Never ones to take on more than we can manage.

We are still being assessed for the adoption. Which will apparently be dragged out until early November, when we go before the panel for approval. This means we have until early October to finish everything, although to be frank we are really rushing along with it.

Andrew has his rules exam coming up in October; this is a big stress for him and last time lead to months off work with an ENT infection which led to vertigo... never a good thing with a train driver. So plenty stress there on its own. Last week Andrew got a letter from the council offering him an allotment plot................... "Yey!" was our first reaction, we've been and spread manure over the weed free, twice rotivated soil, which the nice people at the council prepared for us, but now we have a 6x15 metre plot of manure covered land, with no fences, beds, shed, compost bins, anything.... now thinking........ "Oh!". Where do you start with this?!

Well we've planted the rhubarb from the garden and nabbed Andrew's dad's old carpet to make paths, and hopefully keep a few weeds down. then we've chopped up some bits of wood that have been in the garage for years to make the posts for raised beds... having drawn a fine plan of where we want everything. We've got strawbs to put in but need to make some form of bed for them first.

So last night trying to sleep I had allotment plans, adoption plans, pushchairs, kids clothes, my sisters baby present, and broken boiler (oh yeah forgot to mention that one) all whirling round in my head. This was finally broken by Andrew, who was already asleep sitting up and trying to pull the lamps off the wall above us, apparently for a very good reason, although I he didn't really know why this morning. He only ever moves around in his sleep and sleep talks when he is stressed................ August till November...........3 months........ Why do we not make our lives simple?!

For the love of all that is holy...........

I've had this wretched sore throat for over a week now. It mostly comes on when I am tired so I should perhaps go to bed, but why is it back every day. I was quite poorly on Wednesday and then I was better on Thursday so I thought that would be it.... but no! Just go and leave me in peace, either get me properly, or not at all. That's all I have to say on the subject.

Since Tuesday, I have been mostly stunned by the cost of childcare.

THE END for today.

Oh no..... I wrote a bit of book today. about 2500 words in fact only about 15000 to go. I can't see me finishing this project! It might pay for a weeks childcare though.......

Ow! and also Wow!

I have a little sore throat. It hurts only in the morning and on the night which is no use at all as I am OK all day at work. I haven't even lost my voice so I still have to answer the phone.

Today our conservatory foundations were dug and cemented. At last, we also received our invite to the May adoption preparation course. That is only something like 6 weeks away now.... that is quite soon! I think I am going to have to keep a diary of this whole thing. Maybe I could turn it into a book and make one hundred million dollars... moo ha ha ha ha ha! Well if Jordan can write a book surely any fool can, and there is surely no bigger fool than I.

Anyways I'm getting my poorly tired bum to bed now.

Good night.

This Is What The Internet Is For!!

Tom Baker Says

Just click on the little "Play" icons to hear him talk.

Yey me!

So we went to see Baby David yesterday, he lives just outside of Sheffield, well nearer to Worksop/Rotherham type area. Somehow an idea formed in my little brain that it would be a good idea for me to drive back... what with Andrew always ending up driving both ways in one day.... and you know what? I did. And do you know what else? We are still alive and in one piece. And do you know what else? I still won't be going on the motorway on my own yet. But do you know what else? I will drive on the motorway again, as long as Andrew/someone responsible will be there to direct me as to my slip road conduct.

It was on this occasion in the dark.... there were many many police cars, which was a bit concerning. I had to pass a gritter..... which even Andrew has never done on the motorway........ actually it's too dark now but I haven't checked my car for chips. I did slow down but perhaps not enough.

That's all. Thank you for listening!

What a couple of weeks!

Work has been a total nightmare over the last couple of weeks, 45 hour weeks followed by 22 hours of overtime, then 10-12 hour days....not good.... culminating in me being sent home from work with exhaustion last Wednesday. It seems to be settling a little bit at the moment although I fear it is far from the end of the nightmare. We are still being offered overtime though so that is a good thing. Hopefully it will settle soon.

On the adoption front the only news is that I have had a report from my consultant which will hopefully give the GP an idea of what he is talking about. We are still waiting for our appointments but as the course is not until May I guess there is no great rush. Still very optimistic about it all and still looking forward to most of it.

Even though this year has been a nightmare work-wise it's still generally going quite well. I thought I might be starting to crack up again last week, but thankfully after a good long rest I am OK again and just making sure I take a bit of a back seat at work now.

Not sure if I want a new one.

I've just been to see my friend who had her baby daughter on Christmas day. She is lovely, dark hair, big wide eyes, not too wrinkly, not too screamy, generally good. But all in all I have come away thinking that maybe a brand new one is not what I would prefer. Obviously it would be great to have a brand new baby which will have been entirely yours all of its life and have no memories of anything different. But, I'm not sure I like all that floppy head, not really doing much, constantly eating, sleeping, or crying thing. Maybe a little bit older a few months or something, when they are a bit less floppy, doing a bit more, hopefully crying a bit less, hopefully sleeping at bit more, and at the right times...I said hopefully, and maybe not constantly needing a feed. Whatever age we get I know we are not going to have a clue what we are doing, any more than any other parent I guess, but we'll manage.

Maybe this is just me. I'm sure Andrew feels the same though.

The start of a new year

I think that this year is going to be a good one. The last 2 have been pretty ropey. Some good bits but mostly not. Anyway this year I think is going to be much better. It has already started well in that neither of us are ill; we are both looking forward to the whole adoption process, starting this month with our medicals, then followed in May by the preparation course; and, I have just won the bonus ball at work.. It's only £16 or something but hey it's a win! (I have also burned myself twice (once on my straighteners and once on my cup of tea) today, but that doesn't count as a bad omen because I am clumsy.

So far the plans for this year involve our medicals and the start of building our conservatory, this month, the conservatory will hopefully be completed in February, then not sure what order or dates but a holiday in Cornwall, Take That at Newcastle, the Mighty Boosh in Newcastle, apparently Paul McCartney at some point and place, and probably some other gigs too. I'm already short of holidays compared to Andrew and I have not factored in meetings for the adoption. The target for the whole process is 8 months from your first call to being approved, and then however long after that. I hope we will be approved this year but will not hold my breath. Maybe next year we will have a small person to live with...............

Thank God For Ann

I have just discovered two very good reasons why I was so unsuccessful with girls when I was at sixth form as I have just found a videotape I made with Mike for a presentation in our "Sixties" class about Monty Python.

Firstly I appeared to be more a collection of acne than a human being, and also it seems that at sixth form I was as camp as Christmas....No change there I hear you cry.

I can only explain it by saying that I had only just finished being a Drama student, which must have had an effect, and that, from the evidence of the video, I wanted to be Vic Reeves.

Thank goodness Ann took pity on me or I could have ended up one of those blokes who live alone and are talked about by people who work in shops for being Weird.

What A Busy Week!!

Well now that I've had chance to pause for breath I can let you know what we got up to on our weeks holiday. We have been blasting around the north east of England seeing loads of shows and films...these ones in fact:

Wallace & Gromit And The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit (Saw on Tuesday)

Ross Noble Live @ Sheffield City Hall (Wednesday)

The League Of Gentlemen Are Behind You Live @ Scarborough Futurist (Thursday)

Tim Burtons Corpse Bride (Friday)

Tom Baxter Live @ Leeds City Varieties (Sunday)

Bloody good they all were too. If I get chance latter in the week I may add some reviews type bits about them.....we'll see