Back to "School" - Not yet!

We intended this year, to have the months of June and July as our Summer Holidays, mainly because we tend to stay cocooned in our house during  the very busy and manic month of August, and also because the last few years the weather has been awful during this month.

However, the weather in June and July has not been that great, so plans of beach trips, river walks and lots of time out in the garden went astray.

Added to that our house will be going on the market this week, and we have spent the last few weeks painting and decorating.

So basically we haven't started back yet, and we are hoping to do the above summery things this month.  Which is typical as I am well prepared, well kind of.

With Maths and English being high on the agenda this year, I was very pleased when my friend Annie gave me four whacking great folders for both of these subjects.  Annie home educated her granddaughter, who is went to Bicton College where they follow the Skills for Life Qualification.  Although it is aimed at 14-16 year olds, and also adults who want to re-take their Maths and English, most of the work can be done (I think???) by my oldest two. 

So in my new filing cabinet (well old, was on the way to the tip and I rescued it from my parents) is a drawer full of English, Maths and a couple of Geography and History workbooks I got in the sale from Smiths a few months ago.

Raring to go, but not just yet.

Hope you are all enjoying the summer
Lou x

Monday 1st August

Happy Birthday D - 11 Today

Forgot to mention.....

That we also went to Padstow, and visited the National Lobster Hatchery

Also should mention that they do the best flavour for ice cream in Padstow - Orange and Mascaparone.

Lou x

Two week round up

Or is it three - lost track of time.

Well. we have been on holiday, the weather wasn't great to start with, but we still all had a great time.

We arrived early Monday afternoon, unpacked and then headed straight for the pool.  This is the first time that James has been swimming since he was diagnosed with Epilepsy.  I have to say I was petrified.  But  the joy on his face made up for that

On Tuesday it rained ALL day.  We went into Bodmin and caught the steam train - the kids loved this as it was very Harry Potter

We also braved the weather and went into Bodmin town centre and had a look around the museum.

Then back to Michaelstowe again for another session in the pool.

On Wednesday we went for a quick stroll on the beach in Polzeath

Weather had improved slightly, bit cold and windy, but no rain.

In the afternoon we stayed on site, played rugby, tennis, frisbee, crazy golf, went swimming and managed to go to the park as the equipment had finally dried off.

On Thursday - sunshine, hurray, not quite warm enough for the beach though so we decided to go to The Hidden Valley, which is a bit like The Crystal Maze and a Treasure Hunt.


You get a special treasure map, then you have to get the codes and look for artefact's in various "huts" including finding codes from locked safes, and ringing the code through for another clue in an old red telephone box - which was quite funny as my children wondered what on earth "pips" were.
Eventually you find the crystal, and you have to do the final challenge in the vault.

Also there was a secret garden and maze, mini steam train, which Danny fell off, miniature railway, squirting fountain and a hobbit trail.

(I think that if they had this at our HE Group, a few members would have liked to see me in it)

Mike went and paid a little extra for us to stay en extra day - forecast was looking good.

Friday - sunny, off to the beach.

Then back to the site for some more swimming, bike rides, park and sunbathing

Then back to Devon to enjoy the Heat Wave.

Lou x