You are currently browsing the monthly archive for February 2011.
I don’t know if I have just been away from home too long and am WAAAAAAYYYY behind the times, but I was surprised by an email my brother (in Dubai) sent me tonight about a MTV show called Freshwater Blue – which as the name implies, is filmed in my hometown of Freshwater(!)
Apparently its Australia’s answer to Laguna Beach…. I’ll save my self further description; here’s what MTV have to say:
“Unashamedly Australian, Freshwater Blue offers a real-life entertaining, humorous and sometimes gritty, fly on the wall look at the lives of 12 young adults from Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
Set in Freshwater on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, and for a period on the Gold Coast, Freshwater Blue, produced in a reality-documentary format, reflects universal issues ranging from relationships, friendships, peer pressure, drinking and sex – all told through the eyes of a group of friends eager to start their independent adult lives.”
Why didn’t I hear about this earlier? Was it because you were all too embarrassed to even admit it out loud?? Please explain. Please!
PS Again, YES! I know this isn’t about London… but its about the things you miss at home cos you’re here – and that still counts…
There seem to be lots of names for the UK, England, … whatever. I never know what to call it. But thank god for the internet I can look it up!
- England is the country whose capital is London.
- The UK is England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland – it is confusing because it is classified somewhat vaguely as a “country of countries” and its full name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (what it says on my passport). The capital of the UK is also London.
- Great Britain is the island comprising England, Scotland and Wales and should be used in a geographical sense rather than in terms of political countries. (But then why do we call them Britons?).
- Ireland is the island and comprises of 2 countries – Northern Ireland (part of UK) and the Republic of Ireland. If someone says they are Irish they are referring to the Republic of Ireland.
This bares bones is enough to stop some of the confusion but there is a whole heap more and I’ve never seen it summarised so well as I did on this You Tube video I watched this morning. You must check this out.
Bloody hell, this coleslaw I’m eating has a LOT of mayo in it. I actually think there is more mayo in this coleslaw than cabbage (or whatever else ingredients constitute coleslaw). I’m trying to skim the salad bit off the top in an attempt to avoid all the mayo but this is proving fruitless.
The Brits do love their mayonaise, don’t they? I had thought the North Americans the Kings of Condiments, but the stand alone mayo prize is definitely not leaving this little piece of the world.
And its not just coleslaw, it’s everything. You go try and buy a pre-made sandwhich at any of the regulars – Pret-a-Manger, Eat, M&S,… and show me more than 2 options that don’t include a whole heap of mayo. And what about Coronation Chicken? In non-marketing speak, that’s just mayo with yellow colouring plus chicken.
And yet, here we are at the end of the mayo-hating post, and I’ve eaten all the coleslaw 
I have a plastic kettle. Would you believe? Yes, seems very odd to me too – until you realise that it knocks limescale for six.
Ahh… the pleasantries of London’s hard water. As if the limp hair and dry skin weren’t enough, you also get limescale.
My kettle is my only concession.
As you will already know from my last post, the weather has been GRIM – cold, wet, windy and dark sums it up nicely. And oh, doesn’t it just do wonders for everyone’s mood? I finally understand where the concept of grumpy people having little storm clouds above their heads – it’s just the low rain clouds above Londoners! Ha!
But last week was definitely a turning point. I left the office at lunchtime and wowsers, was it sunny! My eyes just weren’t used to it and I was temporarily blinded. And as a bonus I spent the whole afternoon actually enjoying it at Altitude 360 in the Millbank Centre. OK, it was a work thing, but still! Fab view, and fab weather! Bring on spring!
PS I have to admit, the weather deteriorated again after this gem of a day, but at least its not bitterly cold anymore.
PPS Did I really just blog about 1 sunny day? Geez, what has become of me!
louashton
