Whatever you want, whatever you like, be WISE and AVID, so do your sums, and get it right....!

[DolceeBanana]

New thread...sorry bit lame compared to normal, but thought I'd bite the bullet (as it were)....

bet it Chesneys Tracey

Bloss....wowee! Gorgeous photo and love jacket!

Loobylu- can I be added too purleese? Thanks

Plum - Lisa Helmanis.

Looby - I have just got this hamper for my friend following your suggestion, so thank you. I think it will hopefully suit her!

Thank you, NY. Are you feeling better?

Yes thanks, still a bit wiped out, but no shivers/shakes and hacking cough. Got a bit more sleep last night.

Your outfit sounds hot Vin
Haha roman about being ?too annoying? at other people?s houses by giving up dairy completely ? I know what you mean! It is a bit crazy when self-imposed ban is not based on any medical truth.

Slightly easier for me as DD1 is actually allergic to dairy (not dangerously anymore luckily but it does make her feel very unwell, break out in hives etc so we avoid) so anywhere I go with her we cater for it anyway and I am so used to it I don?t find it a hassle ? we never use it in cooking etc

tracey re calcium I am a bit bad in that I don?t take a special one just my pregnancy/breastfeeding multi-vitamin daily and calcium enriched soya or rice milk in my morning smoothie. I should do though!

Seems vastly unfair to get up at 5 to get ahead of the game yet still be running 20mins late for meeting. have resorted to black cab. Blimmin' London!!

I love resorting to black cabs, love it. I think 'let's get a cab' might be my favourite expression.

Oh Ny, sorry about your friend. Think Hells suggestion sounds spot on. Glad you are feeing better.

DD2 better today, but DD1 has a cold and I am feeling rather snuffly, and in madness suggested DS have a couple of friends over this afternoon after school. Oh well...he will enjoy no doubt! And I will feel like a really good mummy for putting my sons happin ess before my tendancy to introvert when feeling rotten.

Have made 2 new RL friends...weird how it still feels so good when you meet like minded souls (much like you guys!!!). Have known them for a while and gradually got to know them, and they are both fab people with nice kiddies! Result!

Plum - you look beautiful in your wedding pics! Adorable. How old are you??????

Keep meaning to say Looby - beautiful little family you have. Your pics gorgeous too...

Esher- think I went through all that at 30. I am 41 (42 this year), and don't feel any older...honestly....My body (now have shedded the baby poundage), does feel fit and slim (thanks to Dukan), although I have the kind of face structure that shows weight loss immediately. However, I feel better thinner, and at this age have more confidence I think, so it's swings and roundabouts. Think this time of year plays havoc with skin anyway; dryness and limited sunlight...

Plus, I am encouraged by all the fab women I meet you look amazing and are in their 30's, 40's, 50 etc. and the supermodels I grew up with who now seem to be more in demand and successful than the new ones....

Tracey - sweet that B likes creative things! P loves her crayons and 'cooking' with plastic pots and plastic veg! Oh, and 'drilling' with tools...no gender stereo typing here

Um, clothes this month: apart from new Gapjeans and some cashmere jumpers in JL sale...cannot remember...ummm....oh, yes, Tods loafers! Oh and bag...oh let's not go there..........

Dolce, thank you, am 33 now, but was 28 then. I had put them on FB to show a RL friend, and some W&A-ers had seen them and commented so added them here for benefit of Bloss, who is an FB denier. Am not just randomly fishing for complements. Although...

Sorry if it seems like I am always mentioning my age...at this point I should be reducing no of years, or maybe adding 5 so people say, 'wow, really'....

Anyway, just to say I have a new TV crush...Rufus Sewell. If your DH is a look alikey Hells then lucky you! He has grown on me...found him irritating at first...bit like dh though in actual fact

Think DH has a thing for Tania too...she is rather beautiful, in that haunting kind of way...but did point out that she looked rather awful in one scene on Sunday night which dh agreed with

Anyway, Zen's on screen mother does look rather good for an older lady...

You know, I think my only purchase so far this month is the big green leopard scarf from M&S. So only £15. Weird.

WIT has linked to this Stella mag feature that she was in at the weekend. Really makes me want to go to the outlets in Florence. Next meet-up, perhaps?!

These are brilliant!

Is Rufus Sewell from Gossip Girl? I think DH looks a bit like Don Draper! (He doesn't like that at all!)
On the age thing, I'm 40 and I've never felt better or been happier with the way I look.

?I'm 40 and I've never felt better or been happier with the way I look?

Go bloss !

Noooooo!I have ignored kitchen mess to type humungous post and now disappeared into the ether...

notyummy your friend probably wants to try to keep things as 'normal' for her ds as possible so any playdates etc would be a winner.Everyone else covered the meals/dry skin/sympathetic ear but do keep in mind her dh,who will also struggle with the diagnosis but probably have less outlet.

hope you continue to feel better for your weekend away.

ltec I can imagine those sequin shorts looking fab on you.

bunny I prefer boots no.2 for you as the zipper draws attention to your fabulous legs.

plum I love your wedding dress.

this month I have bought the grey belstaffs (thanks again ooh )

hasbeen-alikeys from h and m and

ermmm..hair removing cream

carciofi sorry you are feeling poorly too,hope you both recover soon.

roma you are such a softee really(poorly boy post)

vb what a beautiful start you've given that little girl..now I know why I thought you had four children!your poor Aunt,how awful for the whole family.

ageing..I'm hoping when dd2 starts sleeping through it will have a wrinke reversing affect

Yes Verity that is lovely story about looking after friend?s DD. My neighbour looked after a relative?s young DD for extended periods and I know she found it emotionally complicated too I can imagine how attached you would get. I guess the same applies to a lot of very good childcarers, my nanny is certainly bonding beautifully with DD2 ? as a mum sometimes it can be hard as you would like to be the one with the DC all day but at the same time if you have to work outside the home then its lovely to know they are being looked after by somebody who loves them.

Awful about your aunt ? not sure how I missed that! Hope you are all ok.

Zen, Bloss, Rufus is from Zen....slightly crap but weirdly addictive Sunday night cops prog.

Slightly haphazard morning with DD who has so far pulled a kitchen chair on to her head and eaten a doll's shoe...normal day really.

Reine...agree that future blissful sleep will counter effects that having babies wreak on skin!!!!

Please read yesterday's belgian waffle post about middle class injuries, I am laughing my head off: here

sorry this link instead otherwise you don't get all the hilarious anecdotal comments

haha love the le cruseut (sp!) wrist strain

That's very funny, Roman!

Ha ha ha! So I'm mentally congratulating myself this morning on my reasonably youthful appearance/ lack of concern re age/ lack of makeup, lotions, potions etc, thinking sheesh you're hard on yourself, come on you look pretty good really, not tubby, not haggard, quite well dressed... And I get to meeting and my (childless, 28 year old) colleague says 'oh my god are you ok? You look so tired!!'

Back to the drawing board and being riddled (addled??!!) by self doubt I guess

Plum we could do a Tuscany/Umbria meet up weekend. Stay at my house, retail outlet shopping just one hour's drive away, ryanair pretty cheap Stansted - Perugia .......