just another morning here

Josiah has every right to feel proud of himself and utterly exhausted this weekend. In fact I think he’s so tired that he can’t manage to admit he’s pleased with himself yet, but I hope he will, tomorrow perhaps!

We had a really busy weekend full of musical stuff, and a night with friends on top! First came the strings workshop at orchestra, which this week was fine, Joe just joined in with no problems, and seemed to really enjoy himself this time, thank goodness. Simply a case of knowing what something is going to be like, and he’s ok. After sticking around on duty while EYO had their rehearsal as well, we got home around 1.30pm, and only had an hour for lunch before we needed to turn around and leave for Josiah’s Suzuki Group lesson.

So, the afternoon was pretty much filled up with that (3 - 5pm). Joe enjoys these lessons as well, they’re really fun, but he works hard during them too - lots of practice for the next day’s concert.

Home for a quick tea, a very brief catchup with Uncle Marky who appeared to stay the night in our house while we were away, having brought my sister back to university - still sorry we couldn’t see more of him but hey ho. We got to the Portico around 9pm and had a lovely evening catching up.

This morning some of us went out to walk Dylan (and find caches ) while others of us lazed around the house. It was a beautiful morning for a walk … and the kids enjoyed just hanging around together too, an added bonus in an otherwise fairly manic weekend! We left there late morning and dropped Anna with another friend in Reading, then drove into London for Josiah’s graduation concert. Typically Steve managed to find a free parking space just around the corner from the concert hall!

The Suzuki system doesn’t have exams, instead you ‘graduate‘ from a book/level when you are ready, and this involves making a recording of a particular piece which is sent off for adjudication, then comments are sent back to the teacher.

Joe did this recording back in the summer, so would have graduated anyway, the concert was just an ‘icing on the cake’ thing, and we decided to go and take part this time round. We’d been to watch something similar a couple of years ago, so had an idea of what to expect, but it was still fairly nerve-racking for Josiah. His jitters got the better of him during the rehearsal, but he did manage to go and stand up on the edge of the stage with his teacher, behind a curtain so no-one could see him! After that though (and an ice cream break ), he knew what the expectations were, and was absolutely fine and happy to go and sit with the rest of his group for the proper performance.

The concert itself was good, and needless to say I was exceedingly proud of Josiah for managing to take part Video may follow tomorrow but it’s too late to faff around with it now.

Drove out of London appreciating lots of nice houses - the benefit of not being on the underground! Picked Anna up and carried on to Cribb’s Causeway before stopping for dinner, and then got home really late, and everyone went straight to bed. Another suzuki friend here told me they weren’t going because it was too much of a late night on a Sunday (having been in previous years) and I can see why, I imagine it will have a knock on effect tomorrow, but hey ho, you only live once.

The first camping trip of the season and I left Steve to pack everything. Well, I didn’t have much choice; I was at work and he wasn’t. Actually he did a grand job of organising the trailer and doing the bits and bobs that needed doing before towing it again. The kids packed their own clothes anyway, we chucked the contents of the fridge and some pasta in with us (what else does one need to eat on holiday?!) and left home just after 4.30pm on Friday. Not bad going. Forgot shower gel, shampoo, and a teatowel, but took 6 sleeping bags and 9 pillows for the children!

We arrived at Bracelands around 7pm having queued to get in, a popular destination, obviously! Spotted the Portico family and set up camp with them. Had dinner, opened the first bottle of wine, and sat around for the evening.

Saturday morning saw us doing the first of many circular tours - this one a walk led by Mr P, was a tour of the trail … around the campsite! Decided to have lunch and try again later.

Second circular tour of the day was Steve’s drive around Ross on Wye trying to find a supermarket - he was convinced there would be one on the outskirts. We eventually found one (after I’d got cross and convinced him to actually stop the car so I could ask someone!) in the centre of town.

Back at the campsite we read/napped/played and then later on went out again, managed to find the path down to the river this time! Nice walk down the path to Biblins Bridge.

After that came dinner, washing up, playing, chatting, wine, beer, bed. All much nicer with friends to share them with.

In the early hours of the next morning there was a huge rainstorm with thunder right overhead. All finished by the time we wanted to get up, although it looked threatening again a couple of times in the morning.

We decided to take a scenic (as it turned out very scenic!) drive to Hay on Wye and mooch around bookshops. Great suggestion, we had a nice lazy day including lunch outside a pleasant cafe, lots of looking at books and other shops too, then headed back via another long and winding (not sure if it was quite circular!) route. Can’t remember what it was called so I need reminding please!

Stopped to admire the scenery and the energetic people went off to climb a hill … but didn’t make it all the way to the top as there were rumblings of thunder and they didn’t want to be stuck up there with no coats!

Back to the campsite for more dinner, washing up, wine, beer, reading new books, playing, chatting, and eventually bed!

This morning was just a slow end to the weekend with breakfast and packing up. We were home in time for a late lunch and some sorting out this afternoon - homework, pets, washing, etc. Now catching up with Dr Who before the kids have an early night; they are really tired! Abbie particularly enjoyed meeting Dylan, while the other two cited the day at Hay on Wye as their best bit of the weekend. I enjoyed all of it

Last week was taken up with our little excursion to Kessingland Beach. For anyone who doesn’t know, while we were there with a Home Ed. camp earlier in the year, Anna and a few of the other children entered the karaoke competition, so this was the Park Final week.

We ended up with very convoluted arrangements whereby Steve and Abbie stayed at home, with a bit of help from Grandma during after school times. Josiah came with us as far as the Portico where he stayed with Ernest and Buttercup for a few days. Meanwhile I took Anna, Violet and Gwenny on to Kessingland for the longest sleepover ever!

We had a free static for the week, I think they chose the worst one to give us, but it was ok for a few days. Well it was once I swapped the tv for one with an av channel for the Wii!

Tuesday was taken over with preparations for the evening, between a long rehearsal and then a quick swim before three hours of makeup and hair doing. It was an enjoyable night actually (mainly thanks to Twitter friends!), and while I sort of wanted Anna to win because I thought she was genuinely the best of the bunch, she didn’t, and I breathed a huge sigh of relief at not having to go to Grand Finals in Clacton! There are a few snippets of video here, here, and here - the latter being the hilarious finale to the Disney Show which the Teamstars did - which really was one of the funniest things I’ve seen in a long while.

Wednesday was a fairly boring, grey day, and we lazed around watching tv, reading, and playing wii. The girls took the living room over in the evening and pulled the sofabed out so that they could have a proper sleepover together (ie all sleep in the same room!) but Anna ended up back in bed with me by the end of the night!

Typically, Thursday was a beautiful day weather-wise and in some ways it would have been nice to spend longer on the beach, but we had to get back, so waved goodbye to Kessingland, hopefully forever!!

We spent the rest of Thursday chez Portico which was nice, and drove home late that night. Then spent Friday pretending we hadn’t got home yet and generally procrastinating over everything. Must add that Joe had a great week, as did Steve and Abbie - Steve was amazed at how quiet and peaceful it was!

Saturday was more normal; it included an orchestra practice and AGM where I somehow managed to get on the committee for ECO - well I figured it was a worthwhile thing to get involved with and all three of our children will benefit from the orchestra over the next few years.

Then we popped up to share cake with my sister in her new flat at university, of course my phone chose that moment to play up so I couldn’t ring her - I vaguely knew where I was going thank goodness but we did still drag a random towel-clad fresher out of her flat in order to let us through the building so we could find the right place!

And the afternoon was spent cleaning and tidying the first floor of the house. Which was great until I went downstairs and saw the comparative mess down there! Ironed while watching X Factor and then had an early night before an early morning Grand Prix which is a must-watch this morning!

Can’t believe it is May already, time seems to be flying, we must be having fun or something.

We all had a lovely weekend away chez Portico, it was great to relax, do practically nothing, but catch up face to face for once. None of the children wanted to come home on Sunday.

Yesterday Joe and I had a relatively good day at home despite a few things taking longer than they should have. We got through violin practice and some maths/music workbooks before going to Sainsbury’s. I think I could almost give Joe a list and let him do the shopping for me while I have a coffee in the cafe, perhaps I’ll try that next week

In the afternoon he played a bit of Wii and then we looked at some maps and atlases together; we are trying to plan where to go in the summer, having booked a Dover-Calais ferry crossing. Belgium is a hot favourite at the moment but none of us can really decide! Opinions are split between coast and cities, and we have time to get down south if we wanted to, just can’t make up our minds!

Abbie went to play with a friend after school while Anna came home and took ages to pack her bags for her school residential. She’s staying at the Courtlands Centre until Friday.

This morning everyone was up bright and early and got music practices done first thing; Joe and I went off to work while Steve took Anna (and her kit bag) and Abbie to school. Our work was pretty fruitless as the DVLA staff were all on strike! Still, we ran a few errands before coming home.

We’ve worked through a few more science kit experiments, still on the subject of forces, demonstrating Newton’s 2nd and 3rd laws. Not sure if this information will be retained, but we’ve had fun anyway

And finally, I am tired of usedcarspecialist. No hidden messages in there, honest Even Steve has dumped the usedcarspecialist tag at work, and I’ve been annoyed with it for a while too, so I’m dumping it as well. It was just the first thing we thought of when signing up for stuff and it’s a rubbish ID, especially as it’s always been mine not his which is topsyturvy really!

So if you ever want to IM me again please can you add my new yahoo id which is two_red_boots Or if you’re on gmail I’m now using tworedboots[at]gmail.com so can chat via that (usually better than yahoo as for some reason my yahoo messenger frequently drops out on the laptop), although my main email address is still the same. Just marginally annoyed that the flickr post bar can’t seem to find the flickr ID, it’s returning the error code ‘user not found’, any ideas anyone? I think the time is approaching for a new blog template too …

Bit of a collision of worlds today, at least I felt slightly pulled in different directions. Anna had been awarded a Thank You Certificate - something they get in school either for achievement or effort or whatever, can be anything. So anyway we went into assembly this morning for the presentation of this week’s certificates. Didn’t start well as Joe was obviously stressed out by having to go in there as a home educated kid, so he behaved like a lunatic for most of the morning in one way or another .

Assembly was great, Anna was chuffed, I am (of course) suitably proud of her even if I am still convinced she has a split personality between school and home, and I even found myself wishing that Joe was still part of school too. Really, as schools go, we couldn’t want for a nicer one, it is lovely. Oh, really I’m pleased that all three of my children are happy doing what they’re doing at the moment, but I do find it much harder work having Josiah home on his own than having all three of them around!

Came home and I cooked dinner while Joe did maths and a little bit on time signatures. Then after lunch we had a visit from the Portico, which was lovely After a while it was time to pick up the girls from school, I don’t *think* Gwenny got ‘infected’ by being on the school grounds, but only time will tell

Anna had taken her cello, piano accordian, and a whole host of other toys into school this week, because of the dubious honour of being ’special person’ in her class, so between that and temporarily losing her scarf it took ages to get out of school again but we made it eventually! As Steve said this morning, we’re actually pleased that she likes her cello enough to want to take it into school and play it, even if it is rather awkward!

At home we just sat around drinking tea and trying to get the kids to settle down - there seemed to be an awful lot of grumbliness especially over one of Violet’s birthday presents, but after tea they all managed to go off and play for a while, leaving the adults to have coffee and a bit of a chat before it was time for them to leave, taking Anna with them for Violet’s birthday weekend.

We chilled out with a film (which I stayed awake throughout - enjoyed it) and that’s about it for today. We are trying to go to sleep but the pub at the bottom of the road has live music that we can hear from here, Steve thought someone had left the drums on in our own house it’s so loud! Anyway, gotta hit publish before midnight so that will have to do!

I want one!! (although it really should look shiny white ipod/ibook-esque to be part of my collection ) Perhaps one for Jax and Tim’s series … although I do confess to rather liking the idea of it If you could programme it like those Roma things (do they still have those?) it could even come under ‘educational resources’, couldn’t it?

Today we (the girls and I) have shopped (with a nice coffee/hot chocolate pitstop in there somewhere), baked, and gamed. Oh, and done blog-related fiddling too, watched a film, and then some TV this evening. A friend popped in and sat in the kitchen while I baked, so it was nice to have some adult company as well as spending girly time with Anna & Abbie.

Meanwhile Josiah has spent the day chez Portico, while Steve and Chris went off to some rally or other to take photos of cars. Yawn. I’m expected to enthuse about these after the event, but my favourite one is this one … because I think it’s far more interesting to look at people!

Can’t think of a good title for this post, too late to care now, suggestions in the comments box and I’ll change it later!

Have had a fabulous if a little exhausting weekend, lots of travelling of various sorts, but also lots of fun spending time with some of our best friends, which makes it all worthwhile. (was that too soppy?! )

Saturday saw us have a very lazy morning with a delicious brunch, and then we headed into London to visit the slides at the Tate Modern. Simultaneous delight and anxiety is about the right description for my feelings as we walked into the turbine hall - the queues were soooo long, never mind the sliding itself! So we queued for tickets, then walked along the river for an early dinner at the Gourmet Pizza Co., then back to the Tate to queue more to use the tickets! Still it was a good day which we all enjoyed. More photos here

Today was E’s 6th birthday, the real reason for our visit - lovely to see him opening and enjoying presents, and then stick around for his party which was one of the most peaceful kids’ parties I’ve been to for a long time (usually I avoid them like the plague, even for my own children!). 13 children sat around the table painting pottery for a good hour and a half, courtesy of a lovely mobile pottery company (which I’ve forgotten the name of, otherwise I’d link to it).

We had to leave very shortly after the birthday lunch, to make sure we were back in time for Anna’s rehearsal - the penultimate (extremely long, and the first one actually at the theatre) rehearsal for the Wizard of Oz which she is taking part in all next week. Have had dinner thanks to Emma’s cooking, still need to do a fair bit of sorting out but there’s plenty of evening left …