Monday, October 28, 2013

Home Alone 3!

So after slightly slow progression on the job front, Tash went for an interview the other week and managed to walk out with a two month contract in her hand.

With her start date being the following Monday (last Monday) I was once more thrown into house husband duties.

It's also the week when Olive started rolling over, something that distresses Esme somewhat.

So here's some photo's from my crazy gangs first week alone with Dad.

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Our First Visitor!

Last weekend we had our first visitor since we have been in NZ when Rachel made the flight across from Sydney to spend the weekend with us.  I met her Friday night at about midnight.  It was so wierd being back at the airport where just a month ago we had arrived to start our new lives.  As I was sat in arrivals I could remember so clearly when we walked through, with me, Tash and Alfie all pushing baggage trolleys after such a mammoth journey.

It had been ages since we last saw Rach and so we pretty much spent the entire weekend taking in the culinary delights of Welly whilst catching up. 

We enjoyed three course breakfasts, the delights of Sweet Mothers Kitchen, Wellingtons harbour front food market, and so much more.  We also discovered cronuts, an amazing croissant doughnut creation. Filled with vanilla custard and coated in sugar and cinnamon they are simply amazing!!

We all ended up buying new shoes too.  Tash and I got a pair of Toms.  I think I first heard about them on Russell Howard's 'Good News' programme.  Basically, for every pair you buy they give a pair to a child in need of shoes.  It's nice that some companies want to do good things and im all for supporting them.  And wow, they are wonderfully comfy!!

Monday, October 21, 2013

Yellow Fever

Last Sunday (13th Oct) I got my first experience of the Hyundai A League.  A family deal of four tickets for $49 had all of us enjoying the delights of the Westpac stadium and everything Wellington Phoenix has to offer.

Actually it was great.  Maybe less than a third of the stadium was filled but its lovely to be able to have a beer in your seat.  And not get robbed to watch football.

And it was fun.  Even if I was changing Esme when the Phoenix scored, and we left at half time and as a result missed the second half where Brisbane Roar turned the game round to win 2-1.

It was bloody odd to not know what the fans were singing, and not know the people sat around me.  But I'll definitely be going again so that might all come in time!

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Living The Dream - Step 1

Ok, so the plan was never to come to NZ and basically live the same life we lived in the UK.  But having seen house prices, and especially as we love Wellington, the odds of us buying or building seemed farther away than I had originally hoped.

And then we went to the Go Green Expo last weekend (12th Oct) and happened to meet an eco architect who was brilliant. He totally got our idea, loved Tashas plan and inspiration and to top it all can help us find land.  He has actually bought land about an hour outside Wellington where he plans to build a straw bale house (likely to be the way we go too) really soon.

And so all of a sudden the dream seems a hell of a lot closer.  Hopefully we can buy land before too long.  Then we'll build a shack there and sort the land and basically go camping up there for weekends.  When we find we like being up there more than in the city thats the point we'll build and move out.  I cannot say how excited I am about getting this ball rolling. 

Also at the expo there were many bins.  Alfie was in refuse heaven.  And I found the organic box scheme company I had read about before we emigrated, and signed up to receive our first veggie box a few days later.  It was like Christmas when it got dropped off!

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Four Seasons In One Day

A quick update.  Weather was a bit all over the place recently and we've settled into a bit of normality that doesn't involve spending all our cash on tourist stuff.

So when it hasn't been pissing down, blowing 150kph gales or tremoring in the middle of the night what have we done?

Well we scored Alfie a $3 trike, Tash got a new wrap (rented) for Olive from a sling meet and we're making the most of our library and have now seen Wreck It Ralph, Frankenweenie (or Frenken and the Weenie according to Alfie) and others many many many times.

We also took a wander up to the Weta Cave which is the 'museum' for Peter Jacksons workshop which has loads of props and stuff they've made from films Weta have been involved in ... which of course includes loads of Lord of the Rings stuff.  We still need to do the proper guided tour, but Tash got to meet a troll anyway.

Oh, and Olive has developed a total adoration for her siblings.  Esme and her are especially cute together.

Tuesday, October 01, 2013

Fluffys and Flat Whites

Now Wellington has something of a reputation for its cafe culture, so the number of coffee shops was never a surprise to me.  But how insanely good the coffee is has been! 

Seriously, best coffee ever, and when accompanied by a Fluffy (frothed milk with any assortment of marshmallows, sprinkles and chocolate) for the kids you're quaranteed a good time.  And for the best coffee experience ever just add an Afghan cookie.  Now where have these things been all my life!?!