smee Mas imagine if Small World did go bad 
surprised someone hasn't made a horror movie of it already.
The numbness does keep improving, 12 years on it is just a small narrow band running from the back of my armpit a few inches down the back of my arm, otherwise all the feeling has returned. I don't notice it at all, just had a poke to see whether it was still there!
jchoc Enjoy Dorset, it is warm down here, though Dad has been keeping us appraised of the fact it has been warmer up there, something he takes as a personal victory 
Good luck to DD2 with her Maths, is she sitting others or is it a year early, and to DD1. I love Etsy, a brilliant idea and some great stuff on it. Friend's DD who now out of art school started marketing her jewellery there and that has led to it being stocked in a couple of shops as well.
EMIN Aw, they do look lovely on that first day, in their crisp new uniforms, all promise.
Mas enjoying your countdown, birthdays do make you think of that day, don't they? but it was one of the happiest in your life. 21years ago I was waddling around like a house side with two weeks to go to due date and finally having the courage to buy a pram and cot, actually madly ringing around John Lewis branches to find one that had one I wanted in stock as didn't have the six weeks needed to wait for one on order!!!! , because it might actually really be going to happen.
trice shame you are not here as we have at least a hundred charity shops on High Street, and sure to be a range of frilly shirts.... They were very handy for those play and assembly crises.
I hope gigs is rested and feeling better and the pump is doing the job.
More desperate gardening here today, planted up all my tomatoes, cucumbers, aubergine and chillis in greenhouse last night at 9 pm!! Weeks behind usual, but hopefully nice weather will chivvy it all along.