We've survived the first half term - go us! (starting uni 2017)

[flyingpigsinclover]

New thread....we've got to the first half term!

[Stopyourhavering]

Hi everyone....in order to lift my mood as I'm finding it difficult to wear shoes at the moment due to painful legs/ulcers and can only manage sandals/ Birkenstock I've had a sparkling shellac pedicure this afternoon....
I then came home to find a friend had arrived with a gorgeous bunch of flowers ( from Waitrose no less)...
then discovered that ds had phoned home and spoken to dh as he needed money to buy kitchen implements for flat!
Turns out he's buying baking trays and scales as he's going to make pastry from scratch and make a pie for the flatmates!....he's always liked baking since he was able to stand on stool next to me when I was baking....I'm really impressed that he's decided to do this again
he'd spent reading week with girlfriend in Oxford and they'd been baking too!

[flyingpigsinclover]

How lovely about the flowers and baking - maybe you could get him the bake off cook book to bake things for you when he is at home.

The pedicure sounds lovely, I hope you don't have to put up with the leg pain for long though.

[HSMMaCM]

DD used to love baking, but as far as I can tell she hasn't done any at uni. I did tell her it was a sure fire way to make friends .

[Ocies]

Dd has been baking too. I delivered her back last Monday after a weekend at home and stayed for a quick cup of tea. I spotted some baking tins and commented on them to be told that they often make banana muffins with their black bananas! Frugal and healthy - I’m amazed!

[Haffdonga]

Good for all the bakers.

Also for all those awaiting ops, recovering from ops or just not well. It sounds a bit as though you've all managed to push your own health worries down the list of priorities while you've successfully been launching your dc, but now your bodies are saying it's time to pay yourselves a lot of attention and tlc.

Speedy recoveries and much chocolate to you all.

[AmITwirly]

I'm looking forward to seeing DS1 soon. DS2 is on half-term next week and DS1 will be on Reading Week, so I thought it'd be a good time to rent a cottage for a few days close by. Turns out that DS1 will deign to fit us in for a bit, in between all the other highly important things he has to do that week.


DS1 has warned me that he is currently sporting a gash under his chin which has been stitched up. He fell down some stairs. "Were you drunk?" I asked. "Well, not very" was the reply...

[TheMightyMing]

Welcome new thread !!! Hello all, just waiting for DS to come home for first time , I'm excited :)

[dingit]

Me too Ming, my girl is coming home tomorrow

[Auntpetunia2015]

DS is due home today about 3! I asked last night if he wanted anything special to eat and he asked for scouse followed by stuffed pears, comfortable home food. So that's what he'll get.

[flyingpigsinclover]

Dd is home today too

What is scouse ?!

[Stopyourhavering]

Lob scouse.....a fantastic stew type meal
www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/lobscousecasserole_91838
Very popular in Liverpool/ N Wales area

[TheMightyMing]

Ooh scouse!!! Yep came home in early hours , reeking of Indian food to give his dad a hug 😍. Now reeking out upstairs, Bacon baps being prepped so he'll surface soon I'm sure.

[OddBoots]

It has been an interesting week here, we went on our first break away without DS so DH and I just had DD (aged 14) with us, it felt very strange not having DS around.

I also got the results of my final Open Uni BSc module and my final degree result, I am now a graduand with a 2.1! I've just applied for a masters, also distance learning and part time but not with the OU.

DS has booked his Christmas train tickets home, he is finishing on Friday 15th Dec but not coming home until the Monday so he can take his time packing up and possibly meeting with friends and celebrate before leaving. He returns to lectures on Monday 15th Jan but he is going back the Thursday before to do much the same and to get himself settled back.

He'd like to be getting about 90% in his assessments but is so far getting 80-85%, I think 80+% is good enough, especially when settling in to it all but he likes to aim high.

[simbobs]

Thanks for new thread, just that really. My DD was very vague when asked if she had booked her train home at xmas yet. I read between the lines that she doesn't fancy spending a whole day on the journey (2 changes, not straightforward), so asked whether she would prefer to be picked up. She said she would, citing cost of train ticket. It would be cheaper for us to pay that than the full tank of petrol that will be needed to collect her! I wanted to press that point, but DH said he would collect her - probably concerned that she would decide not to come back otherwise. Sigh...

[OddBoots]

simbobs - sorry to hear that, it sounds stressful. Is there any kind of compromise such as a train she can get that is direct to somewhere easier/closer for you to drive to?

[bigTillyMint]

What about the coach simbobs? I caught one to visit DD at less than a quarter of the price of the train!

I went to Sheff when Hallam was a poly and lived right in town in what is now called the West Quarter I think. Blunkett was the MP and buses cost 2p or 5p or 10p out to the Peak district

[HeadlessHorsemad]

Hello new thread!

OMG I love Scouse! My mum always makes it for me when I go 'home'.

Just going to catch up on here then in the words of Arnie, 'I'll be back'.

[HSMMaCM]

OdfBoots congratulations. I did OU too.

[HeadlessHorsemad]

Congratulations Oddboots Where will your graduation ceremony be held?
DH did his degree with the OU and he went to Milton Keynes for his, even though it's not local to us but he wanted to go there as it's their HQ.

Simbobs, could your DD get the train part way and you collect from there?

[rogueantimatter]

Hello again.

[rogueantimatter]

Posted too soon, obviously

Congratulations on your degree Oddboots

DD is due to graduate next july 5th. Her bf very generously bought plane tickets for them as a 21st birthday present. For the week of july 5th. They're non refundable and can't be changed so she will miss her graduation. Her bf is usually so thoughtful. She won't make it to her grad ball either as a relation is getting married on the same day.

Very best wishes for your treatment Stop
Hope all posters with students coming home have a lovely time with them.

[RedHelenB]

Congrats Oddboots!

[flyingpigsinclover]

blurgh - marrow bones! I think I'll give those a miss

Congrats Oddboots HSM - some of the best graduates are OU graduates

[HeadlessHorsemad]

Don't think my mum puts marrow bones in hers, will ask next time I speak to her.

[Auntpetunia2015]

My scouse recipe is similar to Paul Ogradys here www.nigella.com/recipes/members/communitys-paul-o-grady-s-scouse

But we don't do carrots and we serve with beetroot and brown sauce. Currently my kitchen smells gorgeous and DS is on the bus not far from home.