The Greatest Crepe

[MontserratCaballe]

I hope I have remembered the chosen title correctly - I have used Crem's title (think it was Crem's) as the old thread is full.

Herbs - will be fab to have lots of time en famille in the summer but eek re new job on horizon.

Inspired by CV and Rose I have put 10 things on Ebay. They range from size 10 to 16. WTF.

Heading off to the airport shortly for the long journey home. On the S & B front, I would like to say that the combination of the mirror and lighting in the hotel bathroom revealed a moustache of Lech Walesa proportions. Thankfully I brought my epistick with me.

Travels with my epistick.... I need to dig mine out.

Stropps - my arguments are always in need of honing

Rose - I feel for you and DD with my very heart. What a head banger that she knows the work and isn't able to show it. The two of you work so bloody hard. for dd. And you. I hope you start to feel better soon.

MY DRINKING BOOTS EXPERIMENT

UPSIDE: I bought a load of sustaining supplements which definitely helped when I did a drinking experiment last night. I drank 2 glasses, felt wonderfully boozed up but feel pretty OK today.

DOWNSIDE: Fell in (drunk) love with a painting at a private view. Not a cheap painting. (price on application.) Bought painting.

This morning, I have been feverishly trying to come up with new episode ideas for one of my jobs, to try and get a commission to off-set the madness.

Feel too sick and stunned to look at the photo I took of the painting. It was all so heady. Friends of the artist were delightful and iit was all rather Bacchanalian (sp). We arranged for them all to come round for a drink at the end of the exhibition to work out where to hang it and today I'm walking round wincing/laughing at the tat we have on our walls currently. I have bought only one painting previously by an artist known to Addle (and maybe Lalsy???) and it's making me realise that it's hung in the wrong place.

I suppose I could have woken up to realise I'd done worse things. And I did have a very strong response the painting. And you only live once. And I'm fifty in February so it's my birthday present to myself. And I'll try really hard to get more work. And it's a wonderful thing to support an artist's livelihood and.... that kind of thing. I’m never drinking again.

Morning! Hope everyone has had a good half term. MrsS, have loved reading about your travels this week. Bad luck on the 'tache but good job your epistick can address that. I love mine but still tweeze for the v short and stubbly bristles which pop up randomly and quickly. Sometimes I find a few on the tube to work that weren't there when I did my make up in the morning. Hm.

Hatty, sorry about all the flooding. Sounds v serious. What is the forecast for the next few weeks chez toi? Is an improvement on the horizon any time soon?

MI, I am glad to hear that Thursday went as well as these things could. I think a mix of emotions is very normal after someone has died. Be kind to yourself

Dear WAF

Rose, sorry you are poorly. How are you now? Bit better I hope. I have caught a rotten cold and am feeling a bit sorry for myself so am hoping DH will take the kids off somewhere today so I can collapse at home.

Sympathies to all those with aged parents problems. It is so terribly hard and awfully sad to watch them decline. I didn't see the dementia programme - too close to home - but have experienced so much with my poor old dad suffering with it for so many years that I understand how wretched a condition it is.

Brexit - DH and I both firmly in, along with most of our pals, although a few people have popped up as surprising outies. It is a scary prospect that we might be out in a few weeks. I felt very anxious with the Scottish referendum a couple of years ago and was delighted that they stayed in. Apparently they might seek another referendum if the Brexit vote is out

In S and B news, I have culled my wardrobe and thrown out loads of stuff. 3 bags full of old, too small or just plain WTF clothing. Also put a fair old bit on Ebay. So far the bras and the perfume are the best sellers. I might just charity the stuff which doesn't sell to get it out of the house. I now need to lose a stone to access the smaller part of my wardrobe but am going on my wine drinking, paella guzzling trip in 11 (eleven, xi) days time. Think I might need rather longer than that .....

WAF, that is wonderful! I know it feels a bit ouch now, but if you love it, every time you walk past it you will feel a little frisson of pleasure. You have a lovely mix of things on the wall in your house, which I thought was really stylish. I bought a fab ring from Liberty's about 15 years ago after a particularly good lunch. It needed to be resized so I didn't take it home and forgot about it until they rang me to say it was ready for collection. I managed to mislay the ££££ credit card receipt so it was all a bit of a blur. Still love the ring though.

WAF, you will enjoy it every time you look at it (as long as it's in the right place - great pre-50th present to yourself!

What is an epistick?

All of us are in - it's a shame the DC can't vote yet, as I think the Innies are going to need every vote they can get. When DD was telling me about her rigorous political discussion the other day, she was quite rightly saying that 16 -18's should get a vote - they are the ones who are going to have to live with the decision long-term.

Just been reading this and it's painfully close to home -www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/jun/04/introverts-of-the-world-rise-up-susan-cain

Drinking for 'courage'
Remaining silent and friends with people who have treated me badly because I'm scared no one else will be friends with me...

Sheesh .... You think I'd have learned by now....

My kids get outraged that they have to wait till 18 to vote too. I have a lot of faith in the younger generation.

I must go and collect the Toast skirt Monty encouraged me to get from the charity shop, which has been slightly taken in. Am hoping I can wear it tomorrow on my birthday.

And one of DP's brothers is coming to lunch which I always find slightly stressful. Although it means roast chicken...

BD - I get that. But I have been much more rigorous at culling friends of late, particularly those who enjoy putting me down. I just think "fuck you, you add no joy to my life" and that's it. It feels very cathartic.

Had fab afternoon on the beach yesterday with my friend, who was telling me what it was like growing up in the Soviet Union. Watched the sun trying to set over the sea while drinking beer. It was a good week. Back to the grind on Monday. One of my work friends has got a new job and leaves in a few weeks. Good for her, but I'll miss her.

Skirt of citron joyousness

Wow MI THATS gorgeous! It is a very happy skirt.

Going to a funeral today, of a girl I knew well in my youth. She was 50 and had bastard cancer. Feel very sad. There will be people there that I haven't seen for decades. I am not looking forward to it at all.

Got the silk dress from La Redoute, but am not sure. it seems a bit gloomy, and accentuates my norks too much. Sending back I think. Grr.

many friends have been culled from my life over the years. Some just dropped away, and others were toxic and had to be actively sectioned.
We don't entertain nearly enough because Dh finds it excruciating. Shame really as I am a social animal at heart.

Lovely skirt, MI!

Cremo, that is very sad.

Sorry to hear of toxic friends, BD, MrsS and Cremo- good that you have culled them.

I have spent an hour trying to sort out why some of DM's redirected mail isn't coming to me (got nowhere with the bloody Royal Mail, no wonder it's a dead duck) and paying off BT who are making it very difficult to leave their services

Oh god, crepeys. Major crisis here.

Mum went to bed last night complaining of new pain in shoulder and back, and this morning I opened the door to the ambulance, which she had called. She was in bed moaning and weeping with pain. She NEVER cries. She has not been taking her pain meds, so that's what they think it is, but is still in bed, inert and unable to move, and unable to think straight. I am trying to piece together paid care, friends, etc, so I can at least go home tomorrow. Dad doesn't know what the hell is going on.

I feel so lonely, and want my mum to help me. This is so horrible.

Oh Herbs now the professionals are there, I think you just need to wait and listen to their advice. Never rains but pours

Oh Herbs , poor all of you. I hope the professionals can help you get things sorted. That must have been such a shock.

Oh god, crepeys. Major crisis here.

Mum went to bed last night complaining of new pain in shoulder and back, and this morning I opened the door to the ambulance, which she had called. She was in bed moaning and weeping with pain. She NEVER cries. She has not been taking her pain meds, so that's what they think it is, but is still in bed, inert and unable to move, and unable to think straight. I am trying to piece together paid care, friends, etc, so I can at least go home tomorrow. Dad doesn't know what the hell is going on.

I feel so lonely, and want my mum to help me. This is so horrible.

Such a crisis, I even double posted.

She's up and walking to the bathroom, which is major progress. I'm SO STRESSED. I have to get out at some point to buy a pressure cushion and paracetamol. And to prevent myself going MAD.

Need to print a form for her to sign to allow accountants to take over her tax affairs, but it won't BLASTED PRINT on their BLASTED COMPUTER. I may have to print it at home and forge her signature.

If they have a wifi printer, you may be able to print from your phone. I quite often give up on my computer and just point my phone at the printer..... Or just forge.

Glad she's moving.

Oh Herbs darling. I am so sorry. At least the professionals are here and they should be able to take charge...?

Just had massive row with DP. He told me to be quiet in front of his brother - not explicitly, but very clearly. I went upstairs. He is saying that I always just talk and nobody can get a word in and how can I do this and he can never have friends or family round because I always ruin it. I'm sick of being treated like an embarrassment and am seriously considering leaving him.

Can you go out for a lady jog? Or would that be too pointed?

Oh dear Herbs - sympathies. It does sound like a crisis - hopefully the paid carers will be able to deal with it (plus friends, etc) and it may just be a blip, but it sounds like your DF is not managing? It is very difficult to make a forward plan, but it sounds like they may need more help than you had originally thought? DM's GP was fantastic when she felt that DM could no longer manage at home and got SS onto it PDQ (SS won't get involved if they are self-funding until a professional says they can't cope any more, AFAIK)

I feel your pain re the printer, etc - I have spent hours and hours (see above) trying to sort stuff out, and still it goes on.

Oh Herbs...I don't understand..is DM at home or in hospital...and did they check her heart (re. pain in shoulder?). How awful for you all. I feel it all with you, especially that role reversal thing. It's very isolating. . xx

Thank you WAF I'm very dispirited but plodding on. I sympathise, Monty I'm still horribly snotty and headachey but did sleep a little better last night. DH is flying back from Texas over night but I suspect will be too tired for me to dump anything on. I too am pleased with my Ebay activity. I have several watchers on a dress and some shoes at the moment, and my little Paypal stash is growing. Are you actually able to sell used bras???

oh gosh, MI...I'm sure he'll apologise when it all calms down. Don't do anything rash.

No, the person who will apologise will be me because he has made it clear (again) what a horrible person I am.

I do not think I dominate every single damn conversation the way he says I do, or I genuinely would have no friends.

Herbs, any update?

Ha. He's apologised. You were right! as you were...

< licks finger, draws one point to MI >

Things better here. Mum now downstairs and has demanded lunch. She even remembered she has to do something about her tax return. When she's like this - ie remembers to take her pain meds - it all seems quite manageable. But of course could, and does, go tits up at any time.

I am sitting in the garden with a
cuppa in the sun, and things are less bleak. For now.