In the bleak midwinter, frosty Crepes may moan

[Collymollypuff]

Earth stood hard as iron, my heart like a stone.

MI - I used to like listening to Lionel Blue on Thought for the Day.

Hatty

Madison in black and nude

and so embarrassed

Mea Culpa

Must have been that glass of prosecco they offered me on arrival...

Go you, Rose! Sod the kids' inheritance. Those boobs were made for flaunting...

Rose - I have the Madison in toffee. Bra snap!

DH will be relieved to know that they don't go down to my size

I am already looking forward to the D&S's!

Lovely undies, Rose, lucky Mr Rose (and at "lingerie overdraft").

Your day out sounds brilliant, Beachy!

Mine has been less exciting - after dragging DS and DD2 out of bed for school (boy, it was a tough job this morning) I went off to Costco, and piled my trolley high with Christmas treats (plus plenty of dull stuff like looroll and tinned toms). I won't say how much I spent, but it started with a 4. A bit of driving practice with DS after school, and now I'm cosy on the sofa with a mince pie.

Definitely up for Thursday's D&S! Thanks for PM, BTM.

Just checking in from NZ. We appear to be +13 hours ahead of UK time, which is messing with my jet lagged head.

DS appeared as an unshaven hulk ambling through the door of the apartment yesterday afternoon. He's fine. In one piece, and was carrying the requisite shopping I'd ordered. Lovely to see him again.

Tis amazing to see lavender in full bloom, and agapanthus, too. It's great to be back in NZ. It's been so long that the 5 dollar bill I found is no longer legal tender!!

Only fly in the ointment is the face that my luggage is lost. I've spent all night in my waking hours (which were plentiful..) making a list of what I packed. Christmas presents (inc my SS), all my clothes and my HRT patches. I carried all the rest of my meds, which don't account for much, in my hand luggage. Why oh why didn't I pack those?

Can't decide whether to wait and see if bag reappears - we're only here for another 24 hours- or to get myself to a doctor here in QT. At vast expense,no doubt.

Other option is to get someone at home to DHL a few patches to me from home, to 'meet' me further round on my itinerary.
Don't think my house/dog sitter is up to DHL-ing stuff.

Really really don't want to spend all my time in a hot sweaty bad tempered mess.

Wifi a bit scarce and when you have it, is measured in time or Summat. Will check back in when I can. There is hardly a whisp of tinsel around here. No crowds in shops, hardly a decoration. Can recommend this place for Christmas avoidance. Suggest you pack all you need in hand luggage.

Oh Cocoa. Any news of where the luggage is?

I've done today's feature and must cook an undemanding supper (rice and peas and smoked mackerel with salad).

Had a very satisfying day doing all the boring but important admin loose ends that need doing before a bit of a break..

Out to dinner with dh, ds1, his lovely girlfriend and ds2 tomorrow

Out to dinner at friends on Wednesday (just need to make a pudding)

Out with the Crepes for d and s and expensive cheese buying on Thursday - bound to be late back so the inmates can make their own supper

Out to dinner Friday with friends - woohoo

Just supper tonight to manage then - dh is out - and I'm making fish fingers chips and peas - retro childhood chic.

Have amassed presents but am totally disorganised still. Tomorrow I will sort ad wrap - well unless I get distracted.

Bad luck Cocoa - and with your SS in your luggage too . Hope it appears asap.

How are you NU?? Sending you GWS vibes. X

Cocoa, who did you fly with? Surely they are a reasonably compwent outfit? DSs bag went missing in Costa Rica and the twerps there were useless, but I got it back the next day and that's a third world country! Go put your Crepey hands on your hips snd demand service!

Oh no Cocoa! I wonder if your travel insurance would cover a doc appt? Or if you could get your scrip emailed or faxed? Great you are reunited with a healthy ds.

GGG, well done. I should have loads of time this week but seem to have lists of stuff to do. I think I may do a spot of lolling now.

Rose, I have Bra Envy.

How is ds doing, BTM?

I'm feeling very cheated - I came back from Vienna feeling all Christmassy and it's all gone - in less than a week! We have had a spate of mini medical issues with aged parents and aged pets and as a result instead of relaxing into Christmas dh is at his mum's dealing with carer crisis and I am making daily trips to the vet to stabilise a newly diagnosed diabetic cat. And both of us still have work to finish up before Christmas. I've still got to do the Sainsbury shop before the visitors descend (15 for lunch on 24th and 11 for 25th) but I think I might just put us all on the cat convalescent diet - the chicken thighs are boiling as I type.

Fortunately I have ordered plenty of pink fizz following a recent wine tasting and we still have crates of cava from dh's fat ginger episode (he thought he was ordering 6 bottles not cases - they offered to take back the excess but I didn't see the point in that).

That should read fat finger rather than ginger - auto correct gets a bit overexcited on occasion.

Air New Zealand was our airline. Picked all the luggage off the flight at Los Angeles, took the whole lot through customs, immigration etc etc.

Then walked back into departures area, checked in at the desk, and put the stuff on the conveyor belt. All labelled etc etc. and waited for it to arrive in Auckland. It should be simple! LAX - Auckland.

Boys concerned about my lack of clothes, I'm more concerned about getting to a doctors!

Cocoa that's awful for you. I hope you get your rubbish double pronto

Fat Ginger? Did someone call me?

We went to see my mother today, and she was quite well behaved. Took her out to lunch, no problems. It's interesting that she has no interest whatsoever in the DDs, beyond as a competitive boasting tool at the Over 60s Club.

Now home and have large gin. All clothes going in the wash shortly as they stink of fags.

We really should introduce her to my mother Mrs S. They would have a lot to talk about (my mother wouldn't listen but maybe that wouldn't matter?).

My mother has not the slightest interest in my boys - more fool her.

MrsS at least that's it... You have done the mum Christmas bit and can forget about her and enjoy your break :)

I have never been so late on the present buying.. M&S tomorrow on the way to work...

My mum loved her grandchildren :(

Cocoa, sorry to hear about your lost luggage. Wouldn't a pharmacy just give you a couple of doses of emergency medication/HRT? I have found pharmacies obliging in this kind of situation - they don't want you to have to go unmedicated.

GGG - sounds perfect. My mother doesn't listen and can't hear either (and won't do anything about it). She had no interest in the children after the age of about four. She was the same with me...

Looking forward to Thursday D & S and cheese buying.

Not sure when we are going to be able to do food shopping actually. DH appears to be going to the Isle of Wight this week...

Isle of Wight? Why?

Hello crepes.

Great bras, Rose. I need some new scaffolding - but can't even afford Primark, let alone R&P. Though maybe DP could see the benefit in a voucher...

I see the GGG/apprentice likeness - it's the mouth I think...

I have yet to buy DP presents,,though finished off DS's with a stroking filler dash round Tiger. I'm the same every year - spend most of December thinking 'what's the rush, calm down everyone' and then about now have a massive panic.

Re Saturday and DS, he seems to have survived. I don't really think he understood. I almost totally lost it when ! Said goodbye to MiL for probably the last time, and she asked me to give her love to my parents. DP is quit c posed on the outside, but 'constantly filled with sadness' on the inside.

Now then crepes - a project. We're going to our Islington Gays for Xmas lunch and afternoon. The host has asked me to think of ideas for games. I think there'll be about 10 adults, DS and a dog.