Hope you’re all ok. I’m amazed I haven’t been blown away yet, it’s so windy here! Just a quick note to introduce you to a new jewellery website, www.daysiechain.co.uk that a friend of mine has just launched. Everything on there is handmade and one of a kind. There are a few really pretty things on there and she’ll even take requests if you have a few ideas of your own!

It’s well worth a look!

Ttfn

xxxx

Damian and I celebrate our first wedding anniversary this weekend. We are going back to the hotel where we had our reception, for a meal, which I’m looking forward to very much as I was too ill last time to enjoy it! Can’t wait to have a quiet weekend together, exchange presents and enjoy each other’s company.

We have also booked a holiday in June. We’re off to Poland! We will be staying in the same town where Damian grew up with some friends. They live in a log cabin outside of town so I’m looking forward to campfires and barbeques. Damian is very excited to be going back and showing me his home town and I am looking forward to seeing all the places he’s spoken about. There are also lots of people to meet. Damian’s best friend growing up in Poland has also married and he has not met his wife and I haven’t met any of his friends out there.

As with previous years, I entered the public ballot to win tickets for Wimbledon at the end of last year. I recently had a letter back from them and unbelievably, we were offered tickets to see the men’s final!! We’ve booked and paid for them now and I’m so excited! Everyone is very jealous and I’ve had lots of offers from friends and family wanting the second ticket but will be going with Damo. We may have dinner there but we haven’t decided yet (it’s costing us a fair bit already, as you can imagine!) We couldn’t have said no though as it’s probably once in a lifetime and I will hopefully get to see two of my favourite players!!

Other exciting news- Damian has recently got a new job. He was headhunted from his previous job by an ex-colleague and now works for a small, but cosy, company in Chinner where he is the fifth member of staff. Quite a change from being in a huge international company!! He is still working with computers, partly doing support (as he was before) but now he is officially a software developer. He loves it! And he seems to really get on well with the people he works with- they took him out for a long lunch on his first day! 

Damian’s cousin is pregnant with her first child- the first addition to either of our (fairly immediate) families for over 10 years! His grandma made me laugh when we found out. She’s a very devout Polish Catholic and told me that she’d been praying for a baby in the family but for Damian and me instead!! -as he’s the eldest grandchild and married. Unfortunately for her, that’s not likely to happen in the very near future!

That’s about all from me at the moment. I’ve decided- everyone needs to make an effort to blog more!!

Hope you’re all ok anyway.

Robyn 

xx

• Finished uni, this got me a certificate and opportunity to wear a funny hat.
• Had a brief time to relax. Went on holiday to the USA. San Francisco, LA and Las Vegas. San Francisco is very pretty had has good food. LA is a bit of a dump but the beach was lovely and Las Vegas is so tacky that it becomes amazing.
• Found a house to rent, moved into it. It is in St Albans. Close to town centre and station. It is lovely it has a patio/balcony type thing and two whole bedrooms. Unfortunately it is rather chilly.
• Started work. This was quite scary at first but everyone is really nice and I am all settled in now.
• Did some exams, passed.
• Did some more exams, have not received the results yet.
• It was Christmas. The first time I have not spent Christmas with my family. I spent it with Laurence’s family. It was great, a lot less arguing than a normal Christmas at mine.
• New Year!!!!!!!! Didn’t do too much. Played with a blender making alcoholic smoothies.

That was my year in summary. We should meet up some time soon. Some organisation is needed. Maybe people could comment with dates/places that are good for them.

As many of you already know, I bought a new car about a month ago (see previour blog). Because of this, I am trying to sell my old car. I doubt any of you will be interested but you might know someone who is. I’ll give you a few details here and then if you know of anyone, please pass on my phone number. Thank you!

• Red Vauxhall Corsa 1998/S-reg
• 1.4 petrol engine
• 87,000 miles
• Good first car
• MOT until January
• Recent problem with the engine over-heating but now resolved
• £650 ONO

We would be happy for people to come and have a look at it first/test drive especially as it’s a fairly old car now. We’re live in Wooburn Green, near Beaconsfield, if you’ve forgotton!

Many thanks!!

Robyn

xxx

I think the title of this post is quite self-explanatory! Damian and I had been discussing for a while about getting me a new car. We had some savings left from pre-wedding savings (how we managed that I will never know!) so we decided to spend it on something we could use for a long time so it didn’t get spent on mundane things- more of an ‘investment’. We’d been looking for a while at various websites to see what was available in our price range. I wanted a 5-door hatchback, nothing too big and quite economical. Damian wanted me to get a diesel because of fuel economy as I’m driving much further since we’ve been married. And we found a 5 door Ford Fiesta 04 plate from near Wembley. So I’m very happy . It’s very nippy and even though I’ve only had it a week, it’s proving quite economical. My electronic fuel gauge has 8 bars. On Saturday I did 100 miles and it only used ‘one bar’ of diesel!! It might be one of those ones that empties slowly to begin with and then speeds up towards the end of the tank but apparently I should get 60-70 MPG!! Huzzah! Plus it’s only done 27,000 which is pretty good for a 6 year old car so hopefully it’ll last me a good few years. Apart from a few scratches, it looks almost brand new so I’m chuffed.

Damian is also in the process of modifying his car- I’m surprised you can’t hear it from where you are!! He’s just had the exhaust replaced and is getting it re-mapped on Wednesday so it should have around 140 HP ish. He can’t afford an R32 (Golf) so he’s modifying his car to look/sound like one! He’s enjoying it and I’m letting him get it out of his system while he’s young!

Anyway, hugs all round.

Robyn

xx

The wedding was absolutely magical. The day went so fast but I enjoyed every second and did not stop smiling the entire day. The weather started off pretty lousy but by the time we actually got married, it had brightened up and we were able to have photos outside (when I get the link for the official photos, I’ll email it to anyone who’s interested). We have so many brilliant memories and I just wish we could do it all again.

The honeymoon was also fabulous. We had a great time exploring the little town where we were staying and the surrounding towns in both Spain and Portugal. As we were right on the coast, we ate lots of fresh fish (which was delicious) and walks along the sea front happened daily. It is weird living with someone new but it’s also exciting and we are having so much fun unwrapping presents and sorting out the home!

Sorry this has been short and sweet but time is of the essence!

Lots of love,

Robyn

xxxx

Since I haven’t blogged for what feels like ages, I thought I’d let you know what I was up to.

I’m just over six months into my placement and have pretty much settled in. I send emails to my ‘collegues’ saying bless you (when they sneeze), have a colourful array of temperature sensitive ducks along the top of my monitor and talk to pretty well everyone I meet in lifts and along corridors.

Life in a finance team can be hectic, demanding and admittedly, dull sometimes. On the other hand, I have to handle irate people demanding money a fair bit too and am learning to tough it up and try and remain patient with them. My manager gained ten points in my opinion when he recognised my ring-tone. It was Muse. He likes Muse! More so, he actually knows who they are, which many of the people I work with don’t. (Who is Muse? I hear Toby say. Very funny ).

The Health Service is undergoing mass restruturing, not least to deal with cuts in budgets. People start and move out a LOT. Every month, someone I’ve emailed or talked to has left-positions here are a lot more flexible than I thought they would be.

In terms of workload-it varies. Some days are much more relaxed, I can do stuff at an easier pace and the telephones are quiet. Other days like today, the phones don’t stop ringing, we get bombarded with emails and everyone delegates work onto someone else. Still, it’s a good insight into the working world…Ive learnt much (accountants may not like Star Wars or Doctor Who or know who Bill Bailey is!) but I can;t wait to go back to Oxford!!

How is everyone????  Feels like ages since I saw you all

Hugs to all

So please let us know what you think; do we have enough time to arrange/melon a murder mystery in a week (ish), or should we leave the murder mystery until Easter?

We could go for another impromptu winter gathering instead, involving  films, games, general merriment or whatever else anybody wants to do :) 

Thank yous!! Toodleoo

28/29th December (2009…)

As long as people have the time then we can do what we did last time and have folks arrive after lunch whenever suits and then staying overnight to leave the next morning as required/desired.

If people are lacking in time then we can make it one day, arriving late morning and staying until the evening.

Hopefully the snow will have gone away by then =]

Let me know how that date suits.