Settling in

Hmm, so posting here more regularly doesn't seem to have happened quite as I would have liked. I'm sorry about that, being back at work has been a little overwhelming and I have become quite the hermit. I do have things stored up to show and tell though, beginning with our new house. I'm feeling pretty lucky to have these beautiful roses blooming outside our bedroom window at the moment, and despite the fact that I am currently sitting amongst piles of boxes due to our stuff from Vancouver having just arrived, I am in love with this new house of ours.

Our bedroom gets the most amazing light during the day, and walking through the house in the morning I can look out the windows to the mangroves and harbour, watching chimney smoke waft up into the sky. We have a backyard that stretches out for quite a ways, and that is inhabited by a few fruit trees and a family of pukeko, which you can look out over from the little sun-room off the dining room (through the brick archway). We've been slowly unpacking all our boxes from Canada, which just makes it all that much better to come home to after a day of teenagers jumping through windows and playing basketball during health class.*

I'll be sure to keep the photos coming, we've got lots of plans for the place. A veggie garden and chickens out the back, music room in the basement, workshop in the garage and lots of plants and rugs everywhere.


*I wish I was joking.

Warm Welcome

As we've been in New Zealand for almost 3 months now, it's probably high time I fill you in with what's been going on. Despite a few hiccups, and feelings of surreality with things feeling so very normal and not at all normal at the same time, it has been really good being home. 

Our initial plan had been to move down to Christchurch after visiting friends and family, but as I'm sure most of you know a major earthquake hit the city in late February, devastating much of the city and was pretty much centred right in the little town of Lyttelton that we were hoping to move to. Thankfully our friends down there were ok, but many people weren't and it has been heart wrenching watching it all unfold from afar. We debated still going down, but with the need for work and accommodation amongst the people of Christchurch so great it just didn't feel right. We still hope to get there in the future (and in the near future for a visit, for sure) but for now we've decided to stay put in Auckland for the rest of the year. I must admit I was pretty anti -Auckland at first, I'm not sure why, going back to the too familiar perhaps? And living in the expensive city that it is while looking for work and an apartment hasn't been done the best job of endearing it to me (three months with no pay cheque!). But being here with Richard has made me see the city with new eyes, and despite being fairly broke we've been out exploring it's many diverse little pockets, visiting friends, cuddling new babies and driving along winding roads to wild west coast beaches which has given me the chance to fall back in love with this place a little (a lot). 

Also, good news is that I now have a job! Starting next week, I'll be teaching again making me both nervous and excited. It's been a good few years since I've been in the classroom, and this time 'round I'll be teaching high school which is new for me. I plan on channeling a bit of this lady (joking.....only half) and being thankful that high school works in blocks of time not full days. My best friend works at the same school, and having her there is going to be pretty great as she is easily one of the funniest people I know - perfect for post crazy class debriefs. I am actually looking forward to it, and the stationary shopping. Natch. We also have a house to move into this Friday! We've been very lucky to have had the use of my Dad's vacation rental property while we've been getting ourselves sorted, but I am looking forward to setting up house and really feeling like we're settling in here. The 'all coming together' feeling is very much welcomed by us both at the moment!

That feeling also means I intend to start posting here a bit more regularly again, and also keeping our Facebook page up to date so you can be sure you'll be hearing from me again soon. Sorry for all the radio silence lately!  Hope you're well friends. I'd love to hear how you're doing. xo