Mike and I went on our first date.. He was one of my managers at my part time retail job, and I used to joke that he was "the guy I was in love with at work" to my friends. Not wanting to sound big headed or anything, but I always got every guy I ever liked, but Mike never gave away how he felt about me, which kept me guessing!! At the time I was dating 5 guys simultaneously, but broke it off with all of them because I didn't feel the way about them that I felt about Mike!! Then we both started spending a lot more time together - I introduced him to tapas; he introduced me to action movies.
Then one night - November 5th 2008 in fact - I couldn't take it any longer, I looked at him one evening and said "Mike...do you like me?". And the rest was history!! Our first 9 months was a whirlwind - we were both living at our parents houses due to circumstances so we had $$ to burn. I swear we lived off popcorn and La Tasca those first few months, as well as £3 pizza from Pizzaland in Selly Oak, where they knew our order before we even had chance to open our mouths. It was love, we just drank up each others company - didn't need anyone else, didn't want anyone to intrude on our bubble.
In July 2009 (I don't know the date as we were on holiday ha) he got down on one knee in my favourite place in the whole world - a valley that nobody else seems to know about in Andalucía, rural Spain. We were going to run away together, back to Australia where I had spent the previous year. Mike has a severe flying phobia, but we were going to go via the Trans Siberian railway, and then travel through Asia.
Then reality hit - I didn't get the grades I had hoped for at Uni, so my parents offered to pay for a Masters to compensate. We didn't move to Australia, but we moved to Nottingham instead where we got our first flat together. One year later, and my Masters was over and we found ourselves further north up still - Scotland, where I got a 5 year contract and my dream job. Two years down the line and we are making a home for ourselves up here, but haven't lost the desire to leave the UK - although I think we have now settled on Canada. Logically, although perhaps less romantically, we are getting ourselves and our careers sorted - Mike's at college and preparing to apply to Uni; I'm working in an amazing field and about to sort out my part time PhD application.
Our dreams are still alive though - we still aim high and want the world and nothing less. And although after four years things sometimes get tough, we still want to spend the rest of our lives together. And I know that seems like a simple thing to say, I really mean it - he is more than my boyfriend/fiancé - he is my best friend and knows me better than I know myself. We have come a long way - not just 'us' but also individually.
I'll stop writing now, because this mush could potentially go on forever, but here some pictures:
2008
2009
2010
2010
2011
2012
Tali xxx
Hey! Ok so I had a little bloggerlife crisis and made a new blog which I wanted to be purely lifestyle, and therefore separate from this blog. I wasn't sure if I would ever come back to this blog again, as I was getting tired/bored of the whole f/bblogging world.
And yet here I am, typing this out!
I have now come to realise I do still like being a girly girl (albeit with a gritty edge!). I like clothes and makeup and dyeing my hair and talking about all of the above. I also like blogging about more personal things - what's going on in my life, what are my thoughts etc etc. I realise this isn't for everyone - a lot of bloggers are quite hesitant to "reveal their true identity", or on the other hand, don't really get anything from people blabbering on about their real lives! So if you fall in the latter group, you may as well leave because I want to incorporate ALL aspects of my life and interest into this blog!
Still here? ;)
Weeell now, let's have a mini life update!
(1) It's mine and Mike's 4 year anniversary on Monday!!!! It's hard to believe that we've spent half of that time living in Scotland (was my 2 year workaversary on the 1st November) - things are going past too quickly!! For our anniversary, instead of the usual dinner date/flowers kinda thing, we decided to do something we've been talking about for months. That's right kids, I booked us in for a 3 hour intensive snowboarding course at Snowfactor in Braehead!! I am so psyched.
We are so excited that we went to the snow/xtreme sports exhibition event in Glasgow a couple weekends ago to find out a bit more about the related culture/community and to get a bit more info. I am both nervous and mega-enthusiastic about Monday now - I really want to be good at it, but I'm always lame at new things hahaha.... I'll keep you posted!!
(2) Works been full-on the last 6 weeks or so - had a massive project on, and I won't bore you with all the lab/molecular genetics talk but it's been quite intense! Glad to have it out of the way now. Oh yeah and BIG NEWS - I'm going to apply for a PhD!!!! As a member of staff at my university, I can get a part-time PhD funded while I carry on working!
I have a great boss who is really happy and supportive of anything I can do, and by doing a PhD I will get rid of the glass ceiling I have been concerned about in my career. The scary side is that as it's part time its 6 years long, which is a massive commitment!!! But it'll be worth it and I'm mega excited :)
I guess those are the only things going on in my life which can be classified as major news, but life in general is going really well.
Starting to get my life back in gear; more of a social life (which has been an issue for a while thanks to me moving around the UK too much and being too far from my friends!), being more active (hot yoga = amaaaazeballs), loving helping out at the stables still and am looking to get riding lessons which is something I've wanted since I could talk pretty much!
I went shopping last weekend as you'll know if you follow my twitter/instagram, which was fun :)
Mike is doing Movember this year - 3 days in and he's already getting a 'stache!! His donation page is here if you want to help him kick prostate and testicular cancers' ass! My grandfather is in the later stages of prostate cancer so I full-heartedly support Mike in looking like a douche for a month!
That's about everything I can think of right now. What's new in your life? :)
Tali xxx
.JPG)
