"It's A Date...."

Shared Pancakes & Eggs Benedict for breakfast at Ground Floor Café in Riccarton followed by Punting on the Avon in the afternoon. This is what My Husband planned for our Date Day.

We stopped to watch one of the Buskers at the Festival in Hagley Park. We also went to the Whiskey & Cocktail Bar in New Regent Street for a wee nip & a Mrs Higgins Cookie.

On the way home we grabbed some DVDs & snacks for a night in.

The weather was lovely for such a nice day!!!

"Year 2014 - What will you bring??"

Okay so I have been trying to write this blog since the year started & it is not one week left of Jan I have yet to succeed.

The title for today's/this month's blog is the question for me - an answer I'm not all that sure as to whether it'll be all that I wish it would be. Not to sound negative but rather realistic. I am itching to travel again, its over 2 years since we went to India & 10 years this month since I was on exchange in Germany (the above photos of the gummi bears are two tubs my brother got for me - sweets that I fell in love with in Germany) but my husband has changed study institutes to do a more specified website course which is to take ALL year instead of only studying the 1st semester. So we will see what this year will bring.

I, however, have plenty to keep myself occupied while my husband studies away in the spare room. I am trying to complete the Taj Mahal cross-stitch - I'm almost there - so the aim I to finish it in the next couple of weeks - back stitching included (I have a habit of finishing the cross part but then leaving it for a while before sitting down & doing the back-stitch weeks later.)

My next step will be to start & complete the "Honeymoon - Singapore" Scrapbook -  I have pulled out the stuff to go in it, and it is all ordered together, just need to print photos & get it started!!! Yes I will share photos.

So far this month/year Simon & I have celebrated our 3 year Wedding Anniversary. We didn't go away this year but instead jut hung around Christchurch. We went up the Gondola for lunch, we spent a couple of hours up the top there, wondering around, enjoying the view of the city (as below) & Lyttleton Harbour. They have a time tunnel in the bottom floor of the building, you ride in a wee car & there are video clips talking about the beginning of Banks Penisula through to today.

Christchurch CBD - not so much left of it now. Seen now as a flat area, rather than tall buildings

We spent the afternoon wondering along the beach front in Sumner. Got a little red but it was nice just casually strolling along together. It's nice seeing all the houses that are along the Esplanade that have a view of the ocean. There is one house there that it's rateable value is $4 million. It is a stunning place, with a pool & the selling point for us - a 10 car garage!!! Not that we're buying of course - just a little out of our price range at the moment.  

 

New Brighton Pier

For dinner we went to Cafe Valentino - an Italian restaurant - the food was great, we had pizza & pasta with cheesecake for dessert. Yum!! It was a wonderful day together. And I till look fondly on our wedding - it was just what we planned. Plus I still LOVE my wedding dress.

 

 

For the last couple of months I have been uumming & ahhhing about getting an iPhone - not because its an 'iPhone' but because of the versatility of having one. Reasons being - I accidentally left my lovely pink iPod at the gym and low & behold I never saw it again, so I wanted that again. I like iTunes layout, so I knew I'd get one again rather than MP3 player. I've had a baby galaxy & it was nice enough (in fact I'm still using it as my alarm) but I found it too slippery. And a Galaxy III or IV wasn't my thing, they were too big + too slippery. I liked the iPhone because I could put music on, use iTunes, and the newer ones are squared off, which for me made it easier to hold & handle. Soooo after hunting around ebay, shops & trade me I managed to find one at a reasonable price - I wasn't going to pay the full price for one, because I don't think they're worth it, but I did have to pay a little more than I wanted to. But yes I bought one - and so far I haven't been disappointed. The screen is really clear - I have plenty of room for all the stuff I want on it - apps & music etc. I have 'Learn the Bible in 24 Hours' by Chuck Misler.



My new toy - with Guess case & 2 covers, I will be getting more - I'm considering a 3D Dispicable Me Minion Cover.

 

On the sporting side of things - My husband decided we were going to become Tennis Bunnies this summer - so we went & bought tennis rackets last week.

 

We have lived next to tennis courts for the last few years and talked about it but never one anything till now. We played last weekend & the day after my arm felt soooooooooooooooo sore, at work I had to use both hands to squeeze the stapler. So tennis bunnies it is. It's kinda fun - especially when I hit the ball to far & Simon has to go running to get it.

That would appear to be the start of 2014 for me - now I shall continue with my cross-stitch Taj. Oh we're going on a date tomorrow - apparently leaving the house at 9am & can't eat breakfast before hand..... Looking forward to it.

Have a great weekend everyone!!

 



"11.1.11 - 11.1.14 --- 3 Years Married"

3 years, this Saturday gone, since this photo was taken. Simon & I have now been married for the half the time we've been together. We are considering having this photo put onto canvas to hang in the lounge.

Looking forward to many many more years together.

"Fireworks, Fun & Walking..."

1. New Brighton Fireworks....

Guy Fawkes Day 2013 we decided to trip it out to New Brighton to see the fireworks display that the Christchurch City Council put on each year. It was themed this year '50 years of Bond Theme Songs'. It was pulled of rather well - the firework bangs went off in time to the music. It wasn't too bad getting out there & didn't take too long to find a park. We got there in plenty of time & there were people all over the place.

It was a lovely night. After it finished though, came the trying part. We had decided to get to the car & just sit and wait for the traffic to die down before attempting to leave for home. We sat in our parked car for an hour before attempting the drive home. Once we got out of the side street it was fairly straightforward in getting home, thankfully.

The sad part of the evening though is driving through the eastern suburbs & seeing how they now are more than two & a half years after the February Quake. There are many many many homes gone, land just left to grow grass, yet many many many homes still standing, waiting on EQC & insurance. I firmly believe that Christchurch has been ripped off by EQC & insurance companies who aren't honouring the contracts that people have been paying for. I do not think the government has done anything to help this mess, only worsen it. And people who have claimed for damage of things that was not damaged by either or any earthquakes are pretty much just as bad. I really feel for those who are STILL fighting for their rights under the agreements after more than 3 years since the September 2010 quake. It is NOT on!!!

2. Fun....

Last Saturday my package from Amazon.com arrived & I felt like I was 13 again!! Can you imagine why?? I'll tell you. In this package (which the estimated delivery date was up until 5 December) was the new Backstreet Boys Album "In a World Like This" - it is fantastic & takes me back nearly 20 years. Plus it also contained Nick Carter's Autobiography - "Facing the Music & Living to Talk About It". And Yes I have started to read it (meaning I'm now in the process of reading 4 books at once). We were headed out when we saw the packaged in the mail box. My husband wouldn't stop the car so when it was slow I put on the handbrake and rushed over to get it, ripped it open & immediately put the CD on - I was transported back to my teens, it was great, it is great, will continue to be great. With the husband working tomorrow morning I will just have to do the house work with it on UP LOUD!!!!

I look forward to finishing off the book & listening to this fantastic album over & over & over again - until I know all lyrics by heart no doubt.

Love It!!!

3. A Walk Through Town...

It is a long weekend for those of us in Canterbury, NZ - known here as Show Day/Anniversary Day. Thinking/believing the weather was going to get to 21 degrees, we decided to walk into town for lunch & wonder round to see what was happening. However the wind was a nor-easter which called things down immensely. But we still headed through the park to town. Had delicious kebabs from Demetri's for lunch sitting by the Avon, with construction for 'The Terrace - the new Strip' behind us. It looks interesting and promising.

Oxford Terrace - formerly 'The Strip'

Broken Windows in a Building where only birds accommodate

Cnr Oxford Terrace & Worcester Street - Cathedral in back

New Regent Street upper storey of the buildings

And then we finished the afternoon off with fresh, warm Mrs Higgin's cookies for afternoon tea, before heading back through the other side of the park for home.

"Want to Know More - read on about me..."

Having read a few blogs every now & then people tend to share some things about themselves that others may or may not know about themselves, so I thought maybe I might give this a shot too....

***I love, love, love the Gilmore Girls series - I have the box-set & have watched more times than I can count on my hands***

***My favourite alcoholic beverage is "Jaegemeister & Red Bull" - however due to cutting back on the Red Bull side of the drink I now also enjoy a lovely Cranberry, Lime & Vodka as my runner up & when we're out***

***I absolutely LOVE the sound of rain on the roof - it's magical***

***I am somewhat OCD - detail is everything - prime example is my husband's 30th Birthday month & you should have seen all the planning that went into our wedding day***

***I am training in  & receiving Theophostic Prayer Ministry - it is a FANTASTIC prayer ministry - it is dealing with lie-based pain (that we all have) through God & Christ - the results are AMAZING - 110% reccommend it***

***I would love to live & work in Manhattan, New York for at least a year (in a fancy apartment) - to experience all the seasons***

***I want to build, out west of Christchurch, that would have two floors (rectangular shape/layout) with a piece on top - the Master bedroom (with my office off the side) designed in an A-frame style & a few of the Southern Alps***

***I only want two children - twins - that's it = done***

***James Bond is the only reading & viewing material that my husband & I can agree on 100% of the time (any other possible movies take a lot of umming & ahhing)***

***My dream OE is to travel the world following the Formula 1 circuit - it goes almost everywhere***

There we have it....10 things about me.....

"Akaroa...have to buy here!!"

A 3 day weekend = a quick trip over to Akaroa for lunch!

Now I absolutely love, love, love this place, it is so peaceful, so tranquil & just absolutely beautiful & amazing. I love how you can go over there on a busy day & it doesn't feel busy, you can relax, sit back & enjoy everything around you.

We wondered in & out of some shops for a wee bit then headed to the Monteiths Bar "Bully Hayes" for lunch - we had Cod Burgers with fries - they were delicious. Not too badly priced either. We really enjoy going to Monteiths Bars/Restaurants - we frequent the one here in Christchurch in Avonhead. Have been to the one in Hanmer Spring a couple of times (they do a really ice garlic bread on ciabatta bread = yummy!!!)

It is so nice to be sitting by the beach & enjoying the magnificent God-created view of the Akaroa harbour.

After wondering in & out of a couple more shops - sorting scoping out for Christmas presents but not really trying - though we did find a mouse mat with a matching coaster with lovely cars on it for Simon.

Then we grabbed an ice cream & sat on the beach near this little wharf.

Simon took this cool photo from under the above picture wharf - it looks so peaceful - one could just sit under there & enjoy their current read or lie back & listen to music. 

Simon skipping stones

After our ice-cream we decided to tiki-tour round the harbour to the other side - to Wainui. You get an amazing view of the open mouth to the Pacific Ocean. Spectacular!!!

View of Akaroa from Wainui

This cute little church is situated in Gebbes Pass - a fun route from the Akaroa road to the other side, Lyttleton Harbour. We've passed it on a number of occasions but finally stopped to take a photo. I think if we hadn't of gotten married in Woodbury this may well have been the option to have used. It's so quaint nestled away in the side of the hill - nicely remote.

Simon took this photo as we headed out of the Lyttleton tunnel (which runs through the Port Hills)

It was a great day and I cannot wait to get back over there. It is such a great wee place & I do believe we will likely buy a holiday home there before we purchase land/house here in Christchurch. If we ever win lotto that would be our first purchase.

"Is it Saturday Yet?...."

Mona Vale Homestead

Yes it is. Saturday of a 3 day weekend for Labour Day on Monday. YAY!! I love this working concept of having public holidays off. While it was nice to be paid time & a half on public holidays when worked, I have to admit it's much nicer to have it off & to chill out & relax. So that is what I did today.

Pretty much nothing! While my Husband studied I lay on the couch, caught up on some TVOnDemand, read a blog, did some cross-stitch & yes of course got the washing done. A pretty successful day of nothing. And I really enjoyed it. It is quite nice to just laze about & not do a hell of a lot really. I haven't got a list of stuff to do & thought why not.

I did go for a wonder to Mona Vale Gardens after lunch for some air. It was very windy today, leaves & seedlings & everything being blown around.

A Red Rose

Mona Vale was really quite stunning in the sunshine. Sitting there you can hardly believe there is a bustling city surrounding it all. I remember sitting in the central library in the city, studying & amazed at how even on the wettest day in winter the city still bustled. It's what makes me love this place. Christchurch will not look the same again after the 10,0000+ earthquake/aftershocks it has had but the heart of it still beats & it will look amazing once again (when people in high places get their act together - but I won't go into my opinion of all that now).

After Jane Seymour perhaps?

Mona Vale Bathhouse

Avon River through Mona Vale Gardens

Tomorrow Church with some other house work thrown in there & then Monday a quick wee trip up & over the Port Hills to my favourite place in all of NZ AKAROA!! We'll nip over there for some lunch & no doubt plenty of photographs.

Finally watched 'The Hobbit' this weekend, I some what enjoyed it. Not so involved as the LOTR trilogy but not bad. I'm still curious as to how Peter Jackson has made such a small book into 3 movies. Split into 2 maybe but 3?? Oh well shall wait & see what happens in the following two. No doubt though it'll probably be a year until I watch the 2nd one on DVD. Who knows?

Ta ta for now..... will share Akaroa soon. Enjoy your weekend...!

"So there's an Us...."

20/10

20th October 2007 is when it all started - well it was warming up before then but this was the date when it all came to a head. When Simon said to me (after a slightly awkward talk) said '...so there's an us..." and the rest is history - now we're married & working & enjoying life together as it was meant to be....

1st Flowers from Simon

Simon's Graduation Dec 2007

Moeraki Boulders Jan 2008

1st Anniversary at Mount Cook

Our Engagement

Married now!!!

!st Wedding Anniversary Flowers

Maruia Springs - 2nd Wedding Anniversary

So on Sunday we've been together for 6 years...

"It's the Weekend... they're coming around quick..."

Hello!!

Today is a lovely sunny, spring day here in Christchurch. The expected temperatures are 20 & 21 degrees respectively, for this weekend.

So far I've done the washing. It is always a get up & get it done first on a Saturday. It's one of those OCD routine things of mine that I just HAVE to do before I can get on with anything else.

The washing our drying

As usual I have written a list of things to be done this weekend, I do this every weekend but more often than not, only the straight forward or must be done things actually do get done. But of course I tell myself I WILL get it all done, so this weekend is no exception.

Taj Mahal Cross-stitch

What I've done so far

I will endeavour to stitch some more of the Taj this weekend. I'm really liking the shades of oranges/peaches for the flowers along the bottom of the reflection. And the couple of shades of green just offset it all nicely.

I thoroughly enjoy doing cross-stitch - I take it to work to do while on my breaks.

Last night, while popping into the Warehouse to look for a nerf throwing thing (my husband has this idea we'll go throw it around the park this summer - this could happen....) we happened to walk past the baking area (whoops) and cam across this great little accessory that I had to have. 

It is a muffin corer - an awesome find, once you've cooked the muffins you use this to scoop out the centre a bit to then add a filling of your choice. I was quite stoked with this find, as I've quite liked the idea of adding fillings to my muffins but when I have tried the filling has just sunk to the bottom of the cupcake/muffin pan, therefore not having the desired effect. This'll be great because a teaspoon does't do the trick either. I'm not sure though when I will get around to using this. 

Among other things listed I have my Theophostic chapter to read & questions to answer. I've been studying Theophostic Prayer Ministry this year, along with receiving it and it is quite simply AMAZING. It is Christ bringing peace & truth to lie-based thinking that we all have. It is effective, I love the feeling of peace that washes over when Christ's truth has come to the ultimate lies I've convinced myself of in my younger years, that have just been built on through my interpretation of events. (we all do this - every single one of us). It is fantastic!!

Well that gives some idea of my current thinking for this weekend. I am hoping to blog a bit more regularly than I have been (considering I have been nagging a friend to update her blog on building their home that they're now in - so I must practice what I preach). I want to make it a bit more real is well, not just for when we go away or do something 'fun'. I do love reading blogs of what people actually get up to. 

Enjoy your weekend everybody. And I hope you too complete your lists of things to get done.

Take care...

"What have you been up to lately???"

.........................It has been quite awhile since I wrote an update, I'm quite terrible at this blog thing...............

So what's been happening of late. Well my husband has stopped working and gone to CPIT to study a graduate diploma in ICT. So while we have dropped to one income & had to tighten our belts a little/somewhat (ie I really must not go into shoe stores - but the catch 22 of that is that I need to replace my summer sandals that Dad's dog George ate in March = dilemma). However, the upside is that I am actually getting on and doing other stuff, stuff I've been listing to do for quite sometime.

Finance wise, we're doing pretty good, my husband gets the odd days work at his previous job, which is really good, because it means he isn't committed to set hours on a weekly basis and can say no if he has too much on study wise and were managing reasonably well  on just my wage (if this was a year ago it would be pushing it, probably not do-able but as I am now in a better paying job, thanks to God's grace & blessing, it is okay to do this now).

As mentioned it's lead to me getting on and doing my list of activities from this post. In fact I have completed the India scrapbook - it still has some finishing touches to be done but I've actually done it. I'm quite pleased with my effort with getting things done. The list still has a few things on it, but I have 8 months to get it all done.

Front Page of India Scrapbook

All pages - they're double sided

I was quite pleased with my effort in starting & completing it all within about a month - it is the biggest of the ones I have listed to do.

Spring Blossom

Spring is of course now in full swing, with warmer & longer days (yay - daylight savings has been & gone), of which the first indication of spring is blossom in full bloom. So we managed to finally grab some photos of the beautiful trees before they turned green. They looked just stunning.

Blossom Trees along Harper Ave in Hagley Park

And I've gone ahead & bought a couple of cross-stitch kits. The Taj Mahal with it's stature reflecting in the pond that runs in front of the wonder. Which from my very first blog we have been to see & have the photos to mirror the cross-stitch. I also bought a third cross-stitch, a Me-to-You teddies wedding one, with two little bears sitting on a swing. I saw it  a couple of years ago when I first went hunting for a wedding cross-stitch & put on the list to get, so I finally managed to get one a a good price from the UK.

A couple more projects

I have started the Taj Mahal cross-stitch, about a quarter of the way through it. I take it to work & sit on my breaks doing it. A lot of colours in it, less of large areas of one colour, more of the colours across & running into each other.

There we are an update. I do apologise to anyone who may read this blog on occassion for long delays between writings. Sometimes not a lot happens or goes on. Hopefully this summer will bring more things to share with you all.