Following on from last weekends barny over Match Of The Day, I have started to make some accomodating adjustments....

First the barny:  Football, per se.  I find it an incredibly tedious and objectionable sport to follow, given that the players behave appallingly, the fans behave appallingly, there is neither respect nor discipline on or off the field and they are paid disgustingly disgraceful amounts of money to play and still behave like boorish louts.  That aside, I have no 'objection' to Mark watching and enjoying it other than it starts in August and runs until next May and that MOTD is televised Saturday night, Sunday night and then there are the incidental matches, the International matches and the Cup matches.  So, last Saturday, the first day of the Premiership (that's the First Division in old money), I exploded into a tirade of how unfair and unreasonable it was taking over the TV in such a way for 10 months of the year.  I won't bore you with the finer points, but needless to say, it is all my fault for getting rid of the TV and sofa in the 'back room' whereupon said crap football could be enjoyed in peace and isolation.  This TV weighed about as much as me, was wider than me and consequently needed the ugliest corner unit in the world to house its giant-ness (I also got rid of that).

So.  I have moved Oliver (home eddy stuff) into the 'craft room' my craft room, in which I no longer do any crafting.

I will move the computer from it's little corner in the back room onto Oliver's old desk (on the other side of the back room where there are no electric points (worry about that afterwards) and in the resultant spaces from moving the computer will go a comfy armchair (worry about buying one of them afterwards) and a flat screen TV onto the bookcase in the space where Oliver's home eddy stuff lived.  Simples.  MOTD squabbles sorted.  Footballers are still massively overpaid tossers though. 

Oliver made a spell book by crafting a clay tile and attaching it to a hardcover book.  It's very cool. 

And work continues on the Big Blanket. 

I am technically half way on my stripey one, although I reckon it will need to be a bit longer for that real snuggle effect. 

And I still cannot leave comments on blogs.  Apparently it's something to do with 'cookies'.  I really don't even know what computer cookies are, much less know how to sort the problem.  I might end up starting again with a new blogger profile.....

WiPs and Summer so far

No apologies offered for the month long lapse in blogging - those moaning at me for NOT blogging (ahem) see me on a regular basis and I have already bored the tits off you with tales of my life.  Serves you right for logging on for another dose then ha ha.

At the end of the last school term, Oliver was unexpectedly awarded 'Cub Champion' (at Cubs, obviously) which meant he got a medal

and a prize (belt torch - not pictured) and gets to wear this gigantic woggle for the whole of next term.

That should slow him up a bit til he gets used to the extra weight tee hee.  I wasn't there when he was awarded it, but apparently it is awarded at the end of every term to the Cub who has excelled in behaviour, etiquette, kindness and helpfulness.  I am ridiculously proud of him, and for any 'normal' parent - this equates to a fantastic school report.  It is another indication that we have chosen the right path for him thus far, and that we are doing OK with him - unhappy kids do not excel at kindness and helpfulness. 

Oliver went off to the beach with his friend (and mother and her friend who I don't know - 6 kids in all) on Monday.  This meant I had a day to myself, which should be a good thing, but I am finding that the time I am apart from Oliver I spend in a state of tense anxiety imagining all sorts of horrible things happening to him.  I now seem to have reached the stage where I have some warped belief that my irrational and barely controlled panic will somehow keep him safe.  What a twat.  You'd think that all this worry would cause me to be thin, but no.  I actually joined the gym on Monday to tackle some of the ever growing layers of blubber.  I had an induction with a little boy called Chris, who seemed to be labouring under the mistaken belief that an hour of 'cardio' followed by a weights session was a suitable workout for a 43 year old has-been.  In my head I was already replacing said '60 minutes' with '5 minutes' followed by a quick sprint round the weights..... I am optimistic that I will be more muscle-y at the end of my 6 week stint.  Thinking of participating in some of the classes too, although I am a bit scared I might throw up, I am that unfit now.

The three of us went off to Bicton a couple of weeks ago to see 'The Bohemians', a Queen tribute band.  It was all very civilised, and the music was pretty darned good. Here followeth some pics;

See this flower bed -

See that squashed section?  That was Oliver that was.....

We are the Champions.....

And so to crochet.  Crochet, crochet, crochet.  How I love thee.  I have stumbled upon a craft that I can actually do, and is actually useful.  I am working on  a couple of blankets (WiPs - works in progress for you non-crafty types), a granny stripe, inspired by this post on  the Attic24 blog.

So excited by my progress with this, you wouldn't believe.  It actually covers the width of our king size bed quite comfortably, although this is to be the one which hangs around the living room. Or on Oliver's bed in the winter.

And these are my squares so far inspired by this blanket, which is the one I want for our bed.

Bought 4 lovely 'new' bowls on a charity stall yesterday for £1, which sit happily alongside everthing else in my crockery cupboard which doesn't match, just how I like it. 

Aren't they pretty?  And that is not a bowl of pretentiousness - it really is Oliver's breakfast.
Mark and Oliver have joined the Model Boat Club with the idea of  doing something together.  Think Oliver is not as 'into' it as Mark, as Mark is very hands on and good at anything he puts his mind to, but I am hopeful Oliver will be swept up in the enthusiasm of it all.  In any case, it can't be a bad thing for him to trot off with his Dad for a couple of hours and be socialising together and with other people. 

Eduaction-wise - Oliver does not get the summer 'off' as a lot of home-ed kids do (since our timetable and routine is sooooo flexible and varied during 'term' time anyway), but I just want to tick over with some back to basics with reading (library summer reading scheme) and spelling, (phonics stuff) and the odd maths session.  Last night I was told about 'First News', the weekly newspaper for kids, (Thanks Corinna - sorry, don't know how to spell your name!), so dashed off to Sainsburys where I got a copy, and  - lo!  This is Oliver, voluntarily reading the newspaper.

Incroyable.

falling in love...

...with You Tube.  More on that in a minute.

I have always wanted to crochet.  I love the big crochet blanket which was given to me by my Nan (granny square blanket) some years age - but she didn't make it.  She didn't know how to crochet, I think my Great Auntie Mabel (Nan's sister) made it.  So the art of crochet, by sheer dint of the fact my Nan couldn't do it, has always seemed like an unattainable and much yearned for skill in my eyes.  But - lo!  Looming on the horizon in home-ed world was Lisa B - who I barely know, but with her gentle northern voice and kindly patient manner, sat with me for half an hour a couple of Wednesdays ago and showed me the rudiments of a foundation chain and double crochet. 

That night I sat down in front of You Tube and started working on granny squares.  Here is my progress thus far:

I have to say, I am ridiculously pleased with myself.  This is the most funnest and satisfying craft I have ever partaken of.  I love the simplicity and speed of hooking up loops of colour and the beautiful, quick results.  Oh happy days. 

I will be purchasing a yarn pack today, which I spied a link to on someone elses blog, to make either this blanket blanket, or this one, depending on whether I can master the ripple stitch or not.  I am so chuffed that at last I can make something pretty and useful!!!  Last night I had a little test of the granny stripe, and guess what?  I followed a pattern!!!  Yep, a real live pattern with abbreviations, asterixes and everything!!  Three cheers for me.

So, in short, Lisa B is who I want to be when I grow up and You Tube is the way to learn practical tasks in the 21st century.  Going to try a spot of open heart surgery next.

This is the most intrusive, time-wasting and socially destructive medium I have ever encountered.

That's the reason I gave for deactivating my Facebook account this week.  I don't use it anymore - have just been recently logging in to check on the progress of a friend giving birth who has moved away, but in doing so found my homepage flooded with unwelcome information about previous 'friends', which felt both voyeuristic and made me feel quite ill after a while.  Yuk.  An abhorrent tool which contributes more to social distress and incitement to ill will than to social networking.

Moving on....

We have done quite a lot since my last missive.  Oliver competed in his first athletics competition, he did the 70m hurdles and 75m sprint - coming in last and next to last respectively and not unexpectedly, though thankfully, he did not seem to put out or put off by the placings, he seemed to enjoy it.  I'm very proud of him for giving it a go.  I thought the whole wearing a number on his shirt and lining up in front of a grandstand with a proper starting pistol going off was a really intimidating thing to go through.   He has been moved up a grade in swimming and completed his 200m swimming badge.  Brilliant.  His swimming has improved so much with the weekly lessons, I really wish I'd done it years ago with him. 

Last weekend he competed in the annual area Judo championships, where I also felt very proud of him.  Sitting with him throughout the morning whilst waiting for his group to start, I was struck by his apparent keenness to be there and to compete.  I hated things like that at his age and longed for events to be either cancelled, or fantasised how I might be injured beforehand (not seriously or painfully, obviously) so I wouldn't have to be seen as a coward, or have to go through with it.  Win win for me, that would have been..... 

Anyhow, he got knocked out after his first two fights, by boys of much lower grades.  This was interesting because the kids who beat him, and indeed the kids who did well, largely were from Judo 'families' where an older sibling also does Judo, or indeed, had older siblings.  This is one field where I don't feel Oliver has the advantage being home educated.  He just does not have that 'edge' which comes naturally from having to 'put yourself out there' when at school with lots of other kids, y'know, that playground competitiveness.  I can't bring myself to feel regret over this at all, I just hope Oliver is not too down about it, as I think this could go on for a number of years, Judo-wise.....

We went to the Steward Woodland Community for a picnic with the people who live there, and various home-ed visitors.  It was really interesting, but I can't really post any photos, it would seem rude since I don't have permission.  Check out the link for further info...

We also went to Stover with friends and saw some squirrels:

and some trees, very helpfully labelled. 

Obviously a few problems labelling this one...

It was Oliver's birthday at the weekend, and we took him to Woodlands earlier in the week with a friend of his. (can only show pics of Oliver).

Here is the birthday boy, snuggling down on 'birthday eve' with his new toy:

and here he is on the day......

He got his stunt scooter:

And went to see Kung Fu Panda at the flicks, and went to horrible McDonalds:

On Sunday we went to my Mum & Dad's, where he collected his final birthday haul, spent time playing with his cousins and scoffed cake.  Good times for kids.  He also completed a Judo grading and gained his second orange bar. 

I made cookies - real proper ones, like what I want cookies to be like - squidgy and chocolatey, not biscuity and hard and overcooked.  For many years I have tried cookies, and been very angry at the crappy results, but lo!  I found a recipe on Becky Higgins blog for her 'Mom's cookies'.  I held out a lot of hope here - the Americans seem to have the advantage in cookie-making, that is, they don't seem to be completely shite like their British counterparts.  And, unbelievably, I managed to produce, after much poking about in Google to find equivalent measures and ingredients of 2/3 of a cup of shortening (how do you squeeze that in without a ton of mess??) and proper, real live cookies were born in my kitchen.  Hallelujah. 

And Finally, Project Life is suppposed to be available to buy in the UK this week!!  And I got the latest edition of Mollie Makes!  Oh so crafty, so vintage, so 50's, so sweet.....

There is ALWAYS too much month left at the end of the money......

Yet again I find myself trying to stretch out the last of my dosh before the arrival of payday.  Which is always like a life raft to a drowning man.  I overspend.  It is no secret.  I like stuff.  I buy stuff.  And I have bugger all stuff to show for my love of overspending.  Since my well known financial meltdown a couple of years ago, and my new, debt-free existence, I am constantly amazed at the speed with money leaves my bank/purse/grubby little mitts.  Of course, my money is not to be confused with the family budget - I am responsible with my salary, for covering the food bill, my stuff and Oliver's activities.  Everything else is paid for, so hold fire on the pity (if you had any) for my plight.  This morning I sold £25 worth of scrapbooking materials, half an hour later I was writing out a cheque at the dentist for £17.  Easy come easy go.  That was fast, even for me.

Next Friday is payday - I will get my NHS salary, and the money I earned doing polling station duties earlier this month.  A nice sum to come....  I have mentally spent the surplus a million times over.  Here is my current list of extra wants:

- haircut (outrageous charge for what it is)
- Project Life kit
- trip to Paignton Zoo
- cross stitch kit

No, not a huge list I grant you, but over a hundred quid, easily.   Meanwhile I am limping down to the 27th with a meagre few pounds in hand, determined not to overdraw just before the money comes in.....

I found out, after my enthusiastic Project Life kit post, that it is not available in the UK.  Worse, you can't even get the bloody thing shipped here from the US.  It has suddenly become an item of supreme value, now that I can't get it.  It seems that it will be available from June on Amazon over here - so for the first time in recorded history, I am having to wait to buy something I really want, and I will have the money to pay for it.  Sacre bleu.  What is the world coming to I ask myself.

Getting a new cross stitch kit is very exciting for me.  Last year at some craft fair, I decided I would give cross stitching a go (again) as I remember it as being a quite soothingly repetitive occupation.  I plumped for a Celtic design, can't be doing with twee-ness.  (sorry if you are a twee fan).  I have, unbelievably, nearly finished it.

I have my eye on this one:

Gorgeous, isn't it?  I am slightly troubled by the fact this is billed as an 'advanced' kit, but, buoyed up with confidence and enthusiasm with my near-success with the Celtic piece, I am up for the challenge.  Watch this space.

I have, in a fit of unnatural helpfulness and sudden rush of improving oneself, volunteered to cover the front desk at the hospital when necessary.  Weirdly,  such a necessary occasion has come up within 48 hours..... I find myself agreeing to go in later today to sit like a chump on the general enquiries desk to face a barrage of doubtless stupid, unanswerable questions and deal with the local nutters who wander in for a chat.  Is this worth the money, I ask myself.  We'll see.

updates and rants. Ooh goody.

hmmmm, what has been going on chez nous since my last post...?  We have slipped back into a bit of a routine with home edding, which has been a relief after the extended Easter/bank hols to tell you the truth.  I feel all out of sorts with too many weird holidays.  Oliver does a picture crossword every day, as his spelling is not great, but think that's down to me pushing him to read by word recognition rather than phonically.  Hence he can read pretty well, but he just would not be able to sit down and write a passage of - well - writing. His actual writing (when he thinks about it) is really well formed.  So the picture crosswords are helping a lot with his confidence in spelling and understanding the general rules of bonkers English.  Maths is still excellent, the Saxon maths book is working really well for him and he is confident of his ability with numbers, which helps.  Still going with the Story Of The World 2 (Susan Wise Bauer), what's not to like? And Oliver is really enjoying Science and Spanish lessons at the hut on a weekly basis.  Physical efforts are taken care of with Judo and Swimming.  He has just attained his first orange bar in Judo, and thrashes his way up and down the pool quite impressively with various swimming strokes and seems he will move up to level 6 soon.  But, best of all these things - he likes people.  He enjoys all his clubs because he likes being with people - all sorts of people.  And I love that.  I feel intensely proud that he doesn't judge people (like I do) and that he seems able to tolerate and accept people's funny little ways (like I don't) and that he doesn't seek to criticise (like I do).  He doesn't seem to have that 'mean streak' that kids pick up from being at school, that little touch of playground savvy that keeps you OK in the dog eat dog world of state education.  I keep telling him to be aware that not all kids will be nice to him, some kids will be out and out mean.  Don't expect it, but don't be surprised by it.  Recognise it, but don't accept it as your responsibility or fault.  And if it makes you feel bad - shun it.  If it's really too bad - come and see me and I'll kick some ass.  Ha ha.

But, I won't always be able to steam in and make it better for him. I read in a Jodi Picoult book once about the feeling of helplessness about protecting your child.  It was something like,  it seems impossible that two people (ie parents) can protect a child from all the dangers in the world.  As they get older, the hazards just change - they don't get any less....  Something to look forward to there, then. 

Talking of books, I have been buying a few old favourites (which I must have ditched over the years) from Amazon:

- Under The Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes.  Makes me want to up sticks and move to Italy immediately.
- A Short Walk From Harrods by Dirk Bogarde.  I love his books - used to have them all - and this was my favourite.
- Past Caring by Robert Goddard.  He is a brilliant storyteller - this was the first one I ever read of his, and love how he weaves in historical events with the tale.
- The Fifth Summer by Titia Sutherland.  Based around a family holiday in Italy - great.

Now to ranting.  I used to read Judy Astley (Muddy Waters, Just For The Summer - brilliant) but she just got 'got', I think, by her publishers to churn out more similar stuff - and it got shit.  Her latest reads are flimsy, frothy, girly shite - and, I hate this genre - CHICK LIT.  Chick lit is shit.  And that's a fact.  I am sick to death of row upon row of books at the library about females in their 20s/30's behaving like bimbos about getting the handsome and sexy man.  The female leads are all, without exception, pretty, scatty and looking for Mr Right.  Or - the other current favourite is a group of unconnected people all co-incidentally meeting up at a holiday villa/dilapidated pile in the Scotland/evening class for dullards.  Irritating and lightweight.  Shame on you ladies.  Even the great Joanna Trollope, Queen of the Aga Saga, has fallen foul of the pink and fluffy paragraph with some of her latest offerings.  Tsk tsk. 

More talking of books, I found out that one of Oliver's friends is reading his way through Harry Potter.  His Mum was lamenting yesterday about waiting for the next one to come in at the library.  I said that I had them all and she was welcome to borrow them, and her delight made me feel a bit small.  I completely take it for granted that if I want a book - I can just go and buy it.  The financial demands of one kid is completely different to those of several children, and waiting for a book to become available at the library is something I have had not needed to experience.  As I was at work, I left the books for her to collect when she dropped Oliver off last night, along with a note urging her to keep them as long as necessary.  She text to say her boy was thrilled, had run all the way home (it's not far away!) with the next book and was now head deep into the Goblet Of Fire.  I felt quite moved to have been able to spread such pleasure in such an easy way, and humbled by the recognition of my own, very fortunate circumstances.

So to baking.  Had a go at the great P&B book a couple of days ago - carrot and coconut fairy cakes with cream cheese frosting.  Well - I didn't have enough carrots, so I chucked in a courgette, and they came out like very robust muffins - nothing fairy about my cakes, let me tell you.  Anyhow, they were greatly improved by a generous topping of heart-stopping butter, cream cheese and a box of icing sugar.  Yesterday they were whisked off to the Scouts coffee morning and book sale along with a banana cake and ubiquitous cream cheese topping.  The banana cake was the first sale of the day - the whole cake for £4.50!!! I am so chuffed, it is embarrassing.  Now, where did I put that WI application.....

Eureka!

As my four year love affair with traditional scrapbooking draws to a sad end, I have been poking about trying to A) find another 'do-able' craft, and B) find a solution to my need to record/document our lives in a pleasing/easy way.  I am crap at knitting and sewing, but wish I wasn't, and can't crochet, but wish I could.  (Actually, I am hopeful of some tuition coming my way in the very near future :)  I have to resign myself to the fact that I think papercrafting is my thing despite my yearning to weave jumpers from ethnic wools and yarns.

I have sold a large chunk of my trad scrap stuff, and I am battling to close the door on it (can't ever let go without a struggle) and during a recent random blog hop, I have stumbled across Project Life.  Now, rocket science it is not, but it has sparked a Eureka moment for me.  It seems to combine visual appeal with speed and simplicity, and finally I think I have found the perfect way to record events/moments using pics, journalling and memorabillia effectively.  Oh happy days. 

There is a competition on this blog: (Ella Publishing) to win the Project Life kit, so here is my entry for it:

The theme is hidden journalling.  This layout tells the tale of how I have turned out to not be a pink and fluffy girly, but I might have liked the opportunity to.....hence the title 'Lady In Waiting.'