****************STAFF ROOM****************

Fierce means cool! Found the argument very funny, your'e right she is so argumentative, can just imagine the steam blowing out of her earholes as she threw herself at the keyboard to reply to you! hehe!!!!

and have been sidetracked to the other thread now too!! Coooool!

XXXX

I forgive you! Voddy would be good right now. I am really pissed off!!!!! Just started a thread, Ive been called for jury service the first 2 weeks in farking August!!!! The only time I have no kids, so were planning to go on holiday. I'm so angry and actually quite tearful - I really don't want to do it. It's not fair! (Mo stamps her feet)

anyway mlove.on the matter of shh ive got a secret.have you emptied out the ashtrays yet?

minx.

maureen! you grass!

A fiver, some lithuanian vodka and a pack of jaffas?

shhh!

Madge 7, hi my lovely, no im not fierce, just love having a banter about wages and stuff is all.

I love winding one of the mums up on there, she is soooooooo arguementative, it makes me giggle.

I esacpe in here where she cant see me, and maureen locks the door.

What a FAB weekend, have read some of your other links fifi - you are fierce girl!!!! good on you! haha!

It'll take more than a fiver to soften me up young lady! Have you checked the threads youve been on recently? Try looking at 'I've got a secret'!

hello all!

am back to work after a lithuanian wedding in lithuania! It was the maddest, most fun wedding ive ever been to!

I'm bacvk with a body full of bruises (from weird folk dancing) a broken toe (nice tall lithuanian beatuy with stilletos stood on my toe) and a perfirated ear drum (bad infection!)

Still, i made it into work, feel waful, but made it into work. now thats what i call dedication.

maureenlve- heres the fiver you wanted to borrow from mypay packet, its all i have left of this weeks wages after this weekends shananagans, but its yours xx

I do remember madge7, that must have been awful for you. The siblings I cm whose mum works shifts is still messing me around, dropping mornings and leaving them alone, then telling me youngest will be coming (not worth me doing money wise). I have one lovely mindee leaving end of term as moving house, and then my friend's two kids. I too have low confidence in dealing with parents, and even pick up mindees form school foyer now instead of playground. Hate playground.. ggrrrr!
If I were to continue I would be more selective I think with parents (I too find all the kids great), and start as I meant to go on!

I agree mml, it's so disheartening isn't it.?! I cm ages 4-14 at the mo, and love the variety of ages. I have thought about TA work too, would be ideal with ds.

Me, me, me Kay! I am sooo fed up with all the rules and regulations of childminding these days. I am not a nursery, I am a nice lady offering a family centred environment! I don't want to have poster after poster displayed in my hall or food standards certificates in the kitchen. This is a home not a nursery! Thats the whole point of cm's! When I started this job, years ago, that was it. Now there are too many rules imho. I do understand that the rules are for our safety and that of the children, but its just not the same anymore. (Mo steps down of her soapbox!)

My dd is starting secondary school in September, so within the next few years, I will be surplus to requirements during the day! I'm thinking of maybe TA or even nursery nurse in neonatal. I even looked at childrens librarian the other day! I do have office background, but I don't think fluent in MN is a qualification is it!

I know what you mean Kay. You all might remember one parent who was a bit "difficult" at end/feb march time when my Mum was very ill. She has caused so many problems since and I still hear comments from neighbours about what she has said etc it is a nightmare. I currently only look after two children who are freinds children on a very part time basis and another little boy who is a freind of a freind. I was really knocked back by this woman and wonder if I have the confidence to deal with parents, the kids are FABULOUS as we all kno, but she gave me a big knock!

I am doing childminding as we are hoping to adopt this year finally (after 14 years of trying for our own etc) and thought they would both work hand in hand together, but what with everything that goes with it, I am just thinking of what else I could do... but I LOVE looking after kids, so its a real dilemma.

Hi everyone! Hope you all had a nice weekend.

I had a mum come see me on Friday with her 15m old dd, but haven't heard anything from her since so not holding my hopes up. The visit was hard work, mum was really quiet, and had her dd enrolled already in a primary school a good drive away, she seemed disappointed I couldn't drive . The hours aren't the best tho so maybe it wasn't meant to be I don't know. (some 5:45am starts and 6:45pm finishes).

Got all my brochures out last week so hopefully will have some more calls soon.

TBH I am getting quite disillusioned (sp?) with childminding and have been secretly trying to think of other jobs I could do once ds is at school. Does anyone else feel like this at times? Not sure if it's just a passing feeling or not. Work 6 days a week at mo (but no littlies except ds who is 2). Fed up of paperwork and policies and the house never feeling like our home.

Is that banana loaf made yet?? Sounds delish!

cool girls-Tahnkyou both

Found this also as a guideline - hope it helps

Food/ingredient UK US

Butter/margarine etc. 1 oz 2tbsp
Butter/margarine etc. 1lb 2cups
Flour 1lb 4cups
Flour 1oz 1/4cup
Treacle/syrup 1oz 1tbsp
Treacle/syrup 12oz 1cup
Sugar 1oz 2tbsp
Sugar 1lb 2cups

XXX

she beat me! but remember flour and sugar are different!

i use the guide on my lurpac wrapper for butter measurements

1 cup = approx 8oz sugar/5oz flour

does that help?

just checked web, it says one cup = 8oz??
will keep looking to see if any more info on there.........................

just giving baby her bottle but when i can move, i'll see if mine mentions cups

ahh, i def dont have any scales anymore as ive just seen them outside in dd's playhouse, coverd in spiders and paint!..feck!

got a jug but think its only got liquid measurents on?!

my scales broke ages ago - i just use my plastic jug with measurements for liquid, sugar, flour etc - i'm not sure about cup measurements but you may find something if you google the net

cool madge but again what about measures if i cant find scales?????

Easiest ever Baanana Bread - (Anthony Worral Thompson, Weekend Cook book).

100g (4oz) butter, plus extra for greasing
225g (8oz) self raising flour
100g (4oz) Golden Caster Sugar
3 Ripe Bananas
2 Eggs
6 Tbsp clear honey

Preheat the oven to 180oc/350of/Gas 4.
Lightly butter a 900g (2lb) loaf tin then line the base with grease proof paper.

Sift the flour in a bowl and, using your fingertips, rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrmbs.

Sift the sugar into the flour mixture. Peel and mash the bananas and tip into the bowl with the eggs and honey. Beat well until evenly combined, then transfer into the prepared tin.

Bake the banana bread for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until golden brown and a fine skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cover loosely with foil if it begins to brown too much.

Remove from the oven and leave in the tin for five minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

Wrapped in grease proof paper and foil, it will keep for about 4 days. (although it doesnt last that long in this house!

yes please madge7..looney..so if i cant find my scales from depths of cupboard..how much is 60z/8oz in spoons or cups terms

Yeah, I've just had to shelve it for today, mindee still asleep! Aparently, she was awake at midnight last night ready to play! I'll go to one tomorrow. I am within 10 mins drive from about 5 libraries and they all do a different day for toddler time. Ours are great. They have organised singing for 30 minutes, including getting the shakers out, then a story, then they get the toys out. All free and you could stay for about 2 hours. Much nicer than playgroups, as there's far less people there and no hot drinks to worry about!