Saturday 23 June 2012

Gorgie City Farm Edinburgh

I'm a bit of a fairweather gal. Not in the sense of abandoning friends when things get rocky but the more literal, when it's fairweather I'm happy to be out and about. When it's raining, hailing, snowing or blowing up a bit of a gale, I like to be holed up at home with a cuppa, some cake and a bit of crochet.
However, after 2 days stuck at home,we decided to brave the rain and made our way to Gorgie City Farm in Edinburgh.
The farm is free to get into and run by volunteers. As you would expect, it's nowhere as slick as the Almond Valley Heritage centre - this put our kiddo off until she saw the play area. There were a few people there despite the rain showers but we still managed to get up close to the animals. Kiddo even had a go at stroking a rabbit which was the softest thing ever.
I was mighty jealous of the herb garden which is full of all sorts of herbs. A real sensory experience as the rain then sun made the fragrances of herbs fill the air.
There are loads of chickens,including a cool mama hen who was black and white with bright purple legs being followed around by two fat little babies. Unfortunately, just by the entrance was a very ugly chicken...haste past that when you go. There are lots of ducks, sheep, a goat, a beautiful pony called Red and some of the fattest pigs I have ever seen.
We finished with a trip the the Gorgie City Farm Cafe that is onsite. It's part of network of Edinburgh community cafes and have a loyalty card scheme which is handy.
We spent roughly an hour and half there including being in the cafe. A nice way to spend some time out doors.
Beautiful flowers all over the farm

 

Love birds :)

One of the sculptures around the farm

Wednesday 20 June 2012

Time flies

It's been ages since my last post. Kiddo got chicken pox and like a lot of kids with eczema, had it really bad. Poor thing couldn't even go to the loo for a few days without a lot of pain. Then there were the spots which made her really poorly. We tried the miracle cream Virasoothe but that had her howling in pain so in the end stuck to simple paracetamol and piriton to tackle her discomfort.
She didn't want to see her reflection which is a bit of a problem as in this house, there are quite a few floor to ceiling mirrors. On the one occasion we popped out to the pharmacy, two children kept staring at her so much so that she tried to hide behind me. The idiots and their idiot mum who didn't tell them to stop being so rude. 
It has made me realise how much her appearance matters to my daughter - something that I haven't really noticed before.
We have also been busy preparing for her move to Primary school. Sadly, she's the only one from her nursery going to the her new school. Most of the other kids are staying on. Poor kid has changed schools so often due to our house moves and though she copes, our hearts ache for her having to go in and make new friends each time.
Like many parents, I'm having a harder time with her growing up than she is though. I miss her already and am really worried about her going off for so long in a day without me. Will she make friends? Will she eat properly and make sure to stay hydrated without constant reminders? Will she be able to handle all the school work and pay attention to the teachers. Of course she will, she's a good kid. I'm not sure I will. I feel like I am being made redundant from my job, partly because I wasn't up to the task of making another child (i.e. if I had another, I wouldn't feel so bad about being a staying at home mum*). Of course, these worries will pass. She will go to school and eventually, I will figure out what I am going to do with my life when I'm not doing laundry, cleaning the house, cooking, crafting and generally running around taking her from one afterschool club to another.

*It's pathetic but I have started to avoid people who are pregnant or have just had a new baby. Bit hard as a whole load of my younger cousins are doing just that right now. My left brain screams at me that another baby at this stage of our lives would be mad but my womb sits up and smacks it in the head. I wonder if this is a last ditch attempt by my reproductive organs to make me use them before dah, dah, daaaaah MENOPAUSE. Bet you are all waiting with glee for the posts about pre and post menopausal Plummy Mummy. Ah the horror!