(Note: Shane’s typing most of this, and I haven't proof read it so BEWARE OF TYPOS X3)
WELL HOT DANG.
We haven’t updated the blog in about 4 months! It’s probably because we have been spending too much time doing too many awesome things! :D
We haven’t updated the blog in about 4 months! It’s probably because we have been spending too much time doing too many awesome things! :D
We accidentally spent a lot of time doing this and arrived back at the campsite just in time to catch the last of the daylight while trying and failing to get our portable charcoal BBQ to catch alight. After an hour and about 10 sheets of toilet paper later we finally made it catch alight and got to eat our luxurious meal of bread and vegetarian sausages! We honestly wouldn’t have it any other way! >w<
It got cold and dark quiet quickly so we spent the remainder of the night playing a card game called Rummy while our tent started to get drenched from the night dew. During the night, touching the tent roof would cause a shower of cold droplets to fall directly onto our faces or directly down into our very souls.
The next morning we had our little boxes of cereal and super chilled milk and packed up to head to a village called Dunster, which has the SKINNIEST ROADS IN HISTORY, PROBABLY. Nearly all of the roads there we wide enough for about half a car and had to have a red light system to allow traffic through from both ways. It’s lucky that Tasha was driving as I probably would have gotten our super flash car lodged into a tree or something.
While there, we had a look around the incredibly smalls streets and even smaller shops before heading to Dunster Castle which has had quite a colourful history to say the least. Well, let’s just say that a few people there have been left to starve to death down in the lovely moist and dark dungeons there over the years. The castle itself has had several owners the years and it now owned by the National Trust (who we are members with, so we can go FREEEEE, KINDA! YAAAAY!) It’s a pretty beautiful place, and you can see that with your eyes as you look at the photos here probably! :D
Soon after escaping the dungeon, we ran back to our super flash car and headed back home >w<
(TASHA TYPING NOW)
Since Ireland, Shane and I promised to go visit grandma in Hastings, plus Shane wanted to see where I was born (which was destroyed soon after my birth to hide all evidence that I exist) and spent the first years of my life (which isn't under a rock, like most people are led to believe!). We only spent the weekend there, but it just so happened to coincide with the 950th Anniversary of the Battle of Hastings! Unfortunately we weren't able to see the reenactment, which was held in Battle, because all the tickets were sold out :/ not that I mind, considering I was there during the battle last time. WE VISITED HASTINGS CASTLE INSTEAD! Where we left grandma hanging from the wall in the dungeons, that is her home now.
After Shane convinced me to unchain grandma from the walls (apparently it's illegal??) we decided to explore more of Hastings. I drove us all around, because grandma is old, and still aching from the dungeon. She directed us around the place and pointed out areas of interest for Shane (like the single Hello Kitty store they have in the town centre...We all know how much Shane loves Hello Kitty!). We also had Baxter (grandma dog-sits), the soppiest dog in the world, he gave us company during our walks, and barked at us when we accidentally locked ourselves out of grandma's flat.
We spent the evening in Hastings Old Town, watching the parade which celebrates bonfire night, it was amazing seeing it again, and I have been wanting to show Shane this parade for so long now. It was a cold, wet night, but it dried up and the moon shone brightly for when the parade started! We then got deafened and blinded by firework displays. Grandma and I decided to head home when Shane didn't stop screaming, we THINK he got over-excited, given the constant vibrations and wide smile...on the other hand he could have been just violently shaking with a grimace *shrugs* :D
All in all it was an awesome weekend! Shane got to see the sites, we spent more time with Grandma, and we all put on an extra 20 stone from all the delicious food! *HIFIVES WALL*
(SHANE TYPING NOW)
A few weeks later, I did that thing when my number got another number higher and people gave me things because of that! Hooray! I somehow turned 26 which although isn’t really that old, is old to me. People who are 26 should have done things like travel halfway around the world and find their soulmate and stuff oh wait.
A few weeks later, I did that thing when my number got another number higher and people gave me things because of that! Hooray! I somehow turned 26 which although isn’t really that old, is old to me. People who are 26 should have done things like travel halfway around the world and find their soulmate and stuff oh wait.
Tasha was a massive dork and organised a Halloween party for me over at her mums place (my first Halloween party, I’ve never had one before) and I have decided that is the only way to have birthdays from now on. If you aren’t dressed as a zombie, businessman or something else spooky on my birthday then you aren't invited U__U
We carved pumpkins (I had never done that either) and watched Hotel Transylvania while scoffing our faces full of pizza and sweets and other super mega naughty things and it was BRILLIANT! Photos are below >w<
Also... Tasha did something else which was super mega dorky... and I mean SUPER MEGA DORKY. She freakin’ proposed to me!! AND I SAID YES!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!
We’re gonna go do that marriage thing like old people do, and I am kinda old now, so hooray! Tasha made a very accurate comic about the proposal right HERE which sums it all up very well. BUT SHE IS STILL SUCH A DORK BECAUSE YES FKHWDJKOHDFSNKDJFNDHGUIDGHDIHHIGAUIGHDWHEUIDGHIDUG
And she knows it too! D:<
November. WHERE TO START?!
Well firstly, I finally got my UK drivers license! YAAAAAAY! All I had to do was trade in my NZ license and bingo, I could drive. No test or anything! Hooray for feeling like you are cheating but not actually cheating!
Well firstly, I finally got my UK drivers license! YAAAAAAY! All I had to do was trade in my NZ license and bingo, I could drive. No test or anything! Hooray for feeling like you are cheating but not actually cheating!
We decided to check out the Royal Armouries Museum there to burn some time and we accidentally started stalking one of my first initial webcomic inspirations Ryan North who I just happened to notice out of the corner of my eye because I saw his green jacket from a tweet the day before. I was far too chicken to approach him directly so I took some super not creepy blurry photos of him instead (one of then is above). GO US! That night we decided it was a good idea to stay indoors and try and throw connect 4 pieces into the connect 4 grid while watching slightly terrible television which is a brilliant way to spend time! WE RECOMMEND YOU TRY IT!
The next day was the first day of Thought Bubble and we were all lined up and ready for the opening, like complete nerds. We met a handful of super neat comic creators and brought a few too many comics, t shirts and other neat knick knacks during the time we were there. The highlights for my were meeting Sarah Graley who does the webcomic Our Super Adventure and several other works including some Rick and Morty comics (and of course Ryan North again who I apologised to for being such a creeper >__>). We also met up with a few other friends there including Hanna who does the comic Immortal Nerd who was super mega nice, and who we might have a table next to next year if we manage to get a table there next year!
The next day was very much the same, buying too many things and having semi-awkward conversations, and of course accidentally seeing Ryan North again because we aren’t accidental stalkers or anything. The night before we went to a restaurant which served cheese stuffed jalapenos, which were AMAZING at the time, but not so fun when you are trying to enjoy yourself at a comic con the next day. I may have felt like collapsing on the floor a few times on day two, but it eventually passed and we got to enjoy the day almost pain free!
The next day we sent Robert home from the train station because he is a very naughty boy but just before we did we accidentally saw Ryan North AGAIN. Tasha and I kinda regretted not getting a photo with him so we purchased some dinosaur shaped cookie cutters and gave those to him and then asked for a photo with him, of course! Even though he probably thinks we are the strangest people on the planet, I can finally say I got a photo with someone I have been dreaming of meeting over all those hours of sitting at a computer desk in some tiny little office all the way in New Zealand. I’ve crossed it off the bucket list! >:D
Afterwards, we decided that Thought Bubble was too boring without Robert so we began our 5 hour drive back to Dorset, accidentally acquiring and devouring food again as we did >w< Soon after arriving home, I felt super inspired but having met some of my comic hero's that it made me start to think about my own comics, and how I want to improve them. After all the hamsters running in their wheels in my head slowed down, I decided that Beefpaper was getting a little too crazy (my character became a vampire, and is still currently a vampire actually) and I wanted to do make some comics about real life events with Tasha and myself. Over the next few days, I decided to go ahead with making a new series and Tizzy Stitchbird was born (thanks Tasha for helping me come up with the name!). I could talk about it more, but it’s all up there to read if you wanna see yourself! >w<
A few weeks later, we headed to Southampton to give notice of our marriage at the registry office there! We didn’t know that they were going to interview us separately which caught us off guard but we basically nailed all their questions. Because I am not on a visa that usually allows marriage, our case would be referred to the home office for possible investigation, but the unenthusiastic guy who was interviewing us said that we shouldn't have an issue with them. We got sushi to celebrate (as you do) and then headed home, getting caught in the terrible miserably slow traffic as we went. I even made a comic about us at the home office! >:D
(well, up to the 14th of December)
We have settled down a bit during December as we have had many comic things to work on! Tasha has been kicking butt with getting more pages of Tethered ready (the first new comic will be released on the 4th of January 2017!) and I have been getting everything for Tizzy Stitchbird into action. We have have a few pretty darn cold days but most of them have been fairly mellow for what I was expecting winter to be like so far, but Tasha has told me that January is by far the coldest month so I won’t say too much about it just yet!
We have our tiny Christmas tree up and we have exchanged parcels with my family back in New Zealand. THE BOX ON THE TABLE HAS BOXES OF BBQ SHAPES IN THEM AND I CAN’T EAT THE YET BECAUSE IT’S NOT XMAS QJHDIWHDOWJHIWDJ
We have been going for a few chilly walks (not quiet as chilly as the above photos, that was a MEGA cold morning) and spending time with Tasha's mum and family, including watching a street light up with Christmas light last weekend. MEMORIES! :D
We have been going for a few chilly walks (not quiet as chilly as the above photos, that was a MEGA cold morning) and spending time with Tasha's mum and family, including watching a street light up with Christmas light last weekend. MEMORIES! :D
We have also been watching our favourite english comedy series and a few Christmas movies while working away on our comics, which includes:
- Fawlty Towers
- Red Dwarf (well, we are up to season 9, just past the classic old series end)
- Black Books
- A Muppets Christmas carol (I had never seen it which is basically punishable by death in this country it seems)
- The Grinch
- A few other random shows like Star Wars Rebels
Other than that, we have just been preparing for mass like nearly everyone else!
ONLY 11 DAYS LEFT TILL XMAS YOU GUYS, GET BUSY!