Crepeys are an August bunch

[MrsSchadenfreude]

Here ya go...

Go us! Have ventured forth from this thread to see. Haven't had a row... yet.

Depends on how exactly you interpret "oldest quiche"

My sympathies to all those dealing with elderly ailing parents. Rudy, what implications does your dm's change of heart re: op have? MI, hmm, guilt-tripping is not helpful, surely? Crem and Rose

CV, woah, that must have been a bit of a shock for your MIL. Family secrets, eh? I don't believe in keeping 'em, myself. But there are a couple of people who are probably sticking pins in a voodoo doll of me because of that.

No idea how I'll celebrate my 50th, if at all. I haven't had an actual birthday party since I was about, um, 8. I feel as though I should do something, but I don't know what. I'd quite like to do something a bit outlandish, whilst I still can.

Crem and Rose, how horrible. And Mrs S about your uncle.

MI, not at all helpful. Also, it is only possible to take over that sort of care, even if it is the right thing to do for that particular family, when one knows the prognosis and the timing [sorry, grim] - until then jobs, dc etc have to be kept going. I'm glad your dm is cheerful - could it be that she doesn't want to know herself and has made this clear to the docs? [My df was like this and they were very good at finding ways of telling him enough for informed consent purposes without spelling it out in a way that could be passed on to others easily].

At least one and possibly two of my grandparents had a "cousin" brought up with them, with unclear parentage.

Rudy hope all is okay.
MI - not helpful, all families are different and you need to do what works for you.

CV- wow - that's odd!

Here we are hoping bathroom goes back on line tonight and is fully finished tomorrow.....

Morning Crepeys! Hope all are well. Penultimate day of the holidays here - we will be going to Clapham for last minute (well, first minute) school supplies. I can relive those happy moments from 30 years ago stropping in Clarks with my mother trying to force me into sensible shoes when I wanted to be in Freeman Hardy Willis tarty shoes. Now you can't keep me out of Clarks. Seen some lovely loafers. Anyway, to catch up......

MI, I am so sorry you had had such a difficult weekend. I agree that not knowing all the ins and outs is so frustrating and very tiring. Glad your mum is chipper. I think a holiday is an excellent idea before anything starts. Hope your time with your friend was restorative

Happy birthday BTM and Beachy. The party sounds fantastic. I went to a wedding reception once with curry and it was incredible. Definitely to be recommended. Hope you both have a fab year.

Cremo, sorry to hear about your dad. I completely get the outward signs of ageing being more difficult sometimes than the more serious things. My dear old dad has dementia and is in a home, but I think sometimes my mum is more upset by the fact that he can't feed himself, go to the loo etc than by some of the more lasting aspects. They have been married for 53 years and most of the time he doesn't know who she is. So sorry too, Rose, that your dad is in the same boat. It is such a cruel disease, isn't it? Is your dad still at home? How is your mum doing? My mum is amazing and never complains but it is a very difficult way to end your married life. So sorry for his other health issues too. Hope you all have some good support.

Herbs, sympathies on the family meet up and especially the small boy in your bed. When does he go back to school? Is he looking forward to being in year 1? I had a small boy kicking me most of the night and it wasn't fun. What is the school like which is going to be in "Educatiing......."? Do you think your DS might end up there (in 6 years)?

Stropps, sorry to hear that you have so much on your plate and that your sciatica is playing up. Is that something an osteo or chiropractor might be able to help with? Would something like swimming ease it at all?

MrsS, very sorry to hear about your uncle. Is there any word as to how he is today? Thinking of you.

Hatty, that sounds like a huge class for your DD. Glad she is with friends though. Do French schools usually have such big classes? When is DD1 off to Uni? Can you remind me what she is going to study? Hope she is coping without the boyfriend. I am sure they are skyping a lot.

Christmas - I am afraid I am Christmas crazy and love it all. I will promise not to mention it til at least half term though. MrsS, you mentioned mincemeat, which I adore. Can I offer you some chutney and / or some chilli jam in return? By the way, do not look for tights on Ebay. I had a quick squint at the weekend, hoping for some cut price Falkes, but the search term tights brings up things which I thought weren't allowed on the site.

NU, I am so sorry that the ash cloud is hanging over you. Is there any more word from the airline? Where in the US are you going and how long will you be away? How is your new GS doing?

QQ, well done on the kitchen being nearly usable. The Beckett thing sounds fab.

I am slightly at the dreams, esp those with lesbetarian action. What exactly do you get up to at these meet ups?!

Welcome home, Rose, glad you have had a lovely time. Are you feeling less jet lagged? Hope you get your mojo back shortly.

Hello Auriga, welcome home. Sorry your trip back was fraught.

CV, that is very interesting abouyt the long lost cousin. Do you think they will get in touch? I know a couple of people who have learnt late in life about unusual family situations. Takes a bit of getting used to for everyone I think.

Rudy , I am sorry you too are facing family woes. We really are of the age when it all piles on, aren't we? How is your mum doing now? Glad your work have been flexible. Hope you are OK.

My children are in and out now, so my time here is probably up. Will check in later once I have endured back to school hell.

Stropps, please do something outlandish

Sitting waiting for DGD2 to arrive and stay for an hour or so whilst her DB has a swimming lesson. Ah, she's here, back later.

Letting dd do the week's family shop today . Should be interesting.
Then she's got to conjure up 6 meals for us out of the shopping.
I fear cheese on toast
Will report back....

Hello, Rudy, I'm one of the new Crepey members. BTM, that sounds like an amazing party. You're clearly a great organiser.

Sorry to hear about all the family traumas. It's a funny thing with the fading of the extended family: in my opinion, people our age no longer get invited so often to the happy events of the younger extended family members, like weddings and christenings, so all the family occasions tend to be to do with funerals or illness. Maybe we need to celebrate our own birthdays and anniversaries a bit more, taking a lead from BTM.

Talking of celebrations, I would be up for a meet on 18 October. I'm doing a course in Spitalfields that weekend, but Saturday evening is free.

Sorry, sorry, sorry

I would be up for a meet-up on 11 October as proposed.

Ignore all daft references to the Saturday thereafter.

Commisérations to all those with sick and fragile relatives - I feel I'm on borrowed time and this will soon be an issue with my elderly parents;

CV - amazing story - there was once a family secret thread on here full of stories like that. To my knowledge we are very boring.

BTM - your party looks fab - have been explaining oops upside your head to puzzled teenage daughter. I think they're more sedate than we were.

I have been to post office and feeling annoyed in a very middle aged fashion with snippy teenage girl at counter. I've had a few encounters like this recently - obviously getting very grouchy although I do feel that I would always be polite not cheeky.

DS(12) has just asked for sushi for lunch as he "feels like something fishy". I feel like I'm in the Catherine Tate sketch where they ask for "apple and cinnamon yoghurt". Too middle class by far!

Sorry to hear about all the elderly relatives - I have no personal experience of age related dementia, but it must be awful for the rest of the family.

Crem, that's a really good idea re shopping and providing meals - good luck with the beans on toast!

Monty, we're off to California, Nevada and then Arizona in the morning: the volcano seems to have settled down somewhat, so fingers crossed. So far we have done nothing about packing so we really must get on with it this afternoon.

Rudy, nice to see you again - I hope things work out for your DM.

MI, I have not forgotten about you - it will be done.

I have just found an emergency interviewee who isn't on this thread although to be fair she used to be

oh are we looking at 11th Oct? Must have missed that.....
Dp has collected new car and ds is all as we got a bottle of champagne (for the amount we paid I'd expect a bloody case of the stuff actually)

Meanwhile I am hoping that the grouting is continuing chez bathroom.....

Sorry Rudy - mean to to say Hi and welcome back. Hope things are OK with you .

DD has coloured my hair - I finally cracked and chickened out of going grey. Have put on a lighter shade of brown than usual but as usual it looks blackish - this is what happens regardless of the shade I choose.

NU - hols sound fab.

Hatty - that's one of our family's fave CT sketches (although it's "Gooseberry & Cinnamon Yogurt"; to which the response is "I don't know, Mummy, I've only just got my head around Houmous" ). Also the one where they get lost in Totten-ham ("Mummy, I'm looking, but no-one's wearing brogues").

Vegetarian DD1 is out at a birthday sleepover tonight. I have rashly committed to cooking kheema. Kheema is actually very easy and Tastes Like Childhood...

I'm on for the 11th too. Dd1 has an Open Day in Sarf London that day, so hugely convenient. I'll be available from 4pm . Hatty, can we tempt you over?

I saw CT in the flesh last week. She has much darker hair than on t'telly and is very thin.

Harry, I always find new hair colour needs a few washes to settle.

So sorry- Hatty. Bloody phone

CV - gooseberry and cinnamon - I stand corrected. I love the Tottenham bit as well.

Monty - by the time my hair settles the grey is usually showing through again!

I would love to come on 11th but unfortunately we are coming the week before to settle DD at uni. We will be driving up on the Saturday and back on the Sunday - exhausting.

I find my semi-perm gives about two weeks of ideal colour, after a fortnight of darkness, and x number of weeks of straw-like blonde.

God, this thread has moved fast! Sounds like 11th is a date - great!

Whereabouts in Sarf London, Beachy? Maybe the art college near me?

Rudy, glad to see you on here again.
BD, got my fingers crossed for you.
And you, Cremo!

Have just survived the first day back which was team-building INSET and I'm not rushing home as DH says the power (something in street) is not back on yet!.

The good news of the day for me is that my bowel cancer test came back clear (I hate doing it and kept on putting it off).

I am packed but DH is still mucking around - what is he doing? I have even wrapped the gift we are talking to our friends - a rather nice framed hand cut silhouette of the Tyne bridges. There is a craftsman locally who does the most wonderful cut out work - it's an old craft, very effective.