Biene Owah!

Our latest topic is A Bug's Life.   Picked so that we could join the older classes on a school trip, so I could carry on my streak of never having planned one.

It is, again,a science heavy topic, but the children are all very engaged and bring in books and bugs from home.

Three weeks before the end of term, end of the school year, end of my contract at this school, I was told the school involvement officer wanted to look around.  "Feel free, we're not doing anything special.  Only making honey sandwiches."  

The next morning I arrived at my usual time and walked across the classroom to my desk.  Ooh!  The little neck hairs had got caught in my necklace, as I reached up to fix it, I felt something in my hand.  It was a bee, it flew away, all be it a little squiffy.  

I went to get a cold pack, one of the lovely ladies at breakfast club looked at it and pulled out the stinger.  I told everyone I saw.  My TA, the navy seal, wasn't happy and drove me to the local A and E department.  Where I was informed that all I needed to do was pop an antihistamine. I didn't tell school that though, the rest of the morning buzzed by.

Most dramatic way to get out of an observation, to date.

This is great

On the right hand side are the things that people, lovely, thoughtful, kind, well meaning people ALWAYS, say to me.  I try not to get upset.  But when you have heard them all a hundred times or more it starts to get depressing.  

This Instagram post made my remember that, whatever people say, what they really mean is 'I love you', 'I care', 'I don't really know what to say to make it all better'.  TBH you don't need to make it better, just be there.

Lara the Lion

This is a throw back and a half.  Two years ago as part of Art Week in the village school.  I was tasked, with my group, to make a rag rug lion.  It took days, we were given an extension because it was a tricky task for little fingers to do.  And it was finally ready for the parents assembly (which was at 2.40)  at 2.35.  Just in the nick of time, but it was the feature if the week and always got favourable comments.  It is probably languishing in a cupboard somewhere.

Blue Sky a thinking

Beautiful clear blue sky 

The Frog and the Wig

Once upon a time in a little pond lived a frog, he was the most handsome frog in the whole world, with his shining bald head and he knew it!  This frog would think nothing of strutting around the pond hopping from one lily pad to the other telling any creature that the met along the way how handsome he was and how downright ugly they were.  The other pond life got rather fed up of the frog’s behaviour and hatched a cunning plan.

The next day the frog jumped onto the lily pad of a toad and he began telling the toad about his own gorgeousness.  Toad didn't take kindly to a little green spindly legged creature telling him he was unattractive and so he told the frog that if he didn't stop talking he would regret being so vain.  Cracking his knuckle and looking at the frog in a menacing way the toad began to move closer and closer to the frog, flexes his many, many muscles.

The frog realising that he was in enormous peril hopped into the water and began to swim away.  Each time he landed on a lily pad, he thought he was safe, but each time there would be another creature waiting to remind him how vain he had been. 

Frog could take it now more in dived into the reeds and fashioned himself a long, flowing golden wig out of the dead reeds.  He placed it on his head and swam back into the pond.  Nobody recognised him, he was safe. Frog introduced himself shyly and quietly to everyone he met and began known as the nicest and politest frog in the pond.

Wildflower

Driving home photo 2

Beautiful Vista

I am trying to be more mindful these days and as part of my in the present thinking, I line to drive home "the pretty way".  If I am particularly taken by a view I have decided to stop and photograph it. 

Here is driving home photo 1 

I Am Trying To Believe In Miracles

And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.

Deuteronomy 8:2 

Stuart the train driver

On our first official day in Purbeck, we decided to buy a round trip on the Swanage railway.  

The route started just down the hill from the campsite took us past Corfe castle, up to Norden, turned around and then headed to Swanage, before returning us back at the stop we set off from.  All for £12 or so.  As GO is a bit of a steam engine aficionado this day was all about him.  In fact once I found out about the railway, it was the whole reason I chose to visit Purbeck. 

When we arrived at Norden, I ran off needing to visit the little girls room.  On the way I saw a sign offering the chance to drive a locomotive engine.  After a pit stop at the mining museum, I made my way to the sign.  

There was a special event being held at the station, for £5 (bargain) people could drive a mining locomotive up and down the track a couple of times.  Before he could say anything I handed over the money and GO was being told how to drive the train.

His face lit up as he squeezed the handle and slowly but surely the little trained chuffed out of the station. 

The guide ushered my over the tracks, so I could get a better view and take lots of pictures.  As the locomotion whistled GO brought it back to the start, he was even confident enough to wave at me as he sailed past.

I often wonder what he was like as a little boy.  For a moment that day I got to see for my self the child like wonder and joy on his cherubic little face.  Best five ponds I've ever spent.

Camp as a Row of Tents

Spending time together

Second May bank holiday of the year, what to do?  I had an idea....

Every week at school we do our Weekend News, the children write about all of the exciting things they have done.  Every week the children tell me about going to the beach, and one place kept being mentioned; Swanage!

I checked it out and it looked worth a visit.  So I planned our visit, we would camp in a campsite just by Corfe castle,each pitch was in the woods and had a fire pit.  It sounded idyllic, and to make matters even better you didn't need to book.

All sorted, GO booked the time of work.  Astrid (our lovely little car) was given her annual check up.  We packed our things and headed off to Swanage.  

I just gave the campsite's website a quick shufty.  I had been chatting to a parent the day before about our break and she had told me she was going to a similar place at the same time, but that she had had to book as it was a bank holiday.  The website had a new red box in the corner, that hadn't been there the last time I had looked.  BANK HOLIDAY - BOOKING REQUIRED -LIMITED SPACES!  Ahh!  I sent an email, it'd be fine...  I even managed to joke with GO about how, when I book a holiday it

never quite goes to plan, if only he knew.

A34 was jammed, all the way from Winchester to Bournemouth was moving at a snails pace.  Thank goodness for the new sat nav.  Avoid all motorways I commanded and she did.  Taking us through the lovely Hampshire countryside.  Eventually two hours after we should have arrived we got to the Swange Ferry.  It about three minute journey, not long enough to do anything (that didn't stop our neighbour from smashing her car door into the car) except read the adverts.  I noticed one for a campsite, not the one I wanted but I made a mental note, maybe next time if this one is rubbish, I thought to myself.

As we made our way to the campsite in the woods, I realised we had no fuel.  Making a quick decision I followed the signs for Swanage, surely we'd find some diesel there.  I pressed the button I the sat nav and off she went.  

It was a bit hairy navigating the windy roads,  not to mention all of the cyclists you had to serve around.  I was very relieved when the road became quite suburban.  Welcome to Swanage said the sign on the left.  On the right was a sign for the campsite I had noticed on the ferry.  As GO filled us up, I made an executive decision.  "There's a campsite round the corner.  I'm so tired after all those traffic jams.  Shall we just go there?"  GO agreed it had been a long drive.  So we followed the signs for te campsite, found a spot and set up the tent.  

It wasn't in the woods, it was on a hill overlooking the fields of Purbeck.  It did have fire pits, and at night the stars were so bright GO and I lay and gazed for hours.  It was one of the most romantic and relaxing experiences of my life.

On the other hand the nearest toilet was half a mile away, I even added it to my route on my map.

Camping always makes you appreciate what you have at home.  It was lovely to get away, but it was great to get back.

Making Friends

Look we're twins

Gorgeous views

Four years one, we can still strike the same 'beach pose'

He is so lovely

Just after this we saw a sand tornado!

Try to look cool while ants crawl up your leg

This place was so calm it was almost creepy