morning all. Thank you for all your kind wishes, obviously I am thrilled! :) I've had so many bad interviews over the years and perhaps I'm paranoid but I've always felt judged on my looks - especially if the interviewer has been a man slightly older than me. I've also walked in before and heard "we weren't expecting you to be white - where is your name from?" type stuff. 
I found the interview room and it was a woman in her early 60's, normal size and shape so immediately I felt confident and comfortable. My last very successful interview was with an older man who was horse mad and we talked horses. Anyway it was clear she liked my CV, she gave me a language test and was really happy - I wasn't expecting it although the ad had asked for fluency but tbh as we're a US company I tend to ignore that requirement. 
There's actually an English guy on the team so I won't be the only native English speaker. Anyway, upshot is obviously that it went really well. No money discussed yet (her line manager not back until monday), however I'm going to take it even if there is at present no wage increase because the potential is immense and I can fight for a raise at end-of-year review, claim "everything" on expenses blah blah. It's at the country HQ and obviously I'll be meeting all the movers and shakers so the networking opportunities are brilliant. I saw a similar job advertised in our town for double my salary (experienced obv.) so there is good potential and I'm not going to turn it down for "pride". fanny No move required, it's two days a week fixed at the office, so easy to arrange childcare - so I'll need to take the train in but don't need to be sat at the desk for 8 hours, she says she's never there more than 6 herself. I could stay in a hotel overnight as the days are concurrent, but secretly I'm looking forward to sitting on the train and reading a book ! LUXURY! 
okie Ah well, then you know you've got good judgement because obviously your friend is nice and we all know VAG is lovely. So the two of them being friends just confirms that you were right.
Good luck today Kate - I hope everything goes well to plan.
Fackin' stables put on the market thursday - sold yesterday! 
Nobody expected that. So my search will be sooner rather than later. So today I may go and check out a couple of places and see what I think.
My life is sooooo glamorous, I have cleaned 2 enormo-poos and cleaned out the washing machine filter which was actually just a 500g clump of sodden dog-hair. :( Also, whatever the fuck you do, don't get "white tinted" fucking floors when you've got a fucking black hairy moltastic dog.
silv I've got a free pass to go to the stables tomorrow - don't care if it's rain or shine, need to get my riding in before I stop feeling "safe". Can't really go today because it's miserable and can't leave Bear in the buggy next to the arena if it's raining. Although there is a waterproof cover I suppose. JB didn't get home from work until gone 5am so I can't ask him to get up in an hour and Bearsit so I can go riding.
And here endeth my essay.