Fridge has settled in nicely!

Hi all

Fridge is very happy! Guess what - it has a butter warmer! Ha!

I came home from work and shouted into the front room that someone had put the butter into the little ice box at the top of the fridge only to be met by the smug remark that I should take a better look.

Lo and behold next to the box is a little switch saying soft at the top and hard at the bottom (ooh - just reread this - mayhaps I have a rude mind) - anyway it's for the butter - we will never have hard butter that puts a hole in the bread again!

Recently we visited the trendy area of Ponsonby - very pretty and lots of cool shops with great gift ideas - I liked the Little Britain birthday cards that had badges on (Want That One, I'm A Lady, Don't Be Givin Me No Evils etc). Shall be frequenting there again. We had a fab coffee in an Italian cafe/bar and even better puds - mmmmmmm!

Posonby has a grassy area and there are statues in ground designed to look like the tops of buildings poking up! Really coool.
Sorry it's bit teeny - I copied off a website and this is the sad result!

Ponsonby's quite close to the city too - here's a piccie of the Sky Towerin the distance:

Looking at it now, it's hard to believe it was a slum area in the 1970's - the buildings are so sweet.

The natives are friendly too - we were in a kitchen type shop full of trendy kitchen things, just mooching around and we nattered with the lady within about the pros and cons of the NZ Hakka with the throat cutting actions. People are very friendly here.

I have also been to Dressmart in Onehunga - had a lovely morning there buying a white cotton shirt (for the lovely weather to come) and fingerless gloves (for the cool mornings). They're made from possum fur and merino wool - very toasty warm. Kev bought a lovely jumper and Corrie bought TONS of stuff - have to remember she is a poor student after all! We ate yummy sushi for lunch too - I had chicken in mine though - not really a fishy person you see.

Had an interesting News and Views at school the other day - were talking about the war and sharing children's views from other parts of the world (from the CBBC Newsround website - very good) when one of my darlings came out with a corker:

"Muss, muss - is that the war in Lesbian?"

A swift reply, full of disdain, came from another little mouth saying:

"Muss didn't say that country - she said Lebanon!"

Luckily they were so innocent that noone new what they were saying apart from me! Whew. Great staff room memoirs though!

Well - it's Saturday today and it's pishing it down - most disappointing as the weather was BEAUTIFUL yisterday. Hey ho! Got loads of boring washing to do anyway.

Interesting facts (well they are to me anyway):

• The New Zealand cricket team is called the Black Caps
• Toilet rolls are white with pretty patterns on and often scented too (no plain colours like the UK) we are currently indulging in very soft rose patterned paper with appropriate scenty smells - loo smells lovely when you walk in (well - most of the time - ha ha).
• Money has changed here - the coins are smaller and some are copper coloured now - the new 10 cents looks like a 1p coin.

Best go out into the rain now to collect my washin from the dryer - can't contain the excitement.

Sue signing off for intense special mission to garage.

Over and out.

x Sue

Guess what I found in my living room?

Their preferred habitat is under dry bark and plants but will often be seen inside houses, where they look for shelter from the light, after hunting at night. The spider often hides in clothing, especially if it is left lying around on the floor.

Yes - a white tailed spider! We saw it scuttling across the carpet last night, finally taking refuge in our computer cd holder......

I tipped it out unceremoniously into a plastic tub (with tight fitting lid) and then proceeded to examine it with my torch. Beautiful looking spider with a definate white tip on its tail.

We went to chuck it out into the garden when, lo and behold, there was another one crawling up the back door! They're quite big too!

Son has now decided to pick up all his clothes off the bedroom floor!

Here you go - this is what one looks like:

Well - the weather has been fabbie over the past few days - cold in the mornings and evenings, but absolutely beautiful during the day.

Kev and Adam went out tonight to the North Shore to collect a fridge freezer bought via Trade Me - yayyy! We now have a freezer! Will be returning borrowed fridge asap with many grateful thanks for the past few months and also thanks to R tonight for the loan of his labour and much needed vehicular space. Cheers everyone.

Well - it's Friday tomorrow - aerobics day and News and Views too.

I really enjoy the aerobics with the kids - such fun - expecially the Picking Coconuts from the Coconut Tree song! It's really cool to see most of the school doing aerobics together.

I've decided News and Views will be all about unsual foods. I've found some cool photos on the children's Newsround site. Will get the children to have a fun quiz first guessing what the foods could possibly be and then we'll spend a happy hour or so plotting where they come from onto a world map. Fridays are fun! Will be sewing in the afternoon - are currently making mats, weaving, making pom poms and God's Eyes.

Hurray for Fridays!

Tata fer noo.

x Sue

Thus week I have been mostly......

Hi all

This week I have been mostly panicking about -

Maori Sticks to music - not only have I got to learn the song all in Maori, but I also have to teach the kids the stick movement to music!

We'll all learn the song together first methinks. It's a lovely song - not a clue what it means - but it sounds so Pacific Islandy/grass skirty - guitar in the background and lovely tune. The kids sing beautifully, they're very musical and have good rhythm.

The sticks will come later - have scary visions of them flying around the classroom.

Thursday after school was taken up by a blood test and chest x-ray for my Permanent Residency - due in next Wednesday. Results should be available on Monday. Much cheaper to do it here than in the UK - dollars for pounds basically and you can choose any doctor here, whereas in the UK you have to go to a designated doctors.

Later on that evening I went to see Take The Lead with Corrie - it was really good - spent most of the film drooling over Antonio! This pleasant viewing was preceded by chicken in Nandos whilst listening to a family with very broad Birmingham accents on the next table - rather surreal - brought back memories of the Bull Ring and very pleasant shopping trips therein. Talking of shopping trips - we spent a very happy girly hour together after the film in the shops buying girly clothes and nattering (Botany is open til 9 on Thurs and Fri - maybe Sat too - not sure).

Friday night was very pleasant too - went to a friend's for a girly night and lots of natter. It was a perfume party and we spent a few happy hours squirting wrists and elbows with a variety of smelly fragrances, followed by sniffing of each other to see which was best. Lots of smelly fun but twas all over too quick though!

Here's something I've picked up sporting wise so far:-

All Blacks = Rugby

Tall Blacks = Basketball

Tall Ferns = Netball

Black Sticks = Hockey

Cool eh?


Well - that's me so far - off to dim sum soon with Ero friend. Catch ya later.

x Sue

We've had a luverly time!

Hellooo

Kev has finally arrived and we've all been a family again!

Collected him at Auckland airport on July 7th, just in time for our daughter's 21st! Yayyyy! Had a fabbie dim sum lunch and he's been falling asleep early each evening ever since! Tonight he's still awake and it's the grand old time of 8.32pm - must be finally over it! (He fell asleep on our friends' settee after a sumptuous dinner the other night - ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS LASAGNE!)

Tomorrow he's off to Turner's auctions to look at buying a car - 4 wheel drive thingy to fit in my NEW BOOGIE BOARD (woohooo) and son's future surf board and tents and fushing rods and snorkels and flippers and chairs and sand and mud and shells bits and insects and lots of ourdoorsie things like that!

I'm back to work tomorrow - boohoo - dont wanna go........ However, needs must and all that boring stuff.

Well - we've just got back from a fabbie holiday to Rotorua - thermal smelly land.

Day 1

Left Auckland and made our intrepid way down to the Waitomo Caves via Hamilton. "Now what's special about the caves?" I hear you all ask - well apart from being dead interesting and full of stalagtites (sticking tightly to the roof of the cave) and stalagmites ( that might one day reach up to join the stalagtites) and rivers and things - they are also full of GLOW WORMS!

We began our tour by following our knowledgeable guide through the maze of caves and ended it by sitting on a boat, floating in the pitch blackness through the twinkly worm lit wonderland.

However it was all over way too soon - but was very magical. The worms were just like the night sky except moving ever so slightly so as to make you think there's something not quite right with your eyes and feel in need of an emergency optician trip!

Here's a photo of the exit of the cave:



and here's a piccie of a spider's house in the rocks outside the cave:



After an emergency trip to the souvenir shop to buy tat, we set off full of excitement for Rotosmellyplace. After travelling across ranges, through Hobbit land, past lakes etc etc, the pong announced that we had finally made it!

Our hotel was luverly - we had rooms next door to each other and, after a very strange and rather costly Indian meal (onion bhajis = onion rings with curry flavoured batter!), settled down to watch Sky TV and conk out - shattered!

Day 2

Woke up to another sunny day and after a scrumptuous continental brekkie (which only 3 out of the 4 of us made it to), we set off with our togs (Kiwi word for swumming cossies) to the Polynesian Spa.

Have a lookie see - it was WONDERFUL. The water felt sooo good on the skin, there were pools of different temperatures and it was all outside - in the midst of winter - not bad eh?!

http://www.polynesianspa.co.nz/

Here's what we could see from one of the loverly hot pools - can you see the steam coming out from the opposite shore? Rotorua is full of steam pushing its smelly way out of its various parts of town!



After a fabbie morning lazing around in the pools, we made our way out for lunch to a delectable Italian Restaurant for a very unhealthy lunch of pasta, garlic bread and mouthwatering cakes - corrrrr!

Once we managed to dislodged our sated bodies from the chairs, we dragged our feet onwards to the wonderful Rotorua museum. What a pretty building! We explored it fully - from the basement right up to the roof tops:




Very nice bowling greens!


Here's the very pretty bath house also included in the museum price (where you could have a swum if you'd have known to bring yer togs along).



The museum was very informative - we watched films about

1. the pink and white terraces (the chairs we sat in moved and shook violently in order to recreate the earthquake that destroyed them - causing much mirth and statements such as "lift your feet off the ground - it's more fun", "ha ha" etc (ie totally losing the impetus of the seriousness of said earthquake and causing son to announce that it was wicked and that he was going to have another 'go')
2. and the sad story of the Maori platoon in WWII (very sad).

Here's another link for you to find out more about those luverly long lost terraces:

http://www.rotoruanz.co.nz/information/about_rotorua/history/rotorua_stories_pinkwhiteterraces.htm



Went back to hotel and just snacked on fruit due to being still VERY FULL from Italian lunch (world cup winners by the way - we watched the match from the comfort of our hotel beds that morning!)

Day 3

Another sunny day dawned and we set off full of excitement for the LUGE!

It was GREAT fun. We had 5 goes each and rounded it all off with a ride on the Sky Swing - woohooo!

SKY SWING: Thrilling and exhilarating ride of 120kph with a spectacular view of Rotorua City and lakes, special designed safety harness.


This is what we were strapped into! It was sooo much fun - had the giggles for ages afterwards. We screamed our heads off when Adam pulled the string that let us go and swung us 2 seconds later at 120kph over the hillside! Bought the DVD of it - you can just see the camera on the top rhs of the photo - we were HILARIOUS!

Slept very well that night - after a soak in the hotel's private spa bath and a swim in their cute little loverly warm pool.

Day 4

Woke up to a miserable day - dull and rainy, but never mind. We went for another lovely breakfast at the Fat Dog (huge pieces of toast!) - I had porridge today! Kev had eggs benedict, Corrie scrambled eggs and Adam French Toast - all BIG PORTIONS (we didn't order big - they just came like that)!

Poem on the toilet wall was all about worms! Read it whilst dutifully washing me hands!

Moved on to view a very pretty church, buy some lovely Maori wood carvings and to eat lunch next to the lake whilst watching loads of black ducks and 6 black swans. We threw bread at them during odd intervals. The sea gulls were very good at catching the bread in mid air and we all spent many happy minutes entertaining ourselves by throwing the bread in different ways in order to catch them out - they were very good and way too quick for us!



The afternoon was filled with a visit to a Maori thermal village and further smelly steamy holes in the ground, bubbling mud, strange coloured pools and geysers!

We left Rotorua around 2ish and made our way back home to Auckland.

Guess what! We made a stop in Hamilton for snacks of sushi and leg stretching and I found a boogie board in the sales - yayyy - a real one - just need the short flippers now - dying to use it! Roll on the warmer weather!

Well - that was us and our little break away - really enjoyed it and thanks to everyone who recommended the various eateries, sights and hotel.

It was great.

Fun word of the week is no longer Titirangi (ha!). It is now Puinui (pronounced pooey nooey). Isn't that a cool fun name! One drives through it on the way to the airport one does.

I have another fun word for next week, but must get the spelling right first.

Oh eck - back to work tomorrow - sob sob!

Will speak soon.

Tara!

x Sue

Fairy crossings!

Italy are through. Portugal and France are currently playing live on my TV ( 7.19 Thursday morning). I wonder who will be in the final with Italy?

Watched the news last night - weather down south has been very wet and windy and the fairies were cancelled due to rough seas? Treachorous fairy crossings???

The news announcer was talking about ferries! Caused lots of gusto did that section of news in our household! Visions of winged creatures in control of said floating passengers! Doing their little utmost best to get the people to safety.

Tis daughter's 21st birthday tomorrow and also tis the day that hubby arrives after 8 long months apart! He lands at 10 am! We'll all be together again - yayyy!

Have already got Corrie a lovely coat and will get her a little extra in secret today. We're all going to have a celebratory meal at the Sky Tower in the very near future. Next week, we're off to Rotorua for a few days too - woohoo! I'm going on the LUGE!

Not sure if I want to try zorbing - what if I'm sick whilst going around and around in circles down the hill? Would be most embarrassing when they let me out - did you have a good time? - Proawar - what is that smell? What is all this yukky stuff everywhere? You owe us millions of dollars to clean it up etc. Nah - too many scary nightmares about being sick to try zorbing!

Took Corrie to Piha the other day - absolutely beautiful weather again - most people in t-shirts on the beach.

Met friend and his family there - drank hot chocolate, ate sandwiches, collected shells, nattered, fushed and got SOAKED! Should've taken a change of clothes - ah well!

Spent some time trying to cast with my new fushing rod - caused lots of laughs to people walking by no doubt (ooh - France have just scored a goal - 1-0).

The tide was coming in and so did the line keep coming in - looking back upon this phenomenon, it seems that I probably needed a heavier weight - duh!

Anyway - 3rd fushing experience and still caught nowt - therefore, 3-0 to the fush.

We have begun our medicals ready to send in our PR. My blood pressure is very good (same as 17 year old son's) and my heart beat was 62 as compared to son's 79 - not bad eh?! And guess what - I eat butter! Shock horror.

People at work NEVER eat butter - they talk as though it is the devil itself. (Funny how my box of butter seems to be getting very low by itself in the staff room fridge though!)

Well I do - so there! However - only on toast and crumpets - don't like it in my sarnies - I have full fat mayo instead (I can hear colleagues screaming and fainting with the shock of it all right now). I've even lost some weight since living here - hah! Just a lot more active that's all - getting out and about in the beautiful countryside - yeayyy.

Now - what am I up to today?

Finishing boring paper work for school.
Washing, cleaning, having a shower.
Taking son for x-ray
Buying pressies for Corrie and a card.
Baby sitting for a friend.
Buying dehumidifier and spare gas bottle for heater.

Golly gosh I hear you all say - what a busy lady I am!

Well - on that note - I'd best get some more breakfast in preparation for the busyness to come!

Please pray for those brave little fairies on their dangerous sea crossing. They will be in my thoughts all day.

Tara.

Goes off to hunt for food and BUTTER!

x Sue

Corrie's here!

It was sooo cool to collect her from the airport - she arrived safe and sound. I was sat waiting, watching other people meeting each other and getting all misty-eyed when suddenly - there she was!

Waved madly to attract her attention - she caught a glimpse of me, waved, and then marched to the MAF office on a mission!

Apparently Corrie had bought some preserved meat whilst en transit at HK airport and it was duly confiscated at NZ airport (she didn't know about the strict food laws - but dutifully declared it upon arrival). The nice people at Auckland airport are keeping it for Corrie so that she can collect it upon leaving the country! Sad really - I love that stuff.

Oh well - we bought some yesterday at the local Chinese supermarket and ate that instead!

Here's a couple of piccies of her plane landing (it took exactly 1 hour from the plane landing until she emerged - not bad really!):





So far, I have shown her a little of the local area - Bucklands Beach, Eastern Beach and Howick village, as well as Musick Point with its lovely art deco building. Corrie loves all the views!

We went to Devonport yesterday (met up with friend and family for coffee), watched his eldest busking with his harp and then wandered around the shops. Really enjoyed the cool second hand book shop - spent a fabbie half hour or so mooching around the place (I got a book for school and a National Geographic magazine to go with it - saddo).

Later on, we watched the sunset from the top of one of Devonport's lovely hills. We saw boats rushing home before it got too dark, mist creeping in from the sea in the distance, smoke unfurling from various little chimneys and a little aeroplane whizzing around and about. So much to see and to take in - wish I could bottle it all for you!

Oh and here's a piccie of the city from Devonport:



That's us so far apart from Corrie falling asleep dead early each evening due to jet-lag!

Very sad morning this morning - England lost to Portugal on bloomin penalties! Dont ya just hate it when a match ends in penalty taking - ........

Happy news though - the weather is GORGEOUS again and we're off Tiki Touring - going to show Corrie the wild west today - will hopefully find Titirangi (ha!) with ease and not get lost once!

Will speak later!

See ya.

x Sue