A Very Crepey New Year

[Cremolafoam]

Will this do ??

Lalsy I think being away for Christmas was the best thing for me. Not sure it was for anyone else, but for once, I shut my guilt away, and did what was right for me and my immediate family.

However, I can't say that life is exactly brilliant now that I'm back - but I knew that already!

Braces for ds - which we knew were coming.

I was a super nerdy teen, worked hard at Uni, then went to do a masters and had my very little) confidence wiped out by a bastard head of dept. And that did for me in terms of ambition and jobs. I have simply never felt myself to be good enough and have settled for less and then felt monumentally frustrated. I know this lack of confidence comes from my parents and I see it in ds and don't know how to counteract it because I know how damaging and limiting it is.

Sorry - Jan blues have settled in.

BTM - did laugh at your effort/choices post. You should do career talks BTM - did laugh at your effort/choices post. You should do career talks.

Stropps crazy person/crazy person made me hoot as did 'I've never met a husband generated surprise I've liked'. BTW, forgot to say, yes, I will definitely cramp dd's style by coming to Beach Boy land for stroll/chinwag and troughage with thee, Springly. Good idea.

CV and I have communicated and very yes to birthday crepey cocktails. I can't do 10th/11th or Sat 25th.....Would Fri 17th work???

Oh BD, {{{}}} Do you mean your parents lacked confidence too, rather than knocked it out of you?

Confidence is a strange thing, isn't it? We all may have more confidence in some situations/times in our lives, etc than others, but often people who appear ultra-confident are actually very insecure underneath. Some people are quietly confident - perhaps it's also an outgoing/introverted thing?

Lalsy and Cocoa, glad you had a good Christmas away from home - sometimes it's good to change things up.

Beachy, sorry your DS is finding it so hard to concentrate on his work. I don't think it's uncommon, but teens show it in different ways.

CV, I think you're right about the 11th Feb/25th March, but my brain is fried ATM!

BTM - they lacked confidence.

How's ds today?

BD - cross posted. Lack of confidence can be so hard to overcome, can't it? It's definitely part of DH's genetic make up.

Rudy - just seen your fb goings on, carumba!!!

Must do some work. Am luxuriating in bed with ignored notebooks.

BTM, I agree about confidence. And when I was doing some training about how to train others, we were told firmly that apparent confidence or arrogance is often masking the opposite.

I don't think I was ever that confident academically, for no good reason, and university did me no good on that front, partly because of the rampant sexism which was bloody wearing. I don't encounter it much these days but when I do I know to go in fighting. I wish I had done then.

Glares at BD's black dog - is there something you have always wanted to do, BD (not necessarily work related), or is the sense of frustration more general.

Have pencilled in dates!

So we are going out on Saturday 25th March? Is that right Crem? Will get onto Eurostar.

Crem, I'm so sorry.

I am slightly vague today following a small birthday gathering featuring drinks remarkably similar to Dark'n'Stormies . I also got into major arguments about several things including the rather vague non-schooling system in this place.

Last night here - then on to the smoke and pollution of Chennai, but that will also feature vv dear friends/relatives, and I must do a bit of physical e

..sorry, laptop jammed, physical exploring. This time I am much clearer, though!

I have to admit I do miss my lot, quite a bit.

Talking of D&S's, DH got a bottle of Bajan rum - I just need to get some ginger beer, limes and mint

No improvement with DS. It's going to be such a long road.

How is your DS, Rudy?

WAF - Friday 17th Feb is my actual birthday, when DH is whisking me away for a night of passion peace and quiet, so no good for crepey birthday cocktails, alas.

Well I've had a stressful morning - up early doors and into Guildford, after a terrible night's sleep. Sat in Pret nursing a cappuccino while DS took his Driving Theory test. Which he failed. I then had to drive back home with a furious overgrown toddler sitting next to me, too enraged to drive ("the question set was so unfair/it was your fault for booking the test too soon/driving is a load of shit anyway, I'll just get the bus/etc/etc"). He has now slammed into his room; I've forbidden DH from uttering the words "I told you you hadn't done enough revision", at least until DS cools down a little. Grr....

DP still alive, you'll be relieved to know.

Crem and other goat fans - get a load of this goat yoga.

CV sounds like fun (not). Here sat waiting for ds to have a hair cut and then some shopping. Feeling meh....

Sorry about ds BTM.

14th Rudy

I am still in bed and feeling like shit. I was feeling a bit better last night and had planned to get up early and do stuff, but my temperature has gone up again, I didn't get much sleep, and now have a sore throat as well. Oh and it all went crazy at work yesterday after I had gone home, and it got dumped on my nice, helpful colleague again.

Keep warm and resting Mrs S.

CV - DD1 failed her theory twice! So did her BF. Her test is on Friday 13th!

BD and other January blues sufferers - any chance you have SAD? Very common in our dark and gloomy climate. My mum gets this, so we've bought her one of those daylight lights to try and help. Of course, she has to remember to use it...

Sorry it has taken mo so long to contribute (when MN suddenly demands my password it takes me days to get round to sorting it out).

Cream, so sorry to hear about dFiL; what a dreadful shock for the family. I hope the ABs are starting to kick in and you're feeling a bit better? Herbs, how are you and DP today? I am sorry that DS is in the middle of all this, although I am sure he is a great comfort to you. BTM, slowly, slowly with DS. BD, tell the wretched black dog to go away (easier said than done, of course) and the fact that we're at the start of the year with months of winter still facing us, doesn't help either.

Hasty, the coast round Mauritius is lovely, its all the miles and miles of sugar plantations inland which are dispiriting. Adele, was it you or Lalsy who was coming up to Seahouses? I second what Herbs said about places to visit. DD gave us vouchers for afternoon tea at the Running Fox at Felton which looks great and has fantastic reviews on Trip Advisor - might be worth a look.

I have had a rough few days; when the physio came on Wednesday she was horrified by the amount of pain I was in when I move, so my meds have been altered - I am now spending most of my time dozing, as it's the only way the pain is under control so I can do the exercises which, of course, are so important. I am also taking anti sickness stuff because of vomiting. At times I have thought that I was going to pass out with the pain.

Through all this, DH has been brilliant; I take back any less than complimentary comments I might, just might have made about him in the past.

I started writing this post at 11, then DS arrived with the DGC, so I must now go and catch up again.

If it's not too presumptuous of me would you consider making the Crepey birthday cocktails a tri-party party since I'm also celebrating in Feb (10th).

Plumber arrived at 8.30 this morning - still here but thinks he's fixed it - hallelujah! Just in time since we are off out to lunch with friends shortly.

We are in to the last week of holidays before the dc return to school/uni and the revision appears to be taking place in adverse proportion to need.

This is where my COUSIN does hippy t'ai Chi