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Archive for July, 2008

Clogs… Those wooden shoes…nope they are sabot’s. clogs are wooden sole below an leather upper.

The word clog? Oh its a noun and a verb.. good hey. It seems to have started life in the middle english times.  (1150 -1450)

In cumberland dialect, a clog is any block of wood.

Interested? there are two books I can think off on the subject. Clattering Clogs, and Concerning Clogs, both by Bob Dobson… and both out of print!

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I wandered into the barn, to find my husband playing with the older boys, and some of the younger children with balloons, and playing some kind of lord and lady Piles game – Is this what home edd is about?

photograph of hospital for piles

The kids were in fits of laughter, though I am not sure most of them knew what piles were / are. And one little boy, smartly had the guts to ask my steve what they were. Steve told him.. wondering if this was the right approach, and his mum was pleased he had told him.. Its so hard to know what to do isnt it!

However all the kids were happy, laughing and playing. And Asha.. well she was as well :d

After the mornings lesson.. hu humm,, in human biology and balloon pumping / sculpturing. We had a warm lunch, and did paper mache plates in the afternoon. I am not sure whether or not, you can get them off the plates though. As we forgot to gress them, oh well, learning curve!

At night Asha fell asleep fairly fast after one of her stories, and loads of the food she has eaten today. Its scarey!

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With its hilly position its never been the most accessible town in wales, but the new works have put it on a totally different level!

The gaps in the paveingstones, may be o.k. for those who use a traditional walking stick, but those of us who find useing a walking pole easier, they are a nightmare.

And I will not be going there again in my wheelchair. I now have very bad back ache! – Goodness knows how anyone with a spinal injury copes!

As for parking, I got one of the two disabled bays, both of them at the bottom of a hill…

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With a mug of coffee in one hand, and someone to enterain the little one.

Oh How I wish it would always be this easy.. It isnt even too windy, and rain, isnt happening.. yet.

After a late night and loads of playing, Asha even slept quite well, though her bed keeps going down, and she got cramp in the night..

The children just play play played today, and what a day they had.. Its great to watch

Imaginary Play or drinking the goodies

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wiltshire/7506689.stm

Yes, sure if you see a speed camera you slow down, but does it make you actually keep slow?

My honest experience is NO.. Far better are those flashing display screens which tell you how fast your going..Or better still, reasonable speeds on main roads, and safer cars!

I do feel that the abuse of cameras in this country has got out of proportion, there is a time and a place, and “arrive alive” vans are probably far more effective!

vicki xx

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Yah its our first ever home edd camp.

Its on Anglesey, and I am sure its going to be LOADS of fun..

Job done, car packed.. Ouch oww its off to camp we go…

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Is fair of face..

Well yesterday Asha was a little Angel for most of the day. We had arranged to meet granny, grandad and meg and andrew and Bruce in Llanfairfechan..

Well after playing on the swings, feeding the ducks, and enjoying the open space we went and played on the beach. Well actually Asha and Meg played on the beach, Steve and I collapsed in a heap :d

Oh the joys!

It was great catching up with bruce again though!

Vicki xx

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Woke mummy up at around 3 am, she ended up in my bed.

We kind of slept.. At 7 am, mummy got in her own bed, and I opted for getting daddy up.

Daddy and I played, and then I went to see the baby next door but one, and was given a beautifull dress.

After a while, Mummy called me home for lunch, and then shortly after a friend came to play. T and I played really well and had a fantastic time!.

When he went home I watched a percy the park keeper video with my mummy, and we read some more, before bed.

We had a scrummy tea, with tiffin and carrot cake for pudding, no wonder i wasnt hungry at bedtime!

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Well yesterday we went to the Welsh Mountain Zoo with my friends, and we all got wet, and mummy remeembered why she wore waterproof trousers when using her wheelchair.

Daddy got very tired pushing mummy around, and I had to walk, although I did get odd cuddle from mummy, and some of the other Mums did pick me up to show me the sights of the Zoo. It was brilliant.

We got home late, but Daddy made me a scrummy dinner.

Today I have been playing with a little baby, who is less than 11 months old, and his little brother, who isnt even two weeks old yet. They are SO cute!

After a very long play, and a video, I then played at home for a while. Mummy decided that I could go and play with the other neighbours, but I soon came back.

After another yummy meal from Daddy, he made vege burgers and we had roast chicken, followed by fruit salad and yoghurt (soya) with honey.. Yummy! I had a long bath and Mummy read to me.

The Medici childrens book “Good night time, by Molly Brett”

The lovely thing about this particular book (apart from the illustrations) and the short stories, is that My great Grandma used to read it to mummy

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Mum’s police check for school run
Jayne Jones and son Alex
Alex Jones takes 32 drugs each day for his epilepsy (Photo: Merthyr Express)

A mother has been told she cannot travel to school with her severely epileptic son because she has not been police checked.

Jayne Jones, of Aberfan near Merthyr Tydfil, used to travel with her son Alex, 14, in the council-provided taxi when she feared he may have a fit.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east/7500376.stm

I wonder how many other of its paid and contracted staff’s crb checks are not in date!

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I went to bed, woke up and I have this brand new flashy web site…

O.k. not quite but well, I think it loads in faster..

Comments please!

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Not really had a good day today. Asha has had terror head all since 7 am this morning, refusing to eat breakfast, wasnt a good start for steve.

She then helped herself to sweets, which added to the chaos.. she really cant do those evil things.

She settled down a bit once i managed to convince her to eat some peanut butter on bread, but even that took serious amounts of effort.

I was exhausted as was steve so Asha ended up infront of the T.V and a new Dvd she got for her Birthday.. Barbie – ARGH” but it has kept her quiet!

She read some of “BUT MARTIN” but I read most of it, and she did at least fall asleep after a rather noisy bath.. Calling me even though Daddy was with her.. Today has just been one of those days!

Todays education? Some reading, some playing, some painting, some baking, (banana and walnut cakes) some tv, some lovely rhymes in the bath, and a bit of welsh. Add in there playing with neighbours, and on trampoline, etc…

Oh and tonights story from me was a bit different as well :

My Grandfather is a Magician. by Ifeoma Anyefulyu lovely illustrations, and great introduction to an african village.. oh as a side line, when we were in pwhelli yesterday, we passed a bulding called Kampala, we always end up discussing the capital of Uganda, East Africa and the nile.

As for how much today I have no idea. but we started at 7 am and she fell asleep at 9pm :d

Vicki xx

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Today, we were sitting sewing sewing cards in bed this morning. It was lovely.
This afternoon we sat in a cafe, and did reading and sticker book together, which was really good. Words such as Mountain, Lake and Flag rolled off her lips! And to cap it all off, we then got one of the waitresses to do some welsh with us, and Asha thanked her in welsh..

After our fantastic time in the cafe, Asha was praised further in Tescos, for being a great sociable little girl. who is obviously trying to speak welsh.
This evening we sat and watched Kipper together that was lovely.
To night, we sat and did some welsh, and that was fun.
Bedtime. Asha was a devil.. but I think she has fallen asleep reading.. Now thats is great!

Vicki xx

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In snowdonia.

Well today we were in Bangor and decided to nip up to the play ground next to LLyn Padarn, and Asha enjoyed – was fascinated by a cyngnet.. why do we never have our cameras on such occasions!

She also spent a long time watching a couple sailing a remote control sailing boat. It was fascinating.

After a healthy run around on the excellent climbing frames and enjoying playing in the rain, when everyone else was hideing under the climbing frame :d I sat in the shelter off a tree and Steve played with her.

Tonight the swing has had a much needed re-paint and may be just may be Steve will get around to doing the dishes…

Asha now wants an ice cream cone with a banana in it… kids :d

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DWP are thinking of making all single parents go to work when there children are still in nappies, even those who are home educated.

The OU has caused uproar because of dragon and exams.

Two sisters played together in wimbledon.

We are in a massive recession, where 1000′s of people cant afford to heat there homes, or buy food.

The richer are getting richer.

the poorer are getting poorer.

We live in wales!

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Asha has been catching frogs and generally pond dipping today.

She was mesmerised by the tiny frogs and really did want to catch one, but wasnt too keen on falling in the pond.

We also looked at trains, dolls and gardens. A quick sneak around a victorian kitchen… Can you guess where we met Granny?

We also got a copy of astrid Lindgren – Pippi Longstocking… now illustrated by Laruen childs.. Asha has loved it soo far,

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After a few year of consideration I have finally decided to start acting as a “stall holder” as they are a great publisher and I love there illustrations and subjects.

I hope you enjoy them as much as Asha and I do!
Go on, have a look.

Vicki xx

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Its back to full speed.

For a few weeks we have been playing outside, doing things like learning to skate, on roller blades, learning how to ride our push bikes really fast, and not get our legs jammed in the pedals, and how to play all sorts of games outdoors.

To some extent this has created a natural diverstion from reading, writing or any “formal” educational which one would get inschool. However this unformal education has included trips shopping, onto beaches and shows. Its also included numerous trips to friends to play with other children and learning from them.

Asha can now skate, unaided. Confidently rides her bike, and is a happy child. she also enjoyed having a tonne of people round for her birthday, and enough cake to swamp murcheson falls. I must check the spelling on that one.

Anyway, for a while now Asha has wanted to learn to read, we have done it is stops and starts and today we did some work on the letters using Edgard Lears ABC. Asha at least recognises all her letters and is able to read / recognise clusters of letters such as tt, ly, sy, nny, ky and lly.

I feel this has to be a healthy start to reading. I will play with these clusters with her over the next few days, and carry on from this.

She has also spent some time useing sewing cards, but I think I need to sit down with her tomorrow and do them with her, after we have been to meet Granny for the day.

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Yes, you know one of those things which have hot water in and you can cook eggs in?

Well after years, and years of wanting one. Steve bought me one last week. Brand is Horwood, and it cooks 4 at a time. The result? Poached eggs.

We got it from Saks in Bangor. On the whole they sell a good selection, however I was disapointed that they dont do double boilers.. Oh well, they do do some really interesting stuff!

Wonderful!

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I took many photographs of Asha when she was quite tiny which I love.

This is one of those photographs.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I still do.

The phone is from a excellent toy shop online called Myriad Toys.

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