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.

MI - agree with Lalsy, it is very soon. xx

Rose - there is always a child like that. Hateful.

DD2 had Philosophy this morning. The exam that seems to be there purely to pull down the weighted average. A four hour marathon starting at 8 am - we had to be at school by 7.15. I hate the French system!

Herbs, could you line up some dutiful friends/other family who could be on call if necessary?
Speaking as someone whose DM lives 200 miles away, there is/was guilt and resentment. But if they really need you to be on-call so much (as opposed to a real emergency, and shouldn't your DM's knee be a bit better by then?) then there needs to be a proper long-term solution. Which, as I know, is not easy to sort for all sorts of reasons.

MI, hope it went/is going OK.

MrsS tell the old duffer to write the bloody cheque himself (unless it is a question of it coming out of your account!)

Well indeed. It's hard to know what the long term solution is until mum's knee is better. Which will be about four/five weeks from now. But we'll need to have booked a hol by then!

Care requirements could be anything from someone a couple of times a day to help dad, to full-time live-in carers to stop him falling down the stairs. There are so many variables - mum's knee healing, whether her memory/capability come back once she's out of pain an off morphine, how my dad's alzheimers will progress - it's v hard to make any decisions. So we're just in a holding pattern of agency carers ATM.

We could get my brother to do something. For a change.

There's your answer - book him in for that week!

Bloody hell - YY to the DB! Don't give him a choice, Herbs. Tell him he needs to cover any emergency, then book your holiday with a clear conscience. Why shouldn't he do it?

MrsS - I'm actually mildly impressed that your DH even knew of a requirement for cheques and forms. No home/child admin of any sort crosses DH's consciousness unless I plonk something in front of him and say "do this". Which rarely happens as, guess what....I do it all!

Rose - poor DS. I though that sort of bragging died off in about Y7 (as soon as you realise how tactless and rude it is). DS will shortly be going into his SECOND TO LAST EXAM. The end is in sight!!

Thanks all: actually it was brilliant, really interesting and some amazing women one of whom is IMO terrific interview material (young, attractive, articulate, candid...) and I was asked if I'd like to be on a review board by head research honcho too. And yes occasionally I did well up but these are the people doing stuff - the clinicians and researchers - to tackle the bastard disease.

Herbs, book that holiday and work backwards from there. (We didn't book anything - though frankly we rarely do - while my mum was ill but that was pure superstition really.)

MrsS, book two weeks off too.

Oh and Rose, I bet you a fiver (5, v) that little miss snootypants got the paper completely wrong and he's done better than her.

That's what I thought MI. She's trying to make herself feel better.

Re brother, he's a) autistic and b) has a job in London, making him less than ideal. But maybe needs must.

Further news - everyone now thinks dad needs 24hr care. This has either to be in their home. Or in a home. Both are eye watering expensive.

Oh Herbs, its terrifyingly expensive for proper care. I sympathise enormously. Is there no such thing as a freelance live in care person? For the holiday week at least. I'd do it myself if I could.

Rose, I used to loathe smug specimens like that after exams. I think that's what they invented earphones for. Pride before a fall and all that. {{ ds}}

Mrs S what a plank your dh is. In the end I do all the admin in this house, but out of choice. Dh usually doesn't have to produce checks as we have a very bourgeois joint account, which in fairness he pays into more than I do. Swings and roundabouts.
When I read Bd's post I got the impression that Addle was under Mr S

Herbs, needs must. If he can hold down a job, surely he can help out with his parents? Or maybe the long-term option might have to come into effect by then anyway - afraid I'm not surprised that they say your dad needs 24hour care - big hugs {{{{}}}} and

MI, that's great

Here there is another huge drama surrounding DD

X posts with Cremo. Yes, if your parents know anyone that would be willing to do the caring (or at least some), then that could be a good option.

Cremo :)
Here I have had to behave in a very non-collegiate way to save the sanity of my team and I :(. Waiting for the fallout (I have management support)

*Cheques
I am not an American

Herbs, it all sounds so upsetting and draining, not to mention horribly worrying. You and your own little family need a holiday though - so yes to db taking responsibility for that week if need be.
Hope I can buy you a gin tomorrow and that RH will be a welcome temporary distraction for you... what time can you meet up at the RFH??

Much strength to all those still grappling with exams. The end surely is in sight for everyone?

Well done MI. Mrs S, you have the patience of a saint. I salute you - I would have probably sunk to ABH in the face of such provocation. Can't you see if you can go on holiday with Herbs?!

Have just had extremely frustrating meeting with unhelpful, patronising and overpaid boss. Nearly committed murder.

I ate everything being so uncertain - job, parents, future career... And looking like I won't get an inheritance means I do have to get my act together and find something I can do that's either v well paid or I can do until I drop dead.

Sorry to all those suffering. But most looking forward to RFH tomorrow.

Sorry to shout at you Herbs but WHAT TIME CAN YOU BE AT RFH TOMORROW??

Good to hear that you coped ok, MI. After my DM died one of the worst things was monitoring the post: we seemed to get an awful lot of letters asking for donations to cancer relief actually addressed to her.

Herbs, remember that with DPs you are in it for the long haul; therefore for the sake of your sanity you must take care of yourself with regular holidays, etc. I think the pain after knee replacements is very variable: I had to stop taking my meds after 10 days and wasn't worried with pain. On the other hand I have heard of people still on serious meds after six months. I definitely think you need to get DB on board. Good luck.

Aren't some teens awful and unsupportive. Fingers crossed for the DC, CV, Rose and Hatty.

Good news of the day is that there is no deterioration in my eye sight and cataracts since my visit to the optician last year so I am back to 2 yearly check ups.

I'D IMAGINE 6.30, GGG, THOUGH HAVE TO CONFIRM WITH OH.

I am having my eyes tested and will probably be with you around 6.30

Unless you can't find your way there Mrs S...

THANKS HERBS. 6.30ish IT IS THEN!

BTM and I will get the drinks in.

Hurrah re the eyes, NU! And agree totally with you about the long haul. As regular readers will remember, I went to India shortly after my mum's first diagnosis; the friend I was travelling with was quite worried, but it was her consultant who said (tactfully) that this was the time to go, dammit.

I'M GLAD YOU SORTED THE DRINKIES. I WILL THINK OF YOU FROM CHOIR.

So sorry about dd, btm. Hope can be promptly sorted. Another dd hving meltdown at this end. Hd just how expressive and powerful she is. Strong drink all round at RFH.
Good news abt yr eyes NU.
Am NOT, repeat NOT under Mr S.
MI - v pleased you hv choir to go to tomorrow.

Oh BTM missed that.