Beware the Crepes of March!

[QueenQueenie]

Well someone had to do it as my last post was number 999...

MI, hope it goes OK today. Extraordinary about the clipping.

BTM, don't worry about doing the uni application/gap year - amidst all this anxiety and teen nonsense, the system itself is straightforward and sets the options out clearly. I speak as someone who on her UCCA (?) form ticked M for Male (I meant Ms).

I sent dd some money to buy vegetables and meat and she sounds much more chipper .

BD, I agree with BTM.

I have been travelling since leaving the house at 6.30 and had to get train to Cambridge. Now there are no direct trains (signal failure) and I have been sent on a much later train to Stowmarket where I will change for Norwich. I am cold and exhausted and have no idea if the train to take me home will be operating. I don't even like my parents.

Oh MI, you poor love.

MI, that sounds totally crap Would it be easier to drive next time (assuming there is a next time!)

Lalsy, thanks - that is good to know. Do you think your DD will spend her money on meat and veg?!

I hate driving and I've only ever driven to Norwich with DP shouting at me...

Emily, enjoy the cheerleading competition.

MI, that does sound like a mammothly unfun way to spend your Saturday. Am keeping everything crossed for you that the trains are running for your return journey.

MI so sorry - train journeys are grim when they go wrong...

In the world of dog theiving DDog has snaffled half a lemon drizzle cake...

Lalsy, I do try to have faith that it will turn out all right, but I guess it's because I have only the catastrophic mess of my own experience at university to go on that I have trouble on that score.

BD

...let's hope he's not hypoglycaemic....

Or gluten intolerant. I had a cat who was gluten intolerant. Feeding her was a nightmare. Now we just have one that is prone to cystitis...

DH wanted to get up early to be in Asda when it opened at 7. One of us was up at 7 and ready to go. It wasn't him.

MI, driving on your own is a revelation DH said the route to Norwich is very easy from here, and very quiet early on a Saturday morning.

More reasons not to have a pet...

MrsS, I am and that your DH said he wanted to go to Asda at 7am! Did you actually go without him?

Should have been worse, could have snaffled the 6 pack of orange clubs whilst he was at it....

I just lost my whole bloody post.
In short ( probably welcome rather then whittering on...)
to MI and stropps
MrsS hope whatever your DM has is treatable.
I couldn't wait to get to uni...no chance of a gap year. I needed to be away from my parents. I think the anxiety we are seeing in our teens has to do with the pressure that the schools are putting on them. DS at the moment is full of bravado but he's quite inhibited socially and I'm expecting wobbles, if not now, then if and when he starts uni and school suddenly isn't there with it's comforting, if pressurised familiarity.
I am packing up to go home shortly. Have had breakfast in village. Loads of schlepping of bags and stripping of beds. DH is supervising homework and taking the DC to visit my parents. that's the way to do it!

BTM, she assures me veggies a plenty!

dd was anxious as a newborn onwards - I can't blame school in her case. She was obsessed with, and terrified by, Father Christmas, drills, people in hats or masks, the list goes on, as a toddler. Bullying at primary didn't help but I don't think academic pressure (of which I agree there is plenty) particularly increased it - I think maybe it gave her something constructive to focus that weird energy on (pastoral care at secondary was great though), I dunno.

I think Norwich is one of those places that is further away than it seems or should be [helpful], Good luck MI - hope you have a good book and nice sandwiches.

Still en route. We do drive when it's DP. I have done it occasionally and absolutely loathe being at the wheel and am terrified of killing us all.

Just nipping on to wish huge strength to MI and best wishes to Mrs S. . I did chuckle at Asda outing though. Be back later. We are going out for lunch at the new pub near us. It is gone 11 though and I am still not dressed. Better get a move on

Rose and Lalsy, that's interesting.
DD was not an anxious baby or toddler, in fact she was a bubbly, boisterous, very easy and up for anything! She was a model student at Primary school, but had a very close friendship with her BFF and I think she found it hard starting Secondary not having her there. Her friends and what others think are enormously important to her, plus she puts a lot of pressure on herself and so any pressure from school completely tips her over.

MI hope you are there now - what a mammoth trip to somewhere not actually that far away. Make sure you plan for a weekend when there are no engineering works next time, if there are any!

I CBA to drive to Asda so went to Tesco instead. Now going to do a bit of cleaning. The fun never stops here. DH has just gone out and the bloody smoke alarm has started beeping, and I don't know how to stop it, short of smashing it.

DD1 has always been anxious, since birth. She also had obsessions (better now), phobias and peculiarities - cannot stand wearing anything that is remotely stiff or scratchy (her school skirt drove her nuts). The school doesn't help the anxiety by stressing the need to focus on a career and work towards it. Have told DD1 not to think about it AT ALL, just to get through school, take a year off and then have a think about what next.

Mrs S - take the battery out. It's probably beeping because the battery's low.

Git-ish behaviour of DH, BTW. I hope he's gone out for some very good reason, like buying you a treat.

I am knocking my assignment into shape - it's due in on Monday, and as ever is taking far longer than I anticipated. Partly due to tracking down all the blasted references. DP has taken DS out to our Dear Little Local Museum, full of such delights as supposedly the UK's first petrol-driven car, and some Durex from when the British Rubber Company were based around here. And a stair spindle from the 1970s.

Pah to that sort of careers advice, MrsS, just racking up anxiety pointlessly I reckon. She should ask them what the established routes are to become a....I dunno, risk assessment analyst.....

We were told at A level evening that many careers don't need specific degrees, never mind A levels. Work hard at stuff you like was the message, unless you are vocationally driven.

Herbs, the museum sounds er interesting.

MI, are you there yet? Good luck with getting home.

MrsS, strength to you and your DM - I hope it's not as bad as you fear.

My DD (second born) has always been more relaxed than her DB, but I have always thought it was my fault as I was anxious with him. She, by the way, went to Lancaster where she met DSoniL and they both enjoyed it there.

I have been to the gym first thing - the first time since Monday as I have been so busy this week. I have come to the conclusion that the more exercise I do the less I want to eat as I have been ravenous all week. Watch this space - I shall keep an eye on it and see what happens.

Oh, and MrsS, I had a women's meeting here on Wednesday and put out shortbread, choccie biscuits and the almond and poppy seed cake - every last bit of cake disappeared and people want the recipe!

Herbs, does your DS ask about the Durex display?!

MrsS. neither of mine liked stiff and scratchy. DS had (still has to some extent) a thing about labels in clothes and DD hates anything with embroidery/sequins as they are scratchy inside. Oh and the button phobia

Lalsy, that is the advice I am giving my DD. And as MrsS says, just focus on finishing school (well, GCSE's first!) because then you can stop and think if you still aren't sure what to do next. She is currently keen on the idea of Law

Ds hates labels - we have to cut them out....

Lancaster when I was there had fallen into this pattern where every Friday night EVERYONE buggered off home - except the Masters students because they had too much to do and/or lived in the south and the thought of National Express Coaches both ways was grim. This meant that the place was like a ghost town. Only two of eleven bars bothered to open, there was no food available, and all societies ran Mon-Thursday. it was grim......
I only got through it because we were working on shows all the hours God sent. I understand it has much improved....

I rate wot mrsS has said to her DD1. I suppose the message in all this is that each young person is different and unique, and squashing them into a 'system' the way our educations system does will never be plain sailing. I dunno if it's worse going through it. Or watching them go through it iyswim.

I am having a pit stop at chessington having had a clear and unremarkable drive this far. I gather however that as Chiswick Bridge is closed, I am going to have the devils own job getting across the river at Kew. Aargh

MI hope you're there by now and it's going not too bad x