make do and mend for tougher times

Caroline-Encore

Molly41 wrote: »

But they are not expensive. The Meatzza only expensive ingredient is mozzarella which you could substitute with grated cheddar cheese - maybe less authentic but still tasty. The fries are just chips with a garlic added 20 p a clove and herbs which you can grow yourself in pots for a few pence. Over the years you can accrue stock items like chilli flakes or leave them out. Recipes can be adapted to suit taste and budgets, halved to suit smaller families or single people or in my case doubled or tripled to feed kids and their friends.

You could always use basics/value mozzarella - currently 44p at MrT

prepareathome

Right I have 4 pages to catch up on, but just saying good morning. I kind of passed out/slept around 8am yesterday morning and that was me till 7am this morning. Weather outside is exactly the same, if it wasn't that date had changed on pc I could think I have not slept at all.......its worked myself up so much for going out plus meds kept me awake 24hrs and so crashed for 23hrs

Am as you can imagine a bit thirsty but trying to take it easy as I know if I drink to much at once it will not stay down,

Right off to catch up and hoping to get downstairs soon as I do want a cup of tea rather badly, body in withdrawel :rotfl:

Hugs and Love to all xxxxx

valk_scot

Wild night here last night, things crashing over in the street and the wind howling under the eaves. The cats were a bit upset by it all and came through to the bedroom for reassurance, there was a bit of a squabble between elder stateman Fat Cat and new kitten Nutter Boy as to who got the prime sleeping spot on the pillow behind my head, Nutter Boy won as usual (FC is a bit too good natured for his own good) and we all settled down until there was a resounding crash as some of my neighbours tiles ripped off the roof. Daft woman....her roof tiles have been loose since Feburary. I know for a fact the very good roofer who was working on the house opposite in the summer went across to tell her that her roof was in a precarious state, he's not expensive either and she's not badly off so...oh well, up to her, no?

prepareathome

savingqueen wrote: »

DS2 is struggling to cope emotionally - mainly at school, at home he is generally ok with the odd outburst, he is only 5 years old. I am worried about him but not overly yet as he is at last getting some support from school and a better, far calmer teacher this year. He had a major meltdown at a new swimming class last week. New pool, new children/teacher, bigger class and pool and we were late to boot and he just couldn't cope with it all. He was last swimming back to the poolside and some children were laughing and teasing him and next minute he has his hand around his neck trying to strangle himself, getting further and further down the deep end and went under a couple of times. Cue - swift pool evacuation of rest of class and teacher (not dressed in swimgear!) getting in to fetch him out. You could have cooked a big breakfast on my red face - I was scared, embarrassed and cross with him all at the same time - mostly scared though knew the teacher would get him out. I would have jumped in fully clothed if need be (and the thought did run through my head!) Poor DS1 has to go back into the pool with rest of class after and he handled 20 questions from other kids very maturely.

Forgive me am going to reply to posts as I read them as its 5 pages I have to catch up on.

I concur with kidcat(and others not read further but sure others said same).

We always had a few problems with oldest DS who is now 32 and no mental health problems now. I was always worried he would have problems after the time when our second daughter died when he was two and this big burly CID officer decided he had smothered his sister on no proof but went on and on at him no matter what I said till police doctor came and told him to leave my son alone as he had not done anything, but the CID officer just left no sorry to son etc and I knew it must leave some mark on such a young child and when we had our youngest son he would never, ever go near him or occasionally lash out at him when he really drove him nuts, which he had a bad habit of doing to everyone, we could see he obviously felt his sister had died by his hand no matter what we said and was scared he would harm his brother.

This came to a head when he was 7, I had told my useless GP I was worried but got told all in my head as usual, then one evening told older son off for hitting younger son and sent him to his room, and he throws down a note saying he knows he is wrong to hurt his brother so he is going to kill himself ( it was just luck I noticed it so quickly) I fly upstairs to find him tying a rope round bunk beds with cord already round his neck.

I took him straight to hospital and told them, they kept him in a few days ( in a way it was good as I stayed with him and since youngest son had been born I was always staying in with him as he spent much of first few years in hospital so I know older son felt neglected). He was seen by therapist and they agreed with me and he was not put on meds they were not needed but for twice a week for a year then once a week for another two we went to see them, they would speak to whole family for a bit then son on his own or with his brother, did them both good.

It gave him a chance to get out all he had muddled in his head since he was 2 years old even though I had tried to assure him he did not kill his sister it needed strangers to make him believe it. My sons grew so close after this and now there is an unbreakable bond thankfully between them and their sister.

So please do ask for help, my sons attempt at harming himself might be different from your sons but still similar enough and so many people don't realise children can try to kill themselves.

From when oldest son was discharged age around 10 he has never looked back.

I admit I felt ashamed, a failure when I took him to the hospital but didn't care what they thought of me I just wanted to save him basically from himself.

We never never contacted by social services or anything like that, no-one thought we were bad parents thankfully, it was all just done within hospital environment not even school was told as therapist said there was no need for them to know.

Son would most likely die of shame that I am mentioning it here, but just want you to know it happens, your son is not doing anything other children have not done before. There can be so many reasons for it and none your fault I promise you.

Hugs and Love to you and all xxxx

maryb

Possession is there a more technical/customer focus to the jobs he is going for and less management? That could be presented as a plus as being the bit he really enjoys and wants to get back to. It's a fact that as you get more senior in most jobs, it becomes much more of a management role and less direct involvement with customers

Possession

Thanks Maryb, Hester & Bobbykins. He is a chartered accountant, who has been on the practice side all his working life, but the further up you go the more business development is needed and that's what he has always hated, the shmoozing for new business. I'm sure something will come up, and I'll pass on your advice.

jem132

Morning all ihave just got in from taking the boys to school and I am very wet Bella my puppy is very wet and not at all happy. Washer is on delivery on too jelly in fridge ready for making a trifle. Stewing meat is defrosting. Kids were in a really bad mood when they got up and noticed there dad was not hear I had promised he would be they haven't seen him since yesterday am but he's been called out to work he is on flood alert I promised them he'd pick them up but he has just called me to say he don't think he will be home till late :mad:i am going to have to let them wait up for him. PLUS he needs to come home as water is flooding in my front door :mad::mad:

fuddle

Possession thank you for the comet reduced link I've got bigger fish to fry at the moment though.

DH awoke this morning, opened the bay window curtains and found a huge damp patch on the living room wall. It's ugly and I'm so close to tears. We only finally got round to decorating in here. After 3 years this place was nearing feeling like home and now I have a big wet patch to look at that will no doubt turn mouldy. DH has had a conversation with the LL who has said it's always been like that, take it or leave it. I don't for one minute think he has a leg to stand on legally but do you know what... I can't be arrised to fight. We're going to try find somewhere else to live and head nearer DH's work in North Yorkshire. A real new start. It's so difficult to find an agent that will accept us as we've still got the bankruptcy on our credit files for another 3 years but we are going to try.

So upset. So this morning is being spent on ensuring our credit files are as healthy as they can be (still need to eradicate some defaults on DH's credit file as by rights they should have been marked settled etc because of the bankruptcy but we've had to chase them up to do it.) I feel worn out, and upset.

I'd just got a job too. It looks like I'll be child minding after all, in the grand scheme of things. Wish us luck. We have a bumpy ride ahead, the worst is having to deal with a LL who just doesn't give two hoots.

I'll be fine, just feel :mad:

born_blonde

fuddle can you borrow a dehumidifier just to keep things under control until you move. It might even have been caused by leaking guttering not that your Landlord will do anything.

grandma247

(((Hugs))) Pah

Jem132 Well done for getting all that done.
Did you explain to your boys that daddy has a very important job and he helps people who are in trouble and he has to work a long time? It will be better than them thinking that he is staying at work just to avoid seeing them.

Have you anything to put against the door? Large towels and something to weight them, even bags of water would help a bit.

I know how hard it is when Dh has to work such long hours when the weather is bad. My dh did it in the mid to late 70's when we had a lot of snow. He worked 22 hours once as the snow was relentless. They actually had to dig out a Yorkshire village so they could get some food deliveries. They had only had helicopter drops of bread etc.

Everyone in flood areas please stay safe and stay in if possible.