Four years and counting!

A little hard to believe that I left Sydney 4 years ago!

Unsurprisingly, a lot has happened ... I've been a lot of places, lived in a few homes, met a lot of people, had a couple of jobs and spent a lot of time wondering what I'm going to do next!

Best thing has been the freedom - the constant feeling that I could just uproot and go wherever I felt. Keeping that under control has been difficult from time to time, but I've tried to take the sensible route.

Hardest thing has been being away from friends and family.

I've been very lucky to have Mum over for at least a couple of months every year I've been here ... and even luckier that Dad has been able to come over too more often than not. The future is looking a little bleaker in the knowledge that I won't be able to see them nearly as regularly from now on.

I've really regretted not staying in touch with people as well as I should. While it is a two way street, I know I've been a little difficult to stay in touch with this past year.

Highlights ...
2004 - working in a factory in North-West England. A proper white Christmas.
2005 - LA generally. Driving down Highway on my one woman road-trip. Discovering Fioli. Joining C&P.
2006 - Learning to really travel.
2007 - Realising that my work was truly valued. Getting a self-created promotion!
2008 - Spending time with Mum & Dad in Northern England. Santorini - learning to love a summer holiday. Becoming a wedding expert!

Lowlights ...
2004 - you know, I can't think of any.
2005 - Leaving LA. Flathunting in London.
2006 - Realising that not everyone can stay in London forever.
2007 - Having to say no to a wedding invitation for the first time. Leaving Australia without knowing when I was likely to be back.
2008 - Losing Grandpa. Not being able to be with friends when they need me. Watching Hannah grow up on the other side of the world.

Favourite places ...
2004 - Didn't really venture out of St Helens!!
2005 - Santa Monica. Fioli. NYC.
2006 - Prague
2007 - Oslo
2008 - Santorini

Who knows what the future holds ... I'll just sit tight and wait for the time being to see what 2009 brings!

York-tastic!

Great weekend in York with Adele, Bakes, Bry, Cat, Lee and Nick, to celebrate Nick & Lee's birthdays.

We started on Friday night with an amazing meal at Melton's Too - enormous servings of locally sourced food makes everyone happy!

Saturday saw us head for breakfast/morning tea at the famous Betty's Tea Rooms ... and so the down hill slide began ... Upon discovering that the Moet was "a bargain" we indulged in a bottle ...

Then we walked the city walls, pausing midway for another bottle of champagne ...

Those who'd been to the city less than 3 times then took a look around the Minster and climbed the tower for views over the city.

York we ended up at the bar Cat, Nick & Laura had just met andThen, feeling energetic, we decided that some retail therapy was in order before heading to meet up with Cat, Nick & Laura for a pre-dinner drink. After a brief trawl through the stinking bars of where we had booked for dinner.

Time for ... champagne! Then we moved to our table for a couple of bottle of Pink Prosecco (the low point of our 'champagne' day). From there the pizza, wine and champagne flowed freely, with Laura's fiance Rich making a guest appearance with a bottle of Veuve (and Nick & Cat looked very sad when it was all gone)!

After a long night for some, the more touristy types emerged the next day to explore the JORVIK Museum, which was not entirely hangover friendly! Some more retail therapy and then to the Masons Arms for an enormous (but below average) roast dinner. A compulsory visit to the fudge shop followed and then we said farewell to Nick and Cat before heading straight back to the bar from the night before! We sat in the sun for a bit before giving into temptation and heading back to the bar. They'd restocked the fridge after the evening before but unfortunately we just weren't up to the challenge, so beer and cider it was ...

Then back in a cab, picked up our bags, onto the train (and a brief goodbye to Lee who was being a 1st class snob!) and home sweet home ...

The Big 0-1!!!

That's right ... Miss Hannah Beth Patten is 1!!!

Hard to believe a year's gone by since I got that rather exhausted phone call from Ern. Which means it's been over 11 months since the gorgeous Miss Patten came to visit Ulolo Avenue and send my parents clucky!

In some ways it's been a very long year but now things are starting to look up again. 3 weddings, 1 ceilidh, 4 babies, only one pregnancy that I know about down and only a civil ceremony (and Christmas!) to go!

Can't quite believe Hannah been around long enough for me to get through all of that ... but I've watched her grow (albeit virtually, through my daily blog checking) so much over the past 12 months it seems only fair that she has a big party to celebrate (Not that I got an invitation ...!!).

So ... Happy Birthday Hannah! May you enjoy chocolate on your face for many, many years to come!