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

Jazee

Happy Birthday Mrs Chip.

stiltwalker

Morning all - been a stressful week chez stiltwalker. Started badly when my new lappy got a cracked screen (thank heavens for insurance) and has just got worse. Had a major family row with DH's brother over sorted out PIL's new flat - think it's all sorted but there may be a bit of an atmosphere at the do at the weekend. Then the car broke down on Wednesday and won't be fixed in time so have had to hire a car for the weekend, not been able to get any bigger than an estate though so won't be able to fit in everything we need, will get us there though as particularly after having to make sure BIL wasn't making a right old mess of everything it would just be seen as sour grapes on our part if we didn't make it and probably ruin any chance of ever fixing things.


Both DH and I had our first essays due in yesterday and school dressed up for scary book day yesterday so DD needed a costume making for that and I got told in her home school book that they were dressing up as farmers for harvest so made big effort to make the coolest costume (just jeans and checked shirt for DD but made card cutouts of a tractor to go either side of her walker and a number plate saying 'wobbly ' for the back). Got to school to find no one else dressed up - they'd told the kids but forgotten to send a text out! Never mind DD was the star of the piece so she was happy. I've set a pretty high bar for costumes for myself though and there is a little boy a couple of years older who uses a chair and a walker in her school and he was having a good look at it so may have just created a bit of a headache for his mum!!


Roll on Monday afternoon is all I can say when we'll be back home and finished with all of them and can get back to just being our own little unit. Just got to hope now that our car won't be too outrageously expensive to fix - and that it is sorted by Tuesday afternoon so got it for stay and play on Wednesday.


Ah well, worse things happen at sea as my dad always says! It could be a lot worse, just have to focus on all the good stuff!


Take care all and hugs where needed or wanted - X

Popperwell

Never rains but it pours...many of us seem to have some pretty heavy issues to deal with at present Stiltwalker. I can only hope it goes as well as it can and you can retreat to your comfort zone as soon as possible. x

candlelight_2013

Happy birthday Mrs. Chip

Candlelight xx

Popperwell

That storm http://uk.news.yahoo.com/hurricane-speed-winds-threaten-britain-130347049.html

Pinkdebster

Happy Birthday Mrs Chip xx

savingqueen

Sounds like you need a bit of me time Stilts and a big hug. here's hoping next week is less stressful!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MRS CHIP! HAVE A LOVELY DAY

Back from docs, tests came back fine so not officially experiencing the big M but as my cycles are freewheeling, something is definitely happenning... obviously just gearing up to it. Fab! GP wants me to continue with the ADs, back in a month and was talking about maybe upping the dosage then.... not so keen on that idea but not going to think about it til nearer the time. Have to admit felt a little panicky when he mentioned a higher dosage and have felt tearful since the appointment but also relieved to have a prescription to get in a few mins.

Poor posh cat was sick this morning all over the heavy cotton sofa throw thing so that's out on the line in the sunshine. Shame it takes up virtually the whole washing line and the laundry bins are full to bursting again. Off to get my tablets, bread and milk and see if any SCs left in Allydees, another one to forget the voucher yesterday. Then its the school Harvest Festival assembly. DH is working from home but too busy to come along, such a shame.

We are having a cheap takeaway tonight to celebrate boys' school success, will have to take from the savings pot but I did find some pound coins the other day whilst decluttering so don't need much to add to those

take care
sq

Possession

I remember the 1987 storm well - particularly looking out of the window in the early hours and seeing a tree flying across our garden. We were lucky enough not to have much damage (we lived in Kent which was very badly hit) but I had just started working for Royal Insurance and we had to move to an empty floor of a new office and lay paperwork all over the floor, there were so many claims. All of the claims inspectors from the North were seconded down, otherwise people would have been waiting months for inspections with big holes in their roofs. My dad was a headteacher and key holder for the school - the police called in the middle of the night as the school alarm was going off, so he had to go out. As he passed the top of a steep hill there was a police car blocking the road, because power lines were down beyond that and were flying about in the air sparking, and my dad said the poor police officer looked terrified as his car sat rocking about at the crest of the hill. My mum was very pleased to have him home again.
I'm slightly concerned about the giant rabbits and wondering whether to bring them in, and will put garden chairs etc away, but otherwise we are well prepared and could feed an army if we had to. Although I'd rather not.

Happy birthday Mrs C!

Mrs_Chip

Thanks for all the kind wishes - I did think it a bit cheeky to post it, but I'm still a big kid at heart! Presents these days are very low key, before we would have spent money on a lot of nonsense, so it's is better now. OH got me a box of my favourite cherry liquers (m&s), which has taken a bit of a bashing already and a book called 'Consider the Fork - A History of Invention in the Kitchen' which looks very interesting.

Mr & Mrs Next Door are coming for afternoon tea and OH is taking me out for dinner this evening . Apart from that, a nice quiet day!

Re steaming - I have a steamer insert which came with the saucepans that I bought when we got married (1985), and it is amazing how much veg you can get into it. I now steam rather than boil potatoes, they cook much better and don't fall apart so much. I can get various veg, enough for four healthy appetites, into the steamer and cook in five mins. The steamer insert can fit onto any of the three pans in the set, so you can cook above other things as well. Thinking about it, I have decided that my pan set is the best value thing I have ever bought for the kitchen. They look as good today as they did when I bought them. They are made by Stellar.

Just googled it, and they are still made, exactly the same and really not that much more than when I bought them, I think I paid about £60 for my set all those years ago, and they are only £109 now!

http://www.go-electrical.co.uk/stellar-s1b1-1000-4-piece-saucepan-steamer-set.html?gclid=CJWTvoPnsboCFVDItAodbXoAJA

Popperwell

Well done Possession being prepared. I'm well ready for most disasters, food store, flasks, warm clothes, in credit with rent and utility payments. The garden is sorted and most rooms either virtually empty and the rest uncluttered so why do I get hassle with the H. Association. And am treated as though I'm weird.

The people I have found now and can call friends see the intimadation and harrasment I have to put up with...:mad:I'm not paranoid. Just single.