December 2008 - Summertime and the children are easy......

[sybsie]

Ha ha ha ha....we wish!

Here's to a lovely relaxing summer and cheery new thread for us all.

hi Sybs - sort of, although had a small meltdown on the weekend about stuff not sorted / fitting in / being everywhere etc, then went to the pub for Fathers Day lunch (and able to walk there!) managed to get the window out when we got back so felt much better to get the other sofa in. We are getting there.
Beans - it's a real possibility we will move up there not far from you! So much more for your money and dh quite keen - it's just down to if he gets that job, and if now where - but won't really know until after the Summer - prob October ish. One of ds's mates at school is moving in 2 weeks up to O'fordshire so they wouldn't be far either. They'll be missed here, but it's not the other side of the country so not too bad.

You should try working in a university! It is a daily reminder of how old I am. When I first started working here I'd get mistaken for an undergrad all the time, handed student election leaflets and whatnot. This never happens now .

Every September the students look amazingly young. The male students are just boys!

I can't believe I am even posting this. Got our mortgage sorted last wk and today our buyers have pulled out!! I hate this selling house crap.

oh Jam, no Why? That is galling. If you got buyers quickly, maybe you could get other buyers in the blink of an eye? How long is this mortgage good for? The whole housemove thing is often so bloody, though. It leeches all the joy out of it half the blinking time.

I cannot believe that I have still not managed a bit of a catch up but I am just so shattered now. However, it is all prepped and ready I had a bad night's sleep last night and I fear I will soon be at that point in late pregnancy where I don't sleep well and it makes me feel depressed out of all proportion and affects my usually buoyant mental health. 24 wks this week...More tomorrow FOR DEFINITE. Goodnight, dear ladies.

Oh Jam! Gutting. I second the lovely Lady though, I'm sure you will get another buyer quickly.

Lady stay positive! The end is in sight! Perhaps this time the sleep thing won't happen.

I too am sadly lacking in catch up. On a late today so need to do some writing up this morning before I go in but I've just done the school/CM run and had breakfast and now I've logged on here. Ooops.

I also came on here because I felt the need ot be seriously uncharitable and I can't on FB. People on a local group have been asking the most stupid questions in the entire universe. I wonder how people that utterly thick manage to survive. The scary thing is that it is a local mum group so they have all procreated too.

Sometimes I think being at work uses up all my capacity for being non judgmental and then I need to let rip for a moment!

Jam that sucks big jobs. That is just so stressful for you. Just hope something comes good soon. The whole house buying process in the UK is a nightmare, why do they make it so difficult.

Indith I hear you, I don't know if it is because I'm moving away, but some people here are just really testing my ability to be nice in the face of stupidity and complete mentalness. I don't work, but I do think some people need to work to get some perspective of the world around them.

In other news we had a lovely weekend away with lovely friends. So good I think I'm having post fun weekend depression.

Good news though things are looking positive for DH getting a good job in Australia. He has been doing what he does best and networking and pulling in old pals in the bizznizz and it is so far starting to show some little shiny glimmers.

oh and sorry you are feeling do tired Lady

I have been skimming lately and recall Nolda saying something I was going to respond to but will have to look back and see what it was.

oops it was actually ZJ. I think your daughter is lovely ZJ. What a sweet lovely thing to take the NES girl under her wing. That little girl will remember that forever.

Jam If you get the house back on asap and you might get lucky with another buyer. I hate house selling/buying. It is one of the most stressful things.

Vag How exciting. Do you know where you want to be?

We'd like to move to Brisbane. There are more opportunities in Sydney and Melbourne but we both love Brissie and it is the only Australian city which gets us remotely excited about moving back.

Brisbane is the Sunshine Coast? Or is it the Gold Coast? I am a dumbo about all things Aussie. But it sounds lovely anyway, and how exciting to think about going home.

i was only tired last night, I am really not too bad on the tiredness stakes yet ALTHOUGH I did go really sleepy about 6pm tonight which was quite weird. As for the state of mind, I do feel more than usually gloomy (not about the baby, which I am looking forward to) - part of it is the inquest in a couple of weeks. I don't know if I can leave for the gory bits - I got a full set of papers last week and I don't know how the inquest could be more gory than they were...Hugely depressingly, the amount of Carbon Monoxide was not high enough to put smoke inhalation as the cause of death, which has really knocked me for six. I just wish DP could come but it is impossible. FIL's stepdaughter is attending but she is all ranty about the will and I don't particularly want to see her....Anyway, I will go come what may, because obviously my DH can't and besides, FIL was so precious to me and I feel I want to do it for him.

ZJ, that is so lovely about your DD1. Kindness is such a wonderful trait. Maybe the most important one.

JJ, how nice to see you! How is everything? I love it when people pop back. How is DD1 finding school?

Rubes - are you settling in any more? Do you think you will still sell your flat? Is DD going to the same school as DS? How is your brother?

Arti, your trip to France sounded absolutely wonderful. How nice to have such friends locally. I have some nice ones round here, for which I am v grateful. I am glad you are feeling a bit better but I will begging for weightloss tips come October 2nd... How come you are looking for a new au pair? I take my hat off to you with all you juggle - impressive. I am in town early next week as I have a work meeting on Monday and am probably staying over, so might have some time on Tuesday morning if that works...If not, have appts in July so might be able to work something out.

Beans, did you read any really good books on your holiday? I just don't feel like I have read anything really good for yonks. The next book for Book Group is Maya Angelou's I Know Wy the Caged Bird Sings, which I have never really fancied although at least I have never read it. And are you all set for school for your DD? It's you, Rubes and Summer who have DDs starting in Sept - my DD2 missed it of course, being a Sept baby.

Jam, are you feeling any better today? Any hope of more viewings? What a rollercoaster. And what was your PTA rage? I get terrible pre-school committee rage, I must say. I do a bit for the school as well but nothing official. The playground politics at my school make me quite weary, though there are some lovely mothers in there too.

I'm not that crazy on DD1's class teachers either and she stays in the same class for another year (each class has two yeargroups in it at once, so I know I am in fact stuck with it for the next THREE years as well, as DD2 will start in Sept 2015). How is everyone finding general progress in reception? There's such a range of ability in DD1's class I think it makes things v difficult. I think that is very common when they are little and then it all starts to even out a bit more as they get older.

It's lovely to hear you are enjoying driving, Kayz. I fear I have missed my window this pregnancy and DP has had so much less time off than we had originally planned.

What was your talk about at your conference, Invis? Not to students?

I can totally believe it about students looking young, Hons - my littlest nephew is just doing his A levels and hoping to go off this autumn, and he seems so wee.

I have been enjoying the World Cup. I like these big tournaments, I find them very jolly. The garden is slowly being landscaped. All the new turf was put down last week, it is incredibly delicate and needy when it first goes down and we have had to buy a sprinkler.

It's no wonder I get tired at night- it is actually quite late and I still have a lot to do before I sleep...Well, I have a lot to do before October 1st full stop!

I haven't even considered joining an Ante Natal thread. I will bore you lovely lot instead

Oh Jam, what a shitter. I'm sorry. Grrrr.
Vag, you must move to Brisbane if it's where you really want to be.

I'm feeling full of rage this morning because someone on FB posted a spoiler for Game of Thrones. I know I'm being petulant as a) it's only a telly programme and b) the series has finished, but NOT EVERYONE HAS SKY! Am terribly grumpy. Especially as am only 2 episodes behind. Childish rant over.

DD2 is 4 on Friday. I truly can't believe it. Nor that she starts school in September. Weird! Hosting a party for 15 kids on Saturday. Ugh.

Both big DDs up in the night. I am beyond tired today and DD1 is exhausted with snot streaming. I think I'll get her from school at lunchtime. Or is that precious??

Lady, I'm so impressed with your courage and loyalty and evident love for going to the inquest. You are truly a star. I'm off to North Wales on Sunday for 2 nights to sprinkle Dad's ashes out at sea, the place he truly loved. Just my Mum, 2 sisters and me. Think it'll be weepy, but rather lovely. Mum's bringing gin and we're going out for dinner afterwards. It's also the first time I've left DD3 at all, so am slightly nervy, pathetically. At least she's not ill any more. Far from it; she's hilarious at the moment! Giggling at everything and everyone. Divine.

Books. Hmmm. I'm currently reading I Am Pilgrim, which I'm surprised to be enjoying. I haven't read anything quality for a while, though. I read The Murder Bag and The Cuckoo's Calling, which were quite fun. Have got a psychological thriller coming up about stackers, called The book of You. But nothing has really jumped out at me recently, I'm afraid. Oh apart from Apple Tree Yard and The Shock of the Fall and The Rosie Project. Last one is hilarious!

Brisbane is about half way between the two. Steve's mum lives on the gold coast and my ex SIL & nieces live on the sunshine coast so we will be on both a far bit. Depending on traffic it takes about an hour or so to get to either.

DS1 is at surf lessons and DH is home so I have left DS2 with him. I should have bought a book, but have spent a lovely 1.5 hrs in the sun at the surf school. Marvellous.

oops brought

The past couple of days I've been looking after a patient with aggressive leukemia.

Today I have a letter from the bone marrow registry and I've been on the phone to them to discuss further testing as a potential match for someone.

funny thing life.

But someone needs to go donate blood for me because I had am appointment for next week and now I'm not allowed until the tests are done!

Have just slept 12.5 hours straight. And still flogged. Burning the candle at both ends with moving house, pub crawls in London like I'm in my 20s and this standby month which is kicking my arse since I haven't dumped any trips!

Jam I'm in NY again but it's a quick 17 hours in midst of nowhere on this one and given my long sleep I have no time for the mall! I woke up and have to check out in 4 hours! Coughing lungs up too. Urgh
Sorry to hear about the buyers that bloody sucks. Wishing you a new buyer rapidly.
Lady I'm getting my head around it now that we are fitting stuff in / clearing out and making more room. We are just fed up with renting and being moved on and the mortgage problem. Not sure re the flat but if it's the only way to get a mortgage we want we will sell. Thing sounding good for him though and he may be able to pick and choose location when he needs it which is promising.
Yes dd going to the same school as ds it's a good one so I'm pleased and enjoying the school run on bikes!
Hang in there with the preg! Sorry about your stressful time surrounding fil
Sunshine Coast is where I'm from!! Just north of Bris and GC the other side. Great news Vag on work prospects for dh.
Right have filled myself with sushi and must now fill up on decongestants so my ears survive the flight home, then tart up.
Follow up on the weird groin thing when I get back. Bet dh makes me ride across London on a Boris bike again!

Sorry to catch the end of that England game......

DD is 2!! Where has the time gone?

Hello Rubes, wow, you sound hectic right now. I was deeply impressed by your pub crawl. Heels on a bike - amazing.

Lady, I am sorry things are tough. I found my third pregnancy very tiring. Not too long now. Thinking about you in the inquest.

Beans, happy birthday to Pru. I can't believe she is 4. School soon. Big girl. I will check out dates for us to have supper and let you know. I have been rubbish, sorry!

My little fellow had his school assembly yesterday. I did feel myself filling up. How can they have nearly done reception? He loves school so much, fortunately, as he has many years more of it to go! I don't usually work on Fridays but have got to get my head down yesterday. Was so distracted worrying about work yesterday that I clipped a traffic island on my way to school and punctured 2 tyres! ooops. I needed £200 to sort it out, so better stick at the job for a bit longer.....

Hope you all have a fine day XX

thanks Sybs! and HB to mini Kayz too!

Rubes don't even get me started on banks and mortgages, I've been in a constant argument with our London mortgage provider, and I know I can't win, but I'm continuing just to be annoying.

I really need to start back at uni. I'm sat on my butt watching homes under the hammer. My house is also so much cleaner when I'm studying.

I went to bed last night at 8pm. I decided to lay down with the boys while DS1 read his book to me. He has really developed his reading now (thanks to David Tennant) & has a lovely reading style. He lulled me off to sleep. I then was awake between 4:30 & 6am. I should have got up but fell back to sleep had a weird dream & woke with a cracking headache. urgh. all better now though.

DH & had our last dutch lesson today. I'm actually going to miss it, I love our teacher, he's hilarious.

Wow Indith that is a coincidence. I'm afraid they won't accept my blood. I send dh regularly though!

Lady No wonder you are tired! Sorry to hear of the other stresses around fil's inquest. Could your mum go with you for support?

Happy birthday mini beans and mini Kayz!

I have no idea how you can judge progress in reception. I think dd1 is doing fine but it is the social side I worry about more. There was some sort of disagreement between dd and two other girls this morning.
One had given dd a hair clip and said she could keep it - another girl then said she wanted it so the other girl asked for it back. This is what I gathered. I was changing dd's books so only caught the end where dd was red and close to tears.
It is such a silly thing. I've said to dd before that we shouldn't give our things away or let people give you things. I'm not saying the girl was wrong by the way! It was her clip and can do what she likes with it!

Oh dear, sorry I've rambled on. It was just sad to leave her this morning, crying silently.

Yes, measuring progress in Reception is a hard one. With DD2 I can see a good leap forward in her handwriting, she will write loads fir fun and its pretty neat for a five year old but before Reception she only wrote the odd word. Reading is an odd one, she is progressing up the levels so much more slowly than DD1 dud but I think i practised reading more with DD1, I hardly have the time now, so
I blame me rather than the school. The biggest difference has been confidence. She is much more confident and independent now which must be the most important thing.

Urgh dh working the entire weekend and I'm Spose to be on Monday.
Had another ride through London yesterday Sybs, again in ridiculously unsuitable footwear. Wasted trip. Consultant said he recommends doing nothing, unless I get pain, and mil wanted us straight home after do she could leave. No night out for us then. Just a couple of cheeky "the consultant ran over" type drinks on the way home.
It's death by hay fever here. At least the weather is nice.

Rubes, I read that as "ran the consultant over" which I thought seemed a bit of an extreme excuse to get a few hours...

Progress - it's so hard to tell. M looks to have made a lot of progress but I think that was because he was fairly slow beforehand. He could barely hold a pen and certainly not write his name, whereas now he is better though still not great. His reading is quite good though (I think - I think he can read more than the girls could at the end of reception, but how this stacks up against what he should be able to do I don't know).

I have given up on the school ORT books as his gets changed so rarely at school that we just read our own here. Don't know what level he is on. We have loads of ORT books (from the book people with a few clearly not quite returned from school) so we just read those at home or read our own thing. He really likes the dreaded Beast quest and I have to struggle to keep a straight face.

Sorry I realise that this is not helpful if this is your first child but it's the only way I can judge it. There are some kids with amazing handwriting and pen control in reception but a lot of that depends on what sort of nursery they went to, and how much practice they do at home (here - before school we did none as he just wasn't interested). DD2 couldn't do anything before school either and now her handwriting is as good as the kids who could virtually do calligraphy in reception. It all evens out in the end