MMXV (2015, twenty fifteen) : Here Come The Crepeys!

[CointreauVersial]

More crepey wisdom.....

CV, won't he just say "lovely" or "well, if you like it do keep it" or similar?

Lol; DH would be the last person I would ask for advice on clothes

Cremo, how are you today?

The half term saga gets worse - looks like we will have to do a ferry crossing. DD and I get seasick. I think I would rather stay home!

BTM - the Channel is usually pretty calm so you might be OK seasickness-wise try the Irish Sea

It would be too late to book now, but DH and I once went skiing via Snow Train. What a giggle - basically an all-night party on a train.

CV, I can't get a horrendous ferry crossing in October many years ago when I and the entire boat were chucking up. Apart from my ex, who was asking where the sandwiches were

Off to parents evening tonight....for ds who has been consistently unhappy at this school pretty much since year 3. Sometimes it gets better, then worse again. No bullying recently, but generally not a good fit.

So Crepeys, is the summer term of year 9 too late or is never too late for a quick change of school?

Beachy - I'd seriously consider it.

We have a school in mind, less academic, more extra curricular, non selective, but is it too late?

I worry about his self esteem over these two crucial GCSE years.

He's up for it....

If you have another school in mind (which you do) and he has been to visit and likes it (which he does) then I would do it right now, presuming they have spaces. Why wait till the end of the year/term, whatever if he can start now.

Beachy Quite a few kids in DD's year moved on at the end of year 9…in particular those who wanted to do creative/technically based subjects. There's a particularly popular one in Herts which quite a few of DD's friends have gone to. In many ways it would have been better for her too, but she's not unhappy socially where she is, and the UTC was too far away. I don't think it's too late at all. Go with your instinct.

CV You wouldn't believe the stuff I unearthed from DDs room. She's like her DDad…just can't throw anything away. But I have, and I'm just praying she won't notice.

Heavens Tilly I wouldn't fancy a rough crossing unless it was very short…d'ya think there's a message in this somewhere…that you should just get some winter sun instead? Or actually, train-ing it might not be such a bad idea?

Rose, if DH didn't have a say, I would just pay £££ for more flights! But it would be a huge expense. It is DH and the DC that love skiing so much. DD isn't even moaning about the boat/car yet - she is so desperate to have the skiing to look forward to after her mocks!

Well done on the declittering of your DD's room. I put stuff I think she doesn't want into binbags in the loft and then chuck it after a good while

Oh BD, I would definitely be beating a path to the school to huff and puff about bullying if I were you. Not pfb at all.

BTM, re: getting together with course-mates - I live more than 100 miles away from most of them so I don't think any of them will be dropping by any time soon. But I do have a buddy with whom to exchange panicky emails every w/e. :) Sorry to hear about your half-term arrangements going pear-shaped - hope you can find a non-sicky-making solution.

Beachy, sounds like a change is in order. I'd say the summer term of Y9 is not a bad time to change at all. But then everyone around here changes school at the end of year 8, so changes in Y9 are also quite common. Anytime before Y10 seems ok to me if the dc in question is up for it!

MI, :( about your sis. Is she staying with your dps or is she back at home?

Auriga, I hope you are getting some tlc and resting up.

Rose, I was very sad to hear about the murder of that young chap. No wonder your dcs are unsettled. I would be too. :(

Here, dd is a) off boys again, because she says they are "all the same and after only one thing" and b) cross because she did better in her French mock than in any of her other exams.

I can't even read 'declittering' without squirming.

Soz for any incomprehensible drivel I may post this evening: I am on my usual Tues evening "woohoo, I did it" high, but my brain is extra-mashed as it took an extra hour to get to school this morning. After getting up at 4.30am, a 3-hour drive before teaching prac is not good. Complete and utter traffic snarl-up on the M3 north of Southampton meant an hour's detour via Portsmouth and I skidded into school 10 mins before the lesson was supposed to start and my keen-bean pupil turned up early. Am about to have a nice bath and a cup of chamomile before either doing some filing or just staring at the wall for a while.

Stropps, I don't think I'd have the energy for wall-staring after all that. Could you leave your wall in peace and go to bed?

Beachy, I think it sounds very tempting if he has been unhappy on and off for so long.....has the new school a sixth form that would suit him, so he won't have to move again unless he wants to?

Not sure ds has got the message about GCSEs - he just told me he is enjoying his mocks/study leave because "of the relaxation and the freedom" .

BTM, I'd be tempted to book myself a flight/train and meet the hardy sailors there.

I'm back... Honestly first appointment at 730pm and last appointment at 920pm. What a marathon! So he's bad at self starting and good at History and Drama.....

Thanks for all your advice... Ds hasn't been to the school in question yet, but dh and I have about five years ago. We'll go and see it again and take it from there....

Beachy, definitely don't rule out a Y9 school move, particularly if DS is up for it. There were a couple of "fresh start" transfers between the two secondaries in town amongst DS's friends last year. Here, they don't kick off the GCSE stuff until the last term of Y9.

Stropps, I joined you in some wall-staring. Well, it was book-staring, but about as productive as a wall.

At long last tried the salted caramel green tea passed slaveringly to me by various pusher crepeys. It was not actively unpleasant, but I wouldn't call it nice, either. Maybe with a spot of honey in...

Had a transport woe of my own today. Getting tube home at Finsbury Park was hellish. Not only were there the extra passengers from the non-functioning buses, there was also a 'track failure at High & I', so no Vic line tubes going through F Park for about 20 minutes. The platform was getting jam-packed and dangerous, complete with wailing child and tutting grown-ups. I took myself off to the adjacent, empty, Piccadilly Line platform for a nice sit down and a breathe.

DD tells us she crashed and burned in her last mock, French oral. It was so out of line with her usual that they're going to let her have another go. She says she was under-prepared, got nervous, then froze. Sounds plausible.

I had my own transport problems today; had to abandon the car in the depths of Sussex & get the train home, which means I'll be on the dawn train to Canterbury tomorrow. Getting better by millimetres.

Two of our best friends were on telly this evening, talking about their garden to Alan Titchmarsh. DH recorded it for me, so that cheered me up

The forecast leads me to believe we'll wake up to a sprinkling of snow tomorrow (or, at the very least, sleet and ice). That will make the Zigzag Road down from the top of Box Hill a marvellous way to start the day. Not.

I'm going to shelve ladyjog plans and have a session of 30 Day Shred in front of the TV instead.

Dne achy I'd give it serious thought. The difference it made to Ds when he moved primaries (and he was not actively unhappy in the first one) was amazing.

Snow here but not enough for a snow day. I am regretting not booking my birthday off

BD, many happy returns!

Ooh - Happy Birthday BD xx

BTM - we can have a totally smooth ferry crossing and DD2 still manages to chuck up. I am somebody who gets seasick but never on a ferry crossing - I don't know how she manages it. Usually we get to Maidstone Services before this happens. Our furthest point is Cambridge Services with me driving really fast to get there before the event in the car.

After long and bitter experience we have now abandoned the ferry and pay the extra for the shuttle.

I am feeling really happy as have taken on a really sweet little French girl to tutor in English. As a result I am throwing caution to the wind and rushing up for a quicky at the sales today

Happy birthday, BD! I hope the snow doesn't make things too difficult for you to get to work. Have as nice a day as you can under the circumstances.

We have a sprinkling of snow here. Lots to do today as we have four friends coming for dinner. DH who is only in charge of drink seems to have done nothing about it. We are having pate with sour dough bread, coq au vin etc, my surprise chocolate pudding or apricot brioche flan, cheese and biscuits. The house needs attention as the DGC were here yesterday.

I hope Crepeys are feeling better, and am so impressed by Stropps and Herbs and their energy and commitment to courses. I hope transport is easier for everyone today.