Ray and the world according to him

The Cup Diaries {4}

Dennis enjoyed his trip to Rotorua.  I think he was taking a quick mud bath somewhere in the background of this photo of Lisa, Melissa and me.......

{that's me, [Shane No1 son!!!] and Dennis!}

Ayway, Dennis was looking for a holiday job with a bit more bite...........

but backed off rapidly from this one.......!!

Enough of dennis though.  The weather is changing rapidly here, it seems like Autumn now and the clocks change tonight.  I have the log burner on for the first time since moving here - not because it is freezing but because it is a miserable, dank day and I thought it would cheer me up a bit.  Well, I managed to light it first time, which impressed the hell out me and then proceeded to hugely overfill it.  The heat it has been throwing out is fantastic and it seems to be heating the whole house.  I will have to get some wood delivered as I bought a little bag today and it cost me $7.  That might last me 3-4 days so I'm sure it must be cheaper to buy it and bulk and stack it on the front deck which is completely overhung by the roof.

I went on some generic orientation earlier in the week.  Again, I find myself echoing that 'don't look for logic in New Zealand'  thing.  I have been employed here since December and they finally think to put me on orientation?  I'm not saying I think I know it all but this would have been far more useful when I first started work.  The one thing I have picked up on was the contingency planning in case of an earthquake.  I knew that Wellington lay on a major earthquake fault but I didn't know there was another that ran through Porirua as well.

http://www.gw.govt.nz/story_images/1202_HAZARD_MAP_PORIR_s4821.pdf

It's obvious once you look at the way the hills fold up on themselves and as you drive along past Tawa on the motorway (dual-carriageway to us Brits!), you can see it lies in the fault-line.  I decided to start getting my earthquake survival kit together and went out and bought a big plastic container with a lid and a 20 litre water container.  Both are now sat in the kitchen with nothing but cat biscuits in them but at least I have made a start!!

Sharon and Katherine (who own the horses up at Plimmerton) have mentioned there is the possibilty that Melissa could ride one of their horses at a show next weekend.  For me, it is the kind of thing that only happens in litlle girl's horsey fiction books, so I am again, deeply impressed with their generosity.  Even if it doesn't happen for whatever reason, the fact they offered her the opportunity fills my heart.  Thank you.  Melissa was beside herself when she first found out.  Unfortunately, the rain has been coming down in stair-rods today, so we didn't get the chance to go up there.

And I will keep you posted with that one.

Home again

The girl is back and now watching a DVD as I wanted to watch one last night and now we can’t seem to get the TV back on……..damn technology!!

(EDIT:  a judiciously placed phone call sorted out the DVD/TV problem nicely........thank you for that!)

I worked every day she was away apart from today.  And today was glorious, so I was glad to be off.   Although we are technically in Autumn, it was a beautiful day.  I went down to the bridge in Whitby, where the inlet comes round and sat on the grass there for a while.  Not quite the beach but still the sea and slightly closer than any of the beaches.  Again though, I sat there and felt at peace with the world:  I just wish I had taken the camera so you could all see how bloody stunning it is round here.  It’s gorgeous the way the hills fold in ripples like a piece of silk haphazardly thrown down. And the way the houses on the inlet are perched willy-nilly on the hills.  Melissa takes umbrage at the untidyness of the communities here but I like the way that houses just seem to be strewn about rather than in nice neat little rows with handkerchief gardens in perfect symmetry.  It brings a deep contentment to my soul to live here.  I won’t willingly move away from here.  And as the house is sold and I can make my own choices, I don’t see a move back to Britain ever happening.  Once my year’s lease is up in this house, I would prefer to move to Papakowhai (about 2-3k down the road) as it is closer to work and more convenient for school but I’m not going to worry about that yet.  I’m going to enjoy the next few months then start looking for somewhere else in October/November.  There is the chance that the owners of this house will choose to stay in Australia and I may be able to prolong my lease but I’ll cross that one when I come to it.

I saw a man rescue a child that had gone out too far into the deep water channel.  No big drama – he just raced along the water’s edge, then charged through the shallows until he was only about 10 foot from the kid.  It must shelve steeply at that point as he wasn’t far off at all.  But there must be some current there as he seemed to be there for ages until someone else gave him a hand.  No-one even seemed to come and claim the child (seemed to be about 10 or so), so goodness knows what kind of parental control was going on there.  But all’s well that ends well.

Scottie has taken in her first lizard – well, the first one that I am aware of anyway!!  Lord knows what I will find when I move from here:  a strong possibility that there will be little corpses under all the kitchen appliances………ugh!! 

She took it into the bathroom and it did that little sinuous wiggle that they do so well and promptly hid beneath the door.  It was pretty funny watching the cat trying to extract it from either side but not being able to do so until she nudged the door a bit.  I took pity and rescued it, much to Scottie’s disgust.  Sulked for days she did!

I went up to Jac & Adies the other night and I love their new house.  Thank you for inviting me people and really good to catch up with you again.  I feel a house-warming coming on!!

The Cup Diaries: entry 3

Denis decided he had better get a holiday job, so asked the chaps at the Zorb in Rotorua if they could find him anything.  He got on really well with the team as you can see!!

Lisa and Melissa enjoyed the Zorb thoughoughly as did Shane - to the degree he went 3 times and managed to blag the last one free........as the chap who took him up the hill in the van has Scottish roots.........say no more mate!

However, Dennis felt a bit seasick and didn't think it was the job for him........he fancied something a bit wilder....

Tune in for the next enthralling episode of the cup diaries.........whew.....cliffhanger ending or what!!!!

The Visit

A fortnight simply wasn’t long enough.  I had to work the first few days, so Shane would drop me off at work, drop Melissa off at school and then they headed out and about locally.

 We had a big party on the middle Saturday and loads of the ex-pats and my colleagues turned out.  It was so nice of them to make the effort to come and say hello to Shane and Lisa.  I spent all day cooking and had so much left over, the freezer is still full.

 Then on Monday, we headed up to Taupo for a look about and then on to Rotorua.  We spent 2 nights there and a small fortune on accommodation and sightseeing.

 Then off to my favourite place in New Zealand – the Mount.  Well, Papamoa to be precise.  We booked into a sea-front chalet and the view was stunning. 

Met up with a few ex-pats en route – again, thank you for your hospitality Caroline and nice to see everyone.

I don’t really want to dwell on it too much as they headed back on Saturday.  I dropped them off at the airport, saw them properly checked in and ran away.  I couldn’t  sit there for the last half-hour in case I burst into tears, and I so didn’t want to do that. 

Fantastic to see you both, hope you had a good time.  Like I said, can’t go on too much in case I start greetin’!!

I will elaborate on the visit via the cup Diaries: much funnier and less painful that way!!

The girl goes to Hamilton for Easter.  I will be working nearly every day she is away, so that ought to keep me busy.

Cup Diaries: entry 2

Dennis wanted to see the sights of Wellington, so started off with some Tex-Mex food at Coyote.  He met Maz for lunch: we had to hang about waiting for him to do his chat-up lines.  He didn't pull though, so decided he would have a walk about.  But as you may imagine, he isn't built for walking, so took the cable-car up the hill.

The Cup Diaries: entry 1

Many years ago, about twelve to be precise, my middle son Mark got a ‘Dennis the Menace’ cup with an Easter egg in it (for Easter, funny enough!).  He treasured that cup and hated letting anyone else drink out of it.  So of course, it had to be done.  I used to take immense pleasure in using it because it would really wind him up.  “Mam, dinna use my cup’  “Mam, pit that doon the sink’ or just a growled ‘MAAAAMMMMmmm – dinna!’  Endless hours of fun.  He kept it for years.  Once he started working, I was even known to phone him up at work to let him know I was using it.  I once made the mistake of going on about how the stuff in the airing cupboard had to be folded perfectly:  all the towels folded a certain way; all neat edges; all tidy piles; all arranged meticulously.  I went in there one day after using his cup and found everything in a heap – he had revenge at last.  But I never told him how annoying it was, just ignored it and it never happened again.  When I last went to Scotland, it had to be done yet again:  out came Dennis the Menace from the back of his cupboard where he had lovingly stored it as it is past it’s best now.  And he had to rise to the bait, just couldn’t help himself.

WELL, when Shane arrived – there was Dennis the Menace in his suitcase as requested.  Mark was less than impressed when I phoned him up to tell him….and he’s 22 now!!   “Maaaaaaaaaam – send it back now’ was the gist of it.   He sent Shane a rather crude text berating him for his complicity also,

This is the beginning of the Cup Diaries – Dennis is sick of being shut in the cupboard and has come to visit. 

So, let’s kick off with Dennis bowling!!

Cheers Mark!!

They arrive tomorrow!

It was September 06 when I last saw any of my sons, so you can probably imagine how I feel right now.  Dammit, just typing that has made the tears well in my eyes and I didn't know it was going to happen.  My heart is full to bursting: it's a difficult emotion to convey.  The sheer pride I have in all my children, how the boys have matured into well rounded adults and made me feel so incredibly lucky that they are mine.  Boys,  I miss you loads but I'm happy in the knowledge that you are carving out lives for yourselves and seem to be making a damn fine job of it.  Always know that I love you.  Shit, crying again........I guess it's the anticipation of Shane's visit - that and the fact that the other 2 phoned me up this afternoon - which made it 3am  in Scotland!!  Bad, bad boys!! 

But it has been absolutely pissing it down here – please Lord, don’t let summer be finished as Shane and Lisa are here for a fortnight!!  I’m working tomorrow, then round to pick the girl up from the horses, then off to the airport.  I have no doubt whatsoever I will be crying as soon as I see them on the tarmac (note to self: don’t wear make-up as it will be smeared down face before they get in the terminal!) Today was meant to be a day of cleaning but it’s not that unkempt, so I have done very little.  And what I did do, I did with the accompaniment of my new CD’s – Marylin Manson, Nirvana and Linkin Park  - I’ve had a cracking day!!  Stereo jacked up to the max – a veritable wall of sound – I could still hear it over the hoover, the washing machine and the waste disposal!! 

I had a really crappy day at work on Thursday – got punched in the face by an irate patient.  I just didn’t see it coming so I am a bit annoyed with myself that it happened.  Not to worry, he punches like a girl but I have bruises from his knuckles on my chin and a bit of a fat lip.  C’est la vie, I guess and chalk it up to fate.

I went to yet another housewarming yesterday – I’m so loving living here!  A good mix of social events: some with the expats and some with my colleagues.  Not only that:  we got a lift with other work-mates so I didn’t even have to drive.  When you do all the driving, it’s just so good to not have to for a change.  Lavi – you’re a star!!

Well done that man

On Sunday, Danny was taking his son to play cricket and headed off over the Rimatakas in the car.  He was one of the very first people to come across a serious accident.  A motorcyclist had come off his bike and was in a bad way.  Danny got out and helped for 40 minutes at the roadside, by the sound of it saving the chap’s life.  The biker (although extremely unfortunate to be involved in an accident) was lucky to be first aided by Danny, who is a paediatric nurse and another man who turned out to be an A & E nurse.  They kept him going right up until the point he was put in the ambulance. The fire crew and Police thought they were doing such a good job, they left them to it and did what they needed to do instead.  Despite his many injuries, they kept with it and as the ambulance pulled away, the crowd that had gathered broke into a spontaneous round of applause for the first aiders.  Well done that man – I’m proud to know you.

I am running out patience with BAAAAD kitties.  Every time I think there is nothing worse they can do, they prove me wrong.  Lord help me, I think New Zealand will become a barren wasteland devoid of all lifeforms smaller than the kitties shortly as most of it has ended up on my living room carpet.  Poppy brought a live mouse in the other day and let it go in the kitchen.  I yelled at her and she picked it up and stalked off - if indeed a cat can stalk with it’s mouth full of mouse, climbing through a catflap!   But Scottie kitty takes the prize this week.  Melissa woke me up at stupid o’clock 2 days ago.  I thought she had come to tell me she wasn’t well but no, Scottie had brought a live bird into her bedroom and then let it go.  She woke the girl as she clambered over her head in a fevered attempt to get it down off the curtain rail.  I had to get a towel and throw it over the bird to get it down.  There seemed to be a lot of feathers and bits of flesh in the hall but the bird (looked like a little sparrow) seemed unscathed.  We shut it in the spare room for a while and it started cheeping so we took it out the front door and it flew off.  But there was a fingernail sized piece of flesh and many feathers in the hall, which leads me to the conclusion that there must have been more than one.  I know it is a cat’s nature to hunt but dear me, could they not wait until a respectable hour of the morning to do so?  No sodding consideration for others!!  I will return the favour by getting up at 3am this morning and turfing the pair of them out with the aid of a large bucket of cold water – let’s see how THEY like it!!

Only 4 days until Shane and Lisa arrive!!

 WOOOOOOOOOoooooooo!!!  I have been counting down the days  at work and they all know how many days left!!  I made them all come and look at the band’s site on the office computer today: 

http://www.mindgoneblind.com/

and tomorrow I am going to take in the copy of ‘The Northern Scot’ with an article of the band in it………God: I’m relentless!!

Can’t wait!!

Dappled

But the course itself was really good.  I spoke to the co-ordinator about becoming a trainer and he sounded quite receptive as they have only 1 woman trainer.  I think it gives  female staff confidence in their own abilities and strengths to be taught by another woman – well, it does me anyway.   I’m not tall or particularly heavy at the moment but once I get a hold, I don’t tend to let go!! They will be recruiting at the end of March and he told me to hand in my CV, so I rather think I will!! 

The course finished early yesterday, so I raced home and managed an hour on the beach at Plimmerton before getting the girl from school.  The weather is still beautiful and it was like a stolen hour: an unexpected gift; a simple pleasure.  It’s not the most fantastic beach in New Zealand but I still find joy in going there.  To be able to jump in the car and be there in 4 minutes without having to plan it like a military operation is great.  As I have stated many times before, being by the sea is good for the soul.  I sat on my little blanket on the sand, book in hand and felt so good about life.  I think sometimes we miss out on the simple stuff like that.  We get so caught up in the daily grind and the stress of bills, work, finances etc that it is difficult to take the time to sit back and appreciate what we have.  The sun was beating down and the beach was empty apart from me.  The tide was coming in and the lapping of the waves was mesmerising.  It replenished me.  I left there feeling ready to shoulder my burdens again.

We went to a school barbeque yesterday.  Met up with some of the other parents and expats and it was such a beautiful evening weatherwise.  I found it strange though that a school ‘do’ should be selling alcohol.  It appears to be the done thing here.

My phone rang earlier and I was very surprised (and delighted) to hear one of my colleagues from Hamilton on the other end.  It really made my day that he should think to phone.  He was at work so I got passed round a bit!!  It’s nice to know they haven’t forgotten me and wanted to know how I was doing.  I missed one of them, so he texted and I caught up with him as well.  Thanks people, I appreciated that.

My Aunty Mary is in hospital, recovering from an operation.  To all who read this and are planning going to visit her, please tell her I hope she feels better and give her a hug from me.  Lots of love and get well soon.

Parties and ponies

On Saturday, we also went to Simon and Louise’s housewarming party.  There were so many people there!! It must have been very gratifying to have so many turn up.  Great party – thank you for the invite and for the company and conversation.  Quite a few new faces for the Porirua Posse – again, widening that group of friends you have outside work is always a good thing. 

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of last week was ‘calming and restraint’.  This will be my 3^rd 5 day course in 3 years since qualifying (today and tomorrow making up the last 2 days).  Each District health Board in New Zealand works to the same general principals but makes up it’s own course and things may vary a bit, unlike the UK, where it is meant to be exactly the same wherever you go.  So I feel quite familiar with it now.  I’m not saying I think I’m perfect: far from it!!  I fumbled one manoeuvre so badly that I sat back on my arse with the male instructor’s face just about buried in my crotch!! God, was my face red!!  Don't know about his though!!  I certainly feel a lot more competent and confident about using C&R on the ward now.  In fact, I know they are looking for more people to help run training sessions and one of the instructors made a passing comment about giving it a go.  I don’t know how long it would take me to get competent enough to teach it but I am seriously considering pursuing that one.  Bruised to bits as usual following it though.

Lilaine phoned last week and we were back on the theme of how good it is to have family on the same side of the world as you.  Someone who could, if needed, be there with you in a couple of hours.  Someone you could dissolve into tears on without feeling stupid.  Someone you wouldn’t have to explain everything to.   Someone who used to play in the same playpark and go to the same school.  Someone who knows what the ‘Doonie’ is.  Lilaine coined the phrase mac-whanau, which I think is just brilliant.  I will use it;  I will use it a lot!!

Scaling new heights

She came in with a bird the other day, which luckily the girl retrieved and it flew off none the worse (hopefully!)  I thought if I typed in ‘bird most likely to become extinct in NZ’ and googled it, the sodding thing would pop up!!   As it happens, it appears to be a silvereye:

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silvereye

So then she really excellled herself and comes home with a lizard!  TWICE!!

Most likely to be these:

http://www.reptiles.org.nz/geckowgreen.htm

But I’m not 100% sure.  Wasn’t doing any barking by the time we found it……..

The girl has been at pains to make sure I tell you all she made tea on Friday.  She wanted to make meatballs.  And so she did.  And they were nice.  And very much appreciated.  When you do all the cooking, it is nice to have someone else do it once in a while.  Well done that girl!!  And she washed up today as the dishwasher is broken yet again.

She started back to school on Thursday of last week and it seems to be OK so far…………….

And I need to tell you about Porirua.  It doesn’t have the best reputation of all New Zealand cities but I feel so at home here.  Possibly because there is a high concentration of immigrants perhaps?.  The fact that a huge proportion of them come from the Pacific Islands doesn’t really matter.  The fact stands that we are all immigrants and that makes us all equal. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porirua

and Whitby:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitby%2C_New_Zealand

I love living here.  I feel accepted and part of what is going on.  I think it helps that I works with so many Samoans as that has helped me understand their way of thinking and general mindset.

lovin' it!!

I am so loving it here.

I dropped the girl and her friend off at the cinema the other day and went to pay some bills and do the grocery shopping.  Having 10 minutes to spare, I did the Kiwi thing and got myself a coffee and sat outside in the sun.  It was another of those 'I live here' moments'   They catch you by surprise and make you think about how much you have achieved.  I sat there on a bench in the middle of Porirua shopping centre, sipping my (excellent!) coffee and felt amazed at how fantastic it felt to be there.   I know full well that Porirua is considered to be the main base of the Mongrel Mob but I just felt so at peace with the world: a vindication and validation of my move here. 

And again later that day:  Melissa and I were out trekking on my new found friends' horses.  We were at the top of a rise and the scenery was laid out in front of me for miles.  The sun was shining, we had spent the afternoon doing something together that we both derive immense satisfaction from.  It was glorious.  It engendered one of those moments that come so rarely - a complete sense of peace with the world and satisfaction that touches your soul.  Couldn't ask for any better.

I have been on holiday for the past week but I will be back on Thursday, after Waitangi Day.  I like working weekends here as my colleagues usually stop by the market on their way in and buy something for breakfast!!!  I have eaten some strange stuff since coming here - but Hey!!, I have subjected them to my baking so it's been a fair exchange.

They have some odd ideas about food though.  Deep fried bread....they must have some affiliation with scots there!!  Sweet bread rolls dipped in coconut ceam, bread rolls with pork baked into them.  

And apparently, the scottish shop in Tawa sells scotch pies!!  Now, if they sold macaroni pies, the girl would be in seventh heaven!  But we manage well enough as it is, so we can live without them.  Shane has promised to make tablet when he is here, so really looking forward to that as well.

I had some friends come over on Sunday.  We had a quiet drink to celebrate the house sale.  Thanks for turning out people! 

And for those who find themselves in dire staits: thinking that life has come to an impasse; a standstill; a desolate wasteground where once stood everything you held dear;  that things will never get better;  believe me.........there is a whole wide world out there,  just waiting for you to grasp it.  If you had told me 4 months ago I could feel as I do now, I would probably have cried.  But it's out there people, just waiting for you, so bear with it and hopefully it will turn around for you as well. 

Enjoy.