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

Possession

How is fluffy kitten this morning Pooky? And Happy Birthday!

FairyPrincessk

Good morning all!

I do hope the fluffy kitten starts to feel better soon. The poor thing must be miserable.

SQ--I'm actually very into yoga, relaxation and the lot, it has really helped me to get through some stressful times, but even I find the strange colours etc. to be a little odd. I'm of the mind that if someone finds something helpful then it doesn't matter what others think, but I would have struggled to sit through it all as well.

Loving all of the stories of times past.

A bit tired this morning. Yesterday was full--work, washing, gym and then assembling wardrobes. We've saved and researched and planned and waited for about 14 months and finally took the plunge. We bought three small wardrobes as we think they'll be easier to move. We got one assembled last night, everything but adjusting the doors on the hinges, but it made for a late night. OH does not enjoy anything spatial or that requires assembly. I don't mind it, but I'm more of a morning person. We've got two more to go:eek: Hopefully it will be faster and easier now we know what comes next etc.

We've seen pictures of the new nephew..mum and baby are both fine, and we've also seen a photo of our niece holding him. She looks please, but also a little worried. As a fellow big sister I know the feeling.:rotfl:

Hugs to all who need them. Fingers crossed my strawberry will be red to its toes today.

SDG31000

My goodness me, you lot can natter

I am loving all the childhood memories. I was born in 1974 and can relate to some of them. I remember my Mom having a big Silver Cross pram with a seat that went across it for us bigger ones when our legs got tired. She must have pushed that thing for miles and miles and she is tiny. We lived in an end terrace house, so had a big garden to play in. I used to make a lot of mud pies and I spent a lot of time in the shed as well. I used to throw balls against the side of the house for hours on end and don't remember ever being told to stop. Mom never complained about mess, but I don't recall her ever playing with us. She just seemed to be cleaning constantly.

Pooky. I. Hope the poor kitty gets well very soon. It must be so upsetting seeing her like that.

VJsmum. Thank you for the info about University of Birmingham. It is a beautiful campus and DS1 felt happy there. We didn't have the time to get to Selly Sausage, we were running from talk to tour to talk all day. I did get a peek into the gallery and saw a Rossetti that made my heart soar.

Thank you to everyone for the recipes and suggestions. I made chilli yesterday and used up some of the stash. I have plans to make falafel/falafel burgers at some point this week. I was going to make hummus as well, but I can't find tahini paste at the mo.
Tonight I'm making posh dinner if plans don't change. Chicken breasts stuffed with garlic and herb cream cheese and wrapped in air dried smoked ham, with potato gratin and veg. DS1 might eat the chicken if I'm lucky.

I found the mythical bottom of the laundry basket yesterday. It's rarer than Unicorns and dodos and harder to get to than Narnia. Of course it has vanished again today, but it was good while it lasted.

I'd better get my bottom in gear and do something useful or just find some more tea.

Take care everyone xxxx

GreyQueen

Savingqueen, I was nodding along with your rant and felt like air-punching and yelling Yeah!

I have a very low tolerance threshold for hippy nonsense and find it raises my blood pressure and makes me want to grasp the spouter of such nonsense gently by the scruff and demand to know what they use for little grey cells? Before shaking them.

There's a lot of it about, unfortunately. I personally like practical stuff such as a good walk, gardening and a nice sleep and my chakras can go hang for all I care.

I hardly dare mention it after 10 days of greyness, but we have the glimmer of sunshine outside. I shall be hiding from it in t'office but if I'm lucky there will be a little leftover later today which I can enjoy for an hour or so on the lottie.

Absolutely tipped it here late yesterday evening, first really heavy rain for a while, although there have been a lot of showers. My weeds will be accelerating out of the ground even as we speak.

Y'know, I've often thought it is a shame that the edible weed "fat hen" isn't more palatable as it seems to be the preferred crop on my allotment. Other weeds heavily present are common mallow and black medic, plus with grass 5-6 feet tall in the derelict plots on either side, I shall shortly be having even more of that at mine.

My first cornflower has come out, as have some tame poppies, marigolds and a ? which may be a flower or just a pretty weed. I allow it in the annual flowerbed at the foot of the lottie and tug it out of the veggie patch, so it could be anything. I'll have to ID it with a book but there always seems to be something more urgent needing done.

Have a lovely day, people. GQ xx

Pooky, realy hope your poorly kitten improves soon.

[Deleted User]

Morning Toughies, a rude awakening this morning as the lurcher bounded up the stairs to say good morning, he bounded a bit too bouncily and managed to knock over a glass of water on the bedside table that went EVERYWHERE!!!!! including on the electricals and book, poor boy didn't understand why Mumi was leaping about like a mad thing with moppy towels, but he licked me anyway!!!

POOKY I hope that the little kitten cat is a bit better today, if only they could speak it would be easier to treat them wouldn't it? Hopefully the meds will kick in soon and you'll see an improvement in her condition.

FUDDLE I'm so pleased your cordial is smelling lovely, I know how much you've wanted to do this and the satisfaction you'll feel when you drink the first glass will be immense, well done pet.

SDG If you haven't got tahini to use in your hummus, use a tablespoon of smooth peanut butter, it's the alternative in some recipes I've got. It slightly, but only slightly alters the taste but it is just as nice I think.

SQ If anyone told me I'd got am emerald green chest cavity I would immediately rush to the chemist and purchase a decongestant as the only set of circumstances I can see that would cause it would be SNOT!!!!!

GQ dried mature Fat Hen Flowers can be ground to make a flour and were part of peasant cuisine for centuries, you need an awful lot of them though even to make a biscuit!!!

Have a good one all, Cheers Lyn xxx.

GreyQueen

Yeah, I daren't let the fat hens form their seeds, tho, there's so many in the soil already. They were a staple of the early neolithic diet and my lottie site is known to have been early neo farmsteads; I find their flint tools on a daily basis.

I've eaten fat hen as a salading and tried it lightly steamed. Was underwhelmed, but then a lot of veggies of the spinachy nature don't float my boat.

At least if all other crops fail, there'll be something up there to eat; you never run out of fat hen.

You can also eat the round seed pods of the common mallow. I normally have a few of them as tolerated trespassers on the lottie as the bees love them but they grow into big plants (several feet tall and with multiple stems) so you can't let the beggers take root just anywhere.

I've been handweeding my seedling beds of carrots, beets and leeks and they're trying to grow in there, as are lots of other things which end up quite big. I'll be glad when the proper plants are big enough to be seen easily and they can be hoed between.

My Dad was putting the fear of cold steel into the allotment weeds with my hoe a couple of weekends ago when they came up. He normally insists on bringing his own garden tools as he prefers them to mine, but he doesn't bother with bringing his hoe as he likes mine better.

It cost me £1 at a boot fair, is a swan-necked type with a small and wickedly sharp blade and is just the ticket. You have to be careful you don't get too carried away with it.

I made sure that he didn't accidentally wander off with it, but the lime green handle makes it hard to mistake. That was £1 very well spent.

bunbun2

Morning! it is a lovely day here today, bright blue sky! I am off out in a minute to collect my elderflowers.

pooky I hope your little kitten feels bette soon. happy birthday to you!

will catch up properly later!

peony40

Oh dear, I seem to be in a minority as I relate so well to chakras

[Deleted User]

GQ you can make the egyptian soup Melokhia with common mallow leaves, I've got recipe if you want it? I've always known the round mallow seed heads as 'cheeses'! Cheers Lyn xxx.

PRINCESSX87

Morning all.

Totally shattered this morning, Haven’t posted in a while and decided to update you all.. (Well for anyone who‘s interested anyways J )

My brother & SIL how have a home!! Its all ready minus the skirting boards to be painted. Yesterday they had their freezer, fridge & cooker delivered and the carpet fitter contacted them explaining that he’s had a last minute cancellation and can come in on Friday to lay the floors.!

We also managed to cut the grass in the garden which was blocking their front door entrance because it was over 3 foot long, Which means they now have a safe path to walk down.

SIL has been having regular checks as she’s been told that she’s carrying all baby and limited water, She’s in a lot of discomfort & pain, but being a trooper. The midwife is keeping in contact with her over the phone daily to make sure SIL is prepared for early labour as baby has starting engaging.

Their move in date was the 2nd, But they’ve decided that once the carpet is down Friday they will move in over this weekend.
Brothers (MIL) is disgusted that our family, friends and outside support has helped - In fact her words to the pair of them was that they was being scroungers L

I really feel now the MIL is simple a nasty spiteful women. There is nothing nice about her at all.
At least now, I feel I can rest knowing that they will have a home they can bring their baby back to. J

I’ve still lost one of my kitties, Starting to become very stressed that I may have lost her for good. She’s only ever done this once before & it turned out she was trapped in someone’s shed. But its been 5 days now and she still hasn’t returned. Which is making me really L

Thanks in advance for reading and giving your continued support all.
Hope you have a lovely day!!

xx