Monthly Archives: April 2015

The Road not Taken

30 Thursday Apr 2015

Posted by in all about me, making changes

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A year ago I was given redundancy notice which started us on our current journey.

A dream became a possibility and is now a reality.

I can hardly believe the life I’m currently living. It was well worth the risk, the challenges and the occasional uncertainties.

The Road Not Taken
BY ROBERT FROST

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference

road

Back in 1985 – Life as a nanny and living on the beach.

27 Monday Apr 2015

Posted by in back in 1985, remembering / musing

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On this day back in 1985 I was working as a nanny in Wellington, New Zealand.

My second nanny job was a total contrast. It was a long weekend with four teenagers, a combined family, all close in age, Susie, Mark, Sara and Nigel. They took themselves to activities over the weekend so we met up for meals, to watch a movie and we enjoyed discussions comparing UK to NZ, tv, pop music, radio, schooling, etc

We had a mini drama when we discovered there was no water in the house. But the eldest boy phoned a neighbour, then the water board and established that water was turned off for the whole street until the next morning due to a burst water main.

I wrote … “It’s very easy looking after teenagers”. 

I had one day off before the next job – three weeks with three young kids.

Brooke aged four, Hamish aged two and ten month old Kendyl kept me busy. The younger two were in nappies, proper nappies that needed washing, not disposables. They started their day before six am! They were into everything. I wrote that I needed four pairs of eyes and as many pairs of hands.

The family car was an old 2.8 Jaguar that required a bit of encouragement to get going on the cold mornings.

The day to day details of looking after three kids under five – twenty odd nappies per day so constant washing, hanging out and folding nappies and clothes – getting the kids to eat vegetables – the routine of “kindy” and play dates – bed time stories and kids tv – it was exhausting!

Oh and they had a red setter dog named Cass. One evening I locked myself out of the house because of the dog. The kids were asleep inside with the dog and I was outside with no shoes.
I’d answered the front door. As the dog tried to get out, I stood in the porch and pulled the inside door closed. I heard the click as the latch locked. I wandered around the house in my socks, but all windows and back doors were closed. Fortunately the neighbours were wonderful and helped me break a small pane of glass in the back porch door.

When I’d finished this job I had a night out with friends in Wellington and saw 5.30am from the other end of the day. This was certainly the most memorable of my varied nanny jobs during 1985.

My next job had the most memorable location.
 
When I’d walked along the beach at Paekakariki a month ago, I had no idea that I’d actually live here for three weeks, whilst looking after three year old Romila and fourteen month old Alexander.

What a wonderful place. I arrived at the house after dark, when the wind was blowing off the sea, rattling the doors and windows and whistling around the wooden home. My room was in an annexe. When I woke the first morning I was amazed at the view I had of the sea and beach not just from my room, but from the bed.

The next night a southerly gale arrived with a magnificent thunder storm, lightening, heavy rain and winds that created wonderful sound effects in this beach house. The following day was clear and calm but still with a rough sea and incredibly huge waves. We could see the South Island and Mount Tapuaenuku. The day ended with a lovely sunset over the sea, directly facing the house.

The parents were around for this job, so I was only required to work on week days while they were out overseeing the building of a new house in Wellington. The family were vegetarian, very relaxed, untidy. Quite a different approach to previous families I’d worked with. I had to follow the family’s routine here, rather than find my own.

This nanny job was a time of contrasts. On one hand there was the wonderful location, walks on the beach with the kids, or alone in the evenings, the constant sound of the waves, beautiful sunsets. On the other hand I was looking after a stroppy three year old that had regular tantrums, played adults off against each other. I preferred jobs where parents were away and I had sole responsibility.

During my weekends off I explored more of Wellington, the houses stacked up on the hillsides, the Beehive parliament building, craft shops, art galleries.

When the job finished I took some time off before the next assignment. I headed back to my NZ home in Auckland with a twelve hour train journey.

Weekly Photo Challenge – Motion

27 Monday Apr 2015

Posted by in one with nature, weekly photo challenge

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We have a new Sunday morning pastime as we read the papers and enjoy brunch, watching the yacht races.

motion 1

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On a calm misty morning last week, HMAS Canberra sailed up the River Derwent into Hobart harbour. She is massive backdrop to the small boats, yachts and sea planes usually moored there.

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As we now live on the waterfront there is the constant motion of the waves and tides, with people, animals and birds enjoying the beaches.

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Motion

100 word challenge – April

26 Sunday Apr 2015

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April 2015 has been the month when we turned our lives upside down.

We moved from UK to Australia.
We sold a suburban house and rented a waterfront apartment.
Sold a car and bought a new one.
Closed utility accounts and opened new ones.
Notified medical, financial and everyone of our move.
Registered for medical, tax file references, transferred driving licence.
We’ve been frustrated with phone and media company in both countries.

After such a hectic month of practicalities and admin to move our lives, I now want a few weeks to be a tourist in my new home town.

ANZAC Day Parade

25 Saturday Apr 2015

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As a contrast to the Dawn Service, the parade was movement, noise and lots of clapping.

People began lining the streets an hour before the parade began. Kids sat on the kerbs and there was a gentle buzz of conversation as people chatted with neighbours spectators.

There were marching bands, serving personnel, including crew of HMAS Canberra that has been in Hobart specifically for today.

Veterans and their widows travelled in military vehicles or marched in the parade.

Descendants marched, wearing medals earned by their family members.

Cadets and school kids joined the parade to help represent the various elements of the armed services, battalions, divisions. And to remember all conflicts over the decades.

I find it fascinating that countries celebrate, commemorate and remember in different ways, on different days. In the UK, Remembrance Day is at the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month, to mark the time and date that the First World War ended. In Australia, as well as Remembrance Day, they mark today, the date of the first landings on the Gallipoli peninsular.

There were poppies present today but the usual emblem on ANZAC Day is a sprig of rosemary as it was found growing wild in Gallipoli. There is a field of poppies at Parliament House in Hobart. I couldn’t find anywhere to buy a poppy so I crocheted my own last night.

This links in nicely with the weekly photo challenge of motion.

Motion

ANZAC Day Dawn Service

25 Saturday Apr 2015

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It was a moving experience to attend the dawn service at Hobart Cenotaph this morning.

As we gathered in the dark, we joined a multitude of people, all ages, coming from all directions, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings and to honour all who have served in all wars and conflicts over the years.

It was a simple but thought provoking service of words and music. A school boy spoke about the meaning of ANZAC Day for students today and how each finds their own meaning amongst the history and sacrifice along with the promise of the future. It was a peaceful gathering, no one rushing away afterwards.

The Last Post was played as the sky lighted with the dawn on a grey Hobart day.

They shall not grow old
As we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them,
Nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun
An in the morning
We will remember them
Lest we forget.

My bench with a view

24 Friday Apr 2015

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Last week, a prompt for my photo a day challenge was “where I work”. I posted this photo, with the caption … I don’t have a job right now, but I could sit here and send an email, check a bank balance. Does that count?

h sandy bay

At the time I was joking, but a week later and we still have no internet connection to our apartment. I am struggling to do all the necessary admin tasks on my iPhone.

I am sitting in the Riverview Terrace of Wrest Point hotel and casino, which has free wifi.

Their wifi stretches to the bench on the beach, but it is a grey day so I’ll stay inside.

But I could actually sit on this bench with my lap top, to check our finances in the UK and here, chase up UK utilities who have not yet sent final statements, check credit card statements, register for online rent processing, research car insurance quotes and gather online information for our new life.

Of course, there would be the odd bit of non-essential online activity, checking facebook and reading blog posts, as the ducks came to say hello.

https://smallbluegreenwords.wordpress.com/2015/04/05/bench-series-14/

What a view

23 Thursday Apr 2015

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Nothing gets done when the view is this good.

We’ve been here for four days and we are still pinching ourselves to make sure it is real. It is not a dream.

In my wildest moments of picturing this gap year, I never imagined anything this good. If it only lasts for six months, if something drastic happens or it all goes wrong, this will have been worth it.

We have 180 degree view from our lounge window, balcony and spare room. The main bedroom has view of grass, gardens and the water and yacht club.

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I’m getting up early to watch the sunrise. Each day is different, the sky and light varies. The view looks different between high and low tide, the weather and wind alter the current and waves.

view sunrise

Activity on the estuary changes from row boats and wind surfers to yachts, power boats, tour catamarans. Yesterday the huge navy ship HMAS Canberra arrived as part of the ANZAC celebrations.

The wildlife fluctuates too. I need to study the birds and tides and blog about that separately.

A new home

23 Thursday Apr 2015

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We viewed a range of apartments before we found “the one”.

There was a nice brand new build in North Hobart, large with a balcony, but views were of rooftops.

The next apartment was closer to the size that we had in mind, had views over the valley, had a small courtyard but was up a very steep drive and split level.

We then went bush, literally. We viewed a loft studio in amongst the trees. The estate agent commented that the burnt trees across the road resulted from a controlled burn by the government. This property was basically a tin garage, with tank water, and septic tank. One of my priorities before we even arrived in the country was mains water and mains sewerage. I don’t want rain water or a “poo man”. Natural bush fires would be a concern in this location.

We viewed two city apartments in Battery Point. The first was big, with a balcony overlooking a park, but it was bland. The second was more compact, with a tiny balcony but was dated and had white furniture. Not a good idea with our red wine and chocolate habits.

Then we saw a two bedroom apartment online, which had an “absolute waterfront”. The description and photos looked ideal but we had to wait two days to be able to view the property. It was a nervous couple of days.

The apartment was unfurnished but it was the perfect size, great location and had the most stunning views, so we decided to rent it anyway. We saw it on Thursday, signed the lease on Friday and moved in on Monday, with a hectic few days in between organising electricity, internet connection, a bed, some lounge furniture. The owner was happy to leave a dining table and chairs. It has a walk in wardrobe and bedroom unit with drawers, modern kitchen and bathroom.

We spent days out shopping, laying on beds, sitting in sofa’s and armchairs. We chose a bed that could be delivered on Monday but other furniture had to be ordered. The bed base could not be manoeuvred in our hall way, so as we are on the first floor, it was man handled up and over our balcony and moved into the apartment that way.

As with any move, we had a few hiccups. We bought a tv, to fit on the wall mounting. Aussie Mate has no tools or collection of “man stuff” here, nails, screws, washers, etc. So we made a trip to the DIY hardware store for screws and a screw driver. He has three tool boxes of man stuff in our storage unit in the UK, but that was no use to fix our new tv to the wall. He unpacked the tv and noticed that the screen was damaged. So next day, back to the shop, upgraded the tv, which then needed different screw size to fix to mount, so another trip to the DIY store.

We bought bedding, towels, toaster, kettle, crockery and cutlery. We got a starter pack of 4 setting crockery and mugs. We then decided that we did not require a fifty six piece box of cutlery. Why do we need eighteen knives and forks if we’ve only got four plates? We finally found a starter set of cutlery that we liked, so added that to our purchase pile.

It has been fun to set up a home again after so many years. To choose new colour schemes. As we overlook the water, we chose blues, greys and turquoise, a contrast to the colours of our previous home.

Another hiccup was the kettle. We chose the last one in the store, which had been on display for a few days. So yes, we were happy to take that. The assistant found the box and packed it. When we got it home we did not have the base, just the kettle jug. So another trip back into town.

We have blank walls with six picture hooks in the lounge, so that will be fun, agreeing on art work to hang up. We will get a couple of picture frames so I can print and hang some of my photos.

Now, we are chasing Telstra for our home phone and internet connection. There seems to have been a delay in processing our order.

Things I’ve learned …

~ To me, Manchester is a city in the north west of England. Here it is a term for household linens and “Manchester” is the name of such department within a big store or when shopping online.

~ Telstra Customer Services are based in Manila, Philippines. Phone and media companies are as frustrating here as they were in UK.

~ I don’t want to work in a DIY hardware store. How many different tools, sizes of screws does one person need?