The Crepertoire - put on your peignoir and get into the boudoir

[MrsSchadenfreude]

And out of the armoire.

Auriga, I am crossing everything that can be crossed that you get some answers and start to feel better soon.That just sounds awful.

Respect, Herbs and at ds' choices. And welcome back WAF - soooo chuffed your trip was so fabby.

No car here - was very pleased to see the back of it last month. It had a number of unpleasant, not to say downright rank, features. Am looking forward to hiring one for our week in August which has something modern like a CD player, doesn't have strange green growths, keeps its passengers dry and has not accommodated mice in life and death.

at green growths and mice Lalsy. My first car was a VW Polo. We are currently on a Ford Galaxy, a little battered in true French style. We'll probably downsize next car and may treat ourselves to something German although I absolutely love driving the Ford. Am reasonably good at parking but love Herb's scheme and will try the badge trick next time. DH is like Crem's DH and can get car into very small spaces, whereas I'd be driving round the block a few times looking for something larger.

Auriga - so sorry you are feeling unwell. Here's hoping for a speedy diagnosis.

Had lovely lunch and gossip then browse round the shops. Bought nothing. DS went to see Scarlett Johansson film and walked out with another friend saying it was incomprehansible rubbish.

I can park on a sixpence whereas DH needs a big space!

Am feeling completely energy-less today. Hopefully a night out with friends will perk me up

WAF - Kidzania advertises itself as for kiddies 4-14, but I think they struggle st either end of that spectrum. At 12 some of it will be too babyish, but she might like the airline academy, the news programme, the food making places, etc.

I belatedly discovered the 'garden shed', an oasis for adults, with papers, books, scandi furniture, and even s craft station where I made myself a button bracelet.

Cool. Thanks Herbs. We're going for it, I've booked tickets.

I'm interested in the Crossrail exhibish too (for me) is it good?

It is good. Though small. But the rest of the museum is most interesting, making the trip worthwhile...

Aaaaargh just lost my post. Thanks for all the posts enquiringly how I am. Horribly blocked up but somewhat improved. I too have no energy BTM and am coughing. Nevertheless made it to a gloriously sunny West Sussex...it's waaaaay warmer than they said it would be. Have had a lovely long coastal walk with DH and just the waves and birdsong for company. Not crowded at all. dC are in Brum. I could get used to this. DH is now trying to fit an Amazon fire stick to the telly and mumbling annoyingly. Supper is nearly ready. Assuming the fire stick behaves we can watch Mondays Broadchurch on ITV Player..after masterchef of course.

Welcome home waf. I'm so glad the trip was a success. auriga you poor thing. Are the headaches and the high BP linked?

No minis at this end...l love my MPV with its parking sensor and rear view video camera . However my first car was a mini metro...

Mini, Polo, Ford Fiesta, Vauxhall Astra, Vauxhall Zafira. I am lumpen domestic reliable. Resolutely unsporty. In my car choices.

Thanks Herbs. Rose glad you have the quiet.

The holiday was truly superb. Lots of laughs. About a minute and a half of falling out in six days, she's so easy going. Ended with hours of flea market in the sunshine and a spot of American folk museum before DD realising we hadn't checked out (it was now three pm but wasn't a problem) and then getting a grilling from check in for being late and made to think we were cutting it v fine so hurled selves on mercy of security who were sniffy and made us stand legs akimbo with our arms up in their pod thing, only to arrive at gate with looooads of time to spare. Feel like we got home incredibly fast.

My mum has gone to an intermediate care place. She won't be continent or mobile again and she's charmingly confused but very tranquil.

Wow BD, Phd???? You is clevver. I got 4 o levels and 2 A levels.

As was mine Rose! A brown mini metro. We had a very unfavourable nickname for said motor which I shall not reveal. Dsis drove it at university and I drove it after her. The poor car floor was worn through at the end, and you could see the road whooshing past underneath you. There were 160,000 miles on the clock before we gave it to the scrap man. Itnearly got blown up during a security alert. It was put up on bricks by some jolly Traveller children I worked with on a Summer Scheme,as a joke.It was stolen with all my dirty washing in the boot , while parked at Marksies. I got the car back, but not the knickers or socks.
It was stolen a second time and joy ridden up and down by kids, and actually appeared on a police video on the local news.
I loved that car.

Gawd, I love these crepey threads. I had an amusing old Nissan Micra (with parking dents), that had strange electrics, which meant the lights mysteriously turned on by themselves in the middle of the night. Then a new, gold Nissan micra, then a very aged but extremely high spec Saab 9000 which had previously belonged to the Swedish ambassador (long story). It had rust along the bottom of the doors, so I painted lots of flowers growing out of the rust. Dd and I loved that car with a passion and she cried buckets when I had to scrap it.

Eh, Molly, you and I are parking soul sisters. I have previously been taught to park a la Herbs, but still get confused about left and right and backwards and forwards and it's simply all Not Good.

Today, our cousins reunion in Glastonbury was v good. Interesting hearing my cousin talking talking to dd on the subject of having a PhD in physics which she has never really used. Dd was v jolly and honest about what is happening at the moment. And also v much enjoyed the mystic tat shops of Glasto. On the way home, we stopped at Tesco and spent a fiver on the epic 5-cd collection of Car Songs. And then sang all the rest of the way home. Most refreshing. Although ds stuck his fingers in his ears during our rendition of Anastacia's classic.

You can get them with reversing sensors and all now, Rose.

I don't approve of parking sensors. Or heated seats. Or anything automated. We should still start our cars with a starting handle, and have rugs on our laps.

Urgh, missing apostrophe

There should be a man walking in front of the car with a red flag. Or certainly in my case.

I need a chauffeur for reversing. I feel sure that if God had wanted me to drive backwards, he would have given me eyes in the back of my head, a car with 2 steering wheels, and also a bunch more arms.

Talking of PhDs I spent a a the afternoon (and will spend today) in the company of many of the people I read and cited in my PhD and some new up and coming academics. It has and continues to be emotional as I want(ed) to be one of them. I feel desperately sad that I didn't have the guts to take the chance and didn't believe in myself enough. I should have fought harder.

On a separate note I never realised how tough editing is......

Blackduck, that must be really tough. I sympathise TOTALLY. My university faculty e-newsletter arrived and I have had to delete it because I sat there feeling hopeless. (And in my case I just wasn't good enough.)

I think it probably also ate up my mother (lightbulb moment): she moved into that world from her own direction and I think your current project is doing the same?

Ooh yes to editing.

MI yesterday and today is related to that project so I either MTFU or bail now.

I did the 'sensible' thing and worried about money/mortgages and supported dp. Perhaps we should have lived in penury and scholarship together? Who knows, maybe I would have hated it, but it looks more fun than the current day job.

BD, I think you should WTFU and do it - it was clearly meant to be. Do not miss your second chance

Stropps is exaggerating her bad driving. I have been in the car with her and didn't notice any particular faults

WAF, sorry to hear about your DM, but good that she is in a place where she is being looked after properly.
Mine is the same except for the tranquil bit, sadly!

I used to have a Renault5 as my first car. I was at uni in the midlands, so used to drive it up and down the M1, getting sucked into the draughts of juggernauts overtaking me.

Those were the days when they had yet to join up the M25 #oldgimmer

Lalsy I've been thinking of your shirt conundrum. I, too, struggle to find shirts to wear because of norkage. The only ones I find that sort of work, are those with a few percent of Lycra in with the cotton. Joe Browns have a few in - but they're casual and not v smart.

I will continue to ponder.

BD I'm with BTM on this, too.

MTFU while you have the chance.

(Disclaimer: I'm not sure what you're MTFUpping about, but you need to GO GIRL)