My Life's Ingredients

Is it this time of the year again already? Can't believe it!!! The first half of the year is in a blur, and the 2nd half is not much better!!! :( But hey, roll on 2008 - can't get worse I think? :) Today we had a bit of a tidy around the house, had our traditional (?!?!) Raclette and now have moved upstairs to avoid any drunk revellers. I am unable to find the "Dinner for One" Video for the 2nd year running (really have to make sure I have it for next year!!!) - DH googled it yesterday ... Interesting information there about the countries where it's being broadcasted! :) I am still trying to catch up with Shim's Christmas Journal - will do that tomorrow while DH is watching LOADS of College Football! :) But I managed today's entry. HAPPY HOGMANAY TO YOU ALL!!! ... wonder if I should suggest a little walk towards Corstorphine Hill to DH?

Right, cookies are done (just my Vanillekipferl are always going outwards and don't stay in the shape I make them in ... REALLY have to get that sorted ... shame my granny is senile so I doubt she will be able to discuss her recipe with me. :( ). Mrs Claus' helper has brought in the tree and decorated it with just tiny help - next year he can do it without supervision. LOL. Just printing the recipe for the gravy and then I'll tackle the BIRD (a duckling). :D Quickly wishing everyone in Germany and on mainland Europe MERRY CHRISTMAS Will be back online tomorrow or later tonight. :D

Gosh, what a day! Got up at 8:20am (40 mins before my alarm!), got dressed and cleared the kitchen counter and the cupboard where our plastic tubs live. Then I put the Wolves Jerseys and pants from Sunday (washed and hung up to dry on Monday) into the team bag and moved that up. Quick breakfast and then I went upstairs to start on the Wolves Sponsors Christmas Cards. Wording??? NO idea, so quick (???) search online and then an e-mail fired off to the GM to check. Couldn't find my hermi roller so used double sided sticky tape for the photo (they are not made to last afterall) - and fortunately the photos were just a tick larger than the front of the card... so it took a bit of precision work, but was all ok (2 cards were 2 attempts but worked still ok). Dashed downstairs again to get some lunch and make some tea. Still no sign of that dishwasher guy... Moved the mobile doorbell from the kitchen to the stairs as I couldn't hear one of our players ringing the bell on Monday. G...

Yes, I know ... I am wayyyy behind with the Christmas Journal ... or better: I haven't even STARTED this year's layouts. :o But I am planning on catching up the next couple of days. :) BUT - I haven't been idle the last weeks ... I have been making Christmas Cards (see below). The ones with Tags (apart from the one with the Sizzix Stocking) were quickly put together - I had lots of Christmas Tags from a swap from 2005 (??) and just added them to either patterned paper or on cardstock embossed with the Cuttlebug embossing templates (the Snowflake one is courtesy of Lisa , the word one with the cute snowman is my own). And I sooo hope that Santa will get me a Cuttlebug .. but somehow think shops are out of stock, so hopefully it's going to be my Birthday Pressie?!?! (hint hint hint LOL)

... was the 2nd day with frost! No snow yet though. Have been fairly busy today, mostly doing housework (again!!!) but also got the picture for the Wolves Christmas Card 2007 (for our sponsors). As none of them is reading my blog I can show it to you. Courtesy of my trial run on Photoshop Elements (and I think I'd really like this software!! :D ) - photo of Dave handing off at the game Wolves v. Tigers on 19.5. @ Meadowbank. I am going to stick the photo onto card blanks and then will write an insert for the inside of the card. I finally managed to get my Stollen into the oven as well... I'd done the dough on Friday already but didn't have much time to bake - and as I am still not 100% sure about my oven (fan assisted) I'd rather be in the kitchen while the stollen is in there. So this time ... NO burnt raisins, no dark brown top ... "just" a nice stollen, soft enough in the middle and just yummie!!! Doug said it's the best stollen so far! :) Wonder if...

Not sure why that is... maybe because it's getting dark at 3 (!!!) pm already? Or because I am dealing with one of the most complex work "queues" on the 2 days at work? I am behind with my blog, am very much behind with the Christmas Journal (yep, guess what *I* will be doing on Saturday at the crop?!?!?!) and am JUST in time with the Christmas cards. :o I feel like a cold is coming along and I think I suffer from SAD a bit ... :( Have been taking a "leave of absence" from my girls at the FF Forum - there have been soooo many "BFP"s (Big Fat Positives) over the last 1/2 year and I just can't help but getting envious and bitter about things. Just thinking that we've been "in the mill" for 5 years and all I got so far was 1 blimming 5-week-pregnancy. Others have their first ever IVF and fall and STAY pregnant!!! Ah ... sorry ... it's sitting deeper than I thought, have been keeping the brave face for a long while with lots of help...

... unfortunately all Housework!!! :) Our ex-lodger & friend is coming to stay with us this weekend - even though his ferry from Orkney left 5 hours later than anticipated. So I've been doing a quick (emergency?) clean of the main bathroom and the spare bedroom. I've also been putting on 2 washes, done the washing up and cleared one of the cupboard for the electrician to get better access to our dishwasher. The guy actually turned up at 11:30am, had about 15 mins pressing buttons etc. and then declared the draining pum p as DEAD. Avoid anything "made in China" - he said that China has bought scrap metal from the UK and US in the last couple of years, done something with it and then returned the goods to us. Unfortunately this includes our Kenwood integrated dishwasher (I NEVER had problems with Kenwood in the past). So he's going to get the headquarters to order a replacement pump. This usually takes up to 10 days ... so there's still hope that I get this...

Lots of love for St. Nicholas !! :) That's a German thing - or maybe even mainland Europe. When I was a child you put a polished boot outside your door and when you got up on the 6th (St. Nicholas Day/Nikolaustag) you'll either have chocolates/oranges/clementines and nuts in your boot if you've been good, or you got a lump of coal or a birch (for whipping) in it if you've been bad. :) Aaaah... memories!! :) Sometimes, when the "Nikolaus" couldn't decide I found a birch in my boot which had small pieces of chocolate added. VERY confusing for a little child. LOL. DH and I have slightly changed this and amalgamated the Christmas Stocking with the Boot. So instead of the stocking on Christmas Day we get a stocking on the 6th December. *DO YOU READ THIS, HUN??? IT'S THE 6TH DECEMBER !! !! ;)* This year most of the items were delivered by the Nikolaus courtesy of my mum. YUMMIE Milka Christmas Chocolate Pack . :) I added 2 apples for DH in his Tigger Stock...

Right ... here it is ... my tea from yesterday was a fruity Christmas tea! :) I think it's one of the few fruit teas I actually like. :D Still have to drink it but can catch up tomorrow and Saturday with it. :) And my Advent Calendar packet for yesterday was from Patzi. Just LOVE that cute reindeer clip!! :) Think I may just pass this on to my friend Josie in Germany. She LOVES reindeers! ;) ***ETA - Josie loves ELKS/MOOSES ... not Reindeers. But Josie - if you look at the pic, it looks more like a moose anyway, doesn't it?? :D

Today I was back at work and all was ok so far (if high volume of work as usual). Mvy friend from work has handed in her notice on Friday and will leave end of this month. AAAARGH! Shame really. But suppose, after more than 10 years at the same company she's probably looking for something else/different. You go girl!!! :) As for me ... well, I went shopping after work, had a look for the Soundtrack from "August Rush" but HMV at St. James' Centre didn't have it and they told me that the HMV West End probably would have it... but it's £15. So decided against it. Got a pressie for DH instead and headphones for my MP3 and the DVD "Long Way Round" (Ewan McGregor & Charley Boorman) for me. :) I'd seen bits from it when it was on TV but haven't seen the full series. And after "Long way down" I got interested in watching the whole series. :) Anyway, got home at 6:30pm, started doing dinner and then dashed upstairs to check Internet a...

Well... just a quick note about Calendars and Shimelle's class (I checked and I actually have layouts done until tomorrow and then 2 (?) more later on. So Thursday I will do my first "original 2007 layout" for this journal/album. :) Today's prompt was "Perfect/Ideal Christmas". I got my first Chrimbo Card at the Cross Stitch Group today (Thanks, Kathleen!!). None by post yet. :) And I haven't written mine yet, and tomorrow (1opm at DrumBrae Leisure Centre) is the last day for Scout Post!!! Have to go to work early and leave early so I can do the cards tomorrow! Probably will rush into the leisure centre for 9:45pm or so. LOL! Gosh, never been that disorganised for Christmas!!! My present from the Scrap Advent Calendar today was from Heidi! THANKS, HUN! Love the vellum envelope and your drawings on it (and of course the contents of the pressie!). :) And now to my daily tea ... it was a special black tea (not flavoured for a change). Darjeeling First Flush...

Well...plans to do the christmas cards kinda went to pot today. :o Did have late-ish breakfast after a nice call from my Daddy, then put on a wash (guess what ... Wolves Jerseys again. ;) ) and then went upstairs to scan the league application form (for the team, annual thing) and complete the cheque. And suddenly it was 1:30pm and I had to dash down to get the car and drive to the cinema where I met up with the inlaws to watch " August Rush ". VERY GOOD MOVIE!!! MUST SEE I'd say. Not a chick flick, and like MIL said - a Christmas Movie for the family (no swearing, no nudity). Loved the movie. And was surprised to see (once back home) that Jonathan Rhys Meyers actually did all the singing!! Thought he just acted it! GOOD music ... have to get my hands onto the soundtrack! :) Had a wee sniffle at the end of the movie ... apparently this is some kind of therapy to work out what happened last week, even though it's totally unrelated. :) While I am not too keen on Jona...

Right .. nearly end of the day but have been spending most of today filling in the Team Application for the Wolves. NO IDEA why this always takes HOURS to complete (probably because the coaches don't provide information. LOL )... Today's tea is BANANA & WALNUT ... and I haven't brewed it yet. Will do that tomorrow ... although I am not too sure on the Banana bit. Without the Walnut I would offer it to DH! ;) And my Scrap Advent Calendar had this nice present here ... Shame I am not allowed to show a photo of the contents yet!!! :D Definitely going to take part in the Advent Calendar in 2008 as well if I can. :) Off to bed now - want to do some cross stitching before I am dosing off. :)

Another cheat - just glad I have more time to get the house more or less sorted. Specially today, as I am currently sitting in bed with a thumping headache. So here it is ... my layout for Day 3 (Christmas cards) from 2006. My cards will be different though ... I hope that I can do a batch this afternoon as well as the newsletters. Also hope to make my Stollen. :) Ach well, we'll see.

And yes, I am cheating again ... I've done this one last year already and because I am a bit short of time I am not going to re-do the layouts I've already done. My original entry for it is here .

I've been doing some tidying and taking my break now. I managed to put up my tea advent calendar (but as you can see from this photo there are still more than 1/2 of the tea samples missing. Should be ok for a while though. :) YESTERDAY'S tea was "Feuerzauber" (Magic of the fire) - Fruit tea with Rooibos and cinnamon. Quite nice - and that says a lot, as I don't like fruit teas that much. :) TODAY'S tea is "Amarettini" - A Rooibos tea with a hint of the Amarettini cookies and Marzipan. Quite like it actually. I also arranged my Scrap Advent Calendar from the SBS girls and took quickly a photo. The packs are stuck to one of those sticky fabric thingies you get for putting up cards. It seems that it's not tacky enough anymore, so several of the small packets are falling off already. Shame really. Maybe I can get more of the stuff later this week? Today's pack is this one - looks very nice, and the contents are very nice and will definitely be ...

I've opened my first gift from the SBS Forum 's Advent Calendar. Beautifully wrapped ... and LOVELY gifts inside. Unfortunately, I cannot provide you the photo with the contents as we have to keep it hushed for the others in my group (and I know at least 1 person who reads my blog from time to time *waves to Andrea* ). But here it is wrapped ... love the idea with the slice of orange .. may do that next year! Also had my choccie, but didn't have the wooden Advent Calendar down until late the evening as well as my tea advent calendar. So will posting today's tomorrow. As I've done the "manifesto" for Shim's Christmas Journal already in 2006 here it is ... Unfortunately, the situation is still the same ... hoping that this will be the last Christmas only the two of us.

Lots of Christmassy stuff around here soon (once DH has taken down the Christmas boxes ... tomorrow?). I've got a nice Advent Calendar from the girls from the SBS forum . As the individual parcels are not numbered I cannot provide info as to what I got just yet as some of the girls read my blog, and that would just take the suspense away from their calendars. :) But I will post a photo of each parcel and will provide details later. :) My tea advent calendar will look a little forlorn until I get the next parcel from my Mutch (she only could pack 2kg because of postage) - at the moment I've got only 6 tea sample packs. But should be ok for the rest - she said she'd be sending the next parcel tomorrow! :) We also got a chocolate advent calendar each this year (courtesy of Mutsch) so we'll give the one we bought to BIL. Shimelle's Christmas Journal Class/Workshop ... YOU CAN STILL SIGN UP!!! :) I've put together all Christmas papers/cardstock and embellies so jus...

Well, didn't expect anything else really. At least it's not limbo. Doing ok, still get a little pull on the right side (probably the cyst) but not bleeding anymore. Sciatica-like pain in the bum is gone as well. As I had my big cry and rant already I am doing ok. Not 100% sure how DH is coping, he only took 1/2 day off. We're back on the waiting list, no more NHS funding - next cycle probably in May and follow up appointment in January. Concentrating on Christmas from tomorrow?! Getting the house ready, cards made and sent etc. Can't believe it's already the 1st tomorrow and 1st Advent on Sunday! And I haven't done much in respect of prepping for Christmas.

Been "confined to bed" since Tuesday, have heavy cramps (more than usual with period) and my head is playing up as well. Not up to anything - and I still have to do my Christmas Cards etc!!! DH bought a long cable for my laptop so I can go online from the bedroom and probably from downstairs as well (to be tested once I feel better). THANKS HUN! At least I don't have to get myself into the study & sitting up for long. Everyone I've been talking to is saying that there is still a hope, that it's only the one beanie gone maybe, and I have the childish hope that it's only the cyst bleeding out. But ... don't think we'll get a positive tomorrow. :( Have had a good cry on Tuesday already, feeling cheated because we WERE pregnant and then lost it at week 5 and now it doesn't even look like it's taken! :( WHY is it always such a crap game of lottery?!?!?! Is IVF working for me? What's going to happen if I can only carry for 5 weeks? Time to th...

What The Holidays Mean to You For you, the holidays are about emotional connections and bonds. You are happiest being around those you love. You celebrate the holidays in a minimalist style. You are likely to only give one great present and decorate your house with a few special items. During the holidays, you like to feel cozy and comfortable. You're happy to stay inside with a roaring fire and a warm drink. You think the holidays should be nostalgic and sweet. The holidays bring out your inner child. Your favorite holiday memories strongly evoke your senses. You are vividly aware of all the tastes, smells, and sounds of the holidays. What Do the Holidays Mean to You?

Not feeling well today ... bleeding got stronger, have cramps and headaches. Took the bus to work, went to the loo to check the knickers and then just went to the boss to say I'm not feeling well. Spoke to the clinic who suggested bed rest but are not positive on the whole thing. OBVIOUSLY! They still have to see us for blood test on Friday. CRAP!!!! :(

All week I have possible symptoms ... heartburn/acid reflux (what's the difference??), hot flushes, tiredness... didn't have any period like pains or anything else yet so was of course wondering (like I've done every 2ww so far!!). Today I had some spotting ... but it seems to be the "good" spotting, light and not long ... it's gone again, and now I am feeling a little "pulling" on my lower right ... which is my ovary and the blinking cyst. But from experience (and others') it may be implantation bleed ... soooo, you wee embies ... snuggle in there!! I am happy to abstain Gluehwein, Smoked Salmon and Shrimp Cocktail for Christmas ... as long as I get a BFP on Friday!!! And please .... no stupid LIMBO thing this time..... :( Really don't want THAT for Chrimbo. :o

We had a great evening with Sharon & Graeme. It's not very often we see each other since they moved down to "The Big Smoke" (how dare they!!! ;) ) but still try our best everytime. After I met up with them for lunch during our weekend for the NFL Game we decided that we would go to Khublai Khan the next time they are up - and that's where we went. I went to work today as this meant I wouldn't have to go into town later on an d I also was able to get the Thursday off to hand off stuff for wee Pam's mom for the Christmas Market at the HQ of my work. Meeting up at Chocolate Soup again (where else!!! ;) ) and we had a nice time chatting there. G had to leave us early to catch up with other friends, so we girls had a nice natter and then walked to St. James' Centre to meet up with Doug - who was delayed and that way gave us a chance to go shopping at The Works (got 3 Xmas pressies!!). :) When arriving at KKs G was delayed and I think we may have test...

A day later than usual, but still feeling tired. :o Not to mention hot flushes (uh uh ... no reading into "symptoms") etc. Got most of my workload done at least and had a nice lunch with Lisa. When I came home I found a box from Germany ... my "Adventskalender" from the Scrapbookseite Forum . :) Wonder how I will put it up - hang it up on the wall? Put it somewhere in a box or something like that? Something to look into. :) Looking forward to opening the individual gifts! :) Will add the photo tomorrow. :)

But effectively day 6 (our embies were frozen at day 2, defrosted on Friday - day 3 and then Saturday/Sunday/today) which means they are supposed to furrow in there nicely right now. :) The whole thing feels surreal. Doesn't feel like IVF and I have to remind myself that I am just not allowed certain things now. :o Just because I didn't have the painful experience of the EC. This is why I decided to go to work anyway - and because I am only working 2 days/week. Feeling a bit tired, have a cold and could do with a day just lying in bed really. Have no mojo for crafting the last 2 days so hope I can do some things tomorrow. Fairly busy week this week as well... work Wednesday & Friday, Thursday is a "Christmas Market" at my work and I am going to meet up with one of the girls from the crop to hand over the cards that were made for her to sell for charity. And Friday Sharon is coming up and we're going to have dinner at Khublai Khan . YUMMM!!! And maybe we have...

Got into clinic just in time (bit of traffic around bypass) and got changed. Different team this time (Dr Selma (?) instead of Dr Raja, Haideh instead of Laura, but think the embryologist was the same as last time) so have good hopes now. :) All women team as well, DH thinks that's an even better sign but couldn't cope with twin girls. ;D ;D They defrosted our first 2 embryos (from cycle May 2006) instead of the ones from the NHS cycle this year - but because both have survived they didn't even bother defrosting 2 more ... so we still got 4 ^snowflake^ in the freezer! :) And even better - our embies decided to go ahead nicely with cell splitting, so now I've got 2 beautiful 8-cell embryos onboard! :) Lots of good things going on this weekend, including DH's birthday yesterday ... and testing on St. Andrew's day! That just HAS TO WORK!!!! :D HUGS - back to put my feet up now. :) And enjoying being PUPO (pregnant until proven otherwise) !!! WAHEY!!!!

Went in for the blood test today at 8:25, had Susan taking the blood and then was told that the head consultant wanted to see me regarding my cyst but he was at the Western and wouldn't be back until 9:30am. HUH! So we went and I treated DH to a nice filled Croissant in the cafeteria. Not that he deserved it but he had to have some food in the tummy, otherwise his bad mood would've just risen! Cyst is still there, still 6cm diameter, but not growing (and the last scan was 1.5 weeks ago). We had a bit of a talk after the scan regarding our options, whether to go ahead or not. But as we're doing a natural cycle this time we think it's safer to go ahead with the tx instead of having yet another laparoscopy and another delay. Just phoned the clinic and I am in for ET on Saturday morning! Geeesh, what a change! And we don't have to get up early tomorrow for another blood test! So if DH gets tomorrow off he can enjoy his birthday!

Got up this morning at 6:30am to leave the house at 7am to be at the clinic around 8am. All went well until I had to switch buses ... the next 33 (my normal bus to the hospital) from West End to the clinic was not due for another 15 mins, so I got onto another bus to have a bigger selection of buses from the bridges. In total we seem to have 3 buses that are actually going THROUGH town to get to the hospital ... and guess what ... they all were running about every 10-15 mins! We have the blinking 22 running every 5 mins MAX to get from one shopping centre to another (Gyle to Ocean Terminal) but don't have EXPRESS BUSES to get to the hospital!!! What a FARCE!!! Think next time I'll try either the 21 or the 32 ... see whether it takes me much more than 1 hour 20 mins that I am doing at the moment with 1 change - both of them would be without changing buses but might be a bit of a "city tour" of the outskirts of Edinburgh. NOT TOO HAPPY WITH LRT!! As for the blood test -...

Well.. didn't work well with it. Cannot find any of the top right hand corder options so decided to go with this template for a while. May try to do my own at some point when I find the time ... probably after Xmas! LOL.

...and guess what - still not the right time for me! :o Back to yet another blood test tomorrow ... this time even earlier than before, between 8 and 8:30am. They will have trouble finding a vein again though. I definitely need to add some arnica cream on my bruises. Work was very busy today but at least I got a different "queue" from our work system this time. Fairly refreshing! :) Also received a pizza box this morning, without the RM ringing the doorbell. But at least they left the box outside. :) Was my order from A Trip Down Memory Lane (for my "Nikolaus" from the SBS Forum and raffle pressies for the crop.) YUMM!! I also got my first "Klartext" stamp sheetfrom Dani Preuss - nice Christmas sayings in German. VERY useful for German Xmas cards. Just couldn't resist. Can't wait for my next day off ... although I suspect I have to pop in to EFREC on Thursday morning as well... yawn! Feeling tired and my eyes are feeling tired as well ......

Just didn't work out ... been doing some housework downstairs, and now I am feeling totally "groggy". Think I'll write some blog entries offline or letters and do some cross stitch instead. And maybe an earlier night considering I have to leave for work earlier tomorrow to pop in to the clinic for a blood test. :o

Went to EFREC this morning (ungodly hour ... between 8 and 9!!). They didn't do a scan, just blood test, so seems they are not worried about the cyst at all. Ach well, maybe I just stick with that attitude? Blood test doesn't say much (i.e. we're not at the "surge" yet), so I have to go back tomorrow - again between 8 and 9. Means I am trying to take an earlier bus tomorrow, so I don't have to work too long tomorrow. :) Absolutely tired today (getting up early yesterday and today.. :( ) but at least I am feeling more or less warm again (was absolutely freezing this morning!!! -1 when we left!!). :D Off to get some crafty stuff done today and do some cleaning in the bedroom (priorities first LOL).

Just so I post some crafts on here again .... :) Here are the first 5 LOs I've done for my friends' wedding. I don't think they are reading my blog (and if so - just prove me wrong ;) ) so I can post them here. Material used: HOTP Wedding Papers & Cardstock 8x8 pads, flower & heart embellishments from "Stampers Grove"