Its Sooooooo hot!!!!

There are lots of ways of keeping your cool and a nice icy dessert is one of them!! This week has been super hot with most days being in excess of 26C. It has made work a real slog and to be honest everything else a slog as well!

On Tuesday evening we went out for our girls night out, we ended up at the crooked chimney and for some reason it was packed. We ordered our meal and sat down to chat, we didn't mind waiting as we had plenty to chat about! However we were some what surprised when our main course arrived as we hadn't had our starters. The waitress was very apologetic and I think that was the reason we were served these huge puddings!! Eton Mess is a concoction of cream, strawberries and meringue, this version also had some strawberry mousse in it, it was lovely but too much, none of us could finish it.

Some good came of the night, we finally decided to book our weekend away in December, we are heading back to Ypres in Belgium. We made a quick visit last year but this time we are staying there so we will be able to look around the shops (for Sandra) and look at doing a battlefields tour (for the rest of us!!)

Yesterday was the school fete.It was boiling hot and as always the most popular stall is the 'soak a teacher'

I think Beth must have spent most of her money on there. This year she was handicapped with her splint, but she used her left hand and was just as deadly! In the end she bought a bucket full and chose her target, I love this action shot!!!

This week at school it was Beth's sports day, she was pretty fed up because she wasn't able to join in, she couldn't throw as she is right handed and she couldn't run in case she slipped and landed on her hand so she was stuck with watching. Sports day is an inter form event and last year her form had come 2nd. They really wanted to win this year but it was very tight on the points. Beth finally persuaded her teacher to allow her to throw the discus with her left hand, that way the class would get a point for having someone enter. Her first two shots were very short, it was difficult swapping hands. The third shot however was a good one, she threw 12m 60 cms, (her right hand distance is 19m) This distance was enough to win the competition and for her to be awarded 3 points. We found out yesterday from her teacher that the class won the sports day by - just 3 points!!!They were very pleased that she had entered.

Schools Out For Summer!!!

Today was the last day of the summer term, the last day in year 7 for Beth and year 13 for Carl. Amazing. Year seven was a big step for Beth and here we are at the start of the summer holidays . Everything has shot by at a rate of knots. Before you know it, we'll be buying new uniform for next term.
Carl is coming back from Tenerife tonight, he should land at Gatwick at 4.15am, he thinks that he will be in the house by 6am, I think he will be disappointed!! Its likely he will still be waiting for his luggage at 5am and its a good 90 minutes home from the airport (on a good run) It'll be good to see him back safe!!
I am really wrestling with myself over whether I should do go for it on the bead making front. I am trying to justify spending the required money on the equipment or taking further lessons to learn new skills, thus using up any money that I might be able to use on buying the equipment. Its all so difficult. I really need a fairy Godmother who will take the decision out of my hands!!!
I have managed to do some scrapping and made some cards this week, so I have been productive. I am trying really hard to get off of the computer more as I seem to waste a load of time on here. I would like to get back to swimming, just needs a bit of effort on my part. I am going to have a busy weekend again. Roll on summer holiday!!

Very proud Mum (and Dad) Moment!!

This afternoon I went to school prize giving for year 7. I can hardly believe that Beth has been at Nicky B for nearly a full school year where has that time gone??

Anyway we have been to a few of these for Carl's presentations in the past, so we had an idea what is coming. I was keeping my fingers crossed that they didn't play earth song by Michael Jackson, because the whole presentation was beginning to feel a bit emotionally charged. (They didn't, thank goodness)

Beth has had a fantastic form teacher, Mr Keily. This teacher was a pupil at the school, went away to Uni to become a teacher and then returned. (he is very young!!) He has been so enthusiastic and caring and has really inspired his class. Beth has flourished and grown in all sorts of ways, a lot of it attributable to him.

The classes are a competitive lot, with lots of inter form competitions, unfortunately Beth's form came consistently second in every event, losing every time to a different form!

Mr Keily was finding it all a bit emotional as well, as he is staying with year 7 and taking on one of the new classes. He wasn't keen to lose his present class.

Towards the end of the afternoon, the children were awarded sports colours and Beth was thrilled to be awarded the year 7 'Outstanding Contribution to Sports' award.

This left just one thing left on the table, a silver cup, the only cup to be presented. (the rest were certificates) Miss Price started her speech describing how the winner was an all round performer, who had grown in confidence throughout the year, who always gave her best and went the extra mile to help. The winner was outstanding at a recent course at Watford football Club and had been graded as outstanding in all areas of her schooling, the winner of the 'Patricia Jenkins Trophy for 'Outstanding Contribution to School Life'........Bethany!!!!!!

Well we were stunned, Beth was stunned, her form teacher was blinking a lot, How proud were we????

So unprepared was I that I didn't even have my camera with me, I have had to snap a few shots on my iPhone. The cup has stayed at school for the time being as she will be officially presented with it at main school prize giving in September, along with Carl's A level results!!

Welcome to the Jamboree!!

Yesterday we went to the school Jamboree. It was a bit miserable on the weather front, over cast and raining on and off, it was still very warm though. There were all the traditional stalls, but because the school has a thriving livestock farm there were a few 'extras' you don't see at a normal school fair!! So we stocked up on beeswax polish and beeswax lip potion made by the resident bees and children. Laura had a go at guess the weight of the chicken, I was not too keen on picking her up, but she was calm and extremely heavy!! There were 'school' produced mutton and sausages on sale and they were taking orders for Christmas Turkeys!

The art teacher was doing 30 minute portraits, so Laura had hers done. We were all impressed with the result. I think that her eyes are particularly good. It wasn't until later when we got back in the car and looked at it again that we realised that while he had been rubbing bits out getting the glasses right, that he had forgotten to sketch in her right eyebrow! So I got my sketching stuff out and put one in.

There were loads of teachers there, the kids paid to throw wet sponges at them. Beth was deadly accurate and managed to get 3 sopping wet sponges directly on target (Her RE teacher!)

She also had a go at the sumo wrestlers with another of the teachers. It was great fun, but his height advantage got the better of Beth. Thinking back to my time at school, I am sure none of my teachers would have got involved like that!

Beth has got up with a sore throat again today, its been around 10 days now and if this is a virus as the Doctor thinks, its hanging around for ages. If it still plays up tomorrow, it'll be back down the doctors.

Been a Long Week

With one thing and another this week has been a bit of an up and downer. There is so much going on that I can't see anything the other side of it at the moment. There seems to be a million things to do before we go on holiday next month. I had promised myself that I would be more organised and take with me more in the way of supplies so that we had the basics for making meals, but I don't seem to have time to go shopping here, so can't see that happening!!

Yesterday Carl flew off to Tenerife, all on his own to meet up with friends already there. We took him to St Albans railway station to start his trip to Gatwick. We were just about to leave the drop off when he cam out and asked us for £20. Seems that they don't accept his kind of debit card and he though he had picked up two twenties when he had in fact picked up a ten and a 5. The fare was £18. So I am still feeling 'done over' for twenty quid!!!! He finally got under way arrived at Gatwick with plenty of time and text me to say that he had checked in and was waiting for the off.

I checked on line and his flight got off 10 minutes late. He text from the plane to say that he was sitting next to a chatty lady and a nervous flyer!! Got another text around midnight to say he was there and getting on the bus. I can't believe that he has gone off all by himself, he is only a baby.

Today is Nicky B's Jamboree, so its bound to pour with rain. None the less we will go and support it and end up spending money to win something that someone else has thrown away!!!

Have a good weekend - Especially you Eunice, who ignored me in Hatfield yesterday too busy talking to Harry to notice me sitting in the car next to you!!!!