Maybe Yes, Maybe No, May Be Crepey

[QueenQueenie]

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

Thinking of you, NU (and this week's exam-takers).

Meanwhile DS is being perfectly vile at the moment because I'm trying to get him to sort out what he needs for next week's D of E expedition (DH having done diddly squat, of course). He brushed me aside when I made mention of tents, food, and other such essentials. Apparently I'm nagging, and giving him too much stress when he "has a GCSE to revise for".

I've ordered him a backpack (which he doesn't have) - would it be unreasonable of me not to tell him I've ordered one.....and then wait until next Thursday evening when he suddenly realises he has the choice of carrying his kit in a wheely suitcase or a large plastic bag?

Not at all unreasonable

I'd be tempted not to tell him till after he gets back if he goes on being vile. But then I am Evil.

Oh, and I have just made mattar paneer.

Also, Crepesters, can I recommend the supper I made last night which falls into that lovely category of Didn't Really Involve Cooking But Tastes Like It Did? Puy lentils, cooked in a mix of red wine and veg stock (I use the liquid packets), chuck in a bayleaf if you have one (I didn't), snip in the dry sort of sundried tomatoes with the kitchen scissors...and just leave it. When it's all cooked, slosh in some olive oil and a chopped-up block of feta. We've had it with various things in the past, but it was excellent with shell pasta.

MI, well done on words and ladyjogging. I am off to ladygym (we actually used to have a separate ladies' gym - really - and it was lovely. They they let men in but the unspoken rule was only weedy ones, and now we are all together and there is a lot of grunting. Recipe sounds lovely, will note for next cookbook update.

End of August good here too (tho not BH weekend).

For DS2s GCSE results day were were in the middle of the Rockies….had to wait up to 3am for the on line results with a very weak signal…we were not within reach if anywhere It will be different for A levels I feel. I do remember being abroad for all my results…DM had to deal with UCCA (as it was then) and phone all the Uni's…(I had dropped one point)

Any more news from NU ? Still sending if you're reading NU…Hope DH is though it all. Hugs.

I am probably around late August!

I have had a day when I have felt valued…these is a rare treat and all down to day time teaching which is so much easier than the evening classes. At the theatre, HerrDirektor decided to sit in on my session… "Feck," I thought. I was utterly thrown and wetting my knickers but galvanised myself, with positive thoughts of…"Just show him what you can do, woman…he's just a bloke after all." It Went Well. He also promised me a date for the rehearsed reading of my play soon.

I have just had an hour gardening too, in glorious sunshine. All good. Let's see how long it lasts once the troops are home..

Not unreasonable CV…

Sounds tasty MI

Definitely a good idea to be in the country for A level results to save poor parents having to make sense of UMS and things! Rather despondent ds who made the mistake of comparing notes with friends and worse, the textbook, after his biology igcse today. I need to try and talk him out of doing that.....

That would be the weekend of 22nd/23rd August? Who had the airnb? I've forgotten - was it Auriga?

CV - definitely hang on to the backpack till the last moment.

MI - recipe sounds delicious - I'm going to write it down.

NU - still thinking of you and hoping for news.

BH August is 29/30, right before most schools go back.

Airbnb is wilbur....

I can't even think about the summer with all this crap, but if I make it to London for a day or so at halfterm is anyone up for a swift half?

W/end 22nd/23rd August would be great.

I'm around in half-term, BD. And dh is abroad, so I am footloose and fancy-free except on Thurs 28 May. And we're doing a mini-MU on Sunday 31.

NU - thinking of you.

My best, no effort meal is egg and lentil curry. It is delish.

I am back from the Vee Eee Tee, with t'other cat. He refused to let her get a wee sample by manipulation and then did the world's biggest wee all over the floor. But at least they got a wee sample. I have suggested that I just pay half of my salary to the vet every month... The other cat has come off her anti-depressants and seems much better, and, touch wood, no accidents (although with her, I think they are "deliberates" rather than "accidents").

Going out to dinner tonight with some very old friends from the US, out for a curry. What can I have that is low fat? Tandoori fish and some veg?

I could be up for a half-term meet, but I'm spending the first half in Paris, quite possibly a day or two babysitting my father, and the rest of the time tearing my hair out over my assignment.

Lalsy, nononononoooooo! We have drummed into DD to NOT talk about the exams once they are done. That way despondency lies!

I think I will be around the weekend of 22/23rd Aug

I will be around at half-term from the Wed onwards BD and would LOVE to catch up!

Low fat? Does that go with curry? Are you dieting? I know I should...

MrsS, have channa masala?

Lot of Indian cooking is quite to very low fat but obviously more so if doing it at home. My chickpea curry is.

I am vvvvvv tired on account of terrible menopausal nights. Had quite a few hot flushes today too. Am beginning to think I really have to explore medication.

I'm tired also. Kept waking up in the night, fretting about teaching, but WASN'T EVEN TEACHING TODAY. That's how mad I am.

I am, however, tomorrow, so can look forward to an equally unrestful night tonight.

DP is out, eating sushi in the Heron Tower, and not paying for it. What a git.

LTB. It's the only solution.

Mr Inferior is out indulging in his usual filthy foreign practices of a Tuesday evening.

I am dismally contemplating dinner. I have salmon, and what I believe to be spinach, though it has white stems. It was in the veg box. I dare say wilting whatever it is with some garlic, ginger and chilli can't be a total disaster.

Dinner??? I ate hours ago I don't know how you wouldn't be chewing your arm off by now!

I haven't had time! Pick DS up from school 3.30, tedious home admin, make his dinner (he wouldn't want what I want), bath bed etc, now planning tomorrow's lesson, and will shortly make dinner. Then do more lesson planning. If I have dinner before doing any work, the temptation is to have a glass of wine also, then it all goes to pot.

MI and Herbs and your dastardly DHs.

I have just got home from Lundin and they've eaten all the dinner - well they've left some manky looking pasta but eaten all the sauce!

The saga with dd2 continues - it's low level, but constant. Just things like asking her to help set the table, where the response is that she's drawing. Or could she not play tennis against the wall as dd1 is revising and either just ignoring or saying that she wants to...... I know it's all standard stuff, but if you have to have an argument every time you ask her to do anything, it is sooooo tiring. So the treat that has been removed is a sleepover taking place at school tomorrow. It's only her year, but it is a big thing, I know. She's gone to bed, with a packed suitcase at the end of her bed, wailing that she doesn't know if she's going or not . She did so well yesterday and was lovely (apparently as I was away), but today refused to put the lap top away as dinner was approaching the table (the lovely pasta!) because she wanted to check her emails.....

So what to do? I'll need to explain to the school if she doesn't go, which I'm happy to do, but sort of brings her home bad behaviour to school (where she is an angel). Help Crepeys????

I would have to eat before planning at least!

Hmm, Beachy. I don't think you should threaten something you are not willing to carry through. And the punishment should fit the crime - missing the sleepover is a big thing, but not putting the laptop away for dinner is a fairly small thing. However, if you do want to let her go on the sleepover and not lose face, you need a strategy...
I think if it was me, I would feel that the not knowing if she could go or not is quite a punishment in itself. I think I would have a chat with her in the morning and say that I was very cross last night because she hadn't followed instructions again, and that I think she does need a consequence, but that because the sleepover is such a big thing, I am going to give her the chance to think of a different consequence that she thinks would be fair, because you can't carry on having her not following instructions. If she can think of a good one that you think is fair, then swap it to that. If she continues to take the P (thinking she's got away with it), then enforce the no sleepover.
Possibly!

Oh BTM - you put it so much better than me!

Here the senior management team sent an email praising us for all our work in cutting the budgets this year to fill the black hole and how great we are....... Seriously I mean seriously