Crazy Cat Lady Chapter 3 - A New Beginning

foxgloves

Lol, CCL, I read your post & paused to think if I know what a microwave with combi oven does. Then thought, why would I? I've never owned even an ordinary microwave & if I have to use one, say while I'm on holiday, it takes me longer to find out what I'm supposed to do with it than it would for me to use a conventional oven! We were away in a holiday cottage once & we bought one of those curry boxes with all the different bits & pieces for our evening meal. It was my cooking night & it took me so long having to pierce tops, read all the different times (not one alike!), get it all in & out, etc, mr f found it hilarious as I was cussing so much, but I honestly could have prepared a veggie curry & rice from scratch in the time it took me to attempt using that microwave!
F x

f0xh0les

My kids warm milk or make hot choc in the microwave so only the cup to wash up (- for me to wash up), and they heat my chocolate cake so it is warm and squishy. Bizarrely they also make a hummus sandwich and warm it for 15 seconds. . . . yeah, oookay..... hmmm.

So they will not starve, and I am not asked for warm milk 4 separate times a night.

We don't really use it for much else. I do love that it is there though. Just for the not having pots to wash up, if heating soup or leftovers.

DawnW

I have a basic supermarket brand microwave, and do find it handy for heating things up. I also pop potatoes in for 5 or so minutes to give them a head start before baking in their jackets in the oven. Not sure if it saves energy or not, as I am too lazy to do the maths, but because they cook quicker by starting them off in the microwave, it feels as though it does
I can identify with Foxgloves re that blimmin ready meal though - did that once, never again :rotfl:

1LuckyLady

I have a convection microwave (actually I have two but thats another story!) We use it all the time, cook joints of meat in the convection micro several times a week. I only use my "proper oven" for things that are too big for the convection micro. They cook much quicker in there (450gm/15min) so a big gammon joint cooked in 35-45 mins with no preheating time needed. Its just what you get used to I think, my parents have had convection microwaves for years and so I've just followed on as that was how I learnt to cook joints etc.

crazy_cat_lady

Thanks everyone You know me and cooking - anything that's quick and easy. I'm not a ready meal eater, but my kids also do a hot chocolate, and I like the sound of a houmous sarnie in there as well so I might try it... It's a Sharp BB - I am determined to use it as a grill and oven too. I'm ridiculously excited at the idea of cooking a roast dinner in it 1LL :rotfl:
I'd better use it. My mam bought me a pressure cooker about 5 years ago which I've never been brave enough to use. :o
So, today has been a weird one. DS woke up very tearful again this morning, and reluctant to go into school. He keeps telling me he has felt sick for weeks, but I think that this is actually anxiety related rather than physical illness. There had been a very minor incident at school last week that had obviously been playing on his mind, so I decided to ring the Head teacher (bypassing his class teacher as he doesn't like her and I'm not that keen either if I'm being honest). The Head is fantastic though - I really like her. She had spoken to him and rang me back by lunchtime. She said that although he's only 10 she thinks it might be hormonal, teenage angst related stuff. His behaviour is fine, and he's doing well but he's really down on himself. Unfortunately that is a lot like both me and his dad - we both suffer to varying degrees with anxiety, low self esteem and a huge lack of confidence. She said that he also mentioned about missing his dad again - I told her again that it's his dad that had pulled right back in terms of contact unfortunately. I wish that I had an alternative male that ds could have in his life. Not a boyfriend or anything like that (couldn't think of anything worse), but I barely see my dad, ex isn't in touch with his dad, there aren't any brothers or uncles locally, his teacher and head teacher are women etc. I think it would really help ds if he had a male role model - but there's genuinely nothing I can do about that. The only men in my life are the ones I work with, and they are my friends but not close friends. Think this is one I just can't fix in the short term - I just need to keep reminding him that it's ok if he doesn't feel great, that he can keep talking to me, or anyone at school and that I will love him no matter how rubbish he is feeling. I feel so sad that at 10 years old he's feeling like this... Thankfully, the Head teacher has offered a couple of things at school to help - which I am going to accept because I will take all the help I can get. DS also thinks very highly of one of the teachers at school so I may speak to him about the current situation.
Other than that little drama, everything else has been more of the usual. Caught up on my work to-do list and am just about to start my exam marking - I need to get on with that...
Another nsd as I've been too busy with work. Still no meeting with the Head, but I am in the diary for tomorrow - check me out!

f0xh0les

Is there a code-club near you? teaches them how to write computer code and make their own little programs, often run out of libraries and independent cinema/art gallery hipster type places - all for older primary age kids. Usually quite male oriented.

Hope he feels more like himself soon. Only a month left until Easter hols here. Not that I am counting or anything.... ok, I am counting.

crazy_cat_lady

Hello :hello:
What a busy day (again). I'm still feeling better every day but things are tough at work. Me and ds went to bed early last night, and a good night seems to have done him the world of good as he was a bit perkier today. He's still stressed and on edge, I can tell - but his mood was a little better.
Got my meeting with the Head. I do still really like him We had coffee and doughnuts from L!dl and I basically sat and whinged for the best part of an hour. I don't think that there are any easy solutions but I needed to get it off my chest and I wanted him to know the reality of working there every day and how difficult it can be.
After school, when ds arrived from his place he decided to tell me that he needed something red to wear to school tomorrow. Nothing like giving me plenty of notice eh?? So we came home via Sunderland and went to Primarni for something red. Which ended up being 2 new t-shirts, new trousers and pants, and a pair of pj's for his sisters that had been reduced. Also bought milk as we were desperate and some ys sarnies for a grab and go dinner from Mr T.
Took ages to get home in the rush hour traffic, and now I need to have a shower, do some marking and finalise my Mr S order that is being delivered tomorrow night. Never a quiet moment, and certainly not much of an mse day, although I suppose the kids always need new clothes...
Small PAD to the cc and now I'm going to get on and maybe have a shower before I do any real work.
Thanks for the suggestion about a coding club f0xh0les - I will definitely look into it.

Rebecca01

PS Rebecca - are you fully staffed in your dept? We need another 2 science teachers desperately, and there just aren't any good ones about.

Yes fully staffed at the moment. Not sure for how long though after this week.

f0xh0les

DS2 announced yesterday his chemistry teachers have been told to reduce their photocopying budget, or lose a member of staff. I mean how much photocopying can they be doing?



I got a text at 2.30 yesterday that it was own clothes today for a donation and red was the theme. Of course I did not see it until 4.30. grr.

crazy_cat_lady

f0xh0les wrote: »

DS2 announced yesterday his chemistry teachers have been told to reduce their photocopying budget, or lose a member of staff. I mean how much photocopying can they be doing?

Our last Head Teacher used to send out an all staff email at the end of every half term, with the top 10 print and photocopy users in the school named and shamed. Simple fact is that sometimes we need to photocopy, but we were told to reduce, and double side and reduce again, and one between two etc etc...

Anyway, it's been a busy couple of days. Escaped from work early doors on Friday and came straight home. My sister and her ds came round because she wanted me to help her go through her income etc and set up a budget now that she's separated from her husband :T Turns out she can quite comfortably manage to run the house on her own with no contribution at all from him if that's how things go - so for the short term he's left the house and she's staying there with the kids and they're starting to make arrangements etc. We had a few drinks and a good chat, and I think that she left feeling much more hopeful than she was when she arrived.
I was up and out early this morning for a meeting in London. I thought if I got up and went early then I wouldn't need to worry about finding the kids somewhere to stay overnight. DD went out all day with her friends, and ds went to my bestie's for the day. I had to leave the house at 5.30 and it was miserable, snowing and dark and cold. And when I got to the station, the long stay car park was closed :mad: so I ended up barely making it in time for the train. Then I had the 'pleasure' of 4 very drunk and embarrassing young men, who were shouting at a lady with a toddler, then told me to jump out of a window when I said something, then told a man to go and die in the corner (!) when he spoke up... I was pleased to get into London and get off the train in the end.
Meeting was fine, but I'm not sure worth the early start and 7 hour round trip journey time. I'm not sure if I've gotten much out of it, but it is the start of a process... Found out that I am still IFSJ in my personality type - not at all surprising, but a reminder of my strengths and weaknesses. The train home was delayed by 27 minutes (30 or more and I could have been compensated half of the ticket price) but at least there was no snow when I got back.
Now home with a massive pile of stuff to do and I'm not sure where to start - think I just want another early night being honest, but I have all the weekend jobs to do in just 1 day and the rest of tonight so I think I'd better get a list on the go.