Ode to Breastfeeding

I was once told, by a man I must point out, that I have boobs that a lesbian would like... hmmm go figure - what type of boobs does a lesbian like? (Probably not gonna live that one down am I?)  Well I would have never, in my wildest dreams, even considered telling the whole world that in my very private pre-breastfeeding days, but after a grand total of 53 months breastfeeding two children I feel a whole lot more comfortable with my boobs and talking about them.  Not that I plan on talking about them now per say, but rather of my experience in using them to breastfeed - in my own ode to breastfeeding if you like!

Looking back I was probably one of the least likely people to breastfeed babies if it went on how comfortable I was with talking about my girlie bits.  Yes those things are attached to my chest but it didn't mean I wanted to talk about them or have a baby latched onto one because that might mean I had to get it out in public.

I'm not sure what swayed me to breastfeed... I guess ultimately it was falling pregnant that changed my mind.  Surely what came out of my body would be better for my future bub than what came out of a tin - no matter how scientifically it was put together.  Not to mention much cheaper and a hell of a lot more convenient - at the very least I wouldn't have to get up in the middle of the night, flail around in the darkness trying to make a bottle of correct temperature formula and then later, much later try and fall back asleep. 

I definitely read something put out by The World Health Organisation, that said, breastfeeding for the first two years of life was the best start for baby.  A random blow-in clinic nurse later pointed out this may have applied more to third world mothers. However, I had already decided that this would be my aim - two years of breastfeeding.  Given what I've already written you would think this was a highly ambitious plan wouldn't you?  A big ask for someone who originally didn't think getting her boobs out in public, even with a real purpose was for her in any shape or form!

So my first teeny weeny baby was extracted from my belly 15 days overdue.  It was kind of weird trying to get her to latch onto my boob - blind leading the blind really.  I was super tired after the C-section and then the nurse put the baby in the bed with me and I didn't get a wink of sleep at all.  Was this what the next 18 years was going to be like? 

I remember while I was in the hospital, I was about to start breastfeeding when my lovely (I mean that sincerely) father-in-law walked in.  He kinda just stood there... maybe he thought I was like every other breastfeeding mum, who was used to getting their boobies out in front of anyone... but so early in the peace, I just couldn't get the girls out in front of my husband's father.  It just wasn't right!!

My little Chynna doll was trouble, trouble, trouble on the breastfeeding front.  You would think that for something that needed breastmilk to survive that she would figure out pretty quickly what she needed to do to get the milk.  But no, not my little Chynna.  She squawked and screamed and moaned and fidgeted and woke up like a thousand times during the night.  Being first time parents, my husband, Ryan and I assumed she wasn't getting enough milk and so the breastfeeding saga commenced.  You might ask if I thought about bottle feeding my little darling and the answer is yes.  We tried so hard, but she simply refused to take the bottle, no matter which teat or bottle shape we used or who fed her.  She was hell bent on breastfeeding while lamenting it at the same time!

I remember going to the Breastfeeding Centre at King Edward Hospital with my sister.  She was my moral support for getting out of the house with a screaming baby in tow.  The appointment was going well and the nice lactation consultant lady was answering all my questions, then she said how about we check your supply.  She hooked me up to a heavy duty electric pump with TWO PUMPS - oh the indignity of it all!  Luckily by this time I had no shame in getting my boobs out, although I am not sure how my dear sister kept a straight face... maybe she knew I would burst into tears if even a smirk threatened to make an appearance on her face.  Milk supply - excellent!

Luckily at the time I also had an A-M-A-Z-I-N-G clinic health nurse (Michelle).  We had a really nice connection and I appreciated what she had to say about babies and life.  She never made me feel like a nitwit, as per many horror stories I have heard from friends about their clinic nurses.  I remember at one appointment asking, what happens when my boobs run out of milk and the baby is still hungry?  She calmly informed me that the humble breast makes milk instantaneously as required, in fact she explained the whole mechanism i.e. a nifty hormone called Prolactin causes your alveoli to take nutrients from your blood supply and turn them into breast milk!  So I never feared that my munchkin wasn't getting enough milk ever again.  She was just a whingey, fussy baby - who loved the sound of her own racket, that and in hindsight, she may have been suffering silent reflux for the first six months of her life.  

My daughter and I finally managed to get it together and work more as a team after an incredibly trying first six months.  I actually started to look forward to night feeds, because it was quiet and I had no pressure to do anything else, like washing anything.  I could just cradle my beautiful baby girl, watch her gorgeous face and enjoy her snuggly warmth (unless it was the middle of summer of course!).

As the two year mark approached, I started to feel quite apprehensive about giving up breastfeeding.  I had worked myself down to one feed during the last year, but I wasn't sure how I was going to go or more importantly, how Chynna was going to go with no boobie to settle her at night.  Of course, she was fine and never looked back.  While I was a little sad, I knew I would breastfeed again.  I was also really glad to get my boobs back to myself and the cessation of a feed before bedtime was a big plus because it certainly made that whole routine shorter.  I could put my feet up sooner.

A few years later my bouncing baby boy was extracted from my belly.  From the get-go he was a joy - placid, relaxed and easy to feed.  For his first feed, I lifted him to my breast and forgot he was a newborn and not a two year old.  The nurse gently reminded me about helping him latch on, but he did a pretty good job by himself.  I got the  hang of it again pretty quickly.  In the hospital all types of different feeding positions were suggested, yet as before none of them felt comfortable to me.  I had a single feeding position in my repertoire and that was the cradle hold.

Big problems began just days after Mr Sabin came home.  He began writhing about in what appeared to be pain, he had an inconsolable cry and worst of all, started vomiting after just about every feed.  Not little spit ups either - the entire contents of his stomach would often make an appearance all over me.  Luckily it was just milk, but it was warm, gooey and sometimes smelly - so it was highly unpleasant and extremely anxiety inducing.  He is the only person who has ever thrown up in my hair - because not even I have done that.

So began the search for what was wrong with my newest edition.  I googled the problem and came up with reflux.  Everyone I suggested this to, had a reason why it was not reflux.  I thought I was going out of my brain - I no longer had my original clinic nurse and my relationship with my current nurse was a work in progress.  She came to my house and watched me feed Sabin, suggesting he was a piggie or that I had too much milk and that I should phone the Breastfeeding Centre at King Edward Hospital.  I did this and they again refuted my claims of reflux and recommended a different feeding position - keeping Sabin more upright and me more reclined to slow the flow of milk.  It was awkward to say the least and did nothing to fix my problem.

I did learn, however that if a lactating mother has a diet too low in fat, her baby will not get enough nutrition from her milk.  This set off alarm bells in my head.  When I was feeding my baby girl, I was on my super low saturated fat MS diet.  Maybe she was just continually hungry (and suffering from silent reflux).  Hindsight is always twenty twenty!  Luckily at this time, that diet was on hold and had been for some time.

Eventually I got an appointment with the paediatrician, who had seen Sabin while we were in hospital.  I made sure I had a list of all reflux symptoms and all of Sabin's symptoms so I could argue my case as I expected to be rebuffed.  He looked at me about to read my list and said I can tell you the symptoms of reflux because I have been treating it for twenty years, does your baby have this and he reeled off a list of symptoms.  I felt so relieved that he had heard me when so many people hadn't because Sabin didn't do something associated with reflux or did something which meant he couldn't possibly have reflux.  Anti-climatically what this all meant was that Sabin started Losec medication and kept breastfeeding.  He continued to chuck his guts up on me for the next six months usually at the most inopportune time - like when I was all made up ready to hit the town, or getting Chynna ready for school in the morning or when a friend was holding him - ugly is all I can say!  But he was no longer in pain.

We continued to feed during the night until about the third or fourth month when Sabin just stopped waking up.  I also learned that he often wriggled in his bassinet from around 4.30am, but this did not mean he was hungry.  Eventually we could no longer deal with all the snuffling and little kitten noises, so we moved him into his own room. 

Before I knew it Sabin and I were down to one feed before bed.  I think if he had of been the one to select which feed he kept between the morning and the night feed, he would have picked the morning.  He just seemed to feed best in the morning, probably due to hunger, but his concentration span was also longer.  I often found at night he would just have one side and then hurry off to see what his sister was doing, leaving me a bit lop-sided.  I could have probably said good bye to feeding at this time... but I wasn't ready.

As it started to approach Sabin's second birthday, I started to think more about “quitting”.  My husband was very keen for me to give it away.  But I wasn't mentally up for the challenge.  Stopping breastfeeding meant that Sabin was no longer my baby, but my growing toddler.  And as Sabin was likely my last baby it also meant arrivederci breastfeeding for good.  A chapter of my reproductive life - one where my body felt like it was doing what it was meant to be doing was coming to an end.

It took a good two and a half months of telling Sabin we were going to stop breastfeeding before it occurred.  I told myself many times, that this is it - this is the last feed, but the following night I did it again.  In the end my husband helped me along by putting Sabin to bed one night before I came home from yoga.  He didn't miss me or my boobie juice and Ryan tells me that he counselled Sabin appropriately.  So the next night he went without and it just went from there.  There were no fireworks on that last night - or anything that made it memorable.  I think in some small way I was looking for a perfect end to my breastfeeding era, but perfect is just that - perfect and unattainable.

So there you go - my ode to breastfeeding.  I am very lucky I had such polite feeders - who didn't bite me - thanks my little darlings.  

Lastly I want to add that I totally respect that many mothers choose formula over breast for lots of reasons.  I could have easily been that mum myself.  I am glad I didn't give up in those first six months - they were daunting and scary times, but the rewards for me in the end were far greater in so many millions of ways than those fleeting emotional states.  If you are starting out on your breastfeeding journey, good luck and enjoy!



PS Sorry regulars (if I have any - how presumptuous of me) I have been writing my research proposal in my spare moments and have not dedicated much time to my blog... apologies I will try harder to do both. 

MS Cognitive Issues and News Years Resolutions

During last year I attended a newly diagnosed session at the MS Society of WA.  While I was not newly diagnosed (thank God and for an explanation perhaps look back at this post, http://lumpycustard101.blogspot.com/2011/02/newly-diagnosed-seminar.html) I was new to medication.  Being the most conscientious note taking nerd that I know - I took notes and made sure to highlight the fact that the MSWA Occupational Therapy Department did cognitive testing.  At the time and still to this day, my brain does not function the way it used to pre-MS.  These cognitive issues are also post-babies, as I don't really remember having the cognitive slip-ups I do now back then pre-babies, which was about three year post MS diagnosis. Conundrum?  Nope, not in my sometimes sketchy mind.  MS equals cognitive dysfunction, especially since I've been getting regular uninterrupted sleep for a year and a half now and those pesky cognitive problems have not disappeared!

Hearing this piece of information about the Occupational Therapy Department piqued my interested.  I was very keen to have some testing done just to prove to myself that I wasn't a complete imbecile (or suffering early onset Alzeheimers) since I was forgetting the simplest of and frequently used words, like, "Can you get the knives and thingos and set the table."  Or the next day forgetting half of the movie I had just seen the night before, or perhaps not so easily following a convoluted movie plot.  Or worse still, forgetting details of growing up that I previously prided myself on remembering and recalling.  I told myself to remember this info because I couldn't use the service immediately as I was about to commence my most feared, fourth year statistics unit at university.  I didn't dare undermine my confidence in my brain's ability anymore than was absolutley necessary.

Lets just clear up what cognition actually is shall we.  “Cognition” refers to the mind’s ability to recognize, organize, store, and recall information.  MS can impede the parts of the brain whose job it is to perform these tasks.  Everyone naturally has different abilities or strengths and weaknesses in cognition, but changes in cognition, however mild, occur in 45 to 60 percent of people with MS.  I have read estimates as high as 70 percent and occuring in up to 50 percent of recently diagnosed cases.  However only 10 percent of people with MS can expect severe cognitive impairment.  Most MS cognitive impairment is not progressive, so while it may feel like we MSers are losing our minds (like stacks of other people minus the MS) we are not and the impairment is usually limited to certain types of cognitive problems like a reduction in mental sharpness, multitasking, processing speed, problems solving and word finding etc.  Currently there is no medication to assist specifically with cognitive impairment in MS, although there are some in the early research stages.

Do those statistics make me feel any better - knowing that so many of us with MS will suffer the same types of cognitive issues?  Does it help knowing when I am out with a group of friends and I am doing the talking, but can't remember a word or punch line instantaneously that up to 70 percent of my fellow MSers may be in the same situation?  Nope, no siree I still feel like a twat!  And I still feel like this around my friends who know I have MS.

Anyhow when I finished that fourth year stats unit (and did stupidly well at), I called the MSWA  Occupational Therapy Department to make an appointment to have some cognitive testing done.  It was all really simple and straight forward...  certainly nothing to loose any sleep over.  The screening tool that was used was the Screening Evaluation for Cognition Impairment (SEFCI), which was designed specifically for peeps with MS.  Within it's scope, memory, thinking speed, problem solving and word knowledge were tested.  The SEFCI is a standardised test and has a high degree of accuracy in predicting the likelihood of cognitive change.

My results were all rather positive and did not suggest any significant change in my cognitive functioning as a result of MS.  As I was writing the above paragraph, I remembered what was said in a lecture about psychologocal testing (a unit I completed about a year ago) which was that I would no longer be able to be psychologically tested because I would know what to expect.  I did know what to expect and I knew the best ways to do some of the tests.  Did this affect my results?  Surely.  But I will take the tact of the manager of Occupational Therapy, which is that, yes I am noticing changes in how I process and recall information, but that these changes are subtle and do not impact on my routine.

The manager highlighted that being hyper aware of every little thing I forget is not helpful and that everyone forgets things.  During a conversation that is flowing rapidly along I wouldn't notice someone forgetting a word or two - in fact I can't recall a conversation where someone else forgot a word.  Surprise surprise, I can remember me doing it though!  She also notes that being tense and stressed can have a negative impact on cognitive functioning, ie being worried about my ability to perform in a conversation.

As I have aspirations of being a psychologist I asked the manager what my prospects would be considering I will need to keep up with a clients conversation.  It just so happened that a neuropsychologist was visiting MSWA and my results were discussed.  The neuropsychologist emphasised recent research that suggests you can help yourself by adopting good "brain health" strategies early and these may help delay MS taking hold of cognitive functioning.  There are five strategies and they are pretty generic, common sensey and are probably useful in delaying the normal aging process. Here they are:

1. Exercise: of the huffing and puffing variety that no one loves, to get extra oxygen into your brain.
2. Mental stimulation: do things that make you think - it could be work related or fun.
3. Immunotherapies (ok so perhaps not this one for delaying the aging process) continue using treatments as recommended by your neurologist.
4. Good nutrition: 5 serves of veggies and 2 serves of fruit.
5. Social supports: spend time building and nuturing relationships.  Social participation is essential!

I would add another one to this - get on top of anxiety, stress and depression as these are also issues that can potentially impact on how you perform cognitively.

So wanna know what my New Year Resolution is?  Stop being super aware of myself forgetting words, because probably no one else really cares except for me.  I will try the laugh it off method if I am with friends who know I have MS and also the MS blame game.  But if I am not with friends who know I have MS, I will employ good stress managing techniques, like breathing through anxiety or to just bluff my way through a conversation.... I guess it has worked until now.  I will try to just let these episodes go, not replay them over in my mind a trillion times and most importantly I am not going to let these minor mishaps stop me from talking.  I love talking!

My second (and last) New Years resolution is a whole lot less complicated... chewing my food!!

Thanks for reading!

One Year of Copaxone

Wow, can you believe it?  I hardly can.  I have now injected myself with Mr C 370 times... For those of you scratching your head as to what this milestone is, I have been injecting Copaxone for Multiple Sclerosis for a whole year.

I can remember being utterly devastated at the news given to me by my neurologist just over a year ago now.  I had come to accept I had MS, but mostly, from day to day, I could ignore it and get on with my life without anyone really needing to know about it.  I only had sensory symptoms - weird tingling, buzzing and sometimes a first thing in the morning Lhermitte's sign.  Most of these symptoms I put down to other things.  Once I was chatting to my husband about the tingling you get after exercise and he looked at me funny and said, well that must be an MS thing.  So, as you can imagine being told by my neuro that I had some activity going on in my brain (I'm pretty sure he didn't mean thinking!) and that I needed to start medication to calm the inflammation down, spelt out the worst impending doom in my book.

I was point blank, scared out of my wits.  I think while I managed to keep a lovely calm exterior, internally I was preparing for the worst.  I read up about Mr C on the net and found a multitude of nasty symptoms to email my neuro about... he replied calmly and sensibly (of course)... but how could all those opinions be wrong?  Yet I knew I had a responsibility to my young family to stay as healthy as possible for as long as possible, thus I knew I would start Mr C and persevere with it.

I remember C day clearly, as if it was yesterday in fact.  My family were all at home and we ever so patiently waited for the MS nurse from MSWA to arrive.  She came in a little white car, was really tall and introduced herself as Ann.  She spent a very long time talking through our concerns in a laconic, yet laid back style.  She knew what she was talking about and this put my mind at ease.  But then it came time for her to give me my first injection.  It seemed to me like she dawdled, dragging it out, when all I wanted her to do was press the auto inject and fire Mr C through my skin and into my fat cells.  I guess time slows when you are experiencing extreme anxiety.  When she finally did press the button, what I felt was nothing like a bee sting, which would have required that I jump up and down and swear quite a lot.  About a minute later a slow burn commenced and a red spot developed.  The red spot grew and finally developed into a welt.

In the beginning, my injections didn’t tickle, but were nothing like a bee sting.  I rotated my injection sites as suggested and would do my stomach, hips and thighs.  I was advised not to do the backs of my arms, firstly because how can you inject the back of your upper arms and secondly because I like to wear sleeveless tops.  The injection sites usually turned into big welts, which lasted a few days.  Sometimes, a few days after the welts disappeared the site would begin to itch.  But you know what, I don't get the welts now, the injections don't sting at all - in fact sometimes the only way I know I have given myself the injection is to check the syringe is empty and unless I am doing a completely new injection site, I don't itch either.  I have given up doing my thighs, because I don't want to risk the dreaded lipoatrophy or pots holes on my thighs because I like to wear bathers/swimmers/a swim suit/cossie/togs in summer and it winter too, for the kids swimming lessons.  I try my hardest to rotate injection sites on my stomach and hips, but I'm a bit too lazy to do the whole diagram thing and mark the exact location of the injection to make sure I don't hit that spot again in four days’ time.  I also know that when I keep a list about certain things I will become obsessive about them... and I don't need that crazy business going on right now.

So since being on Mr C I have had one full MRI of my spinal cord and brain.  My neuro was unconcerned by a small lesion which was not active and did not request that I come in and see him.  I took that to mean Mr C was doing his job and would remain in his fulltime permanent position as a decoy for my immune system.  I have another MRI booked for June/July.  I'm not concerned as currently I have no new symptoms.

So what have I learned in this year of daily injections?  I have learned that there are a lot of websites and social media pages out there that obviously want to help people with MS, but do no more than breed fear through inaccurate information and personal opinion.  I have learnt that many people with MS do not know much about their disease and therefore are frightened by going to these websites and pages.  I have learnt that many people on such websites and social media pages will only talk about their WORST experiences with MS and MS medication.  I have learnt that the average Jo or Joe does not necessarily know the things that I have learnt this last year - that personal experience and opinion does not equal fact about MS.

If you are reading this and you have MS, I beg you to go to highly regarded and well known MS websites where facts about Multiple Sclerosis are recorded and read up on them. Your homework is to get to know your disease.  If you are feeling mentally strong enough, then brave the websites and social media pages where fellow MS-ers write about their personal experiences and voice their opinions.  But if you are feeling fragile then I would suggest that these opinions and personal experiences are not a good place to be.  After all, your personal experience will be different to everyone else - because you are different.  You are not going to know how something will affect you until you have experienced it yourself!

Shall I get off my soapbox now?

I just think about all the worry and concern I spent pondering what might happen when I started Mr C, such as gaining weight and know now that I could have saved myself a whole lot of mental anguish.  I bet many of those people who put on weight while taking Mr C, just started eating more or exercising less but attributed this weight gain to Mr C... you just don't know other peoples circumstances.  However I know myself pretty well and I will continue visiting these web pages that cause me mental anguish, but not because of the problems that Mr C could cause me gleaned from other peoples experiences.  But rather due to ill-informed people with MS teaching and informing ill-informed people with MS. 

Anyways my lovelies, yay me for injecting myself for 12 months! 

Merry Christmas, have a safe and prosperous new year and thanks for reading.

Dowerin Field Day Equals Unexpected Fun!

Quite a few months ago now, my non farming background husband decided that he would like to attend the Dowerin Field Day in the small wheatbelt town of Dowerin a couple of hours north east of Perth.  He decided it would be a fun and exciting thing to do after hearing my father, a retired farmer speak about it and reading about it in the local newspaper.  I shrugged my shoulders and was like, "what the hell for, do you plan on buying a great big boom spray, harvester or plough?"

Look I mock, but previous experience tells me that unless you have a passion for farming equipment that generally goes hand in hand with owning a farm - the Dowerin Field Day is not going to be a big highlight on your social calendar.  I do have to point out that the last time I visited the Dowerin Field Day I was fifteen years old.  I probably only went to hang out with my boyfriend, so we could pash in the backseat of his family's car... but that is another story!

In passing I mentioned to a friend, who also does not come from a farming background that I was thinking about going to the Dowerin Field Day.  She got really excited and wished she could go too.  I actually began to wonder what drugs these people were taking to make them so keen to attend a gargantuan show of machinery might, which held absolutely no relevance to their current lives whatsoever.  Further along in the conversation my friend mentioned there was live music - yeah that’s great if you want to listen to some mediocre country music.  "It'll be fun for your kids" - she hit the nail on the head... some things you don't do for your own benefit (quite a lot if you are a mum actually), but my two year old son, Sabin who is an obsessed transport devotee would LOVE it.  I wasn't so sure about my daughter, Chynna - there wasn't going to be any of her favourite things, like dolls, sparkles or bubbles, but she had the day off anyway.  And I can tell you now.... I astound myself with how wrong I can be!

On the morning of the said event, my father, my husband, my two kiddies and I got in the car and commenced our almost two hour journey to Dowerin.  I was seated between the two kids car seats - booooo, because I had the smallest bum - as if that’s any consolation!  The trip, surprisingly was pleasant enough.  There was no crying, no stopping and not much whinging.  But there were plenty of green pastures interspersed with the most gorgeous yellow canola crops of all time.  They were just a sight delight against a clear blue sky.  We also spotted many baa’s, some moo's and a lot of brum brums.

Finally we arrived and were directed to park in a huge paddock, already chock-a-block full of utes and cars.  By this stage, none of us minded the walk to the gate... we had two hours of being couped up in the car.  I had a feeling my dad was pleased to be getting back to his roots and was secretly singing "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" on the inside.  I also think he was excited to be taking his youngest grandson to see trucks and lots of them!  The sky was blue and the air was fresh, so I really didn't have much to complain about.

We made it in the gate and I seriously thought my son's head was going to spin right off - trucks, tractors, bikes, ride on lawn mowers and BIG STUFF everywhere!  It is such a massive show that we didn't really know where to start.  Funnily enough, but rather astutely, we decided on the toilets by the gates!  Our second stop and the first of many where we lifted the kids onto the machinery, was some old tractors and old bulldozers.  My dad used to have a bulldozer and it probably the most entertaining piece of machinery he had when I was growing up.

Time and time again we stopped and put my son into a tractor or truck.  On one occasion there was a display of a variety of orange machinery.  Sabin yet again insisted on sitting in one of the tractors and a salesman came over and chatted with us.  When he walked away, I presumed he doubted we were keen to buy a $30 000 Kubota tractor for my two year old to play with!   He returned with some gifts for the kids - pens with radios in them (which we could never get to work)!  We managed to get the two year old future truck driver out of the tractor, only for him to escape the grip of my father’s hand and get into a small runabout number, one truck over from the one he was just in.  Finally I had to drag him out and he howled like his throat had been cut.  What was I to do?  I just smiled through gritted teeth at anyone who cared to stare and think I was depriving my son of some tractor action, which couldn't have been further from the truth.

 Chynna up to this point seemed to be enjoying herself... just!  However she nearly wet her pants when she saw two big imposing Clydesdale horses standing to attention in front of their cart.  I was very pleased when the drivers waivered the fee for my son, otherwise I would have been up for thirty dollars.  Off we went on a leisurely ride around the show.  Chynna loved it!  She was even more impressed when the drivers revealed they had a cute Boarder Collie pup sitting in the front with them.  No one ever says no to my daughter’s beautiful face, so she got to have a proper cuddle and play with the pup when the ride ended.  I should have charged the other passengers who were more entertained by my kids’ antics than the ride itself... I would have easily have made my money back!

Next stop was lunch, we jostled a bit to get a table, but it was well worth it just to sit down.  I had spied an Indian stand near the Clydesdales therefore I had a chick pea curry and rice and I bought enough naans for everyone.  Everyone else had hot chips and hamburgers. While we were eating I caught a glimpse of a quite notorious West Australian politician - the chair sniffer himself and lad about town, Troy Buswell.  He and his cronies ended up sitting at the table next to us quite by default.  The woman that was sitting at the table waiting for her friend was asked by two nicely dressed men if they could sit at the table as well.  She agreed.  Buswell arrived on the scene and the woman looking a little overwhelmed, had no choice but to engage in conversation.  Perhaps she enjoyed it and maybe I am transacting my own perception onto the situation, but I would have been none too impressed at sitting with a man, known for showboating like a juvenile delinquent!  Although I will admit, he's more handsome than the telly affords him (but he's no George Clooney!)

After lunch we headed towards the Ram Pavilion.  It's kind of embarrassing to admit but I was totally enamoured by the rams.  What on earth for, I hear you lament.  Rams on my farm weren't an animal you could get up close and personal with, but these rams were shed housed, convivial and fully prepared to engage in a bit of heavy patting.  I was smitten as you can tell by the photos!  I was also the passive (well almost) recipient of some Farmer Wants A Wife hoopla.  I just smiled over the farmers shoulder at my husband who refused to enter the shed.  The bubble quickly burst when I was flanked by my eager daughter.  Mr husband smirked and shook his head - I bet he sent her to spoil my fun. We almost left with a Maremma sheepdog.  I wasn't sure whose sheep it would guard, but I guess guarding my chooks or kids (for that matter) wouldn't have been out of the question.

Last but not least... well actually it was least, we entered the Lifestyle Tent.  We were all knackered, so browsing all the aisles was just out of the question.  We did sample some local gourmet food and wine and were suitably impressed. If there is a next time... my plan would be to start in the Lifestyle Tent.

On the way out, we had one more stop at the animal circusy/farm bus.  Chynna got her fill of animal patting in for the day and Sabin just followed his sister’s lead.

 We walked out to the car, hopped in and headed back to the big smoke.  My plan of attack was to fall asleep immediately... it was luckily for me that it was my kids plan as well.

A great time was had... and I will eat my earlier words and recommend it as a fun family outing for all and sundry.  Definitely do some research and planning though.  Thanks Dowerin!

Bloody Telstra Issues

Oh my goodness - how long has it been?  Well I kind of have a good excuse.  Do you want to hear it?  No, it's not the of the common dog ate my homework garden variety. Here it is anyways.... 

My internet connection went down, down, down a couple of weeks ago.  I was pretty pissed I can inform you.  Especially because on the morning it disappeared, at the top of my street, there was a Telstra van and a man up to his elbows fiddling about in a manhole.  I had the kids in the car and I was running late for school, otherwise I would have stopped, rolled down my window and yelled, "Hey, what are you doing... am I going to have my internet when I get home?" 

When I got home, of course, I had NO internet - arhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!  I had to go out again, but when I returned, my husband asked me if I saw the Telstra man at the front of our house fumbling about in the manhole? Geez louise... no, but if I had of I would have been out there and asking the f**ker where my internet was! 

Thus after reporting my lack of internet to my IP and running through all the stupid checks they make you do of your own equipment, they agreed that it was probably the Telstra man who had caused the issue.  BUT -  just in case, they needed to send out one of their own technicians to review, otherwise I could be billed by Telstra if they came out and found the complication was my fault (for causing a nuisance I presume).  The problem with this is they can not give you a specific appointment time or even narrow it down to morning or afternoon - the best you can get is that they will be there on a specific day between eight and four - however they can give you a "courtesy" call half and hour before they will be in attendance!  This is all well and good if you are not in the middle of a swimming lesson or further than half an hour from home... therefore my time without internet dragged on another couple of days until I could be at my service providers beck and call!

Oh and would you believe it... they found the broadband service to my house fell short about 600 metres, which is about where I saw the naughty Telstra man with his grubby little hands in the manhole on the way to school. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr bloody grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! 

The next step was my IP logging a fault with Telstra and that is where a lot of time was eaten up, waiting for Telstra to get off their bums and fix the problem.  Of course because I am not a Telstra customer they are in no hurry to do anything! 

While I was waiting, not so patiently, I telephoned my IP to check on Telstra's progress.  I had a nice chat and discovered that some rogue Telstra technicians, do not check to see if a line is unused before assigning it a new home.  There is one MAJOR failing with this, besides being lazy and ignorant... broadband does not have a dial tone and sounds like an unused line and this explains why at least once or twice a year my internet connection goes missing in action! 

I should bill Telstra for the nuisance they have caused me.  What I do know is next time I see a Telstra technician working in my area I will be stopping, questioning him and getting his name! Far out.... and now that I have written this saga down I will definitely be phoning the Ombudsman for advice before approaching Telstra regarding this whole cock-up.

High Tea Shoot

Recently I was involved in a photo shoot with my friend Dee, of Deanna Whtye Photography.  She had seen some advertising calling for photographs of Kustom Cupcakes' glorious little gems of sweetness.   Dee being the creative butterfly that she is envisioned a 50's inspired high tea featuring Kustom's cupcakes.

When Dee put the call out for people to be involved in the shoot... I asked her if she wanted model types... because I'm certainly not 16 years old, 180cm and 50kg.  But luckily for me that was not what she was looking for...  Fortunately I'm not one to shy away from being photographed.  In my late teens I figured out that if I tried to hide from a camera, I would most certainly take a bad picture, with a silly screwed up face.  And as an adjunct to this little morsel of knowledge… when I am scrutinizing a photograph of myself, I am probably the only one who sees flaws, because no one else is interested or looking for them!

When Dee put the call out and qualified that she was not looking for models per say... I jumped at the chance of being photographed by Dee – who is without a doubt an imminent star on West Australia’s photography scene.  She just has this way with a camera... it's kind of hard to explain without actually knowing her.  She is very charismatic and her enthusiasm is contagious.  So consequently you feel great about yourself... less self-conscious and more natural in front of her camera.  The result is relaxed and organic photos with a really authentic feel.  Nothing is forced about her photos and you can see her clients’ personality shining through the photograph at you.  She is self-taught, intuitive and passionate about her work, and I think this is why she is so awesome at her work.  I am such a big fan (gee could you tell by the love-fest she asks blushing); I wish I could have my wedding and children all over again so that she could do my photography.

So arrangements were made, time and dates set and cupcakes collected.  I arrived at Dee's house to find that the group of five "models" had diminished to three.  The other lovely ladies in the shoot were Natalie of Petite Bijou and Jennifer of Jennifer Birkhead Design, and Vivid Health and Fitness both extremely talented and accomplished in their own right.  Unfortunately our makeup artist who was one of the five to be photographed was poorly, so Dee took over this role as well.  She was a little ruffled but determined to see her idea come to fruition. 

After only minimal primping and preening, the three of us were looking like alluring pearled 1950's wives about to indulge in a spot of afternoon tea.  The cupcakes were moved into position and our delicate teacups were filled with tea because there is nothing more ridiculous than lifting an empty cup to your lips.  Champagne was decided against for fear the whole shoot would unravel into drunken revelry.  As the cupcakes were the focus of the shoot, Dee issued some direction about how to hold them, head tilting or sitting, but generally we giggled (like school girls) and chatted among ourselves as the camera clicked away in the background.

Finally it was time to actually take some photos of us eating the cupcakes. My mouth had been watering since first laying eyes on the cupcakes, so after an hour of cupcake foreplay... gazing at the cupcakes, smelling the cupcakes and handling the cupcakes I was more than ready to sink my teeth into the firm icing and soft fresh cake.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that my selected cupcake had a gooey peanutty centre.  Had it not been for the shoot I may have just gobbled my cupcake all up in an instant, but instead I was made to saviour it... taking delicate bites being careful not to smudge my red lipstick!  After two cupcakes, my eagerness to eat more began to wane... quite considerably in fact.  And by the third cupcake I was more than ready to smear it all over my face and be a glamorous 50's housewife, undone!

I had a fantastic time... Thanks to Dee, Kustom Cupcakes and the two other delightful 1950's wives – Jen and Nat.  I think our enjoyment of the shoot really came through in the pics, what do you think?

In Desperate Need...

Of some "likes" for my entry into Ctrip's Dream Vacation competition. I think "likes" are probably the most accurate record of how many people are actually voting for each entry in the comp and I think likes will carry a substantial weight in the final result (especially if the judges are alert to and care about cheating).  And it is a super easy thing to do also... so easy my five year old could do it.

So please consider these your super easy instructions... 

Please go here http://english.ctrip.com/DreamVacation/Page/Vote.asp

Next scroll down to my entry, which is entitled, "West Aus Hot for the Cool of China Dream Vacation"

On finding my entry, hit the "like" button.

That's it and thank you for your time. Of course this will only work if you have a Facebook account.

If you decide to read my entry, which is entirely optional, you may wish to leave a comment regarding how super exciting my entry sounds compared to the others.  There is no need for you to read the others, unless you really want to... just believe me when I say my entry is the best!  This again this is entirely your call, however I know some of you are exceptional writers and your comment could increase my chances - use an alias if you wish!

To my regular readers, sorry I have posted about this yet again... unless I win I promise not to mention it here again at any great length.  

Oh, this is an important point... voting closes at midnight, Wed 27th of Sept 2011.  That is Perth, West Australian time (GMT + 8:00).

Please like my entry.  Over and out.

Baby Boy's Second Birthday Party Plus Overdrive

A little while ago, my baby boy, Sabin had his second birthday!  I still can't believe he is already two.  Where did that time go?  He is my dream, text book child... I know that sounds horribly like favouritism, but he would be anyone’s dream child.  He sleeps, eats (lots), is sociable, calm and funny.  He's not at all querulous... except when it comes to his toy trains and cars!!

We invited family and close friends to Sabin's second birthday party.  I can hear your brain ticking over... how many close friends can a two year old have?  Well believe it or not, since he was born he has been accompanying me to school with Chynna five days a week and this has resulted in him adopting a second, third and fourth mum and also a second, third and fourth dad.  These are people we see frequently and who Sabin recognises to the degree of running to them and giving them a hug and kiss when they are in the near vicinity.  It's lovely to watch and I totally get a kick out of seeing those second, third and fourth mums and dads loving the attention Sabin pours on them.  He is such a special little petal!

As Sabin is into cars and recognises Lightning McQueen, I decided to make him a racing car cake.  It was pretty simple and turned out a treat.  I also made some chocolate gluten free cupcakes for the gluten intolerant kiddlet and a vegan cake for myself.  I try to mollify everyone's dietary needs because I know what it is like attending a party and being able to eat squat.  Everyone liked the gluten free chocolate cupcakes, but no one liked the vegan cake.  I accidently sprinkled a Japanese salt seasoning on top of it, instead of the Japanese strawberry sugar... these two items were gifts from one of our Japanese homestay visitors and clearly, I cannot read Japanese.  I thought the salt on top was a nice accident!  Kudos to those who tried it. My husband took the day off work and made a meat curry and chickpea curry in the slow cookers for the adult’s party dinner and the kids feasted on tortellini.  

Sabin's Poppy R, rang several days before his birthday and inquired as to what Sabin might like for his birthday.  A few weeks earlier, we were waiting in line at Subway, when in walked a little girl with her mother.  The little girl was carrying a "Hoot" toy owl, the host character from the kids TV channel, ABC2.  Sabin was fascinated with her Hoot, but the little girl was not at all eager to part with or even show her toy to Sabin.  So I said to Poppy R, I haven't mentioned this gift to anyone else - he will totally love it!  I really talked it up because I witnessed Sabin's reaction to the little girls’ Hoot in Subway! 

On the party night, Poppy R was running a little late.  Sabin had already opened many gifts and was very happy with his Chuggington train set and Matchbox car ramp among other things.  I managed to drag him away from these toys and sat him down ready to open the Hoot present.  We all stood around expectantly... he ripped the paper, look at the Hoot and kind of just went, oh big blue soft owl thing so where are my trains at?  What a fizzer... and to this day I still haven't seen him play with the big Hoot.  I say big Hoot, because Poppy R thought he was onto a good thing and bought a hand puppet Hoot as well!  We use hand puppet Hoot as a mobile above his change table!  Not much can compete with cars and trains at the moment... I still feel terrible about my judgement.

After the candle blowing, cake cutting and eating, all family members vacated the premises at a speed of knots, however Sabin's three other mums and dads hung around with their own children... seven in total, nine including mine.  It then became an adult shindig.  The kids were all pretty happy playing together, with only a few adult interventions required.  Slowly but surely the kids were put down somewhere comfy... it's not like we have seven spare beds!  The kids made a few adjustments among themselves... but soon enough, we could not hear anymore carry on!  I noticed all the boys went to sleep before the girls, who were too busy nattering to sleep, is this any surprise to you?

The adult party was in full swing before the kids went to bed, but went into overdrive afterwards.  It was a low key, sit around the table, shooting the shit affair. I guess we all share a similar outlook on life, have quite similar senses of humour and all live pretty close together, so are not constrained by having to drive miles in the middle of the night - some of us even live within walking distance of each other.  I can only speak for myself, but I really enjoy Sabin's super extended family's company and carousing with them regularly really brightens my life, considerably.

What's this boy's birthday going to be like when he turns twenty-one?  Was the question one of Sabin's other mothers was asked when re-telling details of the night.  On her way out, this mother somehow fell out our front door and sprained her ankle.  Another of Sabin's mother's fell off her chair.  I thought I was going to be unlucky number three... but I got away with not a scratch on me.  And to answer the question... I think Sabin will happily ban us from his twenty first birthday.

Ctrip Dream Holiday Hopes

Recently I entered Ctrip's Dream Vacation competition. Entry required that I write a short piece about my ideal holiday to China which could include up to 4 cities in 14 days. On my previous jaunts to China I have seen the big draw cards of Shanghai, Beijing and Xian so I decided upon the cities of Harbin, Chengdu, Guilin and Wuxi.

The winner of the Ctrip Dream Vacation comp gets to live their dream with an all expenses paid, dream vacation to China - ie the one I wrote about for myself.

I was over the moon to see that my submission, as selected by the judges, made it into the top 20.  I am really proud of myself.  It was not easy writing about a dream holiday in so few words - there is not much about me that is concise and succinct!

My biggest problem now is getting people to vote for me.

I do not usually win anything... so my hopes are not high and already there are entries with hundreds of votes. I am also honest and do not know enough about computer technology to cheat!!  And I do not have the time or inclination to create millions of email accounts to vote with. So....

I can not win or even be competitive without your assistance.

Voting is no big deal. You have to sign up to Ctrip, but this is quick and simple and at the end of the comp you can easily unsubscribe.

Please go here
http://english.ctrip.com/DreamVacation/Page/Vote.asp
My submission is called "West Aus Hot for the Cool of China Dream Vacation"

You can vote once a day until the 28th of September, so knock yourself out! (Please).

I know this is a case of shameless self promotion, but I refuse to be ashamed of this on my own blog!!  If I don't beg (although you can't hear it, thats what I am doing) I won't stand any chance of getting overseas again anytime soon. So pretty please with sugar or chocolate or vegemite on the top vote for me now and if is not too much a pain, can you point a few of your friends or family members in my direction too.  Thanks so much.

Kind Regards

Lee-Anne

My Ctrip Dream Holiday

As you may know my husband and I taught English in China for about a year in 2005.  We had a super fantastic time... but I fell pregnant way earlier than expected and had to cut our working holiday severely short... goodbye working in Beijing during the Olympics. 

Often on Sunday mornings we would sit up in bed and watch an English program about different cities, sites of natural wonder or minority groups in China.  We came to learn you could probably spend ten years travelling in China and never see everything because it is such a vast, scenic and culturally wealthy country.   And just when you thought you had finished seeing everything in China, you would discover something else utterly jaw dropping that you MUST see. 

When we were there and travelling during our holidays we signed up to a Chinese travel company called Ctrip.  I recently received an email from them about a very cool competition whereby one lucky couple could win a dream 14 day holiday in China.  The parameters were this... be creative - no run of the mill tour, be realistic - up to 4 cities over 14 days and be social - shameless self promotion.  Oh and most importantly be concise - 2000 characters only!!  Far out brussel sprout - if you have read my posts, you know this was a tough ask for me.

Today was the last day for submitting entries.  In total I think there are about 126 entries.  The top 20 submissions, as determined by Ctrip judges, will be put to a public vote - so what do you think my chances are?  (Yes I know I just finished a fourth year statistics unit!)  Are you a glass half empty type person or glass half full?  I guess I'll know the answer on the 14th of September when the judges nominate the top 20 submissions. 

Anyways, here is my submission.

West Aus Hot for the Cool of China Dream Vacation

Living in Western Australia, one doesn’t experience freezing winters. Thus stop one on my Ctrip Dream Vacation would be leaving Shanghai for the winter wonderland of Harbin.  Every year during the peak of summer I watch on the evening news Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival. I wonder at the sheer size of the ice sculptures decorated in colourful lights. I want to be one of those people frolicking in the snow having the time of their lives. After much cavorting and working up an appetite I would relish sampling local delicacies or feasting on some hearty local cuisines. 

My next stop would be the “Heavenly Kingdom” of Chengdu. The obvious reason for visiting this city is the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. Where else are you going to see gorgeous cuddly Pandas while contributing to their conservation and research? I have dreamed about exploring this place forever! However there is a plenitude of possibilities in Chengdu - Wenshu Temple, Sichuan Opera and spicy hotpot. 

Stop three is Guilin because you’d have to be crazy to miss such exquisite and unique scenery. I could ride a bicycle to see some karst peaks, burning calories gained from eating too much at my previous stops. Though I am informed there is a wealth of restaurants locally. A relaxing cruise down the Li River may be more my speed to contemplate the many picturesque sites. There are many splendid peaks, caves and parks to appreciate and photograph in the region. 

Stop four is the “Land of Fish and Rice” otherwise known as Wuxi. It is not well known, but it has its share of natural beauty, cuisine and culture. I would endeavour to cruise on Lake Tai, visit Turtle Head Park and ride the Star of Lake Tai. I would love to ascend Mount Xi and Hui and explore their vast park. I would ponder the magnificence of the Grand Buddha at Ling Shan and espy the barges as they make their way along the historical Grand Canal. Then I would travel back to Shanghai primed and eager to share my memories with who ever read my posts or cares to listen.

Excited?  Want to take my tour?

Well check back on the 14th of September to see if my submission was in the top 20!