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

Thank you kindly, MrsS and BD. I'm aware that I should now be doing something useful rather than faffing about on MN. So off I go...

I know this is really, really selfish of me, but I have had to cancel my weekend away - going to a friend's party in France - as my uncle's funeral is the same day and I would never make it to the party. It was something nice to look forward to, after all of the gloom. I feel horrible and selfish for minding so much about it, but I do.

No Mrs S not selfish. Just a recognition of all the pressures we are under and carving out 'me time' is so hard.

I sometimes want to run away....

I think that's it. I never, ever get any "me" time at weekends. It is always me chasing round with children, buying things like sports kit, while DH does his own thing.

Oh god I so get that...

:(

Why are we so crap at doing what they do? I know dp is more than capable of dealing with ds so why don't we just 'do'?

Bon voyage to the university-bound. I had nowhere to live when I went, the Halls were all over-subscribed. In the end, the Church found me some temporary lodgings so I didn't end up on the floor of the sports hall. The landlady made a different cooked breakfast for her children every morning. I had barely even heard of cooked breakfast before then.

Just been to a depressing alcohol and drug education talk at DD's school. Why would you pick a 36-years-sober (male) AA veteran to talk to 15-yr-old girls about alcohol? Instead of emphasising healthy habits and responsible drinking, it was all gruesome imagery (broken bodies at the foot of cliffs) prophecies of doom (you will get divorced, you will see your loved ones die) and shroud-waving. If they'd done the parents' talk first, I wouldn't have allowed DD to attend the one for the girls.

Maybe I was a bit grumpy anyway, after spending a whole day interviewing. Brian hurts. Again. And it made me a bit sad to be leaving.

Stropps, you can do it.

Sorry, x- post. Shame about the party, MrsS and don't blame you for feeling hard-done-by. Could you book y'self a w/e with friend soon-ish? You really do need some de-stressing and tlc time.

I don't know. I snapped at DD2 last weekend "well that's several hours of my life that I'll never get back." I can't even remember what it was now - oh yes, buying school supplies. DH had taken her out on the Saturday but they only seemed to buy about half of the stuff she needed, so I ended up going again on the Sunday. Because it was on the Sunday we couldn't go early, so everything was a mad rush - DD1 had to get back to school early. We got in from shopping, poked lunch into our faces at speed (fortunately I'd already put it in the slow cooker), rather than having a nice leisurely day. I didn't want to spend several hours in Oxford Street buying fucking PE kit (which meant going to several shops, as, unsurprisingly, most had sold out), trainers, pens, drawing stuff, detangling spray for hair and a hairbrush.

Janey Mac! Mrs S you really do need some 'me ' time. Terrible shame about France too. No guilt should be involved at all. Especially as you had looked forward to it so much. Can you plan another trip soon?
I totally get the doing everything thing. For this trip I have booked the ferry, booked accommodation, sat with dd to sort out all the paperwork packed everything blah blah blah. Dh has done precisely fuck all.
Well we're off in the morning. thanks for all the good wishes for dd. I am stoic right now but fear it will not last.

Ticket appears to be flexible one, so hopefully I can change it. Not sure I dare book anything else yet until we see how my other uncle goes.

Bon voyage Crem - will be thinking of you and awaiting report back.

Mrs S - agree with the rest - normal to look forward to party with good friends.. Funeral not quite so jolly! I do hope things get better for you soon. On the bright side you do have the Crepey Meet Up to look forward to.

I can't complain too much about DH as he's really good at bricolage (DIY) so I do the children (except when this involves Decathlon which I can't stand).

Have confiscated six Diary of a Whimpy Kid books from DS as he only reads these and not his school readers. Then I found a seventh stuffed under the mattress - a true addict.

Good Luck Cremo, hope you have put a large box of tissues in your handbag

MrsS, totally get that - definitely see if you can rebook.

Rudy, sorry to hear about your DM, but glad she's OK ATM.

Stropps, you will be able to actively set a good example of time-management and hard study to your DD. AND she won't be able to whine "you just don't know how hard it is..."

Here we had a massive shout last night when the DC's "banter" got out of hand. Ugly, but hopefully we can move on today

Good luck today, Cremo.

Rudy, that sounds v tough: I need to get into your mindset.

MrsS, you need that getaway.

If I lived alone I would cook a fair bit but only things I liked. I enjoyed living on my own....

And DD2 less stressy today, hurrah. It's partly that she's knackered.

Oh yes, starting secondary is very stressful and tiring. DD was a mess for the first 2 weeks. I remember a huge meltdown over her not being able to get her studs out for PE (her worry, not the teachers!) and now she has 5 ear piercings

Rudy, that does sound hard but I am glad your dm is enjoying herself now. MI, give yourself time, it is such a lot to take on board.

Stropps, I am sure you can do it, your posts are fizzing with energy.

Mrs S, agree.

ds - who has not exactly been getting much attention this term what with dd's imminent departure - is wiped out by the demands of new school football team.

Crem, look forward to hearing about it too and here's to a smooth journey and calm dd. We seem to have had mountains of paperwork and Stuff to sort - I am a bit jealous of some of her friends who have another week or three as it has been such a rush (we went on holiday the day after results day, unavoidable for us, but a Bad Idea for many reasons).

Cremo good luck!

Rudy glad mum is okay(ish) at the moment.

MI - agree re secondary - ds is loving it, but I think there's a lot to take in (and not just the lessons) and that takes a bit of getting used to....
I am, however, not looking forward to next week as that is when homework commences......

Crem good luck! Amongst all the inevitable blubbing....this is going to be positive.
Stropps of course you can. The course will be enjoyable, hopefully and that will give you energy to fit everything else in!
Auriga that does sound a bit gruesome. I agree with you...it should have been about responsible drinking and healthy lifestyle. Oh and also learning to resist peer pressure.
MrsS sorry about the party. Can you make arrangements to visit friend in France another time, even though the party will be over? It's not selfish at all. Just priorities. Your description of weekends sounds farmilliar to me also. I was discussing the issues with a close friend a few years back and we both had to admit that we sometimes often dreaded the weekend
Rudy your comment about your DM enjoying life is so important. And the treatment, watch and wait approach, or whatever can keep a cancer in check even if it's only a partial remission and the person can go on living their life.

Heavens...saddle sore fannies. Who'd be a woman fgs?
And thank you, ladies for making me feel that we're not the only ones who get shouty and have meltdowns with the DCs.
I didn't cook at all when I was in halls...on account of it being a catered hall!! Actually I loved it...just off Tottenham Court Road. Now you got me hankering for my student days again...although I'd have to have my own bathroom this time!
Ok tonight is bad mother night. Second class of the week happening here...and kids having pizza in their rooms. DH looked forlorn when I reminded him it was Thursday and he's best get dinner on his way home. He said " but I haven't got a late meeting ..." HONESTLY!

DD2 already has homework, which caused one meltdown.

Also she is the only one in her class with a plain PE polo shirt (which is allowed) instead of a logoed one. She feels embarrassed. (DD2 spends a lot of her time feeling embarrassed. Usually by me, it must be said.) She confessed this, in tears, first to me and then to DP, saying she knew it was silly . I know that in some ways we should insist she goes with the cheaper, nonbranded one but (a) the big issue with DD2 is getting her to say what is upsetting her (b) I remember being hideously embarrassed at school with the Wrong Sort of Blazer (v minor differences, but it had flaps like the boys' ones)....so on both counts I think we need to cave in and splash out, don't we. Or AWBU?

No idea how that link got in! It isn't to the right shirt anyway!

Bear in mind DD2 has never had to wear uniform before, as well.

Definitely cave in and splash out MI. For all sorts of reasons. Listening on the little stuff helps with the big stuff I think.

Thanks all. Waiting to board boat. Car packed to the gunnels . Just a dd shaped space in the back!
OO here we go.....