2005 – March

Making the most of the Easter break we took a few days off work and headed over to Italy

2005 – February

Our first trip of the year, to Munich to visit Kiki & Richard for a long weekend, on Friday Richard took us to Neuschwanstein Castle & the older Hohenschwangau Castle before heading back to Munich to go out to dinner with a few friend’s of Kiki & Rich to celebrate one of the couples recent wedding. The plan for the next day was to go to Salzburg unfortunately we got up a bit late so checked out the food market before going up the Olympic tower for an awesome view of Munich, after which we headed home to have Racelette for dinner. On Sunday much to Ian’s delight we spent the day at the the Deutsches Museum, the best museum have seen, and of course a trip to the gift shop. We also went into London for a week end to see Mike & Gerry’s new flat, being tourists Mike, Ian & I went to Greenwich and checked out the prime meridian and the museum housing timepieces from the first wooden ones to the modern atomic clocks. That night the four of us went to a Mexican restaurant for dinner and some great margaritas. On Sunday we had just enough time to see Alexander’s palace before catching the bus home.

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2005 – January

A bit of English culture to start the year off, at the Straw bear festival. Nigel belongs to a Morris side who regularly dances at the event took us with them to Whittlesea, Friday night we went to the Pig Dyke Mollies social evening for a few beers and dancing (folk dancing like a Ceilidh) then Saturday we watch the parade of the straw bear (a bloke covered all over with straw) and all the different Morris & Mollie sides dancing. In the evening we went to the local pub to listen to all the musicians playing impromptu sets, it was great I even got to have a go at playing a Bodhran (handheld drum) which I’m now looking at getting lessons. Sunday was the burning of the bear, after more displays of dancing and folk music we followed the straw bear out into a field where they burnt the straw suit (minus the man!) to bring luck for next years crops.
Rebecca, our flat mate move out at the end of the month, so we helped her pack and drive the van to London and stayed the night before bringing the van back to Bristol.

2004 – December

We decided to meet our neighbours with a few Christmas drinks at our place, inviting a few other friends too, Rebecca & I made 3 litres of mulled wine which was so popular it all disappeared. A quite Christmas at home, with a trip to the Donkey sanctuary in Sidmouth where Ian’s adopted donkey, Tapestry, lives. We also visited Bletchley Park, the home of code breaking during the war and also colossus one of the first computer ever built. Boxing Day we went to Kate’s & Andrews for one of Andrews culinary delights, a late lunch where time disappeared an we ended up getting home round midnight.

2004 – November

For Ian’s birthday I brought him a gliding lesson, so on the weekend of his booked flight it snowed! So instead we had lunch with Nigel & Val at great little pub above Woodchester, staying for dinner with them before tearing ourselves away to go home.

2004 – October

We finally moved into our flat!!!! We moved everything in bits & pieces over a week, and Emma came to visit on the weekend to help us. It was pizza and champagne sitting on the floor the first night (we had no furniture).
A joint birthday celebration was in order for Bretts & Ians 30th birthdays, so a weekend in Wales was organised. We rented a house in Llanberis, in Snowdonia national park. The house was great the 15 of us fitted in comfortably and we spent the weekend eating, drinking and making merry squeezing in a bit of sight seeing, Electric Mountain and up to the top of Snowdon on the train.

2004 – September

Sorry can’t remember what happened in September.

2004 – August

A quick trip to Melbourne for Stephs wedding in between shopping for things for the flat. It was a bit of a disaster to start with as I forgot my dress and we had to turn back after 10minutes to get it, then there was a accident on the M4 and we were standstill for over an hour, we accidentally queue jumped at check in which was a good thing as the queue was massive and we were late and finally we left the wedding present on a trolley at departures. Being the bridesmaid I spent the week before the wedding with Steph doing all the last minute things while Ian went home to NZ to visit family & friends. Alan came over for the weekend and it was great to catch up, just a shame it was only a couple of day and the kitchen tea and hens night kept me busy one of those days. The day arrived and it felt good to be dressed up and lady like, Steph looked beautiful, and we even made it to bramley on time for the service. The service was lovely and the vows enough to make you cry, then onto the reception where Ian had to dance with me, we really need to learn to dance properly our waltz was bad, really bad. It was a lovely night. All too soon it was time to go back to the UK luckily with no dramas.

2004 – July

Big news – we brought a flat!
One week we decided to buy a flat and saw a financial adviser the next week we viewed 2 places and the last one we loved. Once we made the offer it was full steam ahead to find a solicitor and arrange a mortgage and scarily get into debt big time. The flat is a new build within a 120yr Georgian facade, it’s on split levels with the open plan kitchen/lounge on the ground floor (bit small but nice) and two bedrooms (one with ensuite), bathroom & large store room (aka my wine cellar) in the basement. We also have a small outside area with steps up to the street and vaults under the footpath, the apartments being in a block mean we have a courtyard area in the centre (which is secure). Photos can be seen here Our Flat.

2004 – June

During the first week of June Ian’s parents stopped by to see us, we even managed to get a nice day for a picnic on the beach. It was really good to spend time with them, I enjoyed just lying on the grass at Aston court watching the hot air balloons the best. The North Nibley stem festival was on which was even larger than the one at Castle Coomb, Ian loved it and even saw the exact Villiers stationary engine that his Dad has. I also saw the Red Hot Chilli Peppers in concert at Hyde park which was great just a shame it pissed down with rain before hand so we were all cold & wet. James Brown was in the line up and for an old falla he still rocks.