June 2008: New Year, new thread, new names, new words, new goals, but no resolutions!

[abdnhikinginawinterwonderland]

New thread since the last one's at 997 posts...

Deb, can't believe you're in London, without kids, only a few days before me. Speaking of London - I am going to be free on the Friday night (the 12th) if anyone is around and wanted to go out for a meal. It's my first time leaving Fraser for more than 8 hours - and it's four nights (blub!!!).

Amber, Mark's schedule sounds exhausting, I can see why he'd be worn down. Hopefully giving him some time to himself will work wonders. I think you're very smart to let him - I let DH go out for long bike rides (4 hours + prep time etc) and even though it's hard on me and the boys miss him, he needs it in order to be the amazing dad & hubby he is the rest of the time.

Sponge - his name is Landon. I think that's more common in North America than here, it's not a first name I'd come across before. DH is saying it's a star wars name (Lando Calrissian - not sure my SIL would appreciate that!

Evening all.

Abdn, so sorry to read about your sad news but pleased to read that you had some happier news to brighten your world!

Amber, sorry you've had a terrible weekend. Have you tried some olbas oil in his room? I hope that the new weekend routine helps improve things. I hope you get some 'me' time during the week though?

Our weekend has been a bit of a disaster. S was being shipped off to the GPs, originally because I was organising a belated bday night out. That was cancelled for various reasons but DH and I were going to go out anyway. We hadn't really organised anything though and then I woke up feeling quite ill. By about 5pm I felt a bit human so we thought we'd go out for an early tea and catch a film. Headed into town and it was heaving. Of course - first weekend after first pay day since Christmas! There wasn't a hope in hell's chance of getting something to eat anywhere and they only had front row tickets left for the film! We ended up coming home, getting a takeaway and watching a dvd!

To add insult to injury, it was a gorgeous day here so perfect for some nice family time, but the GPs who were supposed to be bringing S back at lunchtime turned up about 3pm. We needed to take him for new shoes so by the time that was done we had to come
home to put dinner on. So all in all a pretty dull weekend and major waste of a rare overnight babysitter!

Well 24 is about to start so I'm going to stop whinging and watch that.

Lol re cinema - think there is some good stuff on. Want light hearted or thoughtful? I live vicariously through listening to mark kermode podcAsts here.

Ah meant to say glad you had some good news re Landon as sounds like you have had a tough week

Huuuuuge x-post. Can't believe I finished whinging about my sat night to find you all chatting about the cinema

Lol domestic - sorry you didn't have a great weekend. Maybe the two of you should have just stayed in instead .

AH, Landon sounded really familiar, and I'm sure he was a famous actor so googled and found this!

I would have loved to have met for a meal but mum is up that weekend so will have to miss it . Hope you have a fab time though.

Getting even more excited about dh and I going to London for a day .

I'm jealous of all these baby-free trips to London! I went to the cinema a lot when T was tiny as we went to the Big Scream, but hardly at all in the past year. We got some theatre and Philharmonic vouchers for Christmas so need to organise babysitting. I can't wait to start having evenings out again.

I knew a Landon! Everyone who met him asked if it was the same name as Lando Calrissian

Amber you are very kind and tolerant and I'm not going to tell DH that women like you exist! DH was saying yesterday how he thought he'd book a weekend in London for himself to do a bit of studying (fun studying, not work-related studying. He does stuff like that for fun). I made encouraging noises and mentioned that I'd like to spend a weekend with my friend in Devon and he went all twitchy . Sorry about your shitty weekend and I hope Luke is better soon.

AH v sorry you have so much sadness and worry. Your poor friend.

Rolf, I just read out your post to dh and he laughed - when I told him you had 4 kids he said he's be twitching too!

Rolf - love your comment to Amber

Goddess, sorry to hear about your night out in

Abdn- if we'd had longer there I'd have loved to meet up

Poppy - don't mind really, as long as it's good

We've got a w/e to London coming up soon too. Will have S on tow though! Have taken a notion that I really want to see the musical legally blonde. DH is seriously unimpressed. I may see if the my friend we're staying with fancies it.

You guys are so chatty!

Doesn't look like I'm gonna keep up anymore....but will pop back regularly. Any news KTPie?

Amber - I'm also not going to tell DH that wifes like you exist. Investment banks are incredibly stressful places to work, more so than any other office situation I've ever been in. Too many people think that they are chiefs, far too many huge egos and Mark's got to be the one to say that they can't afford stuff? Not a great role to be in. Good luck with the IVF hon.

Thank you all for the FIL/racism feedback. I knew 'down under' was bad, but it's different when it's family and in your face IYKWIM.

Ry's cousins 1st birthday party yday. Babies everywhere, mad! But it reminded me that FIL & MIL are actually incredibly socially awkward and that when FIL acts the 'big man who knows everything' it's just an act. He's actually very aware that he's not that worldly so pretends he is. Does any of that make sense?

Football - no comment. Blair - No comment. Flights - just thinking about them brings me out in a rash. Not looking forward to August when we come back for a month, well looking forward to coming back, but not the flights. Speaking of which, it'd still be wonderful to try and arrange a big meet up with as many of us as possible then? What do you think? Any venue/location suggestions?

Shocked at the salt in bread, Ry gets thru loads of it.

Oh dear, that really was a crap post. Feel a bit fuzzy today...

Hey PP good to read your post. Don't worry about keeping up so much - just keep posting!

Am feeling quite domestic goddess like because I made muffins before 9am. S sat on the counter and 'helped' which he really enjoyed (though not as much as he enjoyed eating the mini choc chip muffin afterwards). It really tempted me to order one of those funpod things but can't really justify the expense.

Busy day today with Jo jingles etc. Hope everyone is well. Especially our mums to be!

goddess - I just have both boys on chairs to help me - a funpod would take up too much space in my kitchen! I think it was puree who said that the funpod market was for PFBs

anyone have news from Ktpie? or her mobile to send her a text?

Ah - Rolf thanks! I think I'm just trying to have an easy life. I'm very lucky that I'm not at work and do get to do things for myself but Mark doesn't so it's only fair. PP - yes you are right about the egos! Actually MArk is off to Hong Kong today so I am home alone for 4 days. At leadt it measn I don't need to feel guilty about not doing housework!

Luke constantly stinks of Olbas oil - I have tried everything. I know it's his adenoids - why won't anyone listen to me at the GPs - wankers. Deb - he does snore - he has all the symptoms of giant adenoids - Mark had them as a child too. It's so irritating - the doctor didn't even ask me to bring him in to look.

Goddess - I'm goinmg to have another go at muffins. Got a different recipe with plain flour and baking powder instead of SR flour.

Aberdeen - I might be free on 12th. Won't be able to drink though and also will need to see how I'm feeling as will be on the mega strength drugs by then too (starts Thursday - eek). A possibility though?

Just re read my post - blimey Aberdeen I've really sold the night to you haven't I?!!

Hello! Shouldn't be here really as I've only got 2 hours between my massive amounts of teaching...
Hope all's well - it does sound like Adenoids for Luke, Amber; I had mine removed as part of various ent procedures. (The eighties, eh? Take it all out!)
Abdn sorry to hear about your health worries. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about - easier said than done, I know, because when I found my lump I did immediately think that it was a very aggressive form of breast cancer and that I would only have 3 weeks to live (2 of those spent waiting for an appointment...) In the end it was nothing. Which is good!

I thought I was in London that week but I'm there a few days after. Abdn, Deb and I need to co-ordinate a bit better!! (Deb did you want somewhere to stay?)

Sponge, Ali and anyone else I could do the Friday - did that suit everyone (I think I picked a day you both said you could do)? I won't be able to arrive until Wednesday at the moment.

Gah, got to prep my seminar. This is a shite workload! Really gets in the way of mumsnet!

Amber, you will hopefully feel better once you're stimming, though agree that you won't be able to drink!

Tedi, yep Friday good for me. Where's best to meet now that we have ramapaging toddlers and not non-mobile babies?!

Amber I think when you're not working it's natural to want to give DH a bit of time to relax at the weekend. I am supposed to get a lie-in on Saturdays but often get up and leave DH in bed cos I feel sorry for him, he gets up at 6.30 every day for work, sometimes its 8.30 for me so he's more tired! But then I do like it when he gives me a break as well, so you have to do a bit for each other so you both get a rest. When you have another baby you are going to need a break too!

Dh was in the doghouse yesterday because as you know I hate that he plays football on Sundays as it takes up so much time. He didn't have a game yesterday so we had a lovely day planned, going to church together and then going over to see my new nephew back home. I also wanted to go and see two of my old friends while we were over there. Well at 10am he finds out he has got a game after all which meant he wouldn't have been back in time for us to go over to Rochdale and do all the things I wanted to do and get back in time for the kids' tea. And the day before he'd been out all afternoon watching Liverpool, so I was livid that he was leaving me on my own with the kids half of Saturday and then half of Sunday. Anyway the game was called off anyway cos someone had been digging holes in the pitch. But I was still annoyed, but that's my hormones, and I am so tired from the pg so I really look forward to weekends for a rest. I really think something has to give - either he plays football or he goes to watch football... doing both in one weekend is taking the piss.

Abdn, sorry you are feeling stressed about your health worries. I really hope it is nothing to worry about, and sorry about your friend's death. And I hope Fraser gets the all-clear as I am sure he will.

I think purée is right abdn - the funpod's look fab but way to ££££££. And we all know I can justify spending too much on just about anything . I'd happily stand him on a chair, but unfortunately our dining chairs are foldable so too dangerous. It's reminded me that I need some new ones. I now have a priority list for spending - decorating hall, mac computer, decorating main bathroom, new dining chairs.

Did I tell you all that my waiting patiently for flights paid off? I probably did so sorry to repeat it

Neenz I think you're right to be miffed. Looking after two toddlers ain't a walk in the park so why should you have to 'work' all w/e while your dh has a break. I'd also be really pissed at him for prefering a football-filled w/e over some family time tbh. I think everyone needs some 'me' time but not so much that there's little 'family' time.

S is driving me dememnted. 2.15pm and no nap. Aaarrrrggghhhh. However, I am getting out for some drinks tonight so got that to look forward to!

Neenz - I would also have been pissed off. Maybe you can have two half days to do what you please with banked for the future (hair/preggo massage/facial??).

I have seen Purees funpod and Cecily does really love it. I know Luke wouldn't stay in it 2 seconds so money would be wasted here but a great invention!

Sponge - It does sound so strange that I will be 'stimming' myself as of Thursday!! My worst side effects so far is the headaches plus I now have Luke's cold.

Finally got the SF letter from the GP. I will get that sorted I think. I don't think i have read about anyone having a bad reaction yet. Will wait for his cold to go though.

I made proper muffins!! I jigged the recipe around and they've risen and everything [proud domestic goddess emoticon]. I have also dusted stuff - wow! (the first time since living here can you believe?)

Let's all do that meet up on the Friday then in Oondon - can you remind me what Friday it is we are talking about? Also it's impossible for Lue to do sitting down in a restaurant. I guess a few of us have that right? I am happy to have it at mine if you want? Puree, PP and Tedi can vouch it's probably big enough and we have the playroom all kitted out now and maybe we'll have the climbing frame up in the garden by then too!

Well I go to watch City as often as he goes to watch Liverpool so that's fair enough - we both get our break... but I really think he needs to give up playing - he is 36 this year so prime retirement age and with another baby on the way...

But he thinks as he 'really enjoys it and will really miss it' he shouldn't have to give up . But I need it to be his decision to quit otherwise it will always be my fault that I 'made' him quit. It's my mission this summer to make him see the error of his ways...

Well done Amber! It's not that long since I first successfully made muffins - I was ridiculously pleased with myself! I really would recommend that book I linked to before - loads of recipes and lots of useful info on how to make muffins instead of just recipes iyswim?

Blimey they are yummy - just eaten my second and they are meant to be for Luke

amber I wont be drinking either - no more than a glass of wine anyways as my tolerance is crap. If you're up for it, I'd love to get together but I'm happy to wait and see how you're feeling.

neenz the whole football thing is a tough one - exercise is so good for mental health and such... would he give up watching games as often instead?

Now I want muffins....

Abdn sorry to hear about the various health worries, I'm sure it will all work out fine though.

Amber likewise on L's adenoids. Can you get them looked at privately? Maybe you need to go around your gp if they won't take you seriously. The muffins sound fantastic by the way, oh, and I also won't be mentioning your saintliness to dh. He works similar hours to your dh in a stressful environment but is a father of three at weekends and has to suck it up!

Neenz dh used to play cricket but that took a whole day out of our weekend. Given that the kids often don't see him during the week at all I pretty much insisted he give it up. I'm happy for him to go out a couple of evenings a week to meet up with friends/unwind (which given I go out roughly 3 times a year is nice of me I think!) but weekends are strictly family time.