NQF

Drove past Gordon Brown's House. How is he?

Today I brought stuff for making sketchbooks and sketching out of doors.
Chat, talk, problem solve.
Good to sit in the sun sheltered from the cold E wind.

Then we whizzed to St john's Hospital to visit a friend, home, cooked tea, Swimming (Moo was given an orange hat) , Cycling (Moo doing a Clarion Club for children and really enjoying it), walked the 3 boys to Cubs (Last time, they are really old enough to go alone and that was one thing too many this evening) and at last to Sangschule (Moz collected from Swimming and Cycling). Taken by Anne and Scott Murray of the Sangsters. Good sing.

Postcard from Washington DC - Moo very keen on Barack Obama so pleased to see his house in the picture.

So I've captured an ordinary day. Was it worth recording?

State Opening of Parliament

Looked like a bit of a Jolly. We watched them all parading about in their fine feathers. The lines from 'In Freenship's Name' sprang to mind:

Can the peer in silk and ermine
Ca his conscience half his ane?
His claes are edged and spun with vermin
Though he sits upon a throne

Moo and I watched while making a tower for Rapunzel. What sort of subconscious processes will that combination inspire?

Moo - We're making a magical land where all the stories live.
Scone - The dwarves mine anything shiny
J - Like Magpies
Scone - Dragons, Magpies and Dwarfs are closely related.
Moo - the Princess is so beautiful she won't get hurt.

I'm not too sure about the last bit of logic.

Talking about marching around in silly clothes, thank you for this Sally...

Arty Farty Moonday

Moo in her Sit Spot in the elder tree.

The view from mine.

Wreck the Journal: cutting, colouring, writing, thinking. I'm beginning to slow down and enjoy this now. I started in a frenzy of freedom then moved to rushing and feeling unsatisfied. Finding an old (double) copy of Anne of Ingleside, falling apart already, meant I could cope with the Stick Pages From A Book instruction without mourning the book too much. Moo entered into this one with enthusiasm commenting on being bad but not being bad. She ended with a display of pages over which she poured water. I chanced to tear out the page where Rilla on seeing her beloved teacher throws her cake into the river thinking that to carry a cake was discraceful. That always resonated with me, the overwhelming regret. Now what gets me is the memory of who I was when I first read the Anne books and who I thought I was and would be.
Moo covering sheets and sheets of white A4 (favoured after watching about Andy Warhole illustrated with his work in that format) with mostly abstract circular patterns and the odd sudden picture of a face or bird.
Reading a structured drawing course for adults or children. Don't want to confine Moo but think she might be inspired.

This view from my sit spot makes me agree with Tom that some more height to the left would be a better structure. I should be sitting under a flower covered arch.

Reed Band

First March!
Marched in front of the triumphant Rose from the Bridge Inn to Tescos and back to The Cross. And I didn't fall over. All rather exciting; Linlithgow was out in force, as many people as on Marches Day. I think all they wanted to hear was Hail the Gallant Rosie Posie but we regaled them with a few other marches interspersed. My brain has been stretched: watching and keeping in line with the person in front and to my left; not tripping up; reading the music, which wobbled, stopping the sweat slicked piccolo headjoint from slipping. I walked home through warm fragrant air, along blossom lined roads as the sun sank colourfully.

Instant answers needed

How to reply to:
'Oh, do you teach them at home, I couldn't do it.'
Without negating all that we do and all the positive bits about Home Ed, without sounding smug, without sounding desperate after One Of Those Days, without taking half an hour, without ranting...

The Parenting Pit suggests this handy card

And it is great but not specific enough.

I feel that 'Oh, are they that awful?' would be inappropriate.

Me

Or more specifically my body. Moz says if I were a horse I'd be shot. Cheerful thought. I've paid to see a physio. My sore shoulder will now be mending as I DO MY EXERCISES EVERYDAY. there must be a way of holding myself to account online. My knees, back and neck will be alright too. I just have to use my muscles, build my muscles and keep at it for MONTHS.

We've bought things today. First time for months. Specifically Watercolour Pads for our Postal Art Swap.

Great being at home but why have I not picked up the mess?

Home Days

Pictures of leaves by T and A. The Euphorbia looks great in a vase with dark red wallflowers and the scent mmm...


Our garden is looking so lush and lovely, parsley and garlic here.

Moo making a clutch bag (lined!) to go with the disco dress she has just made and is wearing (tube held up with a safety pin attached to her leotard).

Postcard Swap

This is what we sent and A putting it in the pillar box (Is that a pillar box or does it only count when it is a pillar straight up from the ground?).
We've had post - Humberside and India.
A lovely parcel from Sandhya and A. in India, thank you so much. We really enjoyed opening it, a home made postcard, a letter and a present. I will post a photo soon.
Need to get our World map back up too.

Peace, Sunshine and Laundry on the Line

Which A. brought in, what a love. I guess this is what happens if I don't nag at someone to do a job.
Today I was tired. Stayed up too late watching the Lib Dem's dismal results. And got up early to watch more of the same. A. set herself up with a sleeping bag to watch the election programme but fell asleep before 9. Next time she'll probably stay up all night.
Head better, did gardening in the sunshine, good.

Election Day

Today my aim is to VOTE.

Headache
uurghhh!
Actually no make that

uurghh

With no exclamation mark, that hurts.

Have printed off Election Night Party stuff from the Beeb.
Will try the phrases bingo and people guessing later.

We are supposed to be having a great time looking at Archeology and Geology at Holyrood. T and A have done lots and collapsed in front of Science progs.

Pizza Box Maps

Well, and a bit of exploration.




Wednesday 5th May

These are even better than they sound. Annie did Ancient Greece and Tom Japan. They will be painted when dry.
Really good day, good company, happy children, even managed a bit of 'single track' with friends on the way there.

Tom's Lego

A selection of Tom's Lego creations, sadly no photos of Platform 9 3/4 with clever opening wall.

Last Thursday, Scottish Volcano

I tried to stop her, too tired to bother but she persisted and here it is. There was a small no-fly zone in the region of our outdoor table and chairs.

Last Friday

A trip to the Museum in Edinburgh, not been for ages, why not? Lovely to meet friends. Tom really enjoyed the racing car track and went round Scotland several times.

On the way there they were struck by the view down to streets below when we appeared to be walking on solid ground. These are Tom's snaps.

Lean Mean Cycling Machines

7 Stanes
2 1/4 hours cycling in the rain, falling off and executing a somersault and she was back at it the next day - see below...


And Rockcliffe beach

Stayed at Minnigaff YHA near Newton Stewart

Wreak the Journal

This is purple art courtesy of a splatted wallflower petal.

And let the housework go hang too...


See Breakfast, several day's mess, half made doll but...
Yes, there it is, my first bits (open on a nice coulourful page). Having been away I've just had an arty splurge and we're off outside with the bike tyres.
Call to brilliance in the background. I'm blaming here but I need my sleep and there I was past midnight reading (now that might not sound late but i usually go to sleep by 10).