Miss Kolka

This week had been long awaited by Pan and I and now its over. With the second scanning showing all ten fingers and toes, a moving (and we like to believe happy) baby, and a doctor looking fast between its legs (hmmm I think I might have seen a big bump.. but since I was the only one.. it might have been hallucinations) we are reassured. Not that there was anything to worry about but still its good to get it out of the way.

The funny thing about expecting a baby is that everyone has pregnancy stories to share with you. Sometimes they´re nice, about cute babies that do what they´re told but often its about the hassle of birth (something I am not even close to want to think about), horror stories of a 59 year old having triplets or milk powder inducing kidney stones in infants (ok I will admit these two last ones are media stories..that is, from my new best friends :) thank god for CNN I watch everyday). But all in all people tend to be just lovely, saying Hello like the waiter downstairs (what´s up "la grosse" ? translate fatty), giving me their seat at the bank and friends stroking my stomach. Its weird the effect the pregnancy has, mostly on other people. Pan being the greatest, often asking  questions like "did that person bump into you???" in a crowded street or metro  - as if I would say " yes honey, it wasn´t on purpose but can you please punch her/him in the face".  Its nice to be protected

Also - clearly the most common question is to ask pregnant women what it is they are expecting. I have my answer all worked out: "Well, we are keeping it as a surprise but we are hoping for either a boy or a girl." In all fairness, people are just trying to be nice and strike a conversation.

Apart from that "rien a signaler" or RAS as we say in French, except that the lovely but slightly overweight midwife at the hospital is doing something with the balance there. At my last check the silly little thing showed that I had gained 10 kilos "Mademoiselle, here in France we try not to go over 10-12 kilos for the whole pregnancy". Aha.. well.. if it is anything like your calculations for the due date (only country that counts 41 week while others count 40, and then it seems that most French women have their babies 10 days before the due date!! hmm hmm.. ok but lets still say its 41 weeks.. just for the sake of it) then maybe you should rethink these measurements of yours.  Like my cousin said, icelandic babies and  women are big and strong so dont you worry about my kilos. Apparently its more the nordic gene, because according to our danish pregnancy book the baby should now weigh around 600 grams (it weighs 550) while the european numbers count around 350 grams (tiny little thing). So let me rephrase the answer to the ever so popular question:

"We are definately having a viking!"

Jeff Koons exposition draws protesters at Versailles

I told you there were protest in the air this autumn in Paris... didn't think it would be for silly things as well but there you have it. 
I think its beautiful!

I will admit its a bit late to be wondering what happened to Britain's once omnipresent Prime Minister. Still its always interesting to learn something new. And clearly I didnt know much about his early and unplanned retirement. Paul Mitchell´s "The Blair Decade" opened my eyes to the cowardly and sleezy way his own finance minister and number two forced Tony Blair to give up the top seat. There can be said alot about Blair and his way of ruling Britain, and the world but its wasn't really his involvement in the Iraq war, his close relationship with W Bush, his unpopular Universities reform or a loss in national elections that pushed him out. The fall was maneuvered by his own party and his closest collaborators. Brown was so eager to take his place that he got his own supporters to sign a letter informing Blair that they wanted him out, sooner than later. And at the labour convention a few weeks later he announced he was stepping down. And the gloating of Gordon Brown that same day was sickening: The Chancellor praised Mr Blair's achievements as "unique, unprecedented and enduring", not being able to wipe the smile of his face, so eager to take over. Was Blair really ready to leave downing street in 2007? In retrospect, was it the right choice?

I remember being at work that day - we knew he was stepping down, the date had been announced in advance - but boy what did we know really? Not half of the story and how he was betrayed by Brown and company. Alot can be said about Blair´s skills with PR and Spin (which seems to have become a necessary tool in today´s politics) , but Mr. Brown.. maybe you should have paid a little more attention? Or you wouldn´t be in the mess you are today

"Barely one voter in seven now believes [Brown] is fit for the job of prime minister...
However none of his likely replacements - including David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary - would save the party from an election humiliation at the hands of the Conservatives, the poll finds.
The poll's findings throw into sharp relief the dilemma facing the Labour Party as they consider whether to force Mr Brown to stand down. It shows that none of the Cabinet ministers who might seriously challenge him would improve Labour's standing with the electorate."

And Tony has only been gone for less than a year. Maybe Labour should have thought it through a little bit before launching the attack...

so along with a big belly, an uncontrollable appetite and kicks coming out of me at any hour of the day, now I also have extremely vivid dreams. About what.. well about alot of things, yesterday it was about Iraq. Not your typical pregnancy dream I guess but I am pretty sure it was triggered by a video sent to me by a friend on Facebook (Oh yes I finally gave in, considering I have the best excuse in the world to join the webcommunity.. staying at home all day and allowed 20 minutes walking max - what else can I do??) So what do you do with FB? Not much really, finding old aquintances, keeping in touch with work collegues (without talking about work, its quite smart) and looking up pictures of the beautiful Kolka cousins with their offsprings. Its entertaining...for 15 minutes... then ideally I would take up where I left in my interesting book of the moment. Unfortunately, these have been conspiracy theories, thoughts on propaganga, how the media does not do its job properly and assholes in the workplace. Not very positive all that.. no wonder I dream about war. I almost felt guilty when I thought about all these people who live about their daily lives, not knowing if their spouses or children will be back in the evening and how it must be terrible to be so close to violence every day.  All this brought on by our governments, well at least not stopped by those who can. Do people care anymore? They get angry when soldiers die at war - a war that we have triggered ourselves. Civilians in Afghanistan and Iraq die everyday and they didnt even enlist in the army. Isn´t that unfair? 

I think its pretty clear ... I need to lighten up before this baby comes! Do some broderie and look up more muffins recipies..or its doomed to look worried all the time, like its mom did when she was 2.

More on this election because its all I hear about at the moment, and perhaps because Mr. Sarkozy hasn't done anything too scandalous recently (What's going on?) although that might change at any time. I have the feeling I will get some bad news, the French government adding new taxes here and there but mainly here and with my luck, Im sure its going to fall on my back. Perhaps a tax for people having a good salary, but on sick leave, that don't own anything and owe alot in student loans abroad and that will have a child in 2009. why not call it the "lets-ripoff-kolka -law" - that would be easier. 

Back to business, The republican convention's over.. it got alot of attention but I dont know whether its good or bad press. Listening to the "Maverick's" speech you can seriously question his crowd that shouted "USA, USA" again and again.. whatever he was saying, whether he was talking about his VP , his experience as a  prisoner of war (that he milked for at least 20 minutes) or that he was the change Washington needed. So now McCain that has been a senator for over 20 years represents change? I also found the buttons curious that were waved all over during Sarah Palin's speech saying "the hottest VP in America from the coolest state". Typical that people make a statement about her looks.. and they say its the press that is sexist! (questioning her qualifications and dubious use of power in Alaska). Palin compared herself to a pitbull with lipstick.. ok...  She also thinks the war in Iraq has been commanded by god.

I dont think there is any doubt what party I would vote for if I was American. Lets hope for the rest of the world that they can make the right choice.

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