working out which way is up

Actually did some stuff with/for the kids today – unpacked five boxes labelled craft shelves in the hope of finding the cards, and only found one kit, but it was enough to get them both set up making birthday cards for forthcoming celebrations. Big was also particularly thrilled to use her embossing tools, as we finally, while packing, found the Parchment Paper she’s been looking for for about a year, and we made sure to pack it in her craft bag with the rest of the things she needs to do it 🙂

All of this was after Small had started the day with his You Can Paint Like Van Gogh kit that I bought for him for his last birthday. I’m glad he finally got around to it, and he did seem to enjoy it rather, but the peculiar pencil (and brush) grip he uses is beginning to hamper this type of activity. Not sure how to proceed with that one really, he’s very resistant to suggestions of change.

So they’ve both been crafty today, and there was some running and shouting outside, and Big has watched tv and played on the puter. I also found many of the music books, though as we haven’t worked out a way of plugging the piano in yet, they are still rather redundant, must solve that one rapidly. This would be the one drawback of a digital piano really, the requiring a power source 🙁

Small has not watched tv or played on the puter as he is on a ban from both until he finishes helping Tim replace the curtain rail he (Small) effectively pulled down last night. They went out together and had to buy a new rail as it’s not possible to buy the fittings that broke, which was upsetting, and then there was the hunt the curtain hooks game, which took rather a long time, so the ban is going on til the morning. He doesn’t seem particularly upset by it, being very happy to take himself off with paper and crayons to draw, so I’m not really sure that it’s having the required effect, which is to get him to think twice before fiddling with/ messing with/ exploring or destroying things. Hm, difficult one.

Following Sarah‘s mention of Gifted and Talented events in their area, I thought I’d see whether home educated children can access that sort of thing round here, the answer was a very enthusiastic yes, they’ve love HE kids to be involved but struggle to make contact with them, but the events only appear to be for 11-16 year olds, so not yet suitable for either of mine. There was also no answer as to how the children can be evaluated for G&T provision – fairly sure that Small passes muster on things like his reading and art (his use of perspective had to be explained to Big the other day as she didn’t understand it :roll:) but find it more difficult to quantify with Big – she was above many of her peers in many areas at school, which is one way of evaluating it, but rather more difficult to see at home. Still, I’m hoping to chat more with the regional organiser – still waiting to find out whether she’d like me to forward details to local lists for example – so perhaps I’ll find out more in due course.

I’ve spent the afternoon on hold to various idiots ppl in a variety of call centres to deal with a number of financial issues as well as tying up loose ends wrt moving. Had a lovely chat with a bloke based in Peterlee who lives near Durham, he really likes the cathedral and goes there as often as possible. I miss Durham. Might try for a holiday up there at some point, I have various friends and relatives I could try and catch up with. Or maybe just the friends, thinking about it.

There’s a weirdness. Both my mother and her sister have lost one of their children quite young and suddenly. Wonder what the odds are against that, given that they didn’t die of anything in common as it were. Doesn’t seem to have brought them closer together – three of us went up to cousin Nicola‘s funeral, but not one of them made it down to Katrin’s. Odd.

And this evening I must get started on my TMA for MS221, as it’s due in next Weds, and I’m not going to get any of it done at the weekend. It covers three chapters, each of which you are supposed to spend a week (at least) studying, here’s hoping three days is enough? Sigh. Must Get Organised.