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

kezlou

Fuddle so pleased you've arrived safe and sound. Just think tomorow you'll wake up in your new home

Kidcat id be tempted to hire a cleaner to come in with his wages. Would really help lessen the less.

Sq good luck with tomorow. sounds like a good day shame about the relatives

You know what I don't know what I would have done without you all the past few months. You are,all so caring and supporting its amazing. Thank you all do much.

Ginny I don't know about liberating, definitely petrifying.

Got ds2 in bed with me, hes vomited eveywhere.
OH isn't back yet, so sent him a saying little,fella sick hes in our bed youll have,to sleep downstairs.

Pooky

Morning all

Fuddle - glad you got there safely.

Byatt - sounds like you could do with a dehumidifier. Such a pain when mould takes hold. Give Polo a squish from me.

Kidkat - I appreciate how much you wanted DH to be able to be home to help out, the reality is he'd probably have wound you up further is there anyway you can drop everything aside from school runs, housework and family time? I know the support groups and committees you're on are important but Your health needs to be top priority.

Possesion - how's DH doing? Any jobs in the pipeline for him?

Rude awakening this morning and no, not that sort of rude awakening . A huge crash followed by a blur of feathers and wings and 5 cats leaping over the bed.....managed to corner the pigeon in the bathroom and set it free, much to the cats disgust. I don't appreciate these presents enough it seems.

Got DD1s birthday pressies wrapped yesterday, my little girl turns 18 on Friday, how has that happened?

PRINCESSX87

Pooky wrote: »

Morning all
Got DD1s birthday pressies wrapped yesterday, my little girl turns 18 on Friday, how has that happened?

Did you blink? xx

PRINCESSX87

Morning all.

Glad to see some good positive posts recently. From Kezlou standing her ground, Poorly children getting better to Fuddle families successful move!!

Another cold one this morning. Woke up at 6, Thanks to poppy dog (She‘s used to a routine of OH being up at this point and wakes the entire house up every morning) and everything was white. No snow, instead frozen ground, roofs, grass & cars!

OH is completely run down. There is so much work on he’s been doing 13/14 hour shifts every day for the past 2 weeks. So he’s on the sofa watching his history & documentaries after getting fed up with the xbox!

I’ve been sat at the computer since 6:30 looking for some idea’s for tricky family members crimb presents. Hardest person by far is OH mum.

I’ve also got some amazing coupons entitling me free photographs and photo book thanks to signing up to a parent club. (Signed up for vouchers when niece was born) so need to get around and start collecting photos asap as their due to run out end of this month.

Neck & back is still completely stiff. Nothing seems to work like it used too. So I’m hobbling about like hunchback. Want to get more mobile before next weekend as we’ve planned our trip to bath Christmas market. Plus, Its nieces first time meeting MR Santa! Although everyone, Including her parents think we’re mad!

Hope everyone is managing to keep warm. Happy birthday to no so little pooky on Friday!! xx

mcculloch29

Hard_Up_Hester wrote: »

Glad to hear you've arrived safely, I moved 4 times in less than 12 months, it was a great way to declutter!
Hester

I had 7 different addresses in the first 15 months of being a Forces wife, 76/77, know the feeling!
Back then the Army supplied all furniture and furnishings so we had a lot less to move, luckily.

Kidcat. What Pooky said. Would you consider a cleaner for a few hours a week? Makes a world of difference.

Byatt, I second Napisan or ACE laundry bleach for zapping mould. TG we don't have that problem, but I've been there in other houses. It can be so hard to ventilate and dehumidify in winter.

Hard_Up_Hester

I've started another savings tin, we have one that we put all our pennies in already, but this is a different one.
At work we can have free porridge most mornings, it's runny with lumps in & often slightly burnt, but hey ho, it's free, so every morning I eat it, muttering to my self 'It's free, it's free'. At the end of the day I put 15p in the new tin, Thursday & Friday there was no porridge as they were inset days, but we got a free lunch, so I put £1.50 in the new tin each day. Yesterday I bought a punnet of mushrooms, reduced from 95p to 45p, another 50p in the tin. I know it's silly but it will all add up.
Hester

mcculloch29

Aw, Hester, good porridge is so easy to make too. Guess they are understaffed and can't give it the attention required. What an inventive way of saving, it's not silly at all.

Possession

Not many jobs about at the moment it seems Pooky, bad time of year for recruitment as its all winding down for xmas. He's applied for a few but nothing to report yet.

kidcat

Morning toughies - thank you

I have dropped pretty much everything I used to do, I have stuck with the support group, as to be honest, they offer me support and we have a sort of co-operative help system going, for instance today we are having one of the groups children whilst they attend a doctor appointment, but on Friday they will collect Ds15 for me while I attend DD7 assembly.
On top of that I have school governors which I am elected until July, which I will have to let go in July, which to be honest really upsets me as I enjoy giving something back. The only other thing I have is the PTA which causing me no end of grief at the moment, I was given that as an offshoot of governors originally to boost parental involvement etc - the AGM for that is Feb and I am not standing for that again either.

As for a cleaner - I would love a cleaner but have some concerns, having never employed a household help at all I am bemused where to begin looking. Would I have to be in when they came or could I leave them to it? What sort of cost would I be looking at? And how many hours do I ask for? what can I expect them realistically to cover per hour?

I know I need to do this and am resigned to it now, however I do feel like people will judge me for hiring a cleaner when I dont work but I dont see what else can be done.

On the plus side he is feeling a little guilty so has begun pushing for the other work to be done to make it easier for me, in particular the kitchen work - he has changed the plans from moving radiator into utility room and then the rest of work, and said get the radiator taken out and then get kitchen done. We can move radiator into utility at later date - which makes things much quicker to do.

Hester I think that is a brilliant thing to do - I did something similar ages ago and I found it made a big difference to me when we opened the jar and realised it was enough to pay for a car tax or similar.
I paid for a small holiday once with ours - £150 caravan for three days, made a massive difference to me at the time.

[Deleted User]

KIDCAT if people judge you for getting the help you so badly need than they aren't worth the knowing or listening to. Much though you give the impression that you are, you are NOT superwoman and getting someone to tackle the jobs you just cannot fit in to a 36 hour day, because that's what you're working at the moment, is just common sense. You'd be amazed at just how much someone can accomplish in the house when they're only doing that without the constant interruptions that come with a needy family. Give yourself a break love, take the help and don't listen to the critical voices!!! I think you'll feel better if you aren't trying to do all the extras too so giving up some of those will perhaps give you that luxury commodity 'a little free time for you?' goodness me, yes, it does still exist, Love and Hugs Lyn xxx.