Summertime...and the Crepeys are easy

[motherinferior]

With much love to BD.

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

Well, we're back. Reunited by the terrible journey. First, couldn't find a petrol station that took cards, so got to the airport late. Then massive queue for check-in, so we had to push in in order to get to the gate in time. Then, the plane was delayed by two hours, with no info, in one of those tiny airports with no shops, etc. Why don't they have shops and coffee in the departure gate bit? Then sitting on the plane for ages. Then huge queue at passport control.

And there's no food in the house. We've just had cheese on ryvita. And DP has just shared the one Freddo frog chocolate with me.

Then email from sis saying she was with mum, who has been rendered zombified by the amount of painkillers she's on. Morphine parch, tramadol, paracetamol, and another one beginning with a. And liquid morphine if she wants it. She's not eating, and sleeping most of the day. WTF is the carer and the GP thinking?? GP won't talk to sis.

On the plus side, I scored a litre of Aperol from duty free.

Will catch up with everyone else tomorrow!

BD, it is a long gap for you - must be difficult to be in limbo

GGG we need some pics of these lovely places!

Monty white goods going wrong is such a pain.

We are just arrived in Hue. The sleeper was a great success - despite the "soft sleeper" beds being as hard as ironing boards. We closed the cabin door on arrival and then couldn't reopen it for over half an hour (cue much exciteens and laughter) DS managed to spring it open by chance, then the guard showed us the technique which was unbelievably simple. Then dinner was served - basic but filling with some strange bun/dumplings and cold beers We were all asleep by 9pm, which was just as well as the train got in at 5.30am!
Think we are going to make an early start on the sights as it's due to be 38 degrees today

Hey crepeys, this is coming to you from a hotel balcony in Santa Barbara (red wine in toothmug to hand). We are all well and enjoying our Californian experience so far.

The flight over was OK, but I failed to appreciate that "budget" meant no films, no food, no internet....nothing but smiley Icelandic stewards to entertain us. For some reason none of us were seated together (I was next to a chap who appeared to be suffering from advanced tuberculosis). Add to that the three hours it took us to clear customs, together with the non-appearance of the hotel shuttle bus, and you can just imagine how murderously vile the DCs were. Anyway, staying at the fabulously quirky Magic Castle Hotel for three days has totally restored the holiday spirit. I didn't want to leave.

We've cycled around Venice and Santa Monica (hot), walked up to the Griffith Observatory (hotter), eaten at the Farmer's Market, and today shopped at the most enormous outlet mall I have ever seen (like Bicester on steroids). Less good was the visit to Universal Studios - ghastly place - overpriced, sweaty and heaving with people; by 3pm even the DCs had had enough, so we retired to the hotel pool and ate ice lollies (they have a red phone marked "popsicle hotline" by the pool, and if you ring it, someone pops out with a tray of them, all free).

We arrived in Santa Barbara tonight; right in the middle of their Spanish Festival, so the town centre is full of market stalls, food pop-ups and live music. I have just eaten my first tamale, would you believe, and very nice it was too.

BD, you will be feeling more normal this time next week. Strength to you and your family to get through it.

BTM, your holiday sounds interesting: if it makes you feel better, we would probably have been stuck in the cabin for longer. What lovely experiences you are giving your DC.

Herbs, welcome home. I hope the situation with your DM improves. I can't believe the GP won't speak to your sister.

CV, your flight sounds awful, but I am glad you are all enjoying the holiday. We liked Santa Barbara when we went a few years ago; and I have very pleasant memories of Santa Monica (apart from the large number of homeless people who we saw). Where are you off to next? Four weeks and two days until we fly out. We are going via Dublin and evidently clear US passport and customs there.

CV, sounds absolutely fab! Love the lolly ice hotline idea - could really do with that here! We would have been crucified by our kids re the flight, etc though

40 degrees here we are just having lunch then off to hotel pool, having done the cultural bit (citadel - amazing) this morning

CV - glad you've arrived safely after budget flight - the popsicle idea is great.

BTM - saw the temples on FB - 40° and humidity generally renders me immobile though.

NU - please explain US passport clearence via Dublin - does that mean you just stroll off the plane on arrival in the US?

Herbs - glad you're back safely at ryvita and chocolate. I'm sorry to hear about the state of poor old DM though. Hope you can get some sense out of the carers and medical staff this week.

BD - much strength for the coming week .

Here, DH woke up very early to go cycling with his friend, who was then half an hour late and they then sat drinking coffee outside for another half hour, so he really didn't need to stomp around at 7 am waking everybody up! Very nice quiet day here though as it looks like the most of the town has gone on holiday. This is the time of year when we have streets of shuttered up houses and most of the shops in the town are shut resulting in wartime like queues at the boulangerie.

Gosh Herbs, just seen your post re DM. Not what you want to come home to, especially when you only have ryvita and chocolate in.

Herbs, it's worth getting a formal letter from your DM (when this is possible) to the GP surgery authorising them to talk to you. It may not be deliberate obfuscation - there is a limit to how much they can do without this. My mum's surgery was vv pleased that I sorted this and then talked to me with (occasionally brutal) frankness.

On first leg of journey home. Slight hangover after staying with old friend but should could be a lot worse. Norwich full of runners. Passed someone I h

...someone who looked familiar, vaguely thought I must have been at school with him, then realised it was Ed Balls.

Herbs, sorry about your mum. Straight back into it, eh? Sending you a virtual

I'm enjoying reading all your holiday stories, somewhat aghast at what you're having to deal with - reminds me why I am chary of holidays since I lack the fortitude and resilience - not to mention ingenuity - you lot seem to have in spades. And I don't tolerate discomfort well. Icelandic stewards, OTOH...

X post, MI. Ed Balls is going to be on Strictly. I hate him. Was it OK with your df?

I hate him too Colly - although he was ok on celeb Bake Off. Obvs desperate for publicity.

Just back from London having done a Gingerliners thing (can't say anymore) and having slept in the smallest hotel room in a very long time, which was also disorientating as it had no windows and the walls were painted black..... I guess this might be considered trendy - it felt a bit like being in a deprivation chember. We escaped at 7.30 and came home.

I am not sure I will feel better next week - I tend to go in for delayed reaction (PND when ds was 2 for example...) so i am expected some kind of meltdown. We'll see.

Herbs sorry about the grim journey home, lack of food and mum - really downer after a holiday that sounds largely restorative.

MI hope the visit home wasn't too bad.

Oh BD, the hotel sounds grim. Poor you, that's awful.

Herbs, oh shit, your poor mum. Wtf are they giving her so many meds? Is she in terrible terrible pain?
Hope you can make sense of it soon.

California, Basque Country and Vietnam all sound extra hot and glamorous. Here it is again a beautiful day, preceded by a clear clear night with stars like diamonds and a sliver of a moon. Dh and I walked across the beach in total darkness just lit by stars. It was divine.
DM has phoned to see how we are getting on in the house, and also dropped into the conversation that they have SOLD now that it has hit me, I am feeling a tad maudlin. It feels like the end of an era. And makes me v sad for my old df when I realise he is no longer fit to travel here and sit in the corner of the cafe in the village with a Pineau.
Off to. Brocante ( junk fair) today, to root around for bargains.

What a horrible shock, Crem. Strong retail therapy at the brocante is recommended. You have such great taste.

Oh Cremo that is so very sad :(

Yes Herbs, MI is right about the letter - should have remembered to say this sooner, doh!

BD, that sounds awful - you need a decent place to stay when doing difficult visits. No idea what a gingerliners thing is though We will be here to support you

Cremo, that is sad. But looking at it positively, good that your DPs have realised it is too much for them now

MI eek re Ed Balls - glad you didn't start casually chatting to him

It's horrid when eras end, isn't it Crem. I keep getting little bits of that, seeing the DParents car in the garage, and thinking it may never be driven again.

The reason mum's on so many meds, is because she seems in constant pain, from lower back, though buttocks into legs. The GP seems unable/unwilling to do anything about it, other than prescribe even more meds. She's currently on four types of opiates FGS. My GP cousin says this is a highly dangerous situation.

In fact, she's now in hospital. She fell asleep on the toilet, banged her head, and couldn't be roused. However, this is probably the best place for her, as hopefully someone will sort out the source of the pain. Have to call hospital shortly...

Can't help feeling resentful that it's rather shot to pieces my post-holiday relaxation. DP's mum is also in a bad way, and possibly on homeward stretch.

DP sitch now better, but underlying problem still there. He doesn't even have the excuse of 'wanting to switch off from work', as he hasn't worked for two months!

Sorry I'm so me me me at the moment. It's partly because posting on a tablet means I can't see previous comments to comment on, and partly because I'm a narcissistic tosspot.

In S&B news, I can thoroughly recommend Mac's Ruby Woo lipstick, bought on a whim in duty free. It's the best colour ever, and a lovely texture and smell. I believe it is already a crepey favourite!

Oh, and CV - we popped into Sabaudia - the fascist architecture place of your honeymoon! I found it oddly soothing. I think perhaps I would have enjoyed a bit of fascism.

Hope your mum is OK GGG, and the time with your dad wasn't too draining MI.

Oh, and GP permission letter is in train...

Oh Herbs....

Actually it was surprisingly OK with my dad. He is off to Crete for a month and I am fully in support of this idea - he's going to be lonely and miserable wherever he is so he might as well be on holiday in a place he loves. Pointed out he can always come home but that he should give it 24 hours to consider it if he does want to come home.

Herbs I am not coping with half of what you am am finding it hard so frankly am in awe that you are largely holding it together. Hopeful, as you say, hospital will sort dmum.
Has dp got other work lined up?

DP has a new job, starting on 12 September. I have been asked to teach again next term, and to create a course about writing/editing for the same hopeless adult ed place. I have also been asked to write a feature this week, to slot in around DS, mum and meetings. These are all positives, I guess.

But I frankly want to run away back to Italy, turn off the wifi and drink myself into a stupor.

I'm not totally coping with the mum business - we were very close, and her loss is affecting me deeply. I think I may need to talk to somebody, but can't afford it. Any tips gratefully received.

Oh Herbs :(. I so understand re dmum. As you know it was a long slow decline here I have felt I have lost her over a couple of years.

I think credo mentioned a service to me so perhaps she can remind us? Meanwhile we are here. T is all part of the process I guess.

At least you have dp stable job wise.

That should have been Cremo. And having to shore up dp as well with his dmum. Please take care of yourself. Drop the unimportant stuff.

Sympathies to all who are having a shit time, and vent away, Herbs.

DH and DD1 have gone to the cinema and DD2 and friend have gone to East London in search of hipsters. Can't afford this visitor lark, as DD2 claimed cheerily that her friend "doesn't like street food" (ie a bowl of something from the South Bsnk) so they are out for lunch every day and I appear to be funding it. The idea of sandwiches to take a picnic with them also fell flat as they "don't like having to carry stuff with them". They ate in a pub one day .

Meanwhile I am making bread and clearing out the kitchen.

Ordered dress online from Debenhams which will have to go back. Didn't even bother to try it on as the feel of the fabric made me itch and sweat simultaneously. Have friend's wedding in a couple of weeks and no idea what to wear as most of my dresses are black.