PC is banished for Christmas!

This will sound like another busy post but actually there is a lot of ground to cover!

We have enjoyed some lovely social activities over the week or so. We've been to visit home educating families at their homes and made new friends, we've had friends over here to dinner and got closer, and been to friends to celebrate a birthday.

Joshua had his last few rehearsals and Saturday evening saw the performance by the SAVVY Youth Theatre of The Golden Door. The play tells of two tribes in a dark underworld, the Jagged Ones and the Pus Balls, who are shown the door to a better world of light by a mysterious stranger. It was fabulous, and I was very VERY proud of Josh. I thoroughly enjoyed the play.

Samuel was wowed by his first experience of theatre and it was interesting to see how, as an Aspie, this three dimensional story telling really gripped him. Even William was - quite literally - on the edge of his seat and "got" much of the story even though the words were beyond him (a good job as there was a LOT of, er, adult content!). Samuel now thinks he would like to see more shows.

As Roarke was so gripped as a youngster by his first experience of theatre, it will be interesting to see if this leads anywhere for Samuel - who was also browsing the notice about the drama group for 7-13 year olds....

I hope to have some pictures up soon from the show, and of Josh collecting his award for "best smile" from the theatre group!

This weekend was meant to see the start of our Christmas preparations. As detailed here before, we try to make all of December special for the family both for the sake of the members of the family with Aspergers who find one day too much stress/excitement, and for Roarke and I who both have negative memories from childhood Christmases.

We did get *some* stuff done. I've at least bought the cards, we got some new lights, decided on how we wanted to decorate the front room, and I practiced making gluten free mince pies. However, in typical Ann & Roarke style, just 2 hours before our lunch guests today, we decided that the only place we could put the tree was where the computer desk was - and then further that the whole room would then need changing around.

So the pc is now in our bedroom again - and I am without my constant internet connection (help!!!! I can't cope!!!!) - and the entire front room has been rearranged. Actually it looks pretty good! Much more like a living space and less like an office or dining room.

The first Christmas lights are up in the window. We ran out of energy to do anymore today! Our guests arrived just as we'd finished hoovering, and dinner was 25 minutes late ( to my annoyance). By the time they went we were too worn out to do anything other than straighten our bedroom so that we and Jonathan can at least go to bed tonight without sleeping on boxes or Christmas decorations!

I'm snatching a moment to do my emails (and blog!) before going back down to make tea (I'm still full from the lasagne and chocolate fudge pudding that we had at 2pm! - yes home made lasagne the first one since I went dairy free! It was scrummy even if I say so myself. A "secret family recipe")