Get Stuffed

Gotcha (for now).....

Blogger have introduced Word Verification for commenting, which should reduce the random commenting I have been suffering from....

Hopefully.

Scary

Well Serena drove for the first time since her operation today.
Tomorrow she is driving to York with Lauren!
(I am driving up in a van behind her, but it isn't safe for Lauren in the van.)

I can tell Serena is scared, but I told her to take her time.
We have to take it easy as Lauren isn't supposed to stay in the car seat for more than 2 hours at a time, which means we have to take a 1/2 to 1 hour break somewhere around Grantham!

I am sure it will all be fine, but I am sure I will be tense until we get there.

A Changed Man

Well it seems like I have managed to curb my rampant spending!
What with the building works and the arrival of Lauren, I am finding that saving money is imperitive, so I am no longer buying computer games and DVDs on a whim!

I was hunting around on Amazon and they have added a "Wish List" function, so I have had a look at all the things coming out in the next few months that I would normally buy without thinking and have added them to my wish list.

What this means is that if you would normally buy me a Birthday or Christmas prezzie (not those of you that I have reciprocal "card only" agreements with), then you can now browse my wish list and not be worried about getting me something I already have or don't really want! Failing that - amazon vouchers will always be welcome!

This all seems very materialistic, but I like to think of it being practical and would encourage you to do the same so I don't need to hassle your other halves for ideas!

I am also going to have a clear-out of crap soon, so expect to see some EBay transactions in my name!

Hijacked

I see that both James and I have had "comments" added from random users pointing to an off-site dating agency.

Don't click them.

I'll delete the comment shortly.

Back to the Grind

Well my 4 week holiday is over!
Now I have to get up at 1 am to feed Lauren AND come to work the following morning!

Anyway - I am working Part-time (3 days a week) for the rest of this month, so I expect I will get a few entries on my rather quiet blog!

Here are some more pictures of Lauren for you to look at:
Piccies

Big Ad!

Big Ad

I certify that the above is not a virus.... Click the link and press "Yes" when prompted.
Its great!

Jase.

10 Days

Wow! Has it really been 10 days?

Well Mother and Baby are doing fine. Baby Lauren Ting Ayers has still not quite got the hang of breast feeding yet so we are feeding her by tube. When she starts to get the hang of it then she will be allowed home, which will hopefully be in the next week or so.

Beyond that I am not finding much time to do anything beyond cook, wash and clean! I usually crash out around 10 pm, watch a couple of episodes of Alias and then go to bed!

I will keep you abreast of any changes!

It's a Girl!

Well that was an amazing and knackering 24 hours.

The Doc told Serena yesterday night that they were unhappy with our baby, as the baby was occasionally squashing her own umbilical cord and restricting her own blodd supply.
They felt that it was safer for all concerned if Serena be scheduled for a Caesarean Section this morning.

At 12.07 this afternoon our little daughter was born, weighing in at 1.9 kgs (4lbs 3 oz).
She is OK, if a little small, so is being closely supervised in a High Dependency Unit (One step down from Intensive Care).

Serena is also fine, if a little sore.

Here are some pictures from today.

I’ll give you more news when I have it.

Jase.

Baby Update

Below is an email from Serena that pretty much sums up the last two days!

Jase.

Dear all,

I’ve been admitted to the antenatal ward (Edith Dare Ward) at Queen Charlotte and Chelsea Hospital because unfortunately my waters broke early on Sunday morning. Quite a shock at 34 weeks with potentially 6 weeks to go. Everything is OK at the moment but we’re waiting for tests to come back so that they can make a decision on what happens next. They’ve said to me that if there is any sign of infection reaching the baby (now that the membranes have gone) they will need to do a caesarean section to get the baby out this week. Otherwise, all being well they will wait for a few more weeks to give the baby more chance to grow.

Either way, they say I am not allowed home because the baby is in a breech position with the feet down first and there is a risk of the umbilical cord falling out first if I were to have any premature contractions (and this would be bad for the baby). So I am stuck here on the ward for potentially weeks to come on bedrest but have resigned myself to this if it means that the baby will be OK. They’ve also said (scarily) that the baby will need to go to Neonatal Intensive Care when it is first born to get a checking over (hopefully not for too long).

Will keep you updated on how it all goes.
Love,
Serena

Latest terror alert levels

Be aware that the French government announced yesterday that it has Raised its terror alert level from RUN to HIDE. The only two higher levels in France are Surrender and Collaborate.
The rise was precipitated by a recent fire that destroyed France's white flag factory, effectively paralysing their military capability.

It's not only the French that are on a heightened level of alert: The Italians have increased their alert level from "shout loudly and excitedly" to "elaborate military posturing". Two more levels remain, "ineffective combat operations" and "change sides".

The Germans also increased their alert state from "disdainful arrogance" to "dress in uniform and sing marching songs". They have two higher levels, "invade a neighbour" and "lose".

Seeing this reaction in continental Europe the Americans have gone from "isolationism" to "find somewhere else in the middle east ripe for regime change". Their remaining higher alert states are "take on the world" and "ask the British for help".

{Thanks to Jules for that update}

Word of the Day: FILLIP

fillip

/fillip/

• noun a stimulus or boost.

— ORIGIN from an archaic sense of the word meaning ‘a flick with the fingers’.

Beer

Despite my earlier claims that my life was mapped out to the second at the moment, I decided to throw it out the window yesterday and hit the pub with Balint (as he finished early).

That meant I got home a little later than planned, which meant dinner got knocked back a bit and also that I had had beer which meant I couldn't be arsed to do any painting!

Serena and I sat down and watched two more episodes of Firefly instead.

I have a meeting with our mortgage provider tonight about borrowing some more money to finish the decorating and build work off to our high specification. Hopefully it is a formality other wise they wouldn’t have setup the appointment after the information gathering session.

You've got to laugh!

This article just cracked me up!
Some people are so sensitive!

Warchild

I am certain Gareth would want to point this article out and would be getting excited, so I thought I would help him whilst he repairs his own blog!

Blog Pressure

With Gareth's technical faults and James' trip to the sun I am the only one left going! (Obviously not in the whole world - but in the area that matters!)

Can I cope with the pressure and responsibility on top of everything else?

Balint

Well I just got back from a nice lunch with Balint, who I haven't seen in far too long.

We did our usual and talked about strip bars and saunas we have known (that's to see if Kim is still reading the Blog!).

Just kidding Kim! It was a shame that we didn't have more time, but these flying visits for important things like Visas don't allow you to be overly social.

The weather is so nice that I really, really don't want to come back to work, but I know that I must as there is boring work to do!

I just want to paint the nursery and collapse with a cold beer! Instead I am going to do data entry for 4 hours, ride the tube and bus in rush hour for 60 mins, paint for 90 mins, eat for 60 mins and then go to bed. It is so good to have your life mapped out on a per second basis!

Groan

A World renowned expert in the sounds of European Wasps is walking down the High St. one day when he spots an advert in his local record shop "Wasp sounds from around the Globe".
On further enquiry he discovers that a vinyl recording of this subject has just been released and a few copies are available in store there and then.
Naturally, being a World renowned expert in the sounds of European Wasps he is curious and asks the young chap behind the counter if he can have a listen to "Wasp sounds from around the Globe".
A few seconds later the World renowned expert in the sounds of European Wasps is standing at one of those little sound stations with his headphones on and a puzzled expression on his face.
He removes the Headphones, walks back to the counter and catches the young sales person's attention.
"Excuse me" he says, "I'm A World renowned expert in the sounds of European Wasps and I've just been listening to "Wasp sounds from around the Globe", and I must say, there appears to be some mistake. Those are no Wasp sounds with which I am familiar".
The young man dutifully checks the recording in question and assures the World renowned expert in the sounds of European Wasps that he is indeed listening to "Wasp sounds from around the Globe".
Puzzled the World renowned expert in the sounds of European Wasps returns to the headphones and once again begins to listen. After a few seconds he once again returns to the counter and accosts the young fellow there.
"Excuse me" he says, "As I mentioned before, I am a World renowned expert in the sounds of European Wasps and I've just been listening to "Wasp sounds from around the Globe" and I have to say again, those are no Wasp sounds with which I am familiar. Are you certain I have been listening to the correct recording?"
Slightly exasperated by now, the young man checks the disc currently playing and with a slightly sheepish grin confesses: "Oops, sorry Sir, I seem to have played you the Bee side"

Morning

Well it is bright and early on a nice sunny monday morning...
Yep and I am in the office rather than sat in the back garden drinking coffee and eating croissants. Bugger!

I suppose I haven't really got anywhere to sit yet, but coffee and croissants al fresco should be doable around Christmas time! (Weather permitting!)

Managed to get the ceiling painted in the nursery on Friday afternoon and the first coat on the woodwork on Saturday, so there was some progress on the decorating front. Assuming this week's testing work goes OK, I reckon I should manage to get the nursery decorated in time for the carpet fitters.

Sunday was spend driving to and back from Crawley, picking up one of our EBay purchases (£50 Car Seat for £15).
We also picked up the pushchair (another £50 saving on EBay) and spent £120 at Mothercare!

I also watched the 2 hours of Cricket on Sunday and was totally gripped. I love working in an Aussie office when England beat them! It makes up for all those times that they beat us!

Anyway fingers crossed for the Shuttle crew who are set to land in about an hour. Hopefully the DIY job has worked OK.

Glad that's over

Well after a few nights of hard graft my Testing Scenario development work is finally finished.
I am looking forward to an early night tonight.

Various odds and sods to do this weekend...

• Pick up the Pushchair that we bought on EBay.
• Pick up the Car Seat that we bought on EBay.
• Dump the old Nursery carpet and the rest of our excess rubbish.
• Get on with painting (having lost 2 nights decorating to working late) the nursery.

Now I just need to avoid the sarcasm overload floating round our office today...

Double Yawn

I'm going to bed!

The Test Scenarios are finished though! FINALLY!