Summertime...and the Crepeys are easy

[motherinferior]

With much love to BD.

(We are going to county cork btw in frugal manner.)

Ooooh, man toes. Geeurgh!

I have clothes everywhere , on the bed. Rolled in the suitcase, hanging on the line and radiator , on and around the ironing board, on dd.s bed.. You get the picture. They will eventually be in the wheely bag. Eventually. God I hate packing. I need a 'beam me up' machine. Both Dh and I are burnt out. Feels like we are moving in water.

BTM Bon Voyage. I hope everyone wakes up in time and that the flights aren't too harrowing. Have a great trip!

Thanks Cremo! I feel your pain re the packing. I hate it too.

Surely packing is better than unpacking. My utility room is covered in a fine layer of sand 'a la plage' after all the washing I've done in the last few days. Plus we are moving ds into dd's room and vice versa, so there is stuff everywhere!

News is that dd friend has septicemia with some weird variation but is getting better and may be released tomorrow. I do feel sorry for both of them, losing over a week of a five week trip to this....

Bon voyage to all - looking forward to news from far flung places.

I spent most of the afternoon sleeping and dozing too - except unlike Mrs S, I did not receive French porn at any stage..... wouldn't have been much use, I got a U in my French O level (probably could have worked it out from the pictures though, I guess)

I quite like those shoes, MI, but I think I may work up a sweat in such an enclosed number.....

No Beachy! When you get back, all you have to do is eleventy million loads of washing, not worry about what to take to cover all eventualities!

Glad to hear your DD's friend is getting better, but what a shame to have lost over a week.

I only found my purse today, thought I'd hidden it safely at home, turns out it was in the camper van, very unsafely not locked all holiday

You need to go to bed BTM, what time is your alarm?

Bon voyage to all travelling crepeys. May you all travel swiftly, safely and have a lovely relaxing time.
Excellent news about dp's job offer, Herbs.
Sorry to hear about your car, Rose

Miserable news about your friend, MrsS, I am so sorry.
BD, if wine is what it takes just now.. Don't beat yourself up.

Crem, I hope you're feeling better and will be able to enjoy your hols to the fullest extent.

Waf, loving the updates about your dd1's Pokemon Go escapades. Although please share where it was that we need to go to find these water Pokemon. I have exhausted all the possibilities in our immediate local area

I am still reeling from my back doodahs. I have seen Jesus 3 times in total and have had no drugs apart from anti-inflammatories since Tuesday and have had a completely pain-free night's sleep for the first time in nearly 2 years and the first almost pain-free mornings in 18 months. Msk clinic has now offered an appointment in September, which would not be much good if I was still crawling around howling, but is obviously perfectly fine as things are. But I am terrified that whatever switch has been clicked, will suddenly click back and I will be in screaming agony again. Plus even the Jesus chiropractor is bemused by how I went from crawling on all fours, sweating and howling to walking upright with less pain than I've had for months after one session. I am, however, wiped out and keep nodding off. Plus my short-term memory appears to be screwed at the moment. It's all very weird.

I am so pleased to hear that Jesus has sorted out your back, Stropps. Fingers crossed for you.

Yes, Bon voyage to the travellers. I will look forward to hearing all about your adventures over the coming weeks. Good news about DP's job offer, Herbs. I love the stories about miniHerbs' fascination with transport (probably because we have a DGS who is similarly afflicted).

MI, how nice of your DDad to give you some cash. I must admit we try to help our DC when we can, like MM. I have some similar shoes, by the way, but they make my feet hot, so probably fine for you.

Rose, awful about your car, so annoying.

BD, how are you today?

DSis and her DH departed yesterday: we had a great time with them, including a visit to NT Cherryburn, the birthplace of Thomas Bewick, which is quite delightful - a real gem. DH and I celebrated our 44th wedding anniversary on Friday, so we're off to Harrogate today for an overnight stay as a little treat.

Hi all - safe journey to the travellers

Stropps glad to hear about the back.

NU thank you for asking. We cleared the bedroom - clothes etc. which was hard, old photos and things. We hard booked the memorial venue and are now planning how that will work - partly it's about finding dad things to do to stop him thinking too much. He and I have talked a lot about her. And then there's the regrets that you can't ask her things you now want to.
Today I'm taking him to lunch and then I'll head home. Memorial is on 13th August. I need to write something and hope I don't crack.

MrsS - did you get bottom box? If so, Dbro said to say you are in good company! He did despite the fact his 360 indicated him team would walk through walls for him. It's a rubbish system. At work there are even more bonkers plans afoot which if happen maybe the final straw.

NUF - I thought we were doing well at 31 years!1

BD - CLothes & personal stuf is so hard

Stropps - Some years ago I had a really bad frozen shoulder & ended up having it operated on which was an instant cure. I was shattered for a couple of weeks afterwards & the surgeon said it was a normal reaction to being pain free after a long time living with pain. Hooray for Jesus!

Happy Anniversary NU. I love Harrogate!

BD do write something from the heart and don't fear that you will crack. I didn't get the chance owing to bullish siblings and it's a huge regret.

stropps I'm so pleased you're out of pain. The tiredness must be about the trauma of it all.

Warning...swimwear rant ahead...

Crepeys....what type of swimwear does one wear if there isn't any part of you that you don't want to cover up? And I'm not quite at Burkini level yet, but I would never post this on the main forum because I'm fed up with the
" Oh...wear a bikini, no ones looking..." brigade. It's not happening. I ventured back into bikini territory a few years ago but when saw the photos I hated how I looked. But... I need bust support, (but you need to be Houdini to get in and out of a bravissimo costume), tummy control, (why do M&S think only bikini tops need wiring) and I hate my thighs. I don't like skirted suits either but swim shorts just make my thighs look bulbous. I seem to spend all of my time in my kaftan and take it off rapidly just before I get into the pool, and cover up the moment I get out again.
I expect everyone's going to say what I need is a new attitude rather than new swimwear but it's actually quite upsetting in its way, especially the way the self consciousness has crept up on me. There are so many 1000s of swimsuits out there but I hate myself in all of them...

So fab that BD can reassure Mrs about bottom boxes and MM can reassure Stropps that pain going away equals shattered.

I had forgotten that this cottage seems to have been designed to let in minimum light. and actually I have forgotten several useful housey things and plus the nice low slung gimmer on the beach lean back chair.

Stropps I will pm you when on laptop.

So fab that BD can reassure Mrs about bottom boxes and MM can reassure Stropps that pain going away equals shattered.

I had forgotten that this cottage seems to have been designed to let in minimum light. and actually I have forgotten several useful housey things and plus the nice low slung gimmer on the beach lean back chair.

Stropps I will pm you when on laptop.

Sorry re swimsuit Rose. No advice.

Should you write your own words for your dad and read to trusted audience of friends /FAM/ Crepies? I'd feel honoured to hear them.

Rose, have you had a look at Lands End?

I've had costumes from them that I've been happy with.

I've got this one Rose

Biba which does pull it all in and hide it with swathes of nylon..... But I'm still not happy with how I look in it, but resigned to the fact that a swimsuit I'm happy with is very unlikely to exist.

BD, I would write from the heart, short and sweet, and don't worry about cracking up. It's a lovely chance to tell people how you feel and all the attendees will be willing you on and standing with you.

Rose, I have given up caring how I look in swimsuits (although would draw the line at a bikini, unless I wanted to clear the beach). I am fat and am going to look fat, so I might as well look fat in something cheery, rather than black. I have one from M & S, not underwired, but tummy control, which works, and two from BHS, also not underwired, but had sort of miraculous cups, which managed to hold the boobs in place quite well. I also had a Miraclesuit, when I had more money than sense, which made me look a lot better, but took about half an hour to get on. Have you tried TK Maxx? (I know I always say this!) The other week, they had a good selection of swimsuits with underwires, some Miraclesuits and other good makes. And agree with MM - try Lands End. Also really liked Beachy's swimsuit. I never go in House of Fraser (apart from for the loo or a cup of tea, as you don't have to queue for either as there is never anyone in the shop), so will look there next time.

BD - no, re bottom box. I got similar feedback to your DBro, but was told that "leadership is secondary" . Interestingly, where I work, no-one under the age of 50 has been given a bottom box, and no-one over the age of 50 has got a top box marking either. And they claim there is no problem with age discrimination...

I wrote something and read it out at my Dad's funeral. It was incredibly hard, but I did it and got through it. I think you do. I was on standby to take over from my cousin at her Mum's funeral, in case she cracked and couldn't carry on, but she didn't. I like the idea of a memorial service rather than a funeral.

The worst funeral I went to was my Mum's cousin's. It was six weeks (6, vi) weeks after she died as she died just after her DD had gone on a three week holiday to Mauritius, and she didn't want to cut short her holiday. Then the DD went off to Dubai for a friend's 50th birthday, and had booked to stay two weeks there too. Which she wasn't going to give up. Her brother was furious and threatened to just go ahead without her, but she was really close to her Mum, and I think she was in denial. Apart from this, it was really drawn out - church service that went on forever, with loads of people speaking about their memories of the deceased - two or three would have been fine, but I think there were eight. Then we went on to the crematorium, and that wasn't quick. And finally ended up in some grotty Travelodge in the arse end of nowhere for the wake.

MrsS I think my DBros bottom box is largely do to the fact he doesn't suffer fools gladly and does nothing to hide the fact

The cremation will happen (we think - waiting on coroner) on 8th - direct cremation (I.e. No one there) with the memorial event on 13th - it will be a celebration of her life, and non traditional. Ashes will be scattered in the garden.

You all make sense of course. It's not really the swimsuit...it's about hating what I have to put in it... I have bought from Landsend before actually. They have a good range and I looked there a few months ago and quite fancied a cross over halter neck that looks like it's completely sold out I'll see what else they have. Beachy there a house of Fraser in Ch isn't there? I wonder if it has that Biba suit?
Huge sigh...this is worse this buying jeans isn't it...

Rose, I got this I like wearing it. My thighs are awful but the boobage (much lower cut than it appears) on this is sufficiently distracting, I fondly imagine . Takes a while to dry cos of the ruching tho. I will probably put shorts on when not in the sea. Because I am so short kaftans and so on look like tablecloths on me.

BD, hope the planning goes well, I am sure it will be a lovely tribute

Stropps, three cheers for Jesus (not words I thought I would ever write). Memory of pain, like that of grief, is hard to shift I reckon. I didn't want sex for a year after ds was born (at home, at high speed, MW arrived in time to see his head crown).

I know it is a cliche but in Spain, was struck again by how happy and uninhibited looking the women on the beaches were - they wore little or nothing at all ages and sizes and no-one blinked. Unlike my children when I suggested that, given we were actually on the fringes of a nudist beach we could dispense with the towel-tent arrangement for changing. Never seen ds move so fast and that is saying something. He is reporting n from his slow-walking hol happily.

BTM, have a great time!

Rose, Simply Swim is always worth a look - something like this?

I will look into all of the suggestions. It just makes me laugh that all "advice" on swimwear and indeed any clothing goes along the lines of dealing with one kind of "imperfection" e.g., if you have big hips, wear this shape...if you have big boobs, wear another shape and so on. What is you've got it all...boobs, hips and a less than flat tummy, not to mentions thighs, flabby arms....and so the list goes on.

Funnily enough I feel less bothered about nudity than I am about looking bad in swimwear...go figure...

The Landsend one that I liked but seems to have sold out is in the ad at the top of this page

Worth giving Lands End a ring, Rose. They are enormously helpful.

I have a fat stomach, large boobs & big hips (size 16/18) & swim regularly in a totally unsupporting Speedo type costume. I am not the fattest person in the pool by a long way & if anyone judges me by my appearance it's their problem.

I suspect you are really gorgeous & very chic!