tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45523659325734756262024-03-20T08:08:17.884+01:00My adventure has begun...Keshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01508566771891973341noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4552365932573475626.post-55727253066555959442013-05-15T13:15:00.002+02:002013-05-15T13:16:37.837+02:00Bad at this...Ok, so we all know by now - I'm bad at this...<br />
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I'm bad at keeping up with blogging, and I'm bad with reading other people's blogs that I really like to catch up on...<br />
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I have excuses - lots of them; I hadn't been around for so long, I wanted to reformat the blog and have had a 'reason' to have been away, and one to be back with a whole brand new look... <br />
I have had some up's and down's - as in up's and really downs - and I feel like no one wants to know or read about things that I would write while I'm feeling crappy...<br />
Or I felt like I had nothing interesting to say - nothing going on in my head that anyone would want to read...<br />
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Anyway, I'm here now - back - for the moment anyway... Nothing interesting to say for right now, I will share some of my crafty stuff soon... And some photos - I have a new 'do' that I got tonight, so will take a photo that's not an end of day worn out looking one - soon, maybe tomorrow morning...<br />
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So, that's all for now - I'm back, I'll write some short ramblings, I'll share some stuff - and the new look for the blog, I'll sort it - sometime soon-ish, I hope - when I can work out more about what I need to do, or at least be motivated enough to spend some time - perhaps hours on the computer in a setting outside of work to see how to do what I want...<br />
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Thanks, if you're still here - or back with me, along for the ride - I promise I'll try to be better...Keshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01508566771891973341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4552365932573475626.post-56496100485721542632012-02-12T11:59:00.002+01:002012-02-12T12:04:44.541+01:00I'm back...Sorry all to have been absent for so long...<br />
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I recently had a reader ask what had happened since October and I was coming home. Well... quite a bit actually:<br />
<ul>
<li>I was home on my own (without SO) for 5-ish weeks looking for apartments and getting settled into the my new role back in Melbourne...</li>
<li>SO came home and (of course) the first apartment on the first day he came out looking with me was the one for us (and now we're living there)</li>
<li>We had a weekend trip up to see SO's parents the weekend after we moved into the new apartment, during which something blocking the drain on the balcony on the level above us got blocked and caused a leak through the ceiling in our living room (which, by the way is still not fixed since the second weekend in December) :(</li>
<li>We finished up work mid December and had a 6 week break (kind of pay back from so much time overseas) during which we had Christmas in Melbourne for the first time in 3 years, had 3.5 weeks in the Cook Islands and a little time around the new apartment for unpacking...</li>
<li>A couple of days after we arrived on the Cook Islands we had a phone call from the Property Manager who looks after our apartment to say that the vanity (the thing around the sink) in the bathroom had fallen off the wall and caused a flood through the apartment... <br />Lucky for us, my mum had the keys to the apartment and came and not only checked things out for us, saved some of our belongings (including my macbook - part of the reason I've been absent for so long - the water damage had to be sorted out) and tidied up some for us before we arrived home<br />The whole apartment has floating floorboards - which, I guess were literally floating for some time there - which are now all warped and buckled and we're having to high-step over the remaining waves in them :( Oh, and the vanity is still not back on the wall...</li>
<li>Apart from being frustrated by the lack of action by the real estate agent and landlord we're settled back in Melbourne, enjoying catching up with friends and family, and back at work waiting to see what the new year holds there...</li>
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I'll be back over the next - I'd like to say days, but it'll probably be a bit more like a couple of weeks at least - and expand on some of the points here and pop in links as I go so if you come to this update later you can find them easily enough...<br />
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Thanks for dropping back in for a read!<br />
<br />Keshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01508566771891973341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4552365932573475626.post-18320387072690480332011-10-22T11:04:00.001+02:002011-10-22T11:16:18.841+02:00Heading home...I'm sorry all - I'm not sure why the post has all run together, I had to type it in the notes app on my iPad on the plane, and now it doesn't seem to matter what I do I can't get any line separation in there.. Although it looks fine in the editing screen :(
And so, that's it - I've finished my time in Stockholm and am heading home...
Happy in a lot of ways to have the freedom to see friends and family on a more regular basis, to be going home to look for a new apartment for SO and myself, to be heading into a different role at work.
And sad in a lot of ways, friendships have developed - between the people from my company on the team, and from the client company. It has been an intense work environment - for a fairly extended period of time, and intense environments fuel things in ways that they wouldn't be if things weren't so intense...
I look forward to SO's return to Melbourne, we don't yet have a date for that beyond - about a month... And to my colleagues in the team from within my business. It's sad to have left them behind (for clearly different reasons) but I know they are people that I will always have in my life.
I'm sad that for the most part I may never see some of the people I met on the client side again. Over such a long period of time, working so closely with people it's impossible not to have formed some bond with them and they are people I'll happily call my friends... But, they will be friends from afar- and as I say, many of them I won't see again in person... That's quite sad - I hope that some of them (at least) will keep in contact over email, skype and Facebook- even more I hope that we eventually get to see some of them head to Oz for a visit.
There are lots of things I'll miss about living in Europe - the ability to decide at the last minute to head off somewhere cool for the weekend - not exactly an easy thing to do from Melbourne.. The suburb where we lived - colorful and comfortable and always lively, the sights on the way to and from work in the morning - crossing the bridge from our island to the next on the way into town. Seems very strange that after living in a country where English is not the first language to be heading back to a place where I'll understand most of the conversations going on around me - without having to know the context and concentrate so hard! Sirens will sound different - strange but true, ambulances and police cars sound different!
And obviously I'll miss SO - until he heads home. It's strange for us to be apart for any length of time - the last two years or so we spent almost 6 months traveling in South America, together all but one night of that time, some time not working and setting up the apartment in Melbourne, then about 2 months working for separate companies, before heading off traveling for another month... Of course, that changed a litle and it has ended up being 15 odd months - all of that time working together, some of it sitting next to each other, and all but about 2 weeks (when I went back to Melbourne to pack up the apartment) together... Some time apart certainly won't do us any harm, and it might actually do us some good - but it's strange not have him by my side, especially at times like now - in a plane on my way somewhere.. So much of our time together we've been traveling it feel very weird to head through security and out the other side without the camaraderie and surprise of what this security detail in this country feels is important, sitting waiting at the gate people watching or reading something, airport food and the actual being on the plane - especially for such a long flight, it just feels weird..
I guess it's a feeling that I'll just have to live with for a while - while I console myself with the warmth of friends and family and hopefully finding us a new home..Keshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01508566771891973341noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4552365932573475626.post-91526604971841062752011-09-15T21:18:00.001+02:002011-09-15T21:18:49.359+02:00What a day......and not in a good way...<br />
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Today I woke up to the news that one of my close friends lost his mum today. I have known him (and her) for for the last 16 or so years. Up until the last few years when she has been unwell, she was a very welcome feature in my life often when I was around him.<br />
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She had married the love of her life, a beautiful man who my heart goes out to today on the loss of quite literally his other half. They are truly the absolute epitome of the 'two halves of the same heart' cliche - they are probably closer and more in love (even in their dotage) than any other couple I know. <br />
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She has bought up a wonderful son, who has an amazing sense of self and as a gay man, has grown up with more love and understanding and acceptance than most people I know.<br />
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She managed to be always there for not only him, but his friends. She had a generous heart and was a quietly glamorous and elegant woman. <br />
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In recent years she was in full time care after some bad turns with her health. I mentioned a few times my desire to go visit her to my friend - who discouraged it, given the state her health and that she was really not herself any more. On those days I always found it hard to accept - today I am very grateful for that. <br />
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It meant that today, while I was running through all my memories of her - they were true to the beautiful woman I knew. Of her smiling, soft conversation, her quiet elegance, her unconditional support for her son and everyone he bought into her life as part of his.<br />
<br />
One of my favourite memories was her standing in the kitchen (cooking for others as always) large chef knife in hand saying in her stunning greek accent 'Petter, I am in the kitchen and I have a large knife' in response to him trying to score his Christmas present early from her.<br />
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RIP beautiful Mary P, you will be sadly missed by many - not least your gorgeous boys. Much love and hugs P (& M) and E - I'm sending you long distance hugs, and the strength to get through the next little while. xxxKeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01508566771891973341noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4552365932573475626.post-44896869885899987792011-09-11T11:57:00.000+02:002011-09-11T11:58:01.674+02:00Latest scrappingOk, so it's not much - but here's the scrapping I got up to yesterday after I'd done all of my LSNED book pages:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh80CGyj7yxBjetSwRmzAV1MxvaEpN20I2rNuww04DeXIvywoa0WZg2mb2rvBgzsk6ueetpWuSz3TLwRwV5sziiebn5oC2t0HLJLnKuLBDwWXZs2wXL_-NGqCiws74GEKEUkjoiTfb2jUEV/s1600/SAM_5804.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh80CGyj7yxBjetSwRmzAV1MxvaEpN20I2rNuww04DeXIvywoa0WZg2mb2rvBgzsk6ueetpWuSz3TLwRwV5sziiebn5oC2t0HLJLnKuLBDwWXZs2wXL_-NGqCiws74GEKEUkjoiTfb2jUEV/s200/SAM_5804.jpg" width="200" /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh80CGyj7yxBjetSwRmzAV1MxvaEpN20I2rNuww04DeXIvywoa0WZg2mb2rvBgzsk6ueetpWuSz3TLwRwV5sziiebn5oC2t0HLJLnKuLBDwWXZs2wXL_-NGqCiws74GEKEUkjoiTfb2jUEV/s1600/SAM_5804.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXbZBTtq59iHQp3LiKyITHtT6bVktuYUoGI8DwNwPvBdP6UuUQLkFRCre_XbYEfoD5ksgpMjIQbnmftpeixVSuthfAyUfiHiJdRArLjPM5ajcFW_Nae3fZtnbpIsT4QKbEHySo2zuDtmQj/s200/SAM_5805.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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I just love the colours in this paper line (Kaisercraft - Chapter One) and especially loved how well it went with this pic!</div>
Keshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01508566771891973341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4552365932573475626.post-27665590937576935072011-09-11T11:52:00.001+02:002011-09-11T11:53:39.443+02:00So, a bit has happened...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Hmmm, I'm really not so good at this blogging thing... When I last wrote, I had finally started on my 'Explore' Shimelle class... I didn't get any further than that (yet)... Shimelle had another class coming up which I'd been reading other people's comments about - and they were all EXCITED! </div>
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Learn Something New Everyday (LSNED) is a Shimelle class that runs each year, in September (when the kids in the Northern hemisphere go back to school)... It's a chance for Shimelle fans to 'go back to school' too and start learning something new every day...<br />
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Well, I was hesitant, I loved the first Shimelle class I took - participated in the 'live' running via the forum, reading other people's blogs, etc... But since then had signed up for 2 that I hadn't managed to join into 'live' and hadn't completed (luckily the class fees are really reasonable!!). But, at the last minute, I decided to sign up for LSNED - and in the process 'dobbed' two girlfriends and my step-mum in for it as well... I figured it'd promote a little bit of the camaraderie and sharing that we have when we scrap together (when I live in the same country as them) even though we're so far away these days...<br />
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So far - I have managed to jot myself a note each day on my learning - into my iphone notes app, so that I can remember what the day taught me. Last weekend I sat and read about what everyone was up to in the forum - how they'd gone about deciding on what format of book, cards, etc to use and what their front covers looked like. And then I got into making my own... And I got my lessons in for the first few days... Yesterday, really my first chance to scrap again - I got back into it, and before dinner had all of my lessons for the week into my book... I'm really liking the class - I need to get some photos developed to go onto some of the pages (not every page has a photo though - only where they belong with the lesson) - but other than that - I'm keeping up, and liking my book and it's style and the class...<br />
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Here's what it looks like so far:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZ9Fa85nr6Zpadd1LSb1LHLYH2zfkfSoghXIGCbfVw9HR4W1FHGk8rh_k_l5vDM7T6SqjqRQZ3ZgUXGAaosbZnkkfFKvGyPVdvKB-6qfoMvrtfm_Mv7mevKa-yczjfw3ZwAvP-LOiVjVr/s1600/SAM_5789.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZ9Fa85nr6Zpadd1LSb1LHLYH2zfkfSoghXIGCbfVw9HR4W1FHGk8rh_k_l5vDM7T6SqjqRQZ3ZgUXGAaosbZnkkfFKvGyPVdvKB-6qfoMvrtfm_Mv7mevKa-yczjfw3ZwAvP-LOiVjVr/s200/SAM_5789.jpg" width="150" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9uE4iLB2gcBMM952XPDLwfX0biAf8WOueMCdfiAgxeAzgFX6P4dQ0UquR_T_WOj_iHGBd-8iTPOFcLKbUW8djxcGYoGiqSwfR7gKy0vuemhKvIrMIMLwKdbFW6MvDaliHWo-hRRYAk4LA/s1600/SAM_5791.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9uE4iLB2gcBMM952XPDLwfX0biAf8WOueMCdfiAgxeAzgFX6P4dQ0UquR_T_WOj_iHGBd-8iTPOFcLKbUW8djxcGYoGiqSwfR7gKy0vuemhKvIrMIMLwKdbFW6MvDaliHWo-hRRYAk4LA/s200/SAM_5791.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-EWufAHbNQZmaUpP_BlirWED2-W7brlaE-GB5-vuyk3DwUQTypLLNOumlsztWhelSICNmY9cDRBEroC-_AMt1QJtePhkD2LSLwFq5xrlzrUXLdxx2-L1q8jRjJk7Nx0V0xT0l-3KBjhh/s1600/SAM_5792.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-EWufAHbNQZmaUpP_BlirWED2-W7brlaE-GB5-vuyk3DwUQTypLLNOumlsztWhelSICNmY9cDRBEroC-_AMt1QJtePhkD2LSLwFq5xrlzrUXLdxx2-L1q8jRjJk7Nx0V0xT0l-3KBjhh/s200/SAM_5792.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieWJI5R6m8Mve2puc27721IgpPRP4jaEzLXdvmSnG-oXT7WXLR4Wf-xqAUQ0yi1CeoceAokzvt5iquxLOy6Onxs-a5XrDmdK1bR_ORGDAH-qB8P0iY-leArGBVdMEJ-0oEChoTvr6CRMVQ/s1600/SAM_5793.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieWJI5R6m8Mve2puc27721IgpPRP4jaEzLXdvmSnG-oXT7WXLR4Wf-xqAUQ0yi1CeoceAokzvt5iquxLOy6Onxs-a5XrDmdK1bR_ORGDAH-qB8P0iY-leArGBVdMEJ-0oEChoTvr6CRMVQ/s200/SAM_5793.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEaBv7lgAgfSyY-02fqCSdd2wYG0oHwesJqBjQuAE5Usg64DY7alaLF_Rxpi1k83r8ez3Y9SG9WdbBvi8719CreG08veHWrmSiB08Lf7e3p8-f5X2JorTO7LIwgvLbDSK83MV9oXsOPWcl/s1600/SAM_5794.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEaBv7lgAgfSyY-02fqCSdd2wYG0oHwesJqBjQuAE5Usg64DY7alaLF_Rxpi1k83r8ez3Y9SG9WdbBvi8719CreG08veHWrmSiB08Lf7e3p8-f5X2JorTO7LIwgvLbDSK83MV9oXsOPWcl/s200/SAM_5794.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieWJI5R6m8Mve2puc27721IgpPRP4jaEzLXdvmSnG-oXT7WXLR4Wf-xqAUQ0yi1CeoceAokzvt5iquxLOy6Onxs-a5XrDmdK1bR_ORGDAH-qB8P0iY-leArGBVdMEJ-0oEChoTvr6CRMVQ/s1600/SAM_5793.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9dDec2XZib3j9oiizRzqRSdnUGvJiF-o6Tblx2OLquNyOrh4aIPC0uCGHjpAA0i5MdWRJnPAJ48q30mn_Ob_YsiZGkt8LQptn-Rn-EjQb0zzhjJf_QNZwYgXEJahlHNCyFL00zbXNOXti/s1600/SAM_5795.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9dDec2XZib3j9oiizRzqRSdnUGvJiF-o6Tblx2OLquNyOrh4aIPC0uCGHjpAA0i5MdWRJnPAJ48q30mn_Ob_YsiZGkt8LQptn-Rn-EjQb0zzhjJf_QNZwYgXEJahlHNCyFL00zbXNOXti/s200/SAM_5795.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPZFM2jz-8PllFLzKFw3PpfJ1ELmKLdFyygQikyBfgyZzLeSSpfw6On6uRLxvJ0frvKuF1Z_zFPH5kEfOuuBVfpowU8ABHtGINMjFB-dvXEwhvjJkFZk31pRMuFcEZponZBpBmJtSc0WEv/s1600/SAM_5797.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPZFM2jz-8PllFLzKFw3PpfJ1ELmKLdFyygQikyBfgyZzLeSSpfw6On6uRLxvJ0frvKuF1Z_zFPH5kEfOuuBVfpowU8ABHtGINMjFB-dvXEwhvjJkFZk31pRMuFcEZponZBpBmJtSc0WEv/s200/SAM_5797.jpg" width="150" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil7SxpTE3B93D6pRSP8MpGF8P0a4MHnn2J8Clq4zKxvKk5RYaVmyguQlD89clvJNdcCx8xsdppgfyIblgbpUUx4210Tv4hoJMY5IcYN4NL53j95lx8ELwJ1GQ4zQhRoFlx2oBexhT2r0FZ/s1600/SAM_5798.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil7SxpTE3B93D6pRSP8MpGF8P0a4MHnn2J8Clq4zKxvKk5RYaVmyguQlD89clvJNdcCx8xsdppgfyIblgbpUUx4210Tv4hoJMY5IcYN4NL53j95lx8ELwJ1GQ4zQhRoFlx2oBexhT2r0FZ/s200/SAM_5798.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEO_YGhdLVWRfVrplXaeAht2PD-1NyXmScMAJVkbD44JaAMtBZnBLVNoKHYmj11jJWczNfkRZ8LWdOE1mgmv4bVdy3XctumUVWIGBfc5qUQREbNzggxovjnwzIU7bs1dAqVK_R3PKjLqiA/s1600/SAM_5799.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEO_YGhdLVWRfVrplXaeAht2PD-1NyXmScMAJVkbD44JaAMtBZnBLVNoKHYmj11jJWczNfkRZ8LWdOE1mgmv4bVdy3XctumUVWIGBfc5qUQREbNzggxovjnwzIU7bs1dAqVK_R3PKjLqiA/s200/SAM_5799.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9tel6UoBnXa0QEMz1_4GOkGiVEGK9CEZAtasTp9MJqZGJPFNZQIwiHg_M0u44AfY47zuJvwmn9A9N7foYiyh9VzoWbndOSEgAKp1j5n5Pky1A_M6sG6u2Rgzel3R9Va1OzoVcbcJbh4b4/s1600/SAM_5800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9tel6UoBnXa0QEMz1_4GOkGiVEGK9CEZAtasTp9MJqZGJPFNZQIwiHg_M0u44AfY47zuJvwmn9A9N7foYiyh9VzoWbndOSEgAKp1j5n5Pky1A_M6sG6u2Rgzel3R9Va1OzoVcbcJbh4b4/s200/SAM_5800.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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So, there's what it's looking like so far - apologies for my inability to line up the photos properly in blogger (but that might keep me here all day - and there's scrapping to do!). I have made a 6" x 12" book from chipboard covers and kraft cardstock for the days - I have a Tim Holtz kraft relief pad that every second page is from - and then the alternate pages are plain cardstock. In hindsight, I probably would have done each page from the Tim Holtz book, but never mind! Something else learned!</div>
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The papers are all from the Bo Bonny 'Gabrielle' line as I had the whole pack and had hardly used any, I thought it'd be nice to have everything matching. I am also using the book to take myself somewhat out of my comfort zone - for those of you who have been reading along - I can't bring myself to do single pages in my scrapbooks, each of them (except at the beginning and end of a book - where truthfully, there's mostly nothing!) are double pages. I just like opening up the book and what I'm looking at is all matching... With LSNED I've done different pages for each (but am helping my anal-retentiveness cope by having the same colour scheme throughout!).</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">So, that's all for now - I'll try to keep updating as the book is coming together...</span></span></div>
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Keshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01508566771891973341noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4552365932573475626.post-22804549868022187322011-08-21T23:33:00.003+02:002011-08-21T23:36:24.292+02:00Starting to 'explore'So, about 8 weeks ago I signed up for a new Shimelle class.<br />
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We were travelling still in the first week, so I knew that it was unlikely that I would be up to date with the class... What I wasn't really expecting was to be so short on mojo for so long that I would miss the 'live run' of the class all together... But, that's what happened...<br />
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Over the last couple of weeks I've ordered a bunch of photos to try to kick myself back into action. Well this weekend it worked - I managed to get together 3 canvases that I wanted to hang in the apartment:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFxmerXBMPnbvJNpo3UZ3dg5XWn8dcSHBJJFq1AYg_35y-wIBJAd02UBkrdjx6oCQyO1_XOySfv3Nx3ai1MY0pf8wOVtIJLv4tUt3tRx1xN_mrb2atjaAg3bQE6unXMs-kptKJzQrbm0_O/s1600/SAM_5756.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFxmerXBMPnbvJNpo3UZ3dg5XWn8dcSHBJJFq1AYg_35y-wIBJAd02UBkrdjx6oCQyO1_XOySfv3Nx3ai1MY0pf8wOVtIJLv4tUt3tRx1xN_mrb2atjaAg3bQE6unXMs-kptKJzQrbm0_O/s200/SAM_5756.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSnT0yrisJSScwfSJniNUTanr8MmxmRJsHscQfMJE8RipNVV3Dpq5qDBtdyzWNsRk5qqtaz80LfFAR8yYDt2-iYQYsJk3lv7R47cJweJK_gn22phZJL52C3zek3uYpitDFGT3WCCnVteQX/s1600/SAM_5761.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSnT0yrisJSScwfSJniNUTanr8MmxmRJsHscQfMJE8RipNVV3Dpq5qDBtdyzWNsRk5qqtaz80LfFAR8yYDt2-iYQYsJk3lv7R47cJweJK_gn22phZJL52C3zek3uYpitDFGT3WCCnVteQX/s200/SAM_5761.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The middle one ended up lenthways (without the small photos) instead of across but I didn't take another photo.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then I managed to work through 4 of the explore prompts yesterday. Here's my playbook:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiamRnVwGHh0Q9njimjYYSdzcoqwWXXViBRYkm7qgmXy1mTl9rfze3Hy2i353YC-uZgO_Hj0gj6JCJAPsD1GcC_ja5ODFAzwDqZCqS_TI2cp5lFrhkpzoGIVbK9_ZHNqmrVpkbNLJvekyVA/s1600/SAM_5783.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiamRnVwGHh0Q9njimjYYSdzcoqwWXXViBRYkm7qgmXy1mTl9rfze3Hy2i353YC-uZgO_Hj0gj6JCJAPsD1GcC_ja5ODFAzwDqZCqS_TI2cp5lFrhkpzoGIVbK9_ZHNqmrVpkbNLJvekyVA/s200/SAM_5783.jpg" width="200" /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9q7nY_IZG3FLZhTvgbWucB-FQIb5jJA4Vrn-S7m5dYBU3UGYfAnJ6TvRHSkZVZqJzPMv5yXLD-gZuSqCeGvzXMQN0IBAzRIqjvauuo_sGRougvAPJhrMfkv0XPcZ4MSVsY6310ygU9fQ2/s1600/SAM_5784.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9q7nY_IZG3FLZhTvgbWucB-FQIb5jJA4Vrn-S7m5dYBU3UGYfAnJ6TvRHSkZVZqJzPMv5yXLD-gZuSqCeGvzXMQN0IBAzRIqjvauuo_sGRougvAPJhrMfkv0XPcZ4MSVsY6310ygU9fQ2/s200/SAM_5784.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I managed to take my self portrait - just before I started working through the prompts actually when I came home from having a new haircut (a good Swedish hairdresser experience for a change!!) - it's a kind of weird shot, but I was ok with that...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlQnMuN2QSbXnyW8oF9ZlTJkfClvBN-UklpDOzJVPGQwnyirLMnG1DBbQnX1Qb46WAFwqO-ch8xZsIb2VbDaRaLGhcsDSWl1qKDkvU4AXBTFPiz2zkkARmlNHvEgE0Hpz_-pSeqt0RLhfP/s1600/IMG_0214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlQnMuN2QSbXnyW8oF9ZlTJkfClvBN-UklpDOzJVPGQwnyirLMnG1DBbQnX1Qb46WAFwqO-ch8xZsIb2VbDaRaLGhcsDSWl1qKDkvU4AXBTFPiz2zkkARmlNHvEgE0Hpz_-pSeqt0RLhfP/s200/IMG_0214.jpg" width="149" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I don't have a printer at home, so it will have to wait until the next time I order prints to go into the book. And, I wrote my note to self (only have a shot of half of it for some reason:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeNUlJ2Ew5wLE6Wi5w2koZ2ec1K9rqmf0_sPxE1kBq2OTtkDB9t3qznt44Lwwj77H47ByICazbB2q4ktR3_GmBi3Y1iF28c5HFau7GbAYcBg1VXiiEB4zo2PRHIqyjh7cc0zulWIhwuOEe/s1600/SAM_5787.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeNUlJ2Ew5wLE6Wi5w2koZ2ec1K9rqmf0_sPxE1kBq2OTtkDB9t3qznt44Lwwj77H47ByICazbB2q4ktR3_GmBi3Y1iF28c5HFau7GbAYcBg1VXiiEB4zo2PRHIqyjh7cc0zulWIhwuOEe/s200/SAM_5787.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div>Next up, was mapping it out. A shot of all the maps I spread on my desk:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeItRsZlgQhYSSmBxrkg_mCo0hk5gTjPms0bUNeN9RtyQe16KMvWfzv-dG0ph9oBftnaE_3pZqi6y2s7O0hj6kIu3IJ_IA_Xdcshu-U9xI2SGSp6eHJQHxHv6MVbDVbueknmw4BukWdvA8/s1600/SAM_5763.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeItRsZlgQhYSSmBxrkg_mCo0hk5gTjPms0bUNeN9RtyQe16KMvWfzv-dG0ph9oBftnaE_3pZqi6y2s7O0hj6kIu3IJ_IA_Xdcshu-U9xI2SGSp6eHJQHxHv6MVbDVbueknmw4BukWdvA8/s200/SAM_5763.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
And my page with some map pieces and circle:<br />
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And lastly the most 'perfect' part of my life - and no, it's not strictly SO, but the way we live and work and travel and play together so well:<br />
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Then, I felt like some 'freestyle' scrapping - so yesterday afternoon and this afternoon got these layouts complete:<br />
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So - hopefully the mojo's back and next weekend will bring some more creativity...<br />
<span id="goog_1072084356"></span><span id="goog_1072084357"></span>Keshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01508566771891973341noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4552365932573475626.post-47139173893642623702011-08-10T21:48:00.000+02:002011-08-10T21:48:03.277+02:00Summer breakSo, I've been absent for a while again, I'm a bit slack at this blog thing! <br />
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</div><div>We've been away on Summer Break - having been away from home for essentially a year (except for the couple of weeks I went home to pack up our apartment) we decided that we should head back to Oz for a visit... Stupid really at this time of year, because it's winter there!! We've had the longest winter of our lives - left just as spring was starting in 2009 to head to South America, where we spent 3 of our 5.5 months in Cusco (at altitude in the Andes) not exactly warm! Then headed back to Oz in March 2010 - just in time for winter to start... Heading off for Europe July 2010 - and up to Sweden where summer is not exactly what we're used to and was very short lived before a REALLY loooonnnnggggg winter - and so, of course why would we not keep up the trend and avoid summer yet again..?</div><div><br />
</div><div>Crazy - but we needed to see friends and family and have a taste of home for a minute or two... </div><div><br />
</div><div>So we fly in - have a day in Melbourne before flying up to Mildura for 5 days. Chill there for the week, I play in the scrapping room a bit with my step-mum and SO plays in the back room on his computer (with dad across the room doing the same thing)... Did some shopping for essentials, a couple of lunches/dinners out, and a couple of visits from step-siblings and kids and a quick catch up with an Aunty and the 5 days was all over...</div><div><br />
</div><div>Heading back to Melbourne we had dinner with a friend, before I headed for an all day scrapping day with girlfriends. Gee I miss that - the camaraderie and laughs and inspiration and friendship in a room full of scrapping women - here my crafting is very isolated, and it was a real boost for me to be able to fit in a day full of those girls this trip. A day of running errands and visiting my grandparents and then we were off again for 5 days in Northern NSW with SO's parents. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Trips into the nearest towns around them a few times, breakfasts and lunches out, a visit to SO's grandparents to take them out for lunch and again in the blink of an eye another week of our visit was gone... Back to Melbourne for a weekend of catch ups with friends and our week in Melbourne - kicked off with some family time, some more errands, doctors and dentists visits and a couple of days in the Melbourne office. Friday night drinks with friends and some weekend family time and suddenly our time in Oz was up...</div><div><br />
</div><div>Three weeks seemed to pass in the blink of an eye, too little time to catch up with people and everyone caught up with in groups, so very little of the meaningful individual catch up time that allows you to actually know what's going on in people's lives and what has actually changed in the time we've been gone... But at least a taste of home and the people we love...</div><div><br />
</div><div>Flying back 'home' to Sweden we stopped in Bangkok for 5 days to have a bit of a holiday - and some much needed sunshine. I did some (quite little) shopping, some swimming (or at least splashing around) and some sun bathing (I never do that!!). And the one touristy thing that we did was go to visit the 'Tiger Temple'. Such an amazing experience for us both:<br />
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</div>Keshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01508566771891973341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4552365932573475626.post-82246259506924760662011-06-24T00:41:00.001+02:002011-06-24T00:42:48.436+02:00The Big 'Oh'Well, for those of you who know me - you'll know that I recently had a birthday - a big 'oh' birthday... Oh, as in oh - am I really -that- old?!! I've been busy since then so, haven't had a chance to blog - but have been dying to as it was the best adventure yet!! WARNING - this is a LONG post, but it was a great adventure - I have to share it all, grab a cuppa and indulge me if you care to come along for the ride.<br />
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I had thought that I would be spending the Friday night with SO, and then on the Saturday night we were heading out with a group of people from work for a night of dinner, drinks and laughter at a pub type location here in Stockholm. It had gotten quite close (about a month out) and I hadn't set a location for this get together and SO (lovely man that he is) volunteered to take on the job of tracking down a location, and doing the set up for said gathering... Well, apparently by this time there were already other plans well underway that I knew nothing about...<br />
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It all started (for me anyway) on the Tuesday - when I received a formal invitation to 'mystery date night' on the Wednesday night with SO. Our date nights are a newly instigated thing and happen once a month - it was due the week before, but we'd both been really busy and nothing had been organised - we still went out for a walk and for dinner (probably the worst we've had since we've lived here!) but SO did say that he had something he was trying to organise for a date night really soon, that he really thought I'd enjoy... So, while it was a little bit of a surprise that it came through so quickly - I was really excited that he'd gone to trouble to organise something - a bit perplexed as to why it needed such a formal invitation - but none the less excited...<br />
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Wednesday mornings are early ones for us - we have a meeting with the team in Melbourne via skype and -have- to be in the office by 8.30am for that to start (we normally start around 9)... And, those of you who know me - know that I'm so NOT a morning person - so I am a notorious snoozer... SO normally is too - but this morning his alarm went off at the same time as mine (it's normally set for about 20 mins later) and he didn't snooze at all - in fact he practically jumped out of bed as soon as it went off... He went rustling about in the store room (next to our bedroom) and came back in with a nest of 3 suitcases, dumped them on the bed:<br />
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SO: Come on, get up - you have to help me pack this<br />
Me: What?<br />
SO: You're not going to work today - come on you have to help me pack this<br />
Me: I'm sorry what (there was a bit of that this particular day)<br />
SO: I think you heard me, you're not going to work today - you need to get up and help me pack this<br />
Me: The giant suitcase? (Yeah, I was really on the ball!)<br />
SO: Maybe the next size down, but come on - you have to get up...<br />
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Rubbing my eyes I dragged myself off to the bathroom and still rubbing my eyes and puzzling returned to the bedroom to help pack for 'mystery date night'. It needed enough clothes to get me through until about Tuesday, at least one 'nice' outfit for wearing out, and I should pack for weather much like we're currently having... Oh, and we need to be packed and out of here within an hour...<br />
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Right, that achieved we were out the door in search of a cab. Loaded into one - we were off to the airport... I don't remember much about the ride - I was still reeling and trying to wake up... Safely deposited at the airport, SO leads me inside and up to one of the check yourself in computers... Can I have your passport please - and he scans it, then asks me to take over the check in... So I start clicking through the screens until I get to one that says I'm checking us both in to fly from Stockholm to New York - the look on my face was why he wanted me to drive - he has that surprised shock on film (well, on memory card anyway)!!<br />
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There was some drama at the airport due to Delta's computer system going down, and then a fairly boring 8-ish hour flight - let me fast forward past that.<br />
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We arrived into JFK airport, to SO telling me that oh, by the way the driver from the hotel who he'd ordered to pick us up may have a photographer with him... Or he might just have a small camera himself, not to sure - just wanted to give me the heads up... Hmmm, that tip may have been a bit handy when I'd mentioned after you'd packed the bathroom bag and zipped up the case that I hadn't even gotten to brush my hair that morning... *rolls eyes* Anyway, it took us a few minutes to find the driver with our sign, because we came out the wrong door. But then we found him (no one with him thankfully!), and as we're walking up the hill outside the terminal he informs us that the airport have rules that don't allow him to bring the car in close - he'll go for the 10 minute walk to get the limo and then meet us at this spot... I'm sorry what - yes, that's right 'the limo'... When it pulls up - there's someone in the passenger seat pointing a video camera out - I was less happy about having one of those in my face than a still!! Never the less, into the limo we get and have a bit of a drive to the hotel...<br />
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When we get there the driver (and his assistant) open up the car door to allow us to get out and I pop out to a girl standing there welcoming me to New York - thanks, OH MY GOD - it's my best mate from Oz (who doesn't live in the same state as me, so time together is quite rare). I let out one of those girly squeals you hear in the movies (and yes, embarrassingly all caught on file) and grab hold of her and start babbling and blubbering. Are you kidding me - not only am I in THE place I always wanted to go to for this milestone, but Bestie is also there - SENSATIONAL! <br />
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Into the hotel (the Sofitel on 44th Street) for check in, and the man handing over the keys says 'Mr SO - you have a lovely suite on the 15th floor'. I'm sorry - what?? (oh yeah - I did warn there was a bit of that!!) Yep, a suite - in the Sofitel - in New York - for my big 'oh' - and Bestie's there too... Oh My God!! There was some time of - I can't believe we pulled this off, and stories of how long they'd been in contact cooking up all the plans - Oh My God! Some more girly giggling and carrying on while I called mum (at very early in her morning) to tell her where I was and then called another close friend 'P' who's recently moved to NYC with his partner - Oh My God!!<br />
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The actual birthday day was very full - some shopping in the morning, lunch with Bestie, SO and P at P's favorite restaurant, then off to my next 'appointment'. An envelope handed to me in the cab explaining that my colleagues on the project we're working on in Stockholm had pooled together and gotten me a helicopter ride over NYC - and we were off to the helipad... OMG! Some waiting around there and then a sensational view or 10 of NYC later we were off running back to the hotel to change for dinner. An early one, as there were later plans already. We arrive for dinner - which Bestie had booked in a revolving restaurant overlooking the New York skyline - OMG!! Freaked me out some - a migraine that was setting in had disoriented me some - but once I was sat down for a while and used to the movement, OMG - sensational!! And then we were off to a show (on Broadway, thanks very much) called Rock of Ages - funny, loud, daggy 80's hair band type musical. What a day!<br />
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Saturday was spent mostly doing touristy type stuff, I won't drag you all through - but Saturday night SO had booked tickets to see Cirque du Soliel's brand new show (launched only the day before the birthday) at Radio City Music Hall, called Zarkarna. Wow - I LOVE Cirque shows, and while this one was different to all the others I've seen - just amazing (as always). <br />
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Sunday was again spent mostly sightseeing - but did include the Empire State Building! It took longer than we'd expected to get up to the observation decks and have a look around - but amazing when we got to, and the whole building (like a lot of New York - including our hotel) is Art Deco - gorgeous decorations and details throughout. It was just unbelievable to finally be in this place that I've seen on so many TV shows and movies for years and years - unreal! <br />
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And then there was Sunday night - a night of a barrel of laughs, a bushel of tears, good food, lethal drink, super friends, and all round good company. Dinner at a great place in Hell's Kitchen with SO, Bestie, P and his partner M. Entertaining waiters, oh and it was the Tony award night (Broadway awards) so they were all beside themselves and playing up an absolute treat to us! A night where in between laughing and drinking ourselves pretty silly - I tried to explain what it had meant to me that SO and Bestie had colluded all this time and that they'd pulled off such an AMAZING, just flat out AMAZING trip. And how much it had meant to me that it was in the place where I'd always wanted to go, and now with P and M there - I got the extra bonus of getting to celebrate with them too!!<br />
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Ridiculous for such an anally retentive control freak to have been so 'out of control' for a week but oh so worth it... What an adventure!! Thanks guys - love you xxxKeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01508566771891973341noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4552365932573475626.post-25710346362387143442011-06-04T11:31:00.002+02:002011-08-10T22:00:28.757+02:00How blog got it's name...Not long before I started this blog, a friend of mine shared a link on Facebook - it was a lovely, romantic proposal story that made me smile and cry (I'm a sucker for mushy, romantic stuff) and I in turn shared the link with my Facebook friends - thinking that in doing so I was effectively 'bookmarking' the link for myself and I'd be able to go back and read about it any time I wanted...<br />
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Then, I decided it would be good to start a blog - it would enable me to keep whoever was interested up to date with what was going on in life (this life I still pinch myself often to believe is my own). It felt like it would be a bit more personal than Facebook updates or bulk emails - partly because I can just write it like it's for me, and partly because while everyone linked to me gets the Facebook updates, only the people who want to, who actually choose to will take the time to read an account of what's actually going on...<br />
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I have thought for the last few weeks that I should have the link to the story on the blog itself - after all it's part of the blog's story, but just hadn't gone looking for it to paste it in here... This morning I noticed a competition on shimelle.com a scrapbooking site that I read often and the source of some fabulous online training that I've been loving... Anyway, the competition http://www.shimelle.com/paper/1038/scrapbooking-giveaway-day/ for anyone interested - is to win an autographed book by an artist called Rob Ryan and the story about the proposal started with a print by this very artist...<br />
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So, as part of entering the comp myself - and in the interests of telling the story of how blog got to be what it is I went in search of the link. Much to my dismay Facebook - as it is want to do, all too often for my liking - has made 'improvements' which mean I could no longer find the link... Not on my wall, profile or the profile of the friend who shared it in the first place. :( Thankfully she was online in Facebook chat and after a bit of dribbling from me about wanting to find the link - her and her partner went in search of it for me!! Thanks so much Sam and Damian!! <br />
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And so, the link with the story and the print and all the romantic mushyness here for all your enjoyment, and part of the documentation of the story of the blog - <a href="http://love-you-big.blogspot.com/2010/05/once-upon-time.html">Adventure...</a>. Enjoy!Keshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01508566771891973341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4552365932573475626.post-85224107242199079072011-05-30T22:03:00.001+02:002011-08-10T22:08:59.806+02:00The continuing adventures with Swedish hairdressers...Another Swedish hairdressing experience...<br />
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</div><div>*deep breath* Well, About a week and a half ago I had another 'interesting' hairdressers visit. I had decided to go dark - a big change from my normally blonde-ish tones... I'd been thinking on it for a while, which speaks to me that it's something I really want to do. I called my hairdresser at home - she'd done a dark colour for me a couple of years ago that I was really happy with and was hoping to replicate, so I got some instructions and colour numbers from her. </div><div><br />
</div><div>I went into a hair salon and discussed my idea with the hairdresser, and even showed her a photo of me with a similar colour to what I was looking for to show her that dark hair is fine on me - when I'm blonde and so pale I can understand that might freak a hairdresser out!! Ok, so she repeats back to me - in broken English - that she's going to tone my hair and then put the final colour in it. This is all sounding like a good start... Here's the photo:</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5GdRdeYwcBtc3gtJoBmchsBa37RxH4xmJYqUzlLCWwu31b7ihy-F5ZCMNrzKDSgBrawAfurqHaLw3neZ_ATEu_YnHoiMsxKEVKYBUwrlZFaCEiHKSNDtOeQg-eDLThTHhEIdOVJuQaMOj/s1600/IMG_0018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5GdRdeYwcBtc3gtJoBmchsBa37RxH4xmJYqUzlLCWwu31b7ihy-F5ZCMNrzKDSgBrawAfurqHaLw3neZ_ATEu_YnHoiMsxKEVKYBUwrlZFaCEiHKSNDtOeQg-eDLThTHhEIdOVJuQaMOj/s200/IMG_0018.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And where we were starting from (not the best shot - I was playing in the park):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div>She sits me at the basin and tones, then applies a colour before plonking me back in the chair to wait for the processing time... We get to the end, rinse, wash, etc and return to the chair in front of the mirror... She starts moving around to get styling products and I'm looking at this extremely bland in-between coloured hair. </div><div>Me: So, just to check - is it going darker?? </div><div>Her: No - that's it now... </div><div>Me: Ah, no - it's not</div><div>Her: You don't like it?</div><div>Me: No, I don't like it - it's a shitty in between colour, I'm not happy with that (mind you - it's this horrid in between colour, and it's still wet - so it's getting lighter before I leave the salon - not happy at all)...</div><div>Her: Well, you were blonde when you came in...</div><div>Me: I don't care - this looks nothing like the photo (show her the photo again)</div><div>Her: But, with your skin tone...</div><div>Me: The photo is of me - I have the same skin tone</div><div>Her: Well, I don't think that photo was good looking</div><div>At this point my head almost explodes with the desire to tell her I don't f-ing care what she thinks, I didn't come to ask her opinion I came for an expert who had the ability to achieve the look I wanted - and I was certainly not hoping she was going to pick me up, etc...</div><div>Her: If I make it any darker, it will go ashy and black</div><div>Me: It can't stay this colour</div><div>Her: Ok, well if you want it darker I can make it darker, it will only take 10 minutes</div><div>Me: Yes, please - I would like it darker</div><div><br />
</div><div>Ok - so she trims it and dries it off, then goes to mix the darker colour - which she proceeds to slap onto my head in a worse job than - I don't know, maybe a 5 year old might do - I have colour on my face, on my ears, on my neck... And informs me that will be about 10 minutes. No problem, and I sit in to wait out my time... About 2 minutes later I spy her and one of her hairdresser friends walk past - handbags on shoulders, and I'm thing - no, couldn't possibly be... And yet, yes - she's left for the night - no explanation that someone else will look after me or anything - no even glance in my direction as she struts off into the sunset... </div><div><br />
</div><div>I was kind of flabbergasted at this point, but after 10 minutes or so passed one of the other girls washed my hair out - and then scrubbed my face, ears and neck to remove the colour before another blowed it dry...</div><div><br />
</div><div>The end result now I'm happy with - but man, getting it there!! And yes, I'll try for a photo of the outcome - meanwhile here's a windblown one with my hair up (oh, and SO!)...</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD5KRgL3O2yHoY9VhqW_uq66mj0HCtMS6qacxizAjZsNLs1vveUlxZcd6d_Xp-5xZUcJHRGhIQih4_Y24ydR4Q3KQyw_HiyFas9IyQB1G75T2j63R7ZRZYcPnhieWw2iWpTvf8x6bqEUuW/s1600/SAM_0566.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD5KRgL3O2yHoY9VhqW_uq66mj0HCtMS6qacxizAjZsNLs1vveUlxZcd6d_Xp-5xZUcJHRGhIQih4_Y24ydR4Q3KQyw_HiyFas9IyQB1G75T2j63R7ZRZYcPnhieWw2iWpTvf8x6bqEUuW/s200/SAM_0566.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div><br />
</div>Keshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01508566771891973341noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4552365932573475626.post-20696355991784358132011-05-29T23:16:00.001+02:002011-08-10T22:04:32.897+02:00Some scrapping has been going on...Here's my scrapping efforts for the last two weeks. Sorry about the bad photos, I'd already packed most of the layouts away into an album and didn't pull them out of their sleeves:<br />
<br />
Aunty love:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqEx205tB8HM5V02WiH4OdHCNTjI6wBn56ohug3KaNnxHh4UpYnJvi-3q2c1bhj_nvOHqMqh4cwzu4fi45bsV5THgu5ZWUQq419YNqODKs88_wb0fj2YeGzwvelDer3MF1OKQ_7dRTTqse/s1600/SAM_0591.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqEx205tB8HM5V02WiH4OdHCNTjI6wBn56ohug3KaNnxHh4UpYnJvi-3q2c1bhj_nvOHqMqh4cwzu4fi45bsV5THgu5ZWUQq419YNqODKs88_wb0fj2YeGzwvelDer3MF1OKQ_7dRTTqse/s200/SAM_0591.jpg" width="200" /></a></div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu7xe1cGEhfZQS-KDAobmklpnZR9Q1GhCB6mE9H-FOGunPxIIUg8_nD32RwqhcvB_3VzrO4nSatI18w4Q-KFX_o2Z0XZ_fFi3pNy4zaOFlUZCqYjTDd4prhGcG2Pq54r1F1A1dDhW8_5HN/s1600/SAM_0592.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu7xe1cGEhfZQS-KDAobmklpnZR9Q1GhCB6mE9H-FOGunPxIIUg8_nD32RwqhcvB_3VzrO4nSatI18w4Q-KFX_o2Z0XZ_fFi3pNy4zaOFlUZCqYjTDd4prhGcG2Pq54r1F1A1dDhW8_5HN/s200/SAM_0592.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The girls:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-wMGEXskvjike-DVn0khbDCH3XkxGp-5odXTj5MMgzvTXZvhcLrDawuY99e09cPKVGj0IwJEysZYYERwtUkM3i2tLBQvNt813PB8ephbxZjv66JXnuMGXM89Yr0tFD86vhGi6jwOefOp/s1600/SAM_0594.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-wMGEXskvjike-DVn0khbDCH3XkxGp-5odXTj5MMgzvTXZvhcLrDawuY99e09cPKVGj0IwJEysZYYERwtUkM3i2tLBQvNt813PB8ephbxZjv66JXnuMGXM89Yr0tFD86vhGi6jwOefOp/s200/SAM_0594.jpg" width="200" /></a></div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH8YlilCb8QybaCVwABQm8UjiDWS-hd6n3DeaHrDBlhsoNgzAZkczG30OLTH8Qa2nquA9oKFUudUbHogbtpsHwyS6jtVAkGV6SQjYm_aE_f5tF0sFUIRWFl6J_Ml033OrXT1JHAAyPmXXj/s1600/SAM_0595.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH8YlilCb8QybaCVwABQm8UjiDWS-hd6n3DeaHrDBlhsoNgzAZkczG30OLTH8Qa2nquA9oKFUudUbHogbtpsHwyS6jtVAkGV6SQjYm_aE_f5tF0sFUIRWFl6J_Ml033OrXT1JHAAyPmXXj/s200/SAM_0595.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<br />
True beauty:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX5ZDjMhDH7z7xgcM4A_crsV2naoEB6_P9beGR06iYRVl_otMPQ5nYtMQiJHjbmMPxckwEZFvdtAoyHqQqdHRryRhgZqtaYQjicE5UdwKzo6Fp07zFRrnO0H4u3Qv3yhSlaZmr1k91PzUW/s1600/SAM_0597.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX5ZDjMhDH7z7xgcM4A_crsV2naoEB6_P9beGR06iYRVl_otMPQ5nYtMQiJHjbmMPxckwEZFvdtAoyHqQqdHRryRhgZqtaYQjicE5UdwKzo6Fp07zFRrnO0H4u3Qv3yhSlaZmr1k91PzUW/s200/SAM_0597.jpg" width="200" /></a></div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNg0qJHIaBwNeiKPrL_oiauLdhJhR-l7Zrk9NnhBkwOdAFIE9eBUaujQt9mW9LIg7EkKAsEShXp_HNwcZh585dFl-tgMpyeCIYxyhVRYyuDrn3NB6K1MuwslAEWXkV41a6Uf-khQFd5hT/s1600/SAM_0598.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNg0qJHIaBwNeiKPrL_oiauLdhJhR-l7Zrk9NnhBkwOdAFIE9eBUaujQt9mW9LIg7EkKAsEShXp_HNwcZh585dFl-tgMpyeCIYxyhVRYyuDrn3NB6K1MuwslAEWXkV41a6Uf-khQFd5hT/s200/SAM_0598.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<br />
Family:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbxG11BX5hSB9wTpP4lOKaS_R8RZi0pxErZQtJYsp1Qp593X_FctjilLesNDYshr3U5-vlLmd0WOOURbFS39JGqgD1Ae79nHmEkARrhAhSWx8acJoE4MpZPzw0MaCHMRSNN-g8pcRH6wN4/s1600/SAM_0600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbxG11BX5hSB9wTpP4lOKaS_R8RZi0pxErZQtJYsp1Qp593X_FctjilLesNDYshr3U5-vlLmd0WOOURbFS39JGqgD1Ae79nHmEkARrhAhSWx8acJoE4MpZPzw0MaCHMRSNN-g8pcRH6wN4/s200/SAM_0600.jpg" width="200" /></a></div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXMrLjj-HQfteGoCrjgtj24FXzuUP9Hc1N6H03rdAow0RIvE1FqYnjagrakDRjns0ETdXVjmIEErbxDE-AwQ1nIzu9DU37Ssy0CGcFpJNwE5ijIqVqdVJndI-CFWF0WsGA1EUqw35sHWX/s1600/SAM_0601.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXMrLjj-HQfteGoCrjgtj24FXzuUP9Hc1N6H03rdAow0RIvE1FqYnjagrakDRjns0ETdXVjmIEErbxDE-AwQ1nIzu9DU37Ssy0CGcFpJNwE5ijIqVqdVJndI-CFWF0WsGA1EUqw35sHWX/s200/SAM_0601.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<br />
All together now:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXGGVarI5zE8nNJT5mF7B_Lwef_V7YW9Mlas2hCOSds_595nXvyU9gGaana0xaF_f5DAZhbutfMrMcBVcpl01WHKQYr3Dz5gZId6xLjvhJRTfyYPy3zzgd-4ZbZ0RnIll4cjBNS8ZCQnHc/s1600/SAM_0603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXGGVarI5zE8nNJT5mF7B_Lwef_V7YW9Mlas2hCOSds_595nXvyU9gGaana0xaF_f5DAZhbutfMrMcBVcpl01WHKQYr3Dz5gZId6xLjvhJRTfyYPy3zzgd-4ZbZ0RnIll4cjBNS8ZCQnHc/s200/SAM_0603.jpg" width="200" /></a></div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZqHqe34HZ1zSIhu-1TpUSbjqKK1uIBEeAcofsrYahHQQqwNXW70NVVhz1PMaKrpFECmDtzFmgaW0QMA33OOW40Ev45Ujh6Z5YH_g3oOTnZUwVN69KXgF-yr5ePqn4173_f0qTq86cFAN/s1600/SAM_0604.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZqHqe34HZ1zSIhu-1TpUSbjqKK1uIBEeAcofsrYahHQQqwNXW70NVVhz1PMaKrpFECmDtzFmgaW0QMA33OOW40Ev45Ujh6Z5YH_g3oOTnZUwVN69KXgF-yr5ePqn4173_f0qTq86cFAN/s200/SAM_0604.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<br />
Sisterly love:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxCDk-y_H_fnjO1d4cr-3i-CsX09upbYYmwaQ98IJNd8cNI6k7JPpkJ54KhHewO-gvgDU1uTYImGOLHZ3XlioHMAJC6SWduVLkAceycpAf_FZdAtkok5NjjVc4zWLghPP7o717Mc0-d5m/s1600/SAM_0606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxCDk-y_H_fnjO1d4cr-3i-CsX09upbYYmwaQ98IJNd8cNI6k7JPpkJ54KhHewO-gvgDU1uTYImGOLHZ3XlioHMAJC6SWduVLkAceycpAf_FZdAtkok5NjjVc4zWLghPP7o717Mc0-d5m/s200/SAM_0606.jpg" width="200" /></a></div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1brQDtrAzTKq97ob6HvjPE5PaPqLptBpbvq0bygtD8tR4nmAqeXEaVdm9XLQAu0fiPe1pK8turHeXK-bVQg4IwXWwUOP1oRz9Y_KPFfCyRHUYBPvdNJy7-ovpcWgrsKmVLbxmLtNv8Ltt/s1600/SAM_0607.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1brQDtrAzTKq97ob6HvjPE5PaPqLptBpbvq0bygtD8tR4nmAqeXEaVdm9XLQAu0fiPe1pK8turHeXK-bVQg4IwXWwUOP1oRz9Y_KPFfCyRHUYBPvdNJy7-ovpcWgrsKmVLbxmLtNv8Ltt/s200/SAM_0607.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<br />
Old friends:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI2JBUQPKzmJNojmIJ32Kcjcd_TksDQlYSXiOF1nvIwBo2vlIUqGW68DuTu-SnH1qyPEju5fu_-PHu_tdr5o_sAa1_EIDv8gmQVn7DMJSUsqNRXknFzMtj943cLzTKw3UVFmOCC6Xc4J_C/s1600/SAM_0609.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI2JBUQPKzmJNojmIJ32Kcjcd_TksDQlYSXiOF1nvIwBo2vlIUqGW68DuTu-SnH1qyPEju5fu_-PHu_tdr5o_sAa1_EIDv8gmQVn7DMJSUsqNRXknFzMtj943cLzTKw3UVFmOCC6Xc4J_C/s200/SAM_0609.jpg" width="200" /></a></div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNuSAxxu6yiukSpXhMQSGL3XtJVZNBjVZ79vEZhnq1CUxEOqTRga_p3Q_LeyYRSofNntx_YQ0R5y1KXvaQ-ewKh4sOHM5er-2hknQSLwhTOzcK0r8XrItZjMlZlIhTy5KtAC3kpxtJm16U/s1600/SAM_0610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNuSAxxu6yiukSpXhMQSGL3XtJVZNBjVZ79vEZhnq1CUxEOqTRga_p3Q_LeyYRSofNntx_YQ0R5y1KXvaQ-ewKh4sOHM5er-2hknQSLwhTOzcK0r8XrItZjMlZlIhTy5KtAC3kpxtJm16U/s200/SAM_0610.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">Family reunion:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFXIeOrjOqhn28ywLn4MrR4AdsNoxSEncfOHKHql8X5wtL7sRq80yzwuyqJlpZdTip9yRO3vDIJWSxUwbMnE1cSN8VmcBP6ocwH0Qk-f_Jl4iogWN124L8JGX4Q6npLjVyUECh1L_5C8ZB/s1600/SAM_0613.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFXIeOrjOqhn28ywLn4MrR4AdsNoxSEncfOHKHql8X5wtL7sRq80yzwuyqJlpZdTip9yRO3vDIJWSxUwbMnE1cSN8VmcBP6ocwH0Qk-f_Jl4iogWN124L8JGX4Q6npLjVyUECh1L_5C8ZB/s200/SAM_0613.jpg" width="200" /></a></div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwSYtB65r3sCcCyXGIfTuip8iNp9qN2BHTBfKw7NSr4PObTJIGKn6MeLldRYXy7MTagwPwHqGI1MFMWdbXcmSuVL2m7wuxtPhdzJiC7U6ZiNLmFAsvYqoT4OWXm4UtbQkIxE3DLArntQUg/s1600/SAM_0614.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwSYtB65r3sCcCyXGIfTuip8iNp9qN2BHTBfKw7NSr4PObTJIGKn6MeLldRYXy7MTagwPwHqGI1MFMWdbXcmSuVL2m7wuxtPhdzJiC7U6ZiNLmFAsvYqoT4OWXm4UtbQkIxE3DLArntQUg/s200/SAM_0614.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Thanks for stopping by...Keshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01508566771891973341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4552365932573475626.post-24688890665273624692011-05-29T22:11:00.001+02:002011-08-10T22:05:23.162+02:00A lot has happened...In the few weeks since I last blogged... <br />
<br />
SO's parents came for a visit - it was wonderful to see them (the last time was about 14 months ago) and even though it was only for a long weekend (they're travelling around and Stockholm was a late and somewhat unexpected addition) it was wonderful to have a touch of home right here with us. We did some sightseeing, and SO and his dad played handymen to stop the new toilet from leaking all over the floor. We drank a lot of tea (they're English - they drink a LOT of tea!) and had a lovely, if far too short catch up.<br />
<br />
And yes, you heard right - the new toilet was installed - badly, but the landlord... He seems to be the absolute king of "near enough is good enough". The toilet was installed and this time attached to both the water and the floor (although it's still a little unstable) but the seat and the lid were not attached to the toilet... I'm sorry - what the..? So, SO called the landlord back and pleaded "elderly mother coming to visit" and the landlord came back and attached them while we went off to the airport to pick up the parents - again, badly! The greater problem came from the fact that something wasn't attached to the water pipes properly and so the floor was soaking wet for 2 days.<br />
<br />
Now, I love SO and can't imagine life without him - but he is (even he will admit) about the least 'handy' man you could meet. His dad on the other hand is very handy - and so they spent some 'boy' time together fixing the leaking, then balanced the washing machine, and replaced the tube connecting the shower head to the taps as that was splurting water all over the show... Fantastic for me - I now have a bathroom that's working much better than it was before - and for both of them I think, being able to just grab some 'boy' time together. <br />
<br />
I had another 'interesting' experience with a Swedish hairdresser... But that's probably a whole post on it's own...<br />
<br />
We had a lovely day yesterday at an 'Aussie' bbq (well with a bunch of Aussies as well as a Canadian, a Spaniard and a couple of Swedes - at the Swedish home of an Aussie)... A beautiful day out on the balcony of his apartment - with a lovely view, marred only by the fact that the wind was up and it was ABSOLUTELY FREEZING!! Still, it was a brilliant day and we were there from lunch time until 11pm. <br />
<br />
Oh, and there's been some scrapping going on - again, probably another post...<br />
<br />
And now, we're counting down the days until we have a trip home to Oz... Already by this time next month we'll be there - we've been trying to schedule in all the catch ups with people we need, as well as the appointments for the things we need - doc and dentist appointments (bleh)... But, I'm so looking forward to having a good dose of family and friends for a few weeks. A fabulous girlfriend of mine is even hosting an all day scrapping day - I can't wait to be back in the company of a room full of women, talking, laughing and catching up while sharing ideas and crafting together - it's one of the things I really miss about home, about once a month or so - getting together and scrapping. In a country where you don't speak the language, even if there was a scrapping shop to compare to the ones at home (there isn't by the way - the best shop I've found is fabulous for shopping in, but the scrapping room is literally carved out of the bedrock and looks like a cave - a very small cave!) then I would feel like an invader (as I often do in conversations involving only Swedes) which is not really the point of scrapping with others... So - all in all, I simply can't wait...Keshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01508566771891973341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4552365932573475626.post-71621214452971161402011-05-08T20:27:00.000+02:002011-05-08T20:27:13.605+02:00A whole month... how did that happen..?Wow, a whole month - it's been a while...<br />
<br />
There's been a bit going on - I had a bit more of a battle with salmonella, we had dramas at home with the internet, went off for a holiday over Easter to Malta, packed all our stuff, moved apartment and unpacked everything again...<br />
<br />
While I was feeling better after I got smacked with salmonella while I was at home and resting and not eating much - I'd go back to work after the weekends and gradually (or suddenly depending on the week) decline. I'd had the lovely stabbing pain that came along with the salmonella for almost a month in the end. :( I got a phone call from the Disease Centre chasing me up - obviously here as in many other places a doctor who discovers salmonella has to report it through. The woman at the Disease Centre told me that there'd me about 20 people in this outbreak of a salmonella they've not seen here before (it had an indian name, but I can't really remember what it was!) and had I eaten cashew nuts in the week I'd contracted it. Well, I almost certainly had - I'd gotten a mixed bag of nuts from one of the supermarkets near work the week I returned from Oz and in fact I've been eating them on a regular basis (picking out the 'nice' ones like cashews) right up until that morning. Well, of course a couple of days after I stopped eating contaminated nuts I started to feel much better!!<br />
<br />
We were obviously in the middle of having found a new apartment to move in to and the landlord at the old place had started to get ready for some new tenants at our old apartment. For some reason, part of this was ordering a new modem (although there were already 2 there - not really sure why!) in the process of this the company providing the internet (and modem) had decided that because there was a new modem on order the old one wasn't working - and so stopped the internet coming in on it... Not very helpful to us when we still had something like 3 weeks left there. <br />
<br />
Easter we jetted off to Malta - we spent the long weekend with a couple of other friends/colleagues and although we didn't have the best weather (can you believe it was warmer in Stockholm the weekend we were away?!!) we had a great time all together and a relax away from the project for such a long weekend.<br />
<br />
The remainder of the week once we got back from Malta was spent packing - most of which was thankfully covered off in one 3.5 hour session. Then we had the help of our friends/colleagues and a couple of trips in a rented station wagon to move everything last weekend. One of the problems of this lifestyle is that you have to live with someone else's furniture (and often ugly things!) in your house. It's great from the point of view that there's no furniture to move, but from the point of view of your everyday life that's the easier thing sometimes!! The place we were in needed quite a bit of new furniture to finish it off, but there were lamps in both the bedroom and the lounge that were ok for us to live with - so we had the famous big trip to <a href="http://adventurehasbegun.blogspot.com/2011/01/rite-of-passage.html">Ikea</a> funded partly by the landlord. But there was no pictures on the wall or ugly things around - this new place has ugly pics everywhere and ugly lamps in the lounge (none in the bedroom). So, the last week has been spent trying to hide most of the ugly, trying not to kill the landlord (we were to have a washing machine installed in the bathroom - that has only worked since Friday just gone, and some more internet issues just for good measure!). The whole trying to negotiate things when you don't share a first language and trying to get someone with a different work ethic to your timetable - well, let's just say it's less than easy!!<br />
<br />
So, we currently have two toilets sitting in the bathroom - well, one sits - the other is actually kind of attached to the water anyway - not so much to the floor, while we wait for the landlord to install the new one. And the washing machine - installed and looking pretty in the bathroom since we moved in on Saturday, got plugged in on Friday so we could use it - with a long extension cable into the lounge room! Anyway - at least it works, and I've spent a bunch of time since then trying to work through the gianormous laundry pile that has accumulated since the day before we went to Malta.<br />
<br />
So, that's been my last month - oh, apart from missing joining in on the live run of beyond blogging for scrapbookers and looking in any way at my reader with everyone's feeds in it - I'll be working to catch up on that sometime soon. This week SO's parents arrive for a weekend visit, so we're counting down the days in earnest and getting excited to see them...Keshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01508566771891973341noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4552365932573475626.post-24875298481955489942011-04-09T23:15:00.000+02:002011-04-09T23:15:05.661+02:00Time for a bit of an update...Well, a couple of posts ago I was sick - with what we (even the doctor) suspected was gastro... However, no - it was salmonella! Thank you Sweden! It has all settled down now and my tummy is getting itself right again and the tiredness is even abating a little finally...<br />
<br />
Wednesday night SO and I started our date night, we work together and live together - and so sometimes things just feel a little same same all the time - I wanted to change things up a little. It wasn't a huge or eventful evening, but it was a lovely one. We went for a walk around the island where we live and then onto to dinner in a Lebanese restaurant (how did we get to be eating in a Lebanese restaurant living in Sweden for goodness sake?!). It was lovely and relaxing and cosy and just plain nice. (There are pics and I promise to share once I connect the camera to the computer!).<br />
<br />
During the week I'd investigated a treat for us as well and we set off today to a spa to have a romantic duo massage, facial and soak in a jacuzzi - it was wonderful and then we floated home!! We haven't gotten up to much more than that today, it has been a very chilled one.<br />
<br />
I keep looking at my scrapping table and thinking that I need to be doing some - I just haven't had the mojo for a couple of weeks - hopefully it will find me tomorrow and I'll get to play for a while. I'm inspired by all the work of other scrappers that I'm seeing regularly now when I'm catching up on the blog role, but sitting on the computer looking at them isn't getting any of my own scrapping done!!Keshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01508566771891973341noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4552365932573475626.post-71232486664985368972011-04-05T21:26:00.000+02:002011-04-05T21:26:43.946+02:00Recent Scrapbooking effortsIt seemed time for me to show some of what I've been up to lately (apologies to those who know me on Facebook, this will all look familiar!)... Yes, here is me - in all my double page anal retentive glory! <br />
<br />
Pub lunch:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijDkTl-7iJMnrDTs_kW9PILij1nXcHfGNka_7X-J1nFC07XtEUOMRwf0rx6AY0fO3h5TK6h35QTbDWb9UitWjPwASMCgjuXaCXJz8DQ725BRWvPdoeMgaQTKgTWjM3doB8fkCSuqy0u-p0/s1600/SAM_0290.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijDkTl-7iJMnrDTs_kW9PILij1nXcHfGNka_7X-J1nFC07XtEUOMRwf0rx6AY0fO3h5TK6h35QTbDWb9UitWjPwASMCgjuXaCXJz8DQ725BRWvPdoeMgaQTKgTWjM3doB8fkCSuqy0u-p0/s400/SAM_0290.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The view from up here:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJeQ8X5NKmJL3CVYUiQkZc9wXmN55w6PbasUX6b9L3yM9-legK9KuEm1JX_OOCchgeE5Nq8_16s7tcG_lxFgY77P47i5dkJy5nDX1rEh90VqOliUizpSyktrQH5HdzoaKy6nVJqHl73_Z/s1600/SAM_0294.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJeQ8X5NKmJL3CVYUiQkZc9wXmN55w6PbasUX6b9L3yM9-legK9KuEm1JX_OOCchgeE5Nq8_16s7tcG_lxFgY77P47i5dkJy5nDX1rEh90VqOliUizpSyktrQH5HdzoaKy6nVJqHl73_Z/s400/SAM_0294.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Sacre Couer:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJuHXkWPWgJikKg9N1dr5tnxcdu4-jaFgPxR3OzFjAsjVzJCh7IUAGlevKdmiGJgAexq7EObqAg5Zq0VHIpqRVF0rxnRfus_TW7xbuNu1XbvrkrIJrASA5J43uPnJj2WZhSDRn39oD6Skw/s1600/SAM_0298.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJuHXkWPWgJikKg9N1dr5tnxcdu4-jaFgPxR3OzFjAsjVzJCh7IUAGlevKdmiGJgAexq7EObqAg5Zq0VHIpqRVF0rxnRfus_TW7xbuNu1XbvrkrIJrASA5J43uPnJj2WZhSDRn39oD6Skw/s400/SAM_0298.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Notre Dame:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgecTQ8OATWkqsCRZgTUJl8BMxN2rxcCC3sEVZiUBOC0VhxKyLRBhF-Dl_uVdiOVKsLx0xSlvRZ8Vyryw4Z0e8tZI45r4srL2l1WCYoV04aK9iqR24o1FT0bRe_tk6kj5IgyKqc1ceAwObf/s1600/SAM_0304.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgecTQ8OATWkqsCRZgTUJl8BMxN2rxcCC3sEVZiUBOC0VhxKyLRBhF-Dl_uVdiOVKsLx0xSlvRZ8Vyryw4Z0e8tZI45r4srL2l1WCYoV04aK9iqR24o1FT0bRe_tk6kj5IgyKqc1ceAwObf/s400/SAM_0304.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Features:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsgI3EDp5DQabWGw4IW5R5YPZ40FccumtJw72octmiOeXhib6G-dtQFcQH25Y1MAZj0nzGSwgN1dZjJ6sG67FqVYpAvXQwxial6s2JE4DfF_N63rk0wk1N47mk7cAAlosgxP2sjPkB8hrZ/s1600/SAM_0312.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsgI3EDp5DQabWGw4IW5R5YPZ40FccumtJw72octmiOeXhib6G-dtQFcQH25Y1MAZj0nzGSwgN1dZjJ6sG67FqVYpAvXQwxial6s2JE4DfF_N63rk0wk1N47mk7cAAlosgxP2sjPkB8hrZ/s400/SAM_0312.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Inside and out:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo17mcpu7LDofCaFyRpsDJOkeI9cKDg7ooLTS7uGtxW56Gdvtm5E79oe3xXyJbQOboCByLx41WPI0qOBs2VA4desXcJXMkYYsL7ootdrJJgxS_8z9abVsUl6xORggcEXbioTO2PLKPIQb3/s1600/SAM_0315.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo17mcpu7LDofCaFyRpsDJOkeI9cKDg7ooLTS7uGtxW56Gdvtm5E79oe3xXyJbQOboCByLx41WPI0qOBs2VA4desXcJXMkYYsL7ootdrJJgxS_8z9abVsUl6xORggcEXbioTO2PLKPIQb3/s400/SAM_0315.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>And finally, sisters (from my very homesick day a couple of weeks ago):<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtwhRwF7gtmELodj2rnkH9nKXfr_bFn7RSa4gzXRRJ6WGnoLZ7yR4UDLPboRjgM7h4L0opcTkGRv2E1sqNJ-xS_hA8vHv7bdDbjnh3OiRN9rVFFdsjS2Dx6kR4tDgmy9gGNid9S9zt24k7/s1600/SAM_0277.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtwhRwF7gtmELodj2rnkH9nKXfr_bFn7RSa4gzXRRJ6WGnoLZ7yR4UDLPboRjgM7h4L0opcTkGRv2E1sqNJ-xS_hA8vHv7bdDbjnh3OiRN9rVFFdsjS2Dx6kR4tDgmy9gGNid9S9zt24k7/s400/SAM_0277.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I really should get around to getting Photoshop or PSE on my lovely little macbook, but I just haven't yet - so none of them are trimmed or put into a proper shape - apologies for that...</div>Keshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01508566771891973341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4552365932573475626.post-41082453933046310512011-04-04T14:11:00.002+02:002011-08-10T22:06:22.703+02:00Scrapbookers questionHi all,<br />
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Now that I have a few scrapbookers dropping by (hopefully) semi regularly - I have a question for you all...<br />
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In recent years, more and more it seems the 'fashion' for scrapbooking has been leaning towards single page layouts... Being the anal retent that I am - I just have not been able to bring myself around to the single page - preferring the 'balance' of looking at double pages... <br />
<br />
I tend to scrap all (or at least most) of the photos I take (or certainly intend to - at some point!) there is nothing in 'other' album forms with plain photos for example... I have also resisted (partly because of the double page OCD) the one photo to a layout trend (although it has happened where I have a lot of journalling on the 2nd page, or ephemera like invitations, tickets, etc) - even when I only have one photo of something I print it multiple times (usually in different sizes) to include...<br />
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Which way do you swing? Or do you go both ways? What determines which way you go with any particular layout? Or does no one else agonise over this stuff like me..??<br />
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If you're a single page layout gal, how do you arrange your pages - do you worry about having similar papers or colours adjacent, or do you just pop things into the album in chronological (or some other order) not concerning yourself with the differences between each 'side'?<br />
<br />
Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts!Keshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01508566771891973341noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4552365932573475626.post-82047999203119950152011-03-27T16:31:00.000+02:002011-03-27T16:31:05.120+02:00Something that amused me lately<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Another for the Why Sweden, Why file:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicbX2WtzkUgePyAMk5zCO2DzgF8Baw5k8WiyqF442QO6MaTJJhYXubYmJARekVuNp-rUtkf5QZ27GGUn0lhWgiMsxiFFRUJbYOMCyMD3079ImCsjb9Vi7U38o06QmwfVUiGJxQem7PWHj1/s1600/SAM_0275.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicbX2WtzkUgePyAMk5zCO2DzgF8Baw5k8WiyqF442QO6MaTJJhYXubYmJARekVuNp-rUtkf5QZ27GGUn0lhWgiMsxiFFRUJbYOMCyMD3079ImCsjb9Vi7U38o06QmwfVUiGJxQem7PWHj1/s320/SAM_0275.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
This post bought to you by prompt 5 - Blogging for ScrapbookersKeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01508566771891973341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4552365932573475626.post-50062939788967038502011-03-27T16:22:00.001+02:002011-03-27T16:26:46.909+02:00Amazing DaysFor our 2nd prompt Shimelle asked us to think about the amazing days of our lives, and prompt 3 talks about lists (I'm sorry but there are many more than 5!)... <br />
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I have had so very many in the last 18 months or so that it's difficult to choose:<br />
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The day at Iguazu Falls in Argentina:<br />
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The day at Perito Merino Glacier in Argentina:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2pvcc1gOolUv8VaeJFA2d9uVQXNV8wxEVR2IFkbMuxr0ygMMHfC8CuQ4hI17lv8TXm8wlC6Vw8hy3K2ciVPQjSeon8XTfjhT-Hz27zOiTdFiiJyaR5rGaC7x3DRGB7x-BVc2nO2DCkmIF/s1600/100_1808.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2pvcc1gOolUv8VaeJFA2d9uVQXNV8wxEVR2IFkbMuxr0ygMMHfC8CuQ4hI17lv8TXm8wlC6Vw8hy3K2ciVPQjSeon8XTfjhT-Hz27zOiTdFiiJyaR5rGaC7x3DRGB7x-BVc2nO2DCkmIF/s200/100_1808.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
The days of trekking the Inca Trail in Peru and arriving at Machu Picchu:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzMGc38wAzOncEBcugAGg9zvSgpqjhPPJjyrDua12BGPde7CHgTsGrb_xlMEg6_PUA79gBdkmbJFGElfZt-ptW9WNfJnYQd32g8QzBzpKyA2N95ovIJjpZ8BTkR7UIIAjxO_DytFCNDOkl/s1600/Kes+and+J+-+top+of+the+world.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzMGc38wAzOncEBcugAGg9zvSgpqjhPPJjyrDua12BGPde7CHgTsGrb_xlMEg6_PUA79gBdkmbJFGElfZt-ptW9WNfJnYQd32g8QzBzpKyA2N95ovIJjpZ8BTkR7UIIAjxO_DytFCNDOkl/s200/Kes+and+J+-+top+of+the+world.jpg" width="200" /> </a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHCGsUu9td-b332P2NszYDAID9RuGcZb9N4KxRmISluziabH1X2p8S20jPIQ38wkqyEYBEsljT3WZlVCen5yQ58Nu8BDGaFh_4kgOht4EG5yHDp4xVW6bEUGsdZ5eTpxmntmb2UJtjk6ps/s1600/We+Made+It%252C+Alive%252C+Together.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHCGsUu9td-b332P2NszYDAID9RuGcZb9N4KxRmISluziabH1X2p8S20jPIQ38wkqyEYBEsljT3WZlVCen5yQ58Nu8BDGaFh_4kgOht4EG5yHDp4xVW6bEUGsdZ5eTpxmntmb2UJtjk6ps/s200/We+Made+It%252C+Alive%252C+Together.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a><br />
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The day we went parasailing over the Sacred Valley (very amazing for 2 so scared of heights!):<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH3EO3KiNmtuHzbj-8MujaxGqX8B0HIMCdYus4HiZFF6tKaB1Epi6KNSsijnw3aiiRmx-78CXGs8UpKeTC2Ws39u021hyCi0MUfsULTcc3bzNsU0p2x6SrOUkAhppxQp9cP8b86ByVbGIH/s1600/100_2021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH3EO3KiNmtuHzbj-8MujaxGqX8B0HIMCdYus4HiZFF6tKaB1Epi6KNSsijnw3aiiRmx-78CXGs8UpKeTC2Ws39u021hyCi0MUfsULTcc3bzNsU0p2x6SrOUkAhppxQp9cP8b86ByVbGIH/s200/100_2021.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
The day we went white water rafting - no photos from this day!!<br />
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The days on our cruise around the Galapagos Islands and being so close to the wildlife:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcIKYDh7tJhkRpx8wrQT4MC9xbFSBvIe70OLd-KnaWh01hyskNyM4eB1tLDF_QqxLaSqVMFTv5Pij0Hd1fSyFU2eTEY_TNN0bdDIbjwrwl4csyphNOkc6WGul5RoHg5Lz_rV4U1hxBnzK2/s1600/100_2522.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcIKYDh7tJhkRpx8wrQT4MC9xbFSBvIe70OLd-KnaWh01hyskNyM4eB1tLDF_QqxLaSqVMFTv5Pij0Hd1fSyFU2eTEY_TNN0bdDIbjwrwl4csyphNOkc6WGul5RoHg5Lz_rV4U1hxBnzK2/s200/100_2522.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
Our night out in Paris for my birthday:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRgtQUHCin33LpYXm17B37D-jcu-4vGhd12cq4zN9DDLPiSdE6w2rgLonRHnXeYfGjg8SZ2MbvlAPCuKZYixqaElIRkdHvu5nvRukddpNL2QYen-Ev3DawS870D3KEOaoUZjs2YAnboLWS/s1600/100_3492.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRgtQUHCin33LpYXm17B37D-jcu-4vGhd12cq4zN9DDLPiSdE6w2rgLonRHnXeYfGjg8SZ2MbvlAPCuKZYixqaElIRkdHvu5nvRukddpNL2QYen-Ev3DawS870D3KEOaoUZjs2YAnboLWS/s200/100_3492.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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Getting to see London and Stonehenge:<br />
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Having the opportunity to live an work in a foreign city (with snow!):<br />
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More recently though my amazing days were spent doing things like:<br />
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Meeting a girlfriend's (not so) new baby and spending time with her and her other son:<br />
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Dinner with family and friends:<br />
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Catching up with friends and family in Mildura:<br />
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A concert with mum:<br />
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Playing in the sunshine in the park after a haircut:<br />
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Coming home to SO:<br />
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Hmmm, I guess there'll have to be more on all of the above sometime (soon-ish!).Keshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01508566771891973341noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4552365932573475626.post-46031711419347807562011-03-27T13:20:00.002+02:002011-03-27T16:27:37.877+02:00Gotta be startin' something!Well, as I've mentioned I've enrolled in an on-line class <a href="http://www.shimelle.com/classes/618/a-new-online-scrapbooking-class-blogging-for-scrapbookers/">blogging for scrapbookers</a> and as yet, I've not nothing but faff about reading class notes and surfing other people's blogs!! <br />
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In my defence I've been sick, so I haven't wanted to be doing much of anything - but am feeling like I'm on the mend now, so look out - I may now overload you with posts today!!<br />
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Shimelle asked us to think about the goals for our blog - I was always quite clear about this, I wanted an easy way to be able to keep in touch with friends and family with the on going 'stories' of what we were up to... After being away in South America for almost twice as long as we'd originally planned in the end - and trying to keep everyone up to date-ish on FaceBook, and the -very- occasional bulk email to family and close friends... When after only being home for 4.5 months we were off again - on holiday (I was to be gone 4.5 weeks) and J was going to work in Stockholm for 12 weeks, I waved everyone farewell with a very casual 'see you in a month'. Hmmm, that was mid July last year... After I was signed on to work for a while - I decided that I might test my toes in the world of blog - and so here I am...<br />
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I never expected much that too many people would take an interest - that the friends and family who wanted to keep up with what we were doing would have a cursory read now and then as they had the time... I have been reading only those blogs of a few friends (only one another 'expat') and stalking about the posts of a few scrapbooking blogs... I was a little taken back when so many people from the class were talking about reading the whole class full of blogs (on a fairly regular basis) and that many of them had made friends over not just the duration of the course but since then (2009) as well - I shouldn't have been, on reflection - but initially I was...<br />
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I have often found myself nodding in agreement, empathising, sympathising, etc with the blogs that I read - and not only those of people that I know personally. On reflection it didn't really surprise me at all that many of these classmates had made lasting friendships - when they are 'talking' to each other regularly about their day to day and sharing interests, etc - is that not the very definition of friendship? Of course there would be lasting relationships develop where you can associate to other people and their lives that you're 'hearing' about - especially where you 'click' with what the other is 'saying'.<br />
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And so, I'm enjoying more people stopping by to comment and join in and having new blogs to read - and can see that I'll likely loiter around them on a much more regular basis! <br />
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As for aligning the blog to my scrapbooking goals - I think that I probably need to work much more at it being able to help me when I'm looking for the words for my pages - I blog less when I'm down or feeling homesick (or just plain sick) and there are plenty of words from days in the recent-ish past that I could be talking about - almost none of the South American trip has been put on pages, and those photos that have were for a kit for a girlfriend's scrapbooking shop, so there was no journalling on them - they were just 'showcase' photos I guess you'd say... And then my recent trip back to Melbourne - where there were so many highlights that I could have been getting down... *sigh* So anyway, be prepared to see more 'blast from the past' type updates before I forget everything around those events!<br />
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A very long blog post for prompt 1 - but I've had it all turning over in my head for a few days!!<br />
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My 'scrap table' (SO keeps telling me it's the table in our lounge room - but there's never anything else on it and I've kind of taken up the real estate!) last night after I'd finished a layout:<br />
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</div>My blogging happens generally in my lap - either on the couch or in bed, as we don't really have the space for the computers to permanently live anywhere and we're both on laptops...Keshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01508566771891973341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4552365932573475626.post-9860476942807892112011-03-24T14:00:00.003+01:002011-03-24T18:43:42.577+01:00Back, again...I have been terribly lax here, once again...<br />
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I had a whirlwind trip home, had the job of packing up our much loved and hardly lived in apartment, had the absolute joy of catching up with friends and family who took time out of their own busy lives and schedules to arrange dinners, drive 5 hours cross country and just generally make the time to add an hour or two of me into their time...<br />
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I have returned to a clearing snowy landscape, that seems almost ready to give way to spring and some sunshine - although not sunshine in the sense that we know it as Australians, because there's still not a lot of warmth in it. And of course to SO, who by all accounts seemed to somewhat miss me while I wasn't around...<br />
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I have also managed to pick up a bout of what is likely just a bad case of gastro - but after 13 days of semi regular vomiting and diarrhoea, a day of excruciating tummy pain and being able to hold nothing at all in sent me off to visit the doctor... A couple of hours, a couple of blood tests and a testing kit to bring home with me saw me collapse into bed halfway through yesterday afternoon from where I have only moved to run back and forth to the bathroom and go and wander aimlessly around the kitchen, looking for things that might last for more than 5 minutes in my tummy...<br />
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On the plus side - I might actually get to catch up with some FaceBook gossip, I have finally gotten around to making a blog post, and I am finally starting the reading for an on line course on blogging for scrapbookers that I have signed up to <a href="http://www.shimelle.com/classes/618/a-new-online-scrapbooking-class-blogging-for-scrapbookers/">blogging for scrapbookers</a>. I have even managed to find a different template for the blog, and think I've successfully attached it - not sure if I'm loving it yet, but I'm happy to know that I can do it - so, even from the pre-course material I've learned something from my course already!!<br />
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I guess that's about all the sharing for now - probably more than anyone wanted anyhow, but that's the goings on lately!!Keshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01508566771891973341noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4552365932573475626.post-1246354175281162072011-02-16T19:48:00.000+01:002011-02-16T19:48:39.124+01:00On my way...<!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">So, this morning I headed off from ‘home’ through Stockholm and our snowy, alien landscape – past the forests full of evergreens wearing their white coats, and the others wearing nothing but the ice and snow…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a lovely minus 5 degrees, in jeans and boots, a hat and coat and was freezing… <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">To the airport with the runways covered in snow, where de-icing airplanes is a regular thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through the check-in counter and security, the stores that litter all international airports.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through passport control and up to the gates near where the plane will depart…<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">A normal morning when travelling, up and ready and out to the airport, getting through all the normal checkpoints – with nothing out of the ordinary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Except this time SO is not with me…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have spent all but 2 (separate) nights together in the last 16 or so months – and most days too, between travelling together for almost 6 months and then a while where we set up the house on our return from overseas, and now back to how we started - in working together.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">It’s a weird and surreal experience to look up at the fairy floss clouds as we pop out of the top of them into the bright sunshine and smile, without being able to share it with him…<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">I’m expecting the temperature in Melbourne to be something cooling down from a 30 odd degree day when I arrive tomorrow, which I’ll lay odds on won’t be in the negative temperatures – nor have the snowy landscape that I’ve gotten so used to recently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The coat has come off for getting in the plane – although I always find planes so cold I’m huddled under the polar fleece blanket they provide anyway…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I expect the boots and socks, as well as the singlet under my top will have to come off – if not before Melbourne, at least by the time I’m in the airport there…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">I expect that my body will be warmed in the sun, my head and heart will be warmed by catching up with the people there that I love and miss so much so regularly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also expect that everything will feel just a little less warm not having SO with me…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><!--EndFragment-->Keshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01508566771891973341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4552365932573475626.post-90484433756440216332011-02-14T22:14:00.001+01:002011-08-10T22:03:51.366+02:00Coming home...Well, I'm getting to make a quick trip home...<br />
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It will be a busy one with packing and moving out of the apartment that SO and I moved into oh so briefly 11 or so months ago and putting our things into storage. It's a real mixed bag of feelings - we were only there for about 4.5 months in the end and we've paid all this rent for nothing, but it was our first place together and it's a really lovely one...<br />
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Living away from home - as I've mentioned in previous posts brings mixed blessings, the opportunity to experience a different culture and country and people - not just from a tourists point of view - but from a living it, breathing it, working it, sleeping it 'local' kind of view... and then there's the whole missing home and family, lifestyle, regular haunts, and as a wise friend said recently just your ease of being disappears...<br />
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I'm beside myself excited to be able to be coming home to see some people and have the opportunity to sort out some of the things that we want to have with us before I come back over. I'm also so sad not to be bringing SO with me, sad that we'll be apart for a time (even if only for a few weeks - it's the longest we'll have been apart since we've been back together), sad for him that he doesn't get to make the run home - doesn't get to catch up with people, doesn't get to see our first apartment together one last time...<br />
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So, with my excitement right up there - I head off with a slightly heavy heart on Wednesday morning to get through some heavy, hard things - with some help, hugs and support from my peeps on the home front... Before heading back to Stockholm for this life that has somehow chosen us for the next 12 to 15 to ? months. Wish me luck!!Keshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01508566771891973341noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4552365932573475626.post-2762484780378516222011-02-11T22:50:00.001+01:002011-08-10T22:07:16.341+02:00Snow...Snow... <br />
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It's such a foreign thing to us as Melbournians - I mean, I've made the 5 or so hour trek to Falls Creek and the shorter 2-3 hours to Mount Bulla for boarding a few times (albeit a couple of years ago now)...<br />
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But, living in it - day to day, walking through it to get to the train station, to work, and home again each day - that's something altogether different...<br />
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It creates a really alien landscape, beautiful, eerie, fresh and crisp... I love the way it makes everything lighter - and here that's a really big thing. Without it here it's very dark and grey a lot of the time... Thankfully the days are getting longer - so the sun's up before 8am and setting after 4pm these days, the darkness - much more than the cold is a really hard thing to get used to...<br />
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It snowed yesterday, snowed and stayed for the first time in weeks - we really thought that winter seemed to be coming to an end, but yesterday it came back again - and today it was sooo beautiful... Looking out the window this morning, the courtyard in all full of fresh snow, and the trees and street out the front all white and pretty... And it was deep when we stepped out the front door this morning, there'd been something like 15cms overnight - and walking across the square to work it was cool that they hadn't thrown the grit in it yet that they normally do - and the path through was not from some artificial source - but was just there because people had walked there and everyone that came through just found it easier to follow in the footsteps that had come through before them...<br />
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It made me smile today, to see it all white and pretty and fresh - you kind of forget how white it is - when it's fresh like that... After the cars come through on the roads (not so much today as they were mostly snowed in!) and the grit gets thrown down to make it easier to walk through, it's grey and then when the days are dark and grey, it's a really grey feeling... But today, white and light and bright...<br />
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I'm glad it came today, and glad that it was such a big fall overnight and that there wasn't yet the time for it to be grey and we got to see it that way - I go home to Melbourne in a few days, just for a quick trip to pack up our apartment and put our lives into storage before heading back over here for the next 12+ months - and while I know that I'll see more snow, if not this winter (which we're no longer kidding ourselves is coming to a close) - certainly the next one but it was nice to get this fix before heading home for a couple of weeks... <br />
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I even got to make a snow angel finally (was getting worried that I'd missed my chance!!)...Keshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01508566771891973341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4552365932573475626.post-17016831884660400392011-01-24T21:03:00.001+01:002011-08-10T22:07:59.840+02:00Being away from home...I fell like I've been away from home forever - with 5.5 months in South America and then only 4.5 months at home before we were away again (which has been for 6 months already, I can hardly believe it!)...<br />
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All of the travel I've done has been not entirely planned, surprising and a fabulous experience. And, don't get me wrong I understand that I live a charmed life. I'm a very lucky girl in very many ways, comfortable in my own skin, loved by friends, family and my partner, successful in my work, etc...<br />
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But, and of course, there was going to be a but... I'm missing so many things, there's the apartment we set up our first home in for such a short time in Melbourne, the simple things like being able to read all of the labels in the supermarket and not having to concentrate every moment in there. There's the aforementioned friends and family. And there's all the events around them - I'm at an age where my friends are all at an 'Oh' birthday (that's a birthday that ends with an 0), and there are new babies being had and children passing - well just even day to day life that I'm missing out on. <br />
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It's hard - really hard, I'm the youngest (by 18 months to my oldest classmate) of my friends in the 'Oh' age bracket - and my 'Oh' birthday falls in June. By then, I'll have missed everyone else's (I mostly already have)... So, when there was the opportunity to celebrate with one of my Ozzie colleagues her 'Oh' birthday a week and a half or so ago, it was really important to me that she had a good one... So, I was perhaps overwhelming (but I hope not overbearing) in my enthusiasm. It was so nice to have something to celebrate and I guess in part make up for all the things I feel like I'm missing out on at home...<br />
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Here's some pics of the card I made for us all to sign to go with our group gift:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXcnJFjqNpjO0jLs4z0RZpTvF5OHJqZBcmVToWXxQlFTxBqH6Vvva06-M2MFDvale5-kWDFlR_ExFUPKPcd2sDkB9gtVF3qmqZSq4At2fORlCn6oGVPRD2SY1TVpEcbSRGV-GmGC1wOvUj/s1600/IMG_0269.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXcnJFjqNpjO0jLs4z0RZpTvF5OHJqZBcmVToWXxQlFTxBqH6Vvva06-M2MFDvale5-kWDFlR_ExFUPKPcd2sDkB9gtVF3qmqZSq4At2fORlCn6oGVPRD2SY1TVpEcbSRGV-GmGC1wOvUj/s200/IMG_0269.jpg" width="150" /></a></div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIHDe8LtIJHugO2cpVzmWmvXTF6GFhKh-eicOnuJ0OJNbcKx38XAXez8vc_pFz6Nyk-zxWFTlUT8lMCYbMAdrro_DaMYP6embtplVGQx9sTNpGhXyo2IZn150cjGuDCSuquC7XFfIvU5nd/s1600/IMG_0268.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIHDe8LtIJHugO2cpVzmWmvXTF6GFhKh-eicOnuJ0OJNbcKx38XAXez8vc_pFz6Nyk-zxWFTlUT8lMCYbMAdrro_DaMYP6embtplVGQx9sTNpGhXyo2IZn150cjGuDCSuquC7XFfIvU5nd/s200/IMG_0268.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">And here are the balloons we (mostly our Swedish and Norwegian colleagues) blew up all over her desk:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq_I9L5p-e9pSgeRlGmVcb1PNLLzx74JbPLYm-245jAb7RPoA6lCBcyQxLTsynWJdp1sfneSuwdetN5VaawO7mKtUhwxneInsNfUfrIVQWeWdAbUkSJt9LKywSjOAqi07-Z6WcyYw7_OMd/s1600/IMG_0265.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq_I9L5p-e9pSgeRlGmVcb1PNLLzx74JbPLYm-245jAb7RPoA6lCBcyQxLTsynWJdp1sfneSuwdetN5VaawO7mKtUhwxneInsNfUfrIVQWeWdAbUkSJt9LKywSjOAqi07-Z6WcyYw7_OMd/s200/IMG_0265.jpg" width="150" /></a></div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZGQsmxNXDxZnVCiLvuXxUhFuC1PTJYoAOzecVpU3q4PPMekVVeaTaZXkiB4UikpuABx6WYIcD5it6ralZEuLkNGen8gZynTzQoQr05JpSExfMALM3GTFOUNtT8mhosr_rTfyT-PThVw-m/s1600/IMG_0266.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZGQsmxNXDxZnVCiLvuXxUhFuC1PTJYoAOzecVpU3q4PPMekVVeaTaZXkiB4UikpuABx6WYIcD5it6ralZEuLkNGen8gZynTzQoQr05JpSExfMALM3GTFOUNtT8mhosr_rTfyT-PThVw-m/s200/IMG_0266.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">I had a lovely couple of days celebrating with her - both in the office and again on the weekend out for dinner and drinks, and raised a glass to all those friends who's 'Oh' birthdays I've missed in the last 12 months - I hope that you all had fabulous celebrations!</div>Keshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01508566771891973341noreply@blogger.com1