Monday was Alla's first day back to work and therefore my first day at home with the kids by myself. The day hadn't quite gone to plan and had been a long one so when I got home after a trip to the shops in the afternoon, I was greeted by a couple of packages of the two single serve coffee machines I was to try out this week, the TASSIMO T46 Home Brewer and the Keurig B60 Brewing System, along with a great selection of drinks to try out.   I still had my hands full with the kids initially... More »

One of the most frustrating things about moving to Toronto from the UK was having to sell and replace the majority of our electrical items due to the voltage difference between the two countries.  Luckily some of our equipment is dual voltage so would work in both countries so we could ship them, however one treasured possession we couldn't bring with us was Alla's beloved coffee maker.  I had bought it for her for Christmas a couple of years back and, along with an electric bean grinder (also single voltage so left behind), it had become a permanent part... More »

So the day has come. Alla is back off to work and I am home alone with the kids. I decided to keep a diary of the first day...04.30 - We have just been woken up by my daughter screaming. I have rushed into her room to find her laying on the floor as she has fallen out of bed. I manage to settle her quickly. She was absolutely shattered as she was up until very late last night with a nasty cough.04.45 - She is calling out again. I go in and she seems to be ok. No sticker... More »

I don't know where the last week or two has gone. It's moving time right now - the house has been packed up and shipped, Alla and the kids left for Toronto a few days ago and I am finalising everything with my work here in the UK, whilst staying in the spare room at my parents house (not recommended).All our belongings packed up ready to go.It's been hard - both physically and mentally. For a few weeks it seemed like we never stopped - it was hard enough preparing to move as it is, but with two young children it... More »

After sending off the first email, much to my delight, we started a regular correspondence of emails, letters and phone calls with me even sacrificing watching new episodes of Top Gear on a Sunday night so we could have lengthy chats. It was strange - we were learning more and more about each other without actually seeing each other but the conversation was so easy - it just felt so right.Around the beginning of May I was overjoyed to be told that she was planning on visiting a friend in Amsterdam and wanted to stop by and see me on the... More »

I'm not sure what initially started my interest in Canada. I'd like to think there was a seed planted when I was a small child on one of our school visits to the Commonwealth Institute in London although I can't remember anything specific standing out as it was pretty much stuffed beavers, moose and a bear. Maybe it was the picture of the mountains covered in snow surrounded by pine forest and a cascading river that adorned my grandparent's living room wall - I would spend hours staring at this picture while bored, wishing my granddad would switch the channel... More »