March 06 *#* all around the world

[UniS]

sorry couldn;t think of a funny title. but here goes.

Anyone with Dcs born March 06 welcome to come on in and introduce yourselves.

PS: Yes uniforms sorted, expensive job....

Boris- what a pair of tinkers. fingers Xed tehy will settle down soon.

As of next tax year, uniforms will be tax deductable in Aus! A year too late (although I'm sure there will be more to buy...)

Hope those monkies are sttling in - how did parent night go?

Did you manage a run LL? Always in awe of you Brits who go out in the rain :o

Had another scan and managed to get a nuchal measurement after 45 minutes! All looking well.

Caddy, how are you coping?

Astro, parents evening next week....we shall see! Liking the tax deductable uniforms

for finally getting a good scan, glad all is well.

Caddy how's things?

Uni? LL? DTM?

Is alright. jogging along getting boy settled at school. working some lunchtimes as a Mealtime assistant (MTA) at school. Running about like blue arsed wotsit at home decorating dining room, building a wood store, keeping house ticking over and doing a planning application for a skate park.

I have just written in Boy's reading record book " have gone through this book with boy, he wants to know how many more wordless books he HAS to read, I think hes getting bored of them." Wonder what response we shall get to that. Even by Biff Chip Kipper standards todays was dull.

Oh the joys of wordless books, dd2 brought home a book with a sodding puppet in it, I wrote, please can we have something that doesn't distract her from reading, as all she wants to do is play with the bloody puppet rather than the lovely book the week before which was about ordering ice creams = totally acceptable obviously

Well Uni you certainly appear to be busy! and there was I thinking rural idyll and you start mentioning skate parks

Finally got my actual car back from the dealers here! woot!! a mere month after I brought the bloody thing, still better late than never

RESUKT , two days after my comment in home school book , boy brought home "floppy floppy" and oh how he enjoyed it,read with great verve and feeling. ANd oh how I internally sniggered over the double entendres. Now he has shown he can sound out a few words hopefully he is staying on books with words for a bit.

Wood store is thing of beauty and wombling, made of pallets and chicken wire and a bit of an old Big Top. Will have a corrugated plastic roof eventually.

Skate park , yes, even in teh country kids like to skate and hang out with their mates.

DP has flu...real flu....I have had to be a single mum all weekend!

Uni are you using a Community Spaces grant for the skate park? That's the Lottery programme I work on.

Astro, good to hear you got the scan sorted and all is good...how's the puking missus??

I am very out of touch with MN and only found out that Riven is a media star when I saw her daughter in the guardian on Sat....she's taking on the ConDems single handed - way to go!!

I am pleased to say that K has progressed to stage 2 Oxford Reading Tree..Uni, you just have to keep droppping hints about moving them on but as you say at least you have words now! I got T to skip a level as her new teacher (22, straight from uni) put her back on Level 6 (I think) and said they have to read EVERY book on the level. We put her straight and T is much happier now. When all said and done we should just be pelased they want to read eh? T is reading chapter books in bed by lamplight...just like me at her age - a proper bookworm.

Geez, my DD1 is kicking and screaming at the thought of having to read - hates to do it, although she is making progress. I don't think she has any problems with technique, just hates to make mistakes - I foresee perfectionism problems. She is nowhere near chapter books! Next week it will be her teachers problem! ( I have warned them :o )

DS on the other hand, not at school until next feb and reads every label, sign, word he sees. I think I picked the wrong one to home school!

Puking is easing, though I do still get the odd 'surprise'. I had a yucky head cold the last few days and that was rotton as taking paracetamol for sore throat made me puke, but its getting better now and I can breath through my nose and so can sleep again.

Swimming lessons this week - DS actually got in the water this moring despite unknown teacher -the bribe of chips was a winner!

We are waiting for a thunder storm to come through right now - it is stinking hot and very humid. Had a few drops and rushed to bring the washing in, but then it didn't eventuate and just served to make it even more humid. Yuck! Bring on Autumn!

So sorry to hear about DP flu LL! Probably worse for you than him!

Don't know which grant the money came from, funding was secured a couple of years ago ( and is sitting in rec ground accounts), by teenagers who then couldn't get skate Co to take them seriously and panicked about planning app so did nowt for 2 years. I came onto project to get it moving. I guess a teen boy claiming he has 40k to spend on a skate park is not all that believable unfortunately.

Uni, that's great that you're getting it sorted for them currently the nearest skate park to here is about 4 miles away..bit far really...tho there is a great farm track for flat skating and rollering on, tis not good for rails n curves n such like. The teenagers where I've moved to need something to do, what used to be a youth club years ago now belongs to the BTCV, so they just kick around the village centre of an evening, not so good...I went to coop the other night and giggled to myself as a pensioner was standing outside talking lecturing to about 20 kids, advising them to get into the arts and not hang around street corners! (as it's an ok area they were all happily conversing with him!)

On a book note, stuffing puppet book came back again this week, so I went to library, got another book and we read that, I put it in the reading book and LO! we got a new book today Parents evening tomorrow....

LL for dh being poorly, proper flu not good, how's he doing? How did you do, juggling the kids and a poorly man all weekend?

Astro, did you get a big storm yet? I'm sure dd1 will get on with the reading once she's with her peer group. Good to hear that ds is going great guns with it all though

We attempted swimming at our new local pool tonight...dd1 sobbed her way into the lesson, and is now being moved down a group...I am slightly irked at her, as she has done her 50m badge and should be in the group they put her in today, but I will hand it to them, that the whole groups technique was better than dd1's, so prob better that she goes back to a lesser group and learns strokes better, just annoying that she wasn't really trying very much
dd2 viewed all of this and when it was time for her lesson, cryed too....and so they let her go into the group in the small pool (again one below the beginner lesson she should have been in in the shallow part of the big pool) anyway she showed them she could do basic swimming (on back on own and doggy paddle), getting face wet (by diving to get stuff) so they know she was having them on, and she's in the big pool lesson next week, ARGH I know they've had a fair bit of change recently, but ARGH you know!

Uni, I have skate park envy though I suspect that it would be way too hot here anyhow...

With no much to do after school and no enforced drinking age, the teenagers can find themselves in heaps of trouble here if their parents are not paying attention.

Ah, the joys of books home from school! I remember the wordless Biff and Kipper books and Floppy Floppy as well! I think that I have many of those early books around here somewhere because ds1's Montessori nursery was getting rid of them in favor of a phonetic scheme so I bought the lot because that is what the reception kids were using at the school he transferred to for year 1. I am not so sure that I can bear to heAr them for a fourth time so maybe I will stick to Jolly Phonics and the Bob books for now. Dd2 has been reading for about 6 months but I suppose that being surrounded in 4 poeple who constantly have their noses in books and a fifth who is 'forced' to read by her evil mother can have that effect on a four year old.

Astro I wonder if your dd1 will find it less stressful to read to her teacher and with her peers? It is still far from my dd1's favourite activity but she did just get on with it when it was assigned by her teacher.

My parents are visiting with childhood friends of my dad. I am finding them difficult to amuse because they seem to lack initiative and came here without knowing a single thing about SE Asia. They are quite happy to sit back and have us arrange everything on their behalf. I suppose that this would be less daunting if I was more familiar with the tourist attractions that might interest them. It is almost as if they have forgotten that I am not fromhere either. (Surely, they ought to remember that I grew up in their house?) Did I write a similar rant from NYC when dd2 was 5 days old and I was at the top of the Empire State building, attending Rangers hockey games and generally running around after them? Clearly, I am a slow learner.

I sent them off to Vietnam on an organized tour. Even their meals are included but they had thousands of questions about how much money they will need to take out of the bank. How many Dong to a dollar? What souvenirs should they buy? They even asked if ds1 could come along and help them. He is 13. They are in their young 60s and like to spend their evenings drinking and playing cards. I can' t imagine subjecting ds1 to that... I wonder how they will cope? Even dh is nervous about them. Ridiculous!

ll How is your dh? Has everyone else managed to avoid falling ill?

lol at your guests wanting to borrow DS Caddy! I'm glad foir your sake they are out of your hair for a bit. I don't know how on earth you are managing. Hows the sickness? Did you mind any meds that give any relief?

Re DD and reading, I think/hope you are both right Caddy and Boris, and that she will pick up when she sees that other children try, and make mistakes, and its not the end of the world. Her two best friends (one at her new school, another at another school) are both reading very well - long chapter books - and DD is toiling away with Dr Suess :( I don't want to push, but also don't want her left behind, and as I know she is bright (I mean averagely bright, not child prodigy) I feel that she isn't really working to her ability. Anyway...she'll get there I suppose. Its hard because all the Home ed nay sayers (ie my mum!) think its my fault she is not zooming ahead.

We didn't get our storm the other day, and had another horrible humid day followed by thunder and no storm today - yuck! Yesterday was Australia Day and we had a BBQ for 17 here which was fun. We stayed inside in the air conditioning!

Last day of holiday swim school tomorrow (happily, both kids progressing nicely, DD1 has a lovely stroke style, DS a bit more...er...'splashy'!) then school on Monday...

Ah you lot reminding me that altho my two can read they can't bloody swim!!

Cad, I laughed at your tale of the parents...I'm struggling with mine too. They are constantly round at ours getting me to look up airbeds and camping stoves on the web. They have bought most of their gear now thank goodness. They set off on April 20th!

Well I was merrily tackling my work 'to do' list this am when the phone rang and someone politely asked if I was coming to the meeting as they were all waiting for me. Doh! A bit of grovelling needed there. TBH I'm running round like a blue arsed fly this week so no wonder I forgot..it was in my diary but in small letters!! DP still had flu, just washed out all the time. However he is doing a few hours veg box delivering at 2pm as his boss has been out instead of DP...his boss is on his third chemo and has a feeding tube which he has now sicked out and has to go to Christies to get put back in ...DP could hardly refuse to go in. It's really cold out there though so will set DP back I'm sure. Grrrrr.

Bit of a rant sorry....Boris, the girls will settle down soon I'm sure - they're just playing you up a bit eh?

Uni- I'm working on a sprayed concrete skate park at the mo...all the rage!

ll Don't worry overly much about the swimming. Unless you live on a boat, on the coast, or have a pool in your garden then it can wait.

I believed all of the clap-trap about the necessity for learning to swim early but all of the forcing (and spending money for endless lessons) did no good and they all learned in their own time. There would be no way for anyone watching their lessons today to determine which children swam from birth and which ones learned last year.

Boris Your swimming experience sounds like a nightmare. I can remember similar experiences whilst pg with dd2... I hope they get used to the new routine quickly. I guess it is a lot of change, isn't it?

Astro How is your sickness? I am feeling somewhat better but by evening, I am exhausted, bloated and nauseated. I battle with the empty tummy feeling for most of the day now as well...

School on Monday. Wow! Is dd1 excited? Try not to worry about her reading at this stage. Ds1 really preferred to listen to chapter books than slog through the easy readers which weren't really very interesting. He is now such a book worm that I have to drag him out of his book so that he can experience the 'real world' now and then. Dd1, on the other hand, did beautifully in the early stages (reception and year 1) but the progress became slower and slower and now she would be described as a reluctant reader. :(

Uni How is boy liking reception? Some days I wish that dd2 could attend a school without paying outrageous fees. I think that she would love it!

Thanks Caddy re the swimming - I stopped lessons because they did about 4 widths and got freezing cold the rest of the time. We do take them every couple of weeks and T is quite good now. They both go in without armbands - that week in France last year with a pool did wonders .

Astro - thinking of DD1 going to school today...I REALLY hope she enjoys it. I'm sure she'll love it ...I'm sure you'll love a bit of time off too!

Uni - are you enjoying that free time or still missing the boy??

I had to speak to T's teacher on Fri about how stressed she is with the playground antics - of course she's fine at school but a mare at home. She's been good all weekend and went on Beavers sleep over too without incident (stayed up til midnight!). Mind you I spent all day yesterday at the spa with friends so I didn't see her too much.

Hi Ladies, Astro hope it went well today your facebook photos are lovely

Caddy so did you get rid of the parents without them kidnapping ds1 It's amazing how the parenting role slowly switches when our parents hit their 60's eh....

I'm quite glad that the new pool doesn't make us pay too far up front, we can do it in 12 week blocks (was dd for the year at previous place) and we're part way through a block, so if the girls really do carry on playing up, I shall just stop it all in a few weeks (though Gran is taking them tomorrow as I'm at work and they've promised to be good!)

morning all.

Boy is liking reception, but is VERY tired and weary after school. I am running about like a blue arsed wotsit still, lots of jobs to do and school day is hardly long enough.

Skatepark planning process is long and dull, I have to produce a flood risk assessment now. OH joy.

DH gran died, so have boy going for a playdate afterschool mid next week while we attend funeral, hope he copes with the extra social time.

Have been hedging and clearing brambles, still need to do much pruning and general bed clearance aND THEN GET PLANTING.

oooh LL, spa day sounds divine!

School day 2 has gone well today. They found out their classes and teachers today and DD is in a class with a good friend from church so thats good.

It's a year 1 / 2 composite class (DD in the year 1), and they tend to think fairly carefully about which kids they put in these classes, making sure they are fairly confident kids, able to get on and work while the teacher is busy with the other year group...so I must say I am surprised, with her reading not being great, but the other mums say they assess them based on their all round literacy, including spoken language, vocab etc, and DD is good there, so I am pleased.

The other plus is that there are only 24 children in her class as they keep composite classes smaller if possible, and the teacher is very well liked by other parents and kids. Happy! DD is SO thrilled and very, very excited. Tomorrow is the first 'real' day in the new class, so hoping it goes well for her.

Caddy, my sickness has eased a lot but seems to be at a stand still the last couple of weeks, with no improvemnet for a while. I made the mistake of walking to do school runs yesterday (DH did wan me not to) in 38 degree heat and was very sick last night, and an horribly bloated tonight too. The bloating is awful isn't it? I can't figure out what brings it on as some night are much worse than others. Dh asks how the triplets are, and I really do look about 8 months gone in the evenings!

Hospital appointment tomorrow, will see what they say about my GP's reccommended caesar...may have to fight for it (which is weird because I don't even want it - but possibly lesser of two evils...)

DS back at kindy/pre school tomorrow, doing wed/thurs/fridays this year. He is not very happy about it - says he isn't going to go. I asked him if he is sad that many of his friends have gone to big school, and he said no, he doesn't want to go there either. hmmm. Hopefully he will settle ok as I will need to leave him pretty quickly to get to hospital!

oh howdy uni, sorry to hear about DH Gran :( were they close? Hope boy is happy enough to go along to the play date.

School days are not very long are they? I manage a few jobs (plus DS and DD2 the last two days), then I nap while DD2 naps, then get up, snack, and time for school run again!

We are also attempting some gardening (has been very neglected while I have been sick) - DH attempted to build a raised bed on the weekend, onlt to find the ground is as hard as rock and so he couldn't drive the wooden stakes into the ground. hmmm..need a plan B! I want ot plan some veggies while I can still reach the ground!

Morning ladies,

Sorry about DH's gran Uni - how old was she?

Astro I'll have to look up your FB pics...I'm hardly ever on there.

Boris, I can't believe any pool makes people pay for a year up front - that's some commitment eh??

Well I have a day at home tethered to the PC catching up on a million work queries...all my groups seem to be kicking off at the mo and I sepend my time pacifying them and finding solutions to irritating little problems...wish I was back in the spa .

Ancient is the short way of putting it. IIRC gran was 98ish. Had suffered dementia for many years and had no idea who DH was , or any one else for that matter. Last two months she not been eating and had been fading away on ever less liquid. She went gently but not quickly iyswim.

Boy still enjoying school, but knackered. Today they learnt c, tomorrow he tells me willbe k. but at least now we have moved on from wordless books are on stage 1+ with short sentences. Hes rather chuffed about reading but still guesses a lot.

Uni, sorry to hear about dh's gran hope ds is ok for you all next week.

Astro, for dd1 enjoying school, glad she's settling in well. Sure ds will get back into kindy, I find dd2 still has phases of 'I don't want to go to school' if she thinks she can get away with it!

LL was pay monthly, but you were supposed to be signed up for the year.....I worked this week so Gran took the girls, dd2 went into the wrong pool (seems they stuck her in small one again?) dd1 started in one group in big pool, was doing good according to mum, then they moved her to the shallow end, as apparently she wasn't on the paperwork for that group?? she's too tall for shallow end......will be speaking to them next week....bah....

Hope you've survived all the work

Waiting to see if I ever get the car I brought in Dec back....am in courtesy again, am thinking if they don't sort it out and give it back tomorrow, they may decide to offer me a choice of another car??

98 - wow! One of my client groups is facing closure and they have 99 year old lady campaigning for them . Can't see me lasting that long - I'm an old crock already!

Boris - I can't believe your car is still not sorted - have they let you choose another yet?

How are our far flung pregnant members??? I hope the pair of you are feeling less sick by now.

My work has gone crazy - it seems like all my Lottery groups are submitting at the same time and finding time to sit down and their final reports is proving impossible. It takes at least 2.5 hours each one and I have 3 to do!! I also have 4 new groups in Leeds to try and get to visit in early March...aaaarrrgghhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!