Our house is a very very fine house...

Well, we're getting there slowly, a few hiccups on the way and the biggest one is the problem that internal windows that should be rimu are pine. So that will delay things while they get them out and get it right!!

Still - the ol' girl is slowly starting to look like she used to....

The recreation of the chimney stack is impressive, and the placement of the house is spot on because some bulbs are starting to come through where they always have done!! Amazingly resilient considering the digger demolished the house and scraped the section!

Progress

Window frames getting ready for fitting...good job too as it is pretty cold here at the moment!

House progress

So the progress has been impressive...still on target to be home in a few months time (after 4 years...at long bloody last).

Its enough to bring you chills

Winter has arrived with all the appeal of a door to door sales rep. 

I have been away with work, travelling way down to the bottom of our South Island to Mossburn. I do actually enjoy visiting down here, weather aside. I even went for an evening walk (albeit as cold as witches tits).

 Saw this chap guarding the vege patch...while it seems even Disney has ventured this far south....

 The local dairy, where I had to purchase some thermal socks.....

 And the local accommodation (where I was advised I had arrived on a good night cos there were some truckers in!)

I have to say I gave the truckers a miss (I know, I know - where is my adventurous spirit??)

Progress....

So - the builders have been busy boys...look!!

And now, this is how it looked on Friday....

We are pretty pleased with this rate of progress I have to say!! The builder boy said the roof should be going on around 18 May (yes, THIS YEAR) so yep...yay!!

How have y'all been anyway? Am so busy scooting about the countryside with my (not so new now) job, hardly ever get to stop by anymore.

Good foundations....

And now we have the start of the boxing...great start at least! I guess you can tell we are pretty excited about all this, will try not to bore you with it!!

The programme the Whovian and I are now locked into is Vikings....a far cry from DT and his companions (altho' we did watch Broadchurch Season 1 recently...bit of a let down really) but we quite like the strong female characters and of course, some of those Viking boys sans shirts aren't too bad either!! Not sure it is historically completely accurate but it is a good programme if you're not too squeamish.

This week I am heading to Dargaville (tomorrow actually) so am hoping the cyclone will have blown itself out of puff by the time I board my plane! Maybe "Pam" can lend some of her puffery to Mr Clarkson - he may be a bit deflated at the moment albeit momentarily I am sure. However, as they say....

Te Aroha

Have been away with work, get about the country still which I enjoy - means I don't have to do housework at home and all my meals are cooked for me, no tidying up to be done (well, I'm not overly messy anyway so...)

However, it is great to get up into our North Island and see whats going on. Te Aroha for example....

About the only real 'fault' is the lack of really nice restaurants...however, since I'm not cooking I don't really think its a 'thing'. The place we stay at is fabulous, if you are ever out this way it is well worth taking the trip. Greg is a wonderful host, but watch him with your wine....

Anyway, had a bit of progress with the house this week, foundation holes have been dug....

Second week down

Well, nothing has happened in the past week! 

I have been travelling around a fair bit so it is kind of disappointing nothing has occurred but I keep reminding myself that it has taken us 4 years this far and it is going to happen.

Meantime, our caterpillars that will turn into Monarch butterflies are still doing their thing.

And one of the chooks died (I think I mentioned we had two stray old boilers arrive at our abandoned house?) We named them Trinny and Susannah....and let them stay since they were laying eggs. So RIP Susannah.

First week down

So - just an almost bare section now...some timber arrived on Friday for the boxing for the foundations (as a guess). Cannot quite believe that we are finally at this point! The garage is remaining for now, the builders will use it for storage etc and then their plan is to lift it, straighten it and plonk it back down once they have redone the concrete pad it sits on...to me it would be cheaper and faster to demolish it and chuck up a new one but hey!! what do I know!

The concrete pool is being lined with a fibre glass inner once the bottom concrete pad has been relaid...(pinch pinch pinch)

They reckon it will take a maximum of 32 weeks until the house is rebuilt and we can finally go home!

Only took four years BUT.....

So. Yesterday we finally had our earthquake damaged home demolished...only took 4 years and a few Court actions but hey!! This now means that they have to begin rebuilding 1 March if not before....they reckon a 32 weeks build for this so am planning Christmas THIS YEAR in our own home. So excited.

Sounds like Sunday

Slight breezer and sunny...the crickets are singing up a treat...no-one is mowing lawns as it is too hot...time to kick back, fill the glass with a nice crisp Pinot Gris and listen to:-

Last one out turn the lights off....

This was NOT me.....http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/better-business/65668577/Couple-caught-in-office-sex-romp

I always remember to switch the lights off!

Good grief!

I had no idea how long it has been since I last called in here!!

Have been busy with poor Ernie the Handsomest Tabby ever - he is not only diabetic but has glaucoma and a misplaced lense in his eye...still handsome but bung-eyed. Doesn't need a Guide Dog yet tho'. Suffice to say the Vets is his second home recently but he is doing pretty well (both Ernie and the Vet's wallet).


Have been working crazy hours and places, love my new job very much but it does take me away from home a lot.

BIG NEWS - we finally settled with the insurance company last week (only took 4 years) and we are about to start rebuilding our home. Currently it is still standing/leaning and we are to have it demolished sometime in the next few week with The Rebuild contracted to start on 1 March if not before...can't explain how relived we all feel!! As happy as a bee with a bum full of honey!

Rapid passing of time....

"Is 5 minutes a long time?" a young child asked me once

"It depends on what you are waiting for - if you're waiting at the dentist it isn't very long at all but if you're waiting for the post to arrive with your present from Grandma it is ages." I replied

Not sure when it happened but suddenly my little brother has all grown up and now runs his own business...seems like only yesterday I tried to take him to school in my doll's pram for 'show and tell' class time (that school now about to have it's 50th jubilee celebrations later this year). 

Mum stopped me at the gate, I have never been too sure if she horrified at my apparent 'kidnapping' or the fact that the cat used to sleep in the pram that I had plopped my baby brother in. My older brother thought it was cool idea but as I recall he wasn't much help to me once Mum rumbled me.

And now, well we all live in different parts of our country. My older brother way down South but luckily I get that way with my job so get to see him and his family regularly. I also get to see my younger brother and his family by virtue of the same job (which I love by the way, have I mentioned that??) so time is still passing rapidly but in a good way.

What - me nostalgic?

Turn your clocks back...

 The road home from Hokitika is a wild one...you feel like turning back the clocks...an old barn here....

 an old added-on-to house there (Kumara)....

or an old farmers cottage perhaps?

 or perhaps an old Store at Otira...you might want to buy the whole township of Otira, an old railway settlement long since decimated by time and 'progress'....

idyllic nonetheless. And the boss wonders why it takes me so long to get from A to B.....I am only surprised I get to B at all; there is so much more in between!

I know I have baged on a bit about how much I love my new job, but I really do and it takes me to so many places I get to combine my love of photography (and music on the ipod plugged into the car stereo system...) - what's not to love!!

On the road again.....

Days like this I love my job! A work trip to the West Coast and well worth getting up early on a frosty morning to see this view on the way to work!! The Southern Alps - great for skiing, taking photos, snow fights...or just general feeling alive in. 

Along the beach, an anchor (attached to a land-bound ship replica) caught the early morning sun....while further along some creative souls had made a name sign from drift wood.

and further along the road home, a few choices to be made....

I lived a fair bit of my childhood on the rugged West Coast, and I love being able to go back to visit. Did I mention that I am loving my new job? :-)

Dry July?

Nah...just kidding.....

Saint Clair Pinot Gris...sunshine...a bit of nosh....

Anyone care to join me for a bit of early winter cheer, NZ-style?

Retreat

Sunrise at Kakanui - has to be one of the most beautiful scenes...had a visit to see how the ol' stepfather is getting along. I have had to time it in with my new job (since I don't have much leave owing at the moment). Now that it is wintery, he is feeling the lonelies...longer evenings and colder days. He has a terminal chest condition, we don't know when "it" will get him but we know it will. 

He is happy at Kakanui, it is near the sea and at night you can lye in bed hearing the waves arguing it out with the rocks; and in the mornings the seagulls herald the new day with their enthusiastic bickering and what belongs to who! He has good neighbours, and is quite the social butterfly with dinner invitations and visitors dropping in. It is a relief to us all that he is happy there. When it rains, the neighbours even go to the dairy and collect his mail for him.

A great place to retreat to.....

just for Steve....

Semi Silent Sunday

This is what you find on the back roads round Timaru and why it takes me so long to get from A to B...who couldn't but stop and take photos of these!

All these homes are around a portion of Timaru with references to Phar Lap. Just another great that those Aussies try to claim as their own...like the Pavlova, Russell Crowe and Keith Urban....