June 2007 - cheesecake, chocolate cake, newspaper, dog biscuits ... What DON'T they eat?

[milkyJammy]

Couldn't resist, hope this is OK with y'all?

shite...I'd just posted a big response to bumper and then internet explorer crashed .

upshot of it was, would it be better in the long run for DH to go back full time and you do your 3/4 hours as planned. Then he can look for a job with more flexible hours (the principle being it's easier to find work when you are in work). Not great for DH as he misses out on the extra time with DD, but hopefully it would only be for a short time. also you get to carry on with your BF group and the peer supporter thing, and stick to the hours you have agreed with your work.

I'm trying to figure out how I can get signed off for the three and a bit months between the date I'm due back in the office (5th May) and the start of my next maternity leave, and if I did that would I still get SMP or have to claim Maternity allowance.

Ooooh, sorry to be upbeat when every one else is having shit dumped on them, but have just found out that a local farm is having a lambing weekend at Easter, when we have friends coming over for lunch with their 2 DSs. So now really looking forward to taking the jamlet and their boys to see the lambs

Evening!
Daisy, I think I would have done the same. I'm sure he doesn't mean it and that it was just said spur of the moment. Children seem to say things that they know will hurt. You sound as if you've had a day from hell.
That's so crap about DH's job Bumper! I think I would be stamping my feet arseholes! They just don't care about employees and their family situations just as long as the company is ok.
Sorry you had a crappy mother's day Foxy.
Sorry Jammy but you have made me LOL at hanging out dirty nappies to dry . Sounds like something I would do! I have washed allsorts in the washing machine without realising, forgotten to switch it on, you name it!
Everyone else, I hope you're all ok.
Not done much today, my RL is rather boring! Been to M and B group today then home. Isabel got a kiss off one of the other baby boys (he was trying to steal her dummy but looked like he was giving her a snog!) She's a little monkey shuffling round trying to nick all the other babies' toys!
I think my mum is feeling ok. She went out for a meal with my sister yesterday, but came round here first. She has to go for an endoscopy on Friday, which she is worrying about.
Right I'm off to get a cup of tea and then go to bed.

Don't be sorry to be upbeat Jammy! You're cheering us all up with your funny stories

Glad to make you smile Izzy They have been washed for real now and are hanging up to dry again.

Thanks for the tea Izzy

Hi Fairy. Hope you have a good time at ikea tomorrow. I haven't been to an Ikea for ages ... [wistful]

You're welcome FF!

Ooh love Ikea. Have a good day, don't spend too much .
Right, really off now.
Have a good day tomorrow everybody!

aww jammy, I love lambing. happy childhood memories. I love the smell that gets in the air. I used to help my dad bottle-feed the orphaned lambs. Happy days. Sometimes I am a bit that the boys are missing out, but very as they have a very hands-on GD who would have been too busy/stressed if he was still farming.

Hope you are OK daisy. Poor you and poor DS, he has had a lot happen to him over the last year and is this his first year of proper school? He probably would have reacted differently if he hadn't found out by accident. It's hard when they're tired. Hope you both get a good nights sleep. How are things with your DHs work?

No advice bumper, sorry, but I do sympathise as I know how it feels to get your plans completely shafted by someone at work. hope it works out.

hi izzybel; fingers crossed for your mum on Friday. I had an endoscopy a few years ago, and it wasn't too bad. Make sure she gets some sedation though; my Dad had one done just after me and they never gave him anything

Jammy don't worry about feeling upbeat. I was having a good day until teatime, then everything I touched went tits up. I managed to burn the roast potatoes in the end, then poured half the meat juices on the floor so my gravy tasted like water.

No wine to be had chez boo , although i may have a wee small brandy toddy.

A realisation hit me today. MS symptoms are maneagable, except after I've fed DD, then I feel ill and queasy and dizzy for over an hour. I'm thinking that's the reason for my diziness the other week.

I'm not going to make it to Ikea tomorrow. I have too much sorting to be done. I had a really productive day today so figure while i'm on a roll...

Have a great meet up

Evening everyone!

Foxy - glad you day has been better today

Daisy - what a nightmare evening - hope it gets better!!!

Bumper - what a stress!!!! Bet you could do without the worry. It's worrying enough going back to work - let alone having the panic of logistics! Where there is a will - there is a way (as they say) and I'm sure you'll get it sorted. Also - when people kept telling me that the build up to going back to work was worse than actually the 'going back to work' I wish I beleived them - cos it's totally true. I hope you find it as refreshing and envigorating as I do (I'm guessing you will), but I hope you also manage not to feel guilty about it (as I've not quite managed that bit yet!!)

Hi everyone else

Looks like the DKMA household will be quite different in a few years - as we've decided that we'll be building my mum an annex on the side of our house so she can live here and help out with Ed and generally be closer and financially better off (with no pension etc). It seems like the perfect solution to everything............except we can really rub each other up the wrong way!! So I've told her she has to have her own front door etc so it doesn't feel like she's living 'with' us!!!!! It could all end in tears!!!!!

lol DKMA, you are a braver soul than I could ever have been. My cousin and his partner bought a house with my aunt and uncle though and they have separate wings (sounds fancy, but it's just a big bungalow), so it can work out.

annobal, I saw this thread in active convos for you

Back again, DH was looking for jobs. Nothing around for him though

Daisy the problem is we physically can't do that as we have no childcare for DD, and even if we could afford it there is no way we could get anything at such short notice. He literally can't work FT.

Have you told your work about your news yey daisy?

Izzy, hope your mum is ok.

DKMA, that sounds like a lovely idea (in theory , that will be great for helping out with DS. How long will that take? Is she retired?

Daisy - yep - ours is a bungalow too and the plan is to put 2 extra rooms on one side and convert the loft - so she can have her own section on the groundfloor, and we will have some of the downfloor and the doormer upstairs bit?
or
We could convert some outbuildings (sounds far grander than reality!! Just store rooms, outside loo, coal sheds etc!) but then that would always be it's own building and could never be part of the main house - and would be an odd shape for her??
Anyhow - we need to get someone who knows what they're talking about to look at it.

Oh my god!
My mother will be my neighbour!!
She's a right handfull!!!

Hi Bumper - I hope your work will accommodate the hours you can do - if they want you back they'll have to in the short term at least. I accrued loads of annual leave while I was off (entitled to all leave you would have built up over your mat leave - inc bank hols) and I have used this to have wednesdays off (from Jan to April) as I had no childcare for wednesdays as nursery was full. Perhaps you could play around with your leave and come to some kind of agreement with them?

No mum is not yet retired - but is thinking about it - she is 60 this year - but has to work to pay her mortgage etc. I think she'd like to make the move in about 2 years.
It would be great for lo to have her around - all other gp's are either knackered or miles away.
Plus - how the hell do we go to work and be there to pick up from school at 3.30???

Thanks Daisy . FWIW, there's 16mths between DS1 and DS2 and work paid the 2mths or so before I could go on mat leave for DS2. It worked out much easier for all concerned. Would your work do that for you?

I know a couple of good architects in manc DKMA, but not sure they do domestic stuff or I'd pass on some details.

bumper, I see your problem . I do hope things get sorted for you soon.

my work are on a strictly need to know basis with this one, so they won't know anything about it until 15 weeks before my due date when I send them my MATB1...if I'm still there by then.

Like the sound of your plans DKMA. It might be hard at times but will also be great .

Do you mean they paid you to stay at home?

I really can't see my lot agreeing to that. They aren't the most enlightened employer on the planet.

Yes - doesn't really say much for my value to the firm though does it

That would be a great idea DKMA except my maternity leave finish last week and I am now using up my 5 weeks of holiday

Basically if they say no to pt hours and he hasn't found an alternative in the meantime we have 2 options. He stays on FT and I extend my mat leave into the unpaid period so we live on his wages (wouldn't cover our rent and utilities, let alone our credit card debts [old] and cars [he has no choice but to drive to work] and food) or he leaves and I go back full time (financially the best option, as long as work agree but shit for me and we still couldn't manage for more than a couple of months).

Right I will stop going on about it now, though I am still open to suggestions that I may be missing!

Bumper - the option of - you going back full time might feel awful now - but if it comes to that - try not to fret too much about it - you'll be fine - especially if it is just for the period of time it takes for your dh to get sorted with something that works better.

Bugger Bumper . Hope something works out soon.

I'm off to bed - dcs waking at 6am at the moment - we're on a bribe tonight so maybe it will be later tomorrow

Night all