The Smith's Journey

Follow us on our journey through family life. No matter where we live you will be able to keep up on our happenings. Have fun and remember to leave comments.

Saturday, November 25, 2006

Settling down

I am happy to say that we are settling into our new home ok. Still have boxes to unpack but managed to get the girls to unpack their room, and thanks to Aunty Sue, Sarah-Jane now has her clothes in drawers not a suitcase.
We are finding it a lot smaller. The house is a normal size and the ceilings are the normal height, but after living for 3yrs in a house with big rooms and high ceilings it takes a bit to get use to. We keep feeling like we need to duck our heads.
Jo (our friend) is very very very happy to be in Auckland for the U2 concert. I tried to convince her to take me as her bodyguard/ladies maid, but alas she didn't take up the offer. Of course it could have been because she'd have to pay my way! Glad your having fun Jo.
I had a bad experience with a plant pot tonight. I got my finger stuck in one of the holes in the bottom. Stop laughing, it's serious! Ok I guess it was quite funny, Terry found it very funny. At the time however I was rather worried I was going to lose my finger. I did lose feeling in it for awhile, and now it feels bruised. How? do you ask did I manage to get my finger stuck? Well a saucer was stuck inside at the bottom, I wanted it out so I could use the pot. So I poked it with my finger from the bottom outside. I didn't realise my finger was going to "pop" into the pot as well! Any way, terry managed to retrieve the bottle of liquid soap and proceeded to try and help me out of the predicament. Ok now you can laugh.

Sunday, November 19, 2006

The New House

We are now in our new house. Its a bit smaller than we're use to, but I do feel at peace here. There's hardly any traffic and the girls discovered kids from school just around the corner. We still have heaps to sort out. Mostly the bedrooms now. We do miss the old house but so far we haven't pulled in the drive forgetting that we've moved. (We've done that in another house or two that we lived in.).
We both had had a very stressed day and became a tad grumpy with each other, (maybe a bit more than a tad!). That day I had taken a load over to Sidey Quay (our new address) and proceeded to lock the car key (our only one) in the car along with the bond cheque. With the Landlord there waiting for the money he had no choice but to use his AA membership. Well that prob was solved.
Next one... I drove off to the journalling course after picking up Leigh and Jo, got 3/4 way there and get a ph call from Terry "Where are the house keys to move the stuff in?" my response...
"dolt!!!" Yes. I had done the deed of forgetting to leave the guys the house keys. So after dropping Leigh and Jo off I headed back to meet Terry half way. That prob solved.
After a tiring day I came home to an empty of furniture house. The girls were on mattresses, but in search of my own I discovered the helping hands got a bit too enthusiastic. I had no bed!!
We ended up with me on a single mattress at the old house and Terry sleeping at the new house on our bed. Much to say I had a bad nights sleep.
I would like to say a big Thankyou to the Men's group that Terry attends for helping shift everything on the Thursday evening, I am so grateful as it rained on Friday and has ever since. Good for us bad for the new owners who shifted in the rain.

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Anniversary details!!

I just remembered I was meant to tell about our Anniversary weekend...
It was a Saturday morning, the sun was shining, the birds singing. Terry took Sarah-Jane to swimming lessons, when He returned, the car was packed (only took me 10min to figure out that his golf trundler dosen't fold like mine!!), the tank full, the chilly bin full of treats. We were off... I allowed him to drive through Christchurch to the south bound highway. He reacted negatively to the suggestion of me blindfolding him, (plead it would cause travel sickness). He had actually guessed right numerous times during the week. We went to..........ASH VEGAS!!!! Oh for those out of towners its Ashburton! An hours drive south of CHCH. We stayed at the Regency Motel. Nice place. Average Motel. I have to admit we regretted not taking our own pillows! We played a wonderful game of golf in the late afternoon. Ashburton just happened to be the hottest place to be in the south island! I played 9 holes - refused to count my strokes! I was much happier that way. I'm too much of a perfectionist (ta Dad!). Terry had a great game, scoring an eagle on a par 5. We had subway for tea and hung out at the motel for the evening, just cruising out enjoying the quiet. We travelled back (Terry drove) through Methven and Rakaia Gorge. We have decided to treat ourselves to staying in the Methven Resort next time. A great weekend!! And Terry loved being surprised.
Well, Its only 5 days and we leave this wonderful house. I'm really going to miss it. We have decided that however unlikely that the States falls through ( as I said, very unlikely), we still don't regret selling. This is a 1920's villa, and does require a high maintainence. We don't have the finances and frankly aren't the sort of people to hang around every weekend at home fixing stuff and tidying the gardens etc. That insight came after we bought the house. We are a family that love to have a social life and meet new people and host spontaneous bbq's and visit friends and family, so you see that we really can't fit the house stuff into our schedule. When I have the days at home I am more likely to play with the kids or read a book, on the computer, scrapbook etc.
So back to the subject at hand... Packing!! That stage doesn't really phase me, nor the unpacking, but what gets to me is getting use to a new layout, new night noises. There's nothing worse than stumbling half asleep to the toilet in the pitch black and ending up in a hall cupboard and trying to work out who moved the loo!!
We are excited of the prospect of a different house. Me being a gypsy at heart (Dad, Mum fault, shifting us all over Aussie/NZ), I get itchy feet after being a couple of years in one house. We've lived here for 31/2 yrs now. A record!!
I shall let you all know how the move goes - please remember me in your thoughts should you be using the loo in the middle of the night!!!

Thursday, November 02, 2006

Happy Anniversary to us

Its coming up our tenth wedding anniversary. Ten yrs!! It dosen't seem that long. I can think back and remember our wedding day like it was yesterday. Even the point where Terry was meant to say "I do", he hesitated. Well He claims it was because he couldn't remember what to say!! But He has stuck with me through better and worse, through sickness and health. We have 3 beautiful, well adjusted girls. There's so much to be grateful for. Too many to list. But there is many a day when I grumble and whine to God just like the Isrealites did those many many yrs ago. At least I know I'm not the first one eh!
I have organised a night away with Terry. I haven't told him where we're going or what we're doing. I've hinted by saying we're heading southish from Christchurch and we need to take our golf clubs. I'll let you know how it goes!