Every day I meet more English people! Quite random though as have met someone that has been here for ages (i.e. 30 years), and still has the broadest Geordie accent, but other people that have only been here a couple of years that sound Kiwi to me - bizarre.
I found out the other day that we can still sponsor our world vision child from NZ - was looking a bit ropey as they won't accept international Direct debits, but have got it sorted now so we can stay sponsoring the same child - which is good, cos otherwise we would have had to stop sponsoring him, as to send the sponsorship money back to the UK by transfer would have cost a fortune, and we've sponsored him for two years now so I'd feel like I was abandoning him. Prob sounds stupid to some of you, but I like to try and do things that can have an inpact on people less fortunate than me if I can.
Friday, 15 February 2008
Saturday, 2 February 2008
Once more into the breach dear friends.........
Yes, I know, I haven't updated it for ages, but in my defence I don't think Dave has posted since November!
Our stuff finally arrived from the UK, not all in one piece I'm sad to say, some treasured items were in many many pieces when we opened up the boxes. It was a bank holiday here on Monday (we mark Auckland Day) and it arrived in the afternoon, so we spent the rest of the day counting losses, putting pictures up and looking at photos.
The cat is finally putting on some weight as well as length, so he looks less like a pipe cleaner! He's going outside now, but despite lots of worrying, and being desperate to get out of the house when we go out, he mostly walks around the garden and then goes and sits under the house. Which is fine because it means I don't have to panic about him getting squashed by a car. I'm sure he'll go further as he gets braver, but for now, I'm glad that he's still the right shape and size when I get home from work!
Although we've still got lots of things to replace, the house is slowly starting to look less like a show house and more like someone lives here - it's nice to have some pictures and photos up on the wall as the house is very neutral and it makes it feel more like home having a bit of colour about the place.
We get another holiday on Wednesday - Waitangi Day - most of the bank hols over here seem to be towards the beginning of the year, which is great for now, but means it's a long slog for the rest of the year!
Further observations from down under:
Their sausages are weird - can't get a proper sausage for breakfast without special order (or paying through the nose for it), but there's a place here called the world cafe which does kind of sausage patties, which are different but quite nice. Most places that do breakfast do poached eggs only - and no fried bread!!!!! But, thank goodness - they have hash browns out here, which is gooooood!
Biscuits here are rubbish - even had a kiwi admit that our biscuits are great. But, I have found a couple of websites that you can buy English biccys, sweets, and loads of other stuff from. I'm all for eating local fare, but there are times when you just want to curl up with a steaming hot cup of tea and a bourbon biscuit - and you can't get them for love nor money in supermarkets. Or rich tea fingers, which I am bitterly dissappointed about!
There are flipping loads of poms here!!!! Every week I meet more people that have come out from the UK. There is a guy coming to Dave's work from the UK, and he's got a wife and kids, but has already bought a house over here, which I think is pretty brave. And they land on Friday, and he starts work on Monday - which if our jet lag is anything to go by, is just a silly idea. Oh well, I'm sure he'll soon find out it wipes u out!
We have aquired a shed load of books for free from my bosses, which is great as we had to get rid of so many books when leaving the UK, so our shelves are looking a bit more healthy!
I miss people very much, a lot of the time I don't think about how far away we are until I think - ooh I could go and see ............. this weekend, I haven't seen them for ages - and then realise that visiting anyone in the UK is now a major undertaking.
I've joined an organisation called BPW (business & professional women) - which is a worldwide organisation, but it's basically for women to meet up, network, have seminars (on personal as well as business matters) & they have guest speakers etc. And I can't knock it because going on one occasion got me a job, so it's all good. And no, as Dave asked, it's not like the WI - c'mon can you see me knitting toilet roll holders and making doilies????? I think not.
Our stuff finally arrived from the UK, not all in one piece I'm sad to say, some treasured items were in many many pieces when we opened up the boxes. It was a bank holiday here on Monday (we mark Auckland Day) and it arrived in the afternoon, so we spent the rest of the day counting losses, putting pictures up and looking at photos.
The cat is finally putting on some weight as well as length, so he looks less like a pipe cleaner! He's going outside now, but despite lots of worrying, and being desperate to get out of the house when we go out, he mostly walks around the garden and then goes and sits under the house. Which is fine because it means I don't have to panic about him getting squashed by a car. I'm sure he'll go further as he gets braver, but for now, I'm glad that he's still the right shape and size when I get home from work!
Although we've still got lots of things to replace, the house is slowly starting to look less like a show house and more like someone lives here - it's nice to have some pictures and photos up on the wall as the house is very neutral and it makes it feel more like home having a bit of colour about the place.
We get another holiday on Wednesday - Waitangi Day - most of the bank hols over here seem to be towards the beginning of the year, which is great for now, but means it's a long slog for the rest of the year!
Further observations from down under:
Their sausages are weird - can't get a proper sausage for breakfast without special order (or paying through the nose for it), but there's a place here called the world cafe which does kind of sausage patties, which are different but quite nice. Most places that do breakfast do poached eggs only - and no fried bread!!!!! But, thank goodness - they have hash browns out here, which is gooooood!
Biscuits here are rubbish - even had a kiwi admit that our biscuits are great. But, I have found a couple of websites that you can buy English biccys, sweets, and loads of other stuff from. I'm all for eating local fare, but there are times when you just want to curl up with a steaming hot cup of tea and a bourbon biscuit - and you can't get them for love nor money in supermarkets. Or rich tea fingers, which I am bitterly dissappointed about!
There are flipping loads of poms here!!!! Every week I meet more people that have come out from the UK. There is a guy coming to Dave's work from the UK, and he's got a wife and kids, but has already bought a house over here, which I think is pretty brave. And they land on Friday, and he starts work on Monday - which if our jet lag is anything to go by, is just a silly idea. Oh well, I'm sure he'll soon find out it wipes u out!
We have aquired a shed load of books for free from my bosses, which is great as we had to get rid of so many books when leaving the UK, so our shelves are looking a bit more healthy!
I miss people very much, a lot of the time I don't think about how far away we are until I think - ooh I could go and see ............. this weekend, I haven't seen them for ages - and then realise that visiting anyone in the UK is now a major undertaking.
I've joined an organisation called BPW (business & professional women) - which is a worldwide organisation, but it's basically for women to meet up, network, have seminars (on personal as well as business matters) & they have guest speakers etc. And I can't knock it because going on one occasion got me a job, so it's all good. And no, as Dave asked, it's not like the WI - c'mon can you see me knitting toilet roll holders and making doilies????? I think not.
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