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 :-)


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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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