4 Weird British Bathroom Related Things.... on a Friday

This is probably a more random post than normal, but the UK has some weird toilet stuff and I just felt like blogging about it today.  So... here are 4 random toilet related things on a Friday:

Space Saver Toilets

Let's talk about toilets.  There are two weird things I have seen here in the UK.  The first was highlighted by Elisabeth in her recent post - she discovered the weird british Toilet with Sink in the Top.  

Now I don't know if this is uniquely British, but it always struck me as uniquely weird.  

Bathrooms, Toilet Rooms, and Shower Rooms

The second weird toilet thing, and one of my least favourite house layouts in the UK (and also in Europe) is the separate toilet room from shower and sink room.  It seemed fairly common here in the 50s, and we've toured many houses with this design.  There will be one room with a bath/shower and sink, and then a small room with just a toilet.

I find this layout super weird because where am I supposed to wash my hands? Why is there a toilet with no sink? What if a kid wants a quick wee mid-bath?  

I was lamenting this to Elisabeth who said she LOVED this layout because it means the bathroom isn't always taken up whenever anyone wants to do anything shower/toilet related.  I could see her point.  But I am still curious of the wider consensus - is this a brilliant house layout or a relic of the 50's?

Bathroom Lights and Plugs

It's apparently not safe to have plugs or switches in bathrooms in the UK.  Every bathroom either has a pull cord light (not a switch) OR a light switch outside the room.  And there are no real plugs, there are weird UK bathroom plugs, so you can't plug in a hair drier or straighteners or anything useful, except you can plug in a shaver and sometimes an electric toothbrush charger.  

Dentists

OK, this is moving a bit away from toilets, but teeth brushing is a bathroom thing (right?).  Anyways, I feel there is a common consensus internationally that british teeth are not the greatest / most aesthetically pleasing.  I was surprised to learn that british people do not seem to be aware of this generalisation, and were somewhat offended when I may have mentioned it before.  

I pay for a private dentist here, and had a hygienist visit last week (my first in a year... oops!).  A cleaning takes 15 minutes. I am sure that it used to take longer in the states.  It also cost £90 privately, which seems insanely expensive to me, especially for the quickness.  The dentist appointment would be another £90 and is 5 minutes long.

I recently got on the wait list for a NHS dentist (so service would be a lot cheaper).  The waitlist is somewhere between 2 and 3 years.  We also signed up the kids and they apparently get a priority slot, which means they get a visit in October.    

Are separate toilet rooms weird? Am I alone in thinking british people aren't known for their pearly whites? Do you have a switch or a plug in your bathroom?  Would you put a sink in the back of your toilet?

Time Poverty, Ideal Realistic Week, Overall Blah Times But Also Fun Stuff Too

Two clearly not tired twins.

I am writing this blog post at 8:20pm, having just told the twins that if they don't go to sleep they can't go to parties this weekend (because they won't have energy, not because I am a terrible parent threatening not to take them to parties as punishment for not going to sleep, but also maybe I'm that as well.)

For the past many(?) years I've felt pretty optimistic about time.  I've generally felt like there is enough time to do lots of different things and experience a fun and full life of varied activity and interest.

Last October I trained and ran a half marathon.  I did a weekend camping and mountain biking trip when 12 weeks pregnant with the twins, while Ezra was 4 and Lily was 2.  Even last year I went on trips around the UK for work. 

Maybe life with 4 kids under 7 is just that much easier than life with 4 kids under 8?

Right now, all of it seems impossible.   

I was trying to figure out why I feel so time-poor at the moment, and it's entirely the sleep.  Everyone used to be asleep by 7:30.  Now everyone is generally asleep by 8:30.  I know it's just an hour, but it turns out that I only had 2 hours of leisure time a night, and reducing that by half is a pretty major hit to my own time satisfaction.

Maybe I don't remember this sleep transition for Ezra because it happened when Lily was 1.  And I don't remember it with Lily because I was pregnant with the twins.  

Or maybe one just blocks out bedtime nightmares as soon as they are done, although that's intensely annoying because how can I gauge how long this goes on for?

I know I used to be a goals and interests and hobbies person, but I am feeling deeply disinclined to all of it at the moment. 

• I'm in a job that's fine, I don't feel like trying to build a career in any way right now
• I wish I had more time for sport
• My diet is fine/average. I eat basically the same foods for 4 days a week and then eat boring kids meals on the other 3 days
• I have no holidays coming up
• The house is gross or clean, and there are projects on the someday list, but I don't feel like investing energy in them at the moment
• I am 100% so behind on photo albums, I'm not sure if I've now missed almost a whole year of Lily's life?
• The kids are in activities they like and doing different fun stuff

I decided to do a "ideal week" exercise, and block out all the time that was generally accounted for, so I could get a feel for my realistic ideal free time and maybe get a bit inspired.

I came out with the following:

Color Key

Now I guess one could argue that Andy and I could switch off kid duty on weekends, which we kind of have, but also 4 kids is a lot of kids.  I am taking all 4 to the park on Saturday and giving Andy some free time, so I'll be able to cash that in later, but I don't feel like I can stick in a "regular" weekend Rachel slot right now.  

This weekend we have two kids parties, and a family friend play date, and we'll probably try and coax Elisabeth and family into some sort of park adventure.  There are fun things planned!  I guess I could make those into goals like "Go to a park with the kids" but I just feel like the balance of human adult time is way off from where it was a few weeks ago, and I don't really see how/when it's going to get better.

Occasionally kids can play for 5-10 minutes and I can get the dishwasher loaded or the floor hoovered!  That's improvement, right?

 I know that soon (in the scheme of things!) I will not have kids that need watching ALL THE TIME. And that will make things easier.  And this will be a memory.

And, until then, my ideal realistic week has 10 hours a week of scheduled Rachel activity (gym dates & Peloton time).  And 6* hours a week open to whatever I want to do time.  

It's not a lot, but it's not nothing.

*Except this Friday, when I am going to a school event with my 2 hours Rachel time.  So it's 4 hours of Rachel time left...

Bedtime improvement plan & blogger visits & weekend plans

Last night, for the first time in THREE WEEKS, we had a basically tearless bedtime.  This morning I woke up at 6:20am and thought "wow, I have slept so late today".  I am not saying these things to brag about my brilliant life, but to say that *maybe* twin sleep is getting better and *maybe* this is the start of me being a functioning human-person again and not just the "time for bed at 8pm" person I have been for 3 weeks.

When things start to get getter with kids/sleep one always asks "what changed"? Sleep is basically the most superstitious topic in parenting small kids.  

So what changed last night, in our first good bedtime in 3 weeks?

We found someone else to do bedtime.  A teenage girl.  The BEST toddler and kid entertainment that exists.

When I found out blogger extraordinaire Elisabeth was planning a long Europe adventure I reached out with a Wales visit pitch, and since she arrived on Wednesday I have both loved having her around *and* loved watching our kids hang out!  

We have basically been looking for a Belle since we had kids.  I told Andy many times about how teenage year old girls are *the best* for small kids and Belle has been even better than I imagined.

On Friday Belle joined us for school pick up for Ezra and Lily.  Andy asked why.  Why would a teenage  girl want to spend time with kids and toddlers?  Because that's how being an awesome teenage year old girl works.

We even managed to eat dinner outside Friday evening, even though the weather said chance of rain all day.  And her kids didn't mind foraging berries in our garden (because we are apparently raising feral welsh suburban children):

After dinner, Belle ran twin bedtime!  At one point she asked for help, because Andy had closed the stair gate and she was stuck in a room with a nappie-less Clara yelling "need a wee! Need the potty!" while Aubrey tried to take off her own nappy.  However, by 7:30, she read them a story, and by 8pm everyone (even Ezra and Lily!) was asleep.

For the first night in weeks, Andy and I hung out after bedtime and even watched a show.  I used ChatGBP to help find something to watch, and it suggested Big Mistakes, which seems a bit... meh so far.

This weekend we have the kind of weekend where *everyone* has something they are looking forward to.  

• Ezra and I are excited to explore South Wales with Elisabeth and co.  
• Lily, Clara, and Aubrey are excited to go to a 5 year old's birthday party at a soft play.  
• Andy is excited to take the big kids biking tomorrow 

I realize I am the worst scientist, because one good bedtime is not a trend, but this morning I can be optimistic it might be. 

Maybe we will survive this sleep transition.  Maybe.   

Have you watched any good shows recently?  How do I find a teenage year old girl to help us with our kids all the time?  

Recent Frugal Wins

Overall I am not currently a frugal person.  I am rather... time frugal.  I don't have a lot of time. Sometimes I use money instead.  For instance, This morning I bought a £40 backpack to replace my very broken nappy bag. 

It was on sale from £60, but that's still a lot to spend on a backpack

But *sometimes* I am frugal!  Here are a few recent frugal wins:

I used a guarantee to get a refund for this pan

I've been contemplating switching out our nonstick for stainless pans.  I have a big stainless pan, but non stick is so easy to cook with and clean.  On the flipside, it also has forever chemicals and may cause cancer... but I do like the easy cleanup.  

About a year ago I bought a new nonstick pan with a 15 year guarantee and last week I noticed the nonstick was starting to come away.  I called the seller and they have authorized a return and refund.  Win!

I got a £10 credit for poor delivery

When the twins needed toddler beds we needed a new mattress NOW.  We ordered next day delivery from IKEA.  It arrived with a tear in the packaging and a scuff mark on the mattress.  

It wasn't bad enough that I couldn't use it, but I wasn't happy with paying £10 for the delivery either.  A quick conversation with IKEA support and I got a £10 for my next shop

I picked up a Lite-Brite at a Charity Shop

I remember loving Lite-Brite.  This was £4 and it came with batteries! It's also the good 1980's plastic - I forgot how solid plastic things used to be.

I Bought a Second Hand Cookbook

This cookbook was mentioned on an episode of Girl Next Door Podcast and I love trying to cook with less sugar so I really wanted a copy.  They didn't have it at my library, but I found a copy from a used book dealer, and then found a 20% off coupon so it was only £4.50.  I'm excited to cook from it!

I got a Replacement Pair of Jeans

OK, I feel like half my frugal wins are complaining about poor products, but everyone should stop selling junk that falls apart.  I bought a new pair of jeans in January and it ripped in May.  I did not notice the tear but it was in a rather obvious spot for others, and certainly showcased my £5 colorful undies from Sainsburys

I wrote to Crew and they sent me a replacement pair.  These were my favourite jeans so I'm glad I have another pair, hopefully they will last longer!

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Those are my frugal wins as of late!  Have you had any recent frugal wins?