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

[CointreauVersial]

More crepey wisdom.....

Stropps I didn't say earlier but I too am horrified by the bloody school.

MrsS that sounds well dodgy.

My sister is fuming as apparently our father will take DM to her stoma meeting but not actually attend. This after his long pontificating to DP about how he wants to be as supportive as poss. She has written him furious email pointing out he needs to be able to help her if she is ill and that presumably she's quite scared of the prospect too. I've backed her up. I don't actually want to see him at all on Sat and will find it even harder than usual to talk to him.

Thanks for the excellent gynae chat, has cheered me up no end. That and Herbs' cat picture link on FB which was hilaire.

Crem - sorry about your eucalyptus, that's very sad. Maybe you and dh can choose something nice together to replace it?

Stropps, that is awful about the school making dd miss her trip. I hope the school can make up for it somehow. Good that she went back in though and didn't take it overly personally.

I meant to go to bed an hour ago, but have mostly been looking at baths I can't afford...

We had a friend of DH's round for dinner. He was telling me the tale of someone I know, who is very, very prim, and how she was into swinging in her yoof and had a special room in her house for the purpose, which was covered in plastic and was known as the Mazola Room. I laughed so much that I cried and also pulled a muscle in my ribs. I won't be able to look at this woman in the same way again.

MI - good for your sister. Your Father needs to MTFU and understand that it is not All About Him this time.

Crem, very sad about your tree. Is there no equivalent of intensive care for trees? I'm no gardener but I read that a lot of trees that fell in the '87 hurricane were rehabilitated. Can you take cuttings from trees?

Hattie, there's a limit to free speech in your house then ? I keep looking for the positives in the news, the decent people standing up to be counted but sadly it seems the bloody Pope is not one of them. Don't know why I find this disappointing or surprising. But he has such (staggering, unimaginable) influence. Still, I cheer myself up with the thought that someone only has to insult his mother to get him arrested for assault and (presumably) sacked (or do they still have criminal Popes?)

Auriga, I thought I had misheard what the Pope said earlier. So depressing.

Auriga. - the problem is I think DH will have a drink and then blab something about the family which I would rather not go round the town. We are fairly harmless on the whole, but I do know some astonishing stuff about some people who I only vaguely know. This is the problem with a small town with an expat communy.

I'm off to see what the Pope said.

Hmm - not sure the punching your mother analogy is particularly helpful. Much was made on the French news of the self censorship of the British media - especially the Sky news lady who apologised when a French interviewee held up the front cover of Charlie Hebdo. I have to say, the front cover could represent Mohammed or just an upset Muslim.

Interestingly - images of the prophet can be found in Persian literature from before the 16th century (French news last night).

I, too, was very disappointed to hear what the Pope said. And I am also a bit at the British media not publishing the cartoons - how can you have a discussion without the central point?

MI, sorry to hear that DDad is not behaving well - I don't know what else you and DSis can do. You have very forcefully told him to step up to the plate. Tbh I always thought that you must be exaggerating a bit about his "head in the sandness", but obviously not. It's not acceptable but he's not going to change, is he? Your poor DM, thank goodness she has support from the rest of you.

I am going to attempt, yet again, to get my admin done today and I suppose I had better iron my DS's shirts rather than take the washing back to DDil unironed.

Ooh, NU, you'll be the subject of a thread: 'MIL brought back shirts ironed, AIBU to find this terrible?'

People frequently think I'm exaggerating about my father...

NU - I'm not sure about in the recent batch of cartoons and I feel in view of what's happened it is essential to publish but in the past some of the cartoons have been questionable - although aimed at all religions. For example - the prophet getting sodomised or the virgin Mary giving birth. I do think they set out to offend rather than encourage healthy debate - although nothing justifies what happened. I also think any robust religion would just ignore cartoons like these. Charlie Hebdo was almost bankrupt - it would have probably disappeared in a few months - its immortality is now ensured.

I am a bit concerned that the Charlie Hebdo thing is obscuring the anti Semitic attack which is more important.

It's hard MI to stand by and watch someone like your Ddad failing to step up to the plate. True, his behaviour is disappointing but he's going through his own personal hell and his behaviour may be the result of the way your parents have conducted their relationship over the years. If things were the other way round with mine...ie my DM with illness and dementia, my Ddad would similarly fall apart. hand on in there xx

Hatty I also disagree with being offensive just for the sake of it....to make a point. But then, you never know who is going to be offended about what. The law here protects all of us by making incitement to violence or hatred a criminal offence. That helps I think although there's also grey areas. As a faith group we tend to laugh at ourselves a lot so it's hard to offend us unless it's real hatred/violence. I don't mind being called a Yid ....But I don't want to live in fear or have that for my kids either. What a bloody mess, eh.

NU you are a saint.

I am recovering in a cafe after getting caught in a major jam. It's taken me an hour and a half to drive a 20 minute journey. I am not looking forward to the weekend. I am working all day Saturday. When I get back DH is off to Cambridge on a jolly for the rest of the weekend and I get homework duty.

With the help of my aunt - his sister, who is being unexpectedly good on this - we've forced him to go. I take your point about personal hell but to be honest I do not care - he has inflicted enough on me and on my sister over the years. They both have, though my mum has redeeming features (it's not as if she's really put pressure on him herself).

Sorry to rant.

No need...ranting is good. Good luck with it all. I have two aunts and two uncles....they listened but did nothing, when we had all that trouble with my Dad last year. They keep those distance. I guess they all have issues of their own being well in to their 80's. Xx

their distance...

I think Rose is very right about learned behaviours - if that's the way your relationship has always been it must be difficult to break away from it. I know, for instance, that I bury my head in the sand and will only woman up to things at the last moment.

Hatty, I haven't seen the cartoons at all, but have heard them described. As I said the other day I try to treat people with respect and would not knowingly upset them, but I do think that as long as you're not preaching hatred of "other" freedom of speech is vital. Difficult times and difficult circumstances. Things would be better if everyone is as reasonable as us.

I have entered sainthood and done DS and DDiL's ironing - bad MiL. DH is back from his bike ride and is frozen.

Erm…am I a total disgrace and embarrassment to this forum to want to try a pair of Gabor boots? Maybe black, maybe navy, many both

maybe both

After a sleepless night - interspersed with nightmares about not having prepared my lesson - it was a triumph! After some written work about food, I taught them three nursery rhymes with a food theme, which involved acting out 'I'm A Little Teapot'.

I am absolutely bushed. But have a friend of DS's downstairs, so should probably make sure they not dead or anything.

In S&B news, my favourite charity shop came up trumps again, with a Sticky Fingers dress. Like this one. £8!

You bargainistas!

Nice dress herbs and well done on the teapot lesson - one of my earliest memories is performing this enthusiastically with all the actions to an audience at nursery school!

Nice boots Rose - you don't have to TELL people they're Gabor. Much prefer them in black and think you might regret 2 pairs...

Great bargain herbs and well done on the Teaching Triumph.
May you have many more TTs in your lovely dress.

Dh and I are going out to dinner which is practically unheard of unless we are on one of our travelling jaunts.
I will report back later. I am wearing my new red velvet heels, yes, in the snow! I will be expecting dh to carry me to the table.

Nowt wrong with those boots, Rose. They'll be comfy, that's for sure.

A rare moment of peace and quiet - DS out and about, DD1 at gymnastics, DH on his way home, and DD2 somewhere doing homework. But breaking the silence is a massive amount of scuttling from above my head (ie under the bathroom floor). Loud scuttling and nibbling noises....

Cremo, red velvet heels - fabulous!

The boots look OK to me too Rose. And bargain dress Herbs - wish I could squeeze into an 8 - those days are loooooooooong gone!

I have the house to myself DH has gone to pick DS up and DD has gone to babysit Might watch the diet prog!

Red velvet heels Crem?! How did I miss news of those? Pic?

All is peace and quiet here too CV - the only sound is my typing and the dog snoring next to me... long may it continue!

Oh no, it's not an 8. It says 'S' on the label, but it's not an S. More of an M. The charity shop labelled it a 12.

Those Gabor boots are most acceptable, Rose.

Small boy has gone. Wine is poured. DP is going out, but 'won't be late'. I don't believe this for a second.

Get the boots. In black.

I too have no idea where on his long journey back my partner is. DD1 at a friend's. DD2 out at a party for her Y6 year. It has been suggested parents turn up and eat pizza and drink wine. I think I shall leave DP instructions for picking up and go back out on foot.

My father continues to be an arse.