Weekly Update No39

It's amazing how simply feeling better in my head, has an impact on my weight.

This week, I have been out for dinner and had dessert, I have eaten plenty of cakes and biscuits, I have snacked and not really thought about what I have been eating.  Yet, I have still lost over a kilo since last week.

What I have been doing differently, is in addition to writing 3 things I'm grateful for each day, on the advice of my therapist I have added an extra line: writing one thing I value or like about myself.  I'll write more about this in a different post, but this has been more challenging than looking for things I'm thankful for.  And I have only been doing it less than a week, and I already want to start repeating myself (which is an added challenge I've set myself, rather than someone else saying it for me).

I am slowly making some better choices - last night for dinner, I made a delicious salad, and remembered to 'water' down the salad dressing with vinegar so that it coats all the leaves easier and is fewer calories.  I have also made plans to Body Groove with a friend.  We can only do fortnightly, but once a fortnight is still better than doing nothing other than sitting on my arse all day.

Right now, even though I've just consumed two Oreos and a latte for breakfast, I'm feeling positive about the week ahead.

BoJo Acted Unlawfully!

An astonishing judgement by the Supreme Court in the UK has said that the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has acted unlawfully by proroguing parliament.

What's the difference between unlawful and illegal?

Unlawful means it is contrary to the law, whereas an ill eagle is a sick bird. Sorry!

I know, for myself, I have not watched parliament TV (not that it's necessarily called that), followed the news, or been as engrossed in politics as I have in recent year, and more specifically in recent weeks.  It really feels like there is something historical happening right now, and indeed it is a landmark ruling.  AFAIK the UK doesn't have a written constitution, but much of the law is based on case law and precedents from earlier cases.  (And I will stop there, because I am not a legal beagle nor do I have any real knowledge about politics.)

What is interesting about this case specifically, is that it is about democracy, and whether the PM is himself above the law?  Many people seem to think this is about Brexit, and though it is linked, whether you want Brexit to occur or not, it truly is about democracy and whether the government and parliament acts in our (the people's) best interests or not.

Giving judgement, Lady Hale said

"It is important to emphasise that the issue in these appeals is not when and on what terms the United Kingdom is to leave the European Union. The issue is whether the advice given by the Prime Minister to Her Majesty the Queen on 27th or 28th August 2019 that Parliament should be prorogued from a date between 9th and 12th September until 14th October was lawful."  

The full judgement can be read here: https://www.supremecourt.uk/cases/docs/uksc-2019-0192-judgment.pdf

The ruling itself was not a gentle slap-on-the-wrist.  Instead it was an unanimous judgement of all 11 judges ruling that the PM was wrong.  It's incredible to be watching this history occur.  Many politicians are now calling for both Boris Johnson and Dominic Cummings to resign effective immediately - which if it did happen, BoJo would go down in history as the shortest serving UK PM ever.

Homemade Presents

I find they are always tricky.

Some people absolutely love them, knowing that a lot of thought and effort has gone into crafting something so personal.  Other people, however, whilst they appreciate the thought, would much rather have something that they know is made to a high(er) standard from a name they trust.  Some people understand that though the materials may be cheaper than buying ready-made, the time and effort (even if pricing yourself at minimum wage) means the final product is much more expensive than mass-produced goods.  Other people would still rather have something mass produced, with it's standard quality, than something which may have minute flaws/individuality.  Some people understand that buying the materials for hand-made items is often more expensive as you cannot get the benefits of bulk-buying raw materials, and that's before you consider labour costs.  Other people would rather you didn't waste your time making something they know they wouldn't appreciate, but simply buy something they know they want, and for less money too.

That said, for my cousin's wedding last weekend, I decided to make her and her new husband a present.  I hope they like it, as I was a bit in-the-dark about their tastes (except for Star Wars - which I know next to nothing about, as I was always more of a Star Trek girl).  But as it's a craft I enjoy, I went ahead with making something for them anyway.

Back in May, I visited the MosaiCraft Shop again, and ended up buying more than I meant to (a common occurrence these days...) but did purchase a kit to give my cousin for her wedding.  As the wedding was last weekend, I can finally talk about it and share the picture with you all!

It originally was of two swans facing each other to make a heart shape with their necks.  As this was for their wedding, I didn't want to just get something off-the-shelf, so personalised it with their names.  (The cynical part of me thinks that they can't just give it to charity now, as nobody else would want it! haha)  Not having the neatest handwriting in the world, I did use the internet to come up with a font I liked, and used that as a template for their names.  I created their names on the base plates first, and then went back to build up the swans afterwards.

I have to say, that I am pleased with the finished result.  I framed the picture, and gave it to them on Saturday, so I hope they like it. (Or at least pretend they do around me! 😉😂)

Charley and Adam, if you're reading this: Thanks for a great time at your wedding, and all the best for your future lives together. xxx

Weekly Update No38

We've had a week of birthday celebrations and a wedding, so it's no surprise my weight has gone up.
I finished the last of the birthday cake for breakfast, so at least I'm not tempted by that any more!
(Just to confirm, that pic is a slice through the whole cake, which we then divided up into 4 portions.  As much as I love cake, even I couldn't eat a slice that big!)

The cake was made by DD2 for DD1's birthday.  DD2 had the idea of a rainbow cake decorated with fondant icing with a dance theme.  I helped her with using the oven, and I covered the cake with the white fondant, but the bulk of the doing was by her, over 2 days (one day to bake and one day to decorate).  That we managed to keep it a surprised to DD1 is amazing.

That was last week.  Saturday we went to my cousin's wedding, and my head is not in the right place to be able to approach a buffet properly. We stayed overnight in a hotel, which meant yesterday I had buffet breakfast, and last night we had the girls' birthday meal with friends.  Though I only had a 'small plate carvery' and didn't have dessert, I know I overate.

But it's a new week, and I can do better.

Home Education or Home Schooling?

I've noticed recently that a lot of people who are new to home education use the term 'home schooling'. 
Part of this is due to the fact that home schooling tends to be the American term (where HE is more prevalent than in the UK), and part of this is due to ignorance. [Note: I mean ignorance in the genuine lack-of-knowing sense, as opposed to meaning rude and purposely using the wrong terms.]

But does it make a difference?

Personally, I think it does.  I think words matter and home schooling has a totally different connotation than home education.

I home educate. 
I educate my youngest (as DD1 is now in school). 
I facilitate her learning. 
I encourage her when need be, but generally her own innate curiosity is such that she is learning all the time.
I don't teach her (though I do when she specifically asks to learn something specific).
I don't school her.
I don't make or encourage her to learn as they do in school.
I don't train her or lecture her or coerce her.
I allow her to learn at her own pace, what she is interested in, for as long as she is interested in it.

But isn't it just semantics?

Yes and no.

Thesaurus.com has 'schooling' listed as a synonym of 'education' so in some ways it is no surprise that the words are used interchangeably.

The problem arises when people who don't understand HE use the term 'home schooling' and infer, wrongly, that HE should recreate school.  This is especially a problem if the person using the wrong term works for the LA as an EHEO.

We know that legally, Section 7 of the 1996 Education Act states:
Duty of parents to secure education of children of compulsory school age.
The parent of every child of compulsory school age shall cause him to receive efficient full-time education suitable—

(a)to his age, ability and aptitude, and

(b)to any special educational needs he may have,

either by regular attendance at school or otherwise.

There is absolutely no requirement for us to recreate school-at-home, and if you look at my posts from last April, you will see that even with the new guidance, that has not changed.
As more and more people start to home educate, the world is getting more political as some in the government try to rein us in.  We need to keep our freedoms and using terms such as 'home education' can really help.

As many EHEOs already don't understand valid home education approaches, such as unschooling, it is of upmost importance that we keep reiterating to them that we 'home educate' and not 'home school'.  Children do not have to be tied to a table in order to learn.  Children do not have to be kept inside in order to learn.  Children do not have to be kept away from the rest of society and arguably from real life, in order to learn.

Language evolves, and the more often people use certain words of phrases, the more prevalent they will become.  As home educators, I think it is our responsibility to use the correct terms that encourage an opening of the mind to wider possibilities, rather than using an allowed term, that encourages the mind to close and focus in only one direction; especially when discussing with the LA. 
In your own homes? With your own friends? Use whatever phrase you want, but if you say 'home schooling' around me, I will be privately miffed.

(There are other terms that home educators also use to convey their educational approach, such as Life Learning, Life Education, Education Otherwise, and many more which try to show the wider scope of education than simply 'school'.)

A couple of blog posts from other people (2012 and 2016) that also talk about this topic:
Home Schooling Vs Home Education
Forgive the Homeschooling

Emotions, Mirrors of the Heart by Catherine Haddow

This book was recommended to me by a friend from church.  She knows I suffer with depression, and that I have been reading various psychology books in order to help myself.
When the Body Says No links our psychological state to our physiological state. Emotions, Mirrors of the Heart links our psychological state to our spiritual state.

The blurb says:

Our emotions are powerful. We experience them so tangibly that they can often feel all-consuming. At one time or another, we will all have experienced what Catherine Haddow calls ‘tears, fears and sneers’ — those darker, harder emotions. We often don’t know what to do with them. Sometimes we feel helplessly controlled by them, unable to see anything other than the emotion. At other times, we try and hide them from others and from God.

In this book, you’ll see that our emotions are vitally important as they are ‘spiritual smoke alarms’ that can alert us to the state of our heart. Catherine presents her own ’tbH’ model which, when followed, helps us to understand our thoughts, emotions and behaviours in more detail, each providing vital information about  the compelling desires, flowing from our hearts. She then helps us to apply biblical wisdom to where we’re struggling, inviting God to change and transform us from the heart of the emotion — the core of our being.

This is a book that not only spoke to me now, but is one that I can see myself rereading the the future if needed.  Rather than dismiss secular methods, such as CBT, which some Christian writers are prone to do, Cather Haddow acknowledges that they are useful and have benefit, but for the Christian they do not go quite far enough - so she developed the tbH model (thoughts >> behaviours >> body >> Heart) and encourages us to allow God the freedom to transform our innermost being.

Even if you are a Christian who doesn't suffer with depression or anxiety, I would recommend this book to you, because it shines a light on ourselves whilst opening us up to God's transforming grace.

(This book isn't currently available on Amazon, but is available in paperback and ebook from 10 of Those.)

Contract Snatch: by Ty Hutchinson

I read this book as part of a double-book by Ty Hutchinson - one Abby Kane book and one Sei Assassin book.

Sei is an ex-assassin, having given up the trade when she found she was pregnant. After suffering the loss of her child, she lives in seclusion away from the rest of the world.  One day she is found by a friend who encourages her to start accepting contracts again, and the first one she sees shatters her world - her daughter is alive.  In exchange for the whereabouts of her daughter, Sei must successfully accomplish one last mission.

The blurb for Contract: Snatch says:

They used her daughter as bait. They messed with the wrong mother. 

Sei abandoned her life as an assassin to try to find peace—but when contacted by a source claiming to have information about the daughter she thought she’d lost, Sei finds herself taking on one last mission. Can she unravel the truth before time runs out?

Though this book took me longer than a day to read, it was mainly because I was no longer on holiday so didn't have as much time.  I tried to grab minutes to read when I could, as this was another can't-put-down novel by Ty Hutchinson.  A thriller with lots of gore and plenty of killings (as you would expect in a book where the main character is an assassin), this book keeps you on the edge of your seat as you hope that Sei can achieve her mission and finally get her child back.  There is even a twist at the end that I didn't see coming (until the story led up to that point) which, when invested in a story as much as I was with this one, is a good surprise.

I would recommend this book and rather than just adding the sequels to my wishlist, I have actually bought the next two books to read immediately (because at time of writing, they are currently free on the Kindle).

Weekly Update No37

If you saw my post last Friday, you will see that I hit my lowest weight for over a year!

My weight has gone up slightly since then, as I always put on weight over the weekend, but it is still lower than this time next week.  It is in my nature to celebrate using food, so I am fighting against myself, as half my head is saying that I deserve to eat a shed-load of cake because I have lost some weight, and the more sensible half knows that is a sure-fire way to go up in weight again.

I am managing to not eat too much for tea.  I need to buy more fruit so I can have that as snacks, instead of sugary cereal bars, but overall I don't think I'm eating too badly atm.

Russian Hill by Ty Hutchinson

I read this book as part of a double-book by Ty Hutchinson - one Abby Kane book and one Sei Assassin book.

Russian Hill is an absorbing book about a murderous game that FBI Agent Abby Kane needs to join in order to solve. It is part 1 of the CC Trilogy and Book 3 in the Abby Kane Thriller Series.

The blurb says:

A killer is loose in San Francisco, and he’s collecting body parts. FBI Agent Abby Kane believes a dead hiker found ten miles north of the city is the key to solving those crimes.

The more Abby digs, the more she begins to think the killer is playing an elaborate game and there’s an audience cheering him on. But to catch the monster, she’ll have to join in his twisted game.

This book is definitely a thriller.  It is gruesome in places and there are sex scenes, so not suitable for younger readers, but as an adult reading this I couldn't put it down.  The plot is believable that it could actually happen, and you always want to try and solve the clues to see if you can predict and prevent the next murder from happening.  As I was reading, I imagined the killers to be like an older version of Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette in True Romance.

Ty Hutchinson certainly knows how to write to keep you involved and invested in the book.  The sequel went straight on my wishlist, as did the first two books in the series, and I couldn't wait to read the Sei Assassin book.

I've hit a new low

No, not like that!

My weight is the lowest for over a year! Yey! 

As I've said recently, the things that I'm doing differently are 1. drinking [flavoured] coffee [with syrup] in the morning; 2. having a breakfast of porridge [with syrup] in the morning; and 3. not eating dinner in the evening if I'm not hungry.  Last night I came home from tutoring at 9:30pm and had a breakfast bar before taking the girls to bed.  I didn't need to eat anything more.

Yesterday I managed to tidy the living room, with DD2's help, because we had a prayer meeting here during the day, and everyone else's homes are always so tidy.  But, now that it is tidy, I actually have space to start doing Body Groove again.  I do enjoy dancing - even just around my living room, so hopefully next week I can start fitting that into my days again.  I don't want to do it today because we have an electrician coming round to fit a smart meter, though if he arrives early, maybe I'll be able to do some afterwards.

So yes, my weight is the lowest for a year.  When I announce my weightloss, it is less impressive - I am only down 3 kilos since October 1st last year, but that is just short of half a stone, and it's all progress.

Against the Odds by Mara Jacobs

Anna Dawson is a professional gambler.  She has bought her own home, a vehicle and gifts for friends from her winnings.  Unfortunately she also has a gambling problem and often gets into debt, causing her to bring back her alter-ego JoJo to pay off the debt quickly by less-than-legal means. Then one friend is murdered, and she has to team up with Detective Jack to try and find the killer, whilst keeping JoJo a secret.

The synopsis of Against the Odds says:

My name is Anna Dawson, and I'm a gambler.

And like any gambler will tell you, sometimes that's good, and sometimes...not so much. And sometimes it's an outright problem.

I love Vegas, and I love the life I've built, but when one of my friends is murdered, and another one shot at, I know I need to take a serious look at myself. And I need to call in the big guns. Even if that means teaming up with Detective Jack Schiller, a man who's dealing with his own demons.

Right now I'm just trying to juggle protecting my friends, helping Jack while not letting him get too close, and finding a murderer. And, oh yeah, no one can learn about my gambling.

Or this will be the last hand I'm dealt.

I quite liked this book.  Anna isn't some super sleuth, she is not a goody-two-shoes, and she is not a card counting geek.  Rather she is a normal girl who discovers she has a good poker face, and with the help of a bunch of friends, learns how to bet comprehensively on various sporting events.  As someone who is good at maths, I do wish I had learned to play poker when younger, though it is probably better for my bank balance that I didn't.  I often wonder how people become professional gamblers. 

The book is well written and moves at a good pace.  Another book I couldn't put down and read in a day.  I have again, added the sequel to my wishlist.

Agent with a History by Guy Stanton III

This book is really enjoyable.  It has NYPD, ritualistic killings, mafia, and an Indiana Jones-esque treasure trail seeking Biblical gold. 

Cop Lisa has to investigate an unusual murder, where it is clear the perpetrator has access to much money in order to pull it off in the fashion he has. As she delves deeper into the investigation, it is clear that she cannot get free of her past which has finally caught up with her.

The blurb says:

It’s been one long day for Lisa and her headache is living proof of it. Most of it she blamed on the full moon outside. Things always got crazy this time of the month, but this month was exceptional. She needed sleep bad and only hoped the nightmares that haunted her would leave her alone for at least one night. They don’t. She wakes up as usual screaming only to find out that her nightmare has just begun, because she’s not alone in her room.

One man has been gruesomely tortured to death in a ritualistic killing. An entire police precinct has been reconstructed down to the smallest detail in an abandoned warehouse and a mysterious stranger known only as Flint seems to be the cause of it all. It’s a case that is fast turning into one big headache for Lisa Tauranto a detective for the NYPD, but it gets much worse when her past, that she’s tried so hard to bury, rises up to engulf her in its golden grip once again. Lisa is ripped from the existence that she so pain stakingly built for herself into a mixed up world of intrigue, where nothing is as it seems. It’s a fight to survive and to protect what she is sworn to, but will love conquer all? Will she betray her oath to be happy? Does she even have a choice anymore or does a several thousand year old mystery hold enough weight in treasure to drag her down with it? Everyone wants her dead, everyone that is but for one man who is the cause of all her upheaval in the first place. He’s an agent working for someone, but she doesn’t know who. She only hopes he’s as good as his kisses make her believe him to be.

This book wasn't predictable (or at least the main bits of the plot weren't.  All books are somewhat predictable), and took many twists and turns as Lisa moved through the investigation.   Being a Christian I liked the references to the Old Testament, even though this is clearly fiction.  It is fast-paced, and keeps you on your toes.  There is also a romance with the mystery man who helps her.

I'd recommend this book, and have added the next in the series to my wishlist.

All the Way to Heaven by Becky Doughty

This is another of the books that I read in a day whilst camping.

All the Way to Heaven is a standalone book and the first in the Fallout Series. It features Ani, a business student, who finds out that her boyfriend (and professor) is already married with kids.  She travels to Italy to take her mind off him, however a bike accident forces her to stay in one place and she finds herself torn between two beaus.

The blurb says:

Anica Tomlin, business major, has just learned that the man she's been planning her future around, her Global Finance professor, already has a beautiful wife and family. Ani cashes in her graduation gift to herself a little early 'a trip to Tuscany' but from the moment she boards the wrong train in Pisa, her plans for solitude and self-indulgence begin to unravel around her. When a bicycle accident thrusts Ani into the skilled hands of the dashing Dr. Cosimo Lazzaro, she reluctantly accepts his invitation to recover in his family's country villa, perched on a hilltop surrounded by the Lazzaro olive groves. But it's been a black year for olive growers all over Italy, and generations of tradition are being put to the test like never before. Ani is swept up in the drama of life in Tuscany, the convergence of old and new, and the passions that drive people to pursue the desires of their hearts. Just as Ani begins to get her feet under her again, an unexpected turn of events leaves her doubting the very existence of happily-ever-after, unless she can learn to trust the desires of her own heart. Although All the Way to Heaven is a stand-alone novel, it is the first book in The Fallout Series, a collection of sweet contemporary romances that follow characters featured in the first book.

I did enjoy this book.  It's a sweet romance, so is suitable for all ages. The book was well written and had a steady pace to the plot.  It's not action-packed and fast, but very descriptive and makes you feel like you're in the Italian countryside, living a relaxing life as part of the Italian community.  The love story is predictable, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.  A good holiday read.

Weekly Update No36

My weight is coming down again - yey!  I'm not doing anything that radical, other than only eating when I'm hungry (yes, I know it's obvious, but after years of conditioning that I should eat at certain times, I should finish what's on my plate, and if you're happy (celebrate) or sad (commiserate) you do so with food, it's a hard habit to break).

I've been quite busy recently too.  Between getting back into the dance habit, getting into the school habit, helping with homework, helping friends, and trying to get on top of my mess of a house and home educate my youngest, there has not always been time for what I want to do - including updating this blog and my FB page.

On the good side, my mental health has been improving recently, and I have my first proper meeting with the therapist this week, so that should help.  I've not been able to read as much as I like, as I don't have as much free time as I did.  Previously I could read for 30min or so whilst waiting for the girls' dance lessons to finish, whereas now I'm having to drop DD2 off, rush back home to pick up DD1 after school, bring DD2 back home and then either go to work or somewhere else.

I've finally finished catching up on the latest series of The Handmaid's Tale on TV (The book is excellent, I highly recommend it.  The TV series started following the book, but later series, the TV-plot has gone further) and I want to watch the latest series of The 100 which has recently started back on TV.  That's not forgetting I still haven't had time to watch Stranger Things or Orange Is The New Black.  All of which is not help by me being tired and going to bed early so I have some hope in getting up in time for DD1 to go to school in the morning.

Which brings me back round to my weight - the only other new thing I'm doing is that I've started drinking a cup of [gingerbread] coffee [with caramel syrup] in the morning, and having a small bowl of porridge, which staves off hunger until lunchtime or beyond.

After Math by Denise Grover Swank

Yet another book by Denise Grover Swank that I've read, After Math is a story about a quiet maths student who reluctantly tutors jock Tucker in order to gain funding for the maths department. 

Another book I read in a day, I related to because of my own geekiness in studying Engineering at uni.  Not that this situation happened to me of course, I wasn't good enough at uni to offer tuition to other students, needing to be helped myself, though I blame that entirely on studying at Oxford uni, rather than any lack of ability on my own part. 😉 

As Scarlett tutors Tucker, she sees a side to him that is hidden to the outside world.  He has demons, and causes her to reflect on her own past and how it has influenced and shaped her present and future.

The blurb says:

Scarlett Goodwin’s world is divided into Before and After.

Before she agreed to tutor Tucker Price, college junior Scarlett was introvert, struggling with her social anxiety disorder and determined to not end up living in a trailer park like her mother and her younger sister. A mathematics major, she goes to her classes, to her job in the tutoring lab, and then hides in the apartment she shares with her friend, Caroline.

After junior Tucker Price, Southern University’s star soccer player enters the equation, her carefully plotted life is thrown off its axis. Tucker’s failing his required College Algebra class. With his eligibility is at risk, the university chancellor dangles an expensive piece of computer software for the math department if Scarlett agrees to privately tutor him. Tucker’s bad boy, womanizer reputation makes Scarlett wary of any contact, let alone spending several hours a week in close proximity.

But from her first encounter, she realizes Tucker isn’t the person everyone else sees. He carries a mountain of secrets which she suspects hold the reason to his self-destructive behavior. But the deeper she delves into the cause of his pain, the deeper she gets sucked into his chaos. Will Scarlett find the happiness she’s looking for, or will she be caught in Tucker’s aftermath?

It's an easy to read romance, suitable for young adults/teens.  Light-hearted, and made me reminisce my own college days, with the fears, apprehension and excitement of stepping out on your own and a young, independent woman.  I really enjoyed it.  Though it is part of the Off The Subject series, each book can be read as a standalone, and I have put them on my wishlist.

Abducting Abby by S E Smith

Abducting Abby is the first book in the Dragon Lords of Valdier series.  A strong, independent woman lives alone on a remote mountain, resistant to the charms of the local sheriff.  Suddenly, she comes across an injured man on the mountain and tends to him as he returns to health.  The man, however, is an alien and falls in love with his nurse, whom he calls his true mate.  Despite a language barrier, she starts to have feelings for him, even while knowing he is soon to return home.

The blurb says:

The beginning of an epic saga! Discover new worlds, clashes of cultures, schemes of power, revenge, rescues, and above all, hope….

Abby Tanner was content to live on her mountain creating works of art and enjoying the peace and quiet until a golden space ship crash lands with the King of the Valdier inside, desperately hurt.

Zoran Reykill knew he had to find a safe place to heal after he escapes from a Curizan military post. When his symbiosis Mothership takes him to an unknown planet he finds more than he expects – he finds his true mate. The only problems are Abby doesn’t understand a thing he says and the local sheriff wants her, too.

Clearly, this book is a mix of fantasy, sci fi, and romance.  There are explicit sex scenes, so not suitable for teens.  They are also very male-dominant, so not entirely realistic (as if the rest of the book is...).

I read this book in a day because I couldn't put it down. I liked the writing and it was very easy to read. You do have to suspend some disbelief, as you do for many books in this genre, but the story is gripping and action-packed, not just a soppy romance - the alien who crash landed, was being tortured on a different planet due to being a King, and is still being hunted.

This is the first of 11 books in the series, and I have added the next one to my wishlist.  I would like the subsequent books to be focusing on the alien war, the kingdom, the battles etc, however judging by the book titles, they will be focusing on the romance/sex side of things, so though it is now on my wishlist, it won't be one of the first books I buy (when I start buying books again).

And she's off!

DD1 is no longer home educated and has sailed off to school for the very first time! Of course I had to take the obligatory Front Door Photo.

It was only just over a year ago when she said she wanted to go to school for the first time.  A quick catch-up of my thoughts:
All Change
DD1's going to school!
A small confidence boost
A bigger confidence boost
And, if you're interested, when she went to school to do the WRAT5 test (as she doesn't have SATs results), she was average for everything - not bad for years of unschooling!

I am much more nervous about her starting school than she is, I barely slept last night.

I have no worries about her making friends or anything like that.  Despite being on the spectrum, she is actually very sociable. I'm more concerned about the little things, the unexpected things, the small embarrassments that means she's in a situation and doesn't know what to do.  The very first of which involve having to cycle to the back entrance of the school, as students are not allowed to cycle through the front due to the number of cars.  After locking up her bike, she then has to walk to the front to be greeted by a teacher.  At her school she has compulsory reading each day, yet I worry she won't find a book she likes.  Her handwriting isn't great, so what if her teacher can't read it, or other students take the mick? Fortunately she's not on her period any more, so has a few weeks to be able to get used to school without that additional worry.

I pray that when she comes home tonight (when I'm not here, as I'll be taking DD2 to her dance lessons), she'll be full of beans and I will have been worrying for nothing.  Fingers crossed.
Any additional prayers welcomed xx

Weekly Update No35

After camping I had put on weight, but I have lost is again now.  Interestingly (or not), but
unsurprisingly, since I started blogging last September, I haven't lost any weight at all. Clearly my random method of stop, start, stop start, quit, start again, stop, sod it, start again, give up... isn't working for me.

As DD1 is starting school this week (Wed!!!) I'll need to do her a packed tea every night, as otherwise she won't be able to eat before she rushes off to dancing (she'll be having school dinners during the day).  I'm going to make Mondays (or Tuesdays this week) my cooking day, and cook meals that can easily be reheated for the rest of the week.  Hopefully that will encourage me to eat healthier foods, especially if I prep veg and salads ready in the fridge.  I may even get DD2 to join me with the cooking as part of her HE.