Sunset
Originally uploaded by Paul Freeman.
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New House Set on Flickr
Originally uploaded by Paul Freeman.
We finally made it and got our new house – not moved in yet but have got the keys. Here are some photos from the house.
We visited the Linlithgow Union Canal Society who run "Victoria" a replica of a 19th century steam packet. Victoria has been running since 1978 shortly after the Union Canal was reopened.
We took a short canal trip up and down around Linlithgow. When the kids are older, we’ll go for the 2 hour trip which should be really interesting.
Originally uploaded by Paul Freeman.
Day 3 / 365
Originally uploaded by Paul Freeman.
… a letter from Reading ?
In a plan that has fermented from Easter last year, we are uprooting our family and heading out of the country. Not too far (like one friend we have who emigrated to New Zealand and make us rather jealous) but only to the next country up, Scotland.
For reasons many and plenty, although anyone suggesting it is for sporting purposes is very much mistaken, we had an idea, formed a plan, sorted out the house, located a general area to move to (West Lothian, near Edinburgh) and put our house on the market.
Of course, this is possibly the worst time to be trying to sell a house and nothing much is happening. Still we have a Plan B and we aren’t worried about it.
It’s a bold move, but click on the image below to see some photos from a recent trip to the area.
Here is the Mock exam result from last summer.
The real test is in November
We’re at my cousins wedding tomorrow. Here is a route plan from Google of the mad route we’ll have to take through old London town. Of interest only to myself and my parents probably.
Gabby was back to her normal self on Friday, as if nothing had happened. Then the evening came and her temperature came back. She has been up and down ever since. The other two children are getting “end of term” syndrome and need the break I think. Petty arguments and fights break the peace on occasion.
Is it possible to get a curry hangover? We had a takeaway Friday night, a lovely Malaysian curry with just a single bottle of beer. Next morning, I felt like I’d had 5 bottles of beer. Mind you, I felt equally bad Monday morning as well, so maybe it is a bug.
We were going to go to Legoland on Saturday but a “fun day” put us off. It would have been packed and one of the “attractions” was Barney. I’d have gone if I been allowed to take Hiro’s sword and sort him out once and for all. Barney is not a Hero. Plenty more days this summer to go. We nearly went Sunday but the weather wasn’t very good. Instead we went on a bike ride after Jeannie had her Mock RAD exam. She did well and passed to go to the real exam in November. Again, I think Gina was more nervous than Jeannie. But, apparently she really knew her stuff on this one.
On the bike ride (well Ryan went on his scooter and Gabby was in the pushchair and I was pushing her and Gina walked so really Jeannie went on the bike ride on her own!) Ryan managed to find the nettles and sting himself again. If he had a hero power it would be the ability to find nettles when no one else can.
Gabby has come down with a temperature. When she woke last night at about midnight, we realised it was the first time she had woken up in the night since she had moved into her bedroom (and Gina had stopped breastfeeding). You forget sometimes when your children are doing well. It got me thinking. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had to put Ryan on the naughty step. Yes, we are stereotypical middle class parents that use the naughty step. At least we don’t just shout at our children and then let them wander the street like our next door neighbours.
Jeannie got the results of her ballet lesson today. She got a commendation which means she’d done really well, but didn’t get the top mark, Special Commendation. Whilst we’re generally happy about that, one girl did get a special commendation and I saw that girl and she was just rubbish. Oops, middle class parent alert again!
p.s. special sports day edition coming at the weekend.
On Sunday, Jeannie performed in her latest ballet medal test on Sunday. She was doing a traditional Swiss dance. Whilst she had been practicing each week, she didn’t seem as confident as in her previous medal tests and the mock dance was her least impressive one yet. However, I’m happy to say she did really, really well. She was full of confidence, smiling and didn’t put a foot wrong. Of the dances I saw, she was the best, but then again I did have to wait outside for a while with Gabby (who shouted “Jeannie” just as she came on, but was otherwise very well behaved).
On Wednesday, Jeannie lost her 2nd tooth and we can see the big teeth coming up behind now. We tried to make fun of her speaking funny, but she seemed to speak normally again pretty soon.
On Friday, we got the school reports and both were very good. Jeannie was once again, excellent. I had more issues with the lack of detail in the report which didn’t have very much specific to her (copied out from the Level 1 specs Gina found out later). Ryan had made “fantastic progress” with his writing this term, despite still being slightly below average, but then he did come into the school later and is now doing really well, so should catch up.
On Saturday, Jeannie had her R.A.D. ballet lesson and as most of the group has gone up to the next year group, she was one of only two children in the class. And the other didn’t turn up, so she had a 1-1 with the teacher. She has her mock exam next Sunday. Ryan had his last music lesson. He hasn’t really enjoyed it this year, and probably won’t carry on next year. In fact, it will probably clash with the football group he is going to start at. I’ve agreed to help with the team as I know the organiser and it is quite exciting as he is currently doing his management badges – like proper managers do (except Gareth Southgate) and thinks I should do it too.
On Sunday, Ryan got his Level 1 badge for swimming which is a great achievement. He has done really well this year in swimming. In the afternoon, I took the kids to see Shrek The Third for doing really well in their reports. It isn’t as good as the first two. In fact, the biggest laugh came for the trailer for the Simpsons Movie “Spider-Pig! Spider-Pig!”
