Mixed Bag

Sunday was a mixed bag of a day. The boys gave their Dad the cards that they had made for him yesterday, which was a good start to the day.

Roarke was working, so the boys and I went to church on our own. The service was good, and the boys as always enjoyed Sunday School.

In the afternoon, Joshua and Samuel worked on two English sheets relating to Fathers Day which we'd got from Enchanted Learning whilst I filled the paddling pool.

The boys have enjoyed being able to get outside in the hot weather - and I haven't been able to resist reinforcing the point that it was better to be home schooled than sitting in a hot classroom dreaming of the pool!

I'm afraid that, on the days when they complain about doing their "learning" I sometimes find myself using returning to school as a bit of a threat. I don't mean to - to be honest, I'd never want them back in school for any reason - but the reality is that if an LEA thinks your children are not learning, they could well be forced back. That's my justification, anyway ;-)

I leave the water in the paddling pool usually for two days, scooping out leaves etc in between times, and then use the water to water the garden. I make sure we use every last drop, which usually takes about 3/4 of an hour! Still, I hope that the example it sets the boys will remain with them.

Later afternoon, Roarke turned up, having been sent home from work early. Some lads on his bus were smoking pot, an elderly lady took them to task, and they started threatening her. Drivers are meant to stay in their cab behind the assault screens, or risk instant dismissal (its to protect them) but Roarke did then get out the cab to go to her aid. He pushed for "code red" but the lads stayed on the bus for a while - knowing it takes the police ages to turn up. when they did then get off, after having terrorised the passengers, they threw a brick through the back window showering passengers in glass. Roarke moved off a little way then pulled over to check on the passengers, only to have them yell at him to drive on as the boys were coming after them, with more bricks.

The police came, statements were taken, witnesses interviewed - quite a big incident. When he returned to the yard with the bus, they suggested he went home early to get over it. Today they have swapped his shift so that he is not in Addington, and then he has his two rotaed days off.

It is all quite worrying and stressful. It's not the first incident - what the drivers have to put up with in both Addington and Orpington is horrendous. Some routes are no go areas for the black or Asian drivers as their buses get stoned as soon as they get to route. The kids all know that they are more or less safe as it takes too long for the police to arrive and the drivers have no way to keep them until the police arrive.

We'd value your prayers.