Guys thank you for your responses and I'm sorry that I'm late with this. To be honest it were a complete and utter disaster! I will fill everyone in on it when I've a bit more time! Buy thanks for your advice, everyone. x

Now that you mention it, you're right. It is always the woman who gets blamed for something. I'm trying to think of a situation where the man didn't get away with something and you know what - I can't! I don't know why it's that way but it is.

My engagement ring has got diamonds in it and I love it. My style is quite classic. There's nowt wrong with any of the other gemstones but I think where engagement rings are concerned it's got to be diamonds. Well for me anyway!

It's only after you get married that they lose their sense of hearing!

Nowt wrong with something unconventional. You tell 'em that!

Iam rather pally with a lot of my colleagues and I do regard them as friends. You spend so much of your day at work so when you get on with the people around you, it's hard not to see them as friends.

It's really sweet that you care about your friend but I completely agree with what Betta daze has said. You only want to get married the once, so make it the day you really want and have the people you really want by your side. People and relationships can change over time. How things are today may not necessarily be that way tomorrow. When you agreed to be your best friends maid of honour, you didn't know that later down the line your friendship would have cooled a little. So no one can blame you for thinking differently. I waited a long time to get married (I were in my forties!) so I weren't compromising on the day that both me and my husband wanted. I think writing the letter is a good idea, especially if you feel nervous. At least you'll be able to rewrite it if you feel the words aren't right. And you can still have your friend as a bridesmaid, and failing that - a guest. I'm sure she'll understand if you two aren't as pally as you used to be (but still pally!)

I'm not a mother myself but I do have three stepchildren. Obviously anything regarding sleepovers was up to their parents. I'm not really sure if it was something they did a great deal of as they were growing up but whenever the question came up of them going to sleep round a friend's house, my husband and their mum considered it carefully and if they were comfortable with it, then the kids were allowed to go. Now they're all old enough to decide for themselves, and so far everything has been fine. I'm glad that they have these great childhood memories, as do me and my brothers and sisters. But I do know that sadly, not everyone has been so lucky. So I really don't blame parents who are a bit on the wary side of letting they're kids stay over at other people's houses.

I'm in agreement with everything that's been said so far. It's good to help someone out. It's good to give away things we don't need especially if someone else can get some good use out of it. But when we feel we've been taken for a ride, then it makes us wary, and when it happens to often, it just makes us jaded to the point where we think everyone is like that. But I don't want mickey-takers to turn me into an old cynic (it's bad enough being old!) I like to think I'm fair and that I give everyone the benefit of the doubt. I'm happy to help but if I have strong concerns that someone's taking advantage, well they'll just have to get their favours and freebies elsewhere!

Yes we do! Maybe it's not as often as we'd like. We both have jobs we love that keep us busy plus we have my stepchildren over every weekend which involves a long drive to and from our place to puck them up. But we both make time for ourselves, whether it be a walk through woodlands, dinner and a movie, or if we're really good, a weekend away! But spending quality time together is an absolute necessity as it's so easy to get bogged down with other things, important or not.

Idiot leaders have a lot to answer for. What else can I say. We have our own idiot leader right here and there's a whole lot of crazy going on but I know that our situation cannot be compared to what the poor people of Ukraine are going through. And just to make it clear, I'm in no way calling Zelensky an idiot. He's done more than most leaders in that situation would have done.

I doesn't hold any weight, Fishcakes. Putin is just looking for an excuse. Like any schoolyard bully who wants to pick a fight with someone but he of course is being a bully on a far wider scale with far more severe consequences. He really is an odious little man. And you're right, it's awful that this war has uncovered a lot of other atrocities. No one should be made to go to the back of the queue based on their skin colour. It really is taking the world a long time to grow up.

Oh my goodness, EB! You have no idea how much of a fan I am. I have lots of EB pieces and I'm still not done collecting. What's your fave design?

Thank you Bettadaze. I love anything that involves design and creative processes. I'm sure your garden looks the business.

How wonderful that you have your own business selling some of your work. I'm sure you get a lot of enjoyment out of it. Thank you.

Thank you Angel x

Well you know what they say about great minds. LOL! Thank you. I'm sure one day you will make that overseas trip. 😊

Hello Jane. And yes you can call me Green if you want my darling. haha! Hope you're enjoying Peppermint Teal.

Thank you Trailblazer. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in America. Hopefully I'll return one day. Just as I hope you get to visit Britain again one day. But this time - come up north! Haha.

Nice to meet you lovely lady with the orange coat! I have to say orange has never been one of my colours. Never really had the confidence to pull off orange so good on you for being able to do that. And I'm a northern lass but I'm an Essex girl by marriage! LOL!