Little Star Homeschool

Monday...Again!

2009-07-27T20:27:00.004Z

Today Robert has been busy, very busy. He did Hotwires with Dad and played Tantrix by himself. We went into town and got stopped by a promotor for the library service and were persuaded to join the Quest Seekers summer reading challenge. Robert has to read six books in six weeks to gain rewards. We have a chart to complete and the best thing is its all free! So thats maths, science and literacy covered for today. Tomorrow I need to do some cooking to restock the freezer and carry on with repainting the office.

John is a happy bunny after seeing one of his favourite rock bands play Chesterfield last night - Saracen -

Following their first live performance in 1977, the band gigged extensively
across the Midlands during the ensuing years. The standard of those 'live'
performances, combined with their unique brand of symphonic rock, saw Lammergier
amass a large and loyal following of fans. Then a new decade arrived, and with
it some major developments for the Matlock-based rockers.

Their named changed from Lammergier.....to SARACEN. But the music remained the same; an ever-growing repertoire of powerful, guitar-oriented rock, amply laced with lush keyboards and evocative vocals. After several months 'off the road', with time spent putting the finishing touches to their new 'live' show, the Lads re-emerged as 'Saracen' in January of 1981. And this time with plans for a debut album!

During the summer of that year the now famous 'Heroes, Saints & Fools' album was recorded, at Fairview Studios in Beverley, England. Released in October '81, it was received with critical acclaim, and is still regarded as a 'classic' of it's genre even today, over twenty years on!

Kitty

2009-07-20T21:38:00.007Z

Its that cat again, we've named her Kitty because we don't know her real name. She seems to like it.

And she's making herself at home. I wonder how many houses she visits?

Robert loves his new friend, we don't have any pets of our own.

She's been exploring the whole house, including the bedroom.

Finding new places to snooze.

Its a cat's life.

Blue, Blue Electric Blue (The Colour Of My Room)

2009-07-14T15:27:00.008Z

After being suitably reprimanded yesterday for mistakenly calling Robert's tour a 'world tour' when in fact he has never set foot outside the UK I thought I would stick to safer pursuits today and start painting the office. I had a tin of blue paint just doing nothing, an impulse buy from a few years ago. I am dealing with my 'blue problem' trying very hard to use new colours but I cannot let a good tin of paint go to waste. Robert sat and watched while reading to me from Horrid Henry's Joke Book.

That cat has been for a visit again, exploring the house, sitting on the sofa, purring and rubbing against just about everything.

Have had a few problems with Blogger over the past couple of days, ads not feeding properly and text refusing to wrap around pictures. Very glitchy. John uses Wordpress and keeps trying to convert me but I do like Blogger most of the time.

Jigsawing

2009-07-13T21:11:00.002Z

While in Bakewell today we found a real toyshop - not just a department or catalogue store - The Bakewell Toy Shop it has two upstairs rooms devoted to jigsaws. Robert chose a Ravensburger puzzle.

Robert's UK (Formerly World) Tour - Bakewell

2009-07-13T18:37:00.011Z

Our trusty Derbyshire Wayfarer ticket took us to Bakewell today.

To feed the ducks while we ate lunch by the River Wye.

To have fun.

And enjoy the sun.

And sit and think.

And wait for fish.

And learn about sundials.

And antirrhinums

And simply enjoy a new place to be.

Caturday!

2009-07-12T12:24:00.008Z

One neighbourhood cat exploring our garden.

Wandered in through the back door for an inpromptu visit today.

Making herself at home

Does looking cute get me snacks?

String chase...yay!

Hmmm...where did that spider go?

Have the library people forgotton me at last?

2009-07-10T10:01:00.006Z

We ventured into the library yesterday, after shopping for shoes in the Clarks sale, jeans and a belt in Next and lunch at McD's. Robert chose Shredder by Jonathan Kebbe and The Cat Who Got Carried Away by Allan Ahlberg. I feel brave taking out books again, I must be their worse customer. Never returning a book on time and in fact losing books for many months. Well this time I will use my trusty diary to remember the return date and fingers crossed I may well break my track record and return a book on time.

Wild Things Found At Camp

2009-07-10T09:22:00.011Z

More photos from our holiday at Peak Camp.

Not very wild chickens to start with

Getting wilder - Swallow on Wire

Yellow Wagtail on Wild Rhubarb

Low Cloud over the Farmhouse

Green Orb or Leaf Spider

Rook

Dragonology

2009-07-09T11:04:00.015Z

Robert has finished off the first book in the dragonlology chroniclesThe Dragon's Eye (Dragonology) while on holiday and has ordered the second book in the series The Dragon Diary: Dragonology Chronicles Volume 2 from amazon.

We found Working with Dragons in our local remainder bookshop on monday.

Dragonology is the title of several books, a modeling kit, and a board game released in 2003. The publisher's note at the beginning of the original book reads:

This book purports to be the facsimile of an original published on a print run of 100 copies in 1895, of which a copy was recently found in a bookshop near the Seven Dials in London. Unfortunately, the publisher has been unable to ascertain whether a real Dr. Ernest Drake ever lived in St. Leonard's Forest or wrote a book called Dragonology and so, with regret, is unable to make any claim as to the truth of this and must present this volume merely as an interesting curiosity.

The first book is officially edited by Dugald A. Steer, with other contributors credited as Helen Ward ("Scientific Artist"), Douglas Carrel ("Chief Draughtsman"), Wayne Anderson ("Pictorial Artist"), and Nghiem Ta ("Artistic Direction").

Source: Wikipedia

Peak Camp 2009

2009-07-09T10:25:00.007Z

So we took the plunge and decided to do Peak Camp this year, we had a rough idea what to expect. We mainly went to give Robert some experience of socialisation on a larger scale than just his home ed group. There were a few old friends there and many more new ones waiting to be made.

Robert paddling in the River Dove, Beresford Dale.

Natural caves formed in the limestone cliffs at Wolfscote Dale

Home from home, our gelert tulsa 4 man tent, complete with camping gaz camping chef stove. The first time we've camped as a family and the first time I have ever camped. I loved it btw.

Adventures

Spontaneous Science - Dry Ice

2009-06-20T12:57:00.003Z

Can you see it? White dry ice in a White polystyrene box! I had a frozen delivery and it was packed in dry ice, so we did some spontaneous science - sublimation. Dry ice sublimes, changing directly to a gas at atmospheric pressure.

Back in Action

2009-06-20T10:34:00.012Z

Robert's got back to his swimming lessons now his tonsils are out, he felt a little nauseous because the changing room is exceptionally hot but he got changed quickly and got through it. He hasn't forgotten what he learnt last year which is good.

Its such a relief to be able to sleep at night without the fear of him vomiting and to go out for the day knowing he can travel alright without being sick. Its been quite a journey now I look back, something like that can dominate one's life so much it takes a long time to adjust to normality. I have only just began to relax when he coughs and not react by fetching a bucket. We are all so much calmer now. He eats better too, free to eat apple skin, strawberry seeds and yoghurts with balls without choking.

His reading is his greatest strength, we are sailing through Roald Dahl books having just finished James and the Giant PeachAt the moment Robert's working through the I Love Maths! CDRom

Groovy Greeks

2009-05-18T17:18:00.003Z

Robert has been immersed in Greek mythology, he is suddenly fascinated by all things ancient. We have the Guardian newspaper posters up and they make a great starting point. Favourite characters are Medusa (oh those snakes), Icarus, Atlas, Gaia and Prometheus.

Meanwhile I've finally got a publishing deal for my novella, Leviathan Glass. Its being released under the genre Weird Fiction and its loosely in the vein of H P Lovecraft. I'm correcting the proof copy at the moment so publication isn't far away.

I have totally reshaped the household finances re: Money Saving Expert freebies drop through the door on a regular basis, we live for a lot less and now ALL our food is home cooked in advance of when we need it according to meal plans. This had helped to compensate for my hours reducing at work. I really don't want to look for another job, I'm happy where I am and that is secondary to a writing career.

Still attending Home Ed groups and getting out and about. I am a step-grannie to three now. step-son had a daughter in February and step-daughter had another little one, also a girl. in March.

Busy Bees

2008-06-09T08:31:00.003Z

I've just got round to blogging again after a busy couple of weeks out and about. These pics are from our trip to the Whistlestop Centre at Matlock Bath - part of the Wildlife Trusts. We had the rare opportunity to see inside a bee hive and learn about bees in depth from a beekeeper.

Robert testing out a beekeepers hat - very itchy apparently.

Nell (left) from the Wildlife Trusts and Margaret the beekeeper showing us a how a smoker works.

Robert made a bee life-cycle wheel, identified which differently coloured pollen came from which plant, played a game, tasted different honey from around the world and made this beeswax candle.

Chatsworth Farm and Adventure Playground

2008-05-23T22:13:00.006Z

Another meet up, this time with some South Yorkshire Home Edders. The location - Chatsworth Adventure Playground. In my opinion an inspired choice. The result one child perfectly happy all day long barely stopping for lunch. Here's the highlights.

Stroking Guinea Pigs. Awe how cute.

Sand and water play. Robert spent ages turning the giant Archimedes Screw.

Bouncing and running about.

Discovering and exploring secret tunnels.

Waiting for the bus home. The bus took us directly from matlock to the house itself. When I was Robert's age or thereabouts we had to walk from Baslow all the way up the long drive to the house. We must have been super fit kids. And just for the record I have walked up that hill to Riber Castle in Matlock aswell.

One very exhausted six year old.

Robert's World Tour - South Normanton

2008-05-20T10:13:00.003Z

Yesterday we took a bus out to South Normanton, Robert had a great time at the gaming group. He is so thrilled he could try different consoles. I only got lost once trying to find the community centre - we got off the bus a stop to late. I took this picture while waiting for the bus back in South Normanton, Robert is leaning against a sculpture which supports a clock. I had a moment of confusion where I wasn't at all sure if our Derbyshire Wayfarer was still OK to use on the bus back from South Normanton - am I in Derbyshire or Nottinghamshire? When I got home John confirmed I was indeed still in Derbyshire.

Later at home Robert made soft stuff cut outs and watched Jungle Run (his favourite programme at the moment.)

Whats That Moth?

2008-05-12T19:57:00.004Z

I photographed this beautiful moth as he was resting on the side of our house this evening. I don't know what kind of moth he is though. Any ideas? Robert said he was like a stone. He was quite big too, about 2 inches long.

Digging to Australia

2008-05-02T12:24:00.001Z

Now all I've got to do is get him to actually dig up the weeds rather than dig where I've already weeded.

There's a snail at the bottom of our garden.

2008-05-01T15:15:00.002Z

Look what we found in the garden today....the common snail. Not so common for us though, we usually just get lots of slugs. Robert was thrilled with his find nonetheless.

What Time Is It Mr Wolf?

2008-04-22T20:31:00.005Z

A very literal response to a simple question. What time is it? Robert took this photo so I will "always know what time it was."

Robert was stung on the foot tonight by a very dopey wasp staggering across the bathroom floor. How did that get there? John came to the rescue with first aid, he used vinegar and a plaster to neutralise the alkalinity of the sting. Not to be confused with bee stings which are acidic and require treatment with bicarbonate of soda.

Otherwise we have been playing with papier mache and paint, I've been busy knitting a shrug and John is deeply immersed in a social marketing course.

Robert wants to visit an aquarium this year and I was disappointed to find out the London Aquarium doesn't permit eating indoors. Robert grazes rather than eating set meals because he has always had a delicate stomach so I don't think it will suit us. Sea Life at Birmingham looks likely. We are shortlisting this years 'adventures.'

Geomag Deco Panels

2008-04-17T19:02:00.012Z

Robert's been under the weather for the past week with a chesty cough but he doesn't need to go to the doctors because (serious voice, stern look) "they have equipment I don't like." So I went out and got him a Geomag Deco Panels set to cheer him up. (He's been wanting one for ages.)

Fitting the panels together.

Yellow triangles.

Geomag spins.

Red pentagons and green squares.

Yellow squares

Blue Rhomboids

Happy Robert (concentrating hard.)

Bean Quiche

2008-04-17T09:21:00.003Z

Here's my recipe for Bean Quiche

Bake 4 oz (100g) pastry blind (I made butter pastry - 4 oz (100g) plain flour to 2 oz (50g) unsalted butter) for 15 mins at 190 degrees with baking beans and a further 5 mins without baking beans. Cool slightly.

Meanwhile, whisk together 3 medium eggs and 250ml creme fresh, season to taste. Drain and rinse one small can of cannellini beans Spread the beans out in the base of the pastry case. Cover the beans with grated cheese (I used red leicester) and pour over the egg mixture (you may have a little left over, depending on the depth of your quiche dish.) Bake for a further 25-30 mins at 190 degrees centigrade.

How to bake blind.

First you need to bake or part-bake the pastry case without its filling. The pastry may be partially cooked before filling, or completely cooked if the filling does not require baking.

1 Prick the pastry base with a fork to prevent air bubbles forming. Line with a large piece of greaseproof paper.

2 Fill the greaseproof paper with a single layer of ceramic baking beans to weight the dough.

3 Bake the pastry case at the temperature suggested in the recipe for 10-15 minutes or until the pastry looks set then lift out the greaseproof paper and beans. Bake the pastry case for a further 5 minutes until the base is firm to the touch and lightly coloured or a further 15 minutes until crisp and golden brown if the pastry case requires complete baking.

Serve Bean Quiche with a healthy salad!

Violent Volcanoes

2008-04-14T13:30:00.004Z

While we were in town Robert spotted the Horrible Science Violent Volcanoes Kit, after the success of the Digestion Kit we were keen to see what other messes we could make in the name of science.

The Horrible Science Violent Volcano Kit in action

We had already watched 10 Things You Didn't Know About Volcanoes on TV. Iain Stewart revealed some interesting but little-known scientific facts about volcanoes. Volcanic eruptions are among the most destructive and deadly events in nature. But there is far more to volcanoes than death and destruction - without volcanoes our planet would be a very different place, lacking not only an atmosphere but also life itself. We saw some amazing 300 MPH pyroclastic flows, ash falling as rain and giant lava fountains.

Robert's First YouTube Gaming Video

2008-04-11T15:47:00.001Z

Sister!

2008-04-11T09:19:00.003Z

It was about 2pm when I phoned my mum yesterday to tell her my Rowan Classic knitting pattern book had arrived after quite a long wait. That was the good news. The bad news was I would need a second mortgage to afford the yarn - Rowan Classic Tweed. To my surprise she told me to hang on while she put my sister on the phone. A surprise because Monica lives in Northampton and I haven't seen her in several years. So we met up for lunch and swap knitting tales and chat about yarn cheaper than Rowan Tweed. While I was in town I bought some baking beans for quiche making, a new roasting dish and a cute Ruff and Tumble mug. Robert enjoyed himself, he loves surprises.

The Last Monday In March

2008-03-31T19:27:00.004Z

Today we hung out loads of washing on the line, went shopping at Iceland, posted the Direct Debit form for family membership to The Wildlife Trust, rubbed a balloon until it was statically charged and observed what happened when it was put next to a stream of water, found out the maximum number of straws Robert could suck water through, repaired some scratched Playstation games and made a yummy pasta bake for tea!

Crystal Growing

2008-03-29T11:37:00.004Z

We grew this simple crystal geode from a Crystal Growing Kit (this one's only £2) Quite a good result I think. A different technique from what I am used to, at school we dangled a small base crystal on a piece of cotton into a saturated solution. This kit involved soaking a base rock in a saturated solution contained in a plastic pot. The end result is the same however as you can see clearly the crystal formation.

An Easter Visit

2008-03-24T21:34:00.007Z

Harry is growing fast.

Robert says "even though he's mischief sometimes, he's very cute."

Sometimes a bit of time to oneself is good.

Being a Granddad is just plain exhausting.

Fox!

2008-03-03T18:53:00.004Z

Robert and I have just got back from a late Mother's day visit at my mums. While I was making tea I spotted this fox through the kitchen window. Looks like he was doing a spot of sunbathing, making the most of the last of the afternoon's rays.

My Little Ogre

2008-02-25T15:21:00.004Z

We are sooooooo into Shrek's Quest. Here's our version of the Cat Journal Make from Issue 1

I've been absent from this blog for a while concentrating on other projects and actual real life!

My mum is better btw although her arm is still stiff so she's doing her physio exercises to get it back into condition.

Doing Our Bit

2008-01-08T21:33:00.000Z

I've just received an email from Early Learning Centre - they are running their book amnesty scheme again.

Last January, ELC launched their Book Amnesty appeal across all stores, which resulted in over 120,000 used books being redistributed to children who needed them. They're running the appeal again until the end of January 2008. It couldn't be simpler to join in:

Take up to 10 books your children no longer read to your local store. You will get a 20% OFF voucher to spend with ELC in February.

Time to have a tidy out.

2007-12-15T22:15:00.000Z

I've been to-ing and fro-ing between home, work and mum's for the last few days and trying to Christmas shop in-between. We posted Harry's present yesterday, just catching the last posting day for parcels. Mum is much better, she had a visit from a physiotherapist who helped her shower and change her clothes and being the uber-organised person she is got comfy with the phone on one side and pen and paper on the other and booked meals-on-wheels for herself. My eldest sister has come up from Northamptonshire this weekend to visit her and swap pressies.

Nana Is Broken

2007-12-10T17:31:00.000Z

When I got in from work yesterday John had a message for me. My mum had slipped on some wet leaves, fallen and broken her arm. Its in the same place as one of my customers broke hers last winter, so I know what to expect at least. Its at the top of her left arm so can only rest in a sling - no pot. We will visit her tomorrow and see what we can do to help. I am one of five, four of whom live locally so she isn't short of lifts in cars and people to do shopping. I have spoken to her on the phone and she sounds okay but I am still worried. This is my invincible, strong mother who has suddenly become frail and old overnight.

Advent

2007-12-07T11:43:00.001Z

Yesterday was tree putting up day. The paintwork looks so much better.

Its and Bits

2007-12-05T10:37:00.000Z

I've ordered some sequins, we are running low on crafty its and bits. Stars and snowflakes to make Christmas cards and tree decorations. Sunday's Observer had a free Christmas crafts supplement with extracts from Big Book of Christmas Things to Make and Do Collection.

Yesterday John got out the gloss and emulsion and smartened up the bay window before we put up the Christmas tree. Now the paintwork in the rest of the room looks scruffy...and the other rooms....and....

2007-12-04T23:06:00.001Z

We have been watching BBC 2's Earth: The Power of the Planet tonight's episode featuring glaciers. After watching the programme almost to the end Robert declared "it wasn't as good as the last one because they didn't set fire to the ice."

Bedtime and as usual Robert's mind is racing. "I know how electricity works, mummy" he sits bolt upright, wide-eyed and takes a deep breath which always precedes an explanation. "Plugs have metal pins and they have wires that attach to them. The thing you put the plug into has metal inside it and metal conducts electricity. That also has wires in it going to the metal."

I then said he was quite right and that was a circuit. He then continued with a brief synopsis of how electricity flows (current) and potential difference (voltage.)

All that from a set of magnets.

The Natural History Museum

2007-12-04T11:47:00.001Z

A birthday treat for Robert - a trip to the Natural History Museum in London.

Time flies when your having fun.

Robert ran into the museum, took one look at the dinosaur in the lobby and said "that's a Diplodocus" and went to the map. Pointing at the red zone he informed us he wanted to see volcanos in the red zone on the second floor. He meticulously worked his way through the zone studying rocks and how magma is released from the earth's core.

After a picnic lunch he said he needed to visit the Science Museum again, they have a better shop.

We had some spare time before our train home to ride the underground, stopping off at Covent Garden we walked to Leicester Square. Then back to St. Pancras to see the Eurostar.

Toddler Alert

2007-12-03T11:50:00.000Z

Lisa suprised us with a visit this week, Harry is 1 now and a big lad!

Uncle Robert enjoyed seeing his little nephew. He kept us all on our toes, its suprising how things change as kids grow older, so many little bits and bobs from Robert's games had to be removed from the floor before we could let Harry run about.

Geomag Bonkers

2007-12-02T13:15:00.000Z

Here's the birthday boy blowing out 6 candles on his favourite Malteser Cake. The recipe comes from Nigella Lawson's excellent book Feast

Robert had Geomag for his birthday and some money. Which he used to buy more Geomag.

We looked on the internet for some Geomag ideas and found Geomag Constructions

Robert said "this man is Geomag bonkers!"

Now we are going Geomag bonkers.

Hotter Than Hell

2007-11-23T23:57:00.000Z

I phoned my mum the other day to arrange a meet up in town and whilst we were chatting she mentioned a theory my brother in law has been expounding and claiming as his own.

The temperature of Heaven can be rather accurately computed. Our authority is Isaiah 30:26,

"Moreover, the light of the Moon shall
be as the light of the Sun and the light
of the Sun shall be sevenfold, as the
light of seven days."

Thus Heaven receives from the Moon as much radiation as we do from the Sun, and in addition 7*7 (49) times as much as the Earth does from the Sun, or 50 times in all. The light we receive from the Moon is one 1/10,000 of the light we receive from the Sun, so we can ignore that ... The radiation falling on Heaven will heat it to the point where i.e., Heaven loses 50 times as much heat as the Earth by radiation. Using the Stefan-Boltzmann law for radiation, (H/E) temperature of the earth (-300K), gives H as 798K (525C). The exact temperature of Hell cannot be computed ...

[However] Revelations 21:8 says

"But the fearful, and unbelieving ... shall
have their part in the lake which burneth
with fire and brimstone."

A lake of molten brimstone means that its temperature must be at or below the boiling point, 444.6C. We have, then, that Heaven, at 525C is hotter than Hell at 445C.

A quick Google and I find his theory is common knowledge and bearing in mind my mum is 81 and has no access to the world wide web I think it unfair to preach as fact something which is obviously meant as a joke. I also find it remarkable anyone would not see that this is a joke of some kind even if it is in very poor taste.

Its Christians like my brother in law who reinforce my belief that churches only encourage ignorance.

More About Nets - 3D Modelling For Beginners

2007-11-20T15:19:00.001Z

So here's the coloured in net.

Here's the finished model after the paper net was stuck onto thin card.

Nets - 3D Modelling For Beginners

2007-11-20T11:49:00.001Z

In geometry the net of a polyhedron is an arrangement of edge-joined polygons in the plane which can be folded (along edges) to become the faces of the polyhedron. Polyhedral nets are a useful aid to the study of polyhedra and solid geometry in general, as they allow for models of polyhedra to be constructed from material such as thin cardboard. Source Wikipedia

This morning we have been turning these printouts into 3D models and talking about shapes and their relationships. We looked at a screenshot from a PS2 game and tracked down the 3D shapes that make up animals, people and buildings. The models are simply made from printer paper but would be improved if the flat sheets were stuck onto thin card before being cut out. So the models in the photo are prototypes.

Robert would also like to colour the panels and add patterns on PhotoImpact before constructing the polyhedron on the next set we make.

Bleuggghhhhh!

2007-11-12T21:22:00.000Z

Saturday night I fell into bed at 1.30am after diligently cleaning out all my email inboxes, I have 4 major email accounts some of which receive forwarding from other addresses. I was just nodding off at 2am when Robert shouted me. It would be another 3 hours before I could rest my eyes again. He had a stomach bug which inevitably involved 2 bed changes and much to-ing and fro-ing between bedroom and bathroom. If I had known I wouldn't have risked a late night and would have got my head down by a sensible 10pm. Anyway at 5am Robert's stomach abated and we slept til 8am when we did a rerun. Every sip of water recoiled..."I've got springs in my tummy" he wailed. Sunday morning passed by in a blur, Sunday afternoon I had to go in to work and John took over the nursing. I got home just after 7pm to find the "springs" had recoiled all over John. This morning Robert woke feeling much better. I've spent most of today washing and ironing bedding. Now I know why my mum kept so many old sheets and pillowcases "just in case" its a good thing she got me to do the same.

I popped into town with Robert this afternoon so he could stretch his legs and get some fresh air. Also we just had to fetch Charlie and Lola 8 which was released today. Now bearing in mind the backdrop of the last day and two nights in which I have barely left Robert's side as he has been cuddled in my arms. I literally came to a stop in the middle of the street my eyes fixed on a young mother who was resolutely ignoring her son thrashing about in his pushchair and crying his eyes out. I gave her one of those looks, you know the kind that says..."well aren't you going to DO something?" but she glanced back with hollow eyes, there really was nobody home.

BTW Sunday was my 18th wedding anniversary. We married at 11 am on the 11th day of the 11th month. I like serendipitous stuff like that.

Hallowe'en

2007-10-31T17:38:00.000Z

Robert has been busy the past few days...24 CD Roms came through the post from a Daily Mail offer. He has encyclopedias, quizes and atlases and best of all a new copy of World Explorer because his old one got scratched.

He also received his set of Horrible Geography books from the Daily Telegraph. We collected the Horrible Science set on holiday - WHSmith was only a short walk from our flat.

Then today we got an email from the editor of CBeebies Weekly asking for our address so they can send Robert a goody bag for having his photo published in the magazine. We sent in a pic of him holding Number Zero from our set of felt NumberJacks.

Lisa rang to put off her usual November visit until December - just after Christmas...a little longer to wait to see Harry again.

We did the usual Jack O Lantern carving today and made small carrot cakes with halloweeny orange icing.

Troglodytes Troglodytes

2007-10-21T08:38:00.002Z

Spotted a wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) flitting about on the garden yesterday. This is the first time we have seen one on our patch. Our conifers do attract the birds because they harbour many different kinds of insect. We have seen plenty of sparrows and blackbirds this year and Robert was hoping to see a robin on the garden but no luck so far.

Out and About

2007-10-12T09:27:00.000Z

Tuesday we went stick collecting, picking up fallen branches to paint. Some looked like animals - a giraffe, snake, horse - and some didn't. That was after we wrapped up Harry's birthday present and got that sent off. I don't think he will get it by today though 'cos of the postal strikes. Robert chose this Activity Tunnel for Harry. Tuesday night Robert fell to sleep listening to the CD that comes with Poetry Speaks to Children one of his favourite books nowadays. Yesterday, after getting the Tesco shop done, we visited Queen's Park. Robert busied himself making friends.

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside

2007-09-29T12:45:00.001Z

We are back from our annual holiday, this year we headed for the seaside. Paignton was chosen for its wide choice of clean beaches and visitor attractions. Although the train journey was a little arduous at five and a half hours due to Chesterfield station being closed for track maintenance, it was well worth it once we arrived.

The sun shone and the air was warm. I had heard about Torbay's micro climate but it was a remarkable experience to feel the rise in temperature.

Everything in paignton was ideally located, buses run frequently and on time connecting with other services perfectly. We hopped on two different steam trains, one from paignton to Kingswear with a ferry trip to dartmouth and the other train took us from Totnes to Buckfastleigh in order to visit Buckfast Abbey by a short vintage bus ride.

We visited Paignton Zoo and Living Coasts in Torquay. I was a bit put out at the joint entrance fee just to see the penguins at Living Coasts but John found a shop dedicated to Agatha Christie while we were in Torquay so that made the excursion more worthwhile.

We want to go back again to Paignton next year to see everything we missed because one week isn't long enough.

Paper Plates

2007-09-04T19:24:00.000Z

Any Sunday morning peace and quiet was shattered this weekend when the workman came to fix our leaking bay window roof. It needed re-felting. Robert watched through the bedroom window directly above the bay.

Today he's been drawing and making his own jigsaws from paper plates.

Yesterday he spotted this:

If you look at the numbers 1234567890 you will see the numbers 12 34 56 78 and 90

12 + 22 = 34
34 + 22 = 56
56 + 22 = 78

but 78 + 12 = 90

How strange.

Numberjacks

2007-07-27T12:44:00.000Z

We've made Numberjack One and Zero from felt, quite easy to make using printouts from cbeebies as patterns, some stuffing, stick on googly eyes and embroidery thread for the mouth.

We are making one a day. Robert also wants to know if we can make the other characters - the Problem Blob, Shape Japer and the Puzzler. So once I have figured out how to make a felt ball....

I still haven't had a cigarette since July 1st, so its 27 days smoke free for me *hurrah*

Smoking Ban

2007-07-21T19:43:00.000Z

Not much happening here apart from more rain. We try to get out between downpours but its beginning to feel fultile. So we bake and knit and study maths and english, play computer games and look out of the window. I've paid for our annual holiday. We're going to Paignton this year, so far reports are good from friends who have been there already, shirt sleeve weather apparently. Fingers crossed then.

Not much else to report, I've quit smoking...now there's a thing. Well I work in a pub and since the smoking ban I haven't smoked. I always blamed my work environment for my habit, having attempted to quit several times before and failed. So now its been 21 days and I don't feel bad at all. Its a bit quiet at work though. What with the ban and all this rain.

Tooth Fairy

2007-07-05T10:18:00.000Z

Monday morning and Robert had a wobbly tooth. I have been checking for wobbles since two adult teeth appeared behind his bottom front baby teeth. He was a bit upset by the fact he couldn't eat properly so he drank a lot of milk through the day to keep him going. By Monday night it was out, embedded in some ice cream. Under the pillow it went. Tuesday morning he woke, checked under his pillow and announced, "the tooth fairy did come!" Implying some sort of doubt about the whole thing. Now he has a gap, which he is very self-conscious of.

Coloring Pages Website - Coloring Pages, Dot to Dot and Free Kids Drawings

2007-06-25T14:12:00.000Z

Stuck for something to do indoors while the rain continues to keep us from any outdoor activity I went looking for something for Robert to do...

Coloring Pages Website - Coloring Pages, Dot to Dot and Free Kids Drawings

I'm thinking of building an ark if this continues.

Visual DNA

2007-06-14T15:31:00.001Z

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Monday Again!

2007-06-11T20:46:00.000Z

An average Monday spent cleaning, washing and generally rearranging the chaos left by the weekend when neither John or I have the time to do so much as think.

Robert has been continuing his writing, concentrating very hard on getting it right. He found my knitting bag (has it been that long since I picked up the needles and yarn?) and asked me if I could knit him a jumper. So I have started knitting again.

Lisa phoned with various questions concerning Harry. He has a rash. "What's a viral infection?" she asks John. "The doctor says Harry has a viral infection." I can see his blood pressure rising from across the room "doesn't she know what a viral infection is?!". Lisa's health visitor has enrolled her on the Sure Start programme, John and I sigh, look at each other and hope she gets through the latest drama unscathed. We worry but each time Lisa and Harry visit we can see Harry is thriving.

Tree Poems

2007-06-09T23:34:00.000Z

Robert found concrete poetry on the Woodland Trust website and made a tree poem. He's been practicing his writing, copying out his favourite passages from his Charlie and Lola books. He said to me "I am going to do writing for a whole week!" I guess we have been focusing on maths and science for a long time now so he's ready for a change.

Robert has also found this game from the Environment Agency very useful. Build your own interactive city garden, meadow or pond.

He has also started to take an interest in history recently. So we are looking at some timelines to tie in with science looking at when things were invented and when famous scientists lived.

Robert is such an avid reader. He looks over my shoulder for as while to see the pictures then gets me to read aloud from my current book. So I am reading to him while reading ahead to filter out any content I deem unfit for young ears. So much for a relaxing read!

This weeks book is The Home Front: Civilian Life in World War One

World War One continues to fascinate but little has been written on the civilian's war. From bombing to rationing, from civil defence to war work, the face of Britain was radically changed as a result of the conflict. More than once Britain was almost brought to its knees by unrestricted submarine warfare and by the end of the war German Zeppelins and Gotha bombers had managed to bomb many parts of Eastern England, while in 1914 the German High Seas fleet bombarded the East Coast destroying buildings in places as diverse as Hartlepool and Lowestoft. The First World War was the first war to have a huge impact on civilians and few were safe from attack. All endured hardship as rationing came into force. What was life like during the war for the civilian population? What hardships did they endure? How did they live? What was the feeling of those who stayed at home? Peter Cooksley tells us the true story of civilians at war on the Home Front.

So airships are the current topic. Huge balloons with engines...it doesn't get much better than that!

Crich Tramway Village

2007-06-08T12:40:00.001Z

Yesterday we went to the Tramway Village at Crich. We have been before when Robert was three to see Thomas the Tank Engine. This time we just went to adore the trams....

Ride on trams...

Have a picnic...with my mum's old picnic bag which she passed on to me because it has Tardis qualities and I am sooo into vintage stuff at the moment. The bag has been to Crich before in the 70's.

Discover new and wonderful creatures....giddy up.

Puzzle over things...

Get lots of fresh air and exercise...up hill an down dale.

Study architecture...

Flop down exhausted....waiting for the bus home.

The good news...it may be fairly expensive to get into the museum (£24 for the three of us) but now because I gave them my details for Gift Aid I have FREE ADMISSION for the rest of the year (excluding Bank Holidays and Special Event Days.) Wow.

Busy as Busy Buzzy Bees

2007-06-05T20:33:00.001Z

Robert and I have had a baking day today. We have made lots of yummy food for a picnic on Thursday. In between baking and chores we watched the bees on the London Pride in the garden.

Yesterday we made collages from old magazines on the theme of 'Our House' rather than our actual house I ended up making a picture of where I would like to live. Mine was a cottage by the sea with an abundant garden. Robert's was a composite image made of woods, fabrics and coloured textures with both indoor and outdoor features....and a car of course.

Later we played Microsoft Train Simulator on the PC and tried to get the Flying Scotsman from Settle to Carlisle in one piece.

Goodbye Dominos Hello Wiltshire Farm Foods

2007-06-01T19:54:00.001Z

Sometimes I have days when my feet barely touch the floor. I do too much I am sure, homeschooling, gardening, going out to work and working from home.... So about once every few weeks we fall back on takeaway food. I know its bad for us but what choice do I have when I am exhausted.

Well now I have a choice and a very good one. Real food, healthy food I can order in over the internet and it works out cheaper for a family meal than Dominos! And they deliver nationwide using a network of local suppliers. How cool is that.

Wiltshire Farm Foods extensive menu has something for everyone – from hearty, traditional favourites such as roasts, pies and stews to more exotic dishes like Duck in Brandy Sauce, Coq au Vin and Fillet of Trout with Prawns.

And if you fancy something sweet, a huge array of delightful desserts await to tantalise your taste buds…from crumbles and puddings to cooler, refreshing choices such as cheesecakes and trifles!

Choose from more than175 delicious dishes and enjoy great food as often as you like, every day, or as a special treat – the choice is yours.

You can enjoy scrumptious dishes like hearty Beef and Stout Pie, tender Lamb Steak with Ratatouille and creamy Coronation Chicken.

Each dish is balanced, nutritious and full of flavour, with carefully controlled levels of salt, sugar and fat.

They can provide details of meals ‘free from’ nuts, dairy, onions etc and also cater for a range of special diets. Look for the colour-coded symbols indicating diabetic, lower fat, reducing, moderate salt, gluten free and vegetarian options.

Convenience is one of many advantages of Wiltshire Farm Foods. Meals are so very easy and quick to prepare. Meals arrive frozen, in sturdy plastic trays, ready to put in the freezer. When you fancy something to eat, it couldn’t be easier, you simply heat your meal from frozen in a matter of minutes and enjoy.

10 Years, 5 Months and 27 Days

2007-06-01T19:09:00.000Z

John said to me today quite wistfully "Robert's nearly six, theres only 10 years left 'til he's sixteen."

10 years!

Is that all?

We have only got 10 years to teach him EVERYTHING.

10 Years to teach Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Maths, History, English, Geography, Geology, Economics, IT, Cookery.....AND all about how to survive life in the adult working world.

But we've hardly scratched the surface and in many subjects he's way ahead of his state educated contemporaries. How do they manage?!

*Takes a deep breath*

OK, easy now.....

Pineapples and Gravity

2007-06-01T12:24:00.000Z

On Tuesday Robert and I went to Tesco, he asked me to buy him a pineapple. They were half price so I agreed thinking I would end up eating it rather than him. He then asked me to turn this strange spiky fruit into homemade ice cream. I dug out the ice cream maker and froze the bowl. On Wednesday we chopped up the pineapple, blitzed it, added sugar and double cream and created the best ice cream ever! And Robert loves it.

Then Robert started asking me about gravity.

Gravity is a force which tries to pull two objects toward each other. Anything which has mass also has a gravitational pull. The more massive an object is, the stronger its gravitational pull is. Earth's gravity is what keeps you on the ground and what causes objects to fall. Gravity is what holds the planets in orbit around the sun and what keeps the moon in orbit around Earth. The closer you are to an object, the stonger its gravitational pull is. Gravity is what gives you weight. It is the force that pulls on all of the mass in your body.

He has been experimenting over the past couple of days with various objects from a balloon to his own body weight in air and water. So I've added Dead Famous - Isaac Newton to my Amazon Wishlist.

Better Than Prozac

2007-05-31T21:45:00.000Z

I've found the perfect cure if you are feeling down in the dumps. And to celebrate the return of big Brother (which I vehemently loath and detest) a return to the good old days of innocent but mindless violence on TV.

Paper Planes

2007-05-26T22:00:00.000Z

We spent the evening making paper planes from the Paper Plane Kit that came with todays Guardian newspaper. Designs were contributed by Nick Robinson and Mark Bolitho. Here's one of Nick's designs if you missed todays Guardian, just click the image to see it full size.

Experimentation

2007-05-26T11:41:00.001Z

I came home from work yesterday to find this strange concoction in the kitchen.

I wondered what it was and Robert was keeping quiet on the subject. An empty sugar packet was a clue. Then John came in and said he had wondered why Robert's hands were blue earlier. He thought it might be felt pen.

So here's the recipe - don't try this at home!

Half a packet of caster sugar (oh yes not just any sugar but my baking sugar)
Several drops or maybe a splash of blue food colouring (I don't know the exact amount)
Some seedless grapes (mushed up of course)

Mix well with bare hands and grin when its done.

Giant Rabbits and Sneezes

2007-05-24T18:15:00.000Z

Robert has spent most of today sleeping and watching a bit of TV because he is poorly. The usual symptoms, runny nose and sneezes yesterday and general malaise today.

Monday night I had a dream. I dreamed huge rabbits were flying, using their large ears as helicopter blades. They flew towards me through a beautiful field of daisies. On Tuesday I told Robert about this dream because I knew it would make him laugh. After the giggles subsided he said, "you know Mummy. You had the dream because you watched Curse of the Were-Rabbit and that had a giant rabbit in it and Sonic Heroes and that has a rabbit that flies with its ears in it."

Thank you Sigmund.

Everything About Bugs

2007-05-24T11:31:00.000Z

Bugguide is a great site for bug fans. Its focus is US and Canada insect life but worth a look at if your kids are doing a project on mini beasts.

Bugguide is hosted by Iowa State University Entomology and is easy to use when beginning to learn about species classification. The photos are high quality showing the detail you need when studying insects.

The community is run by an online community of naturalists who enjoy learning about and sharing our observations of insects, spiders, and other related creatures.

Geometry

2007-05-22T19:30:00.000Z

Robert's latest mathematical quest is to know the names of every 2 dimensional geometrical object. If you are curious too, here they are (courtesy of Dr Math):

1  monogon                  (Monogon and digon can only
   2  digon                     be used in rather special
   3  trigon, triangle          circumstances. Trigon and
   4  tetragon, quadrilateral   tetragon are alternatives to
   5  pentagon                  triangle and quadrilateral;
   6  hexagon                   the adjectival forms trigonal
   7  heptagon                  and tetragonal are more common.)
   8  octagon
   9  enneagon

  10  decagon
  11  hendecagon
  12  dodecagon
  13  triskaidecagon
  14  tetrakaidecagon, tetradecagon
  15  pentakaidecagon, pentadecagon
  16  hexakaidecagon, hexadecagon
  17  heptakaidecagon
  18  octakaidecagon
  19  enneakaidecagon

  20  icosagon
  21  icosikaihenagon, icosihenagon
  22  icosikaidigon
  23  icosikaitrigon
  24  icosikaitetragon
  25  icosikaipentagon
  26  icosikaihexagon
  27  icosikaiheptagon
  28  icosikaioctagon
  29  icosikaienneagon

  30  triacontagon
  31  triacontakaihenagon
  32  triacontakaidigon
  33  triacontakaitrigon
  34  triacontakaitetragon
  35  triacontakaipentagon
  36  triacontakaihexagon
  37  triacontakaiheptagon
  38  triacontakaioctagon
  39  triacontakaienneagon

  40  tetracontagon
  41  tetracontakaihenagon
  42  tetracontakaidigon
  43  tetracontakaitrigon
  44  tetracontakaitetragon
  45  tetracontakaipentagon
  46  tetracontakaihexagon
  47  tetracontakaiheptagon
  48  tetracontakaioctagon
  49  tetracontakaienneagon

  50  pentacontagon ...
  60  hexacontagon ...
  70  heptacontagon ...
  80  octacontagon ...
  90  enneacontagon ...
 100  hectogon, hecatontagon
1000  chiliagon
10000  myriagon

Free Pumpkin Seeds

2007-05-20T11:49:00.001Z

One of the things we like to do when we are not in the garden is to trawl round the net for any freebies we can find. Looking through the exhibitors for the Chelsea Flower Show this year we came a cross a charity courtyard garden. They are trying to encourage gardeners, especially children by giving away a free pack of pumpkin seeds.

The garden is based on a children's book called Where The Wild Things Are. This is one of those truly rare books that can be enjoyed equally by a child and a grown-up. If you disagree, then it's been too long since you've attended a wild rumpus. Max dons his wolf suit in pursuit of some mischief and gets sent to bed without supper. Fortuitously, a forest grows in his room, allowing his wild rampage to continue unimpaired. Sendak's colour illustrations (perhaps his finest) are beautiful, and each turn of the page brings the discovery of a new wonder.

The wild things - with their mismatched parts and giant eyes - manage somehow to be scary- looking without ever really being scary; at times they're downright hilarious. Sendak's defiantly run-on sentences - one of his trademarks - lend the perfect touch of stream of consciousness to the tale, which floats between the land of dreams and a child's imagination.

Swimming

2007-05-17T20:24:00.000Z

We took Robert for his first swimming lesson today. He was excited before we went, nervous when he first got into the learner pool and more relaxed as the hour progressed. He enjoyed getting used to the water and towards the end was confident enough to slide into the water from the edge without using the steps. John is an excellent swimmer so he is teaching Robert at the moment and we plan to go once a week. I am a non-swimmer unfortunately but I like to float near the side lol. Saying that, as little as I did my stomach muscles ached when I got out of the pool.

The lifeguard asked how old Robert was and then why he wasn't at school. So we explained about home education and had a moan about the state of our local schools, I guess they see lots of school kids at the baths. Indeed when we were in the cafe that overlooks the pool we had the chance to watch a class in action. Organised chaos was the word. Swimmers swam, non-swimmers floundered and those in-between messed about. Three adults supervised this group of a dozed or so kids. It took me back to when I had swimming lessons in the last year of junior school, I started out as a non-swimmer and as I said I still am. Another addition to my growing list of areas in which school failed me. I won't let this happen to Robert.

On the way home we chatted about swimming. John said to Robert, "Uncle Steve says he'll take you scuba diving when you've learned to swim." Robert replied, "I can't swim with SHARKS!"

Where did that one come from?

May Showers Bring Forth June Flowers?

2007-05-15T21:54:00.000Z

The weather seems a bit topsy turvy this year. April was hot and sunny like May usually is and May is wet like April should be. Well, I've always been the sort of person who can make the most of a bad situation so this week we made a rain gauge.

Its just a two litre plastic lemonade bottle cut in half. The top half inverted to make a funnel to catch the rain and prevent evaporation if the sun does shine. Insulating tape holds it together and also makes 10mm markers to measure rainfall.

We will plot rainfall on a graph weekly. With all this weather it should be a good experiment.

Yesterday Robert read about tornadoes in this book about Weather he wanted to know what tornadoes looked like in real life so off we popped to youtube to find clips of twisters. He was in awe of their power and quiet relieved we don't have them in England.

Today I mentioned to Robert how tall he was getting (122cm) he can reach all the light switches in our house now. His reply, "but I am not as wide as a bush."

New CD Roms

2007-05-11T12:07:00.000Z

Went into town yesterday to get a 3D graphics card for the computer and found a twin pack of Learning Ladder CD Roms for Robert, two discs - years 1 & 2.

We had to buy the graphics card so john could play his Call of Cthulhu game which he bought on Tuesday. On trying to run the game he discovered our onboard graphics chip just wasn't up to the job so he got a Sapphire Radeon X1650 Pro

So a £19.99 game cost altogether about £95 to run. I said we could take the game back to the shop. John didn't agree, it was obvious the computer needed upgrading. Its got to be a man thing.

Visit to London Part2 - The Embankment

2007-05-07T19:59:00.000Z

We stopped for lunch on the Thames Embankment, cheese and tomato sarnies and coffee in the fresh air you can't beat it.

We pointed out the OXO building, ST Pauls and I explained to Robert that this was where his Nana (my mum) walked to and from work and also where my dad courted her. That would have all happened in the 1940's.

The OXO Building

A relic of London's industrial past, the OXO Tower building has been inventively remodeled to engage with the busy cultural and commercial life of the city.

Once lined with grime encrusted warehouses, London's South Bank has gradually evolved into a modern cultural and commercial riverside strip. The stalwart functionalism of industry has given way to a heterogeneous assortment of buildings baying across the River Thames. Just east of the beton brut grandeur of the National Theatre and the execrable King's Reach Tower lies the Oxo building, preserved like an archaeological specimen as the sole reminder of the area's past life. Originally constructed at the turn of the century as a Post Office generating station, it was extensively remodeled as a meat warehouse between 1928 and 1930, acquiring, in the process, its famous Art Deco tower. Punctuated by a trio of glazed apertures that might look like innocuous noughts and crosses, they actually spell out 'OXO', the name of the British meat products company. Designed by A. W. Moore, this brazen appendage cunningly circumvented restrictions on advertising along the river and has now assumed the status of minor London landmark.

After a long period of uncertainty, the original building has now been inventively remodeled for mixed residential and commercial use. Five intermediate floors provide 78 flats for Coin Street Secondary Housing Association (occupied by people who either live or work in the local borough), while the lower three storeys have been refurbished to house designer studios and small speciality shops. On the second floor overlooking the dramatic sweep of the river from St Paul's Cathedral to Charing Cross Station, is a cheerfully demotic cafe designed by Apicella Associates.

Visitors

2007-05-05T20:24:00.000Z

Lisa brought Harry up from Wales for a visit for a few days, I forgot how exhausting babies can be. Harry is 7 months old now, starting to push up ready for crawling and very lively and wriggly. The visit was a complete surprise and Robert was thrilled to see his sister again.

UK Free Stuff Updated

2007-05-05T12:46:00.000Z

I have given my Freebie Blog a revamp. new template and new discount codes.

I have also been busy redesigning JS Discounts this is a site I designed for my brother in law's company and he's very pleased with it.

For All You Cat Lovers...

2007-04-29T22:58:00.000Z

New Gardening Blog

2007-04-16T18:36:00.000Z

John has started a separate gardening blog on Wordpress. Hopefully it will make things less complicated to have all the gardening stuff in a new blog plus we can see if we like Wordpress. You can take a look here: John the Gardener Its a bit plain at the moment until we get the hang of the style sheets, widgets, etc. so bear with us and keep checking back for improvements!

Mud Castles

2007-04-07T22:45:00.000Z

I hold the small of my back with one hand,
resting the other on the spade I sigh.
My son is five and making mud pies on the path,
I'll have to sweep it later and the washing isn't dry

I've planted rows of vegetables and scattered flower seeds,
my nails are cracked, my back aches and I need to prop the line.
I look at my son who's advanced to castles
and am taken in wonder, he's me
and I am my mother looking bewildered at the mess.

I rub my back and think, have I time for a cuppa?
Before I sweep away his little empire
and take his bare mud caked feet into the bath
and wash the dust from his hair ready for another day.

Visit To London Part 1 - The Underground Cont.

2007-04-06T11:42:00.000Z

You may never see another photo like this...

A quick snap before the train arrived. We boarded the train and within two minutes a train announcer told us flash photography was forbidden. It was really weird too being told off like that, made me feel paranoid in a big brother is watching you kind of way.

Heres why, the full article on the London Underground on wikipedia explains.

Photography for personal use is permitted in public areas of the Underground, but the use of tripods and other supports is forbidden as it poses a danger in the often cramped spaces and crowds found underground. Flash photography is also forbidden as it may distract drivers and disrupt fire-detection equipment. For the same reason bright auto-focus assist lights should be switched off or covered when photographing in the Underground. Due to the recent heightened security situation any persons taking photos of any kind on the London underground network are liable to be stopped and questioned by police under anti-terrorism laws, it is vital to speak to the station supervisor before using any photographic equipment. You can contact the LU film unit to purchase a photographic pass. A student permit for a month costs £25.00.

Oops.

Visit To London Part 1 - The Underground

2007-04-06T10:32:00.000Z

Yesterday we hopped on a train to London. Robert wanted to go on the tube and see the lines featured in Underground Ernie Although I have visited London before a trip on the underground was a first for me too.

Our route: Piccadilly Line to Leicester Square. Change to the Northern Line for the Embankment where we had lunch. Back on the tube, Circle line to St James' Park. Circle Line to South Kensington for the Science Museum. Return to St. Pancras via the Circle Line, this time taking the longer route through Paddington to pass through as many different stations as we could.

The first train was very crowded and hot, standing room only. Robert wasn't too happy but the journey was short and quick. The next trains had seats available from time to time and weren't crowded at all. We had fun trying to 'beat' the ticket barriers. Robert's travel on the tube was free so he had to go through the automatic barriers in front of me. I got as close to the barrier as I could, reaching back for the ticket as it popped up. This meant that I invariably got my bottom trapped in the closing barrier as I tried to get through it. Some stations had an attendant to swipe the barrier to let kids through but most didn't. The day rover tickets John and I used were good value for money at £10.50 for both, giving us unlimited travel in Zone 1.

John helped Robert with the escalators, they are faster than those at home and I learned that you have to stand on the right to let people in a hurry overtake. I have never climbed so many stairs before. My legs are still aching as I type.

T - 10 Seconds & Counting To the Launch Of Charlie's Rocket

2007-04-04T18:06:00.000Z

I've not been at work today so it was time to build Charlie's Rocket as featured on cbeebies Charlie and Lola section and the fantastic Charlie and Lola book Whoops But It Wasn't Me

It took us weeks of collecting cereal boxes and yogurt pots. Its taken all day to make but what a rocket we built.

We used:
3 cereal boxes
7 yogurt pots
4 sparkly pipe cleaners
1 lemonade bottle (500ml)
half a roll of sticky tape
some insulating tape (red)
half a roll of extra wide tin foil
sweet wrappers (assorted colours)
clear cellophane
corrugated card (for the base)
black tissue paper
glitter paint
1 sheet of sticky stars
2 types of glue - PVA and a glue stick
1 silver paper crown left over from xmas
1 picture of Charlie and Lola

Features: Robert added the go-faster stripe and I added the green, red and silver 'flag' stripes on the nose cone. John designed the fins (if he hadn't come in the room at the right moment the rocket wouldn't have had fins at all). I was responsible for the design of the rest of the superstructure. The rocket also features an airlock, two portholes showing Charlie in the top window and Lola in the bottom window. Robert supervised, sticky taped, painted and glued.

And I still managed to top up and aerate the compost bin, dig some compost into the garden and hang 3 loads of washing out.

Now what shall we do tomorrow?

Vintage Kids TV- Do You Remember This?

2007-04-01T10:47:00.000Z

Found this on You Tube. Kenneth Williams finest hour lol.

Bird

2007-03-26T22:25:00.000Z

Robert's bird, made in Photoimpact.

Colour Swirls

2007-03-13T20:36:00.000Z

We poured some milk onto a side-plate and dropped in three different food colourings (red, yellow and blue). A small drop of washing up liquid was drizzled onto a cotton bud. The bud was dipped into the milk in the centre of the plate. We observed the colour swirls as the proteins and fat broke down.

2007-03-12T19:19:00.000Z

The flowers turned out really well. Yellow coloured the petals quickest but red gave us the most dramatic veining.

Robert and I did some baking today, made anzac biscuits, flapjacks and choc chip muffins. I have struggled through the day a bit after I fell in the bathroom yesterday. I have a bruise the size of a dinner plate on my hip, cuts on my arm and foot and my ribs are sore. I'm still debating whether to go to the doctors. My self-pitying side wants x-rays and pills and my logical side knows the response will be the usual prescription for Ibuprofen and a scathing look from the GP that makes me feel like a hypochondriac. I don't know why I fell either, one minute I am stood up, I bend down to pick something up and then down I go. I remember the room spun round once bfore everything went into slow motion. That was fortunate because if I had not sensed the fall I would have knocked myself out on the radiator. Instead I twisted to avoid it thus hurting my ribs. And of course me being me I trotted of to work half an hour later thinking I was OK. It was when I laid down in bed last night everything started to hurt. John cooked dinner tonight and has been helping with a few esssential jobs around the house, other things will have to wait til I'm feeling better. robert kept himself busy making pictures from sticky shapes and glitter and building himself a den.

New Blogger

2007-03-11T00:31:00.000Z

I've just switched this blog over to the new blogger, so things may or may not be a little bit disorganised for a couple of days while I get everything back in order. Overall I prefer the new blogger, its just a real pain having to re-do the sidebar widgets. I'm off to look for some new blogger hacks now to give it some style lol.

Flower Power

2007-03-10T00:51:00.000Z

The petals are coloured after 24 hrs...more tomorrow.

Robert got out Carol Vorderman's English Made Easy Ages 5-6 tonight which he's been working through for a while. He was filling in labels on a picture when I suddenly noticed how neat and accurate his writing has become. He no longer hesitates and is almost on the line. His letters are small but still a little squashed together. He has also mastered writing eights.

In Preparation For Science Week

2007-03-09T00:05:00.000Z

I know its early but I've never been known for my patience so we've started doing some science projects a little before the actual start of Science Week. The first experiment involves some carnations, three vases filled with water and the addition of three different food colourings. We chose red, blue and yellow. This is the photo for the beginning of the experiment. I asked Robert what he thought might happen to the flowers and he answered in a roundabout way that they will drink the water and change colour according to the water they are in. I will take another photo tomorrow.

After setting up the flower experiment it was art time.

And here's one he made earlier...

Lunar Eclipse

2007-03-06T00:42:00.000Z

Robert and I stayed up on Saturday night watching Charlie and Lola DVDs in the big bed and of course the lunar eclipse. There were plenty of wow's as I explained what was happening to the moon.

Robert is now reading books to me like this one by Phil Cummings, its written in chapters with simple black and white line drawings and more text than the picture books he's used to. He read it fluently, struggling on only three words he was unfamiliar with. I printed some World Book Day reward certificates from the Scholastic website and put them on the wall alongside the many posters we have collected.

Today we played a couple of board games I found while tidying a cupboard, a number game and a very old Jungle Book game.

Robert is very excited because John and I have finally decided the location for this years holiday. We have picked Paignton in Devon, miles of clean sandy beaches with rockpools for exploring, a zoo and live steam! And still only 4.5 hours on the train, roughly the same journey time as Norfolk. Did i mention the cream teas? I can't wait hehe.

Another Day In The Life Of...

2007-02-28T01:12:00.000Z

Took some books out of the library for Robert yesterday and bought a new fridge, the old one is quite literally blowing hot and cold. Having to buy chilled food almost daily til new fridge is delivered next week.

Robert's been busy painting and adding and doubling numbers while I've been rearranging our "library" - we have twelve (I think) bookcases which I am organising to make a quiet reading area on the landing and thus freeing more space in the office so Robert can have his own desk. We've installed a chest freezer too so I can store more bread from Tesco when I do the main shop rather than paying convenience store prices through the week. The chest freezer will also mean I can double up when cooking stews, shepherds pies, curries and chillis and freeze portions for the weekends when we John and I find ourselves too busy to cook something substantial for ourselves.

For national science week in March I am looking out some simple experiments to do with Robert, will post more about them in a couple of weeks.

Drawing And Poetry

2007-02-20T21:42:00.000Z

Robert's drawing is improving. He produced this self-portrait today.

He also wrote this poem, he began with making a fish sound with his mouth then writing what came to mind.

Fish

They swim about

do fish shout?

I think so

they shout like this

bop, hop, pop.

I made a huge chilli con carne for dinner, John and I had chilli stuffed pancakes, Robert had freshly squeezed orange juice and sugar on his. I would have cooked the pancakes for breakfast but we have been busy wrestling with a new secondhand staircarpet for two days from morning until teatime. We are also rearranging furniture to fit in the inherited pieces we have gained from John's late grandma. A fantastic vintage sideboard, new dining table and other smaller bits and pieces. I just stare in wonder at the sideboard, its walnut lacquer and if you saw it in a shop you would think it ugly but it suits our house and I can't figure out why. Anyway more storage equals less chaos and I can't bring myself to send stuff like that to landfill. Its not worn out enough!

Out Of The Closet

2007-02-16T23:47:00.000Z

At first we only told the people that mattered we were home educating Robert, family and closest friends. Recently we have been telling the wider audience of aquaintances. I must admit I was suprised by the enthusiastic response and the nods of agreement when I explained my disappointment in the current state educational system, other parents admit to feeling let down by their child's school and teachers and wish they had had the time and /or dedication to home-ed. Some asked lengthy questions about teaching him higher mathematics and the pedantic rules of English grammar and others asked the simpler questions like "what do you teach him?" and "how do you keep him interested?" I must look the truly proud parent when I reply "I just teach the rules and concepts, he learns from the world around him because he is receptive and naturally capable of grasping new concepts."

Now he is learning to multiply, divide and I am introducing fractions. We take a little bit of time each day phonetically spelling out medium length words. Today he made a desert island and yesterday a collage. He is snoring very loudly as I type this, he's caught my tonsilitis.

Almost forgot...John was making some notes in a notebook and Robert wanted to see. "Oooooh, Daddy" he said " you have written a lot. You deserve a hug for that" and gave his Daddy a big hug.

Where's The Time Gone?

2007-02-13T01:19:00.000Z

Its a new year and yes we are still here, home-edding. Sorry peeps for the gaps between posts but life is so hectic now I rarely sit at the puter. Robert is coming on in leaps and bounds especially with his maths, adding and subtracting small numbers with ease and getting to grips with tens up to millions. he has a fundamental grasp of 3 dimensional shapes and his knowledge of the natural world simply amazes me. his handwriting is gradually gaining in legibility, as with most boys its not his fave activity and he would rather use the puter sometimes than paper and pen. hes a happy chap tho and grasps new subjects quickly and has a phenomenally good memory.

Another reason I have been busier than usual is due to the arrival of my first step-gransdon (if thats the correct term) Lisa, my step-daughter gave birth to a healthy baby boy last October and the phone rings nearly every day with her news, worries and general moans and groans. She lives in South Wales now with her boyfriend but she still managed to visit a couple of times before Christmas and we are thrilled at becoming grandparents.

And yes, we have Guardian posters everywhere!!! Its the new wallpaper.

Johns maternal grandmother passed away a couple of weeks ago and while it wasnt unexpected, she was ninety-four, it was still an emotional time for all the family.

Meanwhile I have been going slowly green, hehe. Onwards and upwards from composting to switching to a green energy supplier for our electricity (its generated by wind turbines I am told) and running about the house changing all the bulbs to lovely energy efficient ones. We are looking at installing a wood-burning room heater later in the year and improving our homes insulation.

At present I am getting over a bout of tonsilitis, The winter viruses have hit me hard this year and for a good couple of months I have hardly been well, the doc put me on yet another gruelling course of antibiotics. I cough as I type...Robert however has a cold for two days and is up and running again, ahhhh what it is to be young *sighs*

I will blog more often....I'm sure I will, if I keep telling myself one day it may come true.

Mummy Its Snowing!

2007-02-11T12:55:00.000Z

Thursday it began to snow...so we threw snowballs...

Made a snowman...

Felt how cold it is...

And just looked in awe at it...

By saturday it was all gone. Robert said "snow is my favourite and my best mummy."

Town

2006-03-09T19:02:00.000Z

Went into town today to fetch some new trainers to wear for work mostly because I discovered my boots leak when I went out in the snow the other day! Popped into the RSPCA charity shop and the sales woman asked Robert "not in school today?" I just quipped back without thinking really "he's home educated" and started a quick conversation concerning the legal ins and outs of home ed. I could have made an excuse and said he was off sick but why shouldn't we be proud of what we do?

Roberts learning to read new words from The Cat in the Hat Dictionary by Dr Seuss. He can read a lot of stuff from this book however its still filling in a lot of gaps in his reading knowledge.

Robert and Daddy spent the rest of the afternoon playing Harry Potter on the playstation while I made a curried shepherds pie for dinner.....experimental cooking using Indian spices to cook from scratch rather than buying ready made curry sauces to reduce our intake of trans-fats, sugars and artificial additives.

Sunny Day

2006-03-06T12:11:00.000Z

I'm off work this week...a much needed break because in a couple of weeks I will be covering my colleague when she goes into hospital for an op. More shifts : ( but the extra money will be useful.

I'm thinking of growing some veg in the garden this year, I read an article by Monty Don in last Sundays Mail and he claims it can be done in a small garden and we have a small garden lying fallow after the winter. I like flowers a lot but veg somehow seems more progressive towards a healthier lifestyle and when I was little gardening with my dad we grew some amazing stuff. I can still remember how good home grown runner beans tasted.

We had some snow on Friday, now the sun is shining and its looking more spring like. I better get the vacuum cleaner out now and try to find the carpet lol

Pancake Day

2006-03-01T00:07:00.000Z

I woke this morning with the 'lurgy' sore throat, fever, lethargy...yuk! Still, there's no lying in bed feeling sorry for oneself when kids are around and on pancake day? Never been known! So guess what we had to eat today : )

Robert is asking what day is it again, hoping for the answer to be monday so he can go to the Muddle Puddle group again. I have marked the next meet on the calendar so he can keep track of the days.

Meanwhile he is expounding on his theories regarding plumbing and sewage, he reckons toilets must like what goes into them (I think this is because he doesn't consume things he doesn't like.) Then he chattered on about the consequences of not having a bottom. Cats do not have bottoms I am told "only tails."

Socialising

2006-02-28T10:20:00.000Z

Yesterday Robert and I went to our first Muddle Puddle Group over in Sheffield. After initially sitting on the sidelines with his coat firmly on, Robert soon joined in. Its the most relaxing afternoon I've had in ages too. When we got home he was quiet and reflective, he gave Daddy a rundown of the main happenings such as who cried and such. He wants to go again. Yay!

Its worth commenting on the difference I noticed in home-ed kids when compared to school-ed kids, John's first two children (now 20 and 21) were school educated and they and their peers were very different in their treatment of adults and class-mates. Yesterday I was watching mixed age kids play without conflict and talking to adults in a completely confident and relaxed manner. There were no 'crowd-control' issues that overwhelm the classroom and children used their initiative to develop games. Older children naturally shepherded the little ones, this wasn't just a group of kids but a team of like-minded individuals working together. Now that's something you will be hard-pressed to find in the adult world.

Home-ed kids do not learn the adversarial attitudes bred in schools, there's no 'them and us' divide between kids and adults, yet they understand who is in authority should they need help or a child is getting into danger. Now then, if they do not need to defy authority because it is not eroding their self-esteem then these potential teens will not need to rebel against authority in order to build the false ego and will grow to become well-rounded adults comfortable within themselves and their place in society.

Thinking Ahead - A Poem for Mothers Day

2006-02-24T12:53:00.000Z

We bathe under the midnight starry sky
and sweep careless drops of mik from our hair
We sigh and marvel at creation every day
and in our wonderings create so much more
Are we godesses woven from aphrodites loom
More than that we are daughters and mothers
This silent sorority who sit with our cheeks pressed
staring listlessly at the rain watching the window cry
And chase away the shadows with a song
We share our dreams and delights for the days ahead
Whilst innocently dabbling in water, earth and ink
Wiping away the heavy dew pressing us down into slumber
we are fond of this life with all its passing drone of hectic noise
We are pleased with who we are.

More Digital Imaging

2006-02-23T12:27:00.000Z

Circles, stars and fire by Robert

Bouncing on Mummy's and Daddy's Bed

2006-02-21T21:23:00.000Z

If you've got a new matress don't show this to your kids. Our mattress is ready for replacing, when we get a new one it may have to be combined with the purchase of a trampoline. Incidentally I would have given my right arm to do this on my parents bed.

Digital Imaging

2006-02-21T21:03:00.000Z

Robert created this on Ulead PhotoImpact after watching me use it countless times. He built the image up from set shapes coloured with bucket fill and multivision and defraction filters added last. I think its stylish and shows he has a a good eye for colour.