She has also been reading and telling jokes tonight.. So a real leap of progress day for Asha. Whilst some people may think 8 is late for telling the time, i was 14 before i could make sense of a clock face so 8 is a wonderful age for it to all make sense.. As for the reading of the joke book… Its brilliant, reading is about enjoyment and what better research and fun is there than the beano and a good old animal joke book..

And off course in joke land, there is enough repeat words, to make sure that sounds such as kn, in knock knock, and ow as in owl, are now being read with out the need to sound them out.

Not sure what else she has been up to today, i know she had her mandarin lesson at 1, and helped do some tidying up this morning, thursdays tend to be slower days..

She is fascinated. She is enjoying the stories, asking loads of questions and loves the illustrations.

Asha has informed me today that she wishes to learn mandarin because she wants to go out to china, when she is older. This explains her interest and fascination with the country. I hope she gets there. I am not sure if she has had a mandarin lesson today, but she and i did sit and do some sign language, and i wrote the vowels on her fingers, so she can practice her alphabet a bit more..

She has also watched another dr who. Steve always sits and talks to her about the episodes after she watches them, so i find that really constructive. Tonight asha told me she loved me all the way to jupiter and back..

I’ve also been pulling on one of my carers the last two nights about drop scones (also known as welsh cakes) as the shop bought ones tend to have preservatives in them..and i really struggle for supper ideas, i can chew.. Its been funny.

Steve has done some tidying up and has sat and watched tv and knitted, un interrupted, i am sure the head space will have done him a lot of good, he has also tidied up, a bit.

I have my normal carer back here, after her lazy weeks holiday. I am so pleased she has stopped for a few days. Her having a bit of a quiet time at work, wont harm her. She has been ran ragged for a while now. She is bringing a new carer with her monday morning… Well new to me… I so don’t like getting new carers, but it has to happen. After a tough week on the sickness front, i’m feeling a lot brighter today, have managed to eat all three meals, and some fruit.

I really need to get steve onto apple about a screen cover for my ipad, so its even less glared.. Must remind him, as it really does hurt my eyes soo much still… I have it as dark as we can get it in the settings.

So why has today been so hectic? Well i finally fell asleep at gone half 6 this morning, having had massive sickness and body temp fluctuations in the night. My carer came and changed me this morning, and my prescription is still in the back of the pharmacy van, which has broken down.. This is essential medication! After over 12 months of asking, were finally getting medical waste bags, which means, our wheelie bin wont be full of my continence pads any more, yes i am double y incontinent due to ME . My gp took away with him a copy of ‘ voices from the shadows’ on tuesday, its an excellent video on the true impact of severe ME on human life. We got a phone call to say friends are coming to visit. I can normally only manage a short visit, and when people live so far away..its hard to ask them to visit. It really does me good when they come though, and asha loves the company.

Asha has had a tough two years, but she has coped very well, thanks to having a brilliant father, us having a few very good friends, and a home edd group who have constantly offered her support and a safe place to play. She is involved with the young carers now, and on saturday, is looking forwards to a trip to the zoo. On tuesday she starts her manderin lessons. And this friday is off to visit some friends with steve. She has played at home for a lot of the last two years, but she is happy, and although at times, weve considered school or flexi school for her, she has flatly refused such ideas.

She has recently been delving through beanos, and harry potter videos, like a child possed, luckily for us, a large second hand dealer, has kept up our trade relationship, and weve managed to get hold of old beanos at a reasonable price to satisfy her hunger! She also went through a massive myths buster obsession and was fascinated by the victorian era for a while.

The thing which Asha seemed to learn from it, was that if you put the books , or posts nearer each other, then the amount of weight which could be held, was more.

Yesterday we played with friends at one of the home edd groups, and climbed trees..and swung on rubber tyres (as you do)

Photo of Asha, taken by A. Munro, with thanks..

We have also spent time just playing and being quiet, listening to audio books, and chilling out.. Loads of visiting of friends and just well you know.. being busy!

I have a couple of books about Canals which i shall read to her this week.

She also enjoyed seeing the cows in the fields close up, and the ducks in the weir.. it was lovely, and a pity we didnt have more time at the aqueduct to just sit.. but there is always a next time!

Feeling the drive there and back, was a bit much (we would have had to have left before 8 am to arrive there on time) One of the lovely home education families kindly invited us to stay.. It was amazingly kind of them, and we really do appreciate there generosity, and kindness.

Asha has also thrived on three days of socialisation, which means she really is ready for a few days at home again….