Messing about on the river

We got up early this morning to head down to the river. I was not that keen on an early morning (I'm on holiday!), but it was definitely worth it. The temperature was perfect, the river was beautifully flat, like glass. It was only disturbed by the occasional duck, or rowing boat, or us in our canadian canoe..........

Dad and I

John and Marielle coming back in from their cruise. Looks like they are canoeing on the sky, the water was that flat!

It was worth getting up early to see the river looking like this........

Marielle, John, Dad, Mum and I and our Christmas dinner.

Mission accomplished

Well, that was worth it!! I arrived yesterday at my home in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. Mum and Dad were sitting in the lounge with my bro and his fiance, thinking that they had quite a small gathering for Christmas, and imagining me at the farm with friends in Warwickshire, England where they genuinely thought I would be spending Christmas. Then I walked in the door here!!
You should have seen their faces! Lots of hugs, and mum very nearly cried (or maybe she did), then we all sat down for a massive Christmas lunch!
The trip all went very smoothly (just slowly, as that long haul always does!), I thought there might be issues with fog in Heathrow, but that cleared in time to get the flight to Singapore on time, then there was a bit of a delay at Singapore, but we made up the time in the air and got into Brissie spot on time, with an hour to sit around before the flight to Townville.
My fam liked the prezzies I'd bought them, and we went over to some friends place for drinks in the evening. I was struggling to keep my eyes open by about 8pm, so we went home and I was out like a light for 12 hours sleep (having not slept since the Friday night before I left). I reckon that's the best way to get over jetlag!

Oh, dear, it seems I am misinformed (sorry Marielle, and all you Bretons out there), Nantes is not in Brittany, it is in the Pays De Loire (44) region! We have been to Normandy for the last couple of days, to Mt St Michel, the Bayeux Tapestry, and to the Normandy beaches where the American, Canadian and British troops landed on D-Day. I feel the need to learn a lot more about the World Wars, they seem so much closer to home over here!
We are going to the primary school this afternoon, and will be sticking with the 10 Aussie kids for some of next week as well. It is strange to have a teacher's perspective on the school.
I feel totally useless at French, it feels like being stripped of all personality and expression and I find myself sitting silently listening like mad and understanding about every 10th word! I have been talking to an american girl who has been here 4 months and will be here another 5. She is living in Nantes, and has basically thrown herself in the deep end living with three non english speaking french girls, and working at the school as an aide with the english department. I feel it would take so so long to get anywhere near as fluent as I would like to be at this.......

Parting is such sweet sorrow

Well, my 6 months in Buxton is up already - where did that go???? I'm still pinching myself that I've been living and working in the UK, and I already have an old 'home' to go back and visit! It has been a great 6 months, mostly good memoreis, though I'm never going to miss the weather in the last couple of months, where I'd lie in bed praying the phone wouldn't ring while listening to the wind and rain outside.............. :)

Well, I have a few minutes to kill, as i wait to board my flight to Nantes, Brittany, France. It's exciting to be heading to mainland Europe for the second time! I'm not sure exaxtly what the itinerary will be, except that i think we are going to Normandy to see the Bayeux tapestry tomorrow - never wuld have thought I'd get to see that in real life!
I'm tagging along with a school trip from St Paul's in Warragul, near where I used to live. My friend Christine is a French teacher there (we used to play for shows together in Warragul, Victoria. We're with the school kids for a couple of days, then just cruising for a few more after that. i think we have both been to busy to organise anything much, which is actually a really nice way to take a holiday!

Anyway, I'm sorry my blog has been quite boring for the last couple of months. Do watch this space, one day I'll be at a computer with fast internet access, and by able to put some photos of York Chrismas Markets, and other exciting things on here....