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Date:2009-11-05 14:13
Subject:Baby Bee!
Security:Public


Baby Bee!
Originally uploaded by chloe & mark nightingale
Coming in May. Also, the reason why I haven't posted in a while. The first trimester was rough -- morning sickness and soooo tired. I was so tired, I needed to sleep more than Bert -- it was like being drugged! Hopefully, this will lessen during the second trimester (and probably return during the third).

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Date:2009-10-31 12:50
Subject:waning
Security:Public

I still have morning sickness, but it's getting better. Except yesterday, where it almost killed me. I've had it for over 6 weeks. With Bert, I only had it for 5. 5 weeks of permanent nausea. It was baaad then, but worse this time around, even though it comes and goes. At it's worst, I was stuck in bed for a few days. Sweet little Bert was so good, he didn't get upset or anything and was very good at entertaining himself and putting up with bland meals and lots of pasta. I'd wake up from a delirium nausea nap to find his books and toys laid out next to me. He'd bring me this wind-up music-box lion that was mine when I was a kid. I'd wind it up and hand it to him and he'd put it down facing me and patter away. Obviously, I adore him. He is so good to me.

Bert, 17 months, is still mostly in his 9-12 month clothes. There are some 12-18 month clothes that are starting to fit and 12-18 month trousers fit (because he is in cloth diapers). We were given a ton of second-hand clothes (so many, that I gave about 2/3 away to other new moms and still had a ton) that fit him until now, but we are just at the point where we are running out of clothes for him. Never fear, there is an NCT Nearly New Baby Sale in Glasgow in about 3 weeks. They are the best places to get second-hand baby everything. Their clothes are even cheaper than charity shop clothes. There was on in Helensburgh last month and we got Bert some baby uggs for £1.50, some fleece PJs for a couple bucks each, and a couple tops for 50p.  We hardly spent anything.  Mark even found a wee wooden chair for a pound.  This time, we really need to stock up on larger clothes -- the next one won't be for another 7-8 months.

Another Bert story. If you are on facebook, you already read it:
Bert and I have this routine where I take a large roll of tape, put it on his head, and say, "Prince Bertram."  Then I put it on my head and say, "Queen Chloe."  If Mark is around, he is "King Mark."  The other day when Mark was asleep in the other room, Bert crowned himself "Burr" (Bert), crowned me "Burr," and crowned the bowl of popcorn "Dada."

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Date:2009-10-25 20:20
Subject:Bitchfest.
Security:Public


On Sun, Oct 25, 2009 at 5:57 PM, G Kinnard wrote:
You're  "kind of mad" because of our last skype. Why? Because I stated my opinion & it differed from yours? I have bent over backwards to accommodate you. I acknowledged & accepted your complaints against me & apologized. Since then I have taken great care & have avoided that behavior. Still, you are not satisfied. I was willing to meet you MORE than half way & it's not enough. It appears that you expect total subservience. That's not fair, Chloe.



Guenn,

I am sick and tired of your little annoying insults -- you know very well that I do not like Anne and Auntie Margaret's hair, so stop pretending you don't understand why I was angry and that you were just stating your opinion.  You have been making fun of my haircuts for the last year.  Unlike Chantel, I cannot afford to go to a salon and get an expensive haircut -- hell, I can't even afford to get a cheap haircut!  Mark and I cannot afford to squander our cash -- our income at the moment only barely meets our expenses and we cannot afford to blow our money on expensive and unnecessary things.  We want to have enough money to pay the rent without dipping into our savings or racking up debt -- after all, we have Bert to take care of [-------].  We are just trying to be financially responsible. 

Bent over backwards my fucking ass -- after the way you treated us the last time you were here, you're lucky we talk to you at all!  You were rude, embarrassing, almost permanently drunk, insulting, mean, and hugely melodramatic.  You screamed at us in public and walked out on us in the middle of two restaurants.  It seems like you think if you are slightly less bitchy than usual for a little while that you can wheedle your way back into our good books, but we're not the chumps you think we are.  The only reason I skype you and continue to put up with your nit-picking and your little jabs is because Bert likes skype so much and I like to make Bert happy.  If you want to "meet me over half way," give up drinking and stop being so mean.  Before you visited us, you said you would never drink or smoke around a baby and then you were drinking and smoking a lot of the time -- I even smelled booze on your breath in the mornings!  All of our other visitors here at [B----] have been less trouble and less stressful -- even when they were staying with us. 

I have not asked for total subservience, I just expect us to be treated with dignity and respect and will not accept anything less.  Do not act as if I am being unfair to expect that.

Chloe

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Date:2009-10-14 09:04
Subject:poop -- a TMI story
Security:Public

Yesterday, at the grocry store -- I don't know if it's because I at too much or because the chips (fries) tasted funny or because I am just sick, but I had the most painful gas and diarrhea.  I was distracted enough while shopping to forget pretzels and crackers, but when we were in line checking out, I had to give the coupons and stuff to Mark and run to the bathroom.  My guts were cramping so badly.  Anyway, then we have to hurry to the train station and on the way, oh, yes, I get hit with cramps again, but I know there is no toilet until the ferry.  So I hobble-run, carrying Bert, to the train, consider the benefits of shitting myself on the train (like ending the cramps), hobble to the ferry.

Finally, the Seabus arrives and we board.  I hand Bert over to Mark (who has a huge rucksack full of groceries and 3 huge bag for life bags of groceries and run to the toilet.  Phew.  I feel like I am in there forever, but at this point, I am finally all emptied out.

I still felt ill and nauseous when I got home, so I was lying down.  Mark was in the kitchen doing dishes and keeping an eye on Bert when Bert somehow managed to liberate a wee packet of crisps (potato chips) from the table.  He came running into the living room, where I was lying down, with the biggest sweetest grin on his face and handed me the packet of crisps.  The sight of food made me want to crumple, cringe, cramp, and hurl. I buried my face in my pillow and begged Mark to take Bert away.  They shared the packet of crisps in the kitchen.

But later, when Bert was asleep and I was feeling only slightly nauseous, instead of incredibly nauseous, I felt really guilty for burying my face in my pillow when Bert was obviously overjoyed to share a packet of crisps with me.  Bert woke up in the middle of the night and I let him sleep with me for the rest of the night.  He is nice and cuddly.  And I apologised to him for not being very excited about the potato crisps.

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Date:2009-09-03 12:07
Subject:Quilting
Security:Public

We don't get many crafting shows with our Sky package, but there is one that I've been watching -- Quilt in a Day.  www.quiltinaday.com is the site that goes with the show, surprisingly. Suddenly, I have quilting fever.  The host, Eleanor, almost never uses pins and has all these great tricks for getting your corners to match up without having to hand stitch or pin and such.  I had no idea ironing seams made such a difference in piecing stuff together.  A couple years ago, I was given a box of tartan scraps and I am going to use the smaller ones for a patchwork/random/crazy quilt.

I found some Gingher pinking shears and sewing scissors on ebay and they should arrive today or tomorrow.  They were loads cheaper than retail.  Nicey.

Also, I love the show Bones.  It cracks me up. 
Oh, and I totally gave my mom the what-for when she phoned yesterday asking why we didn't want her to visit.

Bought 10kgs of Iranian dates and am waiting for them to arrive.  Can I get an OM NOM NOM?

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Date:2009-08-15 19:03
Subject:
Security:Public

Also, tomorrow is our 10 year wedding anniversary.  We will be celebrating it like we do every year -- by doing nothing.  At least this year, one of us remembered.  We couldn't remember what day it was for ages. 

For those of you who didn't know, we got married in court in the morning in Mercer County, PA, <lj user = "daintress"> and her husband were the witnesses.  Daintress lent me an old blue brooch and gave me something new (white shoes? or an angel bracelet?) so I could do the whole old/new/borrowed/blue thing.
ETA:  I never finished the recap of our wedding -- the point is that it was not a big deal.  Being together and being married is a big deal to us, just not the wedding.  After all the immigration crap we had to go through to get permission to get married, the wedding felt like applying for a driver's license.

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Date:2009-08-15 18:43
Subject:
Security:Public

Why the hell was there a TICK hanging from my son's arm when I took his shirt off?  We haven't been outside in over 48 hours and we live on the second floor!  FUCKING nasty.  nastier than my nasty fungal toe.  I've never found a tick on me.

ETA:  Wait, there was a tick on my crotch years ago on a road trip.  I thought I had crabs and freaked out, wondering how the hell I got crabs, only to find out months later it was a tick.

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Date:2009-08-12 20:55
Subject:PBJ
Security:Public

Just made Bert his first peanut-butter and jelly sandwich (on whole wheat bread) right now and he is really enjoying it.  (I found some sugarless/all-fruit blueberry jam at the store and it is delicious.) 

Bert has started giving me "back rubs" where he alternates between smacking my shoulders and hugging me from behind.  He started it one day when I asked Mark to rub my shoulders (after I returned from the grocery store with some very heavy bags) and now he will randomly crawl over and start giving me a "back rub!"

I am really behind on LJ.

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Date:2009-07-19 16:46
Subject:Chloe's Cow Peas
Security:Public

Soak cow peas (aka black-eyed peas) overnight. Drain.

Boil a pot of water with:
cow peas
any greens or any green or white cabbage or kale
jalapeño
bay leaf
(stewed tomatoes or coconut milk)

Oil up a pan and fry:
finely diced onion
shredded carrot
(celery)
equal parts garlic and ginger

Put a ladle of liquid from the pot into the pan to deglase and add contents of pan to pot.

Add Chloe's Cajun Blend (recipe follows) to pot. Salt to taste.

Roast in oven: halved and deseeded (green) bell peppers (cut side down) with a smidge of olive oil.
Remove from oven when pepper skins are starting to brown, slice into strips, and stir into pot.

At this point, your cow peas will probably have been cooking for about 40 minutes or so. You want to boil them for at least an hour and you want the liquid in the pot to be nice and thick and opaque.

Serve with rice or millet.

Chloe's Cajun Blend:
Paprika
Cumin
Chili Powder
Thyme
Oregano
dash Turmeric
(and garlic, ginger, and a bay leaf, but you already added those!)

(As far as portions go, quantities are up to you, but I like at least a cup of soaked cow peas, half a carrot, a quarter of an onion, half a cup of shredded cabbage, and one bell pepper per person.)

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Date:2009-07-19 09:29
Subject:tfbbq.
Security:Public

So, I applied for citizenship in March and have heard nothing until Wednesday, when I received a letter that basically asked why I bothered applying when I had been arrested for assault and had a pending prosecution and they should refuse my application for being deceptive.

So I wrote back, explaining I hadn't been arrested, there was no impending prosecution, I'd paid a £50 fixed penalty (that did not count as a conviction) to have the matter dropped, and it said in their application guidelines I didn't have to mention fixed penalties.  And I sent them lots of paperwork and receipts.

Sheesh.

Also, http://www.facebook.com/bompkins

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Date:2009-07-11 17:16
Subject:hexagons on the tongue
Security:Public


hexagons on the tongue
Originally uploaded by chloe & mark nightingale

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Date:2009-07-07 19:07
Subject:shocked she attracted gimps
Security:Public


shocked she attracted gimps
Originally uploaded by chloe & mark nightingale
Hi, everybody!

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Date:2009-06-24 17:56
Subject:Bye-Bye, Alma. We will miss you!
Security:Public


Kinnard Family Reunion many many years ago.
Originally uploaded by chloe & mark nightingale
My awesome grammie died. She had 7 kids and was a domestic and crafting goddess. Rumour has it, she made EVERY SINGLE RECIPE in the Joy of Cooking cookbook.

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Date:2009-06-21 10:02
Subject:Stop it.
Security:Public


Stop it.
Originally uploaded by chloe & mark nightingale

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Date:2009-06-18 21:40
Subject:towards the end of a long day
Security:Public


towards the end of a long day
Originally uploaded by chloe & mark nightingale
Bert woke up in the middle of the night last night, so I let him sleep with me and this morning, I could tell he was awake, but I was tired and was pretending to still be asleep in case he decided to have mercy on me and fall back asleep, too. He didn't, but he crawled on top of me and gave me a big wet open-mouthed kiss. It was so sweet, I could have cried. It absolutely made my morning. I really love that kid.

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Date:2009-06-17 08:06
Subject:inspiring potatoes
Security:Public


inspiring potatoes
Originally uploaded by chloe & mark nightingale

Sometimes I think I lead a charmed life or something -- I was shopping for groceries yesterday and went over to have a wee nosy in the tray of the guy who marks down produce and he marked down 2 packs of bok choi and 2 packs of salad onions (like green onions with big juicy bulbs) to 10p each for me!! I also got a 20p green cabbage and 3 bell peppers (2 red, 1 green) for 20p and a bag of oranges for 25p from the reduced shelf -- the bounty was plentiful! The dude basically dropped everything to help me pick out cheap veg and was beaming when I thanked him and called him a sweetheart.

I saved over £8 on veg! And made tabbouleh last night.

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Date:2009-06-11 20:57
Subject:Bert's food diary...
Security:Public


smile
Originally uploaded by chloe & mark nightingale
I've typed up some of Bert's food diary. Basically, I let him eat as much or as little as he wants and don't force him to eat anything he doesn't like. He is not a picky eater at all and he usually eats a ton. On top of this, I give him diluted apple juice and breastfeed him 2-3 times a day. I like to try to give him a protein, a grain, and fruit or veg at every meal. Certain grains like millet, buckwheat, and quinoa, are actually seeds, so they have a lot of protein & amino acids in them already.
Have a butcher's:

9 May
parsley-hummous
2 wild garlic pancakes, blackberry pancake
tofu
broccoli-buckwheat
banana
tropical porridge
1-1/2 rich tea biscuits (my husband Mark likes to share biscuits with him -- it is probably the only "naughty" food I let him have)

10 May
avocado, shallot, and nutritional yeast flakes sandwich on w/w bread
broccoli-buckwheat
1/2 digestive biscuit
1/2 small potato
banana
rye bread
a few spoonfuls of my organic puffed brown rice (cereal) and soymilk

11 May
tropical porridge
banana
beetroot-potato-tofu-shallot salad (w/ flaxseed oil)
1/2 digestive biscuit
rice

12 May
banana
miso soup w/ rice
rice w/ tomato sauce
toasted rye w/ margarine (I use Sunflower Pure -- it's not hydrogenated) and treacle
nibble of malt loaf
spicy garbanzos (chick peas) w/ onion, wild garlic greens, carrot, & w/w couscous
1-1/2 digestive biscuits
rye bread

13 May
1-1/2 bananas
wild garlic & walnut pesto w/ nutritional yeast flakes on rye
cucumber with a dab of olive oil
broccoli hot pot
toasted rye w/ marg and treacle
a wee bit more broccoli hot pot w/ tomato sauce
a few spoonfuls of my organic puffed brown rice (cereal) and soymilk
1/2 digestive biscuit
oatmeal & raisins

14 May
kiwi fruit
banana
w/w (whole wheat) couscous & tomato sauce
broccoli hot pot
soy yoghurt
w/w pasta w/ spinach, shallot, garlic, olive oil, and wild garlic & walnut pesto

16 May
1-1/2 bananas
(a TON of) tropical porridge and flaxseed oil
(a TON of) spicy rice, curried dahl (red lentils) with tomatoes, onion, and olive oil
digestive biscuit

24 May
banana
rice & tomato dahl cury
sweet potato
potato-pea-pesto mash

26 May
pea-potato mash
tofu (Bert is wild about tofu, so I give cubes of it to him as a snack)
rye bread w/ marg and treacle
broccoli-tomato rice
apricot-peach-apple sauce
soya yoghurt

27 May
rye bread w/ marg
broccoli-tomato rice
tofu and brussel sprouts
baked beans
pear

28 May
oatmeal-w/w bread
banana
tofu
curried potatoes
miso soup w/ rice and wakame seaweed
spicy okra in tomato sauce
pear
oatcake

29 May
banana
mini whole wheat date scone (I made healthy scones for his birthday)
tofu
oatmeal-w/w bread
spice soup (chili, tomato, onion, carrot, celery, courgette -- more of a thick stew, really)
rice

30 May (his first birthday)
pear
banana
blueberries & soya yoghurt
2 mini w/w scones
spice soup and rice
tofu
gazpacho soup (thick -- like the way they do it in Seville) with w/w bread

31 May
mini w/w scone
2 bananas
blueberries
gazpacho soup with w/w bread
w/w toast & all-fruit raspberry jam (unsweetened/no sugar or sweeteners)
tofu

1 June
mini w/w scone
tofu
banana
avocado hummous (mmm!)
gazpacho soup & w/w bread
cucumber
smoothie (banana-blueberry-tofu-soya yoghurt)
pear
small potato

2 June
avocado hummous on w/w bread
2 wee potatoes
1-1/2 bananas
more avocado hummous
stewed okra & tomatoes
apricot-peach-apple sauce
organic brown puffed rice & a dab of soya milk

3 June
avocado hummous & nutritional yeast flakes on w/w bread
banana
borscht veggies (beet carrot, celery, onion) w/ olive oil, dill, and black pepper
organic brown puffed rice & soya milk
rice & tomato sauce
pear

5 June
avocado hummous on w/w bread
banana
beet & potato salad (w/ cider vinegar, olive oil, and ground coriander) <--this is a northern African recipe I recently discovered
broccoli-rice with a smidge of tomato sauce
tofu

7 June
quinoa with tomatoes, carrot, mushroom, celery, cabbage, and onion
w/w toast with all-fruit jam
w/w toast with marg and marmite
sweet potato
banana
garlic-ginger-chili millet with shallots and cilantro (fresh coriander)
roasted beets with olive oil, lemon, shallot, rosemary, garlic, and black pepper
tofu
digestive biscuit

10 June
w/w toast with all-fruit jam
w/w toast with marg and marmite
banana
tofu
broccoli-rice with a dab of tomato sauce
smoothie (banana, soya yoghurt, kiwi, mixed frozen berries)
digestive biscuit

11 June
w/w toast with all-fruit jam
w/w toast with marg and marmite
banana
tofu
broccoli-rice with a dab of curried dahl
Aloo Bhajia (curried fried potatoes)
smoothie (banana, soya yoghurt, kiwi, mixed frozen berries)

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Date:2009-06-02 14:10
Subject:
Security:Public

P.S.  Last night I had a dream that Ben from LOST picked a huge basket of strawberries for me.  Mmmmmm.  I like strawberries.

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Date:2009-06-02 13:24
Subject:another healthy eating adventure
Security:Public


another healthy eating adventure
Originally uploaded by chloe & mark nightingale
cunningly hidden toe fungus

Um.. Wow. Bert had a vaccination today and the health visitor (the one who had been worried he was anaemic) started off by asking me about rice milk -- she gave me a pamphlet that says it contains levels of arsenic that are too high for kids. Well, anyway, she has done a total 180 on the Bert-food thing! I've been writing down what I feed Bert each day and she was really impressed ("ooh, wild garlic pancakes!"). THEN she asked if I'd mind talking to some sort of student who needs to give a presentation on young children in Scotland who actually eat healthy food because Bert is a great example of a healthy well-fed kid. She said it is so hard to get people to feed their kids well and to breastfeed and that we are in the middle of a childhood obesity epidemic in this country and maybe I could talk to that student and the nutritionist about what I feed Bert so that they could pass that information along to other parents. I said if she was interested (and she was), I'd be happy to type up my baby food recipes and even try to note down "cheat" (simpler) versions for people who can't cook or don't fancy making absolutely everything from scratch.

Since the country bus only comes once an hour and we had time to kill, I took Bert to a different bus stop in Kilcreggan where there was a tree and a patch of grass. I used the wrap I carry him in as a makeshift picnic blanket and we sat in the shade on the grass and shared a banana. I was worried he might high-tail it and crawl away or something, but Bert was very well behaved.

Also, I am treating my mild toe fungus with tea tree oil (seems to be working, but it's a long slow process growing out a big toenail). And, as you can see, I taught myself how to knit socks. This one is from my second pair. I dyed the mostly-purple yarn myself.

I made some avocado hummous yesterday (and served it in little endive/chicory boats with cucumber) and I still have some leftover. I am going to make a beet, potato, and red onion salad (with olive oil, dill, and cider vinegar) this afternoon. Hmmm, maybe I'll make a carrot-onion-beet salad with a mustard dressing, too. Or I could cook some barley and make a barley-celery salad. So many choices.

Bert is being super cute, I gotta go!

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Date:2009-05-30 08:14
Subject:say what?
Security:Public


say what?
Originally uploaded by chloe & mark nightingale
yellow card for overcelebration

Happy first birthday, Bert!

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