Beating the January Blues by Following our Wise & Avid (Roxy) Rules

[OllieinOrange]

Best I could come up with......

Hurrah for the Roxy Mim! How exciting.

Interesting that some of you struggle with the balance etc with work. It's such a stereotypical problem, but no less serious for it. I didn't go back after DS1 and sometimes wonder if I should have, even though I know perfectly well that I love being self employed and am much more a portfolio career (read: lots of fingers in lots of pies) kind of person.

Lovely Joseph dress Annie.

I am getting all excited about my haircut today. Doubly exciting because I am trying a new hairdresser, as I got bored of not getting the stylist I asked for at old salon. Wonder if I'll go the full hog and have a foot off my hair or lose my nerve!

annie nothing quite so glamourous, he's a consultant. Can't say what in as it's quite specialised and might out me!

For anyone interested the sapphire 811s were on sale in store at Harrods...

MiM great news about the Roxy, and how lovely to have something special to look forward to wearing after the birth (I know you'll wear her before but the styling opportunities won't be quite the same!) Hope you find a babysitter you trust, as it really does do us the power of good to have a bit of time as a couple, even if just for a quick drink.

Morning All.

So glad that your babysitting scenario has resolved itself for today, Amber, a babysitter for occasional nights out with DH has always been essential to DH and I. I think you summed up the work/life dilemma very well.

Carciofi a weekend in Dublin sans enfants, sounds fab, and it's not too far away, I'm sure that your DH will be fine with the girls.

Great links Apuski

I really need some tan ankle boots and so, am loving the links, there is such a choice out there.

Mim I love that you talk fondly about Roxy like she is your long-lost daughter. After all the stress during your pregnancy it is such a well-deserved and brilliant treat for you.

First prize for Mr W&A goes to carciofi's DH. A weekend off sounds just like what you need at the moment and the girls will have a great time with their dad. DH only said yesterday how much closer he feels to DD after our holiday. We have never spent so much time together since she was born.

Well done on the roxy MIM. And great that you have such a thoughful friend. We have had success advertising for babysitters at a local college that runs nanny/nursey nurse courses. All the students have childacre experience (obviously) and are CRB checked, plus are looking for additional income. We still ask for references and follow them up. We have also used staff from DDs nursery and Kids Club - we just asked the room 'Leader' if she knew which staff members were interested in babysitting and she told us!

Delighted to hear that are getting away to Dublin Carciofi! A friend rang at the weekend about a 40th girls weekend away in Scotland in May, so now I have my birthday break with DH, a weekend in SCotland in May and another 40th long weekend in Barcelona/Seville in September to look forward to! (Plus Australia, obviously.) I have worked out recently how we spend annually on trips/weekends away and it was not small but we still plough lots into sensible things like mortgages, AVCs and savings, so I gues it's ok. I look forward to them so much.

Annie - I know exactly what you mean about the work/balance/promotion conundrum. I also think MIM had wise words to say on this - we can be our own hardest critics. I was earning a lot more before I had DD,and DH reckons I would have been at Partner/Board level of the firm I was at if I had stayed, but if I had continued that career I would see a lot less of her (and some weeks I feel stretched as it is.) Our disposable income wouldn't be that much better tbh as we would def need a fulltime nanny at the very least.

I am so pleased with my bargain Dotty P dress - I also got another one, which isn't on the site anymore and is a drapey knee length one in a grey/black print and is wearable for work. That might get an airing for the Midland MU on Monday!

annie Sorry to hear that you are so stressed by the whole work-life-balance thing. In DH's company there is only one woman at his level. She has two small DCs (and FT nanny) works fulltime and a husband who works fulltime in the same industry. Whenever I see her, I want to give her a hug as she always seems so stressed and under pressure from all sides. I don't though because I don't know her that well. I try not to dwell on my lack of career too much as it makes me sad and miserable but I know I wouldn't have the strength to work like you and others on this thread do.

Ooh, my My-W and NAP orders are with the delivery courier.

To return from important work/life balance issues to totally superficial ones, I am annoyed that the lovely Oushka bag that NYE linked to yesterday has pale edges on the leather and silver hardware. The tan has nice finishing to the leather and gold hardware. Grrr.

Hair - I am going back and forth between a Mrs Beckham-esque angled choppy bob, like I used to have, or something much safer, like this, as a halfway point before chopping it short.

Red, happy birthday!

I am going to bring carry on only as it will be a pleasant change from having to lug two massive suitcases, a pushchair, a Baby Bjorn and DD1's scooter! Probably skinny jeans and a couple of tops. I'd like to buy a new dress but we will be heading out early on Sat so jeans or MIH velvet trousers are probably best.

NY, I'll be 40 soon too , I still feel 21, how did that happen? Studies show that spending money on experiences provides longer term satisfaction than spending money on more stuff. I am a fan of both caculated consumption and holidays!

It will be good for DH to have them on his own without me telling him what to do. They will probably spend the weekend in pajamas eating cereal and watching DVDs but what harm.

Mim, glad you are getting the Roxy, you deserve it. A babysitter is a great idea. You need time out together sometimes.

Sorry you are stressed, Annie. It's not easy. I worry about having a four or five year blank on my CV because I didn't go back to work.

That's great news about the weekend in Dublin Carciofi. Hurrah for DH. And he will be very appreciative on your return. Maybe book the cleaner for Monday that week, as the poor dears are incapable of multi tasking like us more evolved beings. I should be around that weekend. Going sking on the monday, so may be panicing about packing, but would love to meet up.
And you don't have a gap in your CV, you were rearing your children. My Dsis had an 18 month gap, as she was abroad with her DH, couldn't work, and had no children, but it was never commented on.
Happy birthday Red!
And Yeh! For the Roxy MIM. Well deserved.
Hopefully, chop it off. If you liked it that way before that is. Will grow very quickly anyway.

Red Happy birthday!

Carciofi great news about the weekend.

Fritzi and everyone, re work, it is hard to make these decisions.

MU info Ok there's some good news and slightly not so good news.

The TABLE to which they refer is on of those little ones, ie fit 5 people. Those at the mini mu will know what this is like. So sadly the £250 only guarantees 5 to 6 people a spot. We could rotate or book two.

I think two, is too many and too expensive (£500 in total) but as always what do others think?

The good news is that the £250 deposit is there for us to spend when we get there.

Thanks for all your pms, this sort of changes things. Should we wing it? Turn up early... 7 - 7.30ish? There is food there, but not cheap.

Or we could book one table, split between all and hope there will be another next to it on the night...

Rufus, you really made me laugh with the poor dears comment! The cleaning lady changed her day to Monday so I am sorted. Trying to persuade him now as I need to go early on Friday for fear my flight is delayed and I miss dinner out with my family.

I have to wake the baby now so I can collect DD1 from nursery, I hate waking her. Nursery is a five minute walk, I could almost just bring the monitor! I wouldn't really leave her but it is a daily dilemma.

carciofi that's how I feel, though our nursery is a 15 min bus ride so not quite the same! I have left them sleeping indoors to collect a parcel from next door. Was probably gone 30 whole seconds but still felt guilty and terrified. I didn't even shut the front door!

So, it turns out that I turned up at completely wrong locations for the Information Morning I was supposed to go to this am. The office moved 18 months ago! Am so annoyed with myself for not checking the address first! The right location was all the way across the city centre, miles away from where I had parked the car. So, I decided not to go - and had a potter round the shops instead

Will ring the contact I have and ask if I can pop in next week for a chat. At least it wasn't for an proper interview! I do scare myself with my ditziness sometimes!

Made the best use of my unexpected shopping time and brought (drumroll please) some raspberry pink jeans! here Tried some in NL on a whim and really liked them on. Thought for 20 euros they were worth buying to see how I get on with them before investing in a better pair iykwim. Its a huge departure for me colour wise but I was only saying on here a couple of days ago that rapberry was a strong colour for me and I owned nothing in it! Will style like WIT with navy I think. Feeling quite pleased with myself! Roxy Test - tick!

Also got this silk fronted fine knit jumper from Zara. here More of a muted grey print in RL tho. Fills the gap in my wardrobe for something to wear with jeans/grey Agnes on a low key night out like dinner at friends house etc. Like the way it sits around the neck (slight cowl) and shorter length on me and the contrast of the silk and the fine knit sleeves and back. Like the cream one too, will look out for that. Roxy Test - tick!

Sorry for the me post - will now catch up. Oh and I need some bag advice. Will be back with links.

Amber and Carciofi Hoisting up my judgey pants to say its not uncommon here to do the school run and leave babies/small children asleep at home. One Mum at our local playground thought I was mad when I mentioned about waking DS2 up from a nap to pick up DS1. She left her 3 year old asleep, drove the 6 min drive to school which includes going over a bridge which regularly opens for large boats to pass through and has been known to get stuck open! I was opened mouthed - esp as a 3 year old could easily get out of bed if they woke up etc!

Mim Am really pleased about your Roxy - it was meant to be. Agree that getting a regular babysitter is a good idea - I love my nights out with DH.
NY can really see you in that balck DP dress, your legs will look amazing in it! What a bargain too!
Hopefully have a good haircut.

Have PMed Marsha about the MU but I say lets wing it and get there for 7pm?

Happy birthday Red!

Marsha I don't know how others feel, but if booking a table doesn't actually guarantee all of us a seat, it seems silly to spend the money. I haven't done the maths, but agree that two tables starts to become rather a large sum of money, doesn't it?

Carciofi I love the idea of your 'calculated consumption'

Right, NAP report:

• The Inhabit sweater is absolutely gorgeous, really really nice, beautiful texture, lovely cut, perfect slouch factor. The cashmere is slightly gauzy, which I wanted (even though I know full well that I'll have to be more careful with it. But it's ok to have some precious clothes, right?)
• The Splendid t-shirt is nice, but nothing special. Turns out that ruched backs do nothing for me. Oh, and the colour is a little bit lighter and brighter than it appears in the pic - definitely a Spring, rather than Autumn, colour!
• The Riviera Blue 811s are absolutely divine, but I am slightly scared about the straight leg. However, I have tracked down a pair of Marias (skinnier, higher waist) on sale in Riviera Blue which I might order instead. Is it ridiculous to order dark petrol blue jeans as we're getting into spring?

My-W report:

• The striped VW Anglomania dress is absolutely gorgeous. Really nice. But a teeny weeny bit on the sheer side - quite thin jersey. I threw it on v quickly earlier, but I need to try it on properly with the right shoes etc later to really get an idea of whether I like it. I sized down, based on the garment measurements, and I'm glad I did. Really nice draping though.
• I threw this other Anglomania dress on very quickly and it has definite potential, but was racing as DS2 was whining, so haven't quite decided. Think it might not go with any of my heels though, so might necessitate a shoe purchase, which I really would prefer to avoid. Might try it with my wedding shoes (pic on profile), but suspect it will be satin overload.
• The 811s in bloody orange are also v lovely. Same problem, obviously, with the straight leg. Although it bothers me less in orange for some reason , and I can imagine them being useful in SS with sandals. Also I can buy them for £100 less on sale and send these ones back.

So, apart from the Splendid t-shirt, it's looking like a frighteningly successful shopping trip! I slightly think that the second Anglomania dress might not pass the Roxy Test, especially since I have a whopping one event (evening wedding) to wear it to, and I could make something for that event for about 1/8 of the price.

I am slightly thinking that I need to choose between the coloured skinnies. I prefer the riviera blue (am picturing with petrol coloured polo neck and Jalouse-type boots, monochrome look but Autumn-style), but can see perfectly well that I'll get more actual use out of the blood orange ones (they will be much more useful in SS with sandals, I think).

I am almost inclined to say wing it because at 11.00 we will have to go downstairs and there will be zero chance of getting a table then.

We have been lucky to get one and have it all night til 1.00.

But then I am a stay late type so possibly biased.

Great shopping Ollie! Raspberry is a fab colour.

ooh cross post Hopefully, need to do something. Will be back to check your lovely links.

Thanks for your sterling efforts on the bar Marsha! If we book a table upstairs I don't think we would need it all night as hopefully we could grab one downstairs slightly later (but before it fills up.)

I reckon this is one option, and the other is to wing it and turn up early (6ish?) and eat there. I'm easy with either, although separate restaurant does offer even more people watching opportunities .

Right, Handbag talk time.

Need a replacement for my lovely tan Boden slouchy bag which despite being less than a year old, is in a right old state - large patches of worn/discoloured leather, very disappointing.
Decided against the grey Mulberry Taylor which despite having a good reduction in the sale (it was in and out of my shopping basket numerous times) was still too exxy for me for a grey bag that may not stand the test of time. Something was holding me back from buying it (Roxy test perhaps?) So, back to looking at tan bags!

Went and had a good look at the Plaited Zara shopper again and I love it but its just too big for my current needs. They also had this new one which was nice too, v reasonable price wise but still quite big tho and liable to scratch easily? New Zara Shopper

Everything's Ouska link yesterday resulted in me seeing this one here. I quite like it - reminded me of the Mulberry Tillie Tote but without the bright gold hardware. Coudl see me with it.
This Oushka one is quite similar in shape to my current Boden one as well.

So (if you are still awake after reading all that), any thoughts, preferences, advice? Or should I just save for a Mulberry Effie Tote?

In between classes, loving the chat as usual.
rufus, I have another lipstick recommendation for you: MAC satin in Amorous. Berryish, very easy to wear!