22nd November to 20th December– Chrimbo!!

Hello and merry chrimbo to you and yours.  Nan is back in Tauranga and made it clear that I haven’t updated the blog since the 22nd November!

I had great plans to give you a “6 months in” post.  However, it is now nearly 7 months.  The 26th of November was the six month anniversary.   Boxing day will be the 7 month anniversary.

6 Month Moan

As a moaning old git, I thought I would share some of the things that have riled me slightly since getting here.  However, I have found it difficult to find too much to complain about.

1. Driving.  Time to ditch the stupid turning right rule.  It might have worked with horse & carriage but it certainly doesn’t anymore.  Fog lights are also a problem.  It may be down to the fact that I haven’t actually seen any fog here yet.  People perhaps don’t realise what fog lights are actually for.
2. Pickled Eggs.  They simply do not exist here.
3. Vinegar.  Fish & Chip shops do not know that vinegar exists.  You get salt on the chips whether you want it or not but if you want vinegar then you will need to wait until you get home.
4. Chips.  Chips are crisps.  Or rather crisps are chips…or something.  Chips are known as “hot chips” and crisps are known as “chips”.
5. Christmas isn’t Christmas.  When you walk into a shop and you see a stand with christmas decorations next to a stand of sunglasses it can cause the brain to sit back and go WTF!  I managed to get sun burnt again yesterday, far too warm to wear the santa hat.  Hardly christmassy is it?

I am sure that a few more niggly points will surface after I have posted this but in the grand scale of things I can hardly complain.  When in Rome and all that.

Veggies

Meanwhile Aidan’s veggies seem to be coming along.  Da supermarket totties produced good shaws but nae totties!  Going to replant with some seed and see how it goes.

We had some of the beans and peas fae the garden in wir casserole tonight that Nan slaved over.

(Picture: Some of Aidan’s radishes)

The mint on the other hand has been reduced to a few measly stalks.  We were unsure what had been chewing at it until we ventured out one night to find this flying beastie having a feed.

(Picture: Flying beastie)

On Saturday night I went over to Phil’s to help him celebrate his birthday.  This involved consuming copious amounts of cocktails while staying upright.  Good fun.

Santa Parade

On Sunday the 6th of December we ventured over to the Mount to watch the Santa Parade.  Several of my work colleagues were involved in this which was nice to see.

(Picture: As if being 10-foot-tall isn’t enough to draw attention to yourself!)

(Picture: Little old lady keys police car)

(Picture: Man beats child for hiding in drum)

(Picture: 101 reasons not to ignore the ‘Wet Cement’ sign)

(Picture: Hairy tottie parade)

  (Picture: Man discovers car-pooling with the wife isn’t so bad after all)

(Picture: Avoid tail-gating – Affix a child to the bumper)

(Picture: Dat Robertson’s git everywhaur!)

  (Picture: A&R Earthmovers – Taking the R’s out of Andrex)

(Picture: Man having a wheely good time) (Picture:  The Trustpower float)

After all that, we set off home for a barbecue and a few beers.

(Picture:  Did anybody mention we pay for water here?)

After Archie and the wife visiting we realised that we still hadn’t got a guest book organised.  They will have an honorary entry as our first overseas visitors now that we have got one sorted.

(Picture: Da guestbook)

Wark Doo

On Friday the 11th December we got all rigged up for the work doo.  On arrival we were greeted by a red carpet leading into a lavish spread.  Unfortunately I didn’t have my camera with me and Tania’s had run out of juice so I have stolen all the following pics from Facebook.

(Picture: Stolen from Facebook)

I would hate to think of the cost of this evening.  The venue was Bay Park Stadium, the MC was this bloke of the telly, the band were hired in from Auckland, then they threw a hypnotist into the works as well.

(Picture: It’s a Kind of Magic)

Mix all that in with free grub and a free bar all night and the end result is some very merry punters.

(Picture: Da Menu)

 (Picture: Da Boys!)

(Picture: Peculiar bunch)

A good night had by all and I think I even managed to remain fairly sensible.

Sunday barbecues & beer

On the Sunday we headed into town to try and get some shopping done.  Aidan and Poihipi insisted on riding the train at Memorial Park.

(Picture: Aidan & Poihipi training)

After that we headed home and fired up the barbecue.  Tania decided to see what would happen if we fed the kids some hot curry sauce stuff.  They seemed to like it.

(Picture: Aidan enjoying the curry sauce)

  (Picture: Tania soaking up the rays)

Last week of work

A huge sigh of relief came from everybody this week.  It was the last week of work, 3 weeks off!  As if the work doo wasn’t good enough they also presented everybody with a big chunk of ham for chrimbo.

(Picture: Muckle chunk o’ ham)

On the last day of work our office had a secret santa thing organised as well as an awards ceremony.  Secret Santa got me a hat, a bar of Bailey’s chocolate and a beer chiller.  I’m guessing they know what I am like now.  The awards ceremony resulted in me getting presented with “The ‘Best Accent’ Award”, apparently because none of them can understand me.  The last day of work also meant that we headed to Imbibe for a good few beers before making our way to Steve & Rhondas for yet another barbecue.  The food was good, the beer was good, the head wasn’t so good the next day.  I had to pick up the car from work so took Aidan in to see the fishies in the pond and let him see where I spend my days.  He thought it was pretty cool.

Yesterday saw Nan arriving and managing to make her way to the top of the stairs unaided.  This was partly because a couple of friends were around scooping lots of beer so we were quite unaware of her arrival.  I should perhaps think about getting an intercom at the bottom of the stairs for the day that she can’t make it….either that or a mattress.

Test for Uncle Ronnie

Here’s a little test to see if Uncle R can recall this beastie!

(Picture: It has flown a long way)

Chrimbo-time

Next week will see us heading up to the Bay of Islands for Chrimbo and New Year, I should hopefully have some new piccies to show you then. 

Tania’s sisters are making the journey over from Brussels if they can manage to get the flights from Heathrow.  Trains and planes have been getting cancelled due to the snow they have been having.  I am unsure as to how I am going to cope with so many of the same family congregated in one place.  I can liken it to being shot in the head.  One shot and you might survive if you are lucky.  Three shots and their is very little chance of survival.  Bart has assured me that he will be getting drunk to try and survive the escapade.  I always did think he was a very sensible man.  The only flaw with this is that instead of seeing 3 sisters we could end up seeing 6!!! 

In case I don’t get the blog updated before the 25th (quite likely) and/or I don’t get to speak to as many of you as hoped then I would like to wish you all…

A very Merry Christmas

and a

Happy New Year!

Hiv a beer fur me, because I will most certainly be hivvin’ a beer fur you!

Aa da best!