Eight months already?

I thought that a week without Gordon would be boring but it was anything but! It was a bit slow at times and it was killing me that he was all the way in Auckland but I had a bit of adventure. I also made some new friends which made me so happy. Before Gordon left we did have to clean up the bathroom, spare room and laundry. Our painter friend left a finite dust of paint chips all over my things in the spare room, which annoyed me. Gordon helped by dusting with me and getting things out of the way. We haven't seen the painter in a week now; we have no idea where he is. At this rate, our windows won't be painted until the end of April and this started in February. He's not contracted by us but by the Air Force so we're not too worried. Its more of an inconvenience for us.

I've been working on getting my name officially changed. My mother got my taxes safely and it looks like my social security paperwork arrived safely. I also got my New Zealand bank account name changed to Nedra I. Schofield. It looks like Grandma Iwerks and I don't share the same initials anymore. I was so excited to get my new passport today with my name. They've really changed the passport. Now I have to get my visas and permits transferred to the new one, that'll be $80. I'm also going to be sending out my fingerprints in order to get my "rap" sheet or lack of one. It says that it takes 3-4 weeks to process. I guess I should do it under my married name now. I want to do it ahead of time because my residence paperwork and permit will be here sooner than I know it. I do get a bit scared about my residence permit but everything should work out since Gordon and I are married. I don't think they will want to break-up a legitimate couple. If so, then we're going to be in trouble.

Budget-wise, everything seems to be going well. It's really nice that we've been able to stay within our means and thanks to my parents we've been able to pay the credit card down a whole lot more. I never want to have this much debt again, except if its a mortgage for a house. We have enough to get to Tirau and back for Easter. I still think that we're going to have downscale our anniversary plans though. Hamner springs may have to wait until next year which will be fine. I've been trying to be frugal with our money and its been working for now. There are those weeks when we have to spend more on groceries than we anticapted but I think all families go through that. I'm so excited because this month we are going to under $4000 for the credit bill which means that I only need to hang in for about 6 months until the whole bill gets paid off! It may sound extreme to you but we spent a lot to set-up house and the honeymoon. The important things is that we are starting to break-through to the other side.

On Tuesday, I went into Palmerston North for my first book club meeting and loved it! We met at a little cafe in the downtown plaza. I used some of the money from card making to get a chai tea and a treat. It was so great because these women were in my age range, they weren't a generation older than me. We spent so much time getting to know one another and just talking to one another about books. Two of the ladies are transplants like me, one is from Aussie and the other is from England. They all have jobs and we joked around that I was a "lady of leisure"; I told them it was not by choice, hehe. Three of us went to go see "Confessions of a Shopaholic" afterwards, I decided to go because it was $8 movie day. We are going to be meeting at the end of each month. I think we decided to read different books and share our experiences. Then each month, we'll pick a different genre to read from. It should be really interesting. I think what I liked about it the most was the fact that I was with people my age. I'm hoping that we can be good friends.

It was great to be girly and silly at times with some intellectual conversation as well. I'm hoping to go to one of the Air Force dependents coffee hour when they start it up again. Then I can meet more women my age!

Meanwhile, in Auckland, Gordon was playing the Redwood park golf course. Ohakea came in third overall. Gordon had a couple of tough days and one night we actually got into a bit of a fight because we were both tired and cranky. He did get to play with the Head Boss of the Air Force who was really down-to-earth. He also shared stories about John Key, the NZ prime minister, and how things were getting better for the Air Force now that he was at the top of the government. Gordon thought it was interesting to hear about John Key. He does seem like an okay guy on TV. One day Gordon got really thrashed so he wasn't in the best mood when we talked that night, which led us to fighting as well. He came back home safe and sound. He's told me that he's had enough of golf for a couple of weeks. The next club day for Ohakea isn't until the week of Easter, or maybe its the week after Easter. It's nice to have him back at home with me.

I was debating whether to go to Wellington or not. I was thinking that we still needed to save money and that going to Wellington would be frivolous. I had to have Gordon talk me into it, which went along the lines of " You should definitely go honey, you deserve it." So, I set off ready for an adventure. I went to the farthest station away from Wellington, which is Paraparaumu, and tried to find parking. I found a spot but another car took it so I had to park a bit away from the train station. I got a Day Rover ticket which meant I only had to pay $10 instead of $16 for there and back. The train was really nice and relaxing and I couldn't believe that I was being so adventurous and going to Wellington on my own. The views were definitely spectacular because there were times when we were on a steep hill overlooking the road and the ocean.

My initial interest to go to Wellington was to see the Terracotta warriors exhibit at the St. James Theatre. I took one of my NZ guide books that I had shipped because it had a little map on a page that I could look at and get myself orientated with. I also found some different points of interest that would be interesting to see as well. When I got off the train I went to St. Paul's Cathedral which was only about two-three blocks away from the station. It was huge and the inside was so peaceful and beautiful. There's nothing like a beautiful church to make you feel connected with your faith at times. The cathedral was built in the 1950's but had an art deco style because it was designed in the 1930's and they decided to keep the original design. At the end of the altar was a beautiful hanging patchwork. When I looked at it I thought it was a mosaic but one of the welcome people told me it was done by some very devout ladies for the cathedral.

Afterwards, I passed by the beehive and parliament buildings to get to Lambton Quay. It was one of the roads that I wanted to walk down. I saw a store that was having a sale but I resisted and won! I also saw Kirkcaldie and Stains Co., which is a New Zealand version of Harrods. I found a MAC cosmetic counter. I may go back there later to get my favorite lipstick, Cosmo Girl I think is the name of it, because I don't know where it went. It was already past 12pm when I decided to get something to eat to take down to the waterfront. I mostly winged my way through the streets but I knew the general direction that I wanted to head. I ate my lunch on the waterfront by Te Papa and saw a Mac's Brewery. It reminded me of the Mac's Ginger beer I had in Queenstown with Gordon. He would probably like to go eat there when we take a day trip or something. I didn't go down Oriental Street because they have very high-end shops. I'd rather not to try window shop there.

After lunch was when I went to the St. James Theatre on Courtenay Place to see what I wanted. They weren't the actual terracotta warriors but authenticated replicas. They also had Chinese artifacts with the exhibit such as currency, weaponry, burial suits, etc. It was actually very interesting to read about and look at. I knew that the Chinese valued Jade highly, out here it is called Green Stone, so they would carve figurines out of jade and bury it with themselves. The most popular were cicadas and pigs. They also had a rendition of what the warriors looked like when the tomb was first opened. It was amazing the mixture of color they would put on the warriors. It made me think of what other ancient structures used to look like such as the Pantheon in Greece with its paint but its all faded away.

I decided to make my way back to the waterfront to get back to the train station. I had a fun time walking along the water and found a great picture. I was planning on staying in Wellington for dinner but by the time I was at the waterfront, I was tired and wanted to go home. I did a lot of walking around Wellington. It was a good thing that I went to the waterfront because I saw the restaurant that I wanted to eat at. It had moved to a set of buildings by the water. It's called One Red Dog and it specializes in pizzas, Gordon is going to love the place! I returned to the train station at 3pm and it was a good thing too! My ticket was only valid for off-peak hours and there was just one train left before peak hours started. I got a ginger beer to give me a boost and bought a snack because I was a tad peckish from all the walking. The train ride was nice and quiet and I got home no problem. I felt so accomplished that day because I had been to Wellington and back all by myself!

We still had a bit of excitement left for the week because we added a member to our family. Gordon and I decided it was time to take the plunge and get a cat. I found some cats for cheap on trademe, well they were kittens actually. I noticed that they had a black one, the kind that Gordon wanted, and asked if it was still available. It was so I arranged with the seller to go and pick it up on Saturday. They lived in Levin, which is 45 minutes from Bulls. Little Mojo Jojo was quite a handful on the road home. He's started to chill out now but he doesn't like when we leave the room and don't take him with us. A bit whiny at times, especially when we close the bedroom door on him at night. Gordon lost his temper with his meows last night but we just have to be patient. He's black and has blue eyes with a little bit of grey or white under his chin and chest. My favorite time is when he's winding down and sleeping which is in the afternoon. I found that when I don't pay attention to his cries he'll eventually stop. The cat and we are both learning to live together. Tomorrow, I'll be introducing him to the big, big world and we'll be moving his kitty litter outside so it doesn't make the house stinky.

Gordon and I also celebrated Earth Hour on Saturday. We turned off all of our lights and danced for the whole hour. The last time we danced was during our wedding! It was really nice and romantic to spend that time with Gordon. Earth hour was to promote global climate change, and awareness I suppose. I was able to use some of the candles that I had in storage. I also checked to see if my Miss UNM Silver Rose evening wear dress still fit. See, Saturday was the annual base ball and Gordon didn't know that I actually had a dress for the occassion. I put it on to show him. It was snug but it still fit! Weight loss hasn't been going according to plan but I'm still resolute to carry through with it. I'm still trying to exercise regularly. I think my problem is that I've gotten so used to having dessert at dinner. I need to cut that out and use it as a treat for the week or something rather than every night. I have been trying to eat sensibly and slowly but no effects yet. I'm hoping that will change in a couple of weeks. Here's to new beginnings.

I hope that everyone has a great week and enjoy the sunshine if you have some!

Abundance of produce

I may not have a job but I sure am doing a good job at selling cards for $2 bucks. This week I got a check in the mail from Christine for $100 dollars for the cards that I've made so far. I need to set some of that aside for the maintenance of the cards. If I could get at least $200 a month then that would help Gordon and me. That would mean that I would need to crank out 100 cards a month or 25 per week! I'm not so sure that I'm up for that but we'll see if it becomes viable. Apparently people don't have a problem from spending a gold coin ($1 or $2 NZ) on a card in the shop. I'm glad that they are selling though because it makes me feel better.

Nothing from future job prospects. I've applied for another slew of jobs and hope to hear from somebody in the next couple of weeks but I'm not holding my breath. There was an upsetting news clip about a NZ union saying that jobs in NZ should be for NZ people due to all the layoffs that are occurring. It didn't make me feel hopeful but Gordon says that I am a New Zealander by marriage. Somehow, I don't think the employers see it that way when they review my application. I'm not going to worry about it too much but it doesn't make me feel good about job prospects for the next couple of years. Every time the phone rings during the day I'm hoping its an employer that wants an interview me. Its usually Gordon or a friend from church. I don't like living like that so I'm trying to change my perspective.

The study group that I'm attending Wednesday evenings has been very enlightening about prayer. We just had our second session and it was discussing why we pray. I like hearing other people's point of views on a verse or what a question means to them. I feel like I'm getting closer to my faith and my relationship with God. Then people will say things like "He is infinite and we cannot comprehend His mighty power and scope". I prefer to think that while He is infinite and powerful, He is trying to draw me closer. A personal relationship with God and the Lord helps me to feel connected with them. Our study group also had to do a reading and a short perspective speech in church on Sunday. I was elected to do it and we discussed the passage that I picked and I think we did a good job. It was John 6:33-35 and we were able to connect that like bread, Jesus gives us a strength spiritually to encounter the world. I elaborated a little bit more of course but I don't want to bore you.

My taxes are done and completed and on their way to my mother so she can mail them for me. I was surprised at the refund that I got. It looks like I get a considerable refund from federal and state which will go toward, what else, bills. I also sent out my passport to get the name changed on it to the US embassy in Auckland. I should get it back in week and a half. We are doing a lot better with our money and the low interest card that Gordon switched to has an interest payment of $59 dollars rather than $100; I'll take any breaks we can get. The budget I've set for us seems to be working as well. I plan to use some of the refund for our credit bills and then save the rest. We also got a check from one of Gordon's family members as a wedding present. We were able to purchase a chest freezer with the money because we need more freezer space for all the frozen veggies. It is so nice to put the veggies in the freezer and not worry about space!

Gordon and I are saving up for the tanks of gas that we'll need to get to Tirau for Easter. Some of my card money will be used for that as well. It looks like we'll be able to do it, we just can't go any movie nights. Dinner with the family maybe but that's it. We also get to meet Kylie's boyfriend, Glen! Kylie wants to move out to where Glen is and they are going to try and fix-up a farmhouse that is on the property. I think that once the farmhouse is finished that Kylie and Glen will get married. Kylie is definitely twitterpated with this man and I'm so excited for her. Gordon says its all part of my master plan to move back to America, get Kylie married so the in-laws won't be so shocked when we move back to the States. It should be a good holiday and we'll see what happens down the road. I'm bringing the green bean casserole and dessert for Easter dinner. Glen is bringing some lamb to eat, that doesn't have me too thrilled because lamb seems a bit greasy to me. I'll give it a go because I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings but I would love some Easter ham. It also looks like we may be bringing some lamb home with us. We'll see.

Gordon and I have also started a work-out regime because this weight thing is getting ridiculous. We haven't been swimming in a while because he's been gone and on night shift but we're working around everything. I'm still working on my portions and seem to be making some progress. I think to lose the pounds I need to regularly exercise which we are starting to do at least 4-5 times a week. When Gordon is gone playing golf then I'm going to do some water aerobics to keep up the regime. I also have a weight loss penpal from myspace. Sonya and me are going to try and support each other despite being thousands of miles away. I'm trying to be very optimistic and I feel myself filling up on food a lot more faster than I used to. So things are looking up in the weight area, hopefully.

It looks like I'm going to be joining a book club next week. I was reading my numerous books and thinking about how I would like to talk to someone about the stuff I was reading. I decided to look up book clubs in Palmerston North and found that NZ has a book council. There were adverts from women in Palmerston North and I decided to email both of them. It looks like I got the ball rolling on creating a book club because we're meeting next week in Palmerston North. It will be so nice to get a little more human contact. I don't know the ages of these ladies that I'm meeting but it should be a good time.

For the weekend, Gordon and I spent some time in The Esplanade in Palmerston North. It's just like a big park area with pathways that you can walk down and a rose garden and aviary to admire. We rode the little Lions Club training that was operating when we went. It was cute and fun to ride in. I'm definitely going to take Ainsley, Sierra, Dax and Ewan on it when they come to visit. They also had another awesome park that we passed by complete with jumbo tree house, flying fox and endless play equipment. You could entertain kids for hours at the parks in New Zealand. It was nice to spend some time with Gordon because he was on night shift for this week and we don't get much time together now that a painter comes daily to our house to finish our windows on the outside.

Gordon is going to Auckland next week to play Interbase golf. The guy definitely has a lot of luck when it comes to sports for the Air Force. I'm trying to determine a good day to go into Wellington. I've decided that Thursday is a great day because its in the week but its not Friday. I have to drop Gordon off on Monday, book club on Tuesday and study group on Wednesday. Gordon will be back home on Saturday so that will be nice. I'm trying to be busy next week so I don't miss him so much and that I sleep through the night.

Well, thats it for this week. I hope everyone enjoyed reading. I'll keep trying to keep my chin-up despite constant turndowns from numerous companies. Gordon and I are tough, will get through this. I hope everyone has a good week!