A new 'tougher' thread... and so it continues

sammy_kaye18

shelley_crow wrote: »

Like you Sammy, my MIL was fantastic from the start, given that I'd only been with OH for around a month when everything kicked off with my mom. She took me in and I can safely say that I don't know where I'd be if it wasn't for her and OH's family.

I know that feeling Shelley - my MIL is worth her weight in gold. I have regularly joked with Owen that I want custody of her if we ever break up. She has taken me in twice now - once when my mother kicked me out and the second time when Owen lost his job and our house was taken off us. Shes the first place I turn to advice - Im very close with her - not so much Owens dad but I still call them mum and dad and know they would help if I ever needed them.

Shes a (naturally) red headed little scottish lady and I adore her. Shes very homemade, but can have her dizzy moments.

She always jokes that boys are meant to go for girls like their mothers and some days Owen laughs at how ditzy we both can be.

My favourite two moments of hers so far are her naming one of bens harry potter characters 'Dobby House Shelf' to which Ben was less than amused and her other one was somehow sensationally falling over the lawn mower into the compost pile. I couldnt help her for holding the baby and nearly wetting myself and she was laughing too much to stand to.

Im lucky to have a good one there.

gardenia101

mumto2monkeys wrote: »

Thank you for this gardenia. I want to start walking, although it will be put off for another week as I now have a poorly DS to contend with! If it isn't one, it's the other. I remember reading Middlemarch as part of my degree. I didn't mind it, but it's long. I'm currently attempting to read Cold Comfort Farm when I get a minute as I never have, but many people say it's great. I've also just taken up sewing again after years. I find that soothing. However, some days I can't do anything - taken over by crappy depression .

I just keep telling myself this too shall pass, and it will all work out in the end.

Just do what you can, when you can & give yourself some time off to do your stuff. My friend has a similar mantra that I've repeated a lot over the last 2 years - keep riding that wave & soon you'll come into shore.

Gailey - OS therapy is very therapeutic, isn't it?

Some of your stories are heartbreaking, yet it helps me to realise I'm not alone in having a carp family - not that I want others to have carp families too, so I hope you all know what I mean.

Heard back from the scarily efficient WI federation lady - email hit my inbox at 9.02 am & I only emailed last night! Hope they're not all like that or I'll definitely never fit in :rotfl::rotfl:. There are vacancies at a few daytime groups, but I have a hospital appointment on the same day as my first choice group, so I'll have to leave it until February. That will give me time to summon up the courage to ring & introduce myself, which I hate doing :eek:. I will do it though as I think it might be fun & will make me get out (& it isn't as if they're going to line me up & shoot me if they think I'm unsuitable, is it?). Can anyone else report back from their first meetings yet or it is too early?

Glad you like Horseworld Gailey - I've just had my renewal letter & unlimited entry for £17.50 is a bargain. Just wished we lived nearer as its a swine to get to on public transport. Just need to check with kids that they still want to go.

I did speak to someone about one of the volunteer posts - they do want me (YAY :j) so I'm just waiting for my reference to be done, & can hopefully start next week! Finally feel that I'll be doing something useful.

LavenderBees

Some very sad stories on here the last couple of days, I've just caught up. Really sorry to hear them all. Big hugs to all affected by loss, illness, relationship problems.

Well, it's blowing a hoolie here again :eek:. Wind absolutely chews me up:(

My good news today is that I've finally produced a decent loaf in my BM. :T Using all your good advice, I reduced sugar to 2 tablespoons, milk powder to 1tsp, and yeast to 2 tsps (7g yeast is nearly 3 tsps!!).

Absolutely Delish! Onto a wm one next...so thank you again for your help. :T I know I said I wasn't going to do one for a while due to BIG DIET starting this week, but I couldn't resist!

Mind, I have to say it doesn't help that my tablespoon is a fair bit larger than a conventional one. I discovered this as treated myself to proper measuring spoons in the sale, and I suspect there were more like 12 teaspooons of sugar in each loaf :eek:.

It's no wonder I need to lose weight

Take care of yourselves, folks, as always the support on this thread radiates outwards to those who need it. Well done to all.

xx

Mrs_Chip

Well done! But you now have the difficult task of resisting the temptation to make one every day just because you can!

You could reduce the sugar much more though, 2 tbsp is still quite a lot!

katep23

After enviously reading about you all making butter and regularly haunting the reduced section in my local Mr M's, I finally found the Holy Grail that is reduced double cream (2 pots of 600ml each for 19p :j)

And I have made butter - can't believe how easy it was or cheap, I got about 700g of butter for 38p.

One question, if you want it salted, when do you put the salt in? Duh, feel silly having to ask.

I also emailed my WI last night and have had an email back today with the contact details for the organiser and they have suggested trying a few groups before deciding which one to join. Left it too late to call tonight but will call tomorrow. My first meeting will be Wednesday 18th I think so will report back.

Have also decided to join slimming world (have never tried it before but had good success years ago with WW and I like the fact the website says you don't have to go hungry :rotfl:) so I will be going there on a Monday evening.

Some of these stories are heartbreaking but the common theme seems to be that you have come through it and appreciate that you do not deserve to be treated that way. I think you are all amazing for what you have coped with.

It really makes be appreciate how luck I am with my own family, small though it is.

tryingtodobetter

Sorry to read about people's 'toxic' family and friends. My family are great if not a bit higgledy piggledy, DH's family are a pain in the whatsit but we have just taken the smile and nod approach.

Well my NSD didn't go to plan although I didn't spend too much and managed to get a few bits for one of my DS's birthdays. I also got 7 birthday cards for £1 in Card Factory so I got most of this years cards sorted.

The wind is blowing a hooligan here and the tiles on the front of the house are lifting and rattling, I so hope they don't come off.

Off to Mr M's in the morning to use up the saving stamps I was given.

Night All.

ginnyknit

Im sat in an empty house with a gale blowing round me and its scary, and cold! Oh is in hospital so have spent the last couple of days trekking through corridors to his ward - Im not actually sure where it is in relation to the rest of the hospital, some forgotten corner re-vamped. He had surgery yesterday and is as weak as a kitten but doing ok apart from a couple of glitches. As a dear friend said today, when he gets home the work starts Happily I am pretty organised and DD's OH is second driver on our car so he has been running me about, bless him.

Got my dehydrator on and the sc - I am not getting behind on my plans. Even got some fab whoopises in Mr T -timing is everything. But I forgot the blooming coffee! I also bought some Berrocca vitamin thingies and they got rid of the nagging headache I had, just hoping they help me through the day.

I have an ice cream maker and love it, I keep a few boxes of whoopsied fruit in the little freezer just for adding to the mix. I have used pots of custard from the supermarket but since I discovered how wonderful custard is made with powdered milk I think I will try that next time. I got mine from CS for £3 so it was worth the chance. I never had much success making it in a plastic tub.

Gailey hunny your in box is full I tried earlier to send you a message x

kidcat

Ginny - the wind is whistling through our window vents - DD17 is complaining its stopping her sleeping!! I suspect facebook is the more likely cause:) Glad your OH is getting through his op and recovery.

Well today my friend officially declared that she would not be taking her cat back - she still has not bought a house and is still staying with friends. She hasnt really shown any interest in the cat so it wasnt any great surprise and in some ways its a relief now I have the long task of getting her used to our boys and trying to teach her the dog will not harm her - she still hides behind the sofa if she catches a glimpse of him (my friends dog apparently used to chase and attack he so no surprise she is skittish). Does mean a permanent extra mouth to feed though and usual associated costs.

Have got such a horrific week of appointments etc lined up that I am going to have to get super organised with meals and also start to clear the freezer too - trouble is that I have no energy at the diner time or afterwards at the moment so need to really get myself into gear. have got two freezers bursting at seams with food - including a rather lovely looking duck that I have no idea what to do with !!

Have hairdressing appointment tomorrow that I booked when I took DD5 in for her emergency repair job last week - am now trying to find reasons not to go and have even offered to give the appointment to DD17 instead - hairdressers terrify and intimidate me, I am sure they all look at me and think why bother!! Originally thought it would be a good day to do it as its my 10th wedding anniversary - but then OH has announced that he hasnt bothered booking time off work so that we can do something, so haircut seems a waste.

Stillstruggling

Just thought i would make a last post for today, well after feeling so rough for most of the day i thought i would use up the chicken fillets out of the freezer( use by date 6th) for Tea OMG OFF was not the word for the smell when i opened them so decided to use the mincemeat instead (use by date 8th) yep you guess it OFF well wrong day for this to happen got straight on the phone to Mr A and got a total refund plus a bit extra and a free delivery ! so Tea ended up being a mismatch of this and that and was about a hour later than usual.
DD3 is back at school tomorrow so have the school run to do back to early early mornings again. Hopefuly i will sleep better tonight .
Katiep23 -You have got me thinking about the WI i would love to know more.
Night All

sammy_kaye18

Wind is battering us here in south Wales.

Note to self - really must get curtains in bedroom as its cold but no fear have the duvet to myself as I'm in the doghouse with OH and I think he's opted to stay downstairs.

Either that or he's playing on Facebook or fallen asleep on the sofa watching the Dakar!

Night all! Stay safe! X