porthesia

Well done to your non DS, that is quite an achievement in the current climate. Where will he be based?

I have noticed over the last few days that although I am signing out every time, whenever I come back to the forums I am logged back in again. Not a problem for me but thought you should be aware. Laura (aka Porthesia)

The peace and quiet we now enjoy since the bird can't sit on the chimney and chuck bits of stick down at us and shout at us whilst doing it. Bliss

Oh my goodness Pictures how sad. Good luck with the Lamda both dd and non-dd took these. The first ones are usually conducted quite gently. Well we had the appointment with the consultant yesterday, guess what it was one of his minions! Fine he was a lovely man, but why couldn't we see him whilst the consultant was on holiday?? Worse yet she now has to have an endoscopy (think I've got the correct one, goes down the throat). There are only two people within the trust able to perform this so we are waiting yet again. I think that my chances of the homemade cookies are very slim. I think dd will be home for the summer before this gallbladder is removed.

Haha mimi66 - too old for that! New cowl situated on chimney by the kindness of ..... Mr Angel - yep that's what he's called. Said he couldn't see a nest. There is a starling now sitting on next doors cowl-less chimney - think she's moved up the street. I'm just pleased that I'm not responsible for the non-birth of some birds - I can sleep tonight.

Unfortunately we haven't seen it yet, we can't see the nest from the outside. I'm afraid that we've taken steps to get a new cowl installed. Just waiting for the man to turn up - sometime this week and then perhaps we'll find out what it is. Hope she has time to make another nest and lay some more eggs this spring, I feel really mean.

Well you never know Alison, and it would be very convenient if something did turn up as it is very close.

Hi alison It is a temporary role and does not exist as a permanent role - data entry and 3 of us to complete the task in 10 weeks. We are all bored out of our brains but grateful for the (albeit small) monetary reward.

Ha into my third week. It is such a boring, boring, boring job, but have had my first pay cheque!!

For those of you with a Kindle, Amazon seem to have a lot of books which are free. You can even download War and Peace for free!

Mm I can just imagine my cat sitting in front of the fireplace with her mouth open, waiting .... We've called a man out to give us a quote to replace the cowl - once he's been up and had a look we can decide what to do. I cannot actually believe how much stuff there is. OH did reach up last night and pull some more down - it would do justice to an eagle!!

The stupid bird who is building or trying to, a nest on our chimney. I have a rather large pile of twigs and branches -some of it over a foot long which is now in my fireplace. She is also incredibly noisy! This is all because the cowl got blown off our chimney in the severe winds we had - the ones everyone said didn't happen. Now what do I do. She's obviously been very busy but I'm not sure if she's laid any eggs. I feel really mean if I get the chimney swept and destroy everything but bits are coming down the chimney quite regularly.

Hi flutterby have pm'd you.

Spanner, when dd auditioned (two years ago) we were allowed to choose a day that suited us to audition (this was the norm for everyone). Auditions took place during a normal class with the regular pupils. We were due the Monday after they finished tour and the students had been allowed a lie in but you know they all got up and were there for 09.00 so dd didn't have to audition on her own - bless them. I don't know what happens now, I've not asked dd. thequays it was the same when dd auditioned four years ago at Urdang. She applied for the dance course and was cut after doing singing and jazz - never even got to the ballet class, but that was how they did things the year she auditioned. I heard of someone else applying for the Musical Theatre course and they had ballet before lunch so it didn't work out for them either!!

When dd auditioned for Ballet West the format was one person auditioning per lesson if not per day. We were offered a place but this was done in total privacy.

Thanks for posting this Spax. We didn't go as dd was injured and not able to perform. Makes me more sad that she was out of it as it looked amazing.

Sorry, its Rubgy Union for me - well the 6 Nations OH is a cricket fan and sometimes subjects me to listening whilst in the car - I prefer Planet Rock. He also likes Formula 1 and rugby DD is a Formula 1 fan MAB, she's up at all hours to watch it Non-dd not a fan of any particular sport

I tried to find your web site and found how to make a tutu for a cat!! Gave me a chuckle

Les Miserables, we have a shortened version somewhere in the house which I think non-dd acquired when she was in her schools production (one of the loose women!!) I knew nothing about the storyline and had always maintained I didn't want to see anything about "miserable" people. I sobbed and sobbed and not just because my daughter was singing in it. Since then I have always wanted to see it in London, although a review of the school production did compare it very favorably to the London production showing at that time. I have read this abridged version and thoroughly enjoyed it. If I can find it I'll let you know its details.

Is Micropore tape the same as Zinc Oxide? I was going to suggest that LinMM but it looks as if you may have resolved the situation. Not sure how to put this but am getting excessively cross with the premise of having to spend excessive amounts of money on a present. I received an email from Amazon advertising a Kindle as a Mothers Day present - reduced to £99!!! I thought it was just a bunch of flowers or a box of chocolates - how can people afford this! I can understand for a birthday perhaps but I've noticed the same idea perpetuating Christmas - I think it's got quite out of hand. I've told both my girls I'm quite happy if they just clean the car or do something around the house. It's quite hard for my family as my birthday is always around Mothers Day. I was actually born on Mothers Day. They find it hard to get a birthday card as the shops reduce their selection of birthday cards at this time of year. Although I have the same problem with my husband has his birthday is close to Fathers Day. I shall start hunting for my husbands card next week to make sure there is a decent selection!

I have a job!! Only for three months but I am so excited - mainly about the money - it will pay for dd's accommodation for a few months. I have signed up with two more agencies and had interviews for permanent and temporary jobs and I really thought I had blown this one as well as the others but I start on Monday so not going to be around as much. Happy, happy, happy - well happy about the money, not happy about being absent from here! edited for clarification

Can I ask where you saw this please? Not relevant for this year but will be for next year - thanks

Ah, thanks Janet. She's always touched by the kind thoughts passed on. I was quite cross that the appointment was so late, but she's taken it well so I've had to rein in my indignation. She's running a book on possible op dates - I jokingly said 6th May - I may yet get the plate of homemade cookies she's promising to the closest guess!! Although it would be a waste as I'm still on a diet.

LinMM, you could try reading The Hobbit first, although I did read LOTR first and then The Hobbit. I do tend to skip some of the poetry - sacrilege some might think I've read the books so many times. Every 4 or 5 years I pull them out again. I had to study Henry James for 'A' level - Portrait of a Lady. Never read it, I thought it was dire which possibly explains the fact that I got an 'O' level pass at A level. Our other books were Brave New World and Two Cheers for Democracy. I found that the teacher could have a bearing on how I felt about a book. The old biddy teaching us Forster would spend the first 15 minutes of the lesson berating us for how much time we'd wasted in the last lesson, but she was so easy to get off topic and it was quite a boring book. The lady teaching Henry James was also incredibly boring. The Greek Professor teaching us Chaucer (Wife of Bath) used to snigger at all the smutty parts and his English was not the best. The final teacher (yes, we had FOUR different teachers), had ah English degree but purportedly didn't have any teaching qualifications was absolutely brilliant, he took us for poetry and Huxley. I honestly think if we had been able to have him for all the English that I would have got the A level.

Non dd finally phoned up as the consultant had been back a week and still no letter. His secretary is now on holiday! The replacement secretary and a junior doctor have both got involved - her notes had been misplaced - no surprise there. She now has a date to see the consultant on the 9 April to discuss her options. So slowly we are getting there