It has been what feels like a long winter. Maybe that is because our house is old and drafty. We've improved that a bit though. We added underfloor insulation and put in a pellet stove to replace our wood insert. I procrastinated a bit on arranging all that, so we suffered with building fires and using our little space heaters for a few weeks of winter. Once we got the stove in we were much happier and warmer. Those stoves crank out the heat and all that flick of a switch. Now we have to add a heat transfer system to move the heat around the house better.
Charisa and I are still enjoying our jobs and the people we work with. We even had one of Charisa's workmates stay with us for a week because the flat she is moving into wasn't ready yet. We also have a fella from Auckland staying with us. He is a PhD student that is working at Charisa's company as part of his research and will be with us for three weeks. He is from India and is cooking a lovely dinner for us right now. I can't wait.
Recently my work sent me and all my workmates to Auckland for a weekend design conference. The conference was great and inspiring. Representatives of design and multimedia companies from New Zealand, Australia and England spoke over the course of the day. It's always nice to see what is possible when people let loose and get creative. It can be discouraging as well, because it is hard to get clients that let us go for it and take risks with our work. Hopefully we can find some that do. The weekend was also interesting as all of us from work spent so much time together. Some people got a bit testy with each other but no major temper tantrums or standoffs occurred.
Here are links to some of the presenters:
UVA - amazing light and sound production company in London. Check out some of the videos of their work.
http://uva.co.uk/
Madethought - design firm, also of London. Very nice work for some very high end clients.
http://madethought.com/
3 Deep Design - Some Aussies with pretty stuff too.
http://www.3deep.com.au/projects/
On the homefront, we've enjoyed getting to some of our neighbors better. Graham, who lives next door is a friendly old chap, formerly of Scotland. He is a landscape designer and is helping us getting our yard in order. He literally is a Godsend. We don't have a clue of what to do with the yard. In pseudo-exchange I have been helping him learn how to use his first computer, a brand new beautiful iMac. Landscape designers generally don't have a need for computers, so at 65 years old this is his first experience with one. So, it is proving a good challenge for me to teach him this brand new world of computing. He is also a proficient photographer has a good digital camera, so that is common interest interest that we share. That is his main use for the computer.
We've also been getting to know the couple across the street, Mike and Yamille (pronounced Shuh-meel). Mike is a Christchurch native and Yamille is from Argentina. They are the same age as us and also have no children. We are trying to convince them to take Tango lessons with us. Well actually it is Mike we are trying to convince. Yamille is very keen. We've already convinced our friend Mark and Hannah to take the class with us. We are hoping this style of dance will be good for Charisa and I. Charisa loves dancing, but is so much better at it than me. It is hard for both of us to enjoy it equally when she is getting bored with my slow learning curve. We took a two hour intro class last year and I took to it quite well, so there is hope.
Also, some news on the motorcycle front. I have sold my 1998 Honda VFR800 and purchased a 2001 Honda VTR1000 Firestorm. It's a similar bike, but lighter, more torque, more CCs, and more wheelies, so not I guess not really similar. I had some problems with it for the first week and to haggle with the dealer about it. But eventually it go fixed and all is well and I am thrilled with it. I went on a ride today with the husband of one of Charisa's coworkers. They are from the UK and have been in NZ about the same length of time as us. It's nice to finally have a riding buddy. We are at a similar skill level and enjoy each other's company and had a great time. My new bike performed wonderfully and does better in the twisties than my last bike, which is the main reason I switched. There are so many nice backroads in this country that have many more tight turns than I thought possible.
And some photos.
Overlooking Akaroa Bay. Just a short 30 minutes from driveway. Not bad eh?
The new ride.
In Akaroa, the final destination of our ride, we ran into some of my workmates. From left: Simon, Colin (a Texan who worked with us for 7 months and is a couple weeks from heading to Thailand and then back to the States), Brett (he didn't experience the '80s and so doesn't realize the '80s fashion revival is a bad thing), and Brett's girlfriend Petra (she's from Sweden and actually doesn't work with us).
Yes that is a bowling alley. Charisa's work had a bowling party a couple weeks ago to celebrate some new work coming in. That's James admiring his handywork. Looks ecstatic doesn't he?
There's more of her workmates.
Henry with some part of a dead cow.
Here is a link to some other photos of mine on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=6980&l=2c7bb&id=528281812
We would love to get updates on all y'all.
