A Crepey Advent-ure

[MontserratCaballe]

Over here, my darlings....

Oh Herbs. so for you it's a constant need to 'fix' it all?

Oh, and I love the look of birkies but they hurt my flat little trotters.

Yup. This vague but ingrained sense of 'if I'm good, maybe everything will be OK', coupled with the inability to be sufficiently detached from parents to be pragmatic. Or something.

Molly, arf at 'like a puppy or a toddler on a treasure hunt', my DH is the same and also likes to give me lots of little updates on how he's doing, what he forgot & had to go back for, etc.

Like Herbs, I find every Christmas contains all the Christmases past, so atm I can't even rehearse a carol (starts early when you're in a choir) without filling up.

On the brighter side, it turns out that being pinned to the bed with migraine, necking shed-loads of aspirin & ibuprofen is bloody good for sciatica 😁

Thanks for all the Christmas stocking ideas. Am making lists on the train on the way to recorder consort weekend. Happy Friday everyone.

Naot, MI. If you can find some that aren't too fugly

When DS was young, I couldn't sing any carols about a baby boy without choking. Bit of a problem, what with most of them being about Jesus and that.

Oh Herbs You are good. But you need to look after yourself and your own family (never mind the MIL problem) Plus, if it was any other long weekend, there would be no one worrying about anything.

Auriga, glad to see you're up and about again and off to something you enjoy.

MI, Birkies are my favourite and my best. But not many crepeys seem to like them!

Took DS to the clinic and we have a new meds plan that he is happy about. ATM. That will may of course change at any point. But now wants to go and see if we can bag a Black Friday deal

I beg you all to read the thread about £K to spend on one's face. That was three (3, iii) THOUSAND OF YOUR ENGLISH POUNDS.

You could get a lot of Nivea for that money.

Shall I do my usual suggestion of Youthful Piercings?

MI
I have been thinking extra ear piercings - dp will pull cats bum face.

Herbs

Here I am firmly pushing Christmas to the back of my mind for a bit longer.

Glad DS happy about his meds, BTM. How are you feeling?

MI, I have never got along with Birkies either. I just wear flip flops, although that is of course no good for anything formal-ish.

Herbs, I still can't sing carols very well without crying. My poor family have got used to it though. I am also needing to dust off my Christmas albums ready for the start of festivities chez nous (next Friday, the day after DS1's birthday). I am afraid I intersperse carols with a bit of Michael Buble

Had my secret santa pairing today. Very excited. Thank you Rudy for organising.

Am writing from the sick bay. Seem to have caught Crem's virus or one similar. Did some work after school drop to meet deadlines but have been asleep since about 12 and only just woken up. Have more work to do later on. Thank God DS has a friend and DDs are out. Have paracetamol but would welcome if Sister could prescribe anything stronger

Monty, relieved that it is still going in the right direction. It may, of course, go tits up now. But the next appointment is in a week, at a time DH can make, and not a 10days wait which was very difficult this time.
Look after yourself today - got to be OK for our big night out tomorrow!

DS even more happy as we have bagged his bargain Christmas Present (sold out online, so I took him to nearest store and asked 5 (V) sales people before I got one who actually knew what he was doing)

Got my SS too - now to find something suitably lovely

Monty, I am going out for drinks with Our Mutual School Friend, who is now going to be the careers adviser.

DD2 was also mortified at parents' eve because the head gave me a kiss and said she'd see me at their family Christmas party.

(I do know the head, it's not just that I'm irresistible. Her lovely husband was the person who came and Soothed DP and me on DD1's first ever day at school. We only realised later he is a family therapist and had presumably identified the parents most likely to Run Amok. She is very pretty and DP always develops a hitherto concealed enthusiasm for education policy in her presence.)

I've got my Secret Satan too! What does one buy the crepey who has everything? Will we all be receiving gin?

Oh! Realised BTM that I didn't reply re tomorrow night. If I do make it, it will only be for drinks, so don't worry about food lists, chairs, etc.

So glad you are going out with Mutual Friend. She kindly invited me but I was supposed to be going out elsewhere and now feeling ill so not going anywhere.

I am on kissing as greeting terms with a few teachers at the DC primary school, much to DC horror.

You are always irresistible

Herbs, secret Satan sounds like an interesting take on it!

Gin for everyone.

I'm making straight for the restaurant, so I won't see you Herbs! Is it actually your birthday?

It is! Actually tomorrow.

Re drinks, I could continue drinking in the restaurant, like.

Wow - very very busy thread today. Watching the teenage stocking ideas with interest. We do tangerines, chocolate money, nuts then pretty much the same bits of crap as everybody else. Mrs S - agree - no more make up that will not be used - although somebody did mention face packs, which I think would be fun. Also Starbucks gift card for DS - thank you to whoever came up with that - he'd move in there if he could (I personally think it's outrageously expensive).

WAF - thank you for lovely comments and keeping fingers crossed for your book - I'm looking forward to reading it along with MI's Indian tome.

MI - I got some sandals from Geox which were brilliant in the heat - didn't rub and I could walk for miles - so it may be worth a look there.

I have also received my Secret Crepey Santa, thank you Rudy - now for the annual quest to find something in France that cannot also be bought in the UK.

This morning I finally put my French nationality dossier in - all the paperwork is normally correct and will be interviewed with DH in 2 weeks. In the meantime, will be learning the right order of the stripes on the French flag! I know the white's in the middle but have been known to muddle up the red and the blue! Oh, and my dossier was beautifully organised in transparent pockets and the rude woman, practically yelled at me as they would have to be taken out ( something that could be done in 30 seconds, as and when required). Later, the manager came and apologised to me and said he'd seen what happened, there was nothing wrong with my filing system and her behaviour was intolerable! This is a first for the French civil service.

Oh - and Rudy and Addle - agree with BTM - you both have gorgeous hair. Rudy - definitely don't go too blonde (see Gillian Taylforth comments above).

herbs

MI I just go into Blacks or similar and try on loads of trekking sandals. Think mine are Merells as are DD's. DS loves his Teva ones which we got off the final reductions rail. DH's are.... I don't know what but they are vile and ugly.

Get well Monty...does this mean your presence at the MU tomorrow is in jeopardy?

Hatty will you be keeping dual nationality? The rude official sounds horrible...

I have shunned Lands End (not good with big bottoms) cords and Seasalt have not reduced their cords yet, annoyingly, so I have used my Boden Black Friday 30% voucher, and ordered these in Burgundy and also the black non cord jeans

Meanwhile back at base there is trouble brewing at mill.....the theatre having dropped me in my usual role at this time of year, rudely and with no explanation after 13 years on the job, have asked to see me .... and a parent of a soloist in the show who had (fairly major) problems on stage last night has contacted me off the record for help. Very awkward...

DD is back stage all day and evening and DH is dropping her back. I have tried out my new slow cooker which is a bit too slow for supper so we're going out...

Bonsoir mes petites Crépies,
Herbs, I hope you can enjoy your evening out without worrying about being the family copydex. You are so good, you know you are. HF needs to 'tidy her own cupboards first' IMHO. happy Birthday.
Are we the first generation to break from the mould? I don't know, but it seems to me that a lot of us crepes have had to battle a shed load of demons to be here today.
Re The Aspergers. Speaking from experience (dh) the list thing is a good idea , but make sure it is specific, other wise there can be issues with interpretation iykwim.

Monty, sorry I've passed on the lurgy. Had dsis round for a cuppa and she has also had it and reckons that with the high temp , it was probably actual flu ( one that bypassed this years jab) I am wrecked , still.
Poor sis in tears over dneice who is not eating , or eating and being sick , and it's all horrendous. Long discussion about how low the situation could get. Awful, both of us in tears.mostly over the lack of support from people who should know better, ( why can't she just eat something)eating disorders SO SHIT.

BTM , thinking of you.
Rudy, yes to the ashen route. A little midwinter lightening always good.
Hatty, bon chance!
£3k face cream - is it made out of diamonds or what?
Yay got my Secret Satan!

Oh Waf , have everything crossed for houx

Hi Lovelies.
Refuse to even think about Christmas until it's December - fingers are firmly in ears
Ds2 is waiting to hear whether he's got an Oxbridge interview - his college said they would let him know by the 28th - the waiting is killing me him. Please cross your fingers for him...

Sorry to hear of continued illnesses amongst us - the large some of you have had sounds truly yuk.

V excited about Secret Satan - need to find something lovely for my recipient

Fingers crossed Giddy - Ox or Cambs?

Everything crossed.

I have spent the past WEEK writing and rewriting the same scene. In my defence (a) it is quite important (b) I had no idea how it was going to go - the two people have to meet but it's the fact of their meeting which important iyswim. I think I've got it to work now...