September 3

This week the Barberellas had a gig to sing, and in anticipation of our tour of Orkney next summer (!) had a bit of a photo shoot!

We had the annual sausage sizzle at school. I was too busy manning the barbecue to take photos but here are D and some friends setting up the most popular area - the sweet stall!

We opened the park gates on Thursday (they are locked over night) and got a good sunrise.

Ian and I checked out some new co-working space in town. I like the view.

There was choir (no obligatory picture of the Minster in the sun this week) and Thea had a group cello lesson which was suitably entertaining!

We were OD and presided over short races in the morning and a very close pursuit race in the afternoon.

It was a perfectly timed pursuit race - this is the situation 20 seconds after the end (all three boats neck and neck):

There was a hot air balloon festival which resulted in balloons over our house day and night and some pretty good fireworks (but only pretty good - the explosions themselves were pretty, but I don't think that the choreography was that impressive. I think I've been spoilt by San Sebastian)

And Ian came home from Lisbon and went to Paris.

Ten

Nathaniel had a lovely birthday - thank you for all his cards and gifts. He is a very happy 10 year old!

He had pancakes for breakfast (with figs and yogurt and home-grown raspberries);

And a friend over after school for cake and playing. 

And then on Sunday he and Thea had a joint hockey birthday party. It was fun and despite a truly epically awful forecast, the sun shone!

There was bouncy-hopper hockey!

And more cake.

A good time was had by all!

September 2

I wonder how long I'll keep this up......

This week we had fun "painting" our clay with sharpies, which actually was more successful than I thought. Nathaniel said that this approach made the models look more lifelike because the colour wasn't too solid. He's got a point......

And then we got all inspired by Cornelia Baltes to make some art.

We didn't have legs to add to paintings, so we added faces to other stuff.

I braved Storm Allie to explore the Wainstones. Eventually I got beaten back by the wind, but the views were still very good.

And then some preparations were made......

September

Term has started (Y2 and Y5) and everyone seems happy about it.

The hockey season started with the fun day which included playing bouncy hopper hockey. Thea is now playing with the U10 girls and Nathaniel with the U10 boys which is good for each of them but in different ways!

Ian played grown-up hockey and I made up for not being as energetic as the others by taking myself for a scamper around new paths in the Nidd Gorge.

At Nathaniel's request we visited the University of Leeds for an open day and discovered that halls of residence are now expensive, Product Design is a ludicrously competitive course to get in to, and that multiculturalism is a bit different in Leeds.

The kids rediscovered clay....

We had a fine day sailing in a pretty stiff breeze. Nathaniel took out Sea Swallow very ably on his own, and Thea did a great job of managing the gusts with me as ballast! There are no photos due to the fact that phones and stiff breezes don't go together while sailing! But here is what the others were up too: