We Wise ladies Avidly are, bearing bags and links from afar.......

[notyummy]

New one!

Secret Santa Opening 'To Do' List

• Buy bottle of something bubbly, put in fridge with a 'hands off' note to DH.
• Buy/make festive nibbles (mine to include chocolate and Ollie shortbread in star shapes).
• Dig out Now Thats What I Call Christmas CD to help create Christmassy atmosphere.
• Suggest DH goes out for the evening.
• Wear something W&A.
• Clean laptop screen and adorn with fairylights/bauble/tinsel.

That should cover it.

Love it ollie!
I will have you know that the jam sandwiches were the first to go!
Told my sis about the otk boots and she started talking about Dick Whittington and then suggested I got a whip to go with them. Hmm.
apuski, so glad you're back. I'm hopeless with name changes! Congrats on the house!
Do all of our non UK posters have their SS now? Look forward to hearing what you get from work emo. Have a great night!
Outfits found great blue. Very stylish indeed!

Lol at your OKB conversation with your sister Bloss - a certain inevitability there I imagine!

Just back from DS's nursery nativity. Very cute, although he cried throigh most of it!

However, the audience were good to watch...very shallow/superficial comments coming up now: I was really shocked at the amount of women that were in a uniform of fleece, bootcut jeans and caterpiller boots. No make-up and hair scrapped back. I know, I know I'd get burnt at the stake for saying this anywhere else. It was just a bit depressing really.

Obviously, I am not for a second saying I was the shining star of style but it just felt good to be wearing some make-up, and my Jalouse just to give my maternity outfit of knitted dress and opaques a bit of a lift.

I'm a dreadful person aren't I?!

Just made a simplified version of this tree of christmas cards on a blank wall - looks really good (hate having lots of cards lying on top of surfaces)
scroll down a bit

The SS has brought out the inner Miss Marple in me - Im sitting here wondering who frequents Harvey Nics (ie Fritzi's SS) and have all sorts of theories?!

I have this Christmas tree holder ollie. Can't stand the clutter of cards (who'd put up with me?!). I have received some cards despite being off most people's list after missing 2! DS got loads from school though. My mum has a good wall and does a similar display though. They get hundreds.

Well, I caved and bought a Wii. Hope we like it.
Big disaster yesterday, was in DH's car which had some of the Santa presents. Didn't realise they could access the boot, via the hand rest.......
Think we are ok, as it was the youngest, but he is VERY observant. I was all for returning them, but DH says after some inquisition, that he is assured they didn't see anything too major. (I will of course blame him if there is any fall out)
Hectic weekend. Party on Friday, and into town on Saturday, and drinks in a freind's house yesterday afternoon. Great fun though. Bring it on, I say.

Ha Reine, I just had to have an Earl Grey too!

Apuski, love the name. Was Mrs McCluskey the Head? In my head, she and the Head of Rydell High (Grease) look exactly the same .

Ollie, may try that Christmas card tree thing on a door. Loving the prep for Thurs.

Blue, what a nice w/e you had. I love w/es like that. I had some time alone with DS2 today (in Costa Coffee) and I couldn't stop gazing adoringly at him and hanging on his every word.

Evening all, have de-camped to Ils for the evening before returning to the pit tomorrow. So lovely to hear about all the early W&A anecdotes and to start hearing about lovely gifts.

Happy birthday Amber, what lovely gifts you received, hope the day was equally great.

Lovely presents Fritzi. Must say Ollie that my mildly limited knowledge has been nice - am such a nosy beak. Will we guess/reveal?

Great namechange Apuski.

Wan i get it entirely. Was it Mrscb who pointed out that it takes just as long to dress well as it does badly? In fairness, I was a disaster post-ds.

You could have scripted that convo, hey Bloss?!

Your weekend wardrobe sounds glorious Blue.

Big wave to everyone else, must make idle chitchat...

Really like your card display ideas, bloss and ollie. Must admit mine are still all in a pile waiting to be put somewhere. Like getting them; hate them cluttering up the place! Might have a go at the DM tree thing if I can locate suitable wall. So pleased with our beautiful tree though, it looks so twinkly and magical!

wan I relate absolutely to your description of the other mothers; I often feel half-horrified at the boot cuts and shapeless tops and half-horrified at my inner bitchiness and judgey-ness! Then I usually start wondering if they're all horrified at my eye make-up / mulberry bag / leopard print silliness... Once caught two mums sniggering at my shearling trimmed high heeled ankle boots (I was trying to replicate those Burberry ones from last season) at a toddler music class, but I really do dress for myself (and DH too if that's not too sad) and actually I'd rather be over-dressed and feel good about myself.

bloss I hope I'm not speaking out of turn but sounds like your sister is rather jealous of your fantastic sense of style. Hope you are able to smile sweetly and ignore.

Hope you're all having nice evenings. I'm listening to 80s Christmas music and finally feeling v festive!

Have just read my post back and now feel worried that I really do sound like an awful person! Just to be clear: I know outfits aren't what really count and know and adore lots of lovely people who don't care tuppence for clothes but to me personally at least having a go at looking nice is such a fun part of life that I couldn't give it up. Hope that makes sense! I am a nice person really, honest!

Blue, don't worry, you come across as very nice! I have a friend who sneers at the mothers who are dressed up and made up (like me!), it goes both ways. I have often been overdressed at Gymboree.

The Goldsign skinny jeans I bought from Saks are now £58, worth buying if anyone is in the market for skinny jeans.

Bloss, think your sister would fit in well in Emo's office!

Blue, not saying that you were sneering, by the way. Some people do. Not here though, we are all lovely. :)

One of my pupils just called round with his father (another ex evening class pupil). When the doorbell rang I was on the phone in leggings and workout bra. I heard DH opening the door and bringing them up, I remembered my push up bra was on the couch in the tv room. Omg what a panic! Luckily DH took them into the kitchen and closed the door so I could do a quick scarper upstairs to put a top on. Can you tell I never get visitors? Bought me home made hand pulled treacle toffee.
blue, my blueprint for frumpiness is boot cuts with flats, fleece, short hair, glasses and extra weight. It's a fact round here. I used to have the short hair and the fleece. One can change!!

Evening all.

So pleased to be at home relaxing after a day driving all over the bloddy midlands in the pouring rain to various meetings. Roll on Wednesday night and the Christmas holidays!!

Your SS gift sounds lovely Fritzi.

Welcome back Apuski - love the name and great news about the house.

Blue - Loved the sound of your weekend. In terms of hotels - the Lacemarket was nice but no more, I would say. I got a great deal, so for what I paid I really felt I got great value for money. Food at breakfast was lovely. It is getting slightly worn around the edges and needs a bit of a revamp I think. For a special occasion I wouldn't stay there.

Have you been to Sat Bains? Not cheap, but v good. Alternatively I would say Hambledon Hall is pretty special, but probably further out than you would like. It is at its best in the summer when you can use the outdoor pool with views down to Rutland Water. They also own and run Harts Hotel in Nottingham that I have heard good things about.

Went to see Arthur Christmas yesterday with DD and DH. It was great! Very funy. Had a nice lunch afterwards.

Did anyone watch This is England 88 last week? We have recorded it and seen the first two so far. Such powerful acting from Vicky McClure as a depressed mum. Amazing. DH was in tears too!

My only S and B news is that I will be debuting my new lace tights tomorrow with my P8 Ponderosa dress. Nothing new until the sales!!

Evening all, have had a very busy weekend, out with the girls Friday and stayed in a hotel in town, dinner with friends Saturday, and lunch with friends Sunday, so I'm exhausted.
This year Dh has very pleasantly surprised me, last weekend he decorated the tree which is 10 feet high with DD3 and I didn't have to re do it! Then when I got home on Saturday he had decorated the house which was also really nicely done! This coming from a man who would not be known for his taste in design was fantastic! He then went and ordered me the oxblood leather trousers for my birthday ( I am learning from you ladies, I left the page open on the iPad!)
I have a busy couple of days at work and need to get the house to myself to see exactly what I have bought for Christmas .
I rec'd my SS pressie today, thank you who ever sent it, Ollie I love your instructions for Thursday night. I too will make one of the DM Xmas trees, they are very tasteful !
Tonight I am busy getting DDs to try on skiwear and see who's got what, we are off on boxing day with a bunch of friends that we have been sking with since uni, it's fun to see the next generation becoming friends.
Blue I know what you mean about clothes, I too dress for myself and love fashion, sometimes when I hear someone say that they don't have time in the morning to apply makeup or select outfits I do privately think ' get up earlier !' But I guess that we all have different priorities!

Every time I see someone with short hair (and not in a gamine way ala Halle Berry) I feel like going up to them and saying "grow your hair"! It's strange the way women of a certaing age cut their hair off. I think short hair only works on those who are in their 20s, unless you are Halle Berry. Long hair hides a multitude IMO.
I watched This is England too NY. Fantastic stuff. Powerful story and acting. Vicky is another exception to the short hair rule! Such amazing strong features.

That knd of outward sneeriness is horrible Blue (from other ladies to you). I have noticed a bit more sneeriness since moving West, I have to say. Rufus I absolutely agree with you on short hair - the sexless, nondescript look particularly. Having said that, my hair is an area I could work harder on - I can just about get showered and dressed before the DC are up, but hair takes some effort. Tell us if the Parlux is life-changing Carciofi

I too loved This Is England - wept bucket loads throughout - the scene when she opened up to the nurse was breathtaking - so understated but so powerfully acted. Really looking forward to '90 (I think) and the rave scene.

Have just been on the phone to BF organising Xmas - so excited about spending lots of time with her and being in the countryside.

You must have been panicking wildly Bloss!

Skiing holiday sounds fabulous Portia, would love to do that when the DC are a bit older.

Tons of snow this morning. The last thing I need on a morning full of errands to run but DD is soooo excited.

Good morning.

I am cringing at the shallow-ness of my post re other women's clothes. I too have been on the end of some sneering, when DC first started at nursery one of the other mothers commented when we were taking our shoes off to collect DC's, by saying, "You can't run around after your DS much wearing those"...I had just come from work. Anyway, I have still been mean in my previous post, ignore me.

carciofi I am also interested to hear how you rate the Purlux, my current hairdryer is just starting to give up the ghost and I am thinking of replacing it with one.

NY we watched the first This is England last night too, was very good and amazing acting. We love Shane Medows here.

Ski-ing sounds great portia, although lots of packing and organising to do this side of Xmas I would imagine.

Very funny about the push up bra Bloss. Reminds me of a time when I worked in the recovery room in theatres. I was at the head of the bed, holding a patients airway open (they were still unconscious) and the anesthetist was telling about the drugs he given etc, when I looked down at the patients face and one of the padding's from my bra was on the patients face. Even more mortifying was that I couldn't let go of the patients jaw, (ever the professional) and so I had the ask the anesthetist to remove it from the patients face for me.

at WAN's padding going astray. A good argument for gel bras!

Fritzi - hope you get your jobs done in the snow. It is very festive though!

I am counting the hours until the Christmas break tbh. Busy day today, but not as much on tomorrow - and then I am finished - hurray!

Great bra stories wan and bloss .

Dropped off DD at school, delivered teachers' Christmas presents, collected our international drivers licences... finally back at home for breakfast, phew. Have to leave in an hour to pick DD up from school again .

That's funny wan, also mortifying I would imagine!
Definitely no snow here fritzi. Very mild today. I am doing my good deed today in having my sister's dcs over for the day. You may remember me saying that my nephew had a baby... well his girlfriend left him and he has limited access, today being one of them. It involves a 2 hour bus journey, and my sis is going with him for the first time. I have found some unused baby stuff in my cupboards and have wrapped them up for her.
So I am making lasagne and garlic bread all round. We have put the festive table mats and coasters out, and we're going to pull crackers. My parents are coming too. So it's not that much of a good deed! Enough for me though!
I am hearing good things about Arthur Christmas. It is showing here, but we missed the only matinee (Saturday), and I think the evening show is too late for DS who still wakes up before 6, so I am furtively planning a festive day out on Friday to Chester for a pre-lunch showing for all of us. Hopefully dd will have a little nap, then we can all go for lunch, then home before the traffic becomes unbearable. Will see.
This is my Christmas menu:
breakfast: smoked salmon and scrambled egg on English muffin
lunch: stuffed turkey breast
pudding: lemon tart.
There's just the 4 of us. It'll be fine.

Did anyone get the earthkeeper boots in the end? What are they like to walk long distances in?