Goodbye 2008

Happy 2009

As everyone can see, I've been slack in keeping my blog up for the last many months. I can guarantee that life here has been little more exciting than any other working person's life. The highlights of the last bit of 2008 - after getting a job in Thames- include:

1) Attending a kick-butt concert by Michael Franti in Auckland (7 October). It was an awesome concert by an artist I've just recently begun to appreciate. Dave attended with me and we both had a great time too. We caught up with Rachel and Bobbie (from my Rotorua blog), and the guys they were dating at the time, over food and drinks before the show. Despite having eaten WAY to much food before the concert, I barely stopped jumping or dancing during the whole concert! Dave drove us home from Auckland at some extremely late hour!!

2) Partying it up with friends in Tauranga for Joe's birthday (11 October). This was a good night of hanging out with Dave's good friends and having fun. With a bloody Mary the next morning, celebrations easily could have continued on for another night (which they did for Cherie, Joe and Matt). However, Dave had to get back home so he could watch the Bathurst 1000 (a bunch of V8 cars driving a track for 1000 km) and we both had to work the next day (I think those 3 all called in sick - or late at least!). I watched a good portion of the race - somewhat interesting since there are more than left turns to it ;) - Ford won over Holden.

3) A lovely date out with Dave to celebrate our "3 month" anniversary(of the night we met) (26 October). I had given little thought to the date, or how long we'd known each other, but Dave had. He surprised me with a steak dinner at a restaurant and refused to let me pay (which is huge - 'cause we always split costs; from day 1). He also bought me the Michael Franti CD that I had been wishing I'd bought at the concert a month earlier (I was feeling broke at the time). Awww, just melts the heart doesn't it..... ;-D

4) Scaring the piss out of Rachel and myself for Halloween (31 October). Kiwi's don't generally celebrate Halloween, but, being an American, I really wanted to do something to celebrate the holiday. I was even going to buy a pumpkin to carve (no, not a big orange jack'o'lantern pumpkin - they don't have those here, since you don't actually eat them - one of those small butternut pumpkins)!!! However, I found something much, much better! Spookers is an old mental institution that has been converted into a "haunted amusement park"!!! That's right - a MENTAL INSTITUTION converted into a haunted house, haunted forest, and haunted corn field attraction!!!!! Bobbie was out of town (Queenstown, south island), and probably would have soiled her pants anyway, but Rachel was game for going with Dave and me.

We met Rachel in a suburb of Auckland and Dave drove us all to Spookers. We were starting to wonder if we were lost - as we were surrounded by rolling farm land and felt like we had been driving for ages in the semi-darkness of twilight - but then we finally saw the Spookers signs. We arrived right around 8pm, and boy am I glad we didn't show up later! The line into the place was already massive. Of course, we had expected this - as it was Halloween. So we got in line, enjoyed the ghouls wondering around the crowd, and tried to take artsy photos of the fire dancers that were randomly putting on shows.

After a good 2 hours, we finally made it to the ticket counter (and were so very thankful that we weren't the schmucks at the end of the line - which had snaked far down the street to a massive, unending distance).

The "CornEvil" cornmaze was closed until January (when the corn would be available to make a maze out of) so we bought tickets to the "Haunted House", "Freaky Forest", and "3D Manic Vortex". Rachel and I screamed, laughed, and ran through the forest first. Dave just walked behind and watched all the actors prey on our girly reactions. Next, we used our free ticket to an attraction that claimed to scare a claustraphobic to death as you crawled through the walls that closed in on you. Well, being a claustraphobic I was really looking forward to this one - boy was I disappointed!!! There was absolutely no pressure agains the silk that you had to crawl through. It was just like walking through a tunnel! However, the ticket had been given to us free for buying 3 attraction passes, so...... I can't be to annoyed at it's lameness. We all figured the haunted house was going to kill us with fear, after going through the forest, so we decided to try the 3D attraction next - it didn't look like many people were giving it a go anyway.

The "3D Manic Vortex" started out simple enough. Great wall art painted to have 3D effect when wearing a pair of highly stylish glasses. We were given time to adjust to the depth perception difference and enjoy the art. We had so much time that we even took pictures! We were lulled into thinking that this was more of an art exhibit than a haunt. We found out quickly that we were wrong. Pretty soon we had bored actors chasing us - literally chasing us! - everywhere!!!! Dave was of absolutely NO help. I'd run around him trying to hide, and the ghoul would just follow me - as if Dave was a post in the room! ha ha ha It was a load of fun.

The haunted house was next. We weren't allowed to take pictures, wouldn't have had time anyway (same in the forest). It was the same thing again - Rachel and I screamed and held onto each other while Dave walked behind us. Dave saw all the ghouls as soon as he walked into the room and just waited to see what us unsuspecting girls would do. The ghouls seemed to know Dave knew the gig - they all went straight for us. It was AWESOME. I can only recall going to a better haunted house, years and years ago when I was in high school. Of course, it really is as much about company as it is the actors. Rachel was the perfect screamer with which to get in the mood. Same thing when mom and I went with our neighbor last year. Screamy girls just seem to get other girls more riled up!

Oh - and I forgot to mention: we left Spookers at (or just after) midnight..... 4 hours after we had arrived...... When we left, there was still a line to get into the "amusement park"!!!!!

5) Attending my first ever "burnout competition" (1 November). Despite having arrived home at 3am from dropping Rachel back in Auckland (after the above night out at Spookers), we were up early for a 40 minute drive to Morrinsville for the burnout masters. A burnout is basically spinning your tires and creating a bunch of smoke until the tires pop. I was definitely only there because it is something Dave enjoys. I stood for hours in a massive cloud of tire smoke as flash cars (and some none-to-flash cars) ruined their tires. It was actually quite entertaining - for the first hour, until I started getting nauseous from all the smoke. I got to see a couple of left hand drive cars - of which the blue Camaro was most impressive (driven by a woman). Dave and I were absolutely covered in tire rubber by the end of it - I had to wash my hair 3 times before the black stopped coming out! I did hold out until the end of the event though - always the good girlfriend. I even watched the wet t-shirt contest turn into a topless show! :-o

6) Had a weekend in Auckland, attending "The Phantom of the Opera" (14 November) and then meeting more of Dave's friends at a "thank god it's summer again" BBQ (15 November). Dave and I both found the stage sets and production of the opera superb, however Dave decided he can do without the "shreiking" performance of the opera. We met Bobbie, Rachel, and their Japanese roommates for drinks and a night out after the performance. Bobbie was so disappointed she couldn't afford to see the show herself. The next day we met up with the same girls to enjoy the sun of a local park and a little bit of cafe culture. We then headed to one of Dave's friend's house for a BBQ. She had fewer people show up than she expected or wanted, but it was a good time anyway. We slept at her place and then had brunch in Mount Eden while we listened to her musician friend.

7) Showed Rachel around the Coromandel Peninsula (22 November). Rachel bused down from Auckland on Friday night (21 Nov) and bused home on Sunday morning (23 Nov). We took her to the pubs on Friday night; had a shocking encounter with some hoodlums and got a ride home in a cop car for our own safety.... Yes, I probably should elaborate, but it's not really a tourist story for Thames and no one got hurt. The cop ride was just so we didn't encounter the same group looking for a fight and so they didn't know where we lived. The next day I drove Rachel around the peninsula and took her to Cathedral Cove. Dave put on a BBQ that night with our local friends. Fun was had by all. ;-)

8) Attended the Pohutukawa Festival in Tairua (Coromandel Peninsula) (29 September). Dave and I stayed at his friend's place with many other of Dave's friends. While Joe, Cherie, and Matt had arrived with their friend Allan the night before, we arrived the morning of the festival. We caught up, had some early afternoon beers and snacks and waited for the other friends. We then all headed out to the festie together. It was a lot of fun - beer, local bands (some of which were well known "big" bands that had really made the scene), and lots of sun. It was a short night, as the last ferry from Tairua, back to Pauanui (where we were staying), was 8pm!!!! Dave (the man of no hangovers) cleaned up the bach and made a pie run for everyone as breakfast. We then headed home so he could be productive and I could recover in comfort.

9) Celebrated Dave's birthday (20 December). Apparently, Dave rarely makes a big deal about his birthday. But since it fell on a Saturday and since it had been 10 years since his 21st birthday, he figured he was due for a big "piss up" (beer drinking night). All Dave was worried about was having enough food for the "barbie" (bbq) and enough beer to celebrate in style. So, when I asked him what kind of cake he wanted he said none was fine - he hadn't had one in over 10 years. I insisted that a birthday wasn't a birthday without a cake. I asked what kind of cake his mom used to make him as a kid (expecting the answer of chocolate, vanilla, carrot, etc). "Well," he says. "I remember a rocket cake one time."...... What!!!! A rocket cake! What a typical boy - doesn't remember the flavor of his cakes, but does remember the shapes! So, after talking with his mum and relating the story, I was convinced to make a "rocket cake". Mum, Kathy, gave me the instructions, using a square pan she gave me. I was somewhat skeptical about Dave's reaction, but figured - what the heck, at least it will be a laugh. I made the cream-cheese frosted, chocolate "rocket" cake completely from SCRATCH!!!!! Yes, from scratch, thank you! While the food, beer, and other deserts were a great hit, everyone agreed that my chocolate cake was excellent. I think most everyone got a kick out of the phallically shaped cake covered in candles (yes, 31 candles were on it) and yes, I sang happy birthday - despite knowing Dave didn't want it - and thank goodness everyone else joined in!!!! I was most pleased that Dave's 4 year old twin nephews knew what the cake was. "It's a rocket!!" was the proclamation. Of course, it was supposed to be a surprise to Dave, but one of the boys apparently told him right after seeing it. I take it as a compliment that the cake impressed the boy enough to make him tell Dave :-)

And Finally....... 10) Celebrated Christmas!!!!!

Dave's best mate Matt (from the UK on a working holiday visa too!), came over from Tauranga for Dave's birthday and stayed through Boxing Day (the day after Christmas). Dave and I had already decorated the house with a fiber optic christmas tree Dave bought and with stockings my parents had sent. We bought another stocking for Matt and stocked our tree with presents from each other and my parents. My manager, Margaret, had invited me to her house for her traditional Christmas Eve get together. Dave was quite happy to accompany me - and drive - to the dinner. We both had a fun time talking with Margaret and her husband (first time I'd met him, though I had heard many, many stories). We were both quite surprised to receive a present from Margaret and Martin (yes, her husband). Luckily I had brought a bottle of wine, chocolates, and almonds as a gift for inviting us! Dave got a pair of fuzzy dice for his car and a hacky sack. I got a cute souvenir and key chain. It was really, really nice - since I normally spend Christmas eve with my parents, sister, and cousins having dinner and a laugh. The present exchange really made it feel like Christmas, despite the warm weather! After the party, Dave drove us back to Thames and around the neighborhoods - looking for Christmas lights. We found one or two good displays still illuminated before heading home.

Christmas day was excellent. Dave and I got up earliest (but not before 7!) and started the "baked french toast" we had made the night before. While the french toast baked, I made bloody mary's for the house, and Dave threw bacon and eggs on the barbie. I woke up Matt with a bloody and then knocked on Stefan's door (our German flatmate). Neither Matt nor Stefan liked the bloody mary's! Dave and I loved them...... Having been well fed (probably overly fed really) and having gotten Matt up so we could go into the lounge where all the pressies were, we proceeded to open our stockings. Matt had to be told several times that the gold stocking was his. He kept thinking we were joking. It wasn't until Dave finally made him take it that he figured it out. He was really surprised. We each opened a few presents, but then we had to go - Dave's family was waiting for him. We all drove up to Liz's house (Dave's sister) for a luncheon feast with Dave's immediate family, uncle, and cousins. We all brought our own contribution - Dave had bread and dip appetizers, Matt had lots of wine, and I had a delicious pear salad and homemade (yes, completely from scratch!) pumpkin pies. Unfortunately, our massive breakfast had left us so full that all three of us were hardly able to eat a full plate of the delicious food :( I was able to taste a bit of everything for lunch and kept myself from bursting when I had a bite of each of the deserts on offer (thanks to Dave's sharing). My pumpkin pie was a big hit - purely American - while I really enjoyed the homemade (though flattened) pavlova (a NZ recipe from my understanding). When we got home we all unwrapped the rest of our presents and had a mellow night using some of my presents (a card game from Matt, which was a good excuse to use the BSU drink coasters my Aunt Virginia had sent).

I had e-mailed my parents and told them to call me anytime they wanted - even if it was 5am here (8am there). However, I was still extremely disoriented when the phone went off at 8am my time. The late night and to much food had gotten to me. However, my head quickly cleared as I wished, and was wished, Merry Christmas - it was the 25th there, despite it being the 26th here. It was really great hearing from my family and finding they liked the presents I'd sent (art work). I was surprised at how little I had missed my family through the holidays. I know it's because I was still surrounded by so many good, lovely people. However, that doesn't mean I didn't miss them. In fact, a card to me from Dave's grandma (with a gift of money!) made me start crying after Christmas lunch!!!! So, I very much enjoyed hearing from my family. I was a little disappointed that I wasn't home when my parents called back later in the day, with my aunt and cousins on the phone. They had to call on my cell phone instead - while I was at the noisy mall with Matt and Dave. My cell phone creates a delay in the conversation, which makes talking to everyone really awkward. But at least I still got to hear from everyone!

So - that pretty much wraps up 2008! Yeah, I know.... what about New Year's Eve. Well, Dave and I rocked out of 2008 and into 2009 with an awesome Kiwi concert...... but, that's another blog (one that I'm supposed to be typing right now! But I just couldn't skip over all the good stuff above - or, more accurately, I just couldn't not post the above pictures

;-)

So - I PROMISE, another blog within the week (have to have it done by the - mom is here in exactly a week!). The next blog will tell you all about the 2 week roadtrip Dave and I went on around the north island. And, more importantly, will have pictures too.....

Home Sweet Home

Well, since the happenings of my last post - which ended with a trip to Cathedral Cove on Sunday 28 September - halloween has come and gone, Americans stuffed themselves silly on turkey and side dishes, and Christmas is now a week away! What have I been up to?......

Well - I spent Monday 29 September exploring a bit more of the town of Thames. As I walked down the mainstreet I could see the mangroove trees that marked the edge of the estuary on one side and on the other side I could see the the towering green mountains that confined the town to it's lower slopes. As I walked, I couldn't help but feel similarities between Thames and Juneau, Alaska (a place I lived for 8 years and will always feel a bit like home to me). They are both fairly small towns.... the internet says Juneau had 30,737 people in 2006, while Thames had only 6,756 (with approx 25,941 in the Thames/Coromandel area). Wow - I had no idea that Juneau was that much larger than Thames! Hmmm, Juneau does sprawl A LOT... So, I guess Thames is more comparable to Downtown Juneau... Anyway..... Both towns are bordered by water on one side and mountains on the other; and both are steeped in mining history. Obviously they have differences too, but the major difference is that I can leave Thames anytime I want!!! No plane or ferry ticket required!

So, as I was pondering these similarities it occured to me how much I liked the feel of the town. Plus, I already knew someone here! I then recalled something I had told several people when they had asked what I was going to do in NZ - I said "I will either find a job I like and settle in that town, or I will find a town I like and find a job there." So... I decided that maybe I should try finding a job in Thames! I liked the town, I liked the mountains..... I had found out that both the jobs I was really, really, really hoping for on the S. Island had opted not to hire me (despite the fact that I had made it to the final rounds of consideration). Needless to say, that really, really bummed me out - especially since they were both guiding jobs. So - Monday night I told Dave about my thoughts on looking for a job in town. He was more than excited at the prospect of my staying in town (as he was already quite sweet on me).

On Tuesday, 30 September, I took a bath (my first since leaving the states) and considered my job options. I was far from optomistic. I hadn't even been hired in jobs for which I was qualified! How was I going to get a job when I had no experience (ie cafe work)? However, I got nicely dressed and headed out. My plan was basically to walk the main street and look for help wanted signs. Figured that was as good a plan as any! Well... long story shortened..... Within an hour of setting out from the house I was hired at a local cafe and told to start training the next day!

I must admit, I was extremely unsure about it. It happened so fast and I still wasn't sure that I didn't want to try my luck on the S. Island. I wasn't sure I was ready to settle down. I was only supposed to be in Thames for a couple weekends - on a "vacation from my holiday"! However, since I was hired by the first place I tried, I figured that might be a sign of some sort. I had been getting really antsy to get a job; and trying my luck in a more touristy town (Thames isn't a destination, it's more of a "stop and rest on your way up the peninsula" town) would probably be a lot more difficult with my lack of experience! So - why look a gift horse in the mouth - I took the job in a town where I had a friend, was close to water, was close to forests, and was centerally located for travelling to destinations cities in 2 hours or less. Plus, I was going to gain some invaluable experience in a field that could provide me with ample job opportunities in NZ and Australia with a work permit.

So - life since then has just been life. I've had some weekend adventures that I probably should've blogged about -but I'll just have to post a massive holiday update summing up the last 3 months of 2008 here in NZ! But for now, I would like to share some images and details about the place I currently call home........

The Town

This church was built in 1898 - wooden gothic

Two wood pigeons (endemic birds).

Thames viewed from lookout above the town. the estuary appears to be at mid tide, some water on the mudflats, but the mud is still visible.

Again, Thames viewed from a mountain lookout. The river can be seen snaking from inland on the left and entering the estuary on the right.

Dave at the Thames war memorial.

The town from the war memorial lookout, the wooden gothic church is in the middle.

Thames at night from the mountain lookout.

The Imperial Bar - where Dave and I met...... Awwwww.

The Cafe

Margaret, (on the right) is the manager that hired me and Ann (on the left) is our mid-morning to late afternoon short order cook.

My Avocado Pie on Display! I may not have brought experience with me, but my avocado pie was so successful that I had to make 2 pies in one week after it was introduced!!!

Margaret found the avocado pie recipe so easy and versitile to use that she created many other flavors: berry, mango, and banana (though the banana pie has been around NZ for years, as a Banafi pie)

Mango "cheesecake" (no cream cheese in it) based on my avocado pie in the bottom or the cabinet - Margaret can be seen through the cabinet.

The House

Centerally located in the downtown Thames area, Dave owns a house that rests at the bottom of a dip in the foothills of the bush covered mountains. It has 3 bedrooms, 1 toilet, 1 bath, a kitchen/dining room, and a large lounge. While the living area takes up 1 floor, 2 sheds/garages and crawl spaces/storage areas are located underneath.

It has a small front yard that is home to a currently blossoming jacaranda and silk tree.

The backyard has a feijoa, orange, tangerine, plum, and lemon tree; as well as a small deck, a BBQ, and a wood shed.

Orange Blossom and lady bug

Lady bug on orange Leaf

Bee and lemon blossom

Dave taking out a bush, making room for more parking. Inside the fence stands a butchered feijoa tree.

Feijoa flower, before the tree was mercilessly trimmed.

The Cats

Koshka: A sweet little girl that enjoys playing with clothes pins, brings live skinks into the house while bragging, and likes to curl up next to me throughout the night.

Jinx: A good natured and rotund fellow who prefers string for playing, brags about the dead birds he leaves in the hall (uneaten), and who is very much a papa's boy.

Dave

Dave works at Peninsula Joinery, as a cabinet/bench maker - mostly for kitchens, but also for vanities, wardrobes, etc. I consider him a computer geek, but he argues that he is not a geek - despite the fact that he constantly builds, tweaks, and rebuilds his 3 computers. He is a self-described "petrolhead", meaning he really, really likes cars. While he now works in the carpentry trade, he once considered becoming a mechanic. He even has a certificate in automotive technology. This enthusiasm for working on cars has been more than useful for me! Dave replaced my alternator shortly after I arrived here and is currently doing some work on it so it can get it's WOF (warrent of fitness - certifying the car is safe). The money I have saved from his help is definitely in the hundreds of dollars! But it's not just because I'm his girlfriend that he fixes my car. Dave is known for giving a hand to anybody that needs it. He readily helps his friends and family fix their cars, shelves, computers, etc. Basically - he's a really good guy!

A Pohutukawa bench Dave built.

Dave standing with his Rimu bench (pohutukawa bench on left)

Oh - and the ants!! I made a comment in one of my last blogs that they would be mentioned in an upcoming story. My mom has been waiting patiently since :-)

Shortly after arriving at Dave's, and before he changed the alternator in my car, we parked my car in his shed (garage) and Dave sprayed the entire car with ant killer. It supposedly works to kill car spiders (which almost all NZ cars have). We were very much hoping it would work on ants too! Unfortunately, when Dave started working on my alternator I took another tour around the car....... Yep - ants all over. The pics aren't near as fantastic as I would like, but they should prove that yes - ants to reside on my car! The good news? I haven't seen them wondering around on my car for the last few weeks. I'm greatly hoping that they left the car and joined the millions of ants in the one or two colonies living on Dave's property - ha ha ha, I uprooted a nest (with eggs) when I dug out Dave's mailbox.