Good News

I had an appointment with the consultant today and I've been discharged.  It was a basal cell carcinoma, or a very non scary form of cancer.  They've completely removed it, there is a 2% chance of it recurring and there is no more treatment necessary.

I did some pootling around the shops.  I felt too underdressed and scruffy for the new John Lewis store, but I picked up some stuff for a project in the far less expensive The Works.  I'll share if I ever finish it.  Bear had his first afternoon football game with the new football boots this evening.  He had taken his kit in a carrier bag as he utterly rejected the sports bag I dug out as too big.  I'd been reluctant to buy him a new kit bag, but I can't bear the thought of him carrying his stuff into school in a plastic bag so I am going to have to work out what bear will tolerate, what I am prepared to spend and see what I can come up with.  I didn't see a decent bag anywhere in Leeds.  I'll try and make time ot go on the market later in the week.

On the way out I was passed by some moterbikes.  They were very loud, very smelly and a nuisance but they weren't too bad in the centre of Leeds.  They were wearing helmets and they looked relatively okay - more like Heck's Angels.  Unfortunately it looks like they got worse later and the police were involved.  It looks quite dramatic on the BBC.  I don't like to copy the pictures because of copyright, but there were definitely a lot of bikes.  I saw at least fifty or sixy revving through Leeds and leaving smoke behind them (they obeyed the red lights there).

Paw Prints

I don't know whether anyone remembers, but a huge, massive, enormous black tom cat used to live next door.  Occasionally he would use father's carefully tended flower beds as a litter tray and father would make the most bloodcurdling threats - all the while giving the cat a cuddle.  Father was a softy.

The garden is nowhere near as nice as Father kept it and the vast expanse of cat has moved out from next door, but there is currently exposed earth around the pansies and a new cat two doors down.  DH interrupted mid scrat and the cat raced off.  The poor thing seems a little timid.  It needn't be.  Like father, I can talk a good talk about what I would do to a cat destroying my garden but in reality what I would do is cuddle it.

We managed to exchange bear's football boots this morning.  Sports Direct were not as helpful as they could be.  I had to be quite assertive.  I'm trying to model a good way of approaching things when bear is around.  I'm not actually sure of the best way, but I started off very polite and friendly and ended up firmly reminding them that it wasn't just an exchange but the issue of mis-selling.

It's been a good day to hang around.  I've reached the armholes on the first side of the slipover for uncle, but I really want to crack on.

Oops!

People have very kindly left comments and I accidentally deleted them.  I'm really sorry.  I love getting comments, thank you for leaving them.  Hester mentioned that I would need to buy bear a 'box' soon.  DH can definitely deal with the fitting of that!  Sharon sympathised with finding boots the right size - I hope your boys enjoyed it.  Bless made a very useful suggestion about making sure bear was wearing the socks before he tried on the boots and also was sympathetic about the homework struggle.  I felt hugged as I brace for the homework wars.  Thank you for leaving comments.

It's normal here anyway.  We went to York with DH's cousin and had an amazing time.  It was just great to wander around and see some of the old buildings.  We were stuck for time so really didn't see all we wanted, but we did manage to get to the Lakeland shop.

Lakeland is awesome.  It is the most amazing firm.  It has the best customer service ever and has lovely, sensible, knowledgeable staff.  It also has the best kitchen gadgets and gizmos.  I love it.  Cousin had never encountered Lakeland so while she had an amazing time seeing it all, asking questions and deciding what she was going to get, bear was icing cupcakes.  It was great - there was someone there who helped him copy a pumpkin or a pig and he rolled and squished and piped and had loads of fun - and they didn't charge!  Of course that did give cousin more time to shop, but still.

Braced for a quick dash into town tomorrow to exchange the boots and then hopefully a quiet weekend.

Fail in Soccer Boots

I've watched a lot of football in my time, but I've never played it.  Bear will be starting extra football training after school on Mondays and for the first time needs proper boots and shin pads.  I am sort of aware that if you have shin pads then you really need the proper socks to go with it.  Father's old football socks were sturdy and thick and we used to have them for our Christmas stockings.  So I dragged bear out of the house to go and get kitted out.

The bus didn't come.  Neither did the next.  The buses are supposed to be every ten minutes and it was at least thirty minutes so I missed church.  When we finally got into town we had a lovely snack at the cafe and then braved Sports Direct.  I was very clear that I was clueless.  However when the nice man started on the football boots I asked again and again and again whether the socks would make a difference.  He assured me that it would all be fine so we spent just under £38 for boots, shin pads and two pairs of proper socks.  We got home and it wasn't fine.  The boots are too tight with the socks, which are more substantial than I thought they would be.  I would be more likely to see if the boots would 'wear in' and stretch if bear wasn't overdue going up a shoe size.  As it is, they need to be changed.

We are visiting with bear's cousin tomorrow so we will have to brave the town centre on Saturday with all the crowds and try and sort out an exchange.  

I'm really, really glad that bear is getting keen on football.  It will be great for his health and probably his social life.  I'm just bracing for the muddy kit.  I'll be so proud, though, that I have muddy kit to wash.

Wonderfully Quiet

I don't think we've had the heating on all day - long may that continue!  Bear doesn't feel the cold and I put a sweater on.  I also lit some candles in the living room this evening, but that was it.

I have failed on an epic level to get bear anywhere near doing the homework set for the holidays (a few paragraphs!) and any piano practice.  However he has spent most of the day sprawled out on the sofa, 83% leg, reading the 'Heroes of Olympus' book 3 by Rick Riordan.  They are chunky books and he has just enjoyed them.  I'll take that as a win, especially as I didn't ask him to spend time reading.

I've not got much done myself but we had a lovely dinner with home made soup.  I had one of those casserole veg packs from Tesco and with three rashers of bacon and some gluten free stock powder it became a very pleasant soup.  I am definitely going to be doing more soups this year.  We all like them.  If I add something like a crumble or apple cake afterwards, or even a magic cake or milk pudding of some sort, it's not a bad meal nutritionally.

I do need to get more organised.  DH is feeling low and full of cold which will almost certainly come out over the weekend so I need to get the house nice and cosy for him.  We're looking forward to picking up some stuff on Saturday then settling down and just enjoying the calm.  We'll have candles on, perhaps a film or we'll just all be in the study, on our separate computers or reading and taking it steady.  I'll make sure we're stocked up with cuddle food and I'm aiming to get the back of uncle's slipover finished.  I also really need to get the jacket sewn up now it's finished.

I am very much enjoying the calm.

About Bear

Bear is very bright.  Even if you take away my bias, he is very, very bright.  He has an incredible memory and can work stuff out very quickly indeed.  Once again the teacher was telling us that bear was easily picking up stuff outside of school and once again the teacher said that they were going and checking on the facts bear was using and finding he was right.  Hazel this is the first time he has not had a reward for parent's evening.  I have always rewarded effort, and he hasn't put in the effort.

The awesome tutor was here yesterday, being awesome.  For the first time I have said she can go beyond the curriculum.  They were doing triangles with all the angles and Pythagoras etc.  It was too advanced for me.  Bear was loving it.  However he kept skipping steps and while he was getting the right answers the tutor kept going back and making him work it out properly instead of just 'knowing' the answer.  One day he will get it wrong and he needs to have the right habits to find the mistakes.

I don't envy the teacher.  This is one of the best primary schools in the area and the teacher is very well thought of.  However he has to try and juggle the needs of thirty kids of very different ability. Fortunately there are quite a few bright kids in bear's class and the teacher is hoping to push them as a group and they encourage each other.  The parents try and fill in the gaps.

I feel very underequipped to make sure bear is pushed and stimulated enough.  However I am very grateful that this is my problem.  It could be a lot worse.

Now all I need to do is learn to deal with enforcing piano practice and dealing with the eye rolls.

So Much For Sunday

I'm frantically trying to get the lower floor fit to be seen as bear's awesome maths tutor comes to teach him tomorrow at 4:30.  It's a big deal.  Now she has a car she is likely to be coming to us instead of us going to her which will be an excellent reason to keep things sparkling.  Obviously I have to get things sparkling first, but I can aim high.

I forgot to mention that bear had a parent's evening last week.  I took away two things.  The first thing was that bear's teacher is scared of me (and I've actually been very moderate with the school).  I suspect that part of the issue is that I use reasoned arguments and put things in writing.  The second is that bear is not really trying.  I've asked the teacher nicely to push bear.  The teacher seems to think that bear is engaging just fine and he is top of maths.  Unfortunately I suspect that bear could do a lot better but is happily coasting.  I would say that the evening was a moderately to limp awesome.  Bear is doing well but he is not putting in the effort that he should.  To be honest, I don't really blame a teacher that has to look after thirty pupils of varying abilities including at least two pupils that have serious issues.   I'm just trying to keep bear up to the mark.

I also want to say that the teacher is very awesome in general and gives up a massive amount of their free time for the school, and bear will be benefiting from the football club he will be running.  I suspect, however, that bear is getting away with, well, if he isn't getting away with murder he's at least getting away with loitering with intent.

By the way, bear is not just advanced in maths.  This afternoon when I suggested that he put his clothes away I got an eye roll that was up to teenager standards.  I'm not looking forward to the full show!

I found this on Facebook.  Unfortunately it was on the page that I do for father's church so I couldn't really share it on there and I haven't been on either of mine, so I thought I'd share it here.

I want one.