Schools out for Summer

Last night whilst everyone was asleep Mr Racoon tipped over the compost bin and was about climb in when Huffle and I scared him away. I couldn't bear to clear up another messy bin strewn around the garden, so we brought the bin in.

Later today when Small was wheeling all the bins out for recycling, we tied the compost bin up with bungee cords. If he gets in tonight then he is a very clever Racoon. While Small was carrying the recycling out I said to Smallest "could you please help Small put the bins out?" "I can't at the moment Mummy, I am sitting on my ball" said Smallest innocently. "I am sitting on the ball over the Chipmunk hole!" he said. Both the boys laughed and laughed. A chipmunk seems to have made a tunnel from next door to our garden and Smallest decided to put a ball over the hole and sit on it to stop it coming in and stealing the bird seed. Funny boy!

Moo, Smallest and I went to the last assembly at school this morning. It was very long. I received a single yellow rose as thanks for my volunteering. I had to walk to the front and collect it - very embarrassing but a nice thought. There were a few teachers leaving including the current head teacher and they had a funny song presentation to them to wish them well in their next jobs. There was a huge slideshow that went on and on and on and on. The seats were uncomfortable and we didn't get out of there till way past 11am.

We went to the library and Smallest coloured, I chose books and Moo read a magazine in a comfortable chair! I registered them for the Summer Reading Challenge. We were hungry, so we popped to the local town and had a cake and a drink before going off to buy the various chemicals needed to keep the pool up and running.

Smallest had a red velvet ice cream

Of course we had to buy floats, noodles (waddles in UK), rubber ring etc. The pool is just a bit too deep for smallest to stand in and he is not confident enough to swim by himself (we haven't swam properly since being here apart from him and Moo going last week), so we thought if he has lots of things to help him float, we might not have to go in with him all the time. Especially as they are in and out and in and out constantly.

It seemed to take us ages to get the various things we needed and we weren't back till gone 2pm. We decided to have grilled cheese sandwiches but on the BBQ. He he, they were lovely, not perfect but good enough. Then we got in the pool. It is still not clear sparkling blue but it is getting there. If it isn't clear by tomorrow afternoon we have to 'shock' the pool by throwing more chlorine in. It is very technical.

We got the vacuum out and attached it after watching a demonstration video on YouTube. It didn't seem to be working brilliantly.

Moo stayed out of the water today and I went in instead. It was freezing to start with and I gingerly lowered myself step by step into the pool. I was about to take one more step off the ladder and I realised I was already on the bottom. I don't know why I expected it to be deeper! Smallest is gaining in confidence but he fell off the Lilo once or twice and went under but he righted himself and it didn't put him off. We have to watch constantly though and there is no way we can let them stay in on their own.

Tomorrow we have a friend of theirs coming for a few hours as their Mum has an appointment. I told her to bring his swimming trunks so they can go in the pool together.

Small came home and joined us immediately. He was quite good with Smallest. Even helping him when he fell off the Lilo. Before we knew it, the time had gone on and it was past 5pm so we got out, showered, cleared up and had dinner outside. Huffle came home as we were playing basketball and he joined us.

Ice poles before dipping in

Go smallest

Go Moo

Apparently we were quite noisy and Mrs Royal came to see the boys playing but by the time she came, they were in bed. She went up to say goodnight. They were very silly. Smallest was dressed in skeleton hands, pirate hat and patch yielding a lightsaber. She asked him if that was how he slept!

Mrs Royal stayed and had a cup of tea with us. The house across the road has a girl who graduated from the boys school today so there is much frivolity over there tonight. I think there will be a lot of noise from there till late!!

 

Huffle was out picking litter for charity tonight. Good Lad!