Lockdown 2021: Week 2

 11th - 17th January 2021

Week 2 of home schooling and Isabella said to me tonight she doesn't want to do school tomorrow. I said well you can stay home if you like! She didn't think it was funny! I asked her how come she's already tired of school at home when she was hoping for it only two weeks ago and she said she's just missing seeing her friends. Well she'll appreciate them once she can see them again at least.

School at home was quite busy. I think I said before she has two regular 30 minute calls on Teams with her class teacher and whole class each day. On Tuesday she also had a 1:1 reading session with a teacher and on Thursday two extra calls for small group maths and literacy. On Thursday we excused ourselves from the last whole class catch up call as we'd not gotten to any of the day's tasks yet by late morning with so many online sessions and she was starting to feel overwhelmed.

Isabella has been very good at times when I've had to work or been on a call myself and kept herself busy quietly with some school work and then quiet play.

This week we've been doing fractions in maths and Tabby and some marshmallows helped us
to work out thirds.

On Friday we wanted to try finish all the remaining tasks for the week, plus I had work to do
and wanted to make sure Isabella can do some work on her own, so I stuck all her activities
with instructions around the kitchen. Inside each cupboard with an activity stuck to it was a
small (edible) reward. It worked well!

The rewards!

Since Isabella isn't getting her (free) school lunches at school at the moment while we're having to stay at home, we have the option of collecting a food box from school every Friday. We didn't collect one during the previous lockdown, but I thought I will this time and see what's inside. This is what we got. Maybe we discover something new Isabella likes. It was her first time trying Angel Delight pudding, but she found it too sweet. Everything else she's approved of. I'd like to try jacket potatoes with her, although she would prefer those potatoes become chips!

Isabella asked to write a weekly dinner menu for us, as she would have at school and she really likes knowing what to expect each day and so will eat more meals with us. Saturday night was curry night and we got take away. Isabella never used to want to try curry, but likes it now.

She's loving this electric mountain bike which Andre has on loan for a couple of weeks to test.

Today was a Barbie day! We had everything Barbie out!

Lockdown 2021: Week 1

 First week of national lockdown 2. 

4 - 10 January 2021

A quick summary since I last blogged: after the first lockdown rules were relaxed we were put I think it was into Tier 2 lockdown, high alert, which meant we could meet up to 6 people outside, even in our own gardens, no meeting indoors, and all shops could open. We then moved to Tier 3, very high alert, where we cold no longer meet in our gardens, but could meet in public places outdoors. We then briefly got moved to a new Tier 4, the 'stay at home' tier, before the whole country was again in national lockdown.

Isabella's school had an inset day last Monday after the Christmas holiday, so no school, and on Monday afternoon her, and other schools were still told they'll be opening. That same evening it was announced all schools will be closed from the following day. Isabella woke up to happy news for her. I woke up extra early to get some of my own work done before moving on to her school work.

During the first no-school lockdown we were only sent work online to do mostly in our own time. This time they're having two 30min online lessons with their teacher plus additional 1:1 sessions for reading. The Teams meetings have been a bit of a struggle with everyone getting used to and frustrated with the technology, and then repeated requests for children to mute and unmute themselves as needed, speaking over each other, poor audio quality, not being able to see the teacher's screen share etc. Still, Isabella has enjoyed being able to see her friends and teachers every day online and everyone is just doing their best.

Here's what we've been up to last week:

Daily afternoon relaxing time with a cat nap and iPad games.

Beautiful winter walks.

Doing school work with the dolls.

Another cat nap.

And another walk.
The days are going to be looking very similar!

Isabella was inspired by a book we read and asked
to sew her own blanket.

It turned out great!

Online school.

Beach, sun and vet visits...

 2nd - 13th September 2020

First week and a half back at school.

School has been good. Isabella likes her teachers and have been enjoying being back.

Tabby had another really sicky spell while we were away and he luckily already had a vet appointment for the day after we got back from the beach. With all the vomiting he had stopped eating too so the vet decided to keep him for the day, giving him fluids all day as well as doing more blood tests and an ultrasound scan to try and determine why he has been vomiting so regularly for so many months now. For some reason I did not realise his belly would need to be shaved for the scan so it was a surprise when we got him home! It was interesting to see his stripe pattern showing on his skin! He was a little sleepy and very cuddly for a day after and then quickly bounced back to normal. Although sadly only for two weeks before having another vomiting kind of day again today. We're keeping everything crossed that the new hypoallergenic food he is on now might help.

Meanwhile our garden has continued to produce some lovely fresh veggies. There are still lots of tomatoes which will hopefully ripen while the sun is still out, plus more carrots. Courgettes, corn and cucumber seem to be finished now.

Some time back we received some succulent leaves from a friend to propagate. They're doing really well and we've now transferred them into pots to start getting their roots under the soil. The mummy leaves will stay to nourish them until they're all wrinkled up.

This weekend we've had beautiful weather so yesterday we went for a walk at Virginia Water. We did nearly 10km of walking!

Today we went to the beach with friends. Making the most of this weather while we still can! It might have been our last warm beach day!

6th and Final week of summer holiday 2020

 24th August - 1st September

Weather: The usual bit of everything

Andre and I took this week off work too. We enjoyed just spending some time at home. Isabella had one wish, to visit a petting zoo/ farm. It was slightly challenging as most places which usually allow petting of the animals, aren't allowing it at this time. I did find a lovely little farm near us who's animals all welcome attention and love! So we visited Miller's Ark Animals. It's not a huge park where you would spend all day, but it was really lovely. Friendly staff everywhere and we were able to go into all the animal pens and spend time with all the animals. It was limited to an hour and a half which was the perfect time needed there. Afterwards we had lunch in the barn/ tea room.

Baby donkey!

Look at this upside down heart on this donkey!

To end off our family holiday we spent three nights in Mudeford's Sandhills Holiday park. This is the third year we've stayed there and it's just perfect for us. Lovely caravans, we've had a different one each time and all have been fantastic. And the best part is it's just a very short stroll to the beach. The holiday park is right on the beach with just a beach walk way separating it from the sand! The heated outdoor pool was open and we booked an hour slot each day to use the pool. Slots needed to be booked this time to limit the number of people at a time. Isabella loved being able to swim in a pool again. It's been half a year at least since she's been able to do that! The rest of our time was spent on the beach, paddle boarding, and just relaxing at the caravan.

Final morning above, warm milky and tea while watching the sunrise.

Now I'll have to see what we have to blog about next now that school has started again...

Fifth week of summer holiday 2020

 17th - 23rd August 2020

Weather: A good British mix of everything

Last week we went camping! Since our road trip to Germany, which we were so looking forward to, got cancelled we decided to get ourselves organised with camping gear and give UK camping a go. We decided to not travel too far from home for our first camping experience here so booked at a campsite in Swanage, about two hours from home. We can't compare since this was our first time, but I'd say it was a small-ish camp site and basic although really lovely. Green grass and clean toilets and showers. That was all we needed. Plus being able to walk to the beach, we didn't want to have to drive anywhere.

Part of the fun at this site was that you can't park your car next to your tent (it's actually on a golf course) so you get given a wheelbarrow to wheel all your many stuff from your car to your camping spot.. Luckily Andre brought his small unicycle so when packing up he managed to do the trips to the car much quicker on electric wheel rather than on foot and wheelbarrow-wheel!

Arrival day was very rainy and we actually decided to leave home later in the day so we'd miss most of the rain. We were lucky that it was only drizzling very slightly when we arrived and then mostly dried up while we were pitching the tent. First night it did rain really hard, or sounded that way from inside the tent. Our second day though was a perfectly sunny day. We walked down to the beach, Isabella and Andre spent quite a long time in the sea and playing on the sand. We had ice creams, went for a walk along the coast and cliffs and then had late fish and chips lunch before heading back to the campsite.

The second night was very windy, but as we were expecting it Andre chose a very good wind protected spot for the tent so we didn't feel the wind much inside the tent and all slept well. Our last morning there was still windy and clouds were looking a bit dark so we packed up early after breakfast and headed home. Not sure about Andre, but Isabella and I were also eager to get back to Tabby! First camping trip was a success, although with all the packing we decided to not do it again this week already! Planning another weekend camping in September before winter sets in.

Our garden looking bright and sunny with these Rudbeckias.

Pancakes for breakfast and Tabby supervising.

Nap time in the dolls house.

Each night after I've put Isabella to bed, Tabby likes to be picked up for a cuddle.

Current favourite toy: paintbrushes.

Ending the week with a walk around a nearby lake and a drink in the pub afterwards.