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.

NSG & Decameron excellent news about your school places.
Suburban I love fashion karma moments like you had with your boots, look forward to seeing them on your blog.
Emo how was your trip to France? And, were you able to book the H0C thing, really hope so?
Breton I really admire the way you seem to be processing what's happening with your partner. Big hugs if you feel you need them today, high fives if you dont.
Marsha I've yet to accomplish a proper push up, have no stamina upper body strength.

So, last night's dream was in two parts. The first was me in a White Company store, trying lots on. But the second part involved me sharing a house with the cast of Jersey Shore in a snowy location. I was wearing ugg boots. Analyse that!

Had a great Book Club meeting last night where we discussed The Particular Sadness of Lemoncake. Not everyone liked the boot but the discussion was great. We try and have food that fits the theme of the book so I made a sad lemoncake - a lemon cheesecake with a sad smiley face on it made from smarties!

Morning.

I survived day 1! Day 2 today - toddler group, and trying to figure out the bloody baby bjorn!

Back later.

Scarf lovers, I was just reading The Online Stylist's blog and she has a couple of pics of Sara Ebbett scarves. They look lovely from what I can see. Website not running yet but I loved the grey one on the slide show. Worth bookmarking?

I really should be getting on with jobs but this navy Gap dress is a similar style to the Me and Em dress but a lot less exxy, no pockets or tulip shaped skirt though - hmm, so not that similar now that I think about it!

ollie - that is my idea of a book club - one with cake!

MIM - glad to hear that day one went ok. Fingers crossed for day two. I remember being a bit scared when DH went back to work after a week off and left me with DD - and that was just one! He obviously picked up on it as he came back at lunchtime to see if we were ok . Not something he would ever usually do, and to be fair, he was in the only job he has ever had where we lived close enough to it that he could pop home.

Hopefully - can def see the colour change! If you are not 100% happy with the Davina then no point in keeping it. If it doesn't fit your personal style well enough then it will just hang in the wardrobe taunting you as a waste of money - even if others love it.

Annie - am with you on the tension headache. I had a mini migraine yesterday, complete with disturbed vision. Immigran and paracetomal/codeine helped clear it, but it is still hanging round in the background today. Annoyingly, migraines either make me feel sick, or seem to give me low blood sugar and a constant desire to snack. Yesterday was the latter.... Thanks for the bikini compliment. Tis (mainly) all Jillian's work..

Pretty dress. Am quite tempted....

mim Was thinking of you at yesterday. I'm sure DS will love to show off as big brother at playgroup today.

ollie Your dreams are hilarious. I had a nightmare about impending literacy night tonight at school. The other Mum called me three times yesterday to discuss some minor detail and in my dream she was screaming at me in front of all the children and forcing me to plunge my hands into a big bowl of salt dough. Oh dear....

Think I need a coffee now

notyummy Pretty dress but the shoes they have styled it with are horrendous!

ollie The navy GAP dress is very nice and could be, dare I say it, an ideal school run dress for summer. Want to start a thread?

Gorgeous leather biker

Oh for the opportunity to dream, DH came home at midnight, drunk and wittered on about work for an hour, then DS was up for the day at 4.30am. Sometimes I feel like I'm in my own version of the Truman show where they push the boundaries of human tolerance [melodrama]

Distracts Amber with talk of bags - am rather liking the navy version . . .

Ollie-I wish you lived near me. A sad lemon cake would make my year day . I like the gap dress. I've got a similar one from Asos. I still can't quite do the zip up on your bird dress but am holding out hope that it will fit by the summer.

Ollie another great dream! Think you should start your own thread about your dreams! Wish I was in your book club. Mmn. Lemon cake!
NY, you just look amazing in your bikini. Totally ripped. Jillian should use you in her DVD promos.
Annie When I reflect back, I am always amused, because I behaved as if I was on par with my senior colleagues. It never occurred to me that I wasnt until I became the senior one. I was so naive, yet it just didn't seem to occur to me that I was bottom of the food chain sotospeak. If I had a junior like that now I think I would be completely bemused. Somehow I seem to get away with it, but consequently still feel as if I'm still doing that, now I'm older and wiser! I think it's because I'm so decisive I got away with it.(At work that is. Make me try to choose between two pairs of shoes and it's a completely different kettle of fish!)
Work that sling MIM! You're playing a blinder!

Oh a sad lemon cake is just poetic. How gorgeous.

On a weight hunt, too cold!

Amber - nice maxi skirt for you - you were after one weren't you . . .

Right the ironing is calling and also a cake needs baking.

My sister is doing low-carb and has lost 5lbs since Monday!

Amber hope you have ingested sufficient coffee an cake to get you through the morning!

Loving the sound of a sad lemon cake Ollie

Am enjoying a chai latte (nice and slimming) and a caramel shortbread (also slimming) all by myself. The luxury! OK, so I had to drive 100 miles for a meeting to do it, but it's still good

MrsCB I am a complete believer in low carb, but can't actually do it as by about 3pm on day one the thought of even a week without cake/biscuits/bread sends me scurrying to the bakery aisle of Waitrose. The science is sound though, I think.

Justopping in to say lots of MiH on The Outnet - Marrakech for £39 which I ink you were keen on NY and Oslos too in a lovely stone shade - MrsCB/Decam.

Great news on the school places - you must both be thrilled!

Back from toddler group.

It was all very undignified. DD hated the sling and screamed. But it turns out I had her leg in the wrong bit. DS kept falling over and crying and I kept stressing that he would eat the biscuits they had on offer. So I think a few other women thought I was some sort of healthy eating maniac every time I gabbed one from his hand and said, "NO'.

Decam and NSG fab news about the school places.

Ollie another funny dream, and Uggs too...hmmm! Cake sounds lovely, especially the idea of a sad face.

NY I am very envious of your primal scream story. I once went out with a famous politician's son. Not that rock and roll sadly.

Sorry I forgot to pm Red, I should have some boys clothes for you in a few weeks.

Breton you are being very strong which is admirable. Agree with others, you never know what is round the corner.

Hi to rufus, how is the weather over there?

Great dying Hopefully. So are you sending the Davina back?

Amber sympathy on the lack of sleep.

Interesting talk about SAHM/returning to work etc. There is no easy solution. All I know is the grass always looks greener. God, I'd love a change from nursing though, or certainly a break from managing so many people. Like you Red I'd like to do something I love, but maybe not give so much of myself to the job and walk away and switch off at the end of the day.

Right - am going to get that navy Whistles dress. I am now on the look out for an oversized white scarf to go with it. Anyone seen anything?

Glad you survived toddlers MiM.
NY I love the print on that dress, I am obsessed with the print on [http://www.selfridges.com/en/Womenswear/Categories/Denim/Skinny-floral-jeans_151-3000459-S5253129V12SCLASSICSKINNY/ these] DVF jeans at the moment.

I was wondering if any of you ladies have any advice about triggers for eczema. I have had it on and off for years usually in just one small area but I am covered head to toe at the moment. Doctor has put me on an intensive course of steroids for the weekend, but said I need to work really hard to find the trigger because this isn't a long term solution. Don't think it is washing powder/shower gel etc because I haven't these for years.

oops these

My DS had bad eczema before his dairy allergy was diagnosed. Within 48hours of cutting it out, his skin was transformed.

Also, have you tried bathing in oats? Not a solution, but its an excellent way of calming the skin down. Get a pair of tights, fill one foot with oats and then hang over the tap as you run a bath and then pop it in the bath at the end.

If you do decide to cut out dairy I can help with info with alternatives.

Oh they are fab Suburban you definitely have the legs for them Have you looked for a dietary link with the excema? I don't have allergies, but definite intollerances to dairy and wheat and will suffer the consequences if I go over my threshold IYKWIM. Maybe keep a food diary for a few weeks to see if you can spot a link.

MiM it was an achievement in itself just to get to toddlers, hope they are both napping now!

Just back from helping out with school trip, wolfing back an omlette then off to ballet. Hope you survived your day at school Fritzi and you have a bottle of Prosecco in the fridge!