I got my mother's present - a lovely little Moorcroft jug, and even that was stretching things somewhat. There was definitely a need to go down and see the things up close and personal though, because the photos didn't do justice to the pattern I eventually chose. Not sure when she's getting that though because it's snowing here today. We may give up entirely!

Yesterday we went to the biggest shopping mall in the UK (only in March would I contemplate such an outing for a Saturday!). As you know I needed work clothes and I think I did pretty well. I got a pair of trousers which only require a seamstress to remove the excess 8ft off each leg. They were less than a third the original price, so that covers the tailoring costs. I bought a lovely draping black jersey skirt with a solid elastic waistband and I even got shoes! Plain black court shoes were thin on the ground because they had the knee-high winter boots and the rope-soled sandals vying for space!! But I found some eventually and grabbed them. I also picked up a single pair of support tights.

So I have enough to survive Tuesday I think. Except for the lack of a decent sweater. I've just put my reen chenille in the wash because it was looking bagged a bit. Hope it survives since it said handwash only! I'm probably going shopping tomorrow anyway though. I have another bank meeting tomorrow on top of the stuff in London with the accountant and her tax people.

DH has packed the pieces of desk back into the box to return. He agrees with me and isn't prepared to wait around for Dad to be free to fix it. We think it might be too short anyway. So we might be dragging ourselves up to IKEA in the next few weeks unless we find someone selling off old office equipment and furniture nearer to home. DH is travelling again next Saturday, which is a pain since it's Mum's 60th birthday party. They already knew time would be a problem for him though so they're quite accepting at the moment.

our living room looks like we just moved in - there's clutter everywhere like it's all temporary, except that room hasn't been even remotely tidy in weeks. Kid bags and unsent charity bags (I fill them but can't remember when they're supposed to be put out for collection!), plus the box from the desk which never got cleared away, luckily. There's barely enough seating for us and the kids! Need to stay more on top of stuff.

Kerri.