'supporting each other through really tough times'

VJsmum

Ooh I love snakes :eek:

I'm with you, Mrs LW - they feel lovely. People seem to think they are cold and slimey but they're not they are warm and smooth and so powerful and muscley. Because we often go walking in unusual places, we have seen a few in the wild (not so keen on them then ), including the time DD nearly stood on one thinking it was a stick :eek: Luckily it got the hell away before her foot actually made contact and didn't turn on her. We were in America so were not sure what it could have been, but the park rangers later told us it was probably a harmless black snake.

When the kids were little, we would take them to a petting zoo nearby quite regularly. THey had small corn snakes there - my friend was horrified when her DD came up to her with one asking for it to be put round her neck. Friend was even more aghast when I took it off her DD and put it round the DD's neck - she couldn't believe I would touch it.:)

More marking today

[Deleted User]

Oh VJsMUM I too go walking in unusual places courtesy of a certain Lurcher we know, none of them free of Muddddd and usually containing many more unsavoury items than I am prepared to commit to words. Oh the joys of dog ownership!!!!!! Have a good one, Cheers Lyn xxx.

Popperwell

Morning All,
A new day and though I was going to carry on tidying up and not go to bed before things were sorted...I did and slept for hours.

...the toilet, bedrooms, lounge,dining room, kitchen, hall, landing, outhouse are tidy. Most rooms were already. There never was many bin bags and most were not on show, not even on the day they called.

Annoyingly doing good(getting rid of stuff)worked against me. I was actually making the place better.

I probably feel more ready to do this having had it being a year of Mum's passing.

I am letting some more of Mums clothes and hats go to the charity shop today...a good sign.

Have to pop out today to buy my ticket for the Osmonds concert in September(straight there and back)but though a sunny day it is very windy. I hope to go to the music club tomorrow I don't suppose 3 hours will delay my late spring clean.

mardatha

I like snakes, daughter had a pet corn snake. I loved the sheer muscley power of its body and the funny wee beady eyes

fuddle

2 and a half hours it has taken me to write out the application form! Flaming 'eck I've loads to do today too. I hope I haven't wrote too much about why I think I'm good enough for the role. It's a fine balance between putting your all in something and going over board I think.

Another one to do tomorrow.

I've been looking into foundation degrees for teaching assistants. You know it feels weird going back because I was determined to go on to bigger and better things (and not at all happy with the teacher I worked with, kind of wanted to show her I was a professional in my own right not just her skivvy) but there's something to e said for a job you're good at, enjoy, plenty if time at home of an evening and school hols off. Stability is what I need right now so I'm putting all the feelings if not achieving to one side and going to try and get what I once had.

Feels weird accepting though. I lost the house and ended up B because I gave up that job. I know I've been a mam to the girls for 5 whole important years but to go back is a bit iffy psychologically... Still, I am still uptight whenever I think of that nursery so I think a bit of the devil you know is in order.

It's miserable outside now. I have to take the dog out and for once i just cant be bothered! (2nd walk of the day so he isnt too neglected) The builders are up on the scaffolding building and peering in my front room, shouting on and laughing like they do (they don't swear!!! I wonder if my landlord stops them?) so feeling a bit 'humph' at the minute.

Best do that ironing then and get another load in the washer. Never ending in this house!

Hey pops, your spring clean isn't late, it's spring that late so you're bang on time.

I've never seen a snake in the wild and really don't want to but I have stroked a one that was held and yes, I was surprised it was dry to touch. My mam put rubber snakes on the door handles to stop us from going up the stairs when we were kids and now I'm petrified but was determined not to pass it onto the girls so stroked a snake so they would. Cracking my pants but tried not to show it.

stiltwalker

I used to work in a small hotel and tea room in the middle of the Dales and my boss had a cat called Lucy - occasionally she would find a nest of field mice and bring them back one by one. This one time I was standing at the kitchen door and noticed her creep under the back of a car with a mouse and put it down - well the little thing was still hale and hearty and obviously still full of fight as it stood up on it's back legs bopped Lucy on the nose and ran off - If I'd not seen it I'd never have believed it, Lucy looked surprised then embarrassed and slunk further under the car and out of sight!

Got a good chunk of essay done this morning, now I need to gather my paperwork as we are having the meeting with disabled child team and others to sort out support for DD - we are hoping to get some respite hours (SW has suggested that this is what we should expect) so fingers crossed and wish us luck. These are the bits I really hate as we do have to confront the hard stuff and the bad bits of having kids with disabilities rather than the rest of the time when we just pootle along and treat it all as normal.

Cranky - that's lovely, thanks X

(((Fuddle))) - keep hanging on in there. X

(((Kidcat))) - hope you manage to sort something re DS, your darling parents better be hoping they never meet me as I so want to give them a big boot up the derriere! X

savingqueen

Afternoon all,

Just stopped for a quick early lunch, then into the kitchen for me to make a few meals for fridge/freezer before school run. No 'college day' meals for DH left in the freezer and now have 3 pms we get in late from school so need to have some meals ready to heat up. House is a tip but a proper clean/tidy will have to wait til Thurs as out most of Tues and Weds. Thursday is my only non courses/volunteering day so I will have to make sure I stay home!

Was out from school run to 3 supermarkets buying essentials. Really need to do a proper stock take and use some older stuff in freezer and watch spends now til end of month. Its a five-weeker for us (DH paid last Thurs of month), just paid out for vets and DS8 will DS9 before May's out as well as other extras we have had to fork out for. Kinda wished we hadn't had a takeaway at the weekend even though it was a cheap one.

Enjoying the mouse and snake stories. I can remember the 1st eve DH invited me over to his flat for a meal. Lovely food, candles etc until we had coffee on the sofa and I spotted a mouse dart across the carpet.:eek: DH knew he had one but didn't want to cancel our date or risk me not coming by telling me. I spent a tense half hour with my feet up and then had to go home. He got rid of that mouse pretty sharpish after that eve.

I was up even earlier this morning, heading for bathroom at 6.20 to find my two boys fully dressed heading down to make themselves breakfast! They were desperate to check on their tomato plants ... all 2 of them !! They must have heard about slugs from GQ as they are doing regular security checks on their plants!

glad DS15 had a lovely birthday kidcat and stiltwalker lovely to hear of your day out and that the buggy is proving an asset. My dear friend's lad is 9 and they have a disability buggy now for longer walks/days out - its brill for them all as our little friend can join in with lots more activities and trips out with us now.

right no more excuses... off to the kitchen
sq:)

savingqueen

oooh forgot to ask a Q:

I made a double batch of spag bol last night. DH was home later than planned from a mate's house watching footie so I gave boys their dinner earlier and kept ours warm in the pan for about another hour. When DH came in I heated the remaining bol mix up further to piping hot just to be sure.

Problem is I forgot to separate the bol mix in the beginning and put one lot aside to cool and stick in fridge - do you think I can re-heat the other half of bol mix (til piping hot obviously) or is it a no-no?

hope the above makes sense!
sq:)

[Deleted User]

SQ the bolognese sauce will be absolutely fine to reheat, it's only a problem if you let it cool right down and keep it in the room overnight to cool it, but even then if you get it hot enough and hold it there for 10 or so minutes it will kill off anything lurking. If it's been fridged overnight it will be just fine.

FUDDLE if you go back to something you KNOW you are good at, that is not a step back but a step forward because you will have the confidence to do the job superbly. What has been in life is gone, and the way is forwards and upwards now girlie, don't carry the baggage, find a convenient left luggage area and walk away, you can you know!!!

STILTWALKER I've got some nice sturdy boots too, if you need any help in tackling the parental derrieres you only have to ask!!! I think Kidcat's got enough on her plate even on a good day to not need that particular brand of hassle!!! Cheers Lyn xxx.

BitterAndTwisted

Heat it, eat it and be happy.