Monday 10 June 2013

Mum on the Run - In the Liberty Eliza sun dress by Allium B - on a sunny day too!

Almost a year ago now I interviewed Mary and Clare, who are sisters and the founders of Allium B. Mary and Clare, who both had successful careers in fashion, were disillusioned with the style, fit and quality of dresses on the High Street and so set about designing their own range of versatile, simple but statement, "forever" dresses. For anyone interested in the rest of the interview, you can read it here.

Roll on nearly a year and Mary and Clare asked me to choose a couple of designs of their dresses to wear on Style Guile. With my stash of summer dresses severely depleted, with some warm weather promised, being short of time (and with lots of dresses being short of hem), the offer couldn't have come at a better time. The very next day the dresses were on my doorstep. Perfect!

The first dress that I chose was the Eliza dress (£89) which was designed to celebrate Allium B's first birthday. The liberty print, retro feel and the fact that I felt that a proper "summer" dress was the order of the day, made this an easy choice. Just for the purposes of perspective, the model is 5 ft 7" but I'm not sure what size dress she is wearing. I am 5 ft 6" and wearing the size 8, which I found came up true to size.

As the day dawned bright and clear for our weekend away, I knew that it was a now or never moment. I really like the neat fit on the top half and the way that the dress nips in at the waist but then has enough room in the skirt to make it possible to walk/bend down/surf down the sand dunes (sorry, no pictures of that particular activity).

The straps on this dress are wide enough to make it possible to wear a normal bra without it showing. For me that's great because if there's one thing I would be likely to forget to take on a weekend away it's a strapless bra (or perhaps a child.)

I've really included this photograph for the spectacular shot of the seagull, the sun and the scenery. With converse instead of heels, the dress was a good beach/crabbing option.

Even bending down and sorting out crab bait wasn't a problem. Well, not for the dress, at least!

Sun dresses can be tricky the older one gets! There's a fine line to tread between being cool and exposing too much flesh. The length of this dress is a real bonus for someone like me who doesn't like to show a lot of leg and I like the fact that the wide straps and the cut of the neckline mean that I don't feel too exposed but nor am I too covered up either. We just need a few more sunny days now. As I mentioned, I have two dresses to try, so I hope to bring you photographs of the other one really soon.....

Allium B have kindly offered any blog readers/clients of mine an exclusive discount of 20% off any full price dress. Please just quote code SG20 any time now between today and the end of July. Happy shopping!

Saturday 8 June 2013

Mum on the Run - A capsule wardrobe or a good excuse to go shopping?!

I know, I'm sorry, I've been a lazy blogger this week. It's not as though I've been sitting watching daytime TV all day and eating Doritos - although that doesn't sound like being lazy but more like having fun - it's just that somehow it hasn't quite come together.

I'm not sure when you will receive this but to set the scene, it's 7.05am, I'm up with the youngest of five children, in Wales and it's SUNNY! I can't believe it. Time to head off for the beach soon I think. We've realised that with Welsh weather you make the most of it whenever it may be. Which is why at 11pm we were outside around a campfire grilling halloumi and flat breads and which is why I now feel slightly nauseous as a result of too much food, too late and my cardi stinking of smoke (as does a new top that I was wearing to come over in and which I kept on all evening. Duh!)

So, just a couple of outfits as obviously due to my TV watching and Dorito eating I only got dressed twice this week and once it was in pretty much the same as I wore last time I posted (that's the beauty of bedroom chairs).

On the first hot and sunny day of the week I wore a white Mango dress and red Topshop shoes. It would seem that I only own one pair of shoes this summer! Sorry for the pretty dodgy photos - the 5 year old was in charge but at least I have a head on this one. Or perhaps that's not a good thing.

Here I have the blue GAP trousers which I showed not too long ago, Hobbs top, H&M necklace and Hobbs jacket, plus Topshop shoes. See, told you I had only one pair of shoes - and one jacket too. Some call it a capsule wardrobe - I call it a very good reason to go shopping.

Today it will be the turn of something different. A lovely new dress sent to me by Allium B which in some ways is far too nice to wear for crabbing and a day on the beach but on a day like today, you just have to go for it and live life dangerously. You never know, I might even go for a paddle.

Sunday 2 June 2013

Mum on the Run - To take advice from the Style Section of the Sunday Times Magazine, or not? That is the question

So, what should I wear when visiting my favourite shop of all times - Build A Bear Workshop? Ideally a smile, not least to hide the grimace of the cost of the things in there, but how our youngest and her friend loved it. Such delight on their little faces. I know the feeling behind those delighted faces only too well and with new sunglasses, ear bobbles and a dressing gown for Daisy, and a completely new dog for her friend, all was perfect in the world of those two little five year olds.

You've seen all of these things before - probably many times over! Hobbs boyfriend jacket in dark foam, Topshop jumper (see below) in lemon, Mango sandals, Orla Kiely bag (Bicester) and GAP jeans.

Topshop knitted stitch sweater in lemon (£32) - just to let you know that this has patches on the elbow, which I know some people don't like.

Mango nude sandals, which I can't seem to find on-line. I say can't seem to find because we all know that they are probably there somewhere and it's just me who can't find them.

I have to ask, does anyone else read the section in the Style Magazine of the Sunday Times where readers' fashion dilemmas are answered? Without being critical, and really I'm not, did you see the question today sent in a by a girl wanting a watch so that she could time herself accurately during exams?

The digital watch was a great option, the chunky Michael Kors inspired one was another great option but the one with no numbers around the edge and an owl printed over half of the watch face - in an exam? I can just hear girls all over the country coming home and saying to their parents:

"Sorry, I thought I had an hour left to finish my exam but the time was up. The trouble was I couldn't tell the time on the watch that I had bought on the advice of Laura Weir in the Style Magazine because it didn't have any numbers on it and half of the face was obscured by an owl." I shall say no more for fear of getting in trouble with a certain teenager in this house. Not that for one moment I am suggesting that she would do something like this. Oh no, not at all.

Saturday 1 June 2013

Mum on the Run - I have been acquiring a lot of things of late, some by virtue of nature and one from Jigsaw

Yesterday dawned bright and clear in Wales and for about five hours we had the perfect weather which saw Wales at its best - clear blue skies, fantastic views of the mountains, crystal waters and so, after finally retrieving the washing from the launderette, we went to the beach. Whilst there I acquired two things - a black eye (or more accurately a black temple) and two strips of sunburn just at the point where my jeans finished - so really it's three things in total but that would be splitting hairs.

After coming home last night this morning I went to the beauticians to get my eyebrows sorted as they had taken on a life of their own. I asked Ange, the beautician, to be careful as my eye was sore. She took one look at the bruising and said "Oh, how did you do that, have you had botox?" Botox? Crikey, do people really pay to look that bad before looking less wrinkly? I had no idea. But no - nothing as "glamourous" as that for me. My bruising came totally free of charge as a result of my head getting in the way of a low flying tennis ball. That will teach me to play with the kids on the beach. Reading Grazia is a much safer way of passing the time.

Today I thought that I would introduce the new Jigsaw lace trousers (£139) which I bought a couple of weeks ago to wear at the style event that I was doing. With the chilly weather and my fair skin, I felt that some new trousers would be a much better investment than a summer dress.

Having bought these trousers, I then read about them in Easy Living, where they featured in an article about the perfect capsule wardrobe which, apparently, contains 30 pieces. Under the heading "Party Fabulous" it says "Lace is the perfect fabric for a more tailored, formal pair of trousers that will supplement your jeans. Jigsaw's cropped ones are just the thing." So far so good.

However in the Times Magazine today, Hilary Rose talked about her quest for the perfect pair of cropped trousers and this is what she had to say about them:

"I thought, before I tried them on, that Jigsaw's Circle broderie anglaise trousers would be The Ones, but I looked like Coco the Clown in them. There's no polite way to put this, so I will state simply that if you have chunky thighs, they could be just the thing."

Chunky thighs? Well thanks Hilary. Up until then I quite liked my Jigsaw trousers, circle broderie anglaise and all, but now I'm not so sure. Every time I look at them I know that I'm going to think "Aha, there's those trousers that women with CHUNKY THIGHS can wear." Oh, that would be me then because let me tell you, there's not a lot of spare room in the thigh area. In fact there's none at all, which is why I change into my jeans when I have to drive in them. So maybe she's right after all.

I knew that the perfect opportunity to console myself was about to arise as we were going to a friend's house for afternoon tea. From previous experience I knew that there would be lots of cake and my friend didn't disappoint. It was like going into the hummingbird bakery only better, with chocolate cake, carrot cake, scones, millionaires shortbread and trifle. I've told her that should she decide to give up her day job of being a highly skilled doctor in order to make cakes, that would be fine. Generous of me or what?!

The sun was out but the wind was cold so I needed a jacket not only to keep me warm but so that I could put lots of layers underneath and anyway, thanks to the two red strips of sunburn, I couldn't have worn a dress even if I had wanted to. I took nude block heeled sandals to change into once there but as the youngest was on her scooter, I felt that converse were need for safety on our journey.

So it's been an eventful few days - not only have I acquired a black eye and two strips of sunburn, apparently I have also acquired a pair of chunky thighs as well. Life just keeps on getting better.

Thursday 30 May 2013

Mum on the Run - A couple of holiday outfits and does anyone fancy stepping outside our comfort zones for a minute? Anyone for sheer?

This post wasn't really meant to have turned out how it has but isn't that often the way with things?

What I wanted to do was to link to a top that I bought from Zara last week. The Manager was walking around the store with it in her hand and, having asked for a closer look, I promptly snapped it up, closely followed by someone else who took a look at the one I was holding. Suffice to say I can't find the flippin' thing on the site and with mine languishing at home right now, I can't snap it and post a picture.

However it got me thinking two things really. One, how often it is that I feature Zara (today being no exception). Sometimes I fear that it's a little too often but on the other hand for some things it just can't be beaten and it wouldn't feel right not to show great examples of things just because they're from Zara (again).

Personally I won't go near their trousers after having had two pairs rip on me. Fortunately the first time it happened I was in the car park of the Bullring, where I was doing a contortion act at getting a car seat strapped into a car. I nipped into Zara and they whizzed me into the changing rooms and gave me a new pair without question - so all was good but it could have been much worse. However for their prints, bright colours, blazers, shoes, bags, scarves and jewellery, they are hard to beat, especially if you choose judiciously.

The second thing that I was thinking was that it's always good to try something just a little outside of our comfort zone when it comes to clothes - even if it turns out to be a complete disaster, which chances are it won't. A few tweaks can make all the difference to a simple wardrobe and really that's what it's all about - just adding a few bits here and there to keep everything fresh and up to date.

Anything that can be put with jeans to start off with (which are generally well within our comfort zone) is a good place to start. Whether it's a bright shirt, a printed blazer or a very OTM top, pairing it with something that we feel happy in is less likely to make us leave it hanging in the wardrobe, or feeling uncomfortable and waiting for that moment that we can dash in the door and whip it off.

Whilst I couldn't find the exact top, these are similar in style and two of them have sheer panels - which for lots of us could be just that little step away from what we would usually wear. Sheer is a big trend for the season and a few months ago I showed a white skirt from Topshop which had a sheer panel running around it just above the hem. Because the skirt was midi in length, the sheer panel wasn't too revealing. Always a bonus!

This Zara sheer studio top (£39.99) has its sheer panel in a place which, whilst challenging for some, may not be for others. Not all of us have had babies, not all of us have wrinkly tummies and for those who do, the wrinkles may be further down than this! Some are blessed with absolutely fabulous abs, others work hard for them and some have them on a good day - so this could be a way of showing that part of you which normally remains hidden but which could be on show, in a subtle way. (We can still wear jeans to hide the varicose veins and closed shoes to hide the bunions!)

This Zara layered top with seam at front (£25.99) is similar to the one that I have as it has a round neck and no sleeves but mine is slightly more futuristic looking - selling it well aren't I?! I like the layered look to this top. It's simple but works well.

And for those who wouldn't ever contemplate a sheer panel any further south than their upper chest, this Zara top with sheer stripe (£29.99) could be a good option. It's in the lovely colour that I wrote about last week and would work really well with lots of trousers including navy, white, black and denim. It's a shame that the model looks less than enamoured with life but then I might if I too had to try on about 300 outfits in one day.

Just a couple of really inspiring (!) outfits from our holiday....

Oooh, so that would be jeans, a denim shirt and a Warehouse sequin jumper then...

....and this would be jeans, another sparkly top, a cream knitted jacket, Mango scarf and Zara boots. It all worked OK for our various trips to ice cream parlours, the beach, out for lunch and all manner of other daft things we have been up to though and look at that, the sun! Incredible!

Wednesday 29 May 2013

Mum on the Run - An easy, breezy dress for every day. A real "snatch and grab" kind of outfit.

Oh boy, do we know how to have fun on holiday?! At 9am I found myself at the launderette in Bangor and that's also where I'll be at 9am tomorrow. Having listened to an article on Radio 4 a few weeks ago about how Launderette's are the hub of a community, I was quite excited about the prospect of getting our loose covers washed - and I wasn't disappointed. And then - wait for the excitement - I spent a good half hour washing down a pushchair which we had stored in the shed and which had got mildew on it. (I say "we" had stored it but that's not strictly true - someone else in the family had stored it there but it would be unfair to let him take sole responsibility for the mildew situation). In fairness the whole washing down business was quite enjoyable. I liked wearing my wellies again and there's nothing like a bowl of hot soapy water and a pair of rubber gloves to make you feel as though you are achieving something (on holiday. Sad?!)

Sometimes all that we need is an easy breezy dress for a summer's day. This dress is easy in the sense that it is machine washable, has a good length to it so that you can bend over and not flash your pants, is made of a fabric that's not going to snag, catch or stain, is in a really flattering style and the print design (dark background, brighter print) works wonders for smoothing lumps and bumps. It's also good because it wouldn't need to be the height of summer to wear it, which is fortunate given what we're dealing with at the moment, which for us is rain, wind, low temperatures and the odd earthquake, just for good measure.

The dress is from French Connection and whilst I can't see it on the site at the moment, they are still available in store. They used to do this style in lots of prints and colours - no doubt many of you will own one - but it only comes in this one this season. Here it is sitting alongside Topshop clog sandals (£45) and a Zara bag (£39.99) but you could mix it up a little by working in some cream, navy, green - or whatever you fancy really.

It's a snatch and grab type of outfit. It's not overly trendy, not too try hard, just a pretty, flattering dress for everyday - something that all of us need from time to time.

Tuesday 28 May 2013

Mum on the Run - Lovable rogues: pieces I have tried, spied and recommend from the High Street

When I am out and about on my travels around the shops there are lots of things that, for one reason or another, catch my eye. It may be that I haven't seen something like it for a while, that I can imagine it working hard for someone, that it would do a good job from a style perspective, or a trend perspective, or just because I like it.

So, here are some lovable rogues that I have spotted recently....

There's a definite move away from platform shoes, towards single sole shoes and these Topshop pointed shoes (£58) are simple and elegant. Many, if not all, are a suede finish and they come in a variety of colours both bright and more muted. Fabulous for giving a LBD a new lease of life, or for wearing to a wedding or just with jeans and a blazer, they look the part but won't break the bank.

I have written about the Whistles Bella dress (£140) previously. It's a staple style at Whistles and comes in several colours/prints each season. It's just one of those dresses that could take you anywhere from an interview, out to dinner, to a party, to a wedding. It's a fail safe, safety blanket kind of dress, but in a good way.

I have seen this dress on lots of different body shapes and it is incredibly flattering. However, I would just like to make a tiny appeal to Jane Shepherdson, the CEO of Whistles, (because obviously she reads this on a daily basis) could you just add another inch or so to the length please? When a style is this successful, I think it must be worth doing it in a couple of lengths. For me it's just that weeny bit too short but if it had an extra inch to its length I'd be there like a shot, as I'm sure many others would be. With a pair of the shoes above, it would be a cracking outfit.

Each time I see this Oasis bracelet (£14) it just makes me smile. I just love the combination of colours and it also comes in a necklace. In fact this too would work with the dress/shoe outfit above.

Now, it wasn't until last summer (did we really have one?) that I dipped my toe into the water of taupe/pale grey boots. They cost £30 and in were in the Zara sale. Being suede and having had a hard winter, they are starting to look a little worse for wear and whilst I wouldn't part with them, for me they are something that I can't imagine living with out. Well I can of course - that sounds far too dramatic - but I'd rather not.

Having appreciated their value to me, I would be prepared to invest a little more in a pair and I really like the All Saints Jonas boots (£175) which are particularly appealing because we have an All Saints outlet shop nearby and if they're anything like my other All Saints boots which I saw in there for £50 last week, yes £50, they too will make an appearance at some point. I'm happy to wait, however long it takes. I know that they're an imitation of the Acne Pistol boot, which has been superseded by the Acne Star, which will no doubt be superseded by something else before long - but I'm not fussed about that particular fickle feature of fashion.

I first saw this White Stuff parka (£69.95) in Guernsey when I was there in March. I liked it then and I still like it now. Spring coats are few and far between and looking out of the window at the black skies now, I could really do with this. Fat Face also has a lovely navy waxed parka which is worth looking at.

I love Lily and Lionel scarves and I have included it as it's a "dreamy" kind of purchase for me. This scarf is the Lana scarf (black, £100). Lily and Lionel scarves are like works of art, some of them are scenes and landscapes which are beautiful when tied. This scarf would be great for pepping up a predominantly black wardrobe.

The Zara printed cropped blazer (£69.99) is a beauty for anyone on the petite side. I saw it on a lady last week who was under 5ft tall and it looked fabulous. The proportions were just right for her. It was neat, fitted her silhouette and both the blazer and arm length were perfect.

In wearing a top and trousers in the same colour, with this blazer over the top, it would have a real leg lengthening effect as it creates the illusion that your legs start where the jacket length finishes. Now I don't mind where people's legs start or finish but lots of ladies ask me how they can make their legs look longer and this is one such way.

On the other hand, for ladies who find it hard to find jeans to accommodate their long legs, the Ella dark denim jeans long (£29, save £50) could be perfect. I have also included a link to the Ella sale where there are some great finds - a leather skirt, a couple of winter coats, silk shirts and a leather jacket too.

And finally, for those ladies like a straight jean in preference to any other style, Jigsaw have an Indigo straight leg jean (£75). I have cast my eye over them and in addition to them being a nice Indigo colour, they have a good rise on them - so there's no danger of you going way one and your jeans the other when you bend down. Straight jeans can be hard to come by so I thought that they were worth including for that reason.

We were relatively lucky with the weather today, with the rain holding off until the evening. It wasn't warm but it wasn't cold so there's no complaining from these quarters. Although I have to say, whoever was responsible for packing my clothes wants shooting. Oh, that would be me then. I kept looking at my sparse offerings today and wondering what had happened. Did I leave a pile of clothes at home? Did I put them in someone else's drawers? I kept on looking through the drawers in the hope that some would magically appear in a drawer that I had previously looked in but sadly no, so I will have to soldier bravely on. I must have been suffering from sun stroke when packing on Sunday night.

So today we were crabbing from the Pier in Beaumaris (and just in case anyone thinks what a perfect Mum I am, I must say that I was actually sitting on a bench reading Grazia whilst my husband dealt with the stinky bait and our son got nipped by a crab, to the extent that his finger bled.)

Given that we weren't sure what we were doing today, I just went with the wellie option on the basis that they would work on the beach, in the town, on the pier and....

...when playing crazy golf. Why of course?! Just for the record, I did participate in this activity but tried to distance myself from our eldest when she hit the golf ball with the force of a hockey stick and nearly took out the whole play area.

I had two people ask me where I got my scarf from and one chap say to me "Bloody hell, your willies (oops, that should say wellies) make my eyes boggle." To which I said "Just imagine how they'd look after a few pints then." So that was a short, and very sweet, conversation.

Monday 27 May 2013

Mum on the Run - When is a cardi not a cardi?

Sometimes only a cardi will do. Something which is open fronted so as to show a flash of the top being worn underneath - but sometimes a traditional cardi just doesn't feel right. Slightly dated, too work like, something like my grandma once wore, something I have owned for ages. Time for a change I think....

Don't get me wrong, over the years I have had many cardis in my wardrobe. For a while I loved the silk ones that Jigsaw did and I had them in a whole host of colours. Then boyfriend cardis became the rage, and Zara did/does brilliant ones for about £20. Boden is fantastic for cropped cardis, either cashmere or otherwise and also for crew neck and V-neck ones in a whole host of colours. I also had a couple of ballet wrap ones from Fat Face and although I hadn't seen any for a while, Jigsaw has a cashmere ballet wrap in three colours. Hobbs and Monsoon are great for boleros and Pure is one of the best for cashmere but sometimes these types of cardis just won't cut the mustard.

So, what are the alternatives and when is a cardi not a cardi? (Yes, I know I'm winging it on some of them so is it OK if we just focus on the "alternative" part of the question posed above, as opposed to the "when is a cardi not a cardi" part?)

...When it comes in the shape of a biker jacket. Open or done up, this one from Mint Velvet (£89) is a slightly more edgy alternative to a crew neck, button up to the neck, pastel option.

....When it's a swing cardigan. This Mint Velvet lace cardigan (£59) has a slightly boxy style and it would look lovely with just the top fastening done up. Worn over wider jeans and wedges, it would give a real 1970's feel.

....When it comes in a soft blazer style, such as this woven slouchy front jacket from Jigsaw (£69).

....When it's a Chanel inspired tweed knit, such as this one from Jigsaw (£198)

...When it's floral. OK, so this one is pushing the boundaries as it clearly is a cardigan but it's a very pretty one at that and would make a nice change from a plain one. Warehouse printed cardigan (£38)

...When it's made of a "non-cardi" style fabric, such as this lurex linen cardigan from Mango (£29.99), which also comes in a neutral colour and has elbow patches on it. There's also a lurex one at Reiss (£89) and a sparkly one at Jigsaw (£89)

....When it's less formal than a cardi type cardi, such as this All Saints sago pirate cardigan (£98) which is a fixed wrap style with a draped collar in a typical All Saints colour palette ie neutral.

...When it's just too cool to be a cardi, despite being called one! French Connection palm knitted cardigan (£75). I love this shade of blue and the seam details and different lengths make it that little bit special.

As I mentioned yesterday when blogging in the blazing heat, today we came to Wales where it is very un-hot (I know that's not a word but it describes the situation well) and where it is very un-dry (ditto). The journey was good, with everyone going in the opposite direction to us because clearly they knew something which we did not - namely that it was un-hot and un-dry. But anyway, as I sit here blogging with the fire lit, all is well with the world and tomorrow should be better. I think....

I think that these shoes remained on for all of 30 seconds after arriving, before being replaced by boots. I'm also wearing Cos grey skinny jeans (love the fact that they come in in-between sizes) and a cowl neck jumper from All Saints with a neon t-shirt underneath. I'm confident that tomorrow will see me out in my bikini!!!!

Sunday 26 May 2013

Mum on the Run - An outfit to dress up with Zara silver shoes and a blouse, or down with a T and sparkly smoking slippers....

I like the idea of a versatile wardrobe. Pieces that work together and which can be dressed up or down, layered over or under other things and to which accessories can be added to give them a completely different look.

I used this outfit a recent event. Navy slim fitting GAP trousers are used as the basis, to which I added a sheer shirt with a pussy bow, silver shoes and a coral and silver bag to tie it all together for an evening out.

The fold over clutch was from H&M (£12.99) (although the coral/neon one doesn't seem to be on the web - just apricot or black). It also has a chain strap with it.

The French Connection blouse (£59) is lovely. It's sheer, so a cami needs to be worn underneath it and it's a really pretty colour. The pussy bow can be done up or left loose for those who prefer to do so. What I really like about it is that the hem scoops up at the sides, which is much more flattering than an even hemline, particularly if it is being worn outside of trousers. It avoids a blunt horizontal line across the hips, which can be a tricky look to pull off.

These Zara shoes (link below) are a great heel height and perfect for anyone who would rather keep their toes covered. They are flying out of the stores but are still available online. At £29.99 they are a great price and offer a nod to the futuristic trend without being too Star Trek like, or too scary!

As an alternative look, the same trousers can be dressed down with this blue dragon fly scarf from Zara (£17.99), these suede smoking slipper from Dune (£75) and a coral Zara draped top which is a really easy top to wear. It has a little weight at the front which goes inside and which is a great touch to ensure that the neckline sits properly. The ruching over the tummy is also a nice touch.

Some may argue that sparkly slippers aren't really dress down at all but you know me and sparkles. Equally they could be swapped for brogues, trainers, converse, ballet pumps or flat sandals for an easy, run around, look.

Here's a closer look at the Zara silver shoes (£29.99). Lovely for a wedding or christening where you may be on your feet a lot, or (predictably) with jeans too.

I really hope that everyone is enjoying the sun. We are off to Wales tomorrow. I can't quite believe the pile of jumpers and warm coats waiting to be packed, especially given what we have all be wearing today but I think that we may need them given the forecast. I'm hoping to be able to post from Wales, especially as I spent 40 minutes last night sorting out my dongle, but we'll have to see on that one...

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