A couple of weeks ago we watched a series on TV about our planet and global warming, climate change etc. I had tried to explain to the children about this, but without being able to physically see carbon emissions etc it was hard for them to grasp. So, this programe made by the BBC with David Attenborough was such a brilliant visual aid in showing them what has already happened to the earth and what they predict will happen in the next 50 years. This is the 50 years of S & O's generation, it is them who will be affected and I was stunned at how much they were impacted by watching this. While I was constantly reminding them to turn off the lights when we weren't in the room and turn the TV off, not just leaving it on standby etc. Now, they are reminding me! They are wanting to recycle everything. It is so amazing to see my little 6 year old, so passionate and so keen to make a difference! So, last weekend someone mentioned Woodcraft Folk, I'd never heard of it and thought it sounded nice. Then on Tuesday one of the Mums at school was saying she is running one of the evenings and then she told me how another friend from school actually organizes the whole group in Hounslow. So, on Thursday evening we went and the boys loved it, singing, games, crafts etc. Some things happen for a reason. This weekend was there weekend camp for the term! Staying at Pheasant Lodge, a big old medieval house with big gardens - There were 13 parents and 12 children. Oscar and I joined them, enrolling another family from school with similar interests, fresh from the land down under and wanting to mix in the community. It was such a lovely weekend, such a mix of people. Some vegan / home schoolers / university lecturers / capitalists and almost all social workers. The emphasis of course being on the children, the organization is designed to develop self-confidence and activity in society, with the aim of building a world based on equality, peace, social justice and co-operation. It was so nice to meet new people and see how they operate with their children and what they are up to in life. O had a brilliant time, making new friends etc. We went for a nice walk and the whole weekend was at the pace of the children, very relaxed and not structured (unlike what I normally do). So, it was really nice to experience this this week. I also had an experience at the complete other end of the spectrum with the mums from viola, preparing their kids for Eton and Oxbridge etc. It has really made me think about what I want for my kids, what opportunities I want to give them etc. More later. In the meantime, we are excited to have found a group of children who equally care for our earth and want to learn about what is going on outside our small local community, to learn how we can make a difference and to have a really lovely time while doing it. Joy!This is a quote from the BBC from much respected David Attenborough:"Now... when we look at the graphs of rising ocean temperatures, rising carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and so on, we know that they are climbing far more steeply than can be accounted for by the natural oscillation of the weather."
Sir David, whose distinguished broadcasting career spans more than half a century, says everyone has a responsibility to act: "What people (must) do is to change their behaviour and their attitudes.
"If we do care about our grandchildren then we have to do something, and we have to demand that our governments do something.
As mentioned recently we have started going to the Woodcraft Folk meetings - the left of centre alternative to cub scouts. So, today was a protest march wanting the troops out of Iraq and No Trident.
Half term holidays started and the boys, Samuels friend and I zoomed to the coast. I gave the boys our budget of £80 for the weekend and it was up to them to spend it wisely so that we could eat, sleep and play - they had the responsibility of holding the purse strings. First stop - Basti's grandparents in their quaint seaside village. He never throws anything away, with 8 cars in the front garden, she embarassed and rarely has people to their house. Did we care? Sam & Basti walked alone to the local shop with purse clutched in hand to buy Grandpa's favourite biscuits. We then had a cup of tea in the special china and a lovely chat. My boys never get to be around that generation and it was REALLY nice! 
Then it was on to Margate, the most south western point of Britain. We took our shoes off and combed the beach, collecting a wine bucket full of interesting things including a shark egg, interesting patterened china, pretty sea glass and loads of shells and interesting shaped chalk rocks. We had intended to stay here but the hostel was full, so we continued along the coast to Broadstairs. Checking out all the charity shops, picking up some cheap food - bread rolls, bananas, 2 for 1 bottles of water etc (tight budget). This town is where Charles Dickens lived over looking a lovely little harbour from a high cliff. 
Then we followed our noses and ended up at a Dutch windmill, then on to a Roman ruins a Fortress site with walls etc, which turned out to be the first place that the Romans landed in Britain. Very interesting for the older boys since they studied the Romans recently. All along this coast there are old castles and we stopped to look at a big viking ship. 
Basti was sick the next morning, so instead of looking through the castle that has lots of wartime tunnels under it, we had to come home. The kids are now expert on knowing all the European abbreviations for the trucks, including the tricky ones: D = Germany, HR = croatia, CH = Switzerland, E = Spain. It is amazing how much traffic comes from other countries along that road! We had fun times - Poor Basti spent his entire holiday week very sick in bed.
One of the few days of the year we have donned gloves and scarf
