The Cup Diaries {4}

Posted on Sat 5 April 2008 at 07:56

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.