Well obviously this happened yesterday, but the story didn't end there. Despite my 15 minute soaking of the fire, come midnight it was ablaze again, the wind had picked up and embers were flying out, left, right and centre. I'd had enough and I couldn't be arsed lifting the fence panel, getting out the hose, etc. Loz rang the fire brigade, it did feel daft calling them for a bonfire, but fire obviously can be fairly unpredictable, and I wasn't going to sit watching it.
The fire brigade came in under 10 minutes, broke the string and got to the fire, and within 5 minutes, it was gone. They were very nice, it seemed crazy having so many men for a small fire, but they were very professional. The fireman joked that they'd probably start the fire again in the morning.
They did.
Loz was obviously feeling in the mood for a fight and flew out of bed and got dressed to have it out with the Site Foreman, she explained what had happened and asked them not to do it again. The foreman said they'd have one more fire today and would extinguish it before they left. He wasn't rude to her thankfully, as I don't think he'd like the wrath of a heavily pregnant Northern lady :)
I'm sure that won't be last of the capers with the builders, as I imagine they'll be around for a good few months yet...
Wednesday, 29 February 2012
Tuesday, 28 February 2012
Hello - Is that O'Reilly Builders?
The house next door to us has been empty for months, the owner is planning to build some houses on the land, and yesterday the builders arrived. They've quite a bit of land to clear and on the whole they weren't overly noisy with it, and haven't caused much bother.
They have been burning stuff for most of the day, old tree roots, and such like. It's been a bit of a pain in the arse because the house now stinks of smoke and the garden is covered in ash. Annoying, but not the end of the world. The builders cleared off at 16.00, and Loz popped to the shops around an hour later.
This is what you can see from the pavement..
They'd left the fire going, they thought it was a good idea to leave a fire (next to some fences) alone overnight on a housing estate. The site is secure, actually no it's not, you'll see how secure those metal fences aren't (held together with string) - and they just left it.
My neighbour (the other side) and I lifted the fence panel to get a closer look.
They have been burning stuff for most of the day, old tree roots, and such like. It's been a bit of a pain in the arse because the house now stinks of smoke and the garden is covered in ash. Annoying, but not the end of the world. The builders cleared off at 16.00, and Loz popped to the shops around an hour later.
This is what you can see from the pavement..
They'd left the fire going, they thought it was a good idea to leave a fire (next to some fences) alone overnight on a housing estate. The site is secure, actually no it's not, you'll see how secure those metal fences aren't (held together with string) - and they just left it.
My neighbour (the other side) and I lifted the fence panel to get a closer look.
It was still raging away underneath, and one large floating ember or a local kid playing with it could have had nasty consequences. I wasn't going to leave it so we hooked up the hose and put it out..
It took about 15 minutes to calm it down, as it had been burning most of the day the heat it was kicking off was incredible. Really though, what idiots leave a fire burning unattended, and worse still, overnight?! Fucking morons.
Sunday, 26 February 2012
Needy and Ambiguous ? Do fuck off...
Aside from my issue with children taking over your Facebook profile, I do take have problems with the amount of people who use their social network of choice as a needy / ambiguous shouting block.
A good example is the random :
'grrrrrr so cross right now'
This is usually followed by one of the updatees friends or followers firing back a :
'u ok hun?'
Then the typical response is :
'no im not, cant talk about it thou'
Brilliant. Why fucking post it?! You've posted it because you're wanting attention, and people to help you, but you are unable to provide them with anything for them to actually help. What is the fucking point?
My general rule of thumb for social networks is 'keep it light', no one wants to go on Facebook or Twitter and feel like shit after reading it. It's a nice way to pass the time, not a self harmers trigger mechanism! If you're stewing away and in need of assistance, tell people, let them help you, people are great in times of a crisis and will often help you. Do this too many times and when you REALLY need those friends, they won't care, because you're effectively the 'Boy that cried Wolf'.
If your problem is too personal for public consumption, don't fucking post it on the internet, call your friends, get in a dialogue.
I also take issue with those who confess their undying love for their other half endlessly.. but that's another blog post.
A good example is the random :
'grrrrrr so cross right now'
This is usually followed by one of the updatees friends or followers firing back a :
'u ok hun?'
Then the typical response is :
'no im not, cant talk about it thou'
Brilliant. Why fucking post it?! You've posted it because you're wanting attention, and people to help you, but you are unable to provide them with anything for them to actually help. What is the fucking point?
My general rule of thumb for social networks is 'keep it light', no one wants to go on Facebook or Twitter and feel like shit after reading it. It's a nice way to pass the time, not a self harmers trigger mechanism! If you're stewing away and in need of assistance, tell people, let them help you, people are great in times of a crisis and will often help you. Do this too many times and when you REALLY need those friends, they won't care, because you're effectively the 'Boy that cried Wolf'.
If your problem is too personal for public consumption, don't fucking post it on the internet, call your friends, get in a dialogue.
I also take issue with those who confess their undying love for their other half endlessly.. but that's another blog post.
A big thank you..
The visitor numbers to my blog have really blown my tiny mind, thank you so much for reading this Ian Internet, it really makes me pleased. I'm also happy a fair few seem to agree with my ranty thoughts, I'm glad I'm not mental (well not really!).
Keep reading, and I'll keep ranting.
x
Keep reading, and I'll keep ranting.
x
Thursday, 23 February 2012
Geek Post - A quick play with my Hague Mini Motion Cam (MMC)
So my early birthday present from Loz came the other day - it's a 'Hague Mini Motion Cam' essentially a cheap 'Steadicam' mount for home camcorders. I'll write a full review in due course, I'm slowly getting the hang of it, and it's certainly pretty darn good.
I filmed two tiny videos both with and without the Hague attached to compare the difference, and yes there is a marked difference. The Hague gives it a more 'floaty' feel than the jarring movements when you walk, I've got to learn how to control it a bit better, but already it's doing what I want! I'll make some more videos and try and get the hang of it more, but so far, so good!
I filmed two tiny videos both with and without the Hague attached to compare the difference, and yes there is a marked difference. The Hague gives it a more 'floaty' feel than the jarring movements when you walk, I've got to learn how to control it a bit better, but already it's doing what I want! I'll make some more videos and try and get the hang of it more, but so far, so good!
Wednesday, 22 February 2012
Yesterday was a good day.. ( A pre opening walk around LegoLand Windsor's new Hotel )
For one of those rare moments, work and pleasure mixed! Hooray!
I'm a massive theme park geek, and I like to keep on top of all the latest UK Theme Park news and happenings. Legoland Windsor are opening a hotel, in 3 weeks infact, I've been watching the construction process for months now and loved watching it shape up. All of the coverage has been on the outside, but the inside has been a bit of an unknown quantity, aside from some artists impressions and PR shots.
For those who don't know Loz works for an online magazine that focuses on Hotel Design.. As the Design is something quite different from the norm she got in touch with the PR company and arranged to go and have a look around and get some photos. Loz wanted me to come along and get some photos of the interior, and I leapt at the chance! :)
When we arrived on site we were confronted with a very nearly finished exterior, complete with a smoke breathing dragon, and lots of Lego figures dotted around. All that was left to do it would seem is some planting of shrubs and trees. Going into the reception, again, it was looking very nearly finished, the centre of reception has a great Lego display, and a 'pit' filled with Lego for children to play with and make models.
Behind the reception counter is a wall with 6000 'mini figs' attached, it really is incredible. There is a larger Lego Man that floats past them all with a magnifying glass so you can see them, it looks fantastic. There is also going to be a Lego shop in the far right corner of the reception too. The ground floor also has the swimming pools, there is a shallow 'splash pool' with some water features, and next to it is a more traditional pool. I must admit I was expecting the pools to be bigger, they are fairly small. There are plans to have a Spa next to the pool area too.
We had a look around the conference facilities, they are fabulous, really really top notch. I've been to so many dull and dowdy hotel 'conference' facilities, this is such a refreshing change, lots of funky wall art with the history of Lego, and some amazing Lego flowers too. The conference area is very relaxed and calm, and probably will be the quietest area of the hotel!
The restaurant in the hotel is 'Bricks', a wonderfully bright and fun environment, with plenty of Lego figures dotted around the place. The table cloths are actually made out of paper and are essentially (I think) large colouring in sheets for the kids - clever! :) It's actually a buffet restaurant, the area that will have the all the food is very spacious, and actually the whole restaurant is very well laid out, you won't feel crammed in.
Outside the restaurant there is a sort of 'stage' area, with a kids play area nearby and the 'Skyline Bar' facing it, I imagine this place will be mental in the evenings! It had a lovely feel to it already!
There was an outside area that has a gate that leads into the park, I guess this will be the smoking area. You really are close to the park too, it's not like Alton's massive long trudge to the theme park to the hotel!
On to the bedroom, I think I'm right in saying there are three floors with three themes.. These are Pirates (obvious), Explorer (Indiana Jones basically) and Kingdom (Knights).
There are two types of room, themed (right) and premium themed (left) - themed has a good amount of theming (think Alton Towers Hotel rooms) and the premium themed is VERY themed. I think the premier themed ones might be a smidge bigger? The rooms are laid out with families in mind.
As soon as you walk in you have the kids area with bunks and a pull out third bed, with a little TV, then you have a decent sized bathroom, and then at the end of the room is the 'parents' bit. It's nice to have a split like this so you're not all in the same area, and you can put little ones to bed and still watch TV without disturbing them.
Each room also has a safe, not like any ordinary hotel room safe - the combination is a secret, and the children have to find the clues hidden in the bedroom to find the right code to pen the safe. Once they've got in to it, they are rewarded with a Lego set. Each room has a little box of Lego to play with too, although I don't know how long before these go 'missing'!
Also worth a mention is the general theming around the hotel, it really is first class, and like nothing I've seen in the UK before, the carpets, wallpaper and paint effects are top notch, the normally dull hotel corridors are bought to life with such detailed theming. There is even a Whoopee Cushion printed on the carpets near the lobby, and if you stand on it.. it farts. It's brilliantly thought out and your kids will love it. There are even Lego vases filled with Lego flowers! Heck even the urinals in the men's toilets look fun!
It's priced fairly similarly to the Alton Towers Hotel, it'll be £200+ for a night's stay with breakfast, although you will get park tickets for 2 days. Add onto that all the food, drink and probably Lego you'll end up buying it's not gonna be cheap, but then it does feel very luxurious and worth the money. Although, I *do* think the pool will be in issue, I just think it's not big enough for the hotel, we'll see though. We're definitely heading back there for a night when little man is born as I think G will go nuts for it all!
Note - The photos were all taken PRIOR to opening, whilst most areas were complete (and there are no construction photos shown), the final quality of theming / finish will probably be even higher (although with it being so good already, I think they'd struggle to better it!).
Please don't steal these images, if you do wish to use them please credit and link to www.hoteldesigns.net and www.kcjhdesign.co.uk
I'm a massive theme park geek, and I like to keep on top of all the latest UK Theme Park news and happenings. Legoland Windsor are opening a hotel, in 3 weeks infact, I've been watching the construction process for months now and loved watching it shape up. All of the coverage has been on the outside, but the inside has been a bit of an unknown quantity, aside from some artists impressions and PR shots.
 |
| Beware! Dragon! |
 |
| The Reception Area |
We had a look around the conference facilities, they are fabulous, really really top notch. I've been to so many dull and dowdy hotel 'conference' facilities, this is such a refreshing change, lots of funky wall art with the history of Lego, and some amazing Lego flowers too. The conference area is very relaxed and calm, and probably will be the quietest area of the hotel!
 |
| Conference Area Bar |
 |
| Large Conference Room |
The restaurant in the hotel is 'Bricks', a wonderfully bright and fun environment, with plenty of Lego figures dotted around the place. The table cloths are actually made out of paper and are essentially (I think) large colouring in sheets for the kids - clever! :) It's actually a buffet restaurant, the area that will have the all the food is very spacious, and actually the whole restaurant is very well laid out, you won't feel crammed in.
 |
| Bricks Restaurant exterior |
 |
| Inside 'Bricks' |
 |
| The kids play / stage area outside the 'Bricks' Restaurant |
 |
| The Skyline Bar area. |
On to the bedroom, I think I'm right in saying there are three floors with three themes.. These are Pirates (obvious), Explorer (Indiana Jones basically) and Kingdom (Knights).
 |
| The lift lobby on the Explorer floor |
 |
| The lift lobby on the Pirates floor |
 |
| The themed lifts on the Kingdom Floor |
 |
| Premium Themed |
 |
| Themed |
As soon as you walk in you have the kids area with bunks and a pull out third bed, with a little TV, then you have a decent sized bathroom, and then at the end of the room is the 'parents' bit. It's nice to have a split like this so you're not all in the same area, and you can put little ones to bed and still watch TV without disturbing them.
 |
| The kids safe |
 |
| Childrens area of the bedroom - Kingdom Room |
 |
| The 'grown up' end - Kingdom Room |
 |
| Lego Flowers! |
It's priced fairly similarly to the Alton Towers Hotel, it'll be £200+ for a night's stay with breakfast, although you will get park tickets for 2 days. Add onto that all the food, drink and probably Lego you'll end up buying it's not gonna be cheap, but then it does feel very luxurious and worth the money. Although, I *do* think the pool will be in issue, I just think it's not big enough for the hotel, we'll see though. We're definitely heading back there for a night when little man is born as I think G will go nuts for it all!
Note - The photos were all taken PRIOR to opening, whilst most areas were complete (and there are no construction photos shown), the final quality of theming / finish will probably be even higher (although with it being so good already, I think they'd struggle to better it!).
Please don't steal these images, if you do wish to use them please credit and link to www.hoteldesigns.net and www.kcjhdesign.co.uk
Monday, 20 February 2012
It's your kids, Marty, something has gotta be done about your kids!
This post has been pinging around in my head for months now, it's been drafted out a million times over, I've been hesitant about writing it, because it will probably upset a lot of you. Just remember, before you get all judgemental on me, remember, I'm entitled to my opinion, you're entitled to yours, if you strongly disagree.. then comment!
If you think about Friends Reunited, MySpace, and eventually Facebook, there is something that hasn't really changed across the social networks, it's all about YOU.
Yes YOU.
You have your own profile, about yourself, you fill it with pictures of yourself and connect with friends old and new. Life was simple back then, now we've all grown up and it's changed into something different. I'm no longer friends with that chap I went to school with, or that friend of a friend that I've known for years.
I'm friends with your kids too..
Yes, Really I am... I have teenage friends, tweenage friends, children friends, toddler friends, newborn friends.. and even - yes - foetal friends! A quick scroll through my friends list would make me look like some child friend harvesting paedo, shit, how on earth did this happen?! Do I have a sleep disorder that makes me befriend child while I sleep, like a Facebook Child Catcher? Fuck, I better hand myself in.. Hang on.
*Clicks on Profile Picture of a Foetus*
No.. Wait, I'm not friends with a foetus - that's Paul I went to school with.
*Clicks on Profile Picture of a Toddler*
No.. This is Jane from my old job.
Ahhh, I see what's happened now.
No longer do your profiles document what you are up to, I just get to see your beaming child, over and over. You're telling me how much you 'love your little *sexcrement name here* so much', I know that *sexcrement* did a fart today, and it was charming. Thing is though. I don't fucking care.
No, actually - I do sorta care. Don't get me wrong, your kid sure is cute, and has a smile that could bring peace to the middle east, but I'm not into being friends with your toddler. I want to be friends with YOU. I'm not saying I've never posted a picture of my child, or mentioned her, I have, but it's everything in moderation. I will guarantee at least 50% of your friends don't care about your child, probably 50% of that lot HATE children and will never have any.
The 200 or so friends you've gained across the years are there for YOU - wonderful, special, unique, beautiful YOU. If they wanted to know all about your children, they'd be friends with them, or talk to you about them.
I've set up a 'Page' for our soon to be born son. Why? Well for those reasons above. It gives a place for us to share the details and news to those who WANT to know what's happening, if they've had enough, they can 'unlike' and go on their way. I'm sensitive to my friends, I know some are going through the pain of trying to conceive, or have suffered a loss, heck even those who hate children, I don't want to pollute their time-streams. I'm sure they don't 'hate' my new son, or dislike him, but they are friends with me, not him. I am a Daddy, yes, but I am still me, that sweary socially awkward man.
I want to know what YOU'VE been upto, how YOU are feeling, what crazy, funky, cool stuff has been rocking YOUR world. Get a baby sitter, go get shitfaced, take lots of crazy photos and post them on Facebook and tag them, go retro! :)
Just remember, I don't hate your beautiful little ones, I really don't, but I'm YOUR friend, not theirs!
If you think about Friends Reunited, MySpace, and eventually Facebook, there is something that hasn't really changed across the social networks, it's all about YOU.
Yes YOU.
You have your own profile, about yourself, you fill it with pictures of yourself and connect with friends old and new. Life was simple back then, now we've all grown up and it's changed into something different. I'm no longer friends with that chap I went to school with, or that friend of a friend that I've known for years.
I'm friends with your kids too..
Yes, Really I am... I have teenage friends, tweenage friends, children friends, toddler friends, newborn friends.. and even - yes - foetal friends! A quick scroll through my friends list would make me look like some child friend harvesting paedo, shit, how on earth did this happen?! Do I have a sleep disorder that makes me befriend child while I sleep, like a Facebook Child Catcher? Fuck, I better hand myself in.. Hang on.
*Clicks on Profile Picture of a Foetus*
No.. Wait, I'm not friends with a foetus - that's Paul I went to school with.
*Clicks on Profile Picture of a Toddler*
No.. This is Jane from my old job.
Ahhh, I see what's happened now.
No longer do your profiles document what you are up to, I just get to see your beaming child, over and over. You're telling me how much you 'love your little *sexcrement name here* so much', I know that *sexcrement* did a fart today, and it was charming. Thing is though. I don't fucking care.
No, actually - I do sorta care. Don't get me wrong, your kid sure is cute, and has a smile that could bring peace to the middle east, but I'm not into being friends with your toddler. I want to be friends with YOU. I'm not saying I've never posted a picture of my child, or mentioned her, I have, but it's everything in moderation. I will guarantee at least 50% of your friends don't care about your child, probably 50% of that lot HATE children and will never have any.
The 200 or so friends you've gained across the years are there for YOU - wonderful, special, unique, beautiful YOU. If they wanted to know all about your children, they'd be friends with them, or talk to you about them.
I've set up a 'Page' for our soon to be born son. Why? Well for those reasons above. It gives a place for us to share the details and news to those who WANT to know what's happening, if they've had enough, they can 'unlike' and go on their way. I'm sensitive to my friends, I know some are going through the pain of trying to conceive, or have suffered a loss, heck even those who hate children, I don't want to pollute their time-streams. I'm sure they don't 'hate' my new son, or dislike him, but they are friends with me, not him. I am a Daddy, yes, but I am still me, that sweary socially awkward man.
I want to know what YOU'VE been upto, how YOU are feeling, what crazy, funky, cool stuff has been rocking YOUR world. Get a baby sitter, go get shitfaced, take lots of crazy photos and post them on Facebook and tag them, go retro! :)
Just remember, I don't hate your beautiful little ones, I really don't, but I'm YOUR friend, not theirs!
Look a new toy! The Hague Mini Motion Cam
This arrived today, a very early birthday present from Loz! I'll do a full review once it's set up and I've done some videos!
Saturday, 18 February 2012
A year ago today..
..at this exact time, Loz and I got married!
It's been a very busy year, with lots of changes, but we've got through it all and come out even stronger.
So, Happy Anniversary Mrs Hakes!
Tuesday, 14 February 2012
Blogs on the Train - Valentines Day
So it's Valentines Day, the only day in the year we're able to celebrate the love between two people, well, aside from any anniversary you may have. The one day a year that men flock to supermarkets across the land and buy half dead roses, and cheap chocolates. Just what your other half always wanted..
Love isn't an annual or bi-annual event, it's an every day, every hour, every minute, every second event. Why leave it till February 14th for a 'PDA' on Facebook? It just seems daft to me. I don't buy Loz flowers or gifts enough, I just can't afford it, she knows I love her though. Love isn't about tat that will die, love is just love.
Right, onwards to London. Love to you all. Yes, even you.
Monday, 13 February 2012
Baroosh, Chelmsford - I love it.
It's not like every other bar in Chelmsford because it has a strict 'Over 21's' policy, which keeps most of the teenagers at bay. Also whilst not being stupidly expensive the prices seem to be at a level to keep the 'Wetherspoons' crowd out, so by day it isn't filled with pissed up old men, and by night there is hardly a chav in sight. This creates a nice chilled atmosphere, even when it's packed to the rafters there is a warm feeling, rather than the feeling you'll be glassed if you make a wrong move.
It's also been maintained to a good standard, whilst there hasn't been any real refurbishment since it opened all the fabrics and finishes are holding up well, there aren't any rips or tears on the soft furnishings. Everything looks brilliant, the only glaring negative is the floor of the men's toilets, it needs some attention.
 |
| Baroosh Chelmsford - Image borrowed from their website ;) |
For anyone who likes a tipple they have a cracking selection of pretty much EVERYTHING, the cocktails they knock up are beautiful. The food, oh the food - it's fucking amazing - really really good, and the best thing, it's well priced - of course it's more expensive than the '2 meals for £6' you'll get a your local 'spoons, you get what you pay for. It's cooked fresh and lovingly served on a wide range of quirky platters, rather than thrown in a microwave and nuked to oblivion. There is something for everyone and I've never had a bad meal in there, it's always been superb.
Special mention has to go to the staff, they are wonderful. You always get a nice smile and 'hello' when you walk in, and they are always happy to help and have a little chat. They all seem very knowledgeable about the food and drink they offer, and nothing ever seems too much trouble. The manager George and the rest of the team are fantastic and are the 'cherry on the top' of an already top notch place.
I think my only negative about it (which applies to a lot of bars), is the toilet attendants you find on weekend nights. I really dislike being harassed when I'm going to the toilet, I am able to dry my own hands, I don't need a squirt of JPG, I don't want a lollipop - just let me get on with the job in hand and return to my table.
Regardless - if you want a good night out, or just a quick coffee during the day, you really can't beat Baroosh.
Check out their website!
Sunday, 12 February 2012
A tale of two idiots..
Hello.
Meet these two. They were on 'The Million Pound Drop' on Channel 4 last night.
For those not familiar with the game, you get a question, with a selection of answers. You start with a million pounds and you have to put your money on the answers. If you're 100% sure of the put it one of the answers, or if you're not sure you can split your money across different answers. The correct answer is revealed and whatever money is placed on the incorrect answer 'drops' and they lose it. The questions are usually fairly easy, and mostly common sense will see you good.
This couple had already lost a £375,000 on the first question, but what they did next, was amazing.
Here is question number 2.
It's OBVIOUSLY 'It's like a dream'. Here's how the hapless couple laid out their money.
So, let's be clear on what they've done here, they are certain, to the EXTENT of £300,000 that Margaret Thatcher may have opened with 'Girl Power' or 'Muahahahahhahaaa'. REALLY? REALLY?! How do these fucking idiots even get themselves dressed in the morning?
Needless to say, they didn't last very long in the game.
Meet these two. They were on 'The Million Pound Drop' on Channel 4 last night.
For those not familiar with the game, you get a question, with a selection of answers. You start with a million pounds and you have to put your money on the answers. If you're 100% sure of the put it one of the answers, or if you're not sure you can split your money across different answers. The correct answer is revealed and whatever money is placed on the incorrect answer 'drops' and they lose it. The questions are usually fairly easy, and mostly common sense will see you good.
This couple had already lost a £375,000 on the first question, but what they did next, was amazing.
Here is question number 2.
It's OBVIOUSLY 'It's like a dream'. Here's how the hapless couple laid out their money.
So, let's be clear on what they've done here, they are certain, to the EXTENT of £300,000 that Margaret Thatcher may have opened with 'Girl Power' or 'Muahahahahhahaaa'. REALLY? REALLY?! How do these fucking idiots even get themselves dressed in the morning?
Needless to say, they didn't last very long in the game.
Friday, 10 February 2012
All aboard for the third trimester!
So now we're at the 29 week point!
Everything is going really well. Today I took Loz for her Anti-D injection and a slightly late 28 week check. Loz did find the Anti-D a little more painful than the last one she had at the start of the year. I had to look away; I can't stand injections! The midwife did all the usual tests and little man was ticking all the right boxes: good strong heartbeat, size is spot on, not giving Mummy wonky blood pressure, so all is perfect.
Last week Loz had to go for a GTT (Glucose Tolerance Test) as there were some concerns she may be diabetic. For those of you who haven't had a GTT the general idea is you go to hospital (having fasted for 12 hours), have some bloods taken and then given a VERY sugary drink. You then have to sit in the hospital for 2 hours and then have more bloods taken, if there is a significant change in sugar level this means you have diabetes. Thankfully they are fairly quick at getting the results back to you, and a few days after we heard that Loz was indeed fine, which was a relief!
With little man getting bigger, it's starting to affect Loz more and more. She's doing lots of huffing and puffing when she gets up and she's struggling with her shoes and socks, and picking up stuff from the floor seems to be getting harder and harder. It's not very nice seeing someone you love struggling, I do try my best and help where I can - but it's only going to get worse!
It is lovely to feel him move more and more. The kicks and punches are so much stronger now and the other evening I was 'playing' with him, gently poking at the bump and then receiving a swift kick back. It's so very cute! The nasuea and tiredness from the first trimester seem to be coming back and she seems to get hit with random waves of both at various points. This coupled with the kicks and movements keeping her up at night is only making things worse. Again, I think this will probably only get worse, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it!
With the big 40 weeks heading fast we've decided to start thinking about the birth and birth plan. Loz is a very straight Northern girl; there isn't any messing or nonsense, she just gets on with the job in hand. The general gist of the birth plan is at the moment 'I'd like a water birth, and I'll do whatever the midwife asks me to as they know best'. I do tend to agree.
We've booked the Parentcraft Class at the Hospital. We had the choice of three evenings, or one Saturday, so we chose the Saturday option. I am looking forward to it as it will be nice to meet some other parents and also for me to have a little 'refresher'. I did Parentcraft classes nearly nine years ago. I can't really remember much aside from pelvic floor exercises, and the creepy dolly - the same as Dawn French has in Psychoville - being forced through a skeletal pelvis. Also with it being nine years ago I imagine some of the procedures have changed. Still, it'll be fun, and no doubt you'll hear all about it on here!
All in all, everything is going well! I know I shouldn't wish the time away, but I am looking forward to meeting my son at the end of April!
So, if you're in your third trimester? How are you finding it?
Follow me on Twitter @kiphakes and check out my blog at www.kiphakes.com
Everything is going really well. Today I took Loz for her Anti-D injection and a slightly late 28 week check. Loz did find the Anti-D a little more painful than the last one she had at the start of the year. I had to look away; I can't stand injections! The midwife did all the usual tests and little man was ticking all the right boxes: good strong heartbeat, size is spot on, not giving Mummy wonky blood pressure, so all is perfect.
Last week Loz had to go for a GTT (Glucose Tolerance Test) as there were some concerns she may be diabetic. For those of you who haven't had a GTT the general idea is you go to hospital (having fasted for 12 hours), have some bloods taken and then given a VERY sugary drink. You then have to sit in the hospital for 2 hours and then have more bloods taken, if there is a significant change in sugar level this means you have diabetes. Thankfully they are fairly quick at getting the results back to you, and a few days after we heard that Loz was indeed fine, which was a relief!
With little man getting bigger, it's starting to affect Loz more and more. She's doing lots of huffing and puffing when she gets up and she's struggling with her shoes and socks, and picking up stuff from the floor seems to be getting harder and harder. It's not very nice seeing someone you love struggling, I do try my best and help where I can - but it's only going to get worse!
It is lovely to feel him move more and more. The kicks and punches are so much stronger now and the other evening I was 'playing' with him, gently poking at the bump and then receiving a swift kick back. It's so very cute! The nasuea and tiredness from the first trimester seem to be coming back and she seems to get hit with random waves of both at various points. This coupled with the kicks and movements keeping her up at night is only making things worse. Again, I think this will probably only get worse, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it!
With the big 40 weeks heading fast we've decided to start thinking about the birth and birth plan. Loz is a very straight Northern girl; there isn't any messing or nonsense, she just gets on with the job in hand. The general gist of the birth plan is at the moment 'I'd like a water birth, and I'll do whatever the midwife asks me to as they know best'. I do tend to agree.
 |
| Beware the scary dolly. Image Credit - British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC) |
All in all, everything is going well! I know I shouldn't wish the time away, but I am looking forward to meeting my son at the end of April!
So, if you're in your third trimester? How are you finding it?
Follow me on Twitter @kiphakes and check out my blog at www.kiphakes.com
Thursday, 9 February 2012
Tesco, Springfield Road, Chelmsford - What a shit hole.
Ahhh Tesco, you've gotta love them, the giant chain set on world domination. We have six (soon to be seven) stores in Chelmsford, SEVEN!? That's just fucking ridiculous.. Still not the point of my post.
The store in Springfield Road is probably one of the oldest in town, it's been there for as long as I can remember. I have very vivid memories of being dragged round there as a child, I hated it.
Anyway.. I don't often go to this particular Tesco - when I do go in there though, it just kinda sets my teeth on edge, and I've only just figured it out.
It's a shit hole.
It really is, my problem with it is, it hasn't actually changed at all since I was a child, they've added some toilets (I'll get to those), and shifted a few bits, but it is essentially the same, same pissy orange floor tiles, same knackered looking fittings. It's horrid. The place was actually flooded sometime in the 80's, it was shut for a few weeks if memory serves, it re-opened, just the same.
The only big change has been the addition of customer toilets. Always handy to have those - well not really, not these ones at least. They are like something lifted out of 'Saw'. I'm sure the toilet hasn't seen bleach in its short life, the fixtures are hanging off the wall and look like they've been repaired by chimps. You go in there half expecting a chap shackled on the floor needing to saw off his leg, they really are vile. Tear the fucking things out and start again. They even get a mention on Foursquare about how gross they are!
The store in Springfield Road is probably one of the oldest in town, it's been there for as long as I can remember. I have very vivid memories of being dragged round there as a child, I hated it.
Anyway.. I don't often go to this particular Tesco - when I do go in there though, it just kinda sets my teeth on edge, and I've only just figured it out.
It's a shit hole.
It really is, my problem with it is, it hasn't actually changed at all since I was a child, they've added some toilets (I'll get to those), and shifted a few bits, but it is essentially the same, same pissy orange floor tiles, same knackered looking fittings. It's horrid. The place was actually flooded sometime in the 80's, it was shut for a few weeks if memory serves, it re-opened, just the same.
The whole store needs a damn kick up the arse, it really is a disgrace. Considering how much money Tesco make you'd think they'd look after their stores instead of trying to keep them in some 80's time warp. In my lifetime Sainsburys have built a massive supermarket and overhauled it on several occasions, making it a really nice place to shop, it's fresh, bright and modern.That said, don't get me started on ASDA in Chelmer Village, It's a local shop for local people, there's nothing for you here...
Wednesday, 8 February 2012
Vistaprint.. Shady Bastards. - Updated
It's nearly our first wedding anniversary, traditionally, this is a 'Paper' anniversary, so we decided to buy a wedding photo album as we didn't buy one at the time. I'd had a look around at a few places where we could buy a photobook, and Vistaprint looked pretty cheap.
So I went ahead and used their online tool to build one. It's taken me about three hours in total, possibly more to get it just right, and it looks great. I'd added a few more pages to the standard layout (as there were around 120 photos we wanted to put in). The site was reporting the book would be £23, bargain.
Then I came to check out.
So I went ahead and used their online tool to build one. It's taken me about three hours in total, possibly more to get it just right, and it looks great. I'd added a few more pages to the standard layout (as there were around 120 photos we wanted to put in). The site was reporting the book would be £23, bargain.
Then I came to check out.
£52 quid?
Where did that come from?
Right.. I see it now, they whack on £13.98 for the extra pages - they don't show you this until you check out, it only ever shows the price of £23! Obviously it's not earth shatteringly expensive, but I don't like the 'bait and switch' nature of it all.. If they'd shown the price ramping up so quickly I probably wouldn't have continued with the purchase, but seeing as I'd invested three hours of my time getting it right, it seemed daft to throw my toys out completely. Still, I won't be using them again.
Update.
Well fuck me.. In possibly one of the fastest turnarounds in the social media world @vistaprinthelp - their customer services team got in touch asking for my customer account number. About 30 mins after that I had an email saying I'd had a refund of £35.36 back, with an apology. So that's the whole book for £17.10, I'm literally gob smacked. I do appreciate the gesture, but I think JumblyMummy got it bang on when she said of Vistaprint -
'I'd say that their whole business strategy is around subterfuge and bombardment. there are as many hidden extras as a ryanair flight'
So very true! Anyway, I'm pleased they sorted it so quickly and am amazed they took that much off!
Sunday, 5 February 2012
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.. Our 'Snow Day'
I fucking love snow.
No really. I do.
I spent most of last night with my face pressed against the glass watching it slowly build up.. it looked amazing. I must admit instead of being grumpy when G came in at 7am, I flew out of bed and we were out just after 8am playing in the snow. It was brilliant, and me being me.. I filmed all of it, so here is nearly 4 minutes of our 'Snow Day'.
I had to hurriedly edit it so G could see it before she goes back tomorrow, it's not as perfect as I like, but it'll do! :) Normal blogging service will be resumed tomorrow, it's been fairly mental over the weekend and I've just not had the time, I've got lots to tell you!
TTFN!
No really. I do.
I spent most of last night with my face pressed against the glass watching it slowly build up.. it looked amazing. I must admit instead of being grumpy when G came in at 7am, I flew out of bed and we were out just after 8am playing in the snow. It was brilliant, and me being me.. I filmed all of it, so here is nearly 4 minutes of our 'Snow Day'.
I had to hurriedly edit it so G could see it before she goes back tomorrow, it's not as perfect as I like, but it'll do! :) Normal blogging service will be resumed tomorrow, it's been fairly mental over the weekend and I've just not had the time, I've got lots to tell you!
TTFN!
 |
| Me and the big mosster - yeah, that's a flat cap, I'm down with the trumpets. |
Thursday, 2 February 2012
Re-e-e-e-cycle (When the crowd say bo-selecta)
I've recently really got into recycling.
Now I don't mean I'm some scabby field dwelling twat, hugging trees and smelling of soil. Recycling, well in Chelmsford at least is pretty easy. We've got a selection of boxes and bags to fill with recycling stuff, the council provide us with -
Brown Bin - Garden Waste, Grass, Small Branches etc.
Little Green Bin - Food Waste, literally any leftovers, scraps, out of date food etc.
Big Green Bin - Cans, and Glass
Plastic Sacks - Plastic
Paper Sack - Paper
Cardboard Sack - Cardboard
Black Bin - Anything that doesn't fit in the above.
Everything aside from the Black Bin and Little Green Bin collected each week and the rest are collected on a two week cycle.
I'm not entirely sure what made me change my ways, I used to just chuck EVERYTHING in the bin, not really thinking about it. But Essex County Council (or is it Chelmsford Borough Council), just make it so EASY to do. Once you get in the habit of sorting it all out it, it's like second nature. I suppose the only downside is where do you keep it all? All the bins live happily outside, but the sacks don't really, and in this weather would get blown away / reduced to a squishy smelly mess. Thankfully I've got a shed to store mine in, but I imagine it's tricky for those without something like that!
The food recycling only started in December - I was a bit concerned about having a small bin in the kitchen with rotting food waste in. This quickly went away when up until now there had been a big bin in the kitchen with rotting food waste (ie. the normal bin!). The food recycling seems to work well, although it's a shame that I think I'm the only person on our road who actually bothers with it. Everyone else seems well up for recycling their cardboard and plastics, but the food.. No. I'm sure if they offered some sort of slight council tax discount for households who did the 'Full Monty' of recycling then there would be more people doing it, but alas people are lazy. It is easier to sling stuff away than 'think' about doing it any differently.
So, do you recycle?
Now I don't mean I'm some scabby field dwelling twat, hugging trees and smelling of soil. Recycling, well in Chelmsford at least is pretty easy. We've got a selection of boxes and bags to fill with recycling stuff, the council provide us with -
Brown Bin - Garden Waste, Grass, Small Branches etc.
Little Green Bin - Food Waste, literally any leftovers, scraps, out of date food etc.
Big Green Bin - Cans, and Glass
Plastic Sacks - Plastic
Paper Sack - Paper
Cardboard Sack - Cardboard
Black Bin - Anything that doesn't fit in the above.
Everything aside from the Black Bin and Little Green Bin collected each week and the rest are collected on a two week cycle.
I'm not entirely sure what made me change my ways, I used to just chuck EVERYTHING in the bin, not really thinking about it. But Essex County Council (or is it Chelmsford Borough Council), just make it so EASY to do. Once you get in the habit of sorting it all out it, it's like second nature. I suppose the only downside is where do you keep it all? All the bins live happily outside, but the sacks don't really, and in this weather would get blown away / reduced to a squishy smelly mess. Thankfully I've got a shed to store mine in, but I imagine it's tricky for those without something like that!
The food recycling only started in December - I was a bit concerned about having a small bin in the kitchen with rotting food waste in. This quickly went away when up until now there had been a big bin in the kitchen with rotting food waste (ie. the normal bin!). The food recycling seems to work well, although it's a shame that I think I'm the only person on our road who actually bothers with it. Everyone else seems well up for recycling their cardboard and plastics, but the food.. No. I'm sure if they offered some sort of slight council tax discount for households who did the 'Full Monty' of recycling then there would be more people doing it, but alas people are lazy. It is easier to sling stuff away than 'think' about doing it any differently.
So, do you recycle?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
