Stinky nappy bags

It didn't seem that important when we brought a couple box of nappy bags, 3 or 4 months before the little fella was due.  Seemed a logical purchase.  We did consider reusable nappies and even had a lovely chap from the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust come around and let us give a number of different makes a 'trial run'.  These were never used during the first 4 weeks and when we did, they seemed to leak everywhere.  To ease our guilty we use nappies Nature Babycare nappies, so I purchased their nappy bags as well.  I've recently become an ambassador for these guys, so if you are interested in learning more, let me know.

So in stark contrast to our environmental ethos, we started using a Tommee Tippee Nappie Disposal system. A mass of moulded plastic, cassettes which contain miles and miles of plastic and a system that encourages you to use more, if you want to keep the stench under control. 

Jesus it's awesome!
When we ran out of the nature nappie bags, I thought we'd give it a good.  The thing efficiently wraps the nappies and seals away the smell - there's not even a hint of dirty nappies even when the bin's full. A really handy thing which I only discovered recently is that there's a cutting blade (safely protected) on the underside of the lid. I had spent ages rooting around to try to find scissors when emptying the bin, but no need - it's all built in! 


The refills are expensive (£13-ish for 3 and they last about 3 weeks) but I would thoroughly recommend this product.  I thought that it was just a given that your kids room stank of crap.  Actually this isn't the case.  If someone made a stylish (non plastic, wood would be good) version that used biodegradable plastic then I wouldn't hide it behind the little fella's draws and would probably even pay a little more for the refills.

Missing old friends

I don't care what people say.  Around this time of the year, I always miss old friends.  Whether that's because most are still good enough to send cards or whether it's because it's Christmas I don't know.  But memories of good times always seems strongest, once I've watched my first Christmas film.  For me, these people were (and still are) so important.  These are the people that I grew up with, that shaped my life and turned me into what I am now.


So why is that when Mrs Pimmsoclock hands me pile of cards to sign and asks me to add a couple of lines of sincere comment, do I find it so hard?    I think as much as its easy to dip back into these friendships during dinner parties, bank holiday trips away and festival weekends, we just have less and less in common now.  Not exactly earth shattering social analysis I know but what do I do about this? 


I tried looking on-line for a 'Sincere Christmas message Generator' but even the mighty Google turned up nothing.  As it was, I had to concentrate on recalling why I loved these people.  That wasn't hard but it did make me sad that the comments were more about memories rather than recent adventures.  Here it comes, first one.  Next year, I am going to keep in touch with these guys more. 

I'm A Cotton-Headed Ninnymuggins

Weekends seem to all be the same at the moment.  Too much booze, hung-over baby feeding, shopping and then rubbish TV at night.  Fortunately I gather that both the dancing one and singing one are coming to an end.

Cotton-Headed Ninnymuggins

Talking of too much booze.  The office Xmas party took place on Friday and this is going to sound snobbish but it was so naff and cheap.  Our management team have done a good job at convincing the vast majority, that the belt needs to be tightened (I guess a $2.5bn war chest isn't enough) but seriously.  I thin the hotel got the food from Iceland and staff from the X-factor audience......think that was the first time I've been served food by some dressed as an Elf.  


Enough whinging.  To be fair, they lay on free booze and let you invite a partner, so someone still has some Christmas cheer.


Still doing swimming lessons (can a 6 month have lessons?) on Saturday morning with the little man.  Not too sure if we'll do another term, I think I've picked up most of their techniques now and he's tough enough to take the cooler public pool.  Finally, we went back to the farm we used last year, to get our tree.  My inner snob came out again, when I realised I preferred the friendly farm folk in tweed over the tracksuit clad bunch at the Tesco roundabout.

The Boys are Back

So I know that I'm over sentimental and always fall for Hollywood's cheap tricks but I really enjoyed this film with Clive Owen. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdnTibGABAE

Besides the believable acting, stunning Australian scenery and great soundtrack (Sigur Rós, Ray LaMontagne, Carla Bruni)    I think this was the first time in 6 months since becoming a father that I realised how fragile my newly formed family of three, could be.  The Boys Are Back is based on Simon Carr’s memoir of the same name and Clive Owen features as Joe Warr, a sports reporter who struggles to raise his son Artie following the death of his wife and arrival of his first son, by another partner. With an anarchic parental style low on rules, I think I imagined that this loose approach to parenting would be similar to mine, given the situation.  Thing is.....is it normal to think of such grim circumstance and how you'd cope?  The next morning Mrs Pimmsoclock told me she'd had a dream of me leaving her.  I wonder if we subconsciously imagine these circumstance (in daydream or nightdream) as a way of mentally preparing for the worse?