Another path ....... the journey begins

[chopc]

Hello @321zyx @AvocadoPlant @bendmeoverbackwards @BigWoollyJumpers @Braveheart35 @calculatorqueen @ChimneyPot @Dobbyisahouseelf @Eastisup @jano69 @Majaso12 @MidLifeCrisis007 @NCTDN @Notagardener @OnTheBenchOfDoom @Parsonage63 @Pumpkintopf @Peaseblossum22 @quest1on @Peaseblossum22 @SATSmadness @SeasonFinale @Tenpastseven @Vargas @Xenia

Apologies for anyone I omitted to tag

Oh goodness it sounds very stressful, very wise advise from @chopc
I’m so pleased DD doesn't have any exams in January, and so apart from revisiting a few lectures to improve her original notes, no uni work here.

However the seasonal job in the garden centre has been pretty full on and she’s worked most days.
The stories she has of children’s behaviour and the attitude of some parents has left us pretty shocked!
Eg deliberately smashing hanging globes, spilling drinks over silk scarves, throwing a toy into a basket of delicate ornaments causing them to break….
In each case the parents either shrugged it off, or memorably asked DD to tell the child it wasn’t his fault he had smashed together ornaments until they broke!

It’s certainly been an education!
DD has decided she won’t be applying for any further seasonal work there in the summer.

@Dobbyismyabsolutefav sorry to read you’ve been unwell with covid, hoping you’re all recovering and can enjoy some quality time together over the next couple of weeks.

Season re. where to stay in Bristol I cannot remember what the question was. When we visit we come for the day as we just live in London. If it were about halls two of mine loved Wills Hall and one son loved Churchill Hall very hear by (catered as they wanted the social side of going with others for meals in non covid times etc). We did book a hotel for the summer 2020 graduations but I had to cancel it when the graduations were postponed - currently they are likely to be in April 2022... at this rate they will be drawing their pensions before the twins have a Bristol graduation).

Garden centre children sound awful. It used to be the case if your child broke something in a shop the parent had to pay.

@Xenia No it was for a hotel actually as DS is in Badock and has a house lined up for next year. It must have been a different poster who mentioned a couple of hotels for drops offs.

My sons had lots of friends in Badock.
On the hotels it sounds like it was another poster. We were going as a treat to the Hotel du Vin which looked nice the night between their 2 original graduations which were going to be one day apart but that all fell apart. It was going to be quite a celebration - last graduations of the 5 children. I took a picture last summer of the twins in my old graduation gown and hood and mortar board which for some reason in 1982 I decided to buy outright rather than just hire so we have kind of fake 2020 covid grad pictures. April 2022 graduations for 2020 graduates in Bristol are apparently going to be in the usual Wills Memorial Hall although I don't think we have the precise date, just completed a survey of who might be wanting to attend.

Seriously @AvocadoPlant? Wow! Outrageous

Thank you @AvocadoPlant I tested positive a few days ago and my DH yesterday. Thankfully DD is negative so she is in charge of the kitchen, has done a weekly food shop today and managed to track down some elusive LFT's! Passing her driving test just before starting uni has been a real help this week. Her social life is on hold as her friend's parents obviously know that we have covid and prefer not to mix but she is being fairly stoic about the situation. Keep well everyone.

Hope you get to enjoy a Wills Memorial graduation soon. We stayed at the Avon Gorge Hotel Du Vin when we went down in September but I have booked a Mercure Grand this time as we wanted to try somewhere else.

So much to catch up on here….

I’m having a post Christmas/New Year break in Cornwall. It’s wonderful doing gusty coastal walks and getting away from London’s current doom and gloom.

We had a smaller than planned Christmas Day as my nephew caught covid on the 18th. Our small gathering of six, including two oldies, has remained negative during the past few days much to our relief. So sorry to hear about the many positive covid cases here and wishing everyone mild symptoms and quick recoveries. It really is everywhere - many of DD’s friends have recently tested positive after two jabs and a summer infection.

Always appreciate your advice on medical matters chopc and that you feel confident we’re coming to the end. We have all been boosted in the family, including our under 21s. I know it’s only a matter of time before I catch it but I still don’t feel easy about crowded venues. Hope you’re having a wonderful time in Sri Lanka, so envious.

Good to hear Xenia’s update - my eldest is desperately trying to secure a law training agreement at the moment so I read your posts with interest. Congrats on the new grandchild - wonderful news!

Tenpastseven - our dc’s paths won’t be linear so do please keep us updated. I think it’s great he’s enjoying his gap year but understand how you must be feeling when you envisioned him starting at Bristol this autumn. Perhaps he still will? I like to think many of us will still be chatting in years to come as our dcs find themselves on different paths with varying highs and lows.

BWJ sorry the driving test was cancelled in the end. DD couldn’t take hers last August when she got covid and hasn’t sat in the driving seat for 3 months now. The test is scheduled for February but she’s thinking of postponing again to Easter or Summer.

DD has rested lots since her return from Durham. She is actually away with us in Cornwall at the moment. I think it’s doing her good after a poor diet and too much partying. I can’t believe she’ll return on the 9th with her elder brother and we’ll have an empty house once more.

I must dash now - we have a posh restaurant booked on the seafront this evening which I’m really looking forward to.

Happy New Year!

Thanks for your messages gang! Feeling more sanguine about it all now, and I do agree with all that’s been said. He’s an adult and needs to make his own decisions.

@Majaso12 he took Christmas Day fully off. He is getting up pretty late but stays up late working too. He has a friend visiting from Imperial over NY- they have hung out together and chilled this afternoon but once they'd had dinner, both went off to do some work. He's feeling really behind which isn't comfortable for him, and obviously concerned about this exam when they go back.

@jano69 how lovely! Hope your meal was delicious, gusty coastal walks sounds just the thing.

@AvocadoPlant just wow!! I am honestly shocked that any parents would be so lax! And to ask your dd to tell the child it wasn't their fault?! Mind. Blown.

Happy new year lovely people 😊🥂🎉

Happy new year!! 🥂⭐️🎉

Happy new year lovelies!

Happy New Year to everyone.

Weird to think back over 2021 and everything that we all went through. Thank you for this thread and to everyone who posts or just reads.

jano69 good luck to your eldest in getting a law training contract. People think I know how to get them but I don't. I applied to 139 firms in 1982 (when we had the highest unemployment for 50 years then - it was 3m) and after 25 interviews in the final year of my law degree got one. I have looked at some of the applications the twins have done and the questions are so in way boring - why do you want to work for this particular firm (for most people of course the real answer is any good firm will do and I will go to any decent one that will have me not they want that on the application form ), why do you want to work for this kind of firm, what challenges have you overcome in your life and it takes so much time to do each one.

Happy New Year everyone.

(I'm still in bed with coffee, cat, and iPad )

The tricm for why do you want to work for this firm question is to answer in a way to show you do know what type of work they do and their ethos. This can usually be ascertained after a minimal amount of due diligence ie. Read their website for a start! DH had someone apply saying they were looking forward to doing a certain type of work - an area they didn't practice in! I appreciate that does take some time but they can compile a bank of answers which can be cut and posted into applications - just ensure they select appropriate paragraphs!

Happy New Year you lovely lot 🎉 🥂 💫

Thanks Xenia - DS is on his third batch of law training contract applications so your experience certainly puts it into perspective. Each application takes about 5 or 6 hours sol it really is a hard slog. Thanks also SeasonFinale for your wise words. He has spent quite a bit of time researching all the different companies' websites. In reality any of them would do nicely!

Still in Cornwall... saw in 2022 to fireworks on the beach. Are we all feeling a little fragile today? We've off to another nice restaurant this evening... not looking forward to returning to London/work next Tuesday.

We were up til 3.45, had some good friends staying with us and got chatting- as did the teen DCs. Not too fragile today thankfully, a bracing walk on the beach blew away the cobwebs!

Bit late but.. Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

We have been extremely lucky over Christmas not to directly affected by Covid, and it was so nice to have my older DS1 home, and his partner. Unfortunately DS2's GF coudn' t come round for NYE as she had close family with symptoms. DS2 has been working for his January exams a fair bit, but I couldn't tell you how much and when. He's also had some hours working in his fast food summer job and was paid for depping at the Cathedral for some of the services so has been busy! DD has also had her head down, no exams in January but she had an essay due Christmas Eve, and has a dissertation to work in. She is final year. Also hoping DS1 might get his 2020 graduation in July this year!

@raspberryrippleicecream what is "depping"?

@chopc sorry. Depping means deputising for one of the lay clerks in the Cathedral Choir.

Oh cool. He must be having a beautiful voice !