More weather...

I'm telling you, I'm getting obsessed with the weather.

Today the sun came out and I got the paddling pool out again after 3 days of storm and tossed the boys in for a few minutes before the wind chill factor spoiled the fun. That was after I had poured 3 buckets of hot water from the kitchen tap into the 2 buckets of water from the pool to warm the paddling pool enough to reduce the goose bumps on the boys legs!

I also found myself feeling nervous as the the paddling pool was rippling in the wind and I had visions of the boys being scooped up, pool and all, by a hefty gust of wind and me running along below in a desperate bid to catch them before they landed in the Atlantic ocean never to be seen again!

Earlier in the day, my client went to the beach and we discussed the possibility of the boys going too. We both decided against it due to the wind. I did suggest we could tie a string on them and call them kites, but the idea was not acted upon...

Weather...

Why am I sitting on a tropical island in the Caribbean writing about weather??? I didn't think I could find enough to talk about...

For example
"today was sunny, yesterday was sunny, I hear the forecast for tomorrow is for sun, I think I'll go to the beach..."

But because it is so bad, I can't think of anything else!

The first week here, was cold, grey and windy. Nothing I couldn't have had in London... I really did not need to travel this far to experience this sort of weather.

The second week improved slightly and we had a few days of bliss - until yesterday that was. Last night I was woken by howling wind and torrential rain at 01.53. Anyone who knows me, knows that I sleep like the dead. It was very noisy and I woke several times.

Today has been a mix of monsoon-like rains, hurricane style winds and extremely confused visibility across the bay.

I will post some photos when I am on my computer as there is an island in view of my room that I watched and photographed a few times throughout the day as the scene changed with mist, wind, rain etc.

Working 'holiday'

I have landed in another part of the world I haven't been in before.

This time a holiday with a work family. It's hot, humid and have barely seen the sun in 4 days! Oh the joys of the tropical paradise...
We arrived on a tiny plane to this tiny island and just the experience of landing was amazing - I want to do it again!

To land, the plane has to do a bit of a climb over a hill then swoop down very suddenly to make it onto the airstrip with enough time to stop before the beach at the other end. Our pilot did it flawlessly - thankfully - and we arrived at our villa all exhausted and ready for bed. The boys went to bed a free a quick wash and a bottle of milk. They were little troopers by managing 12.5 hours sleep with only a couple of short disturbances. I loved them the next morning more then usual!!

We had a few glimpses of sun during the next couple of days and all made use of the pool enjoying a cool down each afternoon with the boys. They love the pool and even though it's been a bit cold, they still love to get in and kick and play around.

Today the weather decided to remind us of life in London and it's been windy, grey and at times, very wet. I suggested we could have saved an airfare by staying in London, closing the windows and turning the heating up with the shower going...

I met a man on the way to find the post office today. He asked me if I knew where the PO was in a very Australian voice. We had both been given directions by different people and neither had ended us there, so together we found it. Joined a very long queue and began to chat. He has been sailing mostly inNorth America since August and hopes the make it home to Australia by August next year. Lucky man! I bet it took some planning to get this far and no doubt continues to.

A fleeting visit

I am in New Zealand for a week.

On the 23rd I left London, Heathrow for Christchurch and arrived on the 25th (local time) having traveled 12413 miles via Los Angeles.

My friend had a very premature baby on the 12th October so I wanted to see her and meet her gorgeous little baby boy.

He is putting on weight and learning to feed slowly but surely. Hopefully he will come out of hospital in the next week or two. I have been lucky to have lots of cuddles with him and I have promised to teach him all the best mischief for when he is a bit bigger.

In between visits to the hospital I have managed to fulfil a lot of yearnings for foods that I didn't realised I actually yearned for until I got here. But that is a whole new story for another day.

I also got to spend this weekend with my nephew who flew down from Nelson - his first flight as an unaccompanied minor! He arrived Friday night and we stayed with my friend that night and then drove out to Hinewai Reserve, near Akaroa to spend Saturday night at Tricia's. Lucy came up from Lake Hawea so the (poor/lucky) boy spent 24hrs with 3 doting aunties.

Tricia and Paul have a beautiful little spot in the wilderness to call home. After a yummy dinner we walked to the beach and enjoyed the views, the sounds of waves and birds and watching my nephew as he inadvertently filled his boots with sea water.

We watched as a pair of Canada geese wandered along the beach with just one tiny baby. The parents headed for the waves and each slightly bigger wave would send the hatchling hurtling back up the beach until it could finally dig it's toes back in the sand. Very cute to watch but obviously hard work for the baby.

Mum and I are VIP's for an evening

I was given VIP passes for me plus one to go see Kasabian last night at Wembley Arena.

I first asked Megg (sister) if she would like to go but the answer was a resounding negative (not surprising - she listens to Radio 4!). So I asked my friend Teresa, again a no.

So talking to mum a bit later and I said I didn't ask her as I knew it would be mega loud. And I have still a very clear memory of mum stuffing tissues in her ears at the Tom Jones concert a few years ago!

How wrong can one be! She said she would love to come!

So last night we both finished work, jumped on trains and met at Wembley. Kasabian weren't playing until 8.45 so we planned our arrival on that. Picked up our VIP passes, dropped of our work bags to the coat check and made our way to our seats.

We got there just as Kasabian was about to start.

OMG! What an amazing concert! The special effects were simple yet great to watch, the crowd below us in the mosh pit were great fun to watch also.

All drinks were poured into plastic cups for the show as the night before a bottle that had been thrown had hit the guitarist in the hand. When talking to him, he said it is a sign of how much fun they are having and things get thrown all the time. What an interesting way of showing your affections. But if that is the case then this crowd were more in love with Kasabian then words could express!

Cups were flying the whole night and a few other interesting things too. Crowd surfing was banned and the security had a very busy time dragging off the offenders.

At the end we were escorted to the VIP room to meet up with the band. We had a drink with them and then headed for home - getting out of the VIP/stage area proved more challenging then getting in! They take security very seriously.

But as we left we got to see the floor covered in plastic cups and awash with beer as the cleanup gang started shovelling loads of cups into rubbish bags - I really really hope they recycle!!

Mum sat through the whole thing and can now say she has been to a real rock concert! Took a few years to get that one under her belt - but better late then never.

Christmas lights in Chicago last year

Well, OK...
So it's a little late to be posting last years Christmas photos.

But at least I got them in before this years Christmas!

From busy to... well... busier!?

I seem to have no time or energy to write on here these days but change is afoot and I hope it means more words on the blog.

I have taken a 5 month job working only 2 days a week (see Maternity Nurse Diary) although it seems to be more like 2-3days most weeks. And I am about to fill in some more days - the other 5 actually - with a local family having baby No1. Sounded like an easy job and here's hoping I am right. So although I was planning to reduce hours, I may well have increased them for a short time instead.

I've also moved house with Mum and my sister Megg. We now have a 3 bedroom place. So for the first time in 7 years, I have my own (double!) bed in my own room. I cannot believe I lasted this long! It is taking a bit of getting used to as I now have to walk the length of a hallway to make a cup of tea or go to the loo. I can't reach the toaster from my bed or the CD's to put in the stereo (also sadly out of reach now). We have more then one window to open, a real oven to cook in - unfortunately a gas one - and a little garden of our own.

Our former landlord was sad to see us go and did try to convince us to stay by telling us after we gave notice that he could reduce the rent - after putting it up just as the recession really kicked in! Too little too late.