(no subject)

[slemslempike]

The last Cazalets book arrived today! I am very excited indeed about reading it, having recently finished a reread of the previous four. I have to go to the Royal Infirmary for a blood test tomorrow afternoon, which is about 30 minutes bus each way plus waiting around, and that will be perfect reading time.

I have signed up for a research study about the brain's regulation of menstrual cycles. The first step is the blood test, then in early April I get an oestrogen patch for a few days. On the second day I spend all day in hospital getting either a particular hormone or saline, with blood tests every ten minutes (more perfect reading time!), and on the third day I have an ultrasound of my ovaries. Then the following month I repeat the process, just with whichever I didn't get of the hormone or saline the first time. I signed up because I thought it looked interesting and I've never had an ultrasound, and then I found out they pay £250 so I am all over that.

Because I shaved my head after Christmas I thought it might be a good time to have a go at washing my hair without shampoo, as I could go through the transition bit without it being too long and greasy. For a while I was just using water, but now it's a bit longer I'm washing with conditioner only. It doesn't seem to be making a huge amount of difference, though I slightly miss the really really squeaky feeling after I first wash it. I can't decide whether no difference means I may as well go back to shampooing, or if I should keep on the no-shampoo bandwagon I seem to have jumped on.

I bought a dress with an elephant print on ebay, but though the description said 8 it's actually a 26, and now I have to go through the annoyance of trying to return it. The bit I really hate is waiting to find out if the seller is going to be reasonable or abusive. I also recently bought a top with a sort of black branch print on it that wasn't misdescribed but is incredibly shapeless and rather ugly. Boo. Hopefully the two things I'm waiting for (a green striped dress probably for underneath other dresses and a long sleeved t shirt with an Orla Kiely cars print on) will be better.

I finally did my washing up and cleaned my kitchen after it being in a truly dreadful state for over a week. It is all clean. I hate that it's going to get dirty again and then I'll have to clean it again and then it'll get dirty ALL OVER AGAIN.

Comments

[ankaret.livejournal.com]

I'm a large 24, so it might fit me - if so I might want to buy it from you, which would save you some of the hassle?

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

If you were interested that would be great! But of course if it's not something you want no problem. It's this one:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ladies-Dress-/111297227335?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT&nma=true&si=VVIdGzveTKvLUDJf4OKEnNtIC0c%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

.. and I've now noticed it was described as 26 in the key facts bit, but as 18 in the main bit, which if I'd picked up on before could have saved me some hassle.

It's originally Asos, pattern's better here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Black-key-hole-neck-fully-lined-chiffon-elephant-print-dress-sizes-20-22-24-26-/380851046723?pt=UK_Women_s_Dresses&var=&hash=item58ac7dc943

If you like the pattern then I can measure the dress for you.

[ankaret.livejournal.com]

Yes, I'd definitely wear that supposing it fit. I thought it was worth asking as I generally like your taste. If you could measure it that would be great - I find Asos' sizing generally runs huge on stretch jersey things but is completely unpredictable otherwise.

I hate it when sellers put one thing in the box and another in the description. I know it's easily done when you're listing a lot of stuff, but GRAAH.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

underarm to underarm 67/26, but because of the cut out at the back I can't really measure it properly!
waist - 58cm/23 inches
hips - about 71/28 (narrowish A line from waist)

[ankaret.livejournal.com]

Bugger, that's too big. Sorry to have wasted your time!

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

No problem! Better to know now rather than later.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

Hello, I have another dress that was incorrectly sold to me - it's this dress from Modcloth: http://www.modcloth.com/shop/dresses/saturday-night-thrive-dress?new_pdp_layout=true

Not sure if it'll be your size either, but thought I'd check if you were interested if it were! It's labelled a 1X and the actual measurements are:

underarm to underarm 56cm/22in
waist 55cm/21.5in

Oh, and despite the description, it doesn't have pockets.

[ankaret.livejournal.com]

Damn, that is lovely, but alas too small in the bust. Thank you for thinking of me, though - it is exactly my kind of thing.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

It is just a weird sizing all over - I've been looking at charts trying to work out what size I might list it as, and it seems to be 22/24 in the waist, and 18/20 in the bust. I think I shall give it to a charity shop and hope it finds a home with someone who loves it. I had vague thoughts of getting it changed to fit me, but never got around to it.

[glitterboy1.livejournal.com]

Furthering the cause of medical science, getting to read while you're doing it, and then being paid, too? Cool.

I didn't manage to do the washing up last night, so it was waiting for me when I got home a while ago. I've just cooked dinner around the mess, and hated every minute of it, but at least it means only washing up once this evening....

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

It was when the only thing I could eat without cleaning something was an ice cream tub with a plastic spoon that I thought the washing up had won.

[alltheleaves.livejournal.com]

That clinical trial sounds fascinating, please keep us (well me, your clinical researcher friend) updated! I used to work for a clinical trials place that tested on (healthy) humans. It was bizarre and felt weird, wrong even, but it paid very well.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

I am quit interested in medical procedures and as I am pretty healthy rarely get to indulge my interest, so this was perfect. I hadn't realised until this week that the ultrasounds would be vaginal, but am not put off by it.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

I can email you the participant info they gave me if you like? 4ish pages in word, simplified for the layperson!

[alltheleaves.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes please! I have written Participant Information Sheets before so it's really fascinating to see them from this side. I entered the twins into a vaccine trial and I found it really interesting being the participant/participant's advocate. Also free chicken pox vaccination, yay!

[huskyteer.livejournal.com]

I can't really recommend having your ovaries ultrasounded, but then nobody was paying me when I had it done (as part of an attempt to get to the bottom of mystery abdominal pains which ended up going away on their own). Don't wear anything you don't want to be smeared with gunk, is my advice!

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

I had been assuming no more gunk than a smear test - thanks for the warning!

[huskyteer.livejournal.com]

Well, I had both an external and an internal, and the external one was messier, so you may be OK!

[menthe-reglisse.livejournal.com]

Quite a lot of gunk on internal ones, IME. Also amusing to see how they try to make it not look like a dildo.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

Ha! I can't imagine it looking like anything else, I will look forward to finding out what they have done with it.

[menthe-reglisse.livejournal.com]

Ooh, ooh, I didn't know there was a 5th Cazalet book coming out! Thank you for the tip. I will save it for summer hols reading. I love all the Cazalet books. A lot of her other stuff is too high-brow for my mostly low-brow down-time reading preferences. Have you read EJH's autobiography 'Slipstream'? I was rather distressed to discover how much Louise is her. I like Clary best.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

I haven't read Slipstream, but intend to do so as I have seen a lot of people recommend it. I recently read "The Long View" which was really depressing, but still very good.

I do like Clary, but don't like her and Archie together very much. I loved her most at the beginning when she was all alone and the others didn't want to share a room with her. I think I often enjoyed Lydia the most, but possibly because she was only ever in smaller doses. I like Rachel a lot and am sympathetic but would find her unbearably selfless in real life.