Just Jo!

Because I have no idea where today’s gone!
We watched all the DVDs last night. I fell asleep during Monet’s Garden, which was the first, then woke up for the other two. Gandhi raised quite a few questions, along the lines of, “Why are people so horrible to each other?”….and after India had won it’s freedom, “But why are they killing each other if they’re supposed to be religious?” Hmmmm….lost count of the number of times I’ve asked that exact same question….and I’m still no nearer the answer….
Golf today has been put off ’til tomorrow, because it looks like it’ll be better weather….well there’s the kiss of death methinks….
We started making a box of goodies to send over to my Mum and stepdad. The main thing is a mini photo album, cards, pressies and various other bits too. And that really has been it today.
No photos, because we’ve been very glued up and sticky.
Adam went out and got another tattoo….oh whoop-dee-b****y-doo!
I don’t like tattos at all. Not even a teeny tiny little bit. I put my foot down when he suggested getting either his name or his initials along with his date of birth….
“But why not?”
“Because it just makes you look stupid, like you need a reminder or something. Like you’re too drunk, too stoned or just TOO B****Y STUPID to remember your own name!!”
“Shall I get something else then?”
“Yes. Get ‘I Love Mum’.”
“That would be stupid!”
He ended up getting ‘Family, Love and Destiny’ in Islamic script, down his leg. I asked if he got it double-checked, because it could say “I’m a moron!” for all he knows….

That’s it today. See? Said it would be a quickie! I shall put dinner on (no idea what we’re having), and iron half a ton of Hama while it’s cooking….whatever it may be….

Oh! I got the second half of my Mother’s Day present from Adam, Lush goodies thrown at me when he whizzed in to wash down his gunky new tattoo. He’d forgotten the wine, but lobbed 71p(?) at me towards a bottle. That I have to go and get myself…. “Let me know how much it costs, and I’ll give you the money back. Alright Ma?!”
“Do I have a choice?”
He’s off for a poker tournament tonight….

I’m feeling absolutely shattered today, so we’ve had a very lazy day.
Olivia’s finished reading her book, How To Be The Best At Everything, so I’ve been treated to lots of ‘wonderful’ snippets. All day. Relentlessy.
After lunch, we cycled into town to the South West Food and Drink Festival. We sort of skipped quickly past all the cheeses, lamb, ostriches and other dead things. But there was plenty of other food for us to try.
We got three packs of Habas Fritas from our favourite Olives Et Al, two tubs of houmous from Mzima (couldn’t find a link), two loaves of bread from….um….can’t remember, and raspberry lemonade with vanilla from Luscombe. That’s not including all the tasting of various jams, chutneys, pickles….
Olivia was really chuffed to see Michael Caines, “We’ve seen him on the telly!”
On our ride home we bumped into Lou and two and a half. But they weren’t cycling. So we just said hello and goodbye, and continued on our weary way home.
This really is a quickie, because we are about to collect another feast and disappear upstairs with it all to watch Monet’s Garden at Giverny. I got another delivery from Lovefilm this morning, The Madness of King George and Gandhi, so we may very well watch them as well.
If, of course, I manage to stay awake that long….

Wednesday being yesterday.
We cycled to group and got there at 12….for a meeting that started at 11….oops….big time oops. But, fortunately ( ), the meeting went on for hours, so I didn’t really miss all that much. And it was glorious sunshine, so the meeting was held outdoors in the park. And, oh what joy, my hayfever decided that yesterday was also a good day to start this year.
I’ve had far worse years though, so it wasn’t too bad. Trying to think what else we did yesterday before going to drama, general loitering around town I think. We did attack Sidwell Street on our bikes (those who know Exeter will know it’s quite scary with buses and things), so we were both ridiculously pleased with ourselves. Except I got really embarrassed by the old (and I mean old) bloke who went whizzing past us.
I sat outside on the decking at the arts centre again, until it got really cold and I had to go inside for the last hour. Saw Lin and had a chat. Started walking to the bus-stop with her and the boys afterwards, then bumped into some other friends at the same bar we were at the night before. So we obviously had to stay for a drink with them. My friend had just split with her partner the night before. Very weird, everything was fine when we’d left them on Tuesday night, but then her daughter phoned later that evening to say it had all gone pear-shaped….Don’t like him anyway, and I think she’s better off without him. He’s very peculiar….but she already knows what I think….
We had a very lazy morning this morning. Olivia designed her Biblical outfit, and I made it while she got on with a couple of pages of her new maths workbook. Then we got everything ready for the feast. We also had a quick look through one of the ex-library books we got on Monday. Great Events of Bible Times, which is an excellent accompaniment to her Bible project book. She also read through lots of her new book, that we got yesterday, The Girl’s Book, How To Be The Best At Everything. Her absolute new favourite. I’d held off buying it because I thought it’d be very girly (in a pink, glittery way), but it’s not, I’m pleased to say.
Back to today’s feast. A whole lot of photo’s best explains today’s happenings….

The wine, I hasten to add, was very watered down….

To continue the Biblical mood, we started watching The Life Of Brian, which, admittedly is fairly blasphemous, but oh so b****y funny….
Now we’re going to watch the rest of it upstairs, all snuggled up. I did find some funnies and peculiar Blogthings, but I can’t be bothered to link to them. Sorry, you’ll have to fend for yourselves tonight. I have linked to the funniest ones, but I can’t remember where I found them, so until I do remember and am able to do suitable credits, you’ll have to be patient….
Off to be blasphemous now, just in time for Easter.

….oh yes I am!!

OK….I admit I was looking for someone bizarre or odd or peculiar, just to get a laugh….
But….actually….she’s pretty cool….I don’t mind being her!

But that was something I found this morning before we went out, so back to reality now.
Olivia did a few pages of her new English workbook, then we cycled to the community garden to meet Di and get started on Olivia’s bed. She’s picked which one she wants and she’s also going to have her own gardening tools that no-one else gets to use. I even got involved, but only to weed half the bed.
Nothing exciting like actual planting or anything….
Today, runner beans, peas, onions, beetroot, carrots, sweetcorn and spring onions were sown.
Lots of photos today….

I remembered to pick up forms for our passports from the post office today. Olivia needs her own one for the first time and is desperate to fill it in herself. But d’you know what? I said no, and that I’d do it. Autonomy only goes so far, and when it costs me money, that is far enough!
We bumped into some friends at the library. I tried to pretend I hadn’t seen them, but Olivia went charging up, “Hello!!!” So I thought I’d better say hello too.
I bought some more very cheap books there and got out a DVD documentary all about Giverny. Monet is one of Olivia’s favourite artists (Van Gogh is another), so she can’t wait to watch it, but not tonight!!!
Another quick visit to the museum (We should just set up camp there!) to put ourselves on the mailing list, so that we don’t miss any of the things they’ll be organising on different sites when the museum does close. And Olivia wanted to have a look at one of the activity boxes. The ones aimed at an age range of 5-7. Then wondered why she got bored very quickly with it.
We collected our bikes from outside the library, then went to the Cathedral Green for a late lunch….

We were meeting friends later, but still had a little while to go, so as we haven’t been in the Cathedral for ages, we made an impromptu visit….dodging hordes of foreign students.
I have never taken photos inside before, I’ve always thought it ‘not proper’ somehow. I have in cathedrals abroad, and paid a token fee for the privilege. But today, there was a fairly prominent sign, “Photo permits: £1″ Wahay! I thought….paid my £1, the distinguished (ie very old!) gentleman gave me a sticker, “Um….would you like to put this on you?” Very discreet he was. Not like an Italian guide I once had in Pompeii. He literally threw stickers at the men, but lingered over making sure the stickers were very firmly attached to every woman’s breast area. Hey, I wasn’t complaining. Fondled by an Italian in ancient ruins? It’s something to tell the grandchildren….
Back to the Cathedral….Wahay! I thought….again…. so I took lots of photos….

We love our Cathedral! I know some of the photos are a bit blurry, but half the time I was bent over backwards!
By the time we emerged, it was time to meet our friends. In a pub. And I had a Magners. Because I like it, OK?! We were there for longer than I was intending but had such a lovely time. So lovely in fact, that we then went on to another bar. A surfer/boarder type bar where we sat outside overlooking the Cathedral, where our bikes happened to be parked. There were a couple of skateboarders who had their boards beside them while they enjoyed a few beers. Sam asked politely if he could have a go on a board, and they let him. He gave it a good go, asking every passer-by if they’d seen Tony Hawkes before….doing trying some of those flippy things that skaters do. The rest of us were wetting ourselves. Sam had just finished work and still had his big welly workboots on. Then he realised he couldn’t skate properly in them, so took them off and skated in his socks….Then we found out that the board cost £180…. “SAM! Be careful!!”
They let Olivia have a go on the other board….that also cost £180…. “OLIVIA! Be careful!!” Olivia was very chuffed because they said she was a natural at skateboarding….so guess what she wants for her birthday now?!
We said our goodbyes to everyone (and lots of thanks to the skaters) and made arrangements to meet up on Saturday to play golf. Sam’s playing with a workmate, who has a 10/11 year old son, so that’s why Olivia got invited. The rest of us, being girlies, have said we’ll play if it’s nice sunny weather…. If not, we’ll be in the warm with a cuppa. ‘Cos we’re not stoopid….
And, according to this below, I’m not a nerd either, which is always pleasing to know.

And I’m sorry, but this just made me laugh tonight….celery? WHY??!!

….and let’s hope he’ll manage to keep it on for a bit longer this time! Slightly careless to have lost it so quickly in the first place methinks.
Olivia started a new maths workbook this morning….in addition to the two others she’s got on the go. (Algebra and fractions, decimals & percentages.)
I did something around the house, but can’t remember what now….most odd….
We went into town, extravagantly catching the bus. I knew we had a big shopping day ahead and there was no way we’d cope on the bikes.
Rymans was the first stop for more ‘puter ink. The assistant asked if Olivia had the day off school…. “No, she’s home-educated.”
“Oooh! How’s that going then?” Cue a very nice chat about it all while building up a fairly impressive queue behind us. Hurrah!
Next stop was the library. No fines this week. Hurrah!! And another, “Have the school’s broken up already?”
“No, she’s home-educated.”
“Oh wow!” Another nice chat about it all. Hurrah! Mind you, the librarian is tattooed everywhere, so I’m guessing she’s quite open-minded about things.
I’m not a big fan of tattoos, but she looks good. And she lives a few doors down from us, but not actually said “Helloooo!” to her in civvy street yet….
Then the arts centre to book Olivia in for a Saturday morning art club, based around using some of the exhibitions they’ve had as inspiration. We asked if there were any spaces left, yes, just the one! Even more hurrahs!!!
Where next? The museum! Olivia spotted Marcus/Mark as soon as we walked in, so grabbed him before he disappeared to give him some of the cards he needed. The bloke he was with (some official type person), smiled indulgently as the two of them discussed the cards. Both of them impressed with Olivia’s laminated idea, especially as it was the first time either of them had seen the full set of cards together. And Marcus/Mark only needs two to complete his set now, so he’s well chuffed. Olivia is too, because she’s got a bit of a crush on him. But I never said that.
Olivia did the Egyptian worksheet today, so I treated her to an Egyptian necklace in the gift shop. I know we’re supposed to be saving money for all our April trips, but it was only £1.50.

As we were leaving, we remembered why we’d gone to the museum today, ie to look at the portrait of Olaudah Equiano. So we headed back upstairs again. Then found out that although it was first credited as being him, it’s probably not Equiano after all, but Ignatius Sancho. So we’ll have to read all about him now as well.
Olivia wanted a postcard of the portrait, but they’ve sold out and it doesn’t look like they’ll be getting any more reprints done.
We checked out the menu for one of the new restaurants in the fancy new half built shopping centre. The tapas bar. We like tapas. A lot. But I resisted all temptation and paid the phone bill instead.
Food shopping was next, and Olivia now has everything (except pitta bread and cinnamon) for her Biblical feast, which looks like it’ll be on Thursday. Which gives her time to get some kind of a costume ready. She likes loves with a passion getting dressed up for things. I consider myself fortunate that I haven’t been begged to make a costume for over a year now.
While we were in town, we picked up a Hunt the Easter Egg Game from The Works. It’s a really simple idea and I could have very easily made one myself, but for £1.99….what would be the point??! She also got National Geographic Kids, issue 6. Issue 6?? How have we missed this?? How have I missed anything that has Olivia rapt and quiet and speechless and quiet and sitting quietly on the sofa and quiet???!! I think it may be worth investing in a subscription….
Yes, it’s been one of those scrummy kind of days, where things have been nice’n'easy. Maisy got a new flea collar, a glittery gold one, Olivia got a new bell for her bike. Me? I’ve got to wait ’til Friday when Adam gets paid. ‘Cos then he’s getting me the rest of my Mother’s Day pressie, Lush and wine. Notice the priority I place on things? Oh yes….Lush comes first!!!
Dinner now….we’re having Balmoral Pie, from Lucy’s, we’ve got garlic and herb cream cheese to mash into the potatoes….not to ice a parsnip cake with….

(Gnnnhhh! Completely forgot it was Bangladeshi National Day today….I’ve remembered now….at 10:37….too late to get Olivia up to ‘do something’…. )

I woke with a mission in mind this morning.
After a brief interlude of the washing machine playing nice, it was back to it’s old tricks during the week, ie not draining, with the resultant dripping washing everywhere.
Before I’d even had a cup of tea (I was that determined!), I tackled the filter. Fair to say, the filter won.
The floor was awash….quite dramatically.
I retrieved 47p in small coins, a button and a bra pad….ohhhh!!! So that’s why it wasn’t draining….
Olivia emerged from her pit, “What’s happened?!”
“I fixed the washing machine.”
Not deterred in the slightest, she immediately turned round, donned her wellies and proceeded to get her breakfast….

This is the delightful ensemble she’s wearing to bed at the moment (except the wellies!). To protest the fact I haven’t turned the heating back on. You can see why she wasn’t really up for a photo call.
After breaking her fast, she then spent hours catching up with her blog.
More poetry, started a new English workbook, more maths and science. She also read some stuff on the internet about slavery, today being the bicentennial of the abolition of the slave trade in Britain. Did a wordsearch on the same subject (she likes wordsearches), had a go at filling in an empathy sheet (Sights, sounds, smells and feelings as the traders arrive, being captured, stopping for the night, a long walk, getting to the coast, on the boat, exercising on the deck….). Hasn’t finished that yet though, she wants to read some more about it first. We also found out some stuff about Olaudah Equiano. Whose portrait just happens to be hanging in our museum. Guess where we’re going tomorrow?
We also found some extracts from his book, which I’ve got as far as printing out, but neither of us have read them yet. Because it was about ten minutes before dinner. And there’s 8 pages. And, sometimes….occasionally, food comes before education. Quite often actually….
I’ve also scoured, scrubbed and generally beaten into submission all my baking trays. So they’re as sparkly as the day they were born bought. Except for the corners, ‘cos they were tricky and my hand was aching by then.
And that’s been our day. I’ll gloss over the fact of Olivia breaking yet another plate….
I wasn’t impressed, hence the frantic scrubbing of baking trays…. “I will not shout! I will not swear!” Well….I did a bit, but it would have been a whole lot worse if the trays hadn’t taken the brunt….
And I haven’t forgotten The World’s Stupidest Husbands! Here you go….

Every Action Has A Reaction

A wife related this adventure suffered by her husband in Michigan, USA.

A high wind had blown a huge tree branch across the electricity lines behind their house, and the line was close to breaking. Her husband decided to remove the branch from the wire himself.

Enlisting the aid of a friend, he balanced the ladder against the taut wire, climbed up, started the chainsaw, and carefully began cutting. He had almost managed to free the branch, and only one more cut was needed when the whole branch fell to the ground, releasing the wire. Of course, the wire sprang back to its original position.

The force lifted the ladder several feet into the air, along with its chainsaw-wielding occupant. The ladder slipped away, and Joe fell against the wire, knocking the chainsaw into his face, and missing his carotid artery by mere inches.

He managed to throw the chainsaw away from himself, preventing further injury from that source, but then hit the ground extremely hard. Fortunately, her husband survived with only a broken leg and some stitches. She was also adamant that next time they would wait for a professional!

I tried not to laugh, mainly because I once very nearly chopped off the end of my finger with a hedge trimmer while balancing precariously on a ladder….there was enough blood to convince me not to do that anymore! So I don’t!

….early this morning. Well, fresh air at 9am is very early for us.
Don’t quite know what came over me. So Olivia has had to make me lots of cuppas today while I try and recover from the horror that is early mornings.
I got my oats….for flapjack making….what on earth were you thinking??
But we didn’t make them straight away. Olivia wanted to get going on making a circuit following on from yesterday’s science workbook. She wanted to do it then, but it was gone 6 by the time she’d decided that’s what she wanted. Me, in my wisdom, said that it was too late for faffing around with batteries and wires, so distracted her with making scones. ‘Cos that is so much less faffing….
Back to circuits, she made one. One that she has made on previous occasions too numerous to mention. One that she is still shocked by when the light lights up….
Added a switch to it today as well. She found out on a practical level that plastic coated paper clips do not make the best of switches. So she spent a very patient half hour stripping the plastic off….there is now a light dusting of white plastic shavings over the carpet….looks quite pretty, in a snowy dandruff kind of way….

She’s also very nearly finished her maths book. At one point actually needing to use her toes for additional digits….I promised her I wouldn’t take a photo, but I couldn’t resist….I also promised her I wouldn’t blog it….but if I did, I wouldn’t mention the fact she’s counting on her toes….oops….

We went into the bus timetable thingy from yesterday in much more detail. She wrote down all the trips for April, then wrote out all the bus times, including any connections….which she didn’t do yesterday. It took her about an hour, looking things up in the A-Z, working out which bus stop we’d be needing, finding out what time the bus comes home again, making sure there’s no chance of us missing the last bus home. Because I really don’t fancy spending the night in a bus shelter….

After I’d double-checked everything, I told her she’d have to keep it safe somewhere, unless she wants to spend another hour working it all out again. She doesn’t. So it’s safe. In the middle of the floor. So everyone can see it. Which is not quite what I had in mind….
Had a look at the Gaelic website that Eleanor sent us, via Lin, because I’m slack and hadn’t got round to sending my email address to Eleanor.
It seems to be a Scottish Gaelic site though, which I know is different, but I’m not sure if the pronunciation is different too. So we’ll be quizzing Nan for her expert opinion.
Olivia’s expanded on the menu for next weeks Biblical feast, and we spent a looooonnnggg time trying to find a recipe for bread. We found a recipe for leaven, but that meant leaving things to ferment for a few days….which seemed like way too much faffing around (I have a very low ‘faffing around’ tolerance), so we gave up. We’ll be using pitta bread instead.
Made the flapjacks….

Wrote a poem for English. But I’ve not read it yet, so I have no idea if she will indeed be the next Laureate….or not, as the case may be.
She has also decided that she wants to start her own club on Wednesdays. So she’s been busy in spare moments writing up application forms, membership cards, spare membership cards (because, apparently, “everyone loses membership cards”)….
I asked her what she’s planning on doing in her club…. “Have meetings.”
“For what?”
“To talk.”
“About what?”
“What we want to do.”
I obviously looked like I wasn’t taking her seriously, because she stuck her tongue out at me then.
I did point out that it wouldn’t be fair to leave anyone out, “Yes, I know! That’s why I’ve made lots of forms for everyone!” And waved half a forest at me to prove her point.
Then I muddied the waters by asking if she’s got a ‘constitution’ yet.
“A what??!!”
So, after a quick explanation, writing it kept her quiet long enough for me to make a tomato tart, with herby potatoes and onion, all on my lonesome.
I’m feeling all sensible at the moment, most unlike me, I must be ailing from something….soon remedy that….

Navy Retirement

The Navy found they had too many officers and decided to offer an early retirement bonus. They promised any officer who volunteered for early retirement a bonus of $1,000 for every inch measured in a straight line between any two points in his body. The officers got to choose what those two points would be.

The first officer who accepted, asked that he be measured from the top of his head to the tip of his toes. He was measured at six feet and walked out with a bonus of $72,000.

The second officer who accepted was a little smarter and asked to be measured from the tip of his outstretched hands to his toes. He walked out with $96,000.

The third one was a grizzly old Captain who, when asked where he would like to be measured replied, “From the tip of my penis to my testicles.” It was suggested by the pension man that he may want to reconsider, explaining about the nice checks the previous two officers had received. But the old Captain insisted and they decided to go along with him, providing the measurement was taken by a medical officer.

The medical officer arrived and instructed the Captain to “drop em”, which he did. The medical officer placed the tape measure on the tip of the Captain’s penis and began to work back. “My God!” he suddenly exclaimed, “Where are your testicles?” The Captain calmly replied…”In Vietnam.”

Hee hee!
And on that note….dinner is smelling b****y lovely, so I’m going to eat more than my fair share, then we’re off out for the evening. I’d like to say it’ll be a civilised passeggiata, but I can’t. Too cold for a start…. We’re popping round to our friend’s for a chat….there might possibly be a glass of wine involved….I could be wrong….sincerely hope not though….

….the road safety squirrel?
I saw this on Miss C this morning, and I thought “Aaaahh!” Memories came flooding back, my brother used to have his own cuddly Tufty (no sniggering please!)….then I clicked on the link….ooh my!! What a naughty little Tufty!!
Anyway….moving on….
I got a text first thing to say that our friends are going out tonight, so it’ll be tomorrow now instead. Hopefully. But, looking on the bright side, it did mean that I didn’t have to wiggle a toe outside at all!
Olivia got on with some maths, English, (Max and Lara too) and science. Science was going over circuits which she always enjoys. Maths was working out timetables, which we put into practice by working out bus times for some of the places we want to go to over Easter. Maybe it’s just me, I dunno, but bus timetables to Tiverton and Exmouth don’t seem nearly as exotic as train timetables in and around Cairo….
We, and by that I mean mainly she, (I was photographer) made Italian pea and basil soup. The ingredients were as follows, but I forgot to get the basil off the window sill….

Olivia gave up halfway through the chopping of onions, so I took over. Then when she saw that I was weeping uncontrollably, she gallantly stepped back in….

The onions, carrot, celery and garlic had to simmer in olive oil for 45 minutes, which gave us plenty of time to make some cinnamon biscuits. A practice run for the group’s cafe at Easter….

Just realised I didn’t get a photo of the finished biscuits, I think there may only be one or two left….they’re very nice!
We had the soup, suitably garnished with a flourish….

Following on with the foody theme, Olivia found some Biblical recipes for her Bible project. She started the food thing weeks ago, but has only just got around to finishing it.
But she has found some recipes that she wants to have a go at, so she’s written up a shopping list and gathered all accoutrements together to have a Biblical feast during the week….(when exactly???) So we’ll be sitting on the floor, eating with our fingers….should be a laugh….
Then she made up some heiroglyphs of her own for the same Bible project. And wanted to get one of her science kits out to make some real circuits. Because she likes circuits. A lot.
Then at half past six, we got the sudden urge to make flapjacks. But we didn’t have enough oats, so we made onion and herb scones instead. Like you do.

She was really going for the manic grins today.
And there’s some fairly unusual effects on a few of those photos. But I do think that is enough cooking pics for one post….
I have managed to restrain myself on the smilies front though!

Oh, Adam’s ‘friend’ from last night! Olivia got invited into his room to meet her, I had no such special treatment. She left while I was in the bath, she cheerily said “Bye!” To quote Olivia from last week, “Well, she seemed nice….”
The thing with Adam having ‘friends’ over (”She’s not a girlfriend, right?!”), means that he does tidy his room. Not that I make him do it, I haven’t since he was 13 or 14. But last night, before the friend who happens to be a girl arrived, he’d sorted out a load of old clothes. “Can you put clothes in the grey bin?”
“No.”
“Can you put them in the green bin?”
“No. You can put them in both bins actually, but you’re not going to.”
“Why not?”
“Because I can do something with them.”
“What?”
“Give me a chance!”
So he dumped them all over me…. “There you go!”
“Cheers!”
We sorted them out today, not Adam, ‘cos he’d toddled off to work. Olivia’s picked out which of his old T-shirts she wants as nighties. It saves a fortune on buying them. I only have to buy her one fancy pair of pyjamas for sleepovers. Unless she stays at her Nan’s, who thinks she really should have more, and buys her some ‘granny’ nighties. Sensible ones. That Olivia never, ever, ever wears. But forgets to take them with her to Nan’s again….so Nan buys her some more….
What was I talking about??
Adam’s old clothes. Yes….still don’t know what we’re going to do with them. In the past we’ve given them to charity shops, nephews, friends….fancy a change this time round. Don’t know what though. I will wait for inspiration to strike.

Left over spag bog and chips for dinner tonight, then The Last Crusade to finish the trilogy.

The cycle over the river wasn’t too bad, considering what a torment it’s been this week….
We were the first to arrive at the studio. Olivia plugged all the wheels in, but didn’t want to use one today….
There were about 6 families, and Olivia was very pleased to see J, who was there for the first time. He had a go on a wheel and did a very splendid job of it too.
Olivia made a cat, I made a plaque thingy with swirls and coils. I was very pleased with myself ’til D said it looked like a turd. Little L said it looked lovely. L is a girl. D is a boy. I don’t like boys.

And I might mention that D’s sister nicked my rolling pin….
Perhaps it’s just the family. I blame the parents.
Dare I go to group next week now??!!
I washed my hands, getting ready to leave, but I still had some clay staring at me. I couldn’t resist, and ended up making a little square pot thingy, with more swirly coils going up the side. Didn’t get a photo of that, because it really was time to clear everything away. We have the studio from 1 to 3. It was 3 then, yeah, like I said, time to clear up.
Cycled home via our friends, who weren’t in.
Gave them a ring and we’re going round tomorrow. After I’d already made plans to not step even one toe outside ’til Monday morning.
But it’s entirely dependent on Olivia’s output, workwise, tomorrow.
I cooked a wondrous feast of spag bog while Olivia got on with some English. And finished that particular workbook. We ate early, just so that Olivia could fit in a bit of maths while I do me blog. ‘Cos she loves doing maths after dinner.
No, she’s just informed me that, in fact, she’d really rather not do maths after dinner. Well, I’m shocked! Well and truly!! I’ve always been convinced that it was her favouritest thing in the whole wide world!
Tomorrow night, after dinner, I’ll see if she likes doing a science workbook instead, just for a bit of variety you understand….
I think that’s about it for the day, which happily coincides with Olivia finishing her maths. That secretly she really does love doing…. Who am I kidding?!
Tell a lie, she’s still loving algebra.
Hang on a minute, let me scroll up to see how many smilies I’ve used today….
Seems quite excessive….
Anyways, seeing as we’re both done for the night, we’re up to bed to watch the second instalment of Indiana Jones.
Which I’ll probably fall asleep to….
And Adam’s just informed me that he has a girl coming round tonight to ‘watch a film’. But not the girl from the other night. ‘Cos that was ages ago. This is another girl.
That I haven’t yet met. Must remember to introduce myself. Must remember what this one’s called….
Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! It’s a Lush night tonight!!! Oh what the heck, seeing as I’ve gone completely overboard on the smilies tonight….

….we got home, and I was far too tired to blog. So I didn’t.
I turned the ‘puter on….realised how tired I was, and turned it back off again….
We grabbed a sandwich each, went straight up to my bed and watched a DVD. Not all in one go though. Just the first one last night. Because we haven’t watched it for ages.
Why was I so tired? I got up extra early to make some of Eleanor’s cheesy bacon puffy thingy’s. But veganised them. There’s a surprise.

Also had to sew a button on my trouser’s.
Then cycled over to group. It was hardgoing cycling on Monday, battling against the elements as we were. And it was hardgoing cycling on Tuesday. So you can imagine how hardgoing it was yesterday.
Fortunately when we got to group, there was no meeting of any description (that’s next week!), no sorting out of any grant stuff….not for me anyway.
All I had to do was stick the dates up (the activity ones I’m doing) on the calendar, then sit back. It was a lovely day as well, so we were sat outside chatting for most of the time. Luvverly!!
Another singing ‘rehearsal’, but they have sorted out what song they’ll be doing. It’s called ‘Can’t Remember’.
Lisa and the girls came along in the afternoon, which meant lots of shifting around of boyfriends….
The cheesy bacon puffs worked really well. If you overcook the fake bacon, it can get quite tough, so I was half expecting that. But it was fine. So we’re having them again for lunch today!
Museum after group. Olivia had taken her little ‘book’ of cards, so we trekked round the museum seeing how many of the objects we could find. 20/52. Hmmm…. Not sure if that was a success or not. But while we were searching and seeking, we did find things that seem to have escaped our attention before. So I think that was a success.
That took us up to drama at the arts centre. As it was still luvverly and sunny, I sat out on the decking, with a glass of wine….

It was so quiet and peaceful out there. Olivia didn’t help out with the younger group today, she ‘hung out’ with S. Her new best friend apparently. She has the same birthday as Olivia, but is 2 years older, is about to be taken out of school and wants to be vegan too!
So while they were busy being girls inside, I enjoyed the peace outside. But then after an hour the sun went down….

I just like that effect of the sun’s rays….
Then, as it was cold, but mainly because Olivia had gone into her group by then, I went into the warm to carry on reading my book. Sitting on the sofa, I got into a long chat with a woman who is a volunteer at the centre, a journalist who wrote The Girls’ Guide to Losing Your L-plates, and a teacher.
The volunteer (must find out her name, because I see her every week!) is doing a lot of family history (I still haven’t heard from my mum’s cousin about our family tree), so we all talked about that. The journalist knew the author of the book I was reading, so we all talked about that. The teacher wants to home-educate her two (very young at the moment) children, so we all talked about that. Didn’t get to read much of my book. But I did feel like a real, proper grown-up!
Cycled home. Did I mention that the last few days of cycling have been very hardgoing?
And that I was really tired?
So we went straight up to bed, via a very quick visit to the kitchen?

This morning Olivia has been Max and Lara-ing, and I’ve been pottering on the ‘puter….
Ooh! Just realised what the time is!
Gotta make lunch, then cycle over to pottery. Have I mentioned how hardgoing the cycling’s been this week?
And I promised Olivia we’d pop in to see some friends we haven’t seen for a while on the way back. Then cycle home. Did I say anything about the slog that cycling is at the moment? I did? OK then. Just so long as you know!!