********** Wednesday Staff Room **********

fifi - I've only been to Legoland once and I got tickets from lastminute.com quite cheap. Next time I go will be using my clubcard points and will only cost about £14 for me and ds!! I love a bargain!!! I also love Legoland!!

Hi everyone, a bit late coming to the staffroom, soz!!

I feel so drained at the moment. I'm getting a bit fed up of people being indecisive about their childcare needs. Why do they think that it's ok to just keep me guessing as to whether they're going to need me at the end of the Summer or not! I'm doing loads of extra work at the moment incase they all naff off in September and leave me short. I'm so desperate for some time off.

I generally work 4 days 8am-6pm and I often wonder how you all keep on top of things at home? My flat is fairly compact and I am finding that there is just so much chaos at the end of each day and I'm so knackered I barely have the energy to crawl to my bed never mind tidying it all up! Those of you with dps, do they help out at all? Do they take your dcs out on the weekend to give you some quiet time on your own? I'm packing my ds off to his aunty's on Saturday and, although I'll miss him, I can't wait to have a whole day on Sunday on my own. I'm even looking forward to spending 7 hours on a coach taking him there and getting myself home!!

Sorry about the rambling!! I'm having a tough couple of weeks and just really want some time on my own.

Saltire - I think I mentioned before about my exp with different councils and their rules regarding registration. One concil's reasons for making you do the courses afterwards was to ensure you were serious about registering and that the money it cost them to send you on training wasn't wasted! In my case at the time, I wanted to do the courses while I waited for CRB to come back but they wouldn't let me!?! (Sorry, rambling again!!) Hopefully, things will speed up a bit now for you!! Good Luck!!

Hello ladies (oops, and gents! sorry Nickynickynicnocknickynickynoo)

Well, would you want to know what a brilliant summer im having so far or will it make you all very cross and jealous?

we've been on day trips, biking, swimming, on a little daisy to dorset, movies, and today by golly we wnet to rip-off land, oh, i mean Legoland!

Its banana 1s birthday on fri, and so as a special treat we went with his amte and his nanny too. What a blast though! Way too much money and spent over 130 poundies (bosses were totally cool about it as knew it was expensive) but i was horrified! It cost us *5 to get in (dont do family tickets) and food was a totally stupid price! B1 and B2 smiled and gigged the day away, we got totally drenched in both rain and on rides, but it was brilliant.

So, im loving it, loving it loving it!

I bought you all a prezzie, its on the table- its lego land rip off doughnuts!

lots of love

p.s. no af yet, no signs, for those of you wanting to know, and for those not wantng to know you know now anyway.........

saltire we have that problem with our combi boiler and have to keep filling it up with water. My DH says that there is a leak in the pipe work somewhere, so we need to take up the floorboards to find the leak!

Well I was having a good day. my tenant phoned to say the boiler for heating and hot water is "playing up". She says the water level keeps dropping - I assume she means the water pressure. She can still get hot water if she turns the level up. haven't a clue what she means. Hope it's nothing serious

Oh, I actually thought it was the council who'd told you that. I'd contact NCMA and complain - that's a BIG error they made and could have made you wait months for any income!!

Well done Saltire! Am really pleased for you, it's great when things go your way

Thanks looney, although it wasn't actually OFSTED who said I had to do the courses first, it was the NCMA woman, who had threatend lightning strikes and all sorts (well not really but you get my drift) if we didn't attend the course first.

Yippeeeeeeeeeeee Saltire, well done! The worst bit is the waiting for Ofsted to get you registered so this way, you don't have to wait another 3 months after having done the course. Must admit, thought it was silly them saying you had to go on a course first and then have to wait all that time to get on it!

Good luck with it all.

Sorry you all ahving such a hard time.
I on the other hand am having a good time. i took all youradvice and called OFSTED. I had a lovely chat with a woman there. She says she cannot understand why I was told that I needed to attend an ICP course before I got my forms, that the forms aren't as difficult to fill in as it was made out, and that I could fill the forms in tomorrow if I wanted as long as I do my ICP within 6months.
So called up hampshire CIS and the forms are in the post!

Dp and I have just talked and agreed that I will start advertising babysitting as well as cm-ing when we get back from holiday then if in sept i only have 1 pt child (which is currently all im due to have in sept) then i will have to work evening's/ weekends because we just can't survive like this

FGS! That is so out of order! IF she does need you and you HAVE to take her, I suggest you get contracts signed ASAP, this woman sounds like trouble.

WTF!! So she may end up with no job and not needing a CM anyway?!!! I wish something would turn up for you, I really do!!

She's txt the meeting is to talk about redundancy package she doesnt want it but doesnt know what they will do, she'll let me know. God i feel so BLOODY STUPID! Why do i keep arranging to meet her? Cus i'm broke and no-one else is asking, oh I feel so gutted!

LMG - good luck with the lady comming, hopefully she won't be too late arriving.

Good luck LMG's, let us know what happens.

Just off to school but if anyone fancies helping me out, please look at my thread about overnight care tonight

Fingers crossed for you ML.

Can we please take bets on wether the lady due to come today will turn up? She has phoned to say she has a meeting today 30mins before we are due to meet to find out her hours.

Morning everyone, just had a baby and her mum here for a chat and visit wanting 2 days a week from sept so fingers crossed. It would be lovely to have a younger child in the house again.

Kay - on your letter I would leave out the bit about paying the other lady. we are all here to listen to each others problems etc. so carry on.

MML - Thankyou for doing a party on Friday just for my birthday OPPS you want and end of term party. Never mind I have brought a cake ready for everyone to rub into the carpet as normal.

Thanks for the cake - yum Girls finally turned up at 10.30am and guess what, mum forgot the bottles again. So I have 2 here of my own and they need to get me through til tomorrow 8.30! Never mind.

well my school finishes tomorrow at 2pm
lots of parents asking if i could have their child on friday but i said i was full truth is i have nobody so intend to stay in bed till lunch time

I think we all need cheering up today! Here we are. Maybe we should jolly ourselves up with an end of term party. Friday afternoon, in here, bing a bottle! I will of course, be an emotional wreck by then, but hey ho!

whats your new letter then Kay?

Sorry KS, wish I could give advise but I'm rubbish at all that stuff. Agree you shouldn't pay it back but I probably wouldn't send a note quite so long and strong? But then again, I'm a whimp!

Right, the sisters still haven't turned up and they should have been here at 9.30 (usually 8.15 but mum told me last night was dropping later). I reckon she's trying to organise everything I'll need for having them tonight? But how long do I leave it before I call? As far as she's concerned, I pick ds up at 11.10am - I've actually got him in lunch club (freebie as they felt bad for what happened at school last week) so I don't need to leave until 12.30. Oh well, for now I think I'll make another cuppa!

I don't think I should give it back either - however I am so stressed out at the moment I just don't need this! I am more upset I think because she is a 'friend' and is usually fantastic as a mindee's parent. I am shocked and disappointed I guess. For the amount it is too I can't see where she is coming from!

maybe a bit strong i would just put the first two lines in just explaning that this is the only time you will be doing this in the future
still dont think you should give a refund as its not your fault but as a goodwill i would say its fine for the once