Archive for the Summerhill category
Trains, kids and getting older.
Posted on Sun, Mar 15, 2009 at 10:41 by Michelle
When I travel to see the kids it is always by car, but my lift had a training course in Essex next week and it would have been madness to drive home, then back to Essex for the course. I could have not visited, it's only 2 weeks until they come home, but I try to squeeze every second of possible contact with them that I can. So I went there in the car, and came back in the train, which is where I am writing this. I was very lucky, I booked it last minute and it was either not very busy, or it's a particularly cheap route. For some reason the regular fare was £36.50 and 1st class £36.00 So I'm sitting in 1st class where there are lovely big seats and lots of leg room, as well as complementary tea/coffe, still and sparkling water, and nice cookie type biscuits. There are only 3 other people in the whole carriage so I have a table all to myself, and although I like car trips, I love traveling by train, even in regular class, it's nice to be able to walk around, to go to the loo, and to get a cup of tea, play a game off cards with the kids, or write my blog, or watch a movie on my laptop. All off the National Express East Coast trains have free wifi, making it a very pleasant journey indeed.
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I'm hoping to get the kids comfortable with traveling on their own, and then it would be very easy for them to come home for a weekend instead off us traveling there. Unfortunately they have much better things to do than spend time with me. Charlotte has been at home for 3 weeks (suspended) so I didn't see her for dust once she got back to the school. As Chris's girlfriend was away for the weekend so he was happy to come out and spend a bit of time with me. I had the use of another parents house while she was away over the weekend, and that was way better than staying in a hotel or B & B. The time I get to spend with them goes so quickly, but I can see that for them it's not really quick enough. It makes me sad to see that way too soon, they'll be gone and it will be Christmas and birthdays only, and to make me question if I have done the right thing giving the bulk off their childhood over to Summerhill.
| Edited on: Fri, May 15, 2009 12:05Posted in Family (RSS), Summerhill (RSS), Travel (RSS)
Pizza in Aldeburgh
Posted on Tue, Oct 21, 2008 at 12:03 by Michelle
This weekend was parents weekend when parents of children who attend Summerhill are allowed to see their kids, (It's not quite that strict, but almost). We had arranged to couchsurf another parent who has a house a few minutes walk from the school. This worked out very well, there were 3 sets of parents all in, and it was really lovely to feel homely with my kids, it's normally very difficult to think of things to do to fill in the time. When they were smaller we went to soft play, swimming pools and bowling, but now with petrol being so so expensive driving in to Ipswich works out really pricey, and there isn't a great deal to do locally, not that they want to go swimming any more and they are too old for soft play.
After picking them up we headed in Aldeburgh for something to eat. Chris will only eat outdoor reared meat, and I hoped we'd be able to find something but he ended up with a vege pizza from Prezzo I am sure a few other parents have mentioned this place and it was OK. I probably wouldn't go in again unless the kids asked to, it was a bit expensive for my pocket, the pizza's were nice, stone baked etc, I had the spinach with Chris and thought it bland, but we all loved the olives that came as an appetizer.
Aldeburgh is a quaint town on the the East Anglian coast. It is close
enough to London for the more affluent to have second homes there, which
shows in the boutique type shops that line the front street. It is a
very pretty town, although it's beach has nothing on South
Shields, the beach at Aldeburgh is a shingle beach, and unless you
like that crippled feeling, best not walked on in Crocs! After eating we
had a walk down to the sea and worked off some of the carbs. 
The seafront is lovely to walk along the houses are so prettily decorated, and this one has to be the smallest house I ever saw. I'm not even sure if it could be lived in. It looks as though there may be enough room for a sitting room and kitchen downstairs and bedroom and bathroom upstairs, but it would be squeeze. It looks only slighter larger than a beach hut.
Before leaving on the Sunday we went for a mooch around Snape Maltings, Dave and Chris had a hilarious game of guess the price in the shop, OMG that stuff was expensive. We went to the nearby Crown for lunch, which served their own home reared pigs. I was so pleased to be able to get Chris to eat some meat, umm that sounds so 'Jewish mother', it's not that I have any hang ups on what he eats, but he doesn't eat a 'good' vege diet and at his age I worry, tch, who am I kidding, there's always something to worry about. Anyway the pub was lovely, it looked as though it could fall down around you if someone sneezed hard, but they had Aspall's cider and a large and varied menu. We'll deinfintely eat there again. Looking it up for the blog, I can see it has received quite a few good review from travel and food writers, so if you're near it, or going to Snape Maltings, stop and have some supper.
|Posted in Eating Out (RSS), Family (RSS), Summerhill (RSS)
Start of Term
Posted on Sat, Sep 20, 2008 at 19:06 by Michelle
The kids have gone back to school. It is a two day trip to take them back. The journey there was about 6.5 hours. I took them into school made up their beds and unpacked Chris's stuff into his cupboard. I spoke briefly with the houseparents and then went and met with some other parents for a quick drink and to moan about how my kids love Summerhill more than home.
I gave one of the other parents a lift back to the school, so got to see Chris again before leaving for the evening. He was weaving about on his ripstick and having a great time. "How is it," I asked, "great mum, I'm so pleased to be back". "Have a safe journey, I'll see you at parents weekend". I tried to call him the next day but his phone is turned off. I did speak to Charlotte who was on her way downtown to have lunch with a friend. "I miss you already" I said. She laughed "I can tell".
I had a long journey back with lots of diversions because of roadworks, and feeling bereft that my kids are gone for 11 weeks. When I arrive back home the house is quiet, it's quiet everywhere, but I find it difficult to settle. So I make dinner but there's no one to call to the table and to hear there chatter and jokes.
On Monday I go back to college, my routine will fall into place and over the next couple of weeks I'll miss them less, and, can you believe I'll be exasperated when they call me and I'm in the middle of doing something else.
|Posted in Family (RSS), Summerhill (RSS)