The sequel - Fab, Sparkly & often Moany 40 + : Preggie or New Mums - come say Hi!

[jeanjeannie]

We've now filled up the last thread - and the two before that! Seems that there are a lot of us old girls out there getting ourselves into trouble

So - if you've just found yourself to be with child or have a LO and you've hit (or about to hit - we'll let you sneak in just under the radar!)the big 4 0, then come say Hi!

There is always a spare comfy chair - plenty of cake and many old ladies to listen to your moans! Think of the lovely ladies knitting shreddies - only we're not sporting a blue rinse, but wearing cashmere and kitten heels

Hello regular ladies. I avoided putting FAT, F*cked or Knackered in the title - tempting as it was

jw how funny you're in an evil mood - I'm not feeling my usual benevolent self (arse the T isn't working properly ) and not sure why. I'm sort of fuming....but for no apparent reason and i go more sleep than usual...MMmmm. I think it's when I would be having my period but due to BF I've not seen one for yonks. I say it's BF - more likely the bloody menopause

Gingermumi yeah - I think it t'was your name wot gave it away! And hey - your DP is younger...every little counts as they say in retail!

Gawd, talk at playgroup today was about schools....nightmare. We're the only ones not to have their names down for pre-school - eek! Some do it while preggie - although it's not supposed to make a difference to your chances Oh I'm so confused. And when we moved here there were 5 schools in the catchment area - now there is just one ....huh! And it's one of the worst in Wycombe....nice. No wonder we've not put our name down. Off to look at school stats and get depressed !

hello all from bedroom exile in BoogieTowers! where it's freezing 'cos the front door has been open all day while rubble is removed.

I'm fuming today!
That effing cat has been at it gain!! He has been banned from the bedroom for weeeks after being found to have being eating my pyjamas. He slipped in again other day and I have just been emptying the laundtry basket in my room and I found my best dress which I have only worn once and was planning to wear for Christmas with a load of chewed holes in the back Can't see any way that it can be repaired or covered up either.

Its only ever my clothes he goes for - if I got my hands on him I won't be responsible for my actions... 'orrible little moggy

Hi gang

Feeling like total crap today. I don't know if MS has finally kicked in or if I've got a bug, but I'm headachey and tired and nauseous. And I totally don't feel like eating, but with the diabetes I don't have much choice! At least cereal and milk seem to be staying down.

MrsB I think I would kill the cat. Can you put a jacket over the dress maybe? Or a jumper? Or a cardie?

omfg mrsb I know what I'd be doing with your cat if that was my best dress...appointment with the vet - 1 way ticket only

Oh, so glad we're all in such great Monday morning moods! My period has been and gone but last week I was the biggest cow that walked this earth - ever. According to my DH that is. Probably very deservedly awarded title imho. I was a biatch for sure.

Don't envy you with the door open all day mrsb. When our decorators were here it was like a bloody fridge...in and out all day long with muddy footprints up and down the house! How long are they planning to be working?

Ah, well there's a funny thing JJ regarding schools. Btw I think we're living in a paralell universe as we seem to co-incidentally do similar things at similar times....anyhoo...schools... I'm not from Bury so I was looking at schools in the area last week and then cross-examining my MW (who is local) regarding schools. Now, DH is local but very sketchy on primary schools apart from the one he went to (shut down now) and the one that DSS goes to. I looked at the stats, Ofted reports, school websites etc in the area. I'm wanting K to go to a catholic school. Not as I'm religious but I've found they usually offer a better standard of education. So, found 2 local schools but both smack in the middle of not so great council estates but get good Ofsteds. Then, there's the independant catholic prep up the road. DH is dead set against this as a)costs money and b) costs money. MW gave it a fab review though. Then she told me that in this area you can't put their names down until the term before they start!!!!!!! FArk me. K has no siblings going to these schools either so think we might be out on a limb for the state ones. The secondary school is easy peasy as the local catholic secondary is right up there at Numero Uno in Bury (it's also the one that doesn't allow the HPV jabs ). So, we've a couple of years yet but not sure what's going to happen. I'm going to turn into one of those neurotic mums, picketing outside school of choice with a placard.

What's your options JJ? Can you go outside of catchment area? And what happened to the other 4 schools? Did they burn down or are they on wheels and moved to a better area?

Tee could be a combination of all those things rolled into one. I found my MS peaked from around 7-11 weeks. Even smells made me retch And the tiredness! Felt like I was coming round from an op Ah those were the days...never again.

Fraid you have to ride it out Tee. Try ginger tea. Anything you find that helps/stays down, stick with

Off to Costco to look at telly's for my DS#2's xmas prezzy. He wants one of the 50" plasma..hmm...think it'll be a portable myself. May have to purchase a couple of lemon drizzle cakes out of desperation. I'll post you ladies a slice (mrsb you can have 2 as you're having a mare). tee you can have a crumb in case you barf and JJ you have have the entire cake as you'll probably punch my lights out if I don't give it to you

Good afternoon one and all.

I need a new carpet

Ds1 is predicted 1 gcse unless he really gets his act together

I still have this stupid bloody discharge and Bil is seriously pissing me off with his Christmas plans

I need calm and cake. Except I still have the reflux and everything I eat is coming back - but only a bit. Just enough to give me a rancid taste in my mouth and breath that would kill at 20 paces. (Would you like to send your cat to visit MrsB?)

Heigh Ho!

Poor tee yep my MS (or rather overwhelming nausea with very little actual sick involved) was abou 6-13 weeks -think it's the same for most. Small amounts of dry stuff helped and I I'll second ginger tea - also green tea was nice too.

Oooo jw Costco in Watford had a plasma screen tv sale yesterday - Huge ones for under £300 - have to say we were tempted.

mrsB That cat needs a kick up its a*se! I'd be fuming too. Our moggy has discovered Iris's wendy house....damm funny watching it trying to jump through the litle window

jw schools in Bucks is a pain....we're an 11 plus county All well and good but most of the state primary schools have never had a pupil pass it....so they go onto to the ultra-sh*te secondarys - both of which are on the government's 'failing' list

We were taken out of the good primary catchments as there were too many people wanting to go there - so they widened the catchment for the cr*p school so as to bring in more pupils.

We're thinking of going down the Cof E route although that's way out of catchment and a hell of a fight to get in to. It's annoying because we've got two of the Uk's top grammars literally wihin walking distance - for which we are in catchment for but would technically never get to if we went to the catchment primary

Ofsted is weird. A good ofsted is often given to an awful school. Basically the Ofsted stats are built around how much the worst performing pupils improve - I believe it's called something like added value - not to be confused with a cheap Tesco brand! So, most of our brilliant schools - including some of the uk's best independents have rubbish ofsteds!! Our local state nursery is dire, awful, the pits - yet it has an 'outstanding' ofsted - but it really is just the dreggs....everyone is bemused.

If we only had one DC then we'd say sod it and pay - but with two - it's just out of our reach Most of the kids in grammar have been to an independant school at primary level...and many haven't even passed their 11+ Not sure what to do - and we've got to have done it all by this time next year - eek!

Anyway - blood pressure going up at the thought of it! Off to friends house. What's the betting there'll be newspaper on the settee when we get there?

ARGGGG my internet connection is so slow today, it is like being back on dial up
Lilibet have you tried rennies? Gaviscon did not work for me but rennies seemed to give some immediate relief.
JW good news about K's O2or lack of it I suppose is the better way around.
We have had a nice weekend, haven't done very much just hung out, I took Ben swimming of Sunday.
JJ well done on operation sleep and try not to get too stressed about schools. when I was you looking at the numbers in the tables schools that seem miles apart are actually only a percentage point away I would go and have a look around the schools and see what vibes you pick up.
sorry can't type any more the delay between typing and the words coming up on the screen is sending me crazy

X-post JJ it sounds like a night mare, the joys of country living are that the villiage schools seem to be much of a muchness

Hi all. Been madly busy so not had a minute.

DH's cricket club end of season dinner on friday night. Good fun but I usually down a few to get through the speeches, they were a little boring sober! On sat morning I went to have coffee with a very nice woman with 2 girls, the oldest of whom is deaf. She was the first other 'deaf mummy' I've met, the hearing advisory teacher put me in touch with her, so I was bursting with questions. She was really nice and we will meet up again. My ginger brother came round with his 2 ginger boys in the afternoon then we went to a neighbour's house for dinner in the evening. So 2 consecutive nights I was up past midnight when I'm usually in bed by 9!

I cooked lunch yesterday for some friends and their 16 month old ds. Lamb tagine and couscous and an M&S blueberry tart for pud. And bed at 9pm of course!

This morning we went to our first deaf playgroup, except this week it was a visit to a mini rainforest. Elizabeth loved it and I met a really nice mum plus all of the teachers. Tomorrow I have the signing teacher coming in the morning to start our signing lessons. Elizabeth seems to wear her hearing aids for longer when we're busy, although she would only let me put the right one in today but she did keep it in for almost 3 hours which is brilliant.

It's nothing to be jealous about, the deaf thing, but jeanjeannie you may be a bit jealous as it means E has SEN so we can kind of pick and choose schools. Although here in Muswell Hill we're lucky as the local schools are all pretty good.

Welcome gingermumi. I'm a bit similar to you, have kids 24, 20 and 12 (girl boy girl), then remarried and had Elizabeth (aka Betsy), 19 months, who has just been fitted with hearing aids. I am pregnant again, due in April. I'm 45 and am another cradle snatcher with a DH who is 33. The two youngest girls are gingers, as are most of the rest of my family.

Right, off to a friend's house for tea and biccies. Have enjoyed my sit down and always enjoy catching up with everyone's news, which remind me, good news Tee about your DH's bottom!

lilibet, I think ermintrude may be right with the ironing over brown paper. That's what you do when you get candle wax on fabric anyway.

lilibet if you try the ironing thing make sure the carpet is wool if it is manmade you may end up melting it !

right, well the mare got a teeny bit worse in that the builders nailed through a gas pipe in the wall when they were putting up a dust sheet. They said it was all going too swimmingly for a Monday job - when they came to pull down the sheet they pulled out the nail and were met with the hiss of escaping gas. Turns out that this gas pipe is a bad thing because a) it shouldn't have been positioned where it was in the wall and b) it is made of lead which is illegal. So it must be removed tomorrow which means following it upstairs and the bedroom floor lifted to replace it with a copper pipe. No heating tonight and no gas cooker.

Sigh.

Well, in the midst of all this jollity the hv came and we had a hasty measuring/weighing session in the bedroom. D is now 12lbs 8 which is v impressive according to herself. He also smiled at her despite have been woken from his just fallen asleepness and generally gave the impression of a thriving and happy baby despite the chaos going on around him. Which is good.

Vaccinations tomorrow which I am feeling a bit eeeek about for no reason that I can articulate.

Off to remove brick dust from the entire bottom floor. I may be some time...

I'd like to make a disclaimer about the ironing over brown paper thing, before lilibet bills me for extreme damage to her carpet, which by now may well be covered by fused blobs of wax and brown paper!

ps - please send large quantities of cake (any kind) to me most urgently

Blimey mrsb you're having a mare of it - even by Monday standards. So the builders are trying to gas you all and give you lead poisoning into the bargain? Mebbe they've actually done you a favour unearthing the lead pipes?

Well done Darragh on his splendid weight gain Obviously all that guzzling is paying off.

Off to the chip shop for you two tonight. Or alternatively get OH to pop into M&S for a nuclear meal for two

DH is off playing bridge again tonight I hate it when one of his bridge chums rings up to see if he can go out to play and he stands there, phone in hand (with other person on the end of it waiting for an answer), the little boy look on his face saying 'please, can I go and play bridge tonight?' And I'm like....FFS. Yes if you must. That means once again I'm left holding the baby AND put on the spot. Hate being put on the spot...anyway, upshot is he's off out the door after his tea/supper/dinner (dependent on where you live) and I'll be left to get the kids to bed, eat copious amounts of quality street and have an early night (if K lets me).

Is that burning carpet I can smell.............?

Oh no MrsB how horrible! Be glad there wasn't an explosion!

Sending very large quantities of cake your way!

Dear MrsB please find enclosed
coffee & walnut, le,om drizzle, choc brownies, carrot cake, Victoria sandwich will that tide you over until tomorrow????
what a pain in the bottom hope there are no more nasty surprises. Have they had to turn the gas off, do you have heating???
JW I thought only retired people played Bridge?

sorry you said you had no heating, woolly socks and thermals it is then

hedgepig it's a myth that sedate old ladies (think Hinge & Bracket) play bridge. In reality it's a cut throat game where no one takes any prisoners. In fact DH told me of one pairing bridge couple (who were also a couple in real life). She cocked up a (bridge) contract and he ended up shooting her. Really. He did. Think he's now in prison for attempted murder. When they meet here to play I can hear them arguing in the next room.

Katherine has fallen into a nasty habit of sleeping all day and being awake until late evening. Trying all sorts of tricks to keep her awake to no avail. Crap

asleep in the day awake all evening........now that sound familiar

I will look at bridge in a completely different way, I am C* at all card games I can never remember the rules

thanks for the cake hedgepig although I fear it may not last the night and may need supplementing with gin

I think the builders have actually done us a favour as they said that if we had inserted something electrical into the wall like a light fitting there would have been a large explosion

Oscar the cat is still causing trouble
Either he can feel the heat of my wrath or he has taken umbrage at the new bloody great hole in the wall but he is sat scratching at the back door looking mournful but every time DP opens it to let him in he comes halfway in takes fright and refuses to come any further. This is causing our very body eat to be sucked out the door. I am now feeling as murderous as a disgruntled bridge player

Wow, think we've all lost our mojo today

That sounds mighty dangerous mrsb. I hate it when builders start stripping away walls, cupboards etc as they nearly always find something that is wrong/dangerous/faulty....and then it costs more money and you have to be evacuated in the meantime. Still, at least no one is hurt and it was found in time.

Does anyone else have that awful thing of machines/central heating breaking down either on Christmas day or boxing day or the day over christmas when all the family descend? I swear the central heating in my old house always broke down on the coldest day of christmas. Another christmas it was the washing machine. Maybe I'm just an old cynic. shrug mrsb sit yourself down - on the bed, on top of the coats? Crack open a large battenburg and a bottle of baileys. You won't care by the end of it Alternatively you can come round here if you like but please, don't bring the cat

oh yes its obligatory for these things to break at Christmas, we had the gas boiler thing last Christmas Eve but one - the best of it was when we rang up to get a man to fix it they said no-one would be able to come out till the end of Jan. So we had to ring bt and enter one of those pay £30 a month deals to get it fixed immediately. It was actually worth it as the boiler was f*cked and the years' worth of payments were still less than the cost of fixing it outright.

mrsB OMG!! That's awful Gas, lead, the cold....blimey...you may want cake (which I will happily send) but sounds like you may need a tent ! Crikey - well I hope these guys can fix it I can always DHL my DP over to you if it gets worse - he's a terribly good builder! In the meantime please have a M&S cake selection with ((((hugs)))) x

ladymac fab news on the playgroup AND meeting a 'deaf mummy' chum! I do like a woman who hurls herself into the swing of things

jw this bridge game sounds very cut throat. Going back to the men with guns conversation earlier - sounds to me like they may all be playing bridge. Bad news about being on yer tod tonight....good news about the Quality Street though

Off to buy a steamer on t'interweb What did I do before 24 on-line shopping?