SRF Event

The Flitcroft's new house needs warming and we're calling on you for help!

When: Saturday 21st October
Where: House of Chicken - Flitcroft Campus
Time: About 8 ish
Bring: any drinks you wish to consume...we'll provide nibbles and the house!

So we hope to see you all there....this is quite an open invite so pass it on!

Friday [insert witty title here]

This made me chuckle. But not guffaw. No, just chuckle.

This has been done many times, but I think this is quite a good example of the genre.

Just plain creepy

Better late than never...

Well our next game is nearly upon us and I'm just posting now about Monday nights game! (actually we have a week off due to the public holiday so I needn't have hurried with my reporting!) Anyhow, what a game! With the new addition of the Flitcrofts to the team, one can only wonder how our score could possibly be worse than last week, given that Julian has approximately 37 thousand times more soccer experience than the rest of us! I can only conclude that although our opponents didn't seem as agressive as week 1, they were infact a better team. Despite the thrashing (16-0), I think we came off the field a little wiser than we'd started... Greta learned about the aftermath of goal keeping and to beware of men in white sox, Jen learned how dangerous kicking the air can be, and Nick learned that tardiness on the team is not appreciated (maybe we can blame him for the score)! The game was followed by a debriefing/ birthday drink for Mattes at the North Syney Hotel, and in all wasn't a bad night!

The Wedding Post....Finally!

Yesterday we collected our wedding photos from the photographer! How exciting....we now have 762 individual memories on paper in a box! I spent hours last night trawling through them picking out the best ones for the album and now I thought you might all like a little look too! So instead of writing anymore, lets just have some photos!!!



















I made this cake...I was so proud....

Anyway, as you can see, we had rain (lots of it!) and sun, and it was the best day of our lives!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MISS BRON!!

Hope your day was wonderful and very relaxing (It rocks to be on holidays!)

Do you think I'm crazy?

Some of the suggestions are wonderful... read on

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JENNY!!!

Hope it's France-Tastic!!! (Without too much of that damn 'Nam spam crammed in the trashcan, thank you ma'am!)

The return of the Monday wash up (even if it is a small one!)

I can hear your shouts of joy as the latest Monday wash up returns! After a brief absence due to Honeymoons in Vietnam we're back!

Since most of my weekend was spent traveling and feeling like I'd been drinking for a week, I thought I would share the state of our new house with you all.

Today was a very exciting day for us as delivery after delivery brought us all our wonderful bridal registry gifts which our delightful guests were so kind in purchasing for us. It was like Christmas! And the second half of the day has been spent looking for places for most of it and deciding what new furniture we need to buy to accommodate the rest of it. Our living room now looks like the back loading dock of Myer....

while our TV, adorable little table (from Sarah and Noodle) and speakers are covered in cards and gifts...

Now we just have to sort out this mess...
and we'll be well and truly moved in! Can't wait!

So our day has been fabulous and now I have the delightful task of writing thank yous to everyone....a quick general "thank you" should be inserted here for all our lovely pressies....the mail will bring a more personal one in time.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MATT!!!

Hope you have a great day, in your own special Mattes way!

And now for the weather...

When I flew down south yesterday, I expected the possibility of the weather being a bit colder, but from what I'd seen on the tv lately it's been pretty warm in Vic as well as back in Sydney, so I thought that at least something in the 20's wouldn't be too much to ask for.

So far today, it has reached a maximum of six degrees.

All I have to say is, enjoy your warmth!



4:00 UPDATE: You might have heat, wind and fires up there in NSW, but here, we just had a lovely downpour. Of pure unadulterated hail. It's freezing!

a brief hello

So after 24 hours in transit we have finally arrived home! yay for Sydney! The ride home from the airport was so peaceful! No beeping horns or crazy Vietnamese drivers! I was like the walking dead when we came in our front door as I'd had less than 3 hours sleep and even though I had every intention of heading off to Futsal training, I ended up collapsing in a heap for a nap to gain some sanity back.

The customs queues this morning were OUTRAGEOUS! The red queue ie for declaring stuff snaked around the baggage carousel and looped back on itself! I swear there were about 300 people in it, each with a trolley full of bags.... quite a few people nearly came to blows over queue jumpers and confusion about where the line ended!

Anyway we came through unscathed and with all our wood, coffee and buffalo horn in tact. Very happy with that!

Anyway, we have about a million photos to download and sort through before I can post a more detailed post about the glorious country of Vietnam! Needless to say we had a most brilliant time. I highly recommend you get there before it's beauty is too exploited. It truly is a fabulous place, so interesting, so friendly, so colourful, so...I want to go back!

SRF Event:

The Great House of Chicken Meat Meet! (no fun intended)

What: SRF Community Service
Why: Help one of our community defeat meat invasion
When: Friday night
Where: H.O.C.

What not to expect: Any fun, at all. What-so-ever. None.

Advice

What do you do when you feel an unbearable need to reach out and slap the woman on the other side of the partition from you?

Last week

was quite the adventure for me.

Manila first, with pat downs and bag inspections at every door, boot inspections and under-car examinations at every driveway entrance. The Australian Dept. of Defence required us to cheque into executive suites, as part of their security policy and it turns out that that means a four room apartment with an enormous bed, three desks, a lounge suite, two TVs and a big marble bathroom in which I managed to get lost in the middle of the night! All that because it gave us access to the executive desk so that we did not ever have to use the lobby.

I had my shoes inspected, my packet of mints fingered through, my tissues rummaged through and my iPod examined at Manila airport on my way out to Palau.

Then came Palau. An incredibly beautiful spot. Warm, sunny, isolated, picturesque. I'm told it figures in scuba divers' top five before dying. Shame about the bitching and moaning that came out of the expats' wives' mouths and splattered all over my poor dept. of defence escort. He had a bit of trouble relaxing and enjoying the place. But I managed.

I even got to plant a baby clam!

I came home with sunburn and washing and probably an extra 2kg to fit into my jeans thanks to the insane Philippino habit of adding copious amounts of sugar and lard to EVERYTHING, and the very bad influence of my escort, Les, who could not bare to see a buffet opportunity to go waste.

Next week? Tahiti.

And I have to stay at the Sheraton.

Go on, Good Nick. Hate me.

Shoesday - putting the boot in

Score: (something) – 1

Last night at the Anzac club in North Sydney/Cammeray/Crows Nest the brave SRFs took the mini field for their first ever game of fustal and boy, did they look handsome in their matching navy shirts.

I’ll admit to feeling some trepidation when the first goal was scored against them within 2 seconds of the starting whistle but the guys and girls of the mighty SRF soon got into the swing of it and put on a jolly good show.

The menacing white team were hungry for goals and clearly had lots of experience both with futsal and with each other. But that did not stop the virginal SRFs making all kinds of trouble for them.

We saw some edge-of-the-seat goal saves from Bryan and Mattess. Bron connected with the angry catheter-wielding monkey nurse within and was all over the bewildered whites. Jess honed her tricky passing skills while Jen and Shari revealed a natural tendency to tackle like warriors. We saw a spectacular head ball from the shiny noggin of Noodle and who could forget ‘that corner penalty’ from Good Nick that lead to the first ever SRF futsal goal.

Player of the match and winner of this week's McDonalds cheeseburger was the magnificent Matten. Just because I say so. Also, keep an eye out for Shari who has a fire in her belly and Jen who is awakening the primary school soccer star within.

Next week they’ll do a lot better without the embarrassing sideline cries from Sarah “soccer mum” F and they will have 100% more experience behind them. They may even have some more steadfast numbers behind them (some of Mattess elegant red gaffer tape numbers sneakily peeled away at half time, confusing and throwing off the sweaty white team and giving the blues an extra edge.)

What heart. What a night. What a team. While they did not win the game they certainly won the hearts of the people.

It’s going to be a great season. I can just smell it.

SRF Event

The SRF Futsal debut!


What: Stephen Roberts handball grows up
Why: Our metabolisms are not as young as uni students' anymore
When: Tonight (Monday 18 September)

Where: See Mattess for details

Last Day in Canada

Well I'm on my last day in Canada. I can't say it's been all that exciting so far. After my 20ish hours flying, I had a 3 hour drive, on the wrong side of the road, in the dark, right across the state, on unknown roads, with unknow road rules. Not doing that again. I was in a tiny town called Owen Sound, where I woke up early each day, went to work, then after work I drove past the town (which pretty much closes down at 5pm) back to the hotel to sleep again. The pizza joint and the petrol station were the only things I could find open :( I can report quite accuratly on the 80ish TV channels and room service though.

Me outside Owen Sound Hospital

Today (Saturday for me) picked up a bit. I woke up early and drove to Niagra Falls. It took two goes, about a hour into my drive I realised I forgot my passport and had to go back, but I got there in the end and I have to say it was amazing, a must see before you die.


It's really mind blowing, the sheer ammount of water that goes over the edge. A few minutes before you get there you need to turn on your windscreen wippers from the spray. You don't need more that a day there but it's worth the stop. Anyway, tonight I'm going out in Toronto with a lad called Mark (On of Shari's friends that moved over here). And then tomorrow off to Kansas City, with a packed schedule.

See you all soon.

WELCOME TO THE HOUSE OF CHICKEN.....

....GOOD NICK!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BLOG!

One year old today!

Monday Wash up.....Are you kidding???

Sorry kids, but no can do on the wash up this week! Just about to get in a taxi for the airport and besides it would take waaaaayyy toooooo looonngggg to fill you in on the biggest event of my life!

You'll all just have to wait till we get back on the 24th September to see and hear all our news!

Oh and while we're away...no one is allowed to have any fun whatsoever! D'you hear me? No BBQs, No Birthdays, No housewarmings, No brilliant nights out on the town...NOTHING!!! I don't want any fun going on while I can't enjoy it! So all of you sit back and bunker down for the next two weeks! Please?

See ya
Mrs F

The first post of Mrs Flitcroft!

Well it's Sunday night and Hubby (hehehe) and I have just gotten home from our big day! (I know the wedding was Saturday, but we stayed at the Shangri-La last night and went to Mum's today for a big family BBQ, so this is the first time we've been home since we got hitched) It's pouring rain outside...as it has been for the last 48 hours (Yes Jenny, we had rain, and lots of it on our wedding day!) and Flit is just heading out to pick up some Thai for dinner. We've unwrapped some of the gifts that were brought to the reception, and might I say what lovely taste our friends and family have! So far we're very impressed!

I never thought it would be possible to be this deliriously happy for such an extended period of time...It truly is a wonderful feeling.

We bid farewell to Flit's parents this evening, they both seemed rather sad to leave us, both shed a few tears as they hugged us and jumped into their car. Quite a sad moment for all of us actually, but it was a sadness born from the happiness we have shared these last few weeks. I guess all good things must eventually come to an end. It's been great having them here.

I will, of course, post a much longer and more photographical account of the day in due course, but until I do, please send us your photos (we won't get the official ones till after the honeymoon) and have a great few weeks in a Flitcroft free Sydney!

Thank you all for making our day so wonderful! See you all on the flipside!

Mrs Margaret Flitcroft

cake-a-rific!!

Yay I have just put the finishing touches to my wedding cake! It's very pretty....all white and creamy with lovely sugar flowers cascading down the tiers.

I have been hunting for my camera to take a photo for you all to see, but somewhere in the move it has gotten misplaced...oh well...you'll all just have to wait till Saturday (and Jenny, you'll have to wait till someone can get you a photo!)

Yum!

I also

A bit frantic myself, hence the missing of the Shoesday, AGAIN!

My Monday morning will see me heading to Manila for two nights (and a day of morning meetings and afternoon shopping)

then on to Palau for working (shopping, eating, few phone calls) and a bit of relaxing on the beach, few cocktails etc.

I'll be back early next Sunday moring. So till then, I'll be seeing you at the wedding, then have a great week be it in Vietnam, Canada, Paris or beautiful Springy Sydney!

Busy Times Ahead.

Since there's busy times ahead, and I have a rare quite moment, I thought I'd get in before I got in trouble for not posting.


After the wedding, I have a Sunday morning early flight out to Canada for a week of work and a weekend of site seeing. I'm going to be in a tiny town (Grey Bruce) on the edge of the great lakes about 2hrs north of Toronto for the week. Then the grand canyon before my Sunday night flight to Kansas City, where I will spend a week and a bit trying to figure out what my new position (engagement controller - like a junior project manager) entails and consuming large amounts of red meat (as is the local custom). Then I fly out Thursday to be back in Sydney - three weeks away in all - make sure you guys keep Shari company while I'm gone.

Then I'm back for a quick week of work, to catch up and make sure everything is on track for MONDAY! When we get out new house. Shari and I are going to take two weeks off to laze around, move into the house and start painting, building my shed and anything else that takes our fancy. So I've got a busy two months.

Dad Joke
(My last one as I hand over my reigns to..... Good Nick [One every Thursday nick]...)
A couple of New Jersey hunters are out in the woods when one of them falls to the ground. He doesn't seem to be breathing, his eyes are rolled back in his head. The other guy whips out his cell phone and calls the emergency services. He gasps to the operator:
“My friend is dead! What can I do?‚”

The operator, in a calm soothing voice says:
‚“Just take it easy. I can help. First, let's make sure he's dead.‚”

There is a silence, then a shot is heard. The guy's voice comes back on the line. He says:
‚“OK, now what?"

R.I.P Steve Irwin

Television personality and environmentalist Steve Irwin has died in a marine accident in north Queensland, state government sources say.

The 44-year-old is believed to have been killed by a stingray barb that went through his chest, the sources said.

He was filming an underwater documentary off Port Douglas when the accident occurred.

Mr Irwin's body was being flown to Cairns by helicopter.

Australian emergency officials could not immediately confirm the reports.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/crocodile-man-reported-dead/2006/09/04/1157222051512.html

Monday Wash up

And another week rolls by, leaving only 5 sleeps till we get MARRIED! WOW! we were chatting about this the other day and looking back to September 1st 2005 when Flit dropped to one knee on that pristine white sandy beach in Vanuatu and asked me to be his Husband only seems like yesterday! It has actually been 12 months and 2 days since that momentous event that changed both our lives forever.

I remember the look of terror on Flit's face as he handed me my diamond in a small black velvet box, then realised if I opened it we'd lose it in the sand and his garbled rush to prevent me taking the pretty rock out for a closer look. I remember the boat trip back as we sat towards the rear of the boat loving the fact that all this had just occurred and we were the only two people in the world who knew about it! I remember getting off the plane in Sydney and having to wait till we could turn our phones on again to finally ring our loved ones and tell them our fabulous news. I remember the squeals of delight that greeted our news from down the phone line from the likes of Mum, Jane and Lady. I remember walking on clouds for days afterwards as we discussed ring designs and wedding dates...

6 months down the track and the giddiness of the approaching big day had still not worn off....plans were tracking nicely and time seemed to be taking it's time, I guess that's why it's been easy not to get too stressed. That was until August hit and since then my head has just been buzzing with final touches, and the knowledge that it's not long now!

With less than a week to go I look back at all the fuss, the work, the discussions, the phonecalls, the wads of cash that seem to walk out of my wallet of their own free will, and hope that it all comes together on the day. I don't think I'll be worried if anything goes wrong, so long as the priest gets there on the day I'll be happy. It's easy to get distracted by cakes, dresses, invites, menus and the weather, but I think so long as we keep the focus on the fact that we are becoming Husband and Wife and our lives will forever be one, and that this one day is simply the start of the rest of our lives together then all will be good and nothing will spoil that.

So what about the weekend wash up? Saturday I moved most of my worldly possessions to my new house with Flit, thank you Lady and Noodle for your help! We then headed off for Richie and Suzy's Tri-celebration (engagement, housewarming & Richie's B'day) which was a lovely way to finish the day....No more CAKE! On Sunday we were finally finished with our marriage prep, I guess that means we can get married?! and we welcomed Flit's parentals back to Sydney after they headed off to The Alice for a week.

I am now officially on Holidays till October!!!! Enjoy work everyone! hahahahahah...That was mean, I know, but hahahahahaha!

Quick Catch-up

Hello.

I've been incredibly busy this week. Yes, too busy for shoesday even. I've neglected the blog, aswell as neglecting my friends and fiance. So I thought I'd post a little catch-up.

Work is crazy and I have lots of travelling behind me and infront of me. Coming up between Monday week and November: Manila, Palau, Tahiti, London, Wellington and maybe Melbourne.

Last night I had Jazushi with a friend I met in Vietnam. Emma, the teacher. She teaches 6 to 18 month-olds. I think they have another name for that kind of 'teacher'...

The cheesy eggplant was SO GOOD!

Margaret is getting married in merely a week. MARRIED!

Peta is living with me at the moment and we've had loads of catching up to do.

I just had Pad Thai for lunch, from "Wok On Inn."

Matt kicked some pharmacy arse yesterday.

I had 3 hours sleep last night.

Just two weeks until we get another person in my office!!!

I keep forgetting that I have a wedding to plan.




Margaret is getting married NEXT WEEK!!!

And Flit too, of course. The lovely Flit.

Spring!

And doesn't it just feel like it?!!

I love it.

We survived another winter!