It's been a while

As December was the last post, it's kind of hard to know how to fill in the gaps, with life here in the last few months. I guess a few paragraphs might pull it all together.

Georgia & Jamie
Both getting on very well at Westminster School. Georgia is in year 7 which effectively means the last year of junior school. Had she stayed in the UK she would now be in her first year at secondary school (Chancellors). She has grown in confidence for sure and has even played in the school netball team. She is not so keen on PE so to even contemplate playing in a school team is a real step forwards. She loves Art and attends choir, dance and gym. Her grades were excellent last year. She is 13 next birthday so we are definitely starting to experience the start of the terrible teens.

Jamie spends far too much time on the play station and the laptop. Even when his mates come round, first thing they do is fire up the PS3. I guess boys are boys the world over. This term he's been playing cricket, with pads, helmet and gloves. He also featured in the 400m even among a few others on the school sports day recently. Can't wait 'til next term when he starts playing football again, not the Aussie rules version. Surprisingly applies himself well to his homework. Gets it done as quickly as he can so he can get on and play.

Georgia has returned to scouts, which is excellent and I feel is really good in building her confidence and people skills. Jamie sadly currently refusing to go to scouts saying he was bullied there before. I was a helper there last year and didn't see any evidence of that. I think it's more that he doesn't have a close friend to go there with him. Still misses Hadley and Archie from BP.

Sensaslim solution - the business investment
I mentioned the launch of this we attended in the gold coast last November. It's out there now and we have got it stocked in around 20 stores in our area. we are meant to have established 50 by the launch, but that would have been with the help of an ad campaign and a lot of launch publicity. Neither of these have happened, which has of course affected retailer confidence in the product. We have made sales but anxiously await the full TV and Press campaigns starting in April.

The good news is that Debi and I have been appointed State Managers for SA. In the future this may mean greater opportunities and income if we can help develop all the sales here in SA with all the other areas. It's tough however, as I have to work on Sensaslim as soon as I get home in the evenings and Debi has to try and sell the product into stores between her activities. I won't go into all the challenges we have faced so far. Let's just say it's a new product launching for the first time worldwide and it has not been a smooth process. There have been many teething problems. We are however excited at the months ahead as it does seem like we have now turned a corner.

Phil Hoffmann Travel
Work for me there continues to go well. Its a great firm with many nice people in the team. I am involved with the Marketing team, Sponsorship, our website maintenance and development, our online booking capability and also many ongoing projects both large and small. its keeping me very busy, but I still manage to put my hand up to attend those networking events and functions. I still enjoy a bit of banter and a few bevvies. Some things will never change.

The Ashes come to Adelaide

Wow what a weekend that was. Friday had to work at the office, but made sure of lots of cups of tea as the kitchen is right by the Telly.

Saturday was the steaming hot day over 37c so watched the game on Telly and jumped in the pool at the breaks. Sunday I took Jamie to the Oval and we had a great time. He bumped into one of his school friends Arthur and I hung out with his English parents Bruce and Michele right in front of the historic scoreboard. We were also right in amongst the barmy army as you can see from the attached pics. Of course we missed the final session as the sky opened and the rain came.

Monday I was invited through work and we saw the England team grab 3 wickets in the day and field superbly all day. Then to get a wicket with Pietersen's last ball of the day was magnificent. Of course we hung around for the hour of lost play to rain. You could sense some history was in the making. By the way the new stand is really fantastic. Really tempting me to invest in one of the members season tickets, although I hear there is a wait list of several years.

A momentous week

On Monday debi and I headed off to the Gold coast for the launch seminar of our new franchise. We had to arrange for a lovely young lady to stay in our house to watch over Georgia and Jamie and take Charlie for his walks. We arrived in the Palazzo Versace Hotel (incidentally classed as one of Australia's finest)just in time for the welcome drinks. Call it perfect planning...

We met a few of our co franchisee's (Area Managers) over drinks and then dinner in a nearby restaurant. Everyone was very excited and looking forward to the product launch the next day.

A full day of presentations followed, ending in the announcement of 2BMW's to be won as part of an initial incentive. Certainly got Debi's eyes open and attention. What is the product I hear you ask. Well I guess for a full explanation it's better to refer you to this site where you can find out all about it. www.sensaslim.com.au


So Debi and I returned from the trip quite excited and with a can of the Sensaslim solution each to try for ourselves and see if it can live up to all the hype. I have never ever tried any form of diet so it will be interesting to see how I go with it.

Two memorable sporting events this week

The first and it cannot go without a mention is that my beloved Spurs thumped the reigning Champions of Europe 3-1 in a classic night of European action at White Hart Lane. I know several people who were there including 2 of my brothers and all are still in shock that our team can have played so well. To have played Inter Milan off the park with a superb display of attacking football. My only upset was that I wasn't physically there to share in the passion and the excitement. Nothing in this world can really match this sort of event.

The other memorable moment is more personal and no doubt some would regard as being quite sad. I played my best round of golf since being here in Oz. i.e. in over two years. Was 8 over for 41 points and finished 2nd out of 95 starters. Worth a few dollars in the sweep, but don't tell Debi. This Thursday night got to the first Twilight golf of the summer season. 9 holes after work followed by a nice dinner with 80 other players. Got 18 points so exactly on handicap.

Just back from Jamie's Kanga Cricket on a Friday night, so the wine is now uncorked and off we go again for the weekend....

Trailblazer Challenge 2010

Held on Saturday, I entered a team of 4 with colleagues Jo and Hamish and Geordie friend Andrew. 2 Girls from our Norwood Branch also entered, and they walked the first 18k with us up to Checkpoint1. My team of 4 then carried on up into the Adelaide Hills finshing the 34 k after 7hrs 20 mins. Over 1/2 an hour slower than last year, but that was down to queing for the bacon & egg muffin (and the loo) at checkpoint 1. Seemed like a good idea at the time. I felt strong enough this year to have gone on to the 50k mark, but the beers are hard to decline. Maybe next year.

Was a beautiful day wrapped up in the afternoon by several beers at the Edinburgh hotel, ,joined by Debi and the kids and Andrews wife Ashley and their kids (same ages as G & J). Funds raised for Operation Flinders (for underprivileged kids) & Adelaide Rotary (I'm a member) are currently $120,000 but should top $150k by the time all donations are in. Thanks to all my sponsors, I've raised nearly $1,000.

The old legs were fine on Sunday. Played a knockput Matchplay game at the Golf club, but true to recent form, made loads of mistakes and got knocked out. There's always next year. Now where have I heard that before...

Got to 28c today,  so really feels like Summer has arrived. However Flooding in Queensland and big rains on the way for the rest of this week. My day at the Murray Bridge Races, this Wednesday could be a damp sqiib.

Visit of my Father Mike from UK

Having arrived on 23 Aug, it has been great to have Dad around for nigh on 3 weeks to see and experience our new lifestyle. Also it has been fantastic respite for my Dad who is effectively the sole carer for my Mum who is suffering from Alzheimers and has gone in to a care home for these few weeks.

We have shown him around Adelaide, although the kids have still been at school and I have had to work. I've just taken this last week off to spend some quality time, as who knows when or if he will be able to make the journey again.

We've tried to do a number of things to keep him occupied, including visits and tours of the kids school including a Fathers day breakfast and a Grandfathers day tour and Presentation. He is certainly impressed with their new school and all its facilities. We took in 2 of Georgia's netball games although sadly Jamie's soccer season ended the day before he arrived.

Visits to wildlife parks, a go karting track, the beach at Glenelg and Seacliff, 9 holes of Golf at Blackwood, a lunch with guest speaker at Glenelg Footy Club, a day trip to McLaren Vale with lunch and several tastings at 3 different wineries. We even had a mini - EBOZ reunion (Dad & I plus 2 old stalwarts from EBOG, one who kindly flew in from Sydney especially to see Dad, and one who now resides here in Brighton SA) this week. EBOZ being East Barnet Old Grammarians who now live in OZ. There are now several dotted all over. Trips to various local pubs to check out the atmosphere and banter and fayre. Various walks in the Parks and Reserves with Charlie our Labradoodle.

The kids have particulalry enjoyed having their Poppa stay over and have enjoyed their cuddles (as has Dad). A pity Mum will never be fit enough to ever make the journey. It will be a wrench to wave him goodbye on Sunday, but as with everything, all good things must come to an end. I will be left with an aching heart all over again.

How to speak South Essex

Although I come from Hertfordshire, these brought me closer to home

alma chizzit - A request to find the cost of an item
amant - Quantity; sum total ('Thez a yuge amant of mud in Saffend')
assband - Unable to leave the house because of illness, disability etc
awss - A four legged animal, on which money is won, or more likely lost ('That awss ya tipped cost me a fiver t'day')
branna - More brown than on a previous occasion ('Ere, Trace, ya look branna today, ave you been on sunbed?')
cort a panda - A rather large hamburger
Dan in the maff - Unhappy ('Wossmatta, Trace, ya look a bit Dan in the maff')
eye-eels - Women's shoes
Furrock - The location of Lakeside Shopping Centre
garrij - A building where a car is kept or repaired(Trace: 'Oi, Darren, I fink the motah needs at go in the garrij cos it aint working proper')
Ibeefa - Balaeric holiday island
lafarjik - Lacking in energy ('I feel all lafarjik')
OI OI! - Traditional greeting. Often heard from the doorway of pubs or during banging dance tunes at clubs
paipa - The Sun, The Mirror or The Sport
reband - The period of recovery and emotional turmoil after rejection by a lover ('I couldn't elp it, I wuz on the reband from Craig')
Saffend - Essex coastal resort boasting the longest pleasure pier in the world. The place where the characters from TV's, popular soap opera, Eastenders go on holiday
tan - The city of London , the big smoke
webbats - Querying the location something or someone is. ('Webbats is me dole card Trace? I've gotta sign on in arf hour')
wonnid - 1. Desired, needed. 2. Wanted by the police
zaggerate - To suggest that something is bigger or better than it actually is. ('I told ya a fazzand times already')