The slackest blogger I know...

Hey, I realise my loyal readers (or reader!) have probably been busy nominating me for the slackest blogger, but I think you'll find that its really Emma.

Life has just been so hectic lately and I haven't been making time to do things for myself - things I love. Its funny how we sacrifice so much of ourselves for others... I find myself a little reflective today. There are lots of changes going on around me - people leaving mostly. Good friends are going overseas and not coming back. Other good friends have gone overseas, and are coming back, but not until April 2007 - it seems so far away.

The other change is that this will be the last post from 'new old house'. I'm moving, again! I've got an apartment in the city, and my mum is arriving tomorrow to help me start to move things across - I can't wait.

For now I'll have to go, I'm heading out to another friend's house (Tracey) to look after her two kids so she can go to her work Christmas party. Tis the season!

Good times and good company...

As promised, here are some photos from the work Ball/Christmas party/any excuse to party really. We had a fantastic time! In the background of one photo you can see the Moulin Rouge sign - themed events are my favourite! This was particularly fun - it'll be a long summer without Milli around! She's always interested in going out and keeping me.... busy (I was going to say out of trouble, but its the opposite of that!) It'll also be the last Christmas for Emma in New Zealand - she's off to London in March!

I'm ever so charming!

Jo, Milli, me and Emma - harnessing the power of blonde and brunette...

Emma and I...

But for now, it's back to the routine of work - in our lovely new building on the waterfront. Today though, the water itself is missing. Fog has replaced any view we once had. A pretty gross day all round, and I'm wearing a skirt which in hindsight was a particularly bad idea - I did a total Marilyn Monroe on the street on the way to work!

Ever heard of writer's block?

Well I've got a case of Blogger's block.

It's not that my life has been uneventful; it hasn't. I just haven't put any of it into words here.

My cat was sick. This picture is old, he isn't sick here. Just weird. He likes to sit on, hide under, or play with newspaper. It's his hobby, I guess. He was in hospital and everything, and we've spent a small fortune on the poor little furball. But he seems to be ok now, and we're just waiting on some blood tests that he's having tomorrow in order to give him the all-clear.

I've also been doing lots of dancing - our show is this weekend so there has been extra rehearsals all over the place, and lots of costumes to be made. My costumes are currently draped all over my clothes rack (see pic). I'm about to pack them all away in some sort of order (yet to be determined) so that I can take them to the theatre for our final rehearsal tomorrow.

Right now I'm cleaning my room up! One day I'll be able to see the surface of my desk again. Maybe even use it...

Four seasons in one day...

It's a total cliche, but that song is really true. I woke up yesterday to the grey version of my view of Evans Bay. It was windy and rainy and all in all yukky.

But, only a few hours later, I was looking across at beautiful blue sky and even a little sunshine.

Today, the opposite is true. I went for a walk along the waterfront and it was a bit chilly, but the sun was out, the water was calm and sparkly. About ten minutes after I got home, the sky went grey and it started bucketing down!

















It's hard to believe both of these photos were taken on the same day....

I have to say, I haven't studied much. I can't really name anything that I actually have done today. Oh well, I'll chalk it up to relaxation - everybody needs that, right?


I'm in the process of cleaning my room, though... quite a feat most days.

Tip for today? Don't put all your stuff on the floor -you'll never find it again! The floor or the stuff, you may ask. Both!

Study Time...

Study Time is Great!

Ok, who am I kidding? I like Study Time because it means time off work - it means time for ME! It usually consists of cleaning, cooking, baking, being creative, and generally avoiding the stack of books that I'm actually supposed to be studying.

After work drinks last night (where I ate so much cheese), my first official study-assigned time was this morning. So, I've done laundry, I've cleaned my room (a little - I don't want to do it all at once, you see), I've been down to the post shop, the warehouse, and two supermarkets. I did actually go to the video store, to pick up a movie in Spanish, which I need for my oral exam on Friday. But, of course, I couldn't decide which movie to get, so I got four. And then, since you can get five for the same price as four, i got an extra movie. It isn't in Spanish though - so of course it's the first movie I want to watch!

The weather isn't very nice here though, so it is encouraging me to be inside at least - which brings me to my TIP OF THE DAY.

Today's 'Tip of the Day' relates to milk. And what to do when you have way too much of it. All three of us who live here (at New Old House in Hataitai, Wellington) went grocery shopping on the same day last week... and we all bought milk. Luckily, we just bought a litre each, or else the problem would be much bigger than it is. You see, we don't really drink milk. We use about a teaspoon a week each. So we still need milk, but it usually gets pretty close to the best before date before it gets used. And yes, I admit I've employed the 'sniff-test' for milk around this time. And maybe a couple of days after. (!)

So today Kat and I went to the supermarket and came across Sip-ahh Straws (yes, classy name huh?).

Yes, we bought all three flavours that were at the supermarket. We couldn't choose just one!
Anyway, you put the straw into a glass of the regular milk, and it turns it into flavoured! It's an Australian company, but I won't hold that against them. Basically it convinced both Kat and I to have some very large glasses of milk after we got back. Which is good. I'm a fan of calcium.

And the best part? Check out how happy that little cow is! You don't often see a smile that wide in your everyday life. Although - Kat and I both looked a little like that after our first Sip-ahh experience (Caramel for both of us). Unfortunately I didn't get a pic of our cheesy (milky) grins, but I'm guessing there'll be a few more opportunities. After all, there's ten straws in each box!

Moving Day

Moving Day is always pretty strange. I'm always exhausted for starters, because sleeping the night before is almost impossible. There are so many things racing around inside my head! I was also a little apprehensive about the move because of the last Moving Day I had - where I ended up in a (relatively minor) car accident.

Luckily I took a load of stuff on Tuesday and another load last night to New House, otherwise it just wouldn't have happened today. When I woke up this morning (last morning in Old House) it was raining (well, spitting) but it stopped almost straight away. I crossed my fingers that it would hold out - and it did! The weather was not great, but it didn't hinder the move at all. Which I'm grateful for.

The road works that are going on around the city slowed us down considerably. Especially since we were travelling in three different vehicles, all stuffed to the brim with my stuff. To cap it all off though, the very last load we were taking to New House, after returning all my boxes to Old House (as they didn't belong to me), my mum's car broke down.

We were stopped at some traffic lights in the middle of town, with steam pouring out of the front of the car and all these people looking at us. So I got out and a couple of huge guys appeared out of nowhere to help me push it. Mum steered it to the edge of the street, and then called roadside assistance. They arrived nearly an hour later (after quoting us they'd be there within 40 minutes) and spent thirty seconds assessing that they weren't able to do anything about it other than order us a tow truck. So at this stage I call a taxi, and cram all of my belongings into it, and go to New House. Finally tow truck arrives (again, way later than quoted) and Mum gets dropped to New House by a tow truck.

We lost about an hour and a half to two hours in all. But it's only 8.45pm and I'm pretty much unpacked! My room is organised and exceptionally tidy (not for long!). All my pictures are up on the walls, and I have fresh clean sheets on my bed.

The other weird thing about Moving Day this time is that I've moved back into my old place - New House is therefore really Old Old House. I only spent four months in Old House - and decided I couldn't really handle the commute. I had to take a 20min train ride, whereas New House is more like a five minute bus ride. I know that makes me a bit of a softie, but hey, it happens.

Top five things I will miss about Old House:
1. Erin
2. Enzo (the kitten)
3. Johnsonville Fish Supply - best chips in town!
4. Starbucks at Woolworths
5. The mall and late night shopping

Bye for now,
Claire

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Whew, this is all a little too exciting. I need a nap. Quarter-life crisis here I come.