Tuesday, September 14, 2004      Best. Weekend. Ever. [at least in London]

As I mentioned in my previous post the weekend that just past was the best I've had here in London. I went to the coastal town of Brighton, a little bigger than our (South Australia's) Brighton -- more like the size of Manly. We started after work getting picked up by my boss's mate, Chris, who drove us my bos, Tim, my friend Julia and me, down there. Now we dicked around dropping things off (to Chris' mums) getting a few travellers (Stella longneck - gold) and trying to peel Chris' brother out of bed to come along (he'd had a big night previous). We ended up at Brighton at around 10pm - its about a 1 1/2 - 2 hour drive based on where you leave from and the time of day; London traffic is pretty mental.

We dropped at another friend of my boss', Dawn, who was a friend he met in New Zealand. She was great, had a funky little house in Brighton about 50m from the beach. A quick beer there and some hounding phone calls from the other crowd that was meeting us at the club we were going to and we're moving. We get into the Honey Club to groove to some Hed Kandi DJs - we met up with the rest of the gang and grooved until 3am. This dancing doesn't beat a good game of basketball but it helps with a bit of fitness once in a while.

So we leave the club and start to wander the streets heading back to Dawn's, or at least in that direction. We run into three British girls, very drunk, just wandering up the road. The start some conversations and get to me and start chatting. Aaahh the only Australian in the immediate area (I had 5 English and an Irish with me) - so I coped it. Bad jokes about shrimps, kangaroos and the usual accent ribbing poured out, amongst the giggles of my mates alongside of me. So we followed these girls to a house party, met the owner of the house who knew no one he saw. We were there for maybe 3 minutes - so we headed back to Dawns, losing Chris in the meantime.

Back at Dawn's I'm in and out of consciousness (sleep not drunk) lying flat on the floor. The sofa gets unfolded and one of the party crashes out. The phone rings and Chris is telling us we've got the all clear to return to the party. I eye off the free side of the sofa bed and am out like a light -- it is 6am.

I awake at 8am, head to the beach (in all its pebbled glory - jeesh we're lucky at home), and find the rest of my group minus the dozer still on the sofa bed, on the beach rugged up and just chilling. We stick around there until the coffee shop within our sleep-deprived vision opens and scoff down coffees and toast (an inch thick by the way) for 90 minutes. So for the next 2 or 3 hours we chill out on the shore front wandering aimlessly, crashing out on the beach, throwing pebbles at seagulls (the poms don't like them either) and finally hitting another bar for a jug of Pimms.

We leave and I get home about 5 and crash out. My housemate Steve is in the exact same state when he arrives around 7 and we hit the lounge and watch Shawshank Redemption. Now this is the first time I've seen this film - much to everyone's gasps I can here - and it was pretty good. I really knew nothing about it so the twists I enjoyed; I didn't think it was the most fantastic film I'd ever seen (its not a DVD purchase which is my yard stick) but it was good for a lazy Staurday night.

I get a call from Tim (my boss) at about 10pm saying "you have to be free tomorrow". So I'm gearing up for work, but then am told myself and Julia (friend who came to Brighton) have been invited to Chris' (Brighton driver) Mum's place for a traditional Carribean meal. Shocked but smiling.

Sunday morning arrives, have bacon and eggs for breaky (housemate cooked and delivered) and I sit in bed on my laptop (just like now but with a shirt on) and chat on Messenger to Mum and Dad (with their new webcam) and my sister. Great to say hi, and especailly see Mum and Dad - first time basically in two months. Then I catch up online with a group of mates (Jim, Lex, Bart, Thommo, Kerri, Sal, Rob, Ursula) online who have all congregated at Cherry's (super party producer and fabulous girl) for a curry and a chat to there not-so-forgotten mate in London. It was a blast - three hours of people coming back and forth in front of a web cam chatting away like we were only a room apart. And of course the same stupid banter flew back and forth - man I miss you guys. I'm still waiting for all but one of you to email me with when I should meet you at Heathrow....

Sunday afternoon comes by and I shower for the first time since Friday morning (smelly) and hop on the tube to Chris' Mum's place. Greeted at the pub across the road, down a few pints then off to the house. Julia and I are greeted with a hug and a kiss from the most friendly woman I've met in a long time. We're given drinks, sit and chat and move around, then sit down for the best home cooked meal. YUM! Lots of veges and some beautifully cooked beef in some awesome gravy. I was in food heaven. Scoffed too much and swaggered around to the reggae music filling the rooms in the house. It was just all so cool. You meet a guy on a Friday and on Sunday you're having dinner with his Mum - and I got the open invite. Chris needs to expect SMSes every few Saturdays -- So dinner on Sunday again Bro?

Another bonus is I saw some pounds I can call my own. Natwest has finally pulled their fingers out and sent me information, cards and access to my funds online. I'm just waiting for my PIN numbers and I'll be a real [london] boy! £500+ just sitting there wanting to be spent and another £1400+ on its way. Translating that into $AUS puts a bit of a smile on my face.

Work is keeping me busy. Very busy. Like extremely busy. 10-12 hour days, two clients about to launch, one being our biggest client (why did I get this one?) and the other probably being the fastest ever delivered client. Come end of September I'll either be a God or gone - lets aim for the first one. But I still need to learn to let go of my projects, be less hands on (but I'm very good with them!) and more of a delegator. Its a struggle for me, but I'm learning to wander the office making sure everyone gets what they need to get done, make sure the client is still talking to me and not yelling and keep my team moving along -- Kit Kats help here! The weekend looks potentially half filled with work, but I'm not fussed - I'll rest in October.

One last thing. I was called up by my close friend Diana today, for her to tell me her Grandmother passed away on Sunday.

You said I was so very tall, but I never missed you,
You were always such a big character for someone of such small stature.
And your heart was big with a grin to match.
You always looked up at me, smiling, ready for a kiss hello.
We'd sit, we'd eat, you talked and I listened,
And you always made me smile with your great stories of times gone past.
I shed a small tear for you today.
I will miss you but know you are happy alongside your husband once again.
Rest in peace Mrs Howard x x

My heart goes out to Diana, Sarah, Fulvia, Jim and the rest of the family who I send a big hug to.

Posted by Nick @ 11:22 pm      0 comments