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

savingqueen

Great to hear about your hearing aid Sheila. After all these ops and appointments you will be a new woman!

Big warm welcome gigervamp

Hope work's not too bad nutty and you have a nice rest when you get in.

Some people are thoughtless CC. Your nephew will be so glad to have 2 nerf guns when he has a friend to play with. You are doing the right thing being a caring and thoughtful auntie and a good role model - that's what matters, not playing silly games as his mum is. And your targets are fab!

Have you tried the new soft bras that are out now? Hasdaar sell them for a fiver in several colours and lots of other places sell them for a similar price. They are like sports bras but more comfy and stretchy, do up like normal bras and have wide soft straps. I have a couple and wear them at times when my assets need some extra comfort!

Thinking of Miss Pooky this morning and sending lots of good luck vibes. Good luck with your job application Possession.

Nursemaggie - no further practical advice re the job centre but I am so very annoyed with you. It's beyond belief and people shouldn't stand for it. What harm will it do to complain, he is sanctioned anyway? Have you tried the benefits board or is that too scary?

Burtha - how are you today love? Have you been brave enough to make your appointment yet? Thinking of you.

DH texted me to remind me that he off at a work do tonight, someone's leaving. Most of his social life, such as it is, is with work friends and colleagues and he rarely goes out so I am glad for him. Just wishing it didn't cost so much (meal and drinks after - in London) and it wasn't tonight for selfish reasons.

right washing is spinning best get off me bum!

FairyPrincessk

Morning all,

Oh, NurseMaggie! How very frustrating and silly.

Goodluck to young Ms. Pooky on her interview, and great job already in getting selected for one!

Burtha, hugs.

SQ--could you perhaps plan a little time for yourself after the boys are in bed? Sounds like you could use it! Even if its just a programme on catchup on the laptop and time to put your feet up.

I've a bit meeting late today and woke up with a headache. It is sunny and clear today...but the washing machine was taken away yesterday for repairs. The repairman showed up with tools for every machine BUT ours. The plumber is supposed to be here in the next few hours and OH is out with a work colleague. Good for him to get out. He gets grumpy when he is in so much and starts to annoy me so I'm looking forward to seeing him this evening.

I'm just trying to focus as best I can today to get at least something done and Maggie the cat is playing wacky races round the house. Glad she is happy, but I wish she'd pipe down a bit!

Gigervamp

Thanks for the welcomes.

Still having problems with the forum, I keep having to clear my cookies in order for the pages to load. Bloomin' annoying.

Some of you may know that I've got cancer. I've been feeling pretty bad and haven't been able to do much of anything really. I've really missed cooking though. Hubby does his best, but we've been eating a lot of convenience food, so I've really missed proper homemade food!

Anyway, I had chemo last week and since then I feel like I've been given a burst of energy. Saturday I made leek and potato soup and got veg prepped for Sunday's dinner. Sunday, I made braised lambshank in red wine, and roast veggies to go with it. Yesterday I made bread, and today, although my energy seems to be waning a bit, I've got a veggie chilli in the slow cooker.

It's brilliant!

I need to pick up my new glasses tonight, so thought something in the slowcooker would be ideal, as then we don't have to cook when we get back. Going to serve it with tortilla chips and soured cream. Can't wait!

Possession

Gigervamp, so glad you've got some mojo back. Hope the meal lives up to expectations!
We've been baking here too. Needed a frugal idea for FIL's birthday, and he loves fruit cakes so DD has made him a mincemeat cake with the jar of mincemeat I've had lurking at the back of the pantry for the last year. While the oven was on DS made cheese scones for lunch and I made banana cake with the overripe bananas so I'm feeling frugally satisfied and there is a lovely smell!

fuddle

Long may your spring in your step continue Gingervamp, and I hope you hang around here too. Welcome

Pooky It's drops Polaris super chunky. I crochet with 15mm hook. It's the chunkiest I have used to date but the effect is quite nice. Only single crochet.

I'm away into town in a minute as I don't want to be present when the house check happens. Thankfully DH is off minding the girls today so he is dealing with it.

Been reading about the effects to electric power this year. Will be checking in with prepping soon. If power cuts do happen I hope that with my preps it will be nothing more than an annoyance than a SHTF scenario.

kboss2010

Cornish, that's awful! Why people have kids they don't want is beyond me. Surely if you know you would be like that you just don't have kids? (I class myself in that category so I'm not judging the non-maternal women amongst us, I just feel sorry for the poor kids who grow up knowing their parent can't be bothered with them!)

Still, I agree with Possession, 2 guns means u can fight with your brother/sister/cousin/friend

Giger, (((hugs)))

fuddle

We have another 12 month contract on this house and the rent is staying the same for the next twelve months

We are having chicken pie, steamed veg and gravy for tea but erm, I bought the pie DH is making a cottage pie tomorrow though.

DH is taking the girls to a national trust spooktacular tomorrow and when I get my early finish on Thurs we will go up our local NT place and do the halloween crafts/trail there too. We will be continuing our NT membership next year. It has been such a godsend. We've decided we're going to get MIL a membership for her Christmas Gift.

So, so warm :cool: really shouldn't grumble as its saving a fortune in heating consumption.

I felted that wool by the way :rotfl: stuffing it is.

Pooky

Great news on the inspection Fudds - I always used to worry about ours when we rented then one agent turned round and said it was like a palace compared to some places he had to go see and he always liked coming to us as it was like stepping into a home rather than a doss house.

DD's interview went well - she came out all smiley and happy, they did lots of role play and team building stuff and then had to go shadow someone on the shop floor - she got a lad a few years older than her who flirted outrageously and made her feel really at ease. She should hear next week so keep those fingers crossed.

After dropping her off I realised my kidneys were beginning to throb again so called the Dr who's given me a 3rd set of anti-b's (different ones this time) so hopefully they'll kick in quick as I'm feeling very "meh" about it all now.

Treated DD to a cheeky burger for lunch after her interview and none of us are hungry now so dinner plans are on hold - will have some cheese and crackers later if we need them.

Want to go put my jimjams on and snuggle on the sofa with my crochet but have a customer coming to pick up a cut between 6 and 7pm, not sure they'd appreciate my gingy jimjams and fluffy socks.

It's turned really cold here, the wind was biting....tempted to get a fire lit (it'll help the washing dry too).

savingqueen

Glad you have a bit more energy gigervamp - enjoy your dinner, sounds yummy. Think I will pop round for dinner at yours followed by tea and cake at Possession's.

Good news with the flat fuddle!

Boys have been testing my patience again today. I wonder if it's just me with less patience or they are just pushing the boundaries lots. They aren't doing anything awful, but too noisy too often and I am having to ask them to do anything and everything several times and so on. It's wearing me down. DS10 did apologise to me (off his own back) this afternoon followed by DS7 and they are playing much more quietly at long last.

Thanks FairyP and hope your headache has gone. My laptop has died so the only TV and PC in living room. We didn't want the boys spending hours on their own on screens upstairs so decided on everything downstairs in a family space but I can see why people allow TV and games consoles in kids' bedrooms. I was thinking I would like a little comfy chair in our bedroom so I could sit there and read and watch TV, Unfortunately we don't have the money but maybe one day. I don't know what is the matter with me at the moment, I don't feel I am coping very well and just feel like I might explode if I am pushed too far. :eek:
I am right behind with dinner though it's a quickish one. Really don't feel like making it but make it I must I will try not to moan any more


edit: hope these antibs work Pooky - 3rd time lucky? you poor thing.

Pooky

SQ - we let the girls have tv's in their room from around the age of 10/11 - they got to that age where they wanted to be a little bit more independent, wanted to watch different things and wanted to be away from us. It was a godsend for us too as it meant a bit of peace and quiet from the squabbling.

I often just go sit on the bed with my crochet and listen to a podcast or the radio, sometimes a chance of scene in the house helps give you a bit of head space.

My customer has been so jimjams are on, I'm waiting for the kettle to do it's thing and I'm going to make a big pot of tea and get settled on the sofa.