Huddsballetmum

Got to say I prefer the M & S advert this year with Mrs Santa Claus.  It brings a tear to my eye which the John Lewis one doesn't I'm afraid.

It's now been released that Hilary Clinton got more votes than Donald Trump, and I know that the voting system is different in America with numbers of state votes per headcount, but surely the person with the most votes should be the one that becomes president.  Not that I think Hilary Clinton would be a whole lot better than Trump but there has to be some logic involved.  More Americans voted for Clinton than they did Trump yet they do not get to have their president of choice.  Poor America.

Well now they are messing with the Toblerone  so I am very very unhappy.  Not that bothered about Dairy Milk or Terry's chocolate orange, but mess with the Toblerone and things get serious

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37909035

This is just not on!!! 

I feel sorry for the Obama's.  They have worked so hard for eight years and they must be wondering why they bothered at this point!

My daughter came home with a top the other day and when I looked at the washing instructions it said "ask your mum"!!

Completely agree Pixiewoo.  I drive on a road daily that is one long pothole for 6 miles.  Eveyone has to drive in middle of the road to avoid them and this becomes dangerous.  Poor quality roads get my vote too.

Maybe a certain USA presidential election candidate has bought up the world supply to keep his hair on....

Still seem to be pins available in our local Boots - but no brown hair nets to be had for love nor money. (Who buys them besides dancers?!)

Messy buns are now very fashionable and therefore I can understand the run on hair pins, but bun nets???  Only dancers and old ladies would but them I would think!!

Definitely an alien invasion in my opinion

Tutu does not make the dancer in my opinion and I think I paid £20 for my dd's first competition tutu.  It was second hand from a child who had outgrown it at her dance school.  It's often easy to alter seams etc if you can get a nice tutu second hand, providing you have some basic seamstress skills or know someone who does.  

Sometimes it's good to stand out as the adjudicator/judge will remember the routine better if she has a tied place so difference is often a good thing.

My dd did competitions for 10 years, and still does group dance comps and I never paid more than £50 for a tutu.  My mum made a lot of her character and song & dance costumes so we didn't do too badly until it came to modern lyrical costumes which came from America and cost a fortune.  

Just remember to stay away from the scary dance mums who live their lives through their child's dancing and it can be a fun and enjoyable experience.  I always found that it assisted my DD's performance element, and we both made friends from other dance schools that we saw regularly on the circuit.   Key things to remember is that it's only a dance competition, no one will die if they don't get a medal, when 22 children compete then no matter how good they are not everyone can get placed.  I always told my daughter to do her best and be happy for those children who got medals and trophies.  She stuck to this and I have had many complements from parents and other dance teachers about her positive attitude at comps.  It did help that she won a lot though 

Wow that's such a good idea.  I store stuff in the loft and it can often get a bit mouldy.  I never thought to use silica gel packs.   Will be purchasing from Amazon after this post!

NO auditions for us this year, 1st year of A levels, but we will be next year as DD auditions for contemporary schools for entry at 18.  Her plan B is to become a barrister, though I don't think the court would be happy with a grand jete in the middle of proceedings  .  

Good luck to all those who are auditioning though, and my thoughts will be with you all through that stressful waiting period.

It was lovely, having booked a holiday to Crete to celebrate a big birthday (I am not revealing which one!!) to walk into our hotel room to find a lovely bottle of red wine and a message from the hotel wishing me the happiest of birthdays.  Such a lovely and unexpected surprise. 

Please can I add queue jumpers to Room 101.  I struggle with the fact that whilst I have patiently queued up and waited my turn, there are people who just push in and have no concern for the people behind them.

It's so rude - or is this me being quintessentially British??

My dd's at Bird (1st Year) if anyone has any questions specifically for Bird

I'm definately interested in Bird as my dd has it on her hot list

Fabulous news 

Aldi chocolate is the nicest, particularly the Moscher Roth 70% cocoa Solids.  It nicely comes in small bars so you don't over eat as well.  Mr Cadbury no longer get's my custom, neither do Mars or Nestle.

I do lament the sad demise of proper British Chocolate though. 

What terrifies me is not that Trump is a mysogynistic, racist idiot, but that

a) He got to be a presidential candidate in the first place

 There are people in the USA who will vote for him 

Scary times

I thought the trailer looked great.  My dd wants to go see it and shes 16!!

I understand exactly what you are going through. My dd is a lovely ballet dancer, but does not have the physique and therefore did not get into JA's.  She is however on the contemporary CAT programme at NSCD (third year now) and is doing amazingly well and absolutely loves it.  Body shape is not as strict in contemporary and the reasons that make her "unsuitable" for ballet are the ones that make her a good contemporary dancer.  

Her ballet training (she still does 2 classes a week) stand her in good stead for her contemporary work.

Goodluck to your dc whatever she decides to do

The Phrase "Sorry to interrupt your lunch, but........"  These people are not sorry, they don't actually care if they are interrupting your lunch.  They don't offer to come back when you are not eating.  It drives me crackers.  

I never take a lunch hour, just 15 minutes to eat a sandwich and look through the forum, which is why I eat at my desk (access to pc), but I would like to eat uninterrupted just once.  

Please don't talk to me about Roadworks.  I travel on the M1 every day to Rotherham or Worksop for work and we are currently undergoing the SMART motorway renovations and have been for the last 2 years.  In addition I take my dd to Leeds three times a week and this has only recently fully reopened after 4 years of smart motorway renovations.  I'm not sure what my car would do if it could go more than 50 miles per hour on the motorway. 

Ranting and Frustrated 

Oh my goodness. I scored 13/15. Have obviously had a misspent youth (and middle age...)

I got 12/15 but have to admit I guessed as I couldn't tell the difference between a Mars Bar, a Snickers or a Toffee Crisp.  Don't think I've eaten any of those in years.  The only one's I was completely sure about was Bounty (because there's two), Twix & Curly Wurly.

My mum used to send me a parcel when I was at University and each month it would be something different, things she knew I wouldn't buy for myself living on a budget.  Nice Shampoo and Conditioner, bubble bath, good quality chocolate, luxury hot chocolate or ground coffee beans.  It would make my day when they arrived.

No more Whittakers on the high street Huddsballetmum. They still make the chocolates but the new Clare Whittakers has nothing to do with the original shop.

That's so sad.  My great aunt used to take me as a special treat on a Saturday when I was little.  Am gutted that the shop has gone!

Obviously this dance teacher doesn't have any students who have to do a 40 minute mad dash up the M1 in rush hour to get to class.  Very rarely late but I couldn't often claim to get my dd there 15 minutes early!!

NOPE, i still don't understand a single word, in fact, i understand even less than i did before!

I don't understand either.  The oldest IT terminology in my world was floppy disc, and try explaining that to a teenager