Today...what have you been up to? [4] (11 Viewers)

[Angie]

At least you've only got 1 to teach, I wouldn't want to be Kelly as she has 3 of them all different ages at different stages. 1 of them is newly at secondary school but he has learning difficulties which doesn't help, plus she has to work as well with students in different time zones.
She seems to be managing but I expect she'll be glad when they're all back at school ,

Oh wow! I don't envy her at all; I'm struggling just to try and teach Han. It's hard enough trying to navigate what she's doing let alone 3 of them. I think we're all just doing the best we can.

@thomaseg1 Han seems to be going through hers rather quickly and her friends were completing the work differently to how she was so we had to sort that out. Initially, she was whizzing through her assignments in next to no time and practically finished her daily timetable by lunch. Now we have weekly emails, 'assignments', and topic sections relating to her subjects so I'm making her do those with each one. We're not super strict on the timetable, and depending on if she's in the mood for a specific task we mix days up just because we can. As long as it all gets done, we're good. She was worried she might run out of stuff, but I've told her there's loads of things on google. I think I'm probably stricter than her regular teachers.

I'm glad you're getting out, the weather here is a bit grim at the minute so we've not been out. Han got super excited when the delivery guy turned up so I think I'll need to let her out soon, even if it's just for a run around the garden. Your walk sounds lovely, even if you do just get to a mile it's further than the mailbox so well done!

 

[Joan]

Oh wow! I don't envy her at all; I'm struggling just to try and teach Han. It's hard enough trying to navigate what she's doing let alone 3 of them. I think we're all just doing the best we can.

What made things worse were that they are in a council house with garden, well they have a concrete small back yard but of course that has the bins and storage shed in it so not really the sort of place they can play in.

Now the front is a lawn but they had no means of getting to it and it goes straight onto the main road. The council had to cut the grass. They complained about it and got someone on their side who told the ones in charge that they were renting a house with garden but they couldn't use the garden. A few months ago they finally got round to putting in french doors so they could get out there and they were supposed to be putting in a patio and fencing. The latter didn't get done so Kelly or Peter have to be out there with them at all times to keep them safe, the same with the dog they can't just open the doors and let her out as she'd be straight onto the main road.

There's no knowing how long it will be before they get round to finishing the job and doing the fencing and patio but at least they can get out into the fresh air for a while.

 

[Angie]

Aww, I do hope they manage to get out and get some fresh air, it can be a little frustrating at times. We do have the luxury of a garden, but we have lived in houses without them and when you have kids that seriously has to be a nightmare.

We've not been out again today, the weather looks grim, and it's cold although I'm still faffing about with the heating because I cannot reach a 'Goldilocks' temperature. I've been trying to help Han with Quantitative Chemistry this morning, oh my word, I can do chemistry and understand formulas, but this stuff was in a league of its own. After searching the internet for formulas and explanations, we finally muddled through the section we were doing, and then I told her to move onto something else. My head hurts now!

We're done for the day thankfully, so I get two days off now! Whoop whoop!

 

[Joan]

Well done you, I wouldn't know where to start with that chemistry thing-a-me-bob I never did that sort of thing when I was at school.

I'm the same as you still moving the heating dial backwards and forwards depending on what the day is like, it's a bit cold here but we've still had quite a bit of sunshine and no more rain since the beginning of the week.

 

[thomaseg1]

 

[A Guy]

I did chemistry in High School. Well, that's not correct...I dabbled in chemistry after school

A Guy

 

[thomaseg1]

I never took it, played chess in Spanish, Showed up 10 times for Lit (98 average in that)
Physics I could handle , but history I wasn't that good. Physical Fitness.....Got kicked out
the first day ... The coach didn't want a "Gimp" in his class (His Words)

 

[Angie]

Aww, Han does Spanish, but she laughs when I try to pronounce things because I don't say them correctly. I did French at school, not Spanish, so when I'm testing her and asking her questions, she finds it highly amusing.

Lovely here today but still haven't been out for a walk, the temp isn't bad either.

Film night tonight although we're struggling to find anything for all of us to watch.

 

[Joan]

I didn't do any languages, it was basically just the basics, reading, writing and arithmetic.

We did have RE, Home Economics, History, Geography, Art, PE and in the last year Shorthand and Typing, I wanted to stay on for the extra year to continue with that but was not allowed so had to leave when I was 15 and start work.

We're watching re-runs of Death in Paradise, before that we had the Arts channel on and watched Muddy Waters with The Rolling Stones followed by The Beach Boys.

 

[A Guy]

Aww, Han does Spanish, but she laughs when I try to pronounce things because I don't say them correctly. I did French at school, not Spanish, so when I'm testing her and asking her questions, she finds it highly amusing.

Is that like

 

[Angie]

I didn't do any languages, it was basically just the basics, reading, writing and arithmetic.

We did have RE, Home Economics, History, Geography, Art, PE and in the last year Shorthand and Typing, I wanted to stay on for the extra year to continue with that but was not allowed so had to leave when I was 15 and start work.

We're watching re-runs of Death in Paradise, before that we had the Arts channel on and watched Muddy Waters with The Rolling Stones followed by The Beach Boys.

We did that also, but they were separated into English Language and English Literature and different forms of Mathematics. I left when I was 16 and started office work straight away. They kept the job open for me for six weeks and then let me have time off to complete the last few of my exams. It was funny going to work in the morning then going home and getting changed into my school uniform and sitting my exams.

We had to take a language for GCSE, but Han doesn't have to. I also did shorthand, but I did it as a course after work when I was 17, my boss at the time wanted me and another girl to learn it so he could dictate to us.

Back to homeschooling again this morning which isn't great when I've not had much sleep but we're on it. At the minute, Han and I are continuing to watch Catfish. It's a programme about people in online relationships who are being duped by the people they are talking too. A few of them turn out to be real, but most of them are either the wrong sex or just completely fake. I use it as a guide to show Han the weird and wonderful people across the internet. She's turning out to be a real super sleuth as she's called a few of the episodes out and even surprised me with how they've turned out.

Speaking of Cats, next doors cat just appeared out the window, we thought it was seeing its reflection and thought it may be trying to get the attention of what it thought was another cat. It then started to do a little dance and then puked all over my flags. Han thinks it's hilarious!

The weather's nice today so hopefully, we can get out for a walk later.

By the way, Happy Star Wars Day!

 

[Joan]

I did go to night school after leaving school to do audio typing but when I left school I'd tried to get office jobs but because I'd never finished the courses didn't manage to and when our neighbour got me a job in a factory that was over the road I had to take it.

My first job was in the machine room of a factory making babies dresses and rompers plus women's overalls.

I started out sewing buttons onto the garments but then was able to move to the cutting room, which was a step up, used to use the hand held circular saws for cutting the garments out and dressmakers shears to cut out the smaller sections.

 

[thomaseg1]

I went to trade school, for printing...Long story I'm a fifth generation printer.
Started with the newspaper her in 1978.

 

[A Guy]

I was an electronics, then TV tech for almost 40 years. Never taught, just learned

A Guy

 

[Angie]

I did go to night school after leaving school to do audio typing but when I left school I'd tried to get office jobs but because I'd never finished the courses didn't manage to and when our neighbour got me a job in a factory that was over the road I had to take it.

My first job was in the machine room of a factory making babies dresses and rompers plus women's overalls.

I started out sewing buttons onto the garments but then was able to move to the cutting room, which was a step up, used to use the handheld circular saws for cutting the garments out and dressmakers shears to cut out the smaller sections.

That's cool that you managed to work your way up and getting to use all the power tools too. I love it! , I did that in my first job, work my way up that is not the power tools, although I do love power tools. I used to work every hour I could when I was younger and have always had a strong work ethic.

I have done audio typing, but that was self-taught at one of my jobs. I never went to college but did attend night college years later when I met John. That's when I studied accountancy, I'd worked in accounts for a few years by then, and I was a PA at the time and wanted to broaden my horizons and have the qualifications to back up my experience. When I left school, I just wanted to earn money and drive. I also have my teaching qualification and a transport (haulage) qualification too. It seems I've always learned something over the years. The cakes are self-taught too.

It's nice finding out what you guys have done over the years, I'm always juggling some type of job and have had more than one since working for myself. Speaking of accounts, I need to have a look at those in a minute, while home-schooling. See I'm doing that juggling thing again.

 

[thomaseg1]

Might be a good lesson to teach Han how to do them. ::hint hint::

 

[Angie]

Might be a good lesson to teach Han how to do them. ::hint hint::

Probably, she has asked how to do them, at the minute though I'm struggling to get her full attention on her History project, so there's no way I'm letting her loose on the accounts. She's heading to the fridge again and telling me it's now lunchtime. I'm exhausted today due to broken sleep for three days, so I'm not my strict teaching self.

 

[Joan]

Kelly mentioned yesterday she was starting the History lessons, mainly VE day. She likes to support veterans and such, it's because of having family members involved.

John's Dad was in the Army and his Mum was a Land Girl and my brother escaped from Dunkirk when he was 19 but only because he could swim, he did come back with shell shock though.

If you want power tools you should have been where I once worked, the factory made items for the health service rehabilitation section, all to do with wood. There were the risers used to heighten toilet seats, legs for tables and stools and the bases for trays they used for weaving. I can't remember the other things but after I'd been in the assembly shop for a while I went in the machine shop and worked on the lathes and circulars saws. My main job ended up being working on a big machine that made the holes in the tray bases and shaped the edges, they had to be precise as it was the bosses favourite item in the place.

The machine held several bases at a time and went round in a circle, you had to keep a close eye on them because if there was a nick in them you had to go behind and either change the blades or sharpen them if it wasn't too bad. The boss, he was the elder and started the company and even though his sons were in charge and he should have been retired he still came in most days, he had eyes like a hawk so those bases had to be perfect.

It was mainly men in that department with only about 2 or 3 of us women in there but we had fun, especially when sawdust was flying around.

 

[Angie]

Han's History is to do with World War 1; she's learned far more in History than I ever did. We didn't learn anything like that; John laughs because the only thing I remember is about crop rotation and Jethro Tull. She hasn't got anything on her schedule for VE day either.

Wow, I'm getting my very own History lesson from you which is very interesting.

I love power tools, although John won't let me near the chainsaw. I love chopping, drilling, breaking stuff and getting dirty, especially if it involves a power tool.

It sounds like you had fun in the factory, how long did you work there for?

 

[Joan]

Han's History is to do with World War 1; she's learned far more in History than I ever did. We didn't learn anything like that; John laughs because the only thing I remember is about crop rotation and Jethro Tull. She hasn't got anything on her schedule for VE day either.

Wow, I'm getting my very own History lesson from you which is very interesting.

I love power tools, although John won't let me near the chainsaw. I love chopping, drilling, breaking stuff and getting dirty, especially if it involves a power tool.

It sounds like you had fun in the factory, how long did you work there for?

We had History and Geography, I enjoyed those lessons and English, especially spelling. All I can remember about History was Kings and Queens, don't ask me any questions about it though as I can't remember.

I'm laughing at the connection between crop rotation and Jethro Tull, I knew who you meant but the first thought that came to mind was the comedian Jethro, then you've got the band from the 60's.

I can't remember just how long I worked there but it was a few years, I used all the power tools they had there, large fixed circular saws, lathes and the other machines needed to produce the goods they made.

I did hear after I left that one of the machines, it put the pictures onto the tray bases, was being used and the person using it got her hand trapped and lost her fingers.

My eldest son is a joiner/carpenter and he worked there for a while and there were people there who remembered me.

Does John think you're dangerous if he lets you play with power tools?