Jaimee

Good things come to those who wait!

2008-11-24T11:15:00.001Z

Yep it's been eons since last post. But what a way to break the blogging drought - i'm getting married! To the lovely damo! Guess that means i'm becoming a duchess ;-)

Wimbledon - court one!

2008-07-02T13:32:00.001+01:00

Love this being a freelancer thing ;-) got up early with les to come to wimbledon today. We amazingly got the second last tickets to court one for the men's quarter finals! Will be seeing marat safin play lopez as soon as the rain has stopped. Ha first day rain has interrupted play all tournament. Me and les have been amusing ourselves with watching pat cash warm up, star spotting the williams sisters and watching aussie junior tomic slaughter his brit opponent. We also doing some serious hot bod spotting! Ooh we are third row from the court - we are sooo gonna be on tv!

Ha! Drunk lots at farewell do

2008-06-27T23:58:00.001+01:00

Feeling jolly hope all is well with you

wooohoo

2008-06-27T12:32:00.003+01:00

Last day today! woohoo! Woke up this morning at 4:30am and thought to myself "yes, I've made it".

This is a bizarre feeling. I am just so excited. I must be deluded!

Self indulgent post ahead

2008-06-26T11:16:00.002+01:00

Oooh, I'm so excited about everything today.

It's been ages since I've blogged, but that's because I've been plotting how to change my life.

It's been prompted a little by signs I saw on the tube earlier this year when the winter was getting me down, and my job was getting me down... The sign said "If you don't like your life, change it." I mulled it over for a long time and finally decided (while in Morocco) to do just that. Well, not in a hugely drastic way: I've not shaved my head, grown my pits and moved to Goa. I've just decided to not renew my contract in my current job.

As much as I've grumbled about it, I've really enjoyed this job. The people have been lovely. It's been flexible. It's challenged me and I've learnt loads and loads. But there's always been this nagging feeling that I've not done what I always thought I would do. Soooooo... I'm going to take a little time out to pursue a few projects. Hopefully some writing.

I figure now is the time to take the risk. I'm still in my 20s. I don't have a mortgage and I don't have a family of my own. That leaves me a considerable amount of freedom to attempt a career change.

Funnily enough, when I told my boss my decision, it was like I finally believed I was good at what I do (in my day job). Funny how it takes leaving for people to tell you how great they think you are. (Bit like a wake?) I've had a real ego boost of late, and I've been surprised by the number of opportunities and offers that are presenting themselves to me. My confidence has had a real boost. And that's made me feel ok about my decision. Because if it doesn't work, or if I decide I don't like my 'projects', then I can go back into the field I'm in.

So, I'm in my second last day of work. And while I still have loads to do (my goodness my inbox management is hopeless, and I'm seriously the world's worst filer), I am just so excited about what lies ahead. Whatever that may be.

Oh, and it has been the most glorious blue sky, warm sunny weather lately. A perfect summery June. And that makes me happy too.

That's not my name.

2008-06-01T01:19:00.005+01:00

Jaimee is back from the Westminster reunion.

She's a bit pissy but it was fun. Lots of old faces. Noice.

Jaimee knows she hasn't updated since going to Morocco.

oops.

But she had fun. And was sick. So didn't gain any holiday weight. Always good. ;)

She has a new hair cut too. Cheesy photo to illustrate.

Seriously though, Jaimee wants you to know that Morocco rocked. She loved it.

And that since she got back to London, she's quit her job.

Well, she may be dramatising it a bit (not at all like her to do so!). Her contract was up for renewal. And she decided to not renew. So that's pretty much quitting. She's going to "see what happens". She's still got four weeks yet though.

Anyway, so tonight she went out and hung out with old faces. Almost four years. OMG. And didn't have any dinner.

She thinks she's home early compared to the early London days. But they ended up in Infernos. She hasn't been there for a few years. Last time was with Cath and Nicky. And she heard that Queen song Don't stop me now. That's a Cath song that is.

There was some podium dancing tonight. Laura was up there too. Why not?! Ha ha. Jaimee is 28. She is way cooler than those 18 yos with their image issues. And was having too much fun to care how she looked. Especially compared to little miss r 'n b filmclip wannabe with shorts too short and jelly thighs.

meow.

heh heh. Jaimee remembers that that place is a dive. seriously.

She didn't get to hear her fave song. Which is the one in the title. By the Ting Tings.

Oooooops, the those fish fingers burning. She thinks mmmmn. Fish Fingers.

Picture:

That's for you Amelie! :))))))))

A Moroccan puppy.

And just two quick tasters of Marrakech. There was 400 more pics. Jaimee will upload more soon :)

boy i'm stuffed

2008-05-08T23:05:00.006+01:00

I've just finished work for a week and a bit - am off to morocco. I can't wait. But i'm almost too stuffed to be excited. Just the usual. Work really.

here's some pics of Mr & Mrs Swan and the signets (Mr Swan has the big lump on his beak and is the one that chases the geese while Mrs Swan is nesting):

PS: been loads of places lately - for pleasure we went to Dover in Feb, Italy in March and then Broadstairs in Kent just last weekend. For work I've been to Bristol, Leeds and Manchester. Once I've got a little more time up my sleeves, I'll post.

Oh man, I'm so tired.

Hurrah for Spring!

2008-05-03T17:18:00.003+01:00

Yay, I think Spring is finally here. After all that big talk about me coping "really well with the Winter" well I kind of let the weather get the better of me, got pretty grumpy and decided best not to write about it.

Don't get me wrong, was plenty of nice stuff happening, but work was (still is) full on and I've started a new hobby (travel writing) which meant I've been neglecting the blog. Anyway, enough of that. I'll just post a couple of quick pics below of the lovely spring weather in Hyde Park.

Ooh, and just want to clarify, Damo isn't really a Duke.

And double oooh, Mr & Mrs Swan of Tooting Common pond have had their little bubs again (yes I know, they're called signets). Seven this year! We saw them just a moment ago and they're really new. Like, just tiny little black beaks all huddled in a ball of grey cotton wool. Adorable! I love spring! Sadly didn't have my camera with me so you'll have to take my word for how cute they were. Mr & Mrs Swan looked justifiably proud.

The under-7s football team

2008-04-05T18:20:00.001+01:00

Every Sunday Tooting Common is overtaken with zillions of football-boot clad tykes playing the "beautiful sport". Generally I find it quite humbling 'cause I usually see them zipping about as I'm huffing and puffing (err, jogging) my way round the green.

Anyway, we had some extremely unseasonal snow this weekend - it was so cold and heavy that I think it turned all those little tykes into snowmen. Some of them were cuter than others as you can see.

As for me, well I'd normally be quite excited about snow. That is, if it snowed when it was supposed to. Given that we had started to have some quite nice weather (ie temps in late teens) the drop down to the near 0 mark made me a very grumpy girl!

Farewell BaM

2008-02-24T23:00:00.000Z

Ah, I developed a lovely habit a little too late - every Sunday for the past few weeks I've been driving over to Chiswick to spend Sunday evening with Michelle and Ben (be it in their flat, at dinner or comedy in the theatre at Gunnersbury).

But now, they're off back home and I'm a sad little vegemite. Best of luck dudes! I know you'll love being back home :)

Here's a few pics from their farewell party:

Nicky, Ben, Mich

Damo, Mich, Me, Davo

The bookclub girls - Kim, Gabrielle, Les, Mich

Me and Mich

Mich, Davo and Me

Kittens vs ladybirds

2008-02-24T22:47:00.005Z

Damian has never had proper pets.

Well, ok, he had a rabbit called Thumper and a budgie called Sam. But I don't think they count.

I think he needs a proper pet. Like a nice fluffy kitten. I think it's a matter of urgency given how fond he's grown really of the ladybirds that are hibernating in our lounge room.

They've set up house in the corner by the warmth of our halogen lamp. There's at least 20 of them. And they've slowly been waking from their slumber and exploring our ceiling.
Damian is enraptured and has decided they're our new pets. We don't need a kitten, he says, when we've got ladybirds!

He has lots of fun when he gets home in the evenings, counting them, remarking on how far they've travelled that day. Sometimes he gets excited when they've moved close to the window. He wants to help them be free and sings "flyaway ladybirds" like a lullaby.

Sometimes he's tried to help them out himself, but they generally just fall to the ground and get lost on our red coloured carpet. So we'll be there on our hands and knees, looking for fallen ladybirds. And we don't end up finding them. He says he hopes they're ok. I'm sure they are.

He says they've become his pets. I've tried to reason with him. He can't pat them the way you can a kitten. The closest he's got is poking them with our vacuum cleaner nozzle to check they weren't spiders.

There are times when I have to console him when we smell burning coming from our hallogen lamp and discovered that a ladybird or two has mistaken it for the sun :(

At least kittens will interact. And let you pat them. And are unlikely to commit suicide by flying into a light bulb.

Happy Chinese New Year

2008-02-07T00:04:00.000Z

Well, Thursday nights are the new Fridays, and Monday nights are the new Saturdays. You've heard me say similiar things before.

Thurs night was another meeting of Balham Babes (don't ask me -Davo's idea ;) - this time at Firefly on the High Road. A good night! Nice to see everyone and hear all the news.

The weekend you've just read about. Monday night we went to a fundraise at a comedy club on Tattershall's Castle (a boat permanently moored on the Thames). Fun, but I was tired. Not the spring chicken I used to be ;)

Tues and Wed nights have been non-exciting - but tonight I'm off to celebrate Chinese New Year with Beth and co out in Acton. It'll be the first time I will have ever tried lobster so I'm very excited.

PS: an update - the lobster was good!

Duke Damo and real posh stuff

2008-02-04T23:36:00.003Z

So, what's been happening? How can I make my life sound way more exciting than it really is.... hmmmm...

I won't tell you how I spent both Friday and Saturday nights in over the weekend. That wouldn't live up to the glittering Big Overseas Experience illusion...

And I won't go in to too much detail about how Saturday afternoon was just a cruisy lunch at Blue Pumpkin cafe in Balham, followed by some aimless wandering about the shops in Clapham Junction. And I won't bother to tell you that the most exciting thing I bought was a couple of Women's Weekly cook books.

[Da da da daaaah, da de dahh, da de dahhhhhhh... picture mist and fog and abra-cadabra music and stuff and you've jumped back in time and are re-reading my blog forgetting all that you have just read... the words that follow are the true reality of my life...]

Over the weekend, Damian fulfilled his promise to take me to his little "week-ender".

I've not mentioned it previously, but Damo is a Duke (of Surrey) and has three stuffy Victorian middle names to prove it - Arthur, Edward and Greg. He's pretty shy about it so you won't hear him go on about how rich he is and stuff.

Anyway, the week-ender is called Polesden Lacey and it's about an hour's drive from where we are down in to the county of Surrey.

It's a grand old dame of a house - the Queen Mother even honeymooned there. Beautiful grounds too - hundreds of hectares of woodlands and manicured gardens and croquet lawns and stuff. The cooks served us a wonderful roast lunch.

I know, I know... you're probably wondering why we live in a shoe box in Balham when clearly life could be so much more comfortable if upped sticks and moved to the country.

Well, think about that song from Pulp about common people and stuff. Damo wants to be like common people. He wants to do things that common people do ;) Like work and stuff. And commute. And hear his neighbours stomp around at all hours. Yeah.

That's me overlooking the croquet lawn daaaahhhhling.

A day in the life of Jaimee

2008-01-31T17:18:00.000Z

07:45 Jaimee is wishing she could stay home today.

07:51 Jaimee is dancing in the shower.

07:52 Jaimee is daydreaming about sunny, exotic locations.

07:53 Jaimee is happy she caught up with Nicky for dinner in Clapham Junction last night.

09:15 Jaimee is at work after a painful commute.

09:59 Jaimee is annoyed at the dude next to her picking his ear and sniffing it.

11:07 Jaimee is bored.

12:15 Jaimee is off to lunch with Michelle and Stacey.

13:40 Jaimee is too reliant on caffiene.

13:45 Jaimee is feeling slothful.

13:46 Jaimee is feeling sleepy.

14:00 Jaimee is hyper thanks to latte. Go caffiene!!

14:05 Jaimee is addicted to poppy seed bagels.

15:47 Jaimee is grossed out by ear-picking guy who has now added nose picking to his reportoire.

16:30 Jaimee is looking forward to drinks at Balham Babes tonight.

16:31 Jaimee is looking forward to the staff away day tomorrow - yay a bludge!!

16:32 Jaimee is thinking she needs to get a life.

17:05 Jaimee is wondering how to stop her brain thinking about her life in terms of Facebook status updates.

Grumpy cow post

2008-01-29T15:22:00.000Z

Argh, feeling frustrated today. About career generally. Am pretty tired too after massive weekend and not sleeping so well last night. Today is officially the first appearance of "Grumpy Jaimee" for 2008.

I know, I know. 2008 is gonna be great, right?!

Well yeah. Blah blah blah. Would have slapped someone down if they told me that this morning after missing a couple of trains due to overcrowding/fog/pushy people, losing my oyster card, my staff card (think I left them in Malta) and tearing a big hole in my tights (which I HATE wearing because they make my legs itchy).
_________________

(Warning, self indulgent rant here - all prospective employers stop reading now...)

Problem with my career is that I'm never the expert in what I'm talking about.

I have a set of skills - a trade I guess you could say - and then I've got to apply those skills to lots to different subjects.

For example, right now, I'm using my skills to help communicate about Field X. There is sooooo much I don't know about Field X even after working in present job for almost 18 months.

I have never been "Field X" worker like most of my colleagues. And come end of March when my current contract ends, there's a big chance I won't work in Field X again. Guess that's just the way it is when you're a contractor and you have my set of skills.

So logic would have it that I should focus on improving my skills set so I can continue to apply them to different subjects.

Like, maybe I should really give it more than just two hoots about them and really invest in joining a professional body/institute and networking and further learning blah blah blah...

But for how many years have I been going on and on and on about how I'm just not in to what I'm doing?

Just needed to get that off my chest.

Malta Madness ;)

2008-01-28T15:45:00.000Z

I never considered Malta to be a party destination but I was obviously uninformed given my waaay huggggee weekend with Michelle.

Michelle and I at dinner on Spinola Bay, St Julian's on the Saturday night.

We went so we could spend some quality time together before Mich heads back home.

We expected a bit of a wintersun break with loads of chatting and shopping and sightseeing and we got plenty of that. What we didn’t expect was:

# to meet so many fun people without even trying (three Swedes on a bit of bender who entertainingly crashed our lunch and wanted to take us bowling);

The view of Valletta across the bay from Sliema, Malta's main shopping area

# go bar hopping with a bunch of nice Americans who we met at dinner (they were seated next to us and we managed to strike up a conversation – it wasn't as sleazy as it sounds).

# being given a midnight tour of Paceville (or Partyville as Ben described it) and seeing why the streets were so empty during the day.

Me on Sunday afternoon, hungover, but with a bellyful of pizza, gelati and the sun on my skin.

# ending up in a sophisticated* nightclub on the 22nd floor of the Hilton office building (that our American friends insisted would be just our scene), drinking from our very own bottle of Smirnoff black and cute little mixers (courtesy of our friends), at our own private table (courtesy of our friends), admiring the best views of Malta and dancing until 4am.

# me throwing up twice the next morning. I should know better than that by now.

So, apart from me throwing up and Michelle having to listen to it, we had a lot of fun!

Other bonuses were:

# staying at my first ever European 5* hotel "Le Meridian St Julians" (being mid Winter there were loads of cheap deals).

Michelle and I walking around Valetta's city walls on Saturday.

# exploring the quiet streets of caramel coloured Valetta – a world heritage listed town.

# enjoying a really fabulous dinner overlooking Spinola Bay – the yummiest beef and red wine I’ve had in a long time

Spinola Bay, St Julian's at dusk. Beautiful!

# eating pizza and drinking pepsi for breakfast on Sunday morning (best hangover cure ever)

# spending the afternoon sitting in the sunshine, eating gelati and talking about everything and nothing with Michelle.

** for “sophisticated” and “more our scene”, read venue for the 30 – 45 age bracket. This made Michelle and I a teeny weeny bit paranoid. Are we looking old? Can we no longer cut it with the 20-somethings in all the other clubs? Ha. Was a bit of a laugh though, especially when the lift doors opened and we saw all these monied sugar daddies reclining like kings on leather sofas while the chicky babes just kind of ponced and posed about the place. It was the kind of place you'd never find if you didn't know about it.

Mich at the bottom of some steep steps in Valetta.

Cheating

2008-01-25T13:36:00.000Z

Was babbling on to Damo about how I've managed to not let the Winter get to me just yet, and he just laughed.

Cynically he declared (in my best attempt to type "Northern"):

"Threah wee's en Australeah?! A wee'end en Malta? (haven't told you guys about that yet) Survive-ging the Winter? Bah! Yoor jus' cheat-ging, tha's wha' yoor doe-in! Naught lark meh. Bunkerin' down for the Winter. Oc'ober thru March. I'm stayin' righ 'ere. Arm from the Nurth. Arm tuff. Yoor jus' soft, tha's wha' yoor arrr!"

All said while eyes are twinkling so he's being nice about it ;)

But yep, back precisely one week and three days and already set to fly back out again.
This time it's a girly weekend with Michelle in Malta (small island nation in the Meditteraean - currently sunny and 15 degrees - balmy!) Have found an absolute bargain last flight/accom package through my fave website expedia.co.uk.

Seems a bit excessive that I'm going away again so soon, but Mich and Ben are heading home for good soon so squeezing in as much fun stuff as we can.

PS: congrats to Cath and Grant on their new little arrival :)!

A dirty secret

2008-01-22T10:04:00.001Z

I like the food from our staff canteen.

This is terribly embarrassing to admit to.

It’s much cooler to tell your colleagues that you know this fab little organic vegan café down the road (Coopers on the Cut) and they do a great soup and salad for £7 than to confess you head down to the fluro-lit basement to get your soup for 75p.

Am particularly enjoying the porridge with apricots this morning. Mmmmmm.

S-A-D

2008-01-21T09:59:00.000Z

Hmmm... it appears that the jet lag is taking a little longer to wear off than I thought.

Been back a week and not achieved anything remarkable... well, except for remaining sunnily optimistic in the face of London's gloom.

2008 is gonna be great, 2008 is gonna be great, 2008 is gonna be great.

Actually, having had my 3-week Brissy summer, I’ve really noticed my fellow Londoner’s SAD (seasonal affective disorder). I’ve been chirpily wishing all my colleagues a Happy New Year when seeing them again, and they’ve all been moaning about how long ago it all feels now. People are just plain depressed.

I get SAD all the time, so I’m not going to take the high-ground about it, but I feel lucky that I had a break from the winter. Will hang to the feeling as long as I can.
_______________________________

Sat and Sun were pretty low key. Trekked up North for a less-than-successful shopping expedition to London's first (and oldest) indoor shopping mall in Brent Cross (about 45 mins on the tube from Balham).

The point was to help Damo buy a new suit in the sales. We spent a couple of hours in Zara searching for right sizes, colours blah blah blah only to be foiled at the last hurdle by a price check on an item that had a sales tag, but apparently was “not for sale”. Given that we'd waited in the queue foooorevvvvvveeeer - watching staff and customers faff about in slow motion - it was enough to make us throw our hands up in desperation and leave without buying anything.

Even my shoe hunting went amiss. I had found the *perfect* right foot, black, knee-high boot at Nine West. Gorgeous. All leather. Appropriately sized heel. Padded instep. Half price. Then the sales girl told me they were missing the left one. It just wasn’t meant to be.

We did resurrect the evening though by exploring trendy Camden on our way home. Checked out a funky little Vietnemese place, strolled the busy streets and saw "Charlie Wilson's War" at the local cinema.

Sunday wasn't very exciting. Had planned to buy a laptop, but was foiled by the miserable weather and overwhelming urge to sleep. Did catch up with Davo though for a coffee in Balham.

Goal driven ramblings

2008-01-18T23:14:00.000Z

When I get off my train, there's a bus stop right outside the station. It's the start of Route 315 towards Streatham. Leaving every 20 minutes, the 315 does a lap around the high street before heading up the road towards my place, stopping three times before it reaches the end of my street. Depending on traffic, the whole journey takes around 5 minutes compared to the 12 it usually takes to walk it (longer when wearing heels).

Anyway, the point of this really boring story is that sometimes I get so bored walking the same walk, day in, day out, that I decide I'm going to race the 315 home. To make things *interesting*, I give myself an imaginery financial incentive. Starting at zero pounds, I get £1000 for every bus stop I beat the bus to. I can win a grand total of £3000 and if I turn into my street before the bus gets to that third bus stop, then I give myself a bonus £2000.

I beat the bus home tonight. It was very exciting.

Someone once told me that this little competion I have with the bus means I'm goal oriented. Wonder if I can use it as an example next time I go for a job interview?
___________________

Just got home after a productive Friday. Went to a conference this morning - left early 'cause I hated the small talking during the breaks (goal for 2008 - get better at networking - failed today but there's always tomorrow).

Continued to be a lady who lunched and met Damo at Pizza Express (goal for 2008 - take lunch to work - failed today but there's always next week), followed by a spot of sales shopping at Zara. Bought a gorgeous charcoal matt satin dress with beaded embroidery for £20 (reduced from £70!) (goal for 2008 - keep buying bargains - did well today)

Meandered back to work, but not before stopping for a chat with Damo's mate Emil, who I bumped into outside Waterloo station.

Faffed about a bit. (goal for 2008 -stop procrastinating - failed today but will start again in a non-jet lagged week)

Met Michelle for a drink in Old Street (goal for 2008 - explore more of north london) - went to a funky little bar called - ummm - forgotten name already... but it was good. Then met up with Davo and the GLA crew at the stinky Bavarian Beer Hall - place smelt of vegemite. Had some good goulash though. And random conversation about poo.

Beat the bus home and now watching Lost in Translation on TV - one of my all time fave films. (goal for 2008 - get better at updating my blog - kind of doing all right so far).

am sleepy.

2008 is gonna be great!

2008-01-17T13:33:00.000Z

Well I didn’t go to the gym. Ha! that was ambitious. Instead I left work at 4.30pm and was asleep on the couch by 5:30pm. Barely opened my eyes for when Damo came home. Think I got up around 8pm for a brief dinner. Completely useless at conversation. Went back to bed.

Got up at 4am for some cornflakes after a disturbing dream about overflowing public toilets. Then slept more till 7am. Felt really perky then though. Danced to Terry Wogan on Radio 2. He played “I’m so excited” by the Pointer Sisters. Damo was still sleeping. Bet he’s so glad to have me back ;)

Woohoo! It’s rager-slightly-random-party girl Jaimee ;)

Work slightly more bearable today. Just had lunch with a couple of girls so that’s nice. And I’ve been fussed over and told I look “really well”. That’s always nice too. Jetlag still making my brain fuzzy ‘cause I can’t think of any more exciting adjectives than “nice”.

And the fuzz probably accounts for my dodgy motto for this year (see headline – I’ve always sucked at writing headlines). But it did make for good breakfast conversation with Damo. 2007 felt like heaven (not). 2006 in the mix. 2005 and we felt alive. 2004: gimme more. 2003 was all about me. 2002 was all about you. 2001 was a lotta fun. 2000 – um… creative juices had stopped flowing by then ;)

Believe it or not I’ve actually drafted stuff to fill in the missing three months on my blog. If you’re lucky I might post it ;)

Jetlag is doing my head in

2008-01-16T13:32:00.000Z

First day back at work after returning from my Christmas trip back home. The jetlag is setting in right about now. And I'm so ravenously hungry! Was up at 4am munching on cornflakes 'cause my body thought it was lunch time.

Got plenty to do but I just don't feel like doing it. Figure I can get away with postponing much of it until tomorrow. Worked solidly this morning so I'm ok with slacking off a little now. Was actually due back yesterday but took the day off because last time I came back straight away I was totally useless.

Though I’m glad to say I’m still being a lady who lunches (because that is what I did every single day I was at home). Just met Michelle for a catch up in London’s square mile. Bright blue sky, big red buses and grand old buildings to welcome me back into the old blighty.

Will be back to the gym this afternoon but not sure I can be bothered. Just want to sleep. And sleep. And sleep.

ooohhh - a PS

2007-12-04T17:53:00.001Z

oh, now I'm feeling a bit sad that something I've loved doing has slipped down my list of priorities... bloddy work sucks! and this whole endless london treadmill churning that happens...

don't take it as some kind of "not doing this anymore" message...

am coming back

Eeek

2007-12-04T17:45:00.000Z

I'm sorry - I'm really struggling with this at the moment aren't I?

I'm not allowed to blog at work anymore (hmph!)

And there's a growing feeling within that I'm more reluctant to share all the details of my life with the wider world (... I sometimes think it makes people less likely to get in touch with me 'cause they're like, oh, we know everything that's happening in Jaimee's life, there's no need... but I don't hear about what's going on with you!)

And I honestly haven't had five seconds to myself lately - my whole journalling/diary writing is suffering too.

Sorry for the excuses (for saying sorry hah hah- sooooo jaimee) ... I think about my blog every day... I'm coming back to it... so much to share... but kind of don't want to... but kind of do.... but don't want to forget stuff...

so anyway, having a shocker of a week at work but I'm drafting stuff... just got to get around to posting it...

aidfjwioueroieuwrqiouoeiuoqwuirqouiweoruweiour

Roll out the red carpet....

2007-10-29T15:33:00.000Z

I am back. Can you hear the trumpets heralding my return? After a self-imposed exile from the blog-o-sphere, I've decided I'm ready to face the world and share the sordid and drop-dead exciting details of my life again ;)

Oh man, looking back over my blog I can see the past few months have been a bit sketchy in detail. I feel a bit ill about trying to catch up on it all. Not just for your benefit mind, but because I've been doing this for over three years now and kind of got used to it as a bit of a memory prop. I very much need to know what I've done with my life since moving to this side of the world. Helps justify things!!

I kind of have that guilty feeling when I haven't been to the gym for a while - days turn into weeks and then into months. Hmmm..

So what happened to September and October? And what about August? I put in a pretty poor effort blogging-wise for most of the Summer!

Well, in a nutshell, August was the briefest of English summers. I did a daytrip to Bournemouth; picnicked in Tooting Common; hung out loads with Davo while he dossed with us; helped celebrate Ben and Cynthia's birthdays at various pubs in south west London; had a ridiculously fun four day weekend in Newquay; got tonsilitis; went to Buckingham Palace; drank loads of cocktails with my bookclub friends; went to Dave & Helen's wedding in the Cotswolds and then went to Croatia.

The first couple of weeks in September are a blur: Croatia; then lots of time spent on Tooting Common jogging and picknicking; hanging out with Michelle, Ben and Davo; celebrating my 3 year anniversary with Damo (!!!) and planning my birthday party. I think that was when I last posted.

In the week after my birthday and before flying out to Australia, I indulged in a gourmet foodie weekend in York with Michelle, Emma and Louise; getting a bit too drunk at a Balham Babes do; catching up with Dave and Helen; and being sociable with Lucy and co in Old Street. There was work and boring stuff in there too, but I don't write about those things (unless I'm having a whinge!).

And then the bulk of my time (4 weeks in fact) has been spent travelling to and from Australia, helping my lil' sis get married, showing Damo Fraser Island and doing a city break in Dubai (United Arab Emirates).

Got back less then a week ago. Was straight back to work eventhough I was barely on the planet, jetlagged like there was no tomorrow and sleeping enormous anmounts. Did manage to have lunch with Davo; have dinner with Nicky; shop in Covent Garden; go to the gym; wish Davo a Happy Birthday and celebrate with drinks in Soho; and go and see the musical "Wicked".

I will write separate entries on all (I know, i know I say that all the time and never fulfil my promise). But I just needed to do this one to overcome my blogging guilt! The pic of me is in my little Arabian tent on the roof of our Dubai hotel. Very cool - literally - as it was almost 40 degrees in that sunshine. More to come!

Updates posted from the summer months

I'm going through all the entries I've half written and never posted. Just published one from 11th September where I had found a leaked demo of Kylie's new single 2 Hearts. Oh what joy it was back then! And turns out it was the new single!! Woohoo!

Also found this one from 20th August where I was in a bit of a state about marking three years in London and this one from 9th August where I was clearly very down!

There's also entries at 18th July, 25th July, 31 July if you can be bothered but it's primarily for my info only. I'll be much happier when it comes to looking back as a few more of the gaps over the summer months have been filled in. Ha ha. Actually, on second thoughts, the entries are just absolute ramblings so there isn't really any more info than what there was before!

Birthdays, Birthdays, Birthdays

2007-09-18T13:31:00.003+01:00

It's a birthday extravaganza in my family at the moment! My sister, Dad and I are all four days apart. Dad and Mickaylah went zooming about in this mustang last weekend...

...While I partied on here in London.

Me, Ben, Mich and Damo on the sky terrace as the sun set. Unfortunately my camera is playing silly buggers and over exposing everything.

On Friday night I had my birthday dinner at Skylon - an uber cool restaurant on London's Southbank that's recently been voted "most style inspired dine" by Time Out. Davo, Ben, Mich and Damian joined for a very sophisticated evening. The restaurant was a bit pricey, but the food and the views over the Thames were wonderful.

Saturday night was party night and I was joined by lots of lovely friends at The Whitehouse in Clapham. We drank copious cocktails, lounged in our super-cool sunken lounge, swung from some bars (literally) and danced and danced and danced. I had a really fab night :)

Cynthia, Ben, Mich, Me, Pat lounging about. I reserved the sunken area especially for my party and even had to ask some girls to leave. Heh heh, power trip.

Davo, Me, Mich all looking fab (even if I do say so myself!)

My old Tower Hamlets buddies Jaqui, James and Kate

Damo, Emil and Mark looking very cool
More pictures can be found here.

Thanks everyone for all the birthday greetings. Am looking forward to getting home and celebrating in person with everyone. Dad and Mickaylah - hope you had a fab one too!

Yay it's my birthday part 2

2007-09-14T12:43:00.001+01:00

Just sharing a pic of my fab shoes i bought myself as a present. Still wearing them in but i'm sure they'll soon be comfy!

PS: had to delete part 1 - as much as I love mum's parcels, I realised it was a bit dumb to put my address up on the web!

Going to the Globe

2007-09-13T11:58:00.000+01:00

There's been so much happening and my lack of blogging hasn't captured any of it. I need to catch up on stuff that I've half drafted and post it in date order, so I will do that and then write a post about it with links back to the stories... (not that they'll be that interesting but I'll know I will appreciate it when it comes to looking back...)

But, so that I don't fall any further behind, I just want to post some pics of my adventures last night. If you can believe it, back in August it was three years since I started having my London Adventures. And now it's been three years since Damo and I started hanging out (no, he wasn't waiting at the airport ha ha ha). Our first excursion together was to the Tower of London so we marked our 3 year kind-of-anniversary-but-not-really-it's-just-as-good-a-date-as-any by going to another great London landmark - Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.

It's a replica building that's only 10 years old, but it's supposedly on the site where the original theatre stood all those centuries ago. Seating is traditional - v. uncomfortable wooden benches for those willing to pay for them, or you can stand up in the pit for only a fiver. You could tell those who'd been before - they'd brought cushions and big jackets and blankets with them - it's open air so you are at the mercy of the elements.

First up we had a gourmet picnic on the river (watching the Waterloo Sunset) with our Konditor and Cook goodies (only the most delicious bakery on the face of the planet) and then took our seats right up in the top Northern tower to watch Merchant of Venice.

It was a very cool night - I've only seen Shakespeare once before and that was in high school - so it was fun to see it where it was originally performed and in its traditional manner with renaissance costumes and music. The atmosphere was fantastic. I loved being able to watch the crowd in the pit below the stage interact with the cast and was grateful for my seat (not sure I could have dealt with the three hours of standing up).

I had not read Merchant of Venice before, but I still was able to figure out what was happening, and it reminded me that if I was going to be stranded on a desert island with only one of my books, Shakespeare's Complete Works would still be it (think I got it for my 16th birthday).
If you do get to London, try and go, because it's one of those experiences that feels very much like a glorious "london moment". (PS: the pics aren't great quality. As usual forgot my camera so took them with my mobile phone - as evidenced by the shadow across our foreheads below).

Starting again - maybe?

2007-09-11T18:38:00.000+01:00

Oooh, I'm so tired today. No particular reason I can think of except that I've been back at work a week. Just had a cappuccino and it's giving me a headache. Ugh. But, it is a glorious, glorious day outside today. Perfect blue sky and lots of warm sunshine. Reminds me very much of a Brisbane Winter day. Summer has finally arrived in England just in time for Autumn. The leaves are all starting to turn brown already!

My big news today is that I've found a track on the net called "2 Hearts" by a group called KishMauve. It's apparently the demo for the new Kylie single which is going to be released any time now and I'm super excited. Actually, upon hearing the demo, I've decided I quite like it how it is, regardless of whether Kylieis going to make it more poppy or not. Huh, and of course, it's all pure speculation that this is THE single. There's at least 5 other leaked tracks doing the rounds at the moment and it could be any or none of them.

On another note, I guess you can tell I've not been too fussed with my blog lately. honest it's felt like a bit of a chore over the last little while and I keep putting it off. And the more I put it off, the further I fall behind and the the more I don't want to do it.

Frolicking in Croatia

2007-09-05T16:22:00.000+01:00

Ahhh, it was a long time coming but my summer holiday was fantastic.

Damo and I generally like to do our own independent travel thing. It usually involves trawling the net for the best flight deals (it becomes obsessive and can get quite frustrating); looking up accom via the Lonely Planet and cross checking it with Trip Advisor; panicking about how we’d get from the airport to our destination with our limited language skills (and often forgetting to have any local currency in small denominations); and setting our own agenda (lots of naps and food stops). The idea of organised tours has never really appealed and I’ve never done one.

On our last trip to Venice we realised that our approach is great fun (even if our hotel was crap), but were becoming a bit formulaic: lots of long journeys followed up with lots of eating and sleeping in sunshine with a bit of sightseeing thrown in for good measure. We’d travel. Eat. Sleep. Go to next destination. Eat. Sleep. Move on to next sight. Eat again. Another nap somewhere pretty… you get the idea.

This time, we wanted to actually do something. Like, an activity of sorts. So that’s how we ended up on a package "water sports" holiday windsurfing in Croatia. All we had to do was rock up to the airport and everything else was taken care of. Our luggage, transfers, hotel booking, equipment hire, excursions, breakfast… the lot.

Given that our eventual destination was a tiny beachside village called Lambarda on Korcula Island, which is off the coast of Dubrovnik, we were grateful we didn’t need to worry about getting there. Not sure we could have managed it so late in the night (our flight was delayed). It involved a 2.5 hour flight from London Gatwick, a 2.5 hour coach journey from Dubrovnik airport and a 30 minute ferry crossing, eventually getting there at 1am.

While I got a big grumpy on the final leg of our transfer, I totally appreciated it when I woke up the next morning to the most glorious balcony view I’ve ever had: a crystal clear turquoise boat harbour surrounded by olive groves, vineyards and the giant white mountains of the Croatian mainland in the distance. Paradise!

We had six full days of wonderfulness. Damo and I spent two days learning to windsurf (oh, the hilarity! I’m as unco on sea as I am on land).

Actually, we were supposed to windsurf for the whole week and should have ended up with a certificate at the end of it. But I kind of got over the whole "let’s all do everything together thing" so Damo and I spent two days laying on the beach, going for endless swims and then two days doing day trips to Dubrovnik and the national park on the nearby island Mljet. And while we kept getting asked why we’d dropped out of windsurfing, I wouldn’t have traded it for anything.

The walled city of Dubrovnik was beautiful but super hot (almost 40 degrees) and full of other tour groups. Would have liked to spend an evening there to see what it is like once all the day trippers have left (perfect as a weekend city break). Actually, Damo and I were comparing Dubrovnik with the likes of Venice and Brugges as the ultimate picture postcard city.

Highlight there was spending the afternoon at a little bar carved into the cliff on the outside of the city’s walls. The views of the Adriatic were the stuff daydreams of made of and if you were game, you could jump off the rocks and swim – though the swell was bit too big for my liking. Actually, our trip back in the hydrofoil (think a big City Cat) was a bit perilous that night – got caught in a storm and the swell was massive. I caught myself searching for the exits and the life jackets on more than one occasion.

Mljet Island was also splendid – reminded me a lot of Fraser Island with its inland clear water lakes and forests buzzing with cicadas right down to the water. There’s an abandoned monastery on a little island in the middle of one the lakes. Spooky but beautiful. Again, would have liked to spend a night there to appreciate it once the crowds had gone.

We had a couple of evenings in Korcula town - billed as a mini Dubrovnik and one of the "must sees" of the Dalmatian coast. We went one evening as part of the larger tour group (so we could see where Marco Polo was born) and then back the second night to do our own thing. Definite highlight was watching the sunset from the top of an old watch tower that had been coverted into a very funky cocktail bar (you had to climb up a ladder to get to it, so we only had one cocktail).

The food wasn’t brilliant, but we did have a couple of lovely meals. My two faves were the pizza restaurant on the hill overlooking Lambarda Bay (£3 for a pizza the size of a table) and a little roofless grill restaurant on the beach, again in Lambarda. I think it was the view that did it for me.

All up, we really enjoyed the "package tour" experience as we were able to join in the group activities as much or as little as we liked. Was also cool to meet some new people and watch all the little networks form (and gossip unfold).

There were zillions of pics to choose from...

Korcula town as you approach on the ferry. According to the Lonely Planet, this is one of those "highlights not to be missed" moments. My pic doesn't do it justice at all.

The view of Dubrovnik's main street from the wall of the city. It was sooo hot up here.

This cheeky little kitten had his begging spiel down pat. He'd come by each table and sit patiently waiting for food. Lucky for him (or so I thought) I chose badly one night - grilled calamari that arrived as six whole squid barely cooked on my plate. I couldn't stomach it, so cut a little off for this pussy cat. Even he turned up his nose at it!

Damo taking a rest in some shade in Dubrovnik.

Moi swimming and being merry at Lumbarda beach. Taken with a water camera which is why the colour is so crap. Should have been amazing turquoise.

Sunset from the cocktail bar at the top of the old tower in Korcula town.

Me and Damo in one of Mljet's saltwater lakes.

The view of the beach and bay from our fave little pizza restaurant. Spent a some solid hours laying on that beach.

Another view of Dubrovnik's city walls and the cliff-side bar we lazed the afternoon in.

Me and Damo after finally walking Dubrovnik's city walls. Hard yakka.

my long awaited holiday is over

2007-09-04T21:57:00.000+01:00

made it back from croatia today and I'm feeling a bit sad that my holiday is over. i waited a really long time for it! this year has been a bit light on the travel side of things (just kent, madeira, venice, brussels, norfolk, the lake district, isle of wight, newquay, woodstock and now croatia...um, what am i talking about?!?!?)

anyway, i've just had 11 glorious days away from the real world where my biggest concerns were staying upright on my windsurf board and what flavour icecream I was going to have that afternoon. we stayed in a tiny village called Lambarda on the island of Korcula which is about 2.5 hours north of Dubrovnik. more details later.

i'm shattered and about to head to bed as have been travelling all day. and so yet another dodgy non-eventful post has been posted. sorry. i had stupidly thought I'd get a chance to update while I was away, but who wants to blog when it's hot, sunny and gorgeously swimmable outside? not me.

so, yes, am ridiculously behind. even damo is keeping a better diary than me at the moment. gotta write and post pics about newquay/buckingham palace/my 3 year london anniversary and its associated musings /dave and helen's wedding/ croatia... plus do everything else and have a corker of a few weeks at work. ah. work. such a dirty word.

good news is that i'm off home real soon. am counting down the days as I so can't wait to see everyone. i really, really can't.

Like a movie!

2007-08-25T20:42:00.001+01:00

At dave and helen's wedding in blenhiem palace in the cotswolds. Omg it is so very grand. Just like four weddings and a funeral! I'm even wearing a thing on my head. Ivy covered church, bentlys, choirs, carriages, palace receptions and endless pimms and champagne. Am hammered in a v. Glamorous way!

sorry for lack of updates

2007-08-24T18:56:00.000+01:00

sorry - i've been completely slack. busy at work in build up to my holidays (which start now!)

off to dave and helen's wedding tomorrow at blenhiem palace in woodstock (The Cotswolds) and then off to Croatia on Tuesday.

Will try to update properly between now and then. Last time i wrote it was just before Newquayl. Davo wrote a good little story ....

http://boyabouttown.squarespace.com/journal/2007/8/15/planes-trains-and-seals.html

gotta run, back soon!

An anniversary

2007-08-20T18:47:00.000+01:00

Three years ago today I landed in London. OMG. I feel quite emotional about it actually. Three long years. I never thought I'd be here this long.

I have lots and lots of memories. My first giant billboards in a foreign language. Being beside myself with excitement as I looked out the window flying over London. Hearing my specially made soundtrack on my discman (a discman!!!) I think the song of the moment was Time is Now by Moloko...

...Being met by Davo and Leanne at Heathrow. Welcome to Hedonism. Cath and Grant back at the Finsbury Park palace. Drinks at Spice of Life where I met Cynthia and the late and beautiful Cath... dinner in Chinatown, dancing at Onanon, coffee at Bar Italia where I fought back the tears and wondered what on earth had I done... dancing at the Vampire club, sitting on the top deck of the doubledecker bus at dawn ....

How many countries? How many holidays? How many new friends? How many milestones missed at home? I want to think about the highlights and the lowlights. These have been the best and the darkest days I've ever had. I want to reminicse. Celebrate. Commiserate.

But I'm at work and have lots do to do before I go on holidays next week. But I need to mark the occassion somehow.

For posterity, this is what I did over the weekend just gone:
Fri 17/8 – Organised drinks at Cubana with bookclub girls and then dinner at EV, Waterloo. Lovely night.
Sat 18/8 – Davo moved out. Helped him to take his stuff to his new place down the road. Did work out at gym. Damo and I celebrated having the flat back to ourselves by going to a little Italian restaurant in Balham High Road.
Sun 19/8 – went to Buckingham Palace with my bookclub friends. Weather pretty cold as I recall. Walked to Sloane Square for lunch before catching tube to Chiswick where we joined Ben and Michelle and all their mates for his birthday drinks. Fun afternoon. Played Jenga at the pub.

2007-08-10T14:46:00.000+01:00

Oh man, I'm feeling good today. For the first time in ages I'm feeling alive and buzzing.

I don't think I realised the full extent of it, but that fog I keep referrring to (if not on my blog than in my emails) really did pervade all of me. I neglected so much of myself and the things I love. So many things that I won't make public, but I guess a really simple example is that I stopped listening to music and buying new clothes. I was just tired, tired, tired. Automatic pilot in the rat race to and from work. Participating in things socially, but at a kind of distance from it all. There were moments that I was fully "in" but on the whole, looking back over 2007 so far, it's all a bit blurry.

It's kind of like over the past couple of days, I've just woken up.

so anyway, not going to be all dramatic and self indulgent about it - because so far I sooooo haven't been ;) - but just thought I'd share to make a change from all that whinging I do!

Have had a nice week. Well, ok, I had tonsillitis. But I got to the docs in the end and the penicillin they gave me is kicking in. But other than that, it's been cool. The weather has been just lovely. Summer definitely here.

I've ventured back in to the shops as I need some new clothes. My wardrobe is overflowing with nothing to wear. I met Michelle after work on Wednesday night for a really great girly night. We shopped up a storm in Covent Garden. It was so lovely. I love shopping with Mich. It's nice to have a second opinion and someone to encourage me to try on different stuff than my usual typical Jaimee stuff. I ended up buying this uber cool dress from French Connection (FCUK). Oh man, I just love it! wonder if I can find a picture.... ooh, I have! This dress rocks. And I bought a lovely top too (not sure about the whole big belt around the waist thing though, esp with the boobs factor). Then we had dinner at Fire and Earth in Covent Garden - very cool stuff.

Today it's gorgeously sunny. I've organised an excursion down to Borough Markets for lunch with a few of the girls in the office. Big deal as this job hasn't really been all that sociable, so hopefully this will be a bit of a shift.

Tonight I'm having a quick drink to help celebrate Cynthia's birthday and then tomorrow I'm off for a four day break down in Newquay. The Ripcurl surf championships are happening down there this weekend. Not that I'm a surfie girl, but there'll be a good feel down there. Damo's off to a stag weekend in the Lakes.

Woohooo, my summer holidays are finally starting! Lovely things to look forward - excursions to Buckingham Palace, summer drinkies down at Cubana in Waterloo, Dave and Helen's (Damo's friends) wedding in the Cotswolds (the reception is in Blenheim Palace!), a holiday in Croatian islands, a girly weekend in York for a foodie festival, my birthday, my trip to Australia for birthday parties and my sister's wedding....

Hope I can hang on to this feeling! This year is picking up...

A big moan

2007-08-09T11:00:00.000+01:00

Oh my weekend can't come soon enough. I'm taking two days off to go down to Newquay in Cornwall. I am really looking forward to some time out. To just think.

My work is suffering a bit at the moment because I'm just so tired. Haven't had a week off since February. It's been a tough year so far with some big work projects and quite out of the ordinary events in my personal life. I'm finding myself saying to people that I've been a bit foggy of late. moan moan moan. That's all i ever do. It takes energy to not!

Oh, and to the middle aged, clearly overweight man who was coasting down Bedford Hill last night on a bike: you thought it would be soooooo funny to yell out that the icecream I was eating had 10,000 calories in it - well, I hope you fell off and hurt yourself you big git. My ice cream was really yummy and I deserved it!

Jaimee is sick again, what a shock

2007-08-07T14:35:00.000+01:00

feeling a bit sorry for myself today. I'm not a good sick patient and my inner drama queen will always push through demanding lots of attention.

i think i have tonsillitis.

i know this because the English National Health Service have DIY self-diagnosis questionnaire thingy-ma-bob on the net and it asks you a series of questions about your symptoms and tells you whether you should go to the doctor, call 999 or just stay at home with some panadol.

Anyway, it told me it was serious enought to see my doc but there were no appointments available at my GP. I'm still at work, sipping lemsip but it's not helping my ability to swallow. it really hurts :(

I guess there's no need to martyr myself anymore as recent changes to the terms of my contract here mean that I now get paid sick leave (for the first time in about two years). but I'm not going to go home if I can make it through - really want to have next Monday and Tuesday off as going on a planned trip to England's surf capital Newquay on another of Slyv's tours (see Brighton). And then a few weeks after that I'm off to Croatia for a week, and then a few weeks afterthat I'm heading back home for my sister's wedding (yipppeeeee!)

So it looks like I'll be making chicken soup tonight and having a quiet week socially in an effort to get over it asap.

unimaginative update but don't really care as behind as usual

2007-08-06T14:24:00.000+01:00

Well, we just had summer. To borrow a phrase from someone else, it was a really long summer and lasted all weekend!

the sun has finally come out! we had our first really hot weekend with temps around 30. given that my throat was playing up, I didn't make it to the beach or the pool, but I did spend plenty of time hanging out in the sunshine.

Thursday night Damo and I went out for dinner and saw The Simpsons movie.

Friday I met Michelle and Beth for lunch in the city which was lovely. That night I had a few drinks with Nicky and her friends to say safe travels as she heads back to South Africa for a long overdue visit. Saturday was a day of slothfulness in the sunshine, and then having dinner with davo and damo in Balham.

Sunday damo and I trekked out to the Thames Barrier park waaaaaaaaay out in east London. Was mainly to see the futuristic looking dam-structure (see pic) that has apparently saved London from flooding over 70 times since it was built in the 80s. I swear I could have been in Brisbane given the gorgeous day and the views over the river to the old docks and warehouses that are being redeveloped into funky apartments. we also watched the end of the London Triathlon, which was quite humbling given my attempts at jogging around the common.

So a nice weekend, but whatever I was coming down with was talking hold. I was shivering even in the bright sunshine! tried to have an early night but the sunshine meant loads of backyard bbq's (for those lucky enough to have their own gardens) so was quite noisy until late into the night. And when you’re not feeling well, than that just turns you into a bit of a Nigel no-friends grump.

Davo the dosser

2007-08-04T13:46:00.000+01:00

As you can see, I've been making Davo earn his bed in our palatial flat ;)

He's been sleeping on our couch since he arrived back a few weeks ago and it's been a blast having him around. Though I am wondering what he and Damo get up to when I go to bed ;) heh heh heh.

He's our fourth guest after my Dad, Jen & Tony and Megan all came to visit last year.

It's quite bizarre having him bear witness to how much I've quietened my life down over the past few weeks. He probably thinks I'm uber-boring - at least that is what he'll be telling everyone else ;)

Seriously, apart from the mornings when we are all weary of not being perky, we're getting along like a house on fire. Well, that's what I'm telling everyone else anyway ;)

Dossing in London is a bit of an institution for the newly-arrived. I dossed at Davo's place in Finsbury Park for six weeks, so I'm just returning the favour. He wrote a review of our "hotel" which I'm flattered enough to link to here.

Hot pic dude. I think it should be your profile pic on facebook.

Diary update

2007-08-01T13:45:00.000+01:00

Just a quick mention that I went to Bournemouth today for a bit of Jaimee-style therapy (beach action). Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. No photos though as I wasn't officially there. heh heh heh heh heh.

Summer is here!

2007-07-31T09:53:00.000+01:00

Hurrah, summer is finally here! Jaimee is totally excited. After three months of rain, we are finally waking up to bright clear blue skies.

Oh man, I can't tell you how much of a struggle it has been (so I won't!). Problem is now that I'm stuck in an office when all I want to do is be outside making the most of it. It's hard when most of the office is away on holidays, and harder still when I know that my holiday won't be until the end of august (we're booked to go to Croatia - staying on an island called Korcula). But I do have a long weekend in Newquay to look forward to next weekend so hopefully the weather will hold out for then.

A quickie trip to Manchester

2007-07-30T16:24:00.000+01:00

Damo and I did a mega-quick trip up to Manchester this weekend. His brother turned 20 and their family had a small party to celebrate.

We drove up Saturday morning (generally a five hour drive) and stopped by the gianormous Lovell telescope at Joderall Bank. Quite groovy toilet break really, as this massive thing is working to find life in other galaxies.

I spent some time listening for alien intelligence….

Saturday evening was spent with Damo's family and eating lots of food. Sunday I woke up really tired, so lazed about all day. Mainly caught up on some sunshine by sitting in the garden to finish the latest Harry Potter.

I succumbed like most of the world’s population to find out Harry’s fate. Have to say it was a fun read and I was slightly surprised by the ending.

Probably more remarkable though is that we had two sunny weekends in a row. My goodness, life is full of surprises ;)

The Balham “set” is born

2007-07-28T21:00:00.000+01:00

The week has been fairly quiet recovering from Brighton. Davo is being a model dosser though I'msure he's hankering for his own space now. Last night we had drinks down at our local "The Bedford". It’s very cool for me to be able to say that.

Queue big long-winded story as to why:

I walk past the Bedford every single day on my way to and from the train station (ha ha, just did a typo then that was strain station – it so is!). During the long summer evenings I always look longingly at the people sitting outside with all their mates and wishing it was me with all my friends.

Thing is, London being so big, people tend to meet centrally. The Brisbane way of life of going to people’s homes and hanging out in the backyard/verandah etc oesn’t really happen as much because a) most people don’t have cars and rely on public transport and b) our flats are so small that entertaining is impossible. In London, people use their “local” instead. But unless you have people you know that live close by, you tend to not go down by yourself. Well, I don’t anyway.

But, I’m excited to say that the days of not socialising at my local are starting to change. After living in Balham for almost two years (ah, where has the time gone?!) it’s becoming quite a hip and trendy place to be. There’s loads of new restaurants getting rave reviews, it’s featured in the “where to buy now” pages of the London evening papers and there’s even a nightlife to be had. Even cooler, people I know are moving into the area!

There’s Michelle and Rob (friends I met through Cath), Lou and Andrew (glamour couple!), Jim (old mate from Westminster), um, and oh, me and Damo. And Dave for the moment.

Well, ok, we’ve got nothing on the Chiswick “set” out in the Western suburbs (Mich, Ben, Gerrod, Kristy, John, Kirsty, Beth, Jason, Les, Justine, Tim and the entire bookclub crowd…) but you know, the power is shifting… ;)

Sooooooo anyway, the point of all this rambling is that we had a big session at my local last night and it was really cool. We were even joined by Mich, Ben, Emma L, Nicky, Paul, Laura and Nat O and a few others.

We drank free cider (dangerous) and were merry. Damo and I stayed on till the wee hours with Jim and Nat (I was the only one who had to go into the office early the next day) and there was even talk of it being a regular event.

Good times for Jaimee.

PS: Found this in an email I wrote the next day, thought it was so earth shattering I'd record it for posterity ;) "i had fun: my 2 glasses of wine was 2 glasses too many especially after I moved on to the free bulmers! i too had a nutritious dinner ofrice pudding and jam at about 12.15am. arghghghah! don't feel so great today so I further added to my nutritious diet with a bacon and egg muffin. but the green tea I had afterwards will cancel all of that yuckky stuff out ;)"

Brighton party weekend

2007-07-27T13:47:00.000+01:00

Last weekend I revelled in my disappearing youth (oh, so dramatic) and had a party weekend down in Brighton. Without wanting to give Davo a big head or anything, it was kind of organised in his honour as a bit of a welcome back to the old blighty.

We were a large party – Davo, Cynthia, Gez, Louise, Andrew, Gavin, Nicky, Laura, Me, Will and Helen and we travelled under the banner of “Sylv’s Tours” with Cynthia as our organiser tour-de-force.

Given the severe weather experienced last Friday, our train out of London Victoria was delayed by about an hour. At first it was so packed we feared we’d be standing in the aisles all the way down, but by some miracle, our group managed to take over one end of a carriage and make ourselves at home with our wine, smelly food and loud conversation (every commuter’s worst nightmare). Luckily, the people sitting next to us were good sports and joined in our conversation, especially once we’d offered to share the wine around.

Our accommodation was in the (minus) 5 star Walkabout Hostel, above the very fine Aussie establishment of the same name. It was very classy – rickety bunks, a faint smell of wee, gunk on the walls, questionably clean mattresses, communal showers – and best of all, our dorm was right on top of the nightclub. There was to be no sleeping before 3am.

Laura (crocodile), Dave (hedgehog), Me (horse), Will (dolphin), Gez (parrot) and Nicky (octopus).

Going out initially was a bit tricky as a lot places wouldn’t let you in without ID, so we warmed up in a pub and had some fine, grown up conversation about animals and what our super powers would be. Little did we know this would turn into a quest of sorts that brought much hilarity (you'll have to take my word for it).

Later we moved on the Beach Club for a bit of dancing and then even later, the stayers (Davo, Nicky and me) moved on to one of Brighton’s mega-clubs “Tru”. Three dancefloors – the first was retro/party classics, the second RnB and the third was the big house/electro style. That bit was awesome. Had a great, great time dancing away.

By 2.30am we were all ready for some sleep, but it was pretty hard when your bunk was reverberating to the bass of Usher’s “Yeah” pounding away beneath our floor. So funny that we had come in tip toeing quietly trying not to wake the others up (Gez's super power seems to be sleeping through earthquakes!).

Saturday we were all suitably subdued, so treated ourselves to a big English breakfast, followed by wandering along the beach, a ride on a carousel, pleasure on the pleasure pier (racing dolphins), riding log rides and crazy mice and then napping on deck chairs in the sunshine. I think we ate somewhere too. Had a quick power nap before starting it all again at the Walkabout from 6. Just had loads and loads of laughs. More dancing in another club called Options or something cheesey like that.

Sunday was some lazy breakfasting by the sea a game of crazy golf and a bit of laying around in the sun. Fish and chips, ice cream, sunshine, salt water… even though there was a lack of sleep, it was a reviving weekend and when I finally made it back to London I felt a bit like my old self again.

In the queue for the log ride at the end of the pier. Louise, Andrew, Gez, me and Dave (and below) it all in action.

Me, Cynthia and Laura at the pub just warming up.

Davo and I at the Walkabout. The boys kindly initiated me into the world of the Snakebite (half beer, half cider, black currant cordial and pretty lethal).

Gez, Nicky and Will.

Recovery on the pier.

Gez's dream comes true and he meets his parrot. Brighton attracts loads of hens parties (including Michelle's last year) and the girls try really hard to outdo each other with their themes. This was a bride-to-be on her pirate themed night, there were Baywatch Babes and Moulin Rougers, cowgirls, playboy bunnies...

Andrew, Louise and me.

Me and Davo.

I found my horses, so we all took a ride.

Sunday morning was just glorious. Mum and Dad, this is where I spoke to you from...

Helen, Dave, Will and Gez fight it out for the Crazle Golf Champion title under the watchful eye of the Giant Slush Puppy.

Me and Helen catching a lift back to London.

Am busy (but not so busy that I don't write this little entry)

2007-07-25T11:00:00.000+01:00

Want to write an update about my weekend in Brighton (so fun!) but busy at work, and then brain is foggy in the evenings. Will have to try and do it a bit later.

Trying hard to stay focussed at work. No procrastinating allowed! Ha ha. That's why I'm typing this.

Oh man, there's got to be more to life than this. I am so bored today. I have the slowest computer in the world. I have soft ware that insists on freezing. I work in a place where it's so quiet. No one talks. No fun, no banter. I am hating sitting at my desk. I really can't stand it today.

Monsoon season

2007-07-20T12:15:00.000+01:00

Thought I'd write you a quick update from my post here in the tropics of Waterloo.

The un-typical English monsoon season is continuing. It's lunchtime, really muggy, with the sky black as night, thunder storms, hard rain, loads of lightening and hail... none of that misty, foggy, drizzly rain you'd normally associate with England.

It feels like the equator has moved north a few degrees or so!

Good thing I'm off to Brighton this weekend for a beach break. Ha ha ha. I suspect it will be another weekend of attempted outdoor activity forced to evacuate to inside a pub.

Can't complain too much. All the English people I know are starting to get a bit tetchy about the weather, and any antipodean who dares complain gets a terse "well go back to where you came from then"...

Hmmm, the entire nation is suffering from seasonal affective disorder. And trust me, I'm the first person to put my hand up to wear that S.A.D hat.

I think I'm going to change careers and become a weather girl.

Just some random thoughts about travelling and stuff

2007-07-18T19:15:00.000+01:00

Having spent the last couple of months gymming after work and experiencing a similiar amount of time being a particularly grumpy commuter in the mornings, I decided to get up early today and get some endorphins flowing before heading to work. Was such a good idea as I found my journey in this morning easy peasy!! Though given I've already had a cup of green tea, and then a double shot latte, I may find my cranky commutering will kick in this afternoon when I'm dead tired.

I'm feeling particularly useless at the moment. It's been such a long gap since I've had a decent break from work (last one was early Feb in Madeira). How on earth did I ever leave my job in Brisbane having accrued 9 weeks of leave?!?! That was just crazy! Never again I tell you!

Damo and I were consoling ourselves this morning that our first part of the year has been fairly light on travel (hmm, only Sandgate, Madeira, Venice, Norfolk, Brussels, the Lake District, Isle of Wight...) but the second half will be awesome.

I'm off to Brighton this weekend, then have a four day weekend in Newquay in August, followed by a long weekend in the Cotswolds for a wedding (all English breaks so the weather better be alright!)

Looks like we could be heading to Croatia for a week in late August, and then I'm hoping to plan a weekend away for my birthday, and then I'm off home to Oz for almost fourweeks, and then stopping in Dubai on the way back. Might try and get somewhere for a weekend in November too. And who knows what December will bring.

I am addicted to travelling. When I eventually head back to Oz, I'll haveto keep it up... New Zealand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Pacific Islands, everywhere else in Oz. I think it's a lifestyle choice. Travelling a lot means skipping lots of other things. It means not aquiring possessions and for the moment, not having the kind of life my friends have with houses and cars and nice things. But I'm ok with that at the moment.

Missing mail.

2007-07-18T12:22:00.000+01:00

We're currently experiencing issues with receiving snail mail at our flat. Had a number of important documents that we were expecting not show up or be returned to sender (very weird when the sender has the address correct!) and it's been going on for a while now.

If anyone has happened to send me anything over the past couple of months (ha ha!), could you please email me to let me know and that way I can work out when things started going missing, or what I should be expecting but haven't received.

Ta heaps :)

Surprises, cocktails, rained out picnics

2007-07-16T15:17:00.000+01:00

Had a fun few days since receiving a surprise on my doorstep last Thursday morning. I had a serious case of the morning grumps. Lack of holiday, lack of sunshine, lack of sleep... Damo was trying to cheer me up at breakfast saying he was going to organise me a surprise. I just shrugged my shoulders and felt the full gloom of having to go to work on a day where the sun failed to appear yet again.

I was rushing around and being late as usual and was slightly annoyed when the doorbell rang announcing a delivery. Ha ha, it was Mr Davo, fresh from his sabbatical in Bris Vegas and four days earlier than I expected. Apparently I looked quite shocked when I answered the door - I had thought Damo had arrange to send me some flowers so was trying to hide my disappointment ;)

Ha ha! Seriously, it was lovely to have Davo (left) arrive and needless to say I didn't want to go to work and his surprise totally cheered me up. So very nice to have him back in the London fold.

Friday I met him and Michelle for a sushi lunch in Moorgate. Then I met up with former flatmate Nicky (with Emma and Nev) to help celebrate her birthday and end of exams. Be@1 in Clapham J was the venue and we drank yumbo cocktails before doing some dodgy dancing at the Grand.

Nicky, Emma, me

It is seriously the last time I am going there. While my company was fabulous, the venue is just gross. Honestly, when the DJ played that stupid Pussycat Dolls song "Don't cha..." it was like the men there thought it was open season or something - we found ourselves totally surrounded by gyrating, throbbing, sweaty, smelly men who thought they were Gods. Ugh.

Me and my old school mate Nev, who arrived back in London a few weeks ago

Plus with the smoking ban now in place, the place stank of vomit, BO and farts. Somehow we still had fun. Just going to go somewhere else next time!

Emma, Me, Nicky

Saturday I slept in and then did some tidying and shopping while the boys went off to the gym together and then that arvo/early evening I helped Davo move some of his stuff from his old flat into storage. The rest of the evening was pretty quiet - Damo decided to have a party - just didn't invite anyone ;) and he managed to entertain me and cook some tacos.

Sunday was Davo's welcome back to London picnic. We were completely optimistic about the weather and dressed as though we were in Greece or something. Within minutes of pulling out the picnic rug in gorgeous Green Park it was raining. Then it stopped, and then it started again. It poured down. Thunder, lightening, flash flooding... the works. Ended up in the pub. On the whole, it was a very English experience.

Stayed until the early evening and made our way back via Balham's gourmet burger bar and tried to have a relatively early night. Still feel shattered today though.

Am still desperate for a holiday. Hoping to plan one this week. The weather is truly crap this year. August better be bloddy hot otherwise I will feel extremely ripped off!

PS: yep have back-dated a whole heap of entries - I tend to write them, then save in drafts 'cause I want to upload photos or something, and then don't get back to it for a few days... sorry!

Facebook status updates

2007-07-13T17:05:00.000+01:00

I work in a ghost town. of the 58 desks on my section of the floor, there were 13 people in today. It's like this every Friday.

Anyhow, I know I've been a bit quiet on the blog and I can blame a bit of that on Facebook (www.facebook.com). Mum/Dad you should sign up!! It's taken up my free/procrastination time and while I said I wasn't going to let it, it's got the better of me.

But one of the features that I do find endlessly amusing is that everyone writes status updates. Under each person's profile name, there is a sentence that starts with "(Your name) is..." and then you just write in whatever takes your fancy. The stickybeak in me just loves seeing what random things people write. I've copied and pasted my status updates from the past four weeks below just to illustrate:

14 June
Jaimee is loving the badgers on Springwatch! 8.47pm

15 June
Jaimee is shocked that the Spice Girls are reforming... 3.15pm

16 June
Jaimee is suffering with a really, really bad toothache. She's like a bear with a sore paw. 3:01pm

17 June
Jaimee is over it. 9:06am

18 June
Jaimee is numb 'cause she's just been to the dentist. 10:02am

19 June
Jaimee is over talking about teeth/dentists/big needles. 9:54am

20 June
Jaimee is glad it's hump day. 7:56am
Jaimee is feeling sorry for herself after a root canal . 12:56pm

21 June
Jaimee is at work today - yipee! 9:55am

22 June
Jaimee is going to the Isle of Wight for the weekend. 8:55am

24 June
Jaimee is a zombie apparently. 9:03pm

25 June
Jaimee is sooooo happy it's Monday. Yay yay yay. 8:12am

26 June
Jaimee is listening to Wogan and procrastinating about going to work because her tea is so nice. 8:14am
Jaimee is at work now, but possibly procrastinating. 12:35pm
Jaimee is deciding whether it'd be too uncool to go to the Spice Girls concert... 2:15pm

28 June
Jaimee is sleepy. 6:39am
Jaimee is thinking Victoria Beckham is an alien. 7:22pm

29 June
Jaimee is yay for Fridays. 10:57am
Jaimee is bored. 2:21pm
Jaimee is home late and a bit pissed and has to get up early tomorrow to do it all again. She loves weekends and thinks facebook is awesome for speaking in third person. 11:36pm

1 July
Jaimee is trying hard to be patient with the weather but figures it bloody well feels like bloody Winter. 10:07am
Jaimee is trying hard to be patient with the weather but figures she shouldn't swear about it. And PS: Jaimee is soooo over that Nelly Furtado song "Say it Right.". 10:08am
Jaimee is thinking Rod Stewart looks just like her stepdad Jeff. 8:38pm
Jaimee is watching the Diana concert and decided she's in love with those lovely Take That fellows with their northern accents and all. 9:05pm

2 July
Jaimee is cool. 10:32am
Jaimee is ooh aah just a little bit. 7:51pm

3 July
Jaimee is shocked to see BrisVegas in the headlines. 9:28am

4 July
Jaimee is excited about the big news she heard yesterday :).

5 July
Jaimee is wishing summer was here. 7:56am

6 July
Jaimee is going to the dentist. 8:38am
Jaimee is nuts and braving Tooting Lido. 5:44pm

9 July
Jaimee is off to Birmingham. 6:20am
Jaimee is suprised that Birmingham was so nice (considering she's heard it being bagged so much). 7:40pm

10 July
Jaimee is dreaming of sunshine in faraway places. 8:02am
Jaimee is obsessed by BBC weather and is hysterically excited about its prediction for Saturday. 10:09am

11 July
Jaimee is never going to check BBC weather again. It's crap. 9:32am

12 July
Jaimee is struggling to find something to say. 7:49am
Jaimee is very excited about her lovely suprise this morning even if she was a bit dumbstruck at first :). 9:46am
Jaimee is hyper. 4:45pm
Jaimee is hyper and wants to go shopping, therefore is dangerous ;). 4:56pm

July 13
Jaimee is rediscovering the delights of marshmellows. 5:02pm
Jaimee is late into work, bit tired, blown her healthy eating for the day and taking her coffee intravenously (or however you spell it). 11:32am

Ghost Town

2007-07-13T10:00:00.000+01:00

i work in a ghost town. of the 58 desks on my section of the floor, therewere 13 people in today. it's like this every Friday.

A quiet weekend update

2007-07-09T22:10:00.000+01:00

Ok, so you know how I wrote that about every third weekend I like to get out of London?

Well, lately, I've not been able to.

Lots of reason for it really but just haven't been that organised, and work has been busy and it means come Friday night/Saturday, all I want is just a good long sleep in.

Plus Damo has been galavanting around the countryside lately doing a series of workshops with his job - I've barely seen him actually.

He finally finished that project up on Friday so we celebrated by having a lazy night in of lasagne and watching the season finale of Dr Who (Kylie is going to star in the Christmas special!!)

On Saturday we did some boring stuff like curtain shopping (previously had bamboo blinds up that provided no privacy whatsoever and let in too much light - no good for when guests crash on our couch).

An unexciting morning turned into a lazy afternoon of coffee sipping in the sunshine at our local Italian deli.

We read the papers and devised a complicated strategy for picking our lotto numbers (I'll let you know our secret when we win the big one).

Our evening got even lazier ... a picnic with the goodies we bought from the deli in the wild grass field of the common drinking wine and playing scrabble in the evening sunshine.

When the sun comes out, I feel this intense pressure to make the most of it and not waste the vitamin D exposure. Hence the lazing about soaking it all up.

Sunday was more sunshine, so after gymming and pottering about, we explored the village of Twickenham in south-west London and strolled about along the river and had dinner in an Italian restaurant nearby.

That was pretty much it. Very unsociable, but sometimes I need that.

All the pictures are from Twickenham.

Jaimee for Justice

2007-07-07T22:07:00.000+01:00

Once a goody-two-shoes, always a goody-two-shoes...

Ok, I was a school captain, so that pretty much sums up how much of a goody-goody I was at school. Lately, a few things have happened to remind me that I'm still one at heart. There's been a few instances lately where I've witnessed a couple of minor offences and got it into my head that I have to say something about it.

Yesterday afternoon I was walking home from the gym and came across a young guy breaking into a parking meter and stealing all the money. Without even thinking about it, I said something like "I don't think you should be doing that, I'm calling the police" and whipped out my mobile phone.

He just looked at me nochantly, continued with what he was doing, and then strolled off casually (not before grabbing his crotch and thrusting it in my direction in that f*** off kind of way).

I didn't have the local police number in my phone so started walking home to look it up in the phone book but found a couple of community police officers patrolling a nearby street anyway so reported it to them. They looked so eager to go and chase him - got their walkie talkies out and all.... but I felt like such a dibber dobber.

Ah, I guess if he's stealing money from parking meters, what's to say he won't break into people's houses.... or my house....

But it follows an incident a couple of months back where I came home from work early one day and caught a train at around 3.30pm which was full of school kids. Then I noticed a couple sitting in one of the two-seaters at the back of the carriage and the woman was giving the guy a blow job while he was doing a bad job of hiding it behind a copy of the Sun.

I was completely enraged because you could see EVERYTHING that was happening and there were kids around and for all I know, they could have been preying on them or getting off on that... ugh it was just plain disgusting...

Again, I didn't even stop to think about going up to them to tell them what I thought and that they should stop it (which at least they did) but I copped a lot of abuse and then taunts all the way to my stop (including the girl describing really loudly just how turned on she was) and I reported that to police as well.

I was really, really mad about that one. It surprised me how much I got upset about that and the fact that no one else on the train did anything about it. Anyway, so that's me on my mini-crusade for people to do the right thing... part of me felt like I was just a school girl running off to tell a teacher (which I think I did a lot as a kid) but I guess I'm an adult now and these things are a bit more serious than schoolyard squabbles... I just hope that it doesn't get me in to trouble!

Tooth - the final instalment (literally)

2007-07-06T17:04:00.000+01:00

After two weeks of eating soft foods and chewing on one side of my mouth only, today I was finally able to get my root canal finished off. Horrible icky business. Was in the chair for an hour and I felt like my jaw was never going to close again. Afterwards I was just all gibberish and drooling from the three needles and resulting numbness so I took the afternoon off. I was thankful that when the anesthetic wore out, there was no more pain.

I've spent the afternoon in a cafe people watching and writing a bit in my journal. I wandered around central London at a bit of a loss before deciding on people watching from the window of the Hageen Daez ice cream restaurant in Leceister Square. To an ice-cream addicted girl like myself, this place is heavenly. Its entire menu is of gourmet sundaes and milkshakes. I chose myself the summer special - mango and passionfruit and coconut ice creams with lashings of rasberries and passionfruit sauce. Yum. I told myself it was my reward for being brave at the dentist!

Just so I remember for later on, this week I also met some of the girls for dinner out in North Acton - the theme was Independence Day (being the 4th) so we had burgers and onion rings and apple pie. Yumbo.

I also joined Damo's friends Richard and Chris for Chris's amatuer orchestra summer concert in Baker Street. Michelle and Kristy joined me and we had a quick bite to eat before hand (ok, so no imagination in that update, but I'm concious I'm not keeping track of what I've been doing).

Some pictures from the weekend

2007-07-05T15:41:00.000+01:00

Didn't get around to posting pics from the Windsor Races or Leanne's monobrow/pants party in early July, so here some are...

Moi at the Windsor races - had serious dilemmas about what to wear - dressy? casual? hat? fascinator? bare shoulders? waterproofs and wellies? In the end I wore a blue chiffon dress and dressed it down with the black cardigan - thought it was almost spot on given the crappy weather.

Jim - former colleague from the Westminster days doing his best punter face.

Jim and Paul - note the umbrellas - a permanent accessory this summer.

The brass band with pork pie hats - that made me feel like being at the races was a very English thing indeed. Sorry no pictures of the horses. They were pretty though.

Then I moved straight on to Leanne's monobrow/pants party. Monobrows were compulsory at the front door. Nev's brow was pretty crazy.

Yaz and Leanne showing off their brows.

Nev, me and Leanne - I have to say my brow looks pretty natural... was a fun night :)

A moan

2007-07-04T12:02:00.000+01:00

Things that make jaimee cranky on the way to work in the mornings:

Women who wear clip clop heels and walk right behind me.

People who smoke directly in front of me and no matter how hard I try to speed up to overtake them, they speed up too (though at least the smoking ban has finally come in and I can avoid the smokey platforms and trainstations).

The number of people on the pavement, which increases a hundred-fold by the time I get to Balham station.

People who read the paper or meander along slowly with their coffee.

Double that annoyance if they're doing the above on the stairs to the train platform when I'm running to catch my train.

People who don't have their tickets ready at the barrier and spend ages rummaging in their handbags (ha ha, though I do that myself!)

People who insist on providing blow by boring blow of their dull life really loudly on the train.

Triple the above if they're describing the argument they had with a woman at work over using her milk instead of buying their own (and it goes off the scale when they start acting out the part, voices, ricky lake gestures and all).

Actually having to go to work ;)

I need a holiday in a sunny place RIGHT now!

Isle of Wight

2007-07-02T19:54:00.000+01:00

About every three or so weeks I get this urge to get out of London. Change of scene, change of pace, fresh air... that kind of stuff.

I used to go to Europe every chance I could but I'm increasingly bothered by the hassle of cheap flights from far flung airports.

This means I'm exploring parts of Britain I still haven't been to even though I've pretty much completed the original "to-do" list I had when I first arrived.

Anyway, the weekend before last I had a much longed for weekend break inthe Isle of Wight with Damo, Michelle and Ben.

We caught a car ferry across from Portsmouth (the biggest boat I've ever been on - quite a thrill forme) and stayed in a little B&B in the gorgeous village of Brighstone.

Brighstone is on the less populated/rural south side of the island - an oasis of green rolling hills, fields of wildflowers, doe-eyed jersey cows, yumbo pubs and tea rooms and gorgeous cliff top seaside paths with views to forever.

Our Saturday was wonderful. We walked the country lanes from the village to the sea, and found a little spot by the clifftop where Ben had a snooze.

Mich, Damo and I strolled along for a while watching the hundreds of sailboats doing their round the island race (Wight is famous for its sailing scene - in fact I think it's the home of the first America's Cup race...) Their brightly coloured sails looked just like butterflies.

We later joined Ben for some dozing in the sunshine. Lush grass, blue sky, the gentle presence of the jersey cows, the hills in the distance... seriously, it was the nicest escape. We eventually ambled slowly back to the village tea rooms for lunch and gorged ourselves silly.

There was a bit more exploration of the south coast - spying the needles (chalk cliffs long since eroded by the sea) and further coastal paths (where I decided to play hide and seek in the long grass).

We had a lazy evening of Dr Who watching and paper reading before dinner at a pub within walking distance of our B&B. Sunday it rained and rained and rained. We initially made the best of it by exploring some of the bigger towns on the south coast.

There was Ventor (just like Shorncliffe) and Shanklin (quaint old town) and then some "tourist attractions" like the organic garlic farm and lavender farm, but we were starting to tire of driving in the rain.

Eventually stopped for fish and chips in the Georgian town of Cowes on the north of the island before catching an earlier ferry home. I feel lucky that we got one day of sunshine - and the island was truly glorious. It was a lovely escape and I'm really glad we went. As for the rain, it hasn't stopped since and it's making that Saturday doze in the sunshine feel even more special.

take that

2007-07-01T21:35:00.000+01:00

Ah, just been watching the Diana memorial concert - who can believe it's been ten years since she died?

Anyway, just saw the lovely lads from Take That... think I've said before that I was a fan in high school and yep, decided I still definitely am. Gary Barlow is just adorable. Just want to hug him.

Off to go and sigh at the tv a little more.

Oh, and it might be really daggy to admit this, but I'd love to see Elton John and Rod Stewart live in concert. And Take That. And maybe even the Spice Girls...

Life goes on?

2007-06-30T23:37:00.000+01:00

So it appears it is all kicking off over here - two unexploded car bombs in London's West End and a car bomb at Glasgow airport.

Strange how people react to it. Strange how I react to it.

Yesterday when the news broke about the first one outside Tiger Tiger (a nightclub I went to just once very early on in my London days) I was pretty horrified and I spent lunch time sitting by the Thames on the Southbank watching all the helicopters in the sky. But then I still went over to Oxford Street to do my shopping after work. In fact, I bought some underwear from Selfridges in the sales. And then I went on to the Pheonix to meet Justine for her birthday drinks. The whole crowd was there and we were all a bit jocular and perhaps a little blase about the whole thing.

Then today, I'm at the races in Windsor with my old Westminster friends. During Race 5, the news starts to filter in about Glasgow. Instead of getting all serious and solemn, I noticed that we decided to buy another couple of jugs of Pimms and make jokes and take the piss because the attempts have not worked. It felt surreal.

Perhaps its just that whole British stiff upper lip thing. Or the fact that people can't live in fear and just have to get on with it and do what they always do.

I imagine things would be different if the terrorists are successful.

sleepy jaimee is making excuses

2007-06-28T12:29:00.000+01:00

I'm sorry for the lack of blogging lately. I've been quite apathetic about it (and other stuff) actually. I think it's been brought on by being so tired - haven't been sleeping so well lately. And when I'm chronically tired, I just don't care about anything. I've been trying things like herbal sleeping tablets (valerian) and horlicks and sleepy sleep tea and lavender essential oil on my pillow blah blah blah but it's not working as much as it should. I dunno. Lifestyle probably has a lot to do with it, though I've quietened things down so very much compared to a couple of years ago.

Another boring theory is that it might have been to do with that toothache - which resulted in a root canal last Wednesday (ooohh, it was so yucky!) and at the moment, the tooth is just a shell filled with "stuffing" meaning I can't chew very well. Apart from the fact that I had been living on a continual supply of ibroprofen/paracetemol which surely is not healthy and probably adds to that sluggish feeling, I've been restricted with what I can eat and have had very little red meat/hard veggies etc. Just a continous stream of soup/youghurt/soggy weetabix and soft pasta. Ugh. Probably just need a decent steak and a bit of broccoli and I'll be right. I got back to the dentist next week to get it all finished so I guess I'll be back to eating normally a couple of days after that.

Woowee, that's exciting news hey?

Am tired and brain dead

2007-06-26T10:28:00.000+01:00

Sorry have been a bit neglectful of my blog of late and a little bit lazywhen I am paying minimal attention to it. As Davo said in his blog post - Itemporarily became addicted to a new online love - Facebook. I saytemporarily addicted because I would like to think I'm not going to wasteany more time on it. Well, that’s the intention, but I’m finding I still check it out a few times a day. I am such a sticky beak and facebook is perfect for stickybeaks!

Now my good intentions to do a write up has been overshadowed by the factI'm just so so so so so tired today. Not for any particularly glamourousreason other than staying up late last night to do housework/boring stuff.I've had two cups of tea and trying not to rely on any more caffiene tokeep going throughout the day, but it's likely i'm going to have to duckout to nero's sooner rather than later if I don't want to fall asleep at mydesk.

Actually, I had a 3pm coffee yesterday and it gave me so much boost that Iwent to the gym after work and just ran and ran and ran on the treadmill. Ifelt like a machine. Perhaps explains why I couldn't sleep so well either.

A non-tooth whinge update

2007-06-19T11:08:00.000+01:00

Yay, just had a really cool moment - the woman who sits next to me just had ryan air on her screen proving that she does use the internet at work! Yay! Makes me feel less bad for doing so too (not that I do it a lot, but I feellike everytime she walks past my screen I've got hotmail or somethingup...)

Back at work today - tooth ache still there but not as much as previous days - haven't taken any pain killers yet and I'm hoping to get through the day without having to. So far, so good. I don't want to tell you how many packets of nurofen and panadol I've gone through since last Thursday, but I'm sure it's enough to not have been healthy.

A quick update now that I'm not pre-occupied by my tooth ache...

Last Tuesday night I saw the big budget production Sound of Music with Damian's grandma who'd come down to London for the event. I didn't have particularly high expectations given the amount of hype around it thanks to the reality tv show "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?" but it was actually pretty good! Believe it or not, I've not ever seen the movie all the way through. But I still new all the songs and was suprisingly moved towards the end.

Wednesday night I helped Lou and Emma celebrate their birthdays at uber cool Mahiki in Piccadilly. Very funky venue and gets a mention in the press quite alot for being the haunt of Prince William and his cohorts. Didn't spot any celebrities while I was there, but I did have the yummiest cocktails - I had about four "Good time Girls" which tasted just like Mango Weiss Bars. Mmmmm. Was great to see Emma and Lou and catch up with everyone.

Thursday I had yuckko stomach cramps so had an early night (was in the wars last week!). Friday was a better day as I met Michelle, Ben, Gerrod and Kristy (fresh from NYC) for lunch at Borough Markets . Think I've gone about before how they are my fave fresh food markets in London and that I love to feast on faleafel and lamingtons. Was good to see G&K and hopefully they'll settle in to London soon.

That evening I met up with Damo in Leciester Square so we could see theAustralian film Jindabyne. As this is a quick update, I won't go on about it, but I found it a really tense and uncomfortable film to watch, though a good one.

Saturday I made it to the gym before toothache took hold and then the rest of the day was spent being a bear with a sore paw. Watched Britain's Got Talent, the lotto show and um, oh, Dr Who. exciting night ;)

Sunday was struggling with the tooth, but managed to speak to my dad and sister on the phone (brief window for phone calls) and then go with Damo to Wandsworth Common for lunch and reminisce about our early days. Walked from there into Clapham Junction, bought a bathmat and chopping board (woohhwee!) and went home for a sexy night of ironing and ice packs. I did pop in to Balham centre to pick up a few groceries and run into Louise and Andrew who've just moved in to the neighbourhood - very cool that there isa Balham possee starting to develop!

Feeling sorry for myself

2007-06-18T18:28:00.000+01:00

I've had a wee little toothache since Friday and it's made me a right miserable sod (ok, that sounded a bit English). I'll rephrase in usual Jaimee speech - I have the worst toothache in the world and it is totally making me sooooooooo miserable.

Anyway, just to describe it a little, it's like someone jabbing a giant needle in my jaw/tooth/ear and drives me to complete distraction (and usually tears).

Haven't been registered with a dentist since moving here (just go when I go home) but this was a bit of a emergency and of course, I had a frustrating experience trying to get into one. No one takes NHS patients anymore (the free health service) so it's a matter of paying exorbitantly for anything (and of course when you're in pain, you don't care how much it costs you just want it sorted!)

Then there's the ridiculousness of having to register - one of the surgeries I rang wouldn't even consider helping me until I had registered with them and that could only be done by making an appointment to do so (and the next free one was in two weeks).

Eventually found one but the earliest I could get in was this morning. My weekend was a total write off of being in pain and then in a dazed/sleepy state thanks to all the painkillers (I know, sounds bad, but I couldn't cope otherwise). Was also using lots of clove oil and that seemed to help a little but by this morning I was completely worn out with lack of sleep.

Anyway, turns out that an old filling is a bit too close to a nerve and that's what's causing the pain. Had one of those giant needles and filling was taken out and replaced, but once the anesthesia wore off at lunch time, I was still in agony. Came home from work and basically slept the afternoon away. Looks like another trip to the dentist again tomorrow morning.

Oh well, I guess the enforced lukewarm liquid diet will at least mean I'll look a bit less blubby when I go to the Isle of Wight this weekend ;)

weird frustrated toothache haze but restless to do something great and inspiring

2007-06-17T18:08:00.001+01:00

not sure where else to go after writing a headline like that...

pretty much sums up me and my weekend really;)

Playing catch up

2007-06-13T08:31:00.000+01:00

Saturday night we me Mich, Ben, Lucy and her mates for a few drinks atFirefly, Clapham. Needless to say I wasn't at my sparkling best, but westill managed to stay out to midnight. Least we could walk home fromClapham. Ran into an old mate from the Coles days who I haven't seen inyears, so that was cool too. Sunday was a brilliantly sunny day so we did a day trip down to Brighton. Ihad the best fish and chips I've tasted here in England ? and it was evenbattered (shock! Horror!) actually, the batter was really light so itwasn't as gross at it sounds. A lovely afternoon of lazing about on thepebbles and watching the sun sink into the water (still too cold to swim). So that brings me to the week starting the 4th. Apart from Monday where Imet Damo for a hot date in Sainsbury's to do our shopping, I had somethingon every night. Tuesday it was meeting Beth, Cynthia and Michelle fordrinks and dinner in Putney, Wednesday it was catching up with Leanne inThe City, Thursday was dinner in Wimbledon with Mich, Justine, Les,Gabrielle and Emma and then Friday I helped welcome old school mate Nevback to London with a few mohitos at Bar Cubana in Waterloo. No wonder I'm feeling like a big blubber ball at the moment regardless ofhow much I'm gymming! Saturday I put myself in social isolation as I desperately needed somesleep and Jaimee time (and to not spend any money!) I don't think I wentmuch further than the gym and then the common for lunch and a snooze on thepicnic rug (sunny weekends ? yay!) Didn't go out Sat night, just had anight in with Damo to watch Borat on DVD. Sunday I got a spontaneousmessage from Katrina and Jacqui about going to Hyde Park for a couple ofhours, so I did that and it was just lovely. I even managed to get a lifthome from one of their friends who drives a fancy convertible. AnotherLondon first ? cruising through London in a fancy car with the top down ona sunny day ? gorgeous! Anyway, I finished the weekend off with my first swim in Tooting Bec Lidofor the season. 10 laps at 90m/lap. Not a bad effort. I've decided to jointhe local fitness club in Balham rather than the big chain I was withpreviously as that way I can make the most of the local pools in thesummer. Anyway, blah blah blah. That brings me up to yesterday evening where Iplayed nurse for a sick Damo and did all the shopping/cooking/washing andfinally posted pics up from the Lake District. Oh and do a quick gym workout too. No wonder I'm pooped today. Tonight I'm off to see Sound of Music with Damian's grandma (his granddadwas too ill to come down to London and Damo is up north for work today) ?feel a bit nervous actually. Tomorrow night is birthday drinks for Lou an Emma and then that's about itI think.

So, catching up again

2007-06-12T16:53:00.000+01:00

Well, back to early June, Damo and I joined Mich, Ben, Lucy and her mates for a few drinks atFirefly, Clapham. Needless to say after my clubbing efforts the night before, I wasn't at my sparkling best. Did run into an old mate from the Coles days who I haven't seen in years, so that was cool.

Sunday was a brilliantly sunny day so we did a day trip down to Brighton. I had the best fish and chips I've tasted here in England and it was even battered (shock! Horror!) Actually, the batter was really light so it wasn't as gross at it sounds.

Had a lovely afternoon of lazing about on the pebbles and watching the sun sink into the water (still too cold to swim). Pic is of me and Damo on the pier.

So that brings me to the week starting the 4th. Apart from Monday where I met Damo for a hot date in Sainsbury's to do our shopping, I had something on every night that week.

Tuesday it was meeting Beth, Cynthia and Michelle for drinks and dinner in Putney, Wednesday it was catching up with Leanne in The City, Thursday was dinner in Wimbledon with Mich, Justine, Les, Gabrielle and Emma and then Friday I helped welcome old school mate Nev back to London with a few mohitos at Bar Cubana in Waterloo.

No wonder I'm feeling like a big blubber ball at the moment (regardless of how much I'm gymming!)

I also had a mid-week lunchtime encounter with Vauxhall City Farm who decided to bring their geese, goats, lambs, rabbits and chickens to the park across the road from my work. I spent most of my lunch time patting the goat and the rabbit (I miss my pets!)

Last Saturday I put myself in social isolation ;) as I desperately needed some sleep and Jaimee time (and to not spend any money!) I don't think I went much further than the gym and then the common for lunch and a snooze on the picnic rug (sunny weekends - yay!) Didn't go out Sat night, just watched Borat on DVD.

Sunday I got a spontaneous message from Katrina and Jacqui about going to Hyde Park for a couple of hours, so I did that and it was just lovely (see pic). I even managed to get a lift home from one of their friends who drives a fancy convertible. AnotherLondon first - cruising through London in a fancy car with the top down ona sunny day - gorgeous!

Anyway, I finished the weekend off with my first swim in Tooting Bec Lido for the season. Ten laps at 90m/lap. Not a bad effort. I've decided to jointhe local fitness club in Balham rather than the big chain I was with previously as that way I can make the most of the local pools in the summer.

Almost up to date now!

Clubbing at The Cross

2007-06-10T08:08:00.000+01:00

I'm playing catch up here and that's because so far, June has been pretty busy on the social scene. While lovely and makes me feel young it's equally tiring and makes me feel old at the same time.

So, going back to Friday the 1st, I went out clubbing for the first time in absolutely ages with Cynthia and a few of her mates. Stomachs were lined atPizza Express in Angel before cabbing it over to imaginatively titled The Cross (in Kings Cross) for its Kidology night.

The clubbing scene in London is so gianormous there is no way I could say that I'm an expert. But this place felt how I used to imagine a London club would: a warehouse in eerie industrial backstreets with a steady stream of clubbers in outrageous (compared to me) clothing.

I finally got in after waiting in the queue where our names were "on thedoor" and we were given a card from a deck of 52 and that somehow provided a code as to how much we paid for entry - £10 in turns out.

I was surprised that the club was little more than old storerooms converted, with each room a different style of music. No huge dancefloor but 5 small ones. There was the pitch-black neon strobe light smokey room with the trancey type stuff (or was it acid house? I don't really know the difference) and then two rooms with more funky house (so a more techno version of some of those dance songs you hear on the radio - again someone more knowledgeable could correct me here). Then there another two slightly different but more laid backrooms.

Some of the chicky babes at Kidology, The Cross (photos in this post have been pilfered from Grunt Media which you can get to by clicking here).

There were loads of beautiful people dressed in skimpy bits of fluro lycra all hanging about the DJ box and being photographed by a Very Cool Dude who looked a little like Howard Stern in the 80s (that American shock jock withthe crazy permed hair). Took me a while to get into it, but eventually was having a great old dance.

Feet started to hurt around 3am so got myself a very expensive cab back to Balham. Saturday morning I discovered that drinking 3 cans of red bull with my vodka was not very smart as I hadn't been able to get to sleep at all and was still hyper when Damian woke up at 9. He took me for a run on TootingCommon to help get the caffeine out of my system. Silly girl is me. And there I was thinking I could still dance all night on my youth and vitality alone!

Long weekend in the Lake District

2007-06-03T22:05:00.000+01:00

For the second May long weekend, I tagged along with Flavia, Lou and Emma for a glorious 3.5 days of indulging in some of the best scenery and food in England. We trekked up to the Lake District in Cumbria - home to poet William Wordsworth, author Beatrix Potter and about a million sheep and their bouncy little lambs. We were lucky to have the sun come out for us as there were torrential downpours everywhere else in Britain.

Emma, Me, Lou, Flavia outside our cottage

Our trip up was a marathon eight hour traffic-jam-packed adventure of travel trivial pursuit and death by jelly baby/wine gum/butterscotch/ chocolate covered strawberries. They helped pass the time sufficiently ;)

Our base for the weekend was a black slate cottage in lovely Ambleside at one end of the giant Lake Windemere. From there it was an easy (and beautiful) drive to nearby Grassmere (Wordsworth territory) and the amazing walk and views from Loughrigg Terrace (where scenes of the recent Miss Potter movie starring Renee Zellweger were filmed).

I never thought I would find sheep cute, but they were adorable.

Moi and the view from Loughrigg Terrace over to Grassmere.

Moi outside Beatrix Potter's house at Hilltop Farm. I look like a giant!

Speaking of Beatrix, we also popped by her cottage in Hilltop Farm to see where she draw inspiration for many of her stories (including The Tale of Samuel Whiskers about the rats that inhabited her cottage when she first moved in).

Lake Windemere

Seriously, the country lanes, rolling hills, mountain scenery, glistening lakes, wildflower fields were just jaw dropping. Us girls sounded like broken records they way we kept exclaiming at hat we saw from the car windows. We got some water action by crossing Lake Windemere by car ferry to make a short stop in popular in Bowness (tourist central!)

Other lovely walks we did include a streamside amble from Skelworth Bridge (complete with waterfall) to Elterwater village and then exploring Langdale Valley and climbing up Stickell Ghyll (a mountain) to see it's Tarn (Lake) at the very top. I'll let the pictures try to do some of the visualising for you (though there's no way they do it justice!!) It was just a brilliant walk/climb and up there with the Mt Warning experience (back in Qld in early 2004).

Thanks to Emma for this pic (which I borrowed from her blog - thanks!) which is of the Langland Dales and Pikes as viewed from the path to Elterwater.

Lou, Emma and Moi at Hiker's Bar, Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel

The view half way up Stickyll Ghyll (the mountain)

The view looking down back to the car park half way up Stickyll Ghyll

Food wise, we stuffed ourselves silly. Ambleside was home to Lucy-on-a-plate (yumbo tapas) and the Drunken Duck Inn (gourmet 4-course gastro-pub extravaganza) and good old fashioned pub food at the Hikers' Bar in the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel where I ate beef stew served in a giant yorkshire pudding while sitting by a roaring fire. Going to the Lake District is worth it for the food alone!!

The nightlife in Ambleside wasn't exactly raging, but I did manage to drag the girls to the only sports bar in town, where local students were dancing to karaoke singers. Being a bit tipsy helped us have a hilarious time.

At the top by Stickyll Tarn

Me and Emma and the valley is a loooonnngggg way down

On our final day we managed to squeeze in a stop to Tarn Hows (another lake) for a final breathtaking view. Morning tea was in a nearby photo gallery where we dined on stuffed monkey (essentially fruit scone baked like a cake) and then it was back to London (only a five hour drive this time).

A sensational weekend!

Blue sky today

2007-06-01T12:29:00.001+01:00

Sun is out today, it’s over 20 degrees, I’m baring my legs to the world and feeling much better :)

Furthering my theory that Thursdays are the new Fridays, I met up with Damo and some of his old uni mates last night at a pub in the City.

If I’ve not ever explained it, “the City” is the square mile of London that was the traditional centre of town when places like Westminister and Waterloo were just nearby villages. Over the centuries, London as we know it has sprawled and gobbled up these little villages and the City is now home to office blocks for many of the big corporations.

I tend to generalise that it is populated by squillionaires because so much is made every February about city workers’ multi-million pound bonuses. The tabloids are full of stories about men in suits splurging a few hundred grand in the nearby bars to celebrate while some of the broadsheets ponder how much third world debt could be cancelled by a just a few of those bonuses…bit of a different world to the one I move in.

Anyway, blah blah blah. As I was saying, we met up with Damo’s friends at Rack and Tenter – quaint little olde world place (see picture - clearly I'm being sarcastic!) and had a good old chinwag until way too late and without stopping for food. Finally staggered in at midnight where I decided to cook up some dinner (as you do). Woke up to a disastrous kitchen but at least my head was ok!

Looking forward to the weekend. Haven’t had a dance for a while, so off out clubbing tonight with Cynthia’s crowd and meeting Lucy and co for drinks tomorrow night in Clapham. No doubt I will need to sleep somewhere in between and do all my bitty stuff.

Big sigh....

2007-05-31T13:28:00.000+01:00

I've been away from home too long. And when I get like this I don't like writing on my blog as it reminds me too much of how long I've been away.

But having said that, the Brussels and Lake District entries are on their way.

Only a little while to go until my next trip home. Not going to leave it so long ever again. Just want to say I miss everyone at home very much. And if you don't hear from me properly for a little while, it's not because I don't want to get in touch, you're always in my thoughts, just that life/work/sleep get in the way sometimes.

I got an email from a friend the other day saying she's worried that we're missing out on really important parts of each other's lives by being so far seperated. I agree. I feel exactly the same. I guess I'm learning that life has this way of twisting and turning so you can barely anticipate what is around the corner.

Then there are other people who seem to cope better with being away from home. Someone told me once I needed to grow up because they thought I was stupid for missing home so much. And I'm like, whatever, guess we're all different. If I decide I'm missing home, then I will put my whole heart into missing it. Am not one to do things by halves.

Bloody weather. Wish the sun would come out. Nothing but rain predicted all week.

just a quick one

2007-05-25T11:46:00.000+01:00

About to head off to Victoria to meet Flavia, Emma and Lou for a weekend in the Lake District so keeping it brief.

Just want to say I saw Dirty Dancing The Stage Show on Wednesday and for all it's cheesiness, I loved it! Probably because I watched the movie about a thousand times when I was a kid, and know the soundtrack by heart. The cast pretty much spoke word for word from the film, so no suprises. Music was awesome, dancing was awesome and the dude who played Johnny was so muscular that I felt like we were at some Manpower show or something (especially as everytime he got his shirt off, the mainly female audience whooped and cheered like we were all on a hens' night!) Oh, and the chick who played Penny had legs up to her elbows so I guess there was something for everyone really!

Had the morning off and went to the gym and strolled through the common. Sadly Mr and Mrs Swan only have 4 babies now :( Must have been the foxes, the dogs, or just a couple of little weak ones :(

Gorgeous weather though. Shame it's going to rain for the bank holiday on Monday.

alright, better keep packing!

An unfinished entry posted retrospectively (like in Oct 07!)

2007-05-24T19:35:00.000+01:00

woohah, am a mixed up slightly emotional girl today. lack of sleep, a coldand a strong cup of coffee make for a jaimee a bit all over the place. it's sunny outside, i want to go out and play. i'm loving london in the sunshine, but I'm missing home too. haven't heardfrom some friends in a while and i know life moves on for everyone but itfeels hard to take sometimes. guess they'd say I'm the one who moved away.and i think after a couple of years, I've done a pretty good job of tryingto keep in touch with everyone, but there's one of me, and quite a few ofthem and only so much I can do... life is going in fast forward. worked my guts out over last few weeks and was waiting for some glory andadulation at having pulled off something that had so many chances ofderailing. then people are just at me and at me to do this and do that andI'm like, I'm not a machine! Guess that is work though hey? though i know i should just look at it likethey know i'm effective, so they're just t...

Post conference relief

2007-05-22T10:11:00.000+01:00

Manchester conference was yesterday so feeling much better for it being over. All went (relatively) well. I’d go on about it, but I’ve decided to limit what I write about work.

Had a much needed post-conference drink with the rest of my team last night, then met Damian for dinner (he was at a meeting in nearby Warrington) before catching a train back to London and collapsing in to bed at10:30pm.

Am exhausted and brain fried today, especially as it felt like I didn't really have a weekend.

Friday night I met up with Cynthia and co for a quick drink but was home by 9pm as we were on an early train up to Manchester on Saturday. Well, so we thought. Got the times mixed up so was at Euston station an hour and a half earlier than we needed to be (and oh how lovely it would have been to have that as sleep time!)

So a mini-picnic in the sunshine outside Euston station to kill time before our 2.5 hour train journey to Manchester. Or so we thought. A fatality on the line outside Coventry meant we were stuck in the train for a couple of hours. Evenutally got to Manchester in just under five hours.

Spent Saturday afternoon and evening saying hi to Damian's mum and brother before heading over to the Midland Hotel to start work on Sunday. And then it was all systems go, go, GO! ugh.

Today I got to come into work a little later than usual. Slept till 8:30 this morning and then strolled through the common on my way to work to congratulate Mr and Mrs Swan on their new brood of 7 signets (yay, baby animals!!) Stopped for a fruit smoothie in a café as pat-on-the-back treat and then dawdled to work at 11am. Given that I had worked pretty much non-stop from Sunday afternoon until 6pm yesterday (with a few hours sleep) I think I've earned a bit of a break and hopefully I can take Friday off in-leiu of all that overtime.

I’m very much looking forward to the weekend. Off to the Lake District fora cottage mini-break with Emma, Lou and Flavia. But even before then, I’m going to see the musical Dirty Dancing on Wednesday night and then maybe catching up with Leanne for a drink on Thursday night.

I do have a cold though and my glands are quite swollen today, so hopefully I can ward it off with lots of Vitamin C.

"If I was worth a fortune, I'd never leave my bedroom"

2007-05-17T09:37:00.000+01:00

Anyone remember that old Hoodoo Gurus song from 1995/6 that goes "I'm so tired of waking up tired..." ?

I remember my drama teacher from back then - Ms Lacaze - coming in to class saying how much she loved that song, and didn't we? I think we all looked at her blankly. I just didn't get it at the time... guess I wouldn't have being an energetic, lively 16-year-old at the time.

But I just want to say to Ms Lacaze that over ten years later, I now understand. Totally. And these past few weeks I've been hearing that song every morning when I drag myself out of bed.

"I need a month of Sundays to help me cope with Mondays...."

I'd just like to add that I need help with Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and possibly Fridays.

I really can't wait until my current crop of projects is over at work. I'm dreaming about it at the moment and that's never a good sign.

And I'm doing all sorts of daft things - like this morning, walking to the train station and panicking that I'd dropped my scarf, and as I turned around to look for it, Damian reminded me it was around my neck....

Paranoia (sp?) sets in

2007-05-15T23:43:00.000+01:00

eek, have information disclosure issues by telling people I have a blog.

it feels like every second day someone is featured in the london afternoon papers for making a fool of themselves online, or seriously comprimising themselves and their careers due to some silly comment made on their blog/myspace page etc.

not that i reckon i'm anywhere close to totally embarrassing myself by posting pictures of myself falling over in my own vomit, but you know, people who don't know me that well read this, and then make judgements about me....

oooohhh, blogging is just not good for people who worry too much about what other people think...

A whinge

2007-05-15T16:21:00.000+01:00

Why I was cranky yesterday (in no particular order)

Because I don't understand the UK tax system and why my tax code has changed (and therefore increased my monthly tax!)

It's gone all cold and rainy again. Has been for 11 days now. Predicted to continue to the end of the week.

I have a cold (courtesy of the crap weather) and somehow I've hurt my back so that it's impossible to sleep on my front or back without feeling throbbing pain on my right side. Haven't a clue how I've managed that.

Big conference is next week and managing all the usual last minute dramas. Can't wait until it is over!

I have a physio appointment tonight that I'll doubt I'll make 'cause I have to work back again. I haven't felt like I've got much of a life outside work lately.

I haven't been able to email my friends or update my blog properly.

I'm away from home when I'd like to be with my family for mother's day and for my sister's fiance's big op.

I'm feeling icky because I'm not eating properly and drink way too much coffee and tea.

Why I feel a bit better today

I got a good sleep last night as back is feeling better. Thanks Mr Physio. Amazing how proper sleep helps frame of mind.

I just had a great review at work.

Catching up with some old friends tonight for a quick drink this evening.

Though have still had two two many cups of tea.

East England Part 2 - finally prove the cynics wrong! (well, almost)

2007-05-11T20:26:00.000+01:00

On Monday we were finally able to get to the broads.

The trick was to get off the A and B roads and drive the country lanes.

Because the land is so flat you can see endless distances - nothing but hedges, a few trees, windmills and sailing boats to block the view.

We stopped for a while in a little hamlet called Thurne, probably most notable for its windmill and being a place where boats can stop to refuel.

If the weather had been fine, it would have been great for walking/cycling/water adventures, but huddled under an umbrella we decided to have some tea in the nearby pub.

Sadly, we had a really, really bad experience there. The landlord was one of the most arrogant, rude, bloody-minded men we have ever met. It spoils the memory of the weekend just thinking about it, but to summarise quickly he kicked us out of the dining room because we'd only ordered a pot of tea and decided against ordering food. When we politely complained saying we'd only be five minutes drinking the tea (and his dining room was pretty much empty!) he told us to get out and then hid behind his kitchen staff.

Unbelievable, highly upsetting and totally embarrassing. Though Ithink he should be the one who was embarrassed because more than a few eyebrows of other patrons were raised. I'm still thinking of ways to getback at him - letter of complaint, letter to the editor of the local paper, putting bad reviews about his establishment all over the web? Something tells me he is so pig headed he wouldn't even notice. And probably the sort of person to say foreigners should get out his country if they don't like it. The LP did say that Norfolkers were renown for their bloody-mindedness ... Grrr.

Anyway, not going to dwell. Feel all worked up typing about it.

We were able to claw back our day by visiting the Hickling Broad NatureReserve - a giant wetland with bird watching huts and boardwalks. It was lovely to sit silently amongst the anoraks and see the birds fly about and brought much needed calm into our day.

It was also interesting to observe people so passionate about their hobby. This trip was definitely bringing us into contact with people we don't normally meet in our busy workday lives.

Accommodation for the night was a gorgeous thatched roof house - Black Horse Cottage http://www.blackhorsecottage.com/ - in Hickling village and right next door to The Greyhound Inn for dinner, drinks and a game or two of pool in the evening.

Gorgeous little spot and the hosts and locals were so lovely (such a contrast to our earlier experience!) We chatted with them over a cup of tea before getting their advice to do a beautiful coastal walk in Sea Palling.

The sun came out for us and I could have thought I was strolling along the surf side of Bribie Island. Just lovely.

Oh, and driving the nearby country lanes with all the spring flowers growing in the hedges is one of the loveliest things you can do. Just watch out for all the pheasants strolling across the road. I saw the most road kill I've ever seen in a country notable for the lack of it.

Tuesday was Damo's birthday and unfortunately the weather spoilt our plans to go for a bikeride (with the bikes provided by the B&B) so we headed to the nearby town of Cromer for a cream tea (scones with jam and cream with obligatory cup of tea) and then Figgsburgh Hall - one of those enormous country estates with grand houses that you seen in Jane Austen adaptions. Lovely!

East England Adventure Part 1 - the challenge is set

2007-05-10T07:56:00.000+01:00

Bank holiday weekends can be competitive business. There's a sense everyone is subtly trying to 'out do' each other with their exotic destinations of choice. I've had many conversations around "so, where's your next trip?" where me and my fellow London-based travellers smugly swap stories at the glamorous jet-set lives we lead.

The bank holiday just gone was no exception. I had friends in funky Iceland, gorgeous Amalfi and gastronomic northern Spain. Me? I had set my sights on the delights of the French Riveria.

"How cool would that look on my blog and sound to my frazzled colleagues here at work?" I thought to myself. I had visions of sun drenched beaches and a tan to die for.

Being the Queen of Procrastination, I ummmed and ahhhed over booking the trip online ever since February. But if Damian had told me back then I'd be spending my Sunday night before Bank Holiday Monday winning teapots in a smokey bingo den in a less than glamorous seaside resort town, I would have hit that "buy" button with my mouse faster than you can say "I'd like some battered fish and mushy peas please".

Somehow, Damo managed to convince me that we should set off in his car on a Saturday morning, with nothing but a change of clothes and a road map. No accommodation booked, no destination in mind. Just a vague invitation from some of his friends that we could meet them for lunch in St Albans that day and that after then, we'd have ourselves an "adventure"!

"No worries", I thought. I can do adventures. Southern France sure sounded nice, but hey, I won't sniff at touring England, especially in the Spring. Plus it was Damo's birthday weekend, so his choice really.

Lucky for us, Dave and Helen were excited to have their first guests in their brand new terrace in central St Albans, so we joined them for lunch,then dinner, then drinks and then crashed on their floor the first night. Handy that! Sunday, we pretty much flipped my trusty Lonely Planet Britain open at a random page - the east England county of Norfolk and decided that would be our destination.

Dave warned us to be careful. He said he'd heard reports the people up that way were all in-bred (harsh!) And to quote LP: "Norfolk has long endured a reputation for being a dull county..." But Damo, ever the optimist and passionate Brit, was determined to prove them both wrong.

On our way there, the local news stands and a couple of posters for local entertainment didn't give us much hope.

But we weren't deterred and pushed on to a specific destination - the Norfolk Broads. It's an area of "Outstanding Natural Beauty" full of rivers, canals, marshlands, exotic birds and most importantly, Bill Oddie's "Springwatch" programme. On route, the little towns we passed through weren't setting us on fire with delight, but the natural scenery was pretty awesome. We had a lovely stop in the Brecks National Park to smell the sweetest smelling wildflowers I've ever smelt.

By passing the capital Norwich, we headed for what we thought was the broads and figured it should be easy enough to find a roadside B&B to stop in. Huh! We were sooooo wrong! We later found out we took a wrong turn and drove through the dullest of dull towns to end up in Great Yarmouth. We didn't particularly want to stop there given the LP quote "overrun by tacky amusement acrades, greasy spoon cafes, cheap B&Bs..." so thought we could drive along the coast for a bit and find something in one of the smaller seaside settlements.

California was on the map and we both exclaimed that we'd have such fun telling our friends we went to "California for the weekend". Again, another bad move. Nothing but holiday parks filled with demountable buildings, greasy chip shops and arcade amusement halls (think pokies and pinballs and a sea of skill testers).

Damo has been scarred by one childhood holiday park adventure too many, so given it was approaching 5pm (and these park receptions were shut) we gave in and drove into Great Yarmouth.

Driving into the town from the north side is actually quite pretty with its endless expanse of white sand beach and dunes, and a giant windmall farm offshore. We didn't have any problems at all securing ourselves a room in a nice 4* hotel for £60/ night including breakfast. We even had a sea view.

So while it wasn't where we hoped we'd end up, we decided to enjoy it for what it was and indulge ourselves for an evening of traditional British seaside fun. And so what does a holiday in a tacky seaside town like Great Yarmouth involve? Well, this, in order:

A stroll in the rain along the promenade and pier with obligatory pony rides, helterskelters and laughing clowns.

A tub of freshly peeled king prawns with vinegar served in a styrofoam cup and eaten with toothpicks.

One hot donut.I threw out the other two after seeing one too many morbidly obese women strolling about. No joke, more than I have ever seen in my entire lifetime!!

A game of crazy golf (Damo won).

Dinner in an American themed diner where I ordered a salad that consisted of lettuce and cucumber.

And the best bit, a few dozen games of Bingo to hear those legendary calls "two little ducks 22 quack quack" and "legs 11 wooo woooh".

It was actually a load of fun. My advice is totally don't knock it until you try it. The bingo especially was a hoot. Surreal, and I wondered how it would sound on my blog, but gee, I am one ace Bingo star! And Damo should take up professional golf.

It wasn't exactly the cultured European break I was looking for, but how else would have I discovered I'm so ace at bingo if it weren't for the accidental stop in Great Yarmouth? And as I pour myself a cup of tea from my bingo prize teapot, I shall always remember that ;)

Part 2 where we actually made it to the Norfolk broads to follow...

Things are a bit slow in eastern england

2007-05-07T11:52:00.001+01:00

Exploring the east for the bank holiday long weekend. Stopped in royston for provisions to find this pearler of a headline. Had to share. Spent sat exploring st alban's with dave and helen. Sun we drove up to norfolk and spent the night in great yarmouth to indulge in tacky seaside fun like mini golf and bingo (won a teapot!) And today we're exploring the norfolk broads rivers and canals. Hope it stops raining!

woah, big time random ramblings (posted retrospectively)

2007-05-03T19:38:00.000+01:00

cue whiny voice: man, I just want to write. none of this work rubbish.just write. somewhere sunny. that's all. I don't have to be good at it.It's just compulsive. cue despairing voice: but I'd need money. so I guess i need to be rich toobefore I can just write. cue self-doubting voice: why is it that I always say things that aren'tfunny and then worry about them afterwards, and worry that I've offendedpeople, and worry that they think I've tried to hard.... cue caffiene affected voice: stop it jaimee! stop procrastinating, get towork. NOW! Comms plans to write. Conference to manage. Just do it. go go gogo go go go go go go go go go gogoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! close down your email andinternet now.

Awana banana gogana mutswana

2007-05-03T10:38:00.000+01:00

as written on the back of an envelope while catching a train home last night:

Just went to Awana in the very posh suburb of Chelsea. Restaurant in amongst bling shops like Paul Smith and Chanel (oops, nearly spelt that with an S - how out of place am I??) and there's a few bars nearby where the royals like to play. No one walks along the pavement except the plebs (like me) as everyone has their own drivers darrrrling.

Even with 50% off mid-week deal we still paid £27 each for an entree (three lamb skewers) and a main (yellow curry swordfish)... oh and our three glasses of wine. So I guess it wasn't that bad, and the food was really lovely (awesome in fact) and the place was packed and really buzzing.
Was great to catch up with the girls (Fi, Les, Karen, Justine and Mich).

2morrow going back up to Farringdon for some after work drinks with some of Damo's friends. A Belgium bar apparently (not that I've had enough Belgian or Farrindon lately!!) No doubt I'll be feeling worse for wear on Friday.

I love being on late trains home and seeing people smiling to themselves. Makes me wonder what they've been up to that night. Probably the same way people wonder at what I'm doing as they see me with my head cocked to the side, tongue poking out and scribbling frantically on some old envelope from my local council.

PS: my elbow hurts. I walked into a post and grazed it.

PPS: I got abused by a girl on the tube today. we were striding up the escalators at Westminster station trying to get from the Jubilee to the District line. She was right in my ear going "shit, shit, shit, shit... " I think she wanted to get on the train that had pulled in. As she pushed past me I said quite exasperatedly "oh there'll be another one in a minute". and she "what, to Wimbledon? I don't think so. Fuck you". And it seemed kind of odd coming from someone so well dressed.

Funny how a lot of the aggression I've experienced in this city has been from women rather than men.

PPPS: I missed The Apprentice tonight. I'm so bummed 'cause I love that show. But I'm not really cause I just had dinner with friends. You know what I mean????

Typed on email this morning:

I'm not sure what was in the curry as I had some really strange dreams last night. Michelle and I were representing Australia in World Idol (she did a Franz Ferdinand cover and I sang Office Krupke from West Side Story). And then I flew to Jupiter - Hollywood special effects and all. I saw the Earth from space and everything. cool! Though I've got a splitting headache today, a funny tummy and a need for caffeine and bacon sandwiches.

And the whole Jaimee writing on a scrap of paper thing... I sooooo do that all the time. Bits of paper all over the place with words of jaimee wisdom on them (heh heh, not!) I even remember doing it when I was bored and on the checkouts when working at Coles.

Oh, and I've drafted a couple of other entries about Belgium and the weekend. They're sitting on my blogger dashboard waiting for some final words before I publish them. They'll go up soon.

Lovely day

2007-05-02T17:12:00.000+01:00

Today's special is sunshine, served medium, on a bed of blue sky and with a cooling breeze on the side.

I just met Beth for lunch at the very lovely EV - a real little oasis here in urban Waterloo. It's a turkish deli built in the arches of the railway line. They've got a pavement area that was once a dingy alley leading from Waterloo East trainstation to Southwark underground, but is now a terraced garden full of potted palm trees and jasmine vines.

You line up to get a plate of salad (a choice of 3 from about 20 options is £3.45 and includes a bowl of turkish bread) and have a choice of sitting inside on low level benches or outside in the garden. I love it. A guy from work showed it to me once (I'm not sure it's something you'd ever just stumble across) and I've since brought loads of people here.

Fabulous. And so great to catch up with Beth.

Am off after to work to have dinner with a couple of girls at Awana in South Kensington (Malaysian). Am looking forward to it, especially as work has been a bit horrendous the last few days and is only going to get more so in the lead up to the conference I'm organising in Manchester.

Nothing brings on stress like a conference for 450 people!

TGIF

2007-04-27T15:20:00.000+01:00

I'm more than tired today. A bit grouchy too. But only due to lack of sleep.

Apparently Thursdays are the new Fridays. Everyone has their drinks on a Thurs night now as people are all booked up on Fridays eons in advance (there is no spontaneity in London!)

We went out last night for Margarethe's birthday drinks (Davo and Damo's mate from their GLA days). Had a few glasses of wine under Tower Bridge in a waterside bar called "Most". It's opposite the engine rooms in an old coal cellar. The place was ok - the floor to ceiling windows gave great views over to the city and we had a nice close up of rubbish floating on the surface of the Thames ;)

Good to see the old GLA faces though. We got hungry around 9 so went to Suchards with Adarsh and Bij for the quickest Thai meal ever. Tasty though!

Nothing out of the ordinary to report for earlier this week though I did get to catch up with Michelle for a quick drink on Monday night.

Tonight we're off to Smiths of Smithfields in Farringdon for Laura's birthday drinks and tomorrow night an old mate from the Tower Hamlets days is having his birthday party in Clapham.

As we've been gallavanting around Europe the past few weekends I'm looking forward to some lengthy sleep ins and playing catch up on my "things to do" list.

I'm off to get myself another coffee...

Today is brought to you by the letter B

2007-04-24T21:38:00.000+01:00

A girl from Brisbane and a boy from Britain boarded a train to Belgium.

They stopped in the capital Brussels, did a bit of bar hopping and slept in a B&B.

They ate brioche for breakfast and drank lots of beer.

Their bellies got big and they burped a lot.

A day trip to Brugge busted the budget, but it was beautiful to behold.

They were sad to say bye, but they had to.

Bugger.

PS: yes, this is a dumb entry but my brain is fried. consider it an interim post.

This is my 500th post!

2007-04-20T20:44:00.000+01:00

After the pub but before i have packed for brussels

Quick pre-weekend update...

2007-04-20T16:30:00.000+01:00

I have had a really nice week this week. Started a new hobby and met some new people by attending a travel-writing workshop at Stanfords Travel Bookshop in Covent Garden; had lunch with a couple of people from work - one day it was down by the river at the Tate Modern, overlooking St Pauls, and the other time was at EV - my fave turkish deli under the railway arches here at Waterloo; and I've done some shopping and managed to score a whole heap of free goodies from the Origins counter at Selfridges (5 free samples if you book in for a consultation!)

I also spent some time doing some writing, wandering about the common and taking pictures of bluebells and cherry blossoms and just pondering a few things. Tonight I'm meeting some girlfriends at the Bedford in Balham for a quick drink before heading back to the flat to pack for a weekend in Belgium! We scored some cheap Eurostar tickets (London to Brussels £45 return!) and staying in the "Lawrence of Arabia" suite in a gorgeous looking b&b - www.lartdelagugue.com

I just can't wait!

I just saw a giant bunny!

2007-04-20T15:31:00.000+01:00

A woman in the park across the road was "walking" it on a leash! It was seriously the cutest thing I've ever seen. Probably not as big as those ones that have featured in the news lately, but probably only little smaller than a westie...

If only I'd had my camera - it had those really long floppy ears and the cutest little tail!

Been trying to find some pictures on the net. I think the one I saw was a French lop eared rabbit. Googling came up with this website http://www.lrca.net/lrcaphotogalleryx.htm which gave me the giggles...

Clearly I'm very productive today!

The rabbit looked a little like this one...

Sunny daze...

2007-04-17T22:36:00.000+01:00

Our Sunny Sunday picnic

Me and the leaning Pagoda of Battersea - I'm the perfectly perpendicular one ;)

Ahh, the lovely weather continues. Had the most wonderful ourdoors-y weekend. Friday night I met up with some of Damian's friends in a funky Jamican themed pub in Exmouth Market (London inner-city district). The whole summer practice of drinking outside on the street has begun and it feels almost Aussie to have the sun on your shoulders while drinking icy cold wine. We followed that up with some turkish cuisine for dinner. Great company, great night.

Saturday was a scorching 24 degrees (!) so after doing boring stuff like half a spring clean and packing away my winter coats, I was able to spend the entire afternoon laying on Tooting Common and reading the papers. I had intended to hit the shops, but felt too lazy. Went out for dinner again that night - this time some Portugese in Balham. Just Damo and I this time.

On Sunday I arranged for whoever was around in London to meet at Battersea Park for a sunny Sunday picnic - the first of the season! I had a great time getting up early to go to the farmers market that's just started down at Balham and buying all sorts of overpriced goodies, and then stuffing myself on them later. It was another scorcher - this time 26 degrees - and we had a lovely spot on a big grassy mound overlooking the Thames.

I drank a little too much wine and didn't have a hat, so probably felt the effects a bit, but had a lovely time. The Pagoda provided some late afternoon shade (for me) to sober up in. A smaller group of us kicked on at a pub nearby after it went dark. It's something I've been craving to do for ages and was great to catch up with my friends.

Monday was a non-work day for me. Didn't do a terrible amount - did a bit of writing and did some laps at the pool. Then spoilt myself afterwards with a session in my gym's aromotherapy steam room followed up with a massage. Sounds a bit indulgent, but after all that activity on the weekend, felt like I really needed it ;)

Nicky and Damo

Early in the afternoon overlooking the Thames

Laura and Ben

Later in the night...

Venezia...

2007-04-14T19:58:00.000+01:00

Ahh, beautiful Venice (Venezia when you're there in the same way that Rome is Roma and that Naples is Napoli etc...)

I'm sorry it's taken such a long time to put the photos up. I do find it harder to regularly update my blog these days as I'm not as free to do so while at work (guess I shouldn't ever have been really...)

Damo and I had a gorgeous four days of lazily wandering its labyrinth streets. We talked about doing a day trip to Verona while there, but the sunshine seduced us drink coffee, eat gelati and doze in the sun on the edge of the lagoon instead.

Didn’t do a huge amount of touristy stuff, except the things I missed last time like going into St Mark’s basilica (above) and the Doge’s palace (the home of Venetian government when it was at the height of its powers back in the 17th century – I think!)

Easter is one of the busiest weekends of the year for Venice, so it was truly packed especially around Piazza San Marco and the Rialto. We spent a lot of our time in the back streets on the other side of the grand canal where peace and quiet was easy to come by. We also trekked right up to the end of the island past Arsenale to some beautiful gardens (rare for green space so it felt particularly special).

A few highlights:

· Finally doing a ride on a gondola, and best of all, at night time under the stars. I really thought it was going to be overrated (especially given how much it costs) but it so wasn’t. Being guided through quiet star-lit canals while gently rocking and only hearing the oar sinking into the water was possibly the most relaxing (and romantic) thing I’ve ever done. Plus we got a gondolier who was doing his last tour for the night so he gave us a €30 discount.

· Skipping the mile-long queue to get into St Mark’s basilica by entering through a side door that no one seemed to realise existed (literally saved ourselves hours!!)

· Spending a good hour sitting in the sunshine on the basilica’s balcony that overlooks the piazza and doing a lot of people watching.

· Drinking lots of spritz (white wine, campari and soda water) and eating lots of gelati (my fave is strawberry (fragola) and coconut (don’t know the Italian word but it always had a picture to illustrate so I could just point and smile!)

· Waking up to church bells ringing out continuously for a good half-hour on Easter Sunday.

· Finding a gorgeous little taverna in the back streets of Academia (the university district) where we ate the most delicious roast pork, apple and rosemary potatoes (managed to not eat a single pizza the whole time we were there…)

· Seeing the amazing frescos in the Doges’ Council Room, the largest room in Europe – when you looked down to the other end of the room, people were just miniature specks! Unfortunately my knowledge of renaissance art is limited so I felt I wasn’t fully appreciating it, but I could still admire it from a lay-person’s perspective.

· Listening to the string quartets playing in Piazza San Marco and Damo and I trying to waltz.

· The sunshine!

Me and Damo on the balcony of St Mark's basilica. You can see the Doges' palace to the left of the picture. The lagoon is in the background.

Just a typical view of the grand canal at sunset. We had found a funky little bar behind the rialto markets and sat there for hours sitting spritz and watching the world float by.

Ahh, the venetian masks. There's millions of mask shops about, but this was one of the few that didn't mind people touching and trying on things.

Me on the balcony of St Mark's basilica with San Marco's piazza in the background.

The "free" concert in Piazza San Marco courtesy of the grand old cafes (the poshest and most expensive places to have a cup of coffee in Venice. To just sit down at a table, you've got a €10 surcharge and that's before you've even ordered anything).

Me doing an appalling impersonation of Casanova who was locked in the Doges' Palace prison way back in 16something.

Damo and a bridge just near our hotel.

Me trying to be fancy by capturing reflections in the canal...

View of (can't remember the name) Island across the lagoon from Piazza San Marco.

Have a few more pics that I'll try to post when I can.

Am hopeless

2007-04-12T21:46:00.000+01:00

The weather is just so lovely at the moment. I'm obsessed with it. BBC Weather is the first website I check in the mornings. When it's sunny outside I just HATE being in the office. I can't bear it. I look longingly out my window like some sort of puppy wanting to go out and chase squirrels.

When I'm finally let outside, I feel like I'm racing about like a lunatic, smelling flowers (much to Damo's embarrassment) and oohing at the little baby squirrels, and the ducklings, and the lambs (not that there's many of those in central London but I saw them the other day when we were drivingback from Stansted airport).

Oh you should see all the pretty flowers out at the moment. The magnolias, the cherry blossoms, the little white daisies, the daffodils, the tulips, the bluebells and forget-me-nots.... ahh, I just wantto be a gardener. The wisteria is coming out and I caught my first whiff of Jasmine yesterday too.

I have so much work to do, but who wants to work when it's Spring?

Will get to posting about the trip to Venice. I managed to take 200 photos in four days. Can't decide what to show you guys...

Viva Italia (again!)

2007-04-05T14:12:00.000+01:00

Off to venice tomorrow for the Easter long weekend. So totally, very excited :)

i love italy. I love venice! i love gelati. and pasta. and pizza. and blue sky. and sunshine. those things will be soooo me for the next four days.

The last time I was there was for a night in November 2004 (see pic) when I tagged along with Cynthia, Dave, Cath and Flavia. What a laugh! This time I'm going with Damo so I doubt there'll be the drunken singing on the chairs at the end of the pier of St Mark's square, but I'm sure it will still be a lot of fun :)

(Wow, now I'm having flashbacks to that night in 2004 - drinking bellinis at the bar with Dave and the barman telling him he was so lucky to be surrounded by a bevy of beautiful women; singing into a wooden spoon in our cool little apartment and waking up with it in my bed the next morning; drinking wine from plastic cups down on the water front and picking out all the cork as we didn't have a bottle opener and opened it using our teeth; our very classy dinner conversation about sex toys; Cath singing at the top of her lungs; Flavia teaching me how to waltz in St Mark's square...)

On a duller note, I'm stuck in the office on Maundy Thursday. Basically, that's a half day public holiday for the civil service. Obviously I'm a contractor so don't have the priviledge. As I look around, there's only two other people here. The receptionist and my boss. Oooh, just as I typed that, he came up to say goodbye. Woohooo.... looks like I'm free now. yaya yayay yay!

Hope everyone has a lovely Easter.

Exploring some more of London

2007-04-02T23:32:00.000+01:00

A brief northern encounter

London is such a huge huge city that I've realised it will be impossible to know all of it really well. Because I live "south of the river" I tend to focus a lot of my non-work time hanging out down my neck of the woods - so I know Waterloo, London Bridge, Clapham, Balham, Tooting, Streatham, Wimbledon, Stockwell/Vauxhall pretty well.

I've got to know a few places because they've been near whereI worked (so in the West End like Covent Garden, Leciester Square, Picadilly, St James, Green Park) and a bit of the East End (like Bethnal Green, the docklands, Canary Wharf, Wapping, Greenwich etc). I've also got to know a pocket of the (south) western suburbs like Putney, Richmond and Chiswick (though I know Chiswick is technically north of the river) thanks to the Aussie bookclub enclave out that way.

But it's been a while since I've ventured north of Soho and Oxford Street. Not that I haven't gone north before (I've done a couple of day trips to Hamsted Heath, Finchley and Camden, and of course dossed with Davo in Finsbury Park) but I've realised I have no idea about what you can do up that way or where the cool places to go are.

So with that in mind, I jumped on a tube on Saturday afternoon and got off in Angel (in the London Borough of Islington). Not that I saw anything much other than the high street shops because I got a call from Lucy and Michelle offering to meet them for a coffee in Green Park (so back down to the West End) but I've decided that moment was the rebirth of my exploring London phase. I did notice a really quaint area with lots of antique shops and funky boutiques so I'm going to have to go back and do it properly.

And now back to the bit where I met up with Lucy and Michelle in Green Park. I've been to that part of London about a zillion times and every time I have walked past a great historic department store called Fortnum and Mason without ever taking a peek inside. Such a pity because it's a bit of find! Fortnum and Mason was founded in 1707 and describes itself as "a grocers shop that defines the very essence of Englishness".

Inside you wander underneath crystal chandeliers while pondering whether you can afford £10 for some tea or £20 for chocolates (and other gourmet goodies). It's such an institution its been written about by Charles Dickens and Henry James, so I kind of imagined myself having arrived by horse and carriage rather than a double decker red bus and that I couldn't possibly eat a scone with jam and cream because my corset would burst ;)

The place is pretty popular with tourists but I caught up with Michelle and Lucy in the tearooms up the back and we were all very impressed with just how lovely and relaxed it was (and a much more affordable option for doing the fancy English Afternoon Tea thing without the hefty £30 price tag). So that was a lovely afternoon experience. I wondered about afterwards with Michelle through the streets of Soho, and we stopped for a drink in a pub that I doubt I'll ever find again (London is like that!)

Exploring Richmond Park and Barnes Common

Continuing my exploration of London on Sunday, I took Damo to meet up with Mich and Ben for breakfast out Richmond way. I have been there a number of times now, but I've never actually walked the length of Richmond Park, which is what we did after stuffing ourselves silly at Giraffe (well, I stuffed myself, the others were more restrained).

Richmond Park is gianormous - was once King Henry's fave hunting grounds and still has its own herd of deer (see the brown blobs in the picture above). We started at the Richmond gate and trekked all the way to Roehampton gate in about an hour and a half (leisurely paced).

From there we then walked in to Barnes village (another suburb out West which is famous for its reclaimed wetlands - a bit like Boondall I guess) for some coffee and ice cream and had a bit of a sticky beak at the really posh houses. It's a sobering thought that there seems to be loads of people who simply inherit more money than what I'll ever earn in an entire lifetime.

But it was so nice to be outdoors now the weather is nice and I had a really lovely weekend.

Ewwwww - some ranting (posted retrospectively)

2007-04-02T19:40:00.000+01:00

Eeewww I just went to the staff loos for the third time today (yes I know, toomuch info) but every time I've managed to pick the loo where the lastperson in has forgotten to flush. What is with that? Surely it's not that hard to reach around and press a button. I don't want to see whethersomeone's been drinking enough water (and sadly I seem to have noticed thatthey are in no way drinking enough water!!) and while I'm on a rant, can I please ask the men of London to keep theirshirts on?! yes, it's a gorgeous day today, but we're in central London,not the beach. I've just spied the first not-so-buff dude with his shirtoff for the season. He was laying in the park across the road from my work.And what's worse was that I think he was someone from the office (didn'twant to look too closely). You don't see girls whipping off their top atlunch time to do a bit of sunbaking in a city park surrounded by officebuildings (well, most girls anyway, some do insist...) It was almostenough to put me off my iced latte (can't believe I'm drinking iced drinkswhen it's only 18 degrees!)

High school disco

2007-03-31T22:45:00.000+01:00

There's a bit of a clubbing "phenomenon" (and I say phenomenon very loosely indeed) around going to themed high school disco nights. I'm sure you're familiar with the concept - go to a club (seedy venue optional); dress in your school uniform or 80s outfit (usually a more raunchy version) and dance along to some retro classics while drinking alcopops and sucking lollipops (or similar).

Well on Friday night I experienced a hybrid between one of those club nights and an evening scarily similiar to my old high school dances. I was out with Lucy and her mates for a bit of a boogie - and we chose the Clapham Grand because it was close, free, open until 3am and we knew it was pretty cheesey.

But stepping through the doors felt like going back in time. I felt like I was back at Aspley High's assembly hall. The very young chicky babes were dressed identically. Just think Peaches Geldof (see pic) with long hair, big eyes and heavy eyeliner wearing little ra ra skirts, leggings, multi coloured stilettos and grungy fluro singlets or baby doll dresses with 80s style madonna-esque fishnet gloves and bling. I know we didn't do 80s style back in 1996, but I do recall we all wore pretty much the same thing.

The girls at the Grand all danced in circles around their handbags with attitudes to boot. I remember being like that. It hid my insecurities and I felt protected in a big group. And they congregated in the dark corners and in the loos to look bitchy and furtively suck on their cigarettes (just like we used to - except not the smoking).

The boys (with the exception of Lucy's friends) hung back to the sides of the floor watching the girls dance, and occassionally went in for a grope or two (there were even a few high school-esque mega make outs going on).

Even the DJ was one of those appalling 21st birthday types who begged people to make requests: "just come on down to the stage folks and tell me your tune" and we could write it on ready made sticky labels. Perhaps he did his traineeship through Aspley's "Moby Disc". He spoke over the top of songs and turned the music down, announcing in the worst DJ voice ever "this one goes out to Fifi who celebrates her 19th birthday today... oooohhhhh yeaaaahhhhh...rock on Fifi, hope you have a fabulousooooooooooo noiggggghhhhtttt yeah!". And then he played the crappest of crap school dance music, even "Oh What a Night" by the Four Seasons.

Now, I realise this is sounding a bit like a whinge, and I know I've gone on before that I feel like I'm getting old, and I think it's about time I start finding a few more sophisticated places to hang out, blah blah blah...

But actually, Friday night was an exercise in feeling good because I realised I've come a long way since how I felt in high school. On Friday night, I could dance like a complete dag to "What a Feeling" and when I noticed one of the many Peaches looking at me as if I should be at home with my slippers on and drinking sherry, I had the self-assuredness to not care, smile fondly at them as if to say "oh yes, I remember what it was like to be you" (god, how patronising!!)

I remember that when I was going out at 18, I was so self conscious about everything. I'd always go to the loos to make sure I looked ok, thought I was really fat, felt intimidated by everyone, drank way toooo much, worried about whether boys would like me and I wonder if I really had any fun....

Getting that little bit older, it's satisfying to realise I don't have those hang ups anymore. I go out because I have a ball and I love to dance. I don't care now what anybody thinks and it's just fabulous.

Now I realise many of my friends never had those hang ups in the first place and got to this place a very long time ago, but you know me...

Thanks Lucy for a great night :)

Slowly getting back into the swing of things...

2007-03-26T23:25:00.000+01:00

It's taking a while to get out of my little hibernation, but I'm getting there slowly. I didn't feel totally up for drinks on Friday night, so I just had a bit more Jaimee time doing some shopping in Covent Garden and buying myself a new spring trench coat. It's pale blue, from Bravissimo, made just for narrow shoulder big-boobed women with all the little design details I need - like a single row of buttons and no double breast, no pocket detail, cinched at the waist but roomy in chest, v-neck, collar with minimal lapels etc. You have no idea how hard it is to find coats/jackets thatfit me properly!

Anyway, I got home ready for an early night to find Damo had cooked an Indian feast and hired Broken Flowers on DVD which was so lovely, but I fell asleep super early so didn't really catch much of the film.

I spent Sat morning at my gym in London Bridge and made the most of its spa facilities, then stopped for lunch in Borough markets (which is threatened with closure to make way for a second railway line there - a tragedy!!) Later Damo and I trekked out to Canary Wharf and the Docklands Museum to learn a bit more about the River Thames. We also saw Becoming Jane at the movies and had dinner in Carluccios. Sunday was a bit more of the same really. Wandered through Tooting Common, made our way up to Streatham for brunch at Whole Foods cafe (see pic), wandered back, did some shopping, bought a totally fashion victim jacket from Primark (why did I think I could get away with puff sleeves and a volumous waist??) and that's about it.

I caught up with Mich and Ben in Chiswick onWednesday to hear about their trip home (and pig out on Aussie goodies)and Thurs night I hung out with my old friends from Tower Hamlets at theHorniman's Arms in London Bridge (funny how hilarious that is when you'vehad a few drinks). It's getting better all the time :)

2007 has been an odd kind of year so far. I kind of feel like I've beenwading through mud and it's been difficult to kinda shake it off. Here I amcoming to the end of March already, and I'm looking back and feeling likemost of the year so far has been in a bit of a fog. Not necessarily a badfog (had to put that in case people starting thinking I'm all depressed orsomething) but just weird. A bit like when you're running in your dreamsand you're not actually going anywhere. I want to kiss the first quarter of this year a big, big goodbye.

It's a totally fresh start now. From today. From this second. The weekend just past has seen the start of British Summer time. Oh man,that is so the biggest Yay! I always feel like summer is such a long timecoming. And it always makes me feel that I'm in desperate need of a total makeover to rid myself of the winter blubber and grey skin and stuff.

Aren't I cool?

2007-03-23T22:22:00.000Z

I know, I know, I'm so far behind! Yes, I've back dated some entries. It's because I'm finding for the first time in absolutely yonks and yonks that I can't update my blog when having a "quiet moment" at work. Nup, sadly, been too busy ;) Can't even find time to book holidays ;)

Anyway, I've been pretty busy - in fact, I've been so busy that I got to meet the British PM on Tuesday. Yep, even got to shake his hand. Pretty exciting stuff for me! The project I'm working with was chosen as one of 13 to be highlighted to TB. I did the usual PR thing and set up our little display. I didn't get a photo of me next to the PM, but I got a few on my mobile phone just of him and his minders etc.

Though I guess, if I was really cheeky, I could have gone to the extremelengths that one of my fellow PRers went to?

He went up to Tony as he wasleaving, grabbed him on the shoulder to shake his hand but then managed toturn them both to the camera that his friend had set up for him. The menwith the little wires in their ear were quick to move in, and you could see the PM was less than impressed. I couldn't believe how dodgy that manoeuvre was! I saw the resulting photo and all he got was a blurred leg-shot hehheh.

So that was Tuesday, and then the next day it was up off to Manchester for a couple of days to do some reporting for a work conference. Lucy came up too as we'd hired her as a freelancer (yay for me!!) so she made it that much more bearable. Came back feeling totally brain-fried and struggled through Friday. Thank god for Friday!

What's a girl to do when she's on her own in the city?

2007-03-20T22:06:00.000Z

Ok, so last weekend Damo went up to Manchester to visit his family for a few days. I had the whole weekend and more to myself and normally I'd be totally excited about it. But actually, I wasn't. In fact, I was irrationally worried about it.

It's funny how time and circumstances change things. Without wanting to sound pathetic and desperate, I will be honest and write why I was worried about this particular weekend. (Warning, I'm very conscious that by writing this down, I'm subjecting myself to people thinking I'm a pathetic, whinging, moaning, smug-couple type person, but I just want to say it's a little more complex than that and the last thing I want to sound is that way though clearly I'm still typing so blah blah blah).

1. It was going to be the first time I had been on my own since Cath died. I'm not going to go into it, but since her death I have been really lucky to have Damian with me every night, so many of the things I thought I'd experience haven't happened. I was slightly afraid that I wouldn't cope so well on my own (oh god, how pathetic that sounds).

2. Normally, it would be an awesome opportunity to go out for a big night dancing, but all of my usual dancing buddies were out of town (many were back home and I was missing everyone like crazy).

3. I was annoyed at myself for feeling so very pathetic and dependent and needy. I think I've asked myself a number of times "What happened to the girl who moved countries?" "Who went clubbing on her own in Brighton?" Why was I being such a sad sack?

So anyway, I was feeling pretty sorry for myself. I'm not sure when I snapped out of it. I had the theatre on the Thursday night, and then had a really lovely lunch with Beth at a Japanese restaurant in the city on the Friday (she's such a star that girl - running the marathon in 5 weeks!!). Damo didn't leave until the Saturday morning, so we had a lovely dinner in the very cool Benugo Bar & Kitchen at the British Film Institute, Southbank on the Friday night.

Saturday morning I caught a train up to Cambridge to hang out with Lucy (we picnicked on bread, cheese and fresh raspberries by the river) and Saturday afternoon I frolicked in St James Park to see the daffodils and cherry blossoms. Sat night I had dinner with Leanne and we went off to see Boytown at the Australian Film Festival. Andd Sunday I made a number of phone calls to family and friends back home and then took myself off shopping in Kings Road, Chelsea. Sunday night I had a night in to watch the latest Jane Austen adaptation on TV.

So, in the end I had plenty of things to do, I was ok with being on my own, and I caught up with some lovely friends. I don't know why I had got myself all worked up in the week that proceeded it. But not to worry. It's a weird time at the moment. I'm not sure I'm at my best, but I know things will get back there eventually.

Diana of Dobsons

2007-03-19T21:50:00.000Z

Last Thursday I joined Lou, Emma and her friends to see the play Diana of Dobsons at Richmond's Orange Tree Theatre. Given that I live in one of the world's great theatrical cities (and that I used to have a passion for acting and theatre) I don't see nearly as many plays as I'd like (plays 1, Mmsicals 6 - disgraceful!)

Because I hadn't seen live theatre for such a long time, I was unsure I was going to like actors relying solely ontheir craft rather than all manner of movie special effects. Would I suspend my disbelief?Would I buy into their stories? Would I feel empathy for the characters?

Well, yes, yes and yes! I loved it! Diana of Dobsons ? Written by feminist and suffragist Cicely Hamilton, this Edwardian romantic comedy takes place in 1908. Diana works as a"shop girl" in a drapers emporium in Clapham Junction. The conditions she and her fellow workhouse girls experience are less than ideal - long hours served under a bully who deducts penalties from their meagre wages at a whim. But Diana's luck changes when a long lost relative dies and leaves her £300. The windfall would be enough for her to live on - if invested wisely - but Diana vows that she wants to **really** live: to know what it's like towear silk on her skin, to see the wonders of Europe, drink from the finest china and enjoy civilisedconversation in the company of ladies and gentlemen.

She decides she's going to use her money to live in luxury for as long as it lasts. She justifies that the experience will be enough for her to live on its memories for the rest of her life. Diana sets off to a resort in Switzerland for the season. There she befriends Captain Bretherton who falls for her charms not knowing her real circumstances. The inevitable revelation follows, causing great scandal and indignation on all parts.

The scenes and dialogue touched on themes around the conditions working women suffered back then, and there were plenty of observations about class and the rules of society. I was totally absorbed by it. Maybe in some small way I could relate to Diana's need for freedom to experience "life". She spends her money frivolously and sacrifices financial security but atl east she has a good time doing it. (I tell myself that all the time! No car, no house, but lots of adventures!)

The play had a short season and has since finished, but I'll definitely belooking out for more. (sorry for the half hearted review - I'm so behind!!)

Burgers, cocktails, greasy spoons and sunshine

2007-03-13T19:32:00.000Z

Ok, have been a bit slack in updating from the weekend. Truth is have been a bit all over the place (work busy blah blah) but it's all good. So, last weekend... hmmm...

Friday night I was completely relieved to have finished the working week so strolled across to Covent Garden for a bit of shopping. The evenings are getting that little bit lighter now and as Davo says "London is really starting to gear up for summer".

There were loads of people out and I love strolling around that part of the West End as it reminds me of my very first night in town back in '04. Later I met up with Damo at Hamburger Union for some gourmet beef patties and fancy fries. It wasn't a rager, but a nice night.

Saturday afternoon I strolled down to gianormous local pub The Bedford to meet up with a few of my old ex-Westminster pals (pictured above Laura, Vicky, Jim, me, Nat D). It turned into a bit of a pub crawl actually and I frequented a number of local watering holes I've not ventured in before. Pleasantly suprising!(Well, it was before I started on the cocktails, then I could have been anywhere!!)

We started buying rounds of cocktails once we got to Balham's biggest bar The Exhibit to meet up with another old friend Nat O (pic right: me, Jim, Nat O, Laura). I had a really great time chatting to loads of different people (including one guy who was showing me pictures of his pet whippet Lola and another who was using every pick-up strategy known - from "all girls deserve a little pampering" to playing the doting uncle and showing me pictures of his baby niece ).

Somehow (and this never ceases to amaze me) the smallest amount of floor space occupied by drinkers became a really large space occupied by boogiers and I was able to stagger around a bit and look like I was dancing ;)

Umpteen rounds of cocktails and a few hours later, it was 2am and time to stagger home up the hill to bed (awesome to have such a big night out so close to home!) Very glad to have caught up with my old friends. Thanks to Laura for the photos (I forgot my camera).

I woke up Sunday feeling less than crash hot, and when I eventually dragged myself out of bed, it was to walk 10 minutes to our fave local greasy spoon Costas. For £3.95 you get the most gianormous breakfast of bacon, eggs,sausage, beans, tomatoes, toast, fresh bread, tea and oj. I ate a week's worth of fat in one meal but I needed it! I spent the rest of the day sleeping it off on a picnic rug on Tooting Common (another gorgeously beautiful day).

National sneaky tea break day

2007-03-12T21:48:00.000Z

Procrastinators take heart! I officially announce that today is the first day of popping outside for a quick takeaway coffee and not having to give yourself away by wearing a big coat. Yay! Mr BBC weatherman tells me it's 18 degrees outside. Feels like it too. I think I've gone troppo. In fact, cancel that order for a steaming beverage - I want my coffee iced!

I ditched the dark clothes and black tights today in favour of green summer dress and flesh-coloured tights. you know, to get that whole I'm living in a sunny climate thing going on. Problem is I can never pick the right shade of tights. Today I've discovered that "medium tan" really should becalled "perma-tan orange". And last week, when I was a little too early in my proclaimations of Spring, I wore "natural beige matt" and decided that they should have been called "severe circulation problems white" as they clearly were about 400 shades paler than my arms and face. Good look ;)

Weekend update to follow.