Aug 20, 20203 min read

Someone's son

Rations day 1 (Year 3)

Hello everyone and welcome to our third year of rations here at The Do Try This at Home School. Firstly I wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who has contacted me and asked to join in with us this year, I have been really touched by your kind words and enthusiasm for the project.

So, day 1 of year three has gone like this:

This morning I woke up and sorted out my tea rations, a very important job indeed! I love my little tea pot and tea cups, they instantly transport me into the world of rations and calm.

Feeling slightly more energetic after some tea, I made breakfast and then cooked the pea soup ready for lunch so that we would have time to visit RAF Manston History Museum and The Spitfire and Hurricane Memorial museum. The children love it there.

On a side note, Bryn and I have also decided to ration our time on social media this week, something that I will undoubtedly find difficult. Bryn, however, took to it immediately and was happy to read books and play with his siblings whilst I made breakfast and this afternoon he’s built a model aeroplane and been out on his bike. I too have been busy and it has been nice to look at books and magazines, rather than a screen, which I know I do far too much of.

Our trip to RAF Manston seemed more poignant than usual, we have been there many times to see the old aircraft and look at the amazing artefacts, but this time I was acutely aware of the sadness of the world wars and the lives that were so tragically lost. They were sons and daughters of grieving parents. There were young children, just like mine, who would never see their fathers again and all of these stories were spinning around my mind.

I think this was partly because of the political unrest in our country at the moment, as well as in the wider world, but also because I spent some time with my maternal grandfather over the weekend. He was a child during WW2, living fairly close to London and he has been deeply traumatised by his experiences of this time throughout his entire life.

He recalls vividly sharing an air raid shelter with his next door neighbours – I think he was quite keen on the girl next door! He remembers being dragged out of his bed by his mother in the middle of the night to the sounds of air raid sirens and being taken to the shelter. He hated it. There are lots of other stories that he tells us from that time, but he finds sharing them very difficult and I feel privileged that he has told me all that he has.

I am under no illusions that WW2 was fun - It wasn’t, and the purpose of rations week is not to make fun out of war, but rather to give children and families an opportunity to experience a little bit of life as it was and to take some time to be grateful for the freedom we have.

I looked at the faces of some of the young men who lost their lives fighting for my freedom and my heart broke for their families.

I don’t generally blog about politics, but I think that it’s worth highlighting these points now with Brexit, Boris, Trump, divisions and the constant drive for those ‘in charge’ to convince us that they are right and everyone else is wrong. Some of the statements I have heard and scenes that have played out appear frighteningly familiar. I sincerely hope that a compromise and peaceful way forward can be found.

At the rising of the sun and at its going down; we remember them.

Bryn’s thoughts:

Today has been really nice, I enjoyed going to RAF Manston and seeing all the spitfires and all three meals have been really tasty.

I am on a social media/ Xbox ration too, I haven’t missed it because we have been so busy. Instead I have been building an Airfix hurricane plane, riding my bike and playing with my little brother and sister.

I am looking forward to tomorrow, we’ve got pancakes!

Meal Scores:

Breakfast: Beans on toasted war bread - (10/10) I have been looking forward to eating war time loaf again.