The history channel

I am almost back in the land of the living, after a week of transiting between bed and the sofa, with a bad dose of flu. Whilst still sounding like a bloke, I am feeling much better and thankfully back to my social routine, with Ramadan approaching I am making the most of being out and about with my girls and copious amounts of coffee, before routine goes out the window and we all adjust for the holy month. 

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Location, Location, Location

Unfortunately we can’t all have Phil and Kirsty at our disposal, so when it comes to choosing a new expat location, do we always have the expertise to make the right choice? I know that in both our moving decisions, we have been led by the opportunity, rather than an emotional or situational need to move. Luckily for us it worked out, but I do look back and wonder were we just to blasé about the whole thing, what if it hadn’t worked?

Tug of war

How is it already June?! I can not believe that time is passing so quickly and that the summer escape is nearly upon us.  As the temperatures rise, Ramadan continues and the kids are entering end of term craziness, the desert girls and I are running down the social events and looking ahead to months away from the sandpit. Now whilst most of my friends are eager to escape, some literally counting the days with excitement, I have a very real, inner tug of war going on. I am so ready to see my family and friends, but there is a massive part of me just not ready to leave. The fact that I am less than a week away from heading to the motherland, should have me planning every inch of my first few days on The Rock and have my “getting off the plane” outfit all picked out, but this time there is something holding back. Has my desert life stopped being full of randomness and now truly become home?

Picture perfect

Back to the world of blog, after a rather fleeting trip back to the motherland. Whilst the idea of a week back in my island haven seemed like a good one, it was an awfully long way to go for, once you minus the travel days, 5 days of good old fashion Jersey fun. Having said that, my beautiful island did not disappoint and the sunshine isle was in full glory, albeit Hubby and I still thought it was freakin freezing! I know it was sunny but c’mon people it was the same temperature as it was when we visited in November, when we donned hats and scarves, but whack in a bit of sunshine and all those local knees are out and flip flops are on and you all forget that its still bloody cold.

However, I have to say Jersey is so pretty in the sunshine and as Hubby and I enjoyed the rare occasion of being there together, I drifted off into a romantic sentimental view of my other home.  So as the week continued, so did my Insta shots across the bay, our morning strolls to St Aubins captured in all their glory. Was I really pining for this life again or was it just perfect pictures luring me back in?

Balancing act

Enjoying my time back on my little rock is not difficult. The familiarity of home, Hubby and I spending time together, family memories being captured and all wrapped up in the festive spirit. The difficulty arises when you want to enjoy everything about being home and even though I’m here a month I still feel like I’m on a countdown and under pressure to fit it all in. So how do you please yourself and please others without running yourself ragged?

Home sweet home

I am back in the motherland, which is making this Jersey girl very happy. You will be aware that I took a little blogging break last week, which was a little strange for me and seems like I’ve not written for ages, so its good to be back both in my island world and my blogging world.

The main reason for my trip back to my little isle is my new little niece. All my desert girls have lived through my sister’s pregnancy and our weekly brunches were filled with bump updates and they shared in my excitement when the little lady made her early appearance. So I was beside myself sitting in the desert knowing this little bundle of joy was waiting for her awesome auntie. So last Friday Hubby and I started that long arduous journey back to The Rock.

The home straight

I don’t know how this has happened, but I’m entering my final week in Jersey. The six weeks seemed like an optimum time to get some quality time with the family and catch up with friends, but now I’m in panic mode as I quickly do a mental note to see if there is anyone I’ve missed (at this point I’m really hoping I haven’t and they aren’t reading this thinking, Oi what about me!?).

I have had a wonderful time during this trip and feel like this has been a good session of mixing some chill time with lots of eating, drinking and catch ups. Seeing the family has been so special, as the last time we were together was an emotional and tragic time, so for us to be all together all eagerly anticipating the new arrival to our brood has been everything. I have been keeping up to date, via every social media outlet, with my fellow desert gals and they too seem to be having a great time, if not busy, touring round their home countries and reconnecting.

Once upon a time…

Once upon a time there was a princess, who lived on a beautiful island. Every summer, after unicorn riding school was over, her cousin would travel across the sea from a far away land called England. The princesses loved their 8 weeks together and would plan trips around the island doing all their favourite things. But the place they loved the most was a little cove called Green Island, which sat in a small corner of the kingdoms eastern province and was home to the princesses’ castle (or house as they called it, although even by Jersey standards it was a pretty big house!). They would spend hours playing in the “house” whilst the queen watched from her sandy throne and supplied royal Mini Milks, to revive the little girls, as the afternoon drew in. This ritual went on until the little princesses grew up and their annual summers together came to end.

Many years later, the princesses had become accustomed to grabbing every opportunity they had to visit each other. Whilst one was travelling to strange and far off places, the other had stayed in her kingdom of England and had a little prince to keep her on her princess toes. So whenever they could, the family would meet in each others realms and when this was not possible, the frequent use of the magic iMirror was used to maintain their special bond. 

A 100 year journey

Firstly before I get full swing into this weeks post, can I just say I’m loving this weather, hence this post being a day late! At last the rain has left us and Jersey is doing what it does best, sun, sand and 99 ice creams (that’s the style not the number I’ve consumed) . This post is coming from my mum’s garden where you will be pleased to know the desert tan is being topped up, thank goodness as I was feeling positively ghostly. So high-five for the mini heat wave and I hope all my desert gals are enjoying this window of bearable heat before their return to the fire-pit.

So back to the main reason you are all here, it’s certainly not for my local weather report. During the last week I have had the opportunity and delight to absorb myself into proper catch ups with my mates. This is one of the things I love about coming home,  they are all here and it’s still touches me  that they are all still eager to see me, every trip back. So I pack the diary with multiple rendezvous and on some days even fit in a couple, as I flit like a social butterfly  between these special people.

All roads lead to…

It’s official, I’m two weeks into my summer holiday and I’m practically living on a diet of pork, gin and prosecco! The fact that I’m eating my way round the island and socialising over numerous dinners and lunches, it is no surprise that it’s getting to the point where I dare not put my jeans in the wash in fear they won’t go back on. My workout gear has sat in the bottom of my suitcase and just when I thought I should give it an outing my back has decided it had different ideas. So there is only one thing for it, keep enjoying my foodie trails and sweat it out in detox when I’m back in the desert heat.