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?

The after shock - I mean shot!

So here it is, proof indeed that Hot-Hubs has sexy legs, complete with logging scars. He was very brave and even let amateurs have a shot at ripping the wax strips off his leg.

There's still time to donate HERE. to boost the current running total for the fun day of £745. Come on let's make it a round £800, you know you want to! Wasn't that picture worth it??

Hot-Hubby gets in touch with his feminine side!

On 21st March these legs will not only be sexy but waxed in public at the SOAR Fun Day. You can make it all worth while by making a donation HERE. I told him it wouldn't hurt so please be generous!

SOAR provide after school clubs, holiday clubs, youth clubs and a YOFI group (Youth Opportunity For Independance) for children and young people affected by disability.

'mooning in America

My niece and her betrothed are planning a road trip from Atlanta to Nashville for their honeymoon - anyone got ideas where they should visit and what they should do? They're going in August this year.

It's a hard life being Bruce!

Oh the shame of it! Who thought ginger and pink was a good look?

A waste of good wine

I confess, I like hospital dramas. There you are, it's out there for all the world to know, sort of like an AA moment - "Hello, my name's Amanda and I like hospital dramas" I tend to record what I want to watch and then view it around kids and house in snatches. Occasionally, as last night, I get to sit down with a glass of wine and watch a bit while Hot-hubs is chef-ing. Holby City - I feel you cringe from here but come on, it's harmless as vices go - the story line unfolds about an adult with Aspergers' who's current obsession is his illness. Fine, no issues so far, then the consultant character says - and I quote as closely as I can - "Autism's a gift, no big deal, like being left handed." That's the wine spewing moment. "Like being left handed" Words fail me. Auntie Beeb has obviously sacked it's researchers. They certainly didn't ask any questions before that went out and I wonder how many people complained about the misrepresentation? Probably none. If a similar throw away coment had been made about a kid in a wheel chair you can bet the phone lines would have been jammed.

Better late than never!

OK, so I'm a month late with this, the healthy eating and exercise routine has started today. We had a hideous weekend and ended up eating way too much pizza last night washed down with a couple of glasses of wine. The good thing is it triggered my "THAT is IT!" response so this morning I was up earlier and Meg has had a good walk round our forest circuit. I'm doing this every morning with her no matter what and timing myself so I can see any improvement and also get a bit fitter for the Race for Life on 9th May which I will be doing with Llama Chick. I'll let you know the details later but feel free to sponsor me! this mornings' time was 50:45 -not bad for a 4 mile circuit but I still hope to get it down nearer 45 or maybe faster. At the end of the day I will f course be governed by dodgy knees so no running for me...you burn more fat walking anyway.

Back to hideous weekend - Bear is off her ADHD meds and having got her over whatever ailment it was she is now making up for lost time. Obstructive, boisturous, I think the professionals call it "challenging behaviour" she may well end up back on the meds sooner rather than later. Scrumpy was doing a very good impression of normal hormonal teenager complete with door slamming and fighting sister. We made it to the playpark for 10 minutes (Bear refused to get out of the car) but that was about it.

Today they are in school, Scrumpy is away tonight and Bear has after school club. Surfer chick is back after a weeks' holiday and all is right with the world.

(Surfer Chick works with the girls after school most days and a day at the weekend. She loves water sports and snow sports so Surfer Chick it is!)

Ginger twits are now venturing outside first thing of a morning with Meg. Hot Hubby has confessed he would miss themif they went to live in the stable so they will live in but still go out at night to hunt. I'm thinking cat flaps everywhere EXCEPT the house so they don't bring anything home to play.