Hello again!

I am pleased to see that this time it is not that long since my last update!  nonetheless, much has happened....

I have now had the privilege of seeing three stage shows since being here.  So far I have seen Chicago, Footloose and Whistle down the Wind.  Footloose is by far my favourite so far although the other two were very good as well.  There are loads on the list that I am yet to see of course such as Les Mis, Phantom, Dirty Dancing, Lion King, Mama Mia, Dancing Queen, Dancing in the streets, Evita and Blood Brothers to name a few.  We have paid a range of prices for tickets.  The best deal I have got us so far was paying 10 pounds to see whistle down the wind  - the seats were great!  We were in the middle of the 8th row from the front!!  Long may that continue!!  There are some that I have been warned not to do cheap tickets for - Les Mis is one of them - cos apparently with the way the theatre is set up it is hard to see from some seats.

My contract at work is due to end in two weeks and no offer has been forthcoming from my bosses.  Knowing them the way I do, I suspect it won't have registered that my contract ends that soon.  One of my bosses for example has suggested I register for a seminar in September (about 3 weeks after my contract ends).  I didn't say anything to him about the fact my contract will have ended by then because at this stage if I can I would like to work in London.  I am well and truly over the early start and delayed trains making me late for work or causing me to have a 3hour journey home.  I have an interview on Monday, turned down another interview offer and my name is in the hat for another two or three jobs (all of which are in London). In so far as my current job is concerned, I have been working on the basis that unless and until an offer is made which (I have accepted) my contract ends 21 August.  I will keep you posted!  In the meantime I don't want them to get grumpy if they get wind of the fact I might not be staying even if they do make me an offer.  This is, of course, all dependent on me getting another job.  If I don't get one soon, my views are bound to change!

I went to the New Zaland, Australia & Sth africa shop today.  It was great to be able to get stuff they don't have in everyday shops here like twisties, buger rings, minties, pixie caramel etc..although this time I was not purchasing for my own benefit, but rather to let my workmates have a taste of NZ!  I hope they appreciate it cos it was fricken expensive!  There are websites that you can order NZ from and they deliver it around the world so I will check it out to see if it is cheaper.  I spent 60 pound - if I had bought the same stuff back home I am sure I could have got it for bout $30NZD which effectively means I paid $180NZD for it!!! Normally I wouldn't do that comparison, but it is kiwi food!

Speaking of which, most of you will have received my e-mail about 'pak n save toast'.  I had a giggle during the lead up to it cos the organisers started by arranging a day for a few friends to come to.  They e-mailed their friends saying to bring other people if they wanted to.  In true kiwi style the e-mail did the rounds of London and there were occassions where I was meeting people for the first time and they would be talking about 'pak n save taost'.  Next thing you know, there was cause for concern about how many people mught actually turn up!  It also sounds like it became a case of chinese whispers gone wrong cos the next e-mail from the organisers needed to clarify that it was not a day that was being 'put on' rather it was BYO food and booze (!!) and there would not be stuff available for purchase contrary to popular belief!  Anyway, it really was a great bunch of people.  Everyone was in good spirits and sharing around their kiwi food (biguns, pineapple lumps etc) which was great for me cos I had left work early to go to the NZ shop the night before the event to stock up but I got sidetracked in a clothing shop which was having a sale - the next thing I know the closing time of the kiwi shop had come and gone (I was still trying clothes on at that stage - they were nice clothes tho, honest...and I bought them too!)!!  If you were one of the ones who got my e-mail about 'pak n save toast' you will know how my night ended, but for those of you who didn't get the e-mail, here it is....

well, one xray, one ultrasound and one VERY HOT doctor later, I have
confirmation that no bones are broken.....ok, i better explain but it may
take a while cos i am typing with only one hand....

a group of us went to hyde park yesterday for 'pak 'n' save toast'
(basically an excuse to get 100-200 kiwis together  for food, drink,
volleyball, touch rugby, cricket and generally a good time).  it was a great
day and i will put photos and full detail on the website before the end of
the week (some primo piccies).  anyway, after some wine it seemed like a
good idea for me and my cousin jess to dare each other to get in the lake
(fully clothed...).  jess got in first just paddling and then i did the
same.  unfortunately the edge of the lake is concrete which slopes into the
lake and that concrete is covered in duckweed (and possibly duck poo as
jules keeps telling us) or moss.  whatever it was it was slippery.
initially both jess and i did really well and the water was refreshing.
then i got a bit cocky about how well i was walking on this stuff and it was
at that point that i arsed out, landin on my hand and my butt (hence the
need for the xrays on my wrist and hand today).  the best part was that
jess, who turned to laugh at me (i was now sitting in the lake chest high in
water), then did the same thing!  jules has got some great piccies of the
aftermath (i am not sure how she`managed to keep a steady hand to take
photos cos all i could hear was her laughin VERY hard - actually some
passers by were amused enough to ask for our photo once we were out of the
lake.

while i have no broken bones i have torn some of the muscles in my hand so
it sounds like i will be chewing on painkillers for a day or two yet. but
otherwise all is good - and at least we were able to provide some
entertainment for the passers by!!

man this typing with one hand is quite slow.... anyway you get the general
idea for now albeit the edited version!

Many of you have asked how the hand is now...well, it was touch and go for a while but they tell I am going to live!  Seriously, thank you for your concern.  I still don't have full use of my hand yet (eg, I still type with only one hand) and it gets quite sore every now and then, but that is to be expected when you've been a dumbarse!

And Bec, no, I didn't get the doctor's phone number! Photos of 'pak n save toast' and the aftermath of my 'paddle' in the lake at Hyde Park are now on the site too! 

Jules and I are off to Cardiff next weekend to watch a soccer (crap, sorry, 'football') game at the Millenium Stadium which will be great - really looking forward to that and there will no doubt be more stories to tell....

Enough for now!  Hope you are all safe and well! 

A

xx