AVIDly purchasing lavender, orange, yellow and pink for spring is a WISE thing.

[FritziGreenEyes]

Sorry for poor thread title but I am hopeless at rhyming at the best of times...
Unbelievable how quickly we filled the last thread!

Had one hour on Friday before the meeting started and used my time very efficiently and bought these. They are not quite as high as the 50/50s but suit me better. Was hugging the shopping bag close to me on the train back home yesterday .

ollie Such a shame that your DH isn't going to go with the job offer over here. Oh, the fun we could have!

hopefully Having you on this thread is great and I enjoy reading your posts a lot. I hope your mother doesn't find any more tidying tasks for you today. You look fab in your wedding pictures.

annie Hope you got all your work done last night and have the chance to get some rest today.

red We have our hob on our kitchen island too. We couldn't decide on backsplash for ages. Haven't had one for ages and it is absolutely fine. I do most food preparation stuff on the island anyway.

Have lovely Sundays everyone!

I was also going to suggest working from home. The thing is that what I do I don't have to be there, and do it better from here. But people like to see you in the office don't they.

Talked to dh, am going to email a list of questions.

Marsha - why don't you suggest a flexible working arrangement whereby you 'occasionally' work from home when meetings etc allow to reduce commuting time and give you further time to focus on work, but will always ensure you are in the office regularly to ensure exchange of ideas/attendance at meetings. I think you need to make it clear that you are 'available' as needed and the working from home will be at times when there will be no impact on the company. I don't have a fixed day that I work from home (and some weeks don't do it at all) I do on days that won't impact on the overall team/project - seems to work quite well, and I programme them in about a week or two in advance and put them in the team diary.

Sounds good NY thanks, I will definitely suggest something like that.

I know I will be more productive and provide better insight if I am not stuck in an office all the time. Ds2 could do two days at nursery. He'll be three soon anyway. Well soonish (relative to how long it takes to get job these days).

This is the outnet stuff

Acne pale pink chinos.

Pale pistachio fine knit t.

J. Crew skinnies.

Mandarin t which I will only keep if I can tuck away the funny bottom bit.

Yes am feeling ill after that email!

The only think in my favour is I've been freelancing for nearly a year and have done some good stuff I think. Annoying that they have to have someone in house (for me anyway).

Builders insist on magnolia as it's the only colour they can touch up. I was pleased about this when a) I slipped on a wet floor and threw a cup of coffee over the wall and b) dd decided to create some graffiti! All painted over quickly, and good as new. My house is minimalist, lots of space, pale wood and neutral walls. Makes me feel calm.

I just got some lovely stuff from Elias & Grace with big discounts if anyone needs to stock up on dc's clothes.

MIM the mustard ones (which are identical, so I'm assuming are the same material) are definitely a pretty heavy material, at least as warm as a decent thick pair of jeans. They are kind of moleskin textured fabric, with the warmth that you'd expect from that kind of stuff. I love mine and figure it will probably be cool enough to wear them quite a lot until at least late spring, but I'm not sure how much use I'll get out of them if it's warm in the summer.

Oh, and curse you for linking to Trilogy. Had a quick peruse and came across a really lovely leather jacket. Really can't justify that kind of cost though, unless I don't keep the dicker boots. Added motivation to make sure they're perfect before keeping them!

Marsha ooh decisions decisions! I think the idea of a 3 month trial is brilliant, and 4 days a week if you can wrangle it, as long as you won't actually be trying to squeeze 5 days work into 4, in which case you may as well have the pay/expectations of 5 days.

NY I like all the sideways exercises. I have saddlebags until I get really quite slim, so I'm hoping that toning up the muscles down the sides (I'm sure there are more technical terms) will minimise the saddlebag effect. It definitely felt like it was working a different set of muscles to Shred, which is what I need.

Ooh, have just found the Muubaa site. LOTS of nice leather jackets, this one is my favourite, but I love the darker hardware on this one. They would definitely both be contenders for replacing my 10 year old jacket...

marsha Love the things you have put in your wicker basket . Tough decision re job but great advice from annie and ny. Hope you'll find a solution that works for you and your family.

ollie As much as I love the colour and cut of the HL dress, I think it is a little bit too long. Unless you really love, love, love it when trying it on again with opaques, spanx etc, I would not keep it. Try sitting down in it too and see if you feel comfortable with the way it drapes.

verity Gorgeous watch and well deserved. Now, where did you get the navy and raspberry watch strap from?

zembo That is very kind but if you love both colours you obviously need to keep them .

Loved reading about the mini MU. Meeting a friend for lunch at nearby shopping center today. The glamour... Will wear my new boots anyway. Never knowingly underdressed and all that.

Lovely jackets Hopefully! I seem to favour suede rather than leather for some reason - but then I'm not getting full wear out of my suede bike jacket as I keep thinking "ooh, looks like rain..."!

Marsha, it sounds like you're in a good position to ask for what you want - they won't want to back to the board and say they couldn't get you because they couldn't agree working conditions! Would you try to keep some freelance stuff on the side?

DS1 very spotty but not 'typical' chicken pox spots yet, still quite smooth. And feeling fine apart from a bit of a temperature, no itching yet. I'm working from home to keep an eye on him. And I've just heard that his friend and his mum have both had chicken pox already, so a big relief there.

Oh, and L'Agence skirt is going back sadly - too big (I knew I should have ordered the 2), and have decided not to exchange as I don't love it enough and it's a bit high maintenance when you sit down to keep it decent with the wrap aspect - unless I go all out and get a kilt pin! Can't be doing with high maintenance.

Sounds like a lovely MU yesterday for the Midlands girls. Was it sans DC?
Outfits sound absolutely gorgeous. You must have made a v stylish bunch.
pickled- I'm not Midlands based. In fact, I've never lived further North than Cambridge :)

Just a Tiffany bangle, eh icey

marsha- I giggled at your comment about the ever expanding wardrobes in your part of town. I think that you would be depressed if you came down here! It is far too rural for me and DH and I are both getting quite bored. It is lovely for little DC- masses of open spaces, parks, forest, beaches, excellent state schools but not so good for teens nor for us. We have both decided that we definitely prefer to live in a large city or abroad when he gets a Consultant post. Like the J Crew skinnies particularly from your links.
Sounds like a hard decision with regards job. 4 days a week could work much better. I know that FT childcare in London is v expensive and you would need after school care too right?

ollie- Thanks for adding me. I'm not 100% about the dress either. It does seem a slightly awkward length and wonder if the draping at the top is a little higher than would be ideal. Do you love it?
Kitchen- I like the lulworth blue but think you could go a step brighter/ deeper even if the rest of the house is v neutral, etc.

MIM- I missed your kitchen pics but saw from your comment that you have the same tiles as us. Are yours in the green shade? Ours are the creamy colour.

apuski- doesn't sound typical of c/pox from what you had said. C/pox usually starts on the trunk as discrete red spots, then heads develop. Could be non specific viral rash- does he have any other symptoms? Could also be a reaction to something. Wait and see at present, I think.

Fingers crossed for the job, red

bloss- I hardly ever get around to painting my nails although did do DD1s last night and DD2s today with DD1's friend's new nail polish making kit!!
I have, however, bought a Groupon voucher for Shellac nails which I am going to use soon. Has anyone ever tried them? I find normal paint a bit of a waste of time tbh as it involves me sitting around waiting for them to dry only to be chipped within a couple of days.

DD2 is loving dressing up at the moment ably assisted by DD1. Today, she is in a pink tutu! The others used to love it too at this age (nearly 3). I had to take Batman/ Superman to pre school frequently :)

Crossed posts apuski. My posts tend to sit here for about an hour being added to as there is always somethings else that needs doing!

Hopfully- you made me laugh re your mother. I didn't know that folding tea towels counted as a job!
My mother is similarly unable to sit down and relax and makes mountains out of mole hills but she never comes to stay and only visits for a few hours at a time so doesn't impact on me to badly :)

Annie that skirt is lovely, glad you are keeping it. I agree re freelance v FT. Freelance can be irritating of course, but then I think it suits my personality better. Your dh is good at staying independent. Maybe I should ask myself WWA'sDH do? Or Don Draper, he never signs a contract.

Have a lovely lunch Fritzi.

Apuski no I don't think so re extra freelance. They are definitely getting a good deal if I take it, as it means I am cheaper. Pleased your friend has had the cp already.

Looby the wardrobes are very nice to look at, yes I can understand about that I grew up in a very pretty, isolated town near a beach. Great for children but not for teenagers and not for people who love being in a city. But I was also chatting to someone who is booking Egypt at half-term for some sun. That made me feel a bit green!

I suppose I could look at getting a nanny. Probably easier, as have no idea what to do in school holidays for ds1.

I just rang the parents and spent the first part of phone in a misunderstanding as my tone of voice sounded like I hadn't got the job. Funny that!

I am quite content here for now marsha. We have moved so many times due to jobs that I have had the chance to experience living in lots of different places. Once we can finally settle, it will be in a city (fortunately both of us agree). One of my friends is currently trying to convince me that we must come to London but property prices are so high now and out family is er large!

NYE- Dorset much closer- will PM you.

Must get off here now and go and play with the mini ballerina!

Ollie I'm not sure about the length, jersey is tricky to shorten but a good alterations place should be able to do it. Does it make your heart sing? If not I would send it back, there will be lots of lovely dresses appearing in the next few weeks. Lovely kitchen, Lulworth will be great

Marsha that's a tricky choice for you, but great advice here. A trial period sounds good. Love the J Crew skinnies, great colour.

Ants fingers crossed it's not the pox, even if it is ds2 only had a few spots and no other symptoms.

Our entire house is going to be white when it's finished! White walls, marble floor, white kitchen and worktop, am I kidding myself that dc are past the messy stage?!

Glad you like the watch, although typically I'm having a wobble over it. I think it might be too big, I have ridiculously small wrists. I have drawn it out in actual size on my wrist! I'll go in again for a try on. Ollie and Fritzi the SA produced a book of leather samples from which straps can be made, she did warn me it could take 6 months!! They had the navy in stock, and chocolate brown, tan and etoupe that lovely minky colour that I thought I'd go for but in reality it didn't look good with my pale skin.

Horrible day here, cold, grey and rainy. I can feel some baking coming on....

Thanks Annie - I'm trying to avoid black and grey (no mean feat!), but forget to look at outnet. I might try this jigsaw skirt, but will wait until I get get to a store, I'm sick of returns now!

Thanks for the advice Looby, I have no idea what it is, but the spots are becoming more pronounced. Just have to wait and see!

Love the Marni skirt!

marsha Don Draper test as a decision making tool sounds very wise .

Have put on the new boots and now slightly panicking as I have downsized half a size and now think my regular size would have been better. Must not start fretting. If all else fails, I just will have to ebay them.