April chat for locals

[mellow2]

New thread for new month!

Where is Bunyans ds???

Eeerily the same COV - DH Born over there and came here for political reasons...!

Yes, do you think we could hire Cilla Black for the night??!

I'm sure it'll be much easier once I've met you all as I can just pop to Kew G and hopefully recognise you all!!

SJ I am Anthea in disguise! I do loads of cooking/baking then freeze portions, also make loads of bread/pita/rolls/bagels and freeze, also soups, yoghurts, pies, casseroles etc. Plenty of milk, pastry etc etc. Then also go to the butcher/fishmonger and get stocked up on meat which I portion and put away, also make my own mince/burgers/sausages.

I currently have enough confit of duck in my freezer to host a dinner party for about 15-20 people! God I need to get out more don't I

Oh how weird! Dh's family left/escaped from 1964 onwards.

How strange! DH was born there in 1970 and left in 1971 ish - they left him there for a year to get set up in London (and secretly jet set on holidays!!)

yes cov or invite us all to yours again should you feel the need to empty your freezer

Lau on the first night out I don't think I knew anyone got to the restaurant and saw Bunyan and lemonaid at the very same restaurant we are meeting on Friday, if I recall mrsR sat next to me at some point KC across and Foxie gave me a lift one

What part of SA? Dh's family are from J'burg (his father's side from Cape Town). Did they leave because of their involvement with politics or because they were against the politics of the time?

I shall empty something out of it on Friday whilst you are all living it up and I am sat at home alone

I am actually really bad at using frozen stuff, sometimes I cook in bulk put it all in proper containers and forget about it, never really know how long after I can use it iyswim

SJ I dd placed a couple of dolls at the foot of her bed so that 'they could see her sore nose'

• just how dramatic is she?

I have a wipeable board thingy from Lakeland that I keep a record of what is in there (one for each freezer) and wipe it off when I take something out, that way I know what and when to restock. I tend to use things up within 3 months (I have freezerproof pens to label stuff with what it is and the date it was put in. I really am sad (but if I'm not in control and have everything organised I get genuinely panicky)

that is not sad just quite sensible. I think for quite a while I used to have to keep control over everything plan ahead be responsible for all sorts at work, so I wanted things much more chilled on the home front.

but these days I am really feeling the need to get back in control and plan properly.
meal planning here I come

but bed first

some things i still do like labelling/dating things when I open them in the fridge drives dh mad and the rest of my family make fun of me.
I also check the temperature daily

Sadly it is true that if I don't have things organised I do feel out of control and I react physically (for want of a better way of describing it). It primarily manifests itself in my disturbed sleep patterns, and loss of appetite/nausea. DH laughs at my little habits but I think he has come to realise that it is a deeper issue than that.

SJ,
Thanks for the birthday wishes.

Sfx,
Sorry to hear that dd has got a cold. The Mellow family all have colds too. I hope I"m well enough to go out on Friday. I wouldn't like pass the cold on to anyone.

good morning all

hope you are all ok to day

gaelsmama - if you around I expect there is great interest in the news for you

definitely colds here dd was coughing and spluttering all night, I expect the weather to be ok later so will go for a walk to the shops.

on another subject can anyone recommend a carpet cleaning company please? but not too expensive or maybe a place to rent machines to do it ourselves
TIA

Oh bugger, have a problme with babysitting for my nephews 18th party on Sat Anyone fancy 3 hrs babysitting on Sat evening - reasonable rates and no pesky DH to bother you? Or know anyone?

Will get DS off to sleep first and he's unlikely to wake up.

Morning All,

Sorry QC - no can do babysitting - am visiting DH's family over from SA

COV - DHs mums family are from Pretoria and fathers from Durban - I'm pretty sure it was because they were against the politics of the time (being indian) and wanted to start a better life for their children before they were affected by it.

I'm going to try Snakes and Ladders in Syon Park today if anyone wants to come.

COV - I am genuinely envious of your organisational skills, I used to be fab at it when I was at work but now I'm on mat leave I just can't seem to do it...!

KC not sure how that would go as I usually get dd to bed and she settles between 8-9 am guessing Saturday it will be nearer 9.
dh is doing bedtime on Friday for night out so 2 night on the trot might be too much for him.
to be fair he has not had a day off in 2 weeks so is likely to be more frazzled than usual.

HAPPY ST ds DAY to you all.....And Belated Happy Birthday to Mellows dd for yesterday.

My current AP is training to be a baker so her cooking skills are excellent - maybe I should get her to stock up the freezer. I used to do a big cook/freeze (get our meat from Costco COV) on a Saturday but now I'm at the van most weekends and would rather be on the beach/swimming.

sj - congrats on the mortgage.

KC - am planning to go the caravan on Saturday morning, so won't be around. I could ask my (new!) AP (she babysat paddle's dd) she has 10 younger siblings (youngest 1year old) so is well used to kids. She is wonderful with them. She is going into London during the day so could get the tube to yours later on in the evening. Let me know and I'll ask her.

Morning all.

QC - sorry, not really helpful here - same reason as sfx, my DS doesn't normally go to sleep till 9.30-10.00 (if he skips his nap, that's a different story) and I'm out on Friday so a bit unfair for DH... Hope MrsR's AP will be able to help you out.

SJ - congrats on the mortgage. So you've made up your mind?

sfx - sorry, no experience on carpet cleaners. Saw the signboard outside the hardware shop in Kew (next to Glasshouse) but have no idea if they are any good, tbh.

what's an AP?!

Lau AP = au pair

thanks sushi

off to netmums I go

AH HA!!

so among you all stylish folk can recommend a shop where I can find a reasonably priced wedding outfit?
I suppose I should wear a dress but I have exactly 2 dresses both wrap casual, not much of a dress person

any ideas? still a couple of months to go but am don't want to leave it for the same weed as with my own wedding dress