'supporting each other through really tough times'

Uniscots97

Jamanda, I ened up putting some cotton wool in my dogs ears. No she didn't like it but it muffled the sound and she was calmer, kept her beside me.

[Deleted User]

JAMANDA - We've tried all the vet can suggest, and every strategy to manage his fear but nothing has been in the least bit effective. Now all we can do for him is let him be where he feels safe, under the desk in the study, keep the music on all evening and take turns to be in here with him as he doesn't like being left, until the wretched things stop. The trouble is that people here don't seem to stop letting them off from now to after New Year. I so wish there was legislation to at least limit the period that fireworks are available for sale, but that wouldn't stop people saving them and letting them off at other times. I think the general public is unaware or uncaring of what the noise and lights do to both domestic pets and wild things and that is the biggest problem, Cheers Lyn xxx.

savingqueen

A very good morning to you all

A definite nip in the air today but lovely and bright which is helping to lift me out of the doldrums a bit. Have some washing on (one day will get to the bottom of the baskets! have handwashing in there from the summer ha ha )

Had a hellish morning getting my two up and out for school as neither wanted to go back. Knew I would have trouble when they were still asleep at 7.30 and had to wake them. How I got them into school I shall never know. DS1 had sorted himself out the time we pulled up but DS2 threw his bags on the ground a couple of times and when I sneeked a peak at him in class, I saw his bags and drink flung under the table. Oh well nothing I can do from here and at least I warned the teacher what might come.

Forgot to say before Stiltwalker - glad you all had a wonderful day. :smileyhea

Sunshine (what a lovely user name BTW) - have a great time

Thoughts on donating unwanted pet food - when our retired cats couldn't digest ordinary cat food and we switched to the senior stuff, I unearthed 24 tins of cat food. I took it to the local PDSA hospital and they were very suprised and grateful. Another option for someone maybe?

On the religious/spiritual/"insert whatever is important to you" note: I was christened a Catholic but never practised. Grew up in a mixed beliefs household: Dad a practising Catholic (still is), Mum an atheist. Wasn't allowed to go Dad's church when little (even though I wanted to) as that would have meant effectively going to the Catholic school linked to it and the school wasn't great. When I was older and safely settled into a good non-religious school, Dad wanted me to go to church and I refused which didn't do down at all well. In the end a deal was struck - I didn't have to go to his church but had to go the one I was christened in - my Grandma's one in Consett, Co. Durham when we visited. I also used to go to Girls Brigade and my friend's sunday school (so I could go on the trips I think!) so I had a fairly balanced upbringing in that sense. I remember Girls Brigade not wanting me to join with my religious background but my mum marched in and told them they were being very unChristian in their attitude and so they caved in.

I also know GQ from a very early age that church and formal religion wasn't for me. I was a painfully shy child and a goody two shoes generally in school but very stubborn when it came to principles. I can remember getting in all sorts of trouble, including missing the school Xmas party one year for not singing hyms in assembly. I used to be staunchly atheist but interested in all religions and alternative views and respect and defend strongly people's rights to religious and other beliefs (as long as those beliefs do no harm to others of course.) I have mellowed with age though and do feel a connection to mother nature and the universe without believing in a god as such. I have considered becoming a humanist but never taken it any further.

ok better leave the deep and meaningful talk and go hang the washing.

sq:)

Popperwell

Aria`s_Tail wrote: »

Going out to a gig tonight, a famously loud metal band so will try and remember earplugs this time. Last time I saw them indoors it took nearly a week to regain my full hearing!

Well I invested in some really good one's recently, never needed them before as it had been around 20 years since I was last at a theatre but I'm glad I did, they really work and it also means I can sit right at the front or near to and not come out with dull sound/ringing in the ears...

Enjoy!

I saw the 60's pop group the Searchers a week ago and will see 10cc all being well in April:eek:but the bus service is so bad and taxis so expensive I am saving for the taxi home now...it's silly money but if I salt 50p away here and there I'll have it saved but no way am I using a taxi both ways just for coming home.

7_week_wonder

Morning toughies,

Just a quick dash through as I should be preparing for a monster lecture I have to give this afternoon. But following on from all the discussions about religions and paganism and stuff I just wanted to recommend this book. I got it ages ago, it's not cheap, but might be worth trying to get from the library. It's not about the religious aspects, more the "living in tune with nature aspects" of life.

And I'm another one who would happily sign the "ban the fireworks" petition. Having only just got our cat back from being missing I'm worried sick he'll disappear again as he hates fireworks (if he's indoors he sits in his box growling - and he *never* normally growls).

Have a good day everyone.

smileyt_2

Hulloo peeps, just having a quick tea-break in between housework jobs. House is a tip as I've been busy recently. But, I've done all the recycling and put the rubbish out, sorted out some washing (I love the sound of the washing machine doing its thing, it makes me feel like I've done something useful :rotfl:) and am just about to do last night's washing-up. I need to empty the hoover and walk the dogs before I go to work. It will be dark when I get back tonight and Bruno is wary of the fireworks. If I walk them now I'll only have to pop them out for a quick wee when I get home. If I stuff him full of treats every couple of minutes he might not be too scared.

I need to contact Ovo. I switched to a cheaper, fixed tarriff and not only have they not paid me the £100 that my account with them was in credit by, they took another direct debit payment out of my bank account so they owe me £160 :eek: and I want it back! I've now cancelled the direct debit so they can't do the same thing again.

Lovely and sunny today, but cold. I'd much rather have it like this than damp and drizzly - dry cold is much easier to cope with!

homerdog

Lisa ..... I hope you won't be scraping the bottom of the tins to get at the beans that always get left in the bottom while you're at it. :rotfl:

lisakay wrote: »

Kidcat, chuck us a scone please

Yay, new thread

hope you've all had a good day, will go back and make sure i've not missed much on the old thread shortly x

Things here are looking to get really tough soon
Apart from DH's possible redundancy, he also has arthritis in both hips and is really struggling with the pain. He did a couple of driving shifts (Overtime, he's normally in the office) and can barely walk today, which means he'll have to cut back on the OT and possibly have to take sick leave at some point for another op...we'll be up that creek, will have to start whittling a paddle out of recycled pallets!
I'm going to up the ante on advertising my childminding more and I have a seed of an idea starting to germinate to sell some crafts/run some courses at the school.

We have 18mths left to pay on a loan, that with both incomes is being paid off comfortably, but going to start cutting back further on outgoings to try and pay it off early. Sky tv already cancelled (but have now got it free until after christmas and it's on the calendar to cancel before we have to pay again). the animals are already happy eating the cheapest food and DH agreed to no more beer and to cut back on meat portions (he would happily eat 3 or 4 pork chops in one meal:eek: he'll now be getting one and only one!!)
everything in this house gets recycled, repurposed, reused and lots of other people offload stuff that they can't use because they know I will. (one of my colleagues laughed at me when I grabbed a big plastic tub with a lid out of the bin to store the kids lego in because you can buy one for a quid...there gonna laugh at me even more when i rifle through the bin for the big baked bean tins to repurpose )

operation skinflint has begun!!! :T

fuddle

Good day Toughies.

I'm all a bit fingers and thumbs today, in a happy way

Erm, DH called me to say he's taken a peculiar call from a builder he knows through work. When I say builder, I mean owner of housing developments. He wants to meet up with DH as he was showing him around the show homes the other day and DH showed an interest in them saying they were like what we used to have etc. DH said he mentioned renting one from him as the houses were standing there, unable to be sold. It's North, North Yorkshire and would be ideal but not getting my hopes up. Just thought I'd mention it as I seem to share all ups and downs with you... lol poor souls.

I'll keep you posted, (you know me)

Right, I really have to go do some tidying up! Chat later friends

shegar

fuddle wrote: »

Good day Toughies.

I'm all a bit fingers and thumbs today, in a happy way

Erm, DH called me to say he's taken a peculiar call from a builder he knows through work. When I say builder, I mean owner of housing developments. He wants to meet up with DH as he was showing him around the show homes the other day and DH showed an interest in them saying they were like what we used to have etc. DH said he mentioned renting one from him as the houses were standing there, unable to be sold. It's North, North Yorkshire and would be ideal but not getting my hopes up. Just thought I'd mention it as I seem to share all ups and downs with you... lol poor souls.

I'll keep you posted, (you know me)

Right, I really have to go do some tidying up! Chat later friends

The vital question is, have it got a chimney pot.? Remember your love for a Esse Lionheart stove.?..........

Pooky

Fingers crossed Fuddle.

DD2 had a Pre-op check this morning, she goes in on 23rd for 4 teeth to be removed and one pulled down as its not descended properly....both DDs have inherited my small pallet and are having to go through quite a bit of oorthadontist work, bless them. She needs a week off school afterwards apparently but we will see how she goes.

The house was starting to feel really cold to the core today, even though the sun is shining so I've whacked the heating on low for a couple of hours and it's now toasty warm. Had to lay more poison in the loft as the mice have scoffed the last lot, if it weren't full of insulation I'd shove a couple of cats up there to earn their keep.

Off to play with wire and fabric and stuff.....if it works, I'll be able to make a few more as presents!