Crepeys are an August bunch

[MrsSchadenfreude]

Here ya go...

Welcome home, Auriga, we have had the odd problem with almost running out of fuel so I can sympathise. I then get increasingly grumpy and nag DH for not having filled the tank when he had the opportunity. I have already reminded him that we had problems last year driving from Tahoe to Death Valley (ended up at a gas station which was advertising free guided tours of their on site brothel!).

BTM, are you up yet?

My sympathies for those coping with sick and ailing parents. The term "sandwich generation" is so apt.

All the vegetables ready for the Last Supper at five tonight, pork in slow cooker, pavlova and chocolate brownie cake done, cream whipped, fruits prepared. I am hoping that there will be some left so I don't have to cook tomorrow. It's lovely here atm and it would be great if we could eat outside but I doubt it.

Welcome home Auriga! At the Calais debacle. And the added stress of petrol running out. We once drive from La Rochelle to Poitiers on fresh air keeping the revs low, because the French petrol pumps only took carte Bleu and not a uk Visa card. It was nerve wracking.

NU I want to come to your house for dinner . Could you. Squeeze me onto the children's table ?

Crem,

I have just heard that Iceland has upped the flight warning because there has been another earthquake (fingers crossed for me, please). We fly to Amsterdam on Tuesday morning and then across to the US.

Crem - we have been in that situation. When we moved to Brussels we couldn't find an automated petrol station that took UK cards. We finally found one that was manned and threw ourselves on their mercy.

My mother rang this morning. I knew it was going to be bad news as she never usually calls unless something is wrong - her younger brother (so not the one with terminal cancer) has had a massive stroke. I asked her if she wanted me to take her to go and see him, and she said "no". I offered to take her to see him when she stayed at Christmas, but she didn't want to see him then, either. They have already asked his wife and my cousins if they want him resuscitated if he has another one, so it isn't looking good.

MrsS, sorry to hear about your uncle - it's a shame that your DM won't go to see him, she will probably regret it later. People are funny around illness, though, sometimes it is as if they think they will "catch" it. Or perhaps it reminds DM of her own mortality.

Sorry, MrsS, you've had so much bad news recently, there seems to be no let-up. Hard to know how to help your Mum as well.

I can't predict what DM will want to do but it's usually less than I expect. She's forever refusing offers to take her to see folk. Old age seems to have turned her in on herself, she's a lot less concerned about others than she used to be.

DSis was a sobbing wreck before she left partly because of our other sister, partly because she dreads going back to school (teacher). Not v. edifying for DD, who, by the way, has suddenly remembered lots of homework

I'm in a sleep-deprived haze, not settling to anything. Ridiculously pleased to see DDog and DCat again, though.

Well the party was absolutely brilliant!

I feel so blessed to have so many lovely friends - both local and those who had journeyed all the way for the party And so many cards and presents to open - I feel like a child again!

Started with a pre-party toast with my closest friends who were staying with us, then the curry was delivered in the Sunday Buffet professional warmers - enough to feed 500 rather than the 60 or so at the party! And we had bought enough fizz, beers, etc to water 500 too, which was a good thing, of course. Plus we had two delicious creamy summer fruity towering cakes made by a lovely friend as well as the chocolate fudge cake that DD and DGodD had made for me with candles to blow out (thankfully not 50!)

The weather was dry and warmish so we could fill the garden as well as the kitchen, all lit up with fairylights and tealights in bags and bunting borrowed from lovely friend. We had one party playlist done by dear friend #1 in the kitchen and another in the garden done by dear friends #2 and we were dancing right into the small hours. Well, 4am to be precise, so CV, it could have been us! So take that, you teens (God knows how they managed to sleep through the racket downstairs - they all cleared off to bed at about 1am - lightweights)

DD danced with us and even DS (albeit briefly!) Apparently there is video evidence of my bestest school friend and I doing the dances of our youth as well as the obligatory mum dancing!

BFF's have now gone back oop north, and I am feeling very content, if a little jaded! And still 3 days till I actually turn 50 And off to BFF's to do it all again in a fortnight. And then other BF's a fortnight after that - September '64 is the top vintage!

Beachy, glad you had a lovely birthday too

MrsS, so sorry to hear of yet more bad news You have asked your DM, now move on and do what you want to do and don't worry/feel guilty about her.
MI, hope today goes OK.

Rose, I feel your jet-lag pain - it took me about 4/5 days each time to recover - worse coming home. NU hope there's no probs with your flight.

Auriga, sorry to hear about your DSis - I am a bit at where the holidays have gone - back at work tomorrow, but it will be lovely to see my colleagues and it's only INSET at first! Is it just this job? Could she try another avenue - I can recommend specialist teaching!
Stropps, hope you get off to a flying start (when is it - I will be checking in on you!)

Cremo, you seem super organised! I got Brian the Bucket out for BF, but happily he wasn't actually needed

Aha! She lives!
BTM sounds like you had a ball. Much respect for lasting til 4am ( the horror ) lol at lightweight children.
I have 3 friends turning 50 this year and all attitudes to this landmark vary a great deal. I know what I want for mine- family, friends France , food , garden, under a big tree, lit with candles.
Dad now says he's going to sell out family house in France, so my dream party may not happen . Feel q heartbroken about the house , which he bought in 1972. I really did a lot of growing up there... < sigh>

I was looking at flights to London in October. Could I propose a meet up on Sat 11th October? Would it suit anybody........?

Yes, Cremo, that sounds parfait - I should have recovered from BFs's party on the 27th Sept by then

Sounds like a fab party, BTM. So glad you had a ball.
Am at tales of Nutella-scoffing. That stuff's full of hydrogenated palm oil - so aside from the environmental issues with the palm oil, ahem, surely the trans fats aren't great? Dh avoids trans fats obsessively, so we do a lot of label-reading when we go shopping and both dcs are the same.

Nutella is one of those things that it never occurs to me to buy (along with biscuits, squash and crisps, because I don't eat them), but the DDs had it in France and thought they had died and gone to heaven. DH refused to buy Nutella on principle and bought them something "exactly the same" which was organic and from a health food shop. About a teaspoonful was eaten and no mention has ever been made since of Nutella or any other chocolate spread. We do, however, have other shit like Lucky Charms and Kool Aid in the house, lest you think that we live a lovely wholesome life, free of palm oil, e numbers and evil white sugar.

I do not know what I want to do for my 50th, which is racing to embrace me. I am mildly inclined to go to Rio on my own.

I am the worst for Nutella-scoffing in our house The others all scoff peanut butter!

MrsS, I can heartily recommend a big bash with curry (delivered by local curry house, of course!), booze and lots of dancing

I did that for my 40th, BTM... complete with curry and beer on tap.

Well, don't break with tradition!

Glad you partied till dawn, BTM
As you know, my attitude to my 50tj was to cram the house with my 500 bestest mates.

MrsS, so sorry about your uncle.

Well, my mum was in remarkably good spirits. All emphasis on the practical, which suited me just fine. DP nominated to have a word with my father about not just weeping and panicking (DM finding this v stressful) but not sure if he managed it.

Just no idea what stage the sodding cancer is.

BTM sounds fab.....

I did, erm, absolutely nothing on my significant birthday, dp swam in the sea (in January)......

I might do significant -1...

cremo thanks. Saw DDad today. Hie dementia is getting worse. The kids have now noticed. Have to be careful as DM won't have the word mentioned. Understandable. We have to say "memory problems"
I always like blackberry and apple crumble. Not original. It never fails to please, 'specially with creme fraiche!!
That's a shame about the house in France. Is there any way that other family members can club together to keep the property in the family?

Auriga welcome back!!! The petrol situation...wow that is STRESS !!!

NU meal sounds yum! Have fingers and toes crossed re Iceland. I was a bit worried as our flight home passes over Greenland and then just south of Reykjavik! The airlines seemed very laid back about it all though.

MrsS that isn't very happy news about your DMs bro. But you have offered...can't do more. So sorry.

MI good re visit to DM. I guess the handholding is for DDad at the minute. It takes a long time to stage a tumour sometimes. There are many different parameters. It doesn't mean the condition will get worse in the meantime. Better to have all the info for the right treatment plan, I guess.

BD as I said my 50th went unnoticed. Still feeling . hope the bathroom is back on line very soon!

Tilly you party animal so glad it was a success and you had such a lovely time. The pics on fb are lovely and that's a stonker of a dress!!

I have a headache from feeling weird and jet lagged. Am watching a programme on stammering on 4seven. It's making me very upset. When I was in full time practice, I don't think I ever "cured" a stammer. And I'm upset they're treating the girl with a neurological stammer the same as the others. Aaaargh!

BTM - that sounds like an absolutely perfect evening. I do wish I had a summer birthday - hosting a party at home always seems easier somehow. at the lightweight offspring - the oldies have to show them how it's done.

A quiet weekend here, mooching about in the garden, assembling DD1's new bed, and getting prepared for the start of term . DSis came over to reclaim her two hamsters and eat cake.

Talking of uncles, I also have an ailing one. DM's older brother has end stage bladder cancer, and has moved to a hospice. Over many years, since his marriage breakdown in my early teens, he and DM had drifted apart, and only rekindled their sibling relationship a couple of years ago. So she is sad about the situation, but "philosophical".

And DH had a call from MIL this evening with interesting news; she received a phone call the other day from a 59 year old chap in Florida who turns out to be the illegitimate child of her oldest sister (who died a few years ago). MIL was too young to know about it, but it turns out that a couple of her siblings kept the secret. So DH has a new cousin. Bearing in mind this must all have happened in mid-1950s rural Ireland.....thirty years on, DSIL was in the same position, and her child was adopted too.

YY to October meet up!

Oh dear. DP already guilt-tripping me about arranging and providing support to my mum. Thing is, he and two of his brothers (all the ones in the UK) did 24/7 for their mother for a month - this was when she was dying. Work gave him time off and all. So the bar is v high.

Rudy, hope you're OK

Thanks Rudy .
I hope you are ok too.

CV that's an amazing thing to happen. I reckon it was v common situation in rural Ireland throughout 20th century.
How does dh feel about the cousin contacting him? And the fact that the secret was kept for so long?
Wow!

Crepeys are being mentioned on "the oldest quiches on MN" thread.

Are we a quiche?