Chatting, ranting and some stepping! Come in and have a brew with us.

[carrotsandcelery]

A place to have a blether, and a . All chatters are welcome, stepping or otherwise.

Come inside and settle down on the sofa.

I don't need AC here. I would like, however, windows that open up & down instead of out so that we can have a screen and keep the window open all of the time. Right now, if we leave it open in the evenings we get lots of bugs attracted to the lights. ARGH.

Our kitchen needs AC when it gets this hot as it glass on 3 sides - which is great in the cold weather, which we get most of, but very warm in this weather!

Toddler's a whingy, whiney mess. After swimming I'm going to let him sleep as long as he'd like -- we have a District event tonight which means he'll be up late (the event is being held 30-40 minutes from our house). I wasn't going to go but seem to have been guilted into it.

I was guilted into helping at the school yesterday Scout. It doesn't feel as good as volunteering does it? I have also been asked to help with Sports Day, which I am delighted to do, as long as it isn't roasting again. Last year it was 30C with no shade and the dcs were sweltering. We had to go round them with extra water and hats and suncream etc. and worried ourselves sick about them getting sunstroke!

Hi all, I am probably going to talk a load of waffle here and I hope I can follow my own advice!
I had a "lightbulb moment". This will probably sound really obvious and silly but:

I need to find the solution to the problems!

It's been staring me in the face all along!
I probably sound crazy but I am going to write a list of "problems" --not on here and then write the solution if there is one-- and try to do it!

wish me luck! I am attempting positive thinking!

Yay for positive thinking Cats and it sounds sensible not twaddle.

Good luck, Cats!

Yes, carrots, I agree, volunteering of your own free will is so much nicer/better than volunteering because you feel you have to. As I told my friend at swimming: I've mentally checked out of Guiding since I know I only have four more Seniors meetings and I just don't want to do any extras. I'm also thinking about Toddler and his needs (and unfortunately a lot of my fellow volunteers lately don't seem to realize that I have other priorities).

We were going to go to the park for a picnic & play after swimming but both tots were/are whiney and miserable. So we agreed we'd go home for naps and meet up at the duck pond later. YAY!

I have a totally outrageous mother!
I was telling my Mum about the lovely card I had from one of my students (as described up-thread) and read it out to her.

When I got to the bit about "you are one of my favourite teachers", she said "What, only one of her favourite teachers."
She was serious too!

Arti That's not very helpful of your mum. I think it's nice you got a card!

My mum is a "realist" rather than an optimist. I wonder if that is why I've had some of my problems! Genetics and family influence.

I think I'm going to try the "ten minutes at a job idea". That way I might get a few things done. I don't think I will get anything listed on here today though as DD wants my attention so I will spend some time with her.

Hope you all have a lovely day!

Thank you Cats for your affirmation. It is much appreciated

I hope you are beginning to feel a bit better and get some stuff done. 10 mins on a job is a great idea!

Arti there is no pleasing some folk. Open the window and let her less than helpful attitude fly off and away

A card like that from a child that age is a wonderful thing.

Thanks Carrots, I know it is a lovely card with lovely sentiments and I agree, not what you often get from 16 year olds!.
Unfortunately I have a life-time of less than helpful attitudes from my dm to overcome! When you grow up with them, you kind of think it is "normal", so I'm still only really beginning to understand how off the wall she can be!

I told her I was perfectly happy to be one among a number of favourite teachers. The more good teachers there are in the world the better!!

For what it's worth I'd treasure the card/sentiment because, as you said arti, it's not often you get them from a 16 year old. Most 16 year olds are wonderful creatures but the few not-so-wonderful ones ruin their good name.

Only home from campfire a few minutes. I really should have just stayed home.

WARNING Do Not Read if eating or easily disgusted.

Twilight has had a bit of an incident.

I went out to collect dd and her friend from an activity. There was an incident there so we were much later coming home than expected. When we got in Twilight had managed to shut herself in the spare room and in her panic had pooed and weed in there. She obviously continued to panic and spread the poo all over the floor and herself. Bleurgh!

I have had to wash her twice. Bleurgh!

Dh picked up the bits of poo that he could.

I then had to soak up the wee and shampoo virtually the whole carpet.

I then disinfected the whole floor.

Then I rinsed the bath, bleached the bath, bleached the bath again and then washed the bath with our usual cleaner. I may have to do it again.

Bleurgh, Bleurgh, Bleurgh, Bleurgh, Bleurgh!!!!!!!!!

Poor Twilight. She must have been very upset to do that. I sincerely hope it is not going to be a habit.

Dh has accused her of having a dirty protest.

It is a glamorous life us mums lead!

Poor Twilight.

I know Scout. Poor old girl. She must have been frantic.

I have to admit she seems quite happy now and is scouring the place for crumbs and following dh in the hopes of a biscuit

Poor twilight! - when you've got to go, you've got to go!

cats how did the 10min thing go?

I have friends who used to have a dog that got like that during thunderstorms. We lived in tornado alley. Poor dog. I used to dog sit for them and had to give the dog a pill in peanut butter at the first sign of a possible storm, wait for the pill to kick in (calm him) then put him in one room where he'd hide under the bed and shake. It was so sad.

Poor little American dog I think this was a similar thing Scout as she has been good that way otherwise. It was soooo hot and she was stuck in a little room etc.

I still need to pack and I'd really just rather go to bed.

Are you off again tomorrow Scout?

Ds is having a friend to sleepover tomorrow. It is the same boy whose house ds went to for his first sleepover.

Anyone any ideas how to make it fun? I have done this a million times with dd and not worried about it but I sooooo want it to go well for ds.

Wedding on the south coast on Saturday. Spending weekend at PiL so they can babysit Toddler. It's a child-free wedding (and even if it wasn't we wouldn't take TS) and the venue is only just over an hour from PiL house.

Sounds lovely Scout. What are you wearing?

Probably a black skirt, dressy tank top top and a light grey (with flowers around top) lightweight cardi. My body shape has changed so much with pregnancy and then rapid weight lose and weight gain from treatment that I don't have much in the way of "nice" clothes that currently fit and I'm hesitant to go and spend money on something I'm not sure I'll fit into again in a few months time. So I raided my closet and am hoping it's suitable for a wedding. I need to go get a tank-top top but tops haven't been the problem, it's been the bottoms and all-in-one dresses.