Tube journeys

this morning was not a good one.

Our train became defective - dodgy doors. Not shutting so all off at Clapham North and wait for the next train. Miraculously it was not full so we all piled on. But as we trailed towards Bank it got busier. At Bank I lost my cool. WHY WHY OH WHY can't people step off the train to let those of us who want to get out, get out? Oh no - instead two rather large people stayed standing in the doorway. As my scarf got caught in someone's bag and still no-one was moving I seethed outloud - 'It may help if you actually let us off the train'. I nearly swore,. But didn't. But really - I have lived in this city long enough to know - let people off the tube and then we all stand a chance of getting where we want to go....

Anyway today started angrily and seemed to bottom out to be ok. My cold is still getting me down. My brother texted to say he had got back from Sabah in one piece. Ma and Pa are at Fraser Island (minding the dingo's I hope) and I seem to be excelling in corporate eyes...

I have a few other things on my mind at the moment. But they are best kept under wraps for the time being. I also have not had the drive or time to sort out my 'Unbelievable!' blog... but I promise I will! (I lied - I have now made a start! - first up Bucks do!)

It dawned on me this evening as I crossed Blackfriars Bridge that the wheel of time has almost turned full circle again. The darkness so early in the afternoon. Seeing the Wheel all lit reminding me of Gill's hen night. I had forgotten over the summer how I coped with walks and gettinghome in the dark winter months. So far I am walking to Waterloo but not getting the train, but the tube. This is my sticking point. I should just carry on with my stomp regardless of the weather or the light. But it doesn't feel so uplifting. Must try harder perhaps?

FA Cup Round One

Gills will face Bromley. Nothing like a local derby to get the comp off with a swing!!

Means I can wear my Gills shirt, scarf and hat on the tube n train again and get stared at by blokes who can't get their heads round the fact its a bird on her own with an interest in football... grr. Get out more lads.... and don't stare - if you have a question just ASK!!! We won!! :-)

BST

is nearing an end. Which means an extrahour in bed tomorrow - which means having to wait another hour before the Archers. It also means that the time difference between me and the rest of my family will be 11 hours. Ouch! It also means that for the next 4 months it will feel like being a mole- dark in the mornings and dark in the evenings. Any daylight will be seen from the 'haven' of my desk at work. What a joyful prospect.

Gillingham 2 - Carlisle United 0

Normal service resumed! a) me posting about my TEAM and b) a WIN!!!

Mark Bentley and Gary Mulligan scored at either end of the game to settle what in truth was a pretty mediocre display of football. I couldn't get excited about the score line until we were 2 up with 3 minutes to go! Too many last minute opposition wins! The crowd didn't quite reach the 6,000 total. Hey. We'll take the 3 points. The pie family werein as were the twins and I had the dubious pleasure of a manic bouncing bean sat in the seat next to my Dad's empty one (I did have 2 offers for his ticket but sadly he kept his Season Ticket safely locked up at home so I was unable to charge full whack for his pew!), some bloke, who when the first goal went in, jumped up and down like an extra auditioning for the part of Zebedee in the Magic Roundabout. I wondered at his verve. Had he not seen us be 3 up and still lose games?! His glee seemed far too premature for me. But then I am a pessimist!

Oh well. As the afternoon drew to a close the skies got greyer and the weather took a turn for the cool. Not quite the 34 degree heat I was used to down under. Good to see Jarvis back and fit - even if it did look as though he was wearing a clip in his hair! Good to see Twiglet on the score sheet and with Jack in goal we looked fairly solid. Crikey!

My other observation - we are no longer Gillingham ootball Club. At no extra expense in stead of buying a replacement F - one has been painted on the Gordon Road Stand. Triffic...

Port Phillip Bay

The view of Port Phillip Bay (the expanse of water directly near the CBD of Melbourne.

From St Kilda...

From Williamstown Beaches.

Amazing

I have sorted my PC out and back online.. firewall settings and a processor that is running like a fat dog at the mo... hey ho. At least now I can spend the weekend productively and sort out my piccies and share some sunshine with you all!!

That's if I can shake off this sore throat... Grr.... !!!

Gloom...

Gloomy out the window.
Gloomy at 6.30am
Gloomy at 6.30pm
Gloomy in my brain.

The post holiday blues has hit. Or maybe its S.A.D. Dived right into that one I fear.

Gloomy @ home cos Internet access temporarily suspended while I get a new modem... very unhappy about this.

Oh and I was advised today that it takes a day to recover for each hour you were out of your time zone... so that's about 13+7hours = 20 days then!! Joy! See you properly in November!!

Home

On time. To cool weather and rain. Even my cab was waiting at Heathrow. My luggage took an age to come through but I was out of terminal 4 by 6.30am and home by 7.15am. Flat in one piece - damp and cold. So whacked the heating on. Now fully settled back in!

The first part of the flight was ok - 3 seats to myself and the upgraded plane so it was videos on demand! So I watched The Castle, Muriels Wedding, My Family and Rabbit Proof Fence, Chinatown and The Birds. The system ceased to work at one point - well an opportune moment really - we were over the interior of Australia and being on the right side of the plane when the pilot tipped us slightly we got a perfect aerial view of Uluru - so I have seen it now - it looked amazing from above - the colour and size of the rock, there in the middle of the desert.

Singapore was its usual sticky humid self especially in the cactus garden where the smokers are free to roam. I did not enjoy the 12 hour flight back to London - far too long and the plane was packed.

Oh well back in one piece and already it feels as if my holiday was all a dream. Feels odd getting back and there's no-one here to greet me. Ma and Pa are in Cairns and Stu and Emma in Sabah. Oh yes and I think because I was waiting at the Melbourne Airport from 8am until my 12.30 check in (long story!) they decided to randomly pick me out after immigration for an explosives check. A bit nerve wracking and all in all slightly perturning. Needless to say I passed. Plenty of duty free and then plenty more loo stops pre boarding. Various signs as I waited - a prog about Orangutans, mum texting me so by the time we took off I was quite emotional. Leaving behind my family, once again on my own.

Never mind work tomorrow and no doubt more ups and downs. Can't say I am overly looking forward to it.

Did get to hear The Archers this morning. Oooh dearie me.

Pre post holiday blues?!

Not sure why but part of me wishes I was coming home sooner - you know, I have had a great time with my brother, enjoyed his wedding and now with a couple of days to kick about Melbourne I think maybe It would have been better to head back to the UK sooner - less time to think about it whilst on the soil of the Aussies. We said our goodbyes Monday am on Hobart's Elizabeth street. He and Emma walking off hand in hand to their future. Me? Left to find things to do until Fri pm!

So I will endeavour to get to Williamstown, have proper time in St Kilda and do an MCG tour... !! Yes cursing of the turf to take place so that the Poms do the biz over Xmas!!

Until then chaps/chappesses I am missing people, London and my radio!! ;-) Take care and catch ya all in few days... x

Honeymoons

As I sit here back in my chosen Melbourne Internet cafe for my trip doon under I understand that the honeymoon period is over for Steve Mclaren. Meanwhile my brother and his missus are living it up in Dover, Tasmania before jetting off to Saba in Indonesia to see the Orangutans. I am trying to sort out the next 3 days so I see a bit more of Melbourne and get sorted ready for flight back Saturday pm.

But I am guessing you are all dying to know how the wedding went!?! Well I think as a family we cracked it - our dresses were repeatedly commented on for being stunning and my Mum did look a million dollars. We had gone for a professional make up job that morning - it took a wee while but was defo worth it. Dad had his DJ on and stormed the floor with his speech. I did my reading without a faulter and all in all we held our heads high and smiled broadly as Stuart and Emma made their love official.

The rehearsal on the Friday was perhaps more emotional than the actual day.

The wording, music everything had been written and agreed by Stu and Em - so the vows were non-traditional but summed their relationship up perfectly. The venue meant the back drop was beautiful - sun over the vine yard and lakes. The guests were all well behaved. And the bride and groom looked a picture! I nearly cried when Stu mentioned me specifically in his speech - but I fought back hard and kept vaguely composed. I'll stick up some photos when I get home so you can see fully how well my brother scrubs up and how gorgeous his wife to be looked.

On the whole the time spent in Hobart veered from relaxing and fun to uptight and stressy. When Martin and I got off the plane at Hobart it was 32 degrees and the wind had a life of its own - it was strong! There were also bush fires raging across the ranges in the vicinity of the vineyard were the wedding was to be held and the highways were being shut at intervals because it was so dangerous. The wind and the heat did not paint a great picture. Thursday pm started at Customs House with Carlton Black on tap then the group of us all met up for dinner - I had steak.

Friday we pottered - and helped with moving of luggage and general nerve calming of my brother. The afternoon was the rehearsal and wine tasting at Meadowbank. I took a liking to the Cabernet, very very tasty. At 4pm we were ushered outside for the rehearsal. Various people doing readings - well in turned out just 2 of us! My poem, Love's Philosophy by Percy Bysshe Shelley was to appear directly after they were married and had been able to kiss! During rehearsal with the sun and the view and all these key people as I read the words I got quite a lump in my throat. I think there were several others who felt the same way. The pause and aahs before the applause.

We continued drinking there and then tottered back into town - watching the smoke rising! Dinner was to be at 42degrees, a nice joint on the front in Hobart centre. We were all struggling by t8pm though - it had been a long day and the Saturday was going to be even longer... we struggled through! More beers! And on the way back the groom's party such as it was - me, Ma and Pa, Stu n Martin n Steve - piled into The Little Sydney Hotel opposite our hotel for a last beer... Moo Brew dark! And there was a live band playing good stuff - covers of Duran Duran numbers and it was just great to be altogehter and spending Stu's last single hours with smiles on our faces!!

Saturday morning - get up wash and sort hair so that by 5pm it would be settled and shiny! Big breakfast in a place called Dukkah's - it was very very lovely! Then at midday a make over and the count down... strange how these important days always go so fast. No sonner had we had our make up done we were dressed, putting button holes onto groom and grooms men and gettign a cab down to the pier to pick up the double decker bus that would seem to take forever to get us tot he venue...!! Some hours later we were all on the bus back to Hobart - singing and smiling. Stuart and Emma now Mr and Mrs... F!

Congratulations to them both!

The Archers

Thank you Known Admirer for the updates... hoping that I can listen to the last omnibus edition online Sunday am before the 10am one!! Well I land at 5.30am so in theory I should be home in time to do so!!

Gills 0 - Forest 1

Aaargh....

Viva la Tas

Chaps/Chappesses - its Wednesday evening here - or at least I think it is! It's been 31 degrees today and totally lovely. Stu's bruises have faded and I think they can now wash the glue out of his head. Mum and Dad flew to Hobart this morning and reckon the lady in the suit shop predicted snow for Hobart on Saturday - oh joy!! Mum's bruises are now coming through and Dad looks like he has been in a fight - so a real pikey feel to the wedding photos I fear!

Best man turned up in one piece and we have dragged him across many miles of the city - St Kilda for cakes on Akland St, Carlton to view the Uni village - and various foodie joints. You will never starve in Melbourne. Just left Stu's house and bride and groom seem fairly relaxed - all just praying for good weather and their guests to pick up the bus at 3.45pm!! We'll be there. In our all weather dresses!!

Spent the rest of Sunday walking the Yarra passed the Olympic Park and Collingwood's home ground. Monday picked up best man aftera long walk round the circle of the city taking in Flagstaff Gardens, Carlton Gardens and the Fitzroy. Looking forward to sharing the photos with you all. Days are all merging into one at the moment. I guess the true reality will hit when we are all gathered in Hobart and fretting about weather/tights/spandex pants etc etc. Oh yeah and reading outloud to the masses! oops!

Not really much to say except my sunburn has merged into a nice tone and all spots have disappeared! ha ha! Just a word of caution - scented loo paper is the pits! As is Aussie night time TV. My saving grace Sport 927 on the radio not quite Five Live but moderately ok! This evening Martin and I are going for food and a beer - then tomorrow the Sky bus picks us up at 9.25am for the airport. So I when I next write my brother will be a husband and I will officially have a sister-in-law! Oh and hopefully GFC will have beaten Forest 3-0! Take care all x

G'day

Well its Sunday afternoon - 2.30pm Melbourne time. Of my family I am the only on still standing following my brother's buck's party... Good day - but as ever the quantity of beer and wine consumed proved too much in the long run. Well we did start at 9.15am while on the mini bus to the Yarra Valley wineries. I have to say the weather so far has been beautiful - I have yes got a sun burnt nose... oops! Will no doubt make wedding pictures more interesting!

Hotel really nice - the actual view from my 6th floor window affords me tops views of the Yarra River and the Southbank. Today the breeze is slightly chilled but in the sun and out of the wind it is very nice - have been scoffing food n cakes before settling here for some blog time...!

Just checked the footie scores - so much for the England rebirth huh! Did manage to see some of the Aus v Paraguay game whilst in The Royal in Footscray - by which time I think my bro had had enough but the night was young!?

I rather regretted checking my texts this morning - to find the Gills were 3-1 up away at Crewe only to lose it 4-3. TYPICAL! There is no escape chaps - the game is still in my bones!

So what can I say so far - well this is my first dry day (so far at least!) - but I suspect that as my family are confined to their beds I may try and hook up with a tour guide I met when I came out first time and that will no doubt mean yet more beer consumption.

My journey seemed to start well - the cab turned up ahead of time but we had got no more than 5 mins down the road and he had a shunt with another car. A very angry and pregnant lady heaved out and hurled abuse. Somehow through the crawling stop-start of Tuesday am traffic I got to Terminal 4 - only took 2 hours. ARGH! The check in was fine and several ciggies and a pint of Guinness later I was boarding. Seated and ready to go. Which is where we sat for an hour and a half, while various problems delayed our take off. Somehow we made up time but the Heathrow experience was poor in comparison with the quick turn around at HK. And even the quick through put at Melbourne. The Skybus shuttle got me into Spencer Street in time to see my family wandering towards me!

Checked into hotel, changed and went for a Dogbolter at the Young & Jacksons. Thursday I slept in - til 10am. Sleeping on planes is impossible! And our plane hadn't yet been fully upgraded so it was the same choice of films and entertainment for the entire trip! There is only so much I can take! I ended up watching Poseidon - well when on a plane watch a disaster movie (it was pants btw) then The LAke House (pure cheese) and on the 2nd leg Wah-Wah which was by far the best film. The rest of the flight I interspersed with the quite good comedy channel and some classic music. But flights are more than films - they are weird menu options and the extremes of too friendly passengers or totally rude ones. I had an ok mix. Though my shoe removal may not have helped enhance certain relations!

So I return to Thursday morning. I laid in nicely, had a morning shower and got the train out to my bro's place - he was going to do a BBQ for us all. Except being a Pom the weather prevented him! Too windy - kept blowing out the flame - so it was left to Em and Mum to 'improvise' using the oven. Stu and I drank and chatted. We sat down for 'lunch' at 3.30pm and there we stayed til left at 10pm - a hugely entertaining afternoon and more relaxed than ever before. Got the bus back to town and slept like a log after 2 episodes of Sex in the City. Friday - I woke up at 6am and decided to seize the day - so had an early breakfast in the hotel, wash and scrub and a good early morning stomp to the Yarra Edge Marina - it was lovely - peaceful, sunny, warm and total contrast to the city centre. I sat and wrote my memoirs! At 11.15 I met the family and we had several missions to accomplish - cuff links and hand bags! A spot of lunch - 3 massive sushi rolls for $5! And then I met up with Emma for our afternoon of chat and beer - it seemed to have the desired effect. We had a mini pub crawl and got more relaxed and able to chat about all sorts of things. The beer mixing didn't seem to matter - though I felt a bit merry and also emotional by the time I put her on a bus and made my way back to bed!

The place (Melbourne) hasn't changed that much since I was last here. The streets are all linear and you walk in blocks. Crossing roads is a pain - and people here have less idea about pavement etiquette than they do in London. It is also spring here - so if sit in the parks/green spots you will no doubt be made to suffer pigeon sex. Great! It's just a laid back kinda of place - no stress or hassles. Just people wandering around in their own upside down world!

Not sure of plans for rest of week until at least Thursday morning when I fly out to Hobart. Sure there should be something I must do - but to be honest I am enjoying the convenience of the hotel room, the sun shine and the fact I can explore at my own pace and my own interests. So nothing planned - I need to to head east along the Yarra out towards the MCG, having already done the West option. And of course Stu's best man turns up tomorrow!

Anyway - gonna shoot now - got some other web sites to check and I guess some calls to make! Check my bruised and bashed brother is ok (yes he did end up in hospital last night - BUT he is ok - just a bump to the head and no doubt a very very dented pride) and generally keep my laid back Sunday chilled!

Up the Gills!

GONE FISHING...!!

or should it be weeding?!?!

If you want to leave any messages or pass on important news you think I should know about please do comment - I'll be checking in when I can, to do my version of Neighbours for a few weeks!

UP THE GILLS!!!

12 hours..

and counting. Then I will be in the departure lounge and everything will be in the hands of fate. Except my cigarettes no doubt!

Nearly packed - just odds and bobs now like toothbrush and bl00dy chargers! Got dress, shoes and tights and spandex pants all in there. Trainers and trackie so I can use the facilities in my hotel - yeah right!!! Well according to that its nearly 8am in Melbourne - which would explain the texts from my mum and my bro - think they are checking I am still coming. Seems odd them saying seeing ya tomorrow - which it isn't for me - cos tomorrow is the day I board the plane - but see they have already started their Tuesday... all very confusing!!

Left work at 6pm - no surprises there, then! I suppose I have been quite overwhelmed since I got home with the good wishes I got - colleagues coming over and actually sitting down for a couple of minutes to wish me a great time - it felt as if I was leaving for good!? Anyway - cheers all - thank you for your kind words and if I failed to do a piece of work - well you can hang me for it when I get back!!

As for my other chums - cheers Lisa for your VM, and to my other chums for various MSN/texts and emails and phonecall messages. Sure the wedding will be fine and the flight ok once I am on it!! :-)
Baggy - sorry I have failed to email you as promised - hope your mum comes good - be thinking of you. Take care of yourself. To anyone else I have failed to say cheerio too - sorry dudes - time seemed to slip by me rather rapidly than I anticipated - methinks too many footie excursions are too blame - oh well, you know me!

So thoughts for the day - well we seemed to have 4 seasons in one day today - very Melbourne. The heavens opened and washed away the last traces of summer. The wind has started to get a small nip. I walked across Blackfriars Bridge... the sun was going down - all golden orange and reflecting brightly off the Thames. The sky clearing with some dramatic dark clouds framing the sun. The scene I shall return too. Aah, my city, my home. Autumn draws in here - down under spring is just getting going. So cobbers my Tooheys Old and Cascade brews are beckoning. My expectant brother is waiting and I am going to wish him well on this his biggest step since leaving the UK. Its going to be very emotional, cos I miss him lots but I know he is happy - so we can all drink, dance and be merry!

Take care everyone... x

Harpy Burfday

40p man! Sorry your team lost yesterday..!!

It did..

dry, my washing that is. All ironed and airing as we speak! Lovely!

By the way this time 5 years ago I was on the Great Ocean Road! Watched the Grand Final in a pub and saw Paramatta lose... ah the things you remember! Bottoms up!

Gillingham 2 - Cheltenham 1

Crikey only knows how we managed that.

The hero of the month Jarvis scored yet another accomplished goal. But he has scant support up front and cannot be expected to do it all himself. And so when Cheltenham equalised I was convinced it had come off one of our men (not Jarvis I hasten to add!) - the Beeb is saying it was a straight forward Chelts goal - but I'm not so sure. With 2 minutes added time at the end of the half we pulled off a Leyton Orient moment and scored to go in 2 - 1 up at h-t.

Super Matty Jarvis cf Gillsconnect

Half time - people watching. Why is it that most over weight people eat crisps? Or pies? Or chips? Or hot dogs? Well they were doing that while I sucked on my WW cereal bar. Half time scores read out. Nowt too amazing. Ooh Liverpool losing 2-0.

The interval entertainment over (under '4's' penalty but not quite shoot out) the team re-emerged.

I was dreading the second half, could we hold on to it? Could we manage in any shape or form to score another? Would we crumble? Was it raining in London? Was my washing dry? Had I remembered to lock the back door? Had I forgotten to purchase anything this morning? How heavy is 20kg in terms of clothes? Shoes? Essentials? Ooh the goal at the other end was getting peppered. We were going to gift them a goal. I'd seen us at Oldham and sat through the indignation of being 3-0 up on Tuesday night. This sudden fear snapped me from my day dreams. The clouds over the Brian Moore Stand were drifting and the sun getting lower. And the opposition was getting far too much of the ball and too many corner kicks...

3 minutes added time.

Everyone around me was screaming for the ref to blow. We gave away another corner. The keeper Calamity Flinders was earning his match fee. The ref was toying with us. I suspected he might. If we were going to have a victory we'd have to prove it. Somehow we survived.

Now my Dad wasn't at the game - he is safely ensconced in Footscray, Melbourne - but if he had been, we would have looked at each other and said - 'Crikey only knows how we managed that'. Grateful for the 3 points but only too acutely aware we are not looking any stronger.

As for Bas Savage our 'new' signing - erm he couldn't get hold of the ball during his half time subs warm up and by all accounts on the MB every other club in the league and the ones below have rejected him. He for the half he was played - all arms and legs and not a stunning smell of talent. Hurry up and get back on the pitch Twiglet!! And why oh why does Ronnie keep taking Easton off?!?!