Sunday 1 November 2015

Halloween Half Term

We've had a half term week full of variety.
On Sunday we went out for lunch before G and T took the train to Norwich.
They stayed there until Tuesday so T got to spend time with his birth siblings.
S was kept busy on Monday when she had her friend C over.
They busied themselves and I hardly saw them apart from when they came into the kitchen to bake some cakes.

With G away I caught with on a couple of things I had recorded on BBC.
A few years ago I bought this book but it has just sat on the shelf being passed over for others because it's quite a thick one and the print is tiny!
When I saw the story had been made into a documentary and was to be presented by the author I knew this would be something I needed to watch.
A love story lived out in India during the 19th century and it was as fascinating as I thought it would be.


My second watch was The Scandalous Lady W. This was absolutely riveting from start to finish. The true story of Lady Worsley, her unhappy marriage and the court case which her husband instigated against her lover seeking £20,000 in compensation. The way women were regarded as their husband's property is shocking.


Tuesday morning we went to the cinema to see the Minions movie. 
All very good fun with some bits which made us laugh out loud because of their general silliness.
From the cinema we walked into town to purchase a new pair of school shoes which, thankfully, was a quick and easy process.
Tuesday evening I went to a WI meeting. I found details online of a group who meet at a pub in the town centre. October's meeting was all about keeping happy and healthy during the winter. Next month will be Christmas wreath making. There are  two other meetings which take place each month, one is a book group and another a craft group.


On Wednesday we had our annual trip,with my mum, to the country park for the Halloween trail.
I have a feeling this will be our last one. S was as keen to go as always but once we were there and she had the trail in her hand and she read the cues she said 'I know the answers to some of these already.' Plus as we walked round she recognised some of the clues hidden in the trees and said 'These were here last year!'
After the trail we go to the garden centre for hot chocolate and here we were joined by my two sisters. After a drink and a chat we had a good wander round the Christmas department, the final part of our yearly tradition.


Thursday and Friday I was at work and G was at home. 
T saw friends and S spent time on a homework project. The topic at school for the next half term is the Greeks and G has helped S produce a power point display on the story of Perseus. Before they broke up S's class had a trip to the Baring Room at the art gallery to see a series of works by Burne-Jones depicting the Story of Perseus.

Saturday was all about Halloween.
G carved the pumpkins and the children decorated the outside of the house with all manner of ghost and witch themed paraphernalia. T set up some music and we had the theme from Ghostbusters blaring out to greet our trick or treat callers, we had 84 during the evening, all chocolate bought for the occasion was given out and we had to ignore the last couple of people who knocked as we had not a thing left. 
G took S out and she came home with a bag brimming with sweet treats.
I saw this idea for a trifle in one of the free supermarket magazines and made one for us, minus the biscuits on top. 


To round off the week we come to today, S kept busy at home playing and adding the finishing touches to her homework, T went to the charity shop and I attended a talk at the Dolphin Hotel entitled 'Why Jane Austen preferred Southampton to Bath.' The Dolphin was the venue for this talk because as the plaque on the building quotes 'It is said that Jane Austen celebrated her 18th birthday in the ballroom on 16th December 1793 with her brother Frank.'
More on that another time.




9 comments:

  1. It sounds as though you had a very fun-filled half term! The W.I seems like a good place to go - I am sure you will learn a thing or two there! I can't believe you had so many trick or treaters. We had zero! Mind you, I did nothing to encourage them being the female equivalent of Victor Meldrew! Have a lovely week Lisa! x

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  2. what a lovey post. The talk sounds interesting. I've not seen either programme but would like to x

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  3. You always fit in some lovely family days and activities! Sounds like a pretty good half term to me! Shame it was over so quickly :(

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  4. What a busy week you've all had. I always found it quite sad as the kids grew out of certain things we did each year but I'm sure you and S will find something else she enjoys doing for Halloween rather than the trail. I'd love to join a WI group but there isn't one here, the other two meetings each month sound good too. 84 trick or treaters, wow. I think we only had two or three groups at the door all evening but they had the local bonfire and firework display on the same night so I think lots of kids were at that rather than out trick or treating. Looking forward to hearing more about the Jane Austen talk.

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  5. Lisa
    What a busy and enjoyable time you've had ...

    Interesting your comment about the size of print in books, I have to say that I'm at the stage that if I pick up a book and I'm not comfortable with the print the book goes back on the shelf. I do find some of the print too small and I do not like feeling un-comfortable when I read. Reading should be enjoyable!

    Minions are great and funny a firm favourite with the grandchildren and older family members too. LOL!

    That sounds a very interesting homework topic, and great to do a power point display.

    Halloween is always great fun and 84 callers ...WOW.

    It's count down to fireworks and then Christmas, how many weekends to go seven / eight. No, I'm not going to count!

    Have a good week

    I really enjoyed your post

    All the best Jan

    P.S. I'm really enjoying Strictly, but my husband Eddie doesn't enjoy it at all ... I thought Jeremy Vine did well with Thriller on Saturday!
    I'm not sure who my favourite is yet - I keep changing my mind

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  6. It sounds like you all had a full but enjoyable half-term. I can't believe you had that many trick or treaters. We only had a few. I guess we were lucky! :-) We watched 'The Scandalous Lady W' on the
    telly and I was also very much shocked at wives being treated as their husband's property. We're so lucky those times are long gone now. Hope the return to school goes well, have a nice week!

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  7. Plenty of activities to keep everyone busy and happy this half term then!
    It's like the end of an era when a customary treat or destination suddenly doesn't do it for the kids any more - they're growing up and moving on in their tastes and interests, aren't they? Still, there's always something else to replace what's gone.
    My lot went out to a Halloween sleepover, so we locked the door, drew the curtains and avoided all the trick or treaters, hurray!
    Love the windows on the Dolphin Hotel. xxx

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  8. Your WI meetings sound great, especially the wreath making. I've just joined a new branch that has opened where I live. 70 women came to the initial meeting! I'm looking forward to seeing what's in store for future meetings, and to hopefully making some new friends too. x

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  9. 84 trick or treaters - wow! I was working a long day so didn't get home till after 10pm, so anyone calling at mine wouldn't have got an answer. x

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