'supporting each other through really tough times'

JKJ

savingqueen wrote: »

thanks D&DD & kidcat - need a hug. I try to screen calls but DH picks the phone up without thinking. You're right my biggest source of anxiety/stress other than DS2's problems is my extended family followed by DH's. Why both sides? I know this sounds so awful but I actually feel envious at times at other people who have supportive parents, siblings etc - even though I don't for one second begrudge them their supportive families - if that makes sense. I feel like we have no-one to turn to, familywise at least in a crisis. The good friends I have - and I am very lucky here - are friends who have more than enough on their plate. I think this is why Christmas makes me anxious - all the happy families stuff advertisers ram down our throats. I am extremely lucky though to have my DH and our boys. I will be ok tomorrow, dust myself down and carry on.


sq:)

How I empathise with you. Extended Families ......arghhhhhhhh :eek::eek::eek:

[Deleted User]

all the food basics and they are economical, includes braised turkey drumsticks. I have saved the page and will probably print it later. All her food always turns out
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/nov/30/delia-smith-christmas-lunch-cheap

GreyQueen

Softstuff wrote: »

I donated to the food bank collecting at Sainsburys when I was in England - I heartily approve of non-specific lists of wants like "rice" and "tea-bags", so filled a basket with things and handed it over. I refused to donate to the one collecting locally here and made my thoughts known as to why: they were asking for specific things like "Kelloggs multi mini pack cereal", "Heinz Baked Beans" and other high branded expensive items. I asked why it was so brand specific and was told that the people using it didn't want any own-brand rubbish.... if we eat the "own brand rubbish" to maintain our budget I'm !!!!!!ed if I'm going to donate a dearer brand than we're eating. Since then we've donated childrens books to the library for their Christmas appeal (they give them to kids without books) instead.

Blimey, the cheek of them; I eat Basics brands and I could never see the situation where I'd buy premium brands to donate. If they're truthfully reporting the attitude of the food bank users, then those people need to get over themselves, IMO.

Anyroad, anyone who has worked in a food processing factory (like me) knows that the branded and ownbranded stuff is coming off the same lines and is often identical, or so nearly so that a blind taste-test would struggle to find the difference.

Was talking to Mum at the weekend; their small market town is setting up a foodbank. Both parents are about 70 and have never seen the like of this.

WeegieWumman wrote: »

It's snowing and the world outside my window is white and silent.

:) Envy. I find snow mesmerising, could watch it for hours. We had an iron frost yesterday which stayed all day except where the sun was on it for hours. I went to the lottie but only for long enough to dump the rotables in the compost Dalek. There were icebergs one inch thick on my water butts.

Yup, think winter has arrived. Keep warm and keep well, people. I shall be socially-butterflying again tonight, go me.:p

jem132

Morning all thankyou for your thoughts xx

We are going to decorate the gingerbread house tonight I will see if I can workout how to post a pic.

I think it was saving queen who had problems with phone calls my answer to that one is take the batteries out of my house phone then on a night put them bk in and listen to messages and deal with it then or later I have a mobile so if people need me they have that no and you can see who's calling. Xx

Wet and icey outside. Xx

Possession

Will have a look at that thanks Kittie, am not cooking xmas dinner (only helping) but I'm sure it is still relevant.
Great new about DGS Ginny. Aren't they funny, these little people. It would be fascinating to see what they were thinking.

Any advice on helping a child to sleep? DD was really upset last night as she couldn't get to sleep - she was in bed at 8pm (she's 7) and at 10.30 she came down crying. It was only lying down with me that got her to sleep by 11, and she was awake again at 5am. Not sure why but it may be a build up of excitement - last xmas eve she was still awake at 12.30am which as you can imagine was a bit of a pain for elf logistical reasons!

Thriftkitten

Good morning all, I love following this thread and the preparing for winter, it gives me a lovely cozy feeling when the winter weather starts to get a bit brisk, Kinda stirs up my vintage side, I remember my favourite winter a few years ago when we got a dousing of snow
(I'm in Cornwall so we don't get much of the white stuff), the kids were out playing all day, I hooked up the local radio station and sent a constant supply of hot chocolate and fresh warm gloves out the door for most of the day... The kids really loved this, although I think we used every plastic tray in the house for sledding as we didn't have any sleds. Am currently admiring a live webcam at Kings house hotel in Glencoe Argyll scotland somewhere. I do love to watch the webcams of the snow..... Sad, but true, gives me a xmassy feeling.
Hope all are well and staying warm, I am going through a ridiculous amount of gas to heat this new house that we moved into in the spring.. Old council house but with a crazy amount of land, the chooks love living on the allotment, which reminds me, I need to get some porridge made to warm them up.... Stay warm and cozy all and please send some snow down this way!!!:rotfl:

Chipps

Possession wrote: »

Any advice on helping a child to sleep? DD was really upset last night as she couldn't get to sleep - she was in bed at 8pm (she's 7) and at 10.30 she came down crying. It was only lying down with me that got her to sleep by 11, and she was awake again at 5am. Not sure why but it may be a build up of excitement - last xmas eve she was still awake at 12.30am which as you can imagine was a bit of a pain for elf logistical reasons!

Our youngest DS had a problem getting to sleep at one time. The thing that helped him was a CD of harp music! He would have it playing when he went up to bed & was asleep well before it ended. Whether it was the fact that it was soothing, or just plain bored him to sleep I don't know (his preferred listening now is heavy metal!) but whatever the reason, it worked!

kidcat

Possession - its probably overload of excitement, its a sensory thing, maybe try half an hour before bed of no stimulation, quiet music, lights low, no TV just relaxing.

JKJ

possession when I have trouble sleeping I use an app I have on my phone that plays rain pattering on glass. I set it to run 15 minutes and I have yet to hear it finish.

Howard43Willard

Hopefully Pink or one of the board guides can help with adjusting this first page.