Apparently, my daughter hates me. This is not your typical teenage angst. My crime? Getting her interested in possibly studying AS Maths at college as well as her other choices. (You know how she is with decision-making).
K is on course to get an A at least at Maths GCSE, and this will be her best grade at this level. To me it seems a little strange to not go on and study something that you have an ability at. Admittedly, she is not as naturally intuitive as her brother.
Yesterday we were sat in a cafe having a toasted cheese and ham ciabatta sandwich each when I told her about such things as number theory, remainder theory, and group theory - and the attendant things like Cayley tables. These things are part of the Open University course MS221 and are a lot of fun. They can also elicit some swearing. Last night I was looking at Bletchley Park, a possible trip during half-term in May. They have some maths resources, looking at how maths is used in making, and breaking, codes - from genetic fingerprinting through encryption to how ISBN numbers are created for books. I showed it K and she is now working through the units (her choice). These units are aimed from KS2 (7 - 11 yrs) all the way to A-Level (18 yrs).
Thursday 30 April 2009
Sunday 19 April 2009
Hic!
Remember last August when I started some home-made wine? I've just bottled a gallon of tea wine and a gallon of 'fruit punch' - frozen fruit salad from a farm shop. Very nishe!!! (Because you just HAVE to sample, don't you).
Tomorrow I shall have a look at what is 'living' in the airing cupboard, see if it is salvagable, and start some more. If it takes 2 - 9 months to go from raw to ready I shall need to start some new stuff every couple of months or so. I will definitely be starting some more tea wine (9 months +) and some apple (from cartons, 2 months-ish). If the government are going to keep increasing alcohol duty then I'll just have to make my own permanently. Just don't let them up the tax on brewing supplies.
Tomorrow I shall have a look at what is 'living' in the airing cupboard, see if it is salvagable, and start some more. If it takes 2 - 9 months to go from raw to ready I shall need to start some new stuff every couple of months or so. I will definitely be starting some more tea wine (9 months +) and some apple (from cartons, 2 months-ish). If the government are going to keep increasing alcohol duty then I'll just have to make my own permanently. Just don't let them up the tax on brewing supplies.
Friday 17 April 2009
Long time, no write
I've been too busy living life to write about it.
The job-hunting front is a 'bad' topic. A says I can go to college and get some qualifications if I can decide what I want to do. Unfortunately I CAN'T decide. Do I get some proper office qualies or do I do something different? Decisions, decisions! For now we have decided that I should do some voluntary work. It'll give me some current references and experience, just no pay. But, you never know it might morph into a real job.
A has got his hayfever/snuffly sinus allergies under reasonable control. He's been taking Hayleve (cheap OTC remedy) and it seems to be working. Fingers crossed for tonight as we are going to try sharing a bed, something that's not happened regularly for the better part of 7 years or more. You see, he snores. It's loud enough that if he goes up for a nap during the day I can hear him over the tv. No amount of prodding or changing of position helps. None of these anti-snore devices make a difference either. So we have separate rooms on different floors of the house (with an old external wall between us), otherwise we'd probably be divorced by now. He wants to take me away for our wedding anniversary this year (20 years) so we have to start being able to share a room first.
K is a clever girl. She has just got the results from her latest Maths module exams in March, an A in each paper - 50/60 in the multichoice and 52/60 in the structured. I am so proud of her as she doesn't really like the subject. She's refusing to study it at AS level yet it will probably be the best of her GCSE grades. She's off on a sleepover tomorrow night.
D is considering his university choices for September 2010. D & I have spent 4 days this week visiting Aberdeen and St Andrew's. Don't think Scotland likes us though as it was sunny when we arrived and sunny when we left but cold, wet, and/or foggy for the rest of the time. These visits also raised as many questions as they answered. Yes, he'd be quite happy going to either of them but, thanks to St Andrew's, he might also want to do a single honours in Chemistry rather than a joint honours in Geology and Chemistry. Cue more soul searching and changing of minds. He has been trying to make his mind up between Oxford and Cambridge too. Both do interesting courses but their entry requirements might be a bit too much. The silly boy didn't revise for his January modules and got high Bs. Just got to hope that he works hard enough to turn those into As in summer.
As for me, I survived the Scotland sojourn. D might not be as bad as his Dad for snoring but he's certainly in training. I've finished my 'medical microwave' sessions for this year. Of course since then I've had minimal opportunity to keep topping up in sunny weather! D & I played golf at St Andrew's - there's a pitch & putt right next to the 18th fairway on the Old Course. You just have to, don't you. I won by one hole!!!!!
There, I'm more or less up to date again. No more moaning when you see me.
The job-hunting front is a 'bad' topic. A says I can go to college and get some qualifications if I can decide what I want to do. Unfortunately I CAN'T decide. Do I get some proper office qualies or do I do something different? Decisions, decisions! For now we have decided that I should do some voluntary work. It'll give me some current references and experience, just no pay. But, you never know it might morph into a real job.
A has got his hayfever/snuffly sinus allergies under reasonable control. He's been taking Hayleve (cheap OTC remedy) and it seems to be working. Fingers crossed for tonight as we are going to try sharing a bed, something that's not happened regularly for the better part of 7 years or more. You see, he snores. It's loud enough that if he goes up for a nap during the day I can hear him over the tv. No amount of prodding or changing of position helps. None of these anti-snore devices make a difference either. So we have separate rooms on different floors of the house (with an old external wall between us), otherwise we'd probably be divorced by now. He wants to take me away for our wedding anniversary this year (20 years) so we have to start being able to share a room first.
K is a clever girl. She has just got the results from her latest Maths module exams in March, an A in each paper - 50/60 in the multichoice and 52/60 in the structured. I am so proud of her as she doesn't really like the subject. She's refusing to study it at AS level yet it will probably be the best of her GCSE grades. She's off on a sleepover tomorrow night.
D is considering his university choices for September 2010. D & I have spent 4 days this week visiting Aberdeen and St Andrew's. Don't think Scotland likes us though as it was sunny when we arrived and sunny when we left but cold, wet, and/or foggy for the rest of the time. These visits also raised as many questions as they answered. Yes, he'd be quite happy going to either of them but, thanks to St Andrew's, he might also want to do a single honours in Chemistry rather than a joint honours in Geology and Chemistry. Cue more soul searching and changing of minds. He has been trying to make his mind up between Oxford and Cambridge too. Both do interesting courses but their entry requirements might be a bit too much. The silly boy didn't revise for his January modules and got high Bs. Just got to hope that he works hard enough to turn those into As in summer.
As for me, I survived the Scotland sojourn. D might not be as bad as his Dad for snoring but he's certainly in training. I've finished my 'medical microwave' sessions for this year. Of course since then I've had minimal opportunity to keep topping up in sunny weather! D & I played golf at St Andrew's - there's a pitch & putt right next to the 18th fairway on the Old Course. You just have to, don't you. I won by one hole!!!!!
There, I'm more or less up to date again. No more moaning when you see me.
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