Happy Friday - the red velvet hand of friendship

In a recent workshop we were tasked with planning a dinner party with entertainment afterwards. It was an exercise in 
communication. We have so many nationalities and faiths in our group that we needed to negotiate and more importantly learn about what our colleagues could and would not eat and do.
One group ended up with red velvet cake for dessert... there were oohs and aahs until a Zimbabwean guy asked what it was. Horror! 'You don't KNOW?' was the common reaction. Interesting. So, I offered to make him one and I took it in for him. It was a little thing to do, and a red velvet cake is not a reflection of British culture, but it is yummy and is gives me joy to do something for someone else. 

Happy Friday.

The OK

Big J drove me to Brighton for the appointment with the breast surgeon....and it went well. Nothing sinister, very painful, but nothing to worry about. 

We met up with Adam in the pub where he works in Kemp Town, had a potter, some chips on the beach and came home.

Relief is a funny thing. It is not always a euphoric thing. I actually feel as flat as a pancake. However, I suspect some sleep will help no end. Not much of that going on around here. 

And, I failed my first ever essay. Frankly I was shocked. The comments were blunt to say the least and I think I have been taken down a peg or two. It was hard to read them, especially as I had worked very hard.  After some wallowing, I booked myself onto a writing workshop because I have loads of essays due in the next two months.  I just hope I am up to becoming a nurse. 

Results are in

The results are in for the first anatomy and physiology exam and I passed. I worked hard but realised that I have a lot to learn about the learning process and in fact have to relearn how to learn!

I will take that forward and try and do better next time round. Very happy today. 

Happy Friday 2 - Slippery babies

Today I was in a baby massage session. No photos were allowed, but it was great. Buck-naked babies on mats with mums gently oiling them. They use sunflower oil!! They were all slippery looking and shiny. The background music was the same as for an adult spa session, low, melodious and slow, but, it was things like Brahm's lullaby, Scarborough Fair and other songs that a mum might sing.  A happy way to spend some time. 

Broken hearts and babies

One of the hardest things for me being a mum has been talking to Han - a very upset Han this week, about splitting up with her first real love. She is so far away and so sad, he is sad and it breaks my heart that no-one can do anything to reduce the hurt they both feel. 

I have enjoyed the clinics and visits so far this week and participated in a meeting about a Gypsy Traveller Project which was fascinating. 

The area I am in is so multicultural and it is a real priviledge to be invited into so many homes in my mere student capacity to talk about very personal issues. 

And I confess, all those tiny babies are just gorgeous!!!

Cluck, cluck. 

Dragging my feet

You know that kid that dawdles on the way to school, that runs a stick along the fences and hedges, that get slower as school gets closer? That's me tonight. 
The essay is done, the references are done, spell-check done, grammar check, done. BUT I cannot bring myself to send it because I am still not convinced the Harvard referencing is correct. For some reason references have always bothered me. I think it is because I do not get the Volume, issue, thing and referencing a book is so much easier than referencing a government publication.
So - it is ready and I will send it in TOMORROW after I print out the reference page and pick over it with a fine tooth comb, again. 

Two weeks in Community Health begins tomorrow with a bump to baby clinic....eeek! Not sure how I will be with mums and offspring.