Rations day 5 (Year 3)
We’ve made it to the end of another Rations Week! Congratulations to all of you who have joined us and survived with us.
Rations week always gives me time to reflect upon my daily life and consider things that I don’t usually think about too deeply. Social media is one of those things - It is necessary in my life, but that causes great conflict within me. Without it, I wouldn’t be able to share our experiences with you, or support all of the children and families I do with The Do Try This at Home School and The Play Well Trust. I wouldn’t have a business or access to as many clients and I would have to drive at least 30 miles a week for a trip to the supermarket.
But equally, social media and my phone are a huge distraction from the things that are really important including my family and self-care. This week I have eaten well, I’ve read, I’ve been more creative, I’ve started writing a new children’s book and I’ve slept better… when the children have allowed me to. I definitely need to ration my time on my phone permanently – imagine what I could do with all that extra time!
Finishing rations week always feels, to me, a bit like coming home from a holiday – I have to take some time to prepare myself for reality, because even though rationing is not easy, it really is a luxury for me, as a working mum of three, to slow right down and focus solely on my family for a week.
There’s much to learn from this period of history and slowing down is certainly something that sticks with me each year. Gratitude is the other aspect of rations week that really hits home, I am grateful for my safe, stable existence and for a life with those I love the most.
Today has been lovely, not entirely WW2 based, but still in the same vein of family time.
I began the day, as I do every day, in the kitchen with a cup of tea. I made breakfast for everyone and then set to work creating a packed lunch for our picnic. We had a slightly odd day planned because we had booked my daughter’s birthday surprise for her a few months ago, before I knew we would be on rations week.
My daughters special surprise was a visit to Sandwich Wildlife Park to feed Sid the Sloth his breakfast! All I can say is WOW! She absolutely loved it and Georgia, the zoo keeper was lovely. She took us on a tour of the ‘Jungle’ as well and told us about all of the different animals, including a 17 foot python called Susie!
Here are the photos, taken by my mum. I think they tell you everything you need to know!
After our visit to Sid, we made our way up to the Viking ship at Pegwell Bay for a picnic and a wander around the old hover port. The sun was shining, the scenery was beautiful and we had a nice bit of family time, the little ones busied themselves collecting sea shells for the sandpit, and all three children played really nicely.
This afternoon we have all had a rest, I’ve done some work and the children finished the day with war soup, cooked by my husband, and wartime loaf. I had the rest of the sausage surprise for my dinner!
I fear reality will be knocking at my door in the morning in the form of the Asda delivery driver, but until then, I will enjoy the last few hours of rations week with a nice glass of wine!
I hope you have enjoyed our blogs this week, we are working on a ‘how to live on rations and dig for victory book’, which will hopefully be ready early in 2020.
But for now, it’s over and out from me. X
Bryn’s thoughts:
Breakfast: War time toast and margarine 10/10 (Mum had porridge with dried fruit and honey)
Lunch: Picnic 10/10
Dinner: War Time Vegetable Stew (War Soup) 10/10
Today I had fun meeting Sid the Sloth at Sandwich Wildlife Park, I watched my sister feed him his breakfast on a stick. After that we went to Pegwell Bay and explored the old hover port and I found some strange holes, some with lids and some without. I wonder what they were for.
I’ve enjoyed rations week, especially the trip to Ramsgate Tunnels. I’m looking forward to next time, but I’m also looking forward to pizza tomorrow!
#thedotrythisathomeschool #rations #sandwichwildlifepark #winghamwildlifepark #ww2 #history #food #cookingwithkids #sloth
This blog was first published on 2nd August 2019 on our old website.
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