I'm sure there will be other people in fancy dress... and if not I'll win the prize for best costume! I'm definitely going to do it, although as I'll no doubt still have my rucksack with me because I'm changing at the gym between work and the party there will be a change of clothes in it just in case!

I just can't be bothered spending hours travelling for a meeting we could quite easily do by phone. It would be one thing if I would be travelling alone and could get some sightseeing or shopping in, but instead it would just be a day of sitting in airport terminals trying to make small talk with the client and seeing the inside of offices. Nothing glamourous about that - and I'd miss running!

Just so long it wouldn't be like that party scene in Bridget Jones' Diary when she was in the bunny girl outfit. (Or was it in the second Bridge Jones' film? Can't remember)

Redsoxgirl - its scary how kids pick up on that kind of thing - especially teenage girls. Perhaps she's right (in my experience teenagers tend to speak their minds and not to be polite for the sake of it) - maybe you are at the perfect weight for your height and body shape?????

Helen, have fun at your fancy dress... remember to take pics please.

My water problem is all fixed, the plumber came back today and sorted it all. As for not panicing yesterday, I don't usally panic, I have always managed to sort the problems calmly, usually by shutting things off and then try and figure it out later, or call Dave. I was very calm a year or so back when a friend of mine set fire to my kitchen when I was on my way home from work, she called me and told me to hurry up as she'd started a fire, and I didn't believe her, but when I walked in the house and it was smoke filled...I knew she wasn't kidding, daft tart put my electric kettle on the ceramic top stve and turned the ring on high, of course, it burst into flames and the rubber sealed bottom exploded... you should have seen the mess... black rubber goo, all over the counters, cooker top and cupboards, and she wet two tea towels and threw them over the fire, and they caught alight too....bless....it all cleaned up in the end though and thankfully there wasn't any smoke damage.

My poor hubs, he's still on a plane headed for AZ, he was supposed to arrive at eight, their time, ten ours, but he had to have his flights changed and go through Nj instead of Cleveland, had a longer layover, the flight was late leaving and doesn't arrive now until two our time, he was up at four, so I know he's knackered and prob won't get more than a few minutes dozing while in transit.

I shall be off to bed in a mo, and he'll call and wake me to let me know that he's arrived.

We're forecast some more snow through tonight and tomorrow morning and it's to be a bitter cold day. I shall be out and about though, curves, rubbish run, walking... I got my new coat this evening, so I'll be trying it out to see if it keeps me snuggly and warm.

Right, off to bed I go, see you all later. Have a great morning.

I'm a Norf Londoner but the tornado missed me I was at work at the time in Watford, and the storm passed over here heading south.

I had a good time last night at kickboxing - learnt some new sparring techniques, learnt that I am better than a v good (in my opinion) fighter and that I'll probably be sparring with him on Monday in the tournament. I just have to get the Neuro-linguistic-programming done before then and I might actually beat him!

I'm a little battered this morning though - I have a badly bruised foot But it should go down soon, my forearms look like someone's done me over with a baseball bat and I managed to slice open my big toe on someone else's toenail EEEEEW! But apart from that it's all good

Tonight we're off up to Yorkshire Christmas dinner tomorrow in my new little black dress and then Sunday lunch, then work Christmas dinner on Monday

Eew, your toe doesn't sound nice!

I'm a glutton for punishment, I did the horrible speed session again this morning, but a bit faster. Very hard work, but it's meant to be.

My legs are all nice and smooth now, and my hair has been straightened so I just need a quick change after work and I'm all set. I'm not going to drink too much (hmm, I've said that before) because I've got a long run planned for tomorrow and I know how horrible it will be if I'm hungover. I'm not going to abstain entirely at this one, but I will try to be sensible.

I've got a camera, so I'll see if I can get photos.

Ooooh get you Miss Sleek n Pretty

Gotta get pictures

Morning!

I'm pretty much over my cold now - just the bright red nose left - and my appetite has woken back up so I'm having a hungry-all-the-time day.

I'll look forward to Helen's schoolgirl pictures - that you aren't the only one in fancy dress.

Frus - lucky you with the Christmas Dinner. Have a nice time up here. We go past the turning to your parents' village each time we go to Whitby. Silly question that you might know the answer to - is it that little railway further down the Moor the one that is used for the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter films?

I thought I'd lost Ellie for good this morning - she saw a deer and chased it - the deer went through a hedge and the boys normally stop chasing at hedges - but Ellie just carried on and on - straight through the hedge, across the next field and through the hedge the other side - then she was completely out of sight. It took ages for her to find her way back to me.

The ex sister in law couldn't really find anything politely rude to say about my appearance yesterday except to tell me that a) I look tired and b) the weight loss shows in my face. Nice. I was too polite to mention that she'd gone up at least 4 dress sizes since I last saw her AND she's had her lovely wavy chestnut hair dyed matt black and straightened which looks very peculiar with her ultra pale skin tones. (DH said she looked like a walking corpse - after she'd gone, of course!)

Do you remember that a couple of weeks back I had dinner with a couple that had two sets of twin girls and another one on the way - well the one on the way showed up on the scan as another set of twins... girls again!

Yup Hogwarts Express is indeedy filmed on the NYMR (or at least it was for the first film since I was in it! ) The engine is Olton Hall painted-up in maroon. <--- NERD ALERT! I think before they painted it red it was BR green.

Poor twins!

Oh and platform 9 3/4 is actually platform 5 at King's Cross!!!! We saw it on our way up to Edale...

Hey maybe Hogwarts Express will be hauling the dinner train tomorrow

Cor - you're a film star!!!!!!!!!!!! What did you do in the film???

This is so sad but I have to confess that both DH and I are HP fans. I love the books and films and he loves the films and PS2 games.

I was an extra on the station Got a huge wodge of cash for doing not a lot! Very silly!

I love the books but not the films, and the last book I thought was a little long and draggy...

Nice way to earn a few extra squids. I get the adult version of the books. At least I'm not like a friend of mine who actually goes to get new HP book at WH Smiths in Sheffield at midnight on the day they go on sale. (Now that IS sad!) No... I just pre-order from Amazon and get it at breakfast time on the same day.

Is there really an adult version of the books? I love them, not a huge fan of the movies, but I always watch them with my niece and nephews over Feb break. We usually make popcorn and put a huge comforter on the floor and eat junk and watch them. The kids get all happy because my sister doesn't allow food in the family room, but I inform them that my sister is at work and that I am making the rules My sister knows all this and could care less but they like feeling like they are getting away with something.

It's FREEZING, windchill of 17, I so didn't want to get out of bed.

Frus your toe sounds nasty, soon people are going to think your new husband is knocking you around

Helen once again I admire your grown up attitude about your party saying that you will be good with the alcohol since your running tomorrow. I have my work party tonight, and I have an open house at a friends tomorrow and I informed them that I will probably be grossly hungover. I have worked out like a freak this week in preparation for it though.

Sarah glad you're better...have a great day everyone.

Adult version Harry Potter books - the nasty characters tend to be even nastier and the story probably goes in to more gory detail than the children's versions - no sex though!

There will be at least one other person in fancy dress. Sorted.

I'm currently wrestling with a weighty decision. A client sent me a lovely looking box of chocolates from Hotel Chocolat. Do I share them, or do I eat them all myself. I'm the only person who does work for the client who's in the office today, and usually when they send presents at christmas it's stuff that can't be "shared" so the person it's sent to just keeps it. Obviously I could share them, but part of me is stroking them saying "mine, all mine"... I have no problems with the number of calories as I'm sure they'll be worth it...