Crepeys are an August bunch

[MrsSchadenfreude]

Here ya go...

I am still in my holiday uniform of T shirt and The World's Largest Shorts which come out for holidays only, and DD2 can get in them with me...

I have not set foot outside in them today though.

I thought I was safe in B&Q and Asda sporting my shorts and strappy top. I was, till it bucketed down!

Shorts and strappy tops, BTM? Am very impressed. It was cool here this morning so we decided to ride the Metro to the coast, ie Cullercoats, and get off if it was sunny. It was, but very breezy; we braved the beach for a few minutes before retiring to an ice cream parlour. DGD2 fell asleep in my arms on the way home. Part of the afternoon was spent chasing the DGCs round the garden making sure they didn't fall off the balance bike or scooter. Am totally cream crackered.

Rose, holiday sounds great. Where we go at Lake Tahoe all the lids to the refuse bins are bearproof. I sent the family a pc last year of a bear in the hot tub in the snow at the resort where we stay.

And on the subject of holidays I am now feeling nervous about the problems in Iceland re earth tremors and possible ash clouds.

Glad to hear that DS is enjoying the castles, Herbs - my DC always did (and we have a lot of castles up here).

Oh NU, we got stuck in the last ash cloud - in Kuwait of all places, en route back from Kerala. We got put up in the 5* Sheraton which was very nice, but I wouldn't recommend Kuwait!

Bizarro weather. Hiked to beach in coats and jeans. M&d once there it was so sunny and sheltered that everyone was in cossies and shorts. Very lovely new beach, complete with castle on a rocky island. Then yummy food overlooking happy people. And a scenic walk home. Shortly, series six of mad men.

Bizarro weather. Hiked to beach in coats and jeans. M&d once there it was so sunny and sheltered that everyone was in cossies and shorts. Very lovely new beach, complete with castle on a rocky island. Then yummy food overlooking happy people. And a scenic walk home. Shortly, series six of mad men.

DD has phoned to say she's definitely on the licence and in the performance. Loves the course and is working very hard: morning, afternoon and evening rehearsals and only one evening off. Conductor flying in this evening to take over from chorus master.

Rosebag, your photos are amazing.

Respect to people wearing shorts in South of England: I put a wooly vest on today, after being cold all day yesterday.

Got to clean house, prepare for guests, get ready for an interview, have interview, queue for tickets for and attend DD's concert and pack before dawn departure on Saturday. And work full time. Surprisingly relaxed about this. Won't all get done but we'll still end up in France

So many people were affected last time, BTM. DD missed her honeymoon - by the time they eventually went away, several months later, she was pregnant with our first GC. A friend and her DH were stuck in Singapore for six weeks on their way home from Australia.

Herbs, day must have been lovely.

That's good news about DD, Auriga, what a relief for you all. I am glad I don't have your schedule, by the way.

Btm, re traveling to yours, all perfectly feasible,
But depends when DP can get back from work. It's usually getting in for seven, and it would take me well over an hour to get to yours. Possibly making it all a bit late.

6 weeks, NU? We were stuck just 6 days!

Yes Herbs, town is probably better. Especially as I have just remembered LB is shut for the foreseeable

We were in Paris for the last ash cloud and had lots of "refugees" staying over - people who decided to take the land route to wherever they were going. One friend came from Portsmouth to Caen on the ferry, then train to Paris, stayed with us, then hired a car and driver to take him and four miscellaneous passengers that he collected at the Gare de Lyon to take him to Madrid, where he caught the last flight out to East Coast USA (Baltimore, I think), and then hired a car to get back to New York.

DD1 has been contacted by her new room mate and they look so alike it's quite spooky!

Thank you for the suggestions everyone. And v pleased to hear about DD Auriga.

Welcome back BTM - how is the kitchen today? x

Kitchen's good, thanks!

DD's bedroom is half-way there. Well, nearly half-way!

I am feeling knackered - jet-lag's crap, isn't it?

We are heading home. Usual grumpy silence in the car. House quite nice but v basic - awful beds, leaky/whiffy drains; on the other hand a gorgeous decking bridge overlooking the river and mill pond...but also a MASSIVE SNAKE in the garden. I didn't see it - did see one squashed in the road - but DD1 nearly trod on it one afternoon (came leaping across to where I was sitting) and then DP spotted it the next evening (bolted inside swearing loudly).

Will feel v odd to be back at the desk tomorrow. Have a lot to do, though - and the visa saga to take over from the passport one...

Have a safe journey back, MI. I hate snakes and would probably have had to decamp if I had seen it.

That's good about the kitchen, BTM. My sitting room is a mess because we are having problems with the curtain track baton: DH has taken it down and there has been a fall of plaster chunks. Easy to put right, he says. He has now disappeared to the builders' merchants.

I hear, from the Younger Schadenfraulein that you have been in the car for "at least 12 hours already" MI...

DD2 has had a hissy fit as DH is taking her to the orthodontist on the train rather than in the car.

We are going to a family birthday "party" this weekend, in a pub. We were told to order our food in advance, online, which we did, about 2 weeks ago, and have just been told that everyone will be paying for their own food and drink. Apparently there has been a high drop out rate... DFIL said "Fine fucking party that is, of course you can have as many as you like, if you get everyone to pay their own way." Apparently there were fireworks last time the person did this (for a wedding anniversary) - DFIL paid for his and MIL's drinks as they went (which wasn't much, as he was driving and she doesn't drink!), and then got presented with a bill for a share in everyone else's drinks, which had gone on the overall tab. As you can imagine, we're all looking forward to this...

Omg...snakes and bears. Hope no lions and tigers...
About to lose wifi for a bit. We board the rocky Mountaineer train in an hour for our orient express experience to Vancouver. Apparently we will see bears and elk from the safety of the train. May have signal at stop -over hotel in Kamloops tonight. gCSE results at fxxking 1am pacific standard time. Ds says we must stay up but we have to rejoin the train at 7...

Rocky Mountaineer train sounds amazing!

Results? What results?

Castle number three (3, iii) dispatched today. My quads have never had such a good workout, what with the endless spiral stone staircases.

DP had to buy a fleece and thick socks today. I'm heading that way.

When DS was three, his preschool teacher taught him the word "crenellations" (clearly trying to liven up a castle-related cutting-and-sticking project). This impressed people no end whenever we visited a castle. "Impressive crenellations, don't you agree, mama?"

Love it, CV.

Good luck to all the DC getting their GCSE results today.

Are you back yet, MI? I hope you had a good journey and that you're still talking to each other.

Good luck today all resulters.... Just dropped dd1 to the train for Reading. Astonished commuters with my pyjamas, while lugging the rucksack from the car blardy cold out there, this morning!

I need to find some socks!

Thumbs held here for all resulters too - is beginning to loom on our own horizons....