The CrepeVine

[MrsSchadenfreude]

How did we finish the other thread so fast...? Less than a month.

I went to a drinks do this evening and have just found a large piece of samosa nestling in my dress (it's an empire line type thing, elasticated a bit under the bosom). Sophisticated and classy, non?

Mrs S - 7th/8th arrondisements please but do feel free to throw in anything of particular interest.

Strops - I always feel like this and I always seem to get it wrong - I have about as much as you on the dress front.

Crem - keep us posted on your uni touring.

at samosa. I went to book club last night and saw when I got home that I must have rubbed my eye and I had mascara smeared all round it. You'd think somebody could have said something.

DH is making me watch Shaun of the Dead for my "general culture".

Large preteens (one 12yo significantly taller than DH!) with nerf guns now gone and DD back from gym - think it's safe to crack open a beer

Always nice to have a snack about your person Mrs S!

Stropps. Stop wringing your hands and focus.

1. What did you wear to last meet up when I met you. I have firm memory of you looking nicely dressed, but not the details... which IMO is a good approach to this dreaded party.
2. What trews do you have that are plain but not jeans?

Stropps you'll be lovely no matter what you wear. I am famous for getting it wrong and my weight goes up and down all the time so I often have things too tight or too big but wear them anyway as I've bloody paid for them.
Also cat hair everywhere here. And those lovely black grime marks along the skirting thanks to filthy cats and slovenly me.
Pah ! What the heck!
More

this is one of my regular lunch haunts

a bit more pricy

if you like souffle

my favourite but possibly a bit far out for you

Obamarama!

I will have a think about some more.

QQ, that was the point I was trying to make to Stropps (1.) only you put it far more eloquently

MrsS

Madame S I was going to suggest
Le petit cler
Or indeed the Musee d'Orsay dining room which is fun if not just for the unnecessary chandeliers

Stropps hope it goes okay - everyone is right, you looked great when I met you (although smaller than I imagined :) ) so wear that outfit.
I don't do high shoes and all that either (still feel - even at my age - like I've raided my mums wardrobe :) ).

Actually I think you are all stylish ladies (creep :) )

MrsS I did at the samosa - never know hen you might be in dire need of food and stranded in the middle of no-where.

I am firmly back on 5:2 after having caught myself in the mirror at the hotel Thursday night - not a pretty sight.

Oh thanks Mrs S - I've got enough there to keep me in fine dining for a while. I especially like the look of the first and last ones.

DH is involved in the renovation of a parisian palace that has been bought privately. He has arranged for us to have a tour with the chief engineer - as it's probably the only opportunity in my life to set foot in such a gaff. We thought we'd have lunch beforehand (and roll up slightly squiffy).

Do you know Stropps - I'm usually just happy if somebody talks to me at these do's and I don't notice so much what people are wearing. x

About to drive to Sheffield, after bad night's sleep, to stay at friend's house. It will not be restful - she has twins, three months older than DS. Much fun will be had, but I may need a long lie down all next week.

Give my love to Sheffield, Herbs - I haven't been back in 25 years, but I had a fab 4 years there as a student

I do not possess a single pair of heels and am constantly berated for this but refuse to put my feet through the experience. This v much hampers my ability to look like Proper Grown Up.

Stropps? All went okay?

Stropps. Speak to us (if you can speak).

Dorking, Strops? A mere 4 miles from this very house? Hope it all went swimmingly, and you found an outfit you felt comfortable in.

You'll notice it didn't actually rain in Dorking today, oh no. A mere suggestion of dampness on a couple of occasions but NO ACTUAL RAIN. Thank the lord. The occupants of Chateau Cointreau were up at 5.45am, and assembling marquees by 7am, but the whole tournament went pretty damned well; no scoring mistakes, no airborne tents, only one broken arm, an early bath for Cointreau Junior, but no rain. We got home at about 8pm, snarfed a takeaway and collapsed groaning on the sofa, and I'm very shortly off to bed. Thank goodness it's over for another year.

No rest for the wicked - tomorrow is Cup Final day, off to Ashford for DS's Surrey Youth League cup final, but at least I don't have to Do Anything, just turn up. Enjoy the rest of your weekend, crepeys.

CV, send out a search party - she could be lying in a ditch

CV sounds like your footy went well - I have been with DH and friends, celebrating our local team winning the league - so promotion next season!

Good luck to your DS

Mickleham Village Hall, to be exact, CV And it rained there sometime between 4 and 5 - I know because I was outside having my picture taken at the time.

Crepeys, I wore my (smartest) jeans and db said that when sil was angsting about what to wear, he said "Not to worry, we'll never be scruffier than Stropps and her dh". In fact, we were out-scruffed by some of the cousins. The only people wearing dresses were the old ladies. Who were, frankly, legion. Oh and a cousin who was making a speech also wore a dress.
The dcs had a great time meeting lots of new-to-them cousins. Even dd was seen to crack the odd smile, especially when she found a step-cousin her own age with similar interests. I re-found some v. funny and irreverent people I hadn't seen for a couple of decades and we made plans to see each other again soon. And I managed to more or less completely avoid the less likeable individuals.

The cousin with Hodgkins - son of the party hosts - has just had a clear scan following his final chemo. So this was most excellent news and everyone was v. happy.

It was all better than I thought it would be. And dh would like me to tell you that he was nice to me all the way there and did his best to boost my confidence - even though I shouted at him for most of the journey.

As a footnote: all of the under-10s were entertained for the entire party in a separate room by minders. They had a fab time. They were not seen and not heard. I thought this was a bit OTT when my aunt sounded me out when she was party-planning, but actually it was blardy fab.

so glad you had a good time. Mickleham Village Hall. 500 years ago, when I was a teenager I used to ride on Mickleham gallops. Happy days!

Glad it went well Stropps and that you had a good time :)

Stropps sounds like you had a really good day and were not the scruffiest/vilified (remember that when you are next having a wobble about your clothes)

I am feeling a leetle rough after an early doors yesterday to celebrate our local team winning their league. DD has asked me to go shopping with her, so we will be braving your local shopping centre later, MI - classy, us!

I have to say I was clearly not the only person in a state before that party. My poor sil was practically gibbering when she arrived and when I told her what I felt like, she said "OMG, welcome to the inside of my head". Three of the most intimidating guests didn't make it because 2 of them had a bug and the one didn't fancy the long journey by herself.
Immense thought had clearly gone into the seating plan (5-course sit-down lunch), as we were on the "self-employed wasters and blended families" table. And far, far away from those who were glaring at us when the comment that "informal dress code does not mean casual" was made (as part of a light-hearted aside) during one of the speeches. Our table did a collective cringe at that point . I just think men have it soooo much easier on occasions like this. Except for dh, who doesn't actually have a suit he fits into anymore and won't buy one to wear once in 5 years.