'supporting each other through really tough times'

kezlou

lovely pic fuddle

OH and myself had a walk around stewarts park, so many chicks were swimming around. I love this time of year

Been at a coffee morning with a person from a group today, i was very nervous about going and she convinced so i got picked up and chaperoned there. It was a school for children with autism and it was lovely. All the hot drinks and food were made by the sixth formers, my diet went out the window with the toffee and apple cake. Very moreish.

Came back to see OH and carried out doing paperwork. Now just waiting for DS1 to come back from school so i can take him to a play centre. Its run by a charity who specialise in children with special needs. OH mentioned that he's worried about ds1 not socialising so may need to speak to his teacher about a confidence building course. Personally i think the autism side is coming out of him and hes finding it hard now he's in secondary school. Luckily at the play centre his really good friend will be there so thats good.

mardatha

Thanks MG I was thinking I might do flowers that way on a bare boring fence... don't need any more veg as it's in the ground.
I just found on the BBC weather site that I'm not 300m above sea level, I'm 404! Getting vertigo now!

FairyPrincessk

What a great list Pops!

I do have a slow cooker Mrs LW--I shall put that on the menu later this week. I've got some yoghurt in the fridge for another recipe so might have some for a breakfast. I was in a bit of a mood when we did our Sunday shop this week and decided that I NEEDED a sugary breakfast cereal, so a bit of nutrition in the morning wouldn't go amiss.:o

Brownies look and smell lovely. I'd never tried swirling in peanut butter, although I've done cream cheese before. The friend whose birthday it is helped us move and was cheerful, even at the end of the day:eek: Such a lovely guy, always nice to everyone, so wanted to do something nice for him. I think OH is really looking forward to the night out. He is just about finished with his course and about to have the summer off. I prefer to be in bed about the time we're set to head out for dinner but I guess I'll cope:D

Just been out to the garden and seen some little shoots peeking up. Very pleased by this. Also stuck some more eggshells out after doing the brownies.

savingqueen

Thanks for sharing that beautiful picture fuddle. I love birds, even though a little wary of the bigger ones or any near my head. DS9 and I have been watching Springwatch most eves, it's lovely to see the baby birds being cared for by the parents. DH has a different attitude, he doesn't like "their beady eyes and spindly legs" , honestly! Both mine love anything to do with nature and DS6 in particular is animal mad.

D&DD - it is your duty to share your worries here you know so share away! Sounds like you have a lot coming up. It might not be easy but you will get through it and if we can help in any way, emotional or practical, just ask. Hugs coming your way.... can you feel them yet?

well done for being brave and going to the group today kezlou - you were rewarded with cake as well!

I had a tax credits letter today, apparently we have been overpaid by £92 from 2 years ago. It doesn't say we need to pay it back or how to but as we aren't due any tax credits this year to deduct it from, I guess we will have to pay up. It's an extra bill we could really do without. I wish they would take into account that we live in SE and DH has huge travel costs so not as much to play with as his wage slip looks at first glance. I suppose I will have to phone them and get it sorted, they mention fines on there for non-payment.

I am sooo tired now and eating [STRIKE]too many[/STRIKE] all the biscuits. I could see DS9 was shattered when he came out of school, another assessment today (and he didn't score that well either which he is upset about). Asked him if he wanted to skip swimming and he gratefully said yes please and looked so relieved. Means I can do an early tea, DS9's turn for a bath and pack them off to bed with a book earlyish. Same routine for me too, looking forward to my bath.

sq:)

fuddle

3D's I sense your worry. You've got the right idea where having to cut back is concerned I feel and that is the only thing that can be cut back... Food. The positive thing is that you've your head screwed on, already prepared because that's what you do and have here to find out how to eeeeeek blood out of a stone. And if that doesn't work, we'll cry with you.

mardatha

D3 you'll be fine because you're a prepper supreme!
and no that's not a chinese dinner.

Pooky

Possessin - love the apple box book case, shame it's not so cheap to make now. Apple boxes go for around £20 each round here. How are your bunnies?

3Ds - losing an income stream of any sort is a worry but it's doubly hard when you know the amount of stress you've got coming up with DSs op. Get that prepping head on and run straight at it....you know you can do it!

Where's Grey Queen hiding? Hope she's ok?

It's thick sea mist and blowing a hoolie here today, typically my poppy decided to open its first flower and it's been battered by the wind and rain! Poor thing.

Found a damp patch on my lovely new kitchen ceiling this morning so was straight up the ladder in my jimjams doing a bit of repointing - hope its sorted now, time will tell, luckily it's not a huge issue and I know i can hack a bit of ceiling out and replace if need be (fingers crossed it dries out and just needs a touch up)

Cottage pie in the oven for dinner, it felt like a warming comfort food night (plus I'm trying to use up some of my stores so I can start refreshing them for the winter build up). Going to spend the evening with some patchwork (making new cushion covers), a glass of something cold and white and a few kittens for added snugglyness.

mcculloch29

Hello all.. work got busy, so I was AWOL. I completely agree with teaching being like acting, though I always try and remain 'me', just a bouncy, confident, very enthusiastic and informative version of me.

The enthusiasm is the thing that is most important (along with rock solid subject knowledge); how can I expect my learners to engage with anything that I am lukewarm about? I'm sure some of my learners have thought I was a bit OTT at times, but as long as they remembered what I was waxing lyrical about - and getting them to talk about, who cares?!

With my classroom teaching having disappeared for a while, (just online now) my income has dropped. I bit the bullet and discovered I was eligible for some -not much, but some - council tax benefit.
So I've claimed.

Last time in 2009 it was a nightmare, as they refused to give me benefit for school holidays, when I wasn't earning, an admin error meant I was overpaid JSA, so as I wasn't getting that, I couldn't get anything else. My new job came just in time...

Not much else on the Toughies front, usual bargain seeking goes on apace. I felt really silly the other day, as I realised the reason I couldn't steam brown rice the first time I tried in my steamer was that I had assembled it incorrectly, trying to follow the minuscule diagrams. Blush.

So Chicken Dopiaza (sp) for tea with steamed brown rice hopefully.
I usually do rice in the micro but I'm looking forward to seeing how it does in the steamer, as I would like to try using it as a bain-marie for something..... not sure what though!

Pops, hope you are OK and that your late night didn't take too much out of you.

[Deleted User]

D&DD have been thinking before posting to you, and I think what you have is facing the certainty of DSs operation other than it being something that's going to happen sometime, if that makes sense? It always takes the wind out of your sails when something solidifies and becomes reality and has to be faced full on. You have so much sense and experience, you are a real coper and you'll find ways to get through this difficult period, if you need ideas and suggestions and fixes to things we're here and always will be for you. You can't keep the worry inside, you NEED to share it, we'll be here to listen always, never every feel guilty for doing so, good heavens girlie, you're part of the family and we care as much for you and yours as we do for all our other pals, you keep talking to us, share your worries and if we can help WE WILL!!! If I was going to throw just one idea at you for eeking out the cash in the future and giving you some treats rather than always having to use basics it would be get your dehydrator going full time, but see if you can find lovely things, asparagus, strawberries, fresh figs etc, as the season goes along and put yourselves some luxury feel goods into store when they are at thier cheapest in season and on hard days later on, a treat will make you happy. I'm always at the other end of a PM if you need me and more than willing to listen and help if I possibly can, keep your pecker up, and keep nattering to us, Love Lyn xxx.

ArthriticOldThing

Hello everyone. I've been doing a bit of catching up on the thread and I too am jealous of gardeners - not that I've got anything more than a window box to play with.
I'm with you on the trying to stock up idea 3D's - especially when we know things are going to get tighter. Its what I've been doing since decided to retire - its why I've got 6 200g jars of my favourite coffee in my study - its been on special offer recently. I hope you get through this, there will be lots of support from everyone on here I'm sure.
I had to go for quarterly diabetic check this morning and was dreading it - I usually get scolded for something - but today there was good news as I've lost a little weight.:j That cheered me up almost as much as that gorgeous photo Fuddle.
I felt so positive I even had salad for lunch!!!