November Locals Chat - to replace West London Thread in Meet-ups

[Paddlechick666]

erm, not sure if this will work but have started a thread in the interests of currying favour with MNHQ!

I am entitled to a small amount of tax credit which I need to look into but sadly they don't take into account mortgage and child care costs. Of course I understand why they don't otherwise Joe Tax Payer will be subsidising my house in Kew. Doesn't magic up any more disposable income though!

On the other hand I stop paying for my sofa this month so have about £35 to fritter away on some luxury like paying some of the capital back on my house not just the interest!! Or perhaps Richmond will put their council tax up again so I can splash out on that

oh god! don't talk to me about richmond putting council tax up - i'm about to move into richmond borough

am desparately waiting for hounslow to refund my overpayment so i can afford a washing machine and fridge/freezer.

intend to really sort out my child/working tax credits etc in the new year. hoping to get a bit of childcare assistance. i have friends whose nursery fees are paid entirely by this method. they are both on low income tho.....

the joys of parenting on a shoe string eh!

ps: i still have your bag btw.

ps: congrats on paying off sofa tho

with the "extra" money I am supposed to have from moving onto repayment only mortgage so that I can build up my savings - so far I have saved nothing... but have:

a lovely crown on one tooth;
central heating that almost works normally;
a lovely new tyre on my car;
a toilet that still leaks into the utility room (the plumber charged to take the bath panel off and reseal the bath but I have subsequently worked out that its the toilet thats leaking!);
paid my water bill.

Oh my, will these luxuries never stop rolling in

Will pick the bag up on Friday?

a beggar once asked me if i had any "spare money" i pmsl.

on top of my car tax, insurance, mot and sparkly new batter i have also got some very attractive solicitors bills which i might frame and hang in the bog!

Kew why don't you rent out a room?

Since DH and I have reduced our working hours we are suddenly entitled to tax credit again and it works ot we are actally better off now than when we were working f/t with reduced work = reduced CM costs and more tax credits - its crazy

On an unrelated subject - DS2 doing 11 BFs in every 24 hours, plus 4 solid meals plus mega botte of "hungry baby formula" at night which makes little difference - he is stillfeeding 5 times a night

Howver my swimming lesson was soooooooo good

up since 2:30am with coughing/vomiting dd.

meeting at industry regulatory board all day today

knackered.......

kew, don't think swimming is a good idea tomorrow for us now.

Morning

Sorry to hear your DD is so ill again Paddle, this bug just won't leave her alone will it?

Foxie - that is mad that you are better off now than working, but I guess if it works for you...

KC - DS doesn't need to go preschool til 3 when the place is free anyway. If you have a good set up with CM then I'd be tempted to leave it as it is. Only suggested looking into to some places in case there is waiting list at your chosen preschool. You can put DS name down to start when he's 3.

BTW it's my birthday today
Might head to Kew, I know it's cold but it's also sunny

Happy Birthday SJmight pop to Kew as well sometime after 11.

Paddle so sorry about DD it is awful

Foxie glad swimming went well. re DS ouch is it teething? growth spurt? drive mummy mad?
I remember a time when dd was waking up seemingly every half hr, I cried I think

Steppie hope PTA thing went ok

morning everyone else hope you are ok

SJ am still working but reduced hours and richer for it

Paddle - sorry about your poor wee DD Hope it all works out somehow today

Hi SFX how are you feeling?

hi foxie fine I guess thanks for asking, am trying to compare to last time but can't remember. hunted down my diary and it says
-twinges below, am very tired
never really had the sickness just some nausea

on the subject of council tax, I hear last night that they had reached agreement so figures should be out soon - never good news.

another thing, while walking by the river yesterday I came across 2 policewomen
I hope it is not getting dangerous there and they just went for a quiet stroll

Morning all.

Happy Birthday, SJ, a fellow scorpion! Have a lovely meal tonight at the Thai place.

Paddle, sorry to hear your DD is still poorly. Hope she gets better real soon.

Thanks for the restaurant suggestions! Escale is nice, had couscous there before - fab! Love Italian. Hmmm, decisions, decisions!

DS has a bessie mate (male) at nursery. Apparently they are alwasy playing together. He happens to be Oriental/Anglo mix, too. I find it quite sweet and interesting.

BTW, my company is introducing Child Voucher scheme from next month. Busy Bee, I think. It works out you are about 80-90 quid a month better off. Are you on the scheme, QC?

I'm the FD Susi - first thing I did afetr DS was set a scheme up! Unfortunately as I'm single I only get half the advantage as each parent gets an allowance. Bizarre that it attahces to each parent not to each child. So a single parent with two children gets half the benefit of two parents with one child!

Sorry mini-paddle is still ill - we can dicuss tomorrow a better option if she's still poorly.

happy birthday SJ

Our FD and HR are useless! You should work for my company, QC! How's Gherkin-kun?

that is interesting and really hits home that those making policy are often far removed from most peoples' realities

likewise all those ideas of penalising single mums to encourage marriage

my former company are now revising job share and flexi work because so many at my level left once thy had kids and they are having a really hard time replacing them, long term vacancies really affecting the service

Happy Birthday SJ, tra la la! Are you off to Kew to buy yourself a pressie Paddle - hope your dd is feeling better soon.

sushi - gherkin-kun is sooooo much better. HAs lost a lot of weight though - he is skinny enough to be a supermodel as his ribs are showing. Poeple don't realise how slight he is because he has such chubby cheeks.

Glad Gherkin is better. Ds is even skinnier than Gherkin I think, he's the only baby I know who has a 6 pack, his abs are rock solid when you feel them

Thanks for b'day wishes, went for a lovely walk, the weather is gorgeous. Bunyan went to the gardens today not shppoing. I have allowed myself a birthday present...no housework for today

DH got me some chocs, a bottle of whiskey(!) & some toilettries - do you think he got my presents on the way home from Sweden??!

Happy birthday SJ

QC, glad Gherkin-kun is better. Thought showing ribs were normal for wee ones. My DS certainly has very visible ribs.

LOL, SJ. You were lucky to have chocs, whiskey and toiletries. Mine was only a card but I'm not complaining.

Definitely not complaining, just thought it was funny! Going to indulge in some chocs now & watch Neighbours for midday treat

normally his ribs at the front are covered by a little belly...