Howay the lasses - it's thread (but hopefully not tier) 3!

[PennyDreadfuI]

Haway if you're in Sunderland, of course

@midgebabe

How kind! I can send her things easy enough though , she really needs dragging out, but she's developed a terror of catching the virus and being incubated

Does that fear extend to someone standing at the end of her path (for example) and having a natter? If there's anyone close enough, I'm sure one of us wouldn't mind. Might not be doable if we move to Tier 3 but no issue at the moment under tier 2 restrictions.

@BessieSurtees
Mine are 3, 6 and 9 years old.
The 3 year old had just started preschool nursery in September - he didn't start at the beginning as I was very unsure about him doing so. We've had to isolate since Monday due to a case in his nursery - him ending up in isolation was one of my fears!

So all week I've had the 3 and 6 year old home. Trying to entertain the 3 year old and home learning with the 6 year old.
Monday & Tuesday this week is going to be a carbon copy of March for us, only this time we can't even go for a walk. I'll be doing the home learning with the 6 and 9 year old as well as somehow trying to fit in the activities preschool have given for the 3 year old!

I'm keeping my fingers crossed the 6 year old goes back Wednesday - and perhaps the 3 year old but I really have some difficult decisions to make there as if this happens again, I'll be in the exact same position. Hoping DS1s school reopens after half term but not going to bank on it.

I can do it, I've got this

Yet another filthy wet afternoon. This did not last long. I honestly ordered the ingredients before bake off was on, this week! This is the cinnamon bun babka from this month's sainsburys magazine. Or it was. I'm in a bit of a sugar sweat, now.

In other news, after wandering around, topless, dragging clothes all over the place and rabbiting on about school polo shirts on Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday and Friday but not Saturday or Sunday, for at least half an hour, ds2's stubbornness over long sleeves was defeated by his need to go and inspect the minibuses. He grabbed a top out of the ironing basket, checked the size to confirm that it was his, then put it on.

@PickAChew that looks incredible!! Was it hard to make?

I'd happily stand and have a natter if I can help out at all.

It just needed lots of attention and for me to play with all my whizzy whirring toys, @Someaddedsugar and, of course, after watching bake off, I knew how not to do it! Knocking one out in 2.5 hours was a really tall order (on the show) anyhow, and slightly hypocrital after Paul was chastising someone for trying to produce a brioche dough in a few hours, last week.

I proved the loaf on the fridge, overnight and it ended up tasting quite boozy. My first thought was that it tastes like Christmas.

It looks amazing! I'm so jealous of all of you who can bake so well. It took all my effort to make a rainbow cake for DS' birthday and the icing wasn't quite the refined outcome I had in my head

I couldn't bake to save my life! Even cupcakes don't actually rise for me
Does look fantastic @PickAChew Was the top short or long sleeved?

Long sleeves @Shifuckoh 👍

ooh thats proper baking @PickAChew what did you think of their brownies on bake off?

So glad, as I read your post it became clear it was your DS who was topless, as I was thinking why are you wandering around topless?

Haha I paused after reading the topless bit wondering why we were being told
Aw yes @PickAChew I hope that means the minibuses may have helped with the transition from short to long!

Haha, I think it might have caused a bit of a stir if I'd walked around topless.

I was laughing at how much of a disaster the brownies were. In the days when I could eat chocolate I'd enjoy nuts on something that rich but not bloody frosting 🤢

And yes, we'll have to see what he does tonight and in the morning. I'm hoping he's seen sense and enjoyed his sleeves. He's very much on edge, today, and having lots of accidents but I think that's a letting it all out at the weekend thing. He's not needed his change of clothes at school at all.

I am wondering if London being put on tier 2 will change the dynamic. It will be interesting to see how London responds and whether their numbers keep climbing. Tier 2 only stops mixing indoors and I don’t see how that can be monitored.

Apparently on TV last week there was discussion on how bad it will be for them and quite a few objections from MP’s. I don’t think anyone cared when it was just up North.

Aye, when it was just up north it was because we all live in slums.

Sorry, we're all uneducated and live in slums.

@PickAChew

Sorry, we're all uneducated and live in slums.

I read a comment on an article about it before it all kicked in. Someone actually seemed serious when they said it wouldn't spread out of the North as the people in the North wouldn't ever need to travel South ''because they can't afford to, can they?!''

How's your DD @PennyDreadfuI?

Hope everyone's ok today. Blue sky peeped through for a few hours here in Durham so went out for a nice walk with DS who is now settled watching Duggee and eating pizza while I sort the washing and wait for a Morrison's Indian snack selection to cook!

We're meant to be going pumpkin 'picking' (I think they're already picked and it's more a case of sticking them in a wheelbarrow!) at Brockbushes next weekend and it's just occurred to me we might not actually be able to go if we do go into a circuit breaker so debating whether to add a couple of pumpkins to our shop next week.

I really don't like the whole north/south thing that's appearing at the moment. I appreciate it's always there but it seems to be getting quite nasty at the moment with everything that's going on.

I do remember once attending a meeting at a contractor's office in London where he asked a colleague if it was her first time in London. We were all completely shocked - definitely came across like they assumed we wouldn't be able to afford the trip if it wasn't for work!!

@PickAChew
I'm hoping the long sleeves stayed x

Pick that roll looks delish! You've inspired me!

[quote Shitfuckoh]@PickAChew
I'm hoping the long sleeves stayed x[/quote]
Oh, I'm onto him, now. I take it out of his drawer, place it on top of the laundry basket and he'll decide that's the one he wants to wear!

Then we have to make the change all over again in spring!

@NeurotrashWarrior

Pick that roll looks delish! You've inspired me!

Gooogle is giving me lots of babka recipes, now. This evening, I got one for a festive star shaped one. I know what I'm doing instead of Christmas cake, now.

@PickAChew
Haha. Whatever works! Will he reach the point where he gets one out of the drawer himself or will the laundry basket become part of his routine?

Festive star shaped one I don't like Christmas cake, not a fan of fruit cake.

@Someaddedsugar We're at Brockbushes tomorrow! I shall tell you how it is.

@PickAChew do you need someone to test it for you 

@swg1 hope you have fun - yes please let me know! We went to a farm just outside of Durham last year but loved the PYO at Brockbushes earlier this year.

[quote Shitfuckoh]@PickAChew
Haha. Whatever works! Will he reach the point where he gets one out of the drawer himself or will the laundry basket become part of his routine?

Festive star shaped one I don't like Christmas cake, not a fan of fruit cake.[/quote]
I'm hoping the laundry basket thing fades with time but, very early days. He's been ticcing non stop, today, so just enjoying the silence and some voddy and coke before bed!

I love fruit cake but so does Ds2 and it goes right through him💩 (actually, bit too perky, that one) last time I mDe a Christmas cake, I gained about 3lb, eating it myself.

And I have willing volunteers already to consume anything sweet that I bake. Wondering if DS1 will let me bake him a birthday cake, this year. I've never forgotten the year that he had a 3 day meltdown because I made him a cake and so did his school cook and HE DIDN'T WANT A CAKE! (yes, I have bloody weird kids)