Summer Holiday: Day 34 The Natives are cavorting, pox free!

Cameron, as of yesterday, is no longer contagious. Praise the Lord! My plans for the holiday lie in wreck and ruin, my house is a shambles due to my highly unenthusiastic spring cleaning and the children's disgruntled fighting nearly sent them to a better place - but we have turned the corner. Today dawned brightly as Cameron hustled into the bedroom and inserted himself next to me for a cuddle. 30 minutes later he woke up, smacked me with his blanky, and shouted 'I only wanted a small cuddle!' before collapsing back on the bed happily snoozing. Twenty minutes later I felt 'sweat' run along my arm.....Cam was awake and out of bed in seconds, while I stripped the bed, and washed my sad little sausage. We then headed off to buy school shoes (an eternity of torment) and headed off to the Out of the World event put on by the children's centre - where our walked was enlivened bu a sudden rain squall. The boys had a blast, and were even happier when we stopped at the playground on the way home where they cavorted mightily!

Summer Holiday: Day 28 The Natives are bepoxed little swines - AGAIN

This time however it's Cameron. After having to hole up in the house so Kieran couldn't gift half of Glossop with 'chickenspots' we were finally free, free! But then Cameron developed a racking cough. It didn't stop me dragging the boys off on a wonderful walk up Simmondley to explore the woodland trails for edible plants and minibeasts. We managed to get the boys swimming on the Sunday too, but I had made many wondrous plans - which had to be cancelled. So Cameron is spotty as bedammed - a fair sight spottier than Kieran ever was the poor little love - and he's already looking forward to the spots going away.... as am I. Got my maths GCSE results today - 3 UMS off a B, which equates to about 2 marks :( debating asking/paying for a remark. What it actually means is that I have a C grade - wow, be still my beating heart :(. I got B's on 2 of the 3 papers but algebra was my downfall :( That and running out of time on the last 3 questions on the last paper sigh. So I am feeling rather disconsolate at the moment.

Summer Holiday: Day 21 The Natives are lazy bepoxed little swines

Nah, they're little loves really. But Kieran got a bit mopey and 'waaah' for the last 2 days of OTIS. On the last day, Friday, he thrilled and amazed us with a resplendant array of chickenpox - and so we had to cancel both the boys placements. Chris was delighted naturally. Cameron has shown no sign of getting ''chickenspots'' much to his dismay. Kieran has had a lovely mild case and has not scratched a single spot. It's amazing what the promise of a £2 coin can achieve. I had planned many amazing and varied things for us to do, over the last 8 days. Alas, chickenpox and poor weather smote my plans to ruin. However he is totally uncontagious now and so they went to a trampoling and tumbling session for the day. In other news I have joined the gym and pool and am enjoying that. I also bought a second hand bike for £35 AND I have enrolled for an English gcse (free) and a science/bio gcse (£330!! very much not free sigh). The boys gardening is coming along nicely -their herbs have sprouted and their pumpkin has produced some lovely orange blossoms.

Summer Holiday: Day 13 The Natives are Animal Lovers

Having discovered the wherabouts of the Haywill Animal Sanctuary I thought it only right and proper to visit it this morning. It was a warm and sunny morning so I threw a couple of loads of washing through the machine and off we went. Cameron was surprisingly diffident about stroking the animals but was enthralled by the kittens. Kieran admired the gerbils, cat, kittens and rabbits and cuddled the baby rabbits. After that we saw the largest pig I have ever seen. It was so large it barely notice the child climbing up its back. We then headed out and looked at the horses. The boys got to stroke them and feed then carrots and then we headed off to the chickens. Kieran fed the chickens from his hand while Cam hunted for eggs. Then they stroked the chickens and Kieran fondled a roosters wattles. After that we rousted the shortest loudest pig I have ever seen from its sty - where it promptly defecated all over the grass to the delight of the boys. We were then given some eggs to take home and headed home, stopping in at the Whitfield rec for a play. Alas the sun was hidden by the clouds and the boys began to shiver so off we went. Tomorrow and Friday they have their Summer holiday club at the school again - Bless them.

Summer Holiday: Day 12 The Natives are Denbuilders

It was a relaxing weekend after the excitement of the school holiday club.Sadly it was also a really wet weekend. On Monday however I had booked us into the Woodland Explorers session - a free activity with the Glossop Adult Education Centre. They had even been kind enough to arrange to have on of the tutors give us a lift. The day dawned cool and grey - and my hearty was struck with fear! We dressed up warmly, I even packed the boys woolly hats, and more food than 4 children could eat and set off on our adventure. It was fabulous! The boys went on a nature bingo activity, climbed trees, helped set up the eating area and scoped out potential dens and looked at the old railway siding before eating their bodyweight in food. After lunch they built this rather fabulous effort and then finished off the day with a bug hunt and some geocaching. Apparently there are lots in Glossop, and I might see about doing something along these lines later in the holiday. We left the woods just as rain threatened and were safely home (and exhausted) by the time the drizzle set in. We'll be doing this next year for sure.