Steve n Jen's UK adventures

UK and European adventures. Read on my pretties, and discover what two stray Aussies can get up to on their travels.......

31 January 2013

Jan 2013 b



A little bit of snow on the 14th, but the real snow began on Saturday 19, and really "chucked it down" on the Sunday.

Sun 20 Jan 2013
And so it snowed…….






After a few more hours, the snow covered everything in a thick blanket of white!






Mon 21 Jan 2013
Not enough snow to close the school where Steve works. So off we both went to work. It was lovely to watch the snow thickly flurrying down from the office windows, with the heating up to T-shirt temperatures.

Below: Here's Soho Square in the heart of London a 30 second stroll from where Jen's working.



This evening Alex came over for a fighter practise in the snowy local park. No ankles tooooo badly twisted thankfully. 

Sat 26 Jan 2013
Australia Day. In the evening we headed over to Sophia and Paul's place in north London to help them decorate and assist in cooking for the Australia Day Party. Much traditional and nostalgic music was played, burgers with rissoles, pineapple, beetroot and eggs on them, and far far too many sugary delights were there to be had. (another lamington? Oh go on then…)




20 January 2013

Jan 2013 a


Fri 04 Jan 2013
Tonight after work we headed south west to Lyndhurst in the New Forest, for SCA Coronation. Now the question is, will we be able to fit Steve's armour plus woollen full length dresses, plus pillows and sleeping bags all into our little car? The answer - only just!

"My other armour bag is a Porsche"
 Sat 05 Jan 2013
Coronation - a pleasant time was had. Various awards were given out, and the big surprise was the announcement that Clancy is to be sent on vigil at Coronet in a month's time. Clancy seemed a bit dazed by the standing ovation he received, and it definitely left the event with a happy buzz well into the night.

  

  

   
   
  

Sat 13 Jan 2013
Today we booked for Rowany Festival 2013. The event is near Sydney, over Easter.

Mon 14 Jan 2013
Snow! And so it begins….





01 January 2013

Dec 2012 b

Thu 13 Dec 2012
Jen had her UK passport interview this afternoon, just a face-to-face identity check more than anything else. The passport will be sent to our home "in a few weeks".

Sat 15 Dec 2012
This morning we travelled to the Imax cinema near the millennium dome, and enjoyed watching part 1 The Hobbit in 3D. Very very happy Steve! 
Later on this afternoon, together we wrote up about 40 Xmas cards to send out to various friends and family about the place. Very sorry if you didn't get a card, we couldn't write cards for all the fab people we care loads about, there's just too many of you, to write to you all!

Sun 16 Dec 2012
The first two Xmas presses are now under the tree, hurrah!

Thu 20 Mar 2012
More Xmas presses arriving in the post from family in Australia - thanks all.

Fri 21 Dec 2012
Mayan Apocalypse party. Kev, Tash, Dan and Elizabeth came around, and Steve cooked up a lovely roast dinner. We all watched the movie 2012, enjoying fab wine and poking fun at the ridiculousness of the film. Thankfully the world did not end.  :-)

Sat 22 Dec 2012
Jen's UK passport arrived, so much sooner than expected.
In the afternoon Jen drove to the south side of town and collected her latest ebay purchase, a folding (magnetic) exercise bike. It folds neatly into the cupboard under the stairs, and we have a pact between us that if one of us uses it the other must also that day. 

Mon 24 Dec 2012
To work for us both, Xmas Eve - as neither of us is taking any holiday time off work over the festive season this year.

Tue 25 Dec 2012
Xmas Day. Loads of great goodies, thanks to friends and family.



Breakfast at home. Lunch with niece Sophia and her husband Paul, plus mum-in-law Zara. Soph served up home-made pate, french onion soup, a wonderful roast chicken with graten dauphinoise and a dessert of cherry calfoutis. Sophia also proudly showed us two crown decorations on their tree which has come straight from a Royal Household Christmas tree (gifted to her) - yes that's right, the Queen and family have the exact same decorations on their trees.  After lunch, we drove north for Xmas dinner with Deb, Clancy and Clancy Jnr. 

Wed 26 Dec 2012
Boxing day. After breakfast with Deb and Clancy, we came home and tidied up the house. 

Thu 27 Dec 2012
Back to work for two days.

Sat 29 Dec 2012
We returned to Deb and Clancy's place to wish Clancy Junior a very happy 20th birthday and generally hang out together.

Mon 31 Dec 2012
After work, tonight Steve served up a scrumptious dinner of duck in cherry sauce, which was devoured with our guests Dan and Elizabeth. We broke open another bottle of Chateau du Pape. 



At midnight loads of fireworks were let off in our street by local families. We were concerned as some were being let off next to our car, but this tomfoolery appears not to have caused any damage thankfully.

Tue 1 Jan 2013
Happy New Year. A leisurely morning for us…