The Creped Crusaders - new thread!

[wilbur]

New thread for chatting. Oh and swapping S&B tips.

Having a manic day here - INSET day at school and I have 7 kids (inc my 3) over for lunch. While also trying to "work from home" and talk to removal people.

Come on Stropps! You have definitely earned a pass after all you have been through recently
And watch out if the weather's nice - DH is keen to go camping in Dorset/New Forest this summer!

Can I just say, apropos of nothing:

I AM REALLY BORED WITH COOKING.

I thank you

Me too. But I am quite enjoying drinking.

MI - there's a whole thread on here somewhere about the tediousness (tediosity??) of cooking. Together with the total lack of appreciation and gratefulness from miserable picky children.

It is rather late to be on the but I have just endured the Football Club AGM (I am Club Secretary, so ran the meeting), and I jolly well deserve a glass, late or otherwise.

I must go to bed, though. I have work tomorrow, then I have to lick my front garden into shape because 2,000-odd people will be looking at it on Saturday. No, ladies, this is not a euphemism; the village pageant procession goes past our house and I can't bear the thought of everyone sniggering at my un-trimmed hedge.

Nothing worse than an unkempt bush, CV.

I am not sure I can make the 15th now as DH will be back in London for work the following week and wanted to go back to London on the Friday (or at a push Saturday morning, which buggers up my shopping) to see his parents. I don't think I can risk my coming back on Eurostar on time not to bugger up his trip. Will look at the weekend before, if that is any use to anyone.

I am tired and grumpy and we have no milk and am not sure what shops are open (it's a public holiday here today).

How to get over the boredom with cooking? I love it if I have the time, but I never do these days, apart from at weekends. I either find myself slinging something in the slow cooker before I go to work, or we eat one of the following dishes in the evening: spag bol, chilli, chicken curry (numerous variations), salmon with boiled potatoes and salad, quiche and salad, pasta bake (ugh), chicken and blue cheese casserole, klops or kassler with sauerkraut and spuds. Oh or pasta with some sort of sauce involving bacon bits and tomatoes. I have over 200 cook books. This is embarrassing.

MrsS, please may I have your recipe for chicken and blue cheese casserole?

Just back from 2 hrs spent in a freezing theatre with a load of teenagers. Warming up with a large amount of coffee and some rather good choc brownies wot I made with the children's Easter chocolate rabbits Children like the brownies and they haven't even noticed the disappearance of the rabbits.

Back into school this afternoon. Dh is supposed to be in charge of getting ds to school with the right kit at the moment. They both failed miserably today and didn't even take a bag at all. Dh blamed it on the fact that ds had to go to school dressed as a character from Charlie and the Choc Factory. I cannot accept this as a good excuse as costume was all organised in good time and on ds before I left for work. Gah.

Oh dear, MrsS - seems we are doomed! How is 8th for others? It should be OK for me

CV, 2000+ people must walk past my garden every week and see my unkempt bush(es)!

DS will be celebrating the end of his SATs by now (he is not a level 6er!) - let's hope he still wants to celebrate when he gets the results

8th works for me too (I think.....there was talk of a work night out, but that has gone rather quiet).

BTM - DD1 seemed to think she was doing her L6 papers this afternoon, but that doesn't seem right. Poor child was planning on some serious letting-down-of-hair this afternoon!

I have PM'd you the recipe, Strops.

CV, I've no idea, but they could be doing them - depends what the school decides, I guess. But it seems a bit mean especially if most will be celebrating having finished!

OK so who could make the 8th June? Sign up here!
MrsS
BTM
CV

Well, as long as DP can be in.

Sound the S&B klaxon: I have just returned from TK Maxx with a pair of mumsnet favourites, the Levi Demi Curve jeans, for a mere £25! AND THEY APPEAR TO BE A SIZE 12. Frankly, I'm sceptical, as the waist is 31", but they were in the 'size 12' category in the shop and I'm sticking to it. They fit! And my muffinage doesn't spill over the waistband!

In other news, DP is now in Bangalore, marvelling at the total chaos. He's never been out of Europe, or America, before, so this is something of a culture shock. He was in a meeting today where the hosts presented him with a choice of a MacDonalds chicken burger or veggie burger, got in especially for the bemused westerner. Sweet.

Strops - I'd love to do a mini-crepe-meet when in Dorset. We'll get there 25 May, and be there for a week, so we can liaiaiaiaiaiase further.

Mrs S - just kill your boss and all your colleagues. Then you can have a nice rest in jail, knowing you've done the world a favour. Cocks.

Oooh, Herbs, we're off to the inlaws on Saturday and shopping sans enfants and there's a TK Maxx there - must go for a forage!
And Bangalore - mmm, lovely curries!

So
8th June?
MrsS
BTM
CV
Herbs

Sign up here!

He's so terrified of getting the squits he seems to be confining himself to processed carbohydrates, rather than sampling the local fare.

stop press Just got a text, saying he's having a curry. Fingers crossed!

I've just cleared out my chest of drawers and wardrobe and have got rid of loads of stuff I no longer wear. Very therapeutic. I could almost see MotherInferior sitting on my bed and saying "It doesn't fit. It is too big, get rid of it." (I have a habit of thinking I am much larger than I actually am - though not quite the size 24 my mother clearly thinks I am - and have lots of clothes with too much fabric.) I have also found a pile of rather nice tops, which I thought were too small, but looking at myself through MI's eyes, I think they probably do fit properly. I have got rid of the hideously patterned wrap dress that looks like an overall on me, and the (too big) floaty thing that makes me look like a pregnant whale. And a wrap cardigan (never worn) from Monsoon, which is size 22 (what was I thinking?) and which would fit me and DD2 at the same time.

I have also booked 3 nights at a hotel near Disney for me and the DDs (which would have been 10 quid cheaper, had I booked it last night, grrr). It is the same one we stayed in last year, which is very cheap and cheerful, but has the advantage of a) a nice outdoor pool and b) being located right next to the outlet mall, a large shopping centre and several perfectly good restaurants. It is also near the RER station, so we don't have to wait for the dreaded free shuttle bus to Disney. DH thought it was horrible, but you spend no time in the hotel, and as long as it is clean and has comfortable beds, I think it is fine.

And having cleared out my wardrobe, I ordered some tops from Boden. I have not bought from Boden for years - does their stuff come up big or small? I always remember their tops being too short for me...but these were sort of longer length things.

If you could see her through my eyes...

My mum is from Bangalore. I've lived there a couple of times, attending Bishop Cotton's School for Anglo-Indian Gurls at one point. We had to wear green cotton bloomers.

This is the school. I still remember every word of the school song. I shall regale you with it on 8 June.

Before or after you have had a few drinks?

MI your school looks fab! Are you on the list for the 8th?

Am I ever . It will be my last gasp of, er, 49th birthday celebrations.

Great!

8th June - sign up here!
MrsS
BTM
CV
Herbs
MI

Where IS Dukes? Hope she's not under her drumkit in the loft. I am going to PM her.....

Hooray! Dukes is still alive and kicking, but rather busy and wanted me to convey her cheery hellos to you all. Here's to hoping to see her back here asap