Thread 56 – Covid GCSE Cohort – Spring 26 – Yr 4 Uni and Graduates

[crazycrofter]

The old thread has filled up and no one noticed - I think we're missing @oblomov26 sharp eyes!

I've tried to tag in everyone I can think of, but apologies to anyone I've missed!
@shimy @endlessdistraction @justherewithmypopcorn @mummyinbeds @aslockton @oubliettebravo @craggyrat @anothernewname460 @ealingwestmum @ewwsprouts @seeline @piggywaspushed @nctdn @icanbewhatiwant @comefromaway @heifer @kingscotestaff @delphigirl @zebracat @cantonet @socks1107 @blinkbonny @anneofcleavage

I just have never really rated cooking / cooked food. My mum was a terrible cook so I was brought up on beige!

I just eat crap really .

Also my tastes are really different from DH's so if I cooked for him and me every night I'd end up eating stuff I don't want a lot!

That reminds me of a time when DD was probably about 8 and we were discussing who disliked what in our family (unfortunately we all have very different tastes in food). I was explaining that DS doesn’t like potatoes (he won’t touch them), DH doesn’t like pasta (will tolerate it well disguised in lasagne or similar), DD doesn’t like spicy food (the rest of us do). Then she said “how come there aren’t any things you don’t like Mum” which had me puzzled because there are a fair few. Then we realised, cook’s privilege, we just never had the things I don’t like because I did nearly all the shopping and cooking. Trying to cater for these diverse tastes has been one of the banes of my parenting life and I gladly let everyone sort themselves out most of the time now.

My DH was medically retired from Police after an assault left him with brain injury and various physical limitations. But he does all housework and cooking while I do life admin as he can't. He's a magnificent ironer after wearing a uniform. Ironically he has no sense of taste or smell following injury but is a terrific cook. He makes stuff up but I'm a recipe follower. I dislike cooking a lot though. DS and I do eat meat t but DH has been vegetarian for 45 years after a school visit to a factory...he will happily cook meat for us. Really interesting to hear about other families and food.

In other news DS has just had email from Army to say his medical appeal is successful but they are still worried about his non existent conditions that were total mistakes on records. However they are going to send him to a medical board for final check so some progress. He would rather do Army route than PGCE at C so let's hope they move quickly...

Congratulations on all the degree outcomes and graduations. Graduations are very special days. DS did not have a guest speaker but DH (in 1994) had Maureen Lipman who was fabulous!

@craggyratthat is good that your DS is getting somewhere with the army albeit slowly. Sandhurst intakes are 3 times a year, so hopefully he will make the January one. Has he done the AOSB yet?

Good news for ds @craggyrat - if slightly frustrating that they're still worried about the non-existent condition!

@Aslockton no he hasn't been anywhere yet. This is the first progress since this time last year when he applied! And now it is medical assessment to see if he is okay to proceed. Painful but some slight progress. Third time they have had these GP records...Ive said take the first available medical date when it comes through. He finishes work on Friday and then is just doing tutoring or agency stuff so he can ve totally flexible

We're all food obsessed here.
I grew up eating Curries from a very young age as my dad loved cooking. We also used to go frequently to a really good Chinese for a set lunch in the centre of Manchester. He had postgrad students who used to give him boxes of baclava.
My mum could only cook stew, rice pudding that you sliced & stuffed peppers ( Irish descent). But she was good at shopping and finding places that sold genuine German Sausage & big tubs of pickled/sweet herrings
DH is Malaysian chinese & they are all food obsessed.
Hence i cook every day.
Yesterday a big pot of garlic dahl.
The day before Thai beef salad.
Today watermelon & feta salad with pickled red onions & tajin. Plus nutty quinoa salad with an Asian dressing.
The boys are home & they eat a lot. But essentially the whole family are all really good cooks.dd2 was making tricky cakes from about 7.
@craggyrat finally some progress 👋🏼
Congratulations to all on the wonderful results & graduations 👏🏼
Ds2 has passed his psychology exams (thought he'd failed) & is moving to engineering next year. I made him complete the year ( to teach him some responsibility) but it wasn't really needed.
Dd2 has split up with her boyfriend of 4 years that she was sharing a flat with & is now going into year 3 architecture.
Dd1 is in a very strange town doing a specialist vet internship in the middle of nowhere & is really missing Bristol.
Ds1is fixing up bikes & needs to job hunt!

@

Good to hear your update @cantonet and sorry about dd2's relationship break up. How is she doing? Dd's ex has now unfollowed her on social media which has upset her - even though she seems to have accepted the break up and that they weren't right for each other. She thought they were going to stay friends...

What is your ds1 doing about completing his degree? ( I have got that right haven't I?)

Cautiously good news for DS there @craggyrat

Sorry about DD2's relationship @Cantonet. Mine and DH's upbringings do indeed account for some of our differences in food tastes, my DF served in the military in SE Asia before I was born and we grew up in the UK on curries, stir fries, noodles, in the 70s/80s when this was all very exotic. My parents had extensive spice racks in their kitchen. Whereas DH grew up in a meat and two veg house where the only seasoning was salt and garlic was not permitted under any circumstances. Your food sounds delicious and exactly the sorts of things DS and I love. DD has followed DH into the plain food zone.

I It’s so nice to catch up and hear how people are doing. The food chat makes my mouth water - I love spicy / interesting food . DH is happy with plain salad!
My DD’s are back from uni - the house looks like a bombsite! Stuff everywhere.
eldest has passed her Third year medicine ( had to take a year out) and she is turning into a confident happy being. She won’t ever return home to live. 2nd DD is content , enjoying her English course and my 3rd has just finished her lower sixth.
unfortunately for our finances it looks like they will all overlap at uni!

Dd2 is fine. It was her decision, but we are all a little sad. As he was a member of our family and very easy to have around. Ds1 ( twins) also got on brilliantly with him & they would all go off skiing together.
Ds1 hasnt yet told DH as we've just returned from Perugia. I've given him until the end of the week otherwise i will tell him myself. Dh is getting suspicious as to whether he's passed though.
DH needs to have a proper talk with him as he doesn't cooperate with me.
Ds2 did the month long Chinese course that we paid for last year & met up with several uni friends in hk for a break in the middle. He's had a persistent pinoloidal cyst that was operated on last year but not removed.
Of course it flared up in china & he was given antibiotics which he didn't take ! So now it is worse & needs to be removed but it's impossible on the NHS.

@CantonetI have just had to Google that cyst. Ouch. That sounds very uncomfortable. Hopefully he can get it sorted soon.

I grew up in a meat and two veg household. I never ate broccoli, pizza or a curry until I was an adult! I had never been on a plane until I was 19. I have made up for it as an adult and often take a cookery course at a destination or a food tour. By the end of this year I should be up to 48 countries (if Jordan stays open and safe).

Ooh I’m not particularly well traveled @Aslockton but I’ve been to Jordan - it’s an amazing country!

Good to hear from you @coffeeandbiscuittime- commiserations re the uni costs 😩

I grew up in a meat and two veg household (although I’ve been vegetarian since I was 16). Nothing with any hint of spice was allowed. Even pasta and rice were frowned upon as being exotic. DH is half Japanese, and his mum was a semi-professional chef, so he had a very different culinary experience as a child.

@Aslocktonwow you've really caught up with all that travelling. I'm really envious of you both &@crazycrofteri would love to visit Jordan.
My Dd1 was in a similar situation to your dd. Her ex told her he wanted to split up .... But he still loved her & was therefore going to unfollow her & all her friends & family straight away. She met him on a dating app & he was in TV. They had moved in together into a flat but every time she worked a week of nights he went home to his parents. She has now removed all dating apps ....

@OublietteBravo that must have been an interesting melding of cultures when you initially met. Who does the cooking now?
Well done to your eldest @coffeeandbiscuittime.
It's great when they settle down after a year out.
I hear you on the overlapping costs. It's been much the same here.

Graduation 1 complete. I've never been so hot and sweaty but it was a fab day. I couldn't understand most of it (all the formal bits were in Welsh) but very proud of DD. She is now out in Aber, dragging DS along to take his mind off the England result and degree results tomorrow 😬

Well done to dd @mummyinbeds ! And good luck for today - are results out for everyone at Notts? Dd was expecting her diss results last week, but then got a note to say they were delayed. I didn't know they were due today....

Dd has been doing mental health first aid training this week, and today it's suicide prevention. She's really enjoyed it. She's staying with a friend in Birmingham at least one night a week at the moment to cut down on the travelling. Has anyone else just started a new job? I've lost track! Hope it's going well for them.

@crazycrofter as far as I'm aware all results are out today.

And...DS smashed it!!!! He's so relieved and almost stopped sulking about the football. Graduation 2 next week 😁

Especially well done to your ds @mummyinbeds& of course your DD. I remember your ds was really apprehensive beforehand 👏🏼

Well done to ds @mummyinbeds!!! And well done to you for four years of full-on support! 🎉

Dd has her 2:1, but she’s disappointed with an average of 63.8 and is beating herself up about wasting our money on a masters year which didn’t really improve her average - but as far as I’m concerned, at least she’s now got a masters! And she enjoyed the year! Considering how hard she found it in years 1 and 2, the undiagnosed AuDHD, and her average of 55 from year 2, I’m very happy and relieved.

Very well done to all the results today!

Well done @crazycrofter DD. Which day is her graduation?

29th July - think she must be one of the last at Nottingham?