This is what we woke up to.
Bleg.
Sunday, 6 April 2008
Friday, 14 March 2008
Busy Busy
We had a lovely time in California - beautiful sunshine in San Francisco with a gourmet meal at Gary Dankos. Shopping in Walnut Creek, The Great Mall and Stoneridge's. Mom and Dad's cooking. The Winchester Mystery House. Old Town Sacramento with Aunt Dorothy. Spencer's lip sync competition which his class won! Lovely talks and so much nice food! We didn't want to come back.
We also loved our special night in the "honeymoon suite" at Grandma and Grandpa's. We enjoyed our lovely soup, catch up and were so surprised when Grandma gave us some lovely china from her collection. The Lennox Rhodora pattern - which we love! It was quite an adventure to get it back to England - we couldn't take it all.... some got left behind for future trips across the Pond - but the bits we brought survived the turbulence in the jet stream!
Now we're back at home, trying to get back into work and life (so much laundry and ironing!) I am away this weekend on our firm's annual training course - so won't get to sleep in as usual. But I'm just about over the jet lag so I guess I'll just have to keep going.
I'll try to post some photos soon when I get a chance to sit down at the computer at home (I spend all day in front of one at work... I can't bear to do it when I get home). But I'll find some time.
Hope you are all well.
We also loved our special night in the "honeymoon suite" at Grandma and Grandpa's. We enjoyed our lovely soup, catch up and were so surprised when Grandma gave us some lovely china from her collection. The Lennox Rhodora pattern - which we love! It was quite an adventure to get it back to England - we couldn't take it all.... some got left behind for future trips across the Pond - but the bits we brought survived the turbulence in the jet stream!
Now we're back at home, trying to get back into work and life (so much laundry and ironing!) I am away this weekend on our firm's annual training course - so won't get to sleep in as usual. But I'm just about over the jet lag so I guess I'll just have to keep going.
I'll try to post some photos soon when I get a chance to sit down at the computer at home (I spend all day in front of one at work... I can't bear to do it when I get home). But I'll find some time.
Hope you are all well.
Saturday, 23 February 2008
Whirlwind week
Well - I made the mistake of putting my CV up on Monster this week. I was just interested in seeing what is out there in terms of alternative jobs when I qualify. I then spent every evening this week talking to recruitment agents. Some of them even had the cheek to call me at work! Scum of the earth if you ask me. Luckily I have J's bro (I) who is a recruitment agent for actuaries, so he gave me the rundown on how to go about this scary process. It seems like such hard work to find the right one, and that's not even the job! Sigh.... maybe I should just stay where I am.
Thursday was J's birthday and we went out to dinner with I at this little Italian place in Upminster. Had a really nice night out - and tonight we're going to see Mark Ronson at the Hammersmith Apollo. He just won Best Male Artist at the Brit Awards (UK's version of the Grammy's) so it should be a pretty good night.
We also went to view that house today - it is just the right size, nice garden, etc. But everything, I mean everything, needs re-doing. New carpet, wallpaper, kitchen, bathroom, bedrooms. Everything. I would even think some major structural re-doing wouldn't go amiss (knocking down walls, etc). I don't think we can deal with paying over half a million pounds for a house that needs so much work. I know we're gonna have to find somewhere that needs some tender loving care.... but there has to be a balance! So we'll keep looking and dreaming the dream.
Flying to CA this time next week!
Thursday was J's birthday and we went out to dinner with I at this little Italian place in Upminster. Had a really nice night out - and tonight we're going to see Mark Ronson at the Hammersmith Apollo. He just won Best Male Artist at the Brit Awards (UK's version of the Grammy's) so it should be a pretty good night.
We also went to view that house today - it is just the right size, nice garden, etc. But everything, I mean everything, needs re-doing. New carpet, wallpaper, kitchen, bathroom, bedrooms. Everything. I would even think some major structural re-doing wouldn't go amiss (knocking down walls, etc). I don't think we can deal with paying over half a million pounds for a house that needs so much work. I know we're gonna have to find somewhere that needs some tender loving care.... but there has to be a balance! So we'll keep looking and dreaming the dream.
Flying to CA this time next week!
Saturday, 16 February 2008
Visit to the Vets and Afternoon Tea
Two weeks from today we're coming to California!
The poor kitties had to go to the vet today for their annual checkup and jabs. But they were so good and Tom even took his worm tablet which he never usually does! What good kitties!!!
I have got it into my head that I have found our dream house. Unfortunately, they only have a
picture of the outside on the agent's website, but it is right in the centre of Upminster, backing onto the park - about a 10 minute walk to the station. 4 bedroom detached with a 2 car garage. You just don't get houses like that in Upminster!
I even got a mortgage quote and we could technically afford it, although we would be poor (at least until I qualify in September). But it is in the right place, for the right amount and it is beautiful. I wanted to be able to go view it today, but the agent couldn't get an appointment cuz the stupid owner is sick. Well - that is not convenient is it? How do they expect to sell their house if they won't let anyone see it on the weekend?!?! Nevermind - maybe we'll be able to go see it next week sometime. J is very scared though and says we're not ready to buy a house yet. He's probably right - but I can at least dream, can't I?
Today is our annual Afternoon Tea. We always go for afternoon tea at a nice hotel in London for Valentine's. The tradition started the first year I moved to London, before J and I were even engaged and were still dating. V day was on a Sunday that year and he surprised me by taking me to the Savoy for tea. It is a beautiful, elaborate ceremony choosing what tea you want, pouring it out, and eating all the yummy sandwiches, scones and clotted cream and cakes. And they keep bringing more around to your table until you are stuffed. Yummy! Since then we have been to Brown's, Claridges and The Dorchester. This year it's The Landmark. We still haven't done The Ritz cuz it's impossible to get a booking - but we'll try again next year! It's such a fun tradition.
The poor kitties had to go to the vet today for their annual checkup and jabs. But they were so good and Tom even took his worm tablet which he never usually does! What good kitties!!!
I have got it into my head that I have found our dream house. Unfortunately, they only have a
picture of the outside on the agent's website, but it is right in the centre of Upminster, backing onto the park - about a 10 minute walk to the station. 4 bedroom detached with a 2 car garage. You just don't get houses like that in Upminster!I even got a mortgage quote and we could technically afford it, although we would be poor (at least until I qualify in September). But it is in the right place, for the right amount and it is beautiful. I wanted to be able to go view it today, but the agent couldn't get an appointment cuz the stupid owner is sick. Well - that is not convenient is it? How do they expect to sell their house if they won't let anyone see it on the weekend?!?! Nevermind - maybe we'll be able to go see it next week sometime. J is very scared though and says we're not ready to buy a house yet. He's probably right - but I can at least dream, can't I?
Today is our annual Afternoon Tea. We always go for afternoon tea at a nice hotel in London for Valentine's. The tradition started the first year I moved to London, before J and I were even engaged and were still dating. V day was on a Sunday that year and he surprised me by taking me to the Savoy for tea. It is a beautiful, elaborate ceremony choosing what tea you want, pouring it out, and eating all the yummy sandwiches, scones and clotted cream and cakes. And they keep bringing more around to your table until you are stuffed. Yummy! Since then we have been to Brown's, Claridges and The Dorchester. This year it's The Landmark. We still haven't done The Ritz cuz it's impossible to get a booking - but we'll try again next year! It's such a fun tradition.
Saturday, 9 February 2008
So much to tell
Well where do I start! I have been the world's worst blogger this month, but so much has happened. Sorry this is going to be a long post cuz I must update on so much.
Not sure if I mentioned before, but J and I joined an amateur dramatics society called The Wesley Players. I played the piano at the performance of the panto Dick Whittington last week and J helped in all sorts of ways back stage. We both really enjoyed it so we are looking forward to the next performance of Curtain Call in May (although this one won't be a musical).
Unfortunately I failed my driving test last week. They said I hesitated at a few junctions. I thought I was just being cautious! So much for defensive driving. Anyway, I couldn't get another appointment to take the test again until end of March, so the saga of driving lessons continues.
J finished tax season (if you can really say finish...) and is now considering where to go in his job. They offered him a different role, but he doesn't think it would be the best way forward. So we're generally having a think about that.
Last week I used up my Christmas present from J. A day spa appointment all to myself at The Spa at Chancery Court. It was a day of heaven - I emerged a brand new woman. I had a holistic stressbuster treatment with exfoliations, hot stone massage and relaxing facial. And boy was the masseur hot. If J had known a tall dark handsome foreign guy with an Eastern European accent was going to be doing the treatment..... I don't think he would have got it for me! But we'll keep that between us ;-) I certainly will be going back for another one of those, but I think J should come along this time. It was too good to go alone.
As for me, I'm just chugging along with work. RSL have offered me a job permanently when I qualify, so that's a weight off my shoulders. Just got to get to then.
All that busy-ness made J come down with a cold, which he then passed to me. Lovely. But it is a beautiful day today so I think I'm going to try to talk J into a walk and a cream tea somewhere in the country. I'll try to do better about my posting.
Not sure if I mentioned before, but J and I joined an amateur dramatics society called The Wesley Players. I played the piano at the performance of the panto Dick Whittington last week and J helped in all sorts of ways back stage. We both really enjoyed it so we are looking forward to the next performance of Curtain Call in May (although this one won't be a musical).
Unfortunately I failed my driving test last week. They said I hesitated at a few junctions. I thought I was just being cautious! So much for defensive driving. Anyway, I couldn't get another appointment to take the test again until end of March, so the saga of driving lessons continues.
J finished tax season (if you can really say finish...) and is now considering where to go in his job. They offered him a different role, but he doesn't think it would be the best way forward. So we're generally having a think about that.
Last week I used up my Christmas present from J. A day spa appointment all to myself at The Spa at Chancery Court. It was a day of heaven - I emerged a brand new woman. I had a holistic stressbuster treatment with exfoliations, hot stone massage and relaxing facial. And boy was the masseur hot. If J had known a tall dark handsome foreign guy with an Eastern European accent was going to be doing the treatment..... I don't think he would have got it for me! But we'll keep that between us ;-) I certainly will be going back for another one of those, but I think J should come along this time. It was too good to go alone.
As for me, I'm just chugging along with work. RSL have offered me a job permanently when I qualify, so that's a weight off my shoulders. Just got to get to then.
All that busy-ness made J come down with a cold, which he then passed to me. Lovely. But it is a beautiful day today so I think I'm going to try to talk J into a walk and a cream tea somewhere in the country. I'll try to do better about my posting.
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