D'y ever wonder when it is going to stop snowing??

[Chopstheduck]

Morning girls xx

School is on thank goodness, but not til 10, and dh is wfh

We were looking at photo-albums from winter 2009, such lovely deep snow in London, and sweet little childish faces. Endless pictures of autumn walks Dh alone with ds2 hiking in an Irish forest...where were we the other two kept asking? Clearly too lazy to go walking we replied! I think they began to realise it is better to be outside with landscapes if you want to be captured in a photo...and admired by posterity.

Morning girls xx

morning girls.

Soks - fingers crossed for you. Hope James is better this morning and it isn't a fracture.

wilderness, I feel tired just reading that post!

Trips, hope you are on the mend now.

I finally got rid of the rabbit hutches yesterday - the garden now looks very bare and a lot bigger! Been a busy weekend full of jobs and early starts, looking forward to some quiet time today and off for my run. The snow has finally disappeared here, thank goodness!

We're trying dt2 on a dairy free diet for a few days. For a couple of years now, he has had unexplainable bad breath. Nothing wrong with his teeth, cleans them properly, scrubs his tongue. Dentist was at a loss. Then we noticed it got worse after breakfast, so we are going to try cutting out dairy see if that helps. Poor boy is starting to get teased at school for it :(

Rubes - on week 4, and Sat I ran nearly a mile without stopping!! I was so elated - running is better than wine! Prob shouldn't have celebrated with a nandos today, but I've still lost 2lb this week.

OK for whatever reason Bolton has two Sixth form colleges. One out of the centre of town and one 15 minutes walk away from us. The one in Bolton will cost us £4.50 a day in return bus fare and doesn't do the exact course Tom wants. The one in our town has the perfect two year IT practitioners course that Tom is longing to do.....he wont need busfare and he knows a lot of the kids who are hoping to go to the local college.

Just rang to confirm the open night date. The receptionist was very polite and very helpful and VERY KEEN for Tom to go to the town centre one.....I explained in a very polite and measured voice that my son wanted to go to the local college because it had the best course for him and because it is 'busfare free!!' Her reply 'Oh I see, could you ring back in about an hour and arrange for him to come and have a look around the local college then?' Certainly can Mrs Receptionist.....can you tell I am starting as I mean to go on with this college lark...no more the nice lady who puts up with every crap decision they make on my sons behalf LOL.....and breathe!!

wonder why they were advising the other one, shabs?

Found a cat this morning, :( Poor thing, looked like a road accident had killed him during the night, didn't want to just leave him, or have all the little ones seeing him on the school run, so covered him up then went back with the car to take him to the vets. Hope they trace the owner. I've posted him on the national register, not sure what else I can do, just hope he is microchipped. Annoyingly the vet didn't seem to want my details - guess they probably get so many brought in, so I probably won't really find out if his owners did get found.

Kind of suspect that they have a lot of spare places at the town centre one....the one he doesn't want to go to and the one he is NOT going to

Ah I see!

Chops that is sooooo kind of you with the poor cat, I wish that lady had done the same for my poor Ollie. I have deservedly come back to bed, awful night, red raw throat. Got up at 6.45am, saw the kids off, then spent an hour tidying their tips and in doing so cut my foot on a small piece of glass on Rebeccas floor. Its a lovely day here, bright blue sky if the sun goes on to my shed I might open it up for the first time this year. We are now seriously talking holidays, trouble is no one can decide exactly where to go. The contenders atm are
West Coast Adventure......me and kids
Cruise...............kids
Florida..........all of us
My problem is budget, I want to do it but dont want to spend half Mums inheritance to do it. I know we should live for today but my situation is abit scary with dh having cancer and being so much older than me, three 15 year olds to support for a long time yet. I keep thinking though I dont want to think about it about pre paying for our funerals. App the cheapest one now is about £3,600 each, but just imagine if God forbid something did happen to us both, what would the kids do? All they would have is the house. Life is tricky! I would value your opinions girls :)

trips, my parents never financially supported me at all. On the one hand, I might have actually gone thru Uni if they had (living on £500 a term just wasn't doable in the end!), but I don't resent it, and I think I still have a good enough life now! I'm def a live for the moment person, and I want to give the kids experiences that will last a lifetime. That's half the reason I comp - all the amazing things with memories that will last a lifetime. So I'd personally go for the holiday. Not Florida though!

Florida is ok for theme parks and outlet shopping, I didn't like Miami, I thought the keys were ok. I wouldn't go back. I preferred Chicago and Indy tbh! Since you've already done Cali, why not a different road trip? Route 66? Start in Maine or Boston and down to Washington? I really really want to do Maine to Washington with the older two kids next. Not sure though if anyone would have the twins for 2-3 weeks though!

Hi, I'm back!
Trips - Hope you feel better soon, I also have a rotten cold and have completely lost my voice, trying to get the family to understand what I want/need is a nightmare at the moment! I am afraid I am a conservative person when it comes to money, especially as having been in serious financial difficulties in the past. is there any way to have a great holiday and still have some savings left over?
Chops - So kind of you to deal with the cat in such a sensitive way, well done with the running, and also good luck with your sons diet.
Wilderness - I think you need to get DH involved with some appointments, if you spread yourself too thin, you will break!
Shabs - Keep pushing for the local collage hun, this is best for Tom in every way!
Soks - I hope your James doesn't have a fracture, and you get to have a great holiday.
Well, we have registered our interest in 2 rescue dogs, one a 1yr old Staffie boy, who is in a rescue place in Norfolk, and the other a 3mth old Staffie boy at the RSPCA in Ipswich. We want either another Staff or a JRT, and we also know we need a boy, and it has to be young enough to learn to live with the cats, which does restrict our choices a little. We hope to get one or other as Cleo is already getting stressed on her own, she keeps going out in the garden looking for him, and on walks she is whining the whole time, and really just wants to get home to see if henis there, I wish I could mske her understand he is not coming back
We went out shopping yesterday afternoon, as much so I could get out of the house as anything, and she was so pathetically happy to see us when we got home
The boys are reading The Hunger Games set of books at school, and they pursaded us to rent the film yesterday, I was not keen, but I am really glad I watched it, it is a great film, even if quite violent.

Morning girls xx

Morning girls xx

Bubby have you read the books? I really liked the books, but thought the film wasn't quite as good. dd is a huge fan though. Hope you find a companion for cleo soon. How is J now?

Hi Bubbs and welcome back, how is your ankle now? Hope you all had a good time. I would sooooo love a dog, James has always wanted one, our house and garden are just too small and we struggle now finding someone to feed Molly when we are away. Still in a dither about a big holiday, I feel we should live for today..............but.............we live on dh`s pensions, so no chance of earning any money now. I have contacted Charter Travel in Surrey, we have booked all our big hols with them in the past, they are going to ring me today with some quotes. Still full of cold so no town for me today, its raining anyway. Want to finish the kids book they are reading for English gcse, Of Mice and Men..........its really good, read half last night. Back later :)

Oh Bubbly I was obsessed with The Hunger Games when I read them in the summer. Film couldn't quite compare but it was still pretty good. I loved the way it reminded you of the Romans, and all the satire about us now too,celebrity,decadence, talk shows, telly, the lot really... I love all sci-fi dystopian stuff like the Road etc (although that was too depressing to read twice or evenwatch) Whenever I watch telly interviews now a chill comes over at how the Hunger Games just "got" that interviewing speak. And it made me watch Olympics with a pinch of salt too..all those Victory parades. Not the same of course

Tripletsgood luck with holiday planning. It is a big decision. I suppose it is like a wedding, unjustifiable expense, but you have to do it! We spend nothing on holidays, and I'm afraid we are not better people for it! However, there must be some compromise solution from a big blow-out?

Feeling a bit bleugh this morning. Jan/Feb are truly foul aren't they..

Managed to get a bit of handwriting practice done with ds2 ths morning and all kids off to school quite happily, but Dh is in a rather irritating mood, and we are having the usual arguments about decluttering (he thinks the children's possessions are sacred and must never never be relegated, books toys etc) Even when the evidence before him is that we cannot find anything or tidy anything due to sheer tide of STUFF! I think he just thinks more tidying will solve problem, or more bookshelves.

I changed ds2' boxroom out last night and threw away a mountain of applecores and crisp packets but nothing else. That I placed in a bin bagin the corridor so Dh could trip overit [mean emoticon] Ds2 wasDELIGHTED with his new tidy spacious room Hope Dh gets message that possessions are not more important than families.

Loads of errands today, includn defleaing cats and takingdd to appt a long way away.

oh I can't be doing with clutter. We have too much essential stuff, let alone unnecessary clutter!

Have you seen the Black mirror dramas on channel 4, wilderness? I think you would LOVE them linky One of the best things on tv I ever watched.

Wilderness - I am the one who cant bear to throw things away - way too much clutter around here, and I'm afraid my DC are like me. Before Xmas I tried de-cluttering their rooms, to make room for new stuff, but, unless irt was broken, both DC couldnt let things go, even some toys they out grew years ago.
[Chops] I havent read the books, but want to now.
[Trips] = good luck with the search, whatever you decide.
Shabs - you are very quiet today
Bit pee'd off with local RSPCA, they have turned us down for adoption, as I work 2 days a week. They said it didnt count DH coming home lunchtime for an hour and DS getting home at 3pm on those days, it was too long, even tho our dogs are never left more than 4 hours on thos 2 days. made me and the animals missing out on a home because of those restrictions, however, on Saturday we are going to see some dogs at the Norfolk branch, who say our arrangements are perfectly ok!!

Its crazy Bubbs, homes full of poor creatures longing to belong to a loving family like yours, good luck in Norfolk. Feeling abit better but no sure I should go up to school in the morning, got a very sore nose! Just finished read Of Mice and Men, kids have been reading it fo three weeks at school, I started it last night! Really enjoye it but abit baffled by the last sentence, research! The travel agent are phoning tomorrow with some quotes for Florida, I know its going to be too expensive. I am going to work on something else................an adventure!! Night night all, Kale Nits Shabs...........you ok?? xx

Morning girls xx

Tom had a meltdown last night......sobbed for hours. He has only just gone to sleep. Says he feels like he is mental. Asked me to fix it for him because I can always fix it. 'Mum, please make me smart again....I cant remember anything and my insides hurt.'

Will be ringing school today and asking can he see the pastoral care team.

morning girls x

Poor Tom :( Hopefully he will feel a bit better this morning, he really needs a good break. Contacting the pastoral team sounds like a good plan.

Fingers crossed for the quote, trips.

Bubby that does sound rather silly, good luck with the Norfolk one.

Ravi has just got up, sore throat seems worse, losing his voice, slightly warm, but he is still determined to go to cross country club after school. I not sure it's a good idea, but don't want to stop him when he is so determined not to miss it. He is hoping to make the school team, and very dedicated! I'm proud of him, but don't want him to get even sicker.

Just talked to the year team. I tried hard not to but I ended up crying. They said to keep him off today but to make sure he goes in tomorrow. They are arranging sessions with the school counsellor (sp??) who is a lovely lady. Teacher I spoke to said there are a couple of boys in year 11 who would really benefit from seeing the counsellor - one is Tom and the other is in the same situation as Tom.....she said they are both very bright, polite, confident boys, who often doubt themselves and their abilities. She is arranging for him to take his French test later in the week. For now, I am letting him sleep.

Don't slap yourself, shabs, have a

The school are expecting far too much imo, and I'm glad they said let him have the day off and are going to support him. Can you have some quality time with him later, take him for a coffee or something?

I am taking him to the barbers!! He has long hair that curls at the ends...he would love blond 'Surfer' hair but he has dark crazy hair!!! He is in desperate need of a haircut - not short but a shorter version of what he has. He loves having a hair cut - its just getting him there He asked could we bring his desk downstairs so he is not stuck in his room revising.

Under our stairs has a large area that is mainly wasted space. I am going to bring his desk down and put it there. Will take him and get him some new stationary stuff - sounds odd but he loves fineline pens and pencil crayons that he uses all the time for Graphics etc. Will give him a workstation that means he is not totally alone in his room (and that will take away the temptation of going on the PS3).

He loves to be organised (but prefers it if he has help to get organised - typical man).