Farrow, Ball and Fractions.

This is why Hubby went out to get me a packet of paper plates the other day. I cut them up and used them to teach Honor some fractions concepts. We compared equivalent fractions, did addition with the same denominator and converted improper fractions.

Here she has made 2 whole plates and one quarter out of nine quarters.

Honor struggles at school with maths because a) she finds it hard to concentrate and follow a lesson amongst 30+ other kids and b) because in primary school, the curriculum moves very quickly on from the concrete to the abstract. Far too quickly, in my opinion! Pretty much from age 5 the children use manipulatives less and less and rely on computers more. My daughter finds maths much easier to understand when it is real. So I'm having to find the time to help her with this at home. She really enjoyed doing it and actually asks to do it (unlike her Kumon!)

This afternoon we went to a local antiques and flea market where I bought a little 1950's kitchen cupboard. Hubby wasn't keen on it but he let me have it and has promised to put it up for me next weekend. As I paid, the man selling it asked me if I was going to paint it. "Oh yes", I replied. (It does need a bit of a revamp). "What are you going to use?" he asked, "Farrow and Ball?" I was tempted to say "Oh no, B&Q!" but just mumbled that I hadn't decided yet. Farrow and Ball - my arse!!!!

Gratitude Friday.

1.) My big girl who, with her friends, took the initiative to raise money for the Haiti disaster and held a cake sale at school. They raised £85.

2.) Hearts. I've done a bit of Valentine decorating.

3.) Used cards. I've saved them and the kids recycled them to make Valentine cards after school. Here HM is making a birthday card for her friend who has her birthday on Valentine's Day.

4.) Seaside shapes and chips. 'Cos I can pop them in the oven and tea is done. No hassel.

5.) Dunelm Mill. I went there today and bought this red table runner for £6.99. I enjoy the music they play as I browse round. This afternoon they played 'We are detectives' by The Thompson Twins! Cool!!!!

6.) Hubby. He's not going to wait until Sunday to cook me a nice meal. He's gonna make me one right now. XXXX

Things that make you go hmmmm.

Hubby is now off, scot free, one could say. As I write, relaxing in an hotel room in Johannesburg, though I'm sure, after a hard days work and a very long night of travelling. I didn't sleep too well myself. Little doubts and worries kept on popping into my head like 'can I smell smoke... is the smoke alarm working?' 'What if I die in the night? Will anyone find us in time to save the baby?'

Yes, I do worry and hubby complains that I tend to be pessimistic in general. But something always goes wrong when he goes away and so today, yes things did start to go wrong. Just a few days before he left the dishwasher broke down. That's not so bad. I can live without that. Last time he went, it was the washing machine. And to top it all Henry had spent the night vomiting over every bit of bedlinen I had. The next morning I was chucking all the vomit soaked bedclothes out into the yard when the Jehova's Witnesses turned up asking me if I'd thought about Armaggedon. Well, yes, though I think it's just happened! Anyway, today I kept finding mysterious puddles of water in the middle of the kitchen floor. After clearing them up I worked out that the water seems to be leaking from the dishwasher. Also. The sink appears to be blocked and therefore the water is taking a really long time to drain away. I went out and got some Mr Muscle, but it hasn't helped. So, for now, I've stuffed a load of kitchen towel under the dishwasher while I see what happens and think what to do next.

I got my shopping delivered today. I had ordered a packet of mature grated cheese but this had been substituted for medium. Then the delivery man asked why couldn't I just get a normal packet and grate it myself. So I found myself having to defend these little shortcuts I make in order to make life a bit easier. For goodness sake. Now I've got white goods to fix, 3 kids to look after, a christmas cake to make (I started soaking the fruit in the brandy last night - mmmm)... I don't HAVE TIME to grate cheese! And I don't know what I've done to change the text here. (I did, however, get time for a little walk along the creek and take a couple of nice photos including one of a boat called 'Henry').

Anyway. Tomorrow I have some friends coming round for coffee. Hopefully this lot will turn up!