Crepeys of a consistently high standard

[Stropperella]

So there. :)

Happy traveling BTM! I'm struggling through final day - off tomorrow.

Have lovely hols Auriga, BTM and BD!

It is an indication that my life has shrunk far too much. I only ever eat out locally, and never go shopping or out in the evenings Up West. This has to be rectified!

Safe journey and wonderful hols to tilly auriga and BD!!

I hadn't heard of Cote actually until earlier this year when we stumbled across one in hampstead, decided to try it and were impressed. There is now an even more local one as well!

Lovely mini meet up with Tilly Molly and Herbs on the south bank yesterday. Must do it again....

Today's joys, DD to orthodontist, ladies breakfast for friend who has a function coming up, physio appointment, and this evening, I have been invited to a leaving do of someone for whom I was once her boss.... Actually feeling extremely nervous about seeing a lot of past colleagues all of whom were in the dept I managed once upon a time, when I Was Important. Worried how they're going to react to the mumsy, directionless person I have become....

Now then crepeys. I'm having my hair cut at lunchtime, for the first time since January .

I can't decide whether to play safe, and have the Purdy type cut I had before, go for a bob with a fringe, or go short and have something like this. Though not pink.

What do you think?

Happy hold to those who are off. We are having three days despite before heading for Devon!

Herbs - I love the bubble gum pi k cut but you just need to make sure you can style it. I had a cut like this which I loved but as I've wavy hair, it went off in all directions afterwards .

Never heard of Côte either although I live in France (and my tablet automatically applies accent!).

Well - accent looked alright on preview.

Rose you are neither mumsy or directionless. You have written a play for goodness sake! You have lost bags of weight. You look fab! Don't give yourself a hard time.

Herbs, like the pink haircut. Though not in pink

Bon voyage to all those off on hols and welcome back to those returning.

Having q holiday childcare nightmare. Why can't people just turn up when they say they will? Now in BP waiting for nanny handover, having just done DD1 handover to her friend who pitched up half an hour late. I may never get there at this rate.

I am strengthened by your liking of pink and short do! DP won't like it, but stuff him.

And yes, Rose. They won't think mumsy and directionless; they'll think creative and brave. And be jealous, while they're still stuck on the tedious job treadmill.

I've really got to sort my career. Having panic attacks about my perilous financial situation...

I go tomorrow Rudy - expect FB updates sporadically....

Rose, you are creative, energetic and gorgeous.

(Though heavens to Betsy I know how you feel....)

And I just had to look up Cote .

Herbs, I (a) like the haircut (b) would welcome pitches for the crumblies, for winter mag.

Rose, I do think it's very, very difficult to have an adequate sense of Self if one is a Lady of a Certain Age based from home.

Monty, I have a delightful spare 14 year old next week if you have need for emergency Taking To The Park.

Mrs S must think we're dreadfully Provincial.

And MI - I shall send you a pitch about a feature on caravans.

I think Cote is great for people who are fussy eaters or if you find yourself in a small university town in search of a decent meal . Many other places in London would tick that box though, and I am sure you all have your favourite locals.

Love the heavens to Betsy phrase, MI - I think we should all use that more. Rose, I get you but firstly you are really interesting to talk to and secondly people who see themselves as having a more exciting/productive life than others are usually quite happy to talk about it - I try and smirk inwardly at their self-centredness while smiling and waving.

MI, have you pointed your crumblies at FutureLearn?

I have not, Lalsy. Would you want to suggest it perhaps for a pittance to write yourself?

Rudy, I would feel exactly the same. I think most of us would.

I am very fond of the expression Heavens to Betsy.

I have finished the first chunk of my draft rewrite. I would like to think it's the Most Difficult Section - it was v pedestrian before - but alas I've now got all sorts of Things I need to elaborate on in the second chunk. The characters are taking over a bit.

Oh Crepeys, what do I do about food this holidays? Especially lunch?

Am sick of having the Infereriorettes peering into the fridge and saying "there's nothing". I fully accept I'm not great at stocking it with enticing lunch items...except when I am, and then they turn up their noses at eg posh sausage rolls and I have to end up binning them. I ask them, repeatedly, what they'd like me to buy for lunches. DD2 is now weeping because "there's nothing" and she "wants something hot". There are eggs. There is soup (vile tinned tomato soup but they like it). There are fish bloody fingers. Even the sort of posh frankfurters you can cook from frozen. Oven bloody chips. Couscous.

I really can't be arsed with this.

Give her a small amount of money and send her to the shops... she has to buy things for lunch for the rest of the week.
Win win win. She's not in your face weeping, she's learning some independence, she'll have some lunch..
You're welcome.

THank you, my brilliant friend.

. Not brilliant at all ... just the owner of older teenagers.
Wait til she's out clubbing til 3.00 in the morning and you'll yearn for the days of weeping over lunch... (just saying).

Well that's it - out of office on and heading home. It does feel like I will be going back to an entirely new world (and probably not a pleasant one) on my return.....

DD1 declares blithely she really doesn't need me at home during the holidays...

I must get out of the house and go to the shops myself. Have hardly moved all day. Forbore to Ladyjog on account of acute knackeredness.

Top plan, QQ. Also will impress upon her that food doesn't just magically appear in the fridge at her convenience.

I just met an acquaintance in the park (rammed with just-broken-up children with giant water pistols) and discovered he's an ESOL teacher. He said it's the worst time to be in further education for about 30 years, and it's going to get worse, with the future looking like no funded education for adults at all. Great.

In other news, I've had my hair cut! Quite short! And it's great! Draws attention away from the jowls, which was my aim.