So I haven't posted for a week or so..
On one of the Fridays it was reported to reception that we were being bitten (we had been bitten through the whole few weeks but I hate complaining!
Ironically we went on a bug hunt around the botanical gardens and struggled to find anything! When we came home found a bug walking up dads (my hubbys) top! So caught it!
We are now the dinner of bed bugs.. they are quite sweet but the bites are painful, itchy and sore!
We were told the council were coming out so would check that day, then on the Monday, no one came..
Then the following Thursday a knock on the door and it was the bug man to spray.. we hadn't been told he was coming! We were given two options.. he comes back, or we have the time he sprays another room to get everyone up, dressed, the room empty and vacate for 6 hours... so in about 20 minutes, everyone was up, everything we have is thrown into the bathroom (where else can we put it..). We have no wardrobes or draws so we live out of bags...
Luckily we had been invited to a friends for tea, and it had been arranged that willow went straight there from school.
So we are sort of bed bug free.. for the moment, we still get an odd bite so must be tasty!
Since the fire we only have one kitchen, so four rings and a single oven, and a microwave.. between every one in the hotel.. so lots of people are having to eat out.. (we also have to shop daily) which is both expensive and un-healthy, The children have always had a good diet, plenty of vegetables.. not in here.. firstly you can't cook it nor can you store it. We have one fridge in the kitchen for everyone, but it seems that unfortunately some people just take what they fancy, so batch cooking and storing isn't an option, we can't bring in another fridge, or slow cooker, I have asked.
So cooking has gone from an enjoyable hobby to how to feed tummies that day, ideally one pot meals as you rarely cook alone.. also the oven only has one shelf.. so cooking for a family of our size is a challenge..
I spent last week trying to cook a spaghetti bolognese.. I took the mince in and out of our tiny fridge so many times it went off.. every time I got to the kitchen there were three or four families trying to cook.. on a single four ring hob, the kitchen is small anyway so you physically couldn't get in! This is the one time in the adventure I've really struggled, to have to get another takeaway, we can't afford it and it's no good for the children, but when the kitchen closes at 9 and you have run out of evening trying to cook, there is no option unless you choose to have pot noodle (full of salt) or a sandwich. Which when people have been at work all day is not enough! (If people are working late we have to wrap their meals in towels to keep it warm as obviously if the kitchen closes at 9 there's no microwave access) We have now invested in hot dog sausages, instant mash and noodles that don't need boiling and are experimenting with what to cook hot with just hot water/a kettle. We are incredibly lucky that when I have a moment on fb people are sympathetic and try to help.. lots of people have no-one x
We don't know how long before the second kitchen re-opens apparently we are waiting for insurance investigators as the fire was started on purpose.. which is a scary thought, someone was happy to burn all these families, us included.
The older children are finding it hard, one is up for work at 6ish and has neighbours that wail and shout through the night, then he's working all the hours he can do so he's not stuck in here, he's making himself ill. Socialising is difficult as we have an 11pm curfew, 20 year olds who work generally aren't home for 11) the other children can't meet their friends as they are used to (everyone normally piles into our house, is fed, warm, listened to and joins in) now they are roaming the streets, there's no-where to go, being stopped and searched is becoming a normal thing for them and doing their self-esteem no good.
The smaller ones get on with it.. they have things to do inside and we go out a lot. We've noticed that the 7 yo is reading independently with greater understanding and is on her way to mastering her tables so maybe I'm ok at this home schooling thing after all!
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