Crepeys Not Crêpes

[Cremolafoam]

Oi over here hags

Sedate evening with sedate middle-aged friends, but a glass or two too many and that's it, these middle-aged days.

Our last day in grey, drizzly Ireland. It has been a fairly low-key visit, but I've done a lot of catching up on sleep and the odd bit of shopping. What more do I need?

Trying to warm up in the hotel bar at the moment, having been out to the cemetery for All Saints' Day. Weather has been a bit trying - cold and either snowy or wet, with wind. Back home tomorrow. Am a bit huffy as tried to sort out online check in with Swiss, and they didn't recognise my name. Of course, they had booked it under DH's, because he's the man of course. Also unimpressed with airport security on the way here - was it really necessary for the woman to stick her hand down the front of my knickers, and lift up my T shirt to expose my scarred, saggy and fat stomach to everyone in the caff opposite. I get "special treatment" with security every time I fly - I must look really suspicious.

Did a presentation today, feeling a bit hard done by because the service I was talking about will be reorganised anyway, regardless of anything I might say.

At the end, a colleague unexpectedly got up, made a lovely thank-you speech and gave me a card, signed by the whole team, and a present. Cheered me up a fair bit .

Also, had long-dreaded appointment re: shoulder. Physio doesn't think it's fully frozen. Examination was painful but exercises seem gentle enough to be possible. Worth a try anyway.

Alto, congrats!

MrsS: I have to say nobody ever feels the urge to probe my pants and I am biting back a slight sense of envy.

MrsS - how come it always happens to you?! Envy MI???

Well done alto - how lovely to get a bit of appreciation.

Have been busy all day entertaining the Frogs.

No-one felt my pants at Knock airport; the only embarrassing moment was when DH tried to claim the DCs were 11, 10 and 8 in a blatantly dishonest attempt to avoid an extra 10 euro Departure Tax (payable for all 12-and-overs).

We reckoned without DD1, who was paying close attention. "No Dad, DS is 12, you idiot." "That'll be 30 euro please," said the stony-faced official.

Tis lovely to be home, though.

We are the lurgy house. Only ds has escaped from some fluey-type virus that has felled the rest of us. I have a banging headache, sore throat and alternating sweats and chills. As does everyone else. We have a family-sized pack of lemsips... (Well, the Boots cheapo version, actually )

Germs notwithstanding, dd and I attended a CAMHS workshop this morning. Very reluctantly, in her case. But it came good in the end and will, I hope, be of use to her.

Am supposed to be having my photo taken professionally tomorrow. This makes my blood run cold with fear, but I need a decent photo for work purposes and I have no such thing and cannot easily get hold of one. I am possibly the most unphotogenic person in the world. Small features, wonky face and hair tending to craziness do not an ideal model make. I have had a new haircut that I quite like and have (wait for it, wait for it) had a wee bit of reddish semi-permanent colour put on, as I was feeling v. drab and mousey. I don't mind my greys in the summer, but I just look tired and washed out at the mo. If I can just get the photographer to photoshop out all signs of "old", I will be sorted.

MI, I have just had a peek at the IK/LJ thread. A well-developed sense of self-preservation stops me from posting on it, but goodness me, someone needs to do an exposé of just how much alive and kicking the old school tie network is. 'S'all I'm sayin'. Meritocracy my arse.. (Bitter, who, me?)

And now it's time for some more lovely Lemsip. Yum. (bleargh, but it works faster than just taking the tablets)

hello crepey ones. Well, we've all made it through to another friday, phew... Has thread gone a bit quietish due to rl half terms distracting everyone do you think? We've dropped of our first page perch so thought I'd give us a quick bump. My boys were off last week so it all feels a bit topsy turvy. On a vaguely s and b note a man has just come and (finally) fitted my new bedroom curtains. They are rather gorgeous if i say so myself.... Good weekends to all.

ooh overtaken by stropps!

I was thinking of you on that thread...

I have a new knitted tunic which was on offer at Sainsbo's a snip at a nearby very exclusive frockery

at OQ's new curtains. [eyes living room windows covered by brown fringed velour] In fact, I am consumed by house envy most of the time at the moment due to joining Pinterest (which I luuuurve) and salivating over everyone else's dream gardens/kitchens/bedrooms.

Glad you got some recognition for your work, alto - have you had any further thoughts about where you will go from here?

Stropps - sorry about your cold, but I like the sounds of new hair do. Bet the photos come out really well. Am now wondering what the IK/LJ thread is all about, although I can guess....

Well if it makes you feel any better about the curtains of loveliness we have had NO bedroom curtains since around easter... they are cream and grey and sort of snakeskinny.... the children HATE them.

OQ, the children hate them? This must mean that those curtains are very nice indeed. Clearly too grown-up to be appreciated by minors

Dh is doing some kind of nutrition-free din-dins involving tins for the dcs and I am off to bed in the hope of looking luffly and fresh in the morning for my photocall. (as if)

Ruby, SURELY he's prepared to walk on his knees so you can have your dream house?

at Ruby's DH with permanent hunch. We used to live in a 18th century cottage; the ceiling height was just about OK (DH isn't much taller than me) but the doors were all about 5 foot 6 inches in height. We soon learned to duck, but no visit from friends/family was complete without somebody smacking forehead-first into a doorframe.

I think Ruby's husband is being most unreasonable ......
We did the local firework display last night - two men in a field whilst we stood on the pub patio eating burgers and chips :) just long enough to go oh and ahh and not freeze :)
Talking houses carpenter cabinet maker has been and we now have a nice bookcase/balustrade and he has measured up to build me a window seat (with rest for a cup of tea and a bacon sarnie). Painter comes in a couple of weeks... We are getting there...

Aaaahhh, ruby, there is a plus-side of marrying a short-arse!

Window seat sounds lovely BD. And new curtains, OQ, especially if the DC don't like them

Missed the fireworks last night as we ended up playing on the old wii with our French visitors (interspersed with a trip to the pub for the adults - who'd have thought banana beer could be so delicious?!) - we had only got it out to sell. Now am reconsidering as it was really quite fun!

We are debating whether to go to the local fireworks display tonight - I say "local" but it happens to be the biggest event in the south-east, with a torch-lit procession and a spectacular firework display that runs to nearly 20 minutes. It's a fun evening, but the roads close at some ridiculous early hour so it requires a degree of planning.

Last year, one of my friends who lives in the village had us round for early drinks, so we left the car at hers, but no such invitation has been extended this year - how dare she have other friends/plans!

DH said he'd rather sit at the top of Box Hill and watch it from there - spectacular, no doubt, but not quite in keeping with the spirit of things.

Right, having unpacked from Warsaw, I am now packing for Vienna. I have, unfortunately, mislaid all of the papers that they sent me to read in advance. I have just found the birthday card I bought for DH last year and forgot to give him for his birthday then. I feel it is also too late for this year, as his birthday was yesterday.

Am off to the doc on Monday morning as my knee is still no better from my attempted acrobatics. In fact it is worse, and I can barely walk.