Just Jo!

A quiet, serene start to the day before the hordes descended. We spent the morning resurrecting Olivia’s Chinese dragon that she’d made last year. We usually keep big things she’s made for a few months before taking photos and throwing them out - we just don’t have the room to keep everything. But the dragon’s been lurking on the shelf outside Olivia’s room for a year now.

It was a good day, a very good day I think. A perfect day of educational value and just fun. Lisa’s girls, Lin’s boys and Olivia made dragon puppets (and snakes and a dog!), Chinese lanterns and flags, bookmarks, fun worksheets answering a few questions and colouring in maps, working out the Chinese horoscope; who were rats, horses, tigers, pigs, rabbits and oxen (I think that’s everyone!) all while listening to our groovy Chinese CD.

The kids all settled down to watch Mulan while we cooked a huge feast of fried rice, 3 different stir-fries, noodles and pancake rolls; most of them having a go at using chopsticks as well. Lychees and ice-cream for dessert - lychees not proving popular with everyone. That’s OK because Olivia and me love them so we can finish them off tomorrow! And it was all vegan - even the ice-cream!

All the kids had helped tidy things away during the day, and with the washing and drying-up after dinner. So then the dragon was allowed out to play, charging around the living room - it’s at times like that I really wish I had a bigger house! But they all had a go at being the lead with no arguments. In fact, considering they were confined to the sitting-room for over 8 hours (apart from slaving in the kitchen and the odd toilet break!) they were all brilliant, it was a real pleasure having them all round.

And thanks to Lisa and Lin for their contributions. It’s your turn next Lisa!!

Olivia finished painting a pretend Chinese fire-cracker decoration this morning so that we can scare away all the evil spirits for New Year.We watched some school programmes this morning, before a quick tidy-up and heading into town.

The library was the first stop-off to take some books back. We also wanted to get a CD of Chinese music for tomorrow. But midway through New Year celebrations, what was I thinking? All Chinese CD’s are already out on loan. Oh well… Bumped into Lou’n’two while we were there. Olivia didn’t have her usual plaits and Lou couldn’t get over how long her hair is.

Stocked up on loads of stir-fry veg and sauces, and also ended up buying a cheap Chinese CD. I’ve found Solo is very good for world music, wonder if I’ll get a discount now, maybe if I shout louder…

I assembled the fire-cracker when we got home and Olivia made some Chinese lanterns. She also started a new English workbook and did her Spanish homework. When we later watched “Around the World in 80 Treasures”, Olivia was really pleased with herself when she translated Mesa Verde into Green Table. “I knew that, I really did.” Then it was “Tales from the Palaces” before I threw her out of my room so I could watch “University Challenge”. Well, I need to concentrate on the questions.

Then - after another bath! - it was Supernatural. Thanks Lisa! I’d have missed out on that if it wasn’t for you! And I really need to get my TV watching levels up … who else to inspire me, eh?! Sorree … you know I’m only joking. I hope!!!

How long was I in the bath last night? 9.25 till 12.05! That’s long ! That’s bliss!! Not one single, solitary interruption at all! Water got a bit cool towards the end, but the heating was whacked up full so I was absolutely fine. More than fine; absolutely, perfectly wonderful!! Oh, I did enjoy it!

Adam stayed out last night at a friends. He very kindly phoned to let me know he would be; at 1 in the morning mind, but I was still in heaven and nothing was going to bring me down. He came home in time to get changed into his kit and off out for another football match (Sunday league this time).

Olivia made a Roman laurel wreath, a lovely silver one that’s too heavy so she has to hold on to it as she walks around. I can see a toga materialising fairly soon.

As it’s the beginning of Chinese New Year, we started making decorations for it - we’re having friends over on Tuesday for a party-type, get together-type thingy. This meant lots of red and gold paper and paint, and Feng Shui-ing the front room. Luckily the fire’s in the right place, ‘cos I don’t think the council would appreciate me ripping it out because of inauspicious positioning.

Adam came home really aching but happy because his team won 4-1. Yeah! We used to go and support; but me yelling my head off, showing my disapproval if he gets fouled and telling him to watch his language is supposedly embarrassing. Can’t see it myself, but I’m banned now anyhow.

Concerns have arisen recently about Olivia’s mental faculties. Listening in on my phone call to a friend about my marathon bath, she said she didn’t like me having such long baths because then she’d be on her own.
“Um… you’re in bed, dear, asleep, you’re always on your own.”
Then 5 minutes later, getting out a metal rule to measure a ruler.
“That’ll be about 30cms, love, give or take.”
I’m left fearing that the descent into Blondesville is rapidly becoming an avalanche.

Up lateish this morning; but hey, it’s Saturday. Oops, forgot that we don’t actually do weekends as such. Nevermind, moving swiftly on …

Olivia started on the Lego city first thing until I suggested that she have breakfast first. And as there were still acrylic paints all over the floor (lids on, well done!) from yesterdays Klimt moment, “It might be a better idea to finish the masterpiece before the Lego city gets a paint job, dear.”

We went over to Lin’s in the afternoon. Olivia and the boys watched Lemony Snicket, while we consumed loads of caffeine. Incredibly low on educational value, but really could not care less!

We bumped into another friend on our way home. Olivia was being shown a few things on her guitar by a friend who has now abandoned us for pastures new up-country; so Olivia hasn’t really touched her guitar in a while. But running into this friend (this is getting confusing!) was a stroke of luck since he is more than willing to carry on where Sarah left off. Olivia had a smile bigger than her head; me too when he said he’s still got a bottle of wine that he’s been saving for nearly 2 years now. 2 years!?! It wouldn’t have lasted 2 days in my house!

Olivia finished off her painting; and after dinner carried on with some knitting that she hasn’t touched since the beginning of December. She’s knitting herself a scarf; should be ready by next Christmas hopefully. Was that sarcastic? Didn’t mean it to be …

When the painting was dry we stuck it on the wall. I found some prints of Klimt (The Kiss and La Jeune Fille) and stuck those up too. After looking intently at the print of La Jeune Fille while listening to me read the description - I have to admit to feeling smugness at my intellectually arty daughter - her only comment was, “There’s a lot of nipples in this picture”.
“It’s art”, says I, smugness totally evaporated.
“But there is, look, there’s one there, one there, another one over there, one there somewhere, look, I counted 5 at least.”
“Yeah, alright, it’s bed now, go and clean your teeth!”

Anyway, I checked, and there’sonly two, no idea where the other 3 came from.

We agreed last night that today was going to be timetabled …

It was, but then something happened, or didn’t to be precise. We got up in enough time to watching an hour and a half of school programmes. We went round to the cash-point to see if the cheque has cleared – it hasn’t, so I tragically spent my last 50p on 2 loaves of bread. We bumped into Lin (again!) and she was a bit concerned; but we have a fridge, a freezer and a cupboard full of food so we’re not going to starve between now and Monday. No matter what Olivia says as she mourns the lack of prawn cocktail crisps (Walkers are vegan!) and bourbon biscuits (they are too!). And I’ve just remembered that Adam owes me £9, which is a debt that will be called in a.s.a.p.!

When we got home, I took great satisfaction in scribbling out the timetable; then Olivia decided what she really wanted to do from it. She wrote out a list and just drew a line through each thing when she finished it. First was 6 questions from a new chapter (forces and motions) in her science workbook. She finished her current English book, and did some work on 2D shapes and area, and 3D nets for maths. Might as well have left the timetable up …

Olivia started a Klimt-inspired doodle painting just before dinner; it’s looking good so far. Dinner tonight was ‘chicken’ style soya pieces fried with mushrooms and a tin of aubergines in a tomato herby sauce added with rice. The pieces were a bit too realistic and Olivia got more and more concerned about them, until – midway through dinner – I had to fish the empty pack from the bin to show her they were OK. It tasted good apart from me being distracted by Olivia when I was adding the chilli oil. All the way through the meal she kept commenting on how spicy it was; “Nonsense, eat up, it’s lovely”. Shame it smelt like a cowshed really …

Right … where did today go?!!!

It got to about 2 and I thought about washing my hair. But what else did we do? Nothing! What happened?!

Olivia finished reading one Lemony Snicket and started another. Apparently, Count Olaf was wearing a tambourine. After a bit of digging, it turns out he was actually wearing a turban. Close enough I suppose.

She finished colouring a tessellating bird picture that she’d started on Tuesday. She also finished the medicine chapter that she’d also started on Tuesday. Apart from then building a type of city with Lego, that really was it today.

We wandered round to the shops to buy supplies for family night; it’s tonight this week.

Adam came home really tired after college. I think because he didn’t get back till late yesterday. He had a football match down in Truro. He’s doing sports science and has recently been promoted to the first team, which he’s really pleased about. But they lost 2-1, which he’s not really pleased about – obviously.

Anyway, he was really tired tonight, so we didn’t exactly have a night of sparkling wit and repartee. Do we ever? Neither of them wanted to continue our game of poker; because I’m winning – spoilsports! Adam chose to do one of Olivia’s science kits that she’d got for Christmas. The ‘Sport and the Human Body’ one. We got as far as looking through the booklet and some transparencies, and measuring each others heights. Then Adam gave up and went to bed. I looked through the rest of the kit which actually looks quite good; lots of activities to keep Olivia busy anyway.

Up and out early today for F.R.L. Lin and boys came over about 9.30. She walked with us again this morning – hurrah!

I said I’d do an activity today so I took along some string. How exciting is that?! It was to show the kids cats cradles and other string games; a few of the kids had a go and seemed to enjoy it.

Olivia still didn’t feel like yoga. On alternate weeks there’s sketching or drama. Today was drama which Olivia doesn’t do as she goes to the arts centre in the evening instead.

Spanish again after lunch. Olivia gaily handed in her homework. All memories of last weeks panic-stricken rushed job happily forgotten. It’ll be interesting to see if she’s learnt a lesson; or will I have to remind her at some point; or, even better, ‘evil mummy’ rears her head and leaves it entirely up to her!

A man called Nick came to the park this afternoon. And why shouldn’t a man called Nick come to the park?! He came to teach the kids some environmental games and concoct some ‘interesting’ smelly potions. It was absolutely freezing!! I lasted about 5 seconds; long enough to take a few photos before I retreated to the relative warmth of the hut. All the kids had fun anyway and there were plenty of rosy noses and cheeks.

We stopped off again at the library on the way to drama. Olivia had a chat with one of the librarians who’s got friends in Spain. Her friends live very near to where my mum lives so we were comparing notes.

Olivia enjoyed drama; they practised a song about black socks never getting dirty, the longer you wear them, the stronger they get… hmmm, I have a son who adheres to that principle.

Oh, stuff the … timetable!

We got up late: to be honest, I only got up because Adam knocked on my door to say goodbye and ask for money for his next driving lesson in the afternoon.

Olivia’s decided she now wants to be a writer so she spent about an hour getting stuff ready for that. She does like to be organised, but no actual writing seems to have appeared yet. I think she’s planning on some collaborative writing with Lin’s boys – should be interesting!

She wanted me to help her with a medicine chapter for her project. When she started this project, she wrote a chapter list and chooses one she feels like doing. After the food chapter trauma, she thought medicine might be equally gruesome: which is why she’s asked me to help. She really can’t face it on her own! And we have to do it quickly.

She played with the villa, reorganising the cut-out figures. “Be careful”, I said, “like Rome, it wasn’t built in a day.” I am so, so, so, sorry! I have been trying really hard to not say that, but I really couldn’t resist! Temptation? Bring it on!

We went over to Lin’s in the afternoon. Olivia got the boys writing a story, which they gave up on in the end. Lego’s much more interesting!

January 23, 2006
Monday
Filed under: Uncategorized - Administrator @ 7:01 pm

My lovely, lovely, lovely step-dad sent me the flight details and included a cheque for ‘travelling expenses’! £100! I need a new dressing gown, new shoes, new … whatever!! The money’s spent already and we haven’t even left town yet! I might just consider giving Adam and Olivia some – if they do lots of sucking up!

Olivia did some English, maths and science – she finished the section on electricity and drew some very colourful electrical circuits. We watched a programme on environmental change in Berlin. I’ve been there before, but it was before the wall came down so I told Olivia about that. After lunch more T.V. on maths; rounding, percentages and adding to large numbers.

Then into town to pay in a cheque! On the way I was stopped for directions. I really should wear a huge sign on my back, “Please, if you truly value your sanity, do not – under any circumstances – ask me for directions!” I don’t know why; I’m not stupid; I know where I am; I know where I’m going; I always know the places people are asking for; I do know how to get there; I have a very good sense of direction and I can’t remember ever getting lost. Why, for the love of … , why can I not give simple directions?! I think it must be because I don’t drive and our town is full of one-way systems. We usually either walk or get the bus, and cars can’t go where we go … excuses, excuses. Anyway, the poor bloke ended up looking more and more worried. I did apologise and suggested that maybe it might be a good idea to drive on a bit, turn right and ask again. He drove off … quickly.

Ooh, the timetable thingy! The workbooks this morning was about the extent of it. Well, if people (thanks John!) insist on throwing cheques at me, chances are I’m going to be distracted.

Tomorrow is the last of the timetabled days we’ve got planned, so I think that’ll be the last one. Olivia has decided that maybe timetabling just one day a week might be a better idea. Funnily enough, I find myself agreeing with her.

January 22, 2006
Sunday
Filed under: Uncategorized - Administrator @ 7:01 pm

Timetable: 8.30am – up, dressed, breakfast and wash
9am – fill in background on mosaic and finish villa
10.30 – write list of Roman emperors
11.30 – 5 questions in science workbook
Reality: 10 am – open bleary eyes, “Timetable? What timetable?”

I’m left wondering how long this timetable thingy is going to be ‘funner’?

Anyway, Olivia did a page of her fraction workbook (comparing equivalency), did finish her mosaic, did finish the villa – well, I did, which meant there was loads more, “Are you pleased with it?”
“Stop right there, love!”

She also got through pages of maths workbook: a revision book of quick activities; proportion and ratio; multiples and square roots; factors and prime numbers; and, wonder of wonders, magic number squares. Ditto English and more of a Bible activity book that she’s been doing for … no idea how long now. It’s dot-to-dot, word search, spot the difference and tons of colouring, but it’s very basic for her so she’s really bored with it. I don’t like wasting money though, so it will be finished (there’s that evil mummy again!). All the activities are based on various stories, the current one being David and Goliath. The inevitable question being, “Can a stone on your head really kill you?”
“A boulder on your head most definitely. A stone would depend on velocity, trajectory, point of impact … no, we won’t be doing a scientific experiment … ever … absolutely not … it’s called murder and people tend to get a bit cross if you do things like that.”

Tonight was our family night. We have one every week because otherwise we’d never see Adam: him being 17 and a ‘sociable’ kind of person. He usually decides which night it’s going to be since he’s the only one with such a hectic social calendar. Me? Bitter? Nooo!

Tonight it’s tomato tart, one of his favourites. He’s not vegan, a confirmed meat-eater, so he usually refuses to eat with us (hence the insistence on family nights). Mind you, I don’t see him complaining when he has a plate piled with food in front of him.

As it’s Sunday, family night meant I missed an episode of ‘Invasion’ – the sacrifices I make! After dinner, we played poker and I am now chip-leader. Hooray! Who needs T.V.?

Fingers crossed for tomorrows timetable!