Avidly gazing at spring/summer looks, while Wisely purchasing caghouls......

[notyummy]

Hi all!

Sorry about the rain/hairdo situation Hopefully.

I am eating G and Bs Mint dark choc as I write Verity.

Bloody cold here. And wet.

Sounds good portia. Still in woollies here too and changing my mind about the cashmere jumper. It really is gorgeous with a great neckline and lovely tight fitting long sleeves. I tried it with various vests underneath, and different scarves. I think I can make it work. It feels so luxurious, and probably more use to me than my summer clothes!

Morning. Pouring with rain here and Im at home today with DSs and the painter. Im wondering when I will crack and play the "lets put a dvd on?" card? They are worn out after yesterdays excitement so mood swings a plenty. Happily playing with all the new cars, lego and playmobil purchased at the children's market for now....

Some lovely sounding weekends.

Red glad you enjoyed you first day of tutoring. I know exactly what you mean about in and out of car faffage. Guess you will soon get used to it but still its still frustrating to do. Glad both DC enjoyed their childcare arrangements.

Bloss. I love the sound of your new jumper - you always describe new purchases so well that i find myself longing for whatever it is you have brought!
Fritzi I loved the image of you with your head in the fridge munching on cheese! Glad you had a nice time.
Pickled you post about your Mum made me sigh at out. Hugs to you.

I love the thought of a weekend Dublin. Count me in for now but it depends on dates and cost etc.

Morning all!

reine Your "project" is wonderful and so very you. Wishing you all the best!

annie at your workload. Hope you are done soon and get to have some time to relax with your family and re-charge your batteries.

pickled Sorry about your Mum. Were you close?

ollie Queensday sounds like so much fun. Agree that orange is probably not a good colour for you though.

apuski Have you decided on interview outfit?

red You must be a wonderful teacher and the students you are tutoring are very lucky. Hope the logistics of dropping DC off before work will get easier.

rufus Hope the colour on your wall feels right this morning. I am slightly nervous about painting the wall in our bedroom.

DH and I have both our birthdays in November and I'm not sure if I will make it to the MU.

Morning all!

Fritzi - I am very jealous of your night out. It sounded great - particularly the food finale!

Bloss and Portia - I am also still pretty much in A/W gear. Grey trouser suit with green jumper today. Have just ordered some skin coloured subtle fish nets as recommended on another thread in an effort to get me through May without wearing opaques everyday, when it is in no way warm enough for bare legs!

Apuski - good luck for Thursday! I am sure you will wow them - and enjoy your well earned 'you' time in London. Little bit of shopping and coffee/cake/Grazia time perhaps? I am 'lucky' in that DH is not allowed to travel to Dublin so me going on my own is not really an issue. I did get a slight grump on when I discovered that he was going to Cape Town with work 2 months before we were due to go there on honeymoon....and I got even worse when I discovered his group had been booked into the hotel we were supposed to be staying in!! It actually worked out ok in the end as he decided it wasn't nice enough for a honeymoon and spend the weekend wondering round other options (whilst avoiding going to Robben Island as I had told him I didn't want him to go without me!)

Red - so glad the DC liked their childcare - very much the prime hurdle. Logistics can be stressful I no, but not as much as the worry of them hating the childcare!

Verity - glad you enjoyed the wedding, although the weather could not have been harsher on brides and grooms this weekend...

I now have the next size down in the Ce Me blue dress and tried it on for DH last night. He very much approved, so it is staying. My mum and dad are coming up for a long weekend this weekend and DH and I are nipping off to a country house hotel place only half an hour away for the night (via the cinema so we can watch Avengers Assemble, which I am slightly about - but will probably end up loving.) We have massages booked and I will wear the new dress for dinner. DD hasn't seen them since February and can't wait.

Re the meet-up - I have red hot intelligence reports being fed back to me by the Irish ladies so will hopefully be able to PM people soon with some hotel ideas. Can I ask if there are any people with dates they would rather avoid who haven't mentioned them already? This will allow us to narrow down the dates and costs It is looking like the two weekends later in the month may be better. Perhaps the 17th/18th....opportunity for Christmas shopping without running into the busy time in the run up to Christmas itself?

So far we have (with the caveat of dates fitting and costs working for people):

Notyummy - November (Not 10/11th)
Antpants1 - November
Blossoming - November (Not 10th/11th)
MarshaBrady - November
Emo - November
Reine - November (Not 3rd/4th)
Ollie - November
Red/Hopefully/Apuski...?
And hopefully Verity, Portia and Rufus too of course!

Count me in ny as long as £ is okay at booking time. But I have missed lots of meet-ups and want to come to one again You are a marvellous example of proper good organisational skills.

17/18 good for me as DH's birthday is the week after so he will probably celebrate the next weekend.

I have been very busy with work day and evening, although not on annie's scale and have been going to the gym as my only downtime. So this morning I am popping the raincover on DD2's buggy and heading off to Primark hoping to unearth some hidden gems. I will report back.

reine your FB pics look amazing. DD1 thought they were dresses, one for her and one for DD2! Very excited for you and will share your page shortly...

Good morning All

Thank you so much for all your kind thoughts yesterday. My mum was a great lady in a fairly understated way. She had many friends of all ages and even managed to find romance again (long after my dad died) - proper old fashioned courting, plants left on the doorstep by her admirer and all that. More about her another time perhaps .

Ollie, your Queen's Day celebrations went well it seems, I hope there aren't too many photos of you in the orange top .

Fritzi, loved hearing about your 'Nigella' moment

Red, so agree with NY about the hurdle of your DC liking their childcare arrangements - no such worries for you it seems. The whole thing sounds like a great adventure for them (less so for you but it will be worth it come pay day ).

[I am contemplating the MU but need to get tomorrow (interview like you Apuski) out of the way first so brain can think]

Actually, my interview isn't until Thursday...see what I mean?

Would be great to see you again Fleecy.

Hello from a very wet Center Parcs!

Popped into Bath to visit DBIL at the pub and then came on to Longleat. Did a tiddly bit of browsing in Bath y'day. Such great shopping - have earmarked this T shirt as a potential purchase. Also saw gorgeous 811s in heliotrope which is a divine lilacy-grey which I will be looking for on Shopbop.

Am doing my best with wet weather in faded 910s, Maje leopard T, stripy Demylee cardi (which I have barely taken off and will be buying in grey) and metallic grey Hunters.

pickled your mum sounds like she was fab, lovely to hear about her!

annie glad things have calmed on work front - I vote nap!

ollie Queen's day sounds great, and it sounds like there is a wonderful sense of community we really lack over here.

Probably won't make MU due to possibly still-bf baby/work limitations, though it sounds awesome!

Anniemac hope you chose nap over exercise! I am on awe of how well you have coped this past few days. I hope you get the recognition at work for how hard you work.

I have a shoe and an (mild) moral dilema.

Shoe one first, obviously - Have seen the perfect pair of nude shoes on sale - except they had an open toe. They were a nice shade of nude for me - more of a taupey nude instead of pink, fab price, bit high but walkable in.

Would I get the wear out of them given the open toe though?

Moral dilema involves seeing a neighbours 13 year old daughter smoking on their balcony seconds after the parents had left the house -she was hunched down in the corner so clearly did not want to be seen. Don't know them particuarly well - only to stop and have a quick chat with in the steet or at neighbourhood events etc. She is their foster daughter and has lived there for around 18 months - seems a very nice girl generally. DH thinks I shouldn't say anything - he said they would find out eventually and we can live without the wrath of a teenager if she finds it was me who ratted on her! He has a point. WWYD?

Ollie - get the shoes and do not tell the neighbours.

I think there is a glimmer of sunshine - faints!

Just baked chocolate coconut brownines whilst listening to excellent play on R4 about child abuse in Ireland by priests - very good but rather grim.

Notyummy (Not 10/11th)
Antpants1
Blossoming (Not 10th/11th)
MarshaBrady
Emo
Reine (Not 3rd/4th)
Ollie
Fleecy (Not 24th/25th)
Red/Hopefully/Apuski/Pickles...?
And hopefully Verity, Portia and Rufus too of course!

Glad you are past the worst Annie. Will keep an eye out for Wolfords.

Such lovely memories of your mum Pickled - sounds like she was an amazing individual.

Still no sunshine here and lots of wind and rain

Ollie I would say nothing, I used to do things like that a teenager thinking it was cool and am a none smoker now!

Corrections!

Must prev!iew messages first!

As a teenager,None smoker?! Non smoker!

Jeepers MCB, that must have been grim. Brownies would be compulsory to offset it.
Now you see I'd be the informer. (despite the stereotypical thing of culturally we' don't do the informer thing over here) I am a firm believer in truth and putting it out there. Then you can make a decision on what to do with the information. (that's the difficult bit) So I think foster parents should know,(they probably do already) and they're foster parents, they don't think they have Pollyanna living with them I'm sure, so they will have the skills to address it. I'd be frightened of the fire hazard myself. (former smoker here!)

Oh yes, meant to say I like the sound of the shoes Ollie! Love nude shoes, they're very leg lengthening! Dread them going out of fashion.

Hello! Wasn't it nice to have sunshine yesterday and doesn't it make the return to incessant rain all the more depressing today! It's May fgs! Loved playing in the garden all afternoon with DS with DD cooing at the sky in her pram. More like that please.

Struggling to find time to post but am reading and enjoying still. annie you are incredible to work such hours and with so little complaint too. pickled sorry about your mum; she sounds lovely. Good luck with interview. amber I always love your outfits so. bloss jumper sounds great and love how you really consider your purchases and how to make them work. I am still way too impulsive and have too many mistakes huddling sheepishly in the wardrobe.

Neon pink satchel arrived and think it is probably one of the mistakes. Too fluorescent and too stiff for me. It's a great bag but not me; I'd love it if I saw someone else with it (probably a cool teenage girl!) but think I'll feel silly with it. amber was it you that was thinking about the gorgeous raoul pink bag? Are you still and if so did you find out if it had a cross body strap?

Now have three returns to sort: bag, whistles navy and white linen tshirt (why will I not learn that their sleeves look crap on me this season?) and TS black flat sandals that are too similar to some I already own . Apart from Bicester joy haven't been very wise lately...

Loving 40bum lady's latest posts, her writing and self-deprecation make me laugh. Great anthropologie necklace. Their jewellery is divine. Come on WIT, tell us about the baby! Hope she keeps up the blog throughout [selfish and nosy].

Disappointed but don't think I can do the MU; it's a bit far for a first one and with DD so little. But a London (or Bicester!) one could be do-able in the future. I'd love to meet some more of you.

reine sorry to be a nuisance but I'm dying to know what you're up to. Would love a link to your blg sometime please.

Hello to everyone else. Bet you're coping more stylishly than me with the rain although liking today's combination of navy skinnies, cream vest, cream lacy sweatshirt and lime green cashmere cardigan. And battered pale tan suede ankle boots that are a poor imitation of jalouse and need replacing with the real thing ASAP. But can't believe am contemplating new boots in May!

There is a gap in the market for a 'British weather' retailer: all year round boots, stylish outerwear that is waterproof and has some warmth, thin gloves even..!
Like you said rufus it is depressing to use the summer range just on holiday. A lot of money for just two weeks.
And my personal bugbear, cold houses. Just like school today: heating is off, presumably as it's the first of May! Doesn't matter where I am, if it's raining I get cold.
ollie, Love peep toes, hate soggy toes. Don't know what I'd do regarding the smoking, but it does smell. Sure they know already? Used to smoke out of my bedroom window during the 10 o'clock news. Knew my parents would leave me alone for half an hour!

ollie Another yes to the shoes from me. You wouldn't wear nude shoes when it is cold/with tights so open toe is fine. I wouldn't say anything to the neighbour considering your relationship isn't that close. Just out of curiosity: Is it the neighbour you made climb over the fence or into your window because you had locked yourself out?

Just had to call my friend and cancel our visit for next weekend because DH has to work on Saturday. We had it in the calendar for ages and DH seemed really down although I didn't complain at all. Went for a run with DD on her bike cycling along . Hope he feels better when they come back.

blue Your outfit sounds great.

Fingers crossed everyone will have some sunshine soon and boots and cashmere can be banned to the back of the wardrobe. I wore my WC linen dress on Sat for the first time. Belted and with silver ballet flats plus white rimmed sunglasses.

Going back outside now to do some more weeding in the garden. Oh the glamour (but I secretly love pottering around the garden all day)

Sunny in the park! Too warm in Stella M slouch and Acne palest grey skinnies. Very nice to be warm.

Reine love the blog! Really fab.

MrsCB, what do you think of these ash pale grey wedge trainers? I can't decide whether I like them or not < channeling you here Marsha >

I like those Pickled. (Although I would have them filthy in about 30 seconds....)

I am most of anyone in sunshine. Just back from in a run it what could either be described as drizzle or low cloud. Either way, not too good for May. May!!

Love the sound of your saturday outfit Fritzi.

Well it's a double 'no' from me on the Day Birger purchases I'm afraid.
The jumper looked lovely last night in the dim lighting of my room, but when I tried it on again after work in natural light I could see it wasn't going to work. Then the dress arrived. Gorgeous colour, but sadly too billowy on top. Did nothing for me. Loved the length of it though. Must find a shorter, dark grey jersey dress from somewhere!
Ah well atleastIcanjustifybuyingmorevioletlakelastnightnow