Crepes, Cats and Calamari

[MrsSchadenfreude]

Here you go.

NU i don't drink either, but am a rebel at heart.

Oh, Rudy, so sorry to hear that. Is there anything any of us can do practically to support you? There is always a bed in deep and darkest Northumberland if it gets too much. You can always PM me if you want to get it off your chest, (although I appreciate we have never met and it might be a step too far). Is there anyone in RL who can help?

Damn, can't do 25 March as have family party. Boo.

Rudy - likewise - hugs.

Mrs S .

NU - don't worry about drinking lightweights - I cannot have more than two glasses of wine these days. It would be lovely to meet you at last.

Have been to gym - then the rest of the day will be sorting out various administrative tasks and trying to fathom why the heating won't work! At least it's sunny!

Rudy - many hugs - if you would you like a Squad chat off-board, I could try to set up an imessage or whatsapp group? Ignore if not helpful.

Yeah, NU, don't be put off, load of lightweights .

Crem, that would give me the rage with bloody great knobs on.

Joins Hatty and BTM on the post-gym about to do chores bench. My instructor has offered to show ds a few muscle-building tricks for free one day and ds instead of saying No, anything to do with you is too embarrassing has said er yeah OK as long as you don't watch. Reason to be mildly cheerful.

Thank you for such a lovely evening and especially for all your kind thoughts about dd. You are all so wise and sensible. Think I was quite merry near the end. Waiter had lost volume control as I recall and was positively bellowing at us. Perhaps he had been on the sherry too

Managed to lose everyone as BTM and I strode purposefully to our bus stops. Was just looking at house pics on insta when I was reunited with addle and MrsS ok the bus home. Lovely.

Cloud, it was great to meet you. How is your Ds doing today? Please do let me know fab Scarborough resto when you can. It was a bit light on decent grub when we stayed last year, though the fish and chips were gorgeous.

So sorry to miss March meet up but have friends staying.

Rudy, sending you strength for today. Am thinking of you.

Crem, hope you had a fun time with your friends. Bet you looked ace.

So sorry to hear about dh, MM. how is he doing today? Hope not too bruised and battered.

I am going to have some fortifying bacon for lunch, then change the bedrooms. Dd less perky today but I am still plugging away

Oh Rudy, sorry you are having a horrid time of if.
Yes 25th March I intend to come and see the Crepey squad. Its my squad goal innit.?
Any suggestions for meeting up if you want to have a think. It would be nice to go somewhere with good food. I am staying south of the river this time. Cl'aam.
Sorry you can't come Mrs S.

Coffee with friends was difficult. I am not very competitive or aspirational but I got a monologue about Brexit being great for farmers here and another about the nastiness of 'foil' kitchen units being horrendous for the environment and Ikea and B&q being the devil.
Feeing overwhelmed to say the least. Friend is a close neighbour of mine ( 1/4 mile)!house was self built in style of Edwardian farmhouse and is full of fabulous art and antique fittings and everything has been 'sourced' .She is a naice sensible woman, but I always feel somehow that I'm doing everything wrong and that she is slightly disappointed in me.
Hey ho.

Monty, thanks for organising last night - I can't remember the waiter shouting, but as I'm a bit deaf, that's not a surprise

Rudy, you are allowed to have troubles too!

Cremo and other crepies, would a South London venue be good for March 25th (lots of expertise from the squad on S London eateries!) or would that make it difficult for others to come?

Cremo WTF are foil kitchen units? What planet is this friend on - sounds like it's not the same one as the rest of us
I bet your house is much cooler than hers and I know which one I would prefer!

Ew. Mock Edwardian, cremo. How nouveau

Re meeting south of river, it depends where. Waterloo, Southwark, etc fine. Forest Hill, Dulwich etc not. I often can't leave home until about 7, so a 1.5hr journey is a no-no!

Links Norf London arms with Herbs unhelpfully...
Dahlink we can always get an Uber homewards together.

Monty - Here you go (Thanks for the prompt!)

Lanterna Restaurant - Scarborough

Also - if you're in the area, this place serves fab food

The Anvil Inn - Sawdon

Crem, can I pick your encyclopaedic travel brain?

The 4 of us, somewhere nearish (Europe), for a few days (4ish) somewhere with good food and some good culture (art especially) at the beginning of August (not Copenhagen, Berlin, Barcelona)...

TIA. X

Cremo, I think you could be a life-style consultant - arranging bespoke holidays/advising on interior decoration and entertaining, etc. But I guess you might have to move to London to do it?

Anyone been to Stockholm? Lisbon?

GGG - how about Tuscany? You might be able to add the Palio in Sienna to the trip - not sure if the date but sure it's googleable. We were there for the practice race one year - completely by accident but it was an incredible experience (and no tickets required).

Lisbon is lovely....

Re 25th - I'm bunking up with friend in Earls Court - so as long as I can find my way back there. I was sort of hoping for somewhere central on the Piccadilly or District Lines (London novice).

Maybe we should aim for Waterloo; though GGG, you can zip down to Forest Hill directly on the tube

I have had a day OFF, not even writing. And am going to the theatre tonight.😀

I have a day 'off', apart from ferrying DS to choir rehearsal this pm, then a concert this evening. DP has returned from his boys' night away, more monosyllabic than ever. Asking him whether he had a good time, what he got up to, etc, and met with 'yes', 'ate food and drank wine', etc. I haven't seen him for basically three days, and spent most of that time on my own, and it boils my piss when I have to make all the running when we do see each other. I'm going to not speak until I'm spoken to and see what happens...

As you were...

Re meeting up, may I tentatively, and in a non-confrontational but hopefully assertive way, suggest that as the Sarf Londoners regularly meet up in a gang, in the SE neck of the woods, could we meet in a place accessible to all?

Herbs, of course!

Is Piccadilly good for everyone? How about usual haunt for D&S and Zedel (if we can get a booking) to eat?

Now inexplicably furious with DP, as he's announced he's not coming to DS's concert as 'he's tired and it's not his thing'. 'Good job it's exactly how I want to spend my Saturday night, isn't it,' I retorted. Two things. a) I have been to the church and back, 30 minutes each way, three times in the past three days, to sit on my own and listen. The least he could do is keep me company. And b) it would be nice for DS if DP at least pretended to be interested in his hobby.

But I've told him I'd rather he stayed at home than came and was grumpy. It's made me cry.

Actually, it's not inexplicable at all. He's being a shit. While he was out getting shitfaced last night,,then having a lie in, I was racing around looking after DS, taking to a rehearsal last night and this afternoon. Now he gets to laze about.

Herbs, what's inexplicable about that? You've explained it. If it means so much to DS it's going to have to become your DP's 'thing', so he needs to start cultivating a bit of musical appreciation, as well as supporting you.

And I agree, coming along and being grumpy will not suffice (and will spoil it for DS).

I hated cats all my life. When my DD set her heart on one, I got with the programme and practised stroking friends' cats till I could manage it without shuddering. It's what parents do.

Uncompromising mood here. I'd be spelling all this out plainly.

Does he come to your concerts?