Hot town, Crepes in the city

[bigTillyMint]

I think Jamie Bells ears are bigger! And DSs hair is lighter (though he is sporting a 1980s barnet!), and his jaw a teeny bit widea, but he looks a bit like him in the pics of JB aged about 18 which I am incapable of linking to

Scuppered on sundowner front as it is raining Though still hot However no we get to try the huge complimentary umbrellas! Not sure how we'll fit them down the street with the mad traffic/pedestrians

Auriga, well done to tying up all loose ends - great way to start a holiday. Congrats to your DD too - that is impressively resilient.

MI - could give yourself a couple of days somewhere like Gladstone's Library where you could concentrate on your writing? A holiday that isn't fun is just not restorative.

Hello

I have crumpled and texted boss/ that colleague (mostly work related stuff) after three weeks of no contact. Is this very bad? ( Am also mildly pissed.)

Hello from lovely, if rainy, Bamburgh. Cottage is super-tasteful, in a little group that once housed the workers who's restored the castle.

Drove up from Durham today in super turbo-charged hire car, complete with automatic wipers, which are frankly witchcraft. Went via the Shildon rail museum - thanks NU! - which was bloody ace. I've changed my Facebook cover photo to the phrase 'shunt with care', found on the side of a goods wagon. A new crepey mantra, perhaps?

Not sure what do do tomorrow. Tempted by Alnwick and its many attractions, but the rain may mean the external ones are less than thrilling.

Brilliant, Herbs, my 5 yo DGS loved it, too. There is the little Grace Darling Museum in Bamburgh if you just want a close trip. Not sure if I have said previously my DC used to love watching the tide come in and cover the causeway at Holy Island (and watch the idiots rushing to beat the waves). The tide timetables are usually overly safe by the way. Lunch at the Jolly Fisherman in Craster and a walk along the shore to Dunstanburgh Castle can be done in the rain, too, if you're feeling brave.

Congratulations to DD, Auriga. My visiting friend left this morning and I have just heard that her DGS has been offered a place through clearing.

DH and I can actually start thinking about our trip to the US now - bits of shopping still to do, but as I now know I am not having my knee op until the New Year I can get excited.

NU, that's great about your hol.

Auriga, well done to dd. She is a star.

Herbs, enjoy it sounds very relaxing.

MrsS, I read that as you had crumpled your boss (the stand in one).

Anyone else now have a vision of Stropps in a sort of UCAS Superman cape and pants outfit? No? Just me?

Herbs - have you jinxed the Lake District as well? Here house is gorgeous with breathtaking views. Raining on arrival and forecast. I really hope it improves. We are contenting ourselves with the diving - go Tom!

Happy birthday to your ds, addle.

Very well done to your dd, Auriga. And to you for tidying up at your temporary job. Have a great holiday.

MI, sorry that you have come away from your holiday feeling short-changed on the R&R front. A long w/e away very soon sounds like a good prescription.

Dd got herself together and left with a friend at 6.15am for V festival. First time she has ever been to a festival. A large number of her friends are going and they are all meeting up. Hope she has a good time and remembers to take her meds, because the fallout from the only time she has forgotten them so far was horrible. Meanwhile, I am wondering if I dare tidy and clean her room. Am sick of the gross mess and giant tumbleweed dust and hairballs. Bleargh.

MrsS, restrain yourself.

CV, your holiday sounds amazing. And your teens actually sound remarkably amenable (compared to what has happened when I have taken only 1 teen on holiday).

Feeling a bit odd and brain-mashed today. Have spent 18 months dreading yesterday. And now all I fancy is a week by myself on a desert island. Well, that's not going to happen..

X-posts, loads of people. Yup, SuperStropps, that's me. (I was outside in my Wonder Woman pjs at 6.15am this morning, reminding dd to get cash out before she got to the festival and checking she had her meds)

And I emailed dd's HoY this morning to let him know she had a place and he was surprised and delighted. One to cross off the 'oops' list, as far as he is concerned, I guess.

Stropps - not surprised. I'm surprisingly sone in by results aftermath with a fraction the stress.

cV, Stropps has reminded me meant to say love that dc comment ' I can see it on google earth why do I need to hike'

Fingers crossed for dd Stropps. She deserves to let her hair down. You too Stropps. In the absence of a holiday, is there any prospect of a night out and getting uproariously pissed as a head shower? You need that and a bit of mum-dancing Stropps.

Shame about the howling weather Herbs and Hattie. The forecast looks dismal for the next 24 hours across north of England. Much better tomorrow.

I have just got my chairs back from the upholstery place and they are gorgeous. Disproportionately pleased about this as have been meaning to have them redone for ages. easily pleased

Well I have woken to brilliant sunshine, so I hope it's better up in Bamburgh, Herbs, than you thought it was going to be (BBC now says it's only going to rain in the afternoon, so get out of bed and get outside!). I hope it's better for you, too, Hatty.

Sunshine here too! So we're going to the beach Before Breakfast, then a fry up, then take our chances at Alnwick.

Yes you have sunshine because furthe South we have torrential rain :). It's like November out there......

We have some sunshine here (SE coast) but it's blowing a hoolie & it's cold. I have clicked the heating on!!

Am feeling wonderful as decamped to the spare room last night after a few nights of being woken by DH's snoring. Went to sleep at 11pm & woke at 7am. Feel 20 years younger

Have a lovely day, herbs.

We are off to a wedding today, so fingers crossed for at least dry weather!

NU, I remember going to that Grace Darling museum when I was a child and being quite impressed her story - Herbs, I reckon miniHerbs would love it. Likewise Holy Island and Dunstanburgh Castle

Well done Auriga's DD. I wonder what subject the C was in (and what board!) as there have been a number of surprises with certain subjects at DD's school resulting in DC planning to do resits.

Hope the wedding is fun, MrsS. Did you already go to Margate or is that for the heatwave next week?

Bloody tossing it down in Keswick. Have all bought emergency waterproof trousers - not a fashionable item. I am really trying to impress DH with the Lake District so it had better clear up. We can literally walk up Skiddaw from behind the house.

In other news DD1 has secured a law training contract which normally means she has a job to go to after uni. Much relief all round.

Hatty, what great news! Hope the weather cheers up.

Got soaked this morning. Slightly feel it is time to Go Back to Normal, but ds off again tomorrow, and dh and I are off too! I have enjoyed having little holidays and might have murdered family otherwise but does feel like a lot of packing.

I'd love to go back to Holy Island. The one time I visited we mistimed and had to get off fast as the tide was on its way in...

Lovely results auriga DD sounds very together.

Mi I do hope you're not getting too buffeted on the Irish Sea and have remembered to take some Kwells... now let's put our heads together Crepeys and see if we can't come up with some suggestions to get MI some R&R, somehow.

Happy belated birthday to addles DS !

mrsS are you getting up to naughties again...???

Am immersed in work since Tues evening.... And it's really improving my mood. The weekend is a bit full on though...two lots of four hour classes with no break. The class gets breaks..I'm just tearing around getting the next lot of activities ready...however I'm done for today and have had a cut and blowdry. Going Increasingly blunt with the hairstyle and quite like it, actually.

Now then...is anyone free this coming Tuesday for a mini MU?

Yayyyyy Hatty !!!

hairdo a bit like this but wrong colour and not as pretty as the model

Thanks to Mr Inferior's profligate generosity we had a cabin with proper beds so I lay floppily still and - thanks to complete lack of food bar one satsuma at 4.30 departure - remained unqueasy, unlike poor old DD2.

Nephew now unable to get visa so I might just wangle something at half term or indeed just bog off alone.

I have masses of work this week (trying not to think about it!) but would love an evening MU?

So pleased to hear you are feeling happier, Rose. The hair looks good & I suspect you are much prettier than the model.

Delighted you did not succumb to mal de mer, MI. The sea in the English Channel looks bad enough today.