make do and mend for tougher times

kidcat

DS8 has been missing several times, each time every minute felt like an eternity. The first time was in a major store on a shopping park and the staff were incredible, didnt announce just locked store down and had people checking cameras, it took 45 minutes and at that point I honestly imagined he was gone forever - he was four.
He has done it numerous times since, in supermarkets, on holiday climbing out of windows. No matter how alert and on the mark I am he still manages it. His key worker pointed out that she thinks its not a reflection that I fail its more a reflection that he manages so very few times
Its scary as he would go with anyone, he wouldnt even need to know them - and its something we are always working on.

DD6 is different, and does play out in the front where we can see her, she in in and out with her friends, but we dont watch her constantly, we cant. I have spent time explaining that the rules are simple, you never ever go with anyone (no exceptions at all) or go into anyones home without telling me first. Its a lesson I am re-inforcing this week. I have noticed less kids out this week too.

Its so sad as with every act these people commit they rob all of our children of their special time.:(

There was an OSer from Hitchin
Who filled up the whole of her kitchen
She shopped and she stored
Until she was bored
Whilst planning her next set of stitchin!!

Am back from another mammoth day, I have to say that in the past few days I have fitted so much in and achieved so much I begin to wonder if someone had added another six hours into each day for me!

Tonight DD17 and I went to Trafford Centre for party outfits. DD bought hers in first shop she visited:j:j priced at £65 but reduced to £35. Went to till and it was reduced again to £25:j:j
Found DS8 some smart trousers ( he really enjoys wearing smart stuff and really wanted a suit:eek: ) reduced in BHS.
Wandered into every store and found nothing for me. Finally gave up and was wandering to the car and passed Wall!s so just popped in, found seven tops I liked, tried them on and picked one :j:j £45 reduced to £25 on label, went to till and was charged just £16:j

Just so relieved we are now sorted as its another major job done.

Tomorrow I need to pay venue, book balloons and buy presents and cards. Have delegated banners to my mum to do. As well as usual stuff and helping at DD6 school disco - just hope someone adds the extra hours to tomorrow too:rotfl::rotfl:

Popperwell

7_week_wonder wrote: »

I know it is an intensely personal decision - but we (my mum and I) decided to scatter my dad's ashes in the sea nearby where we spent family holidays. We loved the idea of setting him off to explore the oceans and the world. When we go back it's lovely to think of the happy times we spent there. If I win the lottery I might get a park bench put there, but meanwhile we are happy with our memories.

It's difficult I like your idea but they say the new crem where Mum is has a lovely garden. I am so tempted by what you suggest but if I do where do I choose? I should not feel rushed even if I have to consider delaying and bringing them home.

I mean our happiest holiday times were spent in Bournemouth. Could I manage a trip there? Would I be allowed to do scatter them there? Would I feel too far away from Mum? I don't want to make this thread unhappy/take it over but they are all thoughts we must think of at some point even when all is well.

Thank you for your input 7 week Wonder I really do appreciate it.

craigywv

Popperwell wrote: »

Do you think they think your area is doing well or that they just haven't got around to changing things. I did hear that an excuse given for the drop in profits is that they are altering the layout and some of the interiors of their stores(but I suspect the drop is mainly due to customers spending less and staying away)

well the layout in my BIG tescos has changed in the past 2 weeks..........they have taken away a good chunk of the store and its now a massive alcohol section!!!! so tell me as i cant get my head around this why more than double the size of the off liscence when people can barely manage to buy food nevermind alcohol do they know something i dont know or are we all going to be driven to drink by the state of the economy.......i would prefer feeding my family and having more choice of grub to buy!! But then people are saying that own brands are going missing everyday maybe this is why ...making room for bigger sections not food related, my opinion entirely ,prob wrong prob one sided too lol.............i dont drink:)

Popperwell

Pooky wrote: »

But she's been asked to stay until 10pm and the next bus isn't until 10.35. I've advised her to stay at the store until last possible moment or walk with others to the bus stop.

She's not nervous and I've tried to be calm and bright and breezy about it, us parents never stop worrying. I've no idea why it worries me more at 10.30 than at 8pm.

Makes sense to me.

I didn't like walking around the streets of Durham City a few weeks ago alone and then sitting in the bus station waiting for a bus at almost 11pm and then walking around the streets of my town nearly getting home for midnight!

maryb

One of my DD's school friends is back living at home (like most of them) but she has a job in the City which means she is often coming home about 10pm and it's a dark walk from our suburban station. Her mum is virtually teetotal these days as she won't have a glass of wine of an evening so that she can go and pick her up from the station.

We were talking about it and we agreed, girls do still get looked after by those who care about them. It's no reflection on their worth or ability to hold down a challenging job - it's life. All over the country, dads (and mums) are staying up till the small hours so they can pick their daughters up from wherever.

When you have daughters of your own it makes you look differently at times gone by which were supposedly so constraining for women - and you realise it was probably made up of thousands of individual loving parents wanting to keep their girls safe

Popperwell

I don't drink much and it would be the last thing I'd buy by choice or because I haven't the money and if they bring in a minimum price it will be out!

I can just about manage strong cheap cider(£2 for 4 cans)or perhaps a bottle of something rum/brandy based if you are not drinking the whole bottle off and can mix it or have a small amount and it is perhaps no more than £3 or I have look for a promotion.

But I really can go for weeks, months, years without. And I suspect in the future I will have to.

nuatha

Popperwell wrote: »

I'll say this once and drop it as it is sad and again others have had to/will face a similar situation...

I will finally have to make a decision about Mum's remains. I feel bad if I don't have some kind of memorial for Mum but if I do the place is difficult to get to and in one way whilst I know Mum is no longer in the world I feel sad that she is there all alone(That's Human response)because Mum isn't whether she is in a better place or there isn't another place we go.

Then again if I have some kind of plaque or have her name written in the book of rememberence they are going to charge anything from £300+ to £617 and yet I feel a heel if I just let Mum's ashes be buried with no kind of mention but that costs nothing. It's as if she was never here but we're all just passing through. It's getting to me trying to decide what to do for the best...for her and for me.

Pops there are other options available to you.
We lost Herself's Dad last year, as he'd been a train driver we arranged for his ashes to go in the firebox of a steam loco and be scattered that way in a beauty spot (as it happens, not that far from you) but we could just as easily scatter them in an area we could visit easily or had special significance to the family. There is nothing to stop you bring her ashes home and storing them until you decide what's right for you both. I suspect very few people ever look at those books of remembrance, and locally those plaques need a new fee paying every five years.
The most important thing is that you have your memories of her, they alone prove she didn't just pass through but was a special person that touched other people's lives.
HTH

Possession

Re. Mr T, if these promotions are branded goods then 9 times out of 10 it won't be Mr T taking a hit, the manufacturer will be asked (or told) to supply them at a promotional rate - it is them who pay for the promotion, not Mr T.

I have had the discussion with my children about April and about not going anywhere even with people they know. I hadn't mentioned about a missing girl at all before today (we don't have the TV on generally except for the kids' programmes in the day), but I asked if she had been mentioned at school and she had. They were very vague about it though, and bless them completely innocent of any reason to take her except for ransom money. DS (10) was convinced she was taken by bandits. I wish they could always stay innocent and not worry about bad, evil people but I guess that isn't possible. : (
On a happier note I have felt marginally better today and have managed to do some cleaning and tidying and downstairs looks better. On a worse note I have just sat and ate far too much cheap icecream for no adequate reason at all. : (

mardatha

Really enjoyed the Wartime Farm tonight but its somehow not as "real" as the Victorian one... they were def not shot blasting in the coalmine and that fried Spam and egg Ruth made on the gas fired ambulance looked def cold and soggy, yet the next minute the 3 of them were eating happily....But I loved the horse!

emalou88

Pops - Sounds a bit horrible but my Mum has had my Dad's ashes back and has them at home, along with my Gran's who died of a brain tumour 3 years ago. The original plan was to wait till my Grandad passed away and scatter his and my nan's ashes together in Yorkshire ( that's where they come from originally)
However we never expected this to happen to my Dad, so had his back as we didn't really know what to do. Now we think we'll still wait for Grandpa to pass and scatter all 3 together.