Today I turn 26. Yesterday I made my first appointment to get my hair highlighted. I am so sick of it just getting darker and darker. I used to be a blonde! I guess I must be getting old.
Well today is my last day at work for 12 days so I am very excited! But I have to work the whole day (even though I was hoping I would be able to get away a bit early).
J&I are driving up to the Christmas cottage this evening and then the rest of the fam will join us tomorrow. It is going to be a great Christmas!
Hope you all enjoy your holidays.
All our love and best wishes, love K&J
Friday, 21 December 2007
Thursday, 13 December 2007
12 Days of Christmas
Sorry I missed a week last week, I came down with the death plague that has been going around. I missed 3 days of work (shocking!) and cancelled my driving lesson. But started to feel better towards the end of the week. It has left me with a gross smoker's cough though. Lovely!
J and I have decided to join an amateur dramatics society in Upminster. They needed a pianist to play for their panto this year, so there we are. We are performing "Dick Whittington" the last week in January. We have been to 3 rehearsals so far and it has been amazing how welcome we have been made to feel by the other members. As I have always found in these types of things, the pianist plays an integral role and I think they are so happy to have the commitment from the two of us. Looks like we'll make some really nice friends and memories from it.
Christmas came early for me this morning when I got into work and had an email saying that the litigation proceedings I had been working on like a dog had been settled last night at a mediation! There is still a lot of work to be done to finalise everything, but that just made my year! Plus we're taking my other case (which we lost in the Court of Appeal) to the House of Lords - the equivalent of the Supreme Court in the UK. Little ol' me will be marching up to the steps of the Houses of Parliament with our pleadings in just over a month. Fantastic!
Well, I have sent out our Christmas cards, but didn't have everyone's address. Email me your address if you want one. Otherwise, I wish you and your families the Happiest Christmas ever!
J and I have decided to join an amateur dramatics society in Upminster. They needed a pianist to play for their panto this year, so there we are. We are performing "Dick Whittington" the last week in January. We have been to 3 rehearsals so far and it has been amazing how welcome we have been made to feel by the other members. As I have always found in these types of things, the pianist plays an integral role and I think they are so happy to have the commitment from the two of us. Looks like we'll make some really nice friends and memories from it.
Christmas came early for me this morning when I got into work and had an email saying that the litigation proceedings I had been working on like a dog had been settled last night at a mediation! There is still a lot of work to be done to finalise everything, but that just made my year! Plus we're taking my other case (which we lost in the Court of Appeal) to the House of Lords - the equivalent of the Supreme Court in the UK. Little ol' me will be marching up to the steps of the Houses of Parliament with our pleadings in just over a month. Fantastic!
Well, I have sent out our Christmas cards, but didn't have everyone's address. Email me your address if you want one. Otherwise, I wish you and your families the Happiest Christmas ever!
Saturday, 1 December 2007
Christmas is coming....
Well, I decorated our flat for Christmas today. Usually it's a struggle to get Justin to help (why are men such bah humbugs?) but this year I didn't even bother. You can see he was a real help while playing the Wii....... Anyway, I put the tree and lights up, decorated everything and then wrote out all our Christmas cards! Very productive and nice to get into the spirit of things.This year we have booked a cottage in Norfolk with Justin's family for a week. We will be gone the 21st-28th Dec and I am really looking forward to spending time together. It will be the first time we have gone away with Justin's family but I'm sure we're all going to have a great time. Watch this space!
Work was hard for both of us again this week. Not fun getting back into it..... but at least we know we just have 3 weeks to go before a nice long break again.
Sunday, 25 November 2007
Friday, 16 November 2007
The Parents are coming!!!
Well I've just about made it - just have 3 more hours of work to go. Again I have recorded 60 hours this week, so it has been stressful.
Our witness proofing session went well on Monday and was interesting to see the process. But it has taken me all week to find the time to write up the attendance note and get the changes into the witness statement. I still don't think it will be done by the time I have to leave this evening - but at least we were granted an extension and do not have to file the statement until after Christmas :)
I also had to take a test on the Lloyds market yesterday - which I didn't really start studying for until Saturday...... nevermind. I'm just hoping I passed - it will be really embarressing if I don't.
But all of that will not be on my mind over the next week cuz Mom, Dad and Spencer are all coming to visit!!!!! I cannot wait to pick them up from Heathrow tomorrow. It is going to be great.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Our witness proofing session went well on Monday and was interesting to see the process. But it has taken me all week to find the time to write up the attendance note and get the changes into the witness statement. I still don't think it will be done by the time I have to leave this evening - but at least we were granted an extension and do not have to file the statement until after Christmas :)
I also had to take a test on the Lloyds market yesterday - which I didn't really start studying for until Saturday...... nevermind. I'm just hoping I passed - it will be really embarressing if I don't.
But all of that will not be on my mind over the next week cuz Mom, Dad and Spencer are all coming to visit!!!!! I cannot wait to pick them up from Heathrow tomorrow. It is going to be great.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Saturday, 10 November 2007
Witness Statement
This week I recorded 48 chargeable hours. (My target is 32.5). When you add the non-chargeable hours I also spent in the office (12), you get 60. It would have been more but I had to leave at 6pm on Wednesday to go to a concert (more below).
It's official - I am becoming a lawyer.
I would say 40 of those hours were spent writing a 60 page witness statement from scratch. The witness statement is going to be used in one of the biggest pieces of litigation going on in the UK at the moment - basically a class action-type case against hundreds of law firms. Probably every professional negligence litigator in the country is going to read this statement.
This is not a normal task to ask of a second year trainee (not even qualified as a lawyer yet). Needless to say I have been stressed. Poor Justin took the brunt of it.... and I think I lost about 10 lbs cuz I didn't eat anything. Not sure I'm ready for that stress.
Of course the statement is going to be revised and redrafted by more qualified lawyers and barristers before it is lodged in court, but I got the words and concepts on the paper. I must admit I am proud.
Anyway - Wednesday Justin and I went to a concert of Ludivico Einaudi at the Royal Albert Hall. He is a fantastic Italian modern composer and I really enjoy playing his stuff. You can go here to find out more about his music: http://www.myspace.com/ludovicoeinaudispace
It was so nice to have 3 hours to sit and listen to beautiful music and relax (although I must admit it was hard to get work out of my mind). I really need to start learning how to cope with the stress and pressure. Otherwise I don't think I'm going to last too long.
It's official - I am becoming a lawyer.
I would say 40 of those hours were spent writing a 60 page witness statement from scratch. The witness statement is going to be used in one of the biggest pieces of litigation going on in the UK at the moment - basically a class action-type case against hundreds of law firms. Probably every professional negligence litigator in the country is going to read this statement.
This is not a normal task to ask of a second year trainee (not even qualified as a lawyer yet). Needless to say I have been stressed. Poor Justin took the brunt of it.... and I think I lost about 10 lbs cuz I didn't eat anything. Not sure I'm ready for that stress.
Of course the statement is going to be revised and redrafted by more qualified lawyers and barristers before it is lodged in court, but I got the words and concepts on the paper. I must admit I am proud.
Anyway - Wednesday Justin and I went to a concert of Ludivico Einaudi at the Royal Albert Hall. He is a fantastic Italian modern composer and I really enjoy playing his stuff. You can go here to find out more about his music: http://www.myspace.com/ludovicoeinaudispace
It was so nice to have 3 hours to sit and listen to beautiful music and relax (although I must admit it was hard to get work out of my mind). I really need to start learning how to cope with the stress and pressure. Otherwise I don't think I'm going to last too long.
Saturday, 3 November 2007
Weald Country Park
Today we had to get out and enjoy the autumn sunshine. I swear it has been warmer this autumn than it was over the summer. Pathetic! Anyway, we drove (in my Mini!) to Weald Country Park, which is just in the next town over called Brentwood.
They are going to host the mountain biking there at the 2012 Olympics. And what better place!?! It is gorgeous. I swear the trees this year have been spectacular. We always get the nice fall colours that Californians miss out on - but this year, with the warmer temps and the lack of wind, the leaves have just stayed on the trees and turned gorgeous shades of red, orange, yellow, brown. Amazing! I think we could give the northeast of the US a run for its money. (Don't tell anyone though, I don't want them all flocking to Essex and ruining our peaceful walks through the park).
I just can't believe I forgot my camera.
They are going to host the mountain biking there at the 2012 Olympics. And what better place!?! It is gorgeous. I swear the trees this year have been spectacular. We always get the nice fall colours that Californians miss out on - but this year, with the warmer temps and the lack of wind, the leaves have just stayed on the trees and turned gorgeous shades of red, orange, yellow, brown. Amazing! I think we could give the northeast of the US a run for its money. (Don't tell anyone though, I don't want them all flocking to Essex and ruining our peaceful walks through the park).
I just can't believe I forgot my camera.
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