The King and I

Posted on Tue 21 August 2007 at 09:54 - 1 Comments - Link

I move in exalted circles me, rubbing shoulders with the famous and the crowned heads of the antipodes.

Today, I attended the Koroneihana of Kingi Tuheitia at Turangawaewae. 

Bet you thought the keyboard had gone tits up there but that is all spelled correctly.  

I was one of the very few pakeha (white) faces to be seen today at the coronation of Tuheitia (pronounced ‘too hay teea’), the Maori King.  To be right, he was crowned several months ago but in accordance with Maori culture, he made his first public speech today, after the unveiling of his mother’s gravestone which is traditionally a year after death.  From what I gather – and I don’t profess to be an expert,  so If I have made mistakes and offended anyone apologies are in order – the week long Koroneihana is somewhat akin to the ages old games of the ancient Greeks and Romans. It is held at Turangawaewae (pronounced too runga wye wye) which is the marae (homestead) that generally hosts the huis (talks/conference/powwow) of the royal family even though they actually live at another marae a few miles away. The first day is mainly set aside for people from the local area who have been bereaved in the past year.  Prayers and karakias are said in remembrance for the departed and for those bereaved to recognise their loss. The second day is for the recent losses of the Maori nation in general.  The following days are various discussions, forums and sports with prizes in honour of various prestigious people.  Today was the first public speech as the mourning period for the last Maori queen is now officially over.  And tomorrow is the last day with closing ceremonies and more prayers/karakias. 

I saw the King of Tonga and the princess of Tonga, my good friend Tuheitia and the Prime Minister Helen Clark.  At one point, there was a speech-maker ejected from the marae – I thought it was part of the ceremony, like Blackrod knocking on the doors of the House of Commons in England.  But no, he was actually up there speechifying and insulting the King. It was very entertaining.  I was really glad I was standing next to my very knowledgeable Maori colleague who filled in the details for me.  As you might imagine, there was very little of the day’s business actually spoken in English, or translated either as it is essentially  a Maori affair. 

After all the speeches, it was a quick dash down to the Waikato to watch the wakas (war canoes) row past and salute the King.  It was worth waiting for.  In spite of the crowds on the banks, there was complete silence as they rowed down the river, blowing on their conch shell horns, chanting hakas, then they saluted the King with raised oars. It was so very well executed – a huge amount of rehearsal must have gone into it so I hope they were very proud of themselves as it instilled such a feeling of cultural heritage and images of the simple grandeur of a warrior race from an age gone by.  They were simply stunning.  They swept the three big war canoes around on the river in a magnificent turn that was awe inspiring to see – it put shivers down my spine watching and listening to them.

I felt honoured to have been there today on such a red letter day for the Maori nation, to have been there to witness history in the making.  I have a programme of which I cannot read a single word as it is written in Maori but I intend to keep it as there can only be so many of them printed.  Like I said earlier, there were very few pakeha there, probably about 98% Maori attendance.  It was a most peculiar experience to be in the minority by such a large proportion, not that I was made to feel any different from anyone else.

So, if perchance you catch it on TV – look out for me!! If there is a pale blur at the back under the trees, it may well be me!!

I was right. 

I went to the Doctor’s today and I have had my thyroxine upped by 1/3 which is quite a hike.  Not only that, I am bordering on anaemic too so I have been prescribed iron tablets also.  I feel better just for knowing that there is a reason for my recent lethargy and tiredness which may have contributed to feeling so miserable earlier in the month.  I feel a lot better now, so thank you for the recent emails, PM’s and calls people, they were much appreciated.

the oldest profession

Posted on Mon 20 August 2007 at 11:20 - 0 Comments - Link

There I was at work, leafing idly through the paper, when I happened to glance down at the situations vacant pages.  And there it was!! I nearly choked on my coffee it made me laugh so much.  I will replicate it here as it was in the New Zealand herald of 20.08.07

LADIES

LADIES

Soon to be open

A new approach to the

Oldest Profession

GUARANTEED INCOME

FLEXIBLE HOURS

INTERESTING, EXCTITING

WORK ENVIRONMENT

 Set your own prices

and so on...! I was beside myself laughing, that has got to be the best sits vac I have ever read!! Bloody marvelous.  It is the Kiwi way to call a spade a spade but to advertise for prostitutes in a national paper pretty much takes the biscuit.   It's just one of those things that sets New Zealand apart.  To be honest, I like it.  No pissing about, dressing it up as 'escort' or any othet such drivel.  The naked truth indeed!!   

I was particularly taken with the 'flexible' bit - well, you would need to be wouldn't you?!!

Apparently, prositution has been decriminalised in recent years rather that legalised, a bit like cannabis use in Britain I would guess.  But you wouldn't see an advert like:

BOYS
BOYS

Come and deal drugs for us

Pick your own street corner

Set your own prices

running in a UK paper, would you?

Anyway, just thought I would share that with you, best run along as i am meant to be working!

It was done in my break, honest!!

cats and cupboards

Posted on Sat 18 August 2007 at 05:45 - 1 Comments - Link

It’s hosing it down outside so I thought as I can’t go out to play, I would come and annoy you instead....

Had another spendfest today – the car needed tyres and aligning but as each tyre came with a ‘free’ $10 flybuys token, what a saving we made there eh?   Then some storage boxes for under Melissa’s new bed as she is such a mucky pup.  Steve picked up a pair of trainers for $10 in KMart so let’s see if they last longer than it takes to lose the receipt! 

And as we were walking past the Barbeque Factory, we stopped in and spent $50 on a magnificent hotplate liner.  Don’t ask, it’s a Steve thing.  Apparently you put this liner thingy on the barbeque and it is far easier to clean afterwards, just pull the liner out and clean that rather than clean the barbeque itself.  Everlasting apparently.  In which case, why do they sell them in packs of two?  Ahh, said Steve, but if I buy two, I get a free adjustable roasting cradle thrown in {voice from the background – ‘I’ll give you thrown in’}.  Hhmmm, really handy that,  in fact so handy that in all the barbeques we’ve had since coming here (2) and indeed all the barbeques we have had ever (several) I have never used or wanted one.   However, a bargain is a bargain.  Roll on summer as I can’t wait to see this in action!

And a spare mattress for when she has a friend over.  The mattress fits in this really shallow cupboard that has no other use than to store the ironing board so at least it won’t be in the way anywhere else and I can finally see some justification in having that cupboard.   Must have been designed by a man.  I just went and measured it and it is 9 inches deep – my foot is 9 inches long (UK ladies size 4) so my shoes wouldn’t even fit in it as they would be marginally bigger than 9 inches long.  Can you tell this is my day off? – I obviously have too much time on my hands….  So what else could go in that cupboard I muse?  My meticulously detailed collection of Indian elephant toenail clippings?  My collection of famous hostages?  The complete and unabridged works of Karen et al?  Including the German language version of course.  The fossilised internal organs of an 8inch wide diplodicus? I do have too much time on my hands as I have just been back through there to see if it has a door handle on the inside (of course it doesn’t!), so any idea of turning it into a stand-up bedroom are out then………..anyway, it is full to the gunnels now so no point in thinking what might have been…

Cats.  They are driving me daft.  Other people's that is.  As I mentioned previously, we haven’t had Poppy neutered as we would like one litter of kittens first.  Well, her siren song and wafting of hormones is driving all the toms around here to distraction.  And that in its turn is doing my head in.  According to the Vet, she shouldn’t be in season yet – if the Vet would like to come round here and tell the neighbourhood cat coterie that same fact I would be eternally grateful.  The ginger tom with the poorly paw.  The short-haired blue with the squidgy face.  The black and white double act from over the road.  The fluffy tabby with the pitiful meow.  They circle the garden like a school of sharks, sniffing out the one in a million particle of Poppy-kitty scent, waiting behind bushes like latter-day Take That fans in Robbie Williams' back garden, for the opportunity to pounce on her unsuspecting bones.  Unsuspecting my arse – the little madam knows exactly what the boys are after and boy, doesn’t she flaunt it.  It’s like Marilyn Monroe stood on the air vent thingy with her skirt blowing up – coy but innocent at the same time.  Ginger is the worst; he waits for her to go out and then follows her about like a priapic auburn shadow.  I think he is a bit overawed as he doesn’t seem to do anything but gaze mournfully at her and sing sodding love songs outside the house between the hours of sunset and sunrise.  Roll on kitty pregnancy so that they all shut the f**k up and let me get some sleep.

I went to the Gym again, hell that must be the best part of 3 weeks now – have I changed shape?  Do I look fit, toned and healthy?  Can I see any difference at all apart from in my bank balance?  NOT A JOT!!  To be fair, I know it is early days yet so I am not looking for a difference yet but I can already see a difference in how much I can bench press and how much easier the cardio work is getting.  I do 3 different types of ab crunches and I have doubled the amount I can do – up to 6 of each now!!   No, up to 2 sets of 50 x 3 now, so there is a sense of achievement there already.  I had done my workout yesterday and had just got back on the cross trainer for a last 10 minute cool down when this chap jumped on the machine next to me and started belting along.  And as he started to warm up the most disgusting stench started to rise off him.  He was absolutely redolent of piss.  It was so bad, I didn’t hide my look of disgust, but made ‘phew’ noises and stopped my machine, doing the looking about in an obvious manner business.  I looked at his face just to make sure his nose hadn’t been surgically removed as that would be the only way he could possibly have missed the stink.  It was definitely time to go.

Butter as a life form

Posted on Fri 17 August 2007 at 01:09 - 1 Comments - Link

Melissa had one of her routine check-ups at the hospital on Wednesday.  To think we had our visa held up because of Melissa’s overactive thyroid and her consultant has now cut her down to one tablet every second day, from one every day and she  thinks there is a reasonable chance that she may be able to come off them altogether  in another 6 months.  Good news all round there.  In conversation with the doctor, she asked me about my underactive thyroid – had I had it checked recently, which made me realise I hadn’t for at least 6 months.  I have been feeling really lethargic, easily tired and gained weight that seems reluctant to budge so there is a fair possibility that I need my medication upping.  I have arranged to have the blood work done tomorrow and will see the Doctor next week.  Hopefully that will be the answer to my recent lethargy. 

Hamilton City Centre seems to have been getting a facelift recently.  They have laid new pavements and installed new lighting on several streets and it looks really good.  The lighting is strung across the road in a festival manner and there are blue spotlights on the new pillars which give it quite a modern, cosmopolitan feel.  There are a fair few bars and eateries along the main city streets so it just feels a bit more welcoming now.  We went back to the little Mexican restaurant we found tucked down an alley off Victoria Street and ate there last weekend.  Pancho’s is tiny but the food is good and although the service isn’t particularly fast, they are friendly and nothing is too much bother.  They don’t have a licence but you can bring your own alcohol – which at least means you don’t get charged restaurant prices for it! 

We also ate in one of the food courts in the shopping centres recently and it is exactly the same as anywhere you have ever been before.  You could have been in any shopping centre in any city in Britain – McDonalds, roast dinners, sushi, Indian, Chinese, Coffee bar etc.  Reasonable portions, reasonable prices, mass produced food for the masses.  Neither stupendous nor horrendous – exactly what you would expect.

Hamilton has some quirky attributes.  There is an archery range which has a row of permanently situated butts (no smut please!) on its own site.  We have seen what appeared to be a club meeting going on several times as we have passed.  It looks like fun, maybe something to think about in the future. 

There is dog obedience training building set in its own grounds.  Again, we have seen dog training classes being held there and what looked like a show the other Saturday.

There is an outdoor (but undercover) rollerskating rink.

The statue of Richard O’Brien in his alien attire from the Rocky Horror Picture Show catches me out every time I go down whatever street it is on as I always forget that’s where it is.   And I always say to Steve, “I will remember that next time” and don’t.

The entrance to Hamilton Gardens has a rock formation covered in what looks like a blanket made of stones.  I imagine it probably has some cultural connotations but what exactly that may be is a mystery to me…

Somehow, the butter got left in the car for the best part of a week and it just set me thinking.  Left to its own devices for long enough, would in eventually develop into a new life form and have squatter’s rights in the car?  Or would it become securi-butter and gently infiltrate the unsuspecting arteries of would-be car thieves with cholesterol, bringing them death by butter at the first roundabout?  Or my favourite, the Lurpak chauffer.  Nattily kitted out in a silver and blue uniform, peaked cap and deferential manner at the ready, at my disposal to drive me out and about at my every whim.  And then, when I am ready to go home, he can come in have a bit of toast with me…………

not so bad

Posted on Tue 14 August 2007 at 08:16 - 2 Comments - Link

I’m just glad today didn’t turn out to be as bas as I’d expected.  On Friday I made myself incredibly miserable and low.  I was thinking about today, August the 14^th.  My son Darren was born on my 24^th birthday 21 years ago.  I’ll do the maths – he is 21 today and I am 45.  I am very proud of all my sons and it made me really sad that I wasn’t there to spend the day with him.  To be fair, I missed both Shane and Mark’s 21^st   birthdays also, as we had moved to England and they still lived in Scotland.  But there is a big difference between England and New Zealand when you are thinking about a quick trip home.  I knew Steve was going to be away for my birthday as he was on a course.  I felt old and unloved and fat and ugly and grotesque and selfish and horrible and worthless.  Middle aged and of no use or account to anyone.  I didn’t seem to matter anymore.

I felt an old grief that has been bubbling away for a few weeks now since I escorted a patient to a funeral.  The funeral was that of a person in their 40’s, who had been an alcoholic and died, leaving teenage children behind.  I felt incredibly moved by the service, finding it difficult not to cry even though I had never met them.  I found it very similar to my father, who died at 44, who was an alcoholic and left a teenage child.  I was in my 20’s by then and at the time I thought, well, he has had a life, he achieved things, and he had a family and saw his grandchild (I only had my eldest son then).  It’s funny how your perspective changes isn’t it?  Now I am 45, I realise just how little time he had.  We have moved to a new country, changed our lives and I am now older than he was when he died.  It has given me a lot of sadness over the last few weeks, all of my own doing but real in spite of that.

However, on Saturday, there was mail in the mail box.  It was a little parcel from my mother.  It contained a little holographic picture of a Pegasus, very similar to my BE avatar.  Something and nothing.  Not diamond encrusted gold, not hugely expensive.  But a token of her love and the fact that I hadn’t been forgotten.  That she had taken the time to look for something she knew I would smile at and get it in the post in time.  Thank you Mother, it was greatly appreciated and I started to pick up for there on.  We went shopping and spent shit-loads of money.  We bought Melissa a new bed, which fits her bedroom so much better than the huge bunk set she had.  It really brightens the room now you can get to the curtains and open the window.  We bought some really nice bed linen for our bed, which had to go on the bed as soon as possible of course.  It suits the room nicely so that helped too.  New shoes, what more could you ask for – ahhhh, yes, a new spaghetti jar!!  At the princely sum of $4.90 from K-Mart at it was end of the range but it was exactly what I wanted.  Lots of bits and pieces.  More importantly perhaps was the fact it was my first full weekend off in ages so we spent a lot of time together, eating out and hanging out and doing very little but doing it together.  Today, I have had a phone call from my elder sister Fiona, who has been up all night trying to phone me.  Thanks, Fiona, I needed that, it’s so good to know that people care.  I’ve left a message on Darren’s home phone and spoke to his Dad, telling Darren to phone about 7pm if he wants as I will be up for work by then.  All in all, not such a bad day.

Orbital bus route

Posted on Wed 8 August 2007 at 10:14 - 0 Comments - Link

Well  I learned that I really should have caught the CLOCKWISE orbital bus to the Base shopping centre……. It took 58 minutes to get there and 22 to come back, again on the anticlockwise bus, having therefore completed a full circuit from the hospital, armed with a patient!!

And as we drove through Dinsdale, there was a house right on the route that was absolutely swarming with people in disposable whites, wearing face masks.  I had my suspicions, which were confirmed the next day http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikatotimes/4152147a6004.html

I’m not suggesting that Dinsdale is the major drug suburb of Hamilton, just pointing out that it doesn’t matter where you live, shit happens.

Poor Melissa.  She went the stables on Saturday and was home within the hour.  One of the horses stood on her foot and seems to have detached her big toe nail at the root although it is still gamely hangin on there.  So she has been hobbling about. But is on the mend now.  She has been enjoying cross country at school but that is on hold for this week.  For her, the bonus has been that she has been allowed to wear her trainers to school once I wrote her a note of explanation.  Not only that, her teacher signed it and gave it back to her as she may have got detention from other teachers if she had been spotted for not wearing her school shoes.  As an aside - it seems to be international doesn’t it  - they make you do cross country in the winter here as well!  I mean, what’s that all about eh?  Lets wait until the weather is as bad as it possibly can be, then chuck all the kids outside to run around?  Obviously ‘character building’ for one and all eh?

I am so not looking forward to next week.  It will be Darren’s 21^st birthday and although it would have been highly unlikely I would have been in Rothes to wish him happy birthday, I feel really far away this time.  And seeing as Darren was born on my 24^th birthday, it should be my celebration too.  Although precisely what celebration I can’t imagine as Steve will be away on a course yet again and I will be working 8 – 5 as I have had to change my shifts to work around his course.  Which doesn’t even give me time to go the Gym as it would mean leaving the girl on her own and I’m not doing that.  If I could hibernate until the end of next week, that would be really good but as that is not possible, I will just have to endure thinking about being old, fat, unhealthy, lethargic, ugly and grotesque all on my own.  Yup, wallowing in self pity now, but that’s how it goes.

And the weather – it has finally got me down a bit as it seems to have been incessant rain for weeks now.  At least this morning has dawned fine for a change.  In fact………….

I have to change tack a bit now.  I had just gone into the garden to put out the washing and it is beautiful today.  Very calm and peaceful with a really ‘early morning’ feel to it, which is surprising as it is already 9am.  The sky is such a beautiful blue with tiny wispy clouds.  There is steam rising lazily from the brush-matting fence and the trees.  There is dew on the grass with little cat tracks on it where the girls have been this morning.  So, harmony is restored to my soul – all I need to do now is get cracking, get down the Gym and be back in time to spend some time on the deck before work.   Did I mention I went to hang the washing out in my pyjamas? Well, I did, also wearing slipper boots and a big thick jersey but jammies nonetheless!!  For a kick-off, only one set of neighbours can see in our garden and the other great thing about New Zealand is that no-body cares.  I have seen people in the supermarket wearing pyjamas before and slippers are commonplace.

bright kid!

Posted on Tue 31 July 2007 at 01:09 - 2 Comments - Link

We went to Melissa’s parent’s afternoon last week.  According to her teacher, Melissa is a pleasant, well mannered child – a little reticent but able to put her point across.  New Zealand kids seem more self-confident and that is an area she needs a bit of work on in her teacher’s opinion.  She is doing well – so well in fact that a recent test put her in the top 4% of children of her age across the whole of New Zealand.  Bloody Hell – we always reckoned she was a bright kid but that is really impressive.  Well done that girl!!  We are very proud of her and have told her so.  She seems to enjoy life here – I have tried asking her but all you get is the non-committal answers that kids do:  ‘s’okay’; ‘s’notbad’ and   ‘suppose so’.  That’s quite an accolade in kidspeak eh? Now, if we could just buck her up a bit and get her in the top 4% of the tidiest kids in NZ, we would have the perfect child!

This has made me smile since we moved here.  Please don’t be offended if you have relatives with dementia.  I know only too well how awful it is having worked in elderly settings for many years.  It just makes me smile……..

They have an Alzheimer’s Centre here in Hamilton.  How do they remember where it is?  How do they remember which day to go?  I have this mental image of a completely empty building full of cobwebs as it has been so long since anybody went there!  And last week or so, there were banners across the main roads proclaiming Alzheimer’s Week.  Who remembered that?  If all these people are elderly and have dementia, who put the banners up?? 

Ever since I first met Steve, I could picture us growing old together – if you are at the start of a relationship and can’t see that for your own pairing, maybe it is not going to be forever!!  I can just imagine the pair of us with the little wire basket and zimmer frames doing the weekly shop.  We will be old and doddery and still laughing with each other.  But now I see us here, aimlessly wandering Hamilton, knowing we are looking for something but not quite remembering what it is.  I will be giving directions that Steve will ignore as usual and he will be asking what’s for tea. 

I know my youngest son Darren very rarely reads this so I will take a chance and broadcast to his family members who may have forgotten and to the wider world – Darren will be 21 on the 14^th of August : don’t forget now!! 

I read the new Harry Potter recently and would like to share my literary critique with you.  I think poor old JK has lost the plot a bit.  She can’t decide if this is adult or kid’s fiction (what do you mean it’s a true story – bollocks!!)  It seems to be in a no-man’s land to me.  Too much death for kids to my mind but not enough of a plot for adults.  Lots of teenage angst and sulking and hanging about but not enough real depth on things that matter to kids for kids can connect to.  Too long and dithery.  So there you have it folks, I’m so self-important these days I can pass judgement on the highest earning children’s author of our times.  Well done me!

Did I ever mention our last fuel bill?

Arrrrrrggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!

It was horrendous.  I can only imagine the one before it was an estimated bill and it came to $70 odd.  Bear in mind, they probably estimated what the average Kiwi would spend at this time of year.  They simply don’t seem to feel the need for heating here.  Both gas and electricity are horrendously expensive here but we hadn’t stinted ourselves apart from moving the computer in to the living room as mentioned previously.  When the most recent bill came in, it was for about $300!! What a flaming hike that took.  I guess this one was a proper reading and they have added on what wasn’t paid last time.  The payment system here isn’t a standing order direct debit, more like ‘we will take what you owe us out of your account’ type jobbie.  But if you look at it as $370 for two months, then that isn’t quite so bad.  However, we have tried hard to cut back on our fuel use – we have bought a clothes airer that can be put outside then dragged back in if need be rather than keep on using the tumble dryer and less use of heaters in the bedroom end of the house.  Now we use the DVS more efficiently, that should make a difference also.  Hopefully, the next bill ought to be considerably less – I will let you know, whether you are interested or not!

the Ark

Posted on Sun 29 July 2007 at 11:41 - 0 Comments - Link

I’ve been too busy building an Ark to get round to blogging but allay your fears, stop the worried phone calls (nobody phoned!!) we are all well, hale, fit and healthy.  Well, to a degree anyway.  I have had a cold on and off for weeks, just can’t seem to shake it.  Nothing dreadful, just a low key sniffle, mild sore throat, aching chest but it won’t go away.  Not bad enough to keep me off work but enough to make me feel worn out.  Although we have only had three frosts so far, it seems to be colder as the house itself feels colder than we are used to.  Not to worry, after August, it should start picking up a bit and I should throw this cold off.  Melissa and Steve seem immune in spite of my best efforts to smit them!!

The reference to the Ark is due to the amount of rain we have had recently.  Well, we already have 2 cats to kick off with, pity they are not a breeding pair!  The rain we have had recently is simply amazing…….stops to look for figures to back that up……………no, couldn’t find any up to date rainfall data: perhaps the monitoring stations have been washed away?!!  Suffice to say, the rain has been amazing – it just fell out of the sky, not taking time to rain.  But that is what makes New Zealand green and it IS winter so this is not a complaint, merely an observation.  This morning, the temperature at 06.30 (yup, I had to go to work on a Sunday morning!! {BASTARDS!!}) was 16 degrees inside with no heating on and 12 degrees outside.  For midwinter, that’s not too bad at all – reminiscent of a summer’s day in Peterhead.

Doing my usual butterfly impression and flitting from one topic to the next then fluttering off to pastures new then back to to something already mentioned.  That’s because life is flittery and fluttery, not straightforward and rigid………..  Anyway, because of this stupid cold, I had to cancel my induction at the Gym on Tuesday – I woke up full of aches and pains, and my throat was sore, so I cancelled.  But finally on Thursday morning off I went to the Gym (the YMCA Gym no less!!) and had an induction and did a 90 minute workout.  It felt really good to finally be doing some exercise.  So good in fact, I went again on Friday and did it all again.  Now, I particularly like bench presses and the other one like it  - flys perchance – where you lie flat and bring the weights up from the sides?  I always get a real sense of achievement with those 2.  Not today – 2 days after my last session.  I feel like someone has taken a hatchet to my body and wounded me severely in the process.  However, that type of ache brings an immense satisfaction.  And when you get home from the Gym and can hardly lift the kettle because your muscles are so fatigued and wobbly, that is also, strangely enough, a feeling of satisfaction that you have worked damned hard.  Well done me.

Have I mentioned I have agreed to walk a half- marathon?  No, I thought not – in my usual butterfly stylie, maybe I should have mentioned that a few weeks ago when I was first asked.

http://www.coolrunning.co.nz/races/whangamata/info.html

Really, it is a bit of staff health promotion and bonding session all rolled into one.  Hopefully, enrolling at the gym will increase my fitness levels so that I can at least finish this.  I still think that I am as fit as ever I was but on recollection, it is 20 years since I ran a half-marathon!! – now that is really scary.  It seems like just a few years ago.  But we only have to walk it so barring a sprained ankle or some other ridiculous mishap, hopefully all will be well.  That’s in September so the worst of winter should be over and well into spring and I should be fitter, leaner and healthier…….don’t hold your breath. 

I forgot to mention, the Steven has gone on another trip to Christchurch - more induction.  It pisses me off considerably that although I had the most intensive induction known to man, it was all done on-site.......Right, the next job I take, I want my induction in Hawaii, Tenerife, Egypyt, The Balearicsand Machu Pichu - got it?..........He will only be gone a few days and this (APPARENTLY) is the penultimate induction course.  The very last one of course, falls on my birthday............Thank You Deptartment of Corrections, thank you very much!

random thoughts

Posted on Sat 21 July 2007 at 03:08 - 1 Comments - Link

I wish I could use the camera.  This morning, there was dew on the industrial sized whirly clothes dryer in the garden.  It was beautiful.  Each individual drop of dew seemed to be refracting a different colour of the rainbow.  It was mesmerising.  The sunset this evening was beautiful also, the sun going down behind the trees over the city.  But I had a cunning plan and sent the girl for the camera, so at least that one is recorded for posterity – or until the sodding computer starts playing silly buggers and has to be wiped again. 

I attended a really interesting lecture on methamphetamine (P).  It is no wonder that so many people get hooked as apparently it has the ultimate high by the sound of it.  The chap who gave the lecture was really on top of his subject and enthusiastic.  It makes training a helluva lot more interesting if the lecturer knows his stuff, can deliver it in an informative and professional manner.  Has to rate as on of the very best lectures I have ever attended – and after 3 years of student nursing and shit loads of in-house training in various jobs, I consider that quite an accolade.  The chap is a policeman so he knows what he is talking about.  Scary stuff, P, find out for yourself by surfing the web and pray to God that no-one you know and love ever falls prey to it.

Poppy kitty seems to just about be over the eye infection.  But just to make sure that both kitties are in tip-top condition, Melissa has made up a training schedule for both of them.  Pity these poor kitties.  Melissa puts them on a harness and lead and marches/runs them up and down the street.  She shuts the doors and takes them one at a time into the lobby, then she chases them about – which may sound cruel but you can tell from the way they respond that they absolutely love it  - and her!  She then gives them a cat massage that she found on-line – you can tell by their little drooling faces that they love her.  She has become whanau (family and a whole lot more) to these kitties.  I have handed all responsibility for worming and de-fleaing to the girl as she is now their parent.  She has even made them Halloween outfits already - and it's July - strange child....

We went to see Harry Potter the other evening.  It had some great special effects and any film will be better for being watched in a modern surround-sound, all singing, all dancing theatre but it didn’t really make up for the lack of a decent story line to fill it out.  Just Harry looking all intense and grumpy most of the way through.  Honestly, if you have teenage boys of your own, just slap a zig-zag of lipstick on their foreheads and stay at home and watch them sulk – save your money for something else!

I finally signed up for the Gym yesterday – well, I have only been talking about it for the last month or so…  but damn me, they can’t actually give me an  induction until Tuesday.  This time next year I will be reminding them of that!!  So there I was, all dressed to work out,  and they said come back Tuesday.  So I took myself for a walk round the lake instead.  And as I walked I’m thinking, ‘there’s something wrong here’.  I had just payed shit loads of money to go to the Gym and I’m walking round the lake for free?!!  Not to worry, once I get going, I usually enjoy the Gym – become quite obsessive about it for a few months and then it tails off – like an awful lot of people I guess.

The cat is the hat

Posted on Thu 12 July 2007 at 11:31 - 0 Comments - Link

And talking of cats, that really are turning into ‘cat burglars’.  They are always coming home with something, be it a burst balloon (which incidentally made a guest appearance it in the litter-tray a day or so later – yuck!!)  Or a broken toy that the last owners may have left somewhere strange.  Or a sink pug that doesn’t actually fit any of the sinks even though there was no utility sink plug when we moved in.  Their latest thefts include underwear.  OK, so far it has only been socks but there will come a point that Steve will open the door and get a right slap in the chops from some strange woman who has seen the cats coming in grinning through a mouthful of panties and other lingerie.  One pair of folded socks turned up and they were duly praised (even though they don’t fit anyone!) and today a single sports sock mysteriously appeared on the back deck.  Now, I think the time has come that they need to be severely reprimanded.  It is all well and good stealing stuff but they might as well nick something worth having: a diamond bracelet or a wallet would be nice!

Both Steve and I have had time off over this last fortnight as it is the winter holidays.  He was off last week, I am off this week.  Melissa went to the stables all last week so I guess she has had a good holiday.  I have had a great time this week – I have done the bare minimum to sustain life in the antipodes.  Eat, sleep, read, read read. I have read, even for me, an incredible amount this week.  Something had to give and that something was the housework.  So from Monday through ‘til Thursday, I did very little.  But today I looked around and the furniture looked furry (that is an exaggeration by the way!) so I felt obliged to do some housework.  Now that everything is pristine again, I feel fully justified in enjoying my last day of freedom tomorrow only doing things I choose to do.  So Melissa and I may go into town in the afternoon, or we may stay in our pyjamas all day!!

We went to visit Am Loolah (from BE) and her family on Saturday.  It was really nice to finally meet her and her family.  They were all lovely and several times she and I found ourselves saying the same thing.  Oh my God, separated at birth!!.  Caroline, if you get round to reading this, thank you for your hospitality, we had a great time and hope you did too.  Beautiful kids, beautiful home, lovely dogs and my goodness, that Dave is a great cook!

We were actually at the official Bay of Plenty meet up, so met up with ’Paul Gent’ and his wife Carolyn too – again, a pleasure to meet you too.  The strange thing was, in walked a couple of nurses who work on the ‘opposite ward’.  Steve just rolled his eyes.  It doesn’t matter where in the world I go, I usually end up meeting people I know.  So there we are, in a bar in a town at least 80 minutes drive away (Tauranga) and in walk people I know!  As it was a few pints into the evening, I introduced Caroline as my lesbian lover and the rest of the company as my coven.  And they chose to join us?!!  Alan, Nicci, we all had a great time.  The peculiar thing was, that Alan and Carolyn actually had people in common that they knew.  I was well impressed that you can come halfway round the world and meet someone who knows the same folk that you do.  It is indeed a small world. 

I have heard several people say that crime is more prolific here than it is in the UK.  I have no informed opinion on that yet as I haven’t done any research.  All I can say is that crime hasn’t affected us in any way – either in Britain or here in New Zealand.  The suburb we live in has no reputation for crime but – hang on to your hats people – we saw it all on Monday morning at 5am!! I heard a car driving fast and noisily along our road in a boy-racer stylie. Which surprised me as we live at the end of a cul-de-sac so you have to slow down. Screeched to a halt and then all went quiet. Then 'get out of the car and lie on the road' over a loud-hailer several times. We scrambled out of bed and there it was - right in front of our house. The young girl who got out of the car certainly didn't look old enough to be driving. The police were very cautious and seemed to my jaundiced eye (my sons used to watch a lot of cop programmes!) to do everything by the book. All over and done with in 5 minutes. I imagine the car was stolen and that she had taken a wrong-turn due to alcohol or drugs clouding her judgment. .Although I checked, I haven’t found reference to it in the local press.

Oh God, the noise:  I foolishly agreed that the child could have a friend to sleep over – how stupid am I!!

Auckland Museum

Posted on Thu 5 July 2007 at 02:49 - 0 Comments - Link

I particularly like the Maori graveyard set into the hillside.  (Have I told you this before – my apologies if so)  It is so simple: no big signs; no huge headstones; no terracing.  Just individual graves set into the hillside.  It caught my attention the first time we drove past and when I went to Auckland with a colleague, it’s simplicity caught my fancy.  The last Maori Queen was recently interred there.  I have always had a predilection for wandering around graveyards.  I simply find them intriguing.  I have to say that UK graveyards win hands down in the age department – New Zealand is a relatively young country so can’t compare with the graveyards you can find in hidden corners of Britain.  The ones with stones so old you can’t read them anymore.  The headstones that give a family history.  Gargoyles and angels in draped veils.  I’m sure you know what I mean.  But this graveyard has a feel all of it’s own as it’s roots are so different to those I am used to.  According to my colleague Mike, there is no reason that non-maori can’t go in there and pay their respects.  But to observe the proprieties, you need to wash your hands on the way out.  I particularly love the simple,(shop bought rather than council funded) solar lights that dot the place: it looks so tranquil in the half-light of dusk, the kind of place that takes the fear out of dying.  Apparently, the Maori style of grieving is the most therapeutic in the world.  However, having made that statement, I now have to away and do some research (ask my Maori work-mates!) as to why that is held to be true.  I will get back to you on that one.

Right, back on track now.

We have read that Pac n save at Slyvia Park on the outskirts of Auckland stock quite a few UK lines, so we made a frantic dive in there on Sunday as we had a schedule to stick to.  Up and own we wandered, until I thought to look in the right place.  And there it was.  In the foreign foods aisle indeed.  Indian Foods.  Chinese Foods.  Mexicans Foods.  Tai Foods.   UK Foods.  I ask you!  Since when have bloody stock cubes,  gravy granules and sodding Jaffa Cakes been ‘foreign foods’?   We spent shit loads of money – in that leading up to Xmas stylie:  when you buy a jar of pickled walnuts that will have 2 eaten out of it and then thrown out in October manner – I’m sure you are well aquaint with what I mean!.  Suffice to say we spent silly money on silly stuff but are still enjoying the process.  I don’t think I have ever counted out the jaffa cakes in such a jealous manner in my life.  I don’t even care that much usually but if there are 12 in a packet and there are 3 of us the Goddammit: I WILL HAVE MY 4!!

Then we swiftly scooted off to the museum.  We had organised that we would meet up with another ex-pat family there: the Lardyls  We managed that without too much distress and it was really nice to meet up. Mr and Mrs Lardyl (names omitted to protect the innocent) and their lovely children were excellent company.  So we spent a about  3,5 hours wandering the museum and chatting.  I had a great time – I sincerely hope that everyone else did too.  For me, the best part of the museum – and we didn’t see it all by any means – was the natural history section.  I loved the way it way set out and wish I had taken some photos to show you.  Comfy, banquette-type seating most of the way round, with a second tier where the kids could sit if they wished.  Loads of natural history books to check up on facts if you felt like it.  Pull out drawers of: shells (my favourite of course!), bugs, insects, butterflies, birds, rats (yeuch) - you name it if it was drawer-sized, it was there!!  Stuffed animals all the way round.  There are 2 schools of thought on this.  I go with the camp that says: ‘these animals were stuffed a long, long time before we thought about saving the planet and its inhabitants’.  So, they are already dead, let’s make best use of the resources we have.  Maybe not everyone’s philosophy but this is not a judgement call, this is my blog!  Suffice to say, I found it to be an excellent museum and look forward to going again.  And if I can cajole the Lardyl’s into going again, so much the better.  As a footnote: the girl found most of it boring.  Lunch was OK apparently.  Then after lunch, with my mobile, my personal alarm and strict admonishments to stay in the building, we let her go off on her own.  The day improved (for her) from that moment on!  What can I say!  You have to let go and that is not easy. 

We left around 3.40ish so that Steve could make the drive back in daylight as he is not familiar with the road.  I was happy with that as I still like to see where I am going.

An excellent adventure for the Burgess clan – well done us!

Snowing in Hamilton

Posted on Sun 1 July 2007 at 12:47 - 0 Comments - Link

I’m sure you have all done the same at some point.  Decided upon a DIY scheme and said to yourself ‘how difficult can it be?’  Did the alarm bells at the back of your mind not start ringing then?  Did you not think back to the last time you thought that and how not easy it turned out then?  Why not cut off your own thumb to prevent this from ever happening again?  Well, as usual, this turned out pretty much as stressful as possible.  Confidently measured up and trotted off to Bunnings to get the stuff.  Should have known things would go awry when we couldn’t even estimate how much we could get in the car and bought 3 bales of insulation when it was a squash to even get 2 in.  So, bright and early this morning (11am is quite bright and early enough on my day thank-you!), we set to armed with all the necessary tools.  First of all, the existing silverfoil type insulation had to come down – simple eh? No actually, it wasn’t.  We thought if we took it down carefully, it could put it back up once we had the new stuff in place. .  What a thankless task it turned out to be.  Especially when a bag containing McDonalds wrappings from several years ago fell out onto Steve’s head.    So that took ages.  Then the real fun began.  We had measured in between the joists and bought the corresponding size of insulation.  Then we found out that each and every space was a different size.  So some needed trimming and some needed wedging with the trimmings. There was a lot of fist shaking and ‘Damn you, whoever put this shite up’ going on, a lot of cursing as sawdust, cobwebs and assorted crap fell in our eyes and faces. We had to stop to pick Melissa up from the stables, so went shopping as we were out anyway.  Isn’t it surprising what you will do to get out of finishing a crap DIY job – I mean, food shopping on a Saturday afternoon?!  To be fair, the queues are never as bad as in Asda or Tesco, so another little bonus to life in NZ.  To cut a long story short, we finished at 8pm.  All the original silverfoil type stuff went back up also and actually looked neater once we were finished.  Melissa had laid out a cold tea and set the table so that was a real treat to come into.  Not only that, she had cold beer in the fridge, so Well Done that girl.  And although it isn’t particularly cold today, I am convinced that our bedroom is ten times warmer than it was yesterday – that’s maybe because it is!

Sheet shearing in New Zealand

Posted on Mon 25 June 2007 at 03:49 - 0 Comments - Link

Ha! Bet you though I had mis-spelt that didn’t you?  No, that it what I meant.  My obsessive house-keeping has reached new heights with today’s crowning glory.  I had washed and dried the only set of flannelette sheets for our bed and wanted them back on today. Come on, it is winter and there is no central heating in our bedroom – “ it’s frickin freezing Mr Bigglesworth” - to borrow a line from one of the Austin Powers’ films.  But when I put them back on, they were all bobbly.  So there was nothing else for it, they needed a short back and sides.  Armed with my super-duper debobbler, I waded in there.  It took me 45 minutes to do 2 queen sized sheets and 2 pillowcases.  HOW SAD IS MY LIFE!!!!!  I am thinking on turning it into a competitive sport though so I lay claim to the world record.  And as New Zealand is THE shearing country, where better to hold the finals.  Come one, come all, entries taken now for the World Sheet Shearing Championships!!

 I know I hammer on about the weather a bit but here I go again!  Today is the 25^th June – so if the seasons are reversed, it would be the same kind of weather you would have in Britain on Christmas Day?  No, not a jot.  I put one load of washing out this morning and had it back already.  It has been more like Rothes weather on a sunny autumn day than anything else I can describe.  There are very few leafs left on the trees that shed their leaves but I think there is a higher proportion of evergreen here as not so many trees are naked at the moment.  It has been really windy and squally but still quite warm and sunny in between. 

Today has made me think about joining a gym though.  Once I thought about Xmas Day, it made me think about New Year resolutions and I need something to kick me out of hibernation mode.  I INTENDED to look into it last week but have been blissfully ignoring the ever growing spare tyre or two or ten that now festoon me……...  Oh dear, the weather has taken a turn for the worse and I may not make it all the way out to the car which is parked about 4 foot from the door……...  Ahh well, best not do anything too dangerous like open the front door eh, may get blown away………I will have to resign myself to not going today after all.

No 3 son Darren has been off work for weeks with a broken wrist and I only found out the other day.  It makes me sad that I know so little about his life these days.  He says the cast will be coming off soon so he will be back to work shortly, so that at least is good to hear.  And No1 son Shane has booked tickets to come over next March.  I am really pleased to hear that, already trying to think what he and Lisa would like to see and do and what time off we can manage to spend with them. 

I was regaling my Kiwi workmates with last weeks’ story of the telephone connection and how Steve had put Melissa up the attic.  I was met with really baffled expressions.  ‘Why didn’t you run it under the house?’  Because we are stupid is the only rational answer to that one.  I guess it just doesn’t occur to the British mind-set that it is a helluva lot easier to under rather than over.  So last night, the girl got put in the attic again, took the telephone cable back down and it now runs under the house.  We both felt really sheepish as it is so very very obvious.  I intend to fill the holes in the ceilings and paint over it, even have the filler, just haven’t got round to it today.  And I am very glad it has come down because it was really untidy-looking and I may have been obliged to clean it or something!

We went out yesterday and bought some underfloor insulation – the polystyrene block type.  We will wait until next weekend when we are both off for a change and see about fitting it then.  It means taking down the silver paper stuffie that is up at the moment so don’t want to rush in and do a half job and leave our bedroom colder than it already is until we can get it finished.  Watch this space!

Radio 2 and the No1 son

Posted on Tue 19 June 2007 at 10:41 - 0 Comments - Link

Shane telephoned the other day to tell me about his escapades on the radio.  He had won Ken Bruce’s  Popmaster quiz.  This was last Thursday he was on, so if anyone wants to ‘backtrack’ it is about an hour into the programme.  He sounded confident and managed to name 3 tracks by Jimmy Nail to win the digital radio.

Well done son!!

We have moved the PC into the lounge as it is quite cold in the spare room.  It is a bit of a squash but bearable for a few months.  Although I have the heater on in there, it has become a bit isolated in there as the lounge door is shut and it feels like I am in the house on my own sometimes!  The moving has caused any amount of strife though, as the internet connection wouldn’t work in here.  So Steve went out and bought an extra phone cable.  It wasn’t long enough.  So he went out the next day and bought a wireless connection, which for some reason, wouldn’t work.  So he took that back and came home (this is 3 days later mind!) with 20 odd foot of telephone connection.  Then the fun really began.  Steve decided to drill into the loft space to pass the cable up there and back down in the lounge.  But we are both too big to fit right over to the edge as the roof slopes so steeply.  So, the child got volunteered and bundled up the ladder into the attic.  Just as well we don’t have any chimneys as he would probably make her clean them as well!.  Eventually, the cable was passed up, along, through and down, all without loss of limb or eye, which surprised me no end!  So we now have the PC in the lounge and it is back online with a white cable dangling out of the attic space and feeding into the back of it.  I did point out to Steve that if he had drilled a foot this way, the cable would have been hidden behind the enormous photo of our family.  The frosty glare I got for my helpful comment had me very swiftly head down studiously gaming as I stifled my laughter!

The weather is bizarre to the British mindset  –  well, mine anyway!  It gets pretty cold once the sun goes down but it doesn’t get full dark until about 5.30 still.  I put an extra quilt on our bed last night and it was sheer heaven.  I hadn’t realised how cold it was until then.  I try and read with my fingers wrapped up in the top sheet but they always end up sticking out and freezing.  Yes – top sheet!  I don’t know when I last (if ever) used a top sheet but as it was part of the flannelette set I bought, I WILL have my money’s worth!    But it is still warm enough for a t-shirt at midday even though there has been frost in the morning.  The weeping cherry trees at the front of the house went out in a red, orange and yellow blaze of leafy glory and are now naked.  They look a bit spidery with no leaves on them.  It looks strange to see the trees leafless when the sun is shining and the sky is clear.  It just doesn’t seem like winter if the frost lifts by 10am and there is no snow.  I can’t imagine EVER wanting to be in Britain for the winter ever again.  Of course, one of my neighbours tells me that this is the mildest winter for years and last winter was the coldest for 30 years.  There is never any in-between with Kiwis: they are a race of extremists in that respect.  It comes as no surprise to me to find out that Kiwis basically invented extreme sports!

I have spent the last week or so on night shift.  It has passed in a very comfortable haze of hibernation, laid-back shifts and eating.  I made a ‘nest’ on the settee of blankets, sleeping bags, hot-water bottles and pillows, so when I wasn’t in bed, I was dozing on the settee.  I have thoroughly enjoyed my shifts and have another at the end of the month.  I went in for a shift yesterday on my day off as I wanted to attend a Parole Board Hearing.  I went along and it was really interesting.  Thankfully, I went in the company of another nurse as we were asked some questions.  I was able to answer some of them comfortably but the legal, section-type stuff went a bit over my head.  However, this shows me what I still need to know more about so I will count it as a learning experience and hopefully find out what I need to know for the future.  I am glad I went and hope to go again at some point. 

I seem to be cooking all the time recently.  Carrot cake, various scones, lamb shanks, stir-fry duck,  moussaka, calzone pizza, self-crusting quiche…….I guess it is a winter thing but it has to stop before I pop!  I really did intend to go and sign up at the Gym that is just along the road from the Hospital but it was such a lovely day I didn’t quite get that far!  

What I did do today was go along to school and pay for this term’s music tuition. Last term, we are pretty sure we paid for music tuition twice and got billed for it 3 times.  Thankfully, I knew where the receipt  for payment No2 was, so phoned them up and told them so.  But I will not be caught out again, so paid it cash today, stapled the bill and receipt together and put them safely………..somewhere………….er………….where was that again?!.....

first step to fame

Posted on Wed 13 June 2007 at 09:55 - 1 Comments - Link

Melissa was really late home from school today.  Her friend rang to see if she was in and as she lives next door, I asked her why they hadn't walked home together..  'Because they are singing in the street' she said.  I thought she meant that Melissa and another friend were walking along singing and she had been embarrassed by them and come home on her own. 

Was I ever wrong!

When Melissa came in, she told me that she and another friend had been busking!!   Georgia sang and Melissa played the guitar!  They were only at the local shops so didn't attract a major audience, but I was very impressed with their enterprising spirit!  They made $1.20 and some sweets!  They put the money in the donation box at the vets for the SPCA.  I think that New Zealand has been good for her - I can't imagine her doing this before we moved here.

Is this the first step on the road to fame?  What will she do next?  Will she become rich and famous and keep me in my old age?  I don't know, but well done that girl!!

Resident's Visa

Posted on Tue 12 June 2007 at 11:22 - 0 Comments - Link

We were so relieved just to get our Visas at the end of the nightmare wait, we didn’t  really read the accompanying letter.  We just got on the plane and headed off.  Well, Melissa’s school phoned up the other day – did we have any other proof of residency other than her passport (which has the visa firmly stuck in)?.  I said I would have a look, knowing full well that somewhere in this house, was the letter of confirmation.  What a surprise when I finally dug it out!  We were meant to keep in touch with immigration and tell them of any change of address – we have moved twice from the original contact address!  Also, after 3 months of working for the company specified on the visa (and before 7 months were up) we were meant to hand in our passports, with payslips, a letter from my work, bank details confirming my pay and a letter asking for the Section 18A conditions to be removed.  We got here in October, it is now June – you do the maths!  Suffice to say, it should have been done long before now.  Thank God for over zealous school secretaries – I don’t know when I would have remembered that needed doing.  I started a thread on the BE site about this and found out I wasn’t the only one.  Things may have changed now but for those heading this way, make sure to read your accompanying letter – it may save you some stress in the long run.  Steve handed our passports and all the other stuff in at the Hamilton Office on Friday.  On Monday, they phoned to say the passports were ready to pick up.  As I was still half asleep following night shift, she said they would courier them out the next day.  I had jumped back into bed on Tuesday and fallen sound asleep once Melissa went to school, so when the doorbell went at 10am, I staggered through, opened the door and then thought to check if my pyjama buttons were tied still!  I completely blagged it, told the courier lassie that I had been working nights (not a complete lie, but it was the Sunday night, not the Monday).  I tried to take the computer pad thingy that you sign on from her and turn it round – she very tactfully pointed out my mistake!  Following another recent haircut, I dread to think what I must have looked like as my hair decides to stand on end as soon as my head hits the pillow!

So, I did a night shift the other night and about to do another 4 this week and other at the end of the week after. I like night shift.  You have a certain amount of autonomy (well, especially as the only nurse on shift!) and things are generally laid back.  I say generally as my very first night shift as a nurse culminated 20 minutes before the end of the shift in having to use C & R (Control and Restrain) on a patient.  And the paperwork went on for ages, what a pisser!  And any shift that doesn’t include having to get up at stupid o’clock in the morning is going to be a winner for me! And the other thing is that it doesn’t matter how much you enjoy work, there are pretty much always petty niggles.  Which is why I think the UK nursing shift pattern is a winner.  You start looking forward to your allocated nights as a means of escaping the normal routine of work.  You get on nights, enjoy it for a short while and then can’t wait to get back on days.  Then, when you get back on days, you are ready to get on with the daily grind.  I admit, I found the actual rostering in the UK stressful as both Steve and I worked  a varied shift pattern but the night shifts themselves I used to get on well with. 

I was just in the kitchen at the gauge is reading 9.9 degrees C outside and it’s 10pm.  This has to be the mildest winter I have ever lived through so far.  I went food shopping today without a jacket!  Sometimes I surprise myself at my own audacity!

I keep meaning to mention the kittens.  Scottie has turned out be very much a one-Man(Melissa) cat.  She pretends to be quite shy and timid but like every cat ever in the history of the world, has only cupboard love for Steve and I.  She thinks if she goes out, then comes back in again even after 5 minutes, that the food bowls will magically have replenished themselves.  It is our duty to feed her she thinks.  I wouldn’t mind, but she disdains us at every other turn so she can whistle as far as I am concerned!  She runs from Steve and I unless she wants feeding but Melissa can turn her upside down, baby her, chase her in fun and she puts up with it.  She is turning into a Kiwi version of my mother’s Tiggy I tell you!  She no longer looks like a kitten.  She has a chubby wee face and seems be to an adult in all respects.

Poppy is such a little Princess.  She is so adorable.  She is the dumbest cat in the world.  If she were human she would be some airhead celebrity who ends up being famous by accident.  We had Scottie neutered but we really want a litter from Poppy before we have her done as I think she would breed the most seriously cute kittens in the world.  She will never be Snarf but she has a personality all of her own and she makes us laugh.  She woke Melissa one night by licking her teeth!  Melissa had brushed her teeth before bed and drifted off pretty quick.  Poppy apparently loves the smell of toothpaste so helped herself  to Melissa’s!

For the first time since we have been here, I have seen a real live Weta.  They look somewhat prehistoric and are basically huge New Zealand grasshoppers.  I am far too lazy, try a Google search and see what you come up with.  Well, this one was on the wall by  the front door and they are about the size (including legs) of my finger.  They look a bit scary, especially if you venture on them unawares but they are harmless.  Melissa took a photo of it but seeing as she didn’t transfer it to the PC, it might as well be in China!  I will see if I can’t get one of the Geeks (Melissa or Steve) to do that for me and then you can see for yourself!  I forgot to mention in the kitty bitty, that both cats are ferocious (!) hunters and quite often turn up with little spiders and bugs on the doorstep.  This would have been a real challenge!  I wouldn't let them out the front door as they couldn't have failed to notice it.  I haven't seen them try to bring it in so I hope it had the sense to run away!

been a while

Posted on Fri 8 June 2007 at 11:28 - 0 Comments - Link

I don’t seem to have done this for ages, so my apologies if anyone is interested in them.

Where to start?

Steve celebrated his birthday on the 26^th of last month so I need to say:

Happy Birthday STEVEN!

Thank-you for the birthday cards, he really appreciated them.  Melissa made him a rather nice bone carving amulet which he wears all the time, I gave him some paua shell cufflinks, some aftershave and he bought himself a telescope.  The sky here is just so clear it is such a sound investment to buy one.  The only drawback is that Hamilton itself is pretty foggy over the winter so the nights aren’t always as clear as you would wish to be for star-spotting!  However, it’s not as bad as I though it would be – like I have said previously, living in sunny Peterhead has set us up a treat for living here: nothing on God’s earth could ever, ever be that bad!

We went to see the Pirates of the Caribbean III at a local cinema and very good it was too.  The cinema is brand new and I have to say, it is about the best I have ever been in.  Very steep – like a lecture theatre, so the people in front would have to be about 9 foot tall to get in your line of vision.  And the seats were so big and comfy with lots of leg room, it was the blueprint for how cinemas ought to be built.  So well done Hamilton for that!

Steve seems to be permanently on a course at the moment.  Funny how much things have changed (moving halfway round the world) but still stay the same.  He has certainly seen more of New Zealand than I have:  I ought to get him on here to give you his observations; but that ain’t happening tonight!  He has been to Christchurch, Auckland and Wellington on courses and I get left at home to hold the fort as usual!  Don’t tell him: we eat takeaway every night he is away!!!!

I have probably mentioned this one before but it has come up again today and I feel the need to share it with you.  Kiwi men love their own legs.  This is apparent in the shorts they wear.  Bearing in mind, the Kiwi mentality doesn’t allow for the throwing out of anything whatsoever, so those old dated clothes that you or I may have binned years ago are still lurking at the back of  a Kiwi cupboard.  This is probably down to the fact that wages are considerably less here and recycling is always good.  Not knocking it, merely an observation.  Sooo, the shorts from the 80’s – skimpy, up to the danger zone nearly?  Yup, still alive and kicking in God’s own country!!  Now, there is a choice of footwear that adapts itself admirably to the said skimpy shorts: either gumboots (wellies to you or I) or flip-flops with winter socks!!  I don’t know that I can ever take either without a broad grin on my face but that is the done thing here, so good luck to them and all who sail in them!

We have had one frost so far this winter, and this is now mid(ish) December by all accounting.  I took a patient out the other day and as it was quite warm as we left the ward, I didn’t take my coat.  It then proceeded to piss down.  I was frozen.  But it shows the unpredictability of the weather here.  For those who know me, you know full well I have to carry a coat at least all winter.  It’s an insurance policy:  if I don’t take it, it will be so cold I can’t move; if I do take, I then have to carry it everywhere!.  Better safe than sorry!  But it really caught me out the other day, so mild it is like early summer, never mind winter.  I love it here!

What else: nothing really.  I have found that I miss decent architecture.  Steve tells me that Christchurch looks and feels a bit like York, especially Shipton Road, which was the main drive though from Rawcliffe where we lived prior to the big move.  We are half-planning a campervan exploration of the South Island early next year so for those with plans to come and visit, please, please don’t try to turn up on our doorstep unannounced  as we may well have other plans!

Lovely to talk to you the other night Debbie, pleased to hear your plans are coming together.

Congratulations to Jac and Adie from the BE site:  first of all they emigrate and then they decide to up sticks and move to Wellington.  As if the initial emigration wasn’t enough, they have now decided to move on again.  Although we haven’t met that often, I feel we have become good mates so I will be sad to see them go.  Bon voyage to you and your pets, hope it all goes well and hope to see you in the near future (that means put us up when we visit!)

We went to the computer games shop recently and nearly bought 2 game packs that took our fancy.  As we stood at the counter and the chap slotted them into the packaging, he asked if we really wanted them right now, as they had a sale on in a fortnight's time and they would both be half-price.  I was completely taken aback.  can you imagine that happening in the UK.  Well, I will answer for you: no, you can't as it has certainly never happened in my memory. So, Thursday morning, my colleague Phillip came round and picked me up and we were 2 games geeks together, browsing the sales!.  I hasten to add, we weren't the first in the doors at 9am as some little shite beat us to it, but we were close.  So, 4 games and over $100 later, I was a happy bunny!  As it turns out, I don't think the games pack I bought for myself is really the type of thing I can play as I am very rigid in my gaming (what a sad bastard I am!). 

Enough people, speak to you soon!

Hamilton

Posted on Thu 31 May 2007 at 11:27 - 0 Comments - Link

I was re-reading the entries here and realised that there is very little about Hamilton itself.  You could always look it up on Wikipedia but this is our take on Hamilton.

First up, there is no beach at Hamilton, it is the only inland city in NZ! On the map it looks about 20 minutes drive from the coast but as it is a very hilly road, nearer to 45 minutes in real time. We like it here. . Hamilton has more of a large town feel than a city feel. We hadn't done a recce and I was a bit concerned about inner city living - simply not a problem as far as I can see. There is one of the highest % of Maori around here - that's not a problem, merely an observation. This next bit is lifted from a thread on gangs, written by Steve: Here in Hamilton we have Mongrel Mob and Black Power around, but we also have the youth or dispossessed who can't get into a 'main-stream gang, and have now decided to copy America and run in either the 'Bloods' or the 'Crips', which I believe have also spread around a large part of NZ (we've even got the really desperate ones who have formed the 'East Side' and 'West Side' gangs...so desperate they couldn't think of a name past the part of the town they were in!)  I see them all the time in my job, but also in my neighbourhood. However, it seems that you either have to be in a rival gang or have some gang connection, or be really flaunting just how rich you are, before they will bother you. And while I agree that many, in fact possibly the majority, are Maori, there are also Pakhea, Somalian, Tongan and Asian members...unfortunately the population in the majority of the gang stronghold areas is predominantly Maori, so they're an easy target. It also seems to be a generational thing and  the older members may have had enough and want out, and be trying to keep their kids out, but the kids want the 'respect' they've seen they're dads, uncles and big brothers receive, so of course they're going to do it all again. Don't sweat it...if you're not part of the gang culture, you're unlikely to be affected by it. Like everyone says, live and let live.  There has been a substantial success rate in the probation service with 18 to 30 year old male Maori offenders attending Tikanga programmes and thereafter leading offence free, responsible lives. These programmes teach traditional Maori values in a marae environment (they are residential), which get the students in touch with the culture they know they are a part of, but have no experience of. I personally think it is a good place to bring up children  - great parks, including Hamilton Gardens, great museum with interactive stuff downstairs for kids, at least 2 swimming pools, any amount of preschool by the look of it. About an hour and a half drive to the Mount and Tauranga, maybe 2 to Taupo, 1 to Rotorua, 90 minutes to Auckland, 6 -7 hours drive to Wellington. We live about 4 minutes drive from the hospital and there are some nice properties around, depending on your budget and your taste. Like anywhere you go, good areas, bad areas. We were warned to stay away from Melville, Nawton and around the University. Also, traffic can be bad if you want to work in the CBD but live in east Hamilton as there are only 2 bridges over the river to carry all the traffic. I found it to be on roughly the same scale as York as we had just come from there. A lot of my colleagues are Brits but I have had no racism problems so far. I'm not a great shopper but there is a reasonable range of shops in the city centre. The weather: I think it is far better than the UK weather - we have an orange tree in the garden, now have you ever managed to grow one in sunny  Britain?  No, I think not! Even now, in what is the equivalent of November, it isn't that cold. More like September to my mind. I have been told it hasn't snowed here since 1960 and there were about 4 - 6 frosts last winter. It gets pretty foggy and humid here in winter apparently but as we only got here in October, I haven't experienced that yet. Yes it rains a lot in NZ but it buckets down then the sun shines more often than not, giving the humidity that people moan about. Use a dehumidifier and you will be fine. We have just had a heat pump installed a few weeks ago but have hardly had it on. Our house also had a Domestic Ventilation System - basically a big dehumidifier that vents through the ceiling and that seems to be taking care of any dampness. If the windows are condensed in the mornings, we put it on and it seems to suck most of the moisture out of the air. I tend to give the windows a quick squeegee if I am about in the mornings, seems silly to leave it there to me. Work: Steve held off taking any old job until he found something he wanted to do but as far as I am aware, there are jobs out there. He looked at security but at about $14 per hour he wasn't that interested. We found finding a decent rental a bit of a problem initially but there are some god ones out there, just be patient and one will turn up. We found a rental with Hamilton Property Rentals: http://www.hamiltonpropertyrentals.co.nz/ Yes, you have to pay a bond but you do get it back.

the longest shift ever!

Posted on Fri 25 May 2007 at 12:14 - 0 Comments - Link

Got into work, had handover and the clock said  ‘Pre Cambrian Era’. 

The first hour up until tea-time encompassed the separating of the land masses and mans’ discovery of fire.

As we served up the patients’ tea, the Sumerians moved into Mesopotamia (leaving a fearful mess behind them in their old house I might add!)

I had to assess a patient asking for PRN medication: in that time, Alexander the Great was empire building and died at age 32 – sad really……..

Bruce and I went for tea and lo and behold, the Magna Carta was signed as we tucked into our tomato soup.

I did a round-up in the clinical room of out of date stock whilst Galileo did whatever it was he did (1564 – 1642)

Right, got as far as 8pm meds and damn me, that Samuel Pepys  (1633 – 1703) was right at it then:  I’ll give you ‘and so to bed’ Mr Pepys!!

The French Revolution was a mere ripple during my evaluation of a care plan in the mid-evening.

Got as far as starting to do some writing up when Queen Victoria started her reign, managed to finish by her death.

Einstein accompanied me on a check of the ward in the late evening (1879 – 1955).

And by handover to the night shift Everest had been conquered (1953).

By the time I got my bag and left the building, time had fallen back into a more normal frame.

Thank God.

Amen

Talking of frames, I found an advert in the wee press (leaflets) for ‘fish frames 99 cents’.  I had to ask a Kiwi colleague if that was a misprint.  No, it is what is left of the fish once it has been filleted.  They actually sell it!  I worked in a fish factory for long enough to know that we used to throw them out.  THEY SELL THEM HERE!!! 

Well, you live and learn!

I need to add some birthday greetings at this point:

Happy Birthday to my lovely Mother and my brother Pete: miss you  both loads but you can make it up to me by coming to visit!!

making sense of the seasons here

Posted on Wed 16 May 2007 at 02:22 - 0 Comments - Link

Still struggling to make sense of the seasons here.  If June, July and August are the winter months here, then May must be equivalent to November you would think.  If that is the case, this is above and beyond my expectations.  Although it gets quite cold at night and was dark today by 5.30pm, it is warm by 10am and still warm enough in the early afternoon for short sleeves.  Last week I sat out on the deck with my book for an hour or two in shorts and a T-shirt.  I forgot sun-block as I hadn’t anticipated being out there that long.  My face was all red by the time I came I had to go to work – I looked really embarrassed – as indeed I should because only a fool (or a mad-dog or Englishman!) goes out in the midday sun without sun-block here.

The heatpump is great, seems like a sound investment.  Adding heating to a Kiwi house can only add to your investment I think.  The bathroom heating has turned into a saga however.  The electrician came last week and fitted a double plug socket in the girl’s room and he was meant to fit  a heated towel rail and wall mounted heater in the bathroom and a security light out the front of the house.  No. Not finished last week. Because he managed to drop about 20 kilometres (minor exaggeration!) of drill bits into the wall cavity.  So by the time he ordered more bits and it was convenient for me to have him come again, it was this Monday.  He finished the bathroom this time but I wasn’t happy when he presented me with the bill: he had only done 3 of the 4 jobs he had estimated for (to be honest I couldn’t be bothered with his dicking around any more) and it still came to $70 more than he originally said.  Won’t ask him again, especially as he drilled an extra hole for the heated towel rail and never once thought to point it out to me…….

We went to Auckland on Sunday.  That was the first time we have been there since we got here, If you follow me!.. We went to see Jac and Adie, who started off as ‘cyber friends’ and are now the real McCoy!  Now, I was told last week at work, that when you see a pair of shoes thrown over the overhead power-cables here (yes, they still have them here!) it usually indicates a ‘tinny house’ (drug house, so named for the tin-foil-wrapped drugs dispensed there) in the near vicinity.  We saw a pair as we went down the road past their house to turn round.  On mentioning it to them, they said there was another pair on another road equidistant in a different direction…………what does that tell you?!!!!  South Auckland gets a lot of stick: it is meant to be low rent, really rough and basically not where your average Pom would want to be.  Jac and Adie seem to be enjoying their neighbourhood: they get on with their neighbours, feel safe walking their dog and don’t generally have noise problems. We certainly had no problems in the short space of time we were there.   We had a lovely visit and were made to feel very welcome.  Melissa ate an ‘adult’ size portion of lasagne:  I am still so very impressed that she (a) managed to eat it all and (b) didn’t explode in the car on the way home.  Thank-you Jac and Adie, we had a really lovely time.    And their cats!!  We are now used to delicate little girly kitties…………..I swear, their big male cats are the Blues Brothers!! Big bold bad boys!! They put our girlies in the shade!  Oh, God, the meeting of the kitties would be like  a feline version of West Side Story!

I had two UK phone calls in the same day yesterday: My lovely Shane (No 1 son) in the morning: thank you Shane; and my brother Pete in the evening:  thank you so much for that, both of you; makes me realise that although I am not there, I haven’t been forgotten!

 Right, there was more planned for this entry but I have to go away and do some revision!