A full weekend

We've been visiting local colleges of further education in hopes of finding courses which both Grace and Jack can take next year. Because the funding for Grace's taxi to college runs out next year, we want both of them to go to the same college and travel together.

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The Cunning Plan is that, when they are both safely and happily ensconced at college and my home educating duties are over, I can, somehow, return to paid employment. It's hard not to laugh at that idea, really, as I will be 53 and won't have worked for an employer since 1990. {sigh} We'll see.

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We live equidistantly between 3 FE colleges. We've been to some Open Evenings and gathered information and impressions. On Saturday, we applied for the courses, filling in the application forms for both kids, printing out 'supporting statements' etc. Jamie and I worked non-stop from 10.00am until 4.30pm getting all that done.

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They'll go into the post today, except for one of them, which Grace must hand in to her tutor today. She's not always terribly good at handing things in. It's not that she forgets, it's just that she's embarrassed. Weird, I know. It's an autism thing, for her. I'll have to text her several times today to prompt her.

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The jazz band which Jack was asked to join recently had their first engagement at the weekend. There was a civic ceremony to welcome back the troops stationed at the local garrison back from Afghanistan. Their families were all there to watch the parade and see them receive their medals. It all took place in the town's park and Jack's band played on the bandstand while people mingled after the ceremony. If you know what Jools Holland's band sounds like then that's the kind of thing they do. I'm not sure Jazz is the right term, really. They write all their own material. I hope the troops enjoyed it!

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Then he went to a friend's 18th birthday party. Grace spent Saturday at a friend's house, with some of her college-mates. All of them have ASD. They are an interesting bunch, all with their own unique quirks. Like the rest of us, I guess, but just magnified! The mum and dad who host these socials are wonderfully hospitable. I guess it helps that they have a large house with many rooms! LOL!

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Jamie and I were asked to plan and lead the whole service yesterday at church which we did! We enjoy these opportunities to do something a little bit different. We had 'cafe church' and provided breakfast plus some more active worship activities than usual. Unfortunately, most of our church's services feel like a primary school assembly, with one person talking upfront and the rest of us passively consuming.

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We feel sure that church isn't meant to be like that, so we mix it up a bit and expect people to contribute. Some don't like this and stay away, but most appreciate the active participation we encourage. We've woken up to several emails thanking us, so I guess we did something right yesterday!

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Jamie and Jack went off to a tea and gathering at a cluster church in another town. Lots of friends were there. Jack stayed late as he was asked to play in the Youth Band and came home with a friend who drives. I still can't quite get over that my little boy has friends old enough to drive!

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A few plans for the week:

Get back to cooking proper nutritious meals, now that things slow down for us a bit.

Jamie taking a day off to spend with ME. Can't remember that last time that happened.

Mum and Dad's taxi service will be operating as usual.

Start the Jesse Tree thing.

Write and post cards which need to go abroad.

Write to Jamie's aunt in Scotland.

Teach Jack how to critically analyse poetry.

Sort out my desk and the accumulating mountains of paper work.

Get some invitations out for Christmas get-togethers.

RELAX at last!