We are all jolly well going to smack the rat this month and grow a baby and we'll brook no argument. And probably eat some cake too.

Isn't wackamole something you have with burritos? I think there was a thread about it on food. Something to do with dips. Maybe we're all doing it wrong?

bean, i must say, the phd has really interfered with my knitting (similar ex-wildchild). I know someone who did a phd on fisheries, but presumably not your DH as she's a she.

well, he got attached to the facial hair and is now full on hairy with a beard. I wasn't keen for a long time but I quite like it now :) weirdly it doesn't tickle anymore at all. phew.

That's it. I am getting up for tea and chocolate.

I know, I tried shouting it bean but so far I've been ignored. I also text DH and asked him to pop home to sort it for me but he told me to sod off :( Can't see why I married him now

No Whimsi - I have to hand it to you on the phd front - that's impressive. I'll leave it to DP make us proud in that respect. His is all about fisheries...

Can't the aero come to you raspberry? How inconvenient.

OMG Imps does this mean that the thread is even more lucky as although the name of the game is wrong, it actually works even better. I don't think I could splat a rat. My fave fair ground game was always wackamole to be honest, I was never much of a rat splatter.

Ive also just watched Jonathan Ross have a prostate test on This Morning. Fair play to the guy, he took it very well and I think it's great that they do stuff like that to make it seem more normal. He also said (at which point I fell a little in love with him 'if you think compared to women having a smear and mamograms, this is nothing'. ahhhh bless him. He got a clean bill of health from Dr Chris so that's good. Anyones hubby growing a Movember tash? Mine did it two years ago, massive black handle bar tash. Was like DTD with a dodgy 70's porn star! lol. all for a good cause :)

Debating whether to get off the sofa, make a cup of tea and get an aero

Golly bean 2 MAs. That is a lot!

You'll have to do a phd too.

Imps I think it is a regional variation.

I, for one, have always smacked the rat. In the fete sense. And hopefully soon in the fate sense too.

I hope you are glee-filled either way Imps. Splatting is an americanism I'm sure. I don't think it was ever called splatting in my day!

I too wouldn't mind studying again but have two MAs so may have been a bit greedy already. Plus by the time I have got DS to bed and cooked and tidied up (sort of) the last thing I could imagine achieving is intelligent insights of any description. Give me crap telly any day - with my crochet stuff.

Hugs to those feeling a bit under the weather today, hope you all perk up soon and are back to smacking those rats!! Some of the storeys this morning seem very apt, bean with her real live mouse and poor cupcakes with a terrible tale of rat related events!!!

Those Drs are going to be busy in Jan as I think I am going to go back to see them then too.

I have terrible lower tummy cramps today, only 4 DPO so not sure what is going on probably wind

Very jealous of Little taking a nap just what I could do with this afternoon wonder if anyone in the office will notice if I have a quick nap under my desk.

Euch - rats are altogether a different prospect Cupcakes. This was just a sweet little field mouse though I still had the classic Tom and Jerry reaction (minus the baggy slippers).

Toasted mouse... with marmite or honey or both? Or for a toe-warmer. Do they do that thing that people pay for (with fish) - nibbling away at the dead skin?!

DS keeps trying to tell me that he has seen a mouse (prelingual - DS, not the mouse who is non-lingual of course). I'm not sure I believe him as he has pointed towards the oven and in a very large urn-like vase. Human traps, says DP. He's the real softie in the house.

Stasi - you are doing really well not to lose it over TTC. Very positive attitude. Good luck with aiming btw. I hope the tests are helpful. Now you are married everything is in place so to speak and sounds like the wedding was brilliant so you can kick off your shoes. Here's to that mum at home time - coming soon.

DP tells me how much he loves me constantly (v lovely man) but hasn't quite round to the getting down on 1 knee (which wouldn't be his style). I'm not sure how I feel about it but having had a bit of a rocky time up until now I think I would appreciate the security.

BTW - everyone, brooking for Munkiii who had to have a scan today after heavy bleeding.

Hi all

I can't believe it, i'm still ill. Tonsils are covered in white spots so should really go and get some antibiotics but I know by the time I get an appointment i'll be feeling better Hope you're on the mend raspberry

And it's cd13 and we haven't swi since cd9. I've got a feeling I'm going to have another really short cycle this month anyway, so it might not matter that no swi has been going on.

popcorn I'm not thinking about going back to the docs til January either. Got to get Christmas out the way first I think

DD will be going for her nap soon and I'm planning on joining her!

eurgh. Vermin.

I did my masters part time while working. Never again. Now I 'just' do a phd. much easier that way.

With you on the being brought to tears by it raspberry (hope you're feeling better). Good luck with the assignment cupcakes. You will need lots of baked fortification to get through it.

Who was asking if they needed to give up caffeine? I haven't, never have, and won't! I do cut down, but will have one or two proper coffees and one or two teas in a day.

Ohhh raspberry I studied with the OU around work and it's harrrrrrd. I commend your grit and determination!

Stasi I am sooooo jealous, DH would rather die than let me be a SAHM I reckon. He was just blown up because I spent a whopping, staggering £80 on a coat in a sale, because my old ones are too small (But this is from the man that has used a coat with a massive hole in it for 2 winters, and had to glue the soles back on his boots last month. Sigh.)

We manage every third day in the run up to ovulation - usually with 2x in the 4 day pre-ov window - mostly due to DH's shifts tbh. I used to have a low drive, but since coming off cerazette my apetite has sky rocketed, and I think it's taken DH a while to adjust hee hee :o

Mouse in the toaster, eek!! Did it get toasted?!

Well ladies, I caved and am now back home wrapped in the duvet watching fat families on the telly :) Felt rough when I got to work but got a couple of urgent things done and went home. Had about 4 people come in and basically politely say I looked like a bag of poo bless 'em :)

ahh imps DH will be pleased to hear there will be no smacking. Not on his dinkie anyway and definitely at 5x in one day! Blimey, I don't think I'd be able to walk!

lol bean re the wedding dress. It reminded me about the episode of friends where they get all the dresses and hang around in them. I have a few friends getting married over the next year so we've said we will all put our dresses on one night and have a BBQ or just slob out once we are all done.

hi cupcakes I was indeed on the frolickers but it's quite quiet in there and I like to talk so moved over. We are almost TTC twins then, not quite but we are pretty much in the same place at the moment. Good luck with the Uni assignment, Ive been doing an OU business studies degree although am on a long break now, only 2 modules until I finish but I know how stressful the whole study thing can be. Reduced me to tears many times! Are you studying part time?

Stasi 10/12 cups blimey I'd be on the loo all day. I've tried to cut right down to just 2 cups of PG tips a day and fruit tea for the rest. Trouble for me is I can't just have a cup of tea, it has to be accompanied by chocolate or biscuits

OMG!!! I am totally petrified of mice/rats. I nearly threw up my breakfast after reading about the mouse flavoured toast!

When I was a student in a shared house I was on the phone to my DH (just a boyfriend back then) when a rat ran across the room. I stayed with my friend for a few days while pest control came in. They gave it the all clear & I moved back in. A few hours later was lying on my bed watching tv when a rat ran across my stomach!!!! Anyway I ran out (shoeless and coatless) never to return!! My brother moved all my stuff out for me and found a dead rat in my clothes

Ever since then if I see a mouse/rat I feel like I'm going to pass out.

Took me so long to write that post I missed interim ones. Morning Beedle, Bean and Far.

Bean we had mice in our house growing up, one of the downsides of council housing. So I'm fairly relaxed about the thought of them. I remember putting on my shoe and feeling a funny lump under my toes = baby mouse.

However, as a student we found a very well toasted mouse in our toaster... no idea how long we'd been making toast with a hint of mouse. Only found it because a flat mate toasted a live one while in the kitchen and freaked, while the others calmed her down, it was my job to see if the mouse was still alive. Have you checked your toaster?

Morning cupcakes and popcorn, nice to have a couple of posts to distract me from that 5 minutes of work I did! I really don't like my job any more, and have been holding out for a pg and ML forever. My DH has a good job and really wants me to be a stay at home mum, and I have to say I'm looking forward to it! I've been sticking with working to get as much savings as possible before we cut down our income and up the expenses, however the wedding cost a small fortune, so it's probably for the best I'm still at work.

Since starting to ttc I've tried really hard not to stress about the process. I do get down every month when AF turns up, but try and keep it all limited to just a couple of days. We plan nice dinners, rom coms, and wine on those evenings. DH just gets me to eat healthy and exercise as much as possible while trying, and that's the only real 'pressure'. We're both quite low sex drive people though, so tend to do a bit of SWI around ovulation, then take a break for the rest of the cycle. I like the every 2 days method, we both know when it's coming, and if it stretches to 3 days it's not the end of the world. I'm really glad this month worked out so well with timing, but am kind of afraid to get my hopes up too much. Just seems too perfect to be true.

I did my bloods yesterday, but the nurse didn't tell me what would happen with results. No idea if I should just phone, or make another appointment. DH still has his SA pot at home, going to try and get that done this week. He told me yesterday he's kind of looking forward to it - and that I can do the aiming!

I remember reading somewhere that sperm take quite a long time to mature, and if you DTD too often you'll get immature spermies who are unable to reach or fertilise the egg, and less overall volume, err, delivered. However, if you wait too long then you have the other problem. The 2 days rule is an average, just like the ovulation on CD14. I guess if there's a problem with the swimmers it could be good to wait till you have a good batch ready. I found the SA form interesting, as it says you must have ejaculated at least 7 days ago, and not within the last 3 days. That gives you a fairly good idea of when the best stuff can be found.

Very quick post from me........

Ooooooooh do I have to give up coffee as well, but I love coffee

Snaffles a bit of bean's ottolenghi apple cake

stasi, wedding night action eh? Very impressed, we did not manage it until the morning after, which is very common apparently!

Bean I am a sucker for Options coconut hot chocolate (especially stirred into porridge, yum yum yum) and I also have a nespresso machine which I seriously could not live without. Even the decaf is to die for. I drink tea (and coffee) black, and do actually like it, but it makes me feel horribly sick afterwards and I've no idea why :(

Gawd terriers are useless - just saw a mouse in the kitchen (tiny, granted) - dog barely moved. Now chaos everywhere as moved furniture and crockery crashed. And I did the classic housewife jump and scream (which is surprising, as I am v far from a classic housewife)...