A new diagnosis

Today J continued working on his Harry Potter worksheets, whilst S sat down to write a story. I've suggested that once he finishes, he submits it to KidPub.

In the afternoon, I had the lady from HANDS Rochester come around. She brought two ladies wishing to volunteer in the community, who were interested in working with us.

They left full of ideas and possibilities, and fired up about home education! Hopefully, they will now come back to us to offer an amount of time each week that they would like to help out. It's a great way for us to find people with skills willing to teach the children. I'd recommend any UK HE group to contact their local volunteer bureau in that manner.

In the evening, I heard from my parents - Dad has been diagnosed as having coeliac disease. It was obviously God's Hand at work, where I have spent the past few months looking into gluten free diets, for the boys, as I was able to help my Mum understand what this meant. I rang up the main supermaket chains and asked them to post her a list of their gf products, and tomorrow I will drive up to take her shopping - plus take her some bits that I have here.

It's a shock, but at least now we understand why the treatment for the ulcer wasn't working, and why he has been so ill. The good news is that this is something we can fight/deal with. However, my Father is someone rather set in his ways over food and the sort of changes he now needs to make will be tough. In his late sixties, to start having to be so very strict, careful, reading labels etc on everything, will not come easily. Please pray that his desire to get better - for his own sake and that of his family - will help him overcome his reticence, and that he will find the strength to face this.

I've just come back from trying to help some friends get their pc set up and on the internet for the first time, so I'm running late. Off to get the boys to bed quick, so I still get some "me" time.

ps we had some snow here today - it lasted 15 minutes!