we have feline visitors, some good weather and (fingers crossed) some good news

This week the weather has been amazing, and we will start with good news!

We had a phone call from the secondary school as the older one had told them she stopped taking medication..(I had meant to but forgot). Its good news,  we are becoming confident that she may be outgrowing her skin condition!  At the age of 7, she started blistering in random places, it became apparent over time that it was sun related. Eventually she was diagnosed with polymorphic light eruption, basically she is allergic to the rays of the sun (not the heat) she got painful itchy blisters anywhere the sun touched her skin, not just in the summer, winter sun effected her too, as did sun rays through windows. She has lived with this condition for the last 8 years, but last year she noticed she didn't need to take the medication (she was taking malaria tablets as one of the side effects is a decreased skin sensitivity, but the potential side effects meant regular blood tests, and eye tests), and didn't need sun block if she was wearing sun protection clothes. 

- Going back a little, she had to wear specialist clothing, a cardigan cost £50 + (you pay extra for the material to cover her hands) gloves cost £30+ ,  the material was spf 50 but she still had to wear sun block, as any gaps caused a blister. She got DLA for three years that helped with the cost but was turned down when we reapplied the reason given was that it wasn't for specialised clothing.. (its sad that I could account for where the money went, saving invoices etc, and could prove it made her life easier but that wasn't enough) we had sun protection film put on our windows and was informed by the hospital she wasn't to go abroad.

This year she had sun burn! Not normally something I would shout about, but a few years ago this would have been impossible. so fingers crossed..  still sunblock in the sun obviously but hopefully she will be able to lead a life without sunblock all the time,  and she's got a school trip to Spain she will be able to go on,  just got to pay for it now!


I was invited to be part of a 'citizens panel' for Birmingham City Council, basically following scenarios using the new web site and feeding back any problems. I was nervous about going, but the people who were facilitating put us at ease and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I actually felt that we were listened to which is brilliant! Afterwoods I left her my details and some information on our situation, and weve had contact since so alls good.  I also sent her a link to the blog...

I have spent some time on the phone trying to be released from the house, we were sent paperwork saying position 1, but this was wrong we are positition 2, which means we cant bid on any other properties until the person in position 1 either accepts or declines the property, we fully appreciate could be upto a year until they view as its a new build property, but as we are in emergency accommodation it seems silly we cant bid as what sane person is going to turn down a new build?  After a chat with the new build office it turns out we wouldn't have been offered it anyway as our situation as changed!  (we were offered the house on the Friday afternoon, on the sunday our son turned 21 so we are allocated another bedroom,) Im glad we found out now rather than when the house was viewed.  I have sent the e-mails but so far no replies, so we will see....

We have become popular with the neighberhood cats, one even coming in!

 

this cheeky soul was in the bedroom!

 

a random picture of a bed bug bite that I found..

 

 

we took advantage of the sun..

 

we washed dollies

 

we painted.. some of the paint even went on the box!

 

we built..

 

we practised our phonics

 

 

we hammered shapes into pictures

 

we collected natural materials for a collage

 

we stuck the things we collected onto sticky plastic

 

It took some concentration to remember which side would be the front

 

The finished article!

 

We met friends and went to the dragon boat racing, there were lots of activities going on in Brindley place, including a dragon dance, we are incredibly lucky that we have so many free attractions.

 

we made butterflies using filter paper

 

we made patterns on the paper

 

then soaked them in water

 

the end result..

 

and we got internet!!!

 

now to call the rent team as we have two letters that make no sense..  wish me luck!!

 

thanks x

 

 

the new house, birthdays, and nearly a forever home but not quite

So we moved in on the 1st of June, and we love it here, the children are all close to where they need to be, the house is a layout that suits the way we live and we are next to a park, its all good.

It seems a lifetime ago that we were in the hotel, when its realistically its been days.

We have nice neighbours, one who came from the hotel with us and the other who lived quite close to our old house! they all have children so my worries about bothering the neighbours with noise is unfounded.

One set of neighbours keeps feeding us,  they could sell their food its fantastic, we will be lost when eid arrives!

The simple things in life are the best.. its been a long time since we have been able to wash and hang it out, our son has done and amazing job at hand washing his uniform while in the hotel, but we are grateful we now have a machine to take over!

We have had friends over and it feels very much like our home. We have a cat that sits on the doorstep, waiting for food. hes lovely and makes us realise how much we miss our pets, they are such a huge part of our lives and to have had to re-home or rely on friends to pet sit is horrid, but hopefully it wont be for long.

While we were in the hotel the lady who kindly sorted our the re-homing of our cats got intouch, shes kept poppy the old cat for a while.. so sent us this pic

She looks so settled!  We are incredibly grateful for so many people helping us.

We asked on facebook for living room furniture and we had offers of so much.. people have bought me to tears with their kindness! So we have a furnished living room.

And we are blessed with kids that like each other!

 The learning continues..

                                                   reading is everywhere...

even poker is a game of numbers!

back to baking..  we really have missed being able to cook

dominoes

pairs of pears...

and the obvious butterfly feeding

This week we had three birthdays, a 21st, a 17th and hubby,  so its been a busy week.

we also made a trip to the storage

lucy the elf has been keeping an eye on the toys for us apparently,   its the little things that reassure the kids. they loved receiving the picture through the printer, 

 (we have a wireless printer, so we can be sitting quietly when suddenly  pictures come out, its very magical for 7 and nearly 4 year olds)

There was also the horrific fire in London, it was awful to see and bought back memories of a house fire when i was small, (not my house) the smells and sounds stay with you forever, i pray everyone involved get the help they need.

we also had a call from the council, we were walking down the street at the time so found it hard to hear but all the information was to be in the e-mail,  the e-mail stated we had been shortlisted for a new build house, as position 1!!!  we drove down to look...

we have an exited weekend telling friends and family about our new forever home, we look at allotments close, bus routes, community centres etc.. this is the break we need!

then while trying to work out how long we will have to wait to view, (it doesn't matter if its a week, a month, or a year, when you live with someone who suffers from anxiety you learn that they need time to process situations so this is important), some one says in their paper work we are position two, i then spend days writing e-mails, to try and find out what information is correct.

After no response, I call them twice, (to double check the information given) the letter is correct and we are position 1..  

Then a call from the allocations team, they made a mistake with the letter... we are position two, and another letter has been sent.

This is an awful situation to put anyone through especially someone with mental health problems through, its a tough few days.

So we've gone from a definite house to not even being able to bid until the person in 1st position accepts the house, knowing this is a new build house we are aware this can take months.  A chat with the person who made the mistake with the letter and its suggested we may be released from the house so we can bid.  this is ongoing and we haven't yet had our bidding reinstated so will update at a later date.. 

But onwards and upwards........   the weather is lovely!

we went out a lot!

we went out a lot, we were very conscious that as the girls aren't at school they need to be out and about, even more so living in a B&B, we all get on really well but there are times you need space.
Hubby even managed a few trips out, with a dodgy leg and head a B&B is a very confining space, so hubby spent most of his time watching netfix but we managed to get him out a couple of  times which is all good!

we went to cannon hill park for a picnic   

met friends and went to rush

we went to the library

the boys did the Birmingham 10k,  

we are incredibly proud that while they were in a awkward situation they still made the effort to do a run for charity

they survived.. and we found them!

we went to a moana themed party

we did some map reading

and found where we were looking for!

We used our botanical gardens card a lot!

 we went on a bug hunt

we found dinosaurs

and water

       and butterflies

we went to the circus

and the park

we met the oldest child (who left us) for a carvery (groupon offers are fab!)

met up with the borrowed child while she was down from uni

(a quick note about the 'borrowed one' she is a friend of one of the older kids, has had a touch of upheaval in her short life and has become one of our kids. She used to pop down for a visit as kids friends do but over the years shes ended up being stuck with us! She stays with us normally when shes not at uni but obviously couldn't while we were in the B&B.  Shes turned into an amazing young woman who we are incredibly proud of!)

we went to see ed.... well mom, will, older and the borrowed one did, with friends

We are lucky that we knew the area, already had the botanical gardens card, and are always on the look out for deals and offers! (clubcard vouchers are a valuable resource when used for deals)

and obviously ed was booked a long time before this all happened,