This - but then, I actually quite like where we are now - I'd just like a much bigger house!

We haven't backpacked, but as a teen my family drove across France, Switzerland and back through Germany. We stayed in Youth Hostels, and took a gas camping stove for our suppers. Most YHs were great, one was very basic but fun, and one was very unfriendly! But we had a good time, anyway, and it's given us many good memories.

Glad you were able to go, and enjoyed it! That situation would totally throw me though - I need at least 24hrs warning, and even then I feel a bit wobbly!!

Of course. :001_smile:

If you don't mind sharing your other recipe, I'd love to have that. Lots more ingredients is not necessarily a problem, as long as I can get hold of them! A lot of gluten-free recipes online seem to call for things that are only available in the US, like certain branded mixes and so forth. Individual ingredients would be less of a problem, I think!

Thanks for organising this, Halcyon! I do much better at stuff like this, when I have some moral support! :001_smile: I'm going to struggle to get the Group Focus Done most days, so I'm not going to set myself Optional Focuses. Here's my achievement so far: Monday November 5, Day 1: Twenty Minute Group Focus: Junk Drawer. Remove everything from your junk drawer. Throw away anything broken, useless, or unused over past 6 months that you know you will not use again. DONE Tuesday November 6, Day 2: Twenty Minute Group Focus: Cutlery Drawer. Go through cutlery and "other" drawers, any extra spoons, etc give to goodwill, wipe down interior completely. DONE Wednesday November 7, Day 3: Twenty Minute Group Focus: Pantry Day 1. Work on one shelf or area of the pantry at a time, removing all food items, sorting and throwing away any past date items. Duplicate canned goods can be donated. I'm doing the upper cupboards in my kitchen, as I don't have a Pantry as such. Thursday November 8, Day 4: Twenty Minute Group Focus: Pantry Day 2. Continue work from day 3. Lower cupboards in the kitchen. Friday November 9, Day 5: Twenty Minute Group Focus: Fridge. Choose one section of fridge to work on. Remove all items. Wipe down shelves or remove and wash in sink. This job might take longer than 20 minutes...sorry! Remove all outdated, moldy or unusable food. Organize and wipe down door shelves. Saturday November 19, Day 6: Twenty Minute Group Focus: Freezer. Remove all items from freezer. Working quickly, throw away all unusable or unidentifiable foods, remove ice buildup from freezer and organize. I won't need to do this one, as I did it recently. But it's a good thing really since I'll be away for the weekend anyway!

:( :grouphug:

I'm in. :001_smile:

:svengo: I am just glad you are all safe. How can you really tell, anyway, whether you should go or stay until anything actually happens? My grandparents always said that, about when they were living in London through the Blitz. :grouphug::grouphug:

We have a mini chest of drawers from IKEA, which holds the girls' hair bands and clips - it's from the Moppe range, and there are two options, one with 6 drawers and one with 4.

That made me smile, Tib - I could use that idea around here, too!! :D

We have a pet rat - she is super friendly and cute. She's been handled a lot from the day we got her. She has a small travelling cage and comes with us if we are ever away overnight. Contrary to the opinions of some people we've come across (!), rats don't smell (not so you'd really notice, IMO), they don't bite (unless you have food on your hands), and they are very intelligent. They are a great pet for a child. The only downside, for us, is that they rarely live more than 2yrs. One thing that strikes me though - if you're going to be out for around 12hrs at times, I would get two so they have each other for company. Rats can get lonely. Also, make sure you avoid putting the cage in a draught - the most common cause of death in rats is pneumonia.

:lol: Just out of interest, what dogs do you have?

Sorry, I disagree with the bolded - Moominmamma and I find it very easy to follow and it is perfect for the way she thinks. Now The Snork Maiden, not so - I've swapped her to MEP. But I do know several people, IRL and online, who swear by Saxon - trained teachers and homeschool parents alike. :leaving: !!

:iagree:

:D

Oooh, not nice. :( :grouphug:

:lol: Whether you intended to or not, you've made me laugh! And I have to say, I applaud those who've been so restrained. I never manage it! A couple days ago I had to go out and buy another bucket of Cadbury's treat size chocolate bars to make sure we had enough!

Praying for you :grouphug:

They are texting you at a time convenient to them; I would reply at a time convenient to me. When we go to bed, we turn our cell phones off. They don't get turned on until we get up, whenever that is. So late night texts don't bother me at all. ;)

I'm sorry. That is tough. Ask me how I know... about relatives who snipe at you... or maybe don't ask!! I'm writing from the point of view of someone with CFS/ME and Anxiety, so that may have skewed my reaction - but - why do you have to go at all? It sounds like a very stressful evening, and unless you actually WANT to go for some reason, I would be inclined to think that you would be happier and more peaceful to just have your thanksgiving dinner either on your own, or with someone you get along well with. But if you really need to go - then you could try making arrangements for a GF meal in advance, but what about when the waiter/waitress brings the meals out - they may ask who is having the GF dish in front of everyone, and then your cover is blown. Besides which, even if that works and she doesn't know that you are having something GF, it sounds like she will have a go at you about something else anyway. I realise I'm sounding rather negative - sorry! I think I would just choose not to have that kind of person or situation in my life. I suppose you could confront her head-on about the things she says - would that work?

I had to look it up, but yeah, I'd have one! Maybe, since they're bigger than hats or scarves, they'd be less easy for my kids to lose? :lol:

:lol:

amazon, book depository and abebooks. I don't often get books anywhere else tbh, because the prices on those three are usually so good.

That made me laugh!! With 3 girls and 1 boy, I seem to incline the opposite way.. I tell myself that it's because boy clothes/shoes colours are so much more sensible for playing out! :lol: