Summertime...and the Crepeys are easy

[motherinferior]

With much love to BD.

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

Oh. I've remembered. It was Kim Philby's son. Not quite as good.

Many happies, Crem. I hope you have had a great day.

Hello, Flora, I like the specs.

MI, meant to say earlier, well done on the writing.

Stropps, so glad Jesus has worked his miracle again. Much strength re DD.

Herbs, good that you managed to speak to the ward sister. And whilst we're talking about books, you must pay a visit to Barter Books when you come to Northumberland (which is when, by the way?). I like crime novels in addition to my teenage boy fixation with sci fi and fantasy. I like Lindsay Davies who writes, mostly, about Ancient Rome and Roman Britain - all very light weight stuff. I think I have read most of the Jo Nesbo books. And I used to enjoy Cadfael, too.

Last day of child minding until next Tuesday: I think I deserve a medal: we took them pond dipping yesterday plus a river bank walk, today it was Decathlon to buy DGS,5 some cycling gloves, then we took him for a bike ride later and got drenched in the rain.

Ooh, Flora, nice.

NU, we have a lot of sci-fi and fantasy in the Inferiority Complex. And an entire bookcase of Pratchett. Also lots of gory crime. I insist on retaining the remnants of my English degree just to make us look slightly more refined.

I am trying to argue a few of my mum's books past Mr Inferior...

I can't be doing with fantasy at all. The odd ghostly going on, or a spot of dystopian future, is all I can cope with. Have never read the Hobbitt, or LotR, or any Pratchett. Bbbrrrrrrr.

NU - we're coming up to The North next Thursday. Will get train to Durham, stay there overnight, then pick up car and drive to Bamburgh. Staying for a week...

Herbs, I would bet a crisp fiver that you'd love Pratchett.

I feel I should try him out. Is there an easy introduction, without too many monsters or nonsense?

DP not back yet from his gin extravaganza. Using the wonder of iPhone stalking, I can tell that he has not fallen over overboard, but is in fact in our local pub.

Caught up a bit more, this time from sitting on bed holding phone in certain position. DC not amused by lack of wifi but it does mean we having jolly evenings watching Olympics and applying aloe Vera Vaseline to sunburn.

Brilliant book recommendations which I will go through when bac. And, MI, top news!

Glad JC done the trick stropps and good luck sorting dd. Results day now seems very close, don't know what to expect. Ds his usual laid back self larking around fuelled mainly by Jaffa cakes with the occasional cider. Family holidays with near adult dc involve a lot of boundary rearrangement i think but we are having fun (tho vv lucky to have friends around, hope that can continue)

I fear I enjoy a rather narrow selection of books - not into fantasy or sci-fi at all and not crime either, though I did enjoy a Kate Atkinson one.

Lalsy, your hol sounds like it's going great. I agree re boundaries changing with near adult teens. And always easier with friends around. Though DD surprised me last night when she said she will tell us when to book the family hol next year - so she can come, fiting it round her plans with mates

Glad to hear your DB has sorted your DMs care, GGG.

Hope your DP has managed to stagger back Herbs.

Herbs not a big Prachett fan myself but Good Omens is great (and funny)

Here I mainly read sci fi, Scandi noir, with the occasional sidestep into modern stuff - A Shepherds Life etc. I hate anything branded 'chick'......

Strops glad Jesus has worked his magic again.

I love Pratchett, too, Herbs: the first one I read was 'The Colour of Magic'. It's all nonsense, of course, but very clever nonsense, and I love the sly digs at things. You will love Durham : I shall wave when you pass me on the A1. Let me know if you need any more recommendations (or if you fancy a mini MU, although I would think you will find heaps to do with the family). And, just a thought, knowing of miniHerbs predilection for all things to do with trains, staying in Durham you aren't too far away from the National Railway Museum in Shildon.

DH was going to start pruning the leylandii this morning, but the weather looks ominous. I will have a trip into Newcastle to renew my Metro Gold card and buy some beauty products - am almost out of my go to for hair Ojon hair mask.

Re family holidays with teens, we found that late teens the DC wanted to do their own thing, but this changed when at uni as a free holiday was better than nothing.

Flora - absolutely love glasses - would love to try Cubitts but as I'm not on "Mainland UK" - I fear I'm out of their zone. I do have a nice young man at the opticians who seems to be able to pick out frames for me - much better than if I'm left to my own devices.

NU - is Barter Books the one in Alnwick? - Herbs - in Alwnick there is the biggest second hand bookshop in the UK - worth a browse.

Also - NU - try Robert Harris if you like ancient Rome. We also belatedly watched the series Rome on TV having found it in the holiday house. Despite rather raunchy scenes, rather enjoyable.

I'm not a fan of Pratchet and I loved LOTR as a teen. I can see its deficiencies now but it will always have a place in my heart.

Thoroughly enjoyed diving last night - and then laughed at Herb's FB comments about getting all of a fluster over "tiny towels and manly nude hugs" . Herbs - I think you should do alternative commentary for us Crepies. It would add a whole new dimension.

OK off to get packing for Angleterre this weekend.

Stropps and BD - best wishes to you both for a calm uneventful day in different ways xx.

BTM, how lovely (honestly!). Your hols always sound amazing but how brilliant that she wants to commit like that when teen arrangements such a nailing jelly nightmare.

Dd wants to carry on doing this and isn't bothered about Abroad anyway. Ds wants to travel with friends next summer and it may e hard to fit round us - we go away bang in the middle. Mmmm. It is fun being with youth, on the whole, I think, different energy and like giant toddlers sometimes living ing e moment confident a chocolate biscuit will be forthcoming when needed.

Herbs, I suggest you read Guards! Guards! Ignore the covers. It is funny. Pratchett doesn't do magic: the early ones aren't as good but by this point he had really got into his stride creating a bonkers fantasy city.

That should read: Pratchett doesn't do
monsters

Having been all excited and thinking I'd missed a period and that the menopause was arriving, I realised I'd got my dates wrong. So yes, here it is, 12 hours late.

Hatty, thanks for the author recommendation. Yes, Barter Books is in Alnwick (Herbs, not sure this will work on the iPad, but www.barterbooks.co.uk - the photos alone make me want to pay a visit). Could easily be combined with a trip to the wonderful Alnwick Gardens; in fact it is within walking distance of their car park.

Re: The diving. We all watched. DD's noticed that for a moment when the scores were up and the divers walked away, the scores covered their tiny trunks and they looked naked. Also, the word 'todger' has entered their vocabularly. Thanks DH.

Has anyone read Elena Ferrante's Neopolitan novels? I'm starting number 2 and according to nice book shop man (who sold me number 2 even though they were closed stocktaking, on account of how he loves them so much) they get better and better and better. Four in all.

DD1 on (Love) train. DD2 about to be dispatched to dear sis for Ikea and hopefully an overnight.

Any reccomendations for fun in Dublin and surrounds? We have two and a half days to fill. Have booked a trip to Giant's Causeway for day 3.

Lalsy I like the sound of your hol and am grinning at all the folderol there must be around 'boundary rearrangement.'

Who is quaffing and at what hour tomorrow?

WAF, my only trip to Dublin was nearly 20 years ago - with DH on my best mates' honeymoon, pre-DC. We went for a night after a week in Galway and I can't remember that much about it, other than the pubs were good

There doesn't appear to be much Olympics coverage here despite every room having flat screen TVs and a trillion channels. And I only just turned on for the first time this hol. So no diving for me

We are not the only ones to notice the 'diving or porn' issue. The internet is all over it appaz.

Re Elena Ferrante, I read the first one, after much coo-ing and billing from others about how marvellous they are, and just thought 'meh'. Written kind of 'flat'ly, I thought. Didn't really care what happened to them. At the time. Since I finished a few months ago, I do find myself wondering...

Re quaffing, I might be able to but it depends on whether I have to go and see mum, whether DP is around, whether I finish this feature, and whether I go on an outing with DS.

Herbs

I have read all the Elena Ferrante novels and loved them. My American friend does as well - have since met a lot of British friends who don't seem to be so enamoured. I found the depictions of Neopolitan life in the 50's fascinating, along with the injustices in the system depriving bright women of an education. So frustrating for them. The books do get darker and darker.

WAF - you did read number 1 first didn't you? They have to be read in order.

I have read book 1 Hattie - didn't make that clear :)