Spring is sprung, the grass is riz, I wonder where those Crepeys is?

[GiddyGiddyGoat]

Ha!

Rose ill have to say no. Timings are s bit tight. Sorry, but see you next time
😘

Thank you very much for a lovely evening, crepeys. Lovely to meet MrsW and to see the crepeys from far away. Although quite frankly it probably takes me longer to get home than either Hattie or Crem 3.5 hours this afternoon on the slooooooow train again.

So many crepeys demonstrating their awesomeness by battling on in difficult circumstances with amazing good humour. You're a great bunch, you know!

I want to doss around. DP keeps coming and huffing at me. Yes, I went out last night and indeed am going out again for a drink tonight but I'm knackered, I want to loll and do bugger-all, dammit.

I shall do some music practice to appease him. But don't frankly see why I should have to appease him in the first place.

DD1's card.

I've been back since 1.30 UK time Stropps - sitting in the garden in a heap.

Aww, MI, that card is lovely.

Hatty, I am enjoying the sunshine through the train window. In fairness, BTM and I did enjoy a leisurely breakfast in a cafe this morning, so I didn't exactly rush off to get the first train.

Just arrived at Southampton. Only another 1.5 hours to go.

Crikey Stropps that is long.

Love the card as well MI.

I have a delayed mild hangover and raging period pain. Huh. And am also hugely tired.

DD2 has been saying this weekend that she hates art and doesn't want to do it any more. Please tell me this is a phase, and if so, how do we get her through it? She has rejected all ideas of counselling, tried online and hated it, won't see the school counsellor again, or indeed any other counsellor. Am a bit worried about her. She also has a stinking cold that isn't helping.

Just get her through GCSEs for the moment, I reckon. They're all fed up with everything. One of DD1's mates who is an excellent musician isn't touching her instruments. This will pass.

Thanks, MI - that's reassuring. Have told her that this is a shit time in her life and that it will improve/we can discuss A levels once she is over the GCSEs and out the other side, but she should concentrate on the exams for now. I think the main thing is that she has coasted quite easily until now, and has had a bit of a wake up call. She has spent a huge amount of time re-doing her French course work and is getting a bit stressed by it all.

Yes, I agree with MI. They are all struggling and hating Y11, but in 3 months it will all be over. "Just" have to grit their teeth and get on with it.

Last night was great, hic!

Now out in Kent - sitting in a beer garden after a country stomp

Sorry to have missed last night - sounds like it was fun. I agree with MI and BTM, MrsS: would any of us change places with a Y11? Not on your nelly. Just hell. But soon that part of their lives will be over, and they can move on. Re-doing her French course work will hopefully have been good revision for her - some of the vocab will surely come in handy, so not a waste of time.

Yes, GCSEs both dull and stressful and endless little bits popping up. dd (and ds so far) found A levels more manageable and life more fun. Also they and (from casual observation) some of their friends grew up a lot that summer o f year 11 - often first hol without friends, festivals, turning 16....She can change her mind about A levels and should talk to people over the summer I reckon.....

Dd carried on with art as a hobby, which worked well for her. I did feel some regret that she didn't do it at A level, but the hobby thing is good - except that sinks etc are often spattered with paint. But it's lovely stumbling on a really good picture of a pug in her room. [always dogs]

DD found Art GCSE fairly gruelling (is she struggling to get her course-work done?) but once the practical is done and the coursework handed in, that's it!

DD hasn't really done much art since then, but hopefully she will come back to it.

BTM - the coursework is done, I think. The problem is getting the fucking stuff framed or printed on canvas. We have put aside time to get this done during the Easter break.,.

What? DD didn't have to get her stuff framed or printed on canvas. Is that a new thing? #willcostafortune

But be worth it, of course!

Sounds crazy that GSCE Art has to be framed - is this the school Mrs S? - I cannot believe it's required by the exam board.

BTM - Lovely picture of you and DS on FB.

I am now going to have a beer, watch Line of Duty (on an hour later here) and collapse into bed.

Framed?? Madness. The art classes I helped in the sixth form college just had to make portfolios with theirs, and annotate it. Surely that's enough?

Lovely meet up last night. What a very fabulous bunch of women we are. Once again, I didn't get to talk to everyone - particularly Stropps and Lalsy - and must write this down in my Society Notebook to rectify next time. Addle will be pleased to know I am now trying to rectify my lack of Margot attention...

Spent the day with DP's family, as it was his sister's birthday, the third anniversary, to the day, of their dad dying, and the first mother's day without their mum. Crikey. It was very jolly, all things considered, though could have done without the four hours of driving it entails.

And yes, BTM. Absolutely gorgeous pic of you and DS on FB.

thanks! It was a beautiful afternoon.

Sadly I got a call from my DGodF's son on the way home. He died very suddenly last night. He had just celebrated his 90th birthday and was still living life to the full. He was such a kind and positive man - still full of banter at his great age. He and his first wife (He was widowed twice) were the people I truly wished were my parents. He will be so greatly missed by so many

Oh Btm, how very sad for you. I hope it was a peaceful passing.

Am also awaiting LOD and my noodle dinner. Dh put on the Gatwick XP to his plane. Back to share a fish supper with a lovely cat friend.
Kitty sitter took this. Aaaaw

Pusscat is looking very regal there, Crem. Lovely photo.

BTM, I'm so sorry about the news about your DGodF :( Sounds as though he had lived a good life, though, and, while crap for those left behind, sudden death at 90 sounds like a pretty good way to go.
I just broke my no-FB-until-Easter rule (again) to go and have a look at the photo of you and ds. It is a very good photo and worth breaking the rule for. :)

MrsS, looked at your party pics while I was there. Looks like a v good do! Hope your dm is doing better. Any news? Sorry to hear about dd2's state of mind, but I agree with everyone else about all Y11s being in not a particularly place at this point. Also agree with the ????? about framing the art coursework. WTF? We didn't have any of that here. I remember dd - in her inimitable style - pulling a double all-nighter to get her written coursework for art finished.

No framing here either. Or printing on canvas!

I suspect this is for the school end of year art display...

Suggested that DD2 had an ipad with all of her stuff on it, after all we are in the 21st century now.

Party was good fun, always great to catch up with my cousins (except You Know Who for those of you on FB).