bramblesnewyork

Sleepless in NYC

2010-07-29T11:13:00.003-04:00

So here I am officially a Mother of 5, including 4 aged 5 and under! My lovely Oliver was born on the 15th of July. He being the final baby had to come in with a fuss - of course, he's male isn't he? The epidural went wrong, I couldn't move my left side for 4 hours after the birth.. my vitals dropped through the floor, then his, then he came out with the cord tightly wound round his neck not 1

お久しぶりですね

2010-06-17T10:45:00.004-04:00

Alas Facebook and the need to post my thoughts in my status has led to the great neglect of my blog. Le sigh! In brief I am a few weeks away from delivering my 5th and final baby. (Cant work out if I find the belly pic disturbing or cute) Looking forward to getting back in fighting form, and hitting auditions hard and fast. Really want to pursue this acting bug that has chased me in spurts

Happy Holidays

2009-11-27T13:14:00.003-05:00

The Holiday season has officially begun and I am happy to say I'm ready for it for once! Bought all the children's presents - even started wrapping them. Got most of the decorations up from the basement, and the children have been playing with a Christmas toy set all morning. 4 weeks til the big day! Heading into Manhattan to brave the Sales rush...

Weird

2009-11-25T21:17:00.003-05:00

to think that being alone on Thanksgiving Eve should mean anything to me, but here I am all lonely and upset. Silly really. What with me being British this isn't a Holiday for me. I think with this being my 6th Thanksgiving here in the States - I'm finally starting to accept it as being a big deal. A time to be with family and loved ones. It is important. So what with my husband still at work now

Halloween - Robert Burns

2009-10-29T08:32:00.003-04:00

Upon that night, when fairies lightOn Cassilis Downans dance,Or owre the lays, in splendid blaze,On sprightly coursers prance;Or for Colean the route is ta'en,Beneath the moon's pale beams;There, up the cove, to stray and rove,Among the rocks and streamsTo sport that night......Wi' merry sangs, and friendly cracks,I wat they didna weary;And unco tales, and funny jokes,Their sports were cheap and

there's no business

2009-10-27T20:34:00.004-04:00

So I am totally into doing movies right now.. Loving it. Mainly seeing the behind the scenes - but being in on Samuel L Jacksons jokes doesn't hurt you know? I have been background acting on 2 feature films now, The Adjustment Bureau and The Other Guys. I have a main scene on TAB - at the bar standing next to Matt Damon for a whole scene - yay. And 2 scenes in TOG - one running towards a

R I P - Tree

2009-10-21T10:31:00.003-04:00

They just cut down an old tree 2 houses from mine. I watched them saw through the branches and as they crashed to the ground all the Autumnal leaves that were clinging on until it was their time to Fall - floated down slowly - softly. It was really heart-wrenching to watch, but the sound without the image was worse. There's something wrong with progress when it leans in that direction. You see

homesick

2009-09-18T23:36:00.004-04:00

It dawned on me tonight how much I miss being around people who know who I am. I of course don't mean that in a celebretard way. I mean know me inside and out. Know my dark brown hair is my natural color but I started out as a blond baby, as did my brothers kind of way. Know things about what I was like as a child, what I was like, what my family was like, what my village was like. Maybe

there's something about a baby in little tiny knits

2009-09-09T10:14:00.005-04:00

As my baby starts school, I found these photographs by Tracy Raver comforting. They grow so fast.

ahh home again...

2009-08-17T21:09:00.002-04:00

much to do much ado

2009-08-05T22:52:00.005-04:00

I'm crazy busy right now, no excuse for abandoning my blog though! My eldest daughter is staying with me just now, she came over from England 2 weeks ago, and my eldest brother was over so pretty much been sightseeing and keeping her occupied... We're off on a road trip on Saturday - down to Florida, returning to Disney World - the children will LOVE it as usual - I may need a beer at the German

Ascot

2009-06-16T15:34:00.003-04:00

I love Ascot - the outfits are always a laugh and sometimes just plain perfect. Katherine Jenkins was a winning filly on Day 1 in this gorgeous pink ensemble. I adore! Can't wait til Thursday for Ladies Day!

Sweet Tweet

2009-04-29T11:24:00.002-04:00

I'm on twitter - belle bramble - tweet me

busy beaver

2009-04-29T10:58:00.004-04:00

So it seems when not so much is going on I write about what I want to be going on - and when I'm run off my feet with things I forget to write! Last weekend I did a Saturday afternoon fair near Prospect Park for NY Creates, this weekend I'm at the Brooklyn Historical Society in Brooklyn Heights doing their Mothers Day show, next weekend I'm at Brooklyn Flea at Fort Greene then following weekends

One of the worst nights yet

2009-04-15T10:20:00.002-04:00

The term "witching hour" refers to the period from midnight to 3am, while "devils hour" refers to the time around 3am. This was exactly right for me last night. Brought to mind the Sarah Connor lines: "The demons come after midnight in the first three hours of the new day when we are alone and vulnerable - deep in sleep and helpless, when we cannot move. They lay on us, press on us, suffocate us.

End of an ER-a

2009-04-02T14:22:00.002-04:00

Farewell Doug et all..

Coo on the loose

2009-03-30T13:55:00.003-04:00

A Highland cow called Floss escaped from a field and went on the run in the countryside for nine months. The four-year-old is believed to have escaped to go looking for her calf, from whom she was separated after being sold at market. During this time she became the ultimate free range farm animal, travelling more than 60 miles and living off the land. As news of her adventures travelled she

Reserved for my baby

2009-03-12T10:07:00.001-04:00

Happy 5th Wedding Anniversary my love

Ray of hope

2009-03-12T09:55:00.002-04:00

My Father suffers from Parkinson's Disease - and suffers is too weak of a word to describe his pain. I always wonder why more research hasn't been done to find a drug that would properly control his symptoms. As much as I have doubts with Obama on most fronts I am happy that the ban is now lifted on stem cell research. A little hope for sufferers comes in the form of Google's co-founder Sergey

a little crazy a lot funny

2009-03-10T09:07:00.005-04:00

This is crazy, funny, a little scary but totally cool all the same haha... Federal authorities are investigating a New York man's claim that he successfully shipped himself in a crate to Las Vegas via the United Parcel Service. A spokesman for UPS says the company believes Wade Whitcomb's claim is a hoax. The Transportation Security Administration and the FBI are investigating Whitcomb's claim.

Home again

2009-03-02T12:31:00.003-05:00

I got back from Scotland yesterday afternoon. It was a wonderful trip. I managed to see all my brothers, most of my Aunts and Uncles, my Mother and Father and my beloved Grandmother. I got a shock to see my almost teenage daughter has grown to almost 5' 5".. My trip didn't get off to a great start - we landed to be told that a Continental plane had come down, it took off from the same airport

Crazy

2009-03-02T12:28:00.002-05:00

194 pilot whales and half a dozen bottlenose dolphins became stranded on Naracoopa Beach on Tasmania state's King Island on Sunday evening. Rescuers used jet skis and human muscle to save dozens of whales and dolphins stranded on the beach in southern Australia. It was not clear why the animals had beached on the island, halfway between Tasmania and mainland Australia. The Examiner, a Tasmanian

snow angel

2009-02-04T13:27:00.003-05:00

I usually only pray during natural disasters or on aircrafts. But this morning I didn't know what else to do when I heard on the news that a 3 year old girl had been found dead in the snow on an Upstate road near the Catskills. The police don't yet know what happened to her or why she was there. I don't know if this hit me so hard because of having a 3 year girl myself, but reading the story

Day of the Groundhog

2009-02-02T14:52:00.001-05:00

Phil's official forecast as read February 2nd, 2009 at sunrise at Gobbler's Knob: Hear Ye Hear Ye On Gobbler's Knob this glorious Groundhog Day, February 2nd, 2009 Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of all Prognosticators Awoke to the call of President Bill Cooper And greeted his handlers, Ben Hughes and John Griffiths After casting a joyful eye towards thousands of his

Hero in a box

2009-01-30T14:33:00.002-05:00

Saw this in the Mail and wanted to share as it brought me joy to read such a lovely story. "Gabriel Hurles' celebrated his sixth birthday by unwrapping the best present ever - his father home on leave from Iraq. The youngster was so engrossed in the cupcakes his mother brought to his class yesterday that he didn't notice the enormous wrapped box. The six-year-old peeled back the wrapping paper

some warmth on a cold January day

2009-01-21T14:02:00.010-05:00

Had to share these two lovely stories - they really warmed my heart :) Affectionately known as Jack Frost, the little lamb, who was abandoned at birth, farmers think due to being born very early on January 1, thinks nothing of wearing an extra woolly layer. The tiny knitted garment, meant for a human baby, fits perfectly and Jack likes nothing more than snuggling up in it during the freezing

today

2009-01-20T23:52:00.004-05:00

As everyone around me knows - I am as conservative as they come. Some also know that my Dads cousin was the leader of the party in the UK. I was the laughing stock of the ODPM because of that, as I worked there during Blair's rule - but the less said about that the better really! So... I am by NO means jumping on the Obama train just yet. Also, I am Scottish, born and raised so I can hardly

Plane sailing?

2009-01-16T12:30:00.003-05:00

We salute you Chesley "Sully'' Sullenberger III. A heroic act indeed. By taking a big chance and ditching in the icy frigid waters of the Hudson, you saved so many. When I read you walked the plane twice to make sure all were out, my heart grew bigger. I'd be happy to have you fly my plane any day, and this from a fearful flyer like myself! Sullenberger, 57, of Danville, Calif., is a former

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T20:17:00.003-05:00

I have just about recovered from last nights festivities to be able to focus on the screen for long enough to write that I hope everyone has a happy and prosperous New Year. Now that the holidays are last weeks news, I look forward to getting on with enjoying Winter and all it brings. This past year brought good and bad into my life. The especially good thing of course was my darling blond baby

Co` latha breith sona dhuibh!

2008-12-27T12:51:00.004-05:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas full of joy and laughter :) My baby girl started crawling on Christmas Eve which was magical to watch. Today is my Birthday. My husband brought her in to give me a kiss, which she did in her usual fashion by knocking her big head into mine, then she said Mama for the first time. It made my day. Tonight it's dinner and drinks, and the babies are having

Thr Grinch vs, The Snowman

2008-12-22T12:05:00.002-05:00

A notice-bearing city code enforcement officer has felled the controversial but much-loved giant 16 foot snowman, who has been built in the Power family's garden in Anchorage since 2005. A few weeks ago, city code enforcers left three red signs at Snowzilla's bottom body ball telling its builders to cease and desist. The city notified the Airport Heights community council about its decision to

Not a good day for turkeys

2008-12-19T13:55:00.003-05:00

Army chiefs have flown out a special consignment of Christmas turkeys to replace the ones destroyed when Taliban insurgents attacked a lorry packed with the birds bound for British troops in Afghanistan. The frozen birds were completely destroyed in an explosion en route from Pakistan to Camp Bastion. The consignment of turkey roll breasts weighing 325kg was intended for soldiers stationed at

RIP Bettie Page

2008-12-12T14:10:00.002-05:00

What can I say? Rest in peace to the best pin-up of all time.

One Giant leap for British bears

2008-12-04T10:24:00.002-05:00

This is what school should be all about! Four teddies boldly went where no bear has gone before - to the edge of space with the aid of a giant helium balloon. Cuddly astronauts M.A.T and K.M.S and two bear colleagues were decked out in custom-made space suits and blasted 19 miles above Earth on a two-hour expedition. The student-run Spaceflight society is working towards reducing the cost of

Happy Heavens

2008-12-01T14:01:00.002-05:00

Must have been awesome to see this - a rare cosmic alignment of the planets Venus and Jupiter meant they produced a smiling face with the crescent moon in Australia's western sky. Lovely way to start December :)

So sweet!

2008-11-25T22:11:00.002-05:00

An adorable 15 inch Silver Dun Tovero foal was born 10 days ago at Riverdance Stud Farm in Victoria, South Australia. The vet gave her a clean bill of health and she is expected to grow to about 24 inches. I know what I want for Christmas!

feeling lucky?

2008-11-22T18:43:00.002-05:00

I bought a mushroom ornament for the Christmas Tree from Pier 1 this afternoon. Then went to Myers of Keswick in the Village to get some Cumberland sausage... and... they gave me a bundle of steak pies for free! They were a little burnt - but very edible. Everyone should get a lucky mushroom :)

Tis the Season

2008-11-19T10:51:00.002-05:00

In preparation for our move I have started to sort through all the clutter, boxes of old toys, clothing etc that litters my house. I wanted to share a great site for all you New Yorkers:http://www.nyc.gov/html/mvc/html/donate/want_donate.shtmlIt has a comprehensive list of places to donate everything you don't need. I believe in karma so for me it's a selfish act - anyone who has volunteered or

Four is the new Seven

2008-11-14T10:33:00.003-05:00

I read an article this morning and wanted to share it with you. In my case it definitely rings true. I've been married now for 4 and a half years and I do feel you hit a point where you realize things aren't what they were. Especially as the article suggests when you have children, you don't have the time or energy to make an effort to spend time with the one you used to devote all your energy

le sigh

2008-11-05T00:36:00.002-05:00

It's a weird feeling. I feel uneasy. Time will tell.

Vote or Dont

2008-11-04T16:11:00.003-05:00

Vote!! But don't vote, if you're going to do it just because the guy is the biggest celebrity in the world. Vote because you believe that person will handle the 3am call and the financial crisis. Vote because you want change of the right kind, not empty promises and a great smile. Vote or Don't. This broadcast is brought to you by me, a non US citizen, who cant vote, but lives here just the

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T10:34:00.001-04:00

Have a safe and scary day

got milk?

2008-10-22T12:09:00.002-04:00

Our family have a weekend house in Rhinebeck, Upstate New York so it was great to read that the good people of neighboring Hyde Park had rallied 'round the ovens - to bake 6,600 cookies for troops serving overseas. If only everyone else who bitches and complains about the war and Bush would show our heroes the same respect and love. Oh and yeah - doubtful that the cookies were like the ones

Bon Voyage

2008-10-16T16:38:00.003-04:00

The last great ship to be built in Scotland glided into New York City this morning for the very last time. After nearly 40 years of luxury transatlantic travel, she sailed under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge at dawn. For her 710th visit she was joined by Cunard's latest flagship, the four-year-old Queen Mary 2, a 39-foot-long red pennant streamed from her mast — a foot for each year at sea,

Spread the Wealth Around?

2008-10-16T08:53:00.002-04:00

You have got to be kidding me. Who the hell does he think he is. How can he possibly think it is fair to take money from hard working people who went to college, who worked night and day to get where they are - and give it to people who never bothered "trying". Most of whom didn't study, they didn't sacrifice, they didn't bother getting off their fat asses long enough to make something of

Happy Autumn

2008-10-07T09:21:00.002-04:00

I'm back. Whoa! Did not realize it had been so long since I last wrote. Time flies - and all that jazz. I've been working like a mad woman, started running again, watching my babies grow, thinking of new ideas for the boutique, been at Red Hook every weekend (only 2 to go!) getting irate over the elections, the bailout, politics in general... Oh and we went to Disney World for a week which was

There's a black man roaming America asking for change

2008-08-15T10:22:00.002-04:00

This is straight from the onion - but I pasted it for those too lazy to go there. It's as relevant now as it was in March and still just as funny :-Dhttp://www.theonion.com/content/news/black_guy_asks_nation_for_change CHICAGO—According to witnesses, a loud black man approached a crowd of some 4,000 strangers in downtown Chicago Tuesday and made

teehee

2008-08-08T23:01:00.002-04:00

This picture made me smile - the guys all look so peaceful going about their business with their new friend :)

angels or luck or something...

2008-08-07T00:42:00.004-04:00

guardian angeln : an angel believed to have special affectionfor a particular individualI used to believe I had a guardian angel. When times were tough there would always be a way out, when things felt like they couldn't get any worse, daylight would shine through. A white feather appearing in the strangest of places, always gave me hope that my belief was real. (No thought of course that it

Fuck Joe Schmuck

2008-08-05T00:19:00.004-04:00

One of my children's favorite books is Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See?... took on a whole new meaning for me after reading the news today :( I read the Anchorage Daily News every day. Yes I know I live in NYC, but Alaska is the only other place I'd live, truth be told. Anyway, it saddened me to read this story, so I thought I'd share because hey if I feel doom and gloom why should you

We NEED a South Park episode based on this article muhahahaha

2008-07-25T10:31:00.000-04:00

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/gerard_baker/article4392846.ece

Brooklyn Crafts Festival

2008-07-22T11:02:00.004-04:00

I've been selected to appear at the Red Hook Festival to sell my wares. I'll be on the waterfront Saturdays and Sundays until the end of August. On another note - who knew hair flowers would be my biggest success?! I'm selling some everyday including weekends - and I'm hoping by Thursday my new shop site will be up - Exciting stuff.

demons

2008-07-17T23:33:00.003-04:00

I'll start by saying thank you. I got a lovely email from a reader that really brightened my week. I forget sometimes, that people actually read this, it's always just been a way of me steadying myself when times are tough, reassuring myself of better tomorrows and shouting to the world when the good times are rolling. I'm glad you like it. What follows however isn't exactly pleasant fodder -

Good grief!

2008-07-15T12:46:00.002-04:00

A beagle named Rocco that strayed from a NYC yard five years ago, has been reunited with his owners, after being found over 800 miles away in Georgia. Happy days..

life

2008-07-14T22:15:00.006-04:00

I'm not having a great day, so it was a joy to see this picture of 3 rare white lion cubs, which have been born at a zoo in Germany. Their Mother rejected them, so they are being raised Knut style by keepers. They are just adorable! My husband burst into a large smile when he saw me tonight, saying I looked like a mermaid, which I took as a complement! Must be the large bosom and turquoise

don't mention the war ;)

2008-07-02T17:45:00.006-04:00

http://www.chromjuwelen.comYou'll have to do a search for me because I can't get the link to work, but hey yeah I'm there!

The life of a Starlet

2008-07-01T09:44:00.004-04:00

So... after appearing on www.pinuppost.com on Saturday (I'm still there - please flame me!) - I've started getting fan mail! They want autographs. I will of course send a snazzy photograph with my best signature - when I invent one that is! I don't think I've ever handwritten Belle Bramble - so this should be fun :)

Viva Las Vegas

2008-06-28T11:21:00.006-04:00

The King is dead - long live the King! I came across these pictures of Elvis, and had to share. He died the year I was born, but his music remained a big part of my early life. These photographs were taken by Alfred Wertheimer who was instructed by Elvis’s record company, RCA not to shoot in color because they thought he was just a flash in the pan. How wrong they were! Oh yeah - and I know

Viva La Diva

2008-06-27T23:54:00.003-04:00

I just listed my new line of silk hair flowers on ebay - yay! It took me an absolute age to get the damned listing right, but at least the ones I have are up. Phew. Over the next week I will be listing my jewelry for sale there, alongside my new site going live. Busy times ahead. The flowers are up now at brambleboutique on ebay. My Mum is busy finishing the illustrations for a children's

Lost at Sea

2008-06-24T19:01:00.007-04:00

So although I didn't participate in the parade (due to my sweet little water baby still not sleeping at night argh) I did attend as a photographer :) Here's a sample of what went down at the Coney Island Mermaid Parade this year.

lovely ducky

2008-06-18T10:58:00.002-04:00

In this day and age where the news is filled with countless stories of human parents being cruel, or worse, to their children, I find joy in hearing of incidents like this one in the animal kingdom. Six little mallard ducklings in the North of England this week found themselves trapped in a dark sewer - their only hope of survival lay with their mother - whom they had last seen more than a

when hope is gone - part deux

2008-06-17T23:27:00.006-04:00

EDIT: There are some sick people out there.

dream on dreamer

2008-06-16T10:26:00.002-04:00

On Saturday night I dreamed that I was taking care of 3 bunnies.. It felt like one of those long dreams with very complex other bits to it. The last of it was me carrying 2 of the bunnies and looking for one that was hiding. All of a sudden one of the bunnies I was carrying started biting my neck but it didn't hurt just felt like a pressure. But then I felt something biting my bum! And that

on newstands now

2008-06-13T12:07:00.005-04:00

Published in 4 newspapers in Scotland today, and I made the front cover next to Dumfriesshires better known export Ugly Bettys Ashley Jensen - yay!

Can't bear to be apart - hehe

2008-06-13T11:50:00.005-04:00

Eight years ago this beautiful black domestic cat Muschi (which means pussy in German) appeared from nowhere at a zoo in Germany and immediately struck up an unlikely friendship with a 40-year-old Asian bear called Maeuschen (little mouse' in German). Who to me bears (sorry) and uncanny resemblance to Totoro! They eat together and sunbathe together. Regardless of their differences - sounds

Happy Friday 13th

2008-06-13T11:32:00.005-04:00

Not a horror in sight. Just some sweet pics instead! A family of swans in a town in the South of England took a walk along the main street, stopping by the fish and chip shop before returning to the lake.

too hot to handle

2008-06-09T12:17:00.002-04:00

95f is not fun - tomorrow it's to be 97f - joy isn't a word that springs to mind either! In New York I spend the long icy Winter praying for warmth and the long sticky Summer praying for that first crisp day of Autumn. Mother Nature simply can't win. Yesterday I spent 9 hrs in the high 90s at the market - dehydration came quickly. I couldn't have possibly drank enough water to satiate my

My new Sunday residence

2008-06-06T17:09:00.003-04:00

I will be at the Brooklyn Flea Market - Downtown on Sundays starting this one, the 8th. Details can be found here:http://www.brownstoner.com/brooklynflea/I'll be selling my collection of original Vargas alongside jewelry and repro prints. And yeah ok the picture above is Cologne in December - but hey - whenever you find love it feels like Christmas or you know whatever.

a darker shade of gray

2008-06-05T13:35:00.003-04:00

I feel so lonely. Strange to some I guess who can't imagine that one could ever be lonely - having 3 small children each requiring attention on a constant basis. But somehow I am still very much alone. I have a very bad cold. The kind that makes it almost impossible for you to speak or breathe without coughing up your lungs. My throats so raw I've spat blood down the sink 3 times since I got

Eggs anyone?

2008-06-04T21:28:00.002-04:00

Easily the coolest thing I've seen in a loooong time - the Eglu. And yes as soon as we move to a bigger property there will be one in my garden :)

Can't bear to think about it...

2008-06-04T17:50:00.002-04:00

I was upset to hear that the first polar bear to swim to Iceland in 15 years has been shot dead by police, even though the knockout drugs that could have spared his life were less than an hour away. The bear was spotted by a farmer strolling along a road near the town of Skagafjördur yesterday morning. The argument going on now is the police man who shot him says he had to do it to protect

Goodbye to the fat ladies

2008-05-29T00:33:00.003-04:00

One of Britain's best-loved artists, Beryl Cook, died peacefully at the age of 81 yesterday. I loved her lovely 'seaside postcard' paintings of portly ladies having the time of their lives. A great loss to the art world, indeed.

sky high

2008-05-26T00:10:00.005-04:00

Some pics I took of the planes at the U.S. Air Force air show at Jones Beach today. The blur is the damned heat - I am burned to a crisp :-/

blue

2008-05-22T20:40:00.002-04:00

My parents left town today. They'd been visiting for my newest arrivals Christening, and stayed a little over a week. I feel devastated. You really don't know how much you miss something until you hold it briefly and once again let go. Why did the weeks up to their arrival go so slowly yet the 8 days here flew at record speed? All the way to the airport my eyes continuously welled up. Yet it

more dangerous than Al Gore

2008-05-13T22:56:00.002-04:00

When I read that ASIMO, a robot which was designed by Honda Motor Co., conducted the Detroit Symphony - my heart sank. To me this is not the way forward we should be looking for. Maybe it's the *cue Cartman voice* damn hippy in me, but robots as smart as this one scare the bejesus out of me.

must see

2008-05-06T09:58:00.002-04:00

Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum. At the Met Gala Anna Wintour looked awesome in a Storm inspired outfit by Karl Lagerfeld. Maybe I'm biased seen as I play the character on the 360s X-Men!

when hope is gone

2008-05-05T23:35:00.003-04:00

I wanted to note an incident that happened to me at the weekend. I won't put a picture and I won't dwell on it. It just saddened me greatly. In the supermarket with my husband and children I was pushing the cart when a young woman, early 20s, walked by yabbering on her cell phone not paying attention to what she was doing and walked into my cart. She muttered "ass" and kept walking. Her son,

a red night

2008-05-02T20:54:00.006-04:00

It's funny how a color can change things so dramatically. My husband ended up in hospital tonight - as that sinking feeling kicks in and I wait for news I change my shirt to a red one. I hear he's been checked in - I paint my toenails red. I hear he's waiting for the CAT scan - I paint my lips red. Suddenly I feel less shaky. I suppose it's my way of coping. Because the children are in bed

this is my message to you

2008-04-28T08:22:00.003-04:00

Call it what you want. I would say here begins my rise to fame. But celebrity is not my goal. So instead here begins my journey to completion. Today marks the day when I woke up. On Friday Liliana started sleeping through the night 12 - 6am, which meant that at 6.30am this morning I listened to my heart and got up out of bed and went running. I ran for 25 minutes in the rain, and it felt

The King of Queen

2008-04-24T23:13:00.002-04:00

I was just watching some You Tube clips of Queen at Live Aid '85 - I can't believe I forgot how much I loved them! It's not something I have on my ipod or on the car stereo, so I guess I lost them somewhere along the way. Freddie was the ultimate stage-man - so alive, vibrant - such an awesome performer. He makes me smile so easily. Greatly missed. Also he reminded me of Borat so much when he

die another day

2008-04-24T13:23:00.004-04:00

Either the new Bond is going to be the best yet or all of the bad karma that seems to be floating around will doom it. Within 5 days an Aston Martin on its way to the set plunged into Lake Garda, and a stuntman has been left in a coma after his car collided with a lorry and crashed into a wall. The latest incidents come just a month after the mayor of Sierra Gorda in Chile, drove on set to

for baby

2008-04-23T09:17:00.003-04:00

New York City's hospitals are to introduce new technology that simulates the Mother's womb for its premature babies. It will include low lights and special sound monitors that will flash when a neonatal unit becomes too noisy for the babies. When my daughter was in the NICU I was astonished by how loud it was in there, even at night. They had loud alarms going off almost constantly. Every time

strange

2008-04-18T18:38:00.004-04:00

NYPD Harbor and SCUBA units patrolling the United Nations this afternoon saw a four-foot long beaver swimming in the East River. The 40 lb animal was transported to an animal hospital on the Upper West Side, with breathing difficulties. It's no wonder the poor thing was in distress, the East River's not the cleanest!

My Mother's daughter

2008-04-15T21:35:00.003-04:00

As soon as I saw these pictures my husband took tonight I thought of my Mother - who has an amazing ability to either look totally serious or punch drunk in every picture of her! Five weeks on, Liliana seems to get bigger every minute. Seems like yesterday she was curled up in a tiny ball, now she stretches and uncurls into a bundle of blubber. Time really does fly when you're having fun.

2008-04-15T10:30:00.002-04:00

Nothing grows in our garden, only washing. And babies.Dylan ThomasThe blossoms out on the tree in the back garden. Tiny balls of green bursting larger every day. I'm hoping they fall in time for a gathering we're having next month, as they'll coat the ground with something other than dirt! Out front our bulbs are all up, so that's nice. I guess Spring is here to stay. Although I do remember

Men are just like children

2008-04-07T11:51:00.005-04:00

They need their naps! I'm sure my husband will be adding the MetroNaps EnergyPod to his list of work-must-haves. Designed to isolate the user from their environment with music and lights while angling your body to take pressure off the heart. Vibrations, brighter lights and more lively music awake the sleeper after around 20 minutes. The pod costs around $600 a month - and is said to increase

RIP Charlton Heston

2008-04-06T10:57:00.003-04:00

October 4th 1924 - April 5th 2008He starred in some of my favorite movies from yesteryear, and will always be a legend in my eyes.

Ladies Day

2008-04-04T10:31:00.003-04:00

I would never usually let a WAG (Wifes and Girlfriends of British footballers) name pass my lips for imo they're a bunch of glorified whores, but I give credit where credits due! Alex Curran looked fantastic at Ladies Day at the Grand National horse racing meet. There is an article in the UKs Daily Mail newspaper that shows many pictures of other women there, and it's frankly an embarrassment.

fishy fish fish

2008-04-03T22:26:00.003-04:00

So my blue gourami died, and turned out my other 2 gouramis had been fin nipping it - and looks like they may have killed the other tetra too. So what have I done to rectify my little tank bullying problem? I bought a shark! :) He's 5 inches long and looks like he has a hammer head, although I must stress he is not an actual hammerhead! So far the gouramis are hiding, and peace has been

it's a sad day

2008-04-01T13:44:00.003-04:00

Not only did one of my Neon Tetras get sucked into the filtration pipe and a Blue Gourami is looking non too healthy afloat the top of my tank; but also the New York Aquarium's 43-year-old sand tiger shark Bertha has died. She measured around 7 feet in length and weighed over 270 lbs. Bertha was brought to the Aquarium by local fishermen in 1965. Although the actual lifespan of them is not known

the king of the rain

2008-03-31T15:04:00.007-04:00

When I lived in Los Angeles, Counting Crows were very much a part of my life from the guy singing on the car stereo to the guy next to me in the bar. Unlike some, who consider their style of music depressing, I find their music reviving. The way Adam sang about the rain all the time was the first thing that got me into them and in turn is what made me like him as a person. The rain can be

those baby blues

2008-03-28T17:15:00.003-04:00

Italian author Cesare Pavese famously said "We do not remember days, we remember moments." I find this to be the case more so now I have children than ever before. Those Mothers who write their babies every move in baby books so the exact date Junior first spat out peas are beyond me. I cherish the simple things. Just now it's the way Liliana looks at me when I'm feeding her. Her small bird

Happy Easter!

2008-03-22T22:41:00.001-04:00

Spring has sprung

2008-03-20T12:04:00.003-04:00

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade. ~Charles DickensI think this captures this year very well. I love Spring, and everything that goes with it. When I was a child Spring meant new ducklings and chickens to play with. Tiny bunnies would appear in the garden, ready to eat my mothers newest

I take my hat off to..

2008-03-20T11:06:00.002-04:00

Veeramuthu Kalimuthu - who while awaiting his number 1 train in Manhattan last Friday saw a man fall onto the tracks. He immediately jumped onto the tracks, pulled the unconscious man up to the platform where others helped get him to safety. Kalimuthu then ran back across the tracks to catch his train.

Happy St Patricks Day

2008-03-17T11:32:00.002-04:00

Studies have found that the antioxidant compounds in Guinness are similar to those found in vegetables and fruits, and are beneficial to the heart because they slow down the deposit of harmful cholesterol on the artery walls. So drink up!

the early days

2008-03-14T21:51:00.005-04:00

The first few years of a childs life are so full of magic and excitement. I am blessed to share every special moment with my two and three year old. Whether it's my son singing song after song and creating elaborate adventure stories with his trains or my daughter hugging her dolly with her eyes shut as if there were never a love more real, every second is heaven to me. There's no better time

the unflattering hospital pic...

2008-03-09T18:38:00.003-04:00

Liliana arrived at 5.07 pm on March 7th weighing 7 lbs 2 oz

Tomorrow at 7am

2008-03-06T17:57:00.003-05:00

I will be hooked up and ready to go... My husband is guessing 7 lbs 5 oz, my Mother 7 lbs 6 oz (my birth weight) - however I'm going for a more easily pushed out 6 lbs 10 oz! I'm praying for a speedy and pain-free (haha) delivery regardless of the weight!

Idol

2008-03-05T01:55:00.005-05:00

So I'll start by saying that we don't watch TV in this house. But for some reason I'm hooked on American Idol. I make my husband download it so I can watch it late at night while he kills bad guys on Halo. Maybe it's because Simon Cowell reminds me of my elder brother so much, and I need something to cling to at this late stage of pregnancy, but I'm loving it. It was the guys tonight. Until