Saff

I looked round there for a venue for my wedding, I can just remember these gigantic blue chairs like thrones, are they still there?!

I love it! It's so much fun trying to work out where they are all the time, I can see others on here think that too! I only recognised sparrow flats which featured a lot last series and though I saw Greenhill area too. Sheff spotting aside, I love it as a drama.

Different foods, taking advice, having a job, parents, health, being outdoors, confidence

Thanks so much for other offers of taking the fish, I have however found someone nearby with a large tank who is happy to take it, which I think would be best to minimise moving it. I won't try this again don't worry!

Yep totally serious, maybe I overthink things but I didn't feel comfortable keeping a fish and depriving it! It's the way it reacts so much to things it sees, I had no idea what little personalities they have, nor that they are supposed to grow quite large, but keeping them in a small tank stunts that. the tank has been getting cloudy really quickly too, it just isn't big enough. Good name btw!

Hi a friend gave me a goldfish about 2 weeks ago. Since then i've been doing a bit of research about looking after them and have realised I can't give it what it needs in terms of space etc. I really want it to have a good home. If anyone has room for it, pm me please to arrange getting it to you Thanks

I was going to suggest cocoa or fired arts too. I did fired arts when I was pregnant for my hen night, all my friends painted me a plate or mug based on a memory of times together and they're beautiful! We went for a meal after in La Luna next door, but you can take your own food in there. Looking for an excuse to try Cocoa!

I've had a new car since Jluy and my brakes started making a grinding noise after the snow. I took it in and a mechanic drove around in it wiht me and kept putting the handbrake on and it seemed to get better. Then it started up again and (coincidentally) I got a flat tyre so took it back in and mentioned the brakes. They had a look and said they weren't worn and couldnt see anything and to wait until the pads needed replacing before having the discs changed. Then the salesman I bought it off came and said his did it sometimes and they get a bit of rust on which comes off with use. I use it everyday, not far, but still, should I just accept the noise? They rang today as a follow up satisfaction call and I said actually I wasnt happy there was still the noise so I'm taking it back in. I feel like I'm making a bit of a fuss though. If anyone has any bright ideas or advice please let me know!

Sift sugar etc as well as the flour, don't open the oven to check them until it us just about time. Also if it is for a traditional cake there should be just a bit if jam in the middle and a dusting of icing sugar on top, nothing else.

I'm really glad I work. I enjoy my job and would not like to feel that I had lost skills from taking so much time off for the children. I do 3 days as a teacher so have holidays off when my kids are off school. They love having time with their granny, childminder and friends on the days I'm working. They also see for themselves that I have a life and a brain that doesn't just revolve around them. Not only that, they see that I work to help others and do something valuable with my education and set an example to them about working hard. The money coming in means we can go on holiday, too, what's not great about that for the kids? Oh and they do share a room because they want to and I wouldn't have an 80 inch TV because they don't look nice. House work, food preparation, shopping and mending clothes was a full time job in the past. It isn't anymore, thank goodness.

I would just feed wherever if the need arose! I really don't think people are that interested and although you were embarrassed by that comment it was a positive one. My daughter wanted feeding all the time and would scream her head off, no one ever said anything to me and if they had I would have found it funny to be honest, I mean only an idiot would be outraged by it as far as I'm concerned!

Ok I can see that, thanks!

Agreed. What do they have against the left hand lane exactly?

OK, as one who waits in a queue and considers going up a merge lane a swift way of irritating everyone, (and this happens everwhere, not just Sheffield, I have noticed it more at roadworks on motorways when a lane gets blocked- there are always some bolshy drivers who leave it til the last minute to merge and they are often kept waiting by disgruntled queuers) if it makes no difference as you can only go through a particular point one by one, surely it is fairer to make a one line queue? How is it quicker to have two parallel lines that merge into one? SUrely the merging itself slows things down. It is only quicker for the odd person who comes round and gets in last minute, hence the idea that it's pushing in. I can see that the queue is longer and thinner, but how is having a fatter shorter queue more efficient? I love driving and am always thinking about the best way to do things and always use lanes the best way, so I'l genuinely interested in this.

I breastfed both my children and it was definitely the best thing for me although I found it hard to wean my youngest- she really didn't want to give it up! Just do what's best for you and your baby, breast or bottle, don't feel any guilt and don't worry about what other people are doing or let someone else tell you what to do.

Oh so the "shame on you" comment you finished up on?....

Does self- righteousness feel good? Our postie's not working anyway because the post wasn't delivered to the sorting office.

No, the school I teach in is closed and my kids' school is closed too.

Also where I work the school buses were cancelled by the council, I take it these weren't council buses?

As I said before it's not necessarily determined by whether the teachers get in, but the health and safety issues for the children. Where I teach school was cancelled for children yesterday but all staff were there all day.

My husband didn't go to work due to the snow and he's not a teacher. Sometimes schools have to close not just because of snow and lack of teachers but for things like flooding or the boiler not working- there are very high standards for health and safety for children as I'm sure you can imagine.

Personally a childminder was better for my son. He started at a nursery and they basically said it wasn't the right the place for him because he got so upset (plus other things I wasn't happy about). He was a lot better with a childminder. I liked the home setting and the fact it was a consistent carer. I also live in S11 and there are loads around here who meet in the park and at playgroups etc. Collegiate Montessori is popular and the Montessori which are both near psalter lane.

If you can travel, megakidz near the parkway is good, it is a soft play centre with an excellent singing session and instruments, toast fruit and a drink plus a table of jigsaws, craft etc for £2.75. There's a decent cafe too.

I think once your friend has grown up a bit she'll look back at her comments and feel a bit silly. How can she know what she's talking about when she doesn't work in that sector? If you show promise and determination you'll get there. It's funny how we always take on board negative comments more than positive ones, don't listen to her.

Just to share my experiences, I did psychology and my work since then has been relevant but I too am struggling to get over the hurdle of further qualifications. Since I graduated I have worked on and off as a research assistant (which are really hard jobs to get) and I really wanted to work with children so after travelling I did a PGCE and became a primary teacher. I taught for a year then had a baby, went back part-time and then had another and the school wouldn't let me keep the same part time hours. Since then I've done supply and more research work, plus some work with disabled students. To move onto a higher level as a psychologist and become chartered I'd need to work on little pay solidly for 3 years with a young family which is really difficult. I was supposed to be starting an Msc this month but have pulled out because of the cost and the difficulty finding work following it that could lead to chartership. I'm not in a position to look for posts anywhere in the country. The obvious route with my experience- Educational Psychology- is 3 years full-time(funded luckily) where for years 2 and 3 you have to find jobs as a trainee which are few and far between. Some students are having to go back to supply at this point too. Clinical's the same- 3 years and extremely competitive, with placements all over the place. If you are serious about becoming a psychologist you have to be career driven (which I wasn't). I'm quite stuck myself. I'm just glad I am a teacher though so I can always fall back on it and the pay is good, whereas research assistant jobs highly sought after and not that well paid. I'd be up against people with an MSc or PhD now. I also don't know exactly which area I want to be in, just definitely not Clinical but I like the idea of becoming a lecturer and researching but so does everyone else that's the problem! I suppose I chose travel and family, maybe my time will come later. My point is, if you want to get further you have to be ambitious and determined, willing to volunteer and get stuck in and be in for the long haul. Having a degree is useful for other jobs as well, but I'd agree that in some cases you'd be better off learning a trade or joining a company from the bottom and working your way up.