Kings and Coasts

The advantage of a visit from El Puma is a total PhD-writing break. Rest and recuperation will hopefully provide the needed motivation for the final push.

So with the sun shining, the hills green and the sky blue, we headed cross-country along the back roads to Dunfermline Abbey. It was founded in 1128 by King David I of Scotland. It has an intereting history but is probably now best known for being the resting place of the bones of King Robert the Bruce (although his heart is buried in Melrose).

Tomb of RtB

 The Abbey (in a moment of cloud cover)

 From there it was on to the Fife coast so that El Puma could see the sea. We are trying to exploit Scotland's competitive advantage (nature) while we have it and before we go back to city living.

The beach at Leven

 Little and Large (me in a huge coat and hat with one hand behind my back. El Puma looking normal)

 On the way home along the road that takes in all the villages that nestle below the Ochil hills, we stopped off at Alva Glen for their annual illuminations. It's mainly for kids and had the atmosphere of Guy Fawkes' Night, but the glen and its river were lit beautifully (even if it didn't come out well in the photos).

Recrafting

Apparently I wasn't the only one who was not so impressed with the Parentcraft classes last week - this week only 8 of us pitched up (including another woman without her partner shock horror). I was a bit surprised as this week was on pain relief so I thought everyone would be there....plus, the ones who had turned up were the ones who were thinking about reduced amounts of pain relief. What can this tell us?

Either way, the midwife was brilliant (can I book her?) and no teenagers in sight.

Under wraps

Wintry weather means finding ways of keeping the bump warm as the usual options don't seem to cut it anymore:

Parentcraft

Almost everyone living outside of the UK - or make that the Forth Valley - has been surprised to hear that I don't have the option of finding out the sex of the baby at either of the ultrasounds."The NHS: pay nothing, get nothing" I always say, but it's not strictly true. The NHS does an awful lot of things to a very high standard, but telling you your baby's gender...or providing quality antenatal information classes appear to not be priorities*.

There we were, 9 couples and me, stuffed into a horribly hot room in the hospital to be told all about what happens in labour. Actually, not even that. I've just completed a lazy daisy birthing preparation class that gave you FAR better information in a FAR better atmosphere. Unfortunately, by throwing 19 people together, the midwives have no choice but to work to the lowest common denominator. In this case, the teenage couple were definitely on the list, and most of the men in the room. The teenage mum was a funny one, simply refusing to speak. Her partner made up for it as he was far the biggest extrovert in the room, prancing about and making jokes. He was actually quite funny, especially as he didn't know what contractions were. And the men! - about half of them tried really, really hard to give the impression that they didn't want to be there, which surprised me as it doesn't really matter whether you want to be there or not because it's not about you, and surely everyone has something to learn. Well, the last point is a bit debatable given the level of information passed around, but 3 of the men refused to take part in any of the group exercises (just sitting there not saying anything) and two of them refused to stand up and participate in the 'rolling your hips' to help in labour section. I mean fine, they're not going to be in labour but the two of them kept looking at each other trying to work out how far they could push it and look cool, before they got a telling off from the women and would look decidedly uncool. Eventually one got up and so the other one did too but then they both stood there like numpties, arms crossed. The whole thing was a bit of a waste of time, felt like being back at school with boys too kool to participate and smirking at any birth word that might be a teeny bit rude (apparently 'cervix' counts).

But I was back at the hospital today for my anti-D injection (as I have Rhesus negative blood and the baby daddy is positive) and everyone was friendly and fast. So I am grateful for the NHS, and the Starbucks located at the hospital exit.

Where the baby will be born:

*You can always find out the gender by going private, starting from £75.

Hothouse

Well, that's it, the heating is back on. There was only so long I could go wrapped up in heated socks, scarves, hats and wrist warmers. It doesn't help that I sit down all day and hardly move but even the hot cups of tea weren't staving off the cold.

Winter, here we come!

Solitary Sunflowers

The terrible summer weather we've had has meant that only now - in September - are my sunflowers forming heads and starting to open. 

Just in time for the frost to kill them.

Temporary Downgrade

My PhD might be trundling along in the slow lane, but I have rapidly downgraded myself from the fast line directly into the 'oo, chat lane' where at least I can gasp my way through sentences. Where did all my air go? 

The William Wallace Society...

...chose this evening to come piping down the roads and crossing the Auld Stirling Bridge just outside the house on their way to the site of Wallace's most famous victory at the aptly named Battle of Stirling Bridge. Not sure I'd be so up for it on a chilly Friday night. But then the reason I saw them is that I was working....not a more exciting Friday night by any means.

Family Angle

Celebrating two birthdays and a Saint Ingrid day (that's why I get two photos) :)