Lunch, Sun, Almost Vegan

What a wonderful Sunday, lunch with friends and then a beautiful beach day with empty beach and super warm water.  It is only October 8th and we have had more sunny days then the whole of October last year which is definitely a relief.  There is still rain but nothing like last year and Phuket is just a wonderful place to be in the sunshine.

 One of my favourites.  I was aiming to be vegan from today, was so careful and did not even realise what I was doing when I put  tzatziki on my vegan burger.  So will try again tomorrow!

 We had a such a lovely walk and swim together.  Lola is just the happiest at the beach, well I guess I am too.  We of course missed Luis, who was with the boarders in the shopping centre.  I could not bring myself to miss this sunny day!

Tennis Star (well maybe half a star!)

Another day, another thing checked off my list of forty.  I am super excited about this one, finally getting back into tennis.  Last night was my first lesson (after my art lesson, so a busy day) and I just loved it.  In fact, I think if I had this coach as a child I may have won an Olympic medal.  In one short hour, she corrected some bad habits and I felt like a whole new player.  I think I have probably played four times in 20 years and it just felt great to get back into it.  I am super excited about these lessons, even though I am having trouble typing as my arm is still shaking from the intense work out it had last night!

 The school tennis courts are amazing, blinking hot but amazing.  My coach is great, next time I will take some photos but I did not want her to realise I am slightly mad just yet!

Oh and before art class I went to the pottery place to collect my first little pot!  I have miles to go, but still love my first attempt!

Artist in the Making (sort of)

I love my art class, and after a few months off it was great to get back to it.  It is so relaxing, even though I spend most of my time erasing what I have done, i do enjoy it loads.  Last lesson I drew my first proper sketch that was not of a shape.  I must say I am pretty proud of it.  Who knows what is next for me, possibly I will have an exhibition in Phuket soon, then Bangkok and then probably London (I will keep you posted).  

I call this 'two tulips and a vase'.  

 And how better to celebrate my first piece of art, then with a nice lunch with Leica and Lola (another two L's!).

Bubble Types

Anyone who has belonged to one of my wine clubs or called a bottle of sparkling wine 'champagne' regardless of its origin knows how annoying I can be on this topic.  It is definitely a pet hate of mine, Champagne can only be champagne if it comes from the Champagne region in France!  Not California, not Italy, not the South of France, only Champagne!  So my theme on Thursdays first wine club of the school year was on tasting the main three types of sparking wine and seeing the difference (besides cost).  The three main types of sparking wine, are Champagne, Prosecco (Italy) and Cava (Spain), Germany also produces a sweet one called Sect and then all the new world have sparkling wine but no specific name, oh and I also through in a really cheap 'sparkling wine'.  The prices ranged from $10US to $50US, the range of price was as big as the range in favourites.   In fact some people liked the cheapest the best, which just goes to show price is not the deciding factor when choosing a wine.  It was a good kick off to the year, how can it not be when bubbles are involved!  

 These are the four, Australian sparkling wine, Champagne, Prosecco and Cava

 Lola wanted to be a part of the action as always, we all know she would definitely be a Champagne lady.

Back with these lovely ladies, with a few new faces.  A nice evening to start the year off.

Carribean (I know)

Wednesday was the return of Peppers Pub Quiz so we decided to put a team together once again.  Luckily we could ask the new people as they were unaware of how bad we are at it.  The first couple rounds we did amazing barely missing a question and then came the spelling round.  The game was spelling words that most people spell wrong and anyone who reads this blog knows that this would be a disaster round for me so I did not say much.  Until they said spell 'Caribbean' and I thought here is my chance to shine.  I was so confident, claiming I would turn in my Barbados citizenship in if I got it wrong.  Well I got it wrong and will never ever live it down (I also am not handing in my citizenship).  In my defence the whole round tricked you as if you thought you knew how to spell it you thought you were wrong as you were already told that most people spell it wrong.  Anyways we did not due too badly, not a win, but probably next week (if they will have me back!)

 The team

 The group chatting it out

Luis gets Lebanon, saving us from a wrong answer of Turkey.
We had a great time, I do love a quiz, even when we lose!

Weekend Antics

It has almost been a week since my last post which is an indication of how exciting things have been around here recently!  Mainly due to continuous rain, Phuket is beautiful in the sun but can get pretty depressing with daily constant down pours.  But today we have woken up to a sunny Sunday and this has inspired me to write a post.  Well and the fact that I actually have something to post about.  Friday I had one of those nights that you expect one thing and it ends up going a totally different way.  But basically we started the night with a lovely well deserved bottle of prosecco and ended up singing Karaoke in a bar with several Chinese tourists.  

Saturday was a slow start with more rain but me and my L's had a lovely lazy day before me and Luis headed off for dinner.  

It was a lovely evening with some people we have not spent a lot of time with but whom we are going to a lot more.  A really enjoyable evening and a super yummy dinner.  I am now going to go and enjoy this lovely day as who knows when one will appear again.

Mexican, Margaritas and Cards

It is very unlike me not to have had at least one social event of the school year in the first month back so on Saturday we decided to rectify this.  We did what we know best, our version of Mexican, totally unhealthy but super delicious (oh and crazy strong not so yummy margaritas).  We played Cards against humanity, a disgusting game really but it is a laugh and you do get to know a lot about each other.  This could possibly be seen as good or bad.

A good laugh and it was nice to be my social self once again.  I missed playing hostess!