In the bleak midwinter, frosty Crepes may moan

[Collymollypuff]

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

BTM - so glad you had a good time and forgot your worries for a little while.

Herbs for MiL and poor old puss - what a sad start to the New Year.

Auriga - very rude - they may as well not have bothered.

Stropps - hope DD has checked in. Here DD1 has finally made contact and will be back in 20mins.

Gosh, Auriga, how stunningly rude on both counts. such poor behaviour. I know what you mean about 1st January feeling odd. It is a deeply weird time of year anyway, and feels even stranger when you are recently bereaved

Herbs, I am so sorry to hear about your MIL and now the cat. Thinking of you too

Stropps, has Dd checked in with you now? Hope you can keep your lunch short.

No one is dressed here and everyone is plugged into the device if their choice. I feel school / work on Tuesday is going to be something of a rude awakening for us all.

Auriga, your DNephew needs a good slap. Has he always been mannerless?

Herbs, so sorry about your MIL and DPuss. Is Puss drinking, at least?

Stropps, hope DD has made contact now.

DD1 is being growly and monosyllabic, but appears to be doing some work at last.

Very tame here - ds2 was the only one doing the traditional off to a party of a mate of a mate and home at 2 in the morning in an overpriced Uber. Ds1 and girlfriend very civilised and low key and me and dh went to the theatre to see not very good play - then home for drinks and indoor fireworks with ds1 and gf. So no sore head here.

Not sure what to do today beyond go to the supermarket as we have NO FOOD.

So sorry to hear about MIL and poorly cat Herbs. Horrible start to NY.
MI very jealous. Photo looks lovely! Enjoy.
Auriga, words fail me - don't invite them again!
Wishing you a peaceful day BTM and an even more peaceful 2 weeks off to you Crem.
Fingers crossed for return of dd1 Hatty.
Beauty - BRRRRRRR!

Love to all and all best wishes for 2017. Looking forward to another year of chat, gossip, laughs, tears etc etc. Crepes are the best!

Puss was fine on Thursday. Left him food and water for our day away at parents, and when we dam Cl he hadn't eaten anything. All floppy and wobbly. Popped I'm in the sink so he could drink from the tap, and he perked up. But this morning could hardly be roused from his slumber, and still hadn't eaten anything. Now just lying about, awake. And not purring, which is very unusual. Normally he'd be on the table or countertop tormenting me, and I'd be swearing.

And Stropps - HNY to you too! Sorry about dd stropping off (ha!) - but she has made it through the term and then through the festive season without huge drama and turmoil which is no mean feat. X

DD1 back "hungover as balls". The rest of us have had a jolly nice roast lamb dinner complete with champagne. We are now going to revert to type and watch The Hobbit.

Dp off to emergency vet with DHound who has snaffled a large lump of Christmas cake . Can everyone cross their fingers please

MiL has died, 10 minutes before DP could get there. I can't believe it.

Cat has jaundice, which may well be cancer, and unless there is some kind of miracle will have to be put down.

I'm here with just DS, and most friends are away. Possibly worst new years day ever.

Oh god Herbs so very very sorry.......

Oh Herbs. How sad for DP that he couldn't be there in time. And the cat as well, it doesn't sound good. He may be old and annoying, but you will miss him.

No sore heads here. DH and I watched Interstallar (baffling!), then saw in the NY with DD2, Jools Holland and a bottle of cava. DS arrived home in a cab at 1.30am, and went straight to bed as he had work this morning. DD1's party was pretty low-key too.

Oh Herbs, so sorry to hear that What a crap NYD for you all

He's feeling massively guilty that he didn't go yesterday. But he'd been to see her every few days over Christmas, and I think that by yesterday she wouldn't have known who was there or not.

Awaiting phone call from vet with results of blood tests. If it's cancer, it will be time to let him go and I'll drive up there to give him a final stroke. And try not to collapse in front of DS.

Herbs, so very sorry to read your news. I am sorry DP did not get there in time. So sorry, too, to read about the cat. If everyone is away, woud it help to take DS out to the park or for a walk? Might make you feel better than being in. Anyway, I am thinking of you and sending love XXX

Herbs, sympathy on both counts - I guess it's our ages but there does seem to be an unfair amount of bereavement on this thread - but there does also seem a brilliant amount of empathy and support as well.

On a lighter note, we spent NYE en famille playing a game we were given for Christmas called the 5 second rule. It basically involves naming 3 things in 5 seconds and the challenges range from straightforward - name 3 countries beginning with A for example - to the more ambiguous - name 3 things you do in the bedroom with the lights off. Dd1 thinks it has lots of potential as a drinking game and is claiming custody and taking it back to uni. Assuming we get it back at some point I think it will get played again. I would recommend it as an addition to the repertoire of parlour games suitable for mixed groups (as well as as a drinking game).

Herbs so sorry

Blood tests back, and only show that his liver is shafted but not why. Someone can give him an ultrasound tomorrow to see if there's a growth. Meanwhile he's being treated for dehydration. Vet said he's amazingly bright, and sitting at the front of his pen miaowing at anyone who walks past. She can't understand how he isn't prone and panting.

Trying to get DS to do his school project. He's approaching it with his usual slapdash 'that'll do' approach, which is driving me mad.

Very sorry, Herbs I wasn't with my DM when she died either. I felt OK about that because, like your DH, I'd been there the whole time when she was aware and it could make a difference.

With you on the cat. I shed more tears over DCat when I thought she was dying than over my sister's illness, it just seemed unbearable. Hope yours will pull through this time - and BD's DDog too.

Not the end of the world if DS sees how upset you are. Could you come down to us if you want company? Visitors have all left.

Thank you for the kind offer Auriga, but better stay here in case DP comes back. Not sure what he's doing... I have local friends who are in fact here and dying to 'do something', so I can have them round if need be.

SiL just posted up a pic of MiL on Facebook, and it's set me off...

Herbs, is he a secret drinker?
But at least it sounds a little bit hopeful?
Don't fret about DS and the project. If the teacher isn't happy with the standard of work they will let DS know. But I imagine it isn't something the teacher will lose sleep over

I'm so sorry to hear your news, Herbs, and I hope dcat gets stronger and gets the help needed. Poor dp, what a day.

Hope Flash the irrepressible is not too badly affected by his adventurous eating.

These sodding projects are nearly always completed by the parents anyway. Last Christmas holiday we had to make a Tudor house. Some of the creations looked like they came from architectural model makers. There was even a diorama of the Thames, with old London Bridge bedecked with numerous half-timbered houses (with perspective, FGS), tiny boats on the river and glowing fiery backdrop.

He's doing a 'time travelling ship'. The ship is an impressive cardboard model someone gave him for Christmas. His contribution has been to colour in one sail, and scrawl something on the deck. He's now 'having a break'.

Re cat and secret drinking, he wouldn't drink from a bowl, only the tap. Which we had to operate. So no secrecy there...

Ah, BTM, were you making a joke about cat being a secret boozer? Bit slow on the uptake today...

Sorry for your shitty day, Herbs, particularly for your MIL and DP. We had our last DCat PTS at home and t was very peaceful - would your vet come out to do this?

We have been to lunch at a neighbour who is a notoriously awful cook, who serves everything unseasoned and lukewarm. Today was no exception. Tonight am making Koulibiac (with boughten pastry, not the traditional PITA sour cream one), potato salad and salad.

Oooh, scrap that, have just been invited to the Vauxhall Tavern by my GBF, who is taking his Mum there!