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

[MrsSchadenfreude]

And out of the armoire.

Snacks and Stability is what they need, MI, IMO/E. We have had years of it and I think for many it is dull but vital. They are stressed and bored and they need regular meals and some box set viewing with cheerful and tolerant family members of an evening....

Loving peignoirs!

WAF, have a lovely time.

No holiday for me yet either. Kids are off this week and next, but I am working until 9pm on Thursday night! Taught yesterday for extra £££ but am knackered and in need of my bed. Am arranging a few low key activities for next week.

Stropps, good luck for your teaching today. Hope it goes well and that you are not too tired.

MI, think dp not thought through going away just before exams. You need yo be on hand for tea making and moaning. Can you not sneak a weekend after dd1 has finished so she can look after Dd2?

Sophia Loren is such a beautiful woman and is same age as my mum. The similarity ends there, though, as my mum is granny from central casting and likes nice warm slippers with her dressing gown, which is heavily quilted for warmth.

MrsS, how is granny s doing? And how are you? Hope she is behaving.

Buon viaggio to all those off on jaunts. Please keep us updated with tales of exotic trips and possibly the odd picture.

Right, tea. Back later I hope.

...oh, and Saturday's concert went well, had more audience than usual and my solo bit sounded nice!

MI - I think you are totally right to stay at home.

Monty - hoe you are not too exhausted.

Rose - when I have computer problems, I just type the problem into google & follow instructions from reputable sites - am sure there will be an apple help one out there.

I think he's got the message. Sometimes I think the glitches in his own parenting show...

Well done on beautiful solo MI. I am so admiring of people with musical skills. I appreciate but cannot participate.

My DH has never understood why we cannot go away either. I think you absolutely need to be on hand during exam times. Just being there is a comfort - even though they don't recognise this till later. DD1, as an adult, has let me have her thoughts on these sort of issues.

Have woken DS who wishes me to buy him new converse. I'd rather buy him something more substantial but it ain't going to happen.

I am around and providing Snacks. Stability very much depends on the day and Revision is Not Happening At All......

Still we've got about 40 days left....

When dd1 had her exams, Dh bundled the other two in the camper van and took them away for a few days, so I could crack on with revision. Would he consider that, MI?

Alas what he apparently yearns for is Venice (see previous posts - I suspect it will be vilely touristy and we should go in the autumn) with Moi.

DD1 doesn't really want supervision but I totally agree that just having everything pootling along here would be better. I may even rally once more into providing lunch, which I have given up doing in the holidays. Or breakfast, to get her up and at it.

Yes it isn't really about supervision, but company and family routine structure IMO, especially when they aren't used to being in charge. I wouldn't go away and leave dh at very stressful time either through choice - it isn't only about their youth.

Beachy, must seem endless...

Glad your DP has got with the programme, MI. It is so tedious having to miss out on holidays, but worth it in the long run.

DD woke up earlier than she does on school days and went off to the library (if you don't get there by 9, there's no seats left - seems that all the teens want to work there!)

It is a beautiful day here - I am about to check my garden, but not in my peignoir as I have just got back from the gym!

Sobering story...when I was doing my O levels, my friend and NDN was as well. We weren't at the same school. Her parents were always swanning off somewhere and went away the week before the exams started, i.e. the last week of study leave, leaving her with two older sisters. There was a HUGE altercation one afternoon and friend put her foot through a plate glass door (the others had locked her in a room for a joke, and she went hysterical and kicked the door down ). My DM and Ddad dealt with it all and took the poor sobbing girl in for the day, bandaged wounds and called glaziers to deal with the breakages. I remember overhearing DM roundly criticising the parents for going away during exam time, what were they thinking etc etc. I fully agree with the Crepey adage of Being Around and providing nourishing meals and lots of snackettes. even though secretly I have some sympathy with MI's DP

I had a nice day yesterday walking with DH and a slap up late lunch out. DD is wrecked having finished her run and she will spend the next few days on the sofa, I think. DS2 did very well and made his way from Barcelona airport via RENFE and the metro to the very sweet and warm Argentianian family with whom he is staying. He is doing much of the talking I gather...the family don't speak English, his course mate is doing Spanish from scratch, so is a novice and there is a German student also staying who speaks no Spanish (yet) so DS is managing him with a mixture of German and English! He sound very upbeat about it all thank goodness.
Reasons to be:-
I have browsed Tu clothing and ordered two dresses which I can't link as my Mac won't load the site for some reason. Will try via iPad later.

And I am well pleased to have made an arrangement for a mini MU with Beachy over the bank hol weekend

..cheerful....

It is incredibly dull. We have had years of it now for easter and half term (because of the way dc school runs things) and full on for last five. This may be the last year if revision at home - hurrah!

Reasons to be cheerful
1- Saga has started purring, which she had not hitherto achieved. Very faint rrrrr noise.
2- The plum blossom is marvellous
3- I have been able to put washing on the line ( oh well , it's the small things)

Off to get a nice cherry tree for a 'gap' today.

I would love to see Andrew Scott being Hamlet. I think he's extraordinary

Am on phone listening to Virgin Atlantic's prog rock while I wait to ask them for a gluten free meal and a veggie one. There seem to be a gajillion tiny things to get done and I'm a scatterbrain so it's non-stop fun in my head with some lavish swearing... outside my head.

Yeah, you can indeed keep them peignoir's, although I like the sound of Mrs S's hoiky, squeezy silk one.... and I've always had a theoretical soft spot for the kind of feathery mules Addle mentions.

I hope DD likes the vintage clothes shops I have hand picked for her to enjoy in Brooklyn. I can't quite believe I am having this holiday. Feel v fortunate to spend time in such a lovely place with someone who will love it so much. Can't wait for her mind to be blown at seeing Central Park from the top of the Rock tomorrow evening.

MI. Iron levels? Sorry, I know it's my favourite hobby horse but when last checked?

WAF - My DD's love vintage clothes shops.

MI - I can confirm from personal experience that Venice is horribly touristy. Wait till autumn and I'll try to find details of fab but reasonably priced Venician palace we stayed at.

Have bought DS exactly the same Converse as last year. He is totally unadventurous - 14 going on 40.

Have bought self some Clinique lippie and some sort of mineral powder which is supposed to render my skin flawless.

Now ... hoovering.

'

Have had energising morning because DP sent me details of a job I could do v happily (part-time, nine months) for which the deadline closed at noon.Gets the old adrenaline flowing. Then out to sunny local shops. have tried to purchase Gazelles but have had to order them into the local JD Sports as they didn't have any small enough ones in the junior sizes. you are right re needing to get iron tested, WAF, as DD1 needs hers checked too. In the meantime I'll swig some of her horrid supplement.

Good luck with the job, MI. Perhaps it was meant to be and you'll get it.

I have a feeling that we went away when DD was doing her mocks. DH was going to California and suggested I flew out to join him: I said yes. In my defence, though, DD went to her best friend's (her DM is also a close friend). Whether I would do the same in today's climate is a different matter.

We spent part of this morning booking our flights to San Francisco, and then sorted out where we are staying north of San Diego - a Welk Resort where they have wonderful facilities. At least we have made a start with things now.

I bought a pair of dark blue Hotter Gravity trainers at the weekend; they are sooo comfortable. I have thrown out my Skechers as they give no support at all. And I discovered that the Hotter shops will honour any promotional codes, etc., so I got them for £52.50 instead of £7.

Out to friends for dinner tonight.

MI - I can recommend this place in Venice:Violin D'Oro

The breakfasts were superb, wifi faultless (and free), and good but quiet location.

In other matters, I came upon this: Peignoir

Love the description - sounds a bit like me, although I'm not sure I work too well with Brassica and Brinjal.

I find they both give me a touch of wind.

Word, yes, his performance in The Dazzle last year was extraordinary.

On my way home from lovely lunch and afternoon with a friend at the Hockney exhibition. Can totally recommend it

Still unwell & undiagnosed, though doing a bit of work &, like MI, have applied for another job (though mine is only four days a year plus paperwork) .

Matthew Passion was wonderful & a huge success but I was ill. Managed to sing & not collapse, glad I didn't miss it but can't say it was enjoyable.

Tomorrow we're taking DD & friend to Paris for three days as a distraction from revision. I foresee a lot of naps & sitting around on my part. Can't even drink coffee But DD and friend are thrilled & that's bound to cheer me up. Taking them to hear Yo Yo Ma as well.

Better weather and blossom on my young trees are consoling me. And I agree about putting washing on the line, Crem.

How's your Mum MrsS?

Oh Auriga - sorry you are still unwell. It is lovely weather here at the moment.

I have washing out too Crem

Gosh Auriga, I'm so sorry you are still unwell, and will be for your sojourn à Paris. My goodness, I know well that it can take ages to get a diagnosis, so I feel enormous empathy. I hope someone can come up with some sort of answer for you soon. In the meantime, have as good a time in France as health allows, you poor thing.

Hatty, what powder did you get. is it a mineral foundation? I have gone a bit mad on Feelunique buying snake oil for aged crone face. Apparently I've been doing it wrong. Linky here

Cloud, I am tempted to paint something with peignoir- I like it

Ps glad you enjoyed the Hockney show BTM. Cheerful isn't it?