Class of 18. No need for new school shoes

Sorry to hear about your dog Ursula
The guilt we feel when we make those decisions is awful, even when you look at it rationally and know that it was the kindest thing.

DD's CFS doesn't seem to be improving at all. She had a solid 8 hours sleep last night and has woken up shattered. She has a questionnaire to fill in for university and she needs to make sure that they are fully aware of this. I hope she can pace herself for freshers week, although I think she will miss out on loads of activities.

They are covered by a TV licence for the parental home if they are watching on a device that runs on its own batteries (not plugged into the wall).

They don't need a TV licence at all to watch streamed non-live TV e.g. Netflix.

? No tv but need a licence? That can't be right surely?

DD is off out to a Freshers event in the city tonight. She is getting the bus. Oh how I'd love to see that. Full slap and some skimpy arse skimming outfit. She'll fit right in.

DD was way ahead of me on that - I mentioned it in the car on the way down but her voting confirmation letter was on the doormat when we arrived - her first post to her new address.

They also had a letter (fairly threatening in tone!) from the TV license people - so that's another thing to think about if dc are moving to private house shares etc.

They don't even have a television but apparently still have to have a license.

Sorry to hear about dogs. I have 2 rescue cats for13 years and had to pts one in May. I cried a lot despite her being a difficult cat to care for over the years. So I surprised myself. First pets ever who brought my kids up!,

Go for that fostering Ursula, you sound a natural with animals.

@UrsulaPandress so sorry to hear about your dog
We had to have dbeagle pts in October and I still cry every day, despite now having the most adorable dpup.
I wanted to wait a year or so to get another but DH couldn't cope without a dog in the house so we got a little tiny ball of golden fluff back in April. He's now roughly the size of a small pony, a complete goof ball but utterly gorgeous!

Currently writing from DDs new room (her bed in fact!) - she was right they have done a lot of cleaning since I was last here. And covered the place in fairy lights, photos and cushions. It's actually lovely. And she's just brought me coffee in bed. Room service! I might stay again!

UrsulaPandress so sorry to hear about your dog.

HardwickWhite yes, but posting under a different name. If I forgot to PM you then let me know.

DS is going back next weekend. He is self-catering this year and needs kitchen stuff, so today is shopping day.

I realise now how lucky we were with BastardSpaniel.

Foster dogs could end up being too much but I'm hoping it will help me to bridge the gap. A pet free home just doesn't feel right.

Ursula I'm so sorry but when you have to do it, you know you have to do it. I have all the forms for fostering but held off because I wasn't sure what my life would look like going forward and although it's a shorter term commitment I do want to make sure that I'm in it for the right reasons.

We looked after an elderly canine despot while his family was on holiday and he fitted right in but he hated going in the car which interfered with my granny visiting schedule.

I’ve applied to foster for a dog rescue.

I have the time, the space and an almighty spaniel shaped hole in my heart.

DH did wonder if we should wait until he’d recovered from his surgery as I’d be busy looking after him.

Oh how I laughed.

Ursula Mine is just at the beginning of his life; the responsibility for his happiness is quite overwhelming. They trust us so much to the right thing..

and best best wishes for your dh's surgery.

Ds has been mithering about a) assembling his possessions, b) storage c)times of departure and mode of departure (bus v train plusmum) Downton got cancelled inevitably. I think he is nervous and actually more ready to get feedback from family than this time last year.

Ursula so sorry to hear about your dog. Poor little thing. They are such a part of the family.

I saw a mum and dad in Sainsbury's today doing a big shop with their daughter. It was obviously a fresher as it was a very talked about shop. I did wonder how she was going to fit it all in one cupboard and on one shelf!

Dd has gone back today. Drove herself but wanted us to drive over for some reason. DH had a pre op chat at the hospital this pm so we’ve decided to drive over tomorrow instead to take her for a big food shop.

Strange questions some folk ask before open heart surgery. “How soon can I start using the sauna?”

I have no idea what to do with myself as we had BastardSpaniel pts on Monday. I am utterly heartbroken.

I am so enjoying the more relaxed and flexible "move" this time. DD is sharing a house with 3 others - they got the keys a month ago and she's been back and forth since so most of her stuff is already there. I'm going with her this weekend for an event and taking a carload of the larger items (she's bought an extra chair and a small bookcase) and staying overnight there with her - wish me luck! (she has promised me they've cleaned a lot since I was last there!)
Then she plans to "officially" move in at the end of the month, by which time she'll just be taking a few clothes and books.

I looked into storage (yes, I know it's his problem but if you want a job doing well, do it yourself) and then opted for the "fetch it back and bung it in the garage" approach. Earlier this week I moved the bags and boxes from the garage to the car to his new flat - it was all much more straightforward than last year because it was all just there, ready.

Yes. x 2
We were going to Lancaster but didn't manage it. So far ds2 has done Reading himself, and Exeter with me (I think you were all with me on that trip! and Marmite was v helpful) Dd has done Leeds. But now wants to go to Edinburgh, OB, Bournemouth, and the whole St Martins' KingstonCamberwell Foundation investigation too. If I'm going to Edinburgh I reckon I might as well try and get to Newcastle and Glasgow too, but I don't know whether she will be up for that.

Ds1is going back this weekend.Our farewell to him is, at his request, to go the Downton Film (basically watch telly, "out"). He announced today that I cannot expect much from him in the way of London savviness because "I'm an Introvert, Mum". He is trying our patience somewhat in this respect. Ds2 took him to the Apollo last night. The only time he has ventured out to the Bright Lights. This weekend there is the storage saga ahead, he has chosen to store his stuff an hour's "walk" from his new room.

Yes Hardwick, just about finished the rounds with DD2!
It's been fun, think she's pretty much decided her 5, just one more to see this Friday.
DD1 only went to 2 offer holder days (no open days at all) - her course was so niche there were pretty much only 5 possible choices so she just applied without viewing.
DD2 has been to at least 10 open days! I've only managed 1 of them with her - DH did one, DD1 has been with her to 3 or 4 and the rest she's done on her own.

Oh and I forgot! We have just done the round of uni visits for DD2. Is anyone else in the same boat? This time we are SE England focussed because DD2 “does not want to be cold”.

Thanks again, all of you. Nettle, I think you understand exactly his pressures. Funnily enough DH also has a real health issue, and everything else he had going on was masking it. The mental health aspect did mean though that his GP prioritised him to see a consultant for the other thing, when he had been on a 'some time in the next few years list'. Every cloud and all that! His attitude towards work is transformed, and I believe him when he says it will stay that way. He even went out for the day without his laptop on Saturday, which is unheard of.

DD has returned to uni! She has been home since May, so I think it will take a little while for us all to adjust again. It felt very different dropping her off at the airport last night, compared to how it felt this time last year.

She has had to make a change to her timetable, and as a result has an elective that will mean her having to write essays for the first time since GCSE! Hopefully it will all come flooding back!

Hardwick sorry I sounded glib about the gp. I can imagine it wasn't a question of him making the decision, and very much all up to you by that stage. Fwiw, dh is self employed and it is so stressful on many levels, although it feels free in other ways for him, he often has that feeling he cannot cope with the responsibilities a moment longer, and I suppose then I just have to remind him that we would manage if he worked less hard or didn't have a successful run of work. he just feels so strongly that he should be coping, and of course it isn't the case that anyone can just be perfect and brave and strong all the time. Last summer I think he didn't go away at all, as he felt unable to after his mother's death, and was suffering various health issues, which he thought were pyschosomatic, but actually turned out to be real heatlh issues (possibly aggravated by stress) But this year has been better, although ds's laziness has been a bit of a trigger. Sundowne has spoken true words.