Avid and wise trying autumn/winter for size..

[blossoming]

Hi everyone. Come and join in with your lovely links to autumn/winter clothes!

Oh dear apuski, how awfully sad. I'll be sorry not to see you at MU. We must arrange another soon.

Weather today was gale force wind and driving rain, so left annina at home carciofi. Wore stripey janice and riding type boots and wrapped up in waterproof craghopper. Of course it was sunny and warm in Chester. I looked, quite frankly, ridICUlous!

What dreadful news apuski. Such as shame not to see you next week too. Take care.

Shame about the Asos dress Ollie. Although I am sure Janice will not let you down.

Funny about the shoe twinning. I was thinking of wearing my M&S shoe boots from last year too, although I find them very high. The M&S ones look promising NY.

DH and I had a long chat about our moving situation last night whilst I cooked dinner. We are seriously thinking of staying and re-designing this house to its maximum potential. This would involve buying a very small piece of land (minimal, 6ft x 8ft) from the council at the back of the house to extend the garden, doing the loft, extending further our side return etc. Would be costly and so we we need to be confident that we would still be happy to stay here years down the line. The main issue is that even if we got a decent price for our place, which is looking unlikely, we would be mortgaged so heavily for our next home and we have soon realised that we could still not get the house of our dreams. The cost of moving alone would wipe out all our savings and shares. Hope that you don't think it crude of me to take money, but we would be looking at a £450K for a 3 bed semi that needs work doing, so we would need a mortgage of £360K, and as I said all our savings gone. Its just crazy. Sorry for the long, boring and me,me,me post. But its good to write it down, iykwim.

Also means I could be start looking at the Farrow and Ball catalogue much sooner...

Apuski that is such sad news but completely understand why you wont make the MU - will PM you about the money. Sure your DH will appreciate you being there for him.

Bloss your outfit yesterday would be spot on here today - really high winds and rain. Horrible. Good for you re booking the style day.

I am staying home to work through a pile of admin and generally sorting out (still not happy with my hair so in other words Im in hiding!)

Im really taken with the M&S dress and Im not usually a big fan of lace on me. I think I would be a style day challenge as I am still trying to find my 'look'!

WAN talk away. I think there is a lot to be said for looking at what you can do to your existing house. This is the dilema we are in. Moving/large extension plans are on hold cos of all the restructuring at DHs work - which now will take up to a year . I am desperate for more worktop and storage space in the kitchen so will have worked out a way of getting an island in (we have an open plan kitchen/dining area) which I think will work. DH has also agreed to a new kitchen and hall floor - finally!

WAN - quite understand the dilemma. It's not a good time to be selling so doing some work sounds appealing - but as you say, it depends if you think you will stay for a while. We know we are not in our 'forever home' - it was bought to avoid paying rent on a military quarter when we could be paying off a mortgage. There is actually quite a lot I would like to do to the house, but DH has put a stop to a lot of my plans by pointing out (quite rightly) that we wont recoup the value on re-sale. I have managed to talk him into re-doing both of the bathrooms though.....and now into getting the front and back gardens landscaped. We both hate the way they look, and although we know we wont get it all back when we eventually sell, we have decided we want to improve the look of the outside of the house. In the long term we hope to sell both properties (have a 3 bed house in central Harrogate as well that has been rented out since 2006) and buy the 'proper' home.....we just have no idea where that will be .

Well, I had a mammoth MU outfit trying-on session last night. Thank the lord that DH was away or he would have wondered what on earth was going on. I think I have narrowed it down to (only!) 3 outfits from the bazillion options - although the 'day to night' dilemma meant that quite a lot of outfits just wouldn't do. I have a dress option, a skirt option and trouser option. Two are arguably very 'safe', and maybe verging on the boring. One is a bit more 'out there'. Think I may have parade to DH and see what he thinks....

hi all

apuski, so sorry you can't make it - i hope your dh doesn't get too down

red, bloss, icey and wan, you girls will be like an m and s ad

bloss, many happy returns, looking forward to seeing the davina

what jackets/coats are you all wearing

ollie, don't fret about your hair, a bit darker for a/w is good

[excuse naughty keyboard]

God, am emotional wreck. Working from home and watching an ER re-run over lunch. Dr Green is about to die..... DH and I are loving the ER re-runs. Really, really good TV.

In Hawaii, NY? Tears well thinking about it. I loved ER.

WAN lot to be said for staying where you are I think - at least so much of the house is where you want it, you know you love the area and your bathroom sounds like it's one not to be left. Sounds like you have a lot of options with buying the extra land and reconfiguring. Unless you get another property for an absolute steal, you'll end up living somewhere where you're not happy with for years until you have the money to do what you want to it (or doing it a bit at a time). We keep uncovering more and more that we're going to have to do here and we're sinking everything into it; which is fine as we love the house and will be happy here, but it makes me feel quite uncomfortable, from a financial perspective

Pickled jacket-wise, I think I'm going to end up in a belted cape. It's suddenly very autumnal, hey?

Wan, if the schools are good, it might be better to stay and extend. It's hard to decide. I am so fed up with renting though this house is nice and I love the area. We still don't know when or even if we'll be returning to Dublin.

Rufus, you poor thing. I spent many an evening in that pub as my ex-boyfriend went to Surgeons. It is a bit dodgy around there.

Apuski, so sorry to hear that.

Bloss, you are the R&B family! I hope they threw in shoe polish.

Waiting for a new babysitter to arrive and then going to visit a friend. I was hoping to browse in Harvey Nicks for a bit but don't think I will have time.

What do you think of this colour Annina? They didn't have it in the LKB I was in the other day.

I am having a moment's silence for Dr Green here.

It hasn't even got to Hawaii yet! He has just left the hospital for the last time- 'You set the tone Carter!- knowing he only has a few weeks to live. I dont think I can face the Hawaii episode - I remember it before, as one of the episodes that sticks in your mind.DH is more emotional than me, so I think he would be happy to miss it too. I very rarely cry - think this is just very well done and hence feels so realistic.

I loved ER too.( Always had a soft spot for Carter) Remember bawling when his daughter lets her balloon go after the funeral.

Looks like WIT had a fabulous time in Paris, liked her outfits a lot.

Out tonight - a friend is celebrating her bday at home with a cheesecake and champers party. 5 diff types of cheesecake to try, i think im up for the challenge!

Tights question: are nude tights a big fashion no no? What do fellow blue Janice wearers wear with theirs?

Oh dear- I remember having a full on snotty sobbing session at the demise of Dr Green. ER used to be my must see TV. Have got a few box sets so might dig them out.

Wan- sounds like a wise decision. Our main reason for moving was schools but I do like the house and the area. Every time I come across something else that needs doing or I'm not keen on I can feel the panic rising. Dh seems entirely settled and not in a hurry to et things done which is going to lead to some interesting 'discussions'.

Apuski- that's such a shame- sorry your dh has been hit so hard by it. And sorry you won't make meet up. Hopefully we'll have another one in the not too distant future.

I was a big Carter fan too ollie.

little wave to everyone before dashes off again..

ny I can never watch ER if it makes you blub,you have mentioned before you are not a big weeper..I am the complete opposite so I have no hope!

apuski will miss you on Saturday and very sad for your DH and his friend.

ollie I love cheesecake!I want to come!re-nude tights..I never wear them because of my colouring..they never look right so can't help I'm afraid.

bloss only coming for evening on Saturday..will I get to see you.please tell your DS hi from me..he's a lovely,lovely boy.

right,off to enjoy the last shreds of sunshine.

I saw The Lovely Bones the other night. And I don't think I stopped sobbing from beginning to end. Dh was not effected and I was a big bowl of snotty mess.

Ollie, not sure about tights question. Probably need to have the janice to be able to recommend properly.

Apuski what a shame. We shall have to have a rerun at some point.

Yes lovely bones film post dd much more harrowing than the book pre dd.

A long shot here but on the subject of sob fests- did anyone watch the first episode of season 2 of ugly Betty? I couldn't stop crying all night and still haven't been able to watch the rest of the season. Mind you I am of the reine school of crying so it doesn't take much

affected! pants I blame ds on my lap.

I didn't see Ugly Betty. I am a bit hopeless these days with sadness in films.

Icey I think I saw it, but don't remember being upset. Must have a heart of stone. Can I redeem myself by also admitting to weeping through The Lovely Bones? I don't think I made it to the end actually and absolutely agree with not having found the book as harrowing for the same reason (DCs). Speaking of which, has anyone else read Lucky, Alice Sebold's first book? Harrowing, but very interesting.

Ollie sounds like my kind of party. I say no to nude tights. Would grey work with navy Janice? I have these and reckon they'd do the trick.

carciofi, that is an amazing colour, and would look brilliant with your colouring. Do they do it Anna size? Possibly better size for you with baby paraphernalia.
YY to episode 1 series 2 Ugly Betty. I stopped watching ER when I heard Greene would die. Couldn't cope. Loved the series though before that.

Did any of you ever watch Men in Trees? Loved it.

Well I have an early finish on a Thursday, and I am being reminded by the lack of text message, or knock on the door, that I have managed to annoy both DH and my mum before 8.05am this morning. Oh well.

Positively speaking, I just had an email to say that, drum roll please.... The Aigle is being delivered tomorrow!!!

School run beckons. Back later.

Gorgeous colour carciofi, I think you could use that for all seasons too.

Wow, quick work with the Aigle Bloss. Do let us know how it is.

Just arrived back from taking DS to the South bank. Lunch in the Tate, followed by letting him run off lots of energy in the turbine hall. Windy and a bit cold, but lots of lovely autumn sun as we walked along the river. He slept on the train home too, so I managed a coffee in peace. Heaven.

Thanks for your advice and thoughts about houses/homes. Lots of things to consider. I have left a message with the surveyor at the council regarding the land, and have texted DH to say I have practically bought it.

DH home late tonight, (glamourous evening at the Staines causeway) so home alone for dinner. Garlic and chilli prawn pasta is on the menu, something that DH would never contemplate!

I understand the tears at certain TV programmes. I am totally and utterly ashamed to say that I still cry when I watch JLS on you tube sing "Light up my life" from the X-factor quarter final, 2009.

I am such a loser.

Meant to say Ollie, with navy Janice I wear both black and grey opaques.

Gosh I still get tearful thinking of Dr. Green dying. That episode really sticks with me. Do much better than the fluff which masquerades as medical drama, but really is all about boy/girl dilemma that is Grey's Anatomy. (although I wouldn't miss it for the world)
Apuski sorry to hear your news, poor DH, he is re experiencing his own grief again.
Carciofi fabulous bag. I LOVE it. Pm me your ex bf's name if you dare! Bet I know him! We all seem to know each other in this town!