Crepeys/Hagsnet - come to the candlelight!

[MrsSchadenfreude]

As the last thread is now full...

Yes, I agree, the summer hols are a bizarre old time. And it is always particularly difficult with pre-schoolers when all their normal scheduled activities just stop for six or seven weeks. Hang in there, Herbs.

Oh party thing Wilbur - know what you mean, friend's ds has birthday in August and it is a 'mare because people are away...(don't go for may bank holiday - can be just as bad - ds is early may and not always a good weekend!) Herbs, seriously is weird time , you think, oh everyone will have loads of free time and be around and in fact you just never coincide. Ds won't see his best friend now until he goes back to school (6 and half weeks....) what with sports camp, thoir hols and our hols....

Summer holidays here usually go like a shot - the DCs go to a holiday club for three weeks or so, and they love it, then we have the family holiday, then it's almost September - six weeks doesn't feel so long.

We're another family with an August birthday - DD2. We always have her party a week or so before the end of the summer term, otherwise I agree it's hopeless. She usually ends up with a double celebration, so it's not all bad (however, last year the poor lass spent her entire birthday in the car driving across France).

Regarding hormonal turmoil, I'm serenely post-menstrual at the moment. Is there such a thing?? AF was three weeks late this time, so no idea when she'll show up next. Thank heavens I should be in the clear for our Activity Holiday, which is fast approaching; being stuck half way down a rockface with a heavy flow doesn't bear thinking about.

Ladies you are too kind. Just feeling a bit fragile at the mo, with best friend moving away. I've lived with her, or near her, for 20 years. Realise now I've taken her for granted. Resolve not to do that in future...

Via the powers of persuasion, I now have a goodly packed diary for the next couple of weeks: nearby stately home today, three friends round tomorrow for water play in the garden, Bongalong and seeing BF Thursday, hospital appointment Friday.

DS is having a general anaesthetic on Monday to take a mould of his eye (which isn't helping my mood), then it's London Zoo on Tuesday, and seeing an old pal on Thursday. So... what am I moaning about!

As for birthdays, DS was born early July, which is an ace time for a birthday party. I was born end of November, which is not.

Sounds fun Herbs! (aside from the hospital bit, but focus on the zoo)

CV - like you AF was 'late' although I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that 'early' and 'late' are relative terms with regards to that particular bodily function these days. I may, or may not, have a visitation during our hols, who knows? :)
Last night dp and I wandered around the house like two lost souls - no dog, no boy. Dp said he still automatically cuts the dog a slice of cheese despite the fact he's not there.....blimely is this what empty nest syndrome is like?
Speed read the rest of Moran - she was annoying me by the end, all 'look at MEEEEEEEEE, I got pissed with Lady Gaga'......

Oh and wilbur, tears sprang to my eyes about your DS's party, and his little voice. Poor soul.

Then again, I was in floods after watching that video doing the rounds on facebook of the baby who hears his mother's voice for the first time after being fitted with cochlear implants.

CV - Activity Holiday?? Rockface? Tell us more!

Blackduck - you and I agree on Ms Moran, then. It must be because we are pants twins

Herbs, that sounds like a packed agenda. We are having a "rest" week this week, because we overdid the social business last week. And because I really have to get some work done.

I am now knackered, after doing so much in the heat! Some people are never satisfied.

Spent the morning at this marvellous place in Ilford. Yes! I know! Ilford! Lovely old mansion, walled gardens, rose garden, huge park, lake, birds, playground, indoor play room with very tasteful wooden toys, dressing up clothes, and a lovely cafe with plenty of cake. And all free! Was there with good NCT buddy, and her lovely son. DS and he raced about giggling, and I felt all happy. So. Hurrah!

The thing about the toddler stage seems to be that doing nothing - ie, staying in or playing in the garden ? just gets really annoying. He gets antsy, I get cross, etc. If I go out with him alone, it has to be somewhere he can roam, which means park, where there always seems to be happy groups of mums. Or slightly deranged people who strike up conversation at the swings a bit too easily. I guess I fall between the two categories!

My view on pants is that they need to be below or above the squidge (and if you don't know what I'm talking about, all I can say is . A mid-rise cut across the belly is really not what a person wants. I can manage v small bikini pants or BIGGGG ones.

[[http://www.marksandspencer.com/High-Rise-Ultimate-Briefs-Modal/dp/B0036JAW32?ie=UTF8&ref=sr_1_12&nodeId=309699031&sr=1-12&qid=1312299967 blimey!!!]

these

Well now, about the Activity Holiday......

For the last six years running we have gone on holiday with my dad/stepmum/sis/kids etc., renting a large house in Italy or France. Good fun, but not without a certain level of family-related "stress", if you know what I mean.

Anyway, this year we fancied a change, and asked the DCs what they would like to do. I don't think for one minute they thought we'd go for anything that didn't involve sunloungers, but then we received a timely promo leaflet from PGL (the people who run kids holidays) and we have booked an all-inclusive week in Devon - food, all activities etc - costing (wait for it) £800 for the five of us. Seriously bargainaceous; I don't think that covered our supermarket bill in France last year.

So we're off on Saturday, and I am quite unexpectedly and childishly excited at the prospect of a week of canoeing, abseiling, quad biking etc. I imagine the food and accommodation will be halfway between barracks and boarding school, but hey, I won't be cleaning or cooking for a whole week, and that's a holiday in itself.

But wait, what's this? An e-mail comes in from MNHQ to say I have also won a week in a holiday cottage in, yes, Devon, after filling in the 2011 survey! That's next year sorted.

Actually I used to wear these fabulouse garments - in black - many years ago under leggings. But was in my early 30s so could get away with them. They worked brilliantly - no VPL whatsoever and, er, very comfortable.

MI, I am soooo not ready to wear pants like the ones you linked to. Visions of my mum during the 1970s, who used to wear pants like that over her tights. Gah! Fortunately I have a flat tum (I can thank the low-carbing for that).

"Comfortable" is a very dangerous word where clothing is concerned. Remember the Chums catalogue.......?

I, err, have some of the pants in your second link.

Your first link - it says they don't ride up, but do they roll down? I had some control knickers that did this to me a few years ago and they created a ridge like a spare tyre under my bottom.

My mother used to wear pants, tights and then a pantie girdle on top. Then a full length "slip" and finally her clothes on top. It must have taken her ages to get dressed. She made me wear a pantie girdle aged 10, and I think I still need therapy for that.

Congrats on your freebie holiday CV. And have a great time with PGL!

CV - congrats on the win...

MI - they are SERIOUS knickers.... I am currently packing for dp (he is taking half of mine and ds's clothes - hope he doesn't get stopped at customs - could be an interesting conversation :) ) and trying to work out what I need (I know I will bring back stuff unworn, I always do, and wear two t shirts to death...)

I also went to a school Christmas party aged 11 in a navy blue velvet party dress, which had a white lace trim at the neck and cuffs and a red bow at the neck. All of my friends were in jeans and trendy clothes and laughed at me. (I wasn't allowed jeans, and when I did finally get a pair, they were flares "to balance your fat thighs and bottom, darling" when everyone else was wearing straight leg jeans.)

MrsS: your mother really did have a kind of Munchausen's by proxy, didn't she.

Ooh, CV, lucky you! And I am rather envious of your PGL holiday.

MrsS, your mother really does sound very ... special.

blimey MrsS your mother is, well, something else.....

MrsS vent on here - its cheaper!
Apparently it is going to be roasting today, and I am stuck in my office that doubles as a greenhouse (the basil and chilli plants are doing very nicely thank you)