Evening all!
Hope everyone has had as good a day as poss although sorry to hear how many of us are struggling a bit atm. Here's 
and 
for everyone tonight! I think we need it! 
Ta da:
wrapped two presents and wrote card
morning routine inc animals, dw, wm, and dining room table hot spots
tidied dd bedroom, play room, bathroom and sitting room in advance of cleaners
cleared decks for a few Halloween decorations in sitting room
volunteering a.m.
spoke to two sets of friends clarifying arrangements for tomorrow night
walked dog x 2 (one short, one long)
e-mailed dd's old school about photos
3 loads of washing (one hung up and two tumble-dried)
30 mins general tidy of boudoir
15 mins clearing top of dh's chest of drawers + polishing + cleaning mirror
15 mins tidying top of my chest of drawers + polishing
15 mins putting away clean and ironed clothes
20 mins hoovering boudoir
quick trip to specialist bakery to buy Halloween chocolate lollipops!
quick trip to supermarket to buy pumpkins + 'easy' fish for tonight
two e-mails to parents of godchildren about Christmas presents
school run
ballet run (one way)
supper
crash!
DD has just broken up for half term holidays and dh is happy to have this testing week over with, and I am happy as I actually had some energy to get something done today (felt rather ill/tired in the morning whilst volunteering but felt better as day went on) so all in all, quite a buoyant mood chez SC tonight!
Helped by dd playing around with the Dumcrash application (feel very 'down with the kids' writing that!! 
) on her Ipod and persuading dh and me to create bizarre faux karaoke performances! Of all the available popular music on the planet, oh why oh why did dh choose a Demis Roussos track I wonder??? 
He mimed it very enthusiastically too; rather worrying if you ask me (but there again may be implicated.)
Hi Nicknacks Thank you for the listening ear - much appreciated! I do remember your early struggles with the house as it happens (and if I recall correctly, I think Feetheart had similar issues too). I can see that a few unilaterial actions are the way to go here! So sorry to hear about the ongoing unfair division of labour though; that is something that is altogether much more difficult to tackle; so you have my total sympathies as it must feel very isolating and demoralising. I don't suppose striking would do any good (not being entirely facetious either!) ?
Fuzzpig Sorry to hear you feel so under pressure tonight and your dh is under so much pressure at work. I was in the same position earlier in the week (re: inviting dd's friends, and a few parents, around for Halloween) and was stressing about it as I just didn't feel I had all the energy for the prep required. Absolutely hated letting everyone down but confided in my friend and she was lovely about it and we are all now having a much more casual evening out.
Sorry - relaying all of that doesn't help with your situation much does it - just wanted to convey that I understand how you feel! Could you prepare hot dogs for the children? I was doing some research for Halloween food (when official supper was going to be here) and came across these mummy sausages and finger rolls. But bog standard hot dogs would be more than fine too, maybe with ketchup and mustard? Most dc love them and you can involve the fussy eaters in helping with assembly! V easy to prepare. Hope your evening goes well anyway and that you are not too exhausted by it all!
Dogsbum sorry you are struggling at the moment; your presence was missed on the thread and I was wondering how you and Meerkitten have been getting on. I hope you know you are free to pop in and out of this thread as the feeling takes you! And no need to be permanently cheery on here as I can well testify . Life can be so terribly tiring and demanding with a new baby; I hope you are oK and taking care of yourself too .
Fingersmith Thank you for posting that! No need to worry, I totally 'get' what you mean about our mental states colouring how we react to other people and experiences. Just sorry you had such a mixed experience living abroad. And gawd yes re those yawnsville blokes (it usually is blokes I'm afraid to say!)! We have evidently borne attended the same sort of social gatherings! YY to architect too, that is definitely part of the plan when dh and I sit down to formulate the strategy, and will hopefully be a good catalyst from which to get the ball rolling! Frankly, the project is so overwhelming that we need expert advice! "Na odd" for lunch sounds very exotic btw 
Oh dear Knitting I have only just come on here and seen your post about editing technology struggles; hope your dh was able to help but if not I would be v willing to try on your behalf (if appropriate) or try and offer solutions to specific probs if that is less intrusive. We use this sort of technology in the office; am presuming it is similar. Don't hesitate to let me know if you need help - am free on Sun!
Your school gate ramblings have taken me straight back to long, hot university tutorials where I felt horribly exposed for not studying 'On Liberty' in sufficient depth and as for 'The Leviathan' lawd, or anything by Bentham or Hobbes for that matter; was young and stupid and couldn't care less. Would absolutely love to attend the same tutorials now of course but you know what they say; "youth is wasted on the young" Gardening it is then
Carruthers Can'tsee old chum, hope the day has gone as swimmingly as possible! Well, better than yesterday anyway! Hope you are ok 
Blue hope you have survived the week! Wishing you and your family a very happy first weekend in your new home
Toffee hope your second week went as well as your first! And that supper was waiting for you tonight.
Scatty hope you are hanging in there too x
Big wing flaps to Dontbuy Greymalkin Everydayaschoolday Feetheart, Honu, Whoknows, Ellie,Fish, Fizrim MrsMook Carpe and eveyrone I have inevitably missed!
Cheers everyone ! Thank you again for all of your support and well done for getting through the week!