OS Singlies - We Do It Our Way!

JustKeepSwimming_2

CRANKY40 wrote: »

You sound quite normal to me actually. Does anyone single with kids have that kind of "Pollyanna" outlook, lol? I also don't have the kind of friends that I would trust with some of my innermost thoughts although I do sometimes talk stuff over with the 10 year old who can be surprisingly accurate at pinpointing the cause of my problems.

For what it's worth, I'd sling that book. The only person that really needs to like you is you yourself.

I'm a bit tired today and as we're not going out I thought I would retire to my boudoir to recover from the week before run of 3 wake ups before 5am when the boy had a tummy bug. The first shout came 15 minutes in...."I'm not well" - he is now the opposite of what happened when he had his tummy bug and was fed up sitting in the smallest room with nobody to talk to. He is absolutely not ill, just dramatic.

Book duly slung - with relish :j
Well, he has the Y chromosome so he'll be predisposed to handle illness differently :rotfl: Bless him though, it is rubbish when you're not sure how your tummy is going to behave. But as another sleep deprived single parent, I have far more sympathy for you!

Thanks for the words of wisdom - I probably am too hard on myself. As I've droned on before, I don't have any single (parents or otherwise) friends nearby, so invariably I compare myself to those couples. I'm always going to on a hiding to nothing, as 2 x incomes & 2 x people to do the chores/attend appointments etc is always going to leave me feeling inadequate as I just can't do everything.

LavenderBees wrote: »

Well, I love the title of the book, Bex, so thanks for suggesting it, even just for that! :rotfl:

JKS, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by everything. I was going to suggest something more practical to try to help - a cleaner maybe a few hours a week. Sure that can't be hugely expensive, and might just take the weight of too much expectation off a bit. I'd think of what will free up most time, but more importantly what would be good to offload onto someone else??

Generally, the only support I have is paid for support, unfortunately, but it's better than no support at all, and the relief of handing something troublesome onto someone else is immense.

I'm beginning to wonder if thinking about a cleaner for myself isn't a bad idea...hmmmm....maybe will be taking my own advice when I have some money. To free up time to do pleasurable things would be lovely.

You are right RRP, the plaster dust keeps on appearing, but there is a limit to how often I will scrub my bloomin house. Sure it will disappear on its own?? :rotfl:

I must admit to feeling low today - probably been in the house too much, and I'm tired of trying to think positively about what I'm doing - fed up of doing stuff on my own, fed up of chores, fed up of weekends doing same old same old... just generally fed up....:rotfl:

I still have the living room and kitchen to do...the kitchen is the worst

Fancy a glass of wine, JKS to cheer us up... white or red....??

LB xx

P.S. I like you but I always have the sneaking suspicion you run yourself down. Try not to, there are plenty of people in life who will do that for you, no need to do it to you yourself. I need to talk to myself about this, too....see, we're all the same really.

Red please :beer: & I'll see if I can stay awake long enough to get to the bottom of a glass You're quite right about others running me down so I don't need to - as if on cue Mother just rang to have a go at me for not returning her call yesterday. Had she left a message saying she'd phoned? No, don't be silly, I'm just supposed to know, like any better-than-me daughter would do :wall:

I love the idea of a cleaner, & could quite happily justify the expense but what I really need is a putter-awayer before the cleaning can be done :rotfl: Always the worst chore & so thankless when you have kids. Half the house is an absolute tip (kids rooms & the living room is all filled with their stuff) & I can't face gutting them all again after only doing it all not that long ago. Fat too embarrassing to let a cleaner see it

I'm doing another strike, but I'm not hopeful as both kids really don't care that their rooms are a state. So I'm concentrating on keeping the kitchen, bathroom, hall & landing & my room clean & tidy, & hoping they crack soon

You're right, I'm completely fed up & overwhelmed by life at the moment & I'm facing a difficult time ahead with DD over the coming months, so I have the heart sinking knowledge that life will only get worse before it (hopefully) gets better. What I wish for is someone to come into my home for a few days/weeks & just help me "be" for a while & look after me. Someone to make me a cup of tea, someone who knows me well enough & cares enough about me to have conversations about what to do etc. & be interested in the outcomes. But I've wanted that for years & it hasn't happened yet so I'm losing the faith that it ever will. The thought that it'll be just me, making all the decisions & dealing with endless carp for the rest of my days is frankly too terrifying to consider for any length of time:(

ellie99 wrote: »

Blimey JKS, have you thought of writing a sitcom, you could make your fortune
(at least you didn't end up trapped in the clothes horse like a picture of a woman I saw this week!)...

Didn't realise you could get trapped in one, so I'm glad that didn't happen. Have got a cracking bruise on my leg which all adds to the mottled look I'm going for today as my rash is darkening nicely in a few places. Think I'll be fine for work tomorrow as I don't feel wobbly nay more & don't have any other symptoms, so I doubt I'm infectious.

I haven't thought about writing anything, but I'm glad I'm amusing some of you on here. I could write a "Here's How Not To Do Life" guide I suppose

Today's unforeseen event had involved my new walking sandals that I treated myself to from a shop that was closing down. My current pair are on their last legs (feet?) & do smell quite offensive Thought I'd break them in today, ready for a walk I've planned to do on Wed, but on opening the box I saw that the security tag hadn't been removed - one of those robust looking ones that need a special key to open it . So I had a go at cutting the cord with my gardening shears (guess who now needs new gardening shears :wall:) but no luck. I phoned the store, only to find they'd closed down, so phoned the next nearest branch who suggested I take them in & not to try it myself as the cord is really strong...

Suddenly my bargain sandals aren't looking like such a bargain - it's a 3 hour round trip at least on public transport (yet 20 minutes drive down the country lanes rat run :mad:) & will add £6 in train fare to the cost. And the only time I have a spare few hours to get them sorted in the time that I should actually be wearing them on the walk - oh the irony :rotfl:

This is the third thing I've bought that still had the security tags on - anyone else noticed this or is it just me :rotfl:. The other 2 were easier to cut off with the late gardening shears, so no amusing stories to recount there.

LB - sounds like your cats have certainly come home. Glad they've settled back down & are up to their old games. The cat that isn't mine hasn't been around this weekend & I've really missed him. I'm struggling with today too, even though my Dad was absent for a lot of my life & quite flaky when he was around. But he was still my Dad & I do miss him, so hugs to you. My 2 are really excited to be going out for a meal with their Dad tonight, & I'm glad that means I can just have toast for tea :T Sorry to hear you're fed up too - its pants.

Ellie - I think I've had all the laundry related incidents, so you should be safe.

I think the general consensus on here is that chocolate cake goes with anything, right? Shame I don't have any in the house so I could test a few options :rotfl:

Hope everyone has a good day x

JustKeepSwimming_2

In case anyone thinks that last post was rather depressing - sorry!

I have since put on some lipstick (feels weird as I rarely wear make up) & put on a beautiful ring & bracelet to cheer myself up. If I have to do lots of paperwork & other chores then at least my hands will look pretty doing so.

I'm even attempting another load of laundry - I'll show it who's boss :T

ellie99

JustKeepSwimming wrote: »

Ellie - I think I've had all the laundry related incidents, so you should be safe.

No, I'm not risking it
It's raining again, and DS1 has already filled the "good" clothes horse, and I'm running out of space...there are panels with wet paint all over the place... wet paint, wet washing and no space is an accident waiting to happen :rotfl:

ETA - goodness JKS, watch that ring near the washing machine...we don't want a post saying the machine is broken and your ring has disappeared

BookWorm

Afternoon all

I'm another one who has been busy doing chores today...no incidents to report so very mundane ... although... I was up earlier than expected today as the lovely next door neighbours decided to have a very loud and heated argument this early this morning and woke me up with all the yelling and door slamming...so decided to put the time to good use and blitz my long list of jobs today.

I'm heading off on my travels later this week...and wanted to get the house in order before I go.. as well as hunt out the my suitcase, hand luggage and adaptors. I swear that I have gremlins when it comes to travel adaptors as I have several of them... but can I ever find them when it comes to needing one...nope! :rotfl: Although after much head scratching and checking of random places, I have at last managed to locate them

Ellie - I love Shaun the Sheep too. It's wasted on the kids...the little details and references to other things are brill :T

JKS - have you tried looking online to see if there is a way of getting off the security tags with other things? Even if there was a key or something available on the Bay of E for example - it might be cheaper than the trip to other shop?

BW

CRANKY40

JKS What you need are two carrier bags or black bin bags depending on how much stuff each child has left in your living room. You just put all their stuff in their own bag and the next time they head for the stairs give them their individual bag of junk to take with them. Tell them to keep their bedroom doors shut as you don't want to see what is the other side of the door. Same for clean clothes if you still do their washing - just leave the clean stuff by their bedroom doors for them to put away. I still put ds's clothes away as he is 10, but the bag of junk thing works fine here.

I've been laughing today at my friends posting messages about their dads on facebook. Mine is known to my sister and I and our children as "Ebeneezer", refuses to have a mobile phone, has never used the internet and if anything happens to his partner he will never watch another dvd as he can't work the dvd player either.

I've just been to Argos and bought a new summer weight duvet as to my shame I have no idea how old the other one is. The one I have is starting to be see through in places as I keep it on my bed all year and just add a top cover in the winter. The joy of sleeping on my own and not having to tolerate anyone else's foibles.

BookWorm

On the note of Shaun the Sheep - for anyone near Bristol I've just been sent details of THIS

JustKeepSwimming_2

JustKeepSwimming wrote: »

...I have since put on some lipstick (feels weird as I rarely wear make up)...

Well that backfired - DS came home from town with his friend & asked me if I'd been hit in the mouth :rotfl:

Always thought make up didn't really suit me, but never thought I looked like I'd just been assaulted when I put it on. Must explain all those dreadfully unsuccessful years of trying to pull when I was out with friends

BookWorm wrote: »

Afternoon all

I'm another one who has been busy doing chores today...no incidents to report so very mundane ... although... I was up earlier than expected today as the lovely next door neighbours decided to have a very loud and heated argument this early this morning and woke me up with all the yelling and door slamming...so decided to put the time to good use and blitz my long list of jobs today.

Sounds like you could live next door but 1 to me BW. Mine were also at it at stupid o'clock for a Sunday morning - sounded like all 7 of them were screaming at each other & it managed to wake DD up, which my shouting rarely does. She's been in a grump all day as she needs at least 23 hours of sleep each day.

JKS - have you tried looking online to see if there is a way of getting off the security tags with other things? Even if there was a key or something available on the Bay of E for example - it might be cheaper than the trip to other shop?

BW

That's a fab idea BW. If the maintenance man at work can't cut it with the thing he used to cut off my locker padlock (I know, guess where I'd left the key ) then I'll do some research.

Thanks for the Bristol link too - we saw some of the Gromit's when they were dotted about some years ago & it was great fun. Have to see if we can plan a day out there.

CRANKY40 wrote: »

JKS What you need are two carrier bags or black bin bags depending on how much stuff each child has left in your living room. You just put all their stuff in their own bag and the next time they head for the stairs give them their individual bag of junk to take with them. Tell them to keep their bedroom doors shut as you don't want to see what is the other side of the door. Same for clean clothes if you still do their washing - just leave the clean stuff by their bedroom doors for them to put away. I still put ds's clothes away as he is 10, but the bag of junk thing works fine here.

DD has 3 of the large blue Ikea bags full of s h i t e in her room that she has yet to empty, & DS has the last remaining blue bag & a bin liner, so while I agree that it should be a good idea, it isn't working here. If I threaten to chuck them out, then I'll be the one having to pay for the things that genuinely need replacing (like shoes, coats...).

Clean clothes rarely see the inside of a drawer, but are plucked randomly from a pile... If I could get near DS's drawers I would put them away, but I cant. I'm still valiantly hoping that one day, all of a sudden, they'll get fed up of living in a sty

I've just been to Argos and bought a new summer weight duvet as to my shame I have no idea how old the other one is. The one I have is starting to be see through in places as I keep it on my bed all year and just add a top cover in the winter. The joy of sleeping on my own and not having to tolerate anyone else's foibles.

Nothing beats falling into your own bed & having it just the way you want it.

I've finally got around to switching energy providers - I hope. Thought I'd switched to Coop 3 months ago & have been chasing them for months about getting a move on, only for them to say the switch never went through. In spite of me sending them the welcome emails Id received they could find no trace of me :wall:. Hopefully this second switch will go through & today won't have been a total write off in the achievements department.

Am pleased to report that my ring is still on my finger - having not worn it for years I can now say that I think I'll need soap to get it off Have put on quite a bit of weight in the last 12 months but I'm sure it'll all magically disappear in time for summer. It isn't summer yet, is it?

LavenderBees

So, YBC has his own personal Reg, eh? I've always thought cats are sooooo cool. YBC is a bit like the cool Bacardi Cat with a secret life, then? Who'd a thunk it

I've had a lovely day . My bargain ceoanothus standard tree thingy that I loved a few weeks ago, up'd and died, so I dug it up and took it back. Have never done that before but I was given a refund no problem. That funded four much reduced gorgeous lavender plants - I arrived at the clearance section just as they were all marked down to £3 :T

I've decided if I can't find a standard hardy and bee friendly something or other for under £20, then I might treat myself to a bird bath.

It's been a nice pottering day, and now I'm just waiting for my veges to cook before dinner and the 2nd scary episode of Humans :eek:

Why is it Monday tomorrow?

LB xx

ETA - LMMM will sort the mouse for a small fee of freshly cooked chicken. Apart from killing freshly washed socks, her other skills are catching flies, demolishing anything in her path, and little love biting of my chin at 4am every day. I think she is overqualified, myself :rotfl:

ellie99

JustKeepSwimming wrote: »

Have put on quite a bit of weight in the last 12 months but I'm sure it'll all magically disappear in time for summer.

That's what I'm hoping for too, I am sooooo kidding myself that I haven't got any bigger :rotfl:

LavenderBees wrote: »

So, YBC has his own personal Reg, eh? I've always thought cats are sooooo cool. YBC is a bit like the cool Bacardi Cat with a secret life, then? Who'd a thunk it


ETA - LMMM will sort the mouse for a small fee of freshly cooked chicken. Apart from killing freshly washed socks, her other skills are catching flies, demolishing anything in her path, and little love biting of my chin at 4am every day. I think she is overqualified, myself :rotfl:

If I see a numberplate tomorrow which says LMMM I will freak out :rotfl:

If we were to "borrow" LMMM, you might not get her back...I can manage without a cat as long as there isn't one here to remind me what I'm missing.
I feel I go away too often to get a pet.

Done everything I intended today, but not much else.
My feet are still freezing, it doesn't feel like the longest day

CRANKY40

I love lavender but grumpy the 10 year old made me promise not to have any in this garden as he's terrified of bees despite me explaining that bees aren't interested in him and only wasps are nasty. I had a dream about the house I lived in as a child last night where my grandad grew beautiful roses in the garden. The borders are empty here so I thought I could go and see if any of my grandad's roses had survived and ask for cuttings....I checked on zoopla and guess what? The house is for sale and empty. There doesn't look to be any roses in the garden either so I will just have to start my own rose garden. I may have a stroll past just to check though.

Ellie you can borrow our Borat. She is a 5 year old Burmese/Korat cross and is the cat version of a Labrador in the house wrecking stakes. Her total of destruction so far is 3 cat caves, 3 radiator beds, 4 fleece blankets, 1 fleece jacket, 2 cushions, 2 Care Bears, 1 peppa pig, a square lookout hole chewed in the wooden blinds in our old house, and a set of teeth marks in the vertical blinds here that appeared the second week the blinds were up. It's a good job we love her because she could put people off cats for life!