We went to Fishbourne Roman Palace today as they have ‘Funtime Thursdays’ running throughout the Summer holidays.
We tend to go at least once most years and as if you can declare gift aid you get a pass valid for a year. I was trying to jog Davies and Scarlett’s memories about the place this morning and eventually Davies said ‘do you mean that place we’ve been to with Elinor a couple of times?’ – clearly it’s all about the company! 😆
We got up and ready late so were already nearly 40 minutes later than my initial plan to collect Tasha and co. The traffic was bad so it was nearly midday before we actually arrived. It was not as good as previous times we’ve visited actually although the activities and crafts were different there was not so many enthusiastic volunteers as usual.
The children did some making little lavender bags
and chatted to the woman running it about how we make lavender shortbread. Davies also correctly identified rosemary when she was showing them various herbs.
Next they did some mosaic making
and then lots of clay stuff. They could make medallions, coil pots or oil lamps. All of the children made all of the things. I think I stood at that table for nearly an hour!
There were a couple of other activities on offer – some using yarn including a Gods Eye on two lolly sticks, which neither of my two wanted to do and some braid making in the same way we’d learnt to do at the Rare Breeds show a few weeks ago so they weren’t interested in that either. There was also a Roman School bit but none of the children wanted to do that either.
They did spend some time at the ‘scribe’ bit with the very enthusiastic American volunteer and wrote their names on wax slates before writing them with ink made from soot and water.
I was explaining to Scarlett about pen strokes and joined up writing and grabbed a pencil and paper to demonstrate which had the woman asking me if I was a teacher. I replied no and then corrected that with ‘but I do Home Educate my children, so I guess I am in a way’ which had her gushing about people she knew back home who HE’d. It’s not the first time I’ve been asked if I’m a teacher just from people overhearing me talking with Davies and Scarlett which makes me curious about what I do differently to other parents given I don’t feel at all teacher-y.
We decided to have lunch and sat out on the grass to eat. The kids had icecreams and then we went back inside for another look around. This time the boys had some time dressing up
Which Scarlett declined. Made me laugh when the volunteer tried to tempt her with ‘you can be a princess!’ – highly unlikely to lure Scarlett to anything! 😆
She and I did a puzzle instead for which she flatly refused to use the clues
We had a quick look outside and then were gathered up by a woman dressed up with a board advertising storytelling. She took us all off to a classroom and told a couple of stories of myths and legends including medusa. My phone rang four times during that 15 minutes so I spent most of the time excusing myself and going outside (I was sat at the back and I did have it on silent so I was disturbing anyone). It was 2 people ringing me twice each I hasten to add, even with my minor celebrity status I’m not that much in demand ;).
The children took forever in the gift shop to spend the £1.50 each which was all I had left in my pocket. Davies bought a crystal, Scarlett spent ages deliberating and even enlisted the help of a random woman who stepped in when my patience for standing around was running out and eventually decided to take the money instead :).
Home via dropping Tasha and co off and taking a quick but pointless peep at the new Asda which has opened in Lancing as it was heaving with all of Lancing and had very empty shelves so we left without purchasing and Ady picked up the few things we needed on the way home instead.
I spent a couple of hours baking – I made meringues and jam tarts thanks to excess pastry and egg whites from making quiche, all of which went down very well. Dinner was quiche with our own eggs, potatoes from the garden and sweetcorn we picked yesterday followed by meringues with our eggs and raspberries and blackberries either from our garden or from PYO yesterday – jam tarts were with my strawberry and chili jam too. I am practically Barbara Goode ;).
Davies and I gathered all his clothing for camp, will pack it up properly tomorrow (sob!) and I read some of The Giants and the Joneses.
Sounds like a nice trip, and a very self-sufficient bake. Next project is the wind turbine on the roof and the composting loo? (do B&Q do them – could Ady be a guinea pig?)
Comment by Bob — 14 August 2009 @ 12:46 pm