Celebrating Halloween and Guy Fawkes night

It has been a good weekend. We were looking for a Halloween costume for my son and managed to find a mask, a fork and black top, from Poundland and he already has bottoms and I have ordered a cloak from Amazon and my son is really looking forward to it. He has a Halloween mug and so got to myself one and find my witches hat and got a black dress and going to find myself a cloak and then see I can find a good and easy make up for it. 

                                             

My son wasn't always into it and didn't have no interest but now because we have a lot of decor and dressed up the last two years, he has grown in love with it. 

The same with fireworks night and he was very afraid of them and now he again, is now interested and I promised to take him to a display and so booked one that is being hosted in Morden Hall Park and is really looking forward to it and whether you believe in it or not, it is, I feel good to enjoy and if they find they don't like it then, that is fine, but having that experience as a kid, I feel is important. I love fireworks night. I grew up on a housing estate and they hosted one on what is called, The Square for a while but eventually that had ended and so the nearest display was Ravenscourt Park, but I think we went there once to watch the fireworks display and so it is only since having my son that we went to a display again. 

My nan never liked them, because of living through the blitz. 

As a kid I did do trickle treating around the Estate and that was because we knew many of the residents and were always accompanied by an adult.

They would have fancy dress at school and would each year teach us about it and on of the girls I went to school with birthday landed on Halloween and she shared her birthday with her mum and so was always celebrating it and I am glad I have those memories that has lasted me a lifetime.

I want my son to have happy memories of these yearly annual celebrations. 

So lets get our witches hats, cat costumes and ghosts or even vampire fancy dress costumes and use it to build memories for ourselves and for our children. 

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X 

A Good weekend/Pre-birthday day out

It was such a good weekend and thankful for getting to do go on trips and we, my mum, stepdad and my son travelled from Putney to North Greenwich by UberBoat and it took about and hour or so but was such good fun and wanted to do this from last year and chose a really good Saturday to do it. 

Going passed the London Eye Via UberBoat 

They have a cafe inside with coffee and tea and other drinks and snacks. They do have a toilet and you can seat outside or inside, and they do get busy so time we chose worked out well and you can use Oyster card, buy a ticket from the machines they have or use your bank card, but you it is cheaper to get a ticket. 

I am not sure if my son enjoyed and I think next time as he doesn't like shopping will not take him. He moaned a little but all in all he was very well behaved and perhaps do something separate with him and his dad. 

Yet it still was a good day and then Sunday Henry went to his rugby club. They have a team that is inclusive for children with learning difficulties and I did my radio show. I do a show on Epsom Hospital Radio on Sundays 4 to 6 in the afternoon.

I do love the weekends and it is good to have hobbies at the weekend. 

I like going for walks and next weekend I am with my husband and friends, going to see a show. 

It is good to different things at the weekend and going for a coffee and when it is not raining playing football or rugby with my son. 

It was also the start of Strictly Come Dancing and was good I liked Chris McCausland, not because of disability but because he is just puts a smile on your face and so uplifting. 

I really hope he does well and hope there are no longer any controversy of maltreatment and is seen as a family show again and fun too. I not really into shows like Big Brother or Love Island. Many may want to disown me because of that but there just not my thing.

If you like to see my trip North Greenwich, then please check out my Vlog and Instagram: 

Typical London Gal (@typicallondongal) • Instagram photos and videos

https://youtu.be/eykHC7Yfpyc

It is all about getting the most out of life and enjoy it. If you know of good places to visit then please let me know. You can leave a comment below.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Rugby Weekend/Watching Sport

So today was a normal one. After a week of sickness, my son had a Chest Infection, he returned to school and was a good day. I stayed in. The weekend was good. We went to Twickenham to see the England Rugby Ladies and they won. Then on Sunday my son went to his rugby club and I did my radio. My show is on Epsom Hospital Radio at 4 to 6 and so was good that my son is better and he got to see his school friends whilst I got bits done for the week. 

Picture I took on Saturday watching the England Ladies Rugby Team 

It good that the ladies get to play at the huge stadiums and they did have a good turn out. There were lots of families and my brother and his wife and kids went with other people we know. 

Rugby is such a great way to meet new people and I loved it when I would follow the London Broncos. 

It is good to see our international teams, men and ladies, because it so good to see so many people forget their worries for 80 or 90 minutes, depending on the sport. 

I never used to like football, but when I began to see how great it was, I became addicted and love going to see athletics and would love to go and see that again. 

The rugby club that my son goes to is an all inclusive team, which is for children with learning difficulties and of different ages and so welcoming and everyone is so friendly. Check out Wimbledon RFC and it took a long time to find one, but so glad we did. 

My son has ADHD and Development Delay and so he won't really make conversation but loves other children and want him to never feel limited in what ever he wants to do and life be restricting for him, to follow his dreams and ambitions. 

Sport should be for all and glad we have the Paralympics and wheelchair tennis and walking football teams and clubs. It is great for kids to have social interaction. Forming relationships and that my son is happy. He loves other children and we now on the hunt for a good secondary school for him.

This is taking its time but being that he is at his third Primary school, because the first two schools couldn't cater to his needs, don't want him to change secondary schools so is important that we find a school to help him grow. He is kind and will say hello but he will often be with himself and talk to his self a lot and there are people who can be unsure of him. 

He not overly naughty, but has bags of energy and gets to the point, he doesn't know what to do with himself and so it is good that he can go somewhere, where he can let off some steam and energy. 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

The National Health Service in the UK

Oh what a day Friday was. My son had to go to the hospital because his heart rate was a bit high and found out that he has a chest infection, and thankful that Henry managed to get an appointment and then was told to go to the hospital and glad I did, as he temperature was going up and down. 

My son this was a couple of weeks ago when he was well and hope he gets better 

Henry was so good, he got a bit upset as he wanted to go over to Wimbledon to see his grandparents but it was getting later and later so we went there on Saturday morning, and is antibiotics and just reminds me that never take chances. If your kids are sick call your GP or take them to the hospital to be on the safe side and to get an appointment you have to go all around the houses. You have to fill an online form and then they call you if you are able to see a doctor or nurse and relieved I got an appointment. 

It turned out that Henry has a chest infection and so on antibiotics. 

This means he will miss school as the doctor at the hospital said that he must rest and allow the infection to clear and that if it gets worse or doesn't seem to be getting better to go back. 

The doctors were and nurses were excellent and I don't think I could do health care as it is a very demanding job and they have deal with a lot. 

Many may see well they knew what the job involved, but we need doctors and nurses to help us when we get sick. It would be nice if the whole world and every thing in the world could be healthy but that isn't reality and that people get sick, especially kids. 

We've going to see the doctor at 10am so see how that goes. I am a bit nervous but that's natural because your kids are your life and glad that he can get help as many countries it is a lot harder and often enough don't have the resources like we do here. 

I watch Call the Midwife and I read the book and it reminds us how far we have come when it comes to hospitals and medical care. There have been reports of hospital staff doing bad things like there was a doctor who was injecting woman with his blood and was HIV positive and then there is the Lucy Letby and she was killing babies but you hear those cases and is news because most staff are caring and took my son back to the doctors today and was fine, but I bought some more Calpol and lost it so I had to go back, but my son he is a trooper and we bought some more but now he is chilling and rest is one of the best things. 

What experiences have you had with the National Health Service? 

You can leave a comment below.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

The Days of School

My sons second day back at school and noticed today that one of the local secondary school is open but later and it made me think about my school days. I dreaded it as they would make you do the beep test and do a run around the school, and at the time was one of the last things I wanted to do. 

This was food that my son made at school

I am from West London and my primary school was a school called St Pauls, which is in Hammersmith and my Secondary school was in Westminster and where my mum worked and didn't want anyone to know that she was my mother, because I feared I'd might get bullied, but actually it didn't and got a bit of respect because of it. The teachers however didn't know and it was only on parents evenings that they realised but wouldn't get away with bad behaviour as they'd go straight to my mum, so didn't always have its benefits. 

The school dinners I did not enjoy and very different now. With my son I pick the meals using an APP where when I was a school it was a canteen and you queued up unless you packed lunch with I did go on too because I did not like the school dinners and what influenced my choices and was super fussy. 

It is good that the meals are a lot better and my son was fussy but started to eat his vegetables again and there have been a part of the year where my son wasn't eating his dinners because he wanted chocolate. That has now changed and is now eating his meals again and not wanting to binge off of snacks. 

I know it has to come from me and my sons dad, to make sure our son is healthy but not depriving him in anyway. 

It is important to eat good food that you enjoy and I have been working on my own eating habits as my cholesterol was a bit high again, but no longer have diabetes and want it to stay that way and improve my health by eating more sensibly and that gives me more energy and not feel guilty. This was something I did a lot was feel guilty about food I consumed. 

Educating people/children about good foods and that help them get the right nutrients in their body is to be taken seriously and that they are nutritious and helps them to grow and develop and still having a treat or too but not all of the time.

So what were your school dinners like at school? You can reply by the comment box below.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X  

 

Last day spending a day with my son before school is back

Today is the last day before my son returns to school and been swimming and had a McDonalds and walked back to build our steps as it is a fair distance from the leisure centre and now my son is having a snooze. 

Paddling Pool in Eastbourne and wasn't expensive and will be going back as there is plenty to do for your kids and have a holiday.

There have a been few turbulence as whilst picking bits for dinner he was picking random things up and wanting to walk in the opposite direction when going home, but all is alright again and I think it was tiredness as that's when he can be a monster. 

I am looking forward to a day to myself and that it is okay to have that time, because it is good to have some space, whilst my son is learning at school. It will help me adjust back to the school days and time to myself and have some plans, such as going for a coffee and doing some writing outdoors and go for a walk. 

It has been a quick six week, but I am ready for a new year and then their is half term in October to make plans and I have birthdays, including mine and going to see if there will be any firework display that I can take him too.

Not sure if there are going to afterschool clubs that my son can go to as he enjoyed them last school year and having swimming lessons again.

Here are some of my highlights  of this years summer holidays:

• Visiting the RAF museum
• Going for walks along the river London and Surrey
• The picnic in Surbiton 
• Going to Portsmouth Harbour 
• Going to Eastbourne

What were you highlights of the Summer Holidays 2024 and were there places you'd like to go back to or ones you didn't get around to seeing. You can share in the comments section below. 

Eastbourne is a great place to go and will be going back, and in October going to see if I can book a trip to Guildford and wouldn't mind taking a visit there. 

I have bought tickets to see Hairspray at the Wimbledon Theatre and have booked tickets for this years pantomime at the Wimbledon Theatre and got a lot to look forward to even when it will cold and hope I get the chance to visit a Christmas Market and having a festive coffee. 

I hope you have enjoyed my blogs I shared about the things I did during the school holidays and will be sharing more of my Autumn and Winter. 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Coming to the End of Summer 2024

 Today is the last day of the Summer School Holidays and it has been really good. I have 't felt that stressed and it has flown by. I find that the years go even faster as you reach your mid age and so everyday is another day to add to my life. 

I am realising that it is okay to just stop and just be quiet and I love having the TV off whilst I read and I have read a lot this summer and some really good books which I will share via blog, My Books and Stories 

My son loves his holiday club and that grateful for having some time to myself and just stay local some days and do bits I don't always get to do, like watch documentaries as I don't always have access to Netflix, Paramount or Prime but thinking of getting it on my laptop because I am loving the documentaries. 

Today my son took is scooter to one of the local parks, met my mum for a coffee, then my son wanted to go on a bus and train ride. So we took the 164 bus from Wimbledon to Sutton Station and looked around Sutton as it has been a long time since we last visited Sutton, and there is a shopping centre in there now with Primark and some really nice coffee shops on the ground floor and will be taking another trip there as it was a change and then got the train back to Hayden's road and then later had some food in All Bar One in Wimbledon. Tomorrow we are going to meet Henry's dad to get him some new school shoes, then back to Epsom and then it is school again. 

Do check out Eastbourne as it was such a great trip and will be returning and now my for the first time doesn't want to go to school as he has enjoyed himself so much and feel very lucky in that we have family who can take us to different places and going on the train to Portsmouth Harbour, walking from Strawberry Hill to Richmond, check out my previous daily blogs. 

So it is now Friday evening and so going to stay up for a bit longer and then it will be sleep time and been getting bits ready for my sons return to school that I am little nervous, getting things prepared for my son's returns to school, like sorting out his lunches, his unform, his transport and send my sons videos of him reading, that was asked and he has done well and making changes so he reads more challenging books to help with his learning and that he continues to develop his skills and building his independence as this is his final year at Primary school, and we (my mum and I) looking for secondary schools. 

There are more blogs to come and I hope you have had a good Summer, by having lots of fun too.

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X