K9Fran

Both of my girls are in their boxes on the bookcase in the living room. I did intend to scatter Harriet (aka Poobags)on the beach at Hunstanton because she loved it there, but I couldn't bear to be parted from her. Bonnie was a real home bird, so she has to stay too. I couldn't bury either of them in the garden, as I couldn't bear to think of them being cold and damp.

Another series to go on the Sky + series thingy along with Doc Martin, House, Life and nuerous other brill things that are on at 21.00 so we can watch them together when OH isn't working evenings or nights...... Can't wait

So glad you were able to share him with us. The do rip your heart out at the end, but the bits before it usually make up for it and it's a small price to pay.

My 'road kill' jumpers (OH's name for them, because he says I'll never be road kill wearing them, because they are too bright!) What's wrong with bright colours if they suit you? My bright red 1995 BMW 5 series estate - it's 'me'!

Ollie was very lucky to have had you Jules. Run free sweet Ollie

LOL - Brilliant!

#3 son had a Dr appt this afternoon (nothing serious, I suspect it's a stomach ache brought on by stress following the bullying) I asked him to get dressed in 'something smart' - he appears in a dirty olive green t-shirt which is too small for him, black 'cut down' shorts which I cut down for him to wear at Scout camp, black socks and black school shoes! ARGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

Another Postmistress here - my Mum used to give me the left over forms from her 'club books' and Avon stuff - I loved making copies of things with the carbon paper....

Thanks folks, I'd love to home educate him to be honest, he's bright and loves to learn. But finances won't allow for me to not be working these days The school do have an anti bullying policy, but as soon as one of the little 'dears' gets punished, another steps up to the plate. He's damaging his clothes where he sucks on his t-shirts for comfort. We've worked with him as a family to help him stop some of the other unsocial behaviours, but I can see things going backwards if this keeps up

#3 son is now 12 and at Snr School - he was late home today, by 2 hours (which is not like him, he's normally straight home to get on his computer). He walked in, in tears, because a note had been passed round class saying 'I love you' and signed with his name. When the teacher spotted it, the girl who had it at the time decided to read it to the whole class - who all laughed Poor lad has taken it all to heart, and is really struggling to deal with the teasing, name calling, tripping up, kit pinching level of bullying which is going on. He's been internally excluded two or three times for retailiating to different children and hurting them. Last week he was internally excluded for one day, followed by an external exclusion on Friday. I can see him going through school (and life) just like I did, struggling to cope with this sort of behaviour, but I don't know what to do to help him (I'm only just learning to deal with it, but I work in a very small office and don't tend to socialise in other places). Help!

*Thud* Wonder if I could sneak him in here as Yan to Barney's Ying?

She looks as if she enjoyed it what ever it was. I just know I am pulling all sorts of peculiar faces - the ones all Mums do when they are spoon feeding babies, glad nobody can see me

I often used to find #1 son watching his programmes in the late 80's and early 90's He inspired #1 son to cook, and he even considered doing it professionally. A great character and a sad loss to his friends and family.

Dogs do pick up on their owners emotions and act accordingly - I know of one dog who suddenly started soiling in the house - vet check showed nothing. Further questioning found that the owners were preparing for a wedding. Once the wedding was over, the soiling stopped as quickly as it had started. Maybe you need to look into something to help you with your anxieties at the moment too?

It's very possible outside influences like neighbouring dogs may be upsetting him. I wouldn't change my attitude towards him though - if he's feeling insecure now, then you changing towards him may make him worse.

Does he have the run of the house when you are out, or is he confined? Have you tried to record (video or sound recording) of what happens while you are out - this can often give clues as to what is upsetting him most.

I have a Vax pet vacuum cleaner (pale blue) It's good, doesn't block easily, but my dear departed oldie Sprollie used to get her long hair wrapped around the rotating brush. This doesn't happen now she's gone and I'm left with Barney the Doodle and Missy the Springer.

She might be speyed, but the tiniest bit of tissue left behind can produce hormones which can trigger nesting or phantom pregnancy. Any change in behaviour should have medical reasons ruled out by a vet check up.

Thanks for the lovely ideas peeps - off to have a look now (seems so odd to be looking at warm clothes in August, but I can't leave it to the last minute, I'm in enough of a panic about it as it is........)

1) Nutritional value is rarely the full reason for eating many things, particularly 'treats' like chocolate, crisps, etc. 2) If you eat something that's past it's best before date, you're not having to buy something new 3) See above........ There is a company called Approved Foods on the net who actively sell, at greatly reduced prices, food which is past it's BBD but still edible. I buy a lot of stuff from them every month as it helps me provide my family with a more varied diet for a lower price. ie - because I buy, for example, 4 packs of Savoury Rice for £1, I can afford to buy fresh salmon sides from Costco. My parents were young adults during the war, so being 'thrifty' was part of my up bringing - like others I was taught to take responsibility for preparing food which wasn't 'off' and not wasting it. I'm still not brilliant at being able to tell 'off' milk, but I do OK on the rest. My family have NEVER had food poisoning of any sort. OH used to be a butcher for Tesco, and back then it was quite common to reduce loss by repacking meat which was close to it's best before date that looked OK and relabelling it. He's also taught me to spot reduced meat that has been reduced because it's not cosmetically attractive (from an anaemic animal perhaps) and on the converse side - meat may well be before it's BBD but has been mistreated in storage and therefore no edible - such as the protective gas membrane has been punctured (did you know most supermarket meat these days is packed in an inert gas to prevent it deteriorating, if this is released, it ages at a normal rate, which means it will go 'off' before it's BBD)

I haven't been to a wedding for years. Due to a foot injury I can't walk far, so any sort of heeled shoe is out and it's also meant I've put on a lot of weight - now a size 32! I'd like to wear something pretty and flattering, but I'm already stressing out about it The groom is my boss, and I don't want to let him down, all his family (and his brides family) are lovely and wouldn't want me to get wound up about it at all. Added to all this - it's got to be on a budget. Was hoping to keep some costs down by getting a 'fascinator' from Ebay to co ordinate with the outfit (whatever the outfit is.........)

How old is Molly? Missy my Springer can be like this - she was about 18 months when we got her and she's 9 now (and still does it occasionally, along with a submissive wee) It happens most often when she's confused and I wonder if she learnt it when with her previous owners and was subjected to non reward based training, or if she's just overly sensitive. I ignore it and turn my back as soon as she starts.

Rounded up the whole family and sat outside until 23.00 - saw a grand total of maybe 5 (and as many satellites, which I had never noticed before). It was lovely to hear the kids going 'ohhhhhh' and ahhhhhhhh The 'expert' on Breakfast yesterday morning said yesterday was the peak - on BBC Radio 2 news this morning, they said it's tonight!

For a family treat this morning, we went to our local Borders bookshop, which has a Starbucks upstairs. As we pulled up a BMW 318i touring also pulled up, and I noticed 2 large pointy ears in the back. The driver and his companion then set about opening windows and leaving water - fine, but it was 11 0'clock, it was already warm but overcast with the sun threatening to break through any moment and the car was not in shade...... After we had entered the store I saw the BMW couple behind us, so I asked if they knew that dogs died in hot cars - OH walked away and left me to it, while the male of the couple told me to mind my own business. I must have reached an age now where I don't really care what other people say, and started telling him how temps increase rapidly in cars when the sun comes out etc...... He told me to stop embarressing myself and to take it outside (I wonder which one was embaressed, apparently people were looking, but not at me). I refused and he did the 'talk to the hand' thing (how childish for a man in his later 30's early 40's?). so I did, following him round the store until he told me to report it to the RSPCA (he also claimed he'd have left his child in the car!!) So I did! They left the store soon afterwards...... OH was furious, but I'm fed up of 'letting it go', and when an animal, child or defenceless adult is involved, I'm going to get stuck in. Took me ages to stop shaking, but I feel so much better for having done something.

Isn't there a saying something along the lines of 'for an evil man to succeed all it takes is for one good man to do nothing'. I was in a similar situation today, which I'll post about in a minute. I was terrified, and my OH walked away from me because I was embaressing him, but I couldn't step back and do nothing. We seem to live in a culture where the possibility of getting bullied has made us all frightened of doing anything, and this is how bullies work - at home, in the family, at school and work - people are too frightened to do anything because of what might happen..........