Dizz Down Under

Another fun packed weekend

I am struggling to remember when our life has been so fun packed, loving it, but permanently tired.  On Thursday night I managed another 100 Individual Medley - after requesting it.  I'll be back in the pool tonight, hoping for more and a quiet pool - it being school holidays.

Friday flew past and we spent the evening with Dino and Lucy - Dino cooked stunning T-Bone steak, another lovely evening putting the world to rights.  It has been very special having sociable people in the little house, it has felt like living community more intensely and we shall miss them when they move on this weekend.

We headed to Rotorua on Sat am.  The weather had been packing up, but RotoVegas is always fun in any weather. We met Tracy, Bruce and Denise in Fat Dog and then headed out to a thermal park, back into Vegas for coffee with the Cruickshanks before relaxing at the Polynesian Spa for a couple of hours.  Dinner was courtesy of Bistro 1284 - a favourite which included beautiful wine from Church Road, Roaring Meg and Craggy Range. 

The accommodation wasn't great so we'll move on from that.

The weather on Sunday forced us to look at inside options and we found ourselves at the Agrodome learning about sheep - 19 breeds!  It was top!  I have also spotted a new attraction called the Shweeb, and James and I are challengine Claire and Ben to a race in February.

Our weekend concluded at the Kaimai Cheesery - wonderful!

Will next weekend be quieter?  Probably not - off up the Sky Tower for dinner on Friday night and a leaving party for Bruce on Saturday .. maybe the next weekend or maybe not ....

Michael Phelps Move Over I have mastered FLY!

So a few weeks ago my swim teacher wrote 25 metres Fly on the board and the whole class laughed!  From the moment I pushed off that week to attempt this ridiculous stroke I got crushing pain in my calfs - the most horrendous cramp!

So imagine my absolute amazement when I achieved 100 meters of Fly in 400 meters on individual medley last night.  To top it off I think I enjoyed it!  Last Thursday I achieved my first full 25 metres, which I think has made me chill our about the stroke a little and relax into it.

Now, I am not achieving something which looks graceful or anything like Michael, but woohoo I made it and I enjoyed - achievement.

The pool is my refuge - the perfect introvert sport!

Lightning and Electric Currents

Last night Auckland had a spectacular Tropical Storm blow in with amazing fork and sheet lightening moving across the city.  The storm lasted a few hours.  It was a great night to be reading Harry Potter in bed.  Eventually I turned my light out and watched the storm through the curtains until my eyes couldn't stay open any longer.  Just as I was drifting off James started talking what I thought at the time was sleep talk, it sounded something like this:

"Judididisjusdididisjudidididis"

I rolled over to ask him if he was ok, by which time he had regained the ability to speak and explained that he could feel an electric current coursing though his body.  I offered to hold his hand and sure enough I could feel it too, although by then I am guessing the power of it had reduced.

I thought no more of it until this morning when James explained that he felt like his back was in spasm,  although I felt no movement in the bed at all.  He also said that the stuff that I thought was sleep talk was him trying to say my name and ask for help.

Scary stuff!  If I'd known at the time I'm not sure I wouldv'e held his hand.  We guess it must've been related to the storm, but it was very very odd!

James is fine today, phew!  He is the most wonderful husband I could hope for.

Shattered

Today I feel shattered emotionally, physicall and mentally, but not spiritually.  I am in that place of knowing I need a holiday and soon - to be honest 5 weeks feels like a life time at this stage.  We had another wonderful weekend, but I am shattered!

Midwinter Christmas was a scream!  Our new friend Dino was Santa and the kids were overwhelmed as normal!!  Although Santa did have a slightly strange pirate from Dorset accent - which amused the adults no end.  This year was a smaller event, but this did mean all the adults managed to squeeze round the kitchen table to enjoy the roast together.  The tree is now up for the next 6 weeks or so, which means the house has that delightful pine smell and lights look pretty at night.  The carols played and the mulled wine was delicious.

Yesterday we went wine tasting - taking Tracey to our favourite winery - West Brooke.  Our cellar is once again well stocked.  We then headed to our house group Sunday Roast, where more wine flowed and the conversation drifted over many topics.  

Finally last night I headed out to the new St Pauls evening service and I was stoked I went.  I seems to have regained its identity and community feel, and I was very encouraged.  In fact I wonder if we will become more committed to that service again now.

The week ahead work wise is full on, the mood here is down.  Still love my job and I need to keep reminding myself of this to get me through to the flight to San Fran - not long now!!!! 

Flying Visit to Spirits Bay - where two oceans meet

On Friday our good friend Tracey arrived from Hong Kong and we have been trying to cram in heaps for her to see ever since she got off the plane.  I am sure that she still can't get over the silence, lack of people and green open spaces, but it is fab to see her exploring in NZ.

So a couple of hours after she got off the plane we bundled her into the car and headed to the Far North - what a weekend.  The village did themselves justice by being very welcoming on Friday night - dinner in the cafe with the locals was lovely. 

Saturday arrived as another glorious morning and Tracey saw the harbour for the first time, she couldn't get over how unlike Hong Kong it was in terms of no traffic.  We were off to Cape Reinga (tip of the N Island), we stopped briefly in Kaitaia to go to the market (where we met our friendly village fisherman, Craig) and then headed to the beach. 

Pretty much WOW covers the 60kms of beach which forms 90 Mile Beach.  We saw maybe 6 vehicles during the entire drive.  Clear blue skies, rolling waves and golden sand dunes surrounded us.  When we eventually turned up the river exit to back to the road we stopped to climb the dunes and watch the sand shifting.

Cape Reinga was awesome.  There is a great visitors centre with lots of facts about the place and it's history.  The Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean meeting are impressive as their waves roll back and forth across one another.  I am so glad to have made the journey to see this spot and I will be back.

The road back to Kaitaia was equally empty and gave great views of the other coast.

We eventually arrived back in the village to enjoy the Matariki celebrations, with a large village turn out.  The evening ended in the pub watching the All Blacks beat France.

It was sad to return to Auckland on Sunday, but we included Fish and Chips in Opononi and visit to Tane Mahuta.

This weekend is Mid-Winter Christmas for us - so we are busy getting ready for that.

It is certainly all go in the bundy household at the moment, with our social life feeling quite overwhelming for a pair of introverts.  Loving it though!

Being sick and good times

At the end of Queens Birthday Weekend I got sick and I still not 100%!  2 weeks of being unable to feel up to exercise has been killing me.  I haven't been in the pool once!!!  2 years ago this wouldn't have been an issue, now it feels so painfully wrong it's just not funny.  I have coughed, spluttered, sneezed and slept my way through a fortnight.  Tomorrow night I will try to get back in the pool for the first time - I can't wait!!!

Work is full on at the moment, lots of issues and then H1N1 arrives on top.  The job remains good, and my team are just lovely, but I am so looking forward to a holiday - about 6 weeks to go I think.  Almost the shortest day of the year too, so we will be on our way back to summer before I know it.  

We have also begun to host a long line of visitors that sees us through to March next year.  First we are hosting a couple from St Mary's / Trinity Bristol (Dino and Lucy) who are doing a placement at St Paul's.  They are in the little house for the next month.  On Friday Tracy arrives from Hong Kong, so the property will be busy for a while.  

Right now I am having a little introvert time after host 10 for lunch.  Great time with good people, but now I have a big mediation to prep for and I want to watch Greys and Private Practice tonight.

Loving Long Weekends

Queens Birthday Weekend for me signals the commencement of the long winter ahead as there are no more Stats till October - which is such a shame.  However, we have had a lovely long weekend in Auckland this year, with a mixed bag of weather, which enabled inside and outside time.  Some of the things we enjoyed this weekend included:

Celebrating Cindy's 50th (the day before she turned 51) and getting to catch up with old friends at the same time

Introvert time at Yoga

Spending time with Amy - including plant shopping at Rogers and time in the Mall

Dinner with Bruce and Denise - Earl had a great time visiting his buddy Ted at the same time

Church - wonderful talk on Pastoral Care from Philip - we are so blessed to have him on staff

The best Mexican at "Sunday Roast" - great to spend time with our community, thank you Kelly and Ruth

A wonderful evening with the Wroe Family - including an exciting power cut

Intovert time swimming, mowing and potting plants

Relaxing with my wonderful husband

What a great life.

Back to work now, off to the Far North this weekend - time to celebrate my birthday.

The Restaurant of the Year - Merediths

Last Friday evening James and I headed out with some good friends to Merediths.  The restaurant has won every restaurant award of significance in NZ in the last 12 months.  Initially you really don't expect it to be that good, as it's location isn't in one of "the places" in Auckland and it has a very understated exterior.  The delights of this restaurant are on the inside.  So in summary we had 8!!! courses as follows:

Duck, Ostrich, Quail, Salmon, Pork, Beef, Sorbet, Chocolate

It was exquisite and in a very long time we will go back again.  Each course was presented like a piece of art work.  My two favourite courses were the Quail - serviced with a 5 spice marshmallow and a coconut cloud (amongst other things) and the Chocolate - especially the white chocolate (I pinched James'). 

The whole meal took 4 hours, but it didn't feel like that, although by course 4 we were giggling at each plate that was put infront of us.  The big question was whether we would ever be permitted to use the big knife and fork.

It was a fabulous experience, topped with matching wines for each course - decadent!

The rest of the weekend was completely of an introverted nature for me.  James headed for the Far North and I spent some time alone at home with the cats.  I am still feeling revived from this time - it made me realise how much I need it.  I pretty much saw no-one but managed to get myself to a point of feeling a little more on top of life.

This weekend is Queens Birthday and so a long one - yay!  We have a couple of things in the diary, but more time to get on top of life is required.  I am also hoping to spend some time in the garden - weather permitting - and exercising (yoga, swimming and running are on the agenda).

A chilly snap or a sign of things to come

We appear to have skipped autumn.  Always interesting as for me this is a good thing.  I feel like we have skipped the dying season and are already in the new beginnings phase.  On the other hand it is cold!  For the first time in years I had a hot water bottle (hottie) in bed (not down the back of my trousers on the sofa - a kiwi obsession in inadequately heated homes) last night.  There was a very light frost night as well - we normally get a max of 3 per year, so this is particularly odd to have happened so early.  The snow dumping all over the country has been huge.  So I wonder how hard and cold this winter will be.

Tonight we are off to Merediths - a flash restaurant in town - can't wait - will review over the weekend. 

Back to finishing the working week now!

Becoming Village People

I can't quite believe how often we are making the trip up to Kohukohu, but the journey seems easier each time.  We left late on Thursday - crawling into bed just before midnight.  I worked hard on Friday before we spent another pleasant evening in the cafe.  We are now considered villagers and are no longer the newest newcomers which is nice.

On Saturday we visited Ngawha Springs - which was a completely new experience as hot springs go.  It cost $4 per adult and you can't expect much for that - other than that the experience was rustic and authentic.  James and I have spotted a slightly more exclusive park of springs just down the road for the extortionate rate of $5 - we'll try there next time.

On Saturday evening we met more of the village at a shared meal, which was just lovely.  All these thoroughly diverse people sharing their lives and an evening together.

Finally on Sunday morning I made it to yoga in the hills.  A thoroughly different experience to my posh centre in West Auckland, but lovely and welcoming all the same.

Back to life in Auckland for a couple of weeks - a meal at OTG will finish our week this week, and I can't wait!

Off for a swim now.