Prettifying, Playing, Protecting

Prettifying

We've been set back by an outbreak of lurgy round here but I'm still plodding on, aspiring to be a Total Mom.  I've blitzed the linen cupboard and got rid of all not so pretty bedding.  I actually found a sheet  in there which was a wedding present and since we celebrated our sixteenth (or was it seventeenth?) wedding anniversary this week, that's quite some going.

I bought some new linens and  have even made an air freshener from an old marmalade jar filled with bicarb, rose oil and lavender.

My linens are pretty and fresh for once - and the dogs at the local shelter will hopefully be enjoying my donation of elderly bedding and towels.

Blackberries, glistening.  One of my favorite autumn foods.

Having spent what felt like a small fortune on bed linen I was pleased to pick up these boots with real leather uppers in a charity shop for £7.  They're brand new, not worn.

Playing

We went to check out a new play area at the weekend and were very impressed.  It offered so much more than 'just' a play area.

Sheesh, to think I used to worry that this child had sensory issues with dirt.

Protecting

Last night I was awoken by the very loud thumping and screaming of a bunny, followed by distressed quacks from the young ducks.  We were having our first ever fox raid.  Blimey, it was a whopper!   I couldn't believe the size of it.  Thankfully we got out in time and there were no casualties; I don't want to begin to think how distressing it would have been if we had lost any of our beasties.

Everyone is safely tucked up in their houses tonight.  The bunny who was particularly vulnerable in a house that could easily be dug into, is safe in our house.  Bless him, I went to look in on him earlier and he thumped at my approach he was so on edge.  The birds have laid very few eggs today also, they obviously know something is up.

I'm worried and am anxious to get the new metal housing which we recently bought for the ducks up as soon as possible.  Also thinking about ordering some pelleted lion poo which you can buy in the form a product called Silent Roar.  I never would have thought till today that such a product existed.

I've asked Craig to be sure to go out and have a widdle round the coops before he turns in for the night. Male urine is supposed to be a good deterrent.  Sadly I doubt he will, he's just too 'proper' in that respect.  I've been out and made my offering but I'm not sure it will work so well.  Hmmm, perhaps I should go and suggest he decant...

Also hopeful that Craig will be able to collect some hair from a barber friend tomorrow.  If so I'm going to put it in nylon tights and hang it round the coops to mark more human scent.

Oh deary me.  Here's hoping Mr Fox doesn't come back in a hurry. 

Up the Patch

 Sometimes, when it all become a bit of a challenge, I love to get back to basics - chooks, ducks, reading stories and baking cakes.  Here are some pictures I took at the weekend, before our area was hit by flooding.

This is Ping, one of the June hatchlings.  He's one of my favorites, not least because he's so strange looking.   Please, if anyone feels able to identify a dominant breed in him, I'd love to know. I think his coluring and particularly his white collar (which you can't see very clearly on the pictures) is very Saxony.

The fluffy bootie of David Peckham.

As suspected a very poor elderberry crop this year.  The blossoms were dashed by wind and rain.

Masses of ash keys though!

Arrrghhhh RED MITE!  I feel quite ashamed to be flashing my mites in this way, but in order to help friends who are new to hen keeping to identify them - here they are.  Now you see 'em....

...now you don't.  A blow torch is certainly the way to go, but don't rush in all gung ho as I did on this occasion.   Remove every last scrap of saw dust before blow torching a wooden hutch.  It's okay, there was water at hand and it was soon under control.

He loves nothing better than to snuggle in, trying to get his beak in your clothes or hair.

The Muscovies, watching over the babies.

I think this is a rowan tree.  I should know - I planted it!  Reminds me of a story about a rowan bush in one of my steinery books.  Off to look.

Oh Deary Me! Structured Play Efforts Thwarted

Following a very productive 'Family Goal Planning Day' yesterday, I have been brimming with ideas today.

One thing I've decided to change around here is to alter my expectations of the children being able to do either the same work, or both do their own work, at the same time.  I now accept that one mama, cannot give two children, her undivided attention at one time.  I probably should have figured that one a few years back.  So, the plan now is that sometimes there will be an in betweeny scenario when Hermione will work independently while I have Structured Play Time with Miles.

You're possibly wondering why it's taken me so long to come up with such an idea;  I'm wondering that myself now.  I've spent too long with unrealistic ideals I think.  I now accept that independent work and structured play will benefit both and possibly leave me less frazzled and torn.

Anyway, having sorted a new timetabled system of 'work' earlier today, (that's a new thing for us too - more on that another day), I decided to top the day off with a bit of Structured Play Time planning.  I had an idea that I would find a suitable Youtube demonstration of how to make a spaceship, which Miles and I would watch then follow.   Below is the clip I found.  Took me a while to figure out what was so odd, but I got there in the end.



I may give in and just go to bed now, tucked up with Total Mom Makeover - a self help book written by a home educating mother of seven.  It's different to many books I've read in than vein, it seems a bit more applicable to my life - although I am slightly alarmed by the pony tail challenge and the section on pubic hair styles.  I found the 'bushy' bit to be a curve ball in a midst the meal planning etc.

Autumn

Yellow the bracken, golden the sheaves.

Rosy the apples, crimson the leaves.

Mist on the hillside, clouds gray and white.

Autumn good morning and summer good night!

Yay, it's autumn!  I love autumn, but then I love every season and tend to believe that each season is my favourite as the wheel of the year gently turns.

Time to dust off our copy of Celebrating The Harvest before heading off to bed with Rhythm of the Home, a wonderful free online magazine.

Oh, also, note to self be prepared for the changing leaves question this year.

Leaving the village

 I guess the fact that a mosque and what I presume to be Burger King's headquarters, posed as photo opportunities, is a very strong indication that I need to leave my village more often!

Legoland - Part 2 (The Hotel)

Here are some pictures, in no particular order, of the Legoland Hotel in Windsor.

We stayed in a Premier Pirate Themed Room.

All in all we loved the hotel.  It was a very special place for children - from the decoration, to the wandering characters, table covers to colour with pictures of Lego things, Lego chips and much more.  The food in the main hotel restaurant is buffet style and offered a good selection.  We're quite partial to Premier Inn buffet breakfasts and consider them to be a treat, but Legoland breakfasts knocked spots off those!  To be honest I think I'm still suffering the after effects of one too many warm Belgian waffles with thick chocolate sauce!

The hotel has a small swimming pool and a splash pool attached.  The pool area is very small but that didn't pose much of a problem when we were there - it was adequate for the number of guests who chose to use it.      There are lots of squirting things in the splash pool, a small slide and even a squirting see saw.  My only gripe, was that there were only eight changing rooms.  Yes, only eight!  We only had to wait a moment but I suspect that there will be times when this creates absolute mayhem.

This was the indoor play area.  It wasn't hugely interactive; I think they could have created something with more play value, however, it did look magical to the children.

When we arrived at our room there was a treasure trail for the children.  They answered the questions with clues from the room and that gave them the code for a safe.  They opened the safe and found two small Lego kits.  Cool.

This was the adult bed.

The walls and even carpets were themed throughout.  Miles spent what felt like forever interpreting stories from the carpets and wall coverings.

Acceptable room drinks tray.

Magnificent bathroom.

View from our room.

Even the dressing table had a nautical twist.

The children's bunks.

Yikes - a (Lego) spider on the bathroom ceiling!

Television stand in children's room.

Huge Lego ice cream sundae in the restaurant.

One of the many guests who called by at dinner.  Miles loved the characters and hugged each one of them.

Spaghetti chef.

 Door leading from hotel to park.

When the children jumped on this area of carpet there were loud farty noises followed by 'you stinky plink!' in a very strange accent.

Main entrance to the hotel.

The dragon breathed smoke.

Last but not least Lego chips!