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

fuddle

Shiela I'm so very sorry to read about you losing Rosie. The grief will be unbearable but I hope you take solace from Rosie taking the awful decision away from you. You can grieve without any other awful feelings and for that I'm relieved for you and your wellbeing. So very sad. Look after yourself, you've had an awful time of late.

I'm going to be surrounded by toughies

Can I ask if anyone had made bread in the slow cooker? I've been reading that a slow cooker can reach temps of 200 degrees so can cook bread with the dough being able to prove during the warm up time. The whole process takes up to 2 hours. Sounds like a winner to me but... No good having bread if it tastes yakky!

I'm hoping we have an economy 7 meter what with night storage heaters. If so ill be doing as much electric consuming during the night. I may even invest in a 2nd slow cooker. Do you think that is worth doing money saving wise as opposed to using an oven during peak times? Also will be looking at a steamer pan to save electric - one ring for potatoes and veg. Also on the list is a solar lamp. We think we're getting that this week before we move away from Ikea.

Mam is giving us her left over euros worth about £35 so that will e going into the fridge fund should we need to buy new. One of MILs friends is a 'scrap man' apparently. He's keeping his eye open but DH isn't at all keen because he knows that he will want paying scrap value for it - he refuses to do that because knowing our luck we'll pay and it won't quite work.

All is well at MIL's although I have to admit to getting peeved off now. It's very difficult having your parenting commented on ( I'm a damn good parent - firm when needed but friendly and fair, my girls are a credit to us so I resent any kind of comment) and also my parenting wishes being ignored in favour of gran treating. I'm keeping tight lipped because she's doing us such a favour having us and I suspect I'm probably getting on her nerves too! It's all stress though. I've been gearing up for this new life for 4 months and feel a bit tired about it all now.

cornishchick

fuddle
You have to think of it as a step on your journey.. I think your amazing..:T
Re slow cooker bread, never done it but want to try it,

kid cat I spent days during my sick leave doing... nothing, not even getting dressed some days... my body needed it, which was why it practical shut down on me.. I felt better for it.

SD thanks for the link to that gift shop, solved a present conundrum for me..
Hugs to everyone,, I've got parkin fresh from the oven and the kettles on. X

SDG31000

You are very welcome cornishchick
I love parkin and mine's a tea with milk and two sugars please.

Hi fuddle Try viewing the Gran spoiling as her way of showing she is going to miss them. Your DH could always have a gentle word with her if necessary. I am so hoping that your move goes well, although I'm sure that it will xxx

I have hit a bleugh patch and DH hasn't really helped. I'm just so tired and really don't have the energy to tell him every little thing. He has also been on various computers since he made it out of bed and therefore ignoring me. I want to go to bed, but know nothing practical will get done if I do and I'm scared to in case I don't make it out again. I'm not sure how to convey to DH what I need as I feel like I'm repeating myself over and over again.
Oh well...time for tea and maybe the odd strawberry crème.

Take care everyone xxxxxx

Pooky

Afternoon all

SDG love those dressing gowns, shame they don't do a small one for DD1, she'd love it. She's a real Doctor Who fan.

Fuddle - what date do you go? I'd find it hard with my MIL too, just grit your teeth and look at it as she's making up for all the visits she won't get when you're so far away.

Kidkat - rest woman!!!!

I don't think we've actually had any daylight today, so dark and so much rain! I've got pots everywhere collecting drips!

DHs birthday, he didn't want to do anything so I'm just doing a "picky" tea later, suits me, I feel much better today but still not 100% so low key and being able to wear my onsie is a winner.

lobbyludd

Jayzee I often use my tesco vouchers for thompson and morgan vouchers (3 times face value up to £45 worth of T&M). This year I'm giving mum and step dad £30 of T&M vouchers as they have bare garden in new house and are keen gardeners and veg growers, they know where it comes from (as it says on it) but would not think less of me for it thank fully . They are also getting cuttings from my garden (so free again!).

I never use them for groceries unless desperate as i get so much more from them in the deals section. I've also used them for denby vouchers and buy during their sale, got a cast iron casserole pan for less than £10 in vouchers pus some lovely other gifts. But timing counts with that as they periodically do a 3 or 4x exchange rate and I buy then and save for the sale.

slept until 10 am to find both kids in bed with me, took the pholcodeine cough suppressant last night and definitely feel better for it, but ds twisted his foot last night getting out of his bed whilst I was asleep, apparently I woke up and cuddled him and settled him in the bed beside me, but I don't remember any of it. If I'd been properly with it, I'd have at least got him an ice pack as he can't put any weight on it today.

but my lungs feel much clearer today. KC and Shergar hope you are feeling better and getting rested.

Kez - I love terry pratchett, would love to see a play, wyrd sisters is one of my faves! bah humbug to your oh - hopefully he got a taste of the job you do day in day out and will pull his weight a bit more.

Fuddle - hang in there! do you have a date for the move so you can start a secret countdown? I'd have had to sew my mouth and ears shut to live with my old MIL however temporarily! as well meaning as she is/was, everything I did required a "helpful" comment. If you do have economy seven, I would have *thought* a cheap second slow cooker to run overnight would work out better value in the long run.

thanks to everyone for kind wishes and hope today brings you good things.

kidcat

evening toughies - am in bed!!! I did dance class this morning as I had to sign forms then on way home grabbed shopping as my friend was called to her daughter at Uni middle of the night. Came home left instructions for two days meals and have come to bed - kids have popped in to moan about each other and they have been shown the door! OH is here and will have to deal, DD19 has gone out for a much needed break having been on placement this week she was exhausted, add in the stuff she does to help me and she just needed a few hours out.

Fuddle - SC I would say having two makes everything easier - but only if you have sufficient storage, I would hate having my two both taking up worktop space when not in use. As for granny being granny, it would bug the life out of me, but I think I would grit my teeth and think about the fact you wont have to put up with it again,

pooky - hope you are feeling better today, its been really bright here today even while pouring down.

Monnagran - congratulations on Somerset, I love it there and especially Longleat

SDG - could you give him a list, I need to rest please can you do this today? DH was planning an afternoon sitting in front of TV, I disabused him of that notion quickly, told him jobs had to be done, he would have to do them otherwise I was going to hospital and would send social services in to take over.

Have been productive whilst lying here and managed to get some more stuff ordered for Christmas, parcels are arriving regularly now and our neighbour took one in yesterday, I said I was running out of places to hide stuff, she has said she has spare rooms now she is alone and if I would like to wrap my stuff and bag it I can hide it there until they go to bed Christmas eve

Have made plans to re-arrange my kitchen as well - just need the trades out to price up, am moving cupboards and a radiator to accomodate a full size fridge and hopefuuly freezer too, which means no more having to shop daily, I figure its money saving not daily shopping, but more importantly it time saving. OH was anti and had a go when he found out, but when he had to put shopping away today he was flipping out that he had no fridge space to squeeze stuff into - I rested my case:D:D

Have to visit vetty person this week after kitty started spraying my curtains, need to get it sorted especially as I am finally getting DS15 his special kitty, getting it before his operation so it will be companion for him, I will have to leave him in the house while I do school runs with the kids so I wanted something that would sit with him.

Have booked a hire car for later in week, have decided to sell the tank and buy a bus (well a mini one) for many reasons but with the boys expanding needs it seems the right time, its ironic as I had always planned that as these ages we would be able to go smaller yet I am planning larger, but DS15 is likely to need a wheelchair for a few months and this will make that easier. OH is convinced I will be incapable of driving the bus, so I have hired one the same as I am looking at and will use it for a full day to see how I cope.

mama67

nuttyp wrote: »

hi everyone, princess what lovely news, ruby is a precious name.

Ive had one very busy but lovely weekend. Yesterday we went to London. We drove to cockfosters train station and took the tube into the centre. We walked oxford street and then visited trafalger square and London eye. Had ice creams from maccy'ds.

We then caught the tube to covent garden, was a lovely atmosphere. we watched the street artists doing magic. I got a new handbag and a dress.

We went to the woods today for a picnic, had walked in the sunshine.

Had alovely chat with OH and we have decided to do more things, picnic's and just walking around.

I am now pooped, and hot and bothered.

Am trying to catch up, but Nutty this reminded me of when we lived in Spalding we would sometimes do the same as you (drive to Cockfosters and catch the tube). Others we would drive to peterborough and get the Intercity straight through.

lobbyludd

yay for being in bed Kidcat!!!!!

of course you will be capable of driving a bus (why on earth wouldn't you be?), it's just practice at a new shape.

and as for the new fridge/freezer - not only money saving but really importantly TIME saving, your time is precious, glad OH is seeing that.

Cheapskate

Evening all

So sorry to hear sheila and jayzee have lost furry loved ones, lots of hugs to you both!

Have read a few days worth, so can't remember everything, but did register that there seems to be a lot of stress and poorliness on here, please do look after yourselves, and keep posting so we can give you virtual hugs!

DH and I cleared the dining room this afternoon, 3 bin bags of rubbish for the tip, old pc monitor and keyboard gone to eldest DS, stuff we don't need right now in big plastic boxes in the garage, floor hoovered and wooden bits dusted. Got hayfever symptoms cos of all the dust, and not quite finished, but room looks so much better, and my brain feels better, too! Doesn't sound much, but our home resembles a bit too closely those you see on the major clean-up shows on tv, being depressed hasn't helped me get on top of it, quite the opposite! . DH said that if we got this room completely done by tomorrow, we can sort out the new pc we need, as our old one bit the dust a couple of weeks ago - what an incentive! :rotfl:

Hope all you poorlies get a a good night's sleep, and your families pull their weight - it's in their interests to let you get well in peace so you can run around after them again!

A xo

kidcat

Cheapskate you can get a refurbished laptop or pc from govt programme cslled getonlineathome. Well done on clearing a room.