West London chat into Winter

[sfxmum]

hello folks chat away

Hello!

vbus - 12.30am . Can't imagine myself staying up that late, let alone DC!

tilly - I had a look at the Saturday Guardian one and couldn't do a single clue. I'm still on the practice crosswords which are supposed to be tabloid level.

I read the girl at the lion d'or once and was so disgusted that I've never read another Faulks. Is that a mistake?

Also don't like Atonement. Could not like any of the characters. Who did Keira Knightly play?

Copper, it does depend on who the setter is!! Doesn't KK just play herself each time??

Masterchef before spooks.

One contestant says: nobody in my family has ever cooked. Everyone in his family photosynthesizes?

tilly - this past Saturday's one. Usually I can solve maybe one clue ...

lordcopper I really liked Birdsong and I read it while on a binge of WW1 books, I think he is a bit like K. Atkinson in a way, although not the same sort of material obviously, both competent writers
Never read Atonement but I don't dislike McEwan, he is not really known for writing simpathetic characters
KK 'played' Cecilia

I heard the film was better than the book
all the actresses who played Briony were very good, very nicely filmed I thought

tilly yes I think she does pout pose pout pose
I am not being charitable am I? must think of something I liked her in

Not really keen on McEwan at all tbh, though don't mind Faulks. I'm currently on an Isabel Allende reading frenzy!

Sfx, honestly cannot think of one film I really liked her in. I suppose she was okay in the first Pirates film but still annoying. We read the Duchess of Devonshire in our reading group, loved the book but we were all horrified to find she was going to be playing the Duchess!

SFx - LOL at convo, how ridiculous
Didn't like the book Atonement so wasn't inspired to watch the film. I have the Blind side to watch this week at some point

Dusty/Tilly/Sfx - I like to swim and run, between us we could do a triathlon

Copper - LOL, i thought all 3 contestants on Masterchef tonight were ridiculous and annoying (or maybe I'm just tired!)

The only film I really liked Kk in was Bend it like Beckham

In Bend it like Beckham she was funny and energetic

I have been swimming every week but cycling still escapes me, relay triathlon it is then

Well! What a bad boy that Lucas is.

Hope I haven't spoilt it for anyone who hasn't watched it yet.

when isn't he a bad boy? don't think you are spoiling much

speaking of Spooks and KK I miss the first one Tom Quinn loveliest voice ever, almost as nice as Adrian Lester's or Simon Russel Beale's (I know the latter is playing a sleaze on this series)

I didn't see the first series either. Is that the one with the (in)famous deep fat fryer? Is Simon Russel Beale on in this series? He has a lovely voice. I saw him as Hamlet at the National Theatre and in my mind now Hamlet is always a bit towards the plump side. Adrian Lester lovely voice too.

Now off to find another light-reading book after M C Beeton and Elizabeth Peters. Need a few more to counter the effect of Moby Dick. God that's a heavy book, in more ways than one.

SRB is the home secretary
and yes deep fat fryer in those days White Supremacists were the main baddies

did you enjoy Moby Dick? it is hard sometimes to take it as it is since it pretty much permeates through all popular culture, in terms of themes and imagery I mean

My books list is currently leaning towards the heavy side maybe out of guilt from all the shameful fluff/ trash I have recently indulged in

Good morning!

Did enjoy Moby Dick - good beginning and very exciting ending, but maybe just a tat over-wordy in the middle . Did not realise what whaling was like though. Fancy being at sea three four years! Scary.

The home secretaries in Spooks seem quite important. Do you think it's true in real life? I picture real life politicians more like in what's that sweary series with Malcolm Tucker than in Spooks.

lordcopper they don't all seem that important but mostly Machiavellian and some slightly stupid I doubt many have much clout, I guess that is why they like crisis,makes them feel all important

today I have mostly been doing boring dutiful stuff, how to redress the balance?

apparently I might need some routine surgery soon, GP asked if I had a preference of Hospital? Surgeon a competent one? it is not like a choice of supermarkets or biscuit brand is it? how do I know?
she was very funny about it, I just told her someone not too young as not to be too inexperience and not too old as not to be too dotty, is age a valid criteria?
we seemed to have settled on a guy called Peter in his 50's

still I suppose I should feel valued that they gave me a choice

sfx - hope it's nothing too serious.

Choice is a disguise - if you ended not liking the hospital/school/police force/utility company then it's your responsibility because you chose it.

Been really cross and in a bad mood since discovering the kids didn't eat their cucumbers in their packed lunch. Big long rant about not wasting food etc. Unfortunately bad mood did not go away after big long rant.

Hello all

Sfx - do you have dates for surgery already? Does it feel good to be involved in the planning?

Tilly - lovely to see you and DS2 earlier If you do find cup, it's a green tomee tippee one, thanks!

Copper - hope you're in a better mood now

I was cross with DS1 earlier. He had some friends round and played really well with them and they all ate up all their food, all had a nice time, great. After they left I asked him to tidy his room as it was messed up, then I noticed a broken storage box. DS1 confessed to breaking it, I'm sure it was to show off to his friends

Also need some advice, Ds1 wants to invite a friend from school who I don't know. What is the done thing, do I just I invite the boy or parent as well? usually I'm friends with parent so it's nice to have their company too, but in this case not sure if I want to make small talk with stranger...OTOH would be handy to have parent about in case boy is a nutter

vbus - I've only had two occasions when child came without parents, but that's with 6yos. With 4-5yos I would prefer parents to be around just in case, like you say. Do you suspect nuttery?

Also heard on the radio - Radio 4 serialising Moby Dick! Now I can tut and say how it's not as good as the book.

copper I suspect that they may have to offer a choice. Sadly I often do have an opinion!

Vbus defintiely invite paretn at DS1's age, at least they can turn down if not necessary. DS wouldn;t go and play at a strangers house without me yet.

Been to school social evening, am assuming that you only need to do this once a year? One other said to me "Oh you're our class rep arent; you?" "Nope, just bossy"

vbus, you could always invite the parent to come back to yours with the dcs and pop in for a cuppa while they "settle", you could then suggest that said parent might like a bit of free time to get on with stuff while you give the boys tea and suggest a suitable time for them to return for pick-up. These playdates can be a minefield, sometimes!

V v exhausted at the moment and struggling with a bad back - must get an osteo appt. Thankfully there is a playgroup on this morning that I can take ds to and just sit there while he plays

good morning people

lordcopper/vbus no nothing serious, I suppose I will have an opinion once I meet the doctor then I can say no not this one

vbus I would not send dd to a home I did not know although by now I would probably be fine sending her, without me to most of her classmates houses, at at age they can really freak out so best have parent around. imo

lorcopper I think they had serialised it before, I expect they will cut most of the blubber as it were

westwing hope your back improves, that is an ongoing problem isn't it?

KewC we missed the social last night, it is not a one off they have quiz and chilli night too and a couple of others plus the class parents meet up, and assorted coffee mornings and PTA stuff, etc, so I don't feel too bad about missing this one

Scuse the butting in, but wanted to post the following message where you'll all see it.

It's clear from all the posts in here that Richmond is a pretty lively place for Mumsnetters. But sadly it doesn't look as though the Tsarina we originally appointed is still around. So we're looking for someone new to run your local page which you can find here. Does anyone on this thread fancy giving it a go? You can read a rough guide to what the role involves here

If I apply will everyone have to obey me on all matters?