Monthly Archives: August 2007

“I was sat there looking at the paper and then bang,” (Daily Torygraph)

of which I have three, and we managed to meet up with two yesterday. We hadn’t seen the youngest one for so long that Small didn’t recognise his cousins. L is 6 months older than him and starts school full … Continue reading →

Tuesday, left Jax behind this time, and took three children out for the day. Collected Lily from Halifax and set off for St Leonard’s Farm (former setting for Emmerdale apparently). Fair collection of animals, for petting, poking and feeding, derelict … Continue reading →

Tim took the kids out early this morning. I hope they didn’t get stuck on the M1 – listening to the radio later it sounded horrific. I’d hoped to be able to go back to sleep after they left, but … Continue reading →

Roche Abbey is one of the children’s favourites. Pooh sticks, hide and seek and general running around being the order of the day. Unfortunately, Big was feeling a bit… while Jax was feeling a bit…. But it had its moments … Continue reading →

I’m going through paperwork, trying to work out our finances. In order to do this, I decided to clear out the expanding file that’s been taking up space on top of the dresser in the dining room. I found a … Continue reading →

A £20bn new Thames barrier could be built to prevent potentially disastrous flooding in London. That is about three hundred quid for each person in the country. I think London looks rather pretty this way and at least it would … Continue reading →

Continued yesterday with a walk out with the offspring to look for blackberries, while Tim went out to shop. We walked through the large (mainly ex-council) estate behind our house, and didn’t see any children playing in gardens, or on … Continue reading →

as I’ve been at work. Tim’s been out and about with the children, but sadly remiss in blogging about it (hint, hint). But now I’m off work for another week, so I’ve time to chat again Today I’ve tried to … Continue reading →

“Daddy, what is Coca Cola®?” Can’t be many seven year olds who need to ask that one. She is now on the computer surfing the Lego site. She likes the Eiffel Tower (lots of pocket money) and is complaining that … Continue reading →

That’s a big thumbs up from Big on her first Rumer Godden, Tottie: The story of a doll’s house. She’s come down for another book from the offthepath stash, and chosen Beezus and Ramona. I’m really glad that she’s suddenly … Continue reading →

I did a google search for montessori secondary education, and found some fascinating articles. I particularly enjoyed this one about a group of teachers from UK making an exploratory trip to the Netherlands to see how they do it over … Continue reading →

to work, and slowly slowly back. Accident being recovered on the southbound side of M1 within roadworks this morning was obviously far more interesting than actually driving northwards, and tonight southbound was blocked by another accident further north. So plenty … Continue reading →

Over the last week or so Jax and I have been watching Survivors. "Survivors is an outstanding 38 episode drama series with a cult following that first aired between 1975 and 1977… the series concerns the aftermath of a plague … Continue reading →

I saw an article at The Register about Energy Buster . I must say at first reading it seemed like a fantastic idea to be able to terminate all the stuff around the house which is on standby, but the … Continue reading →

well, kind of. First day working anyway. Managed to drag myself out of bed when the alarm went off at 8, and was working by 8.13. Only having to go to the next room may have had something to do … Continue reading →

After I went out to sleep in the tent last night, I had a very broken night’s sleep. It rained about 3 ish, then Big woke up just after 6, slightly disgruntled as Small had, in the night, crept off … Continue reading →

Small has entered a new phase of learning – I’ve spent the whole day answering “why” questions. I’m hoping this won’t take desperately long to pass, he’s very inventive in his curiousity. Why are they called windows, anyway? Yesterday we … Continue reading →

Many schools spend too long drilling children to pass national tests instead of giving them a proper education, the government’s exams watchdog has warned. bbc Wonder when all those nice inspectors will be calling on those children’s parents then? Further … Continue reading →

Letters Home is a series of half our programmes on Radio 4 at 9.30am in which immigrants offer their impressions of Britain. I bumped in to one the other week and found it fascinating, and have just read the feature … Continue reading →