Thoughts about Life in the Little House on the Prairie

 One of my favourite books during my own childhood was the Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

 I've recently revisited it and am struck by the resilience of the children. During one episode, the two older girls are left by themselves, aged 8 and 9, as their parents and baby sister travel to town a few miles away. They are completely isolated, no phones, no neighbours, no electricity. They must fetch wood and water for their needs and their only companion is their large dog.

My own girls are older than Laura and Mary and have been through some extremely tough times in their short lives so far. I'm proud of them, the way they have coped and matured into two well balanced individuals. I'm proud of their thoughtful inquisitive minds, their sensitivity to others and the planet and I harbour the hope and belief that they will be able to safely negotiate the teenage years to become two very lovely women.

It makes me wonder if we underestimate children. Perhaps they are all as capable as Laura and Mary Ingalls were but we have been brainwashed into forgetting how determined and inventive most humans really are and at a very young age.

What do you think? How were you as a child?

A visit to Harry Potter Studios

Are there any children in the UK above five years old who have not heard of Harry Potter and dreamed of enrolling at Hogwarts?  I doubt it!  J.K.Rowling captured the hearts and imaginations of thousands with her book series and the films are probably destined as classics. So a trip to Harry Potter studios comes quite high on the wish list in our little family. Not that long ago for someone's birthday treat we made the journey to the edge of London to make the tour.

The entrance, with it's large canvas photographs of the main characters lining the walls, is large and impressive. There are masses of people milling around but the tours are fairly well regulated as you have a time slot so the numbers are not too excessive and the wait is bearable. The suspense grows in the crowd especially among the smaller visitors, some of whom are dressed in their best cloaks.

First we were shown into a small cinema and saw a short film of some of the background of the film and short interviews of the stars. Afterwards the birthday girl got to push open the great gates into the big hall of Hogwarts. After that you are free to wander around as you see fit and read or look at which ever exhibit interests you the most.

My children whizzed around fairly speedily and whilst somethings intrigued them, not all did so. We didn't ride on the broomsticks and pay £16 for a photograph because they didn't want to queue and (whisper here - you don't really fly!)

At the end of the tour you have no choice but to exit through the gift shop and if there is another more exorbitantly overpriced place I hope I never get to see it! The cheapest thing in the whole place was a small chocolate frog, and from memory it was priced at about £8. Plastic wands (made in china) retailed at £25, mugs from £12...well you get the picture. I was not a happy bunny as we had taken a friend of the birthday girl who had been given £50 to spend by her overindulgent mother and there was no way I could match it for my two even if I had wanted too. (That buys us a huge amount of groceries from Aldi!).

Was it worth it? Well, it ticked a box and was interesting but we wouldn't go again. Was it value for money? Not unless you are on a fairly high income. My advice to the families not so blessed is take your own food and have a picnic near the bus and place blindfolds around your children as you exit the place. Good luck!

Silence has ended!

It's been a while since I posted. Life can be difficult and for legal reasons I cannot post on here some of the reasons I have been so quiet. Still, after today and certainly by October 19th, things may be more sorted and our lives considerably more peaceful. Back to normal service very shortly!

Thank you XXX

Remember the Time

The 11 year old adores Michael Jackson and on a recent browse around Waterstones, she spotted this book. Always anxious to encourage reading, I purchased it for her.

She loved it and was so enthusiastic that I borrowed it afterwards. Prior to the 11 year old I had not taken much notice of Mr Jackson but now am familiar with much of his work. Last year we got tickets for Thriller whilst it was on tour. Have to say it was the best show I have ever seen and if it ever comes this way again we shall be there.

This book is written by a professional writer to bring together the stories of two body guards employed by Mr Jackson in his later days. At first I was cynical, believing it was just another money making scheme. I take it all back. The love for Mr Jackson and his three children just oozes through the pages. The story is poignant, frustrating and moving. There are so many "if only" moments. I particularly appreciated how the story was told and then the two men each gave their perspective on it. They come across as wonderfully loyal and dedicated to their work.

I'm not going to say too much and spoil anyone's enjoyment but this gets a huge thumbs up from us and even if you are not a fan it really is a very good read.

Two by Two

Today whilst the big girl went to her first summer school adventure the little one and I had a few spare hours to while away before collection time.

"What shall we do?"  I asked

"Let's go and see a film" said my 10 year old who is partial to the cinema. So we drove to our local one so fond out what was showing. Luckily for us one was about to start and it was one of the movies for juniors so was only £1.75 per ticket.

The friendly assistant recommended Two by Two saying it was very funny. We purchased our drinks as we opted for this one.

It was ok. No it wasn't. It was quite boring and very predictable. Half way through I noticed the daughter was stirring but she didn't look at me or I would have suggested we leave. Afterwards she said she wanted to go but thought it was a bit rude to walk out. (Love this child, she is so polite).
Maybe the younger children will enjoy it but for us it tried too hard to tick all the boxes;
Fluffy heros with enormous eyes,
Independent loner learns about friendship,
Awkward social misfit creates a team of misfit loyal buddies,
Evil pair get their comeuppance,
Rescue happens at the last minute,
Emotional music indicates how to react

Well you get the picture...

The best bit was the trailer before the film. Horrible Histories doing William Shakespeare, coming out on August 21st. Now that does look very good!

School appeals

Because of where we live we were allocated a school nearly 9 miles away from home instead of the school which is 4 miles in the other direction and in the same town as I work and the primary school both girls attended. This effectively meant the 11 year old would not know a single person as all her class mates succeeded on securing places in the local town.

I bought a book on school appeals, as recommended by the primary Headteacher, who also gave me a few pointers. I read that book so often I could have taken an exam on it! I followed all the advice and spent hours researching the statistics on all three schools in the local town. I knew the number of teachers, support staff, the number of  pupils needing special help. I knew the sizes of classrooms and the minimum government requirements. I wrote my appeals and sent them off in time.

I attended 2 of the appeals which are similar to a court experience. At the first, only one other parent asked questions apart from myself although 20 parents were there. The first Headteacher was pompous, sarcastic and vain. It was the first time I had seen him and my first impressions were not good (can you tell?). When it came to my interview with the panel I found it emotional and difficult. After all this really matters to you and your child and if you get it wrong or make a mistake then it is only you and your child who suffer.

There were 22 appeals for the first school. They accepted 2 extra pupils but we were not one of them.

The following week the next appeal was held. This time it was not as daunting and more parents spoke up at the first meeting. The Headteacher of this school is delightful and is one of the reasons his school is now outstanding and oversubscribed by 30 places. I enjoyed my interview but as I spent time with a distraught lady whose interview was just prior to mine I felt her case was far more needy than ours. My daughter will do well wherever she ends up (I hope!) but this lady's son had real needs to be at this school. I volunteered our prospective place to her when I began my interview. They said it did me credit but they still wanted to hear our case.

We didn't get in.

At the end of the school year we found that the school we are going to has plummeted into special measures. I went to the meeting and was dismayed by the lack of attendance by future year 7 parents. Out of 240 pupils there were probably only 50 at the maximum. I rang the school admissions and found we were still in 13th place at 2 schools but they could offer us another place at a 3rd school where most of the year 6 primary school were going to. The problem is getting to it as traffic is grid locked everyday and it would be a horrible, difficult journey. We turned it down.

Resigned to our fate we have made the best of it. Then yesterday I received a letter telling us there had been a review and we have a place at our first choice after all! (The one with the nice Headteacher). How did that happen? I have no idea how we have queue jumped but we are very happy.

Little travelers

August 13th already. Where are the summer holidays going?  The youngest cousin is over from Vancouver, Canada for a short visit. She is a delightful girl and every time she speaks I want to smile as it is like being with a Disney character. That cute little accent. Her mother, who is as English as can be, has lived out in Canada for years yet still sounds (and looks) like Emma Thompson the actress.

Both my girls have been lucky enough to go out to Canada to stay with their Auntie and the eldest has decided she will live out there when she is an adult. When asked why, instead of talking about the beauty of the country, the friendliness of the people there she replies, "it's the pancakes, they're so good". Why else would you emigrate?

We have another cousin preparing to travel. Their older cousin is flying to Australia with a friend in October. They plan to buy a camper van and work their way around the county as they both have good trades. One is a carpenter and the other a mechanic. What a wonderful experience, don't you agree?

Where would you go if you had no responsibilities and six months to spare?

Marrow rum part 2

  Well the marrow rum is now in a demijohn and bubbling away nicely. When I first put it in there it seemed nothing was happening and I was a bit concerned. Next morning however it was fizzing like a bath bomb and overflowing through the air lock. Whoops!  It has settled down now and continuing to gurgle away quite happy to itself.

Inspired by this we cracked open two bottles of ginger beer. Well the first one popped like a champagne cork but luckily I had a good grip on the top and managed to hold the lid in place until the froth quietened down. It is like a sparkling lemonade texture and is a pleasant refreshing drink. The 11 year old would prefer not to have any lemon bits floating in it so I will have to sieve hers next time. Will I make it again?  Yes. It has 10 teaspoons of sugar spread out over 12 bottles so much less than some commercial drinks. It makes a change from water or milk for the girls and it is fun to open!
It is also very cheap now I have the equipment so helps with our frugal lifestyle.

We had a sip of cherry brandy and it is very nice already. The cherries strong flavour is lovely. I don't like brandy but this is fine.

Our Summer holidays are racing along. In less than four weeks they are back at school. I hope the girls remember a happy time. they have not been bored and I think they have enjoyed the rest.

Thank you for reading, I do appreciate it.

Thought for the day

     


                The Parable of the Talents


This has been on my mind today as I pondered its meaning more fully. Yes I've known the story for years, after all I went to a Church of England primary school where pretty much all we did was learn Bible stories and have nature walks. Bit of a shock when I got to senior school!

Why now? Well I've been re-reading one of my favourite books, The Good Psychopath's Guide to Success by Dr Kevin Dutton and Andy McNab. They talk about this particular parable in one of the earlier chapters linked in with one of Andy's anecdotes on the harsh selection process into the SAS.

Today it struck gold as I realised the meaning of it. (Duh, how long has that taken). There will always be someone with more talent / aptitude / wealth / beauty or whatever it may be. This does not concern you because you have to start with where YOU are and with whatever talents ect you have been dished out with.

Suddenly I've realised it is fine to stop comparing and instead make the best of what I am NOW and get on with. Most of my life I have believed I was not good enough and so quietly withdrew from many opportunities. Shame maybe but in the spirit of my new found wisdom, I can shrug my shoulders, it is done, and start right this second to make the best of what I've been given. This could well be one of those small changes that has a big impact. Time will tell.

Thank you for reading, I do appreciate your time. X

Play station blues

I worry sometimes, ok quite a lot, that the 11 year old spends too much time on the playstation. I hear her chortling away to herself and her online friends. I hear some arguments at times and I'm quite impressed with her maturity in dealing with these spats. She has a microphone so can hear the other player which I find reassuring as then it is easier to judge the age of the faceless one.

She is happy and being creative, designing costumes and chats about what she is up to. So why do I worry? Because I remember a childhood being outside more than in. A long rope swing suspended from a tall tree on top of a hill, far more exciting than any tiny municipal park one. We had animals, a herd of goats, chickens, cats and dogs all running wild with us.

So is my daughter missing out? It is a different world now and I'm told by other parents that their children are the same. I can see she is happy and she is communicating with friends although not physically present. I spend much time on the internet myself, dipping and browsing and it's a wonderful tool and great entertainment. We do not watch television because of our internet fix.

I know she is happy. I know this for sure and she wants to be a professional gamer as a career. Last week it was an artist or a model. Childhood is short and already she is on the cusp of teenage changes. So I've decided to let her be, not nag and today it paid off. She voluntarily accompanied me whilst her sister was at dance and we had a lovely time. Browsing in my favourite bookshop, then looking at art materials for her. Walking and chatting and I thought then, I think she is going to be just fine, a lovely well balanced young woman.

And GOD said

                                            

                         
                            
                                 
               AND God said to Man
               Be not afraid for I give you Woman
               and she will love you and support you
               to every corner of this world.


               And God created the Earth
               And it was round

               And God laughed and laughed and                          laughed


                             and so did I when I saw this saying propped up inside someones window.
                             Have a good day
                         
                             Much Love

                             HonestlyMum X

Rhubarb wine recipe

So another liquid concoction is simmering away in the under stairs cupboard. I've got high hopes of this one as it looks really pretty already and smells divine. I'm only at the second stage and it is not in a demijohn yet. So do you want the recipe? There are loads on the internet and this is sort of an amalgamation of them and I have no guarantees as yet!

Stage 1

Rhubarb -  3lb of stalks
Sugar         2.5 lb (approx)

Clean and chop the rhubarb into small chunks and with all the sugar place into a spotlessly clean bucket, cover with a clean tea towel and leave for 3/4 days somewhere out of the way.

Stage 2

Strong black tea
Wine yeast
Yeast nutrient

Boil the kettle a couple of times, make a pot of tea and pour the water and tea over the rhubarb/sugar mix until covered. Leave to cool until tepid.
Strain off the pulp and keep the liquid! I simply fished out the rhubarb with a large slatted spoon and placed it into a jelly bad to sieve it.
Top up the liquid until you have a gallon and a half (about half way up your bucket)
Once this is done add your yeast and yeast nutrient to the liquid. Don't do what I just did and stir it too early. Leave for a week.

Stage 3

Simply siphon the liquid into a demijohn and fit an airlock. I didn't know what this was but it is a clear "bubbly" plastic attachment that you fit into a bung with a ready made hole. I bought 2 bung, 2 bubblies, a sachet of yeast and a jar of nutrient. Altogether it came to £4.20 which I thought was pretty good.
Now you simply let it ferment and you know this is happening by bubbles popping up to the surface.
After a month you can rack it into another demijohn to clarify it. This means you siphon it off and leave the dregs in the bottom of the old demijohn. You can do this again in another month if you want to.
The fermentation should continue and this will gradually cease over time and it will then be ready to bottle when all bubbles have stopped or you can leave it in the demijohn until you wish to drink it as I've been told it improves the flavour to be kept in bulk. The longer you can bear to keep it, the better the flavour although it can be consumed once the fermentation stage is finished.

Your good health!...hic...

Marrow Rum

At the risk of sounding like a prospective alcoholic, this is the fate of some of my marrows (which were delicious courgettes but now have expanded to magnificent monsters). I hauled one of these beasts over to Jim and Brenda and it was they who suggested making rum. Apparently it was a country custom to cut off the top of the marrow, de-seed it and fill the gap with brown sugar. Some recipes also suggest adding a handful of raisins, lemon juice, an orange and the rind, wine yeast and yeast nutrient to the mix. Once filled, the top is replaced and the marrow hung from the ceiling, (in a pair of tights!), and every other day or so, checked and the sugar topped up until the level no longer goes down. After about 2 weeks the marrow feels squidgy (do you like the technical terms?) at which point you grab a clean bucket or two and a knitting needle. Stab the bottom of the marrow and all the juice pours out. Then it is sieved through muslin or a jelly bag into a jar and left for 7 to 8 months before drinking.
It comes with a warning. Only drink one very small glass otherwise when you stand up, you will but your legs won't!

A search through the internet found lots of these recipes but also discovered one on here http://www.selfsufficientish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3112 on page 5 by MKM (thank you!)
This is the one Jim and I are both trying out with little adaptations of our own. Jim is mixing his sugars (mainly because he hasn't got enough brown sugar) and I've omitted the orange and added more raisins although I may add orange in later. Seems straight forward enough anyway. I was going to tease Jim and tell him he needed 15 marrows but he told me to "bu**ar off"! The marrow I gave him weighs 9lbs (4kg+) so it is twice as big as he needs. He is totally blaming me for his renewed interest in home wine making. Come Christmas I'm thinking stick strictly to coffee when going to each others homes.

I've also started off some Rhubarb wine...

Do let me know if you're trying any of these. :o)

Doggy doings

She may look cute but don't be fooled. There I am, sat at the kitchen table, working on the laptop and every so often something makes me sniff the air. What can it be? Eventually I recognise a distinctive whiff. I look underneath my shoe. No. I look under daughter's shoes. No. Maybe I am imagining it. Carry on working. Sniff. I look to my right where the dog has a bed. No! There in her bed is a big smelly pooh! She is nowhere to be seen and as I remove offending bed and its contents outside there she is looking very guilty. Rolling on her back looking submissive.

Moral of the story? Don't get a pet!

Ginger Beer

Look at these beauties all bottled and stored ready for drinking in August. I have my doubts that my children will like it but Jim, my lovely 80 year old neighbour, remembers his three children loving Ginger Beer when they were young.

So he came over yesterday to make sure it was all done properly. The bottles and syphon kit were purchased from The Range, costing £9.99 and £3.49 respectively and then 6 juicy lemons bought from Aldi. Oh and a new plastic bucket from B&Q which cost a £1. Add to this the cost of a bag of sugar, and ginger spice and this first batch of 12 bottles has cost about £19 so each one is approx £1.05 each. If I make another batch, and the original plant is already off and running again, I am only needing the food ingredients which will be £3.20 if I shop at Aldi, for another 12 bottles so each one is coming in at under 27 pence each.

So do you want to try it out for yourself?

The recipe

The plant:
One clean empty jar (large enough for 2 pints of water)
1 pint of fresh cold water
1 tsp of ground ginger
1 heaped tsp of sugar (white or brown, your choice but drink will colour accordingly)
1 tsp of yeast (I used some of a sachet of fast acting bread yeast)

Place all ingredients in a jar, shut the lid and give a good shake. Now open the lid, leave it open and place some clean kitchen towel paper over the top to stop anything getting in. Put the jar somewhere warm, where you will see it, otherwise if you are like me you will forget to feed it.

Feed it once a day, for the next 10 days, with 1 tsp of ginger and 1 tsp of sugar. You should notice a soft sediment forming on the bottom of the jar and the liquid going cloudy. This is good!

On the 11th day do not feed and leave at least 12 hours after the final feed before you take the next step.

Fill your bucket with 1 and 1/2 gallons of water. Mark the level of water on the outside of the bucket with a permanent marker or a piece of tape, whichever is easier. Empty the water onto your garden and dry off the bucket.

Take the very clean bucket and pour in a full kettle of boiling water. Add 1 and 1/2 lbs of sugar to the hot water and stir until dissolved. (This is for 1 and 1/2 gallons). Add a pint of cold water to cool it down. Feel the outside of the bucket. It needs to be warm not hot so add more water if you need to.

Juice your lemons and remove all pips as they will taint the taste of the ginger beer. Lemon bits are fine to leave in the juice. Leave the juice in a dish.

Now carefully bring your plant onto a table and place the bucket of sugar water on the floor nearby. Let the plant settle for a moment so the sediment remains undisturbed. When all is well, use the syphon to take off the ginger liquid from the plant into the bucket. Leave about a 1/2 inch of ginger liquid above the sediment in the plant jar, so to be clear, you are only taking the top liquid from the plant and not any of the sediment. You have to suck up the tube of the syphon to start the liquid coming into the bucket on the floor. Quite fun but tricky and easier with two people so you can hold everything in place.

Now add the lemon juice to the bucket and use a clean jug to add cold water up to the 1 and 1/2 gallon mark you made earlier. Congratulations you've made ginger beer.

Fun part next. Grab a jug and a funnel small enough to put into the neck of your clean empty bottles and start filling them one by one with the ginger beer from the bucket. *IMPORTANT*  Only fill up to the shoulder of the bottles, this stuff needs expansion room so at least a clear 2 inches from the top. Clip the tops on and wipe the outside of the bottles in case any residue leaked, and store them out of the way for now. Mine are going in the garden shed. Leave for a minimum of 10 days and the longer the better, so Jim says.

With the original plant, keep it and add a teaspoon of yeast, a heaped teaspoon each of sugar and ginger and 1 pint of clean cold water and restart the process if you want to make more.

When ready to open a bottle, an ADULT must take it outside and hold the top down firmly as you open it very slowly. If you have seen those guys spraying champagne when they have won a motor car race this will give you an idea of what can happen!  Enjoy a refreshing home made non alcoholic drink because you deserve it.

Crocky Trail

Crocky Trail

Today we went to the Crocky Trail which is near Chester. We regularly make a trip in the holidays and usually take along someone else's child as the more friends, the more fun to be had.

It's hard to describe this place and each time we go something has been added or changed. You'll find nothing like it anywhere else. Basically it is the genius idea of a farmer who believes children need rough and tumble adventures in the freedom of outdoors. It appeals to all ages, (and dogs) who can try the variety of ex farm machinery games. Then there is the trail itself with the variety of rickety bridges, rope swings and obstacles alongside a stream. I've seen groups of teenagers whooping along absolutely caked in mud.

Recently they have introduced the dungeon and a small interactive film show for the more intrepid visitor. Trust me these are genuinely scary and don't take in a sensitive child or adult. They do an adult Halloween in October but I've not been brave enough for that one!

If you go, then pack a picnic, spare clothes which you can leave in your car and collect when/if needed. When you go around the trail do carry drinks as half way round your child will be red faced and thirsty. Do only wear old tatty clothes as everyone gets black and filthy and be prepared for bumps and bruises. Keep legs and elbows covered if you can.

This place comes highly recommended by us and in the years we've been going I've not had a single child come away unhappy. Usually they and their families become regulars too and the great thing is older children love it as well. Actually, usually as I'm driving out of the place the children fall asleep as they are absolutely worn out!

Musing and pottering

It's been a funny couple of days. I'm finding it strange not working at the moment, Odd how when I am there is so much I want to do but when I actually have some time I can't remember what it was.
The girls haven't wanted to do much really and apart from some games of badminton and chess with the youngest we've all pretty much done our own thing. What happened before the internet?

I've been time wasting on Mumsnet and browsing through the relationships section. Oh my there are some sad stories on there. Some are almost identical to my own so I can relate to them. It does make me cynical about marriage, which is a shame as I'm sure (am I?) that there must be some happy ones out there. Good luck to you if you are in one!

For some relief I turned to the wonderful thread on weird internet dating on the same page. Well I laughed until tears rolled down my face. Really? If only half of these are true I'm certainly not trying online dating. Some of the posters tell it really well and it does make for entertainment but away from it I find it all a little sad. Are men and women so very different? It would appear so from these threads...

Gooseberry muffins

Well it's been another rainy day so a bit of baking was in order. Plus we were waiting for a delivery man and couldn't go out. First came the "Glut Pies" which were made in the muffin tin. Shortcrust pastry, blind baked for 10 minutes then filled with a mashed up mix of lightly fried courgette, carrot, spinach, garlic and potato. Added some grated cheese then popped back in the oven. They were yum but a bit spicy for the girls as I had used a chili that was lurking in the fridge.

Next came these beauties. "Glut Pies" used up some of the veg from the garden but what to do with 6 raspberries, 10 blackcurrants and a handful of dessert gooseberries? Muffins of course, why not?

Gooseberry muffins
8oz self raising flour
4oz butter
3 or 4oz sugar (depending on tartness of fruit add more if needed)
1 egg
splash of milk
gooseberries (and 6 raspberries and 10 blackcurrants!)

Cream butter and sugar together in bowl. Add beaten egg and flour gradually to mix. Use a splash of milk if needed then add fruit and mix until just combined. No need to overdo it.

Put into paper cases in your muffin tin and bake in hot oven 190 C. These took about 15 minutes but my oven only works on the top and is hotter at the back so your oven may do it in a shorter time.

These were lovely and it is taking all my will power not to pig out on them. As we also made jam tarts and chocolate cookies it has been a gluttonous day.

Odd jobs

Time off with the children is a wonderful experience and I am grateful for the opportunity. Many working parents must juggle childcare and work commitments throughout the long school holidays. We are mostly pottering and I'm getting some of those niggly jobs done. The photo above shows the chair revamped for the 10 year old. Like me she adores patchwork and colour and this is what she wanted her chair to look like.

Originally this was a battered old chair which was gifted to us. Hey we're not proud and could give it a new home. Firstly the wood was rubbed down with some fine sandpaper, cleaned and then painted a soft duck egg blue using the Dulux brand. I've tried cheaper paints but trust me in the end they are just not worth it, Often to get a good coverage a cheap paint needs extra coats which is time and labour and the finish is never as neat as with the more expensive types. My favourite is Crown simply because I've found it the most consistent for good results.

Next the 10 year old wanted the seat cover changed from the dull beige of the original. It was in good condition so I sewed the patchwork directly onto it by hand. Luckily for us we had acquired a pretty patchwork skirt in a charity shop and simply used this. It has also been used as a lampshade cover, again simply sewing it onto an original cover. I think it works well and looks feminine and the 10 year old is very happy. She has decided she now wants patchwork curtains but we'll have to find some other material for them at a later date.

Oh, she has a thing about owls...

A Rainy Sunday

Rain. rain and yet more rain on this Sunday but luckily we had things planned. First we went to a photo shoot no less which was a Christmas present form my lovely brother. After some awkwardness and quite a lot of acting because the girls had to pretend to like each other, the photographer was done. Next was a trip to Starbucks as the 11 year old thinks this is a cool place to be seen. Afterwards we went to the cinema and saw "Inside Out" which was an unusual film but we all laughed so I think it was a success.

Home, and the 11 year old disappeared to her bedroom and technology and the 10 year old pinched the laptop so I got the sewing machine out and attempted to fix it. Oh Yeah! Did it and made a pillow case with some material I've had for ages. I like my home made pillow cases. :0)

So easy to make and plenty of tutorials on the internet although just use one you have as a rough guide, cut out material, with seam allowances, make one side longer for the envelope that is tucked inside, hem both short ends, fold over the envelope part (I like to make mine quite long) and sew up the two sides and the bottom. That more or less is it and it is so easy to do I don't think I will ever buy any again.