FEB 2010 Tottering into our second year...!

[InmaculadaConcepcion]

A few first birthdays left, then we're full tilt into walking/talking and a mountain of mischief

This is what he used. Earth balance is just a brand of vegan marg over here.

I'm having pancakes today as DP elected to go out of the piss with people from work last night instead. Hmmm.

Must share with you my recent excruciating work moment. As part of my job I have cause to meet with a lot of families bereaved through homicide. I was meeting such a bereaved mother last week and had travelled some way to her house. As i entered she kindly offered me a cup of tea to which i nearly replied "Ooh, I could murder a cuppa." Luckily I verbally swerved at the last second and said "manage" instead. Language can be an absolute minefield.

bethy good news that finally something is done for your boys.

I'm getting a cold that I'm hoping I won't give to DS he's already suffering of a bad nappy rash (probably due to teething) so he doesn't need a snotty nose.

No pancakes here yesterday, we instead had bugnes which is deep-fried kind of dough if not a French at least a speciality from my area on Shrove Tuesday.

Oh Stan you made me laugh... obviously not funny and I am glad you noticed in time!

Stan I must admit I snorted with highly inappropriate laughter at that
Thank goodness you managed to veer round it in time!

Bad luck on the impending cold, SB.
Bugnes sound interesting - more details, please!

Ah, thanks for that PA. Yes, I can imagine getting the right consistency would be the most challenging aspect of that recipe! Good to hear they taste just as scrummy as the non-vegan variety!

Just marking my place, I must get to bed toot sweet. (Your DD can open the front door, Schro?!?! )

PA I feel for you.
On my post doc salary I couldn't afford to go back to work as all the pay would be used for child care (even with one child), then the transportation and clothes... would be from my DH salary which couldn't sustain it. (too poor to work, too rich to get child support).
Most people I knew in the UK used GP as child minders to be able to go back to work, or are in a much higher or lower salary range.
From what I have heard yes there has been some pay cuts. DH has been obliged to take a huge pay cut almost 1/2 of is salary.
Plans are made to be changed. You must know murphy's laws, when do ever a plan works?
I have very lovely friends who used to live in a "commune" when the kids where small. Is that something you could consider?
There is plenty of options, I am sure you will find one. Not having a car helps as well as living in a flat. (house sharing?)
Have you thought about scientific advisers, patent offices, scientific journalisms... (things that you can do from home on your own time). tutoring high school children? I would guess physics and maths are as high demands in the UK as it is in france.
good luck.

PA I think that's some great advice from Schro there. I'm kind of in the same boat; made redundant last year, I've had no luck finding a job so far (as only looking for PT and there are no PT jobs here) and now I'm pg I'm starting to realise I really may not get one. And once we have two lots of childcare to pay, it literally will not be worth me working on the salaries round here, so I guess I'll be a SAHM for the forseeable. I never thought I'd be in a positiion where I want to work but can't. It's so different from London here!

What do you want? Do you want to stay in the States, or move back to UK, or move to Europe? Where does your family live in UK, could you move back deliberately closer to them so that you have help and support?

I found it surprisingly hard to cope with having a baby (I say surprisingly, as my family are all earth mother types who pop babies out without really noticing and just get on with it, and I thought I'd be the same). My one wish is that I lived nearer my family (it's not the other side of the world! - only about 60 miles, but they can't pop in). I'm already dreading how I will cope with two. I'm sure you'll be fine and not such a scaredy-cat as me! But if you can mvoe back, and be near a support system, I'd advise that.

BTW we are going to struggle on DH's salary alone for the next few years, but I suppose we'll no longer need much money to socialise with... or any...

Don't know what's going on with bold at the moment.

Scones I am in the same boat, too. Was made redundant when freshly pregnant with dd2 and have been a SAHM for more than 18 months now... We would be better off (just)if I managed to get a job at my old salary, but I'd have to go FT because there are no PT jobs in my line of work. But we have no family support at all and with dd1 starting school in September I am not sure there is any point in starting work now because I have no idea what to do with her in up to 16 weeks holiday a year (depending on school). It's all a complete puzzle to me at the moment.
This article made me smile (with apologies for reading the DM online occasionally )

hello
had a dodgy prawn tikka last night and ended up having to call an ambulance as my throat and tongue went numb, and I was very ill so they were worried about anaphylaxis. Left DD at home with DP and spent four hours in A&E vomiting... got home at 2 am, DD was in bed with DP (really teething at the mo) and I spent the whole night with cramps and nausea. Awful. DP was a star and had to go to the hospital and wait for two hours to pick up anti-sickness pills, he was really late for work but managed to walk the dogs and give DD breakfast before my mum arrived to help. I'm lucky everyone was around. Anyway can't really post much but am reading all your posts... Stangirl you made me laugh, awful though, thank God you didn't say it!

Abs poor you, I hope you'll get better soon.

PA you're okay?

hi guys, not been aroiund for a while finding time for MN is hard with work and college, too many plates in hte air.
all our littlies one wow where did the time go.
nice to catch up on how everyone is.

Hi raindrop - nice to hear from you!

Aw, Abs, that's rubbish. I would report that restaurant, if I were you. I hope you're feeling better today.

PA, there's no denying you've got some tough choices ahead and that woman's problem of accommodating a career (especially when trying to get it established) with small children is a real swine. I don't really have any advice to offer as I don't know your field. But I would just say, don't give up. Try and stay positive and things WILL work out, probably in a way you would never have expected.
Yes, being near a support system would probably help, if you can do it. That's exactly why DH and I are coming back to the UK. I want grandparents handy!!!

scones, yep, I sympathise - we're all in an "interesting" situation, aren't we with the second DC on the way? I'm currently out of work, although I'm not looking and won't unless it becomes necessary, which I hope it won't. DH won't be earning next year when he does his PGCE, although we may well be entitled to a couple of thousand pounds worth of grants.
We do have some savings to fall back on, luckily, so we won't starve. But even so, it's not going to be an easy year. And with the economy the way it is and likely to get worse before it gets better.... Well.
Anyway, chins up. It'll be okay.

Doesn't sound like the Dutch women I know, BG!!

OH F...! My old lab must have been wiped out! . I used to live north of sendai. hope everybody is fine

Abs hope you feel better.

F... F.... F...
sorry a bit shocked

Oh Schrodinger . Only just read the news... Awful, and even more awful if you know the area and people

Oh Schro that's awful! It's so shocking... fingers crossed for the people you know there.

I'm a bit better thanks but still in bed with cramps and waves of nausea. Just had some toast.

Jeez, Shro.

I hope everyone you knew there is okay.

Schro hope everyone you know in Japan is OK. Sounds awful.

Abs hope you are feeling better.

I hope PA is OK, she must be evacuated by now or soon.
Thanks for your thought.
Some of the pictures you see on TV are from where I lived, it doesn't look good at all .

Oh, Schro I am so sorry. I hope your friends in Japan are all ok.

Sorry haven't been around much but have been spending all my spare time campaigning for the Baby Gym - am in the South London Press today.

Sorry Schro I did think of you when the news came on. Hope the news out of there isn't too bad for you.

We're only expecting a 3ft wave here (but on top of a 7ft tide). Only the immediate beaches and parking lots etc. are being cleared. Even though I'm working a few hundred meters from the beach, it is a cliff, so no worries there. The uni lagoon on the other hand will take some damage. Also it's slightly more up coast that is being evacuated. We run E to W here, versus nearly the rest of CA being N to S.

IC I was wondering financially what you were going to do. We have some savings, enough to get a crappy job and supplement and only enough to live off off 3/4 months. It should absorb any moving costs.

I had a really good climbing session last night and am suitably hurting today. I can feel my strength coming along nicely, but mainly because the routes are so damn tall (big reaches) that I'm slowly learning to pull myself up.

Remember everyone, practice safe sex . After this one is out, I think I might just not let DH have sex until I hit the menopause. That's perfectly reasonable isn't it?

A job has been advertised in Cork, Ireland. Anyone ever lived there? I know it's beautiful, but expensive and they have a health insurance system.

PA Cork is indeed beautiful but like you say expensive. Haven't lived there but been many times because we have friends there.

PA have you tried posting on the oversea board to see opinions about Cork? I have lived there a month when I was 15 (school exchange) but can't really comment on it as I don't really remember it. I think there maybe others options than abstinence?

schro sorry to hear, hopefully they are safe. PA hope the wave doesn't reach you.

This tsunami is again going to launch the discussion on how Guernsey would cope with such a threat.