Home Educating the Puddle Girls…

So said Amelie at the end of a fairly long stint at said museum.

She is pretty much fine today; after crawling into my room in the early hours, she has walked and walked fine, for most of the day. It started bleeding this evening and one of the butterfly stitches has come off, so its really gaping. I’ll have to get more tomorrow i think. She’s been ever so brave, just a couple of times today her lip trembled and she said “I go ‘hopsital’ in van” - poor wee girlie. Still, makes me think really, Fran had been through 4 operations by the time she was Ammi’s age, in retrospect i realise far more what an ordeal all that was than i really could see at the time.

Anyway, very nice day with the Portico’s (they so aren’t the HEM’s, they are the Portico’s!) who have very kindly soaked up the last of the pre-daddy days with us. We’ve appreciated them very much. After a fair bit of playing, we caught the train into Exeter and “did” the museum. i hope you Devonians appreciate that museum, we have a couple of dinosaur bones and a mouldy bit of lace in ours, although they try hard with the exhibitions. But Peterborough’s standing displays are pants in comparison. Someone with huge vision and energy has made that place wonderful. Wish we’d had time to do some of the boxes really as they looked great.

Fran beat Gwenny at chess, Fran and Poppy went head to head over Nine Men’s Morris (must draw a board of that to play with them), we all enjoyed the Chess/Games exhibition and the Wildlife Photographer of the Year, lots of dressing up and role playing went on, me and my lot went off and briefly looked at the World Cultures area which was fabulous.

Our train was cancelled on the way back so we sat for an hour in a park by the station. Will have to quiz Max on it as it had a slightly… um.. not unsavoury exactly but ‘disquieting’ air to it somehow. Wouldn’t entirely surprise me to find out that a teenage shade of my husband is hanging out there

Back for tea, Ammi had to be put to bed as i think her foot caught up with her. I’d carried her in the sling for quite a bit of the day, something that i think was a huge treat for her but even so, its quite a nasty cut and not in a place you can save it at all. Everyone did more Animal Crossing; Fran set Ammi up a little character, which pleased Ammi hugely.

I’ll be glad to get Max here safely tomorrow as what with blogged and unblogged events, its been a somewhat rocky week for all of us. Feeling very much that i want our little unit to be reunited now, nearly two weeks was too long really i think, nice as its been. So no bombs or train crashes between Peterborough and Exeter via Birmingham please until i have everyone safely gathered back in.

Darn, yes, educational stuff. Fran read me an ORT Level 8 book, beautifully, which equates to exactly an end of year 2 reading age, which is pretty good i’d say, given how long she’s been reading and the rate he ability is accelerating. I think i’ll officially give myself a pat on the back there and chill out. Maddy drew a picture of her and daddy and it was all shaped bodies, not a stick in sight. Then she asked me to type out a message and wrote it beautifully. Someone wrote out a perfect alphabet, very clever, wonder who learned that where, Maddy used an Egyptian bookmark to tell me all the letters on it faultlessly. See, we’ve brilliant

Today started fairly simply; got up late after a truly awful night with a snotty Josie, motivated everyone to get out of the house to catch a train, took everyone into Exeter for a Happy Meal and a mooch round the Early Learning Centre and the finally met up with The Portico’s, amid great excitement, at the museum.

Spent a couple of happy hours there; exhibits included Romans, King Alfred and mention of the Tudors, so my big two in 7th heaven, plus they laid eyes og the moth eaten giraffe that daddy had told them about from his youth. Decided in the end to go back tomorrow for more looking as Porticos all rather done in by train journey, so went back to Sarah’s.

I’d had a call to say the car was done, so decided to go off, pick it up, shop and leave Alison with all 8 children “Yeah yeah, i’ll be fine, you go, see you soon…” Did indeed shop and on the way back my mobile rang. Didn’t look but just knew it was going to be Alison and equally knew it WAS NOT going to be to tell me that Josie was crying for me but was nearly home so just kept going.

Pulled up to find Gwenny standing in the road looking anxious; she runs up to the car and says “Everything is okay but Amelie dropped a glass on her foot and mummy has called an ambulance…” *CLASH of dramatic instruments* ARGH…. run in, think Alison said something vaguely reassuring at the door but can’t really remember, to find Amelie lying on the floor looking all broken and white and silent, with a bound foot up in the air and rather a lot of blood lying around. In retrospect i really don’t know how dramatic it was but she was desperately shocked (as i imagine was Alison) and it did all seem a bit scary.

Definitely something very weird about waking in on an accident involving your child when its all in the middle of being taken care of as i just got no adrenalin rush at all, it immediately seemed like all i need to do was keep Ammi talking, checking she was okay, as whatever the bloody end of it was, i probably couldn’t help and someone far more able was obviously going to take care of it pretty soon. So i’ve got no idea how long it was till the ambulance arrived, but probably only a couple of minutes, i can only really remember asking Amelie a few things to check she was responding okay and then they were there.

Ambulance men were great, pronounced it not too serious but in need to X-ray and decent dressing and a very white and silent Amelie was taken to the ambulance stretcher. i had to bring Josie too, who needed feeding and Ammi held it together very bravely until we got to hospital when she unleashed a positive tornado of tears. Medical staff were brilliant and melted away and after 15 minutes of so she calmed down and all the colour came back into her face. Then it was just a case of waiting for an X-ray (where she bled on the floor and a consultant cleaned it up, which probably cost about £30 in terms of NHS wages!) - didn’t seem to be any glass in it so they all debated stitching it for a bit, as its very ragged and goes down to the fat layers, but in the end didn’t.

Bit of a scary end to the day, but she perked up after a few cakes and thanks to Alison for the cool headed care she gave her. Not bad going to manage child bleeding profusely on floor so perfectly when you’ve got another 7 to look after as well. Such an uber-mum

£600; dashboard electrics all buggered. That is a LOT of beads.

Mmmm… i think the novelty of being here on my own is wearing off slightly, not because its too hard (even doing the bins is bearable) but i’m really missing Max now. I think this is now the longest stretch separate in about 9 years… 4 more sleeps only though. Girls are missing him too and today we had to stay in, being carless, which was no diversion from the absent father syndrome.

Its been a nothing day, though pleasant, with dn1 round again. Dropped off car, walked back (still no news on what’s up with it), everyone played all day, i read Middlesex (very engaging book, trying to think what its reminding me of) and handed out drinks and snacks. Maddy got a pot lid stuck on the roof of the porch and drew me a set of instructions for getting it down (Amelie told me to call Grampty to bring his ladder or get a helicopter) - Maddy very disappointed i wouldn’t hoist her up on to porch roof to rescue it. Games mostly consisted of being Carebears - struggling to see an educational slant there… lol…

I’m dwelling badly tonight on things i should avoid. I really wish i could just have my memory banks erased. If only i could have had Maddy last, or somehow recapture the pride i had in myself then and have it back now. It makes me shudder to think i am going to feel this defeated and crap for the rest of my life. I can’t really begin to think how i’m going to overcome it. I’m starting to see how people slide into middle age as embittered and angry women and i so don’t want that to be me. I just don’t like the person i’ve turned into over the last 10 months at all. And if i don’t like me, who else will?

It really IS quiet in Blogland! I think i’ll have to mosey over to sarah’s tomorrow and catch up, since i really can’t justify more than a few minutes on dial-up.

Today has been great; kids treated me to a lie-in which was much needed after a rough night with Amelie who was itchy and Josie who was in fine spirits but very much **AWAKE!!!!!!!** its reasonably tough doing it ALL for 4 kids, i rarely cook, i rarely shop so adding that into a business and getting up to everyone all night had taken its toll. But the girls are addicted to Rog and Ruth’s Care Bears DVD and watched that while i snoozed.

After a quick stint on Animal crossing (Fran got a new shop, i got a basement, Blanca appeared on the train) we packed up lunch, tidied up a bit and headed out to Killerton again. Today was a Civil War day, as Killerton was a Roylist Household which was over-run by Roundheads, who used it as a base for the siege of Exeter. A small encampment of suitably attired people were there, with guns and appropriate crafts and cooking. I did laugh, incidentally, when the flag fell and its spiked point missed me and the girls by a fraction of an inch. “That was lucky,” i said “That was more than lucky” quipped the serving wench. Hmmm… i wonder if that advertising campaign was running in 1649?

The girls were quite taken with the story of the Civil War. (What’s a Civil War mummy? Its a war between people in the same country… Why’s it called civil then? Its not very polite to fight in your own country is it?) fran naturally wants to know more; Maddy liked the guns. Amelie DID NOT like the guns. Both big girls tried tablet weaving and made rope, we looked at embroidery, lace making and camp cooking. Loved the man with his rope making machine: “I’m a retied engineer” he told me. No really, i’d never have guessed. Lol… i suppose not EVERYONE is surrounded by engineers but it does seem to have been a feature of my life

So we’ve come away with an interest in the Civil War, tablet weaving, lace, wax candles, embroidery, soap making, rope making plus the laundry that is also housed there. Fran suitably impressed to discover that she could easily have been a housemaid by the age of 7. *Tries to imagine Fran ever surviving life as a housemaid…*

We’ve done BBQ’s with BIL,SIL and nieces tonight and lots of garden play. Really this is an EXCELLENT holiday arrangement - wonder if i can offer myself as a permanent house-sitter?

Photos tomorrow

You May Be a Bit Dependent …

You’re more than a little preoccupied with being abandoned. You need a lot of support in your life, at all times. It’s difficult for you to survive on your own… And you don’t reallly think you ever could.

Today has been a quiet “in” day - it rained, we had cousins to play, everyone hama-ed, drew, played, game-cubed. I’m loving this time out for reflection on how my life is and how a few changes could change it a lot. I’m thinknig a lot more about moving abroad, a lot more about whether i can sustain my business or if i want to, i’m obsessing less about family size, i’ve eaten healthily for a week and i feel much better for it.

Kids are relaxed, mostly, and trying some new stuff out. I love that they get on so well and can play thoughtfully. Amelie is enjoying having more attention, Josie is just being one of the girls. Fran spent ages trying and retrying to draw a ballerina today and did a very Maddy-ish drawing, which made me smile.

Tomorrow i have plans to go out and spend more time with family and go to Killerton if the weather sorts itself out. Then Monday i’m back to niece sitting and sorting out the car. Hm. Can we all think cheap-not-caused-by-Merry’s-driving thoughts at it please?

Apologies for lack of education going on, i’m on holiday

…. just how much effort adequate communication takes with an “apparently normal” Austistic Spectrum child.

“Just stand there” i said “and tell me if i am going to bang into the stones.”Evidently i didn’t adequately explain WHAT stones i wanted to avoid bumping the car into. Fran watched the back of the car, Maddy appeared to be watching the front as i inched forwards to get the car parked into the drive just right… then…

“MUM!!! STOP!!!!” Maddy DIVES under front wheel as i, luckily obeyed her direction, and rescues a pebble from under the front wheel. Narrowly avoid producing pancake child.

“No… Maddy…. I want you to tell me if i am going to hit the wall of stones, not ones on the road. Under the front wheel of a moving car is NOT a good place to be.”

“Oh. Sorry.”

*Deep sigh*

There was another incident of sheer lunacy yesterday too but i can’t recall it. No doubt i will.

Hard to believe its 5 days since we left already, yet still a week to go before Max even arrives! Girls are definitely missing him now, i think its sunk in that he’s been absent for a while. Josie looked at Uncle Joe tonight with a certain air of confusion; i think she couldn’t entirely decide if he was an interloper or daddy’d just changed quite a bit!

So, Day 5 dawned bright and beautiful again. We’d made plans to spend the day at Bicton Botanical Gardens with SIL and dn1 and dn2 so we ‘packed up’ and headed over to their house. (Directions were perfect Steve, thank you Nice to see the forecourt too, i admired your parking skills very much )

On the drive over to Bicton, following SIL, i had to break a few times as i kept finding myself over 70mph, not something i do but SIL drives fastish so i thought nothing much of it, although i did think the speedo looked a bit jerky at times. Then when we got there SIL said that i’d been driving very slowly… hmmmm…. And it transpried on the way back that my gauge is rather faulty as i was doing 110mph before i left the carpark. Not sure why but not having my speed there correctly really threw me for a loop, i didn’t like it at all. Hoping its nothing serious but did burn the clutch rather trying to negotiate this houses rather odd drive and distinctly worried i have done some damage Could turn a cheap holiday/guinea pig sit into an expensive one.

Anyway, that aside we spent a very pleasant day at Bicton; kids played for hours, we took a train ride, splashed in the stream, played in a huge pine tree ‘cave’, climbed rocks, climbed trees (until Fran read “Please do not climb this tree!” on a sign - ooops!) Photos to follow.

Back for tea with cousins and now everyone is playing Shrek 2; hopefully tomorrow will not be too awful weatherwise and we’ll have a home day for a change. Josie has been practising walking while holding my hands, her urge to grow up seems to be insatiable. Blooming children

EDIT:Last night, Josie committed the cardinal sin of pressing the rest button while my AC character was in Fran’s town - i lost all my items andm oney that were with me and WORSE!!!!, when i got reloaded, and was back in my own town, my little person was souless and had black holes for features - i had to go and retrieve her soul from the other town… waaah. And THEN she got stung by bees - poor little thing.

I’m just keeping the town going for Fran you understand

I think i like living in Devon; i DEFINITELY like having less available internet. Aside from its slight business related awkwardness, its seriously improving my quality of life. As is having a local friend i can walk to. I could get used to this.

Another slow meandering start this morning, which included Fran writing asentence in her holiday diary and reading a story to the others, plus some Animal Crossing (’Aminal’ Crossing, if you are Amelie. Her other rather fabulous one today was “inbisible” for invisible. Bless.) Then we wandered over to the Boots’s and played some more. Kids are getting much more into friendships now, although i think that two sets of close-knit siblings do take a while to intermingle anyway. Joe has done a fairly excellent job of proving to my lot today just exactly what little brothers can be like

We’ve spent the afternoon at Killerton, which was gorgeous. its got so many nice things on over the next few weeks that it was worth getting NT membership. Today was fairly idyllic really. My big two spent a good while on a storytelling trek, without me in attendence. I did get a bit nervous when i realised they’d disappeared but i coped and so did they.

Lots of photos to follow of rolling, running, hiding, laughing - its been that sort of a day.