Category Archives: Personal

Finally, The Lawn Is Mowed and The Windows Are Washed…

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Am I the only one who realizes there’s a recession on? Because getting the two things in my title accomplished has taken, literally, months.

Why?

Because of people not returning calls, that’s why.

I left messages and/or emails for about four window washing companies. One called me back. They got the job.

I left message and/or emails for about eight lawn service companies. One got back to me and then never showed up to give me a quote. The person who just finished Simon grabbed from next door! He said he’d drop off a quote. He did. He got hired. And will continue to do the lawn every two weeks until the end of August or until I tell him for sure we’re staying in the house.

Which is another group of people who never call me back. Our estate agent.

Is it me? Is it the way I say ‘Hello, this is Robyn Fraser and I am looking for a window washer/lawn mower/if my landlord will renew our lease’?

Is it my accent?

Or do people not want work? Goodness sake, I’m tapping every avenue I have looking for work and these people have me calling and they are ignoring me! I would rejoice if someone called me!

But now the lawn is mowed and the windows are washed.

Now if the landlord would just let us know if we can stay in the house…

Let Me Tell You About A Girl I Never Met..

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You may remember, back in February, I told you about Aillidh the daughter of a fellow member of Mumsnet who had leukaemia and was looking for a bone marrow donor.

The good news is that she found one. The bad news is that, before the graft could take, she caught a lung infection. She died last night around 1130 BST, surrounded by her family and some close friends.

The past few days have been so very hard for all of us following Aillidh’s story (BTW, it’s pronounced Ay-ley, like Hayley, with no H), which is most of Mumsnet. She was doing okay, then she wasn’t, then she rallied. And then, sadly, she died.

It’s been days and days of prayer threads on Mumsnet and Facebook. It’s been months and months of ‘please register to donate’ threads on Mumsnet and Facebook.

And that’s what this little girl did. She not only brought out the best in the ‘nest of vipers’, she got hundreds, if not thousands, of donors signed up, not just to donate bone marrow, but blood and stem cells and who knows what else.

I, unfortunately, cannot donate to any of these things. I am too old for bone morrow and my diabetes prevents me from donating blood.

But I’ve done my part. I’ve Tweeted and blogged and Facebooked. I’ve prayed and hoped and sent emotional support.

We, mostly women, of Mumsnet have been drawn together even more than ever because of this poor little girl.

Requiescat in pace little girl. And know, as you leave this world, you left it a much much better place.

The Free One Tastes The Best

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Posted as part of One Topic / Forty Opinions via The Belfast Bloggers Network.

As I told the gang at Belfast Bloggers, I don’t really go out to eat. Well, Simon and I might catch a sandwich on a Friday before an afternoon movie date, but eating out at night? Never happens. Unless my mom is in town.

Coffee, on the other hand…that I drink out. Some might say a lot.

And what’s my favourite?

Clements Coffee.* Hands down.

I first discovered Clements not long after I moved to Belfast. Coming from San Francisco, the land of Peets, I had high expectations for my coffee. Peets roasts their own coffee, in small batches, for distribution to their small chain of California stores. They do ship, nationally and internationally, but there’s nothing like stopping at Peets for a coffee. It was the last thing I did on my way to Belfast when I was moving. It’s the first place I want to go when I get back.

So I went looking for Peets in Belfast. I tried, I am fairly sure, every coffee shop, chain or otherwise, in Belfast City Centre in my first year living here. But the only one that came even a little bit close, was Clements.

At that point, nearly 10 years ago, I only knew about 2 Clements, the one on Donegall Square West, which was the first, and the one behind what is now TK Maxx and used to be…something else. 🙂 It was the one on Donegall Square West that I tried first. And wasn’t sure I liked the atmosphere. It’s a very oddly shaped shop, if you haven’t been there, long and narrow with no tables but more bars with stools and a series of sofas and chairs.

But I knew that I loved the coffee.

And now I pretty much only have Clements. Usually at the one at Queen’s Student Union, even though you can’t get a 3G signal in there to save your life and there is no Wifi unless you’re a student. I can forgive that for a large skinny latte with an extra shot.

And now that I have a three year old who loves “going for coffee” (he has juice) and sitting on those stools at the Donegall Square West location, I like that one a lot, too.

And I have filled ‘drink 10 get one free’ cards by the dozens.

And, it’s true.

The free one tastes the best.

*If anyone from Clements ever reads this, I’d like to point out I’m a web designer, among other things, and you guys need a site… 🙂

I Really Have Nothing To Say…

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But feel like I should post something.

Adam is potty training.

I’m not sleeping well.

It’s rained every day, sometimes all day, for the past 3 weeks.

It’s only 19.5 C degrees in here. In June. My feet are cold.

I’m back on an eating plan as I’ve gained nearly a stone since moving into the house.

I’m using My Fitness Pal, usual user name of Tee2072, if anyone wants to friend me. I am finding the people who post on their boards stupid. But I think the other social aspects of it are decent.

Facebook thinks I need yet another email address. They are sadly mistaken. I already have 4.

I need to learn how to make forms in Acrobat. Because Word 2007 is crap at it.

That’s about it, really.

 

Freedom of Speech? Not If You’re A School Girl.

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If you haven’t been paying attention, you might have missed this:

Never Seconds

Which is the blog a primary school girl in Scotland. She blogs about her school dinners and, really, how crap they are.

Well, blogged would be better, as her local council and school have shut her down. Or, at least, told her she can’t take pictures of the food any more and her and her dad have taken that as an order to not do it at all any more.

She’s also started a drive, through her blog, to raise money for schools in developing countries to be able to supply hot lunches to their students.

Why?

Because she has gotten over 2 million hits in 2 months and instead of taking the criticism on board and improving, they got scared and ran.

Because it’s easier to tell the girl to sit down and shut than it is to encourage her to stand up and shout.

And because grown ups think they know best.

Many of her blog followers, from all over the world, are writing to the council registering complaints.

And I’m going to be one of them.

Genetic Memory?

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Today Adam and I went to the dentist.

He was absolutely fine as he sat watching CBeeBies in the waiting room while I went to have my teeth cleaned. The receptionist checked on him every few minutes and said he never moved. Just played with the train he brought and watched the TV.

And then the dental assistant came in to call us back to see the dentist. And Adam freaked out. Total screaming, crying, running away freak out. I managed to corner him in the dentists treatment room and pull him into my lap. The dentist, whose name is Chris, came in and, since Adam was screaming so loudly, he actually managed to have a look and see that all of Adam’s teeth are indeed in and that they look okay.

So I took Adam back to the reception room and he instantly calmed down. I went back into the dentist as it was time for my check up. And Chris said ‘Have we ever hurt him?’

‘Nope,’ I replied. ‘All you’ve ever done is look. Rita (the hygienist) and I sort of held him down last time so she could see, but she certainly didn’t hurt him.’

So why is my son so scared?

It was suggested that perhaps he was picking up on my fear, except I no longer have a fear of the dentist. This is why I go to Loughridge Dental Care, even though they are private. Because they helped me over come my fear of dentists.

So Chris and I mused that perhaps there is just an innate fear of people poking at our teeth.

We then discussed how we can help him as eventually he will need to get his teeth cleaned. Bernie, Chris’ assistant, pointed out that he was fine in the waiting room. So they noted on Adam’s chart to see if Adam would let Chris look while sitting there. And that Adam and I would go alone into the treatment room, play on the chair, etc, to try to show Adam that it’s not so bad.

And maybe, just maybe, at his next visit? He’ll be able to tell us what’s scaring him.

BTW, I have no cavities and my gums are much better. And if you live in Belfast and need a dentist? I highly recommend Chris and his team.

They rock.

A Big Day For A Little Boy

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Adam turns 3 on Monday and today we celebrated his birthday. He helped me decorate his cake:

Beautiful!

And he opened his presents. Granny and Grandpa were here to see, although they didn’t get to see much as once Adam opened Buzz Lightyear from Aunty and Uncle…that was it for awhile!

His gifts included trains and tracks:

Trains for my birthday

And then a trip to the toy store:

Trip to the toy store

Where he picked out this as his gift from Mummy and Daddy:

BIG Truck!

Amazingly, he’s been playing with all of his new toys equally and having a blast. His trains go for a ride on his big truck, Buzz Lightyear helps run the trains on the tracks and everything plays together so very nicely.

Monday he’ll take cupcakes to school and wear a ‘I’m 3!’ badge.

And that’s him. Another year older.

My baby!!!!