hoipolloi

I had lost the bag before I left the restaurant and it hasn't been handed in so I am starting to suspect foul play. Ah yes, that'll be the paranoia kicking in!

thank you - these responses really are helping - I need more though! have now established who put me in cab and that the first cab they tried to put me in refused to take me. Nice. Still no idea how I paid for it!

thank you for the kind words. I completely have The Fear. I know I should just brazen it out but feel compelled to try and piece together events. I know that's a bad idea. WHY WHY WHY?

Oh help Work Christmas party last night. Lost bag. Husband found one of my shoes in the recycling bin this morning. Cannot remember how I got home. Money was in lost bag but mysteriously found five pound note in coat pocket. Think someone must have put me in a taxi and lent me fare but have no idea who that person might be. Please advise.

Denise I have sent you a PM

A friend of a friend of mine was on a ski holiday and one night spotted the singer Seal in a bar. Lurched up to him, started attempt at small talk related to skiing and uttered the immortal line, "so, are you a black man?" Needless to say, the said popster just gave her an incredulous look and ran away. (NB I am not a skier myself but apparently what she meant was did he favour black runs - think that means difficult ones?)

It's number 11. Our garden backs on to its garden and my first reaction was negative too but actually the house has been empty for a while, is in a very sad-looking state and it will be nice to see it smartened up and lived in again.

I am entirely with Nero when it comes to litter and I can sort of see why you mentioned her apparent social status but really, "advising" her to ditch the snacks to improve her figure.....can't really see the relevance of that at all.

Yep I definitely read that the winner will be chosen from the winning duo - but who knows, there may be another twist? I don't really mind who wins as long as it's not that preening pouting backstabber Alex. I am still fuming at the way he stitched Lucinda up in the boardroom last week by casually dropping in to the conversation that she had said she wasn't sure the job was right for her. So unnecessary!

"off of" - what the dickens is that all about?

We used to live in Upland Rd and our garden partially backed on to DVH. At one stage they were definitely considering selling some of their land to a housing developer. I remember we had a look at the plans to see how overlooked our garden would be as a result. Anyway, we later sold up (for unrelated reasons!) but could be faintly possible that this has something to do with the vans parking on the road more? I could be totally wrong though as it was at least 3 or 4 years ago that we lived there....

"Tidy" Nessa off Gavin & Stacey (ps I am another closet America's Next Top Model fan....)

In answer to ????'s question, 20 years but I'm glad to say it hasn't made me as cynical as some others. Perhaps we should report ourselves to the police for being stupid enough to trust someone?! I just hope that if I am ever in a situation where I genuinely need to rely on the kindness of strangers, I run into someone equally stupid.

Hello all Was round at my friend's (The Gardens) Monday afternoon when we noticed a bloke waving at us from the street, through her living room window. He was white, aged 45-50 with very short grey hair and wearing one of those fluorescent jackets that you typically see workmen in. When my friend went out to see what he wanted, he said he was working on the house next door (it has been gutted and a team of builders are doing it up) and he had completely run out of petrol and needed to use his car - he wanted to borrow some money to go and buy a can of petrol from the garage. My friend only had a fiver and offered to lend him this but he said he needed more. So being the nice person she is she came in and asked us if we had any dosh and between us we cobbled together ?15. Anyway, he offered to leave his car keys with us and said he'd be back in 2 minutes. We didn't take the car keys and needless to say he didn't come back. Anyway, we were naive and you might think it serves us right but I thought I should pass this on just in case it is a scam operating in the area. In retrospect the whole story was highly dubious (many cashpoints within walking distance, etc) but we just didn't think. HP

para bailar la bamba

I'm a changing man

wow thanks to you all, some great suggestions. Am tempted to go with Buffy as requires not too much effort - maybe a blonde wig and a stake are all that's necessary? I haven't actually seen it but quick google suggests she just wears her own clothes to slay the vampires - am I right? Actually will be a bit disappointed if no cape involved, fancy swishing around in one. And I am LOVING Velma's look but I think that Bob is right...

thanks everyone - if 10 years younger and 2 stone skinnier, would have many more options I think. Hey ho. May have to be supergran! But keep the suggestions coming.

Well the Christmas party season is upon us already and some bright spark at my work has decided our party shall be fancy dress. I am in principle up for it but the theme is superheroes, and having browsed the paltry selection of batgirl, catwoman, etc costumes available I am now panicking. Anyone got any ideas that don't involve wearing spandex or some sort of black pvc mini-skirt and thigh high boots? Not that I have anything against such items per se, just not really me. Grateful for any suggestions! HP

and so I drank one, it became four, and when I fell on the floor I drank more

Wires by Athelete. It was on the radio all the time when the nippers had just been born and were in the neonatal intensive care unit. They are now nearly three and fit as a butcher's dog but as soon as I hear that song I'm in floods.

Doh I should have said the info was requested under the Environmental Information Regs, not the FOIA - just in case anyone interested (unlikely I know)

Hi Just to say, the information you find on Sitefinder at the moment may well not be up to date or accurate as a number of the mobile phone networks have stopped providing the info to Ofcom following a ruling by the Information Tribunal that Ofcom had to hand over all the underlying data to someone who requested it under the Freedom of Information Act. Hurrah, my sad lawyering may actually have come in handy! HP

mamafeelgood, as another "two for the price of one" beneficiary child-wise, I have to say that I do think the sort of discrimination bandied about by strictteacher and her ilk (even if she is a WUM, there are plenty more out there who genuinely share her perspective) is definitely multiplied when it comes to us. Naturally, if you had more than one child at a time you MUST be older, have had IVF, therefore be rich, have husband in City, organic-mad, etc etc etc. Happy days!

Hurrah I am loving this thread I like "yampy" which I think is a Brummie/West Mids expression, it is a bit tricky to explain without using other rubbish words. Used most often in the phrase "I've gone a bit yampy" it kind of explains that spaced out, slightly hysterical feeling you get when you're really hung over and then you get a sudden burst of energy. There, now you know!