Wednesday 3 June 2009

Is this how we hothouse?

Because this is one of those days when the starting blocks are pushed away and we're OFF!


First there is the train to London and then to the V&A where Squirrel and Tiger run to jewellery for their upcoming craft projects and Shark must see wooden sculpture in wood so she can develop ideas for another wood carving session with Jeremy Turner


but then mama says EEK! Time to dash to the Royal Institution for that lecture on chemistry to see Steven Rossington of the University of Salford exploring the properties of gases, liquids and solids and playing around with the relative inertness of nitrogen and the explosive ability of oxygen which is code for BLOWING THINGS UP and would make an excellent addition to your child's party


but then as Grit is chewing the cud with Michelle up comes a Tiger and bleats but Mama Squirrel wants to go Kayaking now! and Grit might groan but this is a sort of child led education here so its out of that building


jump on the train and straight up the fast line out of London where Taxi Dig drives us straight to the lake where Squirrel is 30 minutes late for her paddlesports club and wearing a butterfly dress but no matter! she jumps in the lake with a kayak


and a member of the public stands there watching Squirrel unsuitably attired with everyone else wearing helmets and wetsuits and buoyancy aids and not butterfly dresses and ponytails and that member of the public shouts Hey! Is that your daughter?

And then Grit, fresh from wounding over her home education choices, where she is perceived as a danger to society, an abuse to her children, a suspect in a crime that hasn't been committed, and the reason why all good schools fail, expects to receive another smack in the mouth and sighs Uhuh.

And that member of the general public points to Squirrel and says That is a proper GIRL! None of this namby pamby mucking about stuff there, eh?

And I am so proud it is all I can do to stop myself from grabbing that stranger and landing them a big smackeroo.

8 comments:

Coding Mamma (Tasha) said...

I'm exhausted just reading it. Brings back memories of trips to the museums in London with my mum when I was home-educated. Such fun! Must have been easier with just the one of me, though. Catering for three different needs must be challenging!

Mutter said...

Ah Grit, you'd have been proud of me last Wednesday. I rang the school and told them my 10 yo had a higher than normal temperature (not untrue in fact, just not actually a fever) which is easy to do in these swine flu jumpy times and then we went on a hike together along the Dragon's Back with fabulous views and great chat and lots of discovering nature, geology and erosion.

Irene said...

I'm proud of you for pulling it off again, as usual. I don't know how you do it, but it is by the seat of your pants.

R. Molder said...

I'm stunned that you manage to visit London and go kayaking all in one day! And your daughter totally rocks! No fear that one.

Rosie Scribble said...

Over from Potty Mummy's. What a lovely blog.

kelly said...

I think you may need some of that vodka (but not the goats) after all of that.

I love the dress and kayak combo, the girl's got style :)

OvaGirl said...

and you stay fit right? all the running about is great for body tone?
(Been awhile, sorry, looking fwd to catching up on quite a few grit's days xx)

Grit said...

you are right, tasha. three people in three different places. it is not possible without a tardis.

wife in hk! you lovely home educator, you!

irene, the answer is 2 pairs of pants.

thank you rubberbacon! and unusually on this day the trains actually worked!

thank you rosie scribble!

style it is, kelly. either that or total maladjustment to all normal dress codes of society. actually, that sounds like a definition for high fashion, so Squirrel could be onto something here.

if only i didn't eat double to compensate for the quick march, then indeed i might have a toned body, ovagirl!