Escargot?

Yes these delightful little darlings were only a few of the overall amount we found in the garden today!

I decided to tackle the garden. A good idea at the time but I certainly did not realise how much work it would be! The house is on 942 square metres of land, and looking at the 'odd bits' that I thought could do with a tidy up, ended up in a mammoth 3 hours in the garden!

Bethany helped out by bagging up and carrying the off cuts to the back of the garage, she worked really hard and was very patient considering the amount of times she asked how long I would be as she wanted to play. She was such a good little helper.

It was a strange type of day today, a really quiet day. I felt so at peace with the garden, I absolutely loved it. The neighbourhood was really silent and there was this serene feeling of pure bliss just floating around in the air. For the first time in ages I just adored being home, not having to rush off anywhere and just taking things as they came.

Bethany and I worked through the rain and of course ended up soaked. After all our hard work we enjoyed a hot bath together and then I crawled into bed...yep, after 3 hours of bending I had the worst back ache, so bad I could hardly walk! I can tell my 30's are sneaking up on me now (ha ha).

Despite that all was good in our world today, so good I just wanted to let you know.

Oh and the snails? Well that photo above is just the gathering we made from one small Agapanthus bush, there were a whole heap more after that. So what else can you do with a whole bunch of snails?

Lets just say the dinner we had tonight was quite magnifique!*

*Dont panic snail police! We actually took them to the bottom of our garden and let them go...they live to see another day and reign terror upon my plants!

It's Happening...

Or at least its heading in that direction...summer!

We are certainly having more good days than bad now (good = sunshine and bad = rain). Its funny that in January this year we celebrated at finally having some rain, and now here we are becoming obsessed with a little bit of sun. But that is what it's about, everyone knows how amazing the sunshine can make you feel, and now we cannot wait for those long lazy happy summer days.

The clocks went forward last night so we are now exactly +12 hours with the UK. Maybe its because we now live away from the coast but I thought this winter although harsh (it seemed to just appear), was short. I know my friends living down where we used to on the coast have found it hard, making some of them consider a move more inland, those southerlies can be tough.

Michael has started to head off to work on his motorbike again, its spent a few months in the garage gathering dust but I think with the temperatures climbing and the sunshine visiting us more he will be out there on it (like he needs an excuse!).

The garden is just glorious at the moment, it wraps round the whole house engulfing it with the most amazing sights and smells. We now have two 'resident' Kereru's that like to sit in the big tree sunning themselves, and the monarch butterflies are back too - they are the most hugely majestic gorgeous creatures.

Plants are budding and its reminding us why we fell in love with this house in the first place.

Denver loves going for walks (as all dogs do!) and since gaining his water wings there is just no keeping him out. However saying that he still hates the bath and goes crazy when I get the hose pipe out...what's all that about?

The river is definitely one of our most favourite walks, gorgeous rolling valley views, stunning clean water and the beautiful smell of pure fresh air makes us so very grateful for living in such a stunning place.

Denver has a halti lead which many many people mistake for a muzzle because it goes over his nose, but in fact he has full freedom as normal. Denver is tipping the scales now at 24kg and is VERY strong. If on a normal collar and lead he will use his whole weight to pull with, now we have control of his head and he is unable to pull - this has been the perfect tool to help us actually take Denver for a walk and not have him take us for a walk!

However he hates it! Most walks are spent with the usual sniffing, running, playing and then a good session of rubbing along the floor...

As it is that sometimes Denny can become over obsessed with the whole thing we now take it off once we are in a 'safe' area for recalling, he is spending more and more time off the lead now anyway and the recalls seem to be working well.

He is funny though, first sight of freedom and he turns into crazy dog!!

Most people decide to head away on holiday as soon as the summer arrives, many go away for Christmas and New Year making the most of the summer months. But I think for us as we are so content at the moment cherishing our home and our gorgeous garden that we will be spending more time here. We seem to get lost in the exciting thoughts of what else New Zealand has to offer and can sometimes over look what we have right here on our doorstep. It's crazy!

We have an amazing family with Denver now making us a 4 and we are so very lucky. We have so many delightful years ahead to explore the wonder that is NZ, and creating even more stunning memories.

Summer this year will be better than ever, its our 3rd summer here and we couldn't be in a better place, not just physically but emotionally and mentally.

Lets get the 3 B's rolling...BBQ, Beers and Beach!!

MMR Arthritis Fears - Update

Thank you so much to everyone who commented and wrote us emails concerning our worries with the MMR Immunisation. We really have appreciated everyones advice, your help and wisdom was so welcome - so we thank you. Its been a difficult one though, because for every good story it was followed by a not so good one, leading us back to where we started.

I have had some wonderful chats with the nurse at our local doctors, she has been truly amazing. To actually have honest sympathy regarding the situation is lovely. However the problem we face is that we are discussing all the issues with people who actually know nothing about what I am telling them. Its such a surreal place to be in, knowing that the written facts are there, having that first hand knowledge and yet I have still not met anyone in the medical profession who has actually experienced it.

Lots of people mentioned getting the MMR in separate doses, unfortunately New Zealand do not offer that as a choice, its all together or nothing. However they do not inject intramuscular which apparently is something only done in the UK and the Netherlands now, so this could be something to think about.

Basically we never got to see a specialist, mainly due to the fact there was no point, again that person had never heard of it and was unable to offer further advice. Today I went and met the Doctor and he told me that they have in fact had many lengthy discussions about this case, discussing the information I had provided in a team meeting - but yet again they honestly said they had never heard of it and were unclear of where to go next.

We have been referred now to a Paediatrician, we expect the appointment to be within the next 2 months. There is of course no actual rush to have the immunisation so for now all we can do is wait and hope for some results once seeing the Paediatrician.

It stirs up all kinds of scary thoughts though...there must be other families out there that have experienced this? Why does the leaflet within the actual packs of the MMR Immunisation state that side effects could involve 'muscular pain linked to Arthritis' yet it isn't expanded on? If this is so then why does it seem like no medical professional knows about it - do they not read the leaflet?

From what I have read so far every single child that has reacted to this has reacted in a horrendous way. There are doctors out there who must have treated children who have been affected. Surely these doctors would want to investigate this further...? I know that the percentage of children affected is low, but even then, even then, wouldn't someone want to know why and what can be done to solve this????

Once again thank you all for caring so very much, its been such a stressful time trying to decide what to do. I have found it a very lonely experience to be honest, not because the support isn't there but because its hard trying to discuss something that no-one knows anything about.

Until the appointment now all we can do is wait, and I worry that even then we will still be non the wiser.

Dog Squad Part 2

Denver did it again!!

On Saturday we went along to Queensgate shopping centre and joined in on another round of Dog Squad! Julia Maiden who runs our training classes (Paws In The City) asked us a little while ago after our last success at Spotlight if we would be interested in doing another spot - of course we would!

We were booked in at 2-3pm. Bethany and Michael came too, Bethany and I donned the SPCA aprons and Bethany held the bucket. Denver was an absolute charm, and Bethany was such an amazing little helper - I was so proud of her, she relentlessly continued to rattle the bucket each time someone walked past and then handed out stickers to those who donated - and she loved it which made it even better.

Typically we forgot to take the camera (I know, shocking eh?!) but Michael snapped these few shots on his phone.

Poor Julia was so ill on Saturday, we really felt for her, she was amazing that despite feeling so ill she kept everyone ticking over and making sure everything was in order. What a trooper!

The whole day of collection ran from 9am to 5pm with 3 sites throughout the shopping centre, each dog taking an hour at a time. These people and their dogs are so wonderful to give up their free time and do this for the SPCA. There were also other people helping out, handing out leaflets and just being a support which was simply fantastic, bravo to you all!

However the most jaw dropping part of it all was that Denver raised $238.60 in that one hour, and not only that the whole day raised a whopping $6350!!

Thank you to all you kind hearted people that helped out, and thank you to all you wonderful shoppers who donated, dogs like Denver who are still waiting to find their forever family are so very grateful.

2 Years In NZ...!

Wonderfully Wednesday

I have been a little naughty lately. It only takes Bethany to even so much as utter the words 'staying home' and she is home!

Wednesdays now seem to be the 'doing something' day and so Stef and I have now claimed that our day. The getting together, doing something and going somewhere day. It's been wonderful too, Wednesdays are rapidly becoming the best part of the week, being free in the day to please ourselves, I find life very hectic at the moment so it's nice to not have to dash here, there are everywhere.

So this week to we took the girls to Lindale. It's based on the Kapiti Coast just outside Paraparaumu. Stef visited here when they came over to NZ the first time whilst on their 'recon mission' in 2007. It was odd that this was somewhere we actually haven't been...I know, shocking eh? A new expat teaching an old expat new tricks!

Lindale is basically a farm that has been setup so you can walk around and meet the animals. You can take food bags and feed certain animals on the journey, we all had an amazing time, it's so magical that these animals are so tame and willing to be touched.

The deer are the most amazing, never have I seen deer so tame, and look at the backdrop in the photo below, rolling hills and palm trees...stunning.

After a really yummy lunch in the sunshine we had a wander round the shops, indulding in a little retail therapy whilst slurping on some ice-creams!

On the drive back home we stopped off at Paekakariki Beach so I could show Stef where we would be camping at New Year. We took a stroll down to the beach but it was completely different to when we visited the other day! It was absolutely freezing.

Funny though that children never feel the cold...

We had a wonderful time, it's certainly become the much needed mid week break and from now on it will always be wonderfully Wednesday!

MMR Arthritis Fears

As everyone knows we are now being vaccinated against any type of disease. As a pre-schooler Bethany is lined up for the usual injections to see her into school life, yet one, we have an impending fear with - I will explain.

Bethany was immunised in the UK as standard when she was just over a year old. Apart from all the usual vaccinations the last major immunisation was the MMR which she had as a single vaccination. I'm sure our family and friends can remember what happened after Bethany had that MMR jab, how we were thrown into utter disbelief, utter despair and utter devastation...

Literally a week after the injection (which was given into her hip) Bethany started to become more restless, she would wake in the night screaming and in the mornings were no longer awoken by her standing the side of her cot bed, she would just lie there crying like never before. Speaking with a doctor we were advised it was probably just a side effect of the MMR.

Over time things became worse, she would cry when we changed her nappy - she literally could not bare to move her legs. She wouldn't sit up, she couldn't sit in her car seat, she would just lay there and scream. Many visits back and forth to the Doctors and hospitals proved useless. The usual hospital treatment was issued where tests and tests were done, appointments were changed and then doctors didn't show up. No-one was coming up with any answers whilst all the time we had a hysterically agonised child that couldn't be helped. We spent many wasted hours on the children's ward.

Guessing it couldn't be just a co-incidence, we made fruitless attempts at trying to tell Doctors that it must to be linked to the MMR, as it only started after Bethany was given it. But there was never an actual proven link - we were told it couldn't be possible. This nightmare went on for just over 2 months.

My Mother in Law Lynn is a Nurse. Through her sheer knowledge she was able to track down information that was handed out by the manufacturers of the immunisations, the results were shocking yet at the same time it was such a relief that our suspicions were correct.

It seems that the side effects of the Rubella part of the MMR immunisation can cause cases of juvenile arthritis, to quote from the Government website of Centres For Disease Control And Prevention: "Arthralgia (joint pain) and transient arthritis (joint redness or swelling) following rubella vaccination occurs only in persons who were susceptible to rubella at the time of vaccination."

In 2004 when Bethany had that MMR immunisation we were unable to find anything on the Internet that could help our case, there were no other reported cases (that were documented) and the above information wasn't available. Now after doing further research we have not only found many websites that list the above side effects (literally Google key words 'MMR' and 'Arthritis') but we have found other people who have been through the same thing.

I have been in touch with the lovely people who wrote this post on their own blog which has been wonderful, you can read their sadly similar yet very interesting post here.

So now comes the question of what to do? Do we risk having the MMR jab and the same thing happening as last time? I can't imagine what it would do to Bethany, the pain she would experience and how it would affect her life not being able to walk. How is that something we can imagine at the age of 4? How could we ever justify that to her?

Or do we take the risk of not giving her the MMR? I know there are some huge risks associated with not having it, people's 'opinions' of those not immunised are tough, more scared than factual of course, but it is true that Measles is very active here in NZ.

Mumps is not such a big issue for girls, yet Rubella can have some major and seriously devastating effects way into adulthood - Oh but hang on, if the above information is true and people only react to the actual virus and not the immunisation, then Rubella alone could prove fatal for Bethany in later life...?

Confused? Yeah we are too. Along with distressed, upset and immensely worried.

As it stands now we are waiting to see a Vaccination Specialist referred by our Doctor, to discuss our fears and what can be done. The simple fact is it's either do it or don't do it. Either way there could be consequences.

I am going to do some more research to try and find other people who have been through this and have had the second MMR, it would be interesting to see if their child experienced the same problems again. Has anyone out there ever heard of this??

Whatever we decide we are going to have to live with it, either way it could be devastating, either way we could throw ourselves into a world we never wanted to be in, either way we could be wrong. Our days, our dreams and our nightmares are filled with what could be the outcome.

Whatever we do, we hope we make the right choice.

Wonderland

It's pretty rough going here in NZ when the weather is bad. There are only so many places you can go out of the howling wind and rain and that can come a bit tedious at times. Wellington is definitely geared up for more outdoor pursuits, and when the weather is rough it can become a tough time entertainment wise.

But the last week has just been amazing weather wise. We have had some beautiful days with temperatures reaching 18 degrees at 10am the other morning!!

On Wednesday Stef and I took the girls to Staglands. Definitely one of my most favourite places to go and I just had to share it with Stef and Daisy. Check out Smudgers UK-NZ for a video and heaps more photos!

Despite some worry over the weather we were delightfully treated to warmer temperatures with the odd peak of sunshine here and there. It was lovely, we had such a nice walk round. I did however get attacked by a magpie at one point and Daisy was butted by a deer - but other than that it was great fun!!

The weekend was a busy one. Saturday brought a birthday party for Bethany which luckily for us was a drop off, we were then able to turn our office into an actual office! Below are before and after photos!

Sunday we had another birthday party, Davey turned 5, who is my gorgeous friend Jo's little boy. We had a wonderful time at the Kilbirnie Rec Centre, part of the Treasure Hunt was to find the youngest Mother, I stood there waiting, and waiting, and waiting...till I had to flap my arms around and shout 'its meeeeee!!'. You can always trust children to be honest!

Sunday afternoon we made a trip up to Paekakariki. We stopped off at the stunning view point on the Paekakariki Hill, a place where you could sit for hours gazing at the totally breathtaking view.

The New Year celebrations this year are going to be amazing. We have organised for 7 families to go camping together! We have had some trouble finding somewhere, not only because everywhere was already getting booked but because most sites just have a 'show up and find a spot' policy, we couldn't risk not finding space enough for us all, so it had to be somewhere we could book.

We also wanted to make sure we were far away, but not too far away from home. So on Sunday we took a ride up to Paekakariki Holiday Park. It is absolutely lovely, we managed to find and book a spot that would house all 7 tents, and the park has all the usual needed amenities. If that wasn't good enough its a 3 minute walk to the beach!

We decided to check it out and we had a glorious LONG walk in the beautiful blazing sunshine. The beach was simply gorgeous, beautiful sand, amazing views and of course the obligatory tyre tree...

We could almost smell the sausages cooking on the BBQ, we could almost hear the laughter of everyone as we ran in the sand, and we can imagine that this New Year is going to be the best yet.

A wonderland. Our wonderland. New Zealand.