this new life

today was quite hectic. just like the last few days since i started in this new life.

after work, adrian picked me up at the hospital to make it home and have some cup of tea before we head out for my dentist's appointment. it was quite unusual for me to be able to walk to the dentist's clinic and not have to drive. and for the dentist to chat with me and said,we have the same Lord for a landlord. it was supposed to be fun,if only i didn't have to be poked and prodded like a piece of meat and have my mouth open that wide for a very long time.

after the dentist, we decided to have a meal in the pub. i always suggest the pub because they're one of the few restaurants that cook a variety of meals (which has also some asian fare apart from the usual british food). Adrian had some savoury pie (gammon and sausage cream cheese potato topping) and i had my prawn curry (complete with naan bread and poppadoms). I love that they get the rice done right, so unusual in a British restaurant.


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just last week, i was told i could not take my annual leave in one go. unlike the previous hospital where i worked,i could a month's leave in one full sweep. but because where i am, i am doing a rotation of sorts, i can only take a two-week leave tops in one go. i had to break the leave in bits and not in chunks. plus, because of the time i came in, i got the worst time schedules for a holiday. oh well, being in Norfolk is like being on holiday for me (for now).

saying that, this made me sad because i have (almost) 3 weeks annual leave left before April (which is another term of annual leave dates,which gives me another set of 5 weeks). now, Adrian and i are thinking where we could use this little bits of time to spend somewhere. its a shame to spend only a short time to travel long haul to cebu where fare costs an arm and a leg. portugal? paris? new york? (daydreaming of course!).

maybe our old home. i miss it,too!


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on saturday, i was excited. i had whole day in London to spend money for the day. (my birthday money was spent on that day,finally). i bought myself new shoes (work shoes,though) and i also bought Adrian a pair (for his daily use).

i also bought some cosmetics (my Nars eye-primer is on its last pat), and a liquid liner from Nars,too. i went crazy, i also bought my current fave (D&G's The ONE parfum), and a Michael Kors Bag.

To think i was only there to buy the work shoes.

I hurriedly rushed home to entertain guests who needed to be fed. Crazy. Thats what happens if youre only at home in a very short time on a weekend.


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here is Adrian. he is now a 'house-husband'. he is supposed to be retiring but it seems retiring is out of his agenda at the moment. he is busier than ever, and to top it all,he needs to drive me to/from work, and do the domestic works needed in the house (curtains,etc). thats part of his job description now and he also works from home doing teaching packages for two colleges and the Open University. when i got home, there were stacks of paper getting marked on the dining table.

but look at him. he looks more relaxed and happier here. he said,he cant wait for spring when he can start seeing some bulbs growing.

i hope i made the right decision. i keep asking myself uprooting my life here to Norfolk (for two years) is a big step worth enough for some lifestyle change. so far, so good. i wish it continues long.

right now

..my mind is brimming with alot of stories to share, and a lot of photographs to take (and to share)..

...chicken passata is cooking over the hob, while Adrian is watching the news, and im getting excited typing my life away hurriedly while thinking of checking whether the newly installed roller-blinds at the upstairs bathroom works fine.

..fawns (baby deers), partridges and rabbits are hopping in our garden.

..im just glad im alive and healthy...

i miss you, blog.

i miss writing down and documenting the little reflections of my life.

how has life been to you?xx



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photo taken from the upstairs landing this morning at 7am.

the peace and beauty of this village is priceless. i feel like im on holiday everyday..;-)

birthday 'thank you' post

i am another year older.

apart from another birthday it is the start of a new job in a new place,so it will be a crazy day for me, as i am moving a different county, a new job, and staying in a hotel for a whole week.

just in case i am unable to due to the crazy schedule, i would write this now and say my birthday 'thank you's' for the lovely messages over at Facebook/Twitter/Skype/Multiply/private messages


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i had great laugh reading a birthday blog dedicated to me from my family.


here is the blog


some photos that made me feel the love..judging from the photos you would think that our family has some screws missing..(yes,they are really like that in person, wacky and 'kengkoy').

even the little girl has the same personality,hahaha;-)

my super 'game' mama;-)

my cousin by blood,but my sister in love;-)

my sister Mayel,and niece Dominique

B1

and B2

i know, they're all weird..but lovely..and i love them to bits..

theyre very creative on sending their love to me every birthday..last year was a video..this year was mugshot messages..i wonder what's for next year??



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my birthday started early. on saturday my friends gathered online for skype and wished me a happy birthday.

they sang for me too.

and had a birthday cake for me (and candle too).

they are my friends since we were teenagers ..we missed one of our barkada, but we knew she was in the middle of vacationing in Seattle ;-)

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on saturday i also received a wonderful birthday loot from bestfriend, Kharla.

i still am trying to get over receiving kropek over the mail..one of my long-time misses.

wonderful lovely messages from auntie/uncle and cousins...and lovely handwritten message from Simone (my goddaughter and niece)..

and some tear-enducing message from kharla..

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and some nice time with Ana and Dominique today;-)

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i thank the Lord each day for such wonderful amazing people that surround me..;-)

thank you too for dropping by this space and leaving some lovely thoughts,too;-)xxx

the olde post office

some good news today! i woke up to find a letter thru the mailbox from the agent confirming myself and the mister as the successful bidders to the cottage.

so here as promised, are the pics of cottage.

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the cottage was not ready when we viewed it. the backgarden was in chaos as the workers of the landlord chopped off the trees (Adrian and i wanted to stop them coz we would have loved the trees in the back),and was just about to landscape the backgarden.

Speaking of landlords, the owner/landlord is actually Lord Howard, a blue-blood said the agent, who owns half of Norfolk and has his estate rented to the public.

this cottage was the old post office, thats why the address will read The Olde Post Office, Castle Rising. cute, isnt it?

the upstairs was not ready, and the bedrooms had no carpet yet, and there were still missing windows, but you know,when you step into a property and you feel an instant 'home' feel to it? thats how it felt like.

the other house in the 'burbs which we liked too, was ready to move in, as soon as we wanted to, it had everything and four massive rooms. this cottage was not ready at all when we saw it, the carpets downstairs were shoddy, the upstairs were still exposed floorboards and garden a total mess, but Adrian and i fell in love with it. it is smaller in comparison to the house in the burbs (same rental price), this one has no cooker installed (which means Adrian and i have to buy a new one,too, which makes this move quite expensive more than it should) yet the feeling of making it a 'holiday' in norfolk than just a 'living-to-work' in norfolk as an idea is so much more inviting.


the kitchen in this cottage is tiny, yet i think, the real log-burning fireplaces, the reception room, the overall feel of the cottage won us over. (plus Adrian's dream of selling artisan organic breads by our doorstep while i'm at work is too tempting for him to quash,lol).

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I suppose some things are just meant to be. I whispered prayers to God, who i asked guidance and answers for everyday. i know i have been very doubtful about this move (this new job in far far away Norfolk from my home), but whenever i feel down and skeptical on some things about this sudden life-change, something happens that really tells me, this is it.

so yeah, this is it.


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photos of the Olde Post Office (photos taken by my canon g10. i wasnt able to bring my DSLR that day, as we were too busy walking in and out of houses,there were just no time to log about a heavy camera).

when we move in, more pics to come of the newly organized backgarden. (altho Adrian said, do not hold your breath about their 'promised landscape', their idea might just be evened-out grass..i thought, i do not care, i'm willing to live in its present condition now)

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the small cottage...

those picket fences will be white in a month's time.

at the foot of our garden is the hill, where the castle is seen..'muni-muni',here i come

the bricks and stone is local to Norfolk, i forgot what they call that kind of sanding..

its a tiny cottage, but its bigger inside, 3 bedrooms upstairs, a dining area, a kitchen (small kitchen,though, something i have to get used to) and a big nice lounge (with log-burning fire)

a closer view to the back..i think it would be nice to share afternoon walks there, up the hill to the castle, and blurt 'he-loves-me-he-loves-me-not' litanies..

my sister Ana who will be visitng me next year with Mama said, her Jane Austen fantasies might come true in this place (im sure!) and my bestfriend Kharla who loves solitude and reflective silences would cherish to be in a place like this..even my hiking buddies would love this place..this village is a wonderful hike trail.

a cottage that hopefully would be home to me and adrian while i work.

a 10 minute car-drive to/from work.

the idea of being on-holiday-and-working at the same time makes this move a gentler move than the big blow it was supposed to feel. I am one for being rooted and finding home.. when it took me years to get adjusted to where i was, here again, was an opportunity to land my dream job, yet i had to move far away from my present home.

i think this cottage and the village will be kind to me..because this was an answered prayer.

i showed these photos to my family in FB the day we went there, and my brother said "nice sya, but murag dako dako gyud mo'g silhiganan," hahaha, commenting on the chaos from the garden.. the reason why we could only move on the 1st of october is because Lord Howard wanted to do work in the garden before we move in. [i would love to meet Lord Howard and get a portrait of him],lol.

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thank you for being excited with me. you know who you are! ;-)

the village

adrian and i found the village we wanted to live in in the countryside. it was a toss up between a bigger house (which could accommodate guests and visitors) and was 5 minutes walk to the hospital, or a small idly cottage in this wonderful village. it was practicality vs. heart. The bigger house was ok, but the neighbourhood would just look like where we live now, a cul-de-sac in the suburbs while this small cottage we also wanted was in the heart of a tiny ancient village in the town's history.

our hearts won in the end.

we applied for the house/cottage in this village. but its not definite yet whether we get it or not, because there is another person who applied a day before us. the good thing was, we brought in our documents the very same day we applied and paid the lawyers fees and application fee in cash, while the other person was still waiting for his cheque to clear. We have one foot ahead of him. We just pray he will not push through in the end.

These are photos of the neighbourhood we wanted to live in. The photos of the house/cotatge will soon be blogged if we hear any news from the estate agents (hopefully the end of this week).


[note: my gulay, the renting documents and ceremonies you need in this country is atrocious. it feels like a massive criminal investigation, too. the thing is, Adrian and i have not experienced renting, so we do not have a word or letter from a previous landlord, so we need more documents from Adrian's work, and my work to give to them (rental agents). Although on Friday,we brought in our documents from bank statemens, proofs of address, passports, driver's license,etc, the letters from previous landlords, employer's testimony we are still trying to get hold of this week. so the contest is still on. may the best tenants win!]


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the name of the village is Castle Rising..its made famous by the hill which has a castle on it

the only pub in the village.. its a pub smack in the centre

a tea house which also serves homecooked meals

the Unique tea room..

the barn which is also a boutique..it has a dental clinic on the side too.. yes, everything is very 'countryside-feel'..

the name of the boutique which sells shabby chic interiors is called Unique too.i m sure the owner also owns the tea room..

thats the mound of the hill, where you see the top of the castle..i havent been yet, but if were lucky enough to get the cottage we will surely visit it.

the tea house..this was the facade.taken from the garden..

more of the Unique barn-cum-store-cum-dentists clinic

this is the Arts and Craft centre of the village..(something to investigate what they have here)

the village green where horses are grazed and let loose..

this picture was taken from the gate of the cottage we wanted to rent..this would be the view from our gate if we get the cottage..

a view of a rising Castle..historic little village this one.

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we applied for the cottage in this village,and we are waiting for news that we are getting it, by early next week. so for 1 week, Adrian and i will be staying in a little B&B in the side of town while i work for a week.

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I kept praying for the cottage to be given to us, but like what my mom told me, if its not meant to be, it will never happen, as long as ive tried my best to get it, then i can say its meant for someone else..

by next weekend, you would know if we get this village, (a 10-15 minute drive to my work) or a very suburban detached house 5 minutes walk to my work..either way, both are win-win..

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how are you, my loves?

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[EDIT: the new bloglook just so matches the photos from the village,noh? i hope it is a sign,lol..

many thanks once again dearest Patricia for your work and excellent skills..im officially a FANCY GIRL]