Sierra Leone

The Sierra Leone trip is on hold until we hear back from the SLTU about when they want us to come over. I've just about got over my hissy fit about this and I understand the rationale behind changing the date it's just making my life more difficult.

On the positive side(?) I got three injections today, Yellow Fever included, so I'm all set to go, well except for the Malaria pills, which I really don't want to take since I really didn't get on with them in Vietnam and in the end stopped taking them.

I'm looking around my room and starting to plan the rebunk for E17, but it is daunting.

I'm going to upload some pics of Sierra Leone and then take a break from the internet as it's very slow at the moment...

Road Trip, Road Trip, Road Trip

This weekend Kylie, Sharon and Agneiska and I are off to Bruges. It's Kylie's brilliant idea and I can't wait. I don't feel like I've left London in ages, let alone the country ... ok it wasn't that long ago, but it feels like ages.

We want to spend some time at the Christmas markets, which means lots of mulled wine....



I'd like to get another external hard drive for Mr Mac 'cos I'm super paranoid and I figure it won't hurt to get another as an additional backup.

Since I'm about to move I'll be doing my best not to purchase too much so will just enjoy the break and being with good friends and maybe a bevy or two...

Battersea Car Boot Sale

Kylie and I took off from home in an overloaded Ford Escort to brave the wilds of Battersea's Car Boot Sale on Sunday. I very sensibly chose a sale which didn't start until 1pm. We did however get there early and were turned and told firmly to come back at our allocated time. After several too numerous to mention point turns Kylie weaved us out of the maze of the lovely council estate that the car boot sale was in the middle of.

Feed and ready to face the crowds we returned. Stopped off very briefly at the British Flag, the local pub. Upon entering everybody just stopped and stared. Exiting the toilets, Kylie suggested it would be polite to buy a drink since we used their facilities (which were spotlessly clean, perhaps because there were no other females). However, since we were again the centre of attention, I suggested I would prefer not to be the entertainment for however long it took me to scull my drink. Kind of like Cheers, but then really not...

So we parked up and were swamped by eager buyers. Before we had even unloaded the car I had sold at least half of my stuff. Somebody said he'd buy all my DVD boxsets and that was before he'd even seen them. The Mac and mobile phone went as quickly as did the TV and PC monitor. I took oddles of stuff and returned with 12 DVDs and my chilly bins, which I'm quite happy about. I don't know what they're called over here so nobody had a clue what I was talking about.

Unfortunately whilst we were being surrounded by the hoards somebody took off with Kylie's camcorder, speakers and a Starwars game so her most profitable sale items were gone. Once I'd been told where Kylie had gone (in hot pursuit) I threatened to hunt down and kill anybody that stole anything, which got me some very startled looks, but seemed to work!

Agnieszka, the wonderful woman that she is, came along with much needed coffee and did a good sale pitch on anything anybody showed the remotest interest in.

So I came away with over £400 which is lots more than I expected and I got rid off all my big stuff so the shift will be slightly less traumatic. We were only there for two hours but both knackered and Kylie, bless her, is well poorly today, trying desperately to hack up a lung.

Go to Kylie's blog for her account of the day...

The Early Years

I've been thinking of my childhood a lot recently, for obvious reasons. I don't think I know anybody (well maybe Merryn) who loved their childhood as much as I did. Well other than being convinced that Niki was trying to kill me ...

Think of the freedom we had. Spending all day going to and from Sandow Riding School. All the adventures we had along the way. The horses, the open spaces and bicycles and definitely our family. Niki may have hated having us (ok, that's probably just me) tagging along all the time but I guess she didn't have much of a choice in the matter ... I would certainly have squealed quickly enough if she tried to leave me behind! Remember the Commonwealth Games, how amazing was the summer of 1974. Precious McKenzie pulling me out of the pool after Niki convinced me I was jumping into the shallow end (see para 1).

The way I never got in trouble for taking off to Rakaia on a Friday after school, having snuck out in the morning with my clothes stuffed in my school backpack. The kindness of people giving me a lift to Riverina and especially the kindness of Bubs who suddenly had an extra mouth to feed for the weekend.

I don't necessarily think we grew up in a safer time. We were lucky (the odd misadventure aside) and we travelled in a pack, ALWAYS. I really can't remember spending any time alone as a kid. I can remember Dad being worried about how attached I was to Arthur and there I was thinking he was jealous that I had a second father figure ... I'm guessing that's not what he was concerned about. See the photo below for Jane in early pure drama queen mode as Ken and Arthur prepare to leave Newbridge Place.



PS: I'm not commenting on the rugby other than to say my worst nightmare came true