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

six months on.

First, I must apologise, it has been a long time since I have blogged to you all. I realise that probably no-one missed me too much but if you did I am sorry.

When I started this Blog I set it up to pass on my experiences of graduating from university and what life has brought me. I went a little off course with tales of spiders and just the general ridiculousness of my life, but i thought I would give you all an update on life after Uni.

This week I finished my 6 months probation period of my first ever paid job as a reporter. It seems they are going to keep me - which is nice of them!!

So what has it been like doing uni and getting a job in what I want to do? Honestly, it has caused me mixed emotions. From excitement of yes this great and what I want to do, to I am so bored and disillusioned I want to cry to I am terrified and am not cut out for this. I think these feelings are fairly normal (or at least I hope they are!!)

I will admit that I have quite often been bored, not because I am so brilliant that the work is too easy, but simply that sometimes there isn't much to do. It is on days like these I have to remind myself that this is my first step and that I should just be grateful to be in the position I am in. I get to sit and write all day which for me is pretty much living the dream!

However it is still a little scary to no longer be a student, I know that sounds silly but some mornings when my alarm goes off at 7 I close my eyes and dream of 2pm lectures and weekday nights out. I think the adjustment from education of any kind to work is hard!I

Fortunately, for my sanity a  number of my friends finished uni at the same time of me and so we were all a little bit lost together. And to be honest I think that many of us will admit that we are still a little lost by it all. There are so many questions to be answered- Where do I want to live? What do I want to do? Do I want to start work straight away? To name but a few.

So I have watched my friends and myself all go through different experiences. Some have jobs they want, some have jobs they don't want and others are planning adventures in distant lands. But I think all things considered, we are all doing pretty well. Some days I find myself in my office thinking; what is the point? I have no idea how I am going to get where I want to be. It can be frustrating and disheartening. But it can also be exciting. I sometimes look at my dream jobs and think- that will never be me! But now I just keep telling myself- someone has to do it, so why not me?

I also know people who simply don't know what they want to do. But how many of us actually do?

As the sunscreen song says: "Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives."

But regardless of where my friends are in their lives, I am so very proud of all of us. Because well, we have come so far and we have reached so high. . .

But no seriously, on the whole, things are going well. I am happy and content for now and am looking forward to seeing what the next six months will bring. . .  oh and I promise I will try to start blogging more.

Love and kisses,

Fi

xxxx

Spider troubles

So, for those of you who do not know this about me, I do not like spiders. They are creepy. All leggy and furry and ahhh they make me shiver. Even talking about them makes me panic.

I have had a few bad experiences with spiders. One of which involved my boyfriend (who is also afraid of spiders- what is that about?!). One night I was in the bathroom of my house brushing my teeth, when in the mirror I noticed something massive on the wall next to my bathroom door.
This thing was HUGE, in the mirror it looked like a big black spot and I thought it was maybe a hole in the wall- I don't know why there would be a hole in the wall, but this was the most sensible conclusion cause this was huge.

But, when I turned around it was not a hole in the wall, oh no it was the biggest spider I have ever seen.
Being a sensible female I screamed. Very loudly.

When I screamed the spider moved. Now at this point I was standing on the floor and thought if it comes off the wall onto the floor it will crawl onto my leg and then... well i don't know what would have happened then but the thought was horrific.

The only way out of the bathroom was to pass the monster- and as obviously the spider meant me harm and would leap off the wall towards me, this was not an option. So I did the sensible thing and jumped in the sink.

Ultimately my boyfriend, who was very brave considering he normally screams like a girl, saved me. But this should give you an idea of how much I hate spiders.

So, two weeks ago i stumbled into my bathroom in the morning and went to get into the bath for a shower and as I lifted my foot over, looked down and there was a massive spider.
I jumped back and, trying not to scream thought something along the lined of "Oh bother there is a large spider."

As it was early in the morning I decided to man up and deal with the spider myself. So grabbing the shower head, I chased the beast round the bath until I flushed it down the plug hole.
I was victorious, or at least i thought I was until I moved the water and incywincy mega spider came up the spout again.

It was indestructible. so now I knew that simply putting it down the plug was not enough to defeat this thing so i once again flushed it down the plughole. Then I put in the plug and then, after seeing it's super spider sense, I put a heavy object on top to ensure it stayed away.

After this I felt slightly shaken. So I showered quickly and stepped out with a sigh of relief that the spider had not escaped its watery tomb.

I lifted up my hair towel, and as I flung it forward to wrap up my hair- a spider fell out. Ahhhhhh!
It was quite a small spider, probably the beast in the baths child, but a spider nonetheless and it was almost on my head. The thought now makes me shiver.
After running into the hall butt naked, I pulled myself together and went to work- but I am telling you I was not in a happy place.

But as all people must do when faced with adversity, I soldiered on.

The next day, my shower went smoothly, the towels were spider free and I was very smugly driving on the dual carriage way when disaster struck.

A spider was hanging over my window. Quite a big spider, just hanging there, taunting me with it's multiple eyes and it's fangs.

Once again I went "oh dear a spider in my can and I am driving rather fast. What an interesting problem" or something along those lines.

I knew I had to act quickly before it ended up on me and I caused a crash. So gathering all my courage I put down the window and slapped the nasty spider as hard as I could so it flew out the car onto the road.

Then I screamed for quite a while.

After these two days of spider-related disasters I am now more paranoid than ever. My own hair frightens me when I am asleep, as it goes across my skin and I think it's a monster, I am scared to lift things in case one of them is waiting for me.

And as a new precaution, as I heard you swallow spiders in your sleep I am going to start sleeping in an space suit like NASA Astronauts wear (If anyone knows where I can get one I will appreciate the help).

I am frightened.

But anyway that's all for now. I hope you are well and far from any nasty spiders.

Kisses
Fi
xxxxxx