A New Zealander living in Scotland who loves cargo bikes
We had Meatless Farm burgers for dinner last night. I’ve become a Meatless Farm convert: they’re UK-based and much cheaper than the Beyond Burger but with similar ingredients. Both are … Continue reading Meatless Farm and Elizabeth’s biology poster
The kids started back at their online school yesterday. Everything went very well and I think they even enjoyed it. They were both ready to go back. Elizabeth started labelling … Continue reading Online schooling
There was a good article in The Times last weekend – Coronavirus: The new rhythms of life will jolt and jar as we try to live with this horrible teenager. … Continue reading Would you agree to quarantine in a “facility”?
There’s a Chinese curse, may you live through interesting times. On a personal level, the Christchurch earthquakes make this pandemic seem like a walk in the park because that was … Continue reading May you live through interesting times
I saw this on Twitter yesterday. I don’t know where it was taken but it’s obviously somewhere in the UK – the scenery, the sky, the houses, the signs, and … Continue reading All humans must self-isolate by order of the Daleks
Elizabeth competed in the Robert Burns World Federation North East of Scotland schools competition today. She recited The Banks O’ Doon by Robert Burns and did marvellously. She came third … Continue reading Elizabeth got a bronze medal
Elizabeth has applied to be on a Scratch game creator team at school. She completed the application form all by herself. We never even saw it until she’d filled it … Continue reading Elizabeth’s application form
Daniel started high school last month and he’s loving it. I was worried about it all summer but I needn’t have been. He’s settled in so well, his best friend … Continue reading State schooling
The Scottish state-funded education system is brilliant. Daniel will be starting secondary school in August and they have a transitioning program for pupils that starts in primary 6, two years … Continue reading Scottish education, doggies, and Brexit
Parents in Manchester have been protesting outside schools about the No Outsiders programme which teaches kids that it’s ok to be gay. When I first saw the protestors I thought … Continue reading LGBT lessons and protesting parents
I’m so proud of this boy who was voted House Captain by his peers! Well done, Daniel. You can’t see the yellow badge very well so I took a closeup … Continue reading The amazing Daniel
It was parent-teacher interviews at school last night and I’m so proud of the kids. They’re just amazing in every way. Elizabeth, according to her teacher, finishes her maths work … Continue reading My kids are amazing and I was on TV!
Elizabeth (who is 8) and her friend have started a committee at lunchtime called The Plant Police. The aim of this committee – from what I understand – is to … Continue reading The Plant Police
I have spent most of this weekend hard at work in the kitchen. The school had an international festival today and the mum organising it asked me whether I’d like … Continue reading International Festival
It’s tough when your kids don’t have any friends at school. That has been the case for Daniel until this year. He was put into the wrong year when we … Continue reading Making friends at school and cycling in the rain
I spent most of my day off yesterday working in the school garden. Somehow it doesn’t look much better despite my best efforts. It’s just an ugly garden. Most of my … Continue reading The school garden
We got some great news today about Daniel: it looks like they’re going to let him repeat year 5 next year at school. It might seem like a strange thing … Continue reading Repeating a year at school
I spent most of my day off yesterday in the garden at school with Ben and a friend, weeding and putting in new plants. There’s a small garden there but it has been … Continue reading The school garden
The school playground saga continues and we’re in the process of getting several quotes. Companies that install new playground equipment offer a no-obligation design and quote service and I met one fellow … Continue reading Flatland
Daniel said to Ben the other night, “Did you have any girlfriends when you were at school?”. Here’s the ensuing conversation: Me: Do you have a girlfriend, Daniel? Daniel: Creeper … Continue reading How many girlfriends does a boy need?
