So here I am preparing to go away on a last minute break. Hubby and I were not going to have a holiday this year due to the expense, yes it is expensive, of our first Grandchild. We are still not going away, but I am! How mean is that? It's my sisters 30 + 10 birthday and she asked me to go away with her, how could I refuse? We are off to Minorca for 5 days, my favourite Balearic, just us. I am so excited. Now don't do feeling too sorry for Hubby, he goes on two golfing holidays per year so he's not exactly hard-done-by.
The best thing is though, no work. I know I love my job but that doesn't mean that it is not stressful. It is. People expect so much of you. We now have to give everyone our mobile numbers so they are always calling. If it's important, that's fine, but sometimes it is so trivial, and often not connected to their pregnancy at all and then it is really difficult not to sound irritated. They also expect you to be on-call for them around the clock, I have a life as well. If my caseload were smaller, at the moment it's 180 women, then it may be possible, but as it is there are not enough days in the week, on-call as well would be impossible. Two 24 hour on-calls per week are enough I think.
Grandson is growing daily. He's 12 weeks old now and has more than doubled his birth weight, he is still totally breastfed so daughter obviously has some good stuff there.
I'm off now to give the grass it's final cut before I go away.

Really having problems navigating this new look blog-fest.
Since I last blogged one of my daughters has achieved the ripe old age of 21. In celebration of this we had a BBQ. 30 close friends and family attended, and one monster 6 year old, he is an advertisement for family planning, don't plan to have him in your family! He is a fine example of where relaxed parenting shows it's short-comings.
I have been filling my sparetime watching Big Brother. My viewing has certainly escalated since the major trouble between that bully Jason and twinkle-toes Marco, and that devious, overweight, liar Slick Vic and pea-brained Emma. My opinion of Michelle has changed considerably since I watched her cope admirably with Emma during their time in the bedsit, the patience she has in incredible. I can't imagine that BB will get any more interesting - never know though.

I have been away - now I'm back! While I have been away I have become a Grandmother. He was born in April, didn't have the homebirth that was planned, baby showed his displeasure at labour progressing quickly by dropping his heart rate so in went daughter to local hospital where, one hour later, she presented Jack to the world. Text book birth and, so far, a text book new baby. At birth he weighed in at 6lbs 5ozs and last week he weighed 8lbs 6ozs, Mum's milk is obviously suiting him!
I have another blog hence my absence from Bloggers.I defected due to easier blogging and a cameradarie built up through commenting. Passing through I decided to checkout my good old blogger and noted that things had changed, I'll give it a go.
I'm still the often angry middle-aged woman that I was so if you are hoping to read lovely happy little entries involving chubby-cheeked infants, log-out now. I need somewhere to vent my frustrations, especially concerning the health service, and this is going to be the place

Havn't posted for a while. I've been trying to work out how to put/allow comments on my blog. Now, I've found different sites that host this but it involves doing things to my template, and I'm not brave enough! Usually when things like this happen I call for help to BIL who is a whizz with computers, writes programmes, lectures etc. but I can't ask him. Why? Cos then he would know my blog. He knows I have a blog but I won't tell him the address or anything else about it and he is trying to find it and so far it has defeated him, wonderful.
Anyway. Pregnant daughter is now 32 weeks and blooming. Everything has been purchased for the unborn one and now the waiting game really begins. My career as a midwife is fast losing its appeal. The paper work is breeding faster than a pair of rabbits and I am getting to the point where patient contact is becoming something I have to 'fit in'. I think I might retrain, data input or something. Please someone save the Health Service.

Pregnant one is back from snowboarding. 30 weeks now, blooming. Had to buy a new plastic belly bar as she had outgrown the old one. Personally I think it looks painful. It's inflammed and looks very unattractive with a white plastic bar through it. Although it's better than without, her partner said that looked like an open wound! Went baby shopping on Friday. Mothercare - disappointing, they sell cribs, but not the fitted sheets. Mama's & Papa's, sorry, she and I are not higher wage earners. John Lewis - brilliant, crib + fitted sheets. BHS, good for babygros + vests, Boots, all Mums needs (packing emergency bag, just in case) and Winnie-the-Pooh changing mat, cheaper than J.L. I have got to start sorting out the bedroom here so unborn one will be comfy at Noonies. Title yet to be sorted. Grandad is remaining aloof from everything at the moment. The only time he pays any attention is if pregnant daughter has arguement with partner, then he worries she may return and he will be in the realms of sleepless nights. Really not sure why that concerns him, we had three babies, and he only woke once!

Well, in answer to previous posting. No, don't panic about cheques wandering lost around the world, just cancel them. Real downside though, it costs £7.50 to cancel a cheque. My bargain from e.bay has turned out to be not such a bargain. I shall, of course, be discussing my situation with the postmaster and asking if I can expect any recompense, I will update when I receive a reply.
I have just had my yearly supervisory interview. This is when my suitability to continue practicing as a midwife is tested. We discuss my professional development etc. Its not the same thing as an IPR, not entirely sure of the difference but one is conducted by a supervisor of midwives whilst the other is conducted by a manager, who is also a supervisor of midwives! To be fair that is coincidence. It all went OK though so I can carry on for another year!The pregnant one is still away, she returns tomorrow. According to text messages it is like a winter wonderland in Italy. Why is it a Winter Wonderland in Italy, but a disaster when snow falls in England?

The expectant one goes snowboarding tomorrow. Am I worried? No. Believe that and you will believe anything! I mean flying, when 7 months pregnant. Supposing baby puts in a appearance early. I won't be there. It will be Italian. Will immigration let it back in? She's flying Ryanair, will baby be Irish?
Right, a conundrum. Eldest daughter has a cat. He's 7 months old and was found as a stray aged approx 10 weeks. Lovely boy, but loves his freedom. She's just moved and now has a cat flap. In and out he goes, of anybodies cat flap. He loves the company of other cats. Should she get him a friend? If so what age?
Got my pushchair. Bargain from e-Bay. No trouble, easy transaction, picked it up. Also bid on, and won a Fisher-Price Activity chair and a bouncing chair, sent off my cheques, and have heard nothing, shall I panic?

Paperwork. Yet another slip of paper has arrived in my pigeon-hole. If I cared to spend the time and energy analysing the components of my job as a midwife I have this sneaking suspicion that there would be a 50/50 split between my role as a midwife and the attendant paperwork deluged upon me from above. I'm not including in this any paperwork, directly concerned with my contact with my patients (I like to call them 'patients' or 'Mums' because 'clients', which is what I apparently should call them, sounds far to formal). Allied to the extraneous paperwork my overlords require I complete are mandatory study days. These range from obstetric emergencies, understandable, to fire lectures. Why would I want to attend one of these EVERY year. I don't work in the hospital. I drive around visiting people in their homes or conduct clinics in G.P surgeries. Does the Fire Officer cover this in his lecture. No. Why do I go then? Is there a lecture to advise me what to do if I'm called out in the middle of the night to an isolated address only to find that it's a hoax and there's a loony there? No. Have I received any advise on self-defence? No.Do I feel undervalued? No comment. In this area the on-call doctors have a taxi service taking them on visits, they also have a green light on the roof of the marked vehicle. Please, could someone explain to me why I'm required to travel alone in the middle of the night, often to addresses up to 30 miles away. Also why have I not been issued with some type of light warning other road users that I may be attempting to reach a destination urgently. I feel that me arriving quickly to deliver a baby may be somewhat more urgent than a doctor visiting someone with the flu.
Expectant daughter is blossoming. Baby is growing quickly now. We had a discussion last night about homebirth. Fecund one has decided that this is the choice for her. As a midwife I'm backing her 100%, as her Mum I'm adjusting to her decision. Schizophrenic, me?

I seem to keep losing my blogs. Why? I know they are not the most scintillating pieces of prose but they are better than some. I've just spent ages on eBay looking for a three-in-one travel system for my soon to be grandchild. There are loads to go for but....when you take the p&p into consideration they work out quite expensive, I think I'll stick with the local rag, at least that way I can see before I buy. I've just had two days off work with a gastric virus. No peace though as K keeps phoning with problems etc. As I've said, I do love my job. I made a mistake though. I did a search for midwives + blogs and read some. The expectant Mums in the results didn't have a kind word to say about their midwife. Being Mrs Paranoia I know that I am their midwife and that they think I am grumpy, fat and the nastiest person they have ever come across. I'm really sad now. I'm not sure I still love my job. Today my youngest cat, I have 3, went and had his testicles, or their contents, removed. It hasn't affected him at all. I havn't seen my husband all day, perhaps he feels threatened.

Good weekend. Saturday we were visited by sister, BIL (brother-in-law) and niece1. BIL sorted out my inability to load google toolbar, an insult to his capabilities since he is a computer whiz, but jolly hany for me! He also has his own blog which an amazing site. It means that before phoning I can check if my sister is home. Sunday we had all offspring + partners around. This was due to expanding one losing her brain rapidly. Information mutates as it is given to her and so instead of 'come and see auntie etc on Saturday' her siblings were advised to come to lunch on Sunday. Luckily I was forewarned of the slip by her brother phoning up to find what time they should come. I have a theory that a pregnant womans brain gradually emigrates to her abdomen supplying the infant with intelligence. Following the birth the womans brain slowly redevelops, not reaching its full capabilities for about 3 months. It was good to have them all together though. Today is eldest daughters birthday. 27 years ago it snowed on this day and a true eccentric was born.

Programmer at work! Webcam (x3) and my blog.
Well. I'm blowed. I wrote an entry, included this link and it all disappeared. Then I found the entry but not the blog. Confused, you will be. Its not even as if I am pregnant, I would have an excuse then for a mal-functioning brain.

As it may be gleaned from my previous entries, I am a midwife. I work out in the community which is the most wonderful area to work in, most of the time. I have an area which I share with another midwife, K. Our little patch covers the wilds of middle England, little villages, country roads. The work is visiting Mums and babies at home, running clinics, and delivering babies at home. Yesterday I discovered the biggest drawback, snow. In this country we know about snow, its not freakish, its a fact. We knew yesterdays snow was coming days ago, why then did it cause absolute gridlock? I had to start work an hour late because I couldn't get out of my small home town due to every road being jammed. It had snowed, perhaps 2 inches, the major roads were clear but traffic was at a standstill. When I went off to work all was fine, major roads slightly slushy, side roads icy but OK if you drove slowly. Afternoon. Snow almost gone. Clinic in one of the furthest outposts. Slightly concerned but not a problem, close to major road, should be well gritted, taking me long route, but safe journey if it snowed again. Finished clinic at 5pm. Looked out of window and swore. Absolute whiteout. Turned to lovely local GP, are you going to drive me home, I asked jokingly, NO he replied, turned and went. No, will you be OK, you've got a long journey, is there anything we can do.(His card is marked). Phoned Hubby and warned him I may be late. Started journey on roads untouched by traffic. Not too bad. Approached steep hill, porshe unable to go up, walzing all over the place, calmly passed him in my trusty little Clio. Smirk, smirk. Cars attempting to come down the hill, they all missed me. Came to main road, thick snow. Traffic jam in the direction I wanted to go. Please remember dear reader that we are in a tiny village 6 miles from the nearest town so this traffic jam was probably that long. I decided, usual way home. Main road should be clear. Wrong.
Treacherous. A good question was where did the road begin and the verge end? Why had I not noticed how many hills there were before? Passing numerous abandoned cars, some intact, some in loving embraces with hedges I drove slowly onwards heading for a major by-pass, I knew that would be clear. Dream on. Solid ice. Solid traffic. Snow plough on the other carriageway doing nothing, its a snow plough not an ice plough. To cut a long, two hour story short, no gritting had taken place. I have learned something though. The surgery I work for couldn't give a damn about my well-being, and if snow is forecast, in future I shall cancel that clinic because they do not deserve me. And here endeth a major grumble. By the way the P.D (pregnant daughter) is well and growing daily.

Well, we went shopping. It was the disaster I imagined. The expectant Mother, now 25 weeks into the incubation period, imagined that she could still buy the same type of clothes as before a baby weighing approx one and a half pounds and about 8 inches long lived in her tummy, and that she would still look the same. Needless to say she became very despondant and we ended up coming back with nothing except a pregnancy belly-bar ( this is a plastic dumbell which replaces the metal and jewelled accessories that some people are brave, or stupid, enough to have threaded through their navals ). Having to purchase the aforementioned bar was an indication of quickly pregnancy can alter the body. On Monday the daughter, complete with Expectant Grandmother/Mum/Midwife, went to see the GP for an antenatal, Doc asked when the bar was coming out, when it starts being a problem says daughter. By Thursday the bar was out as it had rubbed and caused a sore. Perhaps I should have mentioned before, I am, as well as being the expectant Grandmother, my daughters midwife. As the GP noted, quite an unusual situation. Not unknown though. My Mother was a midwife and she was my Sister's midwife in one of her pregnancies. No, I did not have my Mum. What do you think I am - weird!

Well, I start now. This has to be quick though cos the ever expanding one is coming round any moment to take me shopping. She has a wedding on Saturday - and nothing to wear. There is the slight problem that she also has no money, but why let that triffling little matter get in the way.