oh my flaring nostrils

We all went on an adventure last weekend, to 'Leisure World' where there are 3 long water slides, a mini golf course with life-size dinosaurs standing about, a mini race track and cars, a games room with a few air hockey tables and a hot pool. It was a bit sad and dilapidated if the truth be told. Ben figured he's been there about 18 years ago. I myself reminisced about the water slides I remember somewhere in Durban, next to the beach...about 20 odd years ago. So it's been around a while. You could tell as you walked up the rusty steps to the top of the slides, this place had seen better days. It needed a lick of paint, at the very least, to make it seem like it was trying to be presentable. Anyway, before I rip it to shreds, I must comment on the fact that the water down the slide, and in the pool at the bottom, was lovely and warm. I didn't stand there shivering with cold (and excitement) and nor did my little children. Helped, no doubt, by the fact that Rotorua is, well, geyser-land...dig down deep enough and you're bound to find some lovely warm stuff. Smelly stuff, yes. Sulphur...hmm, stinky. So stinky in this particular place (the parking lot had me gagging) that we had to make jokes about it to Mia when she enquired "what's that smell?" while wrinkling up her nose in the cutest way..."It must be the dinosaur poos" we told her. It wasn't so bad once you're whizzing down the slides with great whoops of delight as you try to convince Mia that it's not in the least bit scary, au contraire - fun fun fun!! Even if you went down the BLACK slide instead of the red one...FWOAR!! Whoops. You don't even think about the smell then - honest. It's only when you leave to get back in the car which is parked by the mini golf, with the collection of wonderful dinosaur models. They're realistic and I'm sure Josh would LOVE them, but it'll have to be with someone else. I even had Ben worried that I may be pregnant again (the only time I can really smell things really well). I had myself worried. Thankfully, I'm definitely not.

I don't think I'll go back there for a while. I felt too much of a snob. I couldn't just enjoy it from a child's perspective, although it was lovely to see Mia racing up the stairs with Ben, and even nicer to be begged to go up with her myself (although I had to make sure we didn't go down the wrong slide again!). It was just too drab, too faded, too rusty and a bit desperate.

It's raining for the first time in a long time...I wake up in the morning and I can smell it's been raining -no, not that lovely 'rain' smell, rather, a wet sulfurous smell. It seems to hang down low to the ground when it rains and permeates the corners of the room. It's not that bad, but it does loiter about! You walk into wafts of it. Or, if you drive through a smelly bit, it hangs around in the car - although you can't smell it anymore, it'll be there the next time you open the car to get in.

Any fart-loving person should live here! It's awesome.

One person springs to mind...

27 March

Eleven years ago today I left South Africa to go to LONDON on a working holiday visa. Just for a year or two. I was hoping to get work in an advertising agency or something really nice. It was a little different than I expected, although, having said that, I seldom tend to have great expectations for fear of being let down. It was a big step for me, and of course for my mother. I'd lived at home until then and hadn't experienced 'flatting' or 'student digs' or anything like that. I was hugely relieved to have a friend to go with - especially one with such an excellent sense of humour. We found a flat and managed to pursuade some other friends to join us. I'd say it was a great experience, although, I'd never want to relive it again. It had a bitter ending after a quick 6 months.

But nothing's for nothing, eh?! I decided to go to St Anton in Austria (I'd been getting postcards from a friend for years!) and try my luck as a skibum...blissfully unaware of the odds of geting it right with the trusty South African passport. But somehow I got it right and it was a LOT of fun. The best fun! Pretty awesome spot to experience your first snow, ever. Great friends were made and a lot of braincells forfeited with red vodka and redbull shots (the best ever drink). It was hard at times, since I had a day job and had to serve beers to mates coming off the mountain after a great day on the snow. I'd do it again though. It was truly FUN.

St Anton was a door that opened for me - I could go back and work again for the next season. I could forget about London and my 2 year visa...I could look forward without commiting to coming home.

It's 11 years. I've travelled to many, many countries, made some wonderful friends (including my husband), lost a few, had 2 children, aquired British citizenship (and a passport), aquired New Zealand residency and am making my home here. I have some lovely memories and few regrets. It's been an incredible journey and I look back on it with fondness today, It's just a shame South Africa is so damn far away.

a year ago today

It's amazing the time warp that occurs with having babies...one year has both flown by and c-r-a-w-l-e-d by. It seems an absolute AGE since Joshka arrived in this world at 2.03am. Such a little thing with lovely long fingers and toes. And now, such a big boy, who's already walking- can hardly remember life without the speedy man! Unfortunately still not the best sleeper in the world, opting to scream us all awake at 5.30am this morning.

Not wanting to live in the shadow of the birthday boy, Mia opted to wee in our bed at about 5.45am this morning while we were dealing with the screamer. Considering she's been out of nappies (even night nappies) for months and months, it's very out of character, and therefore extremely annoying to us. GRRR.

A grumpy way to start the day.

Anyhow, Mia's off to play school and Josh is asleep. The developers next door have ripped down our fence and I'm pretending we have a massive garden in front of us...the new fence will go up tomorrow some time. Done the washing up. Tick. Load of washing. Tick. Moved the mattress into the sun. Tick. GRR. Still to do: wrap a few presents for Josh to open (with Mia's assistance), bake a cake???, hang up the washing, do some work (ha ha, yeah right), tidy up my bedroom (maybe tomorrow)...make myself a coffee! (on my way).

I'm a white whaka

Did you miss me? It's been an eventful 2 weeks.
The wedding was just fabulous - a visual treat. Such a pity Mia fell the next day and bashed her front teeth. Her gums were bleeding for a long time. The dentist took x-rays and it was touch and go whether she'd be able to keep them, but we had to wait and see...and feed her soft meals. She has been a brave little girl, but after developing a fever last night of 40*C+ we took her to be reassessed: on antibiotics and will have the one tooth removed (hopefully not the others too) on Monday.

Maybe it is worse for the parents? I am devastated for my little girl.

On a bit of a tangent...it made me think of my brother who does Alfred E, Newman impressions with his false tooth - also had many tooth bashings...and who became a father on that very same day. Congratulations John and Claire on my little nephew!

Joshka is proudly and gleefully showing off his walking skills - 22 steps yesterday. Lost count today. Pretty much the same as Mia who was confidently walking by her 1st birthday. Clever little boy.

What else? I tried netball. After many years. I was naturally annoyed when my calf muscle went 'PING!' before I'd even touched a ball. Drove myself to hospital and came home with a crutch, and spent the next day hobbling about with my 2 children. Interesting.

I gave it another go this week and made it into the last of 5 teams! Ha ha ha. It's fine, they've been trialing for 3 weeks and I only made it to the last one, so I wasn't expecting much else - it'll be good to ease back into it. I hope.

A quick lesson in Maori (I know very little): 'wh' is a 'f' sound...but occasionally, I guess because of the English influence, some people pronounce it 'w'. Anyhow, it's all very amusing in my head because I play for the netball team 'Whaka Whites' and I can't help but chant (in my head): 'GO WHITE WHAKAS!'or alternatively: 'GO WHAKA WHITES!'. Juvenile I know, but I need a quirky reason to smile sometimes.

Saturday night...

I've spent the day yesterday cleaning windows at the in-laws...(so what? you ask). Well, if that's what you're thinking, you obviously have not had the pleasure of being to their lovely house. You see, you're hard pressed to find a wall in their house. It's mostly WINDOWS. Windows that double as doors. Doors that double as walls - when all the windows/doors are open, there's no clear indoor/outdoor boundary. It's fantastic! Except, of course, when it comes to cleaning them! It took 2 people the day. I did the outside and Sue did the inside. It was our mission to clean every possible window, no matter how high or out of reach it was. All manner of methods, but we did it. Of course, you're probably still asking yourself why? In preparation for the big wedding taking place this weekend. One of Ben's lovely sister's is getting married. And it's going to be beautiful.

Mia is going to (hopefully) be a willing and able flower girl, throwing flowers before the bride in her puffball white dress with little white roses and ribbons. (Mia's dress, that is).

It's going to be fun getting all dressed up again - it's been ages and ages and ages and ages.

Today I remembered something a girlfriend told me (you know who you are!)and went and bought myself some...-blush-...'granny' panties: the ones that conceal one's post-pregnant-and-still-not-in-shape belly.It's a temporary quick fix but if it instills a little confidence, then I'm happy to have it. As I said, it's been a while since I've dressed up and those things I used to wear just don't quite work anymore! Oh well.

I'm still trying to find a volleyball club to join for the winter - that will help. I've always been better at excercising if it involves some sort of game. I might have to opt for netball instead. That's what you do here in New Zealand - even the boys play netball. Grown men even watch netball...on TV...on a Saturday night! UNBELIEVABLE. But most definitely true. Unless there's rugby on.