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#19 - Tuesday 25th January to Monday 28th February 2005

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Tuesday 25th January 2005
New job!!
At work now and it's still a bit quiet but it will pick up - I think they are just going easy on me cause I'm new!!

Talk soon.
Tanya.
Wednesday 26th January 2005
Happy Australia Day!
I am at work wearing black and brown - how boring! - not like last year's Australia Day!!

Still haven't been riding - plan to start tomorrow but who knows how that will turn out.
Might go to the pub tonight.
Tanya.
Thursday 27th January 2005
I cycled and because you got this email obviously survived!
I pulled my bedroom door shut at 8.10am and rode into the street where I work at 9.00am.
Anyway - feeling pretty good this morning!!

Also, it is so damn cold in this place that I have got thermals on - I get freezing in this office.
Your "Christmas-present-bonds-singlets" have come in handy!
But I would rather be warmer I think - at least the house is nice and toasty.
At work I have a desk and it is little but I am getting myself settled.
Bye.
Monday 31st January 2005
I hope you had a nice weekend - mine was quiet.
Out to dinner on Friday night and home on Saturday night burning CD's.
I got my hair cut and I have more layers and it is nice and curly which I bet you like.
Joined a new gym too - "Cannons" it is called in Fullham
It is near home and Jason and Karen are members there - plus there is a pool too - nice

Rode again today - and I always feel good in the morning when I do that.
The rides home last week were a bit scary when it was wet.
It was fine tho and the ride past Kensington Palace through Hyde Park is lovely especially in the morning.
And everyone is excited today!! - cause the temperature is to reach 10 today - double figures!
Righto - must dash - talk later.
Tanya.
Tuesday 1st February 2005
Allo.
Just wanted to say good morning as usual.
Didn't do much last night - riding home was fine and I really like doing it.
My new bike basket arrived this morning in the post before I left for work so I was able to use it - an hour with a heavy backpack wasn't much fun but this morning was fine with it in my "little old lady basket"!!
Got my first gym induction tomorrow at 7.00am - what fun!
Prolly just going to swim in the mornings, but it was the only time they could fit me in before Friday night

Anyway, going back to work now.
Bye.
Tanya.
Tuesday 1st February 2005
I booked my trip to Pamplona yesterday!!!!!!
Leaving London on 4th July and heading to Spain - get there on the 5th
And the opening ceremony is on 6th then the first 'Run with the Bulls' is the 7th and 8th
Then I am getting dropped off in San Sebastian to hang around for a bit

Sounds good - and you can come if you want.
Tell Dad I will send him "all the stuff" when I get it sent to me.
PS - as it is against traditional local culture for women to run I won't be running - I think it is disrespectful and 'faarking' scary.
Plus the Spanish blokes hate it and push the girls in the path of the bulls - nice!!!
I will be watching the run from a high vantage point.
Tanya.
Wednesday 2nd February 2005
More bookings made!!
Ladies and Gentleman welcome to the main event - let's get ready to rumble!
I have booked my ticket to the Kostya fight in Manchester in June
Yee Ha!
I am going with Nathan.
It is on at 4.30am to fit in with US cable TV times
It is going to be a cracker!!
I am so excited about this fight...it is going to be wicked!!

I have been smiling since I got the text from Nathan this morning saying he booked our tickets (they only went on sale today)
£108 each but please don't convert it to Australian dollars!! - it is far too scary, but so so worth it!
The countdown is on to June.
I love my sport - went to the pub last night to watch the Arsenal v Manchester United soccer match.
Anyway - I went to the gym this morning and then cycled to work
Feeling very fit but hungry as I had my porridge at 6.00am and it is now 9.30am
I have a banana when I get to work and I just scoffed it down today
Love the gym - it is a nice quiet one and there is a pool too - just gotta get some goggles then I am going to start swimming a bit - maybe just using the kickboard but I can't wait to get in the water

Kaz is coming over for dinner tonight - having a catch up after she got back from Oz last week.
Tanya.
......and here is the note from Nathan to Tanya
YEAH BAYBEEEEEEEEEEEE!
We're going!
Bout £108 each I believe
We are located in Block 102
They were the best seats left at that price - seems like a good spot though
Block 103 would have been better, but they were more expensive - next price band was £150 and then they went all the way up to £350 with a £24 booking fee!!!!

We are going!!!!!
C'mon Kostya!
I'm excited!!
Thursday 3rd February 2005
Hi.
Had a good dinner with Kaz last night - Jase came too.
Karen rang and said that there had been a crisis at home and he had to get out of the house.
I thought he must have had a fight with someone.
When they arrived and I asked what happened
It turned out that Carly who lives in their house has her parents visiting at the moment.
They have been here from Canada for two days and Carly's mum died yesterday.
Karen was home with the mum and dad and Carly was at work.
She had MS and was sick but got worse.
She is wheelchair bound and they got her outside and were wheeling her down the road in the chair - she lives close to a hopsital and by the time they got there her heart had stopped and they couldn't revive her.
Karen had to call Carly and tell her to leave work and come to the hostpital.
It is just awful - I was out to dinner with Carly and the people in their house on Friday night and less than a week later her whole life is turned upside down.
Carly is meant to be flying to OZ to be with her Australian boyfriend next week.
Poor Karen who is a nurse was worried that she hadn't checked her properly and she should have done more or gone earlier to the hospital. Poor thing.
Anyway - that's all - going to the gym after work and then home to collect my ASDA groceries and probably a bit sleep.
I had a long, tiring day yesterday and was bored at work and thought that it was kind of a 'rubbish day' but at least I can still talk to my Mum about it - I just feel dreadful for poor Carly.
About the new job - everyone is nice at work and the work is interesting - lots of different stuff
And I have lots of work to do today which is nice - makes the day go faster

That's all now.
Tanya.
Friday 4th February 2005
Just realised I hadn't sent you an email today.
Am not as sore as I expected to be after gym last night - the riding must have kept me in a better than I thought fitness range - stiffening up a little bit but not too much - tomorrow will probbably be worse as usual.
Going to the movies tonight to see "Creep".
It is about a girl that gets trapped in the London Underground and is supposed to be pretty scary - not sure how I will go with it.
Have you read "Angels and Demons" yet by Dan Brown?
There was a show on TV last night about "The Da Vinci Code" and it discredited everything that was in there.
It was a crap show and probably paid for the by the Church!!
Once I get home tonight I will have cycled 110 kilometres!! - I'll be doing the Tour de France next year - lookout Lance Armstrong!!
Anyway, that's all.
Tanya.
Monday 7th February 2005
Hi.
I have just go to work and I am having my first coffee of the day.
Saturday we all went out for Claire's birthday party at Jongleurs Comedy Night
I had a nice weekend - was "fairly hung over" yesterday so just veged around the house.
There was lots of fog this morning when I was riding - Hyde Park was all misty and it was lovely.
Am feeling way more confident on the bike now - doesn't seem quite so trafficy even though there probably isn't much difference.
I have lost three kilos in the last three weeks!!
I am loving the riding and the gym and I got my googles on the weekend so I am going to swim on Monday.
Gonna see if anyone has any work for me to do now - bye.
Tanya.
Tuesday 8th February 2005
BUSABOUT Tour of Europe
I go to Spain on Monday 4th July for
"The Running of the Bulls"
Then on Friday 8th July, I go to San Sebastian and will join up with BUSABOUT and go around
Spain and Portugal
On Thursday 28th July, I fly from Madrid to Berlin and connect back up with BUSABOUT there
I then come down through
---Germany
---Chech Republic
---Austria
---Hungary
---Italy
---France
---Switzerland
---and to the Greek Islands
Plus, depending on what happens in Holland with Brett and the Baseball World Cup, I might have to fit that in as well!!
The dates for the World Cup at the moment are from Saturday 3rd to Sunday 18th September 2005
Plans could change!! - but this gives a pretty good idea of what is happening
Fun is an understatement I think!!
It will be exhausting jumping on a bus every 2-3 days and living out of my backpack and in hostels for three months
But it will be totally worth it!! - trip of a lifetime!! - another one anyway!!
I will be heading back to London afterwards to work some more
Tanya
Tuesday 8th February 2005
Good morning - how are you?
I had another good ride today - and I passed Tamara in Hyde Park on her way home from night shift - it was quite a surprise!!
It is Pancake Tuesday today so I had two sausages and two eggs and two potato pancakes for brekky today - very filling but yummy.
It is Chinese New Year tomorrow and all the celebrating starts tonight.
We have a Thai girl in the house and her dad is Chinese so she celebrates the Chinese New Year.
She was up all night cooking and then up early again today and put a whole chicken and pork ribs and fruit and green tea
outside as an offering to the gods that don't come into your house.
She had incense and was praying outside too.
It was really sweet to watch.
Got my first pay of my new job today - all looked okay went in the bank fine so I am now on my saving mission.
Umm, that's about all - have a good night.
See you.
Tanya.
PS - I do have more news
So I am going to take a pole dancing class!!
What do you think?
Me and a lovely girl I met called Irma (who is a friend of Jaci's) are going to go
It is a six week course and I reckon it will be a blast - definately something different anyway!
I really think it will be fun
I said to Irma we could put it on our resume as a hobby - and if I don't have enough money to travel I could earn it that way!
Will let you know how it goes
Might get a video done of my new moves for Dad to put up...NOT!!

She also asked me to play netball but I am far too afraid of hurting my knee again for that.
I don't want to be like Amanda and end up not enjoying my trip because I broke something.
Poor thing has had her cast on since New Years Eve and doesn't get it off until Valentines day - another whole week.
She can't earn any money cause she can't type so she is doing telemarketing at the moment - and the pay is crap!
Tanya.
Wednesday 9th February 2005
Hello.
Went to the gym last night with Kaz and Jase and that is about all I did.
Planning on going for a swim tonight at the gym.
Tanya.
Thursday 10th February 2005
Get ready for the media storm!!
Prince Charles and Camilla are getting married!!
It is going to drive me so nuts!!

And at work, after having nothing to do for a bit I am mad busy now - makes the day go fast but faaaarrrrk by fingers are sore!!
Tanya.
Friday 11th February 2005
I know its early but it will almost be over by the time I write again so
Happy Valentines Day!
Hope you all have a nice day.
I am going out for dinner with my lovely friend Jason.
We are going to sit in the restuarant and decide which couples will make it and which ones won't!
Look what came in the mail to me yesterday!
A letter from Aunty Jessie - a bit of a surprise

Tanya.
Monday 14th February 2005
I have finally got boots that go up to my knee - they are very nice and you will love them.
I also got another pair that you will probably not like so much but then again you don't have to wear them!
Valentine's Day - did you have a nice day at work today - lots of girls getting flowers?
The day has just started here so I am interested to see who gets the flowers in this office.
Jason reckons he is going to propose to me tonight so that we get a free bottle of wine at dinner but wasn't so keen when I pointed out that when I gush and cry and say yes we will then have to kiss!
That's about all -
let me know what you are planning with Sarah and Nick - and I want photos!
Tanya.
Tuesday 15th February 2005
Valentine's Day, and last night was really nice.
One of the nicest nights out I have had in while.
Good food, nice bottle of red, great company and I looked fabulous!
We saw some friends from the hostel and Jase used to live with them, Brett and Vanessa (she is a hairdresser)
It was as Jas said, "a very grown up night out" - very civilised!!
Tanya.
Wednesday 16th February 2005
Didn't ride to work yesterday but did today.
And I am going to the gym after work today.
Not very exciting my life at the moment - but never mind - lots still to come I guess!!
Tanya.
Friday 18th February 2005
The movie "Oceans 12"
Is a fantastic perve - seriously why Jennifer Aniston didn't want Mr Pitts babies is beyond me!
It was a good movie too.
It was funny - George Clooney is great and it was really quite fun - more so even that "Oceans 11"
And they were on location in Rome and Amsterdam and being able to recognise the sceney was quite fun too.
Going to the gym tonight and then staying home.
Trying to stick to my budget but I need to get a couple to things.
I want to come back with a fabulous dress to wear for my thirtieth birthday and Tamara has given me some ideas.
I have seen the dress I want to try on but I don't know how it will look.
I need to get a skirt too - just a black one to wear with my new boots.
I have a little while to decide anyway.
But just window shopping and trying on and staying low key this weekend I think.
Bye.
Monday 21st February 2005
Morning.
How was your weekend?
It is realy really cold today - a top of just five degrees and meant to be lots of snow in the next few days!!
Needless to say I didn't cycle!!
It is two degrees now.
We just got a tiny tiny bit of snow
See, I am not excited as I was last year - it's just common to me now!

Anyway, I had a quiet weekend and probably the same this week.
I don't like going out when it is like this! - stay inside with the heating on and hot milo!!
Tanya.
Tuesday 22nd February 2005
Happy four degrees day!
That's what the top temperature is meant to be today - and it was just one when I cycled to work today!!
My toes were frozen when I got here but now I compare coldness to Loch Ness and it is almost tropical!!
Riding through Kensington Gardens past the Palace was lovely - there was snow all over the ground
The roads are all treated in Central London so there was no snow on the roads at all.
It snowed on me a little bit when I got to work and it is just so pretty.
Got some house photos of us all running around last night and there is meant to be the heaviest snow this afternoon.
Anyway, I copied Dad into this email
He got sent yet another booking confirmation from me and I just want to make sure that when he makes the page up he copies Anne Kippin into the link
Her and Mum are going to be very very jealous - I can just see them turning green!!
I think they will anyway - do you think so, Dad?
I am going with Karen

That's all - have a good day - will let you know if I think of anything else.
Tanya.
Wednesday 23rd February 2005
I am starting on a list of things to do before I leave London and seeing a show at Royal Albert Hall is one of them (so is the Cadbury Factory!)
I really can't wait
I could have gone and seen opera or normal classical music but I reckon that this was the best pick
Imagine the 1812 Overture with cannons and fireworks and lasers!!!!!

Am here but hella busy at the mo - will try write more later.
Tanya
Thursday 24th February 2005
Hurro.
I am 'well busy agains' at the mo. (pommy slang)
I saw a goose this morning - actually about 500!! - on the way to work past the Round Pond in Kensington Gardens
They were just hanging around on the ground

Tanya.
Friday 25th February 2005
Again not much to report.
Woke up this morning to falling snow and power out everywhere.
I debated riding or not - but was looking out my window and about six bikes went by and if they can do it I can too!!
It was a nice ride and it snowed the whole way to work but once you get in the city you would never know because there is no snow lying around - the roads are treated and there is no ice anywhere
The snow was lovely - I am glad I rode

Going to see "Shall We Dance" with Richard Gere and Susan Sarandon and J-Lo tonight.
Tamara is working so we are going to the 11.25pm screening which finishes at 1.27am - glad I don't have to get up and go to work the next day!!
Have a going-away-party tomorrow night for a Elicia - she is going back to Australia
Other than that a pretty quiet weekend.
Have a nice Nutimetics Party!!
Tanya.
Monday 28th February 2005
Good weekend for me.
Movie on Friday night - "Shall We Dance" - you will love it - Richard Gere and Susan Sarandon are lovely and I want to be able to dance the quickstep!!
Saturday was good - went to the gym and then met Amanda for shopping and then
the going-away-party for Elicia
Yesterday I was very hung over!
Riding to work and there was ice in the Serpentine today
It was cold but clear and sunny - can't wait for summer when it is hot and clear and sunny!
Tanya.