Wednesday, March 30, 2005
The Kitchen we will be RIPPING out in due course, either very soon or after a while. The kitchen is sort of OK but I think we won't have enough storage. (Says she coming from the worlds smallest Kitchen).
Muddy bike in California (see the sun is shining)
We went to California!
All the villages had something like this!
Monday, March 28, 2005
This was the Plough in Little Downham, village that had been there a very long time, there was the remains of a palace belonging to the Lord of the Manor of Ely, the Cardinal at Ely had his plush house up here with dear and hunting ground (we did see alot of pheasants). The only thing on the menu here was a fabulous bbq and a pint of Adnams IPA. Marvelous.
The pointy thing in the distance is Ely Cathedral, we were about 10miles out on our first bike ride of the the year. The round trip was from a special cycle tour map, route number one at about 18 miles round trip. The really interesting thing was that by cycling into the fens like this you can really see how Ely and the surrounding villages were once islands on a series of ridges that are now low hills. According to the OS map we are at 0m - sea level and the hills, including Ely are at 25m. Also, there were lots of historical bits to read in each village. One very interesting fact was that when they were drained some 400 years ago, the locals rioted cos instead of fishing and hunting fowl, the water and bog became arable land belonging to a land owner, they lost their livelyhoods. One more interesting fact, most of the villages have been there since Saxon times and in some cases there is evidence of civilisation there for 6000 years! Amazing!
The great thing about camera phones is I can point and click. I was cycling on this lovely tiny fen road with Tobykins. Judging by his hat you might think it was cold but no, it was very nice, if a tiny bit windy.
Chickens! We met these lovely creatures today on the way to the middle of nowhere.
Sunday, March 27, 2005
Janet just texted me this pickie of Maaike for Easter. It would be good to get to see them again. We have spent most of the easter weekend just chillin' really. Toby's got his bike out and bought some brake blocks, we bought some cycle maps from the tourist centre in Ely and a couple of good OS maps. The idea being that at some point we go for a bike ride. Looks like that will be tomorrow. Yesterday we bought some paint samples from Home base for the new house and I dare say today we will paint some bits of cardboard and make a mood board. I'm really excited about it. We also went to bathstore and have practically decided on all the fixtures and fittings for the bathroom. We are almost certainly putting in a new kitchen too. I think it will be good to get it out the way anyway. It's early afternoon and I'm still in my pjamas, Hurahh! Ok time for a shower then...
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
It's been a while... so what's happened over the past few months?
*Both of us have got jobs in Cambridge.
I'm working for a medical software company. I think they employed me because I got 100% in their C test. It's a massive bit of software, which I'm slowly getting to grips with. People are nice :) We travel in together by car each day, which is nice. Sometimes we talk, sometimes we listen to music, sometimes we're both grumpy, sometimes we admite the landscape. Either way, it's time together, which we both appreciate.
*Christine and I moved to my parents in Ely.
This has actually worked very well. I think they're going to miss us when we move out and I we're going to miss them. Be nice to have our own place though.
*Sold flat in London.
This dragged on a bit, with problems with solicitors etc but finally got done. The management company stung us for talking to our solicitors, and our buyer was a pain 'cause he wanted to see the flat a few days before exchange/completion... and since it was a private sale and we were in Cambridge, getting the key to him was a pain too (Christine had to go to London just to hand the key over). But I think we were lucky to sell when we did, and we're glad to be in Ely now.
*Put offer in on house in Littleport but ended up in Ely :)
It was nice and large and needed doing up - perfect for a buy-renovate-sell. Unfortunately the surveyor found asbestos in house, and said market in Littleport was very bad. We lowered our offer, which was declined, so we pulled out. After that we looked at Waterbeach, but in the end found a lovely house in Ely for us to live in. Now we're just waiting for the searches, mortgage and survey. Abbey is keeping us on tenderhooks - they haven't actually looked at our application yet, and we must complete by the 18th April to get back what we paid in redemption fees when we sold our flat in London.
*Started planning the wedding
We did the budget, then we started saving like mad!
*Sorted out the date and registrar and went to Ely council to put up the banns.
I was all nervous, and that's just to register the wedding!
*Visited the college
Because we had to change date, partly due to the College not being on the ball, Christine got stroppy and said she was about to pull out. Suddenly they drop the min number from 60 to 40, invite us in for a chat, and give us a bottle of red and white to taste!
*Mum printed wedding invitations, Dad created a map for the back and for the insert, and we sent them out.
They're fabulous, with a reply postcard and everything :) I'm glad it's done. I've still got to get a few addresses, but mostly the hard work's done. Until it comes to the seating plan apparently!
*Decided not to do any more Landmark for a while
Getting a lot out of the team leader program, but traveling to London each week wasn't sitting well with me. I decided that I wanted to concentrate on my life in Ely, and put the train money saved towards the wedding. Christine's more involved though and has decided to continue. We might look at organising something up here at some point, maybe a seminar, or just a get-together.
So... quite a lot's happened really!
Sorry if I repeated stuff already on the blog, but now I'm up to date, I'll blog more, promise!
Toby
*Both of us have got jobs in Cambridge.
I'm working for a medical software company. I think they employed me because I got 100% in their C test
*Christine and I moved to my parents in Ely.
This has actually worked very well. I think they're going to miss us when we move out and I we're going to miss them. Be nice to have our own place though.
*Sold flat in London.
This dragged on a bit, with problems with solicitors etc but finally got done. The management company stung us for talking to our solicitors, and our buyer was a pain 'cause he wanted to see the flat a few days before exchange/completion... and since it was a private sale and we were in Cambridge, getting the key to him was a pain too (Christine had to go to London just to hand the key over). But I think we were lucky to sell when we did, and we're glad to be in Ely now.
*Put offer in on house in Littleport but ended up in Ely :)
It was nice and large and needed doing up - perfect for a buy-renovate-sell. Unfortunately the surveyor found asbestos in house, and said market in Littleport was very bad. We lowered our offer, which was declined, so we pulled out. After that we looked at Waterbeach, but in the end found a lovely house in Ely for us to live in. Now we're just waiting for the searches, mortgage and survey. Abbey is keeping us on tenderhooks - they haven't actually looked at our application yet, and we must complete by the 18th April to get back what we paid in redemption fees when we sold our flat in London.
*Started planning the wedding
We did the budget, then we started saving like mad!
*Sorted out the date and registrar and went to Ely council to put up the banns.
I was all nervous, and that's just to register the wedding!
*Visited the college
Because we had to change date, partly due to the College not being on the ball, Christine got stroppy and said she was about to pull out. Suddenly they drop the min number from 60 to 40, invite us in for a chat, and give us a bottle of red and white to taste!
*Mum printed wedding invitations, Dad created a map for the back and for the insert, and we sent them out.
They're fabulous, with a reply postcard and everything :) I'm glad it's done. I've still got to get a few addresses, but mostly the hard work's done. Until it comes to the seating plan apparently!
*Decided not to do any more Landmark for a while
Getting a lot out of the team leader program, but traveling to London each week wasn't sitting well with me. I decided that I wanted to concentrate on my life in Ely, and put the train money saved towards the wedding. Christine's more involved though and has decided to continue. We might look at organising something up here at some point, maybe a seminar, or just a get-together.
So... quite a lot's happened really!
Sorry if I repeated stuff already on the blog, but now I'm up to date, I'll blog more, promise!
Toby
Spring has sprung, it's still light when we get home and the sunset's are breathtaking. I took this on teh way home tonight. We went to the Maltings to give blood then came hoe to finish off last night's lasagne (home made, gluten free, goats milk and cheese) and shared a pizza (frozen, full fat, combi-waved with cheese and gluten). Toby is weird and I love him.
Today was very interesting at work. (now come's the background blurb) Last week I tried a really amazing pair of black and gold round toe t-bar shoes with 2 and a half inch heels. The looked stunning, they were in Evans and a wide fitting so they fitted properly and the price was doable with a little forward planning (£35). I thought, well these would be nice for work but will I be able to function in them? I totter about occaisionally in my Nine West t-bars but can I go to work in them. Well I did today with surprising results. I'm not sure if it was a coincidence but, the Financial director's PA was sick and he asked me to do him a letter, I walked about being PA like and being given/taking on PA type things. It's hard to explain, it was entirely generated by me and my shoes. There is something about wearing heels and being really good at what I do, efficient and known to be that way. I did get a 'nice shoes' from one of the girls in Marketing, she's got good taste and is very stylish without being the least bit girly. I took that as a complement. Any way I've decided that the black and gold t-bars are definatley a goer. I hope that it wont take too long before I can afford them, and I know that it's totally not important and just a destraction but hey, life is empty and meaningless afterall.
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
On friday we went out to a CAMRA beer festival in Ely. The beer was mostly tasty and the company was great. Our future neighbours, Sue and James have a beautiful 6 week old baby boy called Edward and they have excellent taste in music and I think we will get on really well. Better than the snooty old neighbours in Victoria Chambers. Ely 1 London 0. By the way, this is Toby's new sexy hair cut. I like it!
Toby washed the Car on Sunday! We were very good, we drove back from Weybridge in the morning after Karl and Lizzie's wedding reception and did the cleaning, sorting out and washing. It ended up being a very productive day.
Wednesday, March 09, 2005
I forgot about this one, this is for my lovely sis, Michelle
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
I won a teddy bear today. Certainly made my day. I entered a name the bear competition and I chose Jesse, which won. I've decided to give the bear to Maaike. It's jesse as in a boys name pronounced Yessa, which just happens to be the name of Chantals lovely boy. Maaike got on really well with him so I'm sure she will like his name. We are still slaving through the invitations, they are printed out, written on and the RSVP cards are all done. Now we are printing out the information sheet with accomodatoin, parking etc. It's taken ages to get the information as accurate and useful as possible and we have a special customised map of Cambridge as designed by Toby's Dad. The cards are trully brilliant, the picture painted by Ellen and the Map created by Dan.
Saturday, March 05, 2005
It's saturday night, we had friday off to go to the registrar in Ely to register our marraige, so today feels like sunday night, but it's not! it's still one more day 'til monday.
We've just sorted our finances for the month and we are saving lots of money at the moment for the wedding. Toby's parents have aggreed to match what we save so we are really going for it!
I am happy to say that after months of trying to find wedding shoes with a t-bar, 2-3 inch heel (not a chunky block heel) with a round toe instead of square or pointy I've finally suceeded and they are under £60 too which is also very good. I dare say after the wedding, I can dye them too. Apparently they can make them with a size bigger to give them more width, then make them a bit shorter so they are not too big, that's pretty clever I think. I'm well chuffed. I so much wanted t-bar shoes for my wedding day.
We went up to Newark yesterday to see Terry and Sean, Terry is now a radiant 71/2 months pregnant. We had curry and watched Kill Bill, well I say watched I found it boring so I feel asleep for most of it and Terry thought it was very violent. The curry was excellent though.
We stayed over, hung out listening to rock, sharing new bands, watched the north vs South charity rugby, ate fish and chips and then drove home happy.
If we don't get the invitations out tomorrow we will have to wait for Ellen and Dan to return from their 2 week holiday in the sun - they leave on tuesday so we really have to do it tomorrow, no kidding. We've worked out the limit (40) and the rest will all be invited for the evening do with an invite to come to the ceremony implying they can find somewhere to eat while we are doing the sit down thing. I'll be so happy when they are done.
We've just sorted our finances for the month and we are saving lots of money at the moment for the wedding. Toby's parents have aggreed to match what we save so we are really going for it!
I am happy to say that after months of trying to find wedding shoes with a t-bar, 2-3 inch heel (not a chunky block heel) with a round toe instead of square or pointy I've finally suceeded and they are under £60 too which is also very good. I dare say after the wedding, I can dye them too. Apparently they can make them with a size bigger to give them more width, then make them a bit shorter so they are not too big, that's pretty clever I think. I'm well chuffed. I so much wanted t-bar shoes for my wedding day.
We went up to Newark yesterday to see Terry and Sean, Terry is now a radiant 71/2 months pregnant. We had curry and watched Kill Bill, well I say watched I found it boring so I feel asleep for most of it and Terry thought it was very violent. The curry was excellent though.
We stayed over, hung out listening to rock, sharing new bands, watched the north vs South charity rugby, ate fish and chips and then drove home happy.
If we don't get the invitations out tomorrow we will have to wait for Ellen and Dan to return from their 2 week holiday in the sun - they leave on tuesday so we really have to do it tomorrow, no kidding. We've worked out the limit (40) and the rest will all be invited for the evening do with an invite to come to the ceremony implying they can find somewhere to eat while we are doing the sit down thing. I'll be so happy when they are done.
