Ok ? I?ve tried to get through the whole thread to do a proper post to you all ? but I?ve run out of time and am only half-way through ? so apologies for my lack of diligence.
cherry (if I may call you that) ? birth no1 is rarely an indicator of what will happen with no2. I had a hideous 36 hour marathon with dd1. dd2 took about 3 hours (which meant dh had to deliver her but that was a minor issue and makes a good dinner party story 
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debi keep on at your insurers ? ime they do anything to rip us off. I called our insurers to just check that our travel insurance included travel for work. I got told it didn?t. So I asked where in the policy it said that, pointing out that the policy covers ?any trip? and there is no mention of the purpose of the trip. After a number of conversations with her superviser the woman admitted it didn?t say that in the policy because they can?t include ?everything? in writing ? but it definitely wasn?t covered because she was telling me it wasn?t and our conversation was being recorded 
; I pointed out that this was changing the terms of a contract and asked to speak to the superviser; the superviser told me the travel for work definitely wouldn?t be covered (at all times it was made clear to me thatI could take out an add on at additional charge) .. so I repeated the stuff about the wording of the policy ? she went off, presumably to speak to her superviser and lo, she came back and said yes, I would be covered. So basically they were trying to sell me an extra policy I didn?t need and the only reason they finally agreed I didn?t need it was because I was bloody tenacious.
moshi - how?s the ankle?
drNo how did ds?s love letter thing go? How old is he? Also at the non-technical t-shirt. When I first started running I didn?t even use a sports bra, let alone technical t-shirts.
a few things on the wonderful study.jobs/carees stuff:
sticky - well done on getting an interview ? and good luck.
sfx are you working already in that area? Is the degree part of a plan to go into management?
running - how fantastic to be doing medicine. I have such massive respect for doctors ? most of us can fck up in our jobs and, tbh, it rarely really matters. But doctors? I?m in awe. Do you mind me asking how old you?ll be when you qualify ? I?m always in interested in career-changers (as a potential one myself ? see below). also, I agree with sfx ? you?ll be fine with the juggling. When you juggle kids and their non-flexible timetables you rarely have choices ? so you just get on and do it. If you have to finish study at 3pm you just make damn sure you get it all done. It?s not like juggling study and a social life like a youngster.
Fanny ? no way is it too late. I had a lightbulb moment when a friend of mine who is considering pyschology (having already had a brilliant career in law) said ?well, if I qualify by the time I?m 45 I?ll still have 20 or more years at it? - less time than it took her to make partner as a lawyer. I just thought, wow. She?s right. Funding is, obviously, a biggy ? but look into it ? you might be surprised what you can dig out.
I?m due to start law school in January. My job (policy adviser in a legal-ish type organisation) was very london-centric and when I went freelance we were able to move out of London ? it was meant to be temporary but we decided not to go back. I find freelancing hard (and there?s nothing else I can do round here) so I?ve decided to bite the bullet and turn myself into a lawyer? qualified by 45 ? 20-odd years of work 
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Running ? an embarrassingly short part of my post ? but I really have to rush now. Just went for a quicky today ? twice up the really steep hill right outside our door ? off for a long one tomorrow ? 12 miles. My speed and hill training is definitely paying off ? I?ve done 3 pbs in the last 10 days.
Now I need to get off the computer and make it look like I?ve been productive whilst dh did the 1 hour round trip to pick up dds 
see you soon ladies ? and good uck to this weekend?s racers