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Published: September 3rd 2006
Open Seseme
The very first unlocking of our very own doors!!Today marks one week in my new apartment and two months since I moved to London.. But most excitedly, it’s Father’s Day (well.. not here, but at home!) sooooo Happy Father’s Day Dad!! I do believe he will be looking very fresh at work this week in his new pink shirt!!
This is a long one.. so for those who want a quick run down, this time last week I was cooking my own Sunday Lunch after spending the previous day signing contracts, giving the Real Estate Agent way too much money and lugging Victoria’s and my own things over to the other side of the city! I am now “really” living in London, I’m even working in London.. So even though it has taken some time, I am settling into England, and despite what Mum may say, I don’t have an English twang, I am still very much Aussie through and through!
I now call home a two bedroom apartment in the lovely London Docklands on the Thames River. It’s beautiful! I am no-longer in the heart of the city, but I can be in the centre of town in 25mins using the Tube and DLR, and I
now have fresh air, and a beautiful park next door! I have a separate bath and shower, brand spanking new kitchen with 2 fabulously comfy couches in the living room (which are already booking up fast!!).
We started the morning at the real estate’s office, with our first load already in tow.. We then continued on to our new “home” only to keep coming back and forth all day on the tube! James (Victoria’s boyfriend) was due to help us with his car, but he had to work, so for the odd bits and pieces we called his friend Mathew, who was going to bring his car.. You may remember Mathew from my last blog, but if you don’t already, you might now.. The silly boy brought his Porche Boxter (I am yet to see him in the same car twice!).. Looks great, but how much can it carry really!!?? It did do the trick, but it’s certainly not your usual moving van, made a good impression on the neighbour’s though 😉
Exhausted, but excited, we headed out to Ikea that was open late (which was a good thing considering it was already 8pm) and to our excitement,
Late Night Shopping
Exhausted, but still excited by the Big Blue Bag!! had a café where you can top up your soft drinks for free, great for girls now on a budget! So we refuelled after not eating all day and set upon some serious shopping! Although our apartment was fully furnished, it was missing a lot of cooking/crockery/glasses and then the little things that make home a home! We managed to do quite well for ourselves, setting us up for our party the next day, but again we had to bring it all back on the tube with us and we didn’t get home until well past midnight where we fell into our new double beds (with my favourite doona cover set from home sent especially by Mum and Dad!) but not before a bubble bath, that I have been hanging out for!
Sunday we explored our new area after waking up leisurely, walking out to the kitchen in our PJ’s and eating breakfast on our own dining table, all un-heard of at International House, where we have both been staying! We did another trip in the morning to pick up more of Vic’s stuff and so I could officially sign out, and then went grocery shopping for our Sunday
Bubble time!
Curtisy of Sue and Phil!! Lunch and Cocktail Party.. Lunch was amazing, even if I do say so myself! In exchange for their muscles, we cooked for Frankie and Adam, and were also joined by Victoria’s cousin from Sydney (so nice to hear a voice from home!). I made my favorite honey mustard chicken on a bed of sweet potato mash, roasted capsican and sweet corn on the cob, followed by scrumptious mini pavlovas with berries and cream.. Yum Yum!! Mindlessly, it was washed down with a lot of wine.. Infact we counted 8 empty bottles.. A slight problem, considering it was still light outside, and we still had our party that night!
So that brings us to the drama that was our house warming!! Victoria, who was very much under the influence of the grape juice was still quite upset that her boyfriend wasn’t able to help us move the day before, who was now running late with all of his friends (our only guests!!), and the more anxious she was, the more Frankie offered her to drink.. Bad move! Because by the time James had arrived with all of his mates, she was very drunk and very angry!! Matt described the night
My Bed
Amazing, compared to my "strip" of matress in International House.. I can now roll over, not just once, but twice! as a scene from Jerry Springer, Victoria and James were the crazy guests, the Twins and I tried desperately to play Jerry and Matt took on the role of the Body Guard.. Taking full advantage of the scene, William snuck into the kitchen to steal all the alcohol while Frankie was winding the whole thing up by being the loud and annoying Audience as Adam, the Producer, just watched from the couch as the whole thing unfolded!
It ended very quickly as Victoria asked them all to leave before a single cocktail was drunk, and we were tucked in bed by 9.. Very, very embarrassing, but possibly the best thing for us and I am sure the neighbours would have been very impressed! Monday was part of a long weekend, so we had an excuse to hide in bed all day, and called each of the boys to apologise - most of which found it very funny! Unfortunately it was the last time I got to see the boys from International House, as they have now left for Uni, but I have promised to visit them all!
With my training session for Splendid Tuesday night, I arranged to
The Wardrobe
slightly smaller than home.. Not that I have much to fill it with! And my fantastic mirror design looks fabulous on the wall.. Just don't tell the Landlord ;) meet Victoria after work at my new favourite bar, Henry’s, for a strawberry daiquiri to balance the weekend where we didn’t manage a single cocktail at our own cocktail party, and later met up with James and his friends and one of their local pubs in Covent Garden. Bored by pubs, Victoria and I headed over to a funky DJ Bar, Retox, on our own where the boys soon followed and boogied the night away to a very cool Australian DJ! We are going to forget all about Sunday night, and instead replace it with Tuesday.. Good cocktails, great music, and fabulous Australian company!!
Also, earlier the week before, my recruitment manager from Off To Work had told me about a full time position he needed to fill as a favour to one of their clients in Mayfair (Dad very proudly noted, the most expensive plot of the Monopoly board). I sent in a revised CV on Tuesday, interviewed Wednesday, and Wednesday evening was asked to start in a week! So there I have job number 3.. Amazing considering I went so long with no work at all! Still, London is an expensive city, and I can use every
penny I get! I will be starting this Wednesday doing 10am-6pm, Monday to Friday as a Receptionist/PA for Hampton’s International - A large property development/management company. I’ll be in their new corporate office, where their CEO’s will be moving, and will be their client liaison, hosting their private and business functions, as well as the normal role of reception.. I know it doesn’t sound like what I came here to do, but it offers me great and consistent money, and I can still work evenings and weekends in Events. I think I will truly feel like a working girl then!!
Last night, I was originally booked for a wedding, which I was quite looking forward to, as it was a Friday evening affair that I though would be quite interesting, but instead I got a call asking me to fill in at the Lincon Inn Members Club. I didn’t know what I was signing myself in for, this place was amazing! Built and opened in 1845, the building itself holds a lot of history in Law and Royalty, and is home to the local law chambers, and barristers. I had to get full security clearance before entering, and had
to wear little white gloves when handling any of the silver wear! I will make an effort to learn much more about it, but I certainly had a ball working with Joe from Portugal who was dressed in a full suit and waistcoat and very excited to hear that I was planning to visit his country later this year. He snuck me into the Royal Hall, which looked just like the dinning halls of Harry Potter, and out onto the Terrace, where he pointed out who lived where (not that I knew any of them, but the sounded important!!).
And that, ladies and gentlemen, brings me into the now!
I am in the process of building a photo wall, so send me lots of pictures and I am now cooking each night, so if you have any favourite recipes, in particular vegetarian, send them through too.. Although Mum tells me there is some Women’s Weekly Cookbooks on their way!
The couch is set up and awaiting visitors! I have already been given dates by quite a few people, which has Victoria very excited, as she loves Australian’s. Her Mum’s family are based in Perth, so she has
spent a few years back and forth between England and Australia.
And a big congratulations to my cousin Emma, who has had another tooth fall out, and I think they must be pretty good teeth, because the tooth fairy is paying her very well for them!!
Lots and lots of love to everybody from London!
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hehe.. i just love hearing all about the travels.. guess what the countdown is closing in VERY fast i will be seeing your gorgeous face in less than 5 weeks... OCT 5th ... just incase you misplaced the date with all your moving.. I can hear you talking when i read your blog aswell.. hehe i also must say you place looks absoloutly fantastic you hear all the stories of people finding dingy horrible places a bit like a showbox.. but i believe you wil be quite comfortable in London... The couch is officially booked for aleast one night for me i hope!!!! miss you always.. and getting very excited about seeing you very soon xoxoxox