Michelle: the Tiger Woods of mothering

Apologies, apologies, apologies for the break in coverage. There have been some local difficulties and M did not want to update until the problems had been sorted out, so as not to give the impression that things were going badly. Basically, Michelle has been suffering from an ongoing bout of mastitis. It’s not too major a problem but it has been both painful and emotionally draining. The problem is all on the right side so Beth is still feeding on the left and seems blissfully unconcerned by her mother’s difficulties.

Beth is just reaching the stage where she is engaging visually, and I reckon I’ve seen a hint of a smile from her even though it’s way too early for that. In short, she’s transmogrifying from an out-of-body foetus to a little person. It’s all so exciting; we’re absolutely loving it.

We’re also trying to involve ourselves in what used to be known as real life. We had our first night out without bubba on Friday to see our friends Kat & Eddie before they go off to Russia for the year. We didn’t stay too long but it was a good first taster, and I’m sure Beth was fine in the sock drawer. Nick & Lou arrive in Oz tomorrow, which will presumably spark another round of socialising, and M is staying in while I head out to see Bloc Party on Friday. Otherwise, it’s all golf, cricket and DVDs round our way. Roll on the Ashes.

I ask you, what am I? I'm one of the undeserving poor, that's what I am. Now think what that means to a man. It means that he's up against middle-class morality for all of time. If there's anything going, and I puts in for a bit of it, it's always the same story: "you're undeserving, so you can't have it." But my needs is as great as the most deserving widows that ever got money out of six different charities in one week for the death of the same 'usband. I don't need less than a deserving man, I need more! I don't eat less 'earty than 'e does, and I drink, oh, a lot more. I'm playin' straight with you. I ain't pretendin' to be deserving. No, I'm undeserving. And I mean to go on being undeserving. - My Fair Lady