LIFE IN BULLETS

(Warning: long post ahead. But hey, you did ask for it!) I've finally gotten back a sliver of sanity, and decided to write again, not least prompted by the fact that some readers of this blog think we have simply fallen off the planet. Feels like it, sometimes (read: every second minute), but now is not the moment for complaints and apologies. With the new gig I've got, its hard to wanna revel in even more words after 15 hours of doing it each day. But I guess I'm slowly finding a comfortable pace (read: Sorry boss, I have to leave the office now because despite my greatest efforts, my brain has run for the hills).... Hence, TW resurfaces. But apparently, this blog still has its old fans (and evidently, some news ones! Welcome, we hope you enjoy your stay. Thank you for flying TW), so here we are again, ready to update you on the thrills and spills, the shennanigans and fennanigans, of life as TW. So, the three month (has it been that long???) update: Pete's doing brilliantly and really enjoying the My Paper gig (imagine, my Irish boy art directing a Chinese-English newspaper, who'd have thought), and now's sinking his teeth into yet another project (Argh). I've been trying to get used to not being able to do as much reporting/writing as I would love to - but sneakily and vicariously have been getting my hound thrills through my colleagues haha. We've tweaked the design of the house a little, and it looks oh, so very grown up and pretty! We'll get some nice pretty pix up soon. I have started gardening! (Oi, don't cringe! It's super relaxing and Pete loves being able to reach into the balcony and surface with just about any herb or small vege we need). Was a little out of sorts and was off work for two weeks, and it kept me busy. Anyhoos, thanks to a little love and care, the lime, chilli padi, basil, mint, lemon balm mint, rosemary (i didn't even think it would grow) etc are going nuts, and tomatoes have started shooting and, like small children begging for their own bedrooms, are fighting for space. Can't wait for the first crop. Okay, you are permitted to say I have gone a little loopy. Nonetheless.... The break also gave me a little bit of time on my hands to do stuff I don't get the chance to do usually... like experiment in the kitchen, and it was brilliant being able to churn out strange meals that greeted Pete after a long day (AGAD!!! Is Art turning into a little housewife!!???!!). It was fun la. We've adopted yet another shooter to the family of Canons, and its a ...... Ricoh! (who'd have thought huh). Pete's taken some amazing shots, which I promise we will post (eventually). He brought it with us to KL, when I managed to coerce him to rough out an eight hour train ride for me to write a colour piece on (great trip, horrible train - will create a post with the article I wrote)..... On my part, I've been mucking around with my faithful S2 and trying hard not to favour it over the rest, which Pete says I really should learn to use. Soon soon. I've also been lost at sea with the video cam, but my cousin promises she'll take me through it properly, so we'll come back from Ireland with some good stuff. Speaking of Ireland (YAY!!), absolutely cannot WAIT to hop of a plane and get OUTTA here! Paddy and Jen (see pix) are tying the knot, and going by what happened when Eoin and Hilary got hitched, its going to be insane. The plan is for us to land into Berlin, and Pete shoots off to Paddy's bucks while I paint the town red with Suhaila and Tina. Then we muck around a bit (Pete loves Berlin and its my first time), before hitting the wedding of the century in Dublin, and the we end up back home in Cork (fly fishing!). We stop in Abu Dhabi for a bit of dune bashing on the way back. It's kinda whirlwind but, sigh, when is it never???? Really looking forward to a bit of alone time, away from some of the crap here. Other than that, hum... what else. Oh, Eoin and Hilary's small one is almost here (Congrats guys!!) and is due just about the exact time we'll be in Dublin, so hopefully we'll get to see the baby while we're there. The very pregnant Sam is also due soon. Pete, Claud and I have discovered that Sav Blancs and 7-11 mash potatos with gravy actually go quite nicely together..... Don't ask. Just cringe and try. Coupla nights ago, we ended up at Harry's at Holland Village, and after wasting funny money on individual glasses of Sav Blanc, we finally (stupidly) realised we should have bought a bottle. Of course, we also, at that stage, fail to realise that the bar shuts at midnight or something ridic like that. So, like silly teenagers, we end up with plastic cups and a corked half bottle at the coffeeshop. Felt remarkably like uni but it was such a laugh and a half. Came up with half baked and crazy ideas for what to give Paddy and Jen, and had not one, not two, but THREE cups of mash. Which says a lot, considering: 1) our severe doubts that they don't even contain potato, and 2) the fact that Pete's Irish. Perhaps it was the wine, or the lack of options (we realised only after finishing the mash that we could have bought prata. But I reckon prata, fish curry and our overpriced wino might not quite have become, erm, friends. But who ever knows. I guess that's it really.... which brings us to the present. Just completed a really exhilirating course on editing. It was brill, not least because I found out everyone else was experiencing some of the same shitty problems. It also kinda showed me where to find the upsides, which, at the end of a long day, are the hardest to find. Was cool. Next week its back to the grind, but will definitely pop in often to whinge, and occasionally, entertain. For now though, its Saturday night and I got things to see and people to do! Laters! Art