Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, Crepes in this petty pace from day to day

[CointreauVersial]

Anything but the C-word!

Thanks crepeys! I might try to get up to Tottenham Court Road this weekend... Cremo, I did look at Made.com, but then got put off by bad reviews Off to look at Loaf!

Rudy, I don't think she's particularly unhappy at her sixth form, just that she moans a lot. About everything. And uses us at home as verbal punch-bags. Although she was fine last night - rollercoaster city here!

Cremo, good move to take leave. You need some time to yourself

MrsS, I usually leave flight booking to DH. I am pretty nervous about my booking for NYC incase it has somehow gone wrong!
Rudy and Cremo, it sounds like you have skills up your sleeves

I know exactly what you mean, MrsS. I hate it so much I will get anyone else to do it if poss. Am always convinced I have done something spectacularly stupid.

Btw one can now get e-visas to India which are a lot cheaper and, I think, a bit less hassle. Of course they're not on the regular visa site, which is operated by a company - they're through the Indian government.

I forwent a Ladysplash and had a lie in, thanks to champagne, no food till a 10pm bagel, and weather that hurts my sinuses.

I have no particular problem with booking online flights, but then as we never go abroad this hasn't been an issue!

Talk about feast or famine, crepeys. Last week I was unemployable. This week I have secured: two days a week volunteering in a secondary school, some paid work as a private tutor, half a day a week in a primary school, paid work as a TA in a sixth-form college, and am editing a friend's website. I have also just been invited for interview for another job, the application form of which I did in about 10 minutes flat as I CBA.

I am on a new diet. The S diet. Small portions, no seconds, no snacks, no sweets, except on Saturdays and Sundays! It's a thing, appaz.

Much political shenanigans at school. There are about four head teachers, of varying seniority, one of which is new, and seems to have brought with her a ramping up of the already military-style behaviour management. Children are crying about going to school, as they're so scared of the repercussions of talking in the line, or whatever. Not surprisingly there was talk of this on Facebook. The heads both saw this, and in our parent council meeting last night we were told in no uncertain terms to stop gossiping and talk to them if we have a problem. But when we do, they insist there is no problem! It's like Kafka...

Fortunately, DS loves rules and just goes along with it all. He'll make a great capitalist drone.

Crem. F**k 'em.

Herbs, those results surely deserve Shampagne?
And she's right, Cremo.

Cremo enjoy your break!

Great news Herbs - that's how things go......

Diet fail. DP just came home from work, ill, with a medicinal Portuguese custard tart each.

But it's Small, Herbs. And also Soothing.

And it's tueSday

It was also very Sustaining.

Ugh. Have cold coming. It's at the irritating sore throat, itchy gums and feeling very heavy stage.

Loving the flexibility of that S Diet, Herbs! I have to say, I too would be powerless in the face of a Portuguese Custard Tart, ill or not. And great news about the plethora of jobs which have come your way!

I'm currently scoffing a leftover portion of chickpea curry at my desk as quickly as I can, because the smell is wafting..... MrsS - I have printed out the groundnut curry recipe and will be giving that a go later in the week.

I love a tart, me (cue Sue Perkins snigger). I am writing up my teaching notes for tomorrow and have made soup for supper. Leek and haricot bean - was pondering leek and peas but we appear to have run out of peas, whereas we have quite a lot of haricot beans I boiled and froze a long while ago.

I bloody love those tarts. And they're now sold in the Dear Little Coffee Shop that's opened around the corner. It also does flat whites and macha latte. Whatever the hell that is. Anyway, it's no doubt a boon for house prices, if not for my arse size.

Herbs, that's fab
And I like the sound of the S diet!

Not keen on custard tarts though - memories of wet flabby things when I was a child (and no, that wasn't me!)

Four headteachers, Herbs? Are some deputies/assistant heads? Is it a federated school with an executive head?
I have to say I can see it from both sides - parents need to complain talk to the school, but if they aren't listening, they are bound to gossip. Could some of the parents be being a bit precious?

It is indeed a federated school. There's an executive head (over both schools), head of school (our school), associate head (early years over both schools), assistant head (just our school) and deputy head (just our school).

Some of the parents are a bit precious, yes, but most have a point. Since the new head started, discipline has been ramped up, with children being threatened with going to the head for talking in the corridors, etc. New head denies this is the case. Thus, gossip.

These Portuguese custard tarts, pastel de nata, are a different beast from the flabby ones in a packet from Tesco. Puff pastry, for a start, and a caramelised top. Mmmmm....

Where there's smoke there's fire, Herbs. Unless people are actually libelling the staff on social media, they can't stop parents discussing things….although it's not something I really like to do. I'm all for high levels of discipline, but if the children are terrified, it sounds a bit suspicious to me… Congratulations on the work front, though. You must be thrilled!

Leave is a good idea Cremo when it's so hateful there

I'll eat any sort of tart….I'm not fussy but I must not completely fall off the SW wagon like I did this weekend. I'll put it all back on. We're home now…it's been a bit 'ard. DH has been in such a bad mood the whole time we were away. I'm exhausted from it.

Rose, LTB?

macha latte yum........

So I'm about to venture out into the rain, once again, wearing my three quarter length trousers.... That's the price you pay for packing on a Sunday the clothes you need for Monday and Tuesday! I'm going to snuggle into my comfy (!) BR seat, hopefully without too many noisy buggers around me and watch Dr Foster part IV

Tomorrow I'm having my old lady MOT blood test, so I can't eat or drink until 930am. Probably should only have a glass of wine tonight too, in case my blood is pure Pinot!

Herbs, you should move near me. We have the largest Portuguese community in UK, so lots and lots of custard wonderfulness.

Also here, absolutely gorgeous ones in most surprising cafes...Small, Silky, Soothing. Seems to be this diet depends on abandoning your verbal inventiveness, Herbs.....Well done on the work!

I think when an organisation's first reaction to poor social media coverage from outside is to try to stop it (which they can't) instead of addressing the issue (which they can), it is a sign all is not well. We had that discipline thing at primary. I got a copy of the policy, and wrote the stinkiest letters ever with details of the breaches.......they really loved me there .

Stropps, have you had your meeting with school? Hope things are ticking along somehow .

And today the Roller coaster continues - DD stayed after school for a lecture by a clinical psychologist. It clearly was very interesting

Have to say, I'm with BTM on the custard tart front - really not my thing - quite partial to a piece of sponge cake though (sound like a right old lady).

DH took car today and I got drenched in a sudden rainstorm on the way to gym and had to work out in wet sports trousers. My boots are still drying out. DS was similarly drenched at the bus stop and just to give you an idea how nice they are in France, all the drenched kids were forbidden to enter the physics class but nothing was done to help them get dry. Arseholes!

Herbs - well done on the school placement - I've been dipping into Educating Cardiff - quite scary looking.

What are they doing Rudy that is pushing you to the brink?