AS the new year begins I find myself in an awkward position. I have done NO FORMAL RECORDING for re registration in October, or assessment in July. As such I have begun making up bullshit and recording it in a word doc. Such garbley mumbo jumbo.

Last week was the first week school went back for 2009. I finally got around to telling my father than Stylish isn't going back to school this year. I was about to tell him that we're home schooling but he hung up the phone on me - oh dear! I haven't bothered to tell him since then because he's clearly a bit challenged by the idea anyway. He's heading for 80 (76 turning 77) and he was a school teacher for 30 odd years. He thinks the edumacation system is bright and wonderful.

So anyway, as last week began I gave Stylish a list of things to do. They included

• updating her blog
• updating her children's forum
• learning 3 and 4 times tables (she never learnt a single one at school)
• reading in bed every night
• Aboriginal artwork

She seems to have completed it without too many hiccups, although we're going to do the times tables again this week coz she's not really quick enough with them when tested. I figure that times tables are one of the useful things schools teach - or should I say ATTEMPT to teach - she attended the institution for nearly 6 years and still doesn't know them.

I'm about to start a new list and then I should get back to the arduous and absurd task of inventing edubable to impress the person - whoever they will be - who comes to reassess us - GROAN!