Category Archives: Belfast

Mama and Adam’s Newest Adventure

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So I’ve been wanting to go to Connswater Shopping Centre for awhile, because there is a Really Really Big Tesco (TM) there, but was always a bit daunted by the distance. Until I realized it was only about half a mile further than the Tesco I go to now.

So I put Adam in his new stroller and headed off.  Simon was a bit iffy about it, as its not the best part of Belfast, but I realized as we walked along that so long as I wasn’t wearing my ‘I’m for a United Ireland’ t-shirt, I’d be okay.  NB: I don’t actually own such a t-shirt.  My point is that the area is heavy LOL with lamp-posts with pictures of the Queen and everything.  Simon says about 1 block to the left is the just the opposite.

Anyway, it was a very nice walk, mostly flat (as opposed to my other Tesco, which is mostly uphill the whole way) and with traffic lights almost every crossing (also unlike my other Tesco) and then I was there.  Mecca.  Okay, so its just a very nice shopping centre with a Really Really Big Tesco (TM) and a Dunnes and Boots and all sorts of places.  It was fab.

So Adam and I looked around Dunnes.  And then went and did the shopping in Really Really Big Tesco (TM).  I carried through with a plan I’d been thinking about for awhile, which was to fold the pushchair up and stick it in a trolley rather than try to carry a hand-basket and push the stroller.  Worked a treat, except that there was no safety strap in the trolley seat, so I tied him in with a string I had!

Adam loved it.  I forgot to take a picture, though.  Maybe next time.

However, since it was a Really Really Big Tesco (TM) and it was laid out differently from my usual Tesco (and why is that? Why can’t they all be laid out the same?) shopping took longer than usual.  Suddenly it was noon and I had a hungry, cranky boy on my hands.  I wasn’t feeling too uncranky myself, actually.

So what’s a Mama to do?  We went to the food court.  Where our choices were Chinese, Burger King, Subway or Chicken Cottage.  And I knew the one thing Adam *might* eat was chicken.  So Adam had his very first ever child’s meal.  Chicken and Chips.  He ate about one nugget and some chips.  I had some chicken as well.

And then we headed home.  And belly full of chips boy fell asleep in his pram about 10 minutes from the flat and stayed asleep for about an hour.

So it was a good adventure.  I was feeling guilty about the lunch until I spoke to Simon:

‘Forgive me Dada, for I have sinned.’  I said to him on the phone.

‘Oh?’ He replied

‘Adam had his first ever fast food lunch today.’

‘Oh.  Well he’s had bits of my Egg McMuffins when he’s been with me and I’ve had one.’

Guilt 100% gone.

Oh For F’s Sake…

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So, being responsible parents, when Adam was born Simon and I put certain financial strategies into place. One was to set up an ISA.  No problem, only an ISA can only accept a deposit of £250 or more at one time in the UK (no idea if this is true of the US).  My mom gives money for birthdays and Chanukkah that are to be put away for the child for their education.  Now we used his ‘welcome to the earth present’ to set up the ISA but needed a place to put these smaller amounts so they would gather a bit of interest and eventually be £250 to be added to the ISA.

So I looked on our bank’s website and decided on their eSaver account.  Its a total online account and you get a little extra interest because you never need to go into the bank.  Great, perfect for technophiles like Simon and I!

I started the process to set up this account just after we got back from the US, as my mom had given me the first of Adam’s gifts for Channukah.  So 1st week of January.  Please note that it is now 23rd February. And the account has finally been opened today.

First when I tried to apply online, my address was listed as wrong, but the form wouldn’t let me change it.  So I ring (phone call number 1) to get them to fix it.  They go through the security questions, I get one of them wrong, but they can’t tell me which one.   The guy on the phone actually said to me ‘I can put you through to the branch if there is someone there who can vouch for you?’  Is he serious? The only time I talk to a teller is when I have change to turn into bills.  They wouldn’t know me if I dropped dead in their lobby.  So into the branch I go.

The nice woman at the branch looks at the account and says everything is fine.  When I tell her I got a security question wrong but the phone guy couldn’t tell me which one, she actually rolled her eyes.  She made a note in the account that I came in with ID and sent me on my way.

Try again online.  Still has the wrong address in the form.  Phone call 2.  This time the woman tells me that it is my address that I got wrong.  What?!?  So trip 2 to the branch.

This time a different woman looks again and says ‘oh.  Your address and your husband’s address are listed differently.  You do live together?’ Um, yeah, for over 6 years now.  I do not live down the road from him, imagine that? So she changes it in her computer and sends me on my merry way.

Please note that at this point it has taken 2 trips to the branch and 2 phone calls to set up an account that is suppose to give you a little extra interest because you never have to deal with a human.

So I sit down to do it again online.  AHA! My address is right.  Wait, what’s this? Data error, please ring.  Oh FFS!  So I ring for the 3rd time.  Go through the security questions.  ‘Mrs Fraser, we have your husband’s birthday listed as 1979.’  Okay, I know I robbed the cradle a bit, but by 10 years?  That’s right, back into the branch with Simon and his birth certificate to prove that I only robbed the cradle by 5 years.  We’ve had this joint Current Account for 6 years and this has just come up? So much for banking security.

Bank contact count:  Calls 3. Trips to branch 3.

Finally manage to finish the entire form online and wait for my paperwork.  Paperwork arrives.  Uh oh.  Need proof of address.  Utility bill, nope all in Simon’s name.  Driver’s License? Nope don’t have one.  Anything on the list? Nope.  See note at bottom of page ‘if you have nothing on this list please ring.’  So I ring.  ‘You have nothing on the list?’ No.  Sorry, can’t open account.

So I place the paperwork on the shredding pile and say to Simon ‘guess we can’t open this.’  We are both a bit bewildered at this since we already have an account with them, which, when we opened it, we had to prove our address.  But that doesn’t count.

And then, the miracle occurred.  We received our Tax Credit Letter, with both of our names on it! Hurrah! An official letter from HM Revenue and Customs and its on The List!  I would like it noted here that at no time did HMR&C ever ask for proof of address, so how the bank can use that letter as proof of address is beyond me.

Anyway, I head into the bank last week with my passport and the letter.  And get told Simon and I have to come in together. :sigh:

So this past Saturday Simon and I finally had the time and nothing more urgent to do on a Saturday and we got the proof into the bank.

And yesterday I get an email ‘Congratulations, your eSaver is set up!  Please access it online the same way you do your Current Account!’

But its not there when I log on. :sigh:

I decide to give them 24 hours because sometimes these things happen.

Eh Violá!  This morning, it was there.  Only, there appeared to be no way to transfer from the Current Account to the eSaver…so I rang the bank.  Apparently a special form had to be filled out to allow us to transfer our own money from our Current Account to the eSaver.  It would be done tomorrow.

And then I was at Tesco when my mobile phone rang.  It was the bank.  So sorry for the confusion, your account has been open for so long that some how this debit feature was never set up.  Um, okay, but we pay standing orders from it all the time.  Yes ma’am but this part was not set up.  Now it is.

I get home. Eh Violá!  I transferred some money from our Current Account to the new eSaver.

So let’s recap.  To set up a savings account that was created specifically so that you get some extra interest for never bothering the bank:

Bank Visits: 5

Phone calls: 6 from me 1 to me

And almost 8 weeks to complete.  And probably 2 – 3 hours of my time.

That extra interest had better add up.

So, Let’s Talk About Health Care…

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Most of you may not know, but I used to work for Kaiser Permanente in California.  To be specific, I worked for KP-IT, which is exactly what it sounds like KP’s information technology division.

In fact, I just found out that the project I was assigned to, which was called something like NIS (National Insurance System), has finally gone live.  When I left KP in 2003 to move to the UK (well, actually, when I was made redundant, but I digress) the project was about 5 years overdue and about $1m over budget.  It was (and apparently finally is) a system to allow KP’s clients to access their health information online.  It was 99% ready to go when HIPAA was passed and we pretty much had to go back to the drawing board.

Anyway, I only mention this so that you, my lovely readers, realize that I have quite a bit of experience with US healthcare, at least HMOs and of course with the UK system.

Let’s also straighten that out real quick.  I don’t live in Ireland.  I live in Northern Ireland.  They are, in fact, two different countries.  Northern Ireland is part of the UK, and hence part of the NHS.  The Republic of Ireland is its own country and I know nothing about its health care system. Although I hear its about in great of shape as the US’.

Let me also state here that the NHS is a huge organization serving millions of people.  And that I already know that my experiences here in NI can be very different from the services in England.  Each ‘trust’ or area can and does have their own criteria etc.  But for the record? For the most part? The NHS does an amazing job.  For not one penny out of pocket for its users.

Yes, of course, we pay for it through our taxes.  But we don’t miss that money.  You can’t miss what you never had.  It is taken out before the pay goes into our account.  All it really is, is a number on a pay slip.

And because of that number on that pay slip I never have to think ‘OMG Adam is sick, where am I going to get the money to take him to the doctor.’  Or, in our very real case, ‘OMG Adam needs an MRI.  I hope our insurance covers it.’  Because our insurance does cover it.

Yes, we had to wait 3 months for that MRI.  But that’s, really, for a very good reason.  Because there are other people more ill than Adam who need the MRI machine first.  The Lump doesn’t affect Adam at all.  As far as he’s concerned its always been there.  Its grown with him just like his arms and legs have grown with him.  The Lump has stopped growing, which is a bit of a relief for Simon and me, but for Adam? He couldn’t care less.  He rolls onto his left side as easily onto his right.

However, if it was affecting him?  If he had needed to be seen right away? He would have been, of this I have every confidence.  Why? Because when I dropped him and he hit his head? We were seen by a doctor within about 30 minutes.

Not that we haven’t waited ages in A&E.  About 2 years ago Simon cut his finger very badly on a broken coffee mug.  We waited most of the night in A&E that time.  Because, again, there were more urgent cases in front of us.

But what about day to day, non-urgent or usual care?  Well, if I call my doctor on Monday? And I say its fairly urgent? I can usually see one of the GPs by Tuesday.  If I say its very urgent, such as when I had a cyst on my shoulder that got infected and then burst? I was seen within 2 hours.  Just the other week when Adam was exhibiting signs of an ear infection and had a croupy cough, I got him in to see one of the GPs within 2 hours of my call.

Now, it wasn’t his official GP.  But that’s okay, because part of the reason Simon and I are with this GP practice is because we both like all three of the GPs in it.  And Adam is with the same practice.  He doesn’t have a paediatrician he has a GP.

If he needed a paediatrician, like when he broke his skull and his rib, he had one.  And she was lovely as well.

Also, let’s keep in mind that my pregnancy was classed as high risk from the moment that little stick said pregnant, because of my diabetes.  And I had my first OB/Endo appointment about 3 weeks after my GP sent the referral letter.  And, again, paid not one penny out of pocket.

So, yes, you hear bad things about the NHS.  About dirty hospitals and overworked staff without enough resources.  But I haven’t experienced that here in NI.

But I would have to say, in my very humble opinion, it is better than what goes on in the US.  Where it would appear that health care, decent or otherwise, is a privilege and not a right.  Where if you aren’t rich, or don’t have health insurance, as so many don’t, you can’t afford to get sick.  Its disgusting. And heart wrenching.

If I did live in the States I would be happy to have my taxes raised so that those without coverage could get it.  Because there were times when I barely had coverage.  Where I paid outrageous premiums through COBRA or private insurance just to make sure I was covered if something horrible happened to me.  Where I didn’t go to see a doctor for about 2 years just for a check up because I didn’t want to have to pay the money for it.

Yes, people abuse benefits systems.  People abuse it here in the UK as well.  But at least here in the UK we all know, all of us are entitled to the same level of health care as everyone else.  Yes, there is private health care if you want to pay for it.  But you don’t have to have it.  And I don’t.

As an aside, do you know  how KP got started?  The organization that is now Kaiser Permanente began at the height of the Great Depression with a single inventive young surgeon and a 12-bed hospital in the middle of the Mojave Desert. When Sidney Garfield, MD, looked at the thousands of men involved in building the Los Angeles Aqueduct, he saw an opportunity. He borrowed money to build Contractors General Hospital; six miles from a tiny town called Desert Center, and began treating sick and injured workers. But financing was difficult, and Dr. Garfield was having trouble getting the insurance companies to pay his bills in a timely fashion. To compound matters, not all of the men had insurance. Dr. Garfield refused to turn away any sick or injured worker, so he often was left with no payment at all for his services. In no time, the hospital’s expenses were far exceeding its income.

Read the rest of the story.  Its the beginning of the pre-payment and co-payment insurance system.

Too bad the system is now so very broken.

Adam, The City Boy,

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had his first nature experience today.  I think he was confused!

We walked up to the Botanic Gardens today.  It was the first time he’s been anywhere where you couldn’t hear city traffic. He was looking all around at the trees and we walked through the rose garden.  But I think the quiet disturbed him.

He was yawning the whole way through the Gardens, but didn’t actually fall asleep until we were back on the street heading home.  Too much quiet, for my city boy!

We will definitely walk up there again.  Good exercise for mummy.  And the boy needs to see some nature on occasion.

Even if the quiet keeps him awake.

No, I Have No Idea

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who Jenny is who commented on my last post. Nor do I care.

I didn’t have to let her comment through moderation.  But I did.  Even though, she, like everyone else I was talking about in that post, totally missed my point.

But enough about that.  Let’s move on to other, more interesting things.

Like the fact that 5 years ago tonight at about this time I was sitting in the pub of a local hotel with some of my family.  Drinking.  Celebrating.  Why?  Because I was getting married in the morning.

That’s right.  5 years tomorrow.  Hard to believe its been 5 years.

5 years since we were married.  6 years since I moved to Northern Ireland.  8 years we’ve been together.

And now 12 weeks since Adam was born.  Next Friday he’s 3 months old.  Talk about time flying.

Before we know it? He’ll be starting school.  And going on dates.  And off to University.

Yes, I am feeling maudlin tonight.  Thanks for asking.

It Is Obvious To Me

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that the Belfast City Council Department of Tourism did not speak to the Belfast City Council Department of Works this summer.

Tourism has encouraged things like the Tall Ships and lots of tourists.

Works has decided that this summer is the perfect time to rip all the stone pavements up at City Centre and replace them with…stone pavements.

So City Centre is a maze of blocked off pavement as each section is replaced.  Really fun for this mummy with a pram to make her way through as 1000 tourists are stopping, taking pictures (Look! Its M&S! Here in Belfast! (I wish I was kidding)) and walking so.very.slowly.

Can I have just 5 minutes alone with the head of each department? I actually know the Tourism person…

Adam And Mummy’s Big Adventure

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So, Thursday I had plans.  Plans to bathe the baby.  Plans to clean a bathroom.  Plans to watch some TV while cuddling.

At 1030, that all went pear shaped with a pounding on my door.  I was in the middle of changing a hugely pooey diaper, so I wrapped Adam in a diaper that wasn’t latched and went to answer it.  As I opened the door the smell of gas was overwhelming.  It was our maintenance guy.  We had a leak.

I finished diapering little man’s bottom, double checked the diaper bag, throwing a few more things in it, put on some clothes (I was still in my PJs, unwashed!!) and stuffed him into his Baby Bjorn.  No way was I going to risk the lift, even if it was working, so no pram for us!

Got down to the front of the building and waited for the gas company.  They arrived about 1100 and headed into the building.  Meanwhile people were casually coming out of the building, obviously having no idea anything was going on.  I don’t think they ever did evacuate the whole building.  Yes, I am writing a letter to the management company about this.

Anyway, maintenance guy comes out and says it will be hours.  The leak has been traced to the flat across the hall from mine (!) but they can’t get the owner on the phone.  I mention that I think he travels a lot.  And head into town.

At this point it is 1130.  Little man is, thank god, asleep against my chest in his Bjorn, but not at all adequately dressed for what turned out to be a very chilly day.  Luckily I had grabbed a blanket so I had that wrapped around him in the Bjorn.  Also luckily I keep a warmer set of clothes in the diaper bag.  As I was walking to City Centre I thought about where I could take him to put him in warmer clothes..AH HA Marks & Spencer has a family bathroom.  M&S it is.

Got to M&S and got him more properly dressed.  And then bought some knickers. 🙂

Then realized I was starving and needed a real lunch to make up for the fact that my day had gone to hell.  So I headed to Victoria Square.  Upon perusal of the options, I decided Pizza Express sounded good.  And it was.

Meanwhile I had not been able to reach Simon.  His mobile was going straight to voice mail. I knew he wasn’t teaching and didn’t think he had any meetings, so could not figure out what was going on.  I finally said DUH and called his office number.

Got him on the phone and told him a.) that his mobile must be off and b.) that we had been evacuated!  He was all WHAT? and said he’d call the landlord to see what was going on.  He asked me if I wanted him to come home, but I didn’t really see the point, so told him to stay at work, that I was going to eat this HUGE piece of chocolate fudge cake in front of me and then go shopping.  I mean, I was already at the mall. 🙂

As I was finishing up said chocolate cake, Simon rang again to say the landlord had no clue and he was coming back to see what was going on.  I told him to ring me when he got to Belfast and headed off to shop.

I have been looking for a new diaper bag, as ours was just too small.  I have been using it as a handbag as well and with all of my things plus the baby’s things, sometimes it just wouldn’t zip.  So my first stop was the Mecca of Handbags, aka the ground floor of House of Fraser.  I looked. I prodded.  I removed stuffing.  Nothing that would suit my needs.

My next stop was the Mecca of Sporty/Rugged Bags, aka Fossil.  And EUREKA! There, in the window, I saw it. Messenger style, so I could sling it from hip to shoulder. What looked like a tons of pockets…how much how much?!?!?  £108! Perfect! Started poking through it.  Pockets galore.  Large inner section..SOLD! A special thank you to Aunt Agnes and Aunt Sonny, whose generous monetary gifts went to paying for this bag to end all bags!!

I then headed out to the rest of the mall.  Wandered through Pumpkin Patch’s sale.  Nothing.  And then headed to Argos.  The other things Simon and I had been looking for were small lamps for indirect lighting in the baby’s room and a clock for his room.  EUREKA again.  These lamps were perfect.  One for Adam’s room and one for the front room.  Perfect for night feeds and changes!  And a clock? How could I resist this clock especially since people kept sending him sheep!

As I was waiting for my things to be brought to the counter in Argos, Simon rang to say he was at the flat, no sign of gas company, no sign of anything going on.  I told him to grab the pram and meet me at the bandstand at Corn Market, we’d run a few more errands and head home.

As I was leaving Argos, who do I run into? My hairdresser, who takes one look at my unwashed, standing on end hair and says ‘good thing you’re coming to see me on Saturday.’  I thwacked him with a package, showed off my son and headed off to meet Simon.

And then it started to rain.  Where’s my umbrella? In the pram.  Am I wearing a coat? I am not…

Eventually it stopped raining, Simon met me, we picked up a few things and headed home.  No sign of any gas incident in or around the building.  I fell into bed around 1500 and slept until 1800.

The moral of today’s story?

When your husband says to you ‘I have 10 minutes until I leave, do you want to hop in the shower’ say yes!

I’ve Been Debating About Whether Or Not To Write This

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Since my American family reads my blog, but its too immediate and important to ignore.

Last Saturday night there was a dissident republican attack on a local army based.  Two soldiers were killed, two others and two civilians injured.

Last night a policeman was killed, also by dissident republicans, so far as anyone knows.

Last week, there was a bomb scare at Victoria Square, our newest City Centre shopping center, although, apparently, no bomb.

Its been 10 years. Is it starting again?

No one seems to know for sure. It is obvious they are targeting Military, not civilians.  It is obvious they are trying to piss off the ‘other side’ enough to get them to retaliate.

It is also obvious that this is a small splinter group of the IRA.  Sein Féin has condemned their actions.  Gordon Brown has condemned their actions.  Stormont (our local parliament, run by ‘both sides’) has condemned their actions.

Am I scared? Not really.  Am I sad? Oh hell yes.

I remember Simon and I have a little bit of a rejoice in the middle of the street about 3 years ago when we realized all of the closable gates around City Centre had been removed.

I remember, about a year ago, looking with pleasure at the new park in front of the County Courts building, which replaced the guard house and fence.

I remember, just last week, smiling at a store security guard who actually wished me good morning, as opposed to looking at me suspiciously.

Obviously, I was not here during the Troubles.  They officially ended about 10 years ago, I’ve been here 5.  But I’ve seen the aftermath.  The decade it has taken to get to the point where we can build new shopping centers because new businesses want to move into Belfast.

So, please, if you happen to be one of the people who are part of this splinter group, and you happen to be reading this blog.  Think about what you’re doing.  I’ll quote my husband here who said, “Whether you believe in a united Ireland or not (I don’t), what we have here is a small minority trying to deny the rest of us a chance of living our lives in peace.”

Why Am I Always The Last To Know These Things?

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I mean that US is going to Summer time tonight?  We don’t go there until the end of the month.

I only know because someone one on my Facebook friends feed mentioned it.

So why am I always the last to know about these things?

In other news, went baby clothes shopping today.  Bought some cute stuff, and some practical stuff.  It was fun!  Nothing as adorable as little socks and hand mitts and hats!!!  Just wish I could predict the weather for June.  Impossible to do in this country.

Other than that, just a quiet Saturday with quesadillas for dinner.  And hot chocolate pudding for dessert. 🙂