Crepeys in the Long Grass of Life

[CointreauVersial]

Thanks Beachy for the frisky title suggestion.

Well, here we all are!

MI :)

Rose, no! I am just dreaming of the day when they have their own places and I can go and visit them

Well done, MI!

I have just been to the clinic to be weighed and have put on lbs over the last few weeks - I know I shouldn't be surprised, but it's still upsetting. I am too embarrassed to even say how much! Ah well, back to being ultra careful.

MI, your jeans sound like a real bargain; well done.

I found it strange when the DC moved out (and even stranger when they moved back, which they have both done at different times). I know I am lucky that they both live within a 15 minute car ride (and soon to be closer in DD's case), but it is nice to have your home back to ourselves again. I swore I would never have another pizza when they left - now when they come home and go in the fridge they complain that it is an old person's fridge!

DD thinks that DGD2 has the starting of chickenpox - the incubation period would be about right, no actual spots yet, but she is running a temperature. Fingers crossed, please, as I was actually looking forward to having a quiet week.

NU, you may have noticed I've been avoiding mentioning my Trousers of Truth moments recently...

MI, it's not just you!

My ToT moments were going ok, but I fear DS's cake will be my undoing. There's a lot of it left, though an equally large amount now on my arse.

Just went crazy and bought TWO t-shirts in Dotty Ps. To make outfits with my maxi skirts, a la MI!

ooooooooooooooonoooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!

DD1 is here with her BF before they go to youth theatre. BF is really lovely girl but I'm always terrified because she is genuinely and life-threateningly allergic to nuts. Breathe secret sigh of relief when she leaves the house and I haven't killed her.

Nightmare, MI. Always inconvenient when you end up killing one of the DCs' school friends, isn't it?

I cheerfully avoided being drawn into the ToT confessional, and it's a good job I did, because I have been very slack on the diet front recently. I spent the weekend eating crap, and now am panicking slightly because, with little over a week to go before my holiday my body is far from beach-beautiful. Things are a little tighter than they should be. Ah well, it's my own fault.

For this morning's ladyjog I was joined by DD1 (who woke me at 6.30am, dressed and ready, with the words "Chop chop, mum, time to get your big butt out of bed" ). Nothing so demoralising as puffing along the road trailing a nubile 13yo who is barely breaking a sweat.

It's nice and quiet here without DS. We had a small battle this morning over whether he should take his iPhone with him (he hid it in his suitcase; I found it, and hid it in what I thought was a secret location; he found it and snuck it back into his case, the little swine....); in the end I took the SIM out so he'll be able to use it for photos and music but not much else. I'm worried it will get pinched, but that's his problem if it does.

MI. By the way I just thought about you in the car and Mary Chapin Carpenter was playing - I can't remember what it was called but possibly "He thinks he will keep her" - poor woman was doing everything.

We have just been to Plessey Woods, another place we used to take DC to, lovely walk but such a shame that the swing across the river had disappeared and that they had built bridges so we didn't have to use the stepping stones. Elf and Safety, no doubt. We did see a heron swooping over the water.

Well my escape plan seems to have been thwarted somewhat. I've been told by HR that a move out needs to be "a management decision." If it's my line manager's decision, she is never going to agree, so it looks as if we might be back to square one. I doubt she will give two hoots about the Equality Act and make it all my fault again as to why the job isn't working out. Really pissed off. Going to the doctor on Friday as have rapidly spreading and revolting looking rash.

Rudy, sad person that I am I love my new washing machine: it has a quick 15 minute programme for when you're short of time, plus all sorts of other ones like a special one for jeans. It's a Bosch, by the way.

CV, I have given up on my body being beach beautiful. I have 2 weeks to go. Very brave of you to go jogging with a DC.
And my DC would go mental if I touched his phone and took the SIM out

I am putting stuff into my kitchen cupboards! And I have just put a wash on...

Oh dear, MrsS, that's rubbish. Where do you go from here, do you think?

Oh No MrsS! Get signed off.

Sorry Rudy, didn't mean to rub it in - just so pleased to be getting back to near normal.

BTM - I didn't take the SIM out myself (not sure I'd know how... ), but we had a bit of a stand-off until he agreed to do it himself. I had the old "everyone is taking theirs" line (yeah, yeah...).

Oh no, MrsS, that doesn't sound good. Hives? Have you eaten/touched something you're allergic to?

MrsS - what was the plan? Hope you sort something out - and yeas to getting signed off.

about nubile 13 year olds.

MrsS, courage (in French accent). Remember, she has to comply. Legally, innit.

I love Mary Chapin Carpenter.

We have a Boschingmachine. I chuck my ladyjogging gear in it and then sneak out, evading the eyes of our neighbours.

Well - DD1 is in Venice. DD2 is in the Alps, and I am here with DH and DS who are playing Lego LOTR. I am somewhat missing female company.

Our washer dryer - an AEG, as recommended by which - is a mere 18 months old, but no longer dries. We only really ever used that bit in emergencies, but it's annoying.

Our fridge freezer, same vintage, makes a loud noise, beeps to tell us it's too warm, and fills the bottom of the fridge with water.

The dishwasher has become unattached from its moorings and rocks when unloading.

For farks sake.

Herbs, that's very poor. We had trouble with our freezer a little while back (it wasn't freezing) and it turned out to be a simple thing: at some time the door must have been left slightly ajar and consequently the frost free wasn't working. Simple solution: we had to empty it, defrost it completely and restart. It's been fine ever since.

Sorry, MrsS, I didn't notice the problem with the rash - I hope you can sort it out.

MrsS, whilst putting stuff away, I have found your paprika! I will bring them on the 25th!

GIVE. ME. STRENGTH.

Please, Crepeys, just give me strength. And the ability to Rise Above this whole inlaw debacle.

DP is run-down and stressed-out and also behaving like an @rse. You will recall my steely determination not to be pigeonholed as Evil Woman Who Rejects Inlaws. I am refusing. DP is therefore doing everything in his capacity to manipulate me into this role. If I mention them he runs through the fact they are coming again, from scratch, complete with a faux-cringing I hope you don't mind (subtext: I merely want this moment, this precious time snatched with my relatives and realise you may forbid it). We are going to sodding Legoland. I ask if we're spending all day there. He says, in special Appeasing Manner, yes if I don't mind. I say breezily no it's just that I've heard the food is spectacularly nasty, ffs.

I didn't dare - this is literally true - raise the issue of DD2's party and sleepover the previous night, had to do it indirectly through DD2, as otherwise he'd have gone off on one of his cringeing numbers. I feel homicidal. I have a rictus beam plastered onto my face. I really do not want to be manipulated like this...