DH has died and MN Aunties are keeping things ticking over (Juan)

[TheWorldHasGoneToCake]

Just starting a new thread on Juan's orders. She'll be back when she feels up to it.

Thinking of her on Sunday/Monday as always.

Morning all. Had a good sleep, but feel worse for it somehow

I'm planning on as quiet a day as is possible. DS now just need to try on his trousers with his shoes to see if the're still OK and then he's all set.

When you're all done book can you come over here?? Pretty please

willow my life is just as exciting as yours by the sound of things. What are you baking?

Well I don't feel too achey, considering the miles I walked yesterday.

Just a quiet day here, weather ok so will be in the garden I think.

Afternoon all.

Foggy here first thing but seems to be lifting a bit now.

Been and done shopping. Spent a blissful half hour list in my book with a coffee and almond croissant straight out the oven, heaven on a plate 😀

cake choc cherry banana cake in oven. Will save you a bit. Might do scones if I have time later.

Just sitting down with a coffee and biccie as too late for lunch. If I only had a magic wand all that damm shopping would put itself away and sort itself into bags and boxes to fit in fridge and freezer.

Had unexpected conversation with a complete stranger in Aldi 😀 was putting shopping into bags and a man stopped and said something about the strawbs. Then told me he used to spend his summers berry picking so we had a chat about it as ok did too. Then he spoke about grapes and vineyards and his friend working in France. He had a job getting the right words sometimes but I had plenty time really, it was a pleasant few minutes in an otherwise boring shopping chore.
Mind you hate to think what some MN' s would have said to that! (It was also very nice that he initially thought I wouldn't have known about berry picking .

Good grief!
As I did too.

Hello

Please share that recipe Willow Please!

We had a busy day too. We baked the RSPB bird watching biscuits, but decided to call a halt there and leave the banana muffins for tomorrow. Got some freezer bags so I can keep adding things to the freezer too.

Our garden needs attention too, but I haven't got the will for it. Maybe over the long weekend when DH is around to help. Day 2 of him back to work and he's had enough already. If only we didn't need money!

Check in again tonight xxx

Will do later when I get on pc cake.

Must be a baking day - ds2 has just made gingerbread.
Ds1 off to see his girlfriend and ds2 and I had a lazy morning, watched Masterchef Australia.
Then he's been moping around a bit, lots of hugs for me. I've suggested a few things but he didn't bite, we had a couple of games of trionimoes and weighed ourselves on the Wii board (I've put on about 5lb which is holiday weight - haven't yet got back into 5:2 to get rid of it) and then I suggested he baked. He was enthusiastic about that and has made gingerbread which is just in the oven.

Not looking forward to them going to their dad's for 10 days tomorrow.

Oh Squirrel that is a long stretch. DD also on a long one but at least I'm not left on my own as such.

No news here. Contemplating bed!

No rush for the recipe Willow, I've got a list of things waiting to be baked

It is cake. I'm working Thursday & Friday, and next week. Got a couple of things lined up in the evenings, plus John's nephew's wedding next Saturday. No real plans for the long weekend although will go over to my parents at some point as relatives will be staying with them for a few days.

Gingerbread is v yummy.

Evening all
well, end of the busy season. . It was rather warm, but very overcast here, so just a normal DGS day. I did make a plum crumble with some victoria plums I had given, but thats all the baking I did.
I love banana cake - I often put choc chips or raspberries in it for a change .
Horse - you must be fit , not achey !
Willow - it is nice, and yes lots to do - a lot of it free as well :) Isn't everything else expensive these days though ...
Chasing - a long time without your boys. Would it be a good idea to put something in your diary to do each day, a small treat or equivalent to focus on .
Cake sleep well .
I have a very simple day tomorrow - I am joining a Crafty Chat group for a coffeee in the morning, afternoon is wielding a machete at the allotment :)
Well, I am now going to pick my crotchet hook up , having watched some strange bake off thing on BBC2 - wasn't impressed tbh
Night, sleep tight
Thoughts and Prayers

Cake hope this works.

It does, thank you

Looking a bit brighter here this morning. Got to do a few chores, then off with the boys for a walk/play in the woods and then I must get the banana muffins done.

Hope you have a lovely coffee morning book

I agree that getting yourself a little treat or something may help you get through Squirrel I've been doing a little treat each morning in the shower - a conditioning mask on my hair, a mask on my face etc and making sure I put some body cream on after. Makes me feel like I'm looking after myself.

Have a good day all x

Afternoon all
well, I had a lovely morning, coffee , crotchet and like minds.
While there we had thunder, lightening and monsoon rain. So no allotment today, as it carried on drizzling.
I had hung washing out too , so a lovely rinse ... Now had a quick refresh wash, and in the tumble drier.
So this afternoon I am pottering in the kitchen. Boiling up chicken bones for soup, roasting tomatoes and veg in the oven for whizzing into pasta sauces for the freezer, and generally messing around and doing all those daft bits of tidying that get left when you are busy.
Very chilled :)

Last day of the holidays with with boys here - we went over to my parents for lunch and played games and cards this afternoon. Their dad has just collected them. Feeling very low. Going out for dinner with my inlaws (John's mum, sister & husband, mum's brother & wife) this evening.

Sending you a big hug Squirrel Do you/did you get on with his family? Must be very strange to meet up without him there. I hope that the next 10 days goes quickly for you.

book I can't believe you had lots of rain. We didn't have any down here though it stayed overcast all day.

The gift that keeps on giving (tonsillitis) has meant a really upset stomach - I ran out of Activia drink thingies before I finished the course of ABs and this afternoon has been horrendous (TMI)

Also didn't have enough SR flour to make the banana muffins, but now not risking Tesco!

More uni shopping today!

Purchased some bits for the bathroom and a pop up laundry bin - that'll never get used

He is taking some of his brother's uni stuff - well the sparse amount that DID come back... so that should save a bit of money.

Hope you had a nice meal this evening Chasing and that the next 10 days goes fast for you.

We had only a sprinkling of rain book but it was so full and dreary all day until about 5pm when it was beautiful.

Hope the upset tummy rectifies itself Cake, take it easy.

Where is @Willow today? Not seen her posting...

Hi, no willow must have won the lottery and snuck off to celebrate or been abducted by aliens or real life got in the way??

Sounds exciting/expensive horse!

Feeling much calmer now, thanks. Just off to bed. Hair cut for DS, play in the park, food shopping and then baking, so yet another busy day tomorrow.

Sleep well all x

Evening all
just put down some tricky crotchet.
Cake - you poor thing , as if the tonsilitis wasn't bad enough . A a tip - if you run out of SR flour, you can always mix your own if you have baking powder ( or bicarb and cream of tartar)
I think the rain swept across a bit further north to you Horse - Leeds, York, Scarborough all got flash flooding. It was spectacular! We actually did quite well with DD when she went off to uni. We had a lot of spare stuff we could give her, but went to a carboot sale and bought a nearly complete 4 place setting dining/tea service for pennies . We told her it didn't need to come back - it was old fashioned willow pattern. The darn stuff all came back !
Chasing - hope you are okay - a real downer waving your dc off on holiday without you.((hugs))
Sleep well everyone
Thoughts and Prayers

Evening all.

Been a funny day, time just got away with me for some reason but didnt have anything to show for it! And I was in a strange mood, didnt think I had anything remotely interesting to say today. (did post on other thread but just cos it riled me up when I read it )

Housework, washing etc and job hunting wasting too much time chasing up jobsite emails about jobs that were either not within 100 miles or not suitable. How do they get away with professing to find jobs in your area then give me jobs for London? Apparently a small village about 4 miles away with only a pub to its name have all these companies recruiting from there! Think that might have put me on a downer today.

Overcast but very warm/muggy today, hoovering nearly ended me

TKD tonight and homework with ds1 (like I know anything about physics!) and after much angst over questions he didnt understand he realised we were looking at the wrong part of the homework book! He did half the bit he was supposed to do in 10 minutes! TBH he isnt that interested in it either but the choices in that part of the curriculum are pretty all or nothing! Along the lines of physics or P.E/music which are only useful if you were going to go into PE full time in some way or be a musician. No other academic options. I am going to get an appointment with his pastoral care teacher and discuss his options.

Their dad came over yesterday and had a good chat with him re school and homework (have had bother in the past with him not telling me he had homework) and putting in the effort etc. (and reminded him that whatever I say goes ) Also spent time with ds2. Was a longer than usual and good visit

Horse hope the uni stuff is appreciated, my kids dont know what the big green pop up 'Toxic Waste' bin in their bedroom is for either

Squirrels hope you had a nice time with inlaws, sort of bittersweet for all I imagin. Must be strange without the kids, (hugs)

Cake hope you feel better pdq, not nice after suffering tonsilitis.

P.S. If I had won the lottery you would soon know, we would all be off on holiday (no kids)! That reminds me I have a ticket kicking around somewhere had it ages, never checked it!

Anyways whoever comes on first tomorrow give me a kick up the bum to get me moving please, got a lot to do, need to get out this funk.

Sleep tight.

No kicks, but a hug back Willow, night all.

Awww thanks Squirrels much better than a kick.

Morning! Certainly no kick from me either. That sounds very disheartening. Hope that you have a bit more get up and go today.

My "treat" to myself today is to stay in PJs till 8 and go back in bed while DH showers I really should raise my standards Need to be out for 9 to get DS to the hairdressers otherwise I might have just left him in front of YouTube with some sweets and gone back to bed (I would never, but it's a nice thought)

Thanks book I didn't have enough plain flour either as we used most of that for the biscuits - just wasn't meant to be Can do them this afternoon once I've got the shopping. Should also take 5 minutes and see what store cupboard stuff I need to stock up on.

Will check in with you all later x

Morning
aw Willow - no kick here either. In fact I need one to get up and get dressed !
I think we all have days like that - mildly fed up, nothing feels any different from the day before sort of thing. For me , at the moment its the fact that it is August, it should be sunny and warm , but it feels as if autumn is almost here. I like autumn, but don't feel as if we had much summer at all this year.
Cake - * 8 o clock , what a laze
Nothing much happening today - have a haircut at 11 , some more washing/ironing , and then hopefully get to the allotment to start tidying after this last busy bit. It soon gets out of hand, but must admit the thought of having to do it is off putting , but once I get going I will be fine.
Hope everyone has a good day

Oh for goodness sake!
Posted on my phone but obviously didnt press 'post' hard enough!

Been to town and had coffee and read of my book before treating us to duck and pancakes for tea. (good job I checked my post on phone even though it didnt come up as autocorrect changed 'duck' to something entirely different!)

Got cherry scones in oven if anyone wants one Looking for some kind of flapjack to make now, noticed I printed up the ingredients for a new one but not the actual method! Doh!

Sunny and very warm here but clouds too so keeping an eye on the washing. Even warm enough for summery clothes! But have just slittered coffee on my trousers...typical.

Got an appointment made with one of the pastoral care teachers on monday re ds1. He has a tech subject allegedly 5 times a week but so far only has a proper teacher 2 -3 periods which isnt much use, not gonna get far at that rate and of course the physics yeah or nay? Always something isnt there?

Book I agree its been a pretty rubbish summer all round. I remember summers when I was ds's age, we were never in, off on bikes, guddling around in burns, swimming in rivers, down to beach etc or just sitting at the corner chatting. Seems strange that we never get a proper summer now.

Hmmm, just to say I can confirm that said cherry scones are edible

Hi, feel I can report back now as I've finally got the muffins in the oven.

Hair cut done
Park done
shopping done
baking done
washing done
5 minutes of sit down on MN done

Need to hoover and tidy kitchen. Luckily tea is a heat up job out of the freezer. So much for a "day off"

I miss the thought of summer too - so different and depressing at times!

Best get on. Hope you find a flap jack recipe Willow I use one on the nigella website, very plain, but good. book I hope you enjoyed the hair cut and that the allotment isn't too overgrown.