Friday 28 September 2012

A fox and a shrimp

Quick lesson : Terry Fox (mainly for Aunt Pear and for those of you that want to know but don't want to comment).

Terry Fox was born in 1958. He was a long distance runner. He developed a type of bone cancer and had to have his leg amputated in 1977. It only took him three years to get running again with an artificial limb. He started the Marathon of Hope across Canada in 1980 in order to raise money for Cancer Research. Unfortunately his cancer spread and he had to quit after 143 days. (he ran the equivalent of a marathon a day). He was considered a National Hero. His legacy lives on and every year over 60 countries take part in the Terry Fox run.

I hope I have researched this correctly.

This morning Small got up with a sore throat. I gave him some medicine and told him to drink plenty. The boys went off to school. I had a leisurely breakfast, got ready and went out to my knitting group. I did a dry run to the swimming pool so I knew where I was going later with the kids.

The knitting group today consisted of six of us. All older than me. All really nice. All very helpful. I loved it. I started my sock again from scratch and even managed to nearly finish the whole rib.

The time flew by and two hours later I reluctantly left with a new huge crochet hook. (not because I didn't like my new crochet hook but because I had to stop knitting) I popped to a few shops looking for a birthday card for Small. I wasn't asking for much, just a nice simple card that told him we loved him or a funny one that he would laugh at or just a nice one with his age. Unfortunately the cards here are awful. Too much sentiment. Too yucky. Too over the top. I tried five shops and in the end went to a supermarket. I got him one with Bugs Bunny on and when you open it it says something like 'you stinker', which is what we call him sometimes. It will have to do. I picked up a few things for dinner and headed home, starving!

I popped into the garden centre to check if I could work Wednesday instead of Tuesday (Grandma and Grandad arrive tues). I left a note and they are going to ring me back. Then I got home and had a sandwich. I can't believe how hungry I was. All that knitting! I had a tidy up, put some washing on, got the boys swimming stuff together and then sat outside on the porch with a cup of tea and my crochet. I skyped LizzieDotDot just as Mrs Royal came round for a tea. I briefly spoke to LizzieDotDot but promised to call back Monday.

Mrs Royal stayed and chatted, had a cup of tea and we watched the boys come off the bus. They were full of news of the run they did at school. Smallest did 17 laps and did more than everyone else in his class. He also ran it all. He should have been running with two Grade 8's (12 year olds) but he ran faster than them and lost them! Small walked round because of his throat. He was asked to write on a label, that was stuck to his top, who he was walking for and he wrote "my Great Uncle". That was nice. I think Uncle Dermott would have been proud of him. They both did well. They had a quick snack and then we went to swimming. We took a wrong turn (isn't that why I did a dry run this morning???), but got there just in time for Smallest's lesson. When it was Small's turn, they had put him in the wrong group, luckily they had space in the other group and it was the same time.

Smallest said he loved it but it was too easy. I told him they were just checking what he could do and it would get harder. Small said his was just right but he was tired after he finished. Silly Mummy forgot to pack any dry clothes so they had to sit on their towels on the way home. I got to chat to a Mum I already knew and Small's friends Dad there so that was nice. I also met Small's afternoon teacher there. She seems nice.

We got home, put dinner in the oven (the oven that, I told Huffle yesterday, we definitely needed to change as it burns everything) and when Huffle came home I went out for a walk with Mrs Royal. (Drew is away for the weekend). We had a lovely walk (not too long today as our dinners were in the oven) and a lovely chat. On the way back, we noticed the moon was full and the sky was gorgeous.

This photo does not do it justice - it was just lovely.

When I got home, there were three sad faces at the dinner table. The dinner had burnt (oh really Huffle, what the oven that I have tried to cook in for eleven months, and always burn things, and get really frustrated with because there is only one shelf, and all my cakes get ruined in? Oh now you understand!).

Right then! Grandma - we have oven shopping to do. Grandad, I just bought four big bags of bulbs and we are not allowed to plant them until October. When are you here? Oh yes, October, perfect timing. He he.

The boys have missed Scampi since we moved. I can't find it anywhere. So today, I found Popcorn Shrimp. I thought it looked similar, shrimp is a bit scampi like isn't it? NO, IT ISN'T LIKE IT, THEY DON'T LIKE IT - but then it was burnt!

Poor Small. I think he may be poorly for his birthday. He is losing his voice now. Still giving him medicine and making him drink and rest and keep warm.

Last night I said to Smallest "I'm not going to get you up in the night to go to the toilet, you can do it yourself now". Okay he said, no problem. At 11:30/12:00 I heard him creeping about. I got up to check he was okay and there was a big wet patch on his PJ's. I said "oh did you wet?". "oh no, oh did I, oh yes". He said "you can get me up from tomorrow!". Bless him, at least he woke up.

Another funny thing Smallest said. "I thought Terry Fox was a real fox but now I know he isn't, he's a man!"

 

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Thanks for Terry Fox info, very inspirational man, how lovely Smll thought of Uncle Dermot. fingers xd Small gets better quickly. Good luck wth getting Huffle to buy new oven, especially whilst Grandad there, peas and pods come to mind!