Crepeys/Hagsnet - the moonlight beckons!

[MrsSchadenfreude]

Because moonlight gives you a nice glow and doesn't show up your wrinkles or grey hair.

Loving the moonlit glow that I find you all bathing in, you look faaabulous. Just returned from France and caught up with the last thread and this one. Gah, my nails are too long to type properly, I must have been on holiday. I have returned with an impressive pneu de rechange due to mainlining charcuterie, fromage, et anything involving creme Anglaise. I also piled on the calories with a couple of meals at a creperie, where I thought of you guys and snorted to myself. Shred video will be coming out tomorrow.

I couldn't find the La Roche stuff recommended by Mrs S and MI, but I did buy myself some Caudalie serum which promises youth and other good things for my face. I will report back. I may not have avoided the sun as much as a crepey should, but it's nice to have a tan and I never went below factor 30 on my face, and only rarely on the bod. If the whole things falls off in bed tonight, I will be .

Stropp - really like that top from Miss Selfridges, good sleeve coverage! I tried to see if they had it in another colour as that rust would fight with my dyed red hair.

As for envying Uni contemporaries - what you need is a degree that does not fit you for any kind of career whatsoever. I heartily recommend theatre studies as, although there might be one or two who become really quite famous or media powerful, the majority of your fellow students will be working in regional box offices or teaching 3 year old to grow from acorns into mighty oak trees 20 years later. Both those careers are excellent, but thankfully not enough to wake me sweating in the night.

Herbs - belated sympathies about your cat, I have had to do that, many years ago, and I was sad for a long while. And at your miscarriage experiences, I'm so sorry. My lovely best friend has just miscarried for the 4th time (while I was away so I couldn't even do hugs and wine ) and I would just do anything to make it work for her. Please don't feel you have to answer this, but did you do anything specific that resulted in your gorgeous ds? I am casting around for positive stories for her, as she feels flat as a pancake right now.

Wilbur - your holiday sounds fab. DP had suggested a week away at the end of September, in France, and I'd excitedly been looking at family-friendly cottages, with the vital criteria of being near plenty of lovely food. But now he's changed his mind and said we can't afford it, if we're also to mend the roof and windows. BOOO. BORING ROOF.

As for miscarriages, well, I wish I had the answer. After three, I went to see a consultant, Mr Shehata, who reckons one factor in repeat miscarriages is the presence of killer cells - over-active defence mechanisms in the body. I had treatment for that, but still miscarried. But that was because the baby had a chromosone fault, which nothing could have fixed.

Then it took me 18 months to get pregnant again. During which time we were turned down for adoption. I began acupuncture, to relax me and to help get up the duff, and we also went to see an IVF clinic to start that procedure. There's a particular variety that can select the embryos with OK chromosomes before they implant them. So, I was waiting for my period to start, so we could do the procedure, but it never came, as I was pregnant with DS!

Naturally I spent the entire pregnancy thinking I was going to lose him. I had acupuncture, took low-dose aspirin (to keep the placenta un-clogged) and checked my gusset about 20 times a day. Each day took a week.

Lots of love to your friend. It's just the most awful, life-sapping business. And so much down to luck. I now know more about how chromosomes work during pregnancy than I ever thought I would, and am amazed any babies get born at all it's so complex and full of possibilities for mistakes. My DS was my fifth pregnancy, so maybe fifth time lucky for her too.

Our roof ate my tax money a few years ago

Christalmighty, Herbs, how awful for you. I am so sorry.

Herbs how terrible. My friend (who finally adopted) had five miscarriages and despite numerous tests they couldn't tell her why. 'Just one of those things'...... Another friend had several, then was pregnant and had a horrendous time, but, weirdly pregnancy number two was easier (lower chance of abnormality etc) and this despite the fact she was 45 at the time.

I am still in japan and Dp has treated me to a meal - pot noodle (I kid you not) and a bottle of wine . Who said romance was dead

Ohh, and coming back to Bongo so fab Coastal locations Hags, as long weekend to give her a trial run beckons.....

Blackduck, if you come to Dorset these campsites are good:

www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/details.asp?revid=4524

Have not stayed there myself, but dd stayed there a few weeks ago and I visited. She had a great time. They have a mobile shop that comes every morning with bread, eggs, newspapers etc. And sweeties, apparently. Lovely view of the Swanage steam railway and Corfe Castle. And just a few minutes from various lovely beaches (Studland, for one).

and this one:

www.burnbake.com/

Again, haven't stayed there myself, but have several friends who go there regularly. Is also close to Studland and v. nice for children. And you can take dogs to both.

Feh, forgot to even try with those links. Here goes:

number 1

and

number 2

Wilbur - sounds like you had the perfect holiday; it just wouldn't be right to come back from France without a substantial "pneu de rechange".

BTM - regarding the mini-pill, I also suspect it won't have the desired effect, but I suppose it's sensible to start gently before embarking on all-guns-blazing HRT. AF is in town at the moment, and my fingers are firmly crossed that next month won't be quite so hellish, but I won't be happy if I also end up spotty, overweight, and with the libido of a limp lettuce.

I am drinking Beer. Am aware this is not the best route to losing that spare tyre but have been to two meetings, one about new job - which turns out to be for a full year, not nine months - and alcohol is the only drug to hand.

Ooh yes, welcome back Wilbur.

MI - enjoy the beer, hope it is nice and cold

Have ordered new mascara as realised all mine was flaking off repulsively in interview-ette today. Need lipstick. Body transplant. Et al...

What mascara do you use? I have one by Une, but I don't think it really enhances my stumpy little lashes. I also have a Dior one called Blackout which came courtesy of Harpers Bazaar's beauty closet in New York which is good for a night out, but a little full on for the day. It's also impossible to get off.

Une do quite nice lippy if you go for the natural look.

I have been slouching into work in my jeans for the past few weeks, but will have to start wearing Proper Clothes soon, when work starts properly. Also need haircut and some more highlights.

We have spectacular storm at the moment - flashing, banging and raining.

Girls go back to school on Thursday. I cannot wait and need another holiday. I feel a weekend in New York beckoning, with lots of shopping and drinking.

Mascara - can't beat good old Max Factor, I'm afraid (OK, OK, I admit, I get it for free because DH works for them, but it is good stuff and I have the share price to consider ).

More depressing news concerning my advancing crepeyness from the opticians this afternoon; I can expect my reading abilities to diminish "from the age of 45" and I will probably have to wear glasses on top of my contact lenses for close work before long. Sigh.

Lucky you, MrsS, getting shot of the DCs this week. The last two weeks of the summer holiday are a nightmare, as the childcare has finished and the weeks descend into a patchwork of "you take tomorrow off, I'll get Granny over next Tuesday...etc etc".

Currently the DDs are at my mums for a few days, and I have been given a horrible vision of what it would be like to live in a household when the boys outnumber the girls. At dinner this evening, DH and DS had a burping competition, then spent five minutes chucking apple-cores and bottle-tops 10 feet across the kitchen to see who could reach the bin first. The girls will have their revenge this weekend when DS goes to France with his mate - I have promised lots of pink fluffy craft activities and a Bratz movie-fest. [evil girly grin]

dd is in a state of great excitement as she is going to be "helping" with a photoshoot for my glam friend's wife's business when we go to stay with them. dd will get to hold the make up artist's powder puff, or something. My glam friend said that "us non-fashionable people will take the small children out somewhere".

dh says "but we still have our lovely personalities".

Thanks Strop will check out on return. Dp has just realised he has ds until 8 sept as school has three teacher days at start of term. He looked horrified as he has a tonne of marking etc (as usual). So need to check on what/who is available. I caught sight of my neck today and was and my eyesight is shot - I have to get reading glasses out for maps, guidebooks etc... It's one long slippery slope.

Blinc mascara is the only one I can use - the others, including the non-smudging ones, just disintegrate. Blinc disintegrates too but not into smudges...

The lippy I have my eye on is by Bloom but is called - horror - Babe. It is a good crimson though and goes with my sprouty short hair....

Hi Hags

Grim old day, what? I can feel a trip to Sainsburys coming on, mainly of course to browse the clothing. Though it's not quite as fun with fractious 2yo writhing in the trolley. Hard to concentrate on fit when having to sing Incy Wincy Spider, I find.

Re mascaras, I bought a Max Factor masterpiece one, and it seems to make zero difference to my lashes. As if the tube was empty by the time I got it. Which I suppose could be possible. I also got a L'Oreal Lash Architect one, in black, which is just absurd. I look like a drag queen.

I so need to get my eyes tested, but can't afford to buy the resultant glasses. So just continue to hold things far away, and in a good light.

Oh I got it wrong ? DS was my sixth pregnancy. Hope it's not as long for your friend, Wilbur.

Herbs - check out selectspecs.com - my reading glasses (proper prescription ones....) cost £8.50....

mascara - the very best one on the market is Lancôme Hypnose Doll Eyes. Any Sephora or Marionnaud will stock it, MrsSchadenfreude. But why don't you try Atelier du Sourcil - I'm very tempted we can try it together if you like!

Honestly, all of the conventionally-based mascaras just end up smudging on me. Which is not a good look when you are ahem 48.

For once we are up North and have better weather than in London - we went out for a walk and I nearly boiled to death in my jeans and trainers.

Herbs, all the supermarkets, Boots, etc do "off-the-peg" reading glasses - they have a little test on the stand to see what strength you need and then you pick out whichever you like. Some places do as cheap as £2, and they work fine, though the frames don't last so well. It's great for me because I can have hundreds of pairs left in useful places for when I need them.

Actually, what I want now is a pair with a cord, so I can keep them round my neck at all times

Bonsoir, how do you know the Lancome mascara is the best on the market? Is that from protracted testing, or reading magazines, or your beautician? Not trying to be funny - just wonder how people "know" these things.

Thanks for the specs tips crepeys. I fear I may not get away with being a cheapskate, as the last prescription I had also corrected an astigmatism, which no doubt has got worse. Thus making off-the-peg numbers not suitable. Although maybe better than nothing? Would they damage my eyes? And can you have an eye test at one optician, then easily walk away with your prescription and buy glasses elsewhere? I'm such a sap I always get drawn in by mooney-eyed sales persons.

You can walk away with your prescription, yes.

although I personally am someone about to embark on bifocals, so will be going down the Very Pricy Route when it comes to it...

The weather is rotten, and I am feeling very "tense" having just got back from a school uniform shopping trip with DS1. All was going swimmingly until we passed a sports shop, and he demanded a new football strip ("I need one, Mum!"). Not just any strip, only the latest Arsenal strip would do. The shirt alone was £32 so I'm afraid, after the school uniform spend-a-thon the answer was a firm "no". At which point he launched into an epic tantrum (he's nearly 12, in case you were wondering) and stalked off in a rage towards the carpark. Of course, he couldn't find the car, I then couldn't find him; cue a tearful phonecall to daddy followed by a ten minute trudge up and down car park ramps to track him down. Grrr..... He's now sulking; oh he's so like his father!

But on the plus side, despite the rain I did go for a run this morning. I didn't get wet hair, as my halo kept it dry.