Where is the new creperie thread? Or is this it?

[wilbur]

I can't find a new thread and the other one is full. Have I just missed you all somewhere? Are you having a riotous time without me?

Anway, Happy Belated Christmas everyone. We're back from the in-laws (and I'm about a stone heavier as MIL doesn't do light food in any way, so everything is groaning in cream, butter, lard and salt) and wondering what to do with the usual obscene amount of presents we've brought home.

Christmas Day was wonderful until about 4pm, when we'd finished lunch and I was longing to snuggle on the sofa with the kids, a movie and some Christmas cake but was told I had to take the for a quick walk to calm them down (actually, they were fine, it was the dogs that were hyper) and then when we got back we had to do games/more food/polite conversation etc. I love my inlaws dearly, but there are too many of them and instead of saying "your time is now your own" and letting us disperse and regroup later, everyone stays together ALL THE FRIGGING TIME, and the meals (all taken at the table with napkins and chat) just roll one into another with no time in between. MIL doesn't like to sit down really, so she is always a bit about people who watch an entire film in one sitting. So I may have been a bit surly at one point when I realised ds1 and I were not going to be allowed to watch the Christmas Dr. Who. So I went upstairs and bought these which I had seen a while ago but couldn't afford or justify, but then found they were in the sale. Result!

Anyway, I'm home now and dh managed to set the Sky planner from his phone - how magic is that? - and I have Downton, Ab Fab etc to look forward to. Yay.

MrsS - I hope you haven't murdered your mother, although we will all testify justifiable homicide if you have.

Hope you've all had some kind of a break/relax/time to enjoy kids - whatever form it takes. We'll have to start discussing New Year's resolutions next...

Nice shoes wilbur!

We had a low-key and generally pleasant Christmas, despite db's kids' best efforts. We can enjoy a 4-day lull now until Jan 1st, when we are summoned to Christmas Mk2 at my mother's with sundry members of my extended family. Everyone appears a tad jaded today, except the dog - who plonked his squeaky gingerbread man on my face at 8.30am (I was having a v. nice lie-in).

Over here, Wilbur!

Well, this seems to be the only crepey thread, but I'm wondering if I should get MN HQ to change the title so it's a bit more obvious.

Today's job is clearing the crawl space that we laughingly refer to as the loft. I am coming across all sorts of baby things, some redundant, some that will have to be prised from my cold dead hands. There will be some ebaying later, I think. What do the crepeys think about hanging onto lovely sturdy toddler toys in hopes of grandchildren one day? I only waver because my mum kept so many lovely things and then died before she had any dgcs and the superstitious part of me worries that the same will happen to me. Silly really, although as that would mean I only have 17 years left, I'd better get on with the chores.

Ah, did you not click on my link, Wilbur? (Strops here, btw!) MrsS didn't see your creperie and started another one...

Wotcher darling....I think you should hang on to them.

Hmm, toddler toys and clothes. I'm afraid I didn't allow myself to be too sentimental. As soon as anything was outgrown by no2, it was re-homed. I get a lot of satisfaction from passing stuff on and knowing it is being loved/used. I have just kept 3 hand-knitted items of babywear hidden away in a drawer, otherwise all toys and clothes have gone. I will probably be in a home by the time I have gcs (if it ever happens) - or back in Borneo with the orangutans. "If in doubt, chuck it out", I reckon.

I move every four to five years so am ruthless at chucking out stuff. I am currently eyeing up a bag full of Build Another Bloody Bear toys to move on to a good home. DD1 still has her beloved toy lion, bizarrely given to me by a boyfriend in Poland when I was in my 20s. I am so not the sort of person you would give a soft toy too - not sure why it wasn't thrown out before.

I do have their first babygros, though, and their shoes (DD1's are all chewed, DD2's are pristine).

I do tend to pass on most things. To people I like.

Oh dear. A "fashion must-have"? I am clearly very old indeed. (OK, I already knew that.)

I have painted my nails a festive silver

Dd made her teen Christmas statement by painting her nails black.

Yes, me too, MI!

That was to passing things on, not to nail painting. I have bitten stumps.

I scandalised my Young Colleagues - to the point of silence - when I told them I had never had a manicure.

I've never had a manicure either,do you thinks its an age thing then?

Hmm. I reckon plenty of Women of a Certain Age do have manicures but that loads of Young Laydeeze have them. It's like pubic topiary. Well, sort of. If you get my drift.

Admittedly I work on a women's mag so the proportion of manicures around me is relatively high.

Ah, I didn't see the link - my computer is having trouble refreshing screens so I will head on over to the other one.

Oh but I think we are all quite settled here now, aren't we?

I have had a manicure - I used to have someone come to pick my feet and do my nails when I live in Nigeria. I didn't bite my nails until I got married. I also used to have a massage twice a week in Nigeria, as I used to work from 0700 to 1430, which gave quite a bit of free time.

How do I keep the cats away from the Christmas tree? They're having a smashing time...

Dunno how to dissuade your cats from playing with the Christmas tree, QL, but look on the bright side: at least you don't have a dog who likes to wee on trees....

(we had to get a fake one in the end)