With four days packed into two, work wise, my holiday seems like a distant memory but I have still been managing to make the most of my weekends.

The weekend just gone saw Mark and I heading up to Bishopstone to the archaeological dig that Mark has been working at. He's been drawing plans of the site along with two other guys, and he seems to be doing really well at it. I spent the day on Saturday cleaning finds with a toothbrush and bucket of water whilst Mark kept on with his drawing. Cleaning finds sounds pretty boring I guess, but it was actually quite interesting as practically all of the finds come through there before being bagged and tagged. Everything except for human bones and things that need to go to a lab - like the complete pot that they found, stood vertical in the ground and placed in a hole that had been dug into the bedrock and then the hole filled in with daub or something like that around the pot. It has to be sent to a lab for tests that need to be done on the soil inside and whatever else they may find in there.

I was cleaning heaps of bones from various animals - they think it may have been an animal 'graveyard' - and lots of pieces of pottery. Some sort of terracotta mix, quite coarse, and I found one piece of a top of a vessel of some sort with circle decoration imprinted on it. Quite pretty. It's strange to think about the people who lived there when your working at these places (not that I have worked at any others!). The pots we found could well have been made by a famous potter of his or her time, but then who'd know? After a while it doesn't matter what you've been or done do you, the only whisper of a memory that will remain is that of the society you lived in, if you're lucky that is!

It's in really pretty countryside, not too far from here - about an hour drive west. Here's a picture - saves me babbling on!

This is the church next to where we were digging.

This is the coast line near there, and similar to what it looks like here.

The are a few small patches of woods around that way too.

So a week off and I returned to work feeling pretty refreshed and ready to get back to the hectic demands of the office.

Our holiday began before we headed of on the Sunday as we went to the classical music concert held in the Battle Abbey. I went thinking it would be somewhat like the classical concerts they hold in the Sydney Myer Music bowl in Melbourne, but I was in for a surprise! It was a concert called 'The Proms' which apparently is quite an English thing, they hold it every year around the country and the English National Symphony Orchestra tour the country putting on these concerts. We went along with our picnic basket (a good one I'd picked up that day at a really good price at a 2nd hand store) and found a good spot to sit and watch the concert, but Mark decided that he wanted to get a little closer to the stage so we headed down the hill closer and ended up laying out the picnic blanket in a bit of a bowl in the slope and couldne't see a damn thing! Still it was good sound. They orchestra began with some classic war movie themes like Dam busters and the like and as they played a hurricane airplane from the 2nd world war flew over the crowd for about 3 tracks doing loop the loops and wowing the crowd. It was a bit frightening at times as the down slope of the loops he was doing we're straight towards the crowd, and all I could think was 'If he doesn't pull out of this we're all dead - DEAD I TELL YOU!!' But fortunately he was a good pilot and we all survived the evening to listen to some more relaxing classical sounds. At one stage they played the theme music to Star Wars, and as we couldn't see anything I turned to our mate Tony and said 'You know the conductor is dressed as darth vader and the whole orchestra are dressed as Star Troopers.' He got really excited about it and was on his way to standing up when I had to break the news to him that I was telling fibs. Funny ones, but fibs all the same.

After the concert we walked back to the closest pub for a few more beers and then on to Tony's place to drink most of the night away.

After waking the next morning and making our way home we finished packing and headed off to Lyme Regis which is a small town about 3 or so hours drive west of Hastings right near the border of Dorset and Devon. So we camped at a lovely little camping ground in Devon, but went back into Dorset the next morning to look for fossils on the beach in Lyme Regis. That part of the coast is quite well known for the excellent specimens of Ammonites you can find lying on the beach. We found quite a few good ones and then headed across to another beach where you are supposedly able to find fossilised starfish and prehistory octupy type fossils as well. Unfortunately we weren't quite so lucky there and only found more ammonites. The weather was really nice that day, and if the sea wasn't absolutely freezing here I could have almost gone in for a swim. But it is, so I didn't and we got back in the car and headed off to Cornwall.

We drove through part of Bodrim Moor and stopped to take a look at the Hurlers Stone circle, which actually turned out to be two stone circles in line with each other and surrounded by various ruins of castles, old tin mines, chimneys and buildings of other sorts that we weren't sure of. Not all clustered together though, spread out along the countryside. After the stone circles we went back to the coast and found a camping ground at this sweet little town calle Looe. The harbour and town there is really pretty, but we didn't spend too much time in town. We headed straight to a camping ground and set up tent. As I got dinner going on the little BBQ we have Mark headed into the camp ground to find a toilet. Being Mark he walked straight past the shower/toilet block and found a toilet in a bar at the camping ground. When he got back he let me know that he'd found a bar! Good news! We could head up there for a cold beer after dinner instead of persisting with the now warm Kronenburgs that we'd picked up on the way there. And so we did.
I was expecting a small bar, not much in it except some tables chairs and old blokes sitting around supping their amber fluid. So I didn't bother getting changed and headed up with a woolen jumper on with a singlet over the top, my old grey cardy over the top of that and my Thai fishermans pants. Not a good look really, but then who's gonna care at a camping ground?? We got there, opened the door and the first thing that hit me was the heating and a thousand bright lights. We walked in the entrance towards the bar and as I looked around my eyes took in something that I could only assume was an alternate universe. The main part of the floor was something like a huge bistro from a pub, packed full of young families with kids no older than about 8 or 9, grandparents and blokes that looked as though they'd just been releaseed from prison, everyone was dressed up as if they were off for a night out at the Commercial in Warragul and then maybe onto 'The Club'. Below the bistro type area was a stage and a dance floor where a whole lot of pre-pubescent kids were doing their utmost to look cool and trying to pick eack other up. The bar stretched the length of the room, and behind it was another room, even more brightly lit and full of every immaginable arcade game.
As we got our beers and went to find a seat a voice came booming over the sound system 'Annnd NOW it's time for the KIDS TALLENT SHOW! Let's give them a round of applause....' Next thing you know there's an 8 year old girl on stage belting out her rendition of Madonna's 'Like a Prayer' But she can only remember the chorus so you hear over and over again 'I'm down on my knees, I wanna take you there..' I couldn't believe where I was or what was happening, but it just kept on going. After that we had another pint and the kids acts finally finished and on came two old guys about the same age as Dad who did covers of 60's, 70's, 80's and a bit of the 90's... Yeah classic.
After that pint I decided to try a typical English holiday camp drink and get into this 'Holiday camp' mood and had a Pernod and Orange. I managed to finish it, but Pernod would have to come a close second to Snake wine in disgustingness.
After the old man cover band they had a game of Bingo, we had another pint and turned in for the night.

The next morning we headed to the Eden Project. We found that we could go there in the evening as a special summer thing so we headed down to the coast again to a little place called St Mawe for lunch and then back up to a camp ground to set up our tent for the night and then back to the Eden Project. The Eden Project is a huge green house built in a disused clay mine, where the earth has pretty much been desimstated. So a group has gone in there and dumped 85 thousand tonnes of recycled dirt (household waste etc) into this open mine area, covered it over with the green house, redirected the water catchment area into it and grown rainforest which feels exactly like the forest in Thailand as you walk through it. There is also another section of temperate forest, and then a mediteranian garden. The layout is beautiful, and the feeling in there is really peaceful and calm. Unfortuately I forgot to bring my camera with me on the trip, so hopefully the disposable one I was using will do it justice.

I hope to scan my pictures in at some stage and if possible put them up on this blog page. I'll try to do a pictorial representation of my whole time I have been away.

The day after the Eden project we headed down to lands end - the most south westerly point of the UK. The coast line there is much different from here. Here it's sand stone, down that way it's shale or some other type of dark/greyish rock. When in Lands end we took a look at the famous merry maiden circle which it's said if you dance around the maidens (standing stones) and touch the Marker stone which looks quite phalic, you'll be pregnant shortly afterwards. While there Mark kept a close eye on me and warned me several times not to dance around the stones! I'm not looking to pump out any kids just yet, so there was no need for him to worry.

All around Cornwall there are old celtic crosses just standing in the countryside. The land is windswept and has a drained and grey type feeling to it, whilst at the same time being quite beautiful in it's own way. We only got to spend the day and night there before we headed back to New Forest, a 7 hour car journey back to the east towards home.

New Forest is the largest tract of old growth forest in England and covers about a thousand hectares (or acres I'm not sure). It's gorgeous, old oak trees spotted between sicamores and other types of indigenous English flora. Squirels skip around the forest floor, wild ponies contentedly graze in the camp grounds, melting away at night into the trees for cover, and I am told that red deer wander through out the forest too, although we didn't see any that time.

We only had time to spend the afternoon and night there before we had to head back home to Hastings.

On the Friday when we got back I organised all my boring tasks like taking my winter coat to the dry cleaners and getting some more winter duds. I also had my hair cut at a hairdressers for the first time in about 5 years, and got my long locks made into a short layered bob. It's cut so that it flicks out rather than under and I have coloured it blonde again. Doing the colour job myself, and not badly either!

So that was my week away in England. I really enjoyed getting to explore more of this country that I am considering making my home, and have fallen in love with it that little bit more.

Work this week has been amazingly busy with no time to even stop to scratch! Still after the rest from my week off I feel up for it and not nearly as stressed as I was before I went away.

So another week has gone by and France, Amsterdam and all that fun seem years away now! Funny how time passes. Next week though I'm off again, I think I've been blogging saying that I am heading off to Greece or Spain or something like that, but plans have changed and I'm actually going to see a bit of the country I've been living in for almost a year now.

We're heading to Cornwall on Sunday for a camping trip - lets hope that the weather decides it's summer again! Cornwall is the county below where Stonehenge is - so that will have to wait for another trip. But it's also where Penzance is, St Ives, the Eden project and some of the moores where the headless horseman and demented people walking about getting lost stories come from. Smugglers territory and what not.

I know I'm going to say that rhyme on the way to St Ives - 'When I was going to St Ives I met a man with seven wives, seven wives with seven cats, seven cats with seven kits and so on...' Mind you it will be two going to St Ives this time, and I'm told there aren't many Moslems down that way, so not probable that I'll be meeting any men with more than one wife.

I'd like to dress as a pirate when we're in Penzance, but chances ae I won't - not as simple as saying a rhyme.

The Eden project is a massive eco-dome (I think that what they call it) which covers acres of rainforest, tropical and temperate I think. The pictures I've seen make it look like several giant golf balls sitting in the landscape, and they're filled with gardens and forests. Take a look:



and inside:



and I have to mention that the inside one above is stolen from another bloggers site 'brodick.blogspot.com' so if you want to take a look at some more Eden project photos then check out his blog, cause they aren't too bad! But it isn't all sculpture in there although that's good - there's huge trees and all sorts - but not the licorice kind.

On the way there we'll spend a night at the New forest which apparently is either the biggest patch of forest in England - or I could be wrong, but something special about it and wild ponies roam around there too. Wild ponies. Mmmm.

Before we go though on Saturday night 'they're' having a symphony orchestra play at the old abbey in Battle - the abbey where the castle was built by King William, or what ever his name was, the guy who invaded here in 1066. I really should know all that living where it happened. Anyway, nice setting, nice music and some good food and wine, then head off into the wild blue (or possibly grey) yonder.

What an amazing weekend away in St Malo, Brittany, France!! It is a gorgeous city, and the trip was made all the better having spent it with some great friends, new mates and eating and drinking wonderful food and wine.

Firstly a picture and then I shall go into it a little more:



On Thursday after work Mark and I headed up to London to meet up with Em and Aaron before we started our 12 hour journey to France on the train and ferry. Although we were tired from work we were so excited about the coming festival and the trip away that we stayed up until the early hours of Friday morning chatting and drinking wine... Getting up that morning was a bit of a struggle, but we got to the train station on time all buzzing with excitement for the coming events.

The ferry ride over was much better than expected. We met up with 4 others on the way there who were all heading to 'La Route Du Rock' (the festival we went to) as well, so from then on we had a little posse of like minded people together, and when we got there a nice little camping group. After many a beer on the ferry over we were all a bit pissed, thankfully we had a shuttle bus organised to pick us up from the port and drop us straight off at the camping site/festival grounds.

The actual gigs were held inside the medieval fort of St Pere in the countryside about 15 minutes drive from St Malo. The first night we went to see Mercury Rev, who I'd never seen or heard before but became a new fan of theirs after seeing their gig. They're quite reminiscent of Pink Floyd, although not quite as depressing as Pink Floyd can be.
After Mercury Rev we met some French people who spoke pretty good English, so while La National were playing we chatted away to them. I seemed to have my natural freak attraction powers working in over drive and this French guy who spoke bugger all English accosted me to tell me that he loved me, that I was his sister and he could drink the rain and eat the wind. No matter how many times I protested and told him that I didn't understand French he would still continue on his rant with me getting more and more frustrated. After a while he became quite agitated and began to cry! I had no idea what he'd been saying and was pretty alarmed to think that I had made this guy cry without even saying anything that he could understand. After his bout of tears he finally left me alone and one of the English speaking French girls explained that it wasn't me who'd made him cry but that he was really pissed and had been talking to me about the apocalypse and the end of the world and how all the beautiful people like me and the others I was with were going to die!! Not what you need when you're pilling off your tits.

After Le National finished the French group invited us back to their camp site so we went along with them and continued chatting and drinking until sunrise. Sunrise was amazing - the sun coming up as a huge white orb rather than the yellow glow that we're accustomed too. Also for the four days we were their it was a special time in the stars. This side of the world hits an asteroid belt in late summer, so we were gifted with a view of a thousand shooting stars each night - 12 ever minute to be exact.

On Saturday we were blessed with gorgeous weather, beautiful blue skies, high twenties in temperature and a soft breeze. After barely a wink of sleep the night before we spent the day lazing about in a field, smoking, chatting and dozing off in the sun. The bands didn't start until about 7pm each night which left us the daylight hours to explore or just hang out like we did. There was a free bus into town which was handy, until we realised that they were trying to squeeze several hundred onto a 50 or so seater bus. The option of chilling in the field became even more alluring after that!

On Saturday night the headlining act for the whole festival was to play - THE CURE. Before hand the Ravonettes whipped the crowd into frenzied anticipation, and all around were Robert Smith lookalikes. Some not looking as alike as others....

The Cure were great. Funnily enough Robert Smith looks almost exactly the same as he did in the eighties, just a little more haggard and stooped. Most of their set were tracks from their 'Wish' album but there were a few classics thrown in, like the Spider one and 'Boys don't cry'. They gave us 3 encores and the crowd was huge seeming to have swelled to about 3 times that of the night before.

The Cure:


I have no recollection of who played after the Cure, Mark and I headed back to our tent for a night tipple and some much needed rest.

On Sunday morning we headed into St Malo. The European cities I have seen so far (all two of them) are beautiful and have a real sense of history and important things having gone on. St Malo is the same but even more so. Each street beckons you to simply walk down it and enjoy the architecture and soak in the feeling of time that it exudes. The stalls, markets and shops all seem so colourful and enticing. St Malo town centre is surrounded by castle walls which you can walk along the tops of looking out to sea on three of the four sides as it is stuck out on a point into the sea. In the 1700's it was a country in it's own right, as was Brittany and even today the people from St Malo and Brittany consider themselves apart from the French. We were all hankering for some fresh St Malo mussels and we found a restaurant which had only mussels on the menu, in every kind of way you could think of, from natural to curry to provinciale. We all ordered different ones and got to try some of each. All were delicious, and the cheap house wine was sumptuous too!!

At about 6.30pm we caught the shuttle bus back to the festival for the final acts. It was a lovely day walking around St Malo, sitting in some of their sweet little pubs, trying out the delectable food and wine, checking out the art at the markets and shops in town and being a complete tourist by taking pictures of nearly everything.

On the final night we were entertained by 'The Polyphonic Spree' who are a group of 18 Californians who are all part of the same cult in Texas. They bounced onto stage in pale blue kaftans with red lightning flashes across them. I'd never seen or heard them before and couldn't help but begin to make a joke or two about a group dressed as prime targets for a bit of piss taking. But as they started their set the jokes became less and less and the energy in the crowd rose. Everywhere you looked the spectators had huge grins on their faces, people were dancing and taking part. The group are electric, full of energy, and their music is actually pretty good - it's just their dress sense which lets them down. And so I have become a new fan of them too, although I doubt I'll be traveling to Texas to find out more about their religious beliefs. By the time they had finished their hour and a half gig I felt as though I'd taken drugs and that I'd been watching them for a mere half hour, they were so good, and again I'd become a new fan.

Polyphonic Spree:


After the Polyphonics, Sonic Youth played. I haven't seen them since I was about 17 years old at the Big Day Out in Melbourne. They were good, but nothing could top the energy of the band before and we left on that high to head back to the tents and chill out with our new friends on the last night we had in France.

Monday was a long day, we left the festival at about 9am and didn't arrive back home until 12.30 that night. The ferry was delayed, as were the taxis from Poole. Still with that being the only hitch for the whole weekend I think we did really well. We had a brilliant time and already I am thinking of the next opportunity to go back and spend some time in that most beautiful and alluring of cities - St Malo.

Just a reminder of Amsterdam before I begin to skyte about France, and the beautiful St Malo....

Sooo Amsterdam - what can I say? When my memory rights itself I should be able to elaborate, but a few outstanding things for you now.

The Dutch are some of the nicest people on the planet that I have ever had the fortune of meeting in their own country. Really lovely and nice - nothing is a problem with the dutch, you want hard drugs, soft drugs, pay for sex - no problem with the dutch. Which in itself is kinda weird, but really nice, not that I paid for sex while there - or Mark for that matter.

We arrived on Friday evening and went directly to our hotel, dumped our bags and then went searching for a place that sold grass - or what they call in Amsterdam - a 'coffee' shop. Wasn't hard, and after about 15 minutes we were sat in a cafe partaking of the Amsterdam delights, cut to another 15 minutes later and I was having to leave, I'd almost whited out - not good. As we left and thanked the proprieters as we walked out they smiled and nodded knowingly at me... I guess they're used to people like us coming in thinking we can 'go hard' and then almost or fully passing out on their floors. Thankfully though - it's no problem with the Dutch.

On Saturday we headed into town on the tram - same trams as Melbourne, those crappy new ones with all the mouldings and bugger all seats - for a look about, try to find the galleries and see waht was on offer. We managed to get lost pretty much straight away and spent the entire day wandering about in and out of coffee shops, bars and cafe's. The city is beautiful - wide open boulevards with canals down the centre and trees lining the streets. It's a big change from England where everything seems to be built so close together, small winding roads and not much light filtering through to street level.

I got some good photos (I have my camera back at last!!) I think, and we tried some new and different things, but didn't actually manage to find any galleries or do the touristy thing that day, aside from smoking and walking about taking pictures. After a good hammering and some dinner (a yummy steak) we headed into the red light district. Now that's a weird one. Imagine walking through the back streets of Melbourne CBD, but instead of looking up to closed windows and office blocks, your looking up at open windows each full with it's own representation of woman kind in various stages of undress. I didn't think I was that prudish until I went there - I didn't know where to look, and my camera (fortunately or not depending on your point of view) stayed firmly in my bag... Towards the end of the night on the way back to the tram stop we passed by the sex museum, and were going to go in, but being about 11pm they were just about to close. Unfortunately we couldn't find it again, so didn't actually make it inside.

On Sunday we woke to rain, grey skys and wind... Oooh it was cold. I didn't really want to get out of bed, but when you only have a few days somewhere you have to make the most of your time regardless of the weather dontcha?? So we headed out to the city again, and with a little more confidence than the day before seeing that we'd had a good look around. I could tell that from my aching feet - and all that we'd seen, or rather tried to.

We headed to the Van gough museum first - I was hoping that the rain would ease so that we could go to the sculpture beach. Anyway, once we got there we decided that 13 euros to wait in line in the rain wasn't our idea of fun, so insted went to the Rijkmuseum (I hope I spelt that right!) where all the dutch masters are kept - not actualluy - that'd be a touch too weird for me. That was brilliant, Rembrandt, a few Van gough and lots of other master painters that I can't remember the names of.
It was still raining after that though so it was back to a coffee shop to watch the world go by... and then home again home again, jiggity jig. Hoping to see the sculpture beach on Monday before we left.

Monday is the only day that the museums, galleries and other 'cultural' places are closed, so after checking out the hortus botanicus - botanical park - again we headed to some coffeee shops. But we weren't quite as unproductive as it sounds. Mark did some sketching while I read and wrote as we whiled away the hours to our flight back to England.

So that was Amsterdam, lots of fun, but nothing hugely world breaking. Definitely glad I went and I will definitely go back again too. The streets are so clean, the people are so nice, and it just feels good there.

I'd best go, get some dinner or something.

I miss you all and wish that you had've been with me on my birthday. Thankfully though a little herbal remedy helped me forget any worries I could or would have had, and a wicked weekend was had with the Dutch, those lovely friendly helpful people to whom nothing is a problem...

So another week goes by and yet more bombs go off. What a crazy world we live in...

Aside from that though life goes on as usual. Mark and I headed out for a party at a friend of a friends for the Saturday night just gone, and I tell ya, we had a ball! Was good to get out and meet some new people, have a dance and get off it...

We made our way to Tony's after an afternoon of drinking at the Nelson with Jemma and Lee. (They were down for the weekend looking for a place to live and following up on interviews/temp agencies and the like.)and I was pretty tipsy when we got to the party after yet another 'pre-party pint' and definitely in the mood for a boogie! There was asome damn good tracks playing, and better still some interesting people to chat to who are from around our way.

Mark managed to sort some goods for free, and away we went! I met this guy Uri/George who was from the Checz republic (hope I spelt that right) who's a Drum and Bass DJ - not my kinda thing... But a nice guy all the same, another chick also from the Checz republic and then whoever else I spoke to have kinda morphed into one person. I do remember rambling on to this one guy James who was completely off his face, and having a laugh. He turned around to me at one point, and said 'You're a right proper head fuck you are' Which made me laugh, and I've taken it as a compliment - I don't care if I am wrong!

At about 4.30am Mark and I decided to head off only to find that because we were in the middle of nowhere it was near impossible to get a cab. After several people tried to persuade us to wait 2 hours for a cab we headed off on foot expecting a 7 mile walk back to ours. Fortunately though after about 10 or 15 minutes a car came belting along, almost knocked us over as we scurried to the other side of the lane, and stopped beside us. Initially we both thought it was a cab - wicked luck eh? - and then as the letters on the side of it became more apparent found we were staring at a cop car. But nervousness soon gave way to delight as he offered us a lift seeing that it was too dangerous for us to be walking along the country lanes at that hour of the morning!

I've never had a lift in a cop car before - friendly or otherwise, so that in itself was a bit of an experience. But I was still in the head space of getting a lift from a taxi and both Mark and I rambled onto him about everything but the party. He did ask, but we were sufficiently vague and conversation led onto other things... I asked him if police in England really did say 'You're nicked' when arresting criminals, and he quite proudly answered with a puffed out chest 'Well actually, it is a recognised term, so we are allowed to say 'You're nicked' especially if it's someone that we're nicking quite often, you don't want to be going up to known criminals and having to say 'Excuse me sir, but I'm putting you under arrest.' So I said to him 'So just say that when you pulled up beside us you decided to arrest us instead of giving us a lift (to which Mark gave me a stern look)would you say to me 'You're nicked' or that I was under arrest?' And I'd be told I wa under arrest, not nicked, guess I'll have to work on my criminal record if I want that kind of familiararity from the coppers...

We got home when the sun was well and truly up (6am) tried to sneak in without waking Lee or Jemma, without much luck, and then snuggled into bed for most of Sunday... A damn good weekend and the beginning of a long haul of fun weekends - coming up is Amsterdam, then a friends house warming party in London, then off to France for a music festival in St Malo, a party in Hastings and then a week away somewhere warm with a beautiful beach... Spain? Greece? Turkey? We shall have to wait and see what kind of deals are on offer for that one!

It's so strange how your perspective can change in a matter of days. My last blog was the day before the explosions in London. Thank fuck I am not living there... but it's still weird that I am living in the same country as this sort of thing and the way that it changed my view on so many things - some seemingly unrelated.
First of all a quick run down on what happened. I think it was 7 'explosions' from what was first reported, now they seem to say 4. Anyway a map for you:



I hope that works... Anyway what they are now saying is 4 explosions or bombs going off from 'terrorist' or organisations who are as yet conconfirmed (as far as I know) in central London. Bighton station near where I worked also closed for the day - who knows why, we're over an hour from where things were going on, maybe they felt left out, or they fancied the day off. All the same though it was pretty scary and it's weird the reactions.

When it was happening I was at work, logging in, making a cuppa, and starting my day. 1st thing I knew was an email from a mate asking if I was ok. And then it unfolded from there, trains in the underground exploding, busses exploding and a whole lot of speulation. One Israeli paper was saying straight off that it was suicide bombers, the London police were calling it an electrical fault, some were saying it was linked to G8, and then the ever present Al Quaeda, Jihad group reason. Either way it was a horrible thing to have happened, lots of people were killed and the rest of us were in a weird kind of shock. At leat I was.

I have never lived in a country where explosions, our what has now been confirmed/admitted, bombs going off. Emails from my Aussie mates were all about when they are going home and telling their parents they were alive. Reactions from UK work people were a little different. One guy I work with said something like 'Well I lived in London when the IRA were bombing, life goes on doesn't it?' The most extreem comment was 'It's a little bit unsetteling don't you think?'
Unsetteling? Life goes on? I want to go home even..... It's all just a bit mad, but then mad things happen every day, in so many places, constantly, and multipuly (is that a word?) so why should we be shocked and afronted when it happens near us, or on our door step?
And at the same time as saying that, what if you were living in a place where these things were a part of the course of life? Do you then have any more or less reason to be affronted and alarmed, does being de-sensitised to things like this make it better or easier to deal with when you see it?
It's all a bit strange and hard to get my head around - take me back to being 12 in Australia!

Anyway, back to Thursday, Brighton station closed to have a controlled explosion - probably some old ladies shopping, a bag found unowned on a platform. Fortunately it opened again before the end of the day and I was able to go home! Not the bag, the train station...

Things around the station were closed, or like our ofice, had the blinds closed and people were staying away from the windows which should be closed. It was this air of calm panic, I felt alternatetly like throwing up and crying. Definitely a weird experience. But then it wasn't really near me, if I lived in years way gone by, I may not have even known that it happened days, months or ever after it. So does the information make my life better or worse.

So many questions....

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!