And still people sit and stare...

In general terms the age of chivalry is dead I think. People are not interested in standing up for a pregnant woman these days which is rather sad. I heard a story of a pregnant lady asking for a seat on the tube and she specifically asked someone in the priority seat. He replied and said "No, you chose to get pregnant".... how cutting and rude!! However on the plus side, today I heard another story of a man who saw a preggers lady standing on the tube, asked her why she was standing and when he heard that no-one had offered a seat he shouted at the carriage and picked a guy to stand up in shame and let her sit down. Now if only I could get me a travelling companion like that - what a hero.... :)

Scan today

We have another scan today to test the blood flow is ok. It's great to have the chance to see Baby again but you always feel nervous that there could be a problem. But thinking positively, I feel fine and am sure I would have some sense of there being something wrong if there was. Saw a friend and her bubba yesterday, he is almost 3 months and absolutely gorgeous - such a calm little fella.

Will update from the hospital later...

UPDATE 2.45pm...
All is well. The sonographer laughed as she couldn't understand why we were being referred for this type of scan. It is only used when the baby is undersized and ours is most definitely not! All measurements are above average (although not too worryingly so!) and looking at the print out we got to put in the notes the fetal weight is estimated at 1lb 8oz - good lad! (or lass, we are not finding out which it is!) When we told her who the obstetrician was, she laughed and said that explains it... we said, why is that? and she said, oh she loves her scans!!! Felt sorry as the department is so busy, we had to wait 40 mins, and for a scan we didn't need. Talk about added pressure and annoying for the staff and other ladies waiting! Oh well, it was lovely to see our little munchkin again. Going back again in 4 weeks for a 28 week scan at which point we might be signed off for good if all measurements are progressing as they should be. HAPPY!

Commuting when pregnant

Well I just wanted to put something up about commuting when pregnant… not that this blog has very high traffic but in the hope that whoever reads it might pass on some of these issues and make people think about their actions I have spent some time putting together some thoughts and observations.

I commute using Southern Rail, transferring to Southeastern for the final leg of the journey. Journey time is a little over an hour.

My experiences to date have been quite varied but I have to say, as I am growing larger (23 weeks and counting!) I notice that people seem less willing to offer seats… which is odd.

People have been staring a lot (from the comfort of their seat!) but not wanting to be the one who takes the step of standing up and letting the pregnant lady sit down. I know it can be hard to know if someone is pregnant but really, when that person is wearing the ‘Baby on Board!’ badge that TFL dish out and looking very hot and comfortable, would it be so bad to offer? There seem to be more women than men who offer – this may be that they have been through it and know how hard it can be. Younger men and women seem utterly oblivious to anyone other than themselves and their blaring ipod/free rag/loud mobile phone conversation so there seems no hope of getting a seat from most of the people in that group. Having said that, there are exceptions to this rule that I have witnessed myself and I am loathe to make a huge sweeping statement that offends!

One hugely helpful thing is that Southern have introduced a Priority Seat system:

Priority seats can be used by anyone, but they should be given up if they’re needed more by people with disabilities, expectant mothers, elderly passengers or those carrying infants. Someone’s need for a seat may not be obvious, for example they may have a hidden disability or be in the early stages of pregnancy, it takes courage to ask someone to give up their seat so when asked please allow someone to sit down. Not everyone is comfortable with asking fellow passengers to give up a priority seat and explaining why this is necessary, so Southern is to trial a priority seat card which is designed to avoid any embarrassment in this situation

I now have my card so when the priority seats are full, I ask all eight people sat in those seats in the carriage if I can please sit down. It is quite hard to pluck up the courage to address 8 strangers, but I think it could be more awkward if you choose one person as why/how should you choose one more than the others? One guy the other day said ‘have mine, as I am getting off at the next stop’ and I was very grateful but at the same time, I did think what if you weren’t getting off, would you have kept your seat? ;-)

Just last night on the way home, I was the last to get off a Southeastern train at London Bridge. Instead of waiting for me to step off the train, I was presented with a group of about 15 people barging onto the train as I was trying to get off, bumping past me roughly, to the extent that I burst into tears afterwards. Not a nice experience.

All in all, I am trying to do what I can to protect myself and my child, as when you read reports on how commuting and stress can harm your baby, that is all the motivation you need:

Claire Friars, a midwife with Tommy's, the charity for pregnant mothers, said: "Commuting is a killer in pregnancy. Women say it is so stressful coping with the heat and being ignored on the Tube and trains. People do not offer their seat, or push past roughly hitting women's bumps. They dread it."

Experts warn stress during pregnancy increases the risk of premature birth and limited growth of the baby. Women who are anxious during conception and the earliest stages of pregnancy are at greatest risk.

Andrew Shennan, Professor of Obstetrics at St Thomas' Hospital in London, said: "Pregnant women who experience heightened levels of stress for a prolonged period are at greater risk of complications such as miscarriage and premature delivery."

So there you have it. Please offer your seat when you see a pregnant woman as she needs it more than you.

Sermon over.

UPDATE: Buses are just as bad... had to catch a no 38 on Piccadilly at about 4.30 and an absolute nightmare with people pushing to get on and off, past the bump despite my protestations!

Wedding in Lynton and camping at Cloud Farm

Last weekend we went to a gorgeous wedding in Lynton, North Devon. The weather was fantastic and the two people getting married (one a good friend from when I did my degree) are supremely creative and funky!

We will definitely be back to Lynton as it is a perfect little Devonian village and I am sure there are lots of little places to spend time. If you go down on the funicular railway to Lynmouth there is a lovely pub too which is always good!

Below is the top end of the railway

Lynton Town Hall, where the wedding was

We camped at Cloud Farm - http://www.doonevalleyholidays.co.uk/pages/camping.html

Great site, set in a valley with a little stream running through it. We will definitely be back although it was just as well that it was just one night as the airbed had a puncture...!

Holiday in Corfu

Just got back on Monday after an idyllic week in North East Corfu. It is a heavenly place!

Hired a boat and pootled around to lots of different bays...

Also went halfway across to Albania and went round a tiny island with a lighthouse and loads of gulls and their young...

Villa Alexia, where we stayed, in between Barbati and Nissaki...

Sunset in front of Villa Alexia - we had a wonderful pool but an even more wonderful location right on the beach. It was wonderful and a couple of evenings we had a fire on the beach after having a yummy barbeque.

Oh and it was about 30 degrees all week.

All in all, a fantastic holiday.

Growing things!

Been very quiet as my mind has been opened and frazzled with the prospect of becoming a mother... we are expecting our first child on 2nd November.

Very exciting, absolutely petrifying - the one thing that is for sure is that this is going to be an adventure. So glad to be sharing this with Flyingpops - it's so good to have someone I can say - is this normal? to. I also have two very good friends; one with two children and one with number 2 on the way, due in June. I quizzed the two latter about labour earlier today, over lunch - it has to be said my timing can be truly lousy at times! However, it is so fascinating, this is what the female body is designed for and with our bodies, we accomplish miraculous things!
So here is 'Bob' making his/her debut into the world that is the web...

The vegetable patches are coming along well too! So we seem to have green fingers - well Simon does, hehe ;-)

Day off!!!

A day to catch up on personal stuff that always takes second place to work, and also a day to relax. It is sunny so it's perfect timing!

Pics of the garden to monitor progress...

Garden in the morning sun
Sunshine through our stylish plastic greenhouse

The shoots at the back are the garlic, the smaller ones in the foreground are onions

Popping into Reigate this afternoon to introduce Lucy to some ex colleagues. They allow the staff to take their dogs in - in some cases every day or often, and in some other cases just occasionally. I think it is decided on merit :-) I am sure Lucy will be delighted to have an office to explore. Lots of people to lick and bins to check out.

Anyway, must get on with relaxing...

Lack of inspiration...

Simon is sowing more seeds today - we decided to have meadow flowers and grasses to attract wildlife. That's if Lucy doesn't rake it all up by digging the hill over as she sometimes does!
This is about as far as the inspiration goes this week!

Have got my eye on caravans though... not a sensible idea as nowhere to keep one but I can dream....

Just got our Belltent, I know - never satisfied!

UPDATE: Since the heavens decided to open in a *big* way yesterday afternoon, I think most of the seeds will have been washed down the hill and will probably come up in a big clump which will look like someone with very special talents sowed them. Oh dear.

(Meat) and two veg

I just wanted a smutty headline, as actually there is no meat and there are more than two veg... What am I talking about? Growing vegetables! We now have tomatoes, potatoes, garlic, onion and carrots on the go. To be followed by lots of yummyness in the coming months! We have courgettes but they are not to be planted yet. Can't remember what else there is! I also have some chilli plant seeds at work - the latest challenge set to media buyers across town courtesy of Country Living. It's a classic growing competition - winners will be those with largest plant, most chilli's etc etc. I am going to grow mine at home - hope that isn't cheating! ;-)

We had much fun yesterday at Scats Country Stores, picking out the kit that we needed. As usual, it was a bit of "all the gear, no idea", as £100 later we were back at home with chicken wire, posts, growbags, a mini greenhouse, loads of seeds etc etc. I should never doubt Simon though as a couple of hours later we have a full greenhouse and one finished patch protected by chickenwire! Just the second to finish - suppose I should help really. One bad thing though. I have discovered this morning that Lucy is spooked by the little chicken wire fence. A little chicken indeed, she won't voluntarily walk past it, which is going to be a pain as there is going to be a small walkway through the two veg patches. She's going to have to get used to it!

So that's us - very Tom and Barbara! Shame we don't live in Surbiton!

Some pics below...


Potatoes going through a process known as 'chitting' I believe(?)



Number 2 patch - yet to be filled and fenced


Number one patch with garlic and onions snug as a bug

Our little greenhouse - home for tomatoes, carrots and potatoes for now until it gets a bit warmer which looking at forecast, may not be very soon....

Singing lessons

Had my second lesson last night, this time with Leon!

http://www.singing-lessons-london.co.uk/

It is so cool, he recorded the whole lesson and gave it to me on a cd at the end. And said I had a fabulous voice - what a compliment! Not sure it was deserved, but nice all the same.

All good fun. Going to do a 6 week group evening group class starting at the end of March. Better start warming up now...

La, la, la, la, la, la....!

Walking on the golf course last night

Just a couple of pictures from our walk last night. It was a beautiful evening and made more perfect by a large glass of Rioja at The Plough afterwards. Lovely!!

Planning our next trip and so glad it is Friday today!!

Thank goodness for Friday!

Am going to get planning for our next camping weekend so will come back with some thoughts next week.

Looking for somewhere that allows campfires no further than an hour from Redhill. Ooh the excitement. We need another adventure to look forward to.

Freebie at Charing Cross!!!

Following in the footsteps of Fink, who always makes me jealous with tales of his freebies at Canary Wharf, (I guess the inhabitants of the Wharf are deemed more attractive to brands! More cash in the pocket eh Fink? ;-)) this morning they were handing out Nesfrappe (see what they did there?!) at Charing Cross so I just had to have one. Very tasty it is too. Good old Nestle. Cheers! Sadly I am not technological enough to have taken a photo and uploaded it so you will have to use your imaginations.....

Camping calendar... when shall we go and where

Simon and I were talking about our next camping trip, which will probably be at Easter now. I figure if we can camp from April to October we'll be doing quite well - perhaps with a smattering of more extreme camping weekends depending on how daring we are feeling!

Simon is already dreaming of our next project which looks likely to be an Airstream caravan although it will have to be a long way off as a. they cost a lot, b. we have nowhere to put it and c. we have only just bought the bell tent!


I am keen to just get a bit more retro, so am thinking lots of Cath Kidston/Joules Clothing accessories, cute little picnic rugs, and a mismatched pastel array of cups, plates etc. Although that is probably far too girly for Simon and will be deemed unnacceptable I am sure!

A very snowy day in Redhill...

As it was so snowy we couldn't get to work so I worked from home, with a small extended lunch break (I did then work until 7pm so I don't feel guilty!) in the middle of the day for a fantastic walk in the white stuff. It was magical. We walked with Elaine from up the road and her dog, Amber. She is Lucy's official bezzie mate.

Lucy and Amber




Redhill & Reigate golf course / Earlswood Lakes... not quite sure, we had a fair old wander... ended up in the pub (for a v quick one) then home again!

Our beautiful bell tent


With muddy background!



Our comfy bed - now there's no need to slum it just because we're camping...




The warming fire

Lucy and the gnome

Hello!

Decided to start this blog to record the start of our new hobby... camping under canvas! We have just come back from a chilly weekend at Blackberry Wood, a site which Cool Camping reckons is one of the best in the country! It was good but we really didn't pick the best weekend to go. Anyhow, I will write more when I can, welcome to the blog!