2009

New years eve was a quiet affair. New Years Day was a work day. But we're off out to celebrate the start of the new year with a group of fellow apartment dwellers and colleagues from other apartment blocks tonight (day 2, 2009) We've booked for 30+ - not the easiest of tasks to book a place for that number. We'll raise a glass of lemon and mint to family and frinds back home.

I got my first parking ticket last week - I didn't think they did parking tickets over here - you don't see any parking meters or ticket wardens wondering around. I came back to my car to find a bl----y yellow sticker on my window, written in arabic. I went into the Cognition office after work and asked if anyone knew what these yellow stickers were!! They all laughed....$NZ150 for parking in the wrong place - not like back home - $20.
One of the teacher consultants here got a $NZ3,000 ticket for going through a red light - that's serious money.

It is a very weird day here today - very windy and cloudy - no blue sky. I have even got my Kathmandu jacket on inside cause it's a little chilly. It feels like there is going to be a big sand storm.
Yesterday I had to drive to work in very thick fog - that was a slow trip. It lifted at about 9.00.

A thought .... you don't see spiders or spider webs here. In fact I haven't seen many insects apart from large ants sometimes- no more cockroaches either (touch wood). There was a scorpion at one of the schools last week - a teacher showed me the photos - large and black - yuck.
I'm enjoying cooking - I made a pav for xmas dinner, we had a couple over for a curry the other night which was delish and I've just made some cheese scones for me and Brian - I'm off to eat them