Avidly assessing Autumn buys, whilst Wisely still wearing summer styles...

[notyummy]

Evening all!

Rufus, don't kill yourself cleaning, the au pair won't notice anyway!

I always buy my own presents from DH and my dad still gives me cash at Christmas and birthdays, as he says, money always fits. :)

Bonsoir, I bought a navy duvet coat for DD1 at Alex and Alexa last year, I think it was by Mayoral.

Bloss, great shopping. I see the Annina bag comes in teal too, hmmm. Good luck tomorrow, you will be fab.

I am bummed I didn't get to see One Day last week as I don't when I will get to it now, the babysitter isn't available mid-week for ages.

LK Bennett have 20% off with the code red4 but it doesn't work on the Annina or Davina, you'll be glad to hear.

I made enough from ebay to order the North Face parka, what did I do before ebay!

Ollie, you are making me hungry (again).

Forgive the intrusion but I can contain my curiosity no longer!! I love this thread and you do give the best advice (although very sad I was too late for the excellent AR dress!)
Just got to ask - are you an established circle of friends or is this a public thread. It almost seems you've known each other for ever - I feel as if I'm reading an unfolding novel, Dicken-style.

The SandstoneCat!
We "met' on this thread which was started at the beginning of 2010. Lots of people have come and gone but all are welcome! We've had a few real life meet ups too. I guess we may be a MN clique but I like to think we welcome newcomers with open (and stylish) arms! Personally I find everyone on here so v supportive (see MIL moan above!) and do tend to think of them as 'friends' esp as we share so much - much to DH's amusement!
Stick around?

Addition to the 'worse present DH ever brought' topic - a hosepipe on a wheel thing (I kid you not) - with a box of horrible christmas decorations cos "they were at the checkout in the DIY shop". He was so proud of himself - as was his Mum when I opened it.

I now provide detailed lists - which avoid any sort of trips to DIY stores!

Hi TheSandstoneCat, do please join in! It is definitely an open thread - lots of posters have joined along the way.

Brief potted history of A&W: back in Jan 2010, a thread started where people were trying to not spend any money on clothes. A few posters wanted to spend wisely rather than not at all, but the 'no-spenders' weren't keen on being tempted by lovely links that the 'wise-spenders' put on the thread. And so a new thread 'Wise and Avid' began, originally started by LTEC. Some of us have been along to one or more meet-ups, hence the 'you'd look great in that!' comments, but some just post. Some have recently joined in and some (like me) struggle to post lots but pop in a bit less frequently.

But definitely open to all! (gwan, let's have some more delurking!).

lol x-post Ollie! Glad your memory is roughly the same as mine! (I started as a lurker, mainly as I was heavily pregnant and buying no clothes, and dreaming of post-pregnancy fashion vicariously!).

Ollie thanks for the warm welcome. Always enjoy your posts as we are neighbours - I am, in fact, a Belgian cat, so it's interesting to hear other expat adventures.

Welcome sandstone!

ollie Hope your MIL has left by now and not all the shortbread is gone. How long will DH be away? Oh, and don't forget your treat for today (great idea!).

Hi sandstone .

Ollie, I can not believe your MIL

sandstone i like you already!
Fritzi MIL stayed for 30 mins, DS1 was tired and grumpy so hard work all round! I hid the shortbread but of course the boys wanted to have some and found it so out it came! My treat for today is some Ben and Jerrys cookie dough ice cream - once DSs are in bed!

DH just rang, said it was too hot. Too hot? No pleasing some people!

Too hot. Sounds fab!

Pickled I laughed a bit as I realised that back in the days of young love I was probably happy with some Walkers ready salted crisps and some Leffe. Realised I am a bit more high maintenance now

Hi Sandstone, feel free to join .

Hello Sandstone . I was a lurker on this thread right from the very start, with just the occasional post. I de-lurked last winter, and so glad that I did!

Can't believe your MIL ollie, although I laughed at the idea she could smell the shortbread. As for 'Too hot'...can you imagine?!

Bloss I love Davina so much. I tried it on a few months ago, and if I hadn't just found out I was pregnant, then I would have purchased. It's stunning, and I agree that the cut is so flattering.

Good luck on the scarf marsha. I always think matches styling looks poor compared to NAP.

Great e-baying carciofi, hopefully you will still be in time to catch One Day.

VB We did the house of our dreams! Lovely 1930's property, needs a fair bit of work but could be perfect for us. Great local schools and still good distance to the station for my commute. (Not that I intend to be doing it for the long term) But, until we are under offer, we can't really do much. Fingers crossed that things pick up soon.

Have a good evening at the cinema pickled.

The stories about xmas gifts and DH's have made me smile. DH is good, in that he listens to hints but mostly I get household things that I have coverted. Which is great, but sometimes it would be nice to get something personal for me.

My birthday (same as LTEC) is only a few days from xmas day. Also DS born a week before too. So you can picture my face when a week after giving birth to DS I got a set of le creuset from him for combined xmas and birthday.

This year, I am after a new purse, possibly an Anya H.

Just had a very comforting dinner of jacket potatoes and cheese...perfect for this wet and cold day.

I have my scan in the morning, so a late start to work..can't wait!

Hi Sandstone - I posted here on the first thread, then lurked throughout my pregnancy and summoned up the courage to post again in the winter as I began to try and get my groove back. It's lovely here.

Ollie your MiL, my goodness!

Wan Hope you enjoy tomorrow and great news on seeing a place you like; I'm a big fan of 1930s properties. Have you got more viewings on your place? Someone is bound to fall in love with it soon - just as you did.

Bloss the Davina is gorgeous, I stroked it a little in John Lewis yesterday. A very wise buy.

Carciofi hope the babysitter has a cancellation, but would argue that it's not the kind of film that needs to be seen at the cinema, so nothing lost if you end up seeing it on DVD (just annoyance from the anticipation!). Well done on the eBay selling.

Sounds like we has just the same reaction Rufus, look forward to your thoughts Pickled - outfit sounds great, enjoy!

DH is very good at gifts, bar the rogue Radley bag a few years ago. He knows to head to Whistles! The best gift he gave me was a gorgeous eternity ring on DS' 1st birthday - completely unexpected. DD turns 1 on Saturday (waaaah - feel sad that she is growing up so quickly)...

Have been sent to our room with a cup of tea after throwing a wobbly following a visit from a builder . Must work on my patience issues. Had a lovely afternoon with a big group of friends at the Kite Festival. dS was spellbound by all the displays.

We're trying to decide whether to go to France with friend's for the October half-term. I think DH will want a break, he thinks that travelling will be too much of an ordeal and we'll need to do stuff to the house. Thoughts?

No other viewings booked at the moment, red. I am hoping that things pick up soon though...I believe September is busy in the EA Calendar.

I would say go, go, go to the holiday! Lots of wise people here can advised about travelling with DC's. As for the house, would there be things that could be done in your absence? I am thinking of smaller jobs that you don't need to give and opinion on at the time. Or do you have a friend that could pop in and oversee anything thats going on?

What work are you having done? Indulge me in some property porn. I am dreaming of new kitchens constantly!

The DCs are fairly good travellers, so that isn't a concern - we'd be going via ferry, so it means a lot of driving for DH.

We are having a side and rear extension built to make a big kitchen/diner with utility, w/c and larder/pantry to replace the c.1950 galley kitchen in situ. I want it started in the next few weeks, but it looks like it's going to begin in early October, which is fine, but is the kind of time when I would have been in more with the DC. Soft play here we come. The rest of the house is a state- bare floorboards downstairs, all walls back to plaster as they need replastering. DDs room has been decorated beautifully, but that's it.

It's so exciting to be doing it all, but at the risk of sound spoilt, am bloody fed up!

Red, with my DH the ONLY way to get him to take time out from stresses of work etc is to go away, hence recent trip to France even though we're about to start building work too, and should probably have just had a staycation. A holiday is my cure-all, so I think you should go.

hi everyone and a special hello to sandstone - I delurked like WAN last winter and haven't looked back!

have just ordered this printed dress from Warehouse - not sure if I could put a jacket over it for more formal work meetings but saw it "in store" and liked the colours. Keeping to my "no new black clothes this winter" theme! Went in to Hobbs - some nice things but I found the staff a bit full on (couldn't just let me browse, or try on in peace, fawning over everything everyone else tried etc etc - i.e. just doing their job...!) and couldn't be bothered.

Have been grumpy and frustrated at work and home recently, must snap out of it. Went to Tate Britain today with girls and DH - was fun, art trolley of things to make fantastic for DD1 and DD2 is walking (just!) so had some practice in the gallery.

Oh red, that is funny. I can completely understand having done up a house when living in it, but without dcs though. You're doing great! How was your dh's first days at school?
I have done a powerpoint presentation, and will present it to year 9s tomorrow. This is my first ever. I hope it won't be my last.
Very well done on the ebaying carciofi. Lots of lovely new spends! Are the dds getting on well?
Hope you get some offers in soon wan. Difficult times. When I was trying to sell my first house, I would get so many nosy people round that had no intention of buying. I used to get so angry. Still it sold in the end, but it took a few months when everything else was selling straight away.

ollie, next time your Mil does that just say, okay, I'll make the spare bed up for you, I'm off out bye! I've had my share of mil over the past 3 days I can tell you. Still it's over now. Dd goes to new childminder tomorrow, and my lovely parents are home, who I haven't seen for almost a month.

Right off to shred, then there seems to be some red wine left over. It would be wrong to leave it now wouldn't it?

Incidentally on the subject of delurking - I remember the reason I did was that there were lots of us who donated on Vin's fundraising page and someone suggested we should unmask ourselves - that got me thinking, Vin are you out there? Are you starting uni soon - if so don't forget you can get loads of student discounts (Top Shop) etc and cheap beer....! I hope all is well.

bloss red wine = grape juice. Full of antitoxidents...

Evening all!

Been living it up at legoland today! Wore grey skinnies, my new Aldo bikers (would link but not on website) and Mango Marant-a-like. Accessorised with my new Maje replacement here, but in neutral and my v dull North Face jacket (needs must.)

The hunt for the leopard print belt is over also, bought this last week - very happy!

red not spoilt at all - hate having work done, which is why two years later our to do list is more or less untouched!

wan Sept is the busiest month for EAs, as soon as the kids go back, you'll be swamped with viewings as people tend to want to exchange and complete before Xmas.

Carciofi well done on the eBay success, I've had a record month on there, it's like free money!

bloss was perving over the tweed Davina on Weds, gorgeous! No occasion to wear it as a SAHM, though :(

Great outfit pickled!

Marsha gorgeous isn't it? Have succumbed to cheapy version above!

fritzi fab tops, particularly like number one!

ollie think I must be the only one without your legendary shortbread recipe, any chance of a PM, pretty please?

Sandstone I am one of the newest, it's very friendly on here. Welcome!

Amber that is incredible! So close I gasped . And cotton too, I might have a look at that one too. (I have it bad, however, I started investigating the pattern of the Marant. It must stop!)

Emo hello! Evening do-ers, Emo has pm'd a brilliant location for evening. Will check out the booking situation and send to you this week. Am really, really tired so am going to see if there is a nice movie to watch with the dh.

Oh dear, in my search for work shoes, I have just discovered Chie Mihara, loving these, and also rather taken by these, and they are supposedly super-comfy. But too much money, back to the drawing board. Anyone seen any nice heeled loafers (not too high)?

I am trying to focus on clothes, as I need at least some work outfits sorted by Thursday (aarghh, how did that come about so soon?!). Got distracted this afternoon and bought a magimix and a new duvet set for ds1.

Anyhow, back to thread.

Amber love that jumper and belt and scarf, good purchases!

Speaking of scarves carciofi, ds1 has fallen in love with your scarf and wants to carry it around cuddling it because it is so soft! I think he has adopted it as his new pet. I shall claim it back imminently!

Icecream, yes, I am feeling a bit better about ds1's sight issues, thank you for asking. I don't generally ever rant on FB, but just was a bit shellshocked that day.

WAN, I'm sure you'll get more viewings, we had none in the last 3 weeks of August, and then as soon as September hits, we've had three already. We should get feedback tomorrow, fingers crossed something happens; if not, we'll drop the price soon.

Red, extension plans sound fab, but the stress of the work must be hard. I bailed out when we got our kitchen done and rented a holiday home for a week! The kite festival sounds great, Bristol seems a great place for events, I'm looking forward to exploring. DH and ds1 did make a couple of early morning trips down to see the balloon festival, but I opted for the chance of a lie-in!

Hello to everyone else!

Blimey, Clevery, that is an utterly spooky cross-post!!