Happy Halloween

Well it's another Halloween and I must admit sometimes these are the times I miss things about the UK. For Halloween we would dress the house up (we still do to an extent) with purple and pumpkin lights (it's too light to see them so we don't). The kids would go round with Stevie to the neighbouring houses (who most 'did' trick or treat) now the kids go themselves (in fact Key wasn't in stayed at a friends after 2 birthday parties one which was paintballing) so Lou asked some friends around who have never done trick or treating before. I dressed up to open the doors for the trick or treaters (we had ONE set!! so lots of lollies going to be eaten by us).
But anyway the girls had fun 'duck appling' (no chestnuts though not in season so we used strawberries which are).

Labour day!

Monday was Labour day - what would be a bank holiday in the UK, in other words a day off YAY!!
Stevie was messing around with the radio (ham type) and once again to get the family moving and out of here meant words had to be said!! (MOAN ALERT - It peeves me putting it politely, that the kids I work with go nowhere and yet my own moan because we take them out, moan over and out).
So we went to Rotorua, roto-a-vegas or land of the smelly eggs as we love to call it. It's about an hour away, so down the road really ;-)We went the blue lakes to have a picnic lunch and took Paddy with us. Normally when we go it's quiet but everyone must have had the same idea.
The lake is always cold even on a hot day and today was no exception. But the kids went in for a paddle (I did get my feet wet guys) but poor Paddy was taken in for a swim, he was so funny doing the doggy paddle before he was even in the water. There was a group of people near by laughing and doing the actions of him!!
We had a quick look at Lake Tarawera, which was the site of a huge volcanic explosion in the 1886 which killed over a hundred people, buried lots of the area including the famous pink and white terraces, which were said to be the eighth wonder of the world! The mount still looks menacing, although sleeping.
Talking of explosion, as we were trying to take photos for here, Key would start poking Lou behind my back and Lou poking him back and then it would build. Stevie would be saying "smile you guys, come on why aren't you smiling!!" WHY!!! I wonder.
The end of the evening was a sit on the deck with the fire on (it is spring you know!) and a dip in the spa pool. Ready for work erm?!?!?

Look at the bank holiday traffic!!!

The blue Lake (wonder why it gets it's name!) honest it is busy! normally much quieter then that but it is a holiday.

Lake Tarawera - the peaks in the distance are the volcano (Mount Tarawera)



Going.......

....for a swim

Some piccies that didn't quite turn out. But I love them better

See I told you about the Dr Evil piccies - another one!

Yeah that's more like it.

Waka (war canoe pronounced wok-a) buried as a tribute to the villages that got buried.

Hee hee!! Gotto love that dog.

Evening time

(the opening piccy is a Koru which represents new life or the family, which I thought was appropriate with the extended family I have here and in the UK)

The week in brief, Long weekend and Saturday spent at Raglan Beach.

Well it's been a roller coaster of a week. Firstly we went to Ngaruawahia centre for a sports day with the 3 centres. I got dragged in to play catch the flag (or ball in this case), I ended up running to free one of our teamies. Now I haven't run for years!! As I was running back to my base, I could hear girls (the other centres don't have girls) screaming "Go Jan"!!
Then we had a game of tug of war - staff verses trainees. The first try we lost, then second well...... the terrors waited till we were really pulling and then let go! So the lot of us ended up on our besides! I believe a piccy was taken I need that piccy to scrap. The last round well I know I was determine to win, we won. Good day, the trainees and us had a good day. The next day my arms were so sore and I was telling the trainees and one one of them piped up "if your arms are sore because of tug of war - what about your butt".
"No that's not sore, there's plenty of padding on that!"
Also this week we were to find out if we kept our jobs. TEC (who fund us) announced cuts because of our 'lovely' new government. We didn't have a good year last year so we knew our centre would be hit. We knew one course at least would be going maybe the two of them (with the workbase training left). So when the area manager arrange appointments to see me and my colleague later in the day, we knew and what a horrid day it was, bearing in mind that you can't let on to the trainees. Anyway I am safe but my colleague wasn't, so very bittersweet I can tell you.
So with that behind me and the long weekend I want to go somewhere (camping was out as the weather wasn't upto scratch). Key had arranged to go to a 'sci fi' thing with a friend in Auckland, so his mum asked us to go the beach with her. Her daughter has become a friend of Lou.
So Saturday we went to Raglan beach.


Now I have been told that Raglan is one of the world's best surf beach. Because it has a left hand break (whatever that means). We normally body board there - good fun. But it was too cold for me and Stevie, but Lou and her friend did.




The sand is black sand on Raglan beach as it's on the west coast (it's the Tasman Sea, not the Ocean) and the black isn't oil (unlike West Kirkby were we used to go in UK) but volcanic sand and it can get very hot because of it. We walked along the beach (I picked up shells), which is a really long walk and me and Stevie haven't done it before. It was quite windy but good. We had 'fush and chups' (as the kiwis say) for tea at the estuary and the girls climbed the pohutukawa trees (these are known as kiwi Christmas trees as they blossom red flowers at Christmas time, so they weren't in bloom today). Then dropped Lou at their house for a sleep over. A quick catch up with Key, who had a good day, then back house just me and Stevie.
Another good day.

Happy Birthday Karen !!

The message with the Tasmin Sea in the background.

Just want to post this birthday wishes to my cousin. Hope you have a lovely day and see we were thinking of you today and sorry I couldn't chat for longer - next time.
Lots of Love from us all xx

will do a post about our day tomorrow when I get the chance.

QUESTION - When the weather is bad where do you go?

Is it
a) stay indoor and read a book or hire a video
or
b) go the beach and paddle in the South Pacific.

Yes the correct answer is b!!!
No I was fed up with the weather and being at home then work then home again. So I said on Saturday (and it was lovely on Sat) "s*d it I am going the beach tomorrow, I don't care what the weather is doing". I really miss being quite close to the water and love to go the beach and summer seems to be taking its time coming.

Well woke up to grey clouds and rain (more blinkin rain! What the f....) Key and Lou thought I was mad and didn't want to go (think Kevin the teenager here) and as the norm a fight was to be won before we ventured out.

The rain wasn't so bad on the Bay of Plenty, and we went to the Mount. Paddy just loved running around with the kids well Key as Lou got a migraine (her first one poor thing). When we got there we saw the saddest thing - a tiny penguin (well smaller then the ones at Chester Zoo) dead in the surf!!! Our first penguin in NZ and it was dead. So sad.

Anyway I rolled up my jeans (POM alert and northern POM at that! were is the knotted hanky the kiwi's were crying) and paddled in the water, sorry Ocean (still love saying that). I have had a rash (long story - don't ask) hence why I was also fed up, and I wanted to bathe in the water to see if that helped any. The water was so blinkin freezin (like being back at Southport!) but it felt good. Key had a good time paddling in the Ocean.

We then headed into the town and had a hot chocolate/coffee at Starbucks. Although now Starbucks coffee/chocolate doesn't taste as nice as other local coffee shops. Starbucks is sentimental for us, as it was Starbucks (within Borders) in Speke where me and Stevie talked about our move to New Zealand and filled in some of the paperwork. So Starbucks has a special meaning for us and that's why we go there especially when at the Mount.

The weather still looked amazing when the cloud was over the Kaimai range (we had to go over those)

These photos were taking on my phone.


We have been watching Austin Powers so that's our 'theme' photo taking now. We have to do Dr Evil photos were ever we go!!!

Thank you Face book!!

Well because of facebook I have gotten in touch with some of my family that I haven't spoken to in ages - some of them I have never spoken too. It been so nice to speak to them all again. I have given them my blog addy so if you guys are reading this Haere Mai (welcome)and hope that you check in now and then to see what we are upto in God's zone. Love ya xoxoxox.

Me the abridged version

I have been busy doing an online course with Big Picture scrapbooking. When I have finished (and I nearly have) then I will have an album about me in A-Z so to speak.
So the layout will be posted soon as.

Farewell dear Rose.

Well one of our ex batts has been sick for a few weeks now. We tried everything we could (yes we even took her the vets) and boy did she fight. I said to the kids that it proves that she had something to live for. But she went down hill again and we could see that the fight was being lost. When I left to go to Orewa I could see she was dying and when I said goodbye I knew it was for the final time. It seems she last till the Saturday morning, when everyone got up (Kieran had a match)and the kids were with her in the bathroom, Stevie had gone into the kitchen, she looked around at the kids(who were stroking her and crying) and gave a big breath and passed.
She was our favourite (I know we shouldn't have them but) as she was so tame and loved being picked up and fussed. It's so sad and unfair but at least she had a couple of months of freedom and although she never saw the summer, she did get to see the sunshine. She was able to be a chicken and was loved for the first time in her life and when she died she was surrounded by love.
So she is buried where she loved to scratch for worms (see entry of spring is here).

Here are a few of my Fav photos of her.
(she is the one on my shoulder)

With Paddy

Key showing her to my mum on web cam.



We will all miss her.


Gone but not forgotten. Free at last xxx

Thelma and Louise does Orewa!!

Well I booked into a scrap retreat with Angie, who I have turned to the dark side!! It was held at Orewa which is further up then Auckland. So I have never driven that far before. 2 1/2 hours later we arrived. I had called it our "Thelma and Louise trip" (from the film which Ange hadn't seen so didn't get it), it was our get away from the family, a well earn rest.
The retreat didn't start till the Sat morning, so the Friday night we went and had a curry (it was yum) and a glass of wine (or two) in the hotel room, and a good gab and laugh.
The retreat was in the hotel, so we popped around with all my stuff, minus my tote - I can't believe that I left my tote with all my tools etc behind!! (Stevie said that there was no way he was going to bring up, when I told him I'd left it behind on the Friday night - spoilt sport!!). There was a class on the Saturday which was designed by Melissa (the organiser) herself. She cut out the scallop frame using her machine, which is like my silhouette but it takes 12" paper (no I do not need one, especially as I don't use my silhouette as much as I should - need to find out how too), she was having probs with it for some of us and mine was all torn. Melissa felt terrible but I saw it as a challenge to work with. The design took me out of my comfort zone, so well done on that one Melissa, and went so well with the piccies from Liz's wedding. I really enjoyed doing it. I took a long time so didn't get too much done in the evening especially as we got kicked out of the room at 10.00pm!!
Next morning, after a shower (or should I say a hose down....you had to be there!!) we started again, another class which was equally fabby and went great with a piccy of me and mum at the wedding. I changed it a bit, well you have to don't you?!? and was so pleased with the result. I managed to start a couple of layouts to finish at home when I have all my stuff (and I don't just mean my tote!!) to hand.
Then after goodbyes and some piccies it was a trip back down to sleepy Cambridge and the families. Seems they missed us both and that last all of 5 mins hey Ange!!
But the retreat was really good and we really enjoyed it. They were a good group of girls and we had a laugh and I good time. I love crops and miss them soooo much.
Oh did I tell you that I forgot my tote!!

The hotel we stayed in

The girls busy working - see we did get stuff done as well as chatting!


The Sunday class




The Saturday Class - Melissa's



See Thelma and Louise (you'll have to wait till the layout)