Trial

Trial

Long Time, No See ...

I know it's been a while, but I thought what better way to resurrect the blog, than to celebrate the end of  the schools that led to it's very VERY long pause!

In May, Dave and I spent 18 days travelling Japan and Hong Kong in celebration of both of our graduations, mine in December 2011 and Dave's, well, while we were on holidays!

Honestly, the photos speak for themselves but 600 photos is a little much! So I created a couple of slideshows depending on how much you like us/are bored at work.

Quickie (83 photos)
The bare essentials

Us (33 photos)
If the thoughts of looking at one more
temple/night skyline/food shot
makes you yawn, check out the pictures of just us

Munch & Sup (64 photos)
WARNING!
Do not view this slideshow if hungry or craving happy hour.
Includes just the food and drink that made our trip amazing.

Japan (95 photos) Covers Nagoya, Takayama, Yokohama, and lots of food & cool Japanese stuff. Includes all Japanese photos in Quickie, Us and Munch & Sup

Hong Kong (155 photos)
Covers Hong Kong, Macau, and lots and lots of food.
Includes all Hong Kong photos in Quickie, Us and Munch & Sup

Introducing

Lexie!!


So we did say that we were going to get a second dog once I got a job. But I don't think either of us expected it all to happen quite as quick as it did.

I'd been stalking Pet Finder for months, just because it's addictive. I had my eye out for a standard poodle. But what I was actually looking at was everyone under 2 within a 300 miles radius.

Ms. Lexie appeared on a Thursday afternoon. I clicked on her profile, just because she was a pug. There was just something about her profile and her picture that just stuck with me. How could you ignore this smile.



I did ignore it for a little while but come Sunday we drunkenly emailed about her. Monday we filled in an application. Monday evening we talked to the foster mom. Tuesday she checked our references. And by Tuesday evening we got a call to say if we wanted her she was ours.

On a crazy Saturday morning, Ms Lexie arrived, with her foster mom to meet us and Hammond. It felt very like when I picked up Hammond. Too quick, too rushed but it just took one look at the two of them playing to know it would be ok.

We've had 3 weeks of craziness, constant playing and just a little bit of sleep. She is 100% our dog, and we love her just as much as we do the Face. It's nice to have a new dog that isn't a puppy. She's completely house trained, we don't need to worry about accidents and she much more mellow than he was (is!). And she is so affectionate. She's all about the kisses and the snuggles.

She is missing an eye, but it stops her doing nothing. She's in all the fights at the dog park, all the play here at home and into everything on her walks.

So.. because you've had lots of Hammond ... here's some Lexie portraits.

check

They spell cheque wrong here.

So for those of you who don't know. I have a job!!!

I am very excited, however, I originally interviewed for this job on February 25th, and March 4th and March 9th and March 26th and March 27th, so it's been a long haul! But all along, I was sure I really wanted this job, and that I'd be good at it, so I'm pretty excited that I get to start on Wednesday!!

I'm already teaching at the college on a part time basis, once a week, but now I'm going to be a full time employee. I'll be working with students who might be falling behind, or having trouble with some aspect of their course and need some guidance on how to move forward. I'll also continue teaching my class til it's done and then probably be teaching a more basic course after that.

Dave worked and taught here all last year which is how I got the teaching job, and how I know it's going to be a really fun job to work at!

Check it out - Rasmussen

Time

So yes I know ... it's been far too long....

Can I blame america? Because I think I can!

When I was in Japan, I never really felt out of touch with my friends or my family, and it was only when I came here that I realised why ... it was the 'favourable' time difference! I'd come home from work at 9/10, have dinner, maybe a glass of wine, and be totally in the mood for a nice long chat. So onto skype I'd go, at 1am, or 2am, to piss off my neighbours but in perfect time to get people for a chat.

But here .. in the U. S. of A. if I want to talk to people I have to call them in my morning/afternoon time and that, as anyone who knows me, is not my best time, even with a couple of drinks.

Also now that I have a job (yes you heard me right) I don't know exactly when I'm supposed to talk to people.

I really do miss relaxing on the couch, glass of wine in hand and just chatting away.

Ah well.

Facedom

I could say I was trying out my camera, or taking photos of the kitchen floor and he got in the way, but ye wouldn't believe me anyway.

So just because he's cute ...

Ponce

So for our birthdays (or is it birthdaies!) we decided to treat ourselves to a fancy smancy meal at Hinterland. Despite that it's the only other brewery in Green Bay and it's right opposite Titletown, we've never actually been. This was partly due to the cost of the food, and partly due to the fact that Dave thought the bartender had been rude to him once. Turns out he'd never been but thinks he heard a story about the bartender being rude. And to make it even better, after deciding to splurge on the meal, we got a voucher for it from Pete and Luann!




We had a drink in the very cool lounge upstairs first. Definitely felt like a poncy Dublin pub, with prices to match. But oh the food. We started off with Beef Potstickers and quail. Dave felt the Quail was too tough but we both loved the potstickers. I had the steak and scallops for my main and Dave had the Yellowtail with noodles. I always had the idea that I didn't like scallops and while they probably aren't my favourite thing, I really enjoyed them.

It was a really yummy meal, and I left with my tail-a-wagging and all fuelled up for our Ikea trip tomorrow!

Queue

So, about 5 months too late ...

I give you our bathroom ... before and after.

So we started with the bathroom, small, not too much wall, not too much to mess up.


Notice the unflattering lights and the fugly taps/faucet!


Notice the awesome lights and the sleek/cool taps/faucets.


The press/vanity is my labo(u)r of love, the taps were the bane of David's life!


And finally the orange and the mirrors, with the lights. I love it!!!

Funny story ... It was actually Dave's idea to paint it orange. We were walking through Home Depot, he mentioned it, I loved it, we painted it. Two months later, we were drunk, he told me that he'd been joking about the orange. Ah well. He likes it now. I made him like it.

Donkey

So I did get a job. Of sorts.

I'm going to be teaching a Linux class at Rasmussen College, where Dave used to work. It's a weekly class, 4 hours of lecture and practical work with about 10 students. I'm really excited to be teaching again, and looking forward to 'brushing up' on my Linux skills.

I did however have to do a 10 minute sample lesson for some of the teachers and advisers there. Now 10 minutes isn't very long so Dave suggested I teach them what I do best. Ordering drinks. In Irish.

They seemed to enjoy it, they had a nice 'brogue'! and everyone seemed to laugh a lot, which I guess worked cos I got the job!

Not Green

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Sincerely,


The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)




For those of you not fluent in immigration, that means my Green Card was approved! Yay!