spotted muddy footprints on the windowsill after the event! We’ve been letting her out into the garden when one of us is there and she loves it – not sure the guinea pigs love it quite as much though.

We’ve done the horrible back to school shoe shop and topped up on a bit of stationery, so that’s out of the way. I’ve even done some mending; just a couple of new nametapes to sew on. Joe got some new strings on his violin and was impressed with the sound. Suzie tends to stop and stare at whoever is playing music in this house, then dashes off to hide somewhere. I do wonder how it sounds to her?

We all love her to bits, and we’re taking photos at a vast rate of knots, as if she were as interesting as a new baby! Sad but true. Anyway, she is being spoilt rotten at the moment, with people to play with her and give in to her every whim. Poor kitten won’t know what to do with herself when we all go back to school.

Holiday at home

Sarah — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 10:37:23 +0000

Steve and I went away back in February, so it was the children’s turn to go away over the summer. I may or may not be able to persuade them to blog about their respective trips to Romania and Mill on the Brue when they get back.

Meanwhile, we stayed at home with Suzie. We both had work to do, so most of our time was spent on that, but we had quite a nice time just chilling without the kids (it’s amazing how much time there is in a day when they’re not around!). We ate out, watched films, and slept a lot. Sounds like a holiday to me
We discovered that Steve’s not too keen on sushi, and that our favourite restaurant in Exeter is still The Conservatory.

On Wednesday Steve managed to trap Suzie in the front door which was a bit of a disaster; we thought she’d broken her back leg but luckily the vet confirmed that it wasn’t broken, and sent her home with a shot of painkillers and a prescription for a quiet day. Steve and I were both quite beside ourselves, possibly more upset than any of the times the children have had accidents! Steve is totally besotted with the cat, who in turn does seem to love him more than she loves anyone else around here. This could be because he’s the one who gives her sardines if she meows loudly enough

Also found out this week that we get the full grant for Anna’s place at SWMS so that’s a big relief. I was worried about it but now that that’s in place, I’m quite looking forward to seeing how it all works out for her.

Last day of our holiday today, anyway, as we’re collecting Abbie and Joe tomorrow. Anna will be home on Monday night