2nd year uni (starting 2018)

[HSMMaCM]

The old thread seems to have filled up!

That's awful Errol about the lap top. I had one delivered here - a street about 10 minutes away has a house with the same name. I could tell it was a brand new apple and I found the people via a companies house search so my son and a year ago just drove it round and gave it to the lady as it seemed a bit risky to give it back to a delivery driver. I got 2 jumpers for them last week but I wasn't feeling so helpful so I just put them back in the post - again their name, my house name (and their house name - same) no street given.

I hope it turns up. I got a new Dell laptop a while back and that came quickly and then they took it for repair just over a year later (you can't take the battery in and out which would have solved hte problme - all these new things supposedly better can make it harder to do your own easy fixes at home) and it came back quite quickly and safely.

Good luck with the insurance claim Errol, I suspect it's not an uncommon occurrence, but I hope you get it sorted.
Chez nous, bedrooms are now reoccupied, the bathrooms are awash, the washing machine and dishwasher are on overtime and the fridge is already empty.....the new normal!

Errol I think it must be quite common.

We have the opposite problem. Three times things have arrived (two phones on contract and a top of the range AppleMac laptop) which we did not order. I assume they should have been intercepted en route. It was reasonably easy to determine that someone else's bank account had been used, and the phone companies were quick to send out prepaid returns packaging - though rather scarily warning us not to hand over the phone to someone who knocked on the door asking for it. PC World were bizarre. Though the laptop was worth £2000, I could not find anyone who would tell me how to return it, nor did I get advice on what to do should anyone knock on the door demanding it. I eventually had to go on TrustPilot to get someone to arrange with the local store that I could take it in and get a receipt, and even then it was as if they were doing me a favour. DD had been eyeing it up, and by the end I wished I had not been so pro-active and simply taken reasonable steps to inform them, sat on it for 6 months and then assumed possession.

though rather scarily warning us not to hand over the phone to someone who knocked on the door asking for it.

Our neighbour had something like this - wasn't warned but had the nous not to hand the item over as the person who asked had no proof it was theirs - I think the theft works by dodgy driver leaving item at the wrong house, and getting the signature. So they're the last person who has officially had it, and has assumed responsibility for it. Really important to check what you're signing for!

We had a neighbour who noticed someone hanging around to collect an item but our local postman knows everyone and refused to hand it over to the strange lurking in that garden pretending to be the house owner.

DD is home, by train so I'm spared her laundry.

That's good. I bought extra washing powder etc today ready for the twins coming home which I think will be on Friday.

Ds2 was despatched to get more fabric conditioner on Tuesday morning!
We're also getting through a lot more milk as he only drinks either milk or water. Lovely to have him home, though.
He's coming with me when I brave the supermarket later so I'll have help with the bags and he's promised to clear the ironing tomorrow.

Both the lads have always been thoughtful, but living away and having to fend for themselves has made them appreciate what goes into running a house even more.

DD came home Monday. She has not done any washing, but I'm finding we are running the dishwasher more often. She and her friends seem to drink a lot of tea!

Lovely to have her back, of course. And she seems really happy to be here.

I think my twins may be back late tonight. I had suggested leaving early this morning whilst it's light and not too busy was a good idea but I know one had an essay deadline.

Relief. DD had her last lecture this afternoon, and a seminar this morning. They are required to attend all seminars and placements so no leaving early, though she thought she might be the only one at the lecture (which can be viewed online).

And I have just finished my tax return....it feels slightly anti-climatical to press the send button so I had to tell you.

Now to hope that planes are flying out of Gatwick so we can go to see our son.

Oh gosh, Needmore . I hope your ds makes it through Gatwick. Ds's friend was filmed by the BBC waiting there for 36 hours trying to get to Paris. We assume he must have flown this evening.

Ds has just mentioned he goes back on 5th/6th Jan. I'd naively assumed he has until at least the third week off like he did last year. It's been so lovely to have him home and I'll make the most of him even though he looks like the Wild Man of Borneo (no hair cut or shave for months). I'm surprised he's been allowed into his medical placements looking like that. He's getting a beard trimmer and shaver for Christmas

DD is going back on the 5th too - her 'full term' doesn't start till the 15th but she has a mock exam before then. She's been revising yesterday and today - she wants to get out for some hillwalking if we get some tolerable weather and hopefully will meet up with some school pals after Xmas but mostly she's working.

Good luck to anyone flying through Gatwick this weekend. My twins got home (by car) last night - they didn't leave until after 8pm in order to avoid traffic which seems to have worked well. One still has an essay to finish which he will do when he gets back today (one his sister's is paying him to move her stuff between 2 flats in the same building in London today so he's there now). he has done loads of preparation for it and knows exactly what he needs to write but now he just needs to get it done today and tomorrow.

They both seem fine. The washer is on. I have been rubbing someone else's son's blood of the sheet having been asked to - this boy apparently when he gets back he will crash out on my son's bed sometimes even though he has his own bed and it's his blood and something to do with a fight but I didn't quite get all the details. It sounds like he's fine. One of mine fell down the stairs the other day as a bottle was left there on its side (he left it there) and it was pitch black but no bones were broken. Never leave anything on the stairs I have drummed into them since they were little. Anyway he seems fine.

One went out with his school friend last night. I heard them briefly come back at 3am and smelled cooking - my son was cooking and they had been to a Tesco - may be an 24 hour one. he's not emerged yet but his friend slept on our sofa. I neve runderstand why he does that when there is a spare bed in my son's room and a completely empty room with bed upstairs but he's no trouble and always tidies up. So it is all busy. i did my 8am trip to the supermarket when it was quite for the Christmas food (for 9) and then a few small presents for grandchildren at WHS and back to drive son to the tube to help his sister.

I don't know when they are going back but probably as early as everyone else and they have exams when they go back which is yet another reason as well as the late end of term we didn't book to go away.

Haff, like the old man of borneo line... my older son looks like Jesus Christ incarnate, as featured in films anyway, at present - longish hair and not the neat trimmed beards of his twin brothers. Perhaps he should found his own cult. He lives directly opposite a spiritualist church which is quite good as it means there is no house looking across into his small terraced one.

I have a massively stressed DS who was given 2 group assignments week before he left to be handed in day they get back! Huge amount of research and drafting required.

Plus exams to revise for - he’s panicking and stressed and not having any break.

DH, bless him, kept up his search for a suitable alternative to the awol laptop (for which we will get a refund), a few days ago one came up as available for click and collect at PC world. He's just getting it set up with antivirus etc now. Lesson learned, don't order high value items for home delivery!

Glad you found one Errol.

DD and I made honeycomb this afternoon. It seems to be a bit chewy like toffee. Not quite sure where we went wrong. We'll just have to try again.

Eve - my DD seems to be procrastinating over her assignment.

Oh Eve, that's not good ☹️ seems a bit mean to dump loads of work on them during a holiday.
Saying that, DS is revising as he has exams when he returns.

I've run out of paper, with about 2/3 of stuff still to wrap! 🤣🤣🤣

DD makes the distinction that it's 'vacation' (as in, vacating the premises) not 'holiday'. But they do need to strike a balance and have some time away from their studies. As per previous post, as it's good weather forecast for tomorrow we're heading for the hills.

One of mine finished his essay at 6.50am today - up all night; although i don't know why he finds it so much easier to work in the night rather than all day yesterday. At least it's done. He was coming to bed as I was getting up for work. meanwhile the other got up early to start hiso ne of 2 essays. They have those plus revision for early January exams so quite a busy tiny short Christmas holiday; although one says I am wrong about official dates and that is just depends on your timetable and he could choose not to go back until the first of his 2 exams as there are no lectures until exams are over wihch I suppose means he has quite a long holiday. I don't know when they are going back yet and they only came on Friday night.

Anyway all is well and he got me to take him out for a lot of his favourite Christmas foods yesterday for his stocking when I suggested we wouldn't have stockings now the youngest 2 are 20 .

Happy new year, everyone- hope you've had a good Xmas with your DCs.

Happy New Year! Hope you've all had a good break 🙂

DS2 heads back on Thursday and DS1 is moving out at the weekend, so next week will feel a bit odd! 😮

Exams & househunting on DS2's agenda this month...

Happy new year everyone. Can’t believe we are sorting accommodation for the third year now! I’d have been happy if DS stayed in his lovely, if rather expensive apartment as the security is excellent and it’s all nice and new. But no, he’s chosen a terraced house near the centre of Sheffield, he said it’s got a metal gate at the front which has me worrying about security and getting out in the event of a fire!

Hes been talking about a Masters ( funded by the bank of mum and dad probably🤪) so needs to start thinking about if that’s a definite thing. Exams after NY so needs to get his head down this week. All in all I’m pretty pleased with how he’s getting on, he’s am only child so has been rather babied, but he’s really grown up, is quite independent and not much of a drinker though he does love to go out partying nonetheless. Nice to see him enjoying his uni life as neither myself or DH went ( in the 80’s I would say half and half of my friends did ).

Hope everyone’s DC enjoy the rest of 2nd year- will be done before we know it.