May you all be having a good month ;)! hehe

Dear all you wonderful people!

Welcome to the blog of my life in the Uk. It costs 1p per word to read this blog. Payment can be made... Relax I am only joking.

I left you last with my news up to the 2nd of May. And there is no news since then. So this is the end of this post. I am only joking again, it's impossible for me not to have news because every day of our lives should be an adventure.

So I just finished updating my skype, I know that is such fascinating news... Moving on, as you can see I am in a very sense of humour mood today :).

Sometimes in life you find out things and you think "Oh..." and then it turns out so differently to how you expected, in a good way. Well that happened to me this week with one of our guests who actually turned out to be one of the most fascinating people I have spoken too. And again this goes to show God works wonders in your life.

I found an online Karaoke program which I really enjoyed and even put a couple of my recorded songs on facebook. Not that I can sing, I did describe my voice on my profile as sounding like someone scratching their nails down a chalkboard. Haha. Singing is not my talent but I absolutely love music and I have such an appreciation for music. I'm a HUGE music fan. In high school they gave me the nickname Dj Gomo which is Shona and it means Dj Hill because I was always playing music.

A few months ago I discovered two amazing up and coming artists and I'm going to share a song from each of the two with you. They both have beautiful voices and I have been totally amazed by their songs.

Below listen to Suzi Oravec who has one song available to buy and she actually has an album coming out soon and I've already pre ordered it.



And is Veronica Ballestrini whose first album was released in 2009 and she has a second album coming out. I have bought a lot of her songs off Itunes. I got asked to do something for a fan video for her and I made a funny youtube video for her. I will post the link to it later or just go check out my youtube channel, the link is on my facebook.



I have no doubt God has got great things in store for them. They are both promoting their music. If you like music, I would say these are two singers who will remind you why music is so wonderful, you can go have a listen if you want. Thank God I found them online.

On the 5th of May I noticed that my twitter @sayingsoftheday has more followers than I have facebook friends which is brilliant. I originally created this twitter because my late grandmother gave me a whole lot of sayings she translated from Greek and had typed out on a typewriter and she found then all on old Greek Calendars and so I wanted to have a twitter with all the sayings to have an online record. I typed them all out in a word document, there are over 400 sayings. Then people began to follow and wrote to me and told me how much they love the quotes and so I decided to make it a twitter for quotes I like and for the sayings my grandmother gave me and so sayings of the day began officially. I started on the 15th of August 2009. This is the link if you'd like to have a look - http://twitter.com/#!/sayingsoftheday

On the 8th of May which was mothers day, I wrote a tribute to my mother which I have already posted on my blog (it's the blog post before this one) and on her group which I created in memory of her on facebook. What a wonderful thing a mother is, you should cherish your mothers.

 I curled my hair for the day with a friends hair curler that I will be buying off her. Here is a pic from the 8th of May.



And here is a pic of us a farewell party I went to in Exeter.



On Monday the 9th of May I listened to this song over and over literally in all my free time the whole day! God is amazing!



I also went for a run/ walk with a friend on the beach. I am trying to get back in to my running. It's so wonderful to run again. I might have written about it before but I couldn't run for about 8 months since about June last year because I fell running and injured my ankle but by God's goodness and people's prayers it has healed and so I can do the thing I love again and run. It was a run/ walk because we are still getting fit haha.

And these are the verses that stood out to me:

‎"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace which he lavished upon us."
~ Ephesians 1: 7-9

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God - not because of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. ~ Ephesians 2: 8-10. And my obeservation of this one is: "It's wonderful that God has a plan for each of us. By God's grace through faith he saved us because we were created by Him for a purpose and we should walk with God to find our purpose. And how we are all His workmanship created individually by Him."

‎"and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses all knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3: 17-19

‎"Therefore, putting away falsehood, let everyone speak the truth with his neighbour, for we are members of one another. Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger and give no opportunity to the devil." ~ Ephesian 4: 25-28.

Today has been my off day. I spent the morning sleeping of course and later walking around Sidmouth. I am getting excited about what is happening in under two weeks time. I know I still haven't mentioned my big news on my blog but I will, it will definitely get mentioned I am just not sure when. Maybe when it happens in about two weeks. Some of you already know my news or most of you I have spoken to do but I just can't officially announce it or put it in writing just yet. :)))

Tomorrow is departure day, which is a very busy day for us in housekeeping. We have about 2 departure days a week sometimes even more but we are used to it. I do like my job and my life here in the Uk. It's amazing how when you let God help you and guide you in your life how he turns your whole life around. And there are some really cool things that happen each day, I think "God wow how brilliant that wonderful things not matter how big or how small continually happen each day."

I will leave you with this blog post for now. Always remember I love hearing from people too whether I know you well or not. I love sharing my life and I love reading or listening about yours. I love connecting with people.

Love to you all,
God Bless,
Nicola Hill

Nix's news - Cyprus trip

Dear Friends and Family!

At long last I have decided to start keeping my news blog updated again with the days of my life ;)! All my exciting news of eating, sleeping and working ;).

It's been a very long time since my last post. This whole year has actually really gone so fast for me, we're already in September! I've had a really great summer here. Some highlights of my summer include spending time with friends, my towns folk week festival which was great, braais (barbecues) on the beach, swimming in the sea (yes I swam in the cold sea), kayaking, running, walking and of course laughing ;)! I can't write about everything I've done in the last few months but overall I can say that I really enjoyed this summer. The weather has been crazy this summer though, our river even flooded in my town and we've had the waves crashing over on to the sea front. I got splashed by a huge wave when I was filming the waves and that provided some entertainment for the couple watching me.

My most recent news as I've sure most of you have seen already, I went for a week holiday in Cyprus. It was very quickly planned and organised, all in a day! It was the best holiday, I had such an incredible time there. While I was there I must say it's the only other country besides Zimbabwe where I felt at home, it is actually half my home. It was nice to be able to speak some Greek again and read all the Greek writing everywhere. My camera broke on the plane just before I landed (haha on my France trip last year my camera memory card failed - I do great with cameras) but I borrowed one and used my phone and I have hundreds of photos.

I stayed with friends and arrived on Wednesday the 29th in the late evening and that night straight from the airport they took me to Larnaca and we ate souvlaki by the sea. My first full day there I spent the day in Larnaca at the beach. I played a racket game with a ball and bats and it's a very popular game in Cyprus and lots of fun. The sea was so warm, it was like swimming in a bath. The Uk sea is like swimming in ice water. We ate at a nice restaurant by the beach and I decided to eat raw fish and that was not my favourite haha. It was a full moon that night.

The next day on Friday I packed and we went to Protaras and stayed in a holiday flat. In Protaras they have that beautiful turquoise blue water. We swam when we arrived in the late afternoon and it was another full moon that night - blue moon. They had two full moons in a row and that only happens every few years. I went out to dinner on the main street in Protaras and we all had souvlaki. In the evening we went to Larnaca and we had a night out there at a beach bar, same place I had lunch on my first day.

On Saturday we spent the whole day on the beach in Protaras swimming and we hired a boat and went on a boat along the coast. We stopped the boat for a while in a very beautiful part and all jumped in the sea. In the evening we had dinner at a Greek restuarant and I had Kleftiko (Greek Lamb) and after dinner we went to a hotel that has a cliff bar where you can overlook Protaras from high up but there was a private function so we couldn't get to that section right on the edge but we could see some of it.

On Sunday we also spent the day on another part of the beach in Protaras. It was the beach right near the hotel where I stayed in with my family when I was a kid. In the late afternoon I walked to the hotel and took pictures of it, I have few memories from there. I remember jumping off the deck in to the water with my sister and my dad. My sister and I were swimming with our tubes while my dad tread water. At Fig Tree beach which is what the beach is called, there was a rock in the middle which my friend and I swam to and I touched the rock - I made a point of touching it haha. In the evening we went to a Greek restuarant and the cutest kitten was watching us eat. There are cats everywhere in Cyprus, everywhere! I took this photo of him/ her :



On Monday on our last morning there we went to Ayia Napa and spent the morning on Nissi beach. Ayia Nppa also has stunning turquoise water and I think I liked that beach the most. It was very shallow but as you swim further and further from the shore eventually you get to deep water where you can have a very nice swim.

Here's a pic of Ayia Napa:



Monday afternoon they drove me to Limmasol to visit friends there and in the evening we walked along the sea front and explored the 5 star hotels. Such massive beautiful hotels! We ate pizza on the sea front listened to the sea. It was a nice calm soft sound of the sea that you can just listen to forever.

On Tuesday I went around Nicosia and visited a Monastery which was awesome. After the Monastery they took me to a church that's built in a cave - it was amazing! In the evening I met up with friends from Zim at a fantastic coffee place.

On Wednesday I went to the city centre in the old part of Nicosia. Nicosia is the only capitol in the world that's split in to two. Right in the middle of the city centre there's a border and the other side is the Turkish side of Cyprus and you need your passport to cross over. Before the airport I visited a family friend and then they took me to the airport and it was time to say goodbye. I think I brought back half of Cyprus with me ;).

I had such a wonderful time there. I can't even begin to describe how much this trip meant to me. I loved spending time with everyone I know there. I had such a great time and lots of laughs with them :)! I will definitely go back there :). I missed it when I got back. I felt like I had been in a different world. It really was like being in Paradise.

I arrived back on Thursday the 5th of September and started work on Friday the 6th. When I arrived back I was surprised that it was so sunny and warm here and spent the afternoon on the beach in shorts and a t-shirt just like I was in Cyprus every day.

I've been working very hard since I got back but also spending time with friends and going out and all sorts. I had a great time with friends last night at a birthday party. Tomorrow is my half day - I work until lunchtime on Wednesday and then I am off until Friday :).

I do have more plans to travel in the next few months so watch this space :).

I am off to bed now so I shall love and leave you for now,
Until I write again,
Nicola

PS - lots of photos of my trip on my facebook!

Spring and Sun and all things fun!

Dear Friends and Family,

Firstly our clocks go forward an hour! So from tomorrow onwards we have jumped an hour ahead!

The weather has been fantastic! Since Thurday we have had sunshine! The most wonderful part about it is I live by the sea! So I have been out and about quite a lot :)! It's really been a (lovely) few days lol! I have heard the word lovely so much recently!

Yesterday I was in the city with a friend and went to a show in the evening but couldn't stay, I was very tired after departure day so I headed home.

I cannot upload a couple of pictures I took, my blogger uploader is not working so well! I'm sure I will have more pictures to upload later on! I am like the local paparazzi! Lol I love capturing things! Especially beautiful sights and people!

I have 2 days off now :)! Fun in the sun! If there is sun lol!

So that's an idea of what I've been up to!

Plus another thing that really made me go wow is Psalm 33:5 "the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord." FULL! Woop - an awesome God who loves us always! Who is directing us in our lives.

This scripture is one of my favourites. Isaiah 40: 28-31 "Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary, his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and not be weary and young men shall fall exhausted but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."

I feel a new post coming up on my writing blog - nicolathewriter.blogspot.com
I also post things on my writing blog on tumblr too.

I had literally just posted this and this song came on my spotify! The lyrics and everything are awesome and could not think of a better song to add to this post, it's so good and I went back to this post edited it and it's below for you :)!



With that I shall love and leave you,
Until I write again,
God bless,
Nicola

Birthdays all around

Dear Friends and Family!

For one thing this blog post comes from me typing off my blackberry as I don't have internet at the moment but when you want to write, you want to write :)!

I guess a good place to start is with the title! Well 3 people I met some at work and on a bus had 3 birthdays one day after the other, each of them turning 80. After the 2nd one it really got me thinking how much of a story you must have to tell with 80 years. Even though I have only lived just over a quarter of that, I still have a lot I've done so with 80 years you must have some really good stories to tell. I like hearing people's stories about what they have done in their lives no matter their age. Every life is a story.

While still on the topic of birthdays, earlier this month was my step-brothers birthday, yesterday was a friends birthday, today is my dads birthday and tomorrow is my step-sisters birthday and next month is my birthday.

I think the greatist thing about someone's birthday is that it gives you a day to say Happy Birthday and think about them and how they special they are. I think everyone adds something to your life and however you met them or well you know them there's only one of them and I like to take time to appreciate people. I try to wish everyone I can happy birthday. Online has got a great way of keeping track of birthdays and wishing those people you know around the world and that's what is keeping me online these days because I want to wish everyone. You always have that special feeling when it's your birthday and you should because you're an irreplaceable part of the world!

It's been warmer here in the Uk as we go in to Spring, really nice walking and living by the sea. I find it very funny how excited they get about the sun here. I have just been enjoying my life here, my job and my friends. It's really hit me that I have been here for over 2 years now when I never intended to stay this long but in that time I have met some amazing people and made friends from all corners of the world and built a life for myself here so I guess this is where I am meant to be for now although later on who knows. I have been enjoying life and things are going really well at the moment. I haven't been online as much, especially on facebook, haha strange coming from me or writing news as much but I am happy and healthy and of course with my unique sense of humour haha ;)!

I do love keeping in touch with friends and family who are spread out far and wide across the earth. I am always up for a text, call, skype call, chat, email - you get the idea! Also always up for hanging out if you are not so spread out and closer to me on this earth lol! Even for those who may not know me as well, got to start somewhere right ;)!

Best way to reach me quickly I guess my mobile, bbm or email or twitter even lol because I get those updates on my mobile. I am not disappearing, I am a contactable person just giving you the details incase I may not sign in to facebook as much for those of you who contact me regularly there.

I thank God for my life here for every piece of it and every good piece of me is a piece He has put together! All glory to Him!

PS: Our internet came back just as I was finishing this so I do added a song woop! I absolutely love music, always have, always will!

I have been listening to this song a lot recently and saw it posted on facebook today and I love the lyrics!

Part of the lyrics "Come and take my hand I won't let you go, I'll be your friend I'll love you so deeply"



Love and God Bless,
Until I write again,
Nix

My news! I've re-opened my blog :)

Dear Friends and Family!

After a lot of thought I have decided to re-open this blog and share my news with you all again. Of course my news isn't a play by play of my life but it gives you an idea of what I'm getting up to. I don't write every minor detail but some things. Of course you may want to know when I brush my teeth and when I put my shoes on and all those fun bits of information but I think I'll leave out those details ;)!

Let's see where to begin. I'll give a brief summary of the past few months since I stopped writing my news. I went to Paris (beautiful city - pictures on my facebook), finished my working year end of December, went on holiday the whole month of Jan, came back then started work mid-feb, took a 3 day vacation recently (pictures on my facebook in 3 albums).

Back to my news. Well I'm sick at the moment haha. I worked this morning but I had to take the night off work tonight.I did just have a couple days off too so I rested. Well except for going to Exeter on Sunday lol. Being sick happens so moving on... haha

The weather is warming up, even sat on the beach in the sun with just a t-shirt. Although it's warmer here on the coast however whenever I find myself in the city I freeze lol, it's so much colder there! It's funny I was recalling how it was in Africa, where almost everyday the weather was warm - over 20 degrees, mostly around 25 degrees and now that I'm living in England a warm day is a rare occasion.

I visited another coastal town here on the 4th of March and stayed in a hotel there, it was one of those vacations where you think oh I've got time off and I want to go somewhere, so I went somewhere :). Like I said on my other blog the things that happened and how this trip unfolded was amazing, you'll have to read my other blog to see what I'm talking about. It was very peaceful, I was moving practically the whole day lol but I felt a lot more relaxed than I had felt in a long time. It was a good experience, my first trip with just me. Actually it was the first time in over a year or even more than that where it was just me with no one I know around for more than 3 days of so.

I suppose I have been like James Bond under-cover for a while, you know laying low but I guess I like sharing my news and my life. I like hearing about your news and your life too. I like catching up with people. I like a lot of things haha.

Well I think for my first post in ages I'll let you off the hook ;), I won't write an essay but good to have this blog again.

The only way to end this post is with a song of course - yeah I still love music, I listen to Spotify so much now actually!

This is a great song I heard!



God always knows who we are. He's always there for us.

Until I write again,
God Bless,
Love Nix

Goodbye - My last blog post!

Dear Friends and Family!

I've decided not to continue this blog. Thank you for following about a year of my life! It's been a great year and my favourite month of the year starts tomorrow!

If you want to find out what I'm up to, you know where to find me :).

December already looks like it's going to be a wonderful month with a trip to Paris! And other exciting things happening :)!

And I'm really looking forward to next year :)!

I love having each of you in my life and being a part of yours!

May you all have a wonderful Christmas and New Year!

And of course we have to have a song for my last blog post. And I think this one is perfect :)!



God Bless,

Keep in Touch,

Nicola

Thanks!

Dear Friends and Family.

My previous blog posts have had the theme of decisions and change. In our lives we have to make choices and the choices we make determine the course of our lives. We can feel the weight of them on our shoulders, which way to go? what to do? A few weeks ago I had a blog post that was entitled "I got my answer" - the answer is that I have to trust God with my future just like this:

Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Another verse in Matthew 6: 34:"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

Which brings me to the title for my blog post. While I don't know what lies ahead and where the road may lead, I do know that I am thankful for my life here, my friends, my church, my job and all the memories and opportunities I have had! I am most thankful for God and for each of you being a part of life. Thank you all! You're awesome for just being you! Each of you are unique and add something special to my life.

This blog post has a story which I have copied and pasted below. God does have a plan for our lives but at the same time we can't sit back and say "God's going to do it." We have to take the step and God will guide our steps and I looked up this story which reminded me of that.

A guy is in his house when horrendous rains start falling. The water begins to rise, and before long it becomes a major flood. The roads are covered in water making driving impossible. After awhile, a boat comes along.

A rescue worker in the boat yells, “Come on! We’re here to save you! Get in the boat!”

The guy in the house responds, “No! I’ve got faith that God will save me!”

After an unsuccessful rescue attempt, the boat leaves. The water continues to rise, and the guy is forced up to the second floor of his home.

The county sheriff’s boat comes along, and the sheriff yells, “Come on! You are going to drown if you don’t get in the boat.”

From his second floor window the guy says, “No! I’ll be okay! I have faith God will save me.” The boat moves on.

The house, except for a small part on the roof, is submerged in water. The guy is on the roof as a helicopter hovers overhead. The pilot shouts out, “This is your last chance! Climb up the ladder to safety! If you don’t come now you’re going to drown!”

The guy hollers, “No, thanks! God is going to save me!” The pilot shrugs his shoulders and flies away.

The house is covered, and the guy is swept away by the flood waters. He ascends to the Pearly Gates, where God is waiting for his arrival.

He asks God, “What happened? I have been devoted to you and had absolute faith that you would save me. Why did you let me down?”

God answers back, “What more do you want? I sent you two boats and a helicopter!”

Yesterday was departure day and although we finished late it went really well, I was in my element cleaning my rooms.

Today was my half day, I finished work at 12:30pm and I have the whole day off tomorrow. I am going to watch the new twilight movie tonight with a friend because I can't wait to see it! I had a glass of wine this afternoon, I do enjoy a good glass and to chill out once in a while and as I'm going to Paris next month and they make some of the best wine in the world I'm sure some wine tasting is in order!

Someone also gave me a grapefruit this afternoon and I was really excited! Ok I know you may think it's just a grapefruit but to me it shows how much you can appreciate and be thankful for the litte things in life. A lot of the time our thoughts are revolved around what we want but what about what we have?

So today I am thankful for everything I have in this moment!

THANKS! (Glory to God!)

My friend gave me this song and she said this could be our song for life (she knows I have a song of the day on facebook almost all the time) because the words are what every human being should feel. So this is not only my song for the day but my song for life :)!



With that I shall love and leave you,
Until I write again,
Love always
Nicola

PS: Love to hear your news and how your life is going.