We shop therefore we are.. Wise & Avid

[blossoming]

Thanks to ltec for the new title.

Yes ft job, and also going to London a lot so I plan to give it a few months and see how things pan out at home. It's hard, but my children are now out every day from 8-4, so not working is absurd, but finding a job near me that ends at 4pm is also impossible. Getting my career back on track will get more and more difficult the longer I'm on unpaid leave, and I could easily have 30 years of career left in me, so I don't want to let it slike.

I know it's not a new dilemma and not for this thread, but you know..... getting the balance is actually impossible. I'm hoping that in exchange for a day or 2 in London every week, I will have 3 days where I'm completely off from 5-7.30 so my boys won't think I'm absent.

my toes are a bright shiny purple from butter london

Sounds like a very sensible solution Romana.

I will definitely look to re-start my career once youngest dc is at school.

For one thing - there's a work wardrobe to buy . Ooooh does that mean you need new clothes/shoes/bags/laptop bags etc . . .

All of the above I should think

Changed my toenails from Rouge Noir to pale pink last week. Will change to Essie Splash of Grenadine tomorrow.

Roma, congrats on new job!

but I already spend 15 minutes every morning putting DD1's hair into elaborate (and beautiful ) plaits.
Will try adding a layer of hairspray to the plaited style.

Roman - well done on the job. It does sound as if it wil be difficult to juggle but you obviously really want to do it so hopefully you will find a way to make it work

My toes are cerise pink.

I'm actually v.worried about the whole thing, but v.worried - more really - about not taking the opportunity blast

but can always pack it in if necessary

Roman it's impoosible to get a perfect balance, but that sounds like a good compromise, your boys are old enough to be able to leave for a day or two. You sound so capable and smart, someone was bound to snap you up!

My toes are pinky mauve.

Tracey turns out I wasn't able to park in college car park, had to go about a 5 min walk away, was praying I'd make it in the Lanvins without breaking an ankle.

Esher I wish dd would let me plait her hair, she likes it to be 'free' she says

Congratulations on the job romanarama.

It sounds like you would really kick yourself if you didn't give it a go.

Roman you have to give it a try. What is childcare like in Brussles? We lived in Oz for a while and the before and afterschool provision was amazing, it is very haphazzard in Ireland, makes working full time a complete nightmare. Will you get a nanny?

Blossoming what happened to your back? Hope it's not too painful.

Will stick note on the fridge for tomorrow morning: Plait DD's hair + hairspray!

Oh, you are in Brussels! That's quite an interesting commute to London then

Although I only work three mornings a week (mostly from home), I still can't get the life/work balance thing right most of the time. If it is any consolation. For the moment maybe you can enjoy your success. Have a night out, wear a fabulous dress, celebrate and enjoy! I'm sure your DCs and DH are really proud too!

Hello all,

I haven't been on mumsnet for a while because we moved house and then went on holiday but I was reminded of you wise and avid ladies today not once but twice!

hells Grazia has am article on houlihans and how fabulous they are - so you're fashion forward! I'm lusting after a pair but the new sofa fund is eating up my clothing budget so I need to find a pair of houli-a-likes with a smaller price tag

and esher I saw the elusive gap leather shirt (which you probably don't want anymore) in a gap in the city near Finsbury Circus.

I've definitely been more adventurous with my clothes since being on this thread and love my ash trainers.

Verity - congrats on your place and Roman - congrats on your job. V exciting.

Now, what are you all planning to buy in the summer sales which must start soon? I want a dressy maxi-dress for a couple of summer weddings and some wedges.

Evening!

Congratulations to verity and roman It is hard to get a balance - and so easy to feel guilty whatever you do! I'd recommend having a nanny though - no drop off and pick up, and whenever you're at home the children are around so you can see more of them. Ideal if your working hours vary from week to week.

I love the houlihans and have also been searching for a cheapie pair. No luck yet...

Sorry to those with nits. We're still a pre-school household - can't wait for the delights we have in store

I'll be buying bikinis in the sales as we're not going away until September.

Evening all, and fantastic news verity and roman!

I haven't researched it fully, but I have read that head lice don't like tea tree. I use original source mint and tea tree shampoo on my hair anyway, so started washing DS1's in it too, and he hasn't had nits since. Worth a try as additional preventative measure perhaps?

Toe nails here are neon pink

Congratulations on the course Verity and on your job Romanarama. I hope it all falls into place nicely for you.

I haven't read the maxi dissing thread, infact I haven't had time to read any thing else this week, been meeting myself coming back. I'm going to ignore it though, I just need to find one that suits my height and shape and I will be happy to wear.

Morning all. Have a cold and am feeling sorry for myself. A trifle concerned about dd catching it and turning it into a chest/ear infection just before we go on holiday in 10 days time.

Not feeling the love today for looking glamorous. Wearing old (but still fairly smart) New Look trousers and top, with a Jigsaw cropped jacket.

My general mood is not helped by a stack of work - basically, in government a whole load work is suspended when a genreal election is called. Now all the Ministers have been named, that work is back on and a whole pile of work has arrived for me.....so a whole loads of letters to be written for the Ministers signature on various issues. Such fun.

Roma - Fleecy makes a good point about the nanny. We don't have nanny as such, but a mothers help who comes v early in the morning and helps out (will do housework as well which is great.)DH is away a lot, and I have a long commute a lot of the time - I couldn't continue in this job without some sort of help like this. She is flexible and will occasionally do nursery pick-ups for me as well. The alternative would be dropping off dd at a childminder at 6 30am some mornings, which frankly would be grossly unfair on her.

I have just signed the boys up for the school bus, from next week. They get picked up at 8am and dropped off at 5pm, just round the corner. I have a comprehensive babysitting arrangement for after that. My worry is that the school day will feel very long for the little ones especially, and that I won't see enough of them. And what to do weeks like this one when dh is away. Anyway, mil is coming for all of June, I'm going to spend all July in London at my parents with the boys, and August is holiday, so not too much to worry about for ages.

It's pouring with rain here at the moment and I really don't have the right thing to wear. I need a properly waterproof belted trench with a hood, that's chic enough for work. Probably tan so it goes with everything. I'd like a zip-out lining too for chillier days. Any ideas anyone?

ny, we've always had a live-in mothers help since having kids - 8 years now (not the same person, the first and best lasted 4.5 years, but have had 3 less successful ones since). She does all the housework, some errands and babysitting. I've never been happy with school pick ups though, there seems to be too much margin for disaster with 3 little ones on public transport, hence the bus.

Have been looking at this barbour trench although no hood.

Roma - I know what you mean. I work 4 days a week and dd and I get Fridays together at the moment. She will be starting school in September, so we will not get that time together then. DD is in nursery 8 30am - 5pm at the moment, with my mothers help coming into the house to get her up/dressed and breakfasted. I am able to work from home about 2/3 days a month, and do the morning stuff myself then. I will continue working 4 days a week when she starts school, with the mothers help doing the school drop-off 4 days and me doing the FRidays. The nursery she is currently at run an after-school club, with a mini-bus pick up, so we will be using that. I too feel guilty about not spending enough time with her, and plan to try and be as flexible as I can with hours to allow me to do an additional school pick-up or drop-off a week.

To add to the fun, DH will be away Sunday night until Friday evening from this September until next July, so it will be an entirely one woman operation.

or this one though may look a bit horrid pvc in rl?

That trench is lovely, but on a practical note (sorry!) I think a hood is probably a major issue.

That's really tough having it all by yourself ny. My dh doesn't travel nearly that much, but he's rarely home before 9pm, often much later. I'm hoping he'll be able to negotiate an earlier finish one day a week, and I may overnight that night in London (say leave thursday morning and come back Friday evening). I'm going to end up spending an awful lot of time at my parents' house, which is quite odd, but better than camping at friends' or forking out for hotels!

My boys don't have school on Wednesday afternoons, so I'll try to work out a timetable that gives me some hours off then.