Forever Autumn Forever Crepey

[cremolafoam]

The summer sun is fading as the year grows old,
and darker days are drawing near,
the winter winds will be much colder,
now you're not here.
I watch the birds fly south across the autumn sky
and one by one they disappear
I wish that I was flying with them,
now you're not here

Best of luck, Beachy!

In C.Diff news, it is now the dippy designer causing me literally to lose sleep. She now refuses to return either my emails or my calls. I really want to change some of the processes and she flatly refuses. I am going to have to appeal to the publisher, who really does not want to be bothered about this It is all making me quite unhappy.

MI - that sounds an utter nightmare. Have some .

Beachy, dd is well ready. Trunk is packed. Arrival slot is 2-3pm on Friday. We're leaving on Thursday and have an airb&b booked for three nights.
Finance is a bugger lalsy.
Dd is lucky in a way because as an 'orphan' she gets a bit of a grant. We'll still have to top up by £2000 a year. Halls are the major expense each month at about. £106 per week. I still have to ascertain if it is charged weekly or monthly though, as some months have 5 weeks in them.( head explodes )
Anyhoo she'll have between £80-£100 a week for food travel mobile phone and running away with Scottish Laird Hamish McHamish.
This is a lot more than most , because she'll have to budget in getting back here for hols.
Dh is buying all her books separately cos he's a soft touch.
We opened a Santander student account which offered a free railcard.

The zoo was bloody marvellous. Baby gorilla, baby giraffe , baby marmoset. Beautiful sunny day. Lovely.

Dmum and ddad, well from the moment I mentioned travel insurance they started snapping and made the subject of The Reckless Holiday taboo. We spent 1.5 hours this evening with them , studiously avoiding the subject. They are going and that's that. I had a little cry on the way home. I am effectively powerless.

Crem, how horrible to feel so powerless.

We forgot running away money but dd has rucksack, waterproof and paperclips. I am deluding myself about her university needs aren't I ?

MI, is it time to construct C.Diff exit strategy? Deliberately sniff around/pitch for things that would bring in the same dosh and promise yourself if you land one you will dump them? Easier said than done in present climate I know.

MrsS, they sound well odd.

Crem, if it's any consolation I don't think he'd get travel insurance. I've been researching it for my Mum, who's comparatively well. I made a mistake in an application & said she was awaiting the results of tests & they wouldn't even give me a quote. Same for awaiting an inpatient operation (she's not, she'll be a day case).

Sorry that doesn't help you much.

MrsS, sorry about your dear Uncle's death and all the sadness you are facing.

We had a good w/e: 10 friends came round to sing madrigals and part songs yesterday. We gave them lunch, coffee & cake, then dinner for the diehards. That fuelled them for hours of good singing. Mainly Monteverdi but with some Tomkins, Wilbye, Verdelot and others thrown in. Big fun. Should we try a Crepey one?

The plan, when I invited them, was to take leave the day before, to clean/shop/cook/bake/ sort music. But no, I had to do extra work instead. So it was all a rush, I cheated and it was fine. DH made wonderful bread, I made a couple of never-fail cakes and the stuff from M&S was delicious.

Stropps you've got off to a storming start. Hoping to follow in your de-cluttering footsteps.

I'm making huge changes in professional life, leaving the job I've been in for 10 (ten, X) years. Many doubts and misgivings but they're resolving. There are lots of colleagues, I'll miss. But I'll love being more in control of my own diary and workload.

Sister (teacher) has had v positive start to the term after her wobble the day before

Crem, do they have arrival slots these days? It has definitely changed since my day! Sounds like you have it all under control. Sorry that you are worrying about your DDad though - they must feel they just want to have some happy time together

Beachy, LOL re The Lords Prayer! The DC went to a CoE primary and I am hoping it will pay off for DS as it did for DD's RE GCSE
Good Luck with your boss.

Yes, MI, CDiff project doesn't sound worth it if it is causing you so much grief.

Auriga, you wouldn't want me singing a madrigal Good Luck with the job changes

DD had a bit of a meltdown last night over the Work Experience booklet, but DH calmed her down. Fingers crossed for this morning!

omg, btm, had forgotten about that ghastly booklet - mostly because i can't imagine ds being able to ask anyone what salary range they are in (i certainly couldn't). i'd better dig it out. thank you

"10 friends came over and sung madrigals"
Auriga I want your life!

Yes, it is about 'happy time' for mum and dad. I am just going to back off and try not to worry .

Arrival slots are apparently so that the carpark doesn't overload I suppose Btm. Who knows? It's all very new fangled and orderly.

Lalsy- dd says she can get a £40 ticket for Freshers Festival that includes everything from concerts to the Freshers ball. I imagine there will be a lot more spending than that, which is why dh is paying for the books I reckon. They have it all worked out . Dd has already 'met' her flatmates online.
There's no surprises terrors any more.< imagines self arriving in London in 1984 with knees knocking>

Addle, DH (who has much experience of work exp from the school end) said don't worry about it. No one will even look at it after work exp. DD was sweating about getting it signed daily (time of arrival, etc) and writing something every day. I think he is right - I have had quite a few w.e. students and never filled in much at all!

Cremo, I feel of your DD going off to Freshers week!

Go Auriga!

Ironically I am actually starting to crack some elements of the C.Diff project. The members send in contributions. I like them. They write in about furniture-making and old-fashioned cold cures and meeting Dickie Attenborough when working for the film board. I have reformed some of the processes.

I would be feeling a lot more positive about it if it weren't for this woman. She's the one trying to work with a baby. Fortunately her stonewalling gives me totally legit cause for complaint. We shall see...

I'd clear the room if I sung a madrigal! That sounds so lovely, Auriga. Good luck with the new work arrangements.

Crem, dd stoutly refusing to meet anyone online, join any FB groups, says she wants the surprise. I will make her have a look at Fresher's stuff if it means she might get discounts . I think you are right about your parents and hope it goes smoothly.

Hope work experience people have a good time.

Auriga - good luck with the job change (I could do with one of those)
MI strength!
I now have a week of catching up on everything I should have done last week but was too ill to contemplate.....

Oh bd much strength. Hope you're feeling better too. Dh has the lurgy now and is really v poorly. Left him sweating it out in bed this am.

Auriga good luck on the new job . Q scary after 10 years elsewhere. I'm very impressed. Wish I had the wherewithal to do similar.

Oh give me STRENGTH.

Just emailed CDifff publisher about dippy designer. She says 'if you want to talk to her, why not email her and ask her for a time?' I've pointed out I've emailed repeatedly: Wednesday, Friday, Saturday. Does publisher think I'm thick or something? I want to cry. I really do.

(Admittedly I am not at my clearest atm.)

I have eaten DD1's leftover Christmas Toblerone. I will tell her I was saving her from it, as it was Not Very Nice.

I am hiding and working from home today and finishing the paper, where they keep changing the parameters (have just found out that someone else has been tasked to do the same thing ). I have washed all of my tea towels on a boil wash (how fascinating am I?), trodden on the cat's tail and drunk lots of tea.

BTM, a bus has just gone past with a large advert on the back for your DC's school. It described it as "One of the Most Popular Schools in the Country." Is it? How do they work that one out? Are there people in Birmingham saying to themselves, oh I wish I could go there?

Next door are still banging, and man appeared in the street briefly this morning in what appeared to be a loincloth. I am not sure if he is quite right, as he appeared to be shouting to himself.

I take back what I said about cracking this CDiff project. Alas, potential exit project has gone tits-up.

Oh MI sorry to hear your woes.designer sounds like a complete cluster&@*k. You really don't need people like that in your life right now.oyb

MrsS, wha? Is it Loincloth-man who is the new neighbour? < plans to swing past for a look>
They all sound bonkers. You should go round with a bottle of gin and join in!

Oh yes, MrsS! Well, in the HT's dreams
NDN sounds very interesting!

DD is having a bit of a wobbly day at work exp as the person she met is not in and they clearly haven't thought about what she will be doing and she got lost on her way to buy lunch...

Here a teenager has apparently wielded a 'large bladed object' at a Y9 girl and a teacher - minor injuries...... I don't live in the inner city, what the hell is going on?
More importantly do I bail ds out?

BD, wait, hang on. If it's a one-off, just hang on in there. Don't bail yet.

To all crepeys grappling with Uni costs nightmare, .we never got it right and DH is an accountant by training. Not helped by one occasion when DS1 phoned at the beginning of his second year in tears ( I kid you not) for having gambled away his entire loan for that term on an online gaming site. the good news is he's the one who now has a good job, a flat and money in the bank. I think it was the shock he needed but it could have gone either way!
Good luck with the boss beachy My lot have to do RE and prayers right up to the end of the sixth form....in Hebrew. What possessed me?
Despairing with you Mi. Sorry you have these people who seem to go out their way to give you so much grief. Perhaps suddenly the designer has realised that she needs a bit of mat leave? Dunno what to say about CDiff other than it can sometimes be a self limiting condition....
Auriga your singing sounds so awesome. And cake baking! Our new term at choir starts tomorrow. I have asked our local pub whether we can do a flash mob there one evening. I am setting the choir some challenges like on a reality TV programme on account of being so crap.
Tilly hope DDs work experience is going fine.
MrsS your new neighbour sounds..... Erm...interesting. maybe he's a friend of MIs naturist neighbour but a little less benign. I do hope it all calms down.
BD agree with MI. Panic not. There will be a lot of Chinese whispers about an incident like this. The acid test is in how the school deals with it...not that I wouldn't be feeling exactly the same as you.

In a not too bad mood today as have taught a delightful class of second timers this morning, one of whom is repeat business. That's always a huge compliment and all too rare. ConScript and I are back in email contact and he has suggested a script writing afternoon on Friday. Not very convenient but think I should move heaven and earth. We are behind schedule.

NDN has been in and out like a yoyo all day today (he is now wearing jeans and a T shirt). I am charitably thinking that he is probably waiting for a delivery that is late... I suspect the snotty family on the other side are viewing him with dismay. We already have two bonkers neighbours, perhaps this part of the street attracts them?

BD, I agree with MI. My two have occasionally come home with lurid tales, but not been affected directly themselves. Sadly seems the way of the world now.

DD managed to get back to her placement, but I fear a melt-down tonight

BD - this was on radio 4 news.

And agree with BTM and MI. But hope it is being dealt with appropriately. We had someone stabbed at my school, and it was hushed up/patted down as not serious/a one off. Two weeks later, the same boy stabbed two other kids. One lost an eye and the other a kidney. The police - rightly - went beserk that the school hadn't mentioned the earlier incident. I think this wouldn't happen today (and this was at a "naice" rural school).

BD, just saw that on the BBC website. Sounds bad, but hopefully just a one-off and sadly also the kind of thing that could happen anywhere.

BTM, sorry to hear DD is making heavy weather of the work experience. Fingers crossed that it will be better tomorrow.

MrsS, sounds like a nice neighbourhood Hope NDN calms down soon.

MI, sorry to hear about nutty designer. Sounds as though she is partic stubborn. Which is unfortunate for all concerned. (including the baby, probably). Will be thinking of you tomorrow.

Auriga, sounds like a lovely weekend. I do like to sing but I doubt I'm up to any madrigals. Crem's friend taught me for a while, but we just did rather more ... basic things. :) Best wishes for a flying start in your new job.

All this talk of financing students is making me quake in my boots. There will be no financing available in this house. Dd will be paying her own way out of her inheritance and ds will, er, well, I dunno. I guess he will mainly be getting a lesson in the hideous unfairness of life. I'd better start stockpiling staplers and cheese graters now.