WIT or Wisdom? Who cares... the festive season is nearly upon us and one thing is certain: Avidity is the new black.

[LetThemEatCake]

Trick or treat! [hsmile]

LTEC you have a lace dress!!!! tis very nice too- if a little see-through

love boucle chanel-esque jackets with breton stripes: my favourite is this one, also IRO do some nice ones..

roary sorry to hear about the blueberry choking episode- how scary for you. Sounds like you handled the situation admirably though and DS of course fine. Perhaps lips were blue from blueberry staining? OK just kidding but don't nominate yourself for bad mother of the year award. I love BLW but have also absent mindedly handed DS things that he probably shouldn't have. Wih blueberries and other small things I normally just squash them a bit and give them to him whole anyway

everything how is everything with H?

esher I have given up with the outnet but have had a number of successes so not all bad! Quite a few pairs of jeans, a temperley top and an elizabeth &james jacket are all going strong. I have given up with returns ets though, too lazy to bother at the moment.

I am very at all your lovely kind comments everyone. Thank you

aagh link failure- I'm not avid enough I have lost the art of linking- here, jacket

verity thank you

and very glad and you enjoyed Paris. I recently saw someone's family photos and their young children were climbing all over the naked ladies in the gardens outside of the louvre. Great photos but totally indecent

notyummy grr at DH! But you turned it down, so you get the last laugh really- trekking to London with DD and arranging babysitter in hotel is a bit of a tall order I imagine. And young waiter flirting event sounds more fun!

Re the breton stripe, I did think it was a bt ubiquitous earlier in the year and evicted all but one stripey top. I then bought another 2 recently. I still like but rarely wear it, I prefer the stripes to have different proportions. Breton with equal proportions is a bit burglar bill on me, but love, for example, wider navy stripes and thin camel stripes (H&M), juts the difference in the stripe sizes makes it look more flattering on me too

God Vin - had meant to say how touched I was at the idea of someone naming their DC after your daughter. She must have been very special indeed.

Like that jacket as well - and not actually as £££ as I would imagine an Isabel Marant to be (not cheap, but you know what I mean!)

Woo-hoo am standing at railway station waiting for train. Dd1 at after school activity till 5pm and called my mum this am and she is going to collect dd2 from nursery at 2.30pm for me so am free! Going to go to Sloane Square/Kings Rd area for a change. Bored of Oxford/regent St and too busy. So if any W London W&A-ers want to meet for coffee in the next few hours let me know !!!!

oh I feel like I need to send a little card or something saying how I'm very happy she used the name, I didn't say I was happy yesterday I think my mouth fell open and I made some quip in my application of nervous humour.

On the next drama, have a letter from landlord (we're renting atm) asking us to rescind tenancy so they can do some remedial works on the outside wall. Argh! Not the best time to move..

woohoo esher! Go avidly and wisely into the wild west

Oh no Vin - what a pain! Have they given you a reasonable amount of notice? I have just seen you on the Dawn French thread - good work!

Esher - Can't make it from Lincs in time I am afraid. Have a good time and tell us all about the purchases on your return. Have a long leisurely lunch somewhere nice with a big glossy magazine too!

Morning!!

Thanks for tweed and stripes feedback, am very excited to see that my boucle is almost a dead ringer for the marant!! (label is Tod something though, oh well) thanks also Tracey for the fairy princess meets vampire feedback, am going to road test it.

Argh, is that lace dress see through??!! Bugger, will check when it arrives.

On way to borough Market with bub while dc 1&2 are at nursery a.m... Wearing red jumper dress, grey opaques, belstaffs, grey & black star print scarf and grey&black herringbone coat. It's quite warm actually so will ditch the coat.

ny what a day!! Enjoy the relative peace & quiet today. If anything I can do to help so that you can go to do with dh, let me know.

Have just re-read your post ny. we don't live far from t of l. Dd welcome to do sleepover at ours, ms p would love it. Can't bear thought of an a&wer missing chance to dress up, ESP with oft-absent dh.

Oh I didn't know what to say to her- but nobody was saying very much for the las 30 mins so I thought I'd say something

I would love to do some fundraising for charity but I do not do exercise*, and so many people do sponsored runs etc etc

But I did laugh at traceybath who suggested dawn replace cheryl on the loreal ads. I have to agree- these ads are aimed at women, right? And I'd rather buy my shampoo as advertised by someone I like, I think Loreal sales would shoot up!

LTEC that's a really kind offer- think about it ny - what an excuse to dress up!

I don't think the lace dress is see-through. It will have a nude lining.

ltec, apples of cheeks. (As if you've just had an ......!!)
I'll stop now.

Roary - what a shock you must have had! Does sound like you handled the situation well, though. My God these children can frighten us!

Esher - I am waddling off to the hairdresser to get re-blondified, else I would love to have met you for coffee!

Bloss - a few more words in that sentence and I would have been choking on my cashew!

Vin - think the card re your DD's name sounds spot on. Am sure the mother will appreciate it, and it truly is telling about the impact both you and your DD made on others. Re having to move, hopefully this will force the situation w P ie you split.

I'm worried about you bunny. You seem to be of a nervous disposition lately!!

vin Hope you have a better day at work today. Feeling like the new girl is always a bit awkward. How is your childcare arrangement working out?

Thanks for asking fleecy. My job is going ok. The only problem is that I work more like 30 than only the 20 hours I'm supposed to. My boss will be away for two weeks in November which means I will be in charge of everything from accounts and marketing stuff to customers and scheduling all the teachers, plus a thousand little things more. I'll try not to worry about having maybe made the wrong decision and will see how the next few week go.

LOL at your DH's remark about knicker/cardi combo bloss. That would so have been my DH's reaction. Also love the crayon rolls roary linked to. Would order for every child I have to get presents for this Christmas .

verity Glad you had a great time in Paris. I'm sure it will be an unforgettable experience for your DC. Good luck with your projects!

carciofi Love the WC cowl neck top.

roary That sounds frightening but please don't be so hard on yourself. Things like that just happen. I'm sure you're a wonderful mum!

goodness - impossible to catch up!

LTEC - glad to hear we are back on wardrobe twin track . I'm sure you won't be surprised to hear that as of Tuesday I am also the proud owner of a red jumper dress (though not wearing it today - that would have been too weird...though your outfit sounds sensational).

Verity - 20's! Wow - I'm off to get a sequin scarf now. Glad Paris was so wonderful - you sound energised from it.

Roary - how horrifying. I hope what you can take from this is that you ARE most certainly NOT a bad mother as you dealt with the situation perfectly. That must be hugely reassuring to know that you don't panic (as I am sure I would have done).

Tracey/LTEC - loving the Marant jackets.

Carciofi - glad the strikes didn't hamper your avidity! The top looks like a very useful wardrobe staple. Good find.

I got an age compliment today from a nanny at the park...she was surprised to hear I had an eight year old DS. Actually said something like 'my goodness you look amazing for 2 DC' ...which I suspect meant 'you look good for an old codger'. Still I'll take my compliments where I can (even if they aren't really compliments!

NY - that sounds very stressful and tiring - I do hope today is better?

VIn - your turn for good luck is now surely due?!

I have found this pattern for a crayon roll. What d'ya reckon? Give it a go? With ollie's apple dot fabric?

I also like this basic bib pattern.

You do sound a bit stressed these days fritzi. Hope things get better soon.

carciofi, just been catching up on links, and I love that white company top you bought yesterday.

I have now been without a car since Monday morning. The weather is absolutely foul again. May have to get dad's taxi to fetch dc1, as there's no way he'd walk home in this, or could I take dd out. Me, I'd be fine. This stuff made me...!

esher Have fun and please report on purchases!

roary Did you guess right about your colours?

cake Love Chanely jackets when rest of outfit is casual enough. Had one years ago from Zara but it sadly disintegrated. Hope you'll find your perfect lace dress soon! Would love some jersey dresses that I can just throw on with opaques and boots. Where did you get yours from?

bloss I feel quite stressed but will see if it will pass or I need to make changes re work. Yes, yes, yes to crayon roll in ollie's apple print. Love bib too. We got a lovely handsewn one for DD's birth and it was the only one that washed really well and it is now in the attic as a keepsake.

fritzi, I have this jersey dress. It looks a bit weird, but it's really nice, and much shorter than in the photo. I wear it with chunky grey tights, or with my jeggings.

Carciofi - lovely top!

I've got a similar one from gap in a plum colour which is lovel and very realistic price. Don't forget its 30% off next week for gap vips.

Right spare room prepared for in-laws arriving tomorrow.