Crepes and Mulled Whine in your pants

[Auriga]

Somebody had to do it

Oh, not proper degrees: an MA on top of my first one (but a proper written MA, not one of yer freebies).

Have sent off edit. V nervous as last time I did some editing I was comprehensively told off for getting it horribly wrong.

Also: The Unbearable Lightness of Being In Your Pants

I am bit shell shocked, bastard cancer is back for dp's sister. She had breast cancer 2/3 years ago (same time as my best friend), but appeared to be in the clear. Secondaries in lung/sternum.... Chemo ... Crap crap crap....

Oh no. No.

Very sorry to hear that, BD.

BD that's awful. Does she have a family?

Oh how sad, BD

She has two children - one is 16, the other 13. At the moment I have no idea exactly what we are dealing with, but it certainly puts things into perspective.
She seemed to have recovered so well.

So very sorry to hear that BD, what a terrible path to be on. Hope she has support with it all?

Quiet day here, nice after a busy week. Have finished 3 sets of curtains and made muffins. DD and I are planning to go shopping tomorrow (only down the road) which is exciting, as we never do that kind of thing. I have also bought fleece tights from JL for my freezing pins.

BD - how awful. No words, really.

We were back in Cobham tonight, taking DD1 out for dinner. She seems to be involved in every committee and spare time activity going. Had pizza, came home.

BD, I'm really sorry to hear about your SIL. That's grim. :-(

I am just back from my school reunion. Firstly, dd and friend (currently having a sleepover which may involve actual sleep as they are so knackered) had a ball by themselves in Convent Garden and were super sensible (apart from spending all their money :-) ) and turned up at the appointed meeting place exactly on time. Yay dd, more like that, please. :-)
Secondly, the reunion was fun. With the trauma of totally hating my sixth form boarding experience, I had totally forgotten what nice people I was at school with before then. We had so much to talk about, laughed loads and are already planning the next meetup for those that couldn't come this time (am mighty impressed by the person that couldn't come because she has a 2 yr old, a 4 yr old and a 7 yr old - good going at 48). Everyone was completely bemused by my hair, mind you, as I had barely wavy and extremely (naturally) blond hair back in those days. I have lots of new FB friends, we're all planning another meetup soon for those that couldn't come this time. I had slightly forgotten how badly behaved we were. Dd said "But if I came home and said our class had locked the music teacher in the cupboard for the whole lesson, how much trouble would I be in?"

Stropps sounds like a ball!! And fab on DD.

It is crap - waiting for dp to come home (was working yesterday) to find out more. Dp's parents have cancelled their holiday and I guess it's working when, what and if to tell the children.

I have a mega shopping basket on amazon whic covers off ds...

Stropps sounds like you had a brilliant time - woo hoo! And your DD and her mate. Maybe you can use the carrot of another trip to London in the not too distant future

I had a lovely evening last night with DS, DD and her mate - we went to the chippy and ate watching Dirty Dancing Then DH staggered in after a day at the rugby and we all had a good laugh at him!

BD, big hugs {{{}}}

BD, hugs from me too.

BTM, sounds like a good time was had by all.

I've realised that going to the school reunion has done me a power of good. It has helped me to remember all the positive things about my early secondary education that I had perhaps chosen to forget for various reasons and also I have started to reinterpret some of the things that happened in a more philosophical and positive way than has previously been the case.
For instance, the school might have been a sad little run-down rural grammar school, but some of the staff were passionate about their subject and really good at teaching it. And the fact that the school was one of the few state boarding schools meant that there was a far wider range of people there than at some of the other local schools. I heard some amazing stories yesterday and was illogically proud of everyone. I still have a case of the warm fuzzies today.

Stropps, so pleased to hear your reunion was so successful

I am going to have about 2 hours to myself shortly - DH and DS have gone off to footy and DD and her mate are off shopping soonish
I am going to have to go through the stuff I have bought for Christmas and do other jobs.....

I have survived lunch with my parents.

And have still done nothing about Christmas though we have embarked on the usual arguments about when we go where

Well done, MI!
We, happily spend Christmas as a family/with friends, which is perfect. We just have to fit in seeing the inlaws either before or after...

I have had quite a relaxing day, including a catch-up with a friend. Although I had a practice at making a gingerbread house using the Lakeland cutters (have only ever stuck together the pre-made Ikea ones before) and produced a load of teeth-breaking, slightly burned gingerbread that could only be eaten dunked in tea! Think I need to do another practice!

5 weeks to Christmas

Blackduck, what dreadful news, I am so sorry.

Mostly dull weekend here. For anyone waiting breathlessly for my slipper decision, I am thinking of these, not least because they are made in my favourite place .

I'm off to Birmingham early tomorrow - big work meeting at the Uni and I'm quite stressed about all the arrangements, which I have made and which, if they go wrong, will mean 12 people all turning to look at me accusingly. My boss, who is generally lovely, has been mega worried about the whole enterprise for the last 6 weeks, which doesn't help. Roll on tomorrow evening.

Lalsy, those slippers look very cosy, I like the black ones. I often buy slippers in Wales, on the way back from where we stay on the coast there's a sheepskin warehouse with all manner of warm things to buy. They last for ages.

Stropps, glad the reunion was such a positive thing . Sounds like a real rediscovery.

My god those dressing gowns are lush (and expensive...)

Well it's 8 doses of chemo over the next 6 months. We know no more at the moment. I am trying to think that as the course is quite spread out it's not as serious (IYKWIM) as it could be? I just find it hard - this happened to my BF and she was not do lucky.

Oh wilbur ay Brum Uni? (The enemy ;) )

BD . We're looking at some of their special research collections at the uni library. It will be very interesting, once I stop fretting about taxis not turning up, losing people en route, or not having enough sandwiches.

Oh, Wilbur, how nerve wracking. I feel your pain.

I have a 9am meeting. I may or may not have a meeting after that. I quite wish I knew. And indeed knew what to wear....

Wilbur, that is what my BFF does for her job It is indeed, a very stressful job!

MI, what about a nice sweater dress and boots?

I don't think those dressing gowns would be any good for making cups of tea or washing up in as the sleeves would stay damp for ages. At that price perhaps they come with a butler.

Hope all nasty work situations panned out today. I had horrid work day last week and instead of pouring stiff gin and watching tv I decided to point out all my dc failings to them. Not a good plan.