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

Possession

Definitely mad Pooky LOL!
Hope you're alright Mar.
Bit of a day here. Got home from my slog at the preschool to a message that they don't want me in anymore. On enquiring why I discover it's because they can't have the things done they want in the hours (it's not physically possible) and they can't afford more hours, so they are going back to ready meals. Heigh ho, back to the drawing board.

SpikyHedgehog

Oh, Possession, that's a bit pants! I don't know that ready meals are that good an option for the kids either, but I suppose if they can manage the cost and timings, it's what works for them. We have parents supply packed lunches or order hot dinners from the kitchen at the primary school next to us, then we amble across with our trolley to collect the hot box of food to dish up, but that's not an option that works for all preschools.

DS2 made sausage casserole in Food Tech today and brought it home, so we had it for dinner with pasta, shredded lettuce and thinly sliced raw carrot - very nice and the first thing I've got to taste in 8 weeks of school cooking as he usually eats stuff on the bus home... He is now industriously working on some cross stitch tonight after we spent a while snuggled together on the sofa finding out about evil corporations. Of course, he's actually meant to be finishing his science homework that's due in tomorrow followed by bed and lights out in ten minutes...

kezlou

Fingers crossed with the house possession

Fantastic news with the bus kidcat!

Softstuff and chickens hope your feeling better after your ops.

Guess what we have a bed ! Cost £65 with bedding, duvet topper thing, head board, for pillows ,new mattress and even better it has four drawers.
Absolute bargain, fridge died so got another one for £20. Absolutely chuffed.

Luckily the carpet was fine and aired before picked new bed up. Thanks again pooky for that.

House is slowly getting there, just front room now.

Ds2 keeps asking about tree, so we have agreed to get the tree early this year, so probably 1st weekend of December instead of the 18 / 19.
Love Christmas at home as its means we get to spend together as a family. OH has Christmas day off so we watch films play games etc

We start watching Christmas films on 1st December, our tradition, make decorations and things. Celebrate solstice and bring in the greens, which is quite literally going out to cut the Christmas tree.

Actually looking forward to it, dad will be at ours and because he won't be working should be more relaxing.
Been so busy with appointments. But so far so good, think were definitely sorted for secondary school for ds2. The school has an inclusion sent centre, it's mainstream, so good mix. Excellent ratings and the Senco there has already attended a network meeting and ds2 hasn't even started there yet! So I'm very impressed.
The inclusion centre is open all hours and can even have his lunch they if he wishes. So all friendly and open. So a lot less stressed than I was, so fingers crowded early transition starting from may 2015 so he gets used to the school and staff before starting full time. He's also very happy because he found out they is a warhammer after school club lol
He won't be going to same school as ds1 as they are quite frankly rubbish with sen. The school is quite close so five minutes on a bus there. Could even walk or take his scooter to school.

Right better try and catch up.

Pooky awwwww kitties, just think you will have more than me! We have 6 moggys now, official crazy car lady lol

scotmumof3

monnagran sounds like a really nice xmas and wonderful memories. It is too commercial these days time we all took a stand against all the hype and consumerism

SpikyHedgehog

Kezlou, the school sounds excellent! Especially the Warhammer club ;-)...

I don't think schools realise how stressful the breaks & lunchtime can be, so the inclusion centre being open all the time is fantastic.

(DS2 told me at the weekend that he prefers getting detention for not doing his homework as then he gets to stay in at break time... I have told school but we've not had a solution yet.)

& yay for the bed & fridge!

I tried on the clothes I got at the Scouts jumble sale at the weekend after washing them & am well chuffed that they all fit as I realised the skirts are labelled as size 12! Okay, they'd look better if my tummy didn't stick out, but that encourages me to think I can keep losing a bit of weight & getting fitter. At the end, we were tidying up, & I got given some cotton gingham curtains - about 5 miles of them, I think... Well, what looks like 2 sets of French door curtains.

mardatha

Can I ask the cooks - I've got 2 recipes for cake, one it gives 200grms of flour and the other 2 cups of flour. I want to try both (when I can be bothered lol) - I need to buy a cake tin as I gave all mine away. What size will I get?

Possession

I usually use 20cm Mar. Does the recipe not specify a size?

Has anyone ever dyed curtains? I have some very good quality John Lewis curtains which have long been rejected by DD as they have pink fairies on (a BIG no no when you're 9 apparently). I've been trying to sell them for what seems like months and no takers, but yesterday realised I have 2 packs of blue Dylon in the cupboard. I presume I need to unravel them and stick them in, haven't lost anything even if they're ruined really.
Still waiting to hear about the mortgage, they had better phone today!

savingqueen

Mar I would go for 23cm BTH I generally guesstimate and do fine! Anyone else suggest?

Possession - is the dye dark blue? If not you might end up with blue fairies!

Still being productive, long may it continue though I am feeling tired and bit headachy, I am pushing on. As I hardly use Mr Tosspots, I have in my clutches some £2 off £20 shops. I used one today for things that were as cheap as elsewhere so pleased with my little saving. I need to pop in there to return something so no extra petrol expended. I love money saving but even more so when its Tosspots!:p

Have bitten the bullet and invited a group of 3 friends over for lunch tomorrow so need... well want is a better word to get the downstairs clean and tidy and decide what to have, think soup and rolls and a simple pud, maybe just cake.

Next door neighbour's dad just knocked. He was worried he had cut through our TV cable but luckily it was an old unused cable so no damage done. Phew all round!

maryb

Mardatha I work it out depending on the number of eggs in a Victoria sponge recipe (I appreciate you are not making one of these but it's a good rule of thumb). For example, a three egg quantity of mix would need a pair of 18 cm tins whereas a pair of 20 cm tins would take a four egg mix. You need the mix to be deep enough IYSWIM. You could make the cake in a single tin and cut it in half horizontally but the radius of the tin would be the same.

200g of flour is nearly 8 oz in old money so in a Victoria sponge mix that would be 4 eggs - so I would go for a 20cm tin

Pooky

Possession - Pants about the job!! As for the dying - Patterns don't tend to dye well, you'll find the inks used in the fabric will be different and will soak the dye up at different rates.

Utterly shattered this afternoon, I've been running around like a loon, achieved lots but still tons to do. Must crack on with a couple of hours work before the in-laws turn up for dinner (their kitchen extension as reached that stage where the units are half in and nothing is connected). First I suppose I'd best get the washing in - got one load dry this morning, lovely and sunny with a stiff cold breeze....not sure this load will be dry but it will smell nice:)