Watched the first 10 minutes or so, but when they showed the first jumper I kind of fell apart and had to leave the room.

No to both can you touch your toes and can you see your feet (I can bend down and touch the floor while looking like a giraffe at a drinking hole), but I am 34 weeks pregnant, so I'm letting myself off for now.

.
Ok so it probably doesn't count…

cxi – Jam sugar is similar to Preserving sugar, but used for fruits which aren't high in pectin.

Super quick and easy recipe

Makes: 3 x 200ml jars
Ingredients
450g raspberries
450g granulated sugar

Method
1.Preheat the oven to 170°C, gas mark 3. To sterilise the jars, place 3 thoroughly clean 200ml jars on their sides in the oven for 10 minutes. Then turn off the oven, leaving the jars inside until the jam is ready to pot. Place 2-3 saucers in the freezer to chill.
2.Rinse the raspberries. Place in a pan and cook over a gentle heat for 2-3 minutes until the juices are just beginning to run.
3.Add the sugar and stir over a gentle heat for 1-2 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Then increase the heat and bring to a vigorous boil for 5-10 minutes.
4.Remove from the heat and test the jam by dabbing a little on one of the cold saucers. Cool for a few seconds, then push the jam with your fingertip. If it wrinkles, it has reached setting point. If not, boil for a further 2 minutes then test again. When the setting point is reached, spoon the jam into the jars. Cover the surface with a disc of waxed paper and seal with a lid. Label and store in a cool dark place for up to 3 weeks

No need to use preserving sugar, just use ordinary white sugar. Preserving sugar has slightly larger granules, which supposedly stop burning, and it's slightly purer so you don't get a frothy sugar type scum on the top, but it really makes no major difference.

I had a similar situation at the last company I worked for, spoke to my managment and HR, and it only got worse, eventually relocated to another office, but had nothing but broken promises and they knowingly put me in a very awkward situation (internal politics).

Eventually got another job and left the company. Have been so much happier ever since.

Have been following your updates for the last couple of days, but haven't posted as I felt a "best of luck" was really a bit on the lame side.

My thoughts are with both of you and although a lot of you don't believe in this stuff you're in my prayers.

@ Meg – I think what you're doing is fantastic, I have known people who in similar situations have thrown up their hands and walked away because they couldn't cope.

Again all the best for both of you, you seem like a really strong couple and will support each other. x

tink

oh and good luck

Work in a similar field and second interview is normally meeting a few team members, pay and bonus discussions, and normally a job offer at the end.

But as mentioned above it never hurts to call and ask.

unless I'm going to post a picture of a huge belly there's none of mine yet…

Can't wait for her to arrive

Thanks ebygomm…

I had a look at this site after shecycles disappeared 🙁

It's very much aimed at the city commuter market if you ask me and not proper riding (bring back shecycles)

If you look at the members of the panel and their ridingf experiance, you can see why the site is set up the way it is.

In short I agree with you, it's a bit too girlie and prissy for my liking.

I tend go to with I'm a bit of a perfectionist, and control freak, so I find it hard to delegate to people until they have proven that they are able to meet my standards, I combat this be ensuring any deadline I have set allows time for me to review the other persons work, which allows me to either learn to trust their work, or change what I need to and then later discuss what I felt was missing.

LOL – thanks samuri 🙂

I'm just looking forward to returning to my slighlty less emotional and unstable state

Pregnant and lactating women don't have periods

Not entirely true, this is the case for some women, but many women find that once their baby starts sleeping for longer hours at night that their periods return…

And as for pregnant being better the a woman with PMS…. As a woman nearing the end of pregnancy I can vouch for the fact that I am more miserable and grumpy now (and the last 3 months) than I ever was with PMS.

Ours walk about as if you have stuck something to their backs (as well as the standard ripping you to pieces when you try to apply it and not talking to you afterwards.)

My sisters new kitten suffers quite badly and can't stop salivating for about 30 minutes (she's been told by her vet not to use it on that one anymore)

Hate to say it but…

It's a new job, economic climate sucks, so suck it up – I know it messes up your plans with your nipper, but I think at the moment we all have to make sacrifices we don't necessarily want to.

Take mtbfix with you, I have never been bitten by a midge if he is around

Ok, so I'm a saffer and we don't have counties, but these are all from my local village back home

Dale Benkenstein, Nashua Dolphins cricket player
Wayne Fyvie, former Sharks and SA national rugby player
Ian McIntosh, former Rhodesian, Sharks and SA national rugby coach
Shaun Pollock, former Dolphins and SA national cricket player and captain
Terence Parkin, Olympic medalist (deaf swimmer)
Megan Coleman, Miss South Africa 2007

Congrats, fantastic news

Couldn't bare the thought of having to go through life all over again, and would miss out on too many good things if I rewound and redid certain bad points in my past.

Many Happies, 26 seems like a good age to stop at 🙂

Molgrips – I think I just have a problem…

I have to be super careful on this… I know I have to avoid religion, drugs, alcohol, superstitions….

and by the sound of it any Viz characters 🙂

The age range is about 6 – 12, I wanted to aim it more at the kids so the parents couldn't help out too much, but I guess if you have little ones, you know about all these shows

MF – ok I can get the first one – what the the others?
(and why do I keep thinking Grandpa in my pants?)

Harry Potter I can do, I really enjoyed the books
But no idea on Hannah Montana, so any more related to that, high school muscial, whatever the latest Disney movie is etc…. would be a great help

LOL – love some of these, will have to obviously censor a few of them, but keep them coming.

I had started with what was Postman Pat cat's name?

Then realised that most under 12's probably wouldn't have a clue (I feel old!)

Congrats to the Ton family.

that seems like a big one to have that young!

Thanks wors 🙂

Have already picked out her first few bikes and new pink components for my Sants Cruz for next years incentive to get back on the bike asap

First one due in October, and to say it was all a bit of a shock is a massive understatement.

Have now adjusted to it and really looking forward to her arrival in 3 months.

As for costing a fortune, Freecycle is your friend. Have only purchased maternity office wear to date, have managed to get everything else I need except a crib from freecycle. Has also been great for shifting all the bits I needed to get rid off to make room for a nursery.

May sound cheap, but for things that are only going to be used for 6 months, I can't see the point in shelling out 100's of pounds.

Oh and congrats 🙂

Love the fact that I'm not stuck in the same office every day, get to meet new people, and feel in someway this job is more about helping people than just being a number in some corporate.

Recently moved from IT Support to auditing.

Who is going to take the bins out if you get rid of men? 😉

Thanks all for your responses…

Definitely not planning on towing a car with a bike – can only just power myself along at the momment… Bike is being packed away now 🙁

The NCAP rating ranks fairly high, and I do seem to recall some of the older cars did have pretty awful ratings

I’m happy to take the wheels off if need be, as long as there is space to put the wheels in the car as well.

What’s the hieght in a Mondeo like? DO you have to lie the bikes on their side or can you stand them up (without wheels of course)?

Used to suffer with it – in a bad way, but controlling stress levels, eating next to no processed wheat products (only wholemeal or brown) seems to help stop it rearing it’s ugly head.

Laugh all you want, but was taught meditation techniques to relax myself when I felt it start, and that was better than any of the pain killers they had me on, which resulted in me walking around in a completely drugged up state.

Saw 40 – 50 of them during a feeding session in Nant-y-arian last week, one of the most amazing sites I have ever seen, almost gave it a miss as I live in the Chilterns and see them every day (take them for granted really – they’re just the most beautiful birds.)

Highly recommended if you happen to be there riding for the day

As the girls have said keep quiet and you won’t come across looking like a letch!

I’m with Mrs Flash – had someone ID me in the shops and I was so happy I hugged her – at 30 and being someone who always has looked older than she is ( A blessing in your teens a curse in later life) it’s a very rare occasion.

Was accused of looking 40 when I turned 30!

I don’t plan to stop doing everything, but some good advice about taking it easy – I didn’t know about the heart rate so I will keep an eye on that to make sure I’m not over doing it in future.

I think the idea of slow and steady, and nothing too stupid is a very good one.

Thanks all – I think the 8 month examples held up are amazing, but I seriously doubt I would get that far.

I think I may start limiting my rides to the easier less stupid stuff, and enjoy the odd walk instead.

I must admit crashing is a serious concern, and as you have said what is 9 months really, when you look at the big picture

Thanks very much – watch this space for the next generation GB ladies MTB champ 😆

8 Months! I’m seriously impressed – without too much gory detail I was worried the poor thing would either get concussion against my ribs, or spend the next few days trying to figure out which way was up 🙂