Crepeys of a consistently high standard

[Stropperella]

So there. :)

Och MI , that's rage-making.I know what it's like when everyone expects you to be the fount of all knowledge/answers/solutions/sympathy. Very much hope your DM is up to fighting it. As Lalsy said slow is good ( or better at least)

Thanks Lalsy, for interview wishes. Feeling super wibbly. am cleaning out drawers instead of studying buzzwords and core competencies.

Have booked Lahndahn for 26th September. Where shall we go?

Hooray, Crem, it'll be lovely to see you again on 26 Sept. And hopefully we can hear about everyone's exotic hols - BTM and BD, looking at you... It's in my diary, and I'm happy to roll up anywhere.

MI, sorry to hear about your mum. I am a bit concerned about your dsis as well - not good timing for her LTR to end, surely. I'm afraid I was quite doolally when my dmum had cancer, and with dad I had some kind of God complex, believing that if I only dashed about enough and rang enough hospitals, I could stop him from dying, having failed to save dmum from the same. Daft all round, and fruitless of course.

Auriga, sorry to hear about your dsis, too. I have a worrying sister Situation which I try not to think about too much. It's tough.

MI I remember, as the patient, (eventually) having fairly clear ideas about what I wanted treatment- wise, and what my wishes were if I didn't get the all clear. DH used to say to the barking masses, "Rose knows the course of action and we're comfortable with the consultant…." I wonder, what is your DM's view?

I think at the moment she's not sure. But she is quite bloody-minded.

Not altogether a bad thing so am I

May I unashamedly announce that DS2 has just casually stated that he's won the Year 12 music prize…. a little glimmer of joy in my boring little life….

Oh, congrats, Rose, you must be so proud!

So 12.30 on 21st, RFH cafe:

Rosebag
BTM
MollyAir

I'm so sorry about the enormous x post MI - my tablet seems to update very periodically here. Wishing you and your DM much strength.

Just looked at Eurostar prices for 26th September - bloody fortune - I thought there would be some cheap offers given that it's a while away. Also we coming the weekend after to bring DD back to uni. Will investigate other ways as would love to meet you all.

Stray puss is still with us. Not really demanding food, just company so I guess that's OK. She always goes and sits on DH who has no regard for animals whatsoever!

Rose - many congrat's to mini Rose music prize.

Sorry to pick up the bad news about your DM, MI, but it does sound a little better - slow is good. And I hope DSis's relationship is not at an end. Auriga, not good about your DSis, either. I hope she can hold it together so you can get away. Well done to DS, Rose. Am very envious of your hols, BD, but not the injections. And, yes, yours, too, Hatty. We want to go somewhere nice after our American friends have been in September, but are having endless discussions that lead no where. When do you go to NZ, BTM.

We have been to Beamish with the DGC - it was packed with school parties - 2,000 kids we were told. And how well they all behaved: nice to see.

Sorry to miss yet another MU opportunity but as soon as we get DD back from her orchestra tour we're taking her to see her beloved German exchange family.

Well done to DS on the music prize Rose

Sorry to hear your FM isn't in full remission, MI. A bit of respite would have been good.

The job was a locum, BD. It was open-ended & I planned to do four months to start with, but left after three. I should've left sooner. The travel was impossible and there were systemic problems I couldn't influence.

Got an appraisal tomorrow (different job), then intensive practice for another concert, which should help.

Sorry to hear all the family woes. However hard one tries to erect some boundaries, it's all so terribly affecting, isn't it. Just keep doing nice things for yourselves, too, whilst offering your crepey shoulders.

Rose - I too can meet up on the South Bank!

Not quite the year 12 music prize, but DS is going to be 'star of the term' (just in his class, I think) because of his progress in literacy (his work with similes had the deputy 'in raptures'), and 'the wonderful addition he's made to the class'. DS doesn't know this yet. I can decide whether or not to tell him... As yet undecided.

Plans going apace for his Star Wars party on Saturday. Ideas currently making me laugh include the game 'pin the bun on Leia' (incorporating a hair donut); our Yoda Soda drink (cordial dyed green); and my Han Solo buried in carbonate (blackcurrant jelly). I have also procured a Stormtrooper outfit I shall don in which to restore order.

Herbs we did a star wars academy one year for ds's party (dp wore his academic robes as a fully fledged Jedi and we trained them up :) ). This included balancing plates on their head and a kind of pin the tail, but using a light sabre and stars and planets on paper stuck to walk - all worth points. It was terribly competitive :)

Well, for two hours we have an entertainer, so we only have to entertain the little dears for about half an hour. It's also on a city farm, so I'm imagining I can herd them around to look at the animals, while dressed as a storm trooper.

Herbs , you are a tonic

Oh Hatty that was bad timing. please find a way to come if you can.

I have listed my free 20 items on eBay ( CV you would be proud of me) to pay for London trip. frugal I am, frugal I tell you. haven't told DH yet

Well done to your DS, Rose!

Herbs and BD, your parties sound incredibly inventive - ours were usually running about in the park or going to a swimming pool/trampolining/ice skating/go-karting, etc. Though I did do an "old fashioned" one with lots of proper party games and jelly and ice-cream for DD (so only 3 or 4 boys, including DS)

Looking forward to Tuesday (after a visit to the GP who is sending me back for more bloods as she didn't like the results from Fridays)
and 26th Sep!

I'm not sure I can do 26th September . There is something ominous in the house diary saying 'Cancer Research night walk'. Suggesting DP's absence from the abode. Depending on timing, a babysitter could be got.

I love City Farms so we used to have kids parties at our local one. NB: if you pick up a duckling, it will crap on you, whatever you're dressed as. No respecter of Jedi, them ducklings.

For Tues:

Rose
BTM (good luck with GP)
Molly
Herbs

What clever boys

I am somewhat wrung-out after a 45 min conversation with the mother of someone who is currently set on making dd's life a misery both at school and elsewhere. Prob has been rumbling on for 2 months now, and I have this week rolled out the big guns with a view to sorting it all out. Why are girls such monstrous bitches to each other?

Well done to your ds, Rose. Lovely to have something to celebrate!

Auriga, I am sorry that you just seem to be loaded up with one thing after another. Hope you do manage to get away for a well-deserved break.

MI, sorry too to hear about the news about your mum and your sister.

MrsS, I hope the New Job Fairy will be visiting you soon. I am also hoping for a visit myself. :)

Here, ds is winding down from a very heavy term with his extra-curricular activities. Last week, it was his last session with the juniors at YT and his grade 2 piano exam (delayed from last year due to his sudden crushing anxiety about it) for which we had to drive 40 mins into the middle of nowhere after school on Friday. Everybody (apart from us) coming from our part of the world got lost and there were some vvv stressed people turning up with minutes to spare. Reckon my satnav was a bit better than everyone else's. This evening is the first one for a while that ds hasn't needed to be in 2 different places in immediate succession. Taxi duty gets a bit wearing.

Ahhh, and I meant to say: thank you very, very much to all those who donated to Julia's House children's hospice, my chosen charity for the 5k run I did on Saturday. I surprised myself by actually running most of the way, just stopping to gee-up ds who struggled a bit. My back was a bit grumpy by the end of the weekend, but gave me no stress whatsoever during the run - which was much, much better than I was expecting. So I felt quite chuffed to find out that my fitness levels haven't really dropped that much. Clearly all the core work and fierce dog walking have done a reasonable job of keeping things together, even if my arse has expanded a bit. I really hate running usually, but even I can now see that doing it with loads of other jolly people is quite fun.

Well done to your DS Rose!

I am being tour guide this week for DD2's BFF. Unfortunately DD2 never wants to get up and do anything. I have said pointedly that her friend Didn't Come All This Way To See Your Bedroom. Once DD2 is up and out of the house, she is fine - we had a great day at the Science Museum today. It is just Getting Her Up that is hard. BFF is a Fussy Eater - no Chinese, Japanese, Indian or anything spicy. Have done lasagne so far, grilled chicken with potatoes and salad, and tonight I made pizzas. She is better than DD1's friend who stayed last week and would eat only plain spaghetti, mash or margarita pizza. She was, allegedly, vegetarian, but admitted that she didn't really eat vegetables. Or fruit. I don't mind too much, it's when parents say that their child "eats anything" when they patently don't.

More annoyingly, it doesn't look as if we are going to be able to go on holiday this summer as I can't find anyone to look after the cats. We've been let down by three lots of people, all of whom seemed initially excited to have a week in London, even in our shitty flat, and who knew the cats (who are being very well behaved at the moment). I am going to try a cat sitting service, but DH doesn't want people in the flat that he doesn't know. If this doesn't work, it will definitely be no holiday.

That can't be right, MrsS, giving up a holiday for shitty cats. Could a local teen (or anyone) have a key and just go in twice a day?

Sympathy re tours. Ds is taking a friend to Mme Tussauds tomorrow - I hope the queues aren't too bonkers.

Stropps, you are brave to tackle the Other Mother. I tend to assume if they have spawned a wrong 'un, there is no point talking to them, and they would be scary anyway and kill me

Very well done on the run. Hospices are worth every penny.

Ooops, sorry, MrsS, didn't mean to be unduly rude about your cats... As you know, we'd have them here, only ddog would eat 'em.

MrsS I'd do it, unfortunately week you are looking at I'm away.

Here hurty arms from injections (don't remember that last time) dp had to have the lot because his record wasn't up to date.

Rose - clever boy!

Stropps - oh you are brave, although I have to admit I am amazed at how fierce I can get about ds.

Here the job waiting is killing me - awful awful dreams last night. Just want to be put out of my misery now and know what I have to deal with. Plastering a smile on everyday is wearing.

Definitely get a neighbour to feed them, MrsS. We always do that with ours. I realise it's harder with indoor cats, though.

Have done Ladysplash and now must write.

BD