Beeston Badgers

A rare chance for me today to watch JK in a field hockey match, as he played for Beeston against Ashby in a 'Badgers' game. Unfortunately I didn't realise that Badgers was a specialist term meaning a team comprising up to 3 adults, playing and coaching alongside juniors starting to prepare for the transition to adult hockey.

As JK is more than used to having shots fired at him from adults, he didn't really benefit from the session as much as the others, and as most of the action was at the other end of the pitch, often found himself a little bored!

He also attended the first session of a GK Academy at Beeston this weekend, coached by Grahame Mansell-Grace aka "Panda", a retired international goalee coach, and which we were very fortunate to have funded by the Club as we couldn't have afforded it on top of everything else, and then trials for the Midlands Ice Hockey Conference, in the middle of the night at the National Ice Arena (fortunately Simon is taking him to that one!)

Victorian Washday

To get us started on our new 'Victorians' theme, we spent this afternoon at the Museum of Nottingham Life at Brewhouse Yard, where the very formal and Victorian-like Mrs Crowfoot talked to the children about life in Victorian times and allowed them to help with grating the soap and ponching the clothes in the dolly tub.

Unfortunately the mangle was considered too much of a health and safety risk, and they didn't get around to washing my white blouse which I had clumsily spilt tomato juice down whilst trying to fit lunch in on our mad dash across from Brazilian Soccer School!

But I did like the idea of Madi learning to iron ;o)

Butterflies

Today we finally made our return visit to Butterflies- the Swadlincote based HE group run by Alison Gardner. It is a very long way from home, but equally very close to BFF who we were both overjoyed to see with Big sis and Little bro.

The planned activity was salt dough, using a recipe from The Little Experience, a site I hadn't come across before.

1 cup of salt

2 cups of plain flour

1 cup of water

3 teaspons of lemon juice (optional, but will make your finished dough shapes harder)

Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl and then add the water (and lemon juice if using) a little bit at a time. Keep stirring the ingredients and they should gradually come together to make a firm, smooth dough. You can either oven bake (up to 4 hours at 120C/250F/Gas Mark 1-2) turning every half hour, or leave to dry on a flat surface for 30-48 hours. Oven baking is quicker, but bigger shapes can sometimes crack as they are heated up.

The girls' first attempt at following the recipe was less than successful, but eventually Madi made some crotchets, quavers, minims and semibreves that she plans to paint black and hang in her window along a ribbon.

Little bro's pizza was perfect, and Big sis's angel was amazing!

We still wish we could see more of this fab family, but distance and work commitments are not to be- we'll keep trying!

Alton Towers

With grateful thanks to my Dad, who collected tokens for free tickets (from a newspaper that I wouldn't bother reading even if I had the time!) Madi and I spent today at Alton Towers. The tickets were intended for JK and a friend, but unfortunately we had no say in the date, and the new term started yesterday- just another downside to school education. But an upside to Madi and I, as the park was not that busy and we were able to go on everything we wanted, several times over!

blue slushie on the way to the Grand Canyon ride

learning to drive (again!)

outside the Wonka factory

Mummy just couldn't stomach Submission!

Sonic Spinball was Madi's favourite ride, mine was 13

Sadly, after the Galleries of Justice and Warwick Castle Dungeons, Hex proved just too much for Little Miss No Fear, and we had to leave by the fire exit! In spite of this, and the tiring miles we must have walked, we had an amazing day and hope we can go back again next year when Madi is tall enough for Oblivion, Air and Rita.

OPAL Water Survey at Duke's Wood

Although it was quite an early start today, we were very much looking forward to catching up with HE friends that we have neglected over the school summer break, and also to taking part in another of the OPAL surveys. This was also to be our first visit to Dukes Wood, a Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust reserve, at the site of the UK's first oilfield.

The small museum was opened up specially for our group, and we were lucky to have one of the engineers that worked the site to answer any questions we had.

We then headed in to the woods in search of a pond...

Given the weather we had this summer, we were more than a little surprised to discover that the first pond had actually dried up! Fortunately, there was another, albeit a little muddy...

...and we discovered a rams horn snail, pond snail, leech, water beetles, waterlice, water shrimps and a common newt.

I was also fascinated to find out that this plant is angelica, that used to appear crystallized on desserts of the 1970s, very much a part of my childhood!

Whereas Madi preferred being in charge of the clipboard and recording our results...

...then submitting them to the OPAL website when we got home.

Birthday Gift: living!

And after allowing them some time to settle in so they weren't too alarmed by the camera flash, please allow me to introduce the two new additions to our family....

Cookie...

...and Muffin.

They are still both very skittish (particularly Muffin) but are definitely much easier for Madi to handle and awake more often when she is than the hamsters we have cared for whilst friends are on holiday.

Madi has read several books from the library (all with conflicting advice!) and talked to other guinea pig owners in preparation, and is a very proud new mum!

Big Top Heroes at The Hill

It is hard to believe it is already a whole year since Madi first went to The Hill Methodist Church, for their summer playscheme. She has been back again each morning this week, where she was introduced to the Bible stories of Daniel, Jonah and Samson through a circus theme, with lots of singing, dancing, colouring and craft, jokes and custard pies!