Well done on finding a spare, I keep trying to convince the OH that wqe need a spare "Mr Catepillar" (ok so we're not quite sorted out the naming of toys yet, but she is only 6 months).

I found him at a charity shop for 70p, and she loves him, will cry non stop if you put her in the car or pram without him. I'm terrified we'll lose him or leave him at a friends house.

After reading this, I may send the SO to town today to get one (Mothercare do a close comparison)

Best of British and all that 🙂

An LBS in Berks, let me have a Santa Cruz on test for a weekend, fell in love with the bike, bought one, and still my favorite bike.

Walked into a customer meeting, to present to the project board only to find one of the people was a guy I went to high school with and haven't seen for 12 years. SLightly more of a small world moment when we went to school together in a foreign country and went off into different industries but now both work in the same one.

I think I'll go the route of an external HDD, basically I have a laptop at home that's a few years old, so my iPod has as much storage as it does, and I didn't want to fill it up only with music, and I don't want to get a new laptop as it's mainly used for storing photo's.

Thanks all for the advice

If you want I have some xs (3-6 kg/ 7-13 lbs) huggies swim nappies I'm happy to post out.

Thanks very much all for your advice, I think I'll start with 1 CD and just test it to make sure I have no ID10T issues.

Point taken about keeping iTunes on the PC to add and remove tracks though.

Maybe an external HDD is the way to go

Thanks again
*tink

The second book was a bit of a slog, but really enjoyed the third.

Another recommendation for Henning Mankell, I read Firewall, before I read the girl with series, and it was quiet good, just about to look into his other books.

Many Happies, hope you get some time to enjoy your birthday. 🙂

Just to give a female perspective on this…

I had a termination many years ago, I was far too young to consider having a kid, not in a stable relationship and had just lost my job. Until very recently I was haunted by that decision. If she is 100% sure that this is the route she wants to take, I would seriously advise she seeks counseling now, as it's not a choice you can change your mind on later down the line.

On the up side I've recently become a mum, to what I consider to be the most amazing baby girl. Yes I had 9 months of being fat and grumpy but she was so worth it (even the 23 hours of labour and emergency C-Section), I still have weight to shift, but it's only to be expected it took 9 months (and large quantities of cake) to get big, it's going to take at least 9 to get back to my size 8 figure , and as for your life being over, well yes, the life you have now will never be the same again, but I've met so many lovely people in the local area all with their own little ones, and if anything my social life has expanded significantly.

Just my 2p's worth

I really hope you two manage to sort things out.

MTBFIX is currently a stay at home dad. He took over 3 weeks ago when I returned to work and TB jnr was 5 months old.

I'm posting this as I doubt he'll get a chance to log in, nevermind actually post anything.

From what he's told me, he's enjoying it and it's made him feel a lot closer to the little one. He has struggled with feeding as she really wasn't keen on the bottle, but that aside he's loving it. He's had a few odd looks, one singing group wouldn't allow a male to go, one mum thinks he's the scum of the earth for not providing for his family (that said she was given a prosche and a villa in spain when she had her little one, so I think her view may be a bit biased) and one mum has been banned from spending time with him by her husband. I get the odd comment about abandoning my baby, but I bring home the greater salary, and I think it's so much better than shipping her off to a child minder at such a young age.

He's loving spending the time with the other (hot – as he points out to his jealous friends) mums and now that summer is here he's trying to get little one used to her bike trailer so he can do more riding with her.

You never know until you try it, I think it's an individual choice.

@Ski – what surfr said, the MK1 is thought to be more your "purist" type drive, where as the MK2 was made to be more usable to the general market

***EDIT – consider a singlespeed without rigid forks, it's just not a true singlespeed is it?

You'll feel every lump and bump in the road with the MK1, it's a twitchy as you like, but drive it and you can't help but grin from ear to ear. I drove a MK2 once, and I just didn't enjoy it – I think it really depends what you want from your car.

If you want a toy that will make you feel like a kid again (including the bug filled teeth) get a MK1, if you want a car that's more practical and more comfortable go for the MK2.

second what DD says I have the 1.8 Harvard – and the 1.6 is ok, but I'd seriously recommend the 1.8

Have a MK1, and would recommend it over a MK2 any day, especially if you want to have it for the joy of driving on winding country lanes.

1. Are they reliable decent things? – Never had a single issue with mine (except a dead battery when I left the lights on.

2. What are the main things that go wrong with them? Sills on my R reg are now rusting, but again never had anything go worng on it

3. Apparently my bike rack will fit on the back of it, and if so is this wise? I believe you can get one to fit, but never tried this as I use the other car for bike portage

4. How are they on the motorway? a bit noisey, but not overly so, you can still hear the CD player/radio. does get a bit shuddery at about 90mph

5. Is the boot big enough to fit my hair straighteners in alongside my riding gear? Have sucessfully managed to pack a weeks groceries in the boot without removing the spare wheel.

As said above, only thing I would say is back end in the wet gets a bit twitchy if you are heavy footed, but to me it just makes it so much more fun to drive.

Oh and from personal experiance will go up almost any hill in the snow, even when Landy's etc are getting stuck

@ The Southern Yeti – nice to know I'm in good company

Agree: 2,4,5,6,19,23: 1 point
Disagree: 1,14,28,30,32,49: 1 point
Score: 12 – I'm quite surprised it's as low as it is…

ADD – 16 – again lower than I thought

Personality Test
Introvert Sensing Thinking Judicious
ISTJ

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Not sure what all of that says about me???

@SST – your winters are about as good as our summers 🙂 never thought I'd wear shorts at 20C, but I do these days.

You still doing ok?

Hi SST – still miss it, but summer is on it's way and the little one keeps me happy and smiling so have definite reason's for hanging around 😉

@BillyWhizz – I'm still here, just been quiet for the last 6 months as been having a junior, so now I'm back at work i can obviously kill my productivity on here again 🙂

1. Who are you – tinker-belle

2. What do you do – work and be a mum

3. Who do you do – mr TB

4. Faves? eh? speak english please

5. Worsties? as above

6. Jedward? wtf?????

window? that would be the thing with the closed blind in front of it….

Can see my one colleague scratching his bum and another scoffing iced buns – not very exciting tbh

Many Happies – I've just had a piece of chocolate cake for you 🙂

Congratulations to all 3 of you.

Little sam is now 5 months old and although our lives have been turned upside down since her arrival, she's the best thing that ever happened to me.

@psling – I think she is reading born and bred, any stories you wish to tell?

CG – ygm

I have missed reading and posting on here while off having little one. It's so nice to be back 🙂

a lora lora laffs

erp – yes well… erm…
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Ok so not having a bright moment there

@ chakaping – well nothing stopping the goose going first….

@ Dr_upgrade – ygm

I like the idea of those interested posting pictures and a short description of themselves. – c'mon guys….

I think rugby player build as in athletic, not super skinny/whippet

And just to clarify, she has only been single for just over a year, she was in a long term relationship, which fell apart when her oh cheated on her and started dating someone he took flying lessons with. So she is not one of those single at 30-something for a reason.

I did my own internet dating stint many years ago, and can vouch for the fact the photo or not you will always get the sad weirdos who seem nice, but turn out to be complete freaks.

I recall one guy who seemed nice, so we decided to go to a concert in London together, as I worked in Reading but lived out the way, we decided it was best for me to change at his and walk to the station together, rather than me driving home changing and driving all the way back to Reading. When I went up to his room to change, the entire room was plastered (including the ceiling) with Buffy the Vampire pictures – he even had the bedding and matching curtains, he had other major issues but that was the first BIG warning sign.

lol @ Southern Yeti. No that's not her, last I knew she was one of those no picture until you start talking to her, she had some very weird blokes getting very stalker ish when she had her picture up.

She tends to go for the rugby player build, and has previously commented the cyclist are too skinny, but having seen how happy myself and some other people are with cyclists as their OH's shes going to see what the cycling group "have to offer".

when my little one had gastric flu last month (4 months old at the time) I found putting a towel over her like a blanket was great, because if she did puke then I could just replace the towel and not have to change her clothes and bed linen. in the end I found sitting up with her was the best (and most exhauting) because as mentioned above it makes sure they don't choke and provides reassurance.

I'm impressed this thread grew so quickly, and thank you for the few who made sensible comments.

She's done some group activity type things, sailing, cycling, walking and has as far as I'm aware even tried line dancing classes. But to no avail, she bonds well with the girls in the group, and gets on with the guys, but always seems to have the slimiest bloke take an interest in her and scare off the rest.

I'm also amazed someone dug up my old pics, and although I will not post a picture of her (she's a friend, and after my first picture posting and the comments on that (Bunnyhop I remember it all too well) I wouldn't dream of putting her through that), it has often been said that we look very much a like and have been confused for one another in the office.

PS – I was in a box, it was supposed to be "arty"

@ads-ab – I don't think so, but could be converted I think

Ok, I'm out of here – will respond to posts in the morning

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'night all

and love the tags 🙂

I was tempted to post some of the guys she thought were "quite tasty" but I wouldn't want to inflate some over the already over inflated ego's on here 😉

and nope – non religious

do love the shirt changing comment 🙂

@The Southern Yeti – no info that can actually ID her.

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PS – I am happily taken and have just had a darling little junior mtb'er so this really is a friend

@Jamie – yeah I don't think I thought this through….

She's not uber fat is she?
– nope rather slim actually
Does she talk about wedding plans on first dates?
– not as far as I'm aware, but I don't attend first dates with her

SouthernYeti – I know she's on Match, but I don't pay attention to her user names…
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Jamie- erm yeah ok, maybe not all dog people
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PedalHead – I don't think she saw that post….