Thread #3. Fed Up With Being Chief Cook And Bottle Washer. Sunscreen.

[Solo]

I know! I'll take that over a man any day of the week

I have found a social group on meet up dot com that is doable so I will be trying it out in a couple of weeks. Let's hope it proves to be the social breakthrough I have been waiting for! It is for those aged 35 plus and in the photos there are many of all ages above that so I won't feel out of place and I believe they are all working too. Now ds is 13 I can justify a night out here and there.

Happy Easter everyone!

Flowers that sounds good! Let us know how it goes.

Yes Happy Easter to you all.

Hello .... I'm a single parent have been for over a year now ... please may I join your thread? With all my friends being married or in long term relationships with children, I don't think they quite understand my life as it stands now xx

Hi Zomo and welcome :) Just dive in. The thread goes quiet but, someone will usually answer you.
Life can be tough on your own. Is the father supportive in any way? Do you get a break? I don't think many on here do. I certainly don't but, Dd is 11 now so, not so dependant on me now - at least, not when indoors.

Hi Zomo welcome!

Welcome Zomo this is why I tend to avoid people who are in couple scenarios as I do not find them on my wavelength. I do not wish to be like them or desire their status and find we are at cross purposes.

Unless it is something shared that we have in common and we have met through that interest for example.

I would love to know some interesting single parents near where I live but the two I do know live really far. There is one who works near where I live she is nice but has her cosy social network as she has lived in this small town all her life whereas I am an outsider. I am implementing some job adjustments so I haven't been to the social meet group as yet until I am over the work hurdle. I cannot go socialising with new people when I am feeling stressed!

I seem to be in the company of married or coupled up 'friends' less and less these days...only just realised it.

Dd is spending so much time on her iPad talking to her friend (nice girl, I don't have a problem with that) and I let her get an Instagram account. The other evening she asked me "Mum, can I get a Tinder account" I ask her to repeat...She wanted a Twitter account. Phew! This parenting thing...!

I have been feeling very exhausted and was going dizzy of late until it dawned on me I needed iron supplements. It is my own fault in a way,, I had been neglecting my diet and not eating enough greens and fruit and I had stopped eating steaks twice a week. I think I have learned my lesson now and have been enjoying beansprouts every evening they are delicious as a stirfry! I long to burst with vitality like I did before ds was born no I didn't say that lol. To be honest most Aprils I really do feel pants anyway it is nearly over now! A few more days left ......

I'm the same! Not dizzy but, not feeling good. I've really neglected my diet lately.

Yes Solo I had got to the point where my daily vegetables consisted of frozen peas or frozen sweetcorn lol. I am endeavouring to use my Nutri Ninja daily from now on and not just 4 days a week. It really stops headaches if I juice every single day.

It does take a lot of time effort and discipline. On the plus side ds actually enjoyed the Chicken Tonight meal I cooked yesterday. He is so fussy I had anticipated him asking for baked beans on toast after two mouthfuls....

I have also started eating blueberries daily again. Every little helps right.

Well, peas and sweetcorn are better than what I've been having! Dd has 3 pieces of fruit a day so, I knew she was having something but, I just got down and tired and lazy so, I wasn't bothering to cook and ended up throwing vegetables away! I need to get back to cooking but, I have a lot on my plate atm with various things going wrong here at home. Ho hum.

I am used to things going wrong in the house we haven't had a working shower since last August and I cannot see it getting replaced in a hurry. The car needs servicing very very soon plus there is a rear suspension expense to factor in.

Ds's dad has decided to ignore all my texts to him these days and to reply via ds. I know he is strange but he is very odd right now to do this. He is also sending a small bit of cash in the post here and there to ds (£20/£40 etc) instead of paying it direct into my bank account. He has gone weird like this since not being able to pay the maintenance. Perhaps he is too embarrassed to go into it who knows. His behaviour never surprises me that is all I know. Now he is on benefits and 16 hours of work he has gone even more peculiar.

It is a wonder I can look a man in the eye ever again!!

Well, Dd face timed with her father on Monday evening. He's an idiot.

Flowers my list of things going wrong in and with my house is growing! My house alarm keypad is faulty so, I can't use it at the moment. My water tank ball cock valve isn't working so, I have a constant stream of water from the overflow. My drains are blocked and I discovered that the 1/2 sink drain/plug area in the kitchen is not seated right and leaks if the drains back up. My dining room is falling away from the main house. My boiler stopped working during the first snowfall. 2/3rds of the lights downstairs don't work. My wall units in the kitchen are falling off the walls so, I've had to empty them.

Shame you don't still live down this way as I have family that fix cars.

Blimey Solo I thought I had it tough lol. Luckily I know a god fearing plumber and god fearing electrician. It is still dough though and has to be found somewhere.

It is a struggle to find £20 for the diy man right now!

On the plus side I have found online something that matches my perimenopausal symptoms perfectly so going to buy that as a matter of priority. I would sooner feel normal first myself than fix a house and still feel below par lol.

You know you can buy drains cleaners in pound shops etc they are only a quid e.g. Easy and so on. Work a treat. Other than that there is a long wire thing you can obtain to unclog outside drains... Would this help you at all? I have seen it perhaps you can purchase it online. Saves cost of a plumber. You just let it go down the drain as much as possible outside and it unclogs ....

Drain rods? I have some but, they are in my shed that I can't get into because the ground under it has shifted (?) and the shed is lopsided...

I've had enough. Glad you know people though. Down here though, everything costs the earth as I'm sure you'll remember.

Oh, and I didn't mention the windows...some have no handles on, so don't lock (you can't tell from outside) and all of them are draughty and full of condensation in between the 'sealed' units.
There are other issues too but, I won't continue.

I am sure you have already wondered if it is worth selling and buying anything cheaper. Should such exist.

My property hasn't gone up one pound in all these ten years I have lived here. The double glazing is old but still works. I am planning to replace it when I cash in a private pension once ds is 18. I can't do it before then or it affects the Child Tax Credit.

I will also have to man up and decorate the house slowly as the funds just aren't there to pay somebody. I have given up fantasising of acquiring a decorating friendly boyfriend!

Yes things are exorbitant down there.

How about checking out gumtree for a handyman maybe he can do some drainage work. The rates will all vary. Or ask at the local newsagent. I used to acquire handy boyfriends but these days I am short of tolerance towards men so I suffer in silence lol.

I couldn't sell at the right price the way the house is. I'm supposed to be rewiring, new windows, soffits, fascias and guttering now and probably next year, a new kitchen. Wood burning stove, plastering, new flooring, garden...Once it looks like I've been maintaining the house, I can call the insurance people in to look at the extension. If I tried to sell now, I'd probably have to sell at £70k under what I'd get for it by spending a bit. I couldn't buy a 1 bed flat for £230k here so, selling now is not an option. If I was going to sell - achieving the best price once the house is good, I'd probably still have to leave London and I can't do that until 2024 at the earliest due to Dd's schooling.

My drain is clear! I did it today :) Used a gloved hand in the end.

Well done Solo nice bit of girl power works wonders! You can get that special Jeyes fluid too to add down the drain.