AwkwardInk

Pissy decided to involve the dogs in some christmas fun and took them to have their Santa photo taken. Very cute, in a sick kindof way.

I went to see this movie earlier in the week. It was very dark and brilliant. The fantasy offset the bruatlity of the spanish civil war setting in a disturbingly fascinating way.
The young girl who plays the main character Ofelia, Ivana Baquero portrayed the doomed character beautifully. Caught between the horror of reality and the menace of monster's only possible in childish nightmares, she is forced to plod onto her tragic end.

Life has continued on in London in a busy way. As the countdown to Christmas gets closer, it seems there are more and more things to be done in an ever decreasing amount of time.
This weekend the girls in our house trooped out to get a Christmas Tree. None of us have ever had a real live Christmas Tree, so this was quite a special moment for us. We felt quite impressed with ourselves as we carried our little tree home.


We set up our tree on its stand in our lounge room and decorated it with the few decorations that Shawn and Val have collected over their time here. Sarah bought out her origami paper, glue and scissors and we sat down to make Christmas decorations for our tree whilst watching the very best of pop music videos on E4. The music selection was so good (including new kids on the block, spice girls and kylie and jason) that it was hard to pull myself away to go shopping.
Things were absolutely mental on and around Oxford Street, and I am determined to avoid these areas on weekends from now on. I bought a few little but essential gifts however. Unfortunately I still have a few more to think about...Yikes.
Val, Sarah and I met up with Maya on the way to Sarah friend Ray's 31st birthday party. at Bar Musical near Old Street. We mingled with various random people, and danced away to MC Hammer classics. We stayed until the last possible moment, and after getting a snack of some bagels and sausage rolls on our way home, we were forced to run our way back to the tube. Our poor feet suffered for our poor planning.


We stumbled in our door sometime after 1am and laid out in our living room watching the prettiness of the lights flashing on our Xmas Tree.
Sunday started with a sleep in, but the farmers markets beckoned. I stumbled down there in a bleery eyed state to search out ingredients for the perfect sandwich. Good bread, tasty tomatoes, creamy buffalo mozzarella and pesto. I also managed to get a lovely organic pumpkin and leek, which I will use to make a nice rissoto later in the week.


After a small nap, we headed out to Kew Gardens to go ice skating. By the time we arrived it was dark and raining. It seemed crazy that we would skate in the cold wet conditions, but everyone was rearing to go. I managed to skate for 15 minutes before I decided that that was all I needed to get my Ice skating fix. Everyone else seemed quite content to scoot around in the rain.


After the skating session ended we headed into the city for dinner and a trip to the Ice Bar. We were equipped with insulated ponchos with attached gloves and sipped vodka cocktails from cups made of ice. As our session went on, I slowly lost feeling in my feet and hands, and I was mighty glad when we were told to clear out into the warmth of the bar outside.


Tube troubles meant we got home quite late. I wanted to be home in bed so much that I ran home from the tube station. Bed was a very welcome relief from the general business of the weekend.

I've just returned from a fabulous two week trip back home. It was brilliant to see my family and catch up with friends. Life at home felt like a strange fit when I first arrived. But maybe that was just the effects of sitting on a plane for 24 hours.
I had been so exhausted leading up to departing for home that I slept almost the whole trip home. It's funny how brief an 11 hour flight can seem if you sleep for most of the journey.
The weather was ok. Sunny, but still quite changeable. One crazy day saw it snowing in Queensland, and the temperatures plummeted to be the lowest temperatures recorded in November in 100 years. Luckily the weather improved for some great days in the sun.
Helen and Big head were married on Rodd Island whilst I was home. Helen's friend (and maid of honour) Monica and I were invited to stay over in Helen's hotel room the night before the wedding. She had a room in the Quay Grand in the toaster building beside the Opera House. It was a spectacular setting. We sat on the balcony eating cheese and sipping champange. The sunset over the harbour bridge and all seemed right with the world. Sydney really is a fabulously beatuiful place.

After a crazy bubble bath spa, Monica and I left Helen to finish off her wedding speech. We were more than a little surprised to find her fast asleep.
We ordered ridiculously expensive room service cereal and got ready for the event. Helen even managed to find some time between painting her toenails and getting her done, to finish off her speech.

We were picked up in a water taxi right outside the hotel and delivered to the island on time. The ceremony proceeded without a hitch and we drank and ate the afternoon away in the sunshine. I got to catch up with old and new friends, and enjoyed the vegan cup cakes.

When the sun set we headed back into Circular Quay for a drink at the opera bar. I had to scoot back to Mortdale to stay at pissy's new place. I arrived to find them surrounded by friends and a mass of food, to celebrate their housewarming. I couldn't resist hoeing into the fairy cakes and spinich dip (but not together).
I got to spend some time reaquainting myself with the art of driving. My parents purchased a new car in March and it was so lovely to drive.
Whilst out and about in the new car, Pissy and I were stunned and bemused to be asked by a campbelltown bogan, 'Why do youse guys always have such nice cars? It drives me crazy' I knew what he meant almost immediately, but I really wanted him to say it out loud. I think he knew how bad it would sound when I pretended that I didn't have a clue about what he was going on about. When I finally said, 'Who do you mean? Asians?' He looked sufficently embarrassed, but he'd asked the question. I went a little crazy perhaps blabbing on about all sorts of things. He drove me crazy!
I spent most of my time out in C'town relaxing and recovering from London burn out syndrome. But Pissy and I ventured into the city for yum cha at sky phoenix, and had a bit of a shopping day in the city. We met up with the lovely Francesca for drinks and dinner, and found ourselves in the new bar in the Hilton Hotel. We sat out in on the balcony looking down over the spectacular view of the Queen Victoria Building into Clarence Street. It was a reminder of my old life in Sydeny Town I guess. Not that I spent all of my time hanging out in lush bars, but it was nice nontheless.
One of the best things about going home was getting to meet the new puppy that my parents bought in july. She is a psychopath called Sassafras, who harrasses our other dog till he slinks off to hide. I can't wait to see the dogs in their Santa photograph, which Pissy is having done tomorrow.

Whilst I was home my mum was having some tests done, and was unlucky enough to discover that she has a tumour growing inside of her. It is quite a large lump, but all of the signs seem to point to a benign growth. It's terrifying thinking about the potential consequences of your mother getting cancer. I know of so many people who have lost loved ones in dramatically short spaces of time, and I was paralysed with fear that I would have to expereince it for myself. I was glad I was home to be around my mum for a bit.
We all spent some quality family time down the south coast at my parent's holiday house near Jervis bay. Pissy and I watched the whole Sex and the City Series 6, which was quite an accomplishment. We also spent loads of time at Hymes beach swimming and working on our tans. It was blissful. Claire made the effort to drive up from merimbula to come and stay over night as well, which was awesome. We feasted on a seafood dinner and enjoyed mum and dad's anniversary chocolates.
But then the time came to leave.
Saying goodbye is always hard. I remembered why I decided that I didn't want to have to say goodbye to my family again before I came home for good. My mum's tears were expected, but still hard to take. Pissy's tears were not expected, and nearly pushed me over the edge myself.
At least I'm lucky enough to have a family who love me.
hopefully they will all be safe and sound until I decide to return home to be with them on a more regular basis.