Post from the Wilderness

It's been a few weeks since my last post, so I thought I'd give a quick update on what's happening in my world.

• The baby has started kicking - he/she started last week and I felt him/her for the first time a few days ago.  It was a weird sensation, almost like a nervous twitch in Sinead's belly.
  
• We've started discussing possible names.  Bought a book last week, and we're filtering out the ridiculous.  Over the next few weeks we hope to come up with a shortlist.
  
• We've been less than impressed with our Consultant.  We've visited 6 times now, and have only met him once.  The other 5 times, it's been the midwife (who has been really helpful).  If it doesn't improve we might try to negotiate for a partial refund
  
• I've passed my driving test at the second attempt :-)  Got short notice of a cancellation in mid August, and after a few days prep, I passed.
  
• We took a week off from work, last week.  Went away for a few days to County Clare (west Ireland), where it didn't stop raining from the minute we arrived till the minute we left.  Some high/low lights
• Nice hotel (Hotel Doolin).  Really small and intimate.  It was very easy to relax.  Internet and phone reception were very poor, so there was no temptation to go online.
• Lovely scenery - when the cloud lifted enough to see it
• The rain - will it ever stop.
• Sinead got stung by a wasp
• I got seasick on a boat trip, to see the Cliffs of Moher - which I hear are fantastic!!!  If you are ever in Country Clare check them out (if the weather is nice).
• One of the nicest meals we've had in a long time at Roadford House in Doolin

Some holiday photos

Bird's of Prey at the Aillwee Caves	Going Bear Hunting at the Aillwee Caves
waiting on the boat	getting sea-sick
The Cliffs of Moher, up close	outside the Hydro Hotel in Lisdoonvarna,

 

• The new football season has started!!!  A pretty average start by Man United.  We really need a striker, and I hope we get one before the transfer window closes tomorrow.
  
• Really enjoyed the Olympics.  It's the first one that I've really sat down and watched.  I guess the Sky+recorder made it much more accessible, as I could record the day's events and fast forward through whatever I didn't want to watch.

That's pretty much everything I can remember for now.  Plenty to look forward to over the next few weeks.  Back to work tomorrow, nice and refreshed and ready to go again.  I've got a replacement for my current role, so I'll be doing a lot of handover work during the next few weeks.  Hopefully by mid/late October I'll be able to concentrate 100% of my time on my Web 2.0 role.  Also looking forward to the annual salary review.  Hopefully my boss is able to sort something good out for me.  If not I'll have to seriously consider looking for something else, as we will effectively lose half of Sinead's income during her first 6 months of maternity leave, and all of it if she decides to take more time, which she would really like to do.

Have a lot of travel ahead of me this month.  Off to Germany at the end of this week for a few days, and then in mid September I've got about 10 days away as I go to a meeting in France and then off to San Francisco for Oracle Open World.

Of course it goes without saying that it's going to be a big few months now in the run up to the baby arriving in early December.  Looking forward to getting those last few things done around the house, buying in those last few baby essentials, but most of all really looking forward to meeting our new baby.