List-y
1) I protested this year. Truly. I love Christmas with every inch of my skin, but this year I did not send out Christmas cards. I struggle with them, honestly. The majority of Christmas card lists are with people that you only ever speak to once a year, and that is via a Christmas card where you write their names and sign your family’s name. You put it in an envelope where most of the time you only have a few digits of their post code so you cross your fingers and hope that the postal gods are with you on this one. They in return send you a Christmas card and have invariably spelled at least 3 of 6 of your family member’s names wrong. If you sent them one you can often tell whose list you weren’t on, as their card doesn’t arrive until two days after Christmas. All of the cards go directly into the recycling bin after Christmas, because you used to keep all the cards but realized that in 20 years’ time, who the fuck is going to care about the Harrison Family and the yearly card they sent you? I’m over Christmas cards. This year for all the friends we have in the UK, we’re instead arranging get-togethers in January.
So if you didn’t get a card from me this year, it doesn’t mean I don’t love you. It means I do!
2) Brittany Murphy has passed away, and that feels strange and wrong. She was so young and also of the beautiful brigade. Rumors are already swirling, some of them quoting the fact that she’d had sudden and severe weight loss.
I looked at my own figure in the mirror this morning – after losing 22 pounds in about three months, I have put back on two of those pounds (but at least that was enough to push me back above “underweight”). I decided to have a bagel for breakfast, and I added extra cheese to it.
3) Two new babies have arrived in our house:
My new pay phone, which will be hung on the wall later this week.
And we got our hands on a 1950’s retired theatre spotlight.
Alastair’s going to renovate the spotlight and it’s going up as lighting in our living room. We’re strange people. We’re ok with that.
4) Jerusalem artichokes appeared for about 20 seconds at our local Waitrose. I love the hell out of Jerusalem artichokes so I bought several packages of them. I made a killer soup out of some of them, which I then spent the evening rolling around in pain about. Jerusalem artichokes are known for causing gastric pain and flatulence if you eat too many of them (the Olestra of the natural world I guess.) Gastric pain and flatulence? Check and check.
5) Audrey Tautou – who you may remember from Amelie or, worse, The Da Vinci Code film – is in a new ad for Chanel.
She was cute in Amelie.
Now, she’s a stunner. Every time I see this ad campaign I am staggered by how amazingly beautiful this woman is. Did you ever see a beautiful woman and think: You’re so lovely, I want to beeeeeeeeeee you!, something bordering on hero worship? Yeah that’d be me.
6) Do you remember my lucky socks?
These ones?
They have returned to me, along with a note and a doll added for luck from Moira. The lucky socks story is thus: I bought two pairs of these socks, both identical. One pair I sent to Statia, who conceived the Mini while wearing said socks. The other pair I wore on my 5th round of IVF, where I conceived Nick and Nora. The socks then went on to Moira, who conceived with three heartbeats and had the miracle baby Rory earlier this year (and he’s an absolute doll). She sent the socks back to me with her addition and a letter for the next recipient. As Mel stated here: I know we hear of stories of people who have had IVF any number of times, someone who just needs a break. The IF community can nominate someone, we vote (ergo that person knows that people are behind them) and I send on the socks.
So I’m not selling the socks. I’m giving them away. And if you are someone either undergoing IVF treatment or know of a blogger who is, you can nominate them in the comments. I’m collecting names and we as a community can vote on the next recipient of the socks. I should add the disclaimer that although these socks seem armed with serious juju, I can’t guarantee they’ll work (you know, just in case someone feels like suing me). But if they do work, then I ask only this: once the little bundle(s) of joy arrive, then you wrap up the socks and send them back to me to go on to the next woman.
If you leave a name and URL in the comments (or if you feel awkward about that, just click the “Contact” tab on the top left of the blog and it will open an email to me) , I’ll start compiling names.
-S.
So happy the socks are moving on …
M xxx
I’m back, I wasnt going to say this cos I didnt want to comment on my IVF in case it upset anyone … but – I am sitting here with my gorgeous and precious boy sleeping next to me. This time last year my whole being was focused on those tiny embryos that had been transfered 3 days before on Dec 18th. I was truly blessed that here I am, one year on with Rory by my side, and I never forget that.
As Shannon said, no guarantee with the socks! What I can say is that through all the appointments, worry, excitement and stress it helped me HUGELY to know that on my feet were socks from someone who understood. Truly understood.
I wish the same for the next person (whoever you are) and everyone else going through IVF, with love.
M xx
Christmas cards – I would love to stop sending them and it is something that I threaten to do every year but I always buckle at the last hurdle. Congrats on sticking to your guns.
I know what you mean about Brittany Murphy, it is always hard to accept the premature death of the young and the beautiful.
I would like to nominate The Sassy Infertile Lady (http://sassyiflady.blogspot.com/) as the next recipient of the socks as she will be starting IVF for the first time very soon. (Sassy, I hope you don’t mind me suggesting you).
P.S. Have you seen that the RSC’s Hamlet starring David Tennant is on BBC 2 on Sat at 17:05? I’m sure you have but, just in case you haven’t…
I would like to nominate Kym at I’m a Smart One (http://smartone.typepad.com/) – she will be gearing to cycle with another family soon and I would love if her cycle with these new Intended Parents was lifted up on all kinds of magic sock juju!!
I’m so excited for Nick that you have the theatre light – and very much looking forward to seeing photos of his reaction to it :-)
I love the phone box, I have spotlight envy, I think she’s stunning too, and I wish all the best to the future recipient of the lucky socks. Heartfelt congratulations to Moira on the arrival of her long-awaited miracle.
Also, and best, I am glad you ate a bagel with extra cheese, even if it was prompted by the tragic loss of such a young and vibrant woman as Brittany Murphy. She will be sorely missed and I hope you will be around for a good long time.
I’d like to nominate Katie at http://3happyhours.blogspot.com/
She is gearing up for her first IVF and could use the love and support!
I’ll add in my socks too. They served me well. I wore them through two healthy deliveries. :o)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/poopypants/3029603047/
You should check out Tatou in the French film “Priceless.” Only she could have played such a despicable character and still made her loveable.
Love the socks! I’m just wondering – did Statia have those on one night just before watching “Matlock”???? Whatever you do, never ever send them to Sarah!
Nope. They were not worn for the Matlock sex. But because they brought me luck with Mini’s conception, I wore them for both deliveries.
Love, LOVE, LOVE the new babies. I especially love the payphone, something that is rapidly disappearing from daily life.
I do not do cards on principle. But I do feel horridly guilty about it every year when others send me some, anyway.
g
Have you seen either “L’auberge Espagnole” or the sequel, “Les Poupées Russes” (Russian Dolls)? A.T. is in both of those, though it’s not a huge role. Both are fantastic films.
Oh no, I got a Christmas card. I.am.not.loved….*sobs uncontrollably*.
She’s not currently doing IVF, but she’s been trying to get pregnant — without success — since she lost her beautiful son Silas during childbirth over a year ago … so I nominate Elm City Mom at http://elmcitymom.wordpress.com/.
Hello there,
Yes I am very sorry for Brittany’s death too…she was too young to have gone away like this.
I want to nominate Sam@Communique http://theclam.wordpress.com/
….for the lucky socks….her third IVF ended with a chemical pregnancy, and early next year she will be switching to GIFT. I want the cosmos to really give her a lucky break with that….Could you please add her name in the list of nominees? Thank You.
“Gastric pain and flatulence?” I thought Olestra’s biggest claim of concern was the anal leakage, or maybe you were sparing us of that fact. :)
Christopher
What ever happened to the little bear that you sent all over the world? Do you remember? He would be mailed somewhere and the person that received him would wirte a story about his adventure.
Shannon, I am back from holiday and saw your post and was coming over to nominate my daughter, Katie, from the Happy Hours, when I saw Amanda had nominated her. Onthe thing I have found from reading all of these blogs is how much you care for each other. I can not add anything to Amanda’s nomination but I think it would be so appropriate that she received your socks since she has sent lucky “uterus” and socks she knitted to others who are going through IVF. She starts the second phase of her journey in January. Thanks for considering her.
Hey there. I’ve just stumbled on your blog looking for blogs about twins. Great read by the way… and I know what you mean about Audrey Tautou -I so want to be her!