Thanks for the update about your FIL, Bluebells. I guess the longer he goes without a relapse, the more robust the recovery, so his progress is very encouraging! (a friend of mine's grandmother had a hert attack, and relapsed within the "period", as she hadn't got over the hump to make the recovery longer-lasting, so it seems getting out of that danger zone is really important for heart problems 
)
jomouse, if DH is away in London, just come on MN while you're in early labour, and there is bound to be someone to keep you company and talk you through until he gets to you. You won't be alone!
HoneyLovesCake, that huffingh sounds annoying and frustrating. Do you go to bed at about the same time, or get up together? Those could be good times to "catch" him and get him to do something, particularly if you then get to sleep afterwards! 
I was in bed about 3-4 hours before DH last night, so thank goodness we're not planning any hypnobirthing!
fusam, you are more than right to want to scale back your "minding" responsibilities (paid or not), and you shouldn't feel guilty about it. Just remind yourself that if you go into labour unexpectedly, it would really drop your friend and her kids in It, so it would be irresponsible foryou NOT to stop now! You can also think (to yourself) not necessarily say to your friend, that you want some special time with your own DD before her life is heaved about. There have a been a number of threads in AIBU about this, if you want to check back through the archives for some advice on saying no without feeling guilty, and without being steamrollered. There was a brilliant discussion after a post by someone called PreviouslyOnLost, but her neighbours were really horrible, so you might need some different tactics for dealing with someone who is actually nice!
cheeptrick, is that the appointment with the woman who is giving you aggro? It doesn't sound worth your Dh taking the time off at all!
Her springing her pre-visit on you at 1730 is not a sensible idea - why piss about with a child's schedule at the end of the day when he could be hungry? Hmph
However, she has done you a favour in giving you notice of the things she finds "wrong".
And the fact that necessary people are not able to turn up for the meeting is also important. Hasn't her department heard of a "quorum", without which a meeting does not make sense and should not be valid? If you need to raise this point, in person or later, in writing, in your notes, the phrases to use are "there was not a quorum" or "the meeting was irrelevant without X, Y and Z person, so these conclusions are not very relevant"
Tyelperion, well done for laughing! I'm sure baby enjoyed it, too. Another advantage of such fraught situations is that they can give you the ammo you need to get other stresses off your back. My mother was stressing quite a lot about our wedding (mainly people to be invited, etc.), but she shut right up when we had to re-organise the whole thing for a different place at 2 months' notice! 
It was great.
Sorelip, what a nice break! So we can still see one another while red in the face and swearing, then? Fantastic. I shall be this one ---> 
P.S. Liked your show of strength for your poor DH - you are a mensch!
BeeMyBaby, has he done that sort of thing before?! Maybe he is not used to actually doing the "grunt work" of taking DD to the doctor's, and lost his head in the presence of a "medical professional". Has he got a guilty conscience about something, that he feels the need to shift blame onto you? I'm not excusing it at all, but a good analysis of why he did it would help you scotch this behaviour in exactly the right spot, to ensure it doesn't recur.
Good mothering of your cat, LIttleMiss!
(Welcome home, seven and Eva Rose!)
I took DS to a preschool this AM, and, amazingly for the first place we have looked at locally, it was really nice and he liked it! Took an hour to drag him away - hurrah! It would be so brilliant to have him settling before Christmas and starting for good in January, giving me clear mornings to spend with the baby and PMs to spend with both of them. Fingers are crossed! I have two more to see - one tomorrow and one on Tues, but the one on Tue was very off with me, and wasn't prepared to give us much time. Also, it's a Montessori (which they seem to be obssessed with in this town - there are about four, and a fifth is opening soon!). I don't think it is worth getting DS used to some different system, only to have him go to "normal" school next Sept. The poor child has had enough upheaval in his life.