Update I was meant to post on 18 December!

Hello hello hello

Firstly I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and wish you all the best for 2007. I know that a 'White Christmas' is meant to be tradition but I miss the long lazy warm nights leading up to the main event and also the terrible advertising on Australian TV eg. surfing Santas wearing board shorts and black sunglasses!

Once again it's been far too long in between emails/ blog updates so I'm going to back track! I'm not sure if it's because I'm so far away from everything that is comfortable and familiar, but my highs and lows have been so extreme since leaving home. I have been through so many just in the last few weeks as well – it's exhausting!

One of the exciting things that has happened in the past few weeks was I got to attend the British Independent Film Awards!! It was held at the Hammersmith Palais and I had to go along to organise cars for the producers/ cast members who had been nominated from the indie arm of Fox aka Fox Searchlight. We sat on a table with Dominic Cooper who stars as Dakin in The History Boys which I'm sure you have all by now guessed is my favourite film of 2006! We also had Damian Jones one of the HB producers and some agents etc. sitting with us. It was such a brilliant night and I was surrounded by stars such as Helen Mirren, Jim Broadbent (he played the father in Bridget Jones' Diary and the ring-leader in Moulin Rouge), Martin Freeman (Tim from The Office!), James Nesbitt who hosted the night and Mick Jones from The Clash presented an award! You can check out winners/ photos etc. here: http://www.bifa.org.uk/news_story.php?news\u003d27\

The week of the awards was the start of the rollercoaster of events that at times made me want to pack it all in and come home! Probably the thing that impacted me the most in the last while was saying goodbye to Miss Pointi. We shared so much of the joy and pain of setting up life in London together and the thought of having to continue in the tough city without her was slightly devastating! I'm so happy that she is now home where the weather is warm, the people are friendly and is surrounded by friends and family for Christmas!!!!

Pointi – I will value so much the time we had here together and am so grateful for your friendship and all of your support in this crazy city! I miss you so much!\n Can't wait to hang out again when I come home for a holiday bella xxx

It was a pretty sad week that followed Pointi's departure. I suddenly felt very lonely, was working really long hours and also trying to avoid being at home due to an awkward living situation – but that is ok again and no more needs to be said about that right now!!!! I was just exhausted and awfully home sick! Thank goodness I got over that horrible patch in a few days.

For around the past month I have been working very hard and for many hours on ticket requests and guest list for the World premiere and after party of the new fantasy film, Eragon, which was held last Monday 11 December. It was a huge event in Leicester Square and we had many members of the cast attend including Ed Speleers, John Malkovich, Jeremy Irons, Robert Carlyle and Sienna Guillory. It really was an amazing event and the after party was something else – held at The Royal Courts of Justice on The Strand which is a huge Gothic building that was opened in the 1800s. Spectacular architecture. My staff pass allowed access into the VIP Area so James and I guzzled outstanding champagne and wandered past the likes of Mr Malkovich and Mr Carlyle! Had a sore head the next day but made it through another mammoth work day anyway!

On Thursday of the same week we had our Fox Christmas party. Seeing as I had already endured one weekday hangover I thought I'd do the right thing and book myself a car home for 10.30pm. This was good in theory. Turns out Fox thought it only fair to give us an open bar seeing as we had all worked so hard! The bar stocked my beloved Magners and I ended up supping quite a few of those along with vodka & lemonade… I ended up having to catch the night bus home and was finally tucked up just after 2am and somehow once again got through work the next day… It wasn't easy! People in the London really know how to celebrate...

Had some lovely news from my boss this week – he has offered to sponsor me if I want to stay in the UK. I'm not really ready to think that far in to the future right now so I thanked him very much and said I would let him know. Honestly, nothing happens by halves here!

I am absolutely hanging for Ant to arrive on 30 December! Losing Carms and Pointi to the sunny side of the world has really impacted on me and faces from home are worth squillions over here. Ant – I will meet you at Kings Cross when you arrive and deliver you safely to your new abode!!!!! It's quite close to where I live which is great. Hope there is a suitable leaving do in the pipe line! And I would like to see some photos of it too!!!!

Carms and Claire phoned me on Saturday night (soooo good to hear their voices!) and I was able to tell them then that the weather hadn't been as horrible as I had imagined but the very next day I think winter well and truly started! James and I spent the afternoon/ evening in Greenwich yesterday with my friends Matt and Dave. It was beautiful but freezing!!!

I'm even colder now that I have looked at the BBC 5 day forecast;

Mon: Max 7 Min 3
Tues: Max 5 Min 1
Wed: Max 5 Min
Thur : Max 6 Min 2
Fri : Max 6 Min 2

Brrrrrrrrrr!!!!

It's hard to believe there are very serious bushfires happening in Victoria while I'm freezing over here. I really hope the weather turns the right way and the fires calm down it sounds terrifying. Hope everyone's friends and families are all ok.

I would love to hear what you are all up to for Christmas and New Year so if you have time drop me a line and hope you all have a lovely Christmas with your families and if anyone sees my little Keiser don't forget to wish her a happy birthday too. She is turning 9 this year!

I will be spending Christmas Eve through to Boxing Day in Rugby which is in the Midlands with James and his family – it will be lovely. New Years is still very much undecided but James and I may get all dolled up and have dinner somewhere very swish and then we might head to a house party which is doubling up as Matt's farewell. I'm sick of saying goodbye to people!

Miss you all very much.

Take care and lots of love,

Ren xxx