Kuranda

Today in Cairns I went to  Kuranda the tourist town at the top of the rain forest. interesting rain forest,  and way cool to zoom over the tops of it in the gondola.
 The trip up, the train was built in 1884  with pick and shovel
. There is more information  on the train on the way up . but there are a couple of informative stops on the way down in the sky train.  if you are afraid of heights think twice on this. doing both was definitely the way to go.

Cheese making

At long last cheese making class was today . Feta needs a culture . Mozzarella doesn't . Kits you can buy. The temperature is critical , after that it just time . In an hour curds form but draining stuff and salting it takes time. It's smells so good. This here is going to be Ferrari cheese by tomorrow . It needs designing for 5 hours then salting 

Sunsets from the house

 have  i told you about the sunsets form the house, i can take photos form sitting on the couch, so over the summer i have

taken quite a few, here are a selection of the best ones

 there will be more over the winter , if its fine one weeekends, right now its getting dark when i get home 6 pm

New Carpet

new Carpet , first you get to see the old one , that's the old white crappy lumpy stuff. Then you get to see the  the nice new Blue green stuff that i  got , it shows up my couches  so much better,  its not lumpy. the old stuff had  old yellow underlay so it was original, from 1987. 

 the lumps down the hallway that drove me crazy was only sand in little piles. The carpet Mill did a nice job 1 guy  8 hours and another to help for 1. 5 hours .  I am waiting on some mats to be made.   and I guess I ought to pay the bill soon, maybe tomorrow .

 anyway the short story is I have new CARPET.  its sooo much better than the old stuff.

Insulation

After 4 months , I have finally finished indulging underneath the house. 2 inches( 60 mm) of polystyrene . We ran out of foam in the gaps , but that is a minor project for next weekend. I started this back in sept, but heart my back , then did some more in oct, and kinda did my back again.
Today I got a student to help. It's amazing what 20 year olds can do. Tax free cash. He did all the fildley stuff around the pipes.
For now it's time to relax

great bathroom and even better hot water

for those you you not on face book , here are some more pictures of the house. the living room is huge which is nice lots of space , there after a few boxes still around , just out of site .

 the Bathroom is compact , but the  hot water makes  up for it, the shower is amazing .

 Lets just say my project  list for the weekend is long.

 the living room window look west to the setting sun, overlooking the next suburb.

The back yard

Moved into house yesterday, signed and settled on Monday . Spent all week moving the stuff I could lift , delt with plumbers , got the chimney cleaned, and a couple of new fire bricks. Tonight I sat down with dinner and champiegn.
I took some photos of the back yard.
So it's official this is me hanging out the welcome mat,
Who wants to come visit? I have a spare room for visitors. Book you tickets, and let me know

My house- soon to be mine..

Ok it s official i have bought a house, for  those of my friend s who don't run into me on facebook its probably time that I Put something up here , sorry there are no photo at this time, the agents took the  photos down from the website cause its sold . i get to settle( that's close ) on august 20  umm let me see that's 2 weeks away tomorrow.

 I will see if i can drive around and take  some photos etc. any way this house is in Whitby, a pricier suburb But ti think i have bought the cheapest house around, its 3 bedroom and a car port , a lovey garden (Of course ) 90 sq meters ( 970 s feet ) with a deck of 45 sq meters  its on quite a slope, rain will down and across the road it wont stop on  my placed, up the back there is large trees( read firewood ) and they block with wind .
 it s Lockwood house which means the internal walls are wood no sheet rock . an open standing fire place .
Moving day will be august 25.
there is some plumbing that needs attention and the roof and fence need painting . projects for the summer .
 the garden will be never ending, i have so many great ideas for the garden.
I am sure there will be more about my house, the address  is
 6 the Bollard Whitby.
 a subburb full of navy and sailing terms and captain cook  names.

A Week in Brisbane

I thought it was time for a holiday, work gets busy late June and July, so thought  i would cut and run , for some sun. i have a brother and sister in law in Brisbane,  as well as 2 nephews. Alex  and Damian.  Being 7 and 5 they kept me busy. They got to go to their first fair. which is actually funnier than  H,  cause they are not quite sure if a ride is going to be fun or scary.  Alex lost tooth number 2

Kerrie is pretty cool as well , except when i take Photos of her and she is not sure what I am up to. She homes schools them. We had a great week,  we made some macadamia nut  biscuits, and some fresh strawberry  jam. cause i really like making jam but the idea is not to eat too much of it.

We got a day to go to the Budrim ginger factory,  and bought lots of ginger:  marmalade, spread , crystallized ginger , a hot ginger drink, chocolate covered ginger. (you know how long that lasted ) and a hot chili with ginger sauce.  customs kinda laughed at me when I came back home.

some of the bird life is Aus. is quite colourful  these are one of the more common ones called rainbow lorrakets, pretty colours  but they can't sing, its more of a swalk. On the day that \I was walking along the beach  they decided to stop still long enough for me to take some photos. Beaches are lovely over here .  Yes the weather was warm and pleasant, 23  for the last 4 days . almost hot  actually. OK so maybe i am not quite as acclimatized as  I thought.
 it was just a lovey relaxing holiday , thank you Richard and Kerrie.  but  for  now its back to work.

Views or not

 house hunting in NZ  part 2 

When going to an open home, its not the person whose listing house that is showing , its one of her co workers , looking to make friends with buyers.

 There is an assumption that if you make an offer on a house you will use the person who showed you the house,

 I have looked at 5 now  still refining what I want ,   so who you make friend with will change  depend on where you buy .  There are some hungry  agents around here.  A lady called me today to get some feed back  for one place i looked on Sunday and   she wants to show me some others on Wednesday .. a public holiday  ANZAC day.

 Lots of houses built in 50 's house that have been done up, but people  forget the wiring,  and the breakers boxes still look like  they are from the 1950 's  ( old and not to code ? )

 there are less power points in rooms here,  1 in each bedroom in older houses.  single Closits in the main bedroom ( this is not a house that i want to buy )   

 Lots of real wood floors  from the 1950 's . some are in good condition some aren't  some have had carpet over the top for 20 years   ( take the carpet out and a good coat of varnish )

 my favorite so far  is this  http://www.realestate.co.nz/1744600    is the favourite   built in the 80 's  but the land underneath is on a cross lease ,  ( someone had a really large section and  put 2 houses in the back yard)  and then sold the houses , so there is a 1/ 3 share in the land ..  

 the down falls- are  that if,  and i say if,  one of my parents needs to live with me sometime i need to have  minimum stairs   and the ones  here are quite steep to get inside . there is a school a the bottom of the driveway, which is also quite steep.   (  the view is stunning..  ) and the kitchen could do with  a little more storage space .. there is a large park just round the corner , where people play sports  every weekend  rugby fields etc. perhaps a bit close for my liking.   Floor space is 860 s feet  (80 s meters )  

 interest rates are from 5 5 to 6.5.

 I will keep looking.

 yes of course I am having fun

House hunting

Gosh have I really not posted anything since December?
Oops sorry about that. Life must have been somewhat boring. I have discovered I have some friends that don't hang out on Facebook, hopefully I can keep you a bit more up to date than before.
Last Wednesday, I went to the bank for something else and walked out the a letter of preapproval for house finance.... So the house hunting begins. House buying will be quite different here, for starters there is no such thing as title agencies. That's what lawyers are for. They do the title search.
Open homes are barely 1/2 hour ,40 minutes if you are lucky. Then there is the can I get yor phone number before you leave . I looked at 3 on Sunday all built in the 1950's. I have decided a garden is important( supprise)or at least space for one. And kitchen cupboard space.

I will have to be selective in my photos and links. Due to the power of other people's search engines. (Read other real estate agents)

Dancing Medals

Over the last 6 weeks i have put in some serious time and effort to say nothing of money in practicing my dancing. just so I can spend 10 minutes  in front of a dance judge

 I was way more nervous than I thought i was going to be. i was dancing with my instructor rather than the person that i usually dance with ..( she is short and he is tall )
 anyway I am here to tell you that i passed  quite happily, bronze level. (the beginning ) and the judge left some nice comments. it s like a school report card .. comments and a grade.  this was 6 dances; waltz, foxtrot and international tango. for the ballroom, then Samba, Rumba and Cha Cha.
 Yes I plan to do more , Silver level will be next about 6 months away. More work, more time and more money.

Sunsets

Sunsets are differnet in NZ, not quite sure if i can say why, but they are , they dont last as long, thre was barely a 5 minute spread over these photos , and it was gone.
the tree is a large one in my neightbours yead ,by the road
8 37 to 8 42.
Its warm out why does it get dark?

Work Conversation

  I guess I have been at work now long enough for people to start asking about live in Alaska, so I got bragging rights on the temps this week, ( thank guys for the cold weather ). and people are asking about the cultural differences between her and the states. apart from the language...
 what to say..
 American eat out way more frequently than they ought to, is this just a money thing.. ? no I think even those in NZ than can afford to don't .  once a week maybe.
American are germ a phobic, a few germs wont hurt you.. it is OK to go to work with a cold, take the tissues and drugs and go to work....
 Kiwis get 4 weeks vacation/ holiday a year.   so I am taking 2 weeks off at Christmas.due to all the public holidays  I only use 4 days of leave.
 liability law s in the states control what people do way more than Americans even realize. Every day in the train here 10 % of the people stand up before the train comes to a stop,  this would never happen in the states some one would tell you not to, cause you might fall over and hurt yourself and maybe sue the train company. here we have ACC . so our ability to sue is very limited. ( stand up in the train at your own risk...)
what do I miss about the Alaska .. ?
 The northern lights, why is it this year that the light are supposed to be rally good, . thank goodness for web cams.

new haircut

New haircut , it only been 4 months since I got a cut, that is pretty good for me. This haircut is one i actually like ... yeah... !!!
yes there is a little blow wave, but thats ok, and i even managed to get a decent photo. this came from' Glo 'just up the road... 110 Mana espalade. I will be going back ....

Around my Place

 standing in ankle deep water, its very tidal.

the table and chairs I bought in Fairbanks back in september

new place

 well I moved in ,I've been here a month, got my first power bill today, and it was about as expected. I  haven't had to turn the heater on in a  few days. i have bought a whole bunch of stuff. a new TV. a modem,  a barb be-Que
. I have been drooling of a chest of drawers , a tall boy. just made of pine, $269.00  the expensive ones made of other wood start at $800. so pine works for me. the drawers open sooo smoothly.
 isn't it  interesting as to  what make s you excited, drawers that open. i have a set of drawers on a long term borrow, but I don't think i have ever had a new set of drawers.

 Putting together a BBQ isn't as simple as you think, putting the wheels on is a pain, but I got there in the end , then i read the instructions ( I am a girl) and it said funny about putting spices and red wine in the bottom. now i think that sounds like a plan. so on Saturday, I am having a house warming.
 but for now I get to show you some photos of the lagoon that is over the back.
 i will try and post more often,  someone could remind me.

New place

Got to go look at new place and picked up the key. that needs work , it needs bit of a clean and only 2 elements work on top , the oven it's self works, so thats ok. I need to make scones on Sunday. The next door neighbor is james 35 with a 7 year old every other week.
I found a Turkish kerbab cafe for tea. Lots of healthy salads for sides a bit pricy but oh well, I have always liked kebabs .
Tomorrow is moving day, I have yet to sort out Internet so photos maybe a bit slow in coming , facebook is a better place for that .

a place to live

 So Wednesday was OK I went to look at the house on Mana  Esplanade, a nice little sunny place 2 bedroom , a little damp in the bathroom, and there could be more kitchen cupboard space space, but clean. i though it was worth an application , it looked OK good location, 3 doors doors down a alleyway that went to the estuary and across the road access to the beach, a very busy road that is.   peak hour traffic a bitch to say the least .
 the rental agency was a nice lady and she must have liked me. when I said I was interested in it she got to me to fill out an application, which she approved on the spot.... Not even a  reference in sight....
so I have a place to live , yes I get to pay her lots of money 3 weeks rent for bond , and moving day is Sept 10
 i get to get my stuff out of storage , my sheepskins for my car seat
 and my couches and my blanket. i know know why but i just want to curl up on my cream couch with MY blanket and watch TV and have my stuff.

2 weeks-- Sept 10 is moving day.
( yes I will get photos when I move in )

Culture Shock Dancing Style

 In Alaska we dance what ever style takes our fancy it was a small community, so the Latin crowd and the ballroom crowd got to hang out,  most of us know both, salsa  bachatta,  merange perhaps.
 now Wellington is fine for ballroom but trying to find salsa in this own is like pulling teeth, the salsa club closed sometime earlier this year, there is a small salsa crowd that hang out in town on a Sunday night. and bachatta  whats that?
 its not important cause it not an official dance with medals and grading etc
 Am i doomed to never dance a Bachata till I go back to Fairbanks...... that would just hurt.
 I went to a dance from supreme dance school, and danced with a few people i discovered that they are taught routines here, which of course i don't know them, these men don't know how to lead. i am supposed to know the routines , all stuff designed for medals etc. am i going to have to go back and learn beginning dance classes just to lean these dam routines. i had said to myself that i would do competition if  the opportunity ever arose.
 hell you cant avoid it here.
Tango classes on Wednesday are fun, Argentine tango from a man whose from Argentina, fancy that.   just learning to tango like they do, no Medals just dancing....
here ends my tale for today.  ( I'll be in a better mood tomorrow)