jenTopia

The last post.....

2009-04-04T23:42:00.002+11:00

From now on you can find me at http://www.jentopia.wordpress.com

Blogger is okay, but I've been hearing good things about wordpress. So far its okay, I think it looks neater but there are more changes to come. I'm also planning on getting my own domain set up at some point.

Remember to update your favourites, bookmarks etc and sorry for any inconvenience!

- Jen

I want you to remember, I'm still on your side

2009-03-29T14:02:00.002+11:00

This week the man and I started our 'pre-wedding preparation course'. The man wasn't keen on going and I made a joke (sort of) about how we were not going to have a fight about going to wedding counselling right before we went. But anyway, it wasn't bad at all and actually turned out to be a bit interesting.

I mean, you don't get engaged to someone without having at least a vague idea about what they want for the future in the way of kids etc but we hadn't really had a proper talk about all of that.

The first part was just answering questions, a lot of them about 180! You had to answer only 'agree' 'disagree' or 'uncertain'. A few of them were funny, like if the man's homosexual tendencies were likely to impact our relationship (uncertain) or 'I sometimes feel this may not be the right person for me to marry' (disagree).

One question though made both of us laugh out loud. I call it 'number 84'. Now I can bring it up all the time in conversation, like "you're being a bit number 84" or *cough* number 84 *cough*.

'Does your partner always have to win'? 'Agree', 'disagree' or 'uncertain'.

I'm sorry the man but I had to go and borrow a permanent marker rather than a pencil to fill in the answer to that one. Of course this will pose no problem for the man when it comes to discussing the answer because it's quite simple. He doesn't always have to win, he just always does. Or if Jen was ever right then she'd win, but I'm always right so that would never happen.

Quite simple. Next week we go back and go through all the answers that were different. We are allowed to talk about the questions and our answers now so we can prepare for the onslaught next week.

Should be interesting. Did you do anything like this before you got married??

- Jen

Dwindling crowds at GP??

2009-03-28T10:21:00.005+11:00

Oh no wait ...Formula still wins the fans.

Confusing no?

Maybe it's saying that only actual fans are going this year? I don't know...

- Jen

I've seen those English dramas too, they're cruel

2009-03-27T22:24:00.005+11:00

Thanks everyone for letting me know about the atrocious spelling mistake in the title of my last blog post. Or does no-one read this blog anymore?

I've fixed it now but it did say 'it bears it's teeth like a light'. And no one said a thing. Also, no one commented on my awesome hot cross buns.

The title of the post was supposed to be lyrics from Snow Patrol's song 'take back the city'. Except now when you google 'it bears its teeth like a light', the first hit..the very first hit..is Jentopia.

Aaargh! Not happy!! Actually, before I do lyrics title I always google the lyrics to make sure I got them right. I just checked and all the ones I looked at have 'bears'. Still.... I should have picked that up. I know I'm hopeless at maths, but spelling too!!

- Jen

It bares its teeth like a light and spits me out after days

2009-03-21T17:10:00.007+11:00

Forget I said this, housemate is awesome. Actually, this week we've had two housemates and they've both been great. I have really truly had a blast.

Talk about a work/life balance.

Thursday night the girls and I got a bit loose, just at home with a few quiet ones. Then last night housemates parents took us all out for dinner and we got a little loose again.

Earlier in the day I bought that Melbourne drinking card pack which I've wanted for ages, which has maps of all the cool bars on the back. We had dinner at Dimattina's which was really nice and then predictably headed to The Croft Institute which I've been to a couple of times before.

It was pretty fun and I caught up with some other friends which was good. After that we weren't quite ready to go home and housemate bumped into someone she knew who said they'd just come from a cool bar called the Emerald Peacock.

It was closing though but they let us in for a drink which was nice of them. We had grand plans for going home and partying on with tequila and guitar hero, and housemate even cajoled some lemons out of the bar staff. It seemed like a really cool place and I'd like to go back there again.

Seriously, I love this city.

We did a Macca's stop on the way home which provided housemate and the man ammunition for an impromptu thickshake/coke fight when they got out of the taxi.

The drinks at home didn't really happen, we were way too exhausted so after some greasy food we all hit the hay. AND I didn't feel too bad this morning!

When bartenders give you lemons....

- Jen

Trip down memory lanes

2009-03-21T13:39:00.003+11:00

I've had a very enjoyable morning recovering from a mild hangover by checking out London on google street view. I don't think street view London has been up for very long, because I checked awhile ago and it wasn't. Amsterdam is up too.

I think its really really cool. Especially when you can get stuff like this:

This is 'the falcon' our local when we stayed in London. It's near Clapham Junction for folks in the know. Debenhams is on the opposite side of the road. Pretty awesome hey!

- Jen

The best thing to happen to Moonee Ponds...

2009-03-19T23:31:00.004+11:00

I thought it was pretty good. Although my sister was confused because she didn't know Dame Edna was 'from' Moonee Ponds. Of course if you don't know who Dame Edna is then the ad would be just strange.

Anyway so Moonee Ponds has a new shopping centre linking Coles with Puckle St. In between there is a K-Mart, 1st Choice liquor, Dick Smiths and a ton of other shops. Some pretty nice clothes shops too. Oh and an Original Lolly Shop which we will definitely be frequenting.

It's nice having a K-mart so close and it will probably mean we don't go to Highpoint much except for the movies, and of course the man for his weekend work. If the cinema that was talked about ever goes ahead we'll be set! Apparently Hoyts at Highpoint keep blocking it though.. so we'll see. All within a five minute walk. If we'd stayed in the apartment I could have looked out the window and taken a photo for you! Of course, then we'd also be locked in a battle with a body corporate and VCAT. I'll enjoy that relaxing walk instead I think.

It is a great spot we're in though. I do still appreciate it, stumbling out of bed and strolling down Puckle St for a coffee. Since my sister is staying with us, I'm talking Melbourne up big. She's a fan of Degraves St now too!

Ahhh.

- Jen

Hot cross buns, hot cross buns..see how they run

2009-03-19T18:16:00.017+11:00

I may not know how the song goes but we do know how to make hot cross buns.

This recipe comes from the Women's Weekly Kitchen recipe book.

First step is to assemble your ingredients:

2 x 7g sachets of granulated yeast

1/4 cup caster sugar

1 1/2 cups warm milk

4 cups plain flour

1 tsp mixed spice

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

60g butter

1 egg

3/4 cup sultanas

First up, combine yeast, sugar and milk in small bowl or jug and cover, stand in warm place for about 10 minutes or until the mixture is frothy:

Sift flour and spices into large bowl, rub in butter. Stir in yeast

mixture, egg and sultanas: m

ix to form a soft sticky dough.

Cover: stand in warm place about 45 minutes or until dough has doubled in size.

Now because we are chocolate fiends, alright well because I am a chocolate fiend, we split the recipe in half and replaced choc-chips and cocoa for raisins and spices.

Next Grease a pan (recipe says 23cm square pan), we used a rectangular pan and it worked fine!

Turn dough onto floured surface (not too floured), and knead for about

5 minutes or until smooth. Divide dough into 16 pieces (we only managed 14 pieces, 7 regular and 7 choc), and knead into balls.

Place balls into pan: cover, stand in warm place 10 minutes or until buns have risen to top of pan

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 220oC/200oC fan-forced.

Flour Paste:

Combine flour and sugar in bowl. Gradually blend in enough of the water to form a smooth paste, pipe crosses on buns we just used a freezer bag with a small hole in it. Don't make the hole too big, it can be disastrous.

Bake buns about 20 minutes or until well browned. Turn buns onto a wire rack, brush top of hot buns with hot glaze (sugar + gelatine dissolved over heat) . Cool on wire rack.

Smother in butter, and eat!

These really were awesome. The regular ones tasted like...good hot cross buns, the chocolate ones probably needed more sugar or something. The housemate came up with a solution to that though. Slice open chocolate bun, insert chocolate bar, put in microwave, melt and eat.

A nice way to spend a day off!

- Jen

Learning to fly

2009-03-18T16:25:00.003+11:00

Back to the sore back. I finally have a diagnosis and I pretty much figured it out by myself. Stop groaning and going 'oh Jen you googled it didn't you'? Well yes, I did. Shutup the man. I was googling how to strengthen back muscles because the physio said that's why it was sore. Anyway I saw pictures of all these people with backs like mine, it just hasn't looked 'right' for awhile. It's called a winging scapula. As opposed to a whinging scapula.

Anyway so when I went to the doctor (a different one this time) he looked at my back and says to me 'have you ever heard of a winging scapula'?

Ah. HA!

I had a blood test and also have to have a nerve conduction test to make sure it is an actual 'mechanical' problem and not something caused by an auto-immune disease. Nice.

Today I rang up and tried to book in for the nerve test but they couldn't see me until the 9th of April. When I asked if there was anything I had to do for the test the receptionist said 'oh..are you sensitive to PAIN'? Then she giggled and said 'oh I probably shouldn't laugh'. But hey thanks to Medicare I only have to pay $30 to be electrocuted.

If those two tests check out, then I'm off to a shoulder specialist and possibly surgery to move the shoulder blade back where it should be (flat against my ribcage).

Hrrrm. Although I'm still in a little bit of pain, its nowhere near as bad as it was. I just can't lift weights anymore, although now I'm all good with my orthotics I can run. If its not one thing, its another! I kind of felt that way, like maybe I was making too big a deal out of this, or that I was a sook. I also felt incredibly guilty about having so much time off work. I realised later I hadn't really had that much time off, but because I've been taking a few hours here and there to get to appointments it felt like I had. My boss pointed out I need to make work #2 priority which I've been trying to do. I just felt really slack.

Of course the man has been right on the ball with nicknames, because I just don't have enough of those to keep track of. So far he's got 'clippy' (as in my wings will be clipped) and 'tampon' (with wings).

I can still ride but will probably get a rack thing to put my backpack on soon just to be safe. Last night I freaked out a bit because I don't want to be a winged bride but the man says it doesn't look too bad. Despite the man's accident I am still riding, but a bit slower and seem to be shaking my fist at drivers more. Or giving them dirty looks, I'm not co-ordinated enough to shake my fist and ride.

Speaking of the man's accident his elbow ended up getting infected which he only noticed because it reeked. So he's on some super dooper antibiotics and next time will insist the ambulance actually takes him to hospital.

Oh god...next time??? I am such an optimist!

Thankfully I have Thursday and Friday off work which I took as annual leave. I will be able to hang out with my sister who is staying here which I'm really looking forward to. Tomorrow we are going to attempt making hot cross buns! I will be photographing and putting up the recipe here if they are a success.

Right now I am off to the movies with housemate and my sister. We're seeing 'Confessions of a shopaholic and its going to be awesome'. Leaving the man at home to his own devices. Literally. He has been parked in front of the wii since I got home!

- Jen

Party time at the insane asylum

2009-03-15T18:28:00.002+11:00

Last weekend we spent at Beechworth for the man's aunty's 60th. It was heaps of fun, as usual I forgot the camera but I'm hoping to get some photos from the man's brother soon.

Speaking of the man's brother (Chris), he tried to out-do my triple j nickname by drinking almost a whole bottle of Jim Beam and then sleepwalking around La Trobe at Beechworth in his jocks. He got picked up by security who had to drive him around looking for where he was supposed to be staying, he got dropped off at the right spot but walked into everyone's rooms looking for his bed. Unfortunately I don't get to relinquish my nickname, it just means Chris gets one too.

It was a pretty cool place to stay and it looks like we will be going there for Fankhauser Christmas this year.

- Jen

He's the luckiest the man alive

2009-03-12T21:39:00.003+11:00

Well most of my readers have either commented on Facebook or called us but anyway this has to be blogged about 'for the records'.

I was out to see a client today and didn't get back to the office until about 1pm and saw a message from the man on my phone asking me to ring him at home. My first thought was 'what a bludger at home already'. When I called he sounded sick and when I asked him what he was doing he said 'um I got hit by a car on my way to work'.

He sounded so awful but it was because he'd been asleep. My reaction 'oh my GOD'. Then I had to sit down.

Someone opened a car door on him, and he hit it, came off his bike and then fell into a car driving alongside him and then that car hit his head.

Sounds impressive doesn't it. He saved the part about the other car hitting his head until I got home. I was worried enough at work and afer I got off the phone said 'the man got hit by a car' and Stuart said 'just go'. So off I went.

The ambulance and police came, and the police got everyone's details including the door openers. Of course because the man is such a tough nut he got the ambos to patch him up and then he got a lift into work with the cops.

Thankfully, Dr Ben (the man's mate who is a surgeon who is doing his PhD as well) drove him home and then inspected his wounds and re-dressed them. It's nice to know plumbers and electricians - but actual doctors are pretty handy to have as friends.

The man got off with a pretty nasty wound/hole in his elbow, swollen and scraped hand where he hit the car door, a scraped knee and a tiny scrape on his nose. If he hadn't of had a helmet on, I hate to think where he would be now. Seriously unbelievably lucky.

His bike wasn't so lucky...but very much the least of our worries.

So I've been unsuccessfully trying to help him. Imagine a cranky bear. Now imagine that cranky bear with one paw bandaged up trying to cut up chicken kiev without taking up offered help.

My poor boy.

- Jen

Cause blinded I am blindsided - SOTM March 2009

2009-03-08T13:49:00.004+11:00

This month's SOTM I actually heard on Dooce.com. Still one of my favourite blogs, and probably the only blog I literally laugh out loud at.

Anyway I heard the song 'Blindsided' by Bon Iver on Dooce's year in review. If you follow Dooce at all, then its a pretty awesome clip. So I will link you to that instead of a youtube clip of Mr Iver, or do I just call him or them Bon? Like Bon Jovi?

I wish I had to photography skills to be able to do that sort of stuff. I can't work a camera to save myself. Cameras and video recorders.

Another good Bon..or Iver song is 'Skinny Love' off the same album (for emma, forever ago)

In more music related news, the man and I have finally, finally agreed on songs for our bridal waltz. I'm not saying what they are but they are a compromise on both our tastes.

- Jen

Watching the people get lairy, is not very pretty

2009-03-08T13:30:00.004+11:00

I don't know if I mentioned we acquired a housemate. But we did, she moved in last week and its been a definite left eyebrow raising experience. The man and I have lived with a housemate before but not one this much younger than us.

I've known our housemate for a while, since I worked at EB way back when.

Although the man and I aren't old, we just aren't the going out kind. If I had to choose between drinking beers at a loud club or sitting on the couch watching tv on a Saturday night with the man the latter would win every time. Beers at a bbq yes, Beer at the elms yes, beers at revolver, no.

It's always been this way. I didn't get old overnight I'm just marrying someone who thinks exactly like me (on this topic anyway). Until now, I didn't really think this 'binge-drinking' thing was anything unusual for young people. After all, when I was at uni I I drank lots and went out too.

But I was still so far removed from this. Even when I was at uni I'd look at the girls in their short dresses and 'CFM' boots (you will have to google that one on your own) and wonder if I was doing it all wrong. Except now that I'm older I just know I'm not like that, will never be like that and I'm very happy about it.

Housemate falls somewhere between me and the 'other girls' I think. But her mate last night, who we almost took to emergency at 3:30am - if it wasn't for a helpful phone call to the man's fellow PhD'er, Dr Ben..well that's just out of control.

Mind you, housemate says this girl normally handles her drink well. Which had us more concerned her drink had been spiked or something. Both were going to Future Festival today and it was the man who had the brains to ask if she was on anything. I'm so naive I didn't even think of that.

I don't think, in cases like this the alco-pops excise hike works. These are girls with large amounts of disposable income, who aren't struggling uni students who were back drinking by midday today (or earlier).

I am definitely not having a go at people who drink, because I definitely partake in a wobbly climb down the steps of Parliament station on a fair few Friday nights but as long as I eat, its not so out of control I'm unconscious and falling face first out of taxi's.

Like housemate said though, this girl is usually fine, this might have just been that one time she missed dinner...

But its just different when it's in your house. When you rent, you don't care if your housemate spews in their room, you don't care if they spew anywhere as long as they clean it up (or in one case, put a towel over it for a few months). But when its your house, you worry about spew on your floorboards and marks on the walls. At least I do.

Apparently its not going to be a regular occurence, which would want to be the worlds biggest overstatement. I don't know if housemate reads this, I think I've been pretty fair anyway. Go out, get smashed, have fun, explore an awesome city - but don't wake us and the neighbours up at 3:30am and 6:30am and don't mess up our house.

Having said that, the man and I are the kind of people that will get up at 3:30am, 6:30am or any am and make sure you are okay. I just really wish we weren't like that.

- Jen

Degraves St Subway

2009-03-08T12:28:00.010+11:00

Seriously, I love Melbourne. And I love coffee. And so I love its quirky dark laneways and hidey hole bars with cool coffee spots.

But I didn't know about the Degraves St subway!

Not that I know many of the laneways and that but this was a serious shock! On my way to the doctors on Friday I relished the thought of cutting through Degraves St (or Diagon Alley as I like to call it). When I hopped off the train at Flinders I turned to the west and instead of going out the last exit on the platform went down the middle rabbit hole and found this subway.

It's not a bad thing, still being this new to Melbourne because I love discovering all this awesome stuff. It was so old!

The other day while I was out for work I did the same thing with an exit of Flagstaff station. But this was way cooler. So while I was excited about the subway, imagine just how excited I was when I popped up in Degraves St.

- Jen

Oh the weight, oh it aches

2009-03-07T17:54:00.002+11:00

So what'd the doctor say? What did the doctor say.....

Ah, you guys are going to laugh. This little 24 almost 25 year old is stressed.

What a surprise! Apparently my spine is pretty good. But my muscles are so incredibly tight that its like having a permanent cramp in my back.

The doctor asked me what I do to relax. That's a difficult question for me, because I don't really. So I'm supposed to start making time to relax, and try yoga or something.

I'm not sure something like yoga that requires co-ordination would be the best thing for me to relax, but my gym has heaps of those classes so I guess I will give it a go. I will probably also start getting massages.

I guess more importantly its taking more time to breathe and conciously relax. Obviously coffee and the paper on a Sunday morning isn't cutting it.

What do you guys do to relax?

- Jen

There's nothing to do here except just whine and complain

2009-03-06T11:04:00.003+11:00

The knee I can handle. I don't have to run. I can do other things. But my back is a whole other kettle of fish. I've wanted to blog lots in the past week, but sitting down and typing after doing it for eight hours already, is way too painful.

So I've done something to my back. I don't know what it is, but it hurts like hell. It's been sore for a couple of weeks, but I figured I'd done something in the gym and it would clear up. It was only when I sat down at work that it would play up. Until now it just felt like something in my back needed to crack and then it would be fine.

This week after being in unbearable pain, I took myself off to the physio. Who said this sort of thing is his bread and butter and he'd fix me. I quite like him, even if my back didn't feel better he made me feel it would be okay. I'm such a patient person as everyone knows so I expected to feel better that night after some stretches and some manipulation by him. If anything I felt worse, and yesterday someone from work had to drive me home because I was in agony. Not only was it when I sat down, but also when I walked around. The worst thing was that I've been to the chemist and got some voltaren but it made no difference at all.

I'm off today and have a doctors appointment this arvo who has spoken to the physio. Hopefully they can give me some good pain relief. I'm going to have to go and pick up 'the precious' and bring it home on the train because I had to leave it at work overnight.

Of course I'm freaking out about this because I've never ever had a sore back before and I have a ton of work to do, and even if I bring it home, sitting down at home is the same as sitting down at work.

But it seems most people get something like this sometime. A guy at work had a sore back not long ago, and it seemed a lot worse than me and he's getting better. It's just stopped me in my tracks, can't work, can't run, can't ride 'the precious'. With some pain relief hopefully I can't get to work, and its a long weekend so hopefully by next week I will be feeling better.

The physio had some interesting thoughts though. Almost all the work I do using weight at the gym is for my front, ie bench presses are for the chest but very little to none specifically for my back. I do some lower back, but basically nothing for my upper back. I did start doing a new program two weeks ago where there are some lat pull-downs and rows (back). I don't think this is a coincidence. The physio thought it might be my back muscles trying to pull me back now, but my stronger front muscles pulling me forward causing pain. The man thinks this is frog poo but it sounds logical to me.

Also, do you know how hard it is to rate pain? I rated mine an 8 when I went to the physio, then I said 7..because I don't know! He probably sees people with their spines snapped in two who rate the same! Right now its more than it was the other day, I would say an 8-9. What about people with broken legs! Its a stabby, burning, tingling pain.

The health and safety guy at work showed me how bad my desk is, I like to write a lot, then I type, then I read and make notes so I'm all over the shop turning to my pc then back to notes etc. Shocking. The actual set up of my desk wasn't too bad, but now I've got a document holder. I don't particularly like it, but hopefully it helps.

Sigh. I'm trying to think up song of the month, but this was hard enough to write so I'm going for a walk to get a coffee before I go to the doctors.

- Jen

I had nothing to do on this hot afternoon, but to sit down and write you a line.

2009-02-24T19:04:00.009+11:00

Today just might have been the best day I've had in a long time. It started out very average, got into work about 6am to get in some time on an EOI I'm working on. Long story short, they opened up the position I am currently acting in as long term higher duties. But the application is open to everyone I work with, so its going to be an interesting couple of weeks. It's due Friday.

So there I was at work, grinding my teeth about the application, badgering Stuart my workmate to get his arse into gear and start his....when all the lights went off.

I pressed ctrl+s frantically over and over hoping the damn thing had saved. Then I remembered I'd saved it to the desktop, so it wasn't saved on the server.

No worries, I'll save it to the share drive -'A network cable is missing'

No worries I'll just print it out - Power is off so printer is off also...der

No worries. I'll email it to myself - 'Outlook could not connect to server'

I started to panic a little bit at this point. So in desperation I grabbed my phone, took three photos of the screen and just as I took the last one, my computer switched off.

Could be work as one of those fancy things Tony has which gives you time to save your work before the computer carks it after a power outage. The next question was, what was going on?

It was only our floor and thoughts automatically turned to the builders renovating our bathrooms. There was a collection of very guilty looking tradesman lingering about the liftwell and a strong smell of smoke. After waiting around for an hour, enjoying the darkness, going to get a coffee and generally having a nice bludge and a chance to relax we went upstairs to an IT training room. I couldn't check my document because my profile wasn't loading up on the new PC. Aarrgh.

So I typed up my document from my phone screen. Yes that actually worked. Best idea I ever had. In case I get in there tomorrow and it did get wiped, I'm covered.

After that we all got sent home and it got put down to a standard day. So much free time (it was 1pm) what do I do?

I called the man to see if he was working or bludging and he said he could meet me at 3pm and we'd go and see a movie.

I dropped by a bike shop near work and chatted to the guy for about an hour and a half and test rode about eight bikes. Nothing really jumped out at me.

On the way home I stopped in at our local bike shop and looked longingly at the bike I'd tried out on the weekend. It was only slightly out of my budget (by $75) but I also needed a lock ($60) and to change the quick release part to a more secure one. 'Part' is a technical term too, just so you know. Three weeks ago I knew nothing about bikes now I can look at one and tell if it has good gears and stuff. Alright, so I still don't have much of an idea.

Anyway long story short I got the whole kit 'n' caboodle for only $50 more than my budget. Not bad negotiating on my part. I use the word 'negotiating' loosely. I asked for his best price on getting the whole lot. I was stoked actually and I pick it up tomorrow. It's a flat bar road bike and it is beautiful.

Funnily enough the pedal on my current bike snapped today so it will be an interesting ride to work tomorrow. I might throw it off citylink on the way home. I always threaten to do that to the damn thing.

After we got home the man and I went down to Highpoint to see a movie but there were none on! What! We were caught in a movie black spot. The next one didn't start for an hour so we gave up and went home.

I had a hot bath, started and read a book I've been meaning to read (yes I read fast) and ate easter eggs. I know. At least I haven't started on hot cross buns.

Seriously, I have had the best day. But now its time for dinner, Bondi Rescue, Packed to the Rafters and then bed.

The photo is Stuart, my team mate in the darkness of our office. He told me today that I 'look better in the dark'. Nice.

- Jen

Review: Growlers, Torquay.

2009-02-22T10:30:00.002+11:00

Yesterday during a whirlwind tour of 'The Bellarine', my sister and I stopped off at Growlers in Torquay for lunch. The place looks great. The menu was average and it looked overpriced. They didn't disappoint either, it was overpriced.

We ordered a thai beef salad and a 'pint' of king prawns to share.

A pint of prawns was a pint glass filled with NINE prawns ($30) and the thai beef salad ($18) was about ten centimeters in diameter. It was...tiny. Shell said she could have shoved a few more prawns in there.

Also, what is the deal with giving us NINE prawns. Anyone who knows an Unsworth knows you don't put yourself in between them and an uneven number of prawns. I was accused of eating more than my share and we had to pull out the poor prawn heads and count how many we'd each had.

The 'pint' was served with marie-rose sauce. Do you know what it is? Its seafood cocktail sauce.

$48 later...we had to go and get ice-cream because we were still hungry.

The food was nice enough but ridiculously over-priced. Their breakfast menu looked good though, and much more reasonably priced. We saw some people eating breakfast and it looked like a decent serve.

Nice views too. If you've got money to burn and you're not hungry I'd recommend it. Is that a backhanded compliment or what?

- Jen

The best man

2009-02-21T18:34:00.003+11:00

This meme was featured on Dooce and Zucchini Bikini so you know its good.

I'm sure the man will disagree with half of these. Its what he does. See answer to 'who is smarter'.

What are your middle names?

Mine is Kathleen, his is James. I just had to ask why it was James. His response was: "I dunno, because my pop's middle name was James..I dunno, I 'spose that's why......wait..why do you need to know that?"

How long have you been together?

Five years in May, getting married in October.

How long did you know each other before you started dating?

No idea, maybe a month?

Who asked whom out?

Probably me. It's the old story everyone (except me) loves about me slipping my phone number into his pocket after the time we met, him finding it before I left and giving it back with his number on it.

How old are each of you?

I'm 24, he's 27. I'd like to say, 'but I'm more mature'. Except I'm not.

Whose siblings do you see the most?

At the moment, mine. I only have one sister, and he has an older brother and sister and two younger sisters. It's mostly geography.

Which situation is hardest on you as a couple?

Dooce said work. Kathy pretty much said work too. At the moment, the man works so hard with two jobs. I feel guilty but its just not practical for me to have a second job. Other than that...nothing is too hard. That's going to come back and bite me. I can tell.

Did you go to the same school?

Nope, not even close. I went to high school and uni in Albury. He went to high school in Finley and uni in Melbourne.

Are you from the same home town?

I'm from Albury, he's from Berrigan which google tells me is 122 kms away from Albury.

Who is smarter?

These questions suck. The man is the smartest person I know. Sometimes I think he dumbs himself down to be able to communicate with me. The running joke is that he is always right. This isn't actually true, but he is so good at arguing that its just easier to agree when I am actually just right so he shuts up.

Who is most sensitive?

While the man has a sensitive side, this would have to be me.

Where do you eat out most as a couple?

We don't really. I think if we went out for dinner by ourselves it would freak us out. We do have takeaway japanese fairly regularly. I always have to be the one who orders because I can never understand what they are saying and they can never understand me so I end up shouting at them down the phone which the man seems to find funny.

Where is the furthest you two have travelled together as a couple?

No idea. London?

Who has the craziest exes?

Apparently me. Turns out one actually is crazy. I mean, we haven't had the man's assessed or anything but I'm going to go with me.

Who has the worst temper?

Well! This is tough. Just to pick a fight I will say him. He gets angry when he drives. Every time. Don't deny it the man, you do.

Who does the cooking?

Don't mention the eggs in the spaghetti episode..don't mention the eggs in the spaghetti episode..don't mention the eggs in the spaghetti episode.. Damn! He does. I get home too late most nights and he's usually started dinner or has it prepped ready for me to put it together.

Who is the neat freak?

He is neat, but not 'notice the dust on the window sill' neat. If I ask him nicely to do something he usually does it without grumbling too much. And he mows the tiny lawn we have.

Who is more stubborn?

Ha. HIM! Along with being the smartest person I know he is also the most stubborn. Wait..I could have used this in 'which situation is hardest for you as a couple'...'anything that involves getting him to change his mind about something'.

Who hogs the bed?

Schroddy.

Who wakes up earlier?

Me. I'm up and about at 5am on week days. On weekends he gets going earlier than me because he works that pesky second job.

Where was your first date?

I think Harvey's fish and fun park. In Albury.

Who is more jealous?

Schroddy. Actually I don't know. I've never seen him jealous before!

How long did it take to get serious?

Ha. What's serious? Maybe two months. Two months sounds good.

Who eats more?

Me. He doesn't eat breakfast or lunch. But he will snack on kitkats and coke before coming home and infesting the house with his revolting melted vegemite and cheese on cruskits in the microwave smell.

Who does the laundry?

We sort of alternate. I do the ironing though! Things are looking up since he stopped putting my bras in the dryer. That was devastating (for me).

Who's better with the computer?

It used to be me, but now he builds them from scratch so I'll go with him.

Who drives when you're together

Again, used to be me. But since WE got a car and got rid of MY car he drives all the time. Also see 'who has the worst temper'.

- Jen

Is the Commando our biggest water wally?

2009-02-17T22:16:00.002+11:00

I apologise for not using one of my nifty song quotes for the title. But I have a headache. I didn't drink nearly enough water this afternoon and now I feel like my brain is trying to escape through my left eye.

That's why I'm blogging instead of sleeping. Anyway. So to the title of this post. Normally we are too busy cooking tea and I don't usually see The Biggest Loser but tonight I caught some of it and I was aghast. That's right, aghast. The Commando.... is a water wally. He was using a hose and spraying contestants telling them 'toughen up.. its just like rain'.

What a tool. Or the producers of the show are. It's not like they would be spraying them with bore water. Would they? Nah.

I was disgusted. Do you know what else I was disgusted about tonight? The huge slug in my broccoli. All day I've been hanging out for some lightly steamed broccoli and as I was putting it on my plate I saw it. This yellow caterpillar/enormous maggot creature. It was horrible. I couldn't eat any broccoli, and of course the man being such a delicate little thing threw all his out as well. I still ate the rest of my vegies because I was hungry.

I am not sure if I should be happy the vegetables at Coles are so...fresh or if I should be freaked out about how many other little creatures I've probably eaten in the past. Seriously, it looked like an enormous maggot. No I didn't take a photo. Yes, wishing I had now.

- Jen

Put your money where your mouth is

2009-02-15T16:40:00.003+11:00

I've been thinking up this post for awhile. The recession/global financial crisis/credit crunch has not hit us as hard as the nuptial crunch has. Our bank balance usually sits at a certain level, and rises a very small amount after each pay. Initially when the man started his part time work, he didn't really need to work. But for a time there without his work, we'd be very slowly going backwards. My higher duties at work, were pretty important there for awhile. Since my promotion, its not going to be such a devastating fall in pay (just my pride) if I ever have to go back to my substantive level.

So what have we done to save money?

Shopping at markets, saves us big $$ on meat
Using the meat as a base for our meals, means we can plan our week ahead avoiding unnecessary trips to the supermarket where we might make impulse purchases of stuff we don't need
Eat cheap, we ate Chilli Con Carne 3 nights last week, + 1 lunch for me. I'm really really sick of Chilli Con Carne. Someone pointed out we should freeze it. That sounded pretty logical, will have to start to plan meals better using pre-prepared frozen meals
No dry cleaning. I used to dry clean my work shirts. But not really necessary. I do hate ironing though
Sadly, sacked my personal trainer saves $45 a week
Ride to work, saves a little more than $200 a month on public transport, and the costs in bike maintenance are minimal
Drink instant coffee at work, limit to maximum 1 bought coffee a day, if possible none. This has been the hardest.
Bring breakfast to work, everyday. 1/2 cup Carman's untoasted muesli + jalna yoghurt prepared the night before makes bircher museli. Keeps me going until lunchtime and is very good for you. Because its bircher muesli its easy and fast to eat at work.
Naturally bring lunch to work everyday. Usually leftovers or banana on toast + fruit.
We're still repaying our mortgage at the highest repayment amount on our variable portion, we haven't dropped after all the rate decreases. Our 3 yr fixed runs out soon, and its likely we will be able to lock it in for even lower than what it is now.
Stay in. We're both hermits so this isn't too hard.

So, there you go. I'm sure I will edit this as I think up more. Any tips?

Oh yeah, and I'm spending some of my $900 on a new bike. My current bike has just about had it, and its murdering my knees. It's like riding an..arthritic clydesdale. A racer-like bike it is! So the bike research commences. The man, sadly falls into a surplus black hole. His scholarship (which isn't huge) for his pHD is tax free. He earned more than $6000 last year, but the low income tax offset took him back to $0 which means he isn't eligible. He also isn't eligible for anything from Centrelink e.g. Austudy because they count his scholarship as income. He really should get something, but he is just in a black hole. There must be others in his situation.

- Jen

But things just get so crazy living life gets hard to do

2009-02-15T14:54:00.003+11:00

Our weekend didn't really go as planned but turned out pretty good in the end.

We'd planned to go back to Albury and the boys were going to go looking at suits, which I have been nagging them about for a couple of months now. So that was the main thing to be done. As we were going back we'd also planned to go to our reception place and start working out table decorations and also talk to the travel agent about our honeymoon.

On Thursday, the groomsman the man was going shopping with called to say he'd been sent up to Flowerdale with the Reserves to help with the fires. Not going to argue about that! Well, it would give us more time to do other things!

On Friday night when we got back Dad told me the people at the reception place were away, as were the travel agents. Not to be put out, we cheerfully said, "well we can spend more time with you guys!". Mum and Dad looked at each other and then said "ah, well about that...we're actually going away......".

So we spent Saturday looking at suits, having lunch with the man's Mum and Step Dad, squeezed in a visit to Cold Rock, dinner with Mum, Dad and Nan and then drove back to Melbourne before Mum and Dad left as well. Oh and it was the anniversary of our engagement, so we've been engaged for two years now. We gave each other..nothing!

We had a nice drive home, well the man drove while I read a book until it got too dark. Then we talked about the awesome bike I'm going to buy with my $900. I am a bit apprehensive about getting a bike so good, it will get pinched.

When we got home, we were both stuffed so we went to bed. Then I got to have an awesome sleep in. The reason we came home is so that we have time to get stuff done for the week. Hence the title of this post. We headed to the markets about 11, just in time for the closing bargains.

We got:

- 6kg of lean beef mince $30

- 5 kg chicken breasts $50

- about 10-12 yearling beef steaks, $10

- 2 lamb roasts (about 1-1.5kg each) for $20 - yes, $20 for TWO roasts.

The stuff is good quality too. We will freeze one roast, and have one for dinner tonight. Somehow I have become the household 'roast cookerer'. A title that was reserved for the man but he has relinquished to me. I'm not sure its a good thing. Apparently I'm good at cooking the vegies. I will admit I have mastered cauliflower and cheese sauce from scratch.

Then to the fruit shop for fruit and vegies. We don't buy this at the markets because its just as good and cheap from the shop, or even Safeway. I suspect the fruit shop ripped us off on bananas because they were $4.98kg, and Safeway would be cheaper.

Then onto Safeway for the rest of our household stuff. Washing powder etc. Spent $110 there. But we bought a ton of bulk stuff. Like the man's cordial, Cottee's was on sale. 2 x green, 1 x red and 1 x lemon. Then home, where it took approximately 30 minutes to put it all away, including weighing, bagging and putting all the meat into the freezer.

All this before a coffee! My head was about to start pounding, but I made do with an instant, saved in the nick of time.

Now we're set for the week, well a couple of months with all that meat actually. Nice to have a day just to get back on track.

- Jen

The worst day in our history - no question

2009-02-12T17:15:00.005+11:00

I've been trying to blog about this for a few days now. But its incredibly hard to put into words, everything that has happened. For awhile it seemed like there was just a fire, a bad one but not catastrophic. Then it seemed like everywhere was on fire. People were warned not to go down the Great Ocean Road or the Mornington Peninsula in case they were trapped. Saturday afternoon there were no reports about any deaths, then Saturday night it started filtering in. The death toll is staggering. I was worried for family for awhile, and some of them were fighting fires. A little bit of property was lost, but everyone is okay.

So it's been a sad week, and I've been murmuring along with everyone at work about how terrible it is, while it all felt so surreal. It wasn't until today when I sat down to eat my lunch and I unfolded the Herald Sun that it really got to me. A picture of a tiny little eight month old baby boy that died did it. I couldn't read the article. Or the other 3/4 of the paper. I managed to keep it together until I got home, and so now I'm having a good cry.

Actually Crikey has described the front page as cynical and manipulative.

How did John Brumby know the day before it was going to be our worst day in history? I feel bad for bagging the guy now, but announcing it on Friday sounded over dramatic to me at the time.

The bush was so dry. When we went camping a few weeks ago I could snap off largish tree branches with one hand.

There are so many variables that caused the fires to be as bad as they were. Namely the drought, the wind and the heat. If the drought wasn't as bad, it wouldn't be so dry, even if the drought was bad, if the wind wasn't so bad, if it wasn't so hot....now the blame game starts. If only that early warning system had been put in place, if only the greenies hadn't been against clearing around homes, if only people had been better prepared.

But it seems like it didn't matter what anyone did. The best prepared people died along with the unprepared. All of those variables just came together in the worst possible way.

Right now, the CFA is working to stop the two major fires, the Kinglake complex and the Bunyip State Forest merging together.

Here is a photo from the Herald Sun taken from Kinglake looking towards the city. Kinglake, like Marysville

was pretty much completely destroyed.

Reports are 1 in 5 Marysville residents died in the fires. That's just how quick it was, people didn't have time to decide whether to stay or go.

The great thing is that the support being generated is just phenomenal. We haven't done anything yet. I'm not sure what to do. Donating blood I can do, but like Daniel said they're full at the moment, and its probably better to wait. Money, we can give but it looks like plenty of that is being generated. We got an email at work today from our site leadership who said that they really need formal clothes so people who lost everything, have something to wear to funerals. I could only shake my head.

So along with it being Victoria's worst day, it looks like Australia's worst day.

-Jen

It's beautiful, freeze it, pause it

2009-02-07T22:35:00.002+11:00

This is a picture I took the other day on my way to work. The balloons were flying so low I thought they were going to hit the new Children's hospital which is why I stopped to take a picture.

Taken 6:17am on 5/2/2009 on Flemington Rd.

- Jen

The worst day in our history?

2009-02-07T17:53:00.011+11:00

The day isn't over yet, so this ~~might come back to bite me but why John Brumby would say today will be the worst day in our state's history is beyond me.~~

Edit 10.00pm: Okay, now looks like there is a rising death toll, not good.

Edit 8/2/09: Worse than Ash Wednesday.....the town centre of Bendigo almost went and lots of houses there were lost. I've got the man ringing people we know there. Also thinking about relatives who have properties near Clonbinane. Just read Broadford is now under direct threat. Lots, almost all my extended family there.

For the future I had to post a picture from the city's hottest day ever, even though the picture is getting a workout around the traps. I think the bottom of it might be taken from our backyard.. Only a month or so ago I was admiring our green lawn..now its all dirt and prickly grass.

The Hume Freeway is closed at the moment between Broadford and Wallan because of a large fire at Kilmore. Mum and Nan are supposed to be coming down tomorrow to go and see my sister so hopefully its open by then.

So today the man and I took it as easy as we could. We went into 'the lab' this morning so he could setup some experiments. I entertained myself by looking at all the bio hazard stickers and warnings about carcinogens everywhere. Seriously, one whole door was covered in stickers about the danger inside. Those bio hazard stickers freak me out. Too resident evil-ish.

After that we went down to a paper shop in South Melbourne to have a look for materials for our wedding invites. Not far away was the South Melbourne markets so we went in for a walk around.

Interesting, the difference between food section in the Queen Vic and in the South Melbourne markets. The SMM seems to be very much the South Yarra crowd serving the South Yarra crowd. That's not actually a very astute observation though given where the SMM is located! I didn't see Prue and Trude though.

We ducked up to Highpoint briefly and purchased a cheap evaporative cooler from the Good Guys. The salesman was obviously suffering heat exhaustion because he tried to talk us out of buying it. "Honestly, its not that good, it will only cool your legs". Well my legs are hot buddy and I don't have air conditioning, so right now, this is looking pretty good. I didn't say it, but I was thinking it. The man's weekend work purchased a few for last weekend and they didn't seem too bad - it was only $95 and we plan on getting proper air con when I am the Commissioner of Taxation and the man wins a Nobel Prize for curing cancer. So, shortly.

We got a couple of dvds and then collapsed in front of the tv and the cooler. The cooler was not too bad, you can put ice in it, but its huge and if I had enough ice to fill it, I'd probably just rather sit in an esky instead of putting it in the cooler. We put tap water in it and I was aghast at how much it took to fill. I hate to think how much water people are using at the moment. I hope someone has reported that pesky orange helicopter buzzing about. I'm joking about that. I suppose for some people, today was the worst day in their history.

I wondered if I filled up the bath if the cats would get in koala style - see picture below. The man thought this was a dumb idea but later I saw Ren's video on Facebook of a cat swimming around quite happily in a bath. I'm not game to try putting them in because Schroddy already hates me with a vengeance and I don't really want to get Tilly offside.

Well enough talking. Time for dinner. More salad! Hot meals are a thing of the past.

- Jen

Well you shouldn't, 'cause that's my sideboob.

2009-02-06T18:30:00.004+11:00

I still read the Border Mail online and have noticed some interesting stuff this week.

A picture of Peter Griffin associated with an article about 'man boobs'. Reminded me of the man's and Gus' commonly quoted Family Guy moment.

I'm pretty sure someone at the Border Mail has a sense of humour.

- Jen

I frown and down my brow

2009-02-06T17:54:00.005+11:00

I frown and down my brow at this Herald Sun headline, or sub-headline or whatever it is:

Spot the odd mini/sub headline.

Just not quite right. I can remember someone, possibly Daniel blogging awhile ago about one of the papers and how their website was linking to odd google ads about death after car accidents, or something like that. Actually The Age looks like they still do, with ads for fire extinguishers and Toyota along with an article about a firebug driving a Hilux.

FYI - It's the thing about Myers'.

- Jen

I really underestimated the creepiness...

2009-02-05T21:15:00.002+11:00

The man was just showing me some funny superbowl ads, I think this one was the best:

- Jen

Oh I fear, I'll become unclear - SOTM February 2009

2009-02-04T21:35:00.002+11:00

Still on the Josh Pyke bandwagon. I've had a great few weeks getting addicted to Josh. I always love having new music to listen to and wondering if it will grow on me and then playing it again and again when it does.

I bought 'Chimney's Afire', his latest album...and not much has grown on me. I bought the album for 'Make you happy' which is a good song, but I've been playing it to death. I listened to the album almost twice driving to and from Geelong the other day much to the man's horror. Only one other song jumped out at me and it's 'you don't scare me'.

It's a typical Jenu song, very sing-alongable-to.

I couldn't even find you guys the video, so you will have to make do with listening to it here, the player is in the top right hand corner of the screen. I recommend buying it on itunes.

- Jen

Cameron the chameleon

2009-01-30T22:00:00.007+11:00

I don't know if I've blogged about this before, but the man and I have this 'thing' about Karma Chameleon. You know, the song by Culture club: Karma karma karma karma karma chameleon

The man tries to tell me its Karma THE chameleon. As in a chameleon, named Karma. I used to dispute this, but lost a bet and so now I have to agree that it is Karma THE chameleon.

So tonight, while I was taking out the rubbish the man decided he would hide and jump out at me as I walked back into our yard. When he jumped out at me he stood on a prickle and I said "well you know what chameleon that is don't you" and the man (without missing a beat)
goes "Cameron, Jen. Its Cameron the Chameleon".

I had to blog about it because its this kind of stuff he comes out with that I love about him.

- Jen

This is what the world is for, making electricity

2009-01-30T20:53:00.003+11:00

I thought I should blog about it, I know. It's hot.

But my blog has been going for awhile now, and I plan to keep it going. If we end up having kids, I'll be doing a Pumpkin Diary style thing for sure.

Lately while my new years reso (I'm calling it a reso now) is still holding out, I've been contemplating all the things I should be blogging about.
I didn't blog about Obama being elected, or his inauguration and that was a pretty big deal. I like reading my archives, I'm such a goose.

I was a goose three years ago, and three months ago and I'm pretty sure I'm a goose right now.

So I should blog about this heatwave, this 'once in a century' heatwave. Lucky its only 'once in a century' because I shouldn't see another one. And if I do, I won't be riding home from work in 43.4 degree heat like I did yesterday and the day before.

This afternoon I procrastinated (reso! damn!) so long about riding home the temperature dropped 5 degrees and the ride home was tolerable. Only 1 icy pole needed today and no wondering if I should hop off my bike and throw up.

Still better than catching a train. I shouldn't forget to put that in. Right now, readers of the future - the trains SUCK. I don't know enough about why they suck, or who I should blame - Kosky v. Connex but if you want to know, talk to this man.

It was pretty funny at work the other day when Angelo, on his first day back from holidays went to stroll out the door at 3:40. I asked him where he was going and he said 'gotta go, my train goes at 3:43'. 'What line is it on?' "Werribee'
'Ah..yeah...you're not going anywhere'. He literally had no idea about the trains and apparently hadn't seen a newspaper in three weeks. A little bit funny.

So the title of this post comes from 'electric feel' by MGMT. I still try and use song lyrics in my blog posts which is why some of them probably make no sense to most people.

Anyway, the man and I drove to Bunnings (aka hardware store hell) to buy a hose winder (its scientific name) and some extension cables - which were of no use later.

Driving home we noticed cars behaving strangely at traffic lights and found it hard to see them (the lights). It turned out there were no lights! I figured that if there were no traffic lights in the 'ponds there was probably no electricity on at home either. We went home and checked before getting our groceries and for once I was right. Damn. Also my phone was running flat. Damn.

We had a romantic dinner sitting in our backyard eating tuna out of a can and salad. It was actually delicious. The man puts all kinds of weird and wonderful things in his salads, like kiwi fruit, oranges and nectarines, in addition to lettuce, carrot, tomatoes etc.

Poor Schroddy was not coping well in the heat, she kept walking around with her mouth open and her tongue out. Despite it not being a good sign, it still looked funny. After they both had some tuna juice they perked up though.

There you go, its Friday 30 January 2009 and it's hot.

- Jen

Dinner with Lehmo

2009-01-29T22:34:00.002+11:00

The other night we took the man's younger sisters out for Japanese. They'd never had it before so we went to a local teppanyaki place, with them giving us looks as if to say 'we are just humouring you, we know they don't really throw food at people'.

So it was fun when they threw the food. I just wish I got better at it! I did have photos too, but my micro SD adapter melted or something, when I picked it up just now it disintegrated in my hands.

Anyway about halfway through our meal I actually look at the guys on the table with us, and sitting right next to me is Lehmo. I sent the man a text, and he very covertly confirmed it was Lehmo.

So I ate dinner with Lehmo and he laughed at me a lot when I had egg hit me in the face.

The girls had no idea who he was. But I thought it was kind of cool. He wasn't that funny though and I quite like him on 'before the game', so I don't know. Maybe he saves all his funny up.

Anyway..its a mid week post. Also - its hot.

- Jen

Where the creeks run dry or ten feet high, and its either drought or plenty

2009-01-27T13:12:00.009+11:00

Apologies for the lack of blogging. I've been flat out with wedding plans, and dramas - and camping!

Of course the dramas aren't really dramas but after a big week at work* and a few late nights, little upsets became big upsets. It's all good but.

Anyway, camping. I tried to do up a map but where we went is so far off the beaten track its not ON a map..a map on the internet anyway. Alright, its not on google.

I had an awesome time, I set out with my friend Alex and her boy Will to their friend's place in Traralgon on Friday night. Saturday morning we

woke up to pouring rain and

thunderstorms and I wasn't looking

forward to camping. Luckily it cleared up and we headed off to Licola where we stopped for some map reading:

Once the map was sorted out it was on the road again, we ended up stopping somewhere on the Barkly river. It was tough to find somewhere to camp because every man and his dog and his 4wd was out.

We set up a pretty good camp and then kicked back and relaxed (with beer!)

Speaking of beer, the boys bought VB mid strength stubbies which were a bit of alright. Also, very responsible.

It was cold enough at night for a small fire - and marshmallows. Awesome. The next day we got up had an awesome instant coffee (how good is coffee when you are camping) and a bacon and egg sandwich for breaky and then headed out looking for a better camping spot. I think we left at about 11 and drove for seven hours and covered 27 kilometers. Yes 27.

The pictures don't show how steep some of the tracks were but here is one anyway:

Every single campsite we went to was occupied, and it got to 6pm before we went completely off road, down a hill, across two creeks and camped in an s-bend of the Jamison river. After some not so bush friendly bush bashing by Tim, we had a decent camping spot. Another fire, and marshmallows and then bed. Getting home the next day was a nightmare, although we stopped off at the Jamison pub for a nice meal.

All in all, a great weekend although I wished the man could have come

because he would have had a blast!

Going to try for a weekend in March to go again.

Oh and on the way back, we drove past Thomson Dam:

I apologise people of Melbourne, I used quite a bit more than 4 minutes worth of water getting the weekend off me.

- Jen

* when don't I have a 'big week at work'?

Review: Nobu

2009-01-19T22:03:00.004+11:00

Any of you who are foodie types will know about Nobu.

If you love Japanese food...and you have a lot of money you don't mind spending, you will love Nobu.

The man and I love Japanese food.

We ended up at Nobu by accident. I was in thongs! Last Wednesday night we headed into the city to meet up with some of the man's family for dinner, I assumed at a pub. I assumed wrong.

First of all we attempted to catch a train. But of course, it was cancelled. Then we waited for a tram, then we switched to a taxi because we were running late. Then someone got the directions wrong and we had to walk an extra block.

Note to self: Elephant and Wheelbarrow is on corner of Exhibition and Bourke, not Russell and Bourke. I probably should have known that seeing I work around the corner. I'm not sure how much longer my 'but I'm not from here' story is going to fly either.

After we got to the E&WB they'd left and were at Crown. Apart from the fact it was at the opposite end of the city, I groaned because I detest the casino. I could make my joke about how the last time I met this guy and I haven't gotten rid of him yet but he is sick of hearing that joke. Ah I told it anyway...

But seriously, its dark in there in the middle of the day! It's not right!

So off to the casino we go. By tram now. I wasn't intending on going anywhere flash, hence the thongs but the man assured me they let anyone in. Which apparently they did because we just strolled in. After we found everyone we had a quick drink and decided to have dinner.

There we are, wandering around and I'm thinking well, we're probably going to be paying $30 for a steak, there goes our budget this week when the troops pull up at Nobu. I was hoping the thongs would save me, or that they'd have some kind of $10 swanky Japanese food night but no.

So the man and I steeled ourselves and just decided to have a great night. And we did. I wish I could take photos, but I can't. But lucky for you guys, Haalo over at Eat (Almost) Anything at Least Once can. They even had the exact same meal as us. Convenient no?

The visitors wanted Sake, and the one they ordered was 'aged to classical music'. I didn't think much of it, so gave mine away. I still had to work the next day and it was looking to be a late one. That stuff is strong though.

Look at the photos though. Incredible!

We got to bed after 1am, and I was up at 6:00 (a sleep in). What's that in my head there? Rocks.

We noted all the same things Haalo did, the waiting for a menu, the fact that I had no idea what we were eating because you just can't hear what the waiter is saying.

Was it worth it? Its tough, but the tightarse in me says no. But it was still a great night.

- Jen

With my (alright the man's) own two hands

2009-01-19T21:49:00.004+11:00

You would think, being a grown up now that I'd master certain things. Actually somethings I probably should have mastered a long time ago, like mental arithmetic and wrapping presents.

Also, apparently I should have mastered cutting paper. I think they covered this in kinder.

There I was on Sunday morning, armed with fancy papers and a fancy stanley knife doobalackey staring at the paper I was supposed to be slicing for our wedding invites. The man offered to hold the ruler, which I reluctantly agreed to. I still sliced the paper crooked. I tried again and it was wonkier still.

I had a brief impulse to throw a tantrum but then I swallowed hard and passed the man the knife. Who then went on to cut out the paper we needed, thread complicated ribbon on buckles and we had a 'prototype'.

We're a good..team.

Anyway it took an hour. At that rate its going to take 3.75 days to make all the invites we need. I think we need to automate the process.

And yes, I used a calculator to work out how many days it would take.

- Jen

I've seen your photo, your photo don't look a thing like you

2009-01-19T21:10:00.004+11:00

This week just gone was incredibly hectic and I just didn't even have time to blog. But I really wanted to, so I consider my new years resolution not broken.

Above you will see what we spent a torturous 30 minutes doing on Saturday morning. No, not lazing about at a railway station, we were having our 'engagement' photo shoot. Yes. A photo shoot.

Have you met me? Have you met the man? Torturous.

Actually, the man turned out to be an excellent photographic subject. I was not so...excellent.

Put your head this way, your chin that way, stand on your head. And don't forget to smile. By about the 20 minute mark I'd had it. The photographer said I looked worried. I was worried. I'm not co-ordinated! If my legs were in the right place, my chin wasn't.

Right about then I was cursing the fact I hadn't thought to ask Richard last year before we booked our wedding photographer.

But I was reassured at the end because the guy said it won't be so focused like that on the 'big day'.

I suppose, at least if I didn't blog we got some photos so I fulfilled some part of my new years resolution. If tax doesn't work out I think I'll take up photography, it seems like an extremely lucrative business. Unfortuantely I think its a skill, and I'll blog later about my 'skills'.

I will be putting more photos on Facebook because I'm trying to send them all over the world to get our money's worth.

Although our hands aren't tied, we move as though they are - SOTM January 2009

2009-01-11T22:01:00.003+11:00

Thanks to Shell for this month's SOTM, and for introducing me to a new, brilliant band/artist/singer etc. Apparently I missed the boat on Josh Pyke.

I've heard of Josh Pyke but as usual thought it would be a case of 'everyone else likes him so I won't'. This is pretty much how the man operates. 'Jen likes arrested development, everyone else in the world likes arrested development...so I won't watch it...EVER'.

We're both missing out. Actually the man is missing out on Josh Pyke AND arrested development.

But I'm here now Josh. Great lyrics too, which is what I'm all about.

"We need to feel the sum of all our parts are more than what's laid out in lines upon our palms. Although our hands aren't tied, we move as though they are."

Brings me back to a little bit of what I was thinking about while I was watching Yes Man. I know, its a stupid Jim Carrey movie, but it did make me think I actually say no to doing things a lot, even when I have no reason to say no. Things I should do, like hanging out more with certain friends who always invite me to do things and I never go.

Shell got me the album 'Memories and dust' for Christmas, it's brilliant.

If you are the only other person in Australia besides me (and the man) who hasn't heard this song, click here to hear and see it.

- Jen

Sevens Pounds/Yes Man

2009-01-11T18:49:00.002+11:00

The man and I went to the movies last night and saw Yes Man. I was a bit apprehensive about seeing it because while I like Jim Carrey, he hasn't exactly had a good run with movies in the last...oh five years.

But it was really really good! I walked out of it feeling happy and cheered up. Highly recommend it for a simple, fun movie. Five Jentopia stars!

Then this afternoon the man knocked off work early and we went and saw Seven Pounds. I don't like movies that are sad, and I don't like movies where you don't know what is going on until right at the end. I'm not patient enough. So while the end was good (sad though), I didn't really enjoy the movie. Two Jentopia stars.

I'll tell you what else I didn't enjoy. The toilets at Hoyts! I went when we first got there and most of the cubicles were out of paper, or disgustingly dirty. So when I was headed back to the cinema I said to one of the employees that the toilets are dirty and have no paper.

About three quarters of the way through the movie and a litre of water later I needed to go again, and they hadn't changed at all! So I again told an employee, a girl this time. I said I'd told a guy about them over two hours ago and nothing has been done. She smiled and said 'oh that's your problem! You told a guy, ha ha'.

What a mole.

- Jen

My sister - aka Miss Trump

2009-01-11T18:45:00.003+11:00

My sister and a friend were recently driving along when a Safeway truck started tailgaiting them. The driver was obviously agitated and was apparently doing some fistshaking at them etc. When they stopped at the next set of traffic lights he got out of his truck and came up to their car and started abusing them.

My sister, not one to stand for this sort of thing wrote a strongly worded letter to Safeway. She was contacted this week and after describing where she was and what the driver looked like, the guy from Safeway told her the driver would no longer be driving for the company and to let him know if she ever had any problems with other Safeway trucks.

How good is that!

- Jen

Not such a fresh feeling

2009-01-11T18:34:00.002+11:00

There I was perusing the Herald Sun today when I read this: cancer linked to mouthwash with a picture of the very mouthwash I use, twice a day.

The man raised his eyebrows at me when I asked him if he thought it was true. Or is it just another myth about cancer. Like refilling water bottles, and smoking.

Also, why isn't it mouthwash linked to cancer? Rather than cancer linked to mouthwash?

Apparently its even worse in smokers who use mouthwash. Those guys just never get a break!

Should I get rid of my mouthwash?

- Jen

Baby got black?

2009-01-09T23:31:00.002+11:00

I couldn't resist putting the man's and I's photos into makemebabies.com. The results were...a little odd.

Click here to see what our son Angus is apparently going look like.

I'm not sure if our child has a tan...or what's going on.

A bit of fun anyway.

- Jen

Seven things...

2009-01-09T22:00:00.002+11:00

Got this from Daniel's blog. Like Daniel, there are lots of things in my life I haven't blogged about, and will never blog about. But anyway, here are seven things you may, or may not know about me.

Feel free to consider yourself tagged. Let me know if you do it via comments and I'll take a gander.

1. I can't stand the smell of parmesan cheese. Seriously. If I'm able to, I will leave the table, room etc.

2. I hate science fiction/fantasy movies and books. If it wasn't for the persistence of the man I would have never watched 'Back to the future' because I always figured it was both genres. I was also badgered into reading the first Harry Potter book. There were no problems getting me to read the rest though.

3. I'm terrible at mental arithmetic. I will do just about anything to get out of adding something up, and I hate trying working out how much I'm supposed to be saving at percentage off sales. That's why the man was invented! I'm not actually that bad at maths, I'm just not quick at it.

4. I drink my coffee: often and as a skinny flat white with one sugar.

5. I rarely, if ever, wear makeup. It always amazes me at the gym when I walk in and see a girl doing her makeup who is still there doing it while I've gotten changed, had a shower and am leaving. Who has time! Maybe I need to wear makeup! I don't know!

6. I really want to run a marathon one day

7. I am really bad at talking to people on the phone with most people. Jase and I cannot hold a conversation over the phone at all. I can talk to the man and that's about it.

- Jen

A midweek special

2009-01-06T22:21:00.004+11:00

I don't normally blog during the week but in the interests of keeping another NYR I decided why the hell not.

Its 10:22pm and I'm going to be very tired tomorrow, but I couldn't sleep anyway.

I'm not sure why, I think it might be the doona AND blanket on our bed (and the heat), plus the cats who now sleep on me because the man sleeps on top of the doona. This doesn't suit Schroddy at all, its probably not surprisingly she chooses to sleep on me, her underling rather than sleep on her sweaty god.

Speaking of god, God. I booked our wedding counselling today. Or the 'pre-wedding preparation course' as the snooty woman from Malvern (Mole-vern) corrected me. The brochure the Church sent me said it was $115 which I thought was steep, but apparently that 'brochure is out of date'.

I guess the global financial crisis is hurting God too because now they're whacking folk like us $285 for the course. Its one hour a week for four weeks.

I could say something about you having to pay ($285) to get into hell, but apparently the course is good. Or so I've heard.

What else? We've gotten a bit out of control doing wedding planning, in fact we're stuck. It seems like its too early to book our honeymoon without paying outrageous amounts. We're pretty sure we're going to do some kind of Queensland island + the gold coast. Really we're just big kids and want to go to the amusement parks and the beach.

We also ordered our bombonierre (or however you choose to spell it), see here. Yes it was hellishly expensive but I think you only get married once. I'm sure the lady we pay $285 will fill us

in on that sort of thing.

I realised I sort of kind of know someone who is a florist. We're catching up with them in a couple of weeks, I'm stuck on flowers so that should be good.

Oh and, we have a pre-engagement shoot with the photographer in a couple of weeks too.

How well have I done this week!

- Jen

2008 - Video Year in Review

2009-01-03T11:22:00.003+11:00

If you would like to save yourself some reading, I have also done up a 'Dooce-like' video of some of our photos from 2008.

It was only after I'd uploaded it I noticed I'd missed fixing one of the photos, so its around the wrong way. Didn't swear much about that!

If you're on ADSL 1, go and make yourself a cup of coffee, or two. If you don't have ADSL - don't bother.

Oh and, one more new years resolution - take more photos!

Soundtrack to video is 'Sentimental Guy' by Ben Folds.

2008 Video Year In Review from jenu_84 on Vimeo.

- Jen

The picture says it all

2009-01-02T19:48:00.003+11:00

We had a fantastic new years at a mate's place in Inverloch.

There was walks on the beach, beach cricket, beer, campfires and general relaxation.

The boys did their usual thing where they disappear and have their boy D&Ms.

I got to bed about 4am and then woke up to the boys having a loud discussion outside our tent about the last star, and how its not the last star and whoever said that is an idiot.

So I sent the man a text message at 5:31am asking 'you and your entourage to shut up please'.

They got to bed at 6:15 and I was up at 7:30. We played some beach cricket and then drove back to Melbourne in the arvo. Just a nice relaxing NYE.

Until today I didn't have any resolutions. But I have decided on some and they are:

- Blog more

- Procrastinate less - just get stuff done!

- Work harder (or smarter) - try to be more efficient. This ties into the procrastination thing I think

- Smile more, and stress less

That's it really. I really need to work on the procrastination thing!

- Jen

2008 - a year in review

2009-01-02T18:45:00.004+11:00

My third 'year in review'. Until today I didn't have any new years resolutions but I've come up with some. I'll blog about that later.

This is going to be short - thanks mostly to Telstra.

January:

- Visit Berrigan and the man's brother wakes up with a brown snake in his bed

- The man buys me the Lego 'Octan Petrol Station' I've wanted since I was 10 (its now in a box
somewhere)

- Visit the creepiest bar in Melbourne - the croft institute

- SOTM - 'you only live once' by The Strokes

February:

- Start 'crunch & grunt' bootcamp

- Matilda costs us a small fortune at the vet (uses up her AND Schroddy's vet budget for the
next year), she also caused me 36 hours of fretting. Cats.

- Second crunch & grunt at freezing South Melbourne beach

- SOTM is 'If I had eyes' by Jack Johnson

March:

- My sister's 21st birthday

- Nicole & Rick's wedding

- Someone wants to buy our apartment

- We um and ahh about selling our apartment

- We sell

- We can't find anywhere to rent!

- My birthday!

- SOTM - 'Anyone else buy you' by The Moldy Peaches

April:

- We buy our beautiful house!

- Finally meet the Hammanses - read Craig's blog here

- We start riding to work

- I blog about being internetless for 'a few weeks' while we move

May:

- Don't blog AT ALL!

- Tony stands in for SOTM with 'Handsfree (if you hold my hand) by Sonny J

June:

- I briefly make the blog invitation only

- No other posts

July:

- SOTM - 'Hospital Beds' by the Cold War Kids

August:

- We go overseas

- I blog a lot

September:

- Still overseas!

October:

- SOTM - 'Home for a rest' by Spirit of the West

- Home sweet home

November:

- SOTM 'Never miss a beat' by the Kaiser Chiefts

- I get the messiest I've ever been in my entire life and I hope to God I never drink that much
ever ever again. I still can't drink much.

- Start career coaching

December:

- Finally get my promotion

- SOTM - 'We get around' by Urthboy

- Have an awesome bbq at Teish and Scotty's with the gang

- Have a very nice Christmas

Wow. Not a lot of blogging this year. Will have to change that this year I think.

Thanks for reading!

- Jen

Come on Eileen

2008-12-30T20:38:00.003+11:00

Don't tell the man, I just bought another song off i-tunes. I'm supposed to be waiting for some $70 vouchers he got from somewhere. Except I wanted to blog about my knees and realised we didn't have 'Come on Eileen' by Dexy's Midnight Runners. He he. I'm blogging about knees, running and the song is by Dexy's Midnight Runners.

My sense of humour again? Calm down, the part about Eileen is coming.

So one of my bridesmaids recommended I go and see a bio mechanist about my knee. You know, the knee I blogged about here and here and here and here and here oh and a little bit here.

I could have blogged about it more, but thats all I could find...

Obviously its been a source of worry for me (and pain!) and I've basically given up any hope of running long distances, I'm down to about 1km right now. Anyway so figuring that going to yet another doctor couldn't hurt I went and saw Kahlil (pronounced Kail) and he told me (this is where Eileen fits in) that my right leg is 8mm longer than my left.

Come on Eileen - I-lean? Geddit?

He also told me that my knees don't track right. When you run, your knee cap should naturally be in line with your fourth toe, if that makes sense. My knee cap points in. Not even in the ball park of being correct.

I asked Kahlil if there was anything I could do and he said that orthotics will help. GREAT! A solution. Most unexpected. My celebration was cut short by two words. Health Insurance.

Of course, I googled and cursed. Then I rang someone at our health insurer and while they were very nice, they just confirmed what I'd googled. That our insurance doesn't cover it. .

I don't know if any of you are orthotics valuers but they are not cheap. I figured that orthotics just went in my runners, so when I run, my knees point the right way. But no! Apparently its important my knees point the right way - all the time! Who knew! So instead of one pair, I need (kneed?) two.

I even tried doing MATHS and worked out it wasn't even worth upgrading our insurance to cover orthotics. $300 a month for health insurance! They must have rocks in their heads. Also - waiting periods

With a wedding coming up all purchases are being carefully scruitinised. Unfortunately orthotics fell squarely into the category of 'things that would be nice to have or are needed eventually - but can be postponed until after the wedding'. That category is a mouthful.

Just when all hope was lost - someone checked his list, not once - but twice and realised I'd been more nice than naughty this year and so Santa Claus came to the party with a gift voucher for orthotics.

Thank you Santa.

The man - I think the $1.69 was well spent.

- Jen

Christmas is going to the dogs.

2008-12-28T15:07:00.004+11:00

It's not really, but the Eels song of the same title has been in my Christmas carols playlist and I wanted to use it.

I had a nice enough Christmas, it was strange being separated from the man. For numerous reasons he went to his family and I went to mine. Mainly that I'm on call for work this week so I had to be back here on boxing day and he wanted to spend some more time with his family.

Mum came down on the 23rd so we could go and visit my sister the next day and brought with her my 'Christmas Turkey' - see video below. You should watch it, its freaking hilarious. Could be my sense of humour, but I doubt it.

We left to visit my sister early on Christmas Eve and one interesting addition to the trip was a 'tom-tom' (sat nav system) Mum had borrowed. She's named it Shaun because of its irish accent and good old Shaun was actually really handy. If the three wise men had of had Shaun it would have made their trip a whole lot easier. Back at home we had the usual seafood dinner of prawns, oysters and crusty bread rolls.

After dinner I actually went to 9:30 mass with Nan which was nice. I usually love going to Mass at Christmas, but I should either go earlier or on Christmas day because all the little kids must have been in bed. Fr Kevin started talking about direction, and finding your way and that sometimes you get lost and its hard to find your way. Which made me giggle when I thought about Shaun, so I tried to whisper to Nan that he should get a tom-tom. Except Nan's getting a little bit hard of hearing and said "WHAT" so I said "he should get A TOM-TOM" and then Nan laughed when she'd figured it out. Which made me laugh more.

I am very lucky because 'Santa' gave me a gift voucher for orthotics (I just realised I haven't blogged about this yet). The post will no doubt be a rant about what is the point of health insurance. But anyway.

The man also snuck 'Twilight' the book and some lindt dark chocolate bars in, when we weren't supposed to be giving each other presents this year. I haven't got him anything, which he's probably happy about.

Christmas lunch was great. After lunch when Dad and Grandpa went off to have their snoozes 'my sort of kind of cousin' Josh and I started playing tug a war with Tammy my parents enormous black lab. MUM suggested making it more interesting by adding in Dad's old desk chair on wheels. Hopefully I can get the video of me being pulled around by the dog. Hopefully none of you will report me to the RSPCA. Besides, I'm light and the dogs huge.

I came back on the XPT on boxing day afternoon and just about finished Twilight on the train. It wasn't a bad book and I know why teenage girls rave about Edward Cullen.

That's about it for Christmas.

- Jen

What did you do today - I did nothing

2008-12-20T18:50:00.002+11:00

Today I probably had the best sleep I've had in the past year.

What a difference it makes.

I had another Christmas party yesterday, and had a few - but not a few too many. By the time I got home and chatted to the very hungover man it was about 11:30pm before I got to bed.

I woke up at 10:00 this morning. Fantastic. I'd settled into finishing off the last Harry Potter book again when someone knocked on the front door and I decided I should get up.

Now its been bugging me all day who was at the door. I took it very easy all day, surfed the net, did some washing. Wandered down Puckle St for 'my usual' weekend coffee and swiss fruit toast and now I'm cooking up my world famous 'Poosaburgers' for dinner.

The man will not be too impressed with dinner as he's just told me he was dared to - and did eat a 'pounder' for lunch. Yuck. Actually I just googled it and found this . Its a wonder he wants dinner at all.

- Jen

Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right

2008-12-14T13:21:00.007+11:00

The past couple of weeks have been hectic, with Hotel Fankworth-Unshauser being packed to the rafters. Even with all our beds now, we've had people on couches etc.

But its been so much fun. Last weekend we even had 60% of the bridal party in one place at the same time. I sincerely hope we can boost numbers before October 24 next year.

Anyway last Saturday we went to Ballarat with Georbridge (Bridgett and George) to visit some other friends. Had so much fun just hanging out, having a bbq and playing cricket. I'm so lucky to have ended up with a bunch of friends with such similiar tastes. I can't remember what Bridgett and I were laughing about. Obviously something hysterical.

- Jen

(click on the pictures to enlarge)

Mum and Dad and Denny were some amongst the many who turned out to see the passing out parade at Puckapunyal

2008-12-12T19:37:00.002+11:00

I was talking about 'I was only 19' in my last post.

Now before everyone knocks the remix of 'I was only nineteen', watch this:

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=1gmgwx77osw

And now listen to the remix:

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=ns82tHhJOr0&feature=related

I think its pretty good, more modern but the story is still the same.

The whole thing..makes me feel..sad/proud. I think every Aussie kid feel it a bit, on ANZAC day, and Remembrance day. But after reading 'well done those men' by Barry Heard , it makes it more...poignant. I recommend reading the book.

- Jen

We get around, we get around, we stare you down from the walls - SOTM December 2008

2008-12-12T19:20:00.003+11:00

It's my blog. I say this because no reader on here is going to like this song .

It's 'we get around' by Urthboy. I feel sorry for the man because I've been playing it non stop!

But anyway, Song Of The Month is 'I get around' by Urthboy.

The same guy was in the band..(would you call them a band?) that did the remix of
'I was only nineteen'.

See next post...

- Jen

The joy and the misery

2008-12-05T17:34:00.003+11:00

Or maybe it should be the misery, and the joy.

18 months may not seem like a long time, but after watching all the other graduates from my year get promotions and little me left wondering what I was doing wrong, today I finally got my promotion.

To confuse everyone, I'm still acting in a position which is higher than the position I got a promotion for. Basically it just means when I go back to my old position, its not going to be so financially devastating.

But yeah, I'm a bit chuffed. Feel like I'm equal with everyone else.

That's news with me anyway

- Jen

SSB - What's yours?

2008-11-23T13:56:00.002+11:00

I was reading this article in today's Herald Sun and it made me laugh. Clearly the Herald Sun has been spying on me.

The article is about Secret Single Behaviour (SSB), sort of what people used to do when they were single that they miss doing when they're in a relationship or what they do when they do get time to themselves.

While I'm not cleaning the house naked, I do need time to myself. Lucky for me the man has a weekend job. Which pretty much gives me two days a week of JenTime(TM).

Two full days is actually a lot more than I need because my JenTime at a minimum is just reading the paper and drinking coffee. In quiet. The pottering around cleaning is just a bonus!

What does everyone else do? Or not do!

- Jen

That's not my name!

2008-11-21T22:46:00.002+11:00

Like I said in my last post, I've acquired yet another nickname. This nickname business is getting a bit out of control, have a look at this:

Full name: Jennifer Kathleen

Nicknames:

Jen (most normal people)
J.K (Dad and Grandma & Grandpa)
Jack (Dad)
Jenu (Alex, since year 11 retreat when she 'misread' Jen.U. )
Unsworth (other grad friends because I call them by their surname)
Jenny (ignorant people)
Jenny-poos (the man)
n-word poo (the man)
Poohead (the man)
Poosa (the man)
Ferret (work because I 'ferret' things out - usually by googling them)
Turkey (work - but myself and two other people all call each other Turkey - its not confusing)
Chicken Ferret (work, I don't know how Chicken got involved - think it was turkey first)
Triple J (see last post)
TJ (see last post)
Gunner (from our time spent in the "military" during the grad program)
Chuckles-the-pirate (the man)
Elliot-the-geek (apparently one day when I had a hood over my head I looked like Elliot from ET)

The only nickname I don't have or haven't been called is 'Unsie'. But Dad gets that so it would be a bit weird.

I feel like I'm forgetting some! But these are all nicknames that get used, except for Chuckles and not really Elliot anymore either.

-Jen

Hold your own, know your name - and go your own way

2008-11-20T17:49:00.003+11:00

It's been a long time since we got back from overseas and I've been struggling a lot, well with just about everything. Mostly work has been bothering me because I completely lost my energy and drive. Things I thought would be better when I got back were worse and I felt like giving up.

A few weeks ago I was given the chance to be part of a career coaching pilot - I suspect it was offered people from my grad year who aren't at the executive level yet. Anyway I had to set three goals and one of them was to be certain of my career direction..by January.

I have to admit I had serious doubts about the chances of that happening. But last week my 'coach' set me the task of talking to four people about their careers, asking them all the same questions and it's really helped.

Today I spent about half an hour talking one on one with someone in the senior executive and they were so helpful that its got me my energy back (ENERGY LEGS! - sorry couldn't resist).

I have a better idea of what I should do, and don't feel discouraged anymore. I'm also blogging on a 'school night' in case you hadn't noticed!

Anyway I just thought I'd blog about that, because it made my week.

- Jen

I'm so sick from the drink...

2008-11-16T19:34:00.004+11:00

If you ever see my updates on facebook or if you've spent any time with me lately you will know I've been a bit of a booze hound. But Friday night was officially the messiest I have ever been. Ever. I went to uni and I was never this bad. I went on a three week drink fest around Europe and I didn't even come close. But somewhere deep inside me on Friday afternoon I obviously decided that 24 is not too old to make a complete goose out of yourself.

Oh and thanks to the inventors of Facebook. In less than 24 hours twenty photos of me were tagged and put up there for the rest of my friends to enjoy. Thankfully the man didn't think to photograph me when I got home. Like I said on Facebook, I was 'sick a dog'. Yes. Sick A dog.

It started out after work, at the local pub,'the elms'. By the time I left I was a binge drinker (see Australian definition). So I hadn't had that much. I even stopped and drank a litre of water and ate a banana and some chocolate. Still being sensible Jen.

After that, well. When we got to the Richmond Club Hotel it was happy hour. I can't remember how much the beers were but they were cheap.. $2.50 each? With only 15 minutes to go we stocked up. Still being sensible because we were saving money. Then we moved upstairs. There was a drink that tasted like Snickers. More beer.... then I was in a taxi. Then I was at home.

I'm pretty sure lots happened in between. There could even have been dancing.

I'm not going to specify what happened next but I'll put it in multiple choice and you can pick whichever suits you best.

a) I got home and went to bed with a bucket

b) I got home and went to the toilet sans pants

c) I went to the toilet and threw up on the bathroom floor

d) I got home and went to bed with a bucket and threw up the next morning

e) All of the above

It was still a good night though, but the hangover was so god-awful it made the man look like a health nut. The lesson really is to eat lots! You think I would have already learned this lesson at uni. We had nibblies but dinner is a must. I also didn't have a big lunch at work which doesn't help.

Saturday was a misery, and we had to drive to Ocean Grove for the man's Uncle Jumpy's 60th. The Fankhauser bunch are notorious for their drinking skills, and I copped it all day for my behaviour on Friday night. I even acquired another nickname, 'Triple J', or Jen Jumpy Junior. Later abbreviated to 'T.J' or 'Teege'. I have a horrible feeling it will stick. Jumpy's real name is Peter and I've never heard him called anything except Jumpy.

Now is a particularly bad time to decide to 'not drink'. I just need to eat more WHILE I drink, drink in moderation (ta Dad)...and maybe ..just maybe...drink less.

For all those reading who thought I was a good person. Well I'm sorry. I felt embarrassed about it until everyone who heard the story the next day recounted their own 'the most drunk I've ever been was when' story.

Please, please add in a comment and share your own.

- Jen

It's cool to know nothing - SOTM November 2008

2008-11-13T20:02:00.002+11:00

I know. I'm a bad bad blogger. But I've still got Song of the Month for you.

I've lost my blogging mojo! Hopefully I'll get it back soon otherwise my end of year recap is going to be very short. I blame Telstra!!

Anyway SOTM is 'Never miss a beat' by the Kaiser Chiefs, you can view the very weird clip here.

Reminds me of going home after school and my parents asking 'what did you do today'...'nothing', 'what did you learn today?'...'nothing'.

- Jen

I'm beached as bro...

2008-10-26T11:57:00.006+11:00

I don't know if its just because it reminds me of the Kiwis we travelled with, but I thought this was hilarious:

Click here to watch

- Jen

A bike ride home with Jen - brought to you by Jentopia

2008-10-21T21:45:00.004+11:00

You might have heard about the 'bike rage' on the weekend, where about 13 cyclists coming back from round the bay had some hoons swerve into them.

So here is some of my ride home today:

- Get down into the carpark and unlock my bike, putting on my front headlight, helmet light, back bike light and backpack light.

- Walk bike from carpark to road, waiting at pedestrian lights to cross over to Nicholson St, walk bike over pedestrian crossing

- Ride down bike/walk footpath along Nicholson St, can't turn onto the road at Carlton St once I get to the corner of Carlton gardens because cars tear around there too fast.

-Scowl at cyclists riding through the gardens (you're not supposed to)

- Ride up Canning St until I get to a roundabout, enter the single lane roundabout, car comes into roundabout behind me and almost swipes me as it tries to overtake me.

- Catch up to car at lights and scowl at driver

- Wait at lights with about ten other cyclists (some who do go through the lights before they're green)

- Carefully watch each street that joins onto Canning st in case any cars drive through the intersection without looking for cyclists lit up like Christmas trees.

- Ride down Park St, get the green light riding onto Lygon St (bonus!)

- Continue riding down Park St, Brunswick. Almost at end of Park St going down a hill when I slow down at a t-intersection because most people turn left at the intersection and I'm going straight. Sure enough a sports car zooms up but just slows when they see I'm not turning.

- Driver of sports car on mobile phone

- Continue riding down hill, pedestrian steps in front of bike

- Slam on brakes, back wheel slides - and I somehow manage to not fall off.

- Tell pedestrian to 'have a look next time neckface'*, who shouts back that I should 'use my bell'. 'Politely' tell pedestrian to 'go away'*, pedestrian tells me to 'get a frog'*, I tell pedestrian he's a 'wally'*, continue riding while muttering under my breath.

- Ride over the top of citylink (on the footpath)

- Stop at pedestrian lights rather than having to ride on road with cars and try to cross Ormond Rd that way.

- Rest of trip home was okay and I admired the setup for Cox Plate at Moonee Valley.

I love riding now, especially now its a bit warmer. I get fresh air, don't have to put up with Connex (I beat trains home), get some more exercise and I get home in a great mood. But for all that, it just takes one driver who is talking on their phone, one bus where it shouldn't be, one cyclist who decides to race through an intersection (or 100..) - you get my point.

One of the man's friends was hit last week going home on his bike, a car saw him coming and they turned in front of him anyway. And he hit it. Fell over the front bonnet of the car. And the car kept going. Didn't even stop. Thankfully he only broke his toe. His girlfriend has been hit too, by a taxi. Both the man and I have had minor 'hits', the man got side swiped by a ute.

I can't be any more visible. I can't be anymore careful. If you google map my ride home, its all backstreets. Especially Canning St, its fantastic for cyclists getting into the city. Click here to see how awesome it is. I don't know how you guys feel about cyclists.

Its cars, its pedestrians and its cyclists. Sure, pedestrians jaywalk, sure cyclists run red lights, and if they get hit - then thats their fault. But seriously, car drivers need to pull their heads in.

(ducks for cover)

- Jen

*I may have substituted certain words for a more 'family friendly' feel.

SOTM - October 2008 - Home for a rest

2008-10-12T11:46:00.003+11:00

Song of the month (even if I've missed a few) was really easy. In fact this can count for two months worth because its such a good song.

Anyway the song is 'home for a rest' by Spirit of the West. It was our 'day song' on Contiki, so it got played every morning on the bus and whenever we were on the way back from somewhere. It even got played in the bomb shelter in Switzerland which was pretty cool. So anyway, it got played a lot.

Definitely very fitting for the trip anyway.

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=sPJD3qcIL7s

- Jen

Interesting or useful sites

2008-10-11T11:44:00.002+11:00

A bit boring I guess, but if any of you have suffered through my travel notes then you might actually find this interesting. I have been put OFF blogging after typing up all of that stuff.

www.bugmenot.com.

Has usernames and passwords to lots of sites so you don't have to keep signing up for stuff

http://flickrvision.com/maps/show_3d

Shows people uploading stuff to flickr and where they're from - interesting if you're bored

http://www.mapmyrun.com:

You can map out running tracks here, or see how far you've gone etc

http://www.expertvillage.com

Expert videos to show you how to do anything! e.g. making pizza dough, cracking particular computer games etc

http://www.songmeanings.net/

Pretty self explanatory...

BSB look up list

- Jen

Paris - Day 17 of 18!

2008-10-05T12:33:00.004+11:00

We arrived at about 5pm, after driving all day from Switzerland. Yep thats right we drove from Switzerland to Paris. Pretty crazy! When we got there Rocket started doing a lap of the city while Mecha pointed out the sights and told us a bit about them. Then we got stuck because a lot of the roads were closed and there were police everywhere in their riot gear. I thought there had been a terrorist attack or some violent protest at the very least. Every street we tried to go down was blocked.

We finally found out that the Pope was in town and doing a mass at Notre Dame. As he does.

We were able to drive around the Arc de Triomphe which was absolute mayhem. Bikes and cars everywhere and the only rule is that traffic going around has to give was to traffic coming on. Mayhem! Rumour has it there is an accident every ten minutes.

We drove through the Louvre courtyard which was really cool, saw the famous pyramid. We headed off to our campsite which looks alright. Had drinks + entree before dinner which was champers + escargot. Some people wouldn't even try them! They were fine, just very garlicky and buttery. I don't really see the point of them if you have to coat them in butter etc they probably aren't that great on their own?

We bought a few extra bottles of the pink champers for after dinner. Dinner was so good, chicken, salads and apple turnover for dessert. Food is picking up! We went and sat outside and drank for a bit and nicknamed the two English school girls on our trip. Kathryn Mary became Mazza and Sam Gibbons, Gibbo. They were so excited to have nicknames. I've seen them wearing their school shirts from Repton which had been bugging me all trip because it sounded so familiar, but I've remembered that was where Roald Dahl went to school.

Then they cracked us up by saying that they couldn't believe girls as good looking as Kara and I (I do believe they mentioned the words best looking girls on the tour) were with guys like Paul and the man. Kara and I were quite chuffed. The boys..not so.

Bit of a stretch I think and might have had something to do with the amount of pink bubbles they'd had.

We headed to bed ready for our day exploring Paris.

Breakfast - bacon, eggs, baguettes aaanddd..coco pops with cold milk! Possibly the best yet!

Into town where the man, Paul, Kara and I declined going to a French perfumerie so we could line up for the Eiffel tower. It turned out most people in our group took this option, or lining up for the Louvre. We didn't have to wait long at all, the longest part was waiting for it to open! Then we walked up to the Arc de Triomphe and stood around for ten minutes but saw no accidents. Nothing happened so we decided to stroll down Champs-Élysées and stopped off at Macca's (one with white arches not yellow) so the man could get a Royale with cheese. I had a pain au chocolat and coffee which were really good.

We continued strolling along Champs-Élysées stopping off here and there. We were doing pretty well for time, it was only about 12.30pm and we didn't have to meet up with the group until 6pm and only had Notre Dame and the Louvre to do. Walked up to place de la concorde and through to the Louvre and down the river to Notre Dame which took us quite a bit longer than anticipated. After a quick scout around Notre Dame we were starting to panic about not having enough time at the Louvre so we walked back there. Did the Louvre lite, ticked off Miss Lisa, Miss Milo etc and then realised we had tons of time. Oh, and didn't have to queue at ALL to get in!

You could never have enough time at the Louvre. Mecha said if you stopped and looked at every artwork for a minute if would take you nine months to see everything, no including walking time.
It was weird walking around going 'oh there's a da vinci, there's another one, oh and here is a sculpture by Bernini'. After we'd exhausted ourselves we went out and found the world's most expensive ice cream shop - Haagen Daz. I just wanted an ordinary ice cream in a cone but we ended up sitting ni, the cheapest ice cream I could get was 7 euro. The man as as unofficial lactard didn't have any. We met up with the rest of the group as we were walking past the glass pyramid, on our way to the bottom of the inverted pyramid where we were supposed to meet up. Just about everyone was in the wrong place and I felt awkward about saying 'I'm pretty sure you guys are all in the wrong spot'. I'm good at listening and remembering random things, although where we are supposed to meet is pretty important. I was right though.

Then we had to change for our fancy dinner & cabaret night. There were about 30 or more girls on our tour and I reckon just about all of them were getting changed in the toilets at the Louvre. Chaos! We headed to dinner, being careful not to get caught by the finger stealing string tying gypsies on the way. Dinner was nice enough. The good thing about being a couple is you get to taste everything. We had the escargot, french onion soup, beef bourguignon and duck a'la orange which cheese, dessert and coffee.

After dinner we headed to the cabaret show at La Nouvelle Eve. Definitely not what I was expecting! I wasn't expecting topless girls mostly.

The dancers were good, but just when I was getting sick of feathers, breasts and dancing there were jugglers...and acrobats! Then some audience participation....

The ringmaster (or whatever you call her...mistress??) was picking guys out of the audience for a dancing competition. She got two older guys, then a guy from another contiki...then searching, searching aaannd....finally settles on the man. Up he goes onto the stage, to a huge cheer from our champagne fuelled group, does his dance which was him grabbing his right foot behind his back and putting his left hand on the back of his head and bringing his left elbow and right knee together. His 'fan club' as the ringleader called our group, went crazy! They were chanting the man's name and screaming. It was insane! So he ended up winning the competition. Out came a dancer dressed as a bride (to my horror), then her top came off and they walked off stage together. Then the man comes back out holding a baby doll, and everyone went nuts again. The ringmaster kissed him all over the face (see pic) and asked if he had a girlfriend (and I froze in horror), and then he pointed out where I was sitting and said we were engaged. More laughter and cheering.

You couldn't make this stuff up!

After the show we headed back to the campsite, while others went to a nightclub. A group of us went to the camp bar and bought up big as they were closing soon after we got there. It was a really fun night, and ended up in bed at 3:30am, and had to be up at 6:30..

After breakfast of coco pops we departed for London via Calais...

My notes end here, because I didn't take any in London. I will try to do shorter notes of what we got up to there later on.

It was mad to think it was our last day together, although nice to think we'd be back with George and Bridge soon and that we still had ten days to explore London. The ferry ride back was really quick, as was the trip from Dover to London. It was strange to think we'd shared so much with these people and now we'd never see them again!

- Jen

Switzerland (Lauterbrunnen)

2008-10-02T17:42:00.007+10:00

We got to our campsite sorry..Gasthof and went straight to dinner. Which was awesome! Chicken in cream sauce and potato..bits and salad! Really really good. We haven't been eating all that well at the Contiki places which has annoyed me. I turn into a real mardy bum when I'm hungry or tired and most of the time its been both on this tour. Actually I will add in what was the entree - fondue. Which was REVOLTING. Imagine the stinkiest, most awful cheese you can imagine - melted, with vomit added. Then dip bread in it. That was fondue. I'm pretty sure that's not right. Its cheese, melted - it should be awesome!

After checking out the bomb shelter nightclub (a nightclub in the Gasthofs bomb shelther) I went to bed pretty early. We were sharing a room with one of the other couples who warned us they snored. I was so tired and the thought of another night with no sleep didn't amuse me. Lucky I had investigated ear plugs before we left. Before I went to bed I went and had a shower in what I called 'the swamp' - pretty sure the whole bathroom..with 10 or so showers only had one drain. My ears were so wet the earplugs stuck in really tight and I could not hear a thing. Brilliant!

I was a bit concerned I wouldn't hear my alarm so of course I woke up ages before I had to. The reps at the Gasthof told us that Jungfrau mountain is really expensive and we should go to a supermarket before and get food for the trip. In true Jenu style I was up at 6.30am and walked into Lauterbrunnen.

The first place I got to was a Backerei (bakery) which didn't have much and the supermarket didn't open until 8am, which was no good. On the way back I walked up to a massive waterfall overlooking our Gasthof (did I mention we were in the swiss alps?) I didn't go in because it was dark..and wet and I'm a girl.

Got back for breakfast - cold milk and....HONEY SMACKS!! Or if you preferred a cooked breakfast (instead of two gigantic bowls of HONEY SMACKS!!) you could have toad in the hole. But you'd have HONEY SMACKS anyway because they're awesome.

I had an 'animated discussion' with some misguided kiwis who thought HONEY SMACKS were really called honey puffs - they did have some honey puffs jingle prepared. Then we walked down to the train station and caught the train up Jungfrau mountain.

As the brochure says, Jungfrau mountain is the top of Europe (did I mention we were in the Swiss Alps?) The trip was good, took about 1 and 1/2 hours to get to 3454m or 11333ft for you imperial folk. We went and had a look at an ice palace - which was..well cold. Then went out to the 'plateau' and had a snowball fight until our hands froze. After that we went to check out the sledge dogs (sled dogs..sleigh dogs?) which we were going to have a go on but one was injured so they weren't going. The man and Kara and Paul had a go on a flying fox but I was starting to feel a bit woozy so sat it out and offered to take photos. I got the man as a dot in the sky, got an average shot of Paul and didn't even get Kara in a photo. To be fair I was so dizzy and nauseous I didn't know if I was going to pass out or throw up..or both. I settled for sinking down to my knees in the snow.

We all decided it was a prime time to leave and pretty much slept all the way back down, in between snacking on pringles. I'm sure 3500m is nothing but it sure knocked me around for some reason.

When we got back we walked all over Lauterbrunnen looking for something to eat, which took ten minutes. We settled on beer and chips. The pub had internet for free, well if you bought a drink. The pub we were at was a meet up point for BASE jumpers so while we were looking at all the jumping paraphernalia we debated about what BASE stood for. Well the 'B' and 'S'. Then some random came up and asked us if we were jumpers. I think that was a pretty stupid question considering we didn't even know what the word stood for. Anyway the guy was saying they jump from as low as 35m and as high at 1500m.

After our snack we walked up to the waterfall which I'd been to that morning. The fact waterfalls are wet had not even occurred to me. Waterfalls are wet - remember that.

On the way back to camp we went to the camp shop and tried to spend up our swiss francs. I was desperate to find a red swiss shirt and hadn't found any in town. We found no shirts that interested me but bought the man a case for his army knife, some boxers and a small pair of boxers for me to wear as pyjamas.

We then headed back for dinner, and a surprisingly big night. Dinner was home made burgers which were decent. After dinner we went to the camp shop and stocked up big on beers which were 10 for 8.50 CHF (swiss francs were almost the same as AUD while we were there). Some of our group were heading to the pub but armed with our collection of beer we decided card games might be fun. Except I am just no good at them. I can never remember how to play and so have to re-learn each time which is no fun.

So the man's table was playing 500 while I started up a game of kings cup on the lower class table. Kings cup involves cards...but more drinking than card playing. Every time I play the game its with different people who have different rules. The American girls had some good rules, one was everytime you had to drink you had to first take the imaginary little green man off your cup, place him gently on your lap - drink - then pick up the little green man and gently place him back on the rim of your cup. It was international rules, so no pointing at people (which is actually hard to do), no saying the word 'drink' (consume works just as well though), no using peoples names (hard). Everytime you stuffed up you had to 'consume'. But not before you removed the little green man. This is on top of the actual game.

We moved our game down to the bomb shelter because it was getting a bit rowdy and some of the others had come back from the pub. A few of the site reps had joined in too. Then suddenly I got the last king from the deck - and had to consume the contents of the cup in the middle, which thankfully was only warm beer. Then all of a sudden there was a full on party. Chelsea Dagger came on and everyone was jumping around. Then Mecha had our day song put on and was passing around shots of red bull and something revolting. Which I declined because I was still digesting my warm beer. After I lost the drinking game I stopped drinking but still had fun filling up the empty shot bottles with beer, putting the cap back on and giving it to unsuspecting drunk people who thought I was AWESOME! Only two people picked up that it was beer. Immature - but fun.

I snuck off for a shower and bed and when I woke up only felt slightly seedy - yay! Awesome breakfast of pancakes and HONEY SMACKS then off to Paris!

- Jen

En-route to Lauterbrunnen

2008-09-29T19:01:00.002+10:00

We stopped off at Lucerne on the way to Lauterbrunnen (we're in Switzerland now guys..try and keep up yeah?) As usual we got taken to a purveyor of fine goods - this time Harry's Swiss Watch shop where we finally spent some cash and bought the man a Swiss watch and army knife. Then we went to see the Lion Monument which was pretty cool. The monument was erected in reference to the French Revolution and shows a sad looking lion on a French and a Swiss guard shield and the lion has been stabbed in the back. The story goes that at the time of the French revolution the Swiss guards were guarding King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette and when they realised they were being invaded they fled to their summer palace and 'forgot' to tell the guards. So when the revolutionaries stormed the palace the Swiss guards protected it with their lives and about 600 of them were slaughtered (my notes said 80..wikipedia said 600). The monument obviously represents the french 'stabbing the Swiss in the back'. The Swiss gates in Paris represent the same thing.

After the lion we went to a Swiss chocolate shop to keep me quiet. It worked. Yum!

- Jen

Florence - Oh please god not another Autogrill

2008-09-29T15:45:00.004+10:00

We stopped off at another autogrill and I swear I can't eat anymore of this terrible food. White bread is awful! So I had a chocolate bar and a slightly above average (for Europe) coffee. We arrived in Florence and went to a leather and jewellery place, called Leonardo's where they taught us how to spot fake leather. The guys said dodgy leather guys will tell you things like real leather is fire proof and then wave a cigarette lighter over it. Then he pointed out (in his thick Italian accent) that cows aren't fire proof. Good one Italian guy.

There was some nice jewellery but a little out of our price range and also not a priority. Some of the others got some nice stuff though. Then it was free time until a walking tour later in the arvo. We ended up going to see the statue of David. Well the boys did. We lined up for ages and then Kara and I ducked off to the toilet and when we came back the queue had moved and the guys got an audience with Dave and we missed out. I was a bit cheesed off because they said it was really good. But it was €10 each anyway. We missed the walking tour because of David. But walked around with Geoff and saw all the same stuff anyway AND we got gelato. We met up with the rest of our tour after and went back to the campsite.

There was really big cabins which is good for couples. The man is really sick at the moment but we had our big tuscan dinner on which we'd already paid for. The place we were staying at had a pool so we had a dip (alright, the man had a dip and I stuck a toe in). Then the man went and had a nap while I had some large cheap Peroni beers with Geoff and the others as he was entertaining on his verandah. The Peroni longnecks were only €3.50! We headed off for our tuscan dinner which was average and not worth the €27.50 a head we paid. It was antipasto, pasta, chicken dishes and a dessert I couldn't fit in.

After dinner we went to the 'red garter' an American bar. But the man looked truly awful, I felt so bad for him being so sick. Meanwhile the others had ordered a 'tower of beer' - 3.5 Litres of Heineken. After Peroni, Heineken tastes like wee, so I wasn't much help drinking it. Actually Heineken tastes average most of the time anyway. Back to the campsite we went and there was another rendition of 'living on a prayer', then the man staggered off to bed. I went and had a beer and played some pool with the others.

Up early the next morning for a semi average breakfast. There was cold milk (yay!) but plastic cutlery. I give up. Off to Switzerland now.

- Jen

Day R for Rome

2008-09-17T23:53:00.024+10:00

Caught bus to urban train station, then switched at Valle Aurelia, changed at Termini and then got off at Colosseo. Had our imperial walking tour, saw the colesseum and the forum which was fantastic. Met up with rest of the group and caught metro to The Vatican. Was starting to get a teensy bit peckish. Got into Vatican with no queue, walked through the museum with sistine chapel at the end. I thought every room was the sistine chapel, the ceilings were amazing. On..and on it went. Getting very hungry by now. Finally we got to the chapel and I think we were all amazed out. Just didn't have time to appreciate it all fully. Mecha had worded us up about a 'group entrance' into St Peters so you don't have to line up to get in. We bunched together (7 makes a group surely!) and snuck past the guards who had busted a guy tagging onto a tour group. Even though we were all famished St Peters was worth it. Saw all the dead popes including Pope John Paul II. He has a much bigger space than the others and there was a girl kneeling down and praying at his tomb.

We left in search of food (after 3pm by now) and went right off the square and found a little place. The man and I were hanging out to try some decent pasta. The cranky fat Italian lady shouted at us 'PIZZA! PASTA!' so we all shouted back 'PASTA!' Poor Geoff is a vegie and didn't know what he'd get. We tried to order dishes individally but ended up with two trays, one ravioli and one spag. Everything was covered in parmesan, but I was too hungry to care. The man was quite distressed about the small amount of food and large amount of bread. Free bread right!

We waited for the bill. They'd charged us what we'd asked for, individual plates just not what they'd given us. Then they'd also charged us €7 for BREAD they put on the table after we arrived. Geoff and I were of the opinion we would pay for what we thought was right and not give these Italian pirates anymore than we had to. However the rest of the party went for sucking it up and paying. Although Geoff ended up taking the rest of the loaf with him and we didn't tip. Paying for the most expensive bread in the world that we didn't ask for is enough of a tip!

We finally found an ATM that would give us cash (had tried 5 the day before which were all empty). Headed towards a metro station and got gelato on the way (yay for gelato!), figured out our trains, did all the switcheroos then hopped on the train for our campsite. Except the train didn't stop until three stations past ours. In the middle of nowhere! There were haybales!

All we could do was laugh. What a day! Hopped back on a train going the opposite way and after a few nailbiting moments celebrated getting lost-ish and finding our way back. Dinner was alright and then we went and had a few quiet drinks. I hung out with the girls and straightened my hair for the group photo the next day. In the morning - warm cornflakes then off to Florence.

- Jen

Road to Rome (content may shock parents)

2008-09-17T23:53:00.020+10:00

As I said at the end of my last post we were on the road to Rome. The man and I and Kara and Paul were in the front seats of the bus. I think I'd just put my notebook down (no I don't just remember all this stuff in my head) and along with the man was watching the road in front as we were getting close to Rome. Rocket, our driver is fantastic, very confident etc. He usually gets quite close to cars, then zips around them. So this time I figured the same thing was happening, his indicator was on - ready to zip. Except 18 tonnes of us kept getting closer..and closer..and closer to this little fiat punto until everyone shouted (SHIT!). Well not me. I said poo.

Rocket braked and we 'gently nudged' them..and their back windscreen exploded. At first it looked like the car was going to hit the divider but the driver corrected luckily. We both pulled off the road. Adrenalin like you would not believe! Everyone (except Rocket) was very shaky. He got off, cool as a cucumber - except for the fact he'd finished his first cigarette by the time he got to their car. The couple were fine, an old man and lady. They were both out of the car and walking around - pretty much doing starjumps. Then we had to wait an hour and a half for the police and ambos because all of the sudden the lady decided she was a paraplegic.

Sorry..she might have been really hurt but the injury happened after they realised a bus full of tourists hit them. We ended up switching coaches down the road and made it into Rome with only 2 hours before we were getting picked up again. Bit disappointing but oh well.

Quickly saw the Cappuchin Monks, Trevi Fountain (which was amazing), Pantheon and Piazza Di Nova and then quickly off to find some dinner. Fluked another amazing pizza place and again got an awesome meal. To quote the man 'everything has so much flavour'. Met up with the rest of the tour and Rocket and our poor bus which was a bit dented. Headed back to campsite expecting terrible things because Rome is supposed to be the worst contiki place. It was pretty good! Wood cabins for two, pizza restaurant, cheap bar / supermarket and internet. Oh and they do laundry for cheap too! Yes - they do it for you!!

Had a few quiet ones then bed. Got up for warm milk and cornflakes and unripe nectarine.

Continued next post

- Jen

V - for Venice (part due)

2008-09-17T23:53:00.016+10:00

Satisfied after our lunch we headed back to S.Marco (following the brilliant signs again). Lined up to get into St Marks Basilica for only about 10 minutes which was great. Pretty amazing place with all mosaic tiles. Couldn't go too far in, for each separate area you had to pay extra. Paul and I went up the Campanile (bell tower) while the man, Kara and Geoff waited at the bottom. Took a squillion photos but it was so crowded up there. One thing I've started to notice is how pushy people are. Even some people on our tour. After we got down we found some of our group under attack by pigeons at the bottom, and every time they sat down the Polizei came and moved them on. Paul and I went in search of ice creams (we missed out while we were up the campanile) and found Les and Tylie instead. So we went off hunting champers for the gondola ride. Found some but decided we'd actually buy it closer to the time. The man had asked me to get him a drink and I had so much trouble finding somewhere that would serve me. One place just ignored me. Ran into the rest of our group who were frantically looking for alcohol for the ride. We stupidly told them about our goldmine and when we got back of course the place was packed. Eventually got everything, minus the ice cream. Headed off to our gondola ride. The stupid guy at the bar had said we didn't need a corkscrew for our drink and of course we did. So we were frantically trying to both get on the boat and get one of the guys in our group to open it. Just in time. Our g-man was a real smooth operator. Very good looking and so smooth he talked us into tipping him to sing. The ride went for about 30 minutes which was quite good. Meanwhile on another gondola a couple in our group got engaged!

We caught the scarfie back which was packed with belligerent poms - very pushy people. Poms don't include the Welsh of course (phew..covered myself there).

I felt like throwing them all in the canal. Back to camp for some stinky parmesan covered spag bol for tea. Oh - the man is finally sick. The bug must have turned into some super mega strain of flu just for him.

On way to Rome now!

- Jen

Day V - For Venice

2008-09-17T23:53:00.012+10:00

Campsite was average, if you were camping though it would be pretty flash so we didn't mind it too much. Internet at the 'bargain' price of €4 for 15 minutes and washing at €4 for a wash and €4 euro for dry. So you will have to excuse the update lag as I have been expressly forbidden going near the internet here. We did have to get another mortgage on our house to do some washing though. I had to get up at 6am, put on the washing, have a shower, put the washing on to dry, go and to dishy duty and then the man collected the washing on his way to brecky. What a team.

After brecky we hopped on a 'scarfie' and got ferried over to the city centre. It was funny how the water in Venice is just like a road, there are even power lines! We walked to St Marks Basilica, past the Bridge of Sighs (which was covered in advertising). Don't ask me what the advertising was for, I couldn't remember. Obviously not very effective.

After a quick look around San Marco we went and had a look at same glass being blown. Or as Mecha said 'lets go see a guy blow a horse'. After the glass making we had a few minutes so we went in search of some decent coffee. I ordered a cup from a place down some side alley which came out the colour of mud and so strong I couldn't finish it. Yay for coffee though.

Then we went to a venetian lace place and as much as I wanted to buy my Mum and Nan some nice things, we still had that mortgage from doing our clothes washing earlier. I did send you a postcard remember! As we'd been walking around I'd been comparing food prices. About €12 - €25 for pasta and between €8 and €16 for pizza. After the lace we were on our own but followed Mecha to a cheap sunglasses place. Well cheap designer sunglasses. Even minus tax cheap designer sunglasses are still designer sunglasses. I just want to be able to walk around Europe without squinting or looking like a bug (which is how I usually look in sunglasses).

We set off in a group of about 10 to the Rialto Bridge which was super easy to find even though Venice is all canals and alleys. You just have to search for the signs, either spray painted or scratched or even an actual sign pointing to your destination. Found the bridge then some awesome markets where we actually bought stuff! T-shirt for me, some paintings and some awesome fruit cups for €1.50. We were trying to save the cups for our gondala ride in the afternoon but they kept breaking (damn!). Started to get peckish so we headed down deep dark alleys away from people, I was guessing we'd either get pizza or pickpocketed. Yay for alliteration. On and on we went in search of the perfect pizza when we arrived on the door step of a little place called 'Bora Bora'. The waiters were funny, to start with they pretended they were closed. Very funny - ha ha. But I knew we'd struck gold when we had trouble getting a table because it was filled with italians and their families. Out came our pizzas, thin crust with just a hint of topping. I think mine was tomato and anchovies while the man's no doubt had prosciuttio somewhere. €43 for 4 people to eat including drinks and the service charge. Not too shabby! Service was unreal. Yes we tipped too.

Continued next post

- Jen

'Venus' via Sirmione

2008-09-17T23:53:00.008+10:00

The trip to Venice (or Venus as I accidentally called it), was so, so long. About 4 hours without a break. We stopped in Italy at Sirmione for an hour on Lake Garda where I had some (alright - a lot) of rocher and nutella gelato. The man stuck to coke as he is an undiagnosed lactard.

Going to the toilet was an 'interesting' experience. They say on Contiki that things are not wrong, just different. Just a heads up Contiki, unexpected squat toilets are wrong.

Kara was right behind me but I had two litres of water inside of me and my bladder really didn't care too much what the toilet looked like. So it was off with my pants entirely and time to put those gym squats into practice. Italians must have awesome thigh muscles. On the plus side the toilet was free. Mecha reckons he spends $3k a year on going to the toilet!

Then back on the bus to Venice.

- Jen

White water rafting – In the Austrian Tyrol (M rated)

2008-09-17T23:53:00.003+10:00

- Language warning: If you are offended by bad language don’t read on

We pulled up in a parking lot not too far away from Hoffy and all those rafting collected boots, wetsuit, life jacket and you will be pleased to know Mum, a helmet. We got our boats and guides – and helpfully, oars. Our guide was the Bernard Black of white water rafting, except from Cornwall not Ireland. ‘If you want a shite ride this is the boat’. The rapids were good but only a grade 2 out of 6, the whole thing was a lot tamer than I was expecting so I actually enjoyed it a lot more than I though I would. We did some jumping out of the boat into the glacial water. The first bit where we got in, the water was Tawonga-esque, freezing but you’d get over it. The next spot where I did a ‘salmon jump’ into the water was so cold I couldn’t breathe. Another river joins onto the one we were in just before I jumped in and that one is much closer to the glaciers. Colder than Rocky Valley for sure. The funniest bit was when we stole almost all the paddles from another raft and Geoff (who was in our raft), put on a pirate accent and yelled out ‘arrrgh now yer fucked’. Hilarious.

I did warn you about the language remember.

After we got back we had a quick bite to eat – frozen pizza which was a lot less average than most of our breakfasts but our breakfasts weren’t €4.90.

Now we are travelling through Italy on our way to Venice.

- Jen (photos of me in a helmet and wetsuit to come I'm sure).

Day H for Hopfgarten

2008-09-17T23:53:00.001+10:00

Hopfgarten in the Austrian Tyrol is possibly the most beautiful place on earth. Words and photos will never ever come close to describing this place. Mountains and streams all over the place, and rolling bright green hills. Grass – what is that??

We arrived in Hopfgarten (Hoffy) at 10:30am and geared up for our 14 km bike mountain bike ride.

We got our bikes, which looked like the Rolls Royce of bikes compared to our ‘Subway Specials’ at home. The mountain bike ride was awesome through valleys that apparently look like the hills in the Sound of Music (which I haven’t seen), just unbelievable. We had a delicious BBQ lunch out on the terrace at a mountain lodge. Baked potatoes and sour cream and sausages, mustard and sauerkraut!!!! Oh and homemade chocolate cake!

After we rode back (luckily downhill after lunch), the man went paragliding (or parragliding as Mecha misspelt it). While he was away jumping off mountains I had the bike to myself for the rest of the afternoon so I went and had some JenTime™ and explored the rest of the town. I kept stopping every five seconds to take a photo, like I said photographs (especially those taken by me) will never do justice to how beautiful it was. Bought a postcard and went and had a coffee to sit down and write it. You can’t sit down at a table with pen and paper and no coffee. I tried to ask for skim milk and got a glass of water (some kind of language barrier there). Then I watched her make the coffee, she put my cup under a spout and pressed ‘cappuccino’.

After writing my postcard and sipping my undrinkable coffee I rode out almost to where we had lunch again (more photos).

Headed back to camp and caught up with Mr Adrenaline himself and Mr Anti-Adrenaline (Geoff). The man was pumped from paragliding and asked his instructor to make it as scary as possible whereas Geoff asked for the floaty smooth ride. Geoff was still pale and trembling slightly.

Dinner-time and the man was a dishy which meant he had to serve the food. Roast Lamb!!! Such a huge serve with roast potatoes and vegies and gravy!! Best meal so far! Average fruit salad for dessert but I was still on a high from eating meat.

Then the man and I went to bed. There was a party on but I think a lot of our group crashed out early.

Woke up, awesome brecky – about four types of cereal and cold milk. For the cooked breakfast types there was bacon (bacooonn!) and eggs. Then packed up and left for white water rafting and Venice!

- Jen

Munich - Prost!

2008-09-08T15:29:00.003+10:00

We arrived in Munich about 2:30 and had a couple of hours to look around the city centre. Saw Frauenkirche which is a really interesting church. The story is that the builder made a deal with the devil that he would help him finish the church but it wasn't allowed to have any windows. So the builder finished the church but built it so when you stood from a certain point, pillars blocked the windows. Of course the devil is not that stupid and when he was doing final inspection noticed the windows and stamped his foot in the ground.

So the devils footprint is still in the floor and you can go and take an interesting photo (will upload when I get home). The man's foot fit perfectly of course, room for claws and all.

Then we went and looked at Peterskirche which was another church (yep another one), this one with mummified priests.

After that we picked up some postcards and went and watched the Glockenspiel go off. By then we were hot and tired and a seemingly endless dancing clock didn't do a lot for us. Headed back to hostel. The couples had finally figured out that if all the girls signed up for one room and all the boys for another, then we could pull a switcheroo and share two couples to a room. Don't ask why we didn't think of that three days ago. I'm not the scientist.

So Kara, Paul and the man and I shared a room. We showered (separately) in record time and then hopped on the bus for our beer hall night. Off we went for our pork knuckles and 1L steins of beer. PROST! One lederhosen wearing girl carried about 10 of those steins (more probably I'm being conservative). Later I managed three and impressed everyone thats how heavy they are. Alright..I impressed some of the girls.

Every second song the band played we had to stand (did I mention there was an oompa band?) and prost and sway and sing loudly and then PROST! everyone within arms reach. Or not within arms reach.

Prost! is like cheers. It was also Leslie's birthday (one of the guys in a couple) and things were starting to get messy right around stein #2. We were only at the place for 2 hours and 45 minutes and we drank 2 litres of beer each. Back on the bus everyone was in very high spirits. There was a lot of dancing (yes, on the bus) and Les provided everyone with a very lively rendition of 'living on a prayer'. There was a nightclub in the basement of our hostel which I checked out quickly and then headed to bed. The man and Paul stayed out a bit later though.

Awesome night!! PROSTACULAR!

However when we woke up the next morning we all got on the bus ready to go and Mecha pulled some of the girls in one room up for a missing key. So they got hauled off the bus. Then he asks room 349 to get off as well. Which was our room. Except it should have been full of girls. So four girls and two guys get off. I thought maybe we weren't allowed to switch rooms or something. Paul and the man were off the bus first and Mecha goes 'nah this was a girls room' and Paul pipes up 'nah mate this was our room'. The man looks at him meaningfully and goes 'oh yeah this WASN'T our room', and Paul goes 'what, bro it WAS our room' and then catches on. Funny stuff. Turns out they said we were missing a towel. So Mecha asks if any of us had stolen a towel or if maybe it was in our packs under the coach. Two of the girls had't even slept in that room! Kara was confident that the towels were definitely in the room so we go in, march upstairs collect all FOUR towels and come back down and pretty much throw them at the wanker on reception. I thanked him for holding us up (the whole bus was waiting on us). Definitely 'dick of the day'.

Next up - Hopfgarten!

- Jen

Dachau

2008-09-08T15:13:00.002+10:00

We were doing so well for time on the way to Munich that they found time to take us to Dachau concentration camp. Even as we were walking in everyone was silent. The entrance gate has the words 'Arbeit macht frei' or 'work will set you free'. Dachau was the first concentration camp opened in Germany after Adolf Hitler was appointed reich chancellor in 1933.

Dachau was a model concentration camp and served as a 'school of violence' for the SS. On April 29 1945 American troops liberated the remaining prisoners.

We only had an hour there and the man and I went left at the gates and ended up at churches that have been set up there since the camp closed. If we had of gone right we would have ended up at the death chambers. The chambers at Dachau weren't actually used but from the photos other people took it is still a creepy place and they did have executions there.

The size of the place was incredible. There were 20 barracks built to house 250 people but when the Americans liberated the camp there were about 1600 people crammed in each one.

We had time to quickly go through the museum but not enough time to absorb too much. I actually though the holocaust memorial in Berlin was worse. They had letters there from mothers to their children that they wrote on their way to Auschwitz.

Even so it looked like a few people were teary getting back on the bus. Now on way to Munich.

- Jen

Day [ ] - Red eyes, blue gaze

2008-09-05T02:39:00.005+10:00

Prague to Munich.

Everyone is sick. Well everyone except the man. Obviously his body is so unhealthy even germs are frightened away. Contiki cough as they call it, is rampant. Kara is so sick she might even go to hospital when we get to Munich. I am almost through a large box of cold and flu tablets and just going to town on those. I also still have a large box of nurofen left. We haven't even been partying that much yet. A lot of the group went into Prague last night to a five storey nightclub. Its funny seeing the group splitting into party people, culture vultures and a mix of the two. Oh and the shoppers. The party people will party at any cost - even if they have to sleep during the day and miss seeing everything. The shoppers are the same, but they visit the shopping strips. We don't have too many culture vultures actually. The man and I fall somewhere in between culture vultures and party people. Which is the majority really.

Coming up next..a stop off at Dachau. Its dinner time and I only have 9 minutes left on the internet before the man comes and yanks me out of here by the ear.

- Jen

** Also...very average breakfast in Prague. Cornflakes with warm milk.

Day??? Czeching out Prague...

2008-09-03T06:14:00.004+10:00

By now you know I'm not that smrt. Hehe. Anyway you may have noticed I can't count. I don't know what day Berlin was but I don't think it was day 5. Meh.

So we're in Prague. We arrived late afternoon and went up to Hradčany or Prague Castle (that's CARstle) which was amazing. It rained a little while we were there just enough for me to pull out my raincoat and then take it off again. Pretty muggy here.

Speaking of muggy, there are so many warnings about pickpockets around here we walked around all watching each other and side stepping everyone. After the castle we walked down through old town and had dinner in a side street NOT on the main square. And we still got ripped off. After our nice meal, beers and shared plate of deep fried cheese (god I hope my trainer isn't reading this) we got the bill and they slugged us an extra 300 czech doubloons or whatever the heck they are - for sitting outside. Oh and everyone got ripped off exchanging money too.

Then we went back to the bus and out to the hostel - again split rooms but the girls I'm in with now are pretty quiet. Today was a completely free day for us because we were meeting up with my grandparents for lunch and not doing the optional cruise. So we slept in a bit and then caught the metro into the centre of Prague. What an experience! Nothing in English, well hardly anything. Very cool. Had breakfast at what I'm sure is the Czech version of Gloria Jeans. Had a pecan danish and a not too bad coffee. Yeah - danish for breakfast. Just walked around until lunch, up to the pendulum on the hill. There used to be a statue of Stalin up there but they took it down...for some reason. Then we met up with the grandparents and they shouted us a really nice lunch. It was really good to see them, and funny that its easier to meet up in Prague than Australia.

We caught the metro back to our hostel and had a pizza and..more beer for dinner. Now I'm about to go to bed because tomorrow we head off to Munich - for more beer. Apparently if we have enough time on the way we're stopping off at a concentration camp. Sounds like if we're well behaved they will take us there as a special treat.

- Jen

Day 5 - Berlin

2008-09-03T05:10:00.002+10:00

The trip was fairly un-eventful. We arrived in Berlin about 5pm and went to the holocaust memorial (memorial to the murdered jews of europe) which was pretty amazing. The man and I also had a quick look through the Tiergarten which is a huge garden that used to be the hunting grounds of nobility in Berlin. We also walked around the Brandenburg gate a bit too. We got to the hostel and they split boys and girls up - not cool. I think I might have known that was going to happen, but one couple didn't know and they weren't too happy. I was a bit bummed about it. Anyway after we got settled in we went down for dinner. Super very average. I ate two bites and then went and had a shower and chilled out a bit. By then I was pretty cranky. After my shower I headed up to the bar and it was pretty cool, 7th storey rooftop bar and nice weather. I wasn't in a drinking mood so had one and then did some washing and headed to bed early-ish. Everyone else was at the bar planning to have a few quiet ones but it turned into a huge night. The man and Paul were out until 3am until the bar shut.

After a very average breakfast we headed out to meet our tour guide, Jeff for our walking tour of Berlin. I was really looking forward to it and I wasn't disappointed. We met at the Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels forum and he gave us a quick overview of Berlin's history. First he showed us the old palace of the republic which was destroyed when the Communists came into power and rebuilt as a people's palace. It has now been destroyed again and when rebuilt will have the same facade as the original palace. We then headed over to 'museum island' which funnily enough is an island full of museums. The man was drooling just a little bit. We then walked down Unter Den Linden and saw Humboldt University, State Opera House and the site of the Nazi book burnings. There is a glassed underground exhibit visible from the ground with empty bookcases that hold 20,000 books - the number that were burned. We then walked pst the US, UK, Russian and French embassies and around the Brandenburg gate again and took photos of the Reichstag. We had a morning tea break and bought pretzels and my first decent coffee since I left Melbourne - both of which were awesome. We saw some more of the Berlin wall and the Nazi air ministry. There was a topography of terrors exhibit on the site of the old SS and Gestapo headquarters that we didn't get time to see. Some of the other people on our tour made it there and said it was very graphic and detailed.

Our guide had lots of stories about people going over the wall, one guy got himself and his wife and kid over on a flying fox type thing. We walked over to Hitlers bunker, well the site of Hitlers bunker. There wasn't much there just a patch of dirt and a small sign. Jeff explained that because there are still neo-nazis the Germans don't want to make a song and dance about the bunker as an attraction in case it is treated as a memorial. Then we walked down to Checkpoint Charlie and heard some more stories. Like one guy rented a convertible low enough that it could be driven beneath the guard gates so he sped through in that. Another guy heard about it and though it sounded like a good idea so he went and rented one and did the same thing. Turns out it was exactly the same car. Went through the Checkpoint Charlie museum but it was very average.

Afternoon was free time and I told the man we could go to one museum so we headed off to the Pergamom museum. On the way we stopped at a street market and bought some kind of delicious wurst in a crusty bread roll, proper german food boo-yeah! We both loved it. The museum was good although we were tiring fast. Saw the reconstructed Ishtar gate (one of the gates to the city of Babylon). We didn't get to fully appreciate the museum but it was pretty good anyway.

Weather so far has been brilliant, I was in shorts and t-shirt and for an eskimo like me thats pretty good. We went back to our hostel for a shower before dinner, well I did - the man went to bed for a bit. We met up again (separate rooms remember) and went to find some dinner and bumped into Paul and Kara who joined us. Had a 'furnace potato' with curry chicken which was pretty good. The man had a schnitzel the size of a large plate.

After that we went to our 'eye spy' night. The first part was good we went to the Bernauer Strasse which was the area with the most number of tunnels dug, saw part of the death strip which was especially creepy at night. The actual 'spy' part was very lame. The first bar we went to we got clues to get to the next one. Except the clues were more like instructions. The first bar was a shisha bar - we didn't try it though. We were wrecked after that so left to go back to the hostel and of course got lost. Well semi-lost its a bit hard to get lost in Berlin with the massive tv tower.

Bed, up early to head off to Prague. Another average brecky. Warm milk with very average cereal.

After we left Berlin we went to Dresden for an hour or so which was nice. It was really beautiful but we didn't have time to look around too much. We went and got another wurst for lunch but not as good as the one we had in Berlin. I seem to have gotten over my fear of white bread - temporarily at least anyway. Followed it off with an ice-cream from possibly the rudest guy in Germany.

In Prague now.

- Jen

Day 4 - Amsterdam via White Cliffs of Dover, Calais and Belgium

2008-08-31T05:59:00.005+10:00

Left this morning from the Royal National Hotel at 6.45am. George kindly dropped us off. Our tour manager Meche (Mecca) gave us our intro talk on the way to Dover. Saw the white cliffs of Dover on the ferry to Calais. Met some American girls who are on our tour, they are from Sacramento. I heard a girl behind me on the bus mention Albury and it turns out we went to the same high school and she graduated the year after me.

Got to Amsterdam and checked into our dingy looking hotel. For the man and I it was actually pretty decent, big enough room, nice comfy double bed, plasma tv and an ensuite. Apparently everyone else's rooms were very average*. We didn't even know until we were raving about how surprisingly good our room was. After dinner at the hotel (also average) we headed out into town. Meche explained the difference between coffee shops and regular cafes. For those who don't know, in Amsterdam coffee shops sell special cakes.

We stopped off at the Grasshopper - a coffee shop and went in and had a look. The smell of pot was very strong. But unfamiliar to me. Some people bought some joints and cakes and stuff but you had to smoke them at the place. Then went for a walk through the red light district which was interesting to say the least. After that we went to a bar but I was wrecked, I could hardly keep my eyes open so when Meche and Rocket (our driver) said they were heading back we went too (along with most of the group). We caught a tram back and it was a terrifying trip, about double the speed of our trams and they don't slow down - they just stop.

Our comfy bed was great! Got up had average breckie and headed out to Edam for our relaxing bike ride around the canals. The bikes were crazy as was our hilarious dutch guide Claudia. She called the bikes granny bikes because of the massive handlebars. The bikes were back pedal brakes and she told us about some groups ending up in the canal. I could see that happening what with 40 people on these bikes and cars all over the place. After the ride we drove down to a cheese and clogs place where they had a demonstration about how gouda cheese and clogs were made. Bought some awesome cheese.

After we came back we were dropped off for a free afternoon in Amsterdam. We went and checked out Anne Frank's house which was cool to see. Lots of steep staircases. There was a long queue to get in and we got talking to Taryn from Albs and Erin & Mel who have all moved over to the UK and are doing this tour before settling down to find work in London. We were commenting on the number of crazy dutch people on bikes when a big bearded guy on a bike came roaring up singing at the top of his lungs in dutch. When he got to the queue everyone scattered and was trying to move out of his way but there were too many people so mid-song he screamed 'SHIT' and hit the brakes. He pedalled off singing again while everyone else just cacked themselves. Funny stuff.

After Anne Frank we messaged the man's friend Muz who was in Amsterdam at the moment as well. We knew that because he'd called us a few days before in a rather giggly state. So we met up with him which was great - its awesome seeing a familiar face! We went and had a beer and some chips and mayonnaise which is a choice food in Amsterdam. See that 'choice' - we have been hanging out with too many New Zealanders. Everything is 'choice' and 'hey'..and if they are making fun of themselves -'cuz'. Muz took us for a walk around to find another drinking spot. Basically you pick a laneway and end up in a pub. He took us through a museum on the way and also a little courtyard thing with all these little picture blocks that used to be used like an address to identify a house. They were pretty cool. Also amazing are the way houses lean! Some forward and back and sideways.

We ended up sinking witbiers in a square, good beer. By the time we looked at our watch we realised we had 12 minutes to get to the boat for our canal cruise - on the other side of the CBD. In a mad panic we left at a quick walk, power walk, slow trot, run and then sprint. We left Muz for the last part of our sprint. We arrived to see everyone sitting around and not even Meche had arrived yet. It took me a long time to get my breath back. The cruise was really good and we started hanging out with Kara and Paul from NZ. After we went to the Chinese Sea Palace for a banquet dinner which was pretty good. Or the Chin Sea Palace as the sign says. Its a floating Chinese style palace. After dinner we went to a bar with other tour groups. A weird bar where the bartenders didn't know how to make nice shots. The man bought sambuca shots. Bad the man! We then walked around the city for about two hours before getting a taxi back to the hotel.

The driver said he knew where our hotel was which was good, but then five minutes later he goes 'we go to Rotterdam yes' and we all shouted 'NO!' we freaked out and then the guy literally cackled and Paul worked out he was taking the piss. While we were stopped traffic I glanced down the road to see a very white male arse next to a taxi a bit further up the road. We were giggling at that until the guy turned around and we all stopped and go '...is that...is that Meche'. The guy then took off down the street and then came back after the run. When he got back to the taxi the man got out and yelled 'MECHE....MECHE!!!!' - who then froze like a deer in the headlights. His taxi took off and our driver started chasing it! He only just beat us back to the hotel where we gave him heaps.

Went to bed, woke up. Had very average brecky then jumped on the bus to Berlin. Meche got 'dick of the day' for his nudie run. People can nominate you for saying or doing stupid things. Means you have to wear a jesters hat all day. On another tour a girl got DOD because she didn't know Mozart was dead. Everyone thought that was hilarious. Then I heard a girl on our bus go 'oh is he!' Far out.

- Jen

* Very average in my posts means really..REALLY bad.

Day 3 - The Catch Up

2008-08-29T14:58:00.002+10:00

Okay, so we were going to go to the Tower of London but after our breakfast we felt too exhausted so we decided just to spend the day chilling out with Bridge and Rell. Unfortuantely Bridge was too sick to go to work. So we went back and put a movie on (flushed away if you are interested) and then instantly Rell, the man and I all passed out.

I woke up to Bridge doing some very stealthy commando rolls on and off the air mattress so she wouldn't wake Rell up. While Bridge was reading our Contiki docs she kindly pointed out that we actually had to be there that night for a pre-departure meeting. George-ous came home from work early so he and Bridge could go and buy a new air mattress as their one had a bad habit of 'dis-inflating'. The man tagged along leaving Rell and I to have a D&M and a catch up.

After George came back he kindly drove us in for our meeting, it was pretty cool seeing even more of London, we saw Australia House etc. After we got back Bridge and Rell had cooked a three course meal for us which was awesome. Bed early ready for Contiki the next day....

- Jen

Day 2 - 'We are all worms, but I do believe I am a glow worm'

2008-08-27T18:47:00.002+10:00

This morning we got up, in London. We walked down to Sainsburys past Clapham Common and bought some fruit. Awesome fruit! Australia is missing out on good fruit! I had a peach which was the nicest peach I've ever had. Blueberries are ₤1!!

The man being such a nice guy asked the checkout girl how she was going and she said 'not good, I have a boil under my arm'. A lovely first encounter with an English person.

We caught a double decker into Trafalgar Square and walked around for a bit, saw the changing of the horse guards. Then we wandered down to Buckingham Palace but it was a bit crowded and not all that interesting. We walked (lots of walking..) back through Parliament and went to the war cabinets and Churchhill Museum which was really interesting (hence the title of this post).

The war rooms have been left exactly as they were the day the war ended and are reinforced with 6ft thick steel and concrete. Really cool.

After that we were starving, actually I was wobbling I was so hungry and we stumbled across a van that sells pancakes which you hold in a styrofoam cone. They were unreal! We walked over to the London Eye and had a look, then crossed back over the river and walked down...back to the pancakes.

We decided to go and find Gordon Brown but didn't realise you can't actually walk down Downing Street, there were a few too many police officers with machine guns for us.

After that we headed back and ended up spending the night at the pub where we had some nice english food. I had a steak pie and mash which was really nice. Lots of nice beers too!! We asked George and Bridget if they would be in our bridal party which made them really happy - well there was a few tears from George...

The most amazing thing happened while we were having tea. Rell our friend who is also overseas rang Bridge and said she had just flown into Heathrow and ended up coming over. So we asked her and Ben if they would be in the bridal party too! So everyone is now very excited about the wedding...

Right now we are in a cafe having bacon and eggs, and beans and then the man and I are off to the Tower of London.

Until later

- Jen

Day 1 - Stuck in Bangkok with the Suduko King

2008-08-25T11:14:00.004+10:00

So here we are. Overseas finally. You know whats great about overseas??...They have the internets!

We are in Bangkok for 6 hours, and we still have a good four of them left. But 300 baht buys you an hour on the internet. I don't know if that is a lot of money or not and frankly I don't really care. While I blog, the man is looking up The Age online, or pretending to. He is probably googling how to be a Suduko Sorcerer. Just before he did a whole suduko in about ten minutes. It was an incredibly long ten minutes because while he was doing it I had to listen to an arab guy snore on the seat next to me and it was driving me nuts.

Next stop is London and we arrive at six pm tonight (25/8).

I had this trip all planned out in my head to be a short trip. See we left at 11:30 pm last night (24/8) and were due to arrive in Bangkok at 6am. In Jen's head thats pretty much just six hours. Then we were going to chill here in the airport for six hours, then fly out from here at midday arriving at Heathrow at six pm. Just chunks of tiny six hour trips.

Since then the hostess on our flight kindly pointed that our trip from Melbourne to Bangkok was actually nine hours long. That was when I twigged that this wasn't looking so good. But it gets worse. Our trip from here to London is actually TWELVE hours long. TWELVE. HOURS. LONG.

Not six. I blame it on my poor maths skills and my powerful ability to block out anything that might make me less excited about this trip.

The food on the plane was average. Luckily we had dinner before we left because the main on our flight was fish balls. Literally BALLS of fish. But they were sitting in a very nice green curry which I had a poke at. Breakfast was inedible. A cheese omelette for the man with a extremely dodgy looking chicken snag. It looked like grey and yellow goo. I ordered the noodles which were also extremely unappetising. So we ate two grapes and some warm melon.

One other funny thing that happened was the man and I watching the 'olympians' walking around the airport. They were dressed in blue and white tracksuit outfits with numbers on the back so we figured they must be on their way home from Beijing. Until I went to the toilet and number 793 was going through the bin in the bathrooom. Cleaners...

That's about it for now. We're going to go and investigate the coffee situation here, there is a black canyon coffee around which wasn't too bad last time I was here.

Until next time I make it on here..

- Jen

Testing

2008-08-23T18:41:00.001+10:00

Testing - linked to facebook

Tell me the story of how you ended up here - SOTM July 2008

2008-07-05T15:07:00.002+10:00

Yes you do get a song of the month for July. No, we still don't have the internet yet.

But anyway the song is 'Hospital Beds' by the Cold War Kids. And yes, Jase put me onto it about a hundred years ago but I only recently decided I like it. Maybe some music sounds better when you can play it as loud as you like and also use our new mac airport express gadget (courtesy of Angus).

The clip is here, look out for the bit in the middle, it reminds me of 'I got soul but I'm not a soldier' in the killers 'all these things I've done'.

- Jen

It's soon to be invitation only...

2008-06-01T00:03:00.003+10:00

I know, I know - its been awhile. We still do not have the internet - and I have no idea when we will get it again. Or a phone line for that matter. Telstra are causing all kind of problems.

But as a new security measure I've decided that jentopia will soon be invitation only. I've inadvertently sent out a few invites already because - in true Jentopia style I changed the blog to invitation only - then forgot to blog about it before hand.

I'm more than happy to add anyone to the list at any time. My email address is jen_unsworth@hotmail.com. The invitation only thing will start in a few weeks.

Oh! And a big thanks to Tony for taking on the task of song of the month - for last month (12.09 AM).

Also - if I change it to invitation only - what do people who try to access my blog see? I'd like to be able to put a thing up about requesting access - just don't know if Blogger supports that.

-Jen

Please hold, this blog will be updated by the next available operator

2008-04-22T21:37:00.002+10:00

Its Tuesday here and eight days until we have to be completely out of this place, and eight days until we can move into the new place.

Still hoping for early access to the new place, otherwise we will be double moving (putting our stuff in storage until we can move in). Where we will go while we're in limbo we're not sure.

I will be internetless for awhile, maybe a few weeks depending on how kind Exetel want to be.

- Jen

When he hears the firebell chime...

2008-04-20T12:06:00.004+10:00

After Daniel's post the other day about old ad's on youtube I started exploring what other old things might be on there.

Plenty of fireman sam, postman pat, the raggy dolls, noddy and thomas the tank engine. Although re-watching fireman sam I'm not so sure he IS the hero next door.

For starters, just watching the intro:

- He gets up at 8:50am. What kind of bludger does that?
- Then he does a dangerous stair slide - obviously one that helps him get ready in 'seven seconds flat'. My question is why Sam (being a firefighter) hasn't just put in a pole?
- Then we see him checking himself out in the mirror.
- Apparently he's always on the scene, but then we see him lounging against his truck reading the paper
- Then he steals the paperboys skateboard
- Then the italian lady brings his lunch to him in his firetruck - something he could have gone and gotten himself if he wasn't so busy looking at himself in the mirror and reading the paper.
- Then he JUST makes it to work on time.

Clearly a bad influence on children. I hope Postman Pat might be better, but the guy is riding around with his cat in a truck! A cat with a beard!

- Jen

It is not like riding a bike.

2008-04-18T16:36:00.002+10:00

Yesterday and today I decided to give riding to work ago. Much to the man's dismay I might add. He is convinced that I will get hit by a car, or fall off...or get hit by a car and fall off.

He has no faith whatsoever in my bike riding abilities. Doesn't he know I spent most of my childhood careening around Albury (and a couple of times Wodonga) on bikes - with nary an injury that I can remember. Bar a chipped tooth. But that happened when I was learning to ride. So it doesn't count.

Pause to wait for parents to insert comments on horrific bike riding injuries I may have forgotten.

Anyway the bike ride went okay. 42 minutes on Thursday morning and 25 today. Trick - avoid that pesky roundabout at the top of Elizabeth St.

Things I didn't know: Flemington Rd is a hill (to the Children's Hospital). Grattan St is a hill. Rathdowne St is a hill. Taxi drivers are pricks to cyclists.

I wouldn't mind doing it everyday except it is REALLY tiring. Well, it would be either ride or go to the gym - probably not both. Unless I spend all day eating to keep up with it.
My legs are wrecked right now. But its nice to be able to be outside in the kind-of sort-of fresh air.

- Jen

He's a well respected man about town, doing the best things so conservatively

2008-04-14T21:38:00.002+10:00

After a big weekend back in Albury we finally had the opportunity to meet up with Craig and Pauline - Albury's biggest party animals it seems. Surprisingly I wasn't too nervous about meeting people off the internets (must be all those Grand Final BBQs), and they are just as genuine as they come across online.

You can see Craig's blog here and Pauline's blog here.

Originally from Rhyl in North Wales (I think thats right) they moved out here in July last year and live in Wodonga. I think they're liking it too! They have two beautiful girls, who they kindly labelled for us, Lowri and Robyn.

I've never seen more enthusiastic people about Albury. AND this is coming from people who live in Wodonga! I honestly think they should be on a big billboard on the Hume Freeway promoting Albury. Someone get cracking on photoshop and arrange that!

Anyway we are really looking forward to seeing them down in Melbourne or hopefully heading back to Albury for some more brews with them. The man even socialised! but thats not unusual because as he keeps telling me he 'is too a people person'! I'll believe that when I see him at a GF bbq!

- Jen

Sitting on the front porch of that home, stomping our feet on the wooden boards

2008-04-14T20:49:00.006+10:00

Probably have to worry about locking the door though.

Maybe I should explain the start of some of my posts more, most of them are song lyrics.

Sorry for the delay in posting but we've been really busy lately. Bought some stuff.. like this.

Yeah I know. It was an absolute bargain and one of those flukey things that happens. It was the auction the man and I attended last weekend that I mentioned. Place got passed in and we swooped in like the little magpies we are. Or is that swooped in like the magpie I am and the bomber he is? Anyway with a bit of luck settlement will be 1 May...

Its so fast and for you readers it will come as a shock. I know. It's okay. It was so flukey because we'd gotten back from tramping around Brunswick and realised the auction was on. So we literally ran from our place to get there. If we hadn't of we would have missed out.

So there you go, no longer potentially homeless, we won't have to impose ourselves on the future in-laws, and the fleabags have a small backyard to try and kill each other in. Also, shiny floorboards! And 4 bedrooms. Thats a bedroom for Matilda, one for the man, one for me and a spare. Schroddy can sleep in the shed.

- Jen

'And all you see is where else you could be, when you're at home

2008-04-05T16:13:00.004+11:00

And out on the street are so many possibilities...'

I might have chopped the end of the lyrics off there, but house hunting is making us realise there is so much out there and selling this place has not been a bad decision.

We still don't have anywhere to live, but we have vague ideas and plans. And backup plans.

This morning we went to an auction for a 4 bedroom, brand new house in our suburb - and we bid on it. The place should have gone for well over the $700k mark but got passed in at $550k. The man was one of the first few bidders while I stood next to him with what felt like my heart in my mouth. Terrifying. But fun anyway. It is out of our price range at $550k but still such an incredible bargain - to be able to move in somewhere that doesn't need work would be great.

We have a good idea of where we want to live now, after spending all week on realestate.com.au and google maps. Almost literally too. If we weren't at work - we were on websites or looking at places. We spent the whole morning walking around OFI's and auctions in Brunswick. Thats right, using some real estate jargon there. Still haven't figured out what ROW means though. One place said it had a ROW out to the street. I made one of my jokes and asked the man if that meant the place had a moat. As usual the man looked at me in disgust. Mum would laugh at that. A moat would be awesome. The cats hate water.

One place we are looking at needs to be attacked by the paint brush and carpet monster. Or the floorboard monster! But other than that its pretty nice. We'll see. Don't know about putting in an offer before auction now, especially after this mornings effort.

I now fully appreciate the public transport nightmare some people have to endure, living where they do. We looked closely out past Maribyrnong but we just do not think its right that it should take anyone more than an hour to get to work (using PT). Even though we could build a very nice house (thats right - a house) out there.

Also, Subway finally coughed up our bikes. The ones we ate subway for a week for. Haven't gone for a ride yet but they look decent. Doubt we'll ever eat Subway again though. They got delivered to the man at work so we had to go and pick them up at the hospital. There we were (well..there the man was) lugging a bike in a box around a hospital. We got some weird looks from nurses, like we were torturing the sick with the things they couldn't do. It's not like we were riding the bikes. Plan is to ride to work, well for the man at least. If I was organised enough I should keep all my work clothes for the week at work - and then ride in and shower. We'd save over $200 a month just there!

Well, I'm off to see some of the comedy festival tonight so I'd better go and get ready.

- Jen

Pretend like its the weekend now, and we could pretend it all the time

2008-03-31T22:25:00.003+11:00

Thank you to all my Happy Birthday well wishers. Wish wellers?

Anyway, I had a really nice 24th birthday, didn't go to work so I slept in until 7:30am when the future in-laws rang to wish me happy birthday. Then the man decided as he was late for work already and he was still snotty he'd stay home. So I got my present - a whiz bang heart rate monitor early. It does all kinds of cool things. Mostly I just stayed in bed for three hours looking at it. I burned a whole 200 calories doing that.

After that tough workout we went to the pancake parlour for breakfast where I had my favourite bavarian apple buckwheat pancakes with ice-cream. And a hot chocolate.

Then we went to see a movie and stupidly picked 'be kind, rewind' - worst movie ever. It is in negative stars, star debt. Next time I go to the movies they should give ME money. When will I learn about Jack Black movies. Mind you the only other two we had narrowed down were Drillbit Taylor which is probably awful (when will I learn about Owen Wilson) and Vantage Point, which could be good but probably isn't. I'm a movie pessimist.

This afternoon we went and checked out a place for rent, along with half of the western suburbs. There was at least twenty people there. It was like a really boring house party. We'll still apply and see what happens. Do we mention we own Super Furry Animals? We're not sure.

Thinking about building. But lack of public transport would kill us. I'd get so fit though, walking from somewhere like Caroline Springs. I could give up going to the gym and just walk to work.

Anyway I'm still feeling rotten, but definitely better. I'll take another day off but then have to be back on Wednesday because I'm going down to Gippsland for the day. Will be a big day out on the road.

After the lamb roast the man cooked me for dinner he brought me out a little chocolate mudcake for dessert. Very nice!!

See, look how sick I look. I should email this into work instead of getting a doctors certificate. All pale and sickly looking I am.

....Schroddy has eyes only for cake.

- Jen

I had 15 people telling me to move, I got moving on my mind

2008-03-30T22:02:00.004+11:00

So circumstances as they are we will be renting. Its only just through the hours I've spent trawling through realestate.com.au that I realise how awful real estate ads are. I do mean hours too...

Phrases like 'affordable in todays market' or 'previously a takeaway shop' slap me in the face as I write down phone numbers and agents names. Some are in such a good location and are so ridiculously cheap that you just have to click on the ad to check it out. Oh yep there we go, charming place with mysterious stain on the wall..and carpet. Lack of roof makes this villa with surrounding swamp irresistible. Well I made that up, but I'm sure I could find it.

Our problem is that we have to be close to (within walking distance of) public transport, has to be able to take pets and has to be less than $350 per week. Preferably, no actually this is not negotiable - it cannot be a suburb ending in the word 'meadows'.

I've got a huge list now to work with, lots of okay places in Brunswick actually, and Coburg. Few in Phlegmington and Pascoe Vale. One in Essendon.

I do regret forgetting about shiny new things like bathrooms and kitchens but after the man and I had to sleep in the lounge room last night because someone was having a party and it kept us (..well me) up, I still think we're doing the right thing. It would also be really really cool to build a house someday.

Besides like one of my friends said rental places are nothing a bottle of bleach won't fix.

I have only been looking west though, not east Melbourne at all. Although I am looking into Coburg/Brunswick so I'm getting there. Sort of. At least I'm getting good with my suburbs. I'm still hanging out to try Crust pizza so maybe if we moved close to one of those..

I would be happy if we got a place where the cats could go outside, even if its only while we are home. They fight all the time now, and while it is fun to watch and even though they're just playing (there goes Schroddy hissing now) it would be nice for them to be able to run around outside. Schroddy hisses so much its like living with a particularly vocal viper.

Anyway I'm off to bed, I am pretty sure I am taking tomorrow (my birthday!) off because I feel rotten with this cold and last time I went to work sick they sent me home anyway. Of course I'm due for my flu shot next week.

- Jen

He ain't heavy he's my brother

2008-03-30T16:56:00.002+11:00

Like I mentioned in my last post Jase got me the Juno soundtrack for my birthday, along with a book and a card which he posted to me. Something he went to all the trouble to do, even though now he's probably living off the mushrooms in his hair because he can't afford to eat.

I was so surprised that I cried, because its nice to come home after a rough day at work to find someone has been thinking about you.

The worst part is I felt awful because I didn't get him anything for his birthday! I have been thinking about it and Jase I still don't know what to get you. What do you get someone who just acquired a Macbook?

It was while I was back in Albury just before Easter that my Nan defined exactly what Jase and I's relationship is. We were talking about one of my sisters friends and how they aren't in a relationship but they spend a lot of time together and care about each other. Nan said 'you know, its like you and Jason, like a brother'.

And that's exactly what he is. For a brother I think he's exceptionally nice. We've only had one argument over the doing the dishes which for a brother I think is pretty good. If he was a girl he'd be a bridesmaid at my wedding - and I still haven't ruled out putting him in a dress.

Even if we hardly see each other anymore, and we keep missing each other online, and we can't talk on the phone because we're both hopeless at it, we're still best mates.

So Jase, thankyou for my birthday present. I hope you aren't living off the mushies in your hair for too long.

- Jen

We sure are cute for two ugly people - SOTM March 2008

2008-03-30T16:21:00.005+11:00

Phew. Cutting it a bit fine this month, luckily Jase helped out by sending me the Juno soundtrack for my birthday (tomorrow).

The song is 'Anyone Else But You' by the Mouldy Peaches

See here for the clip.

Can't wait for this to come out on DVD...maybe its out already! Jentopia's movie of the year for sure...

- Jen

p.s. Apologies for the short post but I have the flu (blaming the man) and I feel awful. The couch calls. Also Mum the man is making me soup for dinner.

Wombo no!

2008-03-28T17:42:00.009+11:00

When I first caught sight of this article in The Age (online) I assumed that some dirty person had been 'interfering' with a wombat. Apparently the New Zealand man's complaint was that the wombat had 'interfered' with him. See here for the article.

The thing that made me burst out laughing at work was the picture attached to the article.

Oh dear.

- Jen

Like a tiger defying the laws of gravity..

2008-03-22T19:46:00.003+11:00

Not quite. But it was a lot of fun. We went back to Berrigan (well the farm near Berrigan) for Friday and Saturday. Nice to get away even if it was just for a night. Zeke, the man's nephew got the bike for his 9th birthday and he kindly let me have a go on it. Perfect size really. When I put my feet on the footrests my knees just about came up to my ears. First time I've ridden a motorbike too so it was very much a learning experience.

Don't worry I didn't go very fast because a. I didn't know how to get it out of 1st gear and b. when the man told me how to get it out of 1st I was too scared. Especially because the helmet wouldn't fit on my head.

Came back this afternoon after lunch when 'the talk' re-commenced. Stay or go, buy soon or rent? Rent close or far?

Anyway life is fun. I do think that a motorbike is just about the best present you could get a nine year old boy though. Zeke wouldn't let me bring it home though, I figured I could ride it to work and park it next to my desk. Hmmm

- Jen

Under a wing and a prayer

2008-03-22T19:34:00.003+11:00

Travelling back to Berrigan on Good Friday we saw two accidents. Well we think we did. The first looked pretty minor with a trailer losing its load of kids bikes just near the Craigieburn turnoff on the Hume. The second we came across was near Shepparton and we had to actually drive under the rotor of this:

Which was 'parked' in the middle of the highway. Apologies for quality of picture but the man took it through the car windscreen. The bugless part. Don't know how serious it was but the air ambulance chopper was there as well as about three ambulances and of course police. Didn't actually SEE an accident though which was a bit weird. Trucks were banked up on both sides of the road because as well figured out later they couldn't fit under the chopper.

Hope everyone was okay though.

That was the most eventful part of the trip considering we spent the rest of the time talking about what we are going to do now that we are homeless and all.

- Jen

But we can start again, you can depend on it

2008-03-20T22:58:00.007+11:00

As I mentioned in my last post, big changes are afoot in the Unsworth/Fankhauser household. Namely that we don't have a house. This afternoon we sold our apartment.

I know. We also only have a short amount of time before we are homeless and I have to start picking people on my blogroll to live with. You guys all like cats right?

Basically someone offered us a 'tidy sum' for the place and its enough to pay off the mortgage, the brand new car we bought last year and solve our body corporate issues. Oh and still have more than enough left over to build savings for our next property adventure.

We're not sure what that is right now. Maybe we'll build, maybe we'll just save like the devil and buy again. We don't know where or when. It will involve property though.

We don't have to worry any more about body corporate problems and VCAT, I can sleep at night without thundering hooves overhead or the Moonee Ponds Cinema Centre on the other side of our bedroom wall. We also don't have to worry about interest rates.

It wasn't an easy decision. Almost everyone we asked hinted we shouldn't sell while at the same time saying 'its up to you guys though'. There were so many tears, firstly about which decision to make and then after I'd said 'okay I think we should sell', which came out like 'blubbblubbokayblubbblubbsniffthinkweshouldblubbsell', because I felt so sad because as much as we don't like living in an apartment its our home. The home we brought the little kittens back to, that I finished the grad program in, that the man proposed to me in, that the housemate used to live in... alright well it is just a home. But still.

In the end we decided that we can make a profit, we'll be happier without being so stressed about money (already I feel better), and we're so young. I'm not even 24 for another thirteen days!

The cats are going to freak out. God help us when we have a backyard.

Haven't signed the contract of sale yet, still organising section 32s etc. But it seems to be easier than I expected*.

Right now though I can't think anymore about it because I'm too tired...

- Jen

* This is going to come back and bite me I can just tell.

It keeps me running

2008-03-17T16:27:00.002+11:00

It's just amazing what the threat of 10 burpees can make me do. There are three of us running towards two water bottles in the sand. Obviously last one there gets the burpees. The guy I beat DID have to carry a water cooler bottle with sand in it though.

- Jen