Lisa works for the Ministry of Justice

Yeah so you had better watch out, I know people who know people....well not really. Though you must admit it sounds quite impressive, working under the honorary (hmmm) Jack Straw. Mr Straw is the UK Secretary of State for Justice, so he is in charge of prisons, civil and criminal courts (all courts really), civil reform, data sharing, freedom of information, human rights, youth justice as well as burials, cremations and coroners! And man do the prisons cost them a pretty penny.

Anyway, I am employed under HMCS (Her Majestys Court Services) Change Program, looking after all the management and board reporting for the Libra Change program. Libra is the name of the infrastructure project to put in place to ensure standard IT programs and processes are within all the UK magistrates courts, so that they can all access the same information. This basically means that if a person commits a crime in the UK. all the courts will be able to see the same legal information (documents, previous convictions, summons, fines etc) at a glance, as they all will be linked up with the same programs.

I am also looking after another smaller project called DARTS that involves replacing the court reporters stenograph machines with computers and a program that does the same work. Its a no brainer, but its been on the cards for years it seems.

It's all very interesting, at times quite eye opening, and of course with any new job I am currently dealing with quite a large learning curve. Though for me that is the rush and I am really quite enjoying it. I was hesitant at first, as I actually thought I would be bored as it is about IT projects for the Government, no less - so sorry if half of you are now snoring. Though gradually more and more work has started to come my way and I am finding plenty to do, as I learn more about what is involved in each project.

The best part, I am working oh about 5 minutes away from Buckingham Palace (affectionately known, by me, as Lizzy's Lodge) so we are kinda neighbours and am really looking forward to my lunch invite! I have the Welsh Guards across the road, Scotland Yard around the corner (well protected), Victoria station down the road (decent travel connections and a good shopping mall right there), and best of all St James Park across the way (great for lunchtime summer picnis - if the sun would ever come out for more than 5 minutes at a time).

It only takes me 25 minutes to get to work, which is a dream for most people, though that is with no walking at all involved in my commute - a bus stop out front of the house and tube stop next door to work). So since I will start getting podgy if I don't walk, I am walking half the way, which is basically from Sloane Square (my closest tube - about 15 minutes from my house by bus, but a nice bus ride across Chelsea Bridge) to where I work next to St James Park tube station, and that takes me about 25 minutes to walk. It reminds me of how small London actually is, and how much the tube is relied about to go such short distances.

Anyway I shall post pictures up soon, as I don't currently have any. I am slightly afraid I will get arrested by either the Welsh guards or Scotland Yard Police for doing so, as there are always so many police and army guys hanging around everywhere! Mind you its a tourist haven, so its highly unlikely!!

On my way....

Well if you have not heard by now I am on my way back to Adelaide, I fly out of London at 8.20pm GMT tonight, via Dubai, Singapore (just a refuel) and Sydney before finally landing in Adelaide on Sunday morning.

I am home for a family visit, but I do hope to catch up with friends where I can, in the 3 weeks that I am there. I could break into song with "I still call Australia home........", but well that is too cheesy and you all know I do anyway.

Columbia Road Flower Markets

Summer days and what better to spend a some time at a flower market. I have been longing to go to the Columbia Road Flower Market in East London for, oh about the whole time I have lived in London. Alas, my love of sleep; in particular the Sunday morning sleep in, puts that visit well into the deep recesses of the far too hard basket.

Flowers

Anyway, it turns out you don't have to set your alarm clock (an old fashioned one in a saucepan - thanks Megan) to drag yourself up and 6am. No it seems everything about Sundays in London also pertains to the Columbia Road Flower Markets. In that nothing starts till late....and by late its about 11am, and the peak or rather the most manic time to go the flower markets is about 2pm, which is when it is supposed to be finished.

Odd, but that is when the flower sellers, drawling in rich Cockney accents begin to go slightly psychotic and your ears begin bleeding from their never ending, albeit just slightly grating, overlapping echos of "Two for a fiver, three for a tenner...Two for a fiver, three for a tenner..." and on it goes...eeek. As if my ears don't already ring enough.

Me with Flowers

Matt and I arrived about 1.30pm with me stressing they would run out of flowers, clearly that was never going be the case, as despite the fact the street was teeming with people all the flower sellers were still very well stocked. I picked up a gorgeous bunch of pink peonies and two of lisianthus(which are still my favourites). The peonies were about the size of small cauliflowers, but looked a lot like super hemorrhaging exploded pink roses, and were, and still are, so gorgeous.

Matt looking not that impressed...with the flowers....

That afternoon we did a bit of extra exploring in the Spitalfields Markets, ohhh I can still taste the heavenly chocolate brownies mmmmmmmmm. Our wanderings involved a detour past the Petticoat Lane markets (a long detour to find a cash point....but hey its not like we had pressing engagements) before returning home so I could display the bunch for the rest of the house to enjoy in my lovely sunny living room.

Pretty flowers at home

Its been crazy and its summer........sort of...

So I have been a very busy girl as per usual, but that is no excuse. I am not deliberately ignoring Facefart (my affectionate name for the thing - Facebook - that now hogs all my time with my photos, though I partly blame because I take so many damn photos), this blog, sleeping, eating, emailing people, phoning people, or my washing and ironing, I am just enjoying my life for a bit.

That and when the sun is out in London, so am I. It seems its a rare phenomenon, something that involves having lived here to understand, as an Australian I am known to take the sunshine for granted, but as a Londoner....not a chance.

I am, however, working on a few blogs at the moment, and there are a few with so much happening; a new job, new friends, getting used to the new flat, a trip to Madrid and away to Croatia for a week for a wedding, well the time I have to even myself is quite limited.

But so you know what I look like..................

At Mari & Barns wedding in Korcula, Croatia
Mari and Me on the Island
In Madrid with Maddy and Sophie
Alderly Edge, near Manchester doing a bit of walking in the countryside
Matt & I at Lon & Toni's BBQ bash
Me on Columbia Road markets in East London, what a find!