WHERE'S BEST TO LIVE IN NZ AND WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW: PART4!!!

[AngryBeaver]

Arrgh,had to start a new thread!

Yes,you can get more land in Tauranga. Well,somewhere like Omokoroa or somewhere.Wouldn't want to live much closer than that. And I woulkdn't want to live at he Mount. Lovely as it is. Too touristy,imo.
We would like enough land for a pool (eventually) maybe a sleepout and still enough for a veggie patch and garden for kids. Don't neeed acres +. Wouldn't say no though,if we could afford it! Be nice to have a few sheep or something/

I think Mum would have to fly to Tauranga. So that would be
Manchester-London,London-Singapore, Singapore-Aukland,Aukland- Tauranga
Bad.

justa howws the back? Hope physio was a help,we may have driven past you!
Your house sounds great.
My mums friend lives in Silverdale.She has about an acre with some sheep etc
Wasn't overly impressed at but didn't give it a proper look I suppose,just stopped to buy flowers for Mums friend! Always worth another look

Hi cartergirl I don't think anyone on the thread is in Christchurch but maybe a lurker or someone who used to live there may be along to help. Are you just moving out for 3 months?

AB SIL lives her life on facebook. We've just had to get used to it.

They're still keeping him in with no word of when he might come out. But at least I managed to get hold of my Mum and fill her in on what I had found out.

vviola - how distressing - do they think they know what it may be? facebook can be a nightmare - that's how MIL and SIL found out we were emigrating and it was just awfil

Justa - you feeling any better today about DS3?

AB - I would be crying too about those dalmations. Don't even start me on watership down.

carter - welcome. We're not really ChCh people - mainly top of North Island but meerkate is off to Dunedin (I have that right don't I?) But you are VERY welcome...I have learnt lots about what to and not to buy, where to go, etc.

Shels - we'll done in your prosecution of the wrong uns'.

And I have ants coming out my frigging laptop again. How minging is that?!
And my foot hurts and I have to do the bloody half marathon next week.

That is a bit scary justabout. I don't know anything about it. Can it have any negative effects?

Oh justabout that does sound scary, but I suppose you can see their point.

Brother still in hospital. Still no clue what it is. Very scary. But have probably talked/texted/emailed him more in past 48 hours than I have in last 6 months

Their point about trying it fully I meant, obviously, not the scary side effects!

t'is not done yet as you say. big run tomorrow but I am going to bed imminently and am sober which should help although DS4 teething and been up already. Ritalin sounds scary - what a choice to be given .

And vviola - DB - is he feeling well enough to text? what's going on with him? Isolation is very scary. DS2 had 5 days of it aged 8 months and it was the worst 5 days of my life. (not the 'isolation' bit but the scaryness of what it means - or rahter that they just don't know which is what happened with DS2)

I have a family member who is always going on about how we've 'got it made' and life is just 'so much easier overseas' etc etc.

i have tried many times to explain that my life isnt some cushy paradise just because it rains less where i am. but it falls on deaf ears. recently DH and i have been having a bit of a shit time, and said family member made a comment along the lines of, oh pleas, everyone knows your life isnt that hard.

so I copied and pasted some of this thread to him and said, look. Everyone's lives still go on when they emigrate. Except, they go on with no support structures, In a foreign place, while having to navigate a completely new life. The people who made the best of their lives before they immigrated, carry on doing it in their new country. Thats why it looks like everything is so much easier for them. But it really really isn't. Its bloody hard going.

Am hoping it will shame him into shutting the hell up.

But while I wait for hell to freeze over, just wanted to say to everyone, hang in there. You are doing great in trying circs and you should give yourselves a big glass of wine and a pat on the back.

frik - great post. life was, in fact, SO hard last time we were Down Under that we came home, not feeling that we'd failed, but recognising that the family stage we were at was just not the right one to be spending so far away from our support networks. we absolutely loved both australia and NZ but all our family issues at the time were magnified by the isolation and the distance from loved ones. So i agree with everything you just said.

justa - i have had several patients on ritalin (back in my GP days) and it can transform families' lives, it really can. it doesn't always...but it can! so i would give it a go, in a positive mindset kinda way - it's not like it's an implant, you can always just stop it, after all! but i think the advice you've had is sensible. i can imagine how it must feel to be trialling it on your lovely vulnerable DS BUT i do think it's worth going for and really seeing if it can help. GOOD LUCK and keep us posted!

vviola horrid, horrid situation. fingers tightly crossed. which hospital is he in? DH used to work at RPH. hope he gets out asap and the information flow improves quickly xxx

AB NO COMMENT re your shameful dalmations confession you do make me laugh though

carter we hope to be heading for Auckland or Tauranga, but have lived in Dunedin before

I have been barefoot walking today i really recommend it - walking through muddy fields and along woodlands path with my pal. in a lovely autumn sunshine. very therapeutic. supposed to have all sorts of mind and body and spirit benefits. If i can do it in England in autumn you girls can certainly do it in gorgeous beach-strewn NZ obviously here in the UK the downside is that you look like a total loon (but luckily we didn't meet anyone )

Agree - good post Frik- it isn't easy. Life does go on and it's tiring being new. Very tiring.

Meerkate - sorry - you're coming north but have already been to Dunedin.

lolly good morning...yes, IF DH gets this job in Auckland or Tauranga - nothing set in stone yet! Will know within the next few weeks

Hello, thank you for the welcomes! Yes am only going out for three months so not really a 'serious' amount of time (although it still seems quite long to me..) In a similar vein to frikonastick's post above people say 'oh fun, it'll be a holiday!' and I think 'yyyeeess, but also it means child care with no support network, no one to turn to if I have problems with DP, being reliant on him for everything- physically and emotionally' etc..' But I know I'm being a bit negative, which isn't really very like me, and I need to summon up some pioneer spirit! I need to be Ma and Pa from Little House on the Prairie rather than Laura (Blimey- is that when you've really grown up?!)
Top of North Island is supposed to be beautiful..I'm jealous! I went to the Coromandel with DP and loved it. But Auckland is as far north as I've been.
vviola sorry to hear about your brother- do hope medics get to the bottom of it soon.
AB crying at 1001 Dalmations.. Haven't gone far back enough but I'm guessing you're pregnant? ( how exciting and congrats if so!!)

I brought all my Little House on the Prairie books over with me, hoping my dds will like them when they're older. I do still read them myself sometimes.

There was a great thread recently by somebody who had been to a Laura Ingalls museum in the States, lots of interesting reading.

I had SUCH a crush on Pa back in the day ...

Hi all.

Sorry for dipping out, will try and catch up with everyone. We don't have broadband because we are here temprorarily so my internet date usage is limited and I keep going over - bloody frustrating, so have finally snaffled DH's laptop (and dongle) for a good old MN catchup.

AB I do love your updates, I bet you are a scream in RL. I used to cry at all sorts when pregnant but I do love your descriptions.

vvviola glad you got to speak to your mum. FB is so funny isn't it, gets so many people in trouble!

lolly good luck for your run. Can't believe your PIL found out about your emigration on FB.

justa sorry you are having such a tough time, good luck with trying out the medication. Be sure to come on here if you need support. I don't have any experience of having a child with autism but can offer cake, coffee and wine in cyberspace!

frik I so agree with your post. I don't think people understand how difficult it is to emigrate. I came to the UK for my big OE but never really got the "foreign" element until I had a baby. I really admire people who move away from family support (especially).

Welcome cartergirl. I saw your other post. Baby food in NZ is fine, not the range that the UK has but you will be fine. I have tried to put a link in for plunket below. Fingers crossed it works, but there appears to be quite a few plunket baby groups in Chch. If it doesn't work then just go onto the plunket site. We kiwis are a funny bunch sometimes over the top friendly but sometimes shy and a bit awkward especially with those "foreigners"
It's not personal, I am quite shy in social situations but love a good natter - just not good at always taking the lead. Why don't you arrange a girls night out for all the girlfriends/wives and just use that as an icebreaker. Lots of kiwis like to socialise at home so you could arrange a pot luck dinner or something to get to know everyone. You'll be fine!

If you are in or around Dunedin in mid to late January I would definitely meet up with you!

www.plunket.org.nz/plunket-near-you/?region=Canterbury&district=Christchurch+City&suburb=&service=Play+groups

Tootling on here. Keep seeing A-MA-ZING houses which is really not helping my mental health I need to a big whack around the head, but if anyone wants property porn I will post a link to a lovely house!!

longwhitecloud - thanks v much for the link!- it worked! That's great, Plunket groups definitely look like my starting point, it's a relief to know that I know where to go even before I get there.
I think that's exactly what DP's friends wives were like- nice people but just a bit reserved. First time I met them all was when DP and I were getting together, and I came back saying how NICE and down to earth all the Kiwis were I met. Then the second time I was pregnant, and being totally wrapped up in my pregnancy I'd bound (well- hobble- I had SPD..) up to them, patting my bump and trying to look 'glowy' and expected them to want to ask me all about it talk about their own experiences being pregnant etc (most have children) but, well, they didn't.. They'd be perfectly polite but the conversation wouldn't go beyond the very surface. And no one dropped their voices and said 'oh god, my pelvis was like glass and don't even TALK to me about heart burn.. ' etc.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not super gushy and I liked them still, but just wished I could dig a bit deeper.. But your suggestion is a v good one. I shall pack DP out and invite them over on their own for a girls' night!
I would love to meet! Should still be around in mid-Jan so let's stay in touch..

I can't scroll back on my phone- but to whoever said they had a crush on Pa.. Me too! Had forgotten actually.. He was such a hero to Laura I think it oozed through the pages and made him very swoonsome! but maybe to Ma he was quite an annoying husband, always with big schemes and probably leaving her to put the kids to bed etc

Jeez it's a crappy day out there. We are having roast beef and veggies and red wine to forget about the weather outside. Just had a big flash of lightning and HUGE crack of thunder...

oh yes please to property porn!! am a bit dispirited at the furnished rental options. especially as we have a dog. everything says no pets. whats that all about then?

i have a confession to make..... i have no idea what little house on the prairie is! will go google.........

frik!!!!!! you have a lot to catch up on my friend - and as carter and i can attest, the swoonsome pa (i can dream that he is here on MN with us and has his own, somewhat unimaginative 'handle' worthy of bold type) is worth the research that we all hope you are about to embark on, with due seriousness and commitment! i have all my childhood books in the room with me as i type - disdained by DD (11) as 'golden-oldie' (as she flicks her hair and dives back into sink-estate wife-beating school-truanting jacqueline wilson land...sigh...)
longwhitecloud post that property porn link IMMEDIATELY:-) my brother and i recently confessed to each other our addiction to PP - he has weekly updates from Miami and San Diego (as he sits in rainy London) and I from high-end NZ (i can dream)