Day Nine Hundred and Forty Two

Tuesday

A very restless night trying to sleep, probably because of the weather

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/wicked-weather/brisbane-swelters-all-night-as-heat-hits-us-between-the-sheets/story-e6frep3x-1226240453341

Quote....(source couriermail.com.au)

Brisbane experienced an uncomfortable night’s sleep, with the official temperature hitting 26.7C, but taking into account the humidity of 85 per cent, the apparent midnight temperature was 32.5C.

It cooled a little in the early hours, but barely, the lowest apparent temp being 29.3 at 3.30am.

It was even warmer earlier in the evening, the apparent temperature peaking around 33 at 9pm

Not pleasant. Got a bit of a cold, not unexpected as lots of people have been ill and flying doesn't help.

A normal day at work then headed home. Kate worked late as she was offered overtime so I picked her up at 8.30pm.

Day Nine Hundred and Forty One

Monday

Back to reality, dropped Kate to work and headed back to office to catch up on emails and get back into the event for 2012.

Picked up Kate, went and did a big shop and then headed home.

Day Nine Hundred and Forty

Sunday 8th January 2012

Was glad to avoid this by flying a day earlier than this exact same flight

http://www.watoday.com.au/travel/travel-incidents/father-describes-nightmare-qantas-flight-20120108-1ppyh.html

Had a light brekkie and had a leisurely day around the house in Willoughby with a lovely roast lamb lunch.

As we headed to the airport storms broke out over Sydney, all seemed OK but this resulted in Kate and I sitting on the plane for one and three quarter hours as the tarmac was closed so no dispatchers/baggage handlers could service the plane.

We finally got back to Brisbane at about 11pm and home at 11.30.

Back to reality tomorrow.

Day Nine Hundred and Thirty Nine

7th January 2012

Saturday, a leisurely morning in Willoughby with bacon and eggs for breakfast, last cooked brekkie as diet starts on Monday. We had a not bad nights sleep despite jet lag sleeping from 12.30am through to 6am.

We waved goodbye to Chris and Hannah as they headed back to Adelaide and in the afternoon Kate dropped me in Paddington to join Paul on his Stag activities. A picture below of the lucky bride, I mean stag.



I headed home and saw Kate briefly before she headed out to join Pru on her hens night.

Day Nine Hundred and Thirty Eight

6th January 2012

We stopped in Singapore briefly and had a croissant and tea each before getting back on the plane.

Finally we arrived in Sydney at 8.15 and cleared the airport about an hour later and were kindly picked up by Bill and Carol.

We arrived back at Willoughby and shared present opening with Bill, Carol, Chris and Hannah. We received some lovey gifts of books and clothing and other items.

A much need shower at midnight and we soon enough crashed.

Glad we read this after we had touched down

http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-incidents/wing-cracks-no-threat-to-safety-insists-airbus-chief-20120106-1poct.html

Day Nine Hundred and Thirty Seven

5th January 2012

Up early and Alv and Crystal drove us up to Heathrow just before 7am and we got there at 8am or thereabouts. We checked in and said our goodbyes before heading through to departures. Goodbyes are never easy especially with no specific plan for our next meet up but looking forward to Skype catch ups in the meantime.

Boarded the flight and took off about 11.30am.

An uneventful but long flight to Singapore.

Day Nine Hundred and Thirty Six

4th January 2012

We spent the day in Yateley all day doing final bits of paperwork and UK name and address changes while we were in blighty.

Said goodbye to my wonderful sister Hazel in the afternoon before a greasy fish and chip supper and off to bed before early start tomorrow.

Day Nine Hundred and Thirty Five

3rd January 2012

A super windy day in the UK today. Some pics can be seen here

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-16391740 (Picture 1 is Southsea, the Steward favourite)

We drove through the wind and rain to Farnham to visit Hazels shop, she was unfortunately out on deliveries when we arrived.

We drove to Reading to do some shopping, before hitting the shops we had lunch in Jamie Olivers Italian, even scoring a two for one voucher off the waiter so lunch was half price.

http://www.jamieoliver.com/italian/reading

Lots of clothes shopping and other things before heading home.

In the evening we went to the Four Seasons to celebrate Crystals 65th birthday. Was a very nice evening surrounded by family.

Day Nine Hundred and Thirty Four

January 2nd 2012

We drove up to London to see Heather and Neil and the kids. We were joined by Kay and Keith with Lily as well as Marianne S. Later we were joined by Charlotte and Tim.

We had lunch in The Bishop

http://www.capitalpubcompany.com/the-bishop/

and when the girls took the kids to the park the boys had a drink in the East Dulwich Tavern

http://www.eastdulwichtavern.com/

Soon enough we had to drive home and ended up via dodgy Sat Nav instructions got caught up in traffic around Hammersmith.

Arrived home to another Crystal favourite Beef Wellington, yummy.

Later in the evening we headed over to Rob and Jo's to say goodbye to them and baby Isla before we head home to Oz.

Day Nine Hundred and Thirty Three

January 1st 2012

New Years Day

A quiet day spent around the house in Yateley relaxing. Lovely roast chicken for dinner.

Day Nine Hundred and Thirty Two

New Years Eve 2011

A relaxed day around the house with a trip to Waitrose to get some supplies for tonight.

Rob and Jo stopped by with baby Isla to meet my folks and then we all headed to Neil and Suzannes to see in the new year.

Some pics (taken by Kay)


Isla and I

Kate, myself and Craig and Kays dog Sam

2011 has been a good one, Kate and I getting married was the highlight of the year. Here's to a good 2012.

Day Nine Hundred and Thirty One

Friday

We got up in Basingstoke and said good bye to Sam and Amanda who were heading back to Bristol.

Kate and I braved the sales in Basingstoke, it was pretty busy but not manic. After a spot of shopping and lunch we headed back to Yateley. Late afternoon we drove to fleet and hopped on a train to Waterloo. Kate caught up with Rebecca and then we went to London Bridge to meet Stella and Ian & Jon and Andrea for dinner. these are our friends from Colliers Wood.

We had a nice dinner at Dim T overlooking Tower Bridge and took a few pics afterwards. 9bit grainy I'm afraid)





We caught the 22.39 train back to Fleet and were home by 11.30.

Day Nine Hundred and Thirty

Thursday 29th Dec We headed down to Breakfast in the hotel at 8.45 which was very nice. Once we had packed up the folks, Kate and I headed back to Yateley.

From there Kate and I drove over to Godalming to meet Anna and Mike for lunch at their place. It was a chance to meet baby Emily too. Anna served a lovely chicken pie which went down very well. It was great to see Anna and Mike have taken to family life so well.

Soon enough we drove home and then over to Farnborough to meet Hazel and Peter and Sam and Amanda at the Aviator restaurant for dinner. I wanted to take hazel out to celebrate her 40th together we'll be unable to do so in February as we'll be back in Oz.

Fantastic restaurant, fantastic food and company.

I recommend anyone in Hampshire or nearby who wants a posh night out to check out the Aviator.

http://www.aviatorfarnborough.co.uk/brasserie

I'll post some more pics here when I get them from Peter of us,but here are some of the food I had

Day Nine Hundred and Twenty Nine

Wednesday

Today we went to Vicky and Elliotts wedding in Yateley followed by reception at Eletham Hotel in Hartley Whitney.

Was a very nice day and good to catch up with old school friends. We had a nice dinner and drinking and dancing in the evening. A few pics below...

Day Nine Hundred and Twenty Eight

Tuesday

A fairly quiet day at home overall. Writing this 2 weeks later so struggling to recall what we did!

Day Nine Hundred and Twenty Seven

Monday (Boxing Day)

Got up and had a nice breakfast in Old Basing followed by lunch as well. Result.

In the afternoon we all headed back to Yateley and spent a lazy afternoon with TV and Scrabble.

Day Nine Hundred and Twenty Six

Sunday (Christmas Day 2011)

A leisurely morning in Yateley before we all drove over to Hazels and Peters for Christmas Day. Was a perfect day with a nice snacky lunch of stuff we bought form Borough Market followed by a full on Christmas Dinner at 5.30.

Was nice to see Peters sister Jackie and her husband John as well as their children James (with girlfriend Tash) and Jo (with boyfriend Sam).

There were presents throughout the day and a time lazing in front of the telly in the evening.


Willow under the tree

Alv & Crys

Kate and I

H & P

All ready for dinner

Day Nine Hundred and Twenty Five

Saturday (Christmas Eve 2011)

A very quiet day spent at home. Kate has got a cold so we have been dosing her up with cold tablets and cough mixture. She seems to be doing OK.

We were due to have a visit form Rob and Jo with baby Isla followed by drinks down the pub but it seems sensible to not expose the baby to germs or hit the pub on this cold evening. Finished off all the final bits that needed doing for Christmas.

Day Nine Hundred and Twenty Four

Friday

A day of shopping followed a Skype call to Sydney with Carol, Chris and Hannah. We hit Camberley and then M&S at the meadows. It was not as crazy as we expected it to be.

In the evening we had a nice dinner at home in the company of Pat and Graham.

Day Nine Hundred and Twenty Three

Thursday

We checked out of the hotel and walked along the river to the London Aquarium. We saw most of it until a fire alarm meant we had to bail out. We started again after that and finished off before going for lunch with Kathleen, again in EV.


Some Spanish tourist took this for us

Kate took some good pictures along the river too


Big Ben/Parliament (obviously)


Kate's pics of the buses on Waterloo Bridge

After lunch we took on Borough market, it was pretty crazy in there but we got lots of goodies and food for Christmas day.


Borough Market with Shard of Glass in background (soon to be Europe's tallest building)



Crowds

Took the train home and Alvin picked up. We had a quiet night at home in the evening and went to bed early.