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

and yes,landlady isn't a kiwi...dh said she was spanish,but now thinks she was german

Maybe it's a kiwi cat - they're big. Our rental cat brought me 3 gardening gloves, a size 7 shoe and a pair of grey granny knickers this weekend.

See what you mean lolly I just shooed one away from our rabbit,big mofo it was!

Evening all.

Well it's here, the day that DP leaves. He's on a flight just after 3pm. It's all a bit sad and exciting at the same time. We won't see him for 4 ish weeks now but we're nearly there.

He's only been promoted with a pay rise already and he hasn't even started yet. He'll be in Auckland the first week, Wellington the 2nd and then back to Auckland to try and find somewhere to live. It'll fly past for him, us not so much.

The dc and I haven't even got our visas back yet but it has been bank holiday and they have taken the money so not going to worry yet.

Hope all the kiwi cats are leaving you alone.

Lucky dh,being promoted already! here's hoping the time goes quickly and your reunited soon. It's lovely weather here at the moment...my kids got burnt faces today!oopsie

Boxer shorts and another sports sock today.

You should start selling them on trademe lolly.

Good luck xMin.

I'm sitting in a cafe waiting while some blokes fiddle around with my car and pondering... what is it about car seats and tethers & anchor points here?? We had to buy a new car seat for DD2 because our old one arrived minus a few pieces, and now we're having to drill holes in the car and all sorts of stuff.

Do seat belts not work properly here or something?

DH is unimpressed that we shall also have to drill holes in his car if we want to use it with the car seats (and he refuses to drive my mum-mobile further than local trips )

Silverfield place in Wairau Valley. Plunket recommended them. I think in most cases it takes a couple of minutes & doesn't cost a lot, but I have a difficult car so it's taking an hour & 130 dollars.

(There's also a kids play cafe next door, but in my child free state today I'm having a quiet coffee in a cafe a little further on while I struggle with the theories of economics of education funding )

Car seats are such an arse. We've got one that is isofix and is brilliant but the seatbeat one is the biggest pain to fit. It usually leads to swearing and tantrums from OH.

I'm planning on buying a cheap one in the UK for our trip as ours both weigh 12kg+ and I can't face taking them on the trip back. Any UK people any suggestions where I should look?

The 'littlest' is about 13kg at 3 1/4 and I figure it would be good to have one for travelling for the next few years.

Graco do good high back booster but think its 15kg + and she is maybe a bit short for it yet. Mother care, Argos or Tesco are always selling one half price for $25.

Thanks guys. Have checked out a few places so I know where to go when we land.

Justabout- so glad to hear you have had a day off. You certainly deserve it!

We've had a guest staying this weekend. She is single and doesn't have kids. She asked me if 'my world seemed much smaller' since DD.

Smaller!!!!! Bless her....

I said I knew what she mean't, and in some ways yes. But in other ways no.

But I do feel a bit sad this evening.

Why do you feel sad? Sad that she was a friend and said something that (I) would find hurtful?

Xminerva - I've been to the supermarket and I thought I should tell you before you ship your stuff. You need to go buy as much Cheap foil, cling film, batteries, cloths, scourers, light bulbs as you can. And go to M&S and stock up on millions of cards for £1 and as much cheap wrapping paper. Stuff your drawers with it all. Stuff like that is not cheap here. Pants too, shoes, shoes, shoes...you will not believe the shoes...(and I mean that in a not good way).

I think I feel a bit hurt that she thinks my life is less now than it was! Dunno really.

I can understand that. I think it's one of those things about having kids-with some people it creates a bit of a rift. It's ignorance on her part but sad

But you think like that before you have kids don't you. You think it's limiting and restricts your life and you have no idea of what it actually opens up in a good way, how amazing it is.

On another note, the Warehouse sells perfectly decent kids birthday cards for 99 cents :)

Wrapping paper is stupidly expensive. I actually considered buying fabric in the spotlight sale instead.

Friend is living a very different life in a big Asian city. Works till 8pm every night and says her colleagues with kids all have two or three live in maids. Has been a slightly stressful weekend. I'm starting to wish I could ban guests all together. The expat curse I reckon.