Maybe Yes, Maybe No, May Be Crepey

[QueenQueenie]

Unilateral decision... No space for consultation. Call me Dave...

DD1 calls us from school every evening. DD2 texts us on Friday to let us know what train she will be on. DD2 is more difficult, in a shouty way, whereas DD1 is more prone to meltdowns if things don't go right. My aunt said of DD2 that she had never met a three year old with such a dry sense of humour. DD1 is more intense - they are polar opposites.

LOL at the dream, Stropps. I was caught in that state between dream and reality the other week, and asked DH what we should do with the body...

I am off to Brighton on Sunday for a few days.

I wonder if the eldest are better at contact because they had that bit of time alone with their parents before the second came along, so the bonding is a little closer. I fully anticipate my DD2 behaving like yours Mrs S in that I'll hardly ever hear once she's at uni. DD1 checks in nearly every day via FB Messenger.

Talking of dreams, DH woke at 6am in a cold sweat yesterday morning, having dreamt that his whole department at work were called into a conference room and all made redundant. He was so stressed out that he went downstairs, dug out a calculator, and worked out what his payout would be. It is unlikely to happen, but clearly his subconscious is busy worrying about the possibility.

Anyway, hamster coped admirably with being flipped upside down by the vet, and prodded and poked with a cotton bud. I now have a teeny weeny daily dose of antibiotics to administer, which will hopefully do the trick. There is a limit as to how far one goes with little furries, but she's fine at the moment.

Herbs - re: "naughty" children - I think they do tend to have phases, so you are not off the hook just yet. None of mine have ever been particularly difficult behaviour-wise (am just watching the Channel 4 documentary about some seriously challenging kids) , but they've all given me sleepless nights in one area or another. DD1 has pretty much always been an angel, but we have money on DD2 being the nightmare teen.

DD has always been compliant and keen to please - she is terribly bothered about what others think of her. However, she is not one to sit back and say nothing when she doesn't agree!

DS has always had a really strong, alpha-male "leader-type" personality and suffers fools badly, which makes life difficult for his teachers.

It will be interesting to see how much contact we get from each of them if/when they leave home!

Oooh! Exciting, Rudy
How is exam season going in your house?

Morning ladies - am sitting at home waiting for the builder to repair the gutters which were badly done two years ago. Of course, he hasn't turned up - we have had to threaten him with legal action so he did come round with his tools and ladder yesterday, which are still here .

In progress towards job - have done a CV (I had to get DS to do difficult tabs).

I got a new phone and DD2 has put Shazam on it - this is amazing - I can touch my phone to the radio and it tells me the name of the music being played. I am probably really behind finding out about this but I love it.

Am also really enjoying the Eurostar thread.

Rudy!

DD1 is easier for me to understand than DD2, who is often a mystery to me. Although DD2 currently v pleased with me as I have booked tickets to see Pitch Perfect 2 at our local fleapit tomorrow I will secretly enjoy it hugely.

I have 70,000 words. Am rather pleased with self. OK so day job all chaotic, but that's still a nice number.

My name is herbaceous, and I have an addiction. I have nine jackets, and 12 coats. Plus some more in the loft. Each one has a very specific weather/occasion condition in which they can be worn, and I am STILL looking for more! Only just now I was googling Seasalt coats to fill the 'rainy warmish day in a city' criteria.

Is there some sort of support group I can join?

Woah Herbs - you deffo have more than me. The problem is now you have given me an excuse to go shopping on the grounds that I actually have very few jackets and coats (at least compared to you).

I'm labouring under the illusion that if only I could find the perfect mid-season coat - waterproof, breathable, parka-ish, hood, detachable lining, faintly funky - I could get rid of about five others at a stroke. There's something quite promising in Uniqlo, but it's not waterproof.

This is like my quest for the Ultimate Red Lippie, Herbs. One day I will meet The One, but till then I'm just playing the field.

I have started (in my old age) trying to buy really perfect stuff that I may stumble upon from time to time, even if is expensive. I think it's preferable to buying lots of cheaper not quite right stuff and it's so rare that I find something that's exactly right.

It's true about finding the perfect thing. 18 months ago I splashed out (well, it was £140) on a Didriksons parka, after lots of mnetters raved about them. I now barely take it off all winter. It is the perfect winter coat. I just need to find it's mid-season equivalent!

Hatty, Shazam is great, isn't it?

Herbs, you will be pleased to know that when your DS hits about 10 the types of coat you need should decrease a bit as you will no longer be required to spend hours with him in the park. As long as he doesn't take up an outdoor sport

I have quite a few coats/jackets and often pinch DH and DS's. DD's are way too small

MrsS and boo to me not being in Sussex til half term.

Good luck with the job application Hatty, a good TA is worth their weight in gold...

MI Dd is going to see Pitch Perfect 2 with friends for one of their birthdays tomorrow. Amazon Prime/Love Film keeps offering me the first one...would I enjoy it? And on the lippy front...have you tried No7 Shiny Conker? That's my ultimate red..although as I get older I have to blot it more and more to avoid looking like Morticia

12 coats herbs wow...I am on the trail of a short trench with a hood...rare for a real trench to have one and not be a Parker in disguise but they are around....have seen one on Lands End which is where I end up buying all my coats from Sooner or later. It's bright pink but worried it's a bit thin for mid season. Will try to link later.

We remain in exam hell for the time being. DC both revising and being in bad moods. I am joining them after an ugly fight with our class administrator over them wanting to cancel one of my courses and put the booked clients onto another slow- to -book course. I calmly and politely told her what I thought of it all .... and the status on the booking system was changed to "cancelling" within the hour. So that's me well and truly screwed work wise, from the middle of June til September.

Rudy it might not be as bad as he thinks.

with hood

nicer but no hood

Rudy, was it Spanish? DD said it was terrible and that no-one knew what they were saying on the Listening tape. Hope it's not as bad as he thinks. DD was only OK because her besties were also doing it and the whole class was flummoxed.

I think I have 6 coats and 3 jackets. But I need want a black biker jacket.

Sorry to hear about your work woes, Rose.

ds said no-one understood his Spanish listening either (igcse tho). I always assumed that no one ever does because the MFL courses don't actually teach them to speak or understand a language.....dd could never make head or tail of them, and hated them after a bad experience at primary school with "the shouty lady on the tape making me do hard sums" .

Rose, that's awful about your course.

MI, respect, that is a lot of words.

Rose why didn't they cancel the slow to book course and put their people onto yours?

Try Boden for hooded raincoats - I think they do something like that.

Sorry to hear about bad Spanish exam. DD2 had one like this last year where they spoke with regional accents.

I've spotted another jacket, and another cagoule.

Herbs, move away from the computer.