Late to the party...sorry. My DC have been asking for money for ages...items as presents don't feature massively. DD is easy as she is quite avaricious and makes no secret of what she wants. Particularly easy as she loves gigs of her beloved Justin Bieber and previously various boy bands, so the ridiculously priced tickets were her birthday presents for a number of years. This year it's Comic Con tickets...she can't decide whether to go dressed as Princess Leah or...Sheldon Cooper 
WAF hoping that the family meeting at the hospital results in dignity and absence of pain for Shelia. I am so sorry 
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Monty darling. You sound so strung out. You don't need teen grief on top of it all. I suspect a tantrum of ones own is in order. It's against all the advice and what the books say but hey. I used to get a bit of a kick out of watching my lot run for cover when Vesuvius erupted chez nous.
BTM I might be way off piste here but if your DS is making the exams the focus of his stress, that's quite normal in its way. I realise he's still unwell, but having a concrete focus may be of benefit. Dunno. I bet it's driving you nuts...forgive me if I'm talking tosh. As you were.
Sorry not to be posting much. I sometimes feel I witter on inconsequentially which must be most annoying to read. I am going to try and do some gardening this afternoon in the hope it might lift my spirits. Work is so very thin on the ground and DD is now off time table for a three week run of a show, which requires mucho involvement from me and there is a squeeze on my freedom. I feel like a butterfly in a jam jar.
Reasons to be cheerful. Dear bereaved friend whom I took away for the weekend to the flat, has just written to me and said the weekend was a turning point for her...she is more energetic and feeling better in her relationship.
And it's Our wedding anniversary tomorrow. We are going to the mad hatters tea at The Sanderson. Will feed back...maybe a special MU oportunity although it's pricey...