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Published: April 4th 2008
The Eagle has Landed (say it out loud) THE EAGLE HAS LANDED. I am feeling awesome and have been waiting 2 weeks to write this entry, I wanted to be feeling positive. After a month of frustration I have scored myself a job. It's is not what I hoped for but it is a start. The employment agencies here have been useless. Despite signing up with one in October ang signing with 3 others since arriving Anita and I have not had one interview. I started to become very despondant and a little anxious because our money was trickling away. Anita starting work two weeks ago, as a nanny, has at least kept us going without dipping too deeply into our savings. Anyway a Kiwi friend of mine who I worked with in Probation, in the 90s, and living in the UK for 12months, has been a tremdous help in me getting a job as a Probation Officer at the St Albans office, where he is working. Back into the old trade. I have negotiated a good salary of £17 and hour plus sick and holiday pay, I start Monday (7/4), exactly a month after arriving. It is about 75 minutes by underground/train and will cost me £66 a week but thats just the difference between London and Auckland.
Anita and I are taking the train to Leeds in two weeks to see a couple of pommie friends that we meet in Brazil a few years ago. The cost a whopping £160 rtn. Travel is very expensive here. We have booked to see Hollie Smith on the 14/4 and had dinner with friends last weekend. For those o you who know London, they live in East Dulwich, we live in Southgate and it took us 3 hours to get there. We only took 70 minutes to get home but generally we have had no problems with the trains and underground apart from the cost. Our home continues to look like a bomb site with builders and brickies banging down wall, doing extensions and reroofing. I have taken photos but lost the lead to transfer the data to computer so you will have to wait for the evidence. We have built up a cosy nest in two rooms downstaits including a 42" television and yesterday we bought a 2nd hand table, chairs, dressing table wardrobe and bedside cabinets. The only thing we really need is an electric frypan to compliment our microwave. Anita has been amazing adapting to conditions that most woman would not put up with. Anyway with work starting Monday I will be away from home from 8am til 7-30pm, so eating at home may just mean breakfast.
Today the sun is shinning and we are heading down to explore some more parts of the city including Southbank. Now that we are both working we will be able to look at excursions and vacations to nearby and exotic destinations, its cheaper to travel out of London England than in. Look forward to your comments and e mails.
Tonyandanita
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narelle
non-member comment
howdy
Hiya tony and anita good pics and info. you are doing well. Its not too stressful staying in such good contact with everyone is it!!! just kidding. I finally got your details from catherine today. Yeah, well, heh, you know. Its been INTERESTING since you left not all good times i'm afraid. cheryl had a major meltdown in the CCR today (I was expecting it) due to a reasonable comment from jenny but I guess Jenny's style is not always cushioned with.....?pleasantries. Anyway am feeling a bit jaded. working it too hard. I've gone full time as working the hours anyway. Ho Hum. The cleaners are currently vacuuming and polishing the desks around me at work...and its bugging me. So thought that I would stop my client notes etc and have a small chat. This email should make you feel good about taking a break anyway!!!! Hope you both are making the most of new experiences and all. I'm off to fiji on 2nd may for a week with the family. We are meeting my old pals from sydney there. I think that I will con't writing another time when I'm feeling a bit fresher and excited about life. Talk soon, narelle