Week 14

Cold water

Tom's last week at Ingleton Primary School.   We had a sad boy on our hands.  It all seems so wrong, instead of celebrating their time at school - it just sort of fizzled out.  They didn't get to do any of the fun things that Year 6 normally do in their last half term of school and therefore haven't been given the chance to grow and get that Year 6 swagger that normally happens.  They, of course, have taken it in their stride, whilst us parents feel we have been robbed of a significant life event.  So sad, but that is how it is.

Anyhow, before he could leave school, we had to work our way through home schooling for Monday-Wednesday.  Maths this week was algebra - once Tom got his head around a+a=2a rather than b (because b is the second letter of the alphabet) and that you can split c into 4: c/4  he breezed it. English task was to write a tourist leaflet of Ingleton - this was supposed to be done at school but I knew he wouldn't finish it - so he did most of it at home. 

Family paddle

We went river swimming in Ingleton on Tuesday and Burton on Wednesday.  Burton made me a little uneasy - too many people and huge high up jumps.  There were loads of teenagers in the river, and to be fair they kept their distance from us but still made me nervous.  Think we will stick to Ingleton.  The river in Ingleton was freezing, but Tom went all the way in.  I barely got my toes wet!  He certainly doesn't take after me!

Thursday was roasting.  Tom was full of hayfever, but went to school regardless.  He spent most of the day outside, so came home exhausted.  Friday, his last day, he had sports day and a massive water fight, Mrs Clements got wetter than anyone else!  We went up to school to collect him as it was the last time ever.  I held it together but then saw another mum who went, so then of course I went.  I just about held it together.  We then got home and found a lovely letter from Mrs Clements, that was it: Matt was sobbing, I was sobbing and Tom...well he just laughed at us!  Plenty of FB posts went round - the parents were feeling it bad!  

Last ever school run

I had to have a couple of gin and tonics and Matt a couple of beers to recover.  Then we decided to give Tom a new West Brom football shirt we bought a while ago as a well done for having such a great attitude towards home schooling and  as an end of school gift.

We had tea, game of crib and then went out for a walk to see two of Tom's classmates who had birthdays today but weren't in his bubble.  We got back, and Tom started to get quite ill.  Silly us, it had been thundering, and that means that pollen comes down from higher in the atmosphere - he was suffering from pollen overload he was a snotty mess - could barely breathe through it all.  And of course he had spent most of the school day outside too.  He then started to cough.  Panic stations...is it Covid or is it the asthmatic cough that landed him in hospital this time 6 years ago?  It was 8pm, the best thing we could do was get him asleep.  We took his temperature - he was fine, so we put him to bed.  Took him ages to get to sleep.  Once he did, Matt and I were listening out for coughing - no coughing.  2am, no coughing, later on, no coughing.  He woke up: no coughing.  His temperature was fine.  Both of us were convinced it was a hayfever snotty cough.  Phew!  Was ready to call for medical advice first thing. I also had nightmares of having to call school to tell them that Tom had Covid symptoms.   I spoke to a friend who has a son with bad hayfever too and he had a cough last night too and was fine this morning - we put each other's minds at rest.  It wasn't a dry cough anyway - a horrible congested cough, but wow - it was a bit of a fright!  Talk about a day of emotions!

Saturday was a rainy, thundery day so we decided to stay in.  Tom had a long bath in the morning, we then watched Whale Rider, which we all enjoyed (highly recommended if you like New Zealand  / Māori culture).  I then popped out to re-stock Gingerbugs and Tom had a lengthy video call with Florrie (when I say lengthy I mean it - over 3 hours!  Only came to an end because Florrie was hungry!).

What a week, and school isn't completely over yet - we have done a collection for the teachers - but couldn't hand anything over because the other bubble haven't finished yet.  So we will have to go again to say goodbye again - plus the kids haven't got their leavers hoodies yet either so plenty more time to blub!

Oh - Tom has set up a camera trap in the garden to record all the new birds that have been visiting us.  Matt put together a compilation of the best bits so far.  Take a look here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peM0uLhcWMw.  

A friend has sent us a list of the birds in the clips which turned up some surprising ones we didn't realise, never heard of a Dunnock before!  (Carrion crow (with clubfoot), Starlings, Song Thrush, House Sparrow, Robin, Female Blackbird, Dunnock (Hedge Sparrow) with young, Young Blackbird, Great Tit with young, Jackdaws, Lesser-spotted catfinch, House Sparrow, Robin, Long-tailed Field Mouse, Carrion Crow, Wren, Magpies, Jackdaws, Wren, Goldfinch, House sparrow, Carrion crow, Blue Tit, Dunnock)

Great Yorkies

Sunday - another rainy day, we spent the day doing lego - trying to finish all the models, we are so close!  Matt went out to do the waterfalls walk in the pouring rain - he came home saturated - but got some good footage.  Lo and behold - we had an actual Sunday roast.  Tom made the yorkshire puddings - and did such a good job that is will now forever be on Yorkshire pudding duty - silly boy!