Zipperdeedoodah

Smallest's alarm woke us all (except Smallest, how ironic) at 6am this morning! Huffle had put a new battery in his clock and the alarm had somehow set itself (no blame lies at Smallest's door). Small is still full of cold, Huffle's sore throat is no worse and mine is a little better.

After the boys went to school, I had a visit from Suffolk who just needed to sit and drink tea and chat. So that's just what we did, which was very nice. She stayed for lunch and then I went to the dentist to have my chipped tooth looked at. He temporarily filled it and will sort it properly next week. He talked about a crown and maybe a bridge but that's another time!

Because I was so quick at the dentist, I popped to Suffolk's house (as she only lives around the corner from there). A while ago, she got rid of a shed in her back garden and the slabs it sat on were saved for me and our garden. They are mighty heavy so I can only take a few at a time and I took two today. I stopped for a cup of tea and drove her to her youngest's school and back to save them walking and then came home via the shop where I picked up some bread to go with our soup.

The boys were already home when I got back and were emptying their bags. Smallest had been kicked by an older boy today (strangely enough, the same boy that hit him in the holidays when he was at a friends house). His teacher dealt with the matter. I'm not impressed that a boy three years older than him is giving him trouble. However Small told me that the rest of the people around at the time all helped Smallest and told the boy how horrible he was and a girl in Small's class tackled him, kicked him and made him cry. Apart from that both boys had a good day.

Piano lessons started again this evening with their teacher coming earlier than before which works out well as there is less of a rush now. Smallest is learning Zipperdedoodah I have no idea how to write that) and Small is learning Bear Necessities. Next week they have to choose a song they both Iike and will learn a duet. Could be interesting! My tyre was nearly flat on my car so Huffle and I blew it up and then we had a visit from ClownRose and MissM with their new baby MasterF. MissM played in the garden for a while telling us about school and her baby brother.

Today the weather was warm again and is supposed to be nice for the rest of the week.

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Cowboy Kev - Never forgotten

Last night while we were sitting watching TV, a mosquito whined in my ear. I whacked at it and accidentally punched myself under the eye. It really hurt (the mosquito disappeared shortly after so I'm hoping I landed that one too). I then had to sit with a bag of frozen blueberries on my eye. What a Wally!

Small woke in the night feeling sick but his sore throat had disappeared. Unfortunately he now has a fearsome cold. Huffle and I still have sore throats and as the day wore on, we felt much worse. Smallest seems fine except that he is very sensitive (which normally means he is going to be ill in some way BOOOO).

This morning, after breakfast, we took part in two 'pass the parcels' during HB's Birthday Party via the magic of Skype. We had three forfeits to do which included 1. twerking by me (not a pretty sight), 2. Smallest running to the bottom of the garden and back in the rain! 3. All of us singing Twinkle Twinkle. It is HB's birthday tomorrow HAPPY BIRTHDAY HB FROM US ALL.

Later we moved Smallest back into his bedroom (when I went in there last night the rain was coming through the open windows and a skunk had left a smell under his window. It was disgusting - luckily I had closed our bedroom windows earlier). I Fabrezed it and closed the door. Today it smelt much better. We did a few bits of tidying and washing and drying and played on our gadgets. Huffle and I made sure we had all measurements, photos, plans, details etc ready for our IKEA kitchen trip on Thursday.

For a late lunch we heated some frozen chilli (Huffle also added one of our Jalapeños to theirs) and had it with Jacket Potatoes. It was just what we needed to fire away our colds and sore throats and keep us warm. It was very rainy all day and very cool. We should have been going to the Rep Football party but rain stopped play! It should be Thursday night instead now.

The afternoon was spent playing Draughts, Chess, Chinese Checkers and watching some of the second Lord of the Rings film until Smallest got fidgety again. Then we played a game of Catan and the boys had a quick tea before bed. Both went to bed early (Huffle and I went to bed early last night too). We are blaming the germs at school.

Huffle and I watched the last Odyssey - what a fabulous series this has been.

 

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Put a pig mask on your scarecrow

We had to have a blanket on our bed last night and that's ridiculous after the 30+ temperatures we have been having recently. It rained all night and it appeared very wintery this morning. Huffle and Smallest got up very early for their football festival, slowly followed by Small and I (reluctantly). Small and I decided to stay at home and watched a film with our breakfast wrapped in a blanket (our breakfast wasn't wrapped in a blanket, just us!).

Huffle and Small arrived at the festival half an hour late (though asking the players and their families to arrive an hour before the game start in the pouring rain was a bit much really), but just in time for the rain to stop. Smallest's first game at 9am was a 3-2 defeat and his other teammates' heads hung low. Their second game however was a 3-0 victory and they went away happy with their 'caps'.

Small and I made flapjack and brownies in readiness for the football party tomorrow afternoon (if rain doesn't stop the festivities). We worked very hard and rewarded ourselves with a couple of online games of Catan.

Huffle and Smallest came home, got changed and we all went out for a fish and chip supper (well lunch really). The boys dressed in shorts and tee-shirts but it was really cool and we even moved away from the restaurant window because it was draughty there!

Smallest did not want me to take this photo of sandals, shorts and fleece!

Back home we played a proper game of Catan and tried the Chocolate Brownie (just in case) and then sat and watched the end of Lord of the Rings (that's taken us three sittings to watch that - I blame Smallest.

The boys had their tea whilst watching Top Gear in India.

Huffle, Small and I all have sore throats and we are all very tired. BOOOOO.

Huffle is unhappy that Arsenal (spit) beat Stoke. BOOOOOO. (Though I am definitely NOT a Stoke fan, I am even more NOT an Arsenal fan).

The pool is leaking and has turned green again. BOOOOOOO.

We have been picking a chilli a day. HURRAH.

 

 

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Hey Woman!

This getting up every morning at 7:30am is tiring. No wonder I was loving the Summer Holidays so much. I neglected to mention yesterday that I had trouble moving due to my exercise class on Wednesday. Oh my goodness, despite the fact that she went easy on us, I struggled A LOT! And today was no better!

It looked like it wasn't a very nice day outside but it was still warm and sunny though there were some very dark clouds looming. After the boys went to school and Huffle went in to the office, I went off to knitting. I haven't been for the whole of the Summer but today was special. When I first joined the knitting group 3.5 years ago there was a regular group of seven ladies (and shopkeeper El) who all met up week after week. They were very welcoming and lovely. One moved away up North 2 hours drive away soon after and another moved to BC about a year ago. Another one dropped out altogether soon after and the rest of us continued with new people coming and going. Today the original group (plus some additions) all got together again for a knit and then lunch. It was lovely and we had a good catch up. I ate a cup of butternut soup and a Falafel Pita with veg. Ummm ummmm it was delicious. After lots of hugs and promises to keep face booking and knitting, we all went our separate ways.

Huffle was home when I got back. He had had a hard morning at the office and was glad to be home. He disappeared upstairs and continued working and I went for a walk to the General Store for stamps and to post my letters. A UPS man was in the shop and he was surprised I needed stamps asking "do people still write letters?". Well I do. He asked where I was from and said he had been in Leicester 20 years ago and t was a dump with Dog Poo on the streets! I told him there was beautiful countryside there and he said I was probably right but the City was not nice and he preferred Canada.

At home I sat on the porch waiting for the boys and texting Yahoo (nice pins!). They had had a good first week at school. Small had got 4 interceptions (something to do with Amercian Football). He wrote in his agenda about playing Football and I said "football? Do you mean Amercian Football? " he said "I have to write that I live in Canada". I said "just tell them your Mum is English and she doesn't understand Canadianisms". He looked at me and said "Mummy, I'm English!" I know Poppet, but you can do Canadian, I can't! Three of the kids in Smallest's class were off all day today. They were in a hockey tournament. Apparantly the teacher wasn't too happy. I should think not - the first week of school?!

Here they are

Smallest and Huffle practiced Chip Kicks again this evening after dinner. Smallest has a football festival tomorrow and has to be there at 8am (at least a half hour drive away so they will need to leave around 7:30am - Small and I may not be attending this one as it is supposed to be very rainy!!).

When I went up to the loft for a cuddle with Smallest at bedtime, I was cold and he was warm, I climbed into bed and pulled the cover up over us. He threw it off and I did it again. He said "get that cover off me woman!" He giggled when I asked where he learnt that from. Was it from Top Gear? (No it wasn't he said) Had he heard Daddy saying it? (Huffle says he wouldn't dare!). Was it from TV? Did one of his friends say it. He thought it was very funny but did not know where it was from. He didn't want me to tell Huffle but I promised him he would laugh so we told him but then said he couldn't say it again! Little monkey, now where has he got it from?

 

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Bum Fruit!

Last night's sky - amazing colours!

Smallest really enjoyed sleeping in the loft last night. He woke up at, what he thought was 8am and was really just before 6am, went back upstairs and fell alseep. Small got him up at 7:30am (I must give him a better clock up there).

After the boys went to school, worrying about their new class arrangements with the new people joining, I watched a new thing on BBC Iplayer called DrFoster (very good so far) with my breakfast. MrsRoyal called and asked if I wanted to garden for her today so I started at 10am and worked through till 12 midday. Today I weeded and cut back. It was quite warm today but I mainly stayed in the shade. MrsRoyal gave me two novelty tomatoes to bring home for Smallest. One was shaped like a bottom and the other had an anomaly!!

Smallest's room was finished today and while Huffle went to the dentist, I re-arranged his room and put his curtains back up etc. It looks very grown-up now. When he came home I put the pictures up where he wanted them. He is a funny boy, everything has to be just so and he actually wanted all the pictures at his eye level. I made him stand in the middle of the room so he could see them better and we compromised. It looks lovely. Still need to paint the ceiling but that will have to be another time in the future. He will be in the loft again tonight as the smell of paint is still quite strong.

BEFORE - the squirrel hole

AFTER - the gentleman squirrel

Huffle came home - no fillings needed today which he was very happy about and he celebrated by buying himself a socket set (wahoooooo, wish I could get excited about a socket set...........). However, he did take my blender back that I shattered when I tried to grate Parmesan in it. He told the woman (who really didn't care) that I was blending a soup. She swapped it, not only for another blender, but an upgraded one with extra cups. Now that is something worth getting excited about.

After dinner, the boys all played football and I came out and played on the trampoline with them while Huffle tried to help Smallest do a chip kick.

 

 

 

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Mr Bump and Jammy Doughnuts

Once the boys were off on the bus which was early again, wearing their shorts because it is still hot and wellies because it had rained during the night and was still raining this morning, I went off to aerobics (also wearing my wellies). It was hot in the exercise loft today but we had the air con on. This is the first time I have done proper exercise since the start of Summer. It was hard work, partly because it was so hot and partly because I am out of practice. ExerciseNic went easy on us (apparently).

At home Huffle had started painting Smallest's room so I helped him in between making Ginger and Dark Chocolate Muffins and Jam Doughnut Muffins. The idea being that I can freeze them and the kids can have some for lunches (and maybe we can have one later whilst watching The Great British Bake Off).

The first coat actually got finished in Smallest's room and I put his stuff in the loft so he could sleep up there for a few days until it's all properly finished and aired. It looks amazing. Very different to the pale pale blue he had before. It reminds Huffle of MrBump and Leicester City and it reminded me of Thomas the Tank Engine and the Blue Jays. He was very happy when he saw it.

The boys classes have been changed again. Just two days into their school year and they have changed all the classrooms round. They did this last year and upset a lot of kids. Luckily ours are still in the same classes but they do have kids joining them that could be disruptive (hopefully their teachers will sort that out). The excuse this time is that there was a 'fluctuation in enrolment' so it upset the classes but I think (just my humble opinion) that some of them parents complained about the class placements and so they moved them!!!!

Smallest watched a film today in Science about Plants and Animals and while the older kids in his class did French, his Grade did Cursive Writing (but I'm hoping that he picked up some French too). Small did some more on his writing assignment which is to establish how well they can write and see how much they improve at the end of the term when he gets them to do it again. Small also played American Football and it seems he is good at doing 'hutting'!

I made dinner and Smallest and Huffle went to football practice. After Small's shower, we played Catan online together.

Smallest went to bed in the Lofty Kings Bed with Smelly and Pluto and Pooh. Lucky boy.

 

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And I said to Apple...

Eleven weeks of Summer with the kids is over. Awwwww, I had lots of fun with them this year. I will miss them. I will of course, not miss them squabbling but I'm sure they will continue that when they get home. This morning I was not awoken by Small, as he wasn't up in time. I had to wake him up. Smallest was downstairs when I came down and I asked him if would have woken me "I don't think I even thought about it Mummy" he said innocently. Oh right! They both helped me with breakfast and lunches and while Smallest was gelling his hair, Smallest put both their bags and shoes next to the front door. What a good boy he is.

I took the obligatory photo of them standing outside with their bags and had to force them not to pull a weird face (though they actually look sad rather than the normal silly look they have). Perhaps they were sad to leave me pah! The bus came five minutes early and we were lucky to be ready. I posted their photo on Facebook only to then see photos of friends kids from England. Oh boy, did they look different in their lovely smart uniforms. That shows how much more casual the school system is here.

I went off to work and spent three hours (apart from the long coffee break) in the greenhouse. With temperatures today in the region of high 20's - I was melting. I still have a sore throat and I don't know if my weariness is from the heat or my 'virus'. We spent the time taking cuttings of pelargoniums. I think I have now cut every Pelargonium ever created. Good job I like the smell. Coffee break came with Toasted Pecan Brown Sugar Chocolate Chunk Shortbread (try saying that with it in your mouth). I'm having that recipe - they were melt in the mouth scrumalicious.

The boys garden is growing so well. My feet are in the photos to show the size of the squash!

I had lunch at home with Huffle whilst FaceTiming Moo. I managed to get a dentist appointment (for my broken tooth) for Monday afternoon and changed my eye test appointment from Friday (going out for lunch with Knitting Ladies) to Tuesday afternoon.

I left Huffle waiting for the bus as the boys finished school an hour early (just today) and went off and did some food shopping (plus I had instructions to buy a lock for Small's locker - which he mentioned this morning. Honestly, all Summer and he tells me me this morning!).

When I got back Small was just leaving to walk to his friends house but I told him if he helped me with the shopping, I would drive him. I left Smallest emptying the bags. After some tablet playing, Smallest decided he was going to soak his football playing weary legs (and washed 'Smelly' too).

I told Smallest that Smelly had been zip lining down my washing line and upsetting the pegs!!

After dinner Huffle and I discussed 'the kitchen' and decided to go for an ikea trip later in the week to suss out the kitchens. I chatted to my friend here about her experiences with Ikea so we know what to expect and we spoke to MrBasement to find out when he was free.

Smallest went to bed with very achey legs and after a long talk with Huffle we worked out he had been playing a lot of football today but not drinking any water despite the fact it was a very hot day. Silly bear.

We had a big chat about school today and we learnt that Smallest is in a class of Grade 3's (including himself) and Grade 4's and there were 17 girls (yuk) and 7 boys. He is at a set of desks with one of his best friends and the rest are silly girls (except the one that is his friend and she is quiet). His teacher is nice but he thinks he doesn't like him and they spent all day decorating their classroom and doing Art.

Small had his locker stolen from him by one of his friends and he was a little upset about it but happier once I had given him a lock - he can get a new locker tomorrow. He is happy with his desk arrangement as he is sitting with his two best friends. He is in a split class with Grade 7's (including himself) and 8's (their final year there). His teacher has told him to set aside 45 minutes a day for homework (BOOOO his words). He started work today on an assignment.

This is our latest chilli which we picked off today. They are ripening very quickly now.

 

 

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