Very Quickly

Heya!

I have been meaning to sit down and write you an e-mail but it has been pretty crazy here.

The saga that has been the Today Show! My goodness! We spent close to two hours walking the length of the Thames River from Big Ben to Tower Bridge and didn't find where they were!! BUT we are going again tonight because now I know exactly where they are! Four of us are going and we've signs to put up...he he he, we'll see how it goes.

I have been reading your e-mails with great interest, I love them so much! They make me laugh. Yeah and coming home on the coach hearing 'In the Ghetto' did bring back memories looking out over the lake after dark...Erin tells me I am insane for being at work after dark. I keep reminding her I wasn't the only one that was there...

So I officially start in the office here on the 4th of November. Which means I reach the shores of Oz again sometime in the second week of November next year. Gosh that seems such a long time away. Actually I had a family thing to go to (not that I know many here, only had met the one person!) on Monday night and I was walking back in the rain with my brolly and my nice pants and my boots and this lady asked me for directions and I knew exactly where to tell her to go. I sort of walked on a bit further and went, wholly shit, I am like living in London. Like I know where things are, I'm walking the streets at night and I kinda sorta have a life out of Pax Lodge. I tell you it was the freakiest thing. And try as I might, I couldn't remember what it FELT like living in Melbourne. I mean I know what I did every day...but I can't remember how it felt, if you can kinda get what I mean. It's a little weird you know..

So can't believe you only have 8 weeks left...gosh that's gone so quickly. Keep your chin up as your in the home stretch, you go girl!! Hope your dinner didn't burn and I'll be sending through an 'update' e-mail in the next couple of days.
Take care chica and talk soon,

Rachael :-)

Catch Up Time

Greetings all,

Seems like forever since I last wrote, but then I look at how much time has passed and it's only been a couple of weeks yet it feels like an eternity of events have happened.

So the day after I last e-mail was day one of three off. I did completely nothing. Made a few phone calls and cooked myself dinner. Man it was good! All I had been craving for such a long time was a nice piece of steak and some veggies. Just like what I'd do for myself at home. The steak wasn't all that great and veggies here are weird, but that said it was still fantastic!

The 19th found myself and Erin (or Kenny and Eskimo as we're collectively known as) head out to Cambridge for the day. It's a very pretty place but if I had to go to school in either of them, Oxford would win. Cambridge just didn't have the same feel to it. For the most part the day was great until about an hour before we left Cambridge and I discovered my bank card wasn't working. One of those you go cold all over moments. Then I came back to Pax to several e-mails which caused a little alarm. They were to be the benchmark of my mood for the next few days. What I had established as I sat there at 1am staring at the wall was that I needed to get completely outside of the Pax Lodge bubble.

And I did. Day three marked the meeting of the first of several relatives I am to meet during my stay here. So down to Catford I trotted and met 'Aunty Olive' (Nan's sister) and found myself needing to remember that it was Olive and not Nan! It was pretty freaky! They are so alike! It was kind of a comfort too I guess. And I completely forgot about Pax Lodge for a while there, it was fantastic. The added bonus now is that when I eventually find myself venturing to Greenwich, I'll have my own tour guide! Olive said she loves to go there and when I go, I should give her a call and see if she's free.

The World Board and the World Centres Committee dominated most of the past few weeks, it was like permanently being on show and it was very draining. Very busy too. All our meal times were changed which threw us all into havoc! But I also got to meet each of the world centre manages and learn about HAs at other world centres (I feel like I've already told you guys this...) and we had a huge BBQ for like 70 people and the table out the back of Pax Lodge was HUGE! Mind you they were breaking glasses on us which wasn't all that nice...too much wine I think...

My attempts to go watch the Grand Final were dampened when I got there and saw the line. Yep 4am in the damn morning freezing my ass off and I don't get in. No tickets left by that time I got there! You should have seen the line, it was crazy!

Small mundane and funny things happened too. Ruth spitting chewy out on the photocopier, Erin and I doing the puppet show for the World Centres Committee complete with jokes not found in the Brownies International Adventure Day version, Monique spat custard at Doreen who was sitting opposite her (Doreen is the world centre manager here!) because I cracked a joke, I found myself leading the World Song several times at flag (yeah me leading singing, that's a laugh in itself!). Not so mundane is the kitchen staff issues we're having, at times its like world war 3 in there! Head chef and next down chef aren't getting along. We've all decided to just nod our heads and keep well out of it. Mind you it's still amusing.

Erin and I were supposed to go to Stratford-Upon-Avon but never made it because there were no tickets left. Instead we went to Bath which has to be one of the most beautiful cities I've seen thus far! I purely loved it, the country side was amazing and the weather was sunny and the Roman Baths were weird! But it was a great day. We both enjoyed ourselves.

The Tube station down the road was shut down too and evacuated. It was a little scary but to date we still don't know why. I mean can't have been anything too serious, otherwise something would have been said.

So I worked four days, one day off (went to Bath) worked four more with one day off (went to London zoo) then worked four more days. Needless to say that yesterday and today were days off and I have done pretty much nothing other than small walks in the heath, reading and writing letters and postcards. It's been nice. The toughest thing in there to deal with was Ruth leaving Pax Lodge. She, Erin and I kind of became like the three stooges. While trying to deal with my own emotions I was having to deal with Ruth's too. We are far too much alike!! Anyway, she left without too many hitches. Yep it was hard. There are only two people I've gotten attached to here and Ruth and Erin are it. So I'm freaking out coz Ruth is going, but then start thinking 'Oh god Erin leaves end of October' which was really the wrong thing to do. So the last few days of September there were a few tears and crazy moments. But in true Pax Lodge tradition, life goes on. You miss that person for a while, but you become so consumed by work that the world fades away.

Hmmm this is a little bit odd for an e-mail. It's really all over the place. My next big adventure is the 22-24th when Monique and I head down to the Isle of Wight for a few days. Three, but we're now coming back early on the 24th because Janet has got tickets to get into a ticket only event at Westminster Abbey. See its the 60th Anniversary ceremony/celebrations of the UN and we've got tickets to go! So we're all getting dolled up in National Uniform and making the trip down there. Everyone gets out of work. Monique and I decided it was one of those once in a lifetime things and thus are coming back early. Should be kinda cool.

Okay, I'm going to head off before I get even more all over the place. Bottom line is I am still here and still enjoying myself!! Hope everyone is well, take care

Rachael :-)

Hello Again!

Hello my dear!

For starters -don't keep saying thank you!! I know I don't have to do any of the things I do, but I do it because I want to and no thanks is needed. You're my pal and don't ever forget that. We find lots of ways to be strong. Believe it or not there will come a day where you won't sms me, and a week will go by and you still won't. That's okay because believe it or not you'll get back into normal life and won't need the security of Pax Lodge so much. That's not saying I'll stop bugging you, because you know I always will!! But yeah, you will eventually be okay.

Erin hasn't cried yet from what I know, but she's quite close to crashing. We've both been very clingy lately which is a little odd, we seem to be really dwelling on the Erin leaving part. Slowly slowly she's talking to me about things. I know Erin will do what she feels she needs to in her own time. Unlike you I can't bully her into talking to me. It was a case of needing to with you!! But yeah, Erin, I think for the most part is doing okay. I told her I can be there to catch her when she falls.

My "family" were here for two days, both of which I was working so only ever really got to spend time with them in the evening, both of which Erin S seemed to hustle in on. Either way. Then they left quite abruptly yesterday morning thus I am standing out the from of Pax Lodge before flag almost in tears, right as Heather Doreen and Dixon come back from their walk...good lord.

Monique ended up coming with us to take Dixon and Doreen taught us Scottish football songs the whole way back to Pax. Consequently it was a car sing a long. Quite amusing, especially when we then continued it through lunch...

Yesterday arvo I pulled my room to pieces and pulled everything off the walls. Gave Erin a heart failure -six times!! But it's slowly getting back to homely, not so many home photos up anymore. I figure the 14 months seems long enough as it is, too many reminders up only makes it harder. Went for a walk in the Heath yesterday arvo, was gone for nearly two and a half hours and missed dinner. Believe it or not, both erin and I were in there at the same time but didn't cross paths once.

Today I went out for breakfast at lunchtime with Sally and Janet, the three of us then trotted off to Oxford street to do some shopping. It's been an odd two days I tell you. Erin and I did the clingy thing again this arvo and dinner was darn bangers and mash plus the weird conversations with Kat. Trust me, you're in the better place....

I'm glad to hear you're getting back into the swing of things with Guides, having a focus on something like that will help you re-adjust. Yes, Pax Lodge did you wonders my dear and I am so happy you can realise that!! This is such wonderful news!

Janet is slowly back on the mend although it was scary last night because Rebecca did her night shift for her, we nearly dropped dead when we found out.

Okay I have to go, Priyanka wants the computer. Will talk soon and trust me, good things are on their way to you, I promise :-)
Rachael :-)

Howaye from Ireland!

Hello!!!

Aww my darling, I am so proud of you! Seriously, you have lots to be proud of because yes you did achieve a hell of a lot this summer. Apparently I've said Sweet Jesus far too many times to day which is weird because it's not like I picked it up from you because I didn't really say it a lot before you left. So that has kinda freaked a few people out.

Truth be told, you leaving didn't hit Erin until later this afternoon, I don't think she's had a lot of time to think about it. I told her she had to sit down and have a cry because it'll make her feel better. I know this from experience. It was so weird, I went up to my room after working an hour over and sat in my room and just bawled my eyes out. It was crazy. Its crazy to think how much of a difference not having someone here makes. Erin and I were sitting there this arvo in break and talked about you leaving. Not that I want to depress you more or anything...And I am sorry I couldn't stick around for your phone call. Erin came in and I was like 'she's gone?' and she said yeah and I kinda was a bit disapointed.

Janet is pretty sick at the moment, she didn't come down for flag this morning and has been laid up in bed for half of the day. So Monique and I did a run down the road at lunch and brought her flowers. She didn't find them till this evening and I sware to god it sounded like she was on the verge of tears. I am worried about her, but you know me I worry about everyone. I know I know I need to look after me!! I know!

The first week or so back home will be the hardest because you'll need to adjust back to normal life.

I'll keep this short because I am sitting here on Erin S's laptop and I am having a few issues typing, it's just not the same as a normal keyboard.

Take care my dear and I am off to pester our Erin, I tell you that girl worries me sometimes. I think it'll be another late one.

Take super super care and you 'll hear from me soon.

Luv Rachael