Long time no update

Apologies for my radio silence but there has been quite little to report over the past month or so. It feels like much longer but I have been in London since October 9th staying with friends while searching for work.

First port of call was a week with Morg's in Shepards Bush which he appreviates 'Chez Bu' to sound like a notorious Japanese restaurant in London. I then spent a week with 4 MBA friends in their Edgware Road apartment, near Marble Arch/Hyde Park. I then ventured to Willesden Green to stay with ACGS old boy Andy and his wife Claudia. Then back to the MBA 'frat house'. I am now with another MBA friend on the Gloucester Road side of Hyde Park until this Tuesday November 14th when I will fly to Dublin for a week.

To say that all this moving around is doing my head in is an understatement. However, I am very lucky that I have good friends in London who are able to help me out while I continue my job search. Plus, most of this time has been spent a stones throw from Hyde Park so I have tried to keep my head clear by going for regular runs during the warm midday sunshine. Tory visited me for the last weekend in October and we had a nice weekend catching up with her London based friends who she has been wanting to see for some time.

The autumn rugby carnival has begun here and after watching tests on Sat and Sun, I joined Andy and Claudia and some friends of theirs to watch a Guy Fawkes Night fireworks display at Roundhill Park. I expect this weekend will involve more rugby watching.

The countdown is on to the arrival of my parents, eldest sister and her children on November 22nd in time for my Oxford college graduation on the 25th. It will be great to have them present and I thank my ever generous brother-in-law for making it all possible. I am sorry that he cannot make it along also but I will certainly raise a glass to him at my post graduation dinner. He has been a huge supporter of me over many years and a great role model.

I have a few more photos to add from my last weekend in Dublin with Tory. On the Friday we watched Leinster defeat Munster at Lansdowne Road. On the Saturday we moved Tory into her apartment and on the Sunday we took the train to Howth (pronounced 'Hoath') which is a seaside suburb of Dublin where we walked along the cliff trails, lunched on fish and chips and drank hot toddies and read the paper by the fire of a rustic looking pub.

Hope you are all keeping well,

Cheers,
Doug.