Itchy Feet

The latest pictures

2007-10-29T11:02:00.000Z

So, it’s been a while, for which I apologise. But, good things come to those who wait…..here, therefore, are some of the most recent pictures of Azara. I’m taking the opportunity of her being back at nursery to update this blog.
The birthday was great fun and she was thoroughly spoiled at her party by her godparents who visited along with Auntie Jane and Uncle Bob (I’ll miss out the great, because I don’t want to make them feel old). Since then we have been having fun at Nanna and Papa’s house, where we are staying at the moment.
We had a wonderful weekend a couple of weeks ago when we went to Crosby and went to the christening of Elizabeth, Maz and Sam’s little girl. Azara spent most of the service running up and down the aisle, in a repeat – according to Great Aunt Fairy – of what Kate and I did almost thirty years ago when Alex and Ellen were christened.
On Saturday, we went to a brilliant farm called Monk Park, where there were dozens of animals – including llamas and chinchillas, which made me miss Peru. It was great fun, although I think I probably enjoyed it more than she did.
Little else to report, except I’ve been doing quite a lot of running of late and won my first prize – I cam second – in a race last week, which made me really happy.

That's it for now.....

Hannah

xxxx

Birthday girl

2007-10-04T20:45:00.000Z

How much can change in a year? It's incredible to think that this time 12 months ago, I was about to experience the most life-altering event and now I have the most wonderful little human being as part of my existence. Azara is one tomorrow and I'm staggered. I'm also incredibly excited and really looking forward to it -- as I told Fairy G Junior: it's like I have two birthdays this year! We are up in Yorkshire, staying with Nanna and Papa and we'll be celebrating her birthday tomorrow and Saturday, when we'll have a little party for her. She's really come on in the past few weeks and is now happily into everything and charging everywhere as she walks. She gives the most amazine hugs and kisses and we're quite convinced that she can say 'dog' and 'duck' and 'bye'. It's going to be wonderful to see her godparents this weekend and I'll update this just as soon as I have pictures.
xxx

Little feet

2007-09-15T14:55:00.001Z

Just a quick entry to mark a momentous occasion. Azara has walked unaide. She has now done it a couple of times, but I caught her doing it yesterday for a few paces. What a clever little thing. But it does mean I have to be even quicker on my toes now.

Out on a Lymington

2007-08-29T09:01:00.001Z

So, I'm back in God's own country, after audaciously travelling less than two hours to the Big Smoke. I think I may have failed to clarify a few weeks ago that the Oxfam work I was doing came to an end as the commute was impractical given home life. Enough said.
I've just spent a couple of days in London doing work for the BBC, freelancing in the newsroom at the World Service, where I had a thoroughly fabulous time. It was really good to be back in the thick of things, using my brain and getting mental stimulation from like-minded people.
The car has now been un-clamped after Jon decided it was probably better to pay for it to be removed than try and remove the clamp and the wheel himself, which is a small relief. It had been clamped because it wasn't showing the necessary authorisation on Sunday morning as the sticker allowing us to park in that space had temporarily ended up in the van that was being used to transport our furniture which, at the time of the clamping was on the other side of Lymington. Danelle, you asked what clamping was. This is when they put a heavy metal contraption on your wheel which prevents you from moving the car and then charge you $250 for the privilege of removing it.
Little else to report, aside from the fact that it seems to be sunny here today, which is about flipping time after a rubbish summer. And, despite the occasional days of sun, no I still haven't learnt to sail. Oh well, perhaps I never will. Now I know how football widows feel; only I bet most of their other halfs don't work at football clubs as well.
Bitter, moi? Surely not.....

Loads of rubbish

2007-08-26T15:03:00.000Z

Our lives have been packed into bags and I've spent hours sifting sentimentally through and abandoning the artefacts of my childhood and adolescence. We've now moved house and I am very sad. Sitting here on the last chair in Coastguard Cottages, it feels like I'm paying a visit to the grave of someone who I appreciate much more now they're dead. And I can't have them back. And I can't move back in here. We have been uprooted and decamped to our new home on the High Street in Lymington. It's in a impressive Georgian building with high ceilings and decent access to the shops. But, I'm not happy. I am aware that I am probably coming across as a miserable sod in this posting, but I need some outlet for my grumps. I had two hours' sleep last night because we are several doors down from a late bar and because various boy racers decided they wanted to drive up and down the road like maniacs.
A new paragraph is now called for as I've been turfed off the chair and sit typing this against the cold stone wall.
This morning the car got clamped. There are reasons this happened and there are reasons too why the clamp is still on there despite a visit by the clamp man. These are not reasons I understand or appreciate.
I am going to London this afternoon and hope whilst there I will get an emotional boost and feel like I actually want to come back to this town. At the moment I don't and the only reason I will is Azara. I am going to do some shifts at the World Service for two days and am going to be glad of the mental stimulation. By staying at Hilary's tonight, I might get some sleep, I suppose.
Azara can tell things are not quite right and, in addition to the teething, she has been quite grumpy for a few days.
It's funny how sadness limits the adjectives I use, stifling my desire to write.

Peru

2007-08-16T20:48:00.000Z

Already more than four hundred people have been killed in yesterday's earthquake in Peru and three times as many as that injured. I sat through plenty of small earthquakes when I was living in Lima and I often thought about how I might react and what might happen when the big one occurred that they'd been predicting for ages. Well, it's happened now and although everyone's saying an even worse disaster has been averted, it really makes me think. The Indian Ocean tsunami killed fifty times more people, yet how do you quantify grief? Clearly in figures more people died in the tsunami, but to me because I have such a connection to Peru, this makes me incredibly sad. I am hoping and praying that all those I know are okay and haven't been too badly affected by the earthquake and haven't lost too much. I don't want to make myself sound like an idiot, but I felt I needed to write something.

Happy 10 months, Azara

2007-08-05T14:16:00.000Z

Amazing really how quickly time goes on the one hand and how it sometimes feels like Azara hass been part of my life forever. Now that she's 10 months, she has the most wonderful personality and sense of adventure about her, although she does occasionally show a wilful streak (which I know she probably gets from me and which isn't manifesting itself as someone's dubious idea of 'pay-back' time, before someone else mentions it). We spent this morning at a car boot sale, which was very hot and rather unsuccessful, in that we managed to make a little bit of money, but didn't really manage to shift many things, which was the aim of the game as we're supposed to be moving in a little over two weeks. Hilary, who is here for the weekend, was absolutely fantastic. Azara was very well behaved, even though it was very warm. We've just got back from lunch at the local pub, where we met Jon as he's working today. Not much else to report, as I'm pretty pressed for time and tired. But I'll post some pictures of Azara at 10 months as soon as possible.
Hannah
xxx

Bean and bags

2007-07-30T19:31:00.000Z

Perhaps days are really like Mary Poppins' handbag and expand to fit everything you throw into them until at some stage the bag just gets too small.

I haven't had time to update this blog for such a long time, mostly due to the fact that I am trying to hold down a job, play Mummy and keep some sense of sanity around the house. Well, Jon would probably have some rude comments to make about the latter statement, but at least the laundry gets done several times a week. I'm pretty shattered though, even though I have managed to downscale my job from commuting to Oxford every day to the slightly less logistically impossible, but nevertheless challenging: go in at least once a week and work from home the remainder of the time. For those not in the loop, I'm doing some work for Oxfam as a humanitarian emergencies press officer.

Other than that, and in the absence of a desire to become one of those people who writes about work and nothing else on their blog, here are the latest (or almost latest) pics of the wonderful Azara, including one of when I took her to the local activity farm and she tried to pull the baby rabbit's ears out...she's much safer with the fluffy toys than the real life fluffy things, although she absolutely adores animals. Anyway, she's being fab as ever, although a little clingy, which I don't really think is surprising, given all the changes that are afoot in her life, plus the addition of two nasty top teeth which must be causing her a great deal of stress.

Hope you're all well. Now that summer is here, perhaps we'll be able to enjoy our garden for the four weeks we have left before we get turfed out by the deeply unsympathetic letting agents and landlord. Oh, and fingers crossed for fab weather next weekend for the wonderful wedding of Ellen and Si.

Lots of love

xxxx

Chasing my tail

2007-07-15T19:29:00.000Z

If life was busy before, it's now about to become even more so. As of tomorrow, I start working at Oxfam as an Emergencies Press Officer, with my main focus on being increasing media coverage of the situation in Darfur and Chad and the role Oxfam is playing there. I am incredibly excited about it and think it's going to be a fantastic challenge, but I'm a little anxious about the commuting - as the job is based in Oxford it may be four hours a day on the road. I have been told that I can do one day a week from home, so hopefully that will ease some of the burden, but I obviously don't want to jeopardise my relationship with Azara, so I will have to be sensible. As I start tomorrow, I'll try and keep this short and sweet, but just to report that Azara is doing fantastically and has just spent a very happy week with Nanna and Pappa while Jon and I were in Iceland. We went camping and it was a really fascinating - if a little over-priced. It was the second time in a couple of weeks that we'd been away. Prior to that we were in Istanbul for my thirtieth, which luckily came and went without too much of a bang. The weekend in between was spent in Crosby and its highlight was a truly brilliant hen night for Ellen. It's amazing how great it is being back with the family and it's made me even more excited about the wedding in a few weeks' time. Sorry if Azara looks a little bit like a convict in this picture. I can't immediately find any other recent ones, so I thought I'd upload this for now. She really loves the tambourine -- a present from Turkey, along with some Turkish princess slippers.

Well, I'd better go. Love to you all,

Hannah

xxx

A tribute to Senor Hals

2007-06-18T20:26:00.000Z

I know what it looks like, but my daughter doesn't read the FT and although Daddy can't function in the morning without the Today programme, she seems rather non-plussed by the high-brow broadcasting providing the soundtrack to her breakfast time. So,

I promise I'm not one of those awful pushy parents you (ok I) avoid like the plague, who drive their progeny around in their Chelsea tractors from one activity to another and dress them in designer clothes, but I had to post this picture because I thought it was so funny. Nanny Hils took it at the weekend when I was out running and she was looking after the Bean. And the best thing is: it wasn't even staged. I don't think she's as interested in the story of Salman Rushdie's knighthood as she is in the lovely rustling noise that the paper makes. Anyway, I thought Senor Hals would like this. Belated congratulations to him and Lorena after their wedding. We loved the photos and hope to see more and are glad you had a wonderful day.

Lots to report

2007-06-18T19:58:00.000Z

I've been a bit remiss -- again, but here are the most recent pictures and news of Little Miss Azara Bean. The one in the dress was taken on her eight month birthday, the one in the high chair shows one of her party tricks which involves her, rather disconcertingly, bashing herself on the head. The one on the boat was Azara's first time out sailing.
As you can see she's growing and developing a rather strong, wilful personality. The more witty (?) of my relatives have already told me that it's pay-back time, but that aside, it's nice to see her so happy and full of beans. I suppose the biggest news to report of recent days is that she is now crawling. She had been going backwards for a week or so and I had spent quite a while on all fours showing her that there was another direction, when she mastered it by herself last Friday. All of a sudden, we have had to start moving things higher, making sure we don't leave things lying around that are not for her eyes or paws, or even mouth. Still, it's proving quite a challenge, especially when she tries to crawl away as we try and do up her nappy; this after several attempts ruined by her pulling the nappy off. She invariably manages to get to the bag of nappy sacks or the wet wipes before me and these are so much more interesting than all her toys, except perhaps for the ones she can make the most noise with, like the building blocks she bashes against each other, or anything she can use to attack the high-chair table. That said, the crawling hasn't been the only development recently. The last couple of weeks really seem to have been eventful, what with the clapping, the crawling and over the weekend, she has started pointing at things she likes, or, more frequently wants. The funniest is when I get a banana and she starts pointing then waving her arms around, calling out ' da'. She takes the whole banana and tries to put it all in her mouth, which can be quite alarming and messy. She's onto other finger foods as well and we introduced her to little sandwiches with cream cheese over the weekend and I've just tried her on raisins today. She loves apricots too, but bizarrely one of her other favourites -- aside from the banana, which she's loved from when she was a foetus and she'd kick me when I ate one -- is cucumber which seems to act as a brilliant teething ring for those nasty teeth.
We discovered this when we took her out sailing for the first time. We had managed to borrow a baby life-jacket from some friends and Jon had managed to borrow a dinghy from the yacht club. It wasn't too windy, but Azara screamed almost incessantly for quite a while as we went out on the water. I think it may have been the lifejacket, which left her trussed up a little bit like a Michelin man and was probably desperately uncomfortable and itchy. We gave up and went for lunch, where I gave her a ring of cucumber so she didn't make too much noise and rub people at the yacht club up the wrong way. She loved it and hung onto it for dear life until we lost it after we went back out onto the water after lunch. Apparently exhausted by all the morning's upsetting activities, she fell asleep for quite a while, but was just as grumpy when she woke back up and we were still in the boat.
Oh well, we'll have to try again sometime, but perhaps not for a while. I enjoyed the chance to go out sailing with Jon on Saturday night though, even if it was a bit blustery, as Nanny Hils came to stay for the weekend. It was fantastic to have her to stay and she was a brilliant help. We had some nice walks and I think she was particularly pleased to be here when Azara was doing so much for the first time. Well, I think I had better sign off now. Azara has been having a few bad nights when she wakes and screams and will only calm down when we go and comfort her. Last night was particularly exhausting and I'm hoping tonight isn't going to be the same.

If you're happy and you know it...

2007-06-13T08:31:00.000Z

...clap your hands. And Azara did just this for the first time on Monday. I had been practising quite a lot with her over the past few weeks and she finally did it when she was sitting on our bed. Not on demand unfortunately, but it still really made me smile. I don't think it'll be long now before she crawls. Now, before anyone says I'm wishing my life away, I'm not. It's wonderful to see all the changes she is going through, all the fantastic new developments and to help ease her frustration, it will be great for her to crawl. She is now pulling herself up on furniture, which is quite entertaining if a little terrifying. And she's growing like a little weed.

Birthday wishes

2007-06-04T19:11:00.000Z

Princess Azara is asleep upstairs and Daddy is at Lifeboats, so Mummy is home alone and enjoying chocolate and wine and the chance to catch up on some emails and life admin that have been left to fester for a while. I cannot believe that my little Bean will be eight months' old tomorrow. She is certainly growing and she's got her second tooth through and has taken -- in the last few days to trying to pull herself up on everything. It's a lot of fun and she has the most fantastic personality.

Other baby talk....massive congrats to Maz and Sam on the birth of baby Elizabeth. We can't wait to meet her in July when we're up for Ellen's big night.

As far as the title of this blog goes, I thought I should use it for a bit of shameless slef-publicity. Unfortunately, I am going to be thirty in three weeks' time, which is not really filling me with the largest amount of glee. I've decided that I would like a Digital SLR camera as my present and therefore I would like anyone who fancies buying me a present to donate to that worthy cause. I'm planning on doing a bit more travelling in the next few months and would also like to take some really fab photos of the little monkey, so I'd really appreciate any donations instead of other presents.

Many thanks in advance,

Hannah

xxxx

More pics of Azara

2007-05-25T20:11:00.000Z

Some new Azara pics

2007-05-25T20:00:00.000Z

School report

2007-05-23T11:58:00.000Z

When Azara came home from nursery the other day she had her first school report. It's very sweet and quite amusing to read, telling us when and how much she eats, drinks, sleeps etc, but also that she loves touching other children on the faces, likes looking at books and playing the drums and maracas. Actually, she loves the experience so much that she cried on Monday when Jon came to pick her up. He said he walked up the drive way and could here her chattering away to the other children who are all older than her. I think the interaction with other little people is brilliant, she certainly seems to be blossming and -- rather unsurprisingly -- seems to be very headstrong already. We went to London on the train yesterday as I had a training course at the BBC to allow me to take freelance shifts at the World Service. She spent the journey there and back talking in a very animated manner to people, almost shouting at them and presumably sharing her excitement to be going to the Big Smoke and to be spending some time with Nanny Hils, who looked after her when I was at my course. We had a lovely time, on what was probably the hottest day of the year so far, with a sandwich on the South Bank, but unfortunately Azara was so exhausted from her big adventure, she didn't really make the most of Nanny Hils' excitement and eagerness to show her the ducks in St James' Park, although yet again it seems she liked the drums at the Changing of the Guard. It makes me think of the AA Milne poem, either that or 'Pussy cat, pussy cat, where have you been?' Well on that literary note, I had better go and get a couple more Bean-free errands done before Daddy brings her back from nursery. I hope to get some more pictures on the blog soon, but time is becoming an increasingly rare commodity these days.
Love to you all,
H

Who's a big girl now?

2007-05-09T11:06:00.000Z

Azara has gone to nursery for the first time this morning. I feel slightly odd about this, but am sure she is having a whale of a time. The nursery is a few miles away in a little village on the coast and amazingly it's run by a Peruvian woman.
I've had an absolute mound of admin to deal with this morning, so this will have to be short and sweet, but I just wanted to update you on this rather momentous day. If the list of my errands ever gets shorter, I hope to have time to write more.
Thanks to those who have pledged to sponsor me for the 10k so far. Lots of love, Hannah

Support please

2007-05-07T19:03:00.000Z

I know this blog has become rather Azara-centric over the past few months, and I'm not making any excuses for that. But, I wanted to mention two other issues which are very important to me. The first is that Jon and I are running the Lymington 10k next Sunday (13th) for the RNLI. Jon is already a volunteer for the lifeboat crew here and this race is seeking to raise money for this brilliant association that helps so many people every year. So, if anyone feels particularly generous, please could you sponsor me. I know I've run 10ks before, but this could be tough as I've still getting fit after having Azara and I'm trying to shake off a chest infection which means I haven't run for two weeks.
Secondly, something which I am sure strikes a chord with any journalist and anyone who believes in the right to have a free press and in the bravery of people who continue to work as journalists in difficult situations. I'm sure you wil all have heard how the BBC's Gaza Reporter Alan Johnston has been kidnapped. The BBC is asking people who have blogs to include this link Hopefully, this will give you more info on Alan's situation and allow you to add your name to the petition for him.
Thanks to all of you who read this.
Hannah

All aboard

2007-05-06T07:12:00.000Z

A couple of pictures to mark Azara's first time on a boat. If Daddy has his way, this will be the first of many, many times. This was yesterday on Moonhaze, which belongs to Jane and Graham, the parents of Jon's best friend, Tom. It was a beautiful evening, after a fun day when we took the fantastic Babyjogger that Papa bought us and Jon ran with Azara and I cycled down to Keyhaven, a village on the coast several miles away.

Azara at seven months

2007-05-05T11:16:00.000Z

Greetings from Lymington, where Azara has just turned seven months. As you can see, she's a lot of fun. We're about to go out, but I thought you'd like to see this pictures, even if she still looks a little androgynous.

Nearly seven months

2007-05-03T16:56:00.000Z

The biggest piece of news I have to report is that Azara's first tooth is coming through. This, couple with a stinking cold, has meant a pretty tough week, not helped by the fact I caught her lurgy too and Jon has been working like a demon. It's scary to think that our little baby is nearly seven months old, but as you will see from the pictures here, she is growing like a weed and is a lot of fun. Unfortunately, she is just waking up from a nap and as I am home alone, I'll have to leave this entry as short and sweet. Wishing you all lots of love. Hopefully I'll update this again soon. At least we now have internet at home, so I should be able to get the chance to write soon. In the meantime, before she starts squawking, she's enjoying trying to stand up, eating lots of exciting things and really loves yoghurt and banana, and likes waving at people and trying to beckon them to her with a rather royal looking wave. We've also found a nursery for her to go to. Emotionally, I'm finding this concept quite difficult, but it's run by a Peruvian lady, so perhaps it's meant to be. Must dash. Love to you all. H xxx

Growing, growing

2007-04-14T19:33:00.000Z

Mango, avocado, banana, papaya...Azara is quite the little tropical food connoisseur
...Oh, and then there is the Easter egg, which you can see she was very keen on. Fortunately, I managed to rescue it before it melted in her paws, and Raquel, Mark and I enjoyed it, but I am pretty sure Azara will take after her Mummy in having a sweet tooth.
You'll see from the photos that she is growing very quickly, probably because of all the food that we are giving her! She is a lot of fun at the moment, but becoming a real handful. She has taken to grabbing everything, particularly other people's hair and the books I am trying to read her or am trying to read myself. She has also taken to trying to pull herself out of her bouncy chair...quite the escape artist, apparently like her Daddy who climbed out of his cot and broke his arm at 18 months. She loves standing up supported, but doesn't really enjoy trying to crawl. Perhaps she'll bypass that bit. But it is funny watching her on her tummy, lifting her bottom in the air.
Bathtime is also funny, but like a lot of things at the moment very messy.
Well, this is our last day with Mark and it's been lovely spending some time with him. He is off to Manila in the morning and we will be flying back to England on Wednesday, arriving on Thursday. We've had a much-needed and nice break. It's also given me a bit of time to try and figure out what I want to do in terms of work, but I am looking forward to coming home and have missed Jon very much. I know he has missed Azara. I have been showing her pictures of her Daddy on the camera, yet another thing she tries to grab and eat.
For the past three weeks she has been hearing almost non-stop Spanish and she seems to really like the musical rhythms of the language, and it's helped me improve as well. I have bought her a couple of Spanish books, one of which is actually in English as well, so I will read them to her when we get back.
Well, I had better go. I need to make the most of having the internet here as I won't have it once Mark goes. So, this will be the last of the Peru blogs for now.
Nanna and Papa are coming to stay with us in Lymington next weekend, which will be fun. Just hope the jetlag isn't too horrendous. At least it's a night flight, so we might get some sleep.
Love to you all,
H and A
xxxx

More pics

2007-04-08T16:15:00.000Z

Here are some more pics from this morning. Mark and I reenacted our Sunday morning traditional stroll along the malecon -- cliff-top road along the coast - to the lighthouse and then back to Starbucks, only this time with Azara. The shot of me and her is in Parque del Amor. I'm afraid the other one isn't so good as the fire extinguisher got in the way!

Happy Easter

2007-04-08T12:36:00.000Z

Feliz Pascua from me and Azara, who as you can see has experienced her first Easter egg. She was obviously much more taken with the crinkly wrapping than anything else, which is good news for me. In the last few days she seems to have grown quite lot. It must be all those early morning walks along the coastal road here, or it could be something to do with all the lovely avocado she is getting to eat. She has this rather strange habit of opening and closing her mouth. Although it looks like she is pretending to be a fish, I think she may just be trying to copy us when we talk. Well, she's just managed to pull her head support out of her bouncer and is now trying to eat it, so I'd better go and do something else to entertain her -- this usually means singing, dancing or soing something else that makes me look particularly daft. Hope everyone has enjoyed their weekend and the 'heat' wave has been fun.
Love to you all,
Hannah and Azara

Azara at six months

2007-04-05T19:02:00.000Z

Here are some pictures of Azara at six months. I don't try to dress her in daft clothes, but since I have the Winnie the Pooh outfit, I thought I'd make the most of it. We're all well in Peru and send you lots of love from here. Hannah and Azara xxxx

Mucho tiempo

2007-03-28T14:16:00.000Z

Yippeee...I remembered the password. This blog site had changed the formatting and my baby brain had forgotten the password after I had to re-register, so apologies for not writing for so long. I am up and running again, finally..and the big news is, Azara and I are in Peru. We are staying with Senor Hals y Lorena for a few days and then off to Mark's. What fun. I will update you more when Azara is not making so much noise, but in the meantime, thanks for all the messages and love to you all.
xxx

Moving house

2007-02-12T13:39:00.000Z

Greetings from a soggy Lymington. I'm going to have to keep this one short as I am borrowing a computer, but wanted to say thanks to everyone who posted the messages and wished us well for our move. The address for the next couple of weeks in Totton, near Southampton, is 3, Downs Park Road, Eling, Southampton, SO40 9GL. We won't be there for that long and I will give you the new address when we move to more longer term digs. We're all well and I'm lookinh forward to having our own place, complete with TV, washing machine, phone, etc, which we don't have at the moment. Jon has started his new job today. I'll update you on that when I can. Take care and love to you all.

On the move again...

2007-02-06T20:41:00.000Z

No matter how many times I do it, moving doesn't get any easier. This will be the fifth time I've moved in the last year.
And so it's ta ta Terrington and hello Hampshire, as Azara and I make the rather epic journey tomorrow with Papa who has kindly offered to drive us and a lot of our belongings down south. Nanna has helped us finish up most of the packing today and I managed to stave off a lot of the stress of the move by a fleeting but great weekend visit to Crosby with Azara, where we saw Auntie Kate for her belated birthday and stayed with Great Aunt Fairy and Uncle Dave. It was really nice to see Ellen, Si, Maz, Sam and Nanna Ruby as well.
The train journey across to Liverpool will be one of those memorable ones because of the rather delightful present Azara decided to bestow on me when we had just left Malton. Needless to say, I will always take spare clothes for myself as well as her in the future and I am quite glad that we had two chairs to ourselves.
Jon is already down south, having been busy sailing for the past few days and I'm looking forward to seeing him. Jon's friends Ian and Louise have kindly offered to let us stay in a cottage they have on the outskirts of Southampton as it's a few weeks before we can move into the place we have rented in Lymington. Jon starts his new job on Monday and it will be a huge relief for him to be back to work and it may mean that things are a little bit tidier where we're living as well.
It's going to be hard being away from Mum and Dad and Alex as we've had them so close by since Azara was born, but I'm hoping they'll come and visit soon and I am slightly anxious about not knowing anyone and about being by myself day in and day out, after having been used to having Jon around, but I'm sure I'll cope. In the meantime, I'm excited about being in a slightly larger community and hopefully being able to make friends with people our age and also finding people to run with in the area around the beautiful New Forest.
It might be some time before I get to post again, so love to you all. We'll keep you posted as to our whereabouts and news just as soon as we get settled.
Han
xxx

Bouncing bean

2007-01-30T17:28:00.000Z

Thought you might like to see the latest picture of our little smiler with her new favourite toy: Nanny Hils' newly bought Christmas present. It's the best thing since breast milk as far as the Bean is concerned and not only did it make her smile, but watching her bounce up and down in it had me and Jon in fits of laughter. Hours of fun and hopefully something she won't get bored of too quickly.

Hello there

2007-01-23T12:21:00.000Z

Greetings from a whitewashed Terrington, where we have had the first snow of the year. As you can see from the picture of Azara, which was taken a few days ago, she is really getting strong and is now able to push herself up when we put her on her front. She's currently being quite demanding and as Daddy is not here, I will have to go and entertain her, so I'll leave it for now.
Han
xxx

Three month update

2007-01-11T09:57:00.000Z

Here's a picture I took at Mum and Dad's house this week. I know she looks a bit like a boy baby, but yet again this was an outfit we bought based on the predictions of the doctor in Peru...ho hum. Azara is lying on a blanket under her mobile, apparently not bored by it just yet....but I don't think this entertainment will last for very long.
Jon is down on the south coast, having had a job interview yesterday and we are home alone. For the past two nights I have been by myself with the baby and although it's been pretty trying - especially the epic crying episode yesterday which lasted nearly five hours, we've been okay. Tomorrow we are going on the train to London, where I have a job interview next Monday. So, by this weekend, we'll have done planes, trains and automobiles and hopefully it won't be too long before we can throw boats into that mix as well.
Azara is being very active and at night she has taken to trying to roll over in her cot. She hasn't quite managed the move from her back to her front yet, but I don't think it's far off. Also, she's cooing and gurgling away ever so much, which is quite fun although it's often tough to tell if she's happy or sad. Yesterday's crying fit may be a precursor to teething. I've been expecting that for a while, after Mum said that I teethed very early, and her cheeks do seems slightly red. Well, perhaps time to go as she's either chatting to the mobile or trying to get my attention.
xxxx

Azara is three months

2007-01-05T20:41:00.000Z

Just a quick note to mark the momentous occasion as I'm pretty tired, but I just wanted to flag up the fact that Azara is now three months old! Pictures and more to follow soon. In the meantime, I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and New Year and Happy 2007!!

Merry Christmas

2006-12-18T23:11:00.000Z

We're heading off on a rather epic journey to Cornwall via the south coast tomorrow, so I thought I'd write to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a wonderful 2007, in case I don't get the opportunity to update my blog for a while. We are going to spend Christmas with Steve and Sarah in their (brand new to them, having moved in last week) cottage and Nanny Hils is also coming down to share in the festive fun. Because we won't see my Mum and Dad over Christmas, they invited us round for a wonderful day yesterday, where Mum cooked a beautiful Christmas dinner and we swapped Chrissie pressies. What a fab time! As you can see by the pics, Little Miss Bean did rather well on the present stakes, receiving a rocking horse from Nanna and Papa. While it may be a little while until she can sit on it independently, we enjoyed showing her how it was done, although she wasn't quite sure what to make of the horsy noises her new toy made when we pressed its ear. Hero, Mum and Dad's dog (for the uninitiated) welcomed the horse into the family as only Hero knows how, by sniffing his bottom. Oh well.....on a rather more tasteful note, we are really looking forward to the stay in Cornwall, although the drive down is scaring me a little. We're going down via Jon's old stomping ground as he has a job interview on Wednesday for a sailing position in Lymington. Then, after just over a week in Cornwall, Azara and I are flying from Exeter to Glasgow while Daddy has the rather unenviable task of driving up. I'm really looking forward to the week in Scotland as it has been several years since I've been up there and the week in the lodge is usually very relaxing...although that may not be quite the case this year with a little one....ok, not quite that little any more: at 10 weeks and four days, Azara weighs 11lb and 3oz or 5.08kg, if you do it that way.
Well, I'm afraid my bed calls....it's getting late and I'm exhausted from all the packing. Wishing you all the most fantastic time over the next few weeks whatever you are doing, whoever you are with and wherever you are.
Feliz navidad xxx

2006-12-12T12:02:00.000Z

Here's a photo we took of Azara last week to mark her two month birthday. The dress was a present from Uncle Halk and Auntie Lorena in Peru and is a little large at the moment as you may have guessed. Anyway, we think she looks just lovely.
The news today is just what we wanted for Christmas. After two months of being a little frog, Azara is officially brace free and her hips are fine. We went to the hospital yesterday and, althought the specialist wasn't there to see her, the x-ray showed that her once dislocatable hip is now perfectly normal. We are very happy and although Beanie doesn't probably realise what has happened, she seems to be enjoying being able to kick about. We are really enjoying being able to give her proper cuddles.

Santa's grotto

2006-12-10T22:32:00.000Z

One side of our living room looks a little like Santa's grotto: full of tinsel and bright coloured Christmas lights. It would be in poor taste if we didn't have a baby. She loves it. Beanie keeps staring and staring at the glittery gold tinsel and smiling at the lights as if she's sharing a secret with the Christmas decorations. She's got her first advent calendar thanks to Nanny Hils. Mummy has been helping her with the daily chocolates and Daddy has been helping with the lighting of the advent candle. She's also got her first Christmas tree decoration; a beautiful fairy from Nanna and Papa, although we have opted not to have a tree this year as the real ones are too messy and the nice ones are too expensive, so we've borrowed some of my Mum and Dad's decorations to make the place feel more festive and so at least one side of the living room (the other side to Santa's grotto) looks tasteful. In the meantime, we have all been suffering with colds. Azara has had hers for more than a week; I came down with it last weekend, got better and then started feeling rough again today and Jon has been proper poorly (as only men can be) since Thursday. On another health note, tomorrow we are going to Hull to see the specialist about Azara's hip. We'll keep you posted on the results of that and hope that we get good news and she doesn't have to wear her brace any longer. She is getting quite heavy at the moment and the brace is pretty clumsy. It will also be nice for us to let her sit up which she cannot really do with the brace on and also it will mean she can play on her tummy a bit more easily. Time for bed in Terrington, so love to you all and a special get well soon to Great Aunt Fairy from the von Trappers
xxx

Two months' today

2006-12-05T16:44:00.000Z

Today Azara is two months old. In many ways it feels like we've had her for ever and I don't think Jon and I can really imagine life without her. She has changed so much since October 5th. She now weighs in at 10 lb 7.5 oz and as well as growing she is really developing her own personality, which is great fun. She has taken to smiling at almost every given opportunity and her face really lights up when she makes eye contact with us. All this despite having her first cold this week and giving Mummy a cold as a present. We've been feeling a bit rotten and it's quite distressing hearing her so snuffly and being able to do so little about it.
Yesterday we got back from a few days in Liverpool, staying with Great Aunt Fairy and Uncle Dave. We had a lovely time and Beanie was a very good girl. It was Jon's birthday on Friday and GAF made dinner for the clan, so we got to see Fairy G Kate and Uncle Frank, Auntie Ellen and Uncle Si. It was also Nanna Ruby's 87th birthday on Sunday, so we went to visit her and while we were there we also saw Auntie Olive, which was lovely.

She's smiling

2006-11-23T23:13:00.000Z

I forgot to mention in the previous post that Azara is seven weeks' old today and as of Monday and the visit by the health visitor, she was weighing 9lb 11 oz, which means she has put on more than two pounds since she was born. She has also grown a couple of centimetres in length, so all is good. I also forgot to mention that we had a rather momentous development when we were in Bedford and Azara started to smile. Since then, she has also taken to trying to laugh which is very sweet. She often smiles when she makes eye contact with us, although this can also happen at totally random times. So, it's still a little hit and miss at the moment, but it is wonderful. Sorry the pictures a little blurry: it's more difficult than it seems to catch a baby smile!

Like father, like daughter

2006-11-23T22:50:00.000Z

Sorry, it's been a while....I could use all manner of excuses, but time seems to take on a life of its own with a baby and I don't seem to have much chance to sit down at the computer. So, here in the interim between feeds, screams and nappy changes, a quick summary of the past couple of weeks. This picture was taken a couple of weeks ago when we went to Nanna and Papa's house for Sunday lunch. As you can see, it's exhausting being a new baby and a new Daddy. Later that week, Jon went to Ethiopia, to do some work for the BBC's Science Unit, which was filming a documentary on a volcano. He went to help them with the abseiling and the expedition safety and I think it was just what the doctor ordered after several weeks of babysitting Yorkshire style. Azara took her first trip out of God's own county and we went to Bedford to stay with Auntie Marion, Jon's godmother, and Auntie Wendy, Sarah's godmother. We had a lovely time. This week has been rather tied up with less pleasant episodes, such as a visit to the dentist which has left me with tremendous toothache and an interview with BBC Look North in Hull for a planning editor position, which I don't think went very well...ho hum. It was a little traumatic having to feed Beanie in the stairwell of Primark, when she was having a hunger fit and we were trying to buy some cheap clothes...yes, we really are plumbing the depths! So, hopefully a more relaxing day tomorrow, although a bit of tidying and cleaning is in store. One of the other local Mums, Tara is coming round for a cuppa in the morning, with her little one Jasmine, who's five days older than Beanie...and I promise the talk won't just be nappies; although, on that note, Azara really could be nicknamed Missy Muck at the moment. Just as an aside, I really am beginning to miss the Southern Hemisphere: the country roads are well and truly mucky, the weather is mostly drab and it gets dark at 3.45.....hardly worth getting out of bed really!

Four weeks' old

2006-11-02T11:56:00.000Z

Today is Azara's four week birthday and we have a quiz for you. Here she is in the middle of these three pictures, framed by none other than yours' truly (on the right) and Daddy Jon. We'd like to know who you think she looks most like as we obviously have our thoughts on the matter. The pictures of Jon and me were taken when we were slightly older, but it was so exciting to see them all together like this. For now, little missie is squeaking and Mummy Bean has some work to do, so answers on a posting please.....
xxx

Little pumpkins

2006-11-01T11:55:00.000Z

I can't really tell who looks more scared Jon or Azara, but I wanted to share these pictures. Jon put his artistic skills to good use and carved out a pumpkin for our little pumpkin. At least we enjoyed it, even if we couldn't take part in the 'carve a pumpkin' competition in Terrington as we bought our Halloween treat from the supermarket and not the village shop. We might be temporary traitors, but I still think it looks good.
xxx

Happy Hallow-Bean

2006-10-31T16:45:00.000Z

Greetings from a very blustery Terrington, where it seems that the weather has turned just for Halloween. It's been a really wintry day today and you can almost imagine the witches flying around, cackling on their broomsticks. I have to admit I've been no where near as active and managed to walk up to the village shop, which had sold out of milk -- clearly villagers have been buying extra pints because they know something we don't or they think the local children view this as a 'treat'...mmm, unlikely given the prevalence of farms round here. Anyway, just to update you on developments with Miss Azara: she now weighs a stonking 8lb 13 oz, which may have had something to do with the fact that when the health visitor came around earlier to check up on her, she had gone a record number of hours without a dirty nappy. Well, we have now recovered from the nappy explosion that took place after that visit and she is sleeping quite contentedly, clearly not as traumatised as her Mummy by the sheer volume of piccalili-like present she gave us. Daddy on the otherhand was very proud. That's it for now...will update with more again soon. In the meantime, Happy Hallow-Bean.
xxxx

Bean pictures

2006-10-28T12:36:00.000Z

I tried to attach these to the previous post, but the computer was being slow, so here is the latest picture of Azara, taken on her three week birthday on Thursday, one with FG2 (Fairy Godmother Kate) on her visit up her a couple of weeks ago and Bean and I on just before she was two weeks' old. You can see how much she's growing and how much of a cutie she is...okay, I know, we're biased!

Baby update

2006-10-27T17:53:00.000Z

Azara is asleep on her Daddy's knee, continuing her habit of nodding off for a long time during the day and being fretful during the night. I got a little sleep last night -- actually more than I've had since she was born in one straight -- as Jon tried her with a bottle, which she hated. She continues to be absolutely wonderful though and is growing very quickly. As of Tuesday, she was 8lb 4.5 oz and the health visitor seemed very happy with her; even if I have been having some trouble feeding, it doesn't therefore seem to be affecting her weight gain. We aren't in a routine yet, but hopefully we will be getting there soon. We've had a couple of visitors this week, which has been lovely. Sarah and Steve came over the weekend and met their little niece. It was lovely to have them to stay and to have other people to keep an eye on her. We went for a fairly hefty walk to the local village, Hovingham, which Uncle Steve had said was 3.5 miles, but turned out to be a mile longer. I wouldn't have worried normally, but it was quite an effort for me and we had been meaning to get to the pub for lunch but didn't make it in time and then Azara started crying for food, but we were saved by a lovely lady in the pub, who let us feed her and take the dog in, who we were pet-sitting for the day. My fairy godmother came to visit and she has spent the day with us today, which was absolutely wonderful. We saw her at Nanna and Papa's yesterday and then she came around to the cottage today and we had a lovely relaxed day...hopefully it wasn't too boring for you FG!?
Anyway, I am sure there are many other things to report, but am suffering from no-brain syndrome, so apologies.
More soon
H
xxx

Azara Storm Chittock

2006-10-19T22:08:00.000Z

She has a name...it only took us two weeks, but Little Miss Bean is now the proud owner of a birth certificate and a bank account. The name Azara is one we kind of made up. It's a plant indigenous to Chile, where she was conceived. As I said to Papa (my Dad) better than calling her Missiones de Rengo, the wine we were drinking that night! Azara is not a name as such, but the word means 'scarlet' in Persian and that's a name we quite like, but getting rather too popular because of a certain actress. Also, rather cleverly our beanie baby was born on the day the official Peter Pan sequel, 'Peter Pan in Scarlet' came out. It would be stretching it a bit to say that was a sign, but the name made us both smile and that was very important to us. Hopefully it will make her smile too when she is older and understands that it was more than just a name picked out of a hat. We're looking forward to the genuine smiles replacing the wind-induced ones, which are cute, even if they are the precursor to something which is far from cute. Bowing to the hippy in Daddy, we chose Storm because it's a name Jon really liked and we figured if she didn't like either Azara or Chittock (the much more likely option) then at least she would have a cool alternative.
More soon...except to say our Beanie is two weeks' old today.

The first eleven days

2006-10-16T20:45:00.000Z

I'm coming up for air after the last few days which have been a whirlwind of feeds, hospital visits, nappy changes and sleep snatched at opportune moments. Bean continues to amaze us and I never realised it was possible to feel love like this. Yes, I'm sure she'll try us and test us to our wits' end, but she is perfect in every way and even the labour and the sleepless nights pale into insignificance when we stare into her sweet face. There are inevitably ups and downs and one of the most difficult things has been the feeding. We had a very tough first few days and now she seems to be making up for it by feeding every couple of hours. It's hard work and absolutely exhausting, but it is so good for her and apparently for me too that I am keeping at it. She has changed so much since birth, her face has filled out and she is quite alert when she is awake. Another of the things that has made feeding a little bit tough is the harness she has too wear. When she was a couple of days old, the midwife discovered that she has a dislocatable hip and so we have been back and forth to Scarborough a couple of times for a scan and for a harness to be fitted, which will hopefully mean that the ligaments and muscles strengthen so that her hip stays in place. This will mean a check up at around six weeks, but most of the time it corrects itself in this time.
Otherwise, our daughter is a very content little baby. She loves bath time and she is very much her Daddy's little girl already. Yesterday we took her to the pub, because it wad the first anniversary of the pub being a Thai restaurant and the landlord, Stewart's, birthday, and she slept the whole time we were there. Everyone was remarking on how good she was. Long may that continue. I'll leave it for now as I would like to have a little nap before she wakes again.
In the meantime, thanks to everyone for all the love and wishes. I'll try and post again soon and I promise we are well on the way to naming our baby....so, we'll let you know as soon as we have decided. And, yes, we know you're all anxious to know, but just as she is perfect in our eyes, we want her name to be perfect.
Lots of love

Bean's here, done that

2006-10-06T12:20:00.000Z

Just wanted to let you know, Jon and I are the proud parents of a baby girl. She was born at 2.23 pm yesterday (Thursday), in a birthing pool weighing 71b 80z. Since the German doctor in Peru told us we were having a boy, because the foetus (not the doctor)had a very large scrotal sac, we are somewhat short of names of the pink variety. But needless to say, we're very happy...if a little tired after a long pre-labour and very painful and intense period in the hospital. So, here for now is the Bean, aged 2 hours.
Lots of love
Han

D-day plus one week

2006-10-02T15:34:00.000Z

I must have looked like I was doing a Mr Bean walk....it's certainly not much fun trying to walk around the supermarket when your leg goes into spasm because there is a reluctant foetus pressing on your nerve. Oh well, at least I managed to lean on the trolley and didn't collapse on the floor like I did in the kitchen the other day.
Before I forget....instructions for Big Cuz for Amazon. You don't need a log in. Just go to amazon.co.uk and in the top right hand corner it should say wish list and then you click on that and then a new screen should come up saying 'Find wish list' and then you type in Bean Chittock and hopefully it will work.
Jon is going down to London for an interview tomorrow, so perhaps this will mean that Bean decides that it's the perfect time to come out and play. I hope not. Jon's off this evening after dinner and then should be back tomorrow evening in time for either the pub quiz or a baby. Mum and Dad are staying in the barn next door in case I need some help in the middle of the night.
If nothing has happened by Wednesday, we have to go to Scarborough to see the consultant. Now I really don't want to be induced, so hopefully they will agree to hold off until next Monday and give the Bean a bit more time to decide to make a move.
In the meantime, the thumb twiddling continues.....

Techno Bean

2006-09-30T16:50:00.000Z

This is real proof that we have spent the past few days twiddling our thumbs....Bean now has a personalised wish list on Amazon.co.uk. I'm not necessarily suggesting that everyone goes out and buys presents for the baby, but if anyone fancies it, we thought this might be a good idea. You have to have your own sign in and then you go to wish lists and put Bean Chittock as the name and then it should let you see what Bean would like....or what we think Bean might like!!
Any problems, I am a technophobe, but Jon should be able to help.
As for the birth...as you may gather it hasn't happened yet.
xxx

Head over heels -- and still no news

2006-09-28T21:57:00.000Z

Nearly had a bit of a shock today....
We went to the mid-wife and she decided to send me for a scan because she wasn't sure which way up Bean was. Just the think you want to hear when you're three days' overdue. She said she thought it might be Breech, which would mean getting me in for a C-section as quickly as possible. The good news is Bean just has a rather large bum and what she thought might be the bottom is actually the shoulders, which means the head is quite well engaged. That would explain why I am feeling like my insides are a pestle and mortar and my pelvis is being ground away with every movement of the Bean's head. Dad thinks Bean is going to be a pot-holer at this rate, but am not so sure....It was a relief though not having to be scheduled in for a last-minute section, even if it means Jon was rather shocked by the size of Bean's bottom, which seems to be taking up the majority of my stomach. It was nice to get a late scan, although it wasn't very easy to see much as there's not a lot of room in there. We've just got back from a lovely Thai meal at the only pub in the village and I am hoping the spicy food will prove irresistible and spur Bean to make an exit, but am not sure. Hilary, Jon's Mum, is up in Yorkshire for a few days. She was getting lonely in London and obviously wanted to see the Bean, but no can do on that front. Thanks to Auntie Lorena for the best wishes....we had considered some Peruvian and Latino names...why didn't you mention Ollanta.. or Humala: surely the great almost man hasn't been forgotten already? Well, as ever, will keep you posted. To everyone who is off on their hols already or shortly, 'Bon voyage'...I really am getting itchy feet now, and know how everyone must have felt whenever I used to jet off here and there. I haven't been on a plane for at least eight weeks....getting withdrawal symptoms, and likely to be a while until I do again. You'll be glad to know I have been playing Bean music from the Buena Vista Social Club and the Jungle Book in French, to help with the cosmopolitan upbringing even if there are no planes involved just yet. Jon seems to think strumming on the guitar is going to inspire Bean to make a quick exit. Not sure about the baby, but it might have that effect on me soon. Love to you all xxx

D-day plus two -- we will let you know

2006-09-27T10:57:00.000Z

I couldn't write anything on Monday which was Bean's due day as the internet here has been appalling, but it seems it is working at the moment - whether or not it lasts for the length of this post is uncertain.
As you may have guessed, I am still the proud storage container of a Bean, who has clearly decided the outside world is too much of a scary place to enter and it's nice and warm and comfy inside. So, we're two days' overdue and have been trying all the old wives' tales of ways to bring on labour: including driving over bumpy roads, going for walks and eating spicy food. None of it seems to be working, but we do seem to be a bit lower over the past couple of days and there is an incredible amount of pressure on my pelvis, which in turn is giving me sciatica. Oh well....it's just the waiting game and we're trying to keep occupied, although it seems that everyone else is just as impatient as we are. We will let you know when the Bean decides to make an appearance and are still hoping it either happens in the next two days or not until Monday because of the issues with the maternity ward.
Little else to report, apart from we did horribly in the pub quiz last night. Brain seems to be representing a plate of mushy peas and incapable of answering even the most basic questions.
Terrington may be a one horse, one pub village, but it does have a rather posh prep school, which is repsonsible for ludicrous amounts of noise in the morning when the 'yummy mummies', as Jon calls them, drive their ridiculous four by fours at brake neck speed up the road, so darling Fergus isn't late to school. Anyway, we had a bit of amusement this weekend because the kids of Mum and Dad's neigbours were playing rugby and it was quite amusing listening to some of the posh names being yelled by parents across the pitch and laughing at some of the silly things children get called. So, Bean won't be Farquahar or Tarquin or Torquil.
I bought a copy of 'Mr Happy' the other day and have been reading it to Bean and Jon. For amusement factor it beats 'Al-qaeda' by Jason Burke that I have been trying to plough through, but it's not quite up there intellectually. Although it does now give Jon ammunition whenever I sit there scowling...he doesn't seem to realise the difference between concentrating and sulking.
Well, that's it for now...will hopefully post again soon.
Adios a todos
xxx

Still no news

2006-09-20T10:53:00.000Z

Emotions increasingly irrational, desperate need to have everywhere clean and tidy -- a feat in itself with these energy levels, the inability to lift weights and bend over and a messy hubby -- and growing clumsiness.
I know billions of people have gone before me: peering into this great unknown and survived the jump, but I am scared. Natural, I suppose and I know the tiredness, the sleepless nights, the smelly nappies, the sore body parts and the lack of a life for the immediate future will all be worth it, but it's just something I need to get off my chest. Yes, I am selfish...I am sorry. Yes, I am excited, but I am tired and hormonal. I know it's not really the end of an era, but the beginning of a much, much better one.
You'll gather from this the Bean hasn't made a grand entrance just yet. Five days to go until D-day and if I don't go into labour today or early tomorrow, I'm going to sit with my legs crossed as Malton maternity ward is closed from Thursday 5pm until Monday 8.30 am and the alternative is scary Scarborough -- a one hour drive over horrible tractor and caravan-infested predominately one-carriage way roads -- where the hospital is huge and a visit last week really put the fear into me (even if they do have a birthing pools, which hopefully will be free).
So, while I do the crossed leg thing, please do the crossed finger thing, so we can all end up with monumental cramp.
This is proving quite cathartic...apologies for sounding like a miserable, moaning moo...I really have no excuse. Mid-wife appointment tomorrow and we'll see if Bean is any more engaged than last week, where the head was one-fifth down....I've been walking and eating curry, which is supposed to bring on labour, but no such luck yet.
Thumb twiddling aside, at least the grass grows quickly here, so fast in fact that you practically can see it grow.
Love to you all.
Han
xxx

38 weeks

2006-09-11T12:03:00.000Z

Oooh, I have been very re-miss. Apologies for the fact that imminent motherhood, coupled with living out in wilds in Yorkshire, are not really conducive to blogging. So, here I am at 38 weeks pregnant and taking advantage of the fact that this may well be my last entry for a while. For all those who are still reading this, thank you...I am beginning to feel very large and could probably give John Wayne a good waddle for his money at the moment.
Nevertheless, Jon and I are enjoying being together, even if it is a little frustrating that we can't find work for him at the moment. It all feels a far cry from life in Peru and Bermuda and we are both missing our friends very much. In August, we spent a while down in Cornwall for the wedding of Jon's sister Sarah and Steve. It was a lovely change of scenery and I had never been down to that part of the country before. It was also nice to finally meet Steve and Sarah after hearing so much about them. The wedding was lovely and it gave Jon the chance to catch up with some old friends and some beer-drinking.
Not much else to report, aside from the fact that we won the quiz at our local last week....if this is the highlight of my week, hum, I should sign off now.
Love to you all

Big Day

2006-08-10T13:54:00.000Z

Apologies for not posting sooner, but as you can probably tell from this posting, we've been rather busy. Jon and I decided to get married and after only ten or so days of planning, we did so on Saturday. It was a lovely day, shared with Jon's Mum, my parents and brother, my cousin Kate and Jon's friend Steve and his girlfriend Claire. We are planning on having a bigger celebration next year and hope you can all make it. We decided to make Saturday as informal and small as possible as it was something we wanted to do for Bean and realised that it would also make our lives a lot easier. So, I hope you'll all understand and look forward to celebrating our day again early next year...date TBC. As you can see from the photos, Bean is growing at a remarkable pace and it's only six weeks now until due date. Still there seems like there is a mountain of things to do, although I've got the nappies in! Next week we are heading down to Cornwall for a week or so, which we are really excited about. Sarah and Steve are getting married and although I've never met Jon's sister, I feel like I know her really well. I've never been to Cornwall either, so am looking forward to that and the weather should be pretty good. We are going down there via London, where Jon has a job interview and I have some work to do for World Football, the World Service football programme I have worked for in the past. Not exactly sure when we are off, but before we go, we have our second parentcraft class tonight. This time it's about pain relief, something which I'm sure I'll need to know about in a matter of weeks! Well, I'll leave you with these pics and my love and hugs. Lorna and Hal, I hope you got back to Lima safely. Hope to hear from anyone who fancies posting soon. xxxx

All over the place

2006-08-01T09:30:00.000Z

Am making a quick pit-stop between returning from Liverpool and heading off to London for a couple of days. I had a lovely time in Crosby, really relaxing and realised how lucky I am to have such a great family. And I'm not just saying this as I know a certain Fairy G reads my blog! I'm quite proud of myself for being able to shop her under the table....and amazed by the stamina I actually had.
Today marks seven and a half months' of pregnancy and I can now officially say I am due next month, which is pretty terrifying. Went out last week and bought various bits and bobs after having a little scare -- pre-term labour it wasn't, a bloody great big stitch it was -- and realising that if the baby was born there were lots of things we didn't have. Well, we now have most things, although there are still a few left over.
The Bean got a gorgeous basket of baby goodies from Fairy G and a really sweet little pack of clothing and booties from Kate and Frank along with a squishy polar bear that I want to keep for myself!
It was lovely to catch up with the rellies and spend some time with Nanna, although she wasn't feeling great on the Friday and then had to deal with a flooded bathroom floor on the Saturday...good thing that Auntie Jane and Bob were staying the night and could help her out. Kate and Frank and I went around to Maz (Kate's best mate and a friend of mine from our teenage years) and Sam (one of Frank's best mates) for a Thai takeaway on Saturday, after a lazy day during which Fairy G treated me to a manicure and pedicure by Tinkerbell (Maz' s sister in law). We saw Ellen and Si and the kids on Saturday afternoon which was nice, if a little exhausting and then I went round to Shaun and Liz's on Sunday for a barbecue and had a lovely evening with them and Sarah.
As I mentioned, I'm off down to London this afternoon and will be spending tonight with Nanny Hils before a few meetings tomorrow to try and get my foot back in the freelancing door. Will let you know how that all goes. Jon flies back from the DRC tomorrow morning and I'm really looking forward to seeing him. We will probably come back here on Thursday in time for the first ante-natal or 'parentcraft' classes as they call them now.
Well, will update when we get back from London. In the meantime, love to everyone and the amigos peruanos, especially my former housemate.
xxx

Two months till Bean Day

2006-07-25T08:56:00.000Z

Well, the title of this posting is pretty self-explanatory, but I thought I would just flag up my due date, which is rapidly encroaching on us.
Sorry it's been a while since I wrote anything of substance or sense. It's been a pretty frantic last week or so and, as I don't really have much news, I'm afraid I haven't had much incentive to write.
To update you all: I am still in Yorkshire, staying with my parents and hopefully moving into the cottage that they bought in a village a few miles away in the next few weeks. They are having terrible trouble trying to sell their house and have to keep the furniture in here because apparently furnished places sell better than those which aren't furnished. So, they cannot move into their new place, which forms the other half of the barn - cottage project they bought, until this house is sold. Complicated and more than a little bit stressful.
I am going to Liverpool at the weekend for a change of scenery and because Mum and Dad are both working. It will probably be the last chance I get to see my extended family before the Bean comes along and I'm taking advantage of the fact that I am not quite waddling and can still see my feet to go and stay with Fairy G and visit the rellies, which should be good fun. It will also keep me distracted while Jon is away. He left for London on Sunday and will be heading out for the Democratic Republic of Congo tomorrow (Weds). When I phoned the BBC last week to tell them that I was leaving Peru for good, I asked them if they were in need of security advisors and because they have had to pull so many out of their normal areas to help in the latest Middle East crisis, they did need someone in Africa, to help the news teams during the run-up to and coverage of the elections.
So Jon heads to deepest, darkest Africa tomorrow and I know he is looking forward to getting back into the kind of work he enjoys. He's only going for a week, but at least it will mean some cash and perhaps it will get him some good contacts and back in with the Beeb, who he used to do security work for. Needless to say, I am kicking myself a little bit as I am a little worried about him and it was me who persuade him to do it, but I know it'll be good and he'll be fine.
The weather here continues to be the kind of weather you always want when it's cold. The British are so funny...we never ever seem to be happy with the weather. Now this heatwave has gone on for a while and the days are truly beautiful, but there has been little let-up and it's a bit stressful being pregnant and not being able to get cool. But, at least it's not raining.....so I have no complaints.
The Bean seems to have been inspired by our return to England and is growing at an astounding pace, so my back has been quite painful in recent weeks. There's an awful lot of movement going on as well, which is probably a good thing, but makes for interesting nights!
Well, not much else to report, apart from the fact I am missing all my friends in Peru.
Love to you all,
H
xxx

News from up north

2006-07-21T07:44:00.000Z

Just a quickie to update you, as I know I have been rather lax of late.
Jon and I are now back in Yorkshire. I fled Bermuda last Monday, flying via the UK on to France for a few days with Mum and Dad in the place in the south-west. Then we flew back to Liverpool and headed on to Yorkshire, where Jon joined us on Tuesday this week after spending the weekend with his Mum.
It's been a strange re-adjustment and I still have some doubts about the decision we have made, but I know it is for the best. It's nice to be away from the cockroaches and despite this rather abnormal heatwave in the last few days, it's also nice to be away from the humidity of the Triangle.
And of course, it was lovely to see Jon's Mum when she picked me up from the airport and spend some time -- albeit too short -- with her. It's nice to be back with Mum and Dad, although they are in a pretty stressful situation at the moment with the different houses that they are trying to sell, furnish etc.
In the next couple of weeks, we should have more of an idea what the future holds in store for us. In the meantime, we are well. Bean and I went to the midwife here on Wednesday and everything is fine.
Thanks again for all the love and support of late. I'll post more when I get the chance.
Han
xxx

Decisions to end a dumb era

2006-07-10T14:42:00.000Z

It's amazing the mental gymnastics your mind can do when you can't sleep. I'm quite impressed by this latest anagram for Bermuda: 'dumb era' seems to be quite fitting for the time we have spent here.
Well, since I promised everyone we would have a decision over the weekend, and I wouldn't want to keep you all chomping at the bit, here's the latest on the 'Saga of the Triangle'.
Jon came back from the US on Saturday, having been really impressed by the project in Maryland. I know I have said it was based in Maine, but please blame it on shared brain cells and the fact that the Bermuda sloop is going to be launched from Maine.
But more than anything, it made him realise how bad things were here.
We have therefore made our decision independent of what happens with the US project, as they are still not in a position to give Jon an answer. If they give him a positive answer, I will go into more detail about his visit and our prospects for the next year. If they don't give us a positive answer, we will manage.
After Jon got back, we spent a long time chatting things through, and we came to the conclusion that Bermuda is no longer tenable.
It's not just a case of the confusion over the visas, it's everything: we simply don't think we would be happy here.
In the past few weeks, Jon has been getting more and more stressed, to the point that it feels like he is eating himself up inside. He has nobody else to talk with here (apart from me), no friends and his only topic of conversation seems to be the ineptitude of those he is surrounded by, to the extend that it sometimes seems as though I am listening to a stuck record.
I'm not saying he is perfect and I'm not saying I am either. Neither of us suffer fools gladly, but I feel like we have been as patient and as reasonable as possible.
So, yesterday Jon wrote to Captain Chris and explained the situation and attached his resignation letter to the email. Unfortunately, Chris didn't get back to him last night and, so, early this morning Jon went into town to see Alan, the Chairman of the Foundation.
Last night he said that today was going to be one of the hardest days of his life, which is quite a comment from someone who used to provide security for journalists in Iraq. I think it's because he feels like he is letting Chris and Alan down, and Alan was pretty good to us and to him - letting us stay there when I was here last time - and he is worried that Malcolm will go ballistic when he finds out.
He said the meeting with Alan was really tough and that apparently Alan had gone directly to the head of Immigration and the visas had been sorted, but unfortunately they didn't do anything to tell us this and make it formal in writing and I had been led to assume otherwise by Malcolm.
Jon and Alan had a conference call with Chris and even though they offered Jon various things, he said he felt his decision had been made and that now he would just be rocking the boat (excuse terrible pun) if he stayed.
He feels very upset for having let down Alan and Chris and probably because he rightly didn't air his grievances about Malcolm, they probably think that he is getting worked up over nothing. I think the three of them are going to be able to keep it amicable, but I am not sure how easy it will be once Malcolm weighs in.
I feel really bad for Jon. He has re-written his resignation letter and said his decision was based on our personal situation, which makes me a little frustrated, but this is probably what they want to hear and there is no point being childish about it.
During the weekend, we decided that it was better for me to leave the Island as soon as I could to strengthen Jon's argument if we had to, so I am flying back to London via New York tomorrow and arrive early on Wednesday morning and Nanny Hils is coming to meet me, which I'm really grateful for.
As Jon wasn't sure what the reaction would be, we are also pretty much packed in case we needed to make a quick get-away. He's hoping to be able to leave as soon as possible and hopefully this will be Thursday.
It hasn't quite hit me yet what we are doing and I have some doubts, but then if we were all blessed with the gift of hindsight, we'd never learn anything. But, all-in-all, I know this is the best decision for us. I want to thank you all for your support and for the emails and electronic hugs that I feel we have been receiving.
I know we are both stubborn and often selfish, that we are free-spirited people and we have to make our own decisions, but the stress and uncertainty that we have faced in the past few months has been eased a great deal by you, our friends and family. Our problems pale into insignificance alongside those faced by many people and we lucky we've got you and we're lucky we've got each other. I know we'll look back on this episode in our lives and probably laugh at the absurdity of the whole thing.
For now, I hope you'll excuse the length of this posting. Lots of love from Han, Jon and the Bean xxx

That Friday feeling

2006-07-07T19:28:00.000Z

Jon will be back tomorrow. Amazing how much I'm missing him after just two days. Perhaps it's because I know his arrival back on the island should mean an end to months of indecision. But, I'm not wanting to get my hopes up too much.
I went into Hamilton today on the ferry -- the ride across the azure waters to the capital is one of the positive things about the island -- and picked up some more immigration forms. Although I am feeling a bit ambivalent about filling them in after a conversation I had yesterday with the woman who Malcolm said was helping the Foundation with our immigration applications.
You may remember me saying that Jon's work permit had been approved and my visa has been okayed 'in principle'. Well, I don't know if Malcolm is incompetent or telling porkies, ot the lady at immigration got the wrong end of the stick and totally misunderstood what I said (somehow I doubt this), but she told me nothing of the kind had occurred, that there was no record of any application or acceptance for my name and I would have to fill out my form and attach all the supplementary info and apply that way. She wouldn't give me the info about Jon's application because I wasn't his employer. Anyway....I am not surprised.
The good news is, Jon called last night and said he is really enjoying the visit to the States, he loves the place and the people like him and -- what is more -- they are competent in the flesh too as well as on email.....
Oh joy!
xxx

Here's the fat lady again, but still no singing

2006-07-06T12:17:00.000Z

Sorry if the previous posting pic made you cringe...it makes me cringe a little too, but I promise I don't walk around in public like this. As you will see from this other photo, I do spend most of my time dressed, although I also seem to be spending copious amounts of time sleeping or at least trying to sleep. The well-dressed tramp photo was also taken on my birthday, while I was waiting for the ferry after Jon had taken me out for a meal at the Thai restaurant in Hamilton. I would blame the shut-eye on the celebratory glass of wine, but I just like sleeping at the moment, and given that I can rarely get comfortable, a bench is as good as anywhere. As you will see from this pic, I look a lot thinner when I am clothed...which can only be a good thing.
Thanks to all those friends and family who have sent me their words of wisdom which my request for advice or suggestions to help me and Jon through our current predicament. I know many people don't feel comfortable giving advice, and I know in the end we have to make the decision ourselves, but it really helps to get the perspective of other people on the situation.
The latest from the Devil's Isle is, as some of you may know, that Jon's work permit has been granted and my visa has been approved 'in principle'. What a horrible little phrase, full of all manner of hypotheticals. I don't want it approved 'in principle', but 'in practice'. Malcolm says this takes the pressure off us, but Jon doesn't agree, because we still need to make a decision and my tourist visa runs out on Tuesday. I can extend it a little longer, but really I wonder if we have lost all faith in this place.
Well that's about it for now. I've just got back from an hour-long walk and should probably have a shower now that the men drilling downstairs seem to be taking a tea or beer break.
Love to you all,
Han
xxx

When will the fat lady sing?

2006-07-05T13:26:00.000Z

Here's a picture of my ballooning belly, which was taken on my birthday. Thought you might be interested and up for a laugh!
Jon has just gone to catch the ferry to St George, on the other side of the island from where it is a short taxi ride to the airport. Then he's flying to the States -- or Maine to be precise -- for the next few days. He'll be back on Saturday, by which time we should be in a much better position to make a decision about what the future holds in store. To be fair, a few things have happened in the past few days that have swayed us one way and then the other, but I really do think we should be able to make a decision soon.
Apologies for not posting since the weekend. Things have been pretty hectic. We moved into the almost-renovated apartment at Number 8, Royal Naval Dockyard on Monday. This may be the poshest address I've ever lived at, but it may also be the shortest amount of time I have ever spent living anywhere.
The apartment has beautiful wooden floors, high ceilings with rather tasteless fans which help with the stifling heat and large sash windows which help even more. There are still a few aesthetic things that need to be finished: ie. we have no doors and there are a few wires poking out here and there and we've only got makeshift curtains, but it is lovely to finally have somewhere to call home -- if only for a few days.
Unfortunately, I haven't really slept well since I have been here, probably because of all the things going on in our lives at the moment, but also because Tuesday night's is 'Destination Dockyard', where all the wonderful cruise ship passengers descend on this place and the locals pull out all the stops to sell tourist tat and live up to the stereotypes of a Caribbean (okay, almost) island, playing cruise line classics like 'Don't Cry For Me Argentina'? on tin drums, while the entertainers off the ships do juggling displays, and tricks that draw the brain-dead crowds. The locals also use it as an excuse to get obnoxiously drunk, so even though the event was supposed to finish at 11pm last night, people were still blaring their car horns, yelling and music was still playing until well past 1am. Very irritating when you live so close.
Still, I did get a lie-in this morning until 8.30, although I did wake up at 6.30 for some food -- I find I get so hungry in the mornings - and it was a relief not to have the workers downstairs drilling and bashing around. Bermudians certainly aren't quiet. They don't really have the mellifluous tones bestowed on other Caribbean islanders and the accent is very odd....like a cross between American, Jamaican and British and not the most attractive.
On to other news....
We must have been a funny sight yesterday. We went to the supermarket on the bike to load up on provisions for me for the next few days. We bought rather a lot of food and on the way back we had a couple of large bags on the back of the moped, one between Jon's knees and one under the seat....with me clinging on to Jon and to the back basket to make sure we didn't lose the cereal. Travelling by moped really is the most efficient way to get around Bermuda and although I am leaving the actual driving to Jon at the mo, it's getting quite tough getting on the back, the bigger I get. On the way back here from the supermarket which is about four miles, we saw an even funnier sight. There were two people on a bike, but at the front was a wiry looking dog with it's paws up on the handles...it looked just like it was driving!
We got some news from Malcolm, the executive director of the foundation, yesterday which leads us to think that the re-extended extended deadline of this weekend that Jon agreed to last week won't be met.
Back in May when I was here the last time, we had a meeting with the solicitors and Malcolm. The conclusion was that the only way we were going to get the visas sorted in time was to bypass the normal route and to go straight to the minister. I don't agree with nepotism or favouritism, but this was going to be the only way. This meant we would not have to immediately provide certain things like a police form -- which Bermudians do not quite seem to realise goes against the Data Protesction Act in the UK -- and I could not have a chest x-ray and we would not need to get married immediately, etc. The forms were finally put in a month later. Yesterday, Jon received an email from Malcolm saying the solicitor was off the island again -- he's probably gone to Germany to watch the World Cup final -- and that Malcolm had received a letter from immigration dated the 23rd of July -- since when does it take 11 days to get a letter from one side of the island to the other, only a couple of miles? -- saying that immigration needed a chest x-ray from me (despite the fact my Peruvian doctor went to great lengths to send an email and letter in May, saying I was in good health but I couldn't have an x-ray because I am pregnant, a form saying I would have health insurance -- we had a meeting to this effect in May also, a letter saying Jon would be finaicially responsible for me and I would leave the island if we split up (he's the only reason I'm here), a certificate once we got married, character references for me...the list goes on.
This seems to me to be the height of incompetence and there is absolutely no way that despite the fact I have great friends who will write me a character reference within 24 hours and I can get all the letters and mumbo jumbo bumph to them, that we will have an answer to the visa issue by the weekend. On an island where people are so happy to give their friends and relatives a leg up, it seems extraordinary that the foundation have effectively shot themselves in the foot over this by not pulling strings on an occasion when they were probably justified.
Jon and I had a long chat last night and we agreed that we both like the apartment and he has put so much work into it, and there are many great things about Bermuda, but the advantages are by far outweighed by the absolutely ridiculous levels of incompetence. Obviously, we will wait until he gets back from the States to see what the outcome of his meetings were there, but I think we may not be long for this isle.
A rather long-winded blog post this time, I'm afraid, but hope it makes some sense and keeps everyone up to date with goings-on in the soap opera that is Bermuda.
Bean continues to grow and kick at an alarming rate....we're into the third trimester now and I am feeling pretty weary, with some irritating backache, and over-heating quite frequently here so am staying indoors most of the time and drinking lots, but otherwise we're in fine fettle with 11 and a half weeks to go until due day.
Lots of love to you all.
Han
xxxx

Culture clash

2006-07-01T13:13:00.000Z

Greetings from an overcast island.....
Jon was trying to teach me meteorological symbols on the weather map today, but somewhere between the occluded front and the cold one I got confused. Apparently it means we are in for some grim weather up here in the mid-Atlantic for the next few days, which doesn't help our moving prospects. But, it does give me a fine excuse to go somewhere and watch the football..even if it's not as much fun drinking sprite rather than beer. Jon's happy to drop me off and keep on working; he doesn't like football.
So, what an exciting day. Because Bermuda has loads of people descended from the Portuguese settlers and a healthy dose of Brits, the England-Portugal game has led to somewhat of a split across the island. From what I see, it seems like Sven's men have a decent chance: helped mostly by the aggressive tactics of the Portuguese in the last round and some injuries. But I'd like to see England play better, because I really don't think they have put on a great show as yet. I'm pretty sure Brazil will wipe the floor with the French, although I was very impressed with how the Frogs rallied at the end of their game against Spain, so who knows...but, as many of you know, I do have a bit of a soft spot for the Brazilians, even if it would be nice to see another team win the Cup.
Well, that's quite enough footy talk for one posting. Time to update you on the goings-on in Dockyard and the soap opera that is our life here. We've finally got some furniture and the roll-call at the moment includes: a bed, a sofa, two coffee tables, two comfy chairs and a footstool, a chest of drawers and a blender as well as various mix and match plates and glasses and a vase, a couple of mirrors, a CD-radio and a hairdryer. We did pretty well with a couple of the people we were buying things from, as one was a wealthy re-insurance chap and his wife who were moving back to Marlow. They had some great furniture that was a very good price and the other was a Canadian teacher who wanted to get rid of his stuff so charged us a minimal amount for some of the other things.
I had less luck yesterday when I went to what Bermuda's version of Ebay advertised as a 'mega house sale'. Well, the only thing that was mega about this was the mess. But I found myself in a bit of a 'Catch-22' situation as I had taken the ferry to the other side of the island and the lady who was having the house sale had sent her husband down to pick me up. The house was an old sprawling place full of odds and sods that she had been collecting over 40 years. Now I thought my Granny was a hoarder, but this woman redefined the word. We stumbled from room to room, clambering over furniture and dodging cats and dogs as she pointed through the damp and gloom at things until I became punch drunk. Well, after their hospitality, I couldn't really leave without buying some things, especially as it was cheap and Jon had arranged a truck to come and pick up the furniture and I could hardly tell him over the phone that some of the things wern't overly suitable. Anyway, for the princely sum of $235, I came away with some (okay, I couldn't tell in the dark and no doubt dad will cringe, much as Jon did) MDF chest of drawers, a wooden bookcase, a sofa, loads of plates and glasses and the blender, another chest of drawers which I think they got a bit confused about because I didn't ask for, but of course Jon thought was it the best thing I got, a rather knackered old guitar (I left mine in Peru because I would have had to take that instead of a suitcase) -- apparently my musical expertise doesn't stretch to telling what is a decent guitar from what is crap (it has all its strings for goodness sake!) and a map of the world (although it's American, so apparently I didn't do too well there) and a wine rack. Well, not too bad, and at least I won't have to go off by myself again and buy things!
Well, I've just been summoned to earn my keep and do some work -- it's okay, it's only hanging up clothes -- so, I better waddle off. We should be moving in over the weekend, although still no oven and fridge fitted...we do have one of each that are a bit tatty and will 'do for now' -- this seems to be becoming our favourite phrase.
As for the rat on the roof: no sign of it for a couple of days, although we now have an army of ants in the cottage and there was another flipping cockroach on the window sill this morning....this should keep Big Cuz amused for now. As for our anonymous posting guest, if it's you Mark, I know what you're like. I did have a strange dream last night about living with nuns. I was working in Madrid for the BBC and Rageh Omaar was there and I had to wear a wimpole. Odd, and I can't blame it on drugs or drink!
Lots of love to you all
xxx

One more day, one more week

2006-06-29T16:05:00.000Z

So, they asked Jon in a round about way for an extension -- something along the lines of, 'is it absolutely critical that we give you answer by July 1?. Oh dear, oh dear. Jon has given them another week, which at least allows him to go and do what he has to do and doesn't leave it so late for me.
We bought a sofa yesterday. It's a second-hand one from a young British couple who both work in re-insurance and are leaving the island. We got a pretty good deal, getting a sofa, two coffee tables, a hairdryer and some timers to work with lamps etc, a CD-radio alarm clock and a framed poster for $650. They are all really good quality. Now we just need a bed! There's a great website here called e-moo, where people advertise things they qant to sell, but the beds always seem to go so quickly.
I think there is a rat on our roof. I was lying in bed this morning and heard some rather load scratching. It was a bit worrying, but once I realised it wasn't coming from inside, i was a bit happier.
We found a short-cut last night down to the railway track, which is a path running from one side of the island to the other that used to be home to the old railway before they foolishly got rid of it (Bermuda has no railway now and massive transport problems). Anyway, as it's closed to cars and only used by pedestrians, bikes and motorbikes, it's great for walking and jogging along. I can get through a little path to the track, which runs along the sea, and went for a little jog along there this morning.
Bean was extremely active at around 5.30, more than usual, but I think the jog had a calming effect.
No more news at the moment. I'll keep you posted. The apartment is looking good. The floors are nearly sanded and it's almost ready.
Love to you all
Han
xxx

A rum bed; be a drum

2006-06-28T17:20:00.000Z

However you look at it, it's the same nonsense just put another way.
How can a place be so beautiful, but so ugly below the surface?
There was some good news: allegedly, Msrs BSF (oh, there are a lot of things that could stand for) are going to ask us for an extension of seven days to our deadline of July1 to which Jon seems to think it's only fair to agree. The captain has said he won't take Jon on the delivery because at least he thinks my delivery is more important. Jon has a job interview next week. Allegedly we can move into the renovated place this weekend. We lost a bed today that we really needed to buy on a second-hand website because Jon was too busy over-seeing some idiotic lazy boys who seem to take more time doing things than if he did himself. The Bean is proving to be a little boxer...and my rock at the moment on this god forsaken island.
Good luck to Mum and Dad and Alex for all their challenges in the next week
xxx

Thank you

2006-06-26T22:00:00.000Z

To the two wonderful, fantastic, kind soon-to-be grandmothers (I hope this doesn't make you feel old- by the way Hilary what is Bean going to call you?), thank you so much. As I said, we should know more this weekend, but if I could hug you both now I would for offering to come out here, I would. In the absence of that, I'm sending a virtual hug and lots of love.
H & B
xxx

Which comes first...the Bean or the boat?

2006-06-26T11:05:00.000Z

Mmmm...where do I start?
First, thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes that I received electronically this morning when I opened my email and when I checked the replies to my last posting. Inefficiency is so endemic on this island that it spreads to the postal system, so I am still waiting for the delivery of the mailed birthday cards, but thank you in advance.
I had a good birthday. Jon took me out for breakfast at a little restaurant in Dockyard and then we went to a nearby beach for a little bit, where we went for a swim (Uncle Al will be proud, I went in the water although I did see some tiny fish). It was beautiful weather and the sea was gorgeous and quite warm. After that we went for a drink at one of the hotels at another beach and in the evening we went out for a lovely Thai meal at a restaurant in the capital, Hamilton. The food was wonderful and I treated myself to a glass of wine, which tasted all the better for being such a rarity. It's amazing how long I can make a glass last these days!
Last week was the hundredth Newport-Bermuda yacht race, the highlight of the sailing calendar here and an opportunity for obnoxiously expensive people from the States and the island to flash their cash in the form of the boats they sailed over. The yacht club in Hamilton hosted many of the boats and so it was awash with colourful flags being flown by the different vessels and more money than sense. It was pretty amazing seeing some of the sailing boats, many of which must have been worth more than a million dollars and there were some really beautiful ones. In celebration of the centennial, the U.S. Coastguard's sail training vessel, the Eagle, had sailed over. So that was moored opposite the Thai restaurant - a very impressive looking ship, measuring almost 300 feet, about three times bigger than the sloop will be. Princess Anne spent the weekend on the island and apparently made a visit to the Eagle. What a shame that the Foundation wasn't organised enough to know about the visit of the Eagle when it is supposed to be building Bermuda's only sail training vessel and one of a handful in the world.
Yesterday, we did some gardening for the nuns as a kind of rental payment, although I didn't really do that much as my back was hurting quite a lot and I'm now finding it almost impossible to bend over. We started off being quite sparing with the weeds and just picking out those that were obviously not flowers and then we got a bit excited and pulled out everything else that might possibly be a weed, which was apparently the right thing to do because by the time we had finished they had some nice evenly spaced geraniums in the flower beds and not much else. I managed to persuade Jon to take me down to the pub so I could watch the second half of the England game. I think it's funny how I have more interest in football than he does. My commiserations go to the Incredible Halk, as I really though England were very over-rated -- even if Beckham's goal was good -- and Ecuador played extremely well. Next week will be interesting as Bermuda has a very large Portuguese and English population, and the rival flags are apparently already flying.
We spent a lovely afternoon sitting in the garden outside the cottage and then I went for a jalk -- jog/walk, which is the only thing I seem to be managing at the moment -- while Jon went to finish off some work. We had another social event at the home of Malcolm, the executive director of the Foundation, last night when he got a load of educational people together to pick the brains of Jon and Chris about the sail training projects that the Foundation is supposed to be running. I was quite pleasantly surprised as I met a lovely couple called Marion and Rob. He is head of one of the top schools on the island, in fact the one that the Douglas family send their son to. They were very down to earth as only the English can be and Marion gave me loads of great advice about settling in, and Rob, who used to play for Derby County FC in his youth, regaled us with entertaining stories about how he manages to puncture the pretentiousness of some people here in Bermuda.
Although we had a lovely weekend, it was somewhat overshadowed by some rather unfortunate news, that really makes me question if I want to be here, but more than anything upsets me. Jon and Chris met with Alan (the chairman) and Malcolm from the Foundation on Friday to try and finally bash out launch and delivery dates for the sloop. It now appears that the launch date is set for August 13, but for some reason that I can't understand and that I can only put down to the immense inefficiency and the worst possible timing, they have scheduled the delivery for between 15-30 September. Ring any bells.......?
Bean is due on September 25 -- three months yesterday -- and bang in the middle of the bloody delivery. So, there's a 99 percent (or pretty high) probability that Jon won't be there for the birth, which is something that is so important to me. Before anyone tells me I am over-reacting, I know people who go on tours of duty in Iraq or Afghanistan often miss the births of their children, I know some people never even know their parents, I know Freddie Flintoff missed his child's delivery because he was captaining the England side, I know there are single mothers all over the world, but I am disapointed, because yet again it seems like the bastards here have conspired against us. I know I should count my blessings, but unfortunately - much as a conversation with Malcolm tipped Jon over the edge a couple of weeks ago and made him pack his bags and nearly leave the island, - this was the proverbial straw that broke my camel's back. Jon and I had planned for him to be there at the birth and I think that was part of the disappointment because if we hadn't have planned it, it might not have been so bad.
So, we are left with yet another situation of uncertainty from this Devil's Isle, as this place was first, and should still be, known.
As we see it, there are a few options. The July 1 deadline we gave them for having the visa sorted is fast approaching. If nothing appears by this date, we have to make a decision as to whether or not we stay. If we stay, I could come back to England and have the baby there, and Jon will have to fly out to the UK as soon as the boat is delivered, which could technically be around the due date. Then Bean and I could fly back to Bermuda a few weeks later. Or, we could have the baby in Bermuda, but then I risk being by myself at the birth, unless I can persuade someone to come and keep me company.....any offers?
Neither option is great as it means that if we are in the UK, Bean and I won't see Jon for several weeks, but if I stay in Bermuda, I risk being by myself and having a hard few final weeks, as Jon will be in the States from the start of August.
If we don't take the job, we will be able to come back to the UK, but we will have to find something else. There is something in the pipeline, which I don't want to jinx so I won't go into detail. I think more than anything, I am fed up because this is maing me wonder where the hell does this stop?
I believe in being professional, which Jon is being, but he seems to be the only one being so. Grrrrrrrrr. I thought I had experienced incompetence, inefficiency and bureaucracy before, but this is the most spectacular litany of errors that I have ever known and it has squashed all my faith in the project.
It looks like the renovations might be finished in the newt few days, although I am not holding my breath. Luckily the nuns have given us an extension in the cottage and we can stay there until Friday.
The men are supposed to be coming in today to do the floor sanding, so hopefully we can move in here by the end of the week, at around the time that we give them our decision. I discovered the other day that we are not going to have a washing machine in our apartment and may have to share one with the engineer, who is going to be living downstairs....marvellous, but what did I expect?
Oh well, the sun is shining, so that's nice, and we get to do some laundry today, which will mean we don't have to walk around in scabby clothes. Life's little luxuries.......
Oh, and I discovered something that would make my Nanna (Mum's mum) very pleased. There's a M&S here and not only do they sell proper pants and bras, but they also have reasonably priced wine and turkish delights in the food section. Perhaps there is a God!!

Of insects and things.....

2006-06-22T15:29:00.000Z

Jon has just gone off to work and I am sitting in the little cottage, writing this on my computer so I can save it and put it on my blog later today.
I really can’t get over how hard Jon has been working. He starts at 7.30, along with the rest of those he is working with and after they stop at around four invariably, he goes on for several more hours. This means that in the evenings he is exhausted as soon as he has eaten and falls asleep really early. It doesn’t do much for our social life, but then I was worried that I was going to be the one going to bed early.
Today the manual labour is over for a few days as Chris, the captain of the sloop, arrives. He is here for a few days, during which I am sure there will be no end of meetings for Jon to attend and I am hoping that it is limited to the one that is scheduled for Saturday, not only because it’s my birthday, but also because Jon desperately needs a break.
It’s 7.30 in the morning and the frog chorus – the thing I described as insects – yesterday is continuing. It rained last night and it seems quite fresh this morning after the steamy heat of yesterday, where the humidity and temperature were both in the eighties.
I had a rather unpleasant experience during the night, although luckily it wasn’t pregnancy-related. I woke up to something that sounded like scratching in the roof and felt something small hit the bed, but figured it was probably a bit of bark or something that had got dislodged from the traditional beamed ceiling. A few minutes later, I got hit full force in the head by the evil cockroach that had been doing the scratching. Well, because I was half asleep and because I was scared, I screamed – waking up both Jon and Bean and no doubt terrifying the cockroach. Jon managed to catch it - by this point it was across the other side of the room - and kill it, putting it outside – where this morning it seems to have become the magnificent feast of about a thousand tiny ants….nice.
Needless to say, it took me rather a long time to get back to sleep after this 2am episode, because I thought all of his friends might be in the roof and because the experience had woken up Bean, who decided to treat Mummy to the full force of a foetus’ kicking skills. Jon managed to go back to sleep pretty quickly which is a bit of a shame as I had been assuring him of Bean’s kicking prowess since I arrived and he has so far only experienced a rather below par example.
It’s just over a week to go until the cut-off date of July 1 that we set for a visa decision and it probably won’t surprise anyone to learn that things don’t seem to be progressing at all. I don’t know that the actual current state of affairs is, as Jon hasn’t really been had any news from the Foundation since the upset a couple of weeks ago, but I am hoping things become a little clearer now that Chris is coming. We have a dinner that we have to go to tonight at Malcolm's house, which will no doubt be the highlight of the week, and we may find out more then as he was the one supposed to sorting out the visa issues, as director of the Foundation. However, Jon really doesn’t think things will be any clearer by July 1, so we are left in that situation again of deciding what to do. We both feel incredibly torn. I feel slightly wound up by the fact that we originally said June 1 and then July 1 and no progress has been made, but equally I don’t really want to put my foot down and say ‘that’s it; I’ve had enough. We’re out of here’, and leave us with nothing. But, it is taking the mickey a little bit.
It does give the impression of being a bit of a banana republic, which in some ways is good because it means we could probably stay here and things will probably get sorted and we will probably get the visa at some stage in the next three years. But, in many other ways, the incompetence that we have witnessed shouldn't even have a place in a third world country, let alone somewhere that seems to think it’s superior to many first world countries. And so, the uncertainty continues.
My burgeoning belly is going to put a definitive end to it at some stage in the next few weeks. Even though I don’t look as pregnant as I am, most airlines won’t let you fly after 28 weeks without a doctor’s note saying you are fit and healthy and with your due date on…which gives me precisely 10 days, or until July 3.
Well, I can probably get by with another week, or at a push until 30 weeks, but then it starts getting a bit silly. So, we need to know with certainty and not with a ‘oh, the visa will come through don’t worry’ type of island attitude.
It wouldn’t be so hard if there weren’t a lot of really great things about this place. The apartment that we would be living in is very cool and right outside that is where the sloop is going to be moored. The weather is lovely a lot of the time, but my favourite thing is the water. It is the most incredible colour I have ever seen: a combination of teal, azure and turquoise with pockets of cobalt blue and peppermint green and it so clear. I haven’t swum in it yet, partly because of my phobia of fish – something I am going to have to get over if we end up living here – and because it was still a little on the chilly side last time I was here, but it is incredibly relaxing just sitting there looking at it, diving into its depths in my imagination or dreaming of us taking off in one of the beautiful sailing boats that course its waters around the island.
Well, had better go and make myself useful. Sorry to those of you, Mum included, who couldn't make out the ultra-sound. It does show Bean's face, I promise.
xxx

Bean there, done that

2006-06-21T17:17:00.000Z

Here is the Bean at 26 weeks...taken on Monday. It's not great quality, but it's of the face and you can make out the eyes, nose and mouth, which are part of the oval-shaped thing in the top half of the pic. Jon says Bean has his nose...am not sure!
Well, I am now in sunny Bermuda, where I am currently being serenaded by a mix of rather dodgy music for the tourists to the Dockyard and the sound of someone drilling holes in the bathroom wall.
As you may have gathered, the Bean and I arrived here safely and I have just checked the comments to my previous posting and found that you've all come out of the woodwork. Thank you so much. It has made my day!! Welcome to new posters Mia and Lorena. By the way, Fairy G, you can breathe a sigh of relief: they are indeed my earrings in the picture of the leaving party. For those not in the know, Auntie Fred (aka. new hero in Brazil after scoring last week's late match goal) has a hatred of holes in ears and I have a tendency not to wear earrings.
Anyhow, as I was saying...we arrived here safely and on time after a decent plane trip. Although Big Cuz will sympathise when I say I may as well have lived in the toilet for the journey. Luckily, I was in the bulkhead, so I had lots of space and was close to afore-mentioned facility. But despite the extra space, by the time I got to Bermuda, my ankles looked like they belonged to someone who was twenty stone heavier...not nice, and the first time I have had this horrendous pregnancy-related oedema. Luckily, I am back to normal today!
I managed to persuade a nice person at Continental Airlines to get someone in Newark airport to help me with my bags, but this was only after I had to suffer the mortification of being wheeled through the airport in a wheelchair. Apparently, the airline won't arrange to help you with your bags if you don't have wheelchair. Well, then I realised this was actually quite a good ploy and I might try it again sometime as not you get to beat everyone through immigration and customs, get whisked to your gate and don't get treated as much like a terrorist as you might if you walked through without a wheelchair.
Jon was at the airport to meet me and Bean and the good news is, he has found somewhere for us to live this week. We are actually staying in a really sweet little cottage, which is part of a trust run by nuns. We will probably be staying there for a week as they are due to get someone in to sand the floors at the place Jon is renovating. The house looks great and it really is a transformation from the last time I saw it and apart from the plumbing and the sanding and a couple of other minor things, it is almost ready to move into.... Jon has been working incredibly hard and has lost weight, although I don't know if that is because of the stress, work or not eating enough. But, otherwise, it is lovely to see him and I am really happy we are all together. It makes me feel like it will be much better now.
The cottage where we are staying is in very large grounds, and when I was lying in bed last night -- trying in vain to get comfy yet again -- I could hear loads of little insects, a real night chorus, that made me feel like I was back in the jungle. Unfortunately, there are a few other jungle type creatures around as well and I had a bit of a fight with a cockroach, trying to persude it to go down the toilet. Its mate was in the bath when I woke up this morning and then the pesky persistent little thing decided to come back in the door after I had thrown it outside. I saw off another one sniffing around my suitcase this morning too. It's a good thing almost three years in Peru have made me accustomed to 'cucarachas' as they call them there. Well, I suppose there are worse things and as long as they don't come and visit me in bed, I will be happy.
Well, this has been a fairly long post, so I will sign off now.
Love to you all and hopefully I'll post again soon.
Hannah
xxx

Deepest darkest Peru

2006-06-19T21:31:00.000Z

Well, D-day has come and in less than three hours I will be in my taxi on the way to the airport in Lima. Today has been a good day and I feel positive about moving on. I went to the doctor today for a final check-up before leaving Peru and he said Bean was doing really well, now weighing 813 g, which is apparently about 1.81bs. I've put on between 4 and 5 kilos so far, which is apparently good as well. After a trip to hairdressers and a manicure and pedicure - well, a girls got to do what a girls got to do, and it is a lot cheaper here than in Bermuda!, I went to Larcomar for lunch at one of my old faves, Vivaldino. Looking out over the grey sea offset by its bright white waves, it felt like the last three years had gone very quickly, while at the same time, I have learnt so much and changed a great deal. On the way back to Mark's to finish packing, I found something that really made my day....a real Peruvian Paddington Bear. I couldn't resist buying it for Bean, even though it was from one of the tourist shops. It's got a little duffel coat and a blue hat. I think it's quite appropriate that it's the first teddy I have bought Bean and that it's the first time I have seen Paddington in Peru and that it happens to be my last day here because Dad and I had talked about trying to start importing them into Peru when he was here, so I think that makes it even more like serendipity.
Well, I had better go and try and re-distribute the weight between my two bags, because at the moment one is a lot heavier than the other.
In the meantime, love to all my friends in Peru. I will miss you very much. I may not have as frequent access to the internet once I get to Bermuda, but I will try and post as frequently as possible and keep you up to date with all the goings-on.
Hannah
xxx

My last night in Lima

2006-06-19T03:17:00.000Z

Before anyone tells me some of the pictures are the wrong way around, I know and am sorry....but here are the photos from my despedida -- leaving do -- this evening. It was a lovely evening and am very tired and a wee bit emotional now, so I will leave the 'eloquent' (ambitious, I know) comments for another time. Suffice to say, I've been very lucky to have such wonderful friends here in Lima and I will miss them ever so much, and thanks to Sally for the putting on the gathering and for buying Bean the lovely baby clothes.
Buenas noches a todos (on my last night in Lima)

To sleep, perchance to dream...

2006-06-17T21:29:00.000Z

Well, it was about time I did something pretentious like quote Willy Waggledagger.....
Sleeping through the night is most definitely a thing of the past: something I certainly didn't appreciate until it was too late. And, I've been warned it will only get worse. An American friend of mine reckons that God makes you get up several times during the night to go to the toilet while your pregnant to prepare you for the middle of the night tears, tantrums and feeding sessions of babyhood. While I'm not sure about that, recently, I've not only had to fend with several nocturnal toilet trips, but with the fact that I simply cannot seem to get comfy. A growing stomach and the fact that I cannot sleep on my front, nor -- I am advised -- on my back, mean that I have to sleep on my side, like a foetus -- although I can assure you Bean is getting more sleep than me.
What's more, they (I have no real idea who they is, but they deserve as much stick as they get) suggest you should sleep on your left side, which is pretty damn painful with sciatica.
Well, I shouldn't grumble. Going to bed is, rather sadly, my favourite part of the day at the moment: partly because I've been looking forward to seeing Jon so much that ever sleep means one less sleep and partly because this week I have been extraordinarily tired. They (them again) say your subconscious concerns come to the fore when you are asleep and if that is the case, then I must be subconsciously fearing things like baby poo...I won't go into detail about the dream, suffice to say it was messy.
After I woke from that unpleasant experience (oh, I know the reality will be so much more pleasant...honest!), I lay there for a long time last night, listening to the sound of the ocean -- which is one of the real blessings about living here -- and thinking about baby names. For the record, we have a girl and a boy version, which are secret, and wondering if we had made the right choices...which now I am awake, I think we have.
I hope that Jon has managed to acquire some furniture for the place we will be staying in in Bermuda, because otherwise we might be in trouble. Another of the things that was keeping me awake last night was thinking how I could use the rugs and throws that I am taking with me to make into a bed, if we Jon didn't have any luck at the yard sale he was going to today. The Foundation is supposed to be furnishing the house, but I am sure it won't surprise anyone that that hasn't been done yet. Oh well, I'm sure it will be all fine and in the dim light of Lima morning, I actually managed to mentally design us quite a comfortable bed/mattress thing....which I am sure will so wonders for maintaining my current sleeping pattern.
I had a lovely chat with Mum on the phone today: the longest chat we have had in a long time, and then I went to the gym and managed to kill an hour by strolling on the cross-trainer and watching TV, without overdoing it (I promise). I've been too tired to run recently and think this may now be consigned to the post-baby pile of activities, although I know that I am likely to be even more tired, but hopefully not as heavy and not needing the toilet every five seconds when I bounce up and down.
Hal and I then met up for some lunch and had a great time (although he may tell you otherwise!) eating and chatting at our local, Arugula. It's great to have friends like Hal and Lorna and they've both been good mates to me and Jon. Now Lorna is back in the UK for a couple of months, Hal and I have been hanging out and doing what we do best -- generally talking nonsense!
On the way back from lunch, I stopped off at the Inca Market and bought some finger puppets for the Bean: 10 little knitted animals and birds, which I think we will have great fun playing with and were a bargain at less than 20 pence each.
It's Father's Day tomorrow and even though I disagree with quite how commercialised it is here in Peru -- the American influence, I assume -- it's exciting to think that this time next year Jon will be a Daddy...ok, I know it's a lot sooner, but that will be his first Father's Day. In the meantime, Happy Father's Day to my Dad....and thanks for being so fab.
Lots of love to you all.
Hannah
xxx

To clear up any confusion

2006-06-16T15:31:00.000Z

Mark says the baby I am carrying in the photo looks more like Jon than me. So, just to clear up any confusion, my dark and hairy passenger is Aunt Lucy, of Paddington fame. And, as you can see, she's clearly enjoying getting back to her Peruvian roots!

Mixed feelings

2006-06-16T14:51:00.000Z

This will be the second time I have left Peru 'for good'. Sally has been joking that I can't expect to get leaving presents every time I go! For me, this departure is bitter-sweet. The last time I left, I was heading off to Dubai, with great uncertainty and towards something that I was never convinced about.
This time I am heading into the unknown again. I am excited about this new chapter, really happy about Bean and being with Jon, but a little bit scared too. I will really miss Peru, but most of all the friends I have made here in almost three years. They are some of the closest friends of my adult life so far: an interesting, kind and close community that has helped me through some pretty tough times.
Peru is one of those countries that gets under your skin: that drives you nuts with its noise and bureaucracy and the lack of lateral thinking you encounter on a day-to-day basis, but it's also vibrant and fun and unpredictable, home to some of the best food I've ever encountered and some of my favourite places in the world.
Perhaps I would feel less scared about leaving Peru if Jon and I knew for sure that this visa application to Bermuda is going to work, and we will know by the start of July, but it feels like I am cutting the strings with Peru before I have even seen if there are any strings to hold onto anywhere else.
I don't know when I'll next be back in Peru, so for now I'll leave you with this rather unattractive picture of me trying to show Mark that I could figure out how the Peruvian women carry their babies!
Han
xxx

Twenty five weeks and thank you

2006-06-12T14:04:00.000Z

Twenty-five weeks today and the Beanie Baby is growing at a startling pace. The hours of wake and sleep seem to be pretty regular now and although I still can't distinguish if it's an elbow, a knee, a hand or a foot that is bashing me, the kicks are pretty constant. Sleep seems to be a thing of the past. I just can't get comfortable and I guess my subconscious is kicking in every time I drift off, which means weird and wacky dreams. But, I am feeling happier and more relieved than I have been in a long time. I wanted to thank everyone for crossing all their fingers and toes and much more in the past few weeks. It's meant a lot and I really appreciate the postings on the blog. Hilary, I got the messages, so thanks....I'm glad I can keep you all up-to-date, and hope you will forgive the occasional grumpiness.
Jon and I spent a long time on messenger last night -- the longest in ages and I know he is feeling immensely relieved by the results of his meeting yesterday. We still need to keep our fingers crossed though and hope that they can pull off the visa issue by July 1.
Two other mentions: it seems the boat launch is going to be August 13, and -- phew, phew -- not on August 19th, the day of Sarah (Jon's sister's) wedding to Steve, which of course Jon wasn't going to miss for the world...and Happy Birthday to Sarah for today....I hope she has a great day and doesn't work too hard.
Twelve days until I'm in my thirtieth year.....what a terrifying thought! 105 days until Bean is due....exciting, but scary too!
Love to you all
H and B
xx

An unfinished story

2006-06-12T00:26:00.000Z

Today has been a good day.
I scarcely want to believe it, but Bermuda has accepted Jon's ultimatum of July 1, he hasn't had to resign and I will be going over there on the 20th. Okay, okay, before I start celebrating too much, I know -- in the wise words of Ronan Keating -- 'Life is a rollercoaster' and things may well change in the coming twenty-four hours, let alone in the next few days, but I feel a massive sense of relief.
Aside from this news, today has been good for other reasons. I kicked it off with a great brekkie at the Marriott with Hal and Lorna and then went shopping for Bean and bought three great little overcoat/cardigans, embroidered with lovely Peruvian designs, plus a couple of little Peruvian hats and an Inka Kola t-shirt, with the logo of Peru's best-known drink. The tops are nice and warm and a couple of sizes, although they probably won't fit for a while. I also found a shop that sold some great t-shirts, all less than a pound and good for my expanding tummy. Then I found a couple of CDs from a range called first steps that introduce babies to a range of music, so this afternoon Bean and I have been listening to John Lennon, played on what sounds like triangles and another CD of classical music.
On my way back, I was truly exhausted, so stopped off at Starbucks, to have a rest. While I was there, there was an earth tremor, which while very short, felt pretty strong and I later found out it was a 4.2, but centred about thirty miles away.
Last night, I was feeling really down and went out to see the film, 'An Unfinished Life', with Robert Redford, Morgan Freeman and Jennifer Lopez of all people. Some say she was carried by two superior actors and I think that is probably the case, but the film was pretty good and the scenery was spectacular and in general it appealed to the Western admirer in me.
Well, Mark's girlfriend, Jana, and I are about to go and get some food. So, good night for now and sweet dreams. If anybody has any last minute Peruvian shopping requests, please let me know in the next couple of days.
Lots of love
Hannah
xxxx

Footballing prowess

2006-06-10T19:09:00.000Z

Jelly Bean and I were very dedicated patriots this morning, getting up before eight to watch England's opening match in the World Cup. Now I might have done some football reporting in the past, but am not going to attempt to analyse the game, suffice to say that some of the best kicking of the 90 minutes was done by Bean. When I spoke with Fairy Godmother after the match, she joked that our baby might be born with football boots and after today's performance, I wouldn't be that surprised. JB woke up almost at the whistle and proceeded to welly me pretty constantly for most of the first half. And almost at the moment when he/she stopped kicking, England's game started going down hill rapidly. It was pretty funny.

The Bermuda Triangle

2006-06-10T02:50:00.000Z

I feel like we've got nothing left to lose.
As I write this, I have just come off the phone with Jon, who has had one hell of a day.
It appears the immigration process for Bermuda has not advanced one iota since the forms went in more than two weeks ago and despite an agreement that the Foundation would go straight to the minister who could bypass the waiting process and issue the necessary visas because of the need to hurry our applications, this has not been done.
Today, Jon was reprimanded by the Foundation's executive director for not having sent off for a police record. We agreed five weeks ago we did not have time to do this because of the urgent nature of our application, because it would take at least two months and wouldn't be needed with the ministerial approach.
Jon and I spent a long time on the phone, after he had basically packed all his bags and decided to leave the island. We agreed he would talk to the Foundation's 'good cop' and tell him he was going to leave the island on Monday and then hope that the ministerial path would be followed and that if and when the visas were okayed, he could fly back to Bermuda.
This would allow us to 'regroup', as Jon put it, in London, where I would fly back to via New York on June 21, as I already had a flight to Newark and one to London that I could bring forward.
Well, this was desperately disappointing, but after a long conversation, I realised it was better to cut our losses now, especially as Jon is only going to continue having run-ins with the executive director, as the two of them don't see eye-to-eye. He promised me things would work out and we would be able to get something sorted in the UK and I trust him and agree with him on that and will support him, because I love him.
Well, fast forward several hours -- during which I went and opened my heart to Hal and Lorna (I don't know what I would have done without them during my time in Lima....it's wonderful to have such good friends) -- to now.
As I say, I have just spoken with Jon, who is currently in a camp bed in the rat-pit that he is renovating. He had a long chat with Alan, who desperately wants to keep Jon as part of the Foundation and is confident that the visa issue will get sorted and has said he will go the ministerial route this week.
Jon didn't mention what we had agreed that he would leave on Monday. He felt really guilty after we had agreed on this and he apparently forgot to bring it up in the conversation. This leaves me massively up in the air, as it does him, because we are back to the situation we were in before all today's heart ache and disappointment and reconciliation with the fact that Bermuda was no longer an option.
I am sure things will continue to change with startling pace, but at the moment, my plans to go back to Bermuda on June 20/21st are back on, although to be fair, if I didn't feel like this was out only option, I would gladly wipe my hands of the damn thing for ever. I know it could be great, but I have had enough. And, more than that I am trying to keep calm and not worry too much for the sake of the baby. I am looking after myself, and I don't want others to worry, but if you can keep your fingers and toes crossed for us, I'd appreciate it.
So, the legends about the Bermuda triangle are true. It will suck you up and mess you around and if you're very unlucky really screw up your life.
Bitter and twisted, moi?
I'm going to bed now....wishing you all a good night, sweet dreams and wishing England luck tomorrow.
xxxx

Shall I stay or shall I go?

2006-06-07T00:26:00.000Z

Lorna and I went to this lovely arty shop today and had lunch and I treated myself to an early birthday present of a necklace with huayruro beads, which are Amazonian seeds supposed to bring luck and fertility...well, I seem to have the latter, so perhaps if I wear them I'll get the former. It was nice just hanging out and doing girly stuff, something I don't really get the chance to do and chat with such a good friend.
It was only when I came back that I realised how tired I am. I managed half an hour at the gym and then got distracted and bought a couple of t-shirts from a shop on the way home that are big enough to cover my growing bump. I was supposed to be going out to watch a film made by a visiting journalist about Guatemala, but think I need to just take it easy tonight.
I tried to speak with Jon and he was about to have dinner and have just called him back, but he's busy upstairs talking with Linda Jo and Alan, the chairman of the Sloop Foundation. I have asked him to have a really good think about what is going to happen over the next few weeks. I know a lot of it is out of his control, but I have decided he needs to make a decision as to when I come to Bermuda. Maybe this is just the rational head that I have on my shoulders today, but I don't want the stress any more of moving without stability.
It therefore doesn't look as though I'll be going to Bermuda in the next few days and think it's probably more likely in a couple of weeks, if indeed at all......ho hum.

The battle between good and evil

2006-06-06T15:35:00.000Z

As it's the day of the devil today, I should tell you what happened to me in a taxi on the way to see Ollanta Humala, the loser in Sunday's election and the man many in Peru were looking to as a kind of messiah figure.
I should have known I was in for a treat when I got in the taxi and the driver said, 'Good morning, sister'. For the next few minutes, he proceeded to root around in his glove box and various other places in the car, clearly more concerned about finding something than he was about keeping his eyes on the road. I should have known then that he firmly believed that he had God on his side and that gave him an excuse to be a rubbish driver. Then I noticed the book on his dashboard that looked scarily like a Bible and realised that the anodyne tunes from his tape recorder were Spanish religious songs. Then for my treat....he found what he was looking for and put on the Lord's Prayer in English with background music. It lasted precisely five seconds before I asked him to put on the radio and he said....'Pero, Senorita, no le gusta'....No, senor, no me gusta...I am in a stinky mood and I certainly don't want the Lord's Prayer shoved down my throat at 8.40 in the morning.
Zeta rock and pop...the best of the 80s was a much better option, even though it seemed he turned it up to punish me. I thought I had escaped the manic music-loving missionary, but apparently not. He asked me where I was from. Asked me if I believed in God and then started telling me how God would make everything better. He didn't seem to take the hint when I told him I couldn't hear him above the music and when I kept staring out the window with a frown on my face. He really was hard work......
Perhaps I was being punished. The president-elect Alan Garcia had organised a press conference for the 'enviados especiales' -- or the correspondents who had been sent especially to cover the elections, so many of those of us who are long-term enviados especiales felt we couldn't go. Instead, we had been invited to hear Ollanta Humala speak and we were hoping that he would finally put us out of our misery and end the debate as to whether or not he had conceded. An hour later, we decided to leave. Apparently, the campaign team of Humala is somewhat fragmented and couldn't decide what to do, so he didn't show up....perhaps he was scared. Either way, many of us were quite frustrated when we found out some people based in Peru had gone to the Alan press conference and we had nothing.....well, that will teach me to abide by the rules on the day of the devil.
I went to the cinema again last night with Sally and Mary and we saw 'The Girl with the Pearl Earring'. I thought it was very good and really thought the tension was good and it was very well-done in an arty British kind of way.
I am trying to decide whether or not to go to Bermuda this weekend. I have a ticket, although apparently it can be changed for a small fine. I was initially supposed to be going at the end of June, but had decided to go this weekend, to be with Jon and so I didn't feel so out of the loop. Well, I had a rather unsatisfactory chat with him yesterday, during which he told me that he hadn't managed to find anywhere for us to stay. I think there was a bit of a misunderstanding -- probably quite easy on the Peru-Bermuda phone lines and he had assumed if he got the kitchen ship-shape (excuse the pun) in the building where we may be living then we could live in the other house, which hasn't been renovated yet. Well, that would mean sharing a bathroom with a guy who has been bunking in there for several months, who I had been told was moving out...not a nice thought as the bathroom is pretty nasty. We would have out own room and a bed when Jon gets around to buying one. I asked him to make some calls about the possibility of us house-sitting for someone and he has said he will do, although he said that last week.
I feel pretty despondent about this, but wonder if I am being a spoilt brat. I don't think it's unreasonable wanting to go and settle somewhere. Is this damn nesting instinct arriving early.
Before anyone reads into this the wrong thing and assumes Jon and I are having trouble, I want to set your minds at rest. I think with this kind of uncertainty, many couples would have their days when they need to release a bit of steam. It's hard. I had hoped it was going to get easier and I do hope to be with him soon, but think it may well be easier if I wait a little while here in Peru. At least my friends are here and I have my own bathroom. Plus my gym membership doesn't run out for a week....and the cinema is cheap. Oh, there is a god. Mr taxi-driver would be very happy with me.

Comeback kid

2006-06-06T13:06:00.000Z

Well, he did it.....Peruvians have re-elected the devil they know: the former president Alan Garcia. But this is a rather damning indictment of politics here. Most people I have spoken with in the past few days are incredulous that they have been forced to vote for 'el mal menor' or the least bad option after a campaign that has polarised the country more than any in living memory. Some tried to protest by spoiling their ballot papers, frustrated by the fact a country with as much potential as Peru could have as its political candidates two such awful options. Garcia and his cronies say he has changed. For the sake of Peruvians, I hope he has. They remember the food shortages, the spiralling inflation, the fear that they felt every time they left their homes that they might be the target of terrorist violence. And they remember how he gave free rein to members of his party in the public sector and how this cronyism led to massive corruption. Mr Garcia has reinvented himself as a moderate socialist, who says his priorities are sustaining economic growth and helping the dispossessed - the poor majority. Mmmm.....

Front row seat in history

2006-06-04T00:05:00.000Z

Peruvians will make history tomorrow when they elect a new president: choosing between a political ingenu and a former president.
It's been a beautiful day here - clear blue skies and weather warmer than you'd expect for this time of year. I hope this isn't symbolic of the calm before the storm. There have been predictions of violence during and after the elections, but today the people of Miraflores were going about their lives, apparently without a care in the world.
The cliff-top road was packed with people enjoying the Indian summer and the Larcomar shopping centre, which is perched overlooking the Pacific, had attracted more than its usual share of tourists and Peruvians: the rich who had to foresake their beach houses for the weekend because they have to vote in Lima tomorrow and the poor from the shanty towns who had probably come to escape the oppressive desert heat of the city's outskirts and have a family day out.
I have had an easy day, punctuated by work and visits to my favourite local coffee shop.
I filed an early story for the BBC about the presidential campaign, which has been one of the dirtiest and aggressive many Peruvians remember. Then I had a lovely walk along the cliff-top this morning, bumping into a couple of friends, and then headed back to Starbucks.
After filing another story for tomorrow morning, saying Peruvians were going to the polls, I met up with Dan, once again in Starbucks and we organised our plans for tomorrow.
The day is going to start early, with a visit to one of the main polling stations in Lima, where both of the presidential candidates are going to be voting. The polling stations open at eight and close at four, so within 24 hours we should have a pretty good idea of who will be Peru's president for the next five years.
It's likely to be Alan Garcia, the former president, who is expected to get six or seven percent more than his rival. The electoral body has promised that by Monday 95 percent of the vote will have been counted and many people are saying that the exit polls which are expected at around four tomorrow afternoon will probably be pretty conclusive.
But, one of the big threats to democracy is democracy itself. This country has found itself in a situation where it has two candidates that are both relatively unpopular and many people in Peru say they are so unhappy with the choices that they are going to spoil their ballot papers. That blank vote cannot be counted and even now there are large numbers of people who are apparently undecided or say they don't like either man and they are voting for the one they see as the lesser of two evils.
If the results are closer than predicted, or they are not conclusive, it's quite likely there will be protests - especially in the slightly more rebellious south, where many of Peru's poor live and where Ollanta Humala has his base of support. Both candidates allegedly have groups of militants, so hopefully the police can keep a lid on any unrest.
I may be busy for a while, so for now I am going to go and enjoy myself. Hal and Lorna have invited me out for dinner at a lovely Italian restaurant. Although the sale of booze is banned for several days over the electoral period, it doesn't bother me and it should be a fun evening. I am pretty tired, especially after a relatively late night last night, when there was a party for the journalists at Mary's house, but as I said, I've been taking it easy today.
I'll post again soon.
H
xxx

And pigs might fly.....

2006-06-01T13:05:00.000Z

June 1st already...and this was the date we had hoped we would have an answer from Bermuda, but that was always going to be as likely as pigs flying past my window now.
So, we wait another month and have to come up with ways to pass the hours, which is not going to be so hard over the next few days as we are in the run-up to Peru's elections.
On Sunday, millions of people in this country will go to the polls to chose between two men who will each have the rather unenviably task of trying to persuade voters that he is the least worst choice. What a situation to be in.
This is a stupendous country, with vast natural resources, with more culture than the United States has in its little finger (pinkie, sorry), but just doesn't seem to be able to get it together politically. Okay, it's not as disastrous as some of its neighbours: Bolivia or Ecuador, but it is amazing how a country that seems to have been progressing relatively smoothly along the democratic path and has an economy that would do most developed countries proud (at least superficially, if you don't count the fact that most of the country are poor despite 5 plus percent economic growth), can have landed itself in this situation.
People are going to have to choose between a former president who almost brought the country to its knees and then fled Peru leaving it racked by debt default, inflation and terrorism, and a nationalist former army officer, Ollanta Humala, who, despite his recent protests to the contrary, seems to have become a puppet of Hugo Chavez. The country is now so fractured that some are predicting there will be violence this weekend.
The current president and the Organisation of American States have criticised the comments by the Venezuelan leader, saying he is interfering, which of course he is, but have pledged that Sunday's elections are going to be 'free and fair'. Well, free and fair to the extent that most Peruvians I have spoken to don't actually want to vote, although they are legally obliged -- and get fined if they don't -- and propose to either ruin their ballot papers or vote for 'el mal menor' (the least worst).
In the past, the south of Peru and the more remote areas of the Andes have been the cradle for insurgency and instability, primarily because these are the Peruvians who feel most left out by economic growth and these are the country's poorest -- effectively forgotten by the elite in Lima. So, these indigenous people are subjugated by the wealthy descendants of the Spanish conquistadors who arrived here 500 years ago...it seems nothing has changed.
I've got quite a lot of work to do over the next few days in the run up to Sunday, so I'll sign off for now. Happy June 1 from Hannah and Bean, who -- by the amount of kicking going on -- I think has been inspired by the advent of the World Cup to become a footballer even before he/she is born. Uncle Al will be proud.....
xxx

Bye bye, belly button, bye bye

2006-05-31T19:14:00.000Z

It's official. It's gone. No longer am I the proud owner of an innie, but the rather disconcerted proprietor of an outie. Ok, perhaps outie is stretching the truth a little too much, but there is a certain convex nature to my navel that seems to be a by-product of my condition. This has always been one of the things that concerned me most about being pregnant, especially those women who seem to flaunt their bellies with tight little tops that make them look like they really do have giant buttons on their tummies. Eek...oh well, let's hope it doesn't keep going out, or I may start looking like I have Pinocchio's nose growing out of me.
I've made a few decisions in the past couple of days, which I suppose is pretty monumental given how indecisive I have been of late. To borrow a cliche used way too often by BBC reporters, 'only time will tell' if I have made the right decisions, but there is some relief at feeling slightly more certain about things.
Firstly, I told the BBC I am pregnant. I also told them how uncertain things were with Bermuda and explained how I would really like to work with the BBC in the future, but understand there is a job freeze on at the moment, which makes it impossible for freelancers to be employed by the Beeb. I said I would probably stay in Peru if we didn't get the nod from Bermuda, but I would certainly be interested in positions coming up at home or abroad. I had a very positive response back from them, so at least we will stay in touch.
Secondly, I decided to go back to Bermuda, so at least I don't feel so out of the loop and I can be with Jon. I will be going there next Saturday (10th) and arriving on Sunday. At the moment, I don't think there is anywhere for us to stay, but hopefully Jon will sort that out and we won't have to slum it in the accommodation he is renovating. Hopefully then we should know before my 21-day tourist visa runs out if we will be staying there permanently or not.
Perhaps I should be staying in Peru a little longer, but I am getting fidgety to be settled and frustrated by the lack of work and the lack of interest and this will surely diminish even more after the elections on Saturday.
At least there is some good news as far as they are concerned: the BBC has decided to split the work between me and Dan, my colleague who is the South American correspondent based in Buenos Aires. He's arriving tonight, which means I should have bits and pieces to do over the next few days and be able to earn a bit of pocket money. I've also got in contact with The Times and they are interested in a piece after the results.
Hopefully this means I should be able to go out on a bit of a high note.....
Bye bye for now
xxx

What's in a name?

2006-05-29T01:39:00.000Z

I've always been fascinated by the fact that Americans and Brits profess to speak the same language, but actually don't, so it's been really entertaining to discover how many words to do with babies differ between the two languages. Here are a few of my favourite: some obvious and others less so...I thought it was worth posting this as I got caught out by Fairy Godmother referring to a cot as a crib...first transatlantic faux pas.
So, do you put your baby in a diaper or a nappy? Do you use a pushchair or a stroller and whichever you use, do you know when and where it's safe to use it on the pavement, or where you should just stick to the side-walk?
Would you use a dummy if your child cries or opt for something that sounds more like the title of an awful film with some Vin Diesel or Arnie-type muscle man who can't act: 'The Pacifier'?
But, perhaps my favourite of all, which met with fits of laughter in Bermuda, where they can't seem to decide which version of the English language they speak.....do you put your baby in a babygrow and allow the Americans to think its being fed fertiliser, or opt for the infinitely more dowdy onesy....
I ask you...what is the world coming to? Any more examples of transatlantic miscomprehensions gratefully appreciated.
Missing you already
xxx

Blockbusters and bananas

2006-05-27T17:58:00.000Z

I felt a lot better after last night's rant......and was then going to erase the posting, but I thought that would be slightly dishonest. I wandered down to Larcomar and had a kappa maki vegetable sushi before going to see 'Good Night and Good Luck', which I thought was one of the best films I had seen in long, long time. Not only was the acting fantastic, but the direction and the way they spliced authentic TV archives from the McCarthy era with black and white documentary style film footage was really inspired. It reminded me somewhat of the film noirs I studied at university and was, of course, more appealing to me than it might be to others because of the journalism link. I wandered back home only to be kept awake most the night by some rather excessive and bloody awful music being played at, what I think was, a disco on the coastal road. The beat was so loud I could feel it even with ear plugs in, which was pretty frustrating.
Mark got back last night and so it's really nice to have some company. I updated him with the comedy of errors of the current situation and then we went to Starbucks, then shopping because he has invited a friend over tonight for dinner. He's been joking it's a double date....or at least he has two dates!
Oh, I almost forgot to mention the banana in the title, although I may have done so already, in which case I am sorry and will happily blame it on my shared brain(!), but Bean really seems to like bananas and every time I eat one, he or she seems to wake up and give me a prod as if to say, thanks for that. That's just happened now....
Well, off to the gym shortly. Much love
Han
xx

Hormones and such nonsense

2006-05-26T23:09:00.000Z

I don't like making excuses, but they do say you are more hormonal and hence more emotional when you're pregnant. Perhaps that's the reason then I've been feeling really down for the past few days or maybe it's just the nagging insecurity I feel over the future.
I know it's all relative and I know I'm lucky and really, in the grand scheme of things, I have nothing to worry about, but at the moment, I am just trying to make the days pass as quickly as possible until I get to a situation where I know I am moving to Bermuda to be with Jon or he is coming back here.
So the past few days have been consumed by emailing, keeping up to date with what's going on in the newsworthy and distinctly less newsworthy worlds, going to the gym, eating and reading.
I can't bear feeling so out of control. Jon tells me not to think about it, but - for someone who thinks so much - it's not that easy.
We at least know now that our immigration forms have finally gone in, but really have no idea how long it is likely to take until they get approved or rejected by Bermudian immigration. The main problem seems to be that they should have been put in back in February when we told Bermuda about the change in our situation and about the pregnancy and then fact I would now be wanting to come to Bermuda. There doesn't seem to be a previso in the forms to allow for a common law couple, where one of them is the dependent. Had we known it would have made it that much easier to get married, we might have considered doing so back in February, but should we really be forced into doing this when we have every intention of getting married next year. Bermuda really needs Jon. There's nobody on the island capable of doing the job he has been offered and it's not as though we are two scabbies who are about to use and abuse all the island's facilities: take, take, take and do no giving. I understand it's a small island. I understand they have to be strict when they allow people work or residence permits, but we are not taking someone's job...I've even said I won't work...and we're definitely not taking anyone's accommodation, because the place that should be our living quarters has been derelict for ages because the people who own it haven't got round to renovating it for years, something Jon is now doing.
And this from an island that is a dependency of Britain, that allows its citizens British passports, which not only allows them to work on British soil, but supposedly anywhere in the EU. It makes me so frustrated. I understand that things work at a different pace in Bermuda. I've lived in Peru long enough to become a little more patient, but there seems to be absolutely no understanding that I can't sit around here for ever and that, sooner rather than later, we need answers, particularly because I need to tell the BBC if I am staying or going...only polite, afterall. I can technically travel until 36 weeks, but the nesting instinct is coming more and more to the fore and I JUST WANT TO KNOW...DAMMIT and start making some plans about where Jelly Bean is going to be born. And, I don't feel like I can make those plans until someone says to me, 'ok, you can come to Bermuda' or 'no, you can't come'.
It doesn't help that it's so hard at the moment to communicate with Jon, that he has this massive aversion to emails and, even if he didn't, he's probably working really hard and the foundation hasn't even bothered setting him up with a computer yet, plus the fact that calls between Peru and Bermuda are exorbitant and really, what is the point in me calling him if things develop there even slower than democracy in Iraq.
I know this sounds like an embittered, spoilt brat rant...for which I am sorry. When you sit by yourself practically all day with nobody to really talk to, you need some kind of way of expelling your thoughts and emotions. I hope therefore it doesn't seem like I am a whining ungrateful cow and I appreciate in advance anyone with the patience to read this.
With some time on my hands and the increasing indifference the BBC seems to have towards all things Peruvian, I have found myself spending more and more time researching the phenomenon that is pregnancy on the web. Not one to want to be defined by my condition, I have given pregnancy chatrooms somewhat of a wide berth, but am always astounded by the little communities that seem to be constructed around the world by people who have nothing else to talk about other than the fact they are pregnant. I know I've been doing it a lot recently, but surely there must be other things to talk about?
Or, perhaps it's just that I'm jealous...that subconsciously I want to be part of that little world, or some such nonsense. It does scare me a little when I see people like some bloke in Bermuda with his blog writing about the kind of buggy they are going to get and whether or not they need a new car to fit the buggy in, and all the other preparations people seem to be making so early on. I know we can't do that and I know we are slightly different in that we are used to travelling around the world, moving about and don't really feel the need for all the massive number of accoutrements some people go for. But sometimes I feel almost like it's wrong that I am getting excited that I want to be able to pick a crib and a buggy and buy teddy bears.
I know some people show their emotions and excitement in different ways to others. I know that material things are much less important than parental love. I know this baby will have all the love in the world from both its parents, but I just wish I could feel a little happier and more certain about events and less guilty for being such a moody one.
Well, tomorrow is a new day. Mark is back from Chile, so at least I will have some company here in the apartment. We'll probably go to Starbucks and put the world to right over a muffin and a latte (decaf for me) and then we're planning on cooking in the evening for the two of us and a French friend of his. I'm going to go to the cinema in an hour or so to see 'Goodnight and Good luck'. I went to see the Da Vinci Code last night, which was better than I had anticipated, although very very long. About an hour into the film, there was an earth tremor, which is never fun when you're underground. I've been in a cinema once before when there was a mini-earthquake and I really wouldn't like to think what would have happened had it been larger than last night's 4.5 on the richter scale. Still, it was nice to get out and Hal and Lorna walked me home afterwards, which was sweet of them. Tonight I am going by myself and I really should eat something before I do so, so I'll love you and leave you for now.
With love from the loony.
Han
xxx

Jelly Belly and Jelly Bean

2006-05-25T14:47:00.000Z

Four months until D-day, although if any of the Peruvian or Bermudian mentality has rubbed off, our baby is likely to be born later than September 25th. That said, perhaps Mummy's impatience might rub off!
I bought some really lovely baby clothes the other day, inspired by the fact I was in a bit of a foul mood -- hormones and future uncertainty, coupled with the almost incessant noise of construction from outside -- and it made me really happy. As we have chosen not to find out if we're having a blue or a pink baby, yellow clothes were the answer and I found a pack of three very sweet ones for a bargain -- just over five pounds -- a little two-piece blue outfit (fine for girls as it's one of my favourite colours) with penguins and polar bears on and a gorgeous little Classic Pooh set with a bib, booties and a hat with a tiny Tigger embroidered on them. I also went to the Inca Market here in Miraflores and bought a couple of lovely embroidered wall hangings, the larger one depicting an Andean scene complete with llamas and the smaller one, a Noah's Ark scene.
I've been working pretty hard the past few days, trying to distract myself from thinking about the uncertainty we are facing in Bermuda and trying to earn some money. Luckily Peru is cheap and I didn't blow my earnings on the baby stuff.
But, I've pretty much wrapped up what I needed to do, including a piece on the the rental market in Bermuda, which hopefully the FT is going to use, and now I am going to have a quieter few days, looking for more stories, taking it easy before the onslaught of next weekend's elections.
I'm keeping pretty healthy and still going to the gym, although I don't think I am going to be running for much longer, and have been eating loads of fruit and veg. I don't think my tummy button is going to hold out for much more though as it seems to be level with my tummy...no longer an inny but a flatty and I imagine it will be an outty soon, which I think is a little bit weird.
Oh well, mustn't grumble. Although the flipping construction has just started again, which makes me growl, so I'll sign off for now.
With lots of love,
Hannah
xxx

Wriggly bean

2006-05-22T17:45:00.000Z

Hello there
A quick post to update you on the doctor's visit this morning. As of 22 weeks pregnant, I have gained about five pounds, which the doctor says is fine, given the morning sickness and more recent food poisoning. I feel like I have gained more, but as it's all on my tummy and my boobs that's probably why. Jelly Bean is weighing in at a healthy 552 grams, which I think is about 1.2 pounds and apparently measures 20-25 centimetres from head to bum (there's some quite unmedical terms for you). I think the doctor was pretty surprised by how much JB was moving, but I don't think there's any surprise there given his/her ancestry and Uncle Al says he expects JB to be hyperactive like me! Well, I'm certainly looking pregnant now, although the lady who cleans here at Mark's flat, where I am staying was amazed at how compact I was for five months. Now that the gym visits are slowing down and the appetite is increasing at a massive rate of knots, I don't expect to stay small for long.
We had another ultrasound to check for heart and growth and everything was absolutely fine. It was lovely seeing Bean bouncing around inside and I am amazed -- even given the grainy ultrasound -- at how well-formed and like a mini human being he/she already is. Perhaps it sounds naive to say that. If so, apols...
Well, onto more mundane things...I have to go and finish off a piece about what Peru's two presidential candidates will mean for the country's economy.
I'll post again soon.
Lots of love
Hannah
xxx

Bermuda shorts

2006-05-21T13:40:00.000Z

Well, I've arrived back on terra firma after an interesting two and a half weeks in Bermuda. We had a horrific journey over there, which involved being delayed in Lima, missing our connection in Miami, where we had to pay for out hotel, and then getting diverted via New York, which meant we arrived a day late on the island.
Those delays should have prepared me for island time, even if almost three years in Lima hadn't drilled into me the fact that some people simply have a different way of assessing how time passes. Tempus certainly doesn't fugit in Bermuda and we learnt this to our disappointment as we tried to chase up our immigration bid. I don't want to go into too much detail now, because I just get stressed every time I think about it, but we still don't have a visa for me and the accommodation that we are supposed to be staying in may well not be ready before we need it, even though Jon is working his socks off in his new found guise of Chief Officer turned Chief Renovator/Builder to make sure it is.
Aside from the strange other worldy assessment of time that occurs out there in the middle of the Atlantic, Bermuda is a pleasant enough place. Granted, it's the most expensive place in terms of cost of living, you have to pay duty on everything you take into the country -- aside from used clothes and books -- and the cruise ship passengers who invade with a scary frequency think they own the island. But it is very pretty and the people, on the whole, are very very friendly. We met some wonderful people and I think we could be very happy there, so fingers crossed that immigration and the charity Jon is working for come up with the goods.
The island, or islands as they actually are, have a strange mixture of oldy worldy English charm and rather more modern American elements. Many of the houses look colonial and are painted in the bright colours found further south in the Caribbean. The accents are a bizarre mix of English, American and Caribbean, which certainly made for some amusing conversations when we used words they had never heard of. What is nice is that people are genuinely cheery and wish each other a good morning, whether it be stranger or friend.
As I mentioned in an earlier posting, the people on the island are called Onions, which may be because they used to grow lots of them. Anyway, there was a cool restaurant bar on the island called the Pickled Onion and although I couldn't indulge in the kind of drinks that might make me pickled, it was fun. By the way, I particularly like Fairy Godmother's comments about the possibility of our baby being called Onion Barjee if he or she is born in Bermuda to a sailor father.
I was happy to find that the supermarkets -- even if they are going to cost us $250 a week for a rather modest shop - have such things as pickled onions (not the proper English kind though) Jelly Babies and Marmite and other American treats like pickled gherkins, which was great when all of a sudden a couple of weeks ago, I fell for that old pregnancy cliche of needing pickles to eat. I'd had ice cream a couple of days earlier. Aside from that, I haven't really had any cravings, perhaps something to do with the rather nasty bout of food poisoning I managed to acquire somewhere between Lima and Bermuda that stayed with me for almost a week.....nice..
Well, am now at almost 22 weeks of pregnancy and passed the half-way mark while in Bermuda. At almost exactly that point, I began to feel Jelly Bean kicking for the first time, which was very exciting for both me and Jon when he finally managed to feel it a few days later. I know the movements will only get more frequent and stronger, but for now it's nice to have a sign that I am actually pregnant, apart from the expanding tummy, of course.
I go to the doctor tomorrow, only after spending a late night reporting on the presidential debate that takes place here tonight ahead of the elections on June 4...should be interesting, but looks like the former president may well be whitewashing the nationalist former army officer who won the first round so convincingly as he's such a better speaker.
Ho hum...better go and do some work.
Love to you all.
H xxxx

Pickled Onions

2006-04-29T23:30:00.000Z

Well, the moment of truth has arrived.....I will get my first taste of life in Bermuda tomorrow. Jon and I are flying over there because he starts his job on Monday and I am going to spend a couple of weeks, relaxing, getting to know the place and the people -- who are known, apparently, as Onions, much as the French are known as Frogs. Although there's not much chance of me becoming an honorary Onion, or, perhaps better still, an honorary Pickled Onion for a while, it should be quite interesting. I'll report back on where it ends up on the expectation scale when I return. For now, hope you're all keeping well.
xx

Bean's first bash

2006-04-25T19:34:00.000Z

Here's the promised picture of me and Jon at the Queen's Birthday Party last Friday. It was held at the residence of the ambassador Richard and his wife Jemma, who's a friend of mine and also to say goodbye to them, as they are going after three years. There was a really cool Union flag dance floor and lots of food, including miniature scones. As you can see, I've had my hair cut....

Five months to go

2006-04-25T14:04:00.000Z

Five months today and I am due to become a Mummy. Lots of things to report since the last post. I know I'm a bit erratic at keeping people up-to-date, but I hope you'll forgive me. First and foremost, Jon and I went to the doctor yesterday and everything is fine with Jelly Bean, whose heart is strong. We don't know what the baby's sex is, nor do we know if we will decide to find out before he or she is born, but for simplicity's sake, we're calling JB him. So, he's an active little thing, which I don't think will surprise anyone given his parentage. Because Jon was there we had another ultrasound and could see his hands, arms and legs thrashing around. Actually, I say little, but he's not that little, apparently measuring around 16 centimetres from crown to rump, or head to bum. I'm pretty healthy too, with the only minor complaints being slight low blood sugar and slight anaemia, while I don't seem to have put on too much weight, just yet! I don't really look massively pregnant...well, I suppose I'm not yet: eighteen weeks yesterday, but I do have a pot belly and I have put on about five pounds. For the past couple of weeks, I have occasionally had little butterfly-type feelings inside me, which I think are probably the first signs of JB kicking, but apparently I should feel them even stronger in the next few weeks. The one downside of the visit to the doctor was the fact that he told me I had to stop running, which was a bit of a blow, but I suppose understandable. I've been relying on it for a long time to keep me sane and healthy, but the doctor seems to think it could damage the placenta, with all the bouncing, and the last thing I want to do is cause that to expel itself before the time is right. So, I was a little bit miserable yesterday, because it's going to be more than five months and I hate to think how unfit I am going to be and how tired with a little baby, but am sure things will be fine and I have set myself a challenge of running a 10k in Bermuda in January. I've been feeling really good running recently, okay much slower as my body dynamics and balance change, but good. On Sunday, just the day before I saw the doctor, I ran a 5km race around Miraflores, here in Lima, which I took very easily, but Jon still reckons Jelly Bean was the first foetus to cross the line. So, I suppose I did go out with a bang....
I have just got back from a walk along the cliff-top here, something I am going to try and do as a replacement to running. It's not quite a substitute, but it was a beautiful day this morning and the lighting was so pretty and so good that you could see the big island in the distance off the port of Callao.
I'm hoping that we finally get the results of the Peruvian elections today and get confirmation of who is going through to the second round with the rather controversial nationalist former army officer Ollanta Humala. It'll be Alan Garcia, the former president who's perhaps just as controversial, but I can't really do a story until we get confirmation. Ho hum...
I'll write more later, as I want to post a pic from the Queen's Birthday Party, which we went to on Friday at the British ambassador's residence. Bean's first official function! For now, lots of love to you all xxxx

Better the devil you know...?

2006-04-10T09:49:00.000Z

I'm sitting in my friend's apartment in Lima, where it's about five in the morning, looking out at a string of orange street lights and listening to the ocean. The horrendous screeching of dilapidated vehicles and the constant whine and bang of construction hasn't yet begun. It's the quietest time of day and really pleasant, so I don't really mind the fact that someone from the BBC called me at 3am, with the age-old expression 'I haven't woken you up, have I?' When will people learn that the world doesn't revolve around London. Ho hum.... Anyway, I have just filed a report on the Peruvian elections. The first round took place yesterday and, as with many things in Peru, the results are deeply uncertain. With just over half the vote counted, nobody knows who the next president will be and the only likelihood is that people here are going to have to do it all again and vote in a second round in the next few weeks, because no candidate got the majority in the first round.
This is bad enough in a country with the infrastructure and relative wealth of somewhere like Britain, but imagine having to travel for days from your home deep in the Amazon or high in the Andes to vote in an election you don't understand, for candidates who don't understand you, only to be waste your ballot because you've been denied basic education and are illiterate, but voting is compulsory?
The man most likely to get the most votes is someone who reflects quite how divided this country is. He's a nationalist former army officer, who has found favour among the fifty percent or so of Peruvians who live below the poverty line. His rhetoric has terrified the business classes here, because he's pledged to increase state control of Peru's vast natural resources and has aligned himself with fellow military-type Hugo Chavez, the president of Venezuela.
But, the other two frontrunners in these elections aren't much better, according to most Peruvians: an upper class conservative woman, the darling of the rich and someone who has marginalised the poor with her 'establishment' buddies and a former leader who left the country in the grip of economic turmoil and terrorised by the Shining Path rebels. As I wrote in my report, it may come down to 'better the devil you know, than the devil you don't'.
All I know is that I'm getting sleepy and feeling a little sick, which tends to happen when I haven't eaten for a few hours. I'm sixteen weeks' pregnant today and I have covered two elections and reported on another (Chile, Peru, Bolivia) and travelled to various countries in the past four months, so this baby already has a firm foundation in international politics. As the BBC likes to put it, there is a leftwards anti-Washington trend in Latin America....If we're to believe that, will I give birth to a socialist subversive firebrand? Hmmm, it's a good thing journalists simplify things sometimes, isn't it?
Buenas noches y amor a todos xxx

Lots of news

2006-04-05T22:29:00.000Z

Ok, ok....a million apologies to anyone who is still reading this blog, and also many thanks for reading it. I have been away for too long, but I do have a good excuse. Since last posting, I have been travelling a massive amount, have got engaged to Jon and have discovered I am pregnant. Jon and I are expecting our baby on September 25 and we're very excited. We're not going to find out if it's a blue baby or a pink baby as my friend Abi asked me, and Baby Chittock, will probably be born in England. I'm not quite beginning to show, although I do look like I ate too much for lunch and my trousers are getting a little tight. Had I posted something earlier, I might have spilled the beans, so I hope you'll forgive me. I wanted to wait until I was safely in the second trimester. I don't know if I'm going to be able to summarise the past three months, suffice to say, they have seen me on more planes than I care to remember and travelling backwards and forwards between Peru and Chile, with a trip to England and another to Bolivia thrown in. So, here I am at almost four months pregnant and back in Lima, which makes me very happy, working pretty hard, setting up interviews and visits for Dan, the South America correspondent who is here to cover the elections this weekend. Yet, another South American country, and another election......this is for another posting.
Love to you all
xxx

Women's lib

2006-01-16T02:29:00.000Z

So, Chile has finally done what many deemed impossible in this conservative, Catholic country. It's elected it's first female president, someone who defies the stereotypes, but is apparently helping ordinary Chileans to reconcile themselves with the past and move on. Michelle Bachelet is the highest profile politician in Chile to have been tortured during Pinochet's military dictatorship. Her father, an air force general, even died after being arrested and tortured for supporting Pinochet's predecessor Salvador Allende. When Michelle Bachelet came back from exile in Australia and Communist East Germany, she rose up the ranks of the Socialist party, ultimately becoming Defence Minister and effectively controlling the same military that had killed her Dad. As well as this, she is an agnostic single mother of three kids by two different fathers and it's quite something to be that and become president here in a sexist country, traditionally dominated by the male political and business elite. But, as well as providing proof that Chile can move on from the horrors of the Pinochet era, Chile's new president has managed to woo the marginalised sectors of society - the middle and lower classes, the indigenous people, women -- precisely because she belongs to part of that group. But, she's not a totally new slate for Chile. She does represent the ruling coalition, which has been in power since the end of the Pinochet regime in 1990 and her popularity was certainly boosted by the success of the current government, whose policies mean Chile now has one of the fastest growing economies in the region. But, for all that, she has done something no other women has done before, something quite extraordinary, by representing those in Chile who regard themselves as ordinary.

Airs and graces

2006-01-10T21:54:00.000Z

Well, Buenos Aires might mean good airs and certainly there's a lot of great things to be said about the Argentine capital. We had a fun few days there and managed to cram in a fair amount, from the tourist spots like la Casa Rosada - which was used in the film Evita, and was the place from which Eva Peron addressed her 'dear' people -- to visiting an Argentine naval frigate that sailed around the world 39 times between 1899 and 1939 and was built in Birkenhead. It was a beautiful boat and am including a picture. In fact, wandering around there reminding me of Grandad because there were maps showing routes across the Atlantic and round South America, and of course the boat was born only a few miles away from where we were. I also managed to get a fair bit of shopping in, thanks to the weakness of the currency and the retail strength of my friend Marcia, who was over for a couple days and works in the embassy in Santiago. I gave up not eating beef, because you can't really go to Argentina and not eat lomo if you're a non-veggie. Actually it was good, but the following morning I rather regretted the fact we had eaten so late as beef does tend to be a bit heavy on the tummy. Better still was the fabulous wine, which was matched only on the tasty front by the men...yummy; nothing like a bit of window shopping. The weather was pretty odd. A couple of the days were almost unbearably hot with humidity like I have rarely experienced and then there were nights of massive thunder storms, incessant rain and quite terrifying noise and light shows. However, it was a great experience and it's much more buenos than malos aires. So, here is a pic of yours' truly outside the Casa Rosada (which means Pink House). And, next posting, I promise I'll attach some more pix of our trip down south over New Year. My feet have stopped being itchy for the moment, which is good news. Hasta la vista.
xxx

Good winds

2006-01-05T17:26:00.000Z

I will update my blog with some more news soon, but have decided to listen to my itchy feet once again. As events here seem like they will be overshadowed for some time by stories about Sharon (and am not talking about the Sharon and Tracey kind), Jon and I are taking advantage of a cheap deal to go to Buenos Aires...which means good winds. I am not sure what kind of winds exactly will be emanating from said city, but I will repeat on whether I agree with that description when I get back. Have had a great thought...how about a wedding loop blog?

Christmas ramblings

2006-01-03T17:35:00.000Z

Where to start....? So much has happened since I last wrote anything of note. But, I will try and summarise as best as I can. I had a fair bit of work in the run up to Christmas, including a trip up to the mountains outside of the capital to do some research for a piece I am writing on ski homes in Chile (quite hard to write it as it's not ski season at the moment, but of course it is in Europe and North America and the person who commissioned the piece wanted a balanced look at what's on offer across the world). The mountains are only about 30 km from Santiago and even though they are on the doorstep of the city, it's a very different world. Old wooden chalet type houses, men with their traditional broad-brimmed hats leading horses weighed down with wood. On the day before Christmas Eve, Jon and I went with a friend from the embassy to a party held by some of her friends. It was strange dancing to Christmas music and celebrating the festive season outside in the warm (I don't think I'll ever get used to it), but the party was great fun and quite a lot was drunk and we ended up in the swimming pool. I was still quite sober, because I had a big day on the 24th -- although my definition of 'big' might not match any or yours'. I joined about eighty of the other members of the running club and we ran to the virgin on the San Cristobal hill overlooking Santiago. It was pretty tough going as the temperatures were already soaring by mid-morning. After we finished the hour and a half run, we congregated at the bottom and had beer and Christmas cake and took photos....really good fun. Christmas Day was quiet. Jon and I cooked turkey and although we couldn't find all the trimmings, it was a nice meal and a real pleasure to have it outside. I've attached a photo and one of the amazing sunset we had on Christmas Eve. I'll continue with my Christmas-New Year adventures soon, but am beginning to feel guilty about not having finished some work, so I'll love you and leave you for now....

Happy New Year

2006-01-02T19:55:00.000Z

Loads to write and mention, but am very busy doing some work, so for now I just wanted to wish everyone a happy 2006 and I'll be back blogging very soon and update you with all that I've been doing. Lots of love,
Me
xxx

spot the deliberate mistake

2005-12-20T22:27:00.000Z

i know, i know...my grammar is appalling; i do know the difference between there and their, even though it doesn't appear to be the case below......

Let it snow -- yeah right

2005-12-20T18:28:00.000Z

Okay, so it's officially summer tomorrow, but it's officially hot already. Actually, before you all turn green with envy, I know I am very lucky, but 34 degree heat can be a bit testing when you've got things to do! The streets of Santiago are mad busy with people buying there last minute Christmas presents and I guess they will just get busier....I'm trying to avoid the shopping malls now, but had to venture into one yesterday (still no tree am afraid, but I did buy some lights for the balcony to make it look more Christmassy), and they were playing yet another ironic festive song....'Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.....' In your Chilean dreams, mate.
Well, I'm happy to say that Jon has arrived safely and will be here for the next few weeks. I'm working pretty much right up to Christmas, which is fine with me, as it's going to be a quiet one, although we have been invited to a Christmas party on Friday and then we have the annual ritual Christmas run, up to the top of one of the hills in the city. The same one we went up for Virgin's day...evil, truly evil (not the day, the run). Oh, well, not much else to report. I was very glad that Big Cuz is up to posting messages on the blog...welcome and hope you're feeling a lot better. And, in answer to FG's request Crapbiggles is Pip...you remember from the pub at Matt and Cat's wedding...how could you forget! I hope he won't mind me giving his identity away. Righteo, have to go and prepare for an interview.
Besos
xxx