Christmas Slatterns are polishing our baubles and writing our christmas lists

[AliceandtheGinormousBaps]

Here you go ladies....

It was: quick, easy cheap.

Slattern Spring here we come. Our motto 'Quick easy, cheap'.
May not give a good impression

Quick, Cheap and Easy Slatterns

Evening ladies
I have been bold lately,
FANFAIR Mini photos please!!!!!
Well tomorrow is my birthday and I have been gettng spoiled all weekend as I went to see my wee granny and she didn't even know me, Didn't help hair being freshly dyed think she is thinking of every one years ago, I would have been dark,
anyway she couldn't remember the kids or anything lucky I didn't bring them,

Evening! Love the title Alice.

Well done!

Plum, it's hard I know.
Happy Birthday weekend though, you do deserve spoiling.

Anon, oh dear, has he got some hardcore painkillers and Deep Heat?

We've had a good and busy day, and DH is just doing the pots.

DS was knackered and late to bed so I'm hoping for a lie-in in the morning.

Happy Birthday PLUM. Sorry about grans memory Plum, does she seem happy though?
Little list:
Meeting with D
Shopping
Print view invites
consider bits to offer with drink(crisps and stuff) -ideas welcome
catch up on admin
accounts

Have booked a wee holiday, in feb. So am excited. Will try to take some photos of exhibition.

MIni - def photos!

Plum - :( about your Nan, glad you didn't take the kids though. Happy Birthday for tomorrow :)

Q - what do you all do with water once you've mopped?

Weekend:

• PIL home DONE
• papers & crosswords DONE
• fish & chips by DS1 request at some point Not done
• lots of laundry; DONE
• online shopping coming 12-1 & put away DONE (mostly put away)
• 2 last thank-yous from Christmas; DONE (need foreign stamp from PO tomorrow)
• photocopy Statement forms & post DONE
• kitchen counter Area of Doom DONE!
• ironing DONE & putting away
• all usual DONE

Monday:

• all up & breakfasted
• all dressed
• DH to work early
• DS1 to sch
• N & DS2 to pre-sch
• PO for French stamp
• dry cleaners with DH's jumper that he's got coal all over
• BF course (friend driving me)
• home for lunch & tidy up
• jobs/relax
• collect DS1
• chill out time (maybe do his 'homework'?)
• tea x 3 (toad in the hole for them, what for me?)
• boys bath & bed
• early quiet night for me on my own

Longer term:

• Find new dentist that is taking on NHS nervous patients for me/investigate private
• get DH to ring his dentist re the boys; On his list; Seeing dentist soon
• Photos: upload select photos of DC to Snapfish & order
• order door curtain for front door, curtain for kitchen door & curtains for playroom
• pictures to label 'animals' & 'people' & 'cars' boxes
• pile of blankets & bedding to homeless centre (some basic shopping first & go through towels too)
• research motability options for if/when we get mobility; Done More/DH doing
• see if any toys can go/be put away?? Done More
• watch Prison Break DVDs & give back to PIL; Started
• Freecycle blinds; Need to try 3rd person as no reply from 2nd
• ebay/freecycle Dance Mat
• decobweb house
• assemble cot/next phase of sorting baby room

Put it on the garden

Evening ladies :) Just popping in to say hello from my grandma's house.

I nearly brought on early labour lugging all our bags and DS' travel cot up the stairs when we arrived here - haven't really recovered, I am shattered, although I've cooked a roast today so not completely useless.
DH arrived safely in the US, not sure how much work is going on - they have 2 days of sightseeing round San Francisco planned!

Anon - OMG I would be so annoyed. I am pleased that DH has decided that his mid-life crisis is tinkering with his car. Not cheap, but no injuries!!

Freak - I find Waitrose cheaper than Sainsbury's by quite a long way, largely I think because I love Waitrose own brand stuff but I'm not keen on Sainsbury's own brand.

Mini - yay for exhibition!

Plum - :(:(

JKS - I pour mine down the sink

Ali - try and take it easy!

Well, when we had cleaners come in, they always 'backed out' of the house and poured the water into the drain on the street.

The Nanny does our cleaning now (to boost her hours mainly) and she prefers to pour it down the drain to the side of the house. The thing is, if it's raining or something else stops her, she will leave the water in the bucket by the back door until she gets round to doing it, which bugs me.
I think I always used to pour it down the sink but she doesn't like that - not hygienic?
So i have tipped it onto the garden but then think, uh oh it's got Flash (or something) in it, can hardly be good for the plants can it?
Wanted to know if sink was acceptable and just say to her tip it down the sink, it'll be fine.

DS2 up early - in case you hadn't guessed...

Leftover:

• putting away clean clothes

Monday:

• all up 2 up & breakfasted
• all dressed
• DH to work early
• DS1 to sch
• N & DS2 to pre-sch
• PO for French stamp
• dry cleaners with DH's jumper that he's got coal all over
• BF course (friend driving me)
• home for lunch & tidy up
• jobs/relax
• collect DS1
• chill out time (maybe do his 'homework'?)
• tea x 3 (toad in the hole for them, what for me?)
• boys bath & bed
• early quiet night for me on my own

Longer term:

• Find new dentist that is taking on NHS nervous patients for me/investigate private
• get DH to ring his dentist re the boys; On his list; Seeing dentist soon
• Photos: upload select photos of DC to Snapfish & order
• order door curtain for front door, curtain for kitchen door & curtains for playroom
• pictures to label 'animals' & 'people' & 'cars' boxes
• pile of blankets & bedding to homeless centre (some basic shopping first & go through towels too)
• research motability options for if/when we get mobility; Done More/DH doing
• see if any toys can go/be put away?? Done More
• watch Prison Break DVDs & give back to PIL; Started
• Freecycle blinds; Need to try 3rd person as no reply from 2nd
• ebay/freecycle Dance Mat
• decobweb house
• assemble cot/next phase of sorting baby room

Morning!

Hope you're feeling better today Ali.

JKS, shouldn't leave the bucket standing around with water in. Dangerous I'd have thought.
At the last house I'd tip it down the sink, but it was a pain to get to the drain. If I mopped here I'd prob chuck it down the drain outside. As it is I've a galley kitchen and just use a floor cloth (or wipe )

morning routine -

• strip beds and open windows done
• breakfast doing
• Oj, spatone + vits done
• kitchen - 15 mins
• laundry - load in, fold dry
• Shred
• shower and dress

• Tesco delivery - 10-1pm
• phone Childrens centre
• downstairs toy swap
• ?
• lunch
• Range
• garden - tidy, feed birds, planning
• tea
• kitchen - 15 mins
• rubbish and recycling out
• tidy downstairs + hoover + playdough removal
• make beds
• DS bath and bed (DH)

It's awkward to get to the drain round the side, it has loads of pipes going into it so i spill most of the water anyway, i think I'll say just pour it down the sink, then give the sink a rinse out after?

Leftover:

• put away clothes DONE

Monday:

• all up & breakfasted DONE
• all dressed DONE
• DH to work early DONE
• DS1 to sch DONE
• N & DS2 to pre-sch DONE
• tidy kitchen, wipe table, dw on DONE

• PO for French stamp
• dry cleaners with DH's jumper that he's got coal all over
• recycle bag of batteries
• BF course (friend driving me)
• home for lunch & tidy up
• jobs/relax
• refill shower soap dispenser
• put away clothes from chair-robe (chair has gone so have to put stuff away now!)
• collect DS1
• chill out time (maybe do his 'homework'?)
• tea x 3 (toad in the hole for them, what for me?)
• boys bath & bed
• early quiet night for me on my own

Longer term:

• Find new dentist that is taking on NHS nervous patients for me/investigate private
• get DH to ring his dentist re the boys; On his list; Seeing dentist soon
• Photos: upload select photos of DC to Snapfish & order
• order door curtain for front door, curtain for kitchen door & curtains for playroom
• pictures to label 'animals' & 'people' & 'cars' boxes
• pile of blankets & bedding to homeless centre (some basic shopping first & go through towels too)
• research motability options for if/when we get mobility; Done More/DH doing
• see if any toys can go/be put away?? Done More
• watch Prison Break DVDs & give back to PIL; Started
• Freecycle blinds; Need to try 3rd person as no reply from 2nd
• ebay/freecycle Dance Mat
• decobweb house
• assemble cot/next phase of sorting baby room

How about;

Spring Slatterns - if it's not quick, cheap and easy we ain't interested

Morning all.

Ali slow down, seriously, being on enforced rest with a toddler is no fun at all.

I leave my mop bucket until the floor is dry, then empty it down the sink.

Was going to go to playgroup, but F is full of snot and DD is complaining of a stuffy nose. Wouldn't normally worry about sniffles, but we have all had so many colds/bugs/viruses in the last 3m that i want this one to go quickly.

No list really, just trudging steadily through the washing

Morning.
Alice - I do the same, once the floor is dry, goes down the sink.

I need a rant! On Thursday some guys who help us out from time to time with garden jobs were at our house (the one I am not living in at present) to take out some shrubs and finish clearing a bed. The bed was largely clear, but some bulbs etc had peeked through so it need a final going over. Ok, so I have 6 hours of their time allocated, I nip over and see them just after they have arrived and they agree to work as long as there is daylight, so it's going to be 5-6 hours in total. I went back yesterday to see what they had done. They had removed one large shrub, left the other large one. Not cleared any of the bulbs or the bed in any way, swept up a few leaves and left. That clearly did NOT take 5-6 hours....

I am really cross because a) I know they are going to bill me for the full time and b) I really need those shrubs out and the bed cleared and they are just pissing about doing bugger all, because I am not there to keep an eye on them. Grrrrr. If they claim they worked the full time, then they are either liars or damned lazy.

How do I deal with this???? I reckon they did no more than about 2 hours in total. They've tried to pull a fast one before, I caught them out and did say they needed to be a bit more careful about matching up their hours with work actually done... so I gave them a life line, and they've abused it frankly. But I am not very good at confrontation - Advice needed! HELP!!!!!

Anyway, moving on, Monday it is. The house is an absolute bombsite. DH has hobbled off to work.. he must be struggling as he could barely walk let alone drive/negotiate the train etc.

• Up, showered and dressed DONE
• Major tidy up
• General tidy, make beds etc
• DC to school DONE
• Fill/Run/Empty DW
• Washing
• On line banking
• 24th and 25th Jan ? credit card payments
• Check dehumidifier
• Building project finances
• Collect post from house
• Go see builders
• Chickens
• Dog
• Find/buy photo frames DONE
• Check photo printing
• Pay Utilities Warehouse Bill
• Sort stuff to list on Ebay
• Refix with EON ? part done, but need to shop around for a possible ?switch?
• Call Builder
• Feb house budget Started - needs more work
• Babysitter for school quiz night
• Gloves and other warm gear for DD
• Get fire going
• Make dinner

Next few days

• Book up half term football DONE
• Clean DH's car
• Find Maths worksheets for DS and phonics for DD
• 121 tutorials
• Organise some more tea dates for DC
• Start Recipe diary/log
• List more eBay
• Set up weather station
• Start to think about lighting, bathrooms, doors?. look through MIL's magazines and online for ideas
• Two costumes for DD and DS this term at school

PS. Sorry rant was rather longer than I intended!

Anon - hmm, i think similar to last time, say job not finished, not enough hours put in, why did they leave early? (in case there was a reason). Say you think about 2hrs work so that's all they'll get paid for. If they disagree, ask them what they did in those 5-6hrs, exactly. Stress though.

Monday:

• all up & breakfasted DONE
• all dressed DONE
• DH to work early DONE
• DS1 to sch DONE
• N & DS2 to pre-sch DONE
• tidy kitchen, wipe table, dw on DONE
• BF course (friend driving me) DONE
• home for lunch & tidy up DONE

• PO for French stamp
• dry cleaners with DH's jumper that he's got coal all over
• recycle bag of batteries
• jobs/relax
• refill shower soap dispenser
• put away clothes from chair-robe (chair has gone so have to put stuff away now!)
• collect DS1
• chill out time (maybe do his 'homework'?)
• tea x 3 (toad in the hole for them, what for me?)
• boys bath & bed
• early quiet night for me on my own

Longer term:

• Find new dentist that is taking on NHS nervous patients for me/investigate private
• get DH to ring his dentist re the boys; On his list; Seeing dentist soon
• Photos: upload select photos of DC to Snapfish & order
• order door curtain for front door, curtain for kitchen door & curtains for playroom
• pictures to label 'animals' & 'people' & 'cars' boxes
• pile of blankets & bedding to homeless centre (some basic shopping first & go through towels too)
• research motability options for if/when we get mobility; Done More/DH doing
• see if any toys can go/be put away?? Done More
• watch Prison Break DVDs & give back to PIL; Started
• Freecycle blinds; Need to try 3rd person as no reply from 2nd
• ebay/freecycle Dance Mat
• decobweb house
• assemble cot/next phase of sorting baby room

Anon, how infuriating.

morning routine -

• strip beds and open windows done
• breakfast doing
• Oj, spatone + vits done
• kitchen - 15 mins done
• laundry - load in done fold dry done hang it up done 2nd load in done hang it up
• tidy backroom finished needs hoovering though - later
• Shred done
• shower and dress done

• Tesco delivery - 10-1pm doh 11 and 1, could have been in the shower this hour! done and away done
• phone Childrens centre no not needed now
• downstairs toy swap started
• ? ?
• lunch done
• Range
• garden - tidy, feed birds, planning
• tea - ? Have bought lovely ingredients for lovely WW recipes, which to have?
• kitchen - 15 mins
• rubbish and recycling out
• tidy downstairs + hoover + playdough removal
• make beds
• DS bath and bed (DH)

ANON. was there anyone else on site at the time builders etc who might vouch for the time they left.Otherwise agree with JKS. I would be naughty and open up a conversation with: obviously you must have had to leave early on ...day, as the agreed work was not completed. When are you coming to finish the job? Only pay when job is complete to youor satisfaction.
stand your ground.

Oh, I will be asking them! He normally texts same day when they are finished to say "we did X hours". This time he hasn't.... not sure whether to wait and challenge, or jump in first querying why so little done. Hmmm. Am fed up though. Last time I will use them, not going to be pratted about like this.

Anyway! In the grand scheme things it's neither here nor there, just added hassle (and I need the damned bed cleared!!!!)

• Up, showered and dressed DONE
• Major tidy up DONE (except playroom)
• General tidy, make beds etc DONE
• DC to school DONE
• Fill/Run/Empty DW DONE
• Washing DONE
• Ironing DONE
• On line banking DONE
• 24th DONE and 25th Jan ? credit card payments
• Check dehumidifier
• Building project finances
• Collect post from house
• Go see builders
• Collect dog food
• Chickens
• Dog DONE
• Find/buy photo frames DONE
• Check photo printing DONE
• Pay Utilities Warehouse Bill
• Sort stuff to list on Ebay
• Refix with EON ? part done, but need to shop around for a possible ?switch?
• Call Builder re costings
• Feb house budget Started - needs more work
• Babysitter for school quiz night
• Gloves and other warm gear for DD
• Get fire going
• Make dinner

Mini - am very tempted to open the conversation with "oh dear, did you get called away at short notice"!!!

I did wonder about asking the builders if they noticed what time they left, but don't imagine they would really notice, but then I thought, why would they, nothing to do with them. My builders are fantastic, if I was checking up on the garden boys via the builders, then the builders might think I'm also secretly checking on them too etc.... and I would hate for anything to spoil what has become a very good working relationship with them.

Ah well, there's other people who can help us with the hedges etc, just irritating to have to waste time and effort dealing with it, and I cannot bear confrontation. .

Right, must be gone, school pick up in an hour and lots to do on the way today!

Am curious Anon, if your eBay stuff has made it to your bed, how you are sleeping at night?

Remembered to text DH to see if he wanted me to take shirts to dry cleaners, yes he did, so off i trotted, only to forget the jumper!

Monday:

• all up & breakfasted DONE
• all dressed DONE
• DH to work early DONE
• DS1 to sch DONE
• N & DS2 to pre-sch DONE
• tidy kitchen, wipe table, dw on DONE
• BF course (friend driving me) DONE
• home for lunch & tidy up DONE
• PO for French stamp DONE (& bought extras)
• dry cleaners with DH's jumper that he's got coal all over Shirts Done
• recycle bag of batteries DONE
• jobs/relax Some relaxing done

• refill shower soap dispenser
• put away clothes from chair-robe (chair has gone so have to put stuff away now!)
• collect DS1
• chill out time (maybe do his 'homework'?)
• tea x 3 (toad in the hole for them, what for me; pasta I think)
• boys bath & bed
• early quiet night for me on my own

Longer term:

• Find new dentist that is taking on NHS nervous patients for me/investigate private
• get DH to ring his dentist re the boys; On his list; Seeing dentist soon
• Photos: upload select photos of DC to Snapfish & order
• order door curtain for front door, curtain for kitchen door & curtains for playroom
• pictures to label 'animals' & 'people' & 'cars' boxes
• pile of blankets & bedding to homeless centre (some basic shopping first & go through towels too)
• research motability options for if/when we get mobility; Done More/DH doing
• see if any toys can go/be put away?? Done More
• watch Prison Break DVDs & give back to PIL; Started
• Freecycle blinds; Need to try 3rd person as no reply from 2nd
• ebay/freecycle Dance Mat
• decobweb house
• assemble cot/next phase of sorting baby room

Been quite productive today, grinding to a halt now though.

Anon I hate confrontation too but that conversation opener is nicely passive agressive

Mop water usually down drain or down loo depending which room I am mopping. Sometimes down sink but then I get a bit ocd about cleaning the sink afterwards

Bit of funky smell to house today Think is just trapped cooking smells as can't find another source. Carpets need shampooing too but have bought some shake n vac for now, maybe that'll freshen the place up!

Dsis coming to stay tomorrow

All up, dressed, breakfasted - DONE
Washing up - DONE
Wipe kitchen sides and dining table ? DONE
Load of washing on ? DONE
DD to school ? DONE
DS to preschool ? DONE
Recycling into box - DONE
Clean kitchen - DONE
Tidy sitting room ? DONE
Hoover downstairs ?
Load of washing on airers ? DONE
2nd load on ?DONE
2nd load out - DONE
Clean loo ? DONE
Wipe sink- DONE
Tidy dc room? DONE
Clear under bunk bed and hoover - DONE
Clean inside windows & mirrors ? DOWNSTAIRS DONE
Dust downstairs ? DONE
Dst bedrooms - DONE
Clean tv ? DONE
Pick up ds - DONE
Lunch ? DONE
Hoover upstairs ? DONE
Supermarket - DONE
Mop downstairs -
IRONING ?
Pick up dd ?DONE
Take dd?s card to wc nan - DONE
Cook dinner ?

Wash up -
Bath and bed dc-
Clean bathroom -
Tidy kitchen and sitting room ?

Anon. Another approach would be: Was there a problem with the shrub/bulbs etc? non confrontational just a simple question. May be there is a simple explanation to their leaving the job unfinished.
Hope it gets resolved. No need to interrogate builders just a casual question.
Anyway got to zip off.

"Shake n vac and put the freshness back"

Freak - see onec i've thought about the need to clean the sink i feel i may get OCD about that too. Does it work ok down the loo? like not flood it or anything?

Monday:

• all up & breakfasted DONE
• all dressed DONE
• DH to work early DONE
• DS1 to sch DONE
• N & DS2 to pre-sch DONE
• tidy kitchen, wipe table, dw on DONE
• BF course (friend driving me) DONE
• home for lunch & tidy up DONE
• PO for French stamp DONE (& bought extras)
• dry cleaners with DH's jumper & shirts that he's got coal all over; Shirts DONE
• recycle bag of batteries DONE
• jobs/relax; Some relaxing DONE
• collect DS1 DONE
• long play with playdough (Ds2's bday present) DONE
• chill out time (maybe do his 'homework'?) Doing

• tea x 3 (toad in the hole for them, what for me; pasta I think)
• refill shower soap dispenser
• put away clothes from chair-robe (chair has gone so have to put stuff away now!)
• boys bath & bed
• early quiet night for me on my own

Longer term:

• Find new dentist that is taking on NHS nervous patients for me/investigate private
• get DH to ring his dentist re the boys; On his list; Seeing dentist soon
• Photos: upload select photos of DC to Snapfish & order
• order door curtain for front door, curtain for kitchen door & curtains for playroom
• pictures to label 'animals' & 'people' & 'cars' boxes
• pile of blankets & bedding to homeless centre (some basic shopping first & go through towels too)
• research motability options for if/when we get mobility; Done More/DH doing
• see if any toys can go/be put away?? Done More
• watch Prison Break DVDs & give back to PIL; Started
• Freecycle blinds; Emailed 3rd person
• ebay/freecycle Dance Mat
• decobweb house
• assemble cot/next phase of sorting baby room
• DH jumper to dry cleaners

morning routine -

• strip beds and open windows done
• breakfast doing
• Oj, spatone + vits done
• kitchen - 15 mins done
• laundry - load in done fold dry done hang it up done 2nd load in done hang it up
• tidy backroom finished needs hoovering though - later
• Shred done
• shower and dress done

• Tesco delivery - 10-1pm doh 11 and 1, could have been in the shower this hour! done and away done
• phone Childrens centre no not needed now
• downstairs toy swap started
• ? ?
• lunch done
• Range done
• garden - tidy, feed birds done planning bring bin and box in done
• tea - ? Have bought lovely ingredients for lovely WW recipes, which to have? - filled pasta Cheap, Easy and Quick!
• kitchen - 15 mins
• rubbish and recycling out done
• tidy downstairs + hoover + playdough removal
• make beds
• DS bath and bed (DH)

Wasting glad you are are following the slattern's motto with your dinner

Yep JKS works fine down the loo.