I have added a link to the NORAD site at the bottom of the blog roll on the left of the page - we love to watch this on Christmas Eve to see where Santa is delivering all those parcels; he certainly moves fast! At the moment, the site is showing a very handy countdown to Christmas, although I do believe that it is probably set to US time, rather than GMT, so it is not even as long as that to Christmas.....
Again, I have been absent and I can only apologise - I just need about 28 hours in a day at the moment. This wood burner in the lounge is fabulous, but it means hoovering in there every day instead of a couple of times a week, and then there's the heap of logs to keep replenished. I do love it, though, and the warmth which it kicks out into the room is just toasty!
Sunday afternoon was the village's Christmas bazaar event - lots of stalls, school choir, village band, Father Christmas, refreshments (where you would have found me, making tea for everyone!) and it was a great afternoon. It seemed like the whole village turned out for it, so I am sure they must have made pots of money for the cause - we took £100 on the refreshments for them, so it was good.
This Friday we have a coffee morning at church, and we are having a few stalls there too, as well as the usual raffle and cakes......and the FH is also busy helping me in the book business this week. This morning, we have had to do some chicken-work in the garden. The mud in the chicken runs is several inches deep, foul-smelling and trecherous to walk on, and the poor chooks hate having wet feet. There is no way of draining it at all, so we have had to come up with a plan B: we have used some of the pallets he fetched last week to make a shelter along one side of the run, with floors, so that there is somewhere for the chickens to be during the day - it is covered, there is a perch for them to roost, and lots of straw for them to peck around in. We both got absolutely filthy making it, but I am pleased that we have made something like a small improvement for them - let's hope the chooks like it.
The FH put the new chicken house together yesterday - it went together quite well although there were a couple of little snags with the woodwork. They were nothing that he couldn't fix, but I wouldn't have had a clue on my own. Anyway, it is smart, and we are pleased with it overall, so I think that the Partridge/Black/Gold-laced Orpington crew might find themselves rehomed into it shortly as they are getting a bit big for their current accommodation.
Now, what to have for supper tonight? I should have made a longer plan, but I didn't. Add that to the "to-do" list!
Wednesday, 2 December 2009
Friday, 27 November 2009
Happy anniversary
Today is our 13th wedding anniversary! We've come a long way in those years, been through a lot and had a lot of ups and downs with health issues and financial struggles, but we still love one another.
This morning I had to go to school to meet with the Chair of the Governors, which took most of the morning up. By the time I got home, there was just time to have a cup of tea and then I wanted to make a start on all the baking. I got 5 dozen mince pies made, although I probably still need to make another 10 dozen, but I'll do some more tomorrow. After picking the YFG up from school at 3pm, we went off to gym - we got home at 9pm to a lovely roast lamb dinner. It was gorgeous!
This morning I had to go to school to meet with the Chair of the Governors, which took most of the morning up. By the time I got home, there was just time to have a cup of tea and then I wanted to make a start on all the baking. I got 5 dozen mince pies made, although I probably still need to make another 10 dozen, but I'll do some more tomorrow. After picking the YFG up from school at 3pm, we went off to gym - we got home at 9pm to a lovely roast lamb dinner. It was gorgeous!
Wednesday, 25 November 2009
Thanks be to whoever invented online shopping!
My new chicken house - well, what it will look like when we have put it together!Lakeland, Tesco, the Cartridge People, Amazon, the Book People and something called Surfdome have all benefitted from my custom this evening, and it is such a relief to be able to say that I have done some Christmas shopping at last! I did get the EFG's CD that she had on her list in Tesco this afternoon, and picked up 200 bonus clubcard points in to the bargain, but apart from that, the cupboard was looking pretty bare. The poor postie will have a heavy bag for a couple of days, though!!
And eBay - I bought the new chicken house on Monday night whilst the FH had taken the EFG to band. I only went onto the site to see if people were still selling hatching eggs as I am hoping to get the incubators cranked up in February to get some earlier hatchings in 2010. There are a few eggs for sale now, but I was just browsing and then I saw this gorgeous range of chicken houses being auctioned and only making silly money for what they were. So I got one (that one, up there!) for just £62 plus the p&p - and it arrived this morning. Now we just have to put it together! It was necessary as the floor has all but fallen out of the oldest house we have and the FH's health has hampered him from doing the necessary repairs. That old house has been in use for over 8 years, and could do with a revamp anyway, so we'll probably put it aside for 6 months and let it dry out, then recoat it with Cuprinol, put in a new floor and then it'll be ready as a house for new chicks in the spring.
Kinder neighbours
One of our neighbours came striding towards the house this morning, definitely a woman on a mission! I was apprehensive as she came to the door, but she had a broad smile on her face, so I was able to relax and welcome her in.
She had come to offer us free firewood - we just have to fetch it from the town. Her daughter works for a company which has daily deliveries on pallets, and the pallets are stacking up in the yard so she needed to get rid of them.
The FH went over there this afternoon with the lady, met her daughter and found out how it all works with regards getting access to the pallets, and brought a trailer load home. She'd like him to fetch several loads to make a dent in the heap, and then fetch some each week! Fires will have to burn here night and day to keep up with that kind of supply, so we have a friend who also has a fire and will be speaking to him about helping us out...
Those are the kinds of friends and neighbours who really bless us.
She had come to offer us free firewood - we just have to fetch it from the town. Her daughter works for a company which has daily deliveries on pallets, and the pallets are stacking up in the yard so she needed to get rid of them.
The FH went over there this afternoon with the lady, met her daughter and found out how it all works with regards getting access to the pallets, and brought a trailer load home. She'd like him to fetch several loads to make a dent in the heap, and then fetch some each week! Fires will have to burn here night and day to keep up with that kind of supply, so we have a friend who also has a fire and will be speaking to him about helping us out...
Those are the kinds of friends and neighbours who really bless us.
November days
November is always a very full month - so much to get done in the preparations for Christmas as well as the autumn clearing up in the garden. So I am sorry that I am not here much this month. I'll get back more regularly soon!
Last Saturday we had a fantastic evening at church - we were invited to a 60th birthday "do" and it was wonderful. Instead of a party, it was a band concert - the birthday boy wanted to raise some money for the chapel so he put together his old band and had a blast! There was a chap on saxophone (he had three different sized ones), a drummer who also sang, a guitarist who sang, and the organiser who sang and played keyboard. There was also Ernie - who just sang, but boy, how he sang! They did a mixture of music - country songs like "Crystal Chandeliers", ballads like "If tomorrow never comes" and inspirational music such as "You raise me up" and then there were some fab sing-a-long medleys. They played for two hours - and we could have listened longer! There was also a raffle, and then refreshments and cake. We were delighted to hear the next morning that the evening had raised £600 for the chapel funds - an amazing blessing!
The wet weather has caused us some inconveniences here - my poor chooks are a bit muddy, and I am having to dry the washing round the fire, but it is nothing to the devastation in the Lake District which the people of Workington and Cockermouth have suffered so our thoughts are with them. I have never suffered that kind of flooding so I have no idea how they are coping with it all, but I know I never want to live in a place where that might happen. We are incredibly lucky that the Fens are so well drained! Flood management is a big thing here and there are areas like Welney Washes which do flood each year in the winter, but the water is contained within huge banks.
The woodburner is in full service now - a roofer came and put the extra section on the top of it, and braced it very firmly to the roof, so we are enjoying cosy evenings in the lounge with it on. It gives out a good heat and gets the washing dry, although I am careful to open a window a crack to let the moist air out as I don't want mouldy spots anywhere! Two neighbours on the estate have also said that they want to get one as well so we have obviously started a trend, although our immediate neighbour is in opposition to the trend and started ranting on about it to my friend D in the doctor's last week and poor D had to tell the woman to be quiet!
I missed the occasion on Sunday which was "Stir Up Sunday" when I should have made the Christmas pudding. I'll be honest - I don't usually actually make one!! My sister has been known to make some and let our uncle boil them up for the required six or so hours in the old fashioned copper which he still has, but I can't be doing with that much steam in my kitchen! I buy a small one from a supermarket for myself which will be wheat and dairy free and then I will also get a larger one for the family. I know that the YFG won't touch it and the EFG only eats it as a vehicle for the brandy butter - she isn't interested in it with custard.
We are coming up to a week of baking - it is the village Christmas Bazaar on Sunday when I am helping my friend M with the refreshments there and have been asked to make mince pies, but I will also be making things for the church's cake stall. We are also having a Coffee morning at church the following Friday and then on Saturday, another chapel are lending us their ladies' choir for a concert of Christmas music for the evening. More mince pies/cakes/biccies required for those - no wonder I am heading out to the shops this afternoon to stock up on the flour, oats, mincemeat, margerine, etc..
Last Saturday we had a fantastic evening at church - we were invited to a 60th birthday "do" and it was wonderful. Instead of a party, it was a band concert - the birthday boy wanted to raise some money for the chapel so he put together his old band and had a blast! There was a chap on saxophone (he had three different sized ones), a drummer who also sang, a guitarist who sang, and the organiser who sang and played keyboard. There was also Ernie - who just sang, but boy, how he sang! They did a mixture of music - country songs like "Crystal Chandeliers", ballads like "If tomorrow never comes" and inspirational music such as "You raise me up" and then there were some fab sing-a-long medleys. They played for two hours - and we could have listened longer! There was also a raffle, and then refreshments and cake. We were delighted to hear the next morning that the evening had raised £600 for the chapel funds - an amazing blessing!
The wet weather has caused us some inconveniences here - my poor chooks are a bit muddy, and I am having to dry the washing round the fire, but it is nothing to the devastation in the Lake District which the people of Workington and Cockermouth have suffered so our thoughts are with them. I have never suffered that kind of flooding so I have no idea how they are coping with it all, but I know I never want to live in a place where that might happen. We are incredibly lucky that the Fens are so well drained! Flood management is a big thing here and there are areas like Welney Washes which do flood each year in the winter, but the water is contained within huge banks.
The woodburner is in full service now - a roofer came and put the extra section on the top of it, and braced it very firmly to the roof, so we are enjoying cosy evenings in the lounge with it on. It gives out a good heat and gets the washing dry, although I am careful to open a window a crack to let the moist air out as I don't want mouldy spots anywhere! Two neighbours on the estate have also said that they want to get one as well so we have obviously started a trend, although our immediate neighbour is in opposition to the trend and started ranting on about it to my friend D in the doctor's last week and poor D had to tell the woman to be quiet!
I missed the occasion on Sunday which was "Stir Up Sunday" when I should have made the Christmas pudding. I'll be honest - I don't usually actually make one!! My sister has been known to make some and let our uncle boil them up for the required six or so hours in the old fashioned copper which he still has, but I can't be doing with that much steam in my kitchen! I buy a small one from a supermarket for myself which will be wheat and dairy free and then I will also get a larger one for the family. I know that the YFG won't touch it and the EFG only eats it as a vehicle for the brandy butter - she isn't interested in it with custard.
We are coming up to a week of baking - it is the village Christmas Bazaar on Sunday when I am helping my friend M with the refreshments there and have been asked to make mince pies, but I will also be making things for the church's cake stall. We are also having a Coffee morning at church the following Friday and then on Saturday, another chapel are lending us their ladies' choir for a concert of Christmas music for the evening. More mince pies/cakes/biccies required for those - no wonder I am heading out to the shops this afternoon to stock up on the flour, oats, mincemeat, margerine, etc..
Wednesday, 18 November 2009
Governor politics
I'm going to be honest and say that there is governor on our board whom I really do not like, and he has had three digs at me tonight, and I am peeved. There, I've said it, out in the open.
He's probably not chuffed that I was nominated vice chair this year and he didn't get the job, but he took it off me the year before and I didn't mind, so what's he got to worry about?! He rarely volunteers for any of the jobs, but made these cracks tonight about me volunteering for everything. What is the point of being a governor if you are just going to sit on your backside and watch everyone else do the work? I've just been co-opted back on for another four years, so he's going to have to put up with me a while longer!
Apart from all that, my dear neighbour's father is stranded in Cyprus, with possible lung cancer and needs to come back to the UK for treatment as the base there can't give it, but we are struggling to get him back here as the medivac plane can't bring him - he did serve in the RAF years ago but is now 88 and apparently not eligible for transport. We don't know right now whether a civilian flight would accept him, given his fragile state of health, and so both M and her mum are stressed and worried and her poor dad was just in floods on the phone this afternoon. It is just possible that they would allow him on the civilian flight if he had a nurse with him, and the EFG's godmother is a nurse, and is willing, but we aren't sure if her qualifications are suitable for the job, so there are things to find out. They were here for Christmas last year and went back for the summer in March, and were due to come home to M for Christmas again this year, flights are booked and all, but now his health is deteriorating badly. If you are inclined, please say a prayer for them.
He's probably not chuffed that I was nominated vice chair this year and he didn't get the job, but he took it off me the year before and I didn't mind, so what's he got to worry about?! He rarely volunteers for any of the jobs, but made these cracks tonight about me volunteering for everything. What is the point of being a governor if you are just going to sit on your backside and watch everyone else do the work? I've just been co-opted back on for another four years, so he's going to have to put up with me a while longer!
Apart from all that, my dear neighbour's father is stranded in Cyprus, with possible lung cancer and needs to come back to the UK for treatment as the base there can't give it, but we are struggling to get him back here as the medivac plane can't bring him - he did serve in the RAF years ago but is now 88 and apparently not eligible for transport. We don't know right now whether a civilian flight would accept him, given his fragile state of health, and so both M and her mum are stressed and worried and her poor dad was just in floods on the phone this afternoon. It is just possible that they would allow him on the civilian flight if he had a nurse with him, and the EFG's godmother is a nurse, and is willing, but we aren't sure if her qualifications are suitable for the job, so there are things to find out. They were here for Christmas last year and went back for the summer in March, and were due to come home to M for Christmas again this year, flights are booked and all, but now his health is deteriorating badly. If you are inclined, please say a prayer for them.
Monday, 16 November 2009
MIA - What a week!
Well, I was truly "in action" as it was a really busy week with something happening out of the ordinary every day.....where to begin?
Monday was interesting because a fellow Governor and I had to go to the school at 3.15 pm to do a Building inspection - sort of health and safety - and we had never done one before so it was steep learning curve. The Head and the Caretaker knew what they were looking for, and we spent nearly two hours poking round all the classrooms, investigating stuff. It was interesting, and we had a long list of things by the time 5pm rolled around - nothing too major and all easily actionable.
After that, I came home for a quick cuppa and then took the FH and EFG to band practice - one to participate, one to listen, and the YFG and I went to the gym to set out the apparatus with the HC for about an hour. We got that sorted out, fetched the band brigade and headed home for supper.
Tuesday morning I had an earlier-than-usual start as I was at the gym at 8.45am to help with some classes for the kids at the school as a favour to the head of PE there. The kids were having an immersion day (whatever one of those is) and a lot of them were doing various sports for the morning. They were Y8 and 9 and so were consequently quite large! It was amusing but also irritating that some of the girls weren't in the mood to even have a go at a lot of it, in case it mucked their hair up - seriously! One of the teachers confided that the age they are at is a bad one for trying new things as they are very self-conscious and don't like to be the centre of attention when they are doing PE. If that is the case, I don't understand why the teachers asked us to do gym with them all morning.......we weren't impressed with their effort or attitude so I will be a bit reluctant to do it again.
I was able to pick a friend's little boy up from school for her at 3pm as she had to be elsewhere, and then went back at about 3.45pm for the YFG; her Performing Arts class had been cancelled as the teacher hadn't turned up (an external company runs this course) so we were called to pick up our kids. The YFG and I trundled off to gym at 4.30pm for the 5pm class and were there until 8pm.
Wednesday was a pretty run-of-the-mill day until 3pm when the YFG was involved in a football match for the school in an inter-village tournament in another village nearby. That was a new experience for both of us! They won one, lost one and drew two, so all in all they came third of five teams; holding their own and doing pretty well, I thought. All the dads and coaches/PE teachers/Headmasters shouting on the touchline was a pretty raucous noise and not one I was prepared for - this was a "B" team event, and they were Y5/6 kids, not Aston Villa vs Chelsea!
Thursday morning saw me clambering round the window sills at the church, helping with a pre-Christmas spring-clean! I was cleaning the windows, and then I brushed the outside of the windows as there was rather a colony of spiders on the outside of each one. The sun shone in a little brighter when I had finished. I then did some hoovering and we were all done by lunchtime.
In the afternoon, I loaded up the car to take books to sell at a shopping evening for the NSPCC not too far away, but over the county line into Norfolk. There were people of a rather more affluent nature there, but they still didn't spend terribly well, unfortunately. It was a well-attended evening, and I did a little shopping myself. The downside was the torrential rain when we had to clear up - I had the back door of the Volvo estate open so I could load up all the boxes and then when I went to put it down, an absolute torrent of water came off it and fell all down my legs. Wearing sodden jeans was no fun and so I stopped the car in the dark half a mile further on from the hall and took them off!
Friday morning the whole family was up before daybreak so that we could all be ready to leave the house shortly after 7.15am as the FH and I were at a big show for the day and the girls went to our lovely neighbour until it was time to go to school. The show went well, although we were on our feet all day - but it was good fun and we do enjoy being together at things like this. On the way home, the FH dropped me off at the gym and I taught two classes; the YFG had got there with a friend, and then the HC brought us home at 8.40pm. I had a really good evening at gym as the first class was great and then I coached the boys' class with a volunteer helper whilst the HC took the YFG and her friend S for an extra hour's coaching, just the two of them working hard together. I enjoyed leading the class for a change, and it was a pleasure!
Saturday I grabbed a lie-in until 8am so I didn't get to gym until about 10.15 with the YFG for the second class. We have been working with some of the older girls to put on a little display at Christmas so we spent some time on that, which is a challenge, trying to get all the girls to co-ordinate their arms and legs to go in the same direction at the same time AND stay in time with the music. We have a few more weeks to practise, thank goodness.
We went shopping - food from Sainsbury's and hamster things (bedding and stuff for the bottom of the cage) from the pet shop, where the YFG also bought her two hamsters a new cage as the tank they had been in was not working out for them - too much condensation! She bought quite a posh one with lots of accessories included, so they got moved to their new home once we got back. They spent a lot of time investigating everything, and seem to have settled in really well.
After the shopping we then came home to get the school uniforms washed and all the shopping put away. Saturday evening was largely spent conked out, watching Strictly and just getting up at intervals to re-boot the washing machine! An early night was in order as we were all at the show again on Sunday.
The girls like to come to some of the shows with us for the shopping opportunities that they provide. They were given a £5 each and told not to ask more more - they stretched those fivers to within an inch, both coming back with a good haul of goodies for their money, including legwarmers (They do say fashion comes in cycles - I remember having a royal blue pair in the 80s!), cosmetics, sweets, and bits of stationery. The YFG was looking forward to having a go on the ice rink, but we watched some others on it and decided not to bother as it was just plastic tiles on the floor and people were not able to skate properly, so we thought it wasn't worth the £2 they were charging.
There was an interesting phone call from the EFG at one point in the afternoon; we had taken our little trailer as we had books to return to the boss, and the girls used it as their retreat, somewhere to go and play on their DSs and to picnic. It has a roller-shutter door on the back, and they get in and pull it down most of the way for warmth and privacy. The EFG was out there alone and some helpful soul pulled the shutter right down and put the clasp in so she was trapped. The person obviously (we hope!!) didn't realise that she was in there, so she called me on her mobile to have me send the YFG to let her out. We all had a good laugh over that, her included!
Last night, we were home by 6.30pm so that the girls could watch the Dr Who special whilst I fixed a quick bangers and mash tea - and it was so quick I used Smash!! My dad rang to say that they had had news of a death - the man that dad worked for for years and years, and who is my sister's godfather died yesterday morning. He was just six months younger than dad but his health had been failing in recent weeks. It was the end of an era as he had been a prominent coaching company owner in the area for about 25 years, although the company had been bought up in the 80s by a bigger company. In coaching history, he's there in the books! (By coaching here, I mean the bus industry, not sports coaching).
I ironed the school uniforms and the gang were all in bed by about 9.30pm although I watched a film until about 11pm. Today I feel quite worn out, and have just finished off the ironing and done another load of washing but nothing too energetic at all!
The FH has also had the swine flu jab at some point this week, but I can't remember which day - may have been Thursday evening. The Jane Austen tapes have also been posted to Carole this afternoon - what with the postal strikes at the start of the month and then rushing around last week, they had been delayed. Hope you like them, and enjoy your ironing as you listen. They should be with you within a couple of days!
Monday was interesting because a fellow Governor and I had to go to the school at 3.15 pm to do a Building inspection - sort of health and safety - and we had never done one before so it was steep learning curve. The Head and the Caretaker knew what they were looking for, and we spent nearly two hours poking round all the classrooms, investigating stuff. It was interesting, and we had a long list of things by the time 5pm rolled around - nothing too major and all easily actionable.
After that, I came home for a quick cuppa and then took the FH and EFG to band practice - one to participate, one to listen, and the YFG and I went to the gym to set out the apparatus with the HC for about an hour. We got that sorted out, fetched the band brigade and headed home for supper.
Tuesday morning I had an earlier-than-usual start as I was at the gym at 8.45am to help with some classes for the kids at the school as a favour to the head of PE there. The kids were having an immersion day (whatever one of those is) and a lot of them were doing various sports for the morning. They were Y8 and 9 and so were consequently quite large! It was amusing but also irritating that some of the girls weren't in the mood to even have a go at a lot of it, in case it mucked their hair up - seriously! One of the teachers confided that the age they are at is a bad one for trying new things as they are very self-conscious and don't like to be the centre of attention when they are doing PE. If that is the case, I don't understand why the teachers asked us to do gym with them all morning.......we weren't impressed with their effort or attitude so I will be a bit reluctant to do it again.
I was able to pick a friend's little boy up from school for her at 3pm as she had to be elsewhere, and then went back at about 3.45pm for the YFG; her Performing Arts class had been cancelled as the teacher hadn't turned up (an external company runs this course) so we were called to pick up our kids. The YFG and I trundled off to gym at 4.30pm for the 5pm class and were there until 8pm.
Wednesday was a pretty run-of-the-mill day until 3pm when the YFG was involved in a football match for the school in an inter-village tournament in another village nearby. That was a new experience for both of us! They won one, lost one and drew two, so all in all they came third of five teams; holding their own and doing pretty well, I thought. All the dads and coaches/PE teachers/Headmasters shouting on the touchline was a pretty raucous noise and not one I was prepared for - this was a "B" team event, and they were Y5/6 kids, not Aston Villa vs Chelsea!
Thursday morning saw me clambering round the window sills at the church, helping with a pre-Christmas spring-clean! I was cleaning the windows, and then I brushed the outside of the windows as there was rather a colony of spiders on the outside of each one. The sun shone in a little brighter when I had finished. I then did some hoovering and we were all done by lunchtime.
In the afternoon, I loaded up the car to take books to sell at a shopping evening for the NSPCC not too far away, but over the county line into Norfolk. There were people of a rather more affluent nature there, but they still didn't spend terribly well, unfortunately. It was a well-attended evening, and I did a little shopping myself. The downside was the torrential rain when we had to clear up - I had the back door of the Volvo estate open so I could load up all the boxes and then when I went to put it down, an absolute torrent of water came off it and fell all down my legs. Wearing sodden jeans was no fun and so I stopped the car in the dark half a mile further on from the hall and took them off!
Friday morning the whole family was up before daybreak so that we could all be ready to leave the house shortly after 7.15am as the FH and I were at a big show for the day and the girls went to our lovely neighbour until it was time to go to school. The show went well, although we were on our feet all day - but it was good fun and we do enjoy being together at things like this. On the way home, the FH dropped me off at the gym and I taught two classes; the YFG had got there with a friend, and then the HC brought us home at 8.40pm. I had a really good evening at gym as the first class was great and then I coached the boys' class with a volunteer helper whilst the HC took the YFG and her friend S for an extra hour's coaching, just the two of them working hard together. I enjoyed leading the class for a change, and it was a pleasure!
Saturday I grabbed a lie-in until 8am so I didn't get to gym until about 10.15 with the YFG for the second class. We have been working with some of the older girls to put on a little display at Christmas so we spent some time on that, which is a challenge, trying to get all the girls to co-ordinate their arms and legs to go in the same direction at the same time AND stay in time with the music. We have a few more weeks to practise, thank goodness.
We went shopping - food from Sainsbury's and hamster things (bedding and stuff for the bottom of the cage) from the pet shop, where the YFG also bought her two hamsters a new cage as the tank they had been in was not working out for them - too much condensation! She bought quite a posh one with lots of accessories included, so they got moved to their new home once we got back. They spent a lot of time investigating everything, and seem to have settled in really well.
After the shopping we then came home to get the school uniforms washed and all the shopping put away. Saturday evening was largely spent conked out, watching Strictly and just getting up at intervals to re-boot the washing machine! An early night was in order as we were all at the show again on Sunday.
The girls like to come to some of the shows with us for the shopping opportunities that they provide. They were given a £5 each and told not to ask more more - they stretched those fivers to within an inch, both coming back with a good haul of goodies for their money, including legwarmers (They do say fashion comes in cycles - I remember having a royal blue pair in the 80s!), cosmetics, sweets, and bits of stationery. The YFG was looking forward to having a go on the ice rink, but we watched some others on it and decided not to bother as it was just plastic tiles on the floor and people were not able to skate properly, so we thought it wasn't worth the £2 they were charging.
There was an interesting phone call from the EFG at one point in the afternoon; we had taken our little trailer as we had books to return to the boss, and the girls used it as their retreat, somewhere to go and play on their DSs and to picnic. It has a roller-shutter door on the back, and they get in and pull it down most of the way for warmth and privacy. The EFG was out there alone and some helpful soul pulled the shutter right down and put the clasp in so she was trapped. The person obviously (we hope!!) didn't realise that she was in there, so she called me on her mobile to have me send the YFG to let her out. We all had a good laugh over that, her included!
Last night, we were home by 6.30pm so that the girls could watch the Dr Who special whilst I fixed a quick bangers and mash tea - and it was so quick I used Smash!! My dad rang to say that they had had news of a death - the man that dad worked for for years and years, and who is my sister's godfather died yesterday morning. He was just six months younger than dad but his health had been failing in recent weeks. It was the end of an era as he had been a prominent coaching company owner in the area for about 25 years, although the company had been bought up in the 80s by a bigger company. In coaching history, he's there in the books! (By coaching here, I mean the bus industry, not sports coaching).
I ironed the school uniforms and the gang were all in bed by about 9.30pm although I watched a film until about 11pm. Today I feel quite worn out, and have just finished off the ironing and done another load of washing but nothing too energetic at all!
The FH has also had the swine flu jab at some point this week, but I can't remember which day - may have been Thursday evening. The Jane Austen tapes have also been posted to Carole this afternoon - what with the postal strikes at the start of the month and then rushing around last week, they had been delayed. Hope you like them, and enjoy your ironing as you listen. They should be with you within a couple of days!
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