It's a race against time for the Avid girls to wear the Wise summer buys..

[blossoming]

Best I could do. Jump in!

NSG great idea on Costco, thanks!

Hi all, have been very busy celebrating 10th wedding anniversary & 15 yrs together with DH. We had a lovely night out. Will get a bespoke piece of jewellery as a present. Have also been busy packing, moving and working. 1st day at work today, and love it. This month, I actually get to go out to my workplace every day. Meetings, talk about money and new projects. Love it! And get to wear D&G jacket (sans fear of snot marks) and have uninterrupted discussions with other adults - and get paid to do it!

Hopefully good luck with starting out - very exciting.
NY love the savings part - am trying to save a substantial sum every month, trying to resist tempting purchases by thinking about retirement villas and art collections

Fritzi you are a domestic goddess - I'm officially in awe.

Would like to buy a cognac color vintage satchel to use for work.
Do you still use Mulberry Bayswaters or do you find them too heavy?

TBH honest totally knackered after a full day of work... Dear DC, please, go to bed.

How awful Icey. At least DH is there too!

I like flat sheets too - probably because I am so used to using them at work. I challenge any of you to a speedy bed-making competition!

Had a good walk with DD earlier, via town for a quick look around the shops.

Bought a new bathmat in WC reduced by 40%. DH will be under instructions not to use until we are in the new bathroom.

Tried on the navy boots in Office - they are too blue for my liking. I do fancy some sandy coloured suede boots though, a bit Dicker like.

Picked up this top from New Look, cheap and cheerful but good for everyday wear but smarter than a t-shirt.

Dona I got rid of my Bayswater because it was just too heavy when filled up with papers, handbag accoutrements etc. it needed either wider shoulder straps or to weigh less. They are nice bags though

Hi, I've been following the A&W thread for ages and love itl!

I want to say thank you for being inspirational, not only in fashion and style but in life and attitude generally. As a result, I think I make better style choices in what I buy and also am inclined to try things on that i probably wouldn't have before. I had my colours done too, I'm a winter.

Thanks again for the fab style chat!

I have a navy blue crackle effect Bayswater and while it is a thing of beauty it is definitely the least used of my bags as:
A. It is heavy
B. the lock digs into my arm
C. If I see one more Oak Bayswater in London I shall scream. They are so generic. Likely to be less of a problem in Rome, though.

Had a lovely lunch with a school friend today. We went to Giraffe, on decam's suggestion and then sat in Jubilee Gardens and watched some performers in the sunshine. Antidote to tomorrow when I will be spending the afternoon with MIL. Sigh.

[collective blush emoticon]

Aww, shucks, jbg! Why don't you join us? I'm a winter too, some great stuff around for us at the moment.

Thanks Jbg - and yes, why not stay? .

MIM - I have absolutely no doubt you would thrash me at bed making hands down.

Hosting another playdate. Much better one with a very sweet little boy in DDs class whom she LOVES. She lovely together. Lots of imaginary play and songs being sung! She was also invited round to a friends house this morning and had a great time playing with her tortoise and having her face painted.

Wearing navy shorts and stripey blue/green top with gold sandals. Really hot here today!

Happy 10th anniversary Dona!

Hi jbg do stick around.

Hopefully will be exciting when you get your first client.

Ds1 has had his friend here all day too. Still very good friends even though they are changing schools in Sept. I wonder what it will be like after they do, new set of friends I suppose, it would be nice if they still saw each other. They live very close anyway.

It's going to get warmer this week. Yes!

Am in Paul&Joe shorts, ditsy floral print top.

Ohhh mim can I have a demonstration on how to make perfect hospital corners at next MU?

Where is suburban?

I love flat sheets. Although I don't always iron them. Our bed, on the rare occasions it is made, has mattress protector, bottom sheet, sheet under duvet cover, duvet cover (with duvet inside, obvs) and me-made quilt on top. Looks lovely when it's made.

SE am officially stunned at the amount of additional bits I have purchased - sort of had 'table and chairs' in my head, and think the final shopping list was, ahem, a bit longer.

Suburban hasn't been blogging much either. Holiday???? Hope all is ok!

ollie that top would be lovely for me in a vibrant pink. Some nudes and pastels just don't work for me. Keep looking!

mim please remind me of the office boots. For me a more noticeable blue would be good. Mind you bought some sandals I had been wanting all summer today....reduced to £35 but still shopping.

Agree with amber that while I love my bayswater it isn't very practical. Definitely one of my least used bags. Too heavy and stiff under my arm....but in purple glacé it is beautiful.

Made DD a gym bag today- foolishly agreed to buy material when took her out for a girls lunch to celebrate school. Now her brothers want one each too......mmmhhhh!

Oh SE, meant to say I finally got around to posting that t-shirt today. So sorry it has taken so long!

It must be Waitrose organic peanut butter.

Hopefully, did you buy the tissues in various colours to match each seasons?

Hi to JBG.

I had two playdates here back to back. The lengths I go to to keep my DD1 happy. She has started calling me by my first name. Little monkey.

NSG, which jeans did you buy ?

Great, Ollie, I am looking forward to the trousers now. I decided against the top, some of the reviews said it was a bit short and I have a long body.

I'm going to buy a chocolate brown Bayswater when my DD2 is older. They get on well and are adorable (mostly) but I have no desire to have any more. No way never. I was about to ebay all the baby stuff but gave it all away to a friend yesterday - moses basket, changing unit, Baby Einsten activity centre, I was delighted to get rid of it all.

I'm here Amber food in Giraffe is delicious yum!

All is fine seem to have completely lost my shopping mojo lately but am going real life shopping sans DD tomorrow so might get some inspiration then.

I love buying stationary and getting organised Hopefully. Also keeps meaning to say how cool the Paul Smith esque iPhone cover you made was. Fancy making me an iPad version, as if you haven't got enough to do.....

Fil had a minor stroke last week. Was well enough to drive himself an hour and a half to the hospital afterwards but DP is understandably worried so instead of going to Italy in September we are going to use his precious time off to visit them.... On the plus side he has given me free rein to spend the holiday money as I wish. Thinking a nice dressing table let me know if you see any.

Hope mini mrscsb has two clear nostrils now

I really like that top mim there's a tea dress in the same pattern on that page which looks promising too.

Happy anniversary dona

Hi jpg, do stick around. I haven't had my colours done, but have similarish colouring to Amber so imagine I might be a winter too.

Hope everyone enjoyed the sun, I did!

Aw, Suburban, that's such a pity, sorry about your fil though sounds like he is going to be ok. I like this dressing table, we don't have room for it now but it's on my list.

Happy anniversary, Dona.

Evening.

A fun day at the hopsital for us which resulted in succesful removal of fair sized piece of pencil from DD's nose. Was a struggle to get it out eventually in theatre apparently and it finally dropped down into the anaethetist's tubes in her throat - I think thats right anyway. DD was amazingly brave and the Dr's and nurses were totally brilliant - honestly you just can't fault the nhs in cases like this.

Rather stressful hour or so when she was in theatre though as it took longer than expected and I was obviously catastrophising madly in a stiff upper lip British way in the corner.

I will be writing to the hospital though to say how wonderful the staff were.

MrsCB eek! Glad they got it out though. Have a big drink to recompose yourself

Am trapped on the bed with DS2 asleep on my lap - DH is out and I can't get him into his cot! Every now and again he wakes up and grins up at me before nodding off again. So much for my evening working...

Oh mrscb that must have been heart wrenching. I agree you can't fault the nhs, it's awful to watch it slipping away at the moment.

Thanks decameron that's exactly the sort of thing I am after. Will see fil in Dublin this weekend too which should be reassuring. Haven't seem them for over a year, so can see why DP feels guilty.

I at organic waitrose peanut butter too. I would swap everyones's pest woes for our hideous koi carp pond which I have to clean everyday sigh.

BBC2 now.

Read that this seasons contestants are a competitive lot and there is a lot ore friction/tension between them. Apparently one episode is quite explosive. Cant wait.

I have 2 mice on the loose in my hice at the moment.

I am drinking prosecco.

And going to watch GBBO in a second.

Suburban - you need feral cats - the Koi would cease to be a problem.