March 08:Happy Birthday!!! We made it through a whole year!

[turtle23]

new thread.

We're moving to Sussex. I grew up in the Pennines and DH loves walking so we're increasingly frustrated at having to drive more than an hour to get to hills. House is at foot of the Downs, with brilliant walks from the door, but only 20 mins drive to Brighton and mainline train into Victoria. DH just got a job at Victoria which suddenly made the whole thing more doable, whereas we thought it might have to be a longer term plan. Plus for DS there are good schools, and the villages are not too tiny, and when he's a teenager he can get up to mischief in Brighton without us having to be a rural taxi service as the house is 5 mins walk to the train station.

It's a village but a big one, with other big villages within a mile or two, so there's actually lots going on for kids and us so I shouldn't feel too rural and remote. Plus can get into Brighton super-quickly with lots of ready-made child and adult entertaining. And we have good friends in the next village and another good friend of mine about 20 mins drive away.

Need to see about my job. A bit of a hideous commute (70 mins on a good day round the M25) but I only work 3 days. Can do at least one from home and can be flexible about when I leave and return so can hopefully avoid worst of rush house. Short term it should be manageable while I work notice etc. and then will probably become a housewife go freelance.

Still a long way to go with this house, If we don't get this we'll probs hold off until next year until DH is settled in his job, but this house is so perfect that we had to go for it! Whatever happens, we will eventually live in Sussex with walks from the door It's nice to have a life plan in place - taken us a long while to work out what it is we want to do!

rush hour . i have house on the brain, clearly.

Sounds perfect, HQ! We had the "do we or don't we" (move to the 'burbs) talk this weekend. It is really tempting as you get space, bigger garden, parking, etc. BUT, I can't face the isolation. I'd have to live in a town/village centre and then I wonder if we'd really get the space we're after. And DH has always said he refuses to do a long commute, and I don't blame him.

If we could find what we wanted in London we stay here, no question. So we'll probably leave it a few years at least and do a loft extension in the mean time. And if kiddie #2 happens, then we'll be able to cope for a bit longer.

You'll have to keep us posted!

We've always tried to minimise our commutes (me currently 30 mins, DH currently 25 mins) but DH's commute to new job from current house will be 45-50 mins and involve two tubes, whereas it will be 5 mins walk to station, 50 mins train and then right above platform at the other end so not actually much difference. So suddenly the trade-off doesn't seem as bad. But it is hard to find places that are sufficiently out of London that are within an hour's commute, and if you have to tack on the tube at the end that makes it even harder. We found that living along the Brighton mainline is one of the best options.

The isolation scares me a lot. It's taken us several years of discussion and debate and then 6 months of weekend trips to Sussex to find only 3 villages that we can consider once everything is taken into account! If this house doesn't work, it could be a while before another suitable one comes up!

Oh well, it's an adventure! And I get to daydream about interior design schemes ;)

read a book about psychology of happiness recently, where main preditcor for happiness outside of health and shelter and food was to not commute, or to commute with journey in your control. was the only thing with a lartge positive association!

i can so see that being right merry! commutes are hell, and we're nervous about it with DH but even if we stayed in this house it would still be bad. if we do make this move then at least i can quit and use holiday and end up only having to do about 20 days of a commute before i can be done with it. joys of finally not being the primary wage earner

oh by the way, i've taken your advice and bought a mooncup

oooh good luck! well i think th epoint wiht you guys will be that you have actively sought and chosen your commute...so feel in control to some extent

only in control so much as southern trains and m25 will let us! I'll be whinging within 2 days I reckon!

Enjoy the zoo, everyone! I shall be sat in my office with a little green monster on my shoulder

Quick drop in while DD is asleep and Ds is being sedated entertained by Cbeebies. 5 whole weeks with no nursery before he goes to school. I'd like to think I'll be welling up when he starts but I think I'll be doing a celebratory lap of the playground. .

HQ- I came across this page yesterday, that's something you could run from a Surrey village I'd have thought?

Turtle hope you're OK? And everyone else. Gotta go, DS wants to (gasp) actually, you know, play!

Despite the worst night ever, P and I made it to the zoo...was lovely to see Jfly, Merryberry and Ffrecklefface. Tropical weather and monkeys...felt just like Brazil.

Thanks for all kind words and support fuckwit DH is still away and I am still not sure I ever want him to come back. We shall see.

Oh HQ...that sounds very exciting indeed!! Hope all goes well and you sell first!

yup, i enjoyed that mucho. i had convinced myself that crossing the thames to be south of the river was worse than crossing the rubicon and styx combined, but thanks to steroids and kind strangers holding ds1s hand on escaltors when asked it was actuall a breeze. relatively. was lovelyt oget back to my north london north facing garden and kitchen though. steamy day here huh. special kudos to Ff for turning up non-psychotic after than coach delay.

pics on FBvery soon

so sorry not to have made it today was very ill last night, but am going into hosp 2moro for hysteroscopy and d and c so fingers crossed that i will be better soon

glad you all had a good time, hope to make another meet up this summer??

LD, best of luck for tomorrow, doesn't sound pleasant so hope you're ok.

HQ, house location sounds fab, I'd go much more remote if DH could cope with it, but he likes his noise & pollution so burbs are compromise. For now. Hope you do the whole visualisation thing, see yourself living in the new place, picking up the keys, handing over your old place etc. Law of attraction works

Glad you all had a jolly time at the zoo. Still sulking.

Sent off my app form for the husky adventure, it's at the top end of Sweden, starting off in Kiruna(?), minimal washing in case of frostbite & outdoor toilets (can't imagine that bit wouldn't be more danger for frostbite...). And from what I've googled, you need to be fit to run after the sled when you fall off. Also to push it uphill to help the doggies.

btw, still not quite recovered from the visualisation of certain marchmums in the buff on holiday...not my cuppa!

Dontpanic, if you're going to the Arctic, then I should hope you're not interested in nudey-holiday-making! Brr . I am heading to my mum's in the next few weeks, so if you fancy meeting up again that would be great. Maybe take E and Ff to Bute Park?

Had much fun at the zoo yesterday. It was a shame I missed you, Jfly, and only really got to say hello to Turtle, but was very grateful to Merryberry for hanging around to wait for us. Coach trip from hell into London - got on the Oxford tube at 8.10, expecting to be at Victoria by 9.45ish. A lorry had caught fire on the M40, leading to a huge tail-back, a detour around rural Bucks, and four hours on a coach with a bored toddler...I was not happy at all! However, I got home to a delicious dinner, very cold pinot grigio, and four new books - I know he is only trying to be a good husband because he feels guilty about disappearing for a month again, but I was very grateful last night!

Hope all goes well today, Littleducks.

HQ, that sounds lovely. It's a big move, but it sounds perfect for you.

Right, gym now while I still have the chance. Yuck.

coram's field was really good today, suprised me how pleasant.

Had a really lovely London weekend - making me wonder whether I'm ready to go! Day in Hampstead yesterday on Heath and 2 Willow Road (cook modernist type house), then blackberrying followed by cycle ride round surprisingly countrysidey bit of Ealing near river, then stumbling into middle of very loud Hindu festival close to home.

And DS is walking! Started standing up unaided last week, then finally got the hang of walking holding our hands this weekend, then suddenly decided to launch himself between me and DH this evening. Took 4-5 steps several times. I'm off for a bath and then a nice glass of rose in the garden to celebrate

Just looked at the website-looks lovely. Glad you had a good time, weather's been great.
Hope everyone is ok - thread very quiet at the moment.

hello ladies, how's things? Hugs to those under the weather (Merry!) or up at all hours.
HQ brilliant news on the walking, and don't worry about moving, it's a natural minor panic attack It'll all be fine!

I do love this development stage, everything is still a fascination. Is it so wrong of me then to keep looking forward to when they can tell you why they're screaming blue murder at 1am. So much for baby-signing Still can't work out if last night was hunger, teething or wind. Or all 3!

Hope you don't mind me asking on here, but if anyone can spare a couple of £ towards my jolly sponsored journey from hell, i'm collecting here I'm absolutely cacking it about the amount of training you need to do to be fit enough for it, I really didn't think you needed to get off the sled & run beside the blimmin dogs, or help them go uphill!

Oh, and FfFf, yes, love to meet up again if we can coordinate diaries! Am supposed to be starting another HB class on Sat, but she hasn't paid yet or returned the forms, so that's looking less likely & Sats may be free.

well, HB class is going ahead on Sat, and I may even have a 2nd person for the 1st time! Sofas being delivered tomorrow evening just in time for it.

Hi everyone. How come time flies so fast. Its been ages since I've had the time to get on here and catch up with everyone. Turtle sorry to hear what an a*se your DH is, it sounds as if you'd be better off without him.

HQ, Yay to your DS for taking the plunge and walking, there'll be no stopping him now.

Ff. I don't envy you being stuck in a coach for 4 hours unexpectedly with a small child. If you know that it would happen, like when you fly, you make provisions to keep them entertained!

Littleducks, hope your op went well.

DS is doing well, he's becoming quite a comedy character at nursery. I started baby signing with him at around 6 months and we are now reaping the benefits from it. Its wonderful knowing what he means. Ambitiously Iwe have started to sign the alaphabet with the phonic sounds too.

Lunch break over now, back to the grindstone

Hi all!

Back from France, it was fantastic, DD had a great time, we bought about 25 cases of cheap but very tasty Sancerre/Pouilly Fume/Champagne and I didn't kill my in-laws . SIL a different matter... She is a member of Bounty, 'nuff said and gives a whole new meaning to the term PFB.

Gutted I missed the zoo trip although I was at the zoo in France on the same day so was there in spirit! Highly recommend the Loire Valley, it is really beautiful and loads of fun things to do. We'll have to sort out another catch up soon!

DD is coming on well with her words, a couple of weeks one on one with her full time has really made a difference, as much as I love nursery they can't quite give her the amount of attention when it comes to this type of thing. Do the NHS do an 18month or 24month check? How many words are they supposed to have by then out of interest? (to all you second/third timers!)

Anyway, off to have a proper MN catch up now

i think anything between 3 and 40/50 words at 18 months. i really like looking for comprehension most...what do they chain together and what can they understand from you.

like saying dog..woo woo and following instructions without being shown anymore. mostly of the pick it up and put it away variety, chez me.

Glad you had a good week, Ewe. (SIL aside...) Am at the amount of wine you foraged.

Timmy, I managed to avoid insanity only by feeding her all the snacks I had in my bag, and strapping her into the back carrier and attaching that to the seat with the seat belt. And even then I was somewhat frazzled when I eventually arrived.

I know what you mean about the comprehension thing, MB. All of a sudden Ff seems to understand what I am asking her, and is very good at taking herself off and bringing me something back/taking off shoes/putting on a hat etc. Alas, still resistant to the word 'no', but we'll get there.

I think that we might be applauding her too much. It has reached the stage where she expects a round of applause for EVERYTHING she does, and if one isn't forthcoming she looks around, points at her chest, and then gives herself a little clap.

Took her to playgroup today, and it was over-run with older children. Expected Ff to be a bit shy, but she threw herself into the soft play with utter abandon, and wore herself out so much that she fell asleep in the high chair at lunchtime. Very sweet, and extremely unusual.

All change in the Ffreckle household. Timetable and reading lists arrived this morning, and I have made appointments to check out the local nurseries next week. Just one day a week, as MIL is having her for the second day I am at uni, but still exciting.

Bloke texted to say he had arrived in the US and had been for his first Bud in Hooters...so, ladies, you can all sleep soundly in your beds knowing that the war on terror is being professionally fought.

DP I'll let you know when I am due on the right side of the bridge. Probably in the next three weeks.
Turtle hope all is going well with you.
merryberry I hope you feel better soon.