Crepes, Cats and Calamari

[MrsSchadenfreude]

Here you go.

NU, I can see your lovely little red squirrel. :)

Crem, you clearly need Stroppdog to come on holiday to stay with you and sort that big fat grey bugger out. Funnily enough, Stroppdog got a squeaky, stretchy grey squirrel toy for his birthday today. We don't normally mark pets' b-days, but seeing as he is now knocking on a bit and does so love opening presents (tries to open everyone else's on their birthdays) we thought we would treat him this year. He was very appreciative and is still busy "killing" the squirrel, having just come in from burying his new ball in garden. As you do.

It is v important to have appreciative pets when you have dcs that are arsey a lot of the time.

Happy belated birthday to WAF and CV.
(WAF, did you have some sort of horrible -oscopy recently, or did I imagine that? If you did have one, hope it wasn't too horrible and provided some answers)

Monty (and WAF), sorry to hear about the travails with your dd. I can't comment on these things being just a phase, as my own dd has been having a phase that has lasted a painfully long time. I can, however, relate to the idea that if it weren't school it would be something else. Dd wasn't happy at any of the three schools she went to. And it was fairly obvious that she would have found fault with any I sent her to. She admits she's now finding it hard that her problems are strangely still here, despite not having a school to blame them on. Some people just find growing up a much more uncomfortable process than others do, and I'm not sure that trying to constantly sort them out doesn't actually make it all worse in the end.

Herbs, luscious kitties. Hope they bring you and yours lots of joy.

Dd has reappeared from Bristol. At least she appears to have made some good friends there. She and her gfs went to see the new 50 Shades film on Valentine's Day. And laughed all the way through, apparently. Not sure what is happening re: studies, but I've learnt to keep my thoughts to myself about all that. She did just manage to have Sunday lunch with us in a normal fashion and there hasn't been a row yet today. It's a good day so far.

Sorry I'm not on-thread much at the moment. I don't have much time to be online these days, and when I do, I'm often in a such a passive state that all I do is scroll through drivel on FB (which I am rapidly going off, for various reasons). Have been doing lots of work this last few days, but still have several more hours to do tonight but thought I deserved a little browse of the crepey thread first.

Auriga, hope the back has responded well to the epidural.

BTM, sorry to hear the shopping trip didn't go so well. :(

MI, have a w/e away with your dp - go on - do it! Have some fun!

It was me who had a horrid 'oscopy, Stropps - don't think you did, WAF? Still waiting for results but not worried - they didn't see anything terrifying.

Sorry for all the woes on-thread. Monty, I am going to swim against the tide and ask: might it be that your dd would be better off with her mates? I know, I know - but my dd is very very clear about what is best for her, will not be withstood, and actually is almost always right. I am only suggesting you consider it, though. Also I should have been allowed to move from a high performing ultra unpleasant school to a less stellar one, so I have an axe to grind.

Not that I'm bitter.

Oh, wait, I think WAF did have a horrid 'oscopy - there's me jumping in to make it all about moi...

DH and I have pushed off to the cinema to see Lion. Having only just returned from car shopping. The DCs were agog at being abandoned once again, and appalled that I didn't prepare food for them before skipping off to do what I want. Welcome to the new world order, ungrateful offspring!

Yes Stropps, I had an endo. My hideous flare up had endo'd if its own accord a week prior but it was a relief to find nothing nasty. Waiting for tests prior to fundoplication (stomachy sorting) op maybe in the summer.

Stroppdog must be granted 2 birthdays like the queen. Another in August (gavel). He is a pet. I mean a doll....he's a Good Boy.

Interesting your take on school swaps Colly. Dd1 has known girls come back to the school after leaving for other ones. Stress!!

Loving the lighter eves.

I have just blown large sums in bravissimo - despite Monty pointing out there are cheaper options - and am pleasantly underpinned as are DD1's 28Fs. she is a tiny little thing apart from the boobs...

Yep, the grass often looks greener. As DD and other friends from different schools discovered when she/they moved schools. I think crepeys are right when they say if it wasn't the school it would be something else. But probably wise to get to the bottom of it if you can.

MI DD was/is the same size, but thankfully, as you know, I am not blessed with big bazookas!

Well DH did a good job and things are better than earlier on. But I'm not holding my breath as he has mocks starting tomorrow.

And yes, Stroppdog definitely deserves his presents - he is such a cutie!

Oh yes, do give Stroppdog two birthdays a year. He can feel quite royal opening his presents. Or maybe more like Paddington?

Just spoke to my mother, who told me that the reason she didn't want me to come and stay the other week was that she thought I should have come down straightaway, when she had the operation, not two days later, as she had got used to her dressing and was managing better by then. I can't win, so am not going to try. The phone call was all about her - she didn't even ask how I was or how the DDs were (she never asks about DH).

My sympathies Mrs S. Damned if you do, and damned if you don't.

I really really hope that when I get to that stage, I will be more understanding, but it does seem like a common problem with DPs.

I have headed off any antagonism with my DM.... (see upthread as she was v miffed when DSs came home early for v ill friend, but not attended Dfs Thanksgiving)....by sending DS over to see her. Twice.

I believe that money may be changing hands, too, as she knows he's stoney broke atm, and he is favourite grandchild. Hes keeping v quiet about it.

Anyways, I am seeing DM for lunch today and taking her out for a walk with the dogs. Two Birds One Stone and all that.

I luffs her really...

Half term here this week....all children still asleep and I'm sure they will be for some time.

Dh is at work, obligations to ddad discharged as he came to lunch yesterday and I might just spend the day in the greenhouse, planting seeds....It's like a treat I save up and really enjoy.

Beautiful kittens, Herbs... they really are lovely and will be good pals for young Herbs for a long time to come.

My mil is dipping her toe in dementia. Lots of concerns that her children have been conspiring, neighbours spying on her etc. Dh has been elevated to favourite child, which is not handy as he's the furthest away....

Cloud, hope you have nice lunch with DM. Am hoping I will be able to hand over random money to dgc if I have any - is nice treat for both sides

Mrs S, your DM otoh is just impossible and you're right, you can't win

Stropps, great to get update from you; continue to be hugely impressed by your wisdom, stamina and choice of pet presents. We used to get old addle cat catnip mouse from culpeper herbalists at christmas which i think must have been cat equivalent of skunk as made her entirely barmy

Waf/Monty - just to echo BTM - we had tricky years with DD and she really knew how to hurt when she attacking us. Was v hard there for a while.

Rose, did you hear from DD ok?

Herbs, gorgeous kitties

BTM - hope good week with DS. And in fact, hope good week for everyone

On train picking white cat hairs off black coat but do love Wafcat.

HT here too, but my HT plans were thrown into disarray as Mil too ill to have ds so I am having to take him back home with me tonight and build a patchwork of child care between dp and I for the rest of the week...... Tedious.......

Also have a restructure to review (fun) and another application to complete.

But had a lovely day at the Map exhibition in British Library with ds yesterday.

Sympathies for Crepeys dealing with difficult Parents/PILs. Stropps I'm glad DD seemed to have had a good time socially...I'm not sure I fully understand current status...is she still on the course but living at home? BTM Hope things improved with DS after the not so good shopping trip. Good luck today WAF if it's following up work leads...or is it a medical appt...I am losing track.
Addle DD was fine.....she was always confident, I am just hyper vigilant about her. Just added a few more grey hairs...

I am not very good at all this pet talk and have little to contribute However, I have just ordered
this jumper from Hush with a 10% off voucher and free delivery/returns which has been knocking around for a while begging to be used. Time for some colour.

And meanwhile my BT has locked me out of my emails and the help line couldn't deal with it so it's been escalated to a remote department with a time difference....who are supposed to be calling me, but heaven knows when. I am seething with frustration.

I think our cat is in a lot of distress and DP who usually deals with these things is away for most of the week...

Would you be happy taking puss to the vet, MI?

Oh MI :( so sorry.

Why don't parents of small children sit them on their laps so other people can sit down? Gives me the rage ....

Our vet would actually come here apparently to Do the Deed. I am also talking to local cat-experienced friends.

I wouldn't be madly comfortable taking her but would do it if I have to.

Actually I'm lying through my teeth. I'm hating the whole thing quite extremely.

Ask the vet to come to you, MI. No need for any creature to suffer, including you.

So sorry, MI. Can you get to chat to the vet on the phone, to see if s/he thinks the time has come? Agree with getting vet to you if it has. Sorry DP is away and this is left to you alone.

Thanks for all the kind words about DD1. She has gone to school with a very sad face. I have emailed the head of lower school for an appointment. Rose, you mentioned Ofsted but it's not that which puts me off about other school. The teaching staff are all young and relatively new to teaching and DD1 is the type of child - able but not exceptional - to whom experienced teachers would make a difference. Results at school too are truly awful.

Molly, sorry you were so unhappy at school.That is very miserable. I would think of her friends except there is only really one great friend at the school and the other 3 were just part of the same group, without being very close. I don't think that it would solve everything long term. I also know with DD that if it is not one thing, it will be another and I will just be swapping one set of ishoos for something else. Gosh, these DDs are tiring, aren't they? Glad it's not just me.

Is it the weekend yet ?

DP has arranged an appointment.
Not sure location yet.

Oh, MI, so sorry about the cat: agree, get the vet to come to you.

MrsS, ignore, ignore, ignore DM.

Rose, I like the jumper - which colour did you go for? DH is also fed up with Authority, aka Inland Revenue, not BT in his case. He has had a couple of letters saying he owes £500, but after speaking to our FA, it turns out that the IR haven't carried something forward. He is working on the kitchen table, he can't speak to them, it can only be done on line, and has just received an access code from a woman with an American accent which he had difficulty understanding. Suffice it to say he is not happy.

We have the dentist this afternoon - what joy!