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

StressedOutMummy

Oh heck,
Is it A-level results tomorrow? Best wishes for all those awaiting results and that includes the parents!

mardatha

The Scottish weather forum I'm on has posted some long term winter charts and are getting excited...there is talk of deep snow and low temps...;)

shegar

VJsmum wrote: »

i cooked down some very spongy cox's the other day. they retained their shape well and didnt need added sugar. i mixed in some raisins wnd cinnamon, they were yum and woild otherwise have ended up in compost.

we are waiting DDs AS results tomorrow. goddaughter is waiting for A2. as i work in uni the results are important to us too. However mine isnt a course that people tend to come to thro clearing as it is highly vocational. we shall see.

shopping with DS was expensive but successful.

Oh I love cinnamon, id eat it with everything :eek:, just love the taste so much , its beautiful in apple dishes......

Ive been sorting my garden out today, moved a few things about, I know its not the right time of year to move stuff, but I water it twice a day in this dry, sunny and breezy weather, hopefully the move wont harm them...........

Oh please you lot keep talking about loving autumn and winter ,:eek: I hate it it , I suffer from SAD pretty bad and some years I dont know how ive got through it , the thought of putting the heating on, and dark earlier , colder, everyone so miserable, then christmas is talked about all the time from Sept to Jan , nobody got no money for christmas but find some to spend whatever , no no no, cant be dealing with that........

I love spring and summer , people smile more when the sunshine.........:D...Sheila

lobbyludd

all this talk of secondary school uniforms prompted me to look at ds's catchment school website - I've had to sit down. I may have to get a strong drink.

nothing is generic apart from trousers, all have to be badged. boys have 3 separate sports kits they have to have, (P.E, rugby and athletics) specified down to the socks, girls have 4. This is all only available from 1 shop, so no competition and no "sales".

the summer uniform is different to winter (after easter - the term this year was 10 blinking weeks long, and growing adolescents are not going to be able to use them from 1 year to the next) and girls are different to boys, (I have 1 ds and one dd, so no passing on within the family).

As a price example summer uniform shirts are £9 each - unless I want to spend my evenings washing small loads he'll need 5 - I don't spend £9 for a full set of primary school shirts now let alone £45!

and then there's shoes and sports shoes. I better start saving now at least I won't have both in the school at the same time.

Popperwell

Never wanted for anything when I was a child but then again I never asked for much, I was happy to get most entertainment from the TV/Radio or playing outdoors with my best friend...but I suspect from stories here it was not easy for Mum and Dad.

In many ways it has not improved...why is it not possible for more generic items to be used for uniforms? Schools could buy in bulk and just allow a logo to be sewn onto a blazer etc...

I guess that's too easy...

Possession

Hideous isn't it Lobbyludd. Try contacting the school's PTA to see if they have 2ndhand uniform sales. I wish I had done that but it's too late now.
Even better, tomorrow I have to go and get his bus pass. He is going to go on the public bus, which is £440 annually, because the school bus on exactly the same route is £660. And last year the school bus was full and they put some students on the public bus (without giving them a refund obviously!). Won't it be lovely when I have both DCs there. Not.
But this year at least, my lovely parents are paying for it. Thank goodness for them.

monnagran

Hi again.

Lunch for 25 accomplished satisfactorily. Next thing is something biscuity/cakey to go with coffee for a meeting here in the manse on Friday, then a church picnic and BBQ on Saturday which I am down for a pudding enough for 12 and 2 litres of orange squash.

Let me pick your brains.....I am picking runner beans like crazy and am going to have to freeze some soon. I have always blanched mine first but was talking to someone today who said she never bothers with blanching, just slices them and puts them in the freezer. Does anyone have an opinion on this? I'd love not to have the chore of blanching.

Ahhh! School uniforms. When I went to the grammar school in 1950 I couldn't wait to get my uniform. It was the first time ever that I was going to have ready made clothes, from a shop no less.

(Pause to answer the door to a sweet man from the church bearing a huge bunch of gladioli and a bag full of runner beans!!!! I did thank him prettily though).:D

My grandmother was a tailoress and made all my clothes to this point. I even had hand-knitted socks - in all sorts of patterns in pearlised cotton. They must have looked fabulous but I yearned for plain grey wool ones like everyone else I knew. I was that proud of my uniform clothes, I even wore my hand-knitted cardigan with pride because the rest had been 'boughten'.

I've spotted some newbies. Welcome all of you. You must be mad, this site is so addictive that you can give up any idea of any extra-curricular activities. Get out while you can, is my advice. If it's too late then you will have to stay and be nagged, advised, amused, hugged and loved to death. You have been warned.

While staying with my DB last week I was introduced to H*m* B*rg**ns. It's not fair. I WANT ONE. We then proceeded to B&M. And Wilkos. And came back with the cases on the back seat as our shopping filled the boot.:o

I have phone calls to make. Love you all.

x

Possession

LOL Monnogran, just before last Christmas (when I'd already done most of my shopping) I went somewhere that had both a Home Bargains and a Wilko. I'd have liked to transport them both to my home town!

savingqueen

Thanks very much for info VJs mum, I know what you mean about the tests. I already have several library books with tests and advice and have bought the pack (at great expense) for the grammar school consortium tests for the verbal and non verbal reasoning tests. Some of the state schools have their own tests though which are not all reasoning tests so it's a really tricky game. If we had good schools nearby, I wouldn't be considering all this but I want to give my sons a chance to go to the best school we can get a place at. Also I want them to go to schools they will be happy (which may not turn out to the "best" schools I know) and be at a school where it's cool to learn instead of singling you out as a nerd.

BTW I had a go at some of the tests myself and could do at least some of them but still doesn't mean DS will I know. I must get them out and have a go with him - for some reason I have been too scared to show him. (well I know the reason... but ....) If he finds them too hard that will be that but worth a shot. A year isn't long but a friend only did a few weeks of practise with her child and she got into my current number 1 choice out of catchment state school so there is hope I guess.

sq:)

[Deleted User]

'Lo MONNAGRAN , glad you're back from your hollibobs and had a nice time with your DB. Runner beans.............. Hmmmmmmmmmm....... Oh yes I remember , I do have an opinion on runner beans and my opinion is that if after I'd stringed them and cut them up I had to blanch them before putting them in the freezer I'd give up growing them entirely!!!!! What are you thinking woman, blanch runner beans? Never, I say Never!!!!! and they come out perfectly happily without it and taste exactly the same as fresh ones!!!!! The man who gave you a carrier bag full..... did he survive??? Cheers Lyn xxx.