Archive for April, 2006

Finally

Wednesday, April 19th, 2006

I’m sorry!!!

Apparently I have two disgruntled familes who are waiting to hear the details of the new, and fabulous, flat that Jayne and I now live in.

So here it is – Our new flat is AMAZING!!! Bottom level of a terrace house, two massive bedrooms both with fireplaces and huge double beds and our. own. space!!!!!!!!!!

The hall then leads into the living area which then turns into the kitchen in what architects like to call a ‘L’ shape living space. The bathroom is at the end of the house and then there are two sets of glass doors that lead out into our garden!! Ok, so most of it is cement, but there is a little corner that gets the right amount of sun for a herb garden!! Fingers crossed!!

There is even a resident feline who walks along the fences between all the other houses… i really feel at home here!

So we have been there for a week and half and i don’t actually think Jayno and I have had a night in – we are very social and like it that way, but tonight is our first family dinner just before a proper family dinner with Sue and Paul being our very first house guests!!

There are still a few bits and pieces that needs to be purchased but all in all, the place is really starting to feel homely. I put together the tv unit and some other miscellaneous household things and am turning into quite the handywoman… got a set of tools and everything!

So, thats all been lovely!

And then last weekend was the Easter long weekend and Zula, Kirsty and myself had a bit of a roadtrip.

Borrowing Jon’s car while he is in Australia, we hit the road in the early evening hours of Thursday night and made good(ish) time and got into Zu’s home town about 11. All excitied and getting a new wave of enthusiasm, we stopped off and bought bucket loads of cheese and wine and got back in the car screaming a sing-a-long to “Freestyler” when the car decidedly stopped.

A little gentle coaxing and it started up again and then stopped mid-road… needless to say, the high went to an all time low. We were helped out by several friendly folk and managed to get the car into a parking bay for the night and Zu’s mum came and got us.

We stayed up chatting and eating scrumptious food and drinking fruity reds and then it was off to bed.

Being ever so slightly anxious about the car, i was up at sparrows, however the other two, not quite the early risers. However, at about midday we set off to check the car would start… it didn’t.

Zu gently placed her hands on the bonnet, declaring that her hands were magic and it would all be ok.. and sure enough, it was. The Corolla was purring like a kitten with a ball of wool. Excellent.

Rather than wait and see if she would cut out again, i sped like a mad women along the winding roads back to Zu’s mum’s place and the dark cloud of anxiousness made way for the super sunny blue skies.

We set off for an afternoon stroll – Gloucestershire is really lovely, and it was so nice to breath in fresh farm air and get out for long walks. We found these amazing twsited trees that had the branches low that made it look like a wonky ladder like something out of the faraway tree! So being the brave ladies we are, we set to climbing them…. successfully! But the bit where we had to try and get down was ever so slightly harder… Not only were we not as limber as we were when we were 8, we were slightly more scared of the consequences of falling aswell. But we made it down no stress.

Revelling in the fact it was only Friday, we decided to cook up a storm for Zu’s mum then hit the town – Monmouth.

A round of three drinks was less than £5 and we got well into the swing of things, swigging down pints of cider and black… mmmmmmmmmmmm Had such a fun night because we didnt really care!! Such a nice feeling sometimes.

Anyways, home by 12 with a momento from our drinking adventures ( pint glasses with the welsh emblem – they have DRAGONS, which to be fair, shits all over our kangaroo and emu)!

Saturday was spent sleeping off the hangover and then going on an epic 2 hour walk to Tintern Abby with an amazing picnice of jacket potatos, salad and yummyness. We finally got to Tintern and then pretty much scoffed the food to make sure we got the bus back… the bus, costing £3(!!!) was possibly the smallest little thing i have ever seen in way of buses, but it got us to the next town where we went to a little pub called the Ship ( or could be the Boat) and we sat in the beer garden which was a bit like Peter Pan land with waterfalls and tree roots entwined with moss. Lovely.

Saturday night we chilled. Zu’s next door neighbour came round as did Rachel’s (Zu’s mum) friend Clare. We sat around the fire place deliberating politics, education and film. All very civilised, lots of wine and cheese was consumed as is a neccesity for such conversations..(or any time at all).

Sunday morning we laxed about, reading and baking and cooking a delicious lunch of seafood paella. And then back on the road again to London. The Corolla roared into action, and it was smooth sailing -ahem, driving – all the way home, via Oxford for a bit more cultural experience.

Got in, with all intentions of going out, but we were all exhausted to no end and called it a night.

Yesterday was off aswell and i pottered around and did some DIY ( with a drill!!!!) and then off to sushi with Kirst, Zu and Zu’s flatmate Cary. We then went onto Tea at a gorgeous patisserie in soho and then decided it was Monday and we needed cocktails. And then more cider.

So today has been a little tiny bit painful, but overall, not hideous. The weather is looking up, the days are certainly longer and summer is in the air… slowly making its way to London.

 And that, dear readers, is me.

Hope you are all well, emails of your updates are muchly appreciated.

xxxxx

Villa De Vauxhall…

Tuesday, April 11th, 2006

please tune in tomorrow for the update – bit busy today!!

xx

 

Spring Has Almost Sprung

Sunday, April 2nd, 2006

But the grass has not ris!!!!

Yes it’s Officially well and truely into April and it’s still not sunny, well i guess it’s kinda sunny but it’s still not very warm at all.. and frankly I HAVE HAD ENOUGH. WHERE IS THE SUN?????????????????

i need some warmth, i need my freckles to come back to life!! If you have a look at the pic of me and Em from St Pats and see how much the freckle sisters have changed!! Em is little miss freeckles and i am little miss pale face!!

anyways – not much has been happening in the world of ashthomas.net, basically last weekend was relatively massive, starting on the thursday night staying at Kirsty’s for work girls night in.. which incidently coninsided with the geronimo gentleman’s night out.. very funny indeed to think that while we were out gossiping about the blokes from work ( the whole 6 of them) that they could have wellbeen doing the same for the 34 other women in the office!!!

Friday night was out after work for a bevvie with Russ and Kirst from work and then met Em and dew and went to meet my friend Sarah, her brother Charlie and her friend Rex at a great little jazz bar called Octave in Covent Garden which we stayed out til 3am and then hope again for funny chats.

Saturday night was dinner with Kirsty’s parents ( and my new adoptive parents) in richmond. possibly one fo the funniest nights i have had, tummy aches and all!!!

Sunday was a right off but then accidently went out again in the night and couldn’t quite make it to work on monday! oops!!

This week has seen pay appraisals, jayne coming home and the annual oxford vs cambridge boat race – which actually happens tomorrow but tonight ( sat night) we have all the girls over for a catch up with Jayno… good to have her home and she brought many gifts and we love her for that!!!

Tomorrow is the boat race so we are going to pack a picnic and go and watch it at Hammersmith. Hopefully the rain will stay away just long enough!

Only another week til Jayno and I move from Chateau de Caledonia to Villa de Vauxhall and while it’s sad to see the end of an era, it’s a bit exciting to be moving to a new place to explore and MY OWN BEDROOM for the first time in over a year!!!! WOOHOOOOOOO!!!!

 

ok well hope all is good on the flip side!!

XXXXX

Spring Has Almost Sprung

Sunday, April 2nd, 2006

But the grass has not ris!!!!

Yes it’s Officially well and truely into April and it’s still not sunny, well i guess it’s kinda sunny but it’s still not very warm at all.. and frankly I HAVE HAD ENOUGH. WHERE IS THE SUN?????????????????

i need some warmth, i need my freckles to come back to life!! If you have a look at the pic of me and Em from St Pats and see how much the freckle sisters have changed!! Em is little miss freeckles and i am little miss pale face!!

anyways – not much has been happening in the world of ashthomas.net, basically last weekend was relatively massive, starting on the thursday night staying at Kirsty’s for work girls night in.. which incidently coninsided with the geronimo gentleman’s night out.. very funny indeed to think that while we were out gossiping about the blokes from work ( the whole 6 of them) that they could have wellbeen doing the same for the 34 other women in the office!!!

Friday night was out after work for a bevvie with Russ and Kirst from work and then met Em and dew and went to meet my friend Sarah, her brother Charlie and her friend Rex at a great little jazz bar called Octave in Covent Garden which we stayed out til 3am and then hope again for funny chats.

Saturday night was dinner with Kirsty’s parents ( and my new adoptive parents) in richmond. possibly one fo the funniest nights i have had, tummy aches and all!!!

Sunday was a right off but then accidently went out again in the night and couldn’t quite make it to work on monday! oops!!

This week has seen pay appraisals, jayne coming home and the annual oxford vs cambridge boat race – which actually happens tomorrow but tonight ( sat night) we have all the girls over for a catch up with Jayno… good to have her home and she brought many gifts and we love her for that!!!

Tomorrow is the boat race so we are going to pack a picnic and go and watch it at Hammersmith. Hopefully the rain will stay away just long enough!

Only another week til Jayno and I move from Chateau de Caledonia to Villa de Vauxhall and while it’s sad to see the end of an era, it’s a bit exciting to be moving to a new place to explore and MY OWN BEDROOM for the first time in over a year!!!! WOOHOOOOOOO!!!!

 

ok well hope all is good on the flip side!!

XXXXX