Only one more week at work and then I can burn all my "office worker" clothing...well, I could if it was legal to have a bonfire in the backyard!
Yep, only one more week as a Customer Service Agent at my call centre job, then a week in Brisbane, a week in Abu Dhabi and who knows how many weeks in London.
On Saturday, the people who had purchased my furniture came to collect it and in the space of two short hours, I went from living in a fully furnished one bedroom flat to living in a large and very echoey (is that even a word??) room. Only thing left to sell now is my fridge...any takers?
At the moment, I'm feeling OK about the move. It will probably be different tomorrow and then back to OK on Tuesday. I'm all over the place! But I guess that's to be expected. Looking forward to this week being over.
This week also sees the acting debut of my niece in her school play, which I am so looking forward to. Just another major event that I am happy to still be here for.
15 more sleeps...
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Birthdays and Countdowns
My birthday was on Wednesday and I had the unique opportunity of spending my special day ... at work!
But it was a good day - only had one sort-of unpleasant call but they decided to hang up on me so it worked out well for all concerned.
Last night, the day after my birthday, I had a lovely roast dinner at mum and dad's with the family so apart from the shock that I get each time I even imagine saying my new age out loud, it was a good time all round.
Now that the birthday is over, I guess the official countdown should begin. As of today, there are now only 17 more sleeps until I fly out for Abu Dhabi and London. I know that while I have been impatiently waiting for this last week of work and the final couple of weeks before I leave, I am now struggling with how little time I have left. My mind is racing with all I have to do and all I seem to be able to manage is to move stuff from one place to another and nothing seems to get packed, sorted or thrown out. Then, I'm also trying to make sure I have everything I need, making time to catch up with friends and thinking about what I want to see here in Queensland before I go.
It seems all too big for me to get my head around, but then again, I have done it all before, surely I can do it again?
OK, I am thinking way to much and it's making my head hurt. It'll be "fine" ... and to quote Mark Wahlberg from the re-make of The Italian Job - "Fine stands for Freaked out, Insecure, Neurotic and Emotional". I think that describes me pretty well...
P.S. That would have been a VERY nice birthday present ... either Mark Wahlberg or the Mini Cooper ... I'm not fussed!
But it was a good day - only had one sort-of unpleasant call but they decided to hang up on me so it worked out well for all concerned.
Last night, the day after my birthday, I had a lovely roast dinner at mum and dad's with the family so apart from the shock that I get each time I even imagine saying my new age out loud, it was a good time all round.
Now that the birthday is over, I guess the official countdown should begin. As of today, there are now only 17 more sleeps until I fly out for Abu Dhabi and London. I know that while I have been impatiently waiting for this last week of work and the final couple of weeks before I leave, I am now struggling with how little time I have left. My mind is racing with all I have to do and all I seem to be able to manage is to move stuff from one place to another and nothing seems to get packed, sorted or thrown out. Then, I'm also trying to make sure I have everything I need, making time to catch up with friends and thinking about what I want to see here in Queensland before I go.
It seems all too big for me to get my head around, but then again, I have done it all before, surely I can do it again?
OK, I am thinking way to much and it's making my head hurt. It'll be "fine" ... and to quote Mark Wahlberg from the re-make of The Italian Job - "Fine stands for Freaked out, Insecure, Neurotic and Emotional". I think that describes me pretty well...
P.S. That would have been a VERY nice birthday present ... either Mark Wahlberg or the Mini Cooper ... I'm not fussed!
Sunday, April 19, 2009
The Wedding of the Year
This weekend, I was in Sydney for my friend's wedding and it was an amazing weekend. Well, technically, it wasn't a weekend as I left on Thursday, she got married on Friday and I was home Saturday, but it felt like a weekend which was very much needed after my two whole days at work last week!
So, Thursday came and after failing to read the fine print on my plane ticket about the time I needed to be at the airport to check in, I managed to make it to my flight with three minutes to spare. In Sydney, I met up with the bride's former flat mate, Jane, and two other friends, Ros and Ann, hired a car and drove to the outer suburbs of Sydney. We checked into our accommodation and then headed off to dinner with the bride and groom-to-be, friend's and family who had travelled from all over Australia and New Zealand. The groom, Aaron, is a Kiwi, but we can't hold that against him. Instead, in true Aussie fashion, we'll just claim him as our own!
Now, the restaurant was only about a ten minute walk from the caravan park where we were all staying, so we decided to walk it. What they failed to tell us was that it was all up hill and I was not wearing the most practical shoes.
So, twenty minutes and three blisters later, we arrived at the Outback Steakhouse, and it was amazing to catch up with Prue's family from Adelaide that I haven't seen in years! It was also very nice to feel a cool breeze - something not often felt in Brisbane at this time of year!
On the Friday, the day of the wedding, we headed to the shops to buy Ros (from Townsville) a jacket before she froze in the sunny 23 degree Sydney weather and me some flat, comfy shoes and then, at last, off to the wedding.
You couldn't have asked for a better day. The sun was shining and the bride was beautiful. The reception was so much fun and I even got up on the dance floor! For those who know me, that is a rare thing! I am not a dancer and have never, ever claimed to be, but I thought since I don't know half the people there and if I do make a fool of myself, I could always leave the country...perhaps in three weeks time, so it didn't matter!
Then came the time say farewell to the happy couple, wish them all the best and then they were gone. Next, it was time for me to say the first of my farewells, which was a little bit harder. Being all back together with my friends was just like we had never been apart, instead of being scattered all over Australia and soon, the world. Great times...
On Saturday, we checked out and drove back into Sydney, where we dropped in to the apartment of a certain Australian Idol winner, as you do, to meet with friends for lunch. The Idol winner in question is currently in New York and the friends were house-sitting. Still seems strange to think of him as being famous since we went to the same church for years!
Then, after a few hurried snaps of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge by Ros, it was time to head back to the airport, return the hire car (thankfully undented after a few close calls driving in Sydney CBD!) and board our flights for home back to Brisbane, Townsville and Adelaide. Home, sweet home.
Now the un-packing, washing and re-packing begins...
So, Thursday came and after failing to read the fine print on my plane ticket about the time I needed to be at the airport to check in, I managed to make it to my flight with three minutes to spare. In Sydney, I met up with the bride's former flat mate, Jane, and two other friends, Ros and Ann, hired a car and drove to the outer suburbs of Sydney. We checked into our accommodation and then headed off to dinner with the bride and groom-to-be, friend's and family who had travelled from all over Australia and New Zealand. The groom, Aaron, is a Kiwi, but we can't hold that against him. Instead, in true Aussie fashion, we'll just claim him as our own!
Now, the restaurant was only about a ten minute walk from the caravan park where we were all staying, so we decided to walk it. What they failed to tell us was that it was all up hill and I was not wearing the most practical shoes.
So, twenty minutes and three blisters later, we arrived at the Outback Steakhouse, and it was amazing to catch up with Prue's family from Adelaide that I haven't seen in years! It was also very nice to feel a cool breeze - something not often felt in Brisbane at this time of year!
On the Friday, the day of the wedding, we headed to the shops to buy Ros (from Townsville) a jacket before she froze in the sunny 23 degree Sydney weather and me some flat, comfy shoes and then, at last, off to the wedding.
You couldn't have asked for a better day. The sun was shining and the bride was beautiful. The reception was so much fun and I even got up on the dance floor! For those who know me, that is a rare thing! I am not a dancer and have never, ever claimed to be, but I thought since I don't know half the people there and if I do make a fool of myself, I could always leave the country...perhaps in three weeks time, so it didn't matter!
Then came the time say farewell to the happy couple, wish them all the best and then they were gone. Next, it was time for me to say the first of my farewells, which was a little bit harder. Being all back together with my friends was just like we had never been apart, instead of being scattered all over Australia and soon, the world. Great times...
On Saturday, we checked out and drove back into Sydney, where we dropped in to the apartment of a certain Australian Idol winner, as you do, to meet with friends for lunch. The Idol winner in question is currently in New York and the friends were house-sitting. Still seems strange to think of him as being famous since we went to the same church for years!
Then, after a few hurried snaps of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge by Ros, it was time to head back to the airport, return the hire car (thankfully undented after a few close calls driving in Sydney CBD!) and board our flights for home back to Brisbane, Townsville and Adelaide. Home, sweet home.
Now the un-packing, washing and re-packing begins...
Sunday, April 12, 2009
This week...
This week, I only work two days, which when you're temping in a call centre, is always great news. Not so great for the old bank balance, but in my new "thinking positive" phase, I'm choosing not to focus on that point.
It's Easter weekend and so far I have dismantled my bed (ready for collection by the lady who will be purchasing it...if she ever gets in touch with me, that is (think positive, think positive!), polished and buffed my car to within an inch of it's life and managed to restore it back to (almost) it's former red glory, ready for sale...to my dad. I've sorted through my wardrobe and collected four large bags of clothes that I'll be donating to charity (and about four more bags to throw out that no one would seriously want!), packed a second suitcase to ship to myself in London and still found time to eat a few Easter eggs along the way!
After all that, I need a holiday! Good thing I'm off to Sydney on Thursday for my best friend's wedding. It'll be so great to catch up with her and her family and also our other family, the Clayton's (you know who you are!). I better sort out what I'm going to take for that - packing, packing, endless packing!
Tomorrow, it's movie day with the girls and we're off to see 17 Again with Zac Efron (oh, to be 17 again....), then work on Tuesday and Wednesday...12 days to go!
It's Easter weekend and so far I have dismantled my bed (ready for collection by the lady who will be purchasing it...if she ever gets in touch with me, that is (think positive, think positive!), polished and buffed my car to within an inch of it's life and managed to restore it back to (almost) it's former red glory, ready for sale...to my dad. I've sorted through my wardrobe and collected four large bags of clothes that I'll be donating to charity (and about four more bags to throw out that no one would seriously want!), packed a second suitcase to ship to myself in London and still found time to eat a few Easter eggs along the way!
After all that, I need a holiday! Good thing I'm off to Sydney on Thursday for my best friend's wedding. It'll be so great to catch up with her and her family and also our other family, the Clayton's (you know who you are!). I better sort out what I'm going to take for that - packing, packing, endless packing!
Tomorrow, it's movie day with the girls and we're off to see 17 Again with Zac Efron (oh, to be 17 again....), then work on Tuesday and Wednesday...12 days to go!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
"I'm off to Paris for the weekend"
I've just read my last few posts and I want to apologise.
Yes, while this is a huge move for me, packing up my life and changing everything to live my dream, I've been focusing way too much on the negative. From now on, I am determined to be excited...and positive!
I'm moving to London. I get to live in one of the most amazing cities in the world, full of more experiences just waiting for me than I can possibly imagine. I have the opportunity to get a start into a new career as a nanny. I'll be living and working in the area that has always been my first choice. My visa is approved. I'll be able to say things like, "I'm off to Paris for the weekend" - a sentence that I have never said in my whole life! And, I'll be stopping over in Abu Dhabi to visit one of my best friends for 5 days on my way over.
So what if I don't have every single thing I need in my suitcase? They do have shops in London.
Yes, while this is a huge move for me, packing up my life and changing everything to live my dream, I've been focusing way too much on the negative. From now on, I am determined to be excited...and positive!
I'm moving to London. I get to live in one of the most amazing cities in the world, full of more experiences just waiting for me than I can possibly imagine. I have the opportunity to get a start into a new career as a nanny. I'll be living and working in the area that has always been my first choice. My visa is approved. I'll be able to say things like, "I'm off to Paris for the weekend" - a sentence that I have never said in my whole life! And, I'll be stopping over in Abu Dhabi to visit one of my best friends for 5 days on my way over.
So what if I don't have every single thing I need in my suitcase? They do have shops in London.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Overwhelmed
So it's April. I'm moving to London next month. Five weeks tomorrow to be exact.
This past week has been pretty overwhelming. I received my passport back from the British Consulate in Canberra, containing my lovely new visa that will allow me to live and work in the UK. So it's really happening - I'll be leaving for London in five weeks.
When that hit me, all those doubts came back - those "what-if's". I made a late night call to my friend Prue (yes, the one who's getting married in two weeks!) and she said to me that it's OK to feel overwhelmed. In the midst of her own massive life change, there she is giving me some reassurance! Just that one little line made me feel a whole lot better. Yes, it is OK that I'm overwhelmed. It's a BIG move! If I wasn't overwhelmed, there would be something wrong with me.
I'm still taking things one day at a time. Slowly packing up my life here and preparing for my new life over there.
16 working days to go...
(I'm counting down the days at my call centre job...it's the only way I can cope!)
And here's a picture, just because...
This past week has been pretty overwhelming. I received my passport back from the British Consulate in Canberra, containing my lovely new visa that will allow me to live and work in the UK. So it's really happening - I'll be leaving for London in five weeks.
When that hit me, all those doubts came back - those "what-if's". I made a late night call to my friend Prue (yes, the one who's getting married in two weeks!) and she said to me that it's OK to feel overwhelmed. In the midst of her own massive life change, there she is giving me some reassurance! Just that one little line made me feel a whole lot better. Yes, it is OK that I'm overwhelmed. It's a BIG move! If I wasn't overwhelmed, there would be something wrong with me.
I'm still taking things one day at a time. Slowly packing up my life here and preparing for my new life over there.
16 working days to go...
(I'm counting down the days at my call centre job...it's the only way I can cope!)
And here's a picture, just because...
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