It's amazing how I can fill the week and feel like I have't really accomplished anythings. Of course, I've got lots of things to do to get ready to go to Texas for Christmas (yea!), but that shouldn't keep me from writing a little. What did I do this week?
I went shopping in Hatton on Monday. I talked about that in an earlier enty. It is a beautiful place in Warwickshire, where a family could spend the day, if it wasn't cold, rainy and blustery. In the summer, they would have a petting zoo, climbing frames and inflatable slides and castles for the kids to play on, plus a tea room, an antique shop and lots of gift shops in the old barns. It's hard to find nice gift shops. they're usually tucked away in tiny villages and you have to know they're there to find them.
I bought Brendan a pair of fuzzy slippers, like mine. I was going to wait to give the to him after Christmas, but he was walking around in his stocking feet and I thought, "He needs these now." So I let him unwrap the gift. At first, he said, "Oh, shoes." But when he looked inside, he was delighted. He slipped them right on and was giddy the rest of the night about his toasty warm feet. It's great that he can still be so happy over something so small.
Since I was gone all day Monday, I had to take Brendan grocery shopping with me after school, which he hated, and I had to do the ironing while we watched the recorded episode of Lost.
I have nothing written in my diary for Tuesday. I must have worked on Sunday School. Oh, I baked apple spice cake. I like to do a double batch at a time of five inch loaves, so I can keep them in the freezer and give them to friends and teachers as gifts. I still have loads of apples to use. I had three people give me apples this year from their trees. Last year I had to beg to get any. They keep nicely in the garage, so I can still use them will into February. Brendan had drum lessons after school. He PASSED his drum exam, with merit!
Wednesday was bible study in the morning, and quick cheese sandwich with Helen and off to the pantomime with the school. We saw the Princess and the Pea in Wellingborough. There were enough adults that no one was responsible for more than six children. We had four coaches-full. The production wasn't as nice as Snow White was last year. There were no famous actors or glamorous sets or costumes, but it was still fun to boo at the villain and sing along with the frog.
Yesterday, I had breakfast (a cup of tea) with the American ladies at a coffee shop in Wyevales (a garden nursery/gift shop), those of us who are left, and caught up on the lastest gossip. Then, I ran errands in the blowing rain - the post office, several stops for materials for Christmas eve crafts that I'm preparing for the church, Tescos for Sunday School supplies and the dry cleaners to pick up Bill's trousers.
Today is the Head Teacher's review. I am on the Board of Governor's personnel committee, so I go to the school at 1:45 and help evaluate Mr. Spong's performance for the past year and set goals for him for the next year (yipes!).
Tomorrow is the Christmas Fayre at school from 12 - 2. I'm helping to set up tonight and working the Country Kitchen stall tomorrow. And Sunday I teach Sunday School. I need to have the Christmas crafts packaged to hand off to the Vicar's wife, Charlotte, because we leave next Sunday.
Okay, I'm a little busy, but with a lot of fun stuff and things I commit myself to. If I can keep the schedule straight, and take one thing at a time, I'll have plenty of time to do it all. I used to do so much more. But I kinda like this slower pace.
Friday, 8 December 2006
Tuesday, 5 December 2006
That was weird. I have not been able to sign onto this blog since Sunday. It's SO frustrating when technology doesn't work the way you want it to.
Anyway, I had to share this notepad that my friend, Helen, bought for me on Monday when we were shopping at the Hatton Shopping Village. Just when I think I've got UK English licked, they throw another one at me. "Twiggin'" means just catching on. I like that. I think I could use that one. I still don't know the proper way to use "take the Mickey", which I think means "take the fun out of it."
With Christmas coming, I feel even more like a woman of leisure. I go out to eat more and go shopping with friends a lot more. The American ladies had lunch to celebrate Thanksgiving at Toby Carvery, the nearest thing they have to turkey and dressing. They specialize in Sunday Roast every day of the week. You can get roast beef, ham and/or turkey, yorkshire pudding, balls of sage stuffing, mashed or roasted potatoes and lots of veg, including brussel sprouts and parsnips, all smothered in brown gravy.
My gravy was the most talked about item at our house on the day I fixed Thanksgiving dinner for our British neighbors. They couldn't understand why mine was so light. They use beef bisto in ALL their gravy, including turkey.
I went shopping on Monday, and tomorrow, I get to have minced pies with my bible study friends and then go to a pantomime with the school. I'm going as a chapperone, but the pantos are a hoot! This year we're seeing the Princess and the Pea, a live stage production with lots of audience participation for children. It's a great introduction to theatre. Usually there's a man dressed as as women and a sing-along at intermission. We get to boo the villain and cheer for the hero.
Oops, the cuckoos singing. Time to go to bed. I'll tell you more after I've seen it.
Saturday, 2 December 2006
Groove to the Beat
As I write this, I'm listening to Brendan play a steady, groovin' beat on his drums upstairs. He had his first drum exam last week, and thinks he passed.
In England, they keep track of how accomplished you are by the grade you've acheived. Brendan has been taking drum lessons for a little over a year and has hopefully passed Grade 1 with the Rock School. His tutor just recieved the best teacher in England award for 2006. Brendan loves drum lessons, and even though his grade won't mean anything when we move back to America, I think it's good for him to be in a few high-stress situations. He doesn't get much at school. They don't have grades per se. They are placed on a scale of achievement in Maths, English, and Science. And they take a national standards tests every year, but the results only really count in years 2 and 6. So this year will be a big year for him, if we're still here in May.
Children move to secondary school in year 7 (6th grade). They don't have middle schools anymore. It's a big deal here, because you have to apply for a position in the schools of your choice. We went to three secondary school open evenings in October to see what they were like. I was most impressed with Northampton School for Boys. It's like university for children. But there's stiff competition for getting in. I had to fill out a questionaire on why our son would benefit form single-sex education, why this school was a good fit for him, etc... and jump through all the hoops to get things in by certain deadlines. They specialize in Music, Technology and Sport, and their facility it top-notch. I wouldn't mind staying another year if Brendan got accepted, just to give him a chance to see what school could be like. His friend Tom was accepted last year, and it took a long while for him to learn to organize and balance the extra homework and extra-curricular activities.
Brendan also has one of the lead roles in the Christmas play this year. He is a wise man named Roll. He and Ben and a girl from his year 6 class take the lead parts. He's SO excited. He's already learned his lines off by heart and he sings the songs in the shower and everywhere else. I have to make sure the video camera is charged and working for this one.
Bill's calling. I'll talk about him next time.
In England, they keep track of how accomplished you are by the grade you've acheived. Brendan has been taking drum lessons for a little over a year and has hopefully passed Grade 1 with the Rock School. His tutor just recieved the best teacher in England award for 2006. Brendan loves drum lessons, and even though his grade won't mean anything when we move back to America, I think it's good for him to be in a few high-stress situations. He doesn't get much at school. They don't have grades per se. They are placed on a scale of achievement in Maths, English, and Science. And they take a national standards tests every year, but the results only really count in years 2 and 6. So this year will be a big year for him, if we're still here in May.
Children move to secondary school in year 7 (6th grade). They don't have middle schools anymore. It's a big deal here, because you have to apply for a position in the schools of your choice. We went to three secondary school open evenings in October to see what they were like. I was most impressed with Northampton School for Boys. It's like university for children. But there's stiff competition for getting in. I had to fill out a questionaire on why our son would benefit form single-sex education, why this school was a good fit for him, etc... and jump through all the hoops to get things in by certain deadlines. They specialize in Music, Technology and Sport, and their facility it top-notch. I wouldn't mind staying another year if Brendan got accepted, just to give him a chance to see what school could be like. His friend Tom was accepted last year, and it took a long while for him to learn to organize and balance the extra homework and extra-curricular activities.
Brendan also has one of the lead roles in the Christmas play this year. He is a wise man named Roll. He and Ben and a girl from his year 6 class take the lead parts. He's SO excited. He's already learned his lines off by heart and he sings the songs in the shower and everywhere else. I have to make sure the video camera is charged and working for this one.
Bill's calling. I'll talk about him next time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)