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

ginnyknit

Shegar, enjoy your rest, I know how precious it is to you. Hope you have a few treats lined up as well as the medium, be good to yourself. its a hard road you are travelling but you have to think of yourself too.

I had 4 hours away today and though my feet are tired I had a lovely time with Smileyt, we did a bit of frugal craft shopping and had a long leisurely cuppa. Ds and his wife (still sounds strange ) stayed with hubby and did a few chores for me so came back to a sleepy hubby and a list ticked off. Going to try and take it a bit easier this week, the winter curtains need shortening and putting up after I have cleaned the windows but I think this warm spell can delay that chore. My Mum did my shopping for me this week and DD went to check on her, do her jobs and pick up my shopping. I know I am very lucky to have such fab kids and all I do for them is look after my adorable DGs on a Saturday and lend Dd the car on occasion. Ds needs very little off me other than sending parcels etc here and making him the odd cake.

Gailey you are doing amazingly well despite all life is throwing at you and if there was a medal for trying hard you would definatley get one. Keep your chin up hunny xx

cornishchick

Gaily, have you looked at the forum for Benefits? There are lots of people in there that have experience and knowledge of the system.
http:// http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=139
Sounds like we are all trying to find the positives in every day. Mine was driving to as*a, singing very loudly and probably very badly as I drove.
Going to the zoo tomorrow with Dh and a friend with mobility problems, which will be a laugh, cos we are all mad as hatter's.

[Deleted User]

GAILEY how positive your post is pet, it's lovely to hear the chirp back in your voice!!!

I'd make an Irish Stew with the lamb, just with potatoes, carrots,pearl barley, onions/leeks and lamb as you don't need much meat to get a nice flavour. Just chop the meat into small chunks and that should feed all of you. Pork loin I'd make Piggy in the Orchard which is one of our favourite casseroles and serve it with jacket potatoes and something green. It's so easy, just cube up the pork and put it into a casserole with some diced onion, a couple of chopped carrots, a chopped stick of celery, a couple of peeled diced apples and some dry sage and thyme. Pour in some apple juice or cider, salt and pepper and pop it into a low oven for a couple of hours. It's really easy and tastes great. Hope that helps, Cheers Lyn xxx.

mardatha

Shegar I hope the medium is good I'm going to a home circle this tues with a friend, looking forward to that.
Went upto Edinburgh today got a new laptop which is Win8. I don't feel strong enough to cope with it tonight, am putting that off until tomorrow

RosiePuddingPaws

Phew! Just caught up, following my broadband deciding it was going on holiday.

It seemed quite apt that I just got to reading the funeral posts and realised that the song on the cd was "die by my own hand"! I've only had the cd for a few days and I just love the guitars on the track. I should confess here that I have a weakness for one particular man dressed in black and wearing a cowboy hat ...

I hope you have resolved your shrewish visitors Mrs Chip. I have fellow feeling in that my two darlings have brought in three (live) youngish rats in the last week. Not pleasant at all. The naughty tortie likes to play so one of the rats was taking refuge behind the kickboard under the sink. She caught it, took it outside and dropped it under the hydrangea, chased it round, caught it again, brought it back in (with me doing fishwife impersonations) and let it go - straight back behind the kickboard! Thankfully her fluffy brother was not so soft as soon after he caught it and took it away - rat later found dead on the lawn. This is in addition to the two mice during the week as well.

There seem to be a number of people having hard times at the moment but hopefully everyone will get through. I know when things get tricky I find everyone on this thread to be so supportive. Thanks.

RPP

cornishchick

I was just reading the winter prep thread with a bit of real fire envy, because i love them, even looking at one makes you feel warmer, but can't have one in this house, or even the fake electric ones,
BUT we do have a smart TV, lol quick search of the apps, and we now have a real fire app, lol, it felt so cosy, with the look and sounds of the fire and the old mantel clock ticking, very relaxing to.
Can't wait to be snuggled on the sofa with a good book, the "fire" on and drinking hot chocolate
Just need to find a burning logs smelly candle lol :rotfl:

kidcat

Possession wrote: »

Kidcat has DD7 got this new Brain Builder homework? It's driving me up the wall. Airy fairy nonsense and takes an age. DD8 has 2 weeks to do hers, but there's 3 project type pieces (ridiculous questions like facts about France nobody else knows - how is she supposed to find them out if nobody knows them?!) as well as times tables, reading and spellings as usual.

Its called a learning log - teacher gives general topic and we have to do all the work, set questions etc - eg set up a shop and give everything a price, then sell a range of the items and work out the price totals, then work out the change. To show your work you can take pictures of the shop in your house and write a table of your sales!!
Then we had -Romans - research an area of Roman history thoroughly, then present a page of facts via power point and print off your results!

As well as reading, spellings and harvest festival practise as well.

Have to say I cheated the harvest practise and she did it in the car coming home Friday - it will have to do cos the shop, romans and associated printing took so long.

Cheapskate

I'm liking the funeral chat, not morbid at all! DH and I need to crack on with this and making wills. Sis and I fancy a local green cemetery, can have a tree of your choice planted over you - she wants flowering cherry, I'd like something useful like apple or pear, eco coffins, etc. As long as the music's not doom-and-gloom, I'm easy about what's played, fancy "Do not stand at my grave", sums up my feelings about people still being "around" after they've passed.

Lots of hugs to those of us having carp times, so wish I could hug you in RL, and offer more concrete help - have to be just virtual cuppas or G&Ts with homemade biccies, though. I'm slowly moving myself away from toxic relatives, jobs and other situations - come to the conclusion that our lives are me, DH, the littlies, DS still at home, mum and sis/bro - most other folk can take a flying leap! :rotfl:

A xo

floss2

Gailey, will post cheesecake recipe tomoz on pc. I'd make Lancashire hotpot. Cut up the lamb & toss in seasoned flour, then put in bottom of casserole. Then finely sliced onions & potatoes & layer on top of the lamb. Pour over a pint of hot chicken stock, cover & cook for 2 hours on gas 3-4. Serve with veg.

Oh, think they are sloes you found

Possession

kidcat wrote: »

Its called a learning log - teacher gives general topic and we have to do all the work, set questions etc - eg set up a shop and give everything a price, then sell a range of the items and work out the price totals, then work out the change. To show your work you can take pictures of the shop in your house and write a table of your sales!!
Then we had -Romans - research an area of Roman history thoroughly, then present a page of facts via power point and print off your results!

As well as reading, spellings and harvest festival practise as well.

Have to say I cheated the harvest practise and she did it in the car coming home Friday - it will have to do cos the shop, romans and associated printing took so long.

It's madness isn't it!