Class of '18 now in 2019. blimey.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

hang on....

Aw that's lovely Panda.

A student from DS1's university was killed yesterday by a drunk driver trying to evade police. It happened on the pavement outside the student village where DS1 lives. DS1 didn't know him personally. What a tragic, horrible loss of a life.

the first that is so sad and such dreadful way for it to happen.

Panda that is really nice.

Dd will be in halls again next year. Finding accessible accommodation will be really difficult and though the university does have some self-catered accessible flats, this year has proved that dd will really struggle with cooking for herself once pain, fatigue and the fact that everything takes longer to do is taken into account.
She is keeping her eye on when applications open but should get priority. With any luck she will have the same room next year.

TheFirst that is awful, so sorry to hear the news.

NoHaudin - glad your DD should get priority, that really makes sense.

I have to admit my kids don't usually get on particularly well, but as DS has gone to university and they see each other less, their relationship does seem to be improving. I'm starting to think they might actually be friends as adults!

TheFirst That's a big dose of perspective right there.

TheFirst how utterly awful :(

That is so sweet Panda - I think relationships can get a lot closer as they get a bit of distance iyswim.

Checking in as you'd slipped off my TIO.

first that's awful!

DD phoned yesterday to ask permission to go on holiday at Easter. I had to remind her that as an adult she's allowed to give herself permission.

What an awful thing to happen Panda. Sadly it brings back memories of my friend's son being klled in a road accident only three weeks after starting university. I hope the police caught the driver. What a horrible start to the year.

You had slipped off my TIO as well.
On a more cheery note to recent posts, dd has now had her retail job extended until September.
However that's when the local branch will be closing, so she will need to start thinking about what she would like to do next.

Dd gave me her term’s money for me to dish out weekly. Doesn’t seem to be working as she is still asking for more money from her ‘savings’. She had now said she is going to look for a job. Next week. Ho bloody ray.

cats life At least she has something certain behind her while she considers her options. Does she have any ideas about what she would like to do long term?

ursula a job

Dd's Pip renewal has finally come through. They have reduced the daily living element mainly because they have ignored her ASD needs and it is only until October 2020 which, as they start renewals a year in advance. means we have to go through it all again at the end of this year. I am not sure if appealing is worth the angst.

DD has two more interviews lined up. Clearly her CV and cover letters seem to get it right.

That's great lonerica

Ds has his new Chinese visa which is valid for 2 years. It was expensive, involved stacks of paperwork and a trip to London to be fingerprinted but at least he can now plan his trips home.
He is coming back for five weeks in March - dd is really looking forward to seeing her big brother. That feeling will no doubt last until week two of his visit! Dh is in Europe on business and visiting ds for the weekend. Ds is looking forward to free meals out and an all expenses paid trip to the supermarket!

How nice that your dh is able to visit. And well done on negotiating the paperwork.

I'm dreading renewing ds1's Irish passport. He of course should be organising it, but it is going to take take many many phonecalls to reassure him of each step. Unfortunately someone has just told me you can still use it for ID in pubs even when it has expired, so no incentive there to hand it in...

I'm hoping if he would just get a ISIC card (which requires some effort on his part) then he wouldn't mind handing his passport over to the processing department of the passport office. But we have had a lot of la la la on that score. He wouldn't apply for a provisional licence so he could use that as id, for the same reason.

Ds2 reluctantly showed me some lovely pictures of ds1 on Instagram last night. Pictures I have never seen of his life at uni, in tuxedos etc, looking cheery and sociable. Ds2 only allowed me 2 mins though, before reminding me that he wasn't going to let me spy on ds1, but that he was definitely still alive (Haven't heard from him since he went back last Sat apart from a 4am text on tues.)

Lonicera well done to your dd, she is going to be so grownup by the time she goes to study, and with so much extra confidence.

Haudin I am just full of admiration at your perserverance in dealing with these hideous forms.

Lonerica that's good that she has some interviews. Hope it goes well.

catndogslife does she have any ideas about what sort of thing she might want to do?

NoHaudinMaWheest the admin can be very daunting.

DS1 is doing OK. He "passed" his most recent blood test for his physical health issue, and mental health is stable. Going to most lectures and able to socialise a bit too.

He came back home to visit this weekend as his grandparents were passing on their way from somewhere else, so he took the opportunity of a lift. Tomorrow we're all going to the Doctor Who Exhibition at the National Space Centre, and will drop him off afterwards. It'll be the first time his younger siblings will have seen his halls of residence.

She said the interview went OK, so we will see. If nothing else she will get some more interview experience.

Chinese visas are a PITA aren't they Shanghai. OH used to travel to China regularly. As he also travelled to India he often had one passport away to have a visa put in, so he ended up with two passports.

DD was happy to apply for a provisional licence Nettles as she really didn't want the responsibility of carrying her passport around. A lost licence is a lot easier and cheaper to replace than a passport. Al though she is 18 she looks about 15 so needs her licence on her whenever she goes out.

Dds friend had her licence taken out of her hand whilst queuing to get into a club.

Was it stolen by another student Ursula?

No-one looks like DD. With her glasses and coloured hair her ID wouldn't be any use to anyone else.

They don't know. It was in her hand and people pushed past them and it was gone. She thought it had dropped on the floor but a hunt of the area turned up nothing.

There are some thieving swines out there! Someone stole my phone out of my coat pocket whilst I was in the supermarket recently.

Toerags!
I wish women's coats and jackets had inside pockets as standard.

Oh well. Dd has managed to lose her driving licence, bank card and room entry card tonight with no outside interference.

"Look what I bought from Primarni Mum. A handy little card holder that holds these important three things".

When she bounced into my room at 1am to tell me she had lost her new card wallet, she said she would have to take her passport back to University to act as her ID.

Over my dead body.