Boxing Day

I can't believe it but I have found the ABC Grandstand crew broadcasting the cricket from the MCG so I am unpacking to familiar voices and feeling a bit more like it's a real Boxing day. Hopefully they will cross to the start of the Sydney to Hobart & then I'll have the whole experience complete.

I went out this morning to pick up a few things (inc mustard for ham sandwiches) and managed to get some shots of the Pohutukawas. When you get a whole bunch together it looks fantastic.

Christmas eve

It's raining. I was really hoping to be able to take a photo of a NZ 'christmas tree' today but it may not happen. The Pohuhutawas are in bloom and some of the trees around here are massive, think Morton Bay Fig massive. They have big red fuzzy flowers against dark green leaves and look fantatastic and christmassy, but not in the rain.

It doesn't feel like Christmas. I guess because my usual routine is totally up the creek and I've been putting all my energy into getting things packed/unpacked, disconnected/connected and not baking and shopping. I have bought cards but they will probably be post-Christmas cards this year, I will make a valient attempt to get them off before the 31st!

House full of boxes

My stuff arrived on Wednesday! Who knew that a truck load of cardboard boxes could be so exciting. So far I have located sheets, towels, tea towels, bread & butter plates, bowls, half my doonas, two pillows, a small fraction of my coffee mugs and wine glasses, all my cake tins and all my shoes. No pegs, dinner plates, table cloths, cutlery or clock radio. Yet. The extra good news is that MAF (Ministry of Ag & Fisheries) does not want to fumigate or insinerate any of the things tthey inspected and they all arrive tomorrow.


Yesterday it rained most of the day so I got a fair amount done but today is fabulous and I am sitting on the balcony with my back to all the mess inside. This is the view. Well I'd better go and hang the washing out then get stuck into more unpacking. I might put my dining table back together so I have another flat surface to stack things on while I decide where they go.

Yesterday was a big day

The girls arrived and I discovered I am now the proud owner of two international standard pet carriers. Yes, those beautiful blue and safety orange creations are all mine - now sporting extremely well stuck on evidence of their travels including one hilarious sticker that has them identified at dogs. This was the only option as the other picutres were fish, birds or turtles. Makes you wonder how they would transport fish in a cage with very large breathing holes.

They spent the first hour doing circles of the house sniffing out all the corners and ended up in my wardrobe, I suspect because it's dark and quiet.

They don't seem to be showing any ill effects. In fact it has been business as usual today, I was woken at some shocking time with a demand for breakfast and we have spent most of the day lying around in the sun. As you can see Jess is enjoying herself, McDuff is jammed in a corner which I guess feels safer as there is nothing to hide under.

The other thing that happened was I got the internet connected at home so I'm now good to go with the blogging and not having to worry about doing it on work time.

Some special kiwi things

As promised here are some special kiwi things


Feijoa Smoothie bought in Christchurch airport


Think about what goes down the drain


Baby chocolate fish (a small school)


Lemon & Paeroa! World famous in NZ since ages ago

Those of you who know me really well will not the lack of Hokey Pokey ice cream and Shrewsbury biscuites. I'm trying not to overdose on all my favourite things, saving some for later now that I can have them ANY TIME I LIKE!

I survived Week 1

Really, I did a lot of stuff. I have...

Rented a house
Connected gas, electricity, phone & internet although phone & internet aren't working yet
Got myself a NZ mobile phone number
Heard my container arrives next Monday (yeah!)
Done my Council familiarisation tour
Had at least 2 meeting every day
Been to my first christmas function
Given mum & dad a v quick tour of the town

Not bad as first weeks go

I have been collecting photos of distinctly kiwi objects and as soon as I'm connected at home I'll be posting those as well as some of the house and most importantly the view - I can see the sea!

Surviving Day 1

I'm back at my desk (briefly) at the start of Day 2 so, yes I survivied Day 1. It went really well. I have a whole week of meetings scheduled with people from all over the organisation so hopefully I'll start to get a feel for how it all fits together.

Oh and I have rented a house! Lovely 2 bedroom place with views out over the sea from living, dining and main bedroom plus a fantastic big verandah at the back. It's walking distance to work as well which is great, means I don't have to worry about not getting any exercise.

Moving day (the girls)

Little do they know it by they are about to meet two Beagles from Kew.

The girls are now safely with Jetpets enjoying a few days in a kitty hotel while I slave away cleaning the house and trying to squash everything into one suitcase before I leave on Sunday.

Hopefully Vinnies will have come today to take away the old sofas and tomorrow my futon mattress goes next door to be transformed into sofa cushions. Isn't recycling a wonderful thing!

Fighting global warming

As of 10am this morning I no longer own a car. I have one on loan for a couple of days but after that I will be doing my bit to reduce my carbon footprint. Walking to work for a few weeks in NZ should more than make up for the fuel burned to get me there. Or is that just wishful thinking?

It's quite odd actually, I keep looking out the window and having a small panic because I can't see it then realise it hasn't been nicked, just gone to a new home.

My place looks cool on the web!

If you want to rent a great place in Collingwood check this out (don't know how long it will be up so be quick).

http://www.nelsonalexander.com.au/cgi-bin/view.pl?OID=1242801&tp=6_website

The ad went up late last week and according to my neighbours there were lots of people driving past on the weekend. The agent says they have had a bunch of enquiries and we have arranged for an open house next Saturday.

On the other side of the coin I have an appointment next Monday to see some places in NP, one belonging to a lady with 2 cats who is moving to Australia - how's that for a coincidence!

Moving Day (furniture)

Well, it's done. Most of my life is in a container on the way to NZ. It took 2 guys about 6 hours to pack everything (yes, I have a lot of coffee mugs...and shoes...and jackets...and books...) and another 2 guys 3 hours to stack it all in a container.

Staying behind - sofas, buffet, wardrobe, bathroom drawers, matress, me & the cats. Oh and some clothes, food etc to keep us going for a week.



McDuff supervising the packing (yes she really did sleep through most of it)Jess recovering from a hard day following the packing guys

The container arrivesMcDuff supervising the loading of the container from under the sofa

The container, packed, closed and ready to go (once they remove the ramp obviously)

Empty space

Only a little bit and only on the balcony but it means it is really happening. Naomi came over last night and is giving a good home to all my terracotta pots (and the contents) and some of my wine. The packers are arriving tomorrow morning and then it really does begin to get interesting. Must remember to turn off the fridge and drain the washing machine.

A Safeways moment

I bought milk last night on my way home. Not a big deal really but I did as I always do and checked the self-destruct date. Dec 6. I will have been gone for a week before my milk expires. Wow.

More throwing out

What I have discovered:

More name tags
Christmas cards from high school
At least 5 copies of 'Important facts to know about your credit card'
Camp planning paperwork from when I was a Brown Owl
Hundreds of dead rubber bands and paperclips
Heaps of articles that it was obviously really important to have a copy of (not)
Random photos (keeping those)

Another full recycle bin is going out tonight, yeah!

Someone asked me how the cats are coping. McDuff has no idea as her food bowl has not moved and is still topped up regularly. Jess is deeply suspicious and keeps giving me deep searching looks.

How much stuff can one girl have?

On the first survey 42.48 cubic meters. That's a lot of stuff. More than will fit in one 20 foot container. So my challenge, should I choose to accept it, (insert Mission Impossible soundtrack here) is to work out what is not going.
At this stage it is:
Books - yes
Shoes - yes
Jackets/coats - yes
Coffee mugs, wine glasses & platters - yes
Sofas - no
Everything else - up for negotiation
Wish me luck!

Throwing stuff out

I know some of you won't believe that this is possible so I am including photographic evidence.

This is a box of stuff from home ready to go into the recycling and below is a pile of stuff at work awaiting a similar fate. Actually there were 2 piles at work so be extra impressed.

There is an equal amount of stuff going into the bin - bits and bobs that have collected over the years including about 500 name tags and I have just consigned a bag full of UFOs (unidentified frozen objects) to the bin as well. Today being Melbourne Cup Day I have the whole day to really get cracking on the tidying up so am taking full advantage with, of course a break to watch the race. I got Mad Rush in the sweep - rather appropriate me thinks.

A change of direction

Well...I guess it had to happen some time and sooner rather than later as I was running out of places to the south. For those who don't know, my professional moves have seen me heading slowly south from Sydney to Albury then Melbourne. That really only leaves Tasmania and Antarctica.

But as of Dec 1st I will be taking a change in direction and heading east to New Plymouth, NZ to work at Puke Ariki.

If you want to have a look here is their web site - www.pukeariki.com

I plan to use this blog as a bit of a diary for myself and a way of keeping everyone in touch with how things are going. So add me to your RSS feeder and I'd love to get comments!