Thank you Mum

My jumper arrived yesterday. Actually, it arrived Monday, but I was at work, so couldn't pick it up until yesterday morning. It's lovely. I really like the hat too - although I'm not sure I'll wear it as an ensemble.. we'll have to wait and see what next winter brings. :-) I'll definitely wear them as separates. *grin*

I'm not super-happy with this photo - and it's not cos I'm pulling a face (I meant that *grin*).. it's the extra kilos that are the problem. But I'm working on it.. spring feels like it's finally here and we've had days where it's been t-shirt weather (although no warmer than 20 degrees). It's amazing what a difference some sun can make.

Work seems to be going okay. I think I'll be able to do this job - there are a lot of different things to do. I'll need to get organised for much of it (like organising MOSI's contribution to the Manchester Science Festival) but the Learning team are great (they're not just learning to be a team..hehe) and I like challenges. *grin*

There are some more photos on Flickr of my current hair colour.. I'm not especially happy with it (I don't look good blonde.. not golden blonde anyway).. and I'll probably be putting a light-brown through it on the weekend.. I just have to leave it a while because all the bleach I needed to get rid of the black left my hair and scalp in need of TLC. I also have to wait until the weekend because Bruce wants to see it blonde. :-)

Dad, I hope you feel better soon. Apparently Aloe Vera juice is good for soothing the oesophagus. Unfortunately I read somewhere that chocolate isn't good for reflux.. so maybe leave the Easter Eggs for a little while. Although any food is better than none, so if you feel like chocky, go for it. *grin* *big gentle hugz* really, get better!

Hope everyone else is good - Lisa, some more photos of the kids please. *grin* Do you have a Flickr account?

*big hugz* to everyone

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter everybody. I hope you all have had an enjoyable long weekend.

(more new photos over at flickr)

Oh, and big thanks to Auntie Dayna for the present, you can see him enjoying it here

It's been a quiet week, without ChrisTina ... and Astara dawn celebrations are coming!

Just reading Mum's email, thought I'd update the bandwagon -- although we don't have anything so exciting as chicken-pox to report!

We've had a quiet week this last week because Chris (our housemate) has been staying at Tina's (his girlfriend) place! Work is a bit hectic, but in the current economic climate we're both happy to have reasonably secure positions. Got to save our pennies (literally!) after all, with a view to house, car, dog, 2.5 kids ... or something like that anyway!

So it's been quiet, but the weather is slowly turning nicer and we've had a few occasions where we've been able to sit out on the balcony in the setting sun after work -- very nice! I've been going to a cafe called "Sumo Salad" for lunch, since the food is healthy and the front windows get a lot of sunshine. Topping up my vitamin-D, of course.

Last weekend we had one of Dee's work-colleagues over for lunch (roast chook) and then went to a quirky cocktail bar nearby called The Old Schoolyard (remember the days?). From the outside it looks like a dive; inside it's a big round bar complete with acrobatic mixing ala Cocktail the movie, scuffed couches, metal lockers and tall arcade cabinets. So we had pisco sours and Irish coffee and played four-player Ninja Turtles for 20p a game.

(Dad, you get home-made baileys as medicine?! Lucky. A bit tastier than the traditional "hot toddy" for colds -- hot water, whiskey, lemon juice and honey. Actually, hot toddy's are nice so long as you don't let 'em get cold ...)

This Easter (Eostre, Astara, Ostara) we're going to Leamington Spa with Chris and Tina (whom we call ChrisTina, just like we call Grant and Sheila GrantLa, and Nelsie and Picky, Pixie). Tina found a cheap deal somewhere -- she works for the University of East London and seems to get all these deals -- so we'll be relaxing and looking at Warwick Castle and playing chess and reading ... and eating the typical small ovoid shells made of a by-product of a particular cacao bean, sugar and milk of course ...

Update from us

Hey all.. Everyone seems to be using email to send out their updates, but I'm at work right now and don't have all the addresses here.. so it's a bandwagon post from me :)
Oscar's been a bit difficult these last few weeks, and we finally have a reason why - Cheryl took him to the Dr, who thinks he might be having silent reflux. Basically that explains everything - his tendency to feed only a little, and be hungry half an hour later, waking up after about an hour of being asleep unless you're holding on to him (and keeping him upright), general grumpiness and crying.
The solutions involve a drop of mylanta in his bottle, sitting him up to feed, keeping him sat up for half an hour afterwards, and using towels to angle his bed so his head is a bit higher.. of course in the meantime he's pretty high maintenance, which means when I'm at work Cheryl barely has time to eat, let alone time to rest or anything else.. and it also means of an evening neither of us get much sleep.
Hopefully the tricks can help lessen the effects, and hopefully it's something he grows out of.. although even then it could be months, at which point I suspect we'll both be needing a holiday! Ah, the joy of babies.

New job, new travel-buddy

I'm on the way home from my first day at the Museum of Science &
Industry (MOSI). It was mostly what expected a first day to be -
filling out forms for HR, reading the hand-over notes, exploring the
computer server for relevant info and trying to figure out what i'm
supposed to do over the next six months. :)

I had a welcome suprise with today's morning mail. Damien and Cheryl
and Oz had sent me a postcard and new travel-buddy. I'm not sure of
her name yet (she's a bit shy) but she's Patrick's younger sister and
is looking forward to some adventures of her own. I still miss Patrick
(stupid Royal Mail) but it's lovely to have someone to travel with. :)
*big hugz* thank you!

I'll attach a photo of my desk and the little ghost. I'm trying a
mobile post again - this time from my own phone (since now I don't
have a blackberry for work). All in the name of mobile internet. :)

Hope everyone is good. *big hugz to all*

--
Sent from my mobile device