Pumpkin carving...Halloween fast approaches..

The English rarely understand how besotted Americans are with Halloween. Trick and treating is huge here and if you say trick you probably won't get egg'd as in the UK! I have already bought Iss her princess dress for Saturday and today it was time to carve pumpkins... this blog is really for my friend John who is a pumpkin carving virgin...John...if Issie can manage it I'm sure you can!

1. Buy a pumpkin with a nice side to carve a face into and cut it's head off

2. Scoop out it's guts and discard, leave about an inch thick on it's face side!

3. Draw a face on the best side of your pumpkin and then use a sharp pairing knife to stab it to death, joining up your stab marks. You don't have to be Picasso, the light will shine thorugh as long as you can make some holes!

4. Put a candle inside and it's head back on and you have a carved pumpkin!

Issie and I had great fun today. She was ace and worked hard at gutting her pumpkin and then giving it a scary face

Even Gary wanted in on the act after eating some of Issie's dropped pumpkin seeds...

Within an hour we had two super cute Pumpkins ready to be lit Saturday night. Issie was very proud of herself, she gutted it on her own and drawn the face, I just helped her with the cutting.

Warning though, Pumpkin gutting will exhaust your child...don't do on Halloween itself as they will sleep through it!

St Pete's beach...a little further than remembered..

Some of you may remember that for my birthday Jody took me for a long weekend at the beach in St Petes in Florida. In my head I remembered it as at most a 1 hour 45min journey....hmm the age must be addling my brain as it took us nearly three to get there when little Issie decided she wanted to go back to the beach...

The weather was overcast, but very warm, but the weathermen had said

gulfside would have the best chance of sun, so after a quick trip for cigarettes for Anne and a bag of sandcastle buckets for Issie and we were on our way...

Issie had Anne's Itouch loaded with Sponge Bob and Mickey Mouse and she looked very happy in the back. Anne and I were putting the world to rights in the front.

2 hours in to the journey and we still had not reached Tampa...hold on something is wrong here...get the sat nav out!

Still 50 mins to our destination Issie was now starving and the only way to placate her was by playing Eye Spy...I don't know how I kept losing, but the journey soon was over.

We lied our way into a hotel carpark, so as not to pay (naughty I know, but come on $15 for 2 hours!!) and we were soon ensconced in the beach bar having lunch and a couple of cocktails! Lunch over it was time to build!!

Ok so you can see the weather was slightly worse than in September above, however it was still warm enough to play on the beach and Issie and I duly started building a sandcastle. We would like to claim that it was all our hard work, but we'd found the big holes already had been dug.

We had fun adding castle towers, feather and shells. Multiple people stopped to admire our efforts ...we didn't tell them we hadn't done it all ourselves! Small ones have short attention spans and Iss was soon off playing in the surf. After getting sand in everyone of my nook and crannys the other day I wanted to stay out of the water....hmmm what could I do..

I know I'd imortalise Anne in sand...Anne look, I've built you out sand....she looked on in horror...I've got no hair.!!! This beach is cleaned everday so available detritus consisted of seaweed or seaweed...Anne, we've found you some hair!!!A great likeness I'm sure you'll agree!

Weirdly it took 1 hour 40 mins to get home, don't ask me how, I think we were caught in some weird time warp on the way there!

I promised I wouldn't post this...sorry!

The exhaustion of her nightmare journey finally caught up with Anne on Sunday evening. One moment we were chatting away, the next Anne had zonked out on the sofa...I left her be for about an hour, but she looked like her neck might snap if I didn't get her up for bed. (That and the dribble was starting run down her arm!!)
I gently woke her, and as she tried to regain conscientiousness she asked 'is it breakfast time?' ...Ahhhhh, this trauma had her bushed. I ushered her to her room and didn't hear another sound for 10 hours...sleep well friend xx

What we did Sunday...before the bags FINALLY arrived (well one of them!)

Still no bags, but shorts, t-shirts and swim togs purchased on standby (although Anne's footwear was causing a bit of a problem - see left!!) we hotfooted it to Jacksonville. Anne was feeling a little rough and had been throwing up a little, so we stopped for some Dramamine at Walgreens. Unfortunately, we did have a little episode when Gary escaped in the Walgreens car park, fortunately I exerted some cunning and pretended I was leaving and he was soon back in the car. The dramamine seemed to settle Anne down...Issie had Tinkerbell playing on the Ipod, so she was happy (and quiet!) and Gary was curled up on his towel next to Issie hoping for a tasty treat to come his way....

Why was I going back to Jacksonville? ..purely selfish reasons actually. Jody and I had been invited to dinner at a restaurant I'd wanted to go to for ages, you can see my review here, so I have to admit to abandoning my mate and her daughter with Pizza Hut on the way and Sponge Bob Square Pants playing...Anne was delighted to find we had at least eight episode for Issie to watch!

Sunday morning the sun was shining but the news on the bag front was not good. Although they had located one of the bags the other was still missing, and of course this would be Annes!!...oh well, not much we can do...Let's go to the beach!!! We packed the family up and spent a great three hours playing in the surf and reading our books...nothing better when the rest of the country is wet and dreary, Florida still in the high 80's with the sky blue and the water still warm.

Anne & Issie jumping the waves!

On getting back I get called back about the bags....yes they definitely now had Issie's bag in Jacksonville (the red one) and they would deliver later, and no, they did not know anything about Annes...

OH DEAR...don't know how much more of the bag palaver Anne could take!

I opened a bottle of wine and handed Anne a glass and told her the news. She took it well considering. Come on lets eat lunch and then I'll call about yours again...We had the lovely stew I'd cooked the other day and yorkshire puddings..delicious...

Whilst clearing up my phone rings....

'Hello- this is Delta Airlines at JAX, we have a bag to deliver to you'

....yes the red one right?

'No, it's black with a red ribbon'

OMG, YES, YES, YES

It was Anne's bag...'please deliver as soon as possible!!!'

'No problem, we will deliver between 6.30 and 7.30pm'

7pm rolled around and voila, one black bag arrived still containing all the chargers, meds and clothes!

Still no bag for Issie, but she was happy to run around in her new bikini all day, so not too much stress there!!4 year olds are easily placated, 39 year olds less so!

This week will be more beach stories, lots of swimming in the pool, Halloween pumpkin carving and of course Disney...stayed tuned!!

Comedy of Errors continues.....

If you have been reading the blog you'll know my friend Anne is in America, finally...however her luggage and that of her daughter are missing in the luggage Bermuda triangle!!

SO lets get back to the story. When you left us Anne was getting on a plane to Detroit from Amsterdam....Arriving in sunny (not) Detroit at lunch time she was met by a North West Airlines woman who already had their names on the list as missing luggage!..She text me to tell me.....
'Hi, made it finally to Detroit, slight problem, luggage is still missing and I have hardly any charge left on my phone, no laptop charger and my prescription meds are my case so I'm feeling a  bit crappy'


Anne....you packed your chargers and drugs in your case? what if they go missing...oh I forgot they never go missing do they?


Oh, so let me see

• Mobile phone charger (packed!)
• Clothes (packed...ok I'll let you off on this one !!)
• Lap top charger (packed!)
• Medication (packed!)

Anne what do you actually have with you?

• Phone (dead, nearly..)
• Laptop (dead)
• A book
• and her daughter Issie!

Talk about traveling light!!! LOL


A new text...(Anne, stop using phone it's nearly dead!!)..
'I'm trying to get on the 3pm flight so I'll be early'
Well early in so much as you should have arrived 24hrs ago!...but cool it wouldn't be so late to pick up.
All went quiet until at 3pm the phone buzzes again...
'Scrap that, didn't get me on it, do you think I should pay to get onto the 5pm one?'
..'Ok I've done it, we'll be there at 7.30pm..can you buy us some clothes cause we have nada!'
OK 7.30 meant I needed to get on with things, but still better than 11.50pm which she was due in on.
I was busy buying wine and clothes, the former being the most important to Anne and my sanity, when my phone buzzes again...
'I'm not on that flight anymore, the brakes were faulty, so I've got off and demanded a refund...I'll be on the 10 to 12'
OK...loads of time now..I even had time to make Jamie Oliver's Oven Baked Spaghetti Bolognese, and I was out of door early to the airport.
I was just getting up to the motorway when I got a text...11.10pm....
'I'm here!'
You are early... what happened...oh you were talking in army speak when you said 10.12...hmmm...good job your plane was delayed! LOL
I picked her up at baggage claim and little Issie still had a big hug for me, although she was looking completely shattered...come on lets get home!!! FINALLY

Coming to America...a comedy of errors

I may have already mentioned that my good friend Anne is on her way to visit me for a holiday in the sun...I say on her way but she is a little delayed..hmmm...there is a tale to tell...settle in with a coffee..it could be a drawn out affair.

Wednesday evening I checked her in online ( can she not do this herself you ask?...no apparently not) and I asked her what her arrangements for getting to the airport were. I'm all sorted she tells me, but I know Anne and decided to delve deeper... I have arranged the taxi to pick me up at 7.30am. Whoah...hold up...Anne, the flight is at 8.50am, it's international to America and you have your 4 year old with you...I think you need some extra time...also to where you are leaving your car it's an hours drive in normal traffic and it will be rush hour!....'I used to travel all the time with work (pre- 9/11) and we'll be fine. We'll see you tomorrow' I urged her to get there earlier, but guessed it would fall on deaf ears.

That evening (we're 5 hours behind) I said to my husband that I thought she would miss her flight, he told me to stop worrying and come to bed, so I did...surely Anne would leave more time when she had little Issie with her!

I woke up at 5.30am, still with a sense of foreboding, and went to retrieve my Blackberry to check for bad news...sure enough Anne had missed her flight...the motorway had been really busy..imagine that! I love her but Muppet came to mind.

Text flew back and foreward and eventually she tells me she'll now be here Friday evening instead, and whilst this gives me longer to clean up, my plans were slightly screwed...however at least they were coming. It cost her $240 to change the flights and now she would be flying through Amsterdam...hmmmm. so everything was back on track. WRONG

My phone beeped again... can you book me a cheap hotel room at Schipol airport please as I'm just going to board plane.... ok. I could do that, and being the internet whiz that I am (ok I can navigate to Priceline.com!!) I secured a 4* hotel for less than $95 inc tax (should have been $240).. pretty good!. I'd had to pay for it (it's the way that Priceline works), but I didn't want them in some hole somewhere.

Feeling pretty proud of myself I text Anne back to tell her the good news....bad news I'm afraid, we've been booted off the plane because Issie's ticket wouldn't scan properly and they couldn't re-issue at the gate...can you get your money back?.....hmmmm NO! ...so what's happening now?

20 mins later I get a text....we're back on another Amsterdam flight..hurrah! do we still have the hotel? !! ...hmmmm...YES CAUSE I COULD NOT CANCEL IT.....!!

This was becoming a comedy of errors, but at least they had moved out of England, all be it in the opposite direction to America !

Arriving at Schipol, she frantically started texting again for hotel name, reservation and directions and then all went quiet for a bit.

Vibrating another text arrives...

Guess what..they sent my luggage to Orlando..I have my laptop to wear!

Can this get any worse..?

I'm hoping she can manage to make her flight on time tomorrow, I have reminded her that the clocks are different there, so she needs to pull her finger out!

At least the hotel was nice, she messaged that her room was great and couldn't believe what a deal I'd got...at least one thing went right today! I left her washing her undies for tomorrows flight ;-)

Safe flight Anne, see you tomorrow! (maybe!!)

PS. try not to get this room if you stay at the Courtyard by Marriot...Anne washed her knickers in the bath

Update: As expected Anne had time difference wrong and would have missed her third flight...luckily Clare saved the day by checking with her! Muppet x 2

She'd be mine if I could steal her away!

This blog is for Hannah. She is the beautiful daughter of my friend, Kelli, in Australia. I stayed with them a few weeks back whilst I was working down there and she is a joy..in fact I did ask if I could pack her in my suitcase and bring her home with me. She's pictured here with the flowers she picked for me...what a sweety!  What I did notice is that she had really grown up...I only saw her 9 months previous and she was like a different child...it reminded me of a poem I'd recently read reminding you not to miss out on anything as your children grow and change so quickly..

Where Do The Children Grow © Christy R. Dawson

When you see a smiling face
Their happiness all over the place
Singing, laughing, cries of glee,
Come they say, Play with me
The slide, the swing, the monkey bars.
Look at them close to see who they are.
Lots of races, Ready, Set, Go.
This is how the children grow.


If you watch them everyday
You'll see they learn as they play
They'll do what they see, and say what they hear.
You're their teacher though out the years.
Their ideas and thoughts in their eyes shine.
Imagination is a glimpse of their mind
When you’re not looking, don't you know
This is when the children grow.

 Watch them as they learn to walk
Listen to them when they talk
Keep them safe, away from harm
Wrap them gently within your arms
Teach them to share and how to take turns.
Set good examples from which they will learn.
At home, at school, wherever they go
This is where the children grow.
 
I don't have children, but when I do I hope that I do as good a job as Nathan and Kelli have with Hannah ( and Noah..love you tooxx)
 

Things I'm not allowed to have in the UK....

Recently when walking Gary in Jacksonville I was the receipient of some unwanted attention from a group of men in our housing development. I wasn't particularly scared, it was day time and lots of other people around, and the catcalls and comments were from a distance...but still it was a touch un-nerving. I debated telling my husband and eventually said something. He was angry that I'd not told him before and said now he was going to worry about me walking the dog. I did tell him I wasn't scared, and I would stick to the roadways. Nothing more was said.

A few days later he was late home from work. On asking where he had been he presents me with a bag. In the bag were three packets of Mace Pepper Spray!

This was the triple action Mace, Pepper Spray and UV marker dye.

It combines OC PEPPER with CN TEAR GAS along with a UV MARKING DYE eeeeeeek!. OC PEPPER causes eyes to slam shut and uncontrollable coughing and choking. CN TEAR GAS causes profuse tearing, an intense burning sensation to the face and disorientation. UV DYE marks the assailant and may aid in identification once apprehended.

It's recommended for Bears! (and groups of men who are hassling you!). I'd never seen this product before. I thought it was only available to law enforcement in the UK...on checking I found the following..

It's illegal to possess mace, pepper spray or CS gas in the UK unless you're authorised by law. It is not available to purchase in the UK legally, you can have it imported from America although the seller will need to apply for an export licence and the licence will be refused if you just want it for personal use.

Hmmm.. and now I have three of these hand held sprays...and I've practiced against a tree! LOL..so beware if you see me with Gary...I'm armed and potentionally very dangerous, given that the tree fell over in tears and now shows up in UV light!

Laptop Woes....and then light at end of the tunnel!

My beloved HP laptop gave up on me this week...Sunday evening I spent 7 hours trying to repair. It all started last weekend when I was defragging the hard drive. I went to bed whilst it was still running and woke up at about 3am to see the screen still on. I got up to switch off and discovered that it had locked up....oh. No problem, sure it would be fine, I switched off and went back to bed.
Blogging (and work) to be done I tried to switch on Saturday morning...eek..it would only boot in safe mode...whats wrong with it!?
I posted some details of my woes in Facebook and a friend from the UK recommened  Combofix and Malwarebytes which I downloaded and ran...everything seemed fine and I was so thankful for the help...
Then....
Sunday evening everything fell over again..and this time it would not finish it's boot in Safe mode...OMG..I've lost everything. I spent seven hours trying to force the system to boot and nothing, nada, zip.. OK...scream!

I got into bed at 3am and was worried sick about the chance that the hard drive having failed completely. Hubbie, sensing my unease ( I'd woken him up!) told me to stop worrying and take it to the Geek squad in the morning....hmmm not really pacified, but knowing I needed some sleep, I went and got a Unisom and was soon out like a light.

In the morning I was a little zombie like, and the laptop would still not boot...ok lets see if the Geeks can get my data back. Bestbuy is just down the road and within 15 mins my laptop was in their hands along with $150 for a new external drive and the service to copy all the data accross..Good luck I said, not expecting much.

Six hours later my phone rang, a number I didn't recognise.. 'This is Best Buy, your order is ready to collect' the automated message said. No mention as to wether they'd succeeded! I happened to be just accross the road in the book store, so I hot footed it out and was back at Bestbuy within 5 mins.

'Here you go' said the cheery Geek Squad lady....Did you manage to get the data off ? Yes she said, all done....wow!

Ok so trauma over, I had my data, I'd need another laptop, but for now I could get to all my files with my new (and quite cool) external drive!

Last night I looked at my forlorn laptop sat on the table....I just couldn't give up on it, it would be like giving up on a friend. The least I could do is try and restore to it's original state and use it for some simple tasks..

I went to my husbands gaming PC (don't tell him !!) and started to look for some solutions....and then it occured to me, if only I had some restore disks....hmmm let's see...I got the PC model and Googled restore disks...low and behold there was a website where I could download and only £9.95....well it had to be worth a go.....

About an hour later I had a restore disk burned, but being nearly 10.30 I was ready for bed...I'd try in the morning to rescue.

This morning the task was simple....try and breathe life into my laptop...

And guess what.... contarary to what I expected it didn't wipe everything that was on my laptop, it deleted all the drivers and then loaded all the originals.....hmmmmmmm and now...I'm working on it!...

I'm still going to look at getting a new laptop...I don't think it's the happiest, but for now, I'm back and running again....

A quick laugh!

Have you every used JibJab ?...it's so funny. Today they sent me a link to generate a 'Monster Mash' for Halloween...It stars my whole family...I'm the wolfman if you are wondering!! LOL

Enjoy!

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

New Moon obsession...this one's for Hannah

At 38 I'm not really the target market for the Twilight books, however, like many I have become a little obsessed. You may have noticed the countdown on the side of my blog for the opening of the New Moon movie on 20th November, and I can't wait. I'm even going to drag my husband along ( I'll have to pay later, but it will be worth whatever!!).

It all got started when I innocently mentioned to my friend Hannah that I had loved the Twilight film and I'd bought the book at the airport to read when I arrived in the UK...oh she says ..you know there are 3 more and I've read them multiple times...Ok Hannah, you are a little obsessed I said, but none the less started to read the book. I'd finished within a day, simply could not put it down, and was begging my Mother to go the shops for me (I was working) to get the next three!...5 days late and I'd read it all and now I'm as crazy about it as her! I watch Twilight at least once a week and the trailers for New Moon 2 or 3 times...!!!

Ok the reason for the post, because you may see that there is a video embedded here...Hannah and I also have rather a liking for Robert Pattinson. Before you all scream ' cradle snatcher' at me, so does half the world's female population, so I'm definitely not alone...so Hannah, this video is for us and all the other RP fans out there, roll on the 20th...Enjoy!!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Neighbourly love, and the Karma goes on!

Yesterday Gary and I were returning from our afternoon walk when one of my neighbours (who I dont know) stopped me and asked me to help her. It was nearly 6pm and I would be soon going to badminton, however I would hope that if I was in need that someone would help me out.
 She was stood there in gym work out clothes and just socks. Apparently she had gone out onto her back porch area and the sliding door had locked behind her so she was locked out, she had even had to slice through the mesh on her back porch to escape. She asked me if she could borrow my phone to call the office to ask someone to come out and let her in.


I didn't even hesitate to say yes and hotfooted it back to apartment to get my cell phone.
We called the main office and everyone that could help had gone home. We asked what happens in an emergency, and the woman on the other end was totally not helpful.


Hmmmm we were stumped. Ok what now. Lets get the toolbox, I suggested, and see if we can't jam our way in (OMG I'm helping someone breaking & entering!). I lugged the toolbox down to her apartment and she climbed back into the back porch.


No joy..it was jammed shut. Apparently the lock had drpped behind her ( although how difficult it was to get in did make me feel more secure about our sliding doors!).


We were running out of options. We needed a locksmith to get her in. Every morning Gary and I walk past a locksmith who lives in the development, so I told her that I'd get my car and we'd drive around... 10 mins later we'd called the local locksmith, J & J Locksmith, (904) 400-5150 , and he was on his way. ( I don't normally advertise companys, but you'll see why)

I dropped her off back at her aparmtment and wished her luck getting in.

Quickly getting changed for badminton I was back down to go out in about 30 mins. Low and behold the lady was out walking her dogs. I slowed down and asked her much she had been charged.....nothing, he'd let her in for free as he could see what sort of state she was in. That is neighbourly love and hopefully good Karma will come back on us both!
It doesn't hurt to show some love to your fellow human being, and hopefully if I was ever in the same position someone would help me.

Michael Jackson's Lost Song, finally found (out!)

Hmmmm...I was never the greatest MJ fan, even though I grew up with Billy Jean and Thriller (really when MJ was a talent). I was always of the opinion that musically his talent had definitely waned in the last 15 years. So when we first started to hear about the 'lost song' I was a bit sceptical.... I mean who lost it? who found it ? where did they find it ? was it under the sofa ? Or did it get lost by itself....in the woods. Did anyone know it was lost ? Were they looking for it ? ....so today the 'Lost Song' materialised on the web...coinciding with the film release of his final tour preparations...

Hmmmmmm... I think I've heard this before... This Is It appears to be a remix of Heal the World, I Just Cant Stop Loving You and a few of his other songs... I know that this is probably not going to go down too well with the MJ fans, but thank goodness that THIS IS IT!!!

RIP Michael ...and please your family and management let us in peace too

No YouTube posts yet of the song, but as it's been all over the news today, you will have needed to be on a tropical island not to have heard it already!

update: This is It film preview....

Posh shopping.....

When my husband came home on Saturday from work he informed me that he had invited some work colleagues for Sunday lunch. I don't have a problem with that, but normally I like a bit more notice so I can get the house cleaned and plan something delicious to eat.  Hmmmmm, what to make...I know, a traditional English Sunday Roast Beef lunch, with Yorkshire Puddings. We had nothing in the house, so a trip to the supermarket was in order. Normally we shop at our local Publix, however hubbie wanted to see what Whole Foods was like as I am always telling him if I died and went to supermarket heaven this is where I'd want to end up! You can see what a beautiful day it was, not really suitable for roast dinner, but we could always turn the AC down...we're doing that alot lately and it's supposed to be Fall!. If you've not been to a Whole Foods, they specialise in Organic produce and pride themselves on their fish, meat and cheese departments, all of which at the Jacksonville location are superb. You will pay a little more, but as you can see from this organic pepper and chilli display, it's more like looking at art than shopping!

I love the olives and antipasta, which is next to the cheese section. If I'm ever lost and I can't be found anywhere you might find me face down in Whole Foods olive display! and the cheese...we both had to try the free Comte...yummo! Anyway...you're asking what did we buy... Organic beef (on sale), broccoli, cauliflower and asparagus, red potatoes and two bottles of wine, one of which turned out to be fantastic value ($5 off), a Pinot Noir called Camelot, French, bottled in California...normally I'd shy away from that, but I have to say I wish we'd had two bottles!...

Hot footing it back to the house, I managed to have dinner ready within two hours, and after we consumed far too much food including the largest yorkshire puddings ever and a Key Lime pie we all slumped in our chairs in front of the football, semi-comatose. I can't afford to shop at Whole Foods all the time, but when I can I really notice the difference in freshness and quality...so if I won the lottery, forget fast cars and huge houses, just let me shop at Whole Foods!

Blogging - the window to the world....

I started blogging for a bit of a laugh really, just getting down my thoughts and day to day goings on in my life, but it's become more serious now because I have followers. I'm not a celebrity or anyone of any note outside of my family (I think I'm pretty ok though!) but people are now following me!..it's a strange feeling really.
I've just looked at my reader stats and my last 7 days look like a world trip, Malaysia to Australia, America to the Lebanon, England to Pakistan.... so now I have a responsibility..

It's a bit scary to tell you the truth.. I'm not a writer, I've had no formal training. I'm funnier in person than on paper as my strange facial experssions to not translate well! but now I have to come up with new and interesting blogs so as not to lose any of my new found blog readers....I promise I will try!

It's nice when one of these new found readers stops by and comments. Sureindran is in Malaysia, and writes this very nice blog, Speech of my fingertips, I encourage you to go along and have a look. He has a really nice writing style and you feel sort of relaxed when reading. So my blog has also become my window to the world as I get to meet new people with different talents, I would not have had these opportunities before so for blogging I'm grateful.

Where is Fall?

Ok..just to be clear, I'm not moaning, but where is Fall exactly? I've just logged on and my iGoogle page presented with me with a very pretty fall picture...underneath you can see Worcester England temperature, hovering in the high 50's (quite good for the UK)....here...oh a summery 93 today and staying that way all week. It's beach weather!

Click on picture for full view

 To tell the truth I love it here. I was born to exist in a warm place...as I look out of the window now there just some fluffy clouds in bright blue skys...I can't wait to get back to the house this weekend and use the pool...

But if any of you have some nice leaves on the ground, autumn pictures feel free to send to me...I miss walking through the fallen leaves and seeing my breath when out walking the dog..and then I toss up moving back to the cold wet dreary and look out the window again...sorry England but seeing the sun everyday is hard to give up ;-)

New friends...

I've just connected my camera and found some pictures of my new Australian friends at Rollwell Engineering. As you can see they are a little camera shy! but I did tell them I'd make them famous...in Glen's case I think infamous would be more appropriate
Thanks for all the hospitality guys, and Glen and Stuart, thanks for letting me make you coffee!

...Stuart and Glen trying to hide from the inevitable, Lindsay thinking that shutting his eyes will somehow stop the camera, Leanne, probably still picking all the wrong bits from her Subway sub, and then Glen eating all the bits Leanne had spat out, nice!