irresistable beauty

Recognising the irresistable beauty that is locked up within the walls of the Heathfield House we are being harressed, one by one, by photo shoot companies to take up their 'free' prizes. Today I only managed to deter them by insisting I am having facial reconstruction within the next few weeks.

Lx

making money- ways and means

The ways and means of making money are fascinating to consider. Within the house we seem to have various approaches: salaried work for those who enjoy house pottering; temping work (call phone centres/ reception duties/ biscuit monitor/ skiving early), auxillary nursing, a parent's angel (thats me by the way- Mum is working hard to appreciate the Peacock Blue I've painted the front door!!). And some haven't quite got round to making any...

Lx

short men

Urchin and Play Boy (aka students living in 'The International Hostel for the Priveleged') are wonderful examples of short men: the way in which both asert their masculinity by making the walls of my room shake as they climb the stairs is incredible. I especially appreciate this as my early wake up call each day.

Lx

These days of enlightenment

So as my third week of working here in the law firm closes to an end, a new discovery is made. It turns out I'm actually suposed to work 1-6:30, not 1-6.

Oh well, what can you do?!!

Vix
xx

Drawing to a close...

Just realised that, what with the sudden influx of exciting post from the other heathfield girls, i haven't actually posted anything on here for nearly 2weeks!! Craziness! (though i have appreciated having a whole post dedicated to me vix!)

So Brasov time is coming to an end...its been a good two weeks - the summer school with the young people has been great fun! Think we just about managed to get across the point of the Joesph story to them!

We had a very exhausting adventure to Sinaia (correction from frannie's spelling) today, early start, hot day, not enough water! But the castle/palace was much more impressive than i remember it to be - though the last time i was there, 3yrs ago, it was covered in snow and about -20degrees!

I'm going to have fun loading frannie up with my stuff to take back to cardiff tonight! Can't quite believe I've only got one week left here - time has gone fast, yet slow at the same time.

Zoezoe and I are doing our last bit of adventuring tomorrow when we set off again to arad to work with street kids till thurs, then i fly back a week today!

Miss you too vix!
And miss everyone else too!
the hannah lady
xxxxxxx

My last day in Romania (and Hannah's last in Brasov)

Hello everybody, Daf, I would love to come and work in A&E for you but I think the GMC might have a different opinion.

This is our last day in Brasov and so we went on an adventure to Sinea, unsure on spelling, to visit the summer castle of the first Romanian king-Carol 1, previously a German prince. His grandson the ex king Micha is still alive at 84 apparantly. The guide was very proud of the castle and showed us all the modern bits, lifts, central heating and a central vaccuum cleaner, all in place since the turn of the last centuary.

Romania is a funny place, it was once very advanced, as can be seen from the castle, but has suffered a bit of a setback and is only just getting back on it's feet. The buildings are either really old or very new, just like the cars. People either have a rusty old Dacia or a brand shiny new western European car. (There are some brand new Dacias but they make my eyes hurt because they are squashed into a slightly shorter, taller shape than all the others.)

The contrasts between different places in the country are amazing. To get home in a bit we'll catch an electric tram to the edge of the city. At the terminus the likelihood is we'll get into the back of any car which is going to the village (the norm is to stop and offer) and pay the driver (always a him) 1 lei (20p.) It is at this point that the journey becomes most exciting. To avoid the potholes everyone drives in the middle of the road, zooming past the horsedrawn carts and swerving at the last minute to avoid the oncoming traffic. The road markings stop at the edge of the city so from then on it's everybody for themselves.

This evening we are going out for a meal and packing, I think my luggage is going to be a lot heavier coming back as my bag is going to be full of books and things belonging to Hannah and Zoe.

Love

Fran

xx

A strange thing about biscuits

So I think I've finally caught on to the fact that I'm the biscuit supervisor at work. I believe I'm supposed to stop greedy employees eating them all, since they are actually for clients. However, I've spent the last three weeks handing them out willy-nilly, whilst munching away at them happily myself, and keeping the fridge stocked.

It's only moments ago, when my boss came and asked my nicely if she could have a biscuit, that I realised that maby they're not for free access.

I guess that's why the key to the cupboard they're locked in sit's in my desk draw.

Interesting.

Vix

to be imp-ed or not to be imp-ed?

The impish activities of Fobbs' computer have finally been sorted. Praise the Lord! Our kind friend Dave visited this morning and showed me that if I actually log on to McAfee rather than skip the password bit I can access the internet! How clever is that?! So it seems that my computer hasn't been imp-ed. This may be the beginning of epic bloggage on my part...

Fobbs xx

The Hannah Lady

Due firstly to the lack of anything to actually do at work, and secondly sleep deprivation leaving me unequiped to revise, I have been scrolling through past blogs. Seeing you in those stunning pj's, with beautiful face slapped around a big fat chocolate cake, reminds me how much I miss you Hannah Lady! Not long now though!

Not that I don't miss the rest of you, it's just that Hannah's been gone for longer.

xx

Inset bites

First off, I should clarify a few things from previous posts/comments.
Vix, you are a FATTY, in fact I think that you are queen of the fatties.
My Romanian is amazingly bad, in fact it is non-existant except that I know that a pig is una porc and a cow is una vache and a stamp is una timbra and a ticket is something like una biletta, I don't know how to spell them though. I know please and thankyou as well but there's no way I'm even going to attempt the spelling.

I have only been bitten once by a Romanian insect so far and I aim not to have anymore. The bite is located on my left lateral calf and is 2cm in diameter ( the raised bit anyway) the edges are well demarcated and the lump is firm, tender, itchy and fixed in the skin. There is a central red punctum surrounded by paler lump. Around the edge extending a further cm from the lump is an area of redness. It is lovely.

I hope everyone is having fun, it rained here briefly today, coming as quite a shock. The air smelt lovely afterwards.

Fran
xx

One of those nights

Those of you who've had the beautiful experience of living with me, will perhaps know how great my sleeping (in)ability is.

This combined with my tremendous capacity for food resulted in my having my last meal at mid-night last night, my first breakfast @ 4 o'clock this morning, my second @ 6:30 and my 3rd @10:30. I'm currently enjoying a slab of banana cake for lunch (1:51).

Does the word 'fatty' spring to mind?

Vix

In Romania

As I type this in the internet cafe in Brasov (it has a cedilla style thing under the s so you say it brashov) Hannah is next to me typing an epistle to everyone she has ever met and Zoezoe is opposite me behind the computor. We went to a church this morning where they provided headphones for an english translation- very handy as my romanian is not all that good.

Today's lesson:
I am-sunt
You are- esti
He/she is- este
We are- suntem
You (pl) are- sunteti
They are- sunt

Hannah and Zoe are both very brown and possibly very tired as they have been doing lots of exciting things and claim to have been nearly mauled to death by dogs yesterday, the phrase 'mad dogs and english (ladies) go out in the midday sun' has just popped into my head. (claim! It's actually true - it was very close - I had to do a lot of reasoning in Romanian with the owner of the SIX BEASTS to avoid being mincemeat!) the number of dogs involved in this story increases with every retelling.

We caught a crazy minibus from the village into town this morning, my favorite part of it was the HUGE smash in the front windscreen with cracks covering half of the window. I think I'd prefer to travel in the back of the horsedrawn carts only the potholes and drivng skills shown by the car drivers puts me off somewhat. Everybody is very friendly and patient with me and my general stupidity.(frannie's not done anything too stupid yet - though i'll keep you posted! She is wearing a very cool skirt though that i am trying not to covet!!Hannah) 'tis my one from the fair trade shop in Cardiff, I will lend it to Hannah so she can wear it as well.

I passed the year, as did both Hannah and Zoezoe so we are now grown up nearly 4th years, watch out if you need to visit a welsh hospital as a patient anytime soon.

Stand-by for further updates as the week progresses and we have more inspiration.

Fran (and Hannah a bit)

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lazyness is next to godliness?

Once again I find myself in the position of doing practically nothing for most of the hours in the day. Today started at about 11 o'clock, got to work for 1, and spend the afternoon at work (the whole 5 hours that I work a day) doing so little I can't believe they're actually paying me to do it.

I'm not sure if this is a blessing from God, or whether I should be weary of some punishment about to befall me?

Vix

What is Hannah wearing?

On many of my recent visits to Hannah's room during her absence, I have noticed a particular abundance of clothing. Strangely, it appears all the clothes she normally wears, including lived in jeans, pj's etc, are all remaining in her wardrope? It really does beg the question, 'has Hannah been wearing any clothes?'. I'm tempted to believe that right now there is a naked British girl, walking the streets of Romania, with only a pink flowery bag to provide any sense of decency.

Disturbing to say the least; I'm just glad that camera isn't working.

Vix

Exciting Purchase of the week

Forgot to inform the world in previous post...
Whilst holidaying on the beach in Romania i bought a bright pink flowery bag thing!
It is obviously Beautiful and doesn't at all clash with any of my many pink flowery tops!
All quite bizare....;since when did i become a girly girl who wore pink??!!! ARGH!!!!!
All i can say is its a shame that no computer in Romania has the ability to upload photos from my camera so i can't show you the bag in its full glory!!

Actually have worked!

Bizarrely managed to get a job, and did work 4 days this week. Crazy! Also will be working all next week, although trickily doubled booked for the majority of it. Not quite sure how that will all work out. I will endeavour to keep you all updated.

Am currently exhausted, due to excessive lack of sleep-age. The Heathfield Rd house turns into a sort of refugee camp over the summer months, during which the general homeless come to get rest, or more commonly, disturb ours. To be fair, lack of sleep mostly related to my own self absorbed stresses, not really blameable on any one else.

Anyway, time for a nap I feel.


Vix

Moving On...

Well beach was great! We are nicely tanned (the burnt bits are receding into quite a nice brown colour!)

We've spent all morning packing everything up...we are leaving our humble abode in Bucharest behind.

The next challenge is getting all out tonnes of baggage toBrasov via metrou, bus and minibus!!
Oh the joys

Love you all
Hannah
xxx

Job, more information

As I sit and write (type) this Vix should be on her way home from work as she got work at lunchtime.

I'm getting a new car tomorrow (Wed) which is really exciting as mine keeps leaking water from the radiator. Also, I've just tidied my bit of the room and found things that disappeared months ago...cufflink things for example, missing since Sept. To complete the list of good things, I handed in my essay last week and I'm going to Romania next week.

However, every silver lining must have a cloud, the washing line broke earlier dumping all the bedsheets in the flower border and most of the people who drive down this street could do with improving their clutch control, especially when reversing early in the morning.

Sweating like a ... (fill in with your own simile)

Fran
xx

Job

The general job/lack of saga continues. Thought I had a job for four of the five days this week, however, on turning up this morning I realised it is actually for next week. Nightmare.

Life continues eventless and moneyless.

Vix

Accents

At church yesterday someone told me that they were suprised I was English, as I have an American accent!!!?!?!
This is not the first time I've been told this since I've been in Romania this summer, however, this time was made worse by the fact that it was an English man who said it!!!!

I do NOT have an American accent!!! GRRRRR!!!