Happy New Year!

2010 sees the streets here with up to 30cm+ of snow. I can't actually remember now when the pavements were not covered in snow or ice. The snow is preferable as at least you can walk on parts of it, but in a few days after frosts every night it will again become difficult to walk. All the main roads here are kept clear but that is tricky if you can't get your car to access the main roads. Also on the news last night it appears the council here has 5 days of grit left and this weather is set to continue longer than that so it looks like a bad situation.
If we had snow like this yearly I think we could cope because we would have snow chains and snow gear. But because it is freakishly rare everything comes to a stand still. I have enjoyed all the phone calls this week cancelling the kids activities meaning we haven't had to leave the house in the evening. I don't mind attempting it in the day when things have thawed a bit. Although saying that at some traffic lights the other week, my brakes locked on ice and had there have been a car in front I would have crashed. It was scary but worse was I hate the feeling under your foot as it happens. I wasn't even driving fast but having no brakes there when I need to stop is not something I want to repeat.
I have had to head out daily to the shops to buy things like milk as I can't get my Mum's car out of our roads. Today's plan involves shovelling the snow in the hope the car may be able to be used again. Not least because I don't want my Mum walking to the shops. To get to the local shops you have to go up a hill then down a hill and subway, fine if you have a snowboard or skis mind!

Anyway we had a nice Christmas, marred by a virus we have all had. Symptoms ranging in severity but when I was ill with it I was worried it was swine flu and still don't know for sure it wasn't. I am on the mend now after over 2 weeks of cold, then awful cough, then high fever, aches, pains and shiver. J has had fever for his 3rd day now and M still has the choking cough but not much fever.


M actually did one day of school this week. She was excited about trying it out, I think thinking it would be like a holiday club. When I collected her she wasn't happy and I realised when I got her home, she had not eaten or drunk ANYTHING all day. The children have to leave lunch bags outside so her food and drink was too cold and left untouched. I think she will try school again but it has since been closed because of the snow, but I was keeping her off anyway as her cough is awful and exacerbated by the cold weather.
On the walk to the school we looked at some fab icicles I took a photo of, so we had done science before we even got there!

That brings me onto schools. I have a confession. I DON'T LIKE SCHOOLS.
I used to worry about saying that but now I don't. I know most people will never be able to understand my objections to it. I mean it is after all a lovely place for kids to be, where they are excited and learning all the time and socialising aren't they. Well NO actually they aren't, but my kids however, living in the REAL society with REAL opportunities are.
In fact whilst thinking about this the other day, an analogy came to mind.

If a seeing person was trying to describe colour to a person who has never had sight, although the blind person may have their idea of what colour is in their minds, they can never really truly understand what blue is, or red is. I have realised this also applies to home-educators and parents who don't. I can explain home-education and learning etc to a non home-educator, but unless they have actually experienced it for themselves they will never TRULY get home-education, they just won't.

This year is a powerful one for me. I have decided against tiptoeing around peoples feelings about me home-educating, namely my friends who don't. I am actually going to refuse to answer anymore prying questions about it as I don't pry into why they make their decisions that way yet because I do something different, somehow it is seen as okay to grill me. I also hate the awkward air feeling if you mention anything about home-education. Well I am fed up of it now and not going to play the game anymore. I am out and proud :-)

2 sleeps till Christmas and the ground is covered in snow...wonder if it will last and how much money the bookies are going to lose if it does lol.
The downside to the snow is how high I am having my heating turned up. I have now brought fleece blankets downstairs for when it all gets too chilly. The kids have spent lots of time playing in the snow which is great, particularly J who IMO needs to get outside and burn energy off, is doing so well now we have snow. Our road is inches thick in compacted snow and ice so the kids have taken to running up and down it with a sledge. I tried driving in the snow on the first day, down the main road before it was gritted. You couldn't even see the road markings and there was points where the car was sliding so it was not enjoyable.

Last Friday the girls performed their arts award challenge pieces in front of a small crowd. D did her dance and A did her radio play. A is particularly happy as she submitted her play to the Royal Exchange and it has been accepted by the young people's theatre group and will be performed there in May. She gets to oversee it and is looking to forward to it. If she sets her mind to it, I can see her doing really well in performing arts, she just is natural with it.
D has not been dancing for a few weeks as she seems to have a run of bad health. Not long ago she had a terrible eye infection that nearly resulted in IV antibiotics. Last Friday I took her to the doctor as she couldn't breathe and needed antibiotics again for a chest infection. She doesn't do well at this time of the year so I am off today to buy more vitamin C and echinacea.
J has had his share of ill health as he developed terrible exczema. I used some cream from the doctor to clear it up and he has since had a visit to the homeopath where he was issued tablets from a remedy that has only just been created - exciting stuff.
I also caught D's cough and cold but although it has affected my asthma slightly I am on the mend. I have recently taken up jogging 4 times a week and am happy that if I go slow enough I can do a circuit that is approximately 3/4 of a mile but could be more. I am glad the snow has co-incided with my cough so at least I have 2 excuses as to why I can't run.

Anyway, back to arts award. It will be finished and moderated by the end of Jan so the final push is on now to get all the info in the files. The girls have done the practical stuff but need paperwork in files to prove it, this they find hard yet I do not understand why. It has created stress as they sit on Facebook while I moan about putting effort in and getting results out. They are not result motivated and yet they need to be in some way or I am unsure as to what the future will hold. It is those days I find my choice to home-educated hard, but I won't go into it too much here, there isn't any point.

On Monday I had my annual Christmas party. There was about 10 adults, 20 children that all had an enjoyable time. Everyone brought food to share so we had lost of nice goodies.
Yesterday I took M,J and a friend to see Spaceship 87 at the Royal exchange. It was an enjoyable kids play but has yet to beat the Man Who Planted Trees which we just adored.

Off out shopping for milk and last minute stuff shortly. I am at the Lowry again tonight so it will be a late one as I am on sales for White Christmas so won't be in bed by 11 which Is what I need, then it will be CHRISTMAS EVE..

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

So many blogs, so little time!

I went to an amazing event on Tuesday evening. It was a Copenhagen rally run by the DECC. Ed Miliband, the leader of Manchester council, Friends of the Earth Manchester and a chap from the co-op as well as a journalist from the Guardian were on the panel. They received questions for 2 hours about climate change and Copenhagen and it was really very interesting. I must admit, to not knowing it all as well as I feel I ought, but when statistics produced the other day saying more than half of the population don't believe in climate change I suppose I am one step ahead. I was amazed at how posh the event was, yes there were some eccentrics and a few woolly jumper types but on the whole it was quite an event. I didn't stay around afterwards for wine etc. as I wanted to get home, despite enjoying myself.

Further joy was to be then had because at about 10.45pm. Myself and my 2 daughters watched the parliament channel and the presentation of petitions against the Badman review. It beat any previous record in parliament for the highest number received on a single issue.... I still don't think it will make much difference though. Our numbers are comparatively few and the majority of the UK population will never get home-education or believe we aren't damaging our children. Because of this I do think the government will be able to bring in new legislation. I remember doing my sociology A level that when a sub-culture like ours got too noticeable and large it had to be reined back in and this is what I think they are doing, well that and making it too hard to actually do, which is another story!!

End of term shows:

J did his Junior Strings production on Wednesday. His Dad has been taking him each week, so it was lovely that I got to go this time as I watched him do his show. He performed a couple of songs and 2 basic violin pieces with his group. He is always nervous beforehand but is fine once they are doing it. I love the fact he has this opportunity that is subsidised enough that I can afford it. He now has a few week break.

Yesterday I watched M in her end of term drama production, a Santa play. The group has increased in numbers and worked really well together. The last Friday performance this year will be the girls who have their silver Arts Award showcase challenges to perform next week, then I am finished on a Friday till the 8th Jan. In fact I have from 24th December till the 8th Jan with nothing on and no-where to go which will be great. Lots of reading, sorting and planning going on.
I am however always reluctant to allow all day screen usage during term breaks, as the kids find it hard to turn them off during screen time. In fact our Freeview box seems to have lost a lot of channels but I really don't mind. I would say the computer is more popular but with 5 people sharing one machine, it can be a juggling act!

I am going to get evryone up now as the girls still ahve dancing and I potentially have firemen in UNIFORM calling round. Exciting for a Saturday!!

I haven't got round to putting up a Christmas ticker and it probably isn't worth it. I am feeling very unfestive, probably due to lack of funds which means Christmas will again be a frugal one. I did sit through a showing of White Christmas the musical last week though as I was working the shift. I got a nice quiet door right at the top and only a couple of very late late-comers. I do like musicals but found myself getting a bit bored with this one. 2 hours long with obviously lots of dancing ad music. Aled Jones who is in it was very good though. I wondered how hard it was for him to learn all the dance moves as I am not sure he trained as a dancer.. but I could be wrong!

The girls activities here are plodding along. A is up to date with her Biology. She is also doing Sociology at college. I have discovered though that she is probably dyslexic which until she knew she had this she was fine but now seems angry about it. She is angry about lots of things at the moment and that is another to add to the list. I cope by removing myself from the house occasionally otherwise it drags me into it and I need to be able to keep a certain distance or I am no use to anybody!
The arts award that the older girls are doing is coming to an end yet we still have lots of stuff to get organised. This weekend I shall be writing them large TO DO lists as I want it completed. They have finished their part one challenges. A wrote a radio play and D choreographed a dance. For part two they are running workshops. A is running a writing one and D a choreograph your own dance one. They are scheduled for the 9th Jan - which is dragging me into 2010 before we are even there yet.

In fact I have to purchase next years calendar because I have dates that need to go on there now. In theory it would be easy to choose a calendar but I need one that has a column each for us. In previous years I have used this one

However I am now bored with this one so have been looking at others. Don't think I quite qualify for the Yummy Mummy one rofl, so I may be going to get the Organised Mum's calendar. At least I may feel organised of the calendar says I am :-)

Last week we travelled to Blackpool to visit my friend Libby who has just had her 8th bundle of wonder. Baby Tegan is now about 4 weeks old and was flying out to Bulgaria with her Mum and older sisters to join the rest of the family for the first time. They left last Thursday so on Monday we all headed to their Blackpool home to stay over and do lots of baby holding. She is sooo cute and laid back. I miss holding babies so it was nice to have a cuddle with her. J got to hold his first baby and was smitten. The girls had a great time as they stayed up with their friends watching movies and playing charades at 4 in the morning!! It was worth it though as they are such good friends and now won't see each other till summer next year. Some pics below :

Last night, M, J and I met SIMON KING!!!! I was sooo happy to meet my wildlife hero. We went into Manchester to the big Quaker building in the centre and waited for him to arrive at 7pm!!
We then listened to a question and answer session with him followed by a book signing where I also got a photo of the event. He is such a warm genuine, lovely guy and I will treasure the memory.

Hello again!

I am still here :-)
I won't bother trying to update what has happened since I last blogged as it will all be too much waffle!

A is now 16 (yesterday)!!!
Last Saturday she had a big birthday party with about 30 people here of various ages. They all had a lovely time and most of them had gone home by midnight. A couple stayed over and there was not even too much mess to clean up. A has since been researching new things she can do now she is 16, we were particularly excited by the fact she can now sell scrap metal..... that will be especially useful! On her birthday, I had to work for a few hours (at a pub car park, joy of joys!!) but then when I got home, we headed into Sale together. We got some crisps, dip and birthday cake then sat in a cafe for a while. We carried on the celebrating later on by ordering pizza - which is something we rarely do. It was a very nice day and I don't even feel any older!! We also found out on that day that my friend had her 5th baby!! I have seen the photos and she is soooo cute. It is also A's best friend's new sister so that date in future will be full of celebrations for 2 families :-)

As my life just gets busier I have come to the decision to let go of my allotment. I just can't fit it in and often feel stressed that I haven't been. I don't really have enough time for the garden here so I am letting someone else have a go. I will one day again get an allotment but probably when I am no longer needed so much for the kids. Even though they are older I seem to be spending more time ferrying them to and from places. I suppose as it gets darker now, earlier, I don't like them catching buses alone so am just flowing with it!

We have new added activities now too. A does a writing course on a Monday at the Royal Exchange. She is also doing a Sociology GCSE at a college on Tuesday evening. A and M now have viola(A) and guitar lessons (M), on a Friday which has made Friday the busiest day of the week.
I don't mind being so busy but it does mean my days fly by which is not so good. I am still trying to get up earlier but not managing the 7am I would like. I attempt to go for a 20 minute jog/walk each alternate mornings which always wakes me up. I am considering having my iron levels tested as I do feel tired a lot. Something for the near future anyway!!

The swifts are still here so it must still be summer. Today actually feels like it because the sun is shining for a rare change. Although when I came out from yoga the other night it was getting dark which made me think how winter is drawing in already!
I have baked potatoes cooking in the oven, A and D are at a friends, M and J have a friend round so there is lots of card and electronic gaming going on. I may tempt them out to the park or playing field later, I fancy stretching my legs. I am really into gardening at the moment as it is in dire need of weeding. My green bin is full though and only emptied every 2 week, I may start making a pile instead.
I probably need to phone the agency as there is a tile that has come of the roof that is hanging in the gutter. If it falls it could injure someone, but I need to tidy down the side of the house first. My ex has some scrap metal he dumped there which I may well try and take to the tip tomorrow. I asked him if he would do a tip run, he came round, spread the old inflatables etc over the tidy garden then left so today's job is to re-sort that.
I have a burning desire to learn some DIY as I hate when things need doing but I can't do them. The cupboard doors all came off in the kitchen but need wood screwing to them inside the cupboard before being re-attached as they chipboard has no strength to hold the screws now. But I worry about drilling into pipes... maybe I shall get shorter screws!

Summer term is here so the kids activities are quieter. J finished Junior Strings and will start with a violin in September. Fortunately they have moved his day so he can still do beavers on the Thursday which I am really glad about. D quit her Monday dancing so I have been able to go back to yoga.
Last week, M, A and D did the Lowry summer school where they helped write and perform their own musical. I really enjoyed the show at the end of the week and they had a great time, although getting up early to be there for 10am every day was something I think we would struggle with for many weeks of the year!
On Monday M did a day of percussion and dance with a friend. Theolder girls are booked in for a behind the scenes- technical workshop- at the same venue in a week.

A and D have been hanging out with their home-ed and their church friends separately. They have such a good time but we still have to fit in their Arts Award. I am struggling to make contact with a choreographer or a script-writer for them. We send off many e-mails and mostly don't get a reply or if we do it is a no. A challenge indeed which it is supposed to be!!! A is supposed to be writing and performing a radio play, and D choreographing and performing a dance. Not much work has been done on either and they are supposed to be done for Mid September... time yet as they keep telling me!

This week I took A here and she needs to go back and have some weekly treatments. I am also taking her to the Children's hospital for a heart check-up after some tachycardic events! Fingers crossed.

Right off to sort out those inflatables :-)