Connected Earth

The Smalls have had a great time this morning playing with the telephones and receiving electric shock treatment at Amberley Working Museum and Heritage Centre.

Day two of the home ed meet ups and I had posted that we would be at Amberley from 10am-1pm, we didn't find anyone straight away as Baby Small was bursting to go on the bus and train the instant we arrived but we did meet two other families for a picnic lunch. I have to say my expectation of today was fairly low, over the last 5 years we have had a few disasters at Amberley, absolutely nothing to do with the Museum which is a fabulous place, but it is the scene of the crime for S's worst ever nose bleed and worst ever tantrum, I have been both stung by a wasp and had the start of gastric flu there and 2 years ago middle small acquired his one and only scar when he did a major slip on the gravel. But, today we had a brilliant time, very unusually for our local group, the two families that came to meet us both had sons, this is a rare occurrence and my boys are almost always outnumbered by females. In fact S was the only girl today!

The staff at Amberely were great this morning. George on the railway was really kind and polite and a chap whose name I didn't catch showed The Smalls how to connect a call on a switch board and they had a go at some printing in the print room, we have been there so often that although their names are unusual they have made them up for us! I always enjoy a look at the old mobile telephones, not really vintage but almost retro chic!

We met up for a picnic lunch and had icecream from the Lime Burners restaurant to accompany our home made snacks, me and Middle Small have whizzed up a few treats in the kitchen this last 48 hours. Alternating between Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson we have made pear pancakes, carrot cakes with cream cheese icing and banana muffins. Notice how putting the name of a fruit of vegetable makes it sound so much more wholesome!

The two boys are sparko on the sofa as I type and S is writing letters to her new pen pals. I know it is unusual for a 4.5 year old to still have a day time kip but as I have said before "Don't fight it feel it!" I went out last night and left all 3 Smalls with The Daddy and Baby Small stayed awake til I arrived home at about 10:30pm so I expect he is very tired. Although the local discount is not advertised on their website it is operating if you ask at the till so for the 4 of us 3 hours including several train and open top bus rides was £12 which I think is excellent value. We could have stayed longer but I could see everyone was tired. Always best to quit whilst you are ahead. A good friend reminded me the other day just what an undervalued concept rest is in our society and just how little downtime many children have so I shall leave them to snooze as I know they are keen to go swimming tonight.