Bob & Betty go British

New arrivals

So what's all this about me keeping you more up to date? I'm sorry but life just hasn't been that exciting. Robert has been on call and working hard for past 2 weekends and so we haven't ventured far.

The most exciting news has been the arrival of my new niece - Natalie Rose - on Monday 1st October. First child for my brother and his wife and first grandchild for my parents. She arrived a few weeks early but all is well and they are at home and settling in well.

Since I wrote last we've made a few purchases. Robert has been lusting after a new lens for the Nikon so he finally bought the 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED AF-S VR DX Zoom-Nikkor. For those who don't speak camera geek it's got 11.1x zoom and has vibration reduction. It's a little heavier than the one we got with the camera, and a little longer, but only slightly so it still fits in the camera bag. Robert really wants his own digital SLR but I think one digital SLR between the 2 of us is probably enough. We thought about getting a new compact digital camera but now that we've seen the quality from the Nikon it is hard to go back to a compact. Perhaps we'll just have to learn to share.

I also bought a sewing machine (Janome Sewist 521) in a fit of enthusiasm for altering the clothes I bought last year that are now too big for me. So far I've managed to ruin one skirt and am reluctant to attempt to alter anything else. Perhaps I'll just use the machine to hem the new jeans I bought. Shopping for clothes is a bit of challenge at the moment due to the lack of inspiring fashions on offer. It's rather depressing wading through the racks of leggings and tunics. While I'm thin enough to carry off the look I'm sure they are only designed for teenagers. And don't get me started on the colours! I'm becoming difficult like my mother...

While sewing has been a bit of a disaster I have had at least one success on the knitting front. The blue cardigan in the photo is for Alex in Switzerland. Hopefully he isn't too big for it just yet. Just have to hope the postal strike is resolved so I can send it off in time for the beginning of winter. I did have to do a lot of un-knitting to get this finished. (I got confused with the sizes and was knitting it all out of proportion!) I now have grand plans to knit something for my new niece in time for the Australian winter.

On the work front I've decided to stop looking for a new job and stay for the fireworks. I just wasn't coping with the grueling schedule of interviews and decision-making. I really don't have a clear idea of what I want out of my new job and while there is grass on the other side it is usually just another bit of the same grass. I feel more settled now even if the situation at work is no different.

We haven't been out much lately although we did do Yum Cha with the Australian contingent a couple of weeks ago. We managed to get 10 people together which was great. Another Australian friend, Jackie, has moved over to London as well. Jackie and I went shopping Thursday night while Robert went out for a curry night with his team from work.

Our focus now turns to the end of the year and the coming ski season. I won’t mention the C word as it's still over 2 months away and I'm in denial as usual.

posted by Elisabeth @ 11:23 AM