Kapiti Island Today 29/12/12

6.20pm ...

 

 

It's been a while, I won't bore you with why but I am starting some new year resolutions early!

 

Still sweaty weather here but no sun and rain threatening each day! Big change from last week when the sun was shining and it was HOT, HOT, HOT! Even by kiwi standards!!!! Spare a thought for us Scottish folk!

 

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Kapiti Island Today 30th November 2012

Kapiti Island Today 6.35pm ...

St Andrews day today! So the weather played homage to that fact! Chilly willy southerly! Brrrrr! Still warmer than Scotland for the time year tough, ha!

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Kapiti Island Today 27th November 2012

Kapiti Island Today 3.30pm ...

It's been a week since my last post, sorry folks! Time has been an issue!

Today's picture of Kapiti Island (as pointed out by my glamorous assistant, while I panicked that she would fall down the cliff that is behind the fence down onto the beach) is taken from Queen Elizabeth Park. I decided against the normal beach after last weeks excitement!

However it wouldn't be a normal trip for The Hound, The Cherubs and I if there wasn't any action/drama!

Rocko had his usual run in with another hound. Nothing new there then!

Maisie had a meltdown! (Don't ask, long day, tired, hot, hungry!)

I had a meltdown! (Don't ask, long day, tired, hot, hungry!)

I nearly slipped and fell ... several times! (Very hilly path, with gravel, and two heavy babies in a buggy! I never said it was a good idea but unfortunately the fecking dog needs walked!)

On the plus side we all had some fresh air, the dog stretched his legs, as did I, we got to see beautiful blue sky's, the sea and the stunning Kapiti Island!

So I suppose one mustn't grumble :)

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Kapiti Island Today 20/11/12

Kapiti Island Today 3.15pm

It's been a sweaty, clammy day. When the sun did come out (on and off) it was hot, hot, hot!

The Cherubs and I took The Hound to the beach to stretch his legs. The tide was high so we just went a little way along, parked up and threw some sticks for The Hound. Archie sat in his pram and thought this was hilarious. Maisie dug in the sand and collected shells. Seeing as it was so warm I dipped my toe in the sea to see if it was warm too. It was! Result! It won't be long till we will be getting our swimming gear on for our trips to the beach!

Our little happy scene was interrupted when a scary big dog came along and chatted to Rocko. Rocko has small dog syndrome and is known to really annoy dogs bigger than him! Not normally a major concern as the scary big dogs trot off giving Rocko a look of disdain over there shoulder but when I clocked the owner (someone I know to be unsavoury) I started to worry a bit for Rocko and Maisie. Both annoying little creatures dotting around a big dog with a scary owner!

They carried on down the beach but turned back so I attempted to herd my mob back to the car before they reached us! I failed and the other dog caught up to us in the car park. Always a worry regardless of the dog and its owner when one is on the lead and the other is off! In my panic to get to the car I rammed the pram into someone's car. While I backed up Rocko yelped and I screamed! I think my scream scared the other dog off!

I felt really silly but I am cursed with an over active imagination! The other dog was probably harmless BUT knowing the owner I just did not know what the dog had been trained to do!

What a tit I felt! No one batted an eyelid at my scream though thankfully, nor did the people who's car I rammed!!!!!

Like what you see vote for me!

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Kapiti Island Today 18th November 2012

Kapiti island Today 5.15pm ...

Apologies to Kapiti today! Both cherubs were sleeping, the sun was out, I put sunblock on and sat outside, the clouds came over! Sorry folks! I have an uncanny way of controlling the weather with my actions, sunblock application and hanging out washing have the biggest impact!!!

By the time I mustered up enough energy to get out to walk the hound there was a stormy looking thing coming in from a south west direction, you can see it to the left of the island in the picture, there was still beautiful blue sky's on the right hand side!

The Hound and I had a typical surreal trip to the beach. Dispute the changeable weather and choppy sea there was a random man in for a swim, a kayaker and a rogue tide, we had plenty beach then all of a sudden I had to jump on a rock as the tide came whooshing up out of the blue!

Like what you see vote for me!

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Kapiti Island Today 17th November 2012

Drive by for today's photo! Yucky wet horrible day, even Kapiti Island is trying to hide behind the clouds!



Today was very much a sloth day! I did have lots of plans for painting and activities with the babies but none of it was achieved.



I DID managed to skype with my best chum Mummysknee, rehang Darling Daughters Kindy art work, make a batch of corn fritters for Second Born Son, sort some paperwork, get some Christmas shopping ideas and do our U.K tax returns so not an entire waste of a day!



A sloth day is needed now and again, no?

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Kapiti Island Today 16th November 2012

Kapiti Island Today 6.15pm ...

I was aiming for a 6.15am shot. Up and dressed by 6.01am but as I picked up the car keys the heavens opened! I AM NOT THAT HARDCORE (yet)!


Heavens emptied the sky's were blue after work. Lovely Hubby is feeling a bit poorly so I left him with the kids and The Hound and I headed to Queen Elizabeth park. It's been a while since we (The Hound and I) have been running here. Lots of options inland track, coastal track, along the beach. All apart from the beach are hilly so it is potentially pretty hardcore! The picture was taken from the coastal track, a wee gap in the flora and fauna! A poop halfway round from The Hound gave me a break. No one likes to run hard with a bag full of shit flapping about in there hands!


The Hound is so funny he goes crazy on the way out, way ahead, sniffing out who knows what BUT on the way back he was the most faithful (tired) beast trotting along next to me. SO cute :). Although he does negate the cuteness by bathing in a stage to puddle half way round!!!!!

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A - Z of Aoteoroa; B

Is for BACH, BEACH and BARE FEET ...

BACH! A 'holiday home' here in N.Z. Pronounced batch! Back in the day almost everyone had a Bach they went to for weekends and holidays. Not necessarily flash but near the beach or near the lake. Reminds me of a 'but n Ben' in Scotland. In the current 'financial climate' not everyone can afford a Bach. In fact lots of the rentals in our area were once upon a time Bach's.

BEACH! Long skinny island!?! Bound to be a beach near by wherever you are! Beach life is part and parcel of Kiwi life. City life or rural!! When we discussed our around the world move it was initially Oz we were planning on! I had one pre requisite... I wanted to live in Home and Away not Neighbours. Well here we are not in Oz but in Home and Away New Zealand. Mayhap not as hot but beach life nonetheless! With the bonus of no snakes and less scary spiders!

BARE FEET! Not sure about the rest of the world but I know my U.K readers! If you were to see someone walking down the street with bear feet you would raise your eyebrows and think hippie or some such thing. Bring that attitude to N.Z and your gonna have tired eyebrows. These Kiwis are pretty laid back. Such a welcome change! Shoes are optional pretty much where ever you are.

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Kapiti Island Today 14th November 2012

Kapiti Island today 6.25pm ...

The forecast this week was pretty poor. We have been spoilt lately with the lovely weather. Sunday was to be the beginning of hideous rain BUT Sunday was as far as it went.

However despite the lovely weather today is our first day at the beach!

Tonight I decided to dust down our baby carrier! A bit fairer than Lovely Hubby pushing both Cherubs along in the double buggy (its the wrong height for me I tell you). I took the boy on my back and he took the girl in the pram. Although we swapped half way! Maaaaaaan our boy is heavy!

Archie Boy was casual as ever given it was a potentially exciting new mode of transport for him! If not a bit confused by the fact that he wasn't in the buggy! Ha! He was blathering away and flapping his wings before long though.

I thought Maisie Boo would be tired but she enjoyed getting out and pushing the pram herself (bit safer when the pram is empty). It turned into a game on the way back. Soooo funny I was the baby/Maisie and Maisie was the mummy. 'Mummy' wanted me to get in the buggy so of course I obliged but surprise surprise my big ass was never getting in that baby shaped space. Boy did 'Mummy' laugh! So cute. I as 'the baby' had to hold on to the lead of the pram and hold 'Mummy's' hand while crossing the road. Such a cute age. I reckon it's probably a good learning point, the role reversal, a chance for Maisie to realise why I nag her so much sometimes. Even when we got home she got her self dressed for bed, put her dirty washing in the washing basket and tidied her shoes away WITHOUT BEING ASKED ... Soooooooo Cute :)

Like what you see vote for me!

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Kapiti Island Today 12th November 2012

Kapiti Island today 6.35am ..

Starting the week as I mean to go on out and about at the crack of dawn! Hound walked and exercise done by 7am! Intention as ever was to run but with Mother Nature blowing a gale in my face on the run out forget it! We managed a rather pathetic 19 minutes and 2.2 km! Nonetheless the thought was there! However it didn't help the sole destruction when I weighed in and I had put yet more weight on *sigh*. Never been this heavy without being preggers! What IS the point in starvation and exercise if weight is still being gained????????

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My A-Z of Aotearoa

My little family and I have been living in New Zealand for 18months (lovely Hubby was here 7 months before us but thats another story). We were all born in Scotland and have lived there all our lives apart from wee Archie boy who was born here in Paraparaumu. Although he was born in New Zealand recent changes mean that he is British whereas in the last he would have been classed as a kiwi and granted an automatic N.Z. Passport, most frustrating but nevermind.

Anyhoo, the point of this blog is to begin my A-Z of Aotearoa! Changing country and sides of the world has had it's good and not so good points BUT we are great believers in the old adage 'nothing ventured nothing gained'.

I thought it might be interesting (or not) to share some of the things we have learned or found as an expat family in the form of an A-Z. So let's begin at the beginning ...

A is for ...

New Zealand by another name ... Aotearoa, the Maori name in fact. It is pronounced (to my ears) altearrrrrroa. Maori words are good for us Scottish people as we are good at rolling our rrrrrrrrrrs apparently!

Aotearoa is made up of the North and the South Island. Maori legend states that Maui (the son of Tane Mahuta the god of the land/forest) went fishing with his nanas jaw bone and caught a massive sting ray which became the North Island, his boat is the South Island and the anchor is Stewart Island. Maui's brother hacked up the sting ray after Maui caught it which created all the mountains and valleys on the North Island.

These stories and legends are awesome. Hopefully I will learn more and be able to share what I learn. Meanwhile I will. Bring the letter B to you guys soon ...

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