Solstice Blessings.

Gosh, what a lovely midsummer today has been.
This morning we went to childminding group, which was lovely, then we stopped at the park for lunch and fun and to pick some elderflowers - wow the scent, so beautiful.  I've popped some of the blossoms in a jar of water on the newly midsummer'd season table.

We didn't get around to making midsummer lanterns, but in a wee while, Rye and me will be popping around to a fellow pagan's house to celebrate the midsummer more with a fire in the chimera, a "sun" loaf I'm just about to sort out in a sec and, absolutely essentially - marshmellows!

Whatever you're doing this evening - enjoy.

Shopping and sore feet!

Yesterday, I decided to pick up a weekly bus ticket.  It's £10 and while I was hesitant to spend that sort of money on a bus pass I often end up not going places because I can't afford the £2.40 bus fare.  At least having the ticket means I can travel as much as I like in Folkestone and Hythe for the rest of the week - and having spent £10 on the ticket I'm determined to get my money's worth out of it. 

So yesterday we went to park, and today I popped into town. I had planned to wander down to the coastal park too, but by the time we finished purusing through the shops, feet were aching and I, certainly, had a yen to get back home.  Rye seemed ready to come home too.  It was quite a successful shopping trip:

First stop the yarn shop.  It's small, but wow, stuffed to the rafters with wool.  Not bad prices either, I thought.  The wool in the photo is 100% wool, 100g DK and it was £3.89 a ball.  I also picked up a 2.5mm crochet hook and a row counter.  The counter I specifically picked up because I'm crocheting a dress for a GP mama, for her daughter, and well, hopefully it will make keeping track of the rows a lot easier. 
Then I was lucky enough find a couple of jumpers for Rye in the YMCA charity shop for 99p each:

While searching for glitter, and failing to find a store that sold the stuff, I spied the Age Concern charity shop and decided to have a nosy and found this pumpkin costume for £2.99:

Rye of course wanted to try it on once we were home and I didn't argue. :-)

I wandered past a butchers too and noticed them selling free range chickens for £4!  They had some lovely sausages too, so I picked up a chicken for the freezer and 4 sausages.  I think I'll roast the chicken on Sunday.  I had taken sandwiches and a bottle of drink with us, but it was quite chilly in town and I really wanted a coffee, so I decided to treat Rye to a doughnut at a cafe.  Bloody hell though, doesn't anywhere sell bog standard coffee.. it's all cappacinos, americanos etc at exhorbiant prices, I was so shocked I bought myself a can of pop instead... even so a can of pop, a tiny carton of smooth for Rye and a ring dought cost £3.10!  Daylight flipping robbery!

On the upside, I did receive a call on my mobile from a lady looking for a childminder, she'd seen my details on the website.  I couldn't really hear her though, (I think I need to replace my mobile), so just said I was out at the moment and if it was ok I would call her back this evening around 5pm.  She said she'd call me, so wait and see.  Nice to get an enquiry, even if it doesn't come to anything.

Photos at the CM.

Mixed bag.

Phew, today has been a very mixed bag. I rather suspect tl'u was missing his new friends and having a "there's nothing to do" moment(s). Although, he did produce the beautiful drawing above. I sat with him for a while and sowed him how to make spirals and off he went. I am pretty sure he's left handed as he uses it predominantly. He is a bit cack handed at holding the crayons but that will come in time. And oops, my first crayoning faux pas, he was scribblilng away so happily that I went in the kitchen and got tea ready.... oh dear, when I checked on him he was scribbling all over Ivan the Engine book and I then realised he'd crayoned all over the laminate flooring. At least it wasn't the walls!

My next parenting faux pas is the allowing of juice (diluted) other than meal times. The childminder and I have agreed that he's to have water at CMs and he only gets juice with his tea, here I do allow juice with all his meals, although I am watering it down so much its pretty much coloured water. He expressed his displeasure frequently today - I stood firm, offering comfort in his distress but not backing down and allowing juice. Ok, I did a compromise with his snack and made him a strawberry milkshake to have with his beetroot toast, other than he's only had water. I rather suspect too, he's missed his new friends; he's settled phenomenly well at CMs, so much so he's reluctant to come home! (Traitor lol).

I am very chuffed that nappy changing is such a breeze. He's only been with CM 2 days, yet because she has a little girl only slightly younger than tl'u, who lays down on the changing mat when CM needs to change her nappy, tl'u has started doing the same. Each nappy change today, I've pulled out the changing mat, asked him to lay down and he has! The problem was he developed a horrendous nappy rash not so long back and changing him was a nightmare because it hurt him so much. I suspect he remembered that horrible incident and so had become nappy changing shy.

Today has been a mixed bag. Big feelings expressed quite a lot, along with not seeming to know what to do with himself, yet really good parts too like the drawing, the nappy changing, eating really well, had a good nap this afternoon.

Childminder.

Firstly - I have heating and hot water! Woohoooo.
Somewhat annoyed as it's become apparent the plumber said the boiler need replacing so he could delay coming out until after the festive period because in the end he just change a part and when I queried this he told me it may not be necessary to replace the boiler.... mmm so why have I been without heating and hot water during the coldest winter in 20 years???????? Postive, now I do have hot water I've been able to have a bath and yah! I don't stink anymore! LOL.

My little man started with his new CM (childminder) today. He's only with her until 1st April, when I hope to be childminding myself. Darling boy settled like a duck to water and had a fabulous day - even napped for an hour! My CM was satisfyingly astonished by my son's affable nature and that he's quite happy to get on and entertain himself.

Tl'u obviously enjoyed himself and wasn't at all interested in coming home, he sat on the sofa played with a toy and gave my CM's son, J, many kisses. When I suggested it was time to come home, he flung himself on the floor with a planitive "Noooooooooooooo" and then ran off to hide. Mind you, my son doesn't normally have spag bol for lunch followed by a creme friache and for tea have a roast beef dinner!!!! No wonder he didn't want to come home, where lunch is often a sandwich! Actually, I rather wouldn't mind going to my CM either! LOL

I did get my cuddles on the way home because tl'u wanted carrying, so into the new maya wrap ring sling he went. Much more comfortable than my own sling, although, my size, trying to wear the sling under my thick cardy, a rucksac and a handbag does mean the sling rides up a bit on my shoulder so by the time I arrived home I was aching a tad. Nonetheless, still preferable to using a buggy.