You turn if you want to

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The most notable event of the week happened at 5am this morning. The right turn road rules changed, bringing New Zealand into line with the rest of the world. So now the rules here are the same as we were used to in England. Even after four and a half years of using a different regime (which I am not willing to explain because it will just fry my brain cell) I still have to think about what to do. I am hoping that I can go back onto autopilot but am interested to see just how long it takes to get back to my "old ways" and keep my eye on what the locals are up to.

The week started very wet, and continued to be quite damp until Friday, and though we had had showers this morning Sunday has turned into a sunny and breezy day. It would be great for drying the laundry, if we hadn't already done it! It is still quite warm with night time temperatures in the mid-teens. Some parts of the country had two months of rain in two days, leading to some significant flooding.

Work has been much as usual; Nicky busy at the library and me doing a few jobs through the week. On Thursday I had lunch with Claire. I drove over to Mt Eden and we walked into the "village" as Claire fancied a curry. The place she was heading for does $10 lunch specials of curry, rice and naan. We both had korma and enjoyed them very much. She had her wisdom teeth stitches out on Wednesday and was generally looking a lot better.

Lilly spent a day and a half up at the garage having her transmission and coolant systems flushed. It shouldn't have taken that long but a key part broke and they couldn't get a replacement and finish the job until the following day.

Yesterday morning after a late and very enjoyable scrambled egg breakfast Nicky and I went off to the mall at St Lukes to do some banking and buy a gift voucher for a work colleague of Nicky's. Inevitably we popped into Whitcoulls to check on the status of the daughter, who had just had her appraisal (which seemed to go OK). Steve came over in the afternoon for Scrabble with Nicky, and Claire and Ryan called in on us after work and collected Ryan's birthday goodies.

In the evening Nicky and I went to see "Four Flat Whites in Italy" at the Titirangi Theatre in Lopdell House. This is a comedy written by Roger Hall about four Kiwi's on holiday (two of whom are librarians) at the time of the 2007 Rugby World Cup. We both enjoyed the production very much and met people who we know. This is starting to happen more frequently now and is a really consequential experience. It cements the feeling of settling and participating in the community. Nicky met someone from work and I met someone from my time with the Electoral Commission. It is as ever, the people more than the place, that form the bonds of attachment.

Today has been quiet with Nicky at church and doing a leaflet drop. I have started reading Bill Bryson's "At Home" this weekend which is full of very interesting facts which I know I will forget. The links between how we live now and how we lived in the past is fascinating. As the old saying goes, the more things change the more they stay the same.

Bye for now,
Take care,
Rick

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