junk art

Well six weeks is over so I finally came out of hibernation and spent the spring equinox doing a recycled plastic bag weaving workshop. I had been asked to do this at a weekend of boater's workshops, but I'd been so busy and tired that I didn't really get my head around it till Friday, when I had two kids off school and one at school, so I spent the morning rushing round doing all the necessary...
It was so sunny in the afternoon that I had my shorts on in the front garden while I prepared and painted the chair frames that have been sitting around outside, gradually deteriorating and generally getting in the way. They had kind of just emerged anyway, as on Monday I had tidied up round the side of the house so it could be measured up for a new bike shelter.

Anyway, so, fornutately I had a willing helper to experiment with the weaving, in the form of Joy, who wasn't really that ill, but needed a bit of a rest from school, I thought ;-)



I was already and prepared by Friday evening and turned up with a car-load of stuff which I had easily acquired from the back of various shops: cardboard, plastic bags and bike wheels. Friends had kindly donated their spare carrier bags too. But the stuff ended up staying in the car till Saturday morning for one reason or another. I actually called in at the Lego-building workshop in the morning, which I am supposed to help out at, but didn't know about this one so it did kind of clash. It was sunny enough to put my shorts on when I arrived- fortunately, really, for doing an outdoor workshop. The wind did get up a bit later on though and I wasn't hardy enough to keep them on all day.

So, anyway, here I am again, doing crafty workshops for families... so glad I agreed to do it, it makes a change from being stuck in my box.

I had a useful and willing workshopee who spent hours on her chair- it is first strung across with jute garden twine. I perfected a great technique for cutting up bags into long continous strips, which I did several demonstrations of... people were quite inspired to think of ways of re-using all their used plastic bags. The chairs were just an example of a practical application, which I've been thinking about doing for ages!

Someone even asked me if I also weave yogurt, which, as you know, I do all the time!

not bad for a Monday

Yeah, well, not a bad Monday, I suppose...

I set off with good intentions, having woken up late, as my alarm wasn't working, ie Fergus's watch was slow and he didn't bring me a cup of tea until five past eight... with a car full of stuff for the tip and shopping boxes. I got as far as the builder's merchants, after dropping the boys off, and suddenly needed a cup of coffee... So I stopped off at Sean's boat, which was nearby, and I had left my gloves there ;-) So, after a coffee and a chat and driving Sean back to Hebden, I reallised I needed a second breakfast... and then I was nearly home... so I decided to do the rat-proofing and shop later.

And I got utterly distracted at the guitar shop as I was walking back to my car... *drool* must have been there at least half an hour... I fell in love with a cedarwood semi-acoustic, which is...ahem...in the sale!

So, after a long and painful discussion last night about who I was going to get to fill in the holes for me, I just mixed up some cement and did it myself. (Go girl! you can do it!)
And, I found a lovely little plane, while I was looking for a trowel, which I didn't find, but found a flat thingy, good because Marky pinched mine. O thank heaven for exes, who leave you little presents to find in the future... ? (O jeez, I must have my rose-tinteds on today!)

So that's how I came to be planing the shed door to make it fit in the falling SNOW, as big as, well, this has been bugging me all day- what was it as big as? feathers? no, bigger... golf balls? well, that size, but obviously flatter and lighter! and they were going down the back of my trousers when I decided to cleverly adjust the plane, my fingers all red with cold and wire wool scratches, and covered in flakes of paint and snow.

Well, funny how I've been meaning to do that for ages... maybe I was inspired by the fact that Sean had made himself a whole new bed since I had last been there, which was only Friday night. And I hardly did anything all weekend, well I was resting :) But I have, with an hour here and an hour there, managed to just about finally finish moving stuff into the boy's new attic room and out of their old room, which, more importantly, is going to be MY room! The last bit was an enourmous pile of dollies and their beds/clothes, etc, which I went through with Freddie, whittling it down to... well, 3/4 of its size... eek! well, there's plenty of room under the eaves and it's sweet that he still wants dollies. He has a girl one and a boy one. which seemed to be his favourite - fortunately I found some dungarees (which he kept calling "tangerines") that fit.

O yeah and here's our new cat... she doesn't have a name yet, or a purpose, except for lying completely motionless on the sofa, so that even a slow shutter speed cannot detect any movement. Her other favourite past time is, of course, looking up at me and saying "Biscuits? can I have some proper food please, and some milk".

O, lord won't you buy me a camera that's suitable for WINTER

O no, I've been doing facebook blogging again! It's scary...I just go on facebook and automatically want to start blogging. One of the reasons I slowed down blogging is the photo-upload went difficult. But it was just explorer on windows vista, and I use firefox now. Only thing is it doesn't edit right in firefox- the words don't match up with the pictures. O well.
Anyway, on the subject of computers, while we're on the subject (ha!) I have just acquired some opensource stuff, well, really the info and the disk to make it easier to install Ubuntu, which I'm going to use on Fergus's computer instead of Windows. I have already got Firefox, Open office and Gimp on my laptop (equivalent of internet explorer, ms office including Word for windows, which I have been missing, and Photoshop, which I have also been missing, as the laptop didnt come with anything so useful as that- why didn't I buy a Mac???.) I went to an event in Manchester yesterday, which was supposed to be about a new arts project that my friend Clare is involved in, called ArcSpace. It was a bit shambolic, to say the least, but there was a free lunch and talks and workshops on all sorts of enabling computer-related stuff, so I went away with something.
I have been taking loads of photos, as usual, and putting them on facebook, probably to draw attention to myself ;-) ha! no it's because I do get friendly comments and stuff and it makes it more fun to share them. Haven't been using my pro-Flickr account for some reason. Anyway, I think I have pushed my little snapshot 6mpx limited zoom Sony to it's absolute limit I think and it's about time the universe provided me with something more appropriate. So there you go, I've said it now. I've been talking to lots of friends about their cameras, ranging from pro photographers with massive SLR's to people with cameras slightly better than mine. I wish I could try one out as it's really impossible to tell, really.

Anyway, I took these on a bike ride today along the frozen canal. It was pretty cold, but I got some fresh air and excercise. I went to Dawn's and then, with her, a bit further that Tom's boat, where we stopped for coffee. Only thing was: It was nearly dark by the time I got back to Dawn's, but I stopped for a cuppa and a go on her mandolin anyway. Then we tried to fix a light on my bike in the darkness!!! That was a bit comical. Then it only went and fell off halfway there. I found the pieces of light and reassembled them, using the light from my mobile phone. But I couldn't find all of the attatchment pieces. O well. It was pretty scary cycling home between the river and canal in the dark, so I took a shortcut after the Stub. It was really cold after dark, too.

Got back and the kids were already here. I spent a bit of time doing all the forms homework for school, etc. Still need to order the school photo's. Also the uniforms are still on the creel. I hope they're dry. How come I always leave it till Sunday to do them? Seems like it's Joy's turn to have the cold then...I am getting another, after about a week of being better. I don't think there's been a single day in 3 months when we have all been well. O well, maybe we'll get used to the physical strain of school routines. Only 3 weeks till christmas holidays anyway...

barging down and up

Yesterday I took the boys on a short trip along the canal with Dawn & Ro. There were issues with the engine when we first arrived, with a bag of lunch goodies from Oasis. But boat-fixer man was on hand, and we finally got going with not really enough daylight left to go there and back again.


I started off filling the first lock while Dawn set out with the boat. The boys were keen to help at this point. I ended up doing most of the locks, and there are many...

There was a short bit of cruising whilst the autumn views were to be enjoyed.


We fed the ducks and geese.

Meanwhile it had become necessary to make some green jelly on board, which didn't quite survive some of the dodgem-boating, and never quite set as I think someone had eaten some of the jelly cubes...not my boys, of course- they won't eat anything that they know is not totally veggie! (not my doing!).
And of course, since we had only got there, and not back, by dark, I had to leg it back along the towpath to fetch my car. But all was well and good and we all had a jolly time. It was the first bit of fresh air and excercsie I had had for days, having been in bed most of the week with this damn virus, that I still haven't shaken off and is making me quite tired and weak. Still aching from doing the locks- how feeble is that? I can't wait to be better so I can get on with it.

Flexischooling

Right. I'm now in Firefox, as for some reason Explorer is not playing with blogger. I don't know why Ive been using it, anyway.

I expect you're getting a bit sick of this but here's the boys in their full-school gear on Monday morning.

They were quite happy at home all weekend- The boys made these boats...


Joy did the next best thing to horseriding...this must have been Monday after school.
Anyway Freddie didnt go in today. He just appeared in normal clothes and said he wanted to stay at home and make a collage. So he did, after a baby chino, and before an ice cream (while I had a coffee, and a tea)- I did tell him if he doesn't go to school he'll have to go where I want to go. I quite enjoyed going to the market with him and getting all excited about the toys! I even bought myself a couple of intersting Playmobil figures! (OK more pics needed!).
Fergus went cross-country running at 4 o-clock, which involved running round a field with 100 other children from loads of schools. He came 52nd out of 54 finishers in his year. His friend dropped out, but I expect that was because he had cycled there. I've not been to anything like it since my own sports days, which I can barely remember.
O yes, the flexi...I'm so tired I can barely think...the children are going to their dad's soon, and I'm supposed to be going out, with matchsticks I think. I had to take Freddie in to tell the secretary he wasn't coming to school. We had to go to take Fergus. So she asked why, again. Last week I had told her he wasn't five so it doesn't matter. So she and the dinner lady tried to get persuade him to change his mind. For some reason I was nearly in tears by the time I was walking out of the school gates, hand firmly in hand with Freddie. I just don't think I should be expected to provide an excuse or reason for him not going to school if he's not five. He only started two weeks ago. He's been great, but it must be a massive shock for him. And I don't think it's appropriate for them to try to override my decision in front of him.
Fortunately Kelly phoned me before I had reached the car and we went and had coffee together. I know I've had other emotional upsets in the last week, like being dumped by facebook and text (that's for another time...), but this is the first time I've been so upset by the dragon secretary. O, I know, I haven't had a drink for... a few days...! so things are a bit more real than they were...
So, what do I do? make a formal arrangement for Freddie to go in four days a week, expect them to be 'flexible' at the risk of the rath of Mrs M, or what? if I put it in writing or email it will be read by Mrs M before anyone else. I suppose the teacher is the best person to talk to. But I havent talked to her like I've talked to the other 2's teachers. because Freddie has been expected to just fit in. The nursery parents (the 3 year olds that are actually together with the 4 year-olds) all had interviews at the beginning of term and the children have all started part-time: half days. Just because Freddie is older does that make it any easier for him to suddenly go full time? he is doing an amazing job, but I don't think they understand that he has not been left with anyone, apart from one of his parents, ever. And I think he was about 3 1/2 before I left him for any amout of time.
Anyway, they're in for a long day tomorrow: leaving daddie's at 7.30 for school's out club, and there's a birthday party straight after school, and Fergus has got swimming. At least the party's next door to Dawn so me and Fred can go and chill out there if necessary, if he can handle being on a boat after falling in last time we went there!

We saw some Canada goslings down at Dawn's boat. We went after school time to play with Ro. Well I gotta get em away from WoW somehow ;-)

We also had our home ed meeting without quite managing it as far as the arts centre. We were sat outside the ducky/latte place and bumped into a new home-edding mum and child and went off to the little park, the big one in Hebden being closed for refurbishment. Just what I needed for a bit of new enthusiasm for HE.

Easter Week

So... I've been having computer problems, ok? This week we lost both laptops. My work one and has gone back and Freddies is broken: needs soldering apparently. Joy's and Fergus's have been having a major overhaul due to lack of hard drive space on Joy's, and, I suspect, the downloading of World of Warcraft had something to do with it too. I have just realised that I could try my laptop out using the old monitor I was given, as it's only the screen that's broken, I think. But I haven't done that yet. Meg's new one still doesnt have Office, which makes it a bit difficult for her applying for jobs, etc, so she has to use one of the two that work.

Also I have to move these two as they are really in the way up to the attic, which is Meg's room, with no door in between. I have thought for 4 months how to make this space, which used to be a bedroom, and now is a stair-room, work as a computer room, but I haven't managed it and I think the only option is to move them, but where to? Well Joy's can go in her room. I will have to get them wirlessed up, which I am working on getting the bits for.

And to top it all I seem to have lost my camera. Last seen at Callis on Saturday, where I took some lovely photo's of Easter egg hunting and egg pinata bashing. I have asked Dawn to look for it. We all slept on her boat on Friday night, much to the delight of the boys and the disgust of Joy. I sat out round the fire in the snow after the kids had gone to bed, celebrating the Spring Equinox full moon, etc. Hopefully I will find my camera with these pics on. Well, I was thinking of getting a new phone to take photo's on, so maybe the universe has taken my old camera away and given it to someone else.

Easter was a long weekend, as we didn't get that much sleep on Friday night, due to the cold, and Saturday felt like Sunday, and Sunday felt like Sunday, and Monday felt like another Sunday. (Well, actually I did get a head start by going out Wednesday and Thursday night!). I didn't get any Easter Eggs, until I buckled on Saturday afternoon, when I had to get petrol and there were some in the garage, so cheap... I just had to get four. And we made crispy cakes out of choco-rice and green and blacks- yum- will have to make more, I think, maybe today... It's still Easter, isn't it?

This week seems to have gone by really fast without doing a right lot, apart from changing the table round in the kitchen, which has made it much much better.

We just went out for a walk with Clare's dog, who we are looking after as Clare has to rush over to Ireland for funeral. We went to the enchanted allotment and I stole some willow. Hopefully it it has some magic in it. It's a bit late for it as it has buds on some of it, but there's still some growing higher up that is not too late to cut. It's actually quite sunny and spring-like, and I want to get out and do stuff in the garden, or should I go to the market first?

light at the end of the tunnel

Last Friday, after forest school and shopping we met up with Milly and her mum's boats for a trip through Tuel tunnel and locks at Sowerby Bridge. It was a great afternoon out in the sunshine, with lunch on the boat.




heading into Tuel tunnel

There's a light at the end of it...


...and look what it's called: Silver Lining (argh! whatever I do this picture wont show up- can you see it?)

This is a very big lock.
The girls cleaned up the boat afterwards.

autumn equinox party

I recovered from my lurgy in time for the equinox party and we all headed off on Saturday afternoon, after Joy's morning at the stables, to get our tent up. It was quite a relaxed afternoon with a few people about, and people started arriving for the party around tea time.


The kids enjoyed doing crumpets on the fire.

Most of the evening looked a bit like this (especially after a few ciders). I kept the acoustic music going round the fire till very, very late.

Then there was the dance tent, or dome, where everybody had a bit of a dance to Guy's sounds, which kept on going, and going, and, next time if there is a next time, I shall pitch my tent a bit further away, if possible! But I did get a bit of a lie in, as the children were off playing as soon as they got up.

boat signs

Yesterday we had a small meet-up and ended up in the park. I couldn't be bothered to phone people up and remind them to come, as I usually do; I'm a bit sick of having to do that, really. But four adults came, anyway, including me, that is, and we stayed in the park and met some people after school as well.

This afternoon we went to Callis to see Guy and Phiz. It had clouded over, but turned out lovely and sunny when we got there, so lots of general outdoor playing with lego, on the trampoline, and we made these signs, well, me and Guy did most of the painting with a bit of help from Joy.

Some more children, and adults, were around after school.

We had a fire and cooked some lovely veg stew, from Guy's free veg box, which went down with varying enthusiasm from the children.
And, somehow, one of Dawn's doors fell into the canal. I think it was something to do with a dog. We couldn't fish it out, someone will have to go in tomorrow and get it, (yuck, but It might be me).

September =

I think with the start of September, we have, either subconsciously or consciously, started to focus a bit on "Education". Maybe we can't help but be influenced by what most families are doing right now, anyway, as adults, it seems to built in to our psyches... (...OK, I was brought up by two teachers!)
We spent the morning at home, pottering, after a phonecall from a friend wishing me good luck with the teaching. I thought he had the wrong number for a minute, but then reallised it was possibly the first day of the new term. I had preiviously tried to explain that we don't really keep school dates and I don't actually 'teach', but I suppose I do in the broader sense of the word.
Fergus was mainly happily making concoctions and doing experiments outside, and quite self-contained. Joy was doing stuff with the rabbits. I was (trying to) sit on the doorstep, in the sun, playing my guitar, while Freddie was on the computer. He called me and asked me to help him write "playmobil": Look, I've already done "p", and he had, into the Google search box. I was pretty impressed with that, but just quietly typed the rest in. I think this one is going to be easy; he's just teaching himself. And I had been a bit concerned about him spending so much time on the computer, but he seems to be on a roll and getting a lot out of it. He also likes "Woody", as in "...The Pencil", AKA the DK learning Ladder CDrom. He keeps coming up and showing me stuff that he's worked out, like: "this one [CDrom] is mine because it's orange and this one is Fergus's because it's yellow, look, mine is orange, see, and there's a little picture of it on the back of this one, too...."

After lunch we went out shopping, stopping at the guitar shop for some strings for Joy's guitar and a fancy electronic tuner that clips on and picks up the vibrations, so I can tune all 5 guitars easily and they can do it themselves. I had a good go on another acoustic, which I liked: a Yamaha 700 for £149. But I'm going to look at the second-hand Westfield on Wednesday to see if I like it- it's a lot less money. Joy was drooling over a pink one with a heart-shaped hole- she said she saw them in Home Bargains for £50- I didn't notice them, that must have been a few weeks ago, wonder if I can get one for her birthday? The one I had when I was 10 isn't that good really, but might be better with the new strings.
It's a bit sad that Jude is now working on Wednesdays and can't come over to our group to do some music, except possibly at half term, but we could meet up a different day. I haven't quite go used to the fact that Joy won't be going to school and when I think of it it feels like freedom...

We went to Tod to the animal feed place, for large bags of rabbit food, etc, and also LIDL.
On the way back we called in at Callis for what I thought would be a brief visit to see Guy and Phiz, but there were loads of kids there making a secret teepee den, so we stayed till tea time. (Picture not dissimilar to yesterday's, but with three more children). Milly and Dave were still there, having had trouble with the engine yesterday during the birthday party, but finally got it started by evening. Hope they can still make it back for the picnic on Wednesday lunchtime in the park. They lent us the bubble machine, anyway, and everyone else there said they were coming (although some of them would be after school). Still haven't got in touch with the Town Jester; thought I would leave him alone today, as it was his birthday. Yesterday I saw him cycling past from inside Milly's boat, ran down the boat and the hatch was closed so I cracked my head on the way out- ouch, it still hurts, and I didn't catch him. Well, hopefully, Guy will bring his juggling clubs, which is always quite entertaining...
Anyway, I made stir-fry and noodles for tea, while the children resumed similar activities to the morning. I thing this HE lark is going to be alright, you know. Yes, I know I've been doing it for three years, if you count the part-time bit in the first year (Joy and Fergus at Montessori). But last year I only had Freddie and Fergus at home and really it didn't feel like HE, so much as just being at home with children, if there is a difference, but, both being under 7 at the time, it just felt like the most natural thing to do and not much effort, really. But, Joy is a differnt kettle of fish, o yes, and within the next couple of months I will be dealing with a 4, 7 and 10 year old, which suddenly does feel like Home Education, (with a capital HE!) but having not had much time or energy or mental headspace to think about it, it all suddenly seems like it's going to be fine. I need to remember this thought/feeling, especially when the sun stops shining.

a trip on the canal

On Friday we met up with Dawn's boat in Hebden for a trip along the canal.

Freddie wore a life jacket for about five minutes. It was hot!

Joy steered the boat

and helped with the locks


we saw the heron

Fergus learned how to steer the boat


Arriving back at Callis, where we had a lovely barbeque and magical bonfire, with singing and lots of friends. We camped in the tent; they didn't want to sleep on the boat! I wish I had; the tent was too small for all of us. It was a fantastic day, though.