What a week

What a week we have had. It didn't start very well at all. I had a phone call from one of the ladies at school. She had found out that her son had been bullying Jake. I couldn't believe it. What a gut wrenching thing to be told, all I could think of "was you poor little bugger." It happened at the last school too, by one boy and he turned out to be bullying just about all the kids there. Some of the stuff that he was doing (well there was actually more than the one boy in the end, he got his cousins and a brother in on it as well). The mother was so horrified and was so appologetic about it all. On further investigation we found out that it had been happening at school and on the bus. The bus driver and teacher knew about it and had taken action against it (well they called it action, made him stay in at playtime and lunch time that day). What I felt was so terrible was that no one had taken the time to contact either us or the other parents involved. If the parent of the bully hadn't found out accidentally then we would be none the wiser. I told the principal this and he said to me that they don't contact the parents with everything that goes on. As a parent would you want to know if your kid was being bullied, or if your kid was the bully? I know I sure would, and I know I am furious for not being told (as is the boys parents). If this kids parents hadn't been on to it, where could this have headed too.
This boys parents have been absolutely brilliant about it all, and couldn't do enough for us. The boy isn't allowed to go to school camp in a fortnight or participate in school activities for the next month or so. She even brought the boy around and made him come in on his own to appologise to Jake and to us as parents and told us to say what ever we felt appropriate, so long as we gave him a big telling off. The poor kid, I felt so sorry for him. He walked in shaking in his boots, I led him through and here is Lionel (All 6ft 4 inches of him) standing by the dining room table, must have been a daunting sight for this 10 year old. We let him appologise (and he really did appologise and appeared to be really remorseful) then it was out turn. Lionel backed off a bit from what he was going to say because he was a lot smaller than we envissaged. I told him what I thought and how dissapointed we were in the fact that we had only been here a little over three months, didn't know anyone, and it was a big enough move as it was, and the most courtiest thing he could of done was look after the boys and take them under his wing and show them the ropes not do what they were doing (some of it is too disgusting to even write in here). Well this all happened on Monday and I tell you what. We have a completely new boy, what a change. I don't know why we didn't pick it up, the signs were there (looking back). The worst thing was he even had told us (well not in so many words), but the hints were there. We are quite annoyed that we never picked up on it and are just so thankful that this boys parents have been so supportive of us and been "on to it" so to speak. They have taken action, they have made him face his responsibilities, made him face up to what he has done and really made him realise how it affects everyone. I just hope that it has been a big lesson for everyone.
Well on a lighter note, you should see my lounge. Oh it is devine. Had the carpet man in on Thursday and sorted out carpet, ordering wall paper on Tuesday, picking up curtains on Tuesday and their tracks (got them from the Warehouse on special, whooooo I love specials LOL 40% off). Fire is going in this week and the new hot water cylender (The old one is 43 years old LOL) and we are changing places with it so it can get hooked up to the fire and the old cupboard is being used as a storage cupboard for scrapbooking stuff Yayyyy. Then (hopefully) the week after the new doors are going in cieling styple coated, then wall paper and carpet, then all we have to do is the two deckings LOL. Sound easy? Phew sounds exhausting lol. Will keep you informed

Remember'. Don't argue with an idiot. People watching might not be able to tell the difference

It is snowing.

I can't believe it. This morning we woke to the sight of snow. Oh those poor wee lambies. There was probably about two or three inches and it has come and gone a bit during the day. The worst part is DH is away in the car (yes we only have one car) and I have to go and pick the boys up on the motorbike. Not a pleasing thought I tell you. At the moment I am actually procrastinating. I should be stripping wall paper, it has to be done by Thursday and it isn't going well at all. There is four layers, the top two aren't too bad, well probably top three really but the bottom layer is a real nightmare. I am using warm soapy water so hopefully I will get there.

Finally managed to get a photo onto here. This is Jake standing on the inside of the whole fire set up. Actually standing on the inside of the yunca. Now this is all gone and the door to the right. I will endevour to get more photos and get them up here.
Till later here is a question for you to ponder. Why does your nose run and your feet smell? Or what if your scared half to death twice?

What a mess our place is in

You should see our house (actually I am pleased no one can, although I am trying for the fourth time to upload photos to show you. Grrr). The builder arrived last Wednesday after ringing Tuesday night about 9.00. Luckily we'd been to central the day before and picked up Jake and left the other two so only had one child here. By the end of the first day the whole wall was out, both fires gone and a bloody mess left behind LOL. the next day things didn't look like they had changed at all, but the plumbing was sorted and Friday we had more lights in a cleanish house, although there is some nooks and crannies that has soot hidden but the wall paper is coming out carpet up and a couple of external doors in yet so there is going to be a bigger mess yet, oh how am I going to cope LOL. We called in and saw the people that are making our doors and have changed them a bit. Originally the plans that they had drawn up had three sections of sliding doors with the door only being 860 wide. I wanted bigger ones for the front any way. So we went and saw them. Now we are having stacking doors along the front that will have a 1.7m opening (just huge). These will look great when they are in and the decking done. Along the back though, we are only having a normal sliding door that opens half of is which equates to about 1.2m. Still a nice big opening though. Specially when it is all done LOL.

We now have all the kids home and they think our new space is brilliant, although the hole in the floor has become to tempting for Abby who thinks it would be a great hiding place LOL. Managed to talk her out of going down there. With the builder here and him having some great ideas that Lionel agrees with, the project will probably drag out a little more to (which I am delighted about by the way). Be nice to have something finneshed properly for a change. Looking forward to getting it all done though. :)

We have the concrete pad done for the new fire and the builder has leveled the floor with a small concrete pad where the old fires were. The wall paper is off the dining room wall and the ceiling is gibstopped once for the stipple coating (still needing another coat though) and now I have to get the paper off the lounge wall before Tuesday when the builder is back to gibstop, tile the hearth (yummo). Then he comes back to do the fire and Hot water cylender and the ceiling will be done after the doors are in incase there is problems. (which should be about two or three weeks, if we are lucky).

Well enough of my household plans.

I hope everyone has had a great school holidays, hard to believe that they are nearly over with already. Won't next week be a quite one in comparison?

Sorry Blogger won't let me upload photos, hopefully next time

Remember :- even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.