compromise

For our 12th anniversary, Hubby wanted a candle light dinner and I wanted fish and chips on the beach, so this was our compromise :)

Ten years!

It was ten years today that I arrived at Auckland Airport at 5:30AM, having gone through customs for the first time in my life (after a 14 hour flight) and hoping that I recognized a man I had only seen on my computer screen.

Today we celebrated the anniversary in our own weird unique way with Burger King at Pig Out Point to watch the ocean and feed the gulls as we eat. 

Before I could get the food out of the bag, Hubby jumped out of the car. He then placed one of our mantel candle holders on the hood bonnet to make it a candlelight dinner lunch. Needless to say, it was perfect.

After that we soaked in the mineral pools for a while to relax. It's always a treat to sit in a jacuzzi full of very warm bubbly water every now and then.
All in all a great day together.
Here's to ten more great years!

10 years and counting

In July, Hubby and I will mark the 10-year anniversary of my arrival in New Zealand.

After all this time, I still feel guilty by not stopping at every intersection. Although I found that 'yield' signs are few and far between in the US, they are the rule here in NZ.  Most small towns only have roundabouts for traffic control. I have to admit that I do stop at many 'yield' signs out of habit :)

Fortunately, it's been a while since I've walked up to the wrong side of the car, but I still consciously look for the steering wheel sometimes when I come back to the car. :)

I have finally learned that, when we are shopping anywhere, if we need something, just put it in the cart. There are not enough stores shops to compare prices. All the major grocery stores are supplied by only two distributors.

When I moved, here, I knew it would be 'home' for good. I had no idea there would be so many differences in culture but I tried to take it all in stride.

That being said, it doesn't mean I never got frustrated. On 9 occasions, I blogged about my perception of 'rude kiwis'--just blowing off steam, as we all do.  I don't even have the label of 'rude kiwis' in the list on the right because that's such a small part of my life here, but the total views of these 9 posts, as of today, is 24,316 views. One post in 2008 has had over 18,000 views, and still come up in searches eight years later. It has been read many times in the last few days according to Feedjit.

I have a few different thoughts about this particular post. It bothers me that so many people google 'Rude Kiwis' in the first place; it also bothers me that people think this one post sums up my opinion of New Zealand. If you read the posts under the label 'cultural differences' (on the sidebar),  you will see that I tried to adjust with a bit of humor.

New Zealand has only been a colony since 1840, so it is relatively young as countries go. After much discussion, Hubby and I concluded that, theoretically, the country seems to be at the 'teenager' stage and some of the people showing themselves as such. On that particular post, you can see it with some of the comments about selfishness, bullying, the I-don't-make-mistakes syndrome and any other traits that we attribute to kids of that age. Obviously, that doesn't apply to all the people here, just as you can't apply traits to all of the people in any country.

For those that follow my photography blog over at Photographing New Zealand, you know that I find a LOT of beauty here. After all this time, I am still amazed at the sights I see riding down the roads--even the same roads I've been down many times. I have also met some people that are just as beautiful.

I don't usually write posts this long, so, for those who actually read it all, thanks!

Special day

Today marks the 9th anniversary of the day I arrived in New Zealand. It's been wooly, weird and wonderful! And nobody died.

5 years of being married

It's hard to believe that today marks 5 years of a marriage begun in a boat in the Tasman Sea...

...with a reception on the beach of fish and chips and a John Deere cake

A lot of living and loving and changing and coming and going has happened since that day and I wouldn't change a minute of it. There's still a lot to do here, on this South Pacific island and I plan to enjoy it all with my sweet Hubby, whether it's mooing out the car window at cows or just enjoying a walk in the park.

Or have a few more giggles like when  the little girl in this picture told us that she wanted to sit on this bench with her brother and there was one 'over there' we could sit on. I asked her if she could say, 'Please' and when she did, we got up to move.

We heard someone from their table say, 'Did she just throw those two off the bench?'.
Hubby just smiled and nodded and said, 'Yes, she did!' as we walked away. Hay, you can't have what you want if you don't speak up!


Here's to another year of strange things to giggle about. Happy anniversary, Kev!

Five years, already?

I woke up this morning to Hubby saying 'Happy Anniversary' in my ear. When the fuzzies left my brain, I realized that it's the anniversary of my arrival in New Zealand.

Yes, 5 years ago today, at 5:30 am, I got off the plane in Auckland and saw Hubby for the first time. 

My life since I've been here has been nothing at all like I was used to in the US. But that's all OK.

Life should be lived. Risks should be taken. Obstacles should be confronted. Those are the things that make us grow and appreciate what we have. And make us know we are alive.

To tell you the truth, I never, ever thought in a million years that I would be living the second half of my life halfway around the world....in a country I barely know how to find on a map...with a husband after many, many comfortably boring years alone...with teenage kids and all that entails...and having to adjust and find who I am again.

But, I know that I know that I know that I am where I should be.

And it's all good.

Three years!

When I contemplated my move from KS to NZ, I looked at every turn expecting to find a serious reason not to go. My wonderful, close friends all supported me, never giving me any indication that they thought it was not a good idea--except for one friend's hubby who was convinced I was stepping into a white-slavery/cult/polygamy bad situation. But, I dodged that bullet to find a new, wonderful world.

My life here is great. I don't work outside the home, which gives me lots of time to bake cookies and cakes and breads (oh, my) and take photos. Since we have shared custody of the kids, we have them 4 nights (on Hubby's days off) then they are at their mom's 4 nights while he's at work. That gives me alone time that I really enjoy, even though I love being with them.Although everything I say is important, I don't expect Hubby to pay attention to every little thing I say (cuz men are like that ). And, more to the point, I didn't think he was even looking when I pointed to a black onyx ring in a sorta-goth store when we went in for computer stuff and said, 'Ooh, that's pretty' as we passed it, without even slowing down.

But, he surprised me big time!

Ladies,you may now oooh and aaaah aloud in jealousy at my 'anniversary' gift. Ta da...

Like any relationship, it's not always easy. We have our disagreements, but they seem to be less and less as we learn how each other ticks. So, I guess I'll stay and see how this chapter of my life unfolds.