Half term starts today for us. The children have an inset day (teacher training day). Or insect day, as the children never tire of me saying. Inevitably, seeing as it’s a Friday, we’re all convinced that it’s really Saturday. I’ve already been asked when we’re having our regular Saturday morning indulgence of home baked pain au chocolat. Erm. Ah. That would be tomorrow. Sigh. I have a feeling today may turn out to be one of those very long days.
I have so many plans for half term. I always do. I imagine that we’ll squeeze something into every minute of the holiday. Everyone totally immersed in the fun. Happy, but tired children tucked up in bed, at the end of the day, dreaming happy thoughts. Like the half terms when we’d go for a theme. Science and history were favourites. Fun times. Reality is that times have changed. I can no longer wow them with science in the same way.
Doesn’t help that my car is back with the garage. The not-too-bad bill is fast expanding into the who-fancies-baked-beans-for-supper-again territory. More crucially, we are stuck in our home patch until we get the car back. It could be worse.
That’s next week. I’m rushing ahead. Haven’t finished this week yet.
This week, I finished the pinafore I was making my eldest daughter and she wore it to school. Feels like a big vote of confidence that she likes something I’ve made. Enough to wear it out of the house, let alone into the most judgmental environment known to mankind. School. It is a change, she wants to wear it. Should I push my luck and sew something else for her? We’ll see.
Our barn owl has turned out to be a regular visitor. I’m yet to capture him on camera, so for illustration purposes, bringing out my needle felted barn owl, I made a few years ago. He (the real owl) perches on the fence just outside our kitchen window at dusk, briefly, each evening. The bird feeders are there and I suspect mice are attracted to the area. Never stays long. A quick sweep of the garden and he’s gone. A beautiful bird.
I sat out and waited for him yesterday. I think I could hear him calling, every now and again, as he got nearer. Another one in the distance. Before he made it as far as our garden, I had to go in. It was lovely to hear all the other birds singing as they settled down for the night, and to watch the sky turn pink. With the days growing longer, I must sit out more often at this time of the day. It is beautiful.
(He loves to watch the birds on the roof tops)
One other change, this week, is our milk. We’ve had milk delivered ever since we moved here. Started off with milk in glass bottles and then moved to the plastic cartons. This week we moved back to glass bottles, in order to cut down on plastic going into our recycling bin. It costs a few pennies more, but I think it’s worth it.
New skill to teach the children, this week. How to open a milk bottle. I’m also looking forward to hearing the chink, chink as the bottles are delivered in the early hours. Although the hum of the electric milk float must remain as a childhood memory. Do they still have these in towns?
(I know. When will I stop making tiny cups out of pretty tin foil. What can I say? I can’t resist. What else was I to do with the milk top? Recycling bin, you say. Maybe later. Oh. In case you are wondering the straw is a bit of bakers twine.)
So that was pretty much my week. Quiet with an element of change. Summing up my week with the word “change”. Joining in with Anne’s word of the week. What’s your word?
Raisie Bay
That barn owl is adorable! I vote “yes” on another outfit for your daughter. My mom used to make some of my outfits for school when I was much younger. I always liked them better than the ones I could buy in a store because she could personalize them and make them just for me.
I think I should be able to get away with sewing her something else. You sound like you have good memories.
I love your owl, we have one too, a real one that is, but he doesn’t show himself very often. We also have bats that love the summer evenings. I haven’t seen a milk float in many years, I do have fond memories as my brother was a milk man when I was a child. (I have two much older brothers)
Enjoy your half term, I hope you get your car back soon.
Thanks for linking up to #Wotw xx
I do feel blessed seeing the owl each evening up close. I think we must both be lucky. We have a maternity roost in our attic which is fun in late spring. I wonder if there are any of the old milk floats still in use. A very distinctive sound.
Hooray for half term. We didn’t get to start ours early though. My girls still had school today. It is annoying when you get mixed up with what day it is. It sounds like you have some fab plans for half term. Have fun!
Ahh! I would love to have milk delivered in proper glass bottles but there is no milk man near us now. There used to be one. I used to see him when I used to take my girls to school a couple of years ago.
I’m getting the feeling that milk delivery is not as widespread as I thought. Our milkman is very dedicated and I can’t think of many days that he hasn’t delivered. We’re a mile and half away from the nearest shop, so popping down the shop to buy milk, is not quick. I’m glad we have a delivery.
I like the pinafore and the owl is sweet. I have such funs memories of milk and orange juice delivered every day 🙂 X #wotw
Thanks Sam. Me too, and newspaper delivery. Saturday morning was comic day too, which I was more interested in at the time.
Ha ha that is so funny I don’t think our two would be able to open a milk bottle either! But totally agree on going back glass its the way forwards. I love that your daughter wore the pinafore, I quite fancy getting one myself! We have an own in the tree in the front of our house, I haven’t seen it but hear it when we are outside at night, I need to see if I can catch a glimpse. And we are the same, Jack is working now and Joe is not as excited about half term adventures any more x
Pinafores are so comfortable to wear. Definitely recommend. Hope you spot the owl. Ours is being elusive, although I do hear him….I’m assuming he is a him!
Milk deliveries bring back so many happy childhood memories for me too, sometimes we would get a bottle of fresh orange as a rare treat and sometimes even strawberry milk if we were lucky ! We don’t seem to have inset days anymore here, I think they must work it in amongst the school holidays. Sorry to hear your car needs even more work, these things are never simple are they. I hope you have a lovely half term x #wotw
We’ve had the orange and flavoured milks too. The chink of the milk bottles always sounds good. 😀
I can still vividly remember our childhood milkman with his red hair and big bushy beard :o) We have recently started buying milk in bottles again, a few extra pennies to help look after our environment is definitely worth it.
Have a lovely half term.
#MMBC
Your milkman sounds like a character! I agree, although it sounds like they are using more diesel driving it around.
We have an owl too and like you, I am still yet to get a snap of him with the camera. We have regular visits from the woodpeckers as well.
Oh, the good old fashioned milk floats! I can still hear the noise they made, although I haven’t seen one for years.
Love your needle felted barn owl and your cute little foil cup! 😉
Thanks for sharing with #MMBC. Have a great weekend. x
Yes. The sound of the milk float is one of those memories that never leaves you. Not seen my owl friend for a while, but have heard him. Wonderful birds.