We’re on a ferry on our way to a small Greek Island and I was checking the accommodation arrangements. I have just noticed I booked from 23-30 October not September 😮. The booking is for a week and not refundable. This is so unlike me but what a bloody idiot !

I’ve just randomly remembered that when I was younger me and my sister thought it was the most amazing treat to have our mum’s bath water after she was finished with it. She didn’t even use bubble bath so it was literally just lukewarm water but we absolutely loved it. This was in the early 90’s and we had regular hot warm bubble baths which makes it even stranger that we were so pleased by using mum’s old water!

Dramatic title but thats how i feel.. am late 50s but i WFH mostly with the odd trip to the office. My life is casual but i caught sight of myself in a mirror in tkmax and i just thought i can do better than this !!! After 30 years on a corporate job I have lost my way and just can't get it right. Ive been following the minilalist posts and just want a dozen or so things i actalluly love, which last and make me feel good rather than a heap of rsndom meh... ideas ??? ..5 foot 8 size 14 mostly !!

I live in the south west. From October to March, our weather is 99% driving rain and howling wind. I’ve tried over the years to find a decent winter coat that keeps me warm and dry. I’ve found a few that work somewhat, including a lovely M&S rain jacket, but it’s a bit thin.

im considering just biting the bullet and buying a big waterproof changing coat from regatta and being cosy.

But does it look a bit wanky?! Is it okay?!

this is the one I have my eye on

https://www.regatta.com/adults-waterproof-changing-robe-dark-cherry/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=%7Bcampaignname%7D_16108952393&utm_content=%7Badgroupname%7D_&utm_term=&utm_brand=regatta&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=16097452002&gbraid=0AAAAADQdSE8zgQrK5ij4KWiKVriu-WZ3p&gclid=CjwKCAjwwrPVBhA1EiwAv_YO-URMzXzdUfe_4pedDIy1IwFhHmTq04jbmI2WidUesYp3VTPhi4AJvBoCfVEQAvD_BwE

YABU - accept the soggy legs and wear something more dignified

YANBU - stay warm and dry

Taken from a book I found today in a charity shop. So much to say that its hard to know where to start!

The Radio Doctor's Dictionary of Health by Charles Hill, published in 1952.

There may or many not be seven stages of man. There are certainly three phases in the life of a woman. The first is the phase of childhood which passes with the physical and mental changes occurring at puberty into the second or middle phase of womanhood.
The third phase begins, usually between the ages of forty and forty-five, with the so-called menopause or change of life. Puberty, which may begin at the age of twelve or thirteen, come on with amazing quickness. The menopause on the other hand, develops slowly and deliberately. It marks the end of menstruation which first becomes irregular and later disappears. The change of life completed, there can no longer be childbearing.
The menopause is marked by both mental and physical changes. The warmth of physical feelings gives way to the calmness of serene affection, and quite often to a wider interest in the affairs of the world. The change may take one or two years, varying in length in different people. The reproductive organs, no longer functioning, become smaller. There may be symptoms which for a while unpleasant. For example, there may be sweating and giddiness, heats or flushes. These sensations may come on without warning. For most women, this is all that happens. Occasionally, however, there may be trying headaches and uneasy sensations, particularly in the breasts. At this time some women begin to put on weight. Much more rarely there are nervous troubles, particularly amongst those whose days are too leisured.
What can be done? For the most part, nothing need be done. It is best, though this is not always easy, to ignore what is happening and to carry on a normal life. The sympathy of others is no good. Giving in is a mistake. The less notice is taken of the change of life, the more quickly it seems to pass.
It helps to cut down diet, although nowadays our rations do that for us. Alcohol affords no relief. Indeed, it may make matters worse rather than better. The change of life, it must be remembered, is a normal, natural thing. It is not an illness or the beginning of an illness. It's a milestone, not a millstone.
The change may bring with it a release of energy, a need for activity in many new directions. Occasionally it makes a woman appear a little too managing, because she is filled with a desire to reform the lives of other. But most women suffer little or nothing. Eighty-five out of every hundred women pass through the menopause without being troubled by it. This is the occasion for an important warning. If the periods, having stopped, should appear to start again, a doctor should always be consulted,. There may be something wrong.

The third phase of life is sometimes the richest phase, the one in which to find tranquillity, and a full peaceful happiness.

My friend messaged me asking if I had a Tupperware box she gave me about a year ago with some cake in. I honestly don't know. I can't find it anywhere. I couldn't even remember it.

She then messaged saying it was battered but it's her late husband's sandwich box or she wouldn't be bothered. So now I'm thinking I thought it was one of mine that's past it's sellby date and I threw it out.

I feel dreadful. What should I say to her?

Met someone lovely. I do fancy him. But, he has a small bum. He very much needs a belt. It’s basically flat. He’s late 40s and lost a lot of weight in last few years (previously overweight now a healthy weight) which I think has emphasised this even more.

Girlfriends are saying this is normal with age (he’s around 8 years older than me) and happens with all men. Does it?! I’ve never noticed it before. I don’t want this to be an issue as I really do like him. We’ve not DTD yet

I love it and have never had an air fryer before. Our kitchen is white gloss with wood floors and light grey work tops.

Has anyone's child done the Camps International Ecuador and Galapagos trip? The cost is £6490 but with jabs and extras is likely to be nearer £8000. They have 16 months to raise the money. The presentation made the kids think the fundraising wouldn't be too hard despite the fact our town is in the 10% most deprived in the country. My child is very torn over the idea as would love to go but knows it's a mammoth amount to raise. My biggest concern is the mental health impact of having financial deadlines looming over them. If they miss a payment the trip is lost without refund. Not something 13 year old should be worrying about. Also massively hypocritical when the school doesn't allow non uniform days so poor kids don't feel left out! Meanwhile Camps International are turning over £17 million per year

Hello, I’m looking for recommendations for a cleanser you can put on a cotton pad and wipe over as DD15 dislikes massaging the product in wet.

She’s only just started regularly washing her face and getting her face wet in the shower, and it shows as her skin is not smooth and usually looks greasy and uneven with large pores.

After attempting Cerave and Dr Sam cleansers, she tried Simple cream cleanser on a cotton pad and liked it enough to do it everyday - hurrah!

Unfortunately, even though she says she’s rinsing her face afterwards, I don’t think it suits her skin as she’s had more congested bumps and spots than ever since using it. I feel wipe-over cleansers will never be as penetrating as ones you properly massage in, but right now it’s all she’ll use.

There are so many products out there these days that I just don’t know what to try next. I have extremely reactive skin, so I never deviate from my Dermaviduals.

Any suggestions?

At our son's games and practices, my wife is very chatty with the other dads and coaches and it's starting to get on my nerves but I want to be sure I'm not overreacting or being jealous. She'll walk off from me to go talk to another dad or one of the coaches and I think that's sort of rude. She will occasionally send me to go ask something for her, but a lot of times, its something I don't think is worth asking in the moment and if don't budge, she'll go. Last week she left our spot in the bleachers to go chat with one of the other dads who was spectating by himself (granted we all know each other of course). She was there for about 15 mins until some other parents showed up whom she doesn't care for. I'd understand chatting in passing, but leaving your seat in the middle of the game to go visit? I don't know.

I don't think it's her flirting and she's very social and an involved mom and it's related to our son and the game mostly. I do think the optics are bad, especially while I'm sitting around while she's in the face of some other dad. Last season, she was talking to one of the assistant coaches for 45 mins on the phone (regarding the team- our son was around but not me for most of it) and it was a call I thought was unnecessary and went too long. Now, I do think she has a bit of a liking for this guy. He's married and we saw him with family at a game last week (his kid is on the same team) and she led the charge to go speak to him, and his wife interjected with a big "hi" looking right at my wife, almost as if sending her a message- at least that's what I read into it.

Another season, there was a quiet dad she seemed to happy to talk with (seemingly more than him even) who I never had an exchange with. She may have known his son prior through teaching if I recall. She was always engaging this guy and even once left me in the middle of a game to "get a better spot" but wound up right next to him, grinning and chatting away. I was fuming. He was married but the wife didn't show that often. I actually looked up his phone number in the team directory and checked our call log to make sure I didn't see any calls between the two.

Sorry for being so verbose. Do I need to tell her to chill out or am I just being jealous? If we had a girl in sports and I ran around chatting with all the moms and female coaches with and without her, I'm sure she'd have something to say.
I feel like it's borderline disrespectful and she's doing more than necessary.

All my plans at getting organised in the last thread left me as I realised the thread with referrals was already up and running, so the one I set up I'll link to once the current one runs out!

Welcome one and all to this safe, warm and fuzzy place for people to share discounts, bargains and Christmas gift ideas both online and IRL. Please note the tone and intention of the thread and join with spirit as generous as DC helping themselves to the Christmas chocolate celebrations .

Here’s some useful information about how to save the thread or a specific post so you don’t need to have a message to check in for every thread so you have the thread saved:

To watch the thread - click on the little bell that has ‘watch’ under my first message. This adds the whole thread to your ‘watched threads’

You can also bookmark a specific post by clicking on the ‘bookmark’ under the specific post. This saves your exact place in a thread but doesn’t alert you to new replies.

If you have any referral links or codes, please share them on the referral thread here

A reminder that we don't use affiliated links on here please

If there’s anything you think would be useful or good to include in this post then please do tag me and let me know here (or DM me). Also always happy to hear nominations for a thread title.

Apparently, the world is debating this topic. Let's join in:

Is it unprofessional to bring a takeaway iced coffee into a job interview?

The answer to me is blindingly obvious, but not to everyone, it seems.

Feel free to add your age and industry, in case that matters.

Well firstly, like many of us, realising you've got to an age when you actually are near to retirement and taking it all in. Seems like yesterday I was the young, vibrant teacher who gave everything to my job above and beyond because I cared and I could. The bonds, love, after school clubs and revision sessions, holiday classes, trips away, fundraising evenings and weekends, I was there. Even with my own DC I worked extra hours but reduced the amount of time I was able to put in.

Suddenly, I'm at an age (56) where I can take my pension early and I've done it! Having calculated, I would have to live to about 86 to make the difference of higher amount 60 plus.

I still work as supply but find the suffocating environments of academies unbearable... assigned 5 different classrooms, login, behaviour for 'hey we have a sub' though I do take control of this attitude but it's repetitive and tiring, dealing with behaviour. You've got to get to know your students and unfortunately we can't do this, but I have had some meaningful encounters where I would love to help them more.

I have another job as well, online tutor, which doesn't have these stresses but the sessions are only a couple of hours here and there and I put in a lot of hours for individual learning.

I'm not 'retirement' age but taking my pension early and still working. I get £867, enough to pay my part of bills while DH works FT WFH. With my earnings to top up all is fine financially as I did also get a payout which has been used for us all as a family.

The thing is, a neighbour at age 55 said Im retired now, she's so young and vibrant so I asked what she will be doing and she said nothing. Good for her, her DH has also retired, have a lovely big house all paid off.

So part of me is thinking why can't be the same as this couple? Well, because we've taken on a bigger mortgage and house move (which I didn't want)

Anyway, this is a situation I feel privileged for. Even though I've worked since age 16 and was fortunate to go to university when loans were zero procent, have worked for 30 years plus as a teacher, part of me feels guilty for retiring so early! Yes I'm still working but not in the role I was, suppose the stepping down and back from a career feels strange 🤔

Just feeling a bit emotional this evening about my childhood.

Usual story, abuse, neglect, stepdad, mother who only wanted sons etc. It was about as bad as it could be really.

Sometimes I dwell on the bad stuff, then I remember Mrs W. She probably saved my life.

I was always filthy, I wasn't allowed to shower or bath unless my stepdad was in there with me so I just didn't do it. My clothes were often dirty or too small. She often had 'spare' clothes or shoes that didnt fit her daughter, my friend, and would tell me to try them on and then just wear them for the day. When i stayed over she said there was a family rule that everyone had to bathe each night and ran me the loveliest baths with bubbles and fancy soaps, it was heaven.

I would call on my friend in the mornings to walk to school, and Mrs W had always made too much breakfast, and overdid the sandwiches for lunch and would offer me the extras. As well as fruit that was about to turn so had to be eaten.

I told my friend when I started my period, and she obviously told her mum, her mum put leaflets and pads into my bag and never said a word, she put pads in there every month.

The way i viewed all of the things she did when I was a child/young teen is very different to how I see it now.

Now I know there were never extras, she made the stuff for me, she bought the clothes and shoes for me, the fruit wasn't going to turn, she just wanted to make sure I had something to eat later. There was no family rule about baths either.

Many years later, at this angels funeral, I spoke to her daughter and told her all about the things her mum did, she had no idea, she also hadn't realised, and her mum never said a word. She just quietly did what she could and never uttered a word.

No point to this post really, I just wanted to tell someone about Mrs W, I really wish she had been my Mum.

Ocado xmas delivery slot booked - with the traditional couple of bottles of baileys making up the value to allow checkout. I got an email yesterday saying slots available "for you, tomorrow"

So am I special? 🤣 Do they open for everyone on different days, did others get theirs already?

Only asking because I logged on, chose slot, did a shop, checked out. Just like that. No tesco wait-line of doom, no app crashing out, no "sorry, no slots available when YOU want". Was quite civilised.

I’ve had a bit of a run of bad luck recently, and two people have said this to me and I don’t know … it feels almost a bit personal, like they are saying that I’ve brought on my own bad luck or that I’m cursed or something. Probably being a bit sensitive but genuinely interested to know if other would feel the same.

I all want to order a book for my son I have only found on Amazon but he still has access to my prime account so if I order it as I normally order stuff he he will see it and immediately know it's for him. Does any of you clever mumsnetters know if there are any ways of ordering regular stuff on my amazon account but in a "private" mode? So that it wouldn't show together with the rest of my orders?
I know that if it's not possible I can buy on one of the big bookseller's webpage and have it delivered but I'd rater not if I can help it. Ah, and I should say I ham disabled so receiving it at home without me having to go into town, which requires more energy than I am capable of atm
Thanks in advance!

Inlaws are being very very difficult and intransigent about applying for a Blue Badge. Both are 82. MIL has osteoporosis, fell last year and broke her hip. Very little vision in one eye and lacking in confidence when walking. FIL the same age and has COPD.

We suggested they apply for a blue badge - they don't go anywhere much other than the supermarket and the doctor/hospital but it would make things so much easier parking at the door and FIL not having to leave MIL while he parks. My mum is younger (by a year) and has a blue badge - she was awarded it while waiting for a hip replacement but it was not me who did the application, it was my brother.

Inlaws say it's too hard, too many questions, have to be on benefits (I know this is rubbish), have to provide medical notes, get a letter from the GP. And besides, Marjory next door / the hairdresser's cousin / some man in the GP's waiting room applied and was turned down as not eligible and are far more disabled.

Closest 'Selection Box' to the giant ones from my childhood but still not quite as big...

£9.99 - Home Bargains

Hi all,

So I ordered the Kelly skirt from Rixo a few weeks ago but then managed to find one new on Vinted so purchased.

It's just arrived and as soon as I felt it, I realised the material doesn't feel as soft as the original and more scratchy. I checked the label and it says 70% viscose and 30% silk. I've checked on the Rixo website and the skirt is listed as being 100% silk. Is there any chance the shop has listed it incorrectly? Or any reasonable explanation?

I don't really know exactly what the label is supposed to look like. I could order an original to compare but it'll probably take too long to arrive.

Attached a photo of the skirt and the label.

I travel a lot for work and for pleasure.

I know I'm a particular sort of person buy Yegods some of the room I've stayed in at complete abs utter shite designed by people who I don't think have ever slept I. A room ever on their whole life ever, not once.

A bathroom light that comes on by sensor as you open the door. Nay, not A bathroom light, four lights. 3am snoozy wee completely brightened like the sun. No chance of just meandering back in my slightly soporific stupor.

And more poor DH who didn't even need to be awake now has frazzled corneas.

Light switches that you can't reach from prone in bed. What the warrant feck.

A kettle that yiu can't boil at the same time as watching tv because of the situation of sockets.

A 12foot by 8 foot plate glass window opposite my bed looking out into a communal outdoor space. Felt like investing in a red bulb for that hotel.

Lights choice? 13 spotlights and 2 side lights. Or nothing. No in between.

A very very stylish en suite in an historic building which was just a stone wall 2/3 of the height of the room. No ceiling to it. All ablution noise audible throughout the room. Married 35 years but, nope I'd rather not hear That tyfvfm.

A door that only locks from a single key from outside the room. So if one of use goes out for a bit, the other has to remain locked in. Or unlocked, compromising safety.

No handheld shower, and no shower cap provided. Nope I don't want my hair washed every time I shower thank you.

Had held showers with no parking location so it's a one handed shower for me, generally resulting in a soaked bathroom ffffs.

No socket near the bed.

No food on a Sunday evening.

No physical chain or bolt in the inside of the door.

A chair in the route from my side of the bed to the en suite. I'm sure I've broken toes in this scenario.

Every hotel employee should be forced to spend a nice in each room to check for smooth sailing.

Hello. I will try and keep it short. I was talking (ok gossiping) with my husband about a friend who is in process of getting divorced. They are going to court as my friend is refusing to accept offers on the house and her husband wants to move on. I said that IMHO my friend was being a bit grabby, especially as the divorce was her idea (she met someone new) and she is effectively blocking the house sale when she hasn't contributed to paying the mortgage (she gave up work when her DD was born and never went back).

My husband started laughing and said "well you don't contribute to paying our mortgage either." I was a bit shocked as yes the mortgage payments come out of "his" account but I paid part of the deposit, pay various other bills and am now putting every spare penny into our pension for example. So we have separate bank accounts but shared finances. Or that's what I thought anyway!

He earns much more than I do as he has a high flying job while I moved into a lower-paid/public sector job after having kids so I could stay FT but do the school runs, holidays etc. You all know the story.

When I pointed that out that yes he pays the mortgage but I still contribute financially while also raising 4 kids, he just carried on saying that I'm not that different so should be more understanding. And anyway he was just joking as he knows how much I love working and I would never have wanted to give it up.

I am really hurt, both by his comment and by the fact that he continued to double-down on it when I challenged him. Just to be clear, I am absolutely not dismissing being a SAHM and despite what my husband is now saying I would have loved to be one myself when the kids were younger. It is more that I am now thinking perhaps I should have done that instead as it nearly finished me off doing the lions share of looking after 4 kids while working, but my husband seems to think I've been working for pocket money or something anyhow?!

I don't know what I'm asking really. I guess I just wanted to get a sense from others as whether my husband is right and I am overreacting to a light-hearted comment?!

I don’t remember this when I was younger, or was I just naive?

did anyone else not realise the growing problem with ketamine with kids as young as 12? Mostly girls. Scary stuff.

please warn your kids about bladder problems

my husband is considering moving to east Dunbartonshire. Considering near to his work and school catchment. But reading the thread in Bearsden catchment showing difficult to get accepted even in catchment area. Please enlighten me. The house we might move in is showing Bearsden primary and Killermont. How do they decide which school will be accepted? The distance is just few .3 something. I Hear good talk about both school but what is it really for parents who have kids in the school ( who experience moving their kids to a new school)? As I’m 50/50 as I’m worried of my kids not settling. ( Like bullies and other issues.) as a relative 20 years experience bullying in the said primary school. And read another news about it recently 😬. We Will be selling our current house if we decided to move in Bearsden . Anything will be helpful.