Days 26-30...yes you guessed it....

Day Twenty Six;
Today's little rant is about the inappropriate clothes that this hot weather seems to have made people wear....or rather not wear.  On Sunday I was astounded at how many over-weight, middle aged men with tattoos seem to think we would all like them to get their kit off.  As previously stated, being over-weight myself makes me surely able to comment on the fact that no one wants to see people's wobbly, white bits!!  No one especially wants to see them when you are dripping sweat on their magazine FACT!!  I just don't understand how and why these blokes seem to think it's ok to whip their tops off at the first glimmer of a ray of sunshine.  It does not matter if your out drinking, we still don't wanna see it!!  FOR THE LOVE OF GOD PUT IT AWAY MAN!!!!
I used to work in a bar where the management insisted we evict all customers who refused to wear a top in the hot weather and quite rightly so in my opinion.  In broad daylight, where others are trying to enjoy a quiet drink or even a meal, are you mental??  Don't get your moobs out...NO DON'T DO IT!!  Sorry for all the capitals but this really bugs me! (See below for an example of this sort of nonsense).



So today just when I thought it could not get any worse..it did.  It also caused me to nearly rear end the car in front as I encountered (bear in mind this is Hereford and not London or New York where maybe this sight would not have been so shocking) a fat man (older than my Dad and definitely past 70) wearing a yellow t-shirt, yellow, tight, lycra leggings and brown brogues.  Now I'm sorry but whatever the weather......NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!  You just don't do it...I don't care if your trying to be summery its godawful!!  Really and truly it is!  So below I have put images of the items similar to the ones he was wearing as I couldn't honestly stop and take a photo of him now could I?





Ok and this is what body shape the bloke was......so very true I promise!!



Yep...really....In Hereford....on a Tuesday.  Minging!!!!

Which leads me to my next clothing gripe....ladies you are responsible for this one.  Short denim shorts that are actually shorter than you (by which I mean people who are ok with walking around with their arses out). See pic below;



Ok so the model above has a nice arse and really can get away with it whilst modelling but in general if your pockets in your shorts are longer than the actual shorts and therefore on show, something has gone awry!!  Stop and put some actual clothes on before you leave the house.  Also if your arse cheeks are 'eating' your shorts or as my sister says if you have a 'greedy bum' don't wear tiny shorts.  No one needs to see it bar your boyfriend/girlfriend/carer.



Abercrombie and Fitch have gone one step further than me and actually stopped overweight people from wearing their clothes..........

Abercrombie & Fitch doesn't stock women's clothing in XL or XXL sizes because they don't want anybody who doesn't fit their particular body ideal to wear their clothing!

Robin Lewis, co-author of The New Rules of Retail blames Abercrombie CEO Mike Jeffries' personal attitude toward overweight people as the reason for the lack of plus-sized clothing on the racks.

He recently said:

"He doesn't want larger people shopping in his store, he wants thin and beautiful people. He doesn't want his core customers to see people who aren't as hot as them wearing his clothing. People who wear his clothing should feel like they're one of the "cool kids". Abercrombie is only interested in people with washboard stomachs who look like they're about to jump on a surfboard."

Also, according to Lewis, Abercrombie offers men's sizes in XL and XXL to appeal to more athletic builds, but the author doubts that the company will ever sway from its size-ist standards.

Jeffries himself admitted as much in a 2006 interview, saying:

"That’s why we hire good-looking people in our stores. Because good-looking people attract other good-looking people, and we want to market to cool, good-looking people. We don’t market to anyone other than that. In every school there are the cool and popular kids, and then there are the not-so-cool kids. Candidly, we go after the cool kids. We go after the attractive all-American kid with a great attitude and a lot of friends. A lot of people don’t belong [in our clothes], and they can’t belong. Are we exclusionary? Absolutely. Those companies that are in trouble are trying to target everybody: young, old, fat, skinny. But then you become totally vanilla. You don’t alienate anybody, but you don’t excite anybody, either."

Hmm. We're not sure this particular strategy is working too well, because H&M and American Eagle, which just happen to be Abercrombie's main competition, seem to be doing quite well by being inclusive.

Abercrombie also doesn't stock women's pants above a size 10 while H&M and American Eagle stock pants up to sizes 16 and 18, respectively.

It could be argued that H&M is actually bigger and more successful than Abercrombie (just take a look at their campaign stars!), and they don't practice any of this "exclusionary" nonsense whatsoever.

We wouldn't wanna shop anywhere that could be so prejudiced.

http://perezhilton.com/cocoperez/2013-05-08-abercrombie-and-fitch-ceo-mike-jeffries-plus-size-clothing-ban#.UeWe7o21Hpo

Another site says......

An interview from 2 years ago with an Abercrombie and Fitch District Manager who requested to remain nameless will make the now-viral comments CEO Mike Jeffries made about fat people seem harmless and light-hearted.

The unnamed manager was asked how Abercrombie and Fitch responds to the requests by non-profit organizations to have their clothing donated to the poor.

The manager had no shame at all when admitting that the company downright refuses to send any clothing to those in need.

“Abercrombie and Fitch doesn’t want to create the image that just anybody, poor people, can wear their clothing. Only people of a certain stature are able to purchase and wear the company name.”

Well.

A company that is actually known for having elegant people flaunt their brand could maybe get away with a comment like this, but we all know that

Abercrombie and Fitch is the preferred retailer for those who only think they have class and elegance, but really they’re a bunch of posers with bad attitudes and fake tans.

It seems like the world is finally figuring out that the glamorous ideals of A&F were really implemented by some of the most hideous personalities known to man. Here at Elite, we understand what truly commands stature, respect and admiration. One of the easiest ways to obtain these sacred qualities is by giving.

It’s people who dedicate their lives to helping those in need who should be endorsed and idolized, not those who don’t value compassion and generosity.

An honorable clothing company would be glad to give as much clothing as possible to the poor. We pray that A&F has changed its policy on the charity issue by now because ,if not, the retailer should be ashamed for not acknowledging the moral duty to serve those in need.

Despite the bad economy and all the people who could use a little help, Abercrombie and Fitch prefers not to sacrifice any bit of their superior, cliquey image in order to help anyone but themselves. This company is completely outrageous.

Think of all the clothing they could have donated to people like the Katrina victims, or for the Haiti relief. In today’s world, consumers are looking for altruistic companies, not those littered with biases and preoccupied with superficiality. This type of bad business will hopefully lead to negative results for this clothing giant.

http://elitedaily.com/news/world/abercrombie-says-it-would-rather-burn-clothes-than-give-them-to-poor-people/

Now I don't agree with this attitude to clothing (fat people can wear what they want - just look at me lol) but there have to be lines drawn somewhere.  I don't want to see your bums, flabby white, old man chests or the outline of your penis through spandex yellow leggings.  Just saying!  FR.

Day Twenty Seven;
My rant today comes to you from in front of the fan, where I am lying prone on the floor, after having all my energy zapped by not one but two teething children!!  Why at the same time?  Probably karma....it's true it does bite you on the ass!!  Anyway my rant is not about my lovely tooth-filled children (having got all my wisdom teeth the pain of toothache is still quite fresh and not to be sniffed at!!), no it's about ice creams and lollies.  WHAT??  I hear you scream, have the dozy cow taken leave of her senses? Ice creams are amazing and yes I'm not mental I love them too, but to sound exactly like my dad, have you seen the price of them??
Now I am a big fan of ice creams and lollies in the summer, can't see anything wrong with a nobbly bobbly or a solero (only 5 syns at slimming world - yummy goodness) making it's way into my hands (see photos below) but what I do object to is paying the same price for one ice cream (yes just one) as I would for say a box of fish fingers which will last Jake a week or a box of dog biscuits that will last them two weeks or enough butter for a month!!!




So why is having an ice cream (and lets face it, with kids you can't just have one ice cream you have to buy them one too or they whine and ruin your enjoyment of said ice cream!) so bloody expensive??  I want to have a treat not remortgage the house!!  I mean it's not an essential and no I don't have to have it but I want it and I don't want to have to pay the earth for it.  Someone thinks they have the answer..........

Dairy products in general are going up in price because there was a drought through out the mid-west last year. Drought equals fewer crops, fewer crops means higher feed costs, higher feed costs equals higher product costs.

http://www.ask.com/answers/306099481/why-is-ice-cream-so-expensive-and-why-the-the-world-would-they-put-taxes-on-ice

But why then can they sell them in all the large supermarkets for 3 in a box for a quid?  Are the supermarkets taking a loss on them to promote sales of other stuff??  Why is it only in the shops in town and when you buy single ice creams rather than boxes that you have to pay the earth?  Not only this country seems to be overcharging for their ice cream.............

In the heat of summer, nothing soothes quite like an ice cream - unless the price is a sore point, as it was for two British couples visiting the Spanish Steps in Rome. But how much is too much to pay for one of the nation's favourite treats?

A 64-euro (£54, $83) bill for four ice creams seems like a gross act of overcharging.

And while most people would baulk at shelling out quite that much, many consumers in the UK are prepared to pay a premium for what they view as an "affordable treat" - be it a scoop of gelato or a freshly made artisan ice cream.

Specialist ice-cream parlours and fashionable "fro-yo" (frozen yogurt) shops, a niche market which first took off in the US, are popping up in towns and cities across the UK.

Aficionados are quick to hand over up to £7.50 for half a litre of artisanal ice cream, similar for a specialist sundae. Why? Because in the summer we associate it as "a happy food", says Zelica Carr, chief executive of the Ice Cream Alliance, which represents 600 businesses in the UK. "We still say it's an affordable treat."

Of the people in the UK who buy ice cream, 49% buy tubs, while ice-cream sticks are bought by 51% of people, and 35% love a cone, 31% buy lollies and 25% of people buy the desserts from vans.

On average, British people spend more on ice cream than ever before - £17 a year on six litres each.

However other nations still spend more - Norwegians spend £33 ($50) per head a year, Australians £30 (A$46, $46), the Swiss £25 (SFr37, $38), and Americans get through 17 litres each a year.

Continue reading the main stor

The UK's ice cream, sorbet and frozen yogurt market has grown by 19% in the past five years, and is now worth £1.1 bn ($1.7bn). But volume sales are forecast to drop slightly to 343 million litres, says Amy Price, senior food analyst at market research firm Mintel.

Consumers are buying in smaller amounts - large one-litre plastic boxes of ice cream are now less commonplace, while single-serving 150ml and 450-500ml cardboard tubs are more readily available.

It appears that some consumers are happy to spend more on less.

From a branded ice-cream shop to an artisanal gelateria, the overall experience counts, says Vince Mitchell, professor of consumer marketing at Cass Business School in London.

"People won't pay it if everyone else has got it - you've got to have an exclusivity to it. So, in an artisanal store or a restaurant that only has that on its menu, exclusivity means you can charge a price premium," he explains.

Perhaps this was why the British couples in Rome were disappointed, as eating gelato in Italy's capital is hardly an exclusive experience.

"You're not buying the ice cream, you're buying Rome," says Ronnie Ballantyne, lecturer in marketing at Glasgow Caledonian University.

Continue reading the main story

Frozen yogurt outlets such as Yoomoo, Snog and AngelBerry also sell an experience - promoting a health-conscious image.

It's still a niche area but it is seeing the fastest growth - sales rose 50% in 2009-11. It is popular with 16-24-year-olds and those living in London, and shops like Yoomoo are now expanding into at-home tub ranges.

Premium ice-cream brands are not averse to "tricks" to get consumers to pay more, like the US firm Haagen Dazs did when it started out in 1961, Ronnie Ballantyne says.

"What these guys did was take a mundane product and gave it a Scandinavian title to amplify consumers' perception of value, and take sexuality, sensuality and pleasure and tap in to the audience's psyche, and build a brand on to it.

"If you look at Ben and Jerry's, which is advertised around 'saving the world', it becomes a philosophy - the audience may or may not know, but it's a classic way to amplify price and prestige."

However, customers will turn their back if it costs too much, he says.

"You can pay £15 in Leicester Square for an ice cream and you don't get all that architecture and illusion. There is always going to be a tipping point when price is too much."

Tourist traps aside, inflation has been pushing up prices. In 2006 standard ice cream was £2.50 per litre, but in 2012 it was £3.12 per litre, says Amy Price.

So how do manufacturers get us to part with our money?

Product differentiation through quality ingredients and novel flavours mean "that it does actually taste better and, therefore, we don't mind", says Vince Mitchell.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22447799

I do think people are more inclined to pay more for a 'quality' product but that being said I don't want to pay more for something than I have to.  I love ice cream and it makes me sad when I can't have them due to cost.......

Ha ha ha!!  This is definitely how much I love ice cream.  So why on earth do the shops do it?  Well I will tell you, because they can!!  If there are people who will buy it at vastly inflated prices (guilty - especially in this heat) then they will sell it at those prices.  Their aim is to make money and we make it easy for them by paying for one cornetto what a box of four costs from Tesco.  But hey, who cares right??  It's so hot and ice cream is so yummy, I say sell the car!!  FR.

Day Twenty Eight;
Wow twenty eight days of ranting!  That's a lot of moaning, whinging and whining about stuff lol!!   I'm even more of a miserable cow than ever today because of the heat...I have categorically had ENOUGH!!  I am fed up of lots of things today but my biggest gripe of the day is definitely people in other cars not saying thank you after I have stopped to let them pass, when the bloody obstruction is on their side of the frigging road......gggaaahhhhhh!!!!
Looks like I'm not the only one.....

BCA RESEARCH SUGGESTS MOTORISTS WILL WELCOME NEW POWERS FOR POLICE TO TACKLE BAD DRIVING

Wednesday, 05 June 2013

Selfish driving and using mobile phone while driving top the poll of pet peeves

London, 5th June 2013 – Research from leading vehicle remarketing specialist, British Car Auctions (BCA), suggests motorists will welcome news of new powers for police to tackle bad driving. In a survey of 800 motorists*, BCA found that ‘selfish driving’ is the thing motorists hate most about other drivers, with 70% citing this as one of their top three frustrations. 57% of those polled were concerned about other motorists using a mobile phone while driving, while over a third (34%) said motorists’ texting while driving was a major frustration.

The new laws announced today will give police the power to issue £100 fixed penalty fines and three points for offences such as tailgating or middle-lane hogging that used to go to court. Fixed penalties for using a mobile phone while driving or not wearing a seatbelt will also rise by £40 to £100.

The BCA research also asked drivers about bad habits they had picked up since passing their test. Top of the list was not keeping both hands on the steering wheel, with 60% of motorists admitting to this. Second came speeding on motorways, with 41% of drivers saying they did this, with a further 32% saying they sometimes drive through amber lights. But only 4% admitted to using a hand-held mobile phone while driving.

“It’s interesting to see that only 4% of drivers admitted to using their phone without hands free, but over half of those we surveyed are irritated by drivers who do the same” said Tim Naylor, Editor of the BCA Used Car Market Report.

“When asked which things have the biggest negative impact on the way they drive, nearly half of our respondents simply blamed other drivers (47%). It seems that UK drivers also like a bit of courtesy on the road, with 43% saying that they hate being ‘cut-up’.

Drivers Admit their Own Top Bad Habits

1. I don't keep both hands on the steering wheel 60%
2. I speed on motorways 41%
3. I sometimes drive through amber lights 32%
4. I use my mobile phone, not on hands free 4%

Pet Hates About Other Drivers

1. Selfish Driving 70%
2. Drivers Using Their Phone 57%
3. Being 'cut-up' by other drivers 43%
4. Drivers not saying 'thank you' if you let them out into traffic, etc 34%
5. Drivers texting 34%


*BCA surveyed motorists, December 2012

http://www.sourcewire.com/news/78058/bca-research-suggests-motorists-will-welcome-new-powers-for-police

So even though we hate it when others do it, why are there still so many rude and inconsiderate drivers out there?  I know we are all in a rush sometimes and I know sometimes you can just not notice what's going on around you but a lot of people seem to take pleasure from just glaring at me as they pass after I have stopped to let them through.  As many of these situations are where the obstruction is on their side on the road it makes me so angry I could scream!!!

Apparently there are some laws that you might not even know you were breaking (I have broken loads of these...oooops sorry!

Warning fellow oncoming motorists
Warning other drivers of a police speed trap could land you with a fine of up to £500. A 64-year-old male motorist from Grimsby helped a fellow driver avoid a potential prosecution and was hit with a fine and costs totalling £440 by magistrates.

Dirty number plate
Number plates that obscure the registration details can lead to a £1,000 fine.

Beeping your horn
Sounding your horn while stationary is illegal, unless to warn a moving vehicle of danger. In fact, you can't use your horn on a residential street from 11.30pm till 7am in any circumstances.

Changing a CD
...or, sipping a hot drink, eating food or doing your make-up while driving could be considered careless or even dangerous.

Pulling over to take a mobile phone call
You may still be considered by police to be 'driving' and therefore breaking the law if the engine is running, even if you are parked at the kerbside. Be safe: park up and switch off or use a hands-free phone.

Playing loud music
Playing loud music, especially with your car windows down, could be regarded as causing a distraction for either yourself or other road users.

Cradling a babe in your arms
As a passenger, holding a baby while the car is moving, even if you are wearing a seatbelt, is unlawful and the driver is responsible. All children must have a 'restraint', such as a booster seat or baby seat, until their 12th birthday or reaching 135cm tall. Travelling in a taxi is an exception.

Road rage
Being abusive or making rude hand gestures to a fellow road user or pedestrian can be judged inconsiderate, careless or dangerous driving.

http://cars.uk.msn.com/features/motoring-laws-you-may-not-know-you%E2%80%99ve-broken

Well I think we all know which one I've broken today (road rage - although to be fair it does not mention muttering swear words and saying "your welcome" very loudly with your windows down).  This photos about sums it up.......

According to a study by Aviva (car insurers) 48% of people hate others not saying thank you so I'm definitely not on my own here.....

Being cut up by other motorists, seeing drivers talking on their mobile phone, and being followed too closely are the three biggest motoring bugbears according to research released today.

The research, commissioned to mark the launch of RAC’s Road Respect Day, also revealed that a third of motorists get angry behind the wheel at least three times a week. Unsurprisingly, the nation’s capital, notorious for its heavy traffic, was voted the area of the UK with the lowest levels of respect shown on the road.

Up and down the country, motorists have identified the top five most frustrating driving behaviours as:

1. Motorists driving too close behind (72%)
2. Motorists on the phone while driving (68%)
3. Being cut up by other motorists (68%)
4. Not indicating (65%)
5. Not saying thank you for giving way (48%)

Interestingly, driving too slowly causes more aggravation than speeding, with 45% of drivers saying they hate it when other motorists drive significantly below the speed limit.

http://www.aviva.co.uk/media-centre/story/5364/lack-of-respect-gets-motorists-all-revved-up/

But apparently we have it quite easy here in the UK according to the next photo....

Whatever the case is behind the not saying thank you it gets to me. It's rude, as rude as someone not saying thank you when you hold a door open for them...people are much less inclined to be so rude face to face so why in a car?  Apparently there are facebook pages set up in favour of saying thank you.....

The courtesy wave is a simple gesture to thank your fellow driver, cyclist or pedestrian for being courteous and considerate on the road.  It can be expressed in a number of ways from an effusive hand-wave out the window to a more subtle, subdued head-nod.

The courtesy wave can be used in a variety of situations:

• When merging lanes and your fellow driver creates space for you to merge
• When driving on a narrow street and the oncoming driver pulls over allowing you to pass
• When yielding right of way when the right-of-way is unclear
• When acknowledging a driver of the same vehicle – a particular favourite of motorcyclists and Kombi drivers
• When apologising for a driving indiscretion such as (accidentally) cutting off another driver

While it may seem like an antiquated notion, there is still considerable support for this form of driving etiquette. There are at least 16 Facebook fan pages created by supporters and a Canadian website called MyRoadWaves was set up so recipients of the courtesy wave could enter details of their experience (including locating the incident on Google Maps), and then share that experience with fellow courtesy wave advocates.

The courtesy wave is not a legal requirement but it can substantially raise the tone of driving while at the same time lower the temperature of motorists.

http://www.mynrmacommunity.com/motoring/2011/05/26/the-lost-art-of-the-courtesy-wave/

So really it's just not on, if someone is nice enough to let you out or through then say thanks....nod, wave, stick a thumb up anything!  What you don't do is nothing.  Nada.  Zilch.  That's bad manners and that makes me mad!!  FR.

Day Twenty Nine;

So today's little morsel comes to you from a bad place, a sticky place, a fly infested place.  The surface of my son's highchair where he has opted to empty his drinks container full of sticky squash!!  Excellent!!  

I knew it was going to be one of those days when the first thing that happened as I leapt (ok shuffled and groaned) out of bed was to stub my toe on the bloody baby rocker in my room (have two now....soon we will have to all sit in them and get rid of the sofas to make room!!)  I then jumped (ok hobbled like an OAP in a nursing home) into the shower and got blasted by super-hot water - apparently our shower does no other temperatures in this heat - oh what a frigging joy!!!

Since this time I have taken both kids for a walk around the wood (Queenswood - nice and shady), fed them ice cream, mopped up ice cream off them and my skirt (Jake used it as a tissue), fed them lunch, watched Jake squash blackberries into his hands and Tabitha smash raspberries into her legs and had the dubious pleasure of cleaning them both (they were attracting far too many flies and wasps for my liking).  I then watched in horror as Jake shoved the top of his drink's bottle in on itself and tipped the entire thing over himself and his high chair.  "Why did you not stop him, you stupid woman?" I hear you scream.  Well, I shall tell you.  I was in the process of changing Tabitha's nappy and could only watch from my position by the change table as he up-ended the bloody bottle.  So my rant today.....children's 'non-spill' bottles!!!

So these are just two of the many, many, apparently 'non-spill' child's bottles that I have tried with Jake and believe me when I say "OF COURSE THEY BLOODY SPILL, IT'S LIES!!!!"  I have tried them all, every make and effing model we have been there, tried that, got wet!  Jake just loves to tip and I for one would be very happy if I could find a reliable bottle.  It seems my son is a master at figuring out just how to get the squash out.  Whether it's a finger down the nozzle or shoving the whole flexi-plastic bit back into the bottle, then he is a genius!!

This is fact is the only bottle that has ever come close to being relatively ok.....

BRAND NEW 

The Easy Drink cup is ideal when moving on from the first stage of drinking. Its soft and easy to drink from spout feels great in babies little mouths and easy grip handles makes holding this cup easy. 

Developed for babies aged 7-12 months.

260 ml capacity.

• Larger spout to further develop drinking action
• Hygiene cap
• Truly non spill & leak proof
• Easy grip, non detachable handles
• BPA-free

But trust me when I say.....even this is no match for Jake! he simply bangs it hard enough till the plastic bit inside falls into the squash and then hey presto....squash is released faster than you can say 'bath time!'  Seems I'm not the only one to fall foul of these bottles.....

Tommee Tippee explora easiflow straw cup - bad flow - Tommee Tippee easyflow straw cup

Just purchased my first Tommee Tippee explora easiflow straw cup and after cleaning/assembly for first use, it was a disappointment. The flow was not easy as advertised and water still leaked out. Will Tommee Tippee stand behind their product and take these bottles back?

http://tommee-tippee-reviews.measuredup.com/Complaint-Tommee-Tippee-explora-easiflow-straw-cup-bad-flow-53263

There were many reviews saying the same thing and some people saying they were ok and were truly non-spill.  I'm not convinced!  I just wish they would make one that will withstand my child!!  If not maybe I will have to take him back and exchange him for one that doesn't spill squash everywhere and turn our house into fly heaven!!  Just kidding - not many people could afford to keep him in fruit - he is like a fruit bat!!  The sooner he learns to drink from a cup and not tip it over his head the better.  Mind you, in this heat, who can blame him!!  FR.

Day Thirty;
So apologies once again for my slovenly time keeping on the weekends and bringing day thirty a day late to you guys.  I will of course closely follow it with a day thirty one (OMG 31 days!!)  I was indisposed yesterday at the wedding of a fellow gin-lover and very good friend  - brilliant wedding - great time had by all.  Not much to rant about there but before I left home for the wedding I  did have an opportunity to 'get my rant on' as Andy says.
Jake had been invited to go and see a dietitian (he has cows milk allergy and gastro reflux).  On the letter was a section entitled 'for mum' which really bugs me.  Why, when you go and see health care professionals do they insist on calling you 'mum'.  Why can't they call me Gemma or Mrs Jones - I'm not their mum for Christ's sake!!!  This really peeves me....A LOT!!
It all started when I saw the midwife when I was pregnant with Jake.  (see photo below for bump alert!)  So there I was going through my notes and detailing my medical history when she suddenly asked me "And what does mum do for a living?"  I explained my mum was an assistant in a pharmacy and she laughingly explained she meant me and then proceeded to call me mum for the rest of the appointment.  #awkward  I mean I don't know about anybody else but having a woman who was quite clearly old enough to be my mother call me mum was so off-putting and felt oddly patronising.  It continued at the hospital, with Andy also being included as 'dad'.  uuuugggghhhhh!!!!

So why do they do it?  Seems I'm not the only one to takes exception....below is another blog I have been reading and this lady also finds it irritating.........


Stop calling me mummy, my name’s on the card
Posted on March 11, 2013 by sarah


“Sit there, Mummy.”

I looked behind me. There was nobody there. Just a door and a wall, blank except for a poster advertising free chlamydia testing.

The nurse tapped the chair beside her, without taking her eyes off my file. “How are we today?”

Apart from Princess Anne, Margaret Thatcher and Hyacinth Bucket, I wasn’t used to anyone referring to themselves in the third person. Instinctively, I looked over my shoulders. Nobody was there either.


with J on bateau mouche, paris

It was just me, the nurse and a semi-circle of plastic chairs. She snapped her file shut and stared at me, her expression somewhere between quizzical and petulant.

Unsure how to answer, I reverted to schoolgirl mode. I stared down at my feet, or tried to. I hadn’t seen my feet, horizontal, for several weeks now. Ah, the penny finally dropped. She was talking to the bump and me.

“I’m fine, thanks,” I replied, with a subtle emphasis on the word I’m.

My name’s in the file, I wanted to add. And, as for bump, I was hoping you’d tell me that.

But I bit my tongue instead. I needed this woman on side. I could be begging her for pethidine in the days to come.

In any case, it was just as well. I wasn’t prepared for the loss of that badge of individuality and identity. My name. My tongue hurt. I hoped I wasn’t dribbling blood down my chin, but I needed the practice.

http://crewcutandnewt.com/2013/03/11/stop-calling-me-mummy-my-names-on-the-card/

So I'm not the only person it annoys then.  Why must they insist on doing it to us - can't they read our cards/notes and remember our names.  I mean I know they have to see a lot of people but really!!??  It's bad enough that you have been up all morning throwing up whilst trying not to retch so hard you hurt the baby and now you have the WORST indigestion of your life, you always have to listen to little miss smug pants calling you mum or worse mummy!!  Gah!!  STOP IT!!

So please, if you're a midwife/nurse/doctor/some other health care professional reading this, stop, just stop calling me mum!!  It's irritating, annoying, patronising and makes me think I have no other purpose in life than being a breeder!!  I am in fact many things; Gemma, wife, teacher, student, writer, daughter, little bit manic and of course a mum.  I love being a mum to both my kids but that's not all I am and it's infuriating others can't see that.  Believe me when you get called mum at home (a lot) then youi would quite like other adults to be able to call you by your name!!  FR.