December 08 ers still going strong.

[Vagolajahooli]

Hello ladies, can you believe we will be entering into a 6th year of this thread this year?

I've been to see the house. It's bloody perfect. They think it's going to sell in the next couple of weeks though.

But going to get ours valued and hope they're wrong.

God, Vag, it sounds idyllic. So different from England. Out of interest, Rubes and Vag, why do you come and live here with the horrid weather etc? I mean, I love it, but the quality of life in Oz just seems so much better...Aaaagh traitor me!

Kayz, would you be able to put in an offer?

Tonight, I am hoping DH gets home at a decent time for steak!

No Beans. I can't do anything as it's all in DHs name.

Steak is that a euphemism Beans?

I came over to travel and just stayed. While the weather etc is amazing in Oz here is great for travel in this part of the world. Career opportunities for DH & I were definitely a lot better in the UK & now for DH here. And I have found here excellent for a family with young kids. Things aren't perfect back home there are annoyances & too many years with dodgy government & too much media influenced by Mr M has made some attitudes in Australia quite embarrassing and in some cases socially damaging.

So anyone up to anything good for valentines day?

Kayz will be holding my breath for you. Stupid banks are driving made lately so if you need me to help 'influence' them at all let me know I'll duff them up.

Our valentines is being spent on a rainy A1. Traffic is appalling so we have only just reached Peterborough. Got to get to Newcastle tonight where we will be spending valentines night in a family rm of a premier inn. Rock n roll.

wave at me as you pass jammy! The child you hear screaming as you pad the Durham exit will be ds2 screaming for mummy and milk.

I'm on nights.

ds2 is so amazingly clingy at the moment. Won't sleep until 10pm at the earliest. wakes constantly and screams for hours unless he gets milk and then gets up at 6am.

delightful.

kayz fingers crossed the house sticks around. I guess even if it goes you can keep your eyes open in the area.

arti glad youare settling into work. Fingers crossed referral etc chines through quickly for dd.

Lady good to see you and your epic catch up!

erm. Erm. I should have made notes. hate the inability to scroll back on the app!

oh vag. The move must feel as though it really is coming soon now! I loved the feel of brisbane when I was there. Wish I could think of a good excise to come down south for a meet up before you go.

kayz I'd leave it too since football is finishing. Done parents just refuse to admit there is a problem. If anything else occurred though at school or in another club I'd be right on it from the start.

Going to go see what I've missed out now.

beans hope you get yummy steak with dh tonight .

hons how are you?

contraception. Well you all know how much I panic .dh is getting snipped in March. I have a feeling I'm now working with the dr who referred him, our new sho on the ward is training as a gp and is fresh from a stint at my local practice. At least I've not been to him myself with anything! We had another broken condom the other night, luckily dh noticed in the nick of time. I'm going to make an appointment and go on the pill for a few months until dh gets his all clear, I can't stand the stress and I can cope with going mental from hormones as long as I know it is temporary.

What is going on with me and condoms anyway? dh and I been together 10 years and always used them. Until recently we only had 1 break which resulted in dh1. I know how to use them, confident I'm putting them on properly, they are durex so reputable. Why do they keep breaking? breaking is supposed to be user error isn't it? Urgh.

On the friends thing I actuality had an old school friend I am in sporadic contact with tell me she and her dh are up this area this weekend so they are coming over Sunday afternoon which will be lovely.

ah well. suppose I should go interact with my children or something before I go swim to work.

It's DH a birthday today, so we had 'steak' for lunch while the DCs at school. All snipped here so all good on that front too! Actually Indith you are wise to think of alternative contraception. It took DH about 8 months to get the all clear that they had stopped swimming!!

Kayz I'm glad you liked the house. But how did you like the area? If that house is meant to be it will hopefully stay On the market for you. If not have you seen anything else in the area?

Lady loved hear your catch up

Jammy travel safe.

There are a couple of cheaper houses that will need some work. I'm not sure if we fancy that though at the minute.

The road was great. A quiet one way street with plenty of parking. Just 5 minutes from the schools and shops. 10 minutes to the beach.

This wind is scaring me and I don't scare easily!

BUT... DH HAS LANDED! He's going to be home in 30mins! Yay!

Deids I nearly spat my tea all over my phone when I read your 'steak' post.

Indith maybe your erm...piece of 'steak' is a little too big? serious though is the was the 2 recent condoms that broke from the same packet? could it be a bad batch. might be worth contacting durex customer services. now wouldn't that be a fun job, a condom customer services person.

I hope it goes the way you want Kayz. have you managed to speak to DH since you looked at the house.

Super sunny here but with gale force winds. I had to abandon my lovely ride to DS1's swimming this morning and hire a greenwheels car instead (like Streetcar). DS2 & DH came along too & we all went for a swim together after DS1's session.

ooh gotta go my phone battery is aboutt to die

DH home in time for steak last night. and we even had some 'steak' before the kids got up at 6.30 this morning.

now in Shropshire with SIL and family. lovely.

Some people call willies 'tube steak'. Bloody revolting I say.

Happy Saturday night everyone

I think I definitely killed the thread with that one. Sorry. Ugh

Right, anyone southerly up for a meet up on 28 Feb please go to the thread, go directly to the thread and do not pass go.

I love half term. Off to Mum's tomorrow.

I have a hangover. Tube steak is revolting. Bleurghh!!

Man I'm rough, I need a bacon sarnie!

Tube steak! Nice! I prefer a bit of beef bayonet or pork sword myself. Eew, enough to turn anyone vegetarian...

Hello everybody! Happy Christmas! Happy New Year! Happy Valentine's Day! etc.

Yes, so it's been a while ... lots of sad news on the thread since I last posted. LadyT so sorry to hear about your FIL & Uncle, Jam sorry to hear about your Gran and Indith wishing your mum a speedy recovery.

Mind's gone blank ... there must have been some good news as well in that time!

Kayz house looks great - amazing for the price! Have you looked into the local schools? Can't be ideal sharing a 2-bed with 3 DCs.

Vag exciting news about your career change. You'll make a fantastic teacher. Can't believe you're making preparations to leave us already - we still haven't made it over to see you. I dimly remember you were coming over for a flying visit in Feb. Is it when the meet-up is planned? Hope so

Speaking of the meet-up, DP is away that weekend but as long as can get his mum & dad to look after the DCs I should be able to make it. It's been ages!

Things all good here. DS is sooooo much better - his tics and odd behaviour have all but disappeared. I feel like I've got my boy back. Don't know what happened really and I fully expect it to flare up again next time he's feeling anxious about something, but at least I know it's not a permanent thing. Makes all the difference to my own state of mind and to the whole family really - they say you can only be as happy as your unhappiest child don't they? DD is a joy as always.

Hello to everyone I've missed (which is most of you - sorry!).

Right, off to post on the meet-up thread.

Deids hung over here too. DH went to the Delft blues festival with some of the menfolk. Us womenfolk decided as they were orf that we would do a combined child feeding session. You know many hands make light work and all that. Was meant to just feed the kids and have a natter then home. A natter ended up being several glasses of old Rosie's cider and home quite late. Now tired hung over and at a swim meet for DS1.

Tube steak us foul. I'm more a chinese sausage girl myself.

sorry that has lowered the tone even further hasn't it. I blame cider.

Poison you are welcome whenever, as is anyone. Unfortunately I can't do the meet up on the 28th as have another one planned. Having some issues with babysitting on that night so it might end up being a south London house party the way things are going.

I can't remember the last time I was hungover. Before I got pregnant with DD.

DS2 is ill. He is really really hot, but his temp is 36.7. Just letting him sleep and hoping he'll wake up feeling ok. Poor kid, can't be ill for half term.

Vag when are you going to Oz? I want to try and make it to London for your final visit.

I've had a nap and a run. I feel more human! I can't even recall getting home, I do however remember shots if Limoncello in the restaurant...then some other shots in the pub...then some vile liqueur back at our friends house. I need to remember I am not 18 anymore. My body can't take it

Kayz DS may just be exhausted. My two need lots of lie ins this week. Both of them are so pale and tired! School really takes it out of them. Hope he's better soon

Mmmm, limoncello. I know what you mean about the hangovers Deids - mine seem to last a week if I properly overindulge at the moment. I'm not in great shape really. After a relatively healthy 2013 (by my standards) I've slumped into eating shite and doing no exercise and I don't seem to have the energy or the motivation to do anything about it. It's been a gorgeous day here and I'm still in my pyjamas. Oh well no point in getting dressed now - may as well stay like this in preparation for lying on the settee and watching 5 back-to-back episodes of Breaking Bad once the DCs are in bed.

Kayz DD is poorly today as well - very unlike her. She was up in the night being sick a few times and has carried on today. Good excuse for me to stay at home and do sod all though.

Vag I would love love love to come over but I can never seem to get straight financially. It's been like this for a couple of years now - there just isn't ever a normal month when there isn't some big expense sucking up all my cash. This month it's remortgaging the house, and we're living on borrowed time with the car as well so that'll be the next biggie. But if at some point I am feeling flush (or just plain reckless) I might just bob over. I actually won a scratch card and the Euromillions last week, so that's £14.50 to add to the Amsterdam fund...

I checked our LEA website the other day and they apparently don't fine you for unauthorised absences of 5 days or fewer so I've just been idly checking out term time package hols. Still can't afford it though. Bah.

Shame you can't make the meet-up Vag. Not looking too good for me either now. Looks like DP's parents are likely to be away that weekend, but they won't know for definite until nearer the time.

Deids, a lie in for DS2 is 0630 I have just bought one of those clocks that tells them when they can get up. So far so good. After 5 years of always getting up before 7 I am hoping for a lie in.

I know why don't I fly to Stansted one weekend and we can have a meet up near Beans?

Sounds perfect vag!!