The Friendly Frugaleers, watching the pennies as we wait for sunshine!

[Cagliostro]

Hello, all welcome!

Girlie that's crazy better be a bloody nice skirt.

WreckCat on his throne

Aw isn't Wreckcat handsome?

Em I love Xmas decs too. I always try to buy one on holiday. Putting up the tree reminds us of lots of lovely holidays.

Are you pretty fluent in Italian then, Need?

Had a lovely day today. I braved an outing with all 3 dcs and no other adult. It was carefully timed so the babies wouldn't need feeding while we were out. DD1 was brilliant. So helpful, she didn't run off once. Normally she's a flight risk! £4 posh ice creams. Totally worth it.

Pretty fish! I am a wuss though and like my fish to reach my kitchen in filleted form.

Awww wreckcat 😍

Need meant to say yes that's definitely what we are hoping for, that getting better sleep will help her overall. She is miserable about how tired she is and has dark circles under her eyes, and I've no doubt it affects her learning ability too TBH. She really desperately wants to sleep better!

I'm really glad the HV agreed, she can clearly see we have tried damn hard - plus DS is an excellent sleeper and responds to all the usual stuff, so it's something different about DD rather than us not trying IYSWIM. She also said normally she'd be recommending more exercise to aid sleep but she was really impressed by how active both the Caglets are (generally outside and all the sports clubs they do, plus they now go running with daddy!) and that isn't something we need to improve! She agreed that a trampoline will be a worthwhile purchase when we get a garden though.

Spends £14 Sainsbury's and £9 shakeaway - Caglets were playing at a neighbour's and their mum was happy to keep them there while we nipped to town. Milkshake date! :o Oh yes and DH had his eye test, thankfully nothing wrong structurally he's just getting old :o new glasses x2 = £100. They've confirmed he has massively different prescriptions in each eye so no more pound shop reading glasses for him.

Good news on the medication cag . True story, we ordered a lovely new sofa when we first moved in together. It wouldn't fit through the door or backdoor of our rented place. So it had to be stored at PIL until we moved out . It never even crossed our mind about getting it in

I know you all normally only hear the whingy side of my work, but a colleague who has been on maternity leave said today that I seem to have found my niche in my job (which is a role I went back to in November) and that I am much happier. I must have been a right moany misery guts before . But she was right. I don't dred walking in the door anymore which if you'd known me back then, it was an awful time both whilst pregnant and returning from maternity leave. Now it is just a minor drop in the ocean with bad days in comparison.

Colleague gave me a lift to work which was nice and saved £s
£87 refund returning shoes to clarks
£4.50 lunch and snacks for cinema tomorrow
£7.50 cinema tickets for 3 people. Had two free adult tickets from maximiles points

Sorry I have written a rather indulgent post

cag my DC are adoring their trampoline. Best purchase this summer!

That does sound like an improvement workwise love! :)

Oops re the sofa! We had a dreadful time in our first place, first floor maisonette so pretty difficult to get stuff in. This hallway is very small and narrow, really no room for manoeuvre as the corners into the kitchen/living roo are so tight - even our skinny new sofa was hard to get in TBH. We have had to take doors off several times!

To that end we have decided to go with the cheapie second hand upright fridge for now. When we move we can leave it here for next tenants as we'd need to do that anyway. Plus there's always the worry that we would then not be able to get the big fridge into the new house either. But we will get the biggest we can once we have moved. A bit disappointed (lame I know, I was excited about a big fridge!) but the sensible option really. The money will go in the ISA which we are using to save up moving costs anyway.

cag usually I do too. But you can't beat fresh fishies. Especially free fresh fishies.

My baby purchases arrived today. Wooo.

Haven't checked the bank account yet. Do not want to do this.

That's great Cag. Sounds as though that will really help.

We sat in bed today and did a children's magazine and the then the Greek Myths sticker dressing book.

Ds now has the bug too. I think it must be the one you had Fluffy. I see what you mean about the symptoms. Did you say four days?

Well done for getting out snuggly. Sounds brilliant!

Mine came back Sunny, I'm off to the GP after all. Poor kid, it's so wearing having anything like this.

Great that you got out Snuggly, and no small achievement!

Cag I think you made the right decision about the new fridge, since you may move soonish. Fridges can be moved but you don't know what space or access you will have in the new place so good if you can hold out! And good news about DD's Melotonin.

Get well soon to all the poorly frugaleers and offspring.

The Poldark books are even better than the tv thing (which I have also been enjoying). I devoured them all (i think 12?) a couple of summers ago, would highly recommend.

Need is your DD still shortlisting or is she thinking of doing 7 A levels?!

Thanks for asking about DS's plan. I don't want to bore everyone with the details but it is still ongoing. I had a deadline for comments a couple of weeks ago (a fun all-nighter!) and I think the LA will support some of my requested changes. Anyway, next step is to finalise the plan so the funding is in place for the start of the year, but if there are big things I still don't agree with I will take them to mediation or tribunal, as necessary. Lots of fun.

Well 90 mins was the best sleep I had all night last night -DD was v colicky and miserable all night and all day. Poor DS has been good as gold but completely neglected today. I am all out of ideas and feel so sorry for DD, who seems to be in real pain. Anyway, I am not sure I believe in it but I have booked an appointment for DD with a cranial osteopath tomorrow. Might all be rubbish but if I end up with a slightly happier baby it will be worth £35. He comes highly recommended by a couple of friends.

A weird and sad thing has happened - there was a joke relating to my degree subject on Facebook last week and it reminded me of one of my tutors at the time (over 20 years ago now). Anyway, I looked him up and friended him on Facebook, and he joined in the thread and made jokes to all of the uni friends on there, most of whom he would have taught. Then just yesterday I saw that he had passed away suddenly just the day before, only a week after I 'found' him again. He was only 53 and a lovely chap. I hope he was pleased that so many of his students from 20 years ago remembered him fondly. Life is short and so fragile

Need almost all of my runs are fasted early morning runs, don't think my body got the memo regarding losing weight though
Just looked at calendar & realised I've got a 10K race on Sunday so won't be adding a mile this week as will use that as my 'long' run

Cag not got recipe to hand but I've made one with golden syrup in the past, long slow cooking that was amazing

Love talk of spiritual home, mine is Edinburgh, I feel at home there. Well overdue a visit

Sorry to hear about sunny's ds being ill & return of it for you fluffy

We're off camping tomorrow & following night.
Spends today €27.20 on breakfast out €138.21 Aldi & €15 ish in butchers €7 on ds wellies using gift card €14.50 trackie top for dd for school

Seacow that's sad about your tutor but nice that ye got to have some fun again after 'meeting' again.

Your poor dd you'd try anything to help them wouldn't you?

Attempting to catch up a bit. Been super busy with another wedding and work being crazy and still attempting this marathon training nonsense. I did 20 miles on Saturday which is my longest ever run. I was fairly broken afterwards but I did it! However then I tried to have a lovely long soak in the bath and discovered I have a leak 😭 £100 on an emergency plumber later, and now I have a big plasterboard hole that needs fixing.

Things have not been frugal lately - b&b last night after the wedding, half a tank of petrol getting there and back, and the aforementioned plumber. Today was a NSD though 😇

Mammy I haven't heard of that brand of gel. I tend to use them on long runs over half marathon distance, but lots of club friends use them on half marathons too. Make sure you can stomach them before using them in a race 😊

cag I can't remember if I've already said good luck with the housing situation. I can't believe how many of you have played cards against humanity with parents/kids, there is no way I would play that with my parents 😂

need that's amazing on the coach. Should be worth every penny.

Sunny love the idea of chicken Kiev sponsored by the pensions industry 😂 Feel better soon

Need hope your daughter sorts the a level choices. I was told I couldn't do my options originally but it got sorted eventually. I remember being quite stressed though. Bit last minute of the school to be sorting a level options now though isn't it.

Ouch, lost a long post.

Just back in from 5 hilly and hot early miles and having a cuppa. It's so hot here there's mountain and forest fires. They've closed Vesuvius. Been no rain for 4 months!

fluffy - I did wonder if you were still ill. Have you been back to the GP? x

Holly - well done on the 20! They are tough going but such a good mental barrier to break. Very tough runs. Try to recover and refuel as best you can. Sorry to hear about the leak, there's always something with houses isn't there? Stretch a lot too, I never took this advice but do so now!

snuggly - I get by in Italian pretty reasonably I guess, although strangely I was pretty reasonable in German too, as most of our customers were in fact German. I think I've forgotten most of the German to be fair, but the Italian still remains. Only spoken for both of course and I'm not claiming anything other than general proficiency

Oh Seacow, I just want to reach into the screen and take your little DD for a few hours. I'd be looking at all options too now, whether I was convinced or not. If it helps, DD was an amazingly settled baby, but I STILL felt dreadful at the lack of time I spent with DS compared to pre-DD. I think it's part of the territory of having multiple DC. I don't think they suffer long term, and it might even do them some good. But I did have guilt

Re DD, nope she's no child protege, she still considering her options and short listing.

I'm also sorry to hear about your tutor Seacow, 53 is no age to go at all.

Poor you and DS Sunny, no fun being ill. Feel better soon both.

Cag. Let me think. I usually improvise a spare rib sauce and it's not all that healthy but sod it sometimes. I usually mix up ketchup, brown sauce, soy sauce, honey or maple syrup and brown sugar. Coat the ribs and marinate for a few hours. Cook very slowly. Don't try if low carbing

Not indulgent at all love and that's great news about the job!

Your DD has gone a little under the radar hasn't she Cag, is that a fair comment? Not by you obviously but by The Authorities. Poor thing. Good job she's got you.

lonely, some elevation for you from my first run. Not what you need in your first mile at 6am. Hope the event goes well, you've a lot on this week.

id love to be able to speak Italian need I know the basics i.e. Can order food I know what's what and can ask for directions. The most important phrase I know is "I'm sorry my Italian isn't great do you speak french? Or English?" 9 times out of 10 if the person in speaking to doesn't speak English they speak french. Phew.

I've had one of those awful awake at 515am not sure if I went back to sleep sleeps. Eugh.

Feel exhausted but awake iykwim But used the time and have been swimming. Before work. Apparently the pool opens at 6am....who knew.

I feel good for actually doing something though as I can't make it to aqua-preggos tonight. Have also managed to get home, shower make lunch (cold veggie rice, bits of ham, tomatoes and peppers) have breakfast and dither about what to wear

Today's outfit - asos blue and white stripe bodycon maternity dress. I bought it eBay new. Never worn it. Not sure I like it, it looks ok though. Figured I'd better wear some of the things I bought - soon I won't need them!!

Hit the preggo saturation point yesterday. I was so done with it. We're only about 7 weeks away. So it's close. I know I've been lucky with it all and cannot imagine how I'd have felt if I'd had a really rough time.

But I just sort of want the next few weeks to fly by and for baby boy to be on time!!!!!!!

Will be a nsd going to a friends

Forgot yesterday £5.20 on breast pads. Washable ones. I'll get another pack after Cagletini arrives if I need it (ie if I'm particularly leaky! :o)

Thanks for rib recipe ideas! I'm not generally much of a barbecue fan but I think if I was making it myself I could tweak it gradually.

Aw seacow that's so sad :(

Off to midwife (total sympathies on the frustration em being preggo is hard work, and it does drag at the end! Really hope Emboy arrives on time!) then meeting friends to go to one of the council run adventure playgrounds where DSD works as she's been asking us to go. They do paid childcare but it's free to just play. I go all proud stepmum seeing her work, she is awesome at her job :). Was organised this time and ordered food to take with us as a picnic.

May also buy a replacement DVD today as we can't be doing without Howls Moving Castle! Also spent 99p on the kindle book of it so I can read it to the Caglets sometime. Should really pick up birthday present for DD's friend too but will see if I have the energy after the playground.

Morning all

Em i know this is one of the annoying things people who have had kids say but honestly try and make the most of the peace and quiet seriously in a few weeks your lives will change in every single way forever you will miss being pregnant - honestly!!

Need I can't believe how hot the rest of Europe have had it when the summer here has been pretty rubbish really! Think we have been spoilt by a few nice summers but this year feels really disappointing. That said the sun is currently out so I shouldn't moan

Picking up a friend of dds today and going to take the girls swimming, have planned to have tea here and if weather nice they can play out. May pick up a few bits in Morrisons, milk etc.

Am starting to worry a bit about Christmas, normally I have some savings put by for Christmas but this year I have nothing it will def be the tightest Christmas ever, going to explain to my family early on I think not to expect much!!

Yesterday wasn't a NSD after all. I downloaded 'Outlander' on my kindle which cost €4.41. I'm really enjoying it so far.

Should be a NSD today.

It's sunny so far but also quite cloudy. Hmmmm.....

need are you in Italy? Have a lovely holiday.

Cag sounds like a good plan re fridge. No point in spending a lot of money on the perfect fridge freezer if it won't fit in your new home. By the way, did you ever find out if you're expecting a boy or girl? Maybe I missed a post about it.

Seacow you must be exhausted. I really hope the osteopath helps.

Everyone says that. And you're probably all right (well you are. You've been there, done this...)

I'm on another thread at present "where the fuck is my glow..." which sums things up fairly nicely. Dh thinks I'm glowing etc. But he's legally obligated as my dh to say that! Ha!

Just been for a wander about the shops. I'm after a pair of tan pointed flats. Couldn't find what I was after so came back.

Spends £6 in boots on flossers and interteeth brush (one of my wisdom teeth is giving me gip - before I go to the dentist I'm going to give it a seeing too - I've been eating a LOT of popcorn so figure that maybe I've got a teeny bit stuck there- I've been to the dentist far far too often for this sort of thing...)

And £0-69 on popchips. My faves. Yay!

Ola

£1.37 bread & tomatos. Doner kebab night tonight 😊

There's free ktc tinned chickpeas on green Jin app, 45p cashback in sains or waitrose but they're only 40p in sains. Always usefull to have in.

 at Life.

Feeling a tad better with a kebab fluffster?