The First Time Frolickers leave The Three Follicles to go home and "Do their homework!" The one where all our minutes come at once.

[ToriaPumpkinHead]

Ok ladies, here's the new thread, let's hope it's a lucky one!

Wednesday's list :

Kaloki TTC#1, Cycle 12, UCL32, CD51
Roundtable TTC#1, Cycle 9, UCL 30+, CD49
LankyLegs TTC#1, Cycle 14, UCL 27-29 CD32
Womanlytales TTC#1, Cycle 9, UCL 28-35, CD31
CrazyAlien TTC#1, Cycle 5 UCL 32-35, CD26
GardenPixie TTC#1, Cycle 12, UCL 28-30, CD24
evilgiraffe TTC#1, Cycle 4, UCL 27, CD23
Tigerseyemum TTC1,Cycle 5, UCL 30, CD21
Toriajayne TTC#1, Cycle 5, UCL 30, CD21
Truffkin TTC#1, Cycle 6, UCL 31, CD21
Florin TTC#1, Cycle 9, UCL 32, CD19
Gobolino, TTC#1, Cycle 2, UCL 28-33, CD19
Karstan TTC#1, Cycle 7, UCL 28, CD13
Slowshow TTC#1 Cycle 5, UCL 24-26, CD7
TomboyWife TTC#1, Cycle 13, UCL 28, CD6
RaspberryTipple TTC#1, Cycle 6 UCL 28-32 CD5
JosieSmith1 TTC#1, Cycle 6, UCL 28, CD5
cookiemoo TTC#1, Cycle 22, UCL 26, CD5

MI SWI A
TanteAC TTC#1, Cycle?, UCL?, CD?
Ilovemarmite79 TTC1, Cycle 1, UCL 28, CD55
Pinklady76 TTC#1, Cycle 1, UCL 28, CD49
Yumstepmum TTC#1, Cycle 1, UCL 28, CD59
Puppygirl TTC#1 CYCLE 7 UCL 29-31 CD48

Not Counting Days
CaveMum
Miffles
Chalky3
DessieLou
Zippys
Calyx
Ariesgirl
Goldmaple
MissFlick

Recent Graduates
Seablue BFP 1 May
Oneof8 BFP 18 May
Aly323 BFP 20 May
applecharlotte BFP 29 May
papertiger BFP 31 May
Wannamummy BFP 1 June
Pipsicles BFP 6 June
Muser BFP 22 June
Superpenguin BFP 1 July
Haloflo BFP 22 July
Saor Alba BFP 7 August
MrsWajs BFP 13 August
stegasaurus BFP 27 August
Roamfree BFP 1st September
Kurlyvoice BFP 1st September
Crazybutterflylady 1st September
Cherrycobbler 3rd September
Crazydays 4th September
Bellaby 11th September
Highheelsandequations 30th October
IfAtFirstYouDon'tSuceed 25th November

Hi just a quick updated list to welcome Gobolino onto the list. Fingerscrossed do shout if you want to be added too.

Hello everyone else - hope everyone's had a good humpday! Congrats to Mr Josie hurrah!

Sorry I have to run but here, I've mixed a jug of Christmas punch for everyone

Hi guys!

How are you all??

Just dropping by to let you know that 20 week scan went well and that babyWajs is a wee girl

Hope some more of you will be joining us very soon!! I hear Hogmanay's a good time for conception

Hi MrsWajs Good to see you! Very exciting news about the pink bump and as for Hogmanay, my grandmother had four daughters, three of whom were born in September

Garden We're doing ok, OH has been mostly just keeping going but has the occasional moment where it all comes flooding back I think, certainly when I came down from my bath tonight his eyes were a bit red The funeral is booked for the first week in January so we get to go through Christmas and New Year with this hanging over us, but on the upside we get lots of chances to not think about it, silver linings and all that. I think the MIL is suffering a bit at the hands of her sister so almost feel sorry for her!

Congrats to Mr Josie! It does make a huge difference

Welcome in Gobolino

Hope all went well for Lanky and Womanly

Not much to report here, realised I've only got ten days to go til the epic Christmas Day test and am trying very hard to stop my little imagination getting carried away with me. It's OH's Christmas night out this weekend and am working Friday - Sunday and then Wed-Fri next week so hopefully that will all keep me busy enough to get on with it.

My reflexologist has put me down to twice a month instead of once a week as there's been a marked improvement in what she can feel, and she's recommended taking that down to once a month and alternating with a hot stone massage so that's the plan come January, very excited to try that!

Hi MrsWajs, really pleased everything is going well and yippee for girl! Any names yet?

Thanks to everyone who's said congrats for DH. He's really pleased and keeps stealing my car! Although it means he is doing horsey for me so can't complain too loudly! He's doing her this morning and a friend is doing her tonight so I won't see her at all today , will cope I'm sure (No news yet CaveMum but I spoke to the owner of the smaller yard I wanted first and she's not forgotten about me so hopefully come spring... [fingers crossed emoticon])

Had an awful dream last night that my bst mate said she was pg and it was xmas and I had to go round and tell all of my family that I wasn't pg, but friend was , woke me up, was quite sad. I know it's not a competition but if she gets pg before me I'll be so gutted, how pathetic!

Hope everyone is ok xx

Thursday's list :

Kaloki TTC#1, Cycle 12, UCL32, CD52
Roundtable TTC#1, Cycle 9, UCL 30+, CD50
LankyLegs TTC#1, Cycle 14, UCL 27-29 CD33
Womanlytales TTC#1, Cycle 9, UCL 28-35, CD32
CrazyAlien TTC#1, Cycle 5 UCL 32-35, CD27
GardenPixie TTC#1, Cycle 12, UCL 28-30, CD25
evilgiraffe TTC#1, Cycle 4, UCL 27, CD24
Tigerseyemum TTC1,Cycle 5, UCL 30, CD22
Toriajayne TTC#1, Cycle 5, UCL 30, CD22
Truffkin TTC#1, Cycle 6, UCL 31, CD22
Florin TTC#1, Cycle 9, UCL 32, CD20
Gobolino, TTC#1, Cycle 2, UCL 28-33, CD20
Karstan TTC#1, Cycle 7, UCL 28, CD14
Slowshow TTC#1 Cycle 5, UCL 24-26, CD8
TomboyWife TTC#1, Cycle 13, UCL 28, CD7
RaspberryTipple TTC#1, Cycle 6 UCL 28-32 CD6
JosieSmith1 TTC#1, Cycle 6, UCL 28, CD6
cookiemoo TTC#1, Cycle 22, UCL 26, CD6

MI SWI A
TanteAC TTC#1, Cycle?, UCL?, CD?
Ilovemarmite79 TTC1, Cycle 1, UCL 28, CD55
Pinklady76 TTC#1, Cycle 1, UCL 28, CD49
Yumstepmum TTC#1, Cycle 1, UCL 28, CD59
Puppygirl TTC#1 CYCLE 7 UCL 29-31 CD48

Not Counting Days
CaveMum
Miffles
Chalky3
DessieLou
Zippys
Calyx
Ariesgirl
Goldmaple
MissFlick

Recent Graduates
Seablue BFP 1 May
Oneof8 BFP 18 May
Aly323 BFP 20 May
applecharlotte BFP 29 May
papertiger BFP 31 May
Wannamummy BFP 1 June
Pipsicles BFP 6 June
Muser BFP 22 June
Superpenguin BFP 1 July
Haloflo BFP 22 July
Saor Alba BFP 7 August
MrsWajs BFP 13 August
stegasaurus BFP 27 August
Roamfree BFP 1st September
Kurlyvoice BFP 1st September
Crazybutterflylady 1st September
Cherrycobbler 3rd September
Crazydays 4th September
Bellaby 11th September
Highheelsandequations 30th October
IfAtFirstYouDon'tSuceed 25th November

Morning lovely ladies

MrsWajs so great to hear your news - thanks for coming on to tell us. I don't lurk on the ante-natal threads but I have been thinking of you and I'm so pleased Wajsette is doing well

Toria that's great news about the reflexology - sounds like Christmas Day may well be a very exciting time in the pumpkinhead household! Poor your DH though and his mum; big hugs all round

Josie that's great that Mr Josie is looking after your lovely steed (can you use that word for a lady horse?) and hilarious that he is nicking your car! Your dream sounds horrid but I don't think you are being pathetic - TTC does strange things to our minds so go easy on yourself! Am sure you will be Josie+1 soon

Waves @ Cavey how are you? Hope all is well with you

Womanly and Lanky I hope your appts went OK yesterday xxx

Waves to everyone else!

Inexplicably I still seem to be less than 12DPO. I think I have entered a time warp where I hover around 9/10 DPO for about a month Seriously though, I am somewhere between 9 and 11 DPO and fortunately my usual urge to start peeing on things hasn't kicked in yet so I'm going to hold out as long as possible.

I know I could start testing from tomorrow (when I might be 12DPO) but I reckon Monday is a good day to test if ERTD hasn't got me by then ... I should be at least 13DPO.

If my resolve weakens, I shall let you know so you can all start slapping me with kippers and locking me in rooms with no HPTs!

Happy thursdays to everyone

Heyloo ladies,
Mrswajs congrats on your 20 week scan and finding out you're having a baby girl :) A friend of mine gave birth to her baby girl on Monday.
A warm welcome to gobolino

Thank you to all of you who asked about my appt and wished me luck :) DH sometimes ponders about my mumsnet pals but I think you're the best :)

So DH came along for the appt and my consultant was a totally different person! He smiled, gave DH a detailed context about PCOS and the treatment and also added in a few philosophical bits.. For the first time in four months I feel like he's really engaged.... - - DH came out wondering why I complained about him to begin with... LOL, any case, am thrilled about this transformation because we got a more complete picture and know what our next steps are.

The result is this - He doesn't feel Clomid is working for me and wants me to step up to the next level of taking injections. We'll run all the basic tests again (blood for me, Sperm for DH) and then perhaps will get on the first cycle of injections by Feb. This is good timing since we have a holiday planned in the end of Jan - - so it's bfp-free fun till Feb :)

I will be lurking on here as usual but perhaps will not be making any more updates. I am OK to be on the list but if you'd prefer to move me down to the 'Not counting days' list till I get back on the bfp track, I will understand.

Lots of baby dust to all of you - garden big hug to you to help you stay away from poasing early :)

Hi womanly that's great that the consultant is engaged properly - and that he was able to give you and your DH some proper context and direction.

Will miss you until Feb but totally understand you don't want to post until you're back in the TTC madness frame of mind. Enjoy no-pressure nookie
xxx

Great news womanly

gardenpixie i'll let you know next month about going on the list. Until the end of this cycle I can't really work out how long my cycle is etc so will let you know.

I ovu'd over the weekend...I think...and the past couple of days I have felt a little bit sicky. I'm not assuming that this is because I'm pregnant, that would be far too lucky but I'm now thinking about the festive season, vino etc, I couldn't test until the new year and what if you were pregant...a big red wine dilemma?

Also, does any one just feel like curling up on the sofa and watching christmas movies?

fab news womanly Very glad your consultant was more helpful this time!

Fingerscrossed it's generally accepted (amongst the first time frolickers at least) that the foetus doesn't absorb anything from the mother until six weeks, so four weeks after conception, as that's when the placenta is fully attached, so we all feel perfectly justified in indulging in things that are bad for us until we get that little blue line And after cleaning my kitchen and bathroom I am on the couch watching Fred Claus

Garden Those time warps are horrific, though I seem to be skipping days not losing them I have the kipper at the ready!

Oh that really does make me feel much better pumpkinhead...and also a bit jealous re the Fred Claus thing

Hello everyone - I just logged in after a few days and couldnt read and run - just wanted to say thanks to you lovely lot for the best wishes - it went well thanks and I am going to have a lap and dye just to rule out nothing wrong with tubes - and then it will be decision time as we want to continue natually for longer or go down the IVF route. A bit scary esp since there is nothing wrong with DH or I.

Womanly am SO pleased your appt went well and you have another plan (which sounds very positve) to work to. I feel good things for you so hope it goes really well.

Garden amd so bloody excited at all your symptoms!! Will be keeping an eye on you!

Thanks to josie and cave too.

You are all lovely. Am also not going trying not to post/lurk for a while as it drives me nuts!! So will try and pop in from time to time - but please can someone take me off the list? I am still counting days etc but its best I don't stay on here otherwise I will get tempted.

I might pop back again in a few months but for now I think I am going to focus on having a good crimble.

Thanks to all for all your support and good luck! Hope to see lots more BFPs!

Xxxx

Thanks Garden, I hope I?ll be Josie+1 soon too [fhappy]

Glad you got some decent answers Womanly but will miss you till Feb, enjoy yourself though. Will miss you too Lanky, hope the tests show nothing wrong.

FingersCrossed I totally feel like snuggling up on the settee watching christmas movies! I wanted to wrap my pressies last night but then I realised a. I have no cellotape, and b. I have no pressies! They?re all at work or someone else?s house or in the post . DH went to the metrocentre this morning and got my last bits and bobs in so I can do some tonight. Putting the tree up this weekend!

P.S. I seem to have lost a day on the list, should be day 7 now

Fingerscrossed There are a few advantages to being part time, one of them is getting to watch Christmas movies on Thursday afternoons

Josie I've said to myself every day this week that I will take everything down to the post office, and every day I've realised that there is something missing, or still in the post, or in someone else's house... Very frustrating!

Well the snow has just started here again, this is supposed to be it now until March! Hopefully it wont get that far but not much looking forward to doing Scout Post tonight!

It's really frustrating Toria! I luuuurrvvee wrapping my xmas pressies so think I should wait until this weekend when the tree is up an the house is all pretty and tidy (maybe) and then it'll seem all christmassy and special!

It snowed very lightly here this morning but we've had more than our fair share the past couple of weeks, hopefully won't get anymore (who am I kidding)

Updated Thursday's list :

Kaloki TTC#1, Cycle 12, UCL32, CD52
Roundtable TTC#1, Cycle 9, UCL 30+, CD50
Womanlytales TTC#1, Cycle 9, UCL 28-35, CD32
CrazyAlien TTC#1, Cycle 5 UCL 32-35, CD27
GardenPixie TTC#1, Cycle 12, UCL 28-30, CD25
evilgiraffe TTC#1, Cycle 4, UCL 27, CD24
Tigerseyemum TTC1,Cycle 5, UCL 30, CD22
Toriajayne TTC#1, Cycle 5, UCL 30, CD22
Truffkin TTC#1, Cycle 6, UCL 31, CD22
Florin TTC#1, Cycle 9, UCL 32, CD20
Gobolino, TTC#1, Cycle 2, UCL 28-33, CD20
Karstan TTC#1, Cycle 7, UCL 28, CD14
Slowshow TTC#1 Cycle 5, UCL 24-26, CD8
TomboyWife TTC#1, Cycle 13, UCL 28, CD7
JosieSmith1 TTC#1, Cycle 6, UCL 28, CD7
RaspberryTipple TTC#1, Cycle 6 UCL 28-32 CD6
cookiemoo TTC#1, Cycle 22, UCL 26, CD6

MI SWI A
TanteAC TTC#1, Cycle?, UCL?, CD?
Ilovemarmite79 TTC1, Cycle 1, UCL 28, CD55
Pinklady76 TTC#1, Cycle 1, UCL 28, CD49
Yumstepmum TTC#1, Cycle 1, UCL 28, CD59
Puppygirl TTC#1 CYCLE 7 UCL 29-31 CD48

Not Counting Days
CaveMum
Miffles
Chalky3
DessieLou
Zippys
Calyx
Ariesgirl
Goldmaple
MissFlick

Recent Graduates
Seablue BFP 1 May
Oneof8 BFP 18 May
Aly323 BFP 20 May
applecharlotte BFP 29 May
papertiger BFP 31 May
Wannamummy BFP 1 June
Pipsicles BFP 6 June
Muser BFP 22 June
Superpenguin BFP 1 July
Haloflo BFP 22 July
Saor Alba BFP 7 August
MrsWajs BFP 13 August
stegasaurus BFP 27 August
Roamfree BFP 1st September
Kurlyvoice BFP 1st September
Crazybutterflylady 1st September
Cherrycobbler 3rd September
Crazydays 4th September
Bellaby 11th September
Highheelsandequations 30th October
IfAtFirstYouDon'tSuceed 25th November

LovelyLanky I hope everything goes well with the lap & dye! Will miss you but totally understand you need to take a break. Hopefully see you soon ... when you come back and tell us about your au natural BFP xxx

Josie have changed your CD!

Am going to sneak off work early and brave Fortnums for a spot of christmas shopping. EEEEEEEEEEK!!!!

Good luck xmas shopping Garden

I'm really really sorry all I seem to do on here is complain but I need to get this off my chest, please feel free to tell me to shut up.

I'm feeling really down at work again. It's not that the work is busy like before, it's a personality clash with the new senior. The senior before her was lovely and really laid back and I applied for her job when she left, having been here 5 years, I was turned down and the new senior got the job (who had absolutely no experience of our system having worked in HQ for 20 years). I was devestated and struggled to deal with the feeling of being let down, having worked my butt off for no return. The new senior has been here since June and although I like her a bit as a person, as a boss she's so nit picky it's unreal. She came in yesterday stamping her feet and slammed her bag down on the desk and stormed out in a huff because the blinds weren't open and the answerphone was still turned on. Then she said can whoever is in first open the blinds and do the phone, as if she'd asked us 100 times before (which she hasn't) and it wasn't 9am then so the office wasn't even open! I was going to do the blinds and had checked there were no messages on the phone but hadn't turned the answer machine off because the office was shut and I might not have got to the phone on time if it rang.

She also checks up on me a lot, like asking me if I've done x and x yet, as if I need reminding, cos I've only been doing my job (very well) for 5 years! I'm such a shy quiet person I don't say anything to her, and I don't think I could.

I feel really unappreciated. I know that's such a winy pathetic thing to say but I feel like if I disappeared off the face of the earth no-one would notice.

I'm so sorry to complain, I just needed to get it off my chest somewhere and I can't talk about it out loud as I can't stop myself from tearing up. I really feel like going to the docs and geting something to cheer me up, I was awake till after 1 this morning thinking about coming to work and I really don't want to be here today, despite the fact that she's not in. I know I let things get to me and I do tend to have phases where I'm miserable but then I come round, but recently (as I'm sure you've noticed ) the bad times seem to be coming more and more often. I feel like crying just writing this down

I have left the blinds shut this morning in protest

I apologise for the immense size of this post

Josie that sucks. Have just PM'd you as I went through something similar. Am sending a big double vodka to cheer you up and a large trout for you to slap your boss with when she's back in

Friday's list :

CrazyAlien TTC#1, Cycle 5 UCL 32-35, CD28
GardenPixie TTC#1, Cycle 12, UCL 28-30, CD26
evilgiraffe TTC#1, Cycle 4, UCL 27, CD25
Tigerseyemum TTC1,Cycle 5, UCL 30, CD23
Toriajayne TTC#1, Cycle 5, UCL 30, CD23
Truffkin TTC#1, Cycle 6, UCL 31, CD23
Florin TTC#1, Cycle 9, UCL 32, CD21
Gobolino, TTC#1, Cycle 2, UCL 28-33, CD21
Karstan TTC#1, Cycle 7, UCL 28, CD15
Slowshow TTC#1 Cycle 5, UCL 24-26, CD9
TomboyWife TTC#1, Cycle 13, UCL 28, CD8
JosieSmith1 TTC#1, Cycle 6, UCL 28, CD8
RaspberryTipple TTC#1, Cycle 6 UCL 28-32 CD7
cookiemoo TTC#1, Cycle 22, UCL 26, CD7

MI SWI A
Kaloki TTC#1, Cycle 12, UCL32, CD52
Roundtable TTC#1, Cycle 9, UCL 30+, CD50
TanteAC TTC#1, Cycle?, UCL?, CD?
Ilovemarmite79 TTC1, Cycle 1, UCL 28, CD55
Pinklady76 TTC#1, Cycle 1, UCL 28, CD49
Yumstepmum TTC#1, Cycle 1, UCL 28, CD59
Puppygirl TTC#1 CYCLE 7 UCL 29-31 CD48

Not Counting Days
CaveMum
Miffles
Chalky3
DessieLou
Zippys
Calyx
Ariesgirl
Goldmaple
MissFlick
Womanlytales
Recent Graduates
Seablue BFP 1 May
Oneof8 BFP 18 May
Aly323 BFP 20 May
applecharlotte BFP 29 May
papertiger BFP 31 May
Wannamummy BFP 1 June
Pipsicles BFP 6 June
Muser BFP 22 June
Superpenguin BFP 1 July
Haloflo BFP 22 July
Saor Alba BFP 7 August
MrsWajs BFP 13 August
stegasaurus BFP 27 August
Roamfree BFP 1st September
Kurlyvoice BFP 1st September
Crazybutterflylady 1st September
Cherrycobbler 3rd September
Crazydays 4th September
Bellaby 11th September
Highheelsandequations 30th October
IfAtFirstYouDon'tSuceed 25th November

Hello everyone else hope you're all enjoying Friday and that nobody's effected too badly by the snow / cold

Sorry, the lists all got jumbled up at the end! I'll try again...

Friday's list :

CrazyAlien TTC#1, Cycle 5 UCL 32-35, CD28
GardenPixie TTC#1, Cycle 12, UCL 28-30, CD26
evilgiraffe TTC#1, Cycle 4, UCL 27, CD25
Tigerseyemum TTC1,Cycle 5, UCL 30, CD23
Toriajayne TTC#1, Cycle 5, UCL 30, CD23
Truffkin TTC#1, Cycle 6, UCL 31, CD23
Florin TTC#1, Cycle 9, UCL 32, CD21
Gobolino, TTC#1, Cycle 2, UCL 28-33, CD21
Karstan TTC#1, Cycle 7, UCL 28, CD15
Slowshow TTC#1 Cycle 5, UCL 24-26, CD9
TomboyWife TTC#1, Cycle 13, UCL 28, CD8
JosieSmith1 TTC#1, Cycle 6, UCL 28, CD8
RaspberryTipple TTC#1, Cycle 6 UCL 28-32 CD7
cookiemoo TTC#1, Cycle 22, UCL 26, CD7

MI SWI A
Kaloki TTC#1, Cycle 12, UCL32, CD52
Roundtable TTC#1, Cycle 9, UCL 30+, CD50
TanteAC TTC#1, Cycle?, UCL?, CD?
Ilovemarmite79 TTC1, Cycle 1, UCL 28, CD55
Pinklady76 TTC#1, Cycle 1, UCL 28, CD49
Yumstepmum TTC#1, Cycle 1, UCL 28, CD59
Puppygirl TTC#1 CYCLE 7 UCL 29-31 CD48

Not Counting Days
CaveMum
Miffles
Chalky3
DessieLou
Zippys
Calyx
Ariesgirl
Goldmaple
MissFlick
Womanlytales

Recent Graduates
Seablue BFP 1 May
Oneof8 BFP 18 May
Aly323 BFP 20 May
applecharlotte BFP 29 May
papertiger BFP 31 May
Wannamummy BFP 1 June
Pipsicles BFP 6 June
Muser BFP 22 June
Superpenguin BFP 1 July
Haloflo BFP 22 July
Saor Alba BFP 7 August
MrsWajs BFP 13 August
stegasaurus BFP 27 August
Roamfree BFP 1st September
Kurlyvoice BFP 1st September
Crazybutterflylady 1st September
Cherrycobbler 3rd September
Crazydays 4th September
Bellaby 11th September
Highheelsandequations 30th October
IfAtFirstYouDon'tSuceed 25th November

Thanks Garden, I've replied. Thanks for the kipper too, will come in handy I'm sure

I'd like to apologise to everyone else too, I was having a bad morning, didn't mean to hijack the thread

Josie you sound really fed up

I totally understand how you feel having been in a similar situation myself in the past, it sounds similar anyway, and it's not nice.

Similar too in that I'm fairly quiet and not outspoken which makes these situations all the more difficult. I think it's important to keep reminding yourself that you are competant and good at your job and I would imagine that her strops and nit picking are a result of her insecurities.

Try not to let her get you down and try (I know it's hard when you're feeling crap and work is the last place you want to be) not to give her the opportunity to catch you out/nit pick.

Ride through this tough time in the knowledge that things WILL get better

That's a really good point Fingerscrossed , it does sound like she is insecure about being in a new job and taking it out on our lovely Josie

Shall we all go and have a rant at her? Like a big Frolicker flash mob...?

PMSL, am imagining all you lot storming in and hitting her with kippers

That sounds really true FingersCrossed as she does say she feels stupid asking me loads of questions cos she is quite new to the job, she berates(?) herself sometimes too for not knowing stuff yet, which is perfectly natural as it's a very difficult job to learn and 6 months in most people are only just picking it up (though the new girl has picked most of it up within a week, maybe that's not helping her insecurity ).

Thanks for the warm welcome ladies, you are a lovely friendly lot.

Toria was interested to read your post about alcohol / other 'naughty' things while TTC. I thought my GP's advice - stop drinking completely, no nice cheese etc - seemed a bit over the top. After all, I could be TTC for months and months, it's just not practical.

Have Christmas drinks tonight so will nurse a glass of bubbles without feeling guilty. I'm already fed up of feeling guilty if I so much as sniff alcohol during the 2WW - and this is only my 2nd month!

Hi frolickers, great to see such a good catch up although sad to see that Lanky and Womanly might be MIA for a while. Totally understand the need for a time out but we'll miss you guys! Womanly glad to hear that you have a plan though and Lanky hope you can come to a decision about your next steps soon.

Garden excited for POAS Monday for you, we will be having a busy week of POAS action next week if ERTD stays away, which could make for a very busy frolicker Christmas!

Josie I've given you my opinion on what might help, but I also wonder if it might be worth having a conversation with your boss about how you feel you work best. If she is trying to micromanage you, it might be a sign of her own fears and insecurities if she is trying to prove herself in a new role. If you can muster up the courage to talk to her 1:1 and explain that you have always had great feedback on your work and that you are determined to continue with your high standards, but that you work best when given an element of autonomy rather than been managed in great detail, this might help her to understand the situation better. Sometimes managers (especially new managers) are desperate to show how 'good' they are and they think the best way to do that is to be abnsolutely on top of everything personally. If you can reassure her that you will deliver the results she needs without constant checking up, she may relax a little and let you get on with things. Sometimes you need to build up trust with a new manager before they feel confident enough to take their beady eyes off you!

Do you have a feedback scheme? I vote we all nominate Josie for employee of the month by pretending to be customers of hers!!

We had a tiny bit of snow yesterday, nothing this morning then a huge blizzard in the last hour or so We're heading back up to Birmingham tomorrow for a pre-Christmas night out with friends so am hoping it clears up a bit overnight

I am making the most of drinking nights out tomorrow, next Thursday and Friday and on Christmas Day in case there is a BFP coming my way soon Although I was happily inventing spotting symptoms yesterday, I don't think I actually have any promising ones so am trying to keep a lid on my optimism as I would hate to feel down over the holidays when ERTD does arrive. I'm determined if that happens that we will both be on proper TTC supplements in the new year and that DH will stop smoking for a while to see if it has an impact. I shall also be booking a GP appointment to talk about what tests they might be able to do at this stage. I've only been really keeping an eye on things for the last 6 months, but have charts for the last 4 that show I am definitely ovulating and we have timed SWI well each month. This means that I am a little worried that there is something not quite right, but will cross that bridge when we come to it. Of course, there is always the slight chance that this is our month but we shall wait and see!

I plan to spend this evening wrapping presents and finishing Christmas card writing so I can get them all in the post tomorrow. I've done one lot of cards but I like to write a personal message in most of them and I needed to give my poor wrist a break

I went to the carol service that my work organises at a local church yesterday and it did get me properly in the festive spirit. In amusing news, I got a bit teary-eyed at the choirs, not just the children either! I did think 'oooh, could this be a symptom?' {blush} kipper me now someone.............

P.S Sorry for the mammoth post, it took me so long that there were 2 new posts by the time I posted it!!