Day 185: Wednesday 11th September

Well - it's been quite a while, I see. 

I have been around, but mainly involved in living life to the fullest possible, within the constraints of money, knee-pain, tiny tummy volume, child-friendliness and the availability of other people to share time with.

There have been holidays, a few tears, insect bites and stings, dips in the sea, shell-collecting, miles of dis-used railway line ridden along on two wheels, fruit-picking, sneezing, wart removal and general fun times. 

Both home and away.

Alone, and with C1 and C2.

There have also been some big changes - C1 is now in Year 7 and finding it tough going. The work has been cranked up a notch, and it all seems a lot more serious since entering into the realms of Key Stage 3. 

C2 has started off his Year 4 experience in one school, and thanks to being on a waiting list since April, when somebody decided to take to The Hills after the beginning of the Autumn term, a space emerged for him to enter the Year 4 class at our local school. After a taster afternoon, and a lot of forms, he is now starting on Monday.

The difference will be all-encompassing. 60 children all in the same year group = much more potential for local friendships to build (although he has made a couple of 'keeper' friends at his current school), moving up to the next tier of education with most of his classmates, and the biggy here, is that after being left to do the school run on my own at Easter, following the breakdown of a car-share plan, I was doing 2 lots of 10-mile round trips a day to get C2 to school and back every day, and the new school is 0.2 miles away, bikeable/scooterable. There is some very simple arithmetic here, but to me, it's a no-brainer. 

Very pleased. As is C2. Enrolled in Science Club already. And free milk for all those on free school meals. Winner!

So, it is a busy time, and doesn't look like calming down much.

I am spending more time now with Mummy & Daddy - today was spent chatting and attempting to grub out some very old gooseberry roots. To no avail. The prospect of using industrial strength loppers and a sledge-hammer on Friday fills me with joy. Really.