Crepey wattle and daub

[herbaceous]

At last! I get to use my thread title.

Over here, my hags.

That's very sad about your cat, Mrs S. Though it's odd how she was happy in the Paris flat, with no garden and presumably the other cat, but not in London. Is there another factor that's changed? Sorry if this is all v obvious, and you've already gone through it all endlessly.

And hope your GP appointment is fruitful, BTM. What's she going for?

Sorry to hear you're not winning with the cat, MrsS. Very sad to have to part with her. DD was laughing at me tonight as her cat bent me to her will. I was a lifelong cat hater, can't believe how much I love her now.

Auriga, I was a non animal lover too, and only got our cat to appease the whining from the children about a pet. Now, 3 years on, I am completely potty about her. The children haven't lost interest but have moved on and are looking for a dog (which I'd quite like), a horse (in our lovely terraced house with its 2 inches of garden? ha ha ha) or a hamster (when hell freezes over). I am so sorry that it's not working for you, Mrs S. If you can't find someone to take the cat, the rehoming people at Battersea are delightful, thoroughly vet their prospective new owners and are completely wonderful to their cats whilst they wait for new homes. We got ours from there and I wouldn't hesitate to use them again. Sorry that you have to go through this though. It is so miserable for you and the children. Does DH agree that this is the best option?

Herbs, the trainers look awesome. Will you be using them for sporting things or just to look cool?

CV, I am not coping with the hour change either. Exhausted by 8pm last night and ready to go to bed, much to DH's disgust. I am doing plenty of energising exercise but still feel knackered. Oh well.

BTM, I too love a train journey, but do them so rarely now. Like Rose, I am donning my chauffeur's cap and taking the children hither and thither today. A restful ladyjog beckons first though with another go at the teenage babysitter. The children adored her. I liked the fact that she did craft with them, only wanted £5 an hour and said she was around all holidays. Plus she's only 4 doors away and we are the only people she is babysitting for at the moment, so is super free. Hurray.

Have a good day everyone

MrsS sorry about the cat but you have tried everything....

Here it was a tad gusty last night so at three o'clock I gave up and moved beds so rather than feeling like the wind was going to rip the front of the house off I could just hear it rustling through the trees. Lots of branches all over the road and the bins are everywhere.

My mil phoned to say could I bring ds a coat- bad mummy - it was in the back of the car sigh.
So out tonight and then off to London tomorrow until Saturday - at the moment is just like to go to bed for a week!

If I have to rehome her I have found somewhere that rehomes from your home, so I might use them. It would completely stress her out, being in a rescue place, no matter how nice it was. And this morning, there were no unpleasant gifts, she has used her tray nicely and purred when I stroked her. She is an utterly delightful cat, apart from her rear end. She is curled up nicely with the other cat now, they are washing each other and purring loudly. I also worry about the effect on the other cat, as according to the rescue we got him from, he had psychological problems, due to being separated from his "wife", which was one of the reasons we got this one, to keep him company. I am going to see how she goes.

What a difficult situation. Poor cats. Can the vet suggest anything useful? Would any of those plug in sound things make a difference if the cat is feeling stressed? Have not used them myself but friends have reported a good effect. I agree that coping with animal presents in the long term is not viable but I can see why you are worried about the other cat missing his pal as well. Hope you manage to find a solution

QQ you are right, of course….Keeping DS's options open is probably the way to go. We'll see.

Sorry about your cat MrsS she is clearly unwell, in one way or another. What a difficult decision to have to make.

Tilly hope its going ok at your DM's and the GP appointment is ok. I guess that the confusion is a worrying sign but hard to pin down when so inconsistent.

Today, I am tasked with the joy of taking DD and friend to the Mall. They want to go to that hell hole otherwise known as Victoria's Secret. I get a migraine just going in through the door (although not as bad as Hollister, where I go blind and knock things over…AND buy things in the wrong colour) I shall leave them to it and have a refined mooch around John Lewis and the like, and the sit in a cafe with my iPad until they call me. DS2 is going into town to have lunch with a school friend who left after year 11…they hook up every now and again.

Emails are working but won't send from the Mac mail….wtf

Oh Rose I don't envy you! DD has thankfully never wanted to go into Victoria's Secret and doesn't rate Hollister either

It was very windy here too BD - not the best nights sleep ever!

Herbs I made the GP appointment because I was worried about her confusion/forgetfulness/word finding difficulties. Not sure what the GP will do/say.

Refined mooching definitely way to go.

I have slightly knackered my knee, which is a bother when it comes to Ladyjogging.

Sorry to hear about your cat MrsS - she sounds like a sweetie, but agree that you can't really have stuff to wipe up every morning, that's too grim for you all.

Rose - I envy you your refined mooching round JL although I have a soft spot for Hollister for precisely the reasons everyone hates it. On a trip to the USA with kids age 6, 4 & 2 we discovered that the loud music and dim lights in Hollister (and A&F) were exactly what we needed to be able to let the dcs run riot while we just kept one eye on them and shopped with the other eye as no one could see or hear them. Dh and I both managed to purchase some quite nice things and no one tutted about the noise levels from the kids at all . Although last time in A&F, trying to get ds1 a hoodie, I tried to ask a sales assistant about sizing and made the mistake of asking him what size he was wearing - as the words came out of my mouth, I realised that I sounded like some pervy old cougar and his facial expression kind of agreed . Crepey commandment #147 "Thou shalt not try to be Down Wiv Da Kidz".

Right, better get back to work, need to get plenty done as I have one of those "we will call between 12 and 2 to let you know we are on our way" appointments this afternoon which will no doubt come at 3.30pm just as I am trying to drop ds2 at a friend's house.

The trainers are not for exercising in, oh no. I have some for that. Gathering dust. These are just for looking cool. And in that regard I win - New Cool Mum Friend thought they were great this morning.

Right, I've got three child-free days in which to do lots of college work, supposedly. But it's at that annoying stage of feeling in the shadow of a gigantic iceberg of looming work, but not actually being able to do very much of it yet, as waiting for answers on various things. And each element needs loads of reading, etc, so can't just do random bits. I forsee rather a lot of buggering about.

Oh and BTM - I would love the bag of cast offs from your dd, when are you next about as I can pop over and pick up sometime that suits.

Greetings from KL.... We have lucked out with a suite with three bedrooms, wifi and a great view in the older part of town. We went up the Petronas Towers today and had lunch in China town. It's hot and damp here, but the rain is quite a relief.

Dd1 is revising, dh is asleep and the other two are plugged into devices, same as home really. It's 630pm here so we will venture out to the street market for dinner. Frog seems to be big here, on skewers and in porridge!

Saw an M&S today, but resisted a visit! You realise the full effect of globalisation when you see a Tesco delivery van on the streets of KL... Humm.

Beachy that sounds fab! Especially as DD is revising!

Wilbur, you will be very welcome to it (though it is neither A&F quality nor style!) I am home early afternoon tomorrow - let me know when is good for you.

Doc was lovely. Did memory test which DM really struggled with - has booked her in for bloods/ecg, MRI and memory clinic to come - she thinks it's probably vascular dementia.

Oh Beachy went to a fab Italian (I know) in KL and had the full on dim sum experience (you have to stop them coming) as well! Happy days...

Vascular dementia BTM? what's that?

Here a colleagues little boy had a torsion so mercy dash to the childrens hospital opposite with a phone charger! Luckily got it in time and he was operated on at 5 and now awake and eating toast.......

BD, not exactly sure, but I think it's dementia brought on by a stroke? It sounds like it's going to keep on getting worse, though maybe in fits and starts. The short memory test the GP did made it obvious how confused/forgetful she is despite her happily thinking that she is currently coping (in her own little bubble).

Wilbur you are so right. My DC were mortified that I kept backing into piles of sweatshirts and knocking them over and had to keep saying pardon at the cash desk...(and I LIKE loud music....)

Beachy wow. I do like it when there spacious and separate rooms, I have to admit. That's why I think we always spend over the odds on our trips.... What an amazing trip...enjoy x

tilly it's hard watching them fail the memory screening....it was the digit and reverse digit span that got my DDad. So sorry but at least you know your hunch was right. Hugs from me x

I am sitting quietly in Fenwick. I understand that DD and friend have shopped and are in Leon for lunch. They invited me to join them. I politely declined!

Rose, one of the few answers she got correct was to spell world out backwards!
Couldn't remember today's date/her DOB though! It was quite comical - I was glad DH wasn't there

Weather is totally foul here.

BTM, my dad has vascular dementia, and it is indeed dementia brought on by a stroke. There are 2 sorts apparently, to do either with a clot or with a general bleeding of the brain. I am just popping out now but will be back later on and will write more. Huge hugs

Thanks Monty.
Care at home assessor has just been and given me loads of info. Said she is the worst case she's ever seen with no diagnosis.. Was v shocked by her word finding difficulties.

Feel that we didn't realise how bad it was sooner, but she has always been a bit like this

Oh sweetheart.

BTM, sorry to hear the diagnosis, although I guess it wasn't a huge surprise. People can be very adept at hiding their condition, particularly if you say she was always a bit.... "like that", so don't dwell on it. At least you are putting things in place now.

I am wondering about dementia myself at the moment, because I have had emails from two people to whom I have sold eBay stuff recently; I somehow listed both items as the wrong size. As they are items from my wardrobe presumably I also purchased the incorrect size in the first place (how on earth did I buy a size 16 and not realise?).

And yes, very blowy here last night too. I came out for my ladyjog at 7am and found the contents of our recycling bin strewn all over our drive and right up the road. So my warm-up routine consisted of a vigorous litter-pick. Eurgh.

I'm sorry about your Mum BTM. I have a feeling my DM is also like this although she would refuse to be tested. Luckily DF is a doc so he can keep an eye on her. Mind you, I sometimes find myself searching for words at the tender age of 50.

Rose - I hate Hollister and won't go in. Last time I ranted like an old lady about how I was supposed to tell if something was navy blue or black! I won't go in H&M either .

Have had tiring afternoon down at the school but DD1 is cooking which is fabulous. I am sitting in a corner of the kitchen chatting and am contemplating wine. She's making chicken curry involving real ginger, fenugreek?sp seeds, the lot.

I have told the Inferiorettes they're cooking. No sign of dinner yet.

It's pizza. Which is fine, I told them pizza would be OK.