A Crepey Advent-ure

[MontserratCaballe]

Over here, my darlings....

yes mine went to a Mary poppins carachter who would return them covered in glitter and mud. I found the school bit harder. But everyone set up and needs are different and quite little variants can have surprisingly big effects I thibk, when it is things you do day in day out or under stress

To add to my Maternal Inadequacy...I have just delegated the purchase of stocking tat to a dear friend. . It is a huge relief.

Lalsy yes I'm amazed at what seemed impossible usually was resolved - although stress levels sometimes took a hit and having friends you could rely on on speed dial helps :)

Gosh yes BD. I was very lucky with my neighbour [waves at addle] ..

MI what are you talking about? That sounds like top parenting to me (am currently attempting to shop and getting crosser and crosser).

MI - is friend generally available for such tasks? :)

She and her partner would have liked kids but they didn't happen; they're 10 years older than me and she took early retirement about five years ago - at which point we suddenly had 'family' style backup for the first time ever.

I am at the school concert. Ahem.

Maybe that's what I should do. I'd love a shopping job. I could do that all day long.
So many gorgeous online shops. I so often get completely way laid by shops, and ideas, and shopping. Spending time strapped working mum's money sounds right up my street.

I spent a lot of my mothering, worrying and feeling completely out of my comfort zone. I was completely convinced that I had to it better than my own parents. It was a growing up process for me too I think. All that sudden responsibility for dd meant I had to wise up and get with the programme overnight. It didn't help that dh also chose to go a bit nutty at the same time, but hey ho.
Two children for the price of one. lucky me. I think you have to make your peace with it though. There are a lot of things I would have done /said differently, but as Wise Rose says, once they are older, they also have to take responsibility for their own doings.
Anyway am talking shite, and REALLY WANT TO HEAR IF WAF has heard anything yet.

I think we wll worry that we are not doing it right and inevitably make comparisons with our own upbringings. I think the fact that we worry about it does not mean we are crap parents - rather the reverse. So on that logic, you are a good parent MI.

Omigod Auriga... the recorder player... I snogged the face off him in my youth!

How was his double tongueing, MrsS?

Pretty good, from what I recall. He was super bright and went to university a year early. People used to take the piss out of him playing the recorder and he said they wouldn't laugh if they heard him play, and he was right. We always used to get blind drunk when we got together - at one point we were thinking of sharing a flat (we were more mates than anything else) but thought it probably wouldn't be good for our livers.

they're not laughing now

Morning all.
The waiting game is now over. DF died last night. Peacefully and out of pain. Staff at nursing home 5 star.

Feel very peculiar this morning. Probably due to 4 hour drive to get home last night, followed by a fitful 3 hour sleep.

I hesitate to call them Top Tips, but if you have any advice that you want to pass on to me, having been through it yourselves, then feel free to PM me.

Don't want to clog up thread.

I'm sorry, Ishouldcocoa

Oh I'm sorry cocoa.

I think feeling weird is perfectly un-weird at such a time.

Sorry, Cocoa. That seemed to come very quickly. No advice, I'm afraid, except try to look after yourself as much as you can

I'm so sorry Ishouldcocoa. Sending you love.

I'm so sorrry, Cocoa . Thinking of you

Cocoa, so sorry to hear about your dad - lots of hugs and sympathy from me.

Much sympathy from me too, Cocoa.

Darling Cocoa, I will PM you but yes, I saw messages I sent to a friend the day after my mother died and they say mainly 'I feel very odd'. Much much love

So very sorry to hear this . Much love to you, Cocoa. I will pm you shortly xxxx

So sad to hear this cocoa. Will PM. Feeling odd is par for the course. So sorry xxx

So sorry to hear that but glad that he was well looked after xxx

Sympathies cocoa. Even if you know it's coming it must still be a terrible shock. Look after yourself.