Don’t mention the jasmine!

[StuckInPollyannaMode]

Can’t believe I’m onto my third thread.

Previous one here

Been packing the car to go to the tip. It’s rammed! Cat has been out for the first time and thankfully returned.

Greatly enjoyed my walks this weekend. Got an 8 miler in yesterday but the best part was coming back, lighting the fire and getting into a hot bath. Had a zoom with friends last night, touch too much red wine, but it was so much fun.

You’re all right re the petition. It doesn’t matter, he’s just jackbooting. Someone asked what I’d put in, sorry but I’m not comfortable sharing that at present, been advised to keep it to myself whilst it’s ongoing.

Geller is, however, incredulous that I’m not willing to carry on sharing Amazon Prime and Music Unlimited.

The weighted blankets have arrived so I’m just about to go sort out the laundry and the girls run. Been enjoying Radio 2’s musical weekend, but I can’t understand how Steve Wright is still on.

Tip run, then they come back. Roast chicken with bread sauce and roast gnocchi and board games this afternoon in front of the fire I think. Sounds like he’s been running them ragged, lots of walks etc which is good as means I don’t need to!

How’s everyone else spending their Sunday?

I cannot wait to go back to dancing. No Ceroc here, there is Lindyhop which is harder and full of youngsters who take it all very seriously.

I am learning Flamenco - 😳😳😳😳 it's hard but at least you don't need a partner.

Bellydancing is the way to go, it's amazing for your inner goddess and a lot of fun, plus you can do it online easily and you don't need masses of space. Let me know and I can pm you an awesome teacher who does good, weekly online classes.

I should qualify that by inner goddess I mean in giving you really good self belief and loving yourself and all you are as you are.

Smoosh up the mango and freeze it - it’ll be great on cheesecake or over ice-cream, in a smoothie or made into mango chutney

Stories like the one about your friend absolutely terrify me @IM0GEN. I have been sending him one picture a day whilst I have them, and he does the same, that’s what we agreed

Sorry I didn’t mean to scare you. Well maybe I did but in a good way. I see so many women on MN saying they don’t want some / much of ‘his money’ because ‘ he earned it ‘ and they are 100% sure that he will always support his children because he’s such a wonderful father. And that they don’t want “ his pension” and only care about the house.

And within months of the divorce they are back on saying he’s already reduced child support because he’s moved in with a woman with three kids and they have decided that she doesn’t “need it “.

Or that his idea of child support is that the mother pays for all the children’s day to day expenses and a roof over their head while Disney dad spends his child support on treats for the kids. You even see women here on MN claiming that it doesn't cost anything to keep kids beyond their food !

So I urge mothers with young children to get as much as they can upfront i.e share of the marital assets and not to depend on CS. The odds of their ex continuing to pay the appropriate amount of child support until their children are independent seem very low.

You will see threads all over Mm with new Gf angry that their boyfriend is supporting his children through university. Apparently they should be independent from their 18th birthday and not even returning to a family home during the university holidays. Or 52 weeks a year as we now have it.

They are the same ones complaining that the children’s mother has their nails done or goes on holiday. Or she doesn’t have one of those well paid, school hours, term time only jobs. You know the ones that give you all the inset days off. And child sick days.

I really do agree with IM0GEN, have everything signed and watertight now. It will ensure you and your girls get what’s owed you instead of relying on your ex’s kindness in future.

For mangoes DH makes an amazing fruit salad consisting of every possible fruit cut up into it (except bananas), with ginger beer served with vanilla ice cream. It disappears within seconds.

Post divorce I took up belly dancing, I haven’t done it now for a while, I need to find my belt it was so so much fun (in my head I dance like Shakira 🤣), it’s hugely fun way of getting fit and strengthening your core.
When I got divorced I did everything ex wouldn’t allow, dancing and take-aways being in my top ten. My girls would dance along when I’d practice at home it was an immensely fun way of de-stressing, using excess energy (kids), being together.

Hell yes to the family dance sessions! Ex used to scoff and go off in a huff, as he did with so many things. We now get to dance when we want, wear what we want, have colours painted on the walls (instead of grey and white) and we have cats!

Also yes to the making sure they get what they're entitled to, upfront. Ex had huge hissy fits because I wouldn't just take the cash savings and skulk off into the sunset. I was an evil selfish bitch for also wanting half the investments, half the equity, half the pension and some of the furniture. 'Of course he was always going to provide for the girls.' Then the OW moved in with her kids and suddenly he's refusing to pay for things, and trying to push it all purchasing on to me.

Oh dancing is THE WAY TO GO! 💃💃💃💃💃

I do online Zoom Zumba with a mad Miranda lookalike. She’s marvellous and at only £3 a session, worth every penny. Tbh, I’d pay her more for all the good she does me.

And for erm... research purposes... check out Caleb on YouTube. He goes by the name of The Fitness Marshall. He’ll brighten your day 😁

Re Mangoes - I warm up sugar, water, star anise, slice fresh ginger, lemon peel, bay and cardamom. Leave to infuse. Strain. Pour over sliced mango. YUM.

He’s going to go ballistic when he hears that I’m not agreeing with his proposal. But it is a very good deal for him and a bad one for me, so not fair anyways.

I mentioned the shitty email from his solicitor the other week saying they were disappointed that I was so contentious with my reasons. SHL snorted and said well, he might be disappointed, I very much doubt his solicitor cares and if he’s put the same proposal to her as he has to you she’ll understand why you’re doing this, what a load of dictatorial claptrap.

I need to remember I’m not just doing this for me, I’m doing it for the girls.

Good suggestions on the mangos! And I’ve just remembered I used to do a pork recipe which had a mango and coriander salsa with it which was yummy. So lots of ideas.

I let them stay up late last night to watch The Voice as well as Masked Singer. Was fun!

I don’t really mind what kind of dancing I do as long as I get back into it - open to all suggestions - absolutely I need to work on my core (and my pelvic floor, as the trampoline has proved!), think I need to start off gently! Also, I’m going to buy a bike so we can go on family bike rides. And a tow bar holder so I don’t have to wrestle them in and out of the car and take wheels off.

I CBA to find it, @StuckInPollyannaMode but there is a good body of research to prove that giving your body a good ‘shake’ disperses a lot of anxiety. A lot of animals do it too.

Zumba and belly dancing will be good for your core and shake you out properly 😁

@ByeByeMissAmericanPie

I CBA to find it, *@StuckInPollyannaMode* but there is a good body of research to prove that giving your body a good ‘shake’ disperses a lot of anxiety. A lot of animals do it too.

Zumba and belly dancing will be good for your core and shake you out properly 😁

I always thought people underestimated Taylor Swift's intelligence...

... goes off to play "Shake it off" and dance around the kitchen

I have a real urge to try belly dancing now. Exercise regularly but hate core work, crunches and all that stuff. Belly dancing could be fun! Can I YouTube it?

I was about to recommend a Thai or Vietnamese-style Mango, sweet chili and Coriander salad or noodle dish which would work equally well with chicken, pork, prawns or beef. (Whatever you have in the house!) It’s a favourite at my place. Don’t stress too much, though... they freeze really well too. Just slice them into little cubes and pop them into ziplock bags. Then blend them into smoothies, or even better - into cocktails. My kids quite like drinking water flavoured with a block of frozen mango and some frozen berries in the summer, btw. (I live in Aus in the tropics - mangoes are everywhere atm.)
There are some fabulous pelvic floor “clock” exercises on YouTube and Instagram from some gynae physios if you need work in that department. Highly recommend every woman gets onto that ASAP anyway.
Love that your solicitor has a handle on Geller and that his solicitor is using guilt trips! How thoroughly unoriginal. Does his solicitor feel that you are looking to impress him as well? What dickish language!!! I like yours, though!

I think I may see what I can find for free on YouTube for Belly Dancing although I ought to catch up with my Flamenco lessons first. I'm a bit worried worried that my stroke may make it even harder

Some of the best but not onerous core exercises to follow but as my physio says is aim for "tough at 10" all you need to do is 10 so long as number 10 is "work".

• dead bugs (start off just opposite arm and leg then work up to both) all about keeping back flat on floor
• V-sits - I am way off doing a sit up just start at the top lower down than up remember to hinge at your hip keep your back straight.
• side planks
• upside down dead bugs, cannot remember the name!
• laying on your side and doing leg raises.

I've only just come across your threads (well I've been sat in bed for the last two hours reading your updates!) and you are quite honestly, amazing!
I've giggled, been outraged and sat with an open mouth at some of the things your ex has said and done!
Hats off to you

@ByeByeMissAmericanPie

I CBA to find it, *@StuckInPollyannaMode* but there is a good body of research to prove that giving your body a good ‘shake’ disperses a lot of anxiety. A lot of animals do it too.

Zumba and belly dancing will be good for your core and shake you out properly 😁

I know what you mean. I've just started running again after injury, and my MH and general mood has IMO proved no end. I also do just dance on the Xbox. I'm noticeably grumpier if I don't 'shake' myself in some way!

Sorry to hijack OP but for those interested in Bellydance this is a well regarded national school with properly trained teachers. I'm not a teacher but my teacher is from this school. I've attended classes with an awful lot of teachers trained by these guys and they are all excellent.

jwaad.com/classes/jwaad-online-learning/

Well I’ve just cleaned out my hoover. Living the dream.

The kids appear to not want to do anything other than watch shit on YouTube and honestly, I just can’t be bothered today.

Have had a good dance round the kitchen to Chesney Hawkes. Belly dancing sounds awesome, once did that with the WI, great fun. I will load up a couple of sessions tonight and let you know how I get on. I’m thinking belly dancing and salsa - I am now being haunted by adverts for that Figure 8 dance thing - looks terrifying!

Feel bad for the kids having a day of tech but I’ve tried, I really have, and it’s cold and blowy and it’s all they want to do. All other suggestions firmly repelled.

Oh, love the mango and Parma ham suggestion - I’ve some in the fridge as well as a nice balsamic reduction dressing thing in a bottle from Lidl. That’s tomorrow’s lunch sorted. Tonight I am having this and I can’t wait - Nigella Lawson’s fishfinger bhorta - has anyone tried it? Much fuss on social media but I didn’t watch her do it on the tv. Of course, I’m out of red onions, so once I’ve dropped the kids I will pick one of those up and then go for a nice doggy walk with my friend and her hounds.

I seem to be missing out. I’m basically keeping the kids home and just going for walks / bike rides from the house or just down the valley. I’ve other friends messaging me about booking to go to a local Garden or a national trust place etc - surely the whole point is that we’re in lockdown and we stay local, isn’t it? Or am I depriving the children by not Doing Stuff?

We're all stuck in lockdown and, frankly, it's fucking freezing outside. To make matters worse, I have an outrageous hankering for spaghetti vongole with absolutely zero chance of being able to score clams.

I think you are correct, we are supposed to stay local, not supposed to be going to meet ups at NT etc places at the moment (are they even open now?)

And yes, it's horrible outside!

Just been for a walk into town and back so we could drop off tetra pack recycling and because DDog loves pavement walks (scavenging opportunities). It was breezy with some tiny ❄️ and it apparently felt like -4 😳

Around once per week I go further afield and drive about 5miles to the beach and walk ddog there 🤷🏽‍♀️

Given the temperatures and the forecast, this really isn't the week to have FOMO.

And if you do end up having proper snow, bet you and your DDs will be out there in it anyway.

You're doing what we're all doing to survive lockdown. Don't fret about it.

Aha RandomMess I think you are in my neck of the woods, we went to a local peninsula/island and that's just how it was.
My DD is in Beavers and the leader has been on top of badges at home but the Cub leader hasn't for DS so I've been adding up all the things he's done this year and he has, actually, done a lot of outdoor stuff (though mainly in the summer obvs) e.g. swimming in the sea, going on the tandem attachment on my bike, climbing a tree to pick apples, we are trying to make it a bit different each time though the DCs also bring a lot to it - today it was very full of grass tussocks and logs and they decided it was an obstacle course.