Just Jo!

An update…..
I have taken the supremely intelligent and highly recommended (ahem) medical route of ignoring it, hoping it will go away. Mainly because I don’t like going to the doctor, I literally have to be at death’s door to go. But surprisingly, some might say miraculously, it has indeed got better. Not completely better admittedly, but definitely a vast improvement. ‘Course, this means that my entire arm will drop off next week….in which case I might even consider going to the doctor….

Another headline on Yahoo last night:
“Jo: ‘Celebrity Big Brother Has Ruined My Life’”….Funny….I don’t remember being interviewed for that, but I still find myself nodding my head, “Yes indeed it has!”

I couldn’t get to sleep again last night, so I was pottering about with Flickr. I made the disconcerting discovery that as I’ve only got a free account, I’ll only be able to view my last 200 photos….what??!! Not fair!! I had another look at upgrading and made the pleasing discovery that it actually only costs about £13 something. In other words, a little over a £1 a month. I upgraded. Now I can see *all* my photos to infinity and beyond, ’til the apocalypse in fact….but I doubt we’ll still have electricity then, so that might be a problem. But then if it’s truly an apocalypse, I can’t see myself being desperate to look at pics of chocolate mousse and a Bangladesh flag.
So I uploaded a few photos. (Because I have no limits now….The power! The power!)
From Australia Day….

And the making of an Elizabethan Theatre, with an audience of one….

I downloaded some zoo worksheets for tomorrow, Olivia wants to concentrate on endangered animals, but I did a few others as well, won’t that be a jolly treat for her?! While I was doing that, she got on with some more workbooks, she’s finished the science one, is cracking on with the new english one and struggled (again!) with the fractions one.
We also got a ‘gift’ from Ebay, a very nice surprise because I only ordered it on Monday….some Bangladeshi coins for Olivia’s ongoing project. She didn’t know anything about it so was pretty much speechless, something I always like to promote in my beloved daughter!! And, shh! don’t tell her, I’ve also ordered a sari (Only £7.99! And free postage! Bargain!). But that’s coming direct from India, so I’ve no idea when that’ll get here.
After a very hasty lunch, we rode (Yes! Again!) into town for the storytelling. We had a bit of time so went to Poundland. Mainly so Olivia could replace a certain frame….
We also picked up some crafty things that look like fun, might have to insist that they’re ‘too advanced’ for Olivia so I’ll just *have* to do them myself!
Storytelling was good, if a tad gruesome. Apart from one mum with a young boy, it was all home-edders that we know well. And Lisa and her girls! Shouldn’t be rude because she let us tag along with her to Hawkins Bazaar where she had a 30% discount voucher. I seem to remember having one myself, but have no idea where it is now. We got a mini Zen garden, a window bird feeder and a magic garden. The magic garden is for Saturday when we’re going to be doing Japanese things, don’t mock, the mountain will be Mount Fuji! The bird feeder is for Olivia’s window, because we have to cut all the ivy down and where will the birds feed then?! The Zen garden is because I just want one, OK?! Oh, and it sort of fits in with the Japanese thing I suppose….

We meandered up to the Phoenix via Smiths, I had to get the next issue of The Art of Knitting and The Throw. Olivia really wanted to go to the museum for an hour before drama, I really wanted to go straight to the Phoenix to sit quietly and meditate. Guess who won? Clue….I am so much bigger than her! Yep, ’twas me!!! We got there and bumped into Sarah (another home-edder) and her two. So we chatted, and Olivia showed her kids the Hawkins Bazaar catalogue. I have to say that O made a ‘tremendous’ (Olivia’s words!) bash at totally demolishing a chocolate flapjack!
Olivia did her thing, I read some of my new library book, then had a lovely long chat with Lin.
Lin had brought a Vie shot that she and M really didn’t like. They (L and M!) are so weird!!! Me and Olivia (I know! Olivia and I!)tried it and both loved it. I loved the tiny sip I had so much that I wanted more, but Olivia wasn’t inclined to share very much of it.

Now I’m very tired, we have to be at the train station for 9:44, which I’m not looking forward to.
I think I may be extremely extravagant and have another Lush bath tonight. I was trying to work out how long it’s been since my last lot of Lush, Lin said it had only been about two weeks, I said no, it was much longer than that, much longer than a month….we worked it out….it’s been about three weeks….it just seems so much longer!!!!
Oh, and here’s a link I’d told Lin about at the Phoenix. It didn’t begin with ‘p’ at all!

Sunnyside Bubble Bar Slice (half of one)….check!

Book to read….check!

Glass of wine (large ‘cos bottle slips out of hand in bubble bath when trying to refill!)….check!

Olivia traumatised into staying in her room for the foreseeable future….check!

I am now unbelievably wrinkly….

I am a very happy mummy!!

An hour after Adam got home from work, he came halfway down the stairs,

"Are you still in the bath?!"

"Goway!"

"You’ve been in there ages!"

"Goway!"

"I need a wee!"

"It’s Lush!"

"Gnnhh!!!"

He stomped back upstairs….

The front room is a tip….Do I look bovvered?"

Which reminds me….some chav jokes from a friend of Adam’s….

Why is a Chav like a slinky?

They have no real use, but it’s fun to watch them fall down the stairs.

 

What’s the first question at a Chav’s quiz night?

What you looking at?

 

Two Chavs in a car with no music. Who’s driving?

The police.

 

What do you say to a Chav with a job?

Can I have a Big Mac please?

 

What do you say to a Chav in a suit?

Will the defendant please stand?

 

Why is three Chavs going over a cliff in a Nova a shame?

‘Cos a Nova seats five.

 

What do you call a 30 year old Chavette?

Granny.

 

What do you call a hundred Chavs at the bottom of a river?

A start.

 

Why did the Chav take a shower?

He didn’t mean to, he just forgot to close the Nova’s window in the car wash.

 

What do you call a Chav at college?

The cleaner.

 

Well, they made me laugh anyway!

 

As much as I think the red ones are really pretty, they do tend to suggest that BT is getting a little stern with me. So I did the honourable thing and paid it this afternoon.

And I paid my TV license….OKaay….it’s 5 weeks late, but hey, they haven’t got round to sending a pretty red letter yet!!!

This morning, Olivia spent ages doing a few pages of english, really dragging it out, mainly because I was busy sorting out my in-box and she thought she could get away with it. The jokes on her though because she doesn’t get to watch any DVDs now for a few days. Last night’s second half of Henry V will be it for a while.

And I think that I should be allowed to slip in a few Oliviaisms as well. So I will share with you her comment after the Battle of Agincourt…. She appeared from under the duvet (she’s squeamish about any kind of battle scene), I gleefully pointed out to her the huge bloody puddles, "Oh that’s alright!" she said, "They only use food colouring anyway!" From the size of the puddles, it must have been a shed load of Supercook bottles….

She also has a bit of a crush on Kenneth Branagh now as well. But only when he’s laughing and happy, not when he’s furious and angry. Which is a good thing I suppose….angry = ugly….happy = really, really cute. Yes, I like that way of thinking….even though I disapprove of a 10yo having crushes!!

After lunch, we rode our bikes into town (to pay all those bills!). We parked up by the library and went in to check the time of storytelling tomorrow. I was only told yesterday, but it didn’t register at all!

I bought three old books (two on Australia and one on Japan), Olivia bought a Famous Five video. It’s Setsuban on Saturday, so we asked Claire if she had any books on Japanese festivals. There’s one in Okehampton….Where were we yesterday??

It’s on order for us, will we get it in time? Very much doubt it….

We went to Sainsbury’s via Lush, like you do. I have enough to keep me going for one or two days weeks at least.

We chatted to the man on the National Trust stand. We got a list of spring events in Devon and mentioned that Olivia is home educated so we go to lots of places. He asked if she enjoyed being home educated, she nodded (of course!), then he said that being home-educated made her very special! I like him! If you want an ego boost, go see the nice man on the National Trust stand. And he had nothing to sell! We’d already told him we were members!!

Then we went to Holland and Barrett where my friend works. Which is always a bonus when there’s free samples to be had. We get extra! Today’s freebie was ginger ale. Quite strong. Olivia doesn’t like it, but kept trying. I like pain however, so I guzzled it down!

Olivia bought herself some more Geomags with Christmas money from Nanny and Grandad. She has just over a tenner left, which she is saving for the zoo on Thursday.

What else? Can you tell I’m rushing this?? Is it obvious to anyone but me??

I HAVE LUSH IN THE HOUSE!!!!

AGAIN!!!!

AFTER A FAR TOO LONG BREAK!!!!

Sooo….I’m writing this, Olivia is doing a few more workbooks, then we’re having dinner (no idea what!) then….then….and then….I will be spending the rest of the night IN THE BATH!!!!

And on a final note, dunno about you, but this really made me snigger! As I’ve never had the slightest inclination to ever get married, it seems a little drastic to me….

After signing off last night, could I get to sleep? Could I heck as like!! So there was me at 3 in the morning knitting the fourth square of The Throw (I feel it deserves a category all of it’s own!). Only 86 more to go….

We were going to Okehampton group today. I checked the bus timetable. It said the bus left the station at 11:15. We left the house at 10. I wanted to get some lunch first, the bus came straight away so we got into town extra, extra early. We had an old lady meander to Holland and Barrett to get supplies. We still had plenty of time, so we popped into Somerfield to get some crisps. We still had plenty of time, so we popped to the newsagents to get Empire for me and Beano for Olivia. We still had plenty of time so we popped into the ticket office at the bus station and picked up the latest bus timetables for all of Devon. We sat down at the stand at 11:05. There was a bus going to Okehampton. Olivia quite loudly pointed out that fact as it pulled away. "No," says I, "we need the X9 and that leaves at quarter past."

"Are you sure?" says she.

I gave her a look which suggested something along the lines of, "How dare you doubt my far superior knowledge. A knowledge you can only dream of!" That shut her up. I thought I’d have a look at the new timetables, ‘cos you know, sometimes there is a few minutes difference….

Bugger, bugger, bugger!!

"Oh….Think perhaps we should have got that bus…."

"Muuummm!!!"

They changed the pigging timetable!! And didn’t tell me!! How dare they!! Not only changed it, but completely revised it. There are now 3 different buses going to Okehampton. But still not that frequently. We had to wait another 35 minutes. Which meant that I ate my huge bag of Kettles crisps and drank all my bottle of choccy soya shake, then felt uncomfortable when we finally did get on the bus.

Fortunately it was the fast bus, and we got there about 5 minutes after Barbara had opened up.

I like going there, it’s always relaxed, very informal and no pressure to do anything, except drink tea and chat. There’s a bike and skateboard park there, so Olivia borrowed one of Barbara’s boys’ bikes and had a whale of a time. Then Barbara took Olivia to her house to pick up her daughter’s bike, so Olivia could ride that. Lisa and the girls made it too and they all took it in turns on the bikes….hmmm, sort of…. 

Home-ed discovery of the day is that 3 bikes between the 6 children who want to ride them doesn’t go. Well, it’s alright for four of them, but not for the other two, mentioning no names (Olivia and M!), who took it turns to come into the hut, "She’s on the bike ALL the time and won’t get off".

After the hut was locked, we said our goodbyes and headed to the bus stop, fully aware of the correct timetable now.

But we have to pass Waitrose….Blooming Waitrose!!! We only needed to get Pure spread. So how did we end up spending £41????

We have had a lovely dinner tonight though! Lots of freshly made salads, a rice one, a pasta one and a bean one. With some green salad and parsley, and some still warm bread (obviously not by the time we’d got home, I had to stick it in the oven for a few minutes), a basic potato salad using up yesterday’s left overs and all washed down with a bottle of cherry beer. Olivia had water. She leads a spartan life….

Adam had gone to work by the time we’d got home, but left his college report out for me to read. The fact that he willingly allowed me to read it suggests it was a good one. And indeed it is. He’s working at merit level, making good progress, confident, enthusiastic, he has ‘all the right attributes to be an excellent instructor’, very outgoing, a bubbly (?) character, a pleasure to teach, demonstrates solid subject knowledge, ‘excellent communication skills’ and has ‘a lively personality’. Woah! The bit that made me laugh was his own comment on the area he needs to work on, "Not to lose memory stick."

He has his moments I suppose, and from being about thisclose to getting kicked out just before his birthday, I think (fingers crossed!) we have a better relationship now. Especially when he’s skint and needs to be fed!!

Olivia’s doing all the washing up and drying now because she really, really wants to watch the rest of Henry V tonight. Part of the £41 in Waitrose went on Elisabeth 1 (cheaper in Waitrose!), which she is *not* watching tonight! No matter how much sucking up she’s doing! But maybe tomorrow….

I was woken up very politely with a cup of tea this morning, so I thought I’d be one of them nice mums you hear about occasionally. I read some of Our Island Story, the demise of Charles 1 and then his son.

It reminded Olivia that we have a video of Henry V lurking in a cupboard and she was desperate to watch it. Then realising it was written by the William Man, she wanted to do all things Tudor-ish and Shakespearean. First up was grabbing every single book that was in any way, shape or form connected.

I got to spend a quiet hour making a mini Globe Theatre. Well, it would have been quiet if Olivia hadn’t kept pestering me….

"Go away! Leave me alone! Let me do it myself!"

"Mum! Can I please do it?!"

It’s a teeny tiny model that sits in the palm of my hand. She got to make the big Elizabethan Theatre that I’d bought last year, down in Totnes I think. She did it all herself and was so excited because it came with a much-shortened script of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, with full stage directions and everything. (Should have let her do the Globe….I wanted to do the biggie!) When it was finished, she really felt the lack of suitably aged siblings to enact the play. Adam had gone out by this time (couldn’t really see him participating anyway!) and it’s really hard to control a cast of 24 with only 2 hands. She gave it her best shot though, with Maisy for an audience.

There is photographic evidence, but I’ve got to wait for Flickr….

The rest of the day was spent in the highly educational pursuit of finding lots more paper models to make. She got round to making a few from a site that she’s had her eye on for a while now. A very girly one, with lots of fairies, cute animals and the odd unicorn thrown in. And she made me a frog while I was in the bath. Result!! I like frogs I do!

After dinner, we went upstairs to finally start watching Henry V. She is Shakespeare mad, so I think a trip to the real Globe is essential at some point this year. We got halfway through but then it was time for bed. Technically, I suppose she was already abed and p.j’d. But we’re out tomorrow so she needs to sleep. Please!

And I wanted to watch Dawn of the Dead anyway because I hadn’t seen the new version. ‘Twas alright…. if you don’t need any kind of intelligence for a couple of hours. I still prefer Shaun of the Dead though. Very funny and very English. Well, what other nation would immediately sit down for a cup of tea after killing two zombies (Don’t use the Z word!) in the back garden?!

Now I’ve just read through this, it sounds like I’m being very sensible and somewhat grown-up….Can’t be having that now can we?!

So to redress the balance….here’s a joke courtesy of Prydwen. This’ll be the adult humour bit….for those who actually read the categories listings!

At a Senior Citizen’s luncheon, an elderly gentleman and an elderly lady struck up a conversation and discovered that they both loved to fish.

Since both of them were widowed, they decided to go fishing together the next day. The gentleman picked the lady up, and they headed to the river to his fishing boat and started out on their adventure.

They were riding down the river when there was a fork in the river, and the gentleman asked the lady,

"Do you want to go up or down?"

All of a sudden the lady stripped off her shirt and pants and made mad passionate love to the man right there in the boat !

When they finished, the man couldn’t believe what had just happened, but he had just experienced the best sex that he’d had in years.

They fished for a while and continued on down the river, when soon they came upon another fork in the river.

He again asked the lady, "Up or down ?"

There she went again, stripped off her clothes, and made wild passionate love to him again.

This really impressed the elderly gentleman, so he asked her to go fishing again the next day.

She said yes and there they were the next day, riding in the boat when they came upon the fork in river, and the elderly gentleman asked, "Up or down?"

The woman replied, "Down."

A little puzzled and disappointed, the gentleman guided the boat down the river when he came upon another fork in the river and he asked the lady,"Up or down ?"

She replied, "Up."

This really confused the gentleman so he asked, "What’s the deal? Yesterday, every time I asked you if you wanted to go up or down you made mad passionate love to me. Now today, nothing!"

She replied, "Well, yesterday I wasn’t wearing my hearing aid and I thought the choices were "f*** or drown."

Now I’m going to bed and hoping that I get up in time to catch the bus tomorrow!

Last night I read this all about reasons to home-educate, and it struck quite a chord with me. I have asked permission to copy it from Qalballah, in an albeit clumsy way, but she still let me!! Hooray!! I like her. She’s nice. And she sells nice things too!! Please take the time to read it if you haven’t already, then maybe like me, you’ll be nodding and saying, “Yeah, ooh yeah, oh yes indeedy. How jolly spot on!!” OK, I didn’t actually say that last one, but you know what I mean.
And did you notice that I managed to use a link there in a grown-up way?!
Back to today….we didn’t do a lot on the whole Australia Day thing yesterday. So I felt somewhat slack. Belatedly, it got done today instead.
I printed a Sydney Opera House for Olivia to make. She made an Aboriginal rock painting/chalk picture thingy, did a work sheet, read some dreamtime stories on one of her favourite sites. And seemed to watch lots of videos of boxing kangaroos on youtube, looking for links to put on her blog.
I found one of a certain crocodile hunter who is still very much missed in this house. How will he ever be replaced? Don’t think he can to be honest….
I also dug out a timezone thingy (I can tell you’re impressed with all my technical jargon, try not to hide it!) from the same site as the opera house. I can’t add a link to it, because it has long gone from the site, I can’t remember when I printed it, no idea….
And I can’t add photos because I have used up all my month’s allowance on Flickr.
“Do you want to upgrade?”
HA!! How much will that cost me then?? I like free things! If it costs anything more than ‘free’, I really am not in the slightest bit interested. I can wait ’til the next month comes round. I am a patient person….sometimes.
The whole point of Olivia making the time zone contraption was to see the time difference between here and Australia. To see just how late we are in celebrating Australia Day. Oooh….that late, eh??

Oh….and Adam had a fine old time in Cardiff. They stayed in a hotel opposite the Millenium Stadium. He took photos. That I can’t put on Flickr. Because I’ve used all my allowance. Mutter mutter, grumble grumble….
He got back in time to participate in a footy match. When he got back after that, he slept. For a long time. And seeing as I’m such a slack mother, I have no idea how his team got on….I’ll ask tomorrow….

….on punctuation that made me laugh….

An English professor wrote the words
“A woman without her man is nothing”
on the chalkboard and asked his students to punctuate it correctly.

All of the males in the class wrote:
“A woman, without her man, is nothing.”

All the females in the class wrote:
“A woman: without her, man is nothing.”

I have been forced (quite harshly in my opinion!) to do less reporting of any Oliviaisms….
I have had to turn my attention elsewhere….Fortunately, Adam is more than capable of filling the breach.
Last night, while telling him of our exploits at pottery, he exclaimed, “I ‘ate that place!”
“Huh?”
“I really ‘ate it!
“Why??”
“It’s ‘orrible!”
“Huh?”
“Ottery!”
“What?”
“Ottery St. Mary. I ‘ate it!”
“Um….P..P..P..P..OTTERY!!”
Later he was on the ‘puter, doing things with music and CDs. I was having a general moan at both of them, Adam hadn’t locked the front door up when he came in, Olivia hadn’t closed the stair cupboard door, Adam pick this up, Olivia pick that up, etc, etc, etc….
Adam…. “Gnnnh!! You’re so autographic you are!”
“Huh?” (Again!)
“Autographic!”
“Um….d’you mean ‘autocratic’ by any chance?”
“Shut up! I’m trying to do this!”

We met Lin and boys at the end of the road this morning to catch a bus into town, to catch a train to Dawlish Warren. We were going to meet up with another home-ed group, but it turned out that most of them had hideous plagues of some sort and it was only Lisa and her girls who showed.

(Discovery of the day? It’s cheaper to get return train fares to the beach than it is to get return bus fares to town! )

As it was the first time that all six kids have been together since last September, we gave up on the idea of worksheets, clipboards and actually ‘educating’ them. They just had a scavenger hunt, which meant lots of running up and down the beach, finding loads of dead crabs.

Well, that’s what it seemed like! And Lisa really, really loves crabs!

We walked along the dunes to the end of the spit and back again through the nature reserve. There are lots of signs about wild ponies kept there to keep the grass down. I have never seen any, apart from the odd hoof print. Today there was also lots of pony poo. Lisa commented that she thought they must just import the manure to make it look like there’s ponies there….
Five minutes (or less!) later, lots of squealing, “There’s a pony! There’s a pony! There’s a pony!”

In fact, there were ‘hundreds’ (according to Olivia), and at one point it looked like they were going to stampede us. In which case, an awful lot of children would have been trampled as three mums rushed to get out of the way!

Olivia is still on ‘Christmas Time’ at the moment, ie still awake late at night and sleeping in late the next morning. This week, we’ve had a lot planned, so I’ve been getting her up early, regardless of what time she went to sleep. We have been cycling a lot too. She is very tired right now. Which manifests as being very tearful and over-sensitive.
Firstly she got upset when all the others were playing a game and she wasn’t. “It’s not fair! They’re all in teams! They’re ganging up on me!” I pointed out to her that at the time she was manically digging a huge great hole and having a go at anyone who came near. I probably didn’t point it out in a very Earth Mother kind of a way, but hey, get over it!
She was fine after that. Then we got the train home.
Olivia was sat opposite M. I was sat next to her. J was sat next to M. Lin was behind reading an abandoned newspaper. I don’t know what happened. Olivia didn’t know what she’d done. J said she hadn’t done anything. M started listing everything about Olivia he didn’t like….Oh deary, deary me! As I’ve already mentioned, Olivia is over-tired today. She doesn’t get cranky, she just gets extremely girly and tearful and over-sensitive….I probably don’t have a sensitive bone in my body, so admittedly I don’t have much patience with teary girlies, especially ones who don’t go to sleep when they’re told to!
Lin asked him to apologise, he did….in a way…. like a ’so-rrr-eeeee’ kind of way, then told Lin, “But you said if I don’t like someone to tell them!” Don’t think that’s quite what she had in mind!

We picked up the books on crochet from the library that she’d asked for, then got the bus home. Some weirdo bloke leaned over the seat from behind, “Wass your name?”
Oh my lord, thinks I, drunken yob! It turned out to be a friend of ours. Actually, my friend’s daughter’s partner who is lovely. It just happens he is 19, it’s Friday, he’d just fininshed work, he’d been in the pub. Like most 19 year olds do….
He just hadn’t recognised Olivia, so he made a huge fuss of her, making her blush lots. We chatted, caught up on any news and are probably going to see them all at some point over the weekend. They’ve got a lovely baby boy, well, he’s over a year old now and has a bit of a foot fetish thing going on. I love it! After spending time round their flat, I can say, in all honesty, “I have had a toyboy kissing my toes!”
After we’d got home, Olivia finished colouring in a picture of a kangaroo holding up an Australian flag. That’s the extent of our celebration of Australia National Day….
She moaned again about the team thing at the beach…. I know it’s a major thing of hers. She really does have a huge problem with anything to do with being on peoples’ ‘teams’. She sees it as being in this gang or that gang, and she justs want everyone to play together, no gangs of any kind. It’s all to do with the bullying she got at school, not excessive bullying by any means, but that’s what it was based on, “You’re in my team, you’re not.” That kind of thing. It’s a massive red flag to her. And the fact that she’s over-tired doesn’t help in the slightest….
I think the fact that at 8 o’clock, she willingly got into her pyjamas with absolutely no prompting of any kind, and was asleep by half past, speaks volumes!
Adam’s gone to Cardiff for the night with some college friends, so I’ll be having some wine later. Sincerely hope Olivia doesn’t want to wake up early tomorrow!
I’ll also be watching Ugly Betty again tonight. I had forgotten, but Adam asking me to record it for him reminded me. But I have no blank videos….oh well, that’ll be another bad mother moment then….I think I can live with it!
Oh….looks like I’ve missed Ugly Betty, but I think it may be repeated at the weekend sometime….

Titter ye not!!!
We have been cycling like mad things and are somewhat saddle-weary now!!
Olivia did a bit of english this morning….alliteration from the sound of it….perhaps I should pay a little more attention to her education….??
After lunch, we cycled along the river and canal, across a field (and through a trade estate, but that’s far too boring to talk about!), all so Olivia could do a few hours of pottery. It was actually a lovely bike ride, bright blue sky and plenty of fresh air. Here are piccies….

And once we got through the trade estate, we had time for a rest and snacks….

Olivia didn’t want to use the wheel today, she wanted to make a rooftops plaque from one of the books I’d bought a little while ago….

It is now waiting to get fired, and she also glazed some bits she made last time we went. Me, being the bad mother I am, neglected to get pics of her wielding a brush with glaze on it….
We cycled home, and Lin and boys came over not long after we’d arrived. We ended up watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Lin hadn’t seen it!!
Where has she been??
Olivia, being Olivia, managed to keep up a running commentary throughout the entire film.
And joined in with the Oompa Loompa’s dance routines. Every. Single. One.
No matter how much I threatened her.
We’re off out gallivanting again tomorrow. Down to the beach on the train. We were going to ride our bikes to the station and take them for an outing too….
But I have money now….so my bum is saying “Sod the bikes, let’s get the bus instead!”
And d’you know what? I find myself in total agreement!

Some funnies from last night.
Stupid Question Of The Day:
Olivia: “D’you think Maisy really loves me ‘cos I always let her smell my food? Not after she’s like, just licked her bum though.”
I asked her to get me paper and pen, “Oh, don’t write it down! You didn’t put anything about me saying thongs last night did you?”
“Ummm…..”
“MUM!!!”
So I’m not sure how long I’ll be allowed to write about her Oliviaism’s before she starts getting a complex!
We had tacos for dinner last night, then when Adam got home from work, we followed it up with some nachos. Nothing like a bit of spice to get rid of the chills. While I was cooking the tacos, Olivia was leaning on me, “I really love your cooking mum, even when it….”
“OK! Stop there!” I had the feeling that what was coming next would be less than complimentary. And I happen to like living in my little candy-coated, fluffy dreamworld!
A snap decision was also made to make it Family Night (we haven’t had one for weeks now).
Adam let Olivia choose which film we watched, so she chose The Lost Boys. It’s always scared her too much before and I pointed this out to her. “Yeah but….I’ve got to get used to it sometime.”…..(Why?!)
Watching it gave rise to lots of discussion about the differences between the Corey’s Haim and Feldman. Feldman being in both The Goonies and Stand By Me (favourites of all of ours), and Keifer Sutherland also being in Stand By Me.
Adam said that he (Keifer) still looks exactly the same now.
I said, “He’s in 24.”
“He’s only 24?!”
“No….he’s *in* 24.” (That’ll be Adam’s slight blonde moment for the week)
Then Adam moaned he didn’t want to watch it anyway. “Well, you did let Olivia choose which film to watch….”
“I’m going to bed.”
Olivia wailing, “But it’s family night!”
“I’m tired!”
“Adam! Mum! Tell him!”
Then it degenerated from there really, Olivia in tears, Adam stomping off upstairs….
The one good thing to come out of it was that we got to watch the film to the point of what is probably one of my mostest favouritest lines in a film, probably ever….
“You’re a Goddamn, s**t-sucking vampire…..oooh….you wait ’til Mom finds out!”
This morning we were up bright and early, I even dragged Olivia out of bed at 20 to 8. She was not best pleased….
We left the house at just gone 10, we were riding our bikes and had plenty of time to get to group. So we stopped at our friends house for a cuppa….we were late….again….
But it was nice to see Lisa and the girls, we haven’t seen them since we had a Hanukkah day back in December.
And, oh joy of joys, on the way to group, I checked my bank on the off-chance, and yippee-aie-aye(!!!), a cheque that I wasn’t expecting to clear ’til next week, cleared today!!!! So I’m not nearly as skint as I thought I was!!
Another meeting about grants at the group, I am now ‘implementing’ the one for an Outdoor Education Centre. I have already warned people that I will be strict, stern and have no faffing around. I wonder if, afterwards, I’ll be asked to do anymore ‘implementing’??!!
While at the arts centre, I got talking to someone who’s daughter has not long started the drama class. We had quite a long chat, mostly about home education. Her daughter is 6, and from the sound of it, very much like Olivia at that age. She was very interested in home-ed because she couldn’t quite see a place where her daughter would fit in at school. Yeah, nodded me sagely, that’s exactly why I took Olivia out before any problems could begin! She may very well be a convert after a few more chats.
After she’d gone, Lin came by with the boys. Bit of a palaver with being moved from one table to another due to some kind of dinner/movie deal going on, and the whole dining area being booked. So we ended up down the road at a real proper bar. Lin left her mobile number, just in case any of our kids happened to lose or break a limb in the hour we were gone. They managed to survive intact.
I’m getting lots more confident on my bike now, but still panicked when riding home and had to contend with two lots of joggers heading toward me!! Not good!
Lin and boys got the bus back, although M really wanted to walk with us. No, he would have had to trot along behind us!
We met them on the way home and they came back to ours for a bit. Olivia’s finally got her moon phase thing thanks to Lin.
Although I have bus fare now, we’re still biking tomorrow, because it’s too awkward and too many buses to get to where we’re going tomorrow. It’s a secret! Be patient!
So I’m getting in the bath and going to bed now.
Night John-Boy.
Night Jim-Bob.
Night Ma.
Night Pa.