the year in review.

alrighty.. after spending a chaotic new years, with new friends, at the Vanguard in Hollywood, the spring was hectic. we got confirmation that we were indeed moving to Crete in February, and the following 2 months were filled with work, NO PACKING, a bit of stress, farewells, vet visits, more stress, overlooking the movers - severely hungover, having the movers pack our airmattres, so we spent the first night on the floor, with the blanket from my car, cleaning out the flat in SM while crying my eyes out, spending 2 weeks at C&S, while B was in Crete, a loooong flight with the boys (who did amazingly well), a week at a hostel, where the boys get used to being outdoors. We finally get the house in Crete, with a nice dog kennel outside, and the first night in the house we realize that there's a sheep farm right around the corner, and the sheep wander past the kennel in the early am.. :) we spend almost 2 months with loaner furniture from the base, and finally get our stuff right in time for a few visitors. :) it's amazing, that whatever furniture and crap we had in a small 1br flat in santa monica filled a 3br, 2 story house.. ;) the boys get used to the kennel, after escaping once to kill some chickens and once after Scoob tries to dig himself out, and manages to get a deep gash along his side from the fence.

We went to Ibiza, Spain, for a week in June, for a couple of friends' wedding, was fantastic to meet up with our friends from CA for a few days. We also managed to eat the worst (and the most expensive) Sushi in the whole of Europe, and some of the cheapest and tastiest Sangria.. :)

The summer was stormy, in many more ways than one, and come early august, i started a short project in London. 3 months turned into 9 months, and.. that's where we're at now.
went back to Crete for 2 weeks in Nov, B got extended in Crete until summer of 2010, and he is here now for 2 weeks, and it's FREEZING cold outside. :)
since our plans to go to Sweden for x-mas were ruined, we at least went to the IceBar here in London, to enjoy some -5 degree weather and the feeling of being back home.. :)


alrighty.
i wish you all a happy new years, and may 2009 be a fantastic year for everybody.


C&B

1 hr left

so.. finally, FINALLY mr.B is coming to town. Spoke to him a few hours ago, and he'd just arrived in Athens, i guess after a very shaky landing by the pilot.. haha, mr.B is NO fan of flying to start with, so.. he didn't sound too happy at all, but.. at least he made it there, and is due to land here in London in an hour.

can't wait.
walked down to JerkCity for lunch, and got some jerk chicken, ox tail and cola champagne (very jamaican food) to wish him welcome in town. :) (cola champagne tastes pretty much like 'trocadero')

have worked my buttocks off the past couple of weeks, to get stuff done here at work, so i can enjoy a few days off, and i think i am finally, almost done.
am working for a while tomorrow, but.. am contemplating making it half a day. juuust because, tomorrow is our x-mas eve, and i am used to celebrating on the 24th.. none of this 25th stuff..


anyways.

gotta get ready.

Merry Christmas, everybody!!

c&b

long time between updates..

i can't believe it's almost Christmas! crazy..
i can't believe I've been in London for almost 5 months, either.. it was only supposed to be 3 months, but.. one thing leads to another, and i am still here, obviously. Am actually here until mid-may, as of right now.

B's coming out here next Tuesday - can't wait!!! i can't wait to show him around, to go exploring, to do silly little tourist things, to snuggle on the couch - just to have him here. :) i have a few days off after christmas, will try to cram in as many things as possible during those days.

it's a beautiful day here today.. rained overnight, and is sunny out today.. sunny and cold, but... at least there's sun. :) makes wonders for your mood.

what else.. am working my behind off, as usual, trying to get my shots done before Christmas.
bought a bicycle, and managed to ride around for a few days before getting completely drenched on the way home one evening, and got sick.. haha, got sick like a dog, and got the rest of the office sick too.. i am not very nice, no. :(

oh well.. otherwise, nothing new on this side of the pond.
just waiting for B to come here.

dat's all!

.c&b

back in London..

i am sorry if the updates have been kind of sparse as of lately, it's just so much to do, and not enough time in the day to sit in front of a computer.. (that was a lie, as i am in front of a computer ALL day, but.. not enough time to do what I want, not work.. )

Spent the first 2 weeks of November in Crete, which was perfect.. 2 weeks of nothing. Spent a lot of time at the beach with Scoob and Tay (need to upload the pictures)and completely spoiled them rotten.. :)

the birthday was nice and mellow, and just spent eating well and sleeping on the couch in front of a movie.

had some friends over for dinner on friday, and went to other friends on saturday, and slept most of sunday, after way too much wine and too little food.. :)
it's quite strange how Crete in so many ways feels like 'home' at the moment, but so does London.. Crete is home when i am here, and London becomes home when i am there.. and Cali is ALWAYS the ultimate 'home' when me and B are talking.. but.. then again.. regardless of being in Crete or London, i feel more american than swedish.. yea, yea, i know, i am confused. :) it's all good, as long as i keep track of WHERE i am at the moment.. :)

what else.

mrB is supposed to come out this way for x-mas, am looking forward to that.. it'll be his first time out here!! :)

ah well.. time to head home from work.

hope all's well!

C&B

back in crete..

and it's gorgeous here..
not as sweltering hot as it was in the summer, but well around 245 degrees in the day time, and around 20 at night..

quite pleasant..

will be back with more later. :)

.c&b

4 days to go..

and then back to crete.. got a bit of a shock this morning when i left the flat - it's was right around 0 degrees celsius.. (that's just over freezing, for you non-celsuis peeps).. nedless to say - i am NOT used to cold weather.. 14 years in Cali and the summer in Crete hasn't helped, at all.. thank god for heaters on the bus to warm my feet on, and big, fuzzy scarves and gloves.. can't wait to get back to Crete, even tho it's not WARM there anymore, but it's warmer than here.. and i've got my winter gear there.. i am definitely bringing back winter coats and thick socks and big ol' boots to London.. will need them to go to Sweden for x-mas too.. :)

other than that, alls's well here.. will spend 2 weeks in Crete, then back to London for 6 more months.. Sweden for x-mas, and hopefully a few trips to Crete in the spring.. :)


hope all are well!!

C

oct 4th.

and only 4 weeks to go here in London.. can't believe I've already been here over 2 months!! it feels like a couple of weeks, maybe a month - tops.
wasn't very keen on London in the beginning, the culture shock between Crete and London was a little harsh, but.. the city has grown on me, to the point of actually contemplating staying for another project. yeah, the weather SUCKS, but at least I'll have the opportunity to go to Crete as often as my wallet/work permits, and hopefully B will actually make it out here, too.. :)
It's good here, but awfully busy! everybody seems to be in a hurry to get somewhere, always. first week i felt like the pebble in the middle of the stream of people, it felt like i was the only one walking in MY direction, and everybody else was going the other way.. and having spent too many years in Cali, where you almost always excuse yourself when you're in somebody's way, i found myself trying to sidestep to get around people, found myself weaving in and out of the crowds.. until i figured out that the less i care about where i walk, the easier it is to walk.. does that make sense? in the sense of if i don't try to walk around people, but just walk straight ahead, along MY path, people will move out of MY way, instead of me trying to maneuver around them.. and i stopped saying 'excuse me', too. uh-oh, i am becoming a rude Londoner. :)

my flat mate is a really cool gal, btw, makes it so much easier to rent from someone when the person's laidback and chill, and it's nice to come home and there's no tension or drama.

work's great, finally getting a little bit less confusing.. (about time isn't, when there's less than a month left?)

have taken loads of pictures, and i am sure there will be many more taken this coming week, when my lilSis comes out here to explore London with me.. LilSis who's suffering from Cabin Fever in the worst way, at the moment.. she'll have a shock when she gets here.. mooahahaaha!! :)


so.. right now - sis coming on wesnesday, her friend on friday, her friend leaves on tuesday, sis leaves again on the 22nd, i believe, and i roll outta here on the 1st.. just in time for my b-day. and then - most likely back here mid november again, me thinks.


alrighty.. maybe i should pretend to do some work, after all..

letahs, getahs!


.c