The Garden Fence - help and support in tough times

fuddle

'twas draining. I accomplished nothing other than to explain that I wasn't amused at being fobbed off with incorrect assumptions re:SATs and that I knew as a parent and as a professional what SATs actually mean for children, especially liasing with connected agencies these past few weeks. It became a meeting about who was to be top dog and not about my daughter really and I take responsibility for that because I won't be patronised or intimidated.

pollyanna_26

Mancbird It sounds like the thermostat needs replacing . I had the same happen about five years ago . You can buy the part online ( mine cost about £15 . The site I bought from had full step by step instructions online and a family member did the job . Worked fine .
I must have last used mine about two years ago but I've just turned it on and it's still working fine . I don't use mine now as from the point of energy use and the fact it does shorten the life of fabrics I dry things naturally . When my four children were growing up I did use mine heavily but I don't have huge amounts of laundry now .
polly

pollyanna_26

Fuddle This is really just the start . For today try and get some rest , you must be exhausted . Give yourself time to plan your next move and although it's not what you want remember you still have the HS option in reserve if things get worse . You stuck to your guns and showed you aren't a walkover . Good on you and take care .
polly

monnagran

Fuddle:Sorry that you didn't manage to sort the problems out but it sounds as though you acquitted yourself well. I'm willing to bet that Head has seldom met a parent as determined and well informed as you. I would loved to have seen her face when she realised that you weren't going to roll over and let her talk over you.

Now have a comforting cup of something and go to bed tonight knowing that you have bravely held your own.

x

fuddle

No, that's it for me polly. I'm not going to change anything, I didn't really expect to to be fair. It's all about reporting to government, league tables, ofsted and attracting children so the school gets pupil premium. It's much bigger than children or parents.

We'll see how it goes, DD is just getting on with it and seems ok so I'll sit back and just she how she is.

Monna there was no change in her face when I explained my point of view and why I held those views. I had practically shown her up for fibbing to me and nothing. Hard as that one.

Softstuff

Fuddle, you probably just put her on the defensive, she wouldn't have been expecting someone as informed and determined as you are and likely didn't have anything other than bluster. As Pollyanna says though, this is the start, not the end.

Edited to add: Cross posted with you there Fuddle. Not much you can do when a person will lie without shame.

Mancbird, scars fade, but lasagne is forever.

When it's wet or too humid out, we dry on an airer over a dehumidifier. Uses a lot less electric than a tumble drier amd dries the room out at the same time.

Softstuff

I almost forgot, a cautionary tale for you all.

We were getting a quote for some retaining walls out the back to level out the garden. The chap came out, we discussed what we wanted, he sent out a quote. The quote was higher than we'd hoped, but we were not at the stage of a complete no to the job. I noticed though a few things were on the drawing he'd sent, such as "lawn" and "garden beds", there was very little detail on the quote, so I queried further. Turns out the quote didn't include such things as "soil" or "turf", those would be another $6,500... and the tree we'd asked to be removed as oart of the job... oh no, that's not included, apparently he didn't know we wanted it gone, maybe it just needed a prune (also not included in the job).

We'd asked for a ballpark figure before he gave a detailed quote, and we were ok with it (not thrilled but it's a big job), the actual quote including everything is beyond double the ballpark estimate.

Buyer beware for sure.

pollyanna_26

Fuddle Just seen your reply to my post . Agree if your daughter is managing at the moment it will be watch and see . I home schooled one of mine from the second year of senior school but it was that or risk her mental and physical wellbeing .
polly

mancbird

Thanks everyone The cut isn't deep but it's on the knuckle so it keeps reopening, grrrr

Well done in sticking to your guns fuddle. The head sounds like she wasn't expecting you to be so well informed. At least you know you've said your piece and she knows your views on the situation.

As for the tumble dryer, hubby thinks it is still because it is cold :-/ I'm not so sure as I had the oven and hob on for quite a while earlier and it wasn't that cold in there. We will see! Tbh, I don't use it much in the warmer weather as we have a garden with an airer in it. The only thing, the garden is separate from the house by a steep flight of steps and through a gate (my house is on a very steep hill. If you walk in my front door and walk straight through to the back door, you are level with the roof of the garage!)

mancbird

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

MANCBIRD I find that even bedding dries overnight on the airer in front of the woodstove, really good to set it up as you go to bed and come down to dry foldable things in the morning. Do you read the FRUGAL QUEEN blog? she has several airers and dries ALL the laundry in front of the woodstove in the colder wetter months, seems to work well. I don't have a tumble dryer, haven't had one for years but I do have a floor standing boiler in the utility room which helps such a lot with the winter washing, the heat it puts out also dries things overnight.

I've been dipping in and out of her blog, it's fab I'm wary of leaving things in front if the woodburner overnight as my silly cat likes to climb on airers, she broke the last one! She likes to sleep in there at night as it is warm and cosy and if I shut her out she pesters me by trying to get IN my bed next to me! or lying on my head :mad:

Hopefully the weather will pick up in the next few days and I can get some on the line outside as well as in the house. My washing basket is overflowing! If the tumble dryer still isn't working when it is a bit warmer I will see if I can get a thermostat and fix it. Got to be worth a try! It has done this before when we lived in the other house and my husband reminded me earlier that when we rung the helpline, they told us to place a bowl of hot water in the drum of the dryer for 10 minutes or so. I do remember doing that so will try that tomorrow as well