It's whenever I brag about the weather that we end up with rain, you would think I would learn by now and stop doing it, but I just can't help it!
The NZ summer this year has been amazing, local news reporting on 'Endless Summer' makes it easy to be complacent. Now I am not saying we don't need the rain, recently Wellington were banned from using sprinklers and possible hosepipes due to the depleting water supplies.
So this weekend hit us with a huge downpour and vivid memories came flooding back for us both of our holidays in Scotland as children. Our new home is all on one level and has the typical kiwi tin roof, and as the rooms go to the rafters when it rains it sounds just like being in a caravan.
We both remember being 'trapped', staring through the condensation with that feeling of impending boredom, Mam fluttering around in the background and coming up with daft ideas like tramping through the forest. Board games, cards and domino's were always the favourites, normally with parents getting slightly giddy on too much wine (or too much cabin fever).
As I laid in bed this morning listening to the rain it took me back to the days of simple laughter, tender family moments and being able to enjoy life the natural way.A smile wider than ever on my face.
Bethany strolled in at her usual time to wake us up and she said looking up to the ceiling: 'Whats that noise' and all I could say was: 'Memories darling'...
Now I absolutely hate posting photos of myself on here, especially from the neck down, but I wanted to tell you of my hair disaster yesterday.
As it is that it costs heaps to get 'the works' at the hairdressers I had opted for the cheaper option and I started to colour my own hair. I have had two successful home colouring sessions, well that was till yesterday anyway.
I stepped out of the shower after rinsing off my 'natural blond' and was greeted by a mass of orange staring back at me (sorry Dad but it's just not the look this season). I got back in the shower and came out slowly hoping that I had just imagined my worst nightmare, but unfortunately it was still there.
I didn't know what to do. I didn't. I mean, it was like the end of the world.
I paced back and forth, I felt really sick and I was panicking. So I rang my husband hoping for some type of solution, here is the conversation:
Me: "Oh my god babe, I have coloured my hair and it's orange, and I mean REALLY orange!!" Michael: "Hahahahahahahaha" Me: "Stop laughing, what am I gonna do? Help! You need to come home, get Bethany from Kindy, I can't go out ever again, I will have to colour my hair black, oh crap, oh no..." Michael: "Hahahahahahahahaha" Me: "Can you stop laughing, it's not funny, it's like every woman's worst nightmare" Michael: (Silence) *sniggers*
I hang up the phone.
So one quick call to my sympathetic hairdresser and an appointment was made for today. I spent yesterday walking around in a baseball cap (which I never do) and even felt like a celebrity hiding behind my huge glasses praying no one would notice me.
So here you are, here is the photo I sent Michael at work (hoping for sympathy), and here I am now feeling much better with my new blond and red highlights - I love my hairdresser!
Funny thing though, Michael isn't laughing now - he has just seen the receipt!
Wh: There is some difference of opinion in respect to the correct pronunciation of the wh sound. It is not a compound of w and h, but represents the single voiceless consonant corresponding with w and is pronounced by emitting the breath sharply between the lips. Most tribes in New Zealand today assimilate the sound to that of f in English.
With that in mind, here's an example of NZ advertising.
Click to enlarge!
*EDIT* this advert has since been removed by it's owners, see the following news story
Moving to NZ was one of the biggest things I will ever do, it was the biggest thing in my life and in doing it I risked a lot, and sadly, I have lost along the way.
Recently a forever friendship ended. My oldest soul mate has closed the curtain on our life performance together and it has broken my heart. I don't want to go too far into what has happened as it is a long story, but sadly the real truth is that the distance definitely killed what we had.
I have always found that lurking in my mind is the background of what I used to have. The friends I shared my life with and the magical times we had. You can never take my memories and I will cherish them forever, but recently when I needed that person who gave me my special memories it was too late, she was already gone. The distance was just too much.
As I get older I start to think about the people who have been in my life and the people who have made an impression on my heart it wells tears in my eyes. I have never had many friends and so when I find the ones who gain my love I hang onto them for dear life, well I try to.
So it was a complete flourish of relief when I had an email from another one of my oldest friends, she kept my spirit alive and made me realise that I am important, I can make a difference to someones life and I cannot be forgotten.
Well we are on the other side of the world now, so wouldn't everything be upside down?!
Happy Easter everyone (well belated wishes anyway!) - we hope you gorged yourself sick on those yummy eggs and had some beautiful times on the long weekend.
Over the last few months it's been rare for us as a 3 to just have time together as a family, I mean we are together but there is always so much else that needs doing. With Christmas, the build to to the move, the actual move and then getting ready for my parents coming (and going *tears*) its all just been non stop.
Despite Michael actually working on Easter Monday we had a lovely fun filled 3 days, and the weather has been absolutely brilliant - sorry to our family and friends in the UK who are freezing in minus 4 tonight!
Friday was a fantastic day, we were invited to brunch at our gorgeous friends house - Dawn and Darren. We met Dawn and Darren last year through our blog as they were expats from the US and we clicked straight away. They have a lovely place in the centre of the city with beautiful views over the magical rooftops of Wellington. We were treated to some famous (well maybe not famous but Dawn went on about them a lot) chocolate chip waffles in the shape of penguins - they were soooo cute!!
We had a lovely morning with them, chilling out and getting to know each other better. It always amazes me how you meet people in life, and how easily a connection can be made.
Saturday was a cruisy day with us literally having fun together, just the 3 of us at home, pottering round, playing games, laughing, and appreciating all we have. Even now it hits me to think about the huge move we made, and how magically successful we have been. It's the strangest wonderful, most confusing feeling ever!
Sunday we decided to head out for a walk somewhere new. Our most favourite thing to do is to grab the map and just see what is in the area and then head for it, we chose a place called Birchville Dam to check out another piece of NZ history.
Starting with an NZ tradition - a wire bridge, the walk was gorgeous, it was completely awesome to walk through the Akatarawa Forest and see some amazing native bush, tree life and some cute little waterfalls.
The dam itself maginificent, slow filtering water made it the most serene place. Being able to stand at the bottom looking up at it's amazing face was breath taking.
Summer still rolls on here with the sounds of the cicadas in the trees. This walk was surrounded by the deafening sound of these noisy little creatures:
It was nice to get back to doing what we liked best and having walks as a family, even if the only highlight for Bethany was seeing a dead Kereru!
Today was Easter Party day, it was nominated that our house would be the venue this year for the children's Easter party. Since moving away from the city I still drive down every Tuesday and meet up with the girls as usual, easy for me with Bethany being at morning Kindy, but it's not easy for those in the city who pick up kids from school at 3pm - too much of a trek after school really. So when it's holiday time they come here.
I was actually really excited by the fact I was going to host a party so over the last few weeks we have have been making decorations, planning party games and making individual baskets for each child. As there would be 8 children it was a long task, however it all turned out fantastic.
Jo, Joan, Susan and Jenny arrived and we were all ready to go, the kids literally raring to go, racing backwards and forwards, the excitement was fantastic!
I wrapped the baskets in a different colours so the children knew to head out to the garden and look for their colour parcels. It worked a treat with each child having their own individual adventure. They revelled in the fact they had 'heaps' of eggs and the smaller ones mumbled they must have been good for the Easter Bunny to bring them so many. It was cute.
Afterwards it was a game of pin the tail on the bunny which was hilariously funny. Sammy won this game and so got to give the prize, a chocolate bunny, to her mummy as it was the 'yummy mummy' game!
One more game to go and it was guess the amount of sweets in the jar, winner takes all. With all the guesses written down we revealed the amount (which was in a sealed envelope courtesy of Michael) - the youngest member of the group at 2 and a bit years old won!!
So the rest of the afternoon was filled with laughter, children playing contently and my guests drinking wine.
Man space is important. It's somewhere sacred, somewhere that a man can go to ponder, contemplate the meaning of life (42), drink a beer and stare at the power tools he is yet to learn how to wield.
I now have such an area, and it's my domain. Until recently, the garage has been half box storage, half car park. Now, it's mine... All of it!!!
I spent about 4 hours in there yesterday, neglecting any family and parental duties in the hope of achieving the desired result. I moved boxes, drank beer, organised shelves and regained control over the floor. The result was this:
The floor is now clear and ready for me to build a work bench, where I'll add a vice for added man space authenticity.
I also have the obligatory dart board and beer fridge, because to be honest -what man space would be complete without them?
Last Saturday my friend Jo and I were treated to the most amazing well deserved massages. We were given vouchers for our birthdays last year by 'the girls' and being the hard working parents that we are we have only just got round to using them!
We booked ourselves in at the East Day Spa where we were literally treated like royalty. Magical candle lit incense fragranced rooms, so peaceful, filled only with ambient music. We had the most amazing head, shoulder, back and face massage we have ever had! We literally floated out of the building.
Afterwards it was back to Jo's house as 'the girls' Susan, Joan and Jo's cousin Kayla were coming over for a night of drinking, eating and playing Buzz!!
Have any of you played Buzz? Well if you haven't then I would either say do because its it truly fantastic, and don't because it is highly addictive!
we had a brilliant night supping cocktails, stuffing our faces with pizza and snacks and becoming very competitive on the games.
It's fantastic to have such a beautiful bunch of ladies to call my friends and to have awesome nights of fun, especially when I can roll home at 1am!
I just got caught out big time. Last year I must have been content or had a fridge full of beer, so it didn't matter.
Beer. All I want is some beer. How naive can I be? Surely I knew about this law where by I can't legally buy beer on Good Friday? You'd think so wouldn't you? No. They didn't tell me that on the way in to New Zealand!
So on a day where I can't go out and buy beer, they call it Good Friday? What exactly is good about a day where beer is not available? It really is time to start that home brew again!
How many of you have young children that make spooky predictions?
Our family and friends are aware of our 'special' little girl. She seems to have the ability to predict when things will happen, my mother in law Lynn said she experienced this also with Helen when she was a young child (Michael's sister) and it's enough to freak you out for life.
When we lived in the old house Bethany woke up one night crying in bed, she said a fire was coming and that we wouldn't be able to get into the house, at the time we just laughed it off and said it was a bad dream. Only a month later we had bush fires outside our home and we were unable to get into our house for a while.
A little while later she told me about it 'going dark' in the garage and that we wouldn't be able to get out...again we laughed it off, and again a little while later I was in there with Bethany when the bulb went and we were stranded in darkness - AND the internal access door was locked.
After that she would stand at the window and stare to the view of the ocean. One day she piped up and said 'you see that big wave? well its going to wash all the houses away', but then she just turned round and started dancing to Little Einsteins.
After laughing it off but really wanting to know more, she explained that a wave would come, the houses in the bay would go and although the water would reach the house we were in, we would be fine next door at Jenny's house which is a bit higher than our house as long as we went there. She had a full story for it. Luckily so far, that hasn't come true.
Since moving to the new house she hasn't really come up with much, well apart from:
Bethany: 'Mammy... is Daddy OK?' Mammy: 'Yep, he is fine - why?' Bethany: 'Its going to take a lot of people to make Daddy better' Mammy: 'Get better from what?!' Bethany: 'When he has a heart attack'
.....
Yep, a heart attack, I didn't even know she knew what one is....
So with that merry thought in her mind she has now abruptly come up with odd things like 'if something will happen to you, wont it, but it's fine cos I will get a new mammy and daddy?'.
So for those of you who are freaked out now and think we have some type of devil child I can tell you she doesn't really speak like this all the time, she is a normal, loving 4 year old who cant really think beyond a My Little Pony but every now and again just random odd words are thrown in at innocent spaces in time, which she really has no idea about.
Now you see, this was why children play spooky parts in horror movies - there is nothing worse than a freaky child right?
At the weekend Michael went out on his motorbike with a buddy and was treated to a ride along some dramatic coastline views, views we didn't even know existed despite driving past the lookout point many times!
About 30 minutes away from here is the delightful scenery of Kapiti Coast, and if you can get up high the views can be utterly stunning. So Michael took Bethany and I for a surprise drive, he knows how much I love awesome views and so we were all excited when we arrived.
A little ride up Paikakariki Hill and we were greeted with all that can be described as breathtaking sweeping views of Paraparaumu beach and onto Kapiti Island which is perched out in the ocean.
We stood for a while in awe, being able to have these amazing places by us is the most magical lift anyone could ever need, don't think it can get better than this really...
When we chose our home it was not only for it's perfectly private location and it's incredible charm, but it was for the fact the garden was simply stunning. Landscaped and kept impeccable there wasn't much for us to do - many of our friends have commented that it's like stepping into 'The Secret Garden'.
The only other thing I planned on doing was getting a veggie patch. That was near impossible at the old house due to the Cook Strait winds taking care of anything delicate. Here the climate is more settled and so I have started the 'patch'.
My Grandad was an amazing gardener. He had a wonderland of the most amazing flowers, voluptuous fruit and magnificent vegetables growing and often won awards for his efforts. I think get my green fingers from him. Here are some photos of my amazing late Grandad...
So here are my creations...so far I have spring onions, cos lettuce, chili and mixed lettuce all growing fantastically and I have just planted some red onions, chives and tomatoes. The plan would be to grow everything we would need and be self sufficient and as there is only 3 of us we wouldn't need much - I am looking forward to the challenge.
Bethany of course has been a fantastic help, it's been a magical way for her to learn where food actually comes from and being able to watch them grow has mesmerised her.
Just so she didn't feel left out she planted some creations of her own - some sunflowers, and after nearly 9 weeks they have finally flowered, much to her excitement.
So with all that in hand, all we need now is a bread, milk, pizza and beer tree - and we are sorted!
Not letting the recent fame go to our heads, I recently did an interview on behalf of our Mountain Bike group for a local newspaper, which was published on Tuesday this week.
Can I just say before you read the article, at no point did I use the word 'tremendous' - I actually said 'awesome' but seems to have been edited by someone who maybe thought it would appeal to those public school-types!
There are many things we proud of, but one of the most amazing achievements we have ever made was to not only move to the other side of the world successfully but to be 110% content with our new life. Over the last few months we have established a huge network through our blog. We have met the most interesting and amazing people, had emails asking us advice and questions and had people commend us on such a wonderful account of our life. Now most recently we feature in a magazine!
Living Abroad Magazine is a UK based publication offering advice to anyone thinking of emigrating and telling stories on those who have done it. This month we feature alongside some other expat blogs in an article called Blogging All Over The World and get a mention too - how fantastic is that?! Anyway, here is what featured - click on the photos to make them bigger. Or for those of you in the UK you can buy this magazine in any decent newsagents or supermarket.
Imagine our big proud smiles whilst you read it...
...Just an aftermath. My parents visiting this time was a completely different experience to the last time. The build up was massive for me, a whole year apart and the anticipation took its toll. I have never felt so sick, worried and overwhelmed with happiness, it was so bad I was actually shaking. A volcano of emotions erupted.
In the blink of an eye it's now over, and too difficult to explain how I feel. Yesterday was horrendous, I spent most of the morning bursting into tears (out of sight of everyone of course) and being on the verge of vomiting. The anguish that came from knowing I had to say goodbye was terrible.
A whole two and a bit weeks came flooding back to me, I felt disappointed by the fact we hadn't done more, but happy at the time we spent together. I felt sad at the fact I hadn't cuddled them more, yet pleased I still had the chance. I felt scared knowing I had no idea when I would see them again, yet grateful for the fact they still want to live here one day.
One day.
That 'one day' is actually somewhere in 2010, seems a long way off eh? Again today I checked the NZ Immigration website, scouring for hope that they had changed the rules, but sadly they were the same. We have to have been here 3 years as a Resident or Citizen before we could sponsor them to live here too. 3 years...it feels like a lifetime, and as we have only been Residents since October 2007 we still have a long time to wait.
It annoys me, it's not fair and I am very bitter towards the fact I have to be without the ones I love. We left to create a better life for ourselves, I want to give that to my parents too but why do we have to wait 3 years? We are 110%committed to NZ and never want to go back to the UK. We want to apply for Citizenship NOW and prove ourselves to the country, but we can't. Part of the approval is that we will be 'responsible' for my parents when they come over, so why can't we do that now...why does that have to be after 3 years??
I am heartbroken right now. I dropped Bethany off at Kindy this morning and hung around in the car for a while, actually dreading to come home. Difficult times, I have a lot to think about now, many new issues floating around in my head which I am hoping only time can help with.
Thank you Grandma & Grandad for staying with us, we have some beautiful memories that only bring tears to my eyes right now but with time to heal I will cherish forever.
The last proper day for us all together today and we spent it by taking a trip to Otaki where we spent some quality time having fun, enjoying the sun and doing one of our favourite activities - fruit and veggie picking!
Afterwards we headed to the breath taking Raumati Beach where we enjoyed the ocean, meandered along the sand reminising on our time together.
A short post tonight, we have just finished a lovely meal which was made more special as we used the vegetables we picked today.
Now it's time for opening another bottle of wine whilst we console ourselves of what tomorrow will bring.
Our happy 'visitors from the UK Party' is nearly over already.
Parents due to depart Sunday and it feels like only yesterday we were excited by their arrival. Time can be cruel, yet extremely rewarding. We have had some beautiful times over the last few weeks and we have done heaps, been places we never imagined and bonded like never before.
So as you can imagine we have been spending some quality time with my parents but felt it was time to update whats been going on, the last mammoth post on the South Island feels like forever ago already!
So where have we been? Where haven't we been would probably be a quicker post!
Oriental Parade has been one of ours favourite places to visit. Its a gorgeous part of the city that has an amazing sandy beach. We had a really nice walk, paddle, play and relax!
We have been to Days Bay a few times, my parents really taking a liking to the stunning suburb. One day we went for lunch at The Chocolate Frog and a walk on the beach which impressed my parents immensely.
The next time we went we took a walk along the track on the Pencarrow Coast Road which runs alongside the beach all the way to Pencarrow Lighthouse. We were blasted by the horrendous winds that battered Wellington, which made for an interesting walk!
Along the way we found some Green Lipped Mussels, now come on New Zealand....who eats things that are this big????
Wednesday night we were invited to dinner at Jo and Lewis's house. Jo and Lewis cooked some typical kiwi tucker; a roast lamb dinner. Their hospitality and generosity was greatly appreciated, we had the most amazing time. Jo of course finished the meal with her signature desert, and this time it was a Pavlova - it was utterly gorgeous! It is so wonderful to not only have amazing friends but to be able to share them with my parents was such a beautiful experience.
On the way back from Jo's house it was nearing sunset, we sat and watched the sunset over the Red Rocks - how we miss that view.
We have been to the Zoo too! We spent a fantastic morning wandering round seeing all the animals. Bethy and I go all the time and so it was special to be able to show my parents one of our most loved places. They got to see animals they didn't last time, view the new Savannah exhibition and even (the first time for us too) we heard the lions roar throughout the whole Zoo - scary stuff!
The Lady Norwood Rose Gardens was also a location I knew my parents would like, we visited last year and it stuck in their mind as a beautiful place, and rightly so. Again this time the roses were out in full bloom, we toured the Bergonia House and took a stroll through the tranquil Botanical Gardens.
So that's it, the weeks have flown over like never before, right now I hate to put a downer on the magical time we have had but I am struggling to imagine them not here again. It's been a long long year without them and its been a difficult one emotionally.
'Absence makes the heart grow fonder' they say. My heart doesn't need the absence to be honest...
We are Michael, Marrisa, and Bethany Dawes, a family of 3 from the UK who emigrated to New Zealand in 2006. Denver is our SPCA 'lucky dip' pup, the newest member of the Dawes family.
Taking New Zealand by storm we have been engulfed with excitement, laughed with joy and cried in pain whilst all in the search of a better life. We can now honestly say we have found it!
Join us in our new life, see what it is really like to move your whole world and still keep your sanity!
Want to get in touch? We would love to hear from you!
If you have any comments regarding a post, or you just want to say hello then please email us at info@dawes.co.nz.
To read about our blog as featured in Living Abroad Magazine in March 2008 click here.
To read about our life as featured in Living Abroad Magazine in March 2009 click here.
It's whenever I brag about the weather that we end up with rain, you would think I would learn by now and stop doing it, but I just can't help it! 
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