I'm Back!

Well at least I hope I am. Mum has been bugging me to get back onto my blog for ages. And I have been meaning to...honestly. But it has been one hell of a year, and time for craft has been incredibly limited. With the move, buying a place, the new job and all the time and energy that entails, my regular crafty pursuits (along with any socialising and semblance of a life outside of work), fell by the wayside. Things have eased a little with work in the last week or so, which is why I feel like I can make a slow re-entry into my blog again! I haven't even managed to keep up with my fave craft blogs since about March, so I dread to think how many posts I have missed!

So I have a few projects I have been working on that I can share, but some of them are Xmas gifts, so I don't want to give anything away! As a substitute I present you with a photo of the newest addition to my living space. My very own Grug doll!

 Is it pathetic that such a toy excites me? I do think I find joy in the strangest of things at times.

Actually, there are a few little goodies I have hanging around in my place which I think I should photograph for the blog one day.

Also, another funny photo for you. Today I caught up with a couple of my ex-students, who are now both in the police force. One of the guys had a few sheets of very dodgy horse stickers (motivational stickers for recording how often he goes to the gym...yes, weird, but a kinda weird that I can relate to). Anyway, he decided to adorn my phone with one of the stickers. I like to call it Black Beauty, after that movie from looooong ago. Everytime I see this sticker now I am going to crack up.

We may have practice how I should hold my phone whilst talking on it so that everyone can see my fantastic sticker....

Time to bid this posting farewell. I need to practice getting to bed at a more reasonable time so I don't feel like sleeping in every morning now that teaching is over for the semester. Next blog I promise to share the fruits of my creative labour....which reminds me, I need to charge my camera batteries or there won't be much to show!

'Til next time........

Snow

Got to see some snow on my last day at Keele

YAY

 And one more awesome image to show you. I took a photo of a local church, and my friend Tracey played around with the photo and made it aged and lovely! I think I will print it up for my office

Time to log off now and pack up and head back to London and Heathrow. My bag is going to be so heavy, I just know it....and I haven't even purchased that much (sorry peeps, pretty much got no presents for anyone. Stupid work overseas trips ruining any spending/shopping plans).

See you on the flipside

Almost home

So I have about hmmmm 5 days until I leave the UK for home. YAY!

I HATED it here the first couple of days, but after that it seems to have turned out to be quite a productive trip. I have met some 'heavy hitters' in the criminology world, and I have even set up a collaborative research project with my biggest criminology icon. Okay, that sounds stalkerish, but seriously, it is a good thing!

I feel so out of the loop with crafty stuff. I am sitting here going through all the blogs I have missed over recent weeks, and I feel like I have been evil for not keeping tabs. I am not sure I will be able to get through my blog reader anytime soon! Oh well.

My own craftiness has also suffered sadly, despite bringing some projects to do. I might pull one thing out tonight though, and if I can finish it in the next couple of days I may gift it to my work host here (depends how it turns out).

Reading wise I have been semi- productive. I have read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, so I shall be seeing the movie when I return (the reviews have been good). I also read Louis Theroux's book....love that man! Now I am reading the second Larsson book, and I may have purchased some other books. Even though I have absolutely no room in my luggage. Somehow I am sure I will be able to carry everything.....without breaking my back or arms...I hope!

Anyway, back to blogs. I will have to speed read.

I shall leave you with a few photos from the trip....

Hanging with John

Shaking hands with a lion. I am pretty daring like that

Until next time.........

Not dead....yet

Wow, I have reached a slackness of unforeseen proportions. Between the holiday, new job and now a trip to the UK the blog (and also my blog reading) has suffered. I am so busy I may just overtake myself. So, never fear, the plan is once I return from the UK and get settled (will this involve buying a place?!?! I hope so) then I will get back into the blog swing of things, and no doubt spend weeks on end reading all the blog postings I have missed. I feel so empty without bloggy-ness.....

And the UK trip is for work, so sadly it is less exciting than it sounds (and a lot colder than I would like!)

See you in a couple of weeks

Last night on the blow up mattress!

Off to Hawaii tomorrow....woohoo. Might actually get some sleep, which I am severely lacking.

See you when I return

Empty

As I write this, I am currently sitting in a very very empty house. Yep, the removalists have come and gone, the cleaner has come and gone, and the carpets are all clean. I have the following items with which to amuse myself:

• 1 blow up mattress
• 1 bedsheet
• 1 small fleece throw
• 1 pillow... See More
• 1 suitcase, semi packed with clothes for my trip
• 1 rack with my clothes
• assorted random items and toiletries
• 1 laptop

The other night I had the pleasure of listening to myself chew dinner whilst staring at the wall. Last night I went and terrorised a work mate and his family.

I am sure there is probably some lesson in meditation or living the simple life in all of this. But it is a tad weird. Or maybe it is weirder that I feel all alone without that tv noise in the background. Tonight I have put some tunes on though. Currently listening to the new eels cd (yes I managed to find it, thank god!). And it is very brilliant, so go get a copy. $20 at JB Hifi, what a steal.

All this nothingness could be dangerous. I am resisting the urge to log onto booko and purchase some books. I also must not venture onto itunes and get more music....as much as I may feel I need more new music for my Hawaiian holiday (and incidently it is pretty much exactly 48 hours until my flight..woohoo).

So what will the next 48 hours bring? My final day at work, my final rental inspection, desperate attempts to fill my car with all the leftover 'essential' items that are currently littering my kitchen floor and my car boot, a few goodbyes, my last game of mixed netball, last minute work stuff.

But through all of this I will....

The Gentle Rant

Ok, I lie, I probably won't, but given how tired I am, I may be forced into sleepy submission. My brain has had so many thoughts that I don't think I will sleep properly until the flight....I am just praying I don't feel the urge to talk in my sleep or sleepwalk when I do sleep on the plane (yes, I do both of these things, and and thus glad that I paid extra for the single room option, I don't need to be sharing that stuff with some random on my tour).

Oh, and on a final note, Thouraya and I have become the proud owners(?) of a Brown Owls chapter, broadly covering the Sutherland/Mortdale region of Sydney. So if you, or anyone you know, lives in that general vicinity and wants to join the group, let me know. The plan is to meet about once a month, at various venues to be decided. The group will partake in crafty activities and other nerdy, yet thoroughly enjoyable, stuff.

Packing is not fun....

That is all.