So this is summer...

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It is funny how it is the little things that make you realise that you aren't at home.

Like, a few days ago I realised that this was it, this was summer in England, well almost, apparently it isn't officially summer until this Saturday, 21st June, I thought it was the start of the month like at home. For some reason I kept thinking that it was spring, perhaps because I had been enjoying seeing the trees emerging from winter, everything growing green, flowers popping up to say hello. Which, when coming from a country where most of the trees aren't deciduous, is a much clearer indication of the seasons changing. So, while I keep having to check if it is about to rain, or wear a jumper around the place, I keep thinking it isn't quite summer. Until I realised, this is it. It probably isn't going to get super dooper hot. I will be able to continue to sleep, quite comfortably, with a blanket. This is it. Unless reports are true and then September is going to blow my socks off, quite literally!

That acknowledgement made, I must also say, I am quite comfortable. I like being able to sleep at night with a blanket. I don't mind wearing a cardigan. And I like to laugh at everyone posing around the place when there is a 'heat wave'! People prancing around with barely anything on, regardless of age, gender or whether or not it is breaking some form of social convention. I do like that about England. As much as the next Briton, I'm quite particular about how I have my tea, I like to be prepared and have an umbrella at the ready, that kind of thing, but there is something about the sun coming out that makes them break all the social norms. People who would normally huff and puff about various conventions of fashion, all of a sudden agree that stripping down to less than the bare minimum is acceptable. People who, if you were to suggest not wearing a tie to work, or stockings or something like that, would be vehemently opposed! And, although this is all very stereotypical of me, there is a definate element of truth to it.

Anywho, it is just about summer in England. How odd. I have skipped winter! Although, I have experienced more rain and cold than a winter in Perth over the last few months - does that count as winter? I have made it well and truly past the 3 month mark, coming up to 4 months away from home. Wow. It seems that along with missing winter, and it seems, summer, I am also losing track of time. Events that occured a week ago, feel like months, making leaving home and my trip to Italy seem light years away. I think not having the commitment of work means that time is more fluid and having no concrete plans for the future everything is melding and stretching, to and fro. And, to be honest, I am probably slightly homesick. Missing apart from work and people, cooking in my kitchen, Kakula's, South Beach, Sala Thai, cocktails, wandering through Freo, that kind of thing. Wouldn't mind a stroll into Freo after breakfast at Aubergine, wandering through Source and the other shops along the way before taking in the madness that Freo can be. Then perhaps a spot of people watching on the strip and more coffee. Followed by Mango sorbet from Amano. Yummo and quite clear that I am driven by my stomach! heheh.

So, what have I been up to? Well before heading up to London for some temp work at Starbucks (sans green apron), I caught up with my aunty Linda, on my Dad's side. So now we have plans to have some sort of family bbq, so I can catch up with my numerous cousins and their families. Which has just prompted me to realise something - I am the only cousin on that side, as far as I know, that doesn't have a family of my own, no kids or anything. Interesting... at least I have my figure - kinda! Anyway, I also caught up with Stewart, my brother again, which was great. I am still suprised how many mannerisms he shares with our Dad and how much my niece reminds me of our sister! And how much I want to see a picture or catch up with our oldest sister, Christine, who I apparently look just like!

For the weekend I had been invited to stay with my uncle, my Mum's brother, also Stuart, his partner Julie and their baby Hannah, who is only 1! So off to Aldington, a cute little village, picture postcard pretty, that made me want to buy a little cottage and grow vegetables, away from the evil bits of the world. I stayed in their loft, with a beautiful view of the cottages and fields all around. Quite a romantic get away really. While I was there we visted the Rare Breed Animal Centre, Hannah getting her first good look at a various farm animals. She kept 'woof, woof-ing' at them - Nan is teaching her! She is so cute!

The following week brought job interviews and work - no rest for the wicked apparently. So Monday was up to London for the day, taking in the Natural History Museum before taking the coach back to Hythe, and then Tuesday saw me driving to Canterbury for a couple of recruiting agency interviews before heading back to London on Wednesday! Phew! And, damn it, I had a cold! Despite that I managed to take a stroll on the beach before I left - storing up the feeling because I wasn't going to be near the sea for over a week! Taking the coach to London I finally made it, crashing in Shephard's Bush at a hostel for the night, before my cousin Steve getting his PA to courier his keys to me at work (!) so that I could stay at his place. Double phew! Turns out, he was in France so I was on my own, watching repeats of Sex and the City and eating take out. In an house that was set up in a scarily similar way to my place was in Perth - the living room even has a hippo!

After a training day on Thursday, then a day off for my tummy on Friday, I had the weekend to myself in London. I did what any self respecting person would...I went to Camden! Hello markets! Shopping here is so much fun, maybe because it isn't the same old dross that you see at home. So for the first time in a while I had a bit of a shopping expedition, making a few minor purchases, all necessary of course, before relaxing with a coffee over looking the canal. Having recharged the batteries, or revived slightly, I trekkked across to Regent's Park wandering around the beautiful flower gardens. The rose garden is amazing, the scent just hits you, before you even get to the garden. And it is filled with nooks and crannys, perfect to have a picinic or even some mauling...

Sunday and the weather was rather like a warm day in late September in Perth. So, a trip to Hyde Park to frolic in the sunshine! Ok, I wandered through the park, visiting the memorial to Diana, Princess of Wales. I ended up sitting on the back of the Serpentine, eating my lunch and reading Rousseau, how very cultured. Oh, and smiling with barely concealed amusement at the effect the sunshine was having on the natives!

Monday saw me back at work. Which was good, fine, people were nice etc. And made me realise how much I know, what skills I do in fact have and how much we do at Murdoch...jeepers! And, at one point, I forgot where I was. Walking back from getting a coffee, I picked up some napkins in the kitchen. As I walked back to my desk I looked at them thinking "Gosh, 'Made in The Netherlands', that seems slightly inefficient." Until a minute later I realised that I was in England, not Australia, and that buying napkins from The Netherlands, really wasn't that far! See what being in work mode does to me! te heheh!

During my week in London, I have to say, I didn't get up to much. I didn't get 'out there', didn't visit any more galleries, didn't see any sights or show, I didn't even hit the coffee shop I've been frequenting on Charing Cross Road for macchiato drinking and postcard writing sessions. Instead I became a bit of a hermit, self preservation perhaps? At the very least I've decided on some must do's for this year, places I simply MUST go. With that in mind, I spent most of the week itching to get online and just hunt down a job for some money and book some things.

Back down to Kent, the planning continues. I've had a job interview in Canterbury which will hopefully pan out to something. But as I'm still waiting (and waiting), I've applied for a couple more things, working at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival! Why not? And I've "gotten in touch with my feminine side", to quote Bob. But the less said about that the better. And, in the biggest news, I'm off to Morocco next Thursday! For a yoga holiday! Off to get flexy in Africa! heheheh! And I can't wait! Just thinking of the colourful craziness of the bazaar makes me want to get out my camera...and my purse! I'm just starting to worry now about whether I am going to be able to see the bazaar, because I'm not exactly in peak condition and the yoga may kick my ass. Wish me luck.

This week, besides all the planning, I have managed to get away from the computer. There have been shopping expeditions - mmmn, outlet shopping for yoga pants - as well as a spot of wandering about in Canterbury before Monday's job interview. Nan, my aunty Sue and I also took the day off Tuesday to enjoy the weather, driving out to this remote church that is quite literally in a field full of sheep. To visit the church you have to walk down the road to the rectory to pick up the key, walk back, across the paddock to the church. Apparently, it is the last church Thomas Beckett visted before he was slain in Canterbury and is still used for services, allbeit infrequently. From there it was some lovely country driving in the sunshine to Lathe Barn for a spot of lunch. It was really fun driving around the country lanes, which are basically one lane mystery's - will there or won't there be a car/cyclist/tractor coming around the corner? But it was great fun and I really enjoyed the drive. Lathe Barn meant another opportunity to feast on scones and cream, and I have to say that they were brilliant. I do think, however, the jam and cream does have a lot to answer for, making or breaking the scone. Perhaps it is the luxuriousness of slathering on massive amounts of them both that make the scones so delicious? I don't know, and at the moment I don't care ...I just wish that I had some in front of me now! hehehe!

There have also been a couple of trips to the local pubs, both of which are about a 2 minute walk from home. Sampling more beers, I am onto Guiness now, for the moment at least. Sipping a beer, watching the football - Greece versus Russia I think, in the Eurocup, Nan has been very philosophical, giving me tips about the world - "Oooh, he is agile! He looks like he knows what life is all about!" Enough said about that I think! Although, I will note, she is on the money with her agility assessments! And observations about my character, it seems...I'm letting go now, Nan, I promise.

At this point of the journey, one has to keep in mind the point of the journey. Keeping busy at home is my forte, work giving me a lot of purpose and if there is time around that, friends and family time. But having none of the same commitments at the moment, it can be hard to keep on track or even sane, especially when the future is so clearly this big open space with no real markers on the path, even thought you know in your head that no matter how many plans or goals you make, the future is still unplannable, what will be, will be. But the lack of direction can be a little hard to handle. So, in making the decision to go to Morocco, the new motto has come into play "Will you regret not going? Will you think about it wistfully?". If the answer is yes, you take up the challenge, whether it is asanas at the casbah or hula hoops in the streets of New York. And, at all times, these have to be yours, your hope, potential regrets, potential memories. And of course, it has to make you smile.

Before I go, fingers crossed for everyone, whether you're sick, starting a family, growing a family, starting a new job, relishing new love, getting uni results, kicking back and chilling out, enjoying being home or making a new home, publishing or just plain trying to avoid ranting at the crazy people in your life! Love you x

Next time - the Casbah! And undoubtedly, some sore muscles!

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Photos

For Dave...
Natural History museum

Natural History Museum
This building is magnificent.

Sorry Angie
I went to Paul's and bought a chocolate maccaroon for you, but I ate it! In bed!

The twin hippo
On the floor, next to the tv...creepy

Aw, the train station
With pretty hanging flower baskets are we really in London?