Trying to be a good nanny...

My week end was a strange one. Because I live quite a long way from my grandson and because times is 'ard, I have to stay with my son and daughter-in-law when I visit. This is both good and bad. It means I get to spend two or three days with gorgeous little Joe but this inevitably puts a strain on a household adjusting to a new baby.

Joe is suffering from both colic and, more problematical, reflux. This means that to lie on his back causes him to get all choked up and is very distressing for both him and his parents. The result is he has to be kept upright. This means that at night he sleeps with one or the other of them and because of fear of smothering him they take it in turns to stay awake.

They are both absolutely shattered. Before Joe was born they lost two babies in a particularly distressing way and this adds to my daughter-in-law's anxiety. My son does most of the night shifts so that his wife can get some sleep. She is breast feeding and this is the only time that Joe sleeps for very long as he cries a lot during the day due to his colic. How my son manages to do his job amazes me. He looks dreadful, he does all the cooking and shopping and makes sure that his wife gets rest at every opportunity. He is such a good husband and father I am in awe. But I worry that something will have to give.

When I stay I try to help as much as I can. I tried doing the night shift but my daughter-in-law was so worried that I would fall asleep she couldn't sleep either so it was a wasted attempt. I did the washing and cooked the evening meals and took Joe out as much as I could to give her a break but I was very aware that having another person in the house was putting a strain on things.

If I were to live nearby I would pop in and out when it suited them, as it is, I will have to stay away for a little while to give them space to work things out by themselves. I will miss Joe and I will worry about them all but at present I think this is the best thing to do.

AWWW

Just because every time I look at him it makes me smile (-:

Little Joe

On 12th August 2010 my beautiful grandson Joseph was born. He was long awaited as my son and his wife had previously lost two babies. He weighed in at a magnificent 10lb 1oz to the utter joy and delight of us all.

I cannot begin to say what his birth has meant to me, it has been one pure golden light at the end of a very long tunnel and I will bring you bulletins on a regular basis about his progress.

Unfortunately he is suffering from a lot of tummy pain at the moment and this is causing him and his parents some distress but he has been prescribed something by the doctor for reflux and so we are hoping things will soon settle down. Lack of sleep is causing anxiety for the mum and this in turn is causing my son concern for her.

The first few months are always hard with a new baby, especially the first and I wish them all the luck in the world with this marvellous little miracle.

Nature's Bounty

I have been having a tricky time just recently. I had my incapacity benefit suspended after a medical assessment under the new government ruling. At the time my Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit were also suspended. I therefore had no income of any kind which has been very worrying. I have been to the Council Offices, the CAB, the Job Centre, everywhere and anywhere in order to understand what benefits I should now apply for pending an appeal. The letters were all so ambiguous and I didn't know which form to fill in.

At the same time I had an exploratory procedure to determine whether some post menopausal bleeding was anything to worry about. The procedure showed up a thickening of the womb lining and I had to have a general anaesthetic to take a deeper look and a biopsy of the lining.

This has all been quite traumatic and on the day before my operation a friend was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer. This brought my own concerns to the fore and I was a bit emotional that evening.

The next day I heard that my Housing Benefit and Council Tax benefit had been re-instated which was a relief as my rent was pending. I went off for my op and the doctor says everything looks fine and although they took a biopsy he felt there was nothing to worry about. This was a great relief too.

So yesterday, a friend and I went for a long walk in the sunshine along the river Ouse, we saw Egrets and a Heron, shoals of Grey Mullet and Dippers skimming the water. The trees through the woods are starting to change colour and there is an abundance of berries of every kind. Blackberries, Elderberries, Rose Hips, and some beautiful translucent scarlet berries which I have since discovered are Guelder Rose Berries.





I even caught the sun on my face and I felt really lucky and glad to be alive on such a day.








Because of having to go into hospital I couldn't attend a friend's launch party for the Somerset Arts week Exhibition . She is an artist of the most exquisite kind see here . The Exhibition is from Saturday 18th September until 3rd October,11 am till 6pm. (closed Mondays) here

Escape to the country ...

I have recently had the pleasure of visiting my sister down in Dorset. It was a lovely yet emotional visit. My poor niece, who is suffering from some mysterious illness post Glandular Fever, made heroic efforts to be sociable and accompany me on sight seeing trips which of course she found exhausting. My son, who is at present suffering from a broken heart, also joined us and allowed me to be motherly and caring and although it was hard for him was comforted by being surrounded by a loving family. My brother and his daughter also came down and also my musical young nephew.

The week was clouded by fear for my sister's very poorly dog cocoa. Who at twelve and recently diagnosed with a tumour suddenly refused food or drink. Everyone prepared themselves for the worse when we took her to the vet but after a stay overnight and an anti-biotic rallied to her usual lovable self. Apparently she had an infection and all is well for the present.

While I was there my sister lent me a book which I have recently, reluctantly finished reading. It was a rare treat. An uplifting little book which was a cross between Cold Comfort Farm ( A favourite novel of mine) and a true historical account of life during occupation in WW2.

The Book is called The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, and was written by Mary Ann Shaffer (deceased) and finished by her niece Annie Barrows. It is a delightful story written in letter form, it is both warming and sad and also very funny. I felt as if I had actually met all the characters. I loved it!

I hope to return to Dorset very soon. I have such a wonderful family. When I am with them I feel as if I am in a book!

Seraphine

Last night I went with a close friend to see a film called 'Seraphine', it is a French film with subtitles, it is based on a true story about a simple cleaning woman in Northern France who has a rare artistic talent (played brilliantly by actress Yolande Moreau). Her canvases are discovered by chance by a famous German art critic, Wilhelm Uhde (Ulrich Tukur), when he happens to move to the area. He is already a champion for artists such as Picasso and Rousseau.

He begins purchasing and championing her work, though sadly his efforts on her behalf are interrupted by World War I.

After the war, the artist and her patron are reunited, with Seraphine finally achieving the fame and riches commensurate with her talents. Unfortunately, she's unable to handle her new found success and begins to suffer a devastating emotional unraveling which results in her admittance to a psychiatric hospital where she remains for the rest of her life.

Her name was Seraphine de Senlis and this is an example of her work, she made her own paints out of animal blood, flowers and candlewax and had no training at all - I think they are amazing.

Women's Aid

http://www.womensaid.org.uk/default.asp