Project 365 2017 Week 49-50

Project 365 2017 Week 49-50

Project 365 2017 Week 49-50 Day 337 – 350

Sunday 3rd December – Day 337

Project 365 2017 Week 49-50

Daddy P and Monkey were meant to have spent the morning Christmas shopping, and I’d planned to wrap Monkey’s birthday presents when they were out.  But Daddy P was shattered so it just didn’t happen.

In the late afternoon we headed off to review Christmas at Blenheim which was breathtaking. We had perfect weather including a full moon.  We bumped into my niece and her fiance, great-niece and my ex SIL/BIL which was lovely too.

Monday 4th December – Day 338

Project 365 2017 Week 49-50

Just another manic Monday. After the school walk I headed into town to get all my airmail stuff sent off for Christmas and to get some last minute things for this week.  Then straight onto swimming to watch Monkey in his lesson.  Wow he did so well.  From there back home for a mad wrapping presents session only to run out of paper! No time to buy any more as I was in school for the afternoon listening to readers.

We’d had an email in the morning to tell us that Monkey’s class teacher is moving to Year 6 in January, and that the NQT who has been in class for the last 8 weeks has now been appointed and will be their teacher from next term.  I knew Monkey would be thrilled by this turn of events.  She’s lovely and he’s really taken to her, which is half the battle with my son.  He hadn’t taken to his actual form teacher at all.

From school, we had dinner and then it was on to Monkey’s last full Beavers session, followed by his second taster session at Cubs.  I bought a scratch off Family Advent Calendar last year and totally forgot about it.  Found it this year and Monkey loves seeing what our activity is for the day.

Tuesday 5th December – Day 339

Project 365 2017 Week 49-50

If I thought Monday was busy, it had nothing on today.  I dropped Monkey off at school and went straight home to start the birthday party prep.  A cake to bake, ice and add the steam train topper, I made chocolate Lego men, Lego Bricks, Mr Frosty snowmen and fruits for the party bags.  Raced into town for more wrapping paper and a number candle for the cake.  Wrote some blog posts and got a few other things sorted before I picked Monkey up from school.

We got straight in the car and drove to the Wyevale Garden Centre at Bicester Avenue to review the Santa’s Grotto experience.  We came home with a magic Christmas Tree which Monkey loves.

Wednesday 6th December – Day 340

Project 365 2017 Week 49-50

Finished wrapping presents, so both birthday and Christmas are now done and dusted.  Went to pick up cat food and left vouchers at home, so quick U-turn and return to sort that out.

Two of Monkey’s friends came round after school so they could go to his bowling party together and we met three of his other friends there.  They had a great time, I messed up the pre-ordered food order but luckily it got sorted in the end.  I’ve clearly left my brain somewhere at the moment.

Everyone had a lovely time and Monkey got some lovely presents from his friends and he went to bed happy.  I was working let into the night, had just got into bed when I heard Monkey crying.  He has been complaining of aching legs on and off for a while, but this was inside his feet apparently.  We tried a foot rub and thick woolly socks and in the end I resorted to Calpol.  We’ll both be shattered in the morning.

Thursday 7th December – Day 341

Project 365 2017 Week 49-50

I walked a tired Monkey to school and on the walk back I realised I hadn’t fixed last week’s homework shots into my college workbook.  Mad dash to get that up to date, before I headed off to college for our end of term exhibition. I’d suggested that we go out for lunch afterwards as we won’t start stage 5 until the end of January.  I’d booked a table at a pub near to where I used to work pre-Monkey, when we walked in some of my old work mates were in there having their Christmas dinner.  I’d not seen them in eight years.

Picked Monkey up from school and it’s fair to say we are both flagging.  An early night required.  Didn’t stop him making up his new Nexo Knights Lego set and his Lego Mixels he received yesterday!

Friday 8th December – Day 342

Project 365 2017 Week 49-50

Dropped Brewster off at the Cattery and got everything packed, including Berry the Elf, for our weekend away.

Picked Monkey up from school and he’d received a Behaviour Award for lovely behaviour in class during the week, always listening to instructions and being a great role model to others.  Blimey.  we were so proud of him, but he certainly didn’t behave well on our journey down to Poole for the weekend!  The journey took much longer than we’d hoped, and we were all starving, tired and grumpy by the time we arrived at our hotel.

Saturday 9th December – Day 343

Project 365 2017 Week 49-50

After a good full English breakfast at the hotel we were fuelled for the day ahead.  We’d been winding Monkey up that his birthday treat was a ferry cruise, which didn’t go down well.  He’s not so keen on boats and you could tell he wasn’t entirely sure if we were joking or not.  But I do know my son and I’d booked tickets for the Santa Special on Swanage Railway.  He was over the moon.

We got to look at one of the engines being checked over by the engine shed and headed into Swanage as we’d arrived a few hours before our timed trip.  It was a bit bracing by the sea but lovely to have the beach to ourselves.  I hadn’t realised that the pier had been used in Howard’s End, that I’d watched recently on BBC One.

Monkey was dead impressed that Santa gave him a road roller puzzle set.  He knows my son well.  When we’d had our train ride, the most wonderful thing happened.  He got invited to stand on the footplate of one of the steaming locos.  He jumped at the chance (having refused a number of years ago) and the smile says it all.

We ended ‘the best day of his life’ at Lulworth Cove, which again was almost deserted before heading to Pizza Express at the Tower Park for dinner.

Sunday 10th December – Day 344

Project 365 2017 Week 49-50

Monkey turns 8 and my niece turns 21.  We woke up at 5am (thanks for that Monkey) to high winds and torrential rain in Poole but to news from home that there was snow.  I’d had a few options of things we could do today before we headed home, but the lure of snowman building meant Monkey wanted to get home as quickly as possible.

So once he’d opened all his cards and a couple of presents I’d smuggled into my case, we had breakfast, packed the car and headed home.  If we thought Friday’s drive was bad, we hadn’t seen anything.  We had heavy rain which was ok, but then we hit Newbury, snow and traffic.  It became clear that the A34 southbound was shut and northbound we’d be going very slowly indeed.

Finally we got home and Monkey made use of his new Rockfish Wellies that I won last week on the Coombe Mill Country Kids posts.  He was in his element, who wouldn’t want to have snow on their birthday?

His weekend got even better when we heard that school would be closed on Monday.

Monday 11th December – Day 345

Project 365 2017 Week 49-50

I was so relieved we had a snow day, without an alarm.  Monkey slept in til gone 8am so it really was a blessing.  It tried to snow again and looked treacherous out.  I delegated Daddy P to drive to the cattery to pick Brewster up and when he got back he did acknowledge that I would really have struggled to get there and back in my car.

Monkey spent the morning making up the Lego sets he’d received for his birthday before wrapping up and heading into the garden to play in the snow with his tractors and diggers.

After dinner he donned his new Cubs uniform and headed off, with Daddy P and I watching his Investiture. He even got a birthday card from his Beavers leaders, which made his day.

Tuesday 12th December – Day 346

Project 365 2017 Week 49-50

After a night with temperatures well below freezing I wasn’t looking forward to the walk to school.  But we made it, and I’m so grateful we don’t need to drive.  My car will be going nowhere today on the roads here that look like an ice rink.

Monkey wasn’t pleased to be back at school but he did like the idea of handing our his birthday sweets in class.

I spotted a couple of Blue Tits in the front garden when I was making a cuppa.

Wednesday 13th December – Day 347

Project 365 2017 Week 49-50

Monkey woke up to discover that Berry the Elf and his friends had had a bit of a party with a load of Christmas props, so he thought he’d join in the fun.

It was so icy walking to school, never have I been so glad to see rain, to wash the worst of it away.  I drove into town for the first time this week, our local multistory car park was an interesting experience but other than that the only ‘moment’ I had, was turning round at the end of our cul-de-sac. Finished off the last of the Christmas wrapping, I am done now, bar a few foodie bits.

No post again today, nothing since Saturday.

Monkey was an absolute horror after school and he went to bed in disgrace in the end.

Thursday 14th December – Day 348

Project 365 2017 Week 49-50

Monkey got a bit of a shock this morning.  He came downstairs to find a note from Berry the Elf.  He’s gone back to the North Pole to tell Father Christmas about Monkey’s behaviour and won’t come back unless he’s nice to his Mummy.  He went very quiet and refuses to show me the letter.

I had a meeting in Banbury after I’d dropped Monkey at school and then popped in to see my niece and great-niece.  She’s so adorable and reminded me that my son isn’t always an absolute horror.

Friday 15th December – Day 349

Project 365 2017 Week 49-50

Christmas Concert at school and Christmas Jumper day, followed by lunch with my NCT friends.  Monkey did really well but I bet he’s really pleased that that is over for another year.

Berry has returned with a stern note (which Monkey wasn’t very happy that I read this morning).

Saturday 16th December – Day 350

Monkey ended up in bed with me in the early hours, more growing pain issues.  The day hasn’t gone quite to plan as we thought we were seeing my niece this afternoon, but apparently I got it all wrong.  Probably just as well though as Monkey’s clearly not feeling well.  Still in his pjs with lots of cuddles on the sofa, watching Christmas DVD’s.  Thought I’d cheer him up and show him my most precious bauble that’s never gone on the tree – think he’s hands have grown a bit since October 2010 don’t you.

Keeping my fingers crossed he goes to sleep ok later, or playing host tonight might be interesting.

Project 365



8 thoughts on “Project 365 2017 Week 49-50

  1. It sounds like Monkey had an amazing birthday! Sorry to hear that Berry the Elf had to get cross with him. Hope Father Christmas will still come.
    Good news about Monkey’s new teacher.

  2. I sympathise with his leg pains, I find them painful and difficult to cope with.
    Lots of snow fun with a decent with a nice amount if snow.
    Hope he listens to what Berry told him in the letter.
    Sounds like he had a good birthday despite the long journey.

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