We’ve reclaimed the beaches. Nearly everyday we’ve visited the sea to paddle and play in the sand. Two years ago I’d have taken the opportunity for some education, I’d have written names and numbers in the sand or formed letters out of pebbles. Now I enjoy the opportunity of not being so needed, of stretching my eyes and philosophising as the sun warms my face and the sea splashes my toes. Behind me the Rs search for suitable tools to dig out networks of rivers and reservoirs, build walls out of pebbles, mark the tide, and compare their footprints in the sand. There’s something about expanses of sand that makes us all want to run around so we do some of that, we like hopping and jumping over the waves, the R’s like to sit in the sea. Master R says he’d like to catch a fish from the sea and then make it dead so Daddy could cook it for our dinner, Ms R looks quite horrified when he says this.
We’ve re-newed our memberships for our local zoo. They expired nearly two years ago so while Ms R remembered the place it seemed all new and exciting for her. On our first visit back she did exactly what I thought she should have been doing two years ago, she showed plenty of interest in things and wanted to know what everything said. Master R is the same age now as she was when we last visited and it surprises me that I expected/wanted so much from a child that age. Master R enjoyed it, he doesn’t remember ever being there so it was completely new to him. The second time we visited we sat by the paddling pool and Ms R made a friend who just happened to be the daughter of one of the founders of our home ed group. I’ve always secretly hoped that we’d bump into other home educators while out and about, and now we have. Another sign that we are real and proper.
The R’s have spent loads of time in the garden, almost every waking moment that we’re at home. Their current favourite game is to make a tent out of garden chairs and blankets. They don’t actually play in the tent though, no, once it’s up they put on a Sparky show. Our potaotes, peas, tomatoes, sunflowers and flower seeds are all growing well, we have more potatoes to plant but no more pots which is frustrating. Three times I’ve had to clean water, soggy charcoal and leaves out of the bbq. Buzz also spends most of the day outside, she jumps around chasing insects, catching leaves and attacking running children.
We have a new mode of transport. A trailer to attach to the back of my bicycle for the R’s to sit in. I’m planning to use it for all our local travel to save petrol (and the environment, of course) and only use the car for longer journeys to make use of memberships. I’m hoping that it has the added benefit of helping to shift the pregnancy weight which has been clinging on tight for three years.
Ms R would like to do a weeks swimming lessons during the school half term holiday. Swimming lessons have come up in conversations before but she’s always had too many ‘what ifs’, this time she’s chomping at the bit and asks everyday when she can start. She really wants to do something lessony so I think this will tick that box for her.