The ongoing search for BFPs now leads the BESH to the barren polar wastes, in the footsteps of Scott, Shackleton and Franklin.

[ArielThePiraticalMermaid]

Pack those reindeer sleeping bags, huskies and skis - we're off to the Antarctic to look for our BFPs. Unlike Scott, we'll eat the poniez if necessary (topical joke). Let's huddle together through the Antarctic night and we'll try not to kidnap one of the emperor penguin toddlers for our very own. Bring on blizzards, pack ice, shipwreck, attacking leopard seals, voyages across the Southern Ocean in rowing boats and hazardous traverses of South Georgia in search of rescue - just like the Shackleton expedition, NO BESH WILL BE LEFT BEHIND.

(do I win the prize for most random fred ever?)

Afternoon all.

Well, counselling went pretty well. Lots of tears, as expected, but I picked up some useful advice. She said I sound like I spend too much time on my own, which only helps the negative thoughts fester. She's advised me to look into a few things to help deal with the stress - deep breathing techniques and muscle relaxation. She also advised that I look at a creative hobby like embroidery, cross-stitch or knitting as a way of keeping my mind occupied when I'm feeling down.

Oh Frank I'm glad it was helpful :) I really enjoy cross stitching. I find it therapeutic and really rewarding - a sense of pride when it's finished!

I am struggling to watch the penguins. I watched the second one this morning and MSB came in to me sobbing at the penguin trying to warm up her frozen chick . I was very happy when the lost one was retrieved by its mother. BESH are definitely rock hoppers!

Luff and gin to you all :)

I didn't breath through the lost chick part! I'm so relieved it found its way back.

Oops, pressed send too soon.

I'm glad the counselling was useful frank. It sounds rather more useful than mine. Mine just did lots of sympathetic head tilts and didn't say a single constructive word, just sympathised with me.

Rasp you hang on to that penguin, honey.

That'll be £40 please.

This one charges £60 per hour . Thankfully this was a freebie!

Will you go again?

I don't intend to at the moment, but she said she's happy to see me again if I feel the need. She didn't say "blimey you're a head case! You're gonna need a lot of work!"

:)

I'm sure she's seen madder people than you Frank.

FUCK IT'S COLD? Anyone else? I have been outside painting for most of the day. It was too cold for to dry, I'll bet.

It is fooking chilly out them there parts rie, with or without an Antarctic feem. Have we decided on next feem? I reckon it might be needed by Monday!

Glad session went well Frank, see how you go. Might be worth another session? Does it have a long waiting list?

Ladies, my friend who is preggers is being subjected to a Babyshower, her friend is organising it for end of May. I will be the only childless barren womble womb there. Not sure i could cope with all the clucking and excitement, I might never get to experience it an all that jazz......would you risk going and just lump the angst/stress of it or just make excuses. She's such a lovely person/friend and she also knows of my barreness. She is sensitive about it all.....which kind of makes me feel bad!

Raspberry I went along to my best friends baby shower last September. It was a surprise, she had said she didn't want one but another friend of hers arranged it. None of the other attendees knew about my barrenness so I made an escape plan - got HWHNN to book cinema tickets for 2 hours after the shower started and then did the whole "silly man booked the wrong showing" routine when I got to the party.
It meant I only had to stay for just over an hour and I texted my friend the next day to apologise for leaving early. She said she'd never have expected me to be there as she knows how hard it is for me and she completely understood my need for an escape plan.

I wouldn't go myself. Have never been invited to one, in fact I don't know anyone who's ever had one. But I wouldn't go. I would have something else very important on the same evening, and give a gift separately. I'd find it unbearable, all that baby talk.

I think I'd take the same line as rie - have some other important event that day and send a gift....

Mmm, I'll see how I feel about it in a couple of weeks then. I think I might make excuses. I know the friend would understand I'm sure. I'm hoping that if we have some IVF dates through by then I might be feeling strong enough to cope because at least ill have some hope to cling on too. Or maybe not and it'll all just make me a jibbering wreck.

I like the double booking idea frank! I'm not sure i get the whole baby shower though? Tis a bit American no?

It does seem to be yet another of one of those events we've imported from America - I'm sure halloween was never a big deal when I was a kid. Or maybe I was just a miserable bitch

I've only been to one baby shower - we'd been TTC six months so it wasn't too hard, especially as there were lots of non-mothers there. It was mostly tea, cake and gossiping to be honest, not too baby themed even (no daft games etc). If it were all parents, mega baby oriented and now after TTC three years I think I'd struggle. Frank's suggestion of an escape plan is good - you show your face and get friend points, but then run away as soon as is polite.

I should add, it was the only baby shower I've been to and like evil's experience it was mostly drinking wine and eating cake. The only game they played (while I was there) was "guess how many sweets in the jar", and there were no actual babies there!

I would make an excuse, I must say. Partly because I wouldn't be able to resist bringing the mood down by responding to any questions about when I might reproduce with a loud and cross "NEVER. I'm INFERTILE." And partly because I think they just sound awful anyway. Grimnosity. But then I am evil and even object to hen nights.

Oh Norf. Am laughing sadly at the reaction of people to "NEVER. I'm INFERTILE." What would it be I wonder? A shocked pause and then hasty resumption of the conversation? A few sympathetic head tilts and the refilling of our wineglasses?

Fuck my husband can be a twat sometimes. Such a fucking prissy fussy annoying fucking knob.

God that felt good.

What's he done Rasp?

Just being a dick about food. He's decided this evening he no longer eats sweet potatoes ( we've got two bags in the cupboard) and he won't eat cherries, again, there's £15 in fridge. I don't mind that he wants to stop eating them but for months if I didn't buy them he'd go nuts and now he just wants to throw it away. I cooked sweetpotato to go with tea, he who he'd so I yelled at him for being a dick.

Clearly I won because he's now being nice and has brought me wine and chocolate and is being creepy nice and has offered to find somewhere for us go away for bank hols.

He who he'd!??? Wtf he whinged so I yelled. Damn phone.

Watching forest gimp now. My day is done

Fuck me fucking gimp. Forest Gump!!!

What channel?