Spring is sprung, the grass is ris, I wonder where the crepeys is

[herbaceous]

As requested!

Agree with MM.

Have had beer. Going to bed...

Waaaah! It was fun. Seriously good food, more wines than you could shake a stick at, much funny business with port and silver cups.... ended up in in student room quaffing warm wine from a plastic cup....the years rolled away! Caught up with besties, many old pals, plus dishy bloke I shagged in 1st year and haven't seen since (still dishy). Have staggered back to my room.....cream crackered, off to bed now. Red dress a triumph.

Yay for the frock! Go Team Red Dress!

Mrs S. You know my views on your H. No 'D'. You would be a million times happier, and deservedly so, without him. He resents you, and no one who is supposed to care about you should treat you like he does.

Yay CV for a fab night. it sounds like the kind of night we could all do with once in a while.I hope you slept well in the student room and you haven't had to get up at dawn for an important tutorial.

Here The Ponies of Love have been taken elsewhere.it seems they were only being looked after by our neighbour for a week . Boo

Off to see dmum and ddad today before they head off to France. I just hope ddad is well enough for another jaunt. Mum does seem to push him to the limit a bit.

CV, sounds like a top night. Including the dishy (haven't heard that one in a long time!) man - charmed by your red dress?

Cremo, are they driving?

MrsS, I had a great cookerman round once - can give you his number?

Yay for the red dress CV sounds like a great night & you looked beautiful in the dress pic.

Mrs S and for you with your oven woes.

CV you look fantastic; glad it was such fun

Stropps - so very well and deservedly done!

Mrs S - agree with everyone and FFS you are such a fantastic and generous cook. Seems like weird punishment of you not to replace/fix oven

Auriga - they have an exhibition of Russian portraits at the NPG which sounds as though it would go v well w/ W&P (I've started it too, having previously only read P): www.npg.org.uk/whatson/russia-and-the-arts/exhibition.php. Happy to go with if you get a break

Off to matinee of Guys and Dolls this afternoon; courtesy of generous friend. Am v lucky

No BTM, not driving , but no doubt travelling by some unbelievably convoluted route, via Dublin airport no doubt. And it won't even be warm. Easter is v early this year and I'm sure it'll be so quiet that they will be bored stiff.

Addle , what a treat. Enjoy the show!

I loved the somewhat abridged TV version of W&P recently. Adorable James Norton as André. Swoon

Laughing at all the pony love. At the back of our house we have cows to look at, which aren't quite so appealing. And prep school girls playing rounders in the summer.

MrsS - regarding oven (not that you should have to rationalise this at all to your dearest life partner) you can get a new oven now, then hang onto it when/if you do the kitchen up. We did this, just whipped it out of old units and popped it back into new.

Anyway, I'm back at the chateau.....I slept like a log in my student garret, and got up early for a revolting shower and college breakfast (LOL at early tutorial). Many sore heads and bleary eyes. Then I took a taxi to friend's house just outside Oxford for a second (rather nicer) breakfast, and to meet up with Surrey besties who gave me a lift home. Sofa is feeling mighty comfortable.

Get a load of this, pony-lovers - my sister spent this morning at Shetland Pony World! It's n Surrey, so not too far for you Molly!

What???? Where????

Sorry your cute ponies have gone, Crem. Sounds like all crepeys need to come round to mine to see Shetlands.

I missed your post about being in my manor, Rose, otherwise we could've got together. I have been mad busy - I have too many dc birthdays in March, and since dh is, ahem, the way he is, I have to do it all. (He just makes strange suggestions, like shall we wake dd up on the eve of her birthday to give her her presents, when I have the WHOLE DAY planned out to the minute.) Respec to all those wonderful crepeys who have been making birthday cakes - Asda pug cake here, plus a fab special cake for ds with a Carcassonne board and sugar meeples - made by a local cake shop, not me.

Auriga, hugs to you. It does sound like the last stretch. I found that a strange period, not unlike a Cocteau film, all dreamy and weird. Hugs to others helping aged parents, too.

If anything Russian is happening, please consider having me along...I speak the lingo...I definitely want to see the NPG exhibition, addle.

Here Molly!

Though if you're in Dartmoor, who could resist A BABY DONKEY!!!

www.shetlandponyclub.co.uk/shetland-pony-walking/

Lol, I'd rather get on a rather larger beast and go for a gallop. Not that keen on pony care either - surely one has staff for that? However, they are cute. But I'm told that, like dachshunds, they may be small but can be, um, feisty. You have to respect their horse-hood, otherwise they'll let you know about it.

Actually, I lie. It's a MINIATURE DONKEY. Even better.

Don't get me started on donkeys - I am mad about them. Although again the ones at Battersea Park Zoo are vicious. Probably fed too much sugar, and have lost their darling donkeydom.

I could fit several baby miniature donkeys on my bed in my garden.

Molly, I recommend [[http://www.abebooks.co.uk/book-search/title/people-with-long-ears-a-practical-guide-to-donkey-keeping/]]. Sheer joy

Sorry!

Ya nye gavoryoo po russki. But would be interested in going to the National Portrait Gallery. I would like a donkey, but suspect it would not go down too well in our communal garden.

Shetlands are indeed feisty. DM's cat used to fight with the ones in the field next to her house. The cat would creep behind them and bat their tails; the ponies would spin round with teeth bared and chase the cat away. Rather amusing to watch, although we were convinced that at some point the cat would make an error of judgement and end up flattened.

We could have a communal crepey mini-donkey. Lalsy, I have that book committed to memory. There is little I don't know about donkeys. And that's why I deserve one.

(CV, mules can kill. So don't get one of those. And don't breed a mini-donkey with a Shetland.)

Thawing out after another afternoon spent watching DS's footy (they won!) but missed out on keeping warm in the club room whilst they warmed up as my friend/colleague's son coincidentally was playing in a match before.

No desire to have a pony or a donkey here And not much interest in Russia (though I should encourage DD as this is half of her History A'level)

Cremo, glad to hear your DP's are not driving. Hope they have a relaxing change of scene though.

Spoke to DM (after her SIL messaged me to say they had just spoken to her and she was cheerful!) - she apologised for the last call where she was in a very bad mood and actually sounded a bit more on the ball despite having got lost on her way to the phone, and it is a small place

I think the Major and his missis are so wonderful. Loved it when they took the bashful donkey home from the summer fete because she wouldn't feed her foal in public .

for you, MrsS

In oven news, Mr Inferior says the one he got when ours packed up cost £150 and slotted in easily (and he's no handyman). Does the job perfectly well.

Auriga, thinking of you.