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.

Spent several hours last night catching up on this thread and found myself oohing at purchases and nodding my head in sympathy quite often.

So many diligent Shreaders here . I gave up and will give my copy to my SIL. However, I do have a set of hand weights which I will give away to the first person who asks (will bring to June MU). I "took up" running instead and have ramped up my mileage since the MU in preparation for a half-marathon next week. HOWEVER, instead of losing weight, I have GAINED weight - not sure how much as I don't weigh myself, but my trousers feel a bit more snug, but more importantly, I have been eating non-stop as my body is telling me that I need the carb energy. I do not exaggerate in confessing that I ate half of a cherry pie in one day over the weekend, and that was not my only example of shocking eating.

Very interesting conversation regarding work/home balance - a topic which I myself have not come to grips with. I still am stinging from a thread here which I participated years ago where one poster chastised me for depriving the world of my medical talents (her words), and that it was my duty to trop back to work in medicine and nothing else (I mentioned that I was starting to buy/sell artwork casually and I was told that this was frivolous and had my knuckles rapped). I am happy with my life right now, but would love to do something (not medicine) but finding that something is the tricky bit, and trickier still is fining something which still allows me the flexibility to be the principle/sole caretaker of my children. I am not qualified to do much in life (laughs hollowly at years of school, uni, medical school, training yet am not qualified to do 99% of jobs advertised in the newspaper), and am afraid that I am too old to start something new. Probably why I just keep myself busy with hobbies and volunteering.

Love your capsule wardrobe hopefully. I think that most women, even those with capacious rooms stuffed with clothes, have a handful of looks which form the core of their style (e.g., the woman form thee 40/big bum blog - lots of clothes, but a definite look which could be defined by a handful of items). Reminds me of Audrey Hepburn who, when starting out, had only one scarf but people thought she had many more because she had about a hundred ways of wearing said scarf.

No clothing purchases on my part - well, I was in rural Brittany for the past 4 weeks, but I did buy a pair of shoes at the Rupert Sanderson outlet yesterday - these, but I did NOT pay $725!!. Am off to purchase school shirts for DS1 today - not as easy as it sounds and it is virtually impossible to find all cotton short-sleeved school shirts now.

Have a lovely, if wet, day!

Great to hear from you Mominatrix. Those shoes are gorgeous! Well done on the running training- I imagine your body is just telling you how much fuel it needs so no shame in the cherry pie story!!

Hopefully- hope the shoulder is better this morning.

Morning everybody.

So happy you had a good weekend Red how was the clothes party?
Great shoes Mominatrix

Hopefully that is truly a capsule wardrobe. I long to achieve something like that, I feel so guilty when I buy things then don't wear them enough.

I am feeling a bit hysterical at the moment. I gave a few quotes to the Daily Mail about "Mummy Bloggers" and it has somehow spiralled into them coming to my house to do a photoshoot on Friday. It's not that glamorous though I have to do my own hair makeup and clothes. I've never had any kind of professional pictures taken before, does anybody have any tips about makeup, hair etc??? Also my outfit brief is no black, no denim, nothing frumpy

It's also DD's birthday party on Saturday afternoon. I had planned on the toddlers just being feral in the garden but now starting to think I should organise some games in case the rain doesn't give up. DP is away til late Friday evening, people coming to stay for the weekend, you get the picture...

Sorry for such a me me me post, off to catch up now

Surburban - how exciting!! Just make sure you tell them everything 2/3 times and watch them either record it or write it down. One of my friends was involved in a DM article 'My cat is my baby' about wealthy working women who allegedly use their cat as a child substitute and spend loads of money on them. They came round, took the picture, asked her a few quick questions and scribbled down some quotes and disappeared....when the article appeared the information bore no resemblance to what she had said. They had vastly inflated the amount she actually spent on the animals and changed some of her lines. Be ruthless with them!! (She now has a baby - complete surprise - and has got rids of the cats....)

How old is DD? 2 or 3? We had DDs third birthday at home with lots of people and it rained, but showers broke long enough to get them outside. Managed to get away without a 2nd birthday party at all as she was clueless and didn't expect one, so I thought 'why bother'? Like the minimalist mother I am....

momi Great to have you back! Your new shoes are to die for. Hope you get to wear them lots.

suburban Can you have a blow-dry on the day of the photo-shoot? Think I would wear skinnies, flats, T-shirt blazer and big scarf. Anything you feel comfortable in. What is your usual make-up routine?

Have finally decided on a colour for THE WALL : Teresa's Green. I'm a bit worried that it is shown in a bathroom on the F&B website and that our towels are almost the same colour. But if we hate it, I can always have it painted over. Must not buy any more sample pots. Our wall is a patchwork of colour already.

Have just sort of committed myself to take DD, my niece and nephew to Legoland for the day during the summer holidays. My Mum is going to come along too... It will be hell, right?

I discovered this morning that our local post office is now closed for good . That means I have to take the car to our shopping centre and make a detour via Zara and H&M to post my parcels

yes, suburban second what ny said. A friend's sister and her (female) partner gave an interview to the DM regarding their struggle and eventual success at having a baby. They were told the piece would be sensitive and positive. Needless to say it was neither.

Have just spent a very enjoyable half an hour rifling through my wardrobe and trying on all my pre-baby jeans (some of which I had given up hope of ever wearing again). They all either fit or are too big. My leather trousers which were always a squeeze are way too loose round the waist, and even my benchmark jeans (you know, the ones you've kept since you were 17) fit perfectly. Thank you Jillian.

mominatrix great shoes!

Suburban how exciting! Not sure how you control the DM however!

Momin lovely to have you back. Those shoes are amazing.

Love the green Fritzi

Slight change of plans and big trip to Aus now at Christmas. As a big birthday for my mother. Everyone is going back. Now I'm really looking forward to it. I love big celebratory occasions with lots of food, champagne and wine.

Oh Suburban exciting! I was in a Saturday Times Magazine article when I was pregnant with DD; younger mothers choosing to stay at home or some such. They changed my age to suit the article and completely manipulated what I said meaning I came across as a real smuggo. Second all that NY says. Upside was I had make-up hair and clothes done at a studio and was in Vivienne Westwood.

Clothes swap was good - came away with a few nice bits, but met a lovely group of women which was the nicer bit!

Back later - friend on her way round and am contemplating skiving off pre-school as it is torrential and can't face the run..!

The weather is dire. But I finally got to wear Stella M long navy gloves to elbow and 3/4 length Sonia Rykiel navy/white stripe jumper with bees on and jbrands.

Small blessings and all that.

Sounds good Red.

Wow, get all of you, being interviewed. I was on Woman's Hour a few months ago talking about horrendous births of huge babies, but they didn't manipulate it all. In fact they edited to remove all the ummms and errrrrrs and made me sound significantly more intelligent than I actually am

Fritzi looks like a good colour choice - one of those that could change a lot depending on the light, so not too boring.

Red glad you enjoyed the clothes swap. Sounds like a great idea, but I know that most of my friends dress totally different to me, and I'm not sure any of us would be remotely interested in each other's clothes!

Mom I'm not normally a shoe person, but those are just beautiful.

Amber well done on the jeans front, sounds like you've toned up loads! Good old Jillian.

Speaking of Jillian, NY and Bloss and any other exercise addicts, have any of you considered/looked at Insanity or P90X or any of those other American workout systems? I'm (whisper it) getting a bit bored of seeing Jillian every day, so I'm thinking of trying one of these 60/90 day programs for a bit of a change. They sound pretty intense, but I think DH and I could kind of get into it as a 2 month challenge. They come up on eBay occasionally, and I'd probably ebay it after finishing, so not too worried about the insane price tag.

Shoulder is a little bit better this morning - did some yoga stretches after going for a run in the pouring rain and running straight into a massive ankle deep puddle. I squelched attractively for the entire run home.

Right, really must go and actually do some work now.

Hopefully - I have looked at both of those because they do look interesting and i am sure they will give great results, but given work/commute I could not commit the time. From memory it is at least an hour a day 5 to 6 days to week I think? I can manage an hour at weekends and possibly one other day, but would really struggle on other days. It would mean getting up at 4 30am (!!) or working out at 9pm, which DH would sulk about if i did.

NY and Amber thanks, I am sadly aware of pitfalls of DM and very nearly turned them down. Then thought I can't really bitch about lack of prospects etc and turn down an opportunity when it comes along. Have already done the interview was ok apart from she asked "what makes you think you have the right to tell people what to do?" to which I just replied "I don't" so will be interesting to see how that is edited.

Have asked her to email quotes and will run them past my brother who has proper journalism training, but frankly am not expecting much.

Red I remember that article, don't think this one will be as glam. Starts to wonder which one you were... Glad the clothes swap was good, love meeting like minded people.

Hopefully I would much rather my moment in the spotlight was sounding intelligent on Woman's Hour than dubious in the DM

Fritzi would love to just wear skinnies and a blazer, but no denim or black apparently, am hoping I can stretch this and wear a coloured pair. Beautiful paint choice we have just painted one wall in our kitchen this colour and am v happy with results.

NY DD is two. Last year we were the only in our circle who didn't have a party and felt terrible. This year we are the only ones having one! Probably with good reason. Will just do lots of food and lots of balloons and hope for the bet I think!

Pass the parcel can go on too long for most 2 year olds (and all those layers of wrapping....argh!!)

Agree with Annie's assessment. Couple of organised games; maybe some songs with hand actions that they will know if you are feeling brave?

Suburban you always look lovely in your photos, just do what you always do, although I agree with Fritzi, it's the perfect opportunity to have a blow dry. wear colored skinnies, blazer and scarf and have fun

Mom amazing shoes, lucky you!

Fritzi love that color, I have been immersed in sample pots of the last week, made me feel a bit ill trying to choose between them!

Ollie v of your painter, mime bear a sticking resemblance to the Chuckle Brothers!

Weather here is playing havoc with life. Our house is about 3 weeks away from being habitable again after flooding in October, and there is a major flood alert for the next 24 hrs! I am awaiting a call from the council to find out where to collect sand bags, but keep repeating that lightening won't strike us twice

We are going to a 2 day wedding at the weekend, ceremony on Sat, barbecue on an island on Sun. Sounds lovely, but the forecast is for 7 degrees and heavy rain, all our meticulously planned outfits need replanning to include thermals and opaques.

Interesting article about the Maje & Sandro sisters

If I buy a nice light Burberry trench it'll stop raining right?

Does anyone have one?

The hula hoop game was mine. Me, me! I did it on DDs third and passed it via this thread to LTEC who used it (I think for her DDs 4th..?) To be fair, I found it on the internet, so did not actually think it up with my own brain cells!

We do the hula hoop game every year now, I think it was my best MN tip ever

Marsha I love the color of the Burberry. I have a navy trench as I can never find the right shade in a beige/taupe one, the Burberry shade is just right. And yes, it will stop raining as soon as you hand over the cash!

Verity. I know. It is a lovely colour however.

I really want to reintroduce the chocolate game.

Ooh what's the chocolate game Marsha? Sounds right up my street I had to drive 10 mins out of my way this morning to pick up emergency supplies of G&Bs Almond as I have exhausted all local supplies

Have beautiful new haircut. Am walking home in a thunderstorm

Interesting article Verity. I'm sure that the house is now capable of withstanding a tsumani and that everything will be fine. It's Punchestown week down here ( our equivalent of Cheltenham racing) but a complete washout, DDs are rethinking their outfits!

Snap Marsha I'm wearing a classic Burberry today, but it's still raining!

Hopefully your wardrobe sounds super organised, I yearn for that, but am a dreadful hoarder.

Really nice shoes Mom.