Christmas Cookie Bake-Up

Yesterday we really got into the spirit by baking up some great Christmas cookies.  We went for some molasses cookies and decorated sugar cookies.

We really enjoyed decorating the cookies and had an icing good time with icing up to our elbows, literally!

All decorated with love

mmm molasses cookies

The whole lot

Me and our creations

Katie and the Ugly one

ahh bless poor thing...

Winter festivities!

Well it's December! Wow! Where has the time gone?

I went to my first (of many, I'm sure) Christmas events. The Winter Wonderland at Hyde park! Other than an ice skating incident (not at all my fault) it was an amazing time! The lights were beautiful and all the festive music was enough to make scrooge smile!

This was just a primer for a trip to Brussels in 2 weeks for more Christmas market awesomeness. It has also got seasonably colder here in jolly old england, but no where near as cold as my friends and family back home!

Speaking of friends and family sadly I will be away from all my oldies but goodies, on a happy note I'll be able to celebrate with my great new friends here in London!

Xoxo

Old Harry Rocks

Today I ventured out with the lovely Miss Katie of Wanderlust and Wayfaring for a great walk to Old Harry Rocks in Studland. Sadly no studs were found, but we did have a great time and the weather co-operated for the perfect amount of time.

The beginning of the Journey

We finished our walk at the Banks Arms pub for a great pub lunch!

I am still amazed at the color of the ocean here, it is very tropical looking so blue green and clean. No rhyming intended there.

She Knits She Purls and Wanderlust and Wayfaring

The beautiful green...

My time here in Bournemouth is coming to an end, I think I'll be heading to London on Wednesday.  So excited to be moving on to the intended adventure!

The big chop!

Today was the day for the big chop!

I had my hair cut today by the fabulous Dawn! I think she took off nearly 5lbs of hair! My head feels so light and I love my new do! I can't wait to try out some new styles too!

The masters tools

The first cut...is the deepest!

The aftermath

Nearly there...

The final product!

Thanks so much Dawn! I love it!

Brisk walks & Festive Pumkins

We went on yet another awesome coastal walk today. 

Our destination was Dancing Ledge today; where there are a series of 'ledges' that the sea washes up on.  Today the tide was in so we could only see the one ledge, but the beauty of the sea was present non the less.  I really enjoy being by the water, in fact I can't imagine not living near the water.  There is something about how it can be so calm, and so fierce which I love.

Dancing Ledge

I was able to give my new camera a good solid try today and I am so pleased with the results.  Totally worth the upgrade and investment. 

Lonely flowers along the coastal path

From whence we came

I fell again; that is two weeks in a row people!  Apparently I need some practice.  So far I feel fine other than my heavily bruised ego. 

The Square and Compass

Our mid point stop was for a pasty and pint at the Square and Compass pub.  Then we carried on back to the car and home again home again!

A well deserved pint

The Locals

Another fabulous walk to get the blood pumping and the lungs working, breathing in the fantastic sea air!

The way home

Knit on Knitter

Well 'tis the season so to speak for me to bust out my needles and get cracking! I just don't seem to be a very productive knitter in the warmer months days, so I've pulled them out of hibernation.  A fresh pair of sox will get me back in the saddle for sure!

This pair came together quite quickly, its nice to know its just like riding a bike after having the needles away for 2 months...lol

Noro Yarn a lovely colorway.

London Town

Forgive me blog readers for I have sinned, its been many days since my last post!

Well I have been having  a great time here since the ONP course finished up.  Also I have been really enjoying relaxing since I have been on the go packing and moving since April its nice to finally just slow down and enjoy the downtime.

I went on a great tour of Stonehenge, Salisbury Cathedral and the New Forest, as well as enjoyed some lovely summer weather and even a dip in the ocean last week.

I got home from an overnight trip up to London yesterday evening and I crashed! It was great to finally get up there and see some sights instead of just the inside of train and tube stations. 

I was able to attend the Continental Travelnurse meet and greet which was a great way to connect with some of the other people in my position as well as hear some stories from the seasoned travel nurses

I really enjoyed my time, albeit brief, in London and can't wait to get up there full time and see what that amazing city has to offer.

Trafalgar Square

Big Ben

Ding Dong the Book is DONE!

After many painstaking hours of neck, back and wrist pain, the dreaded workbook is finally done!

Oh the NHS!

The hours upon hours of searching the internet and scrawling text finally complete I feel a bit at a loss for what to do next.  Then I remembered that I have to complete the Osmosis training modules. DARN.

My position in my room for many days!

Abundance of text written

 Although the workbook was horrid, I see the excellent fire starter benefit in it now, and I suppose admitting it was useful is fine too. But that doesn't change the fact that I am glad its done. So onto different things now, but the tea remains the same!

The always full bucket cup of tea

Coastal Walk

Today I went out on my first Coastal walk with the family I am staying with here in Bournemouth.  What an amazing day for a walk too!

We headed out and the scenery on the way to the walk was just amazing as what I saw when we got there.  We drove through countryside with amazingly green fields divided up by hedgerows to look like the most beautiful patchwork quilt, with the beautiful blue sky to top it off it was truly amazing!  We also drove through some what I think to be typically English villages with stone cottages and narrow lane like streets.  It was the first time since I've been here that I saw the kind of English countryside I was expecting to see and it was magnificent.

Once we arrived at out destination I was once again awestruck by the beauty and harshness of the sea.  The cliffs were so tall and ragged with crashing waves below and fields full of cows and sheep as far as the eye could see.   Our walk was great with a very challenging 200 down and 200 up set of stairs built into the side of the hill, but it was more than worth the effort for the great scenery and the great company!

We ended our walk with a stop at the Square and Compass pub. Awesome! I enjoyed a pastie and coke.  We finished off our journey with a stop at Corfe Castle, were I snapped some quick shots as we didn't go into the grounds this time, just a quick stop for a photo opp.

An awesome day all round!

Jurassic Coast walk

Back to a semi - reality

Wow, what an amazing time I had in Spain with Steph.  It is truly an amazing place that I definatley need to explore more of.  Our whirlwind trip to Barcelona - Ibiza - Valencia - Granada - Sevilla, was fantastic.  Definatley a great way to cap off my summer, and to start my new adventure!

Street at Mt. Tibidabo ~ Barcelona

Now though the 'vacation' continues as I am not working.  For now.  I am enjoying relaxing at home in Bournemouth England for now, while I slave away on my workbook for the ONP (overseas nursing program). This book is beyond tedious, but definately do-able!

My 'work zone'

Perfect for my huge cups of tea!

I am looking forward to getting the book done so I can explore the area, and delve into the 'english ways' and work on my accent! (haha)

Well I'd better get back to the book, I just wanted to update the blog to keep you all in the loop and let you know I am still kicking!


                     **There are too many Spain pictures to include on the blog, so please see them on my Facebook album.  

Leaving on a jet plane...

As I sit here in the airport waiting, waiting, waiting, I am getting more and more excited about this adventure. 

A lot of people have said "you're so brave" and "I could never do that", and I didn't see what the big deal was.  Its just an extended vacation right? Right?!

I know that the friends I have will be friends for life, and that I can always get another job, although I will be hard pressed to find another group of men and women that were so awesome to work with, what a team we are!

My work Crew!

I know this is going to be one of those life changing adventures and I am so excited to start it!  I'm even more excited to be going to Spain, thank goodness there are some sunny spots on this planet, because I have been experiencing a lot of fall like weather and I'm ready for the heat! Bring it on I say! Even though I might regret that statement in 4 days, oh well all part of the adventure.

So off i go, leaving on a jet plane, do know when I'll be back again. (no longer than 2 years says my VISA).  Not sure when I'll be able to post again, but please keep checking back!

Love you all~

Next stop, ENGLAND!

Final Relaxation

The time is drawing close (eeek 3 days!!) until I'm leaving on a jet plane to the UK.  Although I am very excited to get to the UK I am also getting more nervous as Sunday approaches.  Today eased my nerves a bit when I talked to my recruiter on the phone, she helped my calm down a bit, knowing that i have someone to meet me at the airport and help me get on my way to Bournemouth!

I have been enjoying the past few days/week here, I got my last Canadian pedicure for awhile, a must before travel, and generally have just been spending time with my family and enjoying the exhibition here.

I'll leave you with some photos as per usual. Who knows where my next post will be from!! Later peeps!

Beautiful fields overlooking the Bay of Fundy

Fishing boats in Harbourville

My Uncles beautiful horses Jerry & Barney

The Halifax harbour

The moon over the field

Mom and Dad's house

Musical Rain

Last night we went to the RCMP's Musical Ride, what a great show of beautiful horses.  They are amazingly trained. 

The Riders and Their Horses

 Even though the show was great we all got soaked!  Its raining like its Vancouver here in Nova Scotia.  Dad got the worst of it, he was soaked to the bone.  We did have a good time tho thats for sure.

 There was even a 4H preshow which was interesting as well.  I'm hoping that the weather will change soon and we will get a bit more of summer, its very fall like here and I still want it to be summer.

In Formation