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

[Deleted User]

FUDDLE quite correct about upstairs flats gaining heat from downstairs heating being on. DD1 was in a block of flats on the 3rd and 4th floors (her flat had 2 floors) and it was really warm in the colder months with only a minimum of heating, the down side to it is that it's also warmer in the summer months too. However, the fact that you are not ground floor means it's probably to leave small windows ajar for ventilation!!! Sorry your chair broke after all the hard work you'd done restoring it, bad luck pet!!!

JEM you're quite right, and a very sensible lass, the money can be put to a much better use and winter boots are more necessary than a night on the town. You do what you need to and your friends will have to lump it if they don't like it won't they pet, Cheers Lyn xxx.

Knit_Witch

Go for upstairs fuddle, when we lived in an upstairs maisonette we rarely had to put the heating on (and that is with my pain making me feel cold most of the time )

elona

Jem

You know the old advice "Get a good bed, boots and coat as you will always be in one of them!"

To be the best you can you need to look after yourself too. Warm and waterproof coat and shoes or boots.

There are lots of red berries appearing here which is supposed to be the sign of a bad winter. Where we live never used to get snow for twenty years yet the last couple of winters had quite heavy snow and I am so glad I went to TKmaximus and splurged on good boots and a coat with a hood. It worked out a quarter of the rrp but I still felt a bit guilty when I got them.

Spooned manuka honey down DH and seems to help his cough and planning home made chicken soup for lunch.

Fuddle

In a flat a lot depends on good neighbours or at least not awful ones. If you can try to do a recce at different times to get a feel of the place.

Hugs to all

savingqueen

Morning all

Thanks for your post Esther. I know it's not the sales assistants' fault and they are pressured to sell and I do feel for them, would hate to see them loose their jobs. The lad who served us was such a polite, helpful young man. I'm sure a lot of the staff know only to well that many people have tight finances and feel guilty asking. At the end of the day, customer should be king (or queen) and I am always polite. I am glad I am not the sort to be easily swayed and when it comes to my finances, I am generally at my most assertive!

Fuddle -sorry about your chair.

A warm welcome to you Laura

Nutty - 28 hours in 2 days is too much and hopefully if you tell the powers that be about the long working days they will take that on board. They must know staff will be less efficient if they force people to work long shifts. Try not to worry unduly, they must know you are a responsible and valuable employee and if they turn a blind eye to others not pulling their weight...

Jem - hugs to you love. It's hard not going out when others are, I know that feeling. Sounds like the pluses far outweight the negatives and you have made the right choice for you. In a couple of days it will be largely forgotten and you can look forward to having some warm boots and coat for the winter.

Would it work to ask your friends to go out for a belated birthday coffee at a nice coffee shop at the weekend, only need a couple of pounds or a fiver if you want to treat the birthday girl. I know it isn't the same but a couple of hours chatting and giggling together would be fun. Like fuddle, I am upfront now and explain, much less stressful, I used to make up excuses out of embarrassment.

DS6 wet the bed last night, completely soaked everything, pillows, duvet etc. He was so tired last night, I think he forgot to go to the loo before bed and DH forgot to remind him. So staying in to take advantage of the sun (heavy rain forecast tomorrow) and get all his bedding washed.

Rest of day will potter, uniform to label and similar and plenty of tea of course in between. Will try and tick a few things off the list and also make time to play a game or two with my two

onwards and upwards me hearties
sq:)

jem132

Thanks for all you kind comments.

I wish my friends would understand my need to control my need to have everything just right ie everyone having warm clothes and boots for winter my house and food store full and my need to have a change of clothes and food and drink in the car for my family.
Nevermind the fact they have needed to borrow a change of clothes.
I wish I had rl friends like you on hear x
Fuddle my first home alone was an upstairs flat and boy was it warm I never had the heating on it was so snuggly. Is there no way you could afford a 2 bed house a bit further out as a garden for growing your own and the girls + your pooch would be better in a house. If you approach the lc I am sure they would help if you are moving to the area to work I am sure you gain extra points. And point you in the right direction for affordable private rentals. Just a thought.

I need to shut up and get a grip sorry all

They are not the sort of girls that would be happy to go for a coffee like I would.
They are not really my true friends the birthday girls mum is my friend and her husband is dh friend her dh and birthday girl spend a lot of time with us we usually. Share a bottle of wine on a Friday bg doesn't really have anything in common with girls her own age she has a mortgage and a full time job she never goes out and is 21 tomoz the problem is the other girlsthat will be there. Are not my sort of people constant drinking and I have been told by others smoke the wacky backy and other things that I really have no desire to be around.
So basically that's why I arnt going I can't bear to be around people like that.

[Deleted User]

Sound advice ELONA also wise to do a recce to see how much traffic the road the building is on carries at different times of day, you wouldn't like to be on a rat run, specially with the girls and Alfie, specially if you're near a school too, there is inevitably a problem with parking for picking up kiddies if you are, Cheers Lyn xxx.

fuddle

Thank you all for your feedback. Very much appreciated

It will be a private rental and no more than two floors of flat. Myself and youngest are very heavy footed so might be worth a downstairs one I will be very conscious about that as well as the galoof known a Alfie as he jumps down from the sofa etc. I dare say heating a flat will be cheaper for me than heating a house but I guess you still have the same amount of rooms...

I won't know about the areas until next week. I know where I want to be, where the depot is etc but it's very highly priced and I suspect out of our reach just now - but then have to factor in schools... I need to be in a area that I am confortable and want to settle because I cannot move the girls' schools again.

Is there anywhere online that allows you to check stats (crime etc) in places?

Lyn that chair has been abused for years. I shouldn't expect anything less really. One those those annoying little things but it's alright. I don't think no more glue would fix it because it's a sheer split down the join of the seat pad. My guess is water damage from all that time in the garden. I have though got my eye on a computer chair. Finishes lunch time. I will let you know

[Deleted User]

FUDDLE yes there is, I'll get He Who Knows to give me the website to post when he gets back home this lunchtime. We used it when we were looking for houses for both the girls, it's a good site!!! Cheers Lyn xxx.

PRINCESSX87

Midmorning to you all.

Been busy the past couple of days therefore, I haven’t had the time to come & catch up. Finally done so now, Started at 10 this morning, The phone don’t shut up, dogs are on a crazy one. Chaos I tell ya!

Had baby ruby weds to this morning for our trip to Weston, I’m will urge anyone to stay well away from there if your looking for a family day trip. Its totally rubbish now for families. The shops & indoor market has gone ect. Nothing for families.

Anyways the chest of drawers now have finally gone to heaven!! So I’m left with forking out over £100 today. Not happy. Plus I’ve got OH’s winter work wear to replace and get him new footwear as his is holey & a months worth of food shop to get in on top of the bills. The old saying aye, “It never rains it pours” comes to mind.

Got the housework to do today. Already washed and drying Rubies clothes. Its amazing how much she gets through. She was totally CUTE yesterday and the amount of people that come to OH & I and said, Isn’t she lovely, She narf lookes like her dad and pointed to OH! LOL. OH is traumatised - Their face’s soon changed when they was corrected!

Younger Brother got his GCSE results yesterday. He passed all the major ones he needed. He was very chuffed although he had 2 where he got a grade lower than expected and he’s kicking himself. Silly really, But I can understand his disappointment as he studied so hard for them. Trying to say to someone who is education mad, That you cant be great at everything gets you a paddy!

Congrats to everyone else’s children who got their results!! Big well done.

Opps, about the chair!
MOS: Poor kitty!
M/Gran, Hopefully things are looking up?
MRSLW, Docky doing okay today?

Hugs to everyone else who needs them!!

Off to start the chores!!

xxxPxxx

[Deleted User]

Hi PX87 well done your brother on getting good grades in his GCSEs, he can do resits on the ones he didn't do so well on ? Docky is fine thank you, but his Dadi couldn't get him anywhere near the field where he was kicked when he was out for his walk this morning, I'm not at all surprised either. Looks like we'll have to find a couple of horse free walks for him, Cheers Lyn xxx.