Tulip Cheeks

The Witchery, Edinburgh, Scotland, The World.

"Hidden in a collection of historic buildings at the gates of Edinburgh castle, James Thomson’s seven theatrical and decadent suites are perfect for those looking to stay in the most indulgent and magical of settings – the perfect antidote to bland hotels. Lavishly decorated and antique-filled, these suites scream romance with a capital R!"

The Witchery  was our indulgence while we were back in the UK. We wanted to go see my Grandparents who live near Glen Eagles, we wanted to spend some quality time with our best mates FT and Maddison of the Baxter variety no less, and we love Edinburgh - SHAZAM - there we have it.

We booked 2 rooms and a table for 4 in the secret Garden restaurant at the very famous Witchery in Edinburgh some months ago. The rooms being - The Inner sanctum and The Library. Luckily, on arrival, we were taken to the Inner Sanctum first as we were able to hand the ownership over to our friends for the night as it was far too scary for us two Tulips to survive one entire nights sleep. This is it above - and you should have SEEN the guest book "dont look in the mirror at 4 in the morning', 'dont be surprised if you wake up to find your once opened suitcase now zipped up'. This also is infact where THEE Michael Douglas proposed to THEE Catherine Zeta Jones. (I know  THE doesnt have two E's but I just wanted to make sure you read it the way It was intended). This was their bathroom!

Ours luckily  had a much warmer feeling and is apparently Kate Moss's room of choice when she visits this great city. 

The door on the left lead to our bathroom...

We walked down the Royal Mile the next day. Hidden amongst the toursity shops was an antique shop which had this little gem in its window. Its a medicine box from the early 1800's. And was used to service a whole farm - the house, and all its staff. It still had all of its original contents - including poison! And was being sold at £4800. I just loved it.

My first WARM Christmas Party! (s)

And I should mention - my work Christmas party started at 1.30pm. Its funny how you imagine the last thing you know, thats similar to what youre going to. I was imagining my last work christmas party - actually, I tell a lie, it was the year before one - last years was rubbish! I imagined the room, the same people, the same sumo suits....I couldnt have been imagining further from the truth.

It was at Geelong race course. These were our seat...in the stands. We drove over there in convoy ( I always get really giddy when driving in a group - I have to really control myself so as i dont make a tw*t out of myself). I put the roof down - that was a pretty tw*ty thing to do - but, I was living the dream!!! haha.

It was a bit rough and ready at Geelong race course - one of our convoy cars got stuck in the mud, the toilets were like cattle sheds, but it was alot of fun!

Ive been meaning to tell you all about how its going at work and stuff. Its going really well. I think Im kinda doing ok. I hate hate hate being the new girl. I cant wait to answer a question with the courage of my conviction. The people are great, although i do feel like Im backing back to sit on an already full sofa...wiggling my bottom as to try squeeze in - know what I mean?

I had such a nice time at the party, it was very strange tho. There were bottles of suntan lotion on the side, the food was  barbie (standard) people were dressed quite casually, I got a bit of sunburn on my shoulder and I did miss a dance with my pals at TP.

 

Then, we were given a bag each - each bag contained a roll wrap, ribbon,, a facinator, some stickers and some cello tape. We then had to fashion an outfit. My suggestion of a cat suit got everyone buzzing round our lovely model - only in reflection, a cat suit doesn't really work over clothes. Our efforts were warmly received though and we made it to final 4. the winner was well deserved - a full mans suit carved out of roll wrap (3rd in from left) it was truly amazing - even the pattern was going in the right direction.

After chewing on some free sweets, and eating a filling I decided to make a move....I had another party to go to!

 

GO GO TWIST-MAS PARTY!  I think I died and was in heaven. Sorry about the bad picture quality.

I met my lovely blog find - Suzie and of we skipped into the room where GO Go is usually held. We sat and drank a bottle of bubbly and caught up on very important matters. Anna (the Go go teacher ) got everyone in the mood by setting us off dancing and then you just couldnt stop us! I cant tell you how much I loved the whole thing. The people there were loving the music - which was soul/funk/60s/70s - Mr TCs idea of hell. And everyone, like me was loving it. Ive always felt a bit different when it comes to music - i like most kinds, but I really love this kind. It was amazing to see a room full of young people dancing their little ankle socks off - and with very authentic dancing i might add! I looked round at one point and just thought - this is brilliant, im so happy!

We danced practically non stop and before I knew it, it was 1am. I just couldnt get a taxi - what with all the christmas parties going on - my only saving grace was that - It wasnt cold. I had to wait an hour and a half - in a que longer than a sports hall. I was on my own, and very tired. I was nearly at the front when the official taxi rank organiser said that the guy at the front was going to the same place as me - did I like the look of him? Weird, i thought, but hey, he looks safe enough. The guy then finds an Irish guy - from the BACK of the que who is also going our way. the three of us jump in the cab - me in the front. Just as we are about to drive off the door swings open and a mad man jumps in. The Taxi driver thinks hes with us and starts driving. the mad man starts going on and on - hes swearing, telling the driver to take him back home (which is not in our direction) I whisper to the driver "hes not with us" and the driver looks like hes gonna cry. Meanwhile the two legitimate guys are trying to humor the mad man by keeping him talking. He make a few references to me, I try to passify him and ask if i can get dropped off first as 'Ive got kids" - thats what i said!! I must have been petrified! (i dont have kids -for my new friends). The Taxi driver pulls in to the side of the road and we coax him out. He chucks in a pack of fags and then stumbles off into the night. I hate stuff like that. And to make matters worse the two guys are insisting their drop off is first - when its clearly mine. I whisper to the taxi driver to drive me home first and foremost - which he does - the poor taxi man - no wonder they have a protective shell around them in the cars here. What a crap ending to a perfect Christmas party day. never mind, I woke up happy this morning, happy that my feet are sore from dancing and I need a new filling - I must have had a great day!

Lobster and Swan

This must surely be my most favourite blog of all time. This girl is SUPER talented.

Lobster and Swan  is FULL of THEEEEeeeee most amazingly styled images - so beautiful. the colour palettes, the products, the lighting - I wish I could see what she sees.

Please have a look - you wont regret it. Some of the images remind me very much of our much loved Tammytutu - Princess Tamsin of Seed - who is residing with us here in Melbourne for the next 2-3 weeks. I wonder if I put a pea under her mattress she would feel it?

 
This is her adoreable website. She really is a clever lass - she must be - she found me!

Cruelty to Animals!

Hasnt he just got the most adoreable face! In a funny kinda way? Hasnt he? I think so.

This is the afore mentioned Bosco - our lovely friend Joel's dog. When Mr TC, Cock (his sister) and I went for a gay day our to Phillip Island (more to come later) we couldnt resist this sweater for little Bosco (or 'Pig-Dog' as Joel calls him sometimes).

How good would he be on a Tigerprint card!

What doesnt kill you only makes you stronger - oh how true!

No photos of this one as it would make you wince. I had a little accident lastnight. I bumped our car.

I was driving from my first afternoon freelancing at a very lovely fashion company - Metalicus Id had a super best time there, the people are lovely and I was looking forward to going back the next day. off I set to meet my little and extraordinarily lovely and very good at giving advice friend Suzie (my Blog find). So Im using the very special present our friend had treated us to - a Sat Nav. Its been my hero since we've had it and performed exceptionally well on every single journey so far. But, this was my first time navigating through the city at rush hour. One minute I was driving down a road - with it showing me I was driving down a road - then it started going nuts and spinning (do you think it knew?) So, without too much thought, (i thought) - pull into that space there and have a think about things. The space was down the central section of a busy road and I was in the middle lane. So, I swung my content with life, happy little ass over to the right and BANG, SCRAPE, SQUEEL. OH MY GOD I SHOUTED as I glance over to see the driver look as shocked as me. For a split second I thought, aw, thats not bad - just felt like a dodgem bump - keep going! but that only lasted a second and I pulled over to the left. I jumped out my car - dreading what i was going to find - Screaming man? Gripper of a woman full of rage? Neither -  there was a girl - just like me! I ran across the road shouting 'IM SORRY, SO SORRY" and we flung our arms around each other whilst confirming each of us were ok. She was so calm - I hope Im that calm if ever a dickhead hits me - I could'nt have hit a nicer person (you know what I mean). We swapped particulars and moved on. I parked up there - too shaken to drive much farther. My little friend Suzie rode to my rescue and we walked to our destination - this time to no announcement from Mr Sat Nav 'you have reached your destination!'. 

The restaurant was lovely - its called Cookies (check out the website -its FAB) Its like a huge beer hall -no like about it - it is!  And is inside the most fantastic building called Curtain House. the food was delicious and the atmosphere in there was similar to being in a dream (or maybe that was the shock?) naaah - it was very special in its own right. After a sumptuous feed we took the lift up to the top floor where there was a roof top bar! and a huge cinema screen with deck chairs to watch the movies. The whole building was magic - in-fact I bet when I try to find it again I wont.

So I reluctantly said my goodbyes to Suzie and ventured back to check out the damage - ahhh, not too bad me thinks. So I get in to drive home and CLUNK - the steering wheel goes all floppy and the tires start squealing. I make it through the centre of town - on reflection - highly embarrassing as the noise was just hideous. But at the time I just wanted to get out of the city. I wobbled down to a safe little hide away - in a bus lane south of the river. Mr TC is in Sydney for the night so Im panicking all by myself. I call the insurance company - who are utterly unhelpful, they put me through to a tow truck company charging £120 for up to 8k. Then, after a phone call to Mr TC (what I thought he was gonna do from Sydney is beyond me) out of the smoke of the city appears Paul's friends from work - Joel and Brent! After a big man hug I toughen the f*ck up and drive the car all the way home (canceling the tow truck like a good girl). It was awful, it was very definitely dangerous, but thats what i did...and i made it. Im never gonna get annoyed with slow drivers ever again - you dont know what their situation is. Although I did say that to myself some years back when id got my Grandad in the car and he was scared to go over 20 - in a 60....so I really need to have a good word with myself this time.

I drove the car first thing - just around the corner to the garage - looks like it may take 2 weeks to get fixed costing us £250 excess - but hey - like Joel said - 'TC,  some people just have one crash and they die' - so that made me feel better - in a way.

Joel was a real star and lent me his car for my second day at Metalicus (which went even better than the first) and as a thankyou Im going to introduce him to Mr TC's siser - Cock, when she arrives this weekend (yipeee) along with Mother and father figure - Mr and Mrs TC Senior.

And how lucky are we? Our friends we met through cute Mrs Dell are lending us their car while the TC clan are here - so, out of a terrible situation we have coped. Why Oh why its happened is beyond me - my only excuse is - lots on my mind and the Sat Nav - bloody Sat Nav!

Its been too long.....

The length of time it has taken me not to write to you guys has been ridiculous. It wasn't intentional - time just got away. it wont happen again.

So how are ya? what have you been up to? Ive been up to heaps. Ive seen lots of my little Wendy, been Go Go dancing a few times, learnt some new moves -  the Freddy and the cat paw lick with a reach-round behind the ear, Ive even been iceberging which I will tell you more about later.

The above picture was taken at Wendy's holiday home in the Yarra valley. She has THE most magical garden and she needed some help clearing some dead wood. I jumped at the chance - fresh air, manual work, vanilla slice - how could I not? So we headed from her house up to Warburton. We narrowly missed being hit by a falling tree onto the road. We arrived seconds after it had fallen - right across the road. We stopped, got out and started to clear as much of the tree as we could - although the main trunk was far too heavy for just the two of us. Cars started to stretch as far back as the eye could see - with only women getting out of their cars to come help us! The men just sat in their vehicles. There was enough room at the tip of the tree for one car at a time to go around - so, for the first time in my life i got to achieve one of my lifes ambitions....-I directed traffic! I stood, in the middle and did the whole 'hand up, hand ushering, other hand up, other hand ushering'-brilliant! It lasted only a few minutes as the next thing I know some truck had backed up, hooked a chain around the tree and started to drag it off - no one told me this was happening and I felt the tree hit my legs and try take me with it! - I had to jump over it, or be crushed - wheres the health and safety?

Anyway, that was exciting. Off we went and got stuck into pulling all the dead leaves from the fern trees. I asked Wendy "whats the likelihood of seeing a snake?" and she kinda comforted me with "its a bit too cold still for snakes"  which made me jump every time I saw a movement. But all in all I thought myself very lucky when I escaped with only swallowing one bug and then a twig poked me up the nose.

Her next door neighbors came round for a chat - with them their 3 Labradors - to which the nice chap said to me "they're Labradors, they're very good natured dogs - have you got Labradors in England?' -bless!

 

So, Ive seen Wendy quite a bit. We even went to the State parliament building the other day for a look round. It was very impressive. It had the red seats and the green, like in England and it even had real gold decorating the inside (thats the beauty of having gold mines nearby). We had a nice day in the city and then the other day I went over to hers and we dyed silk scarves.

 

Wendy makes these to sell and all the proceeds go to helping Stroke suffers. The process was relatively easy if your'e not a perfectionist! I found it very hard on this occasion to be un-regimented and attempted to do stripes (mines on the right) whereas I think the random ones look much more effective. I still like mine though.

That night...

We drove to Bryron Bay. About an hour and three quarters down the coast - and into a new state - New South Wales, leaving  Queensland  behind us.
We arrived at our accommodation for the evening - a state of the art, top of the range back-packers in an amazing central location...

Mr TC and I had our own room - shared toilet and washing facilities -mixed! :-/ but not the less - amazing set up - and only costing £45 per room per night.
I should mention that we drove down to Bryon Bay with surf boards on the roof - another dream come true - how cool did I feel!
We found a gorgeous beach the next day where our friends and Mr TC went out to catch some waves (Mr TC for the 1st time ever). Ive realised my fear of the sea is getting worse by the day. This photo is enough to cause my heart to race....

We saw some fish jumping and I went to try catch it on film, even paddling made me scared and im not even sure why? Ive always had a fear of fish, I can hardly swim, and ive moved thousands of miles to live by the sea!?  Im seriously considering getting hypnotized - life's too short to not have a splash around.
Changing the subject Ive had such a lovely weekend. Seeing our friends has lifted my spirits no end. Ive laughed so hard my tummy hurt, Ive talked about things where i havent had to start at the very beginning of the story, as they already knew what I was on about, Ive seen how happy they are after having been in Australia for 8 months as opposed to our 2 and its put into perspective just how stressed Mr TC and i have actually been these last two months - and I dont see it letting us for a good few weeks yet. The mammoth-ness of what we are undertaking smacks us round the chops when we least expect. Usually when we are praising ourselves for getting something right. Its bound to happen, and Im not even trying to sound like 'poor us' because we have chosen this path, and by God, we are gonna make it work. and it is, it just pops off the radar now an again.
I really liked Brisbane, great weather, great beaches, great people, our lovely friends live there, i cant wait to go back...but, my heart belongs to Melbourne.

Your something borrowed

One of my bestest (in the whole world) friends - Bravo-2-zero, has just launched a beautiful website advertising her beautiful wares to buy or to borrow. This friend is the most talented, lovliest person ever - and without her I wouldnt be where I am now (I learnt to draw from copying her!) She, along with another very talented lady has designed a whole range of beautiful jewellery - take a look at Your something borrowed. 

"Sitting somewhere between 1920’s Paris and 1950’s Hollywood, the collection comprises lustrous multi-strand Pearl and Marcasite Necklaces alongside glittering tiered Deco Tiaras. We think that it speaks for itself so please take a peek. 
The jewellery is made by our team of specialists, using the best materials and craftsmanship of an exceptional quality. "

Bravo designed my hair pieces for my wedding last year - they were just PERFECT. There are absolutely gorgeous pieces on her website, but if you want something slightly different she's so clever she can make anything you have in your head. I just described what I sort of wanted and she did the rest.

My friends are so clever. 

Cat sitting....

 This is Calvin. Hes one of the two cats we have been popping into see every day while their owners have been away for a week. The other cat is Coco, a strangely pretty brown version of Calvin, but with a girlier face. They have really grown on me this last week. The more time Ive spent with them the more cuddles they have given me. 

I took this pic with my new i-phone. Im very impressed!

We miss our friends!

 

Our lovely Rubber Frannie made this amazing canvas and gave it to us 2 days before we left on our adventure. Its our only decorative item for the next month and I couldnt think of anything nicer.

I call dear Frannie 'Rubber' as I bought a giant rubber duck (you can see it in the middle) - I had a vision of it bobbing about in our pool in Oz. Its a real Frannie thing to buy (she has a frog shaped bubble maker above her bath and bought me one too -shes 30 something and alot of fun!) When Rubber Frannie arrives in the container Im gonna settle her in, then Im gonna take her to the beach and let her have a swim in the sea. I dont care what people think and neither does Fran.

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