Crepes, Galettes, Pancakes and Brian the Bucket!

[MrsSchadenfreude]

Here you go...

The school system in Northumberland is different: primary 4-9, middle 9-13 and high school 13 - 16. Our local comprehensive also has a sixth form, so the children here do a minimum of four schools anyway.

DGC are here for the day - just deciding what to do.

QQ's words are very sound. I am admittedly a bit of a hippy, but let them go with their passion…what they like. They have quite a few years of studying/training yet to go. They might as well do what they love. We have to believe it'll come right in the end…otherwise how else do we get through the teen years without losing it completely!! I hang on to DS1's story…as you all know…slept through most of his lessons, never did one iota of homework , was predicted D grades in his A levels…but got a 2i degree and has a successful career in digital advertising, and does his music making and DJing on the side. (Not that I didn't nearly lose my mind in the process… )

MI any news this morning…how is DM? x

We spent 2 and a half hours last night, trying to help DD put her Food Tech CA into the computer format that her (excessively bad tempered ) teacher demanded…we all got the screaming ab dabs. (despite considerable IT expertise in the house…not me, though…). Today my BFF is taking me out for a belated birthday lunch…what would we do without our friends? Tomorrow is DS2's birthday…I am doing a fish and chip supper for him, with cheesecake for dessert. His faves. I have to make sure everyone leaves by 7, though…why? You guessed it…so there's time for feckin' homework…

Cross post…MI your cuz sounds lovely!! xx

I agree with MI about no schools being perfect.
And MrsS, interesting how your DD is VERY young for her age, although oddly very mature in other ways - just like mine, Stropps, etc

MI for your cousin!

I agree too about no school being perfect (and in every school teachers get ill/pregnant/have horrid things happen to them) and about not rushing kids to decide on careers - I suspect that is going through the motions to appear impressive, because in the long run I think it will be counter-productive as it is such an unholistic approach. How can you decide where you will fit into the world, when you don't know yourself properly yet?.

With homework, I've tried to help in ways that set the dc up better for the future, so help with organising revision and filing, fitting it in to allow time for fun, cheerful company at exam times (hah - that one's tough at times!), talking through anything tricky and when they were younger occasionally doing (very badly) their wonderful make a medieval weapon project.

BTM, my dd is lopsidedly mature too.

MrsS, do you get the sense your dd really likes her friends or is there an element of insecurity or indifference there? That is another pressure on teenage girls I think - the overtly close friendship thing - it is not everyone's bag......

I can completely see why you are reluctant to move schools. Is she about to go into the sixth form? Such a lot of dc move at that stage - has she asked to move, and might her her friends thinking of it?

MI, your cousin does sound great. I am sure if anyone can navigate the system you can, but wtf should you have to.....?. Anyway, I hope things gradually slot into place for your dm and that you can find some time for yourself.

What ho crepeys. No wise words to add re teens, other thn to gnash my teeth at their sheer bloody ingratitude.

Couple of slightly odd things. 1. Bought a lamé dress from our bring and buy sale, which turns out to be Biba! Brand new, with tags! Not sure if it's vintage, or how vintage, but bound to be worth a few quid. Part of me wants to flog it on eBay and keep the proceeds, but I feel maybe I should donate a large proportion of it to choir funds, as the diner must not have known it was worth money.

1. Idle curiosity led me to search Facebook for an old boyfriend. He was absolutely gorgeous, had women falling all over him, but oddly only had eyes for me. We were together for a few years, on and off, in my early 20s, until I buggered off to Australia. He was very sweet, but devoid of any ambition and unlikely to ever leave our little village. I generally didn't treat him very well, I suspect. When I returned from oz he was with a new girlfriend, who was v jealous of me and they quickly became engaged, at her instigation. I'd always wondered whether they stayed together. So imagine my dismay when it was revealed that they're still together, 25 years later, and have three v attractive teenage children. Not quite sure what I wanted...

Rudy, as long as you are wearing your bra on your head, we won't care.

Lalsy - she has two very close friends, who do not board (and she is going on holiday with one of them, and her family at Easter). She has two less close friends who also don't board, and whom she sees at weekends, goes to for sleepovers and parties. In the dorm, she is quite friendly with her room mate, and another couple of girls, and I sense she would be more friendly with them if she was a full boarder. She also has three friends at school who were at her last school in Paris - while not close, they are "continuum", and she can do the "do you remember" thing with them. She has always had just one or two close friends, and a raft of friends on the periphery.

I agree that all schools have crap teachers and good ones, but I do feel that the school could have made more effort to find a permanent replacement for the maths teacher, as it was clear, quite early on in the term, that the teacher was ill and wouldn't be coming back any time soon. And the same with the English teacher - they know she won't be back for the rest of the school year, so why can't they find a supply teacher for this time, rather than one until March and then (presumably) another till July? It's not like they're short of cash, and they pay pretty well - they are advertising for a teacher of science, and the starting salary is £43K.

MrsS, that does sound feeble on the replacing teachers front.

Crepeys, a new factor to consider in university choices - the availability of NHS dentists. dd has toothache and is struggling to get seen anywhere , and a collection of other minor ailments including a rash and swollen hands. I want to hug her, and in a Very Bad Mood as a result.

Rudy, I hope it goes well tomorrow.

Sorry to hear about DD's dental woes, Lalsy. NHS dental work is still readily available in Newcastle, and my DSis doesn't have problems in the Midlands - I know it can be horrendous in some places.

MI, how is it going today? So sorry to hear about all your DM's problems with follow up.

MrsS, I agree it is poor of the school not to get in permanent staff at the first opportunity.

Good luck with the surgery, Rudy.

Rose, the stories of the survivors of the Holocaust have been very poignant today. As a child I remember quite vividly the televising of the Nuremburg (sp?) trials, and those awful, grainy films of the camps.

Lalsy, I'm assuming she's checked the NHS site to see which practices are accepting new patients?

MI, so glad your cousin is kicking some arse, but so that it needs to be kicked.

MrsS, I am at the school's feebleness re: replacing teachers. What exactly are you supposed to get for your money? I'd be demanding a partial fees rebate for that.

Talking of which - on my jolly course today, and I swear if one more person sporting pearls and cashmere tells me mournfully about the extreme sacrifices they have made on the holidays front because of the NEED to pay school fees (whilst also driving around in a big shiny 4x4), MI6 will need to have me on some kind of watch list. I'm sorry but I did crack today and actually said, "You know, my kids go to state school and for a long time I couldn't afford any holidays at all." Ah well, that's one more person that won't be wanting to sit next to me again.

NU yes indeed. Thank you. I remember when Holocaust memorial never even made the news. We had special assemblies at school and survivors came in to talk to us. Tonight DS2 is at a function for Holocaust Memorial…he's gone there with the music department…they are performing as part of the ceremony, I believe. It's a time for remembering. Many members of My DMs Belgian family never made it, and equally there are some amazing stories of those who escaped the occupation.

lalsy that's awful…people with really bad toothache have been known to walk in to A&E….

Hope it all goes ok with your eye tomorrow Rudy

I have had a very nice lunch with BFF…and have made a cheesecake for tomorrow. Then settled for an afternoon's writing (alone) and am very pleased with Scene 12…difficult subject matter but going well. ConS has just texted me positively about it shortly after I emailed it through to him. (Why do I need his approval and why do I fear his criticism…? )We are nearly there and have finally agreed on a title.

Herbs Were you going to FB message him….?

Cross Post…Stropps you tell 'em. They need to get real….

MrsS, everyone round here goes to at least 3 or 4 schools too, as we have the same system as NU, with lots of people moving post-GCSE to a 6th form college in one of the neighbouring towns or to agricultural college.

Thanks, Rose. I am beginning to wonder if I am just a chippy little weirdo, but I currently feel as though I am driving 90 miles every Tuesday but ending up in a different world.

Oh lovely crepeys I have missed
you all. I just don't seem to have time to chat at the moment. ( our house seems to have an open door policy at the minute- have had a series of kitchen table summits with friends and rellies. Plus the office move which has been Kafkaesque in it's machinations)
Anyway nothing major. Just blah, but time-consuming blah.
I don't have much to add to what the fragrant and wise QQ has said about subject choices. You all probably remember English-gate, when dd decided to give up English Lit AS after the rogue C at GCSE. Oh how anguished we all were. Especially as she has always always wanted , in spite of the the better advice of MI, to follow her ddad into journalism.
Well she has now happily and more importantly is doing extraordinarily well, at something else. I wish, WISH I had been channelling Rudy through that process. I shouldn't have spent any time worrying.
Mrs S I'm sorry about dds sitch at school. I do think I might try and talk to the head of year about misgivings about the English teacher. He seems extremely uninformed about 'The System' and grading. Maybe he has A Plan , but bullying them with disappointment is surely counterproductive if it is causing dd to give up and be demoralised.
Nip in the bud before it spreads to other subjects.
Am going back to read some more, as I'm not caught up. MI that's v good about your cousin, but sad that there are no Macmillan nurses in East Angular.

In S&

You are ending up in a different world in the same way I do when I pound across London Bridge every Monday morning.....

I'm not home yet, and back in tomorrow as every bigwig in NY seems to be avoiding the storm by coming to our office....

Rose, my DD1 was in a performance they've been working on for a while and did today for the Holocaust survivor who, I think, inspired it (to be honest it's one of many things I've rather let slip by me ATM).

In the DM saga, they've now found some fluid of some kind in her stomach and think she'll need a stent in the other kidney, while still not being sure why her leg isn't working. A spell in a nursing home looms. I'm resolutely of the opinion it's nobody's fault (though it may be nerve damage after the op) but more the generalised collapse of the ageing body. And conducted another Ladyjog in the deluded hope it would stave off my own decline. This is all v wearing and tedious.

And cousin's dad now announces he has cancer and is booked in for own op. Blimey, it's getting like MrsS's family.

MrsS, I may be a cynical cow, but it does sound like the usual teen drama/moaning, etc. It sounds like she has lots of friends, but perhaps certain teachers at the school are somewhat lacking in encouragement. I would do as Cremo suggests and try to talk to someone seniorish and get them to up the pastoral if at all possible. They are all so up and down, and they save their worst moaning for home, or so it seems.

Cremo and Rudy, good to see you! Rudy, you can wear your bra like a pirate eye-patch at the MU

Talking of which is this the list? Anyone else?

BTM
MrsS
QQ
Beachy
Herbs
CV
Addle
MI
Molly
Rudy
Stropps

Just checking so I make sure and order enough food!

Oh MI, so sorry to hear that, the constant uncertainty and waiting for news must be exhausting in itself, you poor love.

Thanks about dd - she has rung them all, even the laughably titled access service which doesn't answer the phone....she is on the case though.

Stropps, you go, they sound like a load of nobs - and extraordinarily lacking in understanding of other people.

My dd did fairly obscure dusty A levels - and is now doing joint honours in two of the subjects that jostle at the bottom of the employability tables. But nothing else floated her boat, so that was that.

Sorry to hear about your dm's setback and the bad news from your cousin, MI. Try not to push yourself too hard at the mo, though, because dealing with these things really takes it out of you. Be kind to yourself!

Lalsy, yes, nobs indeed. I am just at the extraordinarily insulated lives they lead, not to mention their complete lack of imagination. Still, my new bff and I manage to buoy each other up, just about.

Beachy, that is a looooong day and the invasion of US bigwigs doesn't sound very ... calming.