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

Knit_Witch

Poor Poppy (and the ignorant so and so Staffies are recommended by the RSPCA as family dogs as they are soft as a soft thing!)

savingqueen

I have had a funny sort of day today. Got up early to clean and tidy house - well at least the wings the public see . Baked some goodies for a friend coming over. She arrived really late and had to leave early so I was a bit disappointed to be honest but so glad she could come anyway. She has always had some emotional problems but was in quite a bad way today and I am left feeling worried about her but not sure I can do much. I said I would meet her in London (where she lives) when I get the chance and I will make more effort to speak to her regularly.

One of my local friends, the one whose mum died recently and who is really struggling financially has now just found out her FIL is terminally ill with just a few months at most left. They have not long got over loosing their house and her DH becoming disabled. I feel like screaming for life to give them a break.

She is most worried about who will look after the kids when her and her DH visit FIL etc. At least thats one thing we can do, have the kids stay over. We don't have enough room on the boys' bedroom for 2 kids but thought I would buy some sleeping bags (might use for camping trip ) and invite them over soonish for a sleepover. Thought it would be better to get them used to staying with us before things get more difficult for them all. A bit nervous about having them stay over for various reasons like youngest not got at settling and they don't always get on well together (the 2 siblings that is). Any tips Kez?

Ok kids need some mum time as I've been distracted all day so best get to them. DH offered to bring something home for dinner, probably expensive and ready made but I don't want to turn down an offer of help and I feel really tired so seemed a good idea to say yes. A surprise for dinner! My friend brought some strawberries so we have pudding sorted too.

sq:)

[Deleted User]

SQ many hugs for a harrowing and difficult day. You like Kez and so many others are a good friend and an even better person. It's why people come to you when they need a comforting shoulder to help hold thier burdens for a while and you always do, you help , you listen, you care. I'm sad for your friend who has not only had to cope with losing her own mum but now learned that her FIL is leaving them too, so much and all at the same time. You are being such a pillar of strength for her and her family, having the boys over to stay would be a brilliant idea, so they can then come to you when they 'have' to, you totally deserve your ready made dinner this evening, hugs to MrSQ for being your pillar of strength, you're good folks you are, Chin up, Love Lyn xxx.

kezlou

Sq your a star! Your poor friend :(She's going through the wars

This is how i prepare my snippers. They only found out today:)

I joked at them calling "indoor camping", its easier for my 9 to hold to cope with. Get the lads to share an air bed. Trust it will make so much easier, think about £10 or £15 out of te$co for a double one.

I've told youngest that he might be sharing a bed with my friends son. DS1 has been told, he's going into they room as well.
My friend and her daughter are having ds1's room.

maybe a picnic if dry outside or inside if wet.
A mixture of sandwich fillings, mini hot dogs, sausages. Pizza chopped up, chopped up salad.
savoury eggs, sausage rolls. Little cakes, no bake oat bars, easy quick to do, just cook the day before. Flap jacks, crisps.

Just do a very easy meal that they can pick and choose. Also if they leave any just put it in the fridge for later.

I always have colouring books, pencils and paper ready for crafts.
Big tub of lego ready for them.
Snakes and ladders and a football and dinosaurs to play with.

If its wet we also play hide and seek in the house and make up stories. My kids love my version of the gruffalo.

Younger ones are having teddies for an indoor picnic and snuggles. Blankets for the chair. Films at the ready, lights turned off, popcorn, crisps and snuggles. Trust me kids love being able to hide away without having to have the dreaded eye and physical contact

Just before bed, stories and an hot chocolate or malted milk with marshmallows and cream if wished. Teeth brushed, toilets then sleepy time.

In the morning, no doubt they'll be up and bouncing at stupid a clock in the morning.

If its dry outside were going to have cereal, toast with jam in the garden with lots of juice, milk and water.

After that leave them in they pj's to explore the garden / house maybe some colouring.

If its dry you could take them to the park and things.
Just make it as stress free as possible for yourself. If you do that everything will be fine. If your relaxed so are the kids.

jpscloud

shegar wrote: »

Well done to you on the sea kelp helping you so much, , its doing me really proud too, yesterday I painted the summer house, the garden shed, pottered outside, cleaned inside , done washing , etc etc.........Im loving my new life , it suits me very well indeed, I just hope it continues.......Oh plus im looking after hubby 24/4 , caring needs and everything.............

Today for the first time in weeks and weeks we have drizzle , so thats put a stop to me being outside for too long, just done the hens , and topped bird feeders up.........

MAR....Yes thats late for buddleia, my flower heads have been out weeks ago and are now brown and finished, I did infact cut the spent blooms yesterday , so hopefully get a second flush.......... Loads of butterflies and bees this year , so lovely to see, and we need as many bees as we can get..........Ive also had quite a few hummingbird hawk moths on the verbena and buddleias..........Have a good day all...Sheila

Thanks for posting about your kelp experience Sheila, I only hope I will get some improvement too. Just day two here!

Also thanks for the info about hummingbird hawk moths... they don't often make it all the way up to Cheshire but it's good to know they are in the country!

savingqueen

Thanks yet again Mrs LW, you nearly always have me in tears. I am just a Mrs Average doing my little bit, same as most of us here. What would we all do without your posts?

Thank you kez for sharing your sleepover details - the kids have a ball when they come over to you, almost makes me want to come too!! I don't think we will be doing the sleepover yet, my friend needs time to sort out her head and I know she will worry about the kids and also how they will behave for me. She is going back with the kids to stay with her dad in a couple of days (like us no-one in our families live locally) but when I see her again I will see what she thinks.

Main problem I can see is friend has a girl and boy and DS9 won't want to share a room with the girl (as she is a girl and she knows how to wind him up, two things not connected!), DS6 won't want to be without his big brother (he gets nightmares occasionally), friend's two used to separate rooms as they argue. Might try them all in boys' room, if I clear all the crates and toys out, might just squeeze 2 sleeping bags on the floor next to bunk beds. Oh and haven't told DH who will probably hate the idea though should be ok when he knows why. My boys have never had any friends or family their age over to sleep and if we do it for my friends' kids, it will open the floodgates for other friends. Poor DH! :rotfl:

I think if the sleepovers are as fun as Kez's, the kids will end up worn out and happy and not care who they sleep next to, hopefully...

Well dinner and DH should be arriving soon...waiting in anticipation... what's the betting it's pizza?! Just been trying to bounce on trampoline with DS6 and playing throwing soft toys from top bunk (DS9) on top of mum's head. Couldn't do either for long!

sq:)

Knit_Witch

SQ could the boy sleep in the same room as one of your lads and the girl in the living room (means you and your OH having an early night but ......!

kezlou

don't know about fun! we rarely have sleepovers but when we do we treat it like camping,

All ready to go out, urghhhh i'm shaking like a leaf.

Have to say we don't do the picnic all the time. Sometimes we just have pizzas chopped one plate. Chip on another, crisps in a bowl, and lots of dips.

The kids love it, but as mine have food issues. Its ideal for them to pick and choose.
Oh well thats the thing tomorrow night 3 boys, one gorls. All the boys in one room and the girl in the other room All cozy with the boys.

Well better get my flip flops on

shegar

jpscloud wrote: »

Thanks for posting about your kelp experience Sheila, I only hope I will get some improvement too. Just day two here!

Also thanks for the info about hummingbird hawk moths... they don't often make it all the way up to Cheshire but it's good to know they are in the country!

I hope you get some " help from the kelp.", ......Anyone else out there feeling better on kelp ?...............

Yes them hummingbird hawk moths are a beautiful creature, last year I had 3 very regular on the verbena boneriensis, and this year , well ive never seen so many all at once, im talking like 20 to 30 the other day, I was totally shocked to see so many , I got my binoculars out and it was definately them , such a lovely thick body and wings ..........

Then I read that if they come one year they definately come back the next , so perhaps we will see more as years come..........I did talk to someone today who said ive had a funny looking butterfly on my lavendula, he described the hawk moth , he was stunned by it ,couldnt beleive it , first one he had ever seen in his 72 years , plus ive never seen so many bees this year , which is brilliant too, we need them.......

Tonight on BBC 2 Chris Packham as a good wildlife prog on, be worth a watch , just after Gardeners World..........

Got my car MOTd today , it was only out of MOT since May 17:eek: and I didnt even remember it...:eek:..Please to say it passed with just a headlight bulb needed...........

Sorry to hear about poppy , thats not nice at all and uncalled for.......poor dog , hope she gets over it..............

Sheila...

FairyPrincessk

These sleepovers sound amazing! Not sure, perhaps the kids are a bit old, but what about sheet forts/tents? Perhaps the kids could all sleep in the lounge after assembling their domiciles!


I've had a go, sorted one drawer, make-up box and jewellery box. Might go and do one more drawer, just not feeling much motivation these days, but really want it all sorted before things get busy again.

OH is sorting tea tonight, again. He was going to have another go at falafel, this time with tinned chickpeas but he said something earlier about having changed the plans around. I think it may be oven pizza as a treat:)

We also sat down together and made our winter prep re-stock list. Feeling much better now we've got a plan for it and worked out the budget for it all, as well as discussed how to shift the order for OH's concerns about meat.

I will also be getting the things for the spicy bean and lentil loaf and trying it out next week. Usually it would all be stuff I would have in, bar the veg but it has gotten that dire with my running down store cupboards! Must confess that I'm most excited about the hotpot, but will wait until it is a bit chillier and leeks are in season. I love leeks so will probably want to double them or even replace the swede with them.

Just been out in the garden, picking off those awful pale green caterpillars again. I think I've picked off hundreds by now. The good news is I have several baby courgettes coming along and several peppers. The bad news is that the spinach is one of the most miserable plants I've ever seen. It is growing, but not very quickly.

Right, that is probably all from me for tonight. We're planning to settle down with Iplayer in bit. I hope you all have a lovely evening with friends and family. Kez, good luck with your outing. Molly, perhaps your OH needs to be walked before bedtime to keep him from being restless and barking? Sorry couldn't resist! Princess, special cuddles for Poppy. Hugs to all who need them. Forgot to say--special hugs for SQ--you're a wonderful friend.x