When Neil read Christopher Alexander’s Nature of Order we spent a long time discussing how Christopher Alexander looks just like Neil’s Uncle Alastair. This weekend we managed to get some proof. So if anyone ever need a Christopher Alexander lookalike to impress their architecture friends at all social events, just let us know.
We have had a lovely busy weekend. Jasmine is quite the party girl. Our socialising started on Friday evening when Trish came round for dinner. I had spent the day trying to decide what to cook but in the end burnt myself out looking through ‘Good Housekeeping’ in between dialysis and lying about complaining about the heat so that poor Trish had to make do with pizza and salad. She was very nice about it and we all had a lovely time.
The following morning we got up early and I was on dialysis duty (Neil and I take turns). I was on fire: I disconnected Jasmine, got rid of all the stuff on the machine, changed Jasmine’s sterile PD dressing, then set up the machine for the evening time. It was a personal best of about 55 minutes. After that we had breakfast and went off to the Grandparents Firth.
The neighbours came to meet Jasmine as they have been following her progress here (Hello to the Bunce Family) and then we wandered inside so that Jasmine got to meet her second cousins and Great Aunts and Great Uncle for the first time, who were all very kind and brought her lovely gifts: Jasmine loves her new Mr Tagalong and chews him constantly as he small enough for her to clutch on to all the time. And as soon as the weather cools down, Jasmine will be snuggling under her beautiful new quilt. It was a baking hot day so Jasmine was irritable and everyone was brilliant pushing her up and down the garden until she went off to sleep. We had a lovely time and had to leave all too soon to come home.
Today we went for a delicious lunch at Aarti’s and Jasmine got to meet her family, who were very kind and gave Jasmine a beautiful dress. Aarti’s Mum and Gran were very lovely and patient and spent ages nursing Jasmine who was irritable again with the heat. Aarti’s Mum finally got Jasmine to sleep lying in front of a big fan. We had a lovely afternoon and were sad to have to say goodbye and come home.
I set up the machine tonight in our flat whilst Neil and Jasmine waited outside in the cool breeze of our courtyard. It was absolutely baking as you have to keep the windows shut during sterile procedures. They weren’t in any rush to come in and when they finally arrived, Neil admitted that he had bought himself a nice little can of gin and tonic and enjoyed a little cocktail hour chatting to his daughter whilst I was boiling in the flat. I admire his thinking.
We got Jasmine on earlier than usual tonight as we have to go to GOSH clinic tomorrow so that we can see how she is doing. Jasmine is over 5kgs now and her blood pressure seems relatively stable, so hopefully this is proper baby weight and not fluid. It is difficult to tell the difference so we will have to wait and see. Jasmine is still refusing to drink her milk so we are feeding her using the pump – a bit depressing. However, she enjoys her vegetables and sips of water.
A man on the tube asked me what was wrong with Jasmine today and I gave my don’t want to talk about it if you don’t mind answer, but he did mind and looked really offended. I felt terrible for about an hour afterwards but probably less terrible than if he had started asking a million questions about kidneys. Mmm! I need to think about a better answer.
He looks like Alan Titchmarch doesn’t he the uncle i mean. lol