Miscellaneous

Me: Um guy who went to the antartic with Shakleton?
Him:  No, hero of the war of independence. From Tipperary. (Pause).  I think you’re thinking of Tom Crean.]]>

https://www.belgianwaffle.net/2005/09/413/

People keep congratulating me on not having
delivered earlier.  I suppose they are
just trying to say something nice. But it is odd.  I mean, I presume no one who gives birth at
31 weeks actually wants to and itÂ’s really just the luck of the draw.  I
suppose, if anyone deserves credit, it’s my loving husband who has done
the lion’s share of the childminding (tiring, back breaking work) for
the latter stages of this pregnancy. 

People keep congratulating Mr. Waffle on his
virility as well as though having twins is an indication of superior
sperm.  Odd.  I mean,  if anyone deserves credit here,  it’s my genes and my eggs.

Conversation with spouse this morning.

Me: How will I keep my knees warm when the
twins are born?

Him: Eh?

Me: Well now my stomach keeps them nice and
toasty when I sit down.

Him: 
Twin on each knee?

And finally, the
physio described giving birth to twins.  Apparently baby 1 is
delivered as normal.  Baby 2 tends to move around with all that
extra room.  So the body often comes out first and, this is the
fun bit, it’s important that none of the medical team touches the baby
because that would trigger its startle reflex and it is not easy to
deliver a baby with its arms stretched out.  So they all take a
step back and often put their hands behind their backs.  I’m glad
I knew that in advance.

jackdalton

on 24 September 2005 at 14:18

That works in a lot of situations — the hands behind the back bit; dealing with transition year guards, or with pimpled Kevins in banks, or with loud & foul-mouthed, over-aggressive, overprotective male parents who go psychotic because your dog is within 8ft of their priceless addition to the human species, dealing with error 404s without prejudicing the future working capability of your laptop… the list goes on. 0
Sweetie(s) given    

amerly

on 24 September 2005 at 17:31

Do you reckon they got your dates right? 0
Sweetie(s) given    

Minkleberry

on 25 September 2005 at 07:06

oooooh belg xx 0
Sweetie(s) given    

dmts

on 25 September 2005 at 14:25

Where are you? x 0
Sweetie(s) given    

belgianwaffle

on 25 September 2005 at 16:51

SGT, sorry about that.
JD, yes, I can see that.
Amerly, I suppose it’s not exactly a precise science, so maybe.
KE, am seeing doc tomorrow so I may have a better idea then. Fear she may make me wait another week.
Minks, HJB, still here. 0
Sweetie(s) given    

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https://www.belgianwaffle.net/2005/09/410/

One of the many excellent things about giving
birth in the kingdom of the Belgians is that it is standard practice to go to a
physiotherapist for ante and post natal classes and the physiotherapist attends
the birth.  

Yesterday I attended a class.  Usually I go to a French speaking class,
partly because I think that the physio is clearer in French but mostly because
it panders to my notions about myself.  Anyhow,
at the French speaking class itÂ’s a mixture of people who have had children
before and first timers but, for whatever reason, at the English speaking
class, they were all first timers.  Oh
how superior I felt.

Here are some reasons why.  Irish woman, due on the day of the class “is
there a birthing pool in the hospital?” 
Frankly, lady, if you want to go down this route, do you really think
that itÂ’s a good idea to ask about it for the first time on your due date?  In fact, I happen to know that the only
birthing pool in Belgium is in Ostend (please do not ask how I came by
this arcane knowledge), so it was really far, far too late for this.  Meanwhile the physio had understood “birthing
pillow” and responded that there were dozens. 
Mild confusion.

Slightly smug American lady asked the physio
“do you believe in the epidural?”.  Given
that 96% of births in Belgium are with epidurals, IÂ’m betting
that she does.  Seeing is believing.
 
Physio explained that she would come to the
hospital after the birth to do exercises and then, after a couple of weeks at
home, we should start coming back to classes. 
Finnish woman asks “why don’t we go back to classes immediately after
coming out of hospital?”.  Physio says
tactfully that this can be a tiring time. 
“But” persists the Finnish woman “we can do them at home?”  “Yes, you can do them at home”.  “But” IÂ’m thinking “you may prefer to use
that time to shower”.

Yes, I was irredeemably smug.  Boy, am I riding for a fall.

NorahSplog

on 23 September 2005 at 16:06

Oooh – pet hate alert! “do you believe in” instead of “are you in favour of”. Ngggg. 0
Sweetie(s) given    

StarCorner

on 23 September 2005 at 19:43

I think at this stage, you are more than entitled to be smug m’dear!! Best of luck for the big day … whenever it arrives! 0
Sweetie(s) given    

JoJo

on 23 September 2005 at 23:06

Absolutely agree with Star on this one – if you don’t deserve to be smug I don’t know who does. 0
Sweetie(s) given    

belgianwaffle

on 24 September 2005 at 12:53

FT, yes, excellent new age deity.
Norah, please write a blog entry on this! I’d enjoy that and I need to be humoured.
Kristen, FT is an American also, so he is entitled to be a bit sarky. Most of the Americans I know are not smug at all, no for a nation of smug souls, you need the Dutch.
Star, Jojo, thank you very much. 0
Sweetie(s) given    

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https://www.belgianwaffle.net/2005/09/409/

“The file on H”
by Ismail Kadare.  This is my second outing into the works of Mr.
Kadare, so I’m not a complete novice on  matters Albanian. In fact
I once went on a day trip to Albania.  Really, you’d rather not
know.  But yet, Albania remains a distant and weird place to
me.  Last night, Mr. Waffle and I gathered together the facts we
know about Albania:

King Zog
Prime Minister Fatos Nana
Great Roman remains
One of the dialects spoken in southern Italy is essentially Albanian
Battles with the Turks
Brought to its financial knees by the collapse of a pyramid selling scheme (I am not making this up)
Capital Tirana (other cities, if they exist unknown to us)
Enver Hoxha (dictator, unpopular with Russia)
Big believers in blood feuds

I think that Albania may be the weirdest country in the Balkans and that’s some accolade.

What ads do you think my blog will deem appropriate to go with this entry?

UndercoverCookie

on 22 September 2005 at 16:08

Ads might be interesting.. How about blood feuds new and used on ebay, maybe? 0
Sweetie(s) given    

UndercoverCookie

on 22 September 2005 at 16:09

also, you know so much more about Albania than I thought there was even to know about the place. I can spell it and that’s about as much I know. 0
Sweetie(s) given    

NorahSplog

on 22 September 2005 at 16:14

I have a vague idea that they have lots of goats in Albania. This is everything I ‘know’ about the place. 0
Sweetie(s) given    

poggle

on 22 September 2005 at 16:16

I think you’re right, Norah. Goats and bandits. Not necessarily in the same gangs. 0
Sweetie(s) given    

formerfilmexpert

on 22 September 2005 at 16:46

was invaded by Italy before WWII – 1938 I think. After Ethipoia. 0
Sweetie(s) given    

belgianwaffle

on 23 September 2005 at 10:28

Pog, I’m impressed.
Cookie, well, remember that this is our pooled knowledge.
Norah, yes I think you’re right about the goats.
FFE, yeah, I knew that really, just forgot to put it down. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. 0
Sweetie(s) given    

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https://www.belgianwaffle.net/2005/09/406/

I superglued myself to a cot this morning while attempting to carry out minor repairs.  Quite painful.

Lots of people are telephoning me to wish me luck which is very nice but a little alarming.

We are now a two car family until we flog the Focus.  It’s a pain being a two car family when you only have one garage.

I have done my tax return.  Round of applause please.

It seems that everything is READY.  Except of course for my doctor, she’s still in Croatia.

NorahSplog

on 21 September 2005 at 13:44

Still no babies?
Are you sure you’re trying hard enough Waffly? I’m not convinced you’re taking this entirely seriously. 0
Sweetie(s) given    

JoJo

on 21 September 2005 at 13:46

I wonder if the twins are waiting for said doctor to return? 0
Sweetie(s) given    

belgianwaffle

on 22 September 2005 at 10:38

Pog, yup, I guess so.
Norah, guilty as charged.
Jojo, I hope so.
FT, ha, ha, very funny. 0
Sweetie(s) given    

Minkleberry

on 22 September 2005 at 14:17

those two sure have staying power… 0
Sweetie(s) given    

belgianwaffle

on 22 September 2005 at 15:37

Yup! 0
Sweetie(s) given    

JoJo

on 23 September 2005 at 09:44

Happy due date! Are you hard at it? 0
Sweetie(s) given    

belgianwaffle

on 23 September 2005 at 10:28

Thanks Jojo, nah, am sitting at home naval gazing which is hard at the moment… 0
Sweetie(s) given    

JoJo

on 23 September 2005 at 12:06

Bless you. Have a sweetie and get that new teapot on the go xx 1
Sweetie(s) given    

belgianwaffle

on 23 September 2005 at 15:32

Ta Jojo, will save sweetie for after delivery when I will be able to eat everything again! 0
Sweetie(s) given    

JoJo

on 23 September 2005 at 23:05

Cake all round and not long now (that would be physically impossible surely?) 0
Sweetie(s) given    

belgianwaffle

on 24 September 2005 at 12:50

Well you would certainly think so! 0
Sweetie(s) given    

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https://www.belgianwaffle.net/2005/09/405/

Me: (Sniff) So where is this conference?
Her: Why do you want to know?
Me: Bet it’s in Dubrovnik.
Her:  How did you know?
Me: Because it’s beautiful and people like conferences in beautiful places.
Her: Yes, it’s in the capital.
Me:  Um, no it’s not, Zagreb is the capital of Croatia.
Her: Maybe it’s Zagreb then.
Me:  Oh well, less glam.
Her: But it will be nice to be by the sea.
Me: Zagreb is not on the sea.
Her:  Then it must be the other place.
Me:  For God’s sake woman you’re going there next week.
Her:  Well, you seem to know the place quite well, do they use the euro?
Me: NO!
Her: They’re not part of the community then.
Me: Oh dear lord.
Her: Well what currency do they use?
Me:  Can’t remember (it’s the kuna, if you’re curious, Mr. Waffle knew, of course).
Her:  Tut tut and you were there and everything.

In other pregnancy related news, Mr. Waffle brought me home yesterday a
pile of Su Doku puzzles  which he suggests I might like to occupy
myself with when I go into labour.  Is this very endearing or
somewhat odd?  Bit of both, I suppose.

belgianwaffle

on 16 September 2005 at 15:07

Oh Maisy, yes indeed as I know to my cost. 0
Sweetie(s) given    

erudite_baboon

on 16 September 2005 at 15:11

Imagine a conference being more important than your twins – the very idea! They should postpone the conference until after they’ve been delivered. Sudokus are rubbish – I’ve done two my entire life. That’s an hour I’m never getting back. 0
Sweetie(s) given    

JoJo

on 16 September 2005 at 15:54

Hmmm…
Su Doku an intense game of strategy that requires concentration, patience and a keen mind.
Labour an intense experience of pain and suffering that scrambles the brain, throttles your patience and makes you hop like a chicken.
A marriage made in heaven I’d say. 0
Sweetie(s) given    

poggle

on 16 September 2005 at 16:01

‘hop like a chicken’? Really? The more I hear, the more pleased I am that I am never, never going to find out for myself. 0
Sweetie(s) given    

beachhutman

on 17 September 2005 at 21:25

Bloody “OK, Sod U”. At least crosswords can use 26 letters and half a million English words. I cannot see the point or the fun. Especially in labour. But a nice supportive thought though.
Don’t they use the Euro? Turkey isn’t in the EU, and they do. In places I guess. 0
Sweetie(s) given    

belgianwaffle

on 19 September 2005 at 10:01

Erudite baboon, you are wise and your name is well chosen.
Jojo, quite.
Pog, yes, I fear so. And you will find out for yourself someday and then you’ll be sorry (snicker, snicker).
Loc, of course.
BHM, didn’t know they took euro in Turkey in spots, will bear in mind, if I ever go on holidays again… 0
Sweetie(s) given    

poggle

on 19 September 2005 at 10:44

I won’t y’know, waffley. Really I won’t. 0
Sweetie(s) given    

Locotes

on 19 September 2005 at 11:51

*getting into the panto spirit*
Oh yes you will! 0
Sweetie(s) given    

belgianwaffle

on 21 September 2005 at 13:10

Right as always Loc, “oh yes, you will!” 0
Sweetie(s) given    

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