Making it up

I’d really like to try capoeira - has anyone any experience of it? I’ve so far found three groups within the area, though unfortunately non under 10 miles distance, which might pretty much rule it out. I’ve got Leeds Capoeira who practise on a Weds evening; Group Senzala, Thurs, and Capoeira Yorkshire who actually have weekend classes. Having said that, the way that my weekends are stacking up at the moment (these birthdays are getting out of hand!) middle of the week might work better (if I think I can stay awake that long anyway ).

Appreciate comments and advice!

ETA, ooh, have found one in Hudds!

June 5, 2000

The Japanese government recently decided on a target of raising the food self-sufficiency rate–that is, the ratio of food consumed daily by the Japanese that is supplied by domestic production–to 45% by fiscal 2010, a five-percentage-point increase over the fiscal 1998 level of 40%. The goal is based on the idea of food security, by which a country should endeavor to ensure the minimum necessary supply of food in case of poor harvests at home or abroad caused by such factors as abnormal weather conditions, or in case of an unexpected situation, such as a state of war. Japan is the first developed country to set a numerical target for food self-sufficiency. From now on the government will make all-out efforts to increase the production of agricultural and other products. But it will face many issues in trying to reach the target, as the main causes of the decline in the self-sufficiency rate are, after all, such factors as a shift to Western-style eating habits and a near-zero recycling rate for leftovers, nearly all of which are discarded as waste. Web Japan

10 April 2008 IPS “The only way for China to be spared the consequences of global food shortages and food price hikes is to remain firmly self-sufficient,” declared an emphatic editorial in the 21st Century Economic Herald last week.

The warnings come as the whole of Asia is rattled by the surge in the price of rice — the continent’s food staple. Prices have doubled since January, prompting Asian farmers to hoard rice, while export bans have sliced off a third of the global rice trade.

As far as I know, we have no policy at all on this. The best figures I could find suggest we currently only produce 60% of what we eat. That really does not seem wise.

Doing some more research while trying to write up a gifted and talented policy and I’ve found this:

The Young Gifted & Talented (YG&T) programme is provided for gifted and talented learners in maintained primary and secondary schools or colleges. Learners who are home-educated, in non-maintained schools/colleges or educated overseas also have access to the programme. Perhaps your child is one of them!

The website is here.

Further info as to how to identify whether you are dealing with gifted and talented children:

The DCSF strongly encourages schools and colleges to maintain their own G&T register.

A secondary-phase register should include all learners who:

* were previously members of the former National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth (NAGTY) and who were transferred across as members of YG&T in autumn 2007 during the first phase of the YG&T programme launch; and/or
* were not previously members of the former NAGTY but nevertheless are judged by the school/college to meet the former NAGTY eligibility criteria; and/or
* while they may not meet the former NAGTY eligibility criteria, have been identified by the school/college as gifted and/or talented because their ability is developed to a level significantly ahead of their year group within that school/college, or because they have the potential to develop such ability.

Key areas may include one or more of the following: subject-specific skills, “cross-curricular” skills (such as creativity, leadership, communication), vocational skills, entrepreneurial skills.

A primary-phase register should include all learners who:

* have been identified by the school as gifted and/or talented because their ability is developed to a level significantly ahead of their year group within that school, or because they have the potential to develop such ability.

Key areas may include one or more of the following: subject-specific skills, “cross-curricular” skills (such as creativity, leadership, communication), vocational skills, entrepreneurial skills.

For further information, please see the DCSF guidance on identification.

Still trying to work out how to apply this to a school that has only one child in several of the year groups, but I thought I’d drop the information here in case it’s of interest to any of you out there as well

started disgustingly early as I had a training session yesterday morning on Autistic Spectrum Disorders. Fortunately it was just down the road in Halifax, so I only had to fall out of bed at 8.20. First part of the session was very average, whole load of stuff on the difficulties pupils (not ppl apparently, pupils) with ASD have in forming friendships. Given that social interaction and communication are two of the three areas of impairment in ASD, this didn’t come precisely as news to me, and the lecturer didn’t actually given any hints on how to deal with any of it, just going through names of techniques rather than how to employ them.

Was beginning to wish I hadn’t crawled out of bed at all, but after coffee the second part of the session changed my mind completely. We were listening to an abbreviated form of a talk by Dr John Biddulph and Fiona Biddulph that focuses around a timeline of their life, with signposts to his autism and then goes on to discuss their relationship together. I was trying to find a link because I’m sure when I googled yesterday I found it as a paid training course that lasts a day, but can I find it today? I’ve found some biographies anyway. It was utterly fascinating - they are both very good speakers, and to gain insight into the life of an autistic person (and I’d like to point out at this stage that that is how John preferred to use the terminology - he said he wasn’t a person with autism any more than he was a person with maleness - so autistic person it is from here on out, though I’m having to correct myself every other sentence!) and how his thought processes work was well worth the early morning and £5 entrance fee. I’ve also added a few more recommended books to my wishlist, including Loving Mr Spock: A Different Kind of Love. Really wish I’d bought his CD there though, as it’s £8.99 to have it posted out. Might buy the downloads and burn them myself

Ailsa and I chatted with him at the end - he’d noticed us on the registration form and we wanted to talk about how Montessori may well be a good education style for someone with an Autistic Spectrum condition (again, he didn’t like the term disorder) as it allows them to focus on the interest of the time without causing stress by wanting to move them on to something else, as well as being completely individual and not group oriented. Ailsa also wished him a Happy Birthday having noticed from the timeline that he was 53 yesterday We’ll be pondering afresh how that applies within our setting and I may well blog further over the next days or weeks.

So, after my morning out I came home for a large lunch, then ran out to do present shopping. Also stopped in Gap to look at their sale goods, can anyone explain how I can be a size 8 on the bottom half and over a 14 on the top? No? Didn’t think so. I know I’ve toned up a little recently (I think it’s the stairs and the fact that I rarely sit down these days) but I think I may need to actually work on the area where there should be a waistline. Drooling over the idea of a wii and wii fit, although I’m not convinced it would be nearly as effective as finding my callanetics book and working that into my daily routine.

Day finished late as we went to the wedding reception of an ex colleague - he’d sent out an invite to everyone in support before I left and I’d mailed with him to check the details. Turns out he’s left now too (that’s three java analysts and a call taker in the space of two months, what a recruitment and training nightmare they must be having right now ) which could explain why no one else turned up. According to his wife he was made up that I’d come out, and I overheard him describing me as his ex boss. Which isn’t quite how I tag myself, but given I recruited, trained and managed him is fair I suppose!

Kids had a lovely time running around the empty dance floor and scoffing buffet food right up til the point that the disco proper came on and the volume suddenly elevated. At that point Small had his hands over his ears and was whimpering so we beat a hasty retreat. It was nearly 10 pm by that stage anyway, so we hardly left early!

Late night doesn’t appear to have sparked late morning for anyone but me - Tim’s out shopping just now and the kids are playing with Thunderbirds Soundtech Tracy Island, recently received from a friend whose son didn’t quite get into it. It may be difficult to peel them away to go out, but we’ve another party to attend

(Nine minute long vid).

Randy Pausch (born October 23, 1960) is a Professor of Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction, and Design at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In September 2006, Pausch was diagnosed with metastatic pancreatic cancer. He pursued a very aggressive cancer treatment that included major surgery and experimental chemotherapy; however, in August 2007, he was told the cancer had metastasized to his liver and spleen. He then started palliative chemotherapy, intended to extend his life as long as possible. At that time, doctors estimated he would remain healthy for another three to six months. Randy Pausch Wikipedia entry.

Doing a bit of research on the type of thing that is being looked at in terms of Montessori atm, and have come across a couple of books I need to read, so dropping some links here so that I can find them

Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius looks particularly interesting, if a little American. Research lining up how Montessori fits with pyschological understanding of children’s development (if I’m reading the blurb right).

Gifted and Talented in the Early Years: Practical Activities for Children Aged 3 to 5 - I’ve taken on the Lead teacher for gifted and talented role (hence the long conversation with an NAGC adviser yesterday - turns out that she is a trained Montessori teacher who ran her own nursery so there was plenty of common ground for discussion ) so I need to do a bit of research and write up a policy for the handbook.

On a more personal level, I’m wondering whether Aspiring Author’s Journal and The Aspiring Artist’s Journal might be good indulgences for the offspring - Small’s art is going from strength to strength and I’d really like to inspire Big to do more writing as she’s very much enjoyed it when she has. Anyone any experiences with either of them they’d like to share? I’m wondering whether a journal might be a bit much for Small given he’s not reading yet, and whether something like this, You Can Paint Like Van Gogh: A Complete Kit for Aspiring Artists with Other and Paint Brush and Paint and Booklet (Artist in a Can) might be more suitable. Decisions, decisions (I’m still trying to spend the £16 I got through doing surveys, you’d have thought that would be easy, wouldn’t you?

Sometimes a product comes along which you never knew you needed. (Hint, click the pic)

Small didn’t want to go to school this morning, so he went back to bed and Tim brought him in later. That seemed to work fairly well as when he did appear he was in a lovely sunny mood. Big then lost it five minutes later when we realised that her wellies were in Tim’s car, and apparently her shoes were suddenly far too tight for her to wear. So that added the prospect of a trip to a shoe shop this evening to what was already stacking up as a busy day.

Another interview, office based day, paperwork, new child, and an hour long conversation with the NAGC helpline adviser (who turned out to be a trained Montessori teacher who had previously run her own nursery, so at least we had plenty of common ground!) and suddenly my day had nearly vanished - rounded it off with a run out in the minibus as I’m driving it on Thursday for our first outing

Collected the kids and whipped off up to the White Rose Centre to find a Clarks shop - only took about 40 minutes to get both kids happily togged up in there :wall: Honestly, I felt like I should tip the woman serving us handsomely, as she maintained a sunny demeanour as she lied through her teeth to Small (no I’m sorry, we don’t have those in your size) and coaxed Big into making a decision about shoes. Then we went into Marks to see if I could find something I’d be happy to wear as my sole cardigan is deeply horrid and I don’t like wearing fleeces to school, don’t think they look smart enough really, but Big said everything I tried on looked terrible so I put them all back again

Final stop was in Smiths to spend some of my giftcard - bought Small Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer Annual 2008: Rise of the Silver Surfer Annual (Fantastic Four Annual) for 99p, and picked up a rather lovely hardback copy of Party Shoes for Big. Although I might read it too

Rounded off the evening by getting lost on the way home from the White Rose, adding at least 10 minutes to what should only have been a 20 minute journey. So by the time we got back I was shattered and the children were frayed, but bowls of shreddies all round rescued the evening and they went off to bed. Tim has fed me comfort food (fried eggs ) and I’m feeling much better now, although I shan’t be doing that again in a hurry!

Fascinating. Lecture by Elizabeth Warren.

If you don’t fancy a vid: Harvard Magazine covers some of the ground, but no pics.

Given the recent change in my life from java support team leader to deputy manager and Children’s house directress at a Montessori school, Montessori is a hot topic of conversation with most ppl I meet atm. I find it easy to be enthusiastic about it, though I’m often surprised by which bits ppl know about and which bits they don’t. So I thought I’d amuse myself today by going on about it on here, from my new point of view.

First of all, most ppl have seemed to know bits about Montessori materials. They may have heard of Pink towers, or Sandpaper letters, or Golden beads, and even made and used materials of this type at home with their children. (Remember that many of the ppl I’m talking to are home educators!) What doesn’t seem necessarily to have come across from the reading they’ve done is that Montessori is about far more than just materials. The community of children, working for global peace and harmony, Grace and courtesy in how we move and speak and handle ourselves around others, these are the things that aren’t nearly as easily quantifiable, and can’t be presented on a tray to be taken home in quite the same way.

A Montessori children’s house is a community. The children learn to look after each other, and learn that hands are for helping and cuddling, not hurting. That if feet need to kick then we need to go outside and find a ball, that if hands need to hit then we go outside and find a bat. (I’m also thinking that we might need to bring in some wood working and other tools that could explore these urges.) Jumping and bouncing, shouting and running are all also done outside, we walk and speak quietly in the classroom so that we can keep each other and our beautiful materials and work safe (occasionally I feel like an episode of Dora ). The materials and the pre-academic skills that come from using them are important, but the skills for independence and social existence in a community are even more important, and completely central to each day.

This can lead to a slightly fraught Jax. My natural demeanour is not a completely smiley happy one, I’m sarcastic as all get out, and nice is not my middle name. Which is why we work as a team - it can really help to have another member of staff catch your eye and smile as you’re dealing with the tenth incident of running in the classroom or flattening a friend (these are 2 1/2 to 5 year olds I’m with all day!) and if we ever really can’t deal we swap out to let someone else take a turn. There are times when I really do need my 30 minutes lunch break - I’ve got into the habit of taking two cups of tea up as it’s often difficult to get a cup during the day.

Do I regret the change? Not at all - my stress levels are lower, I smile more and I believe in what I’m doing now - it has a positive effect on ppl and the world. How could I regret that?

Made me laugh, YMMV.

We’ve spent the morning at the Royal armouries in Leeds, arriving via a quick stop off at Borders to buy a present for the birthday boy we were visiting with, and a graphic novel/ combination comic for Small. So I’ve just read Ultimate Fantastic Four: N-Zone v. 3 (Ultimate Fantastic Four) (I think that’s volume 3 of Ultimate Fantastic Four btw, the book we’ve bought has 6 comics in it, so isn’t quite as expensive as it appears!)

Small didn’t enjoy the armouries, which surprised me rather. We’d been there about 20 minutes when he flung himself on the floor, wailing that he wanted to go home, and was pretty much (”that means yes, does it?”) inconsolable throughout a lunch break (apart from the couple of minutes he was stuffing chocolate bars down) and tours around, although he did enjoy watching St George (hurrah!) get armoured up to fight the dragon (boo!). I bumped into my last but one boss there as well, which was a little odd seeing him in civvies as it were, but I suppose these things happen.

Big went with our friends to watch the jousting while Small and I fetched his book from the car and retired to a local Starbucks to warm up. Then we gathered up Big and headed for home, so that Tim could head into hudds to pick up Lily although the kids haven’t clicked that’s where he’s gone. He just rung for directions which was amusing - I’m not sure that I’ve ever driven to the train station in Hudds, though I’ve been driven there loads of times, but with the aid of google maps, we got it sorted. However did we manage in the days before mobile phones and google? Perhaps town planners put up signs at that point!

I’ve got a splinter. It really hurts - got it off the edge of one of our IKEA bits that Tim fetched up tonight. We’re thinking about building one just now, but really what I want to do is go to bed - I didn’t get in til 10.30 last night, so by the time I’d unwound it was way past midnight, so I didn’t get a decent night’s sleep at all. I’m still waiting to get acclimatised to this more physical way of life as well, I’m really physically tired every night just now.

Tim went and fetched some more stuff, and he’d been back about an hour when my parents rang to say they’d stopped in to check the house and there wasn’t any post, and by the way, how do you stop the burglar alarm chiming? (I didn’t know that it could chime, so I had no idea how to switch it off. They pushed buttons randomly until it stopped )

Last night was the second of our parent workshops - I’m really rather enjoying them from the other side of the fence as it were. We’ve not that many parents on this one, but the ones who have turned up seem to be really enjoying it and it’s giving us staff plenty of time to get to grips with the materials as well. Made for a very long day though, and given that we’d done a fire drill in the middle of the day (we do them very regularly as the children have to be used enough to the noise to just deal with it rather than panicking) and one member of staff fell on the slippy wet pavement and another had an asthma attack it had been quite a traumatic day all round. Apparently I’m going over well with the parents though - as you’ll know, I quite enjoy enthusing about education, and that’s pretty much what I’m expected to do now.

More parents touring today, and a visit tomorrow from the new girl who is starting on Monday, and a call from a local children’s centre to ask if they can tour to get some ideas and would we like some reciprocal training? But of course and wouldn’t it be fab if we could montessori-ise a sure start centre

Small is still having a tough time of it though. The tantrums are his, and he is really very cross with the world during them. We’ve brought a couple of sand timers home as he finds watching the sand trickle through very calming - I’m considering getting a set for home to help him out with a consistent approach. Big seems to have largely settled - think she’d rather not be attending school every day, but she seems to accept it’s the way it is at the moment.

Right, think the oven has warmed up, must go put pizza in. How did it get to be nearly 10 o’clock? (Mind, earlier, Tim was telling me that it was Thursday tomorrow, think he’s wondering how it got to be today iyswim )

Three new starters (children), one assessor for one member of staff (approx three hour visit!), one film crew (two hour visit) and two car accidents (parents delayed on way to pick up. No they didn’t bump into each other).

So it’s been a funny old day - from starting with three new children this morning, to having to ignore the cameras this afternoon while trying to pretend it’s a normal day (doesn’t feel normal when you say “thank you for keeping our classroom tidy!” and the woman with the microphone says “that was lovely, could you say it again?” Child looked at me very funny when I did that )

And after all that I then stayed back a while to go through some of the materials that at least one of the new starters is probably ready for and I’ve brought the file home tonight so that I can go through it all again. It’s one thing to look at the materials when they are sitting all pristine on the shelf, it’s another thing entirely when children are desperate to get hands on and they start grabbing at stuff left right and centre.

The filming was for a training dvd on good practise within the nursery environment They seemed to really like us, and we’ll get copies of both the unedited footage and the finished product, so that should be interesting. Everyone else turned up in new tops today - I went in the cardy I’ve been wearing throughout, as I didn’t manage to get to Marks with the vouchers I found at t’other house yet Ah well, I was hoping to stay out of the line of view, but they loved the cleaning up spills activity, so we were filmed doing that. Aargh, bet I look terrible in it!

The thing that is most annoying though is the interruptions - children were working with materials, and the film crew kept interrupting them to ask what they were doing. You *don’t* interrupt a child’s work. And you don’t talk through a presentation. And Montessori is so much more than just the materials, there is a whole ethos in the classroom that certainly I never approached at home. The group environment, taking care of the group as well as the materials, keeping ppl safe, it’s all very carefully stressed. Staff don’t raise their voices (I’m still pretty good at pitching to carry - think the whole group were the quietest I’ve ever seen them when I was reading stories before lunch ) and everybody walks in the classroom. It’s beautiful to see a 3 year old helping an older child simply because he’s been with us (weeks) longer and she is new and doesn’t know how we do things yet, and the community is encouraged to form in that way. The staff direct rather than lead, and it’s all very low key.

Can you tell I enjoy it? I’m really enjoying it. I’m stressed to the hilt with the two houses, finances and the world in general, but during the day at work, I’m doing an awful lot of smiling. And that pretty much makes it worth it I think.

The other day I spent my most recent amazon referral dosh (takings from the last three months or so, it adds up eventually) on an order for me and the kids, I ordered Miss Happiness and Miss Flower for Big, Fantastic Four/Fantastic Four - Rise Of The Silver Surfer [2005] for me and Small to share (Ioan Gruffud, hmm…) and Grimspace for me (who could resist a book with themself as the heroine? ) The two parcels arrived at school today, and as Big and I spent the afternoon there anyway, me trying to sort out computers, and her in the artroom, we picked them up and brought them home. Made the kids a quick tea and then pulled up the sofa to settle in with Fantastic 4 - Small had absolutely lit up when he opened the packet and seen what was in it, so I knew that he was really looking forward to it.

Got about 20 minutes into it when suddenly “I’m scared” said this little voice next to me, and he was, he was trembling. And that was pretty much that, he just didn’t want to know any more. The weird thing was, we weren’t at what would classically be seen as a scary part (I don’t think), it was the beginning of the sequence where their powers break through. I can only assume that because he hasn’t really worked out the boundaries between reality and imagination yet (will he ever?) it was all a bit too much. So we’ve sat and talked about it for a while and they’ve gone off to bed, and I’m going to force myself to watch the rest of it to see whether there are any other parts he’ll need help with. (The sacrifices I make for my children.)

Funny though, he wasn’t the slightest bit scared with X Men, and I would have thought that would be far worse.

Another estate agent’s gem.

In addition to the oak doors with chrome furniture, which are standard throughout the property, there are also chrome switches and sockets, and flooring throughout.

Flooring! That’s useful.

And, in the same property there is “upgraded pottery “. . . . ???

Elsewhere:

“A substantial 4/5 bedroom detached property offering plenty of flexible accommodation” …. A rubber house! Just what I’ve always wanted.

I think I’m getting the hang of the new role, in some areas anyway. Apparently some of the children have been telling their parents that they have a new teacher and she’s nice, so that’s quite a glowing recommendation And parents have spoken positively to me, particularly about my phone manner!

The two biggest critics, are, as ever, my own offspring. It took nearly an hour to extricate Small this evening and was very traumatic all round, and I had Big in tears earlier today when I failed to present a tutorial in how to write a civilisation type game in 30 mins flat. Tbh, I’m not a games programmer - I think I’m a fairly good programmer, but I’m not actually all that gifted, I’m just quicker than most ppl at acquiring and remembering details, which tends to make you look pretty strong in a team. I know that games programming is an art form in itself and I don’t really know where to start with Big - I’ve twittered for assistance and now this is a blogpost requesting the same, any ideas gratefully received.

In other news, Small’s social life is taking off - we’ve now moved within walking distance of two of his ex-classmates, so many playdates to the park are hopefully in the offing. Big is not quite so well served although we are nearer to offthepath, but there are offers of tea and early evenings when I’m working on with a couple of her classmates, and she’s another new one starting next week, so you never know.

And that’s about all I have energy for - I’m slightly subdued tonight, due to the traumas of feeling that I’m failing my own children atm, and I’m not quite sure why. I know that there’s an awful lot going on for them right now, but I just wish I could make it easier for them.

Don’t bother reading, it is much the same as what Jax said, only with pics. So just look at the pics. Pretend to be a Sun reader.

Welcome to Brighouse

The town has a roundabout dedicated to the Band. As a feature, it is a bit spoilt by the sod off, bloody great Tesco, right beside it. In the background, you can see the famous (or so I understand) Ritz Ballroom.

The Important Stuff Unpacked

We got beer, we got wine, heck we even got a nice cold cellar to keep it all in.

Mud

Well that is not quite fair, but we do have a heck of a lot of naked earth in the borders around our new garden. I am wondering if it is possible to buy “catering packs” of mixed annuals.

BTW, serious thanks to Jonathan Sotp and Steve (that sounds like some sort of stage act, ventriloquy, or magicians), without whom this move might have been possible, but would certainly have been much harder.

Seems like quite a nice place does Brighouse, even if it is in Yorkshire. And, I found the local fish and chip shop this afternoon, we will have to go back some time when it is open. It is next door to the pub. Handy that.

…. … … Jax says, “You haven’t put the pictures on of Small, eating his dinner”

Have so

The plan yesterday was for Tim to get the router (tick), me to do the shopping (tick) and then Tim to go see what he could find at t’other house that we needed (not tick). However the best laid plans often go awry, and in this case he developed a dodgy tum, so stayed here and I went foraging. What with faffing about on the internet once he got it running it was around 4 o’clock before I set off, and I quickly remembered why I hated driving down that motorway

Anyway, came back with a comprehensive car load of clobber to find another bloke yet again parked in front of our gate but still with two of us unloading the car was a lot easier than loading it had been. And after we’d done that I was too tired for words, so I went and collapsed into bed.

Got up at an almost reasonable time this morning, and was pottering about when Tim came down to tell me that the cat had expressed his current displeasure with us by pissing in the middle of our bed. Joy. Double joy in that we had the double duvet on, so twice as much washing and that’s pretty much what Tim has done all day, wash stuff. With yet another trip out to our handy local Tesco as we’re pretty much out of washing liquid. This morning was bright and sunny, so we strapped the cat into a harness and took him out into the yard, he was very unimpressed to see that we seem to have mislaid his garden as well as his house The kids entertained themselves outside for ages walking along the wooden edges of the (not very) raised beds, until Big managed to fall off and land on her head. I’m not sure how she achieved that, these things are a couple of feet off the ground at most, so how you fall from there and hit your head I don’t know, but she did.

Somewhere in the middle of all of this and washing coming and going, the cat made a break for it and legged it into the big outdoors, and I assumed that would be the last we’d see of him.

Did more carting of boxes upstairs (approx 20, my legs are loving this, not, as there are 14 stairs in the main run, then a corner and another 2) to what will be the spare bedroom/ office but is currently storage, until we had room to put the piano in a more permanent resting home. This allowed Big to have a full scale meltdown over the fact that she can’t remember anything apparently, which was nice. Somehow she pulled it together and they both spent time sorting out their (new) drawers and tidying their room, which was a lovely (BIG) surprise Then it started snowing with a vengeance, and the cat reappeared and sat on the front windowsill to come back in. Since then he’s been asleep in the corner of the living room, it was obviously a very tiring couple of hours. At least he ate since he came back in - he’s been rather off his food all week.

Cooked a proper meal tonight and we sat down as a family - we have done for lunches as well. Quite determined to keep the table free of clutter so that we can continue to do this - might civilise Small yet! It was rather pleasant, although I’m not looking forward to the washing up - I cut my thumb on a chip of china at school the other day and it makes activities like washing up uncomfortable to say the least. Anyway, must go and get it done, as I’ve just remembered I’ve the staff meeting minutes to type up as well.

Kids are out of the bath - don’t know quite how it happened but water has come through the ceiling while they were bathing, so that’s a phone call to the landlord tomorrow (can’t see the point of bothering him on a Sunday evening, he’s not going to get anything done then). Ooh, wonder where I’ve put his phone number?

Sorry for blog silence, but in rather a rush we moved house last weekend, and didn’t get teh internets back until Thurs evening. And at that point, the lovely 4 Mb broadband resolutely declined to play with our current wireless router, and the free one from Virgin is currently languishing in a lynx depot somewhere in Pudsey! (it’s not very free either given how many phone calls I’ve made from my mobile attempting to release it )

The house is working out fine, although some furnishing to store clothing would be useful and Tim will be heading south later today to see what he can find. The children are happy that the tv-puter is working though, as without it “we couldn’t watch Batman!” (good to see they have their priorities straight They are thrilled to have found the duplo and that’s currently all over the living room floor.

Work is fine too, although I’ve been really glad of the much shorter journey - a montessori children’s house with up to 23 children in it is a very much more tiring beast than a montessori children’s house with only 6 as it was the last couple of weeks. I’ve met nearly all the children now - there’s just one still on holiday apparently, and after a few embarassing moments with names I’m beginning to get the hang of those too. Had a lovely afternoon yesterday as most of the group were out in the garden or playground and I just had a couple in the room with me so we got on with some great extension work with some of the materials. Then gradually more children got tired and came in and they just joined in, and for the first time I could really see how it could all work with minimal adult input as they built on what each other had done and you could just see them all learning and loving it.

Aw. Wish I could talk in more detail but not something that’s appropriate about other children than my own!

But, speaking of my own, they are generally adapting to the change, both have learnt to call me Jax at school Small is being somewhat challenging atm, but that’s only to be expected, and I’m hoping to really indulge him this weekend and hope that helps him feel more settled next week. We’re going to do a week of earlies hoping that we can get away around 5 (instead of 6, 7, or one evening 8!) and that will give them more time to themselves as well.

Once Tim gets the wireless router and beats it into submission I hope to be able to spend some time bloghopping and catching up with everyone else’s lives (looking forward to seeing what tents everyone has bought!) - I’ve felt really out of the loop this week. Didn’t realise how reliant on the internet I really am :/