Cauliflower Steaming On Such A Winter's Day - 10 / 10 thread

[FrannyandZooey]

For anyone who wants a boost to their general health. The suggested goals are:

EAT 10 PORTIONS OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLES EVERY DAY - if you don't usually eat much fruit and veg I would build up gradually or you could upset your digestion.

DO (AT LEAST) 10 MINUTES OF EXERCISE EVERY DAY - can be yoga, stretching or something more energetic. The plan is that the idea of doing 10 minutes is not too daunting, and having started you may well find you want to do more.

There are no restrictions on what you eat so long as you get your 10 fruit and veg as well. The focus is not on weight loss but on improving our energy levels and hopefully our general mood and well-being. Sign up below and post here to tell us how you're getting on and how you are feeling.

Basic guidance on what constitutes a portion of fruit and veg here and you can download more detailed information by following the link at the very bottom of the page

god I hate tax credits

I spend every year fully expecting to be asked for all the money back at the end of it. I've just rung them about my change in circumstances and I'm fully convinced they don't understand it

Boco of course we can do a tax evening gosh it will be such fun don't you worry

Franny about your veg box. We have just had a letter through the post telling us that Abel and Cole are starting in my area, my mother is on about sharing a box. I am in two minds because I am desperately trying to save money because of our reduced income while I'm not well enough to work

the max paying back time is 12 months

so that's £500 a month

better buy a carrot instead of cake

But who could afford that? That's crazy! My sister owed about that much, and had to show earnings and outgoings and then they settled on something ridiculous like £5 a month.

How on earth can they expect anyone to pay back £500 a month?

If anyone could afford £500 a month they wouldn't be claiming the farking credit in the first place

What?? 12 months?
Are you absolutely certain? I think if things have gone that far - appeals, meetings etc - they have discretion about the lenght of time they allow.

Signing in but have only had a smoothie.

You need some cheerful choc to go with that Carrot MrsC.

Oh MrsC

Oh MrsC how awful. Perhaps dh hasn't buried as much as you think? Perhaps it is in appeal? Oh dear.

We had a visit from the VAT man once. It was like that episode of Alan Partridge where he gabbles and is innocent but gabbles so much he looks like a crook. That was what it was like for us. DH kept shouting at him 'I haven't claimed for PAPER CLIPS' and the VAT man looked all suspicious and kept clearing his throat.

Shit, Mrs C, sounds crap, frankly. You absolutely need frangipane, or choc or something. Hopefully DH can sort it when he is back.

Have eaten frangipane and phoned them back but they said unfortunately the charges still stand despite it being a particularly fine slice full of plums so cake dosen't always make problems go away.

No - who can afford to pay that much? It's not far off our mortgage payments. Boco - like your sister we would have to give them all our statements - incomings, outgoings, assets etc but I think there's probably an income cap on it and on paper, it probably looks like we can afford it or at least I am worried it will look like we can, and we can't. How do they decide what is non essential in your life?

Gah - the thought of someone going through my finances MAKES ME SICK, they are sure to say, well you dont need to shop there, and does your dd need to go to drama, and really MrsCarrot, you could ditch the prossecco for starters and and and.... maybe we will have to remortgage.

sorry, it's so boring and not even vaguely veggy but I am aghast, on the day of a smear test too! If thats abnormal again I have to have colposcopy, and I have dd shouty guilt.

Tax credits...I absolutely hate them...Mrs. C...sorry to see you have probs with them...they are a bunch of idiots that work there...I am sure of it!

Anyway...just wanted to say that I received a letter from University and I have been offered a place...I am thrilled to bits...

Well...hope everyone else is alright!

Oh, hooray, 3andnomore, some good news today. Well done!

Well done £, you should be so proud of yourself.

Mrs C, am so cross for you, this seems so odd to me, how can they be so draconian in terms of repayment period, and going through your finances, it would really upset me two BTW.

DD will be fine, you are not usually shouty, I am sure, and DD came across to me as a very well adjusted and intelligent girl, she knows you are not always like that.

Thanks, wombling, but unfortunately I am quite shouty

here

god, am shocked, am terribly sorry about it. And very cross, how DARE they fuck people about so much?

3and, that is marvellous news

Iklboo you CAN be teacher's pet. Do you want a badge or a poster?

Onebat I notice you are still here Do you want a peg with your name on, to hang your shoebag on or what?

i have been sneezing all day and my eyes are streaming

apple three mandarins banana and olive oil and cottage cheese oin bread

well done for getting into uni

Oh 3andnomore - that's fantastic. Is it still to be an OT? I love OTs, they are a godsend, and you will be a marvellous one.

[waits for 3and to say 'no, no I'm doing chartered surveying' or something].

There are pegs for our shoe bags. You might have said.

I have that book, 100

Thanks to you all

100x...yes this is to do an OT degree They gave us some more Info on the structur of the course etc...last week...and it sounds like a very hands on, cool course....I can't wait to get started

well I thought you were just messy buggers

look, over there by the door, with your name spelt out in a vegetable motif

Well done 3andnomore, that's great news!

MrsC, with my sister as far as i remember - they didnt' go though her statements or anything, they made her fill out an income and expenditure form. I could ask her if you like?

That was quick. Read it. I don't think it addresses the reasons for rage - such as irritation, tiredness, boredom, frustration - but it does stop you from working on it because it stops you/me ranting like a loon.

Deep breaths. Cold night air. Ask yourself - does this really matter?

Then put some music on in the kitchen and have a boogie with them all. Then say 'right, NOW sit at the table you twerp.'

I'm really very good at this parenting, as you can see.