Finale farewells fever (for me anyway)

A few weeks ago, I was watching the only thing that we generally seem to tune in to on a regular basis on Sky. He whom I adore - Frasier. I am however quite disappointed that Sky seem to balls it up by replaying the ones you have seem as many as about 6 times in a few weeks - yet other episodes seem to never be played. The other gripe I have, is that (obviously) they can't play them in sequence! My dear Pommy housemates who have only just got into the Frasier thing, (nothing to do with my addiction of course!) do not know that Niles and Daphne hooked up - but know that they are about to pop out a baby.
Well, this is just the tip of the iceberg. The day I moved from Oz the last episode of Frasier aired on Aussie Teev. Therefore I had some, er other things on the agenda and never saw it. Until recently. I turned on Frasier on (?!) after dinner and started watching (always wondering if I had seen this one - and how many times). Nope. Haven't seen this one. Good. But sad. Everything seemed to come to an end with no room for plots to be evolved. Then it came to me (when Daphne gets rushed to hospital!) that this was the last episode EVER! Well, I have never cried so much at a TV program. I don't know whether it was fact #1 it was the last one, #2 it was sad, or #3 just plain I was mad at Sky for not informing me that this was it! The finale! Usually this comes along weeks before - you know the end is near. But not this time.
Friends on the other hand, was desirably played to fill in a Sunday night. Another one I had missed out on at the time for I had more things to do in Aus than watch telly. I don't know whether this one was because I knew it was over (like watching a grand final where you know your team is going to lose cause you heard people talking when you were going to just tune in for the replay. But now you know the score so why bother?) K was building me up to it too. She was so teary eyed - bless. But this gave me time to prepare myself for the inevitable.

Oh and for more waterworks whilst we are at it...!

A.F.L fo me in the U.K

Setanta Sports
This weekend was quiet, mostly spent at home listening to the rain bucket down in this so called summer. I did my normal channel flicking to make sure there was nothing we were paying for in our Sky package that we were missing out on.
I came across the Setanta Sports package blocker. A few months ago we discussed whether it was worth it to spend more money on something that was a waste of money to start with (Think crappy Celicas). Giving it a chance, we did some online research into Setanta Sports who hold the rights to show Aussie footy. Due to a crappy website and the lack of being able to make sure that AFL and premiership pommy footy was being showed on a regular basis, we chucked in that idea... For just a few months.
Yesterday we had more determination (or was that desperation?).
After yelling at the website for its inability to take me to more than 2 screens to 'subscribe online for the cheapest price' and the 1 month free deal, I called them on the PHONE! (shock horror)

Maybe it was the Glasgow events of the weekend, but I thought the Scots were supposed to be a friendly bunch?
Anyway, Greg says 'we are having an issue with the website'.
AGAIN!?(man they should get that fixed after 3 months) but its the same price and the free month is out of affect. Oh well, we opted for the go ahead anyway.

About 20mins later, I feel like im home - AND ITS WINTER THERE - the AFL is on my teev! K and I watched the majority of our first AFL game in the UK - Sydney v Geelong - at Skilled Stadium (Geelong home ground - Geelong reminds J of Schlong he he)
Sydney didnt win, but the weather there was much like here (well its Victoria for gods sake!) and K got a taste of AFL for the future.
Next week - Go you Crows! woo hooooooo

UK shopping tip #1

People beware: there is a new? social disease in the UK - the return of your debit card after purchase!
This has happened to me AT LEAST 3 times. and no, it ain't just the factory robots at the likes of your local H&M, Sainsburys or M&S. I have discovered it also has effects at the upper market high street designer stores. Originally I put it down to the laziness/lack of customer service/staff that get paid £2/hr. Now I know better.

Somehow, you have to put all your previous purchases behind you. Forget the great customer service you experienced in Oz for the most part of your shopping life where the assistant ALWAYS processes the card for you and all you have to do is remember the numbers(and basic motor skills).

Don't make conversation - or respond to them when they give you gift with purchase. Just watch that card. That way you don't have to spend the night retracing your shopping steps (or strides). You don't have to call them the minute they open to abuse... er, I mean ask them if they have it. Or is this just me!??? I have never lost ANYTHING in my life! (note to self.)

Road trip June 2007 (Courtneys pics to follow..)

The brief publishable version.

The greatest thing about not working - is your ability to do such spur of the moment things.
That or the reason it isn't very sunny in London is the fact that it makes normal (well almost) people do extraordinary things.
One Sunny afternoon in June, Mike and I polished of a bottle of Piper, followed by a a distant cousin, white wine.
Mike: 'I have to go away tonight - I have a conference in Manchester - you should come!'
V: ok!

Jumping on a last minute train, no clothes or other essentials, we realise it is destination Stoke on Trent. 'No fear, we can do both!' Mike says. After lots of booze, a spot of shopping and a few attempts by Mike to get arrested, we head to Manchester to see Courtney the tour guide extraordinaire.
'Hey guys' Lets party, Manchester pub crawl style.' We had cocktails, met some Geordie and sang Karaoke with the finest amateurs. It was so much fun. Getting back to Courtney's, we slumped our abused bodies into a teeny single bed where it was lights out in a matter of seconds.
Awakening the next morning, still pissed, we managed to make it to meet Courtney for lunch and wander the day time hungover version tour of Manchester.

I need to go there again - it was such a nice part of the UK - and for a majority of it I was in a hazed state of Rose, cocktails and cheap Bacardi diet cokes.

Don't go home Courtney. Stay on the UK party bus foreverrrrrr - we love you!

Mike and I proceeded to the train - one decision we could ACTUALLY make. The 3 hour trip was arduous - but again - fun and full of laughs!

School disco

From left to right - Sandra, V, birthday girl in question REZ (who ALSO went to my hight school - albeit 7 odd yrs apart! and Ali)



(from left to right - Sandra, V, Ali - who I ACTUALLY went to primary school with on the OTHER side of the world! and Kathryn)

Ok we went we danced - and we got dressed up in what apparently is a school uniform (see my Reynella East High uniform)
I am sure there will be more piccys to choose from soon (ie official photographer - we have been snapped publicly 2 weeks in a row now!)



(from left to Sandra, V and Kathryn)

For more embarrasing shots, please visit Kathryn's blog...

M by Madonna at H & M

A sample of the collection that I couldnt resist purchasing! (Note: latte is not my colour - please visualise the black version ;) I can't believe how much of this stuff was bought purely to make money on ebay!

Surrender ye olde Australian drivers licence

Congestion Charge

In 2003 London became the world’s first major city to introduce a congestion charge to reduce the flow of traffic into its centre from Monday to Friday. While the number of cars entering the ‘congestion zone’ has fallen as a result, driving in London can still be slow, particularly in the rush hour.

As most things in London, It took a long time to accedentally stumble across.

Whilst considering the purchase of a BMW (fulfilling a long term goal - and cause I can) in the UK as an alternative to public transport, I did a bit of research regarding the expense of it all.

Car insurance. Mostly nowadays done online, I filled in my details. £3000 per year..... hmmm... is it really that expensive? Lets do a check.

I changed one key element - international drivers licence to UK drivers licence. £600 per year....

This is something I need to look into further! Locally known as the DVLA, (aka Motor Reg!) I discovered that technically, after 1 year residing in the UK, an Australian drivers licence is invalid. There is however one option. Exchange your Oz licence for a Brit one. Its not all that hard;-

Send in some cash, a painstaking filled in form, your british passport!!!!!!!!!!!, a new passport sized shot and the old Oz licence (you know the one with the nice piccy from when you were in your early 20s). Wait for 3 weeks and hope that some welshperson doesnt accidently misplace/copy/steal/sell on Ebay your British passport.

Well on returning from Cork Ireland for St Pats day, there was my returned passport in the mail. I felt I had slightly betrayed the passport by using my Oz one in its place. But at least I got a stamp!

So its official - I can legally drive in the UK - minus the international insurance price tag status in my bank account!

You know what wakes me up in the middle of the night covered in a cold sweat? Knowing that you aren't any worse than anyone else in your whole screwed up generation. In the old days, you know how you got to the top? Huh? By being better than the guy ahead of you. How do you people get to the top? By being so fucking incompetent, that the guy ahead of you can't do his job, so he falls on his ass and congratulations, you are now on top. And now the top is down here, it used to be up here... and you don't even know the fucking difference.
GO, 1999

Basement Jaxxxxxxxxxx @ Wembley

Ode to Carly and Nat - who couldnt be with us tonight.....(there was no Rendezvous!)

Red alert Red alert!







Oh my gosh! they're makin eyes at me (and I don't mind)

Random night out pics - 1 December 2006

Just cause they are funny...

1. Mike munchin dessert/Paul pulling a face (he doesnt always look that handsome ;)





2. Paul doing ET lookalike


3. Mike (drunk.)

Happy Anniversary to us!

Yes, its been that long - Rez and I had been in the UK for 1 whole year on the 30th November 2006.
We celebrated (in style) at the Garlic and Shots restaurant - how bizarre. Some of the highlights of this momentous occasion were:

* glass of beer with 3 cloves of garlic crushed in it - look! It floats in the froth!



* choc dipped garlic cloves disappearing act

new fave dwinkie - for the festitivities!

Went to a nice place overlooking the water in York on the weekend that had an extensive cocktail list, called The living Room.
Glancing through this book of treats,(whilst Julez opted for the cappuccino option at 5pm) I concluded that with such a big range, I had to indulge. Hmm, some of my favourite things! 'Il have a Basil Grande please!' Now you may think, basil!???? or looking at the ingredients, Chambord, Grand Marnier, Cranberry juice... maybe cracked black pepper is a tad more odd... as my dad used to say (and probably still does), 'dont knock it til you try it!' It was simply divine!
Typically being an Aries, I get bored easy, so I moved on to something with vodka and elderflower - i dont exactly remember the rest because after the BG everything else was well, just a mere concoction of blah blah (ahhem, champagne aside!)

Be weary mary, this fairy has a scary hairy!

Ok, So I went to York for the weekend - I promised I would take many pictures... first of all tho - the new hair do! *SHOCK HORROR!*
This is the just done, not so boofy versions...stay tuned for that!
Oh, and thats Julez' new hair do too ;)

My Aussie twin in London?

Does anyone know if they have released Richmond Hill the series???


An associate of mine mentioned to me the other day, while watching Emmerdale (UK soap) he thought that I looked alot like an Aussie actress who played a barmaid in this series (however she was an older version). I did a google search and came up with the following:

Emily Symons: Propping up the bar at the Woolpack, being stalked and committing the occasional murder is child’s play for Emmerdale’s Louise Appleton however Emily started out starring in Aussie soap Richmond Hill before moving on to Home and Away where she played the memorable role of dizzy Marilyn Chambers.

Who's gonna make the gravy?' Paul Kelly
(as performed at Toast Australia)
I guess the brothers are driving down from Queensland and Stella's flying in from the coast
They say it's gonna be a hundred degrees, even more maybe, but that won't stop the roast
Who's gonna make the gravy now? I bet it won't taste the same
Just add flour, salt, a little red wine and don't forget a dollop of tomato sauce for sweetness and that extra tang
And give my love to Angus and to Frank and Dolly,
Tell 'em all I'm sorry I screwed up this time
And look after Rita, I'll be thinking of her early Christmas morning
When I'm standing in line

Id dieeee to be with yoooooooo tonight!!!!!!!!!!!

It was just a bit of a laugh when Rez said 'hilarious - Jimmy Barnes is performing in London - lets go see him?!' Ok, why not, Ive never seen his entirety in concert, and hopefully from the reviews of the tour, he will be doing some classic Oz tracks that are on your list of 'things to do before you die' ie 'see Jimmy Barnes sing/ scream Khe Sahn and Flame Trees live'. Well I have now managed to tick this box. Not only did he sing these two classics, he also managed to belt out for about 2 hrs some other classic (or not so classic!) tunes such as Lay down your guns (my fave from when I was 16 - wow what a long time ago!) Feels like only yesterday when that was a hit on the new album of the time, the cruisin soulful Jimmy era 'Soul Deep'. THe youngest 2 Tin Lid members Jacki and Elly May joined the enterage, Jacki being quite the drummer, but was a bit dissapointed to see that what Jimmy probably thought was an opportunity to give the youngest daughter a shot at stardom beyond Tin Lids ended up being a 'stand on stage and act the spoilt brat/cant smile/cant dance but can look like a 10c hooker' was a bad call.
Mica Paris and Andrew Roachford also made great guest appearance - more like a i can sing/scream louder -fest!

My fave Adelaide event!

Ok, who has pics of Sea and Vines 2005 for me to upload to my blog? I dont seem to have any! What a day that was! It only seems like yesterday guys!

Where are you Mr Skase?

Im still here! It has been over 6 months since I left the South Aussie shores, however it seems like I have been here a lot longer! I have been a bit slack with the old blogmeister, however have been on serveral adventures. Firstly an awesome last minute decision trip to Majorca with a group of 7 work friends the first weekend of May (May Day Bank Holiday weekend)it was the all inclusive 'english abroad' holiday, all you can drink, eat and lay by the pool. This photo represents some of the kooky gang I used to work with - awwwww I miss them! (Even though I still work for the same company!)As you can see, people are still making me do stupid things in front of the camera! Yisss, that is my with my thong/flip flop/jandal in the air! How rude!

Courtney's last weekend

Who needs an excuse to dress up?! Lots of sparkles and a lovely italian dinner! Then off to the WestEnd!

Our little party @ home

Courtney and Dylan in the 'front room'We cooked up a storm darlink!