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

maryb

Hi all, just catching up as we were away this weekend at a wedding. As we were leaving yesterday (running a bit late) we saw an ambulance pull up outside our 92 year old next door neighbour's house. So we stopped and ran in to see what was wrong. He had fallen and broken his wrist but the paramedics were looking after him very well. We couldn't stop so we went to let the neighbours on the other side know and we knew he would be looked after.

However we got back this afternoon to find that some scummy lowlife had burgled his house yesterday evening. T'other neighbours didn't hear anything until the alarm went off - luckily the police got there really quickly and they have been very good, going up and down the road asking people if they saw or heard anything, really making an effort not just dishing out a crime reference number.

Too much of a coincidence for it to be just chance, but it's really worrying. Was someone watching the ambulance? But how could they have known he lived alone unless it was a neighbour? That's just awful to think about. Or was it someone at the hospital ("Do you have anyone to look after you?")? It's just horrible. I'd really like to get my hands on whoever did it

ginnyknit

It seems most curtains were mustard coloured in the old days and nylon eeeuch.

Ds has just been laughing at me because I got 4 portions of curry, 2 roast dinners and 2 sandwiches out of the thigh of turkey and still have the drumstick left. The curry was jam packed with meat too.

Had an odd day, picked Dgs up from a family christening (his Daddys family) as he really wasnt having much fun. Brought him home and he decided it was a good idea to run round the bedrooms like a crazy man for an hour then collapse onto Grandad and fall fast asleep. Oh well, everyday is different with children think it may have been the fruit juice he has had here yesterday and today - I bought the wrong one but concensous of opinion was it would be fine - soo sooo wrong!

kezlou

Not sure if this any good for you all but thought i would let you all know.

"INFORMATION SHARING.......
HAVE YO HEARD OF THE WARM HOME DISCOUNT
FAMILIES ON LOW INCOMES CAN APPLY FOR THIS GRANT OF £135 VIA YOUR SUPPLIER
A APPLICATION IS FILLED OUT AND QUALIFYING CRITERIA IS NEEDED BUT IF YOU HAVE A CHILD ON DLA AND CHILD TAX CREDITS...OTHER BENEFITS QUALIFY TOO WORTH EITHER GOING TO YOUR SUPPLIER OR GO ONLINE TO ENQUIRE"

kezlou

kidcat - stuff what anyone else thinks, having 10 minutes to have a hot drink is immense, get a cleaner in!
Personally i would rather someone i didn't know and just either go through an agency or look on gumtree.


shegar nice to see you about just think lovely dinner tomorrow

mary - how awful your poor neighbour never mind hurting himself and now being burgled. Some people really are despicable

nutty glad to hear your DD is feeling better

vjsmum nice to see you back posting, been wondering where you were?!

pooky hope your all feeling better soon.

Well everyones in bed apart from me, i'm shattered but can't sleep.
Managed to get one duvet dry today, yay for a washing machine.
Another one to dry tomorrow, just changed ds2 beda gain, poor thing threw up on his pillow. so he's not at school tomorrow.

Going to ask my dad if he can watch ds2 while i go to camhs. Hopefully he will be able to, i'll find out in the morning and if he can't i'll just have to rearrange it.

tattycath

Hi all. Sorry I've been AWOL for ages!
Hugs to all who need or want one.
Well recently I've noticed my washing machine stinks so I put bleach in it and put the empty cycle to a hot wash. Think I might have overdone the bleach. When I went in to check there were suds all over the floor.
Cycle has now finished and I'm running it on a normal wash with some white vinegar-fingers crossed I can use it tomorrow with no clothes either stinking or bleached.
If anyone has any advice fire away.

Pooky

Morning all

Tatty - I do a hot wash with soda crystals once a month (empty machine) to keep the machine smelling fresh. When we did our kitchen refit Dad showed me the waste pipe of the machine that had only been plumbed in for 18months and it was 1/4 silted with gunk, so the soda crystals don't stop it altogether but I don't get any smelly drums now. The powder drawer gets a good scrub out once a month too. I use less than half the recommended amount of powder per wash but still find there's a build up of powder residue after a few washes so I do a wash without powder (normally doormats/scatter rugs ) and it still bubbles up well.

DH has had a bad night with his cold, he couldn't wear his CPap mask so I woke up every 20 mins to poke him and get him breathing again. DD1 looks like death warmed up but has trundled off for her bus, I sent her with a flask of curried parsnip and spinach soup, sarnies and a travel mug of tea....hopefully she'll perk up a bit.

Moggies kindly left me, probably one of the biggest rats I've ever seen, on the kitchen rug....it's a beautiful colour but I can't deal with the "dissected" bits this time in the morning so I've used the mop bucket to cover it until I've finished my tea .

fuddle

It's thought that a combination of lower temp washes and non bio powders/ligui tabs don't achieve a good enough environment to get rid of bacteria and therefore odours in the machines.

Since reading that I still wash on a 30 degree cycle but with bio powder. It seems to be doing the trick, along with an empty wash wish vinegar each month.

FairyPrincessk

Morning all,

Sorry to hear about the poorlies Pooky!

Gailey, glad to hear you're eating well. Your children sound like they take some keeping up with:rotfl: But it also sounds like you're planning a lovely xmas for them.

Fuddle, been reading about the move, sounds as if it went brilliantly!

Kidcat, go for the cleaner, no one can do it all, we all just outsource different things. Anyone who thinks ill of you for having a bit of help isn't worth your time. My parents have had cleaners in a few places we have lived. I don't think my mum particularly likes it. I think it helps if you have very specific tasks you want done. I do know that at one point she asked a cleaner to do some ironing rather than cleaning as she said the ironing was what was killing her.

Pooky, I'm still after OH to get a cat, don't think I'll mention the 'presents':eek:


I once counted up a few years ago and found I'd move something around 26 times. I've moved several times since then as well. I certainly have all of my routines and rituals down pat--and can rattle off a different list for moving in a car, moving with a van, an international move by post and a move where someone else does the work (my LEAST favourite kind--no matter how professional they never do it the way I like). It is still exhausting.

Spent some of my weekend doing a deep clean on two rooms. Was about to make a start on the bathroom and then ran out of vinegar for the shower doors and mirrors. Bought some yesterday but OH dropped it on the flagstones and it broke. Poor guy was having a terrible day. So we spent the afternoon playing scrabble. This week is busy all around so it was nice to spend a bit of time with each other before it all kicked off. Will do another two rooms next weekend and then just need to deep clean kitchen and bathroom right before people come round. Should stand us in good stead during the holidays and next term so all we have to do is a quick once around on the weekends.

kidcat

Pooky - could you impose a curfew to stop these early morning delights??

Tatty - like pooky I use soda crystals in the machine on a really hot wash, then I do a vinegar one a week or so later. Our machine was changed just over a year ago now and the pipes were clear so it must work. I do regular 60 degree washes of bedding and towels though which I think keeps it down.

All these numbers of moves, I thought we were awful when we moved twice in two years moving takes alot out of us, the stress on the boys is incredible and we always have really poor health following a move. Ideally I would like to try to sell this and move next year, but I dont think the stress would be worth the gain

[Deleted User]

Morning Toughies, grey day here and only a very slight breeze and it's not bitterly cold like the last few days. We're off to our nearest Lakeland Shop this morning as DD1 has asked for an old fashioned mincer for christmas and I have the lakeland one which she likes very much. Her sister has also asked for something from them so we'll get that too. I can't believe how quickly the time has flown by and have only now realised just how close christmas is!!! Going very low key this year and only having 3 days of celebration Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day the rest will be life as normal which will be a relief. DD2 has just told us she has the day off on Christmas Eve and will be here by lunchtime instead of late evening as we'd thought so that will be very nice. I'm thinking of investing in a smaller tree this year as the big one we've had forever is looking wonky and a bit sad and a smaller one to stand on a little table will do just fine. Have a good day everyone, Lyn xxx.