Fabulous darling

12/12/11-21/12/11

Well I have had my last day at Zig Zag. What a relief. It’s not a bad place to work its just so dam boring and predictable. Yippee for freedom and a job that I like. On the Jobs that I like front the new role as Housing Manager (Housing Officer) is still going well. I am encountering a few problems that I never saw in the UK. Banana trees growing too much and causing havoc in the gardens. Heat pumps being stolen... well once I worked out that a heat pump was in fact an AC unit that also blows out hot air, half the population wearing black and red (the gang colours) and people of all age calling out yo bro, hay bro or in fact any sentence finished with the word bro. The normal things are still in existence, not paying rent, hiding when I turn up to the door, overgrown gardens and rubbish. Oh it’s just like being at home but with sun and effective AC in the car!

The weekend heralded a trip up to the big smoke. After work we hit the road with Roger and Ross and drove the 5 hours to Auckland. For those of you who know us well we don’t travel more than 2 hours in the UK unless it’s for the week. Into this you can read the fact we wanted a big night out where there were lots of people.

Arriving quite late we had a quick tour of the bars before heading back to lady Leaubo's rather swish flat. He was away but his presence was felt everywhere for his apartment was furnished exquisitely with a lot of white paint, fragile ornaments and terrifying surfaces. One barely dared to breath for it may damage something. Clearly this was a man without children as the coffee table was made of natural stone and would stain it you put anything on it, the sofas were fantastic but would be forever ruined if we spilt wine upon them. All 4 our us relaxed but not quite enough to the point of relaxing enough to cause damage. 10 out of 10n for being fabulous 0 out of 10 for livability!

The next day we headed to downtown Auckland and had brunch in the sky tower. The largest building in the southern hemisphere. What’s more it revolved so we could see the whole city and by goodness there is a lot of it. During brunch an number of people flinged themself off the top of the tower but not to a certain death as they were paying for this experience. We kindly declined instead opting to take in the views. To our left were the occupy Auckland protestors, centre a church with Mary looking aghast at a pregnancy test kit and to the right a fantastic number of very large boats.

Post brunch and it was into the throng of the shoppers. I knew James liked shopping and people but I always thought that I did not. Well after 3 months in Napier I was ready for the crowds, shopping and seeing people. We shopped and even introduced R&R to the opshop (2nd had shop) where they bought some clothes.

Exhausted we returned to the apartment to drink bubbly wine and lament the weather. For the weather had only gone and bloody done it... done what I hear you ask. Well as a wise woman once said it does not rain abroad and being in New Zeeland we can’t be much more abroad relative to the UK but no one told the weather that. Not only did it rain it rained like a really bad day in Manchester. Maybe the weather is trying to ensure we are not homesick. Well we are not and could it please stop raining. For the last few months it has been fantastic but as those dam school holidays approached the weather got worse and it’s been overcast for days. It better get its act together before the 25th or we shall be asking for a refund from the New Zealand tourist board. On their web sight there are no pictures of people enjoying Christmas day in the rain. As James may say whilst shacking his fist at the sky bloody well sort it out....

Ok post bubbles and a nap we were heading out to the heart of gay Auckland. First up was SPQR a fantastically hip and chilled out, busy establishment serving the most wonderful pizza. Oh to be surrounded by a throng of people once more. Dear god it sounds like we like cities more than we realised! Post food it was off to the bars and pubs where we partied until the sun came up... quite literally!

Ok so Sunday we slept from 6am-2pm, got in the car, drove home via Burger King and collapsed into bed. Not what one would call making the most of your time in a new city but hay one needs beauty sleep!

19/12/11-20/12/11

Back to work and back to reality. Well briefly. Monday came and went as did Tuesday day but the evening required more socialising up at the beehive (R&R's). Here we mused upon the fact that no one had any Christmas decorations up not even in the council estate I was working in. I am in heaven James not so much. Now back home at least one tenant would have injured themself by tapping there lights into the mains but here there is not a sausage. This put into context the popularity of a nice middle class street in Auckland that was bedecked like a upscale council estate!

James has been working hard and changing the unit he works on. Last week was an away day and this week heralds the cold reality of change. Its rather hard work and all consuming. No doubt a blog of his experience will no doubt follow.

21/12/11
Well it’s a year today since Colin died. Wow that has gone fast. Much time thinking of him and his life has ensured. I am comforted by the fact that mum has lots of people around her today and that she is visiting the bench. As always well done sedbergh you are taking good care of her!