Crepeys in the Long Grass of Life

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Thanks Beachy for the frisky title suggestion.

Well, here we all are!

Repeat after me: I am fabulous, I am clever, I am good with people and I know where your bin lives.

Btw I myself have flatly refused to supply DP's aunt with any photos of me, as all pictures genuinely drive me to tears at their grotesque horror.

You may look like a washerwoman but I look like Mr Toad dressed up as one.

MI

Oh MI, stop it!

DH and I have just narrowly avoided divorce while putting up our lovely new slate house sign; I nearly shoved the tube of Gripfill where the sun doesn't shine. It's up, at least (the sign, that is), and DH has rigged up a Heath Robinson support using a rake and a plant pot. If it's still on the wall by the morning it'll be a miracle.

And I just spent £80 on wetsuits for the DCs.

Stropps, good luck with your interview. You will be fine. I recently recruited someone for my team who did the most bizarre interview ever - it was like the Two Ronnies sketch of answering the question before the one had been asked. However, I really liked him and thought he would be a real asset to my team. The other team members saw this too, and recognised that there was "something" there. He hadn't done an interview for about 20 years, but his personality shone through, and that did it for us, rather than the well rehearsed robots. At the end of the day, it's how they feel about you as a person and how you will fit in with the team that really counts (trust me on that one, I have done loads of recruitment interviews).

Delighted to hear good news of baby NUFC

Thanks for holiday advice everyone. We're having fun looking. It's not like Tuscany, though, where I wanted to stay in every single place I looked at. There's lots of twigs and pebbly shit in Normandie. And velour.

DH reminds me we will only sleep in the place, so details are unimportant. Unless, maybe, we choose this one

Wow Auriga - when can I move in? :)

MI you are lovely too so stop it with the washerwoman stuff.

I have had a fab weekend but could do with a lie in but have to get up and out!

MI and Stropps you are both great looking ladies, stop doing yourselves down. I am also feeling like a washerwoman but mainly because we're camping because of the very slow painters. Have posh graduation meal at the school this evening but not sure where my posh frock is and the wardrobes are covered in plastic sheeting.

NU - glad the mini model is doing OK.

BTM - kitchen units outrageously annoying - why can't people realise, if they put a bit of effort into doing things properly the first time, money and time would bre saved (now I'm sounding like my Dad).

Good luck to all who have interviews/eye operations this week.

Auriga, we once stayed in a place like that - go for it!

Hatty, I feel your pain! This morning I can't get any bread out of the freezer for DS's toast and had to contort myself to get the orange juice. Off to make a fuss at the kitchen place with the builder very shortly

Lets have less talk of Toads and Washerwomen!!! And more of attractive, stylish, cool women of a certain age! DD told me yesterday that I was cool, for a middle aged woman. I guess there's a compliment in there somewhere
BTM sorry re cupboards. Thats so annoying. Time for no more Mrs Nice Guy, I suspect.
Being dragged around John Lewis, Ikea and god knows where today by DS1 in search of basics for his new flat. My DParents gave him a tidy sum as a moving in present, so what does he go and spend it on? A sofa. He has no bed. He has no cooking utensils, cutlery or crockery. Talk about priorities round the wrong way.
and waiting from another call back from GP as DD still has UTI symptoms…we're not winning.
Still the sun is shining…that's something eh? Happy Monday!

I am about to have a Bad Day, my lovely friends. Feeling v low. (This may be related to DD2 being about to leave primary, DP being possibly on verge of redundancy, the constant seesaw of work, and/or general Stuff: I don't want to retrain, but am feeling slightly Pointless in many ways!) I am going to go and write for an hour, but would appreciate people to say soothing things later.

Oh Mother and big hugs. I fight those sorts of feeling every day..so understand. Lots love xxx

Now then MI. Firstly, stop all this nonsense about Mr Toad and washerwomen. You're a lovely flame-haired bit of stuff, who cannot mention melons for fear of getting jumped.

Secondly, I find that accepting that there is no overall point to life is quite soothing. But the incidentals are what makes it worthwhile. You are bringing up, very well, two wonderful girls. You have not killed your DP. You can make excellent curries. It's a lovely sunny day, and just being able to feel the sun on your face makes life very far from pointless.

No help with career drift, however. As you know, I am/was in the same boat. But the journey is interesting.

MI, firstly at Toad as washerwoman - that's exactly the picture I have in my head when I use the term "washerwoman" in reference to my appearance. Secondly, every sympathy for you feeling bleargh today. I have come to the conclusion that this time of year is a generally unacknowledged Time of Oddness and Stress. Also, the "constant seesaw of work" in freelance life is just incredibly stressful, as all the bloody time one is trying to balance the unpredictable demands of both clients and family and one's own needs frequently go unmet. Which always gets messy eventually.

Thanks for the pep talk, crepeys. I am feeling more sensible after a good night's sleep (yay) and with regard to the interview, I am really also of the opinion that either they will like me and think I will fit in or they won't. I've given myself a jargon refresher course and have some useful ideas bouncing around and am ready to give it my best shot tomorrow.

I'm so excited for you Stropps, and doing one of those 'go stropps, go stropps' hip-circling dances in my head.

And yes. Freelance life is not good for the soul. No built-in breaks; noo automatic validation, in the form of promotions, pay rises, etc; constantly having to 'big oneself up', which is very wearing to the non-confident; etc etc.

And I've just had my Indian visa rejected because I applied to early. DP gives helpful advice which is actually incredibly unhelpful.

Though the idea of our Crepey cheerleading chorus is so delightful one cannot help sniggering smiling.

Yes, sympathies MI. Herbs and Stropps have said exactly what I would say, but of course much more eloquently. That was how I was feeling last week, but despite all sorts of crap last night, my fluey thing seems finally to have gone and I am feeling a bit better.

And good on you Stropps!

too early.

MI - sending soothing vibes down the internet. Visa situation very bizarre. When I did this for DD1- I just went to India House in Paris and it was back within the week. I would swear I did this at least 3 months in advance as I thought it was going to take ages.

Three months is fine. I'm not going till Nov, though. Will do it again in September. It's valid from the date of issue, not travel. Hence arsiness. In fact one issued now with a six-month visa would still cover me, but who am I to argue. Huh.

Sorry you are feeling Meh MI

Indian visas are just bizarre (having done it a number of times I know they make it as difficult as possible - although at least they do timed slots - recalls the horror of first trip)

Here I just can't be arsed - my get and go stayed in bed today (wish I had) and I am also facing the last two weeks and two days of primary - and thinking the Secondary he is going to is a BIG MISTAKE and if I don't want to consign him to a life of penury I should stump up the private school fees now......

Whoop whoop Stropps - go girl!

MI, it's Indian bureaucracy at it's best

Private school is not a ticket to a life of wealth, BD!

I hadn't thought of getting a timed slot for next time - was doing it by post. I think I'll book an appointment in Sept, good idea. Last time I went to the High Commission. Cannot remember all the various times before then - suspect ahem my parents did it by post for me, including when I was 24. At least nobody's been arsey about exact details of previous visas/residence - I really cannot remember all my previous addresses in Delhi or Bangalore dating back to babyhood.

BTM, if you think that's the high point of Indian bureaucracy...

My mum, helpfully (not) was wittering on about how I should fill in a category for her nationality which isn't on the form.

Thank god I'm not married. Would have to fill out DP's various passport/nationality details including Bangladeshi one and - horror - family antecedents in territory that became Pakistan...