Avid & Wise, Eyes on the Prize, Our Gorgeous Spring Summer Buys!

[blossoming]

New thread here!

Hello all, back from wedding in Southport which was a great laugh. In the end I wore a cream LKB dress and black DKNY cropped jacket with bows on the front, and black heels. Sounds a bit dull I know but it just wasn't quite summer dress weather and also I am quite proud that I didn't buy anything new but made use of available material, ticking the wise box I hope.

One thing which surprised me were the number of women wearing almost all black including black net fascinators - bit funereal IMO for a wedding.

Enjoying all the links and ideas for spring - which finally feels like it is here.

OWW the scone demo sounds good, as does Operation Tillie. Cost per use and all that!

Happy Mothers Day to you all

Lots to catch up on as always! Happy Mothers Day all. I have had a lovely weekend with the family although DH has been working part of the time.
I have also managed to bust the laptop so hoping it can be fixed!

Vin-Interview for Medicine sounds so much more demanding nowadays. I really don't remember doing masses of prep and wouldn't have dreamt of reading GMC guidance. I was an 18 year old of v average maturity from a rather sheltered background. You have so much more experience in every way and I'm sure that they will see that.

Red and mrs CB- congratulations on the new houses-great news! Exciting times! Hope you are happy in Bristol red and hope you have a lovely, sunny holiday!

Well done to apuski and carciofi on eBay success. Tempted by that Bodens t you linked to carciofi. I am absolutely not tempted by most of the other Boden items though!

Hello haricot- lovely looking Hush dress.

Bloss- great blazer.

I think it was zembo and CHOO with the lovely Reiss links. I have ordered a few Reiss thinks to try on at my local JL.

Your weekend sounds v special NY

ollie-congratulations on the wt loss and the baking!

Hello again Oooooh-nice to see youmon here again!

Pleased the party was a success Marsha. Your house must have looked beautiful with all the flowers and decorated eggs. I think you linked to the Isabel Marant pink jeans a few wks back. They were in the Sunday Times magazine today ( had a quick peek at the end of our pub lunch today)

roary- I love that pink, pleated whistles skirt you linked to it. I saw it in JL a few weeks ago but didn't try-probably All gone now.

Hi fritzi and everyone else that I have missed!

Hi all
Looby my attempt to reserve a Carrie skirt via Grazia seems to have failed (They say they will contact within 48 hrs if lucky) but you could try online again 11 April when they are restocked.

Marsha glad the philistines had fun.

carciofi the name thief and the clothes thief are not the same, are they?

Apuski and other Georgette lovers, sell me on her please, like new books for the kindle and am big historical fiction fan (Dorothy DUnnett is my favorite).

ants glad you are feeling brighter - I have to say a high fever makes you feel so grim, it was years since I'd had one till earlier this year, AWFUL. Especially after looking after sick kids for a few days.
My husband is reading over my shoulder because he wants to see what the imaginary friends talk about. I think he is disappointed. He wants to know WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE??? I told him very stylish ladies.

vin good luck at interview.

DH has left now. He points out that my conversations with 'random punters' may be slowing down my productivity. I ask you!

Can I just say that I have rediscovered my love for my leather jacket. It is possibly the sexiest thing I own. I've had it since 1999 and have broken it out now my boobs are not enormous in early BF days and I'm not pregnant. Random men have been smiling at me in the street and construction workers chatting me up (!). It is starting to get a bit worn though so I will seek a second to rotate it with but have been coming up emptyhanded because most of the ones we've been linking to and chatting about have been cropped, which is disastrous on me. Pic is on my profile in lovely jacket I think!

night night all.

Hi everyone! Have had a very lovely day and now tired and stuffed!
We saw gorgeous seaside villages: the best one was so perfect I'm thinking of booking a few nights there for dh's birthday. That is not like me at all! Apparently we could have seen Ireland if we'd strained!
We had a carvery lunch and the dcs were well behaved. Dd ate a plate of cauliflower! Then we went to my brother's house and he started off by saying dd looked like my mil [horror]. Then he force fed me delicious home made desserts! (I knew this would happen and was prepared for a day off strictness). Back on Jillian tomorrow.
It surprises me how remote some places are. We're over an hour from a dual carriageway, but today, dear me! No wonder Wales is the way it is. We had dingle track roads for miles and miles. Where on earth do they do their shopping??

Glad to hear your all having great Sundays. Will catch up tomorrow.

roary I cannot see your picture. But very envious that you have a leather jacket c. 1999 that you can still wear. I have one from the same vintage but it's a bit matrix......

Annie I always fall back on a beef stew...its a fail safe and I just add whatever I have really

Toss stewing steak in seasoned flour. Brown.

Add to casserole dish with rough chopped onion, swede, butternut squash, carrot.

Add large dollop of redcurrent jelly, generous splash of red wine cover with stock until meat etc covered in fluid.

Bay leaf

Slow cook for couple of hours. Serve with mashed potato, beans etc

Great because you can do this the day before so you are not rushing arou d with your guests. Great with crusty bread to mop up juices.

vin Sorry I'm getting a bit confused with all your job options but you have obviously many talents so good luck with the interview!

roary Leather jackets are great. I love mine too and feel super-confident no matter what I wear it with.

bloss Wales sounds really beautiful, I have never been. Are you going to order the white blazer? If it fits it could be perfect for you, I think.

annie With two DDs and a full-time job I wouldn't stress about cooking. Just get some lovely take-away and buy some nice champagne. Although ant's recipe for beef stew sounds yummy! For me it is not really the cooking that is stressful but the shopping.

emo Well done on the wedding outfit: sounds very chic and at no cost, what's not to love!

I have a day off today, wohoo! Will be dropping off tons of old stuff at clothes agency and red cross and then have a browse around the shops. Forgot to say: Thanks for feedback re trench. I will however avoid the MaxMara shop as I always end up falling in love with something and then nothing ever looks so good in comparison.

Annie- would second the rec from Ants for some sort of casserole. I do a beef and chorizo chilli thing that tastes better if it sits for a day. Just serve with cous cous and some green veg. Buy a nice pudding/ cake or buy meringues and do Eton Mess in literally 2 mins. Glad you had a nice mothers day and hope the next 4 weeks flies by.

exhausted Happy anniversary! Are you going out tonight?

Been shopping and bought the following.

www.oasis-stores.com/Hutton-Ditsy-Viscose-Blouse/Tops-&-Blouses/oasis/fcp-product/3710017100

www.fatface.com/tees-and-tops/zip-back-morris-print-tunic/invt/30352/&bklist=icat,4,shop,womenswear,womenstunics

www.fatface.com/tees-and-tops/twiss-stripe-henley-t-shirt/invt/29526/&bklist=icat,4,shop,womenswear,womensteestops#

Viva, I can't open your Oasis link. Nice breton.

Sounds like nice weekends all around.

Good luck with the interview, Vin.

Annie, I bet your DH approved of the OTK boots! It must be hard being apart.

Happy anniversary, Exhausted. How many years are you married? We will be 11 years soon. We didn't rush into having kids!

Annie, I would do paella or else go with Fritzi or Exhausted's suggestions of antipasti/takeout.

Roary, I have a leather blazer (very Emmanuelle!) that is about 10 years old. I think it pays to stick with the classics. Yes, the name copier/clothes borrower is one and the same. The previous time I met her, we were in a friend's house to admire her new baby and she said she was going to go for the new baby's name. She will probably change her mind again but we don't see each other that much anyway.

Historical fiction ... I am reading Savage Lands by Clare Clark. A good read though some of the character descriptions could have been expanded.

Still have a sore throat and have tried gargling with salt water, tcp and soluble paracetamol. Any other suggestions?

I have a new object of desire ... LK Bennett jacket.

Carciofi - Have you trued high grade manuka honey for your throat? Has proven ani-bacterial properties I think. I had horrendous recurring tonsilitius a few years ago and researched ANYTHING that could help, and that was one thing that came up consistently.

annie marks and spencers sell really good meringues.

NY, thanks, I will go and buy that this morning.

Chilli sounds like a good idea, Annie. Have a very happy birthday.

Morning all!
I think a vat of chilli sounds delicious annie. You could buy some garlic bread too, or some other crusty bread. Packets of ready grated cheddar, bagged salad, and I love eton mess too. Although I must be very disciplined this week after yesterday!
Boy am I paying for a nice day yesterday. Cold and wet today, and dd is so overtired and crying at the slightest thing.
fritzi, much as I like the blazer I have other things closer up on my shopping list that will get priority!
Was annoyed with DH yesterday as one of the villages, which is popular with English holidaymakers and people who like sailing, had a Fat Face, Crew and White Stuff. Bang in the middle of nowhere. Very strange. But I really wanted DH to go into Crew and get a new jumper as I hate the one he wears round the house. He looks nice in a collar, and in the Crew catalogue I got on Saturday, there was a half zip sweatshirt which would have really suited him. He said, I'm not going shopping for me on mother's day! I didn't tell him there was a white jacket I fancied trying on too!
Sorry your throat is still bad carciofi. Good news on the dvf though, an on your dad's visit.
Would you recommend the hotel you stayed in this weekend notyummy?
Happy anniversary exhausted. We've given up on buying presents apart from birthdays and Christmas. But I do recommend Crew for lovely weekend clothes for dhs.

bloss - hotel was great. Can thoroughly recommend it. Room was really good as the sleeping area was pretty separate (no door, but narrow corridor between)and she even had her own TV! What I would say though is that is just across the road (about 20 m) from the Westminster Park Plaza isthis sister hotel. It is not quite as new from the outside, but the rooms have been revamped and are the same - i.e studio layout with separate sleeping areas for families. Probably not quite a 'swept up' just because it is not as new as the other one, but looks nice on the website. The only difference is it has no pool - although has spa/gym. Prices seem considerably lower so could be worth a look?

I second M and S meringues..and I don't usually like meringues.

Have been avidly Springcleaning(as DD2 finally completely better so DH took over)at weekend so sorry if skipped lots of stuff on the thread.

Zara flats look lovely as does Crumpet Cardie.

Will you make the next london meetup red and mrscb..good luck with your respective house moves

DH got DD2 dressed yesterday in a top(he thought it was a dress) and tights..didn't bother putting a skirt on when I pointed it out..don''t think he will make that mistake when she is a teenager!

hope return to work goes well today zembo

M&S do fab chocolate mini meringues.

I think I've stayed in the County Hall one before with girlfriends notyummy. it was lovely. Dh is still wobbly about his hernia and not up to booking anything. It's a good job the Italy trip is booked and paid for.
In the summer before I started seeing dh, just before I turned 30 I went travelling round Norway. I saw ryanair have flights from my local airport to Oslo for £6.00 one way and got really excited about a mini break! Staying in a family room in the lovely youth hostel there. But he's not biting!