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

Hard_Up_Hester

Fuddle, does your new house have a garden? Does that mean you will be able to keep your pup?
I haven't used storage heaters since 1977, hopefully they have improved since then, I seem to remember you had to know in advance if the weather was going to be cold, ok during the winter I suppose.
Will you get bunk beds for your DD's if they are sharing a room, my kids often used to sleep all in one bed like a heap of puppies, I think it was warmer that way.
Hester

northwest1965

Crikey, hadn't looked in here for a while, I stopped posting a long time ago, guess what....... it is happening again, and yes, "that's a familiar name I remember

katieowl_2

It's been raining really heavily here all day today. OH is worried that his workshop will flood, he's spent today building dams, clearing drains, and lifting my freezer up on bits of wood :eek: He says the field behind the house is flooded in the bottom corner. It is a slope, not steep but very wide.

I was going to do some sewing, but it's really dark indoors, and I had other stuff I though I should do. Mainly cooking. I had some aubergines and peppers my neighbour gave me at the weekend, so I made a massive vat of sort of ratatouille (tomorrow night's diinner). I also had some exotic caulis from the market, romanescue the green alien one, and a purple one, so I cooked those with carrots, really colourful!!! In a mo I'm going to slather them in cheese sauce for dinner. I've also prepped a tray of butternut and sweet potato wedges which we'll have too. The chaps will be pleased as dinner has been very sort yourself out this week!

I'm going shopping with my friend tomorrow in Swansea, which is an hour and a half away. She's taking her camper van :T and suggested we go 'self catering' so asked me to bring something for cakies and lunch for me both GF of course. Happy to oblige as those of you who have to do GF will know how hard it is to find something to eat especially in high street chain land. So also using up stuff that needed using and experimenting, I've made sour cream apple bars, a gf recipe I saw a couple of days ago and a big spanish omelette with cheese and bacon.

My mum - bless her - has stumped up a bit towards my new glasses, so I won't be quite as broke as I expected going round the shops, but Xmas shopping will be very thrifty again this year.

My eyeball hurts today, not the one that popped, the other one, but in the same place IYSWIM. Think I may refuse that test another time It was a glaucoma test...anyone else had problems with that?

Kate

Pooky

People come and go in life and they'll come and go in a forum. The thread will continue and evolve in different way, such is life.

Hester - my DDs loved their bunks, but would both end up on top or on bottom, or hanging out the side! I had to dismantle them when DD1 went through a sleep walking phase, she would climb over the end on to a chest of drawers and then leap down....all whilst asleep! I caught her sat on the goldfish bowl one time having a wee too, I won't let her live that one down

One of DDs friends turned 18 today and has been brought a brand new mini.....where do these people get their money from? And what does it teach them? We have promised DD1 a run around car if she's at a local Uni but she will have to fund tax/insurance/petrol. She's got a decent savings pot for this and works part time so has the ongoing funds for car maintenance etc. DDs friend doesn't work at the weekends as she doesn't want to do shop work, she want to be a fashion journalist......the real world will be a very big surprise I think.

fuddle

We had to make the very difficult decision about rehoming Alfie. It was a very real possibility that we would have moved into a flat and however much I wanted to take him and tried to find ways to make it work I just couldn't do it to him. As you know he is a beagle/collie cross, he needs space and could not be without a garden. He suffers from anxiety so doesn't like outside noise. We figured the noises he would have to cope with in a flat would be too much for him. I lost Alfie 3 weeks ago. It was an incredibly difficult decision to make as even harder knowing we secured a house with a garden on Tuesday.

I know I will be judged over losing him but I really did feel it was the best thing to do. No one can make me feel worse than I do myself. I miss him terribly and it hurts so although I understand you will all have your opinions please be aware that I am very emotional about the situation.

Pinkdebster

Pooky, I so agree with you. I raised my daughter on my own and tried to teach her the value of money and the wisdom in saving. When she started work in the year out between college and Uni, she had to pay her way at home. I always said that even if I had won the lottery I would have raised her the same - those values are the ones that hold you steady in life.

We went up to Surrey on Wednesday to see a dietician who specialises in gastric problems - it was a big risk as we had to see her privately (I found her by chance when I happened to watch that programme a couple of weeks ago called "When gastric bands go wrong") - all my problems stem from stomach surgery for ulcers that went wrong so I took a risk and emailed her. She is really optimistic that she can help me so we're really glad we went.

I'm sorry to see what's happened here - I love this place (I know I don't post regularly but I follow avidly!) and felt safe here......I hope everyone can move one in a positive way and the thread continues with its fantastic support.........

Am off to play with my new sewing machine now - catch you all later.

Debbie xxx

kidcat

katie - I have for a number of years used T@sco Opticians, free eye test and the glasses arent extortionate either.

I have been out with DS9 class today at the local stadium for a school event, I rather stupidly didnt expect all the other schools to be there, its something to do with the Rugby World Cup being held and our stadium hosts one of the visiting teams. It has rained solidly all day, all the kids were very wet and cold, there was so many schools there is was chaotic, and there appeared to be little in the way of organisation. This led to huge amounts of standing around, when instructions were given they were inaudible and unclear.
I took the decision early on to translate the instructions into Auty talk which actually helped all the kids not just the auties

By the time lunch break happened DS9 was at his limits so I asked to leave, said I would happily return him to school if they wanted him in or I could take him home, they rather gladly accepted my taking him home.

I however took a fall on the wet artificial turf and at the time it felt fine, its now raging agony, and as my back was iffy before having had no sleep I am now climbing the walls. DD19 is still in Uni so am on my own with the kids for hours yet.

ginnyknit

Oh pooky - weeing in the goldfish bowl, I was in stitches. I bet the goldfish were miffed :rotfl:

Just been out :j not been far for a couple of weeks. OH is exhausted now but had a nice time despite terrible rain. Went to our favourite Italian cafe but it was full of people sheltering from the rain with no intention of moving so had to find somewhere else We needed a treat after a very stressful few days. Walked into a cs 10 miles from home and the manager said ' didnt you used to work at Sue ryder in Heaton Moor?' Either I am famous or its a small world .

Off to cook my turkey/ostrich drumsticks now and get them packed away in the freezer. Its cold in here but the oven should warm the house up a bit. Mum automatically got her warm home allowance through so OH told her we are moving into her hall cupboard for the winter - she thought he was joking

Monnagran glad you are feeling more like yourself, obviously Pam Ayres was just what you needed - or maybe just some time to rest?

kidcat

fuddle - only you know your circumstances in real depth so no one can possibly judge you, you made a decision you felt was right, even though it has hurt you. We are not here to judge, as I am sure someone said earlier - let he who is without sin cast the first stone. And its true, often people make the choice to keep an animal they can no longer care properly for when in fact the animal would be better off elsewhere.
Isnt there a saying about letting the things we love go in order they can truly fly?

fuddle

Thank you kidcat. All I know is he has found a new home. We're not allowed to know any details but given they know every single foible Alfie has I can only hope he has gone on to love an even better family than us. He was my shadow and now my companion is gone. I guess you can't gain in life without losing something.

Your support means a lot. I was too ashamed to tell you all.