Quiet Thursday; restful Friday; split up Saturday

On Thursday K had a very early start, with an Ascension Day service at the top of Great St Mary’s Tower. Sadly, getting J to his train meant that I couldn’t stay to watch but apparently it went well – and they made the local paper 🙂 He then went home with his friend, partly to be a distraction before a nasty dental appointment and partly to be company for the rest of the day – which he and his friend both enjoyed so much that I’m told they want to do it again as soon as possible 😉
Meanwhile A and I dropped J at the station and went to Gina’s to spend a quiet day with E and S. 6 and L opted to stay at home and work through a job list, meaning they could have a lie-in after a late night at choir, rather than an early morning. It also meant that Bob could drop them at the gym and dash off for a talk by Hermann Hauser while I waited for J and then went to collect the girls once back, rather than having to drive to J’s school and rush back in order not to miss gym – it’s much easier when Bob can take L.

Friday had been planned as a Latin day but Michelle didn’t want to drive to us and knowing how much driving our week and weekend looked likely to contain I didn’t offer to drive to them. K spent much of the day making a powerpoint presentation about what a groma was and how it was used. Our plans to make and use one were stymied by poor weather though, so we may try that next week instead. Maths happened, music practice happened, lots of sewing and playing and pottering happened. We made sushi for lunch – a new experience for 6, who says she has eaten it but never made it before. Top Trumps fever seems to have hit, particularly with A and 6, so lots of games of that happened too, using various sets of cards 🙂 6 is now starting to talk much more, and gaining confidence in using English and in making mistakes and having them corrected so she can communicate without feeling it has to be perfect or not said. It’s lovely to see her petals unfurling 🙂
The girls had choir first in the evening, so I took everyone in then we met up with Bob (who’d been to a coffee and chat meeting at 11 and not left until 4!) and he took A while K and I went and bought music theory past papers (grade 3 for L and grade 5 for K). J was staying for Big Band so Bob took the girls home while I went to meet J, leaving K to get to choir with tea for while he waited. Boys choir was sweet, but mercifully short – we were all tired and knew Saturday was going to be an early start!

Logistics for Saturday meant that J had to miss the Kentwell open day for school and that being so, an adult had to miss the open day to get him there. Since an adult was already taking J to school, they may as well also take K and L to music school and make sure they got to their gamelan rehearsal on time (not a given if they came to Kentwell). However 6 had not yet been to an open day so needed to go, while I had been asked to facilitate a workshop so also had to go. A came with us, mostly to keep 6 company as I knew I would be doing lots of finding people and filling in paperwork. The day finished earlier than expected, partly due to dodgy weather in an outdoor venue, and in fact we could probably have got K and L to their rehearsal, but it was better to know they were already there.
My dad came back with us from Kentwell and stayed the night; it’s always a pleasure to see him and he’s a very easy and undemanding house guest 🙂