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

DD arrived home drenched. We have just had a spectacular melt down over homework. Not feeling the lurve. Business as usual.

Herbs, you must be physically and emotionally drained. Can you get some time on your own this weekend to do something nice for yourself as a treat? Just an hour having a swim or something might restore your factory settings. Worth a try?

Dd2 at friend's house. Ds has another small boy over and they are being Ben ten. Dd1 making my birthday cake. All is well.

Sympathies to all caught in rain. It's v sunny here but very close. I am feeling a little flushed.

Here the mist hasn't lifted all day. Ds had melt down because friend didn't want to come for sleepover, now several of them on minecraft.
Locker still not sorted....

Hot sunny day here - no rain AFAIK!

Sorry to hear about your DD woes, Rose. DD was very emotional when I got in - she got a thank you card and a rather large amount of vouchers from the people she has been doing work experience for. They also took her out for lunch - clearly she made a very good impression. So proud of her but dreading the return to school and hoping against hope that the stuff that has been making her life hell there will have calmed at least a bit now they are in Y11.

DS is not back yet. I had a call from his French teacher about no homework and missed detentions... I think he is avoiding us.

My afternoon's work was cancelled, which meant I didn't have to do a preparatory visit this morning, which meant I could finish a big report with time to spare

DH & I took DM out to lunch and I got her some temporary reading glasses that work (she had a cataract done on Tue). Then we took DDog for an extra walk in the woods with a ball to chase, then I washed her bedding & bathed her & there's still time to do a bit in the garden.

Weather gorgeous here, feel as though I've had a weekend already. And LRB arrived today, my late birthday present to myself and I've just heard that Alec Salmond has resigned

Have a good w/e everyone.

BD, new job is as specialist advisor to a regulatory body. When, by the way, did the spelling of adviser change? Did any of you notice?

How nice, Auriga. Especially fish-face resigning!
It has been advisor for aaaages. And I'm only a lowly Poly graduate

Now I want to know what your specialism is Auriga!
Not cold here just misty - trying to decide whether to make career changing decision re Herbs (I blame Monty)

I am a bad person who took the afternoon off

Is this a mid-crepey crisis, BD?!

Forest plans cancelled in favour of sitting in a house gossiping while the children run wild. Discovered that good friend's daughter (old nursery pal of DS) will be starting in his class a week after he does!

My pals gave me a mini therapy session, trying to get to the root of why I'd been finding all this so stressful, and it seems that it's all because I'm trying to control the uncontrollable. Makes sense.

BD - wot, like becoming an adult ed person wot like I will be?

BD is considering the Law, n'est-ce pas, BD?

Herbs, sounds like a good therapy session. Auriga, sounds like you have had a lovely day! I haven't done as much work as I should have, but luffly neighbour-friend came round for tea and an excess of Nigella's rocky road fridge cake and also bought me a good luck card and present for starting my course next week. I was all and nearly blubbed. When the dcs came home, they said, eh, what, when are you starting and how long will you be away - clearly demonstrating that they rarely listen to anything I say.

On exercise - I was a sporty type at school until I got struck down by eating disorders. At my first two schools, I represented the school for lots of things and did a lot of gym. Wasn't necessarily hugely good, but was keen and practised hard and I could run rather fast, which tended to help in various team sports. But when I went to boarding school in the 6th form, my eating disorder swung rather massively in the other direction and I became hugely fat and was also "wrong" in terms of never having played lacrosse, which was the important sport there. I therefore had the salutary experience of going from always being on the team to being the fatty no one wanted. It was an unpleasant but probably useful experience. I still like team sports and would row or play netball if I had the time to commit to it and could find a club that would have me, but for the moment I'm happy doing my circuits/kettle weights classes with a feisty bunch of women. I don't like the classes at the local leisure centre much, as they are full of skinnies who take themselves way too seriously. I also bloody loathe having to stare at myself in the mirror whilst exercising. I like things involving sweating and swearing, like HIIT training. I also walk alot, but would rather eat my own trainers than jog. I can still do a handstand and beat dd at press-ups. heh. OTOH, my sciatica usually plays up after I have done either of these activities

There must be something in the water, crepeys. I found myself perusing the Jobs section of the local paper earlier on, and spotted something that I might just apply for. It would be fabulous (but I'll say no more...).

Meanwhile, I'm quite glad today is over. I struggled all day, feeling bleurgh and suffering from a headache; I realised mid-afternoon that it had a lot to do with the three large glasses of Cloudy Bay I put away in a Thursday evening moment of madness. In other words, a hangover.

BTM - DD's work experience sounds brilliant. I'm hoping and praying that DS has a similarly motivating time when it comes around next year.

I'm having a very odd Friday night. I have been mum taxi for about the last two hours. I now appear to have one child asleep, one pootling around not going to bed and about seven teenagers in the back barn..... Dh is helpfully at a neighbours having a men only pizza evening ....wtf I have made up beds for all teenagers and tried to give dd1 instructions on where boys and girls sleep. I give up!

Am guarding my sitting room with wine

I'm looking forward to next week, two big walks planned with friends, which is my only real form of exercise. Yesterday me and ddog went on a massive wander, got very lost and ended up climbing up a big hill, through a hedge complete with barbed wire and got trapped in a newly ploughed field. I thought the dog was going to die.... Strange form of exercise I know, but I like it ( a la Dick Emery).

Well yes that sounds an odd day altogether Beachy. Glad DDog made it (and you of course).

I did my share of taxi-ing. DD went to see

Aargh. Was looking for italics. She went to see Lucy, which sounds awful. But had good pizza & good company. I tried painting my nails - disaster. I'm just not competent. Ended up looking as though I'd perpetrated some awful crime then couldn't get it all off. Now I realise why they make you soak your cuticles in oil at the salon.

DCat is vomiting every night and isn't eating . Have tempted her with meat (she just eats the jelly), tuna in olive oil and cat milk but she's had no more than a teaspoonful of either. She's still happy and loving, curled up on the clean washing as I type. She's so tiny though, she has no spare weight to lose. I don't think it can be long now.

Oh dear Auriga.

I am trying to make my gels last a bit longer - will get them redone next week. I have such terribly brittle, flaky nails that to get them to any length at all it is the only way.

Beachy hope the orgy teen sleepover went well We have some (all girls, I hope) in the loft - I have to go and wake DD for gym in 10 mins!

Rudy, linkies to the dresses please! I am trying to force myself not to buy anything, but it is very difficult

No sleepovers here.

No it's not education Herbs - been there done that. Yes it's law, but not sure it's the right thing/sensible thing to do now let alone the money involved. I'm just so bored I need to do something.

On the exercise front I'm like Stropps - don't like mirrors where I can see myself!!

Auriga, how's the cat?

I did go back and do a small amount of work. Now vaguely contemplating the day. DP about to take DD1 to her dance class. I appear to have recovered from last night's prosecco

Tilly it's so good about DD. It's probably her first experience of the camaraderie of working within a supportive team. She's obviously going to be a team player in the workplace in the future. Good on her.
Auriga sad for the cat. Is she very elderly? Curious about your new role!
I now have to have gels. I would have said I was a natural nails girl but mild psoriasis means my nails grow misshapen and break really low down. The gels cover up the horribleness and strengthens them.
I do actually have a local health club membership at which I never use the gym… But the pool is lovely,I like to do lengths although I haven't been since before the summer hols
BD that's quite a story…I'd say you were/are a sportswoman alright.
MI I sentence you to 10 years hard labour for daring to take time off…
Meanwhile back at the ranch...DS has man flu… DD is being particularly dense about some relatively easy homework. DH is out on an all day jolly with my BFFs other half. This afternoon, I have to drive DD to a party in the wilds of the East London suburbs AND pick up as no rota has been suggested by friends parents, and DH is absent. We are all supposed to be meeting up at our local theatre for the band night this evening (ConScript plays in the band), and I will have to work hard not to be in a mad mood. A couple of gin and tonics on arrival should do it, eh?

Not BD, meant Stropps soz

I have a relatively restful day planned. Meeting friends in a pub in Victoria Park, then all three kiddies will play in the excellent playground while we huddle under a wet tree.

Then anniversary dinner tonight. Home-cooked something or other. Preferably involving pork mince and cabbage, two things we have a glut of, but not the world's most appetising prospect. Perhaps something Vietnamese?