look into my eyes

 
my job is still going well but it is bloody hard! enjoying being back in the workforce and enjoying the money but still feeling like i ought to be at home. mia seems to be picking up all the bugs going round but i guess it will be building up her immune system. she seems to cope with illness remarkably well, still she's female! i am still trying to walk part of the journey to work, means a 15 min walk along hurstmere road which is a bit like osborne road in jesmond, then a 10 min walk on the beach. very good way to start and end the day. toby is nearing the end of another term thankfully. poor lad is exhausted. he is hoping to head off on a 2 or 3 day surf trip with a couple of mates which is fine by me. he has had virtually no surf since i started work, combination of car sharing problems and the fact that there hasn't been much. today it is far too big but he should get a local wave at the beginning of next week. unfortunately i won't be able to take any time off work whilst he is off. i am trying to build up my hols for september so i don't have to take too much unpaid leave. we might head off into auckland later, toby has discovered there is a chain of real ale pubs which he is keen to visit. beer really is poor here, very decent pints to be had. i am happy guzzling wine to be honest and have really taken a liking to shiraz/syrah now winter is upon us. it was even snowing only 200km down the road yesterday..... ah, mia awakes so time for her lunch.