Exhaustion has taken over
Too much to too in such a short time has really taken it's toll. NYE this year will involve a bubble bath in a human size tub (unlike our mini Barcelona tub which is literally half the size of a normal one). But before then I've got to pack and finish Luca's painting which is nearly there... Don't read this Luca as I can't really be admitting that it's taken me that long to finish your b'day gift! But it's worth the wait as it's a nice one (I hope).
Blogging for me this year has been the most infrequent since I started this blog nearly 9 years ago. It's funny to write that... even funnier still to sift through some of the old entries as it was truly a lifetime ago. If you've got time to kill there are some really humourous entries in the vault... my life use to be way more exciting than it is now... although the time here home this year has been quite amusing. Mostly so during our girlie trips to moxies with my new bestie the waitress with the bosom jewels... serious she's bedazzled her cleavage. You can't help but look! Ha ha.
There are very few hours left to this year so on that note I must make haste and get everything done so we can leave all of 2009's yukies behind and move onto more positive ventures.
All the best my 5 blog readers!!!
29.12.09
Inspiration and stability...
Are two kind words sent in an xmas card from one of my Greek clients. I couldn't think of anything more fitting for this year. It's been a really tough one on all sides. It could of course have been worse so I'm thankful that it hasn't been but man will be be happy for some new positive events.
Are two kind words sent in an xmas card from one of my Greek clients. I couldn't think of anything more fitting for this year. It's been a really tough one on all sides. It could of course have been worse so I'm thankful that it hasn't been but man will be be happy for some new positive events.
28.12.09
It's been a pretty positive day...
... and because there are quite few of these lately I'm going to peg it down here to remember it. I found a camera for a really reasonable price for Fredu today on Toronto's craig's list. The lovely guys from http://www.akaphoto.ca/ sold it to me. I feel so happy to finally be getting back to square one for Fredu so once work come in he'll be able to do it! Seestor kindly drove me to collect it and the guys that sold it were so lovely! Send them work please Canadian or US readers!
Work is piled up and sifting through it makes me feel that I've been off work for more like a million years rather than just two weeks. I'm trying to get focused to get moving with it but it's so hard to do it working from home when I can hear the wee one playing downstairs with my mum. Don't get me wrong... I'm indeed greatful for the ability to work remotely.
Time is ticking by at lightening speed and before I know it the week will be over and we'll be on a plane back to slightly warmer climes. Will be such a treat to be all back together again. A month can be an eternity especially with the wee one learning more and more language skills every day. Going back to school will be strange for her as she's been so anglosized for the past few weeks we can but hope she remembers her Catalan and Spanish! Same goes for me actually. I've got some spanish work emails to write but I've got to dust off that area of my brain to see if the words still come out.
Off to the oh so hip Moxies of Brampton tonight with miss Noeleen and miss Jemma who is in town from London for the next few days and the lovely Heather that I don't often get to see either. Best behave myself as I've got too much work to do to be dealing with a hangover! Behave Sarah... Behave!
... and because there are quite few of these lately I'm going to peg it down here to remember it. I found a camera for a really reasonable price for Fredu today on Toronto's craig's list. The lovely guys from http://www.akaphoto.ca/ sold it to me. I feel so happy to finally be getting back to square one for Fredu so once work come in he'll be able to do it! Seestor kindly drove me to collect it and the guys that sold it were so lovely! Send them work please Canadian or US readers!
Work is piled up and sifting through it makes me feel that I've been off work for more like a million years rather than just two weeks. I'm trying to get focused to get moving with it but it's so hard to do it working from home when I can hear the wee one playing downstairs with my mum. Don't get me wrong... I'm indeed greatful for the ability to work remotely.
Time is ticking by at lightening speed and before I know it the week will be over and we'll be on a plane back to slightly warmer climes. Will be such a treat to be all back together again. A month can be an eternity especially with the wee one learning more and more language skills every day. Going back to school will be strange for her as she's been so anglosized for the past few weeks we can but hope she remembers her Catalan and Spanish! Same goes for me actually. I've got some spanish work emails to write but I've got to dust off that area of my brain to see if the words still come out.
Off to the oh so hip Moxies of Brampton tonight with miss Noeleen and miss Jemma who is in town from London for the next few days and the lovely Heather that I don't often get to see either. Best behave myself as I've got too much work to do to be dealing with a hangover! Behave Sarah... Behave!
27.12.09
When you're too worried your blog entry will sound like one long big winge... do a Meme... (correction... thanks to http://synapsesonshuffle.blogspot.com/ for the meme)
1. What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before?
Fly across the Atlantic with a not quite yet 2 year old on my own.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Didn't make any but next year apathy is the enemy.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Seestor! Miss Charlotte Reielle Heaney
4. Did anyone close to you die?
My friend eric's grandmother.
5. What countries did you visit?
England, Holland, Canada
6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
A job for Fredu (and a camera for him to do said job)
7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
March 8th - My appendix removal date
Sept. (?) when Alfredo's camera was stolen
Nov 25th when miss Charlotte was born
Dec 5th- when i flew home to Canada for xmas
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
surviving it
9. What was your biggest failure?
Apathy (with a capital A)
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Appendicitis
11. What was the best thing you bought?
pink suede shoes
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Vero's for her baby making triumphs
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
The wicked person who stole Alfredo's camera. It truly ravaged an already challenging year for us. I hope they really needed it more than we did!
14. Where did most of your money go?
Rent (sigh)
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Coming home for xmas
16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
Black eyed peas... that one that goes... 'Tonight's going to be a good night..."
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? sadder
b) thinner or fatter? fatter (thanks to xmas in Canada)
c) richer or poorer? way poorer
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Enjoying life instead of drowning in sorrows (but there was just so many)
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
working
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Without Fredu in Canada :(
22. Did you fall in love in 2009?
Still in love
23. How many one-night stands?
None
24. What was your favorite TV program?
American Dad
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
the camera thief! oh and yea Apple. Feck you itunes I hate you.
26. What was the best book you read?
Beach Music
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Martina Topley Bird's new album (I had no idea it had come out) not that I have it yet
28. What did you want and get?
More support at work (new project managers!)
29. What did you want and not get?
a job for fredu and a new camera oh yea and the passport!!
Resolution for any of my fights with the tax office
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
Only saw one (slumdog millionaire) in the cinema... it was okay..but I'm hoping to see it's complicated before I leave Canada (with my mum) looks nice and pinky!
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
my 33rd birthday I was still recovering from the appendectomy the week before but had low key fun with the lovely miss joey and andrea who flew in to celebrate with me.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Work for fredu
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
black and mysterious
34. What kept you sane?
My Mum
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Perez Hilton
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Any stupid American Mallarky
37. Who did you miss?
The old me
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Jacob and Millie!
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009:
Apathy is very very difficult to shake
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
I'm not here... this isn't happening.. (Radiohead)
1. What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before?
Fly across the Atlantic with a not quite yet 2 year old on my own.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Didn't make any but next year apathy is the enemy.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Seestor! Miss Charlotte Reielle Heaney
4. Did anyone close to you die?
My friend eric's grandmother.
5. What countries did you visit?
England, Holland, Canada
6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
A job for Fredu (and a camera for him to do said job)
7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
March 8th - My appendix removal date
Sept. (?) when Alfredo's camera was stolen
Nov 25th when miss Charlotte was born
Dec 5th- when i flew home to Canada for xmas
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
surviving it
9. What was your biggest failure?
Apathy (with a capital A)
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Appendicitis
11. What was the best thing you bought?
pink suede shoes
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Vero's for her baby making triumphs
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
The wicked person who stole Alfredo's camera. It truly ravaged an already challenging year for us. I hope they really needed it more than we did!
14. Where did most of your money go?
Rent (sigh)
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Coming home for xmas
16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
Black eyed peas... that one that goes... 'Tonight's going to be a good night..."
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? sadder
b) thinner or fatter? fatter (thanks to xmas in Canada)
c) richer or poorer? way poorer
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Enjoying life instead of drowning in sorrows (but there was just so many)
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
working
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Without Fredu in Canada :(
22. Did you fall in love in 2009?
Still in love
23. How many one-night stands?
None
24. What was your favorite TV program?
American Dad
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
the camera thief! oh and yea Apple. Feck you itunes I hate you.
26. What was the best book you read?
Beach Music
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Martina Topley Bird's new album (I had no idea it had come out) not that I have it yet
28. What did you want and get?
More support at work (new project managers!)
29. What did you want and not get?
a job for fredu and a new camera oh yea and the passport!!
Resolution for any of my fights with the tax office
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
Only saw one (slumdog millionaire) in the cinema... it was okay..but I'm hoping to see it's complicated before I leave Canada (with my mum) looks nice and pinky!
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
my 33rd birthday I was still recovering from the appendectomy the week before but had low key fun with the lovely miss joey and andrea who flew in to celebrate with me.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Work for fredu
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
black and mysterious
34. What kept you sane?
My Mum
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Perez Hilton
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Any stupid American Mallarky
37. Who did you miss?
The old me
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Jacob and Millie!
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009:
Apathy is very very difficult to shake
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
I'm not here... this isn't happening.. (Radiohead)
12.12.09
It's bitter sweet and kind of vexing...
Being home for xmas that is. It's a delight to have a load of time off from work and a bit of time to relax and unwind... but it's also a kind of struggle. Reverse culture shock is sometimes so difficult to explain. What should be familiar feels oddly foreign and what sounds totally foreign here sounds more normal to me... quite a strange place to be.... with all the struggles we're facing in Barca I sometimes dream of packing it all in and moving back 'home' but the stark reality is... there is no way that would be possible. The mere idea of moving back here with nothing and starting from scratch again with no house no car no money no job seems insane. It quite simply will not happen. Life is indeed what you make it and at some points in life you simply cannot change it. Finacial freedom would of course be a grand facilitator but since that is very much not the situation for us we'll have to resolve to continue on schmucking our meagre Barcelona existence for the foreseeable future. I think it's all part and parcel of these dark days... sometimes you want to dream of an escape but the thing you don't count on is that your escape would just be a path into more problems... sigh
Perhaps it's the added vunerability I feel being home again with the wee one without Fredu who sadly can still not travel. Being fragmented from your immediate family at xmas is not something that is much fun for me... of course i know others would delight in such an arrangement but it's really for Sienna as it's her first xmas that she will really understand what's going on and he's not going to be here with us to enjoy it... but life just keeps lobbing lemons... and my hands are full of paper cuts but I'm still catching them.
Being home for xmas that is. It's a delight to have a load of time off from work and a bit of time to relax and unwind... but it's also a kind of struggle. Reverse culture shock is sometimes so difficult to explain. What should be familiar feels oddly foreign and what sounds totally foreign here sounds more normal to me... quite a strange place to be.... with all the struggles we're facing in Barca I sometimes dream of packing it all in and moving back 'home' but the stark reality is... there is no way that would be possible. The mere idea of moving back here with nothing and starting from scratch again with no house no car no money no job seems insane. It quite simply will not happen. Life is indeed what you make it and at some points in life you simply cannot change it. Finacial freedom would of course be a grand facilitator but since that is very much not the situation for us we'll have to resolve to continue on schmucking our meagre Barcelona existence for the foreseeable future. I think it's all part and parcel of these dark days... sometimes you want to dream of an escape but the thing you don't count on is that your escape would just be a path into more problems... sigh
Perhaps it's the added vunerability I feel being home again with the wee one without Fredu who sadly can still not travel. Being fragmented from your immediate family at xmas is not something that is much fun for me... of course i know others would delight in such an arrangement but it's really for Sienna as it's her first xmas that she will really understand what's going on and he's not going to be here with us to enjoy it... but life just keeps lobbing lemons... and my hands are full of paper cuts but I'm still catching them.
10.12.09
26.11.09
And then there were Four!
Delightful news for once! My seestor and her Hubby have just yesterday welcomed their newest wee one into their family. The wee one is a girl! A seestor of her very own for Isabella. No name yet... I'm pushing them to call her Viva but for some strange reason they're not complying!
In true family fashion she was a super speedy and natural birth. You go seestor!
We are over the moon. Now we've just got to wait another week and two days to meet her! Ooh hurry up time, I want to hold her :)
Delightful news for once! My seestor and her Hubby have just yesterday welcomed their newest wee one into their family. The wee one is a girl! A seestor of her very own for Isabella. No name yet... I'm pushing them to call her Viva but for some strange reason they're not complying!
In true family fashion she was a super speedy and natural birth. You go seestor!
We are over the moon. Now we've just got to wait another week and two days to meet her! Ooh hurry up time, I want to hold her :)
22.11.09
Now that my brain
Is now fizzled out... and the extra hours translation project that I was working on is successful completed... I can return instead to my normal after work work which is also never ending... We fly out to the great white north on the 5th and I can tell you, that I am most certainly looking forward to it. Two weeks away from work will be golden... KJ's new baby arriving soon... even more.
On a completely different note... am I the only one that thinks that American Dad is way more funny than family guy? Sorry Yankees but I can't help but feel that Family Guy is like a dumbed down version of American dad... sort of washed down for American consumption? I know I know but I can't help it, that's how I feel. My mother however, was forced into watching an episode with us while she was here... and she did not like it one bit... perhaps it was due the fact that it was the episode when Stan wanted to join the gay republicans... I'm just sayin... my poor mother... the things we put her through.
The Jimmy Choo sale came and went and nothing was purchased... when your bank says 000000 you have no choice but to be frugal. *cries slient tears of shoes lost*...
And just for giggles here is a grim glimpse into the world of renting a flat in Barcelona... don't worry you can feel free to scream. We'll be screaming along with you. Dear Lord I can only pray that I NEVER need to live in this place.
Is now fizzled out... and the extra hours translation project that I was working on is successful completed... I can return instead to my normal after work work which is also never ending... We fly out to the great white north on the 5th and I can tell you, that I am most certainly looking forward to it. Two weeks away from work will be golden... KJ's new baby arriving soon... even more.
On a completely different note... am I the only one that thinks that American Dad is way more funny than family guy? Sorry Yankees but I can't help but feel that Family Guy is like a dumbed down version of American dad... sort of washed down for American consumption? I know I know but I can't help it, that's how I feel. My mother however, was forced into watching an episode with us while she was here... and she did not like it one bit... perhaps it was due the fact that it was the episode when Stan wanted to join the gay republicans... I'm just sayin... my poor mother... the things we put her through.
The Jimmy Choo sale came and went and nothing was purchased... when your bank says 000000 you have no choice but to be frugal. *cries slient tears of shoes lost*...
And just for giggles here is a grim glimpse into the world of renting a flat in Barcelona... don't worry you can feel free to scream. We'll be screaming along with you. Dear Lord I can only pray that I NEVER need to live in this place.
1.11.09
So it's getting better right?
The answer is well you guessed it... No. More bad news. Oh yea... well we'll keep that for the new blog that I've not yet started but will... and damn it maybe that blog will make my millions as dear lord so much misfortune is just comical... comedy sells yea? It somehow just doesn't feel that funny. Funny tragic I guess more than Funny Ha ha
Positive things.... *deep breath* okay... Well in a few short weeks, at least some of us will be flying to Canada for a well deserved break.
In an attempt to paint a brighter future we've started flat hunting... with what money do you have to move you may ask... well that's another question entirely... HA! Humour me okay?
So we've seen a couple of places and my word, Barcelona certainly offers you up a large variety of "interesting" options. We found one with the main part of the flat on the principal floor and then with the master bedroom downstairs on the entrasuelo level. It was like a dungeon. For all ye who don't get this whole floor thing here in Spain... The entrasuelo exists in old buildings and I'm sure in the past was used for servents or just tiny tiny people as it's between the street level and the first floor. Principal flats are mostly the biggest in the building and I can only suppose where the rich people used to live. Mostly now they are split into wierd distributions in an effort to make the most money possible from the spaces... I really never though it was possible to re-create a 'basement' feeling here but oh yes.. it's possible. That one is defo a no go.
The next flat of fancy we went to see was a 'para renovar' job. Yes, another BCN concept all into it's self. You see the premise is that they bestow you the favour of renting you a flat and then you are expected to invest your own money into renovating it while you live there... It really defies logic, I mean if there were a few things to polish up or re-paint or something that's fine... but I'm talking flats that are hundreds of years old people! This one was big and the agency's initial proposal was to rent it for 950 a month for a 7 year contract with the premise that you will invest 30k in the flat during that time. I thought they must be insane. Plus they want you to pay 4k damage deposit on the flat (which is a ruin!). So we went to see it.... Turns out rotting and decrepid would be too kind to describe it. The place was straigth out of a horror movie. Fitting that it was Saturday and it was Hallowe'en when we saw it! I would estimate needing to invest at least 90k in that place to get it to a point where it was livable. I really want to know how they will find someone to rent it... maybe if you bought it for a song and then put in the hard graft then yes sure why not... but to rent it... when the shower room was put in somewhere around the time that indoor plumbing became possible (and hasn't been replaced since). I think people on the street could hear my slient scream of ... "oh my god no, not ever in my life would I take on a project like that"... even if they gave me 7 years of free rent. Barcelona... seriously what the bejaysuz is going on?
On the other hand there are lovely looking flats like this one... which we're I think we're going to see on Wednesday... if it's not already gone by then.. That's the other thing... the good ones are snapped up in a heart beat so it's not really condusive to 'window shoppers' like us...
The answer is well you guessed it... No. More bad news. Oh yea... well we'll keep that for the new blog that I've not yet started but will... and damn it maybe that blog will make my millions as dear lord so much misfortune is just comical... comedy sells yea? It somehow just doesn't feel that funny. Funny tragic I guess more than Funny Ha ha
Positive things.... *deep breath* okay... Well in a few short weeks, at least some of us will be flying to Canada for a well deserved break.
In an attempt to paint a brighter future we've started flat hunting... with what money do you have to move you may ask... well that's another question entirely... HA! Humour me okay?
So we've seen a couple of places and my word, Barcelona certainly offers you up a large variety of "interesting" options. We found one with the main part of the flat on the principal floor and then with the master bedroom downstairs on the entrasuelo level. It was like a dungeon. For all ye who don't get this whole floor thing here in Spain... The entrasuelo exists in old buildings and I'm sure in the past was used for servents or just tiny tiny people as it's between the street level and the first floor. Principal flats are mostly the biggest in the building and I can only suppose where the rich people used to live. Mostly now they are split into wierd distributions in an effort to make the most money possible from the spaces... I really never though it was possible to re-create a 'basement' feeling here but oh yes.. it's possible. That one is defo a no go.
The next flat of fancy we went to see was a 'para renovar' job. Yes, another BCN concept all into it's self. You see the premise is that they bestow you the favour of renting you a flat and then you are expected to invest your own money into renovating it while you live there... It really defies logic, I mean if there were a few things to polish up or re-paint or something that's fine... but I'm talking flats that are hundreds of years old people! This one was big and the agency's initial proposal was to rent it for 950 a month for a 7 year contract with the premise that you will invest 30k in the flat during that time. I thought they must be insane. Plus they want you to pay 4k damage deposit on the flat (which is a ruin!). So we went to see it.... Turns out rotting and decrepid would be too kind to describe it. The place was straigth out of a horror movie. Fitting that it was Saturday and it was Hallowe'en when we saw it! I would estimate needing to invest at least 90k in that place to get it to a point where it was livable. I really want to know how they will find someone to rent it... maybe if you bought it for a song and then put in the hard graft then yes sure why not... but to rent it... when the shower room was put in somewhere around the time that indoor plumbing became possible (and hasn't been replaced since). I think people on the street could hear my slient scream of ... "oh my god no, not ever in my life would I take on a project like that"... even if they gave me 7 years of free rent. Barcelona... seriously what the bejaysuz is going on?
On the other hand there are lovely looking flats like this one... which we're I think we're going to see on Wednesday... if it's not already gone by then.. That's the other thing... the good ones are snapped up in a heart beat so it's not really condusive to 'window shoppers' like us...
18.10.09
I'm going to start a new blog
It's going to be called "where the bad things go" Then I'll have place to put them all. I'm thinking i may take off... everyone can stop by and drop off their bad things... bad luck, bad karma, bad thoughts, bad actions... then we'll keep them all safely there so this blog can perhaps re-join the realm of not-so-grim-all-the-bleeding-time.
Shoes help, so the fact that in less than a month the Jimy Choo collection will be released at H&M should certainly be a good thing. Another positive thing is that in just a few short weeks I'll pretty much be done work for the year and I"ll be heading home to Canada to welcome my seestor's new wee one into the world.
That's two positive things... see I am still capable....
We'll round it off at 3 good things... how sweet is the wee miss these days?
This is me holding my breath until all the bad passes us by... I might be going blue soon.
It's going to be called "where the bad things go" Then I'll have place to put them all. I'm thinking i may take off... everyone can stop by and drop off their bad things... bad luck, bad karma, bad thoughts, bad actions... then we'll keep them all safely there so this blog can perhaps re-join the realm of not-so-grim-all-the-bleeding-time.
Shoes help, so the fact that in less than a month the Jimy Choo collection will be released at H&M should certainly be a good thing. Another positive thing is that in just a few short weeks I'll pretty much be done work for the year and I"ll be heading home to Canada to welcome my seestor's new wee one into the world.
That's two positive things... see I am still capable....
We'll round it off at 3 good things... how sweet is the wee miss these days?
This is me holding my breath until all the bad passes us by... I might be going blue soon.
24.9.09
And again... Only in Spain...
Does your bike get stolen and a few weeks later your boyfriend's professional camera worth more than 2k with a lens you just bought and have not finished paying for worth 700 euros on it... from right under your nose while sat in a completely empty fast food restaurant with your mum and your baby (and boyfriend of course)... I swear the theif was a magician or there was a trap door as there was not a soul in the place. It's absolutely baffling and really really heartbreaking that it happened. It's all part and parcel of living in the petty crime capital of the world I suppose. Bad Barcelona... we don't like you much these days.
And of course for us it simply means that life just got worse... just when things were slowly starting to move forward and unstick... there is a very remote chance that the dregs of insurance we have may help cover it but it's very unlikely. How is one supposed to make money without the equipment needed to make it?
There have been many many tears... and an imessurable amount of nashing of teeth. But nothing will bring it back....
Before it was stolen one of the last jobs Fredu did was for Al jazeera (sports) they were here doing an interview with Thierry Henry and the President of the Barca club Joan Laporta. Alfredo was hired to do the still shots. The camera man who was recording the interview sweetly offered to take two shots of Fredu with the Thierry and Joan. Pretty lucky guy (that day at least)... he even got a lift in Thierry's car with him as they moved from one venue in the staduim to another...
Does your bike get stolen and a few weeks later your boyfriend's professional camera worth more than 2k with a lens you just bought and have not finished paying for worth 700 euros on it... from right under your nose while sat in a completely empty fast food restaurant with your mum and your baby (and boyfriend of course)... I swear the theif was a magician or there was a trap door as there was not a soul in the place. It's absolutely baffling and really really heartbreaking that it happened. It's all part and parcel of living in the petty crime capital of the world I suppose. Bad Barcelona... we don't like you much these days.
And of course for us it simply means that life just got worse... just when things were slowly starting to move forward and unstick... there is a very remote chance that the dregs of insurance we have may help cover it but it's very unlikely. How is one supposed to make money without the equipment needed to make it?
There have been many many tears... and an imessurable amount of nashing of teeth. But nothing will bring it back....
Before it was stolen one of the last jobs Fredu did was for Al jazeera (sports) they were here doing an interview with Thierry Henry and the President of the Barca club Joan Laporta. Alfredo was hired to do the still shots. The camera man who was recording the interview sweetly offered to take two shots of Fredu with the Thierry and Joan. Pretty lucky guy (that day at least)... he even got a lift in Thierry's car with him as they moved from one venue in the staduim to another...
7.9.09
We are mostly very very proud of Sureshee!
He's been working hard while finishing his masters at RCA! Selling at Bonhams that is!
Amazing amazing amazing!
He's been working hard while finishing his masters at RCA! Selling at Bonhams that is!
Amazing amazing amazing!
5.9.09
4.9.09
The lock-off continues...
The person who "stole" the bike finally got the note we left for them on the bike... I told Fredu to leave his mobile number on the note... Low and behold the 'new owner' of the bike rang yesterday... in a hail of expletives he screamed down the phone that he had found the bike in the street and that it was his... all in English of course. Because we live in Spain yea? The note we left in Spanish... the guy didn't speak it. Lucky him that Fredu does speak English.... Now we have a complete impasse. The guy won't remove his lock and Fredu won't either... Eric, the actual owner of the bike (who had been lending it to Fredu long term) is now involved... he's searching now for documentation that proves the bike is his! The police are going to be involved soon but who are they going to believe???? I think they should play the trump card that the theif guy doesn't speak spanish and get the cops invovled and if he can't speak, he can't tell his "i found it on the street story"... Seriously do we need this sort of insanity?
Clearly there is no point in even asking that question. It is my life after all... the answer is always a resounding YES.
The person who "stole" the bike finally got the note we left for them on the bike... I told Fredu to leave his mobile number on the note... Low and behold the 'new owner' of the bike rang yesterday... in a hail of expletives he screamed down the phone that he had found the bike in the street and that it was his... all in English of course. Because we live in Spain yea? The note we left in Spanish... the guy didn't speak it. Lucky him that Fredu does speak English.... Now we have a complete impasse. The guy won't remove his lock and Fredu won't either... Eric, the actual owner of the bike (who had been lending it to Fredu long term) is now involved... he's searching now for documentation that proves the bike is his! The police are going to be involved soon but who are they going to believe???? I think they should play the trump card that the theif guy doesn't speak spanish and get the cops invovled and if he can't speak, he can't tell his "i found it on the street story"... Seriously do we need this sort of insanity?
Clearly there is no point in even asking that question. It is my life after all... the answer is always a resounding YES.
3.9.09
Only in Spain...
Would someone steal your bike.. then lock it up at another bike rack 200m away with another lock... So in response, Alfredo bought two new locks and locked them to the bike and left a note for the person who had stolen his bike to please remove their lock and give him back the bike... it's a lock off baby! No movement yet. The bike still sits there with 3 locks on it (2 alfredo's and 1 of the theif)... One more day and he's just going to saw off the other lock... it's funny this, not only because it's absurd... but because this is the second time this has happened.
Last year Alfredo's bike had a broken peddle. He noticed one day that the bike was gone. He was sad but hey ho such is life in this mad city... Sunday morning rolls around and we're all walking to the park and low and behold there is the stolen bike broken peddle and all... locked to a rack approx 100m away from where it was taken from... new lock of course. So we promptly went to our local bike renting shop which was a few metres away and asked if we could borrow some lock cutters. Remember we are in full family mode... pram, baby dog in toe... they gave us the cutters and right there in the street we stole the bike back. Theiving family unit baby!
It's the madness that makes you just that little bit crazy when you live here... It's kind of a banana republic in many ways... but I suppose in the end it's the recklessness that adds to the charm.
Would someone steal your bike.. then lock it up at another bike rack 200m away with another lock... So in response, Alfredo bought two new locks and locked them to the bike and left a note for the person who had stolen his bike to please remove their lock and give him back the bike... it's a lock off baby! No movement yet. The bike still sits there with 3 locks on it (2 alfredo's and 1 of the theif)... One more day and he's just going to saw off the other lock... it's funny this, not only because it's absurd... but because this is the second time this has happened.
Last year Alfredo's bike had a broken peddle. He noticed one day that the bike was gone. He was sad but hey ho such is life in this mad city... Sunday morning rolls around and we're all walking to the park and low and behold there is the stolen bike broken peddle and all... locked to a rack approx 100m away from where it was taken from... new lock of course. So we promptly went to our local bike renting shop which was a few metres away and asked if we could borrow some lock cutters. Remember we are in full family mode... pram, baby dog in toe... they gave us the cutters and right there in the street we stole the bike back. Theiving family unit baby!
It's the madness that makes you just that little bit crazy when you live here... It's kind of a banana republic in many ways... but I suppose in the end it's the recklessness that adds to the charm.
30.8.09
There is a secret time here in Barcelona
It's usually near the end of August when most people are smart enough to leave the smoldering heat of the inner city and head for the beach and enjoy summer... The streets are significantly more empty than normally especially up town. It's quite the peculiar thing as many shops simply just close down for 4 weeks and happy announce they'll be back after their holidays. It's funny because in one way the city empties out and then in another way the floods of French tourists arrive. This year because of the delicate economic climate there are lots of Frenchies, a few Italians but very few northern Europeans and even less Americans... But the beautiful thing about remaining in Barcelona during the summer is that for a small few moments you feel the city is just a little bit more 'yours' than it normally is. I suppose that because all of the locals are gone (or it feels like they are) that you are the closest thing to being a local... makes you feel kind of like for once you maybe fit in.
The morning bus rides to work will soon return to normal... the darkness is slowly creeping back into my morning routine. The alarm goes off at half six but my brain is not quite ready to compute the fact that it's starting to still be dark then. Work is sufficiently manic to make the hours in the day zoom by. In fact last week I felt like I looked up from my desk and it was Thursday already!
The impending baby rush is a pink one. Miss Vero and Miss Karen are both having little girls. To say I'm thrilled for them both is an understatement. Now if we can just bear the wait until seestor and bryan have theirs in Dec we can try for a hattrick... but they like the surprise and are thus going to wait to see if they too have a girl.
We ventured out very early yesterday morning with the ever enthusiastic Chiara and Nacho egging us on to be brave and actually atempt a day at the beach out of town. We were at the train at 8am to head off to the costa brava. We trained and bused it and then bused it some more and we arrived to Cala de Sant Francesc at around half ten. What a lovely place. It boggles the brain as to how much money you would need to have one of the massive houses that shroud the cala. It's really lovely and we had a fabulous day. Bravo to them for helping us make it possible with all the baby acutraments that we need to have with us to allow us to be away from home. It's not a trip for the faint hearted... and the transportation system isn't too sympathetic to people with baby prams but with 4 people we did it! And for the record... all those locals that are missing from Barcelona... they were all in Blanes. I think we were the only foreigners there!
Cala de San Francesc - trust me there were many more people there!
It's usually near the end of August when most people are smart enough to leave the smoldering heat of the inner city and head for the beach and enjoy summer... The streets are significantly more empty than normally especially up town. It's quite the peculiar thing as many shops simply just close down for 4 weeks and happy announce they'll be back after their holidays. It's funny because in one way the city empties out and then in another way the floods of French tourists arrive. This year because of the delicate economic climate there are lots of Frenchies, a few Italians but very few northern Europeans and even less Americans... But the beautiful thing about remaining in Barcelona during the summer is that for a small few moments you feel the city is just a little bit more 'yours' than it normally is. I suppose that because all of the locals are gone (or it feels like they are) that you are the closest thing to being a local... makes you feel kind of like for once you maybe fit in.
The morning bus rides to work will soon return to normal... the darkness is slowly creeping back into my morning routine. The alarm goes off at half six but my brain is not quite ready to compute the fact that it's starting to still be dark then. Work is sufficiently manic to make the hours in the day zoom by. In fact last week I felt like I looked up from my desk and it was Thursday already!
The impending baby rush is a pink one. Miss Vero and Miss Karen are both having little girls. To say I'm thrilled for them both is an understatement. Now if we can just bear the wait until seestor and bryan have theirs in Dec we can try for a hattrick... but they like the surprise and are thus going to wait to see if they too have a girl.
We ventured out very early yesterday morning with the ever enthusiastic Chiara and Nacho egging us on to be brave and actually atempt a day at the beach out of town. We were at the train at 8am to head off to the costa brava. We trained and bused it and then bused it some more and we arrived to Cala de Sant Francesc at around half ten. What a lovely place. It boggles the brain as to how much money you would need to have one of the massive houses that shroud the cala. It's really lovely and we had a fabulous day. Bravo to them for helping us make it possible with all the baby acutraments that we need to have with us to allow us to be away from home. It's not a trip for the faint hearted... and the transportation system isn't too sympathetic to people with baby prams but with 4 people we did it! And for the record... all those locals that are missing from Barcelona... they were all in Blanes. I think we were the only foreigners there!
Cala de San Francesc - trust me there were many more people there!
3.8.09
We're still here...
but summer and work seem to have zapped time away faster than money though our account.
It's not been the easiest times for us for the past little while but summer sun and the wee one sure do help get through until the next day.
Now we've the added bonus of a visit from my mum in mid-sept to look forward to.
Not quite sure if using a beach ball to keep your chins up is a viable life flotation device... but it will have to do for now.
Styling at the Villa
At the beach during the day with daddy...
Cuddles at the beach
Cuddles with mum when she finally gets home from work.
but summer and work seem to have zapped time away faster than money though our account.
It's not been the easiest times for us for the past little while but summer sun and the wee one sure do help get through until the next day.
Now we've the added bonus of a visit from my mum in mid-sept to look forward to.
Not quite sure if using a beach ball to keep your chins up is a viable life flotation device... but it will have to do for now.
Styling at the Villa
At the beach during the day with daddy...
Cuddles at the beach
Cuddles with mum when she finally gets home from work.
6.7.09
To say that I was gutted…
Would be a huge understatement.
Devastated is a bit closer… my beautiful present from the lovely and wonderfully talented Suresh Dutt met a terrible terrible end. We were all sat relaxing in our living room when completely un-provoked his piece tumbled off the top shelf above the television where it lived. I think my high pitch scream of NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO could be heard even before it bounced on the TV table (not yet breaking) it wasn’t until it shattered on the hard tile floors into about one zillion pieces did my scream stop. We were damn lucky as the wee one was about a metre away from us Fredu instantly grabbed her to keep her from the shards of glass. With dog and baby in arms the tears fell. I loved it so much. I am so very sad. At least if I had of dropped it while cleaning it or something like that it could resolve it… but it literally slid from the shelf with no reason. I guess the gods decided we weren’t to have anything nice.
What I had was the prototype to this piece...
We should have taken a picture as the way in which it shattered was most spectacular… could have been art in it’s self… but I was too upset and Fredu was too busy trying to make sure no one cut themselves…
Why do all the nice things we have break? Or do we only notice they break because they’re nice?
*sobs*
Would be a huge understatement.
Devastated is a bit closer… my beautiful present from the lovely and wonderfully talented Suresh Dutt met a terrible terrible end. We were all sat relaxing in our living room when completely un-provoked his piece tumbled off the top shelf above the television where it lived. I think my high pitch scream of NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO could be heard even before it bounced on the TV table (not yet breaking) it wasn’t until it shattered on the hard tile floors into about one zillion pieces did my scream stop. We were damn lucky as the wee one was about a metre away from us Fredu instantly grabbed her to keep her from the shards of glass. With dog and baby in arms the tears fell. I loved it so much. I am so very sad. At least if I had of dropped it while cleaning it or something like that it could resolve it… but it literally slid from the shelf with no reason. I guess the gods decided we weren’t to have anything nice.
What I had was the prototype to this piece...
We should have taken a picture as the way in which it shattered was most spectacular… could have been art in it’s self… but I was too upset and Fredu was too busy trying to make sure no one cut themselves…
Why do all the nice things we have break? Or do we only notice they break because they’re nice?
*sobs*
30.6.09
Life has been
Pretty darn trying these days... for a plethora of reasons. The is now clear and surefire way though times like this. It takes patience and perseverance of course but it's never easy when literally every step you take lands you deeper in quick sand. Bear Grylls would say the best chance you have of staying alive is to keep moving... so that we do and whether it will simply aid the quicker sinking down into the quicksand or actually get us out is not yet certain but there are simply no other alternatives to consider so on we press.
I had a lovely and amazingly helpful evening with the lovely Jacob tonight who really helped me push throught this dead spot I had in one of my paintings. I'm so greatful for his coaching and motivation as I really needed it. It's really hard to do much of anything constructive when you're exhausted and just want to collapse.
Living far away from your immediate family is always a challenge especially when you are close to them... it is becoming more poingant every day just how much having their physical presence would be such a great help. Getting away for even two days with just the two of us would b simply golden... neither of us would actually really want to go and leave the wee one but at certain times you have to start to realise that without you as a couple you will quickly cease to exist as the parents she needs and wants and you can so very easily become exes and coparents and nothing more. It's a bleak way to think of things but if you don't have balance things can go really really wrong. We're all thinking about joining the circus. I hear they've got an opening for a family tightrope act...
Pretty darn trying these days... for a plethora of reasons. The is now clear and surefire way though times like this. It takes patience and perseverance of course but it's never easy when literally every step you take lands you deeper in quick sand. Bear Grylls would say the best chance you have of staying alive is to keep moving... so that we do and whether it will simply aid the quicker sinking down into the quicksand or actually get us out is not yet certain but there are simply no other alternatives to consider so on we press.
I had a lovely and amazingly helpful evening with the lovely Jacob tonight who really helped me push throught this dead spot I had in one of my paintings. I'm so greatful for his coaching and motivation as I really needed it. It's really hard to do much of anything constructive when you're exhausted and just want to collapse.
Living far away from your immediate family is always a challenge especially when you are close to them... it is becoming more poingant every day just how much having their physical presence would be such a great help. Getting away for even two days with just the two of us would b simply golden... neither of us would actually really want to go and leave the wee one but at certain times you have to start to realise that without you as a couple you will quickly cease to exist as the parents she needs and wants and you can so very easily become exes and coparents and nothing more. It's a bleak way to think of things but if you don't have balance things can go really really wrong. We're all thinking about joining the circus. I hear they've got an opening for a family tightrope act...
23.6.09
In a blink
Summer has arrived and things are in full swing here... We've just had a lovely visit from the ever fabulous Ollie. He has however been struck by the ryanair curse and missed his bus to the out of town airport and is now on a mad dash to still catch the flight...
It was the sonar music festival this past weekend so the city was flooded by norther europeans. The weather did not disappoint.
Summer has arrived and things are in full swing here... We've just had a lovely visit from the ever fabulous Ollie. He has however been struck by the ryanair curse and missed his bus to the out of town airport and is now on a mad dash to still catch the flight...
It was the sonar music festival this past weekend so the city was flooded by norther europeans. The weather did not disappoint.
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Sienna all ready for Sonar Kids
Summer means holiday season and regrettably it doesn't look like I"ll be making it home this summer like I had hoped. I really wanted to attend my little cousin's wedding but doesn't even look like the wee one's passport will be renewed in time... ah well. The villa week is coming up and we're well looking forward to getting some relaxation time in. Things have been fairly rough here these days and I think we all deserve a bit of a rest. The villa is actually fully filled up whereas just a few weeks ago I thought we would be low on numbers... May be a bit cozy in the end more like a summer camp with people sharing rooms and beds!
we're kind of on the coping with a half day at a time to get things rolling... even sometimes the thought of a full day makes my chest tight with anxiety... baby steps for all of us.
7.6.09
It's a baby bonanza!
It's been a busy week... seems like March and April this year were indeed fruitful baby making months as we've got joyous news from both seestor and the lovely vero! Both are expecting bundles of joy. For Vero it's her first and seestor her second. Seestor's is due the same day as her first which is just before xmas and Vero at the end of Jan. Lots of waiting to be done between now and then but how excited am I to be able to buy cute tiny baby things again?
Our sleepy bundle of joy is on her second weekend of massive slumber. I swear she's gone from a 1 year old to a 15 year old all at once. Last week she had a 3h nap in the morning and then went back to sleep at 17h in the afternoon until the next morning. We of course were totally freaked out by it so had no rest... we were checking on her every 5 minutes... She was just fine of course. Now today when she does it again and we're not quite sure what to think of it. Perhaps the week at the nursery school is more tiring than we can imagine... that and she's getting more teeth. Ah well I guess we should just enjoy the quiet evening. Watching back to back episodes of american dad is of course part of said quiet evening...
It's been a busy week... seems like March and April this year were indeed fruitful baby making months as we've got joyous news from both seestor and the lovely vero! Both are expecting bundles of joy. For Vero it's her first and seestor her second. Seestor's is due the same day as her first which is just before xmas and Vero at the end of Jan. Lots of waiting to be done between now and then but how excited am I to be able to buy cute tiny baby things again?
Our sleepy bundle of joy is on her second weekend of massive slumber. I swear she's gone from a 1 year old to a 15 year old all at once. Last week she had a 3h nap in the morning and then went back to sleep at 17h in the afternoon until the next morning. We of course were totally freaked out by it so had no rest... we were checking on her every 5 minutes... She was just fine of course. Now today when she does it again and we're not quite sure what to think of it. Perhaps the week at the nursery school is more tiring than we can imagine... that and she's getting more teeth. Ah well I guess we should just enjoy the quiet evening. Watching back to back episodes of american dad is of course part of said quiet evening...
28.5.09
Shoes are a delicate issue...
And even more so when you are forced with the reality of having to buy practical shoes for a 1 year old with tiny feet. She needs something that she can romp around in at school and that the teacher’s don’t go mad with her feet slipping out all the time (such as they are now with her current sandals). So off we trotted on a dubious mission to find a cute and practical pair of small kid’s sandals… dear god it nearly killed us… everything was so bloody garish and the cool pink gladiators that we fell in love with didn’t fit her feet properly so they were taken out of the running…
After more than 4 shops and trying on 12 pairs of shoes we finally compromised and bought her a wee pair of Birkenstock inspired sandals from Zara that would securely hold in her tiny sweaty feet without looking too horribly ugly… I would be lying if I said I didn’t go home and paint the white buckles silver… Fashion is not an option people… neurosis maybe but fashion, is not!
And even more so when you are forced with the reality of having to buy practical shoes for a 1 year old with tiny feet. She needs something that she can romp around in at school and that the teacher’s don’t go mad with her feet slipping out all the time (such as they are now with her current sandals). So off we trotted on a dubious mission to find a cute and practical pair of small kid’s sandals… dear god it nearly killed us… everything was so bloody garish and the cool pink gladiators that we fell in love with didn’t fit her feet properly so they were taken out of the running…
After more than 4 shops and trying on 12 pairs of shoes we finally compromised and bought her a wee pair of Birkenstock inspired sandals from Zara that would securely hold in her tiny sweaty feet without looking too horribly ugly… I would be lying if I said I didn’t go home and paint the white buckles silver… Fashion is not an option people… neurosis maybe but fashion, is not!
27.5.09
When life gives you tea… drink coffee
Yea well I know it doesn’t make much sense but that’s the way things roll these days. My office houses quite a few avid tea drinkers and we all whimpered a little bit when our ‘proper tea’ supply ran dry a week so so ago. The tea gods must have heard our cries as the very next day our colleague returned from his work related trip to Sri Lanka with armfuls of tea. Oh happy day. The only problem is, that this is “seriously proper tea” and thus requires proper brewing instruments of which we do not have… so there it sits, in it’s regal tea glory on the table un touched. Until one of us scrapes together the incentive to buy a brewing pot from the Chinese shop we’re all stuck drinking coffee… not all bad of course as I’m rocking the soya milk coffee… seriously when life gives you tea, drink coffee.
Miss Bambach has announced her imminent arrival to the continent within the next few weeks. It’s been far too long since we’ve had any new Sally stories or adventures to delight us with so we are most pleased . The villa this year will be really fun as we’ve got two new guests which should indeed spice things up.
My fight for the baby bonus we were due when Sienna was born continues this time with the help of our local ombudsman. Who knew we had one? Lets hope they help us get a favorable resolution to my appeal. It’s been nearly 7 months and we’ve heard absolutely nothing from the government office that is processing the appeal. If we get it we may just be able to get flights to Canada for my cousins wedding or maybe even home for xmas… or we could just blow it all on champagne and cheap women. Just kidding.
Yea well I know it doesn’t make much sense but that’s the way things roll these days. My office houses quite a few avid tea drinkers and we all whimpered a little bit when our ‘proper tea’ supply ran dry a week so so ago. The tea gods must have heard our cries as the very next day our colleague returned from his work related trip to Sri Lanka with armfuls of tea. Oh happy day. The only problem is, that this is “seriously proper tea” and thus requires proper brewing instruments of which we do not have… so there it sits, in it’s regal tea glory on the table un touched. Until one of us scrapes together the incentive to buy a brewing pot from the Chinese shop we’re all stuck drinking coffee… not all bad of course as I’m rocking the soya milk coffee… seriously when life gives you tea, drink coffee.
Miss Bambach has announced her imminent arrival to the continent within the next few weeks. It’s been far too long since we’ve had any new Sally stories or adventures to delight us with so we are most pleased . The villa this year will be really fun as we’ve got two new guests which should indeed spice things up.
My fight for the baby bonus we were due when Sienna was born continues this time with the help of our local ombudsman. Who knew we had one? Lets hope they help us get a favorable resolution to my appeal. It’s been nearly 7 months and we’ve heard absolutely nothing from the government office that is processing the appeal. If we get it we may just be able to get flights to Canada for my cousins wedding or maybe even home for xmas… or we could just blow it all on champagne and cheap women. Just kidding.
25.5.09
It’s a good reminder…
To slow down sometimes and really make an effort to appreciate life. Speaking with miss Andrea last night she told me of the very unexpected death of a dear colleague of hers. He died last week only 34 years old. He took ill after a night out with her and some other friends… he thought he had the flu but by the following week he was not feeling better and then on the Wednesday he had two seizures and the second one proved fatal and he passed away. Death of course is such a natural part of life but it’s all too easy to lose sight of our mortality. I’m so sad for Andrea and her friends and of course for his family. I never knew him but I know Andrea and Mit always spoke favorably of him.
I can but hope that we’re doing our best to enjoy life and all it’s good and bad things. This weekend we did some painting with the wee one on the terrace which I do believe she thoroughly enjoyed… we did two sessions actually and the second one ended with her painting most of herself blue. Then we baked some peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. Very industrious indeed. Sunday we ventured out to the zoo with Chiara and Nacho. It was such a nice day for the zoo as it wasn’t too hot. The little miss did indeed seem to enjoy it but I’m sure if we return in another 6 months she will enjoy it even more!
To life. Live it.
The painting lady
To slow down sometimes and really make an effort to appreciate life. Speaking with miss Andrea last night she told me of the very unexpected death of a dear colleague of hers. He died last week only 34 years old. He took ill after a night out with her and some other friends… he thought he had the flu but by the following week he was not feeling better and then on the Wednesday he had two seizures and the second one proved fatal and he passed away. Death of course is such a natural part of life but it’s all too easy to lose sight of our mortality. I’m so sad for Andrea and her friends and of course for his family. I never knew him but I know Andrea and Mit always spoke favorably of him.
I can but hope that we’re doing our best to enjoy life and all it’s good and bad things. This weekend we did some painting with the wee one on the terrace which I do believe she thoroughly enjoyed… we did two sessions actually and the second one ended with her painting most of herself blue. Then we baked some peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. Very industrious indeed. Sunday we ventured out to the zoo with Chiara and Nacho. It was such a nice day for the zoo as it wasn’t too hot. The little miss did indeed seem to enjoy it but I’m sure if we return in another 6 months she will enjoy it even more!
To life. Live it.
The painting lady
23.5.09
Dodging Photocalls
On Thursday night we slipped off into the night for a rare evening together. Tucked in at home was the wee one under the careful watch of her godmother... In store for us was an interesting evening at a club/restaurant on the beach that we sometimes send our BL clients to... It was an evening sponsored by Laurent Perrier which of course caused my left eyebrow to raise in curiosite... We arrived to the entrance and were met with a photocall... I think my whole body kind of froze as I took in the fact that we were being queued up to pass through and of course be photographed... I think Alfredo quickly sensed my mild panic... I couldn't quite imagine the relevance of being photographed as we were surely not of interests to the photogs... Funny, but just a little too embarassing for me who doesn't go out much any more to handle! Fredu did a quick negotiation with the staff and they quickly ushered us around the back so as to avoid the photos... very sneaky sneakerson if you ask me.... It was a nice night and even nicer to spend some adult time together... we do however need a bit of practise at the whole 'us'time together as we struggled a bit to talk about something that was not Sienna related... we'll get there eventually.
The approximately 6 glasses of champers that I suspect I imbibed were in hindsight not the best idea but they seemed like it at the time. Friday morning however sealed the deal on that argument as when faced with an unexpected 3h meeting where I had to sit through a host of presentations from the different departments within my company... loosing the will to live was a real problem for me that day...
Back to reality this morning and a nice tranquilo morning with the furry little one and the not at all furry little one oh and did i mention the chaoticly messy house? Business as usual!
On Thursday night we slipped off into the night for a rare evening together. Tucked in at home was the wee one under the careful watch of her godmother... In store for us was an interesting evening at a club/restaurant on the beach that we sometimes send our BL clients to... It was an evening sponsored by Laurent Perrier which of course caused my left eyebrow to raise in curiosite... We arrived to the entrance and were met with a photocall... I think my whole body kind of froze as I took in the fact that we were being queued up to pass through and of course be photographed... I think Alfredo quickly sensed my mild panic... I couldn't quite imagine the relevance of being photographed as we were surely not of interests to the photogs... Funny, but just a little too embarassing for me who doesn't go out much any more to handle! Fredu did a quick negotiation with the staff and they quickly ushered us around the back so as to avoid the photos... very sneaky sneakerson if you ask me.... It was a nice night and even nicer to spend some adult time together... we do however need a bit of practise at the whole 'us'time together as we struggled a bit to talk about something that was not Sienna related... we'll get there eventually.
The approximately 6 glasses of champers that I suspect I imbibed were in hindsight not the best idea but they seemed like it at the time. Friday morning however sealed the deal on that argument as when faced with an unexpected 3h meeting where I had to sit through a host of presentations from the different departments within my company... loosing the will to live was a real problem for me that day...
Back to reality this morning and a nice tranquilo morning with the furry little one and the not at all furry little one oh and did i mention the chaoticly messy house? Business as usual!
17.5.09
I really get the point...
That my blog is abandoned when Fredu mentions to me just that last night.
It's pretty sad really as I think it kind of reflects me as a whole right now... I'm not too busy I think I'm just disconnected which makes writing all that much more taxing.
I had a wonderful five days away time in London to myself which I thought would be a bit hard on my heart strings as the longest I've even been away from Sienna was one night and that was because I was in hospital. Don't get me wrong I know I have to have my own life or I will quickly end up one of those mum's that I loathe... Nothing like some time with my girlies to help sort things out... Miss Andrea is going through a rough time with her job these days and thus I was more keen to be around to try and support her than jet around and catch up with everyone. I'm sad I didn't get to see Sureshee but I am happy that I did get to have a mid-day cocktail on Tuesday with Miss Andrea at our happy place (Charlotte St Hotel). How good was the cocktail? Man, it was damn good.
It's funny as for a few minutes there while I was back in London I missed it, I thought fleetingly I could move back there and really thrive. But then I thought of the horror of transporting my new chapter of life there... that thought quickly vanished. Barcelona it will be for us for the foreseeable future, and that's not a bad thing.
Fredu kept the wee one busy while I was away and the lucky tot managed to go to the F1 race that was being held here as her daddy had connections from long ago when he worked doing photography for the circut... then as if to add insult to injury to her uncle bryan who would have killed to be there... they rounded off the day at the Barca match. Pretty lucky tot... wonder if she'll remember any of it?
Remember and do... those are my new goals... sharpen focus... complete things. Lazyness is the enemy.
That my blog is abandoned when Fredu mentions to me just that last night.
It's pretty sad really as I think it kind of reflects me as a whole right now... I'm not too busy I think I'm just disconnected which makes writing all that much more taxing.
I had a wonderful five days away time in London to myself which I thought would be a bit hard on my heart strings as the longest I've even been away from Sienna was one night and that was because I was in hospital. Don't get me wrong I know I have to have my own life or I will quickly end up one of those mum's that I loathe... Nothing like some time with my girlies to help sort things out... Miss Andrea is going through a rough time with her job these days and thus I was more keen to be around to try and support her than jet around and catch up with everyone. I'm sad I didn't get to see Sureshee but I am happy that I did get to have a mid-day cocktail on Tuesday with Miss Andrea at our happy place (Charlotte St Hotel). How good was the cocktail? Man, it was damn good.
It's funny as for a few minutes there while I was back in London I missed it, I thought fleetingly I could move back there and really thrive. But then I thought of the horror of transporting my new chapter of life there... that thought quickly vanished. Barcelona it will be for us for the foreseeable future, and that's not a bad thing.
Fredu kept the wee one busy while I was away and the lucky tot managed to go to the F1 race that was being held here as her daddy had connections from long ago when he worked doing photography for the circut... then as if to add insult to injury to her uncle bryan who would have killed to be there... they rounded off the day at the Barca match. Pretty lucky tot... wonder if she'll remember any of it?
Remember and do... those are my new goals... sharpen focus... complete things. Lazyness is the enemy.
26.4.09
Beware of ninja-like sashimi snatchers...
I would never have thought it but certain parties are swifter than we think... We had a lovely sushi lunch with uncle Eric this afternoon and while the three adults at the table were busy chatting away we failed to notice the ninja-like swiftness with which a certain someone swiped an entire piece of Sashimi Salmon and chomped it down with her four humble teeth with such great haste that we really didn't notice at all. When we finally got to the end of our chat we looked down to see a bare bed of rice and no salmon. Swift little sushi eating ninja baby... wonder if that would fit on a T shirt. I seriously made Alfredo check 5 times to see if she had just tossed it on the floor or if it feel to the foot rest of her pram in which she was sat... Nope, she full on ate it. Amazing!
I'm guessing she didn't even need to use the "look over there"distraction technique... This wasn't taken during the sushi dining incident but it's pretty funny as she was pointing out a pidgeon... or was it a car? I can quite recall but whatever it was it was apparently very imporatant.
This morning the girls watched with great curiosity as the rain lashed down outside our bedroom window. I snapped this pic as it was too sweet to miss.The two lone pieces of washing that got done before our machine called it quits swung damply on the line outside... if they can fix the beast we shall have a full week of washing to catch up with.
Storm watchers. (and thank god although they look grim and prison-like the bars on the window are a nice safety feature when you live on the 5th floor!)
We've had a very rainy year thus far but I snapped this picture on the street down from mine the other day just after it stopped raining. Although taken with my meagre camrea phone it turned out okay...
After the rain...
We tried out the beach for the first time this year on Thursday and I joined the gang at the beach after I finished work. I'm starting to get the idea of just how sweet my working hours are here... finishing every day at 16h will be VERY nice once it's full on summer.
It took about 1h for her to brave climbing down off of her safe refuge (on top of me) but once she got into it, it was all about the sand. Needless to say we managed to bring half the beach home with us... just how we did, I'm not quite sure.
I would never have thought it but certain parties are swifter than we think... We had a lovely sushi lunch with uncle Eric this afternoon and while the three adults at the table were busy chatting away we failed to notice the ninja-like swiftness with which a certain someone swiped an entire piece of Sashimi Salmon and chomped it down with her four humble teeth with such great haste that we really didn't notice at all. When we finally got to the end of our chat we looked down to see a bare bed of rice and no salmon. Swift little sushi eating ninja baby... wonder if that would fit on a T shirt. I seriously made Alfredo check 5 times to see if she had just tossed it on the floor or if it feel to the foot rest of her pram in which she was sat... Nope, she full on ate it. Amazing!
I'm guessing she didn't even need to use the "look over there"distraction technique... This wasn't taken during the sushi dining incident but it's pretty funny as she was pointing out a pidgeon... or was it a car? I can quite recall but whatever it was it was apparently very imporatant.
This morning the girls watched with great curiosity as the rain lashed down outside our bedroom window. I snapped this pic as it was too sweet to miss.The two lone pieces of washing that got done before our machine called it quits swung damply on the line outside... if they can fix the beast we shall have a full week of washing to catch up with.
Storm watchers. (and thank god although they look grim and prison-like the bars on the window are a nice safety feature when you live on the 5th floor!)
We've had a very rainy year thus far but I snapped this picture on the street down from mine the other day just after it stopped raining. Although taken with my meagre camrea phone it turned out okay...
After the rain...
We tried out the beach for the first time this year on Thursday and I joined the gang at the beach after I finished work. I'm starting to get the idea of just how sweet my working hours are here... finishing every day at 16h will be VERY nice once it's full on summer.
It took about 1h for her to brave climbing down off of her safe refuge (on top of me) but once she got into it, it was all about the sand. Needless to say we managed to bring half the beach home with us... just how we did, I'm not quite sure.
15.4.09
Hello 900!
This is officially my 900th blog entry. Would would have thought? Who on earth really keeps track of these things anyway? Clearly I do. Only 100 more and I'll be at 1k.
London is calling and I'm jetting off next month for the wedding of the year (Mitt's) my sari is on the way from my seestor who lives in sarilandia... I'm so excited. I've not been back to visit the London peeps in far too long. Primark and Topshop here I come. I must represent as seestor can't come this year.
Some of us are developing quite the little personality and a temper to boot... good thing she looks so darned cute as she can get away with it. Is is some sort of reflection on me when her first spanish word has turned out to be patata? What could this mean? He he .
Looking funky on the terrace
Oh we are quite cool aren't we?
Pinkie in the park
On the run - with maria biscut of course. Bitchin shoes!
This is officially my 900th blog entry. Would would have thought? Who on earth really keeps track of these things anyway? Clearly I do. Only 100 more and I'll be at 1k.
London is calling and I'm jetting off next month for the wedding of the year (Mitt's) my sari is on the way from my seestor who lives in sarilandia... I'm so excited. I've not been back to visit the London peeps in far too long. Primark and Topshop here I come. I must represent as seestor can't come this year.
Some of us are developing quite the little personality and a temper to boot... good thing she looks so darned cute as she can get away with it. Is is some sort of reflection on me when her first spanish word has turned out to be patata? What could this mean? He he .
Looking funky on the terrace
Oh we are quite cool aren't we?
Pinkie in the park
On the run - with maria biscut of course. Bitchin shoes!
8.4.09
I can’t quite believe it’s been 7 years ago already today…
since my dad died… It seems a lifetime ago that day when I sat in the office of my new job in London working away… I got an email from my aunt telling me to ring my sister urgently… it was all a big blur of rush from that moment onwards until I touched down back in Toronto at midnight that same day.
I think a small part of me still can’t quite believe that he’s gone. But the feeling that he’s coming back somehow has of course faded… but he’s certainly ever present in my life since the wee one seems to have a lot of his genes in her… she sparkles something of him in her smile which is quite divine really. A nice genetic surprise if you will. I often think wistfully of certain things that he would have just loved to have seen or experienced… bitter sweet really but such is death in most cases. I do miss him so.
My grandfather on the other hand is alive and kicking and tomorrow will celebrate his 90th birthday. Again I’m sad that I cannot be there to celebrate with him but we shall be there in spirit. What an achievement!
Time and life is just rushing by at a great pace. Work seems to be taking up the lion’s share of energy lately and the Easter holidays will be so well appreciated once they start for me on Friday. A four day weekend will be a great luxury even if it is rainy.
May is just around the corner although we’ve just started April. I’ve got my passage booked to spend a few days in London from the 7th to the 12th. Mit is having the wedding of the year that weekend and I’m most honored to be invited to attend. Not sure yet if the rest of my brood will be going but if it’s just me it’s not all bad either as I’ve not been back for a proper visit for well over a year and a half now so I’m well over due.
since my dad died… It seems a lifetime ago that day when I sat in the office of my new job in London working away… I got an email from my aunt telling me to ring my sister urgently… it was all a big blur of rush from that moment onwards until I touched down back in Toronto at midnight that same day.
I think a small part of me still can’t quite believe that he’s gone. But the feeling that he’s coming back somehow has of course faded… but he’s certainly ever present in my life since the wee one seems to have a lot of his genes in her… she sparkles something of him in her smile which is quite divine really. A nice genetic surprise if you will. I often think wistfully of certain things that he would have just loved to have seen or experienced… bitter sweet really but such is death in most cases. I do miss him so.
My grandfather on the other hand is alive and kicking and tomorrow will celebrate his 90th birthday. Again I’m sad that I cannot be there to celebrate with him but we shall be there in spirit. What an achievement!
Time and life is just rushing by at a great pace. Work seems to be taking up the lion’s share of energy lately and the Easter holidays will be so well appreciated once they start for me on Friday. A four day weekend will be a great luxury even if it is rainy.
May is just around the corner although we’ve just started April. I’ve got my passage booked to spend a few days in London from the 7th to the 12th. Mit is having the wedding of the year that weekend and I’m most honored to be invited to attend. Not sure yet if the rest of my brood will be going but if it’s just me it’s not all bad either as I’ve not been back for a proper visit for well over a year and a half now so I’m well over due.
28.3.09
Sometimes I'm quite certain there's a jertain in the curtain...
And sometimes I'm subtly reminded that Sienna really is my daughter... While walking through the rainy streets this afternoon she was insisting on going into every shoe shop we passed. The girl spends a lot of time playing with all my shoes and she just loves to take them all down off the shelf. A few days ago Fredu found a pair of sandals that I thought weren't hideously kid-like and we bought them for her. I can't even explain how thrilled she is at the concept of her new shoes. I know they're fab and all but I think it's more the case that it's that her toes are free and there are no socks involved. Although my mother thinks that it's not unheard of for children to wear socks with sandals... I'm not of that mindset... call me a novice but people please. Fashion is not an option it's an obligation* right?
*Bargains are of course imperative if you are to follow this mantra
The sandals...
And since we purchased said sandals she has been obsessed with wearing them around the house. She'll find them, crawl up to your lap and motion for you to put them on her. Lucky they have a zip up the back as well as the velcro strap so it's never really a battle... Now I'm certain her feet will grow 2 sizes before it's warm enough to wear them... Murphy's law no?
At long last the wee ones teeth are finally starting to come in... How many babies have been walking for a couple of months already and are just now start getting teeth? I know I know everyone is different. We got her this amber teething necklace which apparently helps the inflamation. It's funny as I've now looked it up online and the prices for them are insane. We got ours for 6Euros... they seem to sell for 40 -60 in the states? Odd? And btw don't fret they don't chew on them it's simply the contact against their skin that releases some mild succinic acid, which naturally does the whole anti-inflamatory thing. Don't ask... but it seems to work. Looks pretty funky too.
The amber necklace
And sometimes I'm subtly reminded that Sienna really is my daughter... While walking through the rainy streets this afternoon she was insisting on going into every shoe shop we passed. The girl spends a lot of time playing with all my shoes and she just loves to take them all down off the shelf. A few days ago Fredu found a pair of sandals that I thought weren't hideously kid-like and we bought them for her. I can't even explain how thrilled she is at the concept of her new shoes. I know they're fab and all but I think it's more the case that it's that her toes are free and there are no socks involved. Although my mother thinks that it's not unheard of for children to wear socks with sandals... I'm not of that mindset... call me a novice but people please. Fashion is not an option it's an obligation* right?
*Bargains are of course imperative if you are to follow this mantra
The sandals...
And since we purchased said sandals she has been obsessed with wearing them around the house. She'll find them, crawl up to your lap and motion for you to put them on her. Lucky they have a zip up the back as well as the velcro strap so it's never really a battle... Now I'm certain her feet will grow 2 sizes before it's warm enough to wear them... Murphy's law no?
At long last the wee ones teeth are finally starting to come in... How many babies have been walking for a couple of months already and are just now start getting teeth? I know I know everyone is different. We got her this amber teething necklace which apparently helps the inflamation. It's funny as I've now looked it up online and the prices for them are insane. We got ours for 6Euros... they seem to sell for 40 -60 in the states? Odd? And btw don't fret they don't chew on them it's simply the contact against their skin that releases some mild succinic acid, which naturally does the whole anti-inflamatory thing. Don't ask... but it seems to work. Looks pretty funky too.
The amber necklace
21.3.09
Ooh lots of fun an giggles were had
The girlies decended into London last week to help me celebrate my 33rd Birthday. Oh how brilliant it was to have some well needed girlie chats and giggles. We went shopping, ate out... went to the cinema too (something I've not done in god knows how long). They even baked me a fabulous birthday cake!
Work seems to be just insanely busy and thus blogging and all other life things seem to be have put on hold... The recovery from surgery is going well although I do hobble around a bit... the scar should heal nicely, not sure it will be so good for the bikini season that is rapidly approaching, but hey... one thing at a time!
The cake chefs!!!
The happy birthday girl!!!
Sienna with her aunties sipping mojitos in the sun!
Bad ass rock chick baby
Naughty Naughty Ninga Turles in the display case at the movie theatre...
A rare moment with just the two of us at the beach on the morning of my birthday before I went off to work.
The girlies decended into London last week to help me celebrate my 33rd Birthday. Oh how brilliant it was to have some well needed girlie chats and giggles. We went shopping, ate out... went to the cinema too (something I've not done in god knows how long). They even baked me a fabulous birthday cake!
Work seems to be just insanely busy and thus blogging and all other life things seem to be have put on hold... The recovery from surgery is going well although I do hobble around a bit... the scar should heal nicely, not sure it will be so good for the bikini season that is rapidly approaching, but hey... one thing at a time!
The cake chefs!!!
The happy birthday girl!!!
Sienna with her aunties sipping mojitos in the sun!
Bad ass rock chick baby
Naughty Naughty Ninga Turles in the display case at the movie theatre...
A rare moment with just the two of us at the beach on the morning of my birthday before I went off to work.
11.3.09
And just when you thought it couldn't possibly get more exciting...
it did.
Sunday afternoon saw me checking into the hospital by the sea... by 11pm I was being operated on for appendicitis. Not a nice thing. But luckily it didn't rupture and the procedure went well.
I've not much experience with hospitals thank goodness but this was enough to let me know that I'm really not so into them. I'm back home now and waiting for my work laptop to arrive so I can get back onto things in the real world.
I think the worst thing other than not being able to hold the wee bub would be the massive headache that I'm dealing with today... the painkillers they give you sure do work on the wound but seem to somehow don't seem to help the headache?
Best get busy getting better so I can enjoy the time with Joey and Andrea who arrive to help me celebrate my birthday!
No more drama please and thank you.
it did.
Sunday afternoon saw me checking into the hospital by the sea... by 11pm I was being operated on for appendicitis. Not a nice thing. But luckily it didn't rupture and the procedure went well.
I've not much experience with hospitals thank goodness but this was enough to let me know that I'm really not so into them. I'm back home now and waiting for my work laptop to arrive so I can get back onto things in the real world.
I think the worst thing other than not being able to hold the wee bub would be the massive headache that I'm dealing with today... the painkillers they give you sure do work on the wound but seem to somehow don't seem to help the headache?
Best get busy getting better so I can enjoy the time with Joey and Andrea who arrive to help me celebrate my birthday!
No more drama please and thank you.
25.2.09
Time is slipping by
faster than money through my bank account these days. Before you know it, spring will be here and summer is of course just around the corner.
It's been pretty hectic times here since my mum left. I think we're always in a bit of a daze when she goes as we just love having her here so much we're kind of left numb when she goes. All part of life though I suppose.
I just finished reading a book mum gave me at xmas. It's got a terrible cover and everyone in my office was convinced I was reading some sort of romance novel when they saw it on my desk... but it was really so good. It was called Beach Music by Pat Conroy and it was quite the story. The old man on the bus next to me on the way home last night was looking rather puzzled as he saw a few tears roll down my cheek as I flpped through the last pages of the book. What a great read! I really would never have picked it up on my own accord but since it came reccomended by mum I couldn't refuse. Now I'm onto the last book Andrea gave me for xmas called Savage Garden by Mark Mills. It's kind of a challenge to get in to right now as I was so pulled into the last book it's hard to move on... seems to be a re-occuring theme of this post.
Other long un-resolved issues are wrapping up but with them come more issues and more stress. Not quite sure why it is that just when we seem to be getting our feet on the ground that something pops up to set us back... I guess we'll learn to live by simply bobing at the surface for a while. Sigh.
The girls are coming from London for a visit in a few weeks and all the weekend and overtime I've been doing lately will be used up on a day off while they're here. I can't wait. Perhaps some girlie time will help get through all of this.
Lilli has voiced a bark of complaint that ever since Sienna has come along her blog presense has been severely diminished... She just wanted her adoring public to know that she was still really cute and that really, she's the start of the show.... so on that note... over to you Lilli Martini!
faster than money through my bank account these days. Before you know it, spring will be here and summer is of course just around the corner.
It's been pretty hectic times here since my mum left. I think we're always in a bit of a daze when she goes as we just love having her here so much we're kind of left numb when she goes. All part of life though I suppose.
I just finished reading a book mum gave me at xmas. It's got a terrible cover and everyone in my office was convinced I was reading some sort of romance novel when they saw it on my desk... but it was really so good. It was called Beach Music by Pat Conroy and it was quite the story. The old man on the bus next to me on the way home last night was looking rather puzzled as he saw a few tears roll down my cheek as I flpped through the last pages of the book. What a great read! I really would never have picked it up on my own accord but since it came reccomended by mum I couldn't refuse. Now I'm onto the last book Andrea gave me for xmas called Savage Garden by Mark Mills. It's kind of a challenge to get in to right now as I was so pulled into the last book it's hard to move on... seems to be a re-occuring theme of this post.
Other long un-resolved issues are wrapping up but with them come more issues and more stress. Not quite sure why it is that just when we seem to be getting our feet on the ground that something pops up to set us back... I guess we'll learn to live by simply bobing at the surface for a while. Sigh.
The girls are coming from London for a visit in a few weeks and all the weekend and overtime I've been doing lately will be used up on a day off while they're here. I can't wait. Perhaps some girlie time will help get through all of this.
Lilli has voiced a bark of complaint that ever since Sienna has come along her blog presense has been severely diminished... She just wanted her adoring public to know that she was still really cute and that really, she's the start of the show.... so on that note... over to you Lilli Martini!
2.2.09
It’s been one year already
And on this very day one year ago the little miss Sienna Ellice entered into this world. I’m amazed at how quickly time flies and how much and how little my life has changed. I always thought that having a child would mean total upheaval… that the milestones of sleeping through the night, rolling over, sitting and now walking would be monumental and earth shattering. I think the thing is, is that they all happen at such a natural progression that I never felt the rush of a monumentus feeling at these accomplishments. I do however treasure every day and hope that I will sooner rather than later master the art of divine patience that you need to be a good parent. It is truly the biggest task especially when you’re a person like me. But who better to help you learn that a 10kilo bundle of smiles, giggles and love?
Some people say that you get magic ‘I forget the whole birth’ hormones… I don’t think I ever got those… I seem to have erased from my mind the whole 9 months leading up to that Saturday morning that I hobbled down the 120 steps and out into the street between contractions on the way to the hospital. I remember the cab ride, the checking in and the subsequent monitoring of my contractions. I watched in awe and horror as the measuring unit which previously I had only seen measure contractions at a 60 at the highest was now spiking at 98 and man did it hurt. I remember walking to the delivery room and waiting while Alfredo fiddled with his scrubs as he was so excited he could hardly get them on. I remember thinking, ‘why am I not in a wheel chair’? I remember how that when they finally let me push that the pain went away… and I remember looking up at the big white clock on the delivery room hall and seeing that it was 9h15 when she was born. Her birth certificate says 9h45 but I know that she was actually bon 30 minutes earlier… not that it matters really but I remember! Then from that point on I’ve worn a veil of surrealness of being a parent. I find it quite baffling really as I keep waiting for that veil to lift and finally feel a sigh of relief and think to myself- this is real, this isn’t Sarah playing the part of a person who is a mother… may take me a while yet but I’m ever optimistic and that says a lot coming from a certified fatalist.
Mum arrived safely yesterday and poor her, was greeted by a fleet of sickies… All three of us seem to have terrible colds and fever. I can’t imagine that there is a bug that is going around that I have not yet caught. I had I think 3 flus in January and am starting off Feb. with what I hope to be a single cold and not a whole flock of them… hack hack cough cough
Happy birthday my little boobitu (although we try not to call you that)
And on this very day one year ago the little miss Sienna Ellice entered into this world. I’m amazed at how quickly time flies and how much and how little my life has changed. I always thought that having a child would mean total upheaval… that the milestones of sleeping through the night, rolling over, sitting and now walking would be monumental and earth shattering. I think the thing is, is that they all happen at such a natural progression that I never felt the rush of a monumentus feeling at these accomplishments. I do however treasure every day and hope that I will sooner rather than later master the art of divine patience that you need to be a good parent. It is truly the biggest task especially when you’re a person like me. But who better to help you learn that a 10kilo bundle of smiles, giggles and love?
Some people say that you get magic ‘I forget the whole birth’ hormones… I don’t think I ever got those… I seem to have erased from my mind the whole 9 months leading up to that Saturday morning that I hobbled down the 120 steps and out into the street between contractions on the way to the hospital. I remember the cab ride, the checking in and the subsequent monitoring of my contractions. I watched in awe and horror as the measuring unit which previously I had only seen measure contractions at a 60 at the highest was now spiking at 98 and man did it hurt. I remember walking to the delivery room and waiting while Alfredo fiddled with his scrubs as he was so excited he could hardly get them on. I remember thinking, ‘why am I not in a wheel chair’? I remember how that when they finally let me push that the pain went away… and I remember looking up at the big white clock on the delivery room hall and seeing that it was 9h15 when she was born. Her birth certificate says 9h45 but I know that she was actually bon 30 minutes earlier… not that it matters really but I remember! Then from that point on I’ve worn a veil of surrealness of being a parent. I find it quite baffling really as I keep waiting for that veil to lift and finally feel a sigh of relief and think to myself- this is real, this isn’t Sarah playing the part of a person who is a mother… may take me a while yet but I’m ever optimistic and that says a lot coming from a certified fatalist.
Mum arrived safely yesterday and poor her, was greeted by a fleet of sickies… All three of us seem to have terrible colds and fever. I can’t imagine that there is a bug that is going around that I have not yet caught. I had I think 3 flus in January and am starting off Feb. with what I hope to be a single cold and not a whole flock of them… hack hack cough cough
Happy birthday my little boobitu (although we try not to call you that)
28.1.09
And then....
Finally some things actually get done! It's only taken a year but we've got Sienna's Baptism planned. It will be on the 8th. Mum is flying in... Mami and Papi are coming from Italy and we still don't know if Alfredo's parents and sisters are coming from Paris... but the impressive thing is that it will be done. It only took a whole year! Shame on us.
Well in the spirit of getting things done, I managed to go for a run today with Eric after work. My sweet chickadee fixed my bike for me so I cycled to the gym (I can't believe I still know where it is) and we went for a jog along the beach and then for a chilly swim in the outdoor swimming pool. It was heated of course but still chilly. Brr. It's only 21h but I'm seriously ready for some zzz's already!
Miss Joey and Mr Pierre have some big exciting moves on their horizons! I'm so excited to be able to visit them in Scotland in March once they make their big move up north!
Oh yes and there is that minor thing which is not so minor which is the wee madam's first birthday that is coming up on the 2nd of Feb. Man oh man this time last year I was fit to be tied as the waiting was driving me mad! I was thinking that as I was jogging down the beach tonight... boy sure couldn't have been doing this at the same time last year!
Finally some things actually get done! It's only taken a year but we've got Sienna's Baptism planned. It will be on the 8th. Mum is flying in... Mami and Papi are coming from Italy and we still don't know if Alfredo's parents and sisters are coming from Paris... but the impressive thing is that it will be done. It only took a whole year! Shame on us.
Well in the spirit of getting things done, I managed to go for a run today with Eric after work. My sweet chickadee fixed my bike for me so I cycled to the gym (I can't believe I still know where it is) and we went for a jog along the beach and then for a chilly swim in the outdoor swimming pool. It was heated of course but still chilly. Brr. It's only 21h but I'm seriously ready for some zzz's already!
Miss Joey and Mr Pierre have some big exciting moves on their horizons! I'm so excited to be able to visit them in Scotland in March once they make their big move up north!
Oh yes and there is that minor thing which is not so minor which is the wee madam's first birthday that is coming up on the 2nd of Feb. Man oh man this time last year I was fit to be tied as the waiting was driving me mad! I was thinking that as I was jogging down the beach tonight... boy sure couldn't have been doing this at the same time last year!
21.1.09
I now have no reason...
to feel bad about my new downstairs neighbour. I met him in person for the first time last night and he was most disagreeable. Now I don't feel as bad as loathing him and his loud annoying music and video game playing. I also won't feel so bad when the day comes where I snap and go downstairs and scream bloody murder to him when he's got his kareoke machine on repeat at 3am singing some terrible catalan rock song. I won't feel bad at all. In fact, I may just feel kind of good. Ha I said it.
Sienna's school had a xmas recital that they all practised for but sadly she missed as she was dragged off the great white north with her mother... But they do have the cutest picture ever of the recital online. So sweet!
See it's not all evil
to feel bad about my new downstairs neighbour. I met him in person for the first time last night and he was most disagreeable. Now I don't feel as bad as loathing him and his loud annoying music and video game playing. I also won't feel so bad when the day comes where I snap and go downstairs and scream bloody murder to him when he's got his kareoke machine on repeat at 3am singing some terrible catalan rock song. I won't feel bad at all. In fact, I may just feel kind of good. Ha I said it.
Sienna's school had a xmas recital that they all practised for but sadly she missed as she was dragged off the great white north with her mother... But they do have the cutest picture ever of the recital online. So sweet!
See it's not all evil
15.1.09
Where I sit here at my new but not so new any more job…
My desk faces the window which looks out onto a busy road. On the other side of the road is a block of flats above the street level shops. It’s sort of a mini-apartment complex. Although it doesn’t look to swish from it’s 50’s style architecture, I know all too well that in this part of town the owners/tenants are not hurting for money. All day long there is a flurry of cleaning that goes on in all the flats. Their dutiful South American house cleaners seem to work endlessly cleaning and cleaning. The strange thing is, is that the key cleaning task seems to be the windows. The little portly ladies seem to work endlessly away to keep all their windows clean. What kills me is how they all teeter precariously on tall ladders with the windows open. I’m terrified one day one will slip and go tumbling out the window 5 floors down to the busy foot path below. Perhaps I should keep myself busier with what they pay me to do rather than looking out the window…
My desk faces the window which looks out onto a busy road. On the other side of the road is a block of flats above the street level shops. It’s sort of a mini-apartment complex. Although it doesn’t look to swish from it’s 50’s style architecture, I know all too well that in this part of town the owners/tenants are not hurting for money. All day long there is a flurry of cleaning that goes on in all the flats. Their dutiful South American house cleaners seem to work endlessly cleaning and cleaning. The strange thing is, is that the key cleaning task seems to be the windows. The little portly ladies seem to work endlessly away to keep all their windows clean. What kills me is how they all teeter precariously on tall ladders with the windows open. I’m terrified one day one will slip and go tumbling out the window 5 floors down to the busy foot path below. Perhaps I should keep myself busier with what they pay me to do rather than looking out the window…
12.1.09
Believe it or not
I managed to stay up to watch a movie last night… I did of course fall asleep around 10 minutes before it ended but let’s not be so pedantic… I’d of course seen it before. It was the movie called The Holiday. It’s a totally pinkie Hollywood movie… but I’m not ashamed to admit that I loved it even though it was the second time I’ve seen it. The first time was in the theatre with mum which in its self is a rarity. We saw it together a few years back when I went home for xmas. Perhaps that is the root of my fondness for it… I don’t know what it is about it but I did indeed notice that I had a smile on my face throughout . If you need a smile or two do indeed see it. Alfredo who is the king of pinkie romance films gives it the thumbs up too if it helps.
The wee one is getting into all sorts of mischief now as she is on the brink of full-on walking… not long now till we shed a few pounds chasing after her wherever she goes. Mum bought her this really cute monkey back pack with a tail that acts as a lead of sorts. Perhaps it seems cruel to have a child in one of these but I’m thinking that the city life we lead will certainly call for some sort of child (don’t bolt off into traffic sort of device). Perhaps we can hook on the dog too and we're all sorted (evil laugh). Hello? Child services? me? Bad mother? Que no!
I managed to stay up to watch a movie last night… I did of course fall asleep around 10 minutes before it ended but let’s not be so pedantic… I’d of course seen it before. It was the movie called The Holiday. It’s a totally pinkie Hollywood movie… but I’m not ashamed to admit that I loved it even though it was the second time I’ve seen it. The first time was in the theatre with mum which in its self is a rarity. We saw it together a few years back when I went home for xmas. Perhaps that is the root of my fondness for it… I don’t know what it is about it but I did indeed notice that I had a smile on my face throughout . If you need a smile or two do indeed see it. Alfredo who is the king of pinkie romance films gives it the thumbs up too if it helps.
The wee one is getting into all sorts of mischief now as she is on the brink of full-on walking… not long now till we shed a few pounds chasing after her wherever she goes. Mum bought her this really cute monkey back pack with a tail that acts as a lead of sorts. Perhaps it seems cruel to have a child in one of these but I’m thinking that the city life we lead will certainly call for some sort of child (don’t bolt off into traffic sort of device). Perhaps we can hook on the dog too and we're all sorted (evil laugh). Hello? Child services? me? Bad mother? Que no!
7.1.09
Just when we feared it was all over for dear old pute pute...
Mama bear pulled out a massive geek miracle from her behind. Yup I sucessfully de-bug our pc problem. Our CPU was cranked out to 100%. I mean wtf? Want to know how to fix it? I know you don't but you're going to learn...
1) install a process explorer then you can see what exactly is causing the 100% CPU usage.
2) Once the offending process is located then track it down and kill it...
3) in my case it was a massive spooling back log which was repared by looking up the file name that was causing the blockage and following the instructions on how to delete the offending processes from within the system 32 folder (spooling file if you must know)
4) dance for joy around the living room as you don't actually need to wipe your whole computer again like feared!
5) Feel really really smug as you're not such a mug
6) Go to bed feeling smug still but exhausted as you've got to get up to go to work at 6h30 am the next day...
Mama bear pulled out a massive geek miracle from her behind. Yup I sucessfully de-bug our pc problem. Our CPU was cranked out to 100%. I mean wtf? Want to know how to fix it? I know you don't but you're going to learn...
1) install a process explorer then you can see what exactly is causing the 100% CPU usage.
2) Once the offending process is located then track it down and kill it...
3) in my case it was a massive spooling back log which was repared by looking up the file name that was causing the blockage and following the instructions on how to delete the offending processes from within the system 32 folder (spooling file if you must know)
4) dance for joy around the living room as you don't actually need to wipe your whole computer again like feared!
5) Feel really really smug as you're not such a mug
6) Go to bed feeling smug still but exhausted as you've got to get up to go to work at 6h30 am the next day...
5.1.09
One day on two days off... one day on then one day off
No I've not started work as an air hostess but you might think that I have. The odd days that the holidays fall on this year make for strange work days.
In the interim I'm trying desperately not to go apeshit bollistic on my new downstairs neighbour who has a penchant for VERY VERY loud music. I am certainly very light on the patience level for things like this... flash back to about 5 years ago to when we lived in the Loft and our friendly coke dealer neighbours decided to crank their music for 48h straight... The cops of course would do nothing as we lived in Dalston and of course the noise complaint arm of the council went bankrupt... If post traumatic stress disorder for this type of thing I would swear that I have it badly! I fear for my neighbour as he may just end up bearing he brunt of my little condition.
Another two lesson's I've learned lately are
1) Babies have jet lag for longer than you can ever imagine
2) Only the very rich and the very poor have more than two children... well maybe the middle class do too but they very soon become poor paying daycare fees for places that serve freshly squeezed orange juice. (I know KJ I'm evil I'm evil)
No I've not started work as an air hostess but you might think that I have. The odd days that the holidays fall on this year make for strange work days.
In the interim I'm trying desperately not to go apeshit bollistic on my new downstairs neighbour who has a penchant for VERY VERY loud music. I am certainly very light on the patience level for things like this... flash back to about 5 years ago to when we lived in the Loft and our friendly coke dealer neighbours decided to crank their music for 48h straight... The cops of course would do nothing as we lived in Dalston and of course the noise complaint arm of the council went bankrupt... If post traumatic stress disorder for this type of thing I would swear that I have it badly! I fear for my neighbour as he may just end up bearing he brunt of my little condition.
Another two lesson's I've learned lately are
1) Babies have jet lag for longer than you can ever imagine
2) Only the very rich and the very poor have more than two children... well maybe the middle class do too but they very soon become poor paying daycare fees for places that serve freshly squeezed orange juice. (I know KJ I'm evil I'm evil)
1.1.09
Just because it's really really funny...
I must clarify just what a power plate is.... and now you know why never to stand on one with a full bladder... never!
I must clarify just what a power plate is.... and now you know why never to stand on one with a full bladder... never!
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