Hello lovelies!!

I know I know, it has been far too long!

In truth, I have been in a whirlwind this last month. 

Work has been going really well but very busy with our Mater Little Miracles 5ks fun run on June 3rd. It was a great event, with around 2400 registrations - all raising money for premature babies and children with rare diseases/complications that treated at the Mater Childrens Hospital in Brisbane.

So a cause worth working hard for! It was a lot of fun, and I was the stage manager on the day - working with the likes of Scooby-doo, Dora the explorer, Pebo & Dagwood the clowns and Alison from the Today Show.

All in all a great day - a huge event - have made around $100k and we got on the state news too!

The Mater Little Miracles 5ks at South Bank

And I have made it into the paper again, twice! Although no Heather Murphy of England this time...me and Amie at the Laruche Charity Auction for Mater Little Miracles.

Amie and I at the Laruche Art Auction

I have also been helping out Nadia and the girls in our team for the Climb for Cancer event - Brisbanes first stair climb - all raising money for Prostate Cancer research at the Mater.

I didn't actually climb, although I might next year!

And for the long weekend (the Queens birthday - yes we get the day off!) Me and Dave booked a private cabin at the Whispering Valley in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. it was gorgeous! http://www.whisperingvalley.com.au/

We had a king size bed, spa bath, fireplace, stunning views and kookaburras!

was a well deserved/needed break after such a whirlwind at work!

As for our usual, we have signed up for the Brisbane Running Festival on August 5th to run the 10kms - now thats a challenge for us! Have run a few 5kms practises in the evenings, but my oh my - Brisbane is hilly and my lungs hurt! 

But we also want to do the 10kms in the Bridge to Brisbane in September - the biggest fun run in Queensland.

And we are still doing our weekly yoga - and i had my first ballet class this week! It was quite hard so I'm going to start the beginners intro class from July 12th - as i can't remember anything from ballet as a kid. Got me ballet shoes though and am raring to go! Even watched Billy Elliott and Black Swan yesterday as inspiration!

And Dave made a super yummy cheese and bacon quiche and a delicious Cadburys chocolate cake with strawberries. Yummo!

I am a lucky English Rose.

Hope you are all well and i hope to see you all on Skype soon!

And a very happy 20th birthday to my lil bro Joe - can't believe you're 20 already!!

Muchos love xxxxxx

Sizzle Sizzle.

Good Morning All!

I realise that its been a while since I've written anything. So here's a catch up.

1) Work - I have now completed my 2nd week of work at the Mater Foundation as a fundraising co-ordinator for community fundraising. It has been a whirlwind 2 weeks, but pretty cool. I feel like I've been living in the office as there's so much to do and a lot has happened in my 2 weeks there. But it s great opportunity and we are working towards the Brisbane 5ks family fun run in June, which will be a really great event! So this makes me happy!

I also learnt how to do a proper Aussie Sausage Sizzle at work the other day, as we had a staff BBQ to promote our event. All run by women too! Controversial for the Aussie Barbie!

2) A few weeks ago we had Anzac Day. This is a day of remembrance for anyone that has ever fought in a war (particularly the World Wars and on behalf of the English). With a particular focus on Galipolli. It also starts with a dawn (4am) service, which is hugely popular with people of all ages (I'd have thought the early start would put people off), you eat Anzac Biscuits (oaty like homemade Hobnobs), play 2-up (heads and tails with gambling bets) and have the day off to drink. Strange way to remember I think. It also makes you very tired for the whole day.

It made me think about how unpatriotic we are in the UK. But I guess we have been in too many wars to remember everyone that ever took part. We'd be marching forever. It was an interesting experience, and as with every public holiday here in Oz - everythings shut except pubs.

3) Matts 4th Pirate Party! We went down the Gold Coast the other week to celebrate Dave's nephews 4th birthday (the picture above is us with Ryan). I think we looked quite the part as pirates - always a good theme! We got him a mini quad bike - which was a huge hit with all the kids! We also made a neon blue and green 'jelly sea', with frogs and sea snakes inside with an orange jelly island! Sugar-tastic!

4) Last weekend, we woke up to this.
Apparently Labor day is a day for the unions to march and then go to the pub. Again, another day where everything is shut except for pubs. They do have a lot of public holidays here, where the main purpose seems to be just have a drink. We attempted a bike ride this day - along the river, over to Kangeroo Point and by the Story Bridge - but one of the bikes was pretty rubbish and the pedal kept falling off. So we had to walk the bikes back :(

Other Notes:

Even though its supposed to be Autumn and Winter in June - its still 26 degrees in the day. People have started wearing coats to work - how funny is that?! One of the women at work said that it was getting harder to wake up in the morning...try -1 love. Then you can complain.

Otherwise, I have just been working really hard, not had a lot of time for much else! We are trialing different yoga schools around us - to see what ones we can go to and what we like. I didn't realise that the first session would feel like I was being tortured! I didn't think it would be hard exercise, but it is. It makes you hurt in places you didn't know existed.

Even though things are good work wise and I'm much happier to be in a job I enjoy - it's still hard being away from everyone - knowing that I'm missing out on birthdays, Ellies Hen nights and the big day next weekend. It's a shame that Australia is so far away, and the time difference makes it hard to be able to chat to people all the time. So don't forget me!!

Mothers Day in Oz tomorrow, so we're back down the coast for a family lunch and then the weekends over! How does it happen so quickly?

Anyways, love to all, Hev xxxxxx

Sunny Coast Adventures!

Dave and I on the Sunshine Coast Hinterland

Hello everyone!

Well, what a week! So I accepted the job offer at the Mater Foundation as a Fundraising Coordinator, which is a fantastic opportunity to learn lots more about fundraising - especially events!

So its a great start to build on my career, gain some extremely valuable experience and to start my life properly!

And to top it all off, we had a lovely (if not a bit wet!) weekend camping on the Sunshine Coast, just north of Brisbane!

We started the weekend exploring the coast, with a trip to the tres famous Eumundi Markets. We always love to eat and explore our way through every market we can get our hands on! It was a little bit wet at first, with my legs covered in specs of mud before we left the car park...but it did get a bit nicer. Although my thongs (flip flops!) had seen better days and had to be thrown away after stinky Happy (the car) out.

We spent a bit of time at Noosa - mainly trying to find a car park space, truely atrocious facilities! But is a really cute little town - kinda a small vibe like Byron and nice and chilled, even though it was still the school holidays. And the ice cream shop at the very end of the street past the information centre comes HIGHLY recommended!

Penis Mangrove

This picture is of one of the many mangroves as found around the beaches. I tend to think that most of them look like they are growing large penises. Dave doesn't share this idea, but I think there's the proof.

We ended up camping at Ocean Trailer Tourist Site - a Top Rated Site...I personally wouldn't give it this grand title. It had nice view, yes. But it was also right by the main road, had poor lighting, staff that really weren't bothered that we even turned up and the camp area (not that you can really call it that) was surrounded by dog poo.

And it rained. All night.

But we did have a nice time, it was an intriguing place, really in the middle of nowhere really - in between Landsborough and Maleny - of which neither town had much to offer and everything shut at 4pm anyway. Except the bottle shop (off license), luckily.

There were quite a few old folk that appeared to have been living in the park for quite some time, a thought that I couldn't comprehend - living in a rundown caravan park, with shared facilities and constant mosquitos...I guess not everyone in Australia is rich.

But it was good for one night, and the Sunday we spent looking around Monteville - the local tourist destination. Famous for quaint boutiques, buildings and gift shops and boy are there loads!

We found some really obscure ones like the Irish and Scottish shop, which sold tourist tack from Ireland and Scotland, despite being so very far away. But they also sold Polos and Love hearts which I thought was nice.

Mainly it was a place to indulge in snacks, shopping and scenery, which we did. We did try to go to a few view points early in the morning, to discover that we had gone straight into a cloud! Apparently the views are otherwise stunning... Dave and I have already begun our dream retirement house planning here!

And on the way back home, we went via Marochydore - Dave always laughs when I try to pronounce places in Australia. Half of them are stolen from England like Newcastle, Ipswich and Stafford.  The other half are complicated, 'Australian' names like Woolloongabba, Mudgeeraba and Wagga Wagga (really not said how you think it would be!).

So he gets a kick out of my learning Australian ways...its really not the same language at all.

Anyways, so the beach here was really pretty, out of the way and with actual shells! A few anyways - this appears to be a rare thing, unlike Kent, as all the beaches are just sand...so not much chance for shell collecting...so I took this opportunity and filled Daves hat with cool looking shells, which will most likely be used to decorate a small bowl in the guest toilet. Good use.

Anyways, I shall leave you all with this beautiful picture of the Sunshine Hinterland at Monteville - Australia is greener than you think eh?

Love to all and thanks to Laura, Sass, Max and Jack for our fabulous postcards, of which are on our fridge! We shall look forward to more in the future!

Much love, Hev xxxx

Happy Easter and other good news...

Happy Easter to everyone at home love Hev & Currie

My Easter Sandcastle 

At Burleigh Point

Nobbys Beach

Easter Bunnies!!

G'day everyone! I trust you all had a lovely Easter Break!

I certainly did..was a beautiful weekend - so hot and sunny, which is unusual for this time of year apparently, so we got some beach time in. We had our own sandcastle competition, played grip ball - which Dave then work up all achey, haha!

We spent it on the Gold Coast and just swam, ate, went to the beach and caught up with friends and family which was great! We had a nice big Easter bbq with Daves family, where we scored lots of choccie easter bunnies! And we played 'football' (rugby) with the kids in the garden - they are such fast little things!

And we caught up with Mandy, Eloise & Brant, Jan and Ali, so very social.

I was so happy to see Ali again! We met in Buenos Aires in Dec 2010 and hung out the whole time we were there, before i flew to Sydney for christmas and new year - so it was soo lovely to catch up and see her, as when I left I didn't think I'd see her for years, if ever again. Life is funny like that.

And Eloise and Brant told us they are going to move to Melbourne, which would be so good for them, and we are expecting the engagement party invite in the post very shortly, with the wedding in New Zealand next year, so lots to look forward too.

This week we are looking into doing yoga classes, for general fitness and flexibility, after the doctor told me my back was horribly inflexible for my age, and it could lead to back problems...so I shall attempt to touch my toes...its been too long.

Hopefully we are going camping this weekend on the Sunshine Coast with Tori and Jay - another couple friend who have recently got engaged - theres going to be a lot of dresses to buy! And we should be able to catch up wit Sabina as well, a friend we met last year in Oz who took me to the Sunshine Coast for the awesome Eumundi Markets and my first Cold Rock Ice cream!

So all is going well...I have a number of personal projects to work on, such as knitting - still a learning process, and a personal guide to living in London for Jen, Jess and Sabina, who are all heading for a UK adventure this year.

All I can say is - London, BEWARE!!

Oh and I also made Vietnamese fresh spring rolls (also known as the Fantastic Summer Rolls in the Cay Tre), which are super yum! We are def getting into the cooking again, last night, we made a chicken and veggie curry pie - an Aussie staple.

And on the final note, for those who knew I was going for it, I GOT THE JOB!!

This makes me VERY happy, as it is a permanent, full time job with a childrens charity as a Fundraising Coordinator - which is alot of events work which will be fun! My first project is working on the Brisbane 5km fun run, so im very excited!

Also it starts on $60k + super (which is a 9% salary increase for you pension) +tax benefits (for an NGO) - this equates to: £39k a year, plus my pension which work pay for...how amazing is that?!?

So its a great opportunity in alot of ways!

I hope this is the turning point for everything.

So i hope you are all well, and yes - to those who have mentioned it, a Skype date is def in order!

Much love xxxxxx 

Cups, Ross, Jobs and other 4 letter words...

Well, I haven’t written for a while. So it might be a long and hopefully interesting one.

Let me take you back a few weeks.

I had to pee in a cup. With the doctor standing outside the door, listening to me. That was a little weird. Then the next doctor laid me down and tried to feel my organs, whilst commenting on every scar, piercing, weird anomalies that he could see. That was quite weird too. Apparently my first temping experience required a full medical, including drugs and alcohol.

Turns out I am fit and healthy, with an incredibly inflexible back, which can be sorted out by stretching in front of the telling, pulling a towel around my feet.

So, this tells you that I am currently temping at the moment, as a receptionist. Having never done reception work, but having seen it be done, I felt that it can’t be that hard and it’s a good starting point for earning some cash. So I signed up for a 2 week contract with a services and resources company (even after 2 weeks I still can’t figure out what they do).

Once again I seemed to work again with a self indulgent young lass who went to the solarium and had a manicure done in her lunch hour, as standard.

So am glad to be out on the road again, with another company up until Easter, where the journey is much more scenic and enjoyable, I have a lot more time to myself and they actually have a resident snake catcher and procedure on site. And I get greeted by big old lizards on my way in.

So that’s the work front, scattered with a few interviews that I am eagerly awaiting information from – fingers crossed, not many charities are willing or understanding enough to even offer me an interview with my visa type at the moment, so I have all my fingers and toes crossed for this one.

Otherwise, we had a grand old time Ross Noble, at the QPAC in Brisbane the other week. HE.WAS.AWESOME. I love him, he’s soooo funny! I did have to go all the way to Australia to see him. It was worth it. The stage was a montage of brightly colourful, crazy objects – to reflect his mind methinks. And he was on top form, with his wit as sharp as ever, using the audience, random gifts and tales, woven into a confused but comfortable rug of comedy. They should use that for the dvd.

Ross Noble always reminds me of sitting on the sofa, in the Mouse House in Kingston, laughing until we cried with Elliott, whilst the others wandered in and out, not really sure of what to make of it! Ah, those days, can’t believe they have gone so quickly.

In other news:

Personalised Numberplate Update

I have actually seen some killer ones this week, but haven’t noted them all down and can’t remember them all, but here’s some of this weeks most memorable best –

SQUISHY

B GREAT

BADMAN

BEATS

SEXY

4 DAD

I need to start taking lots of pictures of these, they do appear to be everywhere and some of them are pretty ridiculous.

Today:

I woke up with an early interview, as you do, followed by a 5km cycle stint in our gym (apparently this only burns like 60 odd calories, so not impressed by this discovery – it does not make me think the gym is worthwhile), followed by a dip in the pool (this was my big toe, then with almost sub-zero pool temperatures, decided it was against my health), followed by a bus to work, where I am now.

I am also tres excited about the long Easter weekend ahead of us! Although it may be a little manic with catch ups! We are heading down to the Gold Coast Thursday night for a surprise 30^th birthday and to catch up with Daves family and Matt – along with a whole host of friends. Then I shall come back up Saturday to meet up with Ali, who I haven’t seen since we were in Buenos Aires together in December 2010. Crazy! She’s flying up from Melbourne for the weekend so can’t wait to catch up with her! And then back down to the coast for Easter Sunday and Monday for a bit more family/beach time. Phew!

Then I am either back in the world of unemployment for a while, of (fingers crossed) in an actual job.

I have also been a little bit homesick this week for a few reasons. The first, was Ellies Hen Do in Ireland, with all the lovely ladies. I am sad to have missed this and will be even sadder to be missing the wedding in May. It sounds beautiful and I’m sure it will be an incredible day.

The second, more recent, family events taking a turn for the unexpected (in my eyes anyway). I am truly gutted by this outcome, and really wish I could be there for everyone and to understand.

And finally, it is the Sass’s 13^th birthday! My little sister, now catching up with me and still making me look short – even though I’m not! Have a wicked day and look out for the parcel in the post J xxx

If anyone wants a Skype date, that would be lovely! It is now a 9 hour time difference and you can find me at: thisisheathermurphy if you have not already found me.

Miss and love you all lots, have a great Easter, eat chocolate, be sick and look for bunnies. xxxxxxx

A long, weird week.

G'day!

Well, it has been a busy week hasn't it?!

So, the dragon lady became even more dragon like, with her fiery rage breathing over those around her. So after slight consideration...I left. Even though it was a charity I wanted to work for morally, to gain more experience and hopefully start a career over here, I have now seen that there isn't really an opportunity here.

So now I am with a recruitment agency and temping as a receptionist from next week until Easter. So at least I shall have a bit of money coming in which is awesome of course.

In my time off I have been very active in the pool, researching into my potential future career of working with children and taking in the sites of Roma Street Parklands.

It truly is beautiful, a huge, exotic park full of lizards, multicoloured flowers and artworks.

http://www.romastreetparkland.com

You just can't get this kinda stuff in the UK!

And finally...the ordeal of the sofa ordering is over! A painful, late night trip to ikea and we finally chose one. It only took an entire week of researching, sitting on and looking at a million sofas!

But this one is a 3 seated chaise langue and it will be nice to finally have somewhere to sit!

And I got paid for my last job, yay! First thing I bought was fresh herbs for the kitchen. I must be getting old!

So as I drink earl grey tea from the union jack mug, I feel a little bit English still, Nd don't worry, I still sound it completely! I can't hide it, I speak too nicely!

And it's really nice to be more settled, which will be celebrated in the city with some after work drinks...after a hard day of swimming, garden walking and shopping!

A happy first year annivesary to sarah and macca, cant believe its been a year since that wonderful wedding in Thailand. A big happy birthday to Miss Bell, who entered the Quarter of a Century Club this week, a bug happy birthday to my Paparoo who shall enjoy a surprise weekend courtesy of the lovely Shelley, and of course, Happy Mothers Day to my lovely Mum.

Love to all and I look forward to the postcards.


Xxxx

The Dragons Guide to Telemarketing...

Good Moro everyone.

I can now announce that we are currently in our new abode, in the glorious suburbs of Spring Hill in Brisbane and that I am now in a new job, just one week in.

I can also announce, that I am working for a dragon.

It is true. I have never met anyone more dragon like - even the name resembles a dragon. So I am still looking for something better. It is for a children's charity that I really wanted to work for, and it is within fundraising, but it is telemarketing. So, by telemarketing nature, it sucks.

It is simply just selling raffle tickets to members of the public, who have bought them before. Most of them are on their deathbed- or at least their pensions - and also like to give lots of money to the animals, not necessarily children.

So you can imagine how much fun it is trying to persuade people to buy these things, with huge targets over my head each week, and numerous hang ups.

So I shall try again.

However, being Australia, it is the highest paid job I have ever had, at $26.48 an hour for a full time week. This equates to around $50k gross a year. For a charity.

So I guess I cant complain too much! But it is 12-8 weekdays and 9-5 Saturdays....booo!!

Anyways, back to the flat...its pretty good actually! Its huge, in comparison with our London abode, and the balcony is about the size of our flat - which makes a complete difference to the last which was the width of one person. And we have an en suite with an extra toilet room by the kitchen. Weird.

So we are pretty happy to be in our own place, right near the city and with a pool and sauna in the complex...which is a very nice way to wake up! And of course, we have done the obligatory trip to Ikea! We now have fish shaped ice, homemade ice lollies and a big toy dragon, as well as some less fun stuff.

I have also been currently thinking my career move whilst over here, and have decided that when my visa permits, I shall do the TAFE Certificate 3 in Child Services, so then I can work with children and get trained to be an Art/Play therapist. Which I think would be really rewarding. So fingers crossed with this plan!

Otherwise, we've been pretty busy with work, sorting the flat out etc.

We went for a walk around Roma Street Parklands yesterday, which is the most stunning city park I have ever seen that isn't a botanical garden! And they have big lizards everywhere that run on their back legs when you get near them! Amazing!

Personalised Plates Update:

GOD SPD
ROBERT

The list just keeps getting bigger!

So that is about all for now!

The weather is still pretty hot, around 29-31 degrees in the day, with a few tropical showers every now and then, but generally nice and sunny!

I have sent around our new address to those who have requested it, so I shall look forward to all our postcards!

Much love xxxx