West London Chat Summer/Autumn

[vbus]

ooh the excitement of starting a new thread

DH out with kids. I've just got home from a trip to Charing Cross library and Foyles - no mood for anything else if you have to lug all these books about ... Charing Cross library seems to be constantly buying new books. It's brilliant. Also bought Simon Russell Beale's tinker tailor soldier spy CD - hopefully this will make commute less sleepy!

By the way I have bought dictionary for kids: Collins School Dictionary. Seems reasonable despite saying "school" on it...

copper dd asked for a dictionary the other day, I told her we had one, we had looked in there before, she said, a child one to keep in her room so she can look it up by herself, fair enough

vbus hope it goes well and that you have stocked up on biscuits and tea

we all have colds, nothing drastic just lots of sneezing

dd&dh off horse riding tomorrow I have 4 miles to run, as per plan

my washing machine seems to be on the blink, it is not spinning no no no, we already bought a new fridge freezer this year, but I suppose it is just over 6 yrs and things start need replacing after a while, paint and flooring next year I think, can't really delay it any longer

and oh yes washing machine is done

dh wrote a blog post on the stolen bikes saga, I posted it in FB

sfx - we have a 6-year-old Bosch washing machine, quite basic model, no drier - I find clothes dry anyway even at quite a low spin. What I dread is the fridge-freezer breaking. But there are only a few models that will fit into the space we have so should be easy decision when we need to replace. The only question is whether we can do with less freezer space. Supermarket is our freezer.

Re: dictionary - it has "exile", "soul" (talks about "going on living" rather than "immortal" in grown-up dictionary), "prologue" (pronounced prol-gee by DSs), "epilogue", "sex" (DH's point being that dictionaries are used by small children to look up rude words. I only checked this. If they want more they will have to use my dictionary ) and at least two meanings of "dark" (no light, and evil). But no "oik", which is disappointing.

Also read the stolen bike blog. Feel the pain... I had one bike stolen from inside the block of flats we lived in at the time. But never followed it up...

And what's with our roses - more than 10 lovely roses, and more buds. Don't they know summer is over!?

hello

Kora how was it? have you recovered yet?

copper excellent words

dd seemed back to normal of ignoring me once she got to school and obliging a kiss being bestowed upon her while she pretends not to move away

now to get a washing machine, the fix people made noises that they could have a look but it was really up to me bla bla bla

Hello

Sfx - glad DD ok with school again. Good luck with washing machine. I'm hoping we'll only be a few days without ours otherwise I'm in trouble!

Copper - will buy that dictionary on your recommendation, sounds fine for what DS1 needs

Madea bucketful of pesto yesterday to finish off our basil crops, don't know if our veg patch will survive the diggers. Builders are already late, a sign of life to come I'm excited but part of me is about the next 3-4mths. At least have night out to look fwd to

vbus - homemade pesto. No pesto, no coriander. Must get sowing, but no more window sill space now that lemongrass is inside... And good luck with builders. Are you having real diggers? DSs would be impressed!

sfx - glad DD has recovered! DS1 does the looking-at-his-feet and moving his head slightly away business when kissed goodbye. DS2 still demands to be kissed. Good luck with washing machine. Do you need a drier? I always think that the more things they try to do the easier they break, when it comes to machinery ...

Dictionary failure: DS1 looked up the word "pair" and rattled off definitions. DS2: "And you can eat pears too! Yum yum yum!"

End of random posting. Back to the grind.

Copper, to be fair they do sound like the same thing!

Sfx, glad dd seems happier

Ds1 is 5, going on 15 it seems. He chatters all the way to school, but then I have to kiss him at the gate (not in front of his class!) and I get a muttered 'yeah, see you later mum' when the teacher takes them up to school!

Copper - LOL at pair confusion! Think I'll have to freeze our remaining coriander.

Both my boys are big kissers at home but not so hot on kisses in public

Not sure what diggers they are bringing, but DS1 already told to me tell him what type of truck they have, I have to reoprt back at pick up!

They did finally arrive and seem to be cracking on. They've already had one run-in with neighbour but thankfully she thought about what they said, calmed down and has just come back round now to resolve situation, phew. Ds1 most excted at prospect of going to chippie for tea tonight

Anyone know anything about RWI (the Ruth Miskin system) vs ORT if so can you explain this to me www.mumsnet.com/Talk/primary/1303698-Read-Write-Inc-vs-ORT-can-someone-explain-to-me

School has happened! Made it on time (even with DD2 refusing breakfast and having to make alternative), no tears (from either of us) and I'm very grateful to Kewcumber for giving me therapy afterwards - thought I was fine, but then realised I was a bit shellshocked . Then picked up a happy DD1 at lunchtime - she's very tired though, has now crashed out in front of telly. I'm sure there'll be ups and downs, but survived first day which is good! Thanks for all your kind words...

I kissed DD1 on way out, and then wondered if that was faux pas - I'll carry on til I'm told otherwise... (loved the 5 going on 15 description, Tilly.)

Sfx - sorry to hear about course. Hope something works out. Very glad to hear DD is back on form. Sounds like it was transition after long relaxing summer.

Vbus - good luck with builders, how exciting! Hope all goes well and not too much havoc. Homemade pesto sounds yum.

Copper - I love the pears confusion! I shall resist temptation for bad puns.

Yay for mini-Kora.

(and you're welcome - sometimes the ability to talk the hind leg off a donkey comes in handy)

Kew - sorry cannot help. Only vaguely aware that there is such things as levels. And there are such things as stages on the ORT books. What the relationship is between levels and stages I haven't the foggiest. And have never heard of RMI ... Am I very ignorant?

And well-done Kora and miniKora.

its Read Write Inc - phonics system. Though in my naivety I thought the school were already teaching phonics I gather that RWI is subtley different. Though I am more than a bit confused about how his ability levels can be judged so differently on the two systems.

I don;t actually much care as long as he is progressing and learning to read which he is.

But I must confess that I am a person who likes to know. Everything.

Kora well done on mini Kora1 totally missed in playground this morning, sorry , glad it went well I saw her outside my window at lunch time, she looked cheerful
I'm afraid I could only think of washing machines this morning

vbus hope building work going well, love homenade Pesto

kewC I don't know an awful lot about how it works but I know it is a more intensive and extensive programme, dd had been doing it since last year and she usually works outside her classroom
teacher said something about working with more than sounds, they work on 'mental spelling' and sounding out from memory and what not

Tilly have one of those teen barely out of nappies types too, funny when not wearing

I also like to know almost everything. But I cannot cope with school terminologies. (Though I will brush up on them if I need to see anyone about anything important, just like I brush up on the Haynes manual for my car if I need to see the mechanic. It is not very much fun, but neither is being patronised.)

DS2 made a treasure map for International Talk Like A Pirate Day.

Hello all!

A lot of things are going on for everyone i see:)
We are catching up with school. DD1 is doing good. We wanted to hire someone to help her, but the teachers advised to wait until Christmas, they think she will catch up. Let's see...

The last two weeks were crazy : home-bus-school-bus-nap-bus-school-bus-home...i have never felt so tired and exhausted...But yesterday i have got my life back! DH bought me a car! Today instead of an hour bus drive it took us 15 minutes to get school:D Life is good again :)

Really looking forward to meet you all at the night out. And btw, where are we going?

Just read the other thread ! 8o'clock it is :)

hello

KewC we were given this link regarding RWI

island if you can get out earlier there will be drinks at pub, I will try to be there at about 7

copper what was the pub suggested?

dd today not even a backward glance managed to kiss the top of her head as she sped away from me, I feel special again

dh working from home (help!) must run and do other stuff, have annoying cold

Kew - sorry also ignorant about different methods must pay attention next week at school meeting. Interesting topic though

Sfx - I read DH's blog, it's so sad when thefts like that keep happening

Island - the school run is exhausting, everything done at breakneck speed, glad yours is much easier now!

Kora - well done to you and your DD, hope she continues to settle in well

Have to say so far builders have been amazing, you would not know they were here, well apart from the noise