<i>Hepburn In New Zealand</i>: September 2006

And the big news is...

...that I have a new job. In advertising. And in Auckland.

I shall miss my quarter-acre...

It's great money and working in an environment that I love with a company that has titles spookily similar to Haymarket (cars, lifestyle - even caravans!). I'll be the Classified Group Ad Manager, which for the uninitiated is a bit of a step up for me. I'll initially be running 8 titles and this will expand to 27 by the end of the financial year (July next year in NZ).

The awful part about it is that I'll have to relocate - initially without the family. Not sure how it's going to affect me but I imagine I'll be very busy, so that should help. It was a really tough decision for me, as I love the little life we've built in Bulls and I've finally found somewhere to call "home". We've put so much effort into this house that I just can't bring myself to give it up. Luckily, Damian has said he's going to rent it off us for a year (by which time the mortgage will be paid off) and we can keep it as a holiday home when visiting the in-laws, going to the beach, seeing friends etc etc.

Clare & I had many protracted conversations about what to do - and she's decided that she's going to quit her job in January and join me in the big smoke. Whether she'll work or be a stay at home mum is undecided, but I can't imagine Clare not working for any lengthy period of time.

This whole process has taken two months, with flights (when they paid) and drives (when they didn't) up to Auckland for interviews, presentations and finally negotiations. Lots of nail biting and questions as to whether I really wanted to do it. I've been spending as much time with the kids and missus as possible and finally leave Thursday week for the big smoke.

The room that Damian built

We've finally finished the majority of work on the house, as I'm sure is typical and I love what the place is like. Damian built the dining room extension from the floor up - he's a bloody clever fella. His work is obviously well thought of at the in-laws as well because he was working on a former school that David was going to sell but David's now decided to live in (part of) the school and sell his own house instead. It looks fantastic!

Of course Mummy & Tom are due over at the beginning of November and my move has put several spanners in the works - but ACP (the new employer) added some relocation money to my salary in lieu of return flights home at the weekend (mugs?).

My new boss is a South African that worked in the UK for 10 years with Autotrader and once he'd seen my CV asked someone he knew at Haymarket about me who gave a glowing reference - it would be ironic if it was Prash!!

Responding to spam with a traceIP and a nuke

I've got some serious expectations to live up to and a lot of hard work ahead - but I'm relishing the thought of it currently... ...wonder what I'll be like as I wave goodbye to the family...

More of Aloise crawling

Peek-a-boo Daddy!!

Aloise crawls!

Aloise has begun crawling - the first picture is of her first steps (??)!

More very recent pictures come after - I'm pretty pleased with them all. ALoise cut her first tooth yesterday, though we've been saying for months that she's been teething... trust me - when the tooth cut WE KNEW ABOUT IT!!!!!!!!!!!

Very big news to come, but I'm too tired now............................................................... (job related)

Fishing : The Flip Side

I went fishing again yesterday - and it was a totally different (though no less enjoyable) experience. We went down to our local beach and did some sea fishing from the sand. After an unusually successful catch last time I was prepared for a much smaller catch. And I was right.

I caught nothing, not a fish, not a crab not even a whelk. We'd checked the papers and it said that it was a poor day for fishing - mostly because it was a beautiful day. But I figured that these newspaper guys don't know very much. I won't make that mistake again!

We headed out an hour before high tide - but we didn't even get nibbles. Nick caught a crab - the biggest he'd ever caught but that was the extent of 3 rods and several more drops and hooks.

It was a really nice day though and I didn't mind, I'm going to go back on Saturday with the girls - expect photos. I took Nick's crab back home with me (I've heard he's given crabs to others too heh heh) and showed it to Molly. Judging by the look on her face it was the most terrifying creature she has ever come across...

Watch Jasmine Grow

Watch Jasmine Grow

Lots of pictures and stories about Claffy and his newly (ish) extended family. It's one of the blogs that I read every day - so maybe you'd like it too!

Fisherman Paul

Went fishing for the first time in my life today - or should I say angling. I'm totally addicted already. I caught a very little herring in my first 5 minutes and proceeded to catch about 10 in the day - most this small but some decent sized. Took them home and poached them but we decided against cooking them so the cats had a good feed. Great stuff.

Going to go shooting rabbits and possums with Damian and Brent tomorrow - should be a blast in more ways than one. Brent's got more experience and I imagine we'll be eating the rabbits - no idea what you do with the possums (if anything).

Probably not the first - or last - time I've had a "tiddler" in my hands...

Last ones for now!

Just wanted to send all our love to Great Uncle Mickey - sorry it took so long!!

Molly took the close up pictures - she's getting quite good!

"Daddy - you've got hair!"

Still in the garden...

Molly & Aloise In The Garden

KFC, Kids and Our Bed

As you can see - we feed our kids well... Actually it was my lunch that they stole - how could I ask these cherubs for it back???

Getting more random now

First a nice picture of Aloise, then a few pics of the girls in our new ensuite spa/bathroom/walk in wardrobe. Clare hates the colour but everyone else who has seen it loves it!

In case you're wondering, those are headrests behind me - it also has multi-coloured lighting (allegedly called chromatherapy), CD player, radio and heater... I love my new toy!