'supporting each other through really tough times'

mardatha

Sort of in the middle is good! LOL
____________> goes to find a map

Mrs_Chip

Afternoon All!

Ghastly horrid dark skies and cold rain this morning, now the sun is out! ! Weather, eh? :rotfl:. (Spoke too soon, it's back in and raining!).

Anybody watching George Clarke's Amazing Spaces on C4 (it's available on 4OD to watch again) - about people making lovely living spaces in tiny places and things - lots of interesting design ideas for small-scale living (GQ!) but lots of drool-worthy stuff, little hidey-holes in woodland spots and retro caravans. And tiny wood burners in most of them :rotfl:.

Pasties were delicious, the meat I bought (should have been skirt but I couldn't get it) was flash fry steak from Mr M, and it was excellent, very tender. I am fussy about meat and only went to look there as I saw on TV that they now use the whole of the animal, so good for the OS cuts. But I will go back and try some of their other meat.

Not planning to do a lot today, but next week we need to start the big tidy up for the dreaded C word Best bit of Christmas for me is when it is all over and everyone has gone home and you can just flump about in your jammies!

Have a good day everyone!

Aria`s_Tail

OOOh. I WANT SNOW. Well tomorrow afternoon would be good for me, few jobs to do in the morning!

jpscloud

fuddle wrote: »

A very sad thing happened though... she's 8 and knows about Santa Claus. :(She's promised to keep it to herself for her sisters enjoyment as she's only 4. I trust her. She might be struggling with her boundaries but she would never ruin it for her sister like that. That much I do know.

Children are losing their innocence too early. even mine :cool:

Do you mean to say Father Christmas isn't real??!! :eek:
Seriously though, when I was small and my big brother had already sussed it all out, my Mum used to send him outside on Christmas eve when I went to bed to wait with a little bell under my window. She'd open the window and we'd stand there looking for Father Christmas' sleigh in the stars... then he would tinkle the bell for all he was worth and I'd shriek and jump into bed and pretend to be asleep!

Maybe your eldest could do something similar (not ouside necessarily)? It would include her in the magic and encourage her to keep The Secret for her little sis I know my brother absolutely loved it

I've had a lovely half term, I did some daughterly duties for my disabled Dad, but most of the time this holiday I've had to myself, to potter and rest and be self indulgent. I am so grateful for that opportunity! As I get older (fifty next year :eek:) I feel more and more comfortable with myself and as we've discussed before on this thread, I feel no need to put on any appearances these days. I'm a batty old spinster - I think I was born to be one, because I've never felt so content!

The house is a dreadful mess (I'm usually to be found on the My House is a Mess thread for that reason!) but I'm gradually doing odd jobs and it is getting slightly better. With working full time and not being the most energetic of people, I have to choose between resting/crafting/cooking and housework. Housework generally loses (except for essential hygiene I hasten to add).

This week I've been cutting up some leylandii poles from a giant hedge that I cut down two years ago, for firewood. I use a small clay chiminea in my fireplace and when I have that on, I don't need to use the gas central heating so it's worth using the leylandii up for fuel.

During the working week I'm out at just after 6 and not back until just before 5, sometimes later - so I've started "making do" without the central heating. I use small fan heaters so the room I'm in is warm, and have them on timers so it's warm when I get up. Then at weekends I have the open fire on, and I think I'll put the CH on one day a week to keep it running and air the house out.

This month I've saved over £30 on gas, compared to this time last year and the electric is the same even with using fan heaters more. I think the reason for that is because my old fridge freezer was packing up and probably snarfing up way too much electricity.

Happy new thread everyone... I'm still only up to page 5! I don't post often but I do love this thread and would be lost without it.

debtmess

Afternoon all.

Cold here today, had to pop into town to exchange a game that had been out in wrong box ds happy now.

No sign of impending snow here but it would have been nice (sorry) have the joys of getting uniform and pe kits together and house up to scratch ready for back to school/work tomorrow, I'm not off again till just before Christmas so enjoyed my week at home.

Kittikins

I'm near Brighton and we've had so much rain my garden looks like a marsh. But MrT's supermarket reckons snow is on the way as they've put out bags of salt, snow shovels and gloves for sale all over the place! Hope we don't get it, hate snow, or more I hate the compacted snow and ice and falling over

Mr T's also have a cheddar cheese on a buy one get 2 free, £4.93 for 300g (daylight robbery! but it redeems itself by turning out to be cheap with the 2 free malarkey). HTH

Possession

Aria's Tail the 3 bird roasts are already in the freezer at my Aldi.
Just had a very exciting trip to Ikea to have a look at the wardrobe systems for the children's rooms. Pleasantly surprised by prices I must say. Haven't bought anything though as DH's start date isn't confirmed, so just in case. DS's chest of drawers in his room collapsed completely yesterday though so it won't be a moment too soon. It was very cheap flat pack furniture and has been made do and mended too much over the last 12 years, time to get rid.

[Deleted User]

missrlr wrote: »

Water butts are now full .... wondering if I can get more to get some additional storage, but the problem of space arises .....

ours are full too but we will be letting them run down if we get very cold weather. The potential is for a massive block of ice and no where for it to go, so likely to split the plastic, as happened to a neighbour`s butts

fuddle

It is the coldest it has been here so far this autumn. It's literally bitter out there.

Lyn thank you for the solstice celebration info, I now know where the sweet mince at this tie of year comes from. We've been perusing the garden centre today and now I have my eyes open about Yule, I saw a whole section on bells, logs, pine cones and natural little bits of loveliness. DD wants to copy an idea of making snowflake shapes out of sticks, glueing and sprinkling glitter. Ideal some time in the next few weeks. We explained to the girls in there that were (DH is not at all Christian as he should be and I'm shocked after 10 years of being with him how much he knows about Pagan traditions) going to celebrate the gift of life and light and invite the outside in (in the form of decorations) to help us celebrate the gift of life. It's got the girls thinking and they would like to help the birds more this year.

So that's what we've been doing, making more bird cake, drilling through a little baking tray and hung that on the branch to put bread and seeds in. They've speared an apple on there too.

Me too Mar, I'm christened a christian but never quite got it and certainly don't have beliefs. I've always celebrated Christmas though but just didn't quite get it, I didn't feel anything other than a family time of year. Celebrating the winter solstice and what it's all about is what we've been doing for years without knowing about it. I like what I can see, what I can feel, what I'm experiencing and that's why I'm becoming more interested in Paganism... not wicca witchcraft or druidry or anything of that sort, just simple traditional celebration of life.

I have waffled and I am worried I have offended some people's religious beliefs. Please don't be offended. I'm just typing some realisations I'm having for me. I think when people go through a tough time they look for something to cling on to and I suspect that's what I'm doing. I'm questioning everything in order to fight my way through a load of brain fog

2tonsils

Ooooohhh...found you all. I saw the mention of this thread but thought it was a separate one from the Make do and mend...I didn't realise it was meant as a replacement. Now I know where to post again lol

Had a nice morning of sunshine but now the storm clouds are gathering again. We drove down the coast and had a lovely walk on the beach. Both took our cameras so lots of lovely photographs. The locals are still swimming in the sea so it must be reasonably warm in there still. Called for a snack and nice cup of tea on the way home.

Going to make some belly pork with roast potatoes for dinner tonight and I have a craving for a gluten free syrup sponge with home made custard. Last day of treats before I tighten up my healthy eating so going to make one just big enough for dinner tonight and no spares.

Have to go for my six monthly check up tomorrow night with the endocrinologist. I have a benign tumour on my thyroid and he likes to do a scan to keep an eye on it and make sure it stays benign. He is going to be very pleased with my blood tests which are almost perfect according to the results he wanted me to get to. I always get nervous before the scan in case something nasty shows on it, but at least I get the results immediately from him.

I will be going to the gym for a workout in the morning and trying to chill out in the afternoon, before the appointment at 7pm. There are storms forecast for tomorrow but I think they will set in tonight. Its been a bit cooler today, it was 21 when we passed the thermometer near to Aqualand.

No plans for tonight as we had a late night last night. Had a wonderful Chinese meal then went to the karaoke. Only a few friends there but a good time was had by all.