Uni or what

It's decision time for Dan - where does he want to go? We went to see City University a few weeks ago, looking at the


Engineering Department. We have sort of coached him into the direction of 'Aeronautica Engineering' and listening to the lecturers etc, yes, he thinks this is what he wants to do. (and specialise in Space technology). I've did quite a lot of research (Isn't Google wonderful!), and it looks like Aeronautical Engineers won't have problems finding jobs, as not many people chose to study this difficult subject, and good qualified personnel is hard to find. So, Nafees and me think this might be a good career for him.

Now the next decision.... currently, he hasn't got good enough 'A' Level grades to try for the best Uni's. Yes, with the grades he's got (C's) he can get into the not so good Uni's - the one's which are further down the ranking. But who is to say that Uni Ranking is the only important thing!! But then I know that it does count when applying for jobs where you got your degree from - unfortunately employers are biased. Yesterday, we went to see Southampton University, which is one of the top ones, and they require 'straight A's'. Not a chance at the moment. He is actually contemplating to repeat this year, and he seems to think this will give him A's.

The other thing is... there is us trying to visit all those Uni Open Days. Gosh, that is exhausting in itself. 2 hours drive to Southampton yesterday, and 3 hours back (due to M25 traffic), petrol money. The other Uni's which are potentials are much further away i.e. Wales, Liverpool, Sheffield. I guess I'm going to be busy in the next few weeks, as we have to fill in the application for Uni from September onwards, and deadline January. So, watch this space.

NH afghan update

Here is my update from NH Afghan from last week. Finally, get some more time for cross stitch.


 

I am still anxiously awaiting Danial's visa, and it is hard to think of anything else. He is supposed to travel next week... I was supposed to travel to Germany this coming weekend to see good friends, and now I'm stuck here still waiting for Dan's visa. Apart from that, I finally started writing, and also watch the football at the moment (nice timewaster LOL)

-- Post From My iPhone

First Flying Lesson

Dan had his very first flying lessing at Stapelford Flight Centre. 30mins cost £100 but it was worth every penny according to Dan (Best thing he ever did in his life! according to Dan). I felt like joining, it looked that much fun and exciting!

The plane was a Cessna 152 (2 seater), and even though it was his first lesson, the instruction put him straight away into the pilot's seat. At some point, the instructor (who btw was great, as Dan was clearly a bit nervous) said to him: 'OK, now you slowly push this button in, and pull  this  up - and you known what is going to happen? Dan said 'No' and he says: 'well, you are taking off now all by yourself' and off he took! Once in the air, apparently it is not that difficult. The instructor told him how to turn right, left, and go straight on and than said: 'ok, you are the pilot, now go where you want' and that's when he said the tension in him fell and he really started to enjoy it big time. To land the Cessna was down to the instructor though, as this is apparently 'the most difficult bit' LOL.

And now he can't wait to do it again, so so much want to be a pilot. I hope his dreams are not coming crashing down (excuse the pun) before he even took off.... The only way in is either private pilot training (costing at least 80 - 100K) which might be an option if we win the lottery LOL. Otherwise he could try RAF and go through their selection process. Well, wait and see, for the time being one young man is on cloud nine.

Proud mother - Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire / U.S.A.

Right... I was waiting to write about this, as we were awaiting final confirmation... Now it is confirmed! My son Danial will be going in the summer to the U.S.A., to the Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire. (1 hr. drive north of Boston). He has been awared a scholarship from the Academy, and had to undergo a selection process at this current school.- and has been chosen. All togehter, 4 students from his current school will go. They will fly on on 4th of July and return 7th of August and will attend the summer camp. Danial will go to the mathematics camp. I will drop him off at London Heathrow Airport and hope for the best LOL - a 16 year old all let loose on his own. No, seriously, he is quite a sensible young man and we are sooooo proud of him.

And here is Danial last week, at his 16th Birthday party. We went to TGI Friday's (his choice), we all loved it. Ruby and Nafees had burgers, the boys and me had steak with Jack Daniels's sauce - my favorite.

A Mother's story and a police break-in (almost!)

// Saturday, 26. September 2009 //     

Gosh, my legs are still shaking, every mother will understand.... that sinking feeling when you fear for your child... Luckily, I can laugh about it now, feel a bit embarrassed - but the alternative doesn't bear thinking about.

Yesterday, my son Dan (the 15-year old) called me at work around 8 am to tell me he's got bad headache and is feeling unwell, he wants to stay at home and not go to school. He suffers from migraines so this was not exactly unusual. I just told him to take a paracetamol and ring me if it gets worse. What I do usually is ring him every hour to make sure he's ok. Somehow I forgot, and remembered him around noon. I called the landline and mobile phone - no answer. I tried for the next hour without success, phones were ringing, but no reply. I knew that he just wouldn't go out, anyhow, where would he go, as all his friends were in school, and he just doesn't go shopping on his own like that. I quickly really started to panick and of course imagining the worse. By chance, my colleague's mother lives hin the same town as I, and she kindly agree to go to our address. She than knocked on the door for 15 mins, again nothing.

 By now I was physically sick and shaking like a leaf. We than decided to call the police. Luckily, my colleague is a trained 999 operator, and so she took full control of the situation - exactly what I needed. Police were on the scene within 10 minutes. They asked me whether they can break in if they don't get a reply - I said yes. One officer knocked again on the front door, and the other jumped over the fence into the back garden. And that's when Bonnie saved the day (and our front door) - on seeing a person in the back garden, she went mad, barking and running up and down the stairs. That is what woke Dan up - yes, he's been fast asleep!

Spring Cleaning

I've had this week off, and really used it this time to do some major spring cleaning. I don't often have the time and the mood for it, but I really went for it this time. I've got several big bags in the shed, and about 100 books, all paperbacks which I read in the past few years. I decided that it is time to sort them out, as I'll not going to read them aagain, and it just takes too much space and makes the house all messy. We did a car boot sale, but only made about £40 (after taking away the stall rent of £12). Never mind, it's £40 extra in my purse. Lots of it was actually knitting stuff which I decided to get rid off as I don't knit any more - there just isn't enought time for knitting, and I enjoy cross stitch more.

We also finally started to paint the fence in the garden, and Rubyand Dan helped me. We've run out of paint though half way through, will continue maybe next weekend if there is time.

Danial's birthday

My eldest boy is 15 today - I can't believe it! Today, we've just had some cake and he set his new x-box up. Bit of a problem, as he can't go 'online' with it yet, apparently he need another wireless devise which will cost him around £50 as the x-box is not compatible with other wireless devices and you need a specific x-box one. Gosh, they make money out of those things.

And here he is playing away.he didn't even mind me taking the picture which he usually hates - teenagers

Shorne Wood Country Park

We went to Shorne Wood Country park today - that is Bonnie, Dan, Imran and me. Yes, I could talk my two teenage boys into coming with their old mum on a ramble through the woods. The boys came because they wanted to have a look at the fishing lakes in the park. And -- they liked it and want to come back!

The park is massive, and it was very very busy. We had trouble finding parking and had to cruise for ages on the (massive!) carpark. There were so many people on the main walk ways, it felt like London Bridge for rush hour!! But once we were into the deeper woods, it was a bit better and I saw the first wild primulas - right in the middle of the forest - beautiful.

I have dropped Danial off to Ebbsfleet International Station today, he is going on a school trip to France. I am so jelous, I've never been to Paris. They have planned quite a few things for the children eg. Eiffel Tower, Riverboat on the Seine, Notre Dame, Versaille Palais, Disney Land.... We paid £350 for bed and breakfast accommodation for 5 days, and all attractions trips included, but we had to give them an extra 100 Euro for public transport in Paris and all other meals.

I've asked Dan to bring me a cross stitch magazine... wonder if a 14 year old boy on a school trip will have to courage in front of his class mates to buy a cross stitch magazine for his mum LOL

Danial has hardly ever left his room since I've got the children the computer for Christmas! I went out to the sales yesterday ... no, I'm not one to go mad over the sales and launch myself into those crowds - that is something I try to avoid at all costs. And I don't really need anything, as in .. reallllly need it, so there is no need to go to the sales.

However, It's Imran's birthday of course on the 27. December, and every year the same.... I think that I wait to buy his present until after Christmas so I can get it reduced. And every year the same.... whatever he want's is not reduced. Isn't it aways the same, whatever I need is not reduced. Anyway, I went out and bought him a PSP (Playstation Portable) with 3 games - that's what he wanted. No point buying a 13 year old boy stuff he might or might not like. So, it was of course exactly the same price in 'Game' as before the Christmas. And tonight, he wants as to go to Nando's as a family.

Now quickly a few pictures from our holiday. Despite all the anxiety with Dan, it was still a great holiday and even though I didn't realize at the time (because I felt so tired most of the time) I do feel much more relaxed now, especially at work. Won' t last I'm afraid and I will probably be stressed again to pre-holiday level by the end of this week LOL.




Dan discovered the joy of fishing and won't talk about nothing else! Well, I suppose there is worse things a teenager could have in his mind...

My Mum and her dog Isi (she is a Tibetan Terrier/Spitz cross)Nafees came to join us in our holiday on the last week, and we visited Poland, which is just about 20mins in the train from where my parents live and then a short walk across town. The town on the German side is called Frankfurt /Oder (not to be confused the Frankfurt/Main which is the Frankfurt most people know), and the town on the Polish side is called Slubice.

I will go the see our GP (Doctor) tomorrow, and then we'll see. The children are back at school again and I should be back to my usual routine. Bonnie was really strange the first day when we came back from holiday. She was so extremely lazy to a point that Imran thought she is ill, as she was only laying down and was hardly moving. She also looked huge and fat to me, thought that could be because my Mum's dog is so small compared to her. I started our usual routine of 2 short walks(morning/evening) and one longer walk in the afternoon and already she is much more settled.

I've got the sock knitting bug again - when I really should do my Christmas stitching. This happens to me ever now and again - I just don't fancy cross stitch but knitting. Ever since I first started to knit socks I loved it. I did a pair for my mum last Christmas, and she actually loved something I did hee hee, and she keeps wearing them around the house. I was surprised how straight forward it was. Usually with knitting, I get myself into a pickle with the sizes, especially with garments like jumpers, cardigans etc. they are always too big or too small or whatever, that really puts me off. But with the socks, its not too difficult. And don't I just love this self-patterning yarn! This one is from Opal.
We went to a bonfire and fireworks display here in Darford. Spend what seems like a fortune on silly things like candy floss and fairground rides for the children. Danial and his friend Matt Ruby and CaseyNow who's the Lord of the Manor!

nothing much happened this week, i'm just to tired to go on the computer after work. Danial started to go to Army Cadets. I wasn't too sure first, it's just not my thing. but I realised that he loves it, and even if it's not for me, I ought to give him the chance to check it out. Didn't know a lot about it, but from the first looks they offer a lot for children in a safe and structured environment, and I'm glad he is not 'hanging around' in the streets.

Did a lot of cross stitch this week - just because I can! No OU before December or so when I receive my new books, and the new course does not start before January 08, so plenty of time for cross stitch without feeling guilty. I worked on Spring Queen all this week, will show my progress tomorrow. Now though, I will do all my Christmas Exchanges, started a hanger today which I cannot show of course, as the intended recipient might read here.

And I started to go swimming again *sigh*, otherwise I'm just totally getting out of it and all that hard-last weight will just creep on again.

It was my birthday last Monday, and here are some of the lovely things I received from my cross stitching friends. We didn't really do much on my birthday, the schock about Ruby's accident was still with us I suppose, and then my exam on Wednesday. We did go to an Indian restaurant though for a meal in the evening which so very delicious, it was the first time the children enjoyed Indian Food.

http://www.greenspice.net/

Danial is holding the present from Connie. A Fremme Kit, schocolade, bath salts

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And this is the present from Barbara, beutifully wrapped.

Back from Holidays

Where have the 2 1/2 weeks holiday gone... We left Dartford on 06.08. and returned on 23.08. As usual, we went to Germany to spend some time with my parents. They live in a small village which is basically between Berlin and the Polish border. Flat country, lots of forests, lakes. My parent's house is much bigger (and nicer ) than mine, a huge garden, an old staple (which my dad uses as a garage and shed/workhouse. We would normally go for a long walk in the forest, sometimes go mushroom-picking which is a big past-time over there. Once, we went on a trip to Poland, there are big markets near the border and the boys loved it. I enjoyed the food. Now Dartford got me back! I feel refreshed and feel inspired to do some home improvements. Started yesterday by getting a new toilet seat hee hee! And I finally sorted out the garden today - well , at least I did the weeding and mowed the lawn.

Here's Dan, making bread! He's had cooking lessons in school today, and he liked it so much, he came home and made some more bread. Now I'm not a domestic goddess I have to admit, indeed, I never made bread in my life! and there is my 13 year old, baking bread. I'm still waiting for those terrible teenage hormones to get through, but Dan has been a real pleasure of lately.


And here's an update on the Glasgow rose cat from last week. I got too bored with only black, so I started to add a bit of the border. Anyway, only the tail to go.d