Little cavepeople

Our summer topic is painting. I like to have something to fall back on when Toby is off school and I have both children at home. We did Ancient Egypt over the last half-term and this summer we're doing painting. We started with prehistoric painting.

I checked out a book from the library about cave paintings and talked to the children about how it was done. This afternoon I turned them loose with coloured chalks to decorate the sidewalk like cavemen then we started grinding up the chalks and mixing them with water to make paints. The children are out back now making a mural on the garden wall. Luckily it's all chalk so it will wash away in the rain expected tonight.

We tried making reverse handprints by blowing paint onto pieces of paper but it's surprisingly difficult to do. I have new respect for those cave painters. I've always wanted to go to Lascaux and see the paintings though the caves are closed to the public now. It must be an incredible feeling to look at something created by another person such a very long time ago.

I think we're going to jump forward a few thousand years and make our own egg tempera paints next week to make cardboard icons with gold leaf. Then we'll paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel the following week with paper taped to the underside of the dining table. Oh well, it keeps us all entertained.

Recent photos

Sweltering

OK, before I start this entry I know all you Texans will be laughing but trust me, it's hot. It got up to 85F today. Now, I know that's actually quite pleasant by Texas standards but over here it's a whole different ballgame. First off, there's very little AC. Not just in homes but in cars, shops and restaurants too. Definitely no AC on public transportation. Every summer there's at least one news story about how people travelling on the underground are in conditions that wouldn't be legal for shipping livestock. Seriously.

Today I took the kids into town for the day. We've been to the cinema three times already because it's reasonably cool there so I thought it was time to do something else. We picnicked in a bit of shade on the steps in Trafalgar Square, put our feet in the fountains and walked around the galleries in the National Gallery before having ice cream in the cafe. By the time we got back on the train home we were in the beginning of commuter time. Crap.

Imagine being wedged into a packed, standing room only train with a bunch of sweaty people. BO doesn't even begin to describe it. Of course the kids were tired, hot and cranky too. I kind of hoped that Tobes would throw up so people would clear a space around us but no such luck.

Of course I'm sure you're asking why they don't just install AC. Well, it's very expensive and really bad for the environment. It's only like this for about two weeks a year so it's not cost effective and if we start using it on really hot days we'd probably start using it on slightly warm days too and then it becomes a whole AC culture and the hole in the ozone gets bigger and bigger and we all start to fry like bacon. So, no AC.

I've learned to cope this summer by eating a lot of ice lollies and repeating my new mantra over and over... "Remain calm and keep going". Nothing like some good old British stoicism to get you through. Though to be honest I'd rather be lying under an air conditioning vent drinking a Big Gulp Slurpee. Damn you global warming.

As promised

Survived

We survived Toby's birthday party. The boys seemed to all have a good time and were relatively well behaved. There was one moment when they decided to beat up their helium balloons and started shouting things like "Do that again and I'll kick you in the nuts" to try and make each other laugh. Of course, they kept upping the ante until one boy was almost standing on the table and we had one use of the F word. After I sweetly threatened them with no birthday cake they calmed back down to minor riot level.

At least it was fairly quick and painless. Two hours at the bowling alley and the mess was left for them to clean up. No chocolate crumbs smooshed into my carpet, nothing broken, no one hurt. Everyone went home smiling. Now that's a successful party.

Afterwards Jenny, Kieran and their kids came back to our place. The guys went out to talk about sports over coffee while Jenny and I talked about sex over tea in the kitchen and the children played games and watched TV in the living room. Then we ordered pizza and talked about politics, celebrities and shoes. Well, Jenny and I mostly talked about celebrities and shoes.

Tomorrow we're going to Pete and Phillipa's for a BBQ and then next week is peace and quiet. Nothing planned. Summer finally truly begins.

Praying and parties

Well, I survived Holiday Club. It was surprisingly hard work though. I ended up working in the nursery on Tuesday which was actually a lot of fun. I spent most of the time with the baby of the group who is about six months old. She is the sweetest, most beautiful child. I told her mother that if I have another baby I'm going to blame her.

This was Rosie's first time in a school-like situation and she did really well. She didn't mind at all when I went off to work with other groups. In fact, the one day I worked in the nursery she barely took any notice of me. She was too busy playing.

As expected, there were no deep theological debates though I was asked why Jesus died on the cross. Try putting that into terms a three year old can understand. Mostly it was a lot of colouring, keeping children from breaking their necks on the bouncy castle and cleaning up. I did clap my hands and sang along with "J-E-S-U-S, he's the King of me..." though when we got home the words changed to "T-O-B-I-A-S, he's the King of me..." and "R-O-S-I-E, she's the Queen of me..."

Now we have Toby's birthday party tomorrow. It's a scaled down affair this year. It started out with five boys (Toby has insisted on all boys) at home but has grown to ten boys at the bowling alley. Even so, it's much less stressful than the usual bash we've thrown for him. This year it's Rosie's turn for a blow-out. Poor little thing has never had a big party (second child syndrome) so this year we're hiring a hall, wearing costumes, having an entertainer, the works.

I do need to provide the cake for Toby's party and he and I just made an Indiana Jones extravaganza with melted chocolate, crumbled cookies, gummy snakes and icing vines. Pictures to come as soon as my camera battery recharges.

On to Year 2...

Today was Toby's last day at school. He finished Year 1 and next year he moves up to Year 2. The fantastic news is that Toby's teacher, Mr Wilson, is moving up with the class so Tobes will have him again next year. Mr Wilson has been such a positive influence on Toby so we're all really pleased.

A bunch of us had planned to have a picnic in the park after school today to celebrate the end of the school year but the weather was not cooperating so I invited everyone back to our place. It was fantastic. Children running up and down the stairs, playing, shouting. Mums drinking tea, champagne and gossiping. Then we ordered pizza for everyone. I can't wait til we get to the new house. It's perfect for entertaining with a big open room downstairs. I'm ordering a huge dining table so we can have more than one family at a time over for Sunday lunch. Can't wait!

Now that school is finished we have a week of Holiday Club. It's 9.30 - 12.30 for one week. It's organised by St Margaret's church and the children do arts and crafts, have a bouncy castle, play sports, sing songs and have a lot of fun. I volunteered to help out this year and went to the planning meeting on Wednesday night. They learn a different Bible story each day and do activities based around the story so I've come home with a list of scripture to swot up on. As I was walking home it dawned on me that I'm basically teaching Vacation Bible School. How on earth did that happen?!

A heathen and athiest like me teaching Bible school? Oh well, I obviously don't have a problem with it or the children wouldn't be going to a church school. I have to say that Toby loves Father David and the Bible stories. Wouldn't it be funny if Tobes became a vicar. I guess it would be history coming full circle in a way with my Pawpaw Black and Uncle Ross both being preachers. Obviously, the children can decide for themselves what they believe. My job is just to make sure they have all the information. I will be studying my Bible stories for next week. I'd hate to be caught short of knowledge. I'm working with the 4-5 year olds so I don't anticipate any deep theological debates but you never know.

The one and only Rosie Rae

Have you ever seen anything cuter than this photo?! This morning was Rosie's playgroup's end of year party and all the children dressed up, many of them in costumes. Rosie wanted to wear her new dress but decided to add the hat at the last minute. She looked so precious.

Rosie has hit a really girly phase. It's all about pink toenails and swirly dresses now. Of course, she still roughhouses with the boys and by the end of the school BBQ on Friday night she was covered in mud. She's definitely in touch with both her feminine and masculine sides.

I don't know where she's picked it up but she's started spitting lately. I wonder if it was on TV because she'll spit on something then wipe it with a tissue and tell me that she's 'cleaning' it. She's also developed a penchant for the F word. Yes, that one. I do know where that came from. One of Toby's friends got Rosie to say it and then all the boys fell about laughing so Rosie said it over and over again. We tried ignoring it but that didn't work so we told her that it was a bad word and she mustn't say it anymore. This has decreased the cussing but not completely gotten rid of it. Sometimes it backfires too. This weekend Jason took Rosie to the gym for lunch and had to tell her off when she was doing something naughty. Rosie turned around and shouted across the cafe "BUT DADDY I HAVEN'T SAID FUCK ALL DAY!"

Anyone who would like an insight into my childhood should take a look at my Aunt Brenda's blog. There's a video clip of my Aunt Jean talking about me and my cousin Angela when we were little. I love the old family stories. I wish I could make a CD of them for the children told by my aunts and uncles. That Texan accent touches my heart every time I hear it.

Guess who lost his first tooth!

Tobes has had a wobbly tooth for ages and has been desperate for it to come out. Most of his friends have lost teeth already so the loss of Toby's first tooth has been a much anticipated event. Well, today was the day.

Toby was eating an apple this morning and the tooth almost came out. It was hanging by a thread but Toby wouldn't let anyone touch it. Finally, while we were eating pasta for lunch Tobes suddenly shouted and jumped up from the table. The tooth had finally come out. He is so thrilled and is planning to take in his coin from the tooth fairy for show and tell tomorrow.

It was a suprisingly moving event for me too. His tooth is so tiny and I feel a little sad seeing the signs of Toby's babyhood fall away. I need to buy some little satin bags to put their baby teeth in. I can keep them in the same drawer as Toby's umbilical cord stump. Thank goodness we didn't have him circumcised or I'm sure his little dried up foreskin would be tucked away in there too.

AND...

I'm also loving this message that was fly-posted around Britain during World War II. It's like my life motto. They have it on sweatshirts at the V&A and I am just going to have to buy one. I'm also planning to buy the gold print and put it in a plain black frame prominently displayed in the new house. Words to live by!

What lovely knockers

I'm so excited about buying the house, not least because I can indulge in some of my stranger obsessions again like door furniture. I could spend hours looking at doorknobs, letterboxes and knockers. I went to Restoration Hardware in the States for the first time in April and it was a virtually orgasmic experience. Poor Nikki had to stand there with me as I oohed and aahed. "God, look at those knockers! And the size of those knobs!"

I've found a great place online now. Look at this bell. The house is Edwardian so it would be perfect. And this bell push. Or we could have a bell pull instead.

I need to go take a cold shower now.

Getting older

I think we've entered a new phase of getting older recently. For the first time we know someone who's getting divorced. Lots of our friends had early 'starter marriages' but this is a family that's breaking up now and it's so sad.

The other thing that's happened to remind me of my age is that a friend has just had Botox. I've joked about getting it for years but now people my age are actually doing it and believe me I made sure to get all the details for possible future use. In the meantime I had my bangs cut again. I had been growing them out but I've aged a lot in the 2.5 years since I first cut them. With all my hair off my face I looked so much older, and not in a sophisticated good way. More a 'god, you need to get some sleep' kind of way. So the bangs are back and the number for the Botox doc is burning a hole in my pocket.

There are good things to getting older. I really don't think Jason and I will have anymore children and now that the breeding years are behind me I'm starting to think of my body as mine again. I have a different relationship with my body when I think I might be sub-letting it out sometime in the near future. Things are softer, more plump, more comforting for any little guests. Now I'm starting to think about prolonging life rather than reproducing it. I see it in my friends too. Everyone seems to be getting fit and eating more healthy. We have to get serious about it all now. We're not just dabbling anymore, it's the real thing. We're reaching the age of high cholesterol, bad backs and heart attacks. Grim.

Even so, I know these are the halcyon days we'll look back on. When we're truly old and grey this is the time, when the children are young, that we'll remember. When we look back it will seem all sunshine and joy. We must be sure not to miss it while it's really happening.

Happy 4th!

The 4th of July is one of the American holidays that usually passes us by. I'm sure there are fireworks somewhere in London but it doesn't get dark until after 10.00 here in the summer which is just too late to do anything with the children. This year we did manage to acknowledge the day a little.

Toby's Sports Day was on the 4th and it was actually the perfect way to celebrate. Brenda, J's mum, came down and I made some tiny red, white and blue tarts (strawberry, raspberry, banana and blueberry) and we had some mums over for coffee in the morning. Afterwards we all went to the park for Sports Day. Amazingly the weather was sunny and warm and we picnicked under the trees with all the children. It was chaotic and messy and a lot of fun. In the evening J and I went out for dinner and a movie.

It had been two years since J and I managed an evening out and it was so nice to talk uninterrupted and just be out after dark.