'supporting each other through really tough times'

Possession

I love haslet, haven't had it for years. Brings back memories of sunday tea.
VJ's mum we are having a dry January and at the moment I am swigging a lime and soda.
Good news on the meters Fuddle.
My two little ones are going back to school tomorrow and I will miss them, we've had a lovely Christmas, but it will be nice to get my own time, even if I'll be working.

maryb

Glucosamine is supposed to boost collagen. I have Dupuytren's Contracture in my hand which is excessive collagen. Anecdotes among people with DC is that glucosamine really does make it worse - which sort of suggests that if you need a collagen boost it might help

7_week_wonder

Evening folks,
I hope eveyone has survived their first day back at work.

Well done softstuff with making it to week 2 with the running: keep up the good work! We had our first lunch-time outing of the year today, this year started as last year finished - it was chucking it down and we got drenched

Not much else to report: a quiet night in - the highlight of which has been ordering some wool for my crochet bag.

Have a good evening everyone.

fuddle

Oh thanks soft stuff. I will look at the link tomorrow with thw intention of making it How do you make custard *whispers* without custard powder?

Map my walk suggested I'd be burning 1000 cals a day walking 8.5 miles, that's too much isn't it? Surely I ain't that lucky! Even so, I need breakfast, full nights sleep and food to sustain the afternoon jolt. Going to just eat normally for now.

Can I just say it's here. My new life and routine start tomorrow! 6am start consisting of dog walk and then all systems go! Porridge oats soaking in the fridge for the morning, and more I'm wanting to step up the home cooking and learning. I relied far too much on slow cooked mince but want to somehow keep the costs down and vary meals. Packed lunches (both girls on them as of tomorrow) need to be wholesome and hand made. Making jam tarts tomorrow for the rest of the week.

I'm excited although all that has changed is my 4 walls. I'm no better off financially but I feel richer. I feel like I have a good 6-9 months left of being a stay at home mam and I'm going to enjoy it. I'm determined to let the girls in on cooking our meals and teach them the basics before I look for full-time work. Heck you've still so much to teach me. So, yes, the calm, I'm settled and looking forward to feeling richer even though we're most probably going to get poorer the coming months... Who isn't?!

My shopping came in at £15 more this week an I really need to address that. Surely items can't accrue that amount of jump?

kidcat

Yes fuddle they can

Softstuff - I am so close to finishing my shredding, eight bin bags and possibly another to go.
had something very bizarre happen though, please bear with me whilst I share -
OH hates his job, OH has done nothing but moan about said job for months, OH has had any number of screaming fits that I have failed to apply for any new jobs for him OH has come close to being buried alive for said screaming fits.

Just before Christmas he was chatting with a friend of mine (from our parent grp) and it so happens that this guy works in a similar envirnoment/field. But more technical and much better paid, the friend says that OH should put his CV in a with his experience and qualifications of a job came up he felt he would have a chance at it.
Two days later I am browsing local free paper (which we have only just started to receive after OH went out and mugged the guy in next road) and there is a page advertising jobs at said place (was thrilled at the cowinky dinks)

Handed said page to OH who was really pleased, said piece of paper was recycled a week later! OH did nothing. Finally today I managed to find the web page it related to and the closing date is tomorrow at midnight, so I explain that I will help with it but OH will need to contribute.
We sit and slowly work our way through the form (all online - not a very good web site either), finally reaching the end a hour or so ago, at which point it tells us we have to upload his CV.

We do not have a CV for him, he has been 16 years at the current place and the last one he did was two computers ago. Am not impressed and beginning to lose patience so take a few minutes off swearing at the computer to continue shredding. Pull out next page and begin to feed it through when I realise its a paper copy of OH last CV!!:j:j:j

Which has meant I have had to retype it and update it slightly but I was not starting with a blank page. Unbelieveable, that recycling has sat there in the box for over three years, its moved house with us twice. Then to be suddenly pulled out yesterday for me to start is so out there I cannot explain it.

Sorry for huge post am just overawed by how things can come together sometimes.

In the meantime I am a bad mummy, DD6 homework was for me to help her look at Australia and I forgot, she now has to take authentic Australian recipes into school this week - I did suggest BBQ sausages but she didnt seem impressed, so Softstuff can I impose dreadfully and ask you for the names of some genuine Australian dishes please.

7_week_wonder

fuddle wrote: »

Map my walk suggested I'd be burning 1000 cals a day walking 8.5 miles, that's too much isn't it? Surely I ain't that lucky! Even so, I need breakfast, full nights sleep and food to sustain the afternoon jolt. Going to just eat normally for now.

That sounds about right! As a *very* rough rule of thumb a 10 stone person will burn roughly 100 cal per mile; a bit more if they are running, a bit less is they are walking briskly. So yes, it will be a good way of burning calories. As everyone else has said: make sure you have good footwear and you should be fine!

Good luck with the new routine/life - it sounds like you are determined to grab every opportunity out there with both hands: enjoy it!

Possession

Wow. Fingers crossed Kidcat!

savingqueen

Quick Q re hotwater bottles please : if they are spewing their rubbery innards every time you empty them out, are they safe to continue using?? I used to fill mine with boiling water like my mum always did and DH does but read it should only be hot. Do I need a new one do you think? I put one at the bottom of our bed (my side) every night now to warm it up for my feet. Bliss!

Fuddle - good news about energy bill. I am in process of swapping from dual fuel to 2 new deals one with same co and one with a new one. I am being billed for a leaving bill for dual fuel (I was in credit a while back - got my useage lower than I had hoped - then they reduced my direct debit too low for too long so now owe a fair sized chunk) and then the new direct debits for both deals also come off this month. The total is a helluva lot more than my old direct debit. I do have the money to pay from my house repairs fund which is gradually dwindling and it took so very long to build up with a long way to go yet. And its a 5 week month pay wise (with early Xmas pay day) this month and the same for feb with garage bills, car insurance and both DH and I's birthdays. I will have to up the OS and MSE tricks a bit.

GQ - well done with the weight loss! and everyone else who is trying too. Keep it up guys!

Fuddle - I am so impressed with your plans to walk to and from school. We have a similar journey but do ours by car . I always thought it too far for DS6 though I know DS8 and I could do it with a bit of practice. I did a free course through the school in the summer and met three different mums, all living in different parts of our (big) town and children all going to different schools but all had a similar journey and took about an hour each leg. One family had a 4 year old and one a bit older and they managed fine. Ever since I have wanted to do the same but not acheived that yet - though sometimes I park halfways and we walk the rest so that's a start. I know I would loose weight and tone up a lot if I did a minimum of 8 miles a day.

Kidcat - well done with the epic job application with DH. Fate with the CV eh? Fingers crossed.

Happy Anniversary Pooky! You really know how to live it up don't you? And peaches too! Whatever next?! :rotfl:Thinking of you this eve (and GQ of course) as DH and I tucked into a FB pie (chicken one) with creamy mash and lots of steamed brocolli. Just what I fancied and an easy dinner.

Fancy trying the wacky chocolate cake later in the week - thanks mama

I "treated" myself to a couple of hours out shopping this afternoon, meant to be a browsing session as promised myself one with kids back to school. What did I come home with: 2 new loo brushes, a battery charger and a couple of bits for kids from poundshop oh and returned an overdue library book. I could give you a run for your money Pooky in the glamourous living stakes!

really need to hit the sack, just waiting for my hair to dry (leave to dry naturally and its getting long so taking longer to dry) my day to help out in school nursery tomorrow. I will need my wits about me :rotfl:How can such cute looking creatures cause so much chaos?!

sq:)

stiltwalker

Today has been a toughy - kids both back at nursery so I decided I'd get cracking with this term and phoned parent partnership to get the lowdown on what I needed to do to get DD's Statutory assessment underway. She emailed me all the stuff through and loony old me decided 'no time like the present' and got cracking. I have just printed off the final copy of the Parent report to go with the letter requesting statutory assessment and feel like I have been rolled though the mill a few times - must be getting tough as no tissues required! unlike DD's DLA form when I must have gone through an entire box full! although I will admit to a rather large glass of wine standing on the coffee table now I've finished. Going to let nursery have a look over it tomorrow then will pop it in the post and that is another thing ticked off the list. Will get back to DS's DLA form tomorrow - oh joy of joys!!

Sorry to sound an old misery guts tonight.

On a far lighter note - took DS in to nursery today and handed him over with a big fat warning........ His key worker said 'uh oh - is he teething again?' no says I, he learnt to climb - well she was almost as excited as I was when he first did it until I pointed out that the boy has no fear!!!! Then she went 'uh oh' much more! - I put DS down on the floor and within seconds he was looking speculatively at the bottom of the slide and putting his hand on it as if to climb up! More 'uh ohs' - he didn't climb anything scary today but did do much more mobility wise so they were really proud of him and we have decided to apply for funding for him to have a one to one! Think it's for the best - they have a one to three ratio in the baby room anyway which is why he's not had a one to one before but now he's climbing they are going to need the extra eyes.

I love my kids' nursery they are fantastic - they seem to think that being there for every appointment and facillitating anything and everything possible is normal as it is 'what .... needs'! Well it might be what they need - but the speed of response and the level of support is far from normal if other parents I talk to are to be believed (and I think they are sadly). I asked to change DS's nursery day next week as he has his big assessment with physio/ot/salt on his usual day, and their response - no prob to change and can we come too? I asked speech therapist if ok and her response was that she couldn't ever recall a nursery asking to be involved at such an early point - there were a couple of wow's in there too as well!

Ah well off to enjoy my well earned glass of vino - see you all tomorrow X

ginnyknit

Kidcat lambingtons are famous Aussie cakes, sponge dipped in a chocolate mixture then dessicated coconut and Anzac biscuits, should be easy to google the recipes - hope this helps.

We are mainly confined to barracks at the mo as OH isnt doing too well. Somehow have to get him to the opticians tomorrow, just hoping he is well enough. Meanwhile I am getting terrible twinges of the sciatica I had a few weeks ago -at least I didnt get the flu or the chucking up virus. I already have a huge pile of finished knitting and crochet projects and its only the 7th. I may become totally stir crazy when the snow arrives.