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

kidcat

Ginny - DS15 has always struggled badly with birthdays and Christmas and DS9 does as well, they enjoy the receiving the gifts but cant stand the intense build up and mega fuss my parents bring, hence my trying to be ultra organised now and eliminate as much build up stress. Of course school dont help much as they go off time table and structure is abandoned, I dont think either boy has managed to last the final week at school due to the stress.
I am hopeful this year DS9 school will be better, his teacher said last year she realised just how bad the none structure had been and that she intended to make changes for the ASD group this year to help them.

kidcat

Pooky wrote: »

Thanks, I didn't realise they still made that.

I shall have to have a rethink for next winter. If DD1 goes to Uni then DD2 can have her room. Then DD1 will just have to put up with it for the odd weekend she's home.

It's the smallest room but it's still got a double bed, wardrobe, chest of draweres and cupboard in so not tiny, but the bed will only fit along the main outside wall with the window on.

I have vague recollections of someone telling me they hung heavy material or rugs on the outside walls of a bedroom and it made it much warmer, not sure it that would be a possibly but may be worth a go for now.

cornishchick

:rotfl:Well that'swas strange, Ii was cooking rice for tea, the same way in always do, bring to boil, put on lid, turn off heat. Went to take lid off, it's stuck tight. It's lid from a different set... I've had to put another load on for tea..... ....

ginnyknit

Kidcat, I am so lucky that we have no relatives who do the fuss and chaos stuff. He has just started at school and thankfully with the work you and others have done he is getting help, just waiting for a statement but its going well ( except for potty training but not making that an issue either)

Pooky I agree hang a big throw on the wall like King Arthur and co did, Im sure it will help.

Cornish chick isnt that a bu**er, type of thing I would do

floss2

CC, I would second trying your local college or if you are unsure, do you have a trusted friend who could get the software to work for them?

stiltwalker

Kidcat - glad you are resting up, hope you feel better soon.

All this talk of the dreaded C word!!! and it's only November. (hurumph). Seriously I am almost done with pressies and actually really looking forward to it this year, 2 of the last 3 years we have had DH's parents and it has been quite stressful - not that they are awful or anything but there is a certain level of expectation and things have to be done their way (ie Christmas Lunch not Dinner) - this year they have moved down near to BIL so will be his turn!!! We have invited my parents and Christmas day will be a much more relaxed thing, they are coming to stay on Christmas Eve so we can go to the Carol Service in the village church (school do the nativity and it is really lovely) and then they'll stay Christmas night and we will go to the the village big breakfast in the village hall on Boxing Day morning. Only thing I really have to do is declutter the attic bedroom so hey can actually sleep in there!! (Will be a good incentive to get it done as it majorly needs doing). Will also be so nice to get to look after them for a change as they do so much for us - some of you will remember that at the start of term my dad was driving a 3 hour round trip every day to help me get the kids up and off to school/nursery until DH was able to finish work! And they have (and continue to offer) helped out when money has been tight. Will be pulling out all the OS stops to make it really special this year, I have already got the cracker makings to do HM ones.

Biggest headache is going to be where to put the tree that DS can't get to it to dismantle it every 10 minutes (and I'm not joking!!!)

kidcat

Aww stiltwalker - I know that feeling well - we until we moved here had our behind a baby dan play den thingy

monnagran

I wish you lot would shut up about Christmas. I absolutely loved it when my boys were small, went off it a bit when they grew up but rediscovered it for the grandchildren. Unfortunately The Rev's job means that the whole season is a complete nightmare.
People are so kind and invite us to all their Christmas 'dos'. One year we choked down 14 Christmas dinners - Dibley, eat your heart out.
Then there are all the Nativity Plays, Carol Services, Christmas Fairs, Christmas Tree Festivals, everything multiplied by 4 as she has 4 churches. Things reach a crescendo on Christmas Eve with Christingles, the Midnight Communion, 2 morning services, Christmas Lunch for the old and lonely which flows seamlessly into Christmas Dinner for the Drop in people.
On Boxing Day we don't even get dressed and eat cheese on toast by the fire! Only this year my DS & DIL are at home with their family and want us to go to them on Boxing Day. They have promised us Lasagne for lunch and said that they will hide the cold turkey in the deepest recesses of the fridge.
For me the saddest sight at Christmas is folk coming out of the convenience store on Christmas morning, toting plastic bags of food.

I have pruned my present giving down andI now only give to the people I really care about. I do send loads of cards though as it's the only time I am in contact with some old friends and we like to exchange our news. It takes me ages to write the cards but it's something I love doing. Don't like forking out for the stamps though!

Off to Somerset tomorrow. Be good while I'm away and Kidcat - keep up the resting.

x

stiltwalker

Sorry Monna!!!

Kidcat - DS can't walk independently but by 'eck he can't half climb so putting it in a play pen would just be an invitation!! Initial thinking is behind the 'spare' couch up on a stool and attached to the ceiling so it can't be pulled over - DD loves the tree or we'd give it a miss for a year or two.

mcculloch29

Mrs LW's posting about the Nordic Christmas goat has explained something to me. I love Christmas, though I don't like overkill on it.

Some years ago I wanted some Christmas tree decorations from the Baltic States, which is where my parents were from.
I had to make my own Estonian decoration from an Estonian wooden brooch as I couldn't find one to buy (Mum was Estonian), and my Latvian tree decoration (Dad was Latvian) was a small crocheted angel, as that's all there was available from there. She cost £12, ouch.

The Lithuanian decorations were more widely available, and one of them was a stylised straw goat, decorated with red ribbons, as described by Mrs LW. Now that I know he guards presents I shall position him correctly on the tree. Thanks Lyn.

Monnagran, great post, that Dibley episode is my favourite, apart from the wedding one, of course.
Enjoy your Zummerzet visit. I like it there.