Rick, Nicky and Claire in NZ

I've been meaning to post for a few weeks but never quite came up with anything suitable. I started a list of NZ equivalents to UK things: Placemakers = B&Q Whitcoulls = WH Smith White Out = Tipex Though, as you can see, the list didn't get very far. However, I'll be taking some photos at the museum next week and I'll post those for you all to see. Thanks for reading, Claire

I have finally got a job and started work!!!! I have been employed by Ubertec, an Apple Reseller in Parnell, as their Service Administrator. Basically this means managing all the repairs which they do, and filtering the support phone calls which come in. The money is not great, but it is a small company and if I can make my mark I am sure things will move in the right direction. I have also been on a massage course this weekend which may lead to some part-time work, and I have been offered some more modelling work. So, things are progressing, slowly. Now that all three of us have gainful employment, I thought you might like to see where we spend our working hours. This is the Whitcoulls store in St Lukes mall where Claire works Saturdays and usually Friday evenings too. They also call her in at other times when they are short staffed: Claire also does volunteer work at the Auckland Museum This is the library in Henderson which Nicky is based, but she has also worked in three of the oth...

You are probably all aware that Sir Edmond Hilary (know here as Sir Ed) has died. His funeral is today (22nd Jan) in the Auckland Cathedral. Nicky has just left to attend the service. Admission to the cathedral is by invitation only, but big screens have been set up in the Domain (park) for the general public and we are assuming that Nicky's invitation has got lost in the post somewhere.... So, this morning Nicky and I went off to pay our own tribute, along with 45 other men, women and children, two dogs, and a radio car. Nicky had her first day at Te Atatu Peninsula library yesterday, and on my way to pick her up I was listening to Classic Hits FM (one of the top commercial radio stations here) and one of the presenters was organising an attempt on One Tree Hill, emulating Sir Ed's attempt on Everest back in '53. The plan was to meet at base camp (the Cornwall Park Restaurant) at 7am, proceed up the south face (all metalled roads so you have to dodge the occasional car alo...

Nicky will finish her training with Waitekere Libraries this week and will then be a fully-fledged staff member. She is already working regular Thursday and Saturday hours at Henderson, and has got a casual day at New Lynn this week. We don't know where else her presence will be requested, but it has been mentioned that they would like her to be full-time and permanent at Henderson, but we don't know if and when this might happen. Claire's hours have also become more regular no the Christmas rush is over. She is doing Friday evening and all day Saturday at Whitcoulls, and a half day (either Monday or Tuesday) at the museum. She has gone for another interview today at an Apple Reseller because she is missing playing with the new technology. She is looking for perhaps one day a week working in the shop, just to keep her hand in. I have a couple of interviews coming up this week too, at the same Apple dealer as Claire and at the Ministry of Justice, which is next door but one ...

The New Year is now with all of us, and I have been remiss in updating the blog. We spent Christmas Day with the majority of the family at Clem & Pats in Stanmore Bay. Everybody brought food and we had a very good lunch. Visiting the beach in the afternoon was shelved due to the rain. Nicky, Claire and I stayed at Clem and Pats until the evening. Most of the family left mid-afternoon to be replaced by friends of Clam & Pats. So, more food consumed even though it wasn't really necessary. We had a long lie-in on Boxing Day, Claire particularly appreciating it after been at work every day and sometimes until after midnight at Whitcoulls. We breakfasted and then started a jigsaw, as is our tradition at this time of year (we finished it yesterday and discovered it only had 992 pieces, not 1000). Then we met Steve and Ros late afternoon at the Cinema in the St Lukes mall where Claire works and saw "The Golden Compass", a film of Philip Pullman's Northern Lights book...

Just to give you a little more background as to where we live, this is the view we get after a 16 minute drive to the Waitakere Regional Park: Nice, isn't it? I have bought a map of the almost 200 tracks in the park so that I can do some walking, or tramping as it is called here. Nickys' brother-in-law Grant has also invited me to do some tramping with him and his mates at some point. Rick

What a fun week it has been - two birthdays and Nicky has started work. On Tuesday it was Claire's birthday. We started the day with gift opening after a late breakfast. She was given a wonderful range of presents. Then we went to the Crepé Café in LynnMall and had pancakes for lunch. In the afternoon I made a veggie lasagne which was devoured in the evening by the Moss-Masons, Kim & Shani, Jenny and Anna, and followed by a scrummy Apple cake which Nicky had made. It was a very enjoyable day. On Wednesday, Nickys' birthday was a little more low key. More late breakfast and present opening followed by an afternoon trip to the cinema to see Elizabeth, The Golden Age. We all enjoyed this and also enjoyed our fist visit to what we expect to become out local cinema - really good seats, plenty of leg room and a good incline which N & C appreciate (so they can see over tall peoples' heads). On Thursday Nicky started work -yippe!! with Waitakere Libraries. She is being trai...