Spinach Hairs

This week saw a leap forward for Scrumpy. She started going to Youth Club run by SOAR youth projects. Surfer Girl is going with her just to keep her away from the dvd's and computer but other than that she's on her own, with her friends, hangin' with her honeys. What would I give to be a fly on the wall?? She's not a little girl any more, she's started her teenage years already. (sniff!) As part of the deal the SOAR bus picks her up and drops her back at a half way point so it really is going out without the parents! (sniff!)

So she would know what it was she was going to we first took her for a visit. We went in and she was immediately off with a girl she knows from school - positive start I thought - I hung around and felt quite the spare part so nipped off and got a take away for tea. When it was time to go (cold curry not such a treat) Scrumpy was having none of it. she wasn't going home, not even for TV, videos or computer. Serious indeed (autism mums are with me, right?) and just proves what a hit youth club was going to be.

We eventually persuaded her to come home. On the way I had a full and detailed report from Surfer Girl, "she really loved the spinach hairs"

"Spinach Hairs? Who are they?"
"No, spinnin'chairs"
"Never heard of them, I've only just caught up with Scouting for Girls"
"No, spinnin'chairs"
"Who?"

By this point Surfer girls was killing herself laughing

This went on for a while so I'll cut to the punch line...





"S-P-I-NN-I-N-G C-H-A-I-RS!!"

Fork handles any one?

Scrumpy has also had a hair cut - it's now a short layered bob with a fringe and opinion is divided as to weather she looks older or younger with it. Whichever, it looks great and she's just full of herself doing the whole hair stroke flounce thing. In order to get her out to the hairdresser for the 4.30pm appointment Surfer girl ran in and confiscated the TV remote before Scrumpy got in the house from school. Scrumpy was not impressed. We had our first door slamming moment. I am quite proud to say I managed to ignore it, more due to shock than anything else, and we made it to the hairdresser on time.

It wasn't the best time for Scrumpy as she was over tired but after a couple of false starts and lots of "brother bear"s (big hug) we managed to get it done and went for a bag of chips to celebrate.

In other news, Hot hubs and I had a hot date while the girls were both in respite. We took a drive down to Carlisle in the little black car to see Big Help - she who left us for love. It was a beautiful day and we had the top down, music blaring all the way to Perth where the motorway starts. There were no serious hold ups but it still took about 5 1/2 hours door to door. So much for Big Help's "4 1/2 hours tops".

Hot hubs drove there and I was able to take in the beautiful scenery as we zipped along. Thanks to John Robison I also had a new appreciation for all the ancient bridges we passed and a sadness for the 1960's concrete spans we passed under as we blitzed the motorway section of our trip.

We arrived safely and found Big Help and her house. A quick tour of the farm, cows, calves, dogs etc and we hit the pub for a couple of pints. Proper beer in a proper pub. Can't remember the last time we did that. Then it was back to Big Help's house for Chicken fajitas and a glass or two of wine.

The journey home the next day wasn't quite so exhilarating as it was too cold to have the roof down but it was fun all the same and we made it home in time to get a cup of tea before the girls came home from school. We were tired but it was fun and we some how felt recharged in a knackered kind of way.

As you can tell by the length of this post, the weather is too wet to get going out side. We have puddles in our poly tunnel and it's not funny any more. On a positive note the chucks are laying well and provided the Easter presents for the staff at school. Scrumpy and Bear decorated egg boxes and we filled them half with real eggs then topped them up with chocolate ones. We had quite a production line going and I'm pleased to say both girls did their bit, which funnily enough wasn't filling the boxes!!

Easter Holidays start today and I'm looking forward to two weeks of fun and mayhem. We have organised a lot of help so with two days a week at holiday club and getting out and about with us the girls are in for a fun time. Pray for dry weather. Pray really hard or we're going to get wet.

PS Cats are now earning their keep. Bruce has brought two dead bodies in to play. I found him batting a dark shape across the floor and leaping on it. "What's that act got now?" I thought "Oh." Thankfully they were very dead and still intact so easily disposed of. Tim seems to be keeping her "activities" outside, which is to be encouraged. So should I praise Bruce for his efforts or reprimand him? Cat's are too dense to get "Good boy but keep it outside next time"

PPS Just got a letter in the post with respite dates - we have another night off in April. WHOOPEE!! What shall we do?