We have just got back from a very relaxing 4 days away up at the caravan in Taupo. It was just what we needed to have some space to ourselves and a bit of a rest before we gear up to move house and for me start my new job.
We headed up on Boxing Day after having had a really lovely Christmas at Dad & Val's. Although I have posted some pics on Facebook, I will put some here as well. After getting to Taupo we set up the caravan and headed to the shops. We ended up having takeaways that night as we were town a little later than we thought, but it was beautiful sitting watching the sunset behind the mountains at the other end of the lake.
On Sunday we had decided was going to be a bit of a tourist day and we headed off to Rotorua to see the sites and we decided to go to the Buried Village. It is not quite as good as I remembered it from beinga child, but was still good. Si & I both enjoyed the stroll through the parklike surrounds, although when she said the climb back up from the waterfall was "gradual" she was obviously joking as the sign at the top says " Congratulations - that is quite a climb". But the fantastic thing is that 2 years ago, I would NEVER have gone down to the waterfall. Unfortuantely it did twinge Si's back a little, but a good nights rest and some medication made all the difference.
Monday came along and we met Jackie, David & Blondiebum for lunch. Blondie had introduced herself at the supermarket the day before after having recognised me.....although she did know I was coming to her neck of the woods as she had emailed (which I read when I got home) offering us a place to stay which was very lovely!!! Si and I headed off to the Prawn Farm after that....we both love prawns and thought we would do a spot of prawn fishing for our dinner........well, after 2 hours sitting in the sun, I caught 1 and Si.......none!!!!! We decided that we would release him back in as he was a breeding male.
Here is a short video & pictures of our trip set to some of Si's music.
So home on Tuesday, got home around 2pm, Dad & Val came over for dinner, and we had a great time playing a game that I got Si for Christmas called "The art of conversation".....it is basically questions that are designed to stimulate conversation....it worked...Dad & Val stayed till around 10:30pm.
Today we have one of my brothers here for a Christmas lunch as they were with his father in law who is not well on Christmas Day. It will be great to see my neice & nephew and I hope to get some pics....not sure if they will want me to post them on here though, so might not.
We maybe having one of our friends also come up for a visit today, he had mentioned it, but we have not heard from him, so not certain. Oh well, the more the merrier.
Our New Years celebrations are going to consist of an open home party at my Dad's. He has invited some of his neighbours, friends and of course some family.....so wil be interesting to see who turns up.....will hopefully get some pics of that to.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Merry Christmas Everyone.....
Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and best wishes for the upcoming year.
2009 has certainly been a rollercoaster year and I am certainly not sad to see the back of some aspects of it, although I really think that all the things that have happened with ultimately make me stronger, healthier and wiser.
It is going to be an interesting Christmas Day, the first combined Christmas with Dad & Val, and with Si's parents here as well. We are having 22 people at Dad's for a sit down meal which should be lots of fun. One of my brothers and his family can't make it, but we will see them on the 30th.
Planning on getting lots of pictures and maybe even some video over the holiday period. Hoping to head up to Taupo for a couple of days rest before starting the packing of the house. I was lucky enough to get our moving company for the day I wanted. They were fully booked but because of how much business we have put through them this last year, they shuffled things around for us. They also gave us packing tape and lent us boxes, which was fantastic.
Might head out to the shops tonight for one last look for any bargins.......I am really looking for a nice summery dress that has sleeves!!!! Can't find one anywhere and I really don't want the layered look this Christmas, just want to be cool!!!
So on that note, best wishes to you and your family
Love
Janine & Simon
Monday, December 21, 2009
On the Road Again
Yup – it is official, we are definitely moving house again and soon. We have only 2 weeks to pack and move………moving date is the 5th January and we have Christmas, New Years, a little holiday away and me starting my new job all at the same time. So it works out that we are moving on my first day at work, and I will have to leave the move up to Si, his parents and the moving company. We were extremely lucky to be able to get them actually as they were pretty booked solid, but because we have had so many moves with them over recent months they made room for us and they have given us a substantial discount and provided boxes and tape for us.
I am looking forward to the new house, although the two front bedrooms are a little damp and I think I will need to invest in a dehumidifier....the rest of the house is brilliant, and I will be having a BBQ in late Jan/ or early Feb for those of you in the Manawatu area who might want to pop by. I will also get some photos up as soon as we are settled and everything is in place. Of course this might take a little longer than normal as I will have started the new job as well.
Christmas for us is going to be hectic – I still have 3 pavlovas to make before Friday and this year I thought I might try and make one like what my cousin’s late husband used to make…..it is a green peppermint flavoured pavlova and I thought I could top it with cream and shaved chocolate. I will do 2 normal ones as well and have the strawberries on them. We are actually going to Dad & Val’s for Christmas Lunch and then we will be heading to the caravan in Taupo for a couple of days rest before coming home to packing!!!!
Our Christmas present to ourselves is My Sky and we will be getting that installed in the new house on 12th January, so that gives me some time to unpack the house first before sitting down in front of the telly and the new toy.
So Merry Christmas to you all…..my Christmas wish is that more of you will find your voice and comment more regularly…….I know some of you do, but it would be nice to know more of who is reading without having to go private.
I am looking forward to the new house, although the two front bedrooms are a little damp and I think I will need to invest in a dehumidifier....the rest of the house is brilliant, and I will be having a BBQ in late Jan/ or early Feb for those of you in the Manawatu area who might want to pop by. I will also get some photos up as soon as we are settled and everything is in place. Of course this might take a little longer than normal as I will have started the new job as well.
Christmas for us is going to be hectic – I still have 3 pavlovas to make before Friday and this year I thought I might try and make one like what my cousin’s late husband used to make…..it is a green peppermint flavoured pavlova and I thought I could top it with cream and shaved chocolate. I will do 2 normal ones as well and have the strawberries on them. We are actually going to Dad & Val’s for Christmas Lunch and then we will be heading to the caravan in Taupo for a couple of days rest before coming home to packing!!!!
Our Christmas present to ourselves is My Sky and we will be getting that installed in the new house on 12th January, so that gives me some time to unpack the house first before sitting down in front of the telly and the new toy.
So Merry Christmas to you all…..my Christmas wish is that more of you will find your voice and comment more regularly…….I know some of you do, but it would be nice to know more of who is reading without having to go private.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Up In the Air
Still uncertain about what is happening with the house.........they have had an estate agent around, but we are not sure if the are going to put the house on the market or not. We have started looking at places in Palmerston North, but there are some real dives out there, and it makes it harder with having the dog, but she is my baby and we have references from previous landlords saying how good she is and that they never had any problems with her or us.
There are pros and cons to moving, sure we don't really want to move again, and we like our little house, but since we are both going to be working in Palmerston North, and I will be commuting 6 days a week I have to also look at the petrol costs, and the time it takes for travel. I will be finishing work at 8:30 pm and do I really want to drive 30 mins home, or just 5 mins up the road. It even means I could walk to work if we lived close enough and Si could pick me up afterwards.
The other thing is that just some of the facilities that are in Palmerston North that we owuld like to go to..........we drove through the esplanade on Wednesday night and Si had never been there.......we have lived in the area 2 years, but we had failed to take in the beauty that is around us. However, it would mean spending more money on a house that we would like to live in, and the reality is I am not sure we will get what we want for our budget.............
My weight is climbing for some reason......oh i know, must be the sugar i keep stuffing into my gob.......I have had 3 serious dumping sessions this week purley based on too much sugar. I have not been to the gym and they rang yesterday to make sure everything was okay and that i was coming back....I lvoe a gym that does that, keeps me from not using it. I will go back, just that everything is so up in the air at the moment.
There are pros and cons to moving, sure we don't really want to move again, and we like our little house, but since we are both going to be working in Palmerston North, and I will be commuting 6 days a week I have to also look at the petrol costs, and the time it takes for travel. I will be finishing work at 8:30 pm and do I really want to drive 30 mins home, or just 5 mins up the road. It even means I could walk to work if we lived close enough and Si could pick me up afterwards.
The other thing is that just some of the facilities that are in Palmerston North that we owuld like to go to..........we drove through the esplanade on Wednesday night and Si had never been there.......we have lived in the area 2 years, but we had failed to take in the beauty that is around us. However, it would mean spending more money on a house that we would like to live in, and the reality is I am not sure we will get what we want for our budget.............
My weight is climbing for some reason......oh i know, must be the sugar i keep stuffing into my gob.......I have had 3 serious dumping sessions this week purley based on too much sugar. I have not been to the gym and they rang yesterday to make sure everything was okay and that i was coming back....I lvoe a gym that does that, keeps me from not using it. I will go back, just that everything is so up in the air at the moment.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
No news stilll......well sort of..UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I thought that they were meant to get back to me last Friday .......not the 11th like it said in the email from them. So I looked like a right dork on Monday when I called just explaining that I was away at a funeral on Friday and I may have missed a call.......let's hope it doesn't count against me........especially the attention to detail........OOPS!!!!
Saw the specialist today at Palmy hospital. I am under two different depts, the gastroenterology for the Auto-Immune Liver Disease and Rheumatology for the Sacroilitis. So anyway, it was about the liver disease that I saw him today, and overall he is pleased with how things are going. He said that my levels are still higher than they should be, but he is happy with the progress I am making. So much so, he has decided to reduce my steroids by 5mgs a day for the next month and then another 5 mg reduction for the following 2 months. After that we will review.
He was not too stressed about where my weight is sitting which is 104.7 kgs as at this morning......sure I would like it to be under that 99 kgs mark, and I can certainly feel the difference now that 5 kgs makes, whereas before I could not tell if I had put weight on or not.
I should be spending more time at Curves, I have been a bit slack over the last couple of weeks, partially I think because I have been picking up some shifts at the security job and partially as I could not be arsed.
One thing however he was a bit concerned with was my calcium levels and I am really bad at taking that particular supplement.......give myself a kick up the ass!!! He is also doing tests on magenesium, vitamin D, A and E levels. He wants me to try the iron with vitamin C rather than the iron with folic acid that I am on now. So many pills I feel like I rattle!!!!! Oh and I am also on some antibiotics as I have a little annoying boil/cyst thing that just won't go away and he said it might eventually need surgery..........let's hope not.
Tonight we managed to get the outside christmas lights up......not many, just a couple of strands under each front window......really hard to get a picture of them, maybe I will try and get a video instead, so you can get the effect........maybe tomorrow night!!!
Anyway that's me done, dishes are done, clothes are washed, dried and folded and the gardens are watered........nite nite!!!!
UPDATE: I GOT THE JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Starting on the 5th January 2009, I will be working for IRD!!!! It is a call centre position and is around 24 hours a week, however the first 6 weeks training are full time, so that is fantastic just after Christmas.
Oh - the other not so good update is that the borer issue in the house is worse than we thought and there is a possibility that the owners may decide to sell the house instead of spending the time to do the work. It would be a big job to do and I am not sure that we can handle the distruption, so we might be looking for another house.........again.............arghhhhhhh, I am an expert at moving as you know, but this is ridiculous!!!!!
Saw the specialist today at Palmy hospital. I am under two different depts, the gastroenterology for the Auto-Immune Liver Disease and Rheumatology for the Sacroilitis. So anyway, it was about the liver disease that I saw him today, and overall he is pleased with how things are going. He said that my levels are still higher than they should be, but he is happy with the progress I am making. So much so, he has decided to reduce my steroids by 5mgs a day for the next month and then another 5 mg reduction for the following 2 months. After that we will review.
He was not too stressed about where my weight is sitting which is 104.7 kgs as at this morning......sure I would like it to be under that 99 kgs mark, and I can certainly feel the difference now that 5 kgs makes, whereas before I could not tell if I had put weight on or not.
I should be spending more time at Curves, I have been a bit slack over the last couple of weeks, partially I think because I have been picking up some shifts at the security job and partially as I could not be arsed.
One thing however he was a bit concerned with was my calcium levels and I am really bad at taking that particular supplement.......give myself a kick up the ass!!! He is also doing tests on magenesium, vitamin D, A and E levels. He wants me to try the iron with vitamin C rather than the iron with folic acid that I am on now. So many pills I feel like I rattle!!!!! Oh and I am also on some antibiotics as I have a little annoying boil/cyst thing that just won't go away and he said it might eventually need surgery..........let's hope not.
Tonight we managed to get the outside christmas lights up......not many, just a couple of strands under each front window......really hard to get a picture of them, maybe I will try and get a video instead, so you can get the effect........maybe tomorrow night!!!
Anyway that's me done, dishes are done, clothes are washed, dried and folded and the gardens are watered........nite nite!!!!
UPDATE: I GOT THE JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Starting on the 5th January 2009, I will be working for IRD!!!! It is a call centre position and is around 24 hours a week, however the first 6 weeks training are full time, so that is fantastic just after Christmas.
Oh - the other not so good update is that the borer issue in the house is worse than we thought and there is a possibility that the owners may decide to sell the house instead of spending the time to do the work. It would be a big job to do and I am not sure that we can handle the distruption, so we might be looking for another house.........again.............arghhhhhhh, I am an expert at moving as you know, but this is ridiculous!!!!!
Saturday, December 5, 2009
No news.........
Nothing on the job front, they had sent me an email saying
Although I have not as yet heard anything. I get really frustrated when that happens and you can't help but let your midn think that it means that you have not been successful, although i do know that they had trouble getting hold of one of my referees. I so hope that I will get this job, even though the hours are not ideal, we will work around them and make it work.
Yesterday I went to my cousins husbands funeral, and it was a very very large funeral, and I learnt alot about him I didn't know from the speakers, although it was also a very long one about 90 mins all up by the time we got out to the car and heading for the cemetary. Got home about 7:30 last night, and just relaxed and watched some telly. This was the second funeral I had been to since Mum's and the first burial.......was a couple of times there that were a little hard, although it was much easier than I expected. I always get teary though as I find it hard seeing other people upset....although I managed to control it most of the time, the odd tear escaped and ran down my cheek.
Today I have been out in the garden already and done the minor weeding and watered the tomatoes and capsicums. Everything is coming along nicely and seemed to have had a huge growth spurt with the recent rain although because I have not been so vigilant, I managed to let the cauliflower go to seed. It is so amazing how nature can change something overnight from ripe and ready to over ripe and useless for what I need it.
I am going to get some more baking done today, we seem to be demolishing any baking that I do, which is normally only bran muffins and gingernut biscuts......but I might try something different today. Tonight we are going to have a BBQ dinner, just the family but salads (lettuce from the garden) and new pototoes with some rump steak and sausages done on the BBQ.
Tomorrow we might try and head out for a picnic lunch somewhere, just to go for a drive and to get out of the house. Will see if we feel like it tomorrow.
We are aiming to be in a position to advise you on the status of your application by Friday, 11 December 2009. We appreciate your patience during this process and should you have any questions please do not hesitate to be in touch
Although I have not as yet heard anything. I get really frustrated when that happens and you can't help but let your midn think that it means that you have not been successful, although i do know that they had trouble getting hold of one of my referees. I so hope that I will get this job, even though the hours are not ideal, we will work around them and make it work.
Yesterday I went to my cousins husbands funeral, and it was a very very large funeral, and I learnt alot about him I didn't know from the speakers, although it was also a very long one about 90 mins all up by the time we got out to the car and heading for the cemetary. Got home about 7:30 last night, and just relaxed and watched some telly. This was the second funeral I had been to since Mum's and the first burial.......was a couple of times there that were a little hard, although it was much easier than I expected. I always get teary though as I find it hard seeing other people upset....although I managed to control it most of the time, the odd tear escaped and ran down my cheek.
Today I have been out in the garden already and done the minor weeding and watered the tomatoes and capsicums. Everything is coming along nicely and seemed to have had a huge growth spurt with the recent rain although because I have not been so vigilant, I managed to let the cauliflower go to seed. It is so amazing how nature can change something overnight from ripe and ready to over ripe and useless for what I need it.
I am going to get some more baking done today, we seem to be demolishing any baking that I do, which is normally only bran muffins and gingernut biscuts......but I might try something different today. Tonight we are going to have a BBQ dinner, just the family but salads (lettuce from the garden) and new pototoes with some rump steak and sausages done on the BBQ.
Tomorrow we might try and head out for a picnic lunch somewhere, just to go for a drive and to get out of the house. Will see if we feel like it tomorrow.
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