Rankish Teapants

I’ve been struggling with my “retirement”. My visions of sleeping in and waking up refreshed have yet to materialise. At first, I blamed my baby related weakened blabber, but this morning I finally figured out how not to feel the need to get out of bed at First Pee.

Lee is going to a meeting today which is not in his office. Due to this, he is working from home this morning which meant when the alarm went off, he stayed in bed. My mind and my body were a bit startled because this obviously was not the routine we were used to. But it was excellent. I got up, went for my annoying wee and came back into bed instead of groggily sitting at the computer. And I got to lie there for what felt like forever…. until BoB decided to remind me who was boss and had me back out of bed.

So, what I feel is needed, is a lottery win. That way Lee can stay home and if he stays in bed, so will I. How easy a solution is that? Why didn’t I think of this earlier? Even BoB will have trouble trying to take over if it is vs. both Lee and I. Yes, with me BoB usually wins, but that is only because any wrong move on his/her part can lead me to a very embarrassing situation.

Right. So reminder… I need to get a lottery ticket for tonight! Let’s hope £2.5 million will do the trick!

2 years ago today I was waking up in hopes of seeing the sun shining…and I did. I went to breakfast with my friends at the Calypso Cafe in the Marriott and cried in the elevator to random strangers on return to my room. Not that I wasn’t looking forward to getting married, but I found the stress extremely hard to manage without Lee being by my side.

Luckily, over the past two years we’ve barely been apart.

Not that I cry any less. But I am who I am.

The sun shine on our wedding day did not last. The winds came in and the rain came down. A lot of it. Our beach wedding come garden wedding turned into a In The Hotel Corridor Wedding. The reception was wet, but fun… lots of fun… until the power went.

Last year we again jetted off to an island for our 1st Anniversary – only this time there was no 8-9 hour flight because we went to Dublin. Once again, on the 20th of January we experienced wind and rain. Only this time, it was COLD rain. Very cold rain. So we spent our anniversary dinner in the pub next to the hotel and were asleep by 10pm. The old marrieds that we are.

We had talked about where we’d go for anniversary number two, but something…. rather someone… changed our plans for us. BoB came along and now I’m not allowed to fly anywhere and it has been recommended that we not travel far from home. So anniversary number two is being spent in exotic Milton Keynes where the weather report for today calls for Light Rain and winds at 23 miles per hour with gusts up to 35 miles per hour.

Okay, what have I ever done to piss mother nature off?

Anyway, as disappointed as I was initially to know that we’d not be going somewhere to celebrate, I’ve come round to sense and know that it doesn’t matter where I am, but so long as Lee’s still by my side I am the luckiest girl in the world. I’m not so sure about his luck though, which makes me all the luckier.

So no Guinness and oysters or salt fish and johnny cakes for us. Instead we spent the morning cleaning the kitchen – Lee on dishes and laundry and me turning our hob and oven into a thing of beauty. And this afternoon we’ll have a late lunch/early dinner at Brasserie Blanc to celebrate the clean stove and our anniversary.. and visit a photo booth to get our photos done for my new visa.

Don’t let anyone tell you any different …. WE are the King and Queen of Romance!

And next year, so long as there is not a BoBsibling on the way, we shall be celebrating somewhere that doesn’t boast of its concrete cows and roundabouts.

Happy 2nd Anniversary to US! Here’s hoping the 3rd year is filled with less drama and more sunshine!!!

This afternoon, Lee and I went to meet up with some friends for lunch in Northampton. We spent a lot of time talking about how amazing it is that you can have this little person growing inside of you one day and then next day you wake up* and there they are.. you can touch, see, hear and smell them.

Instead of taking the highway (motorway) home, we went through the villages so that we could stop at the farm shop and get some yummy Pickle Power (pickled onion cheddar). We got our piece and took some Black Bomber (extra mature Welsh Cheddar) to go with it and started heading toward the car when a commotion caught my eye. Not between people, but between the chickens that roam freely. I at first thought that it was a case of some rabid chickens trying to eat another chicken, when Lee pointed out that I was actually witnessing Fowl Gang Rape.

I covered my ears and turned away and waited for Lee to get the car and bring it to me (we were parked right by the action). I’ve never witnessed such a horrible sight, and I’ve seen a dead man vomit on someone!!!

I’m so happy that BoB cannot see from the inside out. At that moment in time I envied him/her. I too wanted not to be able to see, or hear, or have a memory.

This cheese better be the best damned cheese I’ve ever had!!!

*Note: I am aware that you don’t wake up to find a baby there. I can only dream.

This is just to let you know that although an ocean may be between us, you are not alone.

One of the things about St.Kitts that makes it feel so much like home is the smell. There is a smell when you get off of the plane that lets you know where you’ve landed. Each time I step out of the plane I close my eyes and take in a deep breath and smile. After it rains, there is also a smell that I’ve come to love. It is like a mixture of the salty sea dancing with the sweet scents from the flora and fauna. You can close your eyes and still see the beauty of the island because of this smell. I love it.

Usually after it rains in Milton Keynes your senses are assaulted with a smell akin to being next to a pig processing plant or a chicken factory. It’s not pretty.

But today as I walked out of work I first saw the wet ground and then took a hesitant sniff at the air, only to be met with a similar scent to the post rain smell of St.Kitts. I closed my eyes tightly and smelled the air some more and when I opened my eyes… there it was… ugly old Milton Keynes stood before me. No bougainvilleas or hibiscus, no ocean waves crashing against the sand… not even a hint of sunshine.

I cannot explain how disappointing it was. I almost wished that the air would have had the choking, breath stealing stench it usually does post rain.

Who is this Mother Nature woman and why is she messing with me!?

When I got home from work today, there was one of those “We tried to deliver…” note cards inside the door. Instantly I forgot about the other pieces of mail that were scattered about with it and started trying to figure out what it might be.

Why is it that even at 31 years old, I am SO excited to see “real” mail?

Due to extreme tiredness though, I’m waiting for Lee to come home and escort me to the Post Office.

BoB and I need a nap after such excitement.

Imagine what would happen if I got a hand written letter?! I might go into labour!

Our calm night turned into a mad morning as I became extremely sick to my stomach, along with having a hyper active baby who was wondering what was going on, and some lovely and painful Braxton Hicks thrown in for good measure.

The New Year has not started off well in this house. Poor Lee was pulled out of bed by my bellowing and by my side he remained until it was all over. The poor man. As if living with Normal Me isn’t bad enough. But he never displayed his frustrations; even when I asked him to mop my brow and then straight away demanded he stop as I realised that I didn’t really want it. It was about an hour of pure confusion and pain that had now led to a day of discomfort and nausea… and other side effects that I’ll keep to myself.

At least I won at Scrabble right? That’s got to mean something?

..but he cannot take the Canada out of the girl.

Last night during Scrabble I was so hoping for there to be an open E for me to use on the board. However, Lee dashed those hopes by spelling something with an O instead and alas I never got to play my perfect word:

Another year has come and gone. Like most there were ups and there were downs … often in the same day. But 2008 is shaping up to be the craziest year of my life yet (hard to imagine if you know me well). They say that how you spend your New Year is how you’ll spend the rest of the year. If “they” are right, then my year will be spent in a quiet house with Lee, watching crime shows, eating M&S party foods, doing DIY and playing Scrabble.

I’ll take it!

Though I am a bit of a realist and know that once BoB arrives, sleep will go out the window, sanity will be non-existant and I will still be wondering if our bedroom will ever fully escape the “urban” look. Whatever 2008 has in store for us, we’re ready. Maybe not ready, but we’re looking forward to it.

So Happy New Year to everyone and I hope that your Ups far outweigh your Downs and that 2008 brings lots of love and laughter when you least expect it.

Lee wishing me a Happy New Year!

Lee wishes BoB a Happy New Year!

We wish YOU a Happy New Year!