Gosh she's a beauty
Well folks I would like to introduce you all to the newest love in my life.......... and as the title suggests by gosh she is a really beauty!
A 1972 1.4 VW beatle. Now not that i'm a complete car plonker, but i openly admit my limitations I know that i'm no where near the level of Bob and his
red mini project (congrats on the trail fit, hopefully u'll be able to find those few more cm!).
But for the buffs out there i'm not quite sure on the model, I think it was the last year in the series 1952-1971, i hasten to add that further investigation will follow! But what is increadibly strange about this bug is that its a semi-automatic. There is no clutch pedal, there is reverse and 3 forwards gears which you have to change up as you would with a stick shift. To change gear you have to push down on the gear stick and select the gear! This is the first time i've ever seen or driven anything like it, it took a while to get use to, and intiallly she didn't like going into first, hopefully with a bit of use this should sort its self out if not i'll start with simple things gear box oil and then work from there!
Although I have already spoken of how much i like this car, I must say a massive thank-you to Lyn who bought the car and is allowing me to use it. Its been really nice to come back and spend some time with Lyn, with us (amelia and I) living in England, it doesn't really give me a chance to spend time with any of Amelia's family.
We (Lyn and I) started her on Wednesday, but today was the first chance I got to take her out!
Its been really cold here, so the starting is something we may have to start on, and the cutting out, so to back her out of the garden took me about 20mins. But that didn't bother me.
Seeing as i'm still a relative newby to town and I wasn't sure how she'd run I thought I'd stick to the quiter back roads. And all in all she ran really well, there were a couple of times where she really didn't want to go into first, and even when she did i think the clutch plate didn't disengage so it just rev like hell and didn't move. Maybe its coming from two years driving in London but i was pretty relax at one intesection when about 6 cars when past, but oh well!
Any way not that its late, but i'm still a little tired need to do something to wake up so enjoy take care and one last thing.......
She needs a name, please blog ur suggestions people!
Traffic cones
To answers Karls comment on the doors which appear in the photo of our stuff in storage, as much fun as it would be to steal people's bathroom doors i'm affraid with age I feel i'm becoming less adventouras and more worthy of wearing a cardigan: they are doors from an ikea wardrobe which when some way towards storing the many of Amelia's clothes, although the 'floordrobe' always seemed to be full too!
Although i do remember the times in Leicester.............. good old days
I hate jet lag
Well now officially the summer (or winter) begins!!! I flew out of Heathrow on sunday evening after watching yet another poor England performance, granted at least we're gettin the results which is more that the US, Australia and Czech Republic can say! But poor performances aside at least I get the chance to watch a match over here at 1am with my England shirt on!
My flight wasn't too bad but not great, this time I went by Virgin, (previously i have used Singapore airlines to travel down) and i have to say i wasn't impressed at all. I had used virgin alot previously for my trips to the US and thought that the service wasn't too shabby. But this time i'm disappointed! it didn't start off great (when i was there at 3:30, my flight was a 10:30 i wanted to watch the match) i asked for a bulkhead or emergency exit seat and they said yes, that will be £50 please! WHAT, £50 i've already paid you know. maybe this is the student coming out in me but thats just wrong. I mean seats i think are normally designed for people around the height of a cocktail bar at the best of times and at 196cm (or 6'5'' in old money) its not like i'm asking just because i'm lazy. Before i started this I really should of used the head but anyway. 13 hrs later in hong kong with rubbish films and no mario on the inflight entertainment system i was cream crackered!
I have to say this was my first time in Hong Kong, and its always been somewhere which I would love to go and see, and although the airport was much like another relatively new airport, looking out at the sky line as we landed made me think yes I definitely would love to come back here one say and do it properly, so for that reason its now on 'the list'.
I'm looking at buying a digital camera and i had a quick look around HK duty free, but didn't see anything that really court my eye and was a great bargin compared to places back at home. I'm telling u this because i only had an hour and half stop over, in that time i had four things to do: toilet, wash, buy/llok for camera and eat (as i don't eat airplane food). Well i managed all 4 nearly at the cost of me missing my flight! I managed to miss the final call and as i was walking back down toward the gate, a virgin rep came running towards me (they say i was carrying a virgin boarding pass and quickly rushed me onto the flight (opps my bad).
At least the flight between HK and Sydney is short (only 9 and a bit hours) it was also alot less crowded, and there were bulk head seats which where free, so after take off i just changed seats and wow how much of a different the seat infront not sticking into my knees makes!
After landing in Sydney on tuesday morning around 6:15 made my way through passport control and customs I met with Amelia’s mum (Lyn) and aunt (Bay). We made our way back to Bay's who lives in CurlCurl which is next to Manley (for all those Nichole and Kieth fans out there) where we gathered up some relo's (relatives) and headed off to the beach for some breakfast! Man it was awesome, a lovely ocean view and fresh hot cooked breakfast on a bright (but chilly morning) perfect cure to a long flight!
After that we headed back to Bathurst which is about a three hour drive west of Sydney over the blue mountains. Well as soon as i was comfortable bam i was out like a light, so much so i woke to find me starring out of the window thinking i know that house, taking a few seconds then working out it was the empty house opposite Amelias house. I then looked out the other window (on my side to see, yep amelias house) it was about then i realized that Lyn was no longer in the car, the engine was off and the back seats were empty.
Needless to say i spelt like a log that night! The next day (Wednesday) I woke up around 10:30ish think this isn’t too bad! I pottered around a bit made myself some breakie but then around 11:30ish I felt really tired and lethargic so I thought sod it I’ll head back to bed. I didn’t wake up till 4:30, oh bugger I’m going to pay for that tonight!
Well I did and after going to bed around midnight I was up at 4 spoke to my folks, Amelia, my brother and haven’t slept yet!
Moral of the story: I hate jet lag!
Take care people good night!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAMIE
This photo was taken many many moons ago, before the age of the silver fox. It was taken on Jamie's fake 21st up in Leciester.
All i can say is Jamie sorry i'm not there with you! Hope you have an awesome day.
PS. you should of gone to spec savers!
All packed up
Well after a tough week all i can say is 'yes i've finished!'.
After getting back from boating I took 'monday off' and had a much needed boy day doing all the essentials: beer, x-box, and football with JP. We even had time to try the
diet coke & mentos challenge! (The link is to my brothers blog, shameless promotion i love it!) But after saving the world and bit of fifa (still prefer pro evolution) tuesday turned up and the niggling fact that now we have decided to move out we need to get all our stuff into storage.
To cut a long story short 4 days and many trips down to the storage place later I was all finished. In the end we rented a 30sq foot space, don't know if i should be impressed or depressed the fact i'm able to store all of my life (which is in London) into 30sq foot!
Friday night i said goodbye to Amelia :( she is off on a hen weekend in Wales, so I headed upto mighty Wellingborough to say goodbye to the folks. Currently watching the Sweden Germany game and thinking about heading off soon as i need to build a cupboard when get back to London.
Enjoy people
Norfolk Broads
Wow, so after a crazy few weeks I should now hopefully have a bit of time to dedicate to this project and get the blog up and running. Although once again I find time is at a premium (nothing new there!) I’ve just finished a clinical placement at a special needs school in Islington which was an awesome experience, but a lot of reading to boot!
But that all finished on Thursday, with a ‘clinical debrief’ on Friday (hand in the assessment forms) and as I managed to pass all my exams I have now finished my second year!!!
Over the weekend just past we had a big family ‘get together’, it was for my mothers 60th birthday and we decided to book a weekend away on the Norfolk Broads. This is something we done as a family many many years ago, when Jamie, Chris and I were only young (don’t remember how old we were, sure mum will correct me) and decided to do again.
Dad + Mum + Jamie + Katie + Chris + Lou + Amelia + me /narrow boat = little space,but we had an awesome time. Although to be greeted by a fully grown man wearing a captains hat, white vest, a bright orange personal floatation device (life jacket) and demanding I ask permission to board wasn't the most awe inspiring welcome but the cap’in did good and it was a fantastic weekend.
On a random note I’m looking to publish my photo’s online Jamie I know you use flickr just wanted to see if anyone uses anything else, and what they think?
And finally…………. COME ON ENGLAND!!!
I’m off to carry packing (post to follow) and watch the match hopefully hear from you soon
Jon
effundo: In the beginning
Hello ladies and gentlemen and welcome to my brand spanking new blog effundo.
The reason for this blog is quite simple, by using the power of the inter-network of computers I will hopefully be able to keep in contact with the many people that I just haven't keep in contact with and let you all know where I’m at, and maybe at some point meet-up!
Although I must thank Karl as it was he that suggested that I should start my own blog to let him know what I’m up to but also to give him something else to read and not just Jamies blog.
Now you may all wonder the name effundo, what the hell...?
Well i'm glad you asked, I recently attended a workshop by a 'world authority' (allegedly) on time management and passing exams. He had been drafted in by the university to help with the revalidation of the course (nice to see but not sure if it will make much of a difference but that’s a whole other blog!) but anyway there was a section on work avoidance something I feel we are all good at (you know its true Asif). Well after a fair few years in education now (and still counting) I feel my ability to avoid important and essential tasks, such as the upcoming presentation on Wednesday for my placement is something of an art form.
Well that’s effundo…. to slack hands up who loves Latin.
But anyway before I send out information about this blog to everyone I want to just add some more bits and pieces but time this week is at a premium!
Watch this space!!!
Although I have already spoken of how much i like this car, I must say a massive thank-you to Lyn who bought the car and is allowing me to use it. Its been really nice to come back and spend some time with Lyn, with us (amelia and I) living in England, it doesn't really give me a chance to spend time with any of Amelia's family.
