Babies and lawn mowers

As one may well imagine, the above ought not be mixed...

I am now into day 2, almost starting day 3 of sharing the life of 2 lovely little boys. The babies are feeding every 3 hours so I set my alarm and try desperately to get up on time. They get fed, nappy's changed and then resettled and we all go back to sleep to start it all again in a couple of hours. I awoke this morning quite obviously feeling a little worse for wear.

I was dreaming of mowing the lawn. Or so I thought. In fact I was really looking out my bedroom window watching the father of the twins mow his lawn with a remote control lawn mower. Yes you did read that correctly - he was wandering along behind the mower with a remote control which was attached by a cord to the mower. His lawn isn't even big - although in London standards it's huge. But he was out there in his suit trousers and shirt which I found even more amusing.

So if you're looking for the gift for that someone who has everything... I bet they don't have one of these.

Oh My Goodness!

It's only 2 more sleeps until I start the job that could shape my career. I really hope I'm being overly dramatic here...

I am about to start a 12 week contract with the owner of the agency I get most of my work from. I am of course very flattered to have been hand picked from all the staff on her books. I am also aware that if this goes well, it could mean good things and not so if it goes bad...

I have 2 little boys 5lb 10 and 4lb 12 so both wee fellows. Both apparently eating well and feeding 3 hourly already. Long may that last!

As there are only 2 more sleeps and tomorrows sleep will be a later one due to a planned outing, I really ought to stop procrastinating and get to bed as it's already after 1am. But there are too many things to think about... what to take with me - 2 shampoos or 1... important stuff like that!!??

Also going to bed requires making my bed and because that is something that takes a moments effort, it can wait. But then the advantage of making my bed is that it will be with freshly washed linen... hmmm now that sounds more inviting.

And of course my pillow awaits... OK making my bed now!

I owe, I owe, it's off to work I go....

I went back to work yesterday although tonight it feels more like last week, I'm so tired. I managed to score an 'emergency' job to fill in the next few days until my prebooked contract starts - which ought to be Monday.

It feels good to be back at it. I'm lucky to enjoy my work.

But upon saying that, roll on October when I have taken no bookings and may just have to have a wee adventure somewhere exciting!

I love my pillow!

I do, I honestly do!! I have the most divine pillow on the face the of the planet!

I arrived home from Thailand last December to a large package awaiting my attention. Mum had been Christmas shopping and being the clued up woman that she is, she bought me the pillow of my dreams! Or maybe it was just that I went on and on about this pillow so often, she thought it best to shut me up.

Last year I worked with a client who had just bought a new summer house and had to furnish it so they went shopping one day and bought beds and linen to fill 8 bedrooms (EIGHT!!??). When we went down to stay at the house a few weeks later and my bed was graced with 'the' pillow. They bought 18 (!!!!!) of these pillows! I remember the mother-in-law saying "that's the total price isn't it, not each?" when she read the invoice.

This pillow is not any ordinary creature, it is 100% Siberian goose down in a silk/cotton covering. The first time I slept on one - I had 2 on my bed! - I knew I was going to save up for my own one. (Mortgage the house if needed.) I had the best sleep I'd had in a long time. I felt like my head was resting on air - no comments please, that's air outside my head I'm talking about!

So when I got back from Thailand in the midst of the coldest snap of the winter to discover my new pillow, life took on a new dimension (ie. from the comfort of my bed).

Every night now I can't wait to climb in and hug my pillow. I'm like a dog with a bone - don't come too close... I will protect that pillow with my life if necessary!!

This is what my life has become since arriving back in London without even a plan as to my next trip away!

7.30am Oakley Street - it's the horses again

Every now and then I am woken in the morning at 7.30 by a bunch of horses walking by some with riders and some being lead. The riders wear a khaki military uniform of no great distinction so I have no idea who they are or where they go.



Yesterday I was awake when they went past so I leaped into action with my camera.


They stop at the traffic lights at the end of the road and then off they go again. Traffic just treats them like any other vehicle on the road. No one bats an eyelid...


This is one of the things I love heaps about London. I never know what to expect and when to expect it.

I'll give it a go!

Here goes my first webblog. I've been meaning to do this for ages and I guess now I have a computer I have no excuses at all.

It's great being back in London. Been back about 45hours - but who is counting!! I'm on the emergency list for work so cross fingers for me. I don't think my credit card will live another 11-12 days until my next job officially starts.

Just an hour or so ago, I was lying on my bed playing a game on the computer when I heard the fire sirens start up. I live on a street that is opposite the fire station - I would say I am 100metres away. The sirens went for all of 10 seconds before coming to a stop right outside my window. I was a bit worried as I was still in my favourite nightie and it was almost 2pm. Anyway after lots of firemen running around most eventually walked back to the station and the fire engines (2 of them) were employed at the ends of the street to stop traffic.

I'm guessing it was a gas issue as there were a couple of British gas vans there also. Someone donned a gas mask and went into the house across the road. Thankfully I am still in my nightie in the privacy of my wee room!!

Spring has sprung here, it's so lovely coming back to London in this sort of weather compared to the horrendous winter weather I was faced with after being in Thailand.

Singapore, egg sandwiches and home

I AM SO HAPPY TO BE HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!

A bit of change in scene has occurred...

I just spent 3 nights in Singapore and wished I'd had 3 times that as I did not get through as much as I'd hoped.

I got in late Friday night after a less then 5 hour flight - remind me to live in Perth when (if) I decide to live on that side of the world again - and went straight to my hotel and slept until 10am next morning.

Woke hungry so went for a wander to one the many shopping malls nearby and found a food court that sold real food. Such a surprise after spending 2 months in Australia with mall food courts that sold nothing but synthetic food! Had a lovely breakfast (waffles - couldn't face noodles) and then went back to prepare myself for an afternoon of bliss...

I'm beginning to believe that if there is a croc farm within 100km radius I will find it! As was the case here. I was reading the phone book at bedtime the night before (as you do!!). It had a great tourist section and in my flipping of pages, I saw a word that looked like 'croc'. I went back through the pages with a fine tooth comb and sure enough Tan Moh Hong Croc Farm was there in a small ad (unseeable to the common folk...)

I actually found 2 croc farms, but one has closed due to financial reasons. When I asked a woman at Tan Moh Hong, she said it was because they had to buy land and set it up from nothing, but her boss had had croc's since 1945 and had set up in his back yard - I kid you not!

So on the MRT (underground) and a bus I went. I got on the bus with a $2.00 note thinking I would be able to get change, but the driver looked at me as if I were a foreigner or something. I had nothing smaller (I thought I was doing well to have $2 when many $50 bills were spat out at the ATM) and a very nice man gave him the .90 cents I needed. When I tried to give the man my $2 he wouldn't take it.

I arrived at the croc farm and very quickly understood why this one had survived. It was without a doubt set up in this man's back yard. A space MUCH smaller then the average Kiwi backyard and a few concrete enclosures with a few unfortunate crocs. If I wasn't happy just to be seeing croc's I would be horrified. I am pretty shocked that this place can continue to hold animals as dangerous as these when there are so many neighbours and so few safety measures. I'm sure the local kids must have the odd dare to see who can retrieve the ball from the enclosure...

I spent most of my time in the shop (more things to look at in there) and found an area with lots of info panels all hand drawn and coloured. There was also a taxidermy skull that no one was allowed to touch as the croc had died only 6 months earlier so the chemicals were too fresh. As nasty as it was, I was thrilled to be feeding my addiction!!

Later that night I caught a bus to the Singapore Zoo. They are the first place in the world to offer what they call a 'Night Safari'. It was incredible and I'm so pleased I went. I jumped on a little train and it takes about 40-50 minutes to go a full circuit. There is a guide who tells you where to look and tries desperately to add a bit of drama to the whole thing too. It made me laugh several times. But it was amazing to see so many animals so relaxed and calm under very 'gentle' lighting compared to the usual zoo scene with tigers pacing, shy animals hiding as far away from the hoards and never a sight of anything nocturnal. I met up with a mother and daughter originally from Zimbabwe and we enjoyed the evening together. They reminded me a lot of mum and me. So much so that the daughter made up some story to a willing steward and we went around on he train again - for free. Apparently 'our' mother had a sore foot and couldn't do much walking... Hehe, I liked her even more after that!!!

They invited me to join them the next day for 'high tea' at the Raffles Hotel. It was so nice and the egg sandwiches were without a doubt the best I have ever eaten! I drank about 4 cups of lovely coffee then ordered a Singapore Sling - it had to be done as it was 'invented' by a barman at Raffles a few decades ago. It has a list of spirits too long to list (or remember) but was very very nice! Lots of little men running around replacing cutlery and folding napkins... A 'must do' next time you're in Singapore.

I floated back to the hotel about 6.30 to pack my bags as I was to leave at 6am the following morning. I got about 10 minutes in and thought 'what the heck am I doing?' I still have a whole night ahead of me and Little India will not close until the last person leaves... It was great. Sunday is the only day (or night) off for most foreign labourers so Little India bulges at the seams for a few hours every Sunday evening. (Indians being one of the main nationalities of foreign employees). There is a shopping mall called Mustafa that is several floors of bargains. All the products for sale looked genuine (as opposed to the fakes usually seen in such places) and I could have filled several bags (bought here of course) with cheap toiletries, clothing, shoes, sports gear and so much more.

I'm going to have to go back and see some more of Singapore one day (and take an empty suitcase too), it is an amazing place.

I flew home yesterday and felt so happy to be back on familiar soil. This is so truly home for me. Bless Her Majesty's wee cotton socks.