AVID and WISE: This is the place where you can harp on about your new buys.

[FritziGreenEyes]

Sorry about thread title. Hope everyone is back from holidays soon and will find us here.

amber Which JBrands did you get?

bonsoir I tried on those two tops in Cos before Easter and was tempted too. Bought a simple navy dress in Cos and shoes, which are not on the website . Will return this top. Cos is great at the moment I think.

Now I can tell you my brother and I are merely 10 months apart Amber .

Ok I am no closer to a decision.

NY at "I AM with the government". And at your mis-spent youth! You're such a pillar of the community now, you senior civil servant, you.

Why not do a big Christmas thing with your family again Marsha and go somewhere closer to home (Italy?) instead. This is a nice spot, nowhere near a beach though - beach holiday in Norfolk too to make up for it??

NY you would definitely 'wear' the Davina as opposed to it wearing you. It comes in about a hundred colours, made me feel quite claustrophobic (Davinas coming at me from all angles) last time I was in an LKB.

haha Pickled. at all angles.

Hmm yes. It's the rain. It's making me consider rash things! I rang the parentals this morning and said we're coming over. But woah summer could be good here.

Summer won't be good as I have delayed my return to work. Come Sept 11 the sun will be blazing, mark my words.

Hopefully I would secretly love another baby but DH definitely wouldn't, plus it would be nice if number 2 stopped waking 3-4 times a night first and got the hell out of our bed.

Yep at least it's definite sunshine over there (plus jet lag).

I sometimes think I'd love another little baby etc but maybe not as a sahm. So many years at home now. Am enjoying getting into other things a bit.

I also share the absolute fear of what will happen if/when I have to get a job. Just cannot imagine what I could do that would fit in with childcare etc. But like Mrs CB realise that I actually have it a lot easier than DP.

I had a bit of a fashion fairy moment today in Topshop When I noticed they had one pair of pistolalikes left on the "quick buy me now shelf", so I snapped them straight up

annie callenetics sounds great will have to give it a try. I also have the shred but just cannot get into it. I can't link, but if you search Tara Stiles Yoga on the itunes store she puts on a video podcast of a different yoga routine everyday, all circa 10 mins.

Ah - relief Amber!

Hopefully - I had a LOT of fun in my mis-spent youth. Lots of hilarious/slight shocking (delete as wished) memories. Crucially managed to avoid any brushes with the law hence not limiting career later on....Glad the M and S bikini is good. Thanks to FLE pointing me in ASOS's direction for bikinis, I got loads of wear out of my two bikinis from there - this - in green and this one. The only problem with the second was that I went for a massage whilst wearing it in Singapore and the petite lady started walking up and down my bag VERY firmly, and the metal rings dug right into my hip bones . I was terribley British and just gritted my teeth....

Career chat is very interesting. The whole portfolio thing is definitely appealing - I am easily bored!! I have changed career a huge number of times in my life and overall I think success at any job (whether working for yourself or others) is actually down a few key things, regardless of what sector. People look for confidence (not always in an immediate 'extrovert' way - quiet self-belief works too), application/effort and the capacity to understand and utilize information quickly. Those are the basis of most workplace competences - including those that involve managing others. All of you ladies that I have met on this thread seem to have all those attributes in spades.

She walked up my back firmly....not my bag. That would have just anoyed me .

Lost an epic post this afternoon.

Finally sitting down and so many posts to catch up on. Was outside gardening with DD until 7:30 tonight .

NY, I'd be furious if anyone walked on my bag! It gets its own seat in restaurants.

Marsha, if your dh agreed to go to Oz and you want to go, I'd book it.

My old job leant itself to working from home but most of my bosses were not keen, they worried that if they allowed it too often, our jobs would be outsourced.

Great you found the boots, Suburban and phew Amber. I had to rebuy everything when I was pregnant with DD2 as only intended to have one child originally and ditched every last stitch of maternity clothes! All IO too, bought when I had a salary.

DD1 got a place in our first (and only) choice of school, delighted. A couple of my friends got no offers at all and have to go on waiting lists/wait for second round offers. DH thanked me for being so organised and saving him a fortune on fees. I think perhaps it might be a good time to slip the toucan scarf in my shopping basket. :o

Oh Decameron congratulations what a weight off your shoulders. Fingers crossed for NSGnow.

Thanks. Big relief. I have just been reading the primary schools application thread and a couple of people from Richmond have not been offered school places either. I wonder if they are my RL friends posting. Schools around here are massively oversubscribed.

Hope you get good news too, NSG.

Fabulous Decam! Well done! There is one school near us like that, people do a lot of house moving /renting etc to get close enough to get in. Great news.

Thanks for hols advice too.

I have done the Shred. I need weights now, (I may have used 4x tins of tuna). What weights do people use? Also I did the harder one but not proper press ups. I imagine you all do proper ones!

I actually really like it, and her. She's good.

Hello all!

Goodness, I have barely posted since the meet-up, hope everyone is doing well. RL has been a bit manic lately, and have had little headspace for S&B.

Decameron, yay on the school place, very well planned! Fingers crossed for NSG. We find out about ds1's place on Friday - I will have properly stuffed up if he doesn't get in to the village school considering how carefully I planned the move .

Red, glad to hear you had a great holiday (no doubt feels ages ago already), and sorry you've been down today. Work dilemmas are tricky. Sometimes I'm envious of the certainty DH has about working, but then in his mind there is no real choice and therefore no dilemma to angst about. I had an interview today for a permanent role a bit closer to home, agreeable to part time working, and I came away feeling a bit 'meh' about it - all very similar to my old role.

Hopefully, I am very interested in your dyeing experiments, this may be the answer to a few items in my wardrobe that are 'nearly' right but not quite.

I've not been on MN much lately, but Amber, I must say I was loving your work on the Samantha Brick threads!

Apologies for only partially catching up, hello to everyone else!

amber Phew and ouch!

ollie Think it's only fair that red got to wear the Me&Em in your dream. She looks fantastic in it! I bet notyummy wore a maxi and bloss 50/50s and Roxy for our photo shoot. mrscb of course no cagoule but MJacobs broderie anglaise dress . and at the thought of you in canary yellow!

deca and notsogrumpy Fingers crossed your DDs get a place at the schools of your choice!

I wish people were less judgey when it comes to the whole SAHM/WOHM thing. I have had someone telling me that I am "wasting" my education because I'm not working in a proper job after I had DD. Oh, and when someone at DD's school found out that I only do the odd freelance job from home whereas she had thought I was "at least working PT in an office", she said: "Oh, I didn't think you were one of the "cappuccino Mums", meaning I am just sitting around with other Mums drinking coffee . Like deca I would never comment on someone else's choice.

pickled DH away until tomorrow too.

bretonbee It must be so tough for you. Hope you get RL support from friends and family.

verity Glad to hear that DS was so positive about school today. I'm sure it's the support he gets from you that makes all the difference.

portia Are you bloss's style twin?

notyummy M&S dress could be good for work.

God its my ambition to be a lady who lunches - that's even worse than a cappucino mum And who drinks cappucinos anyway - so last year

Right so am now obsessed by the 'does my bum look 40 in this blog' - i want to be her.

So as DH is out have spent last hour looking at ash low wedge trainers and long tight t-shirts online.

Ollie - that dream was so funny

hello everyone - trying to catch up!

ny I think you would absolutely ROCK a Davina.

running please stick around!

breton hang on in there

what's the betting that Olly's next dream is Pickles inspired and about getting trapped in a branch of LKB as Davina's keep appearing to block exit?

It's really interesting hearing everyone's views on working outside the home, childcare, what does/doesn't work for them etc. I work full time, and if I wasn't 100% satisfied with my childcare arrangements I would be in no fit state to focus on the job in hand. What I quickly came to accept is that people who look after my children may not do things exactly how I would, but it doesn't mean they aren't being looked after very well. I am the main earner at the moment so there's not much choice involved but fortunately I mostly enjoy my work, meeting interesting, bright people and finding satisfaction and stimulation in what I do. I take my hat off to those who are at home "full time" as for me it would in no way be the "easy" option. Finally I admit that I DO enjoy "dressing up" for work!

On reflection for those who are considering returning to work I would say give it a go and see how you get on but I am clearly biased!

Good to hear from you Apuski!

Glad the school choice has worked Deca and fingers crossed for the others.

Welcome to Jillian's world Marsha . It's slightly scary but can be inspirational! On weights I would recommend buying a set with 2 or 3 different ones so you can swap round depending on the exercise. Perhaps 1, 2 and 3kg? Start at the bottom and work up. I think there is a range of weights people use on this thread, but would imagine most people use within that kind of range.

Wow what a busy day of posting. First of all thankyou for your kind words, am feeling much more positive today but in general very up and down at the moment.

Enjoyed all the work / career discussion ....I get annoyed sometimes because I work very hard for my 4 days as have all the responsibility of a full time role yet get paid less and I still have to put up with all the jokes from a lot of my male colleagues about my day off. Actually most of the ones with DC of their own are fine, more the younger ones. I always thought I would leave when I had children and do something different but so far am still going! One day though I will break free...

Yes to all the Davinas - hopefully you looked great in yours. I wore my navy one today with my new grey jersey blazer and grey opaques, very much liked the combination as was business like yet extremely comfortable!

Deca congratulations about your DD getting the school you wanted, am dreading all of that worry in a couple of years and really glad you liked your boots after the wait....

ny thanks for the maxi ideas, will take a look and I also liked the autograph dress you linked too. Loved the Primal scream story too!

Thanks NY! Yes I love it. Good work on bringing it to the thread . God I was so reluctant. I must have had bad impressions of work out dvds from the 90s or something. She's good, and actually made me laugh a bit while I was doing it. I'll get the weights, thanks.

I do love doing some work, but in sporadic bursts, I love being paid for an (informed) opinion. I also want to be a lady that lounges by the pool.

It's good to find one's groove. There's nothing worse than doing something that is against the psyche (soul) or whatever. I hated being a project manager. But love the new strategy stuff.

Really interesting to read all your work stories.

Oh and Marsha I've been using tinned tomatoes and can only do 2 proper press ups but am now going to invest in some weights as per ny recommendation.

Thanks Breton! Yes I'll try some proper ones. And get rid of the tins too.

The Davina is great for work isn't it.