hey roomie

Two months ago Craig and I moved into our first home together. It is a wee one bedroom flat in the centre of town. It's quite small but for us it is perfect.

I can't believe how quickly time has passed since we moved. The first day was a bit mad, from me sobbing as I left my old room to the chaos of trying to get everything unpacked in the flat.

Also, the bedroom had to be painted that weekend so that we could get our new bed. It was mad. But (thianks to family members who we will be eternally grateful to) everything got done and on our first night there we sat in our living room and looked at each other with a smile. We said something like I can't believe this is ours and then curled up to sleep in the living room (we didn't have a bed yet) knowing that for us, this was the beginning of our lives together.

That last paragraph could be the opening of a Hollywood weepy film and I know you are probably reaching for a bucket right now, but don't worry it's not all mushy.

Moving in together is a change. Making decisions together can be, shall I say, challenging. Now Craig kept saying that deciding on the flat was the hard bit. I think he is wrong as it is the little decisions which can be most frustrating.

Like what cleaning products we needed- we couldn't agree. Actually it almost turned into world war 3 in the cleaning aisle in ASDA as I said:  "FINE, lets do it your way. Not that I would expect anything else." All the while brandishing a bottle of bleach like a sword. Actually, I have discovered that ASDA presents lots of situations where you can have stupid arguments. Just this week Craig said I couldn't buy pop tarts cause they are bad for me. This led to the wonderful "I AM NOT A CHILD" conversation (I did this as i stamped my feet cause I wanted pop tarts- turns out I am a child). I did get pop tarts in the end- all that wonderful breakfasty goodness!

Anyway I digress, we couldn't agree on where to put the toaster an we had one argument because Craig didn't believe I could paint the living room roof. ( I did paint it by the way and with two fabulous helpers my living room decorating kicks ass!)

Now these arguments seem silly but when you have just moved in together and everything is so stressful they can seem like the end of the world. However, I am pleased to report that now that the toaster has a home (in the place I wanted it, where Craig wanted to put it you couldn't even get bread in!!) and we have settled in living together is amazing. I love it. I love knowing we have a place that is ours where we can do what we want, I love knowing that when I finish work on a Monday and Tuesday (craig's days off) that I will go home and we will cook together and most of all I love knowing that I wont have to miss Crag at night, that whatever we are doing I get to wake up next to him in the morning.

So it is going well, although there is one issue we are having and that is relating to those four words.... you know what they are...

CLOSE THE CUPBOARD DOOR.

But more on that next time.

kisses

Fi

xxxxxx

Love letters/how do you know

The first Birthday that Craig and I spent together as a couple I had an exam and then was flying to Uist for a wedding.

It was my 19th Birthday and after a fabulous pirate and princess themed party- where the wonderful Alison was the only princess- where I am fairly sure I broke my little toe doing a kamikaze style role I spent the week leading up to my Birthday studying.

The night before my Birthday Craig came round to the house laden down with presents for me. These presents included chocolate, alcohol, perfume and a big teddy bear (Who some of you will know as Craggly bear).

The next day after my exam I got on a train to Glasgow with Becca. We were going to a friends wedding in Uist and had to fly from Glasgow airport the next day at like 5 in the morning- YAWN.

Needless to say we did not get much sleep. We stayed with Alison in halls and so we set off to the airport the next day after about 3 hours kip.

We got to the airport and were faced with a very small plane. More of a match-box than an plane. Now Becca doesn't like flying so she was a little nervous. Hell, I like flying and I was a little nervous.

We got on the plane and were told we had to swap sides so the weight was even on the plane- yes this really helped Becca's panic.

But I am glad to say we survived and landed safely (once the runway was clear of sheep that is!)

Now Uist, for those of you who don't know, is a small island off the West Coast of Scotland. It is quite remote and so I was worried i wouldn't have any phone signal. Now at this point Craig and I were firing off many texts a day to each other and talking on the phone every night, so i had spoken to him about this and we both accepted that for the weekend I was probably going to be unreachable.

So I got to the hotel where my brother Ian and our friend James was waiting. When we checked in the reception woman was like oh Miss Stokes I have something for you and handed me an envelope.

Now I had no idea what this was. I don't know anyone on Uist. Confused, I opened it and inside was just about the cutest thing in the world.

It was a letter from Craig. he was worried about not being able to contact me so he had tracked down what hotel I was staying in (which was impressive as even I didn't know the name till Becca told me) and sent it so i would get it on arrival there.

That is the moment I knew.

Anyway I think that is all for the history of Craig and I. So in the next few posts I will bring you back up to date with the big move.

Oh and the wedding in Uist was great. it is a beautiful place which is definitely worth a visit- just watch out for the sheep on the runway.

Kisses Fi

xxxx

Will you be my. . .

I am so sorry, I know I have not been keeping up to date with my blog. Please forgive me. I promise I will try to get caught up in the next couple of weeks.

If anyone is still reading this I was telling you about how Craig and I got together. I had just finished telling you about our first date (where Craig compared me to the rat from ratatouille) incredibly this led to a second date.

On our second date we went to the cinema to see the film Vantage Point. it was the first time I experienced Craig's driving- the less said about that the better.  Let's just say I am used to it now!

It was a good second  date. We got there early so sat in the bar bit and had a drink and a wee chat.  Then we had that awkward in the cinema do we hold hands moment and then we had a wee goodnight kiss.

We had a few more dates and of course as previously mentioned we worked together. We texted alot. I even got used to Craig's one word no kisses text replies (he has since been taught that putting kisses on texts to your girlfriend is ok and not putting kisses is more causes more trouble than it is worth).

Anyway, one day craig text me saying we need to talk. I was concerned. So I went to meet him after a riveting politics lecture to find out what was wrong.

Now craig is not the most talkative person at times. So upon meeting him that say it took a while to discover what he wanted to talk about. After some convincing I got the conversation out of him. here is how it went.

Craig: "So people at work have been asking me what we are doing?"

Me: "Right now? We are watching tv."

Craig: "I mean what are we doing, are we like going out?"

Me: "I don't know, are we?"
Craig: "Guess so."

I would like to point out it was cuter than that cause he was so embarrassed (actually I hope he doesn't mind me telling you this story, if you are reading this, Sorry Craig I love you!). But I would also like to point out that he never actually asked me to be his girlfriend. I tried and tried to get him to but he just wouldn't do it. I think it would have been nice if he had asked.

But anyway there it is, how Craig and I became boyfriend and girlfriend.

I promise I will continue this story much quicker than my most recent posts.

Kisses

Fi

let's go back to the start part 2

I woke up the next day with a throbbing head. I had drunk too much the night before and as I lay in bed with the room spinning memories of my brother shouting " Get that chef off my sister" were returning to me. Oh dear goodness. 

I did not think"Oh dear goodness" because of Craig, no I thought this because of the torrent of abuse I knew I was going to experience the ext time I was working. Having a public snog at the staff party = bad idea.

But then I remembered he was going to text me, and I perked up a bit. I checked my phone and- nothing. But after all it was only 11am. I went for a life-saving bacon roll.

The day went on and I had to go into university (this proved a struggle due to my hang over) and then I headed home and had my dinner. Through all of this my phone remained silent. I gave up hope. He wasn't texting me. I was just going to have to avoid the kitchen for the rest of my time waitressing. Or maybe even change jobs. . .

But then, later that night. My phone beeped. It was Craig.

Now as I have discovered during our time together, Craig is the most unenthusiastic texter in the world. You are lucky to get one word and he does not do kisses.

So I got the first text which said something like "Hi. Hows you?" His enthusiasm was overwhelming.

Anyway, I replied and then we texted each other for about a week. In this time I returned to work and survived my first trip into the kitchen- although I seem to remember getting a round of applause and many, many jokes made. But I survived. Throughout our texting we had lots of chats but he never actually asked me to go out on a date. Until finally he asked and we arranged to meet that Friday for dinner.

I was late. Now I am not normally late- but on this occassion I was. So when I got off the bus I could see Craig pacing outside HMV clearly thinking he had been stood up. So we went for a few drinks first, then went to a restaurant for dinner and I drank red wine with him. I didn't have the heart to admit that  never drank red wine and the result was that I ended up very merry. I also had an ordering disaster and managed to get tagliatelle on the fist date- oh dear.

Later on in the evening it was drizzling and as Craig waited for a taxi with me he looked at my hair (which goes a bit mad in the rain) and said you know who you look like? I was excited- he is going to say something that is a massive compliment. I waited and he said... "You know that rat from ratatouille?"

WOW. He must be the only man on earth who thinks that comparing a girl to a rat on the first date is a good idea!! Bud despite this, I was smitten and was already looking forward to our second date. I just hoped it wouldn't take Craig a week to ask me again....

Kisses

Fi

xxxxxx

let's go back to the start

So, in my recent posts I have told you about how I have just bought my first flat with the lovely Craig. Now I realise that my blog has focused more on what has been happening now and not so much on any history and so I thought I would take it back a bit for you and tell you the story of Craig and I, how we met and how, four years later we are moving in.

So first off, how Craig and I met.

As you might be aware, during university and when I was a senior in secondary school I waitressed part-time. My first ever waitressing job was in a fancy hotel. It was in this hotel that cakegate happened- the time I dropped the birthday cake which I talk about in a previous post.

Anyway, working as a waitress you meet many interesting people including chefs. Now the first time you enter the kitchen it is quite scary. It is loud, hot and often seemingly chaotic. It took me a long time to get comfortable around the chefs in my first job. They can be nice as pie one minute then screaming at you the next.

So I was a little shy around the chefs at first but gradually I got comfortable and started to have banter and made some good friends. So I worked at my first job for many years and after a year a new chef started. He was lovely- quite quiet but I found him easy to talk to. Now on one night out I ended up chatting to him for ages in the casino about how I was off men (this was just at the start of my first year of uni). You need to remember this chat because I will bring it up again later on.

Anyway so the new chef- who in case you haven't guessed is Craig- became good friends with my brother who also worked at the hotel. We went out in a group a few times and became good friends. Then in January 2008 Craig took 6 weeks off work to have surgery on his knee and I missed him at work. Then in February it was the staff Christmas party. This was always a messy event. So we got all dressed up and headed off to a hotel for a night of drinking and more drinking.

To my surprise Craig was there. I hadn't thought he would make it because of his knee, but he did. So after the meal we ended up at the bar doing shots of tequila (I think) and then we started talking and we continued talking all night.

We ended up in Espionage and we were at the bar- he turned to me and asked me what I wanted to drink and I planted one on his lips. Oh yes our first kiss was very classy and was in Espionage. Then we continued to have a wee kiss- one of my coworkers sat next to us shouting "SNOGGERFACES!"

Ultimately we ended up in a kebab shop still kissing when my brother came in and said: "Ahhhh why is that chef kissing my sister?!" We headed home- Craig wouldn't give me his jacket even though I was freezing, I have since trained him better and I get the jacket everytime- and just before I got in a taxi I grabbed his phone and typed my number in and told him to text me the next day and I headed home with a grin on my face. All I had to do was hope he got in touch. . .

That's all for now,

Kisses

Fi

xxxxxxx

Buying a flat part 2

So in my last post I told you about searching for a flat. It was too long (that's what she said) so I am going to now continue the tale of buying a flat. And you will find out if we found the right one....

So buying a property is a very long process. You spend time trawling through properties for sale on line- I have no idea how people found homes pre Internet!!- you decide which ones tick your boxes. Location, size, cost and you will always have priorities for what you want.

Now location-wise we wanted city centre-ish, for size we were pretty much looking at anything, cost was as much as we could afford the mortgage and still have fun (so not much) and then there was our priorities. 


Now I know you are thinking I bet you two are a well oiled machine and you think with one mind, so you have the same priorities- WRONG! Craig, due to his profession was fussy about the kitchen and I wanted a reasonable size bedroom (nothing to do with my profession) and living room. Both of us wanted lots of storage. So basically instead of having one room we wanted a certain way we had ideas on how we wanted the whole flat to be. Now we just had to find it.

So I looked at the pretty flat pictures and then Craig looked at the home report and the conversations went like this: "Craig, i really like this one. Look how pretty it is.""Yes it is nice but it has wood boring insects so it's a no."
"We could keep them as pets?"
"No"
"Maybe if we ask them nicely they wont bore the wood once we move in."
"No"

Or they went

"Oooh look at this one, it is really nice and that room is purple"

"yes that room is purple but it is damp"
"Could we not just dry it with a hairdryer?"
"No"
"YOU RUIN ALL MY FUN!!"...

And so it continued. We went and saw a few flats. Some with kitchens so small we couldn't both get in them, others with big kitchens but a bedroom you couldn't get a double bed in (and despite my father's suggestions we are not getting bunk beds...)

One of my favourite ones I found was a 2 bedroom flat in a very nice part of town and it was in our budget. This never happens. So I called Craig and was like Ahhhh we need to go see it. After telling him about it he was like-  it must be too good to be true. I said:"no it isn't Mr grumpy."

Then I opened the floor plan and according to the layout the only way you could get into the living room was through the bathroom.This caused me great hilarity. Could you imagine? 
I am having a bath and Craig is in the living room and then he knocks on the door "Babe I need out the living room." Then I am like "No sorry having a bath," and he is stuck . Mwahahahaha!

I decided this must be a mistake by the solicitors so I called them to find out. Trying to hold back giggles I said, "Hi I am looking to enquire about flat xxx" and the woman went "oh Sorry I am afraid there is already an offer in on it" and hung up. SO I WILL NEVER KNOW! 
Ahh. . .I might pop round to the new owners and be like- can I use your toilet please?

But  after a number of viewings and considering all the options we have found the one. Yes, we have found a flat. It is beautiful and cute and now we are just waiting on everything to get sorted out. 

We are both very excited and now that we have chosen a flat comes the hard bit- agreeing on decorating. Has anyone got any purple paint?

Kisses 

Fi 

xxxxxx

buying a flat

In the next month my lovely other half and myself will have been going out for four years. "Four Years?" I hear you say, that is a long time. Well, I imagine you are saying that because before I started going out with Craig I used to talk to people who had been going out for anything more than two years and think Wow, that is ages. But now after four glorious years, time no longer surprises me because i know that actually time can fly by.

But anyway, that is not the point of this post. After four years we have decided to move in together. Now often moving in together involves discussions about whose place you move in to and the clearing of half a wardrobe and 2 drawers to let your other half slot into your life.

This however is not the case for Craig and myself. We both still stay with the parents. Blissful in a  house that has a fully stocked fridge and someone who will help out with the laundry. Therefore moving in together for us involves saving lots and lots for a deposit and trawling around flats until we find "the one."

Now, saving for a deposit is not fun. Not because I don't want a flat, but more because it is a long process and you look at the money building up and say things like- "Imagine the holiday we could get on that" and eventually as you reach your desired amount "We could probably drop everything and explore the world for a year on that!"

However  as tempting as all of these things are, you just have to keep reminding yourself that actually the money can go towards your first home and can be the start of your future together.

And so with this in mind I have given up clothes shopping and have missed many nights out and now we are here. Ready to enter into the category of "First time buyers."
According to the news we are a dying breed and I am not surprised, buying a first home is hard. If we hadn't both been fortunate enough to save without paying rent I think I would be writing this post aged 35, not now.

It is a daunting idea buying a place. Especially at the moment when you are faced with stories about people trapped in their first homes because they cant afford the next step up the ladder. But I guess it is like most things in life which are worth doing- it is a leap of faith. Yes it is scary and exciting but in the end, I think everything will be ok.

But anyway I am getting off the point. So, Craig and I are getting our first home together (Hopefully the first of a few as ultimately I want a turret, don't worry he is aware of this. I want to sit in my turret and write great things.)

Now I am sure you are thinking I am speaking a-lot about the actual property and not the fact that this is quite a big step in a relationship. Now, I have no doubt that once we live together we will both do things which irritate the lives out of each other (for example Craig ALWAYS leaves his wet towel on the bed, a habit which already drives me nuts) but I think the majority of the time we will bounce happily along. Because, the thing is, I am not scared about the living together part. It just feels right. We are ready to live together and I think we have been for quite a while. So you can call me naive if you want but when it comes to actually living with Craig I am not worried. But don't worry once we move in together I will keep you updated.

But the hunt for a flat is quite epic. Little things can make the perfect flat terrible. I seem to have a fondness of flats with wood boring insects. Turns out these are a big "NO" when buying property. Also, it might surprise you to hear, but we are not loaded and so on our budget in the City Centre (which is where we would like to live while we are still relatively young) our options are small (literally).

We have seen many flats where you couldn't get us both in the kitchen (this did not please chef Craig and did nothing for my worries about the size of my bum). There were some where the double bedroom advertised was a blatant lie. Yes you could get a double bed in it but nothing else.

However we have spent the past two months looking desperately on ASPC at the flats available and going to viewings when we can. This post has ended up to be very long so I am going to stop here and if you want to find out if we have found the right flat... you will have to tune in next time.

Kisses

Fi

xxxxx