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

bluebag

A big, big sigh of exasperation as so many of you tell me when they move out the kids don't take their stuff. I was a fool to hope I guess.

Over the years as they have got older I have done less and less decorating as it gets harder and harder to get up the ladders to do all that stuff and putting it away became quite a chore.

I still do a tree although its a much smaller artificial one now instead of the huge real one we always used to have. I do a lot more with what I call sit down crafts,stuff you can do while watching TV.
Candles and ribbon, oranges with cloves that sort of thing. Much easier to take down and put away.

I save all my glass jars for ages and put christmas coloured tea lights in them and tie ribbon round the tops, easy clean up. Just recycle the jars and ribbon. They look really good grouped together.

nursemaggie

Yes Rosanna and it is often the relatives who have no idea of how weak you feel. It took me 9 months to recover from my op last year.

Even the hospital expected me to travel on two trains and a bus to get there at one time I was going up to twice a week and through all that Awful weather last winter. I even got told your too late come back tomorrow after being stuck on a country station for two hours in the worst of the storms because trains were being cancelled. It's not thought out at all.

Bluebag when your kids finally move out just cut everything they leave behind down gradually they will not notice.

I took all of my stuff but my brother left lots of stuff. When my parents were moving into sheltered housing I tackled my brothers stuff. He had been left home over 30 years and it was his old trainspotting books from childhood. Long forgotten I am sure. His football scrapbooks of long forgotten football players, Latin grammar text books all stuff from childhood. He hated Latin at school. I did call him and then put it all in the bin. With four of his own adult kids at home he did not have room for it all.

DD left home 26 years ago. I still have some of her stuff but her dad has 20 times as much. She will finally get her own home some time next year. Hopefully the British Council will pay for it all to be shipped to Malta where they will be settling.

bluebag

nursemaggie,

Thanks for the tip re the kids 'stuff'. My two have left and been back various times for whatever reason. They have a leaner footprint than they used to do, thankfully.

I joke about it, but I will miss them both when (and if?) they finally go. It's odd when they are both home and still want to do family stuff like they were flippin six again, it does make me smile tho!

They still like being home for Christmas, and I love having them. It's all good.

Possession

Here you go Ivyleaf:

greywitch

we still put decs up even though kids left home although ds temporarily back
have grandchildren so do it mainly for them keep saying going to get smaller tree but same big one comes down from loft every time
oh says cant be bothered then proceeds to cover every surface with something sparkly
the cake how do you make toffee vodka?

kidcat

evening ladies,

Mardatha would a small fibre optic tree work for you? We have one inherited from my grandad, its about 18inches tall and is so easy to put up and then away again.

Having been up at 7 to ice the cakes, awake most of the night worrying that they would all go unsold and be awful, it turns out they almost all sold, with one muffin and two slices of carrot cake left. It was a massive relief. It was lovely to walk around the fayre today and we were stopped several times by people wanting to thank me for the cakes, having bought them and enjoyed them they passed on compliments to the kitchen staff and one of the ladies pointed me out.

Tomorrow I need to pack for DD8 residential on Monday, and then I am having a lazy day, I did our roast dinner today after the fayre, so we will have quicker easier meals tomorrow

ginnyknit

Kidcat, so glad all your cakes sold - didnt doubt it for minute

Bluebag kids never leave home really they just pretend to. Ds announced the other day that if his apartment is sold by the LL before their new house is bought he would like to stay here on the nights his wifey is on a late - they will be camping out at her parents but he doenst want to sit with them while she is working - he is a very private person. Just hoping all goes to plan as it will bu**er up everything here. I dont mind really I just got used to him not being here AGAIN. Oh well back to the drawing board.

I always have tree and decs. Hubby hates Christmas but loves the lights and we have lots of new ones gifted from our neighbour this year, including a couple of big reindeer which will have to go on the back garden - Dgs will love them :T

mrsdwhite

Dropping by to say hi. Looks like it's been a quiet few days on the thread.
Got DH friend and his son staying over with us tonight as they are into sailing and it's convenient for them to stay with us when they are sailing at lakes near us. They bought me flowers to say thanks for having them ☺️
Bought myself some nice new tops in Mr T today as they had some 50% off stuff, stupidly forgot to take my boost vouchers with me though so had to pay for them ��
Had attempt number 3 at fudge today and it was 3rd time lucky! Good old Baileys and white choc flavour. I've put some in the freezer to go to people at xmas in their hampers. I shall work on making more now. Discovered that evaporated milk and condensed milk are not interchangeable for the purposes of fudge making which is where I was going wrong.
I put together the christmas hampers for people last night, pleased with them. People will be getting a decent amount and I've not really spent a lot at all, maybe £10-£15 per hamper if that?
Feeling a bit run down and generally bleurgh. Probably a bit of a cold and run down from the recent stresses. Though we are moving forwards, just in baby steps!
Hope you're all well and having a good weekend ☺️

the_cake

greywitch - have not got round to the toffee vodka yet (ran out of oomph - more chocolate orange needed!) but basically you take one bottle of vodka (I always use Ald*'s cheapest for making flavoured vodkas) and one bag of W*rthers Originals. Smash the toffees up a bit and put them in the vodka. Shake regularly to dissolve them. That's it!
Feeling happily MSE today as I have made eight jars of apple chilli jelly, already tried it with some pork chops, and it's terrific. Recipe was from here, but can't remember whose, so thank you, whoever you are. I also used the Sainsbugs Nectar points double up and bought some wine for Christmas - 2 x 2 bottles for £12, got 2000 points doubled up to a £20 voucher, so paid £4 for 4 bottles. Yay!

Softstuff

philphil1 wrote: »

This is in the slow cooker today, having it later hopefully!....

Just put in chickpeas with a couple of hours to go, and not pur yoghurt in yet as I read it can separate in a slow cooker if on for a while. Might add it for the last hour or so?!
Trial and error but smells good!

Edit.. Not thickening too well, hopefully leaving lid off a bit will do it

I hope it works Phil, the yoghurt is supposed to be in at the very beginning though, as I understand it, it helps the meat go nice and buttery. It separates a bit in the pan on the stove too, but sort of comes together as it reduces at the end.

And the smell gets my husbands mouth watering now we've had it a few times.

Think I overdid it yesterday. Nothing dramatic, just went to buy some toothbrushes and bacon, then for lunch at MILs. Staying very inactive today. Hubby is presently dusting and vacuuming, oh, and doing laundry. Feeling quite spoiled.

Had a bit of a 5am brainwave this morning. Remembered I had some frequent flyer miles from last year. Didn't redeem them this year because mum came here and next year might not be flying to England, so the miles would expire. By a convoluted process managed to convert them into another airlines miles, then into vouchers. Got $150 in supermarket vouchers and a $10 itunes card. That's a very nice posh Christmas shop sorted from what we would have otherwise lost. And frankly I'd ruled out a posh Christmas shop, since I'm unemployed again.