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Crepeys who try not to look like creepy clowns....

999 replies

BeachysSandyFlipFlops · 14/10/2016 20:34

Would that be OK?

Must try to avoid a thread switch on a Friday night Grin

OP posts:
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24
bigTillyMint · 23/10/2016 08:54

Monty sorry to hear your DH is low. It must be very difficult - do your DC pick up on it or does he put on a brave face for them?
Sorry he forgot your anniversary too Flowers

DS is rather grumpy (was woken at 7.30 for bloods so that didn't help) but thinks he might be discharged today. Gulp.

bigTillyMint · 23/10/2016 09:03

Auriga, was your DD's surprise 18th last night? How did it go?

IDismyname · 23/10/2016 09:06

Monserrat I would love to try and make a meet up, if circumstances permit (see posts about my DF earlier - have no idea when he'll shuffle off this mortal coil). Am assuming it'll be a London location?

I'm not sure if there is anything left, but I struck gold (metaphorically speaking) on the Oxfam website earlier in this week. I gave the other Crepeys the tip off, so they've been plundering the cashmere stuff - however, I'm guessing they will continue to post new articles of clothing. Probably worth keeping a eye on.

Lalsy · 23/10/2016 10:00

Monty, sorry to hear about dh. Is he/would he considering any form of help?

I think I said I might be free for the Nov meet but I don't think I am now, pah.

Rudy, sorry you have that worry.

Auriga · 23/10/2016 10:54

Montserrat, happy anniversary Flowers
BTM, fingers crossed for DS getting home.
MrsS, have reported you to Sister and added you to the sick list. Please check that you are adhering to care plans ( see Ward Round notes).

Rudy, don't know if I could help? Is there anything about your own behaviour around your friend that you could change, to avoid colluding with her denial? For example when DSis1 is coming I clear the house of alcohol & we all stick to soft drinks, we never take alcohol to her house, I never say anything to normalise or minimise the problem. She still does minimise and deny, though Sad I have not been able to find a functioning branch of Al-anon near me.

Teen party was delightful. DD was thrilled speechless (not something you see often) and very surprised. Sadly her boyfriend couldn't come as he's not well but those who were (and are still) here had/are having a great time.

MrsSchadenfreude · 23/10/2016 10:54

Rudy - no real experience of alcoholism. My friend's mother is an alcoholic and what pulled her through was not being allowed to see her grandchildren, apart from under strict supervision. This was the trigger. She has now been dry for 25 years.

I'd like to meet up next week but don't think I can make 5.45. I'll see what I can do.

motherinferior · 23/10/2016 10:58

I do not have a hangover ShockGrinGrinGrinafter partying and dancing. So am lolling in bed DELIBERATELY.

Sooner or later I will put some more words on the page.

motherinferior · 23/10/2016 10:59

I do not have a hangover ShockGrinGrinGrinafter partying and dancing. So am lolling in bed DELIBERATELY.

Sooner or later I will put some more words on the page.

bigTillyMint · 23/10/2016 11:05

So glad I don't have a hangover - it's bad enough being stuck in hosp feeling knackered!

Cremolafoam · 23/10/2016 12:37

Monty, as someone who has a dh who suffers 'difficult times' you have my sympathies. It's hard going when you have to do pretty much everything to keep things in the house going as well as be content with an atmosphere of and Waf have my empathy and loveFlowers

CV as Auriga has already said, always give the thief the money. Personal safety is paramount in this situation. It's the training I've been instilling in my staff for ever. It's the right thing to do, so employer really output to know this. £130 or your son's safety? There's no question.

BTM, please look after yourselves. It sounds like you've got a great support rota for ds, but do lake a break when you need it.

Rudy, It's a very tough call. i think the perceived wisdom on these things is tough love. Monty is right about the dependence factor. Wee website here

Mostly cleaning today. dh has made a sourdough loaf, which we will munch with a lovely sheeps cheese I brought from France and some green tomato chutney made by a friend. Bliss.

Cremolafoam · 23/10/2016 12:38

atmosphere of gloom

bigTillyMint · 23/10/2016 13:23

Cremo your lunch sounds divine Halloween Envy

I am having yet another Costa teaHaloween Sad!

Stropperella · 23/10/2016 13:40

CV, such a nasty experience for your poor ds. And that bloody shop owner's reaction... Angry

Monty, I'm very sorry to hear that your dh is struggling. WAF, my sympathies on that score also.

Crem, good to hear you are enjoying a good lunch.

I have db and family pitching up some time this afternoon. The dns start climbing the walls if stuck at my dm's house for more than 24 hours. Ds is about to bake a chocolate caramel cake, apparently. He is suddenly very into cooking.

BTM, hope you get some downtime just for you this afternoon. And I hope ds doesn't get discharged without a copper-bottomed care plan to help him do what he needs to do to get better.

Rudy, I have extensive experience of trying to support an alcoholic, but I'm afraid I'm not up to advising anyone on how to do it successfully. My exh (dd's dad) was an alcoholic. I can honestly say that I did everything I could, but in the end it was clear that he just wanted me to collude with him, and he would take me and dd down with him if I didn't find the strength to walk away. The extent of his deceit and denial really only came out after his death. 10 years was a long time to spend living with the craziness. Various professionals told me that I was doing absolutely the right thing when I divorced him. A psychologist even told me that I had "saved his life". Unfortunately, that turned out not to be true at all.

My df had chosen to believe that my first husband was a 'good egg' and didn't want to support me in any way when I divorced. He had his first mini-stroke days after I told him that I was divorcing h1. My df's relationship with alcohol was also not exactly healthy. As some crepeys may know, my exh, my df, my MiL (dh's mother) and dh's younger db all died within 18 months of each other. And I also gave birth to ds that year. This was all when dd was 6 and 7 years old. I don't suppose anyone would ever suggest that all that didn't have a profound impact on dd. And our old dog died as well, which pretty much broke her. Alcohol, grief, loss - all inextricably linked in mine and dd's lives. The past few years for dd have been about a lot of her repressed feelings about all that coming to the surface.

I have had people say that if alcoholism is a disease, how can you abandon a sick person? I've never come away from a conversation like that feeling good about myself, and I still don't know if I could or should have done more/something different. My ex-MiL was (and probably still is - if she is still alive) of the opinion that her son's death was my fault. However, she also had a drink problem, in addition to other issues. Whenever she came to stay, I used to have to clean up both her wee and her son's. At least he usually made it to the bathroom, whereas she didn't bother trying. So she'd say anything rather than consider the idea that some of her behaviour might have had a teensy bit of a negative impact on her son.

So, anyway, I've got nothing remotely useful to say about how to support alcoholics or how to grieve. Except to say that it's important to remember the "put your own oxygen mask on first" principle. And if you're feeling low in yourself, try not to make yourself more vulnerable by offering support to someone who may lean on you too hard. I didn't have the chance to put my own oxygen mask on until approx 5 years after the unfortunate events, and the lack of respite (because I was busy looking after everyone else and working) made me very ill. I'm still paying the price for that now, unfortunately.

CointreauVersial · 23/10/2016 13:44

How's DS this morning, BTM? I bet he's desperate to get out and enjoy half term.

Auriga - that's lovely about the party. It sound like DD has a great friendship group.....which is what we really want for our DCs, isn't it?

Beautiful crisp, sunny day here. The DDs have cooked blueberry pancakes and maple syrup for brunch, and I'm contemplating a little trip out to the local(ish) John Lewis, ostensibly to return a pair of boots I bought which are too similar to a pair I already own, but actually because I just fancy some JL homeware porn. Blush

I'm wearing my new pleated midi skirt. The entire family hate it. Grin

Lalsy · 23/10/2016 13:58

Stropps, welling up.

bigTillyMint · 23/10/2016 14:13

Stropps Flowers and hope you have a good afternoon.

I think DS is bring discharged, but it is taking aeons and he is very annoyed. Well its a bit better now that the incessant Peppa Pig has been turned offGrin

Cremolafoam · 23/10/2016 14:24

BTM, its like watching paint dry, trying to exit from being an inpatient. Glad ds is being returned to you though. I hope everything heads in the right direction for him.

Stropps , holy cow kiddo. You are amazing. I keep saying it, but you are!FlowersHalloween Grin

motherinferior · 23/10/2016 14:35

Stropps, you are amazing.

Have heard from NU - she's fine but has a LOT going on.

magimedi · 23/10/2016 15:14

Stropps Flowers & I am proud to count you as a friend.

Rudy, Stropps is so right when she says ""put your own oxygen mask on first". I hope I'm not being too bold in saying that I gather you have some 'ishoos' of your own. You must look after yourself first however much you want to help your friend. (And you too sound like a wonderful friend) Flowers

Happy news is that I have just booked a hol to Turkey for early next summer. Flights were a steal & we have been offered ana partment to rent at cut price so I went for it. DH was of a mind to faff but as it is me who always does all the holiday research/bookings etc I told him that I was just going for it. He's now come round to it as if it was his own idea......

Blackduck · 23/10/2016 16:09

Stropps CakeBrewFlowersStarChocolate

MrsSchadenfreude · 23/10/2016 16:49

Stropps, you are amazing and very wise and that advice is spot on. I think sometimes if you don't put yourself first, you all end up drowning.

Crem you sound like me with your DH, and living in a shithole.

I have been to Oxford Street this afternoon and purchased New Pants and some Food. Had the rage in JL as I wanted to buy two small bottles for Christmas Pudding Vodka. Found two that were perfect, only to be told that they were part of a set that comprised four bottles, a large jar and a raft of other shit that I didn't need. Suggested icily that if they were to be sold as a set, they needed to be kept as a set, and not distributed around the display. And left the not inconsiderable number of items I was planning to buy on the counter. I am now home and have wine...

motherinferior · 23/10/2016 16:58

I want wine. Wine is a very good idea.

I need to tell DP that I am struggling a bit in a way that he won't take as a personal criticism and/or making everything All About Me. Is this unreasonable?

bigTillyMint · 23/10/2016 16:58

MrsS I feel your pain - our new local M&S has "not very well trained" staff who never know what is included in the offers as I am obviously so cheap as to only buy the stuff on offer Grin

Trying to meal plan Confused I'm sure it will all slot into place eventually!

CointreauVersial · 23/10/2016 17:14

X-post with Strops' earlier message....and there's me blithering on about pancakes and skirts. How horrendous it must have been for you. No-one could possibly blame you for eventually walking away, not with DD to think about.

But if we are talking skirts, I'm delighted to report that two people admired my pleated midi in Johnny Looloo's today. That's a big fat raspberry to my family, who wouldn't know fashion if it bit them on the bum.

Nice work on the holiday, Magi. By the way, are you completely recovered now? Your illness seemd to be dragging on.

MrsSchadenfreude · 23/10/2016 17:14

One of the many things that annoys me about DH is that he never goes away with work for a few days, which means he is always here. So I never get a few days respite. He is there when I wake up and there when I come home, and not doing anything useful like cooking dinner either.

I am making mincemeat this afternoon. The proper stuff with suet, as my first batch was gluten free and vegan. I felt obliged to redeem it with a good slug of alcohol.

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