'supporting each other through really tough times'

Popperwell

I may be a bloke but it's comfort every time for me...:p

Fashionwise, well I'll never be an icon of fashion but I hope I am reasonably smart when I have to go to an event such as the music club on the town and I hope I could find something suitable for a official event such as a church service, rememberance day or if I ever get invited to a meal but I think it is easier for men.

All "we" men need is a shirt and/or jumper, a decent pair of shoes, trousers and sometimes a jacket. I am thankful of places like Primark/Peacocks but especially the charity shops. I never seem to find jumble sales any more and carboot sales always seem difficult to locate and attend unless you have your own transport.

Mum and Dad had some lovely clothes and were always smart.

savingqueen

Hi everyone,

just dropping by before I hit the sack. Been an up and down day but will forget about all the downs - most are not important and just share the ups.

Little things that made my day today. DH bought me a bunch of daffs as a sort of sorry for some stuff he said ( he has bought me flowers about 5 times in 13 years!) He also offered to cook without prompting, his speciality which is omlette with everything in it (everything needing using up that is). I just appreciated not having to cook for once. And - there's an and (!) he washed up the frying pan! Wonders will never cease!:rotfl:

DS8 was great at dance class, teacher was commenting on his flexibility, strength and general ability. This is about a child who used to say he hated dancing and lacked self confidence. The dancing ability is nice but to see him looking confident nearly made me cry today. DS6 was a lot calmer today too - I'm sure the mucking about he does is linked to confidence too. I am hoping he will gain self confidence like his big brother. That will make my whole year. We will get there slowly and surely, whatever it takes.

I bagged 3 nice tops at charity shops too. Brighter colours than I normally pick, just what I need to give me a boost and welcome in spring. Really need some new (to me) clothes so they are a good start. We are lucky to have a good range of charity shops, discount stores, supermarkets, markets etc and I am going to try and squeeze in a bit more time to bargain hunt. Used to do far more before I started cooking from scratch more and baking. Hard to find time for everything I would like to do!

DH and I curled up with the cats to watch a favourite programme together this eve. I have really been counting my blessings today and trying hard to ignore all the cr&ppy stuff. I am choosing to look at the positive stuff and to hell with the negative - hope I can kept it up.

sending positivity and strength to you all - you wonderful folk
sq:)

Hardup_Hester

I feel your pain Fuddle, hubby has received THE LETTER. At the moment he is still trying to decide whether to go ahead and have some idiot tell him his retinal scarring has healed & he could manage if he tried, or just let it go. It bu££ers up my plans for giving up lunch duties this year, we can't lose both lots of money, hey ho, it was a nice dream!
Do remember though that ATOS are only doing what the government has instructed, there was a programme on TV about someone who signed up to be one of the ATOS Dr's, he dropped out after about 3 months, he couldn't bear to keep depriving of benefit they so obviously needed.
Hester

Pooky

@tos are doing as they were instructed but they are doing it very badly. The labour government got this one very wrong and should never have appointed them. Their lack of anything approaching professionalism is shocking.....and don't get me started on their data protection handling. I'm of sound mind and very strong willed but the amount of tears I've shed over this company and their handling of DH is unreal. How anyone manages to go through it alone and with mental and physical issues is beyond me. Our fight with them was over a year long and that was before they even managed to see DH, I just wonder how long it will be before we have to go through it all again.

Anyway...

Happy Sunday, whos doing what? I need to pop out for some essentials and drop off a boot load to the tip....will be back to stripping out the kitchen after lunch. The wall paper was coming off in whole strips last night, there's something quite magical about that. (or is it just me?).

Kittens are currently doing circuits of the house only stopping to kick each other in the head before high tailing it back in the opposite direction. They've been with us a year this week, how time flies!

[Deleted User]

Morning Toughies, it occured to me last night just as I was dropping off that what we have this year is a normal Spring, not early as we have gotten used to lately. It was normal for the daffs to be at the stage they are now at this time of year, so I think Mother Nature has had a little readjust and held everything back until now.

I am going to try an experiment for a month, we eat some bread, but not huge amounts and I am flabbergasted at the prices of shop bread now, so I am going to run for a month on home made Soda Bread instead. If I find rolls in our local One Stop at 30p for 6 I will most certainly take advantage of that as that amount is affordable, but a loaf in the local Co-Op yesterday was REDUCED to £1.69p and that is rediculous!!!!! Soda Bread is easy and will toast nicely and He Who Knows said this morning if we couldn't make sandwiches he would be happy with Open Sandwiches on one slice instead. I am certain it will be so much cheaper as a bag of flour for £1. 20 ish will make 3 good sized loaves. We'll see how we go!!!

Have as good a day as you can everyone, MAR I'm glad you have nice warm weather at the moment, it's still grey and chilly here but at least it's not wet!!! Cheers Lyn xxx.

VJsmum

Morning all

I've been out and about delivering DD to school for an all day rehearsal. THis is the same child that I was at my wits end with a few months ago as she hated school, hated everyone in it and was potentially going to drop out (she is 1st year 6th form). What a difference now - she has friends, loves the school, is being predicted A and B grade AS levels and is on her first date tonight :eek: I think I am more nervous than her

Had a lovely day out yesterday, a 3 hour walk with friends and a pub lunch and then out again in the evening with different friends. Nice to make the most of the brighter weather. I see it is potentially going to be cold again next week but I guess at this time of year it can't hang around for long.

I bought 6 raspberry canes in @ldi yesterday - I need to read up about how best to plant them. I also bought 3 blackberries, which I guess can go anywhere. Mind you, the goosegog bush I planted a few years ago has not produced even one goosegog (haven't found any babies under it either, thankfully ).

Bit of tidying and a bit of work today. "Something with mince" for tea - probably lasagne. Any ideas what I can do with 8 out of date vanilla choco ball yogurts? Kids won't eat them, even though there is nothing wrong with them except the date and I can't eat 8!

I am going all out to finish knitting my winter woolly pully before spring springs properly. I abandoned a summer cotton one last year as it got cold again, so hopefully that can be finished in time for summer. One day I will get the timings right :rotfl:

Have a good one all.

PS re knickers - no-one going for the thong then?:rotfl:

[Deleted User]

VJsMUM could you make a 'Cheats Trifle' and use the yoghurt as the custard, if you whisk some cocoa powder or hot choc mix into it it will not be seen as yoghurt and you could use the chocky balls as the sprinkles on top. If you don't have stale cake just make a jelly with some fruit in and top that. Hope that helps, Cheers Lyn xxx.

Wasn't 'Going for a Thong' an antiques programme on the TV some years ago? SORRY!!!!!!!!

VJsmum

Do you know, Mrs LW, that is a blo0dy brilliant idea :T. I have some chocolate cake that I froze ages ago, I just need to whip round the shop and buy jelly, I need to pop there anyway.

Fanx :j

Going for a thong :rotfl:

[Deleted User]

VJsMUM put the cake into the jelly while it's still frozen and the jelly will set very quickly. It's what I do with frozen raspberries, the jelly is set within half an hour, Cheers Lyn xxx.

Mrs_Veg_Plot

Morning all have finally caught up with all of the posts, loved the knicker theme. Thanks to Monogram for that, and yes the Turkish knickers did look very comfey and there would be no VPL.

Posession I glad you got the secondary school you wanted, I know how stressful that wait can e. The bunnies are super cute. Can your GP organise some free CBT for your OH?

OH is on an assessment day today in response to a job application. He has dropped his expectations of the type of job and salary he is going for. There was no salary advertised with the three posts he has applied for at this particular company and they all involve 12 hour shifts days, nights and weekends.

We found out this week that he is not entitled to any job seekers allowance because the year he spent working on a commission only basis both here and abroad (and earned very, very little) he did not pay any NI. I told him at the time to make enquiries about it but being him it never happened. He is trying to sort it out now but as usual it is too late and he needs pushing every inch of the way.

The new job is great and although the salary increase is not much I is badly needed.

I don't know if any of you remember but last year I started to teach my self to knit and the husband of a friend of mine that died of breast cancer gave me the wool and pattern that she bought tow weeks before she died. Well I have finally finished it. It is a lovely shawl in autumnal colours that I will proudly wear in her name.

The yellow ball is shining brightly today and it looks lovely outside. I will enjoy it for a bit and will pass it on to you all a bit later.