Port Melbourne -- A New Home

The closest I'll get to a puppy for a while.


After nomadic life since February, we are finally out of suitcases (mostly). We found a sweet, little three bedroom brick house in Port Melbourne. We're a short walk from the tram that facilitates a ten minute trip straight into the CBD. The plus side is that we're also a hop, skip and jump from Bay Street. Bay Street is the heart of Port Melbourne complete with 2 supermarkets (one of them a little organic shop), multiple hairdressers, restaurants, pubs, bakeries, and other little handy places. And the best part.......we're an 8 minute walk to the beach!

Home is sparsely decorated as we're starting over from scratch, but with the welcome addition of Azz moving in with us (JT's brother), we have a few more comforts about. Also a big thanks to Amber for lending us her couches and bean bag in the interim.

It's a work in progress, but it is slowly starting to feel like home. And we even have a special room for visitors...hint, hint!

Leaving London, Moving to Melbourne

What an adventure! When I spent the summer in London in 2006 I knew I was meant to be here. Aided by multiple friends of friends and their couches that summer, little did I know I'd get life-long friends out of the deal. I officially moved to London in January 2007 and thought it could be for as short as 6 months, but here I sit on our last day in London (flight to Bangkok leaves tonight), and I am over 3 years into a London life, married to the best person in the world for me, and 10 hours shy from embarking toward our new life together in Australia.

Reminiscing with nostalgia would include memories of jobs gone right, wrong and weird (Tequila girl, sandwich delivery by bike, crazy Spa company, teaching for ASL and for English State schools, yoga for surfers in France/Spain);

memories of meeting JT (the Loop Bar...thanks Phil for giving him the thumbs up that night and pushing me in that direction, Cambridge, Menzies Ball, Barcelona and Tomatina, first trip to Aus, bringing you to CA to hear my mom say, "I didn't know you'd be so tall!", visa complications on both ends, a summer away in France with your constant visits and texts, teaching agh!, Moyne Palace, Garrick Close, and our new direction as we move to Aus);

the crazy places we've visited in the last 3+ years, mostly as a couple, teaching us how to truly communicate (nothing like a huge snowy weekend in Berlin too far from the U bahn and starving to teach patience);

and the friends I must thank as I am so very grateful, although I know I'll forget a few so please don't be hurt if that is the case: Simon and Nat, Deb and Rich, Liesl and Tom, Don my dear dance partner in crime, Katy (who lent me so many of her friends and family to continue my adventures and came to visit), Kendall (who visited 2x, helped us through the move and gave us Liesl), Gerardo (for your couch and wisdom), Lee-anne and Simon (Greenford hood represent!), Loz (the queen of Moyne Palace), Katie and Sewells for your continued push to get us out there, Nghi and Tim (thanks for all the Westfield trips during a stressful 6 weeks and for EuroDisney too! Bring on the Gaga in March!), Paulie and Dugdale (missed you guys over the last year, disappointed we didn't get more time together), Julika/Gigs (a dear friend and fellow student of the world, love you loads and say hi to the green Santa please, come visit us!!), Lesley, Amy, Hayley, Bex, Luda and Daniel, Liz, Kaska, the Unlisted crew: Andrei, Priam, Sam and David (so glad such a crazy job could bring such good friends), and my lovely Reillys I'll miss you guys. I'm also grateful for the support of loved ones back in the States, my friends and family who helped me to get there (Ann and Andy for taking me into their family too many times to count), Dad for dropping me at the airport everytime, and all family and friends who have sent their love, emailed, skyped, texted, facebooked and still try to stay in touch despite distance. Thanks to all who were able to make the leaving parties or caught up in the last week. And a huge thanks to Pickle and Nat who've put up with us in their home for the last 2 weeks so we could close things down more easily.

Okay, this isn't a eulogy, I'm just trying to close things properly in order to start off on the new adventure that will be Australia. I guess I'm sad to leave, but really looking forward to summer in Aus, getting to know my non-blood family down under, getting back near the beach (could only be a city girl for so long), watching the toilet water go down the bowl the opposite direction, and starting a new chapter. We'll be couch surfing with Giulia and then Troy and Fiona until mid-April, so unless you're Ann, hold all visits till then please :-). I'll continue to update the blog, although the pictures may be from non-European locations, my horrible sense of humor and fondness for toilet talk will not change.

Thanks all!

Divine Weather and Great Friends in Palamos

What a beautiful weekend in Palamos (geographically located on the east coast of Spain). The weather decided to give us sun, blue skies and what felt like 20*C during the day. We spent a short weekend going on several beachwalks, down to the market, an evening of tapas and me vowing never to play Parcheesi again (only my brother would probably remember why). Beautiful weekend, great food and even greater friends!!!
This lovely, spry little 11-year-old, aptly named Fly was always with us on all of our beach walks and adventures throughout the weekend.

New Year's Day--Freezing in Paris

Walk the Sights in Paris while Freezing your Extremities Off!

A Eurostar departure of 830am allowed us to reach Paris by 1130 Parisian time. After a quick metro trip, we hopped out in front of Notre Dame. My last time in Paris was over ten years ago and was spring time. Winter didn't seem to do the beautiful architecture the same justice, but was all still lovely just the same. Most things were still decorated for Xmas, including all the random fountains with ice. Each had these wire boubble sculptures hovering over them filled with round ornaments in Disneyland colours: hot pinks, grass greens, silvers, etc.

Notre Dame was crowded with tourists who queued across the square, past the decorated 20 foot Xmas tree to get into the church for a look. As we only had a day and aspirations that the Louvre would be open, we pressed on.

We walked along the Seine to get to the Louvre, again populated sparsely by tourists as the snow began to fall. No queue, just a sign listing all of the closures, which included today...bummer.

We continued our walk through the park toward Champs Elysee, walked down Champs toward the Arc d'Triomphe. Then walked to the Eiffel Tower.

By then we were freezing and tried to ignite our poor suffering bodies in a local cafe for a couple hours before heading back early to the train station where we would hop the Eurostar back to London. Glad we did it, but next time would prefer the other three seasons to do it in....note to self.

December -- Aston Martins, London Snow, Christmas Cabaret and a very Merry German Xmas

A rainy and frosty December had more whirlwind adventures---we're taking advantage of our last bits of time in London before we leave for Australia mid-February.

Aston Martin

JT got to drive an Aston Martin around a race track a few times (a birthday present he cashed in on from last June) at Silverstone Race Track. I desperately tried to catch a few good photos, but they stuck the partners in a glassed room with limited view due to the rain.

London Snow

The first snow of the season blanketed London and for the first time in a few years it felt like Xmas for us. I was lucky enough to be working at Artyard those couple of snowy days, doing papier mache gingerbread houses with 18 - 5-10 year olds as the flurries floated in huge lumps from the sky. Xmas seems to be ever more magical and exciting with snow!

Christmas Cabaret

I choreographed a short piss-take on Christmas with a trio of dancers clad in Santa outfits. Unfortunately it turned out to be a burlesque piece instead of a satire due to the ever increasing rifts in communication from mac to pc. Needless to say it didn't go off as originally planned, but the process was a thrill. I had missed having regular rehearsals for a project I believed in, and I think it is only the start of something.

A Very Merry German Xmas

Xmas was a week in Kiel, Northern Germany with gusts of wind blowing down from Scandinavia and an hour or so drive from Denmark. Julz and I met while I was teaching yoga for Stoke Travel (formerly Smashed Travel) in Biarritz, France summer of 2008. Kindred spirits we keep in touch regularly, and JT and I family-crashed her mom's place for Xmas and spent the week eating, sleeping, playing games, learning German, exploring Kiel and some nearby Xmas markets, as well as getting to know her sister, mom and mom's partner better. We also became acquainted with a 12 year old ginger cat that swaggers by the name of Herr Schmidt (or if you are friendly terms with him, Schmitty). Julz is a radiant light of a friend that you can't help but smile when you're around her. So lucky to have her as a friend and this Xmas will always be among our favourites! (Not to mention our first white Xmas!!)

November -- cold weather, Roald Dahl and a new tattoo

November brought the winter weather (apparently the rainiest London November on record), and scarves, gloves and hats are now regular attire. With our recent announcement that my Australian Visa is in, we are busy planning the transition adventures before the Australian adventures come into full swing at the end of February 2010.

Here are some highlights from November 2009:

Roald Dahl Museum

We spent one rainy Saturday in Great Missenden, a town most known as the home and resting place of beloved author Roald Dahl. There is a museum dedicated to Roald and all of the fabulous characters he created. The building is filled with quotes, interactive writing projects and media, and Quentin Blake illustrations. JT even sat in Roald Dahl's writing chair, where he used to sit with his legs in a sleeping bag, a roll of corrugated cardboard underneath his writing board, and a space heater way too close to many flammable objects.

Tattoo#2

I hopped down to Portobella Road in Notting Hill Gate and got my second tattoo. It should directly translate as "No Fear Warrior", but for all I know it could mean horse's puckered ass, but either way it looks good and is healing nicely. The picture is of the tattoo a week old, smeared in lotion to keep it from drying out.

Hanger Hill Park

The park behind our home has had some incredible mushrooms, must be all the rain. I missed getting a picture of the smurf-home that I saw, but I did get picks of these ones when I revisited.

Birthday Weekend

Thursday-- 15 October
After a great 'do-over' lesson (the first observation lesson was my worst ever) attended by my headteacher, he brought me into his office to say, "This isn't working. I'm sorry. I think today needs to be your last day." He had already called in a sub and I was told he'd pay me for the rest of the day and for the Friday. After 7 weeks of spending restless, nightmare filled nights, stressing over lessons, attempting to adjust to English National Curriculum, etc., this was my thanks. So just when I thought things were on the upswing, I was wrong. They say when one door shuts, another one opens...hopefully soon I can see those open doors and walk away from the one that's just been slammed.

Friday-- 16 October
Birthday Dinner

Thai Food in Ealing with friends, followed by chocolate cake at our place afterwards.

Saturday 17th October
Disneyland Paris (A Eurostar Journey away)

My ticket didn't work after Nghi and JT had already made it in. I was very upset at the prospect of missing out while they went in and had fun without me!


Once I'd made it in though, there was no time to waste! It was 6pm and the park closed at 10pm, I didn't want to spend time stalling for photo opps on Main Street!

We made it through Big Thunder Mountain, Indiana Jones, Pirates of the Carribean, Teacups, Small World and Space Mountain 2. All were different than the Anaheim Park and Indiana Jones and Space Mountain 2 were true rollercoasters looping and corkscrewing us to nausea heaven.
I was even able to find my own personal Stitch!
A great end to a rough start this birthday. Thanks to all who helped make it special.