Congrats NU - how lovely! Hope you get your granny babycuddles soon.
Strops - a "scuba" skirt is made of the same thick stretchy stuff that wetsuits are made of (well, maybe not quite that thick). They hold you in beautifully, with no lumps, bumps or knicker-lines, and they hang much better than the usual jersey tube skirts. I bought one last year from Asda, of all places, and have worn I a lot.
I'm on the fence maxi-skirt-wise. I have a cheapo one I bought from Peacocks but I rarely wear it - just too much swishy fabric going on. Maxi-dresses feel like nighties to me.
Beachy - we are off to Cornwall straight after the schools break up (last week in July), eventually ending up in St Ives. What about you? No danger of bumping into us at a campsite, though. 
BD - Boden have a good sale on at the moment, and do free postage and returns, so if you fancy the dress, order two and send one back. I would say it was pretty true to size (I have a 10).
Anyway, must go and see what falls out of the fridge that requires minimum effort prepare the dinner. We are waiting for DD1 to return from the cinema where she has gone to see, yes, you guessed it, The Fault in Our Stars.