Crepes, Galettes, Pancakes and Brian the Bucket!

[MrsSchadenfreude]

Here you go...

BTM, chains? Thought I had missed a memo but the mention of snow cleared things up.

Wow, Beachy...

MI, sorry to hear about the unpleasantness for your DM - and you must feel vindicated about DDad.

I had a chuckle when I read about Crepey's different mornings. Here we are still generally awake at six a.m. and DH gets up, makes a cup of tea and brings it back to bed with the newspaper (civilised, what?). We're both quite bright in the mornings; I do remember DSis, however, as a teenager. She had to leave for school at 7.30 and I often used to come down to find her sitting in the dark in the dining room.

The exercise/swimming regime is going quite well and it is shifting my excess weight. After I have done three quarters of an hour swimming, and an hour aquarobics, I feel absolutely wonderful - all stretched and relaxed.

This morning we took the DGC to ToysRUs - I think the last time I had been there was when my two were still at primary school. The experience hasn't got any better and I have sworn never to set foot in the place again. We only went today because it's DGS's fourth birthday on Sunday and I had said that he could choose a toy. Never, ever again.

I am feeling quite jealous of all the holidays - my NDN is off to Thailand tomorrow for three weeks and a few days in Barcelona sounds great, Herbs; one of my favourite places.

Lalsy

Beachy, that interview trip sounds quite gruelling. Are you staying over?

Yes, staying over and then the interview is crack of dawn on Thursday, then back. Shouldn't be too bad. I'd prefer to go with her to have a nice chat for 12 hours. I'll bung in a trip to the St Ives Tate, just to really prep her up!!

I've got an interesting day on Friday... Taking ddad to a 'blind fair' where suppliers of products for the blind pitch their wares! Ddad seems to think he wants to go on the internet. My job is to persuade him not to.... Not being a Luddite, but really the stress that would involve is unimaginable.

NU - you get up at 6 am and you're retired?

I don't like the DC's coming with me to open day - DD1 came in and got into an argument with the philosophy teacher and it was practically written on her forehead what a prat he thought he was. Also I feel teachers cannot really dish the dirt effectively with the DC's present.

Book Club seemed really successful last night - they actually enjoyed The Time Machine, and it doesn't seem dated at all.

DD2 is sniffly - if she gets ilI I'll have to abandon my trip to my parents .

Yes Beachy, good chance for chats! Has she had any offers yet? How does it work with Art?
And good on your DDad still wanting to do stuff, though the internet does sound like a challenge!

We have taken our DC's to Parents Evenings since they hit KS2. It has usually been a heart-warming experience with DD, but much less so with DS! I don't want them to dish any more dirt on him than we currently get

Feeling so tired and old ATM and my knees are creakier than ever - not a good sign for skiing!

I conducted early Ladyjog as DP and DD1 both left early and I wanted DD2 to have a bit of company before she left. Came back to find her competently making an egg mayo wrap for her packed lunch and the washing going round. Took washing out to find my lovely grey cable-knit sweater matted and shrunken. Sent DP huffy text - it's the wool setting on out new machine, but it's done this once before so obviously I blame him.

BTM - solidarity for creaky knees and skiing.

Hatty, I didn't say I got up at six. DH makes the tea, brings it and the newspapers to bed and we stay there until 7 - 7.30, depending on what we're doing. It's just habit waking at that time after doing it all our working lives.

BTM, commiserations on creaking knees (join the club). The trainer at the gym is trying to build up my muscles above and below the knee to take the pressure off the joint. As he is an ex-paratrooper he knows all about knee pain.

Good luck with the interview, Beachy.

Oh that's bad, MI..... I returned home to find two full baskets of washing as obviously no-one understands how the machine works on Mondays and Tuesdays .

DH is upstairs with his man flu....I am hugely unsympathetic, mainly because he 'struggles on' for weeks and bloody weeks, not taking any medicine, going to work etc etc

No offers as yet, as its not UCAS based. You just apply to the different art schools (we've done three) and then hope for interviews and offers. Should know by Easter.....She is in a bit of a state as she's 'lost' her AS art sketch book, so she only has this years work in her portfolio.

Beachy I am eating sourdough toast and drinking builders (between meetings) in a young hipster cafe your DD could frequent if she comes here! Just heard a very cute wee art - student ask the waitress what was playing - I knew it was Neil Young
Hope the artwork turns up!

Beachy, the internet thing may work out, you know. Though possibly at the cost of your sanity.

Soddit, it was a charity shop purchase, and in truth it's the machine not DP's fault. It said wool setting, dammit.

But if anyone fancies taking advantage of any Woolovers offers like one do let me know .

I have done several delightful interviews and must now write about eyes.

We too have always had to take DC to parents evenings at secondary school. I never look forward to them….and it's hard to know to whom to address one's comments, iyswim.

CV Work experience…I would have loved to try flipping burgers in McD's!!! In our school, they do it at the end of year 12 for some reason. I think DS1 spent a week smoking in a grungy recording studio. DS2 is arranging his at the moment. Wants to be speaking French. I had a right go at DH about Doing Something (aka pulling strings) for his son in the corporate world and he took me seriously and has managed to get a DS2 placement in a French bank!!!!

Good luck with the interview Beachy…I am in Sussex from Sat afternoon. Thinking of mooching around Chichester or Arundel on Sunday if you're up for a coffee?

Links arms with NU in boycotting ToysRUS…I haven't been in since DS1 was a toddler…about 25 years ago…what a terrible place.

I am still incarcerated in the house of the sick. Poor DD still at home but fingers crossed she'll be able to go back to school tomorrow. The TA has sent an email wishing her better and has been taking notes for her in class, which is terribly sweet.

I am on Day 3 of Slimming World which is proving very trying as I have not been able to get out shopping to get the right stuff in…DH has offered to WFH this afternoon….might take him up on it, do the shopping and then sit in Starbucks and stare in to space for a bit. off to look up how many syns in a Starbucks Brownie

Monty what happened with the boss meeting?

I don't think anything would make me look forward to parents' evenings. I liked going without dc when they were at the X is lovely/a PITA/could brush his hair more often stage. Now the feedback is all pretty specific to the subjects - and even exams - I am glad I don't have to try to understand the detail.

Rose, I think you should escape for a bit!

I am proud of DD2. Postcard from school saying how well she's doing at Latin.

Lalsy, "could brush his hair more often" - Oh, yes.

MI, glad the disposable gloves suggestion helped. The other thing is disposable absorbent bed pads/sheets/not sure what they're called - I was buying Pampers baby ones and getting through them at a rate of knots. You lay them on the bed and the patient sleeps on them - they are very thin but absorbent. Only after dad had died did I discover that (of course) large ones for adults are available. They are invaluable - you just fold them up and bin them without even looking - instead of wrangling cloth into a washing machine after horrid attempts at rinsing.

As an aside, doggy ones are available for puppies, too, in case they pee on your sofa.

These? Excellent idea while she gets the hang of the sodding bags.

MI, hurrah on Latin!

I have used things like Molly describes post miscarriage and childbirth (sorry if TMI). They were excellent, and you could wrap any other revolting detritus up in them and bin the lot. Hospitals and various midwives gave them to me (but not, I seem to remember, to anyone else I knew so I don't know why I was so favoured). I anchored mine with a rough towel underneath.

What useful advice, Molly.

Beachy - that's a coincidence - DS is currently in Belgium on a WW1 trip. He left at 5.15am this morning, but I'm ashamed to say I didn't even wake up to wave him off.

DH dropped DS at school, and was at his desk by 6am, much to the surprise of the office security staff. He came home early and is now slumped blearily on the sofa watching Judge Judy. We just bought a new coffee table, and he's all huffy because I won't let him rest his feet on it.

I have made a HUGE curry, which I fear isn't the best curry I've ever made (chickpea, potato and spinach) but hell, it'll be fine.

Just added a huge amount of garlic fried up in olive oil, and fresh lime juice, and green coriander...

Bit low this week, but cheered by a great concert yesterday. Wish I could bottle that fizzing joy after a concert has gone well & just sip it now & then.

I upset DD earlier in the week with my frosty response to what they call "mess-up day". After GCSEs the school tradition is that they celebrate by trashing their uniforms (no uniform in the Sixth) & she's looking forward to it.

The idea of destroying a perfectly good skirt and blouse, that someone else could use, goes against the grain with me. It also seems like spoilt, brattish behaviour - these are expensive uniforms. I suppose I still remember the huge fuss my DM made about how hard it was to pay for my High School uniform (she fought with the Head over the tights, even). Boy, did I regret passing the 11+.

Ridiculous to cavil at this, considering-the amounts I cheerfully spend on DD. But I suggested she should buy some second-hand uniform with her own money if she wants to destroy it. What would you all think about this?

I should be glad she's not demanding a limousine and a ball dress to go to a 'Prom' shouldn't I?

I have a very large pan of chilli bubbling away on the hob. MI. One of my favourite meals. Congratulations to DD and the Latin - it's something I never had the opportunity to learn, but I find the origins of words fascinating. I love the explanation of "trivia", a noticeboard giving information at the junction of "three roads", hence tri via and therefore trivia.

I went to have a blood test this morning for my hypothyrdoidism and discovered that my GP had retired. I am foreseeing problems now with the new doctor as the old doctor and I had come to an agreement re the medication. I am slightly over medicated, but when I drop down to 125 mcg from 150 mcg a day I feel absolutely dreadful - so I take 125 mcg one day and 150 mcg the next day and it seems to work well for me. I just know that the new doctor will not be happy about this.

The Sky box packed up last night so we are tv-less - why do these things always happen when there is something that I want to watch? New box has been ordered and will be with us at the start of next week. Have to say we were very impressed with Sky's customer service last night and today - in stark contrast to NS&I who we have been trying to deal with since Christmas.

Auriga, cross-post. I would be absolutely furious tbh, it is such a waste of money and resources - I am sure there will be somebody, somewhere, who could make use of her old uniform. I just hate waste. Glad to hear that you enjoyed your concert.

MI glad to hear you have good school news.

Auriga, I would be joining DD in trashing her (very cheap, thankfully!) uniform - will be so glad when she gets onto the next race-course, even if it ends up being at the same school.
After saying the Maths was bad, she says she flopped Biology today. Thankfully she has gone back to her relentlessly positive friends again to revise Physics with him. And is going for a run with another friend at 9.30pm apparently

Auriga, do they not have a prom at all?