Gardening May 31, 2008
Posted by graciek in Life in General.Tags: gardening
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This week we’ve both been off work and it’s been a bit like having a holiday at home. Only problem was the awful weather. It’s been cold and rainy all week long. Today we woke up and there was bright sunshine – hurray! We decided to do a bit of tidying up of the garden. Hubby did the weeding and I planted out some flowers. We got 3 trays for £9 at B&Q (a tad expensive but they’re a good size). The season has been so strange, we started Spring in late January (all the bulbs came up early) then it got really hot, then cold and snowed in April then rainy. The seeds I planted out have grown really slowly this year and have only just got to the stage where they’re coming out of the large trays into the individual tray pots. Looks like it’ll be at least a month before they’re a decent size to plant out. Hopefully this means we’ll have a nice extended Summer/Autumn. We got some geraniums and petunias and now about 1/2 the garden beds are looking nice. We already had a few busy lizzies out from after Easter (even these haven’t bushed out yet).
Summary of the day: Woke up at 5.30am and did the washing up from last night’s dinner party, Went back to sleep at 10, Woke up a second time at 11.30, Had leftovers for lunch, Enjoyed gardening in the afternoon, Did the crossword/sudoku, Watched Dr Who (aaargh, are you afraid of the dark?)
Ticket to Ride Board Game May 30, 2008
Posted by graciek in Life in General, Parties.Tags: ticket to ride
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Had a small soiree (ooh that’s a bit posh). Actually it involved me cooking dinner for friends, copious amounts of wine (not for me though) and playing board games. Rach and Lou have a new game called Ticket to Ride and it’s about trying to build railway lines between cities in the US. The gameplay is actually very simple (you try and build railroads across the country to gain points). You collect a different number of coloured carriages in order to build from city to city. At first it seems pretty trivial until you realise that you COULD concentrate on building your routes to gain points, or you COULD just sit there scuppering other people’s lines by building between crucial cities!! Mwa ha ha.
So what was on the menu for our party? Well we had antepasti for starters (consisting of a salad with feta, sundried tomatoes and olives, onion chutney, oven roasted cherry tomatoes and peppers, salami and ham with warmed ciabatta). Salmon carbonara for mains (oops I cooked enough for about 10 people so we’ll be having derivations of this for our meals for the weekend now). Then cheese and crackers for dessert (in between the games playing).
Summary of the day: Went to Boots to find my free changing bag (they had none in store – boo), Went to pick up some bits and bobs for Antepasti, Prepared and cooked dinner, Served up and played board games all night (went to bed past midnight!!)
Spooky Alien Stomach May 29, 2008
Posted by graciek in Life in General, Pregnancy.Tags: baby movements
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Was feeling quite big today in the pregnant tummy department. Shrimp is 31 weeks gestation today. Decided to have a nice warm bath (whilst doing the crossword in the newspaper). Shrimp was thumping about as the bath was filling and then once I got relaxed Shrimp stopped moving. I was looking down at the bump and could see that when I breathed out my stomach kept pulsing/moving very slightly up and down – freaky. Then I decided to investigate my belly button (which is still an inney) but I can see the bottom of it when I manipulate my stomach a bit. Stopped pressing my tummy and suddenly Shrimp did a great big barrel roll or something – AHHH EVEN MORE FREAKY I saw my whole stomach change shape and could see something moving about under my skin. Then I got some kicks here and there which again made me go eep – it really was like Alien. Called hubby over to watch and then Shrimp misbehaved and stopped moving again. 5mins later and she did a big double kick at about right angles to each other and my stomach went a really odd shape. Hubby was freaked out too. Apart from thinking it a bit weird it was kind of cool and reminded my that there is a tiny person in there moving independently of me. I wonder if I will be able to see a foot or fist or something sticking out yet – now that would be strange?
Summary of the day: Had a bath, Played poke the Shrimp, Went for a wander to the shops, Decluttered some of the stuff from spare room, Put all the furniture back in the room (it looks practically the same as before we redecorated – ho hum)
Blood Test Results May 28, 2008
Posted by graciek in Life in General, Pregnancy.Tags: blood test results
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So, last week I had to visit the phlebotomist to have some blood taken for the GTT (and FBC while they were making holes). Everything is normal – hurray! I’m “normal”, you won’t hear that adjective being used to describe me very often 
. Fasting glucose was 4.1 and after a swift lucozade downing and 2 hr wait it was 4.7. Think it has to go above 11 to be diabetes so no worries there. Next midwife appt is on Monday, Dentist on Wed and another scan at the hospital the week after that. Think I’ll be sitting in waiting rooms quite a bit this fortnight.
Summary of the day: Lazed around in bed, Had a sausage sarnie for brekkie (mm leftovers), Sorted out the chores (again – at least I’m keeping on top of it all), Went to doctor’s to get results, Got rained on, Read newspaper, Helped with redecorating the spare room (as best as I could), Made Pork & Mushroom in Yellow Bean sauce (yummmmmy)
It All Seems So Final! May 27, 2008
Posted by graciek in Life in General.Tags: leaving work
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Hubby is on 1/2 term so is at home this week. He took me into the office to pick up my belongings. It was sad driving into work and swiping in for the last time. Said hello as usual to everyone. Hubby packed my stuff into the car while I chatted to my colleagues and friends. When I turned around to look at my desk it was very poignant as it was totally empty and devoid of anything “me” anymore. I’m the only one to ever have sat at that desk as I’ve been around since the inception of the SEIC. I did leave my Marvin the Martian on the phone though I love my job and thoroughly enjoyed the 6 years I spent there. The best thing was the people and the fun we had (playing charades at Christmas instead of working, stealthy kettle fill ups, rubber band wars, the usual pranking).
Summary of the day: Went to erase myself from work (boo hoo), Went to Wickes to buy DIY stuff for redecorating the spare room, Moped around the house feeling a bit empty! Had a nap, Made Toad-in-the Hole for the first time ever.
Isn’t it Almost June??? May 26, 2008
Posted by graciek in Life in General, Loughborough.Tags: lousy weather
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Hmm today’s max temperature was 12 deg. It’s almost June FFS! Feels like it’s gone back to being February again. It was actually warmer in Sydney (in winter) today than it was in UK.
Hubby and I had a fairly relaxed Bank Holiday and went shopping in the morning. It was dead in town guess everyone else must have been hungover somewhere! We had to return/exchange our baby gate to Argos as they had a product recall. Popped into Poundstretcher just to see what el-cheapo stuff they were selling (actually I was reading on the Bounty Pregnancy forums about the little bits and bobs other ladies had got there). Bought 300 nappy bags for 99p and a selection of random cleaning products. Then we wandered off to Subway for lunch (2 meals for £5.99 – mmm Meatball Marinara) and then off to Wilkos to get some Cocoa Butter (no sign of stretch marks yet, keeping fingers crossed). On the way back to the car park the wind was really getting strong and I was waddling along, stupid Braxton Hicks coming on, trousers trying to fall down off my hips, top trying to ride up above the bump, cardigan blowing off my shoulders. I think I needed about 14 hands to carry the stuff, and hold various bits of clothing around myself. I was sooo angry and irrational I was telling the weather off (I don’t think it worked as the wind didn’t die down at all).
Summary of the day: Went shopping, Relaxed, Did a few chores, Had a lovely afternoon nap, Comforted the dog after hubby accidentally dropped her down the stairs (oh dear, what will we do when he gets butter fingers with the baby?).
Baby Position May 25, 2008
Posted by graciek in Life in General, Pregnancy.Tags: baby's position
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After the overexertion and exposure to all weathers yesterday I had a nice relaxed day today – TBH I was totally knackered and exhausted by the time I woke up. After 2 weeks of trying to escape out of the RH side of my body, Shrimp decided that it was time for a little vacation and has I think turned sideways on (transverse) and moved upwards. From the front my stomach looked a bit like a cartoon ostrich that is trying to swallow something sideways whole! Peculiar. She has been very quiet today too after all the kicking yesterday (apparently Shrimp isn’t impressed when I was blowing the whistles yesterday as she got a bit of a scare each time). Shrimp really did enjoy the waffles I had for dessert though (lots if kicking and wriggling about). Not sure if it’s because of the sugar spike, or whether she was getting less space because of my stomach getting full!
Summary of the day: Woke up late, Watched telly with our guests that stayed overnight, Went out for SUnday lunch (again, it’s getting to be a bit of a habit lately)), Came back and read Saturday’s Times and did crosswords.
Windswept & Sunburnt – Great!! May 24, 2008
Posted by graciek in Life in General, Parties.Tags: archery competition
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It was the “Ex versus Current” archery club shoot today. The weather forecast was quite pleasant – sunny intervals, around 20deg. Hmm in reality it really was sunny intervals – but more like overcast and windy with about 2mins of sunny intervals every 1/2 hr. The shoot took around 5+ hours and I was Lady Paramount for the day (what with being 7 months pregnant and far too off balance I couldn’t really shoot) so spent the time blowing whistles, judging and helping to find arrows. It was so cold I had my jacket on as well as hubby’s waterproof jacket as well as my hat on. I must have looked like a really strange looking tourist, already extremely rotund from the baby, but even more padded from the 4 layers of clothes and then a sun hat on top! We had found a more sheltered spot after the shoot and had a BBQ. Then the sun was out and it was lovely. Unfortunately I was totally knackered, and my cheeks were very sore – something like sunburn AND windburn at the same time. I had to go have a lie down in the car for while to recover. Then we retreated back to our house for a mini-Eurovision party.
Summary of the day: Spent most of it standing in the middle of 5 sports pitches at the mercy of the weather!!
Hmm Bored Already May 23, 2008
Posted by graciek in Life in General, Pregnancy.Tags: maternity leave
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Today was the first day of my “new” life. I started maternity leave today (well officially I don’t start till next week, but I had a few days of annual leave to take). Started the day by waking up bright and alert at 6am – WTF!!!! When I have to go to work I find it hard to drag myself out of my pit before 8am. Now I can legitimately have a lie-in and lo and behold my body decides 6am is the best time of day. Got up, tidied house, stripped bedsheets, vacuumed house from top to bottom (even the vintage cobwebs), Cleaned kitchen, Did washing up, Sorted out rubbish. Browsed facebook (hmm that didn’t keep me occupied for more than about 10 mins). Made umpteen cups of tea. Then it got to midday. I was so bored I had to watch daytime telly, then went for a stroll to the corner shop and post office to do a few errands. Got cravings for a Twister ice cream but alas the Kwik-e-Mart had none so had to make do with a copy of The Times (for reading, not eating obviously!!). That took me to 4pm and then I got a major wave of afternoon napping. Managed to push through that somehow and then hubby got home and we did yet more tidying (we had some visitors staying). House looks great, fabulous long weekend coming up (hmm not sure why I’ve called it a long weekend as now everyday is like a continuous weekend for me).
I think I may actually have to start writing down a list of all those things I didn’t have time to do at home. Then start ticking them off the list. Next week I think the windows will need a clean and should take doggy for more walkies. Oh yeah and that pesky PhD writing up (note I didn’t get bored enough today to warrant actually opening the PhD folder – I’m too damned good at procrastinating).
Summary of the day: Pootled about the house doing various bits and bobs. Had fishfingers for dinner (feels like being a kid again). Played piano for a while (Shrimp seems to enjoy it much more than earlier in my pregnancy she was flipping about to the music), Had a bath (again Shrimp is lively at certain positions it felt like my stomach was like a sack full of cats)
Last Day of Work May 22, 2008
Posted by graciek in Going Out, Life in General.Tags: leaving do
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Today was my last day at work. I got in the car and left for work feeling a bit of trepidation that it would be the last time I would have to do that. Got to work and said hi to everyone as usual. Found a box of chocolates on my desk from one of my final year students (aw, it’s nice to be appreciated).
Felt a bit sad. Spent the whole morning packing up my stuff (3 filing cabinets and a desk full of stuff). It’s a bit depressing that 6 years of my work condenses down into a 42 litre plastic box and 2 plastic bags. It felt quite liberating though to clear things out/tidy up the cabinets and I managed to recycle 2 whole bins full of stuff. Went out for pub lunch with some of the peeps from work which was nice and chilled. Spent the afternoon backing up and copying files onto my external hard drive and finishing off a few bits of work. It then took me over 1/2 hr to write my goodbye email to everyone (which was especially sad).
Had my leaving do at Moomba, which seemed apt seeing as we’re off to Oz later this year. It was nice to have so many colleagues out and made me realise that most of these people are also my friends that I see almost every day and a lot of them I socialise with too. I didn’t seem so bad saying goodbye as I will still be in Loughborough until December and will prob be popping into the office now and again to say hello and bring the baby in once she’s born.
I got a loads of presents wrapped up in the shape of a boomerang which was so cool! It was like Christmas again! Mostly a lovely set of topaz and silver jewellery and address book and pen to keep in touch with everyone.
Summary of the day: Felt sad, Went to work, Went to pub, More work, Had a quick nap at home, Went out for leaving dinner.
