A Crepey is not just for Christmas...

[oldqueencrepey]

It had to be done.
Phew that feels better.
Over here crepeys. All very welcome (but only if you're crepey).

[bigTillyMint]

Ruby, I never realised you were so big My goddaughter is the same size!
And what a lovely SIL you are

[Stropperella]

Awww, Ruby, that's a lovely story. I hope your SIL is feeling a bit better.

Yay, Wilbur, glad your trip is going well. I still quite often get the urge to hide in cupboard on social occasions.

Retirement never going to happen for me. Dh is already retirement age and is getting his state pension but has no prospect of actually retiring at the moment. C'est la vie.

I wear the heavy duty shock absorber sports bras too. They do last a reasonably long time and ensure no movement at all. I got an M&S for one for dd, but she hardly ever wears it, unfortunately.

Sooooo, BD, are you coming on Friday? And have you still got your Bongo and will you be bringing it down to the south coast any time this year? :)

[Blackduck]

ahh Ruby, can you be my SIL?!

Stropps - I am currently looking at trains and fares - so we live in hope - although dp is pissed off as this is his first weekend not working (did he tell me? - did he hell), and ds thinks I should never go away!! :)
Bongo is in a field in Worcester at the mo......

[bigTillyMint]

Come on BD, tell them it's a mens bonding weekend at home

[wilbur]

Thanks for the sports bra recommendations, I will check out m&s. I used to have a great hefty crop top which definitely prevented movement - flattened my books out into no more than an impressive pair of pecs - but like ruby said, it was a faff getting in and out of it.

Ruby - well done with your SIL. Sorry she's having a bad time - companionship is the best tonic though, you were right to kidnap her! When someone can't see the wood for the trees, outside POVs can be a lifesaver.

[wilbur]

Books? Boobs, BOOBS! Bloody predictive typing.

[MrsSchadenfreude]

Shockabsorbers are the way to go. DD1 is a 32G and it is the only thing that keeps her mammaries where they should be (and she does a lot of sport). Still on the subject of bras, any idea where I can find DD2 a bra that is soft, stretchy and preferably with some cotton in it, and not underwired. She is currently in a 32C from M & S, but it is really too big in the back (it rides up) and too small in the cup (the middle bit in the front is not flat against her body). She hates sports bras with a passion, largely, I think, because they are a struggle to get into. I am not sure what size she should be - probably something like a 28DD/30E, which sounds quite large, but she does not look huge (if that makes sense?) - probably because they are nice and perky. It's impossible to get any bras here that are not underwired above an A cup, so I will have to do mail order from UK...

[alto1]

Found you!

Glad to see numbers are swelling.

I've been caught up in various horrors at work. Got in such a rage with an arsey colleague today that I had to bring work home and kick the walls. Keep telling myself how lucky I am to have a job etc (and really, know I am) while I think longingly about early retirement. Sorry to hear MrsS and MI having work-related stress as well.

Still in thick layers here and lighting the fire every evening. Not much Style or Beauty, but good haircut cheered me up a bit. Bought the Rimmel lip gloss the Guardian recommended but it was seriously alarming, stained everything and frightened my DH. No weight loss for me but the dog is looking svelte, since we started putting the cat's food on a table out of her reach...

Choir is the best thing since before sliced bread, I've decided.

Have a good time at the meet-up, everyone.

[motherinferior]

I ought to do some singing practice, but may not . I am clearly possibly pre-menstrual, and am MASSIVELY FED UP about endlessly having to produce meals, especially ones that (a) use up what we've got (b) are almost instantaneous to prepare.

Also I do need a haircut as I am reminding myself irresistibly of John Craven's Newsround circa 1975 every time I look in the mirror.

[Stropperella]

Ahhh, 1975. I liked 1975 - that was when my worst worries were about keeping my place in the school netball team and the fact that my mother made me wear a home-knitted school jumper when everyone else had slimy nylon numbers from C&A...

[Stropperella]

(I really, really wanted a jumper just like everyone else's)

[Blackduck]

I had choir tonight...we can sing 'moon river' - just those two words you understand :) bloody hard keeping in tune when you have altos, tenors and bass... Altos kept drifting towards the tenors - could take us years to get to 'wider than a mile....' :)
However, I love it, it gets me out and I am doing something that scares me :)
I'm sick of cooking too - god knows what we will eat tomorrow night.... Sigh....

[oldqueencrepey]

How about if everyone posts just one favourite family meal, to inspire the rest of us, alleviate the tedium of family supper, assist with the burden of thinking them up...?

OK. tonight we had: egg noodles, stir fried with lots of spring onion and ginger, served with stir fried beef and veg (the meat marinated for a bit before cooking with teriyaki sauce, chilli, garlic and star anise). easy peasy.

[herbaceous]

We should start a crepey choir! I even have the sheet music for Moon River, in four parts!

Nightmare babysitting last night. Baby had cold, and woke up at 8.15. Wouldn't go back down. Three-year-old then woke up shouting 'no, no, I don't like you', and wouldn't be consoled. At 10 I summoned the parents back! It's sad. We met at nct, and she's become a really good friend. They're moving away in a week or so, and ill really miss her.

[beachyhead]

Well old queen crepey, here's my offering of a no thought dinner at beachy's.

Brown chicken breasts or bits of chicken in butter,
add tbsp of flour and then 3/4pt of stock.
Then add 2tbsp of white wine vinegar, 2 tsp of French mustard, 1 tsp of tarragon, 2ozs of grated cheddar.
Cook up in oven for a while (30-45mins) and then add some cream before serving. Serve with rice and veg.

Sorry for vagueness, but I just tend to throw it all in...

Well done on the kidnapping - she'll remember that kindness for a long time.

Looking forward to seeing you all on Friday. I'm apparently causing complete chaos by daring to leave the family to look after themselves for 24 hours. Oh the things that have to be missed (namely a boozy lunch at the rugby club for dh) in the name of mumsnet!

I can't opine on sports bras or choirs as I don't exercise or sing! (I march up hills in the rain, but no special equipment needed in the boobage department for that!)

[bigTillyMint]

I am banned from singing in our house. And from doing karaoke

But I do march about - not many hills round here, and not usually too much rain, thank God!

Quick meals - do a similar stir-fry once a week, get bulk cooked meals out of freezer or do a slow-cooker stew... Actually jerk chicken is a big fav - just use Levis sauce and marinade, then bung in oven with homemade potato/sweetpotato wedges and serve with whatever veg. Although I often make a Levi-aubergine, pepper and tomato with smoked paprika sort of ratatouille which is devine!

What time are you able to get started on the cocktails on Fri, crepesters? I have to have something to look forward to and get me through the trauma that is my Thursday and Friday lovelies!

[Blackduck]

I am banned from singing - doesn't stop me!!
God I can't even think of recipes ...

[hattymattie]

Mrs S did you try Decathlon? I know she hates sports bras but they may have something suitable - I bought for DD2 and it is not underwired. The whole class was told they had to wear sports bras or they would increase their risk of breast cancer (bloody french sports teachers).

[hattymattie]

I too am banned from singing - but I am allowed on the wii - it gives them a feeling of superiority.

[bigTillyMint]

Hattie are you in gay Paree aussi? Must look in decathlon when we are next there....

So ruby, I can probably get there about 5.30 - how does that suit you? And anyone else, of course

[alto1]

Meals when I can't face it-

Wholewheat pasta with

1. creme fraiche, smoked salmon pieces and dill
   
2. Tinned mackerel in tomato sauce, peas on the side
   
3. Pesto, peas and tinned artichoke hearts (yes, I know, all green)
   
   When I can (or dh can)
   
   
4. Nigella's veg chilli from Feast
   
5. Alistair Worrall-Thompson's veg curry
   
6. Salmon fillets spread with pesto or garlic mayo and baked

[beachyhead]

I'm aiming for the Waterloo area at about 5:30 but I'll pop my stuff in the dodgy and then I'll be on my way to wherever I'm told... I need to rethread to find out where we are off to

[bigTillyMint]

OK, so it's me ruby and beachy for cocktails. Again

Anyone else? Stropps, are you around early?