Crepeys of a consistently high standard

[Stropperella]

So there. :)

Unfortunately that's easier said than done, MI... My work colleague who lives nearby is away that week, unfortunately, otherwise she would have done it, but there's really no-one else. The man upstairs, as you know, has his own little problems, the man on the top floor does not approve of us having cats, as this is against the terms of the lease (his having wooden floors, which is also against the terms of the lease, apparently doesn't count, even though we can hear his music quite clearly, and he is two floors above us) and the woman downstairs is away. I do not know the lunghi wearing lottery winners next door, but as they park their range rover on the pavement across our gate, stopping us getting out of the front door, I don't think they would be very helpful.

I have suggested to the DDs that they go away with Daddy and I stay here. It was not well received by anyone.

Hope you get some concrete details soon, BD. What a long, drawn-out fiasco it's been!

Molly, if I was brave, it was a different sort than you probably imagine. The mum is a friend (albeit not a particularly close one) and the girls have known each other since they were about 2 or 3. Which makes the situation almost more upsetting. I really didn't want to talk to the mum, as I knew she would be really appalled, given the nature of the whole dispute (based around sordid goings-on at a party that dd got all judgey about). Dd hasn't been without blame in the saga, but she made one mistake, admitted her mistake and apologised profusely and took round a card and peace offering. 2 months later, she is still getting targeted with severe unpleasantness and can't do anything about it. So for better or for worse, I have now had the conversation and the mum is very upset with her daughter and I daresay that as the messenger, I am nobody's favourite person. You can't win.

MrsS, have your vets not got a pet-sitting service they recommend? The reputable pet-sitters have insurance etc and it is not worth their while to be anything other than 100% reliable.

Hello everyone.

I am sorry not to have been around for the last week or so. End of term here meaning concerts, music exams, presentations etc, all of which has unfortunately coincided with an upturn in things for me to do at work. I am knackered and the holidays haven't even started. Oh dear.

I hope I get a chance to catch up soon but in the meantime I am thinking of you all, especially those with sick relatives and job woes, and sending you love and positive thoughts

Mrs S - you CAN NOT allow DH and his anti-stranger madness to stop you having a holiday. If he's that against it, he can stay behind and feed the cats! I've been using paid cat-sitters for years, and nothing has ever been stolen. People do it as a paid career, and it's not worth their reputation for anything dodgy to happen.

BD - the not knowing is deadly, isn't it. In my two redundancy scenarios, the pretend 'consultation' period was such a sham, and we all knew the inevitable outcome, and just wanted them to get on with it. All over soon!

Oh and stropps - sorry I didn't sponsor you. In my impecunious student state I've been adopting a position of no money to charity, no sponsorships, etc, but maybe I should now reconsider!

Stropps - girls can be such bitches can't they? DD1 recently met up with a girl from school who said to her "I can't believe you took such shit at school and I'm really ashamed I didn't do anything about it". Basically, this girl hadn't been mean but because of Queen Bee, DD1 had always been missed off invites. Also it was difficult to understand who was actually Queen Bee - now we know for sure who it was - we'll never understand why, even the other friend doesn't.

Stray puss still with us.

Eh, Herbs, don't be daft and start feeling guilty. I hardly ever give dosh to charity, but I do give plenty of rather nice things to my local hospice shop rather than ebaying them and always made sure that all my maternity, baby and infant stuff went to the local Women's Refuge, plus any furniture that I don't need goes to the second chance store which provides very low cost items to people on very low incomes. We all have our own ways of helping and our own ways of giving and different constraints at different points and I don't like it when there is an expectation that people have to cough up. And not to worry - I am highly unlikely to be tapping anyone up for sponsorship again in the near future: the last time I did a sponsored anything was in 1980 and it is entirely likely to be another 35 years before I do another sponsored anything. I just wanted to mark the end of my course by doing something which benefited other people, rather than just boringly getting off my face on cava, which is my standard way to mark the end/beginning/middle/any random point at all of pretty much everything.

x-posts, Hatty. That is very sad about your dd being missed off invites because of the Queen Bee's preferences. That really is horrible. I don't really get why some of these girls devote so much energy to being vile. I didn't get it when I was at school myself and I still don't now.

MONTY !!! Where ya bin, gal? Can you come to the mini MU, lunchtime on Tues?

Stropps that's awful. And if the other party can't be big enough to accept an apology, when your DD is big enough to offer one…well….there's little else to be done. How very stressful. But this too will pass , I'm sure.

MrsS surely a solution can be found to allow you a break? After all, we haven't got to the stage of not needing babysitters to then be held hostage by our pets…I'm afraid we had to use catteries. They were awful, admittedly and the cats came back traumatised but nothing like the trauma I would inflict on them and the rest of the family if I didn't get my regular breaks And you are an absolute saint in respect of all these house guests and all that lovely home cooking. Give them a fiver for McDonalds.

BD is there an end in sight on which you can focus on? So sorry for all this.

DD has first of two YT productions tonight, straight from school. She's under the weather with a husky voice. DH and I are watching.

Worked with ConS until after 9 last night and got another 3 hour session tomorrow by which time our script revision will be done.

Took delivery of this dress and I think it's a keeper. It is a bit girly for me, perhaps and emphasises the old bosoom…which is probably why DH actually complimented me on it this morning (rare occurrence) but I am wearing it today, sans belt, with cropped black leggings, a cropped black carry and red converse rip offs from Sainsbos. Mutton?

cardi, not carry

I worry that I am going to be too late to find a catsitter or cattery now. I really don't want to go the cattery route, as we seem to have turned a corner with the Shitten and I think a cattery would put us back to square one.

DH doesn't really like holidays anyway - not the sort I like, sitting somewhere nice with a glass of wine and a good book. He only really likes doing museums and city breaks, which are fine for a weekend, but no longer. And he would rather eat his own hair than go on a package holiday, whereas I quite like a package, as it means you don't have to think.

MrsS, leave him with the cats?

BD, hope you find out soon.

Nice dress Rose.

Hatty, so sorry for your DD. So many of out DDs seem to have suffered at the hands of others - is this just coincidence or does it happen to most now? I really don't remember any such awfulness at school, but maybe the thick skin I built to protect me at home did the trick at school too.

Waiting for the physio yo call me in...

BTM - I was just saying to my other DC's this morning - I don't remember such awfulness at school. Obviously there was the odd spat but I really thought they were all so evolved now what with bullying awareness and such like.

Talking of holidays - we got up early and had a lovely tour of the Roman theatre at Orange. By 11 am we were hitting serious heat and DH wanted to tramp across town to see a Roman Arch which crossed the national road. We got to where we could see it from a distance and then nobody wanted to walk any further along a busy road. DH very huffy - DD2, who can by overly Parisian said it was the same as the Arc de Triomphe but less good so there was no point. Are now back by the poolside.

I think social media is one of the main problems.

I'm with your DC on the ancient arch front - pool sounds much more inviting!

Well physio was lovely - I resisted asking him to massage higher up - and the receptionist was very chatty (think he might have been bored!) I now have some exercises and stuff to do before the next visit.
Bliss also went well - she got it straight away so I won't have two huge and horrendous bruises on my left arm to match the two on my right, thank god! Just grabbing a coffee as a reward

S&B q, please!

I have an infrequently worn bikini: a piece of proper Freya engineering, in a sort of purple (figleaves sale some years ago). I am planning to take this with me en vacances. But would like to buy some Large Bikini Pants to as an option to wear with it as they are now both trendy and pleasantly encompassing - I don't want to buy another eye-wateringly expensive bra, though, for what is only occasional use.

Do I go for (a) a contrasting colour (b) a retro florally pattern that picks up the purple (c) something vaguely similar] (d) [[http://www.asos.com/freya/freya-bondi-high-waist-bikini-bottom/prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=4793341&clr=Vibe&SearchQuery=bikini+bottoms+high+waist&pgesize=106&pge=0&totalstyles=106&gridsize=3&gridrow=21&gridcolumn=2 this?

vaguely similar

Different bottoms to bra is "on trend" I would personally go for all one colour or maybe block rather than a different floral.

In S&B news, I got these yesterday!

Ooh, loving those snakey shoes, BTM.

MI, I like the pink and purple bottoms. The other ones just look too Large to me. Like you could pull them up to your ears.

I found some HUGE purple ones and bought them - they're pretty well the same colour as the bra. I feel somehow more secure...

I know what you mean, Stropps. I now have a brain picture of MI with shiny pink pants pulled up very very high! The others look more sturdy and I'm all in favour of a sturdy pant!

Dd1 is sick of all her travelling companions, not surprising really. I've told her to plonk herself in the Rijksmuseum and chill.

With my newly discovered money, and the Clarks sale, WIBU to buy these?

Beachy - going on holiday with someone is a great acid test. I used to know a girl who split up with her BF, without fail, after each holiday. DD1 texted me that her BF talked to much and was too stressy - apparently they've talked it all through and everything is fine now.

MI - like the two tone ones not pink satiny ones. DD1 has black bottoms with a purple top so mix and match is obvs OK.