A death in the family

Thank you for all your comments and suggestions and Wendy for your offer of help.

My ex mother in law died last week, she was 91.
I'm going to see DD1 tomorrow as she had taken it hard, harder than she expected.

My ex MIL was a cow as a mother in law but she was a lovely grandma to my kids.

When I had my first child my MIL told my husband that the child couldn't be his. She based this on the fact that I had placenta previa, this was caused by my  promiscuity and that the child had blue eyes. My FIL had blue eyes.

DD2 was fretting about the cost of the flowers, she is expected to contribute but will struggle to find the money. I've offered to pay her share.

My ex husband is shitting bricks, my dad died just after we separated, he tried to have me banned from the funeral. He sat in the front row, I slipped in at the back.

He's worried that I'm going to kick off at his mother's funeral. He keeps reminding our children that the funeral details are to be kept secret. They think he's losing his marbles as they don't realise what's worrying him, it was almost 20 years ago.

Both my daughter's have commented about his behaviour.

Let the bugger sweat, I'm not going to do anything, I'm not normally one for bearing a grudge but in this case I'll make an exception.

A year ago today

A year ago today Steve had his stroke, it's been a challenging year.

His recovery has been in fits and starts, family problems, his family not mine, have caused extra stress. 

Steve initially was very keen to return to work but this hasn't been possible.

Fortunately he was eligible for six months full pay and six months half pay. 

This finishes today but as we have sold our old boat we have some savings behind us.

He  was asked to hand his notice in but refused as it would mean he'd be expected to look for alternative employment.

Therefore he is to be dismissed on the grounds of medical incapacity. 

This means he does not have to seek other employment and he should get his NI stamp paid until he reaches pension age. 

He will not be entitled to any benefits as we have savings.

Unfortunately the dismissal procedure isn't going well.

The school need two governors to attend the meeting but currently they are having trouble persuading any governors to do so.

The first meeting was cancelled, we are still waiting for another date to be suggested.

That was a mistake

We usually shop at Aldi but as we only wanted milk and eggs we went to Sainsburys as it's nearer.

Big mistake, it's Sainsburys half price toy sale, it was absolutely heaving.

I'm not a fan of plastic tat for children at the best of times and seeing so many people, some with more than one trolley, all overflowing with mountains of plastic, it was horrifying.

A visit from a stash thief

The bread and butter pudding was very well received so it was worth it.

Dgd visited today, she is ok but wasn't allowed to return to school so spent the day on the boat with me.

We dropped Steve and the bread and butter pudding  at stroke club and then returned home. I knew dgd needed a decent pair of fabric scissors so I got all my sewing boxes out and we had a rummage.

I found some scissors, ball point needles for dgd's sewing machine and a few other bits and pieces.
Then we started on my fabric stash, it is now decidedly denuded but it was worth it to see dgd's excitement and pleasure.

Totally knackered

Finally arrived home just after 6pm and promptly started making bread and butter pudding for 30 people.

The first one is in the oven the second one will go in in 10 minutes.

They are huge and will take ages to cook.

I was awake from 2am until 5:30 so I'm beginning to flag.

I daren't fall asleep in case the puddings burn.

The dreaded lurgy

DD2's children have got the lurgy, one after the other.

They cannot return to school until 48 after the last bout of vomiting.

Because they have passed it from one to the other it's meant a lot of sick days and DD2 only started  a new job at the beginning of September.

DD2 has to inform work by 7:30 if she cannot attend so she texting me at about 6am to see if I cover for her. So far I've been able to cover all but one day when Steve has a hospital appointment.

It's not like I have a busy life so I'm happy to help.

List of complaints

Steve got up at 9 this morning and this is the list of complaints he'd made by 10 o'clock.

It's raining.
The boats listing.
I don't mix the dogs food enough.
Why had I loaned DD2 my car on a day he's going out, (because she asked a month ago and he arranged his lunch meeting yesterday).
I'm wearing the wrong shoes.
I didn't fill the porridge pan with water after I'd used it. (Yesterday he complained because I had filled it with water.)
The stew I was cooking was being boiled to death. (It was just coming to the boil)
He likes stew but why do I have to add so much crap to it. (Crap like onions, herbs, carrots and seasoning)
His lunch out has been cancelled as someone is unwell.
The kindling I've collected over the summer is useless, it burns like wood and not kindling.
How's he supposed to walk the dog in the rain. He doesn't walk him, I do and anyway Beano hates the rain.