Starting year 13 2016

We travelled to Birmingham yesterday for the accommodation open day (us and several hundred Arsenal supporters drinking at 9am), it made it all very real and very soon! DS was surprised to see students in their rooms working (maybe he thought they'd be down the pub?) But by heck, some of the accommodation was expensive (>£8k). Glad the cookery course is going well Juggling, your DD will be in demand as a flatmate!

Our spinach and mushroom stroganoff turned out well BTW, nice to have a go at something different, even just adding cream to our mushrooms. Spotting the tagliatelle strands we'd made amongst the rest of the linguine I added was like spotting Where's Wally though we decided!

Ah well I bet she still has a mean fighting attitude when necessary Errol, I think that does help.

Water sports at Cambridge or Southampton should be good!

Any time for sports will almost certainly involve water, one way or the other. she did karate all through primary, got as far as brown belt - still all non-contact - but then was too tired in the evenings when she started secondary. I can't see her wanting to start again with that.

DD has her black belt in karate, along with standard 6 in ballet - you can't pigeon hole my girl!

I expect it's possible to persue either once at Uni too Errol?

What a great idea! I had no idea colleges ran that sort of thing... though whether I could persuade DD to do one I'm not sure. The other thing I'd wondered about was some sort of self-defence thing - her school was supposed to be doing one in about yr 11 but it didn't happen.

Last week's recipe was slightly odd involving industrial quantities of potatoes so I'm hoping I'll get on better with it all tonight ☺

DD and I think we might do one between us and then it might feel more relaxed too! lazy

Juggling, I posted on the wrong thread, apologised and then posted again whilst trying to contact MNHQ.

It all became a bit random.

Enjoy the cooking course. DD did one and learnt a huge amount. DH and I are now tempted to do the same ourselves, now we can break free from the tried and tested food routine we had with the kids. It might be just us two oldies, with a load on 18 year olds

Needmoresleep posted in error and then posted twice saying they would ask for the post to be removed

Cookery sounds great, I do wonder what DS2 will eat at uni as he shows no interest at all in learning how to cook!

Thanks all, such a lovely supportive group here ☺

Just wondering Needmoresleep if you meant to withdraw all three messages? Sorry, just being nosey!

All the best to the mullers over, hope you can settle on something you're all happy with.

I'm just off out now to pick up some ingredients for a little cookery course I'm doing tonight with DD at our local college. Since we never seem to get round to cooking together at home I thought it might be a nice thing to do before she sets sail on independent living (even in self-catered halls) ☺

Sounds like your DD has given it a lot of thought Juggling.

Newcastle visit was very good, not sure what DS will do re firm/insure. He is now mulling things over.

Two great choices there for your DD, Errol!

Sounds as though she's thought it through well. Making an 'aspirational' choice will presumably add motivation to her revision, and she's got a good backup plan - 'nothing ventured, nothing gained'.

DD had a lovely time at Murray Edwards. So I'm pretty sure she'll firm Cambridge with Southampton as insurance - they're both great opportunities just different so we'll be delighted whichever fork in the road she ends up taking.

Hi Horsemad, DD has almost settled on firming Sheffield, with lovely Swansea as her insurance, liking them both almost equally.
She is more hopeful of getting Swansea but feels it's worth a shot at Sheffield too.

I'd probably play it a bit safer and go straight for Swansea, with interesting course at Uni of South Wales as insurance. DD is hoping she might be able to pick them (USW) up through Clearing if needed as the course she likes there was available in Clearing last year.

So since she's thought it all through nearly as much as I have 😉 I guess I have to leave it to her, hoping it all works out well!

We are off to Newcastle tomorrow. Quite a few from DS's school applying there, from what he says.

Juggling, has your DD firmed yet?

Teta, keeping everything crossed for your DD

TETA, workload is undeniably heavy, she was in lectures till six today, went back to halls to go over todays notes, but she is off for a quiet drink with a friend later. She is also fining time to play a bit of sport and do lots of not gentle partying! Seems to be manageable for kids who have spent the last three years "doing it all" to secure their place at vet school.
The vets, and her hall seem to do a lot of socialising and it seems that the vets society form a very tight bond from the start.

Need more sleep , it would be great if they were all together in Bristol.My sister went to Bristol and is now a Senior Medic there.Her student lifestyle was Pims and Dinner Parties ,not the Pub and Jazz bars we went to in Liverpool.I'm glad your dd is enjoying it peaceandlOVe.How is the work load and the social life for your dd?

And of course, my DD is one of the lovely vets, having a super time at Bristol!

That sounds encouraging teta ☺

I knew both medics and vets in Bristol Need more sleep, they were all lovely, and having a good time ☺

Teta, I would echo what peaceandlove says. DD is sitting on a deferred place for medicine at Bristol so will start in September. She did not hear until April last year. I think unlike elsewhere vets and medics are taught separately. But either way hope she gets to meet your DD and, seemingly, lots of other DC, there. She is quite excited. It was her first choice.

Huiuguig ... damn, can't type with crossed fingers. blimey, the selection process for aspiring vets seems to be designed as a test of character. Good to know she's in the running!