Well I caught my train in time and it's now a few days later, I'm at home so I have a bit of time to catch you up on what's been going on and there is lots of good stuff to relate!!
Where do I start though? I suppose with last week when I tried to blog with only 10 or so minutes to spare...

Last week I booked three days and three nights to Amsterdam for my birthday! So I'll be off and away on a plane to Amsterdam on Friday the 29th, and waking on my 29th birthday (oh Gawd I'm getting old!!) to Amsterdams' sunshine. I can't wait I've always wanted to go there and check it out - the museums and galleries and of course the cafes! Mark is coming with me too, so we'll probably head out clubbing on the Saturday night, and then we still have another two days to check things out there and just chill out. So looking forward to getting on a plane again and heading somewhere new and exciting.

Also last week I talked to my boss Mathew about doing a multimedia course through work at Hastings College, which he seemed pretty keen about me doing - always a good start! He said he needed to pass it with our department boss, but in the meantime I was to check out a few things with the college, like how they would like work to pay for it, etc. So I did, and this week it looks 99.9% sure that I will be starting this course in September. I just need to get some paperwork signed off and send in my enrolment forms. It's only 10 weeks, one night a week, but covers digital photography, Photoshop, web page design, internet research and getting my work on the web. So when that's all done I'll have to let you know my new web site address - if I get one. It's accredited - being through the college, but doesn't give me an actual qualification. Not to worry though it's still a chance to get the old grey matter working again and should help a lot with what they have been getting me to do as part of my job. So another thing to be looking forward to!

So last week was pretty good, the trip to Amsterdam, getting approval for work to pay for a course I want to do, plus it was pretty hectic at work with getting some new pages on the web, keeping up with general admin work and following up on the work done by the work experience kid we had in the week before. Nice kid, and after a week we had built up a bit of a rapport, only to have him leave, never to be seen by me again. Such is the way of work experience I guess.

This week Em and I have been organising a long weekend away in August to St. Malo - France for a music festival. The Cure and Sonic Youth are on the line up for the days, amongst other bands, and then at night a bit of a club scene with some banging house. Sounds like it'll be fun, and not a bad deal that we got either - £90 which includes the festival, the ferry to France and our camping costs while we're away. Absolutely brilliant. I tell you the sunshine (what little there is at the moment) and summertime has spurred me into action and I am finally starting to organise a few trips away here and there. It'll be great to spend some time with Em and her man Aaron, and of course the lovely Mark. The festival is on the beach as well, so cross your fingers that we have good weather!


At the end of August Mark and I are hoping to take a week off and go somewhere warm, with a beach and not much else to do. You know I have been back at work for less than a year after tripping around SE Asia, and already I could take a load more time off and go away somewhere to forget about the worries of life and the world. I guess anyone could hey? I definitely work to live, not the other way around!

Anyway, aside from that not much else has been going on. Mark was away last week camping and looking for fossils with a friend of his in Lyme Regis, so I had the flat to myself which was nice. Time and space to myself for doing mainly nothing and having a think about whatever popped into my head. He found a few good ones and now has the task ahead of trying to get them out of the rock in one piece... Ha ha, better him than me!

It was a reasonably quiet weekend - the last show of my favorite Friday night TV, some quiet celebrations of such a good week and a result with the course I want to do and then out drinking on Saturday night around the old town. Checked out a few new bars and then headed home with a wannabe souvlaki in hand. Mind you that pictured is a proper souvlaki, not like the try hard stuff they give you here... You'd think they weren't Greek - and actually maybe they're not.

I suppose I should give you a quick update on the English weather as well. It's July - supposed to be summer, yes? Well June was pretty lovely, I even began to get a bit of a tan! There were picnics outside, lazing about in the sunshine and generally enjoying the warmth and light after about 4 months of dark, cold and wet. The dark is the worst bit by the way - the cold and wet, well you can deal with that can't you?
Anyway for the last week and a half or so it's turned back to almost winter weather - but with more daylight. It's been windy rainy and cold, and I'm told this is supposed to be the middle, or near to, of summer! Gawd, no wonder there are so many pale misserable Poms! They're being deprived of their vitamin D from the sunshine! Hopefully it will pick up again, even if it was just another week - or couple of weekends I'd be happy. But if it doesn't I have France to look forward to, and that week away to the as yet undetermined destination that promises warmth and sun!

Ok, gonna be quick coz I'm blogging from work and it's almost time to go. It's been a hell busy day, but a lot of fun too learning new things and doing web stuff.

You know I've been away from home/Aus for over a year now. Sounds like a bloody long time when I say that, but it doesn't feel that long. I'm quite enjoying it here, have a few trips away planned - the first being Amsterdam for my birthday. Can't wait to be on a plane again heading somewhere new!

Still it's not just the going somewhere new that's good - although it is good - it's what I am learning here, career wise and just generally life wise. And learning is good, you should always keep your mind active and growing, dontcha think?

I guess I could get more specific, and I know I could ramble on for pages, but there just ain't the time - I have a train to catch!!

Will try to write more again soonish.

Well I said I was gonna blog on the weekend, and then I didn't the weather was just too damn nice so I spent my days outside in the sun, and my evening well.....

Where did I leave you last? I think it was about 2 weeks ago.... The weekend before Marks birthday, life had been a little strained and weird, but nothing inparticular was going on.

On Saturday 11th we headed up to London for a couple of reasons - we were supposed to go to Lyme Regis in Dorset for the weekend but it cost too much and would've taken an age to get there, plus Mark wanted to see his family before he got any older, and I had been invited along to dinner with some old school friends, and a party afterwards.
So we got on the train and settled in for what is supposed to be a 1 &1/2 train journey to London. However 'they' were doing work on the line so after 2 &1/2 hours of being fucked around by public transport we finally got into London and arrived at the restaurant late, but not too late. Everyone was there before us though, and it was almost like walking into the old year 11 and 12 'Common Room' but with heaps less people in it obviously.... But both Ben's were there, and of course, Em and Nell plus respective partners where available. Dinner was delicious, Italian food is almost always good, the conversation flowed on until well into the night, or early hours of the morning. After realising we'd gotten through 16 bottles of wine and it was 2.30am we called it a night and promised to do it again sometime.

We skipped the party, Mark and I headed back to Em's place in Hern Hill and we had more 'night caps' until it wasn't night anymore, instead it was 9am and our eyes were falling out of our heads. So we called it a day and got a few hours kip before getting up and heading over to Mark's Mum's place. A nice little walk with a short stop at the pub on the way and we were there in time for something to eat and drink and to spend some time doing the whole family catch up routine. Before we knew it the hours had gone again and it was time to head back to Hastings. We got home around midnight and both were completely knackered and collapsed into bed, fast asleep.

Thankfully I had a late start booked for Monday morning which was nice, I got a little sleep in before having to drag my sorry arse out of bed and into the office.

On Tuesday I was unwell, due to a Gridley Birthday fever, so I called in sick to work and spent the day enjoying the sunshine and helping Mark try to forget that he only has one more year of his thirties!! I got him a kite for his birthday which I excitedly gave him that morning before he'd properly woken up, and soon after we were putting it together and running outside to see if we could get it in the air.

It went straight up (apparently stunt kites are easy to fly...?) and then straight down as both strings snapped in the strong wind. Not letting that bother us though we headed to a not so windy spot for a picnic and a biffta. After having our fill we headed into the old town to find some string and have a 'quick' pint.

The string was the easy bit. When we were in the pub a television crew walked in and began interviewing various patrons. Mark and I were tucked away in the corner him hoping not to be interviewed and me not wanting to be on telly at all - I was supposed to be ill!! But luck wasn't with us, and the crew spotted us and sauntered over with all the bravado that these people seem to have and asked us if we would talk to them and the German public about what it meant to be English. I promptly pointed out that I wasn't the right candidate, but Mark, instead of taking his get out clause piped up and said he would. They interviewed him for all of 5 minutes, but he complained the rest of the day about being made to talk on telly on his birthday. Poor love.

When we got to the top of the hill back towards our we tried out the kite again, and it flew like a champion, Mark could do figure 8's, loop the loops and all sorts of tricky little stunty things. It was lovely to watch, and then he asked if I would like a go. I got it up there, and zig zagged a little across the sky and finally did a perfect nose dive straight into the ground and split the spine of the kite. Mr Mark wasn't very happy, but it wasn't completely broken, so he took the reigns and got her (are kites girls?) into the sky again. Just a few moments later he did exactly the same move as me, only this time the spine snapped in two with a loud crack! And that was the end of the kite fun for that day.

The rest of the week slunk by reasonably non-eventfully. Work, sleep and chores.

After what seemed an eternity, but in actual fact was only 3 days it was finally the weekend again, and we had another party to go to on the Saturday night. Not wanting to get ahead of myself though, we'll rewind a touch to Friday evening.

Mark met me at the train station and we headed into town for a few pints before getting home for some pizza and a smoke - a perfect way to begin the weekend I think! A relax in front of the telly, with a beer in one hand, a slice of pizza in the other and one stuck down the top of your pants - that's me; the one with the three hands....



Friday night telly is pretty funny here, and if you get the chance, check out a comedian called Johnny Vegas and his show 18 stone of Idiot, he's a complete pisser.

Anyways, a reasonably fun but uneventful Friday evening was had. Saturday morning rocked around and woke me in a bad mood - being summer it's getting light here at about 3.30am or so, and it seems that the neighbours are following the sun and getting up around the same time to put on their tap shoes and dance on the floor above our bedroom - which is our ceiling... Arrrgh! To top it off, the nextdoor neighbour was in his yard whistling. A conspiracy to put me in a bad mood, but instead I got up, found we were out of tea bags, cursed and rolled myself a fag then called home. None of you bastards were answering except for my lovely brother Aaron who after a while told me he was extremely busy pulling up carpet and he'd call me back....

Sigh... So I pestered Mark for a while and then we headed into town, missioning for some pieces to fix his broken kite.

We got all the bits for nothing - I think the people in the shop felt sorry for an old man with a broken kite... No seriously, we were just lucky. But we got the pieces and then in true Mark and Victoria style headed for the Nelson for a pint. With no breakfast in our bellies, after about 4 pints in the sun later and talking to some old man about anything and everything both of us were feeling a little.... shall we say - drunk? And so headed up the hill to home for a nap before the party. I fell asleep in a sweat hoping that I could sleep off the bad head I could already feel coming on, and Mark did much the same although his head wasn't anywhere near as bad as mine - he's had more beer practice.

A few hours later I woke to find that I wasn't successful and once again my brain was trying to escape from my skull. We got ready anyway, thinking that we'd stop at a milk bar or something on the way to the party for some panadol. Nothing was open for the whole distance there - about 1/2 an hour walk, and my heads banging became steadily louder the closer we got. When we arrived the beat of the music was out of sync with the banging in my head and I had to leave and go home. Mark was great and hailed a cab and came home with me - I felt terrible that he'd missed out on what looked like a load of fun just because I couldn't handle my afternoon drinking. SHAME ON ME!! When I got home I headed straight to the loo and let my illness reach its natural conclusion....

Sunday was pretty quiet, I was feeling fine again and the kite was fixed so we spent most of the day trying to fly it in the slight breeze, or sitting out on the green and looking out to sea or watching the world go by as we sunk a few Stella's. When will I ever learn?

Tit for tat, butter for fat, you kick my dog, I'll kill your cat....

Looking forward to the weekend. It's been a busy week with some interesting developments. I shall write more on this after the weekend.

Life ain't all Ha Ha Hee Hee, but even when it's not, you can still have a boogie!



I have been a bad blogger of late, and not feeling like writing anyway, so sorry to anyone out there who has continued to read on. It hasn't been terribly exciting so I can completely understand if I have lost my readership.

What can I say? Where did I leave it last time?? I can't remember so you'll have to skip past any duplications on the old what's been going on??

Weekend before last was a long weekend and the week before that came about was when Lee - Mark's brother - and his girlfriend Jemma got back from O.S where they'd been tripping around, and for some of the time staying with my older brother Aaron. Mark went up to Londond again to mee them at some ungodly hour of the morning - such a sweet caring person! Apparently they enjoyed themselves, and after spending the day in London after getting back they trekked down to Hastings with Mark to spend some time with us, although I wasn't about a hell of a lot, what with work etc... Still it was nice to have them stay and I know that Mark is pleased to have his li'l bruv back in the same country.

So that weekend we had a long weekend - Mark wanted to go to some music festival doolally that I wasn't interested in, so I headed up to London for the weekend while he remained in Hastings to play host to Lee, Jemma and a few other mates, in fact I am told that there were so many people in the flat the Mark had to sleep on the floor. Definitly a good time to use that annoying English saying - 'Ooooh Bless!!'

While Mark was sleeping on the floor, I was being well looked after in London by my mate Sue. I arrived there late afternoon and we headed straight to the pub, like all good mates would, for a chat over a few pints. Was a lovely day, and I even had the oportunity to wear summery clothes and use my sunnies for possibly the first time since being here (well not quite but hey) We chatted until late and then headed out to dinner with the rest of the housemates - all five of them - and that's not all of them, but that's another story that doesn't need to be told here. Dinner was delicious, Italian food with good yet fun service! Had a good laugh and a few more bevvies before the others decided to call it a day and Sue and I decided to check out the local clubs of Wimbledon. I quite liked the idea of gettin' on down with a womble.
Surprisingly there were no wombles on the dance floor, or in the club. But we stuck about and boogied all night in between giving shite to the DJ and bouncers until our legs felt like they were about to fall off. Once you have that feeling you know it's about time you went home! The club we went to - the watershed - was a load of fun. Reminded me a lot of 'The Club' back in Warragul, or some other little suburbia club in Melbourne. And it was a damn good laugh even though the music was predictable, and the crowd were damn pissed, and some guy who professed to be gay then tried to pick me up. Do I look like a man??
When we got home it appeared that Claire was sound asleep in her bed, where I was supposedly going to sleep. So in true good friends fashion, I stuck my fingers up her nose, and after doing so realised that it wasn't Claire at all, but another guest of theirs - much to Sue's delight and our own laughs. I promptly pulled them out again and apologised profusely as only a pissed up person can do. How do you face that one the next morning?
So we 'crept' out of the room (read stumbled and fell) and quietly closed the doors behind us into the living room (read slammed the doors) and sorted out the sofa bed where we both passed out after a few slurred 'goodnights'.

Next morning we decided to head off to Kew Gardens where they currently have a glass sculpture exhibition going on. Sounds excellent and the coffee table book that Claire got of the work there looks awesome. So we slowly got ourselves together and headed off for the tube to Kew. After an agonisingly slow tube ride (about an hour) we finally arrived and stopped at a coffee shop for a much needed coffee. Unfortunately for us though their idea of coffee for their shop was to have a machine that dispensed liquid like mud... Uuurrrrgh, but we drank it anyway, not wanting to waste that one pound ten...

We checked out the card shop with some funny pictures, and I almost bought yet another postcard for home but refrained (I'm getting good at that) and off we went to the gardens. I was expecting something like Melbourne botanic gardens, but can't tell you if I'm right or not because the whole place is surrounded by a 10 foot brick wall, and the queue to get in was a 1/2 hour wait if not more. So we turned around and went back, debating if we should head to Camden markets, or somewhere else. After discussing in earnest for a while we decided on pasta, a video and afternoon nap back at the ranch.

Sunday night was pretty quiet, just telly and a bottle fo gin between us - and tonic! And before we knew it the weekend was over and I had to get home again to get ready for the working week ahead.

Last week being only a four day affair went quite quickly. Nothing too much to report there, work was busy with new things to get done by yesterday, Mark and I had a few words and missed out on the last episode of Desperate Housewives - much to both of our disappointment, and then it was the weekend again! Can't complain about that.

On Friday night after work I met Mark at the train station in Brighton and we went out for drinks with Lisa (Linc's x-housemate) her boyfriend and Mark's mate Damian. Was a nice little pub called the earth and stars, not far from work and easy walking distance from the train station. Even so, Mark and I missed the last train and ended up at a wannabe posh club in Brighton with the rest of the guys. After me doing some random guys head in with rubbish talk and a few more drinks for the other guys (I'd switched to water by then) we left and tried to find a decent souva - damn near impossible in England. We did end up with a kebab, which is like the souva's poor cousin, served in a polystyrene container. Not the best pissed food you can get, but almost edible.
I woke up the next morning on Lisa's floor, Mark beside me and my brain deperately trying to fight it's way out of my skull. I don't think I have ever had a hangover that bad, and I'd even switched to water! After a few panadol and a half hours more sleep Mark and I decided it was time to find the train and head back home for a much needed showere and breakfast.

By the time we got back home we were both knackered and only just managed to get a few things we needed it town and then catch the chairlift up the hill. Great for those lazy days when I don't care how fast my arse is expanding.

The weekend streatched out for ages, felt like another long weekend! Yesterday we went to see Sin City, which was pretty crap - don't bother - but it was the only outing for the day and therefore somewhat enjoyable.

So that's it, pretty much up to date minus a few details here and there which don't need to be shared.

Another day, another dollar, or rather, pound... I've been a bit of a boring git again for the past two weeks - inflicted due to a change in pay from weekly wage to monthly. But there's a long weekend coming up and thankfully my pay comes through just before it starts! So I'll be making up for some lost time and heading up to London for a day or two.

But the quiet days haven't been totally wasted! I got some air drying clay and Mark and I have been slowly making some chess pieces. One set each, and then the major task will be making a chess board. Thankfully Mark is pretty good at things like that so I should have some good help putting mine together. It's nice to have my favorite pass time back again and being able to get my hands dirty with some clay. It's pretty much the same as the clay I used at home, but it's mixed with nylon/fibreglass so it doesn't need to be fired, you just let it dry and then paint it and laquer it.

I'm making my pieces as woodland fairies and imps - inspired by the woods around here. For the light and dark sides I'm having summer and winter. Hopefully they'll turn out as well as they look in my head! So far so good though.

Anyway, that's what I've been up to. Unfortunately no travel stories yet, or in the near future. Although I may be off to Greece soon for a few days... Mmmm lazing about on the beach sounds wonderful after all this typically English weather! Just when I thought it was getting spring/summer-ish it got cold again, and it's been raining and grey - Brrrr!

A few days off. Not much else to write. Life is good and there's lots to smile about.

Ahhh, after two early nights, and a good sleep I feel ALMOST human again, but
still could do with another day off.... Greedy really - we had Monday off, as
you know.

It was a fantastic weekend though, I really enjoyed having everyone down and
filling our little flat to bursting point! My mate Sue came down on Friday
night and we spent most of the evening yappin' away at each other. We were
supposed to go out, but by the time we'd finished the few beers and checked
the clock it was 10pm and the pubs here start to kick everyone out at 11. So
we stayed in and got a bit stoned instead. Mark got quite a bit stoned and
almost burnt the house down later in the evening due to his brilliant idea of
using a small cardboard box as an ashtray.... FANKS!

On Saturday early in the morning Tony - a friend that I do a little work for
and an old mate of Marks called and he came around to ours and then we all headed out for a fry up together. Very Nice! Then it was back to ours to meet Claire and her new man. After a few more beers - hair of the dog an' all, we trotted off to the
country park with our 'Amsterdam truffles' in hand. Once there we downed
those and went walking in the woods. I don't think they worked very well on
me, but they were quite giggly little things; but no visuals or much crazy-
ness. The other guys seemed to get more of a kick from them, but then again
I've never had 'organic' trips before so maybe that was it? Who knows, but I
think next time I'll be wanting a little more! Was a good afternoon all the
same wandering through blue-bell fields and through the valleys with there
tinkling creeks.

We headed off to the pub after that- all gagging for a beer or three! Had
dinner there. One good thing about living in a fishing town (well there's
more than just one but...) is that they do excellent fish and mussels. But I
had steak, along with the rest of us, except Mark who went for the mussels
again, so when he stopped eating for a loo break, we tucked into his and he
came back to an empty bowl... Ahhh mean girls that we are! Shortly after
dinner and another beer or two, we popped our little happy treats and watched
the fireworks that were let off on the beach. I LOOOOOOVE fireworks, so that
was a great start to the night for me! At some stage we left the pub and
headed towards the 'new' town for a boogy. Ended up at a place called 'Brass
Monkeys' that plays funk. They had a band on and we spent the rest of the
evening there gettin' on down to some funky tunes! Ha ha.We stumbled back home and after a few spliffs I was fast asleep on the couch. Mark managed to get up only an hour later for the dawn dancing on the green near ours. I was dead to the world although they did try to wake me... Anyways! I'm told there were Morris dancers
gallore surrounded by a lot of off it people who'd been out all night and day
like us. Mark (and Claires man, Keiran) said it was a good'un, but I'm not
convinced that I missed out on the best bits!!

On Sunday we managed to rise sometime around 2pm, just in time to meet Sam,
Kelly and Rhys as they arrived from London. Our flat at this stage was packed
and if anyone else turned up we would've had to hang them on the back of a
door or something... We trundled to the pub (again) with them and spent the
arvo there in the beer garden out the back - a nice little spot. Tony turned
up with his wife and kids, so there was quite a few of us... After dossing
about there for most of the afternoon we split up (the kids were getting
antsy) us free-agents stayed on for another round or two, and then we met up
with Sam, Kelly and little Rhys again and headed down to the 'fair' that is
on the beach. A few rides and a bunch of laughs later and we went for some
fish 'n' chips and yet more beer.

By about 11pm we were ready to go home and crash again, but there were still
more pills, so we split them between us and then went home. Claire and her
man headed back to their campsite, so it wasn't too packed at ours, just a
tight squeeze. Kell, Sam and Sue crashed early, and Mark and I were left
awake munching the insides of our mouths and watching telly. I finally fell
asleep and then too soon the next day rocked around.


Monday was the full on 'Jack in the Green' festivities. A parade through town
followed by people painted green, dressed in leaves twirling fire and banging drums ensued. Lots of queues everywhere, and seeing that I can now loosely be classed as a
local I spent some of the afternoon complaining about tourists crowding our
little seaside town. Ha ha.
We met Claire and Keiran up at their campsite for a late cook up breakfast and then back to the West Hill where everything was kicking off. More Morris dancers (I didn't think Morris dancers really existed until I came here, I thought they were a fantasy thing of comedy sketches...), lots of topless men beating drums, much dancing and beer flowing.



The actual 'Jack in the Green' ritual is this huge guy completely covered
from head to toe in foliage and a crown made of bright flowers. You can't
actually see the man underneath the costume. He 'dances' around to a stage to
the beating of drums by some quite muscled men and then once on stage the
crowd proceed to rip all the foliage off his costume and throw it in the air.
This has something to do with asking for a blessing for the crops and a good
summer. They then cut him down/push him over, and depending on which way the
Jack falls lets them know if their prayers have been answered. I'm pretty
sure though that the 'Jack' is out of his costume by the time he gets cut
down. I didn't see any blood anyway.



After that it was more beer in the sun and then I went back to ours to
say 'Adios' to Sue, Claire and Keiran and promptly crashed out once they'd
left. Sam, Kelly and Rhys stayed on a bit longer out on the green with Mark,
but I was way too shagged by that stage to even walk outside again.

Tuesday at work was abit of a struggle, but it's Wednesday night now and the week is almost done!

Please excuse me I have had 4 of those today - apparently that constitutes binge drinking, if you read the paper here that is...

I tried to go shopping for some shoes today in Hastings, and found that it was an impossible task. Unless of course I happened to be about 60 years old and was looking for a pair of homey-peds. I think I spelt that wrong, but you get the idea, those old people shoes.... Looks like I have been given a mission! Will let you know how that one goes...at least I work in Brighton!

We (Mark kindly came on the re-con with me) ended up at the pier - which is quite touristy - and I did find a skirt that I could almost wear - if wasn't such a tight-arse. But anyway, went to the gritty palace,not a bad pub. Every pint we bought gave us a raffle ticket in a draw for a hamper. The basket was really nice - perfect for picnics, or the laundry. Filled with all sorts. McVitties biscuits..Mmmm. Mince pies, a bottle or two of beer, cheese, more plain biscuits. Mmmm verrrry nice. There are also a bunch of board games in the pub as well, so we had a few rounds of back gammon - goes down nicely with the beer. We didn't win the hamper though, and we did have about 12 tickets - but the bar maid even gave us a few extra... - Ha ha, we weren't meant to win it.

I'll be blogging from home now, it's easier than at work. So expect some more of this random thinking.....

St. Leonards - the next town or suburb alon from Hastings is quite Moe-esk... A bit run down and grey..

I finally took up my swimming challenge last Tuesday, after saying for a couple of weeks that I was going to go 'tomorrow'. Anyway the local pool is about 5 minutes walkk from the train station so I got to it and went along. I think people may have thought I was a bit strange. I went in, paid and walked into the change room with my bag. It was all stalls and lockers, so I picked the stall clotest to me, shut the door and started to get changed. Next thing you know, I can hear mens voices, right next to my stall. Not a good sign I'm thinking, I've bloody gone and walked into the wrong change rooms, what do you do?? So I decided I had imagined it, and continued to get changed.
So there I am kitted out in my togs and bath towel and ready to step out of the stall, a bit weirded out. But then I heard a female voice, was placated and opened the door. I step out into a uni-sex change room which was a bit more than strange. Shortly after found that I didn't have a pound coin for the locker and walked around weirded out for about 5 minutes trying to figure our what to do with my bag while I was swimming. I swear peolpe must've thought I was a freak.... Mind you the whole changeing room experience did leave me feeling like I was in a strange place.

I did go shopping yesterday in Brighton which was kinda fun, in a frenzied 1 hour sort of way. I've been needing some new sneakers/trainers and jeans. I don't fit into the ones I had made in Vietnam anymore - they shank, and that's the story I'm sticking too ok? Anyway I ended up getting 2 tops, a pair of jeans, jacket and a truly exciting 5 pack of socks at some cheap shops. I do love the bargain hunt, Maybe I couldn't handle being rich...? Naaaahhh Anyway, I still have some spare cash for some shoes if they have any in Brighton that I like.

Anyway, I feel like a pizza, so I'm off to make one. Mmmmm piza, and popcorn.

Wa hay!!! Good news to post today! My interview went really well and it looks as though I now have a permanent position with the International HIV/AIDS Alliance!! I should get confirmation of it tomorrow, it just needs to be signed off at HR and then I switch from being a temp to being gainfully employed with a charity again! Let the partnership begin....



Not much else has been going on this week really. It's been hell busy at work, which is great, I'm learning more and the days are flying by.

Last weekend was reasonably quite. On Saturday I got a few things done that have been waiting for a while - like getting my camera fixed - or at least sending it in to be fixed. Hopefully it won't cost me a fortune, but I won't know until they write to me with the quote.

On Sunday Mark and I walked up to the country park to see how Spring was coming on, and it is truly beautiful out there right now. Bluebells, daffodils and blossoms on the branches. Plus it's light now until about 8.30 and getting lighter, so some picnic dinners after work are in order I think, once it's a touch warmer...

Anyway, it's Friday tomorrow, and the much awaited weekend again. Ahh, I'll be off shopping on Saturday, and then Sunday off to work for a friend. Not too much happening really, but the weekend after is the May Day celebrations, which sound like a bit of fun. Sue is coming down for that and hopefully a few other mates, but that remains to be seen...

Until next post - x

Well the weekend has been and gone, as per usual a mite too quickly! All the same, it was a good one. On Saturday Mark and I traveled up to London for a friends birthday party. It was a pretty good night, although unfortunately Sue couldn't come because she was ill, and Em was nowhere to be seen! Ach well, fun was had all the same, some good music, a few beers and chatting to new and interesting people. It was quite a late night/early morning and when we finally stumbled out of the pub it was a little bit of a mission to get a cab back to Peckham.
Mark decided the first one we got into was too expensive and after 'bargaining' with the cabby we got out and traipsed down the street in search of another, which fortunately we found reasonably quickly!

On the Sunday (after a couple of panadol) we went into London for a walk along the Thames with Amber - Mark's 7 y.o niece. Was a really nice day and lots was happening on the banks of the river - mimes, balloon twisters, games, music all sorts of things. It was good to get out and see some new and different things. Amber got a little freaked out by a 'human statue' which was kinda funny. As we were walking towards the gold seated man we asked her if he was a statue or not. She wasn't too sure so went up to touch him, and came back to let us know she was sure he wasn't 'real'. After watching him for a few moments, he moved to a different position, and the look on Amber's face was priceless!

After that it was back to Peckham for a Sunday roast! YUM! As Amber said, her Nan is the best cook in the world, and she's not far wrong, although I can't bring myself to admit she's better than my Dad - sorry.

I came back to Hastings on the Sunday night, but Mark's had to stay on in London for work. So at the moment I have the flat to myself, which isn't so bad although a little quiet. Still it gives me a chance to get some things done that I would otherwise put aside for another time... Ha ha, fun things like washing!

Also this week I've been able to apply for permanency in my position here! I've only just sent in my application, and should know by Friday if I have an interview, an

Well the time to blog has come around again, and really this one is just to let you all know that I'm still alive and kicking, but not actually kicking anyone imparticular.

Nothing amazing has happened. I've just been working and doing the day to day routine things. This weekend I'm off to London for a party with Mark. Sue and Em are coming along as well so it should be a good chance to catch up and have some fun.

Last weekend was reasonably quiet, on Sunday we went down to a different park (for a change) in the centre of town - Alexandra gardens. Strange how so many places here are named the same as home - or not so strange depending on how you look at it. Was nice to sit out in the sun, have a few beers and eat some (more) yummy food. But then again not the most exciting thing to be writing home about.

The weather has gone bad again though and outside it's drissle and cold with a northly wind. Hate those north winds, they really get into your bones. Gawd! I sound like an old woman! I suppose I should leave it there before I start moaning about my joints....

Well spring has, or rather, is, definitely sprung! The Easter break was delicious weather, still not warm enough for shorts, but nice enough to sit outside and soak up some sunny warmth. The sky was blue and the air was fresh and warm, LOVELY!

On Good Friday I was a complete lazy arse and surprised even myself by sleeping in until 2 in the afternoon! Couldn't believe it when I got up and checked the time. Still it was a lovely afternoon so after getting up Mark and I went outside onto the green with a few beers and a bifta. Sat there for a while and watched the world go by as we both struggled to wake up... A lovely afternoon 'twas!

On Saturday both of us worked around at a mates place - me sorting out the office, and Mark in the garden. And surprisingly it was again beautiful weather, warm and inviting you to go for a walk in the park, or have a picnic in a field... Still we didn't take up the offer that day, and went home again to chill out after tiring ourselves out with work.

Derren Brown The Mind Tinker was our Sunday night entertainment. Tony, Dawn, Terry, Debbie, Mark and I made our way to the White Rock theater expecting to be filled with awe at the amazing things this guy was going to do. Well he was pretty good, and I had no idea what to expect, but he basically works with body language and subliminal messages to tell you what your thinking, or to get you to read his mind. There were some good tricks, and some that didn't seem to work so well, which is all part of a live show - innit?
At the start he got this guy up on stage (with a seemingly innocent way of having him selected from the crowd) gave him a locked briefcase, and asked him to figure out the combination in the interval. Anyway, at the interval, we were stood around having a beer or two, and Mark decided to go up to this guy and see if he was a 'plant' or not. You never know though do you? Mark was convinced he was before he even went to talk to him, and then more so after it. At the end of the show the combination ended up being this guys year of birth, his house number and his age, or something like that.
The second half of the show was a bit gross though and started off with Derren hammering a nail into his right nostrill - not a pretty thing to see. Some chick from the audience (Mark was sure she was a 'plant' too) pulled the nail out again - GROSS! Then he walked over broken glass, and even lay face down on it whilst getting someone to stand on his back.
After the show we went out for a few more beers and then back to ours for a few more and a spliff or two. Before I knew it I was napping on the couch in front of our guests. How rude!

On Monday morning Tony gave us a call and next thing we were all going out for Yum Cha at the local Chinese restaurant. Lots of yummy scrummy things to eat, and then a walk along the pier to a pub for yet another beer. It was quite a pissy weekend actually! Still the all you can eat was excellent, and spending the day with Tony and Dawn was nice too. The weather again was gorgeous, and we popped back to Tony and Dawns for some wine, munchies and a DVD that evening. By the time we called a taxi I wasn't walking straight, and the fog had rolled in from nowhere, making all quiet and damp.

Tuesday I somehow managed to get into work without too much of a problem and only one panadol before leaving the house. The fog was still there too, but I don't mind that so much.
Yesterday and today the fog is still about, it hasn't lifted once, which is really weird, I've not experienced something like this before. It's been like living on a horror movie set.... Maybe I am???

Spring is here! Definitely, you can smell it in the air, and the crisp cold has dissipated to a fresh warmth. It's lovely, and long awaited by all the poms - and me!

This weekend in celebration of the first mild to warm weekend since I've arrived, Mark and I went out for a picnic in the country park. We found a nice little ledge on the cliffs facing the sea, and tucked into some scrummy food. Mmmm, pate, nice cheese, wine and other deliciousness! Sitting there in the sunshine, looking out to the English channel and watching the wheeling seagulls and gentle blue of the channel was just what we needed!
We also had a little explore further up the cliff face (off the path) and I managed to put my hand right in the middle of a clump of stinging nettles - OUCH! We looked around but couldn't find any dock leaves which are supposed to counteract the stinging. It settled down after a while, but even now - a day later - I can still feel it in my hand and one of the veins has gone a surprising blue-ish colour... But it hasn't dropped off and I expect I will be ok on the whole. I've never heard of anyone dying from stinging nettles anyway...

Work has kind of calmed down a little. I had a really hectic stint there for a while, trying to catch up with the work I missed when unable to get in coz of the snow. I did a load of over time only to have the majority of it stolen by the tax man... They're the same the world over aren't they? Take every last penny that they can - the bastards!!
Anyway, it looks like I may have snagged myself a permanent position here, which is brilliant. I may be jinxing myself by writing about it. It hasn't been confirmed yet, and nothing is in writing, but my boss has said that the position will be advertised shortly (hopefully not long after Easter) within the organization and that it's mine if I want it seeing that I have been doing that position (pretty much) since I have been here. So that's good news, now I am simply waiting for it to eventuate, and these types of things take ages with charities... HR is staffed by tortoises. I'll have to interview for it again, so please keep your fingers crossed for me!

And now Easter is on its way! 4 days off and hopefully more sunshine! Marks brother and sister in-law are coming down to visit on the Sunday and we're off out to see some magician type guy Derren Brown. Not too sure exactly what he does - hypnosis type things from the sound of it - but he's reasonably well known and Mark seems excited about seeing him in the flesh and not just on telly. Should be interesting if nothing else, and nice to see Terry and Debbie again as last time was Christmas day.

Well that's about it from me. Looks like I won't be doing too much other travel until later in the summer as my savings need a little extra meat on them... But I'm working on it and they're on a high carb diet which should have them looking a lot more beefy by the time my birthday comes around, until then though it's heads down and nose to the grindstone! Which unfortunately means not so many interesting blogs or travel stories... Although a few weekends away to exotic places may be able to be arranged!

Thank Gawd it's....Wednesday?

Ah well two more days and then I can sleep again. This week is full of overtime as I am trying to make up the hours I lost to the snow. So it's early to rise and late to bed for this week and next. After that it's EASTER TIME. Chocolate time more like it!!

I've been having some strange animal omens this week. Yesterday it was a black cat, very sweet he/she was crouched beside the railway line. The this morning a black rabbit, just calmly sitting in a field looking as though he was minding his own business, but then again you never know... Plus 3 Pheasants, male ones with the gorgeous tail feathers and green caps. I hope there's not a black theme running here though, I don't need or want any bad luck. The again I don't suppose anyone does.... Maybe the black animals are signifying dark chocolate easter things...?

Well nothing interesting has happened, and doesn't look like it's going to for a few weeks at least while I try to make my bank balance a little healthier. Mark is off to London on the weekend, I'm staying in though. Gotta love that snow and follow on pay dip.... Anyway, if and when something nice, interesting, or eventful happens I shall write again!

Ahhh. This glorious Motherland, country of my ancestors and family roots, the beginning of civilization as I know it... You'd think that they'd have things sorted here after the 100's and 1000's of years they've had to fine tune their nation.

It's been a really cold week, it snowed again on Monday morning, and the flakes were silently floating down past the bedroom window as my alarm went off that morning for work. So instead of having a repeat of Wednesday the week before where I walked to the station only to have to walk back home again, I called. They said the trains weren't working due to a power cut...hmmm, the amazing powers of English snow. So it was no work on Monday - Wa hay! Except that I'm temping, so no show means no pay. Fair enough though, a day off is nearly always appreciated. So I stayed home and slobbed about, was good in a way as it gave me a chance to try and get over this cold/flu that keeps bugging me.

Tuesday was still cold, but thankfully no snow, so I happily (but carefully) skipped off to the train station and even worked back to try and make up my hours lost on Monday. A 9 hour day and over time for the rest of the week should've set me right!

Wednesday morning snuck around and the back courtyard was covered in white (the snow seems to stick especially nicely to the cat poo in the back yard... mmm) and big globular flakes were falling rather thickly. Again no work, but seeing that this was the 3rd day in 2 weeks that this had happened I was beginning to be a little over the 'lovely white clean snow' and a lot pissed off at the lack of pay! So I called, and then I called again, and then the third time I called I was told that yes, the trains had just started running again! Wa Hay! I was going to be about 3 or 4 hours late, but better than not going in at all. So I rugged up (cheers for the hat and scarf Julianne) and carefully slid down the hill to the station, kinda buoyed by the fact that I was going to be able to get in more than just one day of work this week. (Sad I know) So I skipped into the station and lo and behold, between my phone call and walking to the station, that train had yet again been cancelled, and not one replacement bus to be seen! ARRRGH....

I trudged back up the hill, got a sweat on for my efforts and went back to bed. Obviously work was not going to be on that day. In the afternoon rather than mope about I went out and about with Mark on his errands. A day in the life of Mark eh? We ended up at the pub (after enquiring about some photos, going into Bexhill and to the post office), and then another pub, and finally a 3rd pub in the old town. After however many beers and drunken conversation it was back up the hill and home by about 9pm. Not a bad innings and I would much rather spend my train fare in a bar, any day....

So yesterday, Thursday, rocked around and when I looked out the window after getting up, my heart sank. The ground was still white from Wednesdays snow and the sky was ominously grey and had that 'I'm about to snow really hard' look on it's face.... Luckily though after quickly sliding down the hill it still hadn't snowed and the trains were going! Yay I made it in to work and a 10 hour day partly made up some time for the 2 days missed.... Ahhhh. Not home, but almost free!

So this morning when I woke up and the sky was only patchy with cloud, and the ground was still covered in white, I thought maybe I'd have a chance of getting to work. No point calling the station first as they don't know what's going on anyway.... So down the hill I go. I get to the train station, and the trains aren't running but I'm told there is a bus service to take commuters to a town 2 stations away where they can connect with their regular train. I was a little wary after the week I've had, but thought 'hey, give them the benefit of the doubt, after a week of snow they've finally been able to come up with half a solution..!' So I bought my ticket and hopped on the bus..... Hmmmm, at least it was warm.
The bus got to Bexhill ok, but the train we were supposed to connect with had already left. The next train was due in 45 minutes. I tell you it's bloody cold here, and waiting on a station platform isn't the best way to spend your morning, no matter how rugged up you are! So everyone waited, and then waited a bit more, and what the hell we waited some more, until one of the platform guards came along and told us that the trains had been cancelled, again.... So we all made to leave, but were asked to wait a little longer, and then just a bit more, and oh! they almost had it fixed, thank you for your patience!
Finally after an hour and a half of waiting in the cold and cursing in my head, a train finally arrived. An old one, with no heating but at least ti was going all the way to Brighton, and I finally got to work, almost 3 hours late, but at least I got here!!

Aside from that though, my week has been pretty uneventful. The weekend was a quiet one, and needless to say the next few will be quiet as well as my cash funds have been largely depleted due to this weeks exercise in 'The Brits: how they have tamed the typically horrid English weather'.

Wa Hay! On Tuesday night we got a big dumping of snow, so on Wednesday morning when I woke up and peered our the window everything, including our little courtyard, was covered in white, crisp new snow. It is such a pretty sight to see.

I got ready as normal and crunched my way down the hill to the train station. My footsteps made a sound like I was walking on a bed of cornflakes... mmm cornflakes. I slipped a few times going down the stairs, but didn't go completely arse over tit. When I got to the train station it was to find that the trains had been cancelled. No way to get to work.... A day off to play in the SNOW!! Yippee! So I happily went back up the hill and back to bed for a few hours.

Later on Mark and I walked across to the country park and had a snowball fight on the way, built a reasonably big snowman that looked a little like Ronald Reagan, and I made him a snowangel. (He didn't know what one was, which I can't understand seeing that he comes from a country that is know for its cold weather and snow, and I don't.) We tried some tobboganing with some trays that we found abandoned, but soon found why they'd been abandoned - we couldn't even begin to get a slide going.

Walking in the woods here when it has snowed is soo peaceful, and you feel like you'll spot a fox or rabbit at any moment due to all the tracks you can see from their skipping about the place. There was plenty of twittering happy bird music and the trickling of the stream, it seemed like everything including the woods itself were glad that the world had been temporarily covered in white.

After a morning of frolicking about, getting snowed on, and generally enjoying ourselves it was back home to warm up. Winter here is lovely, such a cozy, pretty season. Then again Autumn was good too.... Maybe it's just that the seasons are so much more pronounced here than at home. Whatever the reason though it was excellent to have an unexpected day off, to be able to play in the snow, and to finally have gotten my wish!

It's 4.53pm and IT'S SNOWING!!!! Yay!

Another new week! And for once I do actually feel rested after the weekend! Says a lot for doing pretty much nothing for 2 days, but hey it has to be done sometimes...

I'm still getting over the beating my account took from going to France, so this weekend was a quiet one, but it was worth it. We spent our time doing the free things on offer around Hastings.

We went up to the Firehills early(ish) on Saturday morning to soak up a little of the sunlight! It's been grey on grey for about two weeks now - France being even worse weather wise. So both Mark and I were more than up for a bit of sunshine and blue sky. The Firehills are at the far end of the country park where we go walking. Taking along a few beers and a splif, we casually pottered around the country park enjoying the sun and trying to shield ourselves at the same time from the bitter northerly wind. Brrr. Poor Mark has recently re-buzz-cut his hair, so his noggin was like a ball of ice. My hair still needs a cut and needless to say is long enough to wear as a scarf underneath my woolen one... Mmmm attractive.
We pulled up a bit of soft inviting moss and sat for a while enjoying the view of the sea, the feel of the sun and the relaxing smell of some fine smoke. Obviously being winter it's hard to find a tree with any leaves on at the moment, but the leafless trees are still able to display some fantastic colour. The subtle hues of purples, pinks and mahogany reds were lovely. We went off the track a little and walked path-less through the woods for a bit, although there's bugger all foliage, there is green everywhere in the moss and the ivy growing all over the place. Plus everything has started to bud. Some of the trees are even more eager than that and have the beginnings of little flowers coming out. Little do they know that snow is on it's way this week (YAY!!) and they are about to meet an untimely end. Mwooooaaar Hooooaar hooooaaar!

We were going to check out the museum that afternoon, but after getting home and unwrapping my layers of wool to have some lunch, I couldn't be arsed wrapping up all over again so piked on Mark and fell asleep on the couch instead. Mark went out though, bless him!

Sunday was very lazy. I only walked to the corner store and back, did some housework (WOO HOO!). The snow clouds and storm were supposed to roll in that afternoon, and I was looking forward to watching the front come in from the west hill with a big dumping of snow. BUT it didn't come, nor was it there this morning.. So patience, patience, we shall have to see if it comes later today or hopefully sometime soon!

The trip to France was pretty good, something new, sights, sounds and smells. Mmmm French bread and butter, how can something so simple taste so damn delicious??

We were supposed to catch the ferry from Portsmouth at 3.15 on Thursday afternoon. Mark picked me up in Brighton at about 1.30pm and we were cutting it a bit fine, but cained along and may have made it in time. Half way there (to Portsmouth) I turned to Mark and said 'Have you got everything?' He said 'Yep' I said, 'And you have your passport?' His face went blank, as he realised he'd forgotten it.... Ahhhh Bugger! So we had to turn around, race to my office, see if we could cancel that ferry crossing and book for the later one that evening (11.45pm) Fortunately we were able to and we didn't lose any cash on missing the first ferry.-Phewww!

So then it was back to Hastings, we got a little lost on the way and instead of it taking 1 hour it took 2. The scenic route when you're in a rush just ain't the way to go. Anyway we got back home, hung about for a few hours and then got back into the car for the expected 3 hour journey to Portsmouth. Luckily though we took the freeway this time so it was only 2 and a bit hours, we got there with plenty of time to spare for getting lost in Portsmouth - which of course we did.

By the time we got on the ferry Mark and I were completely knackered, but we went to see 'Closer' at the onboard cinema and were the only ones in there- wicked, it was like our very own private screening. Because no-one else was in there we were able to have a couple of beers we'd brought along for the journey, and smoke. I've never smoked in a cinema before, I felt sooo naughty! It wasn't a bad movie, quite sad though, but maybe that's why I liked it... Seemed more real.

After that it was back to the seated rooms and a sleep on the floor for a few hours like a worn out child. The ferry got to France at about 6am, and it was supposed to take us about 1 and a half hours to get from the port to where we were staying with friends, but once again, we got lost and it took us 4 hours. I was so shattered by the time we arrived that the day was pretty much a write off for me. After we turned up and made nice for a while I went and crashed out for the rest of the day.

The actual awake time in France was ok. We went clubbing on Saturday night at 'Le Apocalypse'- glad I did, but won't be doing that again.... BAD DJ's - talking over music and not mixing tracks, just abruptply changing partway through one song to another, plus not really my kind of music French house... Trying to speak to people when you're off it, they're French, you can't speak the language, and they can't speak English isn't the easiest of situations either. I did have a good go though and had one French guy tell me that his Father was 53 and his brother was 59....??? EH!?

I did go and check out a few Depot Vient's - Junk shops, and found a few interesting things, some old (maybe 1940's?) black and white postcards, a teracotta pot, and other bits and pieces. Only bought the pot and postcards though, couldn't find any use for the numerous spinning wheels, doors, old nighties/petticoats, complete WW2 uniforms and helmets, and other bits and bobs.

We took a few walks about the country side, but I wasn't able to take any photos though as my camera needs a service, and although I took Marks along, it had a dead battery... damn, but not the end of the world. The roads in Normandy are all edged on both sides by these big earthen banks, like an earth fence. I can imagine it would be so pretty in summer time with all the flowers edging the roads around, and how hard it must have made the fighting there in WW2. It was all on in the area that we stayed. The towns close by had all been completely flattened at one stage of the war or another, but afterwards the French rebuilt the buildings to the same design as the originals, on the same foundations and with the same stones that they salvaged from the rubble. Such tenacity of life and culture.

I'll remember France mainly as lots of yummy cheeses, good wine, and banter with Jane and Chris. Plus the home made goodies, like blackberry jam - YUM! We even got to take some home with us.

We checked out a few bars and beers (as you'd expect of us two)- they don't have any pubs in France, just these bars that double as newsagents and greasy spoons, kinda weird. But cozy all the same.

We got back to Hastings without any hitch - arrived night before last at about 1/2 12 and then was back at work yesterday. I'm glad it's a short week as the travel about was more tiring than I anticipated.
Anyway my lovelies, that was my trip to France.... I think I will definitely go back one day, I'd like to see Brittany, which is supposed to be gorgeous countryside, and of course Paris - you simply can't go to France and not see Paris. I am a tourist here afterall!

Well another weekend is over... They just never seem to last quite long enough do they?? Still, I took Monday off so I shouldn't be complaining really... Was a little sick, but mainly self induced after an evening of wine and chatter with Em.

Saturday I lazed about and only got down to the supermarket, but at least I did get outside and didn't remain completely housebound! I had a big sleep in which was much needed, and that's about it for my Saturday. I was a slob and lazy, but after the last few weeks of full on work it was essential to recharge the batteries.

On Sunday Mark and I drove up to London, well I didn't drive, but chattered on all the way there. Like a good passenger... Mark dropped me off in Herne Hill and I went to visit Em while he caught up with his family. Next time I'll probably go along with Mark and say hi to Mrs Gridley and the other little Gridleys (Ha ha, they're all older than me...) but this weekend I took the opportunity to say hi to Em. I've been promising for months now to get up to London town and visit, but haven't actually come good with it, so it was good to finally be able to.

We had a chilled walk in the park just down the road from Em's place and watched the amateur soccer. Then found ourselves in the Commercial (there's a Commercial pub everywhere... ahh it takes me back!) for a couple of pints, some yummy nuts and a talk about all girly things from jobs, to relationships, holidays and life in general.... No, no mention of the latest make up techniques or dress sizes - so I guess we weren't that girly after all...?

The it was back to Em's, she quickly caught up on her weekend work - so glad I don't have to worry about work once I've left my desk - and then she cooked up a delicious risotto. Mmmm mmm chicken and other yummy bits 'n' pieces. After making our way through 3 bottles of red, or close to, Mark rang and popped by. He met Em and her man Aaron for the first time and then we made our way back south to Hastings.

I fell asleep on the way home so didn't at all live up to my passenger duties, and apparently leaked the fumes of wine from each and every pore all the way home. Poor Mark, I don't know why he puts up with me....? I fell into bed after making it in, and slept reasonably soundly for the first part of the night. By the time my alarm went off on Monday morning though I was feeling a little more than worse for wear, although I did get up on automatic and got ready for work. It wasn't until I paused to open the door and leave that I decided I wasn't really in a fit state for work... so I unpacked my bag again and crawled back into bed where I stayed for all of the morning.

Yesterday afternoon we went to the white friars just down the road from where we live and met a few new characters. Hopefully we'll bump into them again... And that brings everything up to date!

Seems like I have started in the right direction finally! This weekend I plan to do a little more than the usual walk in the park and laze about at home! I also have some good news, but will wait until things are confirmed before telling it, or even hinting at it further. I don't want to jinx myself.

I'm off to London on Sunday to catch up with a friend of mine - Em. Should be good, some girly chats and a Sunday roast! Mmm MM! Mark is going up to visit his mum and a few of his friends so I thought I might as well go with him and catch up with my friends that I have been promising to see and then not.

This week it has finally calmed down a little. The new web site was launched on Monday which means the majority of the work we had to do is now done (thanks to the Fates!) and I have stopped dreaming about work, which is good. Now at least I am resting at nights rather than doing unpaid dream over time!

We book our tickets to France tomorrow, which is great news! Then it's only another 3 and a half days of work and then I'm off to the pretty country side of France for some good food, wine and company! I am so looking forward to getting away to somewhere new! I can hardly come into work each day, I'd rather be off already. Although being occupied with something is better than watching the minutes tick by slowly.

Well seeing that I'm not going to divulge my good news - yet. That's all I have to say for now! Life is good, not nearly as boring as I have made it over the past few months and there is plenty to be looking forward to! Wa Hey!!

This weekend I surfaced from my boring git rut and actually did something note worthy. Mind you that is only note worthy, not epic story... Then again you can expect things to change too dramatically over night.

On the train home on Friday I met a guy called Martin and yapped the whole way home with him - yay - I now have a train buddy for my hour and a bit ride home. We shared a few beers on the journey and by the time I arrived in Hastings I was a little tiddly... Just a little though.

Mark and I were invited to an 18th birthday party for that Friday night - not by the birthday girl but by her Mum... GAWD I FEEL OLD! So after getting back home we had a quick dinner and a few more beers to prime us for the night ahead. So I was a little more tiddly by the time we left for the 'Hero's bar' in town. We got there, were stamped with a Fosters stamp on admittance (HA HA HA) and it was upstairs to the bar and see what the deal was. It was 10pm when we got there, and needless to say, most of the guests had had a few and were all up and dancing, or trying to, even the boys.

We settled into our seats, said hi to Alison (the Mum) and got ourselves a few beers. The night passed in an enjoyable way. Lots of dancing, some wicked music, half heard conversations, and more beer. Then at the end of the night a 'cowboy' shot, and out to find a cab home. After spending about 10 minutes on the footpath trying to hail a cab we finally struck gold and got a lift home. I remember walking in the door but after that ye ol' memory starts to dim to nothingness...
I sat down on the couch and apparently 'fell asleep' passed out is probably more like it, but Mark has given me the benefit of the doubt. A little while after Mark had gone to bed, he heard me crashing about in the lounge room, things falling from the mantelpiece and me stumbling about. I finally made a naked appearance in the bedroom, opened the cupboard door, knelt down and went back to sleep with my arse in the air and my head resting on the clothes I had pulled out in my desperation to find somewhere to sleep, even though bed was less than a metre away... Mark tried to get me to go to bed by calling my name, but I'd passed out again.

The next morning I woke to find myself in bed. Don't ask me how I got there coz I don't know. I stank of alcohol, had a raging headache, and couldn't find my balance as I was still drunk... After a few neurofen, another 1/2 hour sleeping and a quick call to say I was going to be a little late for work I was feeling a bit better. We stumbled down the hill to our local Cafe for a fry up, much needed, and then back home to grab the car and make my way to work...

Thankfully work was with a friend, so the fact that I looked like shit, and smelled very similar to a brewery wasn't too much of a problem. When I mentioned that I'd spent the night in the cupboard he was momentarily worried, but thankfully he had a red bull on hand. He gave that to me saying 'get that into you, I find it always works for me when I feel like you look' and then we got down to work. Luckily admin and computer work is almost second nature and easy enough to get to grips with, hungover or not.
After putting in a good 4 hours work we popped down to the Cenlac in Battle for a few pints (when will I learn?) and then home for a quick dinner and an early night as we were both completely knackered - proves that I am old really doesn't it?

The rest of the weekend was spent in my usual sad git way. Watching telly, sleeping in, and cleaning the house... Ahh, what a way to spend your Sunday. Still it was a good weekend, Friday night was well worth it and a good laugh, Saturday wasn't bad either even though I was at work, and Sunday was a much needed rest!

I'm off to France in a few weeks for 5 days with Mark, and then I'll either be back working here or maybe temping somewhere else. I have thrown my hat in for a few positions closer to home in Eastbourne, and Bexhill, so fingers crossed one of them comes up! If not though, things are still going well, work is pleasant, and life in general ain't too bad at all.

Brrr! The sun is shining, but it's crispy cold, and I finally got my wish for SNOW! This morning as I stepped out onto the street everything was covered with a fine cover of white, sparkling, clean snow. All the paths gleamed, and only the roads that had been salted were black, snaking their way through the pristine landscape.

The trees and shrubs all hold their little deposits of white so delicately, it really is like a new world, I love it! Even so close to the sea... The houses seem like German cakes with icing on top, and the roads are like licorice.

This afternoon I have an interview for the 'sleep duty' position at the nut home in Bexhill. Fingers crossed that it goes well, and that it's something I can see myself doing. I have some work this weekend doing admin kinda stuff for a friend, so that was good news from yesterday. AND the barmaid at the pub that Mark and I like to frequent is leaving, so I'll have to drop in and see if they'd like a Victoria to take on her shifts... Things may be looking up!

Mark is off to France sometime in the next month or so, and I'm thinking I may tag along with him to get a peek at another place. It would make a nice change from the work, sleep, work routine that I seem to have so easily fallen back into. It'll be the countryside of France as well, maybe Paris if I can scrape enough cash together, but if not, I still think it's a good place to start. Cities aren't really my favorite places anyway. But you can't go to France and not see Paris now can you?

It's a cold blue sky today, with temperatures dropping below 0, my ears stung this morning on my walk to the train station. Apparently it's been snowing around the place, but not where I am as it's right by the sea.

It was a quiet weekend, but enjoyable. Mark went off to Brighton and I eventually decided to stay in. Did some doodling and general hanging about, but enjoyed just chillin' by myself. On Saturday evening I got really stoned and fell asleep in front of the telly (what an exciting chick I am!!) only to be woken at about 7am by the beginnings of CBBC - childrens telly with screaming hosts... A quick flick of the controller though and it was back to sleep.

When I did eventually wake up it was to realise that I had used my weekly train ticket for this week as a roche in a spliff the night before... At about 45 pounds per week in travel it made it a pretty expensive roche. After a bit of a panic and a few cups of tea I walked to the train station with the hope that they'd be able to replace my ticket, without charge, or too many questions... Fortunately the guy I'd bought it off on the Friday before was working, and remembered me. I explained that my ticket had gotten ripped (heh heh) and could I have it replaced please? He took a look at it and asked where the other piece was. Not wanting to say it was in the ash tray, I just said I didn't know. Thankfully that was the end of the questions and 5 minutes later I had a nice new ticket at no cost. Ahhhh....
A quick walk about town later in search of some weekend work took me to various chippies, bookshops and a cafe or two. At this stage I don't have anything, but I was able to leave my details at a few places which seemed promising. One of them is a bookshop in the old town that I can really see myself working in, but it remains to be seen. It's either that or a fish 'n' chip store... Mmmm chip fat.
On top of that though I have an interview on Wednesday for a 'sleep duty person' in a home. Basically it's staying the night with some disabled people once a week. Considering that more than half the job is sleeping, I figure I could be the person they're looking for... We shall see, I need to find out more about the job first and just how disabled these people are, and what exactly I would be required to do...

Aside from that I have done none other than stay home, eat chocolate, draw a bit, do some writing and generally doss about. I did clean the house, and then Mark came home.... Needless to say it doesn't look clean any more.

The sun is shining, the grass is lush and green, and it's generally a lovely day. Not warm, but not freezing either. It's much like winter in Melbourne, and a mild one for here I am told.

The weekend was a pretty quiet one, the weather was kind to me and I was able to go for my big walk on Saturday. The country park never bores me although I have walked its paths so many times since being here. It was a great chance to clear my head and sort myself out. Something I definitely needed to do! I took a few pics as well, but with a disposable camera, so I have no idea how they will turn out. My camera is still sick and I need to take it in for a service or to be completely fixed... Something else on the to do list!

Work is going well and I think I may be here with the Alliance for a while, which is good! I am looking for extra work though, just something part time, weekends or evenings... Maybe I'll become a bar maid, or a shop assistant for a while. Not for too long though - I like having my spare time and aren't wanting to give it up entirely! Still something for about 3 or so months should give me some extra cash, which will be handy to pay off my credit cards back home and put some money into savings for my planned road trip this spring. Fingers crossed I find something that's not too bad shortly!

This weekend I may be off to Brighton for a gathering with Mark and his mates. I'm not too sure if I want to go yet, but figure today is only Tuesday, and it's not until Saturday, so there is plenty of time to decide what I want to be getting up to on the weekend. One day at a time - just like my New Years resolution! It would be nice to go out somewhere different, but I'm not too sure if I am up for meeting a whole lotta new people again yet... We shall see I guess.

Mark is in London again this week - leaving today and gone for a few nights. So the flat is all mine for a few days! Don't know what I'll get up to as I am used to having him about most of the time now that he is working from home... Sure I'll find something to do though rather than simply sitting and contemplating my navel for two days.
He bought me the Celestine Prophecy on the weekend - which has been great to read on the train. I may finish that and contemplate the theories and issues it discusses rather than my navel.. Then again I may just leave it for a train read and get to those curtains and finally finish them. Like I said, I'm sure I will find something to do!!

It's a lovely day today! And whatever you've got to do, it would be lovely to be doing it with you... You know not until I wrote that bit of song out did I think it was rude. Please, to whoever is reading this, I'm not saying that I want to 'do it' wiv ya, ok?

But it is gorgeous outside. I'll quite happily admit that it's not warm, but the sun is shining, the sky is blue and there is a cool crispness in the air that is delicious! Feels like winter in Melbourne! Mmm It'll be nice sitting outside this arvo with the sun on my back.

The days have started to get noticeably longer again, it's light again as I make my trek down the hill to the train station each morning. The enormous seagulls are all making their morning squawking tribute to the sun and swooping about joyously in the air and the delicate pinkness of the sun rise beckons you to be in good spirits! By 4.30 now it's only starting to get dark (mind you it doesn't take long, it's pitch by 5). I think that's the worse thing about winter here, that lack of natural light. I could never be an inuit, or live somewhere like Lapland where it stays dark all day long for however many months... Would completely do my head in!

This weekend I plan a long walk to the second patch of woods, it's about 2 hours away, but well worth it. There is such a sense of peace and tranquility there, somewhere you can settle your mind and heart's woes. So fingers crossed that the rain stays away on Saturday!
Still if not, there is plenty to keep me busy inside. I have yet to finish the last curtain for our bay windows. I have done three, and hung them up, and seeing that the majority of the windows were then peek-proof I have put the last curtain aside, promising myself each day that I will get to it and finish it - there isn't a lot to be done even. I am also finishing sorting out all my photos from my trip. So putting them into their little albums and chucking out the crappy ones - which I can assure you there are plenty of. Then I can start bothering people and making them look at my pics! Ha ha! No one will want to come and visit ever again!!

We are working on a new website at work, which is pretty interesting. I'm learning some new things and am pretty busy with a few bits and pieces to do with it. It looks pretty special, and will be a lot better site once all the work is completed, should make contacting the Alliance and finding out about them a lot easier too.

Our part time pet - Luna the Cat - has settled in well to ours, and spends about half her time with us, the other half I assume is at her home. Since we got a desk and a few plants about the place, she sits up in the window, poking her head through the curtains and keeping an eye on the street. It's so cute! But I wonder what her owners would think if they happened to walk past our place while she was doing that. Maybe I should tell them that she's having an affair with us, then again that could be taken completely the wrong way to... Ha ha, it's a lovely day today.....

Well it's another grey and drizzly day, but so far the winter has been pretty much like winters in Melbourne, but with much less daylight. So it's not really that bad, or cold. I wish it would snow, but no one else agrees with me on that one. I want to make an English man snowman, and some snow angels...

I'm a bit better today - sorry for the grumpy and down blog from yesterday. A crap weekend and not getting along so well with your housemate can do that to you sometimes I guess. Still things are better and so much of it I think has to do with attitude. No more letting myself get depressed!! It's only winter, and like I said before, depression is such a useless waste of energy that I can't really justify to myself being like that for too long!

Work is pretty interesting at the moment. We're putting together a new website which hopefully will be ready to be launched at the beginning of Feb. But it's all hands on deck so that it can be. Which means not only does my time get extended again (YAY!), but also I am learning some new and interesting things! Makes the day go a little quicker if you're busy doing something that keeps your brain ticking over!

My sister gave birth yesterday to a bouncing baby boy - Connor. A bloody big baby too - makes me scared to think about having kids knowing that both of my sisters kids weighed in at over 9 pounds when they were born. And Connor (the new one) is 51 cms long. That's a lot of effort pushing him out, and even carrying him around while he was 'bakin'. So congratulations to Yvette, and her partner! I hope it all works out and Brodie (the 1st) settles in ok to not being an only child anymore. I'm sure he will though - he is a little darlin'!

Well that's all the news for me. Back to the grind!

Well I don't say this to often, but thank god the weekend is over and some sort of normalcy can reign again. The weekend wasn't one of the best yet, and I'm happy to be cocooned here in the office and some sanity, even if it is a little boring, rather than at home with the madness.

Last week was full of various little upsets and arguments; so this new week after much fighting, tears, gnashing of teeth and painful realizations for the both of us it is a relief to have something else to focus on. Not everything is dandy in the house of Mark and Vic.

And yet today is still conspiring against me in it's little ways - the noisy smoker has been downstairs everytime I go out for a ciggie. Why is it that some people have to smoke so loudly??
The day is cold, grey and drizzly - it seems like a reflection of how I am feeling. Maybe I'm letting the weather and everything else get to me, I should just pull myself out of it - being depressed is such a waste of energy.

Ahh, if only fairytales were true and you could go to sleep for a hundred or so years and wake to find the world a more favorable place.

Well it's my first day back at work after over a week off, and I tell you, I'm feeling a little more than just dazed and confused... More like stunned and dumbfounded! Don't really know how I got here this morning, and was wondering on the train if I even had the day right and was supposed to be in at work, but all that tells of a good Christmas/New Year break, innit?

Christmas was a good'un! We had a family Christmas dinner with Marks folks, and it was rather nice! I was expecting it to be a little weird considering I'd only met them a few times, but I was made so welcome, was stuffed full of every sort of Christmassy food you could imagine and plied with alcohol. What more could a girl want really? After making merry with the family, playing "ker-plunk" with Amber (Mark's niece) and "who wants to be a millionaire?" with the rest of the family, Mark and I left for London to a friends place for a Christmas night party. It may not have snowed in London, but we still managed to have a white Christmas, much to my delight! It was great to catch up with Sue and meet some other Aussies in England. It was a little like a piece of Melbourne in the centre of Wimbledon.

I was supposed to meet up with Em, but again had phone troubles and ended up missing out on that, much to my disappointment as it sounded like she'd arranged a heap of fun for us - ach well maybe next time, if she's still talking to me that is!! We did go to the common in search of wombles, but had no luck.

So because of my screw up we stayed on at Sue's a little longer. On Boxing day it was down to the pub to drown our come down in drunkenness - and it worked! Ha ha, we met some old geezer there who was telling us he was Graham Taylor, a famous song writer. Could've been a famous tight rope walker for all I knew. But he went on and on about all these people that I'd never heard of, and then about London gangsters like the Cray?s... Apparently he was in with them - but not a violent chap at all he said. Not into violence despite the fact that his knuckles were all swollen on his left hand from being in a fight... of course that wasn't his fault though.... After there it was home again and into some wine... Mmmm a hazy Boxing day, just what we needed!

On the Monday we trotted off to the Natural History Museum in London - you know the one from movies that has the huge diplodocus skeleton in the entrance foyer. Walked around there for hours and still didn't see everything. Was brilliant though, the building itself is a work of absolute beauty, and oh, the detail and effort that must've gone into it is breathtaking. The displays and what not were awesome too. Something I am very glad to have seen. Now I can be one of those panorkles at the movies that says in a loud whisper 'I've been there!' On the way back from there to the car we got lost and wandered around a bit in the cold. After finding the car we headed to a pub to warm up with a beer and then onto the movies! We went to see House of the Flying Dagger and I fell asleep for the main part of it, along with Mark. Apparently it's a really good movie, although a little slow in parts. I'll have to get it out on DVD some time. Christmas day, Boxing day and the day after were the coldest days I've ever experienced here so far. It wasn't snowing, but there was permanent frost over everything the whole of the day. Gorgeous blue sky, but colder than a nun's nasty.

After Monday and 3 days in London we were both a bit over it, so it was a trip around to Marks mum's place to say hello & goodbye, and then back to our cozy, but incredibly messy little flat in Hastings. We'd left it in a state. I'd opened my presents from Mark and a few others from home and just left things lying about, the furniture was all astray as Mark got a new desk, it was general upheaval. Just what you want to come home to after a big weekend like we'd had. Still home is home, and it was good to get back to our own space again.

The rest of the week was spent slobbing about, watching telly and going to the pub for the od and even pints. Before we knew it New Years Eve had arrived and we hadn't really made any firm plans. We had been invited to a party in Brighton but decided another trek away from home and spending the night sleeping on someone's floor after a big night out wasn't on the cards. So we piked from that one and went to a couple of pubs around home. It was time to meet the locals!

We had a pill left over from Christmas, so that and a bottle of red before we went out primed us for the night ahead. When we got there it was reasonably quiet, but not for long. The Queen Adelaide soon filled up with a variety of pirate-ish looking people, and the place was rocking before we knew it. I met this guy called Pete who had a face like one of those rubber puppets from Fast Forward, due to my pill all I wanted to do was squish his nose and pull his cheeks! Lucky for me though I showed restraint and didn't get thumped for my efforts! The evening passed in a bit of a haze, the usual rubbish conversations where you have no idea what you said the next day, and a lot of 'aw' right geezer!' All a bit whey, a bit wooh!

New Years day was spent cuddling in bed and watching telly (again) and pretending that I was feeling ok... Although honestly I wasn't feeling THAT bad! And then before I knew it, it was Tuesday and time to get back to the grind!

intéresser......


Leo July 24 - Aug 23
Tue December 21, 2004
Although the emphasis on laughter and leisure will continue during the rest of the month, from today you'll also have to pay attention to your working life. You might have to put in some extra hours in order to meet a deadline or you could soon be given new responsibilities. If you're fed up with your current job, start considering your options.

Hmm, other job options. Am pretty happy here actually, and have work after the new year too, so no need to worry yet. As for extra hours, I have time to spare, I am up to date on everything. Except that Oscar Wilde novel I have been reading - I want to get that finished before the office closes here!

I changed my mind on the present I got for Mark, but I'm sure he'll like it. He got me something, and was that worried I was going to peek and ruin his surprise that he took it to London with him! Ha ha, I guess I shouldn't joke about sneeking around and looking beffore I am supposed to.

So it's a week until Christmas, and all through the house not a present was bought, not even for... Mark... Sorry, couldn't think of something relevant to rhyme.

But I have finally decided what to get Mark - can't write it here though, as he may be secretly reading - I'll tell you after he's got it. I'll be off tomorrow morning though to get it, while he's still in bed, and to post my Chrsitmas cards. I know that it's probably a little late, but better late than never huh?

I've been checking our mail every day now, and still nothing has come for me - Boo Hoo! Not to worry though, I haven't been that good and bought presents for everyone that I normally would. Being away means I don't have to, and I guess the same goes for those at home.

I'm actually really looking forward to having some time off! The week between Christmas and New Year is all mine! I think I may spend part of it in London, check out the Natural History museum and the other things I've been planning to see for a while now. Seeing that I won't be going to Amsterdam, I may as well see a little of England that I want to.

Anyway, not too much else to say. Merry Christmas to all at home, have a brilliant New Year, and have a drink for me! Kisses!

img src="http://stellargraffiti.com/My%20Pictures/T.%20Merry%20Christmas.jpg">

So close to Christmas now - everyone here at work is starting to stress about gifts and what to get. Thank the Fates I got mine all done in SE Asia, I doubt I'd have been organized enough when arriving here to get it sorted in time to be sent home.

Still I do have to get something for Mark still, and his family. Hopefully - fingers crossed and touching wood, it won't take me too long. Although I don't have many ideas of what I want to get Mark.

Sue came down from Wimbeldon in London to visit this weekend. She hasn't found any wombles - yet - but we're going to visit after Christmas dinner with Marks family and see if we have any luck. Was good to hear about her travels and all and spend a little bit of time being her Hastings tour guide. Was a lot of fun!
We went fossil hunting on Sunday along the cliffs. Found a few but not any really really good ones. Still we all enjoyed fossiking around there. Both Friday night, and Saturday was spent downing a few or more beers.

Looks like we're not off to Amsterdam over new year after all - but instead some time around February. We haven't been able to get any accommodation, so it's been put on hold. Seems like everyone wants to go there for Christmas and we just weren't quick enough! Instead we'll hang in Hastings. There's going to be a party on the beach (brrrr) and a bit happening around town, so it's the perfect opportunity to get to know some locals!

Life has been pretty cruisey of late, maybe it's just the way I'm looking at it, and maybe it really has been. Who can say?

Wow! The sun is actually shining today! Must've heard me bagging it this morning - it was a heavy grey sky as I was on my way to work. But it's turned out to be a reasonable day, even if it is short!

Last night I had a visit again from the little cat - Luna - who lives a few doors down from us. She's a lovely little thing with a thick black coat and white chest. She comes meowing at the front window when it's particularly cold at night so that we let her in. Maybe she's been banished from her house for naughtiness, or maybe she just wants some milk, as I always get her a small saucer when she comes around.

She cuddled with me for a bit on the couch, and then settled down by herself on the other couch as I got into sewing the rest of the curtains - hopefully they'll be done by the weekend.

My friend Sue is coming to visit this weekend, it's been about 2 years since we've caught up in person, and I am much looking forward to seeing her and hearing about her travels through Turkey and Canada. So is Mark, he's planning on heading to Canada next year some time for about 4 weeks - maybe more. So he'll be questioning her about all that, best places to go etc. Maybe I'll head to somewhere in Europe for a while when he's away. Haven't decided where yet, but I'm sure I won't have too much trouble figuring that one out.

But this weekend I'll be acting as tour guide for my newly adopted town. We'll probably head to the castle, and of course check out some of our true English pubs in the old town. It's sure to be a laugh!

Leo July 24 - Aug 23
Wed December 8, 2004
Be choosy about who you spend time with today. If you're with someone who's habitually miserable or sorry for themselves, you'll soon be dragged down to their level and will struggle to recover again. However, you may feel such sympathy for their plight that you don't see you have any choice but to be with them. If so, do your best to remain positive.

Ha ha.... That's kinda funny - I won't be hanging out with anyone today. Mark has gone to London, and I still don't know many people down this way - or anyone in Hastings! Maybe I should keep away from myself so that I don't drag me down? Heh heh.

Well, another week..... Not too much to say really. A quiet weekend was had.

Apparently my lil' brother's wedding went quite well and everyone enjoyed themselves. I can't wait to get some photos or something to see how it all was... Bet it was a goodun though anyway. My nephew did the page boy thing and apparently looked gorgeous in his tiny tux. He sounded quite proud of himself as well when I spoke to him about it on the phone, just as any 4 year old should be!

As for me, this weekend Mark and I got some material to make curtains for our living room. Soon people won't be able to peer in at night, and we'll have a bit of privacy in the evenings. They're going to be purple and blood orange... It's for bay windows, so purple on the sides and the centre blood orange. Sounds pretty gross actually when I write it down, but looks quite good in reality. Also got a few photo frames and we put up some pictures of our travels and a few other things. Makes it seem much more like our place than an anonymous house.

Went to one of the many pubs in town on Sunday and ended up pretty pissed. Stumbled home and fell asleep on the couch. Not a hugely active weekend this one, but nice and relaxing. Enjoyable all the same.

We'll be booking our trip to Amsterdam this weekend. 4 days of the Netherlands... Looking forward to that immensely.

A friend may be coming down to visit some time soon. She's over here teaching in London. Seems to be enjoying it too. Asked her if she wanted to come to Amsterdam with us for New Year but she already has plans to be in Paris. I guess we'll be able to swap stories of the different cities when we get back and recommend where, and where not to go.

So there you go! That's it from me for now...

Well it's Thursday, and there isn't too much to report as I've just been doing the work, home, eat and sleep routine since I last wrote on Monday.

I am feeling a little homesick - for the first time - today. Nothing inparticular has happened to make me miss home though. Everything here is pretty good. I guess though that Linc's wedding is only 2 days away though and I am missing out on that - I do hope that everything goes as planned with just the one 'hitch'. It's strange to think my little brother who used to be conned into biting into raw onions, sniffing pepper and eating whole chillies, is now doing the whole grown up routine and starting his life with a partner in just a few days. Congratulations and good luck to him!

I was going to go to London this weekend, but work being temporary still has made me reconsider, so I am staying home and conserving cash. The London Dungeons, Tate and Natural history museum can wait a little longer I think. I've been applying for permanent positions left right and centre this week, and it looks like there may be some return on my efforts soon... Just a matter of keeping at it I guess, and I am working at the moment so things are ok.

Mark and I are planning on going to Amsterdam for New Years, only for about 4 days, and it'll only cost about £200 for the whole trip. Not bad really! Am looking forward to getting to the Van Gough museum and a few of the other arty things they have there. And of course, you can't go all the way there and not check out the cafe's! Amsterdam is supposed to be reasonably small and flat, so it looks like we'll be getting around on bikes, saving a bit of cash on transport that way, and getting a good look at the city while exercising. So that's something to look forward to. Here's hoping I don't fall off and bash myself about like the last time I was on a bike!! Maybe take it easy in the cafe's... then again, maybe not I'll be far less nervous and tense if I partake in a spliff or two before cycling around the city.

Being back in the work routine is a little boring after the amazing time I had traveling around Asia... Although work is fun and I do like the people I am with, and the company. Still the call to earn a dollar - or I should say pound - has come around and needs to be addressed before any further long trips can be taken. Still if it's only gonna be £200 to go to Amsterdam for 4 days, I am sure I can have a few other weekend trips to France and other parts of Europe for about the same. So I won't be bored for too long - I hope!