Here in the Sunshine: December 2006

Saturday, December 23, 2006

Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year

Just to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year. Mark and I will be off this morning, as soon as I am done on the PC down to Brighton, well Goring-by-Sea to visit Anne for the Christmas break.

It should be lovely the weather is expected to be warmer - about 7 degrees- and there will be no fog. We are having a proper cosy Christmas dinner with all the trimmings and we have pressies all wrapped and ready for Christmas morning.

Tonite we are heading to a Panto (Pantomime) as is the done thing to do at Christmas over here, its Peter Pan i think. Tomorrow night we are going to a comedy club in Brighton and then it will be Christmas.

Ballet - The Nutcracker

On Wednesday night I had the pleasure of going with Danni and Gert to see the English National Ballet perform a modern ballet Nutcracker Suite at the London Coliseum, which is a gorgeous grand old Theatre near Trafalgar Square. It was lovely, and I managed to sneak in a few photos too...

Sunday, December 17, 2006

Back In London...Madness ensues

We are back in London, I won't say gloomy London though, as its actually been gloriously sunny the last couple of weeks - though certainly not the day we arrived back, what a yucky day that was. Though I think that was our being punished for enjoying a serious overdose of Adelaide sunshine. Also all the trees lost their leaves whilst we were away too, which made it seem more wintery and yucky on first impressions.

It's finally starting to get proper cold and by that I mean its actually now below 5 degrees and you can see your breath when you are outside. It also means I can now walk to the station and to work in a jacket with work clothes underneath and not be practically melting by the time I actually get to work. Tonight it was severely foggy and about 1 degree coming home, and it still is really foggy, and its really quite strange as I don't remember there ever being much fog in Adelaide.

I actually love the cold now, hated it in Adelaide, but love it here. Weird, but I reckon its to do with the fact that it never was really really cold and when it was you were totally unprepared (I have not forgotten the 2 weeks of winter we had last year in Adelaide without the central heating - ugh yucky).

There is something totally lovely about being all really chilly, with your breath misting up in front of you, whilst being all rugged up with a scarf, beanie and gloves, and knowing there is toasty warmth behind the door of absolutely everywhere you go. Of course this means you practically dress and undress yourself (external gear only) about 10 times a day!!! I also face the problem of walking in from the cold to the warmth and having to take my glasses off to de-mist each time too.

Christmas is nearly here now and despite the fact that we have no tree, no decorations, no tinsel, nothing Christmassy what-so-ever (we have a few cards up - but I doubt they count), it does REALLY feel like Christmas. It could be that the shops are madly busy and highly decorated (Harrods was lovely), our local street has Xmas lights shapped like Xmas trees up on the lamp posts, we have a huge Xmas tree up in the park next to our flat with pretty blue fairy lights and Stratford has Xmas lights up that look like candy canes.

Oxford Street ...I know I posted these before but they actually should go in this post!

Regent Street

One of the highly decorated trees in Harrods (oh and you should see their amazingly massive toy department...we spent ages in there)

Though I think its mainly to do with the fact that this is how I imagine Xmas should be, even without the snow, though a spot of snow on Xmas day would totally make it for me. We have been iceskating twice now, which I love (especially as I am better than Mark at it and he is always better at everything sporty (and in general)) and neither of us fell over at all.

Tower of London rink

First we went at the Tower of London, which has the pretty background of the Tower in the background with lots of blue fairy lights around all the now bear trees.

Lisa at the Parliament Hill rink

The second time we went on Parliament Hill on Hampstead Heath during the day on Sunday and it was really chilled out, no stressed out staff members frantically matching ill fitting boots to ill tempered people, and we had our full hour there. I will do it again before the season is out, maybe at Sommerset House or down at the Natural History museum...

Anyways will post more later...time for bed for me

Saturday, December 16, 2006

Leaving Australia

It was great to be home for two weeks and we had a fantastic time...just a couple of photos of our leaving Australia. First one, Adelaide from just over the top of the Adelaide Hills, the next one is of the Murray further along, then 2 of Sydney...and the last one is of my Mum and Dad. :-)

Brighton, South Australia

We took a couple of much worthwhile trips down to Brighton Beach whilst we were home, and as you can see the weather was superb. I think we will peruse these pictures when we get a bit cold and miserable in London, just to remind us of what Adelaide has to offer.

Ahh the beach...

Mark, Chris and Saroeun

And on a separate day we had lunch with Marks Uncle Leo and here they are on the beach.

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

How much do you know London?

Since I am too lazy to, or rather, too busy to get down to finding proper time to sit down to write you all a proper post of the continued life and times of the lol-around-about Londoners. I thought to write you a quiz instead to make things interesting and to see what you know about London - answers to follow in a further blog. It also means I have less of a requirement to think of quaint witty things to say about sometimes mundane things, which is seriously hard work.

Earlier in the year not long after we arrived in London, I found a new thing to love in my life, known as Waterstones, the bookstore - sigh! - and they have lovely comfy couches and a coffee shop (not unlike Borders, though they have them here too).

It was there on an extended browse through the far too many isles I stumbled across this little book called " So you think you know London?" - here are some questions from the book (there is a theme too, let me know if you can guess it)

1. In which building are the crown jewels?

2. Which major international tennis tournament is held in SW17 each June?

3. Which major ceremony is held in London on the second Saturday in June every year, drawing large crowds of tourists?

4. In 1986 a fire started by a bedside candle devastated parts of a Royal building to the west of London, which Royal building was it?

5. At which carnival in 1976 was there a major riot which injured some 400 police officers?

6. Bankside powerstation now houses which modern art gallery?

7. The London Planitarium is located next to which other famous attraction on Marylebone road?

8. Which building, connected with astronomy , did Sir Christopher Wren build in Greenwich in 1675?

9. In which park would you find the Serpentine?

10. If you were in Bangla Town, known for its Bengali and Bangladeshi communities, would you be near Brick Lane, Lambeth Road or Euston Road?

Enjoy!

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Baby Bonanza

Ok its time to introduce everyone to all the babies that we visited at home, we had fun visiting them all....

Harrison McDonald (14 months) who is best buddy Laura and Grahams little treasure...

Susie with Harper (3 years)

then little brother Beacher and....

his twin Kai (who both just turned one)

Tim & Jaq's Cool Toby ... who I believe is coming up 2 years old.

Deb with James (4 months), who looks just like his daddy

Hannah Wanzek (4 months) and....

her big brother Jayden (2 and a half years)

Avril and Steve's baby Harry, the smallest one at 2 months.

Kelly and Scotts bubs Cooper (9 months), who was as cute as pie when I visited...

Cute little Kate - Brett and Michelle little one who gets a brother or sister really soon. (Kate is 9 nearly 10 months old)

Jen's 2 year old twin Emma and her brother...

Tyson, who are nearly 2 and a half years old now

And last but certainly not least is my wee little nephew Oliver... who is 4 months old

and him being good on his Christening day..

On the baby front there is also Rebecca and Tim's tiny twosome, Chloe and Samuel - who are just over 3 months old - but very tiny since they were born at 30 weeks. I did get to see them and their mum - very happy about that - but I didn't even think to take a photo (Bec has sent photos so here they are).

Also there is Alex, 18 months, who is Angela and Simon's little man. Treena & Tundes, little boy Gabriel (just over 2 years) who is due a sister/brother very soon. Lisa's sweet little girl Zoe has just turned 2, and mum tells me is turning to tantrums.

Other babies which are due a mention here are McKenna (nearly 2) who lives in Canada with Bob and Shawna our fabulous Canadian buddies. As do Nicholas and Aryka, who live in Alberta with the amazing Dyane and Sheldon.

In the pipeline - Heather & Dave's baby...at 40 weeks plus its anyday now, any day; then Megan and Grant, due New Years; Brett and Michelle, in January and there is one more (no not me) but cannot confirm that one just yet!!! She knows who she is. Love ya all.

Friday, December 01, 2006

It's My Birthday - Lisa's 30th Celebrations

Well I had a fantastic night and am so glad I got to see so many of my friends all together all in one place. I know it was a school night, but you'll have to blame; partly, me for being slack in organising it earlier, that Kylie bird who had a concert on (who does she think she is) and Xmas parties for booking out the Archer on a Friday night!!!!

Aside from that it was a great night and thank you very much to all you lovely bubbly people who came along to wish me well for my entrance to the - Dirty Thirties....well cannot wait for .......bring it on!

See below for all the fabulous photos of the night. Love ya's all - Lisa :-) xxxxxxxxxx