West London chat into Winter

[sfxmum]

hello folks chat away

Hello!

Enjoying sunshine. Though DS1 has gone and injured himself falling over and getting blood all over his mouth... I think he knocked his wobbly tooth. Hopefully it's only that. They are running about playing strange games involving Thomas the tank engine and power rangers.

re grinders - I have a bamix. Wonderful machine. Xmas present from Ma and haven't stopped using it since though partly helped by having to live on puree over the summer!

Hello Steppie - glad you're enjoying yourselves despite the rain If you can get hold of any bhel puri packets, much appreciated, I love that stuff! Thank you. Would like to try and take the kids to India maybe in 2yrs time.

Copper - ouch, hope DS1 is ok?

Did plough through coat thread and have ordered recommended, let's hope it fits and looks nice when it arrives

Going to Kew tom am if anyone fancies meeting up. Weather is meant to be good plus I can't believe that I have not yet visited during summer hols, that feels wrong!

Oh yes, deffo up for another meet up!

hello all

steppie sounds like a fantastic experience, hope you continue to have a lovely time

lordcopper hope ds is ok

vbus we might be up for Kew tomorrow but would also like to fit in swimming if I can persuade dd, what time were you thinking?

we went about town today had a sort of meandering day thankfully it was nice and warm, I had too much cake after virtuous breakfast and lunch yum yum

Oooh just found you all..

Welcome back Proff :)

Steppie your trip sounds amazing - can't believe you are still there it sounds so interesting. When you get back I will call you to get all your stories. Are you bringing back lovely fabrics etc

I used to drive over Tower Bridge to work and havoc was caused whenever it was raised

We've sold the house - took six days

Am offering on dream house tomorrow

Have you been having lots of good weather? Its warm here, must be lovely in London

Dusty - wow, that was quick! Hope all goes well with you offer, let us know how you get on

Sfx - Meandering day sounds nice! will be there about 10-12.30. Going to leave after lunch as I need to get lots of stuff done while D2 naps. Hope to see you both at some point

my mum is planning to take DS to Kew tomorrow around 2pm.

So you guys are still "lazing around" on holidays eh? ds started his new nursery yesterday and dd starts the new school today - I am an emotional wreck!!

Dusty - congrats on the house, how fabulous! Good luck with the dream house, hope it works out.

vbus - think we may have ordered the same coat. All we like sheep eh! Let's hope it lives up to expectations ha! In fact last year I nearly ordered SFX's coat (ok, well, not SFX's actual coat but the one that was much discussed on the '09 coat thread!).

Beautiful weather here in the sticks, thank goodness no rain on first day at school.

Steppie - glad you are enjoying your amazing trip, I am [envious]

Professor - welcome back!!! How are you feeling, have you got the new car yet

hello

pcW it is always like that at this time, missing them with a drop of relief, hope they both settle in quickly and you find new interests to feel your obscene amount of time off

dolphin that is great news, so quick, best of luck with dream home

here the idea is an easy quiet day doing whatever dd wants within reason, that means not watching Happy Potter or Ice age yet again

dh has his induction to the rowing club at the weekend he says that if he gets accepted we might not be able to go on half term holidays as they want an initial commitment of a number of weekends and some week evenings... I am glad he is finding new interests
might just pack a bag and take dd to Butlins or something

Hello!

Who's lazing about? I've done laundry, harvested plums and cucumbers, and am even dressed.

at coats. Not fair.

pc - hope new school/nursery goes well. Update us later!

LOL Copper - you always put me to shame

SFX - we'll join you at Butlins! Good that dh is starting the rowing, bet he'll love it.

Well, it's been a day (already) of highs and lows - ok, it's been a day of lows! Turned up at school this morning - it is an inset day! They just decided not to mention this in the school brochure that I have! And so I promptly burst into tears which was useful! It felt like quite a big deal taking dd to her new school and of course I felt like a complete idiot getting the day wrong! Still - the staff there are lovely and tolerated my sniffing - and dd is cool as a cucumber and has enjoyed an unexpected morning in the park!

congrats on house sale focie.

How mad would I be to consider changing career to a school based one, taking a massive pay cut and buying a flat instead? Just mulling it over as I have enjoyed being off with DS over the holidays...

pcW that happens inset days and bank holidays often confuse me
hope you managed to have a nice day

kewC well choices only you can make, none would call you mad either way

I think today was 'designed' for me to let go of the holiday full on exasperation just trying to leave the house and then some

PC - oh no! Inset days are the invention of the devil, designed to vex and confound. Hope DD approved of day out in the park!

Kew - I don't earn much and my so-called career, such as it is, is not going anywhere fast, but being able to take DC out on some trips on school hols and skiving off school for "cultural reasons" now and then is a massive bonus.

sfx - ready for school then?

Just realised DS1 doesn't have a PE t-shirt. He actually lost one last year. How do you lose a shirt?

Kew you could do a fast track teacher training course, or train as an SNA?

I am vaguely considering doing something vaguely simlar, though I can't be a teacher in Ireland unfortunately, as you have to have Leaving Cert (A level) Gaelic. But I will do FETAC Level 6 childcare and maybe apply for nursery manager job (may have to do some vol experience first in a nursery though)

There is a lot to be said for it.You should look into it and consider your many options. I bet you have tons of equity in your lovely house, which will carry you through to a much smaller mortgage, either on a flat or perhaps a house a wee bit further out but more affordable area (Ham?)

I had a friend who worked in the city and he retarined as a landscape gardener and loves it, though pay is a fraction of his previous pay

ps am mid=negotiations on dream house.

They want E*95,000

I offered E*50,000

They said E*85,000 minimum please

I have gone up to E*68,000 (meeting half way)

My limit is E*75,000

May have to go up a teeny bit higher but its on track

Its very hard to get a mortgage in Ireland, for anyone - let alone a new arrival, so am slightly anxious about that but optimistic it will all be OK (wish me luck)

PC you feel vulnerable as a newie, don't worry - sounds as though the school is lovely and will make your DD very welcome :)

I felt very exposed and friendless for the first few months here but you will build up a network bit by bit and get to know the teachers. In a year's time, you will forget you were ever new

Good luck with 1st day at school tomoz :(

DS2 started nursery today and I had to sneak off (ducking under window & crawling back to car so he wouldn't spot me through the window) He loved it though and after a big sleep this aftrenoon, is full of beans now

:) not :(

Dusty - I was hinking more of school management rather than straight teaching. Partly because of holidays and partly because I just can;t see a job I like enough to actually make the effort to do it and bank manager is getting keen for me to earn enough to at least pay the mortgage.

Apparently I would qualify for wtc but who knows how long that will last in current climate..

Thanks for the support, dusty - you have got it spot on in terms of how I feel! But dd seems v relaxed about it all and ds had a fantastic first day at nursery with a new friend who lives just around the corner. So far, people have been really friend and kind so I think we will be fine, ultimately - it just takes time. Once this week is out of the way, I think I'll be much more relaxed!

Good luck with the house purchase, that is nail biting for you!

Hope everyone else is fine and dandy on this lovely morning. Are you heading to Kew today?

think we will head for Kew this morning later - home visit by teacher this afternoon.

bit of a dazed in/out drop off this morning dd seemed happy I did not talk to anyone, I guess start as you mean to go on

Could you look at a bursar role somewhere? FIL did that after redundancy/early retirement from banking, and I have an accountant friend with children the same age as DS and DD who does a part-time bursar role at the moment.

The trouble with school-based roles in general is that you can have difficulty attending your own child's school events (assemblies, plays, sports days, etc.) so that's something to think about/factor in.

Have still not actually tried fitting three seats into current car (DH is naively hopeful that they might be persuaded to fit). May try that this weekend...

professor am obviously missing something