Two weeks, two months, two years

Anyone else familiar with this.
Can you believe Nora is nearly two weeks old. And she's changing so fast.
Most of the jaundice has gone now and her eyes are getting whiter. She really opened them W I D E for the first time this evening, which was great.
And she's now been to Safeway for another adventure in the big world. Tok nearly two hours for Trx to do the shopping because of all the people she met on the way and back.
Good to see her out walking again - she's already complaining that her tummy hasn't gone yet!!!
I've been back in the office for two days alreadyand snowed under with this World Atlas. The indian subcontractors are doing a reasonale job, but they are not keen to use much initiative. Lots of queries coming in about how to do this and that which really are simple common sense issues. It's like teaching someone to drive - when you have 20 yrs experience in the filed its quite hard to write really fundamental instructions.
Going ok tho - but I could have done without being here this evening as well.
It's the only real chance I get to concentrate.

No music on either , cos it does interfere with my report writing.
Haven't actually listened to much lately, other than rediscovering a Carter USM tape in the car at the weekend.
Shameful - I expect normal life will slowly work its way back onto the agenda.

Went over to see RE last night - it was as if he was expecting me and we just picked up so easily, nevermind that it has been 8 months since we last met!
Chila (shy - lah) is dead cute of course and has loads of hair.
She's bottle fed - which I find really weird to watch and what it represents I find very uncomfortable. Mummy seemed very grumpy and didn't endear herself to me. I have never liked her much unfortunately. One of those people who always gives you the impression you are about as welcome as dogsh*t, you know?
Their son was still up when I got there - 8pm, which wasn't surprising, but still up when I left at 9.30 and I was witness to some really weak and ineffectual parenting that was quite embarassing.
Why is he eating a chocolate bar this time of night?
Its just lying on the sofa, and during his bored circuits of the pristine-no-toys-how-clean-can-you-be living room, he broke some off and had a bite.
Mum, Dad and Grannie all said "Now no more of that" etc in a wishy washy sort of way without looking at him and with no expression, but no-one made any attempt to actually take the chocolate away.

Crap parenting really makes me angry.
I'm not trying to say I'm the best of course, but it doesn't take a genius to put two and two together.

Apparently it takes them BOTH over two hours to put him to bed???

One thing I've got wound up about recently, being of a Grumpy sort of age, is all these programs and features on TV etc about bad kids and difficult families. "Super Nanny" "Kids from Hell" "I'm a parent, get me outta here" etc
I want to be on to make a stand for those of us whose kids are well behaved, polite and make a good, positive impression on the people they meet.

IT"S NOT ALL LIKE THAT - I want to scream. Perhaps I should write a piece about it. I spend enough time on various forums talking about parenting and family life etc.

Midday - ish. Monday.
A catching up sort of day - and something we really need.
The weekend has been fantastic, but so, so busy. Really need to stabilise things a bit today, start putting "stuff" away, find the hoover etc etc - all those things that get overlooked with days out and visitors.
Worried a little too about going back to the office tomorrow and leaving Tx on her own for the first time.
She is sleeping well now (Nora is still only awake for about two or three hours every day!!) but still looks drawn and tired, though radiating happiness which is wonderful to see. Makes you realize how much the last few months have taken out of her.

Longdown Acitivity Farm is an excellent place, and we all had a great time there for Stan's birthday on Saturday. It's a bit ramshackle in places, and has a lot of rough edges which is really good to see. So many 'family attractions' these days have a corporate cleanliness and sterility - signs, arrows, shiny floors etc etc.
This was like going back in time thirty years, but none the worse for that.
Hand-written menus stuck on the cafe wall with yellowing sellotape. Most notices printed out in WordArt and slipped inside plastic envelopes then pinned up with drawing pins. So the rain had got in and all the words had faded and gone runny.
Just the right amount of goose, chicken and donkey droppings on the cobbled, uneven paths.
Wooden fencing in need of repair that would give you splinters if you ran you hand along it the wrong way.
In the cafe, an elderly woman with a HUGE teapot who pours tea out for you into a china mug (all different) and offers real milk from real cows out of plastic bottle from Tesco. Why is UHT popular? In those ridiculous little packets??
A tractor and trailer ride around the felds that was extremely bumpy. As advertised. great fun - we were all screaming with laughter. Real white knuckle stuff. Basically thirty odd of us sitting on straw bales in a trailer with a 'cage' round it. No safety belts or padding. Excellent. Kids all fell of the 'seats' and had a bundle in the middle of the floor - all killing themselves laughing and trying to stand up.
Included in the entry price too - they are missing a trick there…
Trampolines, go-carts, pedal cars. Hundreds of goats. My favourite.
I love goats and aspire to a house with enough grounds to keep a couple.
Yodel-ay hay -ooooh

I fear that within a couple of years this charming, quirky place will fall victim to the Health and Safety Executive and lose all its character.

Then Sunday my sister came down for a visit. Can't remember the last time - we think it was probably when when LC was born.
So this spread Stan's birthday out over three days, which of course he was very happy about. Great to see him and the others having such a mad, silly and fun time with their cousins. The boys have grown so much of course - Ant is 13 already!!!!
Took them all over to Riverside Park in the afternoon for swings, scooters and a ride on the trains, made all the better by Tx and Nora being able to come with us.
Ridiculous weather. temperature in the 20s, but then some HEAVY rain showers and at times a swishing north-easterly wind.
WTF is going on with the seasons this year. Spring was SO late but already the swifts have gone and the blackberries are out. Apples are falling on all the neighbours trees, and in church people are bringing in bags of "pums" to share because they have so many. Already? It's not even September.

A really good day, but again made me think how little time we have spent together over the last ten years. Inevitably now lead very different lives it seems we have very little in common sometimes.
Remembered to give her Mum's birthday present which is now a week late (ooops!!) and very grateful to Mum and dad for their gift of a breadmaker to replace our dead one. Pity that Mum's condition now means she can't tolerate the yeast (or something) in the home-made bread, so they are giving up with the machine.

Not that its about who sends what, but I notice with some frustartion that we haven't had a birthday card or a baby card from either Kink or Biscuit...
Wondering if they are pissed off because I had to decline their wish to visit on Sunday, but is it my fault they are working today?
Next weekend B has booked to come with hey boyfriend, but apparently K is 'going to a party on Satday night.' That says it all. She is cross with me for saying no this week, but can't get her a*se out of bed on Sunday to come down next weekend. I still think they could have posted something down tho

All of a sudden it's Stan's birthday!
Hurray - my Little Saviour is five years old already.
Fly-Wheels
A Cricket set (cheap US import with FOUR wickets???!!!***)
A Football
A dartboard
A remote controlled car
Three books
A set of stencils and pens

We've had a fantastic day, and got Tx and baby out into the sunshine for the first time. So many people turned up in the park to meet Nora and see Stanley - twenty odd parents and probably 30 other kids. Felt good.
I had a half dozen five year old boys kicking a football a round, and playing pirates. We ate lots of cake.
That seems to be the way of it this time around - instead of pink clothes or squeaky toys, at least half of our visitors have 'bringed' cake...

Had an inspired phone call last night from Mr E, whom I shamefully have been missing almost daily but not been in touch with since before Christmas. Other than writing two letters (to which he hasn't replied!) and kids birthday cards.
Had a letter from Mrs E a month or three ago saying that they were expecting Number Two, and he finally rang me yesterday, very excited about the birth of his daughter on Monday!
Fantastic news - so pleased for them both!! Sounds very exciting too - delivered at home half way up the stairs with three ambulance men waiting in the hall and three midwives in strategic places top and bottom.
Unusual name tho. "Chila"??
Native American apparently. Wonder what the connection is?
Anyway, am determined than now he's made this gesture I will make an effort to really break the ice. Of course we got on as if no time at all had passed, which was a warm feeling, cuz losing touch with the only friend I have ever been Best Man was not something I felt happy with.
But we're as bad as each other.
Bought a coat for his baby today and a card, which I have every intention of dropping round with over the weekend. Can't ignore this important sign.

Found an interesting book today that I have heard a lot about. I think its called "The Story of God" - basically it's The Bible as a Novel and seems from I looked at very readable.
I'm going to start a books list and pick up a few on the music industry.

Started work on the Foxx biog again last night. Now up to 26,000 words.
It would surely be something to get that finished and published. A target for next year.

Seem to have dried up reading the last few months.
Began Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix yesterday. Pop pop
Pop music

Time is becoming a blur.
Endless stream of visitors this week so far and more arranged for tomorrow.
Tx seems to be mangaing very well and Nora is sleeping lots.

Shame I'm not.
In the office now doing a big evening shift to try and keep on top of things. Had an emial from Jo saying she's finding everything too stressful and needed a bit of support. So I did afe whours Monday night and five tonight.

D came round home this evening too which was a surprise, with a card and a cake.
he stayed an hour, chatting about stuff other than work (which must be a first!!) and played chess with Alice. Hmm...?

Nora is really gorgeous, but the midwife seems to think a little bit yellow.
We need to keep an eye of her colour and her slepp patterns and hope that it passes in about a week.

I've been everywhere witht ht eothers and I'm completely knackered. Today we walked to the community centre for the playscheme but it was cancelled due to aburst water main.
I'll try the one over the river tomorrow - part of the diary of things I have planned.We then watched a DVD (Harry Potter 3) and did a load of cooking. Yummy banana cake, which turned out very well considering all fou of them joined in with the mixing and stirring. The kitchen has never seen such a mess.
They then spent an hour or so doing their workbooks with Tx in charge (well, she was awake...) while I walked up to the shops and had some head time, as well as stocking up on vital provisions.
Might have a go taking three of them swimming tomorrow

Sunday evening. 9pm
Mum and dad have just phoned to signal their safe arrival home after the last two days with us. Love them loads and its been fantastic having them around at this special time.
So glad they wanted to come and were able to when I rang at 8pm on Friday evening with news of the imminent delivery.
They were here by 10.30 so after a few hugs and a quick turnaround, Trx and I were able too get to hospital by 11.30 in time for Nora's arrival an hour later.
I think it helped them being first in line this time around (the Last Time of course!!) so they were able to see baby within a few hours of birth and get those special moments.
And its been a great help to me too, cos they haven't stopped jobbing, cooking, washing up and entertaining the kids leaving Tx to get some rest (though she insists on less than she needs) and settle down again.
Dad and Stan get on really well now and spent this morning with a train set, mending (well, not actually) a breadmaker and making a pigsty out of a couple of match boxes and some bits of paper fro Stan's pet China pig.
Dad hasn't shut up about this since, going on and on about how much he enjoyed it, making and doing things and seeing Stan's brain and imagination going when nowadays "too many kids spend all their time in front of a TV or computer screen".
First visitor was JW from church whose 80th birthday party was last week. No-onebelieves her - she is the most glamorous, together and lovely 80 yr old in the world and looks about 65!!!
That was Saturday. I think I spent all day on the phone trying to pass on the news. Most people were out, and after six answerphone sin a row I gave up and tried again more successfully in the evening.
Took the other girls to church this morning, with Mum, and of course everyone was all hugs and congratualtions. This was all very moving. They really are a wonderful bunch of people and opened Mum's eyes to the way a church experience can be. She was touched, and again told of her dull and boring (largely Catholic-based) "high" church service at home. Really pray that she can find somewhere more like what she found today because it will help her re-discover her faith which I think she is trying to tdo at the moment.
Feels good to have been a catalyst in that.
Our church, as I belive the vicar siad, is more about the people in it than the building or the formality of protocol and procedure - and that was very apparent today.
He wasn't there himself this morning but came round with Mrs Vicar for a cup of tea and a cuddle with Nora for an hour just after Mum and Dad left.

Still feels a little weird being friends with the vicar because it blurs the edges of his role and our relationship.
Special people though, and their prayers and support have been invaluable.
CR also dropped by with a pressie but wouldn't come in, so its been altogether an exhausting time.

We decided that it would be nice while M and D were here to do Nora's "Day of Birth" party, rather than leaving it till later in the week and running the risk of crashing Stan's birthday next weekend.
It works really well this, and I think is a factor contributing to the (so far) lack of sibling jealousy at the arrival of a new baby in the family.
We have a meal, and then each of the kids opens a present from "the baby" before we say a prayer together and eat a big chocolate cake.

I'm on duty now and N is sleeping beside me in her basket, purring, snorting and wheezing away while Mummy sleeps downstairs in bed. At last…

Community midwife also called today and ticked all the boxes. We don't get another visit for FIVE days now, unless we think we need to see someone.
Everything is going so well so far.
Just the older two girls to tell - my next phone call, and then we can start having more visitors. Loads of people are itching to come round.
It's very touching.

Saturday, 19th August 2006
Midnight-30 am

Liveborn female infant
3.665kg (8lb 2oz)

Nora Myrtle Smith

Conditions normal and you're coming home

Picked them up from the hospital at 3, by which time Trx was tearing her hair out with boredom!
She looks so well, and did fantastically last night, deleivery Nora in a burst of agonising screams that only took about an hour in the end.

All we ever prayed for was for it to be over quickly and with no complications.
And so it was.
We thank you for that Lord, that by your garce we have come through.
By trusting in you that this was your will
The blessing of another child
It seems fitting that you should choose to bring her into the world when the labour ward was otherwise deserted
Your timing perfect as ever
If we needed strength and confidence that all will be well then it is blowing fresh and strong in my face now.
My heart soars
Uplifted

Tx doesn't do false alarms.
Regular contractions since 6pm. Now every five minutes - it's nearly 10.
Mum and Dad will be here in an hour and then we'll be off to hospital.
Shame we can't do this at home - would be so much less hassle.

Nervous? Excited? Believe it - the TENS machine is doing its job.

Here we go…

Days off work can be so exhausting!
I took the children over to Manor Farm this morning and we had a great time milking cows, bottle feeding calves, feeding sheep, rabbits and handling ducklings and the cutest ikkle bunnies.
Then a walk round the working Victorian kitchen and schoolroom, a visit to the cottage garden to pick lavaender and dig potatoes. Climbing frames, apple trees etc
Walked down to the river on the way back and threw a few stones in before the rain set in.

Now catching up on a few jobs around the house - icluding putting up another three mirrors. there must be two at least on the wall in every room now.
D has only phoned 3 times so far - twice because he couldn't work out which way to pu tpaper in the printer.
Twat. I just tried it. get it wrong a few times then you will suss it.

I need a book to read as I have nothing at the moment.
All the researching and interview transcribing has been left for over a week so I suppose I could get on with that later, but Tx prefers us to go to bed togetehr at the moment, so I am a ridiculous nervous fidget at bedtime!

CD arrived from germany yesterday, and I just got an email to say that mine arrived this morning. That's three copies gone out now and everyone has said how amazing the quality is?
Come on guys, what did you used to do until two years ago. It's really not that hard.
Problem is I am so far ahead of everyone else now in terms of the material I have that no-one has anything to trade with me...

Hey ho. Oh yes, and I have started (nearly finished) putting together a tracklist for Murphy's Compilation Challenge. 8 songs so far, and I'll list it here when its done.
if not this, then certainly the 2007 Annual Review mp3 compilation will be named after baby.

No - I'm not saying what that is yet! I believe its bad luck even to write it down...:p

I'm owning this now, and liking what I hear.
It's not my usual taste (but then I'm not sure what is) - but this album has made me smile so thats a result.
Simple songs, quirky arrangements and just damn good fun.
Keeps on reminding me of Eno's "Before and After Science" (esp 'Bridges 5, 6 and 7')without some of the pretentions, and like some bits of early Bowie with the edges smoothed off.
Is this anything like the material Stephen Duffy has made?
I heard bits of Dylan in there too - its really quite clever in a deceptively simple way, so I must recommend it to anyone who can find a copy.
There's a song called "Satellite" which includes the line 'Deep Electric Blue' and a song called "Shady O'Grady" which I think is the one with birdsong on it and begins in a oblique Foxxlike way.

Good stuff.
We should all step outside the boxx now and then.

Trx has just said what a refreshing change the album is from the crap I normally listen too.
I have such an eclectic taste, its quite funny. Am I fickle?

One of the most annoying people we know is our ChurchWarden's wife. It doesn't how accommodating, forgiving and open-minded we try to be, she is never any less irritating. One of those people whose perception of how they are seen could not be further from the truth.
Sadly, it seems no-one has a kind word to say about her, and yet she appears for all intents and purposes to be very lovely. Indeed, she can be.
That's waht makes it annoying.
There is a veneer of cheerful hospitality that is too 'nice' to be true.
ALways find myself wishing she would relax and let her gaurd down so that we could actually get to know her a bit.
Deep insecurities within perhaps, which is a shame.
Perhaps the road to ordination will take her past a close encounter with herself and she can do a long overdue reality check.

One of the 'difficulties' this poses for us, as Christians in an otherwise 'faithless' playground is that she can irritate a lot of people with her relentless evangelism and we all tend to get tarred with the same brush by people who don't really know any better. All the God-this and God-that talk she comes out with is presented in exactly the wrong way at the wrong tim and it annoys a lot of people. Who then, knowing that Trx and I are Christians and members of the same church, must be equally irritating.
Trx has been round a new friends house this afternoon for the first time (Stan has been to play with her son and he's been here a couple of times) and they are getting on like a house on fire. L is genuinely lovely and easy to get on with and seems to have similar ideas to us about a lot of things.
She's desperate to get off the crappy estate she lives on - which is different from a couple of her friends we also know who are quite happy in that environment.
They actually find us 'weird' becasue we are not. It actually came as a shock to one of the girls when Trx explained that I had by own business and we owned our own house.
'You go to church too, dun ya?'
"Blimey, I never would of fort it tho. You ent like that really tho much ar ya'

What is 'like that' about "churchy" people.
Its like the woman I was talking about who bashes people over the head with her King James as soon as she opens her mouth.
It does grate that people talk about her and her son (one of Stans best mates!) behind her back and I shouldn't either.
But its the fact that they have to ands she chooses to completely ignore others discomfort that I find so fascinating.
Funny also that people look at the rota and the services where she is due to talk are among the worst attended...

SO it seems right that she should be up there top of this week's list of people we are praying for.

D is back in the office, having not managed to sort out anything with his girlfriend during their week in Ireland.
He's very irritating too - we had such a great time last week and got so much work done! So he's also on the list, and its working.

Perhaps its just my patience that's wearing thin this week.

I have a day off tomorrow (what - when there's all these deliveries to do? How come they didn't go out last week..') so hopefully I'll get to take the kids out somewhere nice.
If I could find a £10 somewhere that would be good.
Thanks.

A quite but exhausting weekend.
Trx is worn out, I'm nervous and the kids are getting stir crazy.
I managed to get most of the remaining jobs done on the garden, but that meant I didn't get round to taking them out on Sunday and, shock horror, they had to start at home and entertain themselves all day.
My children are rubbish at that.
It's out fault no doubt, because we have probably overdone the going out, organising things and keeping them busy.
And everyone did say that Flow as such an easy baby that she would be more difficult when she gets older. WOndering if that is starting already.

Neither of us is sleeping now. WHy am I so nervous.
It seems to be a Bigger Deal this time round than perhaps ever before and I'm lacking in confidence at the moment.
Had a good prayer session with CR and Sara this weekend which has reinforced a few things, but I could really do with a new baby now rather than all this tense waiting.

Steve is NOT now coming today as his meetings have agin been cancelled.
Disappointing, but CD takes some of the pressure off.

Three copie sof the interview CDs have gone out now, including the session tracks.
I wasn't intending to trade these as there is little that I don't have no obviously, but people are being extremely generous. I'll be getting copies of "Closed Gone Fishing" and "Deep Electric Blue" (Louis Gordon) and, allegedly, a copy of the 6 track Concert bootleg DVD of the Sheffield gig that has just gone into circulation.
Excellent stuff. I can get the sound files off and make a CD to pass on.
Most excitng of all tho is a hint by RH that he will be sending me a copy of those five songs!!

Unbelievable. Apaprently even the man himself doesn't know they exist and believes his masters to be the only copies. There is some dissent building up now within the inner sanctum of EV I fear - I sense that all is not harmonious between the two that run it. For the first time over the weekend he offered extensive criticism of things, quite personal things too, and suggested that I don't copy her in on our exchanges.
This is not good.

People keep asking us about names,a nd I realise that if its a boy we have a challenge ahead. The scan said 'unlikely', but suddenly Trx announced that she thinks it could be...

One's head is all over the place.

It seems the story of John's involvement with Robin and Paul Simon in 1993 has broken out. There is chaos and confusion at the Forum and the mods are not sure what to make of the revelation.
Not from John, I hasten to add, but by others involved.
I've heard two of the five songs mentioned, but it sure didn't come from me.

Don't think John will be too hapy as he has carefully avoided the subject in recent interviews.
Now tho, with Malins on the case, there will be an EP this side of Christmas.

You heard it hear first...

Have I raved on here yet about how totally BRILLIANT The Rubicks album "In Miniature" is.
They deserve to be the next Goldfrapp. Lets hope this lot keep hold of their integrity tho. There is something to be said for being overlooked.

Two hours on the phone to Kink last night. She has split up with another boyfriend, a guy from work, and is finding a working day quite difficult now.
Must be hard, but what can you expect.
We all knew this was coming. That's three relationships since September when the longest one so far ended.
But she got a £1000 pay rise for setting up the ftp client in the shop.
Nice one.

Steve is coming again on Monday after his meeting was cancelled last time he came. We are so not ready for visitors at the moment.

I went to an 80th birthday party tonight.
People keep asking me if there is news. There is no news.
Mr and Mrs Vicar were there and others from church. The more time I spend with this couple the more I believe and know its right for me.
I thirst for it, but can't quite make the steps towards more committment than I know I need. What is stopping me?

There's an autumnal hue about the sky today.
Last night i noticed it was darkening by 8pm and for three or four nights now the gulls have been gathering over the river.

It's a great time - such a relief that the weather is improving now too.
I can breathe again. There is wind and yesterday some light rain fell.

I love the phenomena of Gull Roosts.
The only spectacle in the birding world that beats it are the waders flocking on The Wash in their millions.
The roost at Weston Shore here gets up to 75,000 birds at its peak, and its a delight living beside the Itchen at this time of year especially. Over the next few weeks the numbers will steadily increase and by October, there'll be lines of hundreds passing the window everynight. The lost has been great for watching this, especially because the sun sets on the other side of the house so the birds are perfectly lit as they go by.

In the office on my own I can breathe easy too. Catching up with accounts first.
Just had an inspiring phone call from someone at NF Living, a holiday cottage business who thinks the Room Folders are 'simply wonderful'! She was very impressed with the quality and professionalism of the thing, and complimented us on that and the 'eyecatching and colourful' design work.
Feedback like that makes it all worthwhile - hope Ian got on well delivering the last 400 yesterday.
Wonder why i havent heard from him today??

LJ can be so stupid sometimes. This World Atlas project I am "Project managing" has ground more or less to a halt.
The Indian studio had a sample page to do delivered on 5th July (approx 20 hrs) which they took AGES to do and finally delivered here on 28th. It was quite good tho, so I felt encouraged and duly sent off the next ten pages. Nothing beck yet.
Turns out they are now discussing 'commercials' with LJ and haven't agreed a) to an hourly rate b) to commit that much time to the job and c) insist each page will take 30-40 hours.

Surely surely surely this should all have been agreed before we signed any contracts?? The client is expecting a regular supply of finished proofs!
What LJ have done of course is offered the client the job for a ridiculously low price and been awarded the contract on the strength of my three samples that I did around Easter time.
Now they can't find suppliers to meet those prices. It's all the wrong way round

I've recently uploaded a million pictures of Ocean Village to our Flickr account

the rest

And I'm quite pleased with some of them.
They need a bit more unsharp masking'...
Its a wonderful place, Flickr, but there are some accounts there that I'm not entirely comfortable with the morality of.

Like this...

which confuses me

I can see the attraction it, but I'd question the purpose.
Maybe there is no purpose and its just nothing at all. Its a bloody cheek and the guy has got a nerve, and probably deserves a quick slap.
Lighten up, it's just a laugh.

But is it though?
And anyway, what business is it of mine?

There is a rant here.
It goes like this. It's not entirely connected, but part of the same puzzle.

A man in Canada I believe was recently arrested and charged with something to do with persuading a number of English schoolgirls to expose themselves on their webcams.
No my girls have a webcam, and I know for a fact that B at least and her mates do this kind of thing with each other ALL the time. As far as I understand it, there is almost a language of flashing, mooning, showing underwear etc to your mates and peers to communicate all kinds of messages these days. Its bloody crazy, but there it is.
Surely we must expect people to take advantage of the opportunities presented to them by using technology in such an irrespossible way?
Its the "world wide web" girls - where do you think the pictures go.
I don't really think we can blame anyone for 'watching' like this when as a society in general we do nothing to educate against such and obvious problem.
Is it actually illegal to ask someone to get to get her boobs out?
Yes, if she's underage.
Even if the same girls (or the same peer group) put pix like this up in their myspace profiles all the time??
There's perhaps an argument that they should be able to do this without fear of repercussions, like walking thru a city park at midnight (un)dressed how you like, which is kind of valid.
But you can't, and you don't, for obvious reasons.

Is this the same thread of logic that means we have notices up in toilets about washing our hands, and in carparks about not leaving laptops on back seats of cars?
No-one does common sense these days

Trouble is of course that some (and only some, I know) girls will too readily agree to this, for a giggle and some attention, even if its only from a total stranger on another planet. We're not addressing why they would want to, what makes them want to put themselves into this quite obviously predatory situations?

Why, for instance, does the BBC in kids TV programmes like, I dunno, "Stars in their Eyes" or Saturday am's "The Pod" encouage young people to go out and make video diaries which they broadcast on air?
We read of how "unstable" men are caught in possession of videos or downloaded pictures of girls which they have all to easily been able to find and potentially stalk. We condemn this.
And then, at peak time on television, we show a video diary of an attractive 15 yr old dressing up to sing, at the pub with her schoolmates, in the classroom, walking down the road wearing a teeshirt that says "Look at my tits" across the front. £1.99 from Primark.
OK, if you want. Thanks for the invitation.

Hello??

I wouldn't like to say where the issue lies here, but I know I'm uncomfortable with it.

Perhaps I've gone 'off topic', but I'm concerned about the double standards and hypocrisy of it all.

Wednesday already. My attentiveness to this blog has slipped again with everything else whirling around in head at the moment.
Another routine appointment with the midwife today to be told that everything is still very good. We know this, but its good to hear. nice to have Liz back on our case actually, and I hope that she is on duty when the time comes. I think she did come round to help with Stan's waterbirth, but I know she missed LC and was a little disppointed. She's old, you see, and I think as a midwife that's a good thing. There wasn't a queue for her time in the surgery today so she gave Trx a half hour session of reflexology for free, and that has continued to lift her mood.
The best antidote of course was a visit from her brother yesterday, which can always be gauranteed to put a smile on her face and a spring back in her step.
I learned quickly a long time ago the lesson that his wife K is having to experience now - nothing and no-one can successfully come between twins.
They always go off together alone when they meet up and let everyone else deal with things whil;e they chat, play fight, have piggy backs, get drunk or whatever they feel like doing.
It's really weird at first,a nd I remember struggling with it.
So yesterday, while I was at work and unfortunately couldn't get home to see them, K spent several hours in the park with the kids, or playing with them and their jigsaws (this weeks latest obsession) while Trx and D caught up.
She has definitely been in a better mood since, and today for the first time in about two weeks I don't feel that I am The-Most-Annoying-Idiot-on-the-Planet . I'm sure its not that bad, and we have been here before.
Just about everything seems to be in limbo land, on hold until a baby, which is NOT yet engaged after all, decides to grace us with her(?) presence.

Second time in a week I sent Jo home early today to deal with her 'issues at home'. Not entirely sure what's going on, but she's been far from herself this week.
It coincides with D being on holiday for ten days, but I know that has nothing to do with it. She's not been working as hard as usual I noticed, and makes a lot more phone calls than she used to.
Has a couple of days leave now for a long weekend, but is not going away as was the original plan. Just hope it clears up, or that at least I can find a way to talk with her about stuff on Monday.
Haven't spent a lot of time doing the personal side of our relationship really and I'm not quite sure how to approach it.

It is good having things on hold though, and adding to the general rise in spirits is three consecutive Going-To-Bed-At -The-Same-Time nights, which are hard to come by but always a relief. Except that we talk too much and don't end up sleeping for hours, making Tx later to bed than she would normally be going alone!!

So fo rthe next two days I am in the office on my own, trying to get as much work finished off as possible before Leave. There's far too much to do and every day is exhausting. Always exciting though, and I feel great about having such a flexible and inspiring job.
But then as I tried to explain in the pub last week, in the words of the song :
Life's what you make it
There is ALWAYS a choice.
People say things like "you're lucky" and "it's alright for you".
How come I'm lucky?
Why is it alright for me?
Cos I can do the school run and then go off to work?
Cos I can leave work early to take them swimming?
Because I have a job I enjoy and a wife and kids I love being with?

I can't see how that's 'lucky' exactly.

Watch the road ahead. Plan for things.
Do the groundwork and set things up for yourself so there are opportunities like this that you can take.
"But you don't seem to mind not having any money?"

No, I don't mind that at all.
How do we judge one another's richness?

But then, talking of money. Notification today of another late payment on one of the cards and a direct debit that can't be paid becasue of 'insufficent funds'.
There's irony there.
And I had to get the plastic out in tesco's at the weekend.
That's the first time this year and a bit disappointing.

No, donkey, we are not there yet…

Wasted £20 today. Doesn't happen often - but £20. That smarts a bit when the pay cheque this month was down to less than basic.
We went up to the beautiful water gardens at Longstock this afternoon instead of joininng the rest of the congregation at a Nature Walk around Canada Common.
The idea was to walk again around the nursery there, which last year inspired us to build a walled garden, and get some planting ideas. Didn't realise the two are about a mile and a half apart (though on the same estate) and there is, quite literally, nothing at the water gardens apart from the lake. Which is great, but the kids got bored quickly and it was baking hot, and totally overcrowded so not at all owrht the entrance money.
Tx wasn't up to the walk across the estate to the nursery and tea gardens so we drove round, only to find no event there on this occasion (and we promised Stan a brass band and the Morris Men!!) as well as a huge queue for the teashop and no icecream left.
Seems ludicrous to me that the John Lewis group (who own the estate) haven't yet realised how popular these open days are and purpose built a tea room and decent shop. Queues for the toilets too, which is never very helpful.
So a bit disappointing this time round.

Struggling with Tx's mood at the moment. She is very down and getting rather fed up with the whole thing.
Has little or no patience with the kids these days, which is not surprising and I can understand, but its a bit uncomfortable to watch when these nothing any of us can do about it.
She can't sleep much, being so uncomfortable ALL the time. Hips, back, tummy, boobs - all fit to burst.
Poor thing fears she is falling apart and not really enjoying the days at the moment. And she had to stand up through most of the service in the Old church cos the pews are hideously uncomfortable!

Sitting in the office now surveying the piles of Room Folders waiting to go out, I realise how completely exhausted I am.
Going out every night hasn't helped of course - there is just so much on.
Its been the most manic of weeks, but does at least look like slowing down a bit now.

Flo returned from Mum and Dad's happy but knackered. She's had her first experience of a theme park and loved that. Hopefully she hasn't got too much of a taste for it.
Alice didn't seemed to enjoy her big sister's abscence as much as we hoped - she acted bored and restless most of the time!
They've been in here a couple of times this week helping put the folders together, and Ian's just done a load with jon this morning.
She's worn out too, so I've given her the afternoon off and £50 cash for the late nights she's been putting in. A real star - we'd be lost without her.

36 weeks coming up on Monday, so I suppose now red alert. Been in the loft cupboard for bed linen and clothes and everyone is getting tense. Trx has had enough and just wants baby tocome along now. Cant blame her - she's totally exhausted and having trouble getting about now with hips and back pain.

Mum and Dad are on standy too, but I'm not sure that's such a good idea. Mum seems very well since her scary thing a couple of weeks ago and is now on more balanced medication.
They are off to Norfolk again for a week on the 18th - maybe it will have all happened by then.

Spent a good couple of hours in the pub last night catching up with a few people, except MS who didn't turn up until after ten. Weird, cus he phoned and said he was sitting down to eat at 8.30 and going out was originally his idea??

I am totally in love with The Rubicks and can't rave about their album highly enough.
Seriously think they have the talent to be the next Goldfrapp, but slightly less of the pretentiousness and stardust that have spoiled that band's chances of lasting very long. Very down to earth people, with a really strong and original sound.

I could tell it was going to be a great night in Brighton when the first record played once the doors had opened and the 200 of us had wound our way up the rickety staircase to The Room Upstairs was Soft Cell's inaugaral classic "The Girl With The Patent Leather Face". Memories of similar 'compact' venues in Oxford pubs (The Weddoes, An Emotional Fish) caming flooding right on it.
Hand written publicity is always a good sign, and tonight was no exception.
"There it is look, right at the bottom. July 31st."
John Foxx (oh, yeah and that other boke) on the 'Absolutely no t-shirts or posters' tour'... followed by a list of CDs on sale, with several scribblings out through the prices.
This is how I like it, and the DJ set just got better through the half hour until the support band emerged from the crowd onto the stage. Little people. I thought at first that Mark and Vanessa from The Rubicks were real pixies. Great set of tracks from the aptly named 'In Miniature' album, clearly enjoying their return to the kingdom of Foxx after two night's headlining for the first time at a festival in Fairyland. Sorry, Basel.
The Rubicks have presence and talent in abundance.
But there is no bland. How can they possibly succeed? Actress/Model. Popmobility. How can they NOT?
Though the PA was good, it didn't help get the best from the HeathRobinson effects boxes and drum machines, but the songs are undoubtedly clever, superbly structured and performed with a passion I haven't seen in a new band for some years.
Vanessa looks amazing - a kind of sixties chic with a fringe longer than her skirt, and a voice that conjures up echoes of early Deborah Harry tinged with some Siouxsie, a hint of Lene Lovich. A dash of Danielle Dax but heaps of individuality.
Rubicks are the next Goldfrapp.
Just as clever but a little more straightforward. Loved it. Screamed for me. Had a chat for an hour afterwards and went away with a signing, a hug and a Big Hunch.

But I'm forgetting something.
Like everyone else in the crowd (is 200 a crowd?) I was here for the main event. That bloke out of Ultravox. The last night of the mini tour of the UK's titchiest venues.
No back projections, no Tiny Colour Movies. A new song to introduce the set, presumably called 'Sideways' given that in true Kraftwerk style there's only one line repeated throughout, and then a radiant beaming Foxx calls "Hello Brighton!!" from behind his Lexicon.
He speaks. Told you it was going to be good.
Just like the very old days. But not Brighton of course. Then it was "L.A." or "Berlin". Buut you get the point.
Straight into a new version of 'Walk Away' from The Garden and already I note that I have never (OK, so I've only been to six previous gigs) seen John so animated. He leapt around all night, striking the coolest poses. Playing the synth at arms length, flambouyantly striking those crucial notes that we all came to hear, grinning broadly all the time. Dancing.
And dancing more than, at times I thought, a rather tired and bombed out looking Louis Gordon, doing his best to recreate Robin Simon's guitar breaks or Currie's violin dervishes. Succeeding mostly too. Well played that man.
"Warm your back on Friendly Fire."
"Rock and Ro-oll - hey! Rock an roll, rock an roll, rock..."Nearly. ish?
A blistering early Human League song?
The best of the new material by a long way. Except A Million Cars, which is already so much part of the repetoire now that it songs like an old friend.
"The sweetest Thing
The smell of corrosion
More songs about cars then. Hurrah!
No-one Driving and, at last, after a long, looping, shouting and stomping version of Nightlife to emphasis the pleasure of electricity, the Underpass that all the people-who-have-come-to-see-John-Foxx were waiting for. Good to see it back in the set as 'Underpass' too. Its been Overpass since 97. Smart move I think.
T'onight John Foxx will be playing songs from throughout his career from Ultravox to now'. Someone had tried to peel the bill of f the wall. A nice touch of Englishness. Very apt.
Thirty years between some of the material then. I couldn't see the join. Triumphant, we shook the floor with The Man Who Dies Every Day. No John, You're The Man. You really are The Man.

He rocked with Louis. In time. Together. Nodding and weaving. Something akin to a sensual celebration of a sound that its creator knows is good. A man re-assembling at the peak of a new kind of form.
'Just warming up now' he said later, winking. The twinkle still in his eye. 'Bloody knackered' said Louis. 'Its been great but I'm glad we finished.'
But a live set from Foxx these days isn't complete without the endless coda that is the magnificent Shifting City. Side by side with the Ultravox standard 'Slow Motion', sounding fresh from its recent airing on the BBC. 'This one's for ****' called Louis, over John, as the fragmented intro kicked in. The main man smiled and nodded, leaving his manic partner to take most of the lead vocal.
And it went on. And on.

But its meant to. That's the point.
In a world of downloads and shuffle selections, there is a place for doing it live. Getting up there and belting it out for the people that travel.
The people that care.

Rubicks, new and original. Tiny. John Foxx - original again. Massive sound.
Small is the new Big.
Welcome to the retro-future.

Which part of 'brilliant' don't you understand??