Ange's adventure with my belly

These pictures are from mid October when Ange and Vicky came to London. My how Betty or Ossi has grown! I remember thinking I was pretty massive back then. Silly me.

Prince Charles

Julian reminds me of Prince Charles in these pictures. This is our yard. We have a deck also (I was standing on it to take these pictures.)

Julian dug all the excess bricks out of our garden. Our £5 Compost bin is posted within 35 working days (this is how things work in England!). But I think I will buy Julian a wiggly wigglers worm kit. It's expensive, so if anyone out there knows if worms freeze and die in subzero temperatures, please let me know before I buy it. They're cold blooded of course, but does this really protect an animal from freezing?

Julian is off to New York this week to leave me with the baby shower preparations. I discovered a terribly cheesy but quite ingenious website - it emails invites and tracks RSVPs. Check it out! Betty or Ossie's Baby Shower
The designs are terrible - this was the best one - and I am not too keen on the baby Target plug, but the idea is good. Tick tick.

So, I am a bit nervous about having the responsibility of providing enough materials for people to decorate their own cupcakes with, but it should be fun. I don't really know what people do at baby showers, so I was thinking lots of champagne could alleviate the boredom for everyone (except me), and custom treats are always popular. I have made it only a 2 hour event incase it gets tired.

By the way, at the top is one of my favourite pony images - not retouched and it may not make the final select, but this project is finally off the ground. Enjoy.

They don't call it labour for nothing!

We went to our childbirth course last weekend at the Active Birth Centre. It was all about active management of labour and pain management. Epidural is for pussies - this was the theme for the day.

They showed us a video of a birth and I could hear about 5 girls weeping. It was all a bit much. I even saw a couple fighting afterwards. I think the conversation would have been along the lines of "you bastard - I can't believe you've done this to me!!!"

So I have been asking near strangers to send me photos on email of newborns and other babies. Just something to remind me that there is a little reward at the end of it all.

I have started to nest aggressively. More like a hawk than a bluebird. Julian is the rabbit.

Exciting Wales and the Cotswolds Zoo

We went to Wales last weekend. Julian had to either travel to Swansea and get a new licence or entrust Royal Mail to safely deliver and return his only passport to the D&V in Wales. So we just went to Wales ourselves. We decided to drive the long way and found this amazing zoo in the Cotswolds. I thought the drawing of a zebra on their signage was just for show - but it wasn't! They had happy breeding animals. Every animal was visible but not in a depressing environment (except the lions - they had cruelly put the zebras in full view of the lions - they spent a lot of time staring at what would have been their lunch in the wild).

I played for the cows again - the cows in Wales were horny for the horn. Ewwww. (see pic - if pic doesn't come up, go to weblog link). We stayed at an old rectory with animal trophies and guns all over the walls. Lots of Hunting magazines too. And even more strangely portraits of Prince Charles cut out of magazines and framed and on the mantel. We arrived late Saturday night. The view out one window was gorgeous fields, night sky, pan left and you see a giant Texaco oil refinery lighting up the night sky.

Went to Micah's birthday at Les Trois Garcons. As usual the atmosphere was amazing (dead stuffed versions of all the animals we saw at the zoo, covered in Tiaras and jewels). He is 35. Sweet crowd, had a lovely time.

Belly update

This is me posing with Lucie's birthday present. Serves the dual purpose of showing how big I am getting and being an interim present for Lu - the present didn't make the post in time for her birthday, so this picture was the next best thing. It's taken from a low angle so I'm really not as big as that looks.

Had a lovely afternoon tea this weekend. Cupcakes and cucumber sandwiches and the company of the lovely Paula and the lovely Katie. Went to Greenwich markets and got (almost) a house full of furniture. Julian hired a van and moved into his new office on Lonsdale Rd. He has found a holistic vet in the same street. Lucky. For a minute there I thought we wouldn't be able to find one. Got Bunny booked in for aromatherapy this week. Kidding.

With any luck our decorator will be gone in a few days max. He pisses on our bathroom floor, washes his brushes in the kitchen sink, and has stolen our broom handle. He also pushed our new bed into the wet painted bedroom wall - which happens to be the exact same colour as the bed, but that isn't the point. I would love to buy a home, but i don't think I can cope with tradespeople. At all, not for a minute. Ever.

Family Stationery

Well, I think it's official. I am wrapping up my kid-free life. We're on the home stretch, 3rd trimester. I have taken up pregnancy yoga in preparation. It's really the lamest easiest rolling around on the floor I have ever done. But I love the biscuits and herbal tea and chatting to similarly baby-obsessed women. One of the women in my class missed the lesson last night as she had started contractions. It was really very exciting news even though I had only met her once!

I have bought the baby a 50s bakelite tea set. We don't have enough baby grows, but it is good to know that the baby will have enough imaginary tea to last its childhood. Might be time to get serious about preparing. I have also started researching family stationery. It's nice to have stationery. I want to have something nice to mark our new situation. These are the things that have been occupying my mind. I don't kno whether to resist or run with it.

Julian is standing on top of a glacier in France right now. Sometimes I imagine he is an all-conquering mountain man, but most of the time I imagine him just standing around waiting for the "magic hour". He is having fun but sounds very tired. I will be thrilled to see him again. We are going to Greenwich market on the weekend. The most amazing flea market in the world. I really should forbid myself from going there or we will end up with 4 flourescent ceramic "Sad Sam" money boxes instead of a new moses basket.

Moving vs. Death of Spouse

They say that the stress of moving is comparable to the death of a spouse. While I don't think that is consciously true, I think that most people are not amazed when they read stats on the subject.

We move this weekend. Gorgeous house. With a garden and one block from Queen's Park. I think when you're moving, you start to obsess about thousands of tiny things that may or may not happen. I am already stressed about paint fumes - the decorators are coming soon after we move in. I am already stressed about the possibility of the owner selling. I am already stressed about the "man with van" trashing the walls of our old place by throwing our furniture into them. NONE of this stuff has happened! (Yet).

The owner of our property is slightly neurotic, and I am already worried about her stalking us to check if we are looking after her place. Julian is being amazing. He has been riding around the countryside looking for Ponies for his Pony Pin-up project and has been talking to cutesy deers in paddocks. I trust him to show me the soft cuddly side of daily life in the midst of the madness. (It's not been that mad, but it's always nice to know that someone has time to stop and admire the deers.)

The blob is a blob no longer

This is our latest scan.
As a friend of Julian's had told us it would, it finally looks like a real baby. Betty-Jean/Ossie is a little on the small side - it's not the end of the world, but I am having another scan this week to make sure it is all ok. The head was normal size, and it was tall for its age, but the belly was small - midwife said it may be due to just poor visibility on the scan. I personally know the little one has been growing. Its kicks are much more athletic (don't know where he/she gets that from!), and I am getting significantly bigger - three people have offered me their seat on the tube!

Work is getting easier for Julian (he's hit the 8 month mark and everyone we know says this is about the time things start "feeling" easier). But I am doing the job of 2 people so my boss can buy a house in Cornwall. We are moving house soon - we have found somewhere gorgeous in Queen's Park - nicknamed "nappy valley". Funny how that would have completely put me off an area 6 months ago! Now we are looking at parks, the quality of cafe's so I can meet other mums, availability of baby yoga. Good God.

Mum and Dad have gone to Singapore. It's not that long til I will see them again. They went to Paris for a week and started me and Julian fantasising again about living there. But as I know too well, holidays are NOT the same as living somewhere so I think it would be wise to get London sorted out before moving on - anywhere for that matter. We need to learn how to nest. I am not sure why. It might be that pregnancy thing. I think for people like my friend Nat, moving around is amazing - he really makes the most of not having roots. He earns good money, travels the world, is able to drop out of society when he likes. But this half arsed not-settling-but-not-adventuring thing is starting to wear thin I think on me and Julian. It's hard to break old habits though - having to decide on which teatowels to buy at Habitat brings us both out in a cold sweat. We'll have to ease into homemaking I think.

Greece Lightning

This is a bit of a long one as we have been incredibly busy (laying on the beach).

Santorini was gorgeous - I don't know if I would go again unless I stayed in Oia, which was picture postcard in every direction. Extremely hot, coastal breezes, Mythos on the beach (black volcanic sand). It's quite sad that Santorini doesn't produce anything any more except really suspect cooking wine and orange coloured Eurotrash. Having said that it was such a sublime experience having beers with Lucie Katrina and Leah at sunset in Oia, overlooking the Caldera.

It was so lovely to be able to meet up with such gorgeous girls in the Greek Islands. Reminds me why we are here.

Mum and Dad have been in England since half way through last month. I had been dreading the weather for them, but it has been perfect for at least half of their stay. They have been doing some amazing things that we have never thought to do - the British Museum, St Paul's, the comedy tour of Bath etc. They're off to Paris this week. I am so relieved that they are having such a nice time.

Work is going well for me and Julian - Julian is working lots and I am really just enjoying my pregnancy and not really thinking of much else! Baby brains are nice.

Slack

I have been really super slack and haven't blogged in ages. I guess it is a sign of settling in to London life, no novelty to write about. Life has been ticking over and I have been enjoying it. I am finally learning how to enjoy London - it really has to be about the people here. I mean Coronation Street is a doco - but people watch it for the characters not the scenery!

Last weekend we went to Borough Markets - AGAIN! It is so great - Julian didn't miss out on his Chorizo thank God - my life wouldn't be worth living if he did - they actually counted how many people were in line to match how many sausages were left. It was a close shave. We have bought a food processor and now we will be able to cook everything in Nigella. I was a bit concerned that my domesticity wouldn't kick in til the baby was born and by then it would be too late. But it seems to be taking care of itself. I even read how to cook an egg in Delia on Sunday morning.

I am really looking forward to seeing Mum and Dad and Lucie. For all different reasons. I kind of wish I could drink in Greece, but only because being so sensible is making me feel a bit old. It sounds as though Lucie is having a blast in Greece. I have been trying to divide my life up into chunks until the baby arrives - makes the expanse of time seem more manageable - people say the time will fly but it totally isn't flying. And still nothing to show for it all. Oh well. I have my next scan very soon, and I have been feeling the little bugger wriggle all night every night for the last week which is lovely.

Highs and lows

Not much info so far, but 3 tube lines are closed and one bus lost its windows. No-one hurt, so the whole thing is starting to sound kind of gratuitous and bizarre. Needless to say, we are ok. Bit sick of this though.

On my way to work this morning, I was carrying my new horn - the case is very obviously a horn case. I was walking along minding my own business when I heard whistling coming from the direction of an Energy Company cherry picker. I knew the tune but couldn't place it. In a split second I recognised it, and almost started laughing - I was smiling so hard my smile almost turned into a laugh! I looked up and there was a black electrician in the cherry picker and he was whistling one of Mozart's horn concertos. Then he went on to whistle other movements. I couldn't help laughing out loud.

I called Lucie and she got such a giggle out of it. Then I called Julian and he said that Lucie and I were such nerds that he didn't know if he could be associated with us any more.

So I'm not just being narky after all - this is bad

Reuters | ITN | Press Association | AFP | Sky News | The Scotsman | Photos
Monday July 18, 11:38 AM

Maternity wards 'in poor condition'
Politicians admitted standards in maternity wards must be improved as a "deeply worrying" report highlighted chronic staff and equipment shortages.

The Healthcare Commission said the lives of new mothers and babies were at risk from poor conditions which make giving birth more dangerous than necessary.

An investigation chaired by Sir Ian Kennedy found poor organisation on wards, doctors who did not explain what was happening to patients and dirty toilets as well as a shortage of midwives.

Health Minister Liam Byrne said: "We welcome his acknowledgement that giving birth is safer now than ever before and that very few babies or mothers die.

"However, services are not yet good enough to meet the needs of all women and babies, wherever they live and whoever they are, and that is why the Government continues in reforming, as well as investing in, maternity services in the UK."

He said an action plan for change will be drawn up at a meeting of experts in maternity care later this week.

Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley said: "These findings from the Health Care Commission are deeply worrying.

"They show that despite increasing resources for the NHS, a lack of genuine reform means resources are wasted and services are not held accountable for the standards they meet and to the wishes of patients."

He added: "It will not be good enough for the Government to make promises about changes years hence if we have too few midwives and poor standards today."

The Commission's report to MPs said bad management, rather than a lack of money, is at the root of the problems.




Hmmmm. On a more positive note, we just had an amazing weekend. We test ran one of Julian's friends babies and ate barbecue, the likes of which I haven't tasted since we left Australia (of course Aussie cooked it).

We went to the worst fair ever. Exmouth have an Italian Community religious parade each year and it has turned into a nasty commercial piss up with lots of English men with their shirts off - am I the only one who has noticed that when the temperature gets above 25, English males start spontaneously stripping? One guy was covered in so much baby oil that I could smell him. They seem to take real pride in their body hair and love handles. Such an affectionate term for them, I'm not sure that it's quite right in this instance. We didn't realise there was a religious parade until we came to a street that looked like a really solemn Mardi Gras. There were men dressed up as Jesus, little boys dressed up as wise men, a float with a Last Supper re-enactment on it - and the 12 disciples were eating real food up there! That part of the day was actually great. I've never seen anything so Roman Catholic, and so Pagan at the same time. Now I know where the protestants get their attitudes towards Catholicism. It was so weird that at first I thought it was a piece of performance art.

We had lunch with Garreth and Elissa which was nice - they are moving to Sydney in 2 weeks to re-design all the Mambo stores. We gave them our Living-in-Sydney tips. You forget so quickly - it took me and Julian about 4 hours to remember the name of Cleveland Street - 3 blocks away from our house, and a street I travelled on the Vespa almost every day!

Last of all, we had going away drinks for Eloise. She's off to have another adventure - this time NY without a visa, crazy girl. It was fun. Strange for me without alcohol - I watched the evening degenerate from afar. It ended with Jason and Justin taking pictures of their legs to try and make them look like a bottom. This stuff seems normal when you're pissed, no?

Oh, how could I forget - I had my horn exam. I was surrounded by 8 year olds all day - there were about 100 little boys who played the drums, bonding with their dads, reading car magazines and all that stuff dads and sons do. I was last to be examined and I got the impression that my examiner was really starved for adult company. So he was really nice to me and it was quite a relaxed affair. It went well.

Religious fanatics

Can not and will not threaten our frivolous lifestyle.

Fred Flare

You HAVE to see the iGuy on this site. Too gorgeous.

Once in a lifetime

We just observed 2 minutes' silence on the streets of London. Every voice, every car silent. People came out of shops and offices and lined the streets, and it sounds cheesy - people were sad but not scared.

I was a bit cynical about it before I went downstairs, but hearing almost nothing in Soho really made me feel what it all meant. It's difficult to describe.

The guys at Randall and Aubin, the restuarant downstairs, obviously forgot that there was to be silence, so the only (very quiet) sound was "Lady in my Life" by Michael Jackson. Not really appropriate but a great song.

How do we feel about London?

ATTACKS KILL AT LEAST 33
At least 33 people have been killed and 1,000 injured in a series of terror attacks on London.

The first blast hit a train leaving Liverpool Street Station between Moorgate and Aldgate East at 8.51am. Seven people are confirmed dead in that blast.

At 8.56am a blast occured on a train between King's Cross and Russell Square killing 21 people.

Five people were killed in a blast at Edgware Road Tube station. Three trains are believed to have been hit by this explosion at 9.17am.

At 9.47am a number 30 bus at Upper Woburn Place was hit by a fourth blast. Emergency services could not confirm the number of dead in this attack.

A previously unknown group calling itself "Secret Organisation al Qaeda in Europe" said it carried out the attacks as revenge for British "military massacres" in Iraq and Afghanistan.

London hospitals have reported a total of 300 wounded after a series of blasts hit locations across the city on buses and Tube stations.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair said there was evidence of explosives at least two sites.

Scotland Yard has denied reports they were warned of an attack by Israel minutes before the blasts.


This is a news article - I thought I would post this as it is the most accurate thing I can find. It also helps me put the morning's events into a time frame. My time frame til now has consisted mostly of what I thought were rumours, and lots of confusion. A bit of a slow blur.

I arrived at Caledonian Road Tube just after 9am and thousand were streaming out of the station to wait for buses. Not a big surprise to anyone who has ever used the Tube. A station master explained there had been a major security alert, and that the entire Tube was closed. People just put it down to someone spotting an unidentified Tesco's bag, and didn't think much of it. I had my horn, so of course, no-one would let me on a bus. I had to wait around 30 minutes to be let on. We moved along very slowly, the bus being extremely full. There was lots of moaning by the angry commuters, but at this stage, still a typical morning.

We became gridlocked outside King's Cross station. One of the passengers mentioned an explosion, but Julian texted me to say it was reported to be an electrical fault at one of the stations. When we were finally kicked off the bus due to old fashioned gridlock, there were thousands and thousands of people wandering around trying to work out how they were going to get to work. I tried calling a couple of people, but no luck. King's Cross was blocked by Police in all directions. I saw a woman crying and covered in black soot, but still no news of anything malicious. Then I overheard a man on his mobile who said a bus had just been blown up.

I finally got hold of Julian and told him that I had heard of a way around King's Cross to get to the West End. Unfortunately after I hung up, Julian realised I was heading towards where the bus had had its top ripped off. He tried calling, but of course, he couldn't get through. In fact, the cafe where I gave up and just started drinking endless cups of tea (as you do in a crisis), was about a block from the bus, and the alley was being used to ferry the imjured and shocked. I was in the cafe for about 2 hours and Julian finally got in touch with me and came to help me back home with my horn. The West End was full of Army personel and they asked for people to just go home or try to stay put rather than try and come in to the city.

Considering all of us were a block from 2 of the bombs, the Police and all the commuters were super calm. One guy I was chatting to said that his generation were kind of accustomed to things exploding after 20 years of IRA attacks in London. The Police were actually amazing. Really helpful and informative when they could be.

Sylvie at work is too scared to catch the bus home. Lots of people are bunking in hotels for the night as they have no chance of getting home. Strangely, I don't feel scared, not even with the baby. The explosion happened on my line, but luckily I like to lie in and would never have dreamed of getting to the station in time for a terrorist attack. It's so strange that after years of being afraid that my plane would explode mid air, I really don't feel like I can allow this to change my life (maybe I would feel differently if I saw more). I am just really grateful that everyone I know is absolutely fine - and it's nice feeling loved when people try and try to contact you to see if you're ok.

And if any of you terrorists out there want to hurt my Julian at peak hour, you're going to have to come to our place. (One of the joys of working from home - he's fine too).

Our blob

Ok this is a really crappy picture. We took it outside the lovely (sarcastic) Whittington Hospital. I couldn't wait to get it up here. In this picture little Betty-Jean/Ossie is waving!

I am super happy about our news. And the staff at the hospital really know their stuff - thank God! On my first visit to the hospital there were cigarette butts on the floor! It's like the ghetto in there. And here is the best part - today on my visit there were posters everywhere saying that 16 year olds make great parents too. I shit you not. This country is terrifying.

The weblog has been a bit slow of late as my life has been revolving around trips to the bathroom to check in the mirror whether I have a belly yet (I don't.) There has been other stuff going on but not much - and I didn't want to go "online" with it until my official first scan.

But a quick summary :
We have discovered Borough Markets. Julian has an unhealthy relationship with Chorizo sausage and Borough Markets is not helping him. I have started eating Meat. In particular Meat and Cheese Burgers. This website is well worth a look. Very funny, and when I complain they send me free burgers.

I have started swimming a few times a week - baby loves it. And here is my best weight loss tip ever : if you want to lose weight, get knocked up. I have lost many kilos. Morning sickness renders you pretty much unable to eat for 3 months, and you're even put off the taste of alcohol. I look better than ever before.

Julian has bought an old 80s banger. It is a MOTO GUZZI. I am terrified. One accident and the bike gets it.He's got mouths to feed now and he aint working without a head!

And lastly, we're looking at the Trans Siberian Railway for Winter. Then we can visit Simon in China, and fly to Australia from there. We'll never get to see whiteness like it again.

Singing off, and will be less secretive from now on!

Jetsetting Bunny

Well, Bunny has arrived. It's like we were never apart. She seems realy happy and our apartment has been completely transformed. It is a home.

I feel so much better about so many things because I have her moulting little white face to come home to each day. I feel great today as I have had one of my counsellor appointments. It's so refreshing to have someone completely objective to talk to. Like it or not, those who love you have their own agenda when advising you. They get almost as worked up about situations as you do, so they're not entirely balanced when the tell you to "go get em". They can be vicariously emotional.

We're going for dinner at Katie's tonight. I am looking forward to a relaxing weekend. I have a trip to Paris at the end of the month and as it gets closer I am getting more stressed. It's a great town, but such a hard place to do business. Last time we went we met with people who knew maybe 3 sentences in English. The thought crossed my mind that maybe I should just go and secretly cancel all my appointments but come back and report on what an amazingly successful trip it was. But I am pretty sure I would get caught.

Here is my new haircut. I feel so much better after some little apprentice's fingers have been to work on my head. I have found a new hairdresser - a Kiwi - I trust them so much more than the English.

Wooda

It's a strange name for a farm. This is an organic farmstay we found. Run my Max and Gary, a nurse and an actor. The farm consist of four chickens who lay organic eggs, and the property has a work in progress actor's workshop. People can come and stay and "method" or whatever actors do.





This is what the English consider a beach. It is in Cornwall. Cornwall is probably the most organised place in England in terms of providing for tourists. I never thought that would be an attraction, but every time we go away in England, we end up eating fish and chips in some divey pub. No the old pubs in England aren't quaint. They stop being quaint when every pub is the same.






This is a castle/church thing on an island. Very creepy. All over this part of the world there are really historical things, like King Arthur Town. I still don't believe he existed, but they do sell souvenir Excalibur swords so maybe he did exist!
Now it's bank holiday weekend and we jumped the gun and have nowhere to go this weekend.

Oh, big news, Bunny arrives 3 weeks today. What a jetsetter!

Me at 50

It's funny how many famous photographers share their name with really un-famous kind of weird photographers. For example there is a "David Sims" who shoots African Safaris. Catrin found this website looking for a stylist called Karin Rode. I don't know if this woman is a stylist but something tells me she is not!

After laughing til my bones ached, I had an eerie feeling that I was looking into a crystal ball - this is me at 50!! Eek!




Click here for the full site.

Palindromes

I went to see Palindromes on the weekend. not amazing. Funny though. I couldn't help thinking about the theory that I read in one of Gore Vidal's books on war: that a story where the central character is a madman can't be a real story. Their reality is too far from our own, it's too nonsensical to be any good. Something like that. I am sure Gore Vidal put it much better!

PS. If you want to watch the trailer click on "Palindromes"

On the Farm

We went to Lucie's Farm. It is really quite depressing to be back. The weather out there was glorious! Well, it rained, but there was sun for at least one day out of three - intermittently. The place we stayed at, link Whitewells Farm, was really kind of country kitsch, extremely clean, well catered, with fresh duck eggs. Yummy. They had the cutest lab named Caroline, and some giant St Bernard type dogs were staying next door. There were Indian runner ducks and sheep. My only comment was that is was a bit close to the road (I only mention it because we are being super nit picky and trying to imagine our business when real arseholes stay and moan.)




The farm was amazing. There was a turkey named Cranberry who Craig raised from an egg. Cranberry loves cuddles and being tickled under the chin. Lots of his animals are rare breeds. It is strange to think that a lot of farm animals are disappearing because they are not commercially bred for meat. I think I will ask Craig for a list of his animals as I found all that info fascinating.





We saw lots of 6 week old piglets who belinged to a Tamworth mummy pig who was originally from a petting zoo, so she loved knocking us around trying to get cuddles and the cut apples we brought. There was a highland cow calf. Long fluffy red hair..looked like an ewok, and her mum had hugely long hair and giant horns, lots of hair over the eyes. Think Dulux-dog of cows. The bull was so muscly. You could see the definition (ie. steaks) all over its back half. Some of the pigs and cows are quite rare as they are not ideal for growing to eat. We saw endangered breeds if you can believe some cows and pigs are endangered??



Here are some more pics. I am looking a bit rough in some of them. Luckily from 30 years old onwards, you imagine yourself as looking like you did when you're 24. I always wondered how old people coped - now I know. Lucie's Farm own the woods that are pictured. Lots of bluebells growing wild and badgers (we didn't see any). Very "Wind in the Willows". Enjoy. We did.