….Having a baby. My beautiful wee girly was born on the 18th of December, and brings me so much joy every day. She has just started smiling properly, the great big gummy ones where her whole face lights up, and it never fails to make my eyes well up with tears of happiness every time she does it.
She is disgustingly spoilt already.
I laughed heartily when I read the latest post in what has turned out to be a very popular thread on my quiet wee blog. SS says -
“I can’t believe what I’ve just read on this blog. Clearly this is a huge stint at publicity by the author Matilda Gretchen. Go see her for a reading, of course, Katie Coutts is a conwoman, so “come see me instead!!” Bet you hadn’t bet on so many sticking up for Katie Coutts Ms Gretchen! Katie Coutts is a legend and is adored by her millions of fan the world over. I’ve known Katie since she was in high school and beyond although haven’t seen her this year due to her mum having firstly curative cancer and now terminal cancer. Katie is in bits over this and the last thing she needs is all this crap. I hope she hasn’t seen this website. I’ve spoken to her assistant who tells me Katie is working as much as she can, which knowing how she used to work 18 hours a day, is probably still a huge amount. She has also informed her many clients that she is behind and refunds are readily available. The problem is that Katie doesn’t like to let anyone down so it’s sad that her work has been affected. If I know Katie, this will be weighing very heavy on her shoulders! As for this so called friend JACKIE .. Who the hell are you? I don’t remember you and I socialised with Katie during that period you speak of. I think you must be trying to get a wee touch of fame there to yourself. Either that or you are as indelible back then as you are now! ( you might need a dictionary for that as you don’t sound like the brightest button in the box!! ) I’ve spoken to a few of our old gang and NO ONE remembers you! Mmm, yeah, you’ve left an impression NOT !! And as someone else says, you could sure use some spelling lessons! You clearly weren’t at school with Katie as she has not only had tens of thousands of articles printed but is also author to 4 published books! Or maybe you just didn’t pay attention!
I think we should be supporting Katie as for the first time in her career she has let her personal life take precedence over her professional. Her mum is dying for God sake, can’t you guys realise how awful that must be for Katie.
Anyway, just thought I had to speak up for a dear friend who is both loyal and deeply honest as a friend and as a professional. And for the record, I’ve never had a reading from her but her reputation and longevity in the business speaks for itself.
She’d be mortified if she knew I was writing this too.
Give her your support, she’s given her fans and readers her support all these years. Maybe it’s her turn now!!”
SS, the very thought of me going into business as a medium has me in stitches – at no point anywhere have I suggested anything of the sort. Go back and read the post and responses fully, you’ll find nothing but a completely objective viewpoint from me. People are entitled to their opinions though, and you can’t expect Katie to take money for a service and not expect her customers to talk about it. There’s not a Mafia type code of silence put on her readings, is there? Although maybe given the amount of time people are apparently left waiting for a service they have paid heftily for there should be…
While I have lots of sympathy for Katie and her mum’s situation, having had someone very close to me die of cancer, there has to be an understanding that the majority of people who are going to see Katie are doing so because of similar tragedies in their lives. Katie is dealing with vulnerable people, and if she is not capable of doing so at the moment then she should not be taking money or promising readings to anyone at all.
The Katie Coutts post was no publicity stunt, SS, it was a conversation that has since snowballed for various reasons. Judging by the comments posted on the other thread, there’s a fairly equal amount of staid followers and disgruntled customers so far, though maybe leaning towards the more disgruntled end of the scale. That’s life – if you choose to do something unusual with your life, and publicise it, you’re going to have to accept that you leave yourself open for discussion, opinion, debate and observation.
The original post and comments – http://matildagretchen.wordpress.com/2009/01/22/katie-coutts/#comment-596
My first thoughts when I saw them – they looked OLD, Lindsay in particular. Now, I know they ARE old, but I just mean compared to 5 years ago I could see a tiredness about them. Not that that’s a criticism at all, they still played an amazing show that would shame most of the younger bands out there. I just thought, “oh shit, they might not do this again, it might be taking too much out of them”. But as the show went on, they managed to find even more energy, and seemed to really be enjoying themselves.
Stevie was beautiful in her goth frocks (I counted 4 costume changes, all similar dresses with slight variations on the sequin/lace adornments), and I had hair envy – her mane always seemed to be freshly brushed, with not a lock out of place. I hope I have hair like that at her age – blue rinses are for losers! (sorry grannies).
Highlights of the show for me were -
Landslide – I defy anyone to hear Stevie sing this live and not fall in love with her and want to hug her and hold her hand and sniff her hair.
Second Hand News – It was raucous, full of electricity and classic Fleetwood Mac.
Tusk – It was a wee bit tamer than I’ve heard/seen it before, but I still adore it, and Mick Fleetwood always entrances me with his faces when he’s playing this song!
Go Your Own Way – This got the biggest reception from the crowd, it was magical to hear the whole room singing it.
Stand Back – What can I say? It’s just heavenly, it’s so quintessentially Stevie, and I had goosebumps watching her sing her heart out.
Stevie and Lindsay seemed to have a good rapport, facing each other lots to sing. I’m not a Lindsay fan (Team Stevie!), but he deserves enormous credit for the effort he puts into playing. Big Love was fantastic as usual, and he soaked up the adulation in a very charming way (egotistical git that he is)! John stared at his guitar the whole time, and didn’t say a word to the audience, but I loved him for it – John’s John, he just wants to go on stage, get the bloody thing over and done with then bugger off fishing, and he’s quite right! He’s earned the right to do so, putting up with all the drama for so many years! Mick looked like he was having a ball the entire time, and those faces! They crack me up every time.
Stevie dedicated Landslide to a bird handler called Jamie, whom she had met earlier that day. She told us about her stay in Turnberry near Troon, and how meeting Jamie and his marvellous birds had been a real highlight of all her travels. That was lovely. Stevie didn’t hit the high notes in her songs, but as I said with John and his ’let’s just get on with it’ bass playing – quite right! Why the hell should she? She’s sung the songs for years, they still sound absolutely wonderful coming from her, if she doesn’t want to why the hell should she? Just to appease the critics? Most people her age are hanging about coffee mornings and mooching round supermarkets for bargains. If she wants to sing her songs in sold out stadiums a wee bit differently to how she has in the past, just fucking enjoy it and stop moaning!
I’ve just realised how ageist I sound in this post. I’d just like it to be known that I love the oldies, I just like my oldies to be more like Stevie “I’m so rock’n'roll I lost my septum decades ago” Nicks and less like Cliff “colostomy bag-tastic” Richard.
The pram is here, and the furniture is about to be ordered. We have discovered a new game which we like to call ‘Poke The Baby’. It involves poking about my stomach to make the baby punch or kick us. Great fun. Still undecided on names. Well, I’m decided, but one of them is a bit, ahem, unique so I’m giving it some thought at the moment. Tomorrow is a very exciting day, as we’re going for a 4D scan so will get to see the baby’s facial features. I hope it looks like this -
Something happened this weekend. Something took over my body, and turned me into a walking hormone. I can’t even look at the cows in the field next to our house, because I know they are going to the abbatoir in a few weeks and they haven’t got a FUCKING CLUE. The mere sight of them gives me a lump in my throat, when up until last week I would laugh at their misfortune.
I have also gone up two bra cup sizes, to a DD. And I keep getting funny light headed moments, which require me to sit down and eat a biscuit. Or something like that. I had my blood pressure checked at my work, and it’s fine, as is my temperature, so I’m putting it all down to hormones.
1. My childhood dentist, a crazed ginger bearded maniac of a man, ripped the insides of my mouth open when he was giving me injections. To say he was rough would be the equivalent of saying Amy Winehouse dabbled in drugs recreationally for a wee while. UNDERSTATEMENT. He butchered me each and every time I walked through the doors, sticking things in, taking them out, yanking things this way, that way, whatever way he fucking felt like that day. He should have been a bear wrestler instead of a dentist. He’d be the world champion.
2. An abcess under one of my teeth was left undetected for a fortnight, despite me going in and begging them to find out what was going on as I couldn’t sleep because of the agony of the pain. I walked around for a fortnight with my whole skull throbbing like a serial killer who needs to kill RIGHT NOW because “it’s just needing a wee filling”. Result = me, minus the tooth (and admittedly, a painless and quick extraction), a fortnight later.
3. My most recent visit to have a tooth extracted resulted in me being in the chair for 2 and a half hours. Not a minute less. The tooth broke up, bits got stuck in the open wound, the anaesthetic didn’t work so I had to have 5 top ups, even the dentist himself was struggling to cope with the situation. They phoned me later that evening just to check I was ok; unfortunately the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder had already kicked in.
And that’s it really. Not much, but enough to make me cross the road at the sight of a dental surgery. It’s quite pitiful really, and as I read that list back I’m actually embarrassed. My list is mediocre compared to others who I’m sure have been through horrendous ordeals at the dentist. If you knew me, you would know that I am a calm, measured person who has no qualms about pain/discomfort for necessary measures. I’ve got plenty of war wounds, including burn scars which required skin grafts. What’s that? You want to scrape skin off me using a contraption similar to a cheese grater, leaving me with huge open wounds? No problem. You want to cut my foot open? Cut away my friend. You want to probe about my insides using all manner of intrusive instruments? Feel free! You want to look inside my mouth and make a few wee adjustments? FUCK OFF!
I admit it. I have a problem. I need help.
Just got a text from my husband saying he’s ordered me it – yippee! Bret and Jemaine are the best characters ever, though I do have a special place in my heart for Mel. And Murray is as hilarious as ever this season. I didn’t catch all of season two on BBC4; probably the first 5 or 6 episodes, but I’ve been getting tired earlier so haven’t seen the rest. But I shall be able to watch them all very soon when the dvd arrives!
I’d love to have a Flight of the Conchords themed party, so I would.
…But have just sent my husband to get me a McDonalds. I hardly ever eat the things, I’ve had about 4 this year I think, but today I’m having one and that’s that.
Items purchased this week - a lovely wee furry winter outfit, and fabric to make my own blanket for the pram.
The baby is jumping around merrily inside me, and is very active, as confirmed by the midwife who scanned me. “You’ll feel this baby a lot”, she said, and she’s right. It is very reassuring indeed, and it’s an incredibly strange sensation. Like having a giant tapeworm in your gut. Apparently this is what a tapeworm looks like, according to Google Images. It almost looks friendly, like ET.
…As I am getting bigger each day.
We got the pram yesterday, courtesy of my wonderful gran. It is fabulous, very ‘me’ so I’m told, and it felt so exciting making the first big purchase.
Names are swirling round my head constantly, and I’m finding it a bit more difficult to pick boy’s names. I’d like to hear your suggestions for both boy’s and girl’s names, tell me what you like!
…And feeling great. I have more energy, and feel more pregnant now. My husband says I’m glowing, which is nice to hear. I think I just look a bit fat, but a few people have commented that I look pregnant as opposed to fat. Maybe they’re just kidding me on…
However, the main not so good symptom I have had since last Monday is – excruciating back pain, like someone has grabbed my sciatic nerve and is squeezing it to death. This has led to me being practically crippled at times, with plenty of comedy moments of me walking down the street and suddenly moaning ‘aaah’ and having my legs buckle from underneath me completely unexpectedly. My sciatic nerve has a wicked sense of humour, so from now on shall be known as ‘The Anti-Christ Evil Bastard Nerve’.
Now I really really want to write about my poos, but I’m a bit scared. Perhaps if you all spoke a bit about your poos, I’d feel more comfortable. Big? Small? Lumpy? Stringy? Hard? Soft? Lets discuss!
