The Crepe Escape

[Cremolafoam]

We were getting to the end.

You could give it a go Herbs - the Decathlon one worked brilliantly on our old ski gear. And great that your DM's party went so well

No music exams here any more - thankfully both gave up!

However we have injury-angst. DD has a bad knee (been going on for a while) which her old gym coach (who is training as a physio) thinks could be due to that leg being longer than the other and thinks DD should rest it. DD is adamant she is not having a break from gym. We have a doctors appt on Tues, but I fear a return to the orthopaedics clinic for more xrays and the scary consultant
DS has an Achiles tendon injury but seems, bizarrely OK about missing footy and doing swimming squad again instead

Twas sunny here too - I actually renewed the window box - how many weeks days till they all die on me?

And MrsS, your Australian Crunchie and Flapjacks recipes are a hit!

Herbs - so glad the book was a success, and the cake (respect to the emergency patisserie - I bet they loved the story). I bet your mum will be telling people about it over and over from now on . Sympathies re the dreadful cousin, I think every family has one, although be careful on MN if you're even distantly related to someone in UKIP...

Poor old ds2 had a huge hayfever reaction to something at cricket this morning and had to go to the walk-in clinic as his eyes swelled up like some kind of bullfrog. Even the actual eyeball was swollen, which totally freaked dh out. Piriton seems to have done the trick and they've gone down, but now I feel bad that I have not taken his bit of hayfever very seriously so far. His eyes are still bright red like something out of a horror movie . I hate the idea of dosing up both boys all through the summer, but what else can I do? Ds1 always improves once the trees have stopped flowering, so I'm hoping at least ds2 will be the same on that front.

MrsS - hope dd2's entrance exam goes well.

Wilbur, poor DS2 - A few of the children (and adults) at work suffer badly with hayfever - it really is debilitating, isn't it?

And good luck to your DD2, MrsS!

DD1 is babysitting for a friend round the corner. She has done some craft stuff with the girls and made them dinner. They are now watching a dvd. She says she is allergic to their cats and forgot her puffer. (Typical.) So I am having a very rare solitary evening, eating what I want (poached egg on toast), drinking tea and listening to Rumer. Have done a great deal of cleaning, tidying and washing today, and need to crack on with job applications tomorrow. DH says that DD2 seems quite calm about her exams, which is good.

I am currently looking at property porn and fantasising about leaving London and buying this

Wow mrs S bargain! Anything like that around here would be over the million mark. Fancy that conservatory-kitchen mucho.

Naice

S&B question - yesterday's charity shop haul netted a red linen smocky Jigsaw dress I'm going to shorten to long tunic length. Do I need to dye it? I don't usually wear red but red linen is so fab...

Also any idea how posh/formal I should go on press jolly trip to Guernsey on Fri? Is presentations on Fri PM, then overnighter in posh hotel then day out and about...

MI, fraid I can't advise as I never get to go on anything like that

MrsS, yes, what a lot you get for your money out of London. Just don't think I could do it! DH and I can't think of anywhere we would move to that isn't abroad!

DD put herself to bed at 7pm last night (having already napped in the afternoon) - guess what? She was having a "sleepover" with her besties on Saturday night

Oh and MI, I expect that you could open a charity shop with all your charity-shop bargains - have you got a whole dressing room for them?

MI, I guess I would go smart casual for the presentation, probably posher for dinner, and then smart casual with comfy shoes for day out the next day.. Lucky you!

MI - same as Beachy. Otherwise I'm like BTM - never get exciting stuff like this.

Mrs S - house is gorgeous and cheaper than my hovel here.

Special treat this afternoon - we are going in the car to the big M&S as DH needs a suit How sad is my life??

I would love that house, but it's a no-no while I'm tied to working in London - the commute is grim (I did it for 3 years). Not to say extortionately expensive.

Hattymattie - is M & S open today? Are most shops open? I can't keep up with all these French holidays.

Cor, changing for dinner? Eek. As you can see I never get stuff like this usually either. And is Group Thing which rather throws me. I am madly sociable with people I like..but suppose I don't?

Any views on red with my red hair then, eh? (And yes, BTM, I'm sure you're right. Books too.)

Nice house Mrs S, but that conservatory kitchen would be a bugger temperature-wise. Boiling in summer, freezing in winter...

Yes to red with red hair. I think red works well - shades of pink can be more difficult though.

On the dress thing - I would also go for smart casual. I am a minimalist packer, so I would probably wear the same thing for dinner as during the day, but put a (different?) scarf on, or if you are wearing trousers, just change the top.

I did wonder about the conservatory kitchen, Herbs. DBIL has his own company installing conservatories, and assures me it doesn't have to be like that if it has been done properly with the right kind of glass. Not entirely convinced by this, to be frank! We rented two houses with conservatories that were, as you say, either freezing or boiling, and unusable for this reason for about 8 months of the year.

But MrsS, why Northamptonshire?
I like conservatories (if the modern type - not the retirement type!) but DH doesn't

Mrs S - agree about conservatories. Too risky.

So Ouest is open today so I'm assuming M&S is - looking forward to biscuits, crumpets etc. Plus will load up on cheap knickers.

I shall go for black Uniqlo jeggings and change top accordingly. Many thanks lovely friends.

I love the expat yearning for Brit baked goods

When I am back in UK, no doubt I will insist on buying my bread from Paul and huff about the impossibility of getting a decent "tradi" or croissant!

I stocked up on cheap knickers for DD2 on Saturday, Hatty. She likes their "boy short" style. Our local Franprix and Monoprix both stock crumpets, but I do buy M & S biscuits.

BTM - because that is where we lived when we were in UK and we have a good network of friends there - as do the girls. It is also very close to DPIL.

MrsS, hope dd2's exam goes well today. That house is huge. All I can think of when I see a large house is: that's a lot of space for dust to collect in.

Wilbur, your poor ds. I think my eyes actually watered in sympathy when I read about his swollen eyeballs.

Herbs, congrats on the successful partayy and book. Hope the cake-scoffing builder still has a job.

There is a special summer offer on at the local leisure centre, which has lead to dh, me and dd becoming members there. We can now go swimming, attend fitness classes and use the gym as often as we like for 3 months. Arguably, dh is the one who really needs this, so I figured I would join to give him moral support. Or something. I aim to try out all the fitness classes. I did one on Saturday, which was about the same level of nastiness as circuits but with a shouty man in charge. Meh. Next up, pilates. I will try almost anything once. (Except eating less.)

It is raining again here. Was thinking of going to the cinema with DD1 to see The Great Gatsby later, but I think we may just hunker down here with a dvd, as we have a huge pile that we haven't watched yet. Have finished mucking out DD2's room, DD1 is doing her own, and have now to set to with the linen cupboard.

MrsS - dh and I lived very close to that house around the time we got married 15 years ago. I think we may have bought our place from the same Estate Agent . But you're right, the commute is grim - dh had to do it for the last few months we were there, up and down the M1.

Stropps - I have been finding pilates v good, seems to have helped my back enormously. I'm also better able to suck my gut in after a huge meal.