Get with the times!

For those still living in NZ. Take yourselves back a good 10 or 15 years ago and remember what it was like waking up on a Sunday, thinking you'd like to go shopping and then remembering nothing was open. Now that is what Brisbane is like. Nothing is open on a Sunday aye - it's like the world has stopped! Crazy! The supermarkets even close at like 5pm on a Saturday and Sunday night! And these are the supermarkets in the massive Chermside shopping centre too! Nuts!

So instead of going and getting my new bike today (put off from yesterday) we had another lazy day around the house. It's funny how thing work out though as if we'd gone out then we would have missed a visit from Debbie, Lance and the kids. So it's was neat seeing them! It's been better for me to sit around the house anyway as I sprained my ankle on Friday morning. Just in case you were wondering, it' s not a good idea to step out in front of traffic because when you lovely fiance grabs you at the last minute you can sprain your ankle ;-) Thanks Paul (for the saving, not the ankle ;-) )

Ok - news is on. Gotta go :-)
Ange

I have my ring ... finally :-)

Yay, after work yesterday Paul and I went along to the Stones Jewellers store in Brissy and picked up my engagement ring :-) It was a very long 1.5 weeks waiting for it to be made. Then I went to take it off this morning to have a shower and it wasn't going anywhere - so at least I know I won't lose it aye ;-) te he he. Seems as good an excuse as any to not do the dishes! Unfortunately Paul bought up the idea that I could use gloves - stink wan Paul, don't be so practical man :-(

Well today is a beautiful day here in Brisbane - the high is meant to be 25! http://www.bom.gov.au/ Can't complain about that now can you!

So I survived my first week at the new job. I must say I was a bit tired working 40 hours after having a lovely 3 week holiday! But it is nice to be earning Aussie dollars now! And it also meant that I haven't gone through nearly as much of my savings as I thought I might. It looks like I'm going to have a trip to Sydney with work in a few weeks so I'm really looking forward to that. I'll probably be flat out but at least I'll get to see Sydney still :-)

Paul and I are going to go and have a look at some bikes today and maybe get me one. Since we moved out to Chermside Paul doesn't really use his anymore as the main road into town is way too busy to bike on - you'd get yourself killed in 5 seconds! But if I got a bike then we could go for rides together on the weekends and get some exercise. Paul did a nice ride once where he caught the train out to Sandgate and then cycled across the bridge to Redcliffe and had a look out there. Plus Debz and Lance live out in Redcliffe so we could stop in and see them at the same time - yay :-)

Well I'd better eat some breakfast and have a shower.

Latas
Ange

Has a week gone already!

Wow - I can't believe that it has been a week since I last updated my blog. Bad Ange! But so much has happened in that time.

So I guess the biggest news is that I got a job! Yay! It's at a small IT company based here in Brisbane called Intelligent Pathways http://www.intelligentpathways.com.au/. My official job title is Java Software Developer but it looks like I'll be doing a combination of development work and also some BA type work. I'll probably also get in a bit travel to Melbourne and Sydney! Very cool! I had my interview on Wednesday last week at 1pm and came out of it thinking to myself "I really want that job". And just after 4pm my phone rang and they were offering me the job. Sweet!! They didn't even ask for my referees let alone check them. I guess I'm just really lovely aye ;-)

So with the job side of things all wrapped up and ready to go it was time to hit the shops for some serious ...... ha ha NOT! But Paul and I did go out to DFO and Super AMart. At DFO (I LOVE DFO! It's like a supersize Dressmart) I bought myself a pair of sunnies down from $99 to $34.60 including a really good hard case for them. I also bought a couple of pairs of short shorts for $30, a pair of thongs (aka jandals) and a nice work top from Portmans :-) Then from there we took a couple of buses to Super AMart where we bought ourselves a sofa bed couch for the lounge. It will be very handy for when all you fullas and fullesses come to visit as you won't have to sleep on the floor after all ;-)

Of course our lovely Saturday was topped off by sitting down to watch the All Blacks beat the Aussies :-) I even found a bottle store that was selling Monteiths Celtic - they were $16.95 for 6 but man they tasted good!

So this week has really just been me starting my job (which is going pretty well so far) and Paul and I trying to sort out a reception venue for the wedding next year. So very busy on both those counts!!

But I'd better go as I can hear clattering coming from the kitchen - I'd better give Paul a hand doing the dishes before going to bed.

Talk to you again soon!

From your crazy kiwi!
Ange

It's official - today is really cold!

Ok - it's official, today is really cold! Last night I actually had to wear my thermal as well as my sexy flannel PJ's to to bed. And this morning, sitting at Paul's laptop, in the sun, I still need it. The high is meant to get up to 17 but for Brissy that is pretty cold - will require a sweater all day as opposed to the t shirt I was wearing last week!

Yay - On Tuesday I ordered my engagement ring - so in less than a week I should have it. I may not be able to get a photo up straight away though as I've had to put my camera back into Harvey Norman to get fixed again. The ongoing "sick" sound when you zoom in and out finally scared me enough to part with it for a few weeks. The guy at the service counter said it could take anywhere from 1 week to 8 weeks. For his sake I hope it doesn't take 8 weeks as he'll have a very annoyed Ange breathing down his neck for most of that!

Man it's really expensive to go away over here! Paul and I thought that we'd go away for a night or 2 over the weekend. We weren't that fussed in which direction - Gold Coast, Noosa, Bryon Bay. Except we were going to have to pay more than $150, most likely closer to $200 per night! Stuff that! I decided I'd rather spend that money on a nice dinner or something and sit at home and watch the All Blacks whip the wallabies (yes I did say whip - please please please - I can't bear to think of the torment I will suffer if we lose).

Well best be going. I have emails to respond to from a few weeks ago that are now well overdue. If any of you fall into that category then take a leaf out of Fleur's book and feel free to email me again and demand a response. Te he he - *hug* to Fleur!

Hope you are all well and haven't drowned! Frankly I think it's really selfish of you all to have that much rain when we could really use some over here ;-)

I've included a few photos I took not long before coming over to Brisbane. One is of the "Core Deserters" crew who were at my leaving do (as it was also the leaving do for Katrina, Jacqui and Ankur). Also there are a couple of pretty ones from when we were visiting Paul's nanna and poppa in Hikuai.

The Ring

Hey Guys
Well I'm sure you're all (well the women anyway) wondering about the engagement ring. Well as yet I don't have one to show.
This falls into the "it was romantic and perfect" part of the proposal. Paul knew that I didn't want someone to buy a ring for me. So instead he bought me a diamond and gave that to me when he proposed. Now we're getting a ring made up that I like :-) Yay! But, even better, since I wouldn't have a ring to wear straight away, he had also bought me a pair of earrings to wear until I get the ring made up *sigh*. Sweet aye! Ok - now I'm gushing ;-)
When I have the ring I'll make sure I post a photo for you all to have a look at :-)
Ange

My first week in Brisbane

Well it's hard to believe that I have survived my first week in Brisbane and am now into my first weekend. That is a good thing as I get to see more of Paul since he doesn't have to go off to work - wahoo (yes I know - puke). So far the weather has been sunny, sunny and a bit more of sunny! And the weather forecast for the next 7 days - why that would be sunny! It's so funny watching the weather forecast at night because it just doesn't change :-) I look down at the temperatures for places like Melbourne and I'm very glad I chose to come to Brisbane! Their highs are for like 12 and 13 degrees whereas in Brisbane they have ranged from 19 to 22. Yay!

I haven't actually achieved too much so far. I do have a bank account, a Queensland drivers licence and a Medicare card (like the aussie version of ACC but it's not as good and you have to apply for it). I've also been to the Chermside shopping centre every day - yay! It really is bad having a shopping centre that close to home aye as it only takes 10 mins to walk there. But I have picked up only essential things like slippers (because it's freezing in the mornings), a blanket (because it's freezing at night), lots and lots of hangers (because I own too many clothes - and thats with giving half of them away already), a shower mat and some groceries. Oh yeah - and I got a dinner set as they're always helpful to eat off.

Well I'd better go and eat some breakfast as I'm starving. Paul and I are catching up with his mate Gavin tonight in the city. Not sure what we're doing but I'm sure it'll be good. Shame I'm going to miss the AB's game :-( Go the AB's.

Take care and don't freeze too much or look like drowned rats. Also feel free to send some of your rain our way aye!

Ange

And I'm off

Hey Guys
Well it's finally happening. It's now 8:45pm on Monday night and at 7:15am tomorrow I will be flying out of the country to start some serious studying on the aussie accent :-)
It has been great catching up with everyone whether it was at my leaving dinner, at the bbq or for random coffees, random train meetings etc etc :-) For those that I didn't get to see before I left then hopefully we get to catch up again sometime in the near future. Paul and I will be back in Wellington again for 4 days around Oct 13th for Ben & Megans wedding - yay :-D Remember we always have a spare room if you're ever passing through Brisbane - we'd love to see you.
I'll try to get some photos up from various events as I get bored over the next few weeks
Latas
Ange

Lazy Days in Tairua

Hey Guys
Well I have been enjoying a few lazy days at Paul's parents place up in Tairua on the Coromadel Peninsula. It has been suprisingly warm since Paul arrived from Brisbane - especially the past few days - but it has been a bit wet! It looks like the weather is going to set in again soon - stink. I suppose I should be enjoying the rain before I get over to the big drought!
I had my leaving dinner at Oriental Thai on Cambridge Tce on Saturday night. I'd never been there before (when booking I got it confused with Thai Panom) and was very happy with my choice. The food was lovely and the company even better - thanks to everyone that came along - it was great to see you all. I'll get a few photos up soon - I can't today as I'm on Paul's parents computer and their broadband connection is pretty low.
Well best be going - have to ring up Southern Cross again and tell them that the 2nd fax number they've given me to use also doesn't work and that maybe they should enter the modern age and let me email them the details. Grr to people stuck in the stone age!!!
Ange