Vic & Emma's Blog


To view previous year's blogs, please click the relevant year: 2008 2009 2010 2011

February 5th – This last week has been quite a stressful one for us... Tatiana developed a UTI and after a couple of visits to the GP, a few phone calls from the nursery about her discomfort and some fever, we ended up in hospital. She was admitted and given antibiotics intravenously and finally she was discharged on Thursday night. We had some sleepless nights and a lot of worry as well as juggling Kristina's school run and taking days off / working from home. Thankfully both mine and Emma's employers were very understanding and flexible. What with Emma having been off for 3 days prior to this with bad flu, it was not ideal... On Friday I spent the day at home with her and she was a little angel. I worked for my usual Friday half day and then we had loads of cuddles afterwards. She was so good - she let me work all morning and didn't interrupt much at all. A superstar! Below are some pictures we took when she got to hospital. One is of the magic cream they put on her hands and the other is of her pulling a face when asked to smile for the camera. She was not in any distress but when it came to going to the loo, then all the fun began... Her rosy cheeks are due to the infection and fever. They still don't know what type of infection it was as the tests have been inconclusive so we are awaiting the results of the latest ones. In the meantime, she continues her antibiotics orally.

Yesterday, as a treat to all of us, we all went bowling and then to KFC afterwards. We had lots of fun and the girls loved it. Then it started snowing just as we were leaving so we came straight home. So, as usual, the chaos has been more or less instant with the road closures and airport disruption along with flight cancellations... you'd think we were the only country to have ever had snow... And as usual, I've had a good old moan about it all cos it just causes disruption. Now some of you may say bah humbug because the kids enjoy it. The fact of the matter is that the kids enjoy it for the first 15 mins and then moan for the next hour that they are cold... Driving in these conditions is not fun and even if you know what you are doing, do all the other drivers? The answer is: probably not. Thankfully, I do not have to drive as work is within walking distance and so is school / nursery. Emma will be travelling to work tomorrow on the train so that she can guage the snow situation at the other end of the journey. Anyway, I'm gonna get my boots on and the girls coats, mittens, boots, scarves and ear muffs on and we are going in the garden to play with the snow :-) "VIC"



January 23rd – Happy Chinese New Year! And I hope it will be a happy one for all those we care about. Yesterday was a sad day as I saw my neighbours moving out of their house after being reposessed. She became pregnant just over 9 months ago and shortly after, her hubby was made redundant. With him out of work and her heavily pregnant and another little mouth to feed (their toddler daughter) they were unable to meet the mortgage repayments and were reposessed. They managed to find somewhere to move to and last night, just before midnight, I saw him moving the last few odds and sods from their back garden. So so sad... To top it all off, one of the new born twins has been in hospital with a hernia... I tell you, life can be so tough sometimes... It just makes me think that it only takes one person to make one decision and a whole family's life can be turned upside down and torn apart. It wasn't too long ago that petty mindedness and sheer bad character threatened to put us in a similar position. Its only because we refused to go down without a fight that we turned things around and are now in a much better place for it. And I'm sure it was the same for them. All it took was one person to have a heart of stone and not care enough to recognise that these were real people with real feelings... that person could have been the employer who could have cut costs elsewhere to save a few jobs; it could have been the bank manager who could have tried harder; some would say that its nobody's fault she became pregnant - well, are we all to stop living, being happy and striving to achieve our personal hapiness just because there might be someone out there who doesn't try hard enough to think about others?... Anyway, throughout today, with these thoughts in my mind and after a restless nigths sleep, I took my thoughts to a happy place of my own - my beach in Portugal. I came across the below picture yesterday which I hadn't even realised Emma had taken. It says it all really... Mine and Kristina's shoes left on the sand and our footprints walking out to sea... beautiful. Thank you baby for such a lovely picture... "VIC"



January 20th – Well, ten days after my last blog entry, what have I got to say? Not a lot really... Its been the usual weekly routine of school runs and run of the mill stuff... Kristina was quite ill last weekend which was a bit worrying. She came home on Friday with a fever and spent the whole of Saturday lying on the sofa with a fever that came and went. She was also sick a few times and then on Sunday she perked up and the fever & sickness thankfully didn't come back. We think she had the winter vomiting bug and thankfully none of us seem to have caught it off her (so fingers crossed we won't get it at all). Both her and Tatiana have had a nasty cough all week though which kept Tatiana awake the other night so that hasn't been good either... Kids eh, they'll bring all sorts of bugs home from school... Fingers crossed for a sickness free weekend! Both Emma and I are fine (other than the usual tiredness of a Friday evening). I got paid today and as quick as the money hit our account, it went straight back out again. I paid one of our credit cards off and a portion of another one and that left us with just under £200 in change for the next 10 days until Emma gets paid! I tell you, if it were paying anything other than holidays, I would be seriously annoyed but I suppose we will appreciate those holidays when they come along so it is money well spend on much deserved treats! I also took myself off to my chiro today as I didn't feel quite right and it had been 5 months since my last visit. He clicked in to place 2 bones on my neck, 2 in my back and popped my pelvis back in line as aparently my right leg was nearly 1 inch shorter than the left! I now feel a little sore but at least I'm good to go for another 6 months or so (hopefully)... Anyway, nothing more to report. Its Chinese new year on 23rd and this year is my year - The year of the Dragon. I googled it and came up with the text below - most of it was like reading a description of me (bar one or two bits here and there) - freaky... so I thought I'd share and you can draw your own conclusions. See ya! "VIC"

People born in the Year of the Dragon usually make it to the top. But, they must be aware of that too much enthusiasm can leave them tired and unfulfilled.  They find pleasure in helping others, and you can always count on their help.  Even though they are willing to assist when necessary, their pride can often impede them from accepting the same kind of help from others.  Their generous personalities give them the ability to attract friends, but they can be rather solitary people at heart.  Their self-sufficiency can mean that they have no need for close bonds with other people.

Dragon people tend to take thrilling risks, and burn the candle at both ends so they are fortunate to be blessed with good health.  However, they can suffer bad health as a result of excess stress.  Symtoms of their personalities often stem from emotional outbursts and can range from tension headaches to depression to hypertension.  They can remedy these problems by maintaining their cool, implementing a routine in their daily lives, and practice meditation, Tai Chi or Yoga that soothe the mind and spirit as well as tone the body.

The Dragon is not the most domesticated of the Animal signs.  So, people born in the Year of the Dragon  prefer enjoying outdoor activities rather than staying at home.  They are extroverts who have a deep love for nature. Their homes should be as large and majestic as their personalities, providing space for the fiery temperament or emotional eruptions that accompany their character. They have true and sincere love, which comes from the depths of their hearts.

Dragon people are quite imaginative, always able to see new paths and will take a radical approach.  They have innate explorative spirit and  try to succeed at one stroke. They are very adaptable and are fit for various occupations, especially if those occupations allow them to take the limelight. They work hard, but would rather give orders than receive them.  They should avoid jobs that encompass too much routine, and should move toward jobs in which their self-reliance can be an asset.

People born in the Year of the Dragon are charitable themselves as well as with others.  Many Dragon people will take big chances with their finances.  It is very rare that they remain poor for long. They will always be straightforward in financial dealings and can always be trusted.

January 10th – Happy New year everyone! Well, the festivities have been and gone and the break was lovely. Its now 2012 and this is going to be a very good year for the MK Torcato's - I can feel it :-) I don't know how or why this will be but something good and significant is going to happen... Watch this space. In the meantime, we are settling back down in our routines and keeping a PMA looking forward. My new years resolution this year will be to try to ignore and to brush aside all that is negative or bad for the soul and concentrate more on the positives and the good things that lie ahead. I have learnt a lot in these last 3 years, have done a lot of soul searching and have done a lot of growing up. I have made some mistakes along the way and have learnt from these. As a result, I am a stronger person and will use these life lessons to make better choices and decisions for both myself and my family. I have a wonderful and supportive wife who loves me and I love very dearly, two fantastic and charismatic girls who make me proud every day and we all have our good health to be thankful for. Remembering to take time out from time to time and to spend more time together as a family this year will be a must. This will help to lift the cloud that sometimes descends and impairs our vision of the good things we have and can achieve. On that note, be happy and more blog entries to follow soon. "VIC"