October Half Term

Not many pictures today I'm afraid as the camera battery is charging again. Been a bit poorly too, asthma palying up with a lot of breathlessness- not the good kind- as I've now had a cold since 29 September. Above is Lucy as she is now, very lively, easily bored and needs to chew a lot. The above bone is NOT supposed to be edible- say no more. Monday after the first eleven plus exam, we got back home at 1pm and I spent the afternoon baking: gluten free treats.
A Chocolate and banana cake and an Earl Grey tealoaf. Piccies to follow although I have to say they were not very photogenic. Quite scrummy though, just not quite as nice as with real wheat flour. I think the self raising mixed gluten free flour worked better than rice flour with baking powder to help it rise.

Anyway enough of that, this half term holiday has been dogged by my lethargy( the asthma and lack of oxygen makes me very tired) and 2 kids who are either glued to TV: Friends or Scrubs or a computer screen ( JJ's laptop) or I-Pad. Hardly seen Miss E, she hides in her room all day except for spells lounging in PJ's ( until 2 or 3 pm) on sofa with said progs on TV.
Nothing is good enough, boring food, house not nice enough, nothing to do,( we DID go to see Despicable Me on Saturday and it was fun) not wanting to join in or come on activities. Spending all day on MSN to school buddies or ''my'' new blackberry.... Talks non stop to her friends but hardly ever to me. I miss my little girl.
Yeuach! Save me from 12 year old girly moodiness.

Miss Y was really no better, also always lounging under a blanket or her duvet on sofa with TV.
No Cello or Piano music whatsoever has been heard in the house in these last 6 days.
Dogs have gone without walks except for me or JJ walking them. Baking was done solo for the first time in years.... Miss Y had an excuse though: eleven plus exams on Monday and Wednesday mornings and practice sessions on the intervening Tuesday.

Originally I had planned a day at Windsor Castle for Tuesday but after panicking on the Monday when I saw the hundreds of children queueing for the exams I revised this to take in a bit more tutoring and vocabulary building. She did at least learn ONE word: Clan! Besides like I said I wasn't feeling up to driving to Windsor and back. We did steam the puddings for the requisite 6 hours though.

Wednesday we were away all day: last exam in the morning and the RELIEF that it's all over and she's done her best is indescribable. Then to a dear old friend for lunch and lots of catching up and crafty creative news sharing and then a quick spell at the Eden Centre where we looked in vain for suitable wintry tops or dresses for Miss A's particular shape. ( apple)
Zara had a lovely deep navy needlecord dress but why do winter dresses have short sleeves???
It was very chic and French looking but Missy didn't like it. Ditto for tops in Gap or the 5 outfits in Next or Monsoon. Didn't like topshop or River Island or M&S. Found a jumper in Next but again: WHY short sleeves???? Miss A loved it so there you go, she wears it layered. Then we found a fab scarf in Accessorise and she has not yet stopped wearing it. So THAT was a good day.

Then somehow I collapsed by 10 pm without doing all of my usual duties/chores like settling the dogs and doing the kitchen and woke startled at 1 am by loud voices from the girls who were BOTH still up and argueing. JJ fast asleep. They didn't fall asleep until after 2 am so today's daytrip had to be revised as there's no way we could go to London and the V&A for the day when she wasn't dressed until 12.30. Mostly still a PJ kind of a day but we did make it out to walk the dogs and go see Legend of the Guardians an epic tale in the style of the Hobbit but with owls and battles.
Rona saga:
Also Tuesday with the collar almost finished and most of the ends sewn in ( Why oh why did I do that- it makes the undoing near impossible!) I decided the collar did not look right so I'm unpicking the lot: all 30 rows of super neat dc with a 3mm hook: ie tiny tiny stitches. And did I mention the sewing in of ends, yep I did? ,well it makes it well nigh impossible to unpick and preserve the yarn. D....! So am still at it and also worrying how I can complete it as the darker blue yarn is running out and there's not enough to redo the collar without re-using the yarn and and and - guess what I think it's been discontinued so I can't just buy another ball.
Was on internet today and found one on a shade card and then JJ- such a hero, such a sweetie- went into John Lewis and bought what looked like the same dark blue tweedy colour on the website- BUT it turns out the wrong colour. A lot less blue, more of a charcoal. Oh heck.
Sorry just needed to have a bit of a moan. Jj's asleep and the girls are fighting again. Miss Y mainly: shouting and threatening us all with heaven knows what- and that's after our lovely afternoon at the cinema? And no chores or help done? Have we spoilt them? Wasn't our intention but they are certainly playing the BRAT card in triumph and repeatedly these days.
Oooops. I much preferred them as babies and wee toddlers: so cute and sweet and more or less under better control than now.

At least the dogs have stopped fighting now and are mostly friends with each other and play a lot together. Sometimes Pippa gets fed up or Lucy is too boisterous and persistent and then Lucy gets a sharp nick or a deep growl to back off. As long as she heeds that she's OK.

Got to go sort out the girlie battle upstairs. Back to work tomorrow and finally seeing the GP in the late afternoon. Hopefully a family day out to Bath on Saturday and then JJ working again Sunday ( as well as all evenings either working or asleep) . C U L8r.