[plumseverywhere]

Same here with the goats and sheep Annie - my 4 are quite hardy and (touch wood!) we've not had any poorly tummies or possible zoonoses *much as hubby always blames my livestock soon as a child is sicky after a e-number infested birthday party....*. 
I am sooo paranoid about other peoples children though, we've even got one of those alcohol hand-wash dispensers for if little friends come to feed the lambs their bottle or are playing with any of the animals.  I have visions of a child picking up a bug and it being blamed on their visit to our home (we know a few that are very well wrapped in cotton wool    not mine, as you know!)   

[jaykay]

Just think about it like this, you're helping the little friends avoid having asthma and eczema, which many scientists think are our immune systems turning on ourselves because they have insufficient work to so, as our lives and houses are too clean! (well, some people's lives and houses, she says looking around at the three dogs, two cats and three ducklings in the kitchen......)

[Lesley Silvester]

Just think about it like this, you're helping the little friends avoid having asthma and eczema, which many scientists think are our immune systems turning on ourselves because they have insufficient work to so, as our lives and houses are too clean! (well, some people's lives and houses, she says looking around at the three dogs, two cats and three ducklings in the kitchen......)

Does that mean avoiding housework will make me healthier?

[jaykay]

Does that mean avoiding housework will make me healthier?

Oh, in far more ways than just this 

Dust if you must, but wouldn't it be better
To paint a picture, or write a letter,
Bake a cake, or plant a seed;
Ponder the difference between want and need?

Dust if you must, but there's not much time,
With rivers to swim, and mountains to climb;
Music to hear, and books to read;
Friends to cherish, and life to lead.

Dust if you must, but the world's out there
With the sun in your eyes, and the wind in your hair;
A flutter of snow, a shower of rain,
This day will not come around again.

Rose Milligan

[Sandy]

jaykay, I think I may print that out and put it in all our guests bedrooms, with open fires and 4 dogs there is always dust!!

[sabrina]

Maybe I should make this poem my motto 

[jaykay]

My mum sent it me, along with a fridge magnet that says 'Dull women have immaculate houses'. It's definitely how we both live 

[arl]

that could have been written for me it totally sums up how i feel about housework and life.Too many kids today are squeaky clean and i am sure its why so many allergies are appearing. My daughter used to hitch rides in my mucking out barrow(pigs_horses) as a little girl and she never ailed anything till she went to school, same as diet she would eat anything we did and was appalled at all the processed food they were offered,when i complained i was told that the other children wouldnt eat proper cooked meals because they didnt eat that kind of food at home. When i wanted to send a packed lunch that was refused too on the grounds that others would want to do the same and when it had been done in the past parents had forgotten and they had hungry children on their hands.
Anyway enough ramblinArl

[doganjo]

This was read out at my cousin Elspeth's funeral a couple of months ago. - at her own request apparently - she had one helluva sense of humour

[tizaala]

When we were fostering we had a 10 year old boy who had never been offered an egg in his life , not boiled or fried or cooked in any way, He thought we were trying to poison him, take aways and chips with tomato sauce was all he knew. So sad.

[TheCaptain]

When my first child was born we were advised to get him naked and let the dog lick him all over so that she would accept him as one of her own. We've done it with all three and her bond with the children is the strongest of all - I know that dog would do anything to protect my children and it makes me feel a whole lot better whenever I'm away knowing that bond is there.

I also let her lick any grazes/small nicks etc I have - dog saliva also has some amazing healing qualities (stick that in your pipe and smoke it all you you crazy OCD wash your hands after touching anything people!!!)

[doganjo]

dog saliva also has some amazing healing qualities (stick that in your pipe and smoke it all you you crazy OCD wash your hands after touching anything people!!!)

Love your style!

[TheCaptain]

dog saliva also has some amazing healing qualities (stick that in your pipe and smoke it all you you crazy OCD wash your hands after touching anything people!!!)

Love your style!

It gets me into trouble a lot of the time...

[jaykay]

Dog saliva - and human saliva. Best thing you can do with a cut finger is stick it in your mouth 

[TheCaptain]

Yeah, has lots of clotting agents in it supposedly