March 08: We're about to get our first little sister or brother!

[turtle23]

Thought I'd start a new thread as as soon as evie pops we're bound to fill it hugely and some of us have phones to work with!

Birkbeck, part of University of London, evening lectures which is very handy! Part-time, over four years, not quite sure what I am letting myself in for. Waiting to hear if they have space at the moment which is a bit nervewracking so keep your fingers crossed for me ladies.

Being students together sounds excellent fun, if I get in and we both do well in our exams at end of the first year I think you should come to my actual students union where we can get sloshed on cheap cider and white wine and chat up 18/19 year old boys We need the full experience after all!

good luck Ewe!

(where is Birkbeck? Is it near UCL? If so if you want something cheesy to feel really studenty check out Cocktails at UCLU on Thursday nights... assuming they still so it nearly a decade on!)

congrats to you studenty types
I'm starting my hypnotherapy training Saturday week, that's come round quickly! Taking Sept off from HBirthing after this weekend's final class, then that starts up again in Oct at same time as skool, so weekends will be no time to relax...

fecking nora this week's hard work...out of ideas and money for summer hols entertainment...RA flare...dodge weather... hyper active 17 months old TANK boy. ok 2 days til w/e, home hlpe here this and tomorrow pm i can do it!

Am in exactly the same position mb- pouring with rain and no blackberrying to do (great patch at end of street, now have jam and chutney and sauce and more blackberry and apple pies than you can shake a stick at).
Me and DS at 4.45 yesterday pm
DS: you're a meanie
Me: no, you're a meanie
DS: no, you are
Me: no you are
Ds: no you are
Me; I'm going upstairs....exit muttering wildly under breath about orphanages

they don't call me Socrates for nothing...or at all...

but pants, have you made blackberry coulis and blackberry compote and blackberry fool? I think there is much more to be done with blackberries and am not very impressed with your efforts so far .

God, I love them! So sweet and juicy and healthy and outdoorsy, and you probably burn more calories dodging the bramble thorns than you do eating them

MB - there was a thing in the Saturday Telegraph about free stuff to do outdoors with kids. Probably all for 8 year olds called Frederick and Lucinda, mind you

Turtle - how are you doing? We all think you're fab, you know

Ewe - i have my fingers crossed for the uni place

I'm meant to be starting cake course soon but with house move I'm probably not - would only get in a couple of months and it's a big lot of money to not finish course. So reluctantly will be leaving that until next year House better not fall through or I'm left with no house and no course!

yay, ILGB! Where are you, Evie? Any news? It's so very exciting!!!

I'm really over work this week. Was convinced that this morning was Friday when I woke, so not best impressed to realise I had one more day left before I'm free for 4 days. Sigh.

HQ, was it you who went to Sharm for hol? That's probably a stupid question...but can you post the link to the hotel for me again whoever it was!

Am so glad it's a 3 day wk this week for me, coughing like a 40-a-dayer.

Hi DP - I've been a few times. Last year we stayed at the Four Seasons (super swish, probably never to be repeated treat, unless we win the lottery) and when I was pg we stayed Hyatt Regency (which I would also recommend). Stayed in a not so fab one in centre of town when young and poor which I wouldn't recommend unless on a super-tight budget.

FWIW, loads of the hotels in Sharm look very nice.

ta HQ, am thinking that post sledding, I may need a week somewhere close but hot...debating on Sharm or Aswan/Luxor (been to both A & L but not S) or bogstandard canary islands.
Of course, this will only be if i get all the sponsorship money, otherwise my ccard will take a dint and no sunshine

Turtle, have you got the new dress now? Want photos!

Due to massive availability issues and last minute rubbishness...I ended up with this.
Boring but plain enough to be worn again for when I go out in the next few months. Which I plan to.

it's very 'swellegant' turtle! see what i did there, har har har ;) (slaps self, stoppit, just cos 4 yr old tells bad jokes all day doesn't mean mummy can)

am giggling at that article HQ 'hedges studded with jewelled blackeberries' says journo Clover Stroud...don't tell Pants.

before i change my kids names though, i need to check what the fines are in camden and islington for persistent littering :

'Fox and hounds is good for amusing a big group of children, working as well in a quiet residential area of a city and through a local park as it does in the countryside. Using a couple of bags of flour, lay a flour trail with arrows at pathway junctions or around corners. The children should then track the flour fox. This works especially well if it leads to a treat at the end, like a picnic, round of ice creams or a special swimming spot.'

These aren't the kind of white lines that are commonly chased around here

Love that dress, wish I'd had one like that, I could still wear it now with my 18mth post baby flab and pretend

am starting to feel first inclinations of potential broodiness. It's being around all these preggers mums. However, I think i'd still rather go sledding

Fox and hounds is a great idea. It's basically suggesting that you make a glue that coats all of the pavements in your local area. Not sure it would endear me to the RAF police. Merryberry, why not try hide and seek - you can then take ages to find them as they are such good hiders...

DP, how goes the fundraising? Am jealous of holiday planning-student life means it'll be a lean few years for us, so a trip to the sun will be a bit beyond us.

Can anyone do Wed 16th? It's the last Wednesday I can do until the Christmas holidays.

damn, I'm off the following wk FfFf (2 long weekends away with babysitting grandparents looking after E, hopefully doing bugger all on the inbetween days but my dad will have other plans)...
And fundraising slowly, 13% so far, but haven't started any things in work yet, just put my poster up and had a couple of promises. Will be getting my mum to make loads of her shortbread when she comes over as it's so good it'll sell like hot cakes

Must get my ebaying under way this weekend.
I shouldn't be thinking about hols at all, as I've got all my coursework to pay for and an extra day at nursery for E each wk. But I'm going with the law of attraction here, don't focus on what you lack, focus on being in the situation you want. So, I'll find a way to get these things!

Ff, There'd be a loud banging on your door

'do you realise the lines you have dribbled around the base read "This way up" from space and constitute a breach of security?'

DP step away from the loaded male, go sledding 1st

Not to mention the essential military personnel unable to carry out duties because they were stuck in my floury swamp.

I might just do it anyway. I have had them tell me off for letting my dogs run out of my front door when I answer it, and just this week I was reprimanded for parking the car on the grass outside my house while I unloaded a toddler, two dogs, and a weekend's worth of crap essentials. So I am used to living on the wrong side of the (RAF) law.
Sigh.

FfFf, as long as you don't burst into song you should be ok, only Robson & Jerome can get away with that in forces housing (wrong force, but what the hell)...

Just remembered another run in we had with them...

Pre-Ff I threw a formal dinner party for 8 of our friends, insisting that everyone wore black tie. There was a champagne reception, four delicious courses, port, sparkling conversation...and the whole thing ended in us trampolining dressed in bedsheets and towels at 3 in the morning. (Quite understandably really)The police were called, and we were duly admonished. For those on my FB, pics of the event are here

What do we all have planned for the weekend? Hope everything goes well tomorrow, Turtle.

FfFf, you didn't use to live next door to Merry did you? ;p

So much for wedding. DHL were meant to next day delivery the black dress as shop didn't have my size. They have had a "warehouse problem" and if they find where my dress is they may have it for Monday. Or maybe tomorrow after I'd have had to leave. Or maybe not at all. Fuckers.

aw turtle everything's conspiring against you at the minute
Don't you have anything from 1st time round you could still use?

Did have a plain black dress. It has disappeared. Just moved way too many things in loft looking for it and am just over it.

Turtle, that's rubbish. Strongly worded email demanding some vouchers to compensate is needed. As for tomorrow, don't worry about an outfit, wear something that you're comfortable in, and i'm sure you'll look lovely. It is, after all, a wedding - the only person people will be looking at is the bride.

What about your original dress option? What a nightmare!! 24 hour ASDA?

Very kind friend has come to rescue. Dress juuuust fits. Original dress is now a joke as it doesn't cover bump.