Elevenses !!!!!!

[MaryAnnSingleton]

ah, we can only do 1000, so here's the new one, hope you find it !

Hope you're off to hospital MAS, and don't have too much waiting around to do. I think you're right about the perfectionist bit - always been my downfall - it would be nice to be more accepting of myself TBH, but that's not the way I'm made I guess... That's why having other people around to pull me up helps

It's another gorgeous day. I've just been to the hairdressers, so am feeling a little lighter and slightly less highland cow like I'm off to the drs later to ask to be referred to a skin specialist. My skin hasn't improved at all, inspite of the antibiotics, so I think I need someone who knows a bit more to have a look. The only appointment I could get is for 3:30, so I'll have to pick B up a bit early today.

Hope you're having a good day Hippi!

Am back early as the driver (a different one again) called for me about 35 mins before I was expecting him ! my appointment had been moved to 11.30 without my knowing -really not sure what to expect ! Machine obviously up and running and only had to wait about 10 -15 mins for my turn.
Your hair I'm sure looks lovely Hotcross ! What is the doc treating you for, skin wise ? Hope it is a satisfactory appointment.
Perfectionism is a huge pain but a great thing - I suffer it myself and fret over the smallest details - exhausting. My dad is as bad.

Morning you two. I did managed to get on here briefly yesterday, typed a lenghty reply and then went and lost it...

MAS, what a pain about the unpredictable appointment times. Things like that would stress me out completely. I need to know when I will be where....

Hotcross, the tutoring sounds fab - honestly, if the boy is happy, and his mum is happy, then you are doing a great job!!

I bet your hair look gorgeous - it always does when we have met...
I hope you get a satisfactory solution for your skin complaint. How odd teh antibiotics did not clear it??

Had a busy day yesterday with a meeting at the school for school trip helpers, then a long dog walk, then Sainsburys and then I did the first two coats of paint on our hallway walls. Looking very patchy at the moment, hope to finish it off over the weekend. (and then I have to do the walls by the stairs, will need a ladder of sorts....)
O and E were at little S's for tea so had a nice long afternoon to get the job started

I was wondering whether you would both be interested in meeting up again this summer holiday with the children? (if you feel up to it MAS)
I am more than happy to meet at Alice Holt again. I promise to look at the map properly this time so I don't get quite so lost

Please keep your fingers crossed for a dry day today, E is off strawberry picking with my friend T and her dd H after school today. T is planning a picnic tea at the strawberry farm, would be no fun if it was wet.

Have a good day both of you, back later

gah, little and big* S's...

Must not rush....

40 lbs !!!! wow !!
fingers crossed for no rain for strawberry picking, though I think it might be a bit damp
I hate not knowing when they'll come for me - I have my bag and book ready, but will still need to go to the loo, lock up etc - I shall try to be ready to go before 11 anyway.
A meeting in the summer sounds lovely - we must think of dates !
Have a good day both of you..
hope the doctor's visit was helpful Hotcross

hey ! hope you have both had good w/ends..am on here now because dh working from home tomorrow and Tuesday so might not get much of a chance - plus I really must do a lot of work in between everything. To be honest am feeling quite knackered, plus my eyes have been very sore,underneath,some kind of severe allergic reaction - much better today but yesterday I looked like those people who've reacted badly to hair dye !
T had his report on Friday which was good really, just about every teacher commented on his quietness/shyness in class,which is holding him back a bit. He got a great report from his singing teacher,which is encouraging.
All being well with my machine I'll be of to radio. tomorrow. T has his summer concert on Tuesday. He has the dentist tomorrow after school but dh will take him if I'm running late.
Hope all is well with you two...xxxxx

Hello lovely
I hope your allergic reaction disappears soon - any idea to what you reacted??
Sounds like you have a busy week ahead...

I am not happy with the heatwave - am very worried about dragging 90 hot and bothered children around Wisley on Wednesday [fret]

Am in a bit of a flap today - the house is a tip, I am going to be out all day and then E is having her friend J for tea. Oh well, I may tidy up a bit whilst she is here. We made a start on painting the hall and landing last week so there are paint splodges all over the floorboards, a ladder on the landing, pots of paint at the bottom of the stairs, a brush and roller drying on the edge of the bath and because of all the painting activity I have not been able to dust and hoover so the house truly is awful [[fret] And I have scheduled in 2 teas with friends this week..... [shakes head at own stupidity]

Hope you are okay hotcross

E had a great time at strawberry picking. It stayed dry and she loved it. She came home with a punnet overflowing of lovely ripe berries. She was adamant she did not like strawberries (I made her try one) so I washed some for her and sprinkled them with the teeniest bit of sugar to take the last of the bitterness of. Now she loves them and has eated 3 bowls over the weekend Great though when fussy eaters discover they like a new food!!

Have a great day, will hope to get on here later

Morning!

Only on here quickly as have soooo much to do I had another migraine at the end of last week, so have done no cleaning or tidying for days and the house is awful. Yuck! It's too hot to do much though, will flick a duster around and ignore the rest I think

Sorry you've had an allergic reaction MAS. Not nice at all. Did you feel yucky too, or was it just your face that suffered? Could it be related to the radio, or just coincidence? Hope your driver is a bit more regular this week, with a lot less hanging around. Would drive me mad too

Strawberry picking sounds lovely Hippi. B hasn't seemed interested in strawberries at all either, until suddenly they're in season and yummy and sweet, and she's eating them by the punnetful Have realised that she just didn't like the hard, dry ones from abroad... I guess in season for a reason!

I agree Wisley could be very very hot, although there are lots of shady areas, so you'll hopefully be able to stick to them when it's at its hottest. And they do free water in the cafe....

Have been referred to a dermatologist - the dr thinks I have rosacea I'm having to wear absolute layers of make up on my cheeks, just to look bearable, so I demanded I see someone for proper advice. Have been on antibiotics for about 3 months now, with no improvement... Typical me though - nothing straightforward

We had a nice weekend. Spent much of Saturday with friends at Stoke Park in the paddling pool. Was a very relaxing day, with ice cream and a picnic. Sunday a friend called in for a cup of tea on his way from Wiltshire to Essex and stayed til gone 10 We managed to rustle up enough food for a BBQ, but it was a bit meagre pickings!

Got back to a message from the mum of the boy I'm tutoring asking if I'd consider teaching their au pair English I'm really not sure as I have no experience at all of teaching anyone older than 7! Eek!

Would definitely like to meet up over the holidays, and B would love to! We're away 1st-9th Aug and 15th-23rd Aug, apart from then, we're fairly free.

am sorry to hear about another migraine Hotcross
but think that's encouraging news about the au pair - am sure you'd be great ! (but don't take it on if you feel uncomfortable)
On here briefly - dh at home all day working. Strange reaction more or less gone - will try my contact lenses tomorrow...felt ok with it - just really sore and looked so awful. Hope the dermatologist can sort you out Hotcross..am sure they can treat it.
Try not to fret about your house Hippi, though I'd do exactly the same - we 3 are alike I think !
Do you think it'll still be as hot on Wednesday ? hope not.
T has been to dentist - all fine thank goodness..much better teeth than mine at his age. It's the summer concert tomorrow. Won't get a chance again to be on much over the next day..partly dh and partly that I must WORK !
Keep cool both of you xxx

Hello you two
Am just on here, in the coolness of the dining room, recovering from a hot and sticky day. My best friend K, in all her wisdom, persuaded me to cycle into Woking along the canal with her. (tbh I had to go to the bank to pay a cheque in anyway so it was a good enough reason to agree)
We passed O's old teacher (on Mat Leave) sitting in a pub with a friend having lunch on teh canalside patio who looked at us as if we were mad. To be honest we were a bit purple by that time...
I was soaked throught by the time we made it up the hill back to mine. We did have a lovely lunch (avocado chicken and bacon salad) in Woking though, so all was not too awful...

E has had a friend to play, O came home from tennis club hot and purple (I see a family trait developing) but we survived

Hotcross, I think the tutoring is a great idea! But agree wtih MAS, don't do it if you are at all uncomfortable about it.

We are free in the summer holiday from the 28th July until the 7th August. O is doing a tennis course with big S from 10 - 13 August. Am hoping to book E onto a horseriding day camp on teh 14th August but if that is the only day you two are free let me know and I will choose a different day.
The 17th is O's birthday so dh is off and then we are on holiday in Holland from the 18th until the 28th of August.
So the start of the holiday would be the best time to meet I guess. When are you free MAS?

could only really do sometime in August, early or middle !

So Friday the 14th of August? That would be the only day?
may be a bit much for hotcross if she is going away the next day?

Arf, O has swimming that day....

it looks ok for me, but not sure when we're visiting MIL

I can only do that day if we are meeting in the morning - O has swimming at4 pm.

well, it's a possibility then !

briefly here before T returns,then must work.. radio today fine -car came v early,though they rang to say that they'd pick me up for an earlier slot - very confusing ! Slightly pink chest.
When I got home there was a card from my dear friend E in Florida and a parcel from my old school friend M ( do you remember my meeting them for a reunion back in March I think ?) M has sent me a beautiful silver picture frame,hinged,so there are 2 frames together,one with a copy of the 4 of us at 11 which I love and a copy of that pose taken at the reunion, only I think I look dreadful,all puffy about the face in my opinion..it's not exactly flattering of any of us but is funny. Do you think it's bad that I swapped that one for a picture of the 4 of us taken in our old classroom the same day ? It's one I can tolerate as I don';t look quite so ugly - I feel vain and bad for doing that but I think I'd feel miserable looking at myself looking vile every day..the idea is so lovely that I wouldn't want to hide it away..I've put it in my work room here anyway.
T's concert yesterday was really very good - lots of brilliant ensembles,string quartet,jazz band,big band,orchestra and of course T's choir and the G&T choir- they did a fab finale and there was a great speech by the brilliant head of music who is leaving after a brief but successful year at school (his wife got a job with the Halle Orchestra so he has to go too)

Good morning

Sorry to hear about your pink chest MAS - is that normal? Can you put cream on it or is that not allowed??
I love the idea of the picture frame - what a thoughtful gift. And if I were you I would change the picture, especially if you have some of you and the same friends taken on the same day! But how lovely

Great to hear T's choir concert went well. Briliant!!

O's new teacher for Y6 is in charge of the choir at our school (and she claims she asked for O's class as they are the best singers.... )

It was a very very very hot day at Wisley yesterday. We all ran out of water at one point. The children had a great time but were definately suffering with the heat. The words 'I am hot and sweaty and all sticky' were uttered more than once!
But it was a fun trip.

Then we had to rush off to gymnastics. I was almost hoping E would not fancy it due to being hot and tired, but she did so off we traipsed. Glad we did, they carried on with the assessments and she has earned her first badge After only 8 sessions - she is delighted. I have t go in and pay for it next week and then they hold a little 'ceremony' at the end of the class and each girl who has achieved the next badge will get given the badge and 4 certificates each with a ribbon. The certificates are for vault, floor, beam and bar and in order to reach that badge level they have to do complete 3 tasks on each of those 4 areas.

Today is O's school swimming gala, and then I need to rush home and tidy as they both have a friend coming for tea. Boy J is in O's year (but not class) but they are in the same literacy and maths classes and his little sister L is in E's class. So should be fun

Have a great day both of you!!

43 lbs hippi !!!!!!! and very well done to E for gymnastics badge
Hope O enjoys his swimming gala !
Am so glad Wisley was a success, I was thinking of you in that heat though.
I did change the picture to the one where I look less awful, and it's one that I think M would approve of - I didn't say I was changing it but this one we all liked anyway...and now I can look at it happily ! Honestly though, some pictures I see of myself and think,how can I look so bad ! do I really ?! and then am cross with myself for being so shallow..but it does effect my feelings about myself, I am always very critical of how I look..tsk.
I think that pinknes/tenderness is normal..apparently the side effects come after treatment finishes, though not everyone is effected. Anyway, have to be ready for 10 today. Have a lovely day both of you xxx

Hello you two, just popping in to say hello!
Well, it has been a busy old time for O. On Thursday was the Y5 swimming gala. All the children took part in 4 races each, O came first in 3 of his races and 3rd in one.
So a great (if hot for us spectators) morning.
This morning was his class assembly. O had a biggish part (that of the presenter from This is Your Life) and played it well. He got some nice laughs! All the children did very very well, it was a brilliant assembly.
And then this afternoon he gets called to the deputy heads's office and asked does he want to participate in the inter-schools swimming gala. Apparently one boy has had to drop out and O was listed as his reserve (unbeknownst to O) So tomorrow evening there will be 10 local schools, each bringing 10 - 15 children from years 3-6 and they will be competing in a selection of proper races (freestyle, breaststroke, front crawl, backcrawl and relay) at the Pool in the Park competition pool in Woking. Each child has been allocated a race according to his/her strength and O is doing the breaststroke one. He is nervous. Even more so now he has 'failed' his time trial at his normal swimming lesson this afternoon. (they had to do 75 metres in 2 minutes and he went 10 seconds over and thus was too slow)

So a busy day tomorrow as E has her normal lesson in the morning. Please keep your fingers crossed for cool weather - I cannot do all this running around in the heat...

Hope you are well MAS, and I hope hotcross is okay

GOOD LUCK O !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!and here's hoping for a cooler day!

hope you're ok Hotcross !

Hello. I'm here! Sorry haven't been on for days - haven't been feeling well, and just not had the energy to set up the computer. I've had a splitting headache all week, which I assumed was another migraine, but now have a dodgy tummy, so guess a bug Have been dripping about the place pathetically. Think I really need a holiday TBH.

Will read all your messages tomorrow I think - there's loads Hope you're both OK and that radio has been bearable this week MAS. Thank goodness it's not so hot now, makes everything so much harder to cope with.

Have a great weekend both of you

Oh hotcross, sorry to hear you are not feeling well. Hope you are on the mend soon!

We came back from the swimming gala an hour ago. It was brilliant fun.
O came last in his race but only just - 4 seconds faster and he would have had fourth place.
The school overall came 5th out of 10 which apparently was better than last year. So well done them!!

E did brilliantly at her swimming lesson this morning. They had assessment and the teacher told me she is looking at moving E and her friend A up to the competition pool in August. E is already panicking about having to swim 25 metres....

Right, kettle has boiled, am off to make a nice cup of coffee and watch a bit of tv with dh

poor Hotcross - hope you are feeling better today
Well done to O and E !!