We Wise ladies Avidly are buying gifts that traverse afar...l

[bunnymother]

Oh my God, I choked (try and hum along to We Three Kings...)!! But here is the new thread.

Oh, and much as i'd love to come to the pre-Xmas meet up I don't think it's going to be possible because we've got so much on. I'm sure you'll all have a lovely time.

I can't come either. Boo - but at least I got to come last time so have met some of you. Hope you have just as much fun, if not more.

May I draw your attention to this thread

God bless local news!

tracey I have given up the search for the perfect shearling for now. Tried on the Jil Sander one I linked to last week but it has an A-line cut and just doesn't feel right. But for that price it needs to be perfect . Do you think the Joseph shearlings will go in the sale?

Not sure Fritzi - they have in the past on my-wardrobe but they don't seem to have any this year.

Oh for a decent coffee maker! When I'm rich [ha ha] I will have a full on, plumbed in Gaggia that makes wonderful blasting noises. I will be having latte in the mornings and espersso after dinner. Yum.

School shut again today so hoping to do some christmas crafts with the boys. Don't think there's enough snow to go sledging sadly.

Thank you for all the feedback on my menu! Must do some shopping today, though it looks just as miserably cold and uninviting as it was yesterday. My eyes were still smarting from the cold when I went to bed at night .

Zembo your picnic party sounds über cute! My DD would love something like that. She went to a party on Saturday and I had to raid the stash of Father Christmas presents I have collected for her to find a present for the birthday girl as there was too much illness in this house to go shopping. I got out a little wicker Red Riding Hood basket with a red and white spotted china tea set inside - DD has been pestering me for one for her ever since.

We have Nespresso too and while it is not romantic like Gaggia, or pretty like the Francis-Francis machine I had previously, it is incredibly convenient and makes very nice coffee. A friend of a friend, who works for Williams-Sonoma and knows about kitchen things, made my friend buy a Jura machine which is supposed to be tops, but I honestly don't think the coffee is nicer than Nespresso.

ABO that is what we have . We have one of these too in white that plugs in like a kettle.

So, what are all those hard to buy for dps getting this Christmas? Tracey what is Mr Bath getting? Your suggestions have always been helpful. Dp has asked for Gant socks, goggles, an ipod armband, a magazine subscription, and a Micoach and some jumpers. I want to get at least one thing that isn't on the list but no ideas atm.

This is our new sofa. Nothing groundbreaking but we have Barcelona furniture in the next door room so wanted something quite simple. It's in a dark grey silver which we hope won't fade in the conservatory. I am now on the look out for some bright cushions.

Right, must get onto asos and reorder my sister's birthday present as the stupid wellies company I used never delivered them. Will have to pay for same day delivery.

Zembo - Think your party sounds lovely!

We have a Krups coffee thingy that DH got me a couple of years ago. I love it and have just a cup!

Well, - things are even worse here on the weather front. Lots more snow last night and this morning. School admin texted at 7 30 to say it would be closed today (unsurprisingly.) Managed to get to the local shop last night and it was like some 1970s Soviet store with about 3 things on the shelves (I assume people have been bulk buying - pretty ridiculous really.) Luckily I have plenty of food in the freezer. But, more unsettingly, the paper and magazine delivery hadn't arrived ....and no Grazia!!
I am attempting to work from home whilst entertaining DD. She is downstairs at the moment building an alien spaceship with a whole load of boxes I had been saving. I think I may need to fall back on emergency measures (The Muppet Christmas Carol...) by the end of the day.

Stay warm everyone!

monkeysmama - some friends of ours have those sofas in their "conservatory" (which is actually right on top of their four floor ultra-modern house) and they look very good in there with all the glass windows around. I especially like the element you can fully recline on - very comfortable for reading.

Party sounds fab Zembo.

Lovely sofa MM. I've bought DH some clothes which he asked for, a dualit coffee grinder, some espresso cups and some bits for his bike - nothing terribly exciting I must confess. Oh and he's also had some garmin thingy - heart rate monitor thing [dull].

God - I'm having a bloody nightmare with sorting out our year's stalls for the chirstmas fayre - no-one wants to help. There's also an assumption that because I don't work that I can do loads of stuff in the week - they seem to forget that I always have a 1 and 2 year old with me all the time. And youngest 2 are still poorly. Bah humbug.

What a nightmare Tracey! Our PTA has texted to say that the Christmas Fair in Friday gas to be postponed because if the weather. Will be in January instead.

Morning all. Welcome new shredders!! First day of the rest of your gorgeously toned life.

Lol at mr ollie, must have thought Christmas had come early!!

Brrrrrr...totally second Happily on old houses and heating. We have to leave our heating on 24/7 otherwise the kitchen is so cold it's unusable while upstairs is warm/too warm! I feel a bit like I am lighting ten pound notes on fire in the kitchen.

MM like your sofa!

Roma I really like those timberlands. How narrow do you think they are? I worry a bit that they are described as Wide.

I will take to my bed if the Christmas fair is cancelled here tomorrow.

Yes old house here too - and on an exposed hill at pretty much the highest point of the Cotswolds. Our heating bill (lpg) is horrendous.

-7 here this morning! Hope the down coat arrives soon.

Old house here too. I went and got a roll of that stick on rubber strip stuff that you put round the edges of the windows, and also that fake plastic film double glazing. It really makes a difference in my study and I'm going to get some for the boys' rooms too. I dont usually have the heating on in the day, but I'm ok with a scarf, 3 jumpers, thermal tights, jeans, hiking socks and boots! The high here is forecast to be -7 today! School is open though. It didn't close last year either, though one day I didn't bother to take them.

I've just ordered microwaveable hotties for the boys, and I wanted to get them fleecy mattress toppers too, without spending too much. Any recommendations?

Our apartment block is 80 years old; fortunately most of the windows have been replaced with double glazing and the central heating is very efficient. But the kitchen and office are absolutely freezing! No heating at all - I suppose that once upon a time there must have been a range-type oven in there - and the back door leads out of the kitchen to the back stairs which are unheated and open to the elements three floors above us = arctic wind.

Georgian with old sash windows. So can be cold, but the heating is surprisingly efficient. Plus I bought the thickest, triple lined (? can't remember) most sumptuous cream curtains I could find. (When I had a big payment.) Oh how I dearly love those curtains of mine!

Georgian with sash windows here too. Our problem is the front door which has massive gaps all round it. The hall is frozen. And underfloor hearing in conservatory has stopped working. I feel like we sort one thing only for something else to go wrong.

Dd's little snow boots just arrived & I had a soppy moment looking at how cute they are. She's napping but will be very excited when she wakes up. Maybenot as excited as me though. Have to wait in for coat anyway!

Glad you all approve of sofa. We have three living rooms - a cosy leather sofa living room with the tv & open fire, an all white middle room and massive amdega conservatory which is like a glass room. We spend all day in the conservatory and all evening when dd is in bed in the unchild friendly white room.

Old house here too, but as we had to rip everything out we put in double-glazed windows and insulation on outside and roof plus underfloor heating. Don't want to go outside in winter really...

Morning all

Working from home today. Got to the station and NO trains. I am in a London borough fgs. Last night had journey home from hell waited ages for a train then NO buses. Couldn't get a lift home as DD in bed. Almost gave up and booked into hotel.

Went to Savoy Grill on Monday for the opening night. Saw GR himself and quite a few other celebs. Wore new MaxMara coat, VWA dress and Loubouts. Definitely recommend as a venue.

Got a funny compliment at work the other day. Apparently since I arrived, the quality of shoes in the office has gone up. The women come to my desk to show their new purchases and I've had to accompany one of the PAs to purchase their first ever CLs. I feel rather honoured.

Bonsoir/ Roma have you heard of Lora Piana? Have been given a lovely coat for my DD

MM lovely sofas and am your Amdega.

EIE are you OK?

Strictly instant coffee chez choo. Find the real stuff a bit bitter.

Big rooms here too with drafty front door. Heating is on full blast.