Crepeyistmas Time, Camel Toe and Whine...

[MrsSchadenfreude]

Pandering to the uncouth...

herbsEach Youth and children's theatre rota does about 15 performances. There are four rotas. DS is doing fewer than usual because he can't get authorised leave from school to do term time matinees any more, and then missed a few whilst away in Poland. Now he's ill. What can you do. The theatre are great about aranging cover but I always feel bad if they miss even one!

Lalsy, I will send you my mum's recipes, which I adapt!

Got them MI, fantastic, thank you .

Rose, it is terribly bad luck but as you say, what can you do? This time of year especially, everyone is limping on.

Lalsy,
Have tracked down my potato salad offering for your recipe collection...

here

Oooh that looks lovely. Thanks

Ach Rose poor ds.

Ooh Lalsy, the cerise jam cake yes, feel a need for that actually.. Will find recipe : it's Nigella.

I have been to Sainsbury and it was as if The Last Days Of Rome.BUT they had stamps, so I got the cards posted without the agony of the post office.

I wish I had a job that inspired customers to give chocolate. We usually get a nice diary each from a double glazing business owner, who is lovely, but it doesn't equal random donation of walnut whips

Lalsy, I am drooling in anticipation.

Sorry to hear about unwell DS's, but glad your DD's bucked up a bit Hatty.

Well, today went really well - INSET was interesting (once I had scoffed some chocolate biscuits and woken up), Christmas do was good - lots of banter over the quiz and Secret Santa, and DD's Parents Evening was good too All the teachers were overwhelmingly positive and supportive and complimentary, and we were all done in just over an hour! DD still has her CA to do tomorrow, and it is likely to go tits-up despite my help/recording it on her phone, etc, but her lovely teacher seemed very understanding...
We also got to speak to a few of DS's teachers. Interesting to note that some have the measure of him and can manage him, whilst others shoot themselves in the foot all the time...

Oooh yes please Crem - unless it is the storecupboard one, I've got that . What sort of job inspires people to give you walnut whips? They don't cover that in careers guidance do they?

I got a pack of three Walnut Whips .

The problem with being freelance, and/or impoverished student, is the absence of Christmas parties. I don't really count the rather lame 'quick, bung some crisps on the table' end of term 'fuddle' we had at college.

And I went to DP's boss's xmas do last Friday, and felt inadequate. Gorgeous four-storey house in Haigate village, tastefully, but not too tastefully, decorated, hot rich husband who later on whipped out a guitar and did a mini-gig in the sitting room. Staff served pink champagne all night, and delicious home-cured ham and salmon. And she had a utility room with a downstairs loo in it. I have neither, and covet them both madly.

She is, however, a bit mad, and the party apparently ended badly when one of the guests fell over and smashed hot husband's new guitar.

I did a survey about walnut whips. They had allsorts of suggestions about different kinds of whips like salted caramel, which sounded lush.

Herbs, I have never been to a posh xmas do in Haigate village Would be crap to get home from though!

Just ordered the dog a fancy parka. With detachable fur-trimmed hood and zipped pockets.

This is to make dd laugh at Xmas. She has been known to go into a foul mood at Xmas and cause much grief.

I have a freelancers' lunch (aka mums from skool) tomorrow. Wot larks.

DP late home - I think I shall leave my lovely offspring and go off to my secret satan.

BTM, what a lovely parents' evening that sounds like! I hope it boosts your dd for the CA.

CA anguish here too. DS has to write 200+ words about himself in French tomorrow and has just had a complete meltdown. It's the first time I've ever seen him truly bothered about an exam. He also has an English CA tomorrow as well (creative writing).

DH tried to use the new shower this morning; pressed the button - nothing. Much twiddling of buttons and fiddling about under the bath - nothing. It worked after the plumber left, but not after the electrician, so the finger of suspicion is pointing firmly in his direction. Aaargh. he is coming over tomorrow or else. Just hoping it's easily remedied.

Meanwhile, in S&B news, I found a new charity shop and picked up a couple of very "useful" dresses. One black and tailored, one dark green and slinky. Very pleased.

Molly I think I want one too!

Yes, it was lovely, Lalsy

WooHoo! I sent the DS upstairs with DD so that I could watch TV to help her learn her French a couple of hours ago, and she says she has learned nearly all of it!!!

Of course, she will probably have forgotten it tomorrow

Lalsy , it is that store cupboard one. Everyone already knows that one I think...
I have a great recipe for chocolate truffles ....

I don't remember the bean stew recipe at all! Will have a think.

Was in M & S today, collecting a few bits from Click and Collect (and she told me I had already collected them, when I hadn't). Went into the caff and the service was appalling - two people clearly incompetent doing the till and hot drinks, two women standing by the food having a nice chat, and ignoring the ever growing line as Magali had undercharged someone, which necessitated calling the manager. Her sidekick stood next to her, looking gormless. I asked if he could open the other till, which he eventually did. Tables were all covered with other people's debris, there were dirty tissues on the floor and cake trodden in. Strident woman in front of me asked if one of the chatting ladies could clear and clean the tables. They just looked at her. Eventually a man came out and started clearing them. I waited 20 minutes for a toasted sandwich and was told by the woman (who had been torn away from her nice chat) that she had "two other orders for hot food and couldn't do it all at once." All going to the dogs, it is.

On the plus side, I got DD2 a nice pair of leather boots in there for £40. Even better a) she likes them and b) they fit. Can also report that M & S Not Busy At All. Any of it.

Woo hoo indeed BTM!

Chocolate truffle recipe please Crem - not got that one.

Yes, chocolate truffle recipe a must.

I am going to make my Hungarian cheesecake this weekend. I will write down what goes in it, and try and measure some of the stuff out, like flour and sugar and eggs, instead of slinging it in with gay abandon and thinking "that feels about right." It is a wondrous thing and unlike any other cheesecake that I have ever eaten. It has the advantage of being called Sajt Torta (pronounced Shite Torta), as well.

Ah, CV, you have the right figure to get beautiful charity shop bargains. If I were as slim as you, I'd be a much happier charity shop bunny. That is the key. By this time next year, I shall have shed a shed-load of weight. Maybe.

Oh yes, Molly. And me...

They say if you are slim, you look through the racks of clothes, thinking "What do I like?" If you are on the porky side, you go through them thinking "What will fit?"

But I gather that, like me, you may head to the shelf of wonderment, where there are toby jugs, glass animals and all manner of curiosities available for 30p or so.