*The Holly and the Ivy* and the You Know What 2013 Chatter Thread.

caitlyn22

Scones were a success, thank you Nanamia! Sorry to hear you're finding it tough but it's only to be expected, you're bound to feel the loss of your loved ones all over again. I know it's not the same because you've had to leave family on the other side of the world, but when I feel the post-holiday blues, I make a pact with myself that every time I feel down I will make myself do something positive. I make a big long list of things that would be either useful/enjoyable and then go to it whenever I need to. It has things like call a friend/make a lunch date with a colleague/change the bedding/sit down with a cuppa and one of the cookery channels etc. The 'useful' part of the list doesn't take away the blues but it gets things done - I figure I might as well be productive if I'm miserable! The treats on the list that are enjoyable do make a real difference, because I recognise I feel down and I'm nice to myself - we never seem to be nice to ourselves when we feel down, just usually beat ourselves up about it!

Well the birthday cake is a bit wonky, and the Mr Potato Head cake pops look more like OH's dad (:rotfl:) but I'm all finished! Which means no rushing about tomorrow. That does of course mean I could get on with some work...or pack...

Freespirit66 the vintage rose/tattoo cake sounds fun! I love getting/sketching ideas but think I should probably do a bit more practice as my ideas aren't matched by my abilities when it comes to cake decorating!!

Feisty, I've had two good friends have difficulty conceiving, both 'unexplained'. One got pregnant after a couple of years (and swears it was to do with changing to a Mediterranean diet) and the other actually ended up adopting two young children...only to find herself pregnant when they'd been with her for 8 months! I've had other friends who've had (or are having) various treatments because of particular problems and I've seen their relationships and health really suffer, and only one has had any success. So while 'unexplained'/fend for yourselves is horrible, really it means you're just not pregnant YET! Your day will come, hopefully without resorting to snake pee, as that would be troublesome to get hold of, if nothing else!

Pinksteps, know you're probably not reading at the moment, but you're in my thoughts x

FeistyFidget

Thank you so much everyone I try not to clutter this lovely Christmas thread up with our trying to conceive woes (I have a seperate forum for that ) but sometimes it just over-boils - thank you very much for all your kind words, it really does help! We have very loosely considered adoption from abroad, would love to be able to help a child in such a poverty stricken part of the world - but it is a huge emotional, physical and financial burden - a bit too much to take on, on top of everything else.

picnmix

Hi guys, has been soooo long since I have been on here, life sometimes just takes over. Unfortuantely have been quite poorly, off work for 4 weeks and 2 hospital admissions, but on the mend now and back to work tomorrow.

Haven't even attempted to catch up on everyone's posts so hope life is treating you all well, and big hugs to all who are struggling.

I wil try to keep on top of the posts from now on, missed you all x

freespirit66

Hi,
NANAMIA aaah i did wonder if you werent feeling too grand, we have all missed you! You are not being silly at all, its perfectly natural, i have friends who are still going through the same thing, their DD DSIL DGD DGS emigrated to Australia 6 years ago when DGD was only a few months old, they are fortunate enough to be able to afford to visit them once a year, and they have come home twice, but it is still a wrench to say goodbye even now, in fact she doesnt think that feeling will ever go, they skype etc but it isnt the same. Everyone would be feeling the same if they were in your position, i get very down whenever my DS goes back to Uni and he is only 75mins away if he was across the other side of the world god knows what i would be like, as you always tell us be kind to yourself and we are all here to listen x
FEISTY that is what makes this forum, everyone is always there with kind words that make a HUGE difference to people, so if you need to vent, overboil then go ahead, whatever the subject, noone will think you are clogging up the forum at all x
PICNMIX oh dear poor you, we have missed you, glad you are feeling better x

SwipernoSwiping

FeistyFidget wrote: »

I think if someone told me that drinking snake pee could work, I'd probably try it

I wouldn't recomend snake pee. Vile stuff so I am told
Dark green mixed leaf salads, topped with pine-nuts, sunflower seeds for him. Pineapple juice and more citrus for you. Too much dairy products can increase the "internal acid." so to counter it up your citrus - not cut out your dairy.

Been reading everyones happenings quietly from the sidelines, I tend to go quiet when under pressure. With the changes in "bedroom tax" and such I'm thinking this year I am going to need to be even more inventive. Eldest's beginning to show "expectations" -pressure from friends to have the same, do the same, look the same and like the same. While she tries to put on a brave face and tells us it doesn't bother her, it does. Not that I am about to skint the rest of us to cover a brand chasing dream :rotfl:
Still it's a very depressing thought at the minute.
As there are many months ahead however I am planning not to let the lack of available work drag me down Magic only happens if you believe after all

Trendyjenny

Love that phrase

Magic only happens if you believe x

FeistyFidget

SwipernoSwiping wrote: »

I wouldn't recomend snake pee. Vile stuff so I am told
Dark green mixed leaf salads, topped with pine-nuts, sunflower seeds for him. Pineapple juice and more citrus for you. Too much dairy products can increase the "internal acid." so to counter it up your citrus - not cut out your dairy.

This is where it starts to get difficult, DH is on a lot of medication and sadly the stuff that is recommended for his fertility (even food) is a big no, no, because of his meds

In truth, another reason I want to want to go vegan is because I watched a terrible dispatches programme. After doing a little research I saw how lots of abbotoirs torture the animals for 'fun' before slaughter, it was horrific and I now have major guilt about meat and dairy - I need to find a local humane farmer and then I think I could get over this.

freespirit66

Hello
SWIPERNOSWIPING I think this bedroom tax is frightening a lot of people at the moment, some people who it wont even effect are worrying themselves sick, because it is so complicated, hope you are ok
FEISTY My DD and i watched a video that was on her facebook the other day about raccoon dogs in china, it was vile, we both just sat and cried, i cant even explain what we saw, it was sickening. I cant bear any animal cruelty, and i cant understand what makes people want to hurt them.

girlinayellowdress

Hi everyone, thank you all for the messages.

A swift update, DS is still having tendons etc measured for elasticity. Slowly getting there.

My dad is due out of hospital in the next day or so, both him and my mum are going to spend his final days with us. Just having the care plan finalised, can't believe they are sending carers four times a day as well as the palliative care nurses and rapid response unit. Plus any night we are tired they will send a night carer. They can say what they want about NHS but my goodness they have shown nothing but kindness.

Another little angel i want to thank is our own ownmyown you've been a darling with your texts and keeping me up to date with my online family.

So thats just a brief update. And hopefully once the hospital visits finish i can get back to the normality of our christmas thread.

x

Nanamia

Bless you pinksteps you are in all our thoughts xxx

Caitlyn and freespirit thank you so much. You always say the kindest things, I know you've both got lots on and yet you still find time to make me feel better:) would love to see a photo of your cake Caitlyn that's another of my passions. X

How is your change of diet going Feisty? Are you managing? Nowhere near as difficult obviously but I've changed our eating habits this past week and am trying to follow slimming world. It's taken a full week to get my head around it but I'm determined! Do feel that you can chat to us tho Feisty, you'll probably get more help on your other forum but you certainly won't get a bunch who care any more than we do about you Your turn will come I'm sure of that xxx
Swipernoswiping (funnily enough I've been reading your posts on the SW thread-am trying to catch up) this bed room tax is causing an awful lot of hardship:( sometimes it feels like pressure from all sides:( Im not sure if you've read the post on FB at the mo about the size of your box room? It seems some are too small to be classed as a bedroom and therefore not able to be charged! I hope it's worth you looking into xxx

Linky my darling where are you?????
Moneysavingmumofone have you rang the drs???
BBThree I miss you where are you ???