West London chat into Winter

[sfxmum]

hello folks chat away

Just off to get a glass of wine, so I have cake and wine, so there!

great regarding 23rd I could do with a night out and I don't mean the class outing this week, oh lord no

vbus good luck with builders

dusty likewise hope quotes and negotiations are satisfactory

lordcopper at ours cakes don't just sit on counters untouched, gluttony is our sin of choice

tilly willingly got soaked Saturday when running but somehow soggy school run is always more problematic

anyway meltdown resolved slowly as we got home she still has to apologise to her friend and her mum but I get she was tired and seemed to come out of school very tensed up, nothing a good run around would not sort but walking home with the friend they feed off each other and it goes nuclear, add to that different parenting styles, oh well making it a one off

have started hearing that this Winter might be quite white I sort of hope so, really enjoyed it last year

Spooks soon

oh... do I only get to choose one sin then?

I love Spooks!

Kew - I'm sure you are allowed more than one sin. Note sfx's choice of words: sin of choice. No doubt you can have other types. Reluctant ones and compulsive ones, perhaps. And those ones you commit so that other people don't have to. Like eating cake.

I have a new hobby: got a how to do cryptic crosswords book from the charity shop last week. Am going to learn to do cryptic crosswords. Because life's not complicated enough.

Night night!

lordcopper I will have to invite you over for a chat with dh he used to be obsessive about cryptic crosswords as are his mother and brothers they do massive ones at Christmas for fun and from the Spectator and assorted other respected publications, while FIL and me drink wine and talk nonsense

seriously dh is very good at it and would relish the opportunity to enthuse someone else

about sins Kewcumber, as many as you like I should think in fact am sure you can create a few just for fun

My list of sins has shrunk dramatically in the past few years - is this an age thing? (though some due to health and desiring to live a while longer rather than from choice)

I'm even finding I covet my neighbours ass a lot less than I used to.

Copper, I've been doing cryptic crosswords for about a year now, good fun if frustrating at times!!

We used to do the Times one in the staff room but now everyone is too busy.

I've never coveted my neighbour's ass or any other domestic livestock.

sfx - did you know that school is opting out of school meals contract? Paperwork all sorted and in process of planning new kitchen build and change of catering to freshly cooked?

maybe it was arse I was thinking of...

Hello all

Tilly - nice to see you and DS2 earlier

Copper - never done cryptic crossword, barely have time for soduku these days!

Does anyone fancy meet up during half term? Westwing could you make it if we picked a date in advance?

hello

KewC did not know that although knew they had been discussing it for ages, does it mean they have the funds to proceed?

vbus yes to meet up half term if at all possible
we only have an idea to visit the Tate Modern for the Gauguin exhibition, dd keen to see it

today I did some guided reading at school with 5 children but individually, honestly wish school spent more time going over basic numeracy and literacy rather than discussing religions and Chinese horoscope
I accept I am in a minority

Sfx - DS1 does numeracy and literacy everyday at school, other activities added on around these subjects. Do you help out every week at school?

Tilly - still how much homework your DS1 gets

V. quiet afternoon here, much needed though. just waiting for food delivery then can start cooking

vbus I do normally help out on Tuesday mornings sometimes just half hr sometimes longer depending on what is going on and what they need me to do
I saw them doing some literacy today and have witnessed maths lessons but I feel some of the home work is stuff they should really be doing at school, it does not mean I mind homework or in fact teaching my child just seems that it leaves big gaps for those whose parents don't really work with them

KewC noticed the thread where you comment on RPA I suppose it is wait and see, did they mention any sort of specialization?
for various reasons we could not go to meeting and am still to chat to the parents who went

some of you may recognise this

Quick question: has anyone ever had cold corn-on-the-cob? DSs are trying to persuade me it's a good idea for their lunch box.

Never had it but should be alright if you cook and cool down.

Sfx - not seen link

DS2 been a bit too enthsuiastic and picked 3 green tomatoes from garden (he waited til I wasn't looking), what to do with green tomatoes?

What is RPA?

vbus, nice to catch up with you and ds2 earlier, sorry I was so late getting there!

What about green tomato chutney? Though you might have to get ds2 to pick some more

sfx, liked the blog!

lordcopper I suppose at some point I have had it cold mostly when I was a child

vbus RPA Richmond Park Academy is the new idea to save the awful local secondary

Ah yes didn't recognise the abbreviations, obvious now

Starting to get sucked into Masterchef again despite baldy bloke really annoying me

vbus - baldy bloke is annoying, but that sidekick chefy woman in the beginning is even more annoying. Hero-worshiping is so unattractive.

sfx - I'm a fan of getting basics right too. Discussion of religion all very interesting but not to be at expense of "proper" learning. I'm sure you can have both though. Maybe you are impatient? Sometimes gaps get filled in along the way. (That's how I teach my kids my language - haphazardly and filling in gaps along the way. The crucial thing is keeping them interested. But my approach has many critics who (whom?) I totally ignore. )

But admit I'm really impatient watching "performance" of kids running around pretending to be white blood cells chasing bacteria. Just bloody tell them. 5 minutes instead of half a bloody hour. >

lorcopper it is not so much the impatience more that I have seen some who don't actually know all the letters of the alphabet, now if they don't recognise the letters, they can't know the sounds they make and can't read, quite basic really

I know it is a loosing battle

no telly for me have Kick Ass to watch yeah