Heathfield Girls

Cardiff University

2007-04-20T11:02:00.000+01:00

Due to the NHS trust blocking my access to the blog (obviously they feel that their employees have something to complain about) it has not been written on since Hannah and I left Cardiff for pastures new-ish full of sheep. Contrary to popular belief, people in North Wales don't actually bring their sheep into the hospitals, they have special pens outside.

Since the hostile takeover (merger) between the medical school and Cardiff Uni, thi gs have been looking worse and worse for the medics. Not only have all our social clubs been removed, our sports teams forced to practise on carparks and our views not been represented by the students' union, we have now been told that our exams will be a week earlier- Monday afternoon, Tuesday lunchtime and Wednesday morning.

The medical school has so little power that this won't change, we aren't represented (it is quite difficult to vote in elections on campus when you're on placement the other side of Wales) by the union, at any one thime most of us are away/in the hospital so we won't be able to strike, and, now we know they're a week early, most of us will be too busy cramming (and trying to learn stuff for the placement we're still on) to make as much fuss as someone on a different course.

End of rant.

Fran
xx

Preparations

2007-03-30T12:02:00.000+01:00

Over the past week the house has been full of housemates with the lovely sunny weather bringing hope to all. As the medics move on to our last placement before exams, becoming real doctors is drawing ever closer. As I sit here and type Hannah is desperately trying to pack all her belongings into as small a space as possible before going to Banbury for the weekend, albeit not on a white horse with rings and bells. I should be packing too, as I'm on my way to Wrexham, however, following a visit to A & E this morning about my foot, I feel it is ok not to bother just yet.

The others have been slightly overwhelmed with the frenetic activities of Hannah and myself this week, on Tuesday I spoke to/ spent time with most members of Woodville Baptist Church, and saw the other ones on Wednesday(before my foot went wrong.) The ladies entertained some of the male members of Highfields last night, none appear to have died of food poisoning.

Typo of the week, seen at a medical centre near here (the army bit) - minuets of the last meeting-yes it was handwritten, yes I pointed it out, no, the soldier still hasn't realised what might be wrong with it.

Anyone with an idea about what to do re Iran, answers on a postcard please addressed to the MoD. Any suggestions welcomed.

Fran
xx

Life plods on as normal

2007-03-05T10:25:00.000Z

Hey frannie!

Well life here in Cardiff goes on as normal - you've missed out on the spectacular return of Hilda (probably best!). So bad even Hilda had to escape to Banbury to the little cottage in the country to return back to normal Hannah state!

Elisa and I had fun this weekend - we went on a walk through the fields and forest behind her house in the beautiful sunshine. Only problem was, it had been raining rather heavily all week so the land was actually mostly flooded and very very muddy!! So we spent most of the walk shimmying along the fences to avoid the water-logged paths! Part of the walk was alongside the M40, so you can imagine the looks we had from the cars as they zoomed past seeing two crazy girls clinging to the fences! After climbing over the metal gate, we had to build a bridge across the swollen river with branches etc to walk across, only to discover the field was also flooded (and alas no fence to walk on) so we ended up wading through the field in water up to our knees!! All fun! who said accountants and medics were grown-ups?

I believe that back at the Heathfield house, the ladies were visited by a friend of lou's and also Mr Mcall came to town...i'll leave someone else to write about their weekend together.

Love you lots frannie, have you been put off having babies yet?
Mwa
the Hannah Lady xxx

Where is everyone?

2007-03-04T17:42:00.000Z

As the last post on here was mine from last week I presume that a small tornado has ripped through Cardiff, destroying everything in it's path......This could be true as I haven't seen any news all week, and have only just woken up after 13 hours sleep (went to bed at 4 this morning after delivering a baby and have just woken up after 5 this eve)

I have nothing to report as I have only seen my consultant once all week, apparantly he normally phones to check if the students have been on the labour ward but he hasn't in my case so either he trusts me to turn up or he doesn't care at all.

This week I have been the Jonah of the labour ward, many of the ladies I have been with have ended up with a ventouse delivery or emergency c-section, although towards the end of the week I had several who went to the toilet at 6-7 cm and came back out ready to push. The most farcical one was a turkish lady who spoke no english and whose husband had to come in by bus to help consent his wife for her c-section (placental abruption) the consent took longer than the procedure.

Happy days

Fran
xx

North Wales, again.

2007-02-21T22:30:00.000Z

This placement got off to a rather less than auspicious start when, upon arriving at Glan Clwyd hospital I discovered that they weren't expecting me, and didn't know who I was. I did eventually get a room in a flat with the other obs & gynae girls, and did feel a bit better when I received a text message from an anonymous housemate standing on Newport station...

Monday morning dawned...they still weren't expecting me, expecially my consultant who now believes he's been dumped with the medical school's prize idiot student, with some justification. He keeps telling me to do things eg, take a history whilst the patient is in with the midwife, hang around with the registrar on call who is in a small cosy world of her own and disappears into thin air all the time. These things should be simple for me, I normally manage them very well, however, for this placement, I appear to have turned into an idiot.

Take today:

The midwife was so busy chatting to the patients that I couldn't ask any questions, the ladies felt so sorry for me when the consultant was quizzing me that one said in in my position she would have cried. I nearly cried.

Having been in at 0830 to consent patients for that afternoon's theatre by lunchtime (15 minutes) I was quite tired and the day was about to get worse... I had to do internal examinations on all three ladies, then scrub in. The theatre nurses have started speaking slowly and nicely to me as they realise I'm a fool, ditto the SHO, ditto the A&E reg who was practising intubation (before my speculum mong-ness in case you were wondering.) We started the last procedure at 1645, I had scrubbed in but forgotten to put on my mask, I wouldn't recommend it, holding the uterus out of the way at arm's length and trying not to breathe isn't that much fun, in fact, by 1645 being in the hospital isn't that much fun; after leaving theatre (1820) I got lost trying to find the locker room where I had left my clothes, and nearly got lost leaving the hospital.

The day has been better since, at least my consultant gave me a lift back from our clinic in Holywell (it was hit and miss for a while, he threatened not to unless I remembered something, anything...) Eleri appeared at 2100 having last been seen leaving the hospital at 0930 in the presence of her consultant and his SHO on a day to Deeside clinic. At 1630 the consultant announced that he wouldn't be finished for a while (finished at 1730) and then would be staying on after that. The SHO was picked up by his girlfriend- they live near Deeside- Eleri was left to fend for herself. She eventually got a lift off her very jet-lagged aunt. Suddenly 1830 doesn't seem so bad after all...

Pancakes were fun...until the smoke from the butter frying set the fire alarm off and we had to evacuate the building. Someone else set it off this evening, maybe we can make it a nightly ritual...

This tale of woe has been brought to you by Fran - I'd rather stab myself in the eye with a fork than become a gynaecologist-Cain
xx
Fran
xx

Blogging as therapy

2007-02-13T12:08:00.000Z

I had an interesting lecture today (yes, even psychology students have lectures occasionally) which I thought was quite relevant to our discussion of whether to continue blogging...

The lecture was all about social emotions and the communication of emotion. We learnt about how and why when we experience emotional events we feel the need to share our experiences with others ( females tend to tell anyone who will listen, males will ususally own share their emotions with a very close friend) and the benefits there can be from doing this. Studies conducted - for example by Pennebaker et al (1990) - have shown that getting people to write about their negative emotional experiences has several benefits, including:

boosting immune system activity
benefiting physical health
improving academic performance

There is controversy about why writing has such dramatic effects, perhaps turning a chaotic emotional experience into a narrative form increases insight and self-understanding, or perhaps it increases one's sense of personal control over a situation.

The obvious conclusion is keep blogging! It would be both physically and psychologically costly for us to stop doing so. (However a purely offloading of our negative emotional experiences may be quite depressing for our readers, so perhaps sharing a few positive experiences every now and then may be a good thing too.)

Mim xx

Snow

2007-02-08T14:46:00.000Z

"Snow causes widespread disruption

Snow has fallen across large parts of Wales making travel conditions treacherous in many places and closing more than 700 schools.

The Met Office issued a severe weather warning, saying some areas eventually could have up to 15cm (6in) of snow.

There was disruption to bus and train services and the temporary closure of Cardiff airport's runway, delaying Wales rugby fans' flights to Edinburgh.

Many roads have been closed amid warnings not to drive unless essential."

This is the latest news showing on the BBC wales news bit. Below is the information from the medical school:

Dear All Students,

Tonight and tomorrow have been forecast as heavy snow, please can you make arrangements to ensure you get to the OSCE exam on time, if you arrive later than the time you have been told to arrive then you may not be allowed to sit the exam

Basically, if it snows so badly that you can't move your car at all (it almost was on all the side streets in Cardiff at 0800 this morning) it's your fault that you have to resit the entire year having failed the OSCE for non-attendance. I like the way they think.

The snow has covered South Wales. The streets are no longer safe- watch out for drive-by snowballing by 4th year medics who have now finished their exams. Earlier I made a snowlady. I'm sure there will be a picture of her soon, I can't work the camera.

Fran
xx

Revision

2007-02-07T12:33:00.000Z

1. The House blog is still very much alive and well despite alarming reports to the contrary.
2. Certain members of the house are currently engaged in revising hard...

.....Ah the joys of Pscyhe revision! The future of the NHS is, as you can see, in very safe hands :-)
Right...some of us actually have 2months of work to learn and four men to feed in the next 48hrs!
Hx

Dying a death

2007-02-05T19:34:00.000Z

Well, I fear this blog is dying a slow (and painful for me) death:( Facebook seems to have taken over the world and nobody seems at all interested in posting blogs anymore. Is this the beginning of the end... you decide...

Pen Y Fan

2007-01-24T16:14:00.000Z

Saturday 20th Januray 2007

A Dundee Adventure

2007-01-22T15:52:00.000Z

Frannie and i have certainly been having our fair share of adventures over the past few days!
Friday morning we set off to liverpool aiport where we flew up to Aberdeen, over the beautiful snow covered higlands. We had a bit of a mad dash to get the train (which cost us the same as the flights!) and then fran's mummy met us at the train station in dundee.

It was very cold and windy in Dundee, but we still braved the weeather and did exciting things:
We visited the sea (which is literally at the end of the road!) and the castle, had hot chocolates in the glass cafe on the sea front, wore lots and lots of warm clothes ( including hats in bed!), spent lots of time reading (i finished my books on the journey up there, so spent the rest of the time reading New Scientist - which for some reason has disappeared from our house this year - it was always entertaining reading whilst on the loo!), we had thai curry on Saturday night, a big long lie in on Sat morning (well fran did - i decided to scare frannie's parents by having a hypoglycaemic attack and nearly fainitng - everything went white and sounds went very far away! - but they saved me by putting sugar in my tea - so thankyou!!) and went to the singing bit of church on sunday morning, leaving before the sermon so we could get back to aberdeen in time for our flight!

Here endeth the adventures of the Hannah Lady and frannie.
Miss you lovely ladies
xxx

Surviving the Storm

2007-01-22T15:29:00.000Z

Thursday morning, gale force winds hit the north coast of wales...i decided it would be rather exciting to go on an adventure to the local Spar shop to buy milk, so set of on the walk round the corner. As soon as I'd left the hospital grounds the wind really picked up and i was battling the wind all the way to the shops (i was blown backwards on several occasions!) the way back was easier - i got blown all the way home!!

However, during my brief time away from the safety of my accommodation here, the wind had picked up so much that lots of the tiles from the roof had been blown off all over the car-park (narrowly missing the parked cars)

I ran quickly across the car park into the accomodation (thankfully no stray tiles fell on my head!) I then sat at the kitchen table working (yes i do that sometimes believe it or not!) From there i had a good view of the men in yellow jackets and hard hats who spent a lot of the afternoon staring at the roof, willing the tiles to stay there!

By the time Frannie arrived later that afternoon the men in yellow coats had come up with a solution to reduce the risk of damage to medical students if a tile were to fall on our heads...
Hard Hats!!
These were put in buckets, one at the entrance to our building to put on before we left, the other bucket of hard hats at the far side of the car park where it was deemed we would be free from the risk of falling tiles! How considerate the staff are here! It proved an entertaining distraction from work for the rest of the evening watching med students scamper back and forth across the car park wearing their hard hats!
Here is frannie and i as we cross the car park in our hats before we visited frannie's Nain and grandpa and uncle for dinner:

North wales is proving entertaining!
The Hannah Lady
xxx

Essays

2007-01-17T17:44:00.000Z

Even though I have previously passed an essay purely on the fact that the marker enjoyed reading it (it didn't answer the question set but was very interesting) I decided for this essay set by my consultant to turn over a new leaf and write an essay that fitted the title. Now, I don't know about anybody else but having been given the title "The first month of life is the most difficult except for the last" I presumed that I needed to include some discussion on the last month of life, not just the first...

My essay was returned to me with the words " Very interesting and discursive but not medical enough, do you have a background in literature, you write very well" What does the man expect if he gives me a title like that? My colleagues ignored the title and wrote 6 pages on neonatology (copied straight out of a textbook) and got the same mark as me.

Moral of the story: Ecclesiastes 2: 11.

Looking forward to my BA in Medicine

Fran
xx

Alien Babies

2007-01-10T15:52:00.000Z

These are some alien babies, otherwise known as premature/preterm infants. Due to my fatigue I fear that this post will not match the verbosity of the previous one on the blog written by Miss S E Rose BA (Is it Hons? I presume so.)

I have spent the day doing an early shift on the SCBU in the hospital. We had 8 premature babies who were just growing, they're very difficult to feed and look after as they are very fiddly and too small to fit into things like nappies very well, also somethimes thay forget to breathe when they're being fed and machines beep at you. At the other end of the spectrum we also had a baby who had been delivered 12 days late weighing 10lb1oz, FATTY! He wasn't breathing very well and they thought they might have to intubate him and transfer to Glan Clwyd (where Hannah Lady is.) The poor thing had got a bit stuck (as you would if you weighed that much) and ended up having a ventouse AND forceps delivery, nice!

It's sunny in Bangor today so that's it for another year or so, it seems to rain here all the time, if it's not raining it just has or is just about to. Hannah says it's the same further along the coast. We went to 20+ last night and behaved ourselves, at least, Hannah behaved herself, I dropped things on the floor and made a fool out of myself but that was to be expected. I'm going for dinner this evening at someone from church's house, long may the dinners continue! I hope tht Cardiff is not too bad without Hannah and me, we'll see you on Friday, either together or separately.

Love

Fran

Proposal for a BSc in Appellations

2007-01-07T14:26:00.000Z

This is my usual conversation on the phone when trying to tell someone my name:

-What's ur name?
-Sarah Rose.
-Rhodes?
-No, ROSE. R-O-S-E. As in the flower.
-Ohhh. Ok. How lovely.
-Yes.
-And is that Sarah with a 'h'?

I guess it's quite paradoxical that pple can't spell my name, cuz u wudnt think it'd be that hard. Maybe a study should be done. I bet America has a degree on this topic. It wouldn't surprise me, because even UK students can now study for a degree in sex. Wow. Wouldn't like to meet anyone doing THAT course.

Maybe a study HAS been done.....hmmm. What d'ya reckon the findings were? I reckon the pple that have the most trouble are those with really simple names (like myself, where pple just can't fathom how simple it is to spell it), or incredibly difficult names. So the two extremes. Hmmmm, thinking about it, maybe rhymes and half-rhymes come into it too, along with the ratio of consonants to vowels, with some kind of mathematical explanation re. their frequency tensioned with the placement of these in relation to each other. Languages, date and culture would also come into it too I guess. And common sense. So maybe it should be a BA, not a BSc. Hmmm.

I bet there is a degree on this subject. If not, there should be. I plan to campaign for one if not. Any takers?

Hot or Not

2007-01-04T19:12:00.000Z

Fobbs almost Famous!

2007-01-03T17:55:00.000Z

Fobbs (who is still alive despite lack of bloggage) almost received International Fame this Christmas. Having arrived in China she was informed that she was required to go on national tv to record some Beijing Opera (yes that does require singing). Thankfully this would have taken 2 days of filming which was deemed far too long for the busy schedule that lay ahead.
Lx

Woooo!!! My bike is fixed! :D

2007-01-03T16:21:00.000Z

This may be the shortest blog ever, but I just wanted everyone to know (especially Frannie, who I hope will be v. proud of me) that I fixed my bike...and washed it! And it only took 6 weeks! lol. The guy in the shop offered to do it for me (do I look that incompetent?), but I bravely took the tyre thingy home and did it all under an hour! Go me! :D If social work goes to pot maybe I'll become a bike fixerer.

Well, maybe this blog isn't the shortest ever after all...would like to hold that record though....maybe I'll start collecting world records....hmmm. All suggestions welcome. As Frannie mentioned, I already have one (joking aside, d'ya reckon that IS one?). I do hope so :)

Love you girlies,
Sairie
xxxx

Deepest Darkest North Wales

2007-01-02T21:09:00.000Z

Well after a groovy weekend with lots of wonderful people in Sheffield, frannie and i convoyed it across the peak district on a very twisty twisty road through very pretty scenery behind very slow drivers to the North of this wonderful place called Wales! We managed to make it to the hospital near Rhyl where i am at the moment and parked up, and started the search for the porters office where apparently i would find my room key...finding it proved quite tricky considering it was 4:30pm on New Years day and there was absolutely no one in the entire hospital (so it seemed anyway!)

Once we had found the mr porter man we trundled round to the accomodation block, only to find a big barrier across the car park (traffic cones, red and white tape cordoning it off and a big sign ' NO entry) Tricky! So we backed the car up to the sign as close as possible and started unloading all the ridiculous amounts of stuff that i'd brought with me to survive away from cardiff (this seems to consist of an awful lot of chocoolate ...i don't know how i managed to acquire so much of the stuff over christmas, but i reckon i have enough to last me the entire five weeks - which in my case is quite a substantial amount!) So eventually we found my room (and i worked out how the little black rod thing they gave me attached to a key ring opens doors like magic! The actual key that is attached to the same key ring, apparently is just decoration - cos i've not found a purpose for it yet...it must open a door somewhere...) As frannie mentioned my room is nice and new and pretty and clean and big, superior slightly to the normal standard of student accomodation, there is even a lounge with sofa's and a tv, and the kitchen is shared between four of us.

So after we dumped all my stuff in my room, fran and i continued our adventure to visit her nein (i'm sure that's probably spelt wrong) and grandpa and aunty madge. So we had a nice little dinner there and i even got to speak to frannies mummy when i was there too!

Then i made my way back to my little room and tried to sleep...it took me quite a while tossing and turning, wrestling with the plastic coated polyester bed sheets before dispatching them for my sleeping bag. Also the whole halls are kept at tropical temperatures so my wooly jumpers are barely going to get worn at all!

wow, this is turning into another mamoth Hannah Lady rambling blog entry...
This morning we all wandered over to the postgrad centre and had our welcome session before being informed that we had to go to a different hospital for our first week of opthamology... so we all piled into a car and set off to find this tiny little hospital in the middle of no where....we had a brief tour and then got sent off to go get luch in the local pub (which offered soup or panini's - only one flavour of each - at an extortionate price) and then waited about 3hrs till afternoon clinic started, basically we spent 9-5 in hospital for about 2hrs of work...how i love being a med student!

Then i did a quick dash to Sainsbury's with Carly to get me some dinner - we spent ages wandering round the shop buying way too much food, but never mind ( i did however manage to resist putting chocolate/cake/biscuit into my trolley on the basis that i have so much left over from christmas inspite of my hormonal/tired/hungry state - three cheers for me!)
So now i've wasted my evening shopping, cooking, blogging, emailing, phoning ppl who may have just come back from China etc.)

Here's to a good nights sleep and a busy morning tomorrow ( i have the afternoon off in which to "study"- which i really should do...there's some exams coming up in feb apparently...)

Love to you all
The Hannah Lady
xxxx

Proverbs 4:25-27

2007-01-02T15:44:00.000Z

Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.

Proverbs 4:25-27

The girls of Heathfield road have, possibly, somewhat dubious driving skills. The record for the most minors/majors achieved in a driving test is held by one of the housemates. My own driving misdemeanors fall under a different category (I have 3 points on my license and 2 of my 3 minors were for speeding, oops!) I do feel, however, that we all have something to learn from King Solomon who obviously knew about cars (maybe the Queen of Sheba brought him one.)

This holiday the house have driven between them approx. 1700miles and haven't damaged either themselves or anybody else in the process. Mim did have a problem with one of her tyres but Luke sorted it for her before she set out.

I am currently in Bangor contemplating starting an essay our consultant has given us. The monologue went something along the lines of:

Now, I know that no one likes writing essays but it helps to distil some kind of dicipline, you can chose from several titles [one to to with neonates, one to do with paediatric services in North Wales and one that I can't remember as it was very dull]. I'd like it to be 7-8 pages long, no Miss Cain, that's typed, not handwritten, and in on Friday, yes, this Friday. You can write it in English, Welsh, or, if you wish, Latin.

After a while we came to the decision that we are to hand them in next Friday and not to tell the medical school as they'll tell him off. I think he's come to the conclusion that we're a bit stupid (hmm possibly something in that) I appear to have shocked him as he "didn't expect that any of us had come from families of more than 3" little does he know...I thought it best not to give him the full sibling count of the house (15.)

We're in halls of residence which are lovely and quiet at the moment as all the students are still on holiday, they could be in for a shock if they make too much noise- we're all down to do on-calls; setting off a firealarm at an inappropriate time could cause some difficulties between the two groups.

I didn't mean to write such a long post but it seems to have mutated into one. Maybe Hannah should write about her hospital; the accommodation is much nicer, all we have are rooms with pod ensuites and a skanky kitchen with plastic chairs.

Fran

Christmas in Churchstoke

2006-12-26T21:49:00.000Z

I was woken at 7am by my mum's cheery "Happy Christmas" as she waltzed into my bedroom and announced it to be present-opening time. We all congregated in the lounge, some more awake than others, and proceeded to open our presents in turn.
Breakfast next and then off church by 10.30am. Grandad also came (which he never normally does, so that was very cool). Sang lots of carols (yay!) and was generally quite amused by my brother offending a lady in front of us (who had enough hair to completely obscure our view), and a man on the other side of church who chose to sit with a sheet draped over his face!

After church, Ben (brother) and I delivered a Christmas meal (made by a catering team at the church) to an elderly couple in town. We drove round for quite a while trying to find the right house (my brother's spatial skills seem to be no better than mine!), but found it eventually.

Went home and had a FEAST! The jokes and charades in our crackers amused us for quite some time - especially hilarious when Gran tried to act out 'Lord of the Rings'; she's quite often the source of amusement, harsh I know.
Then we retired to the lounge for more presents and the Queen's speech - which gran and grandad found incredibly interesting (see photographic evidence).

A couple of our neighbours came round in the evening - ate more food and had a good laugh...also watched the Vicar of Dibley (hooray for Geraldine and her man!).
After everyone had left, Bethan, Ben and I stayed up late chatting and eating Roses.
xx

Christmas north of the border

2006-12-26T17:29:00.000Z

Good Day,

As yet there has been no snow (although the weather forecast says that we may get some tomorrow.)

Christmas started at the early hour of 9am when Tim and Lou woke up and decided that it was stocking time (we open our stockings first thing and leave our presents 'til after church) after that we all got ready and went to church - two streets away; a couple of people were wearing kilts but they probably make the pews even more uncomfortable to sit in!

The talk was on light and we sang lots of carols in interesting accents, there's nothing quite like Scots singing the last verse of In the Bleak!

We decided to have a light lunch and then have Christmas dinner at dinnertime so we opened our presents first; I got some new posh perfume, some books, lots of money, a maglite and other things.

After lunch we wrapped up warm then went for a brisk walk, it was so cold my face froze up (we have pictures but I can't get at them 'cos Lou forgot the USB cable)

A dinner of beef, Yorkshire pudding and Christmas pud followed, then we played scrabble (I won the first game with a total of about 220, yes I am a genius, and very lucky, using all 7 letters up on my last go with herpatic- something to do with herpes), yeah! I have to have some fun somehow as I have no friends and no where to go, the scrabble will probably be the highlight of the week!

Just before I went to bed I managed to break the cold tap in the bathroom, it wouldn't stop 'til my dad got up and fixed it! Oops!

See you at the weekend

Fran
xx

Christmas in the Land of Brum

2006-12-26T14:40:00.000Z

Christmas Day in the Rose household always begins with Church, where four of us made up half of the music group! Having not played my flute for almost 3 months now, I almost collapsed after my descant in 'O Come, All Ye Faithful', being so out of puff! But thankfully, I recovered in time for Christmas lunch, pictured!

After lunch came presents, as my Dad and I were out-numbered, wanting to go for a walk before pressies!

I was very excited by a fluffy dressing gown, wellies and a map of the world :) We also got lots of boxes of Roses chocolates from various friends. It happens every year...Roses for Roses...very funny. But very yummy! :D

The rest of Christmas was spent trying to keep Oscar the cat from eating the leftovers, trying to win at the Game Cube (I always come last), playing Cranium (also came last, lol) and watching Vicar of Dibley, which was so funny! :D

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!!! :D
See you at Lewis'.

Lots of love, Sairie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Christmas Day in Frome

2006-12-26T11:45:00.000Z

So...someone suggested we blogged our Christmas days' so here is the exciting installment from Frome!
Well finally we decided to break with a longstanding household tradition and lie in on Christmas morning!! Hurrah!! The girls in the house were thoroughly enjoying having a relaxed morning - the boys on the other hand were grumpy and moaning about how unfair it is they had to wait till after church to open presents! (imagine the sacrifice mum and i have made for the past gazillion years - waking up early and then trying to be excited and happy whilst opening presents - mornings are not a good time for either of us!)

Anyway we were a bit mean and ganged up on mum in church - heckling from the congregation as she started her sermon - "what signs are there that it's Christmas day?" - some kid shouts out "presents!" , mum says "yes thats right" we all shout back " Not in our house there's not!" then mum explains to the church that for the first time ever we've decided to wait until after church to open presents, so the whole congregation starts booing and hissing! Hilarious!!

So after the service had finsihed, and we'd thought about the signs that were around in the lead up to Jesus' birth, and how despite many of the signs pointing to a royal birth and a prince, Jesus' death where he wore a crown of thorns was what made Him the Saviour of this world, we went home and opened presents.

Dad as usual managed to guess every single one of his presents (though he did own up to having seen an email about his Hot Air Balloon trip by mistake, which is how he "guessed" it) I was the most suprised and shocked when on opening a present that appeared to be a dictionary, found an envelope with a Hot Air Balloon pass in it as well!! So dad and i are going on a flight in a big balloon sometime soon!!! How cool!

The rest of the day was spent eating, watching endless Christmas TV, doing dad's jigsaw puzzle and playing Uno (which for the first time ever mum actually won!!)

Hope you all had good Christmas's too.
The Hannah Lady
xxx

The run up to Christmas in Scotland

2006-12-24T16:37:00.000Z

Firrrstly Aye wooood liike tae congratulate Miriam on her ceke beeking pro-ess, tha luuks liike a sound ceke.

The fog has chased me to Scotland and is currently sitting on the silvery Tay. I've been practising my scottish accent (only in the privacy on our home, in case I get beaten up) but Tim says it's not very good whilst refusing to do one himself.

As my old MP at home is Mark Oaten, and Mim's is Lembit Opik, my money is on the next parliamentary scandal involving either Lou's, Sarah's or Hannah's MP (or all three).

Tim (my bro) is sitting next to me and is almost as tall as me, unlike anyone else in this place; in church this morning it seemed like the only two people taller than me were my dad and grandad, yes, I'm a 5'7" giant!

Last week I spend my time wisely, wasting tax-payer's money on making 'Do Not Feed The Animals' signs for the fence round the paras' compound and creating an amazing revue. I think for the New Year weekend each house/ small friendship group should do a sketch/ revue item.

Merry Christmas, I hope you've all been good enough for Santa to visit this evening.

Fran (and Tim)
xx

Sponge success

2006-12-24T12:26:00.000Z

Hip Hip HOORAY! I made my brother a birthday cake and it actually worked - yes, it rose to a magnificent height! Just look at the air in that sponge! Wonderful :)
I was so proud, my family didn't really understand my excitement, but then they haven't had to endure a countless number of dense sponges in the past!!

(This is the best photo of my cake, but not the best of my brother...sorry, cake wins!)

The Dispersion

2006-12-18T18:53:00.000Z

The Heathfield Girls have all dispersed... I (Fobbs) was the first to leave with much grief and saddness... but to show our true colours we enjoyed a beautiful time of song and dance together which (if I'm anything to go by) left our voices in a less than perfect condition for the Carol Services yesterday and our bodies in a rather sore state.

Packing is underway for the big adventure which begins tomorrow... China- here I come!!! I have found out today that I am to be 'The attraction' at some of the Christmas parties I shall be attending... can't wait to see their response to me!!!! Ha ha ha:)

Ur beautiful...

2006-12-18T18:48:00.000Z

...Ur beautiful, ur beautiful its true! :) xx

Heathfield Loving

2006-12-16T21:12:00.000Z

The Hannah Lady and Miss Fran

Christmas

2006-12-14T16:07:00.000Z

December has been a busy month so far in Heathfield road, Hannah and I have returned from our travels and so fill our time wisely by reading in lectures and stealing sutures from clinical skills sessions.

Towards the end of November Hannah informed the Heathfield Guys that they would be providing us with Christmas dinner. Being good sports, they didn't tell her where to go, and dinner was held in honour of Christ's birthday on Tuesday evening.

Preparation started early (so that as much rum as possible could be injected into the pudding) and Luke created an amazing feast for our pleasure and delight.

After a small amount of trouble with the furniture (we removed some table legs) we sat down to eat some lovely smoked salmon. Some of us had more than others (uuurgh, it's not cooked!)

After the starter we moved on to the main course. The turkey was yummy, as were the potatoes and everything else; even the sprouts managed to taste good! Following on from this course we were treated to a presentation prepared by Mr M Bater on Christmas, although we are still not sure what role Maggie Thatcher plays in it, possibly she is what happens if you're naughty!

Miriam made a lovely cheesecake and Frannie made an awesome Christmas pudding, which we resisted the temptation to set alight in the usual Christmas tradition for fear that the house might actually burn down due to the excessive amount of alcohol she had been pouring into it over the previous two weeks!! Fran and I also managed to turn the ready made custard lumpy - however no one seemed to notice!!

That paragraph was written by a different housemate, can you work out which one?

After pudding came cheese and biscuits with coffee and mincepies, and port of course. Last, but definitely not least for Hannah, came the present opening (the real meaning of Christmas!....or not!)

Before we were allowed home Mr Bater tried to hug us all, even the waifs and strays known to many as Beth and Isobelly Smelly couldn't escape his clutches!

Finally...

Luke, we salute you for your amazing cooking abilities! Bachelor of the Year award goes to you.

Merry Christmas!!

Fran (and Hannah)

Bathroom clean-up

2006-11-29T19:13:00.000Z

Us ladies at 38 Heathfield Road are not generally known to be house-proud. Many have called our residence "homely" but never clean or tidy. And quite rightly too.
For instance, over the last few months we've had an increasing number of small back spots appearing on our bathroom ceiling (see photo).

Slowly but surely, more and more of these delightful micro-organisms surfaced on our ceiling, and had started to freak me out a little as they descended down the bathroom walls - invasion!! :O

As I have so few lectures this year, and as I will always choose cleaning over studying, today I decided to tackle our little Aspergillus monsters in a brutal but necessary attack.

The first stage of the attack was to remove all of our toiletries from the bathroom to a place of saftey - by the way, all that junk really out to be sorted through one of these days. Then, armed with a step-ladder, bucket of water and a j-cloth (and with musical encouragement from Snow Patrol) I scrubbed as much of the fungi from the ceiling as possible. I then simply painted over what I was unable to scrub away, using a roller and an artist's paintbrush (that was the only brush I could find).

The whole process took a couple of hours (as I thought I'd best clean the rest of the bathroom while I was there), but I'm sure you'll agree the effort was certainly worth it (refer to second photo). Now we have a sparkling-white ceiling and I am happy :)

Mim xx

Ladies' night out

2006-11-27T17:41:00.000Z

This Friday Beth and I went to a guest night (she was my guest)

Unfortunately due to my fluctuating size I failed to fit into either of my ball dresses (one was too small and the other too big) and had to borrow Hannah's £7 from the charity shop one.

The preparation for the evening became even more difficult when I realised that my face was covered in insect bites picked up in the placement B&B. Luckily the lady at Boots painted my face for free.

Beth, as always, looked beautiful.

Soz (on the right) shared quite a lot of port with me, hence the colour in her cheeks.

Beth met lots of my friends and everyone had a good time.

At the moment the house is full of people, Hannah and I are both back from placement and have catch-up lectures. We are having a house meal this evening and making pizza together.

Fran

Beware...there is a thief amongst us

2006-11-22T15:07:00.000Z

I have just come back from a random little supermarket adventure in the rain with one of the heathfield guys (who shall remain unnamed).
This particular heathfield lad has , I am afraid to say, fallen into the ways of crime - having placed his bar of chocolate on the check-out to pay for it, he walked out of the store and climbed into my car with a bag of bananas in his hand which , apparently overcome by the distraction of being in my wonderful presence, he had forgotten to pay for!! Tricky!

The Spinster Song

2006-11-15T16:34:00.000Z

I am not a child!
I am not a little girl!
Am I just a face amongst the crowd?
Will you see me..... as a woman?

A beautiful song I think you'll agree!

Well done to Mal Pope who so beautifully depicted the feelings of Christian spinsters in his musical 'Amazing Grace' set in the 1904 Welsh revival...

Medical one-up-manship

2006-11-14T14:09:00.000Z

As many people will possibly already know, sneaking a look into my medical notes makes for interesting reading....

When other people get a bit of a bad belly on travelling, I develop dysentary.

While others get let off school with a bit of a tummy ache, I get rushed into hospital with appendicitis.

A bit of a head cold for normal people quickly mutates with me into viral meningitis.

At the moment I have had a grotty cold and a rash for about a week. Upon visiting the doctor this morning (and getting a second opinion from another Dr in the centre) I have been informed that I probably have chickenpox (again) and have to take the rest of the week off, avoid pregnant women and small children, and go back tomorrow for a futher opinion from the big boss Dr who knows about dermatology.

You may well ask why I didn't go to the doctor a week ago, if I had, the chance of spreading an infectious disease round South Wales would have been lost and, as everyone knows, if things go away within a week they weren't that bad anyway.

So... anytime you're free do pop along to ours for a cup of tea and some varicella zoster, the spots really are very fetching. Also if you've seen me recently and you might be preggers, do see a Dr. Ta.

Fran

Heathfield Hobbies- what ever next?!

2006-11-09T19:04:00.000Z

A worrying array of activity has been entering the house recently... it all started off with Mim investing in some knitting needles and wool... but things took a new found low when Sar discovered the delights of 'Map Analaysis'. This involves sitting and analyzing the numbers of the motorways in Britain. The photo speaks for itself- the sense of delight on her face was overwhelming. PLEASE, SOMEBODY, ANYBODY, HELP!!!!

BABIES!!

2006-11-09T11:50:00.000Z

My medical studies have gotten a whole lot more exciting and incredibly, overwhelmingly amazing this week! For the first time EVER i am loving medicine, I'm going in at stupid o'clock in the morning and staying in till ridiculous o'clock in the early hours (like 4am).
What brings about this sudden change of heart? (the clue is in the title of the blog)
Yes its BABY week!
I actually get to see babies being born! It is the most incredible experience ever! (has it put me off having babies...NO! has it made me more broody than usual...YES!)

One thing i have discovered though is that i don't handle shift work very well, especially doing nights and then continue having to get up early for the rest of the week...my poor housemates had to suffer the evil glares of a very sleepy zombified Hannah-Lady this morning (don't think Sar has quite accustomed herself to this weird state of mine yet!)
I did however manage to handle the scary consultant lady who keeps having a go at us because our consultant doesn't teach us (is that our fault - NO - he is a loser!) even in my tired state! Wohoo! One up for me the humble med student!

I'm going to go nap now to try and catch up on sleep! If this blog makes no sense - its cos i'm sooooooooo tired.

The Hannah Lady
xxx

The modern version of Catherine Morland

2006-10-26T16:06:00.000+01:00

The learned and well read amongst you willl realise that the title contains an allusion to a book by Jane Austen called Nothanger Abbey. In it Catherine Morland, the antethesis of a good heroine, is scared out of her wits by an overactive imagination and too much reading.

I'm currently in a (mental) hospital called St David's, as a student, not a patient, although that might change as the weeks progress. St David's is an old victorian mental asylum made out of dark stone on the top of the hill away from the town behind a stone wall where the sun never shines and it is always gloomy. Everytime I go through the gates I get scared, very scared.

When I return to my lonely B&B, situated up a very dark single track lane overshadowed by trees I am still scared. I think that there is a monster in the bathroom and the rain taps on the windows as if someone is out there!

Apart from becoming worryingly edgy I have been trying to contain myself by switching on the bathroom light, flinging wide the shower curtains (the landlady come in and shuts them completely everyday when I'm out so you can't see into the bath at all...at least I hope it's the landlady) and telling myself in my head not to be so stupid. I'm still convinced that the man who lives across the hall is an escaped convict but I might deal with that fear soon.

Moving on to happier things, I'm very glad that Sarah has now posted on the blog although I am puzzed as to which anonymous person has commented that she rocks. The list of possible authors is very long, but not particularly distinguished.

Yes they are my wellies in the picture but it's not me wearing them... the mystery continues...

I'm currently so desperate (for company) that I'm missing everyone, even the boys across the road who made me cry!

Fran

Welsh Weather

2006-10-25T17:53:00.000+01:00

Hello all, I feel that my first blog should be filled with effortlessly witty and clever comments, but I can't think of any so I'll just talk about the weather.

Pictured is a crazy member of our house (guess who??).......crazy for two reasons:

1. liking gardening; and

2. liking gardening in the rain.

Myself, having recently recovered from getting a cold after walking in the Beautiful Brecon Beacons in the pouring rain on Sunday, am not a fan of the Welsh weather. Much prefer the weather in Birmingham, where the sun forever shines :)

Nevertheless, I have to admit that rain can be fun, especially when being half soaked by a coach on North Road. Oh how we larffed.....heehee :p

love Saire xxx

Crummy Cake- AGAIN!

2006-10-23T13:33:00.000+01:00

Mim has been back in the kitchen attemping for the millionth time to rectify her Victoria Sponge making skills... but to no avail.

However hope is on the horizon: The Hannah Lady and Fran have discovered that Delia's Complete Cookbook recipe (which Mim has faithfully followed) is deficient in eggs.

Perhaps joy amongst the Heathfiels Girls will soon arrive.
Lx

The Dental Student Mentality

2006-10-19T13:31:00.000+01:00

The following is a text conversation between resident Louise and a coursemate (Caron!!!)

Louise "Jst saw ur new patient cycling, infact the bus is following her. CU l8r! Lx"

Caron "How funny! Hope it doesn't run her over, got a couple of good fillings 2do on her! C ya later x"

The new girl

2006-10-16T14:12:00.000+01:00

With the arrival of Sarah, the average attractiveness rating of the house has increased exponentially. She comes from Birmingham and drives a bogey coloured car. Currently unsure of which church to settle in she continues to do the rounds checking out the talent.

Her social work masters is going well, she spends much of her time talking to little old ladies (nothing new for the house there, that's what we all do everyday) and eating cake.

This weekend she and Mim sucessfully managed to make some delicious chocolate cakes even if they were a bit saggy in the middle (the cakes, not the girls.) We even let the boys across the road have some (again, of the cakes, not the girls.)

As well as the human members of the house, we currently have some mice in residence. Lou doesn't like them all that much but we haven't tried them roasted yet so her opinion may change.

Fran

Life moves on...

2006-10-09T19:07:00.000+01:00

Life amongst the Heathfield Girls moves on... Vix has dispatched us (although has the honoury position of bloggage access) and Sarah a.k.a misunderstood has embraced us. We have also been blessed with the moving in of The Heathfield Guys (check out their blog too!). An intro to Sar shall be coming shortly...

Lx

101 things to do with a tourniquet

2006-09-29T16:59:00.000+01:00

As term drags onwards interminably we are having to wrack our brains for things to do on placement... stare at the fattest patient in the world... dare each other to ask attractive SHOs for hugs... avoid the scariest consultant in the world...

A very productive lunchtime was spent working out the uses of tourniquets after we had walked round the hospital with them clipped round our heads.

1) Catapult
2) Belt
3) Whip
4) Substitute bra
5) Braces
6) Hair Tie
7) Sweat band
8) Funky choker
9) Reins for small children
... the list goes on

all the third years stared at us and listened attentively to all we said, they've also taken to asking my permission before seeing patients on the ward I'm on (one annoyed the house officer so much she sent her to get a history off the lovely old man with multi-lobar dementia)

Fran

Reflections on Malawi

2006-09-13T19:21:00.000+01:00

Feel like i should make some comment on recent Malawi trip...

16 people from Cardiff CU in Malawi for 14 incredible days

Actually have no idea where to begin, how to put down into words what we all experienced in the two weeks there.
God is amazing, He brought us so close together as a team, He gave us opportunity after opportunity to share His love with the people we met - whether it be children in the orphanages, villagers that gathered round our trucks to see why 17 white people had stopped in their village (we only needed the loo and to get drinks and ended up singing and telling them about Jesus - its amazing the way God has a purpose in every moment), people in very very remote villages off the beaten, pot-holed track, who we showed the Jesus video to, people in Hospital, people in Prison, God gave us the strength and motivation for everything we did - and we could not have done any of it without Him.
He also revealed Himself to us in the magnificance (is that a word?) of His creation.

What did i learn?
God is almighty, all powerful, awesome, beautiful, wonderful and so full of love and grace.
God can use weak and broken people to do His work.
God is the reason for my hope and my joy and i need to live in Him daily

How awesome! And how hard it has been to hold on to that hope and joy in this country where 'possession and self-interest' is everything and God and relationships and community have so little value.

There is the total of my reflections on Malawi (i'm in a reflective mood right now...you may get the comedy highlights another day!)
Hxx

Fantastic deals on a huge range of holidays, flights, breaks and more...

2006-08-31T13:40:00.000+01:00

... a continuation of the lastminute.com theme, since it is after all an on going issue in the Heathfield house.

At 11 o'clock last night a remembered that I was supposed to be moving house today, tricky! After a mad scramble of crazyness, involving me actually getting out of bed during the morning part of the day, (nearly) all of my possessions have been shoved, in no paticular order, into various boxes, the lids of which have no hope of closing, even if one person sits on top whilst another covers them in duct tape.

The feat however can be considered a success, despite the bomb site appearence of my heathfield Rd room. Afterall one car load of clutter is now in the new house, another in my parents Garage, and I didn't have to call in sick. You could almost call it a miracle!

The highlight of the morning came at midday (about the time I had to leave for work) when I recieved a call of distress from a Chinese friend of mine. Disaster had struck, she had called her husband, he however could not make it back from London. So Dad and I went to the rescue. We shoved some tissue paper into the hole that the spider had run into, assured her that it would not kill her, and zoomed me off to work.

The adventures never end, however my time in the Heathfield house nearly has. But what a joy it has been!

Vix

lastminute.com

2006-08-30T15:44:00.000+01:00

Heathfield Girls are the personification of lastminute.com: whether it be the 'oh its 9pm but why not to to Greenbelt now?!' (aka Fran and Vic) or 'oh I have an exam tomorrow' type of revision (aka Vic) or 'maybe I should delay my medical studies to study psycology for a year even though the deadline has long gone' (aka Mim). Many more examples could be mentioned but they will suffice to prove a point.
Lx

Make Tea Not War

2006-08-29T17:19:00.000+01:00

After nearly a month of gallivanting I have returned smelly, tired, slightly ill and with a new t-shirt bearing the phrase used as the title of this post to Heathfield Road.

We flew out of Stansted the Saturday following all the arrests, it's not everyday you get a free grope. We spent the week doing lots of activities in the French alps, particular highlight- a meal most of the way up a mountain in a tiny restaurant surrounded by goats and cooked by the French equivalent of Dirty Sanchez followed by a lift down a mountain track in the back of the pick-up truck driven by aforementioned frenchmen with added eau de vie (plum flavour.)

The night rounded off with a visit to the locals' club/bar in the village, luckily we'd all had tetanus shots before travelling.

A quick turn-around at home followed before departing in my car for France for a week with my family. I drove without killing anybody even when I was in France- did cut up a really slow English driver on the way into the ferryport on the way home, felt quite bad but managed to avoid a show-down on the boat. We didn't do much, it was a bit of a rest before sorting out the house as Dad has new job starting in DUNDEE, that's in SCOTLAND, where it's COLD and DARK and about 500 MILES FROM PORTSMOUTH. It should be really fun, lovely scenary, lots of things (like sea level traversing and outdoor climbing hint hint) but it is quite a long way.

After visiting the parental home to pot the forest of plant cuttings my mother had entrusted to me I rushed back to Cardiff as we had decided to go to Greenbelt, which had already started.

The story of Greenbelt with all it's interesting people we talked to will have to wait 'til another time as I'm going to go and eat some of the nice food I brought back from France- yes I smuggled both dairy and meat products through customs.

Fran

There's nothing so good for you as dirt.

2006-08-24T16:50:00.000+01:00

Many recent reviews of 'good bacteria' containing yogurts lead me recently to the consideration of investment. On futher pondering however, I realised that my organic vegetables come delivered in a rich source of 'good (possibly/hopefully) bacteria' included in the cost. As a result I decided against both the yogurts and washing the Rocket that arrived in last weeks box. Extra humous was used in my daily sandwiches instead, to disguise the taste. Without thinking twice, the same measure was carried out the remains of the rocket this lunchtime; only to discover a mouth full of soil by halfway through my roll. So it seems that the soil tends to sink to the bottom of the bag.

Even I admit I may have gone too far this time.

A hungry Vix

Mim's exciting adventure

2006-08-21T00:03:00.000+01:00

This will be my third time to try to write and send this email, as before my computer has either crashed or the electricity has cut out - ah well it´s all part of the Nicaraguan experience!

The most part of last week and this week has been spent travelling round to
different communities and planting Nim and Acacia trees and pitaya plants.
The people we´ve visited have been really welcoming and grateful for the
trees that it really has been a joy. One guy we met was really enthusiastic
about his farm and showed us round his land - he had mangos, lemons, pitaya,
corn and beans growing. When we asked him if he sold his produce, he said
that he didnt because he believed that the earth and all of its produce
belongs to God. He had therefore decided to share his produce by giving it
to his neighbours as a demonstartion of God´s provision. What a principle to
live by! And I´ve seen this sort of attitude in other people too, they are
content with just making enough money to feed their family. There is also a
much greater emphasis placed on relationships and therefore a much stronger
sense of community. How different to the UK where life seems to be so
focussed on making as much money as possible to make life as comfortable as
possible, often at the expense of relationships and community life.

Today we went to another farm and helped locals dig a huge fish tank. Once
the tank is completed they plan to buy 300 fish for 1 cordoba each (about
3p), keep them 3 months till they´ve grown to full size and then sell the
fish for 10 cordoba each (about 30p). Although the land here is so fertile,
harvest can be ruined by a dry season, and so people are trying to develop
new ways to produce food. A fish farm sounds like a great idea to me, and
the people here really do need something to supplement their rice and beans
diet!

Most afternoons we are going to the deaf children´s home, and take crafts
and sports equipment with us. We have a lot of fun and are really getting to
know the kids. Last week we went to one of the members of staff´s birthday
party which involved eating ice cream and dancing. We taught them the YMCA
dance which made us feel like fools, but we gave it our best shot!

There´s one boy at the deaf home, who isnt actually deaf but has cerebral
palsy and is severely handicapped, called Mario. He is 15 but is so frail
that he looks a lot younger and sadly he spends most of his time lying in
bed with the light turned off. The women who work at the home clean and feed
him but give him very little attention or affection. Over the last few days
we have been trying especially hard to show that he is an important person
and one who should be loved as much as the other children. Yesterday we took
him in his wheelchair and out into the garden where the children were
playing. He giggled a lot and loved watching the children blowing bubbles.
It was great to see him being so resposive and hopefully the children and
staff will continue to include him in thier activities. Please pray for
Mario, and that we would be able to encourage the staff to show him love and
value.

Last Friday, Hannah, Sam, Jon and I went to Managua (capital of NIcaragua)
for an all night Christian youth event. This was a memorable experience that
started with the crazy 3 hour bus ride with other youth from churches in
Condega. The event was held at a university campus and was very charismatic
with worship, prayer, drama, dance and talks. Strong black coffee kept us
going till 3am and then we all drove back to Condega. It was great to be a
part of this event and to see how God is working in so many young people´s
lives here.

The water has been off here for the last 3 days so we´re all starting to
smell. Trying to wash out of buckets as best we can but it´s not the same as
a proper shower. There´s road work being done which explains the disrupted
water supply but it also means we have no idea when its going to come back
on.

I could go on and on about all the things we´re seeing and doing, but I´ll
stop here. Nicaragua is such a beautiful country and we really are having
such an amazing experience, there is such a lot to learn from these people.

1000 miles in a week

2006-08-19T16:35:00.000+01:00

I reckon I've travelled well over 1000miles in this past week.
Since landing in Heathrow airport just over a week ago (yes they let me through the security!)
I have been from :
Heathrow to Pembrokshire - Malawi Training weekend
Pembrokeshire to Cardiff - visiting vix and Fobbs (plus i managed to lose my wallet!)
Cardiff to Bristol - visiting Bethy (where we baked cookies)
Bristol to Frome - visiting my parents
Frome to Leicester - visiting my almost grandparents
Leicester to Ripon - visiting my brother on camp where i spent 12hrs washing up!!
Ripon to Nottingham - to visit Elisa
Nottingham to Frome - to rest and sleep and to pack for the next adventure
and tomorrow i will be going back to Heathrow again.

So tomorrow i set off for Malawi! All very exciting! Can't wait!

Love
Hx

ever the comforter

2006-08-18T15:57:00.000+01:00

Victoria seems to have taken a few lessons from Job's comforters. Having been informed Fobb's neck is tinged yellow she sent two messages:
"R u sure the ga hasn't screwed over ur liver!" 18 Aug 2006 15:34
"Reckons ur heads gona fall off!xx" 18 Aug 2006 15:37

Fobb's operation

2006-08-17T16:23:00.000+01:00

Just to let all her fans know that Fobb's operation went smoothly. She spent a comfortable night in hospital before being dispatched. Currently her jaws are elasticated together which is making speaking rather difficult but she has permission to remove them for eatage purposes which is a huge relief for some people (including Dr Oliver) who fear she may otherwise disappear... Special thanks to all those who have prayed, phoned, texted, visited, sent cards, flowers and juice... all token of God's love.

Fobbit/chip-munk

2006-08-17T15:59:00.000+01:00

It is a pity I alone currently get to appreciate the beauty that is the fob/chip-munk like creature dwelling in our home. I shall attempt to obtain photo's later, the maxillofacial surgens have created a work of art!

Vx

Expansion of job description

2006-08-16T18:29:00.000+01:00

I'm no longer solely responsible for supervising biscuits, but my post has expanded to include the interviewing of potential window cleaners. After selecting four suitible applicants, I invited them all in for a look...and chose the cutest.

All in good days work!

Vix

Some people call me the space cowgirl!

2006-08-07T11:44:00.000+01:00

I'm currently sitting in front of the slowest computor in the world, the ones in Romania were about 10x faster, listening to the music station my sister has left on (Ocean fm) the space cowboy was on just now hence the title of this blog.

I arrived home on Sat night after 17hrs travelling, I did stop for a cup of tea in the international hostel and the A3 was closed at Woking so I saw a great deal more of the home counties then I possibly wanted. My sister's floor is very comfortable, Baptiste has mine. For those interested (Beth) Baptiste now eats peas and a few other vegetables, fruit is still inedible in the world of Baptiste.

My mother has volunteered me as the firstaider at DABS- children's club in my village- about 300 kids, mwahahahahaha , I've refused to do Thurs or Fri as have things to do in Cardiff but tomorrow and Wed I'm going to be chief plaster bearer.

Everyone is back from shopping now so I'll have to go help put stuff away,

La revedere

Fran
xx

irresistable beauty

2006-08-04T20:52:00.000+01:00

Recognising the irresistable beauty that is locked up within the walls of the Heathfield House we are being harressed, one by one, by photo shoot companies to take up their 'free' prizes. Today I only managed to deter them by insisting I am having facial reconstruction within the next few weeks.

Lx

making money- ways and means

2006-08-04T20:42:00.000+01:00

The ways and means of making money are fascinating to consider. Within the house we seem to have various approaches: salaried work for those who enjoy house pottering; temping work (call phone centres/ reception duties/ biscuit monitor/ skiving early), auxillary nursing, a parent's angel (thats me by the way- Mum is working hard to appreciate the Peacock Blue I've painted the front door!!). And some haven't quite got round to making any...

Lx

short men

2006-08-04T20:38:00.000+01:00

Urchin and Play Boy (aka students living in 'The International Hostel for the Priveleged') are wonderful examples of short men: the way in which both asert their masculinity by making the walls of my room shake as they climb the stairs is incredible. I especially appreciate this as my early wake up call each day.

Lx

These days of enlightenment

2006-08-04T15:10:00.000+01:00

So as my third week of working here in the law firm closes to an end, a new discovery is made. It turns out I'm actually suposed to work 1-6:30, not 1-6.

Oh well, what can you do?!!

Vix
xx

Drawing to a close...

2006-08-04T14:28:00.000+01:00

Just realised that, what with the sudden influx of exciting post from the other heathfield girls, i haven't actually posted anything on here for nearly 2weeks!! Craziness! (though i have appreciated having a whole post dedicated to me vix!)

So Brasov time is coming to an end...its been a good two weeks - the summer school with the young people has been great fun! Think we just about managed to get across the point of the Joesph story to them!

We had a very exhausting adventure to Sinaia (correction from frannie's spelling) today, early start, hot day, not enough water! But the castle/palace was much more impressive than i remember it to be - though the last time i was there, 3yrs ago, it was covered in snow and about -20degrees!

I'm going to have fun loading frannie up with my stuff to take back to cardiff tonight! Can't quite believe I've only got one week left here - time has gone fast, yet slow at the same time.

Zoezoe and I are doing our last bit of adventuring tomorrow when we set off again to arad to work with street kids till thurs, then i fly back a week today!

Miss you too vix!
And miss everyone else too!
the hannah lady
xxxxxxx

My last day in Romania (and Hannah's last in Brasov)

2006-08-04T14:05:00.000+01:00

Hello everybody, Daf, I would love to come and work in A&E for you but I think the GMC might have a different opinion.

This is our last day in Brasov and so we went on an adventure to Sinea, unsure on spelling, to visit the summer castle of the first Romanian king-Carol 1, previously a German prince. His grandson the ex king Micha is still alive at 84 apparantly. The guide was very proud of the castle and showed us all the modern bits, lifts, central heating and a central vaccuum cleaner, all in place since the turn of the last centuary.

Romania is a funny place, it was once very advanced, as can be seen from the castle, but has suffered a bit of a setback and is only just getting back on it's feet. The buildings are either really old or very new, just like the cars. People either have a rusty old Dacia or a brand shiny new western European car. (There are some brand new Dacias but they make my eyes hurt because they are squashed into a slightly shorter, taller shape than all the others.)

The contrasts between different places in the country are amazing. To get home in a bit we'll catch an electric tram to the edge of the city. At the terminus the likelihood is we'll get into the back of any car which is going to the village (the norm is to stop and offer) and pay the driver (always a him) 1 lei (20p.) It is at this point that the journey becomes most exciting. To avoid the potholes everyone drives in the middle of the road, zooming past the horsedrawn carts and swerving at the last minute to avoid the oncoming traffic. The road markings stop at the edge of the city so from then on it's everybody for themselves.

This evening we are going out for a meal and packing, I think my luggage is going to be a lot heavier coming back as my bag is going to be full of books and things belonging to Hannah and Zoe.

Love

Fran

A strange thing about biscuits

2006-08-03T17:07:00.000+01:00

So I think I've finally caught on to the fact that I'm the biscuit supervisor at work. I believe I'm supposed to stop greedy employees eating them all, since they are actually for clients. However, I've spent the last three weeks handing them out willy-nilly, whilst munching away at them happily myself, and keeping the fridge stocked.

It's only moments ago, when my boss came and asked my nicely if she could have a biscuit, that I realised that maby they're not for free access.

I guess that's why the key to the cupboard they're locked in sit's in my desk draw.

Interesting.

Vix

to be imp-ed or not to be imp-ed?

2006-08-01T18:13:00.000+01:00

The impish activities of Fobbs' computer have finally been sorted. Praise the Lord! Our kind friend Dave visited this morning and showed me that if I actually log on to McAfee rather than skip the password bit I can access the internet! How clever is that?! So it seems that my computer hasn't been imp-ed. This may be the beginning of epic bloggage on my part...

Fobbs xx

The Hannah Lady

2006-08-01T16:04:00.000+01:00

Due firstly to the lack of anything to actually do at work, and secondly sleep deprivation leaving me unequiped to revise, I have been scrolling through past blogs. Seeing you in those stunning pj's, with beautiful face slapped around a big fat chocolate cake, reminds me how much I miss you Hannah Lady! Not long now though!

Not that I don't miss the rest of you, it's just that Hannah's been gone for longer.

xx

Inset bites

2006-08-01T15:30:00.000+01:00

First off, I should clarify a few things from previous posts/comments.
Vix, you are a FATTY, in fact I think that you are queen of the fatties.
My Romanian is amazingly bad, in fact it is non-existant except that I know that a pig is una porc and a cow is una vache and a stamp is una timbra and a ticket is something like una biletta, I don't know how to spell them though. I know please and thankyou as well but there's no way I'm even going to attempt the spelling.

I have only been bitten once by a Romanian insect so far and I aim not to have anymore. The bite is located on my left lateral calf and is 2cm in diameter ( the raised bit anyway) the edges are well demarcated and the lump is firm, tender, itchy and fixed in the skin. There is a central red punctum surrounded by paler lump. Around the edge extending a further cm from the lump is an area of redness. It is lovely.

I hope everyone is having fun, it rained here briefly today, coming as quite a shock. The air smelt lovely afterwards.

Fran
xx

One of those nights

2006-08-01T13:51:00.000+01:00

Those of you who've had the beautiful experience of living with me, will perhaps know how great my sleeping (in)ability is.

This combined with my tremendous capacity for food resulted in my having my last meal at mid-night last night, my first breakfast @ 4 o'clock this morning, my second @ 6:30 and my 3rd @10:30. I'm currently enjoying a slab of banana cake for lunch (1:51).

Does the word 'fatty' spring to mind?

Vix

In Romania

2006-07-30T10:22:00.000+01:00

As I type this in the internet cafe in Brasov (it has a cedilla style thing under the s so you say it brashov) Hannah is next to me typing an epistle to everyone she has ever met and Zoezoe is opposite me behind the computor. We went to a church this morning where they provided headphones for an english translation- very handy as my romanian is not all that good.

Today's lesson:
I am-sunt
You are- esti
He/she is- este
We are- suntem
You (pl) are- sunteti
They are- sunt

Hannah and Zoe are both very brown and possibly very tired as they have been doing lots of exciting things and claim to have been nearly mauled to death by dogs yesterday, the phrase 'mad dogs and english (ladies) go out in the midday sun' has just popped into my head. (claim! It's actually true - it was very close - I had to do a lot of reasoning in Romanian with the owner of the SIX BEASTS to avoid being mincemeat!) the number of dogs involved in this story increases with every retelling.

We caught a crazy minibus from the village into town this morning, my favorite part of it was the HUGE smash in the front windscreen with cracks covering half of the window. I think I'd prefer to travel in the back of the horsedrawn carts only the potholes and drivng skills shown by the car drivers puts me off somewhat. Everybody is very friendly and patient with me and my general stupidity.(frannie's not done anything too stupid yet - though i'll keep you posted! She is wearing a very cool skirt though that i am trying not to covet!!Hannah) 'tis my one from the fair trade shop in Cardiff, I will lend it to Hannah so she can wear it as well.

I passed the year, as did both Hannah and Zoezoe so we are now grown up nearly 4th years, watch out if you need to visit a welsh hospital as a patient anytime soon.

Stand-by for further updates as the week progresses and we have more inspiration.

Fran (and Hannah a bit)

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lazyness is next to godliness?

2006-07-26T16:51:00.000+01:00

Once again I find myself in the position of doing practically nothing for most of the hours in the day. Today started at about 11 o'clock, got to work for 1, and spend the afternoon at work (the whole 5 hours that I work a day) doing so little I can't believe they're actually paying me to do it.

I'm not sure if this is a blessing from God, or whether I should be weary of some punishment about to befall me?

Vix

What is Hannah wearing?

2006-07-25T13:37:00.001+01:00

On many of my recent visits to Hannah's room during her absence, I have noticed a particular abundance of clothing. Strangely, it appears all the clothes she normally wears, including lived in jeans, pj's etc, are all remaining in her wardrope? It really does beg the question, 'has Hannah been wearing any clothes?'. I'm tempted to believe that right now there is a naked British girl, walking the streets of Romania, with only a pink flowery bag to provide any sense of decency.

Disturbing to say the least; I'm just glad that camera isn't working.

Vix

Exciting Purchase of the week

2006-07-24T16:30:00.000+01:00

Forgot to inform the world in previous post...
Whilst holidaying on the beach in Romania i bought a bright pink flowery bag thing!
It is obviously Beautiful and doesn't at all clash with any of my many pink flowery tops!
All quite bizare....;since when did i become a girly girl who wore pink??!!! ARGH!!!!!
All i can say is its a shame that no computer in Romania has the ability to upload photos from my camera so i can't show you the bag in its full glory!!

Actually have worked!

2006-07-22T16:01:00.000+01:00

Bizarrely managed to get a job, and did work 4 days this week. Crazy! Also will be working all next week, although trickily doubled booked for the majority of it. Not quite sure how that will all work out. I will endeavour to keep you all updated.

Am currently exhausted, due to excessive lack of sleep-age. The Heathfield Rd house turns into a sort of refugee camp over the summer months, during which the general homeless come to get rest, or more commonly, disturb ours. To be fair, lack of sleep mostly related to my own self absorbed stresses, not really blameable on any one else.

Anyway, time for a nap I feel.

Vix

Moving On...

2006-07-22T12:27:00.000+01:00

Well beach was great! We are nicely tanned (the burnt bits are receding into quite a nice brown colour!)

We've spent all morning packing everything up...we are leaving our humble abode in Bucharest behind.

The next challenge is getting all out tonnes of baggage toBrasov via metrou, bus and minibus!!
Oh the joys

Love you all
Hannah
xxx

Job, more information

2006-07-18T18:40:00.000+01:00

As I sit and write (type) this Vix should be on her way home from work as she got work at lunchtime.

I'm getting a new car tomorrow (Wed) which is really exciting as mine keeps leaking water from the radiator. Also, I've just tidied my bit of the room and found things that disappeared months ago...cufflink things for example, missing since Sept. To complete the list of good things, I handed in my essay last week and I'm going to Romania next week.

However, every silver lining must have a cloud, the washing line broke earlier dumping all the bedsheets in the flower border and most of the people who drive down this street could do with improving their clutch control, especially when reversing early in the morning.

Sweating like a ... (fill in with your own simile)

Fran
xx

Job

2006-07-18T09:59:00.000+01:00

The general job/lack of saga continues. Thought I had a job for four of the five days this week, however, on turning up this morning I realised it is actually for next week. Nightmare.

Life continues eventless and moneyless.

Vix

Accents

2006-07-17T08:40:00.000+01:00

At church yesterday someone told me that they were suprised I was English, as I have an American accent!!!?!?!
This is not the first time I've been told this since I've been in Romania this summer, however, this time was made worse by the fact that it was an English man who said it!!!!

I do NOT have an American accent!!! GRRRRR!!!

Eight Project Free days....

2006-07-15T17:40:00.000+01:00

Well, feels like a long time since i updated this (i really do seem to be the only heathfield girl with anything happening at the moment) - various internet disasters have prevented my blogging activity for a while! (so this means this is going to be an essay!!!)

Summary of how zoezoe and the Hannah lady have been spending there project free time:

Day 1 Sat: We found an exciting little park that we'd not been to before and ate lunch there. Then we watched the wimbledon women's tennis final with some english guys that we met via a friend. Then said english guys took us for our first KFC experience - apparently EVERYONE has eaten KFC (is this true??) (there i've mentioned it now guys - it really did happen!!!)

Day 2 Sun: We went to the international church where the english guys have been working for the past 8months. It was great to worship in english and hear a sermon in English, and not have to concentrate so hard on understanding the words, thus being able to concentrate on the meaning and application more. Oh we also ate Romanian food in a Romanian Restaurant with the English guys. The restaurant was quite exciting - the roof opened and closed and there were chickens and ducks in cages everywhere!

Day 3 Mon: Mountain Adventure 2 - Uphill, Busteni - Babele
Zoezoe and I decided it was about time we went up the mountain the traditional way (rather than our previous cable car cheat!) So we scaled 15m wide mini-glacier type things, edged our way slowly along the tiny mountain ridges and bravely stepped off the edge of a thin snow overhang onto the rock below! Most embarrassing moment was being caught mid-change between trousers and shorts by the only man we'd seen all day! (yes i was dancing on the mountain side in my pants! Oops!!)

Day 4 Tues: Babele - Omu - Bran and onto Brasov
Was rather suprised to wake up and find my legs to be pain free...the night before they had been in agony! So off we set across the mountain top to reach the peak, Omu 2507m. We arrived much faster than expected and after a quick lunch decided to set off on the 6hr trek down the mountain to Bran (the place of Dracula's castle). This seemed like a good idea at the time, we'd finish a day early and all that....2hrs in my legs began to shake and be in generally a lot of pain! The paths were really really steep and my knees weren't made for such trauma! With the help of two big sticks that zoezoe found, we eventually made it down the mountain - and even then we had a 2hr walk into Bran!!
In Bran, we ate a filling meal of good old meat and potatoes! Romanian cuisine is immense!!
We then got the bus to Brasov, where i'd cheekly phoned up the place i'd worked in my Gap Year and got us a bed there for the night!!

Day 5 Wed: Brasov
Spent the day hobbling around in Brasov, helped with day care at the house (its a charity that works with children and young adults with disabilities). It was great to see everyone again, they have a new lady organising the day care now, and she has such a heart and vision for the place, its so exciting to see!! In the evening we got a minibus back to Bucharest ( the driver kept telling me off for putting my feet on the seat...ooops!!)

Day 6 Thurs: Don't remember much from this day apart from Pain, my legs didn't really understand why i'd made them climb a mountain, and being annoyed at the internet not working!!

Day 7 Fri: The most typically english picnic you've ever had....
We met up with the English guys in the park, and found a bit of grass by the lake to sit and eat our picnic on. All was fun...lots of banter! (how i miss being mocked for my crazy ways!!)
Then rain began to fall...but being britis, we decided to stick it out and finish our game of cards!
Then we packed up and went off to play the most craziest and impossible crazy golf you've ever seen!! It was made even more crazy and entertaining by the torrential thunderstorm that decided to start as we all began the 4th hole!! Some holes were actually impossible to get the ball in the hole, others seemed to have no obstacles at all - so we had fun making human obstacles (all very well until certain people called zoezoe decided to whack the ball into my ankle!) We were all drenched by the time we reached the 5th hole and continued to hole 18 in grand form - i even put in a shock hole in one!! Crazy!!

Day 8 Sat: Shopping
Zoezoe made me go to a shopping mall!! (no joke - this was actually zoe's idea not mine!)
I bought my first clothing purchase of the 9weeks so far.
We also bought ice-cream.
Then i phoned up the internet place - and HURRAH!!! The internet works!!!!!

Planned for next week is a trip to the seaside! yay!!

Love you and miss you girlies
xxxx

The good, the bad and the ugly!!

2006-07-07T17:00:00.000+01:00

The good
Projects are finished and submitted!! Praise the LORD!!!
We are now officially FREEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!

The Bad
Its official - All hope is lost, the washing machine will never come. I gave in this morning and went back to the old handwashing technique!
(I have a picture of me in my washer woman outfit but the computer's being STUPID so won't let me load it up!)

The Ugly
Well this was going to be a beautiful picture of momma cockroach - the evil cockroach master who by her call, lured TEN cockroaches into our bathroom the other night - I killed them all but then had nightmares!

Also where are you guys? What are you doing? Are you still alive?

I miss you.

Love and Hugs to you all, with an extra special one for vix

Mwa xxx

Photos from Romanialand

2006-07-01T17:29:00.000+01:00

Ok attempt to load up photos is underway..can't work out how to get the lay out how i want but you get the idea

This is the Danube...the land you see is Serbia!!
We passed this as we were on a long hot train journey back from Timisoara

Below left: Zoezoe and I in the rose garden
in Timisoara. Beautiful!

Adventure One (Photos to the right):

On top of the mountains in Busteni! Yes we did cheat...we took the cable car!

Summer

2006-06-30T15:34:00.000+01:00

After a brief return to normal Cardiff weather- coinciding with the start of Wimbledon as is tradition- the halcyon days of summer continue uninterrupted.

Germany have just beaten Argentina in the quarter finals of the World Cup, much to mine and Lou's satisfaction and Andrew Murray is through to the 3rd round at Wimbledon. As can be seen from this we are spending much of our time in front of the TV.

I actually had to do some work yesterday as I lead a seminar but it was all over by lunch allowing me to carry on making my dress (now finished.)

Vix has started working 3 hours a day (just about, she finishes early most of the time) and Lou is back in the hospital of doom. Vix and I shocked her earlier by coming down to say hello to her LUNCHTIME visitor in our pyjamas... Rachel loved it!

I feel an explanation of the nightwear worn in this house will clarify why Lou was embarrassed, Victoria was sporting a very lovely bright green t-shirt saying "make trade fair" and some pink dotty pyjama bottoms. I, the picture of beauty and elegance, was wearing huge baggy surgical scrubs bottoms not quite tied up enough and a grey vest. Lovely!

On a trip to shot in the dark last night I discovered where many of the people we see in church socialise, I recognised a fair number of the people in there. Obviously as it's a coffee shop rather than a pub or bar it is ok to visit with friends, especially ones of the opposite sex.

Fran
xx

Adventuring and Doctoring

2006-06-29T12:45:00.000+01:00

Well no one appears to have blogged for ages!! Obviously having way to much fun without me!

Weekend: Overnight train trip was very exciting - triple bunkbeds on the train!!
We had a lovely weekend in Timisoara - its an beautiful city with a fairy tale church right in the centre of town!

(Look!! I've managed a picture!! i'm in shock!!)

Then we went to stay with some contacts of zoezoe's who run a charity with street children in Arad (1hr from Timisoara). We went to meet the woman at the train station - she was surrounded by a mass of gypsy people (its probably very politically incorrect to call them that)! It was awesome! We later went and played with abandonned babies in hospital and went to a gypsy "village" (about nine houses) built around the above ground gas pipes. We went with the woman's daughter who is a medical student and was treating some of the gypsies who had cuts and burns. So i got to hold bandages and stuff which was exciting! But it was sad at the same time to see the conditions in which the families were living - never seen anything like it before in Romania.
We are thinking about going back up to Arad to do a bit more work with the charity there in one of our free weeks at the end.

Doctoring quote of the week:
Consultant "what are you doing?"
SHO(very proudly) "I'm talking to the english students about Eminescu" (Eminescu is a famous Romanian writer)
Consultant "Why aren't you working?"
SHO (very very suprised) 'Working!!??!!"

Hilarious the SHO seems to have an aversion to work - he never quite seems to know what he is meant to be doing or which patients are his! That's going to be me soon!! Haha - Hospitals beware!!!

Anyway our consultant guy is away for the next two weeks...so two weeks free to er...uh...Work on our projects of course!!!

We had a lecture this morning on Cystic Fibrosis from the world's number one CF consultant from Imperial College London, UK! It was truely informative and joyous! Zoezoe and I were proudly presented to him at the end, he asked us what our project was on and I was like "er well its just a project i don't know er...um... we're just writing a load of rubbish really" then we ran away!

Think thats about all for now.
I'll love you and leave you.
Hxx

To amend a lie.

2006-06-22T20:33:00.000+01:00

To be fair, really haven't been leaving the house all that infrequently, as have been attending many many internationals events. Including hilarious pool party, and various sporting competitions which would have been more hilarious should I have attempted to take part.

And...today Mim and I had the pleasure of one of Frannies open days which was a lot of fun! It's always good to have a little look inside the place where a friend spends a lot of their time. Was cool.

Vix

Actually have job!

2006-06-22T20:28:00.000+01:00

Crazy, crazyness. Since dispatching dentistry and no longer spending my days in the hospital of doom, have taken to leaving the house infrequently.

However, I now have a job! Albeit part time, and in telesales...Beware the general public!!!

Vix

The Longest Day

2006-06-22T12:35:00.000+01:00

Yesterday was a long hard day in Romania-land.
We completed FIVE activities yesterday (its a new record)!!!!
Generally we don't like to set ourselves too many tasks in a day - lest we fail and then we feel sad. But as yesterday was the longest day of the year we thought we'd go for it!!

1. Hospital placment
Yes this counts as an activity...and in fact yesterday we were in for over 3hrs!! And did lots so thats a definite big activity point for us!!
2. Lunch in the park
This too counts - especially the getting to the park bit - which involved one very very squished bus journey. Everything here seems to take three times as long as it does in the UK!
3. Swimming with two girls from the christian union. That was a definite add to the list of Romania experiences activity! The grubby yellow slime round the water line and all over the bottom of the pool and the hilarity of trying to get a swimming cap on my head (and then having to be seen in public) all brought joy to the day!
4. Dinner at susan's house (though getting to her house could be counted as an activity in itself - it was quite and adventure!). Proper meal with meat in (my Iron levels are being filled up well out here - enough to survive another year in our house i reckon!!) and lots of fun company. Much hilarity playing PIT which involves lots of shouting and mean tactics!! Heeeheee I love it!!
5. Phone conversation with the non-stupid, very beautiful vix! With the added joy of further serenading from the fobbit! Yet again i endured the stares of Romania's watching a crazy english Hannah lady getting very excited during the conversation.

As a result the Hannah Lady is incredible tired today and will hopefully sleep well in her bed on the train tonight as she travels to the beautiful place of Timisoara with her companions zoezoe and whitters.

love you
xxx

Fatty Europian girls!

2006-06-20T22:11:00.000+01:00

The girls of this house took one for the fatty white girls of the west this evening. Had many varieties of Chinese food with many tiny tiny asian Chinese/Taiwanese girls.

Must say Fran, Lou and Mim sitting opposite me took up about the same space as the eight chinese girls sitting next to me. Funny thing is Lou and Mim are particularly tiny varieties of Western girls. Work that one out.

Vix

Counting Sheep

2006-06-20T11:52:00.000+01:00

How do you count sheep?

Random question I know but zoezoe and I made this bizarre discovery:

I count sheep by imagining them jumping over a gate one by one.
Zoezoe counts sheep by imagining a field of them and counting all the sheep in the field.

Weird...i just assumed that everyone counted sheep like me, but zoezoe's way makes more sense than my way.

Hmm....How do you people count sheep?

Other than the sheep discovery...we have been sweltering away here the last few day, but its the kind of heat thats too hot to sit out in...tricky!
We are thinking of going to an outdoor swimming pool sometime this week...but we need to do research and find out which one has the least number of naked people at it! Also tricky!

Love you
Hxxx

Apology for failure

2006-06-18T21:29:00.000+01:00

A house apology goes out to the Fathers of the girls of this house for our general lack of appreciatiation. Apart from Mim who was inspired to run out and get a card for her Dad, to celebrate Fathers day, when he announced that he was to visit yesterday, no other Fathers of this house have yet recieved a card.

We do all love our Fathers very muchly, we know we're rubbish.

No more to be said!

Vix

Project Work

2006-06-17T15:57:00.000+01:00

Well no one seems to have written in the blog for a whole day!!
What's going on? I fear that all my beloved housemates may have been abducted by aliens or burnt the house down!!

What to say...
Have done approx half of my project now (how i love waffle!!) actually looks quite good...lots of little pictures and tables! Still haven't found a computer in this land with power point on it though..slightly problematic as project is meant to be submitted as power point (think we need to tell Alcolado that we're going to submit it as a word document!)
Obviously its all the horrible research parts that are left to do!
We have taken hostage of Aidan's and Whitney's laptops for the purpose of project work and have invaded Whitney's house for the day to use her internet...so at last we have been somewhat productive! Though I am getting incredibly BOOOORRRREEEEDDDDD now - only so many hours a Hannah Lady can work for!
Though the tennis is providing welcome distraction (though Tim Henman has just lost - bad line call meant he lost his serve and then he kind of collapsed! Nightmare!...bring on Wimbledon!)

Just realised its Fathers day tomorrow...slightly tricky due to several reasons
i) no way can a card get from here to home in less than 12hrs
ii) my parents are on holiday in France so i can't even do the phone home thing
Ah well yet another father's day will slip by unrecognised by me...my poor dad.

Am getting ever closer to working out how to put pictures on this thing....give me a few more weeks!!!

Love you xxxx

Beautiful day!

2006-06-15T22:32:00.000+01:00

Today has truely been a beautiful day!
Spend most afternoon in boat on Roath lake with Busted Joe and Ioney, ah.
Only forgot camera, nightmare.
So instead am attaching a beautiful picture of one of the many beautiful flowers in our garden, as a symbolic picture of my day!

Vix

P.s If anyone can tell me the name of this flower, would be appreciated muchly.

Our First Visitor!

2006-06-15T18:01:00.000+01:00

Today was a very special and beautiful day. We entertained our first guest in our humble place of residence. The visitor's identity shall be kept secret for speculation's sake.
I spent an hour with said guest helping put up posters advertising OSCEB's (the Romanian CU) english camp this summer, we went wandering around all the other student halls near where zoezoe and i live, it was quite exciting and we found lots of bars and restaurants that i'd not discovered before!!
I was zoezoe's kitchen slave for the afternoon and chopped up lots of onions that made me cry and helped her(well kind of hovered around her really) prepare the delicious two course meal! We put our visitor to work (in traditional heathfield style) giving them the manly task of opening the cans with zoezoe's ever trusty penknife!
We had huge amounts of yummy nachos and wraps with re-fried beans and salsa, delicious and nutricious. I feel a proper fatty tonight!!
Then we came with our guest to cafe-nescu, we have sat them with some other friends infront of the stupid football (there's some football thing going on at the moment apparently!) and we are now doing "research" for our projects! (its going really well hence the blogging!- its called procrastination i believe!)

Love you Girlies
Mwa
xxxxxxxxxxx

Deserted, again

2006-06-14T19:52:00.000+01:00

It is a Wednesday evening in the house. I have just returned from Rainbows to find that all my housemates have found something exciting to do with their evening.

Iona, Mim and I have just spent a lovely few days on the Gower peninsula. As it is not the weekend the place was nearly deserted and the beaches very quiet.

Monday evening:

We arrived at the campsite and pitched our tent before walking down the road to Rhossili village to the pub. Upon arrival at the campsite we discovered that a group of college students from the noisier end of the neighbour spectrum were also camping there.

Tuesday:

Having awoken early due to heat, lack of space and noise we started our breakfast only to discover that the gas stove bit and the gas cannister were not compatible and sat down for our breakfast of marmite and cheese on bread. A very lovely gentleman in a nearby caravan kindly made us some coffee. We set out for the beach for a morning swim armed only with a towel and bathing stuff. After a nice walk along the cliffs we found a lush little bay (can't tell you the name in case it gets too well known.)

We quickly clambered down the rocks and changed into our swimming stuff. In the bay with us were a school group (we think) and some instructors- they were all wearing wetsuits, buoyancy aids and helmets. Running past them into the water in our bikinis drew lots of applause and encouragement! We spent lots of time jumping through the waves and got very cold, but stayed in to prove a point to the other group who were doing exactly the same thing as us only in slightly shallower water.

After lunch and coffee (we bought a different cannister) we went to Rhossili bay and sat on the beach with books and ate ice cream.

I've run out of inspiration I'm afraid and so will continue the story of our holiday when I can think of something to say.

URRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2006-06-13T22:18:00.000+01:00

urrrggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh! This word simply does not begin to describe the overall mingingness of my house work today...
... Cardiff has, once again, been blessed with rain:) The plants and vegetables were all pleased and lapped it up. However, the beasts (aka snails and slugs) also appreciated the rain. These beasts are not any old beasts they are HUGE and ugly and slimey and where there are as many as there were today the Fobbit just can't cope. My job was to Kill the beasts! (A slow, painful, organic death in salt water for those interested)
Urrrggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh! Involves Fobbit like activity including: 1) a loud noise 2) vibration through the whole body 3) tensing of the whole body 4) hyperventilation.
Such is the power of the word that it is still having an effect thinking about it hours later... TRICKY!

Lou xx

Wedding Day!! Romanian style!

2006-06-13T14:07:00.000+01:00

Hello,
I'm not feeling particularly inspired today, but i feel that someone else ought to be adding posts other than poor old abandonned vix!

So Zoezoe and I went up to Brasov this weekend for the wedding of two of my friends from my time here before! It was a beautiful rainy day! The bride was only 15minutes late! The flower girl was grumpy and the ring bearer (aged 4yrs) fell asleep!! I also am lammenting the loss of the beautiful body of the best man...who has gained 20kg in weight over the past 10months!(its so sad!!)

Anyway...It was actually a really lovely service, Dan (the groom who is British) said his vows in Romanian and Simona (the bride, who is Romanian) said her vows in English....it was beautiful...i cried!!
The reception afterwards was true Romanian style...six course meal served over 11hours with lots and lots of dancing in between each course (yes i did have to dance with the sweaty, minging, drunk, middle-aged, next-door neighbour too many times! Ugh!!) We also had dancing waiters, lots and lots of lush traditional Romanian food...stuffed cabbage, meat, mamiliga (maize stuff) and deep fat fried vegetables! (its good - we should try it!!) Then the men plotted and stole the bride and the groom had to go and chase them and bring them all beer in exchange for his bride! (Dan looked really upset when Simona was taken away!- Bless!)

It was great though, Dan and Simona both worked at the house in Brasov where i was a volunteer in my gap year working with special needs kids and young adults, and a lot of the kids and their parents came to the wedding and reception, so i got to see them all too, and it was a lovely atmosphere, all the kids from the house were dancing (we even got the people in wheelchairs on the dance floor and spun them around) and all the people from church (who agree with dancing) were dancing and then lots of us volunteers from the house were there especially for the wedding, and then all of Simona and Dan's families were there...it was lovely lovely day...if a little long....zoezoe and i were very very tired by the end of the evening.

Right thats about all for now...i'm going home for a nap! ( we might have been talking till very late last night!...oops)

The Hannah Lady

Medicine, the doss subject!

2006-06-12T20:04:00.000+01:00

Whoever said medicine was hard, certainly not me.
The medics are currently on their 'SSE', otherwise known as their structured summer holiday, apparently their course doesn't break up for the summer untill the end of July. Untill then they have to spend their time reading books and visiting the museum, big pit and other local attractions.

They have just left us for a camping trip.

All these activities are an attempt to turn them into well rounded individuals, less likely to kill off all their patients. In my opinion it is an attempt to give them a stress free holiday, because they won't have time to get a job like normal students. Meanwile, Louise continues in the hospital of doom, with the challenges of daily life, to complex to be reduced to a citing on the blog.

And I, well I have my 'Case Reports' due in, what more can I say?

Do I sound bitter, do I, do I????

Vix

Baptisms

2006-06-11T22:06:00.000+01:00

Was Georges baptisms today!

Before:

After:

Was awesome, love George to pieces! Super Godly girl!

Vix.

Birthday Bash

2006-06-10T11:45:00.000+01:00

Just returned from sis's B'day

Happy B'day Gem!
not the best picture, sure she'll kill me.

And got to hang out with my parents

Ah, what a lovely couple!

Well, better get on with the dredded coursework.

Vix

Sunshine

2006-06-09T11:06:00.000+01:00

The house has worryingly become a picture of quiet domesticity. The kitchen and lounge were cleaned thoroughly yesterday and Mim is baking bread. With two members of the house away it seems unusually quiet and empty. Vix is away this evening as well so Mim and I will be the rejects left behind.

Since our beach trip on Wednesday (which I'll leave Mim to write about as she knows how to put pictures on this thing) nothing much has happened. Vix has been doing lots of work, she's at the library at the moment supposedly studying. The plethora of emails from her tell a slightly different story.

Miracles

2006-06-08T14:39:00.000+01:00

The Sun is shinning in Cardiff!
And
Franny is cleaning the kitchen!

What a day!

Vix.

2006-06-08T09:34:00.000+01:00

Well its me again - i've been a bit obssessed with blogging this week!
I have returned again to the little Cafenescu which supplies lush coffees and friendly people (who don't laugh at me too much when i mistakedly asked for two journey's instead of two computers the other night - oops!) and internet!
It is early in the morning (well 11:30) Why am i not in the hospital with smelly Mr-Doctor man i hear you cry?? I've been banned for the rest of the week!!! Hehe!! Freedom!! I have a cold and temperature and sore throat and am coughing and spluttering and sniffiling and smelly doctor man has banished me. Unfortunately for zoezoe she doesn't have the described cold so has braved the world of the hospital on her lone-some!Meanwhile i am here, taking up residence in the internet cafe for the day!

Thankyou has to be said to the Fobbit who serenaded me beautifully the other night - was much appreciated. I was very sad when the phone cut me and vix off mid conversation..apparently when the phone card speaks to me and says i have 30 minutes credit left to use, this means you can only talk for 21.27mins and the first warning you get is when the phone goes dead - no warning beeps or anything. Nightmare!!

Last night zoezoe read to me from her story book in a north waleian (walian?Walesian?) accent! It was a beautiful moment! However her soothing story reading voice wasn't enough to get me to sleep...i heard her gentle sleep breathing sounds as i was tossing and turning....

....Why i couldn't sleep:

Cold making me alternate between boiling hot and freezing cold every 30secs

Mosquitos dive bombing me (they may have had their fun last night - i've got 4 new bites this morning - but i killed 2 of them with my bare hands! HAha!)

Cars zooming down the street ALL night (they actually never stop)

Fridge (BANG....clatter clatter clatter HHHHHHHHHHUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMM....BANG...clatter clatter clatter...silence it goes ...then starts again....BANG)

Bladder did NOT appreciate the 2litres of water i drank (the cold made me do it!) just before bedtime! Nigntmare! (but i did encounter another cockroach and sprayed it to death HA!)

Anyway eventually sleep came and then so did morning...why is it on days when you can actually lie in you always wake up early?

Hannah

Heathfield girls to the rescue!

2006-06-06T22:08:00.000+01:00

This evening we had an adventure truely worthy of a Famous Five story, except that it was more fabulous four. The night unfolded thus:

After a lovely evening spent enjoying gentil conversation and delicious food (cooked by Beth) in the house of Jonesy, Beth and Katie with Marjorie and Mueni we were wandering homewards.

As it is a mild night we were meandering down Whitchurch Road and minding our own business. Suddenly out of nowhere just as we were crossing a road a group of boys (reckless hooligans) crossed our path. They continued along the street perpendicular to us when they happened upon a blue van. One of them put his fist through the window and a loud "crash" of smashing glass was heard. The four (the second lot of 4 things in this story) then wandered down the road before turning down one of the alleys which Cardiff is riddled with.

We all looked at each other groggily having been awoken from our reveries and finally decided that the police should be called. Vix phoned 999 and informed the operator that it was not an emergency. This was very unusual for us, we never phone the emergency services even when we have emergencies.

Wikipedia defines an emergency as: a situation that poses an immediate threat to human life or serious damage to property. A false report of an emergency is usually a crime.

Anyway, after stating the non-emergency reason for the call she discoved that the police considered it urgent/ an emergency and she gave him some details. We were asked to hang around the street corner for a bit for the police. TWO police cars sped to our location ( two people in each so another 4 group) and got a brief description before deciding to play at driving fast in all of the aforementioned alleys.

While they were gone the owner of the van turned up. His own van had been stolen a few weeks before and the now-smashed van was a hire van. He was not particularly impressed.

The police returned empty handed and one of the girls took some details. For some reason everyone else looked at me when she asked who talked the best so I had to try and describe in detail all the boys. It's been a long time since I looked with any great interest at young teenage boys so the desciptions went along the line of erm well... one was probably my height with a black jumper and a cap, the others were shorter and wore teenage boy clothes, would I recognise them again, haha, no!

After a little while the police let us go and we continued on our way home, knowing that we had done our bit this evening to make Cardiff a safer place and a happier community.

Fran
xx