Two Exciting Things · Tuesday May 22, 2007 by Abbie
We had double excitement today! First of all the Dxh arrived for the first time since he got back from Uganda. He brought a map of Africa made of animal skin we think, and thin wood veneer. It is a lovely way to bring home, in more ways than one, where he has been for the last week. He also brought us a beautifully carved rhino. Immediately Ram got out the two elephants Dxh had previously brought back from other trips.
Then out came the yams! He only wanted to buy one for us but they would let him! So I have two kilos of yams to deal with. Luckily they store pretty well.
Then he got his laptop out and showed us his photos and told us all about the trip. He was in an area where there are no tourists, so he was the only white person there. He found it really strange to be openly stared at! But it also gave him a much better feel of the country, especially as he was staying in someone’s home rather than a hotel.
We had to squeeze all that into an hour, as we had a journalist from the local newspaper come to interview us. It was a follow up to a piece that they did four years ago, when Ram would have been starting school. Local papers always run articles about the new school year and have lots of photos of the reception classes. So I contacted them and asked if they would like a new school year story with a difference!
This time they wanted to know how things have changed in the last four years, and if we are going to carry on into secondary level. I think there are two big changes in those four years; Ram has taught himself to read, or as he puts it, ‘I have always been able to read, it is just that until recently I didn’t realise it!’, and there are many more home educating groups meeting in our area now.
She mainly talked to me, but Ram at the end was able to come in and talk a bit. Luckily the journalist has had experience with people with Asperger’s before so she was very patient with him.
We had lunch together after she left, and then Ram and the Dxh sat down to watch the Discworld DVDs that arrived today. I wished I could have watched them too, but the garden called. Ram has a limited range of food that he will eat. Luckily they include peas and cucumbers, both of which I can grow in our garden. But these things don’t grow themselves so it means a bit of work for me. I am trying to put a lot of paper down between the plants so that I don’t have to get out there and weed too much.
I also had a chance to take some of the blanket weed out of the pond. I had to be very careful as there are loads of newts hiding in it. Perhaps the increase in newt population is a reason for the decrease in the tadpoles this year?
I was very tired this evening, and was grateful for being able to sit and watch Return of the Tribe with Ram. It was very interesting looking at our country through the eyes of some people who have never been here before. They had some interesting comments.
Even though we tried to up to bed at nine when it was over, Ram felt the need to do a little bit more work on his Lego land. I did say that he could put a photo up on the blog but he just can’t bring himself to say it is finished enough!
This morning we finished our last Discworld book that we have. We have only read about eight out of the 30 so we have a while to go yet, but we haven’t borrowed the next few. In stead for reading tonight Ram chose the second book from The Edge Chronicles. It is in the same vain as Discworld, only it is meant for children rather than adults. I don’t think it will be as educational at the Discworld books. Somehow Terry Pratchett managed to introduce some very interesting takes on modern society in his books, but The Edge Chronicles appear to be pure entertainment. But that is ok. We can’t always be educational!
