Monday, 29 March 2010
Saturday, 27 March 2010
America
We have been studying America from memory while out on our drinks trips to the local pub. We managed to remember 30 states. It took a lot of straining our memories to even get that far.
I decided to look out for a book of photos from the different states and was thrilled to find one today. I bet our WH Smiths was stunned to see this coffee table book being snapped up so fast.
H was firm about the fact that any further discussion must happen when we are next at the pub, so my road map of the USA and this lovely thing I found today will come with us next time. They are used to us turning up with a pack of cards to while away the time before the food arrives, so arriving with books is hardly much of a change.
I decided to look out for a book of photos from the different states and was thrilled to find one today. I bet our WH Smiths was stunned to see this coffee table book being snapped up so fast.
H was firm about the fact that any further discussion must happen when we are next at the pub, so my road map of the USA and this lovely thing I found today will come with us next time. They are used to us turning up with a pack of cards to while away the time before the food arrives, so arriving with books is hardly much of a change.
Our power station
At long last I have been round the Didcot Power Station. It is huge! It is quite simple too.
The basic processes were explained at least 4 times. After that I have grasped the fact that the coal is pulverised, then blown directly into the furnace/boiler, then the super clean/pure water is heated to some fantastically high temperature of steam. Steam plus turbines = electricity and hey presto through the big wires into the pylons we know and love/loathe across the fields round here.
Simple really.
The basic processes were explained at least 4 times. After that I have grasped the fact that the coal is pulverised, then blown directly into the furnace/boiler, then the super clean/pure water is heated to some fantastically high temperature of steam. Steam plus turbines = electricity and hey presto through the big wires into the pylons we know and love/loathe across the fields round here.
Simple really.
Do you remember that coconut?
I had given up on my version of 'strewing' for various reasons, perceived pressure to find something new and interesting each day, irritation that no one seemed curious about what i had put on the table, a feeling of it not changing even though I tried for several months.
Now I have looked back at those entries I made about each strewed item and I see something entirely different.
For example, that coconut I proudly brought home from Sainsbury's. I never opened it, we never ate the white stuff nor drank the milk or made painted patterns with the halves.
Instead I remember the sheer terror I felt at the idea of opening it using the suggestions I found on google. Now that is interesting and real!! H and I laughed about it, so a frustrating event then has turned into a funny memory now of my decision to draw a line at using scissors to drill holes in it.
Now I have looked back at those entries I made about each strewed item and I see something entirely different.
For example, that coconut I proudly brought home from Sainsbury's. I never opened it, we never ate the white stuff nor drank the milk or made painted patterns with the halves.
Instead I remember the sheer terror I felt at the idea of opening it using the suggestions I found on google. Now that is interesting and real!! H and I laughed about it, so a frustrating event then has turned into a funny memory now of my decision to draw a line at using scissors to drill holes in it.
Tuesday, 23 March 2010
Out
Out and about, to Costa Cafe to sit on a lovely squashy leather sofa and play with marshmallow and flake.
Then wandering through the deep caverns of aisles to find chocolate and garlic bread...
Later off in the dark to take photos of the stunning deep blue sky and headlights whizzing past.
So much doesn't get put on here, but I guess anyone with teenaged children knows why. So fill in the blanks with whatever is going on in your household and can't make it to blogland.
I had a good old rant about school last night, it boiled down to 'a good workman doesn't blame his tools', ie any blaming of children is misplaced. A responsible adult does exactly that and takes responsibility rather than passing it onto someone a fraction of their age.
I'm nearly 46, is this the reason for my crossness?
Then wandering through the deep caverns of aisles to find chocolate and garlic bread...
Later off in the dark to take photos of the stunning deep blue sky and headlights whizzing past.
So much doesn't get put on here, but I guess anyone with teenaged children knows why. So fill in the blanks with whatever is going on in your household and can't make it to blogland.
I had a good old rant about school last night, it boiled down to 'a good workman doesn't blame his tools', ie any blaming of children is misplaced. A responsible adult does exactly that and takes responsibility rather than passing it onto someone a fraction of their age.
I'm nearly 46, is this the reason for my crossness?
Saturday, 20 March 2010
Blog Fast
What I thought would be a media fast has turned out to be a blog posting fast.
I have been peaceful/busy with a co-counselling weekend course, illnesses and lots of chatty drives with T and H separately.
The drives with T are to take photos from particular places, mostly at night and in the drizzle. Now I take my coat with me! Soon I'll take a folding garden chair so I can relax more.
When H and I go off exploring it is in daylight and we go round different villages, partly to find interesting places for T to take photos in.
I managed to get lost in Wantage. It's a nice surprise to get lost when you live in an area you know well.
We always talk a lot on our drives. We guess the half-decade a song comes from if we have the radio on.
I have been peaceful/busy with a co-counselling weekend course, illnesses and lots of chatty drives with T and H separately.
The drives with T are to take photos from particular places, mostly at night and in the drizzle. Now I take my coat with me! Soon I'll take a folding garden chair so I can relax more.
When H and I go off exploring it is in daylight and we go round different villages, partly to find interesting places for T to take photos in.
I managed to get lost in Wantage. It's a nice surprise to get lost when you live in an area you know well.
We always talk a lot on our drives. We guess the half-decade a song comes from if we have the radio on.
Wednesday, 3 March 2010
Tripped Up
The simplest things cause trouble when not cared for. I stupidly initiated an outing 2 hours after getting up, without breakfast. It did not go well.
Once H was properly fed and watered, (he hadn't wanted any earlier), our household was back on track.
It doesn't help that every so often he gets clammy, because he is fighting off a semi-cold, which comes and goes.
Why is it so easy to forget to do the basics? It has taken me hours to work back to see what the problem was, I went through all sorts of other negative emotions first.
Once H was properly fed and watered, (he hadn't wanted any earlier), our household was back on track.
It doesn't help that every so often he gets clammy, because he is fighting off a semi-cold, which comes and goes.
Why is it so easy to forget to do the basics? It has taken me hours to work back to see what the problem was, I went through all sorts of other negative emotions first.
My media fast
It has turned out interestingly so far.
The earthquake in Chile has meant that I am particularly keen on TV news and internet news. Email let me find out that my cousins in Santiago got out of their house safely.
I am very glad to no longer be looking through the Daily Mail each day. That is the best bit of this exercise by far.
At other times I am finding enjoyment in watching some old videos. Once watched I can take them to the charity shop to give them away and search for more. Since we are doing autonomous home education I simply buy anything which I think might interest the children or myself. I like being a magpie.
I think the only difference has been an extra awareness of starting to do the media drift, floating from site to site, programme to programme. Rather than that being bad, I'm simply choosing to decide for myself what I want to pay attention to a little bit more than usual. If I am feeling tired I start to drift, but that's ok, being tired is natural. Resting helps!
The earthquake in Chile has meant that I am particularly keen on TV news and internet news. Email let me find out that my cousins in Santiago got out of their house safely.
I am very glad to no longer be looking through the Daily Mail each day. That is the best bit of this exercise by far.
At other times I am finding enjoyment in watching some old videos. Once watched I can take them to the charity shop to give them away and search for more. Since we are doing autonomous home education I simply buy anything which I think might interest the children or myself. I like being a magpie.
I think the only difference has been an extra awareness of starting to do the media drift, floating from site to site, programme to programme. Rather than that being bad, I'm simply choosing to decide for myself what I want to pay attention to a little bit more than usual. If I am feeling tired I start to drift, but that's ok, being tired is natural. Resting helps!
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