Picnics and Hairy Bikers

Sunday saw our church moving to two morning services in order to make room for growth. I got to go to both services, one after the other which was just amazing.

I'd been highly organised in the morning and had put a curry into the slow cooker at 7.30am so we got a hot midday dinner before Roarke and Josh went off to the O2 in order to take part in Hillsong's 10th Anniversary celebrations up there. By all accounts that was pretty awesome too!

Monday was a busy day with Roarke in and out, and us trying to catch up on various things.

Tuesday evening was a logistical nightmare! We took Josh and Samuel to their life group for 6am, collected Mum to babysit William and Jonathan here, then left to get to church for 7.30pm for a meal and then the start of the DNA2 course that we are doing. Josh and Samuel therefore had to get a bus back to our house. It was the first time they'd got the bus together, only the second time Josh had got a bus without us, and the first time either of them had done it in the dark. They missed the first bus and had to wait quite a while.

I am SO proud of Samuel yet again. Even a few months back that would have destroyed him, as he would have been so anxious about being in the dark, being out "on the streets", feeling vulnerable. I really do have God (via Rock Camp and BCC!) to thank for that, as well as the time and space that home ed has allowed him. He is maturing so quickly!

Anyway, they texted us to let us know they were home, and we could relax for the rest of the evening!

Today was Not Back to School Picnic Day! We went to Gravesend and handed out leaflets and balloons in the high street, then on to the park for a picnic. About 43 children and adults attended and all had a great time. The highlight was that someone we'd given a leaflet to came along with his two young daughters to share the picnic and find out more about home education!

It definately made it all worth while.

Jonathan had a fabulous time. The longest time he'd spent outside at a park, safe and secure and able to play away to his heart's content on all the equipment.

He feel asleep in the car, and stayed asleep when we carried him in, and then slept like this for another hour and a half:
Very cute!

I've been watching the Hairy Biker's Food Tour of Britain and loving it! Mixing two of my favourite things - cooking and motorbikes - is a definate winner for me. It has really inspired me to get cooking properly and the family have definately benefited ;0)

We've had daube of beef and herb crusted pork tenderloin so far this week! Roarke says I'm not helping his diet...

Actors and Boxes

Sunday saw Josh off to his first music festival, as he went with some of the lot from SAVVY to GUILFEST for a cut down performance of their show. It was hard to wave him off, knowing he was going to be away from us all day. Definately growing up!

From his reports, it sounds as if he had a good time and judging by the facebook photos, the group had a good turn out for their piece.

Roarke was working all day so I spent the day running everyone around. He'd dropped Josh off first thing in Wallington to collec the minibus, then I drove him to work, and took us all off to church. Back home, then in the afternoon I drove Samuel over to Crusaders. Back home, then out again an hour and a half later to collect Roarke from work, then Samuel from Crusaders. Back home, then out again almost immediately to go and collect Josh from Wallington!

So far this week, Roarke has also been for an audition for a tv advert, oh and he was on TV Tuesday evening! The BBC 2 "Freefall" programme was on. Roarke was one of the background stockbrokers in the office, and when the main characters walk through, you can see Roarke at his desk just by the entrance to the office where the main characters worked. Sadly, his back was to camera all the time, but what a classic back Can't complain when you get paid just for having your back to camera in a few shots!

Today Roarke is at HESFES, doing some filming for EO. It was meant to be me going and I would have loved to have met up with lots of people I know who are there, but I couldn't really have another day away from the kids.

British Gas have finally given up on our boiler, after coming out to the house between 1 and 3 times a week every week since we moved in, and we are now awaiting a new boiler. In the interim we have intermittent hot water still. On top of that my landline has gone kaput today and I have no idea why. The line is working and the phone rings but it won't connect. I am assuming the rechargable batteries in the handset have given up recharging. It will have to wait until Roarke is home and I can get out to the shops.

Jonathan is into boxes at the moment, emptying everything out so that he can get in:
It would be ok other than the fact that he can get in but rarely get out because of his plaster cast!

Last night I went out with a friend for a meal which was truly lovely. To just go out as two female friends, no kids, no husbands, just two friends taking a few hours out. For both of us that was a very rare occurance and all the more precious for it.

Monday we are due to have the fourth annual south east home educators beach day but the weather is looking dodgy. I can't decide whether or not to go ahead, and whether or not to buy an outdoor cover for his cast so that Jonathan can safely go on the sand. If we don't go its a lot of money for nothing...

The rest of the week

Roarke finally got in a 1am Thursday morning, after his mammoth travelling session, made worse by the fact that part of the M40 had been closed.

The next morning I was up to take Jonathan to his paediatrician's appointment. To be honest, it was the same old same old. Jonathan is "obviously" thriving, happy, healthy, exceeding his "targets" therefore there can be nothing wrong. As for the colic and other symptoms he agreed it sounds like he has an issue with reflux but *shrug*....

"Just keep doing what you are doing Mrs Newstead, you are obviously doing a great job".

Interestingly, he had indeed been contacted about Jonathan's trips to A&E and the child protection flag. Guess it is a good thing he thinks I'm doing a "good job"...

In the afternoon we had another HE family over, for their two boys to play with my boys. I guess I should say "hang out with" rather than play these days.

In the evening Josh went off to his last SAVVY meeting of the term. Sunday he has the performance at GUILFEST. He's going all that way without us. Not that I'm worried. Of course not...

Friday was another marathon day. I got a train at 8am into London in order to meet with EO trustees at 10am for meetings that lasted until 3.45pm. Then we went on to Fielden House where Lord Lucas had kindly reserved a room. We meet up with some home educators who had succesfully been lobbying Mark Field MP, Ian Dowty, Lord Lucas, and some of the trustees. We were also joined by some home ed children and young people and, of course, the film crew.

Between them all we managed to film some great clips that EO are hoping to put into a promo/lobbying film. I particularly enjoyed meeting Theo, son of trustee Vicky, and Alex, one of Ian Dowty's sons. Lord Lucas made a friend in Theo when he assisted him to *ahem* make use of the House of Lords branded items lying around that Theo is rather hoping someone might wish to purchase from him via eBay! Encouraging enterprise in the young, well done Ralph!

I finally got back on a train at 8pm however as said train decided to break down, I didn't actually end up getting off the train until 9. We went straight to pick up Josh who had gone to the Baseline end of term party. I think Josh has just realised why people love parties. Maybe he has inherited even more of his Dad's genes that he thought - second generation party animal maybe?!

Today I let everyone lay in. Not that Jonathan did of course. Nor William. But Samuel made it up around 9.45 and Josh was eating breakfast by about 10.45

Roarke has been out working for Channel Advantage today at PC World. He's had his hair done differently and I can't but think he looks like Rik Mayall now... It's the straight hair. Can't get used to it. He hasn't decided if he is going to keep it or not. It certainly makes having his hair long easier though, and the part that he has got in "The Special Relationship" requires him to have his hair long.

Jonathan is learning his abc as fast as William is at the moment, and loves watching Super Why. He is also almost running around now on his cast!

I'm so desperately tired today I just didn't want to play. Didn't want to be "mum". Just wanted to be all on my own. Obviously that hasn't happened! Roarke has gone off to a bbq on his own because I'm not in a social mood, which is a shame because it would have been good (and mum had offered to have the boys for a few hours). I am hoping that I can get all the boys upstairs around 9pm because THEN I might get a few moments to myself!

Quiet before the storm

The end of the week was fairly quiet - which prepares me for the rest of this week which is manic.

Josh had SAVVY, I had a media interview, we went to see Bromley Council for our housing appointment (which went as well as these things can. Just a waiting process now. Not posting much about it as its all a bit too personal for a public blog if you see what I mean). Roarke was out all day on Saturday at a church conference.

Today someone has kindly taken Josh and Samuel to the teen bowling, so William is on his own. At the moment he's fairly settled, just watching some tv. Its so rare for him to be alone, and he usually hates it, so I'm happy that he's calm about it. This Wednesday I got to get his diagnosis results which may be interesting. One of our big issues with him at the moment is the compulsive face rubbing and lip licking that he is doing which is resulting in huge sore patches, little scabs and marks :0(

Jonathan continues to amuse us all (I've just spent an amusing 5 minutes getting him down off of Samuel's high sleeper which he'd climbed up onto before I could stop him - he was meant to be going into his own bed!). His vocabularly is so wide and growing so quickly that I've given up trying to count or track it! He's putting words together now in short sentences, mainly by adding "please" to things he wants (to make it a request). His word of the moment is "funny"!

Mother's day was quiet. Roarke was working so I took the kids to church (which was fab, by the way).

I'm glad to have a working oven again, and have celebrated by baking bread, cheese scones, and meatloaf! Tonight its home made chicken tikka.

I really need a clone!

This is just proving to be a daft week.

On Tuesday I had a media meeting in London to discuss a possible programme on home education with a production company. I then had to rush back to take Jonathan to his blood appointment - I had 15 minutes between getting in and going out again!

I had chance once we got home to catch up on some emails and stuff whilst he slept, then I did dinner for the boys as Roarke and I were out on a church course (with dinner) in the evening.

Yesterday I had that emergency drs appointment, then I went off to church women's meeting (arriving an hour late). I then came straight back home for a late lunch and then we had a family come around who are fairly new to home education and have just joined our group. The mum and I chatted whilst Josh and her son played on the wii.

Afterwards I took Roarke to the college for his tutoring group, came back home to do dinner, then back to doctors to get my ear syringed (yuk yuk yuk!). I had just a short while before going back to collect Roarke... then I had dinner!

Today I've already taken Roarke to work, Jonathan to the dietician, baked two loaves, roasted a chicken (ready for doing cheesy chicken pasta for dinner tonight), then I'm off in an hour to take Josh to his youth theatre, back home via collecting Roarke from work so that I can get the dinner and then he's going back to get Josh!

Tomorrow I will be doing the weekly shop between 9am-10am, back to sort lunch then collecting a friend and off to our fortnightly hall gathering in Bromley. After that, I'll be getting Roarke from work so he can come home for lunch and swap over to take the car. He'll take our friend back to the station and Mum will have the boys whilst I head off up to London for an EO Government Policy Group meeting. Roarke will have to leave work sharp to come back for his private tuturing thing, and I have no idea what time I'll be home.

Has anyone managed a successful home ed science experiment for making a clone?!!!

Autonomous home ed newsflash - William has started "reading" again with his Nan. The "" are there because actually I am sure it is only guess work on his part (he waits for his Nan to sound the first letter or mime the word before he says it...) but at least he is showing some interest. He's also today asked to go on Education City and spent an hour on the math section. He has now completed math, literacy, and science with top marks for every game within it.

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")

Don't Mention His Age

Roarke continues to cover the UK by car this week, driving down to Newton Abbot today to a prison; they let him out again though, so that was ok!

He's still not home bless him :0( and tomorrow he's got to be Mr Motivator Trainer for a bunch of salesmen... I just want him to explain what the plastic brain in the training gear is for!

Josh was taken out to lunch today by his Nan as an early celebration for his birthday on Thursday when he will be 12+1. Whilst she did that, I took the others down to Monkey Bizz for our regular gathering.

Some new faces, which was lovely. I always enjoy the chance to chat with other home educators and as always HUGE thanks to Sheila for voluntarily spending some time with Jonathan in the baby section so that I could actually sit down and chat. Some friends just are beyond value.

Back home, and I took a call from a new home educator. I always am so happy to be able to bring reassurance, explanation, information and stuff to families but I get oh so emotional and angry when I hear the stories beyond their decisions.... especially today with a teen being very badly bullied over many years. Having been bullied for 4 years at secondary school myself, I know just how devastating it is and so every time it breaks my heart.

Josh had asked for a new mobile for his birthday; the one his Dad gave him (his cast off) last birthday gave up the ghost a month or so back. The thought of a 12+1 without a phone in today's world I guess seems unreasonable so I was pleased to have got him a really decent one off of eBay for not very much money. It arrived today so I gave it to him early. He's such a darling, that when he found that the phone Jonathan ruined of mine still allowed him to receive and make calls, he said "its ok mum I can use this one as my phone" even though half the functions don't work, the light doesn't switch off, and it is 4 years old. There was no way I could let him do that - I know he said it because he knows money is very tight but this young man is so amazing, so special, that I want to give him the world. A phone that is at least this years, and in A1 nick off of eBay is the least we could give him.

He made no fuss at missing his rehearsal today so that the other two could still go to Monkey Bizz, as his Dad was off working and we couldn't get him to Sutton, which I felt awful about. He really is a star.

Well Roarke is just back so I'm off to find out how you train salesmen on a new technical product using dating cards, marbles, a plastic brain and poker chips....

The life of an actor

You were all so sweet about my blogging, so I'll continue -and remember you only have yourselves to blame!!

We just heard that the short film Roarke was in, Washed Up, got voted 5th (out of 28 entries) in the Public Choice Award of "Languages through Lenses" at the PRIX EUROPA 2008.

Today he had a casting in front of Stephen Poliakoff which is cool.

Actually he has had a busy week. He was filming as one of three cast members in "The Healer", another short film, for three days last week. Then yesterday he drove up to see a friend in Sheffield on his way to Blackburn to stay overinght. Today he was meant to be receiving training ready for a contract he has to deliver training for a major company. However things had gone awry and that was cancelled first thing in the morning! It was after that he got the call about the casting tonight. That meant a six hour journey back to get to the casting with 3 minutes to spare!

An actor's life, huh?!

Back in squaresville it is still about trying to keep Jonathan safe. Having had to resort to putting the dining room chairs on the table during the daytime to stop him climbing, his best feat today was to climb up the back of my computer chair (that I was sitting on, to reach out to climb onto the table, and was finally stopped in the act of trying to get onto the chair ON TOP OF THE TABLE!!!

His words include car, dog, clock, cup, duck, along side his existing ones such as mum and dad.

Last night's dinner was a bit of a disaster cooking-wise. It wasn't that it was badly cooked, just didn't work really. To cap it all William took so long to eat his that he went to warm it up - only to drop the whole thing on the floor. If I didn't know better I'd think he did it on purpose..

He magnanimously agreed to eat a pear "as I didn't have any dinner"...

I really must get around to chasing up the diagnosis process which has definately ground to a halt. They obviously meant it when they implied he was "underdeveloped" and don't seem to intend to follow it up until he is older.

Oh, by the way, EO now have an official Facebook group and official Page now, so go along and join the group and become a Fan of the page.

Pretty please!

Normal Life

Sshhh! Don't tell anyone... I've shut the door, turned down the phones, the baby is in bed... and I'm going to blog!

I think I'm so busy these days that blogging seems self indulgent and anything about "me" is at the bottom of a very very long list of things to do.

When I first started blogging I had every intention of blogging daily, partly as a writing exercise. Then it became about keeping a record of what we had been up to. As people starting telling me that they read my blog I became conscious of wanting to explain things and go into detail, to help any one considering home education who was reading the blog to see what it was like.

These days however we are so much further along the route of autonomous education that the blog seems "just" a record of our lives - which to my mind is boring! I can't imagine why someone would want to read it, so I struggle to write it.

So, what *have* we been up to in our boring lives?!

Joshua was accepted for the youth production! I've updated the "News" on his website to show the details. He's also on Runescape a lot, and recently has been back on to LEGO digital designer to create some more models.

Samuel is on the pc quite a bit, mainly on Club Penguin or on things like YouTube. Not so sure about YouTube... at least it is mainly looking for things about Dr Who, and he was pleased to find Camp Rock on there...

William loves having a computer to himself, even if it isn't connected to the internet and plays on Stronghold or uses his Learning Land cds. He recently spent an hour on Education City and completed the whole of the year one science section - all with gold stars!

Just wish he was more interested in putting the effort into reading, but I am sitting on my hands (when they aren't covering my mouth) in my attempts to remain true to "autonomy" and not "making" him learn!

Roarke is busy with his January seminar. The information on the 'net should be finished soon so I can show it to you.

He's also had back the DVD for his first short film - there is a lot of his back in it! Oh and his fight scene. Today he is filming for his third short film up in Ilford. He's the one supporting actor to the two main characters.

Me? Er... busy writing websites for Roarke, keeping up with the EO webteam stuff, keeping up with Jonathan - which is a full time job! Grief that child is quick! He is chatting away now, with more and more descernible words. Everything with four legs and furry is a "dog", no fur and it is a "cow" (or 'ow as he calls it). Birds are all ducks (understandably). Anything with wheels is a car. At night when we go into our bedroom to put him to bed he goes "darrrrkkk"! He also loves going up to people and hugging them, accompanied by either him saying "ahhh" or "'ug"!

Must get more batteries for this blasted camera so that I can put some pictures up.

I am busy organising a firework party for our HE group, which we've done every year since we started home educating. It looks like we'll have a good turnout too.

That's it. That's the most interesting stuff!

Birds, Stings, and other things

Wednesday morning Roarke had another audition. He won't hear back till the end of August when all the rest of casting finishes. At least its good experience for him.

In the afternoon we went over for Toni's birthday barbeque. The weather held - drying up shortly before it started - and the kids all enjoyed themselves.

On Friday we had our Bromley gathering. The weather was great and poor Sheila who had come up from the Medway for the day, got sunburnt!

Today was our church picnic and, again, the weather held and we were able to enjoy ourselves. The tug of war got a bit competitive! William had a meltdown over not being allowed on the bouncy castle at the same time as Samuel (they were letting them on in age bands) and several people stopped to ask what was wrong with him (head stuff in his chair screaming for all he was worth for over 10 minutes non stop). It led to some interesting conversations about ASD, and school...

The boys have had a good game running this week in their room, centred around megablock islands that they have each created.

As for Jonathan, he's definately gone through a new stage. He now drinks at least 12 ounces of water or squash each day, only has milk twice (mid afternoon and early evening - though still all night!), eats a more appropriate sized meal three times a day, plus two light snacks, and - the biggest deal - he is now learning to go to sleep on his own.

As none of the others were breastfed this long I had no idea how you go about getting a baby who has only ever fallen asleep on the breast, or being held/rocked off, to get used to going off in his bed. I don't believe in "controlled crying" (tried it once with Joshua and vowed never to do it again), and I firmly believe that they will learn when they are ready - I just didn't know how to start!

Anyway, the first time I tried (4 days ago) I laid him down immediately he finished feeding, before he snuggled into me. To my amazement, he wriggled around for 20 minutes then went to sleep! And this was for his afternoon nap!

We then repeated it that night (30 minutes) and every daytime nap and night since. It takes him between 20 minutes and 40 minutes. I stay in the room next to him, sitting on the floor out of sight but where he knows I am. If he sits up and tries to climb out (he's in a toddler bed rather than a cot) I stand up and lay him back down again. Some times he whinges, other times he giggles (!) but he has still gone off ok.

Interestingly, whether its down to falling asleep on his own, or the increased drink (which I think must play a large part in his improved digestion/reduced colic) he is not stirring half hour or one hour after going up, and the gaps between him stirring in the night are a minimum of 2 hours now, and up to 4 hours.

PROGRESS!

During the week we had two "nature" related incidents. Mum heard scrabbling from her chimney (capped at the top - or at least it WAS) and when Roarke took the back board away a JAY flew out into the room! That was a shock (especially to someone who is freaked out by birds, having been scared by watching "The Birds" as a very young child!). Roarke managed to get the patio doors open quickly and it flew out, seemingly ok after its 24 hr ordeal.

The other incident related to my getting stung by a wasp DOWN MY TROUSERS! All we can think is that when the loft hatch was open one flew down (we know we have some up there) into the toilet (the door was open). When I went into the toilet it must have flown into my trousers! Talk about caught with your trousers down! Honestly, it REALLY hurt as it was at the top of my thigh (could have been worse I guess...).

Roarke is away tonight for a full day of EO meetings/business tomorrow, so I'm indulging in a gluten free beer (courtesy of a friend of Roarke's who came to dinner this week, and showed his appreciation in a very kind way), having just played around on Facebook for a while.

Just got to get the OTHER kids to bed now...

I'm soooo tired!

This morning Jonathan woke us about 7.30am. As soon as Roarke got out of bed he said that his foot was hurting. By the time he'd made it down the stairs it was REALLY hurting. I knew this, because he went and got some painkillers without my suggesting it - not normal behaviour!

With his history of gout etc, although the pain didn't seem usual for gout, he phoned the GP. By that time his foot was going red, and starting to swell so she said to go to A&E.

That meant getting the boys their breakfast quick, then popping Jonathan (and Joshua to help) into the car and driving him to the hospital. I got him in, got him settled and went to the cafe to get him some coffee (as he couldn't walk unaided by this point).

Back home. Made gluten free cakes for the boys, gluten/dairy/egg etc free biscuits for Jonathan and myself. Made a packed lunch. Drove the boys to a home edders house in the Medway (about a 35 minute drive) where some of the teens had got together.

We had lunch, the boys played on the Wii, the trampoline, and then some of them did some archery lessons. Jonathan explored the garden and patio. We all agreed this beat being school mums (and dads) hands down, and the kids definately didn't look like they were missing out on socialisation ;0)

Took a phone call from Roarke (finally!) to hear that the problem was that he has torn the ligaments between his metatarsals, presumably as a result of his shoes not providing sufficient supporting during his training. We later found out, during an internet search, that he was possibly prone to this due to having "mallet toes". This may mean that he can't take part in the triathlon as he may not recover in time. I hope he does recover, as he will be so terribly disappointed - even depressed - if he can't do it.

Late afternoon we left the Medway, drove home, got dinner for the boys, rushed out to the shops to get something for myself, then back to catch up on my emails, and have now just driven Roarke out to the Alpha course he is taking a guest to at a local restaurant.

Is it bedtime yet?!

What a Twitter!

Yeah, I know, something *else* I'm committing myself too!


Well, some days (most days these days it seems) I don't get the luxury of sitting down and blogging. Yet throughout the day I find myself composing my blog, writing up my day.


So I figure maybe, just maybe, if my phone is to hand, I can "twitter" it instead.


It won't stop me blogging - apart from anything else the word limit is too small ;0)


If you want to follow my Twitterings then, use the thingy on the right hand side of the page.


If *you* twitter, then let me know too! Please tell me I'm not alone!



The past few days I've been very unwell. On Thursday, when we had a day of sunshine and thundery showers, I got an awful headache. I'm known in the family as getting "thunder" headaches as I'm sensitive to the change in pressure, so we all thought it was just that. But it got worse and I felt so bad on Friday that Roarke had to take a day off work. I can't remember the last time I couldn't cope to the extent that he had to do that. As a mum you tend to keep going, don't you?


He took Joshua sailing, and very kindly took the other two as well (they played in the park) so that I just had Jonathan around.


Anyway, it eased slightly Friday and I got a reasonable night's sleep that night.


Saturday I still felt groggy but had too much to do. Roarke was working away (Leatherhead) but we'd taken ownership - courtsey of Freecycle - a set of bunk beds. As we had been planning to buy some for William and Samuel, but not knowing if they would find they like sleeping in bunks, it is a real blessing to get some for nothing.


Saturday morning therefore, I made some gf bread, put the washing on, then dismantled William's wooden mid-sleeper. Washing out on the line, next lot on, stop to make lunches, then assembled the new metal bunk beds.


Needless to say I got dinner for the boys, but Roarke brought us in a take away - I'd used all my energy up by then!

Slow Start to the Week

I was meant to go on a catering course today but after another rough night, got up with a pounding headache, sore throat and cough. The idea of sitting in a classroom all day didn't appeal..

However, home proved not to be a quiet option!

Roarke took the boys out in the morning to the library and Jonathan cooperated by sleeping for an hour and a half out with them. Meanwhile I caught up on emails, phone calls and posting stuff out with my local contact hat on.

William worked alone on one of his sticker alphabet books. I printed off the worksheets to go with the Ladybird books he's doing with mum, just in case he wants to do them with her.

Samuel finally got around to listening to the French CD he got out of the library. I need to let him look up the internet links tomorrow.

Jonathan seemed to react badly to last night's slow cooker meal of beef and lentils. Don't think its intolerance, just the natural properties of lentils ;O)

He's taking ages to settle of a night. Not because he won't go to sleep but as he lays down the tummy bubbles start and, unsurprisingly, he'd rather be held and snuggled than left on his own. So up and down the stairs I go, soothing and cuddling! I used to keep him in my arms downstairs, but the noise and lights are starting to get through to him so he doesn't sleep properly till he is in his cot. Mind you, he's only in it till around 2 at the latest, then I give up and have him in with me! Easier to soothe him, and we both get back to sleep quicker!

Good job we have a king size...

Even More Tired!

Monday's post sparked off some comments; thank you!

I think this week has continued to make my point. Samuel is, for some reason, really struggling at the moment and William is also at that really tough point of behaviour/growth that is leading to some clashes. But this is down to their SEN, and nothing to do with HE. In fact, it would have been so much worse if they had been in school.

My stress also comes from having so little sleep at the moment.. And, on cue, Jonathan has just started to yell!

argh, and now the chair broke (don't laugh!)

Back in a moment....

Back! And yes it did break. Ok, not in a way to get me any money from You've Been Framed, but the joints just came apart as I stood up!

Anyway, where was I?

This week has been quite wearing. Business meetings. New orders for websites. William is progressing well on his reading, going into his Nan's room at least once a day for up to an hour at a time. Brilliant! So glad that I left him till *he* was ready.

Samuel has started work designing his "company" website! He's been watching me working this week and I've been giving a running commentary on the html, so now he's having a go.

Joshua had more sailing, and has been writing more blog entries for the book blog.

I've just been out to see of some teens smashing up our fence... I felt sorry for them actually, as I don't think they were ready for me to go out there like that! I drew on all my stress/tension from the week ;O) I went out with the phone in my hand, and stood in front of them, on the phone, giving their description to the police! I don't think it occured to them until too late to run...

The police won't come, I know, but hopefully the experience might make them think twice next time. They didn't look bad lads; just mucking around but without any thought. They weren't consciously trying to break our fence, just running up and jumping on it. I realise it just doesn't occur to most of these schooled kids what they are doing. No thought of consequences.

Hopefully, they might be thinking of them now!

Well, I did have in mind to write some long post, catching up, lots of deep thought and stuff, but now I realise I'm just not up to it. Last night Jonathan woke every hour, exactly, and screamed with colic, so it's fair to say I'm ready for bed!

Quiet but Busy

Friday, Roarke had some minor surgery, so someone else from the HE group gave Josh a lift to his sailing lesson.

There was a lot of driving around, but as the hospital is next to the supermarket, I managed to "enjoy" a quiet shop at 7.30 in the morning!

I also had a chance to catch up with a friend from church, whose baby is 6 weeks younger than mine, which was nice.

Once Roarke was home, it made things more hectic than usual as I was trying to do everything.

Today was a bit easier. We recieved the free stuff from the Potato for Caterers site. The booklet full of recipes will be ideal for our church catering team, and the other stuff is going to be used by us. As I'm planning on doing jacket potatoes for our HE fireworks on Monday, I will be able to use it then perhaps!

I used one of the recipes for dinner tonight, together with some rainbow trout which was half price at the supermarket this morning. I'm really fortunate that the boys are used to a wide range of foods and are generally pretty good at trying new things. Even Samuel and William, as aspies, are reasonable though we do of course have a few meltdowns... Tonight though Samuel said that, even though he doesn't like fish very much, it was "ok" to eat it!

I'm feeling slightly happier now I've found some gf, cf, soya free, egg free crisps (Kettle lightly salted!), and also found that the boys' haribo sweets were vegan as well as gluten free!

This, together with the rest of the wine that I used to poach the fish in, has helped calm me down this evening, whilst "trashing out" in front of the X Factor!

"Relieved" to Have a New Washing Machine ;O)

Well, our appliances are all now refitted and working!

Yesterday our new toilet was put in. It has a water saving flush feature, which pleases Joshua, and a button flush to operate - which pleases us all as William couldn't reach the high flush handle and we all used to have to flush the toilet for him!

When they delivered the new washing machine today, I said to the men that I thought it was very sad just how excited I was, to which they replied that it was no surprise to them as most of the people they delivered to, got excited over it!

A week without a machine has been looooong!

In the afternoon/early evening yesterday the boys went to a youth party at the church, which apparently went really well. During the day they pottered around, playing several games, working on the pc, etc.

Today Roarke and I had a long business meeting (at home) with a potential new business partner, and the boys were brilliant by playing out of the way quietly.

In the afternoon, there was more blogging and other online work.

And lots of washing!

I took several calls as an Local Contact for EO, as well as spending 52 minutes on the phone to Richard Whitehead, who is a practioner of the Davis Method for helping dyslexics. He was explaining how they view dyslexia as a gift, rather than a disability, as it enables the dyslexic to do things, see things, and make connections that others can't.

Its an attitude I've found a lot amongst the asperger community, where older teens/adults have come to reveal and celebrate their unique take on life. It also brings to mind a very dear friend of mine who is a dyslexic. He says that he is sure it is at the root of his tremendous sense of humour; making connections "erroneously" between words - due to his dyslexia - makes him the master of the pun and a tremendous wordsmith. It's always hard keeping up with him in a battle of wits, or wordplay!

I certainly know that dh, as an aspie, has founds many of the traits and characteristics that he (now) knows to be linked to it, invaluable in business. They are the elements that make him who he is, and so good at what he does.

Jonathan has been *really* unsettled today but I think that is down to teething as he has had red cheeks all day, poor thing.

Me, Im finding myself day dreaming of all the foods I can't eat....

Not that I'm desperate, but I'm sitting here with a pot of humous and a carrot...

What Next?!

Ok, so now it looks like I'm going soya free too! Jonathan didn't react well to the soy-braised chicken, nor the dairy free, soya based ice cream Thursday night :O( I had the ice cream on Friday and Saturday too, and it definately seemed to be related to the past few disturbed nights.

Saturday was a quiet day, which was just as well as I'd been up most of the night with him.

However, just to liven things up, Mum's washing machine broke! We had another one, our old one, in the garage, but that one didn't work either.

Not good in a household with three adults, four boys, one of whom is a baby!

The boys managed to play well today, in a construction game that inlcuded all of them. They've also revived their interest in Sim City, and are taking it in turns to play it. They have also got the coke cups out again.

Sunday morning was church, and in the afternoon we went to visit my brother's new house.

Got home, to realise that the TOILET had broken too! The pedestal has cracked (its a very old, porcelain one) and the water is dripping through the floorboards onto the cooker below in the kitchen. So we can't use the cooker top either. Everything needs to be cooked in the oven, slow cooker, or microwave.

Oh, and on top of that, I got into the car this morning to find the two sun roofs on the car we got given are both leaking.

ARGGHHH!!

Bought a new washing machine today, but the toilet won't get fixed till at least Thursday.

Anyone got a chemical toilet to lend out?!...

I keep suggesting to Joshua, as our resident eco warrier, that we ought to take the opportunity to create an outdoor, compost toilet, but he doesn't seem to find that funny...

It was interesting to see autism mentioned on BBC Breakfast today, with their interview of Emma Noble, as well as the feature on the HE kid who now has his own chocolate company. Thanks to those of you who helped out with Cat's request for your ASD stories. The response has been great and could lead to bigger things. Watch this space.

Sunday Blogging

Today was a quiet Sunday. Church in the morning, a friend over for lunch, working on some EO stuff in the afternoon, some tidying up and stuff. As for the boys, more of their online learning, emails, no blogs today, and playing with the Hot Wires again.

Talking of blogs, today I drafted my first post for Teachers TV! I think you can view the blog even if you aren't an Associate, but I'll post it here for your opinions!

Don't forget, whilst I intend to write it just how it is for us, I am extremely conscious of the "audience" and think it would be remiss of me not to consider that, in both what I write and how I write it. So you may find it a bit "grand" but hopefully you'll see why I'm writing the way that I've decided to:

-----------------------------------
Well, this week's blog is going to prove a bit different!

I am one of the growing number of home educators who are Associates with Teachers TV. Yes, I *do* see the irony, but actually I welcome the way that we are recognised as educators and facilitators by the folks running the Associates programme.

As well as educating my own children at home (I've got four boys), I also organise a support group based in the south east of England. We currently have 105 families who enjoyed going on outings together, regular local meetings and events, friendship and community.

In addition to that, I am a local contact volunteer for Education Otherwise, the home education support charity and the largest such organisation representing home educating families in the UK.

On top of *that* I sit on their Government Policy Group, and am their National Media Coordinator.

It keeps me busy!

I find it fascinating, actually, as in these roles I come across such a wide range of parents and children that I have come more and more to believe in the absolute essential of personalising a child's education to (as the law puts it) "their age, ability and aptitude". No two children are alike; no two children are raised identically (even my 4, due to their different personalities, receive/interpret my parenting differently); no two set of families' circumstances identical. These lead to unique outcomes for every family.

In that vein, did you see the recent Teachers TV programme on home education (http://www.teachers.tv/video/22401)? I didn't see this the first time it came out in 2002. At that time, I didn't know anybody who home educated their kids (my two eldest boys were in school). I'm not sure how I would have reacted if I had seen it, to be honest, other than perhaps to feel that it reinforced my view at the time that only certain types of people could, and did, home educate. I wasn't even sure at that time that it was legal.

Three years later, in 2005, I was forced to find out more for myself when a variety of situations led us to realise that school was not the best place for our two lads. Having then discovered the legal validity - and the potential benefits - of home education, we removed the boys from school, and haven't looked back since!

I hope this week will give you just a flavour of the way that *one* family has chosen to achieve that education suitable to age, ability, and aptitude, for the children. I also hope that it may dispel some of the many myths and mysteries surrounding home ed, and give you an insight into the way in which our community operates.
-----------------------------

Hmm. So what do you think?!

Nominations Needed

Posting this for a family in our home ed group. Nominations close this Sunday so please, if you can, send an email for them:

---------------

Hi everyone,

Please can you help my Grand daughter to get sponsorship. She is 10 years old and she is already a British Champion in Acrobatic Gymnastics. She trains every day and tries so hard.

Her Mum is a single parent and the cost of her training, travel and costumes are a great strain on her very limited finances. If she gets through the trials for the international competition she will have to travel abroad. Rebekah has learning difficulties and therefore her Gymnastics Career is so very important to her for her future. It's the one thing she can do really well.

If you can do this I know her Mum would be so grateful. So would I be.

All you have to do is send an email.

Please can you send the following message:

I would like to nominate Rebekah Cook to this email address: star@arriva. co.uk

Rebekah went to another competition this weekend. She was going, the coach informed my daughter, for experience alone. She, at only 10 years old, would be competing against children who had several more years competition experience than her and that as this was the Clubs first entry into this particular competition they stood no chance of winning.

My daughter drove 7 and a half hours with this in mind, knowing that Bekah has just been told she must enter another trials competition on 1st December, and knowing just as well that she was having to spend the very last of a loan on getting Bekah to this competition. All the while the warning that Bekah stood no chance of being placed anywhere near the medal rankings was echoing around my daughter's head.

All this way, all this money, all that training and trying and perfecting moves for nothing more than to see her daughter hurt and dejected on the long tiring journey home?

It was a long journey too - They got home at 2.30 in the morning, having driven the round trip in 48 hours. My daughter phoned me, clearly exhausted.

She said there had been problems, the tempo had let Rebekah down.... it didn't look good.

Then she said "... but the clever so and so won Silver and was only POINT ONE of a mark away from Gold. I am still the proudest Mum in the world!"

I'm the proudest Grand mother too and would like to say WELL DONE REBEKAH, to thank those of you who have voted for her to win the Arriva Bus Search For A Sports Star Award which offers £500 to the winner (a sum which will almost cover Rebekah's gym fees for the next year and is so desperately needed), and a plea to those who have yet to do so to email Arriva at star@arriva. co.uk and register your vote for Rebekah Cook, Northern Region.

And pass it on... please!

Baking Frenzy

I've been up to my elbows in flour, it seems, for the past 24 hours! So far, I've made:

two gluten free loaves (one plain, one cheese);
a treacle teabread (meant to be a gingerbread/cake recipe but all I can taste is the treacle - more on that in a mo...);
Chocolate Cappuccino Cup Cakes (seriously scrummy. Glutafin recipe but you can use Dove's plain flour in place of their mix, for example, quite successfully);
Cereal bars (for my brother);
Chicken and summer veg pie (my own recipe, created on the spot, and very yummy if I say so myself!);
Blackberry and apple tart (large one, for pudding yesterday);
Lemon Meringue Ice Cream (Nigella Lawson's recipe from How to Eat... slobber slobber!)
Enchilada pie (using Discovery tortillas. Did you know that they've closed their corn factory, so they will no longer be producing gluten free tortillas and tacos? so stock up if you see them on the shelves!);
er, think that is it!

Apart from that, I got caught in the rain again! Half way through the making of the ginger/treacle cake, I ran out of treacle. I'd just fed Jonathan, before starting, and he was alseep, so I told Mum I'd "just pop out" to Sainsburys. Roarke had the car, but no problem - I've been walking to Orpington High Street from this house all my life! I reckoned I could get down the hill, up the high stree, in and out of the shop and back home within about 45 minutes maximum.

Half way there, we had a cloud burst! It was the pedestrian version of my escapade in Leek! Water pouring down the hill I was on, an inch deep. Anyone who knows Orpington knows that the high street floods pretty instantly in those conditions - even since they finally "fixed" the drains - and the bow wave from the cars was reaching across the pavement, and half way up the shop windows! You had to time it to run past and out of reach!

By the time I got into the shop, I was soaked on my trousers all the way up to my thighs. I don't own a waterproof coat, so my woolen-type coat (yes, I know!) was soaked through and VERY heavy, and my hat had NOT kept the rain off!

Getting home I spent a ridiculous £2 on the bus fare just to get up the hill as my clothes were SO heavy I didn't think I'd be able to run up the hill in time!

What is it with me and rain? I got caught today too, when a sudden heavy downpour came on when my washing was out!

Still, watching the news, again I can only be thankful at these minor inconveniences, compared to what people have lost, and even the loss of our car is nothing compared to losing so many of your possessions, when your house floods.

I hope you all out there, in blog reader land, are safe and dry.