Autumn Term At Crepey Towers

[QueenQueenie]

I did it!

I casually mentioned a career change a few years ago, and my mother said "You wouldn't do that to me, would you? Just think how upset your father would have been." But she is quite safe as the chances of me doing anything else (or rather anyone employing me at a reasonable salary to do something else) are quite remote.

What is it about Sundays? I always find them profoundly depressing.

I have my weekly phone call to look forward to tonight, where she feigns to not recognise my voice and says she thought something had happened to me, as she hasn't heard from me for so long. I then pointlessly point out that the telephone works two ways, and she could actually phone me, whereupon she says she never knows if I am going to be in/be having dinner etc etc.

It's the suspicion everyone else is having a marvellous time rather than trying to evade domestic responsibilities. Yomping through autumn leaves in wholesome manner.

I am yomping off to Asda in a mo!
Then on to meet friends and do an art open-house thing locally.

Though I feel like throwing myself on my bed and weeping about what on earth has happened to my gorgeous DD

Takes a deep breath and sallies forth

And Addle, thinking of you - how did your DD's departure go?

Well I did go on a wholesome yomp this morning (not many autumn leaves yet) but then came over a bit peculiar and needed a lie down . Lack of sleep, not much breakfast and excess coffee, I think. Getting too crepey to expend energy without a good lining of porridge.

Mum is back and we also had both sisters and one BIL staying over till today, so lots of cooking and accommodating required. Mum seems even more deaf. She lost no time in criticising dd's gorgeous new dress but was quickly squished by my sister

Sorry to hear about the rudeness BTM, must be dispiriting. Dd is more of the smile, say yes then don't do it school. Inherits it directly from her father (though he also went to the tip last week and house seems bigger as a result)

Oh and MrsS, yes of course go on your own - how blissful not to have to worry about (or hear about) what anyone else thinks of the play or the performance. Used to go alone two or three times a week, when first moved to London and could still synapse on no sleep.

When we went to the NT cinema cast of Branagh's Macbeth, DM beside me was huffing and puffing like the big bad wolf every time Alex Kingston appeared as Lady M

Hello all - sorry MI I claim the lowest achieving crepey award (suspect I even beat Stropps)
Had friend over last night -cue lots of wine a tears at midnight. Then today am hosting another child as his grandfather has taken a turn for the worst and his mumis at the hospice. We have done the local castle - maze, zip wires, fights with swords and shields.

MrsS - go on your own. Dp and I have been known to go to the cinema and go to see different films :)

Whoops I don't mean - I didn't mean that the way it sounded!! I meant Stropps is probably wrong thinking she is the lowest achieving..... I am

I tried to take ds and dog on a wholesome walk around some fields but took something of a wrong turn and got trapped in a very large building site. Oops. Then didn't get lunch cooked until 4pm. Oops again. I am sorely tempted to cancel out the rest of the useful bits of today with more wine, but I will resist. No, really, I will.
Hahaha MI @ you being in any sense a low achiever. Or you, BD.
I recently purchased a teeny tiny new turbo vacuum cleaner which means that ds's new job is hoovering both flights of stairs. He does this quite happily. I consider this arrangement to be my best achievement in recent weeks.

Oh GOD I have only just remembered to nag DD2 about homework. Kill me now.

I have two job applications to get in by tomorrow. I am tied up from 0830 to 1830 tomorrow doing promotion boards, so not sure when I am going to get these done. I will have a half hearted attempt tonight.

Just back from w/e spent delivering pfb to Sheffield u. whole of the M1 packed with cars containing traumatised looking adults with a single child in the back and loose duvets, saucepans, etc. Am feeling overset, though pleased for her. And think you will find I am right there at the bottom of the career ladder, though have probably worked for more acronyms than anyone else. BTM your gorgeous DD will reappear, really she will but it's so tiring, and so upsetting. Mrs S. good luck with job applications and yes agree with everyone, go on your own.

Oh Addle what is PFB studying? (friend's pfb has just started there - Engineering....)

I am knackered. That was not the most restful weekend I can recall....

Oh Addle, big hugs {{{}}} Have you seen the long thread about leaving home for uni? I got fairly choked reading it

Good start to the week - DD was all sweet and polite this morning No doubt she will be back to normal service by home-time!

Addle - you need the Empty Nest Thread. I'm dreading this next year. At the parents evening - the teacher (who'd obviously gone through it herself) said that we should make the most of our eldest and just enjoy their company for the last year at home. She said even though they'd come back and visit they'll never be the same as they'd have lived away and gained some measure of independence.

Oh Hatty I am choking up just thinking of dd leaving this time next year.
Addle ( so nice talking to you btw)
I really wish your dd the best in Sheffield and hope that its a good fit for her. Hopefully she'll grow her wings and have a wonderful experience. Thinking of you on your first week without her.
X

Oh god. I'm snivelling and I've got 14 years to go.

thank you everyone. yes it was all great - accommodation (and social skills) have improved ALOT since i did all this and but we are very aware that it will never be quite the same again. have noticed i keep humming one of those songs you get taught at school where the refrain is 'will ye no come back again, better loved ye canna be' and then weeping slightly. gulp. will send her a postcard. crem, lovely talking to you too - maybe next time i'm in ni we could have tiny, tiny meetup.

secretly counts the days

Oh addle - she'll have such a wonderful time in Sheffield, but yes, it must be a wrench. Whatever you do, do not listen to Sunrise, Sunset from Fiddler on the Roof any time soon... I remember both mum and dad coming to drop me off at Uni (why do I need both of you? I demanded) and my dad reading every bit of bumf that had already been put through my halls door, my mum attempting to tidy my 5ft x 10 ft room , and then them just sitting on my bed, knowing they should go but clearly rooted to the spot. One of the best things my mum used to do was occasionally to sellotape pound coins to her letters with "BUY FISH WITH THIS" written in the margin . And I did - back when you could get a nice bit of fish for a quid.

Now, back to S&B. I am looking at these. Will I regret buying unnatural fibres? I am thinking that I am likely to be wearing a merino base layer under them, and that the moths won't eat them, so maybe the viscose will be ok. They also look not very long in the body, but for £15... Thoughts please.

MI, I'm with you.....just wondering if it's too early to ask DS to start packing.

Wilbur - that top is mostly viscose, which is a natural fibre, and it won't lose its colour or shape. I like that sort of thing, but only if it's worn under something else, otherwise it clings to the lumps and bumps rather.

I do have a friend who said something like 685 days till DS leaves home - I get the feeling that she's less attached to her DS than I am to DD. .

Love the fish story.

Is viscose actually a natural fibre? Isn't it chewed up wood juice or something? Not that I mind. I have no shame and wear all sorts. Except for that vile stuff which you never see any more anyway: Crimplene. Gah. Reminds me of a French teacher at my 1970s grammar school who had an enormous range of Crimplene trousersuits in a variety of loathsome colours.

I'm not very convinced that either of my dcs will leave home. I reckon they will both try to stay here until they're 40 and I chase them off down the road throwing things at them. The empty nest thing must be damn odd, though.

My parents couldn't wait to get rid of us, which was why they sent us to boarding school. My mother got in an almighty huff when I asked if she would take me to university the first time and wanted to know why I couldn't get the train. My father would certainly have seen it as utter overkill to have accompanied her. Loved the "BUY FISH WITH THIS", wilbur

Are you sure viscose is natural? - I thought it was nasty plastic stuff. DD2 has amassed so much viscose that I now have to have a separate delicate wash cycle just for her clothes.

Stropp's - that's so sad - I think I'm the sort of parent that'll be thrown out of the halls by an embarrassed DD.