Rockpool ramble

We went on a guided rockpool ramble with friends this afternoon. The ramble was organised by these people and when we arrived we found that we knew the leading ranger from home ed trips to one of our local nature reserves.





Despite bracing winds and the fact that Hermione managed to slip on a rock and land in a pool quite early in the ramble, a good time was still had by all!



I know that the coast is there for us to explore whenever we want but it's nice to do it with an expert on hand ready to answer all of those questions which I would really struggle with. The ranger recommended this book as one of the best identification aids.



After the ramble we sewed felt fishes and Hermione had her face painted. We all had good fun which I'm really pleased about as there doesn't seem to have been as much laughter as I would like round here this week.

Potty Train

Well, I'm still tearing my hair out. Clumps not strands today.

Spent the morning trying to get the Potty Song out of my head. Certainly not a good one to be overheard singing in the checkout at Tescos. For those who've not heard the Potty Song you can check it out here. 'When you go you gotta get low....



Spent the afternoon driving twenty five miles through hideous bank holiday traffic, stuck behind every caravan on the road in order to get to the dentist. Hermione and I were booked in for a check up. Miles was going to have his first dental experience too which would most likely be a ride up and down on the chair with mouth firmly closed. Arrived to be told I had come at the wrong time and should have been there an hour and a half ago *arrrghhhhhh*. Turned around and drove twenty five miles home in even worse traffic.

Topped the day off with another evening of IT irritations. Wandering the streets with tray and/or sandwich board looking like an ever more attractive option in my business plan.

Roll on tomorrow!

Tearing my hair out here

Has anyone here set up an online shop? Goodness, I'm tearing my hair out here! It took me a few months before I figured out how to put a link in my blog. Whether I will ever manage this shop malarkey is yet to be seen. I may end up just having to wander round the village with a tray, touting my wares.

So pleased I opted for chardonnay not hawthorn blossom tea tonight *grin*

Feeling tempted...

I've been reading about wine making over at Sallygardens. It sounds quite straight forward and I'm tempted, but in all honesty probably shouldn't take on anything else until I've been on the bee keeping course and fully explored that avenue.

Both of the children are not firing on all cylinders right now. Bunged up and bogged down with summer sniffles. We're taking things easy, pottering and chilling. Still doing bits and pieces on the education front. Hermione read half of Harold and the Purple Crayon to me tonight. It's a good book for early readers. Not too many words per page but doesn't have the 'reading book' feel. She is doing ever so well with her reading now. I know I keep labouring this point but I was starting to worry it may never happen.



We picked our first plain lettuce from the garden tonight.



Delicious. Much more tasty than the veggie lasagna we (attempted) to eat with it. I've never been good at making lasagna, but the upside was that everyone tucked into their salad!

Todays pickings

We seem to be picking things from the garden much sooner this year than last. We picked spring cabbage, spinach, rocket and radishes today.



This is the first time we have grown rocket. I'm surprised at how easy it is. You sew it directly into the ground where you want it to grow, no transplanting or thinning out to worry about. It's a 'cut and come again' crop too although I don't know as yet how long it will keep coming.

I'm so excited!

I've just bought this tent. It's eight berth, 22 feet long and has over 6ft headroom. One of the sleeping compartments can be opened up to make a dining area. Space for all of the family, including Nana who has expressed interest in camping too, but only if she doesn't have to crawl in, (hence buying this particular tent with headroom).

Guess I'd best go and tell Craig, the reluctant camper. Wish me luck!

Camping

A couple of weeks ago I managed to persuade Craig to go camping. He was far from keen and we have no equipment. I decided to post on our local home ed list to ask if anyone could let us borrow their camping stuff. Within a few days we were equipped with tent, roll mats, airbeds, sleeping bags and the offer of company!

Yesterday we packed up and set off for Woodhouse Farm camp site in Yorkshire. It was a really pleasant location with what I thought to be good facilities. I didn't make it as far as the pub and restaurant but the men folk seemed to enjoy it when they had a jaunt up.

This was one of the views from our tent.



The children settled really well considering it was their first time camping, leaving lots of time for us to sit outside the tent chatting till it grew pitch black.



I woke this morning feeling rather stiff. We were in a four man tent but I can only think that means four exceptionally slim men who know each other very well. As two adults and two young children we felt quite cramped. Thankfully my aches and pains were soon forgotten as I was lured out of the tent by the smell of veggie sausages sizzling in the pan. They smelled that good that I even forgot that it was the wrong side of 7.00am!

We later packed up and headed off to Newby Hall. I thought the admission price was quite steep but we did have a great time - and certainly didn't see everything that is there.

We played in the big adventure play areas, sandpit and interactive water feature.



We went on the train ride round the gardens and on the pedal boats.



Hermione managed to drag Craig onto the shuggy boats but thankfully for him it wasn't long after that she was befriended by a pleasant young boy her own age and they were inseparable for the following couple of hours. He was a much more willing shuggy boat buddy.



We crossed the suspension bridge rather nervously, watched a mother duck and her ducklings and wandered through a couple of the formal gardens.



By late afternoon we were getting tired and all headed for home. The unpacking can wait till tomorrow *grin*.