Well, I'm up...

Lazy mare!

People are worried about horses, but I'm bricking it about bunnies.

good evening

That's a big one KJ.

I contacted a mate of mine in California and he said WTF are you doing up at this time. I said I'm an insomniac. Anyway we had a good conversation, though it had sadness, as his mother has recently died and he is coming over to the UK for her funeral. I offered my condolences, particularly as I had met her previously and she was a fine lady. In terms of history, we are going back 25 years here, since we (I and him) have met.

Today I have mostly been decluttering. Knackereddotcom.

Condolences to your mate, jra.

We've just got back from walking the Sad dog and Mr Sad's got dinner on the go. I'm just finishing off tidying. Honest

evening all

Evening Snowbes Quiet in here innit? Am about to take myself to bed with a book before I do something silly like start working

Sorry to read about your friend's mum jra - very sad time for him, I still miss my mum and it's been 6 and a half years now and ten since my dad died.

I'm really missing UK at the moment, I know things aren't great there but it's still in many ways home for me. I was reading something the other day and I think they pin-pointed part of my problem which is missing talking to people with shared history - not even so much family, but shared backgrounds in terms of the tv you watched, the games you played, toys that were available, things that were in the news... public figures etc.. we had a bbq here last weekend and my friend had a couple of her mates over and they've been friends for 20 plus years and listening to them bickering about nonsense brought it home to me. I really really don't know what to do or where my future lies. I'm not upset or anything, just unsettled and a bit confused.

Had a busy week with work, I had six shifts this week which means I only get a one day weekend but at least the money will help! The first two terms for school are the most expensive so it's giving me a chance to pay that, paying for catholic education sucks! Nothing much else is happening, like many people I'm on a little treadmill of work, cooking, cleaning, ironing, walking the dog, school runs, homework, by the time it gets to bedtime for YoungPlum, I'm knackered and ready for bed myself - which on the plus side at least I can now do, since the problem of DestructoPup was solved ...

We're off out shortly heading North up the coast ... I've told YoungPlum we're going to an out of town shopping centre but we're going to go to one of the beaches instead for lunch, well she can have lunch, I'm going to just sniff the chips because i'm still saying NO to Lard, which for once appears to be working. 5kg down - woop woop!

Anyway, hope you all have a good weekend!

Thanks Sad and Ima.

It's in general very difficult to come to terms with the loss of a parent, but it's inevitable unfortunately, unless oneself dies prematurely.

All very sad, one way or the other.

Good morning, chaps!

*extra wave for Plummie* - I'm sure things will gradually fall into place for you, one way or the other. It's all about giving it time, isn't it?
What TV programmes *did* you watch when you were litle, anyway?

jra, sorry to hear about your freind's Mum but I bet he was glad you got in touch when you did. Are you going to meet him for a beer when he comes over to ther UK?

Here, the sun is shining, our last surviving cat is responding well to her pills and hopping about like a youngster half her age and we're going to have a picnic-in-the-car for lunch and the go swimming. Yays!

That sounds lovely handy.

jra - sad news for your friend. Whatever our relationship with our parents, the death of one is always a big moment in life. And it's a long journey to have to make to pay final respects. I hope you manage to get together and find time for happy memories too.

My mum's been on brilliant form of late btw. It's probably the medication but I honestly don't care because she's obviously having a much better time of it all than she did while living at home, unmedicated and confused. I suspect she doesn't quite know who I am most of the time, but she knows that she knows me, if that makes sense. The care home has regular music sessions and she's becoming something of a leading lady in the choir, and almost every time I phone she's being given some kind of a treat. Yesterday it was warm milk and four chocolate cakes. Not a bad mid-afternoon snack!

Plummy - I know what you mean about shared memories and cultural points of reference. It's nice to be *home* in that way. I'm guessing that young Plumster will be more rooted there than here, though, so even if you wanted to come back she might resist... ?

Evening all - sorry to hear about your friend's news jra, although it's the natural order of things it doesn't make it any less hard to deal with.

Bats - fab news that your mum is settling in well, I know how worried you were about her going so it's great that it's worked out well, on a similar note I've been watching Derek obsessively and cried on Wednesday (and yesterday when I watched it again!)

Plumster - I know what you're saying but you totally did the right thing moving out there I reckon, are there other ex-pats you could meet up with? Friends of mine moved out a few years back and are part of a local community group that support people moving out and I know they've made some really close friends from 'back home' like that as well as new friends.

Can I self-indulgently grump? I have a sore throat, I'm tired, like a fool I jumped up and down celebrating Oldham's equaliser last night and then today demonstrated star jumps so my foot is now swollen and really, really sore again and... just... gah, I've done something a bit daft - I am in need of hugs but alas have only wine to self-medicate with. Ah well... kill or cure I guess

Back to school runs tomorrow too and I have no idea if homework has been done or even where school uniforms and PE kits are. Parenting fail alert!

We haven't made any arrangements, as of yet. Thanks both of you for your kind comments.


Thanks Collette.

and fromme

(((((Collette)))))
We' e all been there!Hope you soon feel you
rsf again.

Evening chums.

I spent most of today driving and talking, and I'm knackered.

one day nearer the weekend

I've spent the whole day at work writing PowerPoint presentations and my eyes are pixellated!

Ooo, handy, that sounds serious!

I'm busy working and eating and dreaming of a holiday. A proper one, with a beach and sand. Obviously the eating will have to slow down if I manage to talk Batman into booking something...

Hello my lovelies - my say no to lard campaign is doing relatively well... I just need to say no to wine now and I'll save myself all manner of problems

I agree though Bats a holiday would be fab right now - the sun's shining and tricking my brain into thinking it's summer!

Got parent's evening tonight for m'laddo... looking forward to that, honest

Hope you're all well and fab

Throws on something more comfortable. grabs wine and a kebab .......
Whafts through from Luton airport waves at

Bat Girl,
Handy
Sad
Snowy

*and moves back to skulking mode

Hope all's well gals?

nice to see you...to see you nice

peppie

Long time no see.

I live in Luton you know, so where is my wave. Perhaps the Royal Mail lost it in transit.

Peppie! Long time no see, where've ya been?

Here... am mostly knackered. Been a very long, very stressful day. In fact the whole week is shaping up to be bloody hard work. And the weekend's not going to be much better. I need sleep... which is probably why I can't get any...