Life Lately

Life has been a bit crayzay over the last few months!! 

After 3 long months, this time next week, I'll be in the hospital having my first ever operation. It's freaking me out to no end, I feel like I'm going to throw up every time I think about it, but I know my knee will finally be fixed. 

I didn't know what it'd be like to be on crutches; to have my leg in a massive brace; to be incredibly restricted in pretty much every aspect of life; to be in this sort of pain. 

But it's all going to be better soon!

Autumn has well and truly hit London. The clocks have gone back an hour. The days are darker earlier. There's that autumnal chill in the air. The leaves on the footpath are scattered for what seems like forever. 

We've approached the end of the grueling first term back at school, with extreme levels of exhaustion and stress. 

The spiders have been out to play in backyards. And in our case, as of last night, four wee mice have resided in our kitchen - more on those antics later!

Flower markets have been visited with friends. Pubs have been calling our names after long days at work. 

Sunrises have been marveled at in awe. 

And mustache beds have been slept in. With mustache pjs. Life won that night!

I should theoretically be able to post some more 'insightful' posts over the next 6 weeks, as my butt molds its shape into the couch.

Stay tuned...

Is London really where my heart is?

Coming to you from one homesick Kiwi, with a love-hate relationship with London.

Sometimes I'll miss home...

And sometimes I won't.

It took me well over two years to allow myself to know and feel that it is OK to miss home. Living on what is literally the other side of the world didn't sink in for a while - I don't know if it ever will to be honest.

But the longer I've been in London, the bigger and stronger those pangs are and get; 

It is OK to miss my friends and family. 

It is OK to want to be back there... sometimes.

I've only been back to New Zealand once in three and a half years. That one visit was a real test of me. 

Could I move back home within a few months and enjoy life? Will I be happy? Will I still have friends? Will things just pick up from where I left off? 

Nope.

I got home wanting to come back to London straight away. But I had a long six weeks ahead of me. Things got better; I saw more friends and family, went to more places, chilled out more, enjoyed life at a slower pace. 

But London had called me well and truly. 

I'm definitely not saying life is easy at this end. There are always going to be good days and bad days, regardless of where you live. 

The challenges. job opportunities, friendships, life experiences - all make someone a better person. 

All in all though, I do still feel torn between the place where my heart is and the place where my life is.

The best little city in the world. 

The holidays are here!

The summer holidays have sped around that long corner of a school year and I now have a glorious five and a half weeks off! 

This school year has definitely been my favourite one out of the last three, but it didn't come without a stressful cost. I sat and passed my GSCE Maths exam and managed to sit and pass two more exams in English and Maths as well as compile a super-nearly-killed-me portfolio for my teacher's registration! But this year the kids were different. They were even cuter, even funnier and even lovelier than the last two classes I've had. Don't get me wrong, I've loved majority of the kids in all my classes, but this year I was able to form special bonds with them all. Their progress has been soooo evident and makes my heart swell that little bit more, knowing I've actually taught them. 

In September I start my Teacher of the Deaf course which is two more years of fun, stress and learning. I'm pretty excited to also be starting my British Sign Language course in September as well! 

Anyhoo, over the last week I've been seeing a lot of Cara as we partake in some sweet sweet London culture, along with Rachey poo as well! 

We've endulged in some pretty choice dance moves at a silent disco on the Southbank and saw some awesome bands play at The Scoop as part of the More London Summer Season!

We've gone to support a fellow co-worker and friend in a hilarious play!

And drunk jugs and jugs of Pimms! 

This weekend, my darling Grandad and Mum arrive from Wellington into Glasgow, and it's only 9 WHOLE SLEEPS until I get to see my Mumma again when she comes down to London!!! 

Our days are filling up fast with seeing family over the country and in London, going to Bath to see the Kaffe Fasset exhibition, going up to Scotland, and me and my Mumma having some quality time together! I've been super lucky since I've moved to London and have seen one or both my parents each year, but with studying and the waiting for a date for my sister's wedding, I don't know when I'll next be back in New Zealand! 

Take care lovely ones!

Things I'm Loving!!

This week I'm loving...

Disneyland

I've said it before and I'll continue to say it again - this place was more than awesome! p.s so was my Pluto hat..

Gluten and dairy free goodness

I went into Planet Organic the other week to buy some more magnesium supplements and whilst I was at the counter, I came across a to-good-to-be-true muffin. Boy was it delicious!! It's times like these, where I'll pay £2.99 for a muffin that I can eat and be sooo simply happy about it all!

New Shoes

I've been mega loving on these new shoes from Asos so much that I bought a pair! 

Admittedly, I've just bought a second pair for when they 'run out'. They're the prefect white leather spring shoes!

Pavement Parties

Whilst walking to work the other morning, after a glorious sunny weekend, my inner child in me couldn't help pass up the opportunity to skip, hop and a jump, along the hop scotch drawn by some sweet children!

It's also been a week of high-waisted skirts and plimsolls!

Studying in the sun

I knew my inner self would be mad as heck if I didn't exit my house when it was 23 degrees. The downfall was was that I was studying for my literacy and numeracy skills tests (which are the biggest ball ache ever and a complete waste of time - well they allow me to get my UK teachers' registration - so not all wasted - but still unnecessary!) so after a knock on the door from my lovely neighbour, we both mooched on down to the park, so I could study in the sun and she could have a nap. It was a win win situation if you ask me! I got quite a bit of study done and got quite a bit of sun on the ol' shoulders and back who have been very deprived of vitamin D having had three winters in a row!

Oh, and I was also able to take some sneaky fun shots!

Finally

Part of the studying has paid off! I passed my literacy skills test today!!!! I was so proud and happy! I just need to keep the positive headspace, the motivation to continue studying, and the will to need to keep it all going for my maths test next week - needless to say, maths is definitely not my strong point! However, the social calendar is sacrificing so I can hopefully pass it in one test - not three!

Linking up with one of my most special friends in the whole entire world...

Things I'm Loving!

My latest lovings are....

Celebrating my birthday

This year, I had a lovely 3 nights of celebrations! I went wining and dining with some of my nearest and dearest to Cottons Rhum Shack in Shoreditch, which was some seriously delicious Caribbean grub - and pretty strong Mojitios (which I accidentally mistook for a Margarita..)

My lovely cousins Martin and Dugald bought me 12 dozen ciders for my birthday...

My lovely friend Julia organised for a few of us to go and see Arc Iris. They're a freaking awesome band and were even awesomer in real life! 

And then of course I celebrated at a pub, The Hawley Arms which so happened to be the pub where Amy Winehouse used to hangout at!

Friends from NZ!

I've loved having Andre and Nic stay with my for a week before they went travelling for a few months! I grew up with Andre, he's more than a brother than a friend! 

Andre and I in 1993 and 2014!

Pretending to be a local showing these two around London!

Sun!

London had what they might call 'a heatwave' the other week, so it was super lush to be able to sit in the park catching some sweet sweet rays!

Cherries that look like bums

There's no explanation needed!!!

Egg moments... there's always one

I've just come back from 5 days in Paris for my lovely Sara's hens weekend (more on that soon!). We had secretly organised to all get Disney t-shirts for when we go to Disneyland as a surprise for Sara. Mine I ordered online didn't arrive in time, so a rush to Primark the night before we left was needed! Low and behold - we couldn't find them anywhere! Then when we did, the 10 looked massive, so did the 8 (they were baggy style t-shirts) so I thought, well yeah I can squeeze into a 6, especially if they're meant to be really baggy! As the man was folding it to put into the bag, the top just looked a little bit strange. As Cara and I were waiting for our train back home, it dawned on me that it was the neckhole - it was sooo tiny and there was nooo way my massive head was going to fit through it! Luckily I was able to cut it bigger at home, as well as cut a big hole in the back... and then I could get it on!

The photo doesn't do the original size any justice, but you can get the jist from the size of the label to the size of the actual hole!

Note to self : just get your normal size and deal with having a baggy t-shirt.

Linking up with my gorgeous Meg!

Happy 3 Years in London!

I seriously cannot believe I've been living in London for 3 WHOLE YEARS!!! Time has literally flown by! I was lucky enough to be indulging in some delicious French wine in Paris when the anniversary hit!

I'm still very happy with my decision to move to London - most of the time! It has been hard work living in London, but so much fun at the same time! 

I have an amazing job and an even more amazing group of friends. 

I've absolutely loved having friends and family from NZ come over and stay too! 

I've been lucky enough to travel to a few places... like... Porto, Malaysia, Paris (3 times!), South France, Budapest, Stockholm, quite a few places over the UK and a trip back to New Zealand!

I've been able to meet some pretty special family members too!

I say bring on the next 3 years! 

Things I'm Loving!

During the last crazy-busy, hectic, unwell weeks, I've been loving...

Sun and cider!

Hanging out in Greenwich with the lovely Rachel, enjoying learning about stuff and then drinking wine as a reward! 

Baby chicks

We got some chicks for a few weeks at work! They arrived as 10 little eggs and we now have 9 cute-as-anything little chickies tweeting! It was pretty awesome seeing some of them hatch - it's pretty amazing to think a chick that big comes out of an egg that small! 

Catch ups

I was lucky enough to have a quick catch up with Lynnie over a bottle of wine! She was in London for a night before heading back to Melbourne. It was fun and hilarious chatting about the antics we'd get up to when we worked together in Wellington!

Bananas

Apart from bananas being one of my favourite things and a pretty awesome superfood, turns out they also rule even more when they're on a pair of shoes! I've just gone and bought a second pair for when these 'run out'! 

Fresh sea air

A couple of weeks ago, Erin and I went to Brighton. It was my mission to go swimming and I made that happen. It was definitely freezing but coming from a girl who used to spend all summer at the beach or river, I was in desperate need of 'going for a dip'!

Skype
I really can't boast about how awesome Skype is, especially when my nearest and dearest are the furtherest away they could possibly be, nearly. I started this weekend with a conversation that lasted over two hours and covered a wide range of topics, with one of the most special people to me!

And lastly...

I'm in love with this song, this band, and all things them at the moment! 

Dirty Paws but Of Monsters and Men

Linking up with Meg!

That time we played in the sunshine

Last weekend we had a lovely Spring day which was fun to share with a lovely lady! My friend Erin and I met up at one of my favourite New Zealand cafes - The Long White Cloud. We ate, chatted, drank one of the best flat whites in London, then left to embrace the glorious sunshine! 

There's about a 100% chance I walked out of the cafe, hands in the air, twirling around, shouting saying "What a GLORIOUS day!". Sometimes, you just gotta. 

Our goal was to get to London Fields to sit in the sun. 

First stop: Hackney City Farm

I love city farms! The chickens scare me, but sometimes they look like they're wearing harem pants, so it's ok.

The pigs are so huge, they could supply you with a years worth of bacon. 

The goats are pretty suave. 

And those wee donkeys, they're just so cute and fluffy. And have really big willies!

Next stop: Broadway Market

We mooched on up to Broadway Market after our farm excitement. 

After battling the use of the footpath with some cheeky, scary, annoying squirrels, who really were out to get us, we made it to the hustle and bustle of proper hipster town. 

Broadway Market has been around since the early 1900's and was filled with an eclectic range of goods and people! 

Source

Next stop: London Fields

After treating ourselves to an ice block and a cider, we sat in the park with every other hipster in East London. That in itself is an experience and a half! It was the perfect place to people watch! and creep on the hipsters!

We left the park at that perfect time - the sun was going down, the hipsters were overwhelming, and the canal was calling our names!

We strolled back to Angel via the canal, and it was the perfect ending to a perfect day! 

I love London on days like these! 

Things I'm Loving - the sunshine edition!

Another week, another list of loving!

First things first, this is my new turn-up song - Wings by Little Mix

After working my first full week in year one with the deaf kids, I'm completely wiped! It's a massive challenge that I'm not really enjoying, but there's seven more days of it for me to complete before I start the course properly to get my QTS. So it's been hard but nice to find the lovings this week.

The sun has been a-shining over here this week. It was a lush little treat to sit in the park with my neighbour on Sunday, catching some rays and enjoying the view of nature in full swing!

With the daffodils in full bloom and the blossoms starting to show themselves, my walk to and from work has had a slight, but pleasant, change! 

 This is one of my all time favourite buildings in London. And more so when the sun is shining on it! As you can see, I've snapped it a few times, it's that awesome!

This isn't quite sun related, however it is bright yellow... Basically my Mum sent me this photo via what's app, saying she had found it in a box of my stuff in their shed. I was 9 and it was for a 60's dress up day at school! 

There really are no words to describe it. I'll leave you to ponder if in fact I am a massive egg or not! 

Linking up with ma home girl