MNV- Vol 85 The Winter Warmer Edition

[FedupNagging]

Christmas and the sales are sadly over but winter is still here for a few months yet.

Come and show us your cosy knits and woolly hats whilst we dream of summer - everyone welcome, the more the merrier.

Shop, hope he is OK, very scary.

Thanks for all the good wishes, I think I'm gradually getting better but just still feel so tired. I've been off for ages though so think I need to start going back, am going to try a half day from home tomorrow and then back in on Thursday. It may have been slapped cheek which has been dong the rounds at school and apparently is much worse in adults.

I did a Boden clearance shop yesterday, I'm not holding out much hope but will update with any keepers.

Glad to hear miniMarsha has recovered well, important to hold out for the right job if you can. I'm a bit demoralised as have either not even got an interview or done badly in the interviews recently. Have applied for about 10 jobs in last two months and not got anywhere. Am seriously tempted to just chuck it in and project manage my build instead, but i think it's even harder to find a job when you're not working.

I have been watching loads of Queer Eye during my illness. It's so emotional, I love them all.

Has anyone been to Dior at the V&A yet? Maybe we could do a MU day expedition, am not working Fridays....

Stokey I’d be up for that but might be hard to get there with dd

I’ve never watched that, will have a look

Shop so tough on you all I hope he can feel safer and less precarious I really do big hugs to you

Stokey that’s tough I’m sure you’re brilliant though so I can’t see why anyone wouldn’t want you

Mine are so infrequent it’ll probably be another six months before another one comes up. Dh is pushing me to concentrate on my other career for a while, in Maras world. He’s right I’ve been putting it off. I think because all my creative energy goes into dd’s world, you should see her mini kitchen!

Shop am so sorry to hear your dad's had another fall. Can't imagine the stress and worry you and your mum must be going through.

Stokey do you think the stress of your job is making you ill? I really hope something else comes up soon for you so you can jack it in.

Marsha glad to hear dd is fine now, hope your haven't done any damage to your foot.

Fedup I love that Whistles dress, I saw it irl and was quite tempted but I already have a few that style.

Justa sorry to hear about your cleaning lady dilemma. I'm quite friendly with mine now but luckily enough she is super efficient. Could you ask her to concentrate on a particular area or ask her to spend more time doing the kitchen,vacuuming, dusting etc. Whatever it is she isn't doing can you ask her to focus more on that task? Probably easier said than done irl. Alternatively get dh to ask her while you're out.

Queen hope the nanny is on time tomorrow.

Hello. Luckily the nanny was on time! To be fair to her I know the buses in this city are shocking and I do trust her that it really was the buses fault.
shop sorry to hear about your dad. It’s really hard but it doesn’t sound like he’s safe at home anymore

stokey sorry you’re still feeling so unwell. Are you coming to the mu?

shop massive hugs to you . It's such a hard situation, thinking of you and your mum.

QueenC fingers crossed it was a one off with the nanny.

Justa I second the suggestion of getting DH to say something, hate that sort of situation.

I'm having such a lovely time with my mum I can hardly believe it. Fully expected her to be driving me mad by now but we're getting on really well. My brother is off doing some solo travelling and having such an amazing time it's reminding me why we moved here.

No fashion updates. Only recent purchase is a blue and white stripe linen shirt that I'm living in!

Marsha I'm glad DH is nagging you about your other career. Do it!!!

stokey hope you feel better soon and that things improve on the career front. How is your home project going? Our laundry is well underway. Quite exciting seeing it come together.

Marsha, have a good trip, it sounds like it will be lovely and chilled. Yes to your previous career!

Stokey sorry you're still so unwell - Kitty may have a point re work-perhaps having a little time out may be beneficial.

Shop for you and your dm; it's so tough for you atm.

Justa it's a difficult one re your cleaner. One of the ds's friends mum cleaned for us for a while but was very unreliable and haphazard so I ended up after months and months saying we'd decided we didn't need a cleaner anymore. I left it about 6 weeks then employed another one. I did feel bad though.

I have just booked tickets to see the Dior exhibition with gf's. Also going to see Mary Quant - great idea though Stokey

Here's some bags that have caught my eye

The orange bag is Loewe and my favourite (naturally as way outside budget 😂)

Lots of bags around similar in shape to the blue Danse Lente bag and finally love the straw basket bag for holidays but had to ask myself if I wanted to spend £260 on a holiday bag and the answer was 'nope'

Oh I adore that orange Fedup

Lib so pleased you’re having a great time
That’ll be me soon!

I must say I’ve said nope to a few things lately
Maybe a change in season will help

Glad the nanny was on time queenc. Hope the first couple of days of the new job are going well.

Sorry to hear about your DF shop. Sounds like things are tough for you at the moment .

justa, I second kittys advice of pointing out specific things you want done that she has missed eg ‘could you make sure you do x and y’. If it’s more overall that the standards have slipped then that’s more difficult. When I had a similar situation I was just a wuss and after we’d been away I asked the agency to send a different one.

Unfortunately i think you are right that it is more easy to find a job when you are in a job, and with brexit looming not sure it’s a great time to be jobless. If work is that bad, could you get signed for by the doctor for a few weeks with stress? That might give you a bit of time out to think about things / manage the build/ apply for new stuff?

Great news about the pay rise mara!

You sound a bit more upbeat lib. Maybe seeing your family has made a difference? Glad your brother is having a good time. It is a fab place!

I enjoyed my afternoon tea on Sunday. We went to dandelyan at sea containers. The food and cakes were all very nice but I think I prefer the more traditional afternoon teas as they feel a bit more of an experience/ occasion. Though dandeylan is a great bar worth going to!

No fashion news as such. I’m currently bidding on a ted baker wrap coat on eBay. It’s the coat version of my black jacket which I really love. I was tempted by the oxlood coat version at the time but didn’t go for it as wondered if I would wear it. Having dwelled on it, I think I will get wear out of it, so found a brand new one on eBay. I’ve also got my eye on this top and am in town tomorrow so hoping to get to &OS to try it on.

everyone what was the tea/cakes like at dandelyan? I’ve been a couple of times for drinks but found the cocktails a bit weird!
fedup I agree, £260 on a holiday bag is too much
marsha yes to your old career but only if it’s trally what you want. I can imagine it’s quite stressful trying to be creative if your hearts not in it.

It’s felt really spring like today. Trying not to get too excited as winter will probably set in again at some point!

Sandwiches and cakes were nice at dandeylan - typical afternoon tea fodder really. I don’t think you got as much as at the big hotels. There was an option to have a cocktail with each ‘course’ but we just stuck with the champagne one . Quite mild here today too.

That looks really delicious Everyone

QueenC I’ve been thinking about it and my heart is really in it but I always feel I need to lock myself away for a good amount of hours a day, every day, which isn’t possible. I really need to be in the zone.

But I’ve just started thinking about a new set of work I could do and I could eek out the time I think if so inspired

Sometimes it’s just easier to go to work! But I think I’ll regret it if I don’t.

Tricky decision Marsha but think creativity would be great if you can make it work.

Love that orange bag Fedup

Thanks for all the good wishes re illness and job. I think you may have a point Kitty! I'm definitely planning on making the MU QueenC, may have to go easy on the fizz though as it's been weeks since I've drunk anything!

Exciting about your utility room Lib. We're just negotiating final prices with builders. One said he can start this month which panicked me a bit though!

Everyone afternoon tea looks gorgeous.

I've just been watching Catastrophe and Sharon was wearing a blue flowery Stories shirt which I've tried on but didn't buy as it was too similar to another Stories shirt I own that she was wearing two episodes ago! Love her style, she's like the elevated version of what I'd like to wear.

Sharon's shirt that I don't own. Bargain actually, can't find a pic of the one I do....

Ilv been locked out of MN for DAYS!!!!!
How very dare they! I'm a longstanding member!!!
Back soon with something useful to say...life is nuts here ATM

Morning,

Everyone lol at ‘just the champagne one’!

Marsha i think creative option is the harder one but that you’ll regret it later if you don’t make the time to give it a really good shot in terms of time commitment. The time to go for it doesn’t have to be right now Dd is still little and you seem to be loving your time at home with her so don’t pressure yourself to rush into any work option.

Shop and my lovely.

Stokey i think work stress can definitely affect your immune system, have a colleague suffering at the moment. Can’t wait to hear more about your build project at the mu.

Fedup lovely bags that you don’t Do you already have a straw basket? Don’t go BBB as Everyone would say...

*don’t need

Yes that’s just it time commitment v the right time to do it. Hopefully leaving it a bit longer is ok

Loved the Tom Ford colours in his recent show

Morning!

mara, yes fedup, don’t repeat my mistake with that bloody (expensive) beach bag .

Didn’t get chance to head to &OS yesterday, but I see that they have free delivery until 10th feb, so might just order the top and see how it is. Does any one know if &OS sizes generally true to size? I’m often a 10 in blouse type tops, so would their 10 equivalent be ok?

I also ordered this black skirt as wanted an easy skirt to wear in the day. A lot of my skirts are knee length and can look a bit ‘formal’ so I just wanted something a bit more casual. It’s more fitted on me than the model which is what I wanted. I know it was only £15 but the finish is pretty poor for m&s. I saw quite a few things in store that I had seen online and in articles and I just didn’t think they lived up to the potential. A lot of the fabric feels really poor quality.

I think that’s the problem with m&s. When you see them in magazines and on bloggers they’re often tailored or pinned to fit. There’s often just something a bit ‘off’ about their fit or fabrics.
Your tea looks lovely everyone.

I’ve just been sorting through my summer clothes for our half term city break. I seem to have lots for high summer eg dresses/shorts/sleeveless tops but less for spring/early summer. I think it’s becsuse last year we seemed to go from snow to heatwave with little in between!

I’ve realised that I have a love hate relationship with both green and purple so I’m going to vow not to buy anything in those colours and instead stick to navy, blue and pink.

Getting my hair cut soon-it so needs it as it seems to have lost its mojo.