1st Month Update

We've (the kids and I) been here about a month now and things don't seem so strange any more! The rental that we are in is looking more like home now that we've got homes for most things. There are still some items of furniture that we haven't unwrapped from when they were shipped over as we don't have room for them. We shipped all our white goods over only
to find that it's standard for rentals to come with basic kitchen items and we have our dishwasher in the garage as there is one all ready installed.

We're all registered with the Doctors here. Only you have to pay to see them $28 each visit, and if they ask to see you back in a few weeks you still have to pay! Good thing! prescriptions are only $3.

We live in Taradale which is a district within the town of Napier, which is in the Hawkes Bay area of NZ. Right now we are heading into summer and it's getting quite warm. The temperature is in the low 20's most days. Dan has taken (well, really given!) the role of 'pool boy'! he has to remove the leaves from the pool! Not his most enjoyable task. It involves using a net on a long pole to fish the leaves out. The other day when he came back in the house he had red feet where the sun reflecting from the pool and sun-burnt them! Now he goes out in socks! In our garden we have a lemon tree and an orange tree. Really handy just to pick your own fruit!

The kids have just spent their first week at school. Louise starts at 08:30 and ends at 14:50, while Dan starts at 08:50 and ends at 15:20. They have both been moved up nearly a whole year. Dan is in the last term of Year 10 here and is the youngest as the other kids in his year are already 15, Dan won't be until March 2008. Louise is in the same situation and is in Year 7. They break up for their summer holidays (again!) around 20th December and start back beginning of Feb. Where they will be in Year's 11 and 8. In Dan's school (Taradale High School) they stream them for all core subjects at class level. So he stays with the class for English, Maths etc etc and then for his option subjects he mixes with those kids that have chosen the same as him. This is slightly different from the UK. He's accepted his uniform of shorts and long pale blue socks as in a crowd no one sticks out. I still smile when I see these huge boys wandering around in shorts...! What's even scarier is while I'm waiting to collect him at the end of the day, to see kids in school uniform, unlock a car, get in, and drive off!!

Louise attends Taradale Intermediate School which is Years 7 and 8, then she will move to the High. She's already joined the Choir and school Orchestra. We've been back down to the shoe shop and at her request bought her some Black Roman Sandals (look up on Google!) First impressions before she started school were 'not in a million years am I going to wear those!' 3 days at school a request for some! All the girls wear them! And if they don't wear them then it is perfectly acceptable at school to wear no shoes! So you know when your kid is settled when they come out of school with no shoes!

The nearest swimming beach is about 30 mins away. Ocean Beach, and I've attached a pic. The other pic is when we were house hunting and came across this house which had been moved forward on the plot of land!

Talking about house hunting, we've seen some really awful houses, and some lovely ones. We've put an offer in on one which has been accepted!! Will update on the buying process!

So we just have to wait for the Building Survey and all the various Council reports to come back. Hopefully if nothing comes up then we should take ownership 16th Nov. There are a few things that need updating, new bathroom etc and we hope that we can do these while we're still in the rental. So I'll let you know how the house situation goes!

Tony has already attracted the attention of the local police and received a speeding fine in the post a few weeks ago!! So glad it happened to him first!! and not me! They are really, really strict on the speed limits here. 50k around town and 100k outside! Normally they will let you go approx 6k over before they get you, but not if it's near a school. Outside a school if you go 4k over the speed limit then they have you! and this is what happened to him. But no points, just a fine of $30.

Shopping is ok here, Napier has lots of shops, Departmental, Warehouse type, lots of boutique types, Surf shops, Skater shops...etc etc. The kids are quite at home with all the shops and have manged to get Tony to buy them 'a few must have T-shirts and hoodies'! The Supermarkets range in size nothing like the huge Tesco's back in the UK but they are well stocked. Heinz over here is Watties! So we have Watties beans, Soup, Tomato Sauce etc etc. Some Heinz stuff but that comes from Aus. Haven't been able to find some nice sausages yet and no Oxo Gravy Grans !! But of course since I'm not working I've been spending my time baking!! and creating lovely home cooked meals!.

Apparently last week there was a important Rugby match! oh dear! Every day on the TV, the news, sports programs they go on about what happened or didn't! They blame some pommie ref! And now they want France to win against England and Argentina to win against South Africa. For a France Vs Argentina Final! I don't understand I just type what I know!

Lots and Lots of Sheeps here..! and lots of cattle. Even have adverts on the TV for worming your sheep!

That's about it! Will write again soon!