Lottie

For my two, DS & non DD, between them have accounts with Nat West and Nationwide. When DS was 16 and going to Central he could only have a basic debit bank account with NatWest and they wouldn't allow him to have a student account even though we had proof of going to do a degree at 16. When he was 18 he didn't bother upgrading. Nationwide is good for us as we can easily transfer money to them as we all have an account there. DS will look at Metro bank when next back home as we think that account is easy to use if you work abroad but we're unsure of the exact details. At the moment his wages are paid into a Romanian bank and he gets cash out of a machine.

Sorry Petalviolet. Partly my fault.

They are available up to UK size 10 for anyone interested.

Non DD wears the Bloch booties as slippers so you might be ordering your own pair, dramscientist.

That's it Ellie...the hybrid stick..https://www.thestick.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=HW-2300. Probably got off amazon.uk Here's the link for amazon. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stick-Hybrid-Body-Massager/dp/B005MYGU6C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1432910644&sr=8-1&keywords=hybrid+stick Buying dance belts - If you contact the company that you're ordering from and explain that you're trying for size and will be tried on over pants, they should/might let you then do that. Try ringing up Dancing Boutique as they have been helpful in the past. Also Just Ballet. I've had to return belts to Dancing Direct before as there was this dreaded seam and got my refund. (edited to add amazon link)

Thanks for the link. We (I) haven't had to order any for a year now and dread it if I can't get the same ones. It's the same picture on Dancing Boutique but it looks like there is a seam there (if you zoom in!). I have to email them before ordering and ask that they are totally smooth. DS also has a long rolling stick that he uses on his muscles and great for my shoulders. Easier to pack than a foam roller. Will ask him for a link. Plus he has a small soft half deflated/inflated pilates ball to exercise with.

The dance belts HAVE to be Wear Moi made in London and NOT Wear Moi made in Europe! There is a seam in the wrong place with the Europe ones. (I dare not say more) I can only find the London ones at Dancing Boutique as most other places have the ones made in Europe eg Dancing Direct. Or does anyone know otherwise?

I would love to have a conversation with other mums with DS's about dance belts!!! And the pro's and cons of the different makes. (we do have a on thread here about female problems) Perhaps by PM only? Last Christmas when DS was home I definitely surprised him with a pair of colourful leg warmers that had been specially made to order from FaB dance knitwear. They are expensive but his reaction was priceless. He does wears them and they keep him warm in Romania. Bloch booties have been worn for years, black all in one (Capezio) warm up used and various individual leg warmers. At company auditions he would take his scruffiest stuff so he would fit in and not look like a young person just graduating.

Donated. Hope the funds are increasing enough as wouldn't want to lose this site.

Have a look at the link below for where the tracked cuckoos of the BTO (British Trust for Ornithology) are: http://www.bto.org/science/migration/tracking-studies/cuckoo-tracking

Back in 2008 when DS was 13 he did one week at ENBS summer school and we had accomodation at Imperial University. We had a comfortable room with 2 single beds and an en-suite shower (very small). The cooked breakfasts at the uni were very filling. As I had to spend one week of my holiday in London with him, so he could go to this SS, during the day I would visit museums and galleries, visit parks and also window shop. I walked miles but had a good time by myself.

I would have thought you could have got a replacement/voucher/refund, if you said that it's not fit for purpose. http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/advice/problemswithgoods-sum9.cfmand follow the link to a leaflet. Good luck.

LinMM, it's very peaceful, usually, to sit out in the dark wrapped up warm when needed. Glad it's dark so no one can see me! In a few weeks time the dawn chorus is usually a very noisy time especially as I like to have the bedroom window open. Do you know that it's usually the blackbird, robin and wren who starts singing first. At dusk it can get quite loud again then occasionally we see the bats fly about at dusk. I live in a small town in Wiltshire and am lucky to have lots of bird life around us all year. Swifts should be hear at the end of April.

Well I was wide awake this morning at 2.30am so after an hour of trying to get back to sleep and with no success I went downstairs to make a cup of tea and then go and sit outside to look at the stars & moon while having my tea, as this is what I do when I can't sleep and the blackbirds and other birds were singing away at 3.30am. I wonder if the bright moon made them think it was nearly dawn?

They seem to be from: Contemporary finalists: Rambert, Northern School of Contemporary Dance, Central, Dance City's CAT & Ballet Central. Ballet finalists: Tring, KS Dance?, Elmhurst, ENBS & Ballet Central. (hope I haven't got it wrong)

Looking at the finalist lists and checking the names on the Ballet Central website I can see that there is one finalist in the Ballet and another in the Contemporary finals.

DS wasn't an MA but got a place at London Junior & Senior Ballet aged 11, then went to Central at 16 for three years and is now dancing professionally in Romania with two other young men, one of whom went to White Lodge then Central and the other was a SA then Central. (I really didn't realise until now that MA's are just one class covering three years of students and there are such few spaces available.)

Remember that there are other really good associate classes out there so the road does not have to end with a no for an MA/SA place at RBS.

Back in 2011 DS got offered of a place at Tring and then on reserve Dada award list after those auditions. I got a phone call from them late April possibly early May offering him a Dada place but declined as he'd already accepted Central by then. So it does happen. Good luck.

I too have found it very hard with them coming back and then leaving again, even though my DS didn't leave home until he was 16 and non-DC went to Uni at 18. Now he's working approx 2000km away I find it tough as he's only 19 but it's his choice and I have to let him live his own life. I'm amazed how well he copes with living abroad at such a young age and I'll always be there for both of them if things change. When we started on this journey we didn't even think about where he'd be working and how far away he'd be. It was just great that he loved dancing and had got a place at Central. Thank goodness for Skype and Whatsap. Even a technophobe like me I'm grateful for those.

Have a look at Transport for London website and put your details in under 'plan a journey' and it will give the infomation you want. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/

Just found this from a couple of years ago on this forum: http://www.balletcoforum.com/index.php?/topic/2986-6th-form-doctors-letter/?hl=medical

Four years ago I had to pay £110 for DS's medical. We did copy it to send to other schools wanting one before finals and they were all OK with that.

Here could be the link http://www.prixdelausanne.org/2015-prix-de-lausanne-finalists/

A break now until 1.30pm. Time to get some work done!