It was getting tough in 2006 and the workhouse still threatens us in 2011

shelley_crow

(((smiley))) it must have been really tough on you. Your feathered ladies had a good life with you, most chickens don't seem to get that these days. They were lucky girlies to have you looking after them so well.

Hobsons_Choice

Oh Smiley. I've never kept chickens, but had pets over the years that have had to be put down. I'm so sorry.

MaxSusie

I don't normally post on this thread although I am an avid reader. Just wanted to say big hugs to smileyt It's so hard losing a pet and I have sobbed in front of the vet and vet nurses a few times now. Thinking of you.

flowertotmum

Smileyt..aw hun..sending you lots of love and hugs..have lost 3 girlies myself..not nice..

Kidcat thanks for that linkie thingy..i love muffins..triple choc are my fave yummy..

Well ladies thanks for all the get well wishes..i needed them..am lots better now..although my legs feel like they belong to an 80 yr old..went to town today with my mum to get iris some boots for winter also as a birthday present from mum and dad..i was shocked at the price but mum didn't bat an eyelid..£38 for childrens boots..she insisted we got to clarks, fair enough but i always just get her feet measured there then go on the ebay outlet to get them...much cheaper..but no not today..so now iris had some lovely pink leather boots that she is refusing to take off..that will be fun at bath-time..

On the os front..i have bought a cheap piping bag and nozzles to make duchess potatoes..i am fed up with the dog always ending up with the left over spuds..not that i blame him..bless him..so i made a load tonight..tots didn't touch them at teatime, so i mashed them again added a tad more butter and milk..then piped them onto a baking tray and bingo i now have a dozen duchess potatoes ready to be frozen...

I have been busy getting stuff ready for friday..iris is 3..crikey i can't believe it..its gone so fast..anyway all her sisters,brother , nieces and nephew are coming for tea..so its os of course..jam sandwiches..my jam my bread..egg sandwiches..my eggs my bread..jellies(asda)..jam tarts mine..ice cream (asda)..choclate brownies..mine..rice crispie cakes..mine..sausage rolls mine..cream horns mine..and a giant choclate button cake for the birthday girl ,mine also..made some bunting out of felt..hearts and flowers..also went to home bargains and got some doilies for 30p..napkins for 50p and paper cups and plates,dishes for £1..so not too bad..i'm not doing party bags..just a piece of cake to take home..got a cd of party songs and games 50p from the CS last yr..it will be fun and really nice to see all the children together..big uns and little uns..

I have been making lots of tomato soup with the last glut i have and apple sponge with the last apples..not as many as last yr but will see us through i hope..i have been stocking up on candles too..got quite a few from wilkos..reduced to 99p..

Also i have got lots of odd balls of wool so i have decided to make a blanket or throw or cushion..depends how i get on..
Anyway got to go..love you all
p.s.,its bloody windy here..but warm..
anyone heard from taurus gb? hope she is ok..
ftm

Rosanna79

Smileyt
((((Hugs))) So sorry to hear your chickens have had to be put down. We only faced this last Friday afternoon with Jennicat. You're doing what's best for your pets but it hurts like hell to do it.

Having lost all my immediate family and always going without thinking about it into 'nurse' mode after a bereavement I always seem to get down to grieving in private about a year after the event. I too have a horror of publicly showing my emotions and was so self contained at my father's funeral I played the flute for the hymns and gave the eulogy. It always seems necessary for me to be practical at these times.

So you will understand from what I've just said that to find myself crying buckets with little restraint over Jennicat was a completely odd feeling for me. I'm still trying to analyse why I reacted like this but I think it's perfectly ok. grief is the price we pay for love

PaddyPaws

smileyt just wanted to send you a {{{hug}}} and to let you know am thinking of you at this difficult time.

And to everyone else, I think the warmth, support and discussions on here are fab. Really restores my faith in human nature

PP xx

Austin_Allegro

kittie wrote: »

Thank you very much greenbe, I`ll get on to it today. So nice to hear of a method that should work

I don`t think any of us should ignore the news today, all of a sudden we are almost in meltdown and we cannot bury our heads in the sand. One Italian bank is about to go under and the big risk is that more will follow and the recesiion ahead could well happen and be very bad with it. I am going to listen to camerons speech today, no ifs and buts and no more second chances for us, no matter who is to blame, it is as it is. Most of us have the basics put away but the real risk is to jobs, businesses and homes. Dh and I will be ok but our children would not be, our 3 with their mortgages and two with small children. They are worried and one has had a very near miss with redundancy, another works all hours in a very stressful job just so that he can maintain success for the (very large) IT company who have already laid people off. Another in a professional job attended a `drumming up business` meeting yesterday. All gut wrenching worrying stuff

We need to get back to that war mentality, there are enough of us in the uk to keep this country afloat and I believe we can do it. As for me, I will pay off my credit card today and will keep spending if I can, cash mostly but a credit card when internet shopping, only to pay it off just after I use it (cc is safer for internet shopping)

I agree - Mr Cameron's speech is very significant. Asking people to pay down credit card debt (instead of encouraging people to splurge on consumer goods to 'help' the economy which has been the official line previously) means, to me, the following:

1. The banks are in dire need of recapitalising, to the extent that they would rather have the cash upfront than the income they can make from lending via credit cards

2. HMG knows that interest rates are going up and that people are going to need every penny to avoid mass bankruptcy and mortgage defaults.

3. Both of the above.

Either way the news isn't good! However, let's remember that all of us on here are much better placed than most, simply by having all these great tips to hand!

HariboJunkie

Austin_Allegro wrote: »

I agree - Mr Cameron's speech is very significant. Asking people to pay down credit card debt (instead of encouraging people to splurge on consumer goods to 'help' the economy which has been the official line previously) means, to me, the following:

1. The banks are in dire need of recapitalising, to the extent that they would rather have the cash upfront than the income they can make from lending via credit cards

2. HMG knows that interest rates are going up and that people are going to need every penny to avoid mass bankruptcy and mortgage defaults.

3. Both of the above.

Either way the news isn't good! However, let's remember that all of us on here are much better placed than most, simply by having all these great tips to hand!

Agreed. (Although I disagree about the chances of interest rates rising any time soon) And the one point of his speech I definitely agree with is that we must not let ourselves get bogged down in gloom. :T

I know some of us have a harder fight than others and I would not for one minute seek to belittle that but if at all possible, a positive outlook helps so much. And that is coming from someone who has had (probably more than) her fair share of hard times.

I firmly believe that preparing your mind for hardship is every bit as important as filling your cupboards. Endless tins of beans are no use if you are too much of a jibbering wreck to open them.

I hope people take that in the spirit in which it was intended. I am not trying to be facetious but I would just hate to see anyone suffer mentally more than they have too.

So sorry about your chooks Smiley.

Rejigging our budget here again today. _pale_ Such a tricky job when you're self employed as cash flow prediction is tricky. But I'm happy that I at least have a best case and a worst case scenario plan in place.

Becky_2

Smileyt, I am so sorry. I hope you will feel a bit better soon.

Rowan9

ooh I like the positivity in that post Haribo:T. I am including a 'may peace prevail' in my meditation at the moment and wonder why on earth I let that one slip. It's so important to have a positive attitude, including towards others. Another one I use is 'may there be light in my thinking'.
W