Bag lady

Well, the Stuff continues to loom, but I had a rare weekend+ off so it felt right to do some craft.

On Friday I took myself over to Lesley's place and sat companionably with her as she pottered and planned another papercut, and I got stuck in to assembling a bag I had cut out last week. It is from a pattern by Kathy at Pink Chalk Studio, called the Mail Sack.

The base is a wool/silk mix that I got in an op shop somewhere for about $1, and the top part is a vibrant purple linen from a recycled skirt. It is designed to sit scross the body. Whaddya think? I tried to get photos of it on me, but sigh, no. Trust me, I'm sparing you. I haven't decided yet where it will go. It may go in 'the shop'. Or it may be a pressie. I had so many buttons to choose from for the flower, but Steff liked this quirky cow button, so we went with that.

On Saturday hubby and I headed to the city for an impromptu grown-up getaway. I feel like I haven't seen him for a month! It was lovely, away from the phones and the emails and the Stuff.

We went out for dinner (Globe, at the Hilton, mostly wonderful, and the good bits were Incredibly Good) and breakfast (King St Cafe, really good) and had a wander around this developing part of the city and just enjoyed ourselves in general. Comfy room, soft sheets. Exactly what we needed.

On Sunday when we returned I felt like tackling a smallish craft project, that I asked Les about on Friday. She had re-lined a bag that was shabby, or yukky, and I had a lovely bag that had frayed lining. See? It is as an Olga Berg that I bought about 3 years ago, but the original lining was shabby. So I gutted it. The pink bit here is the external zipped pocketliner that was not frayed.

Then, using the old lining as a guide I cut a new liner with a pocket, and reused the zipper for a new pocket, and reused the darted pocket opposite.

Then I hand stitched the new lining in place.
Et voila! One refurbished bag!
I have one more day off now, which is filling up quick, so I'd better fly!

So busy (now with photos)

Busy week! Work was good.

Seeing friends from (now) over East and meeting their new baby, Willow. Delightful!
Making a new bag. Very nice too. Great fun. I used some long stashed ingredients.
Attending afternoon tea for a friend. Delicious. She loved the bag.
Dinner party for friends. A great success.
Attending the craft fair. Stash building never goes out of style. Plans abound!

It seems I didn't win the raffle quilt. Sigh.

Bathroom nearing completion. All tiles applied. Oohs and ahs expressed by all visitors, especially after seeing the beautiful marble feature tile, which looks gorgeous after sealing.
This week will include: grouting, fittings, cornices, painting and finally...bathing!

Report card

The bathroom now has some black floor tiles. Tomorrow there will be some plain gloss white wall tiles. The feature tile of cut green marble chips was sealed today (stinky and sticky work). It looks FABULOUS!!!!!!!! The colour is divine. I'm very excited. It will be another week or so until he is all finished, then the ceiling and door must be painted. Luckily the weather is holding and the outdoor shower (hot) is not palling yet.

Mother's Day was had. I have a lovely double yellow hibiscus in a large pot. I will try not to kill it. The gardener (not me) has made a similar vow. I arranged a picnic at Matilda Bay for my family. Some of them came. Long story. Food was eaten, photos were dutifully taken (but not yet uploaded). The Bag was much admired. No comment was made, or the 'feature' even noticed by the recipient. The lining was a special hit. Contractual obligation met. Tick.

My husband chivvied one of my offspring into delivering breakfast in bed. I walked past my hibiscus and the cards 9 times before they were actually proffered towards me. Sigh. One of them had other plans for lunch that involved playing cards, with like minded men. I cooked the picnic lunch, texted everyone madly to arrange a meeting point and tried not to cry that my family will never all be together again. It was all quite pleasant in the end, if smaller than I had pictured. Everyone brought their manners, which is not always guaranteed. Long story.

I went home and had a nap. No, not just a nap, an excellent nap. Dinner of lamb chops was cooked by the guys (now home from playing cards) and I watched some TV before retiring to bed and reading the last of the 4th Twilight book, which series I have just enjoyed re-reading.
I am now reading a charming midwifery memoir set in London's East End in the 1950s.

Today I have cut out a bag for a friend's birthday next weekend. Much planning involved. I also plan to give her a lovely vintage frock that I just know will suit her beautifully. She's having a rough time lately, and needs a boost.

Its only 5 weeks until we go to Europe. EEEKKKKKKKKK! DO I have the right shoes to stomp around Amsterdam?

Ah, the perpetual question....and I'm lovin it!

Where has the midwifery content gone, I hear you ask? Well, to be honest I barely feel like I have been at work lately, but I promise there will be some soon.

I did save a baby from a sticky name last week. It was an entirely culturally appropriate name for this little girl...but I'm sure her parents wouldn't have willingly named their daughter anything that sounded remarkably like "Shitty", even if it didn't look like that when written down. I carefully broached the subject, and made the comparison for them, clarifying the implications. They were very practical about it, and quite horrified at the near disaster. Phew. Welcome baby Lakshmi, nice name!

In other news on the naming responsibilities faced in the world..... I really look forward to hearing what twin boys 'Lefty' and 'Righty' resolve into when they are named by their sweet parents.

Be good, or good at it!

Catch up

OK so I've been a bit busy to blog in any proper sense of the word, but I have been taking a few photos, and thinking of what to blog.


Here is my reprobate son sunning himself in Hollywood on his balcony at a 5 star hotel. Any resemblance to a movie star is purely contrived (but he is a bit good looking). Overlooking this. Poor darling. I wonder what the other poor starving Aussie students are doing? Chances are they were not livin' large (ish) playing Magic the Gathering at a Pro Tournament - which is what Patty was doing! He had dreamed of it since he was 11 years old - this is him and his best mate at age 12, playing Magic. I think Patty is winning their game.His 12 year old birthday cake was a reproduction of a Magic card - a Shivan Dragon!! Good Lord he actually worked at it, and he won the qualifier tournament. He is now ranked 348th in the world (I think). He is capable of buckling down sometimes...I wish he displayed the same discipline at all his studies .... sigh ... although he is improving. He has reached that interesting age where (finally) he is putting in above minimum effort and getting back better grades - Who'd have thought? He is back BTW - with gifts! He's learning!

What else? I have made Steff a hat. She chose the fabric and pattern. It turned out pretty OK. She's been a bit in the wars lately, with one thing and another, achey here, a lot of podiatry there (weird feet that kid's got!) so this evening she has had an early shower and got settled into the beanbag in her new cat PJs. I'll have to stretch her tendons /torture her again soon. Its no fun.


My roses are nice at the moment. Here is a bunch of those gorgeous Chrysler Imperials that I cut and took to all of my Mums out on the visiting midwife service while working on Mother's Day. The car smelled lovely.


And here is a selection from the garden yesterday, including my new one 'Mother's Love', which I received for Mother's day (the pale pink/white on the left). The apricot one is the new Olivia Newton-John rose, pretty but not very scented :( The large mauve one is a Lucina rose - the midwife's rose. It is one I use as an ID when visiting blogs. I really like the little French Hen that lives on my outdoor table.


You know I promised to be good at the craft fair? Well . . . . I was! I did buy some stuff, but it all fitted into my handbag! Are you impressed? I was. You can see how crowded the craftroom is getting. It looks a bit better currently than it does pictured below. I'm not showing you the worst corner.


I bought a stitchery pattern stating the completely obvious. Can you read it?
It says 'You can never have too many handbags or too many friends'. But of course!



I couldn't resist some little beads from a Chinese bead man. And some fun necklace kits made entirely of buttons. I couldn't decide between the black one or the red one so guess how many of them came home with me?And another bag of buttons that I probably paid too much for but it was my day for making frivolous purchases if I wanted to. Buttons really are quite yummy to play with. I don't know anyone who can resist running their fingers through a pile of them, and sorting them into sets. I saw my sister and resisted buying anything from her stand, although she did make some pretty interesting stamped demo stuff with glazes and such. We did lunch instead.


I saw some yummy bags and patterns, and only bought ONE small collection of fabric - I'm a bit drawn to chocolate and pink at the moment. I'm wearing a lot of pink too. I bought a really lovely deep rose pink / fuchsia colour 3/4 sleeve cardigan a few weeks ago. Yummy. I've worn it a couple of times already.



I have been using buttons a bit lately - I found a handspun, handknitted cardigan in an op-shop recently for $4, yes FOUR dollars. It was too cheap to leave there. Someone had made it with love, and skill, and had taken pride in it, so it had to come home with me.Cream is not really a colour that looks fabulous on me, but I honour its creation. It had very ugly rubber buttons on it, which I removed. I then handwashed it very carefully and replaced the buttons with ones selected by two of my sisters, who had a very pleasant time sorting through my button collection, choosing for the cardigan as well as my niece's bag I showed you last time (she loved it, by the way, its already in use.) I now wear the cardie in the mornings when it is chilly, as I potter about, especially as I sit at the computer reading blogs.


I am in my last two weeks of VMS now. I think I will miss the autonomy of zipping about the suburbs, consulting on my own. I will miss the yummy babies. I have had some completely edible ones lately. Oh, young Mohammed today melted my butter completely, I actually asked his Dad for a spoon so I could eat him all up!!!! I'm glad I get to see him again tomorrow. His four big sisters are unlikely to let me get too far down the street with him though. Sigh. Ooh - he really was adorable. I am quite a connoisseur of babies and he is a very fine baby!


Young Ella last week had us in stitches, unfortunately at her own expense. She was yelling lustily, as most young ladies (and gentlemen) do when being undressed for weighing, and as I put her on the scales she somehow took a fistful of her own hair and pulled. And pulled again. And kept pulling. Poor little mite. I immediately tried to undo her tiny fist, but you know how babies just won't let go? Sigh, poor little chicken, she kept looking very surprised and indignant, and would then pull again - bringing on a fresh bout of screaming! It took about 30 seconds to gently unwind her fist, by which time she had caused quite a red patch on her scalp! OOOOWWWW! Her Mum was fantastic with her. She had had a really easy natural birth at term, was breastfeeding like a champion, very easily and naturally, nipples holding up well. The good news continued as Ella had gained 3oz in a day - which made the scale related ordeal worth it!


I had a little fellow last week who wasn't doing so well. Mum's third baby, she was nearly 40, her milk was taking a while to come in, his poo hadn't changed colour at four days of age. When I weighed him he had lost heaps of weight on day 5 of life (12.5%), and hadn't started gaining yet. I sent him in to the hospital to be checked out, as babies must be examined if they lose more than 10% of birth weight (most lose around 6-7%). It may indicate a heart condition, or a tongue tie that means they can't remove much milk from Mum's breast. I followed him up today and found he did have a tongue tie, and was only transferring 4mls of milk at a feed! That's why he hadn't been pooing the right colour - it was barely getting through! Yet Mum's breasts were full of milk. She started pumping to remove the milk for him, and shoved it down his neck with a teat that delivered it more easily into his mouth. He is to have a frenotomy next week (where a surgeon nicks the frenulum under the tongue) and will be reintroduced to the breast after that, when it should be much easier to move his tongue effectively. I feel bad that I missed it when I saw him on two visits. He wasn't damaging the nipple, so I wasn't looking for it, and when I observed attachment he was moving and sucking in an apparently effective way, and I observed swallowing too! I'm glad he is turning the corner.


I've learned heaps in visiting midwifery. Its a matter of putting it all together, which I feel I am getting better at doing. I've had student midwives, and today I've had a graduate midwife with me. We toss around ideas, and at each house (as we drive away) I ask them if they would say or do anything different, and we discuss the things we have just seen, or houses we have been at!


There are so many delightful families out there in parenting land from all different cultures. Pets getting to know the new baby, siblings squirming for a front row seat at the action, or by Mum's side as she feeds the new one. Half naked men answering the door sleepily, and leading us back to their bedrooms, where we then ALL roll about on the bed, observing feeds, feeling the fundus, checking out the stitches, weighing breasts in hands, with the man in bed too, helping them all to understand the new family member, encouraging a love-in in the early days that will hopefully carry over to a harmonious family life. Its an intimate job.



I love it!

ABC

A is for ants.

I would like to know why ants seem to love my study and computer area. As I sit here there are a few busy little ones wandering around, singly or in straggly pairs, sniffing out morsels and molecules of goodness. There's a few in the kitchen too, and they leave the sugar pot alone, but last night they got into a fresh cake on a plate by sneaking under the plastic wrap.

When Steff had a bottle of lemonade in here yesterday they went crazy! (big surprise). I noticed the trail - from the windowsill, down the wall and the phone wires, apparently through the printer, down the side of the shelf, across the mousepad and keyboard - was much more substantial than usual and followed it to a capped bottle, with hopeful ants swarming around the sides. Yelling was involved. And swishing aside of queues of ants - no flyspray, just removal of the source of the frenzy.

Today there are still a few tiny hopefuls sniffing around, waiting to get lucky again. I am about to take my empty cup OUT again! Hold on...

Right ... back again. OK.

B is for bag

Are you surprised?

I found the pattern I needed for a big bag the same as I made for myself and my sister in 2006. Have I shown you these before? These are the originals of my 'sister bags', that spawned my pouches. I am unable to find a link to the patternmaker/supplier, sorry, but it is a Fair Mades pattern FM15 called the Gypsy Travelling Bag.Her daughter wants one, and she ordered creams and light beiges, maybe a bit of blue. My sister was here for a few days in early May and approved this pile of ingredients for the bag. So off I went. The palest creamy beige-suedette. The fine baby corduroy with the slate blue paisley print is actually a recycled skirt, the cream elements are obviously crocheted doilies, plus a selection of buttons, and a gorgeous creamy fine jaquard check for the lining. The young lady receiving this bag is a stylish filly, with very expensive tastes in bags, but she apparently is keen to have her own Aunty Janey bag, which is very large and roomy. You can fit a lot of ballet shoes and leotards in it! I felt the pressure not to have it look too much like a crafter made her a bag with doilies and yo-yos! Its not usually my style, but the yo-yos are part of the pattern that she professes to love.

I often make my own patterns for bags, and am fairly fussy about my fabric combos, but this pattern is fairly easy in its construction and I quite liked the colour/fabric choices here. So here it is. Drumroll...

Ten hours of work later. I could never sell these and get a fair price for them that recovered a decent hourly rate, but I am satisfied with it. It has a big jacket zip in it, that closes a placket at the top or sits opened flat against the sides. (Ooh - it matches my sofas! And my floor.)

Each one I have made I have quilted and decorated a bit differently from the pattern. I like the range of buttons. I love the lining fabric. The wrinkled doily application is deliberate. I'm pleased with the slate blue colour. This is the back.

Ducks and pearls (featured on the buttons) have a special significance. It is even monogrammed in a discreet location.

I was very brave and 'steeked' the doily to cut it into segments. Piece of cake - I'd do it again!

Now that it is photographed and blogged it is heading to Melbourne! Its certainly a custom-made 'one of a kind'. I hope she likes it!!

C is for craft.

Its the mega craft and quilt show this week in my neck of the woods. A travelling marketing circus, with stalls and stalls of temptations to overfill my stash even further. Yikes!! I have attended these things religiously for about 10 years, but missed out last year due to night duty and a foot injury. Boo-hoo. I don't think my stash or my wallet missed it too much ;P

However I am going today! I finished 6 days straight of driving around the far reaches and beyond of our metropolitan sprawl, and I am pretty exhausted. But today is the day without my daughter at home, and I should take advantage of the opportunity for exercise and walk around and get inspired/tempted/sell my soul to the devil for the latest thing/broke at the fair! Another of my sisters is working on a stamping stall at the show. I should be safe from that temptation, although you never know....

Comfy shoes? Check. Ankle braces on? Check! Painkillers in pocket? Check! Empty hand made bag for purchases? Check!

I'll try and be good!

P.S. B is also for Big Baby Boy! Did I tell you my son (the semi-professional card player) is in Hollywood and hasn't called me to let me know he arrived safely? That's a whole 'nuther story!

Poor me (not)

Feeling time-poor lately. I wish there were two of me to accomplish all the things I want to get done!

I have so many projects and interests running through my head. Am I mad? Or just constantly creatively stimulated?

Work is absorbing. I work 7 shifts in a 14 day cycle. Currently I am working all day shifts, so that means I have no time at home during the day. Days in which to daydream ... not enough.

I see that in print and it looks wussy and whiny. I don't have 5 children to bring up, I have a comfortable home and resources to spare. I don't live in a famine or war torn country. I have a supportive husband who loves me, and whom I value more each day.

I like being absorbed by work. I love practising and thinking about midwifery, and plan to do a LOT more of it, for the next 20 years! Midwifery is a meeting of my heart, intellect, experience and soul. It enriches me immensely and I feel like my inside matches my outside. Its all good.

Yet what I put on hold to study and become this fulfilled midwife was my stay-at-home, free to create-while-kids-were-at-school self. What I mean is that my artistic, creative life is feeling cramped.

Since I finished studying and started working I feel like I never have any time to 'myself' any more. I suppose it has coincided with my children finishing high school and not being out of the house at regular times daily. If I think about it, it is probably the kind of stress that working people, especially Dads, have felt forever. Sigh. Welcome to the real world Laura.

I have kidded myself that the good thing about fabric is that it is non-perishable. I can build my stash and pick it (craft/sewing) up again at any time. But I never seem to have a time when I can get a good run at it without feeling like a. someone else needing my attention, b. someone else needing the room I am using, c. selfish for ignoring all other demands and just doing what I want, d. guilty for having all that stuff and not using it thoroughly enough, e. overwhelmed about which project to start / finish first! So I don't do as much as I would like to do in the time available, which leaves me feeling guilty and frustrated, and almost panicky for some reason.

Do I feel like this because of some inner sense of impending mortality? I know some people who have died young lately, and I just have a sense that I may not make old bones (for lots of reasons). Sounds morbid and/or strange I suppose, but I feel that I have so many things left to finish. Remember that old joke "My to-do list is so long that I can never die!"

I am also daunted/getting hassled (and wouldn't know where to begin to sort it) about the clutter caused by my stash. I am a pack rat. I hate people moving my stuff. HATE IT. Feel very threatened by it. But if I died tomorrow - boy would it be a pain in the ass to clear up my stuff! And as much as my husband would cheer if I (meaning me, myself and I) were to clear it up tomorrow, it would be a dreadfully painful task for him to do it without me, plus he wouldn't know what it was, where, or to whom, I wanted half the stuff to be distributed.

However I am quite capable of ignoring the mess and creating within it. Quite lovely things really. That bring me joy to plan, select materials for, cut out, make and finish to a high standard.


I feel time-poor because I want time to play, create and just DO some craft stuff. When I'm not tired, so I can see well. When I'm not tempted to just snuggle up with my favourite squeeze. Without having to set the task aside. Without eating if I don't feel like stopping for it. Without stopping to answer the phone, or even pee! Without being obliged to anyone. I like it to work out. I hate leaving a project abandoned in the middle cos I get stuck. I will adapt and think my way through a project wherever possible. But I need the time.

I am working for the next few weekends, including Mother's Day. Then I somehow have a week where I am rostered off. Just all my shifts smooshed up at the beginning and end of the cycle, including a 6-day straight stretch. I may be a blithering idiot by the end of it! But at least I will have time to recuperate. Hmmm......

What will I make first? A drop-dead list with instructions for my stash distribution? Or another bag.....?

Have I seen the duster?

How's that for a question? My husband just asked it of me.

"NO...but then, you are asking the wrong person." Husband grunts ruefully in reply. (I feel a bit naughty for being so truthful). Have I seen the duster? Puh-leese!

If you are reading this you have discovered my FIFTIETH post! 50. Five zero. Wow! Thanks for popping by! If you are new - welcome! If we've been cyber-acquainted for a while, then its good to have you back! Thanks for all your interest, encouragement and support through all the ups and downs. I love to read your comments, and see your blogs, and get to know you, wherever you are.

Apparently there are around 7 or 8 of you per day, with a peak of 20 visitors one day in February. I have no aspirations to take over the cyberworld, or sell anything, or advertise anything, so I am delighted I get to have a chat with my friends in such an efficient way each day. I can say whatever is on my mind, toss ideas around, and share the latest from my world. From the stats (and comments) it appears readers like to hear tales from my world of midwifery - that's lucky - cos I love to talk about it too! I hope I am doing it in a general, non-identifying way, as I wouldn't want to dis' anyone, or intrude, but these stories are part of my life as well.

I was home by 5pm today, the earliest I have been home from work all week. All my babies were little puddings today, getting fatter, and so I was able to discharge most of them, including the nervous first time parents I mentioned in my last post. Yesterday they were still quite nervy and unsure, the Mum a bit dependent about small things, asking me if I would help them with a bath etc. Mum was engorged. The baby had lost weight too. As I was already nearly 90 mins into overtime, and they had a house full of family I declined to help with the bath, with a gentle reminder that these initial discomforts are part of the journey to parenthood, that help to bond you to your baby. You wouldn't suffer all this for just any old baby would you? Its a bit unpleasant but it will pass, and you've told me how you are so lucky to have a nice house and family so close. Have faith! Yes, your breasts are a bit engorged, but you can get a pump from here, or here, just make the phonecall. Your milk is nicely in, I think tomorow you'll be a new woman. . . . And she was! Breasts not full of rocks today, just full of milk, with a very content baby, more sleep last night as baby was fuller with each feed and had gained weight well since yesterday. They looked more confident, and this time I felt just fine about gently saying their time was up, off I go and leave you to be a little family all independent! You'll be great! And they will be, and today they believed me.

The expat family was also discharged today, with a little fattie baby gaining weight nicely, Mum's breasts settled down. How nice to meet them, and they appreciated the home-visits too, and being in a more familiar Western culture for a while. I told them some of the local kid-friendly, fun and educational places in town as they are home-schooling and have little opportunity for field trips in the city they live in. Hope they enjoy their stay.

Another new Mum home with her first baby, a well-loved little one in a busy household, with sisters who have older kids on hand to offer advice and an experienced shoulder. She'll be fine.

A family with baby number three, looks well content but was a bit cold, sleepy and vomiting quite a bit. Grew a bug that can be dangerous to babies, hmm, low-threshold for concern here, better get him checked out. The doctors tried to give me the runaround, but agreed he needed to be reviewed. Hope that works OK for them all, I'll be interested to hear the results of his review.

This is the end of a three day stint, and I feel like I'm finally getting into the swing of it. Gaining confidence, phew. I really like to see all the little families out there, starting out on their own, learning to fly, or at least survive take-off! It really is a leap of faith.

Living the dream

Hi again, sorry I've been preoccupied with this, that and the other.

This being dealing with bureaucracy for daughter. Sigh. It never gets any easier.

That being constantly tempted away by textile fetishes of one type or another. Its a constant struggle. Bright and shiny, or tactile and colourful, all just begging to come home with me. They don't have to cost (much) money, I can give them a home. The pouches are on their way to completion, and looking quite good, although I've only done the brown ones so far (brown thread on machine).

No news on the sock front - I hurt my thumb and my adjacent forefinger got strained on the weekend, so zero socks were cast on (i can tell you're all dying to know about it ;P). Sigh. Its a surprise - he'll never know anyway.

The other is starting work in the community as a home visiting midwife. If you had asked me 5 years ago what I would kill to be doing - it would be working in the community as a midwife. Don't look now Laura - your dream has come true!

Its kinda lump-in-the-throat making to see that in print, and realise that I have spent my last 2 working days doing it. All by myself. Gulp. Just me and a car, and a mobile phone. And my common sense. And my experience. And my knowledge base. And my enthusiasm. Sigh. No wonder I'm running late.

But its both nice and (only slightly) exasperating to see new families settle into the reality of life at home with their newborn. Nice in a heartwarming way to see them discover the wonder of watching their baby sleep, and marvelling at the little dreamy REM-sleep faces and panting that babies do. The miracle of life. How did that baby fit in there? And get out of there?

And exasperating to see other families place such pressure on themselves to be perfect and have all the answers, and the perfect house, the perfect toys, the latest equipment etc.

Today I went to 5 houses. One was in a less well-off suburb on the outskirts of the metro area. The house looked OK from the street, but behind the rollerdoor...past the barking large dog being restrained... The squalor was quite confronting, tiny cockroaches crawling across the unswept concrete floors, cats burrowing into all the clutter that looked like every object that couple had ever owned or received in their own lives, stacked up on every surface. Their third child looking content enough in a washing basket with a pillow in it as a makeshift crib (I always tell parents it doesn't matter if your baby sleeps in a fruit box!). And a slightly grumpy but talkative young woman apologizing for not having cleaned up as she had been in hospital for 4 days. There were handprints all over the walls, and years worth of clutter, but I assured her I spoke fluent Mess, and was happy to come and take her stitches out and do a postnatal check and weigh the baby. I also made phone calls to the local baby nurse to make sure followups got done, and although she was a big girl her wound looked the best healed CS wound I have seen in weeks. I was delighted! You never can tell where you are going to have a good result. That child will be well enough parented, for all the gunna-do-one-day home decor aspirations of his parents, and I finally got out of there with very dirty knees after an hour and a half! I stopped at a Golden Arches for a wee and a handwash - I didn't fancy trying my luck asking for a bathroom! Thank God for Aqium gel (an alcohol gel - for my hands, people!).

The next place (running late) called the office as I was 5 minutes from them - a 25 minute drive from the first house. I was too late - they had to meet folks at the airport and couldn't wait any more for me. Sigh. I get to meet them tomorrow.

Another 25 minute drive to stop 3. An overseas family living expat in Asia, stopped into Australia to have baby 4 in conditions with reasonable medical back-up after a difficult pregnancy. Nice family, confident friendly older children, baby barely 2 days old, but they were all doing OK. Her breast were very hard and lumpy - which was unusual in a woman so close to delivery, but we did all the things we are meant to do, and tried to express them to softness, with minimal result. I left her with a breast pump and a plan, and will review her tomorrow hopefully her milk will be properly 'in' by then and the baby (or the pump) can shift the rocks - or its the hospital for her.

Stop number 4 - a new family with a first baby. A sweet little girl, lots of questions, lots of reassurance, lots of show and tell, lots of 'education', giving them the confidence to follow some instincts of their own and helping them to understand the baby's reflexes and instinctive responses. Can we spoil her? What about a dummy? Oooh I haven't touched my breasts much, I don't know if they have lumps! Encouraging her to get in touch (literally) with her feminine side! And mine! I helped her to feel all around her breast (no lumps) but filling with milk, then allowed her to compare to my breasts - lighter and softer although they look larger than hers -can she feel the difference? The sense of fluid within? Oh yes her nipples look in great shape, well done, I saw good attachment earlier and she should should have no problems, her baby shows good instincts and shows clear signs when she wants a feed - see - you two already understand her signals, great work! Lots of encouragement. How about skin-to-skin contact? its a great idea for when she is fed thoroughly but still seems a bit fussy, Mum or Dad can do it, babies just love to be up close and personal with their favourite grown-ups. Very soothing for both of you, lovely opportunity for bonding, especially for Dad. Yes, actual skin to actual skin, heart to heart. Aren't you doing well? 90 mins later ... I''ll leave you to it and see you tomorrow!

One more added to the list, 9 days postpartum with bleeding nipples. OOOOwww. Only one solution - REST!!! Copious supply, and she already has a breast pump - Thank the Lord! Now has that baby got a tongue tie? Yep, looks like it! Call the breastfeeding centre, make an appointment with the GP, them (the lactation consultants), and a surgeon to get the tiny snip done to free the tongue to stop the damage. Phew! And the baby health nurse for a followup. Write a plan and a list of further phonecalls for the Mum to make, hand over a bit more equipment and move on again!

Across town, near to home, to pick up a breast pump that had been outstanding for 2 months! At least the woman and baby were still happily breastfeeding at 4 months of age. Yay!

By this stage it was after 5pm. I had arrived at the office to get the car and the referrals at 8am. Go, go, go all day. Talk, talk, talk all day. Smile, encourage, reassure all day. A few crackers and nuts in the car, and a coffee from Maccas. I was starving! And a bit stiff from essentially being on my knees or on the floor all day talking to Mums on couches, and looking at boobs and babies!

Tomorrow should be a bit easier as they were all new clients today, and all only came home yesterday, with new babies, settling in, etc. Tomorrow the groundwork should be done, but there is always the potential for engorgement, weight loss, constipation, tears, jaundice and more.

Last week I had similar clients, with domestic violence, contraceptive failure and a fifth baby, social isolation, perinatal loss, massive engorgement, an uncertain and plucky young woman with 3 dogs and a huge house out in the sticks alone with a baby after managing a team of adults in the workplace! No experience of babies at all! Migrant families doing it tough, and migrant families revelling in their peaceful and socially supportive new country where women with mean, violent husbands have somewhere to turn for financial support. And a visiting midwife to praise them for their efforts and hug them goodbye as they bravely embark on their lonely journey. I was moved when the mother cried as I hugged her - I had cared for her on the ward, and again for 3 days at home, and she was really brave. I kissed her baby and told her(the baby) to be good to her parents, but only just good and respectful enough to her dad! I wish I could go and hug and encourage that woman every day.

I'm still feeling my way...but its stuff I know. Parenting, breastfeeding, driving! But its all part of the scope of practice of being a midwife, and it's all expanding my confidence in my own practice. I have a lot of students with me from next week onwards - so I'd better iron my bugs out before I start with them! Its a big responsibility!

I look old and sensible but I still feel like a complete beginner, 'faking it til I make it'!!! Putting it all together gradually, and working as a community based midwife would give me the chance to work in all areas - I can't imagine not working in the labour and birth area (I still dream about catching babies) but all this antenatal and postnatal part is equally important. And I do feel very committed to midwifing women in all areas, not just low-risk women qualifying for 'midwifery' care, and the rest making do with less touchy-feely stuff. Its important. There's got to be a way.

But for now this, that and the other are the best I can do! Gradually, the dream is coming true.

How lucky am I?

Pouch madness

Does this look like a pile of 59 pouches waiting to be sewn?

Remarkably compact really, considering it took me at least 3 hours to cut them all out.

I am not brave enough to show you the pile of fabric/debris from whence they came! Suffice to say that would be an overshare into my world of mess.

However, here is the first of the completed ones - it is earmarked for a colleague. I'm pleased with the colour combo.

I wonder when/if I'll ever get to using the trims from this stash? I especially love the wide watered taffeta piece.Some of these I bought in Florence last year. I really must photograph the Japanese stuff, vintage obis and yukatas, that Lesley and I indulged in last month.

As a final insight into my sewing den (of iniquity) I include a photo of my trusty Pinnock sewing machine, which I have had for 18 years and I love to bits. It was misbehaving as I was sewing up the green pouch (and its successor), so I felt it probably was very overdue for clean/ service / oil up. Oh my, it was. Poor little machine. It ran much better when I tested it afterwards.

This last is a photo of some flowers I had last year. They were photographed in my laundry, which was refitted completely in October 2006. I love the clean benches and am quite thingy about keeping this small area of my home pretty tidy. I can manage ONE room!