The word of the day is......

CLOSED

It was always going to be a bit of a rushy day what with the extra mileage from North Devon to Jacobstow which is where I am currently teaching my afterschool club to 18 enthusiastic, vocal and vibrant reception and year 1 students. But I wanted to make the most of the morning off with Stanners and had arranged some time ago to meet with Stacey and her boys who I just dont get the chance to see often enough.

Stacey's was the first face I saw when we relocated to the South West as she and I both had the misfortune of spending way too much time in the maternity unit of the North Devon Hospital (Barnstaple). For around 10 days we were residents in the bed opposite one another and we spent the time moaning, comparing notes, turning our noses up at the food, sharing chocolate, comparing blood pressure results and medication, but most importantly, forging the start of a very close friendship. It turned out we were induced on the same morning and Stanley and Ben were welcomed to the world only 6 hours apart, and they too are great buddies.

We had planned to go to the Gnome Reserve as Stacey had often commented on the photos she had seen of mine from previous visits where members of my family, both adults and chilren alike looked very colourful and it has to be said, a tad daft in gnome hats, and she was keen to join the club. On the warmest morning of the year so far, we trundled over, only to be met with a big, fat CLOSED sign. So not to be detered, we thought we'd go to the tamar lakes for a walk and a play in the park, and a spot of lunch in the cafe. The play in the park bit was good, but the cafe was CLOSED. Never mind I said, lets go to the Pizza Ape cafe/takeaway in my village, that would be just perfect for the boys, but you've guessed it, it was CLOSED! So we got some pasties and drinks from the local shop and went and sat in my local play park in the gorgeous sunshine, under blue skies and watched two very happy boys giggling, running, chatting and throwing sausage rolls (the latter was of course Staney). An added bonus was that some of my other good friends from the village happened to stop by after the pre-school pickup and it was lovely to see the children all mucking in together. Such a lovely bunch of little peeps.

I dont mind admitting that with the sun out and spending time with friends, I was a bit less enthusiastic to get off to work, but as always with Music Train, the minute I hear the voices of the children outside, the air of anticipation in their tone, and then seeing their little faces, the look of pride when they show me what they have brought in from home, something completely takes over. My job has to be one of the most enjoyable in the world, ever ever ever. I love waiting for their responses to my questions and the fact that they are learning so much whilst having fun. The way music is presented down here definitely has some catching up to do and it does get somewhat overlooked which is a shame, but I am just hopeful that for the 18 months Ive been teaching it, I might have inspired or unlocked something in the children, and perhaps even some of the adults. One mum after we had done the Strings topic said that she was going to get her old cello out of the loft, and another has said as a direct result of Music Train, she has had her piano tuned and sits and plays it with her son, so that is job done. 
  

What a difference a day makes

I find it extraordinary to think that just over 48 hours ago, my house was carpeted, furnished and okay a bit mouldy in places but what do you expect with an old 1900 Cornish stone cottage! The schedule was as follows :- 1) Box up remaining items, remove all bulky furniture and take to the self storage unit
               2) Rip up all carpets and remove skirting boards
               3) Take out bathroom suite
               3) Begin hacking off plaster

It has to be said that I have the most useless arm muscles in the world and whilst my horse riding years as a teenager gave me thighs of steel, I will be no threat to Amir Khan with these biceps. So may I introduce to you BANG IT AND LEG IT REMOVALS! These guys come with a health warning come highly recommended and for anyone looking to move or relocate to the North Cornwall/Devon area, for a highly entertaining experience, this is the South West's answer to the Chuckle brothers. Give them a wide birth!!! Well, actually it was my dad and brother we roped in but they truly are a great double act and I am very much looking forward to listening to them throughout the rest of "operation mammoth task".

Joking aside, the speed at which Dean, Mr & Master P and the help from the local bobby have kicked off the project is amazing and we are already ahead of schedule which is very exciting. Stanley has been getting very confused and cant understand why he is unable to currently live in his own house so I took him around there this afternoon to show him why. This is the image we were met with

24 hours ago this was a magnolia bathroom, with a white suite and tiles!!

The up side of living back with my parents (bet they were hoping to have well and truly seen the back of me by now) is that dare I say it, we feel a bit like The Walton's - 3 generations of the same family living under one roof. If we continue having beautiful weather as we did today, the boys will really be able to appreciate the great outdoors in the space my parents are fortunate to have, climbing the hay bales, collecting the eggs, helping muck out the two Dartmoor ponies etc etc. Spring really does feel like it is only around the corner. Bring it on I say.

Right, time for some beauty sleep, I'm off to bed. Night John Boy..........

Lost and found

1 x comb, 1 x bottle of favourite coloured nail varnish, 1 x arm from Mr Potato Head (Buzz lightyear variety of course), 5 x Lego heads, 3 x wigs (Lego, not Bruce Forsyth stylee), 1 x Charlie Crotchet notation card, 1 x DSI stylus and last but not least, 6 x odd socks!!!! All underneath the antique blanket box at the foot of my bed. Underneath the bed, lets just say the cat left me a little present - not entirely sure how long it has been there but quite a while guessing by the texture. Note to self, I must check under the bed more often - Thanks Angel.

Had an immensely busy weekend. We have pretty much emptied the entire contents of our house which have now been split between a lock up and my parents house in rural North Devon. My better other half has over the last few months erected a beautifully crafted oak framed extension and the knock through is now imminent. So as a family we have decided to bail out. Plus we are having central heating installed and an overhaul on the original part of the house is required so lots of dusty and mucky work ahead.

My very accommodating and long suffering parents have offered to put us up for the next 2-3 months along with our dopey Labrador and afore mentioned generous cat. The first 5 hours have been a breeze - so far so good.

Jamie thoroughly enjoyed his first sleepover on Saturday night where popcorn and The Goonies were on the agenda (great film). Both he and I have made a conscious decision to make the most of our dear friends down here before we leave for Hertfordshire in the summer. I was having a teary day a few days ago at the thought of leaving them all behind and someone said some wise words to me - "Friends are friends no matter how near or far you are" and I really do hope that statement stands the test of time.

Was great catching up with Craig (my brother) on the phone this evening. The last time I saw him he was flying to Never Land at Christmas and now he needs to find his sea legs as he's in rehearsals for a cruise. Bon voyage mon frere.


Rocky in Rocky Horror Show



Caboose in Starlight Express



Aladdin




SA stinks!!!

SA has well and truly done me in today. South Africa is not the offending smelly article I hasten to add, but the dreaded Schools Admissions. I had all good intentions of getting several boxes packed to go into self storage this morning, but I made the fatal error of picking up the phone to see if there was any good news with the in-year transfer of my eldest son, as his future education is balanced precariously on a knife edge. It remained glued to my ear for the next 1 hour and 37 minutes and which during that time, I tried to come to terms with the fact that we are turning into a tick-box nation where individuality counts for nothing.

When I finally managed to peel the phone away and did what we English do best in a crisis, sat down and had a cup of tea, I put the news on the television only to witness the absolute carnage that mother nature has caused overseas today and it made me think. As much as there is nothing more important to me than my children's education, compared with the devastation and the lives that have been cruelly torn apart, my little wobble remains just that. I still have my children to tuck up in bed tonight and my husband to share a box of choccies with when he finally gets home from work. I still have my mum who is a very special lady-my confidante and my best friend and my dad who I love and who has proudly reared 2 pigs from weaners (many a joke to be had here, but I'll refrain) and I'm guessing scouring several recipe books as I type to find out the tastiest way to prepare 2 large freezer fulls of pork. I still have my brother Craig to irritate whilst at the same time admiring his seemingly effortless talent in his career in musical theatre and my baby brother Bill who is the best uncle and superhero my boys could wish for as well as an inspirational pianist. How lucky am I. My thoughts go out tonight to anyone whose lives have been touched by the earthquake and tsunami.

Speaking of tucking my children up, I thought I'd end on a lighter note and share with you a photo of Stanley who tonight wanted to go to bed as a cross between a pirate and Buzz lightyear (note the laser on his arm). To infinity and beyond..........

......But not as you know it

Firstly, to those of you who have stopped by hoping to read all about the amazing large sandstone rock formation in central Australia, turn away now. This is not Ayers Rock, This is Ayres Rocks. The name was cleverly conjured up over a Tiandi meal & a glass of wine by my 2 Cornish bessie mates -Thedaytodavis and MaidinCornwall......thank you ladies xx Ayres (That's me, Mrs to be precise) and Rocks (a little acknowledgment to my love of music, the influence its had on me and in fact continues to do so).

In a nutshell, I lived in a small rural village of Hertfordshire for 30 years. I attended, and positively enjoyed the local primary school and from there continued my education at an all girls school in the market town of Hitchin. After my A levels, I dabbled in broadcasting on hospital and local radio and spent the summer of 1996 in a hideous striped uniform entertaining the masses in Mablethorpe, Lincs at a Haven Holiday Park (so many stories, so little time.) I returned back to my sleepy village and set up home with my adorable dog Toby (gone but not forgotten old pal), and really was jack of all trades for a few years, master of none.

Having spotted a handsome young man one day down the local during a celebration on St Georges Day, and hearing on the grapevine that he was a very skilled carpenter, I went home scouring my old rickety cottage looking for some "jobs" that needed doing. I eventually plucked up the courage and called him asking if he would be able to mend a wobbly table leg and put up a shelf. Very cringe worthy - cant believe that was the best I could come up with. And the rest as they say, really is history. We had our first son together nearly 7 years ago (Jamie) and relocated to North Cornwall in 2008. Having only been in my new county for approximately 3 weeks (and spending most of that in Bassett ward of North Devon hospital,) I gave birth to Stanley who is nearly 3, my family now complete.

Not satisfied with the challenge of finding my feet in a new area, with a new baby and helping my son settle into his new school, I still felt I had more to give. So I decided to launch my own business, The Music Train, running music classes for parents/grandparents to bring their babies/toddlers/preschoolers along for 45 minutes of, Id like to think, good times. Starting with only a handful of people, this has now grown to 6 classes a week with 75 families in attendance plus the launch of after school clubs for foundation and key stage 1 children. All in just under two years. I truly now feel that I am no longer Jack (of all trades), and that I have found my vocation. There is nothing more rewarding than watching children sing, smile, giggle & learn and in turn, witness the joy and pride expressed in their grownups face as they share in a special time together. Magical.

That said, sadly for me, the next chapter of my life will soon see me and mine returning to the mother land. Whilst I cant bring my Cornish 'Music Trainers' with me, I will be able to set up and teach in a new area of Hertfordshire once the boys are settled and all but Stanley, will be able to tap into their roots once again. Other special things I will be leaving behind are dear friends, dramatic coastal scenery, a fantastic school & pre-school, all the special little people that are now held in high regard in the minds and hearts of my boys and a beautifully renovated cornish stone cottage. So anyone reading this will be climbing aboard and riding this roller coaster of a journey with me - Sit back, hold tight, here.....we.......gooooooo.