ashthomas.net

Well i hope everyone is well and rested after the long weekend. No doubt none of you are, as it always seems that you need another four days to recover from the last four!!
I know i do!

But what a weekend!!
Possibly marks the best night out in England so far… Big call i know, but i had such a great time!
So to start, Thursday night went out for drinks after work and had a few too many – it’s the only downfall of not driving. You can always have a drink no matter where you are…( i do use the word downfall very loosly). So had a few beers and a curry then headed home to pack for an early start in the monring.
I was the first to Victoria station, the others are gaining a bit of a reputation for being late…very late. However, they did arrive on time – Chan, Shaun, Alex and Danielle. All set and ready for a 5 hour bus ride to Barnsley. We were all a little seedy, so the time was spent reading, listening to ipod and eating pastries. We arrived at about 2:30 to be met by Chan and Shauns mate Jemma and her boyfriend Shaun who they met while Jemma was working in Stuf at miranda a few years ago. To make the world super tiny – Jemma’s boyfriend, Shaun, worked for Claire Simpson’s dad ( PLC girls)!! how crazy is that??
So anyways, we stayed at their beautiful home all weekend and I am sure they are sick to death of us as we ate them out of house and home.
Friday night was relativly quiet, a few drinks at home and some home cooked dinner, always good! Then on Saturday we headed off to York to get some sightseeing.
York is a town that has a stone gate all the way around it and is still in its original layout. Obviously it has expanded but it is rather cute with alleys that resemble Harry Potters Diagon Alley with cobble stone streets with “Ye Olde Fudge Shoppe” and houses who’s doorways you had to duck under!
We came across a street called “Whip Ma Whop Ma Street”, according to the tale, its where prostitutes used to hang out. Or something like that, the photo i have of it is up in the Gallery and the whole gang is there aswell.
Saturday night took us on the greatest pub crawl of all time. Barnsley is known for all its pubs, there is about 60 all up, and every saturday all the locals to a pub crawl. EVERY SATURDAY!!!! The pubs are all very modern and funky with great music and some very good looking people!
So we hit the first pub and we watched in amazement as the crowds dispersed after one drink. This was the trend as they were all moving on to the next one down the road. All in all we went to about 8 pubs and ended up at the Walkabout where we got in because we were aussies, and obviously part of the attraction – ( just between us, i think it could have been more because there were 9 girls and 2 guys, the ration was on our side)!!
After numerous beers and snake bites we decided to call it a night, got a maxi cab home and while everyone else workshopped( stealing Max’s word) the night, i passed out and had a great sleep!
Sunday was a write off. We stayed in bed and lounged about til 5pm. We watched the OC ( great great episode) and many more trash filled shows…just what i love to do on a miserable hungover day!
We took Shaun and Jemma out for dinner on Sunday night and while Shaun Holt was keen to hit the town again, we called it a night.
Monday we went to an indoor snow slope thing. So weird. We didn’t actually have a go, but there was loads of other stuff to do. We were back on the bus at 5:30 and arrived back into London at about 10:30, I was hom just before 12.
And that, dear readers, brings us to today. While i’m not feeling totally exhausted, i am looking forward to going home tonight for an early night in!
This weekend it’s Obie’s birthday so i am sure there will be much mischief to be had aswell as many many drinks.

Hope everyone had a safe easter.

Mum – glad to hear you are well again… hated not being there for you!! but maybe it was good that you missed all the easter feasting??
Dad and Dane – hope all is good down your end.. mate, java hasn’t installed, might get the IT guys to have a look for me! But photos should be up later this week – there are some up there now though!
ok it’s the end of the day now, better get going!
xxx
p.s it’s daylight savings time now so its 3 hours difference and other time of day. Hope that makes sense!!

Hi Everyone.
Just a quick update before the long weekend, as i plan on not being anywhere near a computer!
Am off to York tomorrow with the shire crew ( the saying, “you can take the girl out of the shire, but you can’t take the shire out of the girl” takes on new meaning when there is a mini shire right here in the UK). We are staying at Barnsley and I’m looking forward to some days off, even though it will hurt the bank balance!

Nothing too exciting to report this week, other than a broken shower – which was fixed by one of our landlord’s many relatives/friends. Yes that is about as riveting as it’s been. Early night tonight, a few quiet beers at home me thinks, and then up bright and early tomorrow for the 5 hour bus ride! Oh the joy!

The weather is back to grey but still rather warm, which is manageable. Except it’s been raining, and i have yet to invest in am umbrella. Go figure.

OK This is possibly my most boring entry.
BUT a big hello to Mum who i hope is back from hospital – hope you are feeling better
Mate – can’t believe your ipod got stolen ( you’ll just have to get the newest one avaliable now…are you sure you didn’t pay someone to break in???)
Dad – next time you see Grams tell here i loved her email! And i’m so proud that she’s progressing to the world of internet at the age of 90.
Everyone else – Have a Happy Easter, be safe, good and take lots of pics to show me.
Oh and Kingy – thanks for the call buddy, i must say i got tingles from hearing good ol’ aussie music!! I miss it!
ok over and out readers.
xx

Hello Readers!
The fun began a little early with a night out on Thursday night for St Pat’s. We went to an Irish pub in Soho, where i bumped into my housemate Ian. There were quite a few drinks put away but we thought perhaps the dancing would counteract the drinking…it so didn’t. Chans didn’t even make it to work ( she says it was her asthma…chyeah right). Another very seedy tube ride, followed by some hashbrowns at BK to start the day on Friday!
Had a very splendid weekend, with tops of almost 20 degrees on saturday which led us to have a picnic in Hyde Park. It was SO lovely! To think that i have photos of Hyde Park when it was snowing and then a mere 3 weeks later and it is gloriously sunny and warm!
Alex, Shaun, Chan and their housemates were all there and we just sat around, listening to Pete Murray, playing badminton and just enjoying the rare opportunity to sit in the sun.
Saturday night we went to Shepard’s Bush WalkAbout. Which pretty much translates to a seedy Carmens basically. So obviously we had an EXCELLENT time! Live music, two for one cruisers and a massive dance floor. Good Times, Good Times.
We decided to call it a night when the ugly lights came on…. and goodness me – where they ugly!! Took me an hour to get a bus home…not fun at all, but was so excitied to get into bed and not have to do ANYTHING the next day! Which is exactly what i did! Bummed around with Merle and then met her parents as they were over from germany. Then sat infront of the tellie watching OC and other fabulous trash!
So everything seems to be falling into place now. The job is good, always something different happening and there is talks of staying on a bit longer which is encouraging. It’s Easter long weekend this week so it means short weeks and lots of sleep ins. Am contemplating hiring a car and driving somewhere, but am having a bit of trouble with my bank account still. And they said it would be easy!
So will let you know.
Am going back to blonde soon – this minging reddy/brown is simply hideous.
ok better do some work.
xxx

Well Hold The Phone!!!!
I am currently experiencing a HEATWAVE here in sunny and warm London!
The last two days have been very pleasant indeed! Highs of 18 degrees!! goodness me! I think it’s a sign for a very fine summer to come.
Everyone in the streets is in such a better mood, people walk lighter, aren’t as pushy on the tube. It’s just lovely!
Of course it is nothing compared to the 28 degrees you have all been having, however i did notice in this morning’s paper ( yes i read the paper, in the morning, on the way to work – i am a true 9to5er) that today was only 22 down your way…so technically its not that much hotter. So weird!

So today is St Patrick’s Day. So all the pubs are going crazy and I will be having a few after work drinks with some people from work and then catching up with Chans and Alex B and Brad Heckendorf ( sp?) in Leicester Square. Good Times to be had!

Not going to Nottigham this weekend, but will probably catch up with Shaun and co. It’s all starting to feel alot like my home now which is nice! I think the weather has alot to do with it. I’m no longer suffering from S.A.D in more ways than one! Ha!*

ok better finish up here at work
love to you all, to be sure, to be sure!
xxx

* Don’t you love how even across the internet ether, my bad jokes still shine through – T8′ers i am sure you miss them greatly!

So,
Week one of the job, week two of the house and into the third month of being away!! Goodness me how time goes by!
I guess you could say I am officially living in london now, and not just bludging of family or friends!! I have made up a very strict budget that i hope will carry me through the next few weeks. And boy is it strict!!
I am also looking at a weekend job to help aide my stay here – so i have applied for some part time work for a company that do all the events like premieres, shows etc etc. It’s extra cash and also I would get to see some things that I wouldn’t probably go and see!
So hopefully they will hook me up with something soon!

Had a good weekend, caught up with my room mate on sat night as we are both strapped for cash so we had a few beers and watched tellie. But it was really the first time we had sat down and had a chat about everything!
On Sunday i went to Channie and Shaun’s place in Finsbury Park where they are living. The house is lovely and it was so nice to catch up with familiar faces. Nicole Metham was there too, it was just like old times… The girls cooked up a great roast dinner and we drank more than our fair share of red wine – Right Shaun!!
I popped into Caryn and Max’s and then headed home, meaning it to be an early night as i started my first real day of work here, but instead i was on the tube on Monday morning feeling ever the worse for wear! Not a fun time at all!

This weekend I am off to Nottingham with Nic Metham, which should be great!!

Other than that, not much else. Booked my hostel for the first stop of the trip and all the flights ( which only cost 99 quid all up!!), so am very very excitied about the trip away. It will be almost 4 weeks, and most of it will be spent in the sun!!!!!!!! ahhhhh yes!

Have been shocking with updating photos and what not but i will try and get them up this week!
Hope everything is fine and dandy on the flip side.
xxx

hello!!
well this week has been one of trials and tribulations on the emtional rollercoaster that is Ash Thomas!
While i was high flying earlier this week, with the prospects of getting some cash, the job was only for two days. Wednesday was a killer. Was very homesick and just generally upset. Made a few phone calls to home and had some rather unexpected but pleasantly surprising phone calls made to me. So that bucked me up for a while and then i went out with New Friends – Kara, Sarah and Nicole whom you may have seen in the Australia Day photos.It was just nice to have some company and a few drinks and some yummy food. Three of my most favourite things.
I think the thing is over here is that i’m not surrounded by all the people back home ( well duh!!), but because i have been so used to it, it really is a bit of a shock to the system spending some much time with myself. Don’t get me wrong, I have always found myself good company, but after nearly 3 weeks of me and my thoughts, frnakly i’m a bit over it!!
However! The agency have called and i have a temp job for 4-6 weeks. The pay isn’t sensational but its more than earning nothing. The tax system over here is a killer, they want you to be part of the system, another number in their computer programs and yet they make it virtually impossible to achieve this. But as soon as i get my tax number i will be back paid, so thats a good thing.
I start tomorrow and after finding out what the company actually do, i’m a little excitied. It’s call Newsquest Finacial Media and it is a branch of a media company that publish loads of newspapers and magazines and they host websites etc etc. So there could be some possible contacts to be made and opportunites to be had.
They say we aussies land on out feet over here…hopefully i just did.

Another piece of good news and somehting to look forward to is the prospect of an adventure on the continent!! Kara, Nicole and Sarah have just booked their tickets and i will be soon for a 3-4 week journey starting in Berlin for the LOVE PARADE!!!!!!!!! Em/Sherbs re: Chasing Liberty – my aim is to get on a float and boogie my bum off!! ( and hopefully have a sexy CIA agent after me too). After the Love Parade we will be going to Slovenia ( sp?), Croatia, Slovakia and some other places inbetween. So that gives me incentive to get my butt into gear and prepapre for my first holiday adventure!!

ok well i think thats pretty much it at the moment.
tune in tomorrow for my first update from my new job!!
over and out!