practicallyperfectuk

Use the NICE guidelines. Be very specific with your GP and say you believe that you may have endometriosis and according to the nice guidelines they should be giving you a scan as well as offering pain relief. **“1.5 Diagnosis and referral for women or people with suspected or confirmed endometriosis** 1.5.1 Carry out additional investigations such as ultrasound and referral (if necessary, see recommendations 1.5.5 to 1.5.7) in parallel with each other, and in conjunction with initial pharmacological treatment. **\[2024\]”** If they can’t or won’t give you a scan at the doctors then ask for a referral. If you have a GP who is not very nice then perhaps book in for a smear test with the nurse - not wishing to sound like I’m stereotyping but ask for a female nurse due to the nature of the smear test and use this opportunity to raise this with them. If that doesn’t work then ask for a different GP, female GP if possible an if that doesn’t work then ask to speak to the practice manager about making a complaint. Ask for something in writing which clarified they’re refusing to follow the nice guidelines, give you a scan or refer you to a gynae at the nearest hospital for one.

Yes as a teacher it’s so annoying. I’m a secondary subject lead and have had several different emails this week, all of which take mountains of time and are totally unnecessary - taking away from actual work…. one was a follow up to a prior email that copied in senior leaders/ deputy head and asked for revision topics for exams “as per prior email” - so rude and demanding in tone. The topics which are glued in to the front of exercise books, are in worksheets which were given to pupils as homework and also on our website. There has been a considerable amount of work put in to creating, sharing and printing these resources and the child in question leaves worksheets in the classroom, doesn’t bother glueing in sheets and is in detention every evening but always got an excuse to miss it. There’s a reason they are getting poor grades and it’s nothing to do with my teaching when I have pupils with a reading age below ten able to handle the papers. Another one sent to a colleague wants to query the coursework marking, and said their child didn’t get a “fair chance” - Long past the deadline to respond via the appeals process. Child didn’t do much work for the last two years, ignored all deadlines, attendance below 70% (and then truanted lessons regularly) and also didn’t attend a single catch up session including the ones my dept was available for over half term, plus lunch breaks and after school sessions. Their work was marked and moderated with an external subject specialist. The amount of time we have spent discussing this student, attempting to call home, waited at parents evening and now the protocol for this process etc is a joke, especially when we all know the pupils work isn’t great and it’s entirely their own fault. Then finally another parent has been in touch about a toilet pass for their child being taken away. Last week their child blocked the sinks on two different floors with tissue paper, flooded the bathrooms and caused absolute mayhem around the building during lesson time so as a consequence they aren’t allowed to leave any classroom without permission, but can of course use the toilets at break, lunch and during transitions when there are staff on duty points at all times. This child was mentioned specifically in a whole staff meeting so we are all aware of this and one poor member of staff is responsible for all parent comms from now on.

I am female and my ex didn’t propose. I hung around thinking it would happen eventually but realised that actually he was hiding debt, a gambling problem and all sorts of other issues including a drug habit and so of course he didn’t want to marry me because in reality he could never have contributed financially towards a wedding and I would have found out a lot sooner. Not that it mattered to me as I would have gone to Gretna Green with a haribo ring but he was/is very materialistic. We did live together but I travelled a lot for work so only in reality spent 1/2 days a week together. It was about ten years in total from dating to breaking up. We both had great jobs but looking back I realise now he lived pay check to pay check and had credit cards maxed out and his designer clothes and tech was all from the catalogue. Also I didn’t release that most of his friends and social circle were degenerates who had drug problems. He managed to avoid any large birthdays or celebrations for years where his friends and on the other side his family/work colleagues as well as my friends would not be in the same place - so for birthdays as an example we would always go away as a couple instead of having a party…… until I organised him a surprise birthday party for a milestone birthday and he had the mother of all tantrums. I was emotionally invested and always thought he would want to marry me eventually, and he admits that he did string me along…. We went to so many weddings as a couple throughout our twenties. We spent time as a couple with our families, he even talked about hotels we stayed in being great wedding venues, countries he would want to honeymoon in and what our first dance song would be…..but when I had a baby, and a milestone birthday (30) in the same year….. he didn’t propose and basically laughed off any conversation about it it was like a lightbulb moment for me as he had heavily implied that he was going to give me a ring when I gave birth. When it came to naming our son I wanted us all to have the same last name, it was not about having a big fancy wedding etc and he just didn’t get it. I released he would never marry me and the curtain fell. My son has both of our last names at my insistence. He was basically there the whole time to take full advantage of me, enjoying the benefits of a relationship as well as the stability and financial support which comes with having a successful and career driven woman as your girlfriend but wasn’t willing to commit or support me at my most vulnerable time after having a baby. He didn’t actually want the pressure of commitment, to be open about his finances or to work together. I left him when my son wasn’t even two years old and although I love my son I can’t believe that I wasted so much time on him. I’m not bitter but I’m really sad that I’ll never trust anyone fully and be able to fall in love so naively again. I resent that my entire twenties was spent thinking that I was building a life which he never wanted. I also feel as though I’ve been robbed of the wedding experience. I’m approaching 40 now and so it feels like I’m too old to be a “blushing bride” and even if I did meet someone amazing, the whole wedding vibe would not be the same. I’ll never have the girly hen do for example because all my friends are balancing busy family lives with multiple kids. None of my grandparents are alive to see me walk down the aisle and at this point I’m not sure if it happened my parents would be around either. I just don’t think I’d want to put myself in a position where I’d tie myself to one person forever because I’m so insecure now. That’s so depressing

I assume when you get random things like that it’s from their leftovers or unwanted gifts - I wonder if the pate was in a hamper and they didn’t want it because if you’re going to the effort of buying it specifically for the party you’d pick up the bugs to go with it.

I might be in the minority here but if I’m welcoming guests in to my home then I would have to have everything covered. I wouldn’t agree to host otherwise. Every gathering I always have more food and drink than is required and send guests home with doggy bags. Most people will bring a gift for the host but this isn’t something I’d expect to have to use during the party - such as chocolates, flowers or a bottle of wine. If being a bottle is required then this is explicitly stated during the invitation. Which you did do so it is rude for your guests to have turned up empty handed. For some family parties we do have a joint effort with planning and some people will bring dishes or entire courses but this will be planned specifically with the host to make sure everything is properly organised. In my family we tend to rotate celebrations so someone will host an event each year (Easter, new year, birthdays, Christmas etc) so it’s a sort of take it in turns and it all balances out type vibe. I hope your relatives are going to have a fab time hosting next year

It sounds like you are frugal, there is nothing wrong with that, different horses for different courses. Clearly your version of what constitutes a “decent spread” is very different to mine. Whilst you and your family probably had a lovely Christmas, I don’t think you would have gone to the same efforts and expense I (and many others based on your average stats) have done. You just don’t sound like food is that important to you. If you cooked what you claim to be something not much different to your usual Sunday roast, offered limited choices (turning your nose up at the idea of different options for starters and desserts) and also limited the Christmassy extras because you think packaging is overpriced and then on top of that also exercised tight portion control to reduce wastage you just can’t fathom asking people to contribute. I can easily cook a bog standard Sunday roast for four people for a tenner so I wouldn’t ask anyone to chip in for that because it would be embarrassing.

Clearly there’s something troubling you about it otherwise you wouldn’t keep rambling on. My Xmas dinner which probably cost in the region of £30- £500 (I wouldn’t know exactly as I hosted but didn’t buy everything) was to cover at least a dozen people (and for more than one meal) so if your £30 is correct then I think I’m average. We also all work and are in the position to be able to push the boat out. I have myself and my own child as a single parent household plus my parents and my siblings and their households to accommodate. I don’t see why you think I should be expected to for example pay for my sister and her partner and kids to eat dinner purely because my house is the more practical of places for us to meet up as a family. Her house is bursting at the seams and their dining room has been transformed in to a fourth bedroom so there wouldn’t be anywhere to sit except the living room and then that would just be really tight and uncomfortable, especially when more people arrive in the evening. It’s either I host at mine - I have two downstairs rooms, one dining room and another main lounge with plenty of seating plus a kitchen with breakfast bar and dining table so there’s space for everyone to sit comfortably for dinner, move to the other room when it’s done, clear everything in the dining room away, drop the table down, push it to one side and set up for the evening and then of course a separate space in the kitchen for a dessert selection and drinks where people gather to mingle. I also have two spare bedrooms and my kid has bunk beds and floor space for blowup beds so people can stay over comfortably. Everyone chips in or we’d have to spend Christmas separately in our nuclear households which means my only child would lose out on time with other children, my parents would have to choose who to visit and my other siblings would feel torn about who to visit in the evening (this year they were all with in-laws) because I’m not paying out for everyone. If I won the lottery I would but not a chance right now. I am always happy to feed family members who visit any other time of the year and quite often host events off my own back, I also happen to have a paddling pool, bbq and sheltered garden space which is perfect in heatwaves but it’s easy enough to do a chilli or spag bol or get a load of burgers and chuck the kids a choc ice out of the afterwards. Cheap and cheerful and just as much fun creating memories of family time with the kids. In fact even when we do this my sister usually brings round stuff…. When she’s on her way she will call and ask if I need anything because she’s more than aware she comes with a gaggle of kids and I only usually have enough in the house to create a meal for two people at the spur of the moment. Quite often she will drop the kids with me and then pop out and get the food and have a little “mom holiday” and go and have a cheeky Starbucks on her own. Returning with bags of stuff to feed everyone. You’re basically saying you feel uncomfortable for etiquette reasons. Maybe you just don’t have the same family dynamic that most people have. We’re a close but large family spanning multi generations and we want to spend the time together. We also respect each other and the effort it takes to host Wastage has nothing really to do with this debate…. & again I don’t know what kind of family you have but my family hoovers up food like they have never eaten before. We are also pretty dab hand at using up leftovers…. So like I said we had turkey meat in sandwiches and then as a cold buffet on Boxing Day, there wasn’t much veg left, but it all got mixed in for a bubble and squeak on Boxing Day morning. Not a single pig in blanket was present by 5pm and by 8pm my mom opened a chutney she got as a Xmas gift in a hamper as we had scoffed the already opened jar and we needed more for gavin and Stacey. We cook most of our stuff from scratch …. All home made so not really much bother about packaging….. the frozen party platters I couldn’t make myself any cheaper, they were all 3 for 2.

I don’t think spending money on food is about commercialism - unless people are charging their family to make a profit. I don’t think £10 would be making a profit, and actually would barely cover the costs per head if you add up everything it takes. I’m also convinced that any family would not ban anyone who couldn’t afford to contribute. I also think that when you’re hosting beyond your family unit that it’s polite for guests to contribute in some way, even if not financially. In many cases the host is someone who’s got the biggest space and if they didn’t host then the family wouldn’t be able to get together at all and so all the traditions would be lost. Christmas has been a tradition for hundreds of years with famed banquets hosted by the Tudors and before that Yuletide feasting was a tradition. It’s ingrained in our culture and has been for thousands of years and if people want to celebrate and splash out I don’t think that’s a problem. Clearly you do but I think you perhaps sound a little bitter because you can’t afford to celebrate like you would perhaps wish to? I don’t think that’s a healthy way to be because there’s always going to be someone richer and more extravagant and it’s not good to compare as long as you’re happy. Of course you don’t have to spend hundreds of pounds of you haven’t got it, but you could say the same about anything. Why spend money on anything at all when you can live frugally? I’ve been in situations where I’ve wanted to go to see a film and covered a friends ticket because they couldn’t afford to go, or paid for a taxi for a group because I didn’t want to wait around and get on a bus, spending a small amount of money with no expectation of a return and alternatively I’ve been in situations where I’ve wanted to go on a holiday and stay in a more expensive hotel but had to compromise due to my friends available funds, as I do have some boundaries and a budget

Each to their own. That’s the thing. I won’t say what my food budget is but I know people would think it’s ridiculous. But then again I also think that people spend ridiculous amounts of money on other things. I drive a really old cheap little run around car I own outright and some of my friends pay £100’s to a car finance company monthly. Some people wear handbags which would cost the same amount of money as my house. Some people have bought their children games consoles and accessories worth hundreds of pounds and others give their children 3-4 simple gifts. Some people get themselves in to debt at Christmas and spend the whole year paying it off, whilst other people budget and save carefully all year looking forward to one extravaganza and other people can just simply afford to spend that much money. At the end of the day it’s not really worth comparing yourself to anyone else as long as you and your family are happy. There always is going to be someone with more money and more stuff. I’m a foodie and so are my family, I’ve got adult siblings who all have children of their own and some of my cousins are grandparents themselves - we rarely get a chance to all gather….In fact Christmas is it now apart from weddings and funerals. Food is always central to our gatherings (I think that’s cultural in some respects too). At the same time none of us would expect one person or household to shoulder the burden of hosting us all both in terms of labour and financially. I never have had to ask anyone for money, I’m one of two people who usually host (the other hosts are my parents) and somehow it organically all just comes together with everyone contributing in a way which feels fair. If I knew a family member was struggling then I wouldn’t expect them to - but even the younger ones who don’t have much money and aren’t asked to specifically bring anything never show up empty handed.

I do ….. I cook a roast almost every week and I can get a chicken for £5 or splash out on a small cut of beef, or lamb and will do 2-3 simple sides with whatever veggies are in season and available. Boiled carrots, peas, maybe some asparagus / mange tout etc. I do boxed stuffing mix which is usually £1 and bisto gravy granules with the meat juices. £10 for enough food to feed a family of four. I might even use some frozen Bessie’s stuff. I also tend to have the usual condiments in the fridge which last a while. Christmas…. Is just different. Turkey was £55 this year then you add in sausage meat stuffing with chestnuts, pigs in blankets by the bucket load and a home made gravy from scratch. All my veggies are special for Christmas. Cauliflower cheese with double cream, carrots with a fresh orange juice and cumin seeds, parsnips with a honey glaze (and my honey was from one of those Xmas markets and cost £12 which made me cough but I couldn’t resist). Goose fat garlic and fresh herbs for the potatoes. Sprouts cooked with pancetta. Fresh herbs for almost everything actually. It all adds up. Then starters, a choice of three - smoked salmon, dill, cream cheese and blinis, fresh fruits, pate and crackers. I never have starters on a usual weekend. And then desserts - got to have a Xmas pudding with brandy cream, then a chocolate Yule log and also a trifle with sherry. If I dared to miss one of those off the menu then someone in the family would be devastated. On a normal Sunday my kid will get a choc ice from the freezer. Then of course everyone has a nice Buck’s Fizz and some fancy drinks. This year I made these fancy ice cubes with oranges,cranberries and rosemary. On a normal Sunday I don’t really drink so might have a ribena Crackers for the table, napkins, place settings, an aperitif of sorts. Coffees and more alcohol and cream for those. Never bother on a usual weekend. Then after the dinner is done most people hang around and will enjoy cheese, crackers, grapes and chutneys and the kids will have the “nice” crisps and snacks. We also have a bowl of nuts. The turkey meat is sliced and some people will have a sandwich / roll just in time for the eastenders special. On a Sunday evening I might have a sandwich with the meat leftovers but none of the other stuff. I forgot the minced pies. They usually make an appearance as does the inevitable tin of roses or quality street. I don’t usually have all this lying around. On a usual Sunday someone might get offered a digestive or a custard cream. These days it’s supermarket own brand and not home made. Some people take leftovers home on Christmas Day. Then we basically repeat it on Boxing Day - family who had to spend Xmas day with their in laws side will come round and will be presented with a cold meat spread / buffet and all the beige nibbles like sausage rolls and the random party platters you can get in the supermarkets. I don’t even know how I manage to get it all in the fridge. This day tends to include more drinks than Christmas Day. After a usual Sunday, I will use the leftovers to make Mondays sandwiches for lunch or chuck it all in a quick pasta or stir fry for just my nuclear family. If I’ve got a carcass I might boil it up to make a soup base.

I’ve paid a fiver on more than one occasion to use a loo in London during Notting Hill carnival

My family do a split the costs type thing. So one person/household buys and cooks the turkey and then another person/household will bring the veggies, starters, desserts, drinks etc. That way it’s sort of fair for everyone both financially and in terms of splitting the workload so no one spends the whole day slaving away in the kitchen. It’s not a formal agreement as such but we always discuss the costs of things because it’s quite usual to discuss the supermarket price wars and bargains or special finds…. The person doing the veg might get a huge bag of potatoes for 8 pence but then needs to get goose fat, rosemary, garlic etc to go with it I also have the biggest fridge so whoever buys the turkey usually comes and drops it off to my house a couple of days before and so I find out all about the stress of queuing up for that and there’s usually a drama relating to that shopping experience. Whenever I am invited anywhere I will always offer to bring something or help out and even when someone politely declines which is seemingly customary in British culture then I will never turn up empty handed. The host always receives a thoughtful gift, a quality wine, some chocolates , a bouquet of flowers etc. I also always offer to help out - so that means serving, clearing plates, washing up etc. if it’s family or close friends I will arrive early and be prepared to help lay the table and often get asked to help taste test sauces and accompaniments. I’m the cook of the group and so I do often host and go all out - and I have a lovely array of house plants and a fully stocked wine cupboard even though I don’t drink

I always enjoy the run up to Xmas. I do have a kid so it’s the visits to Santa, light trails, school activities, mas parties and events for all his clubs and being super busy. Every single weekend in December had something to do and then work for me was also tense and stressful so I couldn’t wait to break up. I spent the weekend before Christmas rushing to get some last minute shopping, nothing too expensive but I enjoyed the festive atmosphere in stores. We do always enjoy some family traditions which aren’t solely for children and I hope to keep these going even when my son is an adult - the festive carol concert, pantomimes, ice skating etc. We also enjoy a day of baking and some Christmas crafts. Then I spent Christmas Day relaxing. We woke up early for my son to open his presents. I ate the best Christmas dinner and then did nothing else except watch tv. My son was happy enough playing independently with Lego and his stuff. It’s sort of a nothing day and feels like a bit of an anticlimax after all the hectic December activities. I spent all of Boxing Day in my pyjamas and now it’s done. The next week is going to be hazy and restful. I might clear some stuff out in my house and eventually take the decorations down and have a big clean and tidy. It’s just a reset and exactly what I need. You need to figure out some family activities to bring the magic back - maybe some games or some special things you can do. We always do some extra special cocktails - freezing fruit in ice cubes and using glitter in them so they look nice. We also always dress up for Christmas Day - even though it’s just to sit around the table we do not wear pyjamas. We also have Santa hats and Christmas jumpers galore so when we go out and about throughout December they’re always on. Whatever your hobbies and interests are, there’s got to be a way to bring Christmas in to it somehow. The Christmas spirit is there for anyone who wants to believe

Muffin? They bread one is an American thing you cant even get at McDonald’s anymore as no one likes them ….. and being British i would die on the hill that a fairy cake is far superior to a “cake” muffin…… but a French fancy would be top trumps to that 😂

A tea cake is a chocolate marshmallow thing 😳

Usually the Scottish ones 😂

Thus proving my point - ask the next non British person whether they even care about a bread roll and they’ll give you a slightly bemused / confused face.

Ask what they want from a Chinese and start …. Chicken bhuna lamb bhuna, mushroom rice, bag of chips, keema naan … And wait for them to shout “NINE POPPADOMS” 😂

I am midlands so like to cut a scone in half with a twist and do one side jam first and one side cream first just for balance 😂

As someone from one region with a distinct accent and some funny phrases who moved down “south” for years everyone I’ve ever had this conversation with gets ridiculously animated about it….. same as if you get in to an argument about if chip shop chips need curry sauce, mushy peas, gravy or cheese. This one is usually funny at 1am after a few drinks so would be very easy to call out a spy. Either that or ask them what they call a mr freeze / ice pole / tip top Or if the narrow passage between houses is a gulley, alley, jennel, ginnel or jitty If you arent British then you just wouldn’t get it and it would be super obvious …. It’s always been oddly bemusing to international friends trying to explain the regional dialects and terminology

I think I’d ask them what they call this (and show them a picture of a bread roll) If they do not get oddly passionate about it being a cob / barm / roll /regional variation then you’ll know they didn’t grow up anywhere in this country.

I did this once, my son had used a gaming app to pay for things without my knowledge and rinsed my current account. I only keep a small amount of money in there and transfer cash as and when I need it as I’ve been the victim of theft before where people went on a spree with my bank card using contactless. I was in a black spot for signal so couldn’t get in to my online banking to see why my card was declined. I was asked to fill in a form, show ID and then asked to return within seven days before they would use those details to prosecute me. I drove ten mins down the road, then logged in, transferred myself some cash then went and paid it straight away iTunes refunded me the money my son had spent too

The super noodles one where they say “I’m Wasting away”

A few things - the fry up / full English breakfast which you can get from a greasy spoon cafe. Tbh even the Wetherspoons version is alright, as is the Toby carvery all you can eat buffet. The only other breakfast which is better is the Irish one with potato bread. Never managed to get decent bacon anywhere else I’ve ever been. Even when you go to popular expat places like Spain there is something not quite right. I think it’s the sausages. The roadside burger and hotdog vans that always seem to be in the car park of builders merchant shops and at car boots - really satisfying when you get that junk food craving. Only works if they have Heinz ketchup though, none of that chefs larder wholesalers cheap stuff. Then I think we also have some really good street food now - of course a lot of this is cuisine which is stolen from other countries / cultures but I feel like there’s a real competitive nature to this and authenticity is paramount - plus our EHO standards means that it’s “safe” with good hygiene practice, which is certainly something I worry about when abroad. Chip shop chips, the proper ones, not thin fries. The ones which come wrapped in paper, mainly large ones which fluffy on the inside with some little crunchy chips mixed in and the nice surprise crunchy bits of fish batter. The traditional ploughman’s - things like cheese, chutney, pickled onions and bread. Cornish pasties - simple, golden pastry, the correct ratio of crimped edge, the filling which isn’t overly powerful in flavour. Other countries have their own versions of foods like this - gyoza or samosas for example but a pastor is just super filling. Shepards / cottage pie. I had one in America once and I don’t know what they do with their mashed potato but it’s disgusting, I think they use instant mash. A proper roast dinner - one where the beef is perfectly cooked, the gravy is made from the juices, the. The roasties are also cooked in the dripping and the Yorkshire’s are huge and fluffy. Plus perfectly cooked seasonal veg. It’s always the one thing I look forward to coming home to and there’s something really satisfying about that meal.

1. Most workplaces I have worked in have a sickness policy which means that if you have a number of absences in a year then you can be pulled in for disciplinary processes. It’s not often used but if they want someone out then it’s a tool just like performance management. For example they will look at patterns like someone being off sick every Friday before a bank holiday weekend. Because of this type of policy people often “save” their sick leave because there’s always a worry that if you take a day off for a cold, that you could be really sick a few months later and really need the time off. 2. Parents - I often have to have time off when my kid is sick, he’s had chickenpox and all the usual bugs and high temps and my workplace allows me to use paid sickness here which is better for me than using parental leave as that’s unpaid. 3. If you’re off sick then the workload doesn’t decrease, in most salaried jobs then there’s often not someone who can complete your tasks - that means if you do have a day off for a cold then when you come back all the work is going to have piled up. 4. I’m a teacher and our policy is that if you’re off then you have to set cover work, and creating that is much harder work as you have to create detailed instructions for lessons, rather than being in and giving your class some easy worksheets, popping some sort of documentary on, or setting them a random test to do in silence.

Invest in a hose pipe and make sure you soak him next time you see him

There’s two kinds of people in the world, people who plan ahead and people who faff about. If your British wife likes faffing about then you need to factor this in to your schedule. If you need to be starting the car at 8 then tell her you’re leaving at 7.45. This gives her ample time to decide which shoes and coat to wear, leave the house, run back inside because she’s forgotten her glasses and then get going.

If you find yourself planning a visit to somewhere which you haven’t got the right clothing for then there’s plenty of affordable clothes shops - you can head to the nearest primark for really cheap clothing in almost any style. Some of the posher restaurants and bars do have a dress code if you’re planning to do something nice for your anniversary so it’s worth having at least one outfit which isn’t jeans - acceptable formal footwear seems to have changed a lot recently and you do see both men and women in trainers and boots. I’m thinking if you’re booking a table at the Ivy, going to eat up the Shard or a Michelin restaurant you may require a suit jacket or a blazer for a man - but if you’re in the main tourist areas then generally speaking anything goes. My advice would be to check out the tagged pictures on venues Instagram pages to see the kinds of things other people wear in their photos. Also check websites for dress codes - although these can be ambiguous. You’ve got a real clash of styles in London, with some influencer types heading out dressed to the nines and looking very over the top, right next to people in their three piece suit / work wear attire who go straight from the office to the pub right next to people who look like they’ve not been home to wash for three days intentionally. If you’re sight seeing during the day then wearing layers and comfort is essential, the underground and public transport can get really uncomfortably hot, we can often have rain showers followed by some nice sunshine so a lightweight jacket you can stuff in a bag or use to sit on in a park is always useful. I quite like to wear a well fitting t shirt with jeans or a nice dress with my converse or DM’s and then carry some nicer jewellery in my bag along with make up and a small pouch purse - some long beads/jazzy earrings, that with a swish of red lipstick and a brush of my hair can change my appearance very quickly.

How old is your child and who’s taking care of them when you’re not present? As a single mother I would be screwed over if my ex decided to go and do what you’re planning on doing. My entire schedule and ability to go to work myself relies upon my ex having our son on specific days and times. The entire burden of child responsibility would fall upon your child’s other parent - school holidays and sicknesses would have an impact on their ability to work and earn money themselves. I would expect that if you were to take that opportunity then at the very least you would be providing additional financial support to cover perhaps after school clubs and additional childcare in your absence? Then what would you be expecting when you are back? Would you still have a home? Would you expect your child to be available for additional time during those weeks? If your child has their own hobbies and social life as well as school then you’d have to be happy with perhaps spending your time at home being a taxi driver and waiting in the car whilst your kid goes to already planned in birthday parties and football matches. You’d have to be prepared that your kid won’t want to drop everything to spend time with you and that you might end up feeling alienated. You also might not be there to be involved with decision making and milestones. For example how would you handle any behaviour incidents, parents evenings, school reports, the process of choosing gcse options, planning birthday parties, any friendship or relationship issues - seeing your child once a week and being in the same country and the same time zone and probably only a short drive away means you’re there for any emergencies but being in a different country means you’re not going to be reachable and available. That will have a huge detrimental impact. £90k sounds lovely but it’s not such a significant amount of money that it would be a complete game changer to your lifestyle in order to make up for not actually being present as a parent

It depends very much on where you go. I find that all of the cheap chain pub restaurants have awful menus which are limited like you state but we have some great experiences at independents and small cafes. They are more likely to be able to adapt a recipe. Try looking out for vegan / vegetarian places as they’re a lot more creative with the menus. I also quite like some of the high street chains - pizza express and zizzis for example have really good children’s options. I find supermarket cafes tend to be alright in the summer with kids eat for £1 type offers, and some grab and go packed lunch options including fruit / yoghurt A lot of seaside resorts can be limited as people do just eat a lot of junk or treat food on holiday. When I book a caravan I find the nearest aldi or supermarket and stock up my fridge with apples, bananas, satsumas, watermelon and cucumber/ carrot sticks. I take out a cool bag of these snacks every day. Usually have yoghurt and fruit for breakfast too. We’ll also buy punnets of strawberries and grapes and happily munch on these. If all else fails McDonald’s do fruit bags too. Do a little research, look at menus and pictures on google reviews and trip advisor before you head out.

As a Female in todays climate I sadly wouldn’t feel safe to stop and help, in that specific situation but I’m the sort of person who would call 999 to report instantly. I don’t go round jogging in the dark but I am often on the road driving in the dark and sadly we have had local incidents where people fake a situation to stop a driver and then end up car jacking them. In daylight it would be different, I’m first aid trained and apparently pretty good in a crisis. Not that you can ever say how you’d handle it until you’ve been there. I have and did step up to the plate

If the board gets flipped off the table again then everyone’s grounded was the only rule in our house which ever got stuck to

They only get thrown away if partially used

Elsop- very tall and slim. guy who was an LSOP (lanky streak of p**s)

Glad it’s not just me - I’m all for feminism but some of these women are just unhinged. Fancy preferring to sit on blood soaked tissue rather than god forbid being forced into getting assistance from a man. I also quite like it when guys hold open a door for me or offer to carry my heavy bags - doesn’t mean that we’re going back to the dark ages! 😂

Wow - I’m not really in the mood for a debate. You clearly have some sort of issue with men and that’s a you problem. It’s not mansplaining at all for a guy to have sanitary products available….. He wouldn’t be random if he was your friend, sister, cousin and your were in his car would it? It’s not like he’s sitting outside female toilets offering vulnerable women sanitary products for kicks you weirdo

Don’t be such a prude. There is no shame these days when it comes to periods, it’s a natural bodily function and not something to hide away from men as if it’s a secret and something to be ashamed of. You can have your nasty rolled up tissue and sit in embarrassment but if I’m out and about with friends I’ll will say what I need. We’ve all been there when you just forget what the date is or Sod’s Law it decides to start early the day you visit the beach. So grateful that my dad who is now in his seventies was not ever once embarrassed to have three daughters and kept a cupboard stocked full of every variety of product we could possibly need in the bathroom - and used to have an emergency stash of chocolate and paracetamol too.

It’s also easier for me to keep all of this random stuff in the car boot than take it in the house and store it elsewhere - so that’s just where it lives for now

It really isn’t weird - imagine being a guy with a brand new car with cream leather interior and your friend who’s a female happens to be starting her period. I’d rather a man offer assistance than be mortified about staining the car seats

Make sure you have the car maintenance stuff checked - you’d be surprised how many people forget to check these things and get caught out. Locking wheel nuts and the tools to change a spare tyre. Include the spare tyre in your vehicle checks. A holographic warning triangle. A large bottle of water to top up fluids Oil (one bottle) Tissues (for cleaning the dip stick) Washer fluid (one bottle) Petrol can Note down where your tyre pressure info is. Contact number for your roadside assistance Notepad and pen Spare phone charger wire Flip flops, spare pants and toothbrush plus basic toiletries in a bag just in case you stay over anywhere. A few emergency snacks - protein or granola bars with long dates. I bloody hate getting stuck in long traffic jams and feeling hungry. A roll of binbags - always useful if you have muddy shoes or wet clothes or similar. I travel a hell of a lot and also go camping so I also have a small pop up tent, sleeping bag, a pop up chair, a football and a kite in my boot amongst other things during the summer which people think is rather odd but has saved me a lot of hassle finding and paying for hotels when I can get a camp site for £15 most places.

Kerb sack? Do they mean bin perhaps?

I’m 37 and pop in most weeks at least once, but I speak to my mom on the way home most days

If you work in finance then the city is the most important bit 😂

I would research the item and find out it’s value and where it was purchased from. Then I would leave a note with a gift voucher to the value of the item as a departing gift. That way it’s up to them to either replace the broken item like for like or to choose to put that voucher towards something else. You can get gift cards for almost everywhere now or choose a pre paid master card instead

Me, I just don’t have the time. Single parent and working full time means that it’s just at the bottom of the priority list. I do however not wear smart clothes which would look scruffy. My kids school uniform gets a tumble until almost dry then I hang it up so it’s not creased. I wear loose dresses most of the time - don’t go near anything linen etc

Yes every year and mom insists

I’d probably say if you liked a Lancashire hotpot then things like a traditional toad in the hole (Yorkshire pudding with sausages) - but not just any random one….. you’ve got to get the batter all puffed up and full of flavour - usually by cooking it in beef dripping. Served with creamy mashed potato. You can usually get a good one in an independent pub somewhere in the country side. Even better when they get their sausages from a farm estate nearby. If you go to a farm shop you can usually get decent sausages - not the cheap ones in supermarkets as they’re full of rubbish - and try making your own but chances are you’d get flat batter. Then something which I really enjoy is bubble and squeak - it’s usually made with leftovers from a roast dinner - potatoes and cabbage…. A little bit like a hash brown but different. I’ve never had a decent one in a restaurant, it’s something which is done at home. Usually using leftover beef dripping from the roast for flavour. Salt and pepper and maybe some onions too. Then if you likes a hotpot then go for Shepards pies and cottage pies - again with quality meat and really creamy mash - the trick there is the mash has to have cream and butter in it and even better with pepper and spring onions. Any meat pies - and I’m not talking pukka pies from a chip shop with three pieces of meat but again home made with delicious made from scratch pastry. The key is using lard or shortening and not just butter or Marge A lot of places do that these days. You can get them in restaurants and farm shops and sometimes from independent butchers. You want them full of meat - a game pie is truly delicious. If you’re interested in game then venison and pheasant are lovely. You often find these in more boujee restaurants. A venison wellington is truly something else - you’d pay upwards of £50 for one in a decent establishment. Duck, grouse and rabbit can all be considered British game too. I like honey roast duck but these days a lot of duck dishes have different cuisine influences mixed in. Fish is also up there - of course there’s the cod and chips from a chip shop - they usually taste better at the seaside - Tom Kerridge does a wonderful version at his pub restaurant “the hand in flowers” - There’s some lovely restaurants around - Rick Stein has a restaurant in Padstow Cornwall which is highly rated for its fish. If you didn’t like jellied eels then oysters and seafood might not be your thing but again you can get crab and other seafood in some really nice places along the coast. If you’re looking for some twists and modern vibes then I’d suggest checking out someone like Brad Carter in Birmingham. His ingenuity and passion for ingredients is wonderful. For more traditional cuisine then Purnells or Simpsons. You’re looking at about £75-100 for a full tasting menu experience but it’s certainly worth it.

What type of foods do you like? If you explain what kind of ingredients you like I’d be more than happy to recommend dishes, recipes or restaurants.

I’ve been to Mexico myself and I don’t think the cuisine there is all that tbh. I agree with you though. Having traveled extensively and gone off the beaten path to source food, I’m in Birmingham and the food scene here is wonderful - but you have to go and find the good places, they aren’t on the main high streets

Spices aren’t the be all and end all - there’s also lots of herbs which give flavour and perhaps being native to Britain make for more traditional cuisine I forage for wild garlic in spring. I grow things like chives and Parsley in my garden. They aren’t as bursting with flavour as spices but I think for example jersey royals with butter and fresh parsley are delicious in the summer. You can’t beat an elderflower cordial in summer either. There’s just something wonderful about that syrupy sticky flavour. You’ve also got things like cinnamon which although not traditionally British is now ingrained in to a lot of our dishes - I put cinnamon on my apple and blackberry pies and muffins in the autumn for example. Then you’ve got things like dill which are quite delicate but lovely with fish. If you use them fresh and can prepare food in the right way then you will get a flavoursome experience - I think we on the whole like to hero the actual ingredients and their flavour - herbs add aroma but do not take away from the main elements of the dish