Rain, rain, go away...

As the name of this post suggests it has been raining cats and dogs in Sydney recently, but good weather has returned and looks to remain for the next week. Just as well because I don't want to turn into a whingeing POHM by complaining about the rain ;)

When I first began writing this post it was for another meaning that I used the above title. On the day in question it was indeed "pissing down" as I made a visit to the Randwick TAFE college. I wanted to find out if I could apply for the upcoming carpentry course in order to further develop my skills and gain an Australian qualification. The costs on the TAFE website put it at approximately $800-$900 per year, studying one or two nights a week. No problem I thought, I can carry on working and study at the same time. So imagine my shock when the man at the TAFE reception told me that foreigners have to pay an extra $11 per tuition hour on top of the $8-900 per year. This would raise the cost to approximately $3,500-$4,000 per year. Multiply that by three years and suddenly I'm looking at either selling my backside or my functioning kidney to fund my further education!

However I never posted the subsequent rant that I tapped out after learning this great news. I hadn't quite finished when I realised the time and had to leave for an appointment. I am certainly glad that I didn't post my previous draft as you would've thought (even more so than now) that I am a cantankerous old man!

Moving on (and hopefully forwards) it looks like it will be a busy time before Christmas in completing a variety of jobs for clients of Steve and Andrew from Hire a Hubby. I've only recently started doing some work for Andrew, but hopefully I will be helping him on a renovation that he is trying to complete inside three weeks. New floor joists, stairs, skirting, kitchen and bathroom are being put in among other things, so that should be an interesting project to work on. I've also been networking and trying to get work as a trades assistant for a carpenter. I think this will be the only way that I can learn, after all, I have done my carpentry course at home, I just need the experience and guidance to put my skills into action!

Next week I turn 30! This great milestone of survival will be marked with a session of paintball, during which I imagine I will be shot at enough times to remind me that I am not 18. I have limited it to a two hour session, in the hope that the pain will be less. As a precautionary measure we will be going for drinks afterward in order to numb any paintball associated injuries. I will be drinking pints as I can't be seen to be drinking schooners on my birthday. I wouldn't get away with it in England, so I won't avoid it here with half measures ;)

Shortly after my birthday is Catherine's 30th birthday. We have both been fairly disorganised with birthdays this year, but I still have time to get her a sneaky present or two. I won't divulge any more information in case she chooses to read my blog! I'll get the photos up when I get a chance, so you can admire Catherine's bronzed face and my darker shade of white tan.

All in all life is great in Australia. It would be even better if our friends and family were here with us, but that's the price we pay for paradise and as the saying goes "absence makes the heart grow fonder". I certainly miss family and friends but remind myself that I can call them and now have the benefit of video calls, which we use as frequently as possible.

Next time I will update you on our marathon news, we start our next training program on December 22nd!

Until then, live strong and prosper ;)

Tom

Back to the gym and fun trips

Ok I admit I have been more than useless at posting over the last few months. For a time the blog app on my iPhone stopped working after an Apple update, so I went AWOL on the blog front. But fear not! I am back...

I am sure I have some thoroughly boring photos to post of carpentry work and of beaches galore, but they will come separately to this post as they are on my mobile not on this computer. Catherine and I are going to "upgrade" to a new computer for our 30th birthdays, so I am sure that will make things a little easier.

Over the last few months I have been working alongside Steve of Double Bay Hire a Hubby. Every day is different and although I am not always doing carpentry work the variety keeps things interesting. Going forwards I am going back to working at Gap part time, whilst arranging other work around that to ensure some wages security. I am also looking to start a carpentry course at the TAFE college part time from next February, so I'll be uber busy!

Catherine has been working hard at her law firm in Double Bay, but has now been joined by a new part time employee, which should help her out. Despite her fully daily schedule from time to time she gets to enjoy the lunchtime views at Double Bay beach. Not a bad place to be! Although she is working hard I think she'll agree that when she finishes at 530pm she can fully appreciate her time off now. Going to yoga, running or just enjoying the warm evenings are a possibility now after leaving the London life behind.

After running the Sydney Blackmores marathon in 3 hours 50 minutes a few weeks ago I have decided to go back to strength training in the gym. Having worked as a fitness instructor and personal trainer it has been enjoyable (though painful) to get back in the gym to train myself. Catherine has joined me too, so I get to share the pain with her! I am working towards strengthen my legs for next years Canberra marathon, so that I can run a sub 3:45 marathon without the discomfort ;) This is quite a revelation for me as I am ultimately as lazy as a sloth, so an organised training plan is a new strategy!

Catherine and I have been looking forward to these last two months of the year for awhile now. Firstly because we are off on holiday for a week to New Zealand with friends next week. Two of our friends from London are coming over and so we are sharing an RV to tour the South Island with them. I've always wanted to go to New Zealand so I am excited to finally be going and to share it with Catherine and friends. Hopefully we will get a little mountain biking in, which I have been missing out on over the last year. I'm sure I'll have a million photos to share when I get back!

We are also looking forward to our 30th birthdays, which will be a novelty to have in summer instead of winter. A pint of Guinness will be a big part of my celebration ;)
After those celebrations we will be welcoming our friend Jim for Christmas and a few barbecues. Along with our friend Andrew we are going to enjoy a trip to Melbourne for the Boxing Day Ashes test. Here's hoping England give a repeat performance of their latest Ashes triumph.

All these things just add to the amazing lifestyle we have here. I won't kid myself by saying that I am always down the beach (yes I should be), but when I do go down to Bronte it is such a great experience. To have a the ocean on your doorstep is a blessing and the perfect balancing aid for any stresses we face. The weather is the main reason I wanted to come to Australia and it has given us such an amazing first year. It has provided the opportunity to enjoy frisbee at the park during the winter months, BBQ's at the beach during the spring and many runs in sunny conditions.

So until next time I wish you all the best and happy training!

Tom :-)

A waiting game

This blog writing business is tricky eh?! Or perhaps it is my organisational skills (or lack thereof!) Either way it is great to write and update on our progress here in Sydney.

I have a new job which I may have told you about before. I am now working as a labourer for Steve Nash of "Hire a Hubby" Double Bay - http://www.hireahubby.com.au/nsw/double-bay/
Steve works on a variety of jobs from concrete and formwork to tiling and carpentry. He loves his work and I do too. It's great to work on something different everyday and have the satisfaction of getting jobs done in a relatively short time frame. I learn something new everyday and I don't exaggerate when I say that, plus I'm building a variety of trade skills for use in the future. When Catherine and I buy our own home I will be a spring of knowledge and tradie skills. "Homes under the hammer" here we come! If you want to see some of the work I've been assisting with, you can keep up to date via the twitter feed on www.woodytom.com or follow me on twitter: @gotwood83

Catherine has been working hard at her law firm in Double Bay and has submitted her visa application. As the title of this post describes we are playing a waiting game. Provided all is well this visa approval will give us another three years in Sydney. So fingers crossed for that, if we get the visa then I am expecting visitors!

Away from work Catherine and I have been loving life. We have done a great deal of yoga and a little running. We are running every weekend with our club Achilles - www.achilles-sydney.org.au where we guide disabled/blind runners and walkers. Catherine is just getting back to running after her injury and is making great headway. I have entered Sydney marathon (September 22nd) and am back into training, which is going well. The target is 3:45, so that I beat my PB and reclaim the marathon crown from Catherine the Great!
Other than that we are enjoying a mild winter and have plans to visit Melbourne and the Blue Mountains over the next couple of months.

Wedding plans have not progressed since we were back in England in May, but we will be sending out an email with details soon. Naturally the location is dependant on our visa approval!

That's about it for now from me, but I'll pop some work photos up on my next post.

Keep smiling,

Tom :-)


- Posted from the modern day type writer

Back to the beach

We got back to Sydney and our beach home on Wednesday night after a short skip and a hop through Dubai.

We had a great time back home during our six week sojourn. The two weddings we went back for were great fun and were blessed with great weather. The rest of the six weeks was a blur visiting friends and family across the country and although it was enjoyable it won't be something I repeat! Next time we head home it will be a much more relaxed affair.

Back at the beach we have settled straight back into our routine. Catherine and I both returned to work on the Thursday and I can safely say it helped to "reset" our body clocks. I slept for a good nine hours on both Thursday and Friday!

It was brilliant to get back to work at Gap on Thursday. I felt a little like a minor royal (probably Eugenie) and it was fun to get stuck in.

Catherine enjoyed going back to work as it meant she wasn't rushing all over seeing everyone and got to do yoga at the days end.

As I type this Catherine is being flung around above another mans head. She is really excited about getting back to Acro and acting like a big kid (in age if not size ;))

Naturally it was tough leaving England, but we were both keen to get back to our life here after rushing about for six weeks. The lifestyle here is relaxed to say the least. Even when working we both know at the end of the day we can go for a run, swim or do yoga in a beach setting. Yes we could do all these in England, but not only is the weather better, but the people are friendlier (than London at least). So before anyone says anything, yes we miss home, but only for the friends and family we leave behind. I'd trade London for the beach life any day. It may not be perfect, but the balance is much more positive here than the city back home.

Well I better scoot. I'm off to watch the Lions begin their tour of the Southern Hemisphere. Good times.

Tom :)


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Tick tock

We have less than two weeks until we return to England for a six week holiday.

Taking a holiday from a "working holiday" may be seen by some as indulgent. But we have several good reasons for this trip home. Firstly two weddings, secondly several new born babies and thirdly to see family and friends.

We sent our schedule out to all our family and friends recently in order to make the most of our time home. A few people "took the Michael", probably because I am about as organised as a barrel of snakes. The email was my suggestion (I think!), but an idea that Catherine loves. She loves to have a plan, to know what is going on, and on this trip it is essential. When we go home and people say "are you free on the 28th?", I will be referring them to the aforementioned email with a look of disdain and incredulity.

Whilst in England I have a few carpentry projects that I hope to complete for family and friends. All being well this will mean that I can gather a bit more experience and hone my skills.

I recently finished the project above for a friend. It was good to use some of my joinery skills as it is not an area that I would say I'm an expert in. However I am proficient enough to know what to do. Add that to my desire for perfection and I am pleased with the results. I learnt a great deal from this job and now have a greater understanding of working with different materials, using different techniques and taking my time to get things right.

One thing I will be collecting from home is my GSharp chisel sharpener. I managed to forget to pack it with the tools I shipped out and have been loathed to buy a new inferior alternative. If you are a DIYer or tradesmen I strongly recommend checking it out. Just visit www.chiselsharpener.co.uk for video tutorials by Gervase Evans the inventor and a great friend of mine. Whether you are in Australia or Antarctica* he can ship it to you. *You may want to check before ordering to the Antarctic ;)

Among some of the things I have missed (a little) whilst we've been in Sydney, is cycling. When we get back I am fully expecting spring to be in bloom (please!), so that Catherine and I can hit the trails and do some long mountain bike rides to a country pub or two. There's something natural and enlivening about travelling under your own steam. The same could be said of running to work, but to do it regularly requires more dedication and motivation than I possess. Cycling is by far the easiest way to get around. Especially when the buses are as reliable and true as a politician here in Sydney.

Until next time,

Tom :)


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Home time

We have only four weeks until we return to England for a six week holiday.

Taking a holiday from a "working holiday" may be seen by some as indulgent. But we have several good reasons for this trip home. Firstly two weddings, secondly several new born babies and thirdly to see family and friends.

We sent our schedule out to all our family and friends recently in order to make the most of our time home. A few people "took the Michael", probably because I am about as organised as a barrel of snakes. The email was my suggestion (I think!), but an idea that Catherine loves. She loves to have a plan, to know what is going on, and on this trip it is essential. When we go home and people say "are you free on the 28th?", I will be referring them to the aforementioned email with a look of disdain and incredulity.

Whilst in England I have a few carpentry projects that I hope to complete for family and friends. All being well this will mean that I can gather a bit more experience and hone my skills.

I recently finished the project above for a friend. It was good to use some of my joinery skills as it is not an area that I would say I'm an expert in. However I am proficient enough to know what to do. Add that to my desire for perfection and I am pleased with the results. I learnt a great deal from this job and now have a greater understanding of working with different materials, using different techniques and taking my time to get things right.

One thing I will be collecting from home is my GSharp chisel sharpener. I managed to forget to pack it with the tools I shipped out and have been loathed to buy a new inferior alternative. If you are a DIYer or tradesmen I strongly recommend checking it out. Just visit www.chiselsharpener.co.uk for video tutorials by Gervase Evans the inventor and a great friend of mine. Whether you are in Australia or Antarctica* he can ship it to you. *You may want to check before ordering to the Antarctic ;)

Among some of the things I have missed (a little) whilst we've been in Sydney, is cycling. When we get back I am fully expecting spring to be in bloom (please!), so that Catherine and I can hit the trails and do some long mountain bike rides to a country pub or two. There's something natural and enlivening about travelling under your own steam. The same could be said of running to work, but to do it regularly requires more dedication and motivation than I possess. Cycling is by far the easiest way to get around. Especially when the buses are as reliable and true as a politician here in Sydney.

Until next time,

Tom :)


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The beauty of writing

I have been writing with routine irregularity since I was at school. Using it as an escape, a way of unfurling demented thought and a sound board for my questioning mind.

In my early writing days I was concerned with the big issues of life as a teenager. Adventure, lust, heroism and self flagellation. Certainly a dizzying mix for any adult to write about, which is probably why it came so easy as a teenager.

Naturally I progressed as I grew older into more serious penmanship. Lust, adventure, love and self flagellation. (Heroism had been put to one side as tiresome.) Again I used pen and paper as a drug user utilises their vice, a means of escape, without questions.

Throughout the years I harboured pompous dreams of writing a novel. I knew it would be a best seller and so naturally I brooded over it for several years ;)

Now that I have grown (I dare not say grown up) I use writing as a release. I have a hectic, daydreaming mind that can accomplish very little without writing. Writing is my plumbers "sucker", unblocking the mess of thoughts, worries and dreams from the U-bend of my brain. Once free I can think much clearer and actually be quite organised!

Whether its scribbling about how I feel, writing for my book or tapping out lines for my blog it all helps. It also allows me to be more creative, to work on the book that I've always wanted to write, but always been prevented from completing.

I recently took an online test for ADHD and scored off the scale (not in a good way). However I am too laid back to get it checked properly. Instead by writing, running, doing yoga and cooking for my little one I am able to control my brain through positive action.

When I first started writing a diary (in which I manage to write a few times a week) I thought it would be stupid. I didn't think I would have anything to say. But the complete opposite has come true. I am able to see what I have achieved and focus on what I need to do next. I can clear my brain for free thinking and some fairly poetic and inspired philosophising. I'm not trying to save the world here, just my own sanity. But by expressing my hopes and worries in a written form, it enables me to look beyond and decide what action I need to take. Lets face it, we all talk a good game (none more so than I), but until we put thought into action we achieve very little.

So get writing people! You don't need to share it with anyone. You can write or type. Create a blog online and make it private, so only you can see it. That way you can use your mobile phone to update whatever you like, whenever you like. (Thanks Andrew for this suggestion.) Or if like me you like writing then get yourself a notebook and a comfortable pen and get rid of those thoughts. You'll thank yourself for taking action and stop dwelling in your daydreams.

Until the next time,

Tom :)

The tiling job

Apologies for not posting this earlier, but I was incredibly busy yesterday being productive. It doesn't happen often, so I made the most of it.



Here is one picture of the tiling job. It's not actually completed here as in my uber productive exuberance yesterday I forgot to take a photo! However I shall produce one next week. (To be honest you are not missing out. Just imagine that all the grout is there!)

I have a had a few days off work which has been fun, but as I type this I'm heading back to Gap. Hopefully we will be moderately busy, which will make time somehow speed up, this bringing me ever closer to the weekend and a trip to the beach on Sunday.

I have a separate, semi-profound blog post to come. As I've started up my book writing again I wanted to share some thoughts about it and the benefits of writing.

For all of those at home in England I'm sending you sunshine and smiles. Fortunately I have a surplus of both at the moment. So keep warm and keep smiling.

Tom :)




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Handyman business

These last two weeks I have completed a myriad of handyman jobs. Perhaps myriad makes it sound more impressive than it actually is, but "a few" doesn't quite cut it.

I've still been assisting customers at Gap, inspiring new fashion trends with every garment I suggest they should buy ;) But in between shifts I have helped my friend Jamie with his new house.

I say "new", but I am sure Jamie won't mind me saying that it is anything but that. I'm not sure of the exact age (my knowledge of Australian building isn't there yet), but I would take a stab at 100 years old. Fortunately the bits that are that old were built to last. It's actually the newer additions that have been built with a lacklustre approach. As a result I have had a little work to do!

Most recently this has included the removal and replacement of the bath panel and its retiling. I have a few photos of the water damage from the ill fitting shower screen (thrilling stuff) and the new bath panel replacement. I now have all the necessary tools to retile this weekend, so I shall post the finished product early next week.

I think the most interesting thing with this small project has been how quickly I have learnt new skills. I know that tiling isn't rocket science (no offence tilers), but doing a great job requires a lot of patience and a willingness to learn like a child. So it's thanks to Catherine and my copy of Readers Digest DIY that I am now able to tile as well as carry out my chippie duties. I have also found that my planning and thinking skills have been improved to at least a level of 15 (out of 100). I soon hope to receive a certificate ;)

Next week Catherine stars full time at the law firm in Double Bay. So be sure to drop her a line and wish her well. I think she's secretly missing her friends at home.

Have a great weekend campers!

Tom :)




Frame before



New frame


Bath panel on!


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Gidday!

This post is not about my finger. But since it had a fight with a mallet where it lost, got broken and its nail fell off a lot has happened. Mainly we moved to Sydney and a new and different life! However during that time Mr. Nail has slowly been recovering and with a lot of sunshine he is now (almost) surpassing his former glory!

Back to business! I thought I'd tap out a short update on Bronte life. There's not much excitement at the moment, so you won't be too jealous I promise.

Next week is Catherine's last week waitressing before she becomes a full time lawyer (again!) She is really looking forward to getting back to the office (read without sarcasm) as she is diving into her new role with relish for law again. On a personal note I am happy to see her happy with work and having a better balance here in Sydney.

I am continuing to work full time at Gap giving unfortunate people advice on clothes. As yet I've had no complaints, but that may be due to me wearing Anthony's name badge. I have been doing some carpentry jobs, helping my friend Jamie to get his house renovated. I've really enjoyed getting back "on the tools". Hopefully I am going to start full time carpentry work in the next two weeks with a friend of Jamie's. Above all else I am here to learn (and have a good time) so that if we do come back I will be ready to jump into any carpentry going!

Other than that we are trying to enjoy the weather and beach as much as possible and do fun things with friends. We won't know whether we are staying longer until after our trip home to England, so we are making sure we enjoy ourselves.

We now have a rough schedule for April & May, so I'll post that on the next post.

Catherine and I have been trialling various yoga classes since we got here. Most studios give you a two week unlimited pass for $20, so we've been "doing the rounds" so to speak.

After our most recent trial we joined up with Power Living yoga at Bondi Junction because it has loads of classes and is convenient for both of us to get to straight from work. For $90 we have unlimited classes, so I am fully expecting my foot to be almost behind my head by the end of February!

To dispel any myths that some of you may have about "yoga", it is not namby pamby. This stuff is either hot yoga or very warm at the least. It's the kind of yoga whereby you sweat getting into and holding poses and frequently feel like you will fall over. Ah sorry, that may just be me. But nevertheless it is HARD.

The other side is the meditative one. There's not a lot of it, but it helps to focus the mind. Mostly you are focussing on what you are doing and not worrying about work etc.

"HIPPY!" You may cry. But having been involved in fitness training since I was 16 I can safely say that meditation is a part of all exercise. When I run I focus on my breathing, I try and relax, I am mindful of my strides, how I lift my knees and how I place my feet. I admit I've been doing this for a few years, so I focus on it more than most. But if you go for a run you will quite easily focus on that activity, that moment in time, just on you. That is a form of meditation. The same can be applied to weight training, acrobatics or plate spinning. There's a form of meditation in all. For me I find it in carpentry, writing, running and yoga. When I'm not doing those things regularly I can get grumpy all too easily (ask Catherine) and depressed for no reason.

So when you next have time to yourself, whether its walking, running, carpentry or puppy juggling just focus on that moment, that practice and you will have your meditation.

Until next time that is all from Yogi Tom.

:-)


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Dairy or dairy not?

As you can probably tell from the play on words title this post is briefly about cow products.



This is not dairy. But I wanted to include a tasty meal. I cooked this. It was extremely tasty.

Dairy or dairy not?

Catherine and I have been green (veggie to those that didn't read the previous blog) for three weeks. I've not had a single urge for a bacon sandwich or other meat meal. Instead I find that I have forgotten meat and misplaced the memories of meals involving animals. In its place I have discovered other ways to fulfill my protein and vitamin needs, by cooking delicious new meals involving a variety of veg and legumes.

I am amazed at how easy I have found it to relinquish meat and take to a veg diet. When we first started I said that I wasn't going to eat dairy and my intention was to just eat vegetables, legumes and grains. However I soon realised this would mean the curtailing of regular cups of tea, cafe coffees, pretty much any bakery product and worst of all, ice cream. I clearly hadn't thought this through. Needless to say I came to my senses quick enough (once told by Catherine what I couldn't have) and decided to keep dairy.

With this in mind I considered some dairy to be a useful dietary addition and other dairy to be superfluous to my healthy approach. I looked upon what I could realistically reduce and what made a big difference to my diet. After a rigorous process I discovered the following:

I love dairy.

This revelation (which I hadn't seen coming) was apparent in my consumption of tea, cappuccinos, cheese, bakery products, buttery toast and ice creams. I certainly don't eat a lot of the latter, but I enjoy my tea and coffees.

Tom's conclusion
As a result of my experiment I came upon this conclusion.

In terms of nutrition I don't believe that milk, cheese or any other form of dairy provides anything spectacular to the human body. Yes it provides calcium, but it's widely disputed whether the body can readily absorb it from dairy. As a protein source it's not amazing either and many other grain forms can provide it without the saturated fat. Aside from that many people struggle to digest dairy properly as they lose the digestive enzyme required after teething as children. I can get all of my protein needs from a variety of pulses, legumes and grains. I shouldn't need to supplement to achieve this. From vegetables, pulses and grains I can get all the nutrients I need to train effectively and recover appropriately. I don't need a multivitamin (or meat) to achieve that either.

I think above all else it simply comes down to a want versus need argument again. I don't need dairy to survive. It is not necessary to my health, however it comes down to living a balanced lifestyle. There is no question in my mind that milk makes a great cup of tea, cheese makes any boring meal tasty and ice cream is delicious on a hot day.

If I can lead a balanced lifestyle whereby I eat a healthy vegetarian diet, train hard AND enjoy a little of the "naughty" stuff, then I'll be happy. Becoming vegetarian was easy, but soya milk and a Vegemite rice cracker (minus the butter) are not the same as an English brew with milk and toast, butter and marmite!

So for now I will continue my healthy balance and rejoice in my next ice cream, without attacking the cheese, pastries and cream every night!

Tom :)





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Going Green

I can be quite disorganised. It is part of my nature. Part of being a daydreamer. In the past I have attempted (and failed) to write a regular blog, posting on the same day each week. Naturally this is beneficial to many people, except me. So as I am now writing everyday I will at random and surprise junctures post something. It could be short. It could be long. It could be profound. It could be nonsense. It COULD be many things. One thing it will not be is organised. It will be a daydreamers splurge. I bring that splurge to you and look forward to your comments.

Now this is an update. It's a short-ish post about turning vegetarian.

I recently read the book "Eat Animals" (it's a great read, look it up) as I received a gift voucher from my Mum for Christmas. In writing that last line I feel like I am ten years old again! The logistical ease of a gift voucher when you are on the other side of the World is clear. But it also gives the receiver choice. I had a great deal of choice as the voucher was generous and Kindle books are cheaper than paperback ;) Cut a long story short I bought the above mentioned book.

"Eat Animals" is a book about the current state of farming in the US, with a foreword about the very similar state of British farming. It talks of the growing, medicating, welfare and slaughter of chickens, pigs, turkeys, fish and cows. It is meant to be eye opening, but it is factual with it. The references in the book are testament to a great deal of research.

As a result of reading the book I CHOSE to become vegetarian. It wasn't the author telling me (he doesn't), nor was it the healthy lifestyle led by Australians (I could've read it in Poland and I would've done the same). My choice was based on the lost ethics of farming, the lack of welfare for animals, the health implications of eating medicated animals, the environmental impacts of farming, the sadistic treatment of animals in slaughter and the ridiculously low cost of meat. The last one may be a surprise. But consider this. How can meat not increase in price to the same extent as other products that we purchase? How does a farmer supply cheap meat when everything else is naturally becoming more expensive over the years? That's where factory farming, medication and a short animal life comes into play. But don't let me ruin the book, it's much better in the author's words. I am just giving some reasoning to my decision. All the facts are available in black and white if you want to take notice. There are numerous YouTube videos showing the abuse and lack of welfare in farming today. It just depends if YOU choose to open your eyes and ears to it.

Oh how serious of me! It's only because the easiest thing I had ever done (in "going green") has attracted the most questions and comments. I am not trying to convert lots of people (yet ;)), but friends and family still think its strange. In some respects I think people are threatened by anything/anyone that is different, that says "I'm not going to do that just because it is the norm". Probably best not to get me onto religion. That's another story completely ;)

To finish I am happily eating many different and tasty meals. I love cooking anyway and Catherine and I prepare our lunches every evening. Now I am looking to create delicious meals that anyone would eat from "The Accidental Vegetarian". I have more energy than I thought possible. I am running faster and training more than I ever used to. I am happy, not grumpy. I am quietly getting on with life and just so happen to be green!

Until next time,

Tom :-)



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A new year down under

I've finally found a new way to write my blogs as BlogPress no longer wants to go to landscape mode. This is a pain in the arse when trying to write a blog from an iPhone! I would write it from a computer but it is nicer to write at the beach ;)

We've now been in Sydney for two and a half months (how time flies!) We have done a great deal in that time and look forward to the rest of 2013 being both productive and fun.

When we arrived in Sydney we stayed with our good friends Geoff and Harriet. Their generosity and kindness in our first weeks made our new life easier, even when things weren't happening on the job front. Their lovely home in Cammeray was a perfect base, from which we applied for jobs and researched apartments to rent.

Three weeks after arriving we moved into our own flat on Henrietta Street in Waverley. It is perfect for the two of us, only a 15 minute walk down to Bronte beach and a 15 minute walk from Bondi Junction and the shops. We have already got into the Aussie lifestyle; swimming regularly and running along the coastal path or in Centennial Park. After all that is why we left Blighty to come here!

Jobs have been a different story however and not as easy to come by as our apartment. Having hoped to get labouring work before building up contacts I found it difficult to get anything. Without several health and safety tickets and a good deal of experience there was not a lot of jobs I could apply for. However I got an interim job at Gap before Christmas and hope to start carpentry work with a friend in February. Catherine also got an interim job waitressing, but has recently started work at a friend's law firm. The hours are much more sociable (no more late finishes) and it gives her a chance to get back to loving law.

There is lots more I could say, but I'll save it for future posts and more photos!

I'll sign off with this thought.
The people here are friendly and the lifestyle is great. The weather allows us to swim in the sea and run in the sun. Coming here has given me time to think of what I am lucky to have and what I lack in my life. The latter is not as important as I once thought. It has helped show that I am healthy and have the love of a very special girl. It has opened my eyes to my wonderful friends and family back home and here in Sydney. Above all it has shown that wherever we lay our hats is our home, but our hearts will always be with those we leave behind. We can make our own happiness wherever we are in the World, we just have to realise that we often already have all that we need.

Tom :)









- Posted using a modern day type writer