Conflict...

I had to deal with conflict this weekend...on the one hand, I had some serious study to do, for my exam on Monday. On the other hand, it was a totally magnificent weekend in Sydney, with temps in the mid to high 20's (degrees Celcius) and perfect blue skies! It was very hard, let me say. But I did manage to get some study in and will be doing more this evening. Thankfully, my exam is at noon Monday which means that I can study some more in the morning, do my exam and then go to work. Work is very understanding in this respect.

Anyway, I went to the Noodle markets on Friday night, and met up with the very charming and thoroughly modern Colin. I had originally arranged to meet up with him straight after work on Friday and we were going to walk up to Hyde Park from there, however I realized that now I'm a step-father, I did have to go home first, feed and walk my Noodle, and then I could go to the Noodle Markets. So it was a somewhat late appearance by yours truly, and by that time, the queues for food were miles long! So, I thought 'stuff it' and just had a couple of glasses of wine instead! hic! It was a relaxing evening and after a few more drinks at one of his friend's birthday party in the Cross, I headed home via a less than salubrious fast food establishment! It always tastes soooo good at 10pm after a few drinks!

Anyway, Saturday was a more relaxed day, just Noodle and I really. I took her to a beach suggested by fellow blogger Mike. The beach is right next to the main runway at the airport so it was somewhat noisy, but Noodle loved it! She was a bit tentative at first, but once she had a small paddle in the shallows, she really got into it!

Today, I was determined to study study study however a friend messaged me with an invitation to the beach at 2:30pm and my resolved weakened seriously! It was so lovely and warm and the words were beginning to dissolve into one another and so I thought maybe a break was called for. And so a very pleasant couple of hours was spent soaking up the sun and chatting. Now, it's back to the grindstone. Noodle's been fed and walked and I'm about to get myself fed too and then, more delights of the Australian financial system, superannuation, post-retirement income streams and estate planning!

I certainly hope everyone has had a marvellous weekend!

Long weekend...

Well, it's Friday and it's a long weekend ahead...Monday being, ummm, Labour Day I think. Not sure what it is really, but frankly, who cares! It's a public holiday and that's all that matters.

It's been a lovely week - I feel even more in love with McBrad than ever. I seriously thought that the honeymoon would be over by now, but it isn't. :-) He's such a gorgeous human being, as well as being thoroughly HOT!

Anyway, this weekend, the Sleaze Ball is on (as well as a plethora of other man-friendly parties). I've always been fairly ambivalent to Sleaze, though I do confess to a certain degree of curiosity about it. It's always been a "I'll do it one day" kinda thing for me and I'm sure one of these days, I will actually attend. But until that time, I'll let everyone else enjoy it.

It was apparently 35 degrees Celcius today...fan-flaming-tastic if you ask me!!! Though unfortunately, the forecast is for it to be overcast and 25 degrees tomorrow and Sunday! Terrible! But still, we've got Monday off and I'm really looking forward to that. It's just going to be a lazy weekend with my gorgeous man and to be honest, that's all I need!

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Salad days...

Well, the weather has been sensational over the past few days. The weekend was spectacular, with gorgeous blue skies, light breezes and around 30 degrees Celcius. And it's at this time of year that I start getting serious cravings for salad! I have always loved salads...a love engendered as a child growing up in hot North Queensland where salad tasted much better than hot vegetables. And so, over the past week, I've been dosing up big time. Caesar salad is always a great choice, particularly with chicken. But my favourite is actually just a mix of green leaf, lots of corn, carrot, eshallots, tasty cheese (or occasionally feta), capsicum and boiled egg, with just a nice drizzle of home made dressing (my mum's recipe). I can eat a plate piled high with this kind of salad. And then some! Yummmmmmo!

Which is also quite good, going into summer, as I figure it's not so fattening. You may not think that this is such a problem for me, given my well documented battle to put on weight. Well, the battle is over I reckon, as I'm now developing a little spare tyre around my middle. It's a new thing for me, and the exercise regime that I'm following is pretty much just a weights only thing, no cardio. And so while I'm still building muscle mass, with my arms and legs and chest developing nicely, my gut has made its debut appearance! Eeek! So last week, now that the weather is warming up and the days are lengthening, I started walking home after gym. It's actually quite a pleasant time to walk home...there's still light in the sky, but the lights of the city are beginning to twinkle on the harbour. It's balmy and so I don't get too hot, even though I'm powering my way home. So hopefully, that will start making a difference to my little gut! I think I shall also have a chat to Muzbot as he seems to have been highly successful in developing a very nice flat tummy indeed!

Anyway, that's about it. This weekend, McBrad and I will celebrate 6 months together! How cool is that! Still amazes me that IT has actually happened - that which I'd been hoping for and dating what seems like hundreds of guys for - and things are settling down really well. I still find it amazing that after an ever changing diet of men for 18 months, I'm thoroughly enjoying my McBrad-only diet! I still think he's the sexiest man alive and can't keep my hands off him and just snogging him is enough to make me "shwing". He's just sooooo HOT!!! Anyway, I'm getting all hot and bothered here and it's probably not the right forum! Just believe me when I say, this is one very satisfied (smuggly so) Monty! But better still, he makes me happy, and I think I make him so as well (well, I do my best anyway). Saturday, he's working and I'm going to get up early (5:30am in fact) and go to the markets and buy up buckets of Oriental Lillies. He loves their fragrance and I'm going to put them all over his house so that when he comes home, it'll be rich with their hot heavy scent! But that's just the start of festivities. More about that to come.

Enjoy your week everyone! :-)

More Monty's Miscellaneous Musings...

I knew, it's been over a week since I last posted. And it's not like I've not been doing anything, I've been doing heaps. But, I think it's getting all rather repetitive...McBrad and I going to dinner, me in love with McBrad, life going along smashingly well blah blah blah. There's only so much mush that I can take, let alone you, my dear readers.

Anyway, it was a lovely weekend last - the temperature hit around 29 degrees Celcius on Saturday, and as McBrad was working, Noodle and I had the day together...bonding. It was a lovely day, playing in the park, taking her for a drive etc. Saturday night, we (McBrad and I) went to the Brandenburg Orchestra who were performing Handel's Water Music and Music for the Royal Fireworks (complete with pyrotechnics). FANTASTIC evening!

It's been quite splendid weather this week, albeit slightly cooler. But today is back to 27 degrees, flawless blue skies, buckets of sunshine and tomorrow is predicted to hit 31 degrees! Very Very Exciting!

Last night, McBrad had choir practice (he's in the Sydney Philharmonia Choir) and so I met up with him after that at 9.30pm. They rehearse at the STC Wharf in the Rocks and I actually turned up about 15 mins early. So I wondered down to the end of the street to harbour's edge, directly opposite Lunar Park. It was a glorious balmy evening and the moon was a warm golden colour, very low in the sky, just above the horizon. I've never really contemplated the Harbour Bridge from that aspect (normally from the city/Circular Quay side) and I've got to say, it's even nicer - the curve of the Bradfield Highway off the bridge is very apparent and would photograph quite well. I must remember to go down there one evening with my camera. Anyway, I just stood there for about 10 minutes and it was so calming, the dull roar of the vehicles way above me on the bridge, the moon rising above the apartments, the dark water of the harbour, the ferries chugging past me...delightful.

Anyway, that's about it. I told you, nothing that spectacular. Oh, apart from the fact that I received my Kylie tickets on Tuesday!!! Wahoooo! Very excited about that!

It has been flat out at work...good flat out by the way. Unless you've been under a rock, you'll be aware of the turbulence in the financial markets recently. Here in Oz, it's not had as significant an impact as it has in the US and UK. But even so, people are skittish and nervous, which has worked very much in the favour of my employer - one of the Big 4 banks in Australia. I've had clients transferring megabucks from other institutions over to us, because we are perceived as being a solid, safe, conservative institution. So it's been quite a successful week for me, and next week promises to be the same. So, as in all situations, there's winners (us) and losers (everyone else).

Well, hope everyone has a great, sunny, warm weekend!

Monty's Miscellaneous Musings...

Firstly, it seems to be International-Meander-Slowly-Down-The-Street-Day today. Walking around at lunchtime was highly irritating, with everyone seemingly intent on wandering all over the footpaths, stopping at random occasions and just generally being as slow as possible. Drove me INSANE! Can't these people move over to one side to allow those of us who actually have somewhere to go, get there in the most time efficient manner possible???

Anyway, I purchased a couple of lovely shirts and a gorgeous tie from DJ's today...part of my little bonus splurge...the bulk of it I've been sensible and saved, but I did allow me a small amount to blow on whatever I felt like (plus an allowance to blow on my gorgeous McBrad).

I've also read that it's going to be 24 degrees Celcius and sunny on the weekend - it's almost summer weather! How fabulous is that going to be! I can't wait - it's practically beach weather. It's rather exciting actually...I was just thinking that I've not enjoyed an entire spring in Sydney for several years, having been in the UK/Europe for Sept/Oct of the last couple of years...in 2006 for "Monty's Shagging Tour of Europe" and 2007 which was basically "Monty's International Bloggers Meets" (and a few shags thrown in for fun - errr, not with the bloggers...just some random British boys). Anyway, it will be lovely to enjoy the change from the bare trees to the first buds (already happening) to the full blown bright zesty green leaves. I can't wait.

My brother Mark rang me from London yesterday...he and Sim are flying out Christmas day and will arrive Boxing Day morning and so we'll be having a slightly delayed Christmas down at the beach house which will be fantastic. But what he was ringing about was NYE. He wanted to know what we were doing, if we were going to one of the big dance parties, where we'll watch the fireworks from etc. The thing is, I couldn't really tell him what I was going to do as I need to talk to McBrad first. It was the first time that I couldn't just commit to something as I would've done 6 months ago. I don't mind, let me hasten to add, it's just different now that I'm one half of a couple. I'll have to chat to McBrad and see if he has thought about it, and we'll need to come to a decision as a couple. It's kinda nice actually.

So there's the few things that have been on my mind.

Spring in my step...

I do have to apologise - my blogging has been somewhat hit and miss of recent weeks. I will try and be more regular going forward.

Anyway, it's just going to be more of the usual romantic mush from me, so consider yourself warned.

I spent the entire weekend at McBrad's which was splendid. There was a moment part way through the weekend when I stopped and thought...'this is as good as it gets!' But the funny thing is, I've had a few moments like that over the last few months but it just continues to get better! Everything just seems to be going fantastically well. It never fails to surprise me that McBrad continues to be his gorgeous self, continues to profess his love for me and continues to want me around! And this is completely reciprocated, trust me!!!

Now, Friday was officially 5 months for us! That in itself is great! But after celebrating 1, 2 and 3 months together, we made a mutual decision not to make a big deal of 4 and 5 months, but rather wait for 6 months. Despite that, waiting for me when I arrived at his place on Friday evening was an array of presents. It was very sweet of him and I was very touched. I had only brought a bunch of flowers for him so I purchased a really nice bottle of champers for dinner. It was a lovely dinner and a wonderful evening and it just reinforced to me how lucky I am! I am sorry to go on and on about this, but I can't stop grinning.

Anyway, suffice to say that Monty continues to be a happy chap!

On a different note, as has been mentioned in other blogs, it's Spring here in the Antipodes and we've had some glorious weather - beautiful big blue skies, buckets of sunshine and daytime temperatures in the low 20's (degrees Celcius). Just perfect. The trees are starting to sprout leaves, flowers are starting to bloom, the days are slowly getting longer and longer. It's magnificent.

AND I got my results from my recent DFP assignment - I passed so I'm happy (17.75 out of 20 - not my most splendid result but a pass is a pass and that's all I need). It was a stress to get it done (particularly after I lost half the assignment 2 days before it was due) and so passing it has been a relief! Now, next step is the exam - I have 2 months. But I think I've broken the back of it so the worst is over.

I was reading a couple of my posts I made about dating over the past couple of years and it was interesting to see where I was at back then. To see the issues I was dealing with, and how I was dealing with them - it was a good reminder about how good I have it now. I'm reading a couple of blogs that appear to be somewhat similar to mine 12 - 18 months ago and it's fascinating to read them. I've added them to my blog roll and I hope that I can be as encouraging and supportive to those guys as many of my readers were to me in those dark days of my single sluthood!

Anyway, all good in the life of Monty at the moment. Hope all is good in your world too!

Today...

...it's hot and humid, the kind of weather that induces a delicious kind of torpor that demands everything be done at half-pace. It's the weather that makes you want to turn off the perky pop music and instead, put on someone like Norah Jones and swing lazily in a hammock. Norah I do have, hammock I don't. So instead, I'm taking my iPod (duly loaded with Ms Jones) and beach towel down to the park, and read the paper with a beer in the shade of a lovely old Morton Bay Fig tree.

And this leads me to my other little topic...I was thinking about reading the paper in the park and realized that at this moment in time, there'd be nothing I would like more than to have Mr Right there with me in the park, reading his own paper (of course) next to me. No conversation necessary, just to be there together, silently aware of each other. That's one thing that will need to be a fundamental quality of whoever Mr Right is...he'll need to be a reader. Not only because he'll need to be able to enjoy that silent reading-in-the-park scenario, but also so I can raid his collection of books!

Well, I'm now exhausted from all this blog writing...so I'm off to the park! Hope everyone else is having a lovely weekend!

Back in business...

Yep folks, I'm back! I actually arrived back on Saturday morning but life's been such a whirlwind since then that I've not had time to put digit to QWERTY and blog! And the silly thing is, there's about 45 potential blog posts in my head at the moment!

I do have to say first off, that it's fabulous to be back in Sydney! Everyone last week was warning me that it was cold and rainy in Sydney which I was not looking forward to. BUT arrived in Sydney at 7am Saturday and my friend Jacqui collected me from the airport and it was a lovely sunny morning! She stayed for a chat and then left me and I did my usual unpacking frenzy, washing, cleaning my apartment, getting myself sorted out etc. Grabbed some KFC for lunch (please don't judge me...I LOVE KFC) and read my paper! But, it was such a gorgeous day outside and I was dying to experience it! So, jumped in my car and went for a drive to say "hello, I'm back" to the Emerald City! Sim, Mark's boyfriend, gave me a couple of CD's that I had been playing to death while in London (it's the Soundtracks from UK Queer as Folk) and I whacked one on in my car. It's terribly camp dance music but I have to say, driving down the road, the sun was shining, it was 25 degrees celcius, my windows were down (you can't put airconditioning on when it's such pleasant weather), I was wearing shorts and T-shirt, the music was thumping and I was feeling HIGH!!! I was seriously euphoric! I wish I could've bottled how I was feeling because it felt good!!! Doubtless to say, I crashed that evening like there was no tomorrow! I hadn't slept properly in about 48 hrs and so I hit my bed hard!

Sunday was another magnificent day and so I battled through the traffic to Bondi Beach and did the Sculptures By the Sea - it's a walk between Bondi and Tamarama Beach and it was seriously jammed with people but I loved it none-the-less! It was just wonderful to be out in the sun!

You don't realize how much you miss the wide open blue skies of Australia until you've spent 5 weeks in either cold (and often cloudy) Europe or very polluted Cairo.

And to cap off Sunday, I spent a couple of lovely hours at the Commodore Hotel downing beers and chewing the fat with my mate Muzbot, which was excellent! This is the best thing about coming home...catching up with my wonderful friends!

It's the start of my holidays...!

Well, almost! Only 4 hrs left of work and then my holidays start and I'm off for 6 whole weeks! I'm going through my work like a whirling dervish at the moment and have only 3 relatively minor items on my list of work-things-to-do still not done. I'm starting to feel excited!!!

Walked outside briefly today and felt it...that first hot breath of summer! FAB-U-LOUS! It's so close, you can feel it. Of course, the irony is that I'm about to fly over to the Northern Hemisphere where the temperature is heading southward! So typical that the weather NOW starts tantalising me with that first flush of summer! Damn! Well, at least Egypt will be warm!

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