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.