Sept 08: How do we like our eggs in the morning? Fertilised, or completely and most definitely unfertilised?

[ILikeToMoveItMoveIt]

A brand spanking new thread where we can chat about the state of our eggs, SWI, our veg patches and any other topic we fancy

Star If you have a fan oven you need to reduce the temp in the cook book by 20 degress and cook them for maybe 2-4 mins less - you will get to know your oven and how it works. Also, when using muffin cases (I only use muffin cases even for cupcakes) only put in 1 tbsp of mixture in each one and then top them up if you have any mixture left after filling all the cases.

Also, try and get italian 00 flour for cakes, it really does make a difference. HTH x

fanny Oh dear your poor dd. Hope she is on the mend x

right, off to load my new washing machine and start on the piles and piles of ironing

plain flour sounds good to me

I would guess that just white flour is plain white flour, not strong or self-raising.

And don't forget to sieve your flour, it will make your cakes lighter!

Your all muffin mad!

And use fresh eggs, at room temperature. We got a new fridge with an egg holder and suddenly my cakes weren't as fluffy. Someone told me to have eggs at room temp and the fresher the better, and bingo, fluffy cakes!

Suddenly I'm really proud of my muffin top

bookmarking....

I bloody love muffins. They're simple, they freeze, they're tasty, you can make them sweet or savoury, etc etc

Does all of this talk of muffins make you fear for your safety mama?

Well, I've just re-potted my beans and peas as I daren't put them out yet and they were getting too big for the containers they were in.

We had an 'incident' in the garden this afternoon. DS was pottering around while I was being neglectful sitting down and thinking of nothing. DS was right next to me and done his rabbit sign (bunny ears with the hands) and was chatting away to himself. I gave him a little aaahh, for being so cute, then the next thing I know he is shoving a dead stiff mouse in my face. Eeeek.

To be honest I don't know what he had done with it before I realised that it was there, I'm hoping there was no kissing involved.

I calmly snatched it from him and threw it in the border - which has turned into a small animals cemetary this week because of the bloody cats. We then went in and washed our hands.

DS then kept pointing at the border where the mouse was thrown, then at the floor where he found it, then tutting at me and gabbling at me - probably saying 'what have you done with my new playmate.'

Eeeeew, it makes me cringe just thinking about it.

Then when I was walking across the lawn I saw a mouse's bum and tail in the grass. FGS, if the bloody cats are going to catch them can't they eat all of it???

You make me Starlight

Apparantly keeping eggs in the fridge doesn't make them last any longer

I've got one word for you about curries: Pataks.

They do jars of spices that are already pummelled and mixed. I think they're really good and I am very stupidly snobby about stuff from jars

Oh, and I'm very impressed at all of this cooking Starlight. Are you enjoying it?

starlight I gave up any idea of ever making curry when I saw that Jamie Olivers easy curry sauce needed about a billion ingredients and loads of chopping. I don't have the space in my cupboard for endless jars of spices that I will hardly ever use. When we want curry we get the Innocent veg pots when they are on 2 for a £5.

ILTMIMI this thread is single handedly putting me off ever having a cat.

I'm ompressed by all this cooking - I just don't seem to have the energy or inspiration atm (although I did make a yummy banana cake for the parents at DD1's party last weekend)

I need to mak some more scones for H and DD1 I promised ages ago.

iltmimi over the dwead mouse. I like that you 'calmly' threw it into the border. DD1 rescued a mouse that the cat had bought in a couple of weeks ago and put it in her playhouse with some food. I didn't have the heart to tell her that it later died (presumably of shock)

anyone seen the Michael McIntyre sketch about the spices in the cupboard? It's very funny and so true. All about how they never get out the cupboard.
I agree curry is always nicer and millions times easier out of a jar.

Our peas and beans are outside and look ok but they were my first thought when I saw frost outside the other morning!

EEEEEEEE on the mouse IL2MIMI

Breaking news. E started the week with no words and is ending it in a couple. Mama, dada and more (as in more food). However, they are only when he wants and cant be prompted. I am soooooooo relieved to be honest.

Enjoy your baking peeps!

Hi ho its off to work I go! I have to work one weekend in eight and its this one. Doh ! See you later. Muffin munchers!

Testing new name

I have had a lovely break this morning. The dc's went to the park with their grandparents and I popped to town on my own. I bought DS his first set of Duplo lego as I only just realised the megablocks were way too babyish for him and was was bored to tears with them . I bought DD a toy horse, only it was one of the poncy Schleich models from the toy shop - a Lipazzaner Stallion . I always wanted to go horse riding when I was little and my parents could't afford it, so I couldn't resist it! She threw it across the table at lunchtime at her big brother, it's quite hard . Poor DS.

While the house was quiet I also discovered how to burn cd's onto my laptop, ie: put cd in slot and select burn option from box which pops up on screen. Computing for dummies really. We need decent non-sweary rock 'n' roll and rap cds for the car this summer so I'm going to make a few up. We've only had the Ting Tings and Mcfly in the car as they didn't swear and it's getting repetitive now.

Hello everyone, it's been a while since I posted, although, as you know, I am a shameless lurker. To be honest, most of the time I don't have that many interesting news (or delicious muffing recipes to share, for that matter). But BOY, DO I HAVE STUFF TO TELL YOU TODAY!

Remember we put an offer on a house we were besotted with months ago and we were not accepted because we're in a chain? Well, I got a phone call from the estate agent on Tuesday saying that the sale fell through, were we still interested. We said yes. Put an offer Wednesday, got accepted Thursday! We are awaiting confirmation of our mortgage and it's all systems go.

Also, remember how I said a while ago that after much dithering, DP and I were kind of thinking about a number 2? Well, as my period is almost two weeks late I decided to take a test today. As I went into the bathroom, stick in hand, I said to dp "I don't feel pregnant at all". Well, I bloody am!

I am so shocked and speechless that I needed to talk to someone, but as my DP has explicitly said that he does not want us to go blurting out the news yet, I just had to come and tell you. I am in disbelief! Please remind me, what does one do next?

Pacita that's fab news - congratulations twice.

My letter has had an effect! Had an e-mail from the councillor asking me to be patients, that they know they have short term problem which they are trying to fix so that everyone ends up with a school they want. She said they hope to have it all sorted for September!

I felt like writing straight back and saying that's far too late but the advice I've received is to try and set up a face to face meeting with her so that's what I'm going to do. There is no way we can wait until September - we need to sort out before and after school care and get DS ready for this. One step forward and all that...

Congratulation Pacita . What a lovely surprise. I know you were trying but you did not feel it.
Excellent news on the house front also. It all happens at once.
Meglet what a lovely day you have had shopping on your own
One day down, another to go at work!
I felt lika a bad mum moment earlier. Ds1 5 and all of us were invited to a neighbours party. I was really tied up at work, dh gone to hosp as had hurt his knee running, mil looking after baby with hand foot business. So basically we could not go. However, ds5 was so looking forward all day I asked if he could still go and that I would pop along asap. This was no problem but within half an hour they brought him back as he threw heavy ball at another childs head . I am angry as he knew it was wrong but angry at myself for putting an over excited child in that sistuation without me. He has now missed out on the whole party but it will teach him. I am so embarrased also. Being a mum is soo hard. It all falls on my head and I could not have been in two places at once. Sorry for rant x

I laughed at muffin munchers too, but then I really do have a toilet sense of humour!

Pacita. What a momentous and exciting week you've had! Don't bother with contacting the GP. If you know who your group of MW's are, give them a ring and they'll arrange a booking in appt with you.

I know what you mean Mama. Although dh see's ds is his responsibility as much as mine, I still feel that ultimately I am the one responsible for him. I don't know why I feel like that though, dh certainly doesn't make me feel like that.

Even though he knows he shouldn't have done it, he still is only five. The neighbour really could have dealt with it better I think. But then again maybe they thought it wasn't their responsibility to deal with it. Saying that, if I am looking after someone else's child I believe that I have total responsibility over them while I am minding them, and that includes dealing with inappropriate behaviour.

meglet - the problem we have is that we have 3 cats. Aka the furry f**kers. I love them, but they are a pita sometimes. Especially when they bring back presents.

Thanks you all for the congratulations. We are both so tired and delighted about the house... and about the pregnancy! Still a lot to process. I kind of feel like I've jumped the queue, as I think in all fairness digi and hopefully were first. Anyway, it's very early days, so let's just hope it sticks.

Dastardly, I think our new house is not too far from you (in London terms, that is). I'll really have to check out the school situation in a lot of detail...

And for all of you receiving presents of wildlife in gardens... I even look forward to that, as this will be the first house with a garden I ever own! Fingers crossed it all goes through...

fanny how's dd?

pactita double congrats! Really hope you've started a baby boom on this thread! What's your due date?

Meglet if I ever get the rare chance for time in town I'm the same and just find stuff for the kids! There's loads in ELC that ds would enjoy right now.

mama Yay for words! you poor thing about the situation with your ds1 I agree that if I have another child in my care, then I have the right to discipline them. I think if it'd been me I'd have given your ds a bit of time out and asked him apologise. I would give him a choice between that or having to go home, but not just frog-march him back.

D&S I hope they stick to their word.

I've got the letter from our second choice nursery saying dd has got a place. I have a couple of weeks to try and get the first choice nursery to commit to whether or not they can have her. If first choice could have her from January then I'd keep at her home til then, although she'll be nearly 4. I'm just lazy and don't want to have to start building a school run into my life!

The pain I've been struggling with has been really bad this month. Next doctor's appt is a week on monday, the same day AF is due. I know the ovarian tests were clear, but I don't know whether she'll refer me yet for the endoscopy for endometriosis. The pain I'm in doesn't give me much hope that we've conceived this month. I'm so excited about the extension which is providing a wonderful distraction, but wish I didn't have to go through the months of tortuous heartache that is ttc. I know several of you are going through the same thing, lets hope pacita can spread fertility in the same way we've spread hand foot and mouth and chicken pox across this thread!!

Pacita congratualtions, great news. Fingers crossed everything with the house happens quickly and smoothly. Have you sold your current house?

Carrie ELC are doing free delivery for orders over £50 at the moment (usually £100) so even if you can't get to shops you might be able to get stuff.
I went shopping last weekend on my own and avoided all toyshops. Only bought clothes for me (was spending birthday money). Meglet were you in Debenhams today? I think they've got 20% off and was wondering if it's worth going in. Although they might not be by Monday and I don't think it's the best debenhams anyway.

Hope you get good answers soon about schools/nurseries D&S and Carrie

Oh and woooohoooooooo Dundee Utd won the Scottish Cup today