General Chat

Good evening everyone. My stepson called to day and is sounding much better.he was asked to go to see a senior person at Social Services today so sensibly he asked his mother to accompany him. They met the most senior person i with another advisor who has been put in charge of his case.
Apparently the person who told him that his chi,dren were in care, had bern for three months and he could not be told where they were exactly because she did not want to worry him has been dismissed. I am not quiet sure how I feel about that.
There is a new meeting to be held on,I think Tuesday amend will see a very senior Social Worker,his mother will accompany him to all meetings which I think will be good for them all.
night night I am exhausted

Bridget

Just google No 10 Downing Street and up it comes, you have to put in your address etc and you have 1000 characters to write...it does count down for you so prepare yourself beforehand make it succinct and straight forward.

Hope you are successful


Regards Jan

7.25 pm

Jan, how does one find the email address for sending a message to the Prime Minister.
I would like to send a message

Thank you.

Bridget,

Will write again later today

Green fingers, I tried to write on here just a few minutes ago and it kept rejecting me by suddenly going of with a message apologising, what is going on.
Thank you for your understanding just how difficult it is for fathers to be given the custody of their children. We have not heard from him since tuesday so hoping that he is receiving good advice and support. If I hear anymore will put the progress, hopefully, he has made.

It is a warm morning here with some sunshine, the occasional clouds giving some shade, the birds have stopped singing, and Jet &Joe have had breakfast and are now snoozing.

Last night we went to the English bar, the owners are on holiday but two of the people who work for the owners were told they could open for Wednesday, music and singing night.

We took jet and Joe with us and they thouroughly enjoyed all the attention and the walk. Not sure who was more exhausted whe we arrived home, me or Jet & Joe.

Nothing special planned for today, but I might do some baking.....

Hoping that everyone has a happy day

Bridget in Spain.
12.02 hrs

For some reason couldn't write more it wouldn't let me .....!!!!!!

Anyway on a lighter vein, my two lovebirds are back from their honeymoon and my daughter is up to her ears in washing...it is a good blowy day so she should get it done

Regards everyone Jan
10.38am Norfolk UK

Hi Bridget
Been busy so have not had time to read the thread so sorry to hear about your stepson, Having had some experience of bad wives and mothers I am flabbergasted that anyone in authority could think that anyone would want to know that their children were in care. I am afraid the so called system is weighed against the man even when he is the innocent party... I do hope that he gets redress...tho I know it will cost him a lot of money...my thoughts are with you all.

Fortunately we are OK here but I did send an e mail to the Prime Minister telling him to get tough and show the country he had b....ls. I cannot imagine what it would be like to lose everything like some have.
Jan

Good morning

Well everyone must have been busy yesterday.

This morning I woke to a beautiful sunny day, and the sound of the birds twittering away, and Jet and Joe basking in the warmth of the sun.
Then I made a mistake, I turned on the TV and saw more damage across the UK, heard that hundreds of people have been taken into custody BUT so far less than a quarter of these people have been charged.

I am waiting to see what the government will decide whilst holding the meetings today.

Has anyone ideas of 1) why is this happening in a so called civilised country
2) what actions could prevent this from happening again
3) should the police have greater powers then they
Seem to have now.
4) has the immigration of so many people of different
Cultures contributed to this situation.

We were out yesterday evening and had a very pleasant evening chatting about anything and nothing.. Singing..perhaps not wise but fun and we took Jet and Joe who were pampered by everyone.

Not a lot more to say other than I am going to delete my message re his awful time as requested by my husband.

Have a good day everyone


Bridget in Spain in the sun

11.32 hrs

As promised on previous message I am back.
We did not know the people who came to see us but another friend had told them where we live so they could see how good outpr swimming pool has been built!

Of course we did show them and provided the coffee and biscuits. They stayed for Two Hours, OH was not very happy and we decided not to show them all of our house, just the loo before the left.

I do think that a quick telephone call from the person who told them where we live, a name was given, would have been polite. OH did telephone spoke to said person and said that in future call us first.

We are out for a couple of hours this evening, the lady who works part time for the English Bar said she did not mind opening for a few hours each Wednesday, it will be good for OH to have some male company!

The day has been pleasant with the sun shining but also a good breeze so not too hot. I have felt tired today so been lazing around and now OH has said he is hungry so starting to cook a meal before we go out, we only had a late breakfast today so I guess that is why he needs feeding!!

I hope that you ball have had a good day and that you have not been a victim in any way of the terrible problems in the UK

Bye bye

Bridget in Spain

16.11 hrs


:-)

Today started cool with a slight wind but as the day moved on the sun came ot and the temp is around 30 so very pleasant. Rather quiet in town today I think people are recovering from the hot weather.
Sorry door bell hasjust called me, will try to get back later

Bridget

It was a Public Holiday yesterday , so many people had taken Monday off as well to enjoy a long weekend. We went to a birthday lunch, we seem to do this frequently! Had a lovely pasta dish, a green salad, freshly baked bread and chocolate pudding, I gave the bread and the pudding a miss.

We are enjoying the budgie, it always sounds so cheerful.

Sorry to hear about your stepson's news, do hope things work out for him and he is able to care for his children again. It must be very frustrsting for him particularly as he had complied with the decision of the court.

We have had some more rain and to-day it looks as if it could rain again. Lovely for the garden, the lawn is green which is so nice after having had brown grass for such a long time.

Take care everyone.


Val.


8.27 a.m.

Berona

Thank you for your message however I think you will be as shocked as we are when you have finished reading this thread.

My stepson decided to try to find out why the children are in Care. He asked his mother to accompany him which of course she did.

So off to Social Servicies they went and had a meeting with a senior lady and the person who had told him that the children had been put in care.
The children are NOT in care, they were NOT put into care, they have lived for the last three months with their maternal Grandfather and as stepson is not allowed to see them at the moment because he is waiting for a meeting in court to determine when he can see the children, the younger social person thought he would be happier to think they were in care !!! Can you believe tjisb
BUT it is true, we also spoke to his mother who confirmed that this is what they were told.......

They went straight to the police who where very helpful and after a bit of a wait informed them of the reasons why this had happened...I cannot write on here the causes but they are of a serious nature. He still cannot see the children but had good advice which he is going to start today.

Now, if this is how people are being treated in the UK no wonder there is major trouble. I do not condone for one moment what is happening in the streets but neither can I condone the behaviour of social services.

I will be back later to write some more along my usual lines, if anyone is offended by this message I will delete it, because I do not want to cause any upset

Bridget in Spain

Bridget - that's very disturbing that the children had been in care and their father was not notified. Very remiss of the authorities - but probably no one person will accept the responsibility - it will be passed on to someone else.

Being 'in care' does have an effect on children. Varying effects, I know - but nevertheless SOME kind of effect - particularly on the older ones. I have done respite care myself and know how the children think. I just hope that he is able to do things the way he wants to do them. As for the wife - I do think the authorities can see through 'liars' - perhaps that's why the children were taken from her. I hope things turn out for the best for all of you.

Good morning everyone.

I wish you all a very pleasant and happy day, and i look forward to hearing what you are all upto!

It was a very tranquil morning here and it took quite some time for the daylight to break through. It was so quiet that there were not even any birds singing. However the sun did eventually break through and it is very pleasnt now, already I can feel the temp rising and I reckon it will reach about 30c.

Yesterday I posted about one of our sons and I am very sad to say that my stepson had some vert bad news which set him dreadfully, as it did us. His three children have been in care for three months and he was not informed by anyone. He was complying with an agreement made in court that he would not have dire t contact for a few months and the meeting to discuss again was due next week.he contacted the person in charepge to say he had complied but had not had notification confirming the date time and place of the next morning and was told " oops,sorry we forgot to send you a letter explaining that your children are and have bern in cafe for 3 months!"

Can you imagine how he feels, he complied to everything asked of him and many times we had to persuade him to to break the agreement because he was missing them so much,
As far as we know they could be anywhere,he is distraught and going to seek advice today.
Now I have a dilemma, I feel that I could not cope with three children aged 12, 10 and 4, but how could I allow the children to stay in care. I hope that as the mother has been deemed to be unable to care for the children that my husbands son will be able to take back his house which was bought for him by his grandparents and be able to care for his children...he is not the easiest person to get along with at times but he is a fantastic father and has been heartbroken since his wife told such lies about him because she had found someone else.

Well tome to have a late breakfast so will say goodbye for now but will try to look in again later.
Sorry for my ,moaning

:-0

House work finished for today, waning outside drying and if I am careful when I fold it to come in the house I will not havebto iron it!

I have cleaned and polished the sitting room \ dining room, cleaned the kitche, ( it is small so has to be tidy)! swept the veranda and so sitting down with my coffee and watching .......wait for it......Judge Judy, does anyone else watch this, it makes me feel staid!! But is also sad and funny!!

I have to keep my ears alert as we are expecting some one to come and borrow some equipment for their young grandchildren. Cots, high chairs, car seats, etc.

My garden needs to be cut back with many of the plants going wild but it is to hot! Or maybe I am lazy.. :-0

We received a call this morning from o e of my stepsons, he married very young and already a father, nearly broke my husband at the time. He was so I'll with the worry and thevshame he felt that he had a heart attack.

He has received notification that his wife is seeking a divorce and also that he has once more to attend court as she is flaming that he is not complying to the court order.
Very difficult as they both can lie very well. Husband now very quiet, I asked if he wanted to go to UK to see what is happening but he was certain that he dose not want to get too involved.....they are both in their 30s they are not babies.


Well enough of my moans and groans so will sign off for a while.

Bridget
12.45 hrs in Spain

Now Called Those who

At the request of someone who posts on several of my threads I opened a new one recently. It states with the words Now Called the,,,,,,,,it started about why people left the UK to live abroad but has frown, hence anew heading.
Please would anyone who lives abroad please have a look at this and hopefully add something as well. The best compliment so far is from a lady who said, "I have read this from the first entry and it rather like reading a very good travel guide/ book, please keep adding"

Just thought if you have lived abroad and then went back to your country of origin or moved elsewhere that would also be a good story, and it could be your parents who went abroad etc...

It is very different to this wonderful Diary , ,

Thanks

Bridget

Good morning everyone.

Berona,

Thank you for your message, my eldest child will be 40 this September, but I will not be able to see him. He decided that he will go to India with his girlfriend. No not a holiday, but to help a registered charity provide water for villages etc where currently there is no fresh water. They will be traveling from one side of India to another in something called a Tuk Tuk, rather like a three wheel motorbike with a canopy. First he had to "guide" family friends etc to donate money to the charity ( €1000.00 ) to help with the admin etc. The rest such as flights, food, etc had to be from him and his girlfriend.
This son was also a gift from above because I had already lost a child and then I developed pre eclampsia, so spent nearly five months in a darkened room, and mostly in bed....however here we are still alive and well.

Now, this morning when I first got up, about an hour ago the sky was grey, the atmosphere was damp, and it looked as if we were in for a grey day. But, whilst writing the sky is turning blue, the sun is beginning to shine, the temp is already in the the high 20s...........a hot day is what I am now expecting.

Berona,have you seen my newest thread?it is all about living in another country than the UK? There has bern a good response and we are hoping for more people to join us.

So if anyone who posts on here either left the UK to live overseas for any length of time or indeed vis versa, we would be so pleased to hear from you.

I am now going to do what has to be done in the house, and then, hopefully just relaxed.

For all the people on here who helped guide me, prayed for me etc when I was so down hearted and depressed and forgetful I simply want to say THANK YOU.
I am so much better now,your support,your views and your personal messages were / are my grab rails when I felt as if I was plummeting into a abyss. I still do have difficult times, and I still cannot visit my friends homes for to many hours, it is improving, but I AM STILL HERE,and I would not have been if I had not had your help, so please tell yourselves that you really did save a life.

07.52 hrs Spain

Bridget
:-) <3

Bridget - I know how you feel when your children have a birthday. It only seems like they were born a couple of years ago. I felt horrified recently when my eldest son had his 50th! That's the baby I waited so long for and went through all that treatment, etc. (before IVF was available). It all only seems about 5 years ago when I think about it.

Another nice day coming up but only 18 forecast (17 tomorrow). The past ten days or so have been the warmest August weather ever recorded. A couple of the days reached 25/26 where I am - at least 10 degrees higher than normal.. That's ridiculous for our coldest month - but I'm not complaining. However, we've been warned that it may not last and it seems to be coming down to normal slowly. We can only wait and see what happens, but it definitely has been unusual!

Good night everyone, maybe we will have news from a few people in the morning.

Bridget 22.37 hrs Spain

Good morning everyone and I hope that you will all enjoy your day and find some time to leave us all a message. I wonder if any of you have read my latest board about choosing to live abroad. It is quite interesting.

It is quite still here today, no wind, sun not out yet and no noise, so a reasonable start to the day. Haven't had my first coffee or tea of the day yet.

I am thinking of my daughter today as it is her birthday and my only daughter. I can hardly believe that she is 37 today, how time passes us by.

Yesterday two of my OHs friends came to visit us, a father and son, they brought plenty of the liquid which flows so easily and watched rugby on the TV. Good fun was made by all.
I was peeking in from time to time being a Wigan supporter, and forgot to clock our curry. When I remembered I hastily through it all together and although it was not up to my usual decent curry it was ok.

Why did I forget...yes I was on GR.....

Today that will not happen because we are going to friends for lunch....we are holding the husbands birthday party in our garden on Wednesday as they only have a very small area. In total we will have 14 people so should be good fun !

I offered to help with the prep etc but have been told firmly but pleasantly that I have done enough so NOT to do any cooking, but I can make the salads.

Well that is about all at the moment,even Jet and Joe are not loitering for their breakfast yet so I guess this is a good time to go and have my quiet time for about 15 minutes.

Looking forward to hearing from you all.

Bridget

07.54 hrs Spain
:-) :-)

Tess, some times the soles of my feet are not as clean as the should be! Now I am not a dirty person but I much prefer to walk around with bare feet. My mother said that I was always putting my foot outside my pram covers even when there was one of the worst winters recorded for many years. Given that I was born in 1946 it must have been in forty seven, I think!!

Right now I need to wash my feet before I go to bed, which will be in about five minutes

Bridget in Spain
22.48 hrs