Cosmetic purchases

My fabulous beauty therapist recommended a website http://www.strawberrynet.com , which is run out of Hong Kong and sells big brand cosmetics at vastly reduced prices.

I was brand loyal to Estee Lauder for about 10 years but this year I have changed over to Christian Dior. Why chose Dior? Because there was someone at the counter to help me. She spent time with me choosing a foundation for my pale white skin.

I am really liking the DiorSkin Forever in Ivory and it is SPF 25, which will hopefully help keep my skin pale white. But it is pretty expensive at about $80 a bottle - which lasts me about six months. So on my beauty therapists recommendation I ordered some from strawberrynet.

It arrived about 7 days after I ordered it. Unfortunelty I didn't order Ivory. I ordered Light Beige - idiot. Must be more careful in future.

Anyway when it arrived I emailed them and they said to post it back for a full refund. Now that is a good returns policy.

I have since also ordered the biggest bottle of toner you have ever seen in your life (who knew 400ml was so much?) and the correct colour foundation. Both of which turned up with zero hassle.

Now I am thinking that I need some more lipstick....

Spare time

Where did my spare time go? I think I must had dropped it running for the bus or maybe I put it through the washing machine to many times?

I used to have heaps of time to relax, watch TV, surf the net, read home-maker magazines, experiment with recipes, review my plethora of recipe books, reorganise my china collection, alphabetise my DVDs by the director's country of origin and generally indulge in whatever activity I wanted.

It seems that the choices I have made in my life have led to a marked decrease in the amount of spare time that I now have. I now get approximately none (note Yes Minister reference)

Why?
I chose to start some more study.

I only have two degrees which is clearly insufficient, so I have decided to go for a trifecta and do another one. This one specifically relates to my work. So I have also decided to change jobs to one that is much less related to my study. The move is due to take place this Thursday. I am still wondering if this move is the right decision but that is a topic for another post....

I realise that it is entirely my own fault for not having much spare time anymore. I make choices like working full time, studying, eating food I have prepared myself, washing my clothes, spending time with my family and family in law, and sleeping which make my life busy.

This realisation does not make me any happier about the fact that there are still 8 seasons of the x-files that I have not yet watched and that I will not have time to make veal schnitzel with dill potato salad for quite some time.

Trench

I bought a funky new trench coat in royal green from Jacqui-e today. It is a great fit and despite the fact that it will no doubt be out of fashion by the time I finish this post I am very happy with it. Now if the weather would just stay cool long enough for me to wear it a few time before it gets put away for summer that would be great.

The Seekers

This is the photo Tom took while I was singing.....


Close the door, light the light, we're staying home to-night
Far a-way from the bustle and the bright city lights
Let them all fade a-way, just leave us a-lone
And we'll live in a world of our own

We'll build a world of our own, that no one else will share
All our sorrows we'll leave far be-hind us there
And I know that you'll find, there'll be peace of mind
When we live in a world of our own

Oh my love, oh my love, I've cried for you so much
Lonely nights without sleeping, while I longed for your touch
Now your lips can't evade the heartache I've known
Come with me to a world of our own

And I know that you'll find, there'll be peace of mind
When we live in a world of our own
And I know that you'll find, there'll be peace of mind
When we live in a world of our own

Depression

I was a bit out of sorts and sad this week. I felt like I was being excluded by the rest of my team at work which really upset me. I was very down in the mouth as Tom would say. My uni work feels like it is spiraling out of control. I have one particular assignment that it HUGE and it feels like I will never finish it. It is due to be completed in 5 days - and I have a test on that same day.

But regardless of all that I am feeling better today. I have a plan of attack and although I am stressed about getting everything done I am not down about it anymore.

Upgrade to Business

We have been upgraded to Business class for our flight from Singapore to London. This is the 13 hour 41 minute flight that I was dreading the most. I have been patronising my amex card heavily to get the points to request an upgrade. I only had enough three days before we left and it has paid off because we will be flying this leg in business. Yay!

This is what I have to look forward to:-
http://www.qantas.com.au/info/flying/travelClasses/internationalBusiness

It will be sleeping tablets for the return flight :)

Changi Airport: Qantas Club lounge

All I can say is "hot shower".

I feel so much better. After walking around all day in our tourist clothes, Tom and I have had a shower and changed at the Q Club. I feel human again. And I look a LOT better.

Adventures

Well our big trip has started....

On Saturday Tom and I flew to Singapore to start our holiday. We have had two days and nights here and decided that we love Singapore.

While we were here we have been to the asian civilisation museum, checked out Boat Quay, been to China town (and bought $10 sunglasses), went to the markets at Bugis Junction, had lunch at Raffles, had dinner on Orchard Road, had copious yum cha and been to more shops and shopping centres than I care to remember.

Singapore is humid and hot but not unbearably so. The public transport is really excellent and very cheap. And when I say excellent Tom and I haven't had any problems at all.

We are staying in Royal Plaza on Scotts which I would highly recommend. They didn't have any record of our booking when we arrived but the lovely receptionist Jaquelyn sorted that out without bating an eyelid and even upgraded us to a better room. Buffet breakfast is included and I have fallen in love with a dish called " fried carrot cake". Ironically it has no carrot nor cake. It is in fact made mostly from raddish and egg.

I took Tom to my favorite Singapore department store "Tangs" and we shopped and ate more food. I made him try the "glutinous black rice dessert" which I had last time and he loved it just as much as I did so that was good.

We bought some electronic equipment from a "dealer". The haggling was fun but tiring. Pretending to leave is the best tactic but it is hard to do it without feeling rude. I think the best way to get a bargin is to not actually want to buy anything. I bought something almost accidently from one lady. I offered her about 5% of the asking price and she agreed to sell the thing to me. She said she would sell it to me as a good luck sale so that other sales would come her way. That just confused me but I definately got a bargain.

It was strange but even in the markets some things didn't seem to be negotiable - maybe I just didn't look interested anough but no one offered me discounts on bags. I found a couple of nice laptop/sholder bags but they were too expensive (ie same as I would pay in Australia) but when I said that to the shop girls they just smiled and walked away. Odd

One of the best things we have done while here is have a 45 minute foot massage with reflexology and a hot tea foot soak. Mine was very gentle and relaxing. It was great. Tom's man absolutley hammered his muscles - he received what I would call deep tissue massage. I don't know how he sits through it because it looks very painful but there is no doublt it is great for your muscles and he legs and feet were better for it.

Travel Time

This week I have a quick trip to Canberra/Sydney/Melbourne.

The plan is as follows:- Tuesday morning wake up in Brisbane. Go to airport and travel from Brisbane to Canberra. Have a few meetings. Back to airport and fly from Canberra to Sydney then from Sydney to Melbourne. Staying in Melbourne overnight, have a planning day on Wednesday then back to the airport and home to Brisbane.

Doesn't that sound like fun?

Lovely surprise

There was a lovely surprise waiting for me when I came home from Canberra last night. What a lovely husband I have - still buying me flowers after 10 years together.

Thanks darling!