Hiding

Had a lovely visit from a good friend this week and following some conversation I have decided to stop trying to hide this blog. After all it is not as if I do rant posts, or deeply personal posts, both of which a person may prefer not to go too public. I have gained much benefit from others sharing their blogs, so sharing is good. You never know what someone may take from these sleepy posts! This does not mean I'm suddenly going to put myself on a blog ring, just I'm going to tentatively be more blog sociable!

It has been a good, busy week, the kind that gets blurred out of memory. We worked quite hard at the beginning. Made posters of the names of the Prophets, in order. The picture doesn't look like much, but they took ages. We are not artists.

A few hours of cricket were squeezed between the showers. The girls room is now pink, with curtains that look like a little dress. I also passed my driving theory. That was the easy bit. Now I have to remember how to start the car. H cannot understand how I could forget. But I can, because I CAN'T SEE IT WRITTEN DOWN! If I want to remember something I visualise the page. Where is the driving page?

Everyone loves exploring

Spot the apples.

Spot the stream.

Lords and ladies.

Signs of the season to come, inshAllah.

Just because they are so pretty.

Apart from a lovely explore today, how can I account for the rest of my time? I did a little gardening, until it rained, I repaired the holes in the girl's walls, ready for painting, I read to U, I tried to deal with the contents of one box. Re the comment from the last post, I do usually try to deal with one small zone at a time, but right now different members of the household want different things done first. So that leaves me juggling.

This afternoon the girls and I got an unexpected invite to a sister's home, where we enjoyed a sociable few hours. Ia made a new friend.

I Need To Stop Wasting Time

I just can't seem to get enough done. I start the day with good intentions, for example this morning I trimmed the lavender and hung the flowers up to dry, then I completed clearing that flowerbed of weeds. The kids helped to deadhead some other flowers. But so much remains, the chaos is ridiculous. I intend for there to be an improved, visible difference by the end of the day. But usually its a worsened, visible difference.
Ia has been busy making things again. She did a lovely hama bead butterfly this morning, which of course I can't iron because I can't find the ironing paper. Then she began painting an eggbox, to make a bug when dry. Later she had her first go at sewing. I've been waiting for that!

Alhamdulillah, the flowers need no improvement at all. And the sun is out so we can read in the garden. Although the boys tend to read indoors, during meals, when I've just asked them to go get dressed etc. Reading, they know, is a way of avoiding doing something else. I'm not really going to insist they stop reading am I?

This was yesterday's "make". A nest, with birds. The birds live next to this nest (!). To avoid cluttering up its beauty? And there is a Topsy and Tim book. Never far away.

Can you see what I think is a tiny Scarlet Pimpernel near these dasies in the park? My camera is old, so image not sharp.

The boys have been learning about Venn diagrams again. This is so easy, they've done it so often. I'm in the last week of the summer term work now. So a few easy lessons to take us to the end of Year 3 work. Nearly finished the Year 4 English textbook too. I think I'll try some other English ideas before going to the year 5 book, (which I've yet to buy anyway). Time to turn away from the computer now and face all the things I have not done.

She was gone

But she came back – the next morning! So Ia is happy again, after a tearful night before, and I don’t have to feel guilty, alhamdulillah.
It was a good start to a generally good day. The boys got on with maths with minimal protest and although reluctant to start English they got into it well, as the topic was quite funny. They took their time over it, in a good way. R did some really neat handwriting, which is worth mentioning for its rarity. The neatness continued this evening when I got them to do some work on composting from the detailed leaflet which came with the composter.
Meanwhile Ia began the day with making a model nest and a couple of gluey pictures. U did some colouring and they both listened to an audio book.This afternoon we went to the library, where the shelves were almost bare. They all chose audio books again, as well as the normal ones, audio books being a thing they are into just now. They like to listen and drink hot chocolate.

Where has she gone?

Nala the cat has left. She has been gone for seven hours, which may be nothing for many cats, but for Nala, who does not really like to go out at all without us, it is ages. We were in the garden with her in the morning, then she vomited (she often does this), so when I went in I closed the patio door so that she would not come back in and vomit again inside. We were only in the room with the patio window, so she could see us if she stayed there, and I opened the door again after about 45 minutes. But at some point she left, and has not come back. I think that may be it

Cricket

The boys have enjoyed another cricket session out in the sunshine and breezes today. They had a county player as a guest coach. The girls and I passed the hours in the play area again. I took a note book and Ia did some drawings of some of the wildflowers that we saw. Then she drew the playground equipment too. Still not many players turning up. The coach blames the people of the local area for not caring.
Last week the boys played their first cricket match. H took them along and to his surprise found himself umpiring. The coach spent the whole of their batting innings in the changing room helping the boys put on the pads etc. It was a quick succession of costume changes, as the wickets rapidly fell. R had a turn at batting first. J was to come out next, but getting the protective gear on took time, so he was delayed getting out of the pavilion. When he finally managed to waddle onto the pitch, Michelin man style, the opposing team cried foul, complaining that the same player had been sent out for a second time. Twins. The boys team was utterly thrashed, by boys mostly twice their size. But the memories live on as legends.
We’ve started a compost bin, which is home to lots of slugs and woodlice now. Of course the boys have exploited this opportunity to terrify their little sisters by carrying them down the garden and threatening to put them in the composter with the slugs. We really don’t mean to disturb the evening calm of the neighbourhood with high pitched screams, especially as the other nearby family of girly shriekers appears to have gone on holiday.
Nala is still being intimidated by the neighbour’s cats. They come up close and wait there until she shrinks, cowering away.
I’ve also been decorating. The boys tastefully chose ivory coloured paint for their room, after pre-moving ideas about black, car wallpaper etc, they were surprisingly sensible. So one room looks fresh and neat, in contrast to everywhere else. It is better to go out in the garden. So I did.

Photos

Some garden treasures.

Ia's work.

Outline of a castle, with surrounding villages.

Family of bugs.

Two little men with large hats.

Obviously.