Sunday, May 27, 2007

It's a boy!!
What an amazing day Friday was. My little nephew Hugo Lewis Plant was born into the world at 00.26 on 25th May weighing 6lbs 7ozs and 48cm long. He's the most beautiful little baby, and I'm so proud.
Chris phoned me on Friday morning just before my college course was about to start and told me the happy news. Of course I just started blubbing on the phone and couldn't find myself to ask any questions! I went back in the room crying and everyone was worried... then I announced I had just become an aunty and everyone congratulated me..funny! Anyway, I couldn't really concentrate for the rest of the day, my mind really was distracted. I finally got home in the evening and Chris sent me a lovely email with some pictures and we spoke on Skype for a bit. He was frantically running around trying to sort out Huey's birth certificate and passport, so they can leave Vienna and go back home....sounds like a nightmare. Anyway, I think he got most of it done, so they should hopefully be home early next week, then I can see him on the webcam, I can't wait! It's been so difficult being all the way over here, and knowing that I won't see him for months :-(
So, here are so photos of gorgeous little Huey with Mum and Dad
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Wednesday, May 23, 2007

So, I finally get around to adding another entry! I've just been speaking with my brother and also had a nice chat with Martina....they are awaiting the imminent arrival of their little baby. Chotcho is due tomorrow, but they did think that the little'un would arrive early, so the last few days I've been glued to my phone waiting on any news! Anyway, Martina has an appointment at the doctors tomorrow, she is getting some natural medicine to hopefully bring on the birth, so it could be any day now...it's all very exciting. Martina sounded really well and relaxed which is good, I'm sure I'd be panicking like mad, so I was very impressed! So watch this space!
My weekend was nice and relaxing, I tell you I needed it after the busy last 2 days at work, Friday was a nightmare, everyone wanted everything doing plus I had to leave at 4pm to get the train to make sure we were at the retreat on time. By the time I sat on the train, I was shattered and stressed, so was really looking forward to getting away! We got there about 7pm on Friday night, so we didn't see much of the place as it was pitch black...it was also absolutely freezing and there was a bitter wind, Sue and I couldn't believe the change just from travelling 2 hours! Our accommodation was really great I was very impressed, it was quite new and had an en suite bathroom and electric blankets which were a lifesaver!. After we'd unpacked we went to the meditation hall for a 30 mins meditation, then it was time for dinner. After that we had a welcome talk with our group for the weekend, then it was time for bed. We didn't get so much sleep that night, me because I was sleeping somewhere new, and Sue because the wind outside was so loud (luckily I had my earplugs, so didn't hear it!). So by the time we had to get up at 7am the next morning we were still pretty tired. Again we had another meditation and then did some tai chi, after which was breakfast, then a talk. And that was pretty much how the whole weekend panned out, we did have a really good time, the place was great and the setting was beautiful, the views were pretty amazing, the people who worked there were lovely...they give up their precious time just to come and look after their guests (they all volunteer) they really looked after us well. Saying that, by the time Saturday lunchtime came, I'd pretty much had enough, it was so full on with the meditating and the talks, I didn't feel so relaxed anymore. Our group was 50 people, so you're constantly making small talk with everyone and it got pretty tiring, so on Sunday after morning tea, Sue and I decided to leave early and get back home...what a good decision that was, it meant I got home at a reasonable time and I could relax a bit before my course on Monday.
As for this week, I started my communications course on Monday, and I'm having the best time, it's the best (and most challenging) course I've ever done, the people are so great, we all really connected pretty much straight away and there has been a lot of learning and sharing about ourselves. Even in 3 days I've learnt more about myself than I ever have before, it's really hard to explain, but it's just a great journey to be on (that makes me sound all counsellorish!) but it's true. I took a weeks annual leave to do this, but I don't begrudge using my precious holiday, it doesn't even feel like I'm doing a training course....we've still got another 2 days to do and I'm really looking forward to them. It is pretty intensive too, we've had assessments and lots of readings to do, I even had to do a presentation to the group on Tuesday (we only had notice on Monday) so there wasn't much time to prepare. I was absolutely scared stiff about this, I've never done a presentation before, but I did it, and passed the assessment which I was really pleased about, it was quite a buzz, but I was so glad when it was over. This course is really taking me out of my comfort zone which is a good thing, I'm gaining so much more confidence, I'm even enjoying the role plays and speaking in front of the group now...who'd have thought!!
So here, are some photos from the weekend
This is where we stayed
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The view from our room
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The Stone Cottage at the bottom of the hill
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The gardens of the Stone Cottage
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Tuesday, May 15, 2007

We had a nice weekend, Jason's friends were down from Brisbane, they weren't staying with us, but we did catch up with them on Friday and Saturday night, so I was feeling pretty tired yesterday. We were also really busy doing wedding stuff. On Saturday we went to a wedding stationery shop, we had an appointment with the woman who owned it, she hand makes all the invitations etc, the stationery was beautiful, there were so many to choose from. So we told her what we were looking for and she drew up a couple of designs and gave us a quote. Obviously we wanted to shop around a bit, so after we went to another place where my friend from work got hers. The invitations weren't quite as nice, but we started to look around the shop and saw that you can actually make your own, which intrigued us. We had a lot of ideas and the lady in the shop helped us find all the stuff we needed, so we bought a couple of blank cards etc for a test run before we made up our minds. So, on Sunday we got out the craft glue, the glue gun and all our other bits and bobs and got to work. I was quite happy cos Jason and I really wanted the same style, so there were no arguments about that ;o) We made two cards, the second much better than the first, but we were really impressed with how they turned out, so I think we will probably go with making them. I'm really pleased we are making them, I think it adds a personal touch (but don't worry, they don't look like 5 year olds made them!!) This was the first wedding thing Jason and I have really done together, apart from looking at hotel websites, so it was really nice to do this with him, I'm sure sometimes Jason feels like I'm taking over...he's probably right though, I'm a bit of a control freak, but I'm trying to keep him involved!
So that's about it from me. I've got a pretty quiet week this week, no college which is nice. We're playing tennis tomorrow night, and then I'm off to the Blue Mountains on Friday after work for the weekend with Sue. We are going to a retreat I found out about through the meditation school I sometimes go to. It looks really beautiful on the website, it'll be a nice break away with no TV, or alcohol! I just hope it's not one of those retreats where you can't talk all weekend....I definitely think we would struggle with that one!!

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Everything has been happening this last week. Our travel for the wedding is now confirmed, I put the deposit down on Tuesday...exciting! We have to pay for our flights in the next week too. Also, I've found my wedding dress ;o) I went back to the shop where the 2 I liked were from and I saw another one, so I tried it on and both Sue and I knew it was 'the one'. I'm so relieved as I was beginning to think that I wouldn't get that feeling of buying the perfect dress, I even tried on one of the other ones I liked before, but I tell you it looked noway near as nice,how lucky that I saw this one. So I put my deposit on that too (that's how much I loved it!) The reason I was worried about finding something was that they take 6 months to make the dresses, so I had to get it sorted pretty quick, so that's another thing I don't have to worry about...well, it's to the wedding dress diet now!! We also had a look at bridesmaids dresses for Sue, but it was only a quick look as I'd already spent most of the afternoon posing in the mirrors in my dress!Saturday night Jason took me out to dinner as a thank you for getting all the travel arrangements sorted, which was sweet, we went to the Italian up the road. Sunday we went to see Spiderman, really enjoyed it, great special effects. This week I haven't had a chance to speak to anyone, I've been really busy studying up on my college notes, we had an assessment last night, have been very nervous about it as the mock one we did last week didn't go too well. I wasn't prepared for it at all, plus I'd had my flu vaccination and I think my head was a bit spaced out! Anyway, it wasn't as bad as I thought, I think I did ok, I'm trying to be positive! I must say, I've forgotten what it's like to write, my hand was really aching after the test! We have now got a two week break between terms, but I have signed up for the Communications course on one of those weeks, I've had to take a week off work to do it, but I need to as part of my course, bit of a waste of holiday, but never mind, the course is supposed to be really good.
So now I can relax a bit over the next week which is good. Well apart from going to wedding invitation shops at the weekend...it never ends!!