Rick, Nicky and Claire in NZ

The major news this week is the rise in petrol prices. We knew it was coming and now it has worked its way to the pump prices. Yesterday when I filled up it cost $70. A month ago it was costing $53. That's a rise of over 30%. I don't know what is happening to UK petrol prices but I don't expect they will be coming down. Petrol is still cheaper here than in the UK, and we only fill up about once a week, but it really makes my $105 monthly rail pass look exceedingly good value. Work has been much the same for us all this week, with Claire doing another Sunday and Nicky now having started her permanent hours. This has meant no evening work which has been good, but she it still on emergency staffing Tues/Wed/Sun, and we expect her to be working most Sunday's for the foreseeable future. I organised a "works outing" for Friday evening to see the new Indiana Jones film in Newmarket. Six of us plus two other-halves went and had an enjoyable time. The film wasn't f

I am not trying to get into a fortnightly updating habit, honest, that is just the way it is happening at the moment. Our lives seem very busy and finding time to sit and write isn't as easy as I would like it to be. Anyway.... Nicky has started doing her regular Monday at New Lynn library, and this week starts her regular Thurs/Fri/Sat at Henderson. She will still be on emergency cover for Tues/Wed and Sun. She is still being paid at casual rate which is a little higher than permanent rate because it has an allowance for holidays. Once she starts being paid as permanent staff she will get a paid holidays instead. So, she is looking forward to having 30 regular hours each week, and we think that she will no longer be doing Thursday evenings at Henderson. Claire is doing some extra hours at Whitcoulls, namely all day Friday in addition to Thurs evening and all day Saturday. She is also doing a couple of Sundays and a Monday but doesn't think that these will become regular. There

Apologies for not updating the blog last week, but we have been a little busy, and a lot tired. Last weekend was ANZAC weekend. Even thought only the morning is an "official" public holiday for the memorial services, many businesses close for the day and many people treated it as a special weekend as it was the last public holiday for awhile. So, as all three of us were off work on the same day (a rare event these days), we had decided to have a family day. This started off with a lie-in and a leisurely breakfast. In the afternoon we went to the Auckland Museum to go and see the dome. This is a new addition to the top of the library which is rarely open to the public as it is for events, such as wedding receptions and corporate do's. On ANZAC day entry to the museum was free and the dome was open and Claire had suggested a visit. As we arrived at the museum the weather started to perk up and it wasn't long before the sun came out - about the same time that we got to t