HELLO From New Zealand

chevalier

Well I am calmer that Monday now phew. After the silly moo in the office telling me it would take 3-5 days for my application to get through the internal mail, I got an email sent to me yesterday, telling me my pin so I can check the progress of the application. Which means that they have opened the envelope at least ie the next day.

So maybe this will now all work out for the best.

In other news DS1 got player of the day at his football on Monday, 2nd time. I was SO proud of him. Bless
chev

chevalier

After all the stress about the paperwork, I got told this week that even if they haven't made the decision by the 13th December, I can still stay in the country to await the outcome of the appeal. In one way I am ecstatic as this means my mum can come out, and I get to spend xmas here in NZ and not uprooting the whole family to come back home again.

But on the other hand I am absolutely livid. WHY didn't the girl on the desk, not say this when I handed in my form. It would have saved me a couple of weeks of stress. GRRRRRRR

Another YIPPEE is the amount of thrushes there are here. There are as many thrushes as there are blackbirds. They are so common, and so rare in England. And the difference? Hardly any cats here. Not like there would be in the UK. Something to ponder. Yesterday there was a thud on the window. When we looked out there was a Silvereye stunned on our veranda. Awwww. But we left it alone and it flew off after a bit. But it was fantastic to see one up close like that as they are about the size of a wren, so you can hardly see them in a tree.

DS1 scored 2 lone goals in his football last week, despite the rain. I was so proud of him. I just wish now we could sort out his temper. He is so up and down with his behaviour at the moment. I don't know whether it is the move, or the way the school is here (SO much bigger than his old school or even the school he would have gone to in September), but he is lashing out a lot at the moment, including hitting someone with a (thankfully plastic) cricket bat. We made him do a written apology for that, but it isn't like him and I am getting worried about.

Does anyone think this might be the move?

Anyway must go and do the washing more later.

chev

elantan

ay up chev i only see you know when i am on the night shift ...great to see your still about though

chevalier

eh up yerself. Yes i only have to navigate my son's birthday part now next sunday (7th) and then I can really relax. God know what I am going to do at it. I have never been well enough to comtemplate catering the party before now. So aaahh. Just praying the weather is good enough, as we have hired the kindegarten that DS2 goes to, so if they have good weather they can just tear around outside. But if not.......

don't even know what to get him either.....

chev

lucielle

Hi Chev, I have been following your diary and progress. Just wondered how old DS is?
L

Seaxwyn

HI Chev, how are things? I somehow missed your diary for the past month so I missed all the drama over the visa application. Good luck with the party tomorrow.

System

Hi Chev, how are things going down under? Len

chevalier

Wow time flies
Lucielle he is 7. I don't think it is helped by having a little brother who makes him wake up when he does (they share a room), but even so I hope that his bad temper is just in part being knackered from the school terms (and having to cope with rising temperatures), we shall see how he does over the holidays (big summer holidays here)

Lenny, Wol2 and Seax

thanks for dropping in. Christmas was realy chilled this year. We had a favourite lunch thing for xmas lunch - so hot dogs for the boys, salmon for me and my mum and really good cheese for OH. Then in the evening I did roast chicken thighs, instead of turkey. A) because it is REALLY expensive here, and none of us particularly like it cold the next day so what is the point of a huge bird that takes ages to cook?

I by far like having xmas pudding with real cream (the one day of the year I allow real cream on my food), yummmmmm!

Boxing day we again had sandwiches and then ham in the evening. The weather has been ace here the last few days, so it has been great to go down to the beach on xmas day and splash in the waves.

THAT is one of the reasons for coming here. I guess the beach is at least a mile long, and probably had 2000 people on it. Compared to an English beach it was deserted! Yet my landlady thought this was crowded. Lol!

Anyway I will try and write more before new year
ttfn
chev

Seaxwyn

Thanks for the update Chev. That sounds like a lovely Christmas. I totally agree about turkey. We had to cook a massive one as my parents would not hear of anything different. Now I have tons of leftovers to get through which may be MSE but it's not an enticing prospect.

Hope you enjoy the rest of the holiday season and hope that 2009 is a great new year for you.

chevalier

can i suggest that you do some of it Thai style ie with coconut and thai curry paste,