November 2012 - The nights are drawing in again

[StuntNun]

Previous thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/postnatal_clubs/2147425-November-2012-Bring-out-the-paddling-pools?msgid=49375941#49375941

Love a bit of filing and sorting, me

Also love winter. Adore it. This time of year makes me very excited.

I have a £50 budget for O's birthday and the same for his Christmas presents. So far on his list I have Duplo, a train set, some Julia Donaldson books (we had "broooom" from the library and he's been pining after it ever since we took it back - two months late ), a boat toy for the bath, anything bus related, a football and I also want to get him some imaginative play stuff.

I have a question for you foody types: I am cooking steak for the boyf tomorrow night. What can I serve with it, considering that he is on a health kick and I need carbs?

I like steak with.....

Cesar salad and garlic bread...or...

Jacket spud and salad....or.... I am doing it tonight with...

Roast beetroot and parsnip and slimming world chips and some horseradish mixed with half fat creme fraiche on side.....or........another fave is......

Smear in a bit of oil and paprika, griddle or in a heavy fry pan, let it rest, slice into slices and serve on a tortilla wrap with homous, and a salad of rocket, chopped toms, cress and with a squeeze of lemon juice over.

Friday is most definitely steak day here!!!

A huge salad. Try lettuce, tomato, walnuts, lardons, cubes of cheese and a really good dressing.

Or a tomato mozzarella basil with balsamic dressing.

And baked potatoes.

I'm doing roast chicken tonight with roasties and carrots and a tomato salad on the side. Nice and simple and should keep everyone happy.

Oh. The library will involve taking groups of kids and telling them stories. In French. That should be entertaining. Apparently I should be animated when telling them. Monday morning vodka shots should do it

A Mum was chatting to her dh at the school gates. In English. He wasn't English but not French either. She was talking about some twats at yesterday's meeting. Used the word twats (my kinda person!). He said don't say that they will hear you. She said none of these twats speak English. So I leant forward and quietly said, "this one does" .

Mwah ha ha she was MORTIFIED. Having a bad day she said. I would normally think meh, but most people around here speak some English - they have to for work at the eu or at the banks. So she is at best stupid, at worst rude.

I am also chatting a lot with an Aussie mum. And with my ex shrink. At the end of pick up my face feels like it will crack from being so smiley.

Love today's update pr that is ace!

Haha pr, you make me smile.

Lol PR, I admire your nerve to lean forward and say that, very good. I would have probably wimped out been slightly less direct and waved Cheerio as I went past!

Am and steak and all accompaniments!

Thai green curry for us as soon as DC are alseep!

I had time to psych up for it. We were waiting outside the gates for a good ten minutes.

If I had just been passing I would have just said bonjour with my best french accent and kicked myself repeatedly for saying nothing forevermore for days.

Superb PR

Gosh look at you lot four pages in and I haven't even marked my place!!

Yes donna e has stared at people before now, but I don't think there's much you can do about it at this age, unless there is and I just haven't twigged yet!

I'm with you on the good book for winter lily I've got a massive stack of them to read, it's fab :) Taking me aaaages to get through them though!

hmmm zamboni hope it's just a phase of sorts? S and bed time i mean, sorry, i realise i'm a bit behind!

oh noes pass how are you feeling now?

chasing i'm with you on the money worries, it sucks. I am saving up for a christmas tree for us this year as we will need one of our own. I have £1.57 or something similar. Bollocks! My mum sent round ingredients for a lasagne earlier, bless her. She got wind from a sibling that i've been living off toast for a few weeks. Not e, you understand, been feeding him properly with proper food!

Nice to read everyones thankful thursdays, sorry i missed it!

E is currently in a weird sleep thing. As in he's still awake, he won't manage without the daytime sleep, i've tried, but he just doesn't fall asleep! He isn't ragey at night (so far) but my god we've had some hellish tantrums during the day!

yay for the tear free day lily that's great

aw pr bet you'll be fab :) your face cracking smiling update made me laugh!

hope you're ok gt

sounds like lots of lovely dinners were had. We had pork chops, eggs, chips and peas. Well, sweetcorn cos I ran out of peas!

By living off toast I don't mean exclusively, btw!

Is everyone else all busy like? I'm tucked up in bed with a book

I could live exclusively off toast. Or bread certainly.

Watching 12 years a slave. Hard going for a Friday night

Hiya Kyz.

Have been painting the hall - started it a fortnight ago, and haven't had chance to do anymore since. Am off to bed soon too, my day for a lie in tomorrow (thank god) then a day of revision

Eliza I can see why it all feels a lot - you aren't going to have the quietest festive period! But a lot of excitement too. Two friends have just had wee boys, and am super broody seeing the pics.

PR that made me

Might have some toast pre-bed

Oh yeah! pr you made me laugh and laugh with that! What a brilliant response

Important information: spelt bread is nice but not as yummy as rye bread.

A is getting those tomy egg toys. £5. And h is getting a stacking rings toys type thing. It's rings , blocks and puzzles. £20. They will get a new outfit to wear on the day. Is it mean I'm palming of clothes they are getting anyway as bday gifts?

I am avoiding buying them lots as Xmas is around the corner. At Xmas they will get a book, outfit and a small toy each.
2years in a row H has not been interested in gifts anyway.

[waves to the quiche] Just dropping by to say hi Hope you are all well? Sorry I have neglected you but have been so busy and so frigging ill. Luckily over the worst of it now. I had my 12 week scan yesterday, well at 13.5 weeks, and bean is developing nicely. How are the other mini quichsters coming along?

That's wonderful news perse that all is going ok but sorry you have been so ill. You have been missed x

Oh Perse that is wonderful. We have been concerned for you so thank you for letting us know all is well

Big hugs to those with money worries x I would heartily recommend hanging out on the budget board as there are some fab ideas.

J will not be getting much for his birthday. Clothes are a great idea for gifts GT so long as there is at least one wee toy. I remember when DD1 was 3 we got her a new bedroom. Cost a fortune with the bedding, paint, curtains etc. She also had clothes and nighties. She was asked what she got and she said she did not even get one toy. Felt a bit awful. Probably the most expensive birthday so far, but it was for us, not her really. Balance is the answer I think.
It is good to get them used to stockings being a mixture of fun and useful things. A toothbrush, special cereal, pants etc plus the odd wee treat or toy. Mine are now used to this, and know birthday gifts will be a mix of useful and fun. Plus if they have a big party their gift will be smaller. The party is part of the gift.

But get away with regifting, second hand etc for as long as you possibly can. J will have hand me down toys and clothes for birthday and Christmas but GPs are going to get him a balance bike.

Fab news perse

I have bought various books from costco who do packs of 10 for £10. They are Julia Donaldson and similar so I got one pack of 10 for cousin and one pack for p.Also picked up some wooden farm animals in sainsbury's in the sale. I feel a weird pressure to get p and get cousin the same things. No reason why I feel this. I will also get clothes. I would really, really like to get p the wee kitchen from ikea but I have no idea where it would go as our house is full to the brim.

perse That's fabulous news.

Am taking advantage of not having to do the school run and we're all still slobbing in our pjs. Have a friend over for a play date later, then off to swimming and I will have a chilled evening in front of the tv whilst looking for a new car on the internet.

Have a good day all.

Our dog has pmt. She is a whiny nightmare, and keeps humping her bed

But dh has gone out with the girls, so sort of quiet here, best get stuck into revision.

Great news btw perse.

And yy to everything QM says about presents.