Mexican

I think the session last week was the best one yet. I felt the balance of fun and calm was just right. I gave them a fairly complicated recipe (nachos and vegetable fajitas) and they coped well. They washed up without asking although they needed a bit of nagging to finish tidying their work space. I had a craft ready for the early finishers as a distraction from the usual climbing the walls and falling over each other. It's a shame they can't all work at the same speed like robots, really… (only kidding) but there is something annoying about the kids with more energy and speed taking up more of your attention because you've got to remind them to stop chasing about or find things they can do while the slower ones catch up. Some of my slower members are so sweet and I would love to be able to give them more time as they tell me things that are happening in their lives.

My thoughts are now consumed with the final session in 10 days time which is the meal they've invited their families to. It's a logistical nightmare. I was awake from 1-5am on Thursday night scribbling down times, menus and table plans. We're feeding a 3 course meal to 50...I must be mad...

Just read this morning a transcript of Archbishop of Canterbury's talk at a conference a few weeks ago in Lincoln. Really good, I thought. He reminds us that projects like these shouldn't be about entertainment, problem-solving or quick fixes. I'll email it to anyone who's interested.