Monthly Archives: May 2005

Baby-growing update

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Kathy has complained that I’ve written 22 blog posts since my last baby-related one (back in January), so I’m attempting to redress the balance. Football has been rather distracting…

I’m sure that you’ll know that the Baby Production Unit (Kathy) & I are currently engaged in a Baby-growing project. The milestone for the first public release of Baby has been set as June 8th by our Midwifery Contract Partner.

Anyone fleet of mental foot will work out that this means we have two weeks and two days to go. Anyone knowledgable in the ways of Baby Production will know that babies rarely turn up on time (only 5% arrive on their due date).

We’ve booked a birthing pool, and we’re collecting it from Bristol on Wednesday (in our existing car, unfortunately, as our MEW hasn’t completed yet). We also spent some not-inconsiderable dosh at Born on Saturday, but as yet we do not have a buggy or car seat, two of the most expensive items on the shopping list of any parents-to-be. Thankfully we have been offered an uncrashed car seat on loan, and we’re investigating the possibility of purchasing a second-hand buggy from friends at church.

That’s enough about the “stuff”. What about Kathy? I have to say that this pregnancy has been kind to her: she positively glows with femininity and impending motherhood, and much of the discomfort experienced by others in our NCT group (breathlessness, sickness etc) has passed Kathy by. She gets occasional heartburn but, because she’s so tall, the baby hasn’t squished her insides as much as some mothers’.

What about me? We watched a waterbirth video last night, and I wasn’t as squeamish as I thought I would be (I was even eating at the time!). I do hope that the actual birth, rather than just labour, will take place in water as the baby has more chance of emerging cleaned of goo! It will be Kathy, though, who will have to make that decision at the time, depending on how she’s feeling and how the labour is going.

I’m getting quite excited now. The redecoration of the spare room (*not nursery*) continues apace (though I wish we’d had the time and inclination to use lining paper – never mind) and it may turn into our “zeitgeist room”: the walls are a slightly pinkish mushroom colour, and we’re looking at getting a brown sofabed and curtains. You can’t resist a meme forever.

Musical Baton

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Matt (after I asked, as no-one else spontaneously passed it on – snif) has passed me the meme of the moment: the musical baton.

Total volume

I think iTunes contains about 12.5 GB of music: a mixture of my own CDs, downloaded CC music, free singles from iTMS, and podcasts.

Last CD bought

Ben Folds: Ben Folds Five

Song playing right now

Jazz Cafe 8/01/2005 Track 07 by The Bays

Five songs I listen to a lot, or that mean a lot to me

  1. Count To Six (I Am Robot And Proud mix) by The Überkids
  2. She Goes On by Crowded House
  3. Lonely Soul by U.N.K.L.E.
  4. Where Angels Play by The Stone Roses
  5. Drive by R.E.M.

Five People to Whom I’m Passing the Baton

TBD

Down and out, or “Coca Cola: you can’t beat The Real Thing”

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I’m late to the party, if that’s not an unfortunate choice of words under the circumstances, but Southampton (contrary to my previous optimism) were relegated to the Coca Cola Championship (“fizzy pop league”) last Sunday, losing 2-1 to Man. Utd.

I’m over my initial doom and gloom; Harry seems to be indicating that he’ll stay, and most of the better players probably will too. A long-overdue clearance of the dead wood is also in the works.

In an odd-numbered year with no summer football tournament to distract me, I’m champing at the bit for the new season to start – unfortunately it’s about 3 months away!

Anyone for tennis (or cricket)?

Nothing to see here

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Lib Dems gain seats, but not as many as the Conservatives. Labour retain power, but with a reduced majority. Move along. Nothing to see here.

Can no-one write English any more?

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At Bristol Temple Meads railway station the travel centre has been renamed “Advanced Ticket Sales”. Shouldn’t that be “Advance Ticket Sales”, or are these tickets in possession of a higher-than-average IQ?

I should have taken a photo with my phonecam.

New car shopping.

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The Peugeot 106 is faltering. We’re considering replacing it with one of the following cars (in order of preference):

  1. Honda Jazz
  2. Toyota Yaris
  3. Skoda Fabia
  4. Nissan Micra
  5. Hyundai Getz
  6. Fiat Panda

Why the Jazz? June’s What Car (UK) magazine contained the results of the annual JD Power Customer Satisfaction Index survey. The Jazz came first. Out of all types of car. Not bad for a supermini.

We’re keen on it because it’s a roomy small car. I like the 106′s size – parking is easier for a start – but interior space is limited. The Jazz has the largest boot in its class, and has innovative seats that fold up as well as down, creating more vertical or horizontal space as required.

The downside? The price. They’re popular little cars, it seems, and finding an SE model (with air conditioning) within our budget of around £7000 will be a challenge.

Google Froogle is a good way to search for cars, though.

(Hopefully) Staying up with Harry & Jim!

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I was lucky enough to be able to use a friend’s season ticket on Saturday (thanks Richard!) and be at St. Mary’s Stadium in Southampton as The Saints narrowly beat fellow-strugglers Norwich 4-3 in what was truly a game of two halves.

Saints fell behind after only 3 minutes – sloppy defending. Then Matty Oakley equalised – quality goal. Crouchy then scored with his feet (!) to put us 2-1 up before more sloppy defending led to a Higgy own-goal. Graeme Le Saux put us 3-2 in front until, with the last kick of the half, Norwich scored a breakaway goal to make it 3-3.

“Blimey,” I thought, “we’ll have to beat them 5-4!” My prediction wasn’t far off. The second half, however, was stop-start – nothing like the first at all – the ref seemed to want to blow up for everything. Harry had strengthened the defence at half-time, bringing on Telfer and Lundekvam for Delap and Jakobsen. It worked: we didn’t concede any more goals!

Henri Camara came on with 16 minutes left, and the first thing he did was cross the ball from the left…over everyone’s heads into touch on the far side. This left me doubting that he was the best choice to come on, but he came up with the goods with three minutes of normal time left, slotting past Robert Green from inside the 18-yard box.

Green was up there attacking for Norwich right at the end, but all he could do was hoof the ball into the Northam end. It was an emotionally draining match, but Saints came through it! If we can get three more points at Crystal Palace on Saturday, then our survival chances are still alive.