make do and mend for tougher times

mags50_2

Haven't been on here for quite a while for various family reasons ... so I better introduce myself again
I'm a 57 year old farmers wife with three daughters and 8 grandsons and 1 granddaughter. I don't work anymore, except at home, and have really really missed this site!
We've no near neighbours, but all the family live within a few miles, so are very lucky to see lots of the grandchildren and daughters and hubbies.
Two years ago now, we had hubby's sister come to live with us (she had no family of her own) and nursed her whilst she passed away from cancer.
Things went along on an even keel for a while until hubby's mum had a bad fall at home and she now lives with us.... she is 97 and, although she can't walk very well, she is 'all there up top' !!
And its so good to see lots of the old familiar names, will try and keep in touch more often now
Take care everyone x

Popperwell

I hope that you do Mags...I'm reasonably new but seem to be the only male here

SpikyHedgehog

fuddle wrote: »

Thanks for the balloon air lock idea, it'll get me over night anyway. Much appreciated.

Just took one of my blackberry jams from yesterday into next door as a thank you for giving me the jars this morning. She was over the moon. I got a hug! A nice feeling.

The fruits of my labour... literally!



I found some elastic bands but please excuse the childs hair bobble

I am cream crackered! Had the new Ikea catalog posted through the door so going to sit with a cuppa, relax and regroup before I make fairy buns with my sproglets

Fuddle, they look gorgeous! Very inspiring :-) We've gathered no blackberries yet, but saw yesterday on the way home from church that they are ripe now near us.

Intro time: I'm almost 42, a single parent of 2 boys since Errant Husband left us last year to set up with The Girlfriend :-/ Its been a rocky 18 months for us. DS1 isn't Errant Husband's bio son, but EH has been his step dad since he was 4 1/2, & Ex Boyfriend moved away when DS1 was 5 1/2, so he's as much dad to DS1 as he is to DS2.

DS1 is 16, just finished his GCSEs & got the results needed to do what he wants to do at 6th form, he bought a motorbike earlier this summer with his savings account, though he can't ride it till he's 17 in the Autumn as its too big - so that's when I'll bite my nails to shreds!

DS2 is 9, we're waiting for an ASD diagnosis, but the community consultant paediatrician has vanished into the mists of oblivion, so we're still waiting... I need something in writing before next Autumn, when I have to apply for secondary school for him, especially as I don't want him going to our catchment area school.

both boys love computers, so I'm most often on MSE on my phone rather than argue about who's turn on the pc it is... They also love Warhammer 40 thousand, which means I have millions of plastic figures over my house!

I work in a preschool term time only, have my hours so I take DS2 to breakfast club at school, but leave early to get him. Not looking forward to going back after the summer holidays, there's so much OS I'd rather be doing... I'm sure I'll be ok when I've got back into the routine of work :-/

The household also contains our 6 yr old cat; DS2's pet garden snail & 2 syrian hamsters with big cages. Some people say they're spoilt, but I go on Hamster Central forum too, & know theres people out there with much bigger cages!

I love to read, cook, bake, garden, knit, sew...

Aims for the future: learn to drive & get a little car; move to a house that's not fully reliant on electricity & has a bigger garden for growing veg & fruit in. I'd love to learn to ski too, but think driving is a priority ;-)

Had a good Bank Holiday - early 42nd birthday meal with my family at my parents' bungalow with the big garden for the 8 children to run round in - my 2, baby sis' 1, younger sis' 3 bio & 3 steps. I took the food round. Had a good talk to younger sis about ways she could cut back on costs - Cheap Family Recipes, laundry gloop, etc.

Got to get DS1 up early (comparitively) as he has to enrol at 6th form tomorrow between 9 & 10 - planning to take DS2 across to Mr T & do a shop there with vouchers.

littlecal

Have loved reading all the intros,so here goes,

I'm a 50 yr old (24 in my head!) teaching assistant,living in Brum.I have a lovely OH who is a pro musician,and a DS23 who now lives and works in Dartford.

I've just bought a house:eek: so this year will be a year of firsts - first gas bill,first elec bill etc so I'm trying to budget carefully as my last home had a payment card for gas & a key for elec.

[Deleted User]

my turn :wave:
I am a short, smiley, cuddly, 64 year old grandma with a rosy face and silver hair. 3 children and 3 grandchildren. Married to DH for 42 years. We live in a quiet rural village in the SW, no shop or street lights. I am capricorn so I follow things through and always do my best. DH says I am enthusiastic about everything I do. I was born with green fingers and can sow, knit, heal people and grow and preserve food. I like doing investment stuff and have an active mind, which jumps from topic to topic. I am very content in my world and live from day to day. Living was very hard when I was young and being the oldest, I had to do a lot of chores but that made me who I am

Popperwell

We will have to start taking notes so we remember each other;)

Hardup_Hester

Not sure if I post often enough to warrant an intro but here goes.
60 years old, hubby 55,6 kids between us, variable amount of DGC as DD1 fosters, DD2 has 3. Hubby is a whizz in the garden, I knit,sew, crochet & cook. Hubby & have applied to be foster carers.
Hester

Mrs_Chip

For ages I was going to ask where everyone is (roughly) so it is really good that we are getting a recap! For some reason I thought PAH was way down south! It's handy to know these things when talking about the weather, or growing conditions, I just hope I can remember

Popperwell

Go for it Hester:T

prepareathome

Fuddle your jars look fantastic, as am sure is what is in them:)

Been horrible here today, had to have lights on from 1pm as so dark even when not raining, yet yesterday was lovely, sunny and warm.....

Migraine day again today grrrrrr so done nothing much and going to get head down now and see if can sleep it away............

Oh Mr A text me to say they have found my double slanket so hopefully will collect it tomorrow......

Hugs and Love to allxxxx