The Crepey Cube

[cremolafoam]

Soz QQ, I may have been temporarily gauche. Annoyingly I can't do tomorrow, as DP is out, so I am on child duty.

Bring forth more dates for all creepy meets!

I can't do tomorrow QQ (not for Valentines reasons. More packing reasons!) but would love to on a future date!

DD is babysitting, but as she has a CA in French tomorrow, I am also awaiting a meltdown either tonight, or worse, tomorrow morning.

I have a romantic evening in with this report, I suspect. We're spending lots of quality time together at the moment.

No Herbs, you were absolutely right, I was just explaining my great enthusiasm followed by radio silence...
Thought tomorrow might be a bit soon but in 2 / 3 weeks maybe?

Has anyone seen or heard from Auriga??

Hope you're ok Auriga and just too busy engaging with rl to be hanging around on here at all hours (like me).

I was wondering about Auriga as well. I hope she's ok( thinking high water)

We never do anything for Valentines but tomorrow I am doing nothing with unusual vigour, volunteering on my cold, deeply unromantic thing and then listening to a feminist talk with my dd. Pah - put that in yer pipe Pammy, with your helpful suggestions about finding time for each other.

I have just managed to switch off the 'track changes' function for quite a lot of this report, which is going to be embarrassing...

DP gets curiously bothered about Valentine's cards...except apparently he hasn't got me one for various reasons He was covered in embarrassment. I pointed out that it really didn't matter unlike the year he nearly forgot my birthday

Yes I was wondering about Auriga and the floods.

I doubt DH will bother at all with Valentines.

I am drinking vanilla chai redbush tea. It is revolting. I am slowly stiffening up after a session of Ballet Fusion at the gym (every bit as scary as it sounds; I was hopelessly uncoordinated and stuck all the wrong bits out). I had a puncture earlier, which took up my afternoon. Puncture repair people, like fencing contractors and tree surgeons, are very busy people at the moment.

Well done on today's endeavours, Strops. It all sounds very positive.

NU I'm another Midlander. From the Shakespeare place.

My fasting regime is not proceeding with vigour. Today I had an omelette for lunch, then (entire tub of rather fattening) soup for tea. But then I had DS's leftover chips, a cappuccino, and two lindor. Then DP came home with wine and toblerone.

I am spending tonight with an unspecified number of people - safari dinner in aid of a friend who is doing London Marathon for a local hospice (for all you ladyjoggers out there she's up to 17 miles....)

Valentines never happens in this house but I was at a bunch of flowers on M&S site at a mere £120 - as my administrator pointed out 'that's a pair of boots, and I'd sooner have the boots every time'!

Hmm to that quiz, could have decked dp last night - if I say something to you at least an acknowledgement would be nice...

Surprise, surprise, DH just wished me Happy Valentine's Day. (We don't do VD since the first year of our relationship when I bought him a card and we split up later that night!)

Has anyone ever ordered from Wrap? Things look lovely on line and some great bargains in the winter sale.

I hope roofs, fences and trees are still in place for you all? Local BBC weather girl says we're being sheltered from bad weather by the Penines which I sort of knew, but hadn't thought about.

I bought little Valentines cards and chocolate lips for the kids (I know, I know, but it's my American heritage - I'd buy them for friends if they didn't look at me like ) but am having trouble summoning up enthusiasm for something for dh. I blame the weather, plus my back is really bad and the thought of any, er, embracing makes me wince. I did manage to find him a card with a bicycle on it and as he loves his bike a teeny bit more than he loves me, I thought that was quite good. I'm wondering whether Waitrose will have any of their dine in deals left later today.

I did that quiz - got same as Herbs. It did prompt quite a fundamental question though - dh is a lovely man, he is funny, caring, great dad and works very hard to give us a good life, but he is not good at seeing things from others' POVs. If something is not so for dh, then is is not so. If it is not important to him, then it is not important. IYSWIM. He acknowledges this is true, but, obviously, sees no reason why he should try and change it. I feel it holds him back from all sorts of things (not least from progressing at work as he will not take any advice or jump through the tiniest hoop) and also it means that I rarely share what going on in my head with him (except when it pours out in a messy and undignified flood) because I know he will think I'm unhinged and/or making a fuss about nothing. I would really like to find a way to change this dynamic, but I have no idea how.

Am here and still above water, thanks. For some reason to do with tides (I think) we have been spared any flooding locally this time, though we've had almost continuous rain.

Sorry I haven't posted: been a bit battered by RL and when I've dipped in here I've been too inarticulate to add anything. But v pleased for Crem's husband and for Stropps . Also taking notes on how to get teens through CA crises.

DH has just handed me Valentine; not quite a first, but almost. Sorry can't meet tonight QQ - we're taking DD to Cologne to visit her German exchange family .

Have good w/e everyone

Auriga, glad to see you haven't been washed away! Have a good safe journey - are you going all the way with her? Train/boat/plane?

DD left without too much angst - perhaps the money earned last night is soothing the brow?!

Bon courage, Auriga.

I just went and thanked DP for (a) cooking a very nice meal last night when he got in - he had gone to considerable effort which I appreciate on a Thursday (b) totally respecting my need to focus on this expletive deleted report to the exclusion of minor things like participation in domestic life for a few days. I said fulsomely that this meant more to me than a card.

(And then I smugly handed him a card, which also had a bike on it and the message inscribed by me 'you spin my wheels' which I felt was suitably suggestive yet non-specific.)

sounds v hopeful stropps, fingers crossed

trivial - herbs and mrs s - i def. like that m&s perfume you hate and would be happy to buy yours from you. i also have an only just started bottle of le noir which suits me less well and would be happy to hand it over

mi - tables - cold chills. hope it's done now

have never had a valentine's card from dh but when we first moved into our house and it was a wreck he did paint across one wall 'DH loves addle'

we have three parties this weekend... am tired already

Addle, it will not be over for ages yet. I foresee a rather grim weekend while the Inferiorettes frolic at various of their own parties.

Auriga - good to hear you are okay!

Wilbur - dp is somewhat like that. Luckily it's not hindered him at work but the important thing I get. I also don't tell dp what's in my head because he doesn't always get and I can see the 'pull yourself together DO something' in his eyes.

Ds is also having a tough time - pre teen hormonal girls giving him a hard time. Told him to steer clear.

Ooh, addle, how thrilling. I'd love to do a smell swap. Should we do it by post, or wait until we meet?

I got DP a great card from Not On The High Street. He periodically grows a beard, which I really like – it makes his eyes twinkle – then shaves it off again, against my protests. Here. I got them to write a pertinent message inside.

I thought it was most apt, but he didn't seem particularly moved. I sometimes feel I don't make enough effort, so it's a bit discouraging when I do, and get a big fat 'meh'.

DS has TWO birthday parties this weekend. It also appears he now has THREE girlfriends at school, all of whom will be at the parties.

Wilbur and Rudy, can I join the crepeys with bike loving DH's club?! DH finds it difficult to grasp that other people (especially DD and I) think in a different way to him, and that their/our hearts can get in the way of their heads IYSWIM!

Rudy, IIRC your DD is slightly older than mine - it seems to be a tricky time for them with all the pressures of exams etc together with all the social pressures.

I gave DH a jumper (that I had found in the Cos sale at 70% off!!!) and he guiltily said he would take me for a drink tonight. We have skiing packing to do and it will be bucketing, so it's not looking that attractive a proposition!