Settling in for the long haul

DancingInTheRain

Happy reading, hope you all have a lovely weekend!

Dakota_Rose

Have finally finished the book I was engrossed in this week. It was a nice source of escapism on an evening after some really eventful days. Mini review to follow.

The first week back at school for everyone has ended positively but obviously littlest had the bumpiest week of us all. We had a text yesterday morning to top it off saying he was on ‘red’ on the behaviour chart for bad language and would miss his playtime. I was beside myself as 1, he’s just a little boy who usually tries his absolute best at school and 2, it’s been a battle to get him through the door each day anyway. Well we contacted the school because what an awful thing to be text at 8.30 on a morning with no notice, and for a child who we knew would be absolutely devastated when he found out. After being assured it happened (his name was in the text) and that was his punishment, it turns out it was not in fact our child and it had been sent in error. We shared in no uncertain terms how we felt about that particular behaviour policy or approach of sharing concerns with a parent. I am so supportive of schools as I know just how much blood, sweat and tears goes into the job. But I find this method of punishment and communication harmful. There’s more I could say on the matter but I won’t. The last thing I want is to think about it any more.

Work was full on but surprisingly positive. A lot of the changes and tweaks we’ve made have had a good impact and there’s a happy, productive atmosphere. Long may it last 🙏.

Not sure if Mr D has managed to keep to the 4-day shopping budget. Think there’s been tweaks needed to get on top of 4 packed lunches again. Plus our beef casserole meant for two dinners was a bit of a fail - had to go into the slow cooker for a second day as the meat was just too tough to eat after 4-5 hours on Sunday. Then it seemed to shrink so much that it only really served one good meal. We did a make do and mend and had it more as a gravy pie the second night, with some store bought individual pies for the children, but very disappointing considering how much the meat cost. Any top tips for tender slow cooker beef casseroles welcome. We’re thinking just to buy a joint next time and use the leftovers for a casserole type dish instead of the stewing (chunks of) beef we bought.

It’s the weekend! Driving home from work last night felt lovely. I have to admit that I missed that Friday feeling when I was off - there’s a real appreciation of the weekend.

Dakota_Rose

I’m back after being in a book bubble for the past week or so. I’m now officially invested in the Court of Thorns and Roses series and have just finished book 3. Much ‘bigger’ than the first two books and I really enjoyed it for its pure escapism value. Have never been a fantasy reader but here we are - shows you’re never too old to enjoy something new 😊.

26 books for 2026

1.You Are Here (easy read) 9/10

2. The Seven Murders of Evelyn Hardcastle (time-travelling murder mystery) 9.5/10

3. Love Untold (ending made a middling read worthwhile) 8/10

4. Way Back (engaging easy read with a farm theme and a few typos) 8.5/10

5. The Cuckoo’s Calling (first of the Strike detective novels) 8.5/10

6. Yellowface (‘too awful to look away’ page-turner) 10/10

7. A Thousand Splendid Suns (emotive, heavy but worthwhile read) 10/10

8. Before the coffee gets cold (Japanese coffee-shop time-travelling scenarios) 8/10

9. Us Three (screenplay-style friendship story) 9/10

10. The Twyford Code (a puzzle within a puzzle) 9/10

11. The Shock of the Fall (first person narrative with flashbacks - includes childhood trauma told sensitively and with humour woven throughout) 8/10

12. Guilty (lots of shock factor details, but predictable storyline) 7.5/10

13. The Falls (Scottish detective novel) 8.5/10

14. The Examiner (murder mystery told through emails and messages) 8.5/10

15. First Blood (prequel to a favourite detective series) 10/10

16. We Solve Murders (cosy murder mystery) 8.5/10

17. A Court of Thorns and Roses (fantasy romance) 9/10

18. A Court of Mist and Fury (second in the ACOTAR series) 9/10

19. A Court of Wings and Ruin (third in the series, loved it) 10/10

in_need_of_direction

not wishing to add to your concerns but I would seek an assurance from the school that there is no reference of the incident and associated punishment on ds’s records.

Blackcats

we have had some disappointing stewing beef too which we bought in the supermarket. We tend to go to the butchers now if we want to make a big slow cooker casserole. I'm sure you do it already but we lightly coat in seasoned flour and quickly fry in small batches before it goes into the slow cooker.

I'm glad the school text didn't refer to your DS but it seems very blunt and draconian so early in the school year for whichever child it referred to.

I've just read Killer Question by Janice Hallett which I think is her best book to date. 9)10

Dakota_Rose

Ooh I haven’t read that one. Shall add it to my TBR list! Thanks @Blackcats. And I think it may well be the quality of the supermarket meat, so perhaps we’ll try again with the butchers instead.

Mr D sent £11.01 to round down the car loan to the nearest ten pound this afternoon. I commented that it was calling out for an overpayment and caught him in a good mood I think. Happy wife, happy life 😂.

Sun_Addict

I cook stewing beef in the slow cooker for Mr SA but cook it on low for at least 6 hours. It’s always tender no matter where I buy it from. I don’t brown it first. I think the trick is the longer the better for supermarket meat.

Dakota_Rose

I had a nice little run of surveys this morning leading to a £13 payout. That will go to my personal spends which are down to a measly £10, as much as I’d like to round down my mortgage 😂. I’m conscious that I may yet struggle not to overspend our birthdays pot this month so don’t want to throw every pound extra to overpayments just yet. I don’t think I need anything else for myself this month, so may well chuck my leftover personal spends towards a more needy pot later in the month.

I noticed today that they’ve introduced a section on the sign up sheet that says if we earn over £1000 a year on surveys, this will need to be declared to HMRC for tax. I have recently had to give my NI details on eBay for the same due to the number of sales I’ve had. Hopefully, my eBay sales won’t be taxed as they were my own belongings being sold. But it did make me wonder how many of our MSE community were aware of needing to declare survey earnings. I’ll withhold my personal view of taxing these things!

Sun_Addict

You won’t be taxed on your eBay sales as they’re your own items but some people buy things to sell on and they are liable to tax. This will be why they’re asking for your NI number. You’re allowed to earn £1000 a year in survey earnings and savings interest before declaring. So just check you’re under that figure if you also have savings. Apart from ISAs that is.

ohdearhowdidthathappen

I think it’s harsh when school withdraws break time as a punishment. My youngest once struggled with a sewing task and as he hadn’t finished, he was kept in to complete it. I was so cross, I very rarely contact school but I did for that 😡

I are you going straight onto ACOTAR book 4? I did the same as you and binge read the first three books 😂