OS Singlies - We Do It Our Way!

spirit

debtfreefuture wrote: »

I read it when it first came out and loved it. I then went to Crete two years ago on holiday and stayed in Ellounda and caught the ferry across to Spinaglong. It was lovely having read the book because you could imagine it all as it was. I still can't believe it was a lepar colony unitil the 1950's. Highly recommended!

I would love to visit Crete again and actually make the trip over to have a look round. It was a family hols when I last went and so the others didn't want to go over.

(spirit plans a trip after DDs wedding :T)

spirit

Byatt wrote: »

Here I am, awake at 5am! I have the dreaded lurgy aka chest infection, so coughing my little lungs up, although feel half way human right now despite the early hour compared with yesterday, thank god for antibiotics I say!

Polo-cat is enjoying the early morning breakfasts, as he considers it breakfast time, whatever time I get up.

I was considering the plus sides of being a singlie when ill, and for me it means guilt free lying in bed and recovering, even if I have to make my own cuppas. :T Hence getting better more quickly when I don't have to struggle on to feed a OH or child.

Get well soon Byatt, and make the most of the lying in bed time. :A

greenbee

Grousescot - google 'imposter syndrome'. It's not uncommon :-) there are lots of tactics to help.

As for the weekends, I find I do better when I've arranged to go out at least once (usually this is swimming with my brother and his kids) as that way I'm up and about.

calicocat

Byatt wrote: »

Here I am, awake at 5am! I have the dreaded lurgy aka chest infection, so coughing my little lungs up, although feel half way human right now despite the early hour compared with yesterday, thank god for antibiotics I say!

Polo-cat is enjoying the early morning breakfasts, as he considers it breakfast time, whatever time I get up.

I was considering the plus sides of being a singlie when ill, and for me it means guilt free lying in bed and recovering, even if I have to make my own cuppas. :T Hence getting better more quickly when I don't have to struggle on to feed a OH or child.

Hope you feel better soon Byatt.

I guess that's where a man in a cupboard would come in handy as they could just pop out every couple of hours to make a cuppa.....then disappear again until next needed....lol.

Well i'm awake again..(obviously)...but still in bed, let's hope I stay awake long enough to get all my stuff done today.

MummyBobble

Well, first day of the half term holiday and it's cold and wet , still at least we don't have to go out in it

Shopping for a prom dress and trainers (not to be worn together!) for DD and trainers for DS is on the cards this week (should make a massive dent in the bank balance, or should I say overdraft? :eek: ). Will need to speak to ex about a contribution when he gets back from his latest holiday...).

DD has GCSE's coming up. If anyone has a perfectionist child wanting to do GCSE Art don't let them unless you have the patience of a saint and the bank balance of a lottery winner! (I have neither) We have artwork (from oil paintings to water colours to pastels to charcoal to pencil and more) all over the house and a strong smell of white spirit from cleaning paint brushes. Apparently a visit to a beach is necessary this week to take photos of the shoreline and rock pools as evidence of research for her 10 hour exam and final piece. I've spent more hours in Hobbycr@ft and art shops than I could ever have imagined and have spent well over £100 on materials in the last two weeks :eek: What happened to education being free?

I suppose I should be grateful she's keen to do well, but it is hard doing all the parenting as a singly, still there are lots of us out there doing a great job of it

So which of my mountains shall I tackle first while I have the week off? Paperwork, ironing, general carp? I'll put the kettle on and have a cup of tea while I think about it (this is probably while I never get anything done :rotfl:)

debtfreefuture

Good afternoon!
Thank you all for your replies regarding menus. I’ve had a lovely weekend having a sort out and batch cooking after reading some of the ideas on here. A few weeks ago I bought The Hairy Bikers Cook Book (diet). It’s fab, and has some lovely ‘normal’ recipes all be it a light version. So I made a lovely fish pie and, when cooked, portioned it into X 4 and popped in the freezer. I also found a lovely recipe call Pan Haggerty Lite. I’d never heard of pan haggerty before and had to google it. I think the original recipe is layers of potato, onion and cheese. The Hairy bikers recipe is layers of potato, bacon, onions and carrots (and I added leeks) all cooked in a shallow pan with a small amount of stock and when cooked you grate some cheese on the top and brown under the grill. I must say, it tastes absolutely lovely, and I have again divided it into X6 portions and frozen. I think this will be nice and easy to reheat with maybe a chicken portion / gammon etc and some veg. Like I said, I’m really trying to eat healthier at the moment, as I’m sure this is what is making me feel bleugh! (well, that and all this bloomin’ rain) I’m going to dig out my slow cooker next weekend too.
LB – I’m really sorry to hear about your loss. My dad died 3 years ago yesterday, so I popped to the cemetery and took him some red roses that were half price in Lidl. I feel so guilty because they were half price? Although he would be well chuffed that I’m not wasting my money on flowers on him. I felt absolutely fine, the sun was shining and it was good to be out.
However, I then came home and had a total meltdown for a couple of hours…..and then I was fine again. I suppose it’s all in the sub-conscious, but I felt fine by the end of the day.
Have lovely week ladies – I love reading what everyone has been up to, and when reading the thread I realise that there are lots of us feeling the same and it makes me feel ‘normal’ !!!

Byatt

LavenderBees wrote: »

I got ours on Amaz0n. Will be ordering feather refills, as I suspect over enthusiastic use will result in a featherless bird at some point.

It's amazing to watch Young-Boy-Cat with this toy - he shows such a range of hunting skills....fascinating to watch, and exactly what he needs to stimulate him and tire him out. Old-Boy-Cat waits for it to flutter near him and then shows amazing reflexes to catch it.

Young-Boy-Cat has waited patiently for me to go and get it this morning, and now has gone to get it himself...I wasn't planning on playing before I get ready for work, but it seems the youngster has other ideas...

Made me smile; OBC, may not have the energy for leaping around but is showing YBC you can still be a top dude cat even when older, by using skills you have perfected over the years; lightening reflexes.

Thanks Spirit and Calico, I have been out, checking on puss-cats, scared one by coughing loudly as I sounded like a dog barking! :eek::rotfl:

Horribly cold, so a quick visit to the butchers and home.

Byatt

Not to depress anyone, but here is a link about loneliness (originally sourced from AgeUK),

http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/feb/16/loneliness-twice-as-unhealthy-as-obesity-older-people

>>John Cacioppo, a psychologist at the University of Chicago, says that the pain of loneliness is akin to physical pain.<<

It really does mean for those of us on our own, that we need to make a meaningful social life to ensure our well being is safe guarded as well as for our physical health.

groatie_queen

Byatt wrote: »

>>John Cacioppo, a psychologist at the University of Chicago, says that the pain of loneliness is akin to physical pain.<<

It really does mean for those of us on our own, that we need to make a meaningful social life to ensure our well being is safe guarded as well as for our physical health.

Eight months after committing to visit the U3A coffee drop-in every Saturday morning, and then joining a couple of fortnightly groups, my mental and emotional resilience have improved enormously. I feel cheerful and bounce back quickly even when carp is happening.

With most of my close family in the Antipodes, and friends coupled up, there was just too much solitude even for me, and I do love time to myself. But I needed to achieve the right balance.

My next step will be to add in a regular swim, to get the endorphin effect and to relax.. not a lover of land-based exercise, personally. I love the freedom of being in
water.

Grousescot - I think when we get moved, it can be very discombobulating and for a while we can feel we have to fake it till we make it. To quote Henry Ford:

'Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right.'

The biggie for me wasn't work, it was being a Mum! No manual can ever prepare you for all the scenarios that can arise when bringing up kids. Loved my two, but glad they are adults now! :rotfl::rotfl:

calicocat

Well...I did some jobs this morning....from bed (phonecalls). some bills paid, paranoia laid to rest that chunk of money got to right place, but very slightly disappointing as have a little more left on mortgage than figured....bummer.

Fell asleep again, woke at 2 and decided to move my lazy arris. Now have all (well most) jobs done in 3 hrs that had planned to fanny around going over two days...also tried local pet shop again for stuff, managed to get what I needed so saved on petrol too.

This means tomorrow I can spend pottering and cooking food for the next stints of work.

Pet shop had a weird vibe.....there were a few cats hanging out in front of the shop either sitting out of the rain or on top of the rabbit hutches outside. I couldn't work out if they were happy (too shy to stroke)...or if they are strays...or not strays and just didn't want to say hello. The grey and white one was a big bruiser and looked like he was the local hard-nut....another (looked like and behaved like a girl) was sitting looking pretty (black and white fluffy with lovely markings and an amazing face)...looking around at what was going on, she seemed to be the boss perusing her subjects. They looked fed etc, fluffy one looked possibly a bit matted. I shall use that shop again just to check they aren't stray and in trouble.

I haven't seen a load of cats sat outside a pet shop before...it was like something out of a film or advert.....i half expected them to have thumbs and start flicking pages in a book.......lol.