As we AVIDly await the joys of spring and the new fashion finds that it will bring, we WISEly contemplate our winter buys and return all goods that are unkind to the eyes

[macmama]

Couldn't resist!

Yay for recovered earring, new iphone and job interview!

Boo for my tummy. I went for a long run (well, by my standards anyway - 10 miles - although I am sure Paula Radcliffe wouldnt break a sweat) and since I have got back at 4 30 today I have doubled over with cramps and bathroom visits (TMI alert...) Really horrendous. Put it this way - I have just read DD her bedtime stories whilst sitting on the loo . She, bless her, brought me a teddy to cuddle to make me feel better and tried to massage my tummy.

Oh - and Fritzi - wear the new dress to the MOAM - go on!

MM - Love the sound of the holiday and hope you are able to relax and heal body and soul whilst there.

Home and fed after a long day at the hospital.everything went well..dd1 amazing..I did blub while she was in theatre but of course have kept that under wraps from her.

Just want to say so lovely to come on to the thread and receive kind thoughts,hope you can feel the love from this thread too MM and zembo for your hard times.I know a holiday won't fix the hurt MM but a little sunshine can be very healing.loved all your links b.t.w..wish I could wear hareems without looking stumptastic!

plum you had me rolling about with your tiara comment.

marsha love the seebychloe.

mac love how you plan to style that jacket.

what a great buy with the belstaffs tracey ..bless your cleaner for looking through the hoover umska..hope it reaps rewards.

keep meaning to ask OWW did you enroll in your dutch course.

hope romaDS3 bump receding

was it southlondon mini meet up today or have I muddled the dates?

So glad it went well Reine.

Welcome lackadaisy - good bargains!

And welcome bouncingblueberries.

slow typing..missed the earring has resurfaced..bravo for your cleaner tracey

poor notyummy but how sweet of dd.

oooh gorgeous shirt!

Ooh = Cropped trousers fine on short people if they are relatively petite. Audrey H rocked them!

I prefer the Belstaff or Jigsaw boot options.

And colour - think I am going to stick to more top half blocks of colour to work with the pear shape - but if I find the right colour block maxi, then lets face it..I am going to buy it, aren't I?!

Poor ny you are really in the wars.

DS3's bump is receding thank you though will be an amazing rainbow bruise for sure.

Glad it went well Reine.

And hooray for earring Tracey.

Now, where's cake ???

Is anyone watching the new Scandinavian crime drama on BBC 4- The Killing? Very, very good.

MM no one is feeling sorry for you. We just understand how you are feeling. As the wise Tracy says. You are aloud to feel sad. Loosing a baby is sad. Very ver sad. I am so sorry you are going through this. I think a holiday sounds just the thing. I did something similar when I lost a baby.

X

We've dithered too long on the place we really want to go to and can't go until late March now. Not sure whether to go to option 2 or have a week away in UK & go to the #1 place in March. All I really want is a week away with dp & dd and think anywhere will do.

Perhaps we need to go now or perhaps we need something (replacement) special to look forward to. We've got the anniversary of dd1's departure from us this month too. Life is so shit sometimes.

In terms of people feeling sorry etc. I find it very hard when people express sympathy in rl. I smile & say thanks but if they persist in their kindness I almost end up comforting them. Life has made me as hard as nails. It's not something I'm proud of but it means it is only really with dp and my closest sister that I can cry and be open. One thing I'm finding so hard is to resist the temptation of Marlboro. I've not smoked "properly" for 5 years and at all for 3 so it's quite odd.

Who was asking about hallways? Ours (Georgian house) is white & grey below the dado & up the hallway. A lot of our furniture is very modern and we've found varying shades of grey with tints of green / blue mean the house and our style taste don't look odd. We have a beautiful old ornate mirror I painted lime yellow in the hallway & a set of canvases dd made. Not to everyone's taste!

I meant to say to all the stripe fans that I got a striped navy/white tunic dress from Warehouse via JL but can't find it on the web. I've worn it loads with a heat tech, M&S red and blue leopard scarf and jeggings. It's not my usual style but is great for bending down days.

it was Reine, but we are postponing. Date tbc. Haven't seen the Lotta thread Verity, on IPad and can't see site as no flash player (this makes me understand the techie hatred of Apple Tracey),

Love the dress lackadaisy.

Vin sorry you're having trouble with the move. The wit in many of your recent posts has made me laugh our loud. I'd love to meet you for a drink. I'll pm you as soon as we've sorted holidays.

Red google Lotta of Stockholm.

It was I MM, I think our houses may be of the same ilk. Will toy with a grey sample. I think it sounds like you need to get away regardless of the location and do it sooner rather than later. I really hope that such a break will help you to find comfort in each other.

Love the sound of a striped Warehouse tunic.

MM - I'd go to your preferred choice in March and how about a nice HDV next week - I know you like them

Tracy so please earing turned up. How lucky is that!

MM I so understand where you are coming from even the comforting others for your pain. I did / do that too. I think that in the UK we have a very strange attitude to death/ loss. Unlike other countries we do not have a culture of death which means that people are very uncomfortable about it and never know what to say / what to do. Certainly in my life this has led to some very odd exchanges such as " how are you" me, " well, um fine, yes fine thank you, what about you what have you been up to... " the other person then proceeds to tell me all about their week etc glossing over the trauma I am going through. I am also reluctant to admit when I am not coping or simply very sad and am very very bad at accepting help. I also fimd sympathy almost unbearable sometimes. And yes I echo your hard as nails vibe. I find it very hard to hear people talk about a sick parent for example. Surely they don't expect sympathy from me. At least they have one. Not nice I know but there it is.

X

So continuing with operation..trying not to look like sack of potatoes/ harassed mother at work....

Saw this is Gap today. Did not have a chance to try on but looked lovely so will try and pop in tomorrow.

www.gap.eu/browse/product.do?cid=57384&vid=1&pid=808552

I could wear with new H&M breton I ordered. Also what do people think of this Lily and Lionel scarf...the voices in my head are telling me I have to have it...

www.lilyandlionel.com/item.php?id=612&stylenumber=SC9895

Tracey you read my mind. I've suggested that to dp.

Vin my sister is off to Argentina next week. I may get her to do exactly that. Many moons ago when I was in counselling I was asked why I never cried properly when talking about some quite upsetting things. It made me laugh really. I'd been given an hour a week where I was supposed to let it all out and cry. But how the hell are you supposed to stop crying enough to go and pick up the kids, cook tea, do the things we have to do.

reine so glad everything went ok. x

Cross posts Vin. I often used to escape to Italy. Sometimes for a night. We must meet. I think we could cause some chaos!

Ants I appreciate your post a lot. In Italy we have (I say we have, I'm in south east London!) a Day of the Dead each year where we mourn those we loved and lost. It's always seemed so much more civilised but I have many relatives that hate it being so formalised. It's also funny that atm it's my Italian family and friends saying "just move on" like nothing's happened.