Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Reading ages

I just did the AC's reading age.

I used 2 different tests, to get an aggregate score, as neither one is used in UK education.

His score came out at 6 years 10 months and 6 years 9 months.

He isn't 6 for another 6 weeks!

I have no worries about his reading or his SATs now, although I still think that SATs are fundamentally wrong. The only reason he is doing them this year is because he legally has to do them next year - we can't afford to homeschool - and this year they are all teacher assessments.

ELS really helped his writing, although he didn't need it for his reading, he could more or less read before he went to school, which is the benefit of growing up in a very literate household which is BURSTING (literally in places lol!) with books.

Regardless, he's still our boy, and we're still so proud of him. The purpose of testing at home is to see what result he gets in school and compare the two. He came out at the same (if not slightly higher!) than I would have assessed him at just by listening to him read.

Nice to know!

Post 300 and.....

... and I'm writing reports.

I have not a lot pithy and original to say.

I wasn't writing on here 2 years ago.
I was in an hiatus 1 year ago.

Here I am now.

Isn't that what matters though? Where we are now?

When R and I weren't together as a couple, we were together a lot. And one of the songs that made me think of us, was "Help me make it through the night" I had a Tom Jones version, but it was originally Kris Kristoffersen (sp!) Lyrics as below.

Take the ribbon from your hair, Shake it loose and let it fall,
Lay it soft upon my skin. Like the shadows on the wall.

Come and lay down by my side till the early morning light
All I'm takin' is your time. Help me make it through the night.

I don't care what's right or wrong, I won't try to understand.
Let the devil take tomorrow Lord tonight I need a friend.

Yesterday is dead and gone and tomorrow's out of sight
And it's sad to be alone. Help me make it through the night.

I don't care what's right or wrong,I won't try to understand.
Let the devil take tomorrow Lord tonight I need a friend.

Yesterday is dead and gone and tomorrow's out of sight
And it's sad to be alone. Help me make it through the night.

I don't wanna be alone. Help me make it through the night.

And that was how it was. We were just there to make it through another night of heartache and confusion. I made the tea and toast. He ate it. We stared at the tv, curled in our own thoughts, or we talked and talked and talked, sat outside in the dark whilst he smoked. We just were together, in a way we had never been with our old partners, or at least not for the longest time. We listened to each other, because we were never the ones being listened to before. We loved and cared and shared and opened up in the ways we had to, to be totally one with the other, and to make it through the night. There was no need for martyrdom, nor for exaggeration and pretense, no need for stories and lies, there was just us, with the naked truth, (though not the naked bodies as some would have the world believe!) and cups of tea.

And that paragraph appeared from nowhere. I had intended to write about 2 lines of the song.

"Yesterday is dead and gone, and tomorrows out of sight" from the point of view of the blog purpose, but I think I won't now.

Right now, I'm just glad we made it through the dark night together, and held hands to meet the sunshine.

Pictures from the Tractor show.

Ok, you may consider this to be sad Dear Reader, but I like engines! The Tractor Show was fabulous. There was a vintage car parade, static engines, tractor display, Search and Rescue (In Norfolk! Who knew!) and life was good.







Butter churn. We're going to make butter in the summer, we decided.


Saw, powered by small petrol engine. Slowly cutting through bullhead rail. I *need* one.

Lots of Fergusons. I like Fergies.

A Pig. According to R, that's what the colloquial expression is lol!

Bubble car! AC loved this one.


My Dad had one of these. AC was not so sure.


And we all loved the military Landy's. Technically, I could restore Ellie back to this and join. Unlikely though!

My favourite last picture. I didn't send this one to the BG, she got the one of them posing for the camera. This one was R telling AC about his Dad, who used to ride a Norton. AC loves bikes, and the speed he's growing, he'll be on one before we know it!

The woman at the tool stand said "You going help Daddy with the wheels then?" and AC just said "Yes!" R looked at me, looked at him, and said, "Well, come on then son." and off they went. All this 'step' business is for numpties apparently!

AC talked to me the other day about how lucky he was to have a normal Daddy, and R, who is more like a Daddy. And apparently the best Mummy in the World!

Well, who am I to argue!

Super Early!`

R had to go to work early today, which is fine as he'll finish earlier as well hopefully. His new job will have a couple of earlies, a couple of lates, and the rest will be ordinary time. Over all, he'll see less of us but be able to phone BG on a more regular basis all through the year, rather than the way it was before. AC and I have talked about it, and we can live with that if it's better for BG, which it is.

Random phonecall from the She-Ex last night, for no apparent reason other than to validate her educational choices. Who to, I'm not sure! I think the intention was to show us what a good job she was doing as a mother again. *shrug* If she is, she is, if she isn't she isn't. I'm not saying she's not, I'm not saying she is, I'm just saying lol!

She's been really random over the last few days, including a random email to say she was angry, but not why! We ignored it - what else could we do? It'll be some small thing blown out of proportion I expect. We've gone past payday lol!

IN other news it's jolly early. It's still early. I've done an hour of work already this morning, sorted washing, washed washing, dried washing, washed and dried child, and there's still an hour before school!

I feel a picture post coming on!