March 08:Happy Birthday!!! We made it through a whole year!

[turtle23]

new thread.

OK, now I know things are bad. DH has said that he will send me away to nice hotel/spa for two days, pick me up for a portion of the day for some family time as I will miss P too much, and I am to have massages/reflexology/etc and sleep and eat for two days. WTF.

In case you didn't read between the lines...he will be having Pascal.

Thank you, Merry. We're having fun getting used to each other again. Ff is a bit clingy with me, but we'll get there.

Jfly, you should chat to Bloke. He's a bit of a photographer, and has filled our house with shiney and expensive camera stuff. He has done a few courses, and is thinking about doing a degree. I would say do something fast and intensive now, with a view to moving on to something else in September. Good luck!

DP, you must be strong when you go back to choose. Bloke thinks Venture are evil. Hope you get lots of lovely pics though.

Hundreds of pounds worth of pink plastic in this house, and yet Ff has spent the past 45 minutes putting a dog lead into a washing basket...I give up!

How was everyone's weekend? I got to see HP, and loved it. Managed a night out too, which was awesome.

Hi girls! We're just back from a week in Menorca, which was hot and fab. DD has started WALKING properly!

HQ- a friend of mine puts her dd in a disposable overnight when her nappy rash gets really bad. Hope it clears up soon.

(On another note, I feel awful- why don't I remember it like this from last time? Cravings have kicked in too- am off to drink a jar of salsa for dinner )

JFly - thanks, no idea where you are, but i likes my photos Would love to do photography course myself, but that's on the backburner now, as I'm going to do HypnoTherapy foundation course in Sept/Oct, followed by Diploma course from Nov-July...gulp, then I could actually have a business!

FfFf, what's with the learning German? Have to say, mine's improved loads from rusty A levels to drunken semi-fluent in my recent jaunts over there. Glad your bloke's back safely, get him doing something useful like babysitting for a while so you have time to do all the other things like sit with your feet up

Have roughly decided what we're going to go for on the Venture photos, assuming they live up to expectations. Getting the cheapo "Cherubs" photos from our final session on friday, but they're very static in comparison. Good for pressies to grandparents etc, the Venture one (and 1 only)will be all for us

Turtle, what has your DH done to wake up to your needs? Is he feeling guilty over something or have you finally knocked some sense into him? Grab it with both hands and take full advantage! Sounds like loads of fun.

Have just taken my 3rd booking for HB course in a week. With that and my new course, I now have 2 weekends free until the end of Nov...eek!

I'm loving all the 'self-improvement' going on on our thread, including some rather important self-improvement from Turtle's DH . On the same theme I'm starting a year-long university course in cake decorating in Sept I love making cakes, and made a couple of proper wedding cakes but wanted to learn it properly so I could maybe set up a little business on the side.

FfFf - very happy for you that bloke is back safe and well

Nappy rash died down over the weekend only to reappear with a vengeance today and DS is really really screaming when we do a nappy change now I think there are more teeth on the way and just hope they come quickly.

Some walking progress here: walker is new favourite toy!

HQ- OOOH I love cake decorating. This, combined with an overwhelming desire to make jam is making me wonder if I should just join the WI and be done with it.

DP-Don't say things like "a few weekends free til the end of November." The end of November is A LONG TIME AWAY...isn't it???:S

and I neither know nor care what has prompted DH's leap into reality...am running for the hills!

(On a different note...how many of you are using bio washing powder on your LO's clothes? I had a bit of a pg breakdown in Sainsbury's yesterday as I wanted my clothes to smell like stinky bio powder again. Bought it and now realising I will just have to do two seperate washes. )

turtle - I made my own chilli jelly as a Christmase present for my friends I'm right there with you at the WI (bet they do a good cuppa!)

DP, we're off to Munich for a long weekend. Bloke has booked us into a lovely spa and waterpark, and we're planning some beer drinking culture and sightseeing too. I am feeling slightly held back by choosing Welsh as my 'foreign' language at school. Ff is staying here with Grandma-is it wrong that I can't wait?

Glad you had a lovely time, ilgb. Hope you're not feeling too rotten.

HQ, I do pickles and jam as presents too. Can't claim to be any good at cake decorating though! They always taste ok, but aren't much to look at. Good luck with the course- looks like this is going to be a thread full of students!

hq i'll recommend my mate hannah to you on FB. lives in bath and is doing well with 'bath baby cakes' this past year as a home business. bet she could help with some business tips at some stage. think you can be a fan of her or some such. will go check. now all i have to remember is which real life person you are....lord i'm weary.

and talking of having nappy contents for brains, can some one start or do and EDD list of names and dates for ladies on here? I've comprehensively lost the plot...

Cake decorating sounds lovely. Have just rediscovered my love of baking after a friend gave me the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook for my birthday. The cakes are so yummy and I've finally learned to make good buttercream icing. It's DH's birthday tomorrow and he's getting a Hummingbird cake with cream cheese icing- yum!

I'll start the list since I'm last:

ilgb- 9th March

Oh, and anyone else have a child with flat feet? Have finally taken dd to gp as am bit concerned about her left foot. Right is flat too, but left is really inverted and she walks on just the inside of it. Gp checked her out and said hips knees etc all fine but is sending us to paed orthopaedic surgeon to have a look at it. Deep down I think it is probably ok, but glad we're getting it checked out.
HQ- won't be long now! Walking here he comes!

Have to go and buy cake. Too tired to bake and it just sounds sooo gooooood.

Turtle23 -25 Nov(by my dates!)
ilgb -9 March

by the way, green beans...i now hate you for making me aware of that bakery. I DO NOT WANT to go into London tomorrow but now it appears I may have to.

ilgb - not sure if you need a recommendation for these things or just get who you're given, but there is a no-nonsense but kind paed orthopaedic surgeon at Chelsea & Westminster who saw DS when he broke his leg. Alison somebody - can root out her contact details if you want. She does private if you have health insurance and go that route, but she is NHS too. We're going back to her for check up in Sept/Oct to make sure DS's leg fully recovered so at least I know his non-walking can be discussed then if that is still the situation.

Turtle - someone has brought in a home baked marble cake to work today. I can eat a piece on your behalf if that helps

mb/mp - that would be great. I am the proud possessor of a book called "Starting a Cake Business from Home" but that's a lot scarier than seeing how a real life person does it. I'm the one with the ladybird cake profile photo (example of my wares )

Oh bks, I've just found out the friend DS had a playdate with on Tuesday has got swine flu. And suddenly I feel all hot and I've just noticed DD has a runny nose. 5 days of hypochondria and manic watching of symptoms.......

My GP thinks Tilly and I has swine flu last week, I am more inclined to assume it was a bad cold to be honest. Had most of the symptoms but I was able to go to work and Lovebox - albeit I did nothing but sit on the picnic blanket all day .

turtle/JFly - we should def sort out some sort of meeting up, I can bring cakes from Hummingbird Bakery as it's not a million miles from my office! I'm on hols first two weeks of August but def do something soon.

Mmmmm, all this talk of cake!

HQ I'm very jealous of your new venture idea. That is something I've considered myself as I love baking and would love to learn how to decorate, too. Where are you doing your course?

I like the look of the Hummingbird goodies, but I prefer less icing on my cupcakes, so I've never gone in to buy. I'm more of a 1/3 icing, 2/3 cake kind of person!

Having a wardrobe crisis. I have to find an outfit for a very awkward wedding in a few weeks time. We have to walk 30 minutes to the lake-side ceremony site (and bring our own cushions/seats) where there will be a picnic afterwards. Then later, the full sit down meal and dancing at a stately home venue. Um, WTF do I wear?? I found a gorgeous vintage dress that turned out to be £455. Also tried a very sweet Vivienne Westwood number on sale for £259. Still a bit "ouch". I'm really striking out on the high street. Need something comfortable but fun/smart that I can wear with flats and heels. Discuss amongst yourselves, please!

Oh, Ewe, that sounds pretty awful. Even if it wasn't swine flu, you were quite ill weren't you? Practically everyone I know now has been "diagnosed" with it. I'm a bit about it all, b/c I've had influenza before and I tell you, you wouldn't be on the swings at the park if you had it (like some babies on I know on Tamiflu). But I hear there are "mild" cases, too. In which case, does it really matter if it's swine flu or not? Dunno, it's all a bit Panic Stations for my liking.

JFly - come and join me:Saturday mornings at Thames Valley University. You get a qualification, and can progress to Intermediate next year - I'm overly excited about it

Ugh Ewe. Poor you and poor Tilly Pants - hope none of you get even a sniffle!

Only know one RL person with it - hoping, but not expecting, it to stay that way.

what are run outs in cake dec then? you 2 could go into business together

Morning. Have already forgotten what I was going to say in reply to all so will just wave.
I'm still here. No spa. DH "finding the time" to spend 5 mins with his son and rescue his wife. Have told him that if he doesn't pull his finger out am just going to go to nice hotel where we got married and take the big FO suite and have a call-out masseur come and see me. Grump.
Oh...that was it...cake. I would be crap at cake dec (remember the pirate? but I like it anyway. Would be v fun course. THink I will be bit busy come the autumn.
Ewe-Yes please to Hummingbird treats.
Are any of us still planning on doing Battersea Zoo

Help me make up my mind? After huge rows and talks of divorce I am just going today. I have told DH he has P from 3pm and I am going to stay in a hotel. Now, I have decided on the hotel where I got married as it is nice, not much more than crappy hotel down the road, etc. Question is, do I get standard room which looks like any other or treat myself to a suite which (had one when we got married) is a bargain today and is soooo luxurious and yummy? Is it a waste when I will probably just be slobbing in dressing gown and sleeping in a big massive bed?

Link doesn't work, does it? www.handpickedhotels.co.uk/hotels/nutfield-priory/hotel-accommodation-surrey/here