Can't think of a title

Posted on Thursday 6 September 2007 at 08:49 - Post Comment

Hi all.  Been a little while, but here's a quick update.  House deal? Finished, boxed off, stick a fork in it - it's done.  Deposit is now paid, receipt received - all is good!  As it is currently tennanted, we have to wait until mid to end October to get into it, but that's fine by us as it gives us a month off the mortgage.

T's work continues to go well, tho' she is off sick at present but hopes to be back next week.  Nothing serious, and looking as if a quick recovery will be made.

I really just can't believe how quickly the time goes.  As a kid I always thought that parents were full of sh1t when they went on about 'how the time flies' and when I saw family friends they would say 'My, how you've grown!' and all that.  Now, I fully realise what they were talking about.  The past 2 weeks may as well have been 2 days - but we certainly have acheived a lot in that time.  We've been here close to 8 months.  8 MONTHS!  I just checked then to make sure it's that long and it is.  Unbelievable.

To assist in us staying here for a lot longer than that, we did out police checks over the weekend and sent them off to the UK yesterday.  Once these come back, (within 2 months we hope!) we will get our immigration medicals done, and then the whole lot will be submitted to New Zealand Immigration and we will hopefully get an answer within 4 weeks that I have been approved for a work sponsored 'Talent' visa.  (See mum!  I always said I had talent somewhere - and that it was just a case of finding it! )  If we haven't heard within the 4 weeks, then we will need to extend our Working Holiday visas until we do.  It's all going to be  mess if the timing is off, but I'm sure it'll work out well in the end.  Always something to cross our fingers for in this game!

It'll be T's b'day next week, and so I am racking my brains on what to do to celebrate.  A meal out will be par for the course, so I need to think a little outside of that box.  I have a couple of ideas up my sleeve (following a brainwave whilst driving around today) so we'll have to see how they pan out.

We went fishing again towards the end of last week, and we finally broke the 'If T's with me I never catch a fish' juju that seems to have been present up to now, as this pic taken by T herself proves:

This one is called a dog fish here, what anglers in the UK call a Starry Smooth Hound because of it's white spots.  Great fun to catch, and we are planning a trip a little further a-field next time to try our luck - maybe Kaikoura or Lyttelton.

As well as the good news about the house, I also won $200 of prizes during a 'Marketing Blitz' at work.  At first I won $50 for coming up with a marketing phrase to go on a flyer accompanying our promotional item - a little plastic holder full of plasters.  My slogan was:  'Staff Shortages Hurting Your Business?   Let Select Industrial Start The Healing Process!' .  I was chuffed with that.  Then I came second in the blitz itself - worth a cool $150.  A great way to add to the salary for just doing a good job.  I've had my eye on a new fishing reel, so may go and splash out on that, or maybe put it towards an air compressor, or possible a new set of sockets, or... or ....or...!

We have just had a wander through town, down Manchester Street, back across to the Memorial Bridge, then up Oxford Terrace to Victoria Park, through the park and then home.  We were chatting about this and that, walking by the River Avon, when T said 'I realy feel at home here'.  It echoed what I feel, and was a real 'moment' for us both.

Yes, it's back due to no demand whatsoever, it's Kiwi observation of the day!   Here's something for you:   Imagine the UK bin men working until 10pm at night - or later.  Well, that's what they do here!  I can hear them now - 8.30pm and they are just going up the street.  What's funnier is that there are 2 types of bin men - bin men bin men, and recycle bin bin men.  (still with me?  good!)  We all have a green recycle bin in which you can put card, plastic, glass and paper.  No more trips to the bottle-bank with 6 months worth of empty bottles, looking like an alky - yay!  Also, the black bin bags here cost $12 for a roll of 10.  Yup - that's $1.20 a bag!  Why?  Well that cost goes straight back to the people who collect the bins, and it stops folks putting out 30 black bags (not like us at all from when we moved over here - oh no, not at all!).  Only 'officially stamped' bags are collected - everything else is left.  As we pay rent here, we get 1 bin bag a week from the property company.  If you own a house, you get a bin bag supply from paying your rates (council tax equivalent).  Finally, the black bags are collected by just one guy.  He drives his truck whilst standing on a foot-plate, so drives up to your bins, stops, jumps out, chucks them in the back, jumps back in, drives 10 feet to the next bins, jumps out, chucks them in the back,  jumps back in... etc etc.  Apparently (from talking to a Contracts Manager here who used to run the old style 'gang of 3 lads running after a bin lorry' as it still is in Southend) it has increased efficiency two-fold, and cut the wage bill at the same time.  As for the recycling bins, they have a team of folks - one driver and 2 sorters.  Not so cost effective I suppose, but at least they can sell on the aluminum, glass and paper.  God, have I really written all this about the bin men?  That's it - I am officially a boring old git.  Now, where's my pipe and slippers....?

Get well soon T

Posted by Littletoe on Thursday 6 September 2007 at 10:55 - Link

Good luck as you wait for the house, and I look forward to seeing what the birthday surprise is! So many words on the bin situation!!! Hey. you're starting to sound as anal as me!!