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

lambanana

Congratulations Annie and Monty, what a surprise! Hope everything goes well for you.

I've not really been on this thread, had a difficult couple of weeks (not financially but difficult none the less) and didn't have much to say here. In good news our extension is being double glazed today, just in time for the snow and freezing temperatures they're forecasting at the end of the week. I'm currently wearing thermals under my clothes as it's freezing whilst they're doing it, the back of the house is pretty much open and whilst I've closed the door to the kitchen it's still chilly as the draught gets through. Still, no point having the heating on when it'd just be lost out of the back! I'm hoping this makes the house a lot warmer and it's not so horrible going out to get the washing out of the machine as it has been in the previous two winters we've lived here.

Kitcaboodle

jackieglasgow wrote: »

Kitcaboodle, I'm sure she'll be back later to update properly herself, but Cranky got it all sorted out at the school, the teacher seems to have "misinterpreted" the policy

Glad to hear it!

stiltwalker

Congratulations Narabanekeater glad to have another one on board the baby club. :j

I'm due 1st May, having our next scan on the 13th December and hoping to find out which flavour we're getting so I can get organised with clothes and stuff if we need different ones from last time!.

This is definately going to be one frugal OS babe as just read on the BBC news site that according to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation a family of 4 need a mind blowing £40,073 to live in a village - well we're 3 in a village and living on less than half that. :eek: Good job I can make a penny do the job of 4!

jediteacher

Charis wrote: »

Perhaps schools should ask parents for a specific contribution, rather than a succession of last minute requests? My son's sixth form does. TBH, if there isn't enough money for 'enrichment' then the school can't afford it, if it wants to balance the books. The solution is some up-front fundraising instead of a dribble of pennies in a kind of stealth tax.

The current system sets some children up for bullying because they are unable to join in and no child should be targeted because his or her parents can't afford to contribute. Who knows what goes on at home? The parent/s may be disabled, unemployed or have learning difficulties. Or just unwilling to cough up (several times a week sometimes).

No one's having a go at you, Jediteacher, but at a system where, having already been paid for through taxes, there is a kind of hidden admission fee which a parent feels obliged to pay to save the child feeling bad. It's the social equivalent of having a raffle at the bedside of sick patients to raise funds for medical equipment, but it's dressed up as having a good time.

Incidentally some of this fund raising is for 'good causes' (Pudsy Bear, 'the homeless', etc.) which should be something you contribute to because you want to, not because you are being strong armed into it.

I appreciate that no one is having a go at me personally and I do understand that some schools are not hot on communication. The solution here is for the government to actually allocate schools with enough money that will cover the costs of 'extras' and in some cases essentials. I do agree that there are some schools that do as you put it have 'bullying' because there are parents who cannot afford to do certain activities. However, there is funding available for families who struggle with payments for day trips and things and by law the schools have to make it clear it is a voluntary contribution. No one knows if you apply for this funding apart from the head. I think it is very unfair to tar the whole system with the same brush. I know that there are adults and children who have nothing good to say about the education system and this is a real shame but that's life.

I'm not from a wealthy family by any means infact I was brought up on benefits. I couldn't go on trips as we had no money but I wasn't the only one and no I did not get bullied because of it - maybe I was one of the lucky one.

Anyway, I have harped on enough and I think we'll have to agree to disagree. I'm not going to comment any more about schools and the education system and just try and ignore the comments.

Anyway, back on a more MSE note. Popped into Poundland today and picked up a few bargains. They have some really nice Christmas things in there and their gifts are quite nice. Picked up some bits for my little girls stocking and my secret santa gift for work.

I also need to get some maternity clothes as nothing fits. :eek: I have some left from when I had my daughter but as I was mostly pregnant at this stage in the summer they're mostly thin dresses and t-shirts. I have tried ebay but the clothes on there seem to be quite expensive. I really need to find somewhere that sells cheap maternity winter clothes.

I'm due on May 25th.

I have a scan on the 8th December to make sure everything is ok due to my history and then in January (cannot remember the date) my 20 week scan. This time we are finding out what we are getting as want to be prepared and save money. If it's a girl we're all sorted but have nothing for a boy at all - not even any white babygros!

greent

congrats to narabanekeater

dollydaydream07

:rotfl::rotfl: i must spend FAR too much time on here!!!
was just watching a clip of Martin on Daybreak's website, DD comes into room, takes one look at the pc screen and says 'that's Martin Lewis'
'how do you know?'
'cos i just do, you go on his website'

i didn't even know she knew his name, i must say quite a lot that i'm on Martin Lewis's website

just need to start saying to her that he's the man who will help us save loads of money!! :rotfl:

right off to go and make biscuits now and see how my sausages are defrosting after shoving them in some cold water(thanks LannyLee)

jackieglasgow

:rotfl: that's nothing, my boys call him "mum's fancy man!"

mardatha

Could I ask Kittie or whoever it was who posted it, to post again the link for the weather site that shows the live radar ?? I need to know when the snow's coming. TY !

maryb

I'm broody now - I WANNA GRANDBAYBEEE!!! (well, perhaps not yet in the case of DD2 who is only 15!!)

Congratulations to all preggies

Annie I am so relieved things are still going well. When you didn't post for so long I was beginning to worry you had decided to take the job and had broken things off and were suffering regrets. I was an older mum - 35 and 41 - and I can recommend it. It's lovely feeling that the most intensely happy years of your life are still unfolding when you have young children in your 40s.

Gintotmelinda

Hello everyone just wanted to say congratulations to Annie and Monty.

Take care

gintot