Should auld, WISE and AVID acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind, as long as they continue to shop, 2011 will be of the very best kind

[macmama]

New thread

Hi all- posting on iPhone so apologies in advance for laughable errors. Have been in hotel heaven and now am at home minus DH and dd and I are on a bit ofa come down! Not helped by her being car sick on the way home. She was so brave about it though and even managed to catch it all in the plastic bag I gave her.....

It's been a busy weekend on here hasn't it?! Glad that any perceived differences have been resolved. From my perspective, the great thing about this thread is that it underlines how many things the people who gave found each other on here have in common, regardless of whether we work outside the home or not. We all love our kids, watch a bit of naff tv, read a range of novels, love films and music ........ And obviously we want to look the best we can whether that is for work or family life. There is MUCH more that we share than separates us IMHO.

Bunny- haven't neglected you with lack of pm. So far have PMed people re accommodation only and was working on assumption you wouldn't need that. LTEC will put you on the 'maybe' list after exciting move news. Can't believe your DH tried to bin shred and Muriels Wedding. I love that film and went too it with one of my best friends whilst dreadfully hungover after a badly behaved night many moons ago- we laughed until we cried. 'You're terrible Muriel.'

Everything - sorry to hear that things are so strained at home. It sounds awful and I really hope you get that other house.

I will pm all the relevant ladies ref accommodationlater to tonight, but want to publically thank Choo for going into bat for us

Lastly, one of the things I was planning to do nearer the time was to circulate relevant meet-up details via Pm. Timings / locations etc. Given that there will be a fair few of us, I thought I might circulate (via pm obviously) a list of those attending with Mn names and real first names down to help the conversation. If you are not one of my fb friends, could you pm me your real name if attending?? Obviously it isn't compulsory, and feel free not to if you feel uncomfortable. The only place it would be going would be to the relevant others onthis thread who have agreed to meet in person. TIA.....and well done for getting this far!!

LTEC - another style hit? you red HH dress is in the magazine today.

Blimey about VB -she really is hiding it well isn't she?

Tracey -

NY - can you remind me of your FB initials so I can check?

Now that I have the notion in my head that I may be heading towards early menopause I'm now assuming my terrible mood is down to that (and not just an irritable nature which it's always been in the past ). I am so bloody suggestable.

ABO- I think a slightly more drapey sweater dress would suit your curved- and perhaps a more vivid shade. It may not be fair, but I keep on comparing it to how fab you look in that vWA dress, and it doesn't quite measure up .... But I realise that we can't swan around in VWA all the time!

Felt pretty stylish this weekend. Wore Vins Skinnies again, please Gap coated skinnies and Breton for daytime. Asymmetric silk dress from TS Boutique last night. Think I may have overeaten judging by the slight muffin top on the coated skinnies that wAsnt there before!! Did quite a bit of exercise, but maybe not enough. Will be good for the next few days and step on the scales at the end of the week to see if any permanent damage was done......

Hells - I am MBL. Fairly sure we are linked.

W and A ladies good article on jumpsuits (believe it or not that is possible!)in Style supplement today also enjoyable article on my fashion heroe - Mary Portas.

ABO like the tunic jumper, looks very useful.

Ooooh Cute bag.

Looby - The violinist was an American called Joshua Bell and he played a piece by Max Bruch (Number 1, Opus 26 - says the prgramme!) Then the orchestra played the William Tell Overture - the piece usually used on TV for fast moving scenes - amazing to hear being played in RL.
Choo - our hotel was one of the Bilderberg chain here. This one was in a great location - next to wonderful shopping street (PC Hoofstraat) nice restaurants and close to the museums etc but our room was very small and DH kept having to shuffle round the side of the bed to get out of each others way when getting ready! Also had a really tiny spa - one room with a bath, sun bed and massage chair which made me laugh - the spa that is, not the chair! Fine for a night tho. There were nice several hotels close by - all in the Oud Zuid area of Amsterdam. HTH. I would have loved to see TT but they are over here when we are in France on holiday!

Think I may just get the KM blue coat - I have a long puffa coat for when its really cold and collar on KM turns down to enable scarf wearing so has potential for wearing from early Spring and into late Autumn.

Notyummy - great idea re name list! I must confess I have a few W&A's on FB and I've forgotten who they are on MN!

ABO - I like the dress but was thinking just what NY wrote re the colour of the VW dress being a better colour. I tried this Kew dress on and it was v flattering. No idea about colours tho and whether these 3 would suit an Autumn??
here

OWW Indeedy!

Thx bloss- that is what I have been doing and it worked the first time but not again. Will look at files-abo- thx (wonders ignorantly how to do this)...

LTEC- I do think that people read all sorts online nowadays and you can be ID'd on your profile!

bunny- hope your wonder nanny is well for tomorrow.

edher/ hf- I do like Bo Concept!

ollie-Joshua Bell is one of the most famous violinists in the world and I think it must have been the Bruch violin concerto that you heard which is beautiful! I'm sure I heard him play at The Wigmore Hall when I was (a lot) younger. I really must organise to go and see a concert or opera this year- you have inspired me- just a hassle with the DC! :)

Plum - those kids chopsticks are great, I may invest - for me as I have never got the hang of using real ones! Your post reminded me....(non Style question coming up)

Does anyone have a recipe for soup that would be liked by 2 fussy eaters? Am trying to think of ways to up their veggie intake and would like to make some soup that they actually like.

*Loopy - LOL - see how clueless I am! Had no idea re JB! It was the annual ING New Years concert - they hire the concert hall and put on a concert for their employees. JB played for about 30 mins (all from memory - amazing) and then went before the WT overture. The whole concert was over in an hour which was far too short. (Lovely drinks and nibbles afterwards tho! )

HF - are we FB mates? I haven't got the foggiest!!!

that's funny hells and quite gratifying. Where/ how is it mentioned - didn't get the Times today. In my head I have that dress as my meet-up dress - with high metallic pumps like these (yet to be acquired ... )

God, that is so weird LTEC - I was only slightly boring DH at dinner last night banging on about how I needed either gold or nude heels for the meet-up because I was potentially wearing a dress that needed them!

He was like this .

Gosh am feeling a bit that my late-night throwaway comments about working in a law firm created such a furore and bad-feeling - it really wasn't my intention.
FWIW I wholeheartedly agree with what Bunny said - my comment was very much a reflection of magic circle^ law firms, rather than law in general.
I still have lots of friends working full time in the law (and earning £££) with 2 or 3 children, but what is telling is that none of them are still doing transactional work in a magic circle firm.
I was going to say that "luckily" my DH is a partner but in truth, luck has had nothing to do with it - it has been years and years of ball-breaking work and punishing hours for him and he has sacrificed a lot (including seeing his children) to have the career he has. There is no such thing as "working like a man" or "working like a woman" in a magic circle firm, there is simply signing your soul and your life away to the devil firm. DH does not see either of our dd's Monday to Friday at all, even I don't see much of him - which is why I'm on here most evenings! As a couple we have decided that the financial rewards coupled with the fact I am full time SAHM make this a workable arrangement for us. I am sure loads of people would disagree/not want it this way. It works for us, it's not perfect but then what is?

OWW was there a pianist?

Will get round to the Sunday (and Saturday papers) next week!

Everything I meant to say house looks good. Amazing what a lick of paint and some new towels can do for a bathroom. And remember it's the people that make a home

Notyummy Glad you had a fab time. I was having a look at the hotel's website - it has some amazing deals. So a thumbs up from you?

I'm pretty sure it's yours. A red silk HH dress. It's in the bit we are always in (I say we - but it's never my stuff )...'Your style' - with Gemma Soames - Wardrobe mistress. Hello Gemma

LTEC and notyummy - those Rupert Sandersons are in the Question Air sale. You can get 10% cashback too if you buy them through Quidco. Actually LTEC I was eyeing them up in the SE21 Question Air yesterday - which is not too far from you I think? The ones I saw were more bronze than the picture suggests but then they might be a different colour .

OWW - have you tried Delia's pumpkin and sweet potato soup? A bit autumnal but when I tried it out on a couple of fussy eaters I know it went down a storm as it is very sweet (in a veggie way). Plus a hunk of farmhousey bread - yum!

Esher - I love your luck comment. To quote Jefferson - 'I find the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have' .

esher - no, no pianist this year. I think they have a different soloist each year tho so maybe last year???

Can you tell I'm avoiding ironing?!

yes oooh that's where I tried them on - at the same time as buying said HH dress which is why I am now fixated!!!

I don't get the whole buying through quidco thing, can someone explain?

NY if you do get these ones (am imagining you, like me, are large-ish of foot?) then bear in mind that they come up big - a 40 was fine on me (usually a 41)

are you local to me then oooh? I am in that store about twice a week!

oh maybe it's not quite the shame...yours is even nicer I think (sorry Gemma)

ABO, I don't think the tunic does you justice.

Plum, I'd say I am about twice VB's size!

Happy new year, Libra.

Looby and Macmama, aw, thanks!

HF, wow, that's a big crowd.

ltec, I didn't realise you had that dress. It is divine. I also thought it would suit you abo.
Glad you had a good weekend notyummy. I feel very bloated today but am sitting here wiping sweat off my brow after doing my DVD!