Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Style and beauty

Looking for style advice? Chat all about it here. For the latest discounts on fashion and beauty, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Original poster

Crepey wattle and daub

997 replies

herbaceous · 13/03/2015 10:30

At last! I get to use my thread title.

Over here, my hags.

OP posts:
MrsSchadenfreude · 30/03/2015 00:12

I like the Triumphal Gravy! Grin

I made almond brownies today and they were so divine, I have eaten at least five three squares (I never usually eat anything I bake). We had Bambi Stew venison casserole for lunch, and DD2, who was saying she is going to be veggie "soon" had two helpings. Dropped DD1 off at her friend's house tonight, ready to fly off to Turkey tomorrow. Why does Surrey have so many "gated communities"? Is it because there are so many American living there? It can't be for security reasons, there can't be many places safer than Esher.

MollyAir · 30/03/2015 00:17

It keeps the riff-raff out, MrsS. Wink I think people feel it makes burglary more difficult. But I've rarely been inside one, so I don't really know. Maybe they're afraid of zombie attack? Didn't Will Smith live in one safely for a bit, with his Alsatian, before the zombies got him? So it's just sensible preparedness.

Blackduck · 30/03/2015 07:07

Sorry all for parent woes - know the feeling....

It was dark when the alarm went off this morning - that was a bit of a shock! On the plus side only three days to get through which at this point feels like a lifetime!

Ds is threatening to make grandparents do Yo Sushi so another call out for Lebanese or Turkish or just your fab cheap place in town (we don't do meat but do eat fish) - MrsS, QQ?

RudyMentary · 30/03/2015 08:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

bigTillyMint · 30/03/2015 08:11

An Easter Tree, Rudy? Living the dreamWink We need a piccy!

BD, I know nice (and cheap) local Middle Eastern places, but not in town, other than Tas?

RudyMentary · 30/03/2015 08:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

motherinferior · 30/03/2015 08:57

BD, Sofra on Tavistock Street?

Rosebag · 30/03/2015 09:05

I just googled a good Lebenese that we used to go to in Oxford called Al Shami… very good on fish….to see if it had a London branch but alas no….BD there must be something in W2 to fit the bill? There's any number along The Edgware Road, surely…

MrsS would your almond brownies work for Passover? Yuuuuummmm

Has anyone heard how Cremo is getting on?

Yes, commiserations to all who are managing sick and/or confused oldies. I had one of the dreaded calls form DBro last night to say What Were We Doing about DParents Confused Hmm They are pretty dreadful at the moment but DM won't budge on certain difficult decisions, so stale mate.

Fairly stressful evening last night, trying to book hotels for summer hols, flights etc…emails going down again…frantic calls to BT help desk who are very nice but clueless…so another, the 5th (fifth, v), change of password later we're back on, until the next crash. Angry

Finally won the battle with DS2 to put his exam composition (beautiful…recorded by a string quartet) on an MP3 so I can email to ConS…we want it as incidental music for the play. He (DS) was in a good mood as he's discovered he can do a combined degree in MFL (French and German) and Music at Birmingham and his music class buddy is applying to the same place to do combined Maths and Music.

One bit of good news…I have lost 13 lbs…crawling painfully towards my first stone...

DH is now on a plane to Dublin for work. I am holding several babies. Happy Easter hols everyone.

Rosebag · 30/03/2015 09:06

Happy Anny Rudy

motherinferior · 30/03/2015 10:03

Bugger, Sofra on Tavistock Street has shut...

MontserratCaballe · 30/03/2015 10:28

Rose, excellent news the degree course. My dear old dad used to teach at Birmingham back in the day. It's a lovely place to go to Uni and the course sounds perfect. Well done, too, on the weightloss. A stone is fab. How much more, if any, do you want to lose?

Love the sound of an Easter tree. I love fairy lights all year round. Happy anniversary, Rudy Flowers

I have conducted a very sweaty ladyjog but the lbs ain't shifting. I suspect a surfeit of birthday cake yesterday may have a part to play. I am going to Mallorca in 6 weeks so must try harder.

In good news I have found a new teenager to wrangle the kids whilst I am out and about and DD1's birthday party went without a hitch. Hurray.

Blackduck · 30/03/2015 12:53

Oh Rose so DS might be heading my way :)

Here I am struggling through the last three days before heading down to my folks for three days (and no doubt spending a fortune on ds....)

Thanks for all the suggestions peeps - keep them coming (I am making lists...)

Original poster
herbaceous · 30/03/2015 15:16

For those agog for news of my trainers, I took a trip to the scary trainer shops on Neal Street, and bagged myself a brilliant pair in the sale, as a reward for passing my third assignment. As I couldn't decide whether I wanted black, blue or neon, I managed to find a pair combining all three.

Sunglasses please

OP posts:
bigTillyMint · 30/03/2015 15:39

Go Herbs!

Rose, the course sounds fabSmile

I am on the train. Trains are so fantastically relaxing, especially with a heady mix of Northern Soul, Carole King and Richard Hawley coming through the earphonesSmile

Rosebag · 30/03/2015 16:07

I need to lose more Monty but I can carry quite a lot of weight without it showing that much. Another stone would be good, but I'll never be a size 10! I also would rather carry a few extra pounds and not look gaunt….so I don't know. I imagine it will all stop when I see a scone or a brownie with my name on it… Grin

Yes BD he's very keen on Birmingham and battling with the dilemma of to Oxbridge or not to Oxbridge…

Great trainers Herbs. I like.

Tilly is it the trip to see your DM?

I have done tons of driving…DD to a friend and back, not exactly on the doorstep, with lifts for DS to piano lesson and driving lesson pick up point, with two stops for food shops in between. DH is away so the DC are doing some homework and then away we're to a local hostelry for supper.

CointreauVersial · 30/03/2015 16:33

I'm trying hard not to nod off on the sofa - I haven't really got to grips with the clocks going forward, so couldn't get to sleep last night.

Maybe if I look at the pic of Herbs' jazzy new trainers a couple more times it will jolt me back into full alertness...? Wink

A stone, Rose? Wow, fantastic.

motherinferior · 30/03/2015 16:37

CV, I too am not impressed with this clock change lark.

I am in AWE of a stone.

bigTillyMint · 30/03/2015 16:43

Me tooEnvy

Yes and it's freezing, pissing it down and blowing a gale up hereHmm

Rosebag · 30/03/2015 17:12

nearly…13lbs….

QueenQueenie · 30/03/2015 17:31

Nice trainers Herbs. The image is burnt onto my retina despite sunglasses warning and well done re assignment.

Happy Anniversary Rudy - we definitely need a pic of the 'Easter Tree'. Is this a thing now??

Will have a think BD but have lost track of the brief... somewhere for lunch for you / dparents and ds? Central? Japanese / Lebanese / Turkish?

Rose, if ds applied to Oxbridge would that be for MFL? Good friend of ds1 has an offer from Oxford for German and Italian. If he fancies it what has he got to lose? He has 4 other choices after all. And good applicants for MFL have quite a good chance of an offer... Ds1 has Birmingham as his insurance for October and really likes it.

bigTillyMint · 30/03/2015 18:14

Ooh it could be a jolly CREPEY-DS meet in SeptemberGrin

Am at DMs. She seems physically well though shuffling, but it's very tricky trying to understand what she's on about. She seems a bit cross/worried about the GP appt tomorrow which I guess is understandable.

Blackduck · 30/03/2015 18:27

QQ me and ds for lunch - was Japanese but he might have covered that off with the grandparents. So I was thinking Turkish or Lebenses or anything else you wonderful people can think of....

Oh I can be the on hand 'parent' for any Brum bound offspring :). Although I'm at the 'other' place....

motherinferior · 30/03/2015 18:46

If it's just the two of you, you could do worse than a fab and cheap falafel at Gaby's on the Charing Cross Road. Tell him the Formica's all part of the experience, which it is.

MrsSchadenfreude · 30/03/2015 19:41

Oh yes, go to Gaby's! It's one of my favourite places, although the service was so bad the last time I went, I didn't tip and told Gaby precisely why I wasn't tipping. (I didn't get what I ordered and when I complained, I got shouted at and told to eat it, as it was "nearly what I ordered".)

I think we are going to have to rehome one of our cats as she really isn't happy here. I think if she could have a nice garden and be an "only cat" that the "stress incontinence" that is ruining our lives and the carpets and the furniture might stop. I don't want her to go into rescue, but will see if we can rehome her from here straight to a new home. I feel very sad about it. I feel that we have failed her, as it is only really since we left Paris that she has been like this. And I feel particularly sad, as she is the first kitten I've ever had (all of my other cats have been second hand/preloved) and is really DD2's cat. She snuggles up happily with DD2 on the bed, and then wees on her duvet or on a discarded pair of pants. And in the past week, the weeing has stopped, but has been replaced by giant turds on the bath mat or hall rug. The other cat shouts at her when she has done it, but she's not stopping. She is on a special diet, which has helped, but the vet seems to think it is psychological rather than physical. She is the sweetest natured cat, and has never scratched or bitten anyone. Sad

bigTillyMint · 30/03/2015 22:49

MrsS sorry to hear of your cat woes. Hope you find someone to re home her. Friends have a tricky rescue dog that they tried to re home, but the woman gave her back as she couldn't cope with her either!

I am Confused about DM. She is definitely confused about some things, but seems quite on the ball about others. It will be interesting to hear what the GP has to say tomorrow.