More politics

To
Parmjit Dhanda and Stephen Timms

Thank you for the reply concerning the changes in Housing Benefit.
I understand why these changes have happened but I do not understand why the limit is so low. I live in one of the poorest areas of Gloucester and I challenge you to find a two bedroomed house for the money we are alloted.
I have two children and a partner and we are looking for a house in catchment area of our oldest child's school, Treadworth Infants, as I feel to remove him and start at a new school would be very disruptive for him. I search the property information every week and have yet to find a place where we would not have to fund our rent from our benefit payments. We already live to the limit of our means spending money on food, clothes, bills and educational accessories for our children.
This is a link to a site showing the average rent prices in Gloucester:
http://www.findaproperty.com/areadetails.aspx?edid=00&salerent=1&areaid=1272&hs=30
Again I say to you: I challenge you to find a property that fits into the new scheme of payments.
I feel this change of payments is unfair and taking money from the poorest people and their children.
This is NOT reducing child poverty.
I await your reply.
From
Erika Devine

It's what I'd do...

An aid worker breastfeeds a hungry motherless baby in china.
...It's defiantly something I would do!
(Thanks Sparks for the link btw)

Fame at last!

Well...not really.
Almost...a bit!
I was on Radio Gloucestershire...which is a bit crap. Really I would like to be on Women's Hour.
I was a guest on the lunchtime show talking about breastfeeding.
It was great.

Would you like cream with that?

Clipta - new video wave: starbucks employee of the month

Of course we all know it's not real as anyone who has hand-expressed knows it NEVER comes out in a steady stream like that!

Beastfeeding pigs????

Just thought I'd share this with you.

The stats...

From the Department of Health...

In 2005, 45 per cent of all mothers in the United Kingdom were breastfeeding exclusively at one week, while 21 per cent were feeding exclusively at six weeks. At four months the figure was 7 per cent while at six months the proportion of mothers who were breastfeeding exclusively was negligible (<1 per cent).

So if your baby is one of the lucky 7% who are still only getting breastmilk at four months then you shoud give yourself five gold mothering stars! Or a mothering merit badge!

Can men breastfeed?

Breastfeeding Awreness Week

What a depressing start to BFAW....
Of the mothers who start breastfeeding in hospital 45% have given some formula to their baby in the first week.
This is surly an indication that breastfeeding support is needed right at the very start.
Ho hum....

Chicken thought for the day

Friend: "What have you been up to recently Erika?"
Me: "It's all been chickens and breastfeeding really"
Friend: "Don't get the two mixed up!"

Bloody idiot gets power

Th Red Tent

It's moon dark. I'm bleeding...how have I only just noticed that? Is it because I have read the Red Tent a few months ago, or has it always been this way?
Answers women please.
(disclaimer - yes I know that we are in phase with the White Lady but I wonder how many of us are in phase with her dark side - just as in the Red Tent - see?)

Global credit crunch...we're ready!!

...because we have chickens and are growing veg!
I am sitting here eating the 1st eggs from our chickens and let me tell you they are lovely.
I'm not sure I'm going to remember it all but here is the list of veg we've got going on: potatoes, dwarf French beans, runner beans, broad beans, peas, mange too(can't spell it!), sugar snap peas, asparagus (may be dead), salad, leeks, swedes, raspberries, blackcurrant, tayberry (may be just a dead stick) pumpkins, butternut squash, courgettes, sweetcorn, broccoli, cauliflowers, brussel spouts, cabbage.
Phew!!
I'm sure I've missed some out.
The problem is that we don't really have the space to put everything we have spouted. We may have to have a big sell off of seedlings.
But the chickens....they are so tame and sweet. They are called Nmia and Kirby and if we ever had any plans for putting them in a pot then they were gone the minute I stroked one. They stick their shoulders out and make a little platform on their back when you stroke them. Our chicken Guru says that they do that for the cockral. No boys here, this is a women's community garden!