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The Family Bandwagon
Wednesday, 29 January 2014
Happy Birthday Ossie!!
Hope your birthday was very fun.
Can't wait to see you!
Lots of love and hugz,
aunty dayna & unkie bruce
Monday, 27 January 2014
Where did January go?
On the train from Birmingham to Cambridge, perfect time to write an update. This month has disappeared far too quickly! And there hasn't been anything much going on.
Was back at work on the 6th and I've had a trip away most weeks.. to Aberystwyth for three days, an overnight in Bangor, a day trip to Swansea, and another overnight in Bangor. This trip is for a three day team meeting in Cambridge - I get back late on Wednesday (just less than a week after leaving, because it was less travel to spend the weekend with B's folks rather than heading home before Cambridge). Phew!
And yet work has felt less busy than the end of last year.. I'm trying to get more organised, GTD style (Getting Things Done by David Allen - bottom line is to write down everything that needs be done and free up brain space). I'm also trying to cut the long hours but it's difficult when there are so many things that wouldn't happen if I didn't do them. :-\ and it doesn't help having to work evenings and weekends (eg, now)... but I'll get there.
B has had a tough time with work - the Techniquest job finished at the end of December, so he's back doing supply teaching. The schools aren't great, the classes are challenging (not in a good way), and it's such a temporary existence. There haven't been many jobs to apply for but he's had interviews for all those he did. Unfortunately, none have ended with a job. :-(
It's not all doom and gloom from us - we're off London next week to see Cirque du Soleil's Quidam. It's my present to B for his birthday (next Monday). And we've got three weeks at Easter to look forward to too. :-) by the time we come back, the weather should be less depressing. Hopefully. :-)
Let's get back to regular updates.. the Little Masons are putting all the rest us to shame. ;-) Lis, Glenn & Dee, Mum, Carolynn, Jared? How's January been for you?
*hugz* to everyone.
Friday, 17 January 2014
Lots-o-stuff
Thursday, 2 January 2014
Our Pre-Xmas Trip
Our day in Belfast started with Paddy's Black Cab Tours - our driver, Sam, was great. He told us about the troubles and took us to some of the main areas - Protestant murals near Shankill Road, the Peaceline (a wall longer and higher than the Berlin wall with gates that are still shut at night and weekends), and a Catholic remembrance garden. He dropped us off near the town hall and even gave us an umbrella (because the weather was damp). There was a Christmas Market at the town hall, so we had a look around before wandering around the city centre. It's much the same as any other city - shops, cafes, a sight-seeing dome on the top of the shopping centre(!).. There was lots for us to see.. and that was without going anywhere near the Titanic!
The next day we headed west (go west, young man) to the highest sea cliffs in the country, Slieve League. Our teeny tiny hire car didn't have guts but it managed to get us from one side of the country to the other. Eventually we found the parking for the lookout - or so we thought. We walked up the hill to discover that the lookout was another couple of miles along! A short drive later we had the chance to admire the view. Bruce went for a wander even further up the hill.
From here it was more narrow and winding roads to the thatched cottage which was our bed for the night. Beautiful building with slate floors and an open fire. We ate at Leo's Tavern - a pub owned by the father or Enya and Clannad - and chanced upon Rudolph enjoying a pint. :-)
We had planned to visit Bushmill's Distillery on Day Four but it was closed for Christmas (d'oh!). So we headed along the coast to the Carrick-a-rede Rope Bridge. Fortunately, the bridge was open (weather was a bit dodgy, so we weren't sure it would be), so we paid our fee and went for another walk. The bridge crosses to a little island that used to be used for salmon fishing. To be honest, I think the steps down to the bridge were scarier than the bridge itself - even though the attendant told us to hold on with both hands on the way over. Having cleared out our cobwebs, we got back into our teeny little car and headed down the costal road - arriving just in time for our return flight.
More photos here: Pre-Xmas Trip 2013
Wednesday, 1 January 2014
Roll on 2014
Happy new year! Good riddance to 2013 and roll on 2014, says I.
We celebrated with the Melrose clan (the Scots) by taking a picnic down to Bicentennial Park for the fireworks display -- it's the park right near our house, so not too far to go and we had a good view of the fireworks from both the Harbour Bridge and in Balmain. We also weren't the only people with the same idea! Very family friendly: they even put on early fireworks ("fa th' wee wains") at 9pm, after which Dee took Jules home to bed. He was kind of over the crowds and noise anyway. It was a pretty impressive show!
We had a few drinks, it must be said, but we also had a stack of sandwiches (Dee) and pastries (Dot) to help even our respective keels. We sat around on a blanket (ooh, which I need to pop in the washing machine! Red wine accident, thanks Rab) and chatted -- me picking Andy's brains on how to prep for a marathon, what kind of nutrition he uses before, during and afterwards, etc. Did I mention I'm running the Sydney Marathon this year? And Andy may fly back for it too (but he's already run a marathon, so is already much, much more advanced than I am).
2013 wasn't all bad for me personally, but it certainly had moments that felt like it was never going to end. To focus on the positive:
- We sold our house!
- We moved to Sydney!
- Dee got a job!
- We won a prize!
Some of the stuff I'm looking forward to this year includes:
- Doing a lot of running!
- Going snowboarding and/or skiing! (September, maybe?)
So that's it! I'm going to have a look at the calendar to plan a visit (to Cockatoo, and Bendigo) but in the meantime feel free to update the blog!