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Original poster

The Crepe Papers

999 replies

motherinferior · 05/10/2013 18:40

Did it!

OP posts:
lalsy · 20/10/2013 15:31

The work of all mothers is invisible, pointless, low skilled and undemanding though, didn't you know? Smile

Original poster
motherinferior · 20/10/2013 16:43

It's because I don't go to work in an office. I am still really cross with her. Also DP is being a total pain in the @rse rearranging the house (perhaps I should send him round to the Schadenfreudehause) and flumping stuff about. Mostly books.

OP posts:
Blackduck · 20/10/2013 17:59

I am Angry at dp's brother who has just phoned to say his wife is having her 50th next Saturday - so clearly we are a last minute invitation - maybe someone cancelled? Dp's parents and sister are going - I am seething at the cheek of it. Either invite us properly with plenty of notice or don't bother at all ....

bigTillyMint · 20/10/2013 18:36

That's a strange one, BD. Does DP get on with his SIL?

Cremolafoam · 20/10/2013 18:50

Bd that sounds rude tbh.
Were you aware of the party prior to being invited.?

Blackduck · 20/10/2013 19:44

No we knew nothing about it. We get on, but are not close, they are all in the south and we only see them at family gatherings. It's just clear that this was organised ages ago and it's only today we have been told.

wilbur · 20/10/2013 20:35

Addle - glad concert was good, bet you were all brilliant.

BD - how crap about the 50th invite. Is there a chance they are just doing a last minute thing?

MrsS - believe me, fridge is pretty much a solitary oasis of form and function in this house. I've spent today trying to scrape plaster off quarry tiles (thought it had worked, but now they are dry they still look terrible Angry) and sort out kids rooms. Found more disgustingness than I can bear to admit in there, and so many lost bits of toys, broken stuff etc that it's just beyond depressing. Oh, and loads of mouse droppings for added joy. Am going to have to get some of the mouse killer that CV (I think?) recommended - can you remind me what it was CV? Your plan for the flat sounds about right, we have procrastinated here, waiting for the refurb faries to arrive and I'm regretting not just slapping some paint in various depressing places, putting up shelves and pictures temporarily and at least being able to live without tripping over stuff every where we turn.

Going to stroke fridge now. Think I might love it more than I love my family.

Original poster
motherinferior · 20/10/2013 20:44

I must have a final push on my office. We moved a bookshelf in there to conceal the disastrous fireplace - and give it a bit more insulation; but I can see the cheap and nasty charity shop bookshelf with sagging shelves is going to be a fixture too. Must at least buy some replacement boards for shelves and a spot of Annie Sloan paint...

OP posts:
bigTillyMint · 20/10/2013 20:54

Yes, yes, what was the mouse killer? Though no more signs since there was a dead un on the glue trapSmile

MrsSchadenfreude · 20/10/2013 22:42

I reckon I could paint at least two rooms in a weekend. I could start with our bedroom and the sitting room, and then move onto DD2's. DD1 wants hers papered in cow print paper... I want to know how far we have got with these sodding shelves... have they actually been ordered or not?

MI - I have huge sympathies over long division and that ridiculous "chunking" method. DD1 was taught this and never understood LD. I taught her the traditional way, which she grasped, after a fashion, but was told very frostily by her teacher not to interfere as she had to learn and demonstrate her workings by the chunking method, not the old gimmers' method. Two years later, DD2 was taught using the old gimmers' method...

We got DD2's interim school report on Friday. She seems to be doing OK, maths teacher very pleased with her, has caught up with Spanish class (and got an A) despite them having a year on her. French not so good, but I think she is bored. DD1's marks give an average by computer - her straight As for science have been pulled down to a C- overall by two tests done when she had just come back from a week off school and had missed all the work leading up to the test. No leeway, and no chance to re-do the test. She is not happy.

CointreauVersial · 20/10/2013 23:44

Sorexa D is what you want to kill the mousies. We haven't had them back since, although no doubt some more will move in for the winter.

DH and I popped out for an hour this afternoon, leaving the DCs home alone. When we got back, I noticed the dustpan and brush were out, but my questions were met with vague shrugs. Eventually, DD2 confessed that she and her sister had found the lure of the enormous sack of polystyrene beads I had just purchased for bean-bag re-stuffing was just too great; after rolling about on it for a while DD1 sat down heavily on it, blowing a hole in the bag (she's no lightweight) and unleashing a huge quantity of beads right across the living room floor. Grin I can only picture the scene of panic, but to their credit they set to work, and the floor was practically spotless by the time we walked in.

Blackduck · 21/10/2013 07:02

CV - Grin at beads..
Wilbur - no I doubt this is last minute as would need booking in advance (not at home) - I am afraid I lost it last night (feeling a tad unloved and put upon and this was the straw...) dp really doesn't give a flying which doesn't help.

Here it is damp patches and hyposomething salts that have to be dealt with.....

Original poster
motherinferior · 21/10/2013 09:32

CV, that scenario could so easily have been replicated here. Including the tidying up Grin

OP posts:
bigTillyMint · 21/10/2013 09:34

Or here, though I doubt the tidying up would have been as good, if at all, particularly if it was DD that had made the hole!

Stropperella · 21/10/2013 09:39

Yep, BTM, same here. In fact all the beads would just have been pushed under the sofa and the dog would have been blamed for the entire incident. Grin

Stropperella · 21/10/2013 09:51

I am sooooooooo sick of the ridiculous exams "system" we have at the moment. Dd has had tests and exams virtually every damn week since she has been in Yr 11. The week before last she had her geography mocks. WTF? Why mocks now? Apparently so the teachers could work out who to enter for Higher and who to enter for Foundation? Uh, given the year group is divided into 9 sets and has been tested at least once a month for the last year, you'd think they would know that by now. Today she has a full day of exams for triple science. These are apparently the real deal and cannot be retaken. Hmm These are ISAs (independent skills assessments) and sound essentially like practicals to me. (Plan experiment, do experiment, write it up). Why now? And then there's a mega-pressure maths test tomorrow. There is no let-up this year and I honestly cannot see the point of all this. They spend more time doing tests than they actually spend learning anything. And as for shifting the bloody grade boundaries... Aaaargh. The students are already feeling as though however hard they work, their quals will be dubious. What is this whole experience teaching them, exactly?

Stropperella · 21/10/2013 11:10

Bah, I have just discovered I also have rodent issues. Despite my best high-security efforts, the little feckers have broken into my shed and have eaten a hole in the chicken food bag. This must have happened overnight as there was no sign of them yesterday. Have sent the dog into the shed on a mission, but he is just rummaging in the jumble. I need to get all the stuff out and then send him in there, which I can't do in this weather. Plus I have a rather pressing deadline. In the meantime, the chicken food will have to live in the sitting-room...

CointreauVersial · 21/10/2013 13:03

Strops - I can't put anything in our shed, as it is too full of holes to keep the wildlife out - last year the mice ate a bag of hyacinth bulbs and a box of grass-seed. The rabbit food only survived because it was in a plastic bin - maybe that's what you need.

Another day of non-productivity in the office - Friday's virus was apparently a strain "never seen before" by the virus protection provider, so they have been updating scanning software to deal with it. Meanwhile it has spread to our network, so I've been getting black looks all morning from the MD. I am moonlighting from a desk across the office, where the PC doesn't do very much, so progress has been painful (MN still works, though Wink).

bigTillyMint · 21/10/2013 13:21

Stropps, that's another good reason to not get a dog - DD and DS have joined forces in the plea for a dog for Christmas! We won't be getting one, but I am finding myself looking a little enviously at other peoples dogsShock

Yes the whole exams scenario is awful. I really feel for the current Y11's (and am pretty concerned about the Y10's as is DD) - it is their futureAngry

Lucky that, CVWink!

Original poster
motherinferior · 21/10/2013 13:26

CV I once caused great hilarity at a memorial service where I bumped into my ex and accused him of giving me (ie my computer) a particular virus that was Going About.

The dear departed would have found it particularly funny, I should add Grin

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Stropperella · 21/10/2013 13:39

Oh CV, I am going one better than that. I shall collect a rodent-proof galvanised storage bin tomorrow. That will show the whiskery little blighters! Plus, I shall still be allowing the small brown exterminator free access to all corners of the shed. I see they have been at my grass seed as well. I am rather fond of rodents but they need to to know their place. Grin

Stropperella · 21/10/2013 13:41

BTM, just keep telling your dcs about how much vile poo they would have to pick up in nasty little bags and carry around with them until they find a bin. And how much fun it absolutely isn't getting up in the dark to walk the dog before school.

Original poster
motherinferior · 21/10/2013 13:43

The Inferiorettes want a dog. No way.

OP posts:
bigTillyMint · 21/10/2013 13:53

Stropps, there is absolutely NO danger that either of mine would get up in time to walk a dog before schoolGrin

herbaceous · 21/10/2013 14:42

Grrr. So the annual Christmas guilt-fest has started. I have an odd brother, who lives alone in a bedsit. He is not the best company, and each year there's a 'who's going to have DBro for xmas' debate.

DSis has a massive house, recently extended to be even more massive, and a few months ago she said she'd have everyone for Christmas. This seems to be no longer the case. She 'had' bro last year.

DMum finds bro very hard work, and is 80, and frankly I don't think can be arsed with it all any more. She even said in her email 'it would be easier if we didn't have him, but I suppose we must take our turn'.

Strictly speaking, I suppose it's our turn. But if we had him, there'd be a lot of stilted sitting about, and instead of it being a dear little threesome family Christmas would be just odd. We also have no spare room, and only one bathroom, with the loo in, which as factor for me in the mornings!

It's less odd with sis's family, as she has three kids so there's a critical mass of noise and stuff going on.

I now feel all churned up. So odd how one day brings up all sorts of feelings from the past, and causes such angst. It's one day. Yet filled with such significance. I can see why people just go away for the duration - but I'd feel too guilty.