Though She Be Crepey, She Is FIERCE!

[QueenQueenie]

Ta Da!

Space hopper, Rudy go girl!

I have next week off. Can't wait. I'm not doing much, just sorting out dad, but nice to have time. Obviously in my fantasy head, I'll Kondo the whole house, do a tax return, sort out all admin and mend holes in things... Practically, I will do none of that!

I'm reading Us, which is quite crepey, in that a crepey woman decides she really can't be bothered to stay with her husband once the children are grown and plans her exit. It's quite scary in its own special way...

Happy birthday Crem

Prosecco +Chambord +raspberry from garden=happy Cremola.

Dd q cheery. Not yet a disaster. Although dmum has already broken a crystal wine glass.
Have over-catered enormously as dsis et famille were 'out for a giant breakfast'
FFS!

BD you are in my thoughts. Thanks Magi, Monty and Rudy.
Birthday actually tomorrow, but I like to make a festival of it, naturally

Happy Birthday Crem - hope things are still going well.

MI - very difficult re DM - echoing the wise and compassionate words of the other crepeys

Auriga - fabulous news for DD. She'll probably sleep for a week now.

We have had a curry for lunch with the DC's cousin and the student across the road. Much fun was had plus a big walk in the forest. It has gone very hot and humid now and I just want to sleep on the sofa which is currently occupied by other family members.

BD - "courage" for tomorrow.

I have done an eye-wateringly expensive holiday shop in Boots etc, and am now back to bed. with a posh Belgian beer.

Oh that's the life MI. Hope you have a good book too for total bliss. Enjoy!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY (for tomorrow) Crem.

Courage indeed BD. Have you applied for a new job or did I imagine that for you?

Stropps? Are you there? Hope dd behaving herself a bit better. Roll on Thursday.

Well, we're safely back home from our Danish adventure - which was on the whole most enjoyable - the teenagers were excellent value and it was lovely to spend so much time with them without them sloping off to their rooms. They got on well too which always gladdens my heart and went off exploring together. Great to be back though - am drinking large quantities of tea to make up for cups lost over the last few days.

Ok, don't tell dh I told you - but I have to tell you... you may recall the small matter of the missed plane on the way out? Missed as the boarding passes printed out by dh were the wrong size - wtf???- and by the time we had resolved that issue with about 15 different Easyjet staff and a lot of queuing we had missed the boat plane.

Well, imagine the heart lurching moment this morning Crepeys at the airport when dh tries to scan his correctly sized printed boarding pass and it refuses him entry at security... and it turns out he has booked us return tickets for tomorrow morning.... Resolved but not before yet more vast amounts of money were expended. If someone told me this story I would struggle to believe them. In fact I am struggling to believe it and I was there. We have decided as a family that it shall never be spoken of again... but I think it probably will be at frequent intervals. You couldn't make it up. Next time we go anywhereI hall take sole charge of all travel arrangements. For ever.

Love to all. X

No sympathy for the hungover, you ravers, you (spacehopper, Rudy?).

Have a lovely birthday, Crem! I love a bit of Chambord, particularly the camp bottle. Especially with Prosecco. And it's better to over-cater than have everyone leaving hungry. Glad to hear things are peaceful DD-wise.

DMs - well, I count my blessings. Mine's in Canada at the moment, filling my inbox with photos and gushing messages about what a fantastic time she's having.

I'm feeling very relaxed and lightly toasted. Have done a lot of nothing this weekend, and it's extremely therapeutic. We did have a brief burst of activity - there is a small patch of uneven concrete patio at the end of the garden, the only place which gets sun first thing, and it had disappeared under tree debris and nettles... but now it's swept, jet washed and beautifully clear. We just need something to sit on.

I'm taking tomorrow off for the Big Back To School Shopping Trip - school shoes, stationery and so on. DS is off to Wales with GF on Friday, then he has only half a day back home before we all set off for The Netherlands. It's now or never.

Rudy, LOVE having seen your fab outfit come together to then hear you went on a space hopper

I just aced: dropped DH and sandy ice creamy girls and went for massage at spa place. Their jacuzzi had some interesting jets. Thought I better get out when I realised I had a goal in mind .

Beachy I started Us yesterday. Enjoying so far. Also meant to say how much I lived We Are All Completely... Etc.

Nice restaurant tonight, hope my girls on form.

Oh QQ, you couldn't make it up!

It wasn't some PA way to make you do the travel arrangements in future, was it? Just like DH trying to sew on a button - he thinks, if I do it really badly in full view, my capable DW might grab it from me....

I really don't think so CV, although I have sen that MO in action before in my family. Dh was (on both outward and return journeys) firstly very stressed and a bit hysterical shouty when disaster struck, then rather quiet and depressed (as he got out his credit card). Not a pretty sight. The teenagers were very quiet and then very mocking... I kept quiet...

Ostentatious Supportiveness probably the best tack to take as well as being the best fun-.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CREMO! It sounds like you are having fun

Rudy and WAF

QQ at wrong sized tickets. And the wrong date - how did that happen?!

BD sending you hugs{{{}}}

Had a lovely time staying with our friends in the country - they have a fab 1920s house with land and some sheep and cooks! Off later to Rotarua for the Maori village and thermal pools and a big catchup with more of DHs old pals...

And a belated HB from me, Cremo.

I have had numerous naps and feel much more human. And DSis has had a lovely holiday, appears to be back with DSil and was extremely sympathetic to my tales of DM though she did point out when my voice rose to screeching level

at goal - orientated jacuzzi

Oh and btw I have to admit I don't think I appreciate my luck in my relationship with DSis enough. She may struggle sometimes but is also utterly fab and I do realise I am quite unusual in having that backup.

Happy birthday Crem x

Happy happy birthday Crem. Hope it goes well with dd.

at crepey summer japes with space hoppers and jacuZis

Happy Birthday Crem, and am howling at QQ Family's flight chaos.

I'll pass that on to dh Mrs S . He's still rather subdued

Sorry QQ, I don't understand how a boarding pass can be the wrong size & think Easyjet should owe you some redress. Surely it's a barcode or a Q-something code that you present to a reader? So the size is immaterial, it's the ratios/proportions that matter. It can read the code off your phone, fgs.

No doubt you've already turned this all over in your mind, so I apologise for harping on but it doesn't sound reasonable to me.

Crem, glad to hear it's going/has gone well.

Gorgeous day today, so we jumped in the car to go to the beach. Four hours later, after a diversion for lunch and two traffic jams, we got there

It was too windy to take DM onto the beach itself, so I sat with her in the cafe admiring the sea & watching all the toddlers building sandcastles. DH and DD walked the dog for miles & paddled a bit, then we had dinner in Rye. Happy day. Got sand between my toes.

Apart from the journey, Auriga, it sounds like an idyllic day (although not for my DD, who hates sand, therefore DH and I take her DC to the Beach). Congratulations to DD, she must be amazing.

Happy birthday, Crem, I hope the rest of your day went well yesterday- enjoy today. Is DD staying long? Good luck today, BD.

I won't be going to Aquafit this morning as I am having the DGC while DD takes her cat to the vets - I hope to get a swim at lunchtime when the pool is sans children.

QQ Easyjet (and Ryanair) seem to have the knack of making the whole flying experience even more Kafkaesque than one would believe was possible. Wrong size boarding cards wtaf? I am pretty sure I've just printed them onto A4 and not even thought about the size....

The whole experience sounds grim (well the flying bit anyway)

Ds is off camping with a mate at the end of the week for 5 days - I have plans to gut his room when he's away - way too much stuff he doesn't play with.

QQ I intend to apply for another job - deadline next week - same line of work but different institution. Have lost all faith with this one, which is sad because it was an amazing place to work when I first joined....amazing how one person can change a culture in such a short space of time. I will write it up sometime, just for my own education.

Auriga - you said what I was thinking. I cannot for the life of me understand how a whole family is forced to buy new tickets and change airports because their boarding cards are the wrong size. It sounds like Little Britain "computer says no".

BD - thinking of you today.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CREM!!!!!!

Auriga, there is something wonderfully nourishing for all concerned when it comes to taking an old person to the sea, I think. My mum (85) requested a trip to the Ivan Chermayef exhibition in Bexhill on sea last year. Apart from bricking it that she would tumble on the stones, it went well.

Qq I clamped hand to mouth on reading the flight thing.

Totally agree re the flights Auriga

BD crossing everything for you job - wise.

Here we have arrived in the next place. Hilariously 70's pad, but with fabulous views of the lake. DD has had a complete meltdown because she has her period she clashed with DS on the choice of room, despite there being 3 doubles and a twin!!!