Boxes

This evening I got my birthday presents from Simon, which came in not one, not two, not even three, but FOUR, yes, thats right, FOUR boxes, and a gift bag.  He gave me a necklace, bracelet, teddy wearing an 18 shirt and a taiko CD.  I love my presents, they are amazing!  Thank you so much sweetie xxx

Prezzie time!

This morning is so exciting, i got a parcel delivered from my next door neighbor (who received it yesterday) - my birthday present from Alex and Tiff!  It is an enormous box full of 'packing peanuts', sparkly decorations and a badge.  Inside were my photos from last summer which is so exciting and an amazing photography book on the work of Galen Rowell.  The images are incredible!  I have decorated the toy room with the banners and sparkly things - which look fabulous.  Thank you so much guys,  i'll try and call you later. 

Last Shift!

Well, in half an hour I am gong to begin my last ever shift at the Leagate.  This is so sad, i love that place so much, and the people there.  After almost two years i've got pretty close to everyone there, we've had some great times and I'm going to miss them.  But change happens, i'll just have to keep visiting :-)

Thats it!

Relief is immense!  I got the grades i needed to get into University, it's amazing i got the confirmation letter this morning, i have accommodation and a place on the course that i want.  So thats 25 grands worth of debt and four years of excitement and amazing experiences!  I can't wait!

Nerves

I am so anxious about tomorrow, I get my a-level results and find out if i got into university.  I am excited and terrified at the same time!  I just want to get it over with.

1 Year!!!

I cannot believe that it is one whole year ago today that my amazing adventure in LA began.  It was the most amazing experience of my life, and I really wish that I was there right now.  So thanks Alex and Tiff, after a whole year of thinking about it, it still seems amazing.  I looked through my scrap book today, as I do quite frequently, I'm still very proud of it.  Hopefully in the not to distant future I'll come and wreak havoc in your lives again.  Miss you! xxx

Posts

I really will get round to writing about the last couple of months asap - promise!

Sports Day

Today was Mia's first sports day, it was so much fun.  Mum, Dad, Suzie, Rick, Freya and Me went to see her. She did 3 races, running 40 meters, hoola hoop race, and potato and spoon race.  She came third in the potato and spoon and was very proud of herself.  She did so well, well done Mia!x

Projekt Revolution

On sunday I went to Milton Keynes Bowl with some mates to see the Projekt Revolution tour.  It was the biggest of the shows on the tour, and was awesome.  Linkin Park and Jay-Z were headlining, with Pendulum, N*E*R*D, and the Bravery.  Fantastic crowd, I did get elbowed a couple of times and two bottles hit me in the head but it's to be expected in the pit at such a gig!  Fantastic fun, very tiring, a wonderful day in all.

Wimbledon

Yesterday I went to Wimbledon, for the second day of the championships.  It was so much fun.  Our PE teacher from school got twelve tickets in a schools ballot, and chose 9 sixth formers with sporting achievements to go with her and two other staff.  It is really nice that she recognized that I have worked hard coaching and playing volleyball outside of school, it usually seems like she only cares about netball players of hockey players.  It was a great day, we went on the train from Grantham and then got the underground from Kings Cross.  The 'All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club' is such a cool place, it is really posh, but nice.  I had strawberries and cream...twice, and they weren't as expensive as I thought.  We had two centre court tickets and ten for number one court, so we rotated round, each spending an hour on centre.  I saw Richard Gasquet vs Mardy Fish, Venus Williams vs Naomi Cavaday, Rafael Nadal vs Andreas Beck, Maria Sharapova vs Stephanie Foretz, Andy Roddick vs Eduardo Schwank, and Jelena Jankovic vs Olga Savchuk.  So some pretty great names, and a good selection of mens and women's.  I recommend it to anyone, just for the experience of Pimms and strawberries even if you are not a huge tennis fan.  Fantastic day, thanks Miss C!

Prom Dress

Today we went prom dress shopping in manchester and sheffield, I found a great dress which I got, but I am still keeping looking for a slightly more formal one.  I cannot believe that it's only a week on friday!

Bon Jovi

Mum, Dad and myself went to see Bon Jovi at the City of Manchester stadium last night.  They were awesome, I almost lost my voice.  Fantastic live act, brilliant show all round.  More later...

BBQ

Last night was our community/church BBQ fundraiser.  It takes place once a year, with about 250 people and 30 helpers.  Everyone brings a couple of salads and deserts and has a great night.  We raised just over £2,500, £1,500 going to children's charity 'wish upon a star', £500 to the ambucopter, and the rest to the church's expenses.  Fantastic work, a great community effort.

It's over...

Well, after almost fourteen years of my life, I am done with school!  Today was my last ever school exam, and the last time I ever have to go to school, at all.  I have mixed feelings about this, on one hand it is the beginning of the rest of my life, and what looks to be one of the most exciting experiences ever.  But, on the other hand, I don't want to leave at all, School has been the 'normality', the thing that I have done everyday, what my life has revolved around for the last fourteen years.  I don't want to leave that, it's not that I like the place, it's the idea, my life is changing and it's terrifying, exciting, but terrifying.  I can't wait to get to university, but I know this summer is going to go far too fast, and that there will be so many things I won't get done.  I am going to miss so many great people, and probably even the people who aren't so great.  I love my friends, but I can't wait to make new ones, in a new place, and I hope I keep in touch with the old ones.  So, the years ahead are going to be full of adventures, I hope they are good for everyone that I know, and that they get what they want, if it's what they should have.  Granny always said 'everything happens for a reason'.

Foo Fighters..

...ROCKED!!! What more can I say really, except for... Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones!  I am in absolute awe of them, one of the most incredible gigs ever in the world EVER!!!

Last Day!

Well, the time that is ahead of me is so exciting, filled with new adventures and new challenges and I'm so excited for that.  But... this time is also filled with a lot of goodbyes and endings, which I'm not looking forward to so much.  Friday was my last day of school, which we had been counting down to since september, but then when it got to the day, i didn't want it.  I'm ready to leave a lot of things about school, but it really is a huge step, seven years spent there has suddenly finished and I feel a bit lost to be honest.  It was a really fun day, and most of our year, as well as a couple of staff went out in the evening, which was great.  I just can't believe it's over, school has been the regular thing in my life for the last fourteen years.  Thursday was also my last day at volleyball, which was also sad.  I've met some amazing people over the last few years, and I'm so grateful for that, but i just don't feel ready to leave them, not yet.  The end was inevitable, we'll stay in touch, but it won't be the same.  I guess it's just one of those things that has to happen, September will bring whatever it does and i'll go along with it.  I just wish i had longer.

Student Status...

Today is the first day that this actually effects me, although it has been in place since last tuesday.  It basically means that upper sixth students only have to be in school between the start of their first lesson and the finish of the last lesson of the day.  So, this morning I took the car and only had to be there till 12:10, so I just got home and am about to start work!  How wonderful!

Dad's home!!!

Dad was in hospital yesterday for a knuckle replacement, and today we got a call saying he is ready to come home, less than 24 hours after having an operation under general anesthetic.  He seems in a lot of pain.  Hope it works out well.

Beam

Well, yesterday we visited Geoff's estate agents (beamestateagents.co.uk) for the first time.  He has been going almost three months now, and has 72 properties, it's a fab place, and it was so great to see him.  I  hope it all work out for him!

L's away!!!

Woop woop, I passed my driving test!!!!!!!!!

First time aswell, and only three minors!!!

Just went out on my own for the first time, it was SO scary, but wonderful!

Respect...

I feel somewhat saddened tonight, coming home from work.  The customers were fine, but the staff on the other hand were ridiculous! The evening ending with a massive argument between the new waiter who has only worked like three shifts, and the chef who has been there for years and who we all greatly respect.  It seems our new waiter does not understand this concept.  As a result of his not working very hard, the chef told him to pull his socks up and do some work, twice,  the waiter did not take kindly to this.  He started back chatting and being rude to the chef.  I was very annoyed at this as he is fantastic and deserves the respect that everyone else has for him.  I just don't understand how you can speak to someone like that after being in a job such a short time.  It made me angry and sad t see someone I have so much respect for, and that works so hard, being disrespected and generally spoken to in such a ad way.  Luckily the chef rose above it, hopefully the storm will have settled by the time I get there tomorrow.

TMNT

Next Thursday night there is a fancy dress party I'm going to, for which you have to dress up as something beginning with the letter 'T' for.  I decided that the only option was a teenage mutant ninga turtle, Donatello of course!  So today I went shopping to Primark and bought the majority of my costume, it's so much more fun to make them yourself.  I got a green jumper, green shoes, bright orange tights, a brown belt and a long yellow foam tube as my 'bo staff'.  I added to this some denim shorts which I already have and some purple material to wear as the bandanna and  wrist/leg decoration, the only issue remaining was the shell!  Last night when I was at work I was discussing this with one of the chefs, and he suggested big bubble wrap, so the barman is hopefully getting me some today, so I can paint it green/brown as the shell. I will have to post photos cos I love my costume so much, yay can't wait, and we're going out in town afterwards in fancy dress which will be hilarious!!!

MAC!!!!!

So...the first blog I have created with mac, today has been like one of the most awesome days ever!!!  I got my my mac book pro (hence the name mac), I am so excited because I have saved up for it myself, and got what I wanted.  we went to the apple store in Meadowhall, Sheffield, which was amazing to start with.  We had an appointment with a personal shopper called Andrew who showed us everything we wanted an suggested things that I should and shouldn't get.  He was really god, and I get student discount which is really cool because it makes the apple care so cheap.  We didn't get home until about five, so I just had time to unpack the laptop and put it on to charge before I had to get ready for work and leave.  When I got in though I loaded some software and tried to figure things out, as it was fully charged. It is so pretty and amazing, and I can get Internet anywhere in the house, which is a new thing for me, and very cool.   I'm sure there will be many adventures of mac and I to follow...

Sunday Morning

Well...this is the first sunday, I think since I got back from America that I have not had to go to work. I have chosen to work sunday evening instead of lunchtime, which means that I get to have a very nice lie-in. I havn't done that since America either I think. I am being so lazy!!! It's so nice, everything is normally so hectic!!! I am working at 5, but i'm on my own, so at least I know what i'm doing. Yay for the weekend.

Earthquake

WOW!!! Last night there was an earthquake with the epicentre around 25 miles north of our house at around 1am this morning. It measured 5.6 on the richter scale, the strongest earthquake here for 25 years. It was really strange, there was a really strange quiet after it had happened. It woke me up and lasted about 10 seconds, strange, 5 tiles fell off the roof at my mates house, we can't see any damage here though luckily.

Growing up

It's really strange to think I only have two terms left at school, then I have to go into the big world. School is what I have 'done' for the last fourteen years of my life, and I suppose i'm just a bit bewildered to think that I wont be there any more. I really want to leave, and go to university, but it's strange. Iwant to go and meet new people, experience new things etc, but what about my old friends and the old things? We have had a countdown calendar up since September, which was fun, but now it just feels like our last year at school is almost over, and we haven't done half the things we said! Ah well, onward and upward?

One more thing...

Our new site is up and running. CLICK HERE TO SEE IT. You can look up player profiles, match reports, fixtures etc, or at least you will be able to when the photos get put up! How exciting!

Deans

Well, six games played, six won!!! We are top of the league at the moment, very exciting considering that it's the first season that this team has existed!
If you want to keep up to date on scores etc, click HERE.
Fab, now off to coach the juniors!

Tiny Dancer

I was in the car on the way to volleyball training on thursday night, and the club remix of tiny tancer came on, what an awful experience, they murdered the song!

Freedom...

...well, to a certain extent anyway. I did my last exam until may today! Media critical research, it was ok, but I could have written way more, ran out of time! So pleased to have got them all over with for a little while!

Forgot to mention

There is an LPQ opposite the Crêperie!!!

Roar...

Well, we just spent a couple of nights near London. It was great fun, we went down on Wednesday morning and stopped in Cambridge to do some shopping on the way there, I love it, it's so beautiful and historic. Then we eventually got to our travelodge in Ilford. We went and got yummy chinese from the local take-away which was fun. Thursday we took the tube into London to go to the Victoria and Albert museum. I had found out that they had some ansel Adams prints there so I thought I'd check them out. I went up to the print room and ordered five boxes and spent several hours mulling over them. It's such an incredible resource, you can just go and ask to see these priceless prints! Definitely going back.
After looking at just over 30 images we went to the South Kensington Crêperie, we shared a savoury and had a sweet one each. SO YUMMY! Then we made our way to covent garden and mooched around for a while, we ate dinner in this little pub called the white heart i think, it was so lovely and friendly. In the evening we went to see the Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre which was amazing, such an incredible performance, especially from the young children in it. I love the music from the show aswell. After a few minutes you stopped seeing the characters as people dressed up as animals, and the just became animals. An amazing show!
Friday morning we left and went to Ikea to go and get a new computer table from me as mum's cousin is giving me his old Mac G4. Very exciting. We got somewhat lost on the way there, it was very confusing to find, and I was driving, but it's all good experience. We had yummy meatballs for luch. We got home at around 5pm, then I went out for a party at the place I work for my mates 18th Birthday which was a great laugh.