A Yurdle Durdle Christmas.

Well my lovelies, I can't believe it has nearly been a year I have been here this is post number 91. It is so strange to be away from home at this time of year, we donned the lounge in fairy lights and hung up our 2 decorations a pukeko and a a buzzy bee on Sunday to get into the spirit of things.

I think I can fairly say this has being one of the craziest, most amazing, most challenging, exciting, breathtaking years of my life. I have learnt so much, seen so much and grown up so much. Times like these you realise how blessed you are to have the people in your life you do. Near and far. The new friends in London who are like a home away from home, the old ones who I am with always in spirit and a family who are so very, very special.

Things are winding down at work, I have got a new visa so am legal to be here for another couple of years and we are all counting down the last days till we are on holiday. On sunday we fly out to spend Christmas in Amsterdam, all rugged up ready for the cold. IT IS FREEZING HERE! Like I mean colder than I have ever experienced my bones are like chards of ice! But we are all lapping it up, spending as much time possible snuggled up in doors, drinking red wine and watching the hustle and bustle go by. Covent Garden looks so beautiful as does the Southbank...strolled along there on Saturday they have liitle stalls of mulled wine and roasted nuts - VERY cool. You feel like you are in a Charles Dicken's novel and it is all rather romance and delicious.

It has been a ride 2007 bring on another year of adventures. The last Yurdle Durdle adventure was a Christmas roast, with close friends, mulled wine, egg nog, trifle and carols. We dressed Yurdle Durdle for the occasion and had the most delicious time. Thought only appropriate for me to end the year with a picture of its sorts.

Happy Yurdle Durdle Christmas my darlings, I love you. I miss you my lovely little kiwis, and will be thinking of you as you wake up to Santa on what will still be Christmas Eve for us.

My love to the moon and back.

See you next year.

Me xxxxoooo

Christmas and the cold.

Well has to be said, it is weird being away from family this time of year and it been so cold! But London is beautiful with her lights, the hustle, the bustle, the crowds snuggled up in scarfs and hats. All rather busy at the mo, christmas party after party, and more drinking than ever. Something about red wine out of the cold. Here are some piccies from late. Leon and Sarah in Neal St on our shopping missions, the lights hung all over Hamleys, Leon's massive dinner and birthday cake, "Colin the Caterpillar" (now he has moved in) and a few bits and bobs. Off to Amsterdam for Christmas with Leon to see Rosita and her crew, then to Paris for Leon's (Rose's) wedding and New Years. What a year it has been.

Over and out my darlings, I love you of course, a thousand times over and some. Wishing you warm fuzzies over the silly season.

xxxxoooo

Home is where the heart is.

Well, I have been putting off writing this post as it took a while for me to be able to look at my pics without getting rather teary, but here you have it, my latest adventure was a trip home to the Land of the Long White Cloud. It was a mental 2 weeks, jammed packed with lunch dates and dinner dates, birthdays and parties, sushi and hummus and lots of love, sun and warm fuzzies. I was surprised at how easily NZ seems to fit, how easy it was to slot right back in and how good it smells. We really do forget how blue the harbour is, how fresh the air is and how lucky we are!

It was awesome walking through those arrival gates to see my family and be able to hug everyone in person. To see the girls and talk nonsense for hours, to watch the cousies light fireworks in the backyard on guyfaulks, to be able to have a Barbie, wear jandals and drive. Ohhh New Zealand I love you.

We had such an amazing time, truly a highlight of the year. It was wicked to be able to be there for Tessa and Dad's birthdays and catch up with all the people who mean so much to me. It made me remember just how much I love you all and how lucky I am. Here are the pics from my holiday. Four wheel driving, mountain biking, cuddles, parties and dancing.

It was amazing I miss you all so very much. It was not long enough, poor guy next to me on the plane to Singapore had to put up with 10 hours of me crying and if that wasn't embarassing enough the whole departure lounge at Singapore watched me sob on the phone to mum as she tried to convince me that turning around and coming back wasn't the right thing to do!

I have settled back into London life now, after a few unsettled days and lots of blubbering calls to Mum. It is freezing and I have taken to wearing ugg boots not only at home but to work as well. Have no shame. Just booking Salzburg for Jan and we are off to Paris for New Years so that'll be cool. Miss you all, and there really is no place like home.

As Fran's put it..."the easiest thing in the world is having you by my side and the hardest thing is having to say goodbye ...again."


My love to the moon and back,

Me xxxxoooo

It's raining it's pouring...

Rocking it with Keir in front of some big clock. See you Sunday for 2 weeks of sunshine. xxxxoooo

RWC

So last minute on Friday I got a ticket to the see the ABS play. Travelling with 4 South Island kiwi boys (one of which I had met and the rest randoms) in a brown camper bound for Wales. Oh how excited I was, we did the true kiwi thing which was hilarious - especially driving through the Welsh border with Poi - E blarring through the speakers. We put on our jerseys and headed with confidence to the stadium. Hopped into our seats - which felt llike they were located in the middle of France, with all the French yahhooing that was going on, and got ready to watch the boys take them out. The atmosphere was electric, I sung the athem like there was no tomorrow and screamed so loud I still have no voice.

It was so cool to be there, versions of Pokarekare ana been sung in the corridors and hugging kiwis left right and centre. Awesome. Then after. Carnage. The man in front of me cried...which did bring a few tears to my eyes, as I reassured him it would all be ok. Dear me. We hit the town...lost everyone - one whom we had to collect from the hospital in the morning as he had passed out on the footpath. Real class. Honestly these guys were out of control and been the only girl it was a matter of if ya can't beat em, join em. So I drunk beer and all the rest too. Stayed at a campsite which felt like we were on a summer hol in NZ. Especially waking up to everyone in their NZ outfits, greeting you with a good ole "Kia Ora Bro!" Drove home yesterday, the van felt like we were at a wake.

One of the guys I went with desribes it beautifully in an email to Cara this morning:

"The whole weekend had great narrative arc. I thought I was in a low-budget film from a first time kiwi director. The pathos of the morning after was immense. Bodies were scattered throughout the campsite, slowly coming to consciousness and the dull putrid shock that we were not in a dream. The uplifting sounds of Nature's Best CD in the comby van on the way out: Poi-E and Outlook for Thursday were replaced by Max Merrit and the Meteors - "ohwohoh you're slippin' away from me; and it breaks my heart in two ... but there's nothin' I can do ..." We picked up the last straggler from the trolley bay at the University Hospital, and off we slunk, out of Cardiff, for the very last time, thank God."

And now I am sitting here in my NZ hoodie, taking so much flack from the English at work. Oh well. Four more years. Experience of a lifetime though. The phone bill will be atrotious as I did the de brief with Dad at some ungodly hour. Anyway back to been a lady. Love you guys. See you in three weeks!!! xxxxoooo

Living the dream.

Well have had a wicked weekend. Kicked off with Rosita and Leila on Thursday went out with a crew from NZ, some based in London, some travelling through, some over from New York. Very cool. Wicked to see the girls though, especially on Friday night when we went to Gwen Steffani. It was out of control cool. We had an absolute ball. At one stage she was about 2 metres from us..wicked. The breakdancing, the lights, the costumes...harajuko girls...I am still buzzing. The funniest thing was that the guitarist in the support band looked so much like Eve C, that once it had been said we couldn't stop laughing it was like we were watching her be a rock star. Rosita and I were in fits. (Third photo down). Then it was off home and 2 hours later I was on the train to Paris to see Leon! It was cool went to sleep straight away and woke up as we were pulling into Paris.

Leon is there filming for TV3 back home for the World Cup so we hung at the studio and on the rooftop that they are doing the coverage on...Arc de Triomphe right behind us Eiffel tower to the right. I tried to get a good pic and Lovely Leon was taking forever, then I relised why later - he was making the Arc De Triomphe a hat on my head. So I did the same to him haha.

He has an apartment they are renting for him and it was the most random place inside. But cool. We hit the town that night after much needed sleep in the arvo...v. messy and got home at 6 after trying to get a cab for about an hour. (Honestly it was vertially impossible) - untill Leon realise he had a cab number!! At one stage a guy we were with was trying to get us those bikes you hire...we didn't do that, I don't know how safe a driver I would of been. I am bad enough sober.

Woke up yesterday and headed down the Champs de Ellesse to the Lourve where I lay on the grass for about 2 hours...my little hung over legs had given up carrying me. Then crusied down past the Musee D Orsay and the Concorde towards the Eiffel. Me and Paris hanging out. It was bliss.

Back now. Travellled into London first class. So cool.

Anyway a month till I am home better go and do some work. Love you all.

Me xxxxoooo