Middle Earth and Wellington

Today started with a small side trip over to Middle Earth to visit Rivendell.  I looked for my boyfriend Legless but he didn't seem to be hanging around which was rather sad.  Maybe he was scared of the rain, he does seem to be a bit of a pretty boy and all so it is entirely possible.... Also turns out I am about the height of Gandalf which is surprising, I thought he was taller than the average me, but apparently not.  We also wandered around the regional park that Rivendell is in (Kaitoke Regional Park if you are wondering) and although we decided to not do the 1hr return swing bridge walk we did walk over the first swing bridge just cos we could and then we went and chilled by the river (which according the young people swimming in it, it was rather freezing cold lol).  The park seemed like a nice place though, and I think it would be worth a return visit some stage.

We then made it down to Wellington via a stop off in Lower Hutt to see what was there (not much it turns out although there was a nice little walk with a cute red bridge, some more baby quack quacks and some cool birds in a aviary in a playground).  Once in Welly I was very quickly reminded how much I hate driving around here (actually that part happened before Lower Hutt) but with Bro's navigation skills we made it to the accomodation without too much hassle.  Turns out we are staying right by Basin Reserve (as in its across the street, a 4 lane street but still its right over there), and it also turns out that the gates are just open when there is nothing there, or atlst they were open today so we wandered in cos we could.  We then wandered into town and wandered around Te Papa for a while, if nothing else Te Papa was a nice break from the rather strong breeze that was blowing a gale outside.  After Te Papa we wandered around some looking at shops and I revisited one I liked when I was at uni and it is still good, I am pretty sure Mum would be able to spend hours in there as well :) We also went and had dinner at The Tasting Rooms which was a real nice place, good atmosphere and awesome as food.  

Tomorrow is going to pretty much be a travel day as we head over on the ferry and then find our way to Nelson so don't be surprised if I don't do a post.  But since you have made it through all my blah blah stuff here are some pics to reward you :) hehe

Rivendell, Middle Earth

Kaitoke Regional Park

Lower Hutt

Loved this random as plant, if anyone knows what it is please let me know :)

Random Hippo on a building balcony in Wellington lol

Rimutaka Trig and Castlepoint

 Ystdy we (Bro, Cleo, Fishy, Glenny, Big Ted and me) went for a bit of a drive.  We were staying in Upper Hutt (mostly cos that was the closest place to Castlepoint with any accomodation by the time we got round to looking for some) and our plan was to go to Castlepoint.  On the way there was a trig to be found so Bro and I went and found it, it would have been rude not too.  Though I did think the sign at the bottom could have done with being a bit more thorough.  It said not to do the track in strong winds, however the winds at the carpark were not strong, they very much were the higher we got though.  I think Mother Nature was just showing off at times with the strength of the winds and gusts.  We both made it to the trig, however we did have to crouch and hold on to rocks and stuff to get there and then when there held onto the trig, or atlst I did.  Couldn't breathe when facing the wind either as it was too strong.  I will say it was an experience and that although we made it to the top Mother Nature did win that one.

We then drove on to Castlepoint, which has been on list of places to go for quite some time.  It was very nice and I am glad we made it there.  The boys were lazy (they said Cleo needed company and that is why they didn't come for a walk, I paraphrased to them feeling lazy) and stayed with Cleo while Bro and I wandered off to see the lighthouse.  Sadly it is all automated now and not manned which is disappointing but it was still cool to go and see and the rocks around it were fun to clamber over and explore.

So far Upper Hutt has been pretty good, we aint really seen much of it but we the two places we chose to go for dinners have been good.  We went to Kuku on Friday night and had burgers which were yum, and I even had a locally brewed gluten free beer (ale if you are being technical) with mine.  And even better it tasted like beer not like ick which most gf beers do.  The burgers were amazing as well, very filling.  And then last night we went to Art of Food and had pizzas, yum yum.  They even had vegan cheese for me so I didn't feel sick (dairy is now becoming more of an issue than it ever was and I had had a few choc fish so adding cheese would not have been wise).  They had a seperate pizza oven for celiacs as well which was cool.  Would definitely recommend both those places for eating, whether you have dietary requirements or not.

Today we are heading to Wellington, eventually, as we have a early ferry ride on Monday :) not sure what our plans today are but am sure we will think of stuff to fill in time, we are good like that hehe.

Rimutaka Trig

This is me holding on so I don't blow away lol

Castlepoint

Some cute as baby ducks in Queen Elizabeth Park, Masterton

There is a cool as gazebo at our accomodation

Along with this cool seat and picture which I just kinda like so took a pic of

JB's new job title

Some of you will already be aware of this, but some won't be as I didn't really tell anyone just in case.  Not that I thought the just in case would happen but you never know.  Around 3 months (ish) ago Ken decided to stand down as manager but still stay on at the station doing the rest of his job.  As I was going to be manager (if I wanted it) when Ken retired fully the board decided to give me a 3 month trial as manager (I didn't interview for it so legally they couldn't just make me it without advertising for other applicants or something like that, and they also wanted to make sure I was ready as the plan was that Ken would be working for a while longer as manager).  Well the 3 month trial is over and earlier this week I had my chat about being manager and how the board felt I was going and setting things to do in the next year.  And yes, my job title is now officially Station Manager, which I must admit is kinda cool :) I still do the technician side of things but it is just part of the new manager job description.  

This week we have also been interviewing for a new part time Community Liaison, and I must say that while being the interviewee is bad I think being the interviewer is even worse.  You have to make judgements about people and sometimes it is a stupid as they didn't even look at website before coming in (which by the way both me and Ken felt was terrible, we had to tell that applicant who we are and what we do which was not cool, do some research first ppl!).  And that is of the ones we interviewed, there were ones we didn't even get in based purely on their cv and covering letter.  It is a cruel world out there, that is for sure.  Not that we would have had time to interview everyone, and you can't chat to people for hours to get to know them better.  But it felt weird saying the whole if you were successful what would blah blah when you are thinking in your head 'uh no way', I feel like we were giving them false hope.... but I guess that is just how it's done.  Hopefully the person we pick stays for ages and then Ken doesn't retire for a while and I don't have to go through this again any time soon.  Oh and did I mention the final pick is mine, 100%, now that's a scary amount of pressure to get it right.  If the person doesn't perform its on me, but the pick is based on a 30-45 minute interview and reference checking.  Yeah I'm glad I'm on holidays now, need some downtime after that week lol.

Holidays I hear you say, but its just a long wknd and that starts tomorrow.  Well good folks, its Hawkes Bay anniversary today so its a 4 day wknd for me :) totally love it.  When I first moved here I thought it would suck, having one less long wknd in the year, but its cool having a 4 day one, and being Hawkes Bay we have brilliant weather so its a nice time of year to have it.  And then I have the next two weeks off work, cos as I said I am on holiday.  Bro and I are heading off for a road trip for the first week (there are bound to be some blog posts about where we go so I won't spoil it for you hehe) and then the second week I am just kicking around home catching up with some folk, doing some house stuff (maybe), and just chilling really.  Last time I had two weeks off was on my way home from Scotland so I feel like I deserve it :) and I approved my own leave which was cool lol, not that there are any real issues with taking leave so long as the other can cover which if we know we certainly can.

Oh and my hair is now coloured to match my tattoo on my arm lol, not deliberate but I guess it just goes to show I like these colours :) and the butterflies on my arm are coloured to match Mother Nature on my thigh so its all matchy matchy lol.

Fun in the wknd

This past wknd started with some decent culturing by me and Mel.  We went to a art expo opening at the Womens Centre, it was featuring artwork from a variety of female HB artists, from the well known to the first timers.  There were some very cool pieces on display and Mel and I learnt that I have expensive tastes, the more I liked something the higher its price lol.  We then stumbled onto a ceramics art opening so we popped in, would have been rude not too really lol.  Again, the more I liked something the more it cost, typical aye.  Did see some super cool teapots though, almost tempted to buy one but there is only so much one can justify spending on a teapot and they were well over that amount.  After that we went to the theatre where the social event was a wine tasting, yum yum.  We may have turned up a tad late (someone, yes me, misread the event time lol) but that was ok cos we only missed the white wine which neither of us are super huge fans of, and the only table with free seats was with Brian and Adele which was cool as.  Brian is in Lions with me (and also is a life member of the theatre) so it was fun hanging with them in another setting.

Saturday was a theatre orientated day for me.  Started with being part of the Blossom Parade.  I know, I know, I also thought when I left Guiding that that was my parade days done and dusted, turns out I was wrong.  But luckily I wasn't in it as such, I was just walking along side the float making sure no one got run over.  We needed a marshall on either side of the float and me and Kelly ended up being it, mostly through being the only ones available lol.  It was actually quite a lot of fun, we had a Brazilian drum band in front of us so great tunes the whole way.  Was hard to not be smiling and laughing the whole way, Kelly and I even got our dance on in the paused bits (and occasionally the walking bits too).  

Saturday afternoon was set building at the theatre.  I have been adopted by the set building team cos Nigel and Ian thought I looked a tad un-utilised and I apparently showed interest in what they do and in learning stuff as well.  I do not mind at all, they are a cool as team, and instead of just telling me to do something they show me if I am not sure, and teach me why if I don't get why we are doing it that way.  I think I may end up learning a lot with them which should be fun.  There are four of us on the team now, Nigel, Ian, Gary and me.  The three dudes are prob late 50s-60s, which is a good age for the taking someone new under their wing I think.  I have been let loose with a drill, tin snips and even a saw :) its very cool.  I have helped build the front of a house including door, and weatherboard wall and iron roof.  If I may say so it looks pretty darn cool hehe.  No photos of that yet though, I keep forgetting to take some.  Time does seem to go quite fast when I am there though, its cool.

Sunday was a chill day, nothing much in the morning and in the afternoon had bookclub at a local bar, cos we are smart and know that drinking and eating while discussing books is the best way to do it hehe.  Wandered down as it was just at Bareknuckle BBQ, one of the reasons Rob and I voted for that one, so that we could both walk hehe.  Anyhow, that was my wknd, it was a rather good one :) hope you also had a good one.

Local sheep decorated for the Blossom Parade :)

Random art thing Mel and I found in town, they are mini windwands with changing lights but not called windwards, turns out they are fun to wiggle lol

At wine tasting :)

Our Blossom Parade float... the poor sheep got rather hot but was rather cute

I found it very cool that the reaction from people when Mickey and Minnie were holding hands was 'awww cute, they're holding hands', and that was universal from young and old.  My own reaction was 'awww cute' lol

12 months of my awesomeness in one go

In each of my diaries I have a selfie page at the start of the month for a selfie of myself (taken within the first few days of the month), mostly so I can track my hair styles and also cos it's a bit of fun.  I got last years diary out this morning as I am about to start making next years one so wanted to refresh myself on what last years one was like, and then decided that I would share the last 12 months of selfies with you all :) cos I am just that sort of generous sharing person hehe.

Anyhow here they are, enjoy...

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

Just a little update

So I've been asked for some more posts with photos, and like the good girl that I am I decided I shall humour you with a post about a nothing special wknd that has photos :) see how kind I am hehe.

Ystdy started with a working bee at the Theatre's rental (which is right next to the theatre).  We had discussed times at the meeting last week and the men decided on 7:30am (I know right, what crazy insaneness is that time???) and Kim and I decided that we would get there around 8am (a much more sane time we decided).  Well when Dad and I rocked up at 8ish we were the first ones there (other than James's friend who was dropping off some tools for our use), then Kim was next.   I doubt either of us will rock up so early next time!  It was a fun working bee, dad was my manual labour but we ended up leaving btwn morning tea and lunch as we felt we weren't really needed and I had other stuff I wanted to do anyhow.  You'll notice I'm not in any of the photos, some would say it's cos I wasn't really doing much, others would probably agree lol

After the working bee, and then lunch, we went down the road to look for a new dining table for me.  I had decided that while the round one was cute and all it was not really all the ideal for day to day living, esp when I have visitors (ie I had to clean it cos it wasn't big enough for my mess plus their mess plus two ppl to eat at) and while dad has his big car here it was the perfect time to shop for a new one as I wouldn't have to pay for delivery and would get it then and there.  We found a real cool one at the first place we looked, it was $200 over my self-imposed budget though so did not get it, and at the second place we found a pretty cool one $200 under budget so that is the one that I got.  As you can see in this picture, Glenny and Big Ted are looking rather smug at my purchase (which by the way has a lot more stuff on it now lol).

I also rehomed a rather familiar face to many of you, I am sure.  He has been getting used to his new home for the past month or so, I didn't want to let him out of his case in case he swum away, but I felt it was time for him to get used to his new bathroom/laundry hiding area and I don't think he will swim away as he seems to like it here.  So when you visit next, please feel free to hunt for him, the rules are the same as before - if you find him you can re-hide him but he has to stay in places he won't get wet and must stay in that room (side note, I hand wash my clothes these days so around the laundry tub is not a stay dry area lol).

Today I caught up on my washing, I did some ystdy as well so that I could.  Both days ended up with a full clothesline which felt like a nice accomplishment.  Even if I was doing my wash in a machine I still think it would have been a good accomplishment, however it was more so now I do it by hand.  Though I still sometimes find it disturbing how dirty the water can be at times... no pic of this by the way.  And no pic of my attempt at a run either.  

However there is a pic of the fish casserole I made today.  Turns out it is actually a real easy thing to make, once you get all the right ingredients :) and thanks mum for the casserole dish that made it possible in the first place :)

As you can see in the next picture the boys were also enjoying the fish casserole....

There is a sizeable dent in the casserole now, dad and I were munching on it as well as some beans while we played Connect 4.  I can safely say that dad is a bit more cunning and puts more thoughts into his moves than Glenny does, and I actually had to think while playing him.  I think it was pretty fair overall though, we both won some and even drew one.  Was fun :)

And now it is time to say goodbye and either play cards or read some more, not sure yet.  I hope you have also had a good wknd, and I will chat with you again some other time xxx