Moos

How about cheese in the bowl so the rat will be distracted from going for your bits?

Nah, not a rat Sophie, it's a giant spider. Hope that helps.

Agreed, delightful special occasion place to go.

maxxi Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Not really - they played in the last 5 world cups > and bid to host this one and have lots of clubs > out there. > > Also all the home nations have had foreign players > qualify by residency - some not even legally > (remember Wales and 'Grannygate' back in 2000?). Hmm. I'll stop mouthing off, then. Fanks.

mockney piers Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Considering the state off our cricket team moods, > perhaps we shouldn't make too much of that. Very true, and that's a bleddy disgrace. The Japanese at least have the excuse that rugby is a new sport to them.

Hmm, that James Arlidge is frightfully Japanese, isn't he? Apparently he qualifies on 'residency grounds'.

The flights start well before 6.

My 3 yo was petrified of the ghosts (before they even came on) and had to miss that bit. Of course he then cross-questioned those of our party who'd stayed for details of what the ghosts had done, and then talked about nothing else.

Why do we have to put labels on each other? Sorry Josie, I know you meant no offence and I mean none to you, but why use that tired old put-down "yummy mummy"? I don't even know what it means any more. It used to mean the Liz Hurley type, then it seemed to come to mean a middle class mum who was brand-obsessed, spoilt, mannerless... you seem to be using it to mean a boring baby-focused mum. By all means be the woman you want to be, and I'm all for celebrating that women have identities beyond motherhood but let's be true feminists and support one another's choices and approaches. If your kids are your life and that makes you happy then bless you and good luck to you. There are enough people out there happy to put mothers down without doing it to each other.

I believe the advice is to put babies down on their backs but once they can roll not to worry if they end up on their fronts. 10 month Twosling frquently ends up sleeping on his front but doesn't like when he wakes up to find himself there. I hear furious roars and find him doing angry press-ups.

They do paint too, wod

P.S. That is a pretty pinny. Mildly saucy in a very sweet way.

dc, never let it be said that you are not a man of parts. I will gladly take you up on the offer of Hugh Fearnly's book. But I think I will keep looking for a recipe and make my own pudding. The great thing is that it can be made so early that if it all gangs aglay one can have another go. And Rosie - wise words. Christmas at CCPB will be a low-key affair, and them as thinks there should be fourteen different side dishes or sniff at the ill-polished silver sweetie dishes will be laughed at. xx

Wowzers, the combined might of the EDF is actually making me feel quite cheerful about the prospect of 95 slavering relatives and inlaws with their judgies all wudgy. You are all lovely, and maxxi I really am most sorry to have brought up the C-word so early in the season, mea maxima culpa. As you all pointed out, of course d) is the answer. But I'm not going to serve any turkey. Mum and my Aunt P have been doing turkey Christmases since 1886, and though they make a major fuss every year they do it bloody well and there is NO WAY I will be able to match the expected standard. Therefore I will be ditching the turkey and I think I'll serve a big chunk of beef, and use that as an excuse to do things a little differently, so of course roast spuds but only one or two other vegetables. And d_c, I would love to have your Christmas pud recipe so I can serve a home-made pud... tradition in clan Moos is to scour the weekend papers in the run-up and find out which supermarket is selling the best pudding this year, and then buy it. So a home-made one is instant points. So... how best to do a yummy big chunk of beef. Thoughts?

Um. So.. if someone, just say, who wasn't very good at cooking were to be required to host Christmas, with all her family, and all her other half's family, I mean like EVERYONE, every bleddy person who could possibly be involved in Christmas, what should they do? a) Make turkey sandwiches b) Run away to Venezuela and start life all over again c) Sell one of the children and hire a Cordon Bleu chef to be concealed in the kitchen on the day d) Spend the next 4 months learning how to cook and show the b'stards who's the daddy

new mother Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > It was disappointing as we get so few > chances to go out.... I am so with you there.

Agree with all he posts. To be honest, I think all babies and toddlers act up more with their mothers. I try to think of it this way: every time they start to cry and strop because you've just walked in, every time they have a fit and won't eat what you lovingly prepared (though it's identical to Granny's), every time they decide to be sick on your cleavage and yours alone, they're saying "I trust you, Mummy. I know that no matter how foul I am you will love me anyway". Little blighters.

Read the book last year and enjoyed it but as ever wasn't sure what all the hype was about. I do think the book is worth a read, but am not planning to see the movie. My husband and I got a rare offer of babysitting last weekend and wanted to see a film... really scratched our heads over what was on offer! In the end we chose Tree of Life. Abysmal, unfortunately..

New Nexus Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Ar, wit, one of the last bastions of denial. snigger

Ha, my brother did that with peas! Still lme 'em, though.

Are they? I remember school being freezing! That's useful to know - I just thought for the winter term long sleeves would be sensible. I could imagine my sprog taking off his school sweatshirt and then being too cold. Maybe that's why no-one sells 'em..

I heard they're looking for a modern family to embody their brand for a multi-strand advertising campaign. Loads of benefits! including massive discounts, free kitchen, and some other stuff I forget. Only thing is you'd all have to have the logo tattoo'd on your forehead, but small and in a tasteful way. Or something like that, anyway.

Thanks matey x

Thanks Becca, but drawn a blank there too - at least online, maybe they have them in store. Seems a bit odd, I thought polos were a standard school uniform thing.

The only double I've used is the Urban Mountain side-by-side, comparatively narrow at 80cm so goes on buses and in shops. Very manoeverable, can steer with one hand, etc. Quite bulky in the car. Incredibly sturdy. But I don't know from what age it's suitable.