If all you want to find today is peace of mind...

Merry Christmas, one and all

elfbert — Mon, 24 Dec 2018 17:10:12 GMT

I never feel very festive, although in future years when Mav can appreciate it more I'm sure I will.

As it is, I want to wish all you of you an amazing Christmas and a wonderful 2019.

Here's our little man passed out milk drunk...

And then there were 3

elfbert — Sat, 24 Nov 2018 19:49:17 GMT

As many of you will have guessed, given the time scale, I am no longer preggo.

After more drama than I would have liked, he was finally evicted via emergency c section at exactly 42 weeks, on the 8th Nov.

We had to stay in hospital for longer than I would have liked, but are now both doing well. And he's 16 days old today! Feels like a lifetime.... (well, it is, for one of us).

Say hello to Maverick James Barham Stokes.

Still preggo...

elfbert — Sat, 27 Oct 2018 18:45:40 GMT

40+2. Still preggo. Little dude showing no signs of leaving.

Time's flying...

elfbert — Tue, 02 Oct 2018 17:34:00 GMT

Had our last appointment today at the hospital. 36+5, now will only be seen between 40/41wks if Sproglet does not decide to move out on time. So our next visit there will probably be eviction day!

Had a scan today, with an estimate of 6lb6oz, so he's looking to be about 8lb ish at birth, although it's pretty vague. I think they work to a +/- of 20%!

So I probably really should pack my hospital bag. And his. And J's....

Lovely flist...

elfbert — Tue, 25 Sep 2018 20:36:51 GMT

I know this place isn't exactly as busy as it once was....

BUT I have a favour to ask :)

My Dad has written a novel! You can buy it! It's a sort of young-adult book, but perfectly readable by not-so-young-adults too! (In that sort of Harry Potter-esque way. Not that I've ever read HP.)

Anyway, here's a link.

It's called 'Peterman'.

There are things beyond Nature.

Fifteen-year-old Clement Garner has spent his childhood teaching himself physical courage. But will it be enough when he becomes involved in the hunt for the Peterman? Caught up in a maze of supernatural events, adult deceit and tangled riddles he has only one trusty ally: Berenice, his tough, grounded, honorary cousin from New Zealand. Together they try to make sense of a world full of ambiguity and distortion set in the silence of the countryside and among the smog-bound haunts of a London caught in the grip of post-war austerity.

And you should buy it! (You can always give it to someone as a Christmas present, right???)

It's available for pre-order, but if you buy it TOMORROW (Wednesday, wherever you are), then that'd be great, as it'll climb the 'bestseller' list for the day...

<3

Time it is a-flying

elfbert — Fri, 31 Aug 2018 18:32:55 GMT

So last Thurs signalled 8 weeks until my due date. Dunno where the last 7 months has gone.

This week was also supposed to signal the start of me having every Friday off - in both an effort to cut down at work, and use up some holiday, of which I have some left to use before mat leave. I've been running everything at work for the past 2 weeks, as Boss man was off on his holidays (stressful.). It was a whole 9 hours after his return that he cracked and asked me to work this Friday :D Anyway, I did, given it was a Bank Holiday on Monday anyway. Plus I knew I'd just be vinyl wrapping some stuff we're making, which I really didn't particularly mind doing.

Every time I read something on an app about being pregnant in America I'm very glad I live in the UK...

Jon is being amazing. Helps that he's severely under-employed at his work right now. They're shying off giving him a load of learners on the new framework because he's going to have 5 weeks off around the birth, so he's working with his old learners, which means this week he's done a grand total of 3 hours work... But it means I get dinner cooked every night, so I'm not really complaining!!

I wish I knew which way up Sproglet was. I have a feeling he's sideways....... we shall see if he decides to go head down again soon. Midwife again in 2 weeks, anaesthetist next week....

whooaaaa-aaaaaa we're...three-quarters of the way there....

elfbert — Thu, 16 Aug 2018 18:16:53 GMT

Thirty weeks preggo today. Sproglet is 3/4s cooked. And very strong and wriggly.

And also today our car seat arrived. We...seem to have bought a new car. And Sproggles needs a seat, so... here it is. (In my workshop. We'll pick it up once we have the new car.) It looks snuggly, anyway.

And also...these arrived. Nappies! Who thought I'd ever get excited....

Need to practice my folding and fitting somehow!

elfbert — Sat, 09 Jun 2018 08:43:01 GMT

Had our 20 weeks scan, bang on 20 weeks... and Sproglet tied itself up in such knots, in the most awkward position, so we have to go back in 2 weeks to do it all again. They could only get a few of the measurements they needed.

But we did find out that we're having a.........well, we know, but you folk will have to wait and see :D

too long etc...

elfbert — Mon, 07 May 2018 19:23:37 GMT

I know I don't seem to be around here, but I around, and read every day!

Plus, here was (YahooGroups aside) where I met a lot of you.

So...it only seem right that here gets the news that, come October, Jon and I are having a little Sproglet.

Elfbert: The Next Generation.

I mean, we've been together 19 yrs, and I am now considered 'Elderly' in midwifery terms, so it seemed like it was time to get on with it :D

let's do this 2017 thing

elfbert — Sun, 31 Dec 2017 17:47:08 GMT

Right. 2017. Year of the non-existant LJ entries.

(If you want to see what I get up to still, I'm same name over on Tumblr. But essentially it's a mess of work and fandom and things that catch my eye over there and not 'posts' as such. If you want more work and less fandom, hit me up for a FaceBook linkage. If you want me to be in any way reliable in updating anywhere then, sorry, doesn't happen.)

So. In January we sold our old flat and bought a new flat and that, basically, has been brilliant. We're very happy in the new place, it's everything we wanted. I was suffering from some pretty crippling anxiety last year, and this move seems to have sorted that out, thankfully!

Work has been busy and crazy and good and interesting. Highlights include working on another Gold Medal winning garden at the Chelsea Flower Show.

Fandom never fails to be a delight. As Einstein said: "Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world." Well, fandom helps me use my imagination and is filled with kind, encouraging, supportive people, who fan the flames of that imagination.

As such, I've managed to get over 104,000 words published on AO3 this year, which makes me feel very happy. I've had writing struggles, as we all do. I've had times when I couldn't squeeze a word out. But this year has done wonders for all that. And, tbh, it probably all comes down to our new flat! I'm just happy here.

(If any of you are remotely interested, I'm currently writing Rawhide fic. Yes. That Rawhide. The one with the cowboys. Yes, I am 50 yrs too late. I'm well aware. Anyway, it's here)

Also this year I've started to run a group who litter-pick along our stretch of the canal once a month, and I'm also a Mooring Ranger for the area. Because I think all we can do, sometimes, is improve our corner of the world. Small things make a big difference.

And I do still read here every day!

So, I wish you all a happy, healthy, creative, joyful and loving 2018.

i think my titles always relate to how bad I am at updating...

elfbert — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 19:51:26 GMT

I'm rubbish at updating here, but I do still read most days!

Work is.... well, I still enjoy my job, a lot. But right now there are TWO of us. (2). And the boss.

This means we have a LOT of work to do, and the other guy only started with us in Jan, so is really still training. He is lovely, though, and good at the job. But he's also still got a lot of fear of fucking up very expensive bits of art, which he needs to lose :)

so there we go.

Last week was the anniversary of our offer being accepted on our new flat. We love it here. It's just such a great place to live, and such a nice flat.

hope you are all well!

Chelsea Flower Show

elfbert — Fri, 19 May 2017 18:12:24 GMT

Been making a pavilion for Chelsea Flower Show for the past month or so. It's for the Royal Bank of Canada Show Garden, designed by Charlotte Harris.

It's all done now, and it does - even if I say so myself - look fantastic. The whole garden does.

Look out for it in all the supplements in the papers this weekend/on the show on the BBC. :)

This entry was originally posted at http://elfbert.dreamwidth.org/436165.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

LJ 18th anniversary

elfbert — Fri, 05 May 2017 19:54:22 GMT

#mylivejournal #lj18 #happybirthday

Very late, here are my stats.

Quite pleased that I comment and am commented upon quite equally!

And on that note - find me on Dreamwidth. Same name. I'm sorta going to be avoiding posting on LJ now, although will probably still read.

Settling in

elfbert — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 21:45:40 GMT

We moved last Tuesday. A frantic day, but we got out of our old flat super-fast. (The removal men said we were 'too organised'). Then we had to wait aaaaages for our keys to be released. Well, it seemed like ages, because we were ready so early.

And then, suddenly, after 2 hours of me on my own in the corridor with all our posessions, we were in!

This weekend has been a mad whirl of buying more furniture and bits and bobs, and unpacking.

We're doing pretty well. Still don't have our real sofa and chair set, but our futon - which will be the spare bed - arrived, so we've put that in the lounge for now (I keep calling it the front room....it's not at the front...I don't know why I keep calling it that.).

It's all going well so far! We're enjoying it, everything seems nice - except bloody BT failed to connect us. Still waiting for that..... on someone else's FON at the mo!

Will put up some pics once I have some.

We've moved!

elfbert — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 22:21:52 GMT

Yup, yesterday we finally did it. We moved to our new flat \o/

So far, all is good.

:)

Dentist

elfbert — Fri, 27 Jan 2017 19:42:11 GMT

So, for most of my life, I've been fine with the dentist.

I've had 2 fillings. No worries. I used to find it quite relaxing.

Then I got this...thing. I often feel sick. And the thought of a dentist in my mouth? 100x sicker.

I managed, about 2 yrs ago, to go to a dentist. I just about managed through x-rays, couldn't manage any treatment - almost fainted.

Waited until now, when a nearby surgery had a great reputation for dealing with nervous patients - so they offered sedation.

Went along to a 'normal' dentist there, and pretty much gagged my way through nothing being done at all. She almost managed to check my teeth with a mirror, failed a normal x-ray, but did the sort that spins around your whole head. Then referred me to their sedation guy.

Went to see him.

Gagged my way through half an examination.

Booked in for diazepam IV.

Turned up today - and nowadays even the sight of a dentist makes me gag. Having the wee bib on makes me wanna hurl. Opening my mouth is a near impossibility.

So he gets me up (let's me keep my stress ball), walks me around the garden they have out the back, whilst I'm vomiting in his flowerbeds, chats as if he'd not being trailed by someone puking everywhere. He offers me the choice of postponing the treatment.

But I know it will be no better if we wait.

So we agree that he'll enter the room first. He'll get this amazing numbing spray for the inside of my mouth. As soon as I step in, I stick my tongue out, he sprays it. I spread this around my mouth. Then he sprays my tongue twice more. Mt mouth is SO NUMB, including my lips.

As soon as it's numb I can lie down, they get the IV in without even mentioning a treatment. Straight in, on, and then we're away!

Two fillings done - one a replacement of an old one, one a new one. He stopped after one and said that was enough for today, but I was like 'Nooooo, don't stop now, do it, do it, we're here now, do iiittttt'. And he did. And a full clean/descale.

And then gave me a discount on it all, too!

Of course, I don't remember any of it now :D I lay down....and then we were done!

So now I'll be fine next time, as I know we have a solution if needs be. And he was so lovely.

moving!

elfbert — Wed, 25 Jan 2017 19:47:35 GMT

We've FINALLY exchanged on our new flat!

We were due to exchange last Wednesday.... we have been 'going to exchange' every day since then.

And now we finally have!

Moving next Tuesday.........

Peterman

elfbert — Thu, 29 Dec 2016 21:24:05 GMT

Hey everyone,

My Dad's written a novel. It would be completely amazing if some of you could buy it!

It's set in the 1950s, it's a bit weird, a bit spooky, there's a bit of crime, a lot of action :)

You can buy it here!

(If that takes you to the .co.uk site and you need the .com one, or whichever one for your territory, I think you can just change that part and still end up in the right place!)

You can also dip your toe in the water, as he has three short stories, too! Although these three are all standalone, nothing to do with the novel.

All visible here

Even if you don't fancy buying it/can't, then please share the links around on Twitter etc. Especially to anyone you know who might like an exciting story set in post-war London/South East England.

Thanks!!

Happy Christmas...

elfbert — Sun, 25 Dec 2016 13:10:15 GMT

Happy Christmas one and all - whether you celebrate it or not, I hope the Christmas period is lovely for you, and you snatch some rest and relaxation, as well as just as much socialising or hermiting as suits you.

edging ever closer...

elfbert — Mon, 05 Dec 2016 22:21:31 GMT

So, my solicitor cheerfully emailed me this morning saying he 'thinks we should aim for January completion' on the new flat.

I sent him a terse reply saying we should AIM for pre-Christmas, so that if we miss we hit January, not just knock off for our xmas hols now and throw any chance of moving this year out of the window. Grrr.

He's also in a panic about HS2 - which is going to be in a tunnel 1000metres away from the flat! I told him if he was worried he could tell the bank, as I was sure they wouldn't care. (They mortgage the place I'm selling, which is about 100m from the new tunnel, further down the line.)

And in other news, which I definitely hope the new buyer of my flat has not spotted, someone was murdered pretty much literally on our doorstep on Thursday. Stabbed multiple times. We still have some yellow marker on the pavement, although the police have all gone since Saturday. They don't know why he was killed or who did it.

onward, ever onward...

elfbert — Sat, 19 Nov 2016 18:23:31 GMT

So our buyer has the surveyor for their mortgage co coming around on Weds - this is the scariest bit, tbh, because our surveyor set the price at a ridiculously large amount, and this surveyor has to tell the bank that's gonna lend to our buyer that it is really worth that much...

Once this final hurdle has been hurdled we're in the hands of solicitors for the foreseeable future.

We have, however, found a sofa we quite like for the new place :D

10 week lead time, though, so we'll be sitting on the floor for a while, if we give our current sofa to our buyer...which we've offered to do, because it doesn't really suit the new place!

paperwork...

elfbert — Mon, 14 Nov 2016 23:02:45 GMT

So, the main thing about house selling is apprently paperwork. SO MUCH PAPERWORK.

I've just bundled up the second inch-thick envelope full of stuff to send my solicitor.

So many questions! So many questions I don't know the answer to!!

But, on the bright side, our mortgage on the new place has been sorted and we have been offered exactly what we wanted. So the purchase is going well.

The sale, on the other hand, is going nowhere fast right now.

Hopefully the latest truckload of stuff will get that moving though.

In before Christmas?? In our dreams....

mortgages etc.

elfbert — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 20:05:26 GMT

So, after a 3 hour meeting on Saturday to arrange our mortgage for the new place, Monday started well...

My Solicitor issued a document which was supposed to be our Memorandum of Sale for a 7th floor flat in London to the building society.... but was actually a notice of completion for a Garden Flat in Plymouth....

Then the building Soc. said they didn't have anything that proved our address. Despite us having given them bags of payslips, bank statements, bills, and a driving licence....and me HOLDING A MORTGAGE WITH THEM ON THE ADDRESS.

Of course, anyone with a brain would think 'perhaps ALL THOSE THINGS are correct, and our address on record has been keyed incorrectly'....but no.

And yes, as it turns out, they had repeated the first line of our address, so computer said 'no'.

Computer then said 'Yes'...but then wanted my October payslip. Again. And proof of my address...which I was told I didn't need to give them, as, y'know, the aforementioned mortgage issue sort of covered it.

So there was a stage today when we apprently didn't know either where we currently lived, or where we were going to live...

And all this comes on top of them losing my current mortgage competely on Friday night. Logged on to my account only to be told I didn't have one :D

Still, wouldn't be any fun without this paperwork to do, right??

not flat related!!

elfbert — Mon, 31 Oct 2016 21:56:05 GMT

So..okay, the title is a lie, for one tiny bit...

I explained where in the sale on our flat we were to our seller's agent, and I thought they'd get miffed, but happily not!

So, tomorrow......I have to go to Ealing, try and get in with a new dentist, then go up to the clinic and get my implant chopped out of my arm, then head straight to work in Piccadilly and hope they haven't completely messed up the wiring I started today.

(Trying to change 4 wires - one with a dimmer box - which currently go into 3 junction boxes, into 17 wires, one which will still have a dimmer box....into those same three junction boxes. It wasn't easy!! And now three guys who don't really enjoy electrical wiring are going to be doing it without me until I get there.)

more flat stuff...

elfbert — Sat, 29 Oct 2016 14:53:17 GMT

Feel free to skip if not interested in me chatting about the new place we're buying - I'm well aware it's probably very dull!

So, that's the flat. 7th floor, Northeast corner of the building, so we get sun in the mornings to the kitchen and living room, and then, luckily, sun in the evening onto the balcony, just!

Front door is obviously down this bottom corner. The 'storage' next to the front door includes the washing machine, which is brilliant, and all the heating/hot water/Wifi etc. Basically like a laundry and a utilities cupboard, with shelves too. The whole building runs on communal heating and hot water from an eco-friendly heat thingy in the basement, and solar on the roof.

The bedroom at the pointy corner will be our spare room/office, we'll probably grab a nice sofa bed for in there.

The kitchen isn't actually laid out like it is on this plan. It's just either side of the room, with a floor-ceiling window at the end. The sink is where the hob is shown, the hob is opposite. It has a built in dishwasher \o/ and fridge/freezer etc.

It's one of the only places we've seen that has enough storage, to be honest.

And then it overlooks the canal, with views in to Central London (you can actually see our current flat from the kitchen/balcony.)

Within the estate are a few play areas, some gardens and allotments for residents - no idea how well used the allotments are, but it'd be cool to have a corner if there's room!

So, my main worries now are that the buyer for our place won't get a mortgage (it's the most expensive 1 bed there's ever been in our block.) And this will derail the process! I wish my HA would pull their finger out and get the chain fully formed.

I was complimented by the HA for the seller the other day for always answering emails so promptly ... and then she asked where we were in our own sale process. Oddly enough, I haven't answered that promptly at all! :D