June 08 - 118 (and counting) sleeps till Chistmas, but don't tell Deb!

[EddieIzzardismyhero]

Welcome to our new, cosy thread. Log fires, big jumpers and Christmas shopping .

What do you mean it's still August?!

poppy thanks - I used Stix's (when she was AN) old list of nanny questions and I think it went well. We're going to offer her the job if her references are okay. DH and I were both there and think she seems fine - not outstanding but fine - and she was very enthusiastic about mucking around outside and is a fully qualified nursery nurse who was working at the local nursery until recently when she took an au-pair job abroad that just fell through. Her family situation is the typical Aberdeen oil family - spent time in the Middle East etc. I really hope her references are good because it'd be lovely to have this sorted!

rolf your poor dd1 - that sounds really painful. We've not had ear issues in this family and I feel lucky... and yes, I am happier these days. Feeling stressed about money was getting me down and this working just takes all the pressure off. I might even get a new washing machine so I can stop taking my delicates (all wools really, not slinky underthings) across to the neighbours to wash!

not a bank holiday here either...

biscuits I've a friend who's setting up her own business making tutus... she does themed ones so you could always get C a goth or a camo version to counteract the princess vibe...

spider my DH and I both have absentminded days like that where we dump the majority of the parenting on the other person. I've been particularly bad lately because I was so down about not working that whenever Dh was around, I was needing a break. Now that I'm getting to work, I need to pull my weight in the evenings.

I'm needing to get started on my christmas present list to give to DH to buy for me. . Last year he didn't bother to buy anything until right before and everything I wanted had sold out so he's asked this year for a list to shop early. I'm not enthralled by anything in Boden or white company though so struggling a bit (he needs an internet shop list too - it can't be anything more challenging that point and click...).

ah she sounds good ( tbh its difficult to tell what they are like at interview as so limited). presumably she can do 2 1/2 days and I reckon that the not having to do drop off , way nanny can pick up if the kids are sick is definitely worth a bit of a premium.

and I agree with you re the balance shifting to one parent sometimes as I know after my mc I didnt do as much as I could at weekends etc. And ali I think that being irritated for some of those things is quite right and not to be blamed on hormones - naffing around with computers I feel your pain on .

Need any suggestions for alternative places to search for pressies? what kind of thing are you thinking about (is now not the time to mention our trip of a lifetime over xmas to australia so not many presents expected).

I know it was sunny eddie but was still cold..Definite end of summer feel here (even on the red wine and not the rose).

Poor you Spider. I'm being quite cranky but without the hormonal excuse. DH keeps saying that he can't tell what I've done in the house, when I've spent all day chucking stuff out and dusting. And getting up with the children, getting their breakfast, doing nappies etc etc.

Glad the interview went well Abdn.

poppy yes, she's happy with the days (it's closer to three days) and honestly I think if she's good I recommend her to a friend of mine who's having a third baby and considering a nanny for one or two days a week.

and yeah for a trip of a lifetime... I'm thinking more of the £50 scarf for me though :) But we're starting to think about a holiday in April in italy...

rolf if I'd spent all day cleaning up and then not had DH appreciate it I'd be very frustrated!

(...I think if she's good I CAN recommend her...)

Hello, finally back in the land of the living (although I shouldn't say that about Ysbyty Gwynedd really).
In brief - cause it's quite boring now! - my week was hellish. Sunday: developed D&V. Monday: still v-ing, trying to deal with HR who had told me I needed to give my presentation to the translator (I did it in Welsh) by 9am. I said (a) translators don't need a final script; (b) it's not finished anyway and (c) discrimination, innit? (i.e. if you're not Welsh you get to do it in your first language and get 2 more days to finish). HR said they didn't have a simultaneous translator and were using someone who wasn't used to doing it. I HIT THE ROOF.
Tuesday: still v-ing, phoned HR and asked what would happen if I was too sick to be at interview. Told maybe it would mean I wouldn't get the job because it's hard to rearrange. (In my sick state I didn't question that.) Managed to send the draft to the translator by 4pm, and was told (after requesting) who the translator was - a professional. GP came out to give me a jab but didn't give it as I thought I was better.
Wednesday: interview. Still unwell but only dry heaving now. Did the interview.
Thursday: still sick.
Friday: still sick. Told I hadn't got the job, got miserable. Then got even sicker, and managed to get a GP appointment, was referred to hospital, wired up to a drip, given a fab anti-sickness injection and remained in hospital until after Sunday lunchtime.

I'm not 100% now - very weak, in a pathetic Victorian way - and eating very, very carefully but have to get back into the swing of things. kind of needed the break really...
With the job, I talked to my mentor, and I'm not feeling that bad about it really, but it does depend on something major - who got it. If, as I suspect (and hope) it went to a 17th/18th cent historian, then fine. (My big worry is that it went to the internal candidate who I know and dislike, and who is far, far less qualified than me and works in the same period.) So my plan is to ring HR tomorrow (wish me luck!) and ask whether it's known. And hope it's all ok. Assuming there isn't something dodgy, then I have a plan for the rest of the year and stuff. Deb knows what it is!

Aren't there HR people on here? Are my HR being weird or something?

Today was good - we went shopping, got some essentials but not the fridge freezer I wanted. New shoes for Iestyn. And a random laptop purchase at Tesco. I spent this evening tidying up my kitchen. Makes me happy, y'know.

Speaking of Christmas, I've already been thinking about it, but there's a more pressing issue. It's our wedding anniversary in October, and we buy each other gifts according to the anniversary. This year, it's 6th, and it's iron. Any ideas?

Also, play food - I want to get some (yes, way behind, I know!) for Iestyn, but where is a good place to get it? I saw an ELC pack but it was very plasticky. Is there any hope of something more wooden and tasteful??

Thanks for all good wishes and messages and everything - I've been very absent recently but thinking of you all and reading from time to time.

Abdn - you must give me the details of the tutu friend, sounds awesome!

Dewin, sorry you've had such an awful time - saw on FB you'd been in hospital : (

Play food, if you don't mind paying a bit extra then Melissa & Doug do gorgeous play food - you can buy it on Amazon.

Intrigued to know what your plans are!

This is my last day at home with the boys before I start work - they're both in nursery tomorrow and Thursday, then I start work Friday! Two days to myself : )

Spider coming to visit today which will be lovely : )

Hi to everyone else x

loving the new name! Although I was not finding it therapeutic yesterday when trying to cope with 13 different balls of yarn for the intarsia blanket I'm making for my sister! enjoy your time to yourself.

Dewin glad you are feeling better, sorry to hear about the job, your HR sound shit.

Rolf, your DH doesn't know how lucky he is.

Dewin, sorry you've had such an awful time of it but glad you're feeling better now.You've made everyone v curious now about plan B!

Deb, one of you is going to have to spill the beans - we don't allow secrets on this thread !

Dewin, there are some lovely things here re:play food.

Biscuits, that sounds like one complicated knitting project!

Dewin sorry about all your woes . Habitat has some nice wooden toy food. It's quite good for whacking people on the head .

What's plan B?

I can't knit

I'm hiding at the back of the house as Steroid Bob has just appeared in his driveway, and T is standing on a basket pointing at him, and DD1 is shouting "it's that beastly man"

Oh God, apparently he's coming down our driveway...

Good luck Rolf, let us know what happens

this is where we've been for lunch,it's only 10 minutes from our house and we couldn't believe the snow in August. Whilst we were there, about 5 cms fell on the car and had started settling on the road!

Just lost super long post explaining what I imagined some of the rationale would be with your HR dept Dewin. Meh. In summary - I can kind of see both sides, but need to crack on with some work.

Rolf - come back!

He was making a pre-complaint in anticipation of having something real to complain about. It was something to do with the boys DS1 plays football with although apparently DS1 didn't do anything. He said in his dim but scary way "I'm a VERY reasonable person, Rolf", with his scary inflatable neck bulging. I am silly in that I allow him to get to me and cast a cloud over my day, so he has obviously been sent to help me deal with my own rage and grudge-bearing ishoos and I'm not doing very well.

All that snow in August, Deb

Oh Rolf I was reading your post and so imagined him actually calling you 'Rolf' I PMSL!

I have no tummy button left.

You and me both, Amber but I suspect your no-tummy-button looks a bit nicer than mine . How are you feeling? Can we start interfering suggesting names?

If he really is on steroids then does it make his voice go up and down and I expect he is angry an petty as it's affected his libido.

Snow in august deb- that puts my moans about cold into perspective.

Dewin the illness and job are rubbish and hope hc give you answers (dg am sure can help).

Nice new name knitting- I really should change mine as know people I know are here.

Nothi ng to add- back at work although very quiet. Horrible shock as found mouse had got into my desk drawer (there was nuts and chocolate jn there which was in packets so mus have smelled it as had nibbles through packs).

OMG, your work desk drawer?

Thanks for the play food link, Knitting (also love the name ) and may well get some from there. I also saw there's some in IKEA as well.

Can I just share one final thing? Worst case scenario with the job: they gave it to the internal candidate. This is very, very wrong and I'm pretty annoyed but not sure what to do. Currently trying to decide between being angry, ignore it or get depressed.

Other than that I'm consoling myself with spending. (See, I could be one of those shopoholic people, because it does make me feel better and in control.) Fridge freezer. Will probably get one tomorrow.

biscuits - her website is www.mudpieandteacakes.com/ if you want to have a peek.

dewin lots of hugs about the job. I hope it is a case of someone in a completely different area but it does sound a bit odd with the translator etc. And I think I got wooden play food from ELC a few years ago...

knitting took me a bit to figure out who you were :) biscuits intarsia is definitely not meant to be relaxing... but I imagine it'd be distracting (I'm not brave enough).

deb when I lived in Calgary near the mountains we'd get at least a teeny bit of snow all year long!

rolf glad you didn't leave us worrying about steroid bob. And joining in amber's belly button chat - I have a chasm for a belly button since i had the boys and Amber I don't think you're supposed to have one at this point in a twin & second pregnancy!

I hired the nanny :) her reference was really good and she seems very straightforward (in a good way).

Poppy ew!

Dewin that's crap about the job. V sorry.

It got worse with Steroid Bob. I was in the front room and I saw him talking to DS1 and his friend outside, and it was obvious from DS1's stance that he was intimidated, so DH and I went outside. Bob reduced poor DS1 to tears. Steroid Bob is so inarticulate that it's impossible to tell exactly what his complaint is, but he yelled at all of us, including DS1's friend's mother. The children are all terrified of him and he does look like he's about to explode - bright red in the face, bulging eyes, yelling. It was obvious that he really loathes me and DH, and was making all sorts of mean remarks about us. I've told him that if he has a problem with any of my children he should speak to us, not the children as they are frightened of him.

Our other neighbour said something about dodgy steroids but apart from that I don't really know. I'm very uncomfortable around him.

Neenz where I live is SO not like this, right? .

OMG Rolf - what a horrid horrid man. What can you do about him? I think I would have hired someone to do him over by now - especially making the kiddies cry. Can't you post some poo through his letterbox?

Dewin - sorry to hear about the job. Will there be any feedback for you? Have they said anything other than you didn't get it? It all sounds mightily political and would drive me bonkers. It doesn't seem fair. You can only hope that this is some kind of a sign and there is a much better job round the corner which you will get.

Poppy - yuck!!! I think there are mice in most offices though but it's horrid imagining one in your drawer.

Aberdeen - well done on the nanny. You can advise me next year when i'll need one! Do any nannies work Saturdays BTW?

Belly buttons - well mine is flat and pops out when I cough now! It was huge before I got pregnant due to my enormity when preggers with Luke! I feel a bit more normal now although still plagued with this horridchest infection (not going away even with anti-bs). Poor Luke has it and Mark. Just hoovered up the downstairs and feel like I need a lie down! I'm 19 weeks now - can't believe it - that's halfway for me (c section at 38 weeks). Can feel some movement but not lots and I know my coughing fits are not helping the poor bleeders! Yes chip in with names everyone. I need to make a list. Decided against anything too poncey! Liking Charlotte at the moment...

lol Rolf, well it is a bit rough round your way . How did it all start with him then, was it something to do with the back garden?

Not been on for few days, just caught up. Dewin, it's a scandal about your job . Is there anything you can do wrt being more qualified than the person who got it?

I am feeling a bit zombie-ish today. Still getting decent amount of sleep but only in 2-3hr stretches and it is catching up with me. Bless the DTs though, they are so good, they just stay in bed till nearly 9am some days so I can get showered and dressed. They have their milk in bed and some books and Daniel is usually asleep so it gives me chance to get sorted. This morning I woke up to the DTs shouting 'Mummy, Daddy, Mummy, Daddy' and I thought 'why isn't DH getting up to them?', then I realised DH had already gone to work and it was 8.10am . So I can't complain really, and me and Daniel go to bed for a nap at lunch too

The council have turned uo this morning and are digging up the road in front of our house. It would have been nice of them to tell me before they started so I could get the car off the drive. Luckily I don't need to go out this morn, good job really

E took a tumble out the back door this morning. I didn't see what happened so when she started crying I said 'it's OK it was an accident'. E said: 'No Theo pushed'

Charlotte and Emily

Charlotte and Lucy

Charlotte and Elizabeth

Neenz I think it was about the boys playing football and that his car was slightly damaged (not by these children) 2 years ago by something that may have been a football . But he's really unclear about things so it's hard to know exactly what his problem was.

Amber I'm not falling out with you, or telling you where I live