The OS Doorstep - a helpful and supportive thread in these tough times

kezlou

Evening all!

Well the info day went well,met some lovely people. Find a charity that might be able to assist with paying for equipment for ds2 school work.

After that went to the funeral, my dad took me and collected ds2 from school and brought us back home. The father who did the service.was hilarious. He had everyone in stitches with tales of my aunty. Read out poems and stories which the, grandchildren wrote. So yes it was o success.

My dad felt out of place as no one expected him to.be there. Some of my adoptive mums children glared at him. I just peed them off calling him dad and linking his arm. After the service the glares stopped as he chatted to them about his grandchildren. He was saying how proud he was of my boys and how well mannered they are. I was in tears as I couldn't believe he, would say those type of things.


Well best get off going to attempt to get some sleep:)

tattycath

Popperwell wrote: »

Fantastic! Tattycat. Free food and money diverted to your home, that's a result! Great start to the weekend.

It may be late but I am just about to have a ham salad with potato wedges, cheese and garlic and herb dressing:)

Thanks Popperwell. I rarely buy them and when I have in the past I have either not won anything or just a couple of quid here and there.

Talking about food, I'm thinking of making a sandwich as I only had boiled egg and soldiers at about 7pm. ( I bought 2 bacon joints tonight reduced from £2.90 each to £ 1.46 each).

savingqueen

Thank you Mrs LW and FPK for your comments. I realise life is a rollercoaster and all but for now I will simply enjoy the ups and hopefully have some strength and energy in reserve for the inevitable downs.

I am also the worrier in our relationship, DH can be ridiculously laid back (though has a couple of things that really do worry him) which often means if I don't do it or nag, it doesn't happen. I am learning not to nag and ask in a different way and he will now do more when he is less busy at work (which isn't often unfortunately.)

However on the big plus side, he provides a balance and has taught me not to always sweat the small stuff. I never feel pressurised by him to have a tidy home or a meal on the table - though generally there will be a meal made by me at some point and that's what I want to do. Tidiness less of a priority! In the summer hols, if I take the boys out somewhere and we are unexpectedly late back, he will just be pleased we had fun.
I feel for some women I know who are still expected in this day and age to be a 24 hour wonderwoman.

Who said they move their living room furniture every week and wipe it all down with soapy water? I am in awe of you . Very Occasionally our wooden furniture gets a damp dust with well a damp duster... no soap, polish or owt involved. The furniture is lucky to be graced with a duster to begin with!:rotfl:

Actually talking housework talk... I do plan a big (for me) house clean at the weekend as its sorely needed and want to do it before away. Will attempt to get the whole household involved - more work that way but there is a principal at stake. I want my two boys to grow into capable, responsible men. Also need to start planning ideas of places to visit, routes, packing lists etc. A long while since I had to do all that. just over 2 weeks to go yipeeee!

goodness is that really the time, off to bed for me before I change into a pumpkin and someone on here turns me into soup! (tired mind really rambling now!)

sq:)

savingqueen

kezlou, glad the funeral went well and it evoked such happy and funny memories of your aunty. Lovely to hear how your dad spoke about your boys, his grandchildren.

Good to hear also about the info day and fingers crossed they might be able to offer some financial help.

You must be exhausted. Hope you sleep well if you are not already sleeping. take care

night all

sq:) ps edit: tattycath - woohoo!!!

Rowan9

shegar wrote: »

WMF.........Im north Suffolk too, im near Dunwich/ minsmere area ............How weird is that you up this way too....Sheila

Being a bit partial to trees, I've spent hours in Dunwich forest:). I love the height of the trees there, the silence. Have also accompanied 2 classes to Minsmere - lovely lovely place. Such a beautiful part of the country.
Up a bit late tonight so have had a cup of hot milk with honey and whisky - purely medicinal .
Good sleeps all
W

stiltwalker

Tattycath - super news yay!

Kez - glad it went ok, kudos to Dad X

Kidcat - so glad you are having a good time

VJsmum - my eyes are watering for your poor mum, DD was 7 lb 6 but came out the sun roof anyway, DS was 7lb 11 and was a ventuse delivery - traumatic for both of us and even my gore loving DH had to look away (this was the man who got told off for taking too much of an interest in them putting me back together after the C section with DD!!) Apparently it was so bad it made him feel ill! I was past it on gas and air and an epidural to boot!

SQ - good to see you back and so positive - X

We had the *pleasure* of DS's company until almost 9.30 tonight - he's getting his back molars in at the moment and his usual lovely sleep pattern has gone out of the window, so hoping that he may sleep in in the morning as it is the first day in ages when we haven't had to get up for something. S0ds law will say that he wakes up at 7 though!!

Take care all and catch you tomorrow - X

Possession

'came out the sun roof' has made me spit my tea all over the 'puter.
Yes mine made a sun roof exit too! They were tiny though, DD was 5lb12 and DS was 6lb11 but he was dragged out reluctantly at 42 weeks!

GreyQueen

the_cake wrote: »

Gosh, I am bemused and bedazzled by all this talk of daily bleaching and boiling dishcloths. I will obviously never make it as a domestic goddess; suffice to say mine don't smell and I haven't poisoned anyone yet .....
Jeeves has gone to ground under a throw on the sofa; he is completely exhausted as he chases everything that moves, including flies, bees and spiders. He is a real enthusiast; I think he is one of the most entertaining cats I've ever had!

You aren't alone, I don't think I have ever disinfected a surface in my life.

I have a tall stainless steel dish drainer to mitigate somewhat the smallness of the kitchen and the tea towel is held on the ennd of that with a peg, right beside the window and the air. I change it when I run a washload. I do try to avoid wiping up whenever possible as it's so important to save energy, don'tcha think? Oh, that mean oil and gas not my personal energy? Dammit, another excuse gone.

I will dry glasses and the steel cutlery because the lime in the water makes them look atrocious if they drip dry, but otherwise, nope. I am a fan of the sponge scourer and often there isn't a dishcloth to be seen in my kitchen......can see a J cloth in there atm which I sling thru the wash with other things.

Mum was a fiend for bleaching dishcloths when I was growing up. When they took on their council house it was only about 8 years old but the Belfast sink had been badly abused and the bottom was a mass of scratches, so much so that the tannin from tea would settle in them and defy ordinary cleaning, to the point where it looked terrible. Every few days Mum would put a solution of hot water and bleach in there, with the dishcloths stretched out for a soak. Boy was she glad to get rid of that fora stainless steel sink once they'd bought it.

Anyone who thinks they're fastidious ought to visit SuperGran's kitchen. Before she retired, she was a theatre sister and I think you could probably perform surgery safely on her kitchen floor or counters. And the old stove looks as if it's just exited the show-room. She doesn't own tea-towels or dishcloths on grounds that she considers them insanitary, and uses kitchen roll for everything, and is a fan of thick bleach.

Couldn't be doing with it myself, but each to her own and if you can't lay down the law in your own kitchen, what can you control in this life? I've never poisoned anybody either but I am scrupulous about handwashing before, during and after food prep and as soon as I come indoors, a trick taught to me by the only other woman I've met who could give SG a run for her money in the SuperHouseWife leagues.

This second woman used to get her engineer husband to mostly dismantle her stove once a year so she could give it a really through clean..........

ETA Tattycath - well done for your win, I'd be beaming at that.

moments_of_sanity

savingqueen wrote: »

Who said they move their living room furniture every week and wipe it all down with soapy water? I am in awe of you . Very Occasionally our wooden furniture gets a damp dust with well a damp duster... no soap, polish or owt involved. The furniture is lucky to be graced with a duster to begin with!:rotfl:
sq:)

It was me but please don't think I am obsessed :eek: I have 2 border collies and 2 cats and the hair seems to migrate to the edges of the room so if I don't move the furniture every week I will be knee deep in pet hair within 2 weeks :rotfl:

I am going to admit to this but am going to say it very very quietly, I allow my cats to walk on my work surfaces in the kitchen :eek: I know, I know but they love getting up there for a closer cuddle........slinks back off now.......

I wash my tea towels when I do coloured washing and I never use a dishcloth, just a non scratch scoured which gets chucked in the dish washer every couple of days.

An absolutely beautiful morning here so going to get some washing done this morning, DH also has an interview today :j so going to get some jobs done whilst he is out as when he is around we always find a reason to spend the time together! Lol

Pooky

Morning all

Tatty - Well done on the win! I've only ever brought 3 scratch cards - first one I won £1 - 2nd one got me £5 and the last one £20. I thought I'd stop while my luck was up.

Kidkat - Your day at Longleat looked fab (as do all your other days - some lovely pics) Enjoy Dr Who today - my eldest would love to do that - she's a huge Dr fan. We loved the HP studios too, every bit of it was so fascinating, we were all completely dumb struck as we went round the final corner. Loved the way in too - it took me by surprise.

The sun is shining and it's supposed to be a lovely day but not as hot as it's supposed to get from tomorrow onwards. Today shall be a grass cutting and edge trimming day, I shall get the BBQ out, the garden parasol and generally getting the garden ready for a lot of lounging around. I've got an invasion of teenage boys later - both DD's boyfriends are coming for the afternoon. I shall chuck them all outside with plenty of snacks and ice-cream.

I use an antibac spray on the sides as I have moggies that like to see what they're missing - they're not allowed on the sides but that doesn't stop them!