Oh the weather outside is frightful...

I'm shivering away and loving it!

If only I'd remember to take my scarf & beanie out with me it'd be even better. Everyone's huddling together, rushing in and out of shops, warming up with a mulled wine, winter Pimms or eggnog ... now that's delightful.

I was on the bus today crossing Wandsworth Bridge in a stunningly heavy fog. It was impossible to see from one side of the Thames to the other! When we paused mid-bridge we could only see dull, slightly darker masses on either side. The only clear things were the cars in front and behind and the lampposts along the bridge. It was almost as though we were floating in the clouds. Magical!

... Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

We wish you a Merry Christmas ...

I'm a little torn about Christmas this year.

On one hand I'm exhausted. It's not just the parties, it's my long work hours combined with my determination to go to the parties despite my long work hours. I'm forcing myself out and forcing myself to have fun which isn't exactly how the season is supposed to work. Plus I just want some sleep.

Which is a shame, because I was more excited about Christmas this year than I've ever been. Ever.

When you're a kid it's mostly about presents and lots of holidays. My family Christmas never really had a religious push behind it (though I did think Christmas Eve Mass with my grandmother was kinda cool). We never went overboard (though Santa obviously always thought I'd been an extremely good girl). Those long summer days, weeks and weeks of them without having to go to school were just as exciting. Unless I went to England to be spoilt rotten - that was good too.

But thanks to some wonderfully festive friends, I've rediscovered my Christmas spirit over the past couple of years. So I've been looking forward to it for months and months.

And yet I find myself sitting here, a week out, wishing I didn't have to go to a party I loved so much last year, wishing I really had started on those Christmas cards a little earlier, wondering if I can find a website that will still deliver gifts for Christmas, and looking forward to everyone heading off for Christmas so I can have a break from it all.

But at the same time I'm so desperate to enjoy myself. I'm packing up all my favourite things to take away with me so I've got all bases covered. I'm triple checking about arrangements for Christmas day and trying to think of gifts that will please/not kill everyone. I'm responding enthusiastically to each and every invitation that comes my way.

Because Christmas only come once a year. And if I wait until I'm ready for it, I'll miss out. And no one wants to miss Christmas!

Settling back in

So now I've been home just over 7 days and I'm still desperately trying to settle in. I finally unpacked my suitcase the night before last and I repacked it this morning so there was actually something for the cleaner to clean!

I'm glad to be back in London. I think. For the first time I'm actually imagining what life would be like back in Sydney. I'm not saying it's particularly appealing, but it does cross my mind more often than usual. It's also been interesting to think about going back to LA now that everything I know there has changed.

But for now I'm happy to be here. Well, not exactly here (work) because I've spent way too much time in front of this computer over the past week ...

While I was away I got a promotion (yay!) but unfortunately this means I am now doing two jobs whilst trying to replace myself as well! Add to that the fact that I dared to take a holiday and it all adds up to a rather large workload at the moment. It's only Tuesday, but since waking up on Monday morning I've already spent more time here than I've been away.

But at some ungodly hour last night, when even the craziest workaholics had gone home I finally finished my first project. And although I'm sure it'll be ripped to pieces this afternoon, I'm feeling kinda proud of myself at the moment. Anyway, no time for any more self appreciation ... back to the grind I know and love!

But I do miss Sydney ...

Home Sweet Home?

So, I've been back for seven hours exactly and Sydney seems a lot more than half a world away.

For the first time I found myself feeling homesick for Australia ... very strange!

I think all the little people provide a much more tangible measure of how long I've been gone. When I look at the changes between a two month old and a two year old, it's easy to see just how much of her life I've missed!

Then I come back to a beautiful, crisp, misty morning and realise what I've been missing since I've been away from London.

Feels like I'm supposed to be, or maybe I just want to be, everywhere at once.

Sweet Pea

After numerous adventures along the way (more about them later) I finally got to meet Miss Hannah Beth Patten - thr sweetest pea of them all.

We talked for HOURS (okay, I talked and she slept!) and are now the very best of friends.

Can't wait till she comes over to play tomorrow (her Mummy can just hang out with my folks!)

Hannah Beth

I speak too soon and finally there's something (or someone) worth writing about!

I've never been happier to be woken in the middle of the night than I was this morning. On the other end of the line was Erin, lying in hospital, calling to tell me that she and Adam were the proud parents of little Hannah Beth.

Born at 00:59 Friday 5th October, weighing 6.5 lbs and stretching a mightly 52cm, she's a little beauty.

She wasn't particularly kind to her mother for her first 9 months of existence, but no one every doubted her appearance into the world would be well worth it.

I, of course (because it's all about me now!) spent 20 minutes jumping on the bed, nearly an hour trying to call my parents, texted Jack because I couldn't work out who else to tell, and interspersed it all with floods of tears.

Now I just have to wait 20 days to meet her ... I'm already 11 hours into my countdown!

Bloggers Guilt

As is often the case in my life, I've slacked off on the blogging.

Not because my life's been so thrilling that I just haven't had time. Just because I never quite got around to it ... plus it's easy to ignore when you know no one is watching!

Going home soon so I'm sure I'll have something to say for myself then!

Blind Light

Saw (half - the rest was closed due to flooding!) the Antony Gormley exhibition at the Hayward last week.

I rarely get to see a sculpture installation with works all by the one artist, so it was great to see how one creative mind evolves.

I'd seen photos from when Mum & Dad went to check out Another Place at Crosby Beach, and I'd run into one of the statues from Event Horizon while walking across Waterloo Bridge one evening.

Once I learnt more about the purpose of Event Horizon - 30 statues situated around Southbank all facing towards one of the Hayward's sculpture terraces, it all seemed a little more impressive.

And I had prepared myself to enter Blind Light ... not that I knew what I was letting myself in for!

To experience such disorientation when there's so much light is fascinating.

I'm going back.

Blind Light at the Hayward
Antony Gormley

After the wedding's over ...

Much fun was had.

Much dancing was done.

Much posing in the spa and sweating in the steam room was enjoyed!


Not to mention the delightful country walk thanks to the Tour de France ...

Congratulations to the happy couple :)

Going to the Chapel!

but I'm certainly not getting married!

Will be celebrating my first UK wedding though, as well as a great weekend away with friends. And everyone involved is someone I've met since I've made London my home ... it really is home now.

If only I could decide what to wear :)

Shit happens

I was reading a friend's blog yesterday about waking up with a bad feeling and then wondering, when that bad thing happened, whether it was always meant to be or if it was a result of you expecting the worst.

You could go round and round in circles with that one.

What's worse is when you're not expecting anything at all. It's a regular day, the sun is finally shining a little and the weekend is closing in. Then you get a rather unexpected email telling you that a colleague was found dead in his home yesterday.

You don't know how to react because although in some ways you know him, really you don't know him very well at all. You're shaken and can't quite seem to stop thinking about it. But everyone else seems to be getting on with their day just fine. It's not that they don't care, it's just that it doesn't quite have a place in the day they had planned and no one's really sure what to do about it.

So, I think that shit just happens. You can change things from day to day, but other things are just meant to be. There's no point thinking about how you can't control them - you've just got to focus on those ways you actually can affect your little bit of the world.

Friday's weren't meant to be as hard as this - I need a drink.

See! This is easy!

Here's to living vicariously!

Booked two trips today

1. A train ride up north to see the family. I'm hoping that Mum & Dad will be able to come and visit me soon, but for now it's tea on the train ... At least I get a weekend out of town!

2. Flight to Oslo for the late summer bank holiday. My last overseas trip was the beginning of April and it's killing me! Oslo was never high up on my list of places to see, but now I'm all booked in it I'm starting to wonder why not!

So, different ends of the scale and yet I couldn't say which one I'm looking forward to more.

Welcome to Cohen!

Monday 28th saw the arrival of Cohen Roy Lovell.

Matt & Lib look pretty happy with themselves - well done guys :)


All the gory details can be found on their Perth Ponderings blog (there should be a nifty little link to the right of this blog).

I'm biased towards, well, babies in general, but he's quite a looker if you ask me!

Not so regular then ...

Seems I just can't dedicate myself to this blog business. I think I need to get over the idea that it needs to be important and get on with filling these pages with babble.

Or perhaps I could fill my blog with other people's news!

Oh I like this idea ...

One day in

I guess the worst thing about blogging is when you don't really have anything to say.

I can't even devote enough time to sorting out the layout and putting in a picture, let alone trying to think of something witty.

Methinks I'm going to have to rethink my plan to force myself to blog everyday.

Let's see - I'm going up north tonight for some time with the family. I'm showing my age when I realise just how happy that makes me.

Starting Small

Actually, not really starting at all.

Just making sure there's something on screen if anyone should feel inclined to click on the link.

I'll be back.