An Interesting Week

We've had lap top failure so I'm writing this on Sara's computer whilst ours is hopefully being fixed.

Our trip to the MOSI inspired some independent learning and Benedict followed the instructions to make a home made rocket from the blast lab book:

Despite Benedict following all the instructions correctly we had an issue with the bottle nozzle and the darn thing would not launch!!  I did tell him that I'm sure NASA have plenty of technical hitches too.  Dave is determined not to let the whole thing defeat either him or Benedict so they're hoping for a re-launch sometime soon.

I managed to sort and tidy my work room in the loft.  I cleared extraneous paper work and have filled two boxes of old tapes and videos for the charity shop.  I've shoved all our home ed stuff  up there too as both Benedict and I are heartily sick of the daily battles regarding desk work.  I'm hoping that some time away from the desk and instead contact with other families will renew our spirits and help us plan a realistic workable rhythm. 

 I also managed to finish some knitting for a blogging mum over on here:

Amongst Lovely Things

When I first began our home ed journey two years ago this kind hearted gal sent me a copy of Elizabeth Foss' book " Real Learning - Education in The Heart of The Home."  My knitting for her new babe was my way of saying an extra thank you for her original act of kindness.  Her parcel was sent last week and contained the following items:

Baby Boheme.

Baby Bonnet and Socks.

  Last Friday we finally met with a decent bunch of home edding mums.  We attended Forest School at Bolton Environment Resource Centre and apart from initially getting lost a great time was had by all.

Den Building with The Boys.

Hammock Fun.

A Short Journey Back To The Centre.

We had a fairly quiet weekend and Mother's Day which was nice although I'm sure in the past Mothering Sunday shared the feast of Laetare Sunday, which in fact would have been this weekend coming.

Monday was a little bit more adventurous.  Benedict succumbed to a nasty stomach bug, his pump went hay wire and he was producing massive ketones in his blood.  I rang the hospital twice and in a last ditch attempt to sort things I completely changed his insulin line and gave an emergency injection.  It was a very nervous two hour wait but thankfully his bloods came down and slowly the ketones were flushed out of his system.  It was only later in the evening that I fully realised the enormity of it all and experienced an attack of the shakes!

Pip has been with another minder this week as Debbie's youngest has been really with a week long gastric bug.  She's been to toddler group and had fun this morning at "The Tractor Place."

Benedict worked really hard with Shein yesterday completing several pages of Maths and English.  He had tea with her too and loved spending his time with Sam, another boy she also helps.  Both lads are Lego mad so many models were made during their time together. 

 Benedict was also very brave as we had to fit the continuous glucose monitor yesterday lunch and this involved shooting in a two inch needle on a forty five degree angle just under the skin.  Some folks use the stomach area but B is stick thin, so the top of the buttock is generally used in paediatrics.  Despite spraying the whole area with anaesthetic spray he still understandably yelped.

Today has been a garden and errand day.  I've managed to dry two loads of washing on the line and baked to cakes, some meringues and other goodies from the kitchen.  We've made contact with another home ed family forty minutes north of our home and have arranged to visit with then tomorrow.  We initially made contact with them over a year ago when we were attending a group in Cumbria.  Sadly the group meetings did not work out for us and so we lost touch.  It was through a recent posting I made on the Green Parent forum, where our contact was made, so thank God for cyber space I say!!  The mum is lovely and she has two kids, a boy near Benedict's age and a girl a little bit younger than Pip. 

Here's hoping for a sunshiney day tomorrow!

Monday at The MOSI

Today we visited this place:

Museum of Science and Industry 

Benedict was completely blown away by the vast array of steam powered engines and other related exhibits in the Power Hall.  It was such a joy to see him enthusing about the place, I lost count the number of times the word "WOW" was used!  Pip was a little bit more reserved in her estimation of the place declaring it all to be, "very interesting!"  We took our own food but still managed to stop twice in the museum cafe... Dave desperately needed a sit down and Benedict had three hypos during our three hour visit!!  Amazingly we also met with another home ed family local to us, telephone numbers were exchanged and I'm hoping to arrange a visit later this week.  Pics from the day are as follows:

First pit stop of the day.

 We were handed a swipe card upon entering the Great Western Warehouse which enabled us to take part in a rotating gallery of pictures of visitors to the museum:

 Benedict waving at the camera!

A Montage of Faces.

Pip pulling a funny face.

 Me feeling slightly self conscious!

 My Happy Chap.

Our next port of call was the Power Hall.  Benedict and Dave were in their element, I must admit even I was impressed!

A Water Wheel in Action.

Twirling, Whirling Bits and Bobs.

Engines new and ...

...  old.

We had lunch in the mezzanine above the Air and Space Hall.  I did have to explain to Benedict why swirling around in a flight simulator would not be such a good thing given the combined health of family members and the fact that, we'd just eaten lunch!!  He took the news with good grace, phew!

Re-fuelling!

View from outside the Air and Space Exhibition.

Our final stop for the day was back in the Great Western Hall.  Pip had been pestering to see this "big yellow thing" and it was only when she pointed on the leaflet we new exactly where she wanted to be... the hands on experience centre on the first floor.  We shared the space with lively year seven kids from a local high school but Benedict and Pip took it all in their stride:

 Playing with magnets.

 Learning about earthquakes and...

 ... the devastation they bring.

 Viscosity of Liquids.

 Optical Illusions.

 Our final tea stop for the day and treating hypo number three, sigh!

We adults thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and the kids...?

... I think these shots speak volumes, don't you?

A surprise Telephone Call

I had a lovely chat with my blogging friend over on here:

The Barefoot Crofter 

Jacqui was very surprised to hear my voice at the end of the line!  Considering she really is way up North there was no crackling and the conversation was very clear... the wonders of technology and broadband cables!

Sara our youngest of the oldest brood is hoping to make a journey to the croft before too long and if you're nosy and want to see just where she'll be then hop over to Jacqui's and admire the view!

We are still on a learn as you go home school curriculum at the moment.  Benedict's blood sugars went crazy in the night and I was one tired mama again, struggling to keep awake!  They were also totally crazy first thing and when he's running high like that, I have to admit defeat and abandon any check lists!  Contrary to the planned learning he helped Dave plant asparagus and rhubarb crowns, put the seed potatoes in the workshop for chitting, re-designed his star wars space ship for the umpteenth time and chatted to the hairdresser Sam about the said model.

We had turkey and veg coconut and lime curry for tea courtesy of Lloyd Grossman!  Accompanied with rice and poppadoms.  He has just finished watching the last episode of Maps: Power, Plunder and Possession and we are now about to embark on the wooden hill to bed! 

Not Entirely Idle

I've been quiet in this blogging space and that has been good.  It's nice to walk away from the computer now and then and be quiet and still.  My evenings might be fairly peaceful at the moment but our days have been busy with tidying and sorting, errands, appointments and helping a friend in need when the good Lord gives us a nudge to do so!  So without further ado here is our view of this past week:

 The Lent Path was finally finished.

We had a trench dug in the lawn and filled with soak away membrane and gravel for drainage.

Those poor guys worked tirelessly in the rain and we kept them fortified with hot tea.

Ready to re-lay the turf.

Job Finished.

Pip trying out the exercise bike!  It's a great way of improving one's fitness and I've already improved my fitness level in just under a week.

We've played card games in the evening just before story time and bed.

Springtime Colour.

Space Man Benedict.

An almost finished lap book.

Benedict needs to finish his pilot bio underneath his picture.

The back pocket is full of pictures.

Finally blocked a shawl which will be a birthday gift to a friend.

Our first teatime treat under the moon.

Pip kept looking for the man in the moon.

A visit from Nanna and Grandad H.

Train spotting with Daddy.

A train ride with Daddy and a ...

... a stop in the refreshment rooms before donning a drivers cap...

... and taking control of the track!

It's hard to believe that another week is whizzing by.  We are still a bit slow in the home school department but I am ever hopeful we'll turn things around over the next few days.