Wednesday, June 03, 2009

Filming, Acting, Enjoying

Scarily, without being on broadband and therefore not as involved in my online world, I've still managed to fill my days and end up with stuff undone by the end of each one.

It has been lovely though to be in our own place, and the sunny weather has added to the general holiday, freedom, new phase feeling permeating the family.

We had a family come around at the start of the week who are taking their daughter out of school at the end of July. It was their second visit to us, but this time their son came too (Aspergers) and we were all relieved to see that they got on grand with the boys (the trampoline helped!).

Later in the week we had a film crew here. They were here from 9.40am till 3.40pm! It was to film a "taster" episode on home education for a series on education that one of the channels is intending to do. It gets shown to the commissioning editors etc who decide if they want to go ahead with it.

They did an interview with Josh, one with Samuel, filmed William hunting for snails and various other William-type activities, and interview Roarke with Samuel playing with Jonathan on the trampoline in the background.

My interview was a boring talking head style.

We had Grace and her boys over from the lunchtime, and they consented to being filmed too. Lots of laughter, chaos, children, testosterone, toddlers not eating lunch... lovely lovely snapshot of families sharing friendship through home education.

We took the crew up to Keston Ponds and they filmed us going through the woods, pointing out bugs and things (as you do!) and then the boys went to their favourite part of the River Ravensbourne where they like to dam it. The camera guy was quite sad that he had to watch and couldn't take part as he said it looked so much fun!

I couldn't help but be amused at the mental picture of us wandering around being followed by camera and sound boom, as it WAS after all half term and the ponds and woods were full! You could see everyone wondering who on earth we were and/or why we were being filmed, especially when Grace and I sat down in the middle of them all whilst Grace was interviewed! I'm also wondering what our new neighbours thought of the crew in the back garden...

Josh had sailing last Friday in the morning then in the evening he had the first performance of "What Use ANY Generation?" at the Charles Cryer Theatre. Roarke took William to see it, and they all came home happy.

On Saturday we went down to Sheila's for her birthday barbeque which was really lovely (I especially enjoyed Phil's home made beers... shame I was to be driving later!). We then piled in the car and left early to drive all the way back, then Roarke took Josh off for rehearsal, drove back, grabbed dinner, then I drove BACK to theatre with Samuel so that we could watch the performance!

The show was great. All the SAVVY kids were good, as were the older generation actors who took part. I loved Josh's parts that he did, both the ensemble pieces and the three or four where he was a main speaking character.

Samuel has been really unwell now for more than two days so we are taking him off to the doctors today (hopefully, if we can get an appointment). He's got an eye infection, raging headaches, and has been physically sick for 36 hours. As Samuel is a lad who is ill about once a year, if that, it always knocks us back to see him ill. Last night he slept downstairs as he has a temperature and even with the windows open his attic bedroom was too hot for him to be comfortable :0(

Jonathan's foot seems better and he is now walking without a limp and running around as normal so we didn't bother with the fracture clinic yesterday.

Josh is in post-show freefall, anti-climax mode, and counting the days till Thursday and SAVVY as they are to be rehearsing for parts of the show to go to GUILFEST in July. He'll find out if any of "his" pieces are going to be used which is scary/exciting at the same time.

Roarke has been up since 5am when Samuel was last ill, working away. He's been using his laptop outside early morning and late into the evening/night and enjoying the sun and warmth. Beats working in an office ;0)

I thought in the heat yesterday that I really truly pitied the kids (and the teachers) in school on a day like that. At least we all had the freedom to go into a cool room, lay down, flop, drink, chill and generally follow our bodies' prompting in the heat....

All the boys other than Josh had a hair cut yesterday, to crop them short because of the heat. Everyone says that William and Jonathan look alike, but with the hair cuts now its even more obvious. See for yourself:

4 comments:

The Mom said...

I know what you mean about feeling sorry for the teachers and pupils stuck inside in this weather. We have been in the garden for a few days now, and spent most of the day today at Danson. Brilliant fun!

Coffee date due soon :-)

H x

kelly said...

Looks like fun! Did you feel very famous and important when every one was looking at you? :)

When is the programme due to be broadcast?

stefndawniy said...

ooh Ann I bet it's great having your own place.
I've not been over for a read for a while because we've had our broadband broken too, 4 wks of not much internet.

Clare said...

It sounds like you did a brilliant job with the programme - when will you know more broadcasting details?

Nice to hear that your move went so well - we're in the middle of selling and buying and staying with my parents at the moment, which is sometimes ok and sometimes not! Light at the end of the tunnel though :)