Lyra, Oggs, Berrie, Zeb (and Binkle) ....

[oggsfrog]

...... do you realise we've been chatting now for almost 18months .

Berrie, thankyou for the very kind offer to mug your children. It's much appreciated .
Tbh the car only cost £150 last year so it's reached the end of it's days I'm afraid - we need to get another one.

I know the feeling though - I think I've done really well at the shops sometimes, but try as I might I can't get it below £100 a week. Must Try Harder.

So is Friday moving day Lyra? That's soooo exciting! Are you then going to join the great tradition of living without floors

And err, no, I think the spanx might stay at home. I might also have to do a little shopping at M&S before

We get the keys on Friday, then have 3 days to do as much as we can to it (rip out carpets, kitchen etc) before our stuff is moved in on Tuesday. We've hired a floor sander and a skip.

The boiler, which has been there since 1977 is being replaced in a couple of weeks, along with all the dodgy pipework.
I've also ordered a big American-style fridge freezer with ice and water dispenser and a Rangemaster range cooker and hood.

Wow...bet you can't wait to be all sorted!

My brother just had his first baby, a little girl, no name yet. He sounded very traumatised!

Congratulations to Berrie brother.
Are you a first-time auntie?

Congratulations Aunty Berrie
Lyra, stop playing with mumsnet and get back to packing!
Oggs. You're bang on about the Spanx.
And I've been invited to a posh ball at the end of the month, as a guest of one of our business partners. There is also a likelihood that ZebsToyBoy could be there. I'm dying to find out without sounding like a deranged stalker!

No second time!

Zeb, do you have a ball gown?

Nope. I haven't been to a ball since 1998. But my rich big sister is sending me over some of her swanky dresses. Fortunately, she's around the same size as me. The dilemma I have is, which shoes?!

I can lend you my red docs if you like

Ooh, yes please! When my feet start killing me in my Louboutin's I can change. Classy!

Gosh, you've all got exciting lives at the moment

Congratulations Berrie! Awwwwwwwwwww. Is it the same brother that designs/was ill/that you stay with? Are mother and baby at home?

Ooh, Lyra! Key day! Key day! Guess you will be up to your eyes in sanding etc and won't be around for a while. Have fun.

Zeb, you're shameless . It would be great if your toyboy was going to the ball too - how romantic ... like Cinderella with spanx.

In comparison, the most exciting thing that is happening to me is that half of my custard cream has just fallen in my coffee...

Morning all!

OOooo Lyra...how exciting! Let us know how you get on!

No this is my other brother with Narcolepsy. She had a C section so will be in hospital for a bit. We are going to the same hospital today (about an hour away) for ds's peanut challenge. We are quite nervous but hopeful.
I am hoping that bro will let me sneak in and see the baby but I've assured him there is no pressure and I won't mind a bit if they want to be let alone!

Good luck to The Peanut Kid for today .
There is/was a tv prog this week about narcolepsy isn't/wasn't there? How many Berries are there in the bunch? I seem to remember you and Zeb were from large families?

Thousands in my family. I believe my mother is related to most of Ireland!

Good luck with the peanut challenge, Berrie - is this a real issue? When I did the nuts and strawberries on DS I just made sure there was diesel in the car and I had a free afternoon in case I had to go to A&E. Then I just held my breath. But I REALLY don't believe you about not sneaking a peek. I wouldn't be able to resist.

Oggs. There is absolutely nothing dull about losing half your custard cream in your coffee. That's a crisis of international importance, simply dwarfing the global meltdown in the financial markets. I'm just praying for your sake that it wasn't your last one. I'm now on the Cinderella diet, so I'm vicariously enjoying the other half of your custard cream.

When do you think we'll hear from Lyra again? Do you think her pooter's buried, never to be found again?

Evening!

What a bloody awful day.

Yes there was a narcolepsy program but we didn't watch. My Mum did and found it distressing apparently.

The peanut thing has been a big deal. Ds had an anaphylactic reaction when he was about 1 1/2. We've had an epi-pen and have had to be ultra cautious ever since. A recent skin prick test showed no reation which is why we went for the challenge.
Today was mixed. Unfortunatly he did react to the peanuts so the challenge was not completed but on the plus side he did not go into anaphylactic shock either. The good news is that we do not need to avoid peanut traces anymore which will be great. They are going to have a meeting to discuss whether to take away the epi-pen and he should still avoid peanuts.

We did breifly nip in and see the baby. I cried. She is very pretty.

Hello!
Big day today - we completed on our house.
We spent the morning packing and getting bits and bobs sorted with plumbers and heating engineers ( got to get the house ready for our tenants) then went to pick up the scary-looking sander and other bits and bobs. Then at 2pm we picked up the keys and went to the new house.
It all got a bit unpleasant at one point though, which has spoiled it a bit. We went round with our builder and the 'owners' were still there hoovering and getting their last bits out. I asked if it would be alright if I came in with the builder as he'd been waiting outside for ages. They weren't happy but let us in (it was my house by this point).
The builder had a look, then, to my surprise, asked if we wanted him to start there and then. We said yes, as the quicker we get the wall knocked down the better. The 'owners' then burst into tears about their home being smashed to bits before they'd had a chance to move out and the woman rang her son to tell him. I, of course, told her of course we'd wait till they'd left before doing any work and me and the builders went to wait outside. Then the sons turned up, effing and blinding about how we'd upset their mother and why couldn't we have waited and all that. All very unpleasant. I could just have gone ahead regardless but once I saw how upset she was we left immediately.
Anyway, once they were gone we set about ripping out some of the manky carpets and had a good old explore. DP hadn't seen it in months and was surprised by how big it is. We had a glass of champagne then went off to pick up our new washing machine and dishwasher (bought off Gumtree), got them in the new house and have now collapsed on the sofa with a pizza and more champagne.
I probably won't be around for a bit as we'll be very busy but I'll let you know how it goes.
(btw, sorry for the essay )

Big hugs all round - but at least you're in Lyra, with pizza and champagne and a dishwasher. I'd raise a glass with you but my head hurts after a night out with the girls. And if the woman didn't want her house knocked about, she shouldn't have sold it! Maybe you should give her the manky carpet?

Berrie, that's rather good news about the nuts isn't it? At least it's only marginal rather than the full works. Is this something that he can 'recover' from, or is he stuck with it?

Right. Shopping. Food. Jaffa cakes for DS - he's an addict.

Morning...happy new week!

Lyra, that sounded horrid! Silly old Moo!

Zeb, when are you seeing your toyboy?

Oggs how's it going?

Happy new week to you too! How are all your family - are they all doing well - how's the baby and how's DS, particularly?

I haven't heard from the toyboy yet, but I am supposed to be seeing him tonight. So I'm now doing that whole paranoid thing.

Oh dear...hope he has rung by now.

Everyone fine thanks. The baby cries all the time. Am having to do that thing where you are desperate to help but biting tongue too as new parents don't always like to be told things by family...or was that just me?

Did you do anything nice with ds this weekend?

Nah! I was a right bitch to my mother.

This weekend DS and I made cakes and jelly and painted and went to the park and went shopping and then he helped me tidy my books up. Bless.

No. He still hasn't phoned. I'll try calling him when I finish work, as I don't want to come over as a deranged stalker, but I do need to know if I have to doll myself up!

Ah well...have a good time anyway!

Sounds like you had a lovely time. I bet ds really enjoyed himself. Any luck with the local preschool?

Bless him, he's discovered the unsurpassable joy of licking out the cake mix bowl.

And yes, he's now at pre-school 3 mornings a week, which is all good. I'm going to visit it on Friday afternoon to make sure all is well.

And panic over. ToyBoy just emailed and I'm seeing him later tonight. It gives me loads of time to go home, have a long soak in a bath and watch It Takes Two!

So what've you been up to today?

Woohoo...Zeb is on a da-ate Zeb is on a da-ate! Get flossing!

Not a lot...lay down with dd and fireman sam this afternoon. First she kept poking at me and telling me to open my eyes...from then on it was telling me to stop snoring or making that noise. Not very relaxing.