make do and mend for tougher times

betony

PAH Sorry to hear you're feeling like you do. I always enjoy your posts, you have real wisdom and knowledge to impart, and do it with much humour and humility. Please take as much time as you feel you need, but I hope you pop in from time to time. Sending you happy thoughts and best wishes xx

stiltwalker

Seconding what everyone else has said PAH - we'll only worry about you anyway! I'm sure some RL folk think I'm daft, but I feel a real involvement with all you guys on here, you're all sort of my online family. Ok soppy bit over (yes, I can hear the sighs of relief!)

Re charity stuff - I'm like kidcat and have to bin it unopened - we give where we can, and to charities we have a real connection with but TBH it's not much as we haven't got much spare. ATM we get far more than we give in the way of charity support but as and when we have a little more we will support those who have supported us to help the next lot of families coming through. Hopefully at some point we shall also be able to do some fundraising ourselves for the tiny little charity which supports the families of those with Jouberts like our kids.

Was supposed to be revising but not in the mental space for it tonight really - can't believe it's only 2 weeks and I'll be panicking about my exam! Will truly be wine o'clock on the evening of the 15th, quite possibly fizzy wine o'clock as it will mark the point of me being half way through my degree and also my first time off from studying since I started back in Feb last year as I'm not starting my next module until Feb next year.

Had a lovely visit to DD's favourite place, the farm park, this afternoon - can't believe that poor donkey still hasn't had her foal, she's looking really teed off now. Still have to break it to DD that the place closes entirely over winter and that after half term we won't be able to go again till February half term. We go so often we are really well known there - they are so good with DD, today we even got given some carrot to feed the donkeys (DD's favourite animals) as we had arrived late and missed the donkey feeding time. She also feed 2 calves later and had a mooing contest with a third! The calf won but it was a close contest and we've had much mooing ever since. Guess nursery are probably going to have to deal with the mooing tomorrow - I'll warn them (maybe :rotfl:).

Hugs to all in need (or anyone who just likes a hug anyway).

betony

Oh, one last thing - Fuddle Good luck for tomorrow; not that you need it, you were born to do that job lovely girl! xx

GreyQueen

RosiePuddingPaws wrote: »

Mardatha
If you're like a dying slug, keep away from GQ - she was going out with her spade today too!!

Hope you feel better soon.

RPP

I was actually killing slugs by snipping them in half with the grass shears today, as I was out clipping the path and the kept coming to light. And I was stamping on the snails in my Doc Marten steel toed safety boots, which I got unworn from a bootsale and which live in the gardening shed.

:j Got 68 of the beggars today and hundreds of their eggs, mwah ha ha!

smileyt wrote: »

Sigh. Trying to tidy up a bit and working through the letters I have let pile up. I have letters asking for money from the RSPB, the Donkey Sanctuary, the Brooke (horse/donkey/developing world charity), Greenpeace, Refugee Action, the Animal Health Trust and Oxfam. All of these charities I either support now or have supported in the past. I feel so guilty about throwing the letters away but I really can't afford to be sending a tenner off to them all (one of them asks for "£50 or whatever you can afford" :eek:).

How do you all handle this? I feel bad because I know charities are suffering in the recession. I find the letters really draining and I know that's bad because the people/animals who are suffering are having a much worse time than I am.

It wouldn't be so bad if it was just one letter per year per charity, but I seem to get at least two or three per month - the ones mentioned above have all been in about the last six weeks - and with Christmas coming up it's going to be more and I find it very hard to handle the emotional side of it.

I deal with it by not reading it, smileyt, and by turning off Radio 4 when the appeals come on.

I'm a softie and can't bear suffering; people, animals, the environment, you name it, I can have my strings pulled over it.

But I simply don't have the cash to flash so I cut myself off. I am registered for GiftAid with Oxfam and make my donations there to maximise the tax advantage and buy things like my diary there each year. Also, almost everything I own comes from one c.s. or another.

Yesterday, I came across a giveaway pile of books at the very end of the shopping day (5.30pm) and brought home 18 paperbacks which I will read and which will then go to Oxfam. I figure they'll charge about £1.99 each for them and that'll be £35.82 plus the tax break will bring it over £40. Sometimes you get an opportunity to think laterally to donate.

I know Mum is anxious that her MIL, my Nan, seems to be on every charity's mailing list and is inundated with solicitations. She's tried to talk to her about it, but Nan assures her that she only gives a little to each one, they're not bleeding her.

And then the church she attends when she can get someone to wheel her chair down the road always makes sure that it sends donation envelopes for the collection even if you can't make it to the service. Good ole C of E..............

I'd love to be a lottery winner, not to have a mansion or a sports car, but tto be able to help out those struggling little charities, like the ones which do respite for carers and look after unwanted pets, but that's a dream because I'm too tight to even play. After all, £1 = 4 pints of milk, don'tcha know.

It's a hard one, but if it helps, remember that they're prepared to hire professionals to pull your emotional strings with these adverts, and that kind of manipulation doesn't come cheap.

PAH and Mardatha, thinking of you both and hoping things improve soon.

Popperwell

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

FUDDLE - the most important thing to do before you go off to your squeaky clean nice new job tomorrow is to remember to fill the kettle and set up the tea making necessities, it's a priority thing you'll need when you come home before any other considerations. Will be thinking of you but am sure you'll be so good in the position, if you've any energy left after work let us know how it went Cheers Lyn xx.

Yes do Fuddle,
if possible try and have as much done the night before to save time in the morning. I always used to...have my clothes ready, sometimes shaved before going to bed...
Just little things that give you a few extra minutes.

Pooky

It's feeling a tad chilly here this evening, it's lovely!

All jimjam'd up and sitting with my sewing box and some trousers to hem, cosy!

Warning - the C word is ahead......don't read on if easily shocked,,,,.:D


I've done something sinfully self indulgent and booked to go to the Bruge Christmas markets with a friend, the week before Christmas so it will be lovely and festive. Luckily, living so close to the Chanel tunnel means we will be there in less than 2.5hours :j. We're going via coach and it's £36 each, bargain! Im so looking forward to a "me" treat amongst all the scrimping and saving and planning ahead.

I took DDs into London last year for the Harrods Christmas shop and ice skating at the Londn eye, followed by a wander along the south bank with all the Christmas stalls and music, it was lovely, very festive and very memorable.

All the kittens are snoodled up on blankets and beanbag cushions in a little fug of fluffy contentment.

Popperwell

Mrs_Chip wrote: »

I'm an 'O' too, so that makes sense.

Mar, sorry you are feeling so carp, did the doc have no ideas?

PAH, hope you are ok, I know you were considering your future before, I guess things have got bad again, so sorry . Don't feel you will be burdening us, we all need to offload at times, and where better than here!
`

Never been able to find out my blood group and last time I tried they said I'd have to pay to find out(don't know how much or who I had to pay)

Doubt it really matters, I did find out what Mum was when she had a blood transfusion for aneamia(sp?)last year around about this time but I forget now and as Mum isn't here anymore, it means nothing...

I do sometimes wonder if I could/should request to see her medical records to try and get a clue what went on during the final year but if I dislike what I see I may become bitter or feel guilty that I did not do all that I could've even though the few people I have contact with say I did all that I could.

Time passes by too quickly...five months already...

meanmarie

PAH...hugs to you, trust that you will make the right moves for you, don't forget that even if you don't want to share, we will all be glad here if you post just to say how you are going on, so that we can affirm our support for you.

Many years ago I started a dd for a charity, I still subscribe and ignore any 'begging' letters. I inform any telephone callers that I subscribe to my charity of choice and cannot afford to consider another. I donate to and buy from charity shops and feel that currently I can do no more.

Marie

7_week_wonder

Just popping in to say good luck for tomorrow fuddle!

Have been very impressed with OH this weekend. Yesterday morning he came back from the co-op at the end of the road with the paper and some very reduced salmon steaks! Then today he did the shopping (I'm holed up indoors with the cold). It was mainly fruit and veg and he'd managed to get at least half of it Yellow Stickered!

And I've just found out that we can get discounted shopping vouchers through his work. It's only 5% off - but that'll do me!

Enjoy the last bit of the weekend everyone.

Mrs_Veg_Plot

PAH goodluck with all that you are dealing with.

Fuddle good luck with the new job tomorrow.

OH did the Manchester to Blackpool overnight cycle last night in memory of his dad and has raised over £400 for the BHF. He is in charge of the charity committee where he works and they are supporting a local charity that provides gym and respite facilities for children with disabilities. We cannot afford to give much in the way of money so we are giving them some of our time. We have organised a clothes collection for their upcomming sale and have helped out with their collection at a local food festival. We are not able to give to the charities that post through the door and I agree with the poster that said charity begins at home.

Have made my christmas cake today. The house smells of christmas. Have got all of the fruit soaking overnight ready to make my mincemeat tomorrow. Have enjoyed doing them this afternoon.

Off to wake OH who is snoring on the sofa and send him off to bed.

Have a good week all.

MRS VP