And a few more

Hello again,

Here are a few more piccies from yesterday. Today was a good day at work, and there are only three more working days until our big formal Awards night. I'm on a hunt for fancy shoes...but instead I came home with a beautiful vintage belt. Ah, well. ;)

Rory is playing Grand Theft Auto, and we just made some peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. I love baking, it makes the place feel very homey. We also have bowls of fruit, vases of flowers, fresh herbs in the kitchen, and and a new compost bin outside. I really love the lifestyle here.

Love, Amy

Red Rocks Reserve...amazing!

Hi everyone,

We had a really great Sunday.

We started off with lunch at The Bach Cafe, and then continued walking past Owhiro Bay to the Red Rocks Marine Reserve. It was stunning, and I can't believe how lucky we are to be within walking distance of such beauty!

I posted a random sampling of photos. The one of me laying down is supposed to be silly...I was trying to lay like a seal, with the seals. I'll probably post more pictures tomorrow.

Love, Amy

Hiking in Island Bay

Hi everyone,

We discovered a beautiful hike just ten minutes from our door. It takes you to two lookout spots, facing Island Bay and then Owhiro Bay and the South Island. It was stunning, and I can't wait to take a picnic up there in summer!

We were only able to take one photo before the camera ran out of batteries, and this is it. Focus on the snow in the mountains and the beautiful view, and not me!

If the weather holds we are going to Red Rocks to see the seals tomorrow. It should be about 8 or 9 km round trip, so a nice day walk. I'm charging my camera tonight, so that we can take more piccies. Oh, and I'm also starting my herb garden too, and I bought parsley, mint, coriander, and chives this morning at the Garden Centre.

Love, Amy

Beer Festival?

Hi everybody,

It is once again Saturday morning. Seriously, I can't believe how quickly the weeks go by. Rory is still sleeping and I'm sitting by the dining room windows, watching the rain fall...

I finished my third week at Write. I've been given all sorts of tasks, and my latest was making mock-up calendars for 2009, so that the trainers can choose an annual leave plan. The job might be random, but at least it offers variety! Fridays are always nice because the weekly office meetings take about an hour out of my 3.5 hour day. There also serve some nice chocolate biscuits (cookies).

The WriteGroup has such a feminine atmosphere, it is almost humorous. One of my jobs for next week is to put together a "trainer emergency kit" for when they are traveling, and this is to include lipstick, pantyhose, sewing kit, etc. The receptionist and I will actually have to go on a shopping expedition for these things...should be a laugh!

There is a beer festival called "Beervana" on today, but I'm not sure if we are going yet. It is $25 just for entry, and then you have to pay for all of the samples. It sounds a bit steep. Last night we went out to our local Thai restuarant in Island Bay, and it was delicious. Fridays seem to be either smorgasboard nights with Nik and Sara or date nights with just Rory and I, but either way it is a nice way to end the week.

I still need to take some pictures...

Love, Amy

WriteGroup Conference and Awards

Hi all,

As always, the week is flying! The biggest news I have is that I've been invited to attend the WriteGroup Conference and Awards Dinner next week (on September 11th, coincidentally). It is a formal affair at a posh waterfront restaurant called Shed 11, and as a new employee of Write I get to go for free. We will have international speakers about Plain English and then give out our annual awards to organizations who have produced the best websites and documents. This is the largest event of the year for the WriteGroup, so I was lucky to get hired when I did. There will be a gourmet dinner and champagne included!

Of course, it meant that I needed to find formal attire. The buses weren't running until 4pm because of a union meeting, so I used the delay as an excuse to shop. I was looking for a dress, but I ended up with a fancy, shimmery skirt and two shirts to layer as a top. I showed Sara tonight and she approved...and I only spent 23 dollars for the whole ensemble. This is pretty impressive considering that one of the shirts is from Trelise Cooper, THE most famous NZ designer.

That is another thing...almost everything I buy is made in NZ. I remember seeing American made clothing when I was young, but I had gotten used to all of my clothes being made in China. There is a real push here to support NZ manufacturing companies, and the clothes that I buy here are some of the most beautiful I've ever owned. I wonder if America will revert back to producing goods, if the dollar falls much further?

I'm feeling pretty happy with things in general. We had communal meals with Nik and Sara the last two nights, which is always nice. I made apple crumble for dessert (the best recipe is on the BBC website).

Will write again soon,
love,
Amy

Start of another week

Hi there,

We had a pretty quiet weekend. The weather was a bit cold on Saturday, and on Sunday I was feeling a little under the weather, so we weren't able to hike to Owhiro to see the seals. There is always next time!

Michelle has returned to work, and I'm back to researching clients and competing training companies for her. I get to work in Excel, which takes me back to my Parker Pen days (which I really do miss sometimes). The time still flies, and I've started taking lunches with me, since I clock off at about 12:30 pm. A typical morning usually looks something like this: 7:10 alarm, shower, porridge and internet time with Rory, finish getting ready, leave the house at 8:10, catch the bus at 8:20, and then arrive into work at 8:50. From there I work a fast 3.5 hour shift, have lunch, say goodbye, and I'm free before 1. It all feels rather luxurious.

The fashion night was fun, but the clothes were way out of my price range. I did have some nice conversations with my coworkers, though, and that was the whole reason I was there anyways. It turns out that the PA (Personal Assistant) to the CEO is from Edinburgh, and even has a flat that might be available when it comes time for Rory and I to go back to the UK. The world is so small, it boggles my mind sometimes.

I need to take some photos, as I haven't taken any since our day at the zoo. Hopefully next time I'll post some, even if they are just silly ones.

Miss you.

Love, Amy