Crepeys of a consistently high standard

[Stropperella]

So there. :)

Erm, yes BD , right on both counts. I gave Dh a ' regular update letter" from HH ( regular is stretching it a bit), and he hadn't a baldy clue what it was on about. meanwhile on the other side of our business, jobs for ' skilled forecasters" are aplenty. And in the news too, being supported by the board of trade or some such, while we're being thrown out the back door with the uneaten boardroom sandwiches. Bastards.

And yes , I was eyeing a set of floral handled cutlery for dd earlier.
It's like shopping for Doris Day.

Stropps cross posts before - excellent! Supply will be a great taster for you

Cremo I'm always up for a MU as you know! How about the end of Aug or early Sep? And how lovely that she liked the tea towels

I had a right shenanigans getting my bloods done and seeing the doc for my annual visit. Won't bore you with the details, but I'm now lying in the sun

I want a meet up too - end of summer would be good (she hopes)

Yes our regular FAQ (supposedly weekly - so we should have had 8 in total - we had 3

End of summer no good for me because I'm going on holiday.( yay)
End of September maybe?

DD2 has just told me why she is crying and crying. She pulled out of the school orchestra some months ago, with my full blessing: she already plays in the school brass ensemble, in the swing band, in the schools brass band; the orchestra rehearses at 8.30 on a Monday morning, which means (a) an extra early start (b) eating into the first class of the day, which DD2 hates; and it is a really terrible orchestra in any case. I emailed the head of music when she pulled out, explaining the first two points (even I wouldn't say 'because your orchestra is pants and makes my ears bleed').

Today - the day before DD2's grade 5 - the teacher in charge of the orchestra (not the HoM) took her aside and told her she "had" to rejoin and "since when was it optional". DD2 is going to talk to her form teacher - who is a music teacher, and is going on the swing band tour DD2's on next week - about it. I'm furious. I don't usually muscle into stuff but I feel really cross.

It is possible that because DD2's instrumental lessons are provided by the school orchestra isn't optional, but I suspect that isn't the case.

(And DD2 is (a) tiny (b) really easily stressed about stuff. She's actually being remarkably resolved on this one, saying she is not rejoining and nobody can make her...)

I hate it when those things happen and good for her for standing her ground. I would just resend the email to the HoM, stating there has obviously been a misunderstanding and asking him/her to have a quick word with Teacher in Charge of Orchestra and explain that dd2 no longer does that particular ensemble. No argument, just maintaining the status quo.....

Dd2 has auditioned and been picked for the Children in Need choir for BBC South. So excited...... At last I can join the Crepey Choir masses vicariously through my dd!

Woohoo, Beachy!

She left the orchestra last term. I think the teacher just got the opportunity to collar her. I'm sorry people keep pulling out of the orchestra (well, I'm not as it's pants and makes my ears bleed - a lot of the other music there is really good!) but this isn't the way to go about it. Dd2 told her her teachers had objected to her arriving in class late. And then cried afterwards. For once I don't blame her for crying
.

I hate the way some teachers penalise kids for being good at something. This is why DD gave up cricket.

She had to leave cricket a few minutes early or be late for Maths. Neither teacher would give an inch so she had to decide which she was more afraid of. One of them actually said that to her. Too difficult for a people-pleasing Year 8.

I'm all for orchestra being compulsory for music students but then it has to be at lunchtime. Otherwise it's unfair to those with long journeys.

Perhaps you could have a family celebration to mark the very first time dd2 has been made to suffer because of office politics. I remember trying my best to explain all that to our dc. I believe they might have thought me paranoid.

I'm absolutely sure you can get her out of doing orchestra. Just a question of how, and how tactfully, I reckon.

Well done mini-Beachy!

Poor DD2 MI. I'm sure you can write a suitable email

Just dropped DD to a party. She says she is not going to be late (DH is supposed to be picking her up) as she has coaching tomorrow. And she is knackered and has a cold. It sounds like Prom went fine - she told me a few stories! DS is also out at his mates, so romantic night in for DH and I. He is watching the Tour De France

We just had a FaceTime with dd1.... Lovely!

She's missing her blanky and having a night off partying! Good girl....

Evening all.

Poor DD2, MI. The last thing you want to do is put her off music because she is having to do something she doesn't want to. But I suspect it may be one of those things the school is expecting her to commit to.

Happy belated birthday, Rudy.

And sorry to hear about the job woes, Auriga. You are definitely best out of it.

Job news here too - DSis has just been given the pay-off she's been after for ages, and has left her hotshot city job. Not sure what she's going to do next, but she's relieved to be out of it. And closer to home it has been officially confirmed that DH is being "sold" to a new company. Nothing will change for the next twelve months, but I'm fervently hoping he can manoeuvre into a good position in the new organisation, and that they don't relocate too far away.

I've chickened out of the 5k Parkrun tomorrow, with the flimsiest of excuses - the little armband for my phone has broken. In my defence I can't bear to run in silence (listening to my shuffling feet and gasping breaths), and the waistband of my running trews is not an adequate substitute for the armband. I had to stop every few hundred metres during yesterday's ladyjog to fish my phone out of my knickers.

Car shopping tomorrow, woo hoo. And we have invited our best friends over for a BBQ. Not tomorrow, when it is going to be wall-to-wall sunshine, oh no. On Sunday, when the forecast is pissing rain.

CV :) bad invite planing - that's me all over...

I apparently am taking ds and mate to Ask - did I do something wrong in a previous life?

Missing dp (but will deny it heartily on his return)

Auriga, good for you, leaving a horrible job. I bumped into my ex boss today. I said Hello, she grunted.

MI - that is nasty about the orchestra. Poor DD2. It's not like she doesn't do anything at all, is it?! Teacher sounds a bully.

DD1 absolutely loved NCS and wants to go back next year as a mentor.

Morning all- have arrived in Provence at fab villa with pool ( thank you lovely friends). DD2 had her French literature results on the autoroute and although her written was OK, was majorly disappointed at her oral result which was just average. She had been top of the class in the mock and had found this a bizarre exam where the examiner asked her all about her uni plans and how she was planning to pay rather than going into French literature. Of course, this being France, there is no appeal. I hate orals where it is one to one. My DD's are also very against team projects where your grade is dependent on some other lazy bastard who is happy to be carried.

I think I worry more about the teenagers than when they were babies when love and cuddles just made everything better.

MI - horrible orchestra situation.

Auriga - well done for leaving stressy job.

On interrail news DD1 is now in Vienna.

Oh yes, Auriga, you have done the right thing
I left my old job because of a dreadful new "boss" (which was awful, after 10 years with the previous absolutely lovely boss) and the resultant effects on my mental health. My "new" job was the best move I could make - still here 11 years on!

Beachy, how lovely to get some face-time!

Hatty, you are right. I have never worried so much as during these teen years - it was a breeze when they were babies/toddlers/small children/bigger children. And I don't see an end to it for the foreseeable!

BD, you will have a lovely time - DS and his mates are really entertaining - so much banter, I love it!

CV, you wimp

I'm off for a catch-up with a friend. Hopefully we can get a table in the sun.

I do hope things will get better Auriga now that you have left. I'm horrified by the health and emotional effects unhappiness at work causes, especially where people feel they have no choice. Good on you for making changes.

Nice news, Beachy both about DD1 being in touch and also DD2's choir audition success. By contrast, AIBU to be really hurt that my ex choir has had a concert and didn't invite me? That they sang songs that I coached them on? That I found out via FB? Yes, probably IABU but…

MI that does sound unreasonable…given that she plays in all sorts of other ensembles, the music dept are certainly getting their money's worth. Poor kid….the teacher does sound a bully.

Sorry about DD being upset over the French oral Hatty It's so hard, I agree…and they're under so much pressure. And here's us hoping that it would get easier because we don't actually need babysitters any more…

I'm at home with DD who has a lousy cold. DH and DS2 have gone off to a Sheffield Uni open day. I foresee a tedious weekend ahead with the highlight being a trip to the garden centre tomorrow to try and buy an irrigation system for the garden so all my newly planted flowers don't die when we go away.

Rose, definitely YANBU.

Yes, I'm all for kids doing music but not if it makes them miserable. It was really stressing DD2 out, the whole Monday start. And I remember being backed into corners by teachers in a similar manner.

Definitely NU Rose, I can't remember the details of why you left but suspect they are either v cross at you for leaving them / very guilty for whatever it was about how they treated you that made you leave... quite possibly both!

Would you have wanted to go? Or are you just (understandably) hurt not to be invited? Do you feel you can say that you'd like to come another time please and to kep you in the loop re events. Better to be direct than just hurt imo.

Tell dd2 to stick to her guns MI. Honestly some people are just crap aren't they. How to risk putting someone of music for life by bullying them and sucking all the joy from it. Dont they know that though she may be small she is fierce? (Or is that dd1?) .

Happy weekends to all...

Well, DH's attempt to do the Parkrun this morning was also thwarted; after getting up early and squeezing into his lycra ensemble he discovered that DS (who is at a sleepover) had "borrowed" his running shoes. Apparently because they matched his shorts. So he did a bit of Aggressive Pruning in the garden instead.

Rose, I am of trip to Sheff too! Are they going for a wander round the centre too? I recommend the "Devonshire Quarter" where I lived (on Division St) for 3 brilliant years as a student!
And YANBU for feeling upset.

CV at DS borrowing running shoes because they matched his shorts!
Aggressive Pruning is my kinda gardening too!

QQ I had intended staying in touch with the choir but it's been awkward…probably because the real reason why I left…i.e. just not being able to work with Maestro The Terrible anymore, couldn't really come out. There's also this weird thing about voluntary work (especially in a close knit community) ….people seem to be more incensed when you resign than when it's a paid post iyswim. Like you're somehow, lazy, or something. I was incredibly sad to learn through the grapevine, since I'd left, that they no longer do anything on an individual level to improve the vocal work…all the individual coaching, warmups, duet and small group work, harmony composition and improvisation that I introduced, has now gone by the board. But that's life… I guess!

Sniggering at CV's Dh's missing trainers. DS1 used to do stuff like that….Mind you, if it got my DH doing pruning, or any sort of gardening, aggressive or otherwise, your DS could have the run of my DH's wardrobe…. not that he's want to

Tilly I'm not sure what their schedule is….DS sent me some photos from the new student village and said the accommodation is amazing. My BFF went to Sheffield, and I used to get the coach there to stay with her. She was in Ranmoor House…if that rings any bells?