Don’t mention the jasmine!

[StuckInPollyannaMode]

Can’t believe I’m onto my third thread.

Previous one here

Been packing the car to go to the tip. It’s rammed! Cat has been out for the first time and thankfully returned.

Greatly enjoyed my walks this weekend. Got an 8 miler in yesterday but the best part was coming back, lighting the fire and getting into a hot bath. Had a zoom with friends last night, touch too much red wine, but it was so much fun.

You’re all right re the petition. It doesn’t matter, he’s just jackbooting. Someone asked what I’d put in, sorry but I’m not comfortable sharing that at present, been advised to keep it to myself whilst it’s ongoing.

Geller is, however, incredulous that I’m not willing to carry on sharing Amazon Prime and Music Unlimited.

The weighted blankets have arrived so I’m just about to go sort out the laundry and the girls run. Been enjoying Radio 2’s musical weekend, but I can’t understand how Steve Wright is still on.

Tip run, then they come back. Roast chicken with bread sauce and roast gnocchi and board games this afternoon in front of the fire I think. Sounds like he’s been running them ragged, lots of walks etc which is good as means I don’t need to!

How’s everyone else spending their Sunday?

My friends! I have good news.

The head phoned last night. Given DD1s struggles and the efforts we have put into trying to homeschool, she's going to give both children a place next week, so they can ease their way back in before the full class goes back.

We had a really nice chat - I remembered the advice about 'things can be a little...chaotic and stressed at the other end' and she hummed knowingly. Then I thought in for a penny, in for a pound, and told her how much I had enjoyed her email response. She laughed and said 'I don't know what he thinks you've been doing for the past year' and we left it at that.

I'm going to buy the head, their class teacher and their TA a bunch of daffs at lunchtime and send them in with DD2 at pick up.

Hahaha, the head sounds like she knows what's up. And she is also on your team :) And that is great news for both your girls, it will be a big step back towards normality for them. A new kind of normal, but one that they can settle into and grow their confidence.

That’s awesome!!! I’m so happy for you AND the girls! I’m also thrilled that it’s going to utterly thwart his cuntish 50/50 plans!

A good day indeed.

Will be interesting to see what contact he demands once they are back in school ie will he be asking for 50:50 or will he not and then just expect to demand it when it goes to court?

That's excellent news and the best thing possible for your girls. And knowing the head sees right through him - priceless!

Seeing how he handles things when the girls are both back in school will be interesting.

How great for the girls to get some proper routine, and not have to suffer his attempts at homeschooing.

I don't think he will really push for 50/50 right now. I think he is stupid enough to ask for it at court.

Excellent, What luck to have a great school, & staff .
Will he still want to have them overnight ? as its what is counted when calculating CMS, remind him he will still have to do the homework, plus the bath, teeth, school uniform, sports, routines etc..

I did something really bloody stupid this afternoon

Was dashing around as trying to fit everything into lunchtime. My shoulder has been troubling me for a few days. Grabbed some Deep Heat, sprayed it on.

Within 5 minutes I looked like I’d got really bad sunburn, my heart was racing and my skin was burning. DD2 looked at the can and said ‘Mummy, it’s got ASP-in-in in’

I’m bloody ALLERGIC to that.

Three antihistamines and gallons of water later plus a strip wash and I’m finally starting to feel normal again.

Stupid.

I did text a friend in the village in case I keeled over - last time I took some I was really poorly - but it made me realise how vulnerable I could potentially be, so shook me up a bit.

Time for pizza and film night. Just got to change the girls beds - dried their bedding on the line today, smells gorgeous.

Anyone good with hair dye? DD1 wants to be Ginny Weasley for Bloody World Book day and I really don’t like the look of the sprays. I wouldn’t mind if she had a wash in / wash out colour which lasted for a couple of washes. She’s got dark blonde hair and wants to go viper. Suggestions welcome. She won’t wear a wig...and she’s adamant it has to be red. School doing it on a Thursday and it’s PE day on Friday so they won’t mind if it doesn’t all come out.

How about directions? semi permanent, vegan and relatively kind to hair.

I used the spray for DS1. It washed out. He was blonde too.

Don't use semi permanent! I used that for DS aged 12. Took 6 months to grow out, nothing semi permanent about that! Sprays are much better for a temporary colour, practically brush out and certainly wash out. Read up on the various ones available to make sure they won't stain her hair.

We used to dye our hair with food colouring years ago - washed out with no problems. (It was the 80s we couldn't get real dye in jazzy colours lol)

@PomBearWithoutHerOFRS

We used to dye our hair with food colouring years ago - washed out with no problems. (It was the 80s we couldn't get real dye in jazzy colours lol)

Ha ha! You have reminded me about the cochineal all over the bath tub. And the boyfriend's disastrous experience of cherry blossom boot polish instead of moustache wax. No money and even less sense.

I would suggest a coloured wax instead - we have a really vivid blue, which shows up really well on my eldest's dark hair, but leaves no trace on youngest's blonde hair. I got it from Amazon on recommendation and it is brilliant.

Don’t dye blonde hair. It won’t come out properly as blonde is porous. It will leave residue. Either use the spray or the wax!

Name change, agree don't try to dye blonde hair!

Would hair chalk work? It comes in all kinds of colours and washes out.

My hair is blonde (natural) and every time I have tried any of those things, they have left behind residue of the colour. (Please don’t attempt any wash out dyes. They’re liars. They need to be cut out. Red is the worst! It WILL stain it.)

Ok ok ok, I hear you all!! Thank you for saving me from disaster

The only time I dyed my hair red I did so whilst hiding from a babysitter I hated because I was too old to need one...did so in my parents newly installed pristine white en-suite.

That ended well for a 13 year old. Strangely, I remember my mother being more mad the following week when she discovered a pair of spoons still in the Gino Ginelli mint choc chip tub (my friend and I had seen Americans on TVs shows eat ice cream straight out of the tub then put it back in the freezer. Didn’t realise it wouldn’t have the same cachet with a 1l plastic tub as it did with Ben and Jerry’s)

My neck is absolute agony. No idea what I’ve done to it.

He will still go for 50:50. I bet you anything. The onus is on him now to come back with a deal. Which I very much hope is a reasonable one as I’ve just paid an eye watering legal bill.

I haven’t replied to the email. Camilla and I agree there is nothing to say - her nanny always used to say, if you can’t say anything nice then don’t say anything at all 😄

I think you really need to go get your neck seen. Please get a GP’s appt at least.

My mother has an allergy to penicillin and even the smallest dose can knock her out, she starts going into anaphylaxis quite quickly with it.

Ignore Gellers correspondence to you unless it is something you need to bring up with your solicitor. As otherwise illegal costs start sky rocketing.

Get medical attention for your neck, that’s quite urgent here.

Legal costs that should read 🤦🏻‍♀️

DD2 wanted red hair in the summer. Her hair is mid brown. I used a 'wash in, wash out semi permanent' dye. 18 washes. No. We could not get it out for love nor money. Vitamin C tablets, fairy liquid, bicarbonate of soda, clarifying shampoo... Nothing. Eventually, I had to get 4 inches cut off (fortunately she only wanted to dye the ends) and 6 months later the last 2 inches are still a dull red. If I hadn't done that, she would have had to go to the isolation hub. Never again!

Comfort yourself by accepting you would gave likely be on your own if injured in your former life anyway.
Time to teach Dds basic CPR, what to do in an emergency.

Is the pain now muscular or a knock on from the Deep Heat ?, could you see an osteopath?

DD wanted her bum length light brown hair coloured 2 weeks before the end of the school holidays. No problem I thought. Tissue paper, salt, hot water, soak for 15 minutes. Great fun, lovely colours. Could still see it 3 months later...

Don't know if this will help, but I once had a stiff neck in the morning, it felt like I had been lieing in a draft, so for a little while I went to bed wearing a small scarf. Which worked!

I wonder, though, if your neck may be related to you tensing your muscles because of stress.

Also worth trying ibroprofen, which reduces inflammation.

BTW there were coloured dyes in 1980.