The Witches by Roald Dahl

Our current read aloud is The Witches by Roald Dahl.  It seems to be tying in nicely with Class 4 Steiner Waldorf.  The grandma is Norwegian and the witches are very similar to trolls.  The little boy in it also is transformed into a mouse which ties in with Man and Animal.

1st Prize

Last weekend Springy won a few prizes.

She took part in her first Irish Dancing Feile (a competition). She was in the Novice section for under 10s and did just two dances but was placed First for her Reel and Third for her Light Jig. She did all of this without wearing make up or the pantomime wigs that seem to be a tasteless part of it too. We didn't realise that she had won and it was only because one of the other mums from the dance school we attend knew what was happening that she got there in time.  My legs went all wobbly with surprise and elation for her.  My parents were there and were so proud too (along with C).

We took home two trophies which are now standing on the bookcase (they're plastic but from a distance look good).

The last few weeks

June has been amazing so far.  We were not blessed with brilliant weather but our visitors were wonderful.  Springy's grandparents (my parents) came to stay nearby.  The first weekend Springy was on Cub Camp so C and I had a weekend to ourselves and my parents were able to settle into the holiday apartment they were staying at.  We invited them around for a homemade meal of carrot and coriander soup with oat bread.

On the Sunday my brother, his partner and their 6-month old son (my nephew) arrived at the apartment and Springy was collected from Cub Camp.  She stayed a number of nights over the past few weeks with her extended family and had a great time playing with her new cousin.  She chose clothes for him in the morning and helped to fetch things.

We also went to Portsmouth with my family.  We visited HMS Warrior, HMS Victory and the Mary Rose Museum.  We went up the Spinnaker Tower and also did a harbour boat tour.  

Missing my 5-year old

I sill miss my the one who would be a 5-year old by now.  I had 2 pregnancies but I only have 1 child.  I often wonder what my 5-year old would be like and think about what if he (I think it would have been a boy, don't know why, just instinct) would be here now in terms of our life.  For the first year after losing my pregnancy I couldn't go anywhere near babies.  There were people I knew who were pregnant around the same time and I could not be anywhere near their babies when they were born.  I didn't know how to tell them but it was too painful.  I switched off from holding babies.  It was like a switch to stop me breaking down.  I still think of the bleeding, the awful time in the hospital walking down that corridor and I don't know how mothers who have had stillborns or cot deaths etc cope at all.  I have a small part of my brain that creates an imaginary life where he stayed and is part of our family and I go all quantum and think of another life, another 'verse.

  I guess at some point you have to.  Last year was the first time I had managed to hold a very young child in all that time without feeling awkward about it.  I held a just toddler boy and he was so lovely and it was so healing to hold him.  I've got a nephew who was born last December.  We went to see him at Christmas and he's gorgeous.  He looks like a boy version of Springy.  He's been very healing and I held him.  I hadn't held a small baby before that and 2005 when our little one when back to the stars.
C hasn't really got over it either.  I know I'm not likely to have another child but I always hope.  C's health isn't as good (being almost 70) and I'm almost 40 with chronic anaemia so neither of us are safe to be parents in terms of wellbeing.  I would love to have another little person to care for, to be mother to.  I would love Springy to have a sister or brother as well but I can dream.  

Lunch and voting

Yesterday was local elections day.  Springy came with us to the polling station last night - I always think it's important for children to experience going to the voting station and we discussed how in some countries women can't vote and also sometimes you can't have choice between candidates.  She's been reading some of the Horrible Histories books from the library.  We've also been working through Junior English Book 1 from Galore Park.  I really think GP books are excellent value (got mine from Book Depository which was a good discount) but also contain a lot of what I would call the classical elements of a good foundation in education. 
  
Lunch today was homemade focaccia bread with bean, barley and tomato soup.  We've gone to being vegetarian for now.  It's based on ethical and health reasons.  I don't enjoy eating food that I'm friends with and also with our small budget we were buying some very cheap cuts of meat - not only is it disgusting to think of how the poor animals lived but I do not want Springy to have the cocktail of antibiotics, low--grade soya feed in her system.   

We're in a financial ditch at the moment.  We're having to shop for food and groceries on £40 per week between all three of us.  Somehow we manage but there is no spare and no luxury foods.  Soup mixes of beans and lentils are helpful overnight.  I've been baking bread from scratch (various types) as well. 

Art Class

Springy went to an art class today.  It's at a local outdoors education centre.  I thought her drawings were very good.  They showed a lot of detail.  The art tutors were surprised that she likes drawing in Biro (it's one of those things that annoyed me for a while - here I am buying beautiful Steiner art materials and she likes pen!).
 
Yesterday Springy had a bit of disappointment but was then quite philosophical about it all.  The pigeons attacked both her butternut squash seedlings so we won't be growing these this year. She did learn from it though as we discussed how hard it is for people who have to rely on their crops to feed themselves and their families.  She said she didn't mind the pigeons eating her seedings because they needed food more than her.

Fairs and latrines

We went to a local food fair. Met a re-enactment group and a man from there had specialised knowledge in medieval latrines and parasites - yay - great fun :) Springy had a great time sifting through a box of medieval latrine deposits that included a horn spoon, wooden dice and shells.  They were all genuine archaeological finds.

On Friday, 29th April we watched the Royal Wedding of Prince William to Katherine Middleton.  Springy was not overly interested apart from the horses. 

 

On 26th April we went to a local nature reserve with another home educating family.  We took some tape measures and a ball of string and went about measuring tree trunks.  Springy really likes the pond there.  It has loads of tadpoles and pond snails.  We also saw some juvenile newts.