A few weeks ago the girls were involved in a show at a new dance school they’ve joined. All the older three did something solo in it, though Fran also performed lots in group dances, at one point doing three consecutive solos to cover spaces by absentees and also led her little ballet troupe through […]
A walk.
It shouldn't seem like a big thing, because it isn't. Only it is, because the last 3 years I've really struggled to go out without another adult. It's a much bigger problem than I've wanted to admit and I've hidden it better than I might have because there is usually Max or a friend to […]
That moment.
When programmes celebrating the past decades come up on television, the things that make me ooh and aah are often the brand names on the shop shelves of bygone shops; products in packaging once so familiar, which reprise in more modern form in our cupboards now. Custard powder packets, golden syrup, soaps and cleaning products, […]
Night out. All of us. Nearly.
We went to a wedding tonight, the first time we’ve all been at a social event in longer than I can remember. It was nice. I like weddings and this was a lovely one. I’m hopeless at small talk and I hate dressing up but a baby solves both those problems and at least now […]
It just ain't penguin, son.
This is our first ‘proper’ holiday with a child in school, if by holiday you mean ‘getting your child back to actually spend time with rather than sending out all day, chivvying her through homework and evening activities and trying to make sure she washes her shirts’. I’ve loved having her about. In fact, so […]
Moondial Day
These are a few of my favourite things. We had a family day out to Belton House, home of the Moondial. We’ve got a lot of fond memories of being there, it’s one of our haunts (and was even one of mine, as I had a school trip there once when I was about 9), […]
Friday Blog Hop – Happy
These days, when I look in my girls eyes, I can see many things. I can see that they’ve been sad, terribly, terribly sad and that it will be with them forever. But I also see girls who know how to be happy; every day I see them take a deep breath, shake themselves and […]
The End of All Things
The one that starts with things endings and ends with things beginning and covers up an awful lot of wondering “how could you?” It has been a horrible week; I’ve cried harder this week than I have all year, mostly bout things I can’t write and partly because anything stressful turns into more tears about […]
Plans – do we carry on?
Over the last few days, Max and I have started to vocalise some of the feelings we currently have about being a home educating family from the perspective of where we find ourselves now. The conversations are hard, if I’m honest. I don’t think there is any doubt that right now, as a commitment, home […]
Still here, more or less
Last week we were away in Devon for a annual holiday with friends in a Youth Hostel. I’d like to say I had a great time, but I didn’t, it was just too hard, but the GIRLS had a LOVELY time and really, that’s nearly all that matters. It’s incredibly comforting to be in the […]
