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How big is small?

Pure Excitement

What's the scoop, what's the goss....that would be... Nada. Zilch. Naff all. Sweet Fanny Adams.

Recent excitement, well Jac's European jet setting continues, with a recent trip to Luxembourg. Thankfully they were a little more welcoming than the Estonians she was with at the Skype company meeting at  the start of the month, however any elation from this was quickly over run by the incapable airport staff for Lux air, who managed to leave her suitcase in Lux on her return leg!

Fortunately Jackie had paid a substantial amount of money for this very unique suitcase in Cambodia a while back (equivalent being Matalan suitcase, on a half price offer) and thanks to this, the "Elegant" case was eventually found having a snowball fight with other lost items back in Lux, and was told to stop being precious and get on a plane home! And they say people take after their dogs??...Anyway all safe and sound.

As for me, I will draw your eyes back to the first line...not much! - Barring a bit of a mental time at work, and 2 of my courses overlapping meaning college every night this week, I haven't really been up to much, that is aside from Aussie day.

Part of my assimilation into Aussie-ism I was told, was to celebrate Arthur Phillip getting lost and ending up in Sydney all those years ago, so in true Aussie style I was out with a few colleagues (including my boss) at 12.30 for Lunch to a local pub and didn't go back..think I left around 6pm!
At which point I briefly said hello to a few friends out in Covent Garden with Jac, before realising it was time I had had enough and had to head home at 6.30pm! - Thankfully Party Cook was in full swing and was able to still take Gaz (who was down for the weekend!) along with random Estonians, Aussie, and a couple of Irish folk, out for a good time....cue a few sambucas and lo and behold 1.30am in came the entourage of Jac accompanied (thankfully by Gaz and Ben!) - Truly an Aussie sight if ever there was one!

As Gaz was down for the weekend, we decided to make plans to go to London zoo by canal boat and check out little venice....this of course was before Friday so it did so not happen, and instead Jac rose briefly from bed for lunch only to find the 3 of us sitting with dictionaries, and newspapers determined to find a googlewhack....closest we got I think was with anaphylactic kleptomaniac, or something about a parachuting dingo..!
Anyway we finally ventured out to a local Moroccan restaurant and a comedy club so laughs were had by all. (at the comedy not the food!)

Jac's cousin has just moved locally and a has nice flat that all the necessities a young bachelor in London needs....en suite bedroom, walk in wardrobe, and a large lounge. I think there was a kitchen in there somewhere but who needs that!
Which reminds me surely someone somewhere has noticed the lack of Aussies in Oz at this minute in time?? I feel like there is a secret that no one is telling me! Oh well.

Anyway for now thats it, apparently we are expecting heavy snow in London (yet again, I dare say, breaking some record, "most snow on a Thursday afternoon for last 23 years"...) but hope everyone is well in their respective parts of the world, see you all soon! - (Well maybe not all of you but a few!)

Mark and Jac.

New Forest, New Year, New News!

Howdy All,

So this being the 2nd 'blog' since the start of October, can't really call it up to date, but I will try and bring some brief order to the chaos.
November and December passed without any real news, I seemed to spend a lot of time in the classroom, Jackie seemed to do the same but in the office.
Christmas was spent at Casa Gates, daan saaaf, with the whole clan, and after a rather enjoyable night out with Charlotte involving both Ms Cook and Raines, trying to drink the pub dry, it ended with finally getting home around midnight on Christmas Eve, where the young aussie held up by trying to rob Ma Gates of the just cooked turkey. Smack on wrist and passing out thankfully meant the turkey survived at least until the big day...and what a day.
Presents everywhere, young nieces more than excited (and spoilt) and Mr Gates Jnr realising how old he is getting when the he too became excited when he opened a rice cooker! (sad but true folks!)

The Christmas/New year week we spent touring (thanks to Sis' car) the New forest, Salisbury and Ikea..! Very enjoyable (the forest NOT ikea!) ate loads, slept more, went for a nice walk met loads of wild horses (great song!) & bought a chest of drawers & bathroom cabinet!

New year, so many ideas, so little effort! - In the end we rang in the bells in doors with a bottle of Champagne, fireworks on the TV (not literally, it was live coverage) & the creation of the afore mentioned ikea units! Rock and Roll!

And here we are, January is on its way out, do we have news...not really! A fleeting visit from Gareth on his way back from his London, France, Holland, Most of Europe, the moon, Australia, USA trip! Was great to catch up, and we are looking forward to discovering more of the sights, smells, and sounds of Tamworth! (and maybe that Easter trip to Holland!)....and us.....

Jackie is currently being whipped in the snow of Estonia with Rosemary branches on a work jolly, although won't be that jolly when immigration stop her on the way back due to semi expiration of Visa! Speaking of which, thankfully this is now whole heartily rolled up in red tape of the foreign office and 'under consideration' so fingers crossed that in a few weeks the song "whoa you're an alien, you're an illegal alien..." will no longer be relevant!
I am trying to plan a mini break to Portugal, and still studying etc so I'm afraid not that exciting.If anyone has any news please feel free to "blog us" - still confused, what happened to phoning!? and I dare say that I will be back for more rambling soon....

Ta ta from me and her. (no not cats mother)

PS headlines forgotten...
Charlton : Sorry to have got you involved in that Jim, only benefit is that next season tickets will be cheaper. Jackie has shifted allegiance to geography and taken supporting the Arsenal. Less said the better
London to Paris Cycle : My charity event this year, still planning, be warned!
Cambodia : Hopefully will look at, when Jackie is legal!
Jim, Sue : Cambodia London Melbourne? - I mean you're halfway here!

Cheers All!