Erola spent most of Sunday preparing the evening meal, I didn't get long in the kitchen to make the dessert, a rhubarb crumble, from rhubarb still growing in the garden. The seasons are a bit confused here, we have spring flowers and we haven’t had winter fully yet! Hilary & Adam arrived in the evening, Adam managed to connect up the gas bottle at last, so at least I will be warm in the day. We all went to Vikki’s, but Adam didn’t understand the Mahraji talk, & he gets twitchy if he doesn’t have dinner at 6.30. I think I’ve already said, he has Asperger’s syndrome., so routine is very important to him. The food was lovely, Erola is a very good cook, slow-cooked lamb shanks & parsley mash.
Tuesday I went to see Wayne, to get the dates for my build sorted out (again). I should get the site plan by the end of next week, and the detailed plans by July 4th. After that I have one chance to correct anything, for free, and then the plans go for building consents etc. I think he wants to start in September, but am holding out for October! I will need to decide colours both of exterior and interior before I go of course, so am starting to think hard about those things. Still want a ‘seaside’ palette, though the danger is it will feel cold, and I’m very aware of that!
On Wednesday some old friends of my sisters came to stay the night with her, Mike & Isla who were her neighbours in Auckland. Mike is ‘a geezer’ (after a TV programme apparently, I don’t remember it), i.e. he’s a broad Cockney, still talks in a lot of rhyming slang. Isla is a Kiwi, but lived in the UK for 25 years, where she met & married Mike. It was great to have a meal with them, I left after midnight, Mike & Hilary stayed up talking till 3! They live on the Gold Coast in Oz now, and have some regrets at leaving NZ of course, mainly the scenery, where they live is very flat & brown, but very warm. We have an open invitation to visit them, so will try & do so on one of my visits I’m sure.
Finally got round to going to see the Immigration service about the time I’m allowed to come for, & it’s true, I’m only allowed 9 months in any 18. So, I can only come back for 4 next year. I can apply for an extension to 6 once I’m here though. I will have to sit down with a calendar & work out exactly what I’m going to do going forward, I have no idea how people manage to do 6 months here & 6 months in the UK. I guess they must get extensions each time, which is a hassle, form-filling etc, but think I will check via the Internet. It’s not really a problem next year, as long as the house gets finished in the time. I do want to stay for 6 months in 2010 though, in order for our Inland Revenue to accept the house as my main residence. I suppose I could delay coming out here, will have to plan carefully! Had a lovely day in the city though, it was World Environment Day and my train ticket was only $1. Went to see the Bucket Fountain in Cuba St, famous because the water often doesn’t go into the buckets, but splashes on-lookers, and then went to Te Papa museum again (which is free) and walked along the waterfront. Cold but blue skies, the harbour sparkles.
Hilary & I went to a House & Home event at the TSB Arena on Saturday, I had a discount ticket from the Food & Wine show. Hilary got more out of it than I did, there was lots on insulation & she needs to do something about her old house. I did find some info about a shower coating, which I want to do when they are new to save cleaning problems, and I’m also considering a wood pellet fire, instead of my gas one. Environmentally friendly, & cheaper, just doesn’t look so nice. There will almost certainly be power cuts this winter, because of the lack of water in the Southern lakes which we saw on our trip. Vast majority of power is hydro-electric. Electronic ignition though, so have to go to ‘The Fireplace’ shop again to see about battery back-up. Need to let Wayne know if I have changed my mind, since it obviously affects the plans!
Tuesday I went to see Wayne, to get the dates for my build sorted out (again). I should get the site plan by the end of next week, and the detailed plans by July 4th. After that I have one chance to correct anything, for free, and then the plans go for building consents etc. I think he wants to start in September, but am holding out for October! I will need to decide colours both of exterior and interior before I go of course, so am starting to think hard about those things. Still want a ‘seaside’ palette, though the danger is it will feel cold, and I’m very aware of that!
On Wednesday some old friends of my sisters came to stay the night with her, Mike & Isla who were her neighbours in Auckland. Mike is ‘a geezer’ (after a TV programme apparently, I don’t remember it), i.e. he’s a broad Cockney, still talks in a lot of rhyming slang. Isla is a Kiwi, but lived in the UK for 25 years, where she met & married Mike. It was great to have a meal with them, I left after midnight, Mike & Hilary stayed up talking till 3! They live on the Gold Coast in Oz now, and have some regrets at leaving NZ of course, mainly the scenery, where they live is very flat & brown, but very warm. We have an open invitation to visit them, so will try & do so on one of my visits I’m sure.
Finally got round to going to see the Immigration service about the time I’m allowed to come for, & it’s true, I’m only allowed 9 months in any 18. So, I can only come back for 4 next year. I can apply for an extension to 6 once I’m here though. I will have to sit down with a calendar & work out exactly what I’m going to do going forward, I have no idea how people manage to do 6 months here & 6 months in the UK. I guess they must get extensions each time, which is a hassle, form-filling etc, but think I will check via the Internet. It’s not really a problem next year, as long as the house gets finished in the time. I do want to stay for 6 months in 2010 though, in order for our Inland Revenue to accept the house as my main residence. I suppose I could delay coming out here, will have to plan carefully! Had a lovely day in the city though, it was World Environment Day and my train ticket was only $1. Went to see the Bucket Fountain in Cuba St, famous because the water often doesn’t go into the buckets, but splashes on-lookers, and then went to Te Papa museum again (which is free) and walked along the waterfront. Cold but blue skies, the harbour sparkles.
Hilary & I went to a House & Home event at the TSB Arena on Saturday, I had a discount ticket from the Food & Wine show. Hilary got more out of it than I did, there was lots on insulation & she needs to do something about her old house. I did find some info about a shower coating, which I want to do when they are new to save cleaning problems, and I’m also considering a wood pellet fire, instead of my gas one. Environmentally friendly, & cheaper, just doesn’t look so nice. There will almost certainly be power cuts this winter, because of the lack of water in the Southern lakes which we saw on our trip. Vast majority of power is hydro-electric. Electronic ignition though, so have to go to ‘The Fireplace’ shop again to see about battery back-up. Need to let Wayne know if I have changed my mind, since it obviously affects the plans!
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