Kidcat, am sorry your son has shutdown, from what I have heard its common with Christmas and auty children, its just too much change for them isnt it? We are lucky I guess that DGs is an only child for now so we can keep it low key(which we do anyway) He doesnt like Father Christmas at all and prefered a 2 mile wander in the woods with Mummy and Daddy when they went to see him last week. He is now singing 2 songs 'The wheels on the bus' and 'twinkle twinkle' Its wonderful, we lay on Grandads bed earlier having a hug and singing to each other - all my Christmas's rolled into one.

i am certainly counting my blessings this year even though Im in total agony with my shoulder, its as bad as a broken bone at the moment.I have taken one of my emergency arthritis pills and painkillers but think I may find something to do as I doubt I will sleep. My GP is a bit tough and reckons I can get through with just painkillers, she doesnt believe in long term use of arthritis meds but she is so good with OH I just grit my teeth and get on with it.

Sending hugs to all in need at this time of the year. Ginny

Ginny - yes Christmas is hard for autys, but as we go on more we pick up tips, this is our first Christmas as officially auty, yet we have always known how badly it affected them.

Your shoulder sounds really awful, is there anyway you could see a different doctor at the practice? We hardly ever get to see our "appointed" GP and cannot choose which one we see either, but I do know that many will allow you to book with any within the practise.

Well done on the singing too - singing is a difficult one to master, so if you can keep him at it he will find it much easier at school.

I think I am restricted on what painkillers I am allowed because of the kidney problem and what I take does not always work, I have never been offered specific drugs for arthritis...

Wishing all as I said earlier a peaceful and happy time with loved one's, let's hope that we manage at least 24 hours where worries can be put aside.

Hello, I'm a lurker, but I do enjoy your community on here. Could I perhaps have your recipe as I have a wheat intolerance, not allergy, but I could do with shaving some "bloat" over Christmas whilst enjoying a mince pie or two?

Thanks in anticipation

TMD xx

GF Pastry for mince pies.

Two things first...I made these in little foil trays, just to help support the pastry as GF pastries can be fragile. I think you could manage without this, but mine need to be transported...so think that was a wise move. Secondly, I've topped this with a crumble as I do all my mince pies, it makes them a bit lighter.


40g Rice Flour
35g ground almonds
50g tapioca flour (a health food shop may have this)
50g cornflour
1/4 teaspoon Xanthan gum (measure this carefully, as too much makes the pastry tough)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder (make sure it's GF!)
1 tablespoon icing sugar
1/4 teasppon salt
I also added a bit of lemon zest, as I usually do in mince pies
80g Vitalite Margarine

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl, add vitalite, and work in with a fork. It will 'just' come together at this stage. Take the bowl over to the sink, and wet your fingers and flick a tiny bit of water over the mix, and with your damp fingers knead it into a ball. You may need a tiny bit more water, but it needs to be dry enough not to be sticky. Wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for half an hour before rolling. Use some of the tapioca flour to roll out, but do it on a sheet of non-stick baking powder, just break off a small piece each time, and keep the ball covered in cling film. If it's too dry to handle, you can add a tiny bit more water, but keep the water to a minimum. It will be more crumbly than normal pastry, but it should be strong enough to actually pick your circles up when you've stamped them, and move to the tins. Ease into the foil trays or tins very gently, but if it does crack you can patch it with a bit more, pushing it together again. I found this easier to do in the foil trays, as you could lift them out to manoeuvre.

Fill with mincemeat (or whatever I guess!) and then top with a crumble topping:

150g Doves Farm GF white flour
50g ground almonds
100g vitalite
100g sugar

Fork vitalite into flour, almonds and sugar keep it quite coarse, as the bigger chunks are nice and crunchy. Sprinkle over pies, and add a few flaked almonds to the top of each pie.

Bake until just tinged with gold (@ about 180 degrees), they come away from the sides slightly when cooked, so you can take a peek at the bottoms and make sure they are cooked underneath!

Kate

I would be so graeful for your help with how to make this please

Edited to say as I posted I saw your recipe above my post......thank yiu for sharing

'Bloat for Christmas'.. that made me laugh!


Well, like most of you I am following a daily list that consists of cooking and cleaning. Shopping is all done thank goodness. Today is the lull before the storm for us. It's an odd thing, but once my Mam gets here tomorrow morning everything takes twice as long to do! Bless her, she will help me peel etc but it's easier when she settles down with the remote control and the Radio Times IYKWIM.

Thanks everyone for all your posts here this year. Some have been so relevant and helpful, some have been a tonic when I needed it and lots have made me cry or laugh in varying degrees. There is such a feeling of support and genuine warmth here that I really appreciate. Popping in each morning sets me up for the day.
I am sending all the healing thoughts I can to those of us who are in pain, and I hope you all manage to enjoy the next few days. Whether you are presiding over a busy family time or relaxing in a chair in front of your fire with a glass of something, I send you all my best wishes and hugs and love.
I look forward to seeing you all in the new year and hearing all your news. I'm relying on you all to be the light at the start of my day.

Merry Christmas

Thank you meme

I'm sending everyone a nice glass of virtual homemade baileys and a bar of chocolate, so if you can't eat, drink and be merry you can still eat and drink.

Hoping that everyone has a peaceful Christmas and wishing you all a much improved 2013.

See you in a while.
xxx

I'd like to wish you all a merry dodah and a fantabulous new dooberry.

I'm on the last few "jobs" this morning, the rest of it is all pleasure... DD2 is going with DH whilst he has his MRI this morning, she can assemble his portable scooter and sit plugged into her iPod for an hour whilst I get on here (caring wife that I am). DD1 is at work, bless her she's really shocked at the price of food now she's dealing with it and has asked how we manage to not spend the £100+ that most people spend on a weeks shop. She was manically busy yesterday and said shelves were emptying quicker than they could be filled. She asked if I wanted her to check the YS section before she leaves, she's catching on!

Oh and in true Christmas style, the parrot finally laid her egg last night, she didn't sit on it so it's been removed, she's fast asleep with her head under her wing, making little snorey parrot noises....bless.

Pops arthritis drugs are not good if you have kidney problems, thats probably why they havent given you them. Pain is not as bad today.

Kidcat Im grateful for people like you who share how they deal with their auty children, you make it easier for those who follow. Dgs even trys to follow the tune when he sings. I was laughing till I nearly burst yesterday, we taught him to draw round his hand and now when we do it he puts his foot on the table and we draw round that too but yesterday he decided we should draw round his head It was hilarious. Bonus - he slept till 7.45, never been known here though he sleeps very well at home which we are totally grateful for - its a recent development and long may it last(crosses fingers and trys to type)

I have Christmas all sewn up so am just pottering till Tuesday - Im lucky I know but have long days and grown up kids. Dd took her dad shopping and I have some very interesting little parcels which may contain crafty things - am quite excited. Mind you I did that once before, I thought (years ago) he had bought me a mobile phone but it was a cordless screwdriver but that actually was very useful.

Thats a very sincere and lovely post Meme - lets all look forward to the New Year with its new challenges and know that we are all here to support each other hugs ginny

Wishing you all a happy and hopeful Christmas and New Year.

December has been a difficult month for me, but I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel and I'm hopeful it's not a train

Thank you to all those who have PM'd me, helped and supported me, offered encouragement and been very, very kind.

xxxxx

You can tell it is almost Christmas here...Sunday afternoon and all the lawnmowers are roaring.

We were forecast to have 43C Christmas Day, but that has been revised down to 39C and as the sea breeze has been arriving in timely fashion all week, the thermometer should go up and come down again without loitering on 39 for too long. An early swim before the hordes arrive, I think. I have quite a collection of plastic forks, spades, and moulds for decorating sand castles which I've picked up throughout the year, so I'll re-distribute them to the littlies on my daily beach walk.

Work is almost finished on rejuvenating our grassed beachside park and is looking good. Doesn't seem to be any increase in free bbq's so there will be queues, but more shelters and tables have been built, a shade sail over the kiddies swings and climbing slides. Picnics and cricket games are always popular, with a vino or two later as the sun sinks over the sea.

I look forward to hearing about your day, and yes, I'll be tagging along with you all next year. Merry Christmas, folks.

It was bad enough all the rain and some will not be having a happy time with the floods but here after all of that at approx 2am(suddenly and not gradually)there was gale force winds and we had a wild night. It is still quite bad but it has died down a little.

May go to a carol service tonight.

Thanks for the info Ginny regarding arthritis drugs. Now, I was happier last night when I went to the SM compared to earlier in the day when I struggled getting out to post my dreaded forms.

Then without warning it flared up overnight.you never know when it will. And you and others have similar experiences or other health troubles to a lesser or greater extent some that life threatening so I appreciate how worrying it can be always worse if it is a loved one.

Here's hoping the new year is better to us and another year of support and being there for each other.

All

I'm really sorry but I haven't been around MSE lately. Work has rushed me off my feet and looks like it will continue like that for the foreseeable future. I haven't even got time to skim the daily update that lands in my email in-box every morning.

You are all in my thoughts (Fuddle, I hope the move went well), but I'm going to have to bow out for now. Take care of yourselves. Be kind to yourselves. And have a very merry, old-style, frugal Christmas and New Year.

- Pam

Wishing you well Pam,

I suppose you are missing for good reasons though you probably would like some time for you and family. It is finding the happy balance. These days that is harder to do.

You are with us in spirit...take care.

Byatt, hope things get better for you after Christmas, good to see you pop in.

Hi Prudence,I love hearing about life in other countries, look forward to your posts.

Just popped in Mr A round the corner for lemonade, we treat ourselves to a shandy on Christmas day. We were having sherry but forgot it and it will only linger on the shelf until I make trifles It was very quiet in there, I was amazed. Do people really pay £4 for a tray of potatoes in duck fat to roast? I got them ys for 80p along with some little satsumas for 29p for OH and a big pasta salad which we just had for lunch - it was really yummy. I re-use the thick foil trays from the spuds and find them quite useful. I may wander down there tomorrow before it closes and check out the whoopsies, you never know I may get something really good or I may not bother.

Aaaaahhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Softstuff thank you for the home made baileys i need it!
I just got home from my younger cousins birthday party and the house is trashed by the older children who chose not to listen to me when i told them what jobs they had to do while i was gone and did other non-necessary jobs instead. The reward was supposed to be doing some baking with me when i got back and now i dont think there is going to be time after i have cleared everything away properly.
Oh well. I shall blast some christmas music out and refuse to let them watch tv while i clear up and do the baking myself!

Afternoon all, Byatt lovely to have you home, I hope things are more settled now

Ginny - I was instore yesterday and they announced they were selling prepared veg at £3 per tray, I would have needed ten trays at least!!

Its been a difficult day today, OH went to work and locked my keys in the kitchen meaning I had no access to kitchen, bedroom etc. I ended up going in my PJs to take DD18 (dressed) to buy new keys for the kitchen (security bolt type). OH basically told me tough get on with it, so I flipped out, he called me while we were out to say he was at home and was really angry that I was upset with him.
I find it so difficult to get him to understand that if he does something wrong he is supposed to apologise not get angry at me for being upset. He just doesnt get it.
This felt like the final straw today though and I really am going to have a rethink as he has done this on so many occassions, although usually its just car keys.

Otherwise we are nearly sorted just some bits later and then the final prep tomorrow, desperately hoping to get the kids to Christingle tomorrow night.

Nice to have you aboard, hun.

Well, simply don't know where this weekend has gone, lots of things I meant to do aren't done, got to work tomorrow then it's Christmas and I am soooo not ready........Stop the world, I wanna have a nap, a long bath and a facepack and and and .......

Got presents and cards out to SuperGran and another pal, discovered that my work trews have a split up the inner thigh and this isn't a good look with black trews and my lily-white limbs so will be dragging out the machine to sort that tonight. One chore I could have done without.

The flat is a muddle and I'm busy decluttering my freezer into my tum so will have to go and eat something. Salmon steak (YS natch) with leftover pasta and slightly-bashed tomatoes. And I shall garnish it with freshly-ground black pepper and white wine vinegar, not because I'm posh (I'm not) but because that's what's left on the premises.

Can't recall which one but some American comedian joked that his mother had been serving leftovers for 30 years; the original meal had never been found.

Hokay, won't have much time for the next few days but wishing you all, posters and lurkers alike (whom I like to think of as friends we just haven't met yet) a lovely Christmas and a Happy New Year.



Love and peas. GQ xxxxxx