My Life's Ingredients

Quick - Blog Candy at Katharina's Whiff of Joy!! :)

2012-01-18T00:16:00.000Z

Yup, just a quick note - more to come hopefully soon!! :)

But you have still time to win Katharina's blog candy over at "Whiff of Joy"!!!

10 Things on the 10th–Books from my Childhood

2012-01-10T09:15:00.000Z

Books I read as a little girl (and just remembered thanks to Lynz and hope my girls will be reading them and loving them as much as I did):

1) Hanni & Nanni / St. Clare’s – Enid Blyton (series)

2) Dolly / Malory Towers – Enid Blyton (only first 6 books are from Enid Blyton, the German series has 12 more books in the series) (series)

3) Bille & Zottel – Tina Caspari (series)

4) Blitz, der Schwarze Hengst / The Black Stallion – Walter Farley (series)

5) Misty / Misty of Chincoteague – Marguerite Henry

6) Seestern / Sea Star: Orphan of Chincoteague – Marguerite Henry

7) Britta – Lisbeth Panhke (series)

8) Der Trotzkopf – Emmy von Rhoden (series)

9) Anne of Green Gables – Lucy Maud Montgomery (series)

10) Nesthaekchen – Else Ury (series)

Think you can see a trend there – books about horses or boarding schools!! Other books I read (that mostly through school were: “…und keiner hat mich gefragt” & “Treffpunkt Weltzeituhr” – Isolde Heyne (books about a girl in an Orphanage in the then GDR who wouldn’t get adopted or is allowed to further her swimming – as her mother is still alive but lives in West Germany) and “Die Wolke” – Gudrun Pausewang (a very scary book which is set after the Tschernobyl nuclear disaster). Not really books you’d like to read and read again as a child, but I think I’d like to re-read them now at some point…

Here are more 10 Things on Shimelle’s Blog (plus linkies of the others who took part in 2011) – I hope she’ll continue this in 2012!

Have a Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T15:57:00.000Z

This video has been a tradition in Germany for New Year’s Eve since I can remember, but I’ve not been watching it regularly since I moved to the UK (and I’m not able to find the videotape with it my mum sent me years ago). Thank goodness for the Internet, mmmh??

We’re going to have a quiet evening again this year, first have 2 friends over for Raclette (again, a tradition on my side of the family really) and once they’ve gone home or decided to stay over night we’re going to watch a bit TV or whatever we may have recorded or DVD (TV is going to be abysmal from what I can see!!) and then go to bed early-ish. Haven’t had a big New Year in YEAAARRS, think we’re getting old!!
Oh – going through Wikipedia DH found also a Lego version of “Dinner for One”.

Which traditions do you have?
Have a great evening/night and all the best for 2012!!!

Tracking Santa...

2011-12-24T17:11:00.001Z

If there's nothing else you're doing today, or if you're celebrating Christmas Eve and you have a bit of time, go here - we've been tracking Santa for years now and cannot wait for the girls to take part next year (currently totally oblivious to the whole thing!).

Track Santa with NORAD

10 Things on the 10th–December

2011-12-10T08:22:00.001Z

What easier to go for in December than Christmas baking! So after a lot of Christmas Markets in my November 10 things, my 10 things for December are my favourite baked goods during Advent/Christmas time (not necessarily all made by me or at least not yet):
(photos for first 3 items are mine, the rest is courtesy of Google)

“Stollen” (usually just the buttery type with candied fruit and raisins, but also like the Nougat type or Poppy seed one – just NO MARZIPAN one please – can’t stand the taste of it!!) – best with some squishy cream and a cuppa hot chocolate or tea!
“Vanillekipferl” (vanilla crescents – tried my best in this country to get my granny’s recipe going, but somehow they don’t rise properly and go all flat – would have thought I’d have figured out why after 13 years!)

(2008 batch)

(2009 batch)

And the 2010 batch looked again like the one from 2008!!! I wonder if it’s the butter … or flour…
“Husarenkrapfen” or ”Engelsaugen” (that’s one of those jam filled Christmas cookies, and I love them! Probably because they don’t cause trouble like the Vanilla crescents! – And I always go for raspberry jam even though they can be made with apricot or other jam as well)
Gluehweinmuffins (Mulled wine muffins - have done them once, will try them again this year but with Ikea’s “Glogg” – non alcoholic – due to the horrendous prices of Aldi’s/Lidl’s Gluehwein this year!!
Butterplaetzchen (easy peasy sugar cookies – but so nice decorated… can’t wait for the girls to be old enough to help out there!)
Christmas Brownies (bought one from my lovely “Stoertebaecker” girls, loved it and found a recipe to try this year!)

“Nussecken” ( didn’t have them in ages because DH doesn’t eat nuts with chocolate – and the roasted kind only since this autumn! – but might consider making a batch for myself and potential guests)
“Spritzgebaeck” (one of those piping bag cookie types – haven’t made them yet but is one of the easiest ones to make if you are any good with piping – or so I’ve been told. LOL!)
“Spekulatius” (spiced cookies – usually nice ornamental shapes and with almond slivers – only shop bought really at Lidl or Aldi).
Chocolate Gingerbread (never liked the non-choc version and it’s only the shop bought ones so far (again, Lidl or Aldi), but who knows – might start baking them too one year! )

Well, that’s my 10 things on the 10th for this month/year – definitely will continue doing it if Shimelle’s going forward – or maybe even by myself/with other bloggers. Who knows!

If you have any favourite Christmas cookies/baked goods, please comment with a link to a pic/recipe – I always LOVE looking at new recipes and maybe even bake them!!

For more 10 things on the 10th click here.

Christmas/Advent???Where??

2011-12-03T22:55:00.001Z

Yup – similar to last year me thinks – not really very Christmassy around here yet, no deco apart from the Advent wreath with the candles, the Advent Calendar Candle and the door wreath. Everything else is still in the loft.

Not sure why, apart from having 18 weeks old twins (and last year was pregnant with said twins).

Baked a stollen, so that’s a step forward, but somehow I don’t feel very Christmassy, and DH’s scroogey behaviour doesn’t help much (neither does his being made redundant middle of November).

And with all that, OF COURSE I’m behind with Shimelle’s JYC. Had hoped to do an album (even prepared some pages at the November Crop), then got realistic and said I’d at least do the daily blogging, but even that didn’t happen. Haven’t done ONE SINGLE ENTRY – be it on here or on paper!!! Nothing! Nix! Nada! Tomorrow is Day 4 of JYC…

Hope this will change soon – can’t believe tomorrow is already the 2nd Advent!

Friday Fill-Ins

2011-12-02T21:44:00.001Z

1. One of my favorite things about December is Christmas.
2. I love German Glass ornament(s)!
3. This is what I'm hoping for today/tonight: well behaved twins who sleep longer than 6am.
4. Why does the weather make such a noise?
5. Ooh, a stollen is what I baked this evening! .
6. My ears are ringing – from the cold?!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to an earlier night than yesterday, tomorrow my plans include decluttering and Sunday, I want to catch up with the JYC!

Happy Turkey Day!

2011-11-24T20:53:00.001Z

That’s for my American Friends…

We’ve opened our house to friends again who like American Football – this time the 2nd game is quite interesting, Miami Dolphins vs Dallas Cowboys (DH’s team vs one of our best friends’ team), so it will be fun.

We’ve cooked pies (2 Sweet potato pies – done by me - & DH’s Key Lime Pie) and DH is still going to make some Philly Cheese Steak Ciabattas and are expecting a total of 5 friends (one had to cancel). Think with the twins we will have more and more “events” at our place, and I quite like it that way.

And here are some photos of my Sweet Potato Pies (first attempt ever to make them – the pie shells are shop bought though).

WHOAAAAH! I really have to check out my mobile phone camera! That’s just ridiculous! They are a nice orangey colour!!! And that’s the before btw.

And here’s the AFTER picture – you still can make out the NFL on the left pie, the marshmallows didn’t melt, just brown … can’t wait to have a slice!! YUMM!!!

Hope you all have a fab day, enjoy the meal and the football!!

10 on the 10th–November

2011-11-10T23:11:00.003Z

Geesh – is it really the 10th already???? Let’s see what I manage this time…

Decided on the Markets/fun fairs etc in Germany I’ve visited often while still living there – either just for fun or working (all linked to Kriftel as member of the Kriftel Red Cross Group). All photos bar the Hofheimer Wochenmarkt one are stock photos from the Internet.

Christmas Market Frankfurt
Christmas Market Hofheim (stalls manned by members of sports clubs, Red Cross etc selling stuff for their organisations)
Krifteler Red Cross Christmas Market (Small Christmas Market at the Sports hall Kriftel with the Red Cross selling food, handmade things and holding a Raffle, plus having Santa coming around – worked in stalls myself for several years)
Christmas Market Rothenburg (beautiful Christmas market set within the city walls of Rothenburg)
Hofheimer Wochenmarkt (Farmers Market)
Hoechster Wochenmarkt (Farmers Market)
Hochheimer Markt - a very old farmers market where you still get farmers showing their livestock and machinery plus vendors who sell everything from soup paste (used to be, now it’s granulated soup stuff) to food/drink and cooking devices). Also has a fairly big fairground! LOVED it there but not been in ages as we never went to Germany in November.
Dippemess Frankfurt (similar to “Hochheimer Markt” minus the livestock and machinery – “Dippe” is Hessian for stoneware pots).
Lindenbluetenfest Kriftel (a town market/fair in Kriftel)

And to be honest, I don’t have another one!! Ah well… had to happen one day!
If you want to see more of the 10 Things on the 10th, pop over to Shimelle, she’s listed them here.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T22:19:00.004Z

I just love it, and this year we had even more kids around than usual. Glad to see so many younger kids with their parents, and Doug can’t wait for the girls to be old enough to go “guising” = kids have to do something to earn their sweets – a joke/dance or similar – Doug prefers this to standard “Trick or treat”, and the amount of kids asking right out for money was next to nothing this year I think.

Have been sewing the twins’ costumes, didn’t give myself enough time to do it properly, and it’s been a while since I touched my sewing machine, so the outfits are a bit of a dog’s dinner. Suppose, they look ok as long as you don’t turn over the girls (I can’t measure correctly either, apparently – didn’t allow enough fabric for the “skirts”).

So … here they are in their secret identities!! Kara on the right, Megan on the left.

And yes … their parents are total geeks.

And now the usual Halloween addendum:

“Hallo Ian”–still funny as!! :D

Looking forward to lots of years of the twins dressing up and starting guising!

Hope you all had a nice Halloween.

10 Things on the 10th

2011-10-10T13:47:00.001+01:00

Ok, seems I’m doing this every other month maybe.

I was thinking a lot about things I did in my kiddyhood and teens that my girls won’t be able to do (for whatever reason).

See a movie at a drive-in cinema (the one I’d been to was closed and is now derelict since about middle of the 90’s I think)
Camping with friends on a patch of land in the cul-de-sac (now it’s all in back gardens only)
Go for a midnight walk in the woods during aforementioned camping (parents wouldn’t allow camping outwith house boundaries nowadays – lots of scare about abduction etc)
Go for midnight swimming during aforementioned midnight walk (doubt there are any pools available and it’s too much scare for kids to do this now)
Get fresh water for your tea in a well in the hills (not sure if the one in my area in Germany still exists, but don’t know of any around here really)
Regular street parties with neighbours (does anyone do that around here? We had that regularly, and it was absolute fun!!)
Camping holidays with driving from home to Croatia ( a) hubby doesn’t like camping and b) driving from Scotland would be a bit extreme!!)
Taking the bike across the city to get to the swimming pool – by yourself (sorry, girls, the traffic is worse nowadays, with lots of idiots around!!).
Travelling across the German/German border – that was a scary thing to do, lots of sniffer dogs around, we always felt weird going to and coming from our relatives in the old GDR (DDR). They did have a funny way of collecting your passports mind – reminded me of miniature ski lifts!!! Shame we never took photos of that (but that was probably forbidden anyway!!)!!
Going into the woods with my mum, “mushroom hunting” and collecting chestnuts!! A fab adventure, we did that every autumn! Now that my mum’s not been on the mushroom hunt for years, and we don’t have really the woods for it anywhere near (oh, how I miss the taste of fresh porcini mushrooms we found!).

Well… that’s me. If you want to see more of the “10 things on the 10th” lists, have a look at Shimelle’s blog here.

“Tausend Jahre sind ein Tag” Translation

2011-09-20T16:14:00.002+01:00

Specially for my friend Jan who asked for the translation.

Thousand Years are One Day - Udo Juergens
“Do you know how many stars there are?
And where the rivers flow to?
Say, why does rain fall?
Where’s the end of this world?
What was here a thousand years ago?
Why do wheels work?
Are clouds faster than the wind?
A child has so many questions…
Child, forget the questions,
You’re still to small for that,
You’re not yet ready for that,
That can still wait..
Refrain:
What is time? – What is time? – What is time?
A moment
An hour
Thousand years are one day!

(that’s the part they used for the German version of “Once upon time – man”. I didn’t even know the rest of the lyrics until I googled them for my blog post!! And that’s why I stop the translation here – sorry, Jan! Just not used to the rest of the song so not that easy for me to translate. And if anyone knows a better translation or wants to translate the rest of the song – feel free to let me know…)

Autumn–back to football…

2011-09-13T18:07:00.002+01:00

although this year it’s only the NFL kind. I’ll miss being with “my lads” from the Stirling Clansmen, they had their Returners Training Camp last weekend, usually the first opportunity for me to take photos. On nice days we may take the girls in the “tumbler” up to Stirling next Spring if it’s not too windy.

So – it’s back to NFL via Fox Sports Fantasy Football courtesy of Johnny’s league – and the “DC Girls” (that’ll be my team this year!) has already got one W(in) in the column. :) This means reading some blogs about player news etc, my 2 main “go to” guys on the Net are Michael Fabiano of NFL Fantasy Blogs and Gregg Easterbrook’s TMQ on ESPN. Reading in between feeds when I have time.

Have to point out that my draft picks were mostly due to help from our friend Scott who was here during "draft evening" and gave hints and tips to both Doug (he's in my division with his own team, the "Wonder Twins". So - if anything is going wrong, Scott's getting the stick!! ;)

Else it’s only anything on Channel 4 (Sunday night games only) as DH decided not to get SKY SPORTS or ESPN this year – money towards the Twins. And listening to the Radio 5 Live commentary which is quite funny and keeps us awake during night feeds. LOL.

Anyway – yesterday was the first Miami Dolphins game of the regular season, and the girls got all geared up for it. Despite them not being able to watch it (wasn’t on terrestrial TV and it was the “Granny & Papa” night #1 of this week (we have the in-laws over twice a week until their holiday in October) so we – well, DH – can catch up a full night’s sleep for work).

Kara (on the right) has already gained first right on the “I watch the Miami Dolphins with my Daddy” bib, as she’s been “watching” a pre-season game with her daddy (well… one night when she wouldn’t settle that is). Megan got one up on her when it comes to Grand Prix though.

Where were you when … 9/11

2011-09-11T23:04:00.001+01:00

(photo-heavy, and emotional contents)

With all the programs on the TV I was thinking back about that fateful day of 11 September 2001. I’m sure it’s one of those days you will always remember where you’ve been when you heard the news.

(photo taken from Orlando News Centre)

The day was only 4 days after our wedding, and we were looking forward to our honeymoon starting on the 20th – in the USA.

I was at work when I heard the news, some of my colleagues had internet access and had checked the news and then passed the info on – a plane (American Airlines Flight 11) flew into 1 WTC (World Trade Centre North Tower) at 8:46am local time (12:46pm UK time). We were all shocked about this “accident” and worried for the people in the tower.

When I saw the news of the second plane at 1:03pm UK time (9:03am local time) into the South Tower (2 WTC, United Airlines Flight 175) I thought it was a repeat, couldn’t be happening. At that point I started worrying about my friend Susan who was working in the banking district of Manhattan, but with no internet access at work and no internet on my phone back then I couldn’t contact her – so even more worried!! And the common thought was “This can’t be another accident!”, which was getting more and more a factual thought when we heard about American Airlines Flight 77 (plane into Pentagon building) and United Airlines Flight 93 (plane which was brought down by the passengers destined for Washington DC).

(photo taken from September 11 news)

(photo taken from Freedomfiles.com)

I’m not sure, but I *believe* we were able to go home at 3pm that day because of what happened. I believe that as I was home quite a bit earlier than Doug, and the news repeating pictures of the planes crashing into WTC and the Pentagon over and over again on all channels. I was crying and in shock and had sent an e-mail already to my friend Susan (who fortunately was several blocks away from WTC, so was not affected).

(photo taken from crystalinks.com)

It is human nature to still read/watch all the news of disasters despite being shocked and not really wanting to see them. Not sure why, but it is like that. And seeing the people jumping from the towers, the towers collapsing (I’d never been to NYC before, but DH had as a child and later as a student on holiday without his family) and the rescue operations over the next week before our honeymoon.

Flights were cancelled during that time, and we looked into cancelling our honeymoon (we’d be flying into Boston) but in the end were able to go (think we were on one of the earliest international flights back into the US (not sure if it was out of UK as well, with attacks being expected here after it transpired that this was a terrorist attack.

(photo taken from behindblondiepark.com)

FAST FORWARD TO 2010

Doug and I travelled to NYC as part of our holiday in March 2010. First time I visited the city, and it felt just natural for me that I wanted to go to Ground Zero. Not for sensation seeking sake, but out of curiosity and just to get my mind settled. Can’t really put it into words.

It was still a building site and we didn’t go very close to it, but I took some photos of the high-rises mirrored in the glass of the Millenium Hilton which is opposite Ground Zero.

We were staying close to Hell’s Kitchen and one evening we walked past the Engine 54 Ladder 4 Battalion 9 fire station (“Pride of Midtown”) – the station who had the biggest loss of firemen on 9/11 (15 fire fighters lost). At that point a fire truck was coming out of the fire house and I managed to take a couple of shots.

Seeing on TV and on the internet what the WTC Memorial looks like is amazing!

(photo taken from usatravel.about.com)

September 11, 2011

Lots of programs on TV this week, and I’m not too fond of the conspiracy programs (9/11 Road Trip – geesh!!). However, I loved the remembrance services held in the US all over, e.g. at the New York Jets v Dallas Cowboys game.

(picture taken from dailymail.co.uk)

(photo taken from urbanpeek.com)

Reflecting on what happened 10 years ago is quite emotional, and I’m still in tears watching TV about it. Doug thinks that the 11th anniversary could be even bigger than the 10th, just because of the date.

Help! Time flies!!

2011-08-31T17:16:00.001+01:00

Imagine that – my girls are already 5 weeks old!! And we haven’t killed them yet . Doing both well, although they have been kicking up some fuss last night and shortly before the first feeds on my own (i.e. once DH and his parents have left the house) yesterday and today. Wondering if there’s some growth spurt involved…

Today the Health Visitor (Gillian) has been to do a quick check up, and to weigh the girls, and here are the stats:

Kara – 3.11kg (6lb 13 oz) – up from 2.89kg (6lb 6oz)
Megan – 3.68kg (8lb 1oz) – up from 3.45kg (7lb 9oz)

Sounds good to me, and after being told last Friday by the staff nurse Louise (who’s helping/checking for the BFing) to go 4hrly feeds during night time we now get the ok to go 4hrly feeds during the day for Kara and Megan can go to feeding on demand. Still have to figure out how we’ll handle that as it could mean more interrupted time if they’re not on the same level, but you never know.

I also have a “best buddy” who’s helping with BFing, but she seems to be pro 100% BFing, and I doubt we’ll be able to do that. She thinks at their age I should go “on demand feed” all the way, but given that Kara still has troubles with latching on, we still have to top up with bottle feed (although it seems to get less once they were doing well on BF) and that is causing trouble with timings again if going “on demand”. It’s easy to say to do this system if you have only 1, but with twins it’s a totally different picture.

Talking of which – below is a pic of Megan taken today after she had been fussing about a lot. And two pictures of Kara in the Karime which I kindly received from Donna, one of the twin mum’s in my Corstorphine Twins Group (West Edinburgh Group). It’s a great tool once you get the hang of it, shame you cannot carry both twins in there!!

Oh – and ignore my grumpy face – don’t get the hang of smiling when trying to do the long-armed photo somehow…that’s the reason why I wasn’t looking directly to the camera (got a pic with that, and DOUBLE CHIN springs to mind! Yuck!).

I’m planning on looking into digi scrapping again as I doubt I’ll be able to do much with the girls being so young – if anyone has any hints how to do that / good sites for tutorials & freebies, please DO comment below!!

Much appreciated!!

History lessons start early...

2011-08-30T22:33:00.000+01:00

Just started watching "Once upon time...Man" again - with the girls. And in German ... makes sure that I speak to them in German, too.

LOVE this series and the other one (Once upon a time ... Life) and actually asked for the DVDs as Christmas presents before we even got pregnant. ;-) The "Once upon a time ... life" actually helped me a little with my Sports Therapies studies in a fun way. :-)

The German title song of "Man" by Udo Juergens is soooo great and just shouts to be used in the future on a layout about the girls!!! German lyrics are below.

Weißt du wieviel Sterne stehen
Und wohin die Flüsse gehen?
Sag', warum der Regen fällt,
Wo ist das Ende dieser Welt?

Was war hier vor tausend Jahren?
Warum können Räder fahren?
Sind Wolken schneller als der Wind?
So viele Fragen hat ein Kind...

Ach Kind, komm' laß die Fragerei'n,
Für sowas bist du noch zu klein,
Du bist noch lange nicht soweit.
Das hat noch Zeit...

Refrain
Was ist Zeit? - Was ist Zeit? - Was ist Zeit?
Ein Augenblick
Ein Stundenschlag
Tausend Jahre sind ein Tag!

Wie wird der Mensch zum Nimmersatt,
Wer alles hat, kriegt noch Rabatt,
Und woher kam die Gier nach Geld?
Wie kommt der Hunger auf die Welt?

Warum kommt jemand in Verdacht,
Nur weil er sich Gedanken macht?
Ist man noch frei, wenn man nichts wagt,
Ja, was ein junger Mensch so fragt...

He, junges Volk, was soll denn das?
Und leistet ihr doch erst mal was!
Ihr werdet auch noch mal gescheit.
Das bringt die Zeit...

Refrain
Na, na, na - Na, na, na - (usw.)

Ist diese Welt denn noch erlaubt?
Die Erde ist bald ausgeraubt,
Das Wasser tot, das Land entlaubt,
Der Himmel luftdicht zugeschraubt...

Die schöne Lüge vom Goodwill,
Das hübsche Spiel vom Overkill,
Und wann macht ihr die Waffen scharf?
Wenn ich das auch mal fragen darf...

Das wird verdammt noch mal so sein,
Und wer soll uns das je verzeih'n?
Ich bitt' euch, fragt, solang' ihr seid,
Ihr seid die Zeit...

Refrain
Na, na, na - Na, na, na - (usw.)

… and we’re now TINY BABIES

2011-08-17T12:37:00.001+01:00

In Mothercare clothing that is. Today’s visit from the Health Visitor showed that Megan is now 2.99kgs (6.9lbs), and Kara (the wee older sister who’s weight has us worried because she’s soo tiny in comparison to big little sister Megan) is now 2.57kgs (5.11lbs). Which is incidentally Megan’s birth weight.

So, whenever I find the time, I’ll have to sort out our “Early Baby” size clothes (i.e. anything up to 5lbs). Didn’t last long, but I’m glad both are putting on the weight. We’re still on 3hrly feeds, but I think we’re getting used to that routine, and somehow I think mothers tend to cope with less sleep once the routine comes into force. I’ll take a nap after the next feed, mind.

We still have to work on the breast feeding, but we’ll get there. Don’t think I’ll BFing 100%, but planning on bottle feed EBM during the night feeds (currently SMA during nights). The health visitor will be coming around at a feed next time and then, hopefully, we’ll get things started.

Sorry that the blog now turns into a baby info blog … I hope that from October onwards I’ll be able to show some crafty things again.

The girls are 3 weeks old!!

2011-08-17T10:11:00.000+01:00

Unbelievable! Time really flies.

And yet they're not officially "born" yet - funny thing with the adjusted birthdate, specially when it comes to the 6 weeks check up - I need to go after 6 weeks from c-section, while the girls have to go 6 weeks after official EDD (which was 24/8/11).

Health visitor is coming today, hope to get some info - DH and I have accumulated lots of questions again. ;) List people!!

Regarding yesterday's photos ... I thought "Peter Pan's Lost Boys" the minute I saw them. Don't you think???? ;)

Day 1 of new regime..

2011-08-16T17:40:00.001+01:00

Well.. ok, it doesn’t really count as a full day, as

a) the inlaws stayed overnight and did the 1:30am and 4:30am feeds while I just had to express milk

b) the inlaws were here until lunchtime and passed the girls to me for the feed and did the nappy changing and took the girls out for a walk so I could get quickly showered and settled in the living room. And DH was giving Kara the bottle while I was feeding Megan.

Reason for that is that DH is back at work from today, 4 days per week for the next 6 weeks (I believe), before he’s back the full week. Quite daunting thought, with him only around for 1.5 weeks with me and we didn’t really establish a routine for me alone. I kinda envy my friends whose partners/hubbies stayed for longer, but on the other hand – I have to cope with things at some point.

Recovery from c-section for myself is going well, but I think it’s just like after the laparoscopies – I might do too much too early, so this week I’ll just do the feeding (not tandem, as I cannot handle them both at the same time with one or the other kicking up a fuss at every feed!!) which worked out around 1.5 hours for both including meds (wish they didn’t need to be on them, it’s a shame really – they’re currently on Nystan for thrush (I blame Kara’s antibiotcs she got in hospital for the pustules!) and Megan is also on Infacol as she’s quite colicky). AND it incidentally included a big poo from Kara and an EXPLODING TUMMY from Megan! Bet their daddy will be laughing when he reads that – so far I was lucky with no nasty nappies when I did the changing (which, to DH’s due, he’s been doing about 99% since I got home). Oh … and of course Megan decided to wee at the same time I was cleaning her bottom from that nasty poo. Another typical thing for her really! LOL.

I had lunch (yay for prepared leftover lettuce!) and some snacks, but think I really need to stock up on those noodle packs and cut some fruits in the evening for the next day. Things that ARE not getting done right now (or barely): expressing milk (supposed to do that after each feed, but just don’t have the time during the day really!) and sleep. But right now I’m still running on high with the hormones and of course getting some more sleep last night thanks to the inlaws.

HOWEVER – still getting up for expressing (which usually takes in total about 20-30 mins) has a similar effect to my sleep as getting up every 3 hours for 1.5 hours feeding & expressing. Will have to look into that with DH, maybe not expressing during 2 feeds during the night and just bottle feed?

Things I’ve realised today:

As a new mum your YOUTUBE account will suddenly include lots of lullabies – I’ve already saved some German ones, including “La Le Lu” by Heinz Ruehmann, “Aber Heidschi Bumbeidschi” by Heintje and a version of “Guten Abend, gut’ Nacht”.

Today’s photo of the twins – Ready for the walk with granma & papa, in new outfits (would you believe it’s AUGUST???!!). Kara on the left, Megan on the right.

Explore Class–not running to plan!

2011-07-26T21:27:00.000+01:00

As usual when I’m signing up for a class from Shimelle, I get to print off the prompts (really, really LOVE them!), have a read at other “classmates’ “ work on their blogs and on the forum, and … then that’s about that. I think the only time I’ve been actually DOING layouts myself was/is for the JYC (Journal Your Christmas) classes. So it's about the same for her new class "Explore".

This time I’d actually hoped to get some stuff done – I signed up before we were told the c-section is to be at 36 weeks instead of 38 weeks, so I’d hoped to get at least 2 weeks out of it.

Well… I got the prompts 1-7, got a notebook somewhere stashed away in my hospital bag and might be able to do something while I’m recovering from my c-section tomorrow, if the twins give me some time-out. I also have other prompts from other classes that I can read through while I’m there, just in case I cannot find the time to start reading a book.

So … I might just do the “play book” entries via blog, or nothing. I’m not getting stressed about that.

As for the other thing I stupidly decided to start this week – Ali Edwards’ “A week in life”. Have been taking photos so far, and I assume there will be lots more to come this week, so it’s not too stupid to do that.

Just not sure about the blogging etc. It’s just funny that she’s timed it for the week when my twins are being born.

In 3 days…

2011-07-24T12:44:00.001+01:00

we’re possibly parents.

Could just let that stand like it, mmmh? I suspect that they’re wanting us to arrive in the morning at the hospital so that we can get the pre-OP stuff done and then hoping for no emergency sections to come in, but confirmation of the timings will be tomorrow morning, when we have our last scan (double check the site of the previously low-lying placenta) and pre-OP bloods.

It’s just scary how quickly time flew by, given that we probably would have expected natural delivery in about 2 weeks anyway. Still feeling like someone is going to tell me on Wednesday morning that it all was a “Dallas” moment, and that it was all a dream – despite the big bump and the joint pains I got over the last months.

As for the house, we’ll get there. So that’s good. Hospital bags for me and the twinnies are packed and ready to go into the car (we’ll keep them in there from tomorrow, “just in case” I have to rush in early, but I don’t think so. The girls behave so far, even though twin 2 is squirming a lot (that’s the bigger one, and she got more space – from the last scan @ 33 weeks she’s been lying a bit transverse and like part of the Yin & Yang sign – she’s lying up high on my stomach, and I feel a lot of elbows/head/bum moving about from her. The smaller one has settled in starter position already, although I sometimes feel her head (? that’s what it was at the last scan at least) pressing down in the pelvic on the right hand side, which doesn’t help with the joint pains.

Another bad thing at the moment is lots of swelling of my feet!! My Friday was a lot of being up and about, first I was at my Twin Group (last visit without twinnies!! ;) ), met up with the inlaws for shopping exchange, then had lunch with my friend Nikki at McCowan’s before watching “Bridesmaids” at the cinema.

After that it was a quick trip to Lidl to get some of the small juice cartons for me for the hospital stay, home to put the ice cream into the freezer and back out to watch “Cars 2” with part of the “Geek Squad” and DH and a pint of soda & lime afterwards to meet Susan (part of the squad) whom I hadn’t seen in ages because of her work.

So … with that busy day my feet looked like this in the evening….

Elephant feet!! Had a foot bath and feet up most day yesterday and the swelling seems to have gone down quite a bit at least. Phew!

Really don’t need that again and I hope water retention is one of the pregnancy side effects that is going away quickly!!!

Week 35 & T=minus 6 days

2011-07-20T15:23:00.001+01:00

That came earlier than expected!! Ok, ok, it’s on average 2 weeks early anyway (we’d probably expected the twins around week 38 if we’d planned a natural birth), but still… I really wonder where the months May & June have disappeared to??

Apart from the odd heartburn I’m doing ok. Well… no, not really. Joint pains (pelvic girdle, symphysis pubis, finger joints!) are getting worse, and now that the days/nights are getting warmer and more muggy, it’s really annoying that I have the oscillating tower fan on and yet my pelvic girdle joint is shouting out for a wheat pack!

The bump is getting bigger, and there seems to be not much space for the twins to move around. I can feel twin 2 move much more (it’s the bigger one – she is lying transverse-ish again as per last scan), while twin 1 is already lying in the starting position with head down. I have to take a couple more photos of the bump before next Wednesday really … and hopefully I’ll get a funny video of a morphing bump as well… might need DH to step in for that one mind.

Despite all of the above it still doesn’t feel quite real – I can’t believe that the IVF run has worked this time, and then with a double result as well!! I’m feeling like I’m going to wake up on Wednesday and someone will tell me that the last 7 months were all a dream. How come I still can’t get it in my head that next week around this time I’m most likely to be a mum-of-2 ? Apart from being petrified of that prospect, of course. Because you’re never prepared for babies until they arrived, or so I was told.

We are probably not too bad with preparation. Got everything the twins will need in the first 6 months, specially with my mum’s parcel #1 being delivered to our neighbours yesterday, which was the only thing I was really still looking for – a twins feeding pillow from TwinsUK.

The master bedroom still needs last touches done (chest of drawers for the twins clothes to be put together) and the mattresses for the moses baskets needs their disinfection treatment, but that’s it.

And then we’ll have some time until they’ll be moving into the nursery, which will be ready by the time they’re ready to move – I just have to sort through a lot of craft stuff, but in the worst case I’ll just put it into boxes for the time being!

Lots of friends are still wondering if they are going to see me/us before D-day, but right now I feel like I’d rather stay at home and get things done, so sorry – you’re most likely to see us at some point with the girls.

Right … that’s my thoughts for the moment … will go over to the study/craft room for more decluttering after “Without a trace”.

Only few photos of pregnancy

2011-07-12T20:42:00.001+01:00

Yup… am a bad scrapbooker … I had planned to take weekly or at least monthly bump photos … that never really happened. Could blame DH for that as it’s really not easy to take pics by yourself with a growing bump, could blame the untidy bedroom (which only now is taking shape for the twinnies arrival) which is the only room with floor length mirrors. I could blame my friend Pauline who wanted to take bump pics but somehow life always got in the way for both of us.

So – despite this pregnancy being about 90% the only one I’ll be going through, I just have to live with it. That’s it. Full stop.

So far there’s a total of 4 bump photos, of which 2 are not the most flattering ones (I realised that bump photos are best done with a naked bump – clothing just makes me look fat… ). But hey … here they are:

That’s the first pic – me in April (at 22 weeks)
with my step mum after our nice day out close to
Mainz at a very good restaurant in a converted
Mill.

As you can see, that was still the time where
bump was smaller than chest. What
annoys me a bit is that if you’d see me from the
front or the back you even wouldn’t notice that I
am pregnant, as I really lost weight around the
waist from before being pregnant!!

The second photo was taken after our pre – Father’s Day meal for FIL at The Chanter (very good food btw!).

Can you say UCKKKH??? Not the most flattering photo of me, not the most flattering top and all in all it just looks … well, I don’t like it.

But I suppose, it’s part of the pregnancy, so I’ll just include it here (and I will include it on a scrapbook layout, too.

And today I finally managed to take a couple of photos in the mirror, with naked bump, and I really prefer them to the two above, although they show stretch marks and the bedroom is still in the process of last tidying.

I hope I’ll get more photos done in the next 2 weeks before the twinnies are arriving on the 27th – just because.

And yes – I am still feeling a bit bad that I’ve not taken enough photos of the bump throughout the pregnancy. Something I probably won’t be able to undo again unless we decide to go for another IVF attempt later on, but both DH and I decided so far that we only will do that if medical research can promise us a boy the next time – which they won’t be able to.

But you never know – there are lots of twin mums in my twin group who have another child after twins, and even one of the twin mums from EFREC is currently getting ready for another treatment run. I would say – ask me in a couple of years again! :D

10 on the 10th

2011-07-10T13:49:00.001+01:00

I missed this in the inaugural month on Shimelle’s blog, and now I cannot really think about 10 things at all… Mmmmh… let’s see if I can get some pregnancy things up for this month, given that next month for this I’ll be a mum already (what a scary thought is THAT???).

Daily headaches in 1st Trimester
NO morning sickness whatsoever
Heartburn (mostly from middle of 2nd Trimester)
Sore sacroiliac joint on the right side (from 2nd trimester)
Unable to sleep through nights because of loo-runs (throughout the whole pregnancy, not just Trimester 1 & 3 as singleton mums seem to)
No WEIRD cravings … just cravings for German food
Pelvic Girdle Pain & intermittent SPD
Increased body temperature
Slightly swollen ankles & finger joints
Carpal Tunnel syndrome in right hand during 2nd Trimester

Yup… think that’s about it.

Happy Father-to-be’s Day to DH!

2011-06-19T21:35:00.000+01:00

Today is Father’s Day, and because Doug is effectively already a dad – we just have to wait a little longer – I decided to get him a little present and card from me and the twins.

I started the card yesterday at the crop but didn’t have the right stamps for the tag (and it needed adjusting due to the “bespoke” text anyway) – and the fact that I only managed to finish one Thank you card yesterday has nothing to do with that. LOL.

As for the present – we saw this book at the Twin Group meeting in June, and Doug’s borrowed it. I had a quick look and ordered for him online, and told him off for reading the book – he thought it was due to being a bit superstitious.

But here you go … the present and card for the father-to-be…

(absolutely funny book about babies … just like any electrical manual etc.).

Stamps are all from Dimension Fourth Ltd (F1 car and Flags - Doug LOVES F1 &), I also used one of the Spellbinder tags. Everything is embossed in “Blueberry Regular” from WOW Embossing powders – I found them at the Craft Fair at Ratho in May, and just loved their colours (might have to buy more!!). The papers are from the mixed pack in a carrier bag which Costco had last year or the year before for sale.

The Father-to-Be loved both – even though he first thought I just wrapped the borrowed book!!

Comments quota?

2011-06-14T19:59:00.001+01:00

I’ve seen the numbers going up on people checking out my blog, but hardly anyone comments on anything. Might be that they just don’t have anything to say to a particular topic, but still.

I personally am guilty myself, as I’m reading blog entries via the Google Reader, and I’m bad with leaving comments.

Another reason for less comments is probably Facebook with the comments on the walls.

Ah well!

However, I’ll now make sure that I’ll be commenting on topics I have something to say (even if it’s just a short comment). Let’s hope I’ll stick to it.

“Pregnancy bubble” effect–very sad news

2011-06-13T21:03:00.000+01:00

Not sure if that’s just a thing my body is doing, but whenever I have had bad news it feels like I am in a bubble, like my brain won’t let that come too close to me. Protection mechanism for the twins so I’m not getting too upset/change blood pressure etc.? Who knows.

I had that back in April when my mum told me they had to revert her healed and closed tracheotomy due to her airways growing shut and she only had 30% air coming through. I just seemed to go into “robot mode” with it, just dealt with it and my head didn’t let it affect me.

On Sunday evening I was told that one of our “graduated” Junior Wolves players, whom I expected to put on a senior Wolves jersey soon, has died. He was one of our junior players for 2 years, team captain, and as photographer, first aider and club secretary for the squad I had a fairly good contact to him. Can remember when he had his injuries (one of them being a fingernail being torn out of the nail bed…huh!).

Now I’m feeling guilty, because that “pregnancy bubble” won’t let me get emotionally involved. It’s as if I’m on tranquilizers or so. Really a weird feeling that is very wrong.

It was a very sad accident, and he was definitely too young to go so soon. You never think that this could happen, but unfortunately it does. My thoughts are with his family & friends.

Rest in peace, Calum!

TV Shows from your childhood

2011-06-12T10:35:00.002+01:00

Do you have any shows you’ve hardly missed as a child? And I don’t mean children TV now, I mean entertainment shows.

One program I ALWAYS watched when we were at home was the

ZDF – FERNSEHGARTEN (celebrating 25 years this year!!)

(big entertainment show with games, guests, music, cooking, DIY help etc.)

They later added the

ZDF – WINTERGARTEN which was really nicely built like a Christmas market and provided the same as the original, just with topic of Christmas).

Definitely shows I LOVED as a child, and I am glad that they are doing live streams online now, so since our last family visit in Germany I’ve been watching it.

Other shows were

“Wetten Dass” (“Wanna Bet” in USA, “You bet” in UK) – a show with bets where the contestants have to decide whether the bet will be successful or not. Unfortunately, there was an accident in 2010 where one of the people doing the bet was paralyzed. The presenter of the show decided over that to leave the show – and I am not sure if it will go on without him.

And the game shows

“EWG – Einer Wird Gewinnen”
”Auf Los geht’s Los”
”Dalli Dalli”
”Die Pyramide”

Science shows

"Knoff Hoff Show"
I feel a layout idea coming for that for my “Book of me” album!! Any scrapbookers wanna join in?

29 + 3 Days–time flies!!

2011-06-11T11:30:00.001+01:00

And I haven’t even done ONE layout about the pregnancy, I haven’t taken weekly or monthly bump photos or done bump circumference measurements.

THAT’S REALLY BAD!!! Not really a good scrapbooker, me, eh?

I will try to catch up with stuff (well… I can start doing measurements and bump photos now) the coming week, and then make sure that I won’t make the same mistake once the twins are born!!!

Still searching for non-pink nice paper stacks for a baby (girls) album that is not too cutesy. Shame it’s really difficult to get scrapbooking stuff for twins.

Feeling a bit calmer after yesterday’s outbreak of thoughts etc.

“Take the easy way”–no option apparently!

2011-06-10T21:40:00.003+01:00

That seems the motto of my body as it seems. Given the length of time it took us to actually GET to be pregnant plus the amount of operations I had in between and injections and all that … After my first 2 laparoscopies I met Dr Ros Burns (anaesthetist at RIE) who diagnosed me with a “Grade 3 Throat, difficult intubation” – or in her own words: Nearly impossible to intubate. I believe they always had to use EVERYTHING in the book for the General Anaesthetics for the following 2 laparoscopies (ovarian cysts due to very severe endometriosis)!!

Today I had an appointment with the anaesthetist regarding my options when it comes to labour, and while I knew that Ros was one of the anaesthetists for Simpsons (Centre for Reproductive Health at RIE), I was happy that I actually had my appointment with her. I think she was close to (happy) tears when she saw me, given that she’s been quite involved on our path through infertility.

But back to my body … remember that “Grade 3” bit in the first paragraph?? Weeeelll… apparently during pregnancy (hormones, swollen glands etc.) this increases by 1 Grade – so right now I am a blimming Grade 4!!! DEFINITELY IMPOSSIBLE TO INTUBATE with normal metal laryngoscope.

Wanna know what that means??

Well, they won’t have as much time for intubation as they usually have for GA for scheduled operations if I’m coming to the labour ward and insist on having the wee ones naturally. A emergency C-section would pose some problems as well. Just because they can’t sedate me to do the intubation with the normal gear.

Nooooo … what I need IF I need GA is a so called “awake fibre optic intubation”. A fancy intubation with camera with lots of local anaesthetics down my throat – while I’m awake. Just so it’s in place.
To add to that I would need a dual epidural. Sounds fancy, but means only to numb the normal area like other pregnant women get, plus I get the added “bonus” of numbing of the tummy section where they’re likely to cut me for a c-section.

DH and I are open when it comes to birth plan (which means so far we didn’t really HAVE one, we just agreed we’re open for everything that ensures the health of the babies (and of me)). Which means we KNEW there was the possibility of a c-section anyway, with us having twins and one of the placentas still lying low (was told today it’s on the back low which doesn’t cause problems for a section). We were even considering an elective c-section, although I was hoping for a try at natural birth – until today that is.

There are apparently lots of women (increasing number) who are “too posh to push” and book their sections, and yes, not that many may have GA for it. And I am aware that you have to be told about the risks for OPs etc, but sitting there by myself, being all reasonable and agreeing with the doctor from the twin clinic and the anaesthetist that a planned c-section is best for us and less risky STILL is not that easy to take in. Specially being told that maternal health goes over foetal health. Scary thought, which really never occurred to me until today. We always were still aware that one or both of the twins might not make it (hey, there’s ALWAYS that possibility!), but so far I never thought really that it would affect MY LIFE.

So … we will have another appointment with the anaesthetist (at which we will meet one of the 3 “awake fibre optic intubation specialists” as well – only 3 out of 10 anaesthetists can do that at the RIE, would you believe), so DH can get the full layout and ask any questions, too. But our birth plan is now around a planned c-section including that intubation and the dual epidural. Which is ok, given the fact it’s less risks involved than emergency section etc. All will be in my notes and with the doctors.

Who’d thought the little sticker to have the anaesthetist informed when I report to the labour ward or the triage when in labour would mean so much!! I’m just glad we’re aware of my intubation problem, just imagine what would have happened if I’d NOT been diagnosed in the past as a difficult intubation! And I rather have that all planned than having trouble in the future. Currently waiting for my mum’s e-mail with the details of the anaesthesia components she was diagnosed as allergic to (which resulted in her tracheotomy – i.e. cut through the windpipe) so we can get them noted in my medical notes, but I had spoken to Ros before the last laparoscopy about that and I am sure she said that the components were used in previous GA for me and I didn’t react to them.

And there was me wondering if there was any reason of me dreaming of a tracheotomy on myself last night?! Signs of the info above??

Will keep you up-to-date on the whole thing, but right now we’re opting for C-section. I was told that I still might go into labour and get both twins naturally etc. You never know.

And if anyone has any experience in c-section or an awake fibre optic intubation or dual epidural – please let me know! Would be much appreciated.

Just realised - having the anatomy knowledge etc I have is both a curse and a blessing... :o

Girl Power!!!

2011-05-31T21:43:00.001+01:00

I *might* have mentioned before that I am kinda a “Shimelle-a-holic” when it comes to her classes. I have checked today and out of the classes she’s offered over the years I only haven’t signed up for 4 so far – and due to life (in the past IVF and football) getting in the way I haven’t finished one yet (but am planning to finish maybe a few bits and bobs provided the twins stick close to their due date!!).

Anyway, Shimelle is doing her bit for charity today. I’ve copied paragraphs from the e-newsletter I get from her below.

Today, 100% of class registrations will be donated to The Girls' Fund from charity Plan-UK, to help educate girls who need our help.

If you've ever thought about signing up for a class or gifting a class to a friend, today you can get all the advantages of taking a class with the big added bonus of knowing 100% of the class price is going to help girls go to school and break the cycle of poverty and abuse.

As scrapbookers, we are pretty lucky girls indeed. And I know our girl power can help some girls who really need it!

Read all about it here.

So – if you’re a scrapbooker, go and have a look at Shimelle’s classes. I can recommend all the ones I’ve done so far, and because the classes are done in pdf-format style you can do them whenever you want (apart from maybe the Journal your Christmas one due to its theme).

Given that we’re going to have 2 girls (90% certain – sorry Nikki, if you read this, but eventually you’d find out anyway! ) in the next couple of months, I had to support this. And I hope you will too.

And just because I haven’t posted anything from the 20-week-scan yet (which is really bad, given that I’ve got my 28-week-scan on Monday!!) I leave you with this:

Sleep!

2011-05-29T11:19:00.001+01:00

Definitely not getting enough of that and wake up far too early on my days off.

Yesterday it was a stupid dream of a prolonged Epidural procedure (still don’t know what that wooden hammer thingy was doing there! ) and pelvic girdle/hip pain doesn’t help.

Today I woke up again after 7 hours (that’s with 2 interruptions during the night) – how am I supposed to “catch up on sleep” prior to the twins arriving? Near impossible.

Also – suggestions in baby books are to catch up on sleep when the babies are sleeping once they’re here (provided they both sleep at the same time). Given that I am having trouble to fall asleep the best of times (usually between 30 and 90 mins for me to actually fall asleep – and I can be as tired as I like!) – any suggestions what I could try for a quicker “falling asleep” procedure???

Music list?

2011-05-25T22:31:00.001+01:00

Ok … what should I put on my list? For listening now and maybe in labour?

My ideas so far are:

“Butterfly Kisses” – Bob Carlisle
”L’incontro” – Andrea Bocelli feat. Bono
"Wenn Du da bist” – Pur (well… have to have SOME German songs!)
”Wenn Du gross bist” – Pur
”Firework” – Katy Perry (not necessarily for the labour part though :) )

There are some others in my mind but somehow can’t remember them….

Apparently some ladies have Salt ‘n Pepa’s “Push it” on their labour tape, which has me in giggle-fits every time I hear it now!! :D Yet another song I associate with something funny (like “Torn” from Natalie Imbruglia because of this version!! LOL).

So – if you have any suggestions as to what I can put to that compilation for our twins, that would be fab! :D

Still a bit of a quiet weekend

2011-05-22T15:53:00.001+01:00

After a very dodgy tum yesterday and me having to skip the crop (*not nice!*) I’m still staying in bed for most today but am helping DH with the clearing out of the new study. How? I’m currently going through a huge lot of First Downs (the now defunct weekly British American Football Newspaper) which I got from a friend so I could get articles from the Wolves for the Scrapbooks.

Right now I’m cutting out stuff about the Wolves, some about the Claymores and a few about the Clansmen. Who knows when they’re getting scrapped, but at least the clippings will take much less space than the newspaper issues!!!
(The picture shows only batch 2 out of 3!!)

Also will try to post some things on eBay today, given it’s free listing day and I didn’t feel up for it yesterday.

OUCH!

2011-04-05T21:24:00.001+01:00

Yesterday and today really struggling with the back pain/pain in the right hip. It’s now going that far that my back seizes up when I’m standing up/walking too long. Really weird, but probably linked to my lumbar lordosis.

Not sure how pronounced it is but carrying twins is not really helping the matter.

As for walking – geesh, I’m walking tiny steps, joined the slow walking brigade and had several older colleagues overtake me on the way to the printer/photocopier – fun day for them! It’s quite scary, as if I cannot stride out much anymore, but that’s probably because of the pain etc. Got my antenatal physio appt on Monday after scan & Twin Clinic in the morning, so hopefully that will sort things out. I just want to know what it is (options are Sciatica – but don’t have the pain going down the back – and Pelvic Girdle Pain, me thinks) and what exercises I can do for it.

Last Wednesday I tried to do some laps in the pool before Aquanatal, but my body is definitely NOT doing breaststroke anymore! Have to re-learn front crawl now… any tips how to do that? Last time I did it was at the age of about 8 I think!! Always preferred breaststroke….

Well shattered today, even when I woke up I felt like just going back to sleep (still getting up to frequent the loo 3-5 times per night, and with Twins that won’t change I think – and the getting up from bed with hip/back pain is not that easy!!), and having a good lunch (Los Argentinos with “The Ladies who lunch” from work) probably didn’t help much on that. Here’s hope to a better sleep with less switching from side to side because of hip pain – although lying on the left side seems to affect the right hip (the one with sciatica/PGP) as well, so not sure how/why? Gravity issues?

Could be ….

2011-04-01T09:32:00.001+01:00

that I experienced the first flutters during the night/early this morning.
And Chip & Chap (well… my hips/back) didn’t let me sleep too long – was up at around 6:30am … on one of my days of!!!!

Huh? Time?

2011-03-25T18:37:00.001Z

HUH! Just realised I haven’t posted on here since beginning of February… UNBELIEVABLE!!! Could have bet that I did post the odd update, but doesn’t seem so.

Well… quick update right now (in between 2 courses of dinner) – I’m doing ok, so do “Chip & Chap”. Actually, they do better than me, I’d suspect. I developed lower back pain, which is due to my lordosis. And in the last 2 weeks I seem to have developed sciatica (well.. that’s what I guess – don’t have an ante natal physio appt until 11 April!!) which causes trouble when getting up from sitting or lying.

So … not the most comfortable.

Trousers get a bit tight and I need to get some maternity trousers for work and maybe another pair of maternity jeans. I *did* buy a pair of maternity trousers at Mothercare, but either the sizing is not working out (go for the normal size and then take the maternity trousers) or they use different sizing (which seems to be normal in this country that shops have different sizing!!).

Ok … hope to post a bit more regularly in future, but for now I’m off to have my salad!!

Official!!!

2011-02-08T20:54:00.003Z

Still struggling with sleep deprivation from Superbowl on Sunday, but hey … maybe I’ll get finally to sleep BEFORE midnight.

And since 11am this morning the “little secret” from the Adamsons is now not a secret anymore.

WE ARE PREGNANT WITH TWINS!!!!

The IVF run in December was positive (typical, the one we thought won’t do anything and we’ll have to go down to London to get immune issues checked out), and we had our official 12 week scan today.

Both Chip and Chap are doing fine, are moving about, have all limbs and noses and chins and heartbeats.
And I’m feeling as if a big rock’s been removed from my shoulders … have been reading too many horror stories about twin pregnancies resulting in just one baby born or even losing both. Think with 5 years IVF in the bag we know far too much about the medical background and are more likely to worry about what COULD go wrong instead of “enjoying the pregnancy”.

But there you go – all going ok, tests were normal as well (don’t have the official result, but the measurements (nuchal translucency) as per T’Internet are normal.

I *think* we’re back for the 20 week scan, but due to twins we may have one in between … but I think we just get more scans from week 28 onwards.

Next stage is next midwife appointment on 8 March – which seems to be aaaaages away (again, that’s because when you do an IVF run you get seen 1-2 times per week for about 2-4 weeks)…
Glad I can now post openly about that all and hopefully some mums or mums-to-be can feed back their experiences.

What I learned today (11W4D)

2011-02-06T16:32:00.000Z

I have to deal with that heartburn … will have to search for the Gaviscon liquid sachets and have some with me all the time.
Following items causing problems:

Chocolate (humm!!!)
Shortbread biccies (hohumm!!)
Citrus fruit
Chocolate
Fybogel!!! (and I have to drink that twice per day because of other reasons … cannot WIN??)

Else – me feeling bad must mean Chip & Chap are doing perfect … mmmh? Fortunately the 12-week-scan is Tuesday morning, as things that come up on the internet are really scary for me. Big sis said during telephone call today that I shouldn’t read that stuff, I’m now at the stage to read up how to handle the nappy changing etc. LOL.
Ah well… skipping Gym today (haven’t been at all this week as I started to feel slightly dizzy and nauseous last week Sunday) but will have to go back tomorrow.
Now searching for that elusive Gaviscon liquid in my rucksack and then will take it after dinner …

Why is it we’re so scared???

2011-02-01T22:10:00.003Z

Not scared about what happens in August or end of July … but scared about things that don’t fall into the “normal pregnancy” situations. Like – I didn’t have any nausea or “morning sickness” until week 9 with a bit of a bigger bout since Sunday. Bit late, eh? And that’s not “sick sick” but just feeling a bit funny tummy wise, not that I have to hug the toilet bowl any time soon.

Or then the fact that I am not ravenous with 2 beans in there? When I told DH this today when he phoned to say he’s leaving work, he totally went panicky thinking things are wrong, we’re not pregnant anymore etc.
So … while people are being told to "enjoy pregnancy” (as far as you can … with all the sickness, nausea, constipation (sorry TMI), HEADACHES etc.) WE CAN’T! Not just yet. Not until at least week 12.

Think that’s normal for people who went through IVF 5 times and nearly decided to switch clinics after the 6th attempt … and then it works. And for couples who had only 1 positive result which ended up to be an early m/c at week 5/6 ….

Wish I could just stop that worrying, but I’m not even convinced it will be better after next week Tuesday.
I should though … I’ll start week 12 tomorrow, and they usually say that week 11/week 12 is already reducing risk of m/c. And the nurses & doctor said that once you see the heartbeat you’ve already reduced the risks. Given that you won’t see the heartbeat until week 12 in normal pregnancy (i.e. no IVF/ICSI) I SHOULD be less worried … but then you read those “horror stories” about “Vanishing twin syndrome” and “missed m/c” (i.e. no bleeding/pain).

Think I need some positive enforcement … some music might help…

Body still against me…

2011-02-01T14:43:00.001Z

3rd day in a row where I am not 100%, but fortunately first work day … All ok, “just” Tension headaches at the neck and feeling a bit dizzy/nauseous. Should be ok for work tomorrow.

Otherwise things are ok, time flies and DH and I are looking into holidays for this year (Germany and London and maybe something else).

Still no crafty stuff done, but there’s still hope … SOMETHING at least on Friday … or Saturday… or maybe Superbowl Sunday while DH and BIL are playing Lasertag?

Currently planning 2 things for scrapbooking (one of which a CJ we will do at our crop) and a mini-album which I really should do asap (but mojo is missing). And then I’ll have to look into cross stitch or knitting small things while watching TV. Instead of spending that much time on Facebook, really. I HAVE already deleted some of the FB games, mind.

And maybe quilting a bit, but that is for a weekend or so where I have NOTHING planned. And I’ll have to check for fabrics first really.

We’re in week 10

2011-01-26T21:10:00.000Z

That’s far for me … and feeling ok. No bleeding or anything else, and so far I have no real morning sickness either – maybe a bit nausea sometimes, and my taste buds decide after 1 cheese toast when nibbling on No 2 that I suddenly don’t like Emmental Cheese anymore! One of my favs!!!

Seen the Doc today as the midwife measured higher blood pressure last week and although she wasn’t worried she thought better to check with the GP.

Baby brain here totally forgot to check for the MRI results, so currently waiting for a call back from Dr Ewing.

Been to the gym and will speak to Stewart (one of my instructors) on Friday because I am not sure my core stability workouts are working (30 secs max for me to hold the plank and the bridge with bosu!). Upper body strength? Non-existent as it seems!

Had actually planned to scrap today – but somehow I’ve lost my Mojo a couple of months ago. Not sure if that’s because I’m soooo tired (and Dr Ewing said that being tired and not sleeping well is NOT uncommon with pregnancies). I’m trying to plan some scrapping/card making this weekend though.

Oh … and after being scared for the 12-week-scan because I read a stupid IVF story online about a woman who was scanned at 7 weeks with twins, at week 13 (12 – week – scan) they only saw one heartbeat and at week 19 she lost the second twin … now I am a bit worried that I only gained 3.5 kgs so far … Should just leave worrying … I started out obese, so Chip and Chap have probably enough to chew about in my body anyway!! LOL.

Can’t wait for the 8 February, when I finally can post these blog entries publicly!

Mojo still missing…

2011-01-24T17:54:00.001Z

… and that’s on all crafty levels … I haven’t done much scrapbooking/card making/knitting/crochet or quilting over the last couple of months. Somehow just not feeling like it.

But I’m planning to do something crafty this weekend… So, there you have it!!

Can’t say WHICH craft it will be mind…

Very hormonal today…

2011-01-21T10:30:00.003Z

No emotional TV allowed for me I think – been watching “Don’t tell the Bride” earlier and nearly was in puddles!!! WEIRDO!!!

Not sure what that is about.

Else doing ok, bit headachey, and felt a bit nauseous this morning, so who knows, maybe morning sickness comes late for me. Although … I really could do without that.

Got order to get some German baking today, so will see what the girls have on offer later. Oh … and it’s QVC Craft day, so getting maybe my Mojo back that way. Who knows.

7 wk scan!!

2011-01-19T10:57:00.000Z

The whole IVF stuff is surreal as it is, but after a positive result it’s just weird! During the cycle you go to the clinic about twice a week for bloods and scans – then the 2WW (2 week wait) is bad enough, as you don’t have ANY contact with the clinic. Zilch, Nada!

You go back for the blood test, phone in for the result during lunch and then get your result … in our case it was mostly negatives, one low number positive (which then went up and resulted in an m/c in 2007 at week 6 (?) ). This time of course huge number (pointing towards twins) – and then you’re on your own. Feels weird, actually, I felt quite lost!

5 blinking weeks to cover time before you go in for a scan!!! Time enough to drive desperate people mental, really!!

Think if I’d at least more “signs” (only had headaches and the telltale “chest” signs) I wouldn’t have been that bad … but with NO morning sickness I felt something was missing!!

Well… scan was the same day as my first day back at work… so we went there, got through the routine – and then we saw the first sac – with a heartbeat!!! WOW! What a sight and feeling!!! Thought that was it (and would have been happy), but no, the Doc said “and there’s the other one!” – and a strong heartbeat as well. Little flickering lights! We were both stunned!!

Got the instruction leaflet for the midwife service and then were kinda “released” into the “normal pregnancy world”. EFREC won’t see us again (unless things go wrong and we have to do it all again – touch wood it won’t happen, but after 5 years I’m quite tentative with being positive).

All the nurses who went along with us on our IVF trail of 5 years came to congratulate – it’s really funny, you get to know the people and it’s nice to see them again and again … it’s like family in a way. They all wished us all the best and said we deserved it. And we have to go back and show off the little ones after birth – they all insisted on that.

Well… now it’s another blinking wait until week 12 for the “official scan” (and I so hope that both beans hold on!) and I have to make arrangements to meet my appointed midwife ….

Again – it’s a long wait, with no “holding hands” by nurses etc … feeling lost. And I don’t want to tell work until week 12 - although a couple of colleagues know – Doug and I have the rule that if people ask how the IVF went they’ll get told. If you don’t ask, you don’t get told.

Holiday already over???

2011-01-04T21:16:00.001Z

That’s a scary thought … back to work tomorrow … with a quick trip to ERI in the morning.

Well… let’s say it that way, I wasn’t really told before Christmas whether my contract is being extended, I was just told to “just turn up on the 5th”. Sounds very familiar to me really. But I don’t think that my contract WON’T be extended (and I know several colleagues will go ballistic if I won’t be back as I’ve reduced their work load by quite a bit … and that’s over 5 different teams).

Wish I had a bit more time at home as I’m feeling totally knackered and as if I didn’t get enough sleep over the holidays … let’s hope that all’s getting better soon. Reminds me, I have to check with my GP if there’s an update on my MRI yet (for the headaches)…

Friday-Fill-Ins

2010-12-24T15:07:00.000Z

Today's the last Friday you get a choice of the regular fill-ins OR a different kind of fill-in (or both). As you know, a friend emailed me a list where you have to identify Christmas songs by the initials of the first words of the first line of each song. If you'd like to play along, great! And...Merry Christmas eve to those who celebrate it!
So...here we go!

1. These are a few days of relaxing.
2. Traditional Duck, red cabbage, Brussels sprouts with chestnuts and pancetta and dumplings will be our holiday dinner.
3. What's that I hear outside… sleigh bells?? ;).
4. With the snow it’s all so quiet, quiet.
5. Some of my favorite holiday memories include getting our tree from the woods when I was about 6.
6. Nothing is stirring - not even a mouse.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to Christmas Eve celebration with opening of presents, tomorrow my plans include spending most day with the inlaws and Sunday, I want to have a PJ day!

AND/OR
28. JOSNLYETW: Jolly Old Saint Nicholas (Lean Your Ear This Way)
29. GKWLLOOTFOS: Good King Wenceslas looked out on the Feast of Stephen
30. UOTRRPOJGOSC: Up On The Housetop reindeer pause. Out jumps good old Santa Claus
31. JBJBJBR: Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell Rock
32. IHABCWY: "I'll have a blue Christmas without you"
33. WUNWTAGC: Way up north where the air gets cold
34. JHTSBRTTTT: Just Hear Those Sleigh Bells Ringing Ting Ting Tingling Too
35. CTTMPRPPP: Come, they told me, pa rum pum pum pum
36. AWHHOH: Angels We Have Heard On High
37. HAHJC: Have A Holly Jolly Christmas
38. AIAMNCFAB: Away in a Manger no crib for a bed

Still battling migraine…

2010-12-22T20:21:00.001Z

That’s a first for a while … 2 days in a row migraine… might be the weather, who knows?

Tomorrow’s my last day at work for the rest of the year … and I haven’t been told yet whether my contract is getting extended … fairly annoying really, but nothing new for me.

I *suspect* that my contract will be extended, but will see.

Got everything sorted for Christmas, tree is on the patio, we got all food in the fridge & freezer (have to remember to take the duckling out tomorrow eve). Presents are all wrapped and accounted for (and it looks like my presents from DH have now finally arrived too, as well as his Lego orders).

I’m somehow not with it right now … still can’t believe on Friday is already Christmas eve!!! Fortunately, DH and I are both off work that day so can finalise things.

Friday Fill-ins #202

2010-12-03T17:25:00.003Z

*This week, I'm going to give you a choice of fill-ins OR a different kind of fill-in (or both). A friend emailed me a list where you have to identify Christmas songs by the initials of the first words of the first line of each song. Each Friday until Christmas Eve I'll post 9 more of these songs and if you'd like to play along, great!
So...here we go! *

1. The best thing about a birthday celebration is having family and friends around.
2. This year skipped the passage of time.
3. I went shopping recently and the most interesting thing I bought was lots of cook books! .
4. Baking cookies is not child's game with our oven!
5. The reason is that I haven’t perfected the baking of my granny’s Christmas cookies with a fan assisted oven just yet.
6. We’ve got tons of snow and cold.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to Leberkaese for Dinner, tomorrow my plans include another trip to the hospital and shopping and Sunday, I want to finally finish my advent wreath!

AND/OR
1. HYAMLC: Have yourself a merry little Christmas
2. TFNTADS: The First Noel The Angel Did Say (ok ... cheated on that one)
3. GRYMGLNYD:
4. ICUAMC:
5. SNHNAICAIB:
6. OTFDOCMTLGTM:
7. DTHWBOHFLLLLLLLL: Deck the Halls with Bows Of Holly Fa la la la la la la la la
8. YBWOYBNC:
9. JTTWTLHC:

Journal your Christmas

2010-11-30T21:04:00.000Z

I’ve decided to just finish off my current album this year but may post on my blog a little more – busy busy and over the next few weeks I’ll be recovering from tomorrow’s minor surgery anyway.

Was actually planning on doing a digi – album, might still do that once I get my head around it.

We’ve got snow – quite a lot snow … I wonder if my mum will be able to make it next week Thursday – depending on the Frankfurt and Edinburgh Airports and decisions made by the airlines …. let’s hope so, it’s bad enough I am not able to go and visit my family and the Frankfurt Christmas Market (it became quite a tradition over the last few years). Sooo … keep your fingers crossed for me please!!

Some comfort food from the “fake” (LOL) German Christmas Market before the OP tomorrow.

And my friend Anna is working at the German Food Stall…

Boyce Avenue in Concert... :)

2010-11-22T23:35:00.002Z

Seen these boys yesterday at Cabaret Voltaire - and definitely a band who can carry LIVE performances well.

Had loads of fun with Anna & Katnip and hope Boyce Avenue will come back to Edinburgh. :)

Their Special guest was Ryan Cabrera who was good in his own rights.

And here's a studio acoustic version of Taio Cruz' "Dynamite" which they played at the concert, too. :)

Crafty things

2010-11-21T16:04:00.000Z

Well... hopefully able to post some more crafty results over the next weeks/months. ;)

Dani's Forum is doing a Advent Calendar again and here's my contribution to it:

AKW 2010 - meine Paeckchen

I had bigger plans for this, different packaging, but life got in the way and I really wasn't in the mood for anything that time ... glad I managed to get the box to Mellie though - and last thing I heard my Advent Calendar is on its way back to me now. :) Cannae wait!!

Other things - we had our November crop yesterday and I actually DID something else than blethering and looking at other people's stuff ... ;) Still searching for my crafting Mojo, mind....

I found the instructions from one of the ladies at Dani's forum, "Yosemite" who posted this Teabag book with instructions on her blog. She's really very talented and does a lot of nice instructions for crafty things on her blog, definitely worth looking!!

Tea bag book

I've used one of my favourite stamps from Whiff of Joy on there, Herb with Tea cup.

I've embossed it and partially used fine glitter on areas ... had bags with glitter for years in my stash but never used it until now!! :D

The inside of the tea bag book is below - I've given it enough space for 4 tea bags - but you could just duplicate the pattern for more if you want.

Tea bag book inside

Friday Fill-ins #200

2010-11-19T14:23:00.001Z

Geesh – 3rd post of the day after a looong break of sporadically blogging… yay me! ;)

So...here we go!

1. Why does time fly when you’re on holiday??
2. Your mind will open to everything when you go out and see the world.
3. Thank you for a nice week off so far.
4. Christmas is my favorite holiday because of the memories I have from my childhood, because of the nice smells, seeing happy faces and making my family happy.
5. I am SO tired and headachey right now. :(
6. Life can be less stressful once we make up our minds to be human (and not perfect).
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching TV (avoiding Pudsey day stuff though), tomorrow my plans include our November Crop and Sunday, I want to have fun with Anna & Katnip at the Boyce Avenue Concert!!! :)

Haven’t been

2010-11-19T13:55:00.001Z

… posting a lot of crafty stuff lately – well, no wonder … I’ve hardly done anything. :o

However, I’ve managed to make some cards and even took photos! So here they are… ;)

That’s the card I made for my inlaws’ Ruby Wedding anniversary – Wording is from Dimension Fourth (last year’s renewal gift) and the stamp … huh … I think I got that one way back from Rebekah at Stamper’s Grove (before she sold the business).

Stamped on red card, layered with gold.

The card to the right is the belated birthday card I made for my best friend, Sharon. :)

The stamp is from one of the monthly Stamp kits from Dimension Fourth. Embossed in Dusky rose I think … from Stamper’s Grove years ago. :)

I’ve done a couple more cards I’m sure, but can’t find the photos (IF I’ve taken any of them! :o) ).

Hoping to get more crafts done soon, but with workout plan (doing something cardio-related nearly every day of the week!) and work and Christmas prep etc … you know what that means.

Planning on doing Shimelle’s Journal Your Christmas 2010 DIGI and finish off the proper album from the last 5 years while plodding along. Now I just have to find some nice digi stuff for it … and look into digi scrapping tutorials again…

I’ve also got those things coming up from my German Scrapbooking Forums ….

At the "Scrapbooktreff": And Dani's Forum

Workout! ;)

2010-11-19T09:50:00.003Z

Due to meds I had to get up early today … and with headache couldn’t go back to sleep, so up since 7:30am. :( Head’s still thumping, body is sore all over - been doing Fitpro/Les Mills Body Pump and Body Balance on Wednesday and was at Ceroc yesterday night.

To be honest, I’ve only had 2 instructors for the Les Mills classes who really “inspire” me to come back week after week! ;) One’s Pat who’s moved to Fife back in 2006 I believe, and my current instructor is Allan who just makes everything so fun (and believe me, I tried Body Pump with another instructor and they just made me go back to Allan’s class) ;) .

We’ve got a very “nasty” move included in the Shoulder track, the so called “Pec Dec” – have a look from 1.22 onwards … and the Pec Dec itself is from 4:00 onwards … OUUUUUUCH!!! But great workout!!! I only manage the 1kg – 1.5kg hand weights for that, but even body weight only is sometimes enough!!! :0

Body Pump 75 RAVERS IN THE UK
Uploaded by clairembart. - Check out more sports and extreme sports videos.

And no ... that's NOT Allan! ;)

When I heard the song for it first, I was just reminded of the “Techno Phase” in my life … ;) Loooong time ago! ;) But to be honest, this track is really great for gym workouts and definitely the only thing keeping me going through the Pec Deck!!! ;)

Definitely will get the track and add to my MP3 for the gym! :)

Friday Fill-ins

2010-11-12T16:55:00.001Z

Haven't done them in aaaages ... ;)

Friday Fill-Ins

So...here we go!

1. When pigs fly I'll be a very girlie girl.

2. Raining again - seriously?!

3. Call me a geek, but I really like comic book adaptations (not necessarily reading the comic books mind).

4. Sunday is Cheesecake brownie time - if you know what I mean. ;)

5. The most entertaining person in my life is my hubby because he can be funny, knows a lot of trivia and is really a kid at heart!! ;)

6. I've got nearly over the nasty cold - who's next?

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to meet up with friends to give Esther a nice good bye, tomorrow my plans include 2 movies and baking and Sunday, I want to see the Clansmen bring home another win!

And another call...

2010-11-08T22:45:00.001Z

Had a message on the answer machine yesterday but we didn't realise that until this morning ... and then there was just a message from my Mum to call her back. I kinda knew what's up, and my call back this morning just confirmed it ...

My granddad (last surviving grandparent) died...

Feels a bit weird, I don't feel sad ... I don't really feel anything. :o My mum didn't get along with her step-dad so prior to winter 2009 I didn't have anything to do with him for about ... ummm ... 20 (?) years?? We always met up with my granny alone.

Am I a bad granddaughter for not feeling anything? It's not even "robot-mode" ... there just doesn't seem to be anything. Mmmmh... weird.

One month to go...

2010-11-01T18:03:00.001Z

Journal your Christmas with Shimelle...

I believe it's year 6 for me ... or maybe more? Still haven't finished the first album which is a collection over the years really.

This year I am considering doing a digi album ... maybe I'll have time for that (and hopefully I'll have my lappy back in time!).

Shimelle got the info up and you can sign up for the class.

Hopefully will see some of you over on the Forum to discuss pages!! ;)

Halloween's been cancelled!!

2010-10-31T18:34:00.000Z

After getting annoyed by a cold the whole week I've finally succumbed to it ... sinusitis, sore throat and that annoyed scratchy cough (which I think is due to the sore & irritated throat, but of course the doc won't do anything as it's not affecting my lungs and therefore my asthma).

Managed to go to the Halloween Horror Hop (Ceroc) yesterday ok, but flagged after midnight and should have known today is just not my day. Still managed to go and see "Burke & Hare" with Nikki, Anna, Dave & Doug, but now ... Halloween is cancelled for me, no candies at our house this year.

Feeling a bit off as I ALWAYS had Halloween on the 31st since we moved to our house ... either at home with pumpkin carving & candies for kids, or going to Orlando. :(

Ah well... I leave you with this instead ... thanks to Nikki for reminding me of it on FB! :)

(we'd seen this actually last year live at the Edinburgh Fringe)

And we decided I'll be carving pumpkins for Friday (Bonfire Night with friends around).

Rally for Restoring Sanity And/Or Fear

2010-10-30T18:47:00.000+01:00

Glad they have a live stream for that!!! ;) FAB so far ... just think I may have to go to the Halloween Hop after 8pm ... not be there for 8pm. :D

http://www.comedycentral.com/dcrallylive/

Blog getting new face ...

2010-10-25T18:35:00.002+01:00

Couple of changes in life for the last couple of months, and given that the Blog header was already there since about 2006/2007 I thought I'll give it a little revamp. Can't say yet when, but you'll see a new header eventually. ;)

Listing some stuff at Ebay

2010-09-26T23:48:00.000+01:00

Had the info in the Google Reader about a free listing weekend this week for UK residents and have been picking out several stamps I'm not using anymore and will probably cull more.

Currently am listing at £0.99 both used and new.

Have a look here, maybe there's something you're interested in?

Also figured that your first 100 listings per month (?) as private seller (if starting price is less than £1) are free ... so no need to rush right now, think I'll be posting lots more stuff over the next weeks. :)

I hate those calls …

2010-09-22T00:04:00.001+01:00

All was ok … bit busy at work, bit annoyed about buses/traffic in Edinburgh and me taking 1.5 hours to get to/from work.

Left home after dinner to get to Ceroc – a new venue for me, and promptly went to the wrong St Stephen’s – who’d known there are two St. Stephen’s Churches close together in Edinburgh!!! :o

Arrived at the one at Comely bank, the women walking past me were carrying familiar little green folders and one told me “There’s hardly any queue!” – A queue? For Ceroc? Surely not???? But I was told it’s busy on Tuesdays …. But when I arrived at the door for the Church Hall I saw a sign for Weight Watchers … errr… yeah… not really where I wanted to go today. So figured it had to be the other St Stephens, fortunately not too far away.

Managed to park the car after a bit of circling around, had a missed call from DH and when I got to the door a message to call him asap.

Called him and he told me my mum phoned … he just understood the word “gestorben” (died) and believed it was Oma (my gran) but wasn’t too certain. And he said my mum wanted me to call back but could do that once I’m back from dancing.

Well… not really something you’ll put off, so I phoned Germany … and yes, my granny died. Again, out of my other set of grandparents (the only one left) the one who was healthier and not really believed the first to go.

She had a heart attack (or something along the lines) a week or so back, got through her birthday (13/9), was back in the nursing home and then things turned bad, blood in lungs and she had trouble breathing.

My mum visited her yesterday, she said it was quite sweet as Oma was singing in her sleep, waking up, smiling and my mum and then dosing off again, still singing. Mum waved her goodbye in one of the moments Oma was awake and went home, then got a call today that Oma died (apparently she just didn’t wake up – died in her sleep – like my Granny).

There won’t be a funeral – my Oma and Opa (granddad) decreed in their will that they don’t want to have a wake or funeral, just an anonymous scattering of ashes (I think so nobody feels obliged to tend to their grave).

I’m torn with my feelings, partly I’m glad I saw her back in June (only 3 months ago!) when she was fairly active, but on the other hand it’s yet again someone from my family dying when I’m not around. It’s like “history” repeating itself.

Was sitting outside the church hall for a bit bawling, then followed my mum’s and Doug’s advice to go for a bit of dancing – stayed for the intermediate class, a couple of dances and went back home at 10pm.

Still not come to terms with the situation really, but … can’t do anything about it.

It’s just all so sad that none of my grandparents will be alive to see any great grandchildren from us. Now it’s only my granddad left, and in June he looked more like a skeleton, high chest and sunken in tummy, more a skull than a face and he was mostly sleeping. Mum has not told him yet, he’s not that compos mentis anymore… and I suspect he’ll follow Oma soon.

RIP Oma – you’ll be missed!!

Busy busy Saturday...

2010-09-12T08:35:00.000+01:00

What a day! ;) Didn't have to be at Stirling for the 2nd Day of Camp until 2:30pm, so had time to go to the Ceroc Scottish Champs 2010 for the Lucky Dip and Nikki & Dave's Intermediate Competition before dashing off.

I just love watching them dance, they are so in sync it's great!!!

At 1:55pm I left the venue to take photos at the Stirling Clansmen training camp (really have to look into options for shooting late at night - most pics after 6:30pm are blurry-ish! :( ), drove back home at 8:20pm to get some food, get changed and then head back out to the Scottish Champs Party where I danced my socks off until 12:30am. ;) Thanks to Dave, Steven, Nikki, Esther, Shirley and ... errm... yup, don't think I know his name (oooops!!) for the dances!! :D

Now considering going to the Halloween Horrors Hop, given it's on 30th October 2010 and NOT on Halloween. ;) And MIGHT even compete in next year's Champs? Who knows ... ;)

What a difference a team makes …

2010-09-11T09:41:00.001+01:00

… Was a bit worried that the whole situation with the Wolves would have soured my passion for the sport, but being with the Stirling Clansmen yesterday at training camp Day 1 has taken those worries away.

It is really good to feel appreciated, the guys have been asking me how the summer was, how I am etc, the coaches are great as usual … Yes, it might be that it’s because it’s only season 2 for me with the Clan, there might be still the “bribery factor” of cake & photos (but then – the Wolves got that as well!), but we’ll see… ;)

Anyway – I had a great time with them, and am pretty sure I’ll enjoy the rest of the weekend taking photos for them as well.

Let’s hope the weather plays along though – driving to Stirling yesterday felt like driving through a veeeeery long car wash (M9)!!!

Don’t get me wrong ….

2010-09-08T22:58:00.001+01:00

… I would love to just see the good things from the 9 years, and “retire gracefully” – but I think last year just was a chore, no thank yous, hardly any help offered (apart from the usual suspects) and personality clashes.

But hey – that moment might still come … in a couple of weeks/months … who knows.

Thank you for the music …

2010-09-08T22:40:00.001+01:00

Ok … I’ve cooled down a bit, culled some “friends” on Facebook, but still cannot get how some people THINK! Or NOT THINK, for that matter.

Sunday started off fairly busy, due to the Antiques Fair being on the same day we didn’t have the concourse or the shop at Meadowbank, so had to improvise (which we managed ok with 2 areas sectioned off inside the stands for merchandise and for the tuck shop.

We just started to have our gameday crew meeting, when our HC shouted for me to do the card check (Player names and numbers to be called out for the oppositional Manager or general dogsbody like me). Yes, Cal told me Don wanted it at 1:30pm, but of course it couldn’t wait. So I dashed down, hadn’t even prepared anything so had to get myself through, calling out names and writing jersey numbers down at the same time, getting help from Gordy (ex Claymores fan and the GM of the opposition, the Shropshire Revolution). Then card check on their side, afterwards marking up 2 more sets of our jerseys for the Refs and the stats booth, then get the Junior Wolves sorted for the sideline help, speak to the refs and suddenly it was time for kick off!

Don’s asked Doug and me to be honorary Team Captains … well, suppose that’s probably as close a Thank you as he would do … AND THAT’S EXACTLY THAT!!!

It’s weird to go into a game (specially playoff game) not really wanting your team to win as you’ve already several things planned for the following weekend, and the HC wants you to stay OVERNIGHT if we’d have to travel down to Manchester!! Felt quite wrong, a bit like a traitor, but on the other hand I just about remembered all the reasons why it was time to leave/step down/get away from that club/sport.

One of those reasons was sitting on the stands – our foes (and yes, that’s about what I can mention here, everything else would have to be censored!!) from Dundee. I mean – it’s a Scottish Team playing an English Team in the playoffs – you’d think that all differences would be buried in that case, but NO – of course not! The guys from Dundee cheered for the Revolution – and I’m sure Lump, one of our ex–linemen – did the same. I would understand that if we’d played the Tigers or Trojans (both Scottish teams) in the playoffs, but an ENGLISH TEAM??? But then – I’m talking about Charlie Campbell, who’s been googling for photos from the BritBowl 2007 (where Dundee played and I made a couple of comments on their worn jerseys/them lying to the League about not having 2 sets of jerseys, Charlie wearing shorts and flip flops (British finals – you’d think there would be a different dress code??!) and the fact that I doubt their Star Runningback raked up all the yardage as they played us 3x and he didn’t get near 1/3 that yardage during that time) and claiming I’m the reason for the animosity between Dundee and Wolves. He did that openly on the forum, even was planning on suing me for libel. That happened about 6 months after the finals, and shortly after my gran died and us having trouble with IVF – if he’d read more of my blog he’d have known but of course he didn’t. I actually was asked by the league board (who understood me) to make that post with my comments private to prevent any more trouble for the club.
So yes, the fact they did support the opposition riled me quite a bit (but didn’t surprise me)… but then … I calmed myself down by telling myself they paid money to get into the stadium to hurl abuse at us (or cheer for our opposition).

During halftime Doug played “When I’m 64” for his dad as it was his birthday, and at the end of the game he played our song “You get what you give” as a thank you for the 9 years I’ve supported him in the sport and because it was close to our wedding anniversary. I even had some tears in my eyes after that – partly because it was my last Wolves game, and partly just because of feeling touched by Doug’s gesture (he IS a bit romantic sometimes!! ;) )

But after the game … you’d think with an ex-Head Coach come Defensive Coach and the current Head Coach ONE of them would think about thanking Doug and me via the PA system for the 9 years we put into the club?!? Surely? Or at least get one of the announcers (both ex Wolves players) do it??? BUT OF COURSE NOT!!!! WHY WOULD THEY!!!

Even in the team huddle after the game there was NO word mentioned about our work.

We stayed back as usual, about 1.5 hours after the team probably went to Sportsters for the aftergame food, had our FAB Volunteers and the Juniors helping clear the stuff away. Then we went to Sportsters, had a wee chat with some players, and then the big announcement by the HC - “Guys, Hailey (our physio) has baked cake, that’s your dessert, so THANK YOU HAILEY!”

ERrrrrrr…. Apart from the fact that Doug and I have been spending 10 months out of the year on Wolves stuff, working about 25 hours per week during season, put OUR OWN MONEY into the club to carry it until players decided to finally pay their subs to the end of the year, washed kit (and nearly broke out washing machine about 4x during that time), had kit & shop items stored IN OUR OWN HOUSE, giving our everything for everyone on the club, giving up holidays (Doug travelling home early during 2006 because our then HC decided to pull out of the season), rebuilding the team, having open ears for the players, helping with job/girlfriend/family troubles, booking holidays & IVF around the season, giving up Sundays for training (and then Wednesday evenings), more or less played B&B for 3 residential training camps (well – in a different location, but we provided the food/did the cleaning up), pulling off the organisation and running of Superbowl Parties (the only Fundraisers for the club as players/coaches couldn’t be bothered to do anything else) since 2003 and Awards Nights for which we provided the Awards, Highlight Reels and “Outtakes” (which again took a lot of time), me getting haggled for photographs I took (but had the audacity not to post online yet). I’ve also been doing the taping and some sports therapy bits and bobs (for which I was sidelined by the HC with just providing the physio despite him knowing that I just got my diploma in Sports Therapy…

So apart from all that (which are of course the HUGE BIGGY BUGS that anger me) I’ve also been baking for the players for away trips and other events and I never got a thank you for that. Or Anna, who’s been baking fabulously decorated cupcakes for the home games this year – or Calum’s Cat who did baking as well and supported some sideline help in her capacity as nurse … no thanks for them either. But because Hailey made a cake she got a public thank you.

I mean – I’m trying to get Don’s thought process for that … maybe he thinks there will be an Awards night this year (which neither Doug nor I are prepared to do) so he can thank us there. But then – even players who joined half way through last year don’t know that it’s Wolves HQ who put all the hours into the Awards Night planning and running.

So … no thanks … but then – what do I expect? I’m talking about the man who still hasn’t apologised for his behaviour on the Chester Trip last year (which in my books means the HC has to stay sober as part of“Duty of Care” for his players when the GM had to drive an injured player in that player’s car home and couldn’t do the “Head teacher role” – and nobody listening to me at that point anyway! ). Or the fact that he’s called me childish and other things, who wouldn’t accept my apologies for something I didn’t think requires an apology but I gave it anyway as he saw it as a direct attack at him and his family (apparently I didn’t do a good enough apology) – who still hasn’t given me an apology for that (I opened up about my reasons for doing all the work for the club and he effectively brushed it off – one main reason being that the club was my “child substitute”).

But the biggest thing … We get thanks from our opposing teams – thanks for being a model club and helping other clubs setting them up to the “blueprints” of the Wolves.
We even got a public thank you for our work in the sport etc during the last game at the Glasgow Tigers – by THEIR MC via their PA system!!!!

Makes you think… doesn’t it??? Actually … it made me RAGING MAD on Sunday.

Monday – big THANK YOU to all the players (and I believe the Fans) on Facebook by the HC again … and Congrats to the Revolution. Still nothing towards us.

I’m getting too emotionally involved in such things … and I probably will have to change my mind about Wolves players I thought are my friends but just took advantage of everything I (and Doug) did. I’ve started weeding my Facebook friends list, and – even if it’s hard – I think a lot more will be falling to the axe.

And now … BREATHE!!!!

Have to let go of it all, but it’s hard after 9 years and next to no recognition. I had a lot of face slaps during these years in the SPORT, seeing bad people reaping all the rewards for something good people have done, good people getting into cross fire because bad people having more influence, and good people leaving.

I’ve made a lot of friends during those 9 years, a lot of them being our overseas players, who we still keep in contact with. They are more appreciative than the ones who live here.

Our Volunteer Group was FAB – and I made lots of friends through players (their girlfriends/ex girlfriends) who are now better friends than the players themselves.

Maybe after a while I will be able to concentrate on the good things from those 9 years, but right now the bitterness is still there, and we should have probably retired last year after the Chester game already … but we again put our own feelings aside for the good of the club and to provide support for everyone else.

We also won’t be going to BritBowl – I personally have not been asked even though I have been helping out for 4 years in the stats crew – I believe they have asked Doug if anyone of the Wolves volunteers will help out. That seems to be the normal way in the sport right now.

Won’t be going – because the people who CARRIED BritBowl over the last years are not there anymore, as they’ve been kinda chucked out of the sport/been sidelined. Also, the finals have been moved from the middle (ish) of the UK in Doncaster to Worcester – of course to accommodate the southern teams.

To be honest, a lot going wrong in the sport since February/March in my eyes, and that’s another reason why we step away from the Senior league as a whole. I might be taking photos next year at Wolves games if the fancy tickles me.

There are a couple of friends who want to help out the club next year who just joined us this year – I would love to tell them not to bother or at least not to expect ANYTHING in return (not even a thank you) – but that’s for them to figure out. And maybe it’s just that everything we did was taken for granted, so we didn’t even deserve anything in return apart from hassle?

To me the club is not the Wolves anymore … and right now I wouldn’t mind if they’d change their name … There’s hardly anyone left from the inception year 2002, hardly anyone who knows & appreciates what we’ve put into the club.

I won’t be stepping away from the sport in full though, I am about to give my all to my University team for the 2nd season – the Stirling Clansmen. Things I do are getting appreciated, the players are nice and giving me respect and not mouthing off at me. And the added bonus – I’m just taking photos, and the season is 2 games shorter. ;)

Phew – that’s a lot to write up, and probably still not 100% understandable for most of you reading this.

Like in 2007 I suspect some bad people will be picking up on things in this post and try to give me a hard time, but this time I won’t make the post private. I’ve not been on the new league forum since its inception in March, so won’t do so now. And I doubt I will see many of them again any time soon.

Just a quick hullo ...

2010-09-07T18:59:00.000+01:00

I'm still here, still seething from stupid people's behavior on Sunday but am too busy with work and gym/dancing/Clansmen that I don't think I'll be able to post a full update until the weekend or Monday (weekend is Clansmen training camp and Ceroc Scottish Champs).

It's still riling me, so don't worry, my emotions about that won't calm down so easily. You'll get all the "goss" soon enough.

Still here... just busy ... and laptop broken...

2010-08-31T00:11:00.000+01:00

... and I'm most days at the gym or dancing in the evenings, so really don't get onto the "big" PC that much... Lazy, I know. ;)

Hope to be able to update the blog a bit soon though. Just hang in there pls. :)

Have also signed up for yet another class from Shimelle, it's her "Learn Something New Every Day" from Wednesday throughout September. I did sign up to her "Love your Pictures, Love your Pages" class but only close to the end so will catch up with that once the Wolves season is over .... ;)

And considering I'll step down in my capacity as Club Secretary and general dog's body for the club by the end of the season (will only take photos IF and WHEN I WANT!) I should have more time ... Will concentrate fully on my University Team, the Stirling Clansmen from September/October on ... it's only photography for them (and baking ... how did that happen??? ;) ) and it's a league that's running over autumn/winter which means we'll be able to book our holidays when we want!! :D WAHEY!!

Just a quick note…

2010-08-08T10:17:00.003+01:00

I know … been bad with keeping the blog up, but lots of things were going on (injuries etc), here’s me hoping that I will be a more regular blogger over the next couple of months. ;)

But just wanted to give a quick “heads up” (after posting on Facebook and the Wolves Twitter ….

Edinburgh Wolves are

SCOTTISH DIVISION 2 CHAMPS!!! :)

Wolves HQ (i.e. Doug and me) have not been down to Shropshire with the team for the game as Doug has an implementation weekend and has to be on call.

But I’ve been getting updated by Cal and was able to update our tweets as well.

Well done, Wolves – I am proud of you.

Now on to get things sorted for the playoff home game … phew!

Monday after game day…

2010-07-12T15:07:00.001+01:00

… and I’m actually doing our OWN washing instead of the team kit! :) That’s a bit of a novelty really, and I like it.

Have been doing 3 washes but weather looks as if it’s going to rain anytime soon, so the washing is hanging up in the living room.

At least I managed to mow the lawn – somehow the grass grew up to 1 foot plus during the last 2 weeks … next time I’ll just take a scythe to the grass if it’s that long, probably easier that way!! :o

If the weather is still holding then I’ll tackle the thistles in the front garden and re-plant my dwarf roses.

Was actually planning to do some crafting, but the good weather (read “non-rain”) means I HAVE to do something in the garden – who knows when I’ll get next the time/weather to do it.

Oh … and my small plants in the garden seem to do their business this year!! Just think I have to transfer the pepper, cucumber and courgette plants into a proper veggie patch (which is half done).

In other news – Wolves are now 6-2, and undefeated at home. Means we may get to the playoffs and have a non-regular season homegame in September. … Oh, that reminds me … have to do club stuff afterall (e-mails). Pfffft!!! :(

Musings from the air…

2010-06-28T16:40:00.000+01:00

Haven’t been back to Germany during summer in quite a while – we usually go in April for my mum’s birthday (which was this year changed to now because of that stupid volcano) and then again for a longer weekend in December for exchange of presents, and to go and visit Christmas Markets.

We had fabulous weather, every day around 30 degrees and mostly sunshine! Fab!

Not sure if it’s because I’m getting older now, but somehow a week is not long enough for the trip to Germany anymore. I’ve not been able to meet up with friends this time at around, and we’re usually fairly ad-hoc with our plans to visit my family as well. And then there’s the shopping … it’s nearly like a trip to Florida!!! ;) And of course I’m always trying to get a trip to the sauna in as well…

I would LOVE to go for longer than just 1 week – I would LOVE to travel around Germany, would LOVE to go with Doug to the Northsea or the “Ostsee”, would LOVE to go south towards Munich, east to visit my family in the Lausitz or even do a quick trip across the border to Austria to my family there (they have been asking again when we’re going to come visit! :o ) or across to Switzerland to finally get to meet Franziska and see Armand again.

So many things I’d like to do, and maybe, come next year, I may actually be able to do that.

In the past I was happy to get back home, but somehow, today, I’m feeling a little “homesick” to my own country. The fact we get nice hot temperatures, that we have outdoor swimming pools and lakes you are allowed/can swim in, the fact you can just get into the car and drive south and you’ll be in Italy/Croatia/Spain within a day! Fabulous way of going on holiday really.

Restless…

2010-06-18T16:34:00.000+01:00

Yup, that’s what I am … our WiFi doesn’t work ON the couch, just on the wee table beside it, which means I cannot lie with my right leg elevated if I want to be online… :o Not really happy about that, but maybe that keeps me “off the box” and I get more editing done? TONS of photos of Wolves and Clansmen games still to be edited … not to mention our holiday in US and up outside Dundee!!
Restless probably because my blinking knee is not swollen… it hurts, but is not swollen… which would more indicate something is wrong with it, right? Still using the cryo cuff which is nice for pain treatment (and usually for swelling as well, but we don’t need that yet).

I’m “broken”…

2010-06-17T18:57:00.001+01:00

… the running on paved paths on Friday was worse than I thought, and standing a lot on Sunday during the game didn’t help. However, I didn’t really feel tooooo bad (but then – I sometimes wonder if having a high pain threshold is a curse as I’m just putting up with it).

Yesterday I was jogging to catch the bus and suddenly my knee just buckled. :o Managed to sit through work and then decided to go to A&E (given that I’m only 15 mins away from the hospital) to get the knee checked before our holiday(wouldn’t have gotten an appt with my GP before next week).

Waited just 40 mins for initial assessment, then on the trolley bed for another 15 mins for the X'-ray, then another 15 mins (all the while listening to a) a female alcoholic, b) a mentally challenged person and c) a guy who was out for a fight! VERY comforting … really was fearing that soon the “fight guy” is going on a riot! – Very high police attendance in A&E doesn’t really make me more comfortable either!!).

No fracture on the knee (didn’t think so – only thing could have been avulsion really – i.e. piece of bone ripped off with the tendon) … and I got the “possibly” thing again! Not that I’m losing faith in NHS (errr… yeah… actually… I AM!) – possibly an MCL sprain (what I suspected) – at least this time the nurse practitioner did the varus/valgus stress test …

But what the …. how do you get an MCL sprain without external or twisting force???? Suppose… the pavement probably could be taken as external force as there is no GIVE whatsoever.

So … went in to work today (even though I was told to rest & ice for 2 days) to clear things up before my week off, but left after 4 hours. Sitting at a desk and getting up again and again to go to the printer is not helping the knee at all. Now lying on the couch with the cryo cuff and hope for the best… need to be fit for Monday (well… actually for Saturday (junior tournament) and Sunday (Seniors away game)!!!

Tough workout but I managed it!!

2010-06-09T23:15:00.000+01:00

Tried to figure out where the small shower room at work disappeared to, as the big ones are for office gym members only and I'm not going to pay for that! Got slightly annoyed but finally found the 2 showers available ... suppose they have to have "free" showers, in case someone cycles to work. ;)

Means I can do my regular Wednesday session for the "run" (jog) around Arthur's Seat ... provided it's not chucking down rain!!!

As for today - I had a triple session tonight ... first W1D2 which I upped to 8kph speed for the run (still feels like a jog). Managed the work out.

During Body Pump I upped the ante to 2.5kg each side for most moves bar the warm up (even for the triceps bar workout!). The single plate weight for triceps I upped to 5kg as well. Still can't do the lounges without help (now used the bar to steady myself and that worked ok-ish), and squats ... yeah, just ignore me with them. Not sure if my lordosis (quite a big invard curvature of my lumbar (lower) spine) is causing trouble ... got a bit painful in the lower back (and no - that's not a "nice" term for bum! ;) ).

Body Balance worked ok too, apart from the fact that I need a block for my knee for any moves where the knee's on the ground. Oh ... and my arms were too heavy... ;) Ah well... getting back into it.

Had a nice hot bath ... here's hoping that I'm fairly ok for Ceroc tomorrow!! :)

Quick update

2010-06-07T23:53:00.000+01:00

Yup… I did it … :) Was fun, felt great afterwards, and am looking forward to Wednesday now. :)

The podcast definitely helped – I’ve downloaded two, will see if I’m trying the other one on Wednesday.

Speed-wise: warm up at 4.5kph, walk at 5.5 kph and jog at 7.6kph. Probably can crank it up to 8kph for the jog. Was running on the treadmill just to check speeds … funnily enough jog is there at 6kph (that’s fast walk for me) and walk at 3kph (geesh… that wasn’t even my cool down speed!).

Depending on weather I might actually go for a run in Holyrood Park on Wednesday during lunch break … just so I have a bit of a breather between that and Body Pump & Body Balance. :)

A step in the right direction....

2010-06-07T17:17:00.001+01:00

Ok, after lots of umm-ing and haaah-ing I am going to follow in Joanne's steps ... not that I am necessarily planning on doing a 5k run or anything, but with me doing the Body Pump, Body Balance and Ceroc already I quite like the idea of being able to do some workout I can do while on holiday where I don't have necessarily access to a gym.

After coming back from the family weekend away my scales shocked me ... I was at 90kg, the highest EVER!!! I still think the scales are broken, but hey... ;)

There you go ... tonight I'll do my first 20 mins ... :)

How To Fold a T-shirt in 2 seconds

2010-05-28T17:36:00.000+01:00

Yup, that's what I have been googling for today ... ;) DH mentioned this technique years ago, and we seem to look it up at least once a year... I personally have never tried this technique until today.

Just part of my day off work ... have done 3 washes and been doing ironing while watching TV downstairs, always having an eye on the weather. And yes, I dashed out twice to safe the washing! Deceiving sunshine ...

Ah well... back to the ironing board. :o

Concussed!!

2010-05-19T22:16:00.001+01:00

Now … that sounds a bit harsh and scary, but yes … I sustained a mild concussion on Saturday when I got into my car after the Clansmen Alumni game! :o

Was feeling ok (apart from a little sore after the bump – have done that a couple of times in my life, so why think of more? Would be a bump and maybe a bit bruised and ok in a couple of days) on Saturday, but woke up with a horrendous throbbing headache on Sunday. But of course I just blamed the migraine … a very strong one, with painful eyes (felt as if someone was gouging them out!) and a very tight band around the head plus painful back of the head (lower occipital bone) and neck – all part of my usual “migraine routine”, so again… didn’t think of anything.

Monday the pain was a little less, but coming and going … and a felt a bit more nauseous than Sunday but again … coming and going…

During the night I didn’t sleep well, neck was painful depending on how I was lying down. Despite the headaches (coming and going though) I went to work … and during the bus ride I finally came to the conclusion that I might be concussed … “my” migraines don’t last longer than 24-48 hours and the pain was localized to the area I bumped when getting into the car … plus the nausea … DH told me to phone NHS24, the nurse there seemed to agree with my self-diagnosis and sent me to RIE.

After 2 hours sitting in the waiting area (I’ve ALWAYS waited that long in that building … despite being sent over from the Western in the past, or being referred by NHS24 … doesn’t make any difference when I arrive or what day … :o Was a bit concerned NOT to be seen quicker than 1.5 hours by a nurse … head injury anyone!?!) I had full neurological testing by one of the docs, but we ruled out brain injuries (at least that!) and he agreed that I probably had a mild concussion … and apparently my migraine kicks in as a by-product …

Now slowly getting ROM (range of motion) back in my neck, and pain is getting better (although it’s still fairly bad in the mornings … probably depending on how I am lying down).

But then … who’d thought that you can give yourself a concussion when you knock your head on the car when getting into your seat!!! :o

Swamped with paperwork again & lappy off time!

2010-05-03T17:53:00.001+01:00

What is it with Mondays before a game? Always a mad rush to get Wolves registrations done – I really wish we would get that sorted 2 weeks prior to a game, if players turn up on the Sunday prior to game day then tough – not getting registered until the week after. :o

Doesn’t help that my laptop has off time at the moment … doesn’t comply whatsoever! :( I’ve tried a back up (but have to clear some space on my external HDD first!!), AntiSpyware check and virus scan, but somehow that doesn’t do the trick. I’m really in the mood to do a full format of the disk … have copied the most important things from the laptop so COULD do it, but DH’s lappy is off to repair and we might not get it back in time, which means mine is on standby for Saturday’s game… :o

So lost quite a bit of time doing the paperwork between 2 PCs, editing some photos for Saturday’s program … and still have lots more to do! :o

ARRRRRGGGHHHHHH!!!!

Bit of Cyber cropping for me

2010-04-24T22:04:00.001+01:00

Not prepared for the UKS CC (Monopoly) at all, and with baking cheesecake brownies today and watch Dr Who & Dr Who Confidential plus dealing with Away Trip paperwork I didn’t get much done … actually … managed 1 challenge and 1 class … Printed off the PDF files so far though and will do some scrapping on Monday or even tomorrow evening, depending on when we’re back from Inverness.

Point system was different this time, so no logging for yourself (shame … I quite liked that but can see why “scrappybunny” wanted to change it for her and the other organisers – they have now more time to take part themselves).

True to the theme of MONOPOLY (I’m in the team TOP HATS btw with fellow Edinburgh Croppers Yvonne & Pauline plus Joanne from Isle Of Bute – a guest cropper at our crop) the points were in £££ per layout/challenge. ;)

Here you go … first one is:

This is the class “Bow Street” (by Gertie) – title was to use alpha letters as “mask” with paint for the title plus the strips of patterned paper was included too. Not 100% happy with the LO, but the photo needed scrapping eventually. ;)

£150 for paint used (£100 without paint)

The Challenge was “Water Works” and should have included a holiday theme for £50 and if you have a water element on it you’d get another £50.

It’s our photos from Blizzard Beach 2008. :) Quite like the LO … first planned to go for a PageMaps map but the whittled down my photos (not the best quality, we used Neil’s camera in a poly bag to secure from water). Journalling not done yet – it will go on a tag behind the big photo with the snowmen.

Oh… and here’s a photo of a card I made for the “1 stamp swap” at our crop with Heather P’s stamp (the window frame one) and also used one of my own Stamping Bella Stamps “Veggiebella”

Also used some stickles. ;)

Ok … I’ve now prepped for tomorrow, now will edit photos on my laptop and maybe read a bit.

Not going! :(

2010-04-19T11:08:00.000+01:00

That's it ... we're not going ... flight was cancelled this morning. WHAT A CRAPPY CRAPPY THING!! :(

Hoping now that my big sis is going to manage to install Skype on my mum's PC so we can do a video chat tomorrow.

Not sure if I'm going to work this week ... maybe going for 2 days ... not sure. Or maybe using this week to get the house tidied, the garden done (if the weather plays along) and some crafting maybe?

Signed up for the next UKS Cybercrop, which starts on Friday ... that might make me find my Mojo again... :o

Should be sitting in my mum's flat now or go shopping in Germany, have some "Mettbroetchen" or "Leberkaesebroetchen" ... CRAP! :(

All because of this one here...

Update - not looking good

2010-04-18T17:58:00.000+01:00

Been keeping busy with editing photos and watching TV ... and now the latest news are Lufthansa nothing until 2pm (?am?) tomorrow, BA not even consider flying until Wednesday.

It's quite weird to see the differences in days ... DH and I suspect that British government doesn't want to do anything "risky" because of the elections looming in May! :(

Sun's finally out ... just about 7 hours late. :( Ah crappy crappy time!!! Really not happy!

Grounded!

2010-04-18T12:30:00.000+01:00

I should have been at my mum’s by now … should have landed yesterday around 9pm in Frankfurt, but yet we’re still here at home. That stupid volcano has some explaining to do!!! :( Currently we’re booked for a flight on Monday with stand-by for today, but who says the flight will be going tomorrow???

It’s quite weird what you take for granted – I’ve been back for my mum’s (and previously my granny’s) birthday since I moved to the UK – that’s now 11 years with this year being a bit of a problem. Can’t even go via train or ferry, as they’re all fully booked; driving is not an option either, due to the Chunnel being already fully booked – and considering that our car has troubles to get down to Doncaster – I doubt we would like to try if it can go all the way to Frankfurt (AND we would lose 1 day each way).

So right now we don’t even know IF we’re flying tomorrow. Apparently Lufthansa & KLM have done some test flights yesterday afternoon and decided it’s not safe enough. DH asked me if we would like to be the first to try flying – would that be safe? I’m not too sure. :o

At least I’m staying at home today (novelty on a Sunday in quite some time again!) due to stand-by. Weather is crap though, so my plans of doing some gardening or going for a nice walk are crushed. So today will be doing some housework, editing photos and maybe doing some crafts later. And a trip to the cinema.

I was shocked to hear my mum getting all teary yesterday when I called her to let her know the flight is cancelled … we’ve been down in December, and she’s planning to come up in August for the Festivals, but I assume for her it’s even worse than for me if we don’t visit during the usual time. :o

If we’re still grounded tomorrow then we won’t fly at all as our return flight is on Friday (first Wolves game on Sunday). Then we’ll try to go down in July or so. As much as I’d love that (able to go swimming in the “Kiesgrube” etc), I would prefer to be there for my mum’s birthday ….

Friday Fill-Ins

2010-04-02T22:11:00.002+01:00

1. All you need is a cuppa and a piece of cake to relax a little.
2. Animal antics fill me with laughter.
3. Each generation, as it grows up, makes it own history.
4. My inner self is something I have a hard time dealing with.
5. A trip to my family is what I need.
6.Give and you get back.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to not much today, tomorrow my plans include a cinema trip and Sunday, I want to see a good pre-season Wolves scrimmage!

Sinking...

2010-03-29T13:58:00.001+01:00

Haven't posted in a while, and was determined to do better than last year. Didn't even keep up my monthly and weekly quick fillers/updates.

Life's quite stressful ... lots of things going not really the best way ... Football, family life, health...

I've got tons to do (editing Photos from Clansmen games and the holidays, doing some "culling" around the house, get Wolves paperwork done asap, update the blog, do some scrapping) but at the moment there's always something else getting in the way, or I'm just NOT IN THE MOOD!!! :(

Had a scan today, no cysts reappeared since OP in October, but weight's not ideal so we don't want to go ahead with another cycle just yet. However, I am getting frustrated with NHS/Sign and whatsoever ... I'm in the "mill" for coming up 5 years now, we had 3 fresh cycles, 2 frozen (or was it 3? It's all just merging into one long line of treatments really!!! :( ), and so far I only had one attempt that "took" ... and then ended in a fail afterall. BY THEIR STATS I SHOULD HAVE 1.5 KIDS BY NOW!!!!

I'm not believing in "entitlement", i.e in normal life we should have 2.5 kids because everyone else does etc. But what annoys me is that we're "playing by the rules" for the whole thing, no smoking (we don't anyway), no drinking (very rarely for me) and healthy diet (we do! Just the weight didn't shift with me since the OP due to Christmas and me not going to the gym due to constant colds/migraines/stress etc.). And yet they can't figure out why we're not getting anywhere, or won't look into other tests because of them working under SIGN. REALLY getting fed up with that right now! :( I've had enough of bad times ... can't I finally get a bloody break????

Current options are to lose 8kg until next month (impossible with a trip to Germany) or having to wait until October!!! Stupid waiting lists here! :(

Friday Fill-ins

2010-02-26T18:48:00.001Z

And...here we go!

1. A cup of tea is currently my life saver with the cold!
2. A personal touch makes a place feel like home.
3. Everything has its beauty – you just have to look for it.
4. Can you beat the taste of strawberries?
5. Art makes me feel torn sometimes (depending on the art).
6. LOL I just noticed I forgot to close the window (cooold!)
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to relax, tomorrow my plans include recovery from the cold and Sunday, I want to attend a football game! Or a scrimmage!

Gunky Cranky Days….

2010-02-23T12:55:00.001Z

Can’t believe I got that stupid cold for 1.5 weeks already … or can I?! It started off with a very sore throat during the night of the 13th, then my body decided to add sinusitis about mid-week, and from Friday (when, incidentally, I woke up with fever of 38.8 – I NEVER get fever!!!) a dry/hacking cough arrived.

Managed to get an appointment with one of the GPs at my practice on Friday and got my knuckles rapped because I didn’t make an earlier appointment so they could figure out if it’s a viral or bacterial infection. D’UH! I’ve been told not to bother with doc’s appointments for a “common cold” with sore throat unless it takes more than 6 days to go away … and considering the time spans I get from my GPs for appointments (the past couple of months it’s between 5 and 7 days!) I really didn’t bother.

And YES, I am CRANKY!!! :( Fed up with NHS for the timeframes etc. (come on … being told the next appointment is not available until next week when you phone because of migraine/tension headaches???? That’s only an example btw, don’t have migraines, but the interrupted sleep/hacking cough resulted in tension headaches when I woke up – and they’re still there.). And I am annoyed at my body to throw Sinusitis, head colds and migraines at me for the last weeks since I got my diploma!! And usually at my days off, so I CAN’T EVEN DO WHAT I WANT TO DO!!!! HMPH!

I hope to be able to do some stuff this afternoon, hopefully being ok for work tomorrow or at least Thursday. Need to be fit for Sunday – either going down to Durham with the Clansmen for an away game or being at the Wolves v Mavs scrimmage at home. :)

Weekly Me – Week 5

2010-02-05T19:56:00.000Z

Outside my window… it’s cold and wet again.

I am thinking...I’m really not happy with my GP and dentist this week!

I am thankful for... a warm cuppa tea or Chai Latte. :)

From the kitchen... still the smell of oven baked potatoes (with tuna mayo and the other with cheese)

I am wearing... jogging bottoms and a t’shirt – my usual garb at home really.

I am remembering... that I promised myself to have the Wolves scrapbook updated by Super Bowl party … but that ain’t gonna happen yet again! :o

I am creating... still nothing – Mojo is still MIA, but I will try to do some scrapping/card making tomorrow.

I am going... to look into fruit & veg to be planted in the back garden at some point.

I am currently reading... “Order in Chaos” by Jack Whyte.

I am hoping... that my Mojo is coming back soon – I REALLY want to do scrapping, but I just don’t do it?!

I am hearing... the Simpsons. ;) And “Defying Gravity” (Wicked the Musical) sung by Alexia Khadime.

Around the house... a lot needs done … :o

One of my favorite things… was my Cuttlebug – which I’d broken last crop and haven’t replaced yet.

Sorry … rant!

2010-02-05T18:15:00.001Z

Just back from the GP (well… have been preparing dinner since) and am just totally baffled really… and losing faith in the medical system here. :o

First of all, appointment was at 4:30pm and I didn’t get seen until 5pm. Same happened on Monday at my dentist. So why do practices insist on giving you appointments if THEY cannot keep them? But BEWARE if YOU are not on time … a dark look is the minimum you get!!!

At the dentist I was then told after 5 mins of checking fillings and gums that I should come back for another appointment where we do the X-Ray of my broken front tooth (which had a small chip in it again). Little me was thinking that would put me back about 2 weeks … but NO! The first appointment they gave me was 24th of MARCH!!!! What is WRONG in this picture????

But I digress …

Today’s GP appointment was for my left wrist … painful for about 1.5 weeks now. With my own knowledge I ruled out broken bones or dislocations and it kinda came down to tendonitis (bare in mind that as a Sports Therapist I am not allowed to diagnose - “educated guess” is allowed, but no diagnosis).

Went to my GP, explained situation, where the pain is etc. GP then prods around my carpals (in layman’s terms: the small bones in your wrist, all 8 of them). Found the spots of pain, and ruled out necrosis of the bones. Then she said “You probably have tendonitis. Take some anti-inflammatories and if it’s still painful in a couple of weeks come back and we get a scan done.”

Now … I had to bite my tongue there … I “probably” have tendonitis???? And why do GPs only check the bones? How about doing special tests for the muscles/tendons? I mean … I would have expected full checking of ulnar & radial deviation (that’s the movement of your hand at the wrist to the left or the right as far as it goes) and the prayer test (put your hands together as if you’re praying and then move your arms downwards in front of your chest) or the reverse prayer test (backs of hands together instead of palms).

But NO! Nothing of that! The GP has effectively done an educated guess on the tendonitis issue!!! GEEESH!!!!

I AM REALLY NOT AMUSED!!!!

After our situation at EFREC I am really more and more losing my faith (and respect!!) in the British medical professions!

Friday Fill-ins

2010-02-05T15:43:00.000Z

1. I know that the weekend will be over far too quickly.
2. January sometimes feels like the longest month.
3. You can't help but wonder about some medical professionals.
4. Super Bowl on Sunday; bring it on!
5. Where have you looked for greek food lately?
6. Cream Eggs are now available.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to , tomorrow my plans include cinema and dinner at Khublai Khan’s and Sunday, I want to get some sleep in between Wolves Junior & Senior training and the Super Bowl kicking off at midnight!

Monthly Round-up JANUARY

2010-02-01T11:21:00.004Z

I’ve pinched this from Katie’s Blog (Scrapbook Lady) and quite like the idea.

What books and/or magazines did I read this month?
BOOKS: “Ice Limit” by Douglas Preston/Lincoln Child, "The Tiger Warrior" by David Gibbins and “The last Oracle” by James Rollins (a couple pages left.
MAGAZINES: CK, PaperCrafts, Prima, Ultra Fit (after my exam)
What movies, television shows, plays, etc. did I watch this month?
“Avatar” (needs to be watched in 3D!!), “Where the Wild things are”, “Daybreakers” (I think … will have to check on the first 2 though and might have missed one), new TV series for us is "GLEE" (and we love it!)
What fun things did I do with my family and/or friends?
Going to the cinema, watching my first Capitals Ice Hockey game, being back at Wolves training
What gifts did I give and/or receive?
Got calendards, chocolate and kandis from my mum. Got Millie’s Cookie Swirls for DH.
What special or unusual purchases did I make?
A calf length kilt skirt. :)
What illnesses or health concerns did I have?
Tension headaches and a cold come sinusitis. :( And a painful wrist since Wednesday.
What were my accomplishments this month?
I PASSED MY SPORTS THERAPY EXAM!!!! ;) And started working in a different department for yet again the same company! ;)
What were my disappointments this month?
Bit of negative reaction from some people in the club.
How did I do on my goals for the month? (Or any current short or long term goals)
Lost a bit of the weight put on during Xmas, got my Sports Therapy Diploma and am back to the gym.
Anything else noteworthy to include?
Not sure … we’ve been training at the Heriot Watt Astro Dome, so that was a new experience!! :)

Here are the tasks I try to make sure are done by the end of the month:

Upload all digital pictures to my hard drive and clear off memory cards in camera. Place all photos for the month in a computer folder labeled with the month and year. Make a backup copy of the photos from the month on my external hard drive and a dvd. I also upload all photos to my flickr account (you can use any offsite photo storage site, but here's why I love flickr). Ideally, these activities should be done every time you process any pictures through your computer so you don't lose any precious files, but if you have lapsed during the month, now's the time to get it done!
Choose photos or digital layouts to be printed out and get it done while I'm thinking about it.
Backup any other documents or files as needed. I use an external hard drive, I also upload many documents to Google docs. I don't like to lose stuff.
Backup my blog. It's easy to do if you have one, just use Typepad backup or blogger backup.
Clean off my work area, empty my inbox, and clean up my computer files. Here's a link to my digi organization post.

Will have to deal with the “task” part of things. :)

Weekly (umm!!) Me! :) 2010 Week 4

2010-01-29T15:05:00.003Z

Outside my window… I can see the sun shining. FINALLY!!! :) And the garden needing work soon! :0

I am thinking...I’m going to shuffle about my to-do list for the next couple of days. ;) Enjoy a bit time off with a couple of household chores peppered in.

I am thankful for... the fact that my sinusitis seems to be on the way out… and that I did pass my exam and am now hold my Diploma in Sports Therapy!

From the kitchen...the smell of re-heated (and devoured) haggis is still lingering, and I can hear the dishwasher doing its work. :)

I am wearing... jogging bottoms and a Wolves t-shirt. Just ready for the gym, whenever I plan on going (most likely some time between 6 and 9 ;) )

I am remembering...last week Tuesday & Wednesday I was all in tatters, my nerves all over the place and my head empty of anything I learned about Anatomy/Physiology and Therapy treatments! Is that really just one week ago???

I am creating...nothing yet. But I have plans to finally go back to my study and do some scrapping/card making this week. Oh … and I finished DH’s Miami Dolphins quilt. ;)

I am going...to my first ever hen night (well.. the dinner part of it) tomorrow … what am I going to give the bride-to-be? And what card am I going to make?

I am currently reading...James Rollins’ “The last Oracle” and am nearly finished and ready for the next book! :)

I am hoping...to find my Mojo in time for making a Hen Night card for Fi and to get some scrapping done!!!

I am hearing...several “pick me up” songs right now (not necessarily lyrics wise, but peppy-sound-wise): “Just say yes” – Snow Patrol, “Meet me Halfway” & “I got a feeling” – The Black Eyed Peas and “Bad Boys” – Alexandra Burke.

Around the house...still a lot of stuff around, Wolves kit is back and we’re going to look into the NFL items collection for the Super Bowl party on the 7th.

One of my favorite things… the lap trays AP got us for Christmas – quite handy for my laptop and dinner in the living rooms.

Friday Fill-ins

2010-01-29T13:38:00.002Z

And...here we go!

1. Wouldn't it be easy to just ignore the ironing all day?
2. Wolves are back - better than ever!
3. I love the taste of maple walnut ice cream.
4. Looks like a bomb exploded in the living room.
5. The first thing we're going to do is have a cuppa and make a plan.
6. Constant drip, drip, drip; But Sunshine today.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to going to the gym, tomorrow my plans include Fi’s Hen Night (dinner only) and Sunday, I want to have a sunny training day!

Missing....

2010-01-26T18:16:00.004Z

MISSING: 1 Scrapbooking Mojo

LAST SEEN: Very long time ago

RANSOM: No calls for ransom have been received so far

If anyone finds it, please return it to its rightful owner (i.e. me).

Come to think of it .... its siblings CARD MAKING MOJO, CROSS STITCHING MOJO and KNITTING MOJO have been absent for a long time too ... and the little brother QUILTING BROTHER was last seen yesterday but has no knowledge of his siblings whereabouts!

Still feeling “yucky”

2010-01-26T15:47:00.001Z

Sinusitis is at the stage of “Every fibre of the body hurts”. Hope that means it quickly on its way out. Staying at home today, but am up and about and am trying to get stuff done …

So …

Portuguese Pork - simmering in the slow cooker
the washing up – done
Wolves D tops – 1/2 washed, other 1/2 in machine now
DH’s work lunches - partly prepared

I’m going to have a very late lunch and a cuppa now… ;)

What have I done so far today?

2010-01-25T15:46:00.002Z

Feels like not much ... but then... I didn't get up until 11:30am. ;)

Currently the 3rd load of Wolves wash is in (yep ... we're back to that again!! ;) ), 2 loads of jerseys currently trying on the racks.

Oh ... and I finished DH's quilt... the binding...just in time for Superbowl on the 7th. :) I am still no good with it, even WITH the ironing binding instead of sewing.

The back is wonky ... the front looks a bit off as I had to pull more of the binding to the back (lesson learned - use more width for binding next time!!!). And it looks smaller (width-wise) than I'd thought. :o

BIIIIG SORRY, DOUG!!! But I hope (and know) you'll enjoy the quilt no matter what!! :)

Weekly appointment at 4:30pm, then making the "Haggis, Neeps & Tatties" soup a la New Covent Garden Food Co, "Soup for all Seasons". We LOVE it! :) And after proper Haggis, Neeps & Tatties at St. Andrew's Day, we tend to have the soup version on Burn's Night (or visa versa).

Thanks again to SHARON to introduce me to that cook book ... I got the other 2 older ones too, now looking into getting the latest one, "Soup for all Occasions".

And here it is …

2010-01-25T13:22:00.001Z

fresh through the door!! :)

Wahey!! :)

Currently thinking about a 2nd cuppa … been up until 4am this morning, watching the New Orleans Saints beat the Minnesota Vikings in overtime. :o Either team would have been fine with me really, but I am kinda glad the Saints made it (never been to the Superbowl and after Hurricane Katrina etc … well). :)

Superbowl XLIV will be played at Dolphins Stadium in Miami … and the finalists are:

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS v NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

And we’re happy that it’s not the New York Jets … DH cannae stand them! ;)

Stress is gone ....

2010-01-22T22:09:00.002Z

5 weeks of tense studying and panic of failing the exam had my body in overdrive and defenses were all up.

But now, that I have PASSED!!!! My body is against me ... sinusitis is full blown now, sore throat too ... no headache (bar the facial pain from sinusitis) at least.

So ... service will resume shortly ... ;) I hope to have a duvet-ish day tomorrow and then it's hopefully back to normal.

Oh... one thing... I made "Matjessalat" today for dinner ... my German readers will most likely know this dish or at least have heard of it. It's basically salty Herring - but because I wasn't able to get them I used "Rollmops" (which is the rolled up pickled herring), which actually worked great, according to DH. Add to that sliced onions, sliced sour apples (I used Granny Smith), Juniper Berries and then a sauce made of Mayo, Sour Cream, Lemon juice, Oil and a bit of single cream ... and that's Matjessalat - and you eat it with boiled potatoes ;) My Mutsch sent me the recipe last week after I came across the 2 jars of Rollmops I bought end of last year and decided I had to do something with that (and the plan was always Matjessalat - as Hubby LOVES that dish!!! ;)).

Was a bit apprehensive with the sauce, but it tasted good!!

And now ... the "weird" fact of the day ... I LOVE Matjessalat ... but I HATE the Matjes part of it!! ;) Could happily do with the whole thing without the fish. And I NEVER liked the fishy part of it ... my Mutsch didn't realise that until I told her that last year... ;) Give me the onions, apples and sauce ANY TIME though... LOVE that. But the fish ... yuck! Can't remember when I had it last time I tried the fish, did it today though and I still don't like it.

And this post turned out longer than planned after all!! :)

On the 20th Day of the year 2010 ....

2010-01-20T22:28:00.002Z

I gained my Diploma in Sports Therapy!!!

YAY!

More info tomorrow ... I am totally knackered, got a stinking headache and my back's killing me (was tense all day and that's what you get).

Did a "borderline pass" ... but who the heck cares???

I PASSED!!!!!!

Phew!!! :)

(and that was on a joint that I haven't really done lots of studying about and NEVER have been presented with an injury by any players so far ... so ... if I would have picked the envelope with the Knee, Ankle or Shoulder - I would have passed with flying colours, don't you think???? ;) ).