I can’t remember what we did for the first couple of hours this morning – although I know I spent ages cleaning out under the keys on my laptop with a thin pointy thing – the dust!!!!
I quickly made some banana and choc chip muffins as we had no ‘nice’ food in the house for lunch and Tasha, Toby and Vinnie were coming over. They arrived at 11ish and Toby, Davies and Scarlett disappeared upstairs together. We only barely saw them when they came down to go outside and play and they all got on really well. Scarlett broke away from the boys for a while and came to chat to us. Vinnie really likes Scarlett (he’s 18 months old) and she tolerates his adoration for the odd five minutes here and there and even picked him up today. She also took him and Tasha outside to introduce them to all the chickens and Tasha came back in having been ‘Scarletted’ which is similar to having been Tangoed! but instead of refreshed by a fizzy orange drink making you feel like you’ve been slapped round the face you’ve been talked at very fast by a six year old 😆 Tasha showed impressive recall though and was able to tell me back all that she’d learnt about the chickens and their mating and laying habbits and so on :).
Vinnie slept for the first hour or so and then did a great line in charming, not quite verbal toddler wandering around the lounge exclaiming at everything, sitting next to me watching me knitting and prodding at the cat every so often. Tasha and I chatted, plotted our craft fair offerings and generally caught up. HE seems to be going really well for them now they’re settling into it and whilst we agreed once a week is enough to get together we both said how glad we are we met and how well the kids get on :).
I finished knitting the doll I’m making and made it up and sewed on facial features and hair. It’s for Scarlett and is made in her image but will be a showcase one to take to the craft fair. I’ll take some photos and explain more about it tomorrow.
We all left together at 3pm as Davies and Scarlett had swimming lessons. I got really fed up as they dragged their heels getting ready to leave, both chose to wear wellies despite me telling them to wear easier to put on and off shoes and then we all had to cram into a tiny changing room and they both struggled to get their wellies off. I had a rant at them about how I hate going there – it’s always a hassle to get there on time, I hate nagging them to get ready and leave in time, they never listen to me advising them to wear clothing / footwear that is easy to take on and off, I hate sitting in the ridiculously overheated viewing area listening to all the school mums bitching about school and competing with each other over their kids and then I hate hanging around while they get changed back again afterwards. They were both very contrite and assured me they do want to do swimming lessons and would pay heed to the sensible footwear and clothing suggestions and not need nagging in future. We’ll see. I hate cajoling and chivvying anyway particularly when it’s something they want to do themselves and I’d much rather think ‘oh sod it!’and stay home drinking tea and watching The Weakest Link! 😆
They both had good lessons – Tarly is easily swimming the 5 metres on her front and back and is easily the best in her group. They were watched today by the head instructor who will determine what groups they go into next term. If Scarlett isn’t put up I will get in touch with her and insist as she is so ready to go up and be pushed a bit more. Davies did well and was probably best in his group too but I’m not sure how indicative that is of the required standard. He can do 10 metres easily back and front so hopefully he’ll go up too. I think they would then be in lessons at the same time albeit in different pools which would be great so fingers crossed for next week’s letters.
Back home Ady had already arrived so he took over making tea for them and I headed off to Reading Group. Brenda, the librarian who runs it is on holiday so I was in charge tonight. The book was What Was Lost
Everyone enjoyed the book which was good, always nice to have your recommendation appreciated. It wasn’t a very long meeting as when noone has anything controverial to say about a book it doens’t make for a very conversational session and I was too far away from having read it to start too much discussion. I sold some tickets for the upcomming Anne Perry (the murdering author) event next month and chatted to a few stragglers about various things including one of the new members who hung back and was very chatty. She seemed really nice and reminded me of Lynda (used to look after D and S when we were in Manchester) so I’ll look forward to chatting to her again next time.
It took ages to put all the chairs back, clear up all the empty cups and deal with all the returned books and there was a bloke sitting on the bench outside who I assumed was the cleaner waiting for me to leave so I rang Ady to be on the phone as I left. I did stick my head outside and asked if he was the cleaner as it seemed pointless to turn all the lights off and set the alarm if he was just going to undo it all moments after I left but he completely ignored me. 🙁 So I closed everything down, still with Ady on the phone and walked out past him to my car and locked the doors. I hate being last to leave 🙁
Home and Scarlett showed me she’d gone through some knitting books putting post its on the all pages she wants me to make for her and Davies spent hours doing pictures of all the covers of the Mr Gum books (very well). He’s getting really good at imitating artists styles. Tomorrow he’s going to colour them in.
We had dinner of cod which I didn;t like but it’s good to try these things to be sure – just as well I bought a load of reduced to clear pastries for breakfast though as I suspect I will wake hungry in the morning.
The evenings will be lighter from Sunday week (Yay!) so not so scary being last to leave.
Comment by Michelle — 18 March 2009 @ 9:13 am
I hate cod. Haddock, hake , pollack etc etc all fine, but cod. yuck. I think my fisherman grandfather (a proper north sea fisherman, in a trawler, not a line fisherman), who always said cod was a filthy bottom feeder of a fish and he wouldn’t touch it, put me off it at an impressionable age. Probably unfiarly maligned, but I’m not doing any PR on it. I also agree about the swimming. Out of all the activities we endure, the swimming was the one I detested. Not enough room, complete claustophobia in the poxy changing room, overheated, smelly, mothers jockeying for who had the worst teacher. Couldn’t stand it. But I’m a bit of a pool snob. I really only like private swimming pool, with the water coming right over the edge, nice toiletries, and no elastoplast in the water.
Comment by Joyce — 18 March 2009 @ 4:46 pm
Michelle – can’t wait – walks on the beach while the kids are at Badgers and walking home from reading group instead of driving 🙂
Joyce, you’ve got me thinking…. my Dad pays for their lessons anway so I’m going to look into private ones locally and see what I can find. Might not cost much more, be at better times and get more progress too.
Comment by Nic — 18 March 2009 @ 6:28 pm