Relaxed Day

Monday 25 March

The rest of the day panned out ok. It took me a while to update my Alyz Creations blog. Mainly as I had quite a few photos I wanted to load. They were in several different folders, plus I wanted to edit a lot of them...so a bit of going backwards and forwards between folders. Eventually I got it done which was great as it was early March when I last posted anything.

Miss L and J.L did get a little cranky...probably because I got a bit short with them. J.L enjoys spending time on the computer and can be on it for an age in the evenings, I don't usually spend several hours on it though yesterday I did. As we only have one computer in the house it can create tension sometimes! Still in the main they are pretty good. I usually have done what I need to do early in the morning and leave it free for the two youngest in the afternoon & evening.

While I was busy sorting out the blog they both did a load of washing and hung it out. They often wash their own clothes which is a great help. I vetoed the drier as it was a lovely breezy day great for drying washing on the line. They each brought theirs in and it did get finished off in the drier for 30mins as it was later out than usual and there were things they needed.

Miss L got busy upstairs sorting things out. She is great at tidying and really likes to do it. Over the years we have accumulated all sorts of things so we are in the process of de-junking as well. Miss L is doing a great job. She is going to continue today. A friend of hers will be coming over tomorrow and so she wants the place tidy! While our place is always clean it generally has various projects around, regular sorting and organising being necessary, as in many other homes where home education happens.

While Miss L was busy upstairs J.L was busy outside. He is doing some outside chores to earn a bit of cash and DH had asked him to clear the steps up the back. I made these steps years ago as our "backyard" is  basically a bank...once upon a time it was farmland. It can be walked up fairly easily but I decided steps would make it easier. So I cut them out of the bank and used boards and steel rods to hold them.

Here is J.L. hard at work, with the chickens helping! I bet they're enjoying all the bugs that were dug up.



Still lots that needs doing up the back. Just to the left of J.L you can see our garden frames. Digging over the gardens is another job on the list for J.L, then some plantings. We built the frames for a couple of reasons...to keep the chickens out and the windbreak gives protection from Wellington's strong winds. We get both the southerly and the northerly and many veges that grow above ground have been lost..or blown sideways. We have bird netting that we put over the top of the frames too, and it does a great job of keeping the white cabbage moth off the brassicas!

Last week J.L went outside and found this fellow! Looks as though one of the cats have been busy!



J.L decided he wants to see him decompose! Science...we'll photograph the process. I declined to have him decomposing indoors!! So he has been put in an ice cream carton up in the old playhouse. Must get J.L. to check progress.

Around 3pm I popped down to the bank and flew through the supermarket to get some  meat for dinner. Stir-fried rice. A quick easy meal for us. Then it was back home to put on some rice...A little oil in the pot, 2 cups rice, stir through the oil to coat it,  4 1/2 cups water, a little salt, bring to the boil, turn down to simmer for 5 mins then take off the heat and let the rest of the water absorb. I use Basmati rice as I like the flavour.

Then it was off to ballet for Miss L. Sunday and Monday she hasn't been wearing the soft neck collar so much. The background to that is last weekend her Dad was tickling her and she went backwards off our bed. She's done this many times but this time she landed on the top of her head and heard a crunch...so did J.L who was in the room too. She howled, I could tell she was hurt..but jumped up and ran to me so was able to move arms and legs! I kept an eye on her and the next day took her to after hrs dr as I wanted it checked out since she was tyring to keep it still and it was quite sore. She was still headachey too so more than likely had a mild concussion. When we arrived she was given a soft collar. It was x-rayed, no fractures seen - Thank God! - and nature had to do the rest.

She managed to do the whole dance class though not the jumps...which was great as last week her neck was too sore to do any dance at all!

Then it was home again. DH was busy looking at badges (NZ Army War badges) on Trade Me. J.L. had been picked up for his Hip Hop class and I got dinner sorted. As DH is vegetarian and J.L and Miss L are both on a strict Gluten Free (GF) diet due to Coeliac Disease meals can create a challenge. For fried rice I cook beaten eggs ready to throw in with the rice, then after I've rinsed ouut the pan I cook the meat in it. Meanwhile in our big electric frypan I cook onion, mixed veg, the pre-cooked rice, the pre-cooked eggs and some salt. Though you can get GF soy sauce we've become used to it without! Then everyones is dished up and J.L., Miss L and I add  the meat on top!

J.L got brought home some time after 8, often we do pick-up but no need tonight. After dinner Miss L did her Davis dyslexia work which she needs to do every day ...except weekends. There are trigger words she needs to work through plus some other work to do. She is doing well.

By then it was getting to around 10pm!! So it was more than her bed-time and usually we wouldn't do "school work" so late. It was off to bed for me too, and I chased J.L. off the computer and sent him on his way as well.

Just before Miss L trotted off to bed I took this photo of a big box of Roses choccys we were given today...a belated Christmas Gift. Doesn't her face just say "I'd LOVE to eat all these"?

I settled down to read the workbook that Miss L has for her dyslexia work as it has tips for "the helper" which is me. I got about half of it read before I fiound my eyes closing! So it was snuggle down and off to sleep :)