dottyspots

Funnily enough I remember getting exactly the same result donkeys ago when I did the same quiz (yes I too am struggling for things to occupy myself…….)

You are the Empress card. The Empress is the
archetype of the Mother. She creates and
nurtures life. She represents the abundance of
Mother Earth. The Empress is capable of using
nature in a productive way. She espouses art
for art’s sake. Her planet is Venus, and she
embodies love of beauty and a strong value
system. Here is also found initial sensation.
This is the first really physical experience of
the world that The Fool has entered. The
Empress has a rich understanding of the world
based on her five senses. In a reading, The
Empress represents pregnancy, actual or
metaphorical. She indicates an act of creation
and a sensual experience of beauty. The Empress
is a nurturing force that wishes to see the
product of her experiences reach the next stage
of development. Image from A Photographic Tarot
http://www.bluewitch.com/healingtarot/healtar.htm
Deck

Which Tarot Card Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

My mum’s updated her website for her farm B&B in Norway, if anyone would like a look: Uppheim Farm.

And balls to the ticker - how many babies come on EDD (although Erk did)? Surely it should just keep on going till it’s updated?

Humph! Despite being really crampy and uncomfortable nothing actually seems to be progressing. Took Nin out for a walk in the snow today - she loved it! Took quite a while as she just wanted to pick the snow up, scrunch it in her hands, throw it over her head, etc, etc. It was rather wonderful to watch. She was so excited when we got home and rattled on to dh about the snow (she even enjoyed slipping over, which she also did quite a bit). I still don’t fancy venturing out in the car though to take the flea-bag mog to the vets (which I’m feeling a little guilty about, but I really don’t fancy our car out on the road - although I’m guessing the main road is probably fine (it’s just the windy road to get there that worries me!)

So still crampy and uncomfortable - but looks like I might still be for a while yet (I’ve got an appointment on Tuesday with the consultant and would really prefer for baby to come before then as I don’t fancy traipsing 3 children on 2 buses and then be poked and prodded whilst they get bored and fed up!)

as it’s coming on to 7am and I’ve been awake since before 6am feeling rather crampy and ‘wierd’ (just recently I’ve not been getting up until 10am - *shock horror*!) I bloody well hope so as I’m thoroughly in the I’m big, lumbering and uncomfortable stage - where I can’t sit on the floor as I then can’t get up again, well, that and the cats got fleas and we’ve been stuck until now to take her to the vets (as we discovered them Christmas Eve). The plan was to take her today, but I’m looking at the snow and whilst not exactly a huge snowfall I do worry about how useless some areas are at dealing with snow in England and do worry a bit about being in a car out of the roads, so may have to give it a miss - in the meantime my ankles are being covered with bites which I know I shouldn’t itch, but am and they’re starting to become a little raw (I attract all small biting things - as does R.) Might see how the day progresses, because we’re all a bit uncomfortable and Fern is in a foul mood with added flea bites (not that she wasn’t in a fairly foul mood through us having new furniture, then putting up a tree, then moving furniture around, etc. - not exactly cat heaven).

We had no electricity for part of last Monday and most of Tuesday - which was fun as it meant the phones were unusable and of course my mobile and Rik’s had run out of batteries and there was no way to charge them……. I was convinced that meant I’d go into labour then, but luckily not (the one neighbour who doesn’t work was also out for most of the day as I had tried to call to see if I could atleast top up my mobile). The electricians were really good - unpatronising - although I think it helped that I understood what they were talking about in the first place and was able to atleast sound like I had some idea of what might be happening and that I’d cut down some work for them having tried a few possible ideas myself (although dh had to move furniture). It didn’t take them too long to sort out what the problem was - so all in all - lucky that it happened then, as opposed to a few days later.

Sarah & co. came round (can’t remember what day - brain doesn’t much function this early ATM) which was lovely as it has been a little difficult for me to get out of late.

Yule was quiet - we batten down the hatches at this time of year and tend to hide away - Christmas too. Dh cooked (as per usual) although I did make a lovely lemon tart (but kept getting sharp pains so it took a little longer than usual - I was determined to make it though!) The children helped and I have a photo of Nin squeezing lemons, so must sort that out in a bit and get it posted.

The ‘Making Dolls’ book is the new version of ‘Kinder Dolls’ - I’m really looking forward to having a bash at some little dolls (I’m a bit crap with a sewing machine and don’t fancy attempting anything larger by hand ATM). I also got a book with patterns for knitting ‘folk’ hats - a bit fanciful, but some interesting patterns - including a knitted samurai’s helmet that looks rather impressive, if a little difficult, to knit. I might have a bash at knitting the one with a shaped bird on top and the Lappish-inspired ‘Four Winds’ hat for the boys (might extend the horns though to make them long and floppy). I’m onto the sleeves of a coat for Nin’s doll - to match the pink & purple hat and pink bootees I’ve knitted so far. I decided to make the coat a little thicker by mixing pink and purple 4ply together for a kind of ‘mottled’ effect. The coat is in st-st and moss (which isn’t my favourite stitch) and the moss stitch is taking a little longer, but it’s looking nice - essentially it’s a pattern for a matinee jacket, I just adjusted the needle-size a bit, but it seems on track to fit.

Anyway, I suppose I’d better get on and hang up the washing or something (and hope these cramps continue!)

Had a bit of a ‘day off’ today. Took almost 2 bloody hours to walk to the market and back (in reality only a few minutes round the corner, but the queue in the post office wasn’t short and I had to keep stopping to catch my breath and wait for the stabbing pains to go away - why, in late pregnancy, does it feel like your insides are dropping out?)

R. carried the veg. We came home, made a cup of hot chocolate and sat down to knit. R. has decided to make a knitted cuff for his granny. He’s going to felt it once it’s knitted and then decorate it with beads and sequins. So he’s been enthusiastically, if a little slowly, knitting one, in between stopping to listen to the Gruffalo (for the umpteenth time - Nin actually quotes from it now - she is, apparently, ‘The ‘ariest ‘eature in this wood!”) Pity I’m not feeling more inspired to make a toy Gruffalo, she’d probably play with it for hours……..

Nin’s dolly has new bootees and I’ve almost finished a dolly hat too. I received my book order for Making Dolls (I’d like to have a bash at making the small ‘dollshouse’ dolls) and Teaching Mathmatics by Ron Jarman (for Steiner schools - very interesting, although it will take a few re-readings as the more esoteric elements of the Steiner approach to mathematics is a little much for my rather addled brain ATM, although I find how maths corresponds to the four elements etc. very interesting and of course the nods towards the symbolism of numbers is again of interest - I’d love to study this more but honestly don’t know where I’d squeeze in the time!)

I’ve hit a bit of a brick wall maths-wise. I like maths, but I’m having a little difficulty enthusing R. and so have pushed it back for a while to have a read and a bit of a think on it (in the hope that some inspiration might present itself). In all honesty I don’t think it’s helped by the fact that our relationship is a little *strained* ATM and I have recently requested a re-referral to CAMHS as I feel I’m floundering a little - although I do feel there are still other avenues of support to explore, I just need a bit of a light to shine from somewhere. It is, of course, never easy to work with someone with whom you’re finding it a little difficult to get on with, even if they are one of your children. So stepping back a bit and chilling out seemed like the best thing to do today.

Anyway, I really should go to bed!

Mummynat tagged me so:

3 names you answer to-
Nicola
Nikki
Nik - but would probably answer to dottyspots if someone shouted it out it’s been *me* for so long.

3 parts of your heritage-
Norway
Dreaming
Music

3 things that scare me
Losing my family (that has to be the scariest!)
Operations (mostly due to having a drip, last time I had a spike set in my hand I ripped it out!)
Being paralysed from the neck down (I’ve had ’shock paralysis’ and couldn’t move from the neck down it was incredibly frightening).

3 of your everyday essentials
Family
Music
Carrots

3 things you are wearing right now
Jeans
Purple jumper
Slippers

3 of your favourite songs
Arrrrrrgh - that’s really difficult and I have a big long list! It really depends on what mood I’m in! Usually either Holiday in Cambodia or Californian Uber Alles by Dead Kennedys, You’re Gonna Miss Me by 13th Floor Elevators and Say A Little Prayer (sung by Aretha Franklin rather than Dionne Warwick) - but really it is very changeable and I always have new things I enjoy listening to added to my playlist. ATM I’m listening a lot to Mr Brightside (Killers), Golden Touch (Razorlight) and Intergalatic (Beastie Boys - ‘cos my 9 year old got their best of…)

3 things you want in an relationship (other than true love)
Honesty
Fun
Equality

2 truths and 1 lie
I never lie
I like spiders
I believe in fairies

3 things about the opposite sex that appeal to you
GSOH (stereotyped - but I really do need it!)
Knowing something about the music I like
Conversation

3 of your favourite hobbies
Listening to music (well actually more singing and dancing along)
Knitting
Making lists…..

3 places you want to go
Svalbard/Spitzbergen
Very Northern Norway (where my mother’s family are from)
Barcelona

3 things you want to do before you die
See my grandchildren (hoping I have some)
Errrrrr….. visit the places listed above
Errrrrrm, that’s it really, I’m not actually very demanding from life!

3 ways that you are sterotypically a male/female
I talk, alot
I have to do things myself to ‘make sure they’re done properly’
I have big ‘ole mood swings

HTHs

Being a bit of a twit I managed to fall down the stairs whilst carrying Nin. I should’ve had my slippers on, but we were going out so I’d got myself and Nin changed, slipped down the final 3 or 4 stairs and in true cartoon fashion, the minute my tight-covered foot hit the laminated floor I flipped up in the air and landed on my bum with Nin on top of me. Nin was fine, if a little surprised. I was a bit shaken up. It seemed to set off a good lot of very painful contractions and I ended up being checked over in hospital just to check that baby was ok. Looks like I’m set for a last few uncomfortable weeks as every evening I’m getting very painful contractions added to by a tickly cough (which is driving me mad).

I’ve had another blood test, so fingers crossed my blood count has gone up, if not I think I will be a little concerned this close to labour.

We’ve put up the tree so are looking a little more festive. No itching or swelling this time, so I’m guessing I was allergic to something that was sprayed on the last tree (as I ended up at A&E itching all over with my airways swelling up - not a fun experience).

It’s still rather quiet on the HE front, simply because I’m permanently tired. R. has been plodding along in the background whilst I’ve tried to rest (as I’m struggling to get up before 10 ATM). So here’s hoping I’ve not got too much longer left and can get my iron levels back up well after baby arrives.

The past few day I ‘ave been mostly watching: Sharpe.

I bought the DVD boxset as a little pressie for me (although dh loves the series as well) - so have been spending my usually TV-free evenings watching a little joyous blast from the past

I’ve started taking flouradix because my blood count dropped even more and I’ve had to admit that it does need boosting a bit (so that I don’t feel permanently knackered).

I’ve taken on the post of local childminding co-ordinator, which should be interesting as I’m wanting to be involved with the new Children’s Centre to atleast attempt to get some of my thoughts heard (and those of other local childminders who are a little concerned about some of the plans).

Apart from that, feeling seriously crampy and a bit sick and keep hoping it’ll carry on, but generally I get a good set of BH for a few hours and then it tapers off in the early hours of the morning.

grrrrrrrr……….

Well the CTG on Monday didn’t exactly go as planned, as on chatting to the midwife she fetched a doctor who suspected a blood clot and then I wasn’t going home. I had a series of rather unpleasant tests which luckily all came back negative (they were still poking and prodding at 3am the next morning). I’ll never complain about blood tests again having had them take blood out of the artery at my wrist, which was rather *interesting*.

I’m back home but under strict instructions to go nowhere, rest and contact them if anything aches etc.

So I’ve been reasonably good, even missed the talk on Heuristic Play I was so looking forward to attending. I’ve managed to re-arrange attending a First Aid course for January (and apparently I should be able to take new baby with me too - fingers crossed otherwise I’ll probably have to cancel again).

Naturally it’s been fairly quiet on the HE front, R.’s been chugging along, but obviously hasn’t had much input from me as I’ve not been here and Rik hasn’t really got much knowledge for what R. is studying ATM. Today he had his first go with the sewing machine (I’ve been converting some rather ‘past-it’ terry nappies into wash cloths for bums and R. had a bash as a good way of practising).

Anyway, it’s a bit of a quiet post as I’m in a fairly quiet mood - off to do a bit of surfing before I go to bed (I had a sleep earlier so am just working off some excess energy in the quietest way possible I can think of).