The Elderberry Pavlovas: sit on the sofa of hopefulness and make yourself a special omelette while prescribing the vomming cat to those that deserve it and observing the lunching of the tactless.

[barkingtreefrog]

It's time for some more grads!!

The smallprint - Berries have a strict entrance criteria (TTC #1, over 30, TTC for 3+months NO instadiffers, must have a special pot)

Gosh we struggle with EOD, if we did every day one of us would collapse!

Sorry Barking but I'm gonna have to abandon you on the yellow brick road as I'm headed straight for the sofa of self pity.
AF turned up late last night and the cramps woke me up intermittently throughout the night. Didn't get to sleep until about 1am anyway as had been revising late and couldn't switch off. Had a call at 5:45 to say that sadly DPs grandfather has passed away . And I now have to go and sit a 3 hour exam when I can barely keep my eyes open. Oh and to top it all off I've run out of under eye concealer so I look like shit too!
Think I'd better get out of here before I depress everyone else! Have a good day all.

Oh dear happy so sorry to hear about DPs grandfather (and AF), I lost mine 18mo ths ago and it's rotten!

Hope exam goes ok!

Sorry to hear about DP's grandfather, very sad news . Will keep my fingers crossed for your exam, hope it goes well.

And flipping AF on top of it all, doesn't she just have her timing down pat! Hugs x

Clearly just woken up...meant to direct that message at happy!

Just off to get acupunctured. Poor lady is going to be nonplussed when I tell her that AF still hasn't arrived...I think I have to admit that much though I love my acupuncture, my cycle issues are going to need medical assistance as well. Hopefully the acu is helping on some level though..mentally I need to cling to the possibility that I'm doing something useful!

Who was it who was doing the special diet (no oranges, wheat, etc?) I know it was mentioned about two threads ago!

I think that was cherry, to try and combat early menopause. I hope she's getting on ok with it, it seemed to agree with her last time we heard from her...

well, just to make sure I remember, I have just got an automated text reminding me about my fc appt next week. very efficient.

As if I would forget this, I had to push for them to even send me for it!

Ha Tally I know, they're oh so efficient once you've done all the hard work and nagged them into action!

Speaking of which, I've booked my hycosy for Tues next week. The doctor still hasn't phoned me back after over a week of daily calls, so I've just had a lengthy argument with the radiology dept about taking a pg test instead of starting a new cycle and they've finally agreed. Who needs doctors eh? Hope I get on better than poor old barking did..

Think you're right, must have been cherry. Hope she's getting on ok too. Was thinking of a radical overhaul of my diet and looking for pointers..!

well going dairy free is worthwhile. when we cut it out completely we both lost loads of weight without trying. however, now we have lactofree and goats alternatives, we've put it all back on with a vengeance!
I don't know much about diet though, but a couple of others seemed knowledgeable.

Haha tally I know, it's the goat's cheese curse - so tasty! That's exactly what I did when I used to do the paleo diet, I'd start finding alternatives that were probably worse than what I was replacing! I'm going to start to do it properly again because I felt so much healthier when I did. I'll definitely try and ditch the dairy again, but it's more the specific things she'd cut out I'm interested in, like why she shouldn't eat certain fruit like oranges etc - I'm wondering if I can specifically choose which veg/fruit I use to influence hormones. Might need to do some intensive googling!

I'm afraid the only evidence based diet is good d healthy eating. I'm a dietitian so I get asked bizarre diet questions all the time. I'd love to tell you something glamorous and exciting but afraid it just bog standard healthy eating!

bunny how'd the exam go?

Not me with the exam, It was happy I think.

CD14 here and still no +opk, had + on days 12 and 13 last month so maybe it's not happening this month?!?

Evening Berries. Was indeed me with the exam. Wasn't too bad thanks Blind even though the tutor hadn't covered half of the syllabus. Glad it's over with now though - one less thing to stress about!
Bunny don't give up with the OPKs. I OVd on cd16 last month when it
usually happens around cd11-13 (I only know his because I temp - hint hint )

Hello all,
Glad you seem to be having better days today. Much sympathy for the poorly woofers, sad OHs and frustrating medical professionals...
Well, I was offered a job today! It's highly confidential, so can't say too much, but suffice to say that there is now a part of me hoping that we didn't conceive over the weekend. How's that for the law of sod? God, the irony!
Obvs, if by some miracle I am pg, I wouldn't persue the job. But we even talked about not actively trying for a few months to give me a chance to do the job for a bit.... It feels so weird after so many months of wanting mother more. It also makes me cross that it has to be a choice...
I've gone more or less wheat and dairy free and feel good for it. Not replacing with any processed alternatives as they can make me feel rough. Only thing is rice milk on porridge. Going good. Less sugary snacks too, but the odd thing, if I'm desperate.

Bunny I OV'd on day 27 and usually OV on day 20 so probably nothing to worry about. Keep POAS, I'm sure you'll get a positive soon.

Thanks happy and gil for the reassurance, guess I need to keep DTD and poas although we go away for work Thursday so that isn't going to help!

I'm there with you Bunny, still - opk for me and I'm on day 19. DP has his op in 2 days so I'm desperately hoping I O by then!! (I know a couple of days later will still give us a chance but this is my positivity cycle - I need to give it the best chance possible!!!!!)

If I look at all the cycles I have charted, discard the very short and very long cycles, and take those that are 'normal' and where ff agrees with me on when I Ov'd, that leaves 10 to look at. 5 of them show O on CD19 and 5 show O on CD22. How bizarre is that?! Never CD20 or CD21!!

Charming job sounds very exciting if a little mysterious! I was gutted today as I missed out on an amazing job opportunity I didn't know existed until it was too late . I could have moved to 4 days a week without having to swap class partner or contract or anything, but because they didn't know I wanted more hours (I think I went through my extensive deliberations about that a while ago and conclusion was that because of ttc I didn't want to ask for a different role and then potentially leave it in 9 months) and another member of staff had specifically stated in their appraisal meeting that they wanted more hours, I didn't get asked . It would have been perfect . But, I'm sticking with my yellow brick road, so I'm sure it means something better is going to happen just not sure how

I am also looking for a new job, but I am less optimistic about it. I don't really know what to look for. I want to teach textiles to adults but don't have any quals. the only way I can do it is through the organisation I volunteer with, so that's currently not earning me anything. I might be able to run paid workshops soon though, yay!

hi all. just checking in! cd9 here...
Does anyone else not temp or use opk?
I hav used opk for a couple of cycles and they suggest I ov around cd10/11.
But we just dtd eod from day 7ish to 20....
We hav done every day for 7 days around cd10 but that didnt work so went back to the easier eod.

Morning folks! Where has the sunshine gone?

Having a massive panic-clean of the house this morning, MIL is coming over from Spain this afternoon and will no doubt feel the need to comment on some aspect of my housekeeping ability ...

Puppy I don't opk or temp - both would lead me down a spiral of disappointment and despair haha! Hope your sexathon has done the trick!

Happy glad the exam went ok!

Kitty booo you mean I can't get pregnant by eating kiwis and sardines alone?

Charming new mystery job sounds fab, whatever it may be! Congratulations! Although I know what you mean, it's hard sometimes to look to the future when none of us have any idea when the mythical BFP is going to show up! Hope everything works out neatly for you.

Tally could you just set up your own private classes? Surely you don't need any qualifications other than expertise (or am I being naive?)

barking sorry you missed out on the job

I'm also looking for a job...not really a new job, just 'a' job haha! None of the hospitals in my area seem to be releasing any vacancies, starting to get a bit worried about what's going to happen post-graduation. Looks like there might be a bit more waitressing on the horizon for this little midwife

it's ridiculous that there are no midwife jobs out there. people aren't going to stop having babies no matter what the government says. maybe you could set up independently too?

I can try and run classes but I need a venue and contacts for advertising. going to carry on with this as although they have no money at the mo they have expansion plans so I will be needed more then.

Morning all you healthy eaters / job seekers / house cleaners / exam takers / dtd'ers etc

the mystery job offer sounds particularly exciting! I've a notion that if I was to go for a new job, the law of Sod would prevail such that I would get updiffed as soon as I got an offer/ handed in my notice. Or within a very short space thereof. Which wouldn't be the end of the world I guess...(particularly if new job was better paid with better holiday to accrue in mat leave and old job sent me home with a payment in lieu of notice...).

Not much to report Here - cd 6- not temping but might take up opk-ing again this month (didn't bother last mth but since ultrasound showed no ov at cd20 am curious to see whether I'll ov late/ at all this mth).

Have been travelling on trains round the country for the past week or so for work / leisure & have now started singing "woah living in a train" to the tune of "living on a prayer" whenever I get in a train (not out loud). I need to spend less time on trains.

I can't set up independently Tally, because the EU has just made it illegal Long story, I've been involved in a lot of political campaigning about it but midwives can't get insurance except through the NHS and come October no midwife will be able to practice without insurance. Very sad day for British maternity care (and me) if it goes through, especially as I always hoped I'd go independent after a few years in the NHS.

Aquarius heheh I like your new take on Bon Jovi!

Think I've just burnt my lungs using the new shower cleaning gel. TOXIC!

the EU sucks. Damn the man. save the empire...

Afternoon berries,
Just popping in as haven't been on for a while, decided that after 12 months TTC was stressing me out too much. I just want to enjoy my summer, sun is shining and we spent a lovely afternoon drinking mango vodka in the garden.
I want more days like this so have taken the decision to stop stressing myself and concentrate on the tearooms. The bbt has gone, the opks and hpts have been put away and I'm going to enjoy the rest of my summer and see what happens. Dh doesn't want to leave it too long so we will visit the docs in September.
I will pop back every now and then but hopefully all you lovely berries will be on the grad thread by then
Xxx