One of the highlights of C's trip was getting to go to see Jimmy Buffett play at the Empire in London. Matt was supposed to join us but couldn't get the next day off and being a sunday there was no way to get back by train after the concert. So matt very kindly stayed with Sam while C and I went. The venue is an old music hall theatre and can't hold more than 2000 people if that. We were in the stalls which was all standing and managed to get very close to the stage. We got to the venue a couple of hours before the concert and had fun waiting in line with all of the other crazy parrot heads. We were amazed at how many people there were, how many of them were english and how sober they all were! At a typical jimmy concert back home most people have had such fun tailgating that they are are bit worse for wear by the time the concert starts. The concert was amazing-jimmy played for 2.5 hours straigh and everyone was singing along. I think he was really taken aback by the amount of people and the level of adoration expressed by the audience. He has promised to come back next year-fingers crossed that he does and fingers crossed it is still at the empire. Having seen him in two small venues seeing him somewhere huge just wouldn't be the same.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Heading to Margaritaville
Jimmy and Mac chatting before the next song. I have never seen a group of musicians who look so unlike a group of musicians. Mac looks just like grizzly adams.
Up close and personal
I took lots of pics but this is the best of the bunch. I forgot to ask matt how to use the video setting on the camera so didn't get any video footage. I still can't believe how close we were to the stage-any closer and we would have been on it.
This is how it works Dad
On C's last day here we ventured up to Magna-a science museum that has been created in an old steel factory. It was very interesting and there was lots of hands on stuff to do. Sam really enjoyed the water section, especially the scale model of locks. Sadly we didn't have time to try out the fab looking playground but hope to get back up there this summer.
Sam aka Huck Finn
The monster fishing back when it was still summer! He natters the whole time he is fishing which is why he probably doesn't catch much!
Trying to catch dinner
Sam and C doing a quite bit of fishing at the marina. Sam managed to catch a baby dace and a baby roach-we threw them all back.
How many cubs will fit on a boat?
The annual cubs boating trip with the boys trying to see how many of them will fit on one boat.
Still dry-just!
Sam had his annual sailing trip with cubs recently. This year due to complete lack of wind they took the sails off theboats and let the boys row. What they lacked in rowing skill they made up for in enthusiasm. They all had a ball and as you will see from the pics below nearly everyone ended up in the water on purpose.
Getting back on board
Not long into the session boys started falling in accidently and then once they discovered what fun it was on purpose. Sam is the one in the blue jacket and orange life jacket and after the first 10 minutes seemed to spend more time in the water than in the boat. He was absolutely soaked and he and matt walked home rather than get the car wet and mucky.
What happened to the boat?
By the end of the session all of the boys were in the water mucking about and having a ball. They all claimed that the water was lovely and warm but I have my doubts.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Pox again!
Just as sam got over his chicken pox, the inevitable happened, Matt came down with them. He has felt awful the last two days and has spent them in bed, which is not like him. Normally if he is not feeling well he just soldiers on but not this time. He is like a furnace to touch and alternates between feeling hot and cold. He has a growing collection of spots which so far don't itch. I have a squirt bottle of calamine on hand for when they do tough. I just hope that the feeling awful doesn't last the whole duration of illness, I would hate for him to spend the next week or so feeling like death warmed over.
Things have been pretty quiet here as we cancelled all sam's playdates and activities, not wanting to knowingly pass on the pox. As he felt fine we continued with school work, though at a slower pace than usual. We also spent the week at home, which I think is the first time we have spent a full week on dry land since getting the boat. As the captain now has the pox and won't be at work looks like we will be landlubbers this week as well.
Things have been pretty quiet here as we cancelled all sam's playdates and activities, not wanting to knowingly pass on the pox. As he felt fine we continued with school work, though at a slower pace than usual. We also spent the week at home, which I think is the first time we have spent a full week on dry land since getting the boat. As the captain now has the pox and won't be at work looks like we will be landlubbers this week as well.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Chicken Pox...again!!
Things have been tootling along at what passes for normal in our house/boat. Schoolwork, clubs, playdates, soggy camping weekends etc until the attack of the chicken pox. This is the second time the monster has had chicken pox and so far thankfully it is very mild just like last time. He doesn't feel unwell which is good and hasn't been tempted to scratch the spots. We have cancelled all his activities for next week as we don't want to pass it on to his friends. He does love to rough and tumble with his buddies so I have no doubt that he would spread it among them. My big worry, though is him passing it to Matt who still hasn't had the pox. Fingers crossed he doesn't get it!
As I said life has been pretty normal around here-we had our annual home ed camp last weekend and only managed one night. The heavens opened the first night and our tent couldn't cope. It leaked in so many place it was almost raining inside by the the time we woke up. As the forecast was for rain all sat and sun we decided that discretion was the better part of valor and packed up and went home. Sam was dispointed to leave his friends but very glad to be warm and dry when we got home. To make up for the disapointment the boys went to see Terminator Salvation while the dogs and I had a lazy afternoon.
Sam has recently joined the local junior triathlon club and is really enjoying it. It has really improved his swimming and above all he is having fun. Not sure when he will do his first junior triathlon-there is one mid july not too far from here so if he thinks he is ready we will sign him up for that.
Auntie C is coming to visit at the end of the month and we are all very excited. By happy coincedence Jimmy Buffett happens to be having his first ever concert in London while she is here and we have managed to get tickets-yippee! I hope the weather is nice for her visit but knowing july over here anything is possible.
As I said life has been pretty normal around here-we had our annual home ed camp last weekend and only managed one night. The heavens opened the first night and our tent couldn't cope. It leaked in so many place it was almost raining inside by the the time we woke up. As the forecast was for rain all sat and sun we decided that discretion was the better part of valor and packed up and went home. Sam was dispointed to leave his friends but very glad to be warm and dry when we got home. To make up for the disapointment the boys went to see Terminator Salvation while the dogs and I had a lazy afternoon.
Sam has recently joined the local junior triathlon club and is really enjoying it. It has really improved his swimming and above all he is having fun. Not sure when he will do his first junior triathlon-there is one mid july not too far from here so if he thinks he is ready we will sign him up for that.
Auntie C is coming to visit at the end of the month and we are all very excited. By happy coincedence Jimmy Buffett happens to be having his first ever concert in London while she is here and we have managed to get tickets-yippee! I hope the weather is nice for her visit but knowing july over here anything is possible.
Friday, May 15, 2009
feathered neighbors
The Ds are our feathered neighbors who seem to view us as their main food source. They come by at regular intervals to beg for food and lay siege to the boat if they don't get it. The dogs get very excited when they come by and rouge especially would like to get to know them better.
Mrs. D. on the roof!
Here is Mrs. D laying siege to the boat. She and Mr. D are our constant companions and are very demanding. Mrs. D has been known to climb in the hatch if we aren't feeding her as often as she would like.
schoolwork in the sunshine
Schoolwork is much more fun on boat-it is so warm and sunny ( on nice days) that it is almost like being outside. We are doing the Incas at the moment and here is sam voluntarily reading the Incredible Incas from the Horrible Histories series. He enjoys the series as it covers the gorey bits of history.
madame looking cute
Miko looking cute and fluffy-the dogs enjoy being on the boat, especially when the ducks come to visit!
playing with an electromagnet
This week at home ed group we had a 'bring a science experiment' session. Joe and his dad brought materials for everyone to make their own electromagnet. Here is sam with his creation picking up washers. He was delighted with his magnet and spent the rest of the day trying to pick up things!
Sam as never seen before!
Here is the monster as never seen before-all dressed up in a suit. He looked so smart and was very good about keeping his hands out of his pockets.
Monday, May 11, 2009
A May Bug-Taken by Sam
This little guy came visiting our veggie patch last night . Sam looked him up and discovered that it is a May Bug which is a type of beetle.
The Boys at Easter
A cute pic of sam and rogue at easter. Rogue tolerates sam's rough housing with puppy like enthusiasm.
A sunny day on boudica
Boudica is a real suntrap so on nice days we open the forward doors, and soak up the sunshine. Here are the boys enjoying the warm weather.
Cookie anyone?
Sam and his cousin benjamin at the bake sale sam organized for Blue Peter. All in all he made £16 and worked very hard.
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Today's science lesson-the food chain up close and personal..
While out with the dogs today we witnessed not only the food chain in action but also how cruel nature can be. As I may have mentioned spring, in the form of cute ducklings has come to the marina in a big way. We have enjoyed watching the various families and were pleased when the duck we call Mrs. D (the one who keeps coming in the hatch) had finally produced a duckling. She and the very ducking waddled over to say hello as we went to our car. She let us get amazingly close and seemed very proud of her chick. We got in the car and were about to pull away when we noticed a rook swoop down. Mrs. D did a very good job of fending it off at first but she turned her back at one point and grabbed the chick. I lept out of the car and ran toward the rook shouting and waving my arms, it landed twice but I couldn't get close enough to save the chick, it finally flew off boyond the horizon. I was gutted and poor sam was dumbfounded. We all know that this is how the food chain works but to see it like this wasn't very nice-poor Mrs. D was making a huge fuss at me as if to berate me for not saving the chick. She seems to have recovered though because she was back at the boat begging by the time we got back from the gym. Thank goodness life isn't like that for us humans, being a parent is worrying enough but to always have the fear of loosing a child to a predator must be awful. I know I am projecting my feelings on to the duck and that she has probably forgotten all about the chick, but I remember and feel bad on her behalf.
Apart from that real life science lesson we are having a good week. Saturday sam and I went to see monsters vs. aliens-which was better than I expected. Alot of the jokes went over sam's head and I am sure the jokes about fresno and modesto meant nothing to the english audience. We had a nice wander around lincoln after the movies and both ended up getting a pair of shoes. Sam needed really tennis shoes forthe gym, while I fell in love with a red pair of sketcher like shoes. I justified buying them because they were children's shoes therefore cheaper than adult shoes. It is nice to know that I can fit into girl's shoes-children's feet must be getting bigger though because I have an average size foot for a grown up.
Apart from that real life science lesson we are having a good week. Saturday sam and I went to see monsters vs. aliens-which was better than I expected. Alot of the jokes went over sam's head and I am sure the jokes about fresno and modesto meant nothing to the english audience. We had a nice wander around lincoln after the movies and both ended up getting a pair of shoes. Sam needed really tennis shoes forthe gym, while I fell in love with a red pair of sketcher like shoes. I justified buying them because they were children's shoes therefore cheaper than adult shoes. It is nice to know that I can fit into girl's shoes-children's feet must be getting bigger though because I have an average size foot for a grown up.
Friday, May 01, 2009
Where to begin..?
Sorry about the silence for the last month, thankfully it wasn't due to anything bad happening just lots of time spent a float and a boy who hogs my laptop! Whether at home or on the boat the first thing sam does in the morning is have computer time, which is fine except that it is usually on my laptop as it is the one that the games are loaded on and if he should accidently do something to it it is not as big a deal as if he were to hurt daddy's macbook. Add to that he is no longer sleeping in as late as he used to and the fact that my laptop is used as a dvd player on the boat (have to get our nightly buffy fix somehow) and it all equals less computer time for mom! I have started so many blogs in my head this last month but haven't had the chance to write them down. Have managed to sneak some time this morning, got up a little earlier and sam is shattered after a 2 mile hike with cubs last night so hopefully he will sleep a little longer.
Things are busy here, we are spending more and more time on the boat and as a consequence really getting to know lincoln. The more we see the more we like and look forward to moving there once the market picks up and we can put the house on the market. Our mornings on the boat ususally start with a duck invasion-there is one particular mrs. duck who walks up and down the roof and pecks on windows begging for food. If the hatch is open she will march right in and demand breakfast. Most of the other ducks are more polite and just congregate around the hatch waiting for sam's toast crusts. They have started to bring their ducklings who are so cute and getting bigger by the day. There are also lots of fish in the marina and sam is determined to catch one with his fishing net. No luck so far mainly due to the fact that he talks at the top of his voice non stop while fishing, thus scaring away all the fish. Once fishing season starts he and matt are going to recondition the rods and try to catch some fish for real. They had best throw back what they catch because there is no way that I am skining and gutting a smelly old fish!!
Schoolwise things are moving along, we have started basic geometry and sam is really enjoying it. He has grasped the concepts quite quickly and seems eager for more. Makes a change from his usual opinion of math! He has also been enjoying the verbal and non-verbal reasoning work books that I bought recently. He has surprised himself by being better at the verbal reasoning than the non-verbal, not really a surprise to me as he is one of the most verbal children that I know! He is getting more pe than ever as he goes to the children's club at the gym at least twice a week. This week he did basketball and a supervised gym session, it was very disconcerting when he suddenly popped up on the treadmill next to me!
We have started working on the house in a big way. Last weekend we gave the backyard a make over using two tons of slate! It looks a lot better and the slate hides the fact that the dogs have destroyed most of the grass. We have created a new veggie patch and hope that some of the plants survive the large slug population that inhabits our yard. We have put down all natural slug pellets and coffee grounds so hopefully that will keep them away.
Have a sunny day!!!
Things are busy here, we are spending more and more time on the boat and as a consequence really getting to know lincoln. The more we see the more we like and look forward to moving there once the market picks up and we can put the house on the market. Our mornings on the boat ususally start with a duck invasion-there is one particular mrs. duck who walks up and down the roof and pecks on windows begging for food. If the hatch is open she will march right in and demand breakfast. Most of the other ducks are more polite and just congregate around the hatch waiting for sam's toast crusts. They have started to bring their ducklings who are so cute and getting bigger by the day. There are also lots of fish in the marina and sam is determined to catch one with his fishing net. No luck so far mainly due to the fact that he talks at the top of his voice non stop while fishing, thus scaring away all the fish. Once fishing season starts he and matt are going to recondition the rods and try to catch some fish for real. They had best throw back what they catch because there is no way that I am skining and gutting a smelly old fish!!
Schoolwise things are moving along, we have started basic geometry and sam is really enjoying it. He has grasped the concepts quite quickly and seems eager for more. Makes a change from his usual opinion of math! He has also been enjoying the verbal and non-verbal reasoning work books that I bought recently. He has surprised himself by being better at the verbal reasoning than the non-verbal, not really a surprise to me as he is one of the most verbal children that I know! He is getting more pe than ever as he goes to the children's club at the gym at least twice a week. This week he did basketball and a supervised gym session, it was very disconcerting when he suddenly popped up on the treadmill next to me!
We have started working on the house in a big way. Last weekend we gave the backyard a make over using two tons of slate! It looks a lot better and the slate hides the fact that the dogs have destroyed most of the grass. We have created a new veggie patch and hope that some of the plants survive the large slug population that inhabits our yard. We have put down all natural slug pellets and coffee grounds so hopefully that will keep them away.
Have a sunny day!!!
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