Its tough, it will get better and guess what its freezing brrrrr!

Rosanna79

Interesting to read everyone's posts about relationships. I must be a bit like Mardatha having been married for decades to the same man!
We met in London when we were 18, went out in several phases, argued a lot , had a final quarrel over the length in time of Handel's Messaih of all things!! Split up for about 5 years and finally married at age 30 TWELVE years after we met.

I've been very lucky I do know and he's definitely been trainable. I like to think we trained each other as we work as a partnership.

When we married I had a friend with kids I wanted to be bridesmaids but eventually it all turned into a madly expensive nightmare of what the mother wanr=ted them to wear and carry. I had no choice but to pull the plug on that and had a simple church wedding without bridesmaids which was about us two making a public committment rather than a show. I lost that friendship but at least we didn't start married life in ludicrous amounts of debt.

A friend who's remarrying next year is having such a formal expensive do at which we would both feel like fish out of water, mainly because of not knowing anyone else and the massive change in our lifestyle financially & socially since we moved north.

It's evident that the friendship has moved on , we're going in very different directions so it's time to bow out politely. I don't think it's anything to beat oneself up about. It's just not possible on a limited income to run to the cost of what would be required, Why to put oneself through that sort of financial and emotional wringer?

Afraid I've never liked fireworks. Keep jumping out of my skin with all the bangs .... it used to be three months worth of it when we lived in East London and the poor cats were nervous all the time.

I do sound like a grumpy old woman tonight. It's not my intention.

Really like Ceridwen's idea of a blessing list.

My top one would be all the simple things I enjoy now I DON'T have to go to work.. Time especially and that is a currency in itself.

Best wishes to all who're struggling at present and for those of you who don't mind the bangs I hope you enjoy the weekend.

ceridwen

Rosanna79 wrote: »

Afraid I've never liked fireworks. Keep jumping out of my skin with all the bangs .... it used to be three months worth of it when we lived in East London and the poor cats were nervous all the time.


Really like Ceridwen's idea of a blessing list.

My top one would be all the simple things I enjoy now I DON'T have to go to work.. Time especially and that is a currency in itself.

Crikey - 3 MONTHS of fireworks and I thought I'd been doing badly (in those recent previous years) with about 2 weeks of the darn things:eek:. Good to notice that we're all noticing less of them round this year thankfully....

Anyway - my Recession/Depression Blessings list has been moved to Discussion Time on the Moneysavers Arms Forum I see - so thats where it is if anyone wants to find it now.

jediteacher

kidcat wrote: »

Speaking as a parent of two children with special ed needs - one in high school being largely ignored and one in primary who wont be ignored - we desperately want to avoid labelling our children, but it seems without the label we cant get anywhere. And asking for a statement is akin to asking to visit the moon - at least in our area.

Unfortunately you are right. The government has cut back and cut back the budgets that schools get for special needs and it was they who issued a remit to the professionals that they no longer were to issue statements for children unless the situation was that bad. As a result in the last few years not a single child in my area has been issued with a statement. We have a little girl at school who is partially sighted, cannot hear, has growth problems, speech and learning problems but we have been turned down three times for a statement for her! It is shocking really but as teachers our hands are tied as it is not our decision who gets what help and it is certainly not us who have the authority to lable children it is a very long process and needs outside agencies!

I will get off my soap box but if there are any parents who do need help or advice about their children and what the school should be doing then please feel free to pm me I would be glad to help.

Not going to be very OS today as need to go and get a few bits - dressing gown for daughter, humidifier (cool one) as she gets really poorly in the winter and our old one broke, new shoes for daughter and food!

jediteacher

littleowl wrote: »

I wasn't knocking teachers - I was one - well an FE lecturer. In every profession there are those with blinkered views and they can do untold harm. I was unfortunate to experience one. But I do very well remember an era in teaching where labels were all all pervasive and used as an easy way to classify children - to their detriment.

I did say it wasn't aimed at anyone and reading the posts to me it did feel a little bit like teachers were being knocked! But as I said it was my opinion and not fact. You are right in every profession there are bad professionals and they do do harm but the majority are not in my humble opinion. Anyway as I said it was just my opinion and not meant to offend anyone.

sammy_kaye18

Morning all!

The stomach bug seems to have now given way to chills and a hacking cough this morning and feeling generally body heavy. Imagine Igor dragging his leg and amy winehouse hair and that's probably the state I look this morning. Needless to say I briefly changed form my PJs yesterday to run to the shop to get milk and then spent the evening comforting my dog. I hate fireworks. Kids here insist on letting them off in bus stops so you can imagine the size of the bang going off. Apart form that there was only really one or two little clusters going off last night and they were all done by about 8pm. Although it was torrential rain here so how they even went off I've no idea.

Anywho. Ben seems much better - back to eating like a horse so hes fine. Holly was up nearly every hour last night. so felt half dead - finally gave up on sleep at 5.50am, got up, fed her a warm bottle, went and made Owen's lunch came back in to her asleep on her blanket and changing mat on the floor and she was snoring her head off. :mad: so dozed on sofa until 6.45 when Ben got up. Owen got up at 7 and asked if he wanted him to have the day off to help with holly so i could sleep but told him not to worry and go to work because I'd be fine once I was actually awake and the tea kicks in! Feeling partially human now though. Fair play we've had an awesome few weeks/months maybe since our argument.

RE : SOFAS FOR CHRISTMAS
Got to say I am one of those but I had a genuine reason - it was last year and because we had Ben and he was only small he liked cuddling with us on the chairs and we only had 2 chairs - not sofas - chairs. With 4 of us on weekends it was a case of the boys had to sit on cold laminate floors and we couldnt have visitors as we had no where to seat them :eek:. So we went to DFS and got 2 sofas for christmas (a 3 seater and a 2 seater) as an investment so we have them now and they are lovely and warm to sit on and nwo we have plenty of visitors and seats

MARGARET - I think? RE : Sittign to write budget
I do this with Ben. I regularly sit on the floor and have all the bills laid out the night before pay day, then on pay day itself Im sat with money putting it into alloted envelopes with the prices on front so I know what needs to go in what. Fair play ben never asks for anything but he knows that Christmas and his birthday are special then and he might get treated throughout the year if we have guests etc and we go to a soft play place or out fro lunch. If we visit away to my dads he usually gets a mid year treat to Chester Zoo which he loves but my dad has about 4 pet shops near his house and he usually takes Ben there looking at all the animals too! I agree if kids grow up seeing how to money manage then it helps them in later life. I remember my mum doing the same and she had a big bill book and kept a close watch on all her spending when I moved in with her after my parents divorced - this was done as more necessity though as she couldn't afford to feed herself after bill paying on a 3 bed house that she got dumped with after her co tenant ran off. So even my child benefit as I was 15 at the time helped and my part time shop job helped her too as part of my wages went to her, I was across the road so no travel expense and in a food store where she got discount.


Anyway - for tea tonight its a pasta bake. Got loads in a BOGOF deal in Mr T so will make up one of those for tea later because it doesn't require much effort if I'm honest. Keep meaning to make some twinks hobnobs but realised this morning I don't have sugar so if I'm feeling better on Monday I may go for a walk to town and get a big bag form Mr T - failing that I'll pop in shop and use my discount and then make a load - cant wait til Thursday as its pay day! and its a 5 week month for Owen pay wise so fingers crossed he can get most of his Xmas shopping done.

anyway am off now to answer emails then might attempt some toast or porridge. which reminds me I need to meal plan because I saw Hugh fernley what's his do dar making his own nut free muesli and want to try it as boyfriend is a big muesli eater. Think making my own might be more money saving if I can buy items I would use elsewhere too like raisins, dried apricots etc.

anyway - hope all are well. talk to you soon. x x x x x

littleowl

jediteacher wrote: »

I did say it wasn't aimed at anyone and reading the posts to me it did feel a little bit like teachers were being knocked! But as I said it was my opinion and not fact. You are right in every profession there are bad professionals and they do do harm but the majority are not in my humble opinion. Anyway as I said it was just my opinion and not meant to offend anyone.

Good heavens - you didn't offend me - just clarifying.

jediteacher

littleowl wrote: »

Good heavens - you didn't offend me - just clarifying.

Thanks. I just know that the way you say something in your head doesn't mean it sounds like that when written.

Mrs_Veg_Plot

Hi all, have not been on here all week due to being ill, busy and away on a 3 day course with work. Have just caught up on 18 pages (mainly skim reading) so here goes
Sea salt thanks for the concern, feeling better but not right yet
witchwoopiggy my sisters and bro/sis in laws are all getting HM chutney, pickles and biscuits for christmas this year and the ones I have mentioned it to so far are really pleased. This is all that we can afford and I refuse to feey guilty about it. rosanna79 congrats on the weight loss. This is something that I relly need to tackle myself soon. kidcat and sammykaye18 hope that you and your families are all feeling better soon. Happy belated birthday to parsonswife. Good luck with the job v8monkeyboy keep us all posted. greent hope that you are doing ok as you have not posted for a few pages. Apols to all of those I have missed out.

Have sat and planned the meals for this week but still need to do a big shop as store cupboards are running low but don't need to buy expensive things like meat although I always look out for woopsie meat to put in the freezer. I need to readjust my budget as the grocery shopping is costing me more and more each week. It sometimes feels like all of this home cooking from scratch is quite expensive. I have just spent three days/nights away from home on a course and found that by yesterday I was longing for a home cooked meal, I was quite jealous of the family back home as I hade made and frozen bolognaise, pork casserole and a shepherds pie for them. I know they are 50, 18, 17 and 14 and quite capable of cooking themselves but this way I knew the meals were still mse.

Off to a firework party at a friends tonight, taking the baked potatoes and a spicy butternut squash soup, must remember to buy a few fireworks but will not be buying many does anyone know if anywhere has any 342 or bogof offers on them :question:

DS 17 had a group interview for seasonal work at Argos this week but has heard nothing. I have lost count of the number of CV's she has printed off and hand delivered over the last few months. It is really difficult for youngsters to get weekend work around here. I was lucky and have worked fron the age of 14. DS 14 & 17 are really good and do not ask for things but I know they would like to be able to go clothes shopping with their friends (2 have jobs the rest have non mse parents) but they have to content themselves with the social aspect of these trips and the window shopping. Niece 18 who lives with us Mon - Fri has a part time job so looks after herself. I hope that they are learning from my frugal ways but think that I will sit them down with the bills to show them what I am doing as I had not thought of this before :idea:. You pick up good ideas on here every day.

Well had better go and start the days work, enjoy your day

Mrs VP

parsonswife8

Thanks for the birthday wishes Mrs VP:)

It was freezing here this morning. DH had to make a dash for the lounge and switch on the gas fire and get the kettle on, before I would venture out of bed.:eek:

The sun is struggling to stay out now, but I am feeling much better, after two large mugs of tea and a slice of toast with a fried egg and 3 rashers of bacon.:o

Got to start packing things up here in the caravan and then go to the party this evening. And home tomorrow.:T

Have a great weekend everyone. Feel better soon those who are not well.:)

kidcat

Woke today and walked around the house and realised it needs a big tidy up, so am setting me and the two eldest to get it sorted today, they have friends coming around this evening for food and fireworks so has got to be done, it does occur to me that I may well be so eager to entertain, just so I can get everyone to pitch in and get motivated:o
it seems otherwise that with no deadline, it doesnt happen.

Personally cant stand fireworks - but as we dont do halloween having something helps the kids feel they are not missing out. Dad decided to buy the fireworks this year (I usually stick with a £10 budget - nothing very loud all pretty lights etc) and spent so much I cried - it just seems such a waste. I was in shops yesterday and people were buying £200 worth of fireworks (which is nowhere near what he spent) and I found myself questioning their sanity - I recognised people I know who do not work, live in very poor housing, yet they are happy to spend huge amounts on something that will last a few minutes???:eek::eek:
Thankfully our animals are unphased by fireworks - our dog would sit in the garden and watch if I let him.

I did manage to get into M&S yesterday and buy one of their half price chickens - and was so lucky as they were also doing their markdowns too, so managed to get a few other bits. Then popped into Morrisons and got some there too, so my freezer is looking quite healthy again.