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

Pooky

Morning all

Mar - Poor you - hope it's sorted quickly!

Glorious morning here, all blue skies, sunny and oh so warm. Been out faffing in the garden - got the raised bed planted up with some plug plants and some new netting up to keep the cats out - they see it as a personal challenge though and have all tried to get in!

Got the water feature cleaned out, scrubbed up and put away for winter, ditto all the pots that have been hanging around - found some big branches I'd not yet chopped for fire wood so have piles them up around where our hedgehogs like to hide, will pile the leaves up over it as the trees start to shed....should give them a nice new home if they decide to move in....they're eating half a tin of cat food a day and demolished a couple of eggs last night too.

House is clean and tidy, WM doing its 2nd load and DW has just finished....HM pie filling defrosted for tea, will make some individual pasties style pies that can be popped in lunch boxes tomorrow too....fancy mash and onion gravy with it.

Off to whizz up last nights roasted parsnips into a soup for lunch for DH and I then it's cracking on with some more work.

fuddle

The spider's webs were all glistening in the damp this morning. Really nice to see but oh so many spiders at the moment. My 9.30am lady has asked me to get her conkers from the tree out the back of where I live, She thinks they stop the spiders? Any truth in that?

Mar nowt like a pain in your mouth, especially when you're sat next to a pain in the neck! (that's RV in case you're not familiar with the term) Hope you get some relief from both pains at some point today.

I have some unexpected good news. I have been invited to attend an all expenses paid trip to the Carer awards. It involves a train trip and overnight hotel stay. I am going to a posh do toughies. :eek: that means posh frock. Goodness gracious. I'm wanting to keep my OS style so hoping to find a nice cut floral dress that covers chest and upper arms. I have heels that I have saved from that old past life in case of special occasion but by gawd I haven't walked in heels for years! :rotfl:

I could have cried last night 2 times over. When we were having tea I asked DD what she liked about her new school. She said she is so happy that she doesn't have to talk about god or jesus any more. If that wasn't bad enough she had night mares last night. When i went in to comfort her she sobbed "if god is such a nice person why did he create nightmares for children?". I just didn't know what to say and still don't. I feel as if the whole situation has confused her, burdened her even.

Eldest is making stuffed peppers at school today so I thought I'd make meatballs and a spag bol to accompany. I also need to make a batch of flapjack because we're running out of treats/snacks and I can't be bothered to go to the shop just for biscuits. Oh the delights of a full store cupboard :rotfl:

kidcat

Afternoon toughies, thank you for the lovely birthday wishes, I had the best birthday for many years

I am supposed to be sorting the two girls rooms out, building a wardrobe in one, demolishing a wardrobe in the other and building a high bed, but yesterday I slipped while adding a rail into DD8 wardrobe and have cut my arm open its in an odd position to the rear running from top of shoulder to almost arm pit, every time I move it opens up again so am having to down tools for the day

Monna hope your dentist saw you today and that its all sorted now.

Christmas, well I buy the kids their stuff, and I buy a few close friends and family but that is it. Last year I bought two cases of wine which were then used as gifts for people unexpected, like a couple of neighbours etc. I will do the same this year again when on offer at Makr@. Teachers are the hardest as DS10 has so many, I have 15 again at Christmas so I try to be inventive and make something. I made one large Christmas cake last year and then cut into individual cakes, decorated and wrapped nicely, that worked a treat so will be doing that again this year. I also put two tins of sweets or biscuits into the staff rooms for all the staff including office and dinner ladies to pick at in the last week of term - the dinner ladies love it as its the only gift they get.

My aim is to get the shopping all done by the end of October so I can spend time doing the fun stuff nearer Christmas

Had a lovely evening at DS16 new college last night, meeting his teachers etc. They are all really pleased with him and were full of praise at how well he is coping, it really lifted me.

savingqueen

Hello everyone

Hope you got your dentist appointment Mar.
Glad you had a good birthday and college meeting kidcat.

Thanks for teacher ideas stilty. I have too many jars of mince meat so I will make a big tub of mini mince pies and some sort of biscuits for those who don't like them. I always include the dinner ladies and office staff too - they are so pleased to be thought of and often the people who doing the real caring for your children and look out and after them out of the classroom so very important.

(((fuddle))) give your DD a little while to settle in, its very early days and normal for her to feel unsettled. Its all new and strange for her and she will need to make new friends. You could always have a quiet word with the teacher and just check that she has someone to have lunch with etc until she starts making friends. It will all be fine.

Talking of schools.... I went to a guided tour today, started at 8.30 so had to drop kids off at 8am at my long suffering friend's house. Will return the favour next week when I have hers over whilst she is at a school meeting. Its always awkward as one of her children is ... how can I put it.... the sort of child who asks endless questions particularly of the "can I have x, have you got anything for me?" type, goes down your bag, follows you around etc (she's nearly 9 btw) and she knows how to wind my two up. I am very fond of her but even I find my patience stretched a bit. My children have their faults but would never (I hope) behave like she does with other adults.

I also decided to volunteer again at the school and had a word with a teacher yesterday. She was so delighted, I said "I might come in and help" and she made me promise to change the "might" to "will"! I didn't mind, need a kick up the backside anyway. Not going back til after half term though.

Well DH and I had a chat, no rowing and DH listened and admitted he was a total plonker. Things are ok again but have to admit (only to you lovely people) that I still have some niggling doubts but only time will tell. It's not the rows that bother me so much its the reasons behind them. I was also thinking that if our relationship did fall apart, I would somehow cope which I didn't think before. However the other side to that, is that I am still thinking that things may not work out in the long term. Big sigh... Anyway everything is ok today and I am just taking one day at a time and plodding on like everyone else.

I am not rushing about this afternoon, feel myself getting too stressed so easing off while I can today. Just painted my toenails a lovely shade concocted from a very bright pink and a very dark red, having a cuppa and then an hour left to tidy round and do odds and ends.

savingqueen

ps may I just add... THANK YOU to everyone on here. Your wisdom, wit, kindness, support, ideas, recipes, tips and much much more make every single day a better day. Feel so very lucky to have found this place, a second home. You're the best!
xxxxx

Pooky

Kidkat - did they sort the issue with DS's grades? Glad he's getting on well there, must be a huge weight off your mind.

Fudds - I've found my 2 went in and out of religion whilst at primary school, we tended to let it wash over them as and when they wanted to and tried not to inflict our opinions on them. Lots of questions that didn't have answers but they need to learn that not everything has a rhyme or reason to it - some things just are.

Hope you manage to find a nice dress - there'll be lots in the charity shops in the next few weeks I'd imagine.

Gone all cloudy and dark here now - washing's not dry so time for airers and dehumidifier I think.

kezlou

kidcat fantastic news!

DS10 is like that, mounds of support at his school, so last time we made special biscuits for them during break and hot chocolate mugs.
WEnt down really well.

SQ thats all you can do hun, myself and OH are taking things day by day. So far its working out well.
Good luck with the volunteering
Any time you know where i am x

Actually accomplished something, the washing is down to zero :j:j:j
wont be by 3pm but at least it will just be school clothes.
Dinner is made, sagg aloo, chicken goa, lavash bread, all thats left to make is the rice.

Having a well earned cuppa then off to get ds2 from school.
Legs are doing me in so hopefully they ease up soon before 3 mile walk lol

silvasava

Fuddle - Conkers!
My DGD is terrified of spiders & a couple of weeks ago I was able to get her some fresh conkers. I was a bit sceptical but I saw her today & asked how they were working & she said she's not had one in her bedroom since she's put them around - so worth a try if you can get some.
SQ - Glad you've cleared the air & hope it works for you.

[Deleted User]

SQ well done for talking to each other and staying civil, takes lots of effort when you're riled round the edges but you did it!!! Don't fret too much about the future make the present good and the future will take care of itself pet relationships are never smooth running 100% of the time and everyone has these glitches to sort out. It might make the wheels of life run smoother if you could maybe meet each other half way between your two differences? Not always easy to do but worth the effort if you can achieve it!!!

Possession

OMG. Who knew there was so much lego in the house.