tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-231193302012-02-16T14:31:48.684+02:00"Insignificance with a coleopteron brain"MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.comBlogger1351100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-29537044943380986642012-02-02T17:17:00.004+02:002012-02-02T21:12:02.239+02:00

I was having a little browse on Pinterest earlier and came upon this fabulous idea for couples. I'd really like to try some of these out with #HubbyParkins some time.The only thing is, the reason I would be interested in something like this in the first place is because we simply can't afford to do the usual Date Night kind of stuff - dinners out and movies and such. Which means that we pretty

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-60731388164198054902012-01-31T21:48:00.002+02:002012-01-31T22:19:45.742+02:00

There's a lot of it going on all the time, I guess, but this is one of those moments (in the big scheme of things) when I seem to have a lot of attention on it, too.There have been changes for the kids at school. Megan's started Gr. 4 and has to cope with a bunch of new subjects being introduced and quite a lot more homework than before. Michael's gone to Gr. 2 and seems to be so much more

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-3745884967304515452012-01-07T17:21:00.001+02:002012-01-07T18:20:01.532+02:00

With the first week of the new year behind us already, there is only one week left of our holiday and I wish I could make time stand still for a few weeks until I'm ready to pack up & go home.This holiday is our first ever, both as a couple and a family. Sure, we've had a day or two away here and there, or maybe even a week or two, but on every single one of those, one of us was working. This

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-20424810629613244692011-12-31T19:12:00.000+02:002011-12-31T19:44:30.509+02:00

(No, not *that* thing, dammit - get your mind outta the gutter!) What I mean is that, like it or not, with or without qualifications and in spite of myself, writing is what I do. From the snappy one-liners that never actually leave my head or the blog posts I don't get around to putting down to that stupid damned book that's scattered all over the various notebooks and diaries and scraps of paper

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-85577846553896635502011-11-14T12:28:00.002+02:002011-11-14T12:37:17.155+02:00

And so far, I have yet to come to any kind of satisfactory conclusion. It's been some time since I've had private (meaning, of the sort that would not result in my ever having to account for the use thereof) internet access, and for this reason my blog has suffered.To be totally honest, though, I've been so busy with my work and family during this time that I can't say I've been devastated by the

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-15276951247727582472011-07-12T15:01:00.005+02:002011-07-12T16:10:52.143+02:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a sucker for a competition and I spend a significant amount of time entering various competitions - and I've been lucky a few times, too.I've won various things over the years, ranging from edible treats and entertainment tickets/vouchers to small (and not so small) cash prizes. I love winning stuff and I'm one of those idealistic fools who dream of hitting the

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-14934711586288677822011-06-21T08:59:00.003+02:002011-06-21T17:18:07.436+02:00

A friend of mine wants to start up a little online business selling premium coffees and I offered to help her with her market research by posting this survey on my blog.If you're a coffee lover, please take the time to complete this survey by posting your answers to the questions below in the comments section. If you would like to help spread the word, please consider posting the survey on your

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-62063871507887664512011-06-07T16:34:00.004+02:002011-06-07T17:13:42.889+02:00

19 Years ago today, at roughly 14:00, I stood in a manky little pastel green prefab office in a small, godforsaken hellhole of a town as the headmaster of the reform school I was at delivered the news of my father's death to me.At the end of that year, the powers that were deemed it appropriate that I be released into my mother's care and resume my school career and further development within the

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-39360496424527095982011-05-25T20:52:00.003+02:002011-07-01T15:40:12.067+02:00

...On being an absentee bloggerBecause we all know that, around here, that's pretty much the status quo. There's not much to say besides that, in spite of myself, I continue to censor myself. And maybe that's not the worst thing in the world in terms of keeping the various (sometimes fragile) peace/s....On being a soccer momYep. That day has dawned. I always kind of figured that I'd somehow dream

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-66755904249598714272011-04-21T18:37:00.001+02:002011-04-21T18:37:58.615+02:00

It's insane, how fast the time goes between posts. A lot has happened this last while, and I'm not sure I have either the time or the inclination to write about it all in detail, but I'll sum up the gist of it, shall I?We moved to Kensington on 26 March. On 25 March, while we packed for the house we were originally going to move to, I got a phone call about another house that was a) closer to our

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-57004263043212444412011-03-22T22:12:00.000+02:002011-03-22T22:48:48.593+02:00

It's inevitable. And then we pick up the pieces and move on.Some of you may be wondering why you haven't been able to read my last post. It's because I took it down. Because leaving it up would have been irresponsible. A bit like dipping your feet into a lake you already know is infested with piranhas...That said, thank you, Gina & Vanessa for your comments. In the meantime, you may have seen one

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-31578603309052194812011-01-12T21:46:00.000+02:002011-01-12T22:14:26.255+02:00

Well, this one, at least. For my birthday.As was the case at Christmas, I really can't think of anything really big I would want anyone to get me. Unless they're someone really close to me (like my husband, my mom, my brother, etc.) and they happened to become obscenely wealthy overnight. Then I would like a nice big stand at Helderfontein or a similar lifestyle estate near the Kyalami Castle,

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-53406083770668210702011-01-11T16:18:00.000+02:002011-01-11T20:22:42.814+02:00

My 31st birthday is staring me in the face and, as we bullet towards next Tuesday, I wonder how many candles there have to be on my cake before I'm actually a proper grown-up. I often tell people how I still feel like I'm a teenager, expecting to be called into the principal's office *again*...At 31, there are a few years yet before I get to that "certain age" people talk about. But I have to

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-34448401560093535222011-01-06T16:57:00.000+02:002011-01-10T17:44:07.507+02:00

I wanted to write this post on New Year's Eve, but then the day dawned and I changed my mind because I didn't really feel like doing much of anything, much less thinking as far back as 10 years to figure out where I've been and how I've ended up where I am now!But I did promise last year that I would do a review of the last 10 years with this year's New Year's post.I'm not sure how I'd sum up the

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-17739860526394256932010-12-20T13:10:00.000+02:002010-12-20T14:25:11.441+02:00

And if I had a buck for every blog post I've started and then deleted again since the springing of spring this year, I'd probably not have a whole hell of a lot of money but I'd probably be able to take myself to a decadent lunch and pick up a a Lotto ticket and an Inside Story while I'm at it...There was my little sister's sweet 16th on September 16th, which we celebrated with dinner at my mom's

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-84103410896401655272010-12-06T15:42:00.000+02:002010-12-06T16:47:59.488+02:00

Ja, hey. Seems flying under the radar has pretty much been my bag this year. Partly because I've been really busy this year but mainly because, let's face it, I'm not about to win any awards for my exemplary displays of self-discipline. Meh. So be it.But now that I'm here, let's see what I can dig up out of the murky recesses, shall we?I'll begin with the obvious - the new "job":I reckon it's

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-77228258642592021572010-11-13T00:27:00.000+02:002010-11-13T02:36:31.010+02:00

Many people asked me after Jack was born whether we intended to have any more children, to which I replied that we were definitely not going to have any more. And then we had James.And then many more people started asking me whether we're planning to have any more children, to which I replied (vehemently) that I was done having babies. And then I marched myself off to the gynae some months after

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-1102700762303852342010-08-25T13:53:00.000+02:002010-08-25T15:11:58.298+02:00

I'm going back to work part time. Yep, as of Monday next week, I'll be leaving the house mid-mornings 3 days a week for a half-day gig at an office job.This has been kind of spur of the moment and is perhaps a little bit off the track I was on, but is necessary at this point if I am ever to have a hope of succeeding at the projects I've recently undertaken, especially since it's such a battle to

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-7521433185985834722010-08-19T16:32:00.000+02:002010-08-20T20:28:59.450+02:00

So I go into semi-hibernation again for a few days to regroup and formulate my forward strategy and the universe goes off its head. What. The. Fuck.!?I generally don't use my blog as a platform for political (or even social) commentary. I figure there are many, many talented bloggers and other interested parties out there who are way better equipped to express my thoughts on such things anyway.

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-61423432029891327882010-08-13T19:14:00.000+02:002010-08-13T19:25:10.767+02:00

That's how many negative pregnancy tests I had before what appeared to be persistent pregnancy symptoms eventually made me call and schedule an appointment with my doctor.I've mentioned this before, I know. Four is also the number of beautiful and healthy babies I've been lucky enough to birth and love and who have turned my life into something that is nothing like what I had planned before that

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-19652719850081841382010-08-13T10:13:00.000+02:002010-08-13T13:07:34.917+02:00

I had to have a little giggle at this post on Lettice's blog this morning. I started leaving a long comment, but then I figured I'd blog it instead. I, too, had a brief run as a Kirby sales person and let me tell you, selling Kirby's is up there among some of the dodgiest of dodgy jobs! The way that things are set up (here in SA, at least) is unsatisfactory to both the salesperson and the client!

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-358960610477273512010-08-12T17:47:00.000+02:002010-08-12T18:46:57.994+02:00

Howdy once again, folks! Yes, I know, it's been another coupla weeks since my last post. My bad!But hey! Check this out - see that there snazzy little button sitting in my sidebar? Go on and click that li'l bugger and lessee what happens if you nominate this here li'l Mama for an SA Blog Award, just for the fuck of it, whaddya say?And on that very optimistic note, let's move along, shall we?I

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-63549114236418931562010-07-20T22:53:00.000+02:002010-07-21T00:11:57.659+02:00

Got you again, right? Just when you thought I'd started blogging again, fo' realz, I drop another 2 week absence on yo' ass - jus' like dat!Let me assure you that it has not been for lack of stuff to write about. Hoo, boy. But I think that maybe that's exactly why I haven't been writing, despite having alluded (in front of a whole bunch of Twitter and blogging people, no less) to a certain visit

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-27438120730271353122010-07-06T20:28:00.000+02:002010-07-07T09:23:07.512+02:00

If I could only afford to get myself a *real* smartphone, that is. Unfortunately, my free upgrade became due in September last year when, being pregnant - and therefore stupid* - I made a decision I should really not have been permitted to make, since it resulted in my choosing a silly little lower-end, over-hyped under-performer of a phone instead of simply tossing the Pearl for a Curve or a

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-78530498660366064852010-07-04T10:19:00.000+02:002010-07-04T18:52:35.605+02:00

If I'd have had another baby girl instead of a boy, I might have named her June. As it turned out, #hubbyparkins' li'l swimmers appear to be predominantly of the XY chromosome variety and we have a James. And that is good. And we have no intention whatsoever of adding a June to the mix. And I am very happy to report that, despite a bit of paranoia getting the better of me in the last few days, I

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-65246217229918202792010-06-07T12:36:00.000+02:002010-06-07T14:14:28.827+02:00

Louisa tagged me to post 5 photos of myself that I like (and that's a damn tall order!!) and then post 5 things I like about myself. Of course, she tagged me *ages* ago, but I'm only getting around to it now:This was taken in March 2002. I gave birth to Megan in June that year. I loved how people's eyes would just about pop out of their heads when they heard I was almost 6 months pregnant!This

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-44131765201541202822010-05-21T20:20:00.000+02:002010-05-23T10:26:44.966+02:00

While I've been very quiet for the last while and haven't posted anything in weeks, I have been keeping up with my reading and comment moderation. And I was deeply flattered to receive this award from this lady the other day:The rules that go along with this award are simple: First one must acknowledge the giver - Thank you, Tammy!Next, one must list seven random facts about oneself:1. I very

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-31316327210788405492010-05-04T02:08:00.000+02:002010-05-04T17:03:15.671+02:00

One of my favourite things about the blogosphere is the fact that there's always someone out there giving away something awesome. And anyone who knows me knows that I'm a total sucker for a competition!! So there was, of course, no question as to whether or not I was going to enter this particular competition as soon as it came to my attention. (Thank you, female2female for the heads up!!)One

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-71282359091332127302010-04-23T15:56:00.000+02:002010-04-24T10:50:50.132+02:00

So I've been awarded not one but *two* beautiful blogger awards today - how cool is that? Check out what these two gorgeous ladies had to say about li'l ole me!And now I'm supposed to list 7 random facts about myself before sharing the award with 7 bloggers I consider beautiful, so here goes:1. I've already blogged this today, but since it's still so fresh in my mind - I caught a baby this

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-78735962367540558862010-04-23T11:34:00.000+02:002010-04-23T12:14:47.193+02:00

Let me just start off with WOW. I mean, WOW!I lay in a bit longer than usual this morning and got up feeling rested and ready to take on the day. Probably a good thing because the day took a very interesting turn about an hour ago...I was just about to call the kids to come upstairs for school when my neighbour came to my front door. I'd been meaning to speak with him for a while, because I

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-12094931037675805682010-04-13T15:32:00.000+02:002010-04-13T16:28:58.504+02:00

If you follow me on Twitter or on Facebook you'll know that I took my brand new baby boy to hospital on Friday afternoon when I found blood in his stool while changing his nappy.He had a bunch of blood samples drawn and a lumbar puncture, in order to rule out a number of different infections, including meningitis, before being admitted for observation overnight. Thankfully, his test results all

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-5389484854945688742010-04-12T08:48:00.000+02:002010-04-12T09:10:37.984+02:00

... Some I've done, some I haven't and some I look forward to getting around to someday. Seen this meme around lately. Here's my list:1. Started your own blog2. Slept under the stars3. Played in a band4. Visited Hawaii5. Watched a meteor shower6. Given more than you can afford to charity7. Been to DisneyWorld8. Climbed a mountain9. Held a praying mantis10. Sang a solo11. Bunjee jumped12. Visited

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-53707573095416791702010-04-01T10:43:00.000+02:002010-04-01T11:33:54.487+02:00

There are some who would tell you that I suffered from severe postpartum depression with my first two babies. Some might go so far as to say it bordered on postpartum psychosis. I won't argue that things were not tough back then. With Megan, I was a very young first time mom, paranoid and anxious and unsure of myself. With Michael, circumstances were such that I had to put up with an enormous

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-34912884481709316242010-03-28T13:36:00.000+02:002010-03-28T15:05:07.159+02:00

I've been a very bad blogger of late, not posting anything and using the recent arrival of #babyparkins, aka James, as an excuse...So while everyone else has been very busy being desktop activists and blogging #speakZA against those who would seek to silence the media for speaking out against hate speech and racist incitement, I have been enjoying time spent safely cocooned at home with my

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-51708589112108046162010-03-11T14:22:00.000+02:002010-03-12T14:05:55.328+02:00

Three days ago today, my baby James made his entrance into the world, in reverse. (He must have heard me laughing really, really hard at the First for Women ad with the three guys in a car, reversing to Cape Town...) When I saw my gynae for one last check-up at 37 weeks, he told me that everything looked perfect; baby's head was well engaged in the pelvis and both he and I looked to be in

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-86873164704050308872010-03-07T08:26:00.000+02:002010-03-07T09:19:26.035+02:00

39 Weeks today. Earlyish in each of my pregnancies so far, I've had some idea as to what day my babies would be born. I've been fairly close, mostly, but have never been spot on.Megan was due 24 June, born 25th and I had guessed she'd come around the 22nd. Michael was due 24 June, scheduled for a section on 17 June, born vaginally on 16 June.Jack's due date was 27 October, I guessed 25th and he

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-15425110421314580382010-03-03T12:50:00.000+02:002010-03-03T13:35:50.988+02:00

So against all the odds and despite the many, many threats of premature labour and then the signs that we would perhaps just barely make it to term, this baby is still inside mah belleh. We are now at exactly 38 weeks and 3 days, and I am doing my best to ignore the contractions, which remain constant and uncomfortable enough to be noticeable, but have clearly made no major difference, because

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-66792189642299654762010-02-22T08:55:00.000+02:002010-02-22T09:17:50.411+02:00

Right, so in spite of all the easy blog fodder up for grabs from various quarters of late, I've fallen back into my old ways and haven't been updating nearly as regularly as I should. I guess it's kind of because I've been waiting for something worth blogging about to happen. Which, considering my current pre-occupation with this baby I'm about to have, pretty much means I've been waiting for

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-1967663236615727822010-02-10T17:36:00.000+02:002010-02-10T17:58:48.728+02:00

Laura's latest blog challenge at Female2Female is "Blue". This is an easy one for me, because I can't wait to see #babyparkins in this Blue Dinosaur Babygro we got from ExMi at the baby shower!Also, how could I resist bragging with a shot of my boys in blue?

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-46595861680366831422010-02-08T21:57:00.000+02:002010-02-08T23:09:31.783+02:00

I meant to do this post earlier today, but found myself busy doing all sorts of other things instead. On Saturday we had my baby shower. I had decided not to do the traditional women-only affair, and I think it was a huge success.My mom and gran made a LOT of food, all of which was delicious, and we hired a jumping castle for all the kids and most of the people who'd said they were going to be

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-63542020445625155582010-02-05T08:15:00.000+02:002010-02-05T09:28:36.615+02:00

I read and responded to this article by Sally of Female2Female the other day. Sally found that some people's responses were particularly and unnecessarily nasty and I have to say that, for a moment, I was equally surprised at the venom coming from some of those women. A number of people commented on the latter of these posts, saying that these women's negative comments are symptoms of their own

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-27826629418121185892010-02-04T09:43:00.000+02:002010-02-04T09:52:29.922+02:00

If you pop over to Angel's blog, you'll see that I would have LOVED to win myself one of these babies! But since I can't, I'll just have to make do with possibly helping someone else win one. Here's how:In keeping with the current Hollywood trend of slightly unusual boyfriends- you know the vampires, shapeshifters and werewolves- you are hereby invited to talk about yours! So is your boyfriend a

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-61805180148193684922010-02-02T20:39:00.000+02:002010-02-02T22:05:58.551+02:00

At the risk of being super boring and stuff, today's post is about baby stuff. Because today has been a day of complete and unadulterated baby frenzy! With some new curtains thrown in, just for the hell of it! ;-PI woke up this morning with BabyParkinsNumber4 doing a number on my ribcage, my bladder, my stomach and pretty much all of the rest of my internal organs situated anywhere within reach

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-68704810918348396832010-01-24T09:32:00.000+02:002010-01-28T23:18:37.084+02:00

On Saturday the 16th, we packed the kids in the car and headed off to my mom's house for my birthday dinner - Sushi!!! I'd been craving sushi pretty much since discovering I was pregnant, since one of the first thoughts that crossed my mind as that second little line appeared in the pregnancy test window was, "Oh shit - no sushi for me for the next few months!"The original idea was that my mom

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-91796559873932898142010-01-15T13:23:00.000+02:002010-01-15T14:30:18.444+02:00

To my birthday, that is. And I've been wondering how it's going to turn out.I know we're going to have a good time at my mom's place tomorrow, because I've been craving sushi for ages now and she's really good at making it. Beyond that, I haven't given it much thought until now because, being in January, birthdays are generally a bit of a non-event for me. No-one has any spare cash lying around

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-20826013842582977482010-01-14T08:05:00.000+02:002010-01-14T08:48:05.104+02:00

And I would like to thank all of you who stopped by yesterday for your messages of support and encouragement. You guys rock!I got the call yesterday afternoon informing me that our insurance claim has been denied, which was just the cherry on top of a pretty low day for me. Our broker has said that they are not going to leave it at that and will see what can be done to fight it, so there's a

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-54283880117002052332010-01-13T11:34:00.000+02:002010-01-13T12:47:15.878+02:00

Ok, I'm officially done pretending now. I'm depressed and worried out of my mind and it really doesn't help when it's all grey and gloomy outside like today.So before you read any further, know that this is going to be a whining post - you've been warned.I've been telling myself for the past several months that things are going to get better, because we've been cutting costs like crazy and I've

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-56299728612141465652010-01-10T20:52:00.000+02:002010-01-10T22:03:01.064+02:00

And not in labour yet. Yay!! Actually, things seem to have calmed down significantly over the last couple of days and it's looking more and more like we're going to make it all the way to term.We have now reached the point where prenatal visits occur every two weeks, as opposed to four and, apart from the fact that we have yet to figure out how we're going to pay the hospital and midwife, and the

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-47173278347602614482010-01-08T16:35:00.000+02:002010-01-08T17:35:10.049+02:00

So I'm turning 30 in about 10 days' time. And as we all know, 30 is one of the big birthdays in a woman's life. I'm not entirely sure why, except that ever since it dawned on me toward the latter half of last year that it was very nearly upon me, I've had the vaguest idea that it means that I can now officially be called "old". Thinking about it, I kind of get the feeling that I should have

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-2841668837518552012010-01-07T10:52:00.000+02:002010-01-07T11:30:04.039+02:00

Well I guess it's time to start actually implementing some of those resolutions I made for this year, one of which was to blog more often...And thanks to Laura at Female2Female, I now actually have something to post!I'm doing my 10 Things post on my hubby, because that's just where I seem to be these days. So here goes - to David:1. I love that you are you, consistently, reliably, every single

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-30023180258153777622010-01-01T10:37:00.000+02:002010-01-01T16:47:24.622+02:00

There have been a good few posts on various people's blogs (Wenchy, Laura, pinkhairgirl and others...) looking back on 2009. I was planning on doing mine sometime yesterday, but then procrastinating seemed like a better idea and I didn't get round to it. And now I'm almost hesitant to look back on what was possibly one of my least favourite years in my existence thus far.Only, I can't really

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-91458177228883897442009-12-30T10:55:00.000+02:002009-12-30T12:03:55.008+02:00

Of course I was going to be the last of the stragglers with my Christmas post. Because that's just my style, innit?It was a better Christmas than what I had anticipated, with a few things I was really thankful for, not least of which was the fact that I didn't have to cook. Or wash dishes. Awesomeness!We spent Christmas Eve at my mom's place and stuffed our faces with all sorts of tasty things.

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-45520243059866260052009-12-22T10:03:00.000+02:002009-12-22T10:31:49.907+02:00

Three days til Christmas and we have yet to buy Megan's present. She really, really wants to do the paintball thing and I really, really don't want her to. Because, like her mother, she has quite a temper on her. And I can totally see her shooting paintballs at the other kids in the complex when they piss her off. Which is every day. Not to mention having to placate irrate parents whose

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-12690351181401551192009-12-20T16:36:00.000+02:002009-12-20T18:17:17.852+02:00

Yeah, I'm doing a point form spiel because I've had quite a few random, not necessarily related thoughts over the past week or so. And because I can.- Is it just me or are there really only 5 days left 'til Christmas?! HOLY CRAP!- We had a great time at this mornings blogging/twitter girls breakfast. Go see some awesome photos over at Gina's blog. Thanks to Wenchy for the organizing and the

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-52444231382984804052009-12-12T17:56:00.000+02:002009-12-12T22:59:42.225+02:00

Before I knew that December was going to be a particularly rough month for us, I drew up a list of possible things for me to get David and the kids for Christmas this year. I also tried to think of a few things I might like myself, but couldn't think of any.And then I started seeing all kinds of interesting and awesome things on other peoples' lists and decided that perhaps there were a few

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-32006707889224904252009-12-09T10:09:00.000+02:002009-12-09T15:44:32.652+02:00

Right, so that baking thing I was talking about in my last post - something about making a list of what I'm going to be making and about you guys maybe, possibly letting me know if you'd be interested in making a purchase or two.Here's what's on the menu so far: - Vanilla Custard Cookies, aka Smeltkoekies because they literally melt in your mouth! - Crunchies. Big-ass, good ol' traditional Oat

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-17706819012330876332009-12-06T13:46:00.000+02:002009-12-07T11:31:58.059+02:00

This is me, tentatively sticking my nose out of my hole in the hope that maybe, if I'm really, really lucky, something will happen sometime soon that will make everything alright again.And that makes me either idiotically optimistic or a sucker for punishment, but hey. I was kind of almost getting my groove back on the blogging thing for a while, wasn't I? And I could be wrong, but I also got

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-60972532321418065492009-11-12T11:31:00.000+02:002009-11-20T14:57:48.988+02:00

I'm not sure when I last had a week as crappy as this one has been. My house got broken into in the early hours of Monday morning and my laptop and 3G modem were stolen, along with the watch I'd bought David for his birthday in our last year in Dubai and his cellphone.On the one hand, I'm telling myself I should just be glad that they didn't hurt anyone and they didn't clean us out entirely.On

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-77599403070064357712009-11-02T10:11:00.000+02:002009-11-02T12:16:51.434+02:00

So Jack turned 1 like, 11 days ago (how unbelievably quickly has this last year gone by?!!) and I'm a special kind of bad mommy to only just be blogging about it now. But we'd decided a while back that we would have his party on Halloween, since the neighbourhood was having a big bash anyway.Also, friends of ours were going to be moving out of the complex over the Halloween weekend, and since

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-39498827002474022272009-10-27T13:27:00.000+02:002009-10-27T14:21:33.781+02:00

Angel is running this competition on her blog. And this is me finally entering:No amount of brain-wracking produced any results when I first read about the competition and I couldn't think of a single old wives' tale, let alone one that would be interesting enough to blog about.And I guess I still haven't thought of anything especially interesting. But I did eventually remember what it was like

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-60024136548676725182009-10-26T09:47:00.000+02:002009-10-26T10:38:24.664+02:00

So I decided to wait until Friday night to start baking, so that the kids would be in bed and I would be able to get on with it in peace and quiet.That didn't work. Megan and Michael were far too excited and wanted to watch the whole thing. They loved seeing the colours being mixed and were super excited, despite being half dead on their feet!Having made up the batter, mixed up the colours and

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-27470011645363541522009-10-23T13:44:00.000+02:002009-10-23T14:11:59.836+02:00

I had a great time at Blogging Chicks Unite! on Saturday and really enjoyed meeting some of the people whose blogs I've been reading for ages now. I look forward to the next gathering and to participating a bit more in it.I ended up not baking cupcakes for Jack's birthday yesterday, but only the almond triangles which ended up being circles instead of triangles because I got sick of trying to

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-72437408311364516122009-10-16T09:59:00.000+02:002009-10-16T10:46:34.365+02:00

1) Tomorrow's Blogging Chicks get-together, which will be the first event of its kind that I attend. Thanks, Angel, for the invite!!2) My baby boy's First Birthday on Thursday, 22 October. I can't believe how quickly a whole year has passed!3) His Halloween-themed birthday party on Saturday, 31 October. It'll coincide with the Halloween festivities in our complex, with all the kids dressing up

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-1763546403315418572009-10-02T09:58:00.000+02:002009-10-02T11:29:58.763+02:00

I used to be a bit of a loner as a kid. Never quite fit in and never really saw the need to. Other girls were interested in make-up and Barbie dolls. I was interested in... I'm not sure what. In how different everything would be when I grew up and could get out and do my own thing, I guess.When I went off to varsity after high school, not much was different. There were friends and good times

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-51397844769386356432009-08-26T12:18:00.000+02:002009-08-26T13:28:44.223+02:00

To D-day, that is. And now that we're approaching the 12 week mark, the nausea is finally starting to ease up and I'm so relieved I could cry. All the time. Or maybe that's just because of the hormones. Expecting baby number four is pretty interesting - very different from all of my other pregnancies thus far. In some ways, I'm a lot more relaxed and inclined to just let my body get on with

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-54104501631651370622009-07-27T13:30:00.000+02:002009-07-27T14:23:19.439+02:00

Saw this over at Acidicice:1. What time did you get up this morning?5:452. How do you like your steak?Medium-rare.3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?Bride Wars4. What is your favorite TV show?I don't watch TV.5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?I think I'd have several homes dotted around the world rather than sticking to one particular place.6. What did you

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-63594162233808479422009-07-15T10:13:00.000+02:002009-07-15T12:35:06.452+02:00

Most pregnant women spend inordinate amounts of time online, reading about pregnancy, labour, birth and babies, whether they're pregnant for the first or the fourth time. Because, as any woman who's been pregnant more than once will tell you, each pregnancy and each baby is different from the last and what's it to you what I do or don't do in my spare time anyway?!So if you're pregnant and have

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-37370417892287818042009-07-07T08:20:00.000+02:002009-07-07T10:36:15.253+02:00

So I'm staying on at the temp job for another month and a few days, which is both wonderful and extremely frustrating. Wonderful because we really need the money and frustrating because it means I'm waiting another month and a few days to get started on that project of mine. And the thing about stuff like that is that I'm the type of person who needs to be able to jump right in and start when the

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-39351091662728753062009-05-29T13:04:00.000+02:002009-06-01T21:37:21.780+02:00

Okay, so, since I fell off the planet almost a year ago and pretty much quit blogging, except for maybe one or two posts here and there, not much has changed in my world, apart from my address (twice), my income status and the size of my family - all of which has been chronicled in greater or lesser degree in one or two said posts.But, for the sake of continuity and on the vaguest of chances that

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-74294172588988758242009-03-30T10:41:00.002+02:002009-06-01T20:17:03.571+02:00

The day after Jack was born, we moved in with my mom so that she could help me with Jack and we could cut out the cost of our monthly rent for a month or two.Four months later and nary a red penny more in the bank than we'd had before, we moved into my in-laws' house to house-sit and look after pets, etc. while they went away on holiday.Five months and several days post-partum, I spent my first

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-35247412144763304162009-03-19T07:44:00.005+02:002009-03-19T08:26:41.461+02:00

I've been asked if I can start at the new job on Monday, instead of 1 April as originally agreed. This creates a few problems for me, especially since the finances have been less than stable since the loss of my previous job. Basically, it boils down to the fact that I have yet to hire a nanny for Jack and the reason I haven't already done so is simply that I don't have any money.Then there's all

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-59488325243461894902009-01-28T17:02:00.005+02:002009-03-19T07:43:36.701+02:00

When I stopped blogging some months ago, I told myself it was so that I could take some time to wrap my head around the latest changes occurring in my life. In many ways, I guess it has been. But it's also been about just not feeling up to writing. And about dealing with getting retrenched. And about having to find a new place to live, getting the kids settled into a new school, which, in many

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-66986224960264735042008-11-07T09:43:00.002+02:002008-11-07T10:20:26.633+02:00

When I called the midwife at around 17:00 on Wednesday 22 October and told her that I'd been having contractions 10 to 12 minutes apart for the past two or three days, she told me to take two Panado, get into bed and call her in the morning.When I called her back at 18:00 the same day, the contractions were 90 seconds apart and she instructed me to go directly to the active birth unit.Jack

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-77867970920597481932008-09-21T11:34:00.005+02:002009-01-28T17:14:08.050+02:00

It appears that all of the iffy little bitchy bouts I've been having of late are the product of suppressed hormonal rage, which culminated in an hysterical scene yesterday.Today, I'm not even really sure what I was so very, very angry about that I kicked a hole in my bathroom door and flung an IKEA kiddies' chair at my husband's head.It started with me muttering something nasty about an old

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-67926696078850767682008-08-16T18:23:00.002+02:002008-08-16T20:07:33.425+02:00

When I first thought up the title for this post, I had a few ideas as to what I would write. Now, I no longer have anything to say that is vaguely relevant, except to note that I have, in the past few weeks, developed a light brown line down the centre of my growing bump. That, and I've been grappling with the thought of putting myself on the line in a big way and telling the interweb all about

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-34666014333344472742008-07-28T10:43:00.002+02:002008-07-28T11:17:38.577+02:00

And, according to my gynae, I'm having a boy. I haven't decided on a name yet. Okay I have, but I'm not telling anyone what is is anymore, because it pisses me off when everyone has their two cents to add on the subject. You want to choose a baby name? Have your own baby.I've spent the last four months thinking about a lot of stuff and have come to the realisation that thinking about all of

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-12234159033355530442008-03-26T07:51:00.006+02:002008-03-26T10:22:06.314+02:00

I lay on my couch one Saturday not very long ago, half watching animated movies with my kids. And in the part where Nani sings the Aloha song to Lilo? I had real tears running down my cheeks. Don't ask me what that's all about; I barely know whether I'm coming or going these days. But I know it's got something to do with the polar bear in my closet. The one I smuggled into the house from

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-5391340627247501052008-03-05T10:22:00.003+02:002008-03-05T11:47:34.135+02:00

To everyone who took the time to nominate me, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!Congratulations to everyone who's been nominated, and best of luck to you all.Now go here (or click on the handy button in the sidebar) and vote, vote, vote, vote!!!!!!!

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-56483818935624638842008-02-17T09:00:00.003+02:002008-02-17T09:05:15.595+02:00

Okay, see here. And now see here:Beautiful, no?

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-83311040922623159712008-02-12T03:43:00.001+02:002008-02-12T16:25:20.249+02:00

Okay, so there have been a couple of dry spells on this blog, the longest of which only ended very, very recently. And with only 3 regular(ish?) readers, there may not even be a point.But it would so totally rock my world, not to mention motivate me to post so much more, so much more frequently, if you would nominate me for an SA blog award in any category that you deem suitable.(See the handy

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-27776120571211200892008-02-10T05:06:00.000+02:002008-02-10T19:42:10.557+02:00

1. I have secretly wished for absolute ages that someone would tag me with one of these 50 Things things. Now, I've just decided, Fuck it. I'm going to ramble random shit about myself for a bit, whether you want me to or not.2. It says on my birth certificate that I was born in Evander. I have no clue where that is. Nor does pretty much anyone else I know, except my mom.3. I have serious

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-77279175566832422572007-11-14T02:44:00.000+02:002007-11-14T15:11:13.560+02:00

My friend, Priscilla, used to talk to me about London all the time. We'd be sitting in a bar, downing shooters, and she'd remember some arbitrary story from her two years in London. Priscilla could tell a story so you'd think you'd been there with her...I always imagined I would go to London "sometime soon". Sometime before making a career and raising a family were anything more than faraway

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-1324242965649547822007-08-29T06:37:00.000+02:002007-08-29T22:20:15.375+02:00

I received an anonymous comment on my blog today. Normally, that's something in itself. But this particular comment - or, rather, string of comments - is especially special because, having read it, it seems that there is someone out there, a specimen of humanity so utterly superior to all others that he (or she), simply by reading my blog, is able to sum me up so accurately that I am compelled to

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-50907617413747523302007-07-10T07:01:00.000+02:002007-07-10T19:52:04.461+02:00

Alright. Enough about the new job already...The Great Trek is moving slowly toward its end, and all that remains of our three years here is me. And my Alfa. Which is currently not running. Needless to say, I'm thrilled to be stuck without transport in a desert city where taxi fare to and from the office amounts to AED100 a day. And not being able to supervise the logistical, diagnostic and

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-19508645892643910582007-06-27T22:24:00.000+02:002007-06-28T01:50:57.629+02:00

You know how sometimes things get really busy and you mean to do something - like posting something on your blog - but you just don't seem to get around to it? Yeah, me too.And you know how, when that happens, you get these little ideas for said post, and you tell yourself you've got to write that down and get busy blogging soon, before the idea is gone, and you've got nothing to say anymore? And

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-84318473627306331792007-06-12T06:25:00.000+02:002007-06-12T18:30:45.711+02:00

My boss called me yesterday morning to inform me that I would be boarding the 20:00 flight to Singapore.I checked into the Four Seasons Hotel Singapore just before 09:00 this morning, andwill be spending two nights here.Man, I love this job!!!Update with photos coming soon.

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-51666580507049696232007-06-09T22:03:00.000+02:002007-06-09T22:38:07.964+02:00

So. I'm about a month and a half into the new job, which is going very well, and there's nothing to report on that front.At home, everything is pretty much carrying on along the same lines: The kids are growing, learning, sometimes naughty, sometimes so sweet I want to hug the little bastards to death...And there are less than 30 days left before I am left here in the giant sandpit on my own for

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-45540897094109280772007-05-24T05:32:00.000+02:002007-05-24T22:05:18.685+02:00

There are days between the everydays and the bad days, when you're all quiet inside, even though the music is turned all the way up, and you savour every second of solitude you get. Those days when you see things so much more clearly than when you're looking at them from inside your life as it is most days, and you think about The Great Wide World as you watch the people around you go about their

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-70999016323798479672007-05-15T09:06:00.000+02:002007-05-15T22:13:20.014+02:00

Right. So where to begin?How about with a look back at this fairly recent chat with myself? Pretty intense stuff, right? Yeah - I know. Anyway...So I figure, having given myself a little kick in the pants and started blogging a bit more frequently, I'm kind of on the right track - y'know?I figure I'll get back to the same old, same old, everyday shit, keep my mouth shut and work a bit harder at

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-21194334465149298612007-05-08T08:36:00.000+02:002007-05-08T20:39:51.227+02:00

Ja, I know it's been a while. But there's a new post brewing in the midst of everything that's been going on lately, promise.

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-15429229069366291432007-04-18T08:20:00.000+02:002007-04-19T07:02:47.415+02:00

Ja, hey. The time, she is a-ticking, and only a few months (two and a bit for the family; four and a bit for me) remain before we undertake what will probably be our greatest trek yet, considering that all the moving we've done in the past has been on a fairly small scale and limited to the general Pretoria area. With the exception of the move to Dubai, of course, which happened in two stages and

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-28448150312950565482007-04-10T08:24:00.000+02:002007-04-10T21:33:11.082+02:00

I've been somewhat more socially active than usual in the last couple of weeks. Mostly it's been fantastic, staying out till late, gulping down fruity alcoholic beverages and even dancing, once I get drunk enough to be convinced that it's a good idea.Compared to the "partying" I used to do in my angsty youth, this has been waaaay more fun. No long, dark monologues discussions about how broken I

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-6101122532808719542007-04-03T06:11:00.000+02:002007-04-03T18:55:19.126+02:00

A couple of nights ago, having cooked supper, washed the dishes, fed and bathed the kids and put them to bed, we brought out the secret stash and sat down to enjoy it with a cup of tea. Megan got out of bed to ask for a drink of water soon afterward, and her well trained eye naturally caught sight of my unopened share of the loot sitting on the dining room table in front of me.Megan, pointing at

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-39942299025980881302007-04-02T01:05:00.000+02:002007-04-02T13:23:59.325+02:00

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-7772031794099914692007-03-24T09:13:00.000+02:002007-03-24T23:19:54.600+02:00

David recently started writing a series of technical articles for a local car magazine, the first of which was published in the magazine's February issue. This is great, of course. It could open all sorts of doors for him - I can't think of anyone more deserving - plus the extra income couldn't come at a better time... But it feels like a sucker-punch straight to my gut and I hate him for it.

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-49098981162988181042007-03-11T02:39:00.000+02:002007-03-14T13:10:25.936+02:00

Since you're bunking off sick from work today, I thought we could have us a little heart to heart. We both know it's been a long time coming, and I hope that what I have to say will slap you upside the head help you realize that the only way you're ever going to turn your shitty little life around stop being unhappy is by throwing your hands up and devoting yourself to the drinking of vodka doing

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-62712114375333161022007-03-03T23:32:00.000+02:002007-03-04T12:44:56.734+02:00

This is going to sound completely stupid. And I'll probably feel very differently tomorrow. But the thought occurred to me this morning, as I discussed my two little ones' development with my mom over an extortionately expensive long distance telephone line (and again later, as I flipped through this past weekend's newspapers and felt my heart get pulverized as my eyes caught sight of this

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-80916113415735103592007-03-03T06:14:00.000+02:002007-03-11T14:52:26.475+02:00

In my last post, I wrote about having won a Valentines competition, which promised a day of spoils and pampering. I pictured the day going something like this, and spent an afternoon poring over the Patrizia Pepe website, really getting into the whole idea, getting excited about shopping for something new and different and stunning to wear - maybe even something not black for a change.On the

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-61617673821138899992007-02-18T04:28:00.000+02:002007-02-19T08:05:00.236+02:00

I don't do Valentines day. Never have. As a teen it was because I never managed to pick the kind of boy that wasn't too caught up in his own Brokenness (or was that broke-ness?) to realize that behind the threats of imminent emasculation upon my seeing anything vaguely resembling a rose in my immediate vicinity was simply a preference for tulips or poppies.... Later I realized that, had a boy I

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23119330.post-30294714608524607812006-12-10T07:16:00.000+02:002006-12-10T20:25:27.677+02:00

Yes, I know we're almost halfway through December already. But I'm writing about November - deal with it.As all three of you - my loyal readers - know, (Hi Ma, Cat, Kate...) I was alone for the month of November, while my hubby took the kids on holiday to South Africa.Before they left, I had visions of redecorating the flat, baking stuff, getting organized and writing lots. What I ended up doing

MamaMeeAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857981201712950144noreply@blogger.com1