Stuck In Limbo

I haven't been in the best of moods this week, hence why I haven't blogged anything of worth. Everything seems to be in that limbo-state, which isn't a good place to dwell for too long.

There's some stuff I can talk about, other stuff I can't, other stuff I won't. In brief, I am spending a lot of time sitting around waiting for the pups or Madge to need me. Because it's only their first proper week they don't need me much. Madge needs some extra food, entrance to and from the cage when she pleases; the puppies just need cuddles twice a day for hour/two hour periods to get them used to us all. When they open their eyes I'll have too much work to do running round after them. But their eyes aren't open yet. So I'm in limbo. Sitting around doing nothing makes me extremely bored and mopey.

I know, I know, you could say Why don't you write to fill the time then? The problem with that is I just finished Olimpia Valley and so need some time off from a new novel. I'm reading through Soul Mates books (currently on volume 2) because I'm going to start work on Volume IV next. So why not just write some short stories instead? The problem is the house is very full at the moment. My younger sister has been here all week and only told me yesterday that that's going to be a permanent arrangement now because she's dropped out of college again. So the house is going to be full and noisy, which doesn't make a good environment for writing. If I wasn't on puppy duty I'd just lock myself away in my room, like I normally do, and write that way but I am on puppy duty so that means no writing.

So that hasn't helped my mood. Plus the fact that the house is so full all day and night does mean I'm not getting any time whatsoever to myself, and I'm the kind of person who needs proper alone time at least once a week. I haven't been left on my own in about a month now. That's probably a big reason for my grumpy mood actually. Plus, cos I'm puppy-sitting I'm meant to be down here with the pups most evenings, which means Ray and I get zero time to ourselves. And you know how couples need time on their own - not just for sex, get your minds out of the gutter!

There's some news that I can't talk about cos it's just so up in the air I couldn't even explain even if I wanted to. Another limbo situation. Urgh.

Mammy surprised me with a gorgeous teal-coloured short-sleeved jumper. I fell in love with it about six months ago so I was totally surprised when she handed it to me Wednesday night. She'd had a shopping spree with her friend, and has a store card that gives her about 50% off everything so it only cost her about a fiver :) I love a bargain!

I got to go out Wednesday night. Actually dressed up like a girl, rather than slobbing round the house in my puppy wear (which means dirty jeans and unflattering tops). Me, Jem and Ray went out down the pub for a drink before I dragged Ray home and upstairs for some quality time alone.

So it hasn't all been bad. My mood has pretty much been bad all week but things are looking cautiously positive. Like I say: everything is in limbo so it could go either way. I hope I get the answers next week.

At least Sweepie's eye is doing much better :) She didn't have to go to the vets after all because she's responding so well to the eye cream. Still needs constant cuddles from me though ;)

Labels: amber, clothes, dog-sitting, jem, life, madge, puppies, ray, sweepie, writing

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Introducing The Twins

Sorry I disappeared off the face of the earth. Madge's birth didn't go quite by the rule book so I've spent a good couple of days with her. But today the wait was finally over: she had two gorgeous, huge, girls.



This is Dolores:



And this is Wednesday:



You can read all about the birth and see more pictures of the little tykes HERE.

I am shattered now. It's been non-stop stress for about four days. Now my work can really begin; my favourite part: the baby-sitting/raising of the litter.

Labels: labour, madge, photos, puppies

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Left Holding The Baby

I've been left in charge of Madge - and she's going into labour! Okay, yes, I know, her labour often takes days of pre-labour pains but she's really uncomfortable and I'm worrying. Mammy's assured me it'll be hours yet and that all I have to do is keep her quiet and calm - but I'm still worrying. Oh Lord, I just saw her stomach muscle twitch! Okay, I might need to get on the phone to my mother and tell her to come home...

Okay, I called her. She says she'll be back in an hour and that it sounds as though she's getting ready for the real labour now. Oh this is so stressful and exciting. I'll be much calmer when my mother gets home.

In non-labour news, I have finally got the new layout up at my Joe site. Check it out here. I adore it.

EDIT 29.10.07: No pups yet. Madge is in for the long haul, I think.

Labels: madge, puppies

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Pre-Weekend Ramblings

Take a look at the wooden-flooring that it took Ray and Daddy three days to complete!



You'd better be impressed cos a part of me will always hate that floor for the hours I spent sitting, playing on the laptop, freezing my ass off cos the back door had to be left open so they could go back and forth cutting bits of wood; watching Ray grow sicker and getting more frustrated by his tiredness. I'm just glad it's all done. And I must admit it does look rather pretty ;)

I think my never-ending period might be ending now. Finally! I was starting to think I'd be stuck with it forever. And I took full of advantage of the flow-stop last night, I assure you ;)

Once it was time to rejoin the real world, I came down to help assemble Madge's cadge for the puppies. I'm starting to let myself get excited now. I feel like it'd be a jinx to get too excited before the birth cos so many things can still go wrong. There's only a few days left now. Whee!

I am starting to wonder if Ray's possibly slipping some of my tablets, though... Isn't it meant to me who's filled up with oestragen and getting clucky?



Bless. He's a bit ill at the moment. I'm hoping it won't spread to his tonsils and give him tonsillitis cos I don't know how I'll take care of and worry about him and a litter of puppies all at the same time. He's keeping himself drugged up and we're hoping he'll get better in the next couple of days.

Jem's Christmas dress arrived yesterday, which cheered her up after a couple of emotional days. We all always feel it when Jem's not feeling right ;) I still think my dress is prettier, though ;) So if you should see two girls wandering round in those dresses they may well be us two. So don't be a scary stalker and murder us, just say a code word or something so I know you read the blog. Say, like, "A light's on" really loudly or something hehe.

Urgh, I'm tired and hungry. At least the sickness has passed. I pop a pill and I get nauseous for a couple of hours, which isn't fun. At least I'm not over-eating and getting fat, which is what everyone else reckons they do when they start on the Pill. Oh and my hormones are doing a lot, lot better today. I've gone a full twenty-four hours without hysterics.

Well, there was a wobbly time last night when Falls (the dog) jumped on me when I was holding a cup of very hot tea and the tea ended up in my crotch. But those were tears of pain. I now have a little burn on my inner left thigh. Lovely. I've not really had a good week, have I?

One of the blogs I read has closed - that's the first time that's happened... no, second time. Bye Bye Silver Neurotic - I hope you find happiness in your new writing ventures.

I need lunch. Now.

Labels: illness, jem, madge, photos, puppies, ray, shopping

by Ys | COMMENTS? 3 | permalink |  

A Weekend of Quitting

I quit with the PHP. But not before I got it work for me, of course. I'm not that much of a quitter. I tried FlexPHPnews but I think I was just on a Stupid Day cos although I worked out the hard stuff - such as setting up the MySQL database and uploading the actual programme, I then couldn't for the life of me figure out where I was meant to upload the content. I had no programme to open. I logged in but then it just took me to the page I was trying to update. So I quit on that and searched around until Cute News seduced me. I took a few hours to familiarise myself with it, learn the codes and stuff. But once I figured it all out I realised it didn't really do what I wanted it to, which was organise the press on the site. It's more for updating news not archiving. So I've decided, although it may take some work, I'm going to do it by hand. If I use frames it'll be simple but I don't know if I want to... We'll see.

So, in the list of Things I Quit This Weekend you can add PHP.

Next, I quit on the rugby (local). In fairness I was told we couldn't get a lift down or back (to feed the dogs at dinner time) but even if I'd not been told that I wouldn't have wanted to go. Me and the rugby just aren't gelling anymore. The boys I was friends with don't talk to me anymore - bar one who probably only still talks to me cos he's in love with Jem. All the older guys say hello but there's a definite sense of you broke the rules from them cos we said they had drug problems in the club (which they do); but that's apparently not a thing to be said aloud.

I did go down to the pub in the evening, though, to watch the rugby (national). The young boys sat by us and entertained me with their usual sex-obsessed ways. I swear they think of nothing else. They also wrongly guessed me and Jem's ages. They said I was twenty-two and she was nineteen.

After that we felt we should show our support by attending the do upstairs. Most of the team went off into town so there was some upset from the committe members. I think there was about twenty of us up there watching a band called Voodosnakes. I'm sure they were great for everyone over the age of forty but for me they just weren't really my thing.

So halfway through the set, when they went on their break (they'd only been playing for fifteen minutes so why they needed a break I don't know), me, Jem and Ray disappeared downstairs, and then outside, and then home.

Today Ray and I were meant to be going to see Stardust in the cinema. I quit on that cos I just wasn't feeling too good. We went for a wander round our usual favourite place on a Sunday afternoon and even then didn't up buying anything; just spent a long time spraying each other with perfume testers to see if we liked any (we didn't). I got ill (dizzy and nauseous) and flaked out on the bed for a while. We then had a yummy chinese take-away mmm. And Amber's adorable friend Dan came round to try and fix our computer. His allergies were really bad so despite my best efforts (well, I did find a box of allergy tablets in the back of the cupboard after hearing him sniffling and sneezing continuously), he had to go home to finally be able to breathe.

Unfortunately I'm still on my period. I hope this is just a side-effect of starting the Pill and not going to be a continuous thing. Cos by day five I'm usually almost at the end of my cycle; the way I am now it looks as though it's going to hang on for a few more days yet. So I had to quit on sex as well, which I wasn't best pleased by.

Tomorrow Daddy and Ray are fixing the new wood floor in the living-room, which means I have to clear out the cupboard so they can move it out of the room. But the good news is this is all being done for Madge and the babies, who should all be with us by this time next week.

I'm glad to say goodbye to this weekend. And I didn't even mention the wisdom tooth pain (one of them is on the move)!

Labels: amber, daddy, gigs, jem, life, madge, puppies, ray, rugby, websites

by Ys | COMMENTS? 2 | permalink |  

Making Plans

Ray cooked me dinner last night, which was great cos that means, what with being away and eating out, I haven't cooked a meal in a whole week now! I am getting lazy. But I will be cooking tonight. I just haven't decided what yet. Having to wait 'til he'd finished work meant I was very hungry by the time I was eating. I did contemplate ending the relationship due to my hunger ... hehehe.

We had the house to ourselves at his place again. I'm starting to get a complex - do his family not like me anymore? They always disappear when I show up, which isn't often due to Ray's funny work times. Hmm. I harassed Ray by taking silly pictures of him and then we cuddled up and watched Doc Martin. I had to discreetly drool over Joe Absolom while Ray wasn't looking hehe. I'm so glad Joe's back in the show. I haven't seen him on TV in ages.

Today I got a freebie through the post - yes, I actually got post! Has the postal strike ended for good now? I can't be bothered to check. Anyway, my freebie was some Pantene Highlights Expressions. I adore Pantene and they always send out freebies, too :) The only problem is this time they've sent me stuff for blonde hair whereas I'm a brunette. Never mind, it's all the same thing really; they just package it in different colours.

I'm trying to sort out something for me and Ray for New Years Eve. Jem is going to her friends in Cambridge so I suggested Ray and I might like to stay at an uber posh hotel and enjoy pretending to be a rich and successful young couple. I have a hotel in mind but I'm not posting what it is in case I can't get it. I should know by the end of the week (ish). It's going to be our last splurge before the Big Move next year.

Madge is all but bursting at the moment. I swear she's swollen up overnight. Only another twelve days and I'll be an auntie again. Can you tell how excited I am? Whee, I love babies! And, just in time really, I completed the first draft of my recent novel yesterday. This week is looking so very, very good to me right now :)

Labels: joe absolom, madge, new years, puppies, ray, tv, writing

by Ys | COMMENTS? 1 | permalink |  

Make Up's & Break Up's

Ray and I did make up again. He'd been weird all week and then on Tuesday night it sounded to me like he was trying to dump me but getting me to say the words. The fact that I've always been very comfortable and confident of his love for me really did throw me for a loop when he said what he did Tuesday. He didn't mean it, of course, I later found out. He just has a way of saying the wrong thing - a lot. He was very apologetic Wednesday evening when he got back after work. He sounded very mature, not once trying to find himself an excuse for his behaviour, just admitted he'd been a dick and that he took me for granted and wasn't going to do it anymore. I was very surprised considering I was imagining all day that he'd show up and say it was over. Phew.

Things aren't 100% between us but they're definitely nearly perfect again. Which I much prefer cos all this upset and drama just isn't what I'm comfortable with. It makes my stomach hurt too much.

I now have another problem: my laptop. At the moment I still have my dinasour of a laptop, my baby, which was my first, which I had in 2004: IBM 560x. It's been poorly for about a year but I can cope with slow start-ups considering all I use it for is writing. But these past couple of days the screens been blanking out on me. The first time I lost about half a page of writing (could have been a lot worse, thankfully I'm a serial saver), the second I'd opened my diary but hadn't written anything. I fear when it goes for the third time it might not start again. Well, it's not so much the machine but the screen that's blinking out - the laptop itself is still running but without any image. I can't do much with that, and what with the other problems it has I decided it was time for a new laptop.

Here lies the problem: I have no cash on me at the moment. When Madge has her babies (going by the shape of her I'd say she is pregnant - we have to wait for Mammy to get back from holiday for a vet-check) I will have a cut of the money because I am Nanny Ysabel and do all the work. I always said I'd get a laptop with the money. But that money won't come to me 'til early next year. I need the laptop now. Ray has offered to buy me it (he's been offering since about this time last year) and says he'll have the money in the bank next week once his cheques have cleared. Other wise I ask Mammy if she'll get it and then knock that money off what I'd be getting for my puppy raising. With Mammy I fear there might be interest added on, so I'll probably take Ray up on his offer.

I've found a laptop I want: C Series, but it's too expensive. So my second choice is this baby: Advent 7208. As you can see, the second one is only on sale for five more days so I'd have to get in there quick for that. I do have a plan of action. I'm not sure if it'll work. But I'm hoping to have a new laptop by the end of the weekend so I can finish my book without losing any of the information.

Ahh life is an expensive thing, isn't it? Being a poor, unappreciated writer I can't really afford all this spending. But at least I should have babies to take care from Novemeber onwards. I am so excited about that :)

EDIT: I bought the laptop. Ray will pay for it until the puppies come in December. It'll be here by the end of next week! Woo!

Labels: laptop, madge, puppies, ray

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