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

Fruball

parsonswife8 wrote: »

:D:D

Make mine wine and chocolate.. ....anything is worth a try.:o

Another vote for wine here

Wellllllllllllllllll what a day! After this mornings sad news I decided to go on a spending spree to Dunelm Mill with the kids at lunchtime :eek: I bought a lovely cream oilcloth for the dining table (that we really needed as DDs make such a mess eating) which was 8.99 a metre :eek: and I needed 2 :eek::eek:

Then I got some LED kitchen worktop lights... the ones that go under your cupboard and shine on your worktops... Figure it will be cheaper to run those than the 4 halogen bulb light fitting when I just pop in there during the evening (to top up the wine )

Then I got 2 curtain rails (have asked ex to put them up for me) so hallway and landing should be warmer.

2 telescopic poles to hang fleece (during winter) and muslin (in summer) at the windows.

DDs saw a couple of cheapy Xmas things they asked for, and kids cooking spoons Dunelm Mill do a great range for kids homebaking inc Chefs hats also, spatulas, little colanders... all sorts really so altho my two don't need 'encouraging' to get creative in the kitchen, I know they would love some of these so if the budget allows I will pop back... alone before Xmas. Also got a £4 food flask which can go in microwave and a few other bits.

I also went to MrT and stocked up as I am gonna be working flat out for a couple of weeks and a friend will be here looking after DDs - don't want her struggling to feed them with all my 'cook from scratch' ingredients!

Saw a couple of bits I REALLY would like for the house and as the ex has asked for a christmas list so he can take the girls shopping I will describe them exactly so he can find them I will think of a few alternatives but I don't really 'need' or 'want' anything tbh.

:mad: Is anyone else a bit fed up with the school asking for money... We were asked to bring in a 'new' toy for the school fayre, 50p each for making colouring in a star which will decorate the hall, money for non-uniform day, adult tombola gift (wonder if they mean the ann summers type 'adult' gift :rotfl:), got an email today asking for money for something else.... it just seems to go on and on

Seasalt - when is your inspection? Hope all goes well

Thanks everyone for yet more kind wishes re my Auntie.

Have a nice evening everyone

kidcat

Frugal - Yes, really fed up of school asking for money, had to take cakes and buy cakes last week, money for non uniform day, money for Christmas beanie toy, money for pudsey biscuits, a trip to a french market, a trip bowling, two pantomines and the list goes on.
By bug bear is that its all short notice and needs to be in by next day every time. High school are worst offenders - if kids want to get a place on trip the money has to be in by cheque next morning, they then either cash it immediately or can take four months to cash it so it plays havoc with budgetting and balances etc. would much rather pay cash that way I know its gone and dont worry,

parsonswife8

Thank the Lord, those school days have gone for me, I am strictly "Nanna status" now.
:T:T:T:T

mardatha

Well you lot carry on with the stiff upper lips and chins. I'll have a wee pernod and nice horrible scarey book...
Nice wee respectable granny stuff. For a nice wee respectable granny.

ceridwen

mardatha wrote: »

Well you lot carry on with the stiff upper lips and chins. I'll have a wee pernod and nice horrible scarey book...
Nice wee respectable granny stuff. For a nice wee respectable granny.

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:...of course you are Mardatha...

<whispers "And I'm a monkeys uncle"> :)

Kitcaboodle

If you're after alcohol and chocolate, just make chocolate vodka.

take bottle of cheap vodka, decant some into a spare bottle and fill the space up with grated chocolate. Shake to mix it up, should be stored in the freezer & ideally be left for at least 48 hours to mix properly, being shaken frequently. You can speed it up by putting it in a warm place, such as on a radiator, to start with so the chocolate melts.

Can also be done with Chocolate Orange, mint Aero, anything you fancy really. I once made shots by soaking mashed up skittles sours (sorted into their different colours) in vodka.

Fruball

kidcat wrote: »

Frugal - Yes, really fed up of school asking for money, had to take cakes and buy cakes last week, money for non uniform day, money for Christmas beanie toy, money for pudsey biscuits, a trip to a french market, a trip bowling, two pantomines and the list goes on.
By bug bear is that its all short notice and needs to be in by next day every time. High school are worst offenders - if kids want to get a place on trip the money has to be in by cheque next morning, they then either cash it immediately or can take four months to cash it so it plays havoc with budgetting and balances etc. would much rather pay cash that way I know its gone and dont worry,

We get a few days to sort it out, but I would rather they sent a letter home at the beginning of Dec saying what they would like and when for the coming month so I can prepare. I don't mind the odd thing but atm it seems like we are being asked for stuff several times a week... If they said what they wanted earlier, I would get it all out of the way in one go rather than feel I am under pressure every week to keep up

I am sure DS school weren't like that. Either that or I always just forget everything... which I know I did because we were always one of a few that turned up on inset days, turned up a day late for term once as I didn't make a note of the dates and would frequently spin my car around to race home to get DS changed if it was non-uniform day... always used to forget those so it was race home or he would be embarrassed to be the only one in uniform :rotfl: Needless to say, NU days we were generally late

I seem to have remembered most things so far (touch wood)... I think my memory is improving with age... like a fine wine :D:D

Oh, BTW... for anyone with little ones.... BEWARE of teaching them to tell the time. Just got my 4yr olds into bed and DD1 said "OH DEAR!!! Its only 6 o'clock :eek::eek::eek: I've been rumbled altho it was 6.30.... almost

Gonna pour a large glass of wine and light a candle for my Auntie and will light another one to cover anyone else that might need it

zarazara

i often think schools are on different planet. 20 years ago it was bad enough. scrounging teachers wanting gifts for school fairs and even peple buying teachers end of term boxes of chocs etc. thentheres trips abroard nd even this country. inflated prices and teachers,no doubt going for free. i just hated it all.

Fruball

Kitcaboodle wrote: »

If you're after alcohol and chocolate, just make chocolate vodka.

take bottle of cheap vodka, decant some into a spare bottle and fill the space up with grated chocolate. Shake to mix it up, should be stored in the freezer & ideally be left for at least 48 hours to mix properly, being shaken frequently. You can speed it up by putting it in a warm place, such as on a radiator, to start with so the chocolate melts.

Can also be done with Chocolate Orange, mint Aero, anything you fancy really. I once made shots by soaking mashed up skittles sours (sorted into their different colours) in vodka.

I've done mars bar vodka Was a bit sickly for me but DS(18) and his friends liked it

I have heard that skittles vodka is good... same with werthers original and lemon sherbets!!!

katholicos

Hippeechiq wrote: »

Seasalt Good Luck with your 2nd inspection hun - it must be very unsettling waiting for the results. I wish you all the best with them. Also, big :grouphug: to you and anyone else on here struggling with depression

Thanks for asking about my DD. The DSS had made a "mistake" as they hadn't realised my DD had been taken out of the back to work group and placed in the support group, as their system hadn't been updated :mad: So all that upset and the subsequent fallout for nothing, although she will have to attend an assessment in January, so it still hangs over us.

She's just had to change anti psychotics again, as she was getting so all she did was sleep all day on the old ones, and her anger was getting the better of her again, but also no motivation and very dark thoughts. She's been on a new one for 2 weeks now, and although her mood has improved - she's not sleeping all the time, and is more motivated - the new tablet is causing total insomnia (there's always some trade off ) So that's proving to be a big problem, as she's totally shattered. I can only hope that as her body becomes used to the tablet, the side effect will drop away.

And to top it all her therapist (she's having Dialectical Behavioural Therapy) had a real go at her last Friday for changing her meds, saying she couldn't work with her because my daughter was so tired, she hasn't been able to remember what's she's been doing and how she's been feeling. And she should be "using her therapy skills" to stop her lows, not changing her medication. I think the woman needs a reality check :mad: Having a "qualification" in an illness, doesn't mean you understand what it's like to live day in day out with mental illness, as she made patently clear by that remark, so I will be going in with my daughter this coming Friday.

Mrs VegPlot. I've got the utmost admiration for how you are handling a very upsetting, difficult and worrying situation, on top of already supporting and living with your OHs depression, and I sincerely hope the letter you had Sunday was your last nasty surprise.

Congratulations jediteacher - what wonderful news :T

And finally, Frugal Sorry to hear about your Auntie, but I'm so pleased to hear that your Dad has shown improvement over the weekend, that really is fab news indeed

Hippeechiq. so typical of 'the system' to cause you and your DD all this uneccessary worrying.


Your DD therapist might know how things should work on paper, but we people don't respond in quite the ways we ought, especially when burdened with the heavy load of depression. I'm sure the 'shouting at' she gave your DD was something that your DD could have very much done without!

(((hugs)))