Au Revoir Sir Edmund Hillary.....

1919 ~ 2008

I wish I had something deep and meaningful to say about one of New Zealand's most famous personalities.

I don't.

Au Revoir - may you rest in peace.

And so begins 2008....

Well 8 days in to the new year and its Business as Usual....

Get up , work, eat, walk dog, sleep and repeat.

Tell me why we do this again? Oh that right we are living the kiwi dream of the bank owning our house. Or two in our case ;) oh well - C'est la vie

Now that I'm back at work and finding ways to procrastinate from actually working, I've got no excuse to upate this blog.

So the year that was.

2007 - Highlights

* Buying my new racing stripes car
* Becoming Landords in Maungaraki
* Becoming Upper Hutt residents in Totara Park - flat land, more sun and NO WIND!!!!
* Getting my gorgeous Golden Retriever!
* Surviving one year of marriage ;)

2007 - Lowlights

* Overspending (all me)
* Having to commute 45mins each way to work
* Going up 2 sizes since Wedding
* Overspending - did I mention that....


2008 Resolutions

Not that I actually make any but are more like goals that I will work towards this year...

* make more of an effort (in everything)
* lose at least a dress size and get back to normal fitness!!!
* don't spend so much
* save for Europe Holiday in May 2009
* survive another year of marriage (that's the easy one!)
* don't spend so much... did I mention that....

so that's me for my first entry of 2008...
TTFN

The thing about Christmas....

.....is that you tend to catch up with friends who aren't in the country at this time of the year....

and that you realise that after talking to them that you do miss them - surprisingly so...

Case and point.

Thursday was our annual chrissy get together of Davenports, Penfolds and Listers for a chrissy drink , dinner and secret santa. And can't forget Ms Barclay... Good night to be had by all.

anyway I digress...

Anyway during these get togethers we make the annual toll call to those loved ones overseas - Kerryn (UK) and the Kershaws (Melbourne).

Even though these phonecalls are extremely brief and is content is no doubt repeated by the poor overseas soul 7 times while passed around the increasingly tiddly participants of so annual chrissy drink, I come away from these phonecalls with several conflicting emotions... (which may or may not be slightly enhanced by possible alcohol consumption)

a) really happy to yet again catch up (albiet briefly) with friends..

b) a pang of sadness that I do actually really miss having these people in my day to day life.

I mean you know you miss them, and that they are living their life, and you are living theirs and they are still your friends, but when you hear their voice you realise you want to have more than the odd phonecall, or email, or blog read. That you realise that you want to be part of their usual day to day activites.

The pang of sadness comes when you realise that actually you can't - that you are living your life in one country, and they are living their life in another and it aint likely to change any time soon.

ahh the trials of growing older.

and this only after talking to two of my overseas friends! Enough of that alcohol!

So for all those overseas mates who are reading this - love to you all for Christmas in 2007!!!

Peace out.

Christmas is getting closer...

I love Christmas.

I just do.

I love putting silly christmas decorations up.

I love putting lights all over my house.

I love wearing silly christmas hats (santa hats, elves hats... you name it).

I love putting up my tree.

I love attempting to dress the dog with reindeers antlers and/or christmas hat. She'll learn - the cat did.

I love buying presents. But even better is I love giving presents.

I love the way people get excited when they get a present. Even if its a bottle of wine that you give to your pensioned neighbours. It gives me warm fuzzies when they are so grateful that you thought of them. Even if the bottle of wine had been sitting in our liquor cabinet for a couple of years. And that it was a horrible chardonnay that I don't like.

I love making homemade chocolate to wrap up in cellophane to give to my workmates.

I love wearing silly flashing xmas lights on my clothes.

I love just spending hours and hours finding that perfect present for someone.

I love being with my family around xmas.

I love Christmas.

I love that it is only 1.5 days until I'm on a two week holiday.

oh and I love my gorgeous dog - have I said that yet? She is gorgeous.

Message to Ange......

I can't believe you cut your hair....

I am NOT SPEAKING to you.

I am going to vent instead on this blog.

vent - vent - vent - vent

I do like your hair long!!!! And you are getting married soon so no more cuts until AFTER the wedding!!!!!

I DONT CARE if Brisbane is 40deg for the next 5 months! and I know it will reach that over xmas cause I have experienced xmas over there twice now. Hot hot hot.

Sigh.

If only the new haircut looked bad and then I could vent some more... ;)

I just hope your bridesmaids read this blog and attempt to stop you cutting your hair!!!

Procrastination......

is the name of the game...

it's a game I really rather good at - as I'm quite often told by a certain Smith sister ;)

but that's beside the point - I have been expounding the virtues of having a blog, and selfishily enjoying reading all my friends, yet its been nearly a month since I've updated mine - doh. I guess procrastination doesn't even begin to describe it!!

So what have I been up to in the last 4 weeks....

Well I guess the most important thing was our First Year Wedding Anniversary... cue the awwwwwww....

Married one year - gosh - didn't that go fast - I can't believe that a year ago I was gorgeous, toned and taned! Oh and getting married of course. Time just flies eh... hope for us yet right! I mean if we can last the first year without even noticing that it has been a year we must be off to a good start!!!

But he did very well for our anniversary (paper themed) - which was on the Sunday.

Firstly on the Friday I got my Friday present of a Golden Retriever Calendar (awwww) and a dozen roses delivered. Not just ordinary roses mind you. A dozen specially ordered roses that were the same brand that I had for my wedding (awwwww). The exact brand. I know they were specially ordered cause I had to hunt them down specially for my wedding.... Yep that brought on some tears ;)

Didn't he do well.

Saturday I received my Saturday present of DIY Photo Block mounts - he knows I love that sort of thing.

Sunday (day of anniversary) I got my Sunday present of a figurine made of nuts and bolts of a couple sitting on a bench having a cuddle (Ange its the same one we got you for your engagement!) hehe - so romantic!

Then we went out for breakfast in Island Bay, travelled around the bays, had iced coffee on Oriental Bay, walked the dog along the river and to top it all off he took me to Lighthouse cinema and watched John Travolta sing and dance as a woman (Hairspray). Now I know he truly loves me if he took me to that.

All in all a perfect weekend to celebrate what has been a perfect year of marriage..... awwwww

But enough of the romantic crap.

November and December have been a month of being busy busy busy.

~ Dog Training
~ Netball Meetings (yes they never end)
~ Indoor Soccer (matt)
~ Walking the dog
~ Playing with the cat
~ Playing with the husband (hehe)
~ Social Life (yep most nights)
~ Hens night
~ Start of the silly season drinks, dinners etc etc...
~ and of course working....

As of today we are booked every day for something until new years day....

Oh - also brought a new tent (upgraded to 2 bedroom tent with room for me to stand up in) - man I was sick of that little tent.... very excited about that one ;)

and the cat brought a frog into the house the other day...

so that should keep a few people occupied for a couple of days ;) will add to my new resolutions list to attempt to update my blog more frequently.

Love to all - especially Fi who is mourning the passing of her father. We are thinking of you both.

EIRSA no more.....

Gosh I lead a boring life at the moment.... I've logged on several times over the last few weeks and just sat there thinking - I have nothing to say...

How boring is that....

Things are looking to spice up in the next few days at work though - we have a new boss CIO (Chief Information Officer) starting on Thursday, and our team has been dissolved and are no longer EIRSA. My old boss (Paula) for those in the know - has been removed from our team and taken Elizabeth with her to a floor below us with the other Senior Management Team Members. So we are now back to being called DAS (Data Application Support) for CIO Group... until the new CIO (a young Asian bird) decides on a new name for us.

That's boring too.

Oh and we've been merged with Communications and the IT groups. Fun fun fun.

hmm - what else...

Was in the good old HB a couple of weeks ago for my Grandmothers 80th and Family renunion and had a blast catching up with everyone... And we also caught up with Sage's brother and cousin - three golden retrievers running on the beach -you can't get much cuter than that... So I'll leave you with that image until I can think of something not so boring!

Currently off line....

This website is currently off line

We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the author being slack and not updating this blog in a timely fashion.

This website should be up and running in the next few days.

Kind Regards
BarWench Managment Team

Finished!!!

Tis done my lord...

Projects, exams, study....

On to a beer or three plus some curry.... mmm....maybe a run or so tomorrow ;)

yeahhhh....

Life welcome back ;)

Study, schmudy...

I'm over studying..... bring back my life (24hrs and counting)...

That is all.

Black Mourning.....

Well what a shite week & weekend....

Monday & Tuesday the weather was atrocious and work just sucked.....
depressing....

Wednesday our 42" Plasma suddenly died so stuck using our bedroom 21" - lots of squinting required....
more depressing....

Thursday brightened up a little when I called in a favour from an old flatmate who fast tracked out Plasma warranty fix and gave us a loan 32" LCD - at least we didn't have to squint as much.... Weather still atrocious with torrential rain, wind and stormy conditions.....
slightly not so depressing.....

Friday was ok - managed to do some study at work (hope work isn't reading this) but then spent the night at home doing crappy study.....
ok depressing again....

Saturday was back into work studying when outside was a GLORIOUS spring day with no wind and heaps of sunshine... Any normal person would've skiived off stoopid study and gone and enjoyed the day..... One's husband was out playing cricket on this glorious day but forgot his knee brace so an hours drive later (as I had to go home from work then come back in and drop it off) I got a small taste of fresh air when running on to the pitch to give him the brace.... but soon back to work to do project....
more depressing.....

then I ended up studying at home until midnight doing project work.....
very depressing......

Then France knocked us out of the world cup this morning.... I hope the boys have a good sports pyschologist...
that's more than depressing....

back at work now doing my project while husband is sulking at home. Oh and the weather has turned crap again....

I don't think I'll get out of bed tomorrow.....

Who'd want kids......

Well its been just over a week since we've had Sage in our lives....

and WHAT a LONG TIRING week its been....

4 feeds a day, getting up at 5am to let her out to toilet, attempting to put her to bed at 11pm, trying to ignore the pitiful whinging at night, watching her every minute to make sure she doesn't toilet in the wrong area, coming home early to feed her at 5pm, teaching her commands......

But love her to bits! Been to one puppy training class already and she has the come and sit commands down, back to second class tomorrow night and off for 9 week vaccinations tomorrow as well..

Kath was down over the weekend and stayed - poor thing! I don't think she was ready for the 5am whinging! or the puppy babysitting! on the bright side we did manage to go shopping on Saturday!

Tell ya what - its not endearing me to have a screaming kid anytime soon ;)

Sage the puppy...

Hey all,

Well after 4 days of having a puppy named Hunter around the house, last night we changed it to Sage.

Call it female perogative to change her mind? But to be honest the name just wasn't working and you have to have one that works! It wasn't feeling comfortable so after some discussion we went with second choice Sage.

The inner psychologist would say that it was because I wanted a male dog and could only get a female dog, and didn't want a 'girly girly' name since we all know I aint that! And that the husband wasn't that fussed on the name but was going to let me have Hunter.... I tried - I do love that name, but not for our girl this time.

Name: Sage
Origin of name: Latin
Meaning: Wise one, Prophet or from the healing herb
Breed: Golden Retriever (purebreed)

(this is the wisest looking photo of her I could find..!)

Hopefully she doesn't get a complex about this! Imagine a dual personality dog - yikes! I've been told by two dog 'beahviouralists' that changing the name this soon is fine, she's been called puppy for 8 weeks by the breeder and all they really hear is 'blah blah blah' at this stage until training starts!

Puppy love....

I'd like to introduce our new baby girl puppy, Sage Lister.

Otherwise know as Sage!

We picked her up from Otaki breeder late Saturday afternoon and arrived home around 6.30pm - had a bit of play and named her Hunter. Matt really wanted Sage, and I really wanted to call her Hunter so my darling husband kindly let me name her. (HOWEVER it is now Wednesday and the name Hunter is just not working. Doesn't feel right - so we have changed it to Sage.)

Introduced her to Oscar the cat, which went well - no dead or missing dog or cat so can't complain - it can only get better right!


And then introduced her to the crate - oh dear..... We got about 2 hours sleep with all the racket she made :( hehe...... I'm looking forward to getting through this phase as soon as possible! But she's cute....! And we got through the evening with only 2 little accidents - whew - unfortunately we didn't get through the night without some accidents the poor thing - she's too young to hold on too hold on all night - a few more weeks hopefully.




shes soooo cute...

Sick, sicker, sickest....

I'm sick of being sick...

Last Wednesday my husband came home sick, and had Thursday and Friday off work.

Friday I came home from work sick.

Saturday we had to cancel Dinner and Rugby cause we were sick.

Sunday we had to cancel brunch cause we were sick.

Monday we decided to go to the Doctor cause we should've been getting better by now (Matt 5 days, me 3 days).

Both with Viral infections, me with Sinus infection about to move to chest infection to boot.

Fun.

Have to cancel attendance at my netball teams dinner on Wednesday cause I'm sick. Won't be a work tomorrow either cause I'm still miserably sick.

Will more than likely have to cancel attendance at the Wellington Regional prizegiving on Thursday cause I'm sick.

I hate being sick.