Making it up

Scotsman article (terrific newspaper that)

While I am inclined to the view the George Galloway is more of a Monster Raving Loony than any elected MP has a right to be, hearing his views on the radio today made me think of Claus_von_Stauffenberg.

Discussing the above neologism, Jax and I concurred, neither of us knew what it meant. When she read this definition to me….

“Metrosexual was coined in 1994 (as was its noun, metrosexuality) by British journalist Mark Simpson, who used it to refer to an urban male of any sexual orientation who has a strong aesthetic sense and spends a great deal of time and money on his appearance and lifestyle. …”

…I immediately suggested a synonym. Jax shouted me down and said I was wrong (I am used to the shouting, but she should know by now that I am never wrong).

Just curious to know whether anyone else might like to suggest a synonym for metrosexual?

to celebrate a three year blogiversary with a three blog day

It’s been a pretty good one. Kids have played a fair bit, and Big also did a good amount of reading, they’ve both been on the computer, I heard the piano for a while, there was much jigsawing, including a map of Africa and when they finally got stir crazy this afternoon, I put on British Isles: A Natural History. There was much wailing and gnashing of teeth as it started, and they hated it so much that they watched three episodes back to back! Big then proceeded to tell me about it while Small watched Bear in the Big Blue House, another family favourite, then tea, bath and bed.

Read Big another couple of pages of Dancing Shoes, which she has decided is good for me to read to her, but she doesn’t want to read for herself read right now. Was quite surprised to hear her recap the entire story of Ballet Shoes - I read that to them several months ago. Guess something does go in then.

And now I’ve got to go and rustle up some reading matter for her to take to school. She says there are three books on a shelf for her to read, and that she’s read them all, so she wants to take some of ours in for tomorrow. I’m fairly sure that won’t be the full story, but there you go.

she reads

Hurry Up, Franklin (Franklin (Scholastic Paperback))

and

Oscar the Grouch’s Alphabet of Trash

Knew all those boxes of books were going to come in handy at some point She wanted to know why I wanted the titles, and I said I was blogging that she’d read them all by herself.

“Mummy, I had some help!”

Yes, she did ask me about 5 (we counted) different words from Franklin. I consider that to be a bit of a triumph. Apparently we prefer books with lots of bright pictures and fewer words on a page, so that’s what we’ll stick with for a while.

Three years on. Wow. Still not quite sure what I was thinking starting up a blog a week before my baby was due!

Anyway, I’ve written a fair bit in these three years, and so have the rest of you.

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There are currently 1,372 posts and 6,917 comments, contained within 26 categories.

There’s quite a few pictures, though probably not as many as there should be, and you’ve been there through the highs and lows, from before the baby, right through to our current situation of working and flexi-schooling. Thanks for reading, for the support, for the friendship. Thanks for the chance to look into your lives too, for the information, and for being there.

Here’s to another 3 years. Or more

BBC NEWS | Health | Hearing tests ‘key for language’

Detecting hearing impairment in babies early can improve their language ability later, a study suggests.

No, really???

Sometimes I despair. Is there a pot of money going around that I could tap into and do research and then state something painfully obvious at the end of it? And don’t get me wrong, I’m 100% behind universal neonatal hearing tests, both my children were tested shortly after birth. (Took about 6 weeks to get Small organised as he was a home birth, Big was tested within 24 hours.) This is because I am partially deaf, but it wasn’t identified until I was 5. I have a hearing aid kicking around somewhere, but it doesn’t work any more. Must get it sorted out sometime.

I’m just not behind doing research to prove something that everyone knows. Couldn’t we spend the money on actually helping ppl instead of talking about it?

Lovely lie in this morning while the kids pottered up and down mainly leaving us to our own devices. They eventually gatecrashed the party and crawled into bed with me, which was rather nice, and we got to have a lovely low pressure chat. Then I realised that time was getting away from us somewhat, so while they listened to yet another of my cds, Ocean Drive, I got myself organised, and then headed into battle with Big.

I don’t know why we have to do this. I try to give her choice and control over her own clothes, and sometimes it works out, and other times it totally doesn’t. Today would be one of those other times Still, she ended up dressed and lovely, and happy with her appearance. It took over an hour though!

Met up with most of my extended family at a Brewsters some way up the road. It was rather pleasant actually. We got around the problem of Big going out with sandals without socks by buying some Brewster slipper socks (quite impressed that they carry those tbh, and they were only charging 99p, impressed by that too!) and discovered that Small is no longer too small to go into the big play area. Wow, my little boy is growing up He proved this several times over this afternoon - made friends with the little girl at the table next to us, which was utterly adorable!, and when one of my soon to be step-nephews (really *must* draw some type of chart up of my family, I’m losing track myself, can’t imagine what the rest of you think is going on) said “I haven’t got any one to play with”, Small piped up with “I’ll play with you!” Aw, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

That little girl I mentioned had Brewster phobia - took me right back to the times I used to have to run out of places with a screaming shaking Big hiding her face in my shoulder The mother was quite pleased to hear that my daughter had had the same problems and had grown out of them - because Big actually went and gave Brewster a cuddle tonight. Small had no such qualms, went belting off after the bear every time he appeared, shouting “hello, hello!” Sadly, this woman thought that her child was abnormal as she’d not come across anyone else who had gone through this - was very happy to reassure her that it isn’t nearly as unusual as she’d been told.

And after all that excitement, we headed back to my littlest sister’s house for cake. Children enjoyed that as well, although by the time we got home they were very tired. Big still wanted me to start a story with her - I think she wants to try out as many of my books as she can until she finds something she fancies. Tonight’s trial was Dancing Shoes, but it’s just too dense for her, meaning the size of the print and the number of words on the page. I had a bit of a hunt, and I’m surprised to discover that I don’t seem to have *any* Enid Blyton. I know I used to have, very afraid that they might be languishing in the garage, so I don’t think they will even be readable by now. Jan, if by chance you read this, might have to see if C has some she would lend?

As always, any other suggestions gratefully received

Surgeon bought his equipment off eBay (Scotsman article).

I like this a lot - Worldmapper “Worldmapper is a collection of world maps, where territories are re-sized on each map according to the subject of interest.”

Lots of playing, education, even wrapped up a couple of things from my todo lists. Never as much as I want to do, but maybe that’s something I just need to make my own peace with.

Big focussed on word lists. I printed her out the Jan Brett ones, and then found a site with online spoken examples She’s on the blue dinosaur atm She must have spent the best part of 3-4 hours on it today, not quite sure how many weeks worth of literacy hours that is all wrapped up in one!

Small played on cbeebies and adiboo, and they both spent time upstairs in the tent in their bedroom, and charging around the garden being monsters. I even managed to do a bit of weeding on the drive, very small bit, but at least I’ve started.

And tonight I’ve worked on word lists and watched Sharpe. A good evening.

Yes, you know what usually starts that.

Today is not going successfully. It isn’t going badly as such, it just isn’t going well.

I’ve had in depth discussions with Big about her reading, which isn’t taking off because she thinks she can’t do it and that if she starts doing it she will have to practise it every day, ‘like forever’ and doesn’t seem to understand that if she just reads, then she’s reading. External validation seems to be required - I’m thinking dolch (sp) tests and a big chart on the wall showing how many of the words she knows. A part of me is itching to buy magnetic word lists, but we don’t need more stuff in the house! (And I deeply loathe the idea that they come in packs of girls and boys words, what on earth is that about????) Hah, google comes to the rescue as well, I think this is just what I’m looking for.

(And no, this is not a departure from the hands off approach, this is coming from conversations with Big where she is deeply unhappy with her inability to read, and I need to do something to help her).

eta - we’ve had now done nearly 2 hours of solid word frequency work. I’m bored (and trying not to show it, and trying not to just wander off to do all the rest of the stuff I need to do), she’s loving it! Does anyone know whether stuff like this, Spectrum Dolch Sight Word Activities, Volume 2 (McGraw-Hill Learning Materials Spectrum), is worth it, or have any links that they like? Think I’ll have to dig out some lists and take them over to Jan’s to laminate.

Small and I seem to be going head to head rather a lot atm. I’m sure he’s just boundary testing, but it’s tiring. And that’s the problem with my life atm, most of it is a battle. Nothing is easy, simple or straightforward, and I don’t seem to have the energy to attempt to do things that could make it that way. But there’s little to be done except fix it one step at a time, so that’s what I need to do.

for the various news channels to stop telling those of us who *aren’t* living in a drought area that there is a drought. ‘Cos it hasn’t stopped raining here for days, my washing is stacking up, and my children are going stir crazy.

It’s rather like the post at I blame the patriarchy, where it is pointed out that women are always described in terms of men. (I know it’s a tenuous link, but I’m trying to work through something here, bear with me). We outside of london and the south are always described in terms of there. Now in some situations, that’s a valid thing to do, as the single largest majority of the population lives down there. But a drought is a geographical thing, and the majority of the country is not geographically in the south east, if you see what I mean.

You probably don’t. And that’s probably because I’m not making a lot of sense - I haven’t had my second cup of tea yet. I apologise - I’ll rectify that situation and may be back later. And for those used to discerning my mood through the pages of this blog, yes, I’m in a completely unnecessary bad mood. Why is there so much to do and so little time? I’m just an incompetent at time and self-management.

so obviously I’ve spent this evening learning more about php and mysql.

Ah well, it’ll probably come in handy at some point

It’s been a good day. Estate agent came (eventually, after ringing to say he would be late when he already was, ) wandered around talking to his hand, patronised me, then lost interest when I made it clear I wasn’t signing anything until I’d spoken to my partner. He probably didn’t think I could But it was a positive valuation, on the higher side of what I was hoping for, so even allowing for him trying to talk us up, it was reasonable news. And I’ve also decided I’m not going to browse for houses any more until we’ve got this one on the market at the very least - it’s breaking my heart getting interested in things as the moment I start thinking I’ll arrange a viewing is the moment that the sold sign goes up. It’s happened three times out of three recently, and I’ve enough to do without worrying about that.

Children were pretty self amusing today - Big read herself a book on castles for a while, and there was very little television. They did craft for a bit and completely trashed the living room, then voluntarily got the hoover out and hoovered the whole house! They can do more craft

Wish I’d had a camera handy when Small togged himself up in waterproof dungarees and went to play in the garden - he is well cute. Not to be outdone, Big found hers as well, and they were out there for ages. Don’t think it was actually raining at the time though - when it started Big came running it to get the laundry basket and fetched the washing in. She’s pretty good to have around you know.

This evening I sorted her hair out again, and she started sounding out the authors on the back of the books in her room. They have most of my novels in there, but not actually my children’s stuff - I pointed out that I had lots of children’s books waiting for her when she wanted them, and apparently that’s tomorrow

When I have lots of other things I have to do. And Tim has an appt at 9 am, so I’m not going to get a lie in either, so I’d better go to bed now.

got sick of my comment spam last night, so finally got around to adding in Spam Karma 2. It was a good idea - it has caught over 2000 spam since then.

It’s a very easy install - took me about five minutes. Get it here

eta I got it here, courtesy of her