A Humdrum Mum

No it's not a turd! It's a chocolate reindeer The time of year has come again The snow has gone but not the rain It's almost Christmas Eve you see Which is the time for you and me To put down our laptops and the like To take out the new bike, scooter or trike To overindulge in food and drink It'll all be over in a wink So now I'll stop blogging until next year And start spreading round the Christmas cheer! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all

Sunday, lazy day, sat on the sofa fiddling with party bag gifts from the two (yes two) parties we'd been to the day before... when Elf starts screaming and rubbing his eyes. I have never heard him scream like that before; even with a sore croaky throat, it was blood curdling. Gathered him up like a soft toy, no socks and in jim jams and rushed him into the car, remembering to turn off the pie in the oven! Drove at speed to the NHS drop in centre near us. Rushed to fill in a form - Reason for visit - a glow stick split and the liquid sprayed into his eye. Called over by a nurse, trying to explain what happened, still with the offending yellow glow stick in my hand, as if for forensic reasons I kept it... By this time, Elf was calmer but still his eye was looking awful. We calmed down too. Now began the hard bit. With accidents like these, a pH level needs to be taken of each eye with litmus paper to ascertain whether treatment is required. OK so how do you get a bent pie...

What do you do all day Elf? Nuffink. Can't remember, grunts Elf. The other day, when trying to find last year's Christmas card list (who's died, who's split up), I came across a piece of paper entitled Reception daily routine. I thought I'd see how this compares to Elf's idea of what he does all day. 8.55am Children are greeted by teacher outside the classroom door. Hang coats on peg and put lunch boxes on the rack in the hall. Check book bag and give any letters or money to the teacher. An activity is set out on the table where learners are asked to find their names and begin an early morning task working independently 9.05am Learning Activity 1 - independent or adult-led 10am School assembly - weekly singing, story telling and collective worship-themed discussions 10.15-10.30am Morning play 10.30-10.40am Fruit and milk time during which the whole class shares news about previous evening at home 10.30-11.30am Learning Activity 2 11.30-11.55am Gu...

My  Elf's project this half-term was on the subject of Fire. He  I decided, no he did actually, to do his friend Mungle's garden, for that is where we had the Beer'n'Bombs party, otherwise known as a bonfire party. (It started at 5pm, a meeting of all the old nursery gang, and all the parents were pissed by 8pm. Or was that just me? No I wasn't the only one.)  So there is Mungle's house, with his garden complete with path and flowers, and garden walls. That's how the project remained for a month until today, the day before deadline day.  Then the panic started. It reminded me of writing essays at uni, starting at midnight on someone else's computer (this was 1996) and then almost crying at 5am because my essay wouldn't print. Then asking what time the computer centres opened, phew 7am. Anyway I digress.  The picture doesn't do the toilet roll-people justice - they are Elf and Mungle replete with sparklers and toilet roll clothes. Mr Humdrum w...

I have just read a fabulous post on  The Sardine Tin  entitled Schools and Working Parents. It warns of a ranty post, and really made me laugh. You can get the idea from the title but please read it.  Whilst I was commenting, I thought Hang on, I'd love to know what our blogging friends' experiences are with schools and communcation and event times. I'm sure I'm not the only one who is trying to work out how she can attend the next coffee morning in the last week of term, with no holiday left, but desperate to attend to show off her Elf's "fire" project (now that you've asked, it's a model of a house and garden with Elf and his friend with sparklers and rockets).  So here is a quick survey.  I'd love to know your answers so please comment. (Please note this is tongue in cheek, but I will post results!) Demographics Are you a working mum or dad? Full time or part time? Are you a SAH mum or dad? Or do you work from home? Do you mostl...

... that on Monday I went to Ikea with my parents and didn't buy anything. I reiterate,  I didn't buy anything . I can't believe it.

Elf shows off his lightsaber skills.