Special Mention

Just a quick special mention to Rhiannon who was very upset when I failed to mention in a recent post that she was out with us; or we were out with her.

Anyway apologies Rhiannon and hope this has rectified the situation (for those who don't know her she is the blonde with Tits and Teeth in some of the photos below)!!!

London Update Nov, 7th 2006

Howdy All, it has been a little while since our last entry (not that long really), so thought we would update you on what we have been up to. There is always something going on so I will try to decipher the vaguely interesting things and leave the rest out!!!!

Living In London
Good old Tower Hamlets... Never a dull moment!!! Although quite close to the London Docklands and the impressive recent developments such as Canary wharf, there are some interesting things that go on in this neighbourhood.
Currently it is fire works season; wasn't sure why they were illegal in Australia until now!! Every night of the week and during some days, the local kids (turds..) and numerous adults take to the park or our front yard to let off fire works. Whilst this was fun to watch at the start it is now getting a little old and we will welcome then end of fireworks season when we will feel safe to leave out house without risk of having a fire shot us from close range.
Other interesting developments on the living front include the fire in our bins downstairs that some friendly passer by lit. Although we managed to put it out with pots of water, the fire brigade still came. They offered Meagan and Evan a job which Meagan and Mel would have been quite happy to take as apparently they were very cute (must have been the bright red overalls that did it for them).
We also have a couple of little friends living in our walls and tend to want to play at the most inconvenient times! I say they are little although Ben has compared them to the size of a Jack Russell.
A few days ago we discovered a large water mark in the downstairs bedroom. The next morning we woke to no heating or hot water. This proved convenient for some and not for others. Evan had left having had the only warm shower while Mel part filled the bath with warm water from the kettle in an attempt to wash her. Ben felt like a real pom and went to work without a shower while Meagan thought it was as good an excuse not to go to work as any. The problem was rectified that even by some quite funny plumbers who managed to find the hot water service in a very interesting location.
Although these may sound like negative aspects of living in London it does just make the 'experience' that much more interesting.
Currently X-factor is on over here (like Aus Idol for those who don't know) and quite big. We have started an X-factor challenge each week where you have to pick the bottom two and who will be eliminated. There are prizes (or punishments) up for grabs each week. So far Meagan has managed to get out of dishes for the week and this week Mel has taken control of the TV remote away from Ben and Evan. All Ben and Evan have to say is "wait until we win and we take away their right to use hair dryers!!!"

Working In London
Well Mel and Evan have begun work. Last week was the start of it all with Mel getting a call Monday morning to sit on phones all day (not literally) at a modeling agency and Evan off to Camden to teach grade 6. Whilst Mel managed to get a fair bit of emailing done and be bored out of her brain for the rest, Evan was initiated into the English school system without too many dramas. Terminologies, daily routines and the 'Smart Boards' they use over here being the biggest obstacles.
For the rest of the week Mel did Teacher Assistant work around the corner from home in an interesting little school. She was in grade 4 in the mornings which she enjoyed and had her eyes opened up in the grade 6 class in the afternoons. One of her more hairy moments was assisting in breaking up a classroom fight when two quite large twins decided to lay into another student (sounds like when Tam and her were at school - just the other way around). Needless to say this wasn't really her cup of tea and when the opportunity came up to work long term in a marketing role she took it quite swiftly. She began this on Friday and will see how the week unfolds before accepting it long term. It is for a big publishing company of financial magazines; not quite the same as working at the dogs.
Evan spent the week being sent across the country side but managed to get work each day. Mainly in upper primary and one day in grade 2. So far not too bad although the students are really quite rude (to each other and staff). Friday he went off to the Hatton School which is a special needs school that caters for students with a range of disabilities. It was a really friendly school, much like Bulleen Heights in Melbourne. They have offered a position starting after Christmas until he leaves which it looks as though he will take. Starting this Thursday he will begin at a primary school and stay on for the rest of the year if all goes well. It is a role where he will work in all classrooms and provide teachers with planning time. The teaching agency sold it as 'the Holy Grail of teaching' as it will be full time, but know planning, no meetings and no reports.
So far this week there have been nothing but dramas with one agency which we wont get into. On a positive note, the fact that they sent Evan to a school who didn't need a replacement has allowed for the waffle which are now reading to be published.

Apologies for the length of this post but I know some (and I emphasize some) people enjoy knowing what we have been up to.

Hope you are all well, enjoying warmer weather and backed the winner. We were going to have £1000 on Delta Blues!!! Anyone know how it went!!!

Love ya Work
Melvan