dulwichgirl2

Ruthbaldock, If people "follow" you, what does that mean and do I need a twitter account to do so? Then do you automatically see my postings? Or do you have to follow me too? Also if some weirdo tried to follow me could I disconnect him or her? Twit twoo.

The more I read the more I think those dratted tape measures need to go!

Belle, I agree that MW is dear but you can get good deals if prepared to wait and go where there is space. Then evening cr?che thing is good and means you can join other tables of adults (wow!). My husband dislikes the enforced jollity of eg quiz or dress up nights but you don't have to do those. Where did you find the stepped suite arrangement? That sounds really useful, thanks.

Ted max, you raise an interesting point. I totally view Casablanca as a romantic movie as opposed to a resilience building, spirit raising, morale boosting war movie. However you are so right - apart from anything else, she does choose the war hero to help in his Resistance fighting at the end - cue Lockheed Martin. It is just more subtle than the typical aerodrome ones. Thank you for reminding me.

Norfolkvillas, I travelled a great deal with my parents, as a teenager and thereafter. Nothing was luxurious but all was fascinating and certainly the adult trips totally inappropriate for children. If I am with my children I feel that they deserve my attention and I spend all day playing with them, making sandcastles etc and, yes, I do resent it and wish sometimes I could do the adult thing of sipping coffee in a market, watching the sun rise at Abu Simbel etc. This is what I meant by the comment. On hol., I find it especially hard to give as much as I feel I ought to, to my ch.

Ruthbaldock, I agree with everything you wrote. I made the comment as it was part of my own thought process and continues to be in a number of aspects of my life. I have given up so much that i had worked for to have ch and I am not the sort of person who could leave them with a nanny. I just could not have done that. It is a visceral instinctive thing. I am talking to a friend currently who has been married for a while and is debating having ch. Our friends all say "yes do it" but I am more of the camp that says, "think twice and be aware of the sacrifices you should be prepared to make. Once ch are here, you should be fighting your husband to run into a burning house for them so before they come, think twice about whether you can cope with your well ordeIred life being totally disrupted". I am not sure she is right for giving things up and leading a child centric life. The comment you picked out is part of my musing on this, I think. There - a longer answer than you expected!

Just to clarify hastily, by "normal people" I just meant non celebrities! Though god knows what these celebrity people do that is of interest to anyone and worth following.. That is another thread...

Let's be clear who is at fault here and it is not the OP. It is the scum whodunit who are at fault.

Everyone getting five As at A level is a major story to me as it leads to employers and universities having no idea who is actually clever and it disadvantages the academic elite. The latter was a deliberate move by Noo labour and worked in conjunction with massive expansion of tertiary education leading to disappointed youngsters holding degrees in non subjects and nursing entitlement complexes. All of the above perpetuates lack of competition of British goods and ultimately hastens the decline of the uk. This is why the Limpicks have been so important, encouraging proper competition and showing youngsters that nothing worthwhile is obtained without work. Re your original query, declining numbers of passes are not newsworthy I totally agree but constantly increasing ones certainly were.

If they want to sell the house they need to set your mind at rest on what is a major issue. Don't be fobbed off. You are spending a vast amount of money and they need to give proper information or you will walk away. Be prepared to do this even if you have fallen in love with the house (as I do frequently!). You must be calm and sensible.

Godfather - any of Al Pacino - any of Can't watch WWII movies any more when we have young people coming back maimed or in coffins. Too sad and close to home. Casablanca obviously Oh and an awful thing I once persuaded a v macho bf to attend with me: Serendipity.

Are you on these? Is there any point to twitter for "normal people" who do not have a brand to build? Is there any use to fb other than for gap year students? Surely it is just a fun and slothful way to waste time?! Or maybe I misuse the medium? What do you think?

Ps if you are eating well then you are doing your very best. Please don't beat yourself up over what is probably a non problem anyway! Plenty of room for "mother's guilt" when the baby is born. ;-) xx

My bumps were a cause of much concern and measuring by 22 year olds with those ridiculous tape measures - please it is 2012!- as none of my pgcies were visible till the last month. A lot has to do with how you carry the baby and some women carry classically straight out in front, others balloon from the neck down and I seemed to squash all my internal organs instead, giving rise to various other issues like heartburn and a cough that would not shift and worried me a great deal. However having said all this, each 20 week scan predicted the eventual average to large (8.5 to nine pounds - is that big any more?) baby I would have. What did your scan predict? I think I would probably be asking for a second measurement and then a scan. I am not sure I would leave it too long as it is your first baby and you want to know as much as possible ASAP I imagine. Are you averse to another scan?

I think you could also team up with people wanting to lose eg a stone. That last stone can be very hard and their earlier success will be good for your motivation, no?

Good grief what next? The front door? Poor you. Norfolkvillas, sorry to hear also. Were these the trees that emit a toxic fumes after a while and which must have contaminated any vehicle used to transport them. Thieves be aware if you start having difficulty breathing for no reason.

Hmmm. Has a previous possible purchaser done a survey and if so can you get the gist of it? Can you speak to the current insurers? How much are they taking off the asking price in light of this "perceived flaw". I would be asking these sort of queries and making a lot of my own inquiries too. I would not accept anything the agent told me unless it was in writing and part of the ultimate contract.

Have you looked at mark Warner? They do evening cr?ches when a lot of people leave babies in lines of cots or children watching films (supervised and signed in and out). There are two MW staff babysitting. I asked about them and their careers with the company etc. We have done this a few times and I prefer it to the other options you went through. I would never leave my ch with a single person hotel babysitter in the uk or abroad. Never. Re mark Warner, it can get a bit expensive so you should look out for their offers and be prepared to go anywhere the offers apply on a few weeks' notice if you can. This evening cr?che thing is included in the holiday price though day time (never used by us but heavily relied upon by our friends) is extra. Ideally I would love large suites with space for sleeping ch separately but we can't afford that. Self catering apartments I don't see as a holiday for me. Ultimately I have taken the view that holidays are pretty rubbish with children but they love them and I chose to have the children after all.

Poor you. What a shame. Otoh, at Least you know definitively no more hols will be spoiled by it. Could you go in October instead? We look forward to our hol all year so I really feel for you.

You are joking of course, Womanofdwich?

Bolt for the 200?

If it came to a choice between keeping a stately home in perfect nick and sponsoring young sporting talent, for me there is no contest.

Absolutely agree re lottery. Am happy with this though - it is a good use rather than eg keeping stately homes open.

Ruth, diving - respect! Thank you for the ideas. I feel gymnastics over the winter coming on. Cycling makes me nervous in london as I fear cars are still not sufficiently accustomed to bikes but eg hiring bikes in the park is great fun over the summer.

Wow! GB finally punching at its weight. Well done to the whole team and coaches, not to mention the parents and siblings who are sacrificing everything for the sporting genius.