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Head
It's very imaginative, visually amazing, probably took weeks of people doing digital things, but I really don't like it. I have to look away from the screen when it comes on because it makes me feel squeamish. I think its the concept of all those heads bouncing through the countryside, and the lack of a body that troubles me. Because I'm unable to watch the entire advert I haven't been able to make any connection between the lack of a torso and digital television's multiple channels, perhaps its really simple and is just observing that if you watch loads of telly you don't need a body, or digital telly lets your roam free. Any answers?
Secretive Nanny
Flo Mildred aka Millie
The kittens are slowly but surely becoming more social, Flo is far bolder than her sister, she will soon let me know by squeaking if she is hungry, which seems to be most of the time. Millie is still wary of us, but if she sees Flo having a playful time curiosity gets the better of her and she has to go and join in. They are now happily ensconced in their 'igloo' so we no longer have a large cardboard box cluttering up the kitchen, thank heavens. The kitchen is quite cluttered enough, especially on a Thursday when an unofficial little Mum's and Babies group congregates at my house. Daughters go to Jack in the Box and that finishes at 11am so they, and any friends they have met there, come round afterwards for coffee, which then turns into lunch. Last week the final one left at 4.30, Jacks Mummy leaves at 12.30 to go to work so it's good for him as he has company, but it does make dinner preparations run late.
Jack dobbed Nanny in yesterday. I owned up to daughter that he had a cup of tea in the afternoons, that was given the all clear, as long as I don't give him coffee (!!!), I even admitted that I had given him tinned macaroni cheese (raised eyebrows, mutterings about salt content and kidneys) but I had kept the TellyTubbies video a secret. It was my secret weapon, when I could take nicotine deprivation no longer, generally 2 hours after being woken by him, I would sit him infront of this seditious visual extravaganza, and sneak into the office for a quick puff. His Mummy had made her views on TT clear years ago, ' they don't speak properly, there's no educational value etc '. Quite by accident, I had CBB's on, I discovered that they entrance him, everything else is forgotten as he imitates these brightly coloured, sexless creatures., so when I was roaming the Charity Shops and I saw a TT video I just had to have it, for emergencies only. Anyway, they came round yesterday and the first thing the little tell-tale did was rush to the video collection, grab the box, and give it to his Mummy. Thunderclouds accumulated across her face, hands went to hips, lips were pursed, Hubby scuttled from the room, and I was left to deal with the fall-out. I explained my rationale, assured her of the limited time he watched TV for, especially those corrupting TT, and the storm passed with very little damage to property.
Yes, I am one of those terrible smokers. I know I should give it up, not just for my health but also that of those around me. I never smoke anywhere near the Grandchildren (well any children), pregnant women, whilst I'm working, and now the whole house has been decorated there are only two designated areas where Hubby and I can indulge our vice, and both of those are equiped with air-purifiers. I know, excuses, excuses, I have tried to give up, on numerous occasions, but I am well and truely addicted. I rarely drink alcohol, I don't eat junk food so please don't judge me too harshly on my weakness for the weed.
The shame of it....
I lost it in the supermarket yesterday. Firstly, in my defence, I would like to say that some years ago I had, what I can only assume was, a panic attack. It happened at the checkout, vacant girl was speeding through my items on the belt, whilst I was still unloading the trolley, I couldn't keep up, shopping was piling up the other end, and I realised that I hyperventilating and had just hurled half a dozen eggs onto the checkout. I stopped, breathed slowly, and all was right with the world. Never happened since, but I am wary, it does no good for my image as a hard-nut to act out of control 
. So, this has made me cautious when I get to the checkout so I work methodically, at a fast but not hurried pace, and am not afraid to ask the checkout person to slow down if they are scanning quicker than I can pack. This happened yesterday. The items were piling up, I requested that she slow down. The belt was switched off, but the scanning continued at the same rate so the shopping was now all accumulating at the beginning of the belt. I glanced at the woman behind me, she shrugged and raised her eyebrows. I tried again,
Could you slow the scanning down, or help me pack please?
We're busy.
Yes, I can see that, but you rushing my shopping through is not going to clear this checkout any faster since I only pay when I've finished packing. Please slow down.
She turned her back to me and continued at the same pace.
I stopped packing, stepped alongside her, waited until she looked at me and then...out it came,
You may think that (name of supermarket) pays you, but you are sadly mistaken, it is my custom that pays your wages. You will now help me with my packing. Thankyou.
I don't know who blushed more, her, me, or the people at the adjacent tills. I walked out, head high, carefully avoiding eye contact with anyone. It's internet shopping for me now.
Spirit of Sport?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/gymnastics/4445506.stm#
I was shocked when I saw this yesterday. Shocked that children could be treated like this, and all in the name of sport. Is this what the olympics have become, is this what we want the olympics to be about? If this is what winning a medal involves, then the less we win the better.
Delicate
Two of my more demanding ladies have been hospitalised over the weekend. One is the needy, must see someone every other day 'cos I'm pregnant and therefore ill womean, now 34 weeks pregant. My caring side has has been virtually drained dry by this lady, as has her G.P's and the staff at the hospital, there is nothing wrong with her, this time. We can't dismiss her worries as one time she may really have a problem, and if we just ignore her heaven knows what may happen. The registrar at the hospital was hilarious, he didn't know what to do with her. He had said she was OK and could go home, but she immediately developed another 'problem'. So there she remained, cluttering up a busy labour ward and annoying everyone.
The other one of my 'out of the ordinary' women has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, cleanliness being her main concern. She finds it very difficult to let anyone touch her (how did she get pregnant) unless they've washed their hands, under her supervision for 5 minutes, and thats between every touch, so if I take her blood pressure I wash first, palpate her abdomen, wash, check for swelling, wash, heaven knows what it was like during labour. After she had the baby the midwife caring for her declared that 'she was not putting up with that rubbish', and it worked. I wish I'd tried that one.
Work over the weekend was horrid, cold and very foggy. I really don't like driving around, trying to find addresses in the fog, it's tension producing and so I end with headache from peering at door numbers whilst trying to ensure I don't hit a stationary vehicle.
Jack and his Mummy and Daddy are off to one of the Canary Isles today, lucky things, mind you they still have to return to these freezing temperatures and perhaps snow, oh joy, isn't winter wonderful?
My house is cold, some parts are freezing. The Gas Man should have come yesterday, he didn't. He says he'll come tomorrow. What happened to today?
Amy has her first tooth.
I have tendonitis. This was diagnosed by my Hubby, that well known font of all wisdom. He advised wearing a wrist splint and taking anti-inflammatories. I've followed his regime for 3 days, it's no better.
The kittens let me stroke them.
My hypnobirth lady had her baby girl, at home, yesterday. She felt no pain until she was pushing, then she obviously did because the air turned blue. Recommends hypnobirth and homebirth.
The BBC have received numerous complaints about their digital TV advert, 'it's psychologically disturbing'. They have no plans to stop screening it.
The gas man came, fiddled with radiator valves for three-quarters of an hour, and then said there was a blockage. I had already told him I suspected as much, if seven radiators are working and three aren't then I think it's almost certain that that's where the problem lies. The outcome from his diagnosis was that our heating cover will be valid if they can just flush it, but if we need a 'power flush' then we have to pay £560, guess which he decided we need. Those who thought the ordinary flush were wrong, that includes me, he left us the quote for a 'power flush' (he didn't try the lesser type). When Hubby returned from golf he erupted and then sat at his computer and searched the web for advise. This is amazing, the man is computer phobic, he regards computers as a necessary evil and avoids contact unless essential. He got his advise, has introduced some chemical to the offending radiators and they are starting to warm up.
Hypnobirth. It looked, initially, as if things may not be that wonderful. C's husband had gone out in London for drinks with work colleagues, and her waters went, it was fortunate that the torrent was not accompanied by 'rushes' (contractions). The midwife was called, she attended, early hours of labour so went back to bed leaving them her number. C went back to bed and managed to sleep for 2 hours, but then started being aware of 'rushes', although they were not painful. She decided to have a bath, made it into the bathroom when she felt a 'bearing down'. Midwife was summoned, she didn't examine C as it was obvious what was happening, just called a second midwife. C says that this was when it was painful, but she describes burning rather than the pain from 'rushes'. An hour later, it could have been quicker but C was able to control the urge to push and was holding back, a little girl was born. The last time I had seen C antenatally I had told her that baby had a fist up by her cheek, and thats how she made her entrance to the world, so C had a tear, which she decided not to have stitched. With her previous birth, twins, she had had an episiotomy and she had found the stitches really uncomfortable, so this time, as the tear wasn't bleeding, she declined sutures. We have discussed the hypnobirth aspect of the birth, C feels that it helped, but cannot say how much is due to this time being a totally different experience, one baby, at home, feeling in control. Personally, I think it gave her confidence and it also involved her Husband far more in the whole experience and gave him a way to be constructively supportive. Neither them or I would dismiss the concept, but what C highlights as being wonderful is homebirth and the low key approach.
For my birthday my wonderful sister and sort of BIL, although he was really my BIL then, gave me a dolls house and this weekend I am going to start assembling it. A whole new shopping realm has opened up, dolls house accessories. I thought I might need to install the wiring as I assembled so went browsing on the web, so far two catalogues have arrived, and I am happily designing the decor etc. and trying to decide which wiring option is best. I've told Hubby I need a soldering iron, he has one, but I want my own, he has concerns about the combination of me, a soldering iron, wooden dolls house and electricity, I shall also invest in a fire extinguisher.